Gaddafi's tourism goal Libya is putting terrorism behind it, getting involved with another big 'T' - travel. The North African nation whose leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, has been condemned in the past by the West, will be one of 44 countries and regions represented at this year's International Travel Expo Hong Kong, which will be held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre from June 8-11. A travel agent in the SAR who arranges adventure holidays, tells me Libya has lots to offer. It has outstanding Roman and Greek ruins, prehistoric cave paintings, Rommel's World War II headquarters in the desert, Mediterranean beaches, green mountains, and camel and 4WD excursions into the Sahara. Among the other more offbeat exhibitors at iTE will be Bhutan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Zimbabwe (though the recent attacks on farmers would hardly encourage tourism there). Virtual splendour There's a mouse in the bedroom at Hong Kong's Great Eagle Hotel, and it has won them a PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Gold Award. The hotel's Web site uses IPEX 360, a digital photo technique that allows virtual tours of its guestrooms, suites, lobby, swimming pool and other facilities. Would-be guests can click and drag the mouse for a 360-degrees 'walkabout'. Check it out at www.gehotel.com . The award is for innovative use of the Internet. Soft landing Swissair has a team of 14 'airport concierges' at Zurich airport to handle any queries or problems its passengers might face. They have been trained by the head concierge of the city's Grand Hotel Dolder, Gaudenz Soliva, and are on duty at Terminal A from five in the morning until 11pm. Getting on to the case Visitors to Cuba are being advised to remove valuables from their cases because of a series of thefts by staff at Havana airport. Items have been stolen from luggage after passengers have checked in for their return flights. The British Foreign Office has warned travellers from the UK to put their suitcases through shrink-wrapping machines at the airport as a deterrent. It costs the equivalent of HK$50 per item. Going Shell . . . If you are planning to drive in Europe, the Shell Web site, www.shellgeostar.com gives lots of information on motoring through 16 countries. Information is given in six languages, and a journey planner gives the estimated distance between points and expected time of arrival. There is also on-line help to book stopover accommodation, and information on places of interest to visit en route. Stretching the miles Asia Miles frequent flyer programme has added four partners, Cathay Pacific Holidays, Surfgold.com, Radisson Hotel and Resorts and Regent International Hotels. The number of Asia Miles' non-air partners is now 30. United finish bottom United Airlines takes last place in a survey of service offered by the United States' 10 major airlines. The Airline Quality Ranking survey is conducted annually by the University of Nebraska-Omaha Aviation Institute, and the criteria include on-time arrivals, mishandled baggage, ticket fares and customer service. The study is said to be one of the most unbiased in the industry. Southwest came out top for 1999, ahead of Continental and Delta. Continental also came second in 1998. Northwest moved into fourth spot from ninth, and United was bottom - again. On the right track Thomas Cook has an interesting air and rail special for travel in Europe, which is valid until June 30. Return ticket to London and Europass for rail travel within France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, starts at HK$8,260. The rail pass is valid for three days' travel within two months. There are other options, up to a maximum of 15 days rail travel within two months, at $11,850. The agent also has a number of air and hotel specials on offer in the Asia/Pacific region, including two nights in Singapore from $3,080 (open until August 31), three nights in a choice of various cities in Australia from $5,390, and a seven-day fly-drive package to Australia from $5,390 (both available until June 30). Check out the Web site: www.thomascook.com.hk Wheel of fortune The London Eye, the world's highest ferris wheel, is so popular that envious cities around the world are thinking about building replicas to boost tourism. Asian and North American developers are understood to have approached British Airways, which footed most of the GBP35 million (about HK$430 million) bill for the wheel, asking that their approach be kept confidential. Sydney is also said to be interested. British Airways says there is no reason why it could not build an identical Eye in other cities. The observation wheel stands 135 metres, higher than St Paul's Cathedral (108 metres) and it dwarf's Big Ben, which is 97 metres. Fax copy for Signposts to Mike Currie at 2980 3140
