The A380 Suite: ultimate luxury, but no sex

The Airbus 380 has recently started operations on its first commercial service with Singapore Airlines. Among the luxury offered on board the super-jumbo, the Singapore Airlines Suite stands out with its unique full-size bed and 24-hour room-service included.

There are many activities you may enjoy in the new suites, however, SIA officials said sex is not one of them. The airline has announced that if they find a couple ‘involved in an inappropriate activity’ onboard the A380, they will be kindly asked to stop doing that. The first couple to book one of the double suites wasn’t too impressed with the airline’s prudish demeanour.

"So they'll sell you a double bed, and give you privacy and endless champagne – and then say you can't do what comes naturally?" asked Tony Elwood, a 76-year-old passenger who booked the suite with his wife, Julie.

Holiday Inn introduces new brand image, including redesigned logo

Holiday Inn, which pioneered the roadside motel concept, will get a new logo for the first time since the company was established in 1952, in Memphis, Tennessee. The hotel chain, part of the InterContinental Hotels Group, is to undergo a global revamp as part of a renovation programme planned to “create a more contemporary brand image, increase quality and drive consistency”. The world's largest hotel company by rooms will upgrade more than 3,000 properties worldwide by the end of 2010. All hotels across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia will become Holiday Inn Express properties in line with those in the Americas, in order to keep branding consistent. Besides redesigning the well-known logo, guestrooms will have a facelift, and staff will undergo a “Stay Real” training programme. The first Holiday Inn hotels featuring the makeover are due to open in spring next year in the United States.

69.6 million Brits travelled abroad for the last 12 months

UK overseas visits reached an all-time record in the year ending August 2007, totaling 69.6 million according to figures from the Office of National Statistics. This is a raise of one million up from 68.6 visitors the previous year. Visits to Europe increased by 1 per cent (to 54.8 million), visits to North America increased also by 1 per cent (to 4.8 million), and visits to other parts of the world rose by 7 per cent (to 10.0 million).

Changes in aviation tax proposed

UK government has introduced plans to change the way Air Passenger Duty (APD) is charged. In its pre-budget report, the Treasury says it will charge aviation tax per aircraft, instead of per passenger. Federation of Tour Operators director general Andy Cooper said it was too early to assess the full impact of the move, but said charter and no-frills airlines should benefit, because they tend to have higher load factors than regional and scheduled airlines.

Treasury spokesman said they will now launch a consultation process with various departments including those at Transport and Business, to see how the new charge could be implemented. Any new system is slated to be introduced by November 2009, with current APD rates frozen for next year.

UK tourism charms US press in Manchester

National tourism agency VisitBritain, along with other travel industry associations welcomed over 500 American journalists for the 52nd annual convention of the Society of American Travel Writers from 5 – 10 October. The delegates were hosted in Manchester and, thanks to a series of trips arranged throughout Britain both before and after the convention, publicity could help bring more Americans to different parts of the country.

Tom Wright, CEO of VisitBritain, says: “Americans remain Britain’s most important source of inbound visitors, but we are facing increasing competition from around the world. By guaranteeing Society members a warm welcome and a fantastic experience, we can ensure they return home to remind American travellers why Britain remains their favourite long haul destination.”