Sydney flutter

Ansett is offering three-night packages to Sydney's newest entertainment centre and casino, Star City, for $5,688. The offer, which is open until June 30, includes round-trip ticket, hotel, buffet breakfasts and a voucher worth A$100 (HK$510), which can be spent anywhere in the complex.

Star City, which opened last November in Darling Harbour, is within a short walk of the city centre. The air ticket is valid for 35 days.

Taiwan deal Dragonair has launched a weekend package to Kaohsiung in Taiwan. The three days/two nights deal will be available until the end of the year and costs only $1,688, breakfast included at the hotel.

Take-off Terminal One, the first new terminal at New York's Kennedy International Airport in 27 years, will open on May 28 with a host of services for business travellers.

The new terminal will have five lounges for first-class and business-class travellers, all with showers; a separate lounge for smokers, and a children's play area.

Besides the various lounges, business travellers will be able to use a concierge desk in the arrivals area, where documents can be copied or faxed, and cell phones rented.

Taxing times Short-sighted governments are hitting their travel industries by piling taxes on to business travellers and holiday-makers, claims the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). It says that a survey of 52 destinations shows that 29 increased taxes last year, with 86 per cent of those increases affecting airline passengers.

Bombay and Delhi top the list for increases, and the most expensive destinations tax-wise, based on a four-night, five-day stay, were Copenhagen in Denmark and Nairobi, Kenya. Hong Kong comes out smelling sweetly, as one of the destinations where tourists pay least tax.

Copy for Travel Briefing should be faxed to Mike Currie at 2980-3140