Destination Melbourne – Popular With Visitors from West Australia

Each year, more than a million West Australians* fly across Australia to visit the eastern states, the largest proportion of whom choose Victoria as their destination of choice. 

This number is growing – 10 per cent more West Australians visited Melbourne in 2012 when compared with the previous year.

Whether it is for work, holiday, shopping, to eat out at some of the country’s best restaurants or to attend one of the many sporting and cultural events, there is no doubt that Melbourne has it all.

And with three airlines now vying for passengers and up to 15 flights direct from Perth to Melbourne daily, flying to Melbourne has never been easier or more affordable. 

From $150 each way, West Australians now have the perfect excuse to fly across Australia and enjoy all Melbourne has to offer – even just for the weekend. 

Metro Apartments on Bank Place offers inner city apartment style accommodation that lives up to the city’s European charm. Tucked away down a cobbled laneway,  the surrounding heritage-listed piazza introduces you to Melbourne’s charming lanes and city precinct with its range of cafes, restaurants and enticing shopping. 

Bustling by day and alive with al fresco dining by night, Bank Place is situated a short stroll away from all of Melbourne’s sought after attractions: Bourke Street Mall, Federation Square, Southgate Centre and Crown Casino. 

Hop on one of Melbourne’s famous trams to spend the day at the MCG or the National Gallery of Victoria, and take in a show at the Victorian Arts Centre – only a short ride away by taxi or tram. 

The property offers 46 apartments, a choice of either studio or one-bedroom suites, as well as a split level, two bedroom penthouse. All suites include a kitchenette and laundry facilities. 

*Tourism Victoria Origin Market Profile,Year ending Dec 2012

To book, contact Metro Apartments Bank Place on +61 3 9604 4321 or call the toll free Central Reservations line on 1800 004 321. Alternately, bookings can be made online at www.metrohotels.com.au

View this Press Release and all Metro Hotels News

Perth's Chinatown Gets $2m Revamp

The West Australian government will spend $2 million to revitalise Perth's Chinatown precinct with lanterns and road stencilling.

As part of the revitalisation, Chinese New Year celebrations will be expanded into Chinatown laneways in 2014 with a $50,000 state government grant to the Chung Wah Association.

Premier Colin Barnett said on Sunday the aim was to create a more vibrant precinct for families, locals and tourists.

"Chinatown is a popular location for people of all ages and an important business precinct in Northbridge that has been rundown for some time," he said.

"This investment will transform the area to its former glory of the 1980s and ensure it remains an exciting and culturally important destination for years to come."

The Chinatown precinct is bound by Nicks Lane and Roe and James Streets in Northbridge, and includes 13 restaurants and businesses.

The wider Perth City Link project will create five new connections between the city and Northbridge, which will encourage more people to pass through the Roe Street area every day, the premier said.

The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2015.

New A380 flights from Perth

New A380 flights from Perth

Emirates the world’s largest international airline, is set to launch A380 super jumbo services to Perth from March 1.

According to Canberra sources the airline has slots approved for the 496-seat A380 to replace one of its tripe daily Boeing 777 services.

The A380 flight is scheduled to arrive at 5.25pm and depart at 10.30pm.

To see a virtual reality view of the A380 click here.

Emirates had planned to operate the A380 from Perth from mid year but delays in the installation and integration of the new aerobridge has put that back to March next year.

However, that A380 was allocated to Brisbane.

While the new service is slated from March 1 it may slip depending on A380 deliveries.

Emirates operates the world’s largest fleet of A380s with 39 in service and the airline had 51 on order.

But this week it ordered another 50 taking the total backlog for the airline to 101.

The Emirates A380 has 14 first class suites, 76 business class beds and a lounge bar on the upper deck and 406 economy class seats on the main deck.

At this week’s order announcement Emirates President Tim Clark said that the A380 “remains highly popular with our passengers.”

“It is still one of the most efficient aircraft to operate today in terms of fuel burn and emissions per passenger, and it gives us the flexibility in some cases to meet passenger demand in slot-constrained markets.”

One of the most popular features of the A380 is the quiet cabin and the plane is more stable than most in turbulence.

The Emirates A380s are mobile phone and email capable and have over 1500 entertainment options.

Emirates has been associated with Europe’s largest passenger aircraft since April 2000 when it was the first airline to announce plans to purchase the super jumbo.

The A380 is a major part of the airline’s ambitious expansion plans outlined by Mr Clark earlier this month.

“By 2020, we will have more than 250 aircraft serving some 70 million passengers across six continents. It will make us the largest airline on the planet by international passenger traffic,” Mr Clark said.

“However, being the biggest airline in the world is not really the end goal. Our aim has always been to connect travellers from around the world to Dubai, and other destinations with just a single stop via our hub.

“The strategic location of Dubai makes it possible for us to serve almost 90 per cent of the world’s population with non-stop flights.”

Over a third of the world’s population lives within a 4-hour flight from Dubai, and two-thirds are within an 8-hour flight.

Today, Emirates operates nearly 3,200 flights globally per week to 135 destinations in 76 countries.

The airline has 50,000 staff made up of 160 nationalities

James Blunt - Moon Landing 2014 World Tour

The Frontier Touring Company is delighted to announce the return of James Blunt to Australia in 2014., Blunt and his band will visit for a very special run of shows in May/June next year, with guests Busby Marou.

The timing for this exciting announcement could not be better, with Blunt's brand new single 'Bonfire Heart', taken from his upcoming album 'Moon Landing', peaking at #1 position on the iTunes single chart and debuting at #5 on this week's ARIA single chart! 

James Blunt shot to fame in 2006 with the smash singles 'You're Beautiful' & 'Goodbye My Lover' from his platinum selling album 'Back to Bedlam', one of the UK's best-selling albums of the 2000's. For fourth studio album Moon Landing, Blunt wanted to go back to sounding... like himself. 'I was playing a lot of ukulele - mainly because it makes me look bigger,' says James. He also returned to producer Tom Rothrock, and to working with just the two of them in the studio, occasionally bringing in selected musicians from the Back To Bedlam sessions. 

Picking up a guitar and writing his first song at 14, Blunt wrote his university dissertation on the music industry, took that guitar to the war in Kosovo, and always dreamed of making music, saying what success has meant, more than anything, is freedom. 'What it allowed me to do was go on tour with a band. That was absolutely amazing'.

 But it also meant much more than that, with three world tours, four number one singles, five Grammy nods (plus two BRITS, two Ivor Novellos and a host of MTV awards), a six-piece band, seven whole years on the road, nearly 17m albums and 20 million singles sales worldwide following. 

Bringing a full band with him for the tour and renowned for his charm and grace on stage, Australian audiences will surely be captivated when he returns for his first visit since 2011, playing songs from his highly anticipated new album as well as a collection of hits.

'There's just something romantic, old-school and lonely about the moon landings,' he explains. 'A nostalgic memory of something huge that we can hardly believe we once achieved, and for some sad reason, can't achieve again - like first love.'

"Goodbye My Lover was everything Sydney's jilted lovers could have dreamed of. His timorous demeanour whilst sitting at the piano worked rather well here, giving the hit song a raw touch and awarded him a well-deserved standing ovation."

- The Music Network 2011

It's an exciting week for Australian duo Busby Marou, with their new album 'Farewell Fitzroy' (out now through Warner Music) debuting at #5 on the ARIA album chart this week, they have also been confirmed as special guests for this Australian/New Zealand tour with James! Two years on from their acclaimed self-titled debut, Farewell Fitzroy is 12 tracks of folk-pop and country-tinged song craft, distinctly Australian storytelling, and the gifted musicianship of Tom Busby and Jeremy Marou.
"Marou's sometime-falsetto and Busby's earthy, clear lead vocals combine in heavenly harmony, and their guitars do likewise."

- The Australian (4.5 stars)

James Blunt is certain to make audiences swoon at these theatre shows and tickets won't last, so be sure to grab yours.

TOUR DATES*:

Sun 1 Jun - Newcastle Civic Theatre, NSW
Mon 2 Jun - Brisbane Convention Centre, QLD
Fri 6 Jun - Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre, SA
Sat 7 Jun - Royal Theatre Canberra, NSW
Fri 13 Jun - Riverside Theatre Perth, WA
*Ticketek is selling for the above venues only.

Dolly Parton Announces Australian Tour

US country singer Dolly Parton is returning to Australia in 2014 for a national tour. Parton will bring her Blue Smoke World Tour Down Under in February, promoter Live Nation announced on Monday."Australia, here I come again.

We have a lot of new and exciting things for the show and can't wait to share it with you. I love my fans in that part of the world.

You've been so very good to me for so many years and I know that we're gonna have a wonderful time," Parton said in a statement.Parton, best known for her hit 9 to 5 and her 1983 duet Islands in the Stream with Kenny Rogers, last toured Australia in 2011.

Her The Better Day World Tour! was lauded as her most successful Australian tour of her 45-plus year career after performing to record-breaking crowds across the country. Tickets go on sale on November 1.

Stereosonic - Two Days of Entertainment, One Epic Experience

Returning in 2013 as a two-day festival across the country, for the first time ever in Australia, the worlds biggest acts from all spectrums of the electronic world, will be playing at one event.

Take part in an experience unparalleled by any other. One that showcases the world’s most illustrious music talent on offer, supported by groundbreaking production and a spectacular festival environment that will allow you to immerse yourself completely in the world of Stereosonic.

Expect the unexpected and ensure you leave your inhibitions at the door. The countdown to Australia’s biggest music festival commences now.

Don’t Hesitate. Don’t think twice. Don’t miss out. Summer starts here.

STEREOSONIC 2013 NATIONAL TOUR DATES:

SYDNEY - Saturday 30 November & Sunday 1 December - Sydney Showgrounds, NSW

PERTH - Saturday 30 November & Sunday 1 December - Claremont Showground*, WA

ADELAIDE - Friday 6 December & Saturday 7 December - Adelaide Showground, SA

MELBOURNE - Saturday 7 December & Sunday 8 December - Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, VIC

BRISBANE - Saturday 7 December & Sunday 8 December - RNA Showgrounds, QLD

Breast Cancer Awareness Month at Metro Hotel Perth - October

On average, 37 Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer today.

Metro Hotel Perth is collaborating with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) to help spread the word regarding breast cancer awareness and continued support for breast cancer research.

For the month of October, Metro Hotel Perth has changed their building spotlight from blue to pink (see photos below) - to highlight the importance of vital research into prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer.

Global Illumination campaign is a unique initiative involving thousands of individuals, families, schools and businesses across Australia to put the spotlight on breast cancer awareness by illuminating buildings, monuments and landmarks around the world in a blaze of pink light!

Breast cancer is the third leading cause of death in women in Australia*, and continued research for prevention strategies, early detection, and cures or treatments are paramount in saving and prolonging lives. *Australian Bureau of Statistics

As the years pass, researchers, scientists and doctors are getting closer and better at treating and possibly finding a cure for breast cancer. But it takes time, people, dedication and funds to continue this progress: this is where the National Breast Cancer Foundation needs our help - because fundraising saves lives.

Twenty years ago, 30% of women diagnosed with this disease lost their lives. Today, that rate has halved - due to research. Through continued fundraising support, we hope to see the death rate drop even more significantly, so that in the future, breast cancer no longer strikes fear in women and their loved ones.

Here's what you can do to help:

• To find out where your donations go when you give to the NBCF, here is their page: http://pinkribbonbreakfast.org.au/info/where-your-money-goes

• If you are interested in raising funds for the NBCF, information and support can be found here: http://www.nbcf.org.au/Support-Us/Raising-Money.aspx

• For tips, ideas and tools regarding creating your own fundraising event, see here: http://pinkribbonbreakfast.org.au/info/ideas-and-tools

• Can't give money but have the time? Why not volunteer at the NBCF: http://www.nbcf.org.au/Support-Us/Volunteer.aspx

• Don't have the time? You can still help by being part of the research to help beat breast cancer! It can be as little as filling in a form. See here for NBCF research projects that you can participate in (even if you are time-poor!) https://www.register4.org.au/index.php/About-us/about-us.html

So no matter where you are in Australia, you can be part of the community to bring awareness to this disease and together let's find a cure.

Are you in Perth and want to see the Metro Hotel Perth building lit up beautifully in pink? Here's where to find us: 61 Canning Hwy, South Perth WA 6151 Australia

For more information on breast cancer and the NBCF, here's their official website: http://www.nbcf.org.au

Article by Metro Hotel Perth
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