Tokyo the favourite overseas city for American tourists

Tokyo has been chosen as the world’s best big city outside the United States for the third year in a row, leading US travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler reports.

Readers of the magazine cast more than 420,000 votes for their favorite cities in the 2018 poll, the magazine said, with the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto climbing the rankings to second from third the previous year.

“Topping our list of world cities yet again, Tokyo continues to thrill with its contradictions: ultramodern, neon-lit skyscrapers and tranquil temples, unmatchable street style and centuries-old etiquette,” the magazine said, adding that the Japanese capital is also “one of the world’s best food destinations”.

The magazine said Kyoto is “still one of the most well-preserved cities in Japan”. A third Japanese city, Osaka, finished 12th.

Melbourne in Australia, was third, followed by Vienna, Austria, and Hamburg in Germany. Then came Sydney, Singapore, Paris, Barcelona and Vancouver.

That Sydney should finish sixth is amazing given the city core is a complete building site and its public transport is an absolute shambles.

Massive man-made reef aims to revive wild oyster populaton

Parts of the artificial reef

The final construction stage of the largest man-made oyster reef system outside the United States has been completed in South Australia.

The 20-hectare reef in the waters of Gulf St Vincent in South Australia is the first of what is hoped to be five major reef projects in the state to revive wild populations of the almost extinct Ostrea angasi native mud oyster.

The four-hectare stage one of the Windara Reef project was completed in June 2017 and 30,000 adult native oysters were embedded across the 15 limestone structures in January this year.

Work on stage two began in late August and was completed last week. It involved placing almost 10,000 tonnes of limestone boulders, each about the size of a soccer ball, to form 144 reefs across the remaining 16-hectare area.

The final part of the project will include seeding the stage two section with seven million one-month-old native oyster spat in December.

The project, about a kilometre off the coast of Ardrossan on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, aims to increase fish stocks for recreational anglers, improve water quality and biodiversity and revive the oyster in the Gulf.

Oyster reefs are considered the temperate water equivalent to coral reefs in tropical waters. Australia’s southern coastline was home to thousands of kilometres of oyster reefs before European settlement but dredging to remove substrate for lime production and the harvesting of oysters for food wiped out all the reefs except for one off the coast of Tasmania.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has been involved in dozens of shellfish reef restoration projects, chiefly in the United States and is considered a global expert on their establishment.

TNC project manager Anita Nedosyko said the first dives to measure the environmental benefits on water quality, fish production and biodiversity of stage one were conducted in May and June as part of a six-year study into the success of the project.

She said while the reef system was dominated by turfing algae, the adult oysters placed on the reef were surviving and a number of wild oyster spat had also found its way to the reef, which was an unexpected bonus.

The seven million one-month-old native oyster larvae will be attached at a hatchery near Port Lincoln to 12 tonnes of oyster shells that will be used to host the spat so it can be easily seeded onto the reef, which is in 8-10 metres of water.

The 144 limestone boulder reefs in stage two are roughly four metres wide and 700mm high with lengths varying from 10 metres to 35 metres and are distributed evenly across the area to form one large reef system.

Nedosyko said the individual reef clumps were designed to be close enough together so that native oyster larvae could move across the reef system through tidal flow.

“A successful reef for us will be one where oysters are surviving, spawning and producing new recruits and we’re also starting to see some additional biodiversity,” she said.

Adult native oysters can filter more than 100 litres of water a day and excrete a mucus-like substance that is rich in nutrients and provides food for small shellfish that in turn provide food for larger fish.

Nedosyko said the ability to provide to clean water and provide a food source for small organisms gave native oyster reefs the ability to drive greater fish production than artificial reefs alone.

She said it was hoped the Windara Reef would eventually lead to increased fish production of 5000 tonnes per hectare a year including recreational fishing favourites such as snapper and King George whiting.

“It’s like a well-stocked fridge – it’s really attractive to fish coming in because they can stop, get fed and move on or decide to be residents.”

The Nature Conservancy is working with the South Australian Government to raise additional funds to be able to undertake restoration projects in other South Australian locations including Kangaroo Island, the metropolitan Adelaide coast, Spencer Gulf and the far West Coast.

“This is definitely an important site for us to be able to test the success of the ecological progression of the reef and also to test and trial the construction and deployment methods,” Nedosyko said.

“We’re confident that by building native oyster reefs we’re going to achieve oyster survival but also greater biodiversity and therefore higher fish numbers at these sites.”

Come and visit us, say the good people of Christmas Island

Most of us associate Christmas Island with an immigration detention centre of immense cruelty that cost $400 million of Australian taxpayers' money to build. 

But now, after decade of being associated with Australian Government behaviour that shocked the international community, Christmas Island's tourism industry finally has the opportunity to shine.

This week, the island's Immigration Detention Centre (IDC), which opened its doors in 2008, will scale back to 'hot contingency' status, which means it will be closed to detainees, and only become operational should the need arise.

Tourism operators on the tropical island, located 2600 kilometres north-west of Perth off the coast of Indonesia, hope this change in status of the centre means the spotlight can once again be shone on the island's natural wonders.

“Our industry has had to endure many challenges during the past 10 years,” says Lisa Preston, chair of the Christmas Island Tourism Association, adding “it's great to be able to finally start getting our positive messages out into our markets”.

Earlier this week, the tropical island celebrated its 60th anniversary as an Australian territory.

“The closure of the IDC is the ultimate birthday present”, says Preston. "We are now poised to start developing our island's long-term vision for the future, which means embracing tourism and the new opportunities that it will bring for all."

The closure of the IDC is especially welcomes by several recent tourism developments on the island, including Swell Lodge, a luxury cabin perched atop a sea cliff that is attracting visitors from as far as Europe, and Extra Divers, a global diving conglomerate which recently opened its first Australian dive centre on the island.

Christmas Island hopes to soon become better known for its marine life (you can swim, snorkel and scuba dive with whale sharks), deserted beaches and wildlife than its detainees. 

For more information please visit www.christmas.net.au

How the hell do you pronounce Ptuj? Have a go.

Readers of the British newspaper The Daily Mail are notoriously Anglo-centric, finding difficulty with foreign languages, accents and foods.

In September, the newpaper compiled a list of the world’s least pronounceable tourist destinations for British holidaymakers.

Among those listed: Ptuj in Slovenia (below).

The pronunciation is “so phonetically baffling for Brits that 92% of those polled in a survey said it incorrectly”.

This inspired the Ptuj Local Tourism Board to create a new promotional video, which teaches visitors to pronounce the name correctly and at the same time showcases the beauty of the city.

Ptuj, in the north-east of Slovenia, is the oldest city in the country; and to my mind easier to pronounce than Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland or ordering a bottle of wine from South African producer Boukenhoutskloof.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyDwaP0EjZA

Rapid changes on the Australian hotel landscape

A new research report highlights the dramatic expansion and transformation of Australia’s hotel industry, with a new generation of hotels being developed to cater for a new generation of traveller.

The report – The Innovation Revolution Transforming Australia’s Hotel Industry – was undertaken by Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) and documents how new global and local hotel brands, new designs, new technologies and new guest services are changing the face of Australia’s accommodation sector.

The changes include trends such as localism, individualism, art and sustainability, and come at a time when the Australia hotel sector is undergoing its largest-ever expansion. 

Cities such as Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne have already witnessed a significant rejuvenation of their hotel stock, while the Sydney hotel sector is at the start of its most dramatic expansionary phase since the 2000 Olympics and change if afoot in Hobart.

Over 200 new or upgraded hotels will be added to Australia’s hotel inventory in the decade to 2025 in city, airport, suburban, regional and resort destinations. 

The addition of 30,000 rooms across all price points will make a vital contribution to maintaining the record growth in tourism, which in 2017 delivered $41.3 billion in foreign revenue to the economy and supported over 180,000 Australian jobs.

Major innovations identified in the TAA research report include:

New lifestyle brands introducing new hospitality concepts: Boutique international brands like Aloft & the Autograph Collection (Marriott), Curio (Hilton), MGallery (Accor), Indigo (IHG), TRYP (Wyndham) and Ovolo Hotels have joined Australian designer brands like QT, Art Series and Veriu.

The technology revolution – from VR design to keyless entry: New technology, from virtual reality to artificial intelligence, is increasingly intertwined in the future of hotel development and design. In many hotels the reception desk has been replaced by multi-purpose welcome areas with iPad check-in – or no check in at all. Personal mobile technology is also allowing guests the capability to pre-select rooms and services.

The Lobby/Living Space Revolution: Functional lobby and reception areas are being transformed into vibrant, communal ‘living’ spaces. Hotel designers have introduced the ‘home-away-from-home’ concept by re-designing their lobbies and other public areas from business-like, pragmatic spaces to living-room style spaces that are warm and inviting. Interactive cafes and delis are now common, flowing across the lobby, along with plentiful lounges, re-charging ports, TV screens and private areas for friends/colleagues to catch up over a coffee or glass of wine.

Design emphasis moves from global to local, uniformity to individuality: The new generation of hotels has attracted a new generation of designers, with the licence to make a statement with their designs. From prime city locations to pristine resort locations, hotel design is now aimed at complementing the landscape, becoming an integral component of the local area.

Small equals big in the design revolution: Through innovation in design, many of the new hotels being launched feature smaller, more functional bedrooms, with wall-mounted TVs doing away with the need for large cabinetry. Power and USB points are now bed-side to support guests using technology from their beds, while mobile desks are replacing traditional work desks.

In launching the report, Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Carol Giuseppi said that the massive expansion of Australia’s hotel industry and the commitment to design excellence would play a crucial role in sustaining Australia’s record-breaking tourism performance.

“The biggest trends influencing the new hotel design include an emphasis on localism, community, individualism, art and sustainability," she said. "Hotels are being designed to complement the local landscape, with street art, edgy design and a focus on local produce on restaurant, bar and function menus.

“The changes are being driven by changes in traveller’s demands, particularly the millennial generation. Technology has been a key focus for hotels. Not only are most Australian hotels offering at least some level of free wifi, but connection speeds are faster and the new breed of hotels are offering casting capability to their in-room screens. Keyless entry to rooms has been introduced and increasingly guests will be able to select their specific room type in advance."

The full report is available via https://goo.gl/L3SGjM 

New logo aims to guide cider drinkers

Is that cider you are sipping crafted from organic Australian apples from the Huon Valley in Tasmania, or made from Chinese apple concentrate? 

The Australian craft cider industry today launched its 100% Australian-grown trust mark and logo as part of a $500,000 investment to market craft cider.

Supported by the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package,  the $500,000 investment has seen Wine Australia partner with Cider Australia and consultant Guy Taylor to develop a marketing strategy that is unique to Australia and meaningful in chosen export markets.

Cider Australia president and craft cider producer Sam Reid said: ‘I’m incredibly proud that we are the first country to develop a cider trust mark. 

"Authenticity is very important to our industry. The trust mark will help consumers to recognise what makes Australian craft ciders unique – a premium beverage made with 100% Australian-grown apples or pears.

‘This initiative also aims to drive significant growth for the Australian craft cider community, raising its profile both domestically and internationally’, he said.

The trust mark and brand proposition are part of a broader strategy to market the Australian craft cider category overseas and establish export markets for local brands. Consumers will start to see the trust mark on eligible craft ciders in retail outlets from November this year and it will be rolled out more widely over summer.