Casa Italia opens in Philippines

Italian Traditional Bar and Restaurant “Casa Italia” finally opened last December 10 in Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City. The place offers Micro-Roasted Coffee OTTO, Handcrafted Premium Gelato, Freshly-Made Food (salads, oven-baked pizzas and panini), Italian beers and wine in a fast casual all-day dining setting.

Casa Italia originated from a gelato parlour established in 2010 in Singapore and operated under the name Gelateria Italia. Championing the use of the finest quality ingredients and traditional, time-honoured techniques, the store was an instant hit with lines forming daily through the year for the next three years. Having become the largest and most popular gelato parlour in Singapore, we decided to expand into the Italian specialty coffee and comfort food.

Casa Italia offers the best tasting Gelato! This Italian ice cream is popular across the globe and you can have around 50 variants like, Strawberry Cheesecake, hazelnut, pistachio, classic Vanilla, to regional favorites like Durian and Green Tea. These are made using top-quality natural ingredients imported mostly from Italy without any additional artificial flava, chemicals, and preservatives.

The gelati are available in these sizes:
Piccolo (1 scoop) – Php 130
Medip (2 scoops) – Php 195
Grande (3 scoops) – Php 260

Also, you can order at Casa Italia following pizza variants, Mozarella, Pepperoni, Hawaiian, Vegetarian, Capricciosa.

But my favorite was their Chicken Meal with Potatoes! It was oven roasted to perfection. The meat was juicy and delicious. While the skin was rubbed with rosemary and a hint of lemon.

Casa Italia is opening another branch in SM North EDSA, For more details about Casa Italia, check their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CasaItaliaPH.

#ILoveCasaItaliaPH, #BestGelatoEver, and #FreshestCoffee.

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X-MEN APOCALYPSE - Official Trailer

Finally! 20th Century Fox has released the trailer of X-Men: Apocalypse

Apocalypse was worshiped as a god since the dawn of civilization. He is the most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men Universe. He can accumulate the powers and capabilities of other mutants making him invincible and immortal.

Professor X, played by James McAvoy, together with Raven, played by Jennifer Lawrence will lead a team of young X-Men to stop Apocalypse including his recruit Magneto, played by Michael Fassbender.

Showing Memorial Day of next year.

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Smart Bro boosts Trail Adventours with FREE WiFi, exciting perks for subscribers

Whether you are a novice trekker or an expert mountain climber, you can now experience more of the Smart Life on the go because Smart Bro has partnered with premier adventure group Trail Adventours to keep you connected while conquering the country’s breathtaking peaks.

Started in 2010 by a group of Outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, Trail Adventours has become one of the leading outdoor adventure companies in the country today, offering over 40 expert-guided hikes and expeditions here and abroad.

Under the partnership, you can now maximize the Smart Life via local hikes and expeditions of Trail Adventours now powered with FREE Smart Bro Prepaid Pocket WiFi, giving all participants fast and reliable online connection backed by the country’s largest mobile broadband network of over 10,000 4G and LTE sites.Smart Bro Prepaid together with Trail Adventours will offer 20% Discount to ALL Trail Adventours Trips from December 2015 - November 2016 exclusive to Smart Bro Prepaid 4G or LTE Prepaid Pocket WiFi Subscribers. Moreover, Smart Bro Prepaid is including select Trail Adventours destinations in its special list of #SmartBroTrips, which will include 8 FREE Trips monthly to be raffled. 

These #SmartBroTrips under Trail Adventours include hikes to Mt. Batulao in Batangas; Mt. Pico de Loro in Cavite; Mt. Pulag in Benguet; and Batad in Ifugao. 

As another exciting treat, all participants signing up for #SmartBroTrips destinations will automatically get a FREE travel kit, and will also get a chance to win a brand new Smart Bro Pocket WiFi.

 “Through this partnership with Trail Adventours, we are thrilled to bring the Smart Life experience to even more Filipino adventurers, who can rely on Smart Bro as a perfect travel companion so they can stay connected to their favorite mobile apps on the go,” said Michele Curran, First Vice President, Data and International Services at Smart.

“This partnership also allows us to give our existing subscribers more awesome treats as we continue enrich their mobile lifestyle while catering to their various passion points – be it music, videos, games or outdoor adventures,” she added.

“Having Smart Bro in our travel adventures will give our participants more ways to enjoy their journey as they now have the means to share their awesome outdoor adventures in an instant, which will hopefully inspire more Filipinos to scale greater heights, discover our country’s stunning views, and appreciate our natural resources,” said Guido Sarreal

With Smart Bro’s high-speed connection that can support 10 gadgets, you and your travel companions can post photos instantly on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and access important travel information on the fly – from weather updates, live maps, and list of must-sees and must-dos, among many others.

You can also rely on Smart Bro to unleash the entertainment powerhouse in your mobile devices while traveling through top apps like Spinnr for music; iFlix and Fox on Viewstream for videos; or Clash of Clans and Boom Beach for mobile games.

Prior to  Trail Adventours, Smart Bro has also teamed up with Travel Factor, Crowne Plaza, and Cebu Pacific to offer other exciting perks and special services aimed at boosting the experience of travelers and supporting the local tourism industry.

The country’s unrivaled mobile services provider has also been supporting the country’s major festivals, and has launched groundbreaking digital tourism projects in collaboration with city and provincial governments, private sector partners and InnoPub Media.

Available for only P1,495 at Smart Stores and gadget retailers nationwide, the Smart Bro Prepaid 4G 
Pocket WiFi offers ultrafast connection of up to 12Mbps and comes  with FREE 3 months of surfing 
(350MB/month)  Smart Bro also provides blazing Internet speeds of up to 42 Mbps through its Smart Bro Prepaid LTE Pocket WiFi, available at Smart Stores and gadget retailers all over the country for only P3,495 - preloaded with seven days’ worth of free mobile internet.

Visit smrt.ph/smartbrotrips for more information about #SmartBroTrips and Trail Adventours, and check out http://smart.com.ph/bro for Smart Bro’s latest line-up of devices and offerings.

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“FLY HIGH: That so Ravens,” a homecoming concert

ICA Batch 1990’s “FLY HIGH: That so Ravens” to deliver 10 local acts in one night!

The Immaculate Conception Academy Batch 1990 proudly presents “FLY HIGH: That so Ravens,” a homecoming concert featuring an incredible mix of all the hottest names in local music today. The event will be on November 14, 2015, Saturday 8:00 pm at ICA Greenhills.

Expect an epic night with performances from OPM icons Gary Valenciano and songwriter Ogie Alcasid to rock superstar Bamboo Manalac; from “Your Face Sounds Familiar” biggest contender Sam Concepcion to charming leading man Enrique Gil and singer/actor Elmo Magalona; from fresh faced Perkins Twins and Kenneth Parsad to EDM hottie Callum David; and TV Patrol’s beautiful Gretchen Fulido. 

Hosted by ICA Batch 1990 together with ICA Batches 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 2000, 2005 and 2015, the show is directed by Paolo Valenciano and written by Garlic Garcia. There will also be performances by ICA Dance Troupe, Xavier Dance X, LSDC and many more surprise guests. 

Aside from witnessing an outstanding live performances by our very own local acts, every ticket purchase also entitles you a chance to win one (1) year membership to the exclusive Balesin Island Club or round-trip tickets for two (2) to any of these destinations: Australia, Phuket, Hong Kong or Palawan!

Ticket information is available by contacting (02) 721-2687 or (0917) 898-0585. 

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Smart and Uber team up for special iPhone 6s midnight delivery

Can't wait to get your hands on the much anticipated Rose Gold iPhone 6s on launch day? You can have it especially delivered in style right at your doorstep as unrivaled mobile services leader Smart Communications teams up with Uber, the world's most popular ride-sharing service, for the  first ever iPhone midnight delivery service in the Philippines.

Available from 12 am to 4 am of Nov. 6, the official launch day of the latest iPhones in the country, the service allows you to request the Rose Gold iPhone 6s (16GB) unit worth Php 35,990 delivered wherever you are in Metro Manila via the Uber app. Just request for a Smart iPhone6s on the Uber app, prepare to pay using your credit or debit card, and get ready to have your new phone delivered to you in style. 

Exciting surprises 
You can pay in 12-month installment at 0% interest if you opt for a credit card transaction. As an added perk, all iPhone 6s deliveries come with P2,000 worth of Rustan's gift certificates! 
"Smart is thrilled to partner with Uber to bring the brand new iPhones to excited subscribers who want to get the first dibs on the Rose Gold iPhone units via the country's first ever midnight iPhone delivery service," said Kathy Carag, Smart Postpaid Head. "Aside from utter convenience, subscribers who will avail of this special service can also look forward to more exciting surprises! This is part of our efforts to give our beloved subscribers awesome Smart Life experience," she added. 

Simple, fast, convenient
Ordering your Rose Gold iPhone 6s (16GB) via the Smart-Uber midnight delivery service is simple, fast and convenient with these steps:
1. Download the Uber app and allow location access
2. Register / sign-in with your account
3. Choose the Smart iPhone6s option
4. Look for the Rose Gold car near you and input your delivery location for both the pick-up and destination fields
5. Click on Request to get the iPhone 6s delivered to you. 

As soon as you've made the request, you shall receive a verification call from a Smart Representative, who will confirm your purchase and your payment method. Upon confirmation, your brand new iPhone will be on its way. Don’t forget to prepare your debit or credit card (strictly no cash payments) and valid ID to complete the transaction with the Smart Representative.
Unbeatable iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus plans

Aside from the Smart-Uber iPhone 6s midnight delivery service, you can also avail of the latest iPhones at all Smart Stores nationwide and via the Smart Online Store at store.smart.com.ph   
Smart offers the iPhone 6s with ZERO handset cashout at Plan 2000 with a super-sized 10GB data per month, and the iPhone 6s Plus with ZERO handset cashout at Plan 2499 with a super-sized 15GB per month – both under a 30-month contract. 

Both plans come with All-Month Surf for 30 months so you can access your favorite sites and apps like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as chat apps like Viber, Messenger and Whatsapp – all on top of your data allowance. Moreover, you also get FREE access to the app of your choice every month throughout your contract, and unbeatable extra perks from Smart's partners like Uber, Airbnb and Zalora. 

Smart's ZERO handset cashout offer for iPhone 6s at and iPhone 6s is until December 31, 2015. To know more about Smart's unbeatable iPhone plans, visit www.smart.com.ph/iphone.

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WEDDINGS AT BINTAN LAGOON RESORT

WEDDINGS AT BINTAN LAGOON RESORT      

With over 300 hectares of beachfront gardens in the tropical paradise of Bintan, Bintan Lagoon Resort offers possibilities galore as the desirable wedding destination for couples capturing the most important day of their lives.

A picturesque beachfront resort with its own 1.5km stretch of private beach and two 18-hole golf courses, the Resort is easily accessible by direct ferry from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to its own terminal with the Indonesian Customs and Immigration on its beach in just over an hour, making it easy for wedding parties from Singapore to attend.

Its expansive landscape provides ample spots and venues indoor and outdoors to say “I do”.  Couples are spoilt for choice by the extensive showcase of function rooms including The Great Hall, a dedicated function Centre with the state of the art technology, villas, 11 food & beverage outlets and carefully curated outdoor spots. The Resort’s team of wedding planners is on hand to offer expert guidance and will work with the couple from start to the end ensuring a stress-free, flawless occasion.

“Will you marry me?”
But first, to pop that all important question, plan a candlelight dinner under starry skies in a secluded spot on the beach or by the spectacular hole number 12 on the golf course in what is known as ‘Destination Dining’.  Each spot is immaculately set up for an unforgettable proposal from the well pressed table linen and flowers to a meticulously prepared menu with specially picked fine wines.

Locations to say “I do”
The Great Hall, a state-of-the-art three- story building covering a combined open space area of more than 20,000 square feet and an astounding column-free banquet hall holding up to 1300 guests, is a popular venue for lavish wedding ceremonies swathed in a rich tapestry of colours, textures and florals. Customised to the needs of each bridal couple, the Great Hall can be transformed into an Indian vivaah with various elaborate rituals including elephant processions around the Resort spread over several days or a traditional Chinese eight-course wedding banquet complete with the customary tea ceremony. 

For a breezy outdoor affair, the beachfront gardens with swaying palms and the sound of waves gently lapping up the shores provide a perfect, serene setting to exchange vows. For the golf loving couple, the Jack Nicklaus Sea View Hole 12 offers a stunning backdrop of granite boulders against the South China Sea. The Resort’s spacious Indonesian styled Angsoka Villas, with its own swimming pool, are ideal for elegantly cosy gatherings of 50. For a larger poolside reception, the Verandah Poolside is ideal.

Couples can choose from six types of wedding packages accommodating from 30 to 500 persons – Classic, Cosmopolitan, Romantic, Bohemian, Sea View and The Fairy Tale - to experience the Bintan magic with each package held at a different location at Bintan Lagoon Resort.

Starting from SGD220++ per person, each of the packages comprise a night stay in the Floral Suite for the bridal couple; a night stay in a Deluxe Room for two, breakfast, return direct ferry from Singapore, complimentary express clearance at Bintan Lagoon Ferry Terminal, sumptuous wedding dinner, elegant floral decorations for the ceremony, fireworks display, a 3-10Kg wedding cake depending on the package chosen and a decorated ‘Just Married’ buggy for the bridal couple. Terms and conditions apply.

How to book
For wedding enquiries and customized packages: reservations@bintanlagoon.com

About Bintan Lagoon Resort
Sprawled over 300 hectares of beachfront gardens in the tropical paradise of Bintan, Bintan Lagoon Resort is the premier lifestyle destination for leisure, golf and corporate meetings & incentives with its own ferry terminal. Bintan Lagoon Resort boasts 470 contemporary rooms, suites and villas complemented by an impressive range of 12 dining options, nine function rooms and a dedicated MICE  (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) Centre. For leisure, two world-renowned 18-hole golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus and Ian Baker-Finch and a slew of over 50 land and sea activities including spa treatments are available. Bintan Lagoon Resort is owned and operated by Mozaic Hotels & Resorts.

Bintan Lagoon Resort
Tel:  (62) 770 691 388/(65) 62233223
Fax: (62) 770 691 300
Email: reservations@bintanlagoon.com
Singapore Corporate Office
Tel: (65) 6750 2280
Fax: (65) 6534 5157 
Website: www.bintanlagoon.com

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Meet the Chuck Taylor All Star Rubber

CONVERSE is pleased to introduce the Chuck Taylor All Star Rubber as part of the Converse Fall Holiday 2015 Weatherized Collection.

The Chuck Taylor All Star Rubber sneaker features details that are designed to help keep you dry:

•             a full rubberized upper that helps to repel water,
•             waxed laces to keep it water tight,
•             a gusseted tongue to provide protection from getting wet, and
•             an inner French Terry lining that keeps the feet warm

Providing total comfort without sacrificing style, weather the storm with the Converse Rubber Chucks.

The Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Rubber is available in four new colourways of two-toned uppers: Converse Black, Gloom Green, Thunder Grey and Casino Red.

Available in Converse stores for only Php 3, 350. Visit www.converse.com.ph and www.facebook.com/ConversePhilippines  for more of #RubberChucks.

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Santa Rita Of Tapas, Tannins and Tarots Event

Have you ever experienced an evening filled with earthly Castilian flavor? Your eyes feast on sultry flamenco movements while your thoughts roam about what the fortuneteller just told you about what lies ahead in your life. And as these visions influence your senses, your palate enjoys a feast of excellent wines and delectable tapas.

These and more was what transpired last October 1 as the famous Chilean wine, Santa Rita, brought “Of Tannins, Tapas and Tarots”.  Santa Rita is in fact a brand of wines from Chile with the sole mission/vision of making people’s moments enjoyable. During the event, Santa Rita featured a combination of its “120 Wines”, Sauvignon Blanc, Carmenere and cabernet Sauvignon.

According to legend, 120 patriots, exhausted after a long, hard battle during the fight for Chile’s independence, reached the land belonging to Santa Rita. On that fateful night in 1814, these forces of liberty found refuge in the estate cellars. Today, within these same cellars, our award-winning 120 wines are crafted to honor their heroic character. These are young, elegant and fruity wines, perfectly balanced with soft tannins and good acidity. Exceptional value makes “120” an outstanding line of wines for everyday drinking.

And on October 1, at Tapeo in BGC, Santa Rita presented a sensuous night of what could be called a post-structural Chilean flair: flamenco dancers, a fortuneteller on the side, and overflowing Santa Rita wines and a multitude oftapas. Tapeo at the Fort Strip was packed that night as everyone truly had a genuinely enjoyable Santa Rita night to talk about for a lifetime holding true to Santa Rita’s mission of making people’s moments enjoyable. We did!

#SantaRitaTapasNight

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iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus is coming to Smart

Smart will offer the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the most advanced iPhones ever, beginning on Friday, November 6. Customers can register for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus beginning today at http://www.smart.com.ph/iphone  For more information on iPhone, please visit: http://www.apple.com/iphone.

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JAY-R’s ‘Elevated’ album turns Gold, Releases new track, ‘You’re the One’

After his massive successful stint in ABS-CBN’s top rating weekly show Your Face Sounds Familiar (Season 1), where he earned third place, King of R&B Jay-R admitted that it has opened up a lot of great opportunities for him.   Jay-R acknowledged that more projects and shows came after he has successfully and effectively showcased his versatility on the said reality talent show. “I never knew I had a talent to impersonate artist icons. I guess you can say the show brought it out of me,” Jay-R beamed.  This October, Jay-R releases another single, his fifth, still off from his all-original album Elevated entitled “You’re The One” – a collaboration with Kris Lawrence and YouTube sensation, AJ Rafael, which has premiered already last October 1 at MYX.  “The new video was shot in our own very beautiful Boracay. We wanted to show off the amazing views of our country. We have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and we want everyone to know. We wanted to make sure the shots were still appealing. We wanted to say away from popular landmarks in Boracay and show some other parts that have yet to be discovered,” Jay-R shared about the new music video.  AJ Rafael added , “I was really happy to write this song with Jay-R and Kris at our first jam session with us, three, ever. I would like to thank Jay-R for putting the song on this album. The video was so fun to shoot and it makes me want to go back to Boracay.”   Released and produced by his own independent music label, HomeWorkz Music, Elevated features 14-outstanding tracks, which include other collaborations with Kyla, Marie Digby, Q-York, and etc. The self-produced new album has just reached Gold status last June.     ‘Press Play’ 

Meanwhile, Jay-R is set to do a two-night concert this coming November 6 and 7 at Music Museum. The show is topbilled as Jay-R in Press Play.   “The concert coming up is most definitely for a Jay-R fan. I’ll be doing all my favorite songs that I have recorded throughout the years. Every song will have a little twist in it to make it more interesting. The night will be all about music, dancing, fun and laughter all in the name of original music, OPM,” Jay-R revealed.  For Press Play ticket inquiries and purchases, log on to www.ticketworld.com.ph or call (02) 891-9999 OR www.musicmuseum.com.ph or call (02) 721-0635, 721-6726 for details.  For all the latest updates about JAYR, you may visit: the following:  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rnbjayr1 Twitter: @rnbjayr Instagram: @rnbjayr / @homeworkzmusic His official website: www.jayrsmusic.com

After his massive successful stint in ABS-CBN’s top rating weekly show Your Face Sounds Familiar (Season 1), where he earned third place, King of R&B Jay-R admitted that it has opened up a lot of great opportunities for him. 

Jay-R acknowledged that more projects and shows came after he has successfully and effectively showcased his versatility on the said reality talent show. “I never knew I had a talent to impersonate artist icons. I guess you can say the show brought it out of me,” Jay-R beamed.

This October, Jay-R releases another single, his fifth, still off from his all-original album Elevated entitled “You’re The One” – a collaboration with Kris Lawrence and YouTube sensation, AJ Rafael, which has premiered already last October 1 at MYX.

“The new video was shot in our own very beautiful Boracay. We wanted to show off the amazing views of our country. We have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and we want everyone to know. We wanted to make sure the shots were still appealing. We wanted to say away from popular landmarks in Boracay and show some other parts that have yet to be discovered,” Jay-R shared about the new music video.

AJ Rafael added , “I was really happy to write this song with Jay-R and Kris at our first jam session with us, three, ever. I would like to thank Jay-R for putting the song on this album. The video was so fun to shoot and it makes me want to go back to Boracay.” 

Released and produced by his own independent music label, HomeWorkz Music, Elevated features 14-outstanding tracks, which include other collaborations with Kyla, Marie Digby, Q-York, and etc. The self-produced new album has just reached Gold status last June.

‘Press Play’

Meanwhile, Jay-R is set to do a two-night concert this coming November 6 and 7 at Music Museum. The show is topbilled as Jay-R in Press Play. 

“The concert coming up is most definitely for a Jay-R fan. I’ll be doing all my favorite songs that I have recorded throughout the years. Every song will have a little twist in it to make it more interesting. The night will be all about music, dancing, fun and laughter all in the name of original music, OPM,” Jay-R revealed.

For Press Play ticket inquiries and purchases, log on to www.ticketworld.com.ph or call (02) 891-9999 OR www.musicmuseum.com.ph or call (02) 721-0635, 721-6726 for details.

For all the latest updates about JAYR, you may visit: the following: 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rnbjayr1

Twitter: @rnbjayr

Instagram: @rnbjayr / @homeworkzmusic

His official website: www.jayrsmusic.com

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About World Travel Market London

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry.

Almost 51,500 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press, embark on ExCeL – London every November to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM.

WTM London, now in its 36th year, is the event where the travel industry conducts and concludes its deals. WTM 2014 will generate around £2.5 billion of travel industry contracts.

WTM London is part of Reed Travel Exhibition’s World Travel Market events, which also includes Arabian Travel Market, World Travel Market Latin America and World Travel Market Africa.  www.wtmworld.com

World Travel Market Events

World Travel Market is comprised of the leading leisure travel events in the world; World Travel Market London, WTM Latin America in Sao Paulo, WTM Africa in Cape Town and Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.

New events for 2016 are WTM connect Asia and WTM connect China, which join WTM connect Ski and International Golf Travel Market. These unique one-to-one events are targeted at leisure and niche travel markets, allowing exhibitors to exclusively meet with elite hosted buyers.

The World Travel Market events are attended by the global travel and tourism industry’s senior executives to conduct business deals and discover the latest research, insight and opinion.

In 2014, the World Travel Market events facilitated around $7 billion in industry deals from negotiations between the more than 15,000 buyers, 9,500 exhibitors (1,500 main stand holders and 8,000 stand sharers) in attendance of its four events.

WTM is  part of Reed travel Exhibitions, the leading events organizer in the travel industry, and is owned by the world’s leading events organiser Reed Exhibitions.

Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world’s leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry. Its wide-ranging portfolio of events around the globe covers leisure travel, luxury travel, meetings, incentives and business travel, as well as golf, ski and spa travel.

RTE, which organises more than 22 events around the world, includes three divisions; World Travel Market, IBTM Events and International Luxury Travel Market.

RTE is a business unit of Reed Exhibitions.

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 500 events in 43 countries. In 2014 Reed brought together over seven million event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of the RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

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The Future of Travel: Three predictions that Came true

For the tenth consecutive year, Euromonitor International and World Travel Market London (WTM) are at the forefront of the travel industry, predicting future trends that will shape the industry in the annual WTM London Global Trends Report. Three of the most popular trends from the 2014’s edition are:

The rise of the MAMILs and cycling tourism

The WTM London Global Trends Report 2014 revealed that the growing popularity of cycling is posing a threat to golf tourism with the rise of MAMILs (middle-aged-men-in-lycra) in the US and beyond.

In March 2015, FOX News identified a growing number of travel players witnessing a considerable increase in bicycle tourism. In the US, the historic Ojai Valley Inn and Spa partnered with a bike shop to offer rental bicycles through an onsite kiosk. Furthermore, in August 2015, sustainable transport charity Sustrans estimated that cycling tourism adds over £650 million to the UK economy each year.

Poshtels Have a Luxury Facelift

The WTM London Global Trends Report 2014 announced that an increasing demand for low cost, high-value travel and non-conventional lodging establishments will spread from the UK to the rest of the world.

Design-led Generator Hostels are a success story taking the tourism industry by storm, currently with ten unique hostels in nine European cities and two more planned for 2016. Additional notable examples of poshtels include Freehand Miami Hostel with its cocktail bar named one of the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2014, the Shophouse Social Hostel in Singapore, offering a ladies-only pink-hued floor called No Mans Land, as well as eco-friendly Once in Capetown Hostel.

Wearable electronics goes mainstream

The report predicted that the incredible rise of wearable electronics will impact on the way we travel.

According to Euromonitor data, wearable electronics are no longer considered a niche sector and have become the world’s best-selling consumer electronics product after smartphones. Wearable electronics are forecast to exceed 305 million units in 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of 55 percent over the next five years.

Continued innovation and new applications will define the success of this category and its importance to the travel industry. With the Apple Watch consumers can now access airline data, book a journey with Uber, plan a trip with TripAdvisor and access their room at hotel chains such as Starwood and Marriott. And with the addition of the Google Maps app in September 2015, the traveler’s journey is becoming a smoother, less complicated experience.

The WTM Global Trends Report 2015 by Euromonitor International will be launched at London’s Excel Centre during a press conference on Monday 2nd November at 13:30 in the Platinum Suite 5&6. A session for WTM attendees will be held on Tuesday 3rd November at 12:00 in Platinum Suite 1.

For more information, click here: http://blog.euromonitor.com/2015/08/hear-euromonitor-speak-at-world-travel-market-wtm-2015.html

To download the WTM Global Trends Report 2014, please click here: http://go.euromonitor.com/WTM-2014-global-trends-report.html

Pre-register to receive the WTM Global Trends Report 2015 here: http://go.euromonitor.com/event-wtm-global-trends-report-2015.html

For further information, please contact:

Violetta Scola

Senior Communications Executive – Euromonitor International

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7251 8024 EXT 1360

Violetta.scola@euromonitor.com

About Euromonitor International

Euromonitor International is the world’s leading provider for strategic market analysis, with over 40 years of experience publishing international market reports, reference books and online databases on consumer markets.

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CONVERSE CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STAR II UNVEILS NEW SEASONAL COLORS

Bold new colors added for the Holiday 2015 season.   

CONVERSE Inc. unveils two new seasonal colors of the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II. Available in a bold grey Thunder and an eye-catching maroon Bordeaux, these new colors embrace the upcoming holiday season and are a perfect complement the original four colors. This marks the first seasonal collection for the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II since its debut on July 28.

Designed to meet the demands of the creative lifestyle of Chuck fans all over the world, the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II combines durable new details including a Lunarlon sockliner, nonslip padded tongue, super soft micro-suede lining and a premium canvas. While dialed-up exterior details include the on-trend high foxing, monochrome matte eyelets, tonal pinstripes and statement embroidered All Star patch.

The all-new Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II seasonal colors will be available on Thursday, October 1, for a suggested retail price of Php 3,990 at Converse retail stores. Visit www.converse.com.ph and www.facebook.com/ConversePhilippines for more of Chuck II Seasonal Colors! #ChuckIISeasonalColors

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Aiza Seguerra’s new album now certified Gold!

After the successful release of singer-songwriter Aiza Seguerra’s latest album, “Araw Gabi: Mga Awit ni Maestro Ryan” has scored a gold record award. Aiza’s gold record was awarded to her by Universal Records’ General Manager, Kathleen Dy-Go, in Eat Bulaga last September 16, 2015.

As the acoustic singer pays tribute to Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, it also features Mr. C playing the piano for single “Tuwing Umuulan At Kapiling Ka.” The album also includes fresh takes on some of the most-loved Ryan Cayabyab compositions like “Araw Gabi,” “Minsan Ang Minahal Ay Ako,” “Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika,” “Kahit Ika’y Isang Panaginip Lamang,” “Paano Na Kaya,” “Tunay Na Ligaya,” “Iduyan Mo,” among others.

The album is still available at all record bars nationwide. Digital tracks can also be downloaded on iTunes, Spinnr and Amazon. You may also listen to the full album on Deezer and album preview on YouTube.

For more information, follow Universal Records’ official social media accounts at Twitter.com/universalrecph, Facebook.com/universalrecordsphfanpage and Instagram.com/universalrecordsphilippines

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ALDEN RICHARDS receives Gold record award from Universal Records!

Alden Richards, the hottest leading man on Philippine TV, is now a Gold record-awardee as Universal Records recently announced that his self-titled debut album has officially reached its Gold record status.

On Friday, September 25 in Eat Bulaga, Alden received a Gold record plaque from Universal Records’ General Manager Kathleen Dy-Go where our “Pambansang Bae” went emotional and thanked his album producers and supporters for making this possible.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa Universal Records for trusting me with my first album na kahit hindi po ako singer ay binigyan nila ako ng chance. Sa lahat po ng sumusuporta ng album, salamat po!” said the teary-eyed actor. Alden is currently a host of GMA 7’s Eat Bulaga and popularly paired to Maine “Yaya Dub” Mendoza in the phenomenal segment “Kalyeserye.”

 The album contains seven tracks including his covers of "Naaalala Ka" by Rey Valera, "'Di Na Mababawi" by Spongecola and Itchyworms' "Akin Ka Na Lang" and his carrier single, Shamrock's "Haplos" which instantly rose to the top of the charts and became the theme of GMA tv series “Mundo Mo’y Akin”. 

Alden Richards' self-titled debut album under Universal Records is still available at all leading record bars nationwide. For more information, follow Universal Records’ official social media accounts at Twitter.com/universalrecph, Facebook.com/universalrecordsphfanpage and Instagram.com/universalrecordsphilippines

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