Author: Charlotte Gill

Urban Durban

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Durban

With the 2010 World Cup approaching, the first ever on African soil, all eyes will be on its cities and thanks to this; each will enjoy an influx of new visitors. Traditionally Cape Town has been its main tourist destination but with the expected number of new visitors to travel here, South Africa is hoping the world’s eyes will be opened to its other beautiful areas. The government is confident that long after the games have come and gone, South Africa will continue to reap the rewards. Many local businesses are pumping money into diversifying their products and some 53 percent have, or will, employ more staff. The new sports stadium in Durban alone, which is set to open in November 2009, has already created over 7,500 jobs. South Africa is also improving its public transport system which is a fundamental necessity when developing a city to international standard and of course, cope with World Cup demands. Durban is taking pride of place and from 2010 she will enjoy public transport lanes on all major motorways and within the inner city. A new mode of public transport will also be trialled to encourage less private vehicles on the roads. This is great news for the South African economy.

Durban hopes to position itself as South Africa’s premier sporting destination. Already being the countries third most popular city, she sits proudly on the east coast with a sub tropical climate and a laidback, informal ambiance really makes Durban stand out from rivals Cape Town and Johannesburg. Visitors describe her as the Miami of Africa. The famous ‘Golden Mile’, which is a 6km stretch of yellow sand bordered by a skyscraper backdrop, runs the entire length of the city. An easy drive out of the city into some of the most spectacular scenery in South Africa certainly makes Durban an up-and-coming hotspot. The warm waves of the Indian Ocean and blue flag beach status attract a wealth of sun worshippers to its shores. The abundance of water sports means tourists will never be without something to do, and unlike Cape Town, swimmers can jump in to the water without the fear of frostbite. For those who are partial to a vibrant night scene, then casinos, bars and clubs that stay open to the wee small hours will definitely be a temptation.

The business sector
So with the tourism market firmly in place, the sporting venues in the latter stages of development, the next phase is to make Durban a destination fit for business travel. South Africa currently shares only 1.3 percent of the global business tourism, which is relatively small given the vastness of the country. However, high hopes are being raised as studies show that most returning foreign visitors in 2007 came back after a business trip. This is a niche market that the South Africans are very keen to tap in to.

Durban is looking to pave the way forward within the business sector, already famed for having the busiest shipping port in South Africa, but thanks to the International Convention Centre (ICC), located only 15 minutes from the airport, minutes from the hotels and bustling city scene, it will firmly mark the city on the international business destinations map. The ICC boasts to be one of the most advanced conference facility centres in the world. The diversity and flexibility of the centre ensures that whatever the business event, the building can accommodate.

ICC Durban has been voted Africa’s Leading Conference Centre for six consecutive years by World Travel Awards and in 2004 was also ranked one of the best conference centres in the world by AIPC. As more and more international businesses become aware of Durban’s potential and hear of its unrivalled reputation within Africa for providing seamless events within the business sector, the city will become a major international player. It has so much to offer the business traveller.
The multitude of hotel choices, range from quaint colonial bed and breakfasts to world class 5* hotels, each with their own unique appeal. Durban certainly has something for everyone; its diverse landscape means that within 30 minutes you can go from lazing on a beach to hiking thousands of feet above sea level. Inner city and beach front attractions are beyond compare and Durban now plays home to Africa’s largest marine theme park, which also holds the 5th biggest aquarium in the world, Ushaka.

Historically, Durban has been plagued with a reputation of street crime. In recent years and with of course the build up to the 2010 World Cup, the city has seen an injection of life with a ‘clean up’ effort along its beachfront. The new stadium, ‘Moses Mabhida’ which is currently being erected in line with the World Cup is also a major influence in providing a positive effect on the young of the city. It will become an iconic landmark that will transform Durban’s skyline.

So with world-class business venues, top hotels and an invigorating entertainment scene, Durban certainly has the right ingredients to attract the business clientele, however it doesn’t end there. Team building exercises rank highly in what people want out of their trips. Durban will never disappoint in this sector.

Drakensberg mountains
Drive a few hours out of the city and enter into the wilderness. Firstly the Drakensberg Mountain range can play host to a whole range of activities. Combining sheer natural beauty with dramatic versatility; this is the perfect day trip to escape from the office. The mountain range is the highest in Southern Africa rising over 1,400ft into the African skies. The activities are endless from a spot of polo in its foothills to hiking its gigantic peaks, whatever your team’s agenda you can find it here. Of course you can opt for the traditional days out such as go-karting but those that want to push your team to their limits then firm favourites are white water rafting, abseiling or even a helicopter ride to get a bird’s eye view. The summer months provide hot days under the African sun where as the winter brings the snow capped mountains and a winter sports paradise. The region also boasts two fully equipped conference centres. There are many hotels actually situated within the mountains and guests often like to extend their business trip for a week or two to explore further this vast part of South Africa.

No trip to Africa is complete without a bit of game safari, and once again the surrounding areas of Durban can deliver. Head north to the Elephant coast, an Eden for big five game reserves (Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard), there is also sub tropical marine reefs, unspoilt beaches and the Wetland World Heritage site, formally known as Greater St Lucia. The Elephant coast boasts an outdoor paradise with the edge on eco conservation. Here you can Kayak in the lakes, spot hippos and a multitude of birds on the game shores, or simply explore the breathless beauty in the range of natural eco-systems. Dunes, swamps, forests, fresh water lakes to Savannah grassland, coral reefs, submarine canyons and mangroves are all available for you to investigate.

The KwaZulu-Natal district, home to Durban, also has a tainted history of bloody battles fort under the Zulu reign. Follow in the footsteps of famous military strategists such as Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi and General Louis Botha as you explore the Zulu battlefields. Lone Forts, small graveyards, museums and historic towns leaves little to the imagination however each reminder of a sordid past is replaced in the knowledge that the legacy of the Zulu kingdom conflicts now live in peace.

Durban is a city right on the verge of becoming a major world player within the business market, its unrivalled location mixed with world class conference and hotel facilities means the city is ready to compete in the international business arena. As more companies put their emphasis on keeping their staff happy, Durban has the capabilities to cater for even the most prestigious business event and then offer its guests wide choices in activities to provide that all essential ‘downtime’.

Racy Dakar

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Senegal

Sometimes, it is a landmark that gives a place its distinctive character, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or Acropolis in Athens. Other times it is an historical event such as D-Day at Dunkirk or even a carnival as in Rio.

But for Dakar it is motor racing that has given the city its cachet. Even if you didn’t know that this French-built shipping port, the busiest in Africa, is perched at the tip of the Cape Verde Peninsula, somewhere in your subconscious will be the phrase ‘Dakar Rally’.

Dakar served as the capital of French West Africa during 300 years of French rule before becoming the capital of Senegal at independence in 1960 and so, unsurprisingly the French influence is inherent in the city’s maritime infrastructure. But city life is embedded in Islamic culture and devout worshippers can be seen spilling out of mosques three times a day.

Though there are no particular sites to visit, apart from the odd slave trade museum; the soul of the city resides in its balmy, sandy streets and winding alleyways. This is where aromas of kebabs being cooked al fresco swirl into the sultry air and where women, modestly swathed in eye-catching Day-Glo fabrics, sashay by with baskets brimful of mango and lime on their heads. You will also feel it in the bustling street markets where religious Muslim men sell luck from leather pouches while the din of hundreds of voices haggling over prices in both French and the local Wolof at sometimes deafening levels.

Marketing
Kermel market is preferred by expatriate Europeans for flowers and crafts but Marche Sandaga is the largest, offering an ideal opportunity to mingle with the locals, enjoy local smells and flavours and to pick up some ethnic art, craft, fabric or jewellery. But savvy clothes shoppers head for Marche HLM market where over 200 tailors bash out made-to-measure outfits on old sewing machines using shoppers’ own fabrics – perfect for that bargain business suit.

Western business travellers will feel reassuringly at home amid the city-centre’s wide, tree-lined boulevards and elegant French colonial period buildings, especially the monumental government house, and the Parisian-style terraced cafés where the traditional breakfast is a croissant and café au lait.

There is a newly built casino and a vibrant music scene featuring Senegalese sounds of guitar riffs and lively West African drumming made famous by the musician Youssou N’Dour, makes for toe-tapping nights out. And just outside the city in N’Gor, there is a ribbon of beautiful beaches to escape to whenever a moment of leisure allows.

Getting there
Dakar is located just 12km from the International Leopold Seder Senghor Airport with direct flights from Paris, the Middle East and New York. And unlike other West African nations, most EU and US passport holders don’t even need a visa.

But it is precisely because of this easy familiarity that the inevitable culture shock hits all the harder. Even before you have stepped out of the airport, you’ll be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people offering to carry your luggage, find you a hotel or change your money. Get used to it – there are as many hustlers as there are pickpockets.

Visitors are ripe for rip-off prices, so it is essential to master the fine art of bartering. And though getting a taxi is easy, do make sure you settle on a price beforehand. The windshields may be broken and the bodywork battered but the instinct for charging over the odds is well tuned.

And watch out for the beggars, or talibes as they call them. Some are disabled, others only children, but they’ll all harass you relentlessly for a few Francs, especially next to the many ATMs. This is important: in a city of just one million there are an astonishing 300,000 talibes. A tip: just say: “ba beneen yoon” which means next time in Wolof, or “a la prochain, inshallah” in French, while putting your hand over your heart. That usually wards them off.

Climate
Combine this harassment with a very hot and humid climate in July and August, or during the January ‘harmattan’ when the winds whip up the Saharan sand, and it is easy to become frustrated. Weather-wise, the best time to go is during the kinder autumnal months of October to December.

Whatever time of year though, taking time out to hop on a 25-minute ferry ride to Goree Island – a world heritage site of colonial houses – is a must-do. Being the closest part of Africa to America, this island served as a transit point in the slave-trading route. Despite the rampant hassle from souvenirs vendors, be prepared to come away deeply affected by ‘the door of no return’ at the processing centre of La Maison des Esclaves, that slaves walked through to be shipped off to a life of subservience.

Infrastructure
A few years ago Dakar’s infrastructure was flagging making transportation to land locked Africa somewhat difficult. Since 2004 it has had an injection of investment, some from the World Bank, to renovate the port and improve the famous Dakar-Bamako rail link in order to maintain its competitive edge.

As a result a mix hotel accommodation from plush to auberge has developed to cater for the business traveller. If you want to be away from the madding crowds but near the international embassies in the fashionable Fann Corniche area, the soon to open Radisson Blu Hotel offers state of the art spas, waterfront views and free broadband. Standard rooms start at £181.80 per night including breakfast.

A cheaper alternative is the Novotel located in the business district five minutes walk from Place de Independence with views over Goree Island. The hotel offers a free shuttle service from the airport and rooms start at £108 per night.

Security
Unfortunately Dakar has become victim to the scurge of terrorism and security issues are proving to be a hurdle to growth. The threat of terrorism at nearby Mauritania has become so serious that after a glorious run of 30 years, even the Dakar Rally that would have covered more than 3,600 miles over 16 days through Portugal, Spain and northern Africa had to be relocated to Argentina for 2009. Hopes are that the race will return to its source next year, signalling the return of calm to the area and when no doubt Dakar will be motoring again.

The need for transparency

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

With leisure travel having moved from being a rare luxury to a regular experience for many people over the last decade, we wanted to understand how their travel purchase behaviour is changing and how this compares to other areas of consumer expenditure in a global recession.

The first surprise from our findings is that the recession has in fact increased, not decreased, the desire to travel.?During what is the most severe economic downturn for a generation, people are prioritising travelling above other discretionary spends.?Consumers are cutting back on purchases of physical goods such as clothing and electricals, even on eating out, so they can maintain the number of holidays they take.?It seems at a time of greater economic pressure and uncertainty, the value that holidays deliver in allowing people to relax and unwind, and to spend quality family time is held above conspicuous consumption. The greater the pressure, the greater the need is to get away and unwind.

That said, the economy is having an impact on travel behaviour – people are demanding that their money delivers more than ever and are assuming a more cautious and considered approach to spending. Travellers want to minimise the financial risk involved and are adopting a number of strategies to achieve this: greater research and planning, sticking with tried and tested destinations, staying closer to home, and taking on board more advice. It seems holidays to?‘near Europe’ and within the UK are substituting holidays further afield.

The most striking finding of the report, however, is around the issues of trust and value in the travel industry. The past decade has seen a massive emphasis by the travel industry on promoting ever lower prices as the core message for leisure travel. To achieve this objective, over the last couple of years customers have increasingly been expected to pay extra if they use payment cards, take a suitcase, check in at the airport, want to board first, etc. The research findings indicate that as an industry we seem to have gone too far with this as a model. Two thirds of respondents in our ‘Travel Nation’ report said that ‘travel companies or operators who advertise deals that you have little chance of booking’ give the whole industry a bad name, and over half of the sample said that they ‘no longer pay much attention to prices advertised’ because you can rarely book them.

These findings are hardly a ringing endorsement – in fact they are a clear sign that a lack of transparency in pricing has left consumers feeling frustrated and has tainted the reputation of the industry as a whole. The industry must now work hard to reconnect with consumers.

We all know from our own experiences of travelling that value for money and peace of mind are high up the agenda. Unfortunately, it seems that this is a difficult balance to find in the travel industry. It is essential for the future of every business that its customers inherently trust it and therefore repeat their custom. Trust is however dependent on a commitment to both transparency and value.

Our findings have led us to question whether the travel industry has lost sight of the end goal – helping consumers to have the best experience possible. I believe that a focus on value at any cost has tainted the reputation and integrity of the industry. In this climate people want to maximise experience and minimise risk.?The industry needs to rebuild trust, to undertake a genuine commitment to transparency and provide added value.

With consumers valuing even more the benefits that holidays can deliver, the travel industry is in a good position. But consumers are also saying loud and clear ‘please offer value and please be more honest and transparent in how you price and promote yourself ‘.?This seems a clear and common sense demand to which the industry must respond in order to be successful in the new economic climate.

How to make flyers more frequent

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

1. Give every hundredth passenger at the check-in desk a surprise bonus. So much in air travel is predictable these days: queues, frustration and unfunny in-flight romantic comedies. So, if a passenger thinks he or she has a one in a hundred chance of an upgrade, or extra frequent flyer miles, or a month’s free pass to the club lounge, they’re going to get all excited. They’re going to begin to enjoy the experience of flying again. They’re going to come back to that airline next time they fly.

2. Learn from other moribund enterprises that have improved the customer experience. People don’t walk into bookshops because they expect to find a bargain. They could buy books cheaper online. In a bookshop though, they get the personal touch and the simple pleasure of serendipity. I love those handwritten recommendations that you sometimes find on the bookshelves… If you like Scott Turow, you should give this a try… That handwritten note probably took the bookshop employee two minutes to write, but it could be just the trigger a customer needs to buy the book, take it home, and come back next week for the sequel. So, what’s to stop flight attendants putting a Post-It note in the in-flight magazine. You might not be a fan of Jennifer Aniston’s movie career, but at least give this a try… Or, I bought this duty-free scent for my partner and he loves it…

3. This one’s pretty basic: walk the floor. Is Richard Branson the only airline boss who routinely chats to passengers? Probably. Most airline executives have worked long and hard to get to the front of the plane. It’s a perk of the job: sitting back in that great barge of a seat, not having to worry about those people back there, behind the curtain. What are they called again? Oh yes, customers. I’ve been flying regularly for 20 years, on dozens of airlines and in every class. But I’ve never yet seen an airline executive walk the floor. How else do they get into the customer’s head and heart, to find out what’s working and what’s not? How else do they find out why that customer would choose to fly with that airline again? Which brings us to…

4. Scrap customer surveys. In my personal opinion, in-flight surveys are meaningless and, worse, an irritant. The questionnaires always seem to be given to the passengers who are clearly having a good day and are happy with the flight. Would it be too cynical to suggest that the flight attendants are merely trying to prove to someone back at Head Office that theirs was a smooth flight, that everything is rosy in the garden at 30,000 feet. Do airlines really need a four-page interrogation to find out if they’re giving good service?

5. Treat every passenger like a premium passenger (Or at least try). By this I don’t mean offer them six varieties of wine and a welcome pack. As Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary is fond of pointing out, you get what you pay for. But is it just me, or is there a much lower goodwill threshold when you’re sitting in an economy seat? Compare and contrast two separate experiences I had, flying the same airline on the same route, but in different classes. On one occasion I had a business class ticket. I was allowed to switch to an earlier flight with literally minutes to spare before the flight closed, avoiding an overnight flight and enjoying a full weekend at home. This was all done with the civilised approach that encourages you to choose this airline again:  encourages repeat business. I did choose that airline again, on the same route, but made the cardinal error of flying economy. Half an hour into the flight, the TV monitor fell out of the seat back, straight into my lap. The flight attendant took the default economy class approach: I’m busy, put up with it and I’ll try to get around to it later. Four hours into the flight, it occurred to me that dinner should have arrived. The passenger call button was ignored, so I made my way back to the galley. I was told that they’d served all the hot meals, and that there was nothing they could do. I returned to my seat with two bags of nuts and this thought in my head: today’s economy passenger could be next week’s premium customer. Why make the in-flight experience so different? So, in conclusion, my request to airline staff would be…

6. Smile more. It costs nothing. And it could be the start of a beautiful (and profitable) relationship.

Milan, the art of the city

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Milan

If you were playing a word association game with Italy’s major cities and the word ‘art’ came up, Milan would probably not be the location that springs to mind. Rome, Florence and Venice would almost certainly pip it to the post. Business yes, art, no.

Until recently, Milan’s strong private sector and weaker public sector has meant that apart from fashion, creativity has struggled in the metropolis. But this is changing. While Italy’s other cities might have the museums, Milan is increasingly creating its own privately funded independent and unique scene that’s a fusion of galleries, spaces and foundations. The past few years have been dedicated to putting the city firmly on the art map and its reputation as a hub for contemporary art is on the rise.

As a bridge between Italy and the rest of Europe, Milan is a cultural crossroads through which people enter the country and its business capital. Business trips to the city often involve a stop in one of the many designer shops, bars or restaurants. Its increasing evolution into a focal point for contemporary art provides a new view on a city long-hailed as the home of fashion and very little else.

The wide range of galleries and exhibitions are perfect for business travellers – there’s always something to see, whether you have five hours or five days spare to explore the varying disciplines of work present in the city. Even the biggest of Milan’s galleries are relatively crowd-free, unlike more heralded spaces like the Tate Modern and Guggenheim, making them perfect for an afternoon’s browsing.

In addition, the city’s annual art fair MiArt, which has been running for 14 years, is consolidating its position as one of the leading events of its type with an ever-increasing weighting on contemporary pieces. Giacinto Di Pietrantonio, curator of the Contemporary section, argues this shift is “because Milan is the city of the artists, galleries and collectors of modern and contemporary art. Because Milan is the city of modern and contemporary exhibitions. Because Milan is Italy’s most modern and contemporary city.”

Building the foundations
Art foundations such as the Mudima Foundation and Nicola Trussardi Foundation have provided a cornerstone for this growth, encouraging the evolution of genre and style the city is becoming famous for. Their role is an important one, as it is purely cultural rather than commercial and solely focuses on encouraging new and existing artists to develop, creating and maintaining connections with international art institutions.

The Mudima Foundation spans the boundaries of visual arts, contemporary literature, music and multimedia presentations to create exhibitions held in its own spaces and in other galleries worldwide. Its function is to bring a host of challenging and eminent artists such as Sandro Chia, Ben Vautier and Daniel Spoerri, most of whom create projects specifically conceived for the foundation. It’s been responsible for musical events and exhibitions, sourcing artists and creating projects both at home and abroad, with a particular emphasis on Far Eastern countries like Korea and Japan.

Likewise the Nicola Trussardi Foundation is a non profit institution aimed at promoting contemporary art and culture. Unlike the Mudima, they do not have their own space and work only on the production and distribution of pieces across a variety of channels and in differing locations across the city. Naming Milan as both their inspiration and their base for their activities, they’re focused on the diffusion of art into everyday life, ie pamphlets and magazines.

Their newest project is an exhibition by Turner Prize-nominated Tacita Dean, her first solo exhibition in Italy. Entitled Still Life, the exhibition is located in the impressive rooms of the Palazzo Dugnani, a historic gem tucked away in the heart of the city. Her works scrutinise the temporal pauses in life – the pivotal moments that are so important to everyday reality, and are comprised of a mass of mixed media films, photographs and installations.

Location
Integrating the city’s unique fusion of past and present, the locations of the exhibitions are often as striking as the projects themselves. Contemporary conceptions are contrasted and integrated with historic buildings. The Nicola Trussardi Foundation’s use of the 17th century Palazzo Dugnani to host Tacita Dean’s Still Life, for example, weaves the exhibition into the long history of the building and entwines this history into the temporal awareness of the exhibition itself. Over the coming years, the foundation aims to integrate more and more of the city’s older buildings into its modern art scene as a way of mapping out Milan to an international audience.

Contrastingly, the sparse, cheap locale of the newly built Bovisa Triennale provides a different kind of commentary on the exhibitions it hosts. The ‘anti-architecture’ of the bare scaffolding and plastic forms structuring the gallery provides an almost-blank and ever-changing canvas for the displays. Even the abandoned gasworks opposite the gallery are often adorned with artwork relating to the exhibitions inside, showing this consistently self-aware positioning of projects is not just limited to those hosted by the foundations.

Opened in 2006, the Bovisa has already become one of the city’s most important spaces and covers an expansive 2,000sq m. All of the exhibitions are temporary and cover all aspects and mediums. There’s also a bookshop and a cafe, making it the perfect place to while away a spare day away from the crowds.

Another hotspot is the Spazio Oberdan, an exhibition space designed by Gae Aulenti and Carlo Lamperti. One of the few galleries to be managed by the cultural sector, the 700m exhibition space is dedicated to visual art and paired with a cinema showing a diverse array of modern and classic films. The venue also hosts music festivals and performances (call ahead to check the programme).

Though the challenging works of galleries such as Le Case d’Arte, A Arte Invernizzi, Galleria Pack, 10 Corso Como and Galleria De Carlo might not be to everyone’s tastes, it’s undeniable that together they are a cultural heavyweight, a progressive and a force in the city.

10 Corso Como was conceived by ex-fashion editor Carla Sozzani and marries literature, art, fashion and beauty in its funky exhibitions. Describing itself as a ‘network of spaces all rolled into one experience’, it’s great for picking up pieces to take home. Galleria De Carlo is the place to go for cutting edge light and video installations.

Giampolo Abbondio’s Galleria Pack is one of the galleries most consistently credited with attracting important young artists to the city. Milanese-born Abbondio has created a space that reflects the city’s dual heritage as a gateway to Italy and Europe, a cultural mish-mash of identity in the modern world.

Even though Milan’s public sector-funded art is relatively small in comparison to other cities, those that exist occupy an important place on the scene. The P.A.C or Padiglione di Arte Contemporanea is one such place and hosts an ever-changing cycle of temporary shows. Normally staging four to five exhibitions yearly, previous exhibitors include famed American photographer Andres Serrano.

One of Italy’s most famous contemporary artists, Milan-trained Vanessa Beecroft’s recent performance piece at PAC as part of MiArt was well-received by international commentators. Featuring 20 African people eating a formal dinner without silverware, plates or wearing shoes it even claimed the attention of hip-hop star Kanye West who featured it on his blog. The gallery also organises a year-round educational programme for children and young adults to stimulate discussion and awareness.

MiArt
Arguably the jewel in Milan’s art crown is the annual international modern and contemporary art fair, MiArt. Spread over more than 12,000sq m, the fair takes place in April each year and the 2009 edition saw over 140 galleries and 38,000 visitors descend for their slice of the creative pie.

Becoming an increasingly important trendsetter, MiArt is a dynamic event that explores the frontiers of the art world, hence the slogan ‘Mi Art: Art Now!’. The overall focus is on bridging gaps between artistic mediums and concepts – famous artists take the design of some of the fair’s spaces as a way of fusing architecture and art.

The fair is split into two sections contemporary and modern. Of these, the contemporary section is attracting the most attention, emphasising the importance of quality and encourages smaller new galleries to participate alongside established modern art galleries. The modern section exhibits pieces from movements such as the Futurist, Metaphysical, Cubist, avant-garde and Impoverished Art.

Setting the precedent for galleries and foundations, the Mirages art trail displays striking, large-scale works from the fair in prominent positions across the capital. Sculptures crop up in the most unlikely of settings throughout downtown Milan, emphasising the permeable nature of art. The newly-established Associazione Amici di MiArt is an investment fund aiming to purchase and display works in public locations in the city throughout the year, cementing its reputation as a year-round art destination.

The financial crisis has meant that more than ever, investors are looking for safe channels for their money. As art has traditionally been seen as one such avenue, there’s a growing trend of high-quality pieces dominating the market. If you are looking to invest in a piece or two, Milan’s the perfect destination as up-and-coming artists often come without the colossal price tag of other cities.

Paolo Galassi, chairman of Fiera Milano International, organiser of MiArt agrees, “At a time when the financial crisis is making many businesses cut back on investments FMI has decided to invest in our art fair… This decision reflects our confidence that we can make Milan a foundation upon which companies involved in the promotion of art can build business.”

Iceland’s spread

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Iceland

In a country with lunar landscape, mile-thick glaciers and ‘singing caves’ it’s perhaps not surprising that the locals are superstitious. And even if you’re visiting strictly on business you’ll find it hard to avoid being drawn into Iceland’s fascination with elves, fairies, trolls and ‘hidden people’.

The entire country is littered with spots associated with magical and mythical dwellings, from local elves to Finnish trolls. Belief is such that Reykjavik actually boasts an Elf School that issues diplomas in mythic issues, and the government has been known to reroute highways to avoid ‘elf rocks’.

Against Iceland’s strange geography it’s easy to see why all this myth and legend abounds. The landscape is straight out the imagination of one of Tolkien’s illustrators, heavy with stratified rock and carpeted with broken lava. And somehow this unearthly quality manages to spill over into just about everything Icelandic, from the quirky approach to meetings and incentive trips, to the incredible geography.

In hot water
In fact, within 20 minutes of arriving in Iceland you can easily be in one of the country’s most spectacular attractions. Geothermic water, to be precise, bathing you and fellow swimmers with the perfectly temperate waves of the Blue Lagoon.

A mere 20 minutes from the airport, the route to the famous aquatic attraction is fast enough to make the milky blue depths even more surreal. Making the journey by car leaves only moments to register the incredible landscape before turning towards the towering columns of steam on the horizon and into the nation’s most well known landmark.

Ensconced in the opaque hot springs is certainly a full immersion strategy when it comes to understanding why this country has such an affinity with myths and legends. With the waters permanently clement courtesy of the country’s many volcanic currents, the bottom of this natural wonder is also lined with ash-grey silica mud – reputed to be good for the skin. Under a foreboding snow-filled sky, with calm blue waters and dramatic black rocks painted with patches of green lichen it’s no great imaginative leap to feel as though you’re on another planet entirely. And for the complete effect, painting your face with the contents of the mud pools dotting the sidelines of the lagoon will ensure you have the appearance to match.

But ever a practical people, Icelanders have also found a way to mix business and pleasure, and besides eerily temperate waters in a climate that is rarely above freezing, the Blue Lagoon also boasts a spectacular business offering. Meeting rooms with views out onto the waters, a superb restaurant, and even rooms for the night are available to conference parties. So not only is it possible to be enjoying the country’s star attraction minutes after breezing through the highly efficient customs control, you can also be getting down to business in style.

Rise of the Valkyrie
If you’re looking for a slightly quirkier way to experience the local love of folklore, then the small town of Hafnarfjordur is only a ten-minute drive from Reykjavik, yet is often completely missed by visitors. Although small by international standards this is actually a large conurbation in Iceland and one that is home to a number of interesting sights and features.

The fabulous Viking Hotel is a perfect spot to pitch up and enjoy the local hospitality – complete with historic décor from ancient Iceland. The hotel boasts a cave-style bar area and a restaurant serving wholly local cuisine. Having been serenaded by a Viking minstrel and served by a kirtle-clad serving wench your experiences of real-life history in this magical country may just be complete.

But if you’re hoping to get even more involved in what life was like in bygone days the hotel can also arrange to have business parties ‘kidnapped’ by teams of marauding Vikings, and drag them back to enjoy hospitality and drinks at the hotel Viking-style.

Hafnarfjorder also boats the accolade of being Iceland’s most elf-friendly conurbation, with the royal elf palaces housed overlooking the town. These are actually large attractive rock formations, but several legends abound surrounding beautiful elf royalty entering secret doorways in the rock, or saving from injury those unfortunate enough to take a tumble over the precipice.

Dotted throughout the town are other large ‘elf rocks’, each with their own history. You can spot them by merit of accommodating some rather odd nearby building work in order to avoid causing damage to the elf homes.

In the local park there are also several ‘troll rocks’. If you remember from your storybooks, trolls have a bad reaction to sunlight, which instantly turns them to stone. Towards the park entrance are two such unfortunate creatures that have been atrophied, so the story goes, for failing to make it home before sunrise.

If you’re thinking that these stories sound familiar, Tolkien himself was in fact roundly inspired by Icelandic legend. His affinity with the country was well known, and with an Icelandic nanny for the care of his children, he was helped to many local fairy tales courtesy of the connection.

Legendary capital
It would be unthinkable to make a trip to Iceland and miss the country’s famous capital, and Reykjavik more than lives up to the hype. Whilst most capitals include skyscrapers, or at the very least some imposing edifices in glass and metal, this small but comprehensive city is conspicuously empty of high-rise buildings in the immediate centre.

Instead the micro-centre is a well planned mass of wooden buildings, most two stories at maximum, giving the city the appearance of a much older conurbation. It is here that Iceland also houses its Elf School – a well-respected institution run by the brother of an eminent political party leader.

For an incentive trip with a difference the school can arrange half day learning experiences where visitors are educated in the local elf lore, finishing with a trip to some of the more magical sites. Whilst seeing elves is something usually limited to those with psychic powers it is nevertheless a fascinating way to immerse yourself in local culture.

The reason for all these storybook manifestations in everyday life has been speculated as due to the country’s isolated history. Whilst most of Europe was going through the Renaissance, Iceland was cut off from the rest of the world – an unforeseen error on the part of the Vikings who felled every last tree, making shipbuilding impossible. With no one coming in or out this small island became something of a microcosm for ancient beliefs, and whilst the notion of elves, fairies and all the rest became associated with dangerously unchristian principles elsewhere, here belief in the little people continued free from religious persecution.

It’s for this reason then, that business visitors may be surprised to discover just how seriously locals take the idea of mystical beings. And whilst few will admit outright to genuine belief in such things, every Icelander knows of someone they trust who has a seen an elf, or encountered a similarly otherworldly creature.

Into the West
With this in mind it’s well worth getting out into the countryside, away from the cosmopolitan hub of Reykjavik, where far fewer visitors venture, Iceland has only one main road which traverses the shoreline of the country, breaking out only occasionally into the odd hamlet or farmstead. For those keen to get into the rugged backcountry, your own deserted spot can be found within half an hour of leaving the capital.

A trip into the west of the country is an easy drive of a few hours, taking in some of the best coastal sights on the way. And whilst there’s far fewer in the way of business hotels in this direction, if you’ve time to head out into the wilds, you’ll be enjoying the best Iceland has to offer.

Towards the northern coast is the lovely town of Stykkisholmur, often neglected by tourists who instead spend their time on day trips to the centre visiting the spectacular waterfalls and hot springs. As a harbour town, Stykkisholmur is accessed via a breathtaking panoramic of ice-capped mountains and snow-blue rivers. It’s also something of a hub for gourmands, which is why the town boasts a Michelin-quality restaurant – Narfeyjarstofa Café Restaurant and local brewery Mjöður ehf Brugghús who make Icelandic beer with local spring water.

Also in residence is family-run Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum who hand produce Iceland’s infamous fermented shark meat. As you might expect, this rare meat is itself the topic of numerous tall tales and historic legacy, as the enormous sharks were once hand-caught by fishermen desperate for provisions. The Greenland shark from which the flesh is harvested is toxic to humans is consumed fresh. But generations of necessity and famine have found a way to make it a food – if a strong tasting one – for humans. Even a tiny piece will fill your mouth with ammonia fumes and for most foreigners the taste is too strong to be pleasant. If you’re in Stykkisholmur, however, you shouldn’t without trying at least a small piece fresh from the best producers in the country.

Driving back south from Stykkisholmur and taking the road along the western coast of Snæfellsjökull will bring you back to the relative reality of the capital and the airport, but not before you’ve enjoyed the truly breathtaking isolation of Iceland’s scenic major road. Cruising past snow-capped mountains and eerily still rivers you should also be well placed to witness the nearby glacier that the locals swear has magical properties.

Communing with this mighty landmark, they insist, can make wishes come true. Although if you were fortunate enough to be enjoying this beautiful and remote wilderness, you’d be forgiven for thinking they already had. But since you’ve one more opportunity to make your experience of Iceland complete, it might just be worth putting in a special request for a little elf magic to take back with you, because this is definitely a form of local enchantment that is available for export.

The Elves Rock
Iceland’s lunar landscape is littered with strange looking rock formations, so it’s only natural that the locals might begin to believe in them as homes to mystical creatures. But Icelanders put more than simple superstition on these magical places – many involve ‘real life’ stories as well.

The most famous is that of Iceland’s most powerful elf rock, found just outside the city of Reykjavik on the road which joins the capital to the airport in the west. Here a large elf rock stands, which, legend has it, identified itself to a farmer some centuries hence. As the owner of the area, this hardworking man planned on breaking up the rock in order to plough extra land. But the night before he planned to do so he was visited in his sleep by an elf petitioning him to leave his ‘home’ untouched.

As a sensible Icelander the man obeyed the request, and several generations down the line, his wishes were upheld. Towards the end of the 20th century, however, a Danish farmer bought up the land, which was by this time housing many hundreds of chickens. Not believing in elves he began to put plans in place to break up the large rock that was still obstructing useful farmland. But with the strategy underway, overnight every single chicken on the farm stopped laying eggs, alerting canny locals to the disapproval of the elves.

When the local lore was explained to the Danish owner he at first dismissed the tale as ridiculous, but gradually he was persuaded to leave the rock alone. From that day the first chicken laid an egg, and from the next several more, and then more again, until the entire flock was lying normally.
 
Whilst the locals didn’t need reminding of the existence of elf rocks, it certainly renewed Icelandic faith in the power of their mystical heritage. The legendary rock is now officially protected, and if you look on any map of Iceland you’ll see a rather unnatural kink in the straight road between the airport and the city. This is where the government has decreed the road must bend to avoid the famous rock.

Malmo’s graft and splendour

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

The Malmo skyline, once clouded by heavy industry, is now punctuated by works of art. There is a vibrant, youthful buzz about the booming social scene, and the city is a pioneer of eco-friendly living as well as a leader in modern architecture and environmental design. Its iconic dockyard crane has been replaced by a soaring work of living art – the gleaming white 57-storey Turning Torso apartment building that has come to symbolise Malmo’s modern regeneration. The slipway is now a swooping, futuristic-looking world-class skateboard park, spread over 2,500sq. m and designed by American expert Stefan Hauser. And, at the other end of the cultural scale, a prestigious new national museum of modern art is to be opened in Malmo.

As Sweden’s third largest city, Malmo once boasted one of the largest shipyards in the world, but it hit hard times in the 1980s, when a recession devastated its industrial base and threw a quarter of the population out of work. Since then, however, Malmo’s willingness to embrace change and plan for the future has led to its inspirational rebirth. A key moment in this remarkable success story came in 1998 with the opening of Malmo University, now the eighth largest in Sweden.

As Ilmar Reepalu, Malmo’s mayor and a driving force behind the renaissance, says: “The most important thing was to get young people into the city. They created the base for a new life in the city with new cafés, theatres and music. We needed those 20,000 students to change the image and atmosphere.” As a result, Malmo’s population has gone from being one of Sweden’s oldest to one of the youngest, with half its 285,000 residents aged under 35.

The city of parks
Although Malmo has embraced modernity, it still manages to retain a charming traditional air. In the city’s Old Town, visitors can wander along cobbled streets and admire architecture from centuries past. There are also large swathes of greenery stretching across Malmo, which have earned it the nickname of “The city of parks.” Even by environmentally conscious Sweden’s standards, Malmo’s drive to go green has been impressive. The third largest wind park in the world, Lillgrund, is located off Malmo’s coast. The city has also supported the development of environmentally friendly urban neighbourhoods and was appointed Sweden’s first “Fairtrade City” in 2006.

Malmo’s sky-high ambitions and optimism is best symbolised by Turning Torso, the stunning residential skyscraper designed by Spanish architect and sculptor Santiago Calatrava. It is reckoned to be the largest work of art in Scandinavia, the second highest residential structure in Europe (after Triumph-Palace, in Moscow) and is 100 percent fuelled by renewable energy. It fills the hole in the skyline left when the 453ft Kockums crane, which towered over the city for decades, was dismantled and shipped off to South Korea.

Artist Ulf Hedetoft, who lives in the shadow of the remarkable Turning Torso, says: “When I was young, Malmo was a soundless city. If you were in the main square on a Saturday you could hear your voice echoing. It’s very different today – now the whole city is alive.” Hedetoft reckons the Malmo art scene is unmatched in Sweden, and he draws comparisons with Berlin. “Stockholm, of course, has the big galleries, but the culture here is growing and changing like nowhere else,” he says. “Maybe people here are hungrier. Turning Torso is a great work of art. It is a statement. It says, ‘We are going somewhere. This is a city for the future.’ ”

Since the end of World War II, Malmo’s population has developed an ethnic diversity, and now more than 100 languages are spoken in the city. This exotic mix is never more evident than when music-loving crowds descend upon the Malmo Festival, an eight-day extravaganza that this year runs from 14-21 August. Meanwhile, Malmo art lovers are delighted by the news that Stockholm’s prestigious Moderna Museet, home to works by Dali, Picasso and many more, is to open a second national museum of modern art in Malmo, putting it firmly on the international culture map. As Rakel Chukri, culture editor at Sydsvenskan, Malmo’s main newspaper, says: “This is the most interesting region in Sweden right now. More and more of my journalist colleagues in Stockholm are saying that Malmo is the city to live in. It’s got a reputation for being the Swedish version of Berlin.”

Lulea
Elsewhere in Sweden, the city of Lulea, 500 miles north of Stockholm, is making its mark in the world of music – with the new Mattei Festival, named after Peter Mattei, a world-class baritone whose hometown is Lulea. Mattei, of New York Metropolitan Opera fame, planned the event for two years and when tickets went on sale they were completely sold out in just 23 minutes. Apart from two opera concerts, the festival – staged in January – included classical, jazz and baroque pieces, and two public “Master Classes” featuring talented young opera singers. Daniel Harding, guest conductor at the London Philharmonic and leader of the Stockholm Philharmonic, performed a classical concert with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra; mezzo-soprano Malena Ernman, who has performed at Glyndebourne and Salzburg festivals, featured in a baroque concert; and jazz singer Kurt Elling, seven times a Grammy nominee, gave a concert with the Norrbotten Big Band.

The Mattei Festival is now scheduled to take place on alternate years at the splendid Cultural House concert hall, opened two years ago, and signals a significant step in Lulea’s development. Lulea, as far north as northern Alaska, used to be a city shaped more by a harsh climate and heavy industry than high culture. Today, Mayor Karl Petersen says proudly of the Mattei Festival: “There will be very few events in Sweden of this calibre. This is a high point in our city’s history.”

Stockholm
While exciting developments in Malmo and Lulea, demonstrate that there is much more to Sweden than just Stockholm, the capital city remains a must-see destination for most visitors – especially those making their first visit to the country.

Stockholm is undeniably one of the world’s most beautiful capitals, built on 14 islands around one of Europe’s largest and best-preserved medieval city centres. While lacking the scale of Paris or London, it is a vision of terracotta and saffron-coloured buildings shimmering between blue water and even bluer skies.

Visiting Stockholm on business or pleasure, you will be dazzled by the stunning and varied scenery that delights the eye in every direction, along with the city’s wealth of museums, theatres, sights, attractions and events. It is also a vivacious modern city, renowned for producing sleek designs, edgy fashion and world-class nightclubs. It’s no wonder that tourists flock to Stockholm for the food, design and music, along with a unique range of galleries and museums. And every year the eyes of the world focus on the city when the Nobel Prizes are announced.

Indeed, no trip to the capital would be complete without a visit to the Nobel Museum located right in the heart of the Old Town, the many exhibits tell in fascinating detail everything you ever wanted to know about the Nobel Prize, Alfred Nobel, and the Nobel Laureates and their visions that changed the world. Lovers of art can indulge themselves at the Moderna Museet, where they can gaze on one of  Europe’s premier collections of art from the 20th century until today, with artists such as Picasso, Dali, and Matisse. The museum is located on Skeppsholmen, an island in central Stockholm.

Elsewhere in the city, works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Goya, Renoir, Degas, Gauguin and many Swedish artists can be seen at the Nationalmuseum, the nation’s No 1 museum of fine art and design, with its collections of paintings and sculpture, drawings, engravings, applied art and modern design. The Nationalmuseum is located on Blasieholmen, close to the Grand Hotel.

In the world of pop culture, 2009 was to have been the year a museum dedicated to Swedish supergroup ABBA, featuring 750 pieces of memorabilia, opened in Stockholm. Sadly, this follow-up to the worldwide Mamma Mia! movie phenomenon has been deferred by the organisers because of “project complications” and a delay in the renovation of the 100-year-old Stora Tullhuset building. But when it does open it will, of course, make Stockholm even more of a great tourist magnet.

Sign of the times
Take a coffee break at the Nobel Museum, in Stockholm, and you could find yourself sitting where a famous prize-winner once sat. Every year the Nobel Laureates begin their one-week visit with a meeting at the museum, where they are each given a white felt-tip pen and asked to autograph an unusual “guest book” – an upside-down chair. So most visitors enjoying a coffee or lunch at the museum’s Kafé Satir first turn their chair upside-down to find out which Laureate signed it. From now until 18 May, the museum is open from 11am until 5pm, Wednesday until Sunday, and 11am until 8pm on Tuesdays. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Guided tours in English are offered daily at 11.15am and 3pm.

Singapore swing

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

singapore

Perhaps it’s an idea to begin by banishing a few myths. It’s often said that Singapore is a soulless, antiseptic island lacking any real cultural identity. The people are shackled by a government hell-bent on extinguishing any sort of personal freedom. There isn’t a speck of litter to be found anywhere and if you’re thinking of popping a piece of chewing gum into your mouth then you’re in deep trouble. We hear about everything being monstrously expensive, and if you’re in the south-east Asia region then you’re far more likely to have fun in Singapore’s rowdier and decadent cousin, Bangkok. If you’ve never been here before, you may well think that the only good things are the excellently regarded airport and the Singapore Slings in Raffles Hotel.

This is not the case. For a start, Singapore isn’t one island, it’s comprised of about fifty, many of which are well worth a look. Second, the Singapore Slings in Raffles are pretty lousy. And as for the place being no fun? Utter nonsense. I’ve been here little over a week, and my woolly-head and rapidly evaporating bank balance are proof that there’s plenty of fun to be had here, you just have to know where to look. The absence of chewing gum is slightly wide of the mark too. Okay, you can’t just swan into a shop and buy chewing gum (the 1992 New Guard’s ban outlawed the sale of it after youths were sticking the stuff to train doors in order to stop them working) but you can happily consume it, providing you have a prescription.

The government
The idea of personal freedom is a slightly trickier one to navigate. Admittedly the government does deal out hefty fines for misdemeanours (for littering, say, or eating and drinking on the tube) and punishments for serious crimes can be severe, but the people this reporter spoke to seemed happy with the government and it’s hardly Stalinist Russia. You could even argue that many of the strict laws actually result in a freer society, one in which you can wander around at any time of night and not feel in the least bit threatened. As the government stated in 1994, a view it has not deviated upon: “What they want is a good government which produces results. They want the government to concentrate on the basics, like better pay and lower cost of living, better neighbourhood schools for their children and better jobs. They want a safe, stable society, one good for their children to grow up in.”

Besides, compared with the majority of governmental systems around the world, this one is brand spanking new. Singapore’s modern past began in 1965. Prior to that it had first been under British rule (Sir Thomas Stamford Raffle established a British port on the island in 1819) and later it became part of Malaysia. Once it became an independent nation in 1965 however, it faced a number of problems, including a massive shortage of housing and jobs and race riots. Such a situation seems alien to the Singapore of today. Since the 1990s it has been firmly established as an economic powerhouse, with one of the highest GDP’s in the world, an enviable standard of education, a sound manufacturing base and a future that is as hot as the pavements. More importantly, the various ethnicities exist in harmony. Singapore has four official languages – English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil – and unofficially a whole bunch more.

Not that everything written about the place is misplaced. It’s a humid, sultry city with no sign of distinct seasons: it’s hot all year round, it’s just that from about January to March the thunderstorms are a bit more spectacular. The shopping here is good and plentiful, if expensive (spend a week shopping in the malls that have sprung up in and around Orchard Road and you’ll have to set aside another week to weep at your bank statements), the food excellent and varied, and Changi airport among the most impressive in the world.

Travel hub
Fitting the very definition of ‘travel hub’ Changi serves around 70 million passengers every year, and the vast majority come away smiling. Littered with awards, the airport has a swimming pool and Jacuzzi, gyms, free Internet access, free sightseeing tours and impressive connections to the city centre. The clean and super-efficient MRT underground system can whiz you in and out of the city for pennies, although taxis are cheap and plentiful and the drivers meticulously honest.

In a pretty loose sense, two Singapore’s exist. On the one hand is the Singapore of Raffles, huge glass-and-mirror buildings, some of the finest restaurants in Southeast Asia and holier than thou ‘fun’. On the other is a Singapore rarely experienced by travellers; one of rakishness, decadence, flouting of laws and, almost bizarrely, one of nature. Both are worth peeking at. The more controlled Singapore has plenty going for it: it’s a glorious city for sightseeing, whether that’s visiting the Botanical gardens (best to go in the mornings to marvel at the locals practicing tai chi), experiencing the Singapore Zoo’s Night Safari, taking a water taxi or simply hanging out with the masses of expats. Weekends are a good time to see the office workers flocking to bars along Boat and Clarke keys and getting smashed, or seeing locals and tourists mixing in Raffles’ Long Bar where you can knock back cocktails and add to the masses of pistachio shells on the floor (it’s the one place in the country where you’re legally allowed to litter). If you’re keen on golf, both the Jurong Country Club and the Orchid Country Club are splendid courses where you’re allowed to play at night.

Dig a little deeper however, and an alternative Singapore is revealed. Huge chunks of Chinatown go unvisited, Little India is a splendid area in the heart of the city with a distinct absence of western tourists and Geylang is a red light district that feels far more rugged and, for the want of a better word, real than most of the city (as well as the usual sights you’d expect in such an area, you’re likely to see graffiti and litter here). All three places serve excellent food, whether that’s curry for less than £2 per plate (okay, less than £2 per banana leaf) or beef rendang, chilli crab, oyster omelette – the list is endless.

It’s easy to forget that Singapore is actually tropical rainforest. Step away from the roads and the malls and the huge concrete buildings however, and you can still find it. Short taxi rides from the city centre are Bukit Peirce and Bukit Kalang, two dense areas of jungle crammed with all sorts of wildlife (including wild monkeys) and thick vegetation. Connecting these two places is the tree top walk (or officially, as this is a commerce-driven nation, the HSBC Tree Top Walk), where you can walk along a 250m bridge at the canopy of the trees. Of the islands that pepper the coast of Singapore, both Sentosa and Pulau Ubin are worthy of a mention. Sentosa, known anachronistically (and in this writers opinion erroneously) as So Expensive and Nothing To Actually See, is actually a hip little island reachable by a bridge or cable car packed with laid back beach bars, swanky a hotels and one of Singapore’s more interesting restaurants, Trapizza, a pizzeria married with a trapeze school. A different kind of wildlife abounds on Pulau Ubin, an island that is described as “the last kampong (village) in Singapore”. Here is Singapore as it was 50 years ago, all secluded beaches, coconut palms, wild monkeys and rubber plantations. Bumboats leave regularly from Changi port and cost a few dollars.

The business traveller
This is all well and good – going into the jungle, hanging out on street corners eating great food, wolfing down cocktails in swanky hotels – but what does Singapore offer the business traveller? Perhaps the best indication of how and why Singapore came to prominence is illustrated by the comment ex-prime minister Lee Kuan Yew made to the Wall Street Journal, when he was asked what the most influential invention of the 20th century was, his response? The air-conditioning unit: “The humble air-conditioner has changed the lives of the people in the tropical regions,” Lee said. “Before air con, mental concentration and with it the quality of work deteriorated as the day got hotter and more humid…Historically, advanced civilisations have flourished in the cooler climates. Now, lifestyles have become comparable to those in temperate zones and civilisation in tropical zones need no longer lag behind.” This though is being a little disingenuous to the Singaporean people. Yes, the air conditioner has helped, but it’s also the hard work of its citizens that has made Singapore the economic powerhouse it is today. Business hours here are long and there’s a discernibly strong work ethic among practically everyone: many expats working in law and finance have admitted to sleeping in their offices on more than one occasion.

As for etiquette, the way it works over here is markedly different from the west. Everything is more formal, punctuation and respect for rank is key and although they can take time and effort to develop, personal relationships are the cornerstone of all business relationships. Integral to all facets of Singaporean life, but especially prevalent in the business world, is the notion of kiasu. Literally translated as ‘a fear of losing’, kiasu permeates both social and business life, whether that means getting a seat on the MRT or losing face in front of work colleagues.  Rank is highly respected here and you shouldn’t question or criticise someone senior to you in rank; if they feel like they have lost face, then it will sour the business relationship. If you’re dealing with ethnic Chinese, business protocol may differ somewhat: if you’re signing a contract, for example, the date may be decided by an astrologer or geomancer (feng shui man), and remember to have your business cards translated into Mandarin on one side, preferably with the Chinese characters printed in gold. As with many things, if you find yourself in trouble, a little auspicious glitz may help to paper over an absence of substance.

Where to stay
Raffles is the obvious choice, but rooms are eye-wateringly expensive and the colonial grandeur seems a little painted on. The Fullerton, Pan Pacific and Intercontinental hotels all come recommended and if you’re keen to immerse yourself in the ex-pat lifestyle it might be an idea to plonk yourself in one of the many hotels peppering Clarke and Boat Quays. Be aware that room rates are among the highest in the region, especially during the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Where to go
Singapore’s proximity to the equator – it’s less than 100 miles north of it – means that anytime you visit will be hot. Roughly speaking peak season runs from December to June and the city is at its busiest during Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls in either January or February, depending on the moon’s cycle. Business meetings will be more difficult to arrange, but around the New Year there’s a palpable crackle of excitement in the air which is well worth experiencing. Tourism generally in the country has taken a slight dip, but there’s been a rise in sports related tourism, with golf events and the formula one dominating. Whatever time of year you come make sure to bring an umbrella, waterproof jacket or couldn’t-care-less-about-the-rain attitude.

Business travel: The art of bargaining

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

The guy sitting next to me on a long, long-haul flight was eager to play an extended game of one-downmanship. Having impressed upon me that he had scored a bargain buying his shiny new Breitling, and assured me that I had overpaid for my ipod, his conversation turned to travel.

‘How much is that seat that you’re sitting in?’ he inquired. I hesitated, knowing that however low my figure, this guy was going to come in lower.

‘Go on, go on,’ he persisted with cheerful insistence.

I quoted a vague amount for my air ticket, and, you’ve guessed it, he shot back with something at least $100 cheaper.

‘You know all seats are different at different times of the day,’ he continued. ‘Flexible or fixed schedule, One-way or return. This site or that. And never, ever, ever buy from the airline. Same with hotels. Same with hire-cars. Same with… same with everything!’

He had a point. When you’re spending your own money, you will usually spend some time searching out the best deals online. So why aren’t more companies abandoning their expensive travel habits for something a little more in tune with the times?

For my money, part of the problem lies with the budget travel websites. Like many e-commerce sites, they are often clunky, slow and idiosyncratic. But worse, they are geared to the leisure market, rather than the business traveller. They seem to be targeting the getaway couple with a couple of hundred dollars to spare rather than the companies who spend hundreds of thousands a year on travel.

One of my favourite sites will wrap up your order for a flight, hotel and hire car with the message ‘Here is a summary of your holiday’. Now that doesn’t look good on the receipt when it’s time to submit expenses. No matter how careful you’ve been to find the best deals, it still leaves the impression back at head office that business travel is just one big jolly.

Travel is one of the most easily-manageable costs for any business. Going online can reduce those costs. It’s as simple as that. Adopting the click-and-save approach to business travel might be a challenge for those companies where how you travel is a status thing. Let’s be frank here, you don’t really need the club lounge, the in-flight wine list, the fawning courtesy of flight attendants, the dinky little toiletries and a huge flat screen to do a better job. It’ll make you feel a whole lot better, but no-one can really argue that it adds anything to a company’s bottom line.

Economic downturns always change, and perhaps should change, the ways that companies and their employees behave. Let’s take the lost art of bargaining. I recently encountered a woman in a British hotel reception bargaining hard to have a free breakfast included in her room tariff. She was a well-heeled business-type, not a hard-up backpacker. Perhaps, as an American, she was horrified at the cost of the coronary-inducing calorie-fest that we know and love as the Full English Breakfast. (Gradually gaining a reputation as the Big English Rip-Off).

The hotel staff seemed confused by the businesswoman’s attempt to open a negotiation. It wasn’t in their training manual. The principle of Keep the Customer Satisfied was outweighed by Take Every Penny They Have.

After a few minutes of one-sided negotiation, the duty manager saw sense and granted the woman a free breakfast, though not without a degree of condescension. The Brits still have The City, Aston Martin and Wimbledon, but sometimes struggle with customer service when and where it counts.

Of course, there is the radical solution to business travel: don’t do it. Videoconferencing can offer the face-to-face experience without the hassle and expense of getting on a train or a plane. What better way to underline your company’s green credentials than by heading for the videconferencing room rather than the airport? (Just remember to switch off the lights and the plasma screens when you leave).

Which brings me back to the talkative guy on the plane. He told me it had been a tough few months, but that he was looking forward to a corporate pow-wow in Malaysia, with managers from the US and Europe flying in for a week of blue-sky thinking and relaxation. And the agenda for the week-long jamboree in Kuala Lumpur? Cutting costs for the lean times ahead. Sigh.

Ireland: The emerald isle

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

With top conference facilities, gourmet appeal, and golfing greens as far as the eye can see, Ireland’s draw for the business market is well assured. But with new investment pouring in, the Emerald Isle is set to increase its attractions even further.

In particular her lovely cities have proven alluring to leisure and business travellers alike, and while Dublin alone once drew the visitors, now Belfast and Cork have a growing share of the trade. With each of Ireland’s major conurbations offering their own unique appeal, Ireland has never been more popular. So whether you’re looking for gourmet food and drink in Dublin, top hotels in Belfast, or arts and culture in Cork, there’s more than enough to keep Irish eyes smiling.

Dublin
Dublin has undoubtedly been the darling of the Irish tourist scene to date, boasting sky-high visitor ratings and traditional Gallic charm. The city’s popularity is such that Dublin’s entire airport is currently undergoing extensive redevelopment and expansion, with the building of a second terminal and improved transport links to the city. The €600m project is due for final completion in 2010 where the new terminal will be able to accommodate an additional 15 million passengers a year on both long and short haul flights. In addition, transport links to and from the airport will finally include a metro system – a relief for many frequent visitors who can currently only access the city by bus or car.

For the time being road is still the gateway to Dublin, but once inside the city proper, visitors will soon forgive the clogged roadways. Wandering through the centre is a perfect way to enjoy the scenic charms, and most visitors head for the picturesque Temple Bar area. This lovely area of historic buildings is also home to some of Dublin’s most iconic bars and is the ideal locale for newcomers keen to sample a pint of native stout after a long day’s business proceedings.

Temple Bar is also within easy walking distance of the beautiful Trinity College, which draws daily crowds to gaze at the famous Book of Kells. This sacred artefact is one of the most venerated religious tomes in the world and its contents are seen as a cornerstone to modern Christianity.

Like many European cities Dublin has also benefited from various EU cash boosts, which has allowed the previously run down shipping areas to be regenerated. The Grand Canal Square is the centrepiece of the current project which has seen new nightlife, restaurants and art projects breathe life into the Docklands area.
If it’s gourmet appeal you’re searching for, Dublin is ahead of the game when it comes to showcasing Ireland’s great culinary heritage in a beguiling fusion of modern and traditional dishes. With provenance featuring high on the agenda of most chefs in the city, good restaurants are easy pickings.

Capitalising on its gourmet reputation, Ireland is also enticing increasing numbers of incentive parties to try their hand in a traditional kitchen. Just north of the city, newcomer Howth Castle has already gained considerable corporate acclaim, catering to small parties of between six and twelve. Housed in an atmospheric 15th century building with a highly flexible range of menu options for guests, the castle surrounds present an idyllic setting for cooking up a storm. It’s certainly one way to cater to fussy eaters, as guests cook their own meal under the watchful eye of an expert chef, and enjoy the fruits of their labour at the end of the session.
If you’re looking for a food incentive with a difference, however, then the Westin Dublin’s ‘sensory dining’ offers a new spin on the standard dinner out. Billed as perfect for team-bonding events, blindfolded guests fumble and savour their way through a number of gourmet bites with the aim of educating their palate to be more responsive to the sensory aspect of the cuisine. The dining phenomenon is currently available for companies who can hire the Exchange Restaurant exclusively for the experience.

Of course the most immediate way to engage with Dublin’s local cuisine is to head into a bar and savour a pint of Guinness with locally farmed Loch Fyne oysters. But for those who’d like to appreciate the native delicacy in more upscale surroundings Bentley’s Oyster Bar opened its Dublin branch of the legendary London seafood restaurant this year.

The premises include the main Bentley Bar and Grill which can be hired exclusively for lunch, whilst the adjoining Aviator Lounge with views over St Stephens Green is more deliberately set up for corporates and can be hired for both lunch and dinner.

If you’ve filled up on gourmet cuisine, then it’s time to enjoy the stout-fuelled nightlife for which Dublin is so justly famed. And if Guinness is at the heart of the city then music must be its soul. There’s hardly a spot in the city without a musical local, and minstrels throng the streets in daytime, and pack the bars at night. Folk tunes are very much alive and well and the classic Irish fiddle player is by no-means relegated to tourist traps. The city is also a hub of traditional instruments, ranging from the traditional Irish drum to goat bones – the oldest known instrument in the world. Although you’ll still find plenty of “traditional” Celtic drums emblazoned with the Guinness symbol.

Despite new bands and popular music, Irish folk has managed to remain part of the underground Dublin nightlife scene, kept alive by bands like The Pogues and The Dubliners. Those heading to a local pub to enjoy the tunes should bear in mind that the etiquette of listening to Irish music is distinct from most other cultures. Here the musicians are playing for themselves, and dancing and clapping is not generally a form of appreciation. Instead, guests are encouraged to sit back, sup their pint and soak up the ambiance.

Belfast
Belfast has seen high-paced growth in the last decade to the extent that even the locals hardly recognise it. With a new transport hub, burgeoning hotel scene, and even its own millennium-style wheel from which to view the latest improvements, it’s become Ireland’s secret weapon when it comes to business trade.

In fact interest in the city as the ‘next big thing’ is such that it’s won numerous travel awards and accolades, from ‘Top City Break’ in The Guardian to ‘Most Liveable City’ by the BBC. And whilst Dublin has historically stolen the show for its quirky charm and character, it looks as though Belfast is a hot contender for the crown.

Highlighting the rapid expansion of the city is the incredible development of the hotel industry of late, which has seen all the big names decamp to the city with many facilities on hand for business travellers. Hilton, Malmaison and numerous other hotel chains have now opened their doors here in force, and a boutique offering is beginning to blossom.

Meanwhile the established residences have seen fit to expand their offerings to cater to the extra demand, with a £10m expansion of the city’s Ramada Hotel including a new bar, restaurant and fitness centre along with 90 new bedrooms. Premier Inn is also opening another hotel in the Cathedral Quarter late this year. The 171 bedroom hotel will include five meeting rooms and also represents a handy break-out option from nearby larger hotels. Whilst following a £7m investment, Belfast’s Europa opened an impressive new exhibition centre in March this year. The state of the art development is one of the largest conference and exhibition centres in Northern Ireland, and is a flagship venue for the hotel.

Outside of the ever-expanding hotel scene, the city has many other attractions for those looking to stretch their legs away from the conference rooms. The lovely cathedral is a favourite with visitors, whilst the parliament buildings of Stormont are an attraction for both architectural and political enthusiasts. By the same token Belfast has a number of ways to explore her less salubrious past, even offering ‘terror tours’ to spots of previous terrorist activity and execution.

Those looking for a less weighty take on Irish history might prefer to indulge in the country’s famed production of quality malts. With the Irish well known for enjoying a drop, a whiskey distillery is a great choice if you’re looking for an incentive trip to fit into a half day. With the Bushmills Distillery celebrating its 400 year anniversary last year, the brewery are pulling out all the stops for a good craic. Visitors should be warned, however that as the tour and tasting includes generous samples of the company products, corporates hoping to keep some of the day productive might be better advised to make an afternoon visit.

If you’ve a bit more time on your hands to get further out still, Belfast is also perfectly placed for a day-trip to The Giant’s Causeway. This breathtaking natural spot is home to one of Ireland’s greatest legends, and is a fine way to enjoy a tall tale amongst some of the country’s justly famed landscape.

Cork
Lovely Cork has begun to attract a lot of attention on the events and meetings market, as a smart new airport has made it more accessible than ever. Since winning European City of Culture in 2005, Cork has received investment of nearly €300m, leading to attractive new openings and key regenerative programmes.
In particular, Cork has managed to carve her own niche as a capital of artistic talent, showcasing the work of historic residents as well as celebrating upcoming talent. Predominantly the Crawford Municipal Art Gallery is universally applauded as one of the city’s ‘must-sees’. This striking building has recently been extended to properly house its mammouth collection, and from these works of local artist James Barry take pride of place. The contentious painter managed to have himself expelled from London’s Royal Academy during his lifetime for his strongly held nationalistic views, the results of which are exhibited throughout this modern gallery.
For more picturesque scenes of the local countryside the attached Gibson Gallery is also a favourite for art lovers, and includes potraits of literary greats such as Yeats and Joyce as part of the collection.

Fans of more contemporary stylings will also enjoy the Glucksman Gallery, on the west side of the city. This striking construction came close to scooping an architectural award for the innovation of its structure, which includes rotating exhibitions as part of its design. Nearby, a wander in Fitzgerald Park encompasses both outdoor sculture and landscaped grounds in a popular meeting spot for local residents.

If you’d prefer to experience the artistic charms of this attracive city outside the art galleries, there is also plenty of local talent showcased on Oliver Plunkett Street – a traditional stroll past many small shops and restaurants. Whilst the ironically titled English Market is the best place to shop for local Irish food amongst nineteenth-century archways. Here the brave can buy a portion of ‘disheen’ – a local sausage made from sheep’s blood.

St Fin Barre’s Cathedral is also a popular visit for its attractive French Gothic façade, whilst outside of the town, rugged Blarney Castle sets the scene for kissing the legendary Blarney Stone – not as easy as one might assume given its place of situ.

For many visitors, however, the charms of Cork are best enjoyed on foot, within the compact centre, and wandering the streets is a genuinely Irish experience, with plenty of historic thoroughfares and buildings on hand. Not to be left behind Dublin and Belfast, however, the city has recently won a unique new regeneration project for its Atlantic Quarter, which promises a new event and conference centre, capable of hosting over 5,300 people. But while modern developments might revamp Cork’s outer limits, there’s no doubt that this is a city well prepared to preserve and celebrate her heritage.

National treasure

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Serving up high voltage drama laden with Masonic conspiracy theories from the very first extract, Dan Brown’s new bestseller, The Lost Symbol, has lent Washington DC a new air of glamorous mystique, and even a spine-chilling sense of magic. The book, which sold more than a million copies on its first day of release, is set entirely in America’s capital, and hoards of Dan Brown aficionados have started to descend on the city.

Following the exhilarating footsteps of fictional hero Robert Langdon, they jostle for space with the city’s high concentration of business-folk.

Langdon’s perilous and mystery-ridden tour of the District lasted for only 12 hours, yet he crammed a surprising amount into his short visit, scarcely leaving a Masonic cornerstone unturned in his wake. Chances are that you’ll get to explore the city under less stressful circumstances than Langdon, and you have all the reason to linger: there are some spectacular experiences to be had, not least in terms of architecture.

The man credited with the distinctive design foundations of Washington DC and who envisioned its Baroque silhouette is the French architect and city planner Pierre-Charles L’Enfant. Accompanied by Major General Lafayette, L’Enfant first arrived in the colonies as a military engineer during the American Revolutionary War.

In 1791, President Washington commissioned the Frenchman to plan the layout of the new capital city. Although he was replaced a year later by Andrew Elliot, who stepped in to revise the plan, L’Enfant is still the architect widely associated with the city’s design, which is signified by broad avenues, attractively radiating from rectangles and circles.

A mystical attraction
However one feels about the quality of Dan Brown’s writing, the author’s latest offering should be welcomed for calling attention to some of the city’s more obscure sites. The world-famous White House Quarters – which attracts about 5,000 visitors a day – might face some serious competition in years to come.

By no means an anonymous building, and as compelling as the White House, is the US Capitol. George Washington – dressed in full Masonic attire – laid the cornerstone of the building in 1793, and the site is said to be rife with references to and symbols of Freemasonry. Further intrigue can be discovered in neighbouring Virginia, at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. This Egyptian-style monument houses a large Masonic library and an assortment of George Washington treasures, including his family bible and a collection of items used during his funeral. There’s even a lock of his hair on display.

Next, steer your step towards the building described in the prologue of the The Lost Symbol: the House of the Temple. This magnificent piece of architecture is widely considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, and while officially serving as the headquarters for the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and office hub for the Sovereign Grand Commander, it also encompasses a museum and a Masonic library.

The next landmark on the list is hard to miss – the Washington Monument is the tallest structure in the world built entirely of stone without any metal or mortar to support it. Shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, it stands 555 ft 5 1/8” tall. Another must-see gem, albeit much smaller in scale, is the beautifully lush Botanic Garden. It was established in 1820 but moved to its present location in 1933, and today it encompasses cthe Conservatory and the National Garden, as well as the outdoor display gardens set within Frederic Auguste Bartholdi Park.

After scrutinising some of DC’s best features at close range, it may be tempting to see the city from high above. To get the best view, many locals maintain there’s only one position to consider – the top of the clock tower of the Old Post Office Building. Unless you prefer to take the elevator to the top of the aforementioned Washington Monument, of course­ – there you’d get a view spanning over thirty miles. Should you suffer from vertigo and prefer to stay put on the ground, a stroll down the National Mall itself provides quite a heady experience, and setting off after dark brings the journey an added element of grandeur, or if you prefer, a sense of eerie romance.

A city for strollers
With its foolproof street system and wide sidewalks, Washington DC is an excellent city for walking. It’s so pedestrian friendly, in fact, that it was ranked the best city in the nation for walking by the Brookings Institution in 2007.

If you’re not big on promenading, however, the city also boasts a very usable public transport system, the crowning glory being the sophisticated Metrorail, followed closely by the eminent Circulator buses. Should you still prefer to hail a cab, you’re in the right place ­– Washington DC has the highest number of taxis per citizen in the nation; it is, fundamentally, a city with an abnormally high concentration of busy professionals. Significantly, all three branches of the federal government of the United States are located in the District, and a substantial chunk of the population works for the federal government. Many of the major Fortune 500 companies also have offices in the city, where they share space with other leading financial institutions and an array of companies in the publishing, printing and telecommunications industries.

The hub of espionage
Once you’ve chosen your means of transportation and explored the District’s rich plethora of worthy building and sites, set some time aside for other attractions. The city’s museums have a lot to offer, and there’s something to suit every cultural leaning. But for Langdon-esque mystery and conspiracy, a visit to the International Spy Museum is recommended. This is a one-of-a-kind establishment solely dedicated to spying gear and tradecraft. The museum’s permanent exhibition showcases the largest collection of international espionage artefacts ever placed on public display; if your trip to Washington DC turns out to
be anywhere near as adventurous as that of Dan Brown’s hero, you’ll need all the help you can get.

Antarctica: The great ?white continent

Posted on by Charlotte Gill

Penguins

Adventure Life has launched a new offering of specialised, non-conventional expedition cruises worldwide. The experts at Adventure Life Voyages have selected a list of expedition cruise vessels paired with enticing itineraries that reach some of the most far-flung corners of the world.

There are three types of ship to choose from depending on comfort needs and adventure wants: a research vessel, ice breaker, or a luxury expedition yacht. All of the tours are staffed with English-speaking guides, naturalists, and other experts to help make the voyages as edifying as they are relaxing. At each port of call, travellers will board a zodiac and go ashore, followed by a day of exploring all the natural and cultural treasures that await them. There are a total of 116 vessels (53 non-Galapagos and 63 Galapagos) and roughly 291 itineraries for travellers to choose from. There is not a lack of choice, and all of the vessels have been hand picked for their ability to navigate the world’s most incredible passageways and explore regions that are not reachable by larger cruise ships. 

Consumers can instantly find out which ships are available during their preferred travel dates and search through a plethora of criteria including: date, region, trip length, price, and activities offered. Also via the Adventure Life website, consumers can scroll through photos of the vessels and the destinations in both small and large format and view colour-coded deck plans.

Man by a tent

Grass roots
The company’s grassroots approach to travel utilises local guides, family run hotels, and the local transportation infrastructure. Groups are rarely larger than 12, and each tour is designed by the company’s founder with the goal of providing a fun and exciting trip.

This is one of the only tours that represents all cruising options to Antarctica. Travellers can now search for and book cruises directly from the Adventure Life web site by choosing the criteria that is most relevant to them, be it class of ship, time of year, length of cruise, or desired itinerary.

“The season to travel to Antarctic is really pretty short,” said Adventure Life President, Brian Morgan, “Travellers only have from November through March, and Antarctica is becoming a very popular new destination, so ships are filling up fast. This resource offers travellers a convenient way to instantly find availability on a variety of ships and search through their specific travel criteria with just the click of a button.”

ship

Living the dream
Antarctica is growing in popularity as a destination. The cruises available encompass everything offering five-star amenities. The commonality is the vast and unspoiled beauty that passengers will encounter on a cruise through the waters of the frozen continent.

The Antarctic Dream, a 78-person capacity Dutch vessel renowned for its long-time service in the Chilean Navy, has been refurbished and transformed into a contemporary expedition cruise ship built to traverse the world’s wildest waterways. The Antarctic Dream offers ideal expeditions to the Great White Continent, taking in the most exciting sights of the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula.

What distinguishes this 11 day expedition from most Antarctic cruises is the extraordinary, hands-on access to wildlife, glaciers and massive icebergs provided by the smaller capacity vessel. Passengers experience up-close encounters with fur seals, humpback whales, leopard seals and orcas, and are able to explore the blue, icy land during 2-3 hour daily zodiac raft excursions. The Antarctic Dream receives passengers from all across the globe with an average of 20+ nationalities on board every trip.

Information-packed lectures are offered to passengers by the Expedition Leader. Additional presentations and workshops are offered by geologists, naturalists, and special guests, which include celebrated photographers, wildlife experts and more. Departing from and finishing in the port of Ushuaia, Argentina, The Antarctic Dream features a large dining room, library, auditorium, gym, sauna, laundry, satellite email/phone and boutique. Cabins have private baths, queen or twin beds, closed circuit TV, and inter-cabin phone service.

My experience was nothing but pure travel comfort,” said Dee Hunt. “Tour leaders and lecturers were totally involved with all of us — sharing time, meals, expertise, and friendship at every opportunity.”