Update travel tips around the glove

The kangaroo flies again

Qantas celebrates 95 years of history and innovation by reviving the “Retro Roo” livery that featured on Qantas’ Boeing 707 jets from 1959 to 1961 – when the flying kangaroo helped revolutionise long-haul travel. The B707 represented a step-change in aviation and Qantas was the first carrier outside the United States to operate the jet. In 1959, Qantas used it to become the first airline to operate regular passenger jet services across the Pacific Ocean, connecting Sydney and San Francisco. The new livery was recently unveiled on a newly reconfigured Qantas Boeing 737-800 in Sydney and the Retro Roo II is the second Qantas 737 aircraft in vintage livery.

 

Map app now offline

Google has updated its free map service to guide users of Android-powered smartphones to destinations without relying on Internet connections. An offline navigation feature previewed at a Google developers’ conference early this year began rolling out in an updated version of Google Maps application tailored for Android-powered mobile devices. The new version of the application builds capabilities once limited to online maps into maps downloaded to smartphones while visiting Wi-Fi hotspots to avoid telecommunication service data charges. A version crafted for Apple smartphones and tablets is coming soon, according to Google product manager Amanda Bishop. – AFP

 

Wall-to-wall tourism

Tokyo’s famed shopping streets are experiencing heavy traffic following the sharp increase of tourists from China and other countries. Gins, Akihabara and other popular shopping areas in the Japanese capital often become a dead bed with wall-to-wall tourist buses during the peak pickup times in the evening. As the congestion could increase the risk of accidents, the Metropolitan Police Department is planning a meeting of interested parties to figure out how to address the situation. – Japan News/ANN

 

Vietjet introduces new domestic routes

Vietjet is about to launch four new domestic routes –Nha Trang to Hai Phong, Vinh to Buon Ma Thuot, Hanoi to Chu Lai and Hai Phong to Cam Ranh. These new routes are expected to offer passengers more travel options as well as boost the economy and cultural exchanges among cities in Vietnam, according to Desmond Lin, Vietjet’s director of Business Development. Vietjet currently operates 190 flights per day across 35 routes, domestically and internationally. – Asia News Network

 

Tourists flock to Myanmar

Bagan, Myanmar’s popular tourist destination, expects to receive more international visitors than in previous years, according to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. The ministry’s statistics show 250,000 tourists visited the region last year. Visitors between January and September reached 200,000 and the year’s total was expected to hit 300,000. Twenty cruise ships entered the country last year and tour agencies are planning for 25 this year. The high season started in September and Bagan’s famous landmarks are already crowded with the holidaymakers. – Eleven Media