A bridge too far

A bridge too far

The Mandalay regional government has announced that it is planning to refurbish the 166-year-old U Pain Bridge due to structural deterioration. “As the bridge is old and ageing, it has started dangerously decaying,” Mandalay Finance and Revenue Minister Myint Kyu told the press. “We are drafting now for major renovation work.” A major overhaul of the bridge is required because only minor repairs have been done in the past. The 1,209-metre bridge was built in 1849 with 1,086 teakwood pillars and is one of the longest wooden bridges in the world. – Eleven

 

Bottom of the class

Out of the 61 major airports in the world, seven on the Chinese mainland are at the bottom of the Official Airline Guide’s list for punctuality, the South China Morning Post reports.

Nanjing’s Lukou International Airport has the worst performance, with an on-time rate of 35.21 per cent. Airports in China’s biggest cities, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen were also among the least punctual, with an on-time rate of around 40 per cent. Japan, on the other hand, has the most punctual airports in the world. Tokyo’s Haneda Airport tops the list of major airports with an on-time rate of 89.76 per cent, and Japan’s Itami Airport beat all the other 373 candidate airports of all sizes with 94.56 per cent. 

 

More hotel rooms for Manila

Global hotel brands are helping Manila add a record number of rooms this year, lured by the growth prospects of its emerging gaming scene. That will boost the under-performing Philippine tourism sector, although other infrastructure is needed before it can really take off. First-timers in the Philippines, Accor Group’s Novotel and MGallery, Hilton Worldwide’s Conrad and Wyndham Worldwide Corp’s Tryp will be contributing to the majority of the 4,612 rooms opening in Manila this year. That number is more than double the rooms added last year and four times the average increase in the last four years. Room additions are expected to exceed 3,500 annually in the next two years, mostly in Manila’s integrated casino-resorts. – Reuters

 

Here comes the sun

Heading to Miami Beach? You can forget packing sunscreen! The City of Miami Beach has installed 50 sunscreen dispensers around the city for public use – free of charge – as a 100th-birthday gift to the US beach that draws tourists from around the world for its surf and sand. “As the fun and sun capital of the world, people engage in the many outdoor activities available, from relaxing at the beach to playing on our courts,” noted city manager Jimmy Morales. The free sunscreen is available in dispensers at public parks, pools and near lifeguard stands along the beach. – dpa

 

Flying high with Hainan

Hainan Airlines, the fourth-largest carrier in China, has revealed that it is purchasing 30 Boeing 787-9 aircraft to service its international routes as it taps into the growing demand for overseas travel in China. The total cost of the new jets, which will be delivered before 2021, is expected to be about $7.7 billion, based on catalogue prices. The Boeing 787-9 is a stretched version of Boeing’s popular 787 jets that have a carbon-composite fuselage and improved fuel efficiency. The long-range, mid-size, wide-body, twin-engine jet has a passenger capacity of 280. – China Daily/ANN