Departure gate

Your passport to the latest destinations and airline promotions

300,000 free tickets to visit Beijing

The Beijing Tourism Administration is offering 300,000 free tickets for tourists to visit Beijing during the National Day holidays, some of which can be won by visiting www.visitbeijing.com.cn and some through travel agencies.

During the holidays, tourists can also get free Beijing maps at four railway stations and major long-distance bus terminals in the capital city.

Disney opens holiday album website

Finally, a place to show off your holiday photos. Disney has launched the website www.DisneyParks.com/Memories last week to showcase photos, videos and other user-generated content from park visitors and fans.

Guests are invited to share their memories online and in the parks. Content submitted may later be used in TV ads, brochures, print ads and other marketing literature.

200 years of Oktoberfest

It's a wedding party that got out of control: Two hundred years ago, Bavaria's Crown Prince Ludwig celebrated his royal nuptials with a big public bash that was such a hit it became an annual event - and known worldwide as "The Oktoberfest."

The festival was only put on hold for various reasons during its 200-year history, including the two world wars, the Franco-Prussian war and cholera epidemics.

It usually runs 16 days, but this year's festival started last Saturday and will run through to Oct 4 - a day longer than usual after the Munich city council made an exception for the 200th anniversary.

Shenzhen tops HK's favorite haunts

Shenzhen remains the most common cross-boundary destination for Hong Kong travelers, accounting for 73 percent of their visits to the Chinese mainland, according to a survey released by the Planning Department of Hong Kong government on Monday.

The latest poll was conducted from Nov 3 to 16 in 2009. It saw 55,300 passengers and 15,800 drivers interviewed.

During the survey period, 7.7 million cross-boundary passenger trips were recorded, up 11 percent from the previous survey in 2007.

About 57 percent of the trips were for leisure, followed by visits to family and friend at 18 percent, and business at 16 percent.

Eat and play at the Olympic Green

The Olympic Green is hosting its first catering fair, with 65 catering suppliers from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, including many time-honored restaurants like Quanjude and pickle maker Liubiju. Launched Wednesday, the fair continues in Beijing until Oct 7.

The China Open will also be held at the National Tennis Center north of the Olympic Green starting Oct 1.

Tourists to the Olympic Green can also visit the Global City International Circus, Dino Dino Dream Park, revolutionary-themed music performances, a presentation of how the structural integrity of the Bird's Nest is tested and ballet at the Water Cube.

Airline news and deals

Spring Airlines promotion: Spring Airlines Company Limited opens a new route between Hong Kong and Shanghai at the end of September with the tickets selling at 199 yuan (HK$230) during the promotion.

The route will have one flight each way daily, carrying 180 passengers at a time.

Discounted air tickets from SQ: Singapore Airlines is offering discounted air tickets during the National Day holidays.

Two or more passengers traveling to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Maldives, India or Australia from Beijing can book the tickets online at www.singaporeair.com/China. Tax and extra charges are included in the special fares.

New Hainan Airlines route: Hainan Airlines will launch a nonstop route between Beijing and Bangkok from Sept 29. Four flights a week - on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday - will make the five-hour trip to and from Bangkok.

Two more flights to Taiwan: EVA Airways Corporation and China Airlines will add two more flights from Taiwan to Beijing soon. That will bring the total of direct flights between Taiwan and Beijing to seven every week.

The new flights are to be launched on Sept 29 and 30 respectively.

New Mauritius route to be launched: Air Mauritius plans to launch a nonstop flight between Mauritius and Guangzhou or Shanghai in 2011.

The flight may boost local tourism by attracting more tourists from China, where less than 0.02 percent of 45 million outbound tourists went to Mauritius last year.

Associated Press - Xinhua - China Daily

(China Daily 09/26/2010 page16)