SILVERSEA UNVEILS 2012 VOYAGE ATLAS

Silversea has unveiled its new full-colour, 200-page 2012 Voyage Atlas. The visually captivating picture-book details over 200 itineraries exploring seven continents, over 100 countries, and more than 450 destinations.

The 2012 Voyage Atlas opens with an easy-to-read, voyage-by-voyage summary followed by a section revealing the hallmarks of Silversea's unique luxury lifestyle. The balance of the brochure provides detailed worldwide cruise itineraries by region, including highlights of shore excursions, descriptions of land programs, deck plans and general information.

New for 2012 is a pricing summary booklet inserted into the back cover pocket.

Plus, for the first time, the brochure features a Microsoft Tag 2D bar code on its back cover that enables smartphone users to view The World of Silversea, the company's exciting new video that invites travellers to step aboard and experience the award-winning luxury and pampering ambiance of Silversea.

"We're delighted to be able to offer travellers an engaging interactive experience by incorporating the latest mobile tagging technology in our new brochure," said Karen Christensen, Silversea's director of sales and marketing and general manager for Australia and New Zealand.

"Not only will you be able to read about the rewards of an all-inclusive, ultra-luxury cruise holiday, but by accessing our new video from your mobile phone, you will get to see the experience come to life."


2012 HIGHLIGHTS:

Passport to Luxury

The company's popular "Passport to Luxury" promotion is available on all voyages in 2012, with the exception of Silver Explorer expedition cruises. The multi-tiered program provides an Onboard Spending Credit of up to US$1,500 per suite (US$750 per person).

World Cruise 2012

Silver Whisper will embark January 6 from Fort Lauderdale on her first-ever World Cruise, a remarkable 115-day journey that concludes in glamorous Monte Carlo. On this magnificent odyssey, her guests will visit 45 ports in 27 countries stretching from the Caribbean and South America to Africa, the Far East, Arabia and Europe. Along the way, they will enjoy multi-day stays in 13 major cities and exclusive insider access to seldom seen global treasures.

Grand Voyages

Created for the sophisticated traveller who has the time and passion to indulge in travel on a grand scale, this special collection offers extended voyages from 24 to 61 days. These odysseys combine the luxury of sailing aboard the line's elite, all-suite ships with expanded journeys to diverse regions of the world, featuring visits to must-see traditional ports, as well as exotic destinations that are off the beaten path - all on one cruise.

West Africa Expeditions

Silversea has created three new West Africa expedition itineraries for 2012 that visit the once colonised northwest countries, travel along coastlines infamous for their historic role in the slave trade, and explore the southern waters where vast seabird colonies are sustained by the nutrient-rich upwelling of the icy Benguela current.

For more information please contact Silversea Cruises on +61 2 9255 0600 or toll free 1300 306 872 (Australia) or 0800 701 427 (New Zealand), or visit www.silversea.com

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Château Élan: Best Luxury Accommodation in Central Coast Tourism Awards

Château Élan at The Vintage, Australia's premiere five star golf and spa resort, was awarded Gold in the prestigious Luxury Accommodation category at the 2011 Hunter & Central Coast Awards for Excellence in Tourism, announced at Ausgrid Stadium on Thursday night. The Resort, which opened in February 2010, was also a finalist in both Health and Well Being Tourism and Meetings and Business Tourism awards.

These annual awards produced by the Hunter and Central Coast Tourism attracted more than 45 entries across 23 categories.  The awards recognise the best tourism products and services in the region.  Erik Stuebe, CEO Château Élan Hotels & Resorts, who accepted the awards at the ceremony said, "We are thrilled that Château Élan has been recognised with this key award. As a newcomer to the Hunter Valley we have aimed at establishing a new benchmark for service and luxury in the area, both for leisure and for the MICE market. The quality of our Spa and Resort facilities is second to none and our team has worked extremely hard to ensure we are worthy of this wonderful accolade."

Château Élan at The Vintage www.chateauelan.com.au  is located in the Hunter Valley, just north of Sydney. The $40m development, offers luxury retreats for up to 200 guests. The resort sits among the celebrated fairways of The Vintage – the Greg Norman-designed golf course and comprises a large Spa, a collection of super-luxury spa suites and a series of private lifestyle villas. The Spa complex has 17 treatment rooms dedicated to exclusive spa rituals, traditional hydrotherapies and social relaxation. It is one of very few places in the world where people can experience Terraké treatments supplemented by products from prestige group, Thalgo. The Couples Spa Package, a delicious shared and totally immersive experience including indulgence in the Hydrolounge, Thai Herbal Compress massages and soothing heated paraffin foot treatments, has been just one of the overwhelmingly popular packages available.

Château Élan, features a purpose built and state of the art conference and events venue in the Hunter, offering five flexible conference rooms, premium dining and a range of team building activities with access to the championship golf course.  Air access with flights from Queensland and Melbourne into Newcastle Airport, is an easy 50 minute drive from the Resort.

Book online at www.chateauelan.com.au.  


About Château Élan at The Vintage, Hunter Valley, NSW

Château Élan at The Vintage is Australia's finest conference, golf and spa resort. It is located in the heart of the Hunter Valley. Offering a luxury escape for up to 200 guests, the resort comprises a spa with 17 treatment rooms, a hair and beauty salon, 20 super-luxury spa suites and a series of private lifestyle villas. The $40m development is just two hours north of Sydney. It has been co-conceived by the group behind Château Élan in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Vintage is the Hunter Valley's premier residential lifestyle community. At its heart is a Greg Norman-designed course, which is ranked #2 in New South Wales. The Vintage has bar, conference and full dining and catering facilities; the Clubhouse is home to the renowned Legends Grill restaurant.

For more details and to book, visit: www.chateauelan.com.au

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Hawai'i Tourism Launches i-phone app

New Festivals of Hawai'i App for iPhone

Visitors to Hawai'i can now find timely information on events sponsored by Hawai'i Tourism Authority (HTA) at their fingertips. HTA, the state's official tourism agency, has launched its first smartphone application for Festivals of Hawai'i, providing details on more than 100 events throughout the islands. The free app is available for download on iTunes for iPhone, iPod and iPad devices.

"Festivals of Hawai'i are instrumental in bringing  together both residents and visitors to celebrate cultures and traditions in Hawai'i. They present travellers with a way to  engage in unique island experiences and provide a taste of Hawaii's rich cultural diversity to the world." said Hawai'i Tourism Oceania Country Manager, Helen Williams.

Search by Island

When opening the app, the user can select any of the six Hawaiian Islands to see what's happening that day. Islands include Kaua'i, O'ahu, Moloka'i, Lāna'i, Maui and Hawai'i. Events closest in date will appear first.

Search by Category

The four most popular categories featured at the bottom of the homepage are: Hawaiian, Arts & Music, Cuisine and Sports. The user may select one of these categories or choose "More" to see the full range of categories.

 The 12 categories are
· Hawaiian: Hula, Hawaiian music and Hawaiian culture

· Arts & Music: Concerts, art exhibits and shows

· Cuisine: Food and wine events

· Sports: Ocean and land activities

· Ethnic Culture: Non-Hawaiian cultural events including Korean, Japanese, Chinese and more

· Agriculture: Farmers' markets
· Education: Seminars and conferences

· Nature/Eco-Tourism: Plant shows and botanical garden tours

· Signature Events: Hawai'i's most prominent festivals and parades

· Health/Wellness: Spiritual and healing events

· Technology: High-tech shows and events

· Other

Search by Location

The "Near Me" button pulls up and displays events closest to users based on their location in the Hawaiian Islands.

Event Profiles

Each profile includes a photo along with a brief description of the event. Selecting "Favourite" bookmarks the event, while Facebook and Twitter links enable users to share the event with friends.

GPS Capabilities

Selecting "Directions" will pull up Google maps so that the user can obtain directions to the event of choice.

"This app helps to simplify life for travellers who are looking for things to do in our islands," said HTA Tourism Brand Manager Michael Story. "As technology evolves, we will continue to look for new and innovative ways to deliver information to Hawai'i residents and visitors alike."

While the first phase of the mobile app development features festivals and events sponsored by HTA, the next phase will widen the searchable database to include other events happening in Hawai'i. All events featured in the app are imported from www.gohawaii.com/FestivalsofHawaii.

For more information on Festivals of Hawai'i, download the app on iTunes, "like" the page on Facebook at Festivals of Hawaii, follow @FestivalsHawaii on Twitter or visit www.gohawaii.com/FestivalsofHawaii.

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