Air passengers everywhere may soon be getting a literary boost, thanks to a new offer from the Oneworld alliance. As of June 2009, travellers passing through Brussels, Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino airports can download three audiobooks for free.

Oneworld, which includes American Airlines, British Airways, JAL and 7 other airlines, offers the service over wifi at the aforementioned airports. Consumers can download audiobooks to their laptops, smartphones andPDAs—any device that connects to the airports' wifi networks. They can pick from forty titles, covering fiction, business, society and travel; available in English, Dutch, French and Italian. And for customers who always get in a forgetful flap at the airport, an email reminder can be requested for the day before the flight, reminding them of the freebies on offer.

The initiative complements Oneworld’s Travel Stations, which enable users to download travel advice and information onto mobile devices, and its Charging Stations, which give gadgets a bit of extra juice. In an unusually inclusive move, all travellers, whether Oneworld customers or not, are invited to make the most of the perks—as Oneworld hopes to be the alliance of choice for the user’s next journey.

It’s a relatively cost-effective way of treating customers, requiring little infrastructure or installation to get up and running. And a great example of what our sister-site trendwatching.com calls free love, or the art of (relevantly) giving away stuff to build your brand. (Related: Personalized in-flight magazines at Heathrow’s Terminal 1.)

Website: library.oneworld.com
Contact: www.oneworld.com/ow/contact

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

In tropical climates, roughly 80 percent of the energy used in an average hotel room is for air conditioning. Aiming to provide a more sustainable alternative, the Evening Breeze bed is a canopy bed with built-in air conditioner that uses only a fraction of that energy.

In the Evening Breeze bed, air is filtered and cooled to a set temperature and humidity level and then gently directed over the sleeper via an upholstered canopy ceiling. A built-in mosquito net protects the sleeper from uninvited visitors while also helping to contain the cooled air, meaning that no airtight insulation is necessary—rather, the room can be left to its natural state, with windows open for fresh air. The eco-minded bed is crafted from FSC-approved wood, and it uses only environmentally friendly R410A coolant. Perhaps best of all, however, is that whereas conventional air conditioners use between 1,200 and 2,000 Watts, the average energy use for the Evening Breeze bed is only 400 Watts, creating a reduction in energy use of 60 percent per room. That, in turn, results in a potential yearly savings of 4 MWh, equivalent to USD 1,000 or 2.5 tons of CO2 pollution, the bed's maker says. Earlier this year the Evening Breeze bed was awarded Honourable Mention in the Design and Build category of the 2008 Green Dot Awards. Priced at EUR 1,800, each Evening Breeze system sold gets combined with a locally made mattress and box spring when it arrives at its destination.

Five resorts in the Caribbean and South Africa are now equipped with the beds, and Mozambique's Coral Lodge—due to open in September—will be the first to use them hotelwide. Dutch Evening Breeze is currently developing its sales and service network in the Caribbean and Africa; one to get in on early? (Related: Eco-mattress in a box — Buy the bed you just slept in.)

Website: www.evening-breeze.com
Contact: info@evening-breeze.com

Spotted by: Robin Benjamin

Out of South Africa comes Great Guide: a GPS-triggered audio tour that hooks up to car radios. The system was designed for visitors to South Africa, and provides informative and entertaining sightseeing commentary for ZAR 99 per day. Customers order the service on the company's website, picking it up along with their hire car at the airport. Driving past points of interest, the system automatically broadcasts interesting stories and facts, ranging from historic and geographic info to current affairs and pop culture trivia.

Information turns to recommendations thanks to the Great Advice feature, which offers shopping and dining tips, while the My Itinerary option lets tourists input their travel plans online before they take off. Between points of commentary users can choose from a selection of music. Great Guide can be accessed mainly in the Western Cape and Mpumalanga regions, with conventional GPS functionality on offer in the rest of the country. The service is currently available in English only, with French following soon and everything from Arabic to Zulu is said to be on the cards.

Similar services are popping up in other parts of the world, too. With its potential to infiltrate every niche, and the opportunities it presents savvy marketers and content providers, it’s a concept we’re following with interest. More on maps becoming the new interface? Check out trendwatching.com’s notes about mapmania. (Related: Ad-supported navigation — Sightseeing guided by GPS.)

Website: www.greatguide.co.za
Contact: info@greatguide.co.za

Spotted by: Bridget McNulty

The economy may be a shambles, but that doesn't mean there isn't still a market for creature comforts, especially when travelling. With that in mind, a new hotel recently opened in Singapore to provide a bespoke, all-expenses-covered stay. And unlike all-in beach resorts aimed at holidaymakers, Quincy is a city hotel targeting business (and leisure) travellers.

Situated just steps away from Singapore's Orchard Road, Quincy is a 108-room boutique hotel where the room rate covers virtually everything. Guests begin their pampering visit with complimentary limousine pickup from the airport and free wifi during the 20-minute ride. Three meals a day at the hotel are also included, as are cocktails from 6 to 8 pm. Minibar supplies are free and replenished daily, and all the hotel's studio rooms feature premium king-sized mattresses draped with feather beddings, separate bathtub and rain shower, and windows custom-designed with modular shapes that vary from room to room. Free internet, a laptop safe and a wardrobe stocked with amenities such as bathrobes and slippers are also included, and the hotel will even pick up the tab for two pieces of laundry per room per night. Rates for June currently begin at about SGD 218 (USD 150 / EUR 107) per night.

It's a smart move—cost-cutting measures have slashed corporate travel budgets, and those travelling for business might well be swayed by a hotel that will pamper them without presenting a long, itemized bill or unexpected charges. Since the hotel opened in March, it has reportedly enjoyed occupancy rates of about 76 percent, according to industry publication Hotels.

Website: www.quincy.com.sg
Contact: info@quincy.com.sg

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

Hungarian travel site Joobili believes that timing is everything when it comes to planning a trip. Instead of asking users where they want to go, Joobili provides would-be travellers with inspiration by asking them when they want to schedule a trip, and then offers information about festivals, parties, sports events and other travel-worthy happenings across Europe. Users can either select a travel date on a slide rule calendar on the website site or search by country or keyword (Arts, Music, Family, Celebrations, Shopping, Food & Drink, Sport, Nature and Unusual). By clicking on an event on the calendar, searchers can view photos of an event and check out other events nearby. Members can also save their past and future events on a personal GoList and exchange comments with travellers who have similar interests. The website's revenue model seems to be based on affiliate marketing, earning fees for referrals to hotels, guidebooks, rental cars and flights.

Joobili's ‘timely travel’ approach turns the way we book travel on its head by putting the activities before the destination. It’s a simple innovation, but one that’s likely to be compelling to an important audience for the travel industry: the adventurous. (Related: Trip planner lets customers create their own tours.)

Website: www.joobili.com
Contact: contact@joobili.com

Spotted by: Tamas Kocsis