KOLKATA (Reuters Life!) - Corporate sponsors and a richer purse are helping to revive one of the oldest and most popular legacies of British rule in India, the Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC).

A pioneer in organised racing in the country, the club staged the Indian subcontinent’s first derby in 1842, and has hosted legions of royals, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, as well as both well-heeled and poor fans of the sport. Read the rest of this entry »

A 15,000 sq ft (1,393sq m) spa will open at The Claridges – a 204-bedroom hotel in Surjkund, India –  in May 2009.

Developed by management and brand delivery firm Spatality, the facility will include four multi-purpose treatment rooms and two ayurvedic rooms, two Thai massage rooms, a yoga room and manicure areas. Details: spatality.com

MDT: The number of paid employees in the gaming industry stood at 43,835 in the fourth quarter last year, down 2 percent year-on-year, the latest figures released yesterday from the Statistics and Census Service show.

The survey on manpower needs and wages of the gaming industry for the fourth quarter of 2008, which excluded junket promoters and junket associates, shows that analysed by occupations that are directly related to betting services, 18,196 were dealers, down by 6.5 percent year-on-year, while 11,874 were engaged in positions such as hard and soft count clerks, cage cashiers, pit bosses, casino floor-persons, betting service operators, up by 7.7 percent year-on-year. Read the rest of this entry »

Those planning Scotland golf vacations are often disappointed to learn that the world-famous Old Course in St. Andrews is often booked solid a year in advance, but this Monday, it and its sister St. Andrews golf courses are offering unsold tee times on a first-come, first served basis.

St. Andrews Links Trust, which manages the collection of seven St. Andrews golf courses, announced that it has tee times available for the following upcoming dates in 2009: Read the rest of this entry »

Dave Whelan, the founder of JJB Sports, has secured the acquisition of the troubled company’s nationwide chain of fitness clubs in a £83.4m deal that will form part of the new DW Sports Fitness.com venture.

Under the terms of the agreement, Whelan will now assume ownership of 53 of JJB Sports’ 55 fitness facilities, with Irish properties in Dundalk and Limerick excluded from the transaction. Read the rest of this entry »

New York, NY, March 26, 2009 –(PR.COM)– GKF Limited, Grand Cayman today announced that the Wyndham Grand Bay Waterford in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands has affiliated with The Registry Collection® Exchange Program, the world’s largest luxury exchange program. Read the rest of this entry »

Racing NSW chief executive, Peter V’landys, on Tuesday announced that the firm of Ernst & Young had been commissioned by Racing NSW to undertake an analysis of the possible merger between the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club. Read the rest of this entry »

AGM: Houston (March 24): When Greg Norman makes his return to Augusta National for the Masters next month, he is expected to be representing a new equipment company.

According to American publication Golfweek, the 54-year-old Norman, who has an ownership stake in MacGregor, is close to finalising a new contract with TaylorMade Golf. Read the rest of this entry »

Hotel spas have long been a haven of calseeking to get the kinks out of their backs after a long flight or to unwind before a big meeting. But as the economic downturn hurts the hotel business, the spas are dealing with their own stresses.

According to PKF Consulting, spa revenue rose 5 percent from 2006 to 2007, largely because of higher charges for treatments. But since last fall, hotel spas have been dealing with both reduced occupancy and guests who have sharply curbed their discretionary spending. Read the rest of this entry »