Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Velvet Sessions with Soul Asylum Set for Thursday, October 25

WHAT:  2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando’s Velvet Sessions lobby concert series continues in October with Soul Asylum performing hits “Misery,” “Somebody To Shove,” “Black Gold,” “Cartoon,” “Without A Trace,” “I Will Still Be Laughing” and more. Halloween Velvet Sessions at Hard Rock Hotel ###

SOS Children’s Villages Illinois Honors Andolino at “Crafted” Event

CHICAGO, 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — One week from today, on the evening of October 18, Rosemarie S. Andolino, Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner and Andrew Mooney, Chicago Department of Housing and Economic Development Commissioner, will each be honored with a Distinguished Leadership Award at the SOS Children’s Villages Illinois fundraising event called “Crafted”. Tickets for the event are still available. Click here or call SOS Children’s Villages Illinois… Read the full press release

Alaska Airlines Orders 50 Boeing Aircraft

737 MAX comprises most of order—the largest in carrier’s history 10/11/2012 5:00 a.m. SEATTLE — 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Alaska Airlines today announced an order for 50 Boeing aircraft, including the 737 MAX—the new engine variant of the world’s best-selling airliner. The aircraft, which will be delivered between 2015 and 2022, represent the largest order in Alaska… Read the full press release

Webcast Alert: Southwest Airlines to Discuss Third Quarter 2012 Financial Results on October 18, 2012

DALLAS – 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) invites you to listen to a live webcast of its third quarter 2012 financial results.  Details are as follows: When: Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 12:30 PM Eastern Time Who: Gary Kelly, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer Tammy Romo, Senior Vice President… Read the full press release

Dragonair Expands Network In Asia With New Service To Yangon, Myanmar

Hong Kong, 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ —  Dragonair today announced it will launch a new four-times weekly service to Yangon, the largest city and main economic hub of Myanmar, commencing on 9 January 2013 (subject to government approval). The new service will enhance Dragonair’s presence in the region and provide a significant boost to both leisure and… Read the full press release

FirstGroup Extends its Sponsorship of Ryder Cup Golfer, Paul lawrie

FirstGroup Extends its Sponsorship of Ryder Cup Golfer, Paul lawrie

2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Following Paul Lawrie’s heroics at the Ryder Cup, one of his sponsors, Aberdeen based FirstGroup, has confirmed it will continue its sponsorship of the former Open Champion throughout 2013. FirstGroup has been one of Paul’s valued sponsors since 2007 and its logo features on Paul’s right sleeve.  First has also been a… Read the full press release

The Chicago Farmers Market Program Presents First Ever Daley Plaza Outdoor Red Meat Market, October 18

Event to Preview National Food Day in Chicago Chicago, IL – 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — In honor of Food Day, the City of Chicago’s Farmers Market Program will add a local Red Meat Market to their Daley Plaza Farmers Market on October 18, beginning at 7 a.m.  The Daley Plaza Farmers Market will sell local fruits, vegetables and,… Read the full press release

LAST CHANCE FOR JAZZOO TICKETS!

WHAT: 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Last chance for tickets to the fifth annual Jazzoo, coming up Saturday, October 13 from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Atlanta’s wildest creative cocktail party features food from 30 of Atlanta’s best restaurants; 20 full-service open bars throughout the Zoo; and live music on four stages. Jazzoo 2012 will be headlined by ‘80s cover… Read the full press release

Walrus Calf Coming to Indianapolis Zoo Curious Orphan Joins Several Other Rescued Marine Mammals

INDIANAPOLIS — 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — An orphaned male Pacific walrus calf found off the northern coast of Alaska will soon call the Indianapolis Zoo home. He is scheduled to arrive in Indianapolis later this week, and if all goes well with the acclimation to his new home, he could be on exhibit for the public to see sometime… Read the full press release

GIANT PANDA CUB AT NATIONAL ZOO DIED AS RESULT OF LUNG AND LIVER DAMAGE

2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — After examining the giant panda cub that died six days after it was born to mother Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, the Zoo’s team of pathologists found that lung and liver damage ultimately caused the death of the panda cub. The poorly developed lungs likely caused the cub to… Read the full press release

VisitEngland Announces New Commitment to UK Travel Trade at the 2012 ABTA Travel Convention

New Strategy Unveiled to Drive Domestic Business Through the Trade 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — VisitEngland’s Chairman Penelope Viscountess Cobham, announced today in a speech at the ABTA Travel Convention the national tourist board’s plans to further grow tourism in England by working more closely with the travel trade.   Unveiling a raft of activity aimed at inspiring… Read the full press release

Nomination to Prix Villégiature Awards 2012

Hotel Puente Romano nominated as Best Resort in Europe 2012  By Villegiature Awards 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Villegiature Awards created in 2003 gather a voting Jury composed of 20 international press correspondents and journalists from very famous medias covering all over the world. They reward the best of the best hotels in Europe, in Asia en Africa. The… Read the full press release

easyJet Announces New Service to Newcastle

2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Low-cost carrier easyJet has confirmed it will start its fourth direct air service to Jersey with the launch of a twice-weekly operation from Newcastle. The flights will operate on Tuesday and Saturday, commencing 26 March 2013. Group Commercial Director for Ports of Jersey, Myra Shacklady, says ‘easyJet already operates three successful year-round services between… Read the full press release

SEMA and MAGIC Trade Shows Sign on to Stay at the Las Vegas Convention Center

SHOWS EXPECTED TO GENERATE $1.4 BILLION IN LOCAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS LAS VEGAS – 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Las Vegas is the No. 1 trade show destination in North America, and two long-time trade shows who helped Las Vegas garner that title will continue to call it home, generating an estimated $1.4… Read the full press release

Late Bronze Age Hoard Discovered in Jersey

2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — A Late Bronze Age hoard has been uncovered in a field in the Parish of Trinity, Jersey just months after the biggest Celtic coin hoard of all time was unearthed in the Island. It is thought that the find is a Late Bronze Age pottery vessel (around 1000 BC) containing what appear… Read the full press release

Ryanair Announces 6 New Dortumund Routes

6 ROUTES & 200,000 PAX P.A. AT RYANAIR’S 11TH GERMAN AIRPORT 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Ryanair, Europe’s only ultra-low cost airline, today (10 Oct) announced it will launch 6 new routes from Dortmund to Alghero, Barcelona (Gir), Faro, Malaga, Porto and Palma in March 2013 which will deliver over 200,000 passengers p.a. and sustain over 200… Read the full press release

Tourism Australia and Emirates expand joint marketing efforts to build international visitor appeal for Australia

Tourism Australia and Emirates have signed a global marketing agreement

Key facts Under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Tourism Australia and Emirates intend to collectively spend up to A$14.3 million over the next three years on a range of joint marketing activities. The joint marketing activities under the MoU will focus on some of Australia’s leading inbound visitor markets – the United Kingdom, Germany… Read the full press release

Fall Travel Trends & “Spooktacular” Insight

2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Welcome to the October edition of TRAVEL GUARD UPDATE, a monthly review designed to provide you with up-to-date information on the latest travel trends. This month, we polled travelers to learn about their fall travel aspirations, including trips to view fall foliage and experience spooky Halloween destinations. We’ll also touch upon how travel… Read the full press release

KEN NAKANO APPOINTED HEAD CHEF AT ROSEWOOD HOTEL GEORGIA

Talented Vancouver chef joins esteemed culinary team at historic hotel VANCOUVER, BC – 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver’s most historic hotel, is delighted to announce the appointment of Chef Ken Nakano as Head Chef responsible for directing the hotel’s five in-house dining elements Reflections, Room Service, Banqueting, 1927 and Prohibition. Chef Ken Nakano… Read the full press release

Travelport and Air Botswana sign full content agreement

Gaborone, Botswana, 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, has announced the signing of a new global full content agreement with Air Botswana, the national carrier of Botswana. Effective immediately, the new multi-year agreement provides all of Travelport’s Galileo, Worldspan and Apollo-connected travel agents worldwide with access to the carrier’s… Read the full press release

Entrepreneur Magazine Ranks Hampton Hotels as Top Global Franchise

Hampton Hotels, recently named the top global franchise by Entrepreneur magazine, is known for the value and quality it provides to both franchisees and guests alike. All Hampton hotels feature a free, hot breakfast, free high-speed Internet access, the Clean and Fresh Hampton Bed, modern amenities, proactive, friendly customer service and, by end of 2012, a newly redesigned and renovated Perfect Mix Lobby. The Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Halifax-Dartmouth in Nova Scotia, Canada (shown above) features the brand’s signature Perfect Mix Lobby design, which is intended to create an inviting space that ultimately becomes an extension of the guest room. Credit: Hampton Hotels

Hampton Hotels earns No. 1 franchise spot based on size, growth and financial strength MCLEAN, Va. – 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Hampton Hotels today announced that it has been named the top global franchise by Entrepreneur magazine out of 200 franchisors listed in the publication’s October issue.  The international ranking follows two consecutive years as the No. 1 franchise… Read the full press release

JW Marriott Resorts Portfolio Christens October as Culinary Month With First-Ever Online Cookbook & Dessert Specials

Ten Resorts in U.S. & Mexico Offer Easy to Make Regionally-Inspired Recipes & All Resorts Will Feature Specially-Priced “Throwback” Desserts.

Ten Resorts in U.S. & Mexico Offer Easy to Make Regionally-Inspired Recipes & All Resorts Will Feature Specially-Priced “Throwback” Desserts.  2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — October is known as Cook Book Month and National Dessert Month and to celebrate, the JW Marriott Resort Portfolio has launched its own Culinary Month across the collection of ten JW Marriott… Read the full press release

CAMP SPOOKY: WEEKENDS OCTOBER 6-28

CAMP SPOOKY: WEEKENDS OCTOBER 6-28

KNOTT’S CAMP SNOOPY INVITES KIDS TO JOIN THE BIGGEST COSTUME PARTY EVER! BUENA PARK, CA – 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Pirate, witch, cowboy, angel? It’s that time of year to decide who you want to be. Knott’s invites you to dress to the nines in your Halloween finery and come to “Snoopy’s Costume Party” in Camp Spooky. This… Read the full press release

Luminous Eyes and a Ghostly Gator Awaits Visitors During Creatures of the Night at ZooAmerica

Hershey, Pa. – 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Visitors to ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park during Halloween In Hershey are in store for an evening of adventure as they explore the nocturnal habits of its animals during its Creatures of the Night event. Offered over three fall weekends – October 19-20, October 26-28 and November 2-4 – guests are… Read the full press release

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Teams Up with US Club Soccer

Fairfield Inn & Suites becomes Official Hotel of US Club Soccer.

CHARLESTON, S.C.- 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — US Club Soccer members score a win today with the announcement of the organization’s exciting new partnership with Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott. As the official hotel of US Club Soccer, Fairfield Inn & Suites will be the preferred brand for all of US Club Soccer’s national and regional… Read the full press release

SWISSÔTEL HOTELS & RESORTS EXPANDS IN CHINA WITH A NEW DELUXE HOTEL IN CHANGSHA

ZURICH, 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — The international hotel group Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its portfolio in China. The future deluxe hotel will be located in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province and the transportation hub in southcentral China. Swissôtel Changsha will be part of a mixed-use development featuring a Grade A office tower,… Read the full press release

Wyndham Hotel Group Announces 16 Hotels in India and Indonesia

The newly opened 120-room Ramada Resort Udaipur will add to Wyndham Hotel Group’s expanding portfolio of more than 40 hotels currently in operation or under development in India.

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham brand introduced into India HONG KONG, 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company with over 7,170 hotels and a part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), today signed deals for 16 hotels throughout India and Indonesia and announced the launch of the extended stay Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham® brand in… Read the full press release

Marriott’s Deals of the Week

Say Aloha to 55% Savings in Hawaii 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ —  Say goodbye to the work week and hello to a fall Hawaiian vacation. Hawaii’s swaying palms, golden sunsets, spectacular beaches and unique culture truly define paradise. For a limited time, guests can enjoy four nights in Hawaii with round-trip airfare from just $549 and… Read the full press release

China Airlines Celebrates the First Anniversary of SkyTeam Membership

2012-10-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — September 28 marked the first anniversary of China Airlines’ SkyTeam membership. One year has passed since CAL became the 15th member and SkyTeam has now grown to 18 members. Thanks to the extensive SkyTeam network, CAL now offers more than 15,000 daily flights to 993 destinations in 186 countries, with 520 VIP… Read the full press release

Passenger volumes slightly down at Finavia airports in the third quarter

2012-10-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — Passenger volumes at Finavia airports reached 4.8 million in the third quarter of 2012. The figure was 2.6 percent lower than in the same period in the previous year. The Asian volumes continue to increase at a slower pace than before. In the third quarter, a total of 4,843,974 passengers used Finavia… Read the full press release