Samui Summer Jazz 2022 music festival returns this year to Koh Samui after an eight-year hiatus. Tickets for the six-night programme from June 7-12 are available online through samuisummerjazz.com or the Google Form forms.gle/X2HDVBx9yfRq9KKL9.
Six separate events at six of the island's leading 5-star resorts and clubs will kick-off with the opening night hosted by W Koh Samui and showcase an outstanding line-up of international jazz and world music artists from the Netherlands, United States and Thailand.
Concerts will feature two sets of 50-minutes each and the hosting resort or club will provide drinks and canapes, or a buffet lunch or dinner, as a package for ticket holders.
The festival is presented by SKÅL International Koh Samui and sponsored by Imagine Samui in collaboration with SOS (Sisters on Samui) foundation. Part of the proceeds of the festival will be donated to the SOS foundation.
Samui Summer Jazz 2022 is also part of the SKÅL International Thailand #ReDiscoverThailand tourism recovery campaign and specifically the #ReDiscoverSamui promotional initiative to support the return of tourism to the island.
New leisure park signals rebound
Thailand's tourism industry is poised for a major boost as Andamanda Phuket, a multi-million-dollar entertainment and leisure park located in the island's Kathu district, readies to open this month.
The latest project by Proud Group marks the result of a 4.5 billion baht investment and reflects the company's long-term confidence in Thailand's tourism industry, and in Phuket. Positioned between the main tourism hubs of Phuket Town and Patong Beach, the new project is set to soft-open on Sunday.
Andamanda claims the largest leisure and entertainment destination in Phuket, covering 58 rai of land and comprising a wide range of recreational components, including a Thai heritage-themed water park with five separate zones -- Coral World, The Pearl Palace, Emerald Forest, Great Andaman Bay and Naga Jungle -- plus entertainment spaces, retail outlets and a 300-room internationally-branded hotel, which is planned for phase two.
A collection of more than 12 thrilling slides and 36 activities will be available, with exhilarating names such as AquaDrop, Bubba Tub, Boomerango, AquaLoop, Whizzard and Speed Slide, plus a FlowRider Double surf simulator and a toddler splash zone. The 550m-long lazy river will be the longest in Asia and a vast 10,000m² wave pool will be able to generate waves up to 3m high -- the highest of any pool in Southeast Asia -- while also catering for up to 25,000 people for concerts.
Visit andamandaphuket.com.
Maldives resort gets global honours
Six Senses Laamu has recently been named the best hotel in Asia and and ranked as No.7 on the Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Hotels in the World, according to TripAdvisor.
Award winners are selected based on feedback from millions of real travellers so that the annual Best of the Best awards are not just popular choices but truly exceptional ones that keep travellers returning.
Six Senses Laamu is the only luxury resort in the Laamu Atoll, one of the planet's Hope Spots located deep in the Indian Ocean. It is a sustainable utopia, where dolphins swim along the seashell-dappled shoreline and Yin Yang, the Maldives' most famous surfing wave, breaks just offshore. Chefs prepare dishes created from produce grown in the island's organic gardens, enhanced by tropical vistas.
The resort is a combination of on-land and over-water villas constructed of sustainable materials.
Phuket property eyes corporate events
SAii Laguna Phuket is set to become one of the island's most impressive venues for corporate and social events, including weddings, following the grand opening of its brand-new Meetings and Events Centre.
Newly constructed in 2021, this standalone MICE destination comprises 1,900m² of flexible, fully-connected function space, including the 350-guest Similan Ballroom, with its 6m-high ceilings, plus nine well-equipped breakout rooms, a spacious foyer area and a VIP room.
The centre's indoor areas will be complemented by three ocean-facing outdoor spaces, including a poolside lawn and the beach. These facilities will enable SAii Laguna Phuket to host a wide range of occasions, from important business meetings and major corporate conferences to grand gala dinners, glittering award ceremonies, key product launches and more.
Visit SAiiresorts.com.
Qantas plans 'wellbeing zones'
Australian flag carrier Qantas plans for a "wellbeing zone" onboard its aircraft, which will give passengers a physical place to meditate, stretch and relax on long-haul flights. This could be a gamechanger for full-service carriers looking to differentiate themselves from low-cost carriers operating similar long-haul routes, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData's Q1 2021 Global Consumer Survey revealed that 57% of respondents said that a product or service that impacts their health and wellbeing either "always" or "often" influences their purchase, highlighting strong demand for health and wellness offerings.
The Covid-19 pandemic has also played a significant part in enhancing individuals' awareness of their overall health and mental wellbeing. In a GlobalData Q4 2021 Global Consumer Survey, 54% of respondents said they were either "extremely" or "quite" concerned about their physical fitness and health. A further 48% were also "extremely" or "quite" concerned about their mental health.
