Day: July 7, 2014

Shangri-La Hosts Second Wine Summit For Gifted Group of Sommeliers

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Following the success of Shangri-La’s first Wine Summit in 2013, initiated as a series of professional programmes to nurture the group’s gifted sommeliers, the Asian-based hotel group will organise its second Wine Summit led by newly appointed wine ambassador Gerard Basset OBE and Shangri-La’s corporate wine director Yang Lu from 8 to 10 July 2014 at Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing.

The entire summit is committed to advancing internal wine talents and providing them customised training over a series of events, including tutorials, the Best Sommelier Competition and a prestigious wine dinner. By raising the sommeliers’ expertise, they will in turn redefine service levels to enrich guest experience encompassing wine selection and value for money.

One of the conference highlights is the sommelier competition based on the Silver Service Standard developed by the Court of Master Sommeliers. The high standards will see 12 sommeliers – representing Shangri-La properties in Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Maldives, Paris, Shanghai, Sydney, Toronto and Tokyo – challenged by theory and oral tests, beverage and wine service, food and wine pairing, and blind tasting to attain the coveted title of Best Sommelier (won last year by Mark Moffatt of Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto).

Appraising the competitors will be a panel of judges including Gerard Basset, the only person ever to simultaneously hold the Master of Wine, Master Sommelier and Wine MBA honours; Yohann Jousselin, hotel sommelier at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, winner of Best Sommelier U.K. 2011 and the only Master Sommelier in Asia; as well as various leading wine personalities and media in China.

While the group’s Best Sommelier will be announced at a media reception on 10 July, Gerard Basset and Yang Lu will share enhanced developments and initiatives since Shangri-La’s Wine Programme was launched in 2013. From its initiation and objective to focus on enhancing wine offerings in hotels in China and Hong Kong, the programme has since heightened wine consistency, diversity and quality across the properties.

To conclude the Wine Summit, a dinner at S.T.A.Y – the acclaimed restaurant by French Chef Yannick Alléno – will be held at Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing.

Co-hosted by Gerard Basset and Yang Lu and supported by the top sommeliers, the event is open to the public and intends to immerse wine aficionados and world-renowned producers, namely Pierre Montegut from AXA to present Château Suduiraut, Château Pichon-Longueville and Château Petit-Village, in a special evening of fine food and prized pours. For enquiries or reservations, please contact Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing via email: slb@shangri-la.com or telephone (86 10) 6841 2211.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, one of the world’s premier hotel companies, currently owns and/or manages more than 80 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 34,000. Over four decades the group has established its brand hallmark of ‘hospitality from the heart’. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, India, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.

Biggest McDonald’s store in Iloilo opens in Iloilo Business Park

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Present during the ribbon-cutting ceremony were Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog (5th from left), Megaworld chief operating officer Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso (4th from left), senior vice president Jericho Go (3rd from left), head of marketing for Iloilo Business Park Jennifer Palmares-Fong (right), Choice Gourmet Banquet Inc. managing director Eugene Reducindo (2nd from left) and Ronald McDonald.

To signal the start of fun and exciting days ahead for Ilonggos, McDonald’s yesterday opened its biggest branch in Iloilo at Megaworld’s 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park. This McDonald’s standalone store has its own drive thru, play place, and a party area with a total seating capacity of 250, the biggest in Iloilo City. Property giant Megaworld is excited to be the home of the biggest McDonald’s branch in the city as it further expands its residential, commercial and office offerings to complete its pioneering LIVE-WORK-PLAY-LEARN concept for Iloilo Business Park. Dubbed as the biggest business and tourism hub in Western Visayas, the township is expected to be home to luxury residential condominiums; state-of-the-art office towers; malls and commercial hubs; the 1.1-kilometer Festival Walk commercial strip; a boutique hotel and commercial district; two luxury business hotels; the 3,700-seating capacity Iloilo Convention Center; open parks and bike lanes as well as a transport hub.

Solaire Resort and Casino Unveils Its New Plane Livery

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Solaire Resort and Casino, the Philippines’ premier integrated resort, in partnership with Air Asia unveils a breakthrough branding project in the Philippines.

Solaire again raises the bar as it wraps its brightly colored livery on Air Asia’s popular Airbus A320, which is scheduled to embark on its maiden flight this July. Solaire is the first-ever consumer brand in the country to fully wrap and brand a commercial airline, with an underlying thrust of further promoting tourism in the Philippines and in greater Asia.

This dynamic collaboration between Solaire and Air Asia represents another step forward in an on-going journey towards providing modern travel and leisure experiences for its customers, with a fresh new approach to their target market. This partnership will facilitate more passenger and cargo traffic in both regional and domestic flights, and foster stronger trade, cultural and tourism ties within Asia.

“This milestone is a key undertaking between two passionate brands with entrepreneurial and dynamic mindsets. This unprecedented branding project in the Philippines may be taken as a “leadership statement,” which attests to Solaire’s strong growth momentum in the industry. Yes we are again raising the bar; this time we’re taking it to the skies.” says Donato Almeda, Board Director of Solaire Resort and Casino.

Currently, Solaire’s brand colors are donned by just one airplane, but nothing is stopping them from further rolling out this innovative wrap on additional aircrafts in the future wih broader partnership arrangements. The campaign will continue until 2016 and it is envisioned that this high-impact ad in the sky will generate more hype and publicity as the partnership progresses.

Jasper Evangelista, Vice President of Brand & Marketing, Solaire Resort and Casino said, “This aircraft-branding campaign is a strategic branding initiative which would allow us to literally take our brand to greater heights. We have created amazing moments for our customers since Solaire launched last year, and now we’re aiming to further connect with our local & foreign guests and travellers by reinforcing our brand presence in the country’s airports. Sky Solaire will enable us to get immediate traction on this effort and even take it to a level all its own.”

In-line with Solaire’s “Create Your Moments” campaign, which highlights Solaire as the perfect place to create unforgettable memories, this fitting partnership with AirAsia, one of Asia’s leading and multi-awarded airlines in their category, harmoniously evokes the key thrusts of customer service, hospitality, and excitement for both their industries. This marketing initiative is also primed to open up new revenue streams for both the integrated resort and the airline carrier.

AirAsia Philippines Chairman Maan Hontiveros said, “AirAsia Philippines is a sociable and innovative brand. We also take pride on our collaborative nature. This new livery demonstrates our creative approach to partnerships and marketing opportunities especially with companies that support our vision to grow tourism. We are thrilled to carry Solaire’s brand in the sky and on the grounds at the airports here and abroad extending to as far as our destinations in Malaysia, China and Korea.”

The Solaire experience is stamped with an unparalleled brand of service style, world-renowned Philippine hospitality, top-of-class luxurious accommodations, diverse dining options and impressive gaming facilities, which have all contributed to the way people people view resort casinos in Manila. Many have opted to extend their stay at the resort, to have simply grown to embrace the aspirational and stress-free lifestyle offered to them at Solaire. Solaire Resort and Casino clearly offers the utmost experience of comfort, elegance and luxury in the Philippines right now.