Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Jakarta Nightlife and Entertainment

Jakarta occupied by people from transversely the Indonesian archipelago and yonder, is a melting pot of cultures then so bids an extensive variety of entertainment choices to go well with all likings. You may arrange a tour with Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore. If you wish to experience something indeed traditional, you can watch Indonesian performances for instance wayang kulit (shadow puppet shows) and gamelan (traditional Javanese) music.

You can go to Taman Ismail Marzuki where there is a presentation almost every night, to witness Jakarta’s cultural showcase. You can watch Balinese dances, join poetry readings, or gamelan concerts. One more well-liked venue is the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta where you may appreciate traditional dance and theatre as well European classical music and dance. The yearly arts festival at the Jakarta Arts Building furthermore offers the unspoiled chance to see topnotch dance, music and theater performed by local and foreign artists.

Jakarta is Indonesia’s most progressive and urbane city proposing a remarkable nightlife. There are many bars, discos, karaoke lounges and nightclubs alternating from sleazy to sophisticated. Warning! Be mindful of safety and precautions.



Bands twitch around 10 PM or 11PM and last until about 3 AM. Hotel bars are the most common and they appear to spurt at the layers through weekends. Burgundy, in Grand Hyatt, is the spot for the who’s who of the city. Thenceforth there are the chain cafes similar to Planet Hollywood, Newscafe, Fashion Café, and Hard Rock Café, which are extremely widespread throughout the weekends on top. Some other bars worth going to consist of Pitstop Club in the Sari Pan Pacific, Chequers in the Mandarin Oriental, and B.A.T.S. in the Shangri-La. Jaya Pub is as great as a Jakarta institution with live performers most evenings.

Tanamor is very popular among expatriates when it comes to discos and is Jakarta’s most well-liked discothèque. It is perfect for a famous spot for letting your hair down, more especially on Fridays and Saturdays when it beats with the enthusiasm of a full house. Another well-patronized discotheque consists of the stylish Jalan Jalan, gratifying to the young troop, and Garasi, the preferred rendezvous of financial executives and stockbrokers.

Jakarta has some classy Nightclubs and Karaoke bars with technological lighting, huge sound systems, and impelling dance music. The clubs open around 9 PM but the deed doesn’t actually begin until in the middle of the night. Happening on weekends, they are open till 4 AM or later. You can head to Chinatown, located north of the city, here you can discover amongst others, the Rap Club and Haze for some of Jakarta’s best nightclubs.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Dining Options

Jakarta is a topnotch culinary destination where you can appreciate traditional Indonesian and worldwide cuisine and moreover remarkable mixture foods with global inspirations. There is a richness of reasonably-priced halal fare being a pre-dominantly Muslim country. Jakarta has the finest variety of restaurants in Indonesia where you can eat everything from monkey meat in the streets of Glodok to fine dining in international restaurants. Many restaurants and eateries are costly by Indonesian standards nonetheless the comparatively low rate of the rupiah implies you can take pleasure in fine dining at a portion of the value it would charge in other parts of the world. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore lets you taste Indonesia’s dining option.



Street food is extremely usual in Jakarta and there is no shortage of food stalls or warungs as to locals and snacks vendors selling nosh, the typically Indonesian satay or bakso tok-tok (Chinese soup). Jakarta as well has its reasonable share of worldwide chains and franchises. You’ll simply find these in food courts and in shopping malls for example Plaza Senayan, Taman Anggrek Mall, and Plaza Indonesia. In some malls, you can in fact see the food being ready and you can as well try diverse specialisms in advance of deciding on what you desire to eat. But a warning though, you should also be very cautious of what you eat. 

Restaurants introducing Indonesian cuisine can be normally found in the city. Common dishes consist of spicy hot Padang food, tasty chicken from Kalasan in Central Java, grilled fish from Ujung Pandang, and sumptuous Chinese seafood dishes.

Jakarta presents various international culinary delicacies for all to experience. To name only a few, you can try out American, Asian, Brazilian, British, Chinese, Deli, Dutch, European, French, Greek, Indian, Irish, and Italian. There is likewise a respectable assortment of restaurants providing these menus reaching from low-priced to costly. Most fine dining restaurants can be found in the five star hotels focused in the Golden Triangle area as likewise in habitations for example Kemang, Menteng and Kebayoran Baru. Cafe Batavia, in the northwest of the city, offers an unforgettable dining experience done its Hong Kong and Pacific Rim menus. In Oasis, you will be greeted with live gamelan music. The restaurant has a stimulating cuisine and a fully clad wine list.

The cafes situated in Jalan Jaksa distribute normal travelers’ fare extending from quasi-European to Indonesian. The charges are inexpensive and the breakfasts served are of worthy price. The place is perfect for the backpackers and the budget travelers. Ya Udah is a well-liked and comparatively expensive hidey-hole serving Western dishes and a extensive diversity of pies. Pappa Kafe serves a wide-ranging menu counting Indian food. Memori has food alike to Pappa Kafe then in the evenings you can enjoy watching American movies.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Diving and Snorkeling Spot in Bali

Let’s escape the hassle and bustle city life in Jakarta, Indonesia and try the best diving and snorkeling spots in Bali. Bali has remarkable sites for diving and snorkeling. Aside from being the best for surfing, Bali beaches have mind-blowing underwater view as well. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore prepared this list of the best places for snorkeling and diving in Bali.

Menjangan Island Bali
Menjangan Island Bali is can be found at West Bali National Park (Taman Nasional bali barat). The island has stunning underwater view with coral reefs wall on all sides of the island. Snorkeling and diving alike are topmost preferences when traveling here. Many tourists claim that Menjangan Island is the best among all snorkeling and diving spot in Bali.

You can effortlessly witness butterfly fish, angel fish, clown fish, crocodile fish, lion fish, anthias, pipefish, and other kind of fish here under Menjangan Island Sea. There are also times, If lucky, to see baby sharks.

Amed and Tulamben
Amed is a finest spot for snorkeling and freediving, while Tulamben is a place best for diving. These two places are to be found in the eastern of Bali Island. Similar to a temple and Japanese shipwreck, Amed has underwater submarine mailbox, while Tulamben has US Liberty shipwreck. You can effortlessly observe schooling fish in both places. Not to mention, beautiful coral reefs are amazing underwater view of Amed and Tulamben as well.

Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida
Nusa Lembongan is also one of the best spot for snorkeling and sea walking. Whereas Nusa Penida is a best place for diving to look for Mola-mola fish/Sun Fish. Sea walking is managed by Bali Marine Walk. Here, you can walk under the sea with hundreds of fish swimming everywhere with you.

Padang Bai
Padang Bai also one of the best places in Bali for snorkeling despite being not as popular compared to the three places listed above.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore guarantees you with no complaints vacation in Bali!

Monday, July 21, 2014

Must See Wildlife in Asia

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore had arranged many tours on various Wildlife destinations in Asia such as:

Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia is a national park that is home to over 500 species of animals, counting nearly 200 types of mammals. Sumatran tigers and flying lemurs, together with clouded leopards, flying frogs and sambar deer are just some examples of one of the greatest varied animal populations in Indonesia. Gunung Leuser also comprises a rehabilitation house for orangutans. Located in the near-pristine Bukit Barisan Mountains, the park’s altitude shoots from zero to 3,381 meters, with the Alas River cutting the park in half.

The Bonin Islands, Japan, also known as the Ogasawara Islands in Japan, have the merit of being the most remote destination on this list; there is no other way to get there but by a 25-hour ferry from Tokyo. It’s completely worth it, however, as visitors have an amazing 90% chance of seeing humpback whales from February-April. Visitors can as well see sperm whales in the summer and fall, and dolphins all year around. The islands are likewise rare in that they were not ever associated to the Japanese mainland or any other continent, and hence are home to crabs, insects and birds not found anywhere else in the world.

Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia is extended over closely 440 square kilometers in lowland rainforest, Danum Valley was uninhabited by humans when it opened. As soon as you’re in the valley, visitors can take guided walks and drives and nighttime safaris to try and spot the Borneo pygmy elephant, Sumatran rhino, Malay sun bear and more. Throughout durian season, the likelihoods of seeing orangutans upsurge. The real treat here, though, is the birdwatching, as it’s the sole place where the spectacled flowerpecker has only been seen.

Similan Islands, Thailand is known as one of the top diving destinations in the world. May it be diving or snorkeling, it’s likely to see spectacular coral reefs, schools of tropical fish, manta rays and sea turtles during the short November-April open season. Mu Ko Similan National Park lets visitors experience the pleasure of seeing air, land and sea-based wildlife, from birds and sixteen species of bats, to vipers, pythons and lizards, too much friendlier bottlenose dolphins.

Yala National Park is one of Sri Lanka’s oldest and most famous national parks. It’s most well-known for its huge numbers of elephants and leopards, which can be appreciated when on safari. The park shelters numerous ecosystems, including moist and dry monsoon forests and wetlands. Historical and religious sites and ruins enhance the must-see list. The park is divided into five blocks, making it easier to plan a trip.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Most Classic Breakfasts of the World


Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore: Most Classic Breakfasts of the World

Thailand
Rice noodles (flatter and wider than those in pad thai) comes with mouth-tingling condiments like fresh or preserved chiles in vinegar. In Bangkok, jasmine rice is boiled as khao tom or fried askhao pat, with shrimp, pork, or chicken.

Indonesia and Malaysia
The morning meal in Bali, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur mirrors the hegemony of rice. Variants include nasi goreng (fried rice with prawns, chicken, and egg), nasi lemak (coconut-infused rice with crisp anchovies), and bubur ayam (rice porridge with chicken, egg, and shallots). While for the sweet tooth there’s pisang goreng (banana fritters with palm sugar).

Great Britain and Ireland
The British Isles may be the ticket when you’re feeling daring and adventurous. Made of curdled and boiled pig’s blood, mixed with chunks of pork fat and stuffed into a sausage casing, the Irish black pudding will excite you. The Scots have an alike difficult tradition: haggis—sheep’s liver, heart, and lungs mixed with oatmeal and suet, then simmered in the sheep’s intestines. Tamer palates might choose the classic English breakfast, with eggs, bangers (sausages) or streaky bacon, tomatoes, and mushrooms. It’s frequently called a fry-up for good reason: almost the whole thing on the plate is fried, as well as the toast. The Brits may add baked beans or bubble and sque

Southern Europe
Apart from the indispensable caffè, an Italian breakfast spread might also contain cured meats (Parma ham; mortadella from Bologna) and cheeses (pecorino in Rome; smoked scamorza in Puglia). In Spain, potatoes, onions, and eggs are cooked in olive oil and formed into a fat, round tortilla española, from which slices are cut all day long. The somewhat more debauched Spanish breakfast is deep-fried churros dunked in bittersweet hot chocolate. One look at the contented sheep and goats grazing on any mountain tells you there will be great feta in Greece. Breakfast pies are made with phyllo dough and cheese and spinach or wild greens.

Caribbean
Puerto Rico’s yeasty egg bread, pan de mallorca (from the Spanish island of the same name), go with café con leche. In Jamaica, ackee with saltfish appears like scrambled eggs, however ackee is a fruit; callaloo, served on the side, is a leafy green. The dish frequently comes with bami (cassava flatbread), johnnycakes (fried dumplings), breadfruit, and Jamaica’s well-known Blue Mountain coffee.

Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Gallo pinto (painted rooster) is the national breakfast dish of these two nations, an orientation to the speckled look of the mixed beans and rice, however it is also an effort to hide the fact that it’s frugally meatless. A more luxurious version would be served with stewed meat and chorreadas, Costa Rican corn pancakes.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Jakarta’s Charm City

Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia that is home to an extensive selection of places of interest. In fact, Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore had arranged many yours in the city. Indisputably, it is one of the flourishing travel and business destinations of South East Asia. If we toss some light on its charm, the Indonesian capital may not be as awesome as other cities of Bangkok or Singapore but it is home to fascinating highlights that one can realize after visiting the city. A lot of travelers go for Jakarta during holidays in order to have a quality time with their loved ones.

The truth continue to be true that the anti-social factors constantly make a frantic effort to generate disorder in the tourism destinations such as Bali, Jakarta and many more however the government of the country proceeds on ways to protect the travelers from coming into contact with such unsolicited elements. Visit and grab flights to Jakarta and feel the charm spread in the air.

The Indonesian capital is so packed of appealing attractions that you would not choose to stay in your hotel room just to kill your time watching TV during the course of the day. Never forget to take a tour to the attraction that is waiting for your arrival. There certainly are more of tourist attractions to keep you busy all throughout your tour to the city. You can basically bump into remarkable buildings, parks, museums and many more.

The city is filled with all the modern amenities which are sufficient to make your vacation an enjoyable one. To tell the truth, Jakarta is the city that drizzles a overabundance of many thrilling facets on the tourists.

The fact cannot be deprived of that Jakarta is the major gateway to Indonesia. It has perceived a major incursion of the tourist and because of this reason; it has prolonged its conveniences with plush hotels, lively nightlife and modern shopping centers.

You can book cheap flights to Jakarta from Birmingham with travel agents of reputation that offer the best deals which is beyond compare this is best or shopping buffs. You would find some farfetched shopping arcades which are complete of countless merchandise. Taman Surapati is the place that is choked with paintings on display by peddlers. If you like antique furniture, you can make your way to Chinatown’s Glodok and Pancoran areas where you can get your hands on Old Dutch lamps, Chinese porcelains and apparently, the antique furniture.


Many tourist attractions await you. They are just irresistible to discover. Pay a visit to national Museum, Jakarta Fine Art Gallery, Immanuel Church, Sunds Kelapa, Indonesia Miniature Park, the Textile Museum and many more.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Jakarta Worries Over The Future Of The Tentative Agreement

INDONESIA is especially concerned that the Rudd government's hold-up on processing some refugee claims will scamper an uncertain agreement to stop the six-month argument with Sri Lankan asylum seekers in the Indonesian port city of Merak, a senior official said yesterday. This subject matter is supported by Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore.

Almost 30 of the Sri Lankans run off from the protected area in recent days and are supposed to have hired a people smuggler to help their departure.

There were about 200 ethnic Tamils who escaped the conflict in their homeland stayed on the boat subsequent to what they provisionally settled to get off the vessel and into accommodation. The five-day time frame given for the end of the standoff has since passed and the Indonesian foreign affairs official in charge of negotiations, Sujatmiko, said he was growing more pessimistic about a resolution.

''I'm really very worried that they will change their minds or more will escape,'' DrSujatmiko said. ''We believe that there has been an impact from the Australian government's policy of suspending processing [of Sri Lankans and Afghans].''

The government said on Friday that it would freeze the processing of refugee applications for Sri Lankans and Afghans for three and six months respectively in an attempt to stem the flood of unauthorised boats entering Australian territory.

Two days after DrSujatmiko said the Sri Lankans had agreed to leave the boat, the announcement came.

''Nimal'', a spokesman for the asylum seekers at Merak, said people on the vessel were ''disappointed and scared'' by the Australian government's decision.

''No one knows where [the escapees] have gone,'' said Nimal. ''They don't know other people in Indonesia, so I think they would have had contact with an agent [people smuggler].''

However the Sri Lankans were also disturbed that the Indonesian government would not inform them where they would be accommodated or guarantee they would not be deported.

The Sri Lankans was cut off by the Indonesian Navy in October following a personal request from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

When one more boat was intercepted by the Australian vessel Oceanic Viking days later and its cargo of 78 Sri Lankans were rapidly resettled after refusing to come ashore in Indonesian waters, it grew some hopes of those in Merak that they would be given a alike deal.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

DO-IT-YOURSELF Travel to Jakarta, Indonesia

Every vegetarian fear while travelling is what to eat, where to eat and are the food there vegetarian friendly? Fear not vegetarians! Indonesia has dishes that vegans may be able to eat. Fried tofu with rice, gado-gado (Indonesian salad), tempe (soy beans), sayur (vegetable soup), and ketoprak (Indonesian salad with rice) are very common and easy to be found everyplace in the city. Jakarta has a lot to offer for non-vegetarians as well. From traditional cuisine, Italian, Japanese, to every big food chains that you know, Indonesia got it for you. To be able to complete your Indonesian experience, try the traditional foods: Soto (soup), Nasi goreng (Indonesian style fried rice), or rendang (beef). You will never be hungry in Indonesia since food is very affordable here. Food normal range is $1 – $3 (American Dollar).

If you are a wine lover, you have to try “ciu” and “anggur merah intisari” (local wines). While for local beers we have Anker, Bintang and Bali Hai. I do not recommend you to drink Bali Hai, unless you are that kind of people who drinks Budweiser.

Having band shows here will be most likely occur in Jalan Jaksa (Jaksa street, Sarinah area, central jakarta) since it has lots of affordable hostels for backpackers and most of them have websites. You will be offered a place to stay by people who arrange your show; otherwise, there are lots of options. Price range are from $10 – $100 per nights. You can also find home-stay via online. If you insist on staying at the Hotel, try Amaris, they offer $30-$50 per night.

Do not get surprised if you have never been to a third world country, be ready for traffic is everywhere and it’s really terrible. Moreover, air pollution and hot-humid weather is to some degree a very awful experience in the country that you need to keep in mind. Apart from that, it’s not that tough to get from place to place in the city. There is an inner city transit bus called Transjakarta, minibus, bus, bajaj (a three wheel vehicle), ojek (motorcycle taxi), and taxi. When you arrived at the airport, go find the security guard or airport staff to find the taxi places; otherwise you will get ripped off with by illegal taxi driver (there are tons of them waiting in front of the airport)

You can enjoy local gigs, from hardcore to traditional music since we have it all covered for you. Common venues for hardcore & punk gigs: “Rossi Music” in Fatmawati South Jakarta, “Kafe 79″ Kemang area South Jakarta, “Lumbung Padi” Kemang area South Jakarta. Metal gigs: mostly on Sunday evening at “Bulungan” Blok M South Jakarta. Alternative/post-rock/others: Jaya Pub central Jakarta, Rolling Stone Cafe South Jakarta, Marley’s bar South Jakarta. Go check out this band when you can: Antiseptic, Straight Answer, Ghaust, Duct-tape Surgery, and Grave Dancer

Drinking places: Try Melly’s in Sarinah Central Jakarta, or Najong at pondok pinang South Jakarta. Those two have an affordable below normal rates for beer: $1 – $3. If you are looking for normal prices, try Dehoi in Pondok Indah or Tokove in Kemang.

Record stores: Movement records, Taman puring (second floor), Aksara, and Anti-music are located in South Jakarta.

Here are the things you must not do, says Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore. Talking to strangers at the airport is something you must not do. Most likely they are illegal taxi drivers trying to get you inside their car. Do not wear a jacket during daytime unless you’re riding motorcycle or feeling like having a weird sauna in public. Do not bring too much amount of cash in your wallet/pocket. Just in case you’re having bad luck.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

What NOT TO DO When Travelling Abroad?

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore: What NOT TO DO When Travelling Abroad

Alcohol and Islam: Alcohol is normally prohibited in Muslim countries and if Muslims drink they won't do so in public so don't humiliate them with a gift of a bottle of any sort of alcohol. This is not cool in such places like Jakarta Indonesia, in UAE and many more.

Dogs and pigs are unclean animals in Islamic countries, as per their tradition, so your faux pas can be even larger when you offer a Muslim alcohol in a handmade pigskin bottle holder.

Public displays of affection: Warning public display of affection such as kissing are not allowed in places like Dubai or Jakarta, Indonesia while sex outside marriage is illegal in the whole of the UAE. 

Thumbs up or OK: in Iran a thumbs-up is called bilakh and means an unquestioned insult. Literally, it means “Sit on this” while in Brazil this gesture tells the other person that you are comparing him or her to a part of the human anatomy best not mentioned.

Patting someone's head — is a gesture of affection but not in Europe, patting a child on the head is demeaning if done to an adult even though it may seem like a friendly gesture. In Buddhist countries, touching it is insulting even for a small child because the head is regarded as sacred as the seat of soul,.

Pointing your finger: Finger pointing can be used to indicate a direction  but in Malaysia, however, people point with the whole fist and the thumb at the top indicating direction while Filipinos, on the other hand, point to an object by shifting their eyes towards it or pursing their lips and pointing to it with their mouth.


Dress code: In Muslim countries, warning! Showing flesh — especially by women — is very offensive.

Never enter a Japanese temple or home with the shoes on: In Japan and other countries in the East, it is habitual to take off your shoes and hat. The Japanese will habitually give you a pair of slippers to take you from the front door to their living room, where they should be removed before you step on the tatami (the red mat). Be careful, always wear clean socks!

Nod your head if you mean No: In most places nodding your head vertically up and down would indicate a "yes" and from side to side is a "no". Not in Bulgaria, where the "yes" and "no" nod are reversed.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Travel Cheap

Have a one flight booker for all of your needs. Wanna travel the world? So fly high with WESTHILL CONSULTING, TRAVEL & TOURS, Singapore. We want to fulfill a long time dream of travelling the world and we want to fulfill others' dream as well. We carry out the business of tours and travel intermediation representing major travel suppliers. We also provide services such as booking, tour facilitation, travel documentation and other related services. We will make sure that you will have the travel experience that is worth of you money and your time. We hope that this will result to repeat sales from valued customers.

Warning! Cookies are sweet but it causes cavities, not so good after all huh? When booking flights, almost every search engines drop cookies into your browser’s history, this cant be good for you. Frequently, these cookies will recall the number of times you visit a particular website and accomplish a precise flight search, turning up the price of your preferred flight ever so fairly, meanwhile there’s a decent chance you’re going to purchase. Try allowing a private browser, removing your cookies after browsing, or using a second device when making your final purchase. It will sure to help you save some dough.

Window Or Aisle? Are you heading SE Asia, in Jakarta, Indonesia maybe or KL Malaysia? Seat 67B may sounds like an anonymous chair in steerage, but on the Airbus 380 it’s a comfy spot in business class. These days, airplanes come in a variety of configurations, so it’s best to check out the floor plan of your carrier before you pick your seat. Seat Guru streamlines the process with easy-to-use search functions and color-coded diagrams displaying ideal seating arrangements.


Versatile Luggage. Extended gone are the days of complimentary stowage. Last year, Indonesian airlines bagged over 3.5 billion rupiah in luggage fees. Consider investing in one flexible suitcase that can expand and contract to suit your travel needs. Try the Dakine Over Under bag that, in its smallest form, fits in the airplane’s overhead compartment, but can grow roughly twice in size—perfect for when you’re towing home a surplus of goods after a shopping holiday.

Apps Are The Lightest Thing You Can Pack. Even though you are not planning to use them all, it’s well worth loading up your smartphone with handy applications. Currency converters and hotel bookings should come handy at some point.

Your Smartphone Is Smarter Than You Think. Despite that you’re abroad without wifi or a data plan, your smartphone is still capable of performing some handy tasks, particularly when it comes to maps.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

The Advantages of Traveling With a Travel Agent

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore provides services such as booking, tour facilitation, travel documentation and other related services. Now, we provide you these advantages of traveling with a travel agent like us. It is easier to travel around the world through travel agents, in cities like Jakarta Indonesia, Sydney Australia or Paris France.

Save money. Some people wary away from using a travel agent for the reason that they think they'll pay extra for the agent's services. Certain agents charge additional fees; nonetheless most make their commission from the travel suppliers. "You're going to get more value from your money booking with a travel agent," Peters says. Nina Meyer, president of the American Society of Travel Agents, says you can also save big on airfare with the right agent: "I have seen in the past people save anywhere from $500 to upwards of $1,000 on a ticket."

Axelrod says she and her husband found it difficult to find good flight deals on their own. "The travel agent was able to get deals we weren't able to find," she says.

Learn what you want. "Very often, people don't really know what kind of trip they want," Shillinglaw says. It's the travel agent's job to provide you with a number of options they think you'd enjoy. Not only will they help you book a trip, they'll help you build the trip.

Connections. Warning! Don't undervalue a travel agent's widespread Rolodex. Agents may have people who you can connect with, for example a local tour guide and as well as people you can reach out to if you encounter any problems. "Having access to a travel agent's insiders makes it just an overall better customer service experience than going at it alone," Peters says.

Authenticity. The accurate travel agent will inform you about trip possibilities you may not be able to bargain online. "It's about knowing what the real local find is, whether that be a great dinner at a small café or tickets to a private show," Peters says. "When people travel, they don't want to travel like a tourist. So it's about the travel specialist being able to help people find unique life experiences that they'll remember."

Knowledge. Faultless travel strategies lie in the details, and travel agents are specialists when it comes to handling those details. "It could be a pretty picture, but what if there's construction going on? What if it's in a bad neighborhood?" says Meyer. "Agents have that kind of background knowledge."

Troubleshooting. Regardless of wide-ranging travel planning, you may meet some knocks on your trip. "In almost any rough situation, you need a travel agent," Meyer says. "I have clients who were going to miss a sports event because their flight got cancelled, but we still got them there." Says Weissman: "If the hotel room doesn't match your expectations and you don't have a travel agent, you're on your own."

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Strong Hotel Outlook Growth Expected in 2015

“It is another good year and will be next year for the hotel industry,” according to Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore, supporting the comments made earlier in the day by leaders of some of the world’s largest companies.

Consumers are devoting optional revenue on travel and companies display no signs of braking down. Chief global cities will stay to profit as a result.

Nevertheless, any accomplishment will, for the near term, fall in the shadow of earlier heights afore the downturn. The industry is not as vigorous as it once was, so there is still ground to be made—ground which he had no uncertainty the industry will make up within the next few years.

Portion of this accomplishment will come from the hotel industry’s combined efforts headed for promoting their industry to G20 governments, something that has been missing for years.

The Jakarta, Indonesia for instance, lost $700 billion during the last 12 years for the security restrictions. Luckily, the hotel industry, together with other travel segments bring about in the signing an executive order to ease travel restrictions among other initiatives.

The average progress of the travel and tourism industry might be 4% throughout the next 12 years, but that growth is not detached likewise. Emerging markets, mainly China and India, will include the lion’s part of that development with rise of 9.2% and 8%, correspondingly.

Some Southeast Asian cities, by evaluation, is expected to grow 3.5% during the next decade, Westhill said.

There will be 1 billion fresh middle-class consumers within the next 20 years, they added, this means more travelers visiting more hotels around the globe. But again, much of that growth will be concentrated in the SE countries, with China and India comprising 1.4 billion of that total, which leads to the question if there be enough supply and a large enough infrastructure to support the demand.

While it stays a vast concern, the Chinese government’s commitment to build eight new airports, suggest the industry will be able to keep pace.

Overall, Westhill is very optimistic about the long-term future of the broader travel and tourism industry as well as hotels—despite any unforeseen threats that might pop up.