Agoda.com gives Asia Miles members even more chances to earn miles

Agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), has announced a partnership with Asia Miles™, Asia’s leading travel reward program. In this partnership, Asia Miles will promote agoda’s hotel offering to its 4.5 million members worldwide who will earn air Asia Miles when booking hotels with agoda.com via www.AsiaMiles.com and complete their hotel stay.

Asia Miles members will earn 1 mile for every HKD $10 (or equivalent amount in any foreign currency) they spend on their agoda.com hotel booking. As an extra incentive, between November 15, 2012 and March 31, 2013, members will enjoy 3 miles for every HKD $10 (or equivalent amount in any foreign currency) spent on their Agoda.com hotel booking.

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Agoda.com takes part in Budapest Winter Festival with free nights & spa entry

Agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), is providing cool deals on hotels for Budapest’s annual Winter Festival, which promotes the city’s long history and unique cultural offerings.

This is the 7^th year that the Hungarian National Tourism Office has organized the festival, and a variety of businesses – from bus companies to spas to airlines – are joining to offer tourists the biggest bang for their buck during their visit. When the low rates on Agoda.com hotels are included in the package, this magical festival is truly one of the best times to visit the city nicknamed the Pearl of the Danube.

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agoda.com provides tropical hotel deals in the fragile Maldives

agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), is providing sunny winter deals on hotels in the Maldives, one of the most beautiful – and endangered – countries on Earth.

Known for its pristine white beaches and turquoise water teeming with colorful marine life, the group of over 1,000 islands (200 of them inhabited) off the southwest tip of India has long been a destination for those seeking a healthy dose of tranquility, a unique cultural experience, or a remote, romantic getaway. But the very thing that gives the Maldives its stunning beauty – its proximity to the ocean – is also what will eventually bring the nation to an end. The Maldives is the lowest country in the world, averaging only 1.5 meters above sea level, and is thus extremely sensitive to rising ocean levels.

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agoda.com lights up Thailand with fabulous Loy Kratong deals

agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), is helping travelers find great deals during Loy Kratong, Thailand’s most romantic and beautiful festival.

Falling on the night of the 12^th full moon – which this year is November 28^th – it’s a tradition that dates back hundreds of years and one that many Thais hold close to their hearts. The purpose of the holiday is to give people a chance to honor and thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha, for her help in providing the most basic of all human necessities. As Thailand was, and still is, a largely agricultural society, a healthy supply of water has long been central to the country’s prosperity and development. It’s no surprise, then, that on the night of Loy Kratong, rivers, ponds, lakes and canals across the country are thronged with people making their offerings, just as they have done for centuries.

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agoda.com recommends top hotels for ski holidays in Korea

agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), is offering recommendations on fantastic hotels to take advantage of the crisp and popular ski season in South Korea.

When people think of the world’s top ski locations, they usually think of Colorado or Switzerland or Canada – a list that has not traditionally included South Korea. But considering the fact that 75% of the country is covered in rugged mountains, you might start seeing it on the list more often as people catch on. The weather between mid-November and mid-February is perfect for laying down a powdery blanket of snow on the two dozen or so ski hills that lie within a few hours’ drive of Seoul, many of them huge, multi-run slopes with world-class facilities. And of course we can’t forget the presence of many natural hot springs, always a perfect way to unwind after a long day of snowy fun.

But it’s not only pros that come to South Korea to strap on a pair of skis (or a snowboard!) to try their luck on some epic runs, such as the 6km-long Silk Road Slope at Muju Ski Resort. A full range of facilities at almost every location you choose makes sure that everyone from beginners to intermediates to families with small children can enjoy the full experience of a winter ski vacation. World-class restaurants prepare expansive meals, areas for skating or tobogganing are ready to enjoy, and many resorts offer extras like casinos, movie theaters or live music performances if you want to take some time away from skiing.

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THAI Chooses agoda.com to Introduce Hotel Booking Services

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited and agoda.com announced the signing of an agreement that offers THAI customers direct access to more than 200,000 hotels from agoda.com’s worldwide hotel inventory.

Through a hotels tab on the THAI homepage http://www.thaiairways.com/, customers can book accommodation through agoda.com, which offers services in 37 different languages, including English and Thai. Customers can search for hotel deals in more than 22,000 destinations, including cities on THAI’s route network, with instant confirmation on all bookings. THAI customers can save up to 75% on hotel accommodation and also earn Rewards Points from agoda.com for each hotel stay, worth 4-7% per cent the price of that booking.

THAI customers can save up to 75% on hotel accommodation by booking through agoda.com.  Customers will earn Rewards Points for each hotel stay, worth 4-7% per cent the price of that booking.

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agoda.com rolls out red carpet deals for the Rome Film Festival

agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), has announced hotel deals in Italy’s ancient capital city of Rome in preparation for the annual Rome Film Festival.

Although it hasn’t been around as long as some of its bigger cousins like Cannes or Sundance, the Rome Film Festival is nonetheless a prestigious, high-profile event that sees some of the biggest names in world cinema walk down its red carpet as an army of paparazzi scream for the best photo-op. This will be its seventh year.

Held from 9-17 November, 2012, the festival will see the world premiere of 60 international films that will be vying for awards in eight different categories. Overseen by Artistic Director Marco Mueller, a veteran of the Venice Film Festival, the event will welcome over 500 artists from around the world, including Walter Hill, Johnnie To, Gabrielle Muccino and Jeff Nichols, who will preside over the main jury.

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agoda.com releases early-bird deals for the 112th Canton Fair

agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), has announced early-bird hotel specials in Guangzhou, China in preparation for the China Import and Export Fair, the largest and oldest trade fair in the country and a major event for importers, exporters, and manufacturers worldwide.

Also known as the Canton Fair, it first opened its doors in 1957 and has been held bi-annually ever since with the support of China’s Ministry of Commerce. In the decades since the fair began, China has grown from an isolated, little-visited country to one of the world’s top tourist destinations and a key component in the global trade engine. Indeed, the relevance of the Canton Fair has never been greater.

This year is the 112^th session of the event, and will take place over three 5-day phases: October 15-19, October 23-27, and October 31-November 4. The previous session boasted 1.2 million square meters of exhibition space with over 24,000 exhibitors that welcomed almost 210,000 overseas buyers. But the Canton Fair is only a small part of what Guangzhou can offer visitors.

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agoda.com offers winter deals at the top ten theme hotels in Taiwan

agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), has secured exclusive year-end deals at some of the top theme hotels in Taiwan.

With travellers demanding more unique and memorable vacation memories to match those they see on readily-accessible social media connections, hotels have leapt into action, providing unique twists on old themes. In Taiwan, the trend has accelerated rapidly and it’s now possible to brighten up your stay by sleeping soundly within the walls of an ancient castle, snoozing outside among the African wilderness, or surrounding yourself with ultra-chic furniture and decorations – all at conveniently located hotels!

The idea behind theme hotels began with a desire to give customers a totally different experience across multiple visits to the same location. If every room is the same, then this is hard to do – but if every room is different, you’re more likely to get repeat customers. This was the thinking behind the Madonna Inn, which opened in California on December 24^th, 1958, and is still operating today. It is generally considered to be the first theme hotel, but while the trend has grown and evolved since then, the idea behind it remains the same.

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agoda.com says stay in style at Paris Fashion Week 2012!

agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), today announced hotel deals in Paris to coincide with the prêt-à-porter shows for Spring/Summer 2013.

For fashion lovers, there is simply no place more exciting than Paris during Fashion Week.  Abuzz with models, media and celebrities, the focus of the city turns to several classic Parisian locations as the world's most revered designers unveil their collections for the for the upcoming Spring/Summer. Amongst the famous landmarks frequently converted into runways are the Grand Palais, Les Beaux-Arts de Paris and several locations in and around the Louvre, including the Jardin des Tuileries.

This year, the womenswear prêt-à-porter SS2013 shows run from Tuesday 25 September to Wednesday 3 October. These 'ready-to-wear' collections set global fashion trends for the coming year, not only in designer boutiques, but in high street stores and market stalls around the world.

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