# Sticky  World Travel & Tourism News



## hkskyline

*Asians to challenge German tourism record - study *

LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Japanese and Chinese travellers are set to challenge the dominance of the Germans over the next 15 years for the title of world's most prolific globe-trotters, according to a survey on Friday. 

Research company MINTEL said Japan and China will generate around four times as many outbound trips in 2020 as they did last year, making them number two and three respectively behind Germany. 

MINTEL's Richard Cope said both countries would be driven by growth in their business and leisure markets. 

"With 10 years of little or no growth, the Japanese economy is picking up -- that means more business trips and more tourism," he told Reuters. 

As for the Chinese market, pent up demand coupled with more opportunity was "creating a travelling class." 

In both markets, the business traveller was likely to continue to make short regional trips while tourists head further afield. 

Overall, the number of trips taken abroad from the world's top 15 travelling nations will double by 2020 to 836.6 million from 433.3 million, the survey predicted. 

Cope said travellers were unlikely to be deterred by terrorism or natural disasters. 

"Whilst national economies and security fears will cause some would-be travellers to stay at home, or sway their choice of destination, for a considerable proportion, a holiday or a business trip abroad has become part of day-to-day life and is no longer regarded as a luxury," he said. 

Back in 2003, Germans ousted Americans as the most travelled nationality. 

Last year, Germans alone accounted for over 86.6 million trips abroad, with Britons in second place (65.3 million) and Americans trailing in third (58.3 million). 

Cope said the foreign travel market in the United States has stagnated primarily because of the weakness of the dollar. 

According to MINTEL, the other top travelling nations are: France, Russia, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, South Korea, Sweden, Belgium, Hong Kong and Australia.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism earned China 96 billion dollars last year *

BEIJING, Jan 22, 2006 (AFP) - China's tourism sector earned 96 billion US dollars last year and will likely grow by 8 percent this year as the country climbs up the ladder of top travel destinations, state media said Sunday. 

China received 120 million overseas visitors in 2005 and saw 31 million outbound travellers, the Xinhua news agency reported. Travellers from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are considered overseas visitors. 

Income from domestic tourism reached 528.6 billion yuan (66 billion dollars) while earnings from international travellers surpassed 29.3 billion dollars, Xinhua cited the China National Tourism Administration as saying. 

China's tourism industry has been developing rapidly in recent years, with inbound, outbound and domestic markets growing prosperously. 

Shao Qiwei, director of the administration, predicted China would see 130 million inbound travellers this year, up eight percent from the previous year, Xinhua said. 

The industry is expected to grow by eight percent a year until the end of the decade. 

In 2003, China received 91 million inbound travellers, 11 million of them foreign tourists, according to the administration's figures. 

However, the World Tourism Organization (WTO) offers different statistics, indicating China received a lower number of foreign tourists -- 33 million -- in 2003. 

That still puts China in fifth place after France, Spain, the United States and Italy, WTO data showed. 

China is expected to have 64 million foreign tourists in 2010, which would put it in third place worldwide that year.


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## hkskyline

*World tourism head warns against bird flu "panic" *

MADRID, Jan 24, 2006 (AFP) - The secretary general of the World Tourism Organzation, Francesco Frangialli, warned on Tuesday that the tourism sector must not fall prey to "unecessary panic" over bird flu. 

"There is no reason to give in to panic," Frangialli said as he unveiled a strong rise of 5.5 percent in world wide tourism for 2005, total arrivals exceeding 800 million for the first time. 

Although that figure is set to double by 2020 Frangialli noted that bird flu fears could potentially damage growing markets such as China and Turkey. 

"Travel without fear wherever you want to go -- to China, Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey," said Frangialli. 

In its latest barometer, the WTO said it estimated that "the latest outbreak of avian flu is not expected to have a serious effect on tourism in the country or the immediate region". 

However, "the tourism industry must not underestimate the threat and needs to keep preparing for the worst should it occur", the WTO added. 

The WTO quoted its special advisor Geoffrey Lipman as identifying the key objective as being to "prevent or at least mitigate the impact of what so far is still a limited disease". 

Frangialli told AFP that, overall, "the outlook (for 2006) will depend on two factors, the evolution of bid flu and oil prices". 

He also saluted the sector's resilience since the September 11 attacks on the United States. 

"For four years the industry has been going through a turbulent period -- Iraq and the Mideast conflict have created a climate of uncertainty," he said, noting that terrorism had also been visited on large cities including Madrid, home to the WTO. 

But "in 2005 international tourism sustained the sharp upturn that began in 2004 in spite of the various tragic events it had to contend" with, as the number of tourists rose a global 5.5 percent from the previous year.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism rises above terror, natural disasters with bumper 2005 *

MADRID, Jan 24, 2006 (AFP) - Last year a record 808 million people visited a foreign country and the number of international tourists is set to double by 2020, the World Tourism Organization (WTO) said Tuesday. 

"In 2005 international tourism sustained the sharp upturn that began in 2004 in spite of the various tragic events it had to contend" with, said the Madrid-based organisation, adding that tourism grew 5.5 percent from the previous year. 

It hailed the sector's ability to withstand events such as the December 2004 tsunami and terrorist attacks, as well as the potential spread of new fears such as bird flu. 

The number of international tourists this year was likely to rise by between four and five percent, said the WTO's secretary general Francesco Frangialli, who warned against sowing "unnecessary panic" regarding bird flu fears. 

"Travel without fear wherever you want to go," Frangialli advised tourists. 

France remained the most popular destination ahead of Spain, the United States and China although exact figures will not be available until the WTO publishes its mid-year bulletin in June, sources told AFP, adding Turkey now stood on the fringes of the top ten on a par with Germany and Mexico. 

Despite a slew of natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, and terrorist attacks, total arrivals rose 42 million on 2004 and 111 million on 2003, which saw the industry in something of a slump reflecting the effect on Asia of the respiratory ailment SARS. 

"For four years the industry has been going through a turbulent period. The Iraq and Mideast conflict have created a climate of uncertainty," said Frangialli as he noted that terrorism had hit large urban centres, including European cities such as London and Madrid, while flooding, earthquakes and the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami had "all affected the industry." 

But "we know from experience tourism can bounce back from setbacks," said Frangialli, who told AFP that "the outlook (for 2006) will depend on two factors -- the evolution of bid flu and oil prices." 

Global arrivals are expected to hit one billion by 2010 and the 2020 projected forecast is 1.6 billion, double 2005. 

That has prompted sustainability fears among environmentalists which the WTO sought to assuage, the WTO noting the issue "is a big concern for us as we see how international demand increases every year. 

"The big question is how to manage the demand." 

Africa saw a ten percent leap in arrivals across 2005, while Asia Pacific and the Middle East saw arrivals forge ahead by seven percent. 

But Europe still attracted the lion's share with 443.9 million arrivals, the Asia Pacific region visited by 156.2 million, the Americas by 133.1 million, the Middle East by 38.4 million and Africa by 36.7 million. 

Frangialli accepted that high oil prices were a potential damping factor as air fares rose in line. 

"The price of a barrel of oil has risen considerably in the past five years and there is a limit," said the WTO head as he accepted that small tourist companies would struggle to take the strain. 

But he added that in "real terms the price of a barrel is still below the 1980s and early 90s." 

Regarding air travel, a sector hit hard since the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, the WTO revealed that latest International Association of Travel Agents (IATA) figures showed air traffic up eight percent in 2005, despite the threat to competitivity of rising fares fuelled by oil prices. 

A factor, particularly in Europe but also in the United States and Asia, in air travel standing its ground is the rise in low-cost airlines, which have bolstered the market in countries such as Spain.


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## hkskyline

*Africa showing the way as tourism soars in 2005 *

MADRID, Jan 24, 2006 (AFP) - In a healthy year for tourism Africa led the way in 2005 with a ten percent rise in arrivals, the continent attracting 36.7 million visitors, the World Tourist Organization said Tuesday. 

"Africa was the only region in the world to have performed much better in 2005 than in 2004," the WTO noted in its just-released bulletin of tourist trends. 

Nevertheless, Africa remained the world's least visited continent, with the Middle East region, for example, attracting 1.7 million more people. 

Kenya turned in healthiest performance, showing with a 26 percent rise as tourists sought out new and exotic climes, unfazed by a year which had more than its share of natural and man-made disasters, the Madrid-based body said as it unveiled annual results for the industry. 

Sub-Saharan Africa, although a prime source of emigration to Europe amid economic and political unrest, also proved a tourist magnet with an annualised rise of 13 percent. 

South Africa was up a projected 11 pervent based on figures to August. 

North African destinations likewise perfromed well, Tunisia attracting an eight percent rise in visitors with Morocco's five percent increase in line with the global annual trend of 5.5 percent. 

That compared with an annualised rise for Europe of 4.3 percent, where EU membership candidate Turkey led the way on the back of a 20 percent increase in arrivals -- sufficient to take it to the fringes of the top ten most popular nations with around 20 million visitors. 

The ten percent rise in visitors to Africa as a whole year on year compared with previous annual rises of 4.1 percent in 2002-2003 and 8.4 percent in 2003-2004. 

Of the 36.7 million visitors in 2005, 23.1 million visited sub-Saharan nations with the remaining 13.6 million visiting north African states. 

This year, visitors to the continent are forecast to rise 5.5 percent, which would "follow the world trend of more moderate growth in 2006," according to the WTO. 

Losing out in 2005 following the devastation of the December 2004 tsunami was Sri Lanka, where the WTO noted a 79 percent drop in charter traffic through to November 2005, although scheduled traffic was up four percent. 

The country suffered an overall drop of 0.4 percent according to as yet unofficial figures, with some beach resorts still undergoing renovations. 

However, the small drop may be "in part attributed to the large number of Sri Lankan expatriates who visited the country in the aftermath of the tsunami and to the flow of aid workers," the WTO said.


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## hkskyline

*Palestinian, Israeli pleas for peace through tourism *

MADRID, Jan 29, 2006 (AFP) - Amid the political earthquake of Hamas' Palestinian election victory and calls by Arab leaders for the group to engage in dialogue with sworn enemy Israel has come an Israeli-Palestinian plea to use tourism as a "bridge to peace." 

The call came at the International tourist trade fair (FITUR) in Madrid where Israeli and Palestinian officials are seeking to promote their territories jointly in the knowledge the Holy Land's sites, a tourist magnet and potential economic boon, straddle both. 

"To develop tourism is to talk of and lay a foundation for peace. It's a bridge which unites us amid our various problems," said Sahar Rishmawi from the Palestinian ministry of tourism. 

"We live from tourism -- it's in our common interest that it should develop for our common good," Rishmawi told AFP, adding that if Israelis and Palestinians could rise above the politics they could both prosper. 

With both sides having last year engaged in joint promotion for the first time at FITUR, tourism took off in 2005, with visitors to the Palestinian territories from Spain alone rising more than threefold to some 17,000. 

Russians are also increasingly turning their gaze to the region. 

"The Orthodox Church is increasing links. The Holy Land is the Holy Land, and people don't care if it's a bit in Israel or in the Palestinian areas," according to Rishmawi. 

"The effect of political change, such as we have seen this week, is difficult to guage right now but we are convinced that tourism is a key issue with regard to putting an end to this conflict," she told AFP, while scooping up some zatar paste and olive oil with pita bread. 

"We don't need propaganda for people to come. They come for the religious history, pilgrimage, archaeology but also the sea, the desert. We have all kinds of attractions. Tourism is a Palestinian heritage." 

Next door to the Palestinian delegation, Pinchas Millo of the Israeli ministry of tourism, asked for an observation on Hamas' triumph, readily acknowledged that "politics has a huge influence on tourism." 

"How will things look in future? There's a big question mark -- it depends to an extent on who they appoint as their tourism minister. 

"There will be a profound impact as they (Hamas) are not expert in running a country, so there's a long road ahead. 

"I just so hope we can be pleasantly surprised," Millo said, saying he could only hope that a 29 percent annualised increase in visitors to Israel in 2005 would not turn out to be the high-water mark. 

"If you consider the Holy Land as a 'product' you cannot draw borders," Millo insisted, pointing out that if Israeli tourism, slumped visits to Palestinian areas would likely suffer a similar decline. 

"Look, Jesus went all around the region, didn't he? There's no point dividing it." 

Tawfiq Afifi, an Arab-Israeli and deputy managing director of a Nazareth-based tour company, said he had to be optimistic. 

"I think Hamas will eventually calm down and go along the right path. It may be next month or it may be 20 years -- but I think power will moderate them."


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## hkskyline

*New Yorkers lending a hand to help boost New Orleans tourism *
30 January 2006 

NEW YORK (AP) - A delegation of 100 New York City government and civic leaders is going to New Orleans next month to help that city promote its tourism industry, still struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. 

The group, including Jonathan Tisch, chairman of NYC & Co., the city tourism bureau; Tim Zagat, founder of the Zagat Survey which rates restaurants and other facilities; Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, will spend the weekend of Feb. 10-12 touring areas devastated by the hurricane, enjoying beignets and live music, and planting trees at City Park, New Orleans' largest regional park. 

Tisch, chief executive of Loews Hotels, said tourists came to support New York after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and now New Orleans needs the same after being hit by the hurricane on Aug. 29. 

"If there is to be a long-term, sustainable recovery in New Orleans, the local economy has to be rebuilt, and travel and tourism is at the cornerstone of that economy," he said.


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## hkskyline

*Terror-scarred Bali gets 4 million dollars to revive sagging tourism *

DENPASAR, Indonesia, Feb 16, 2006 (AFP) - Indonesia has released 37 billion rupiah (4.01 million dollars) in a first tranche of aid to help Bali revive tourism in the wake of suicide bombings last year, an official said Thursday. 

Tourism to the resort island plummeted in the aftermath of October's triple suicide bombings, which killed 20 bystanders as well as the three bombers. 

The funds, part of a total of 67 billion rupiah approved for Bali by the government to shore up the industry, were now being managed by the tourism ministry in Jakarta, Bali Tourism Board chairman Bagus Sudibya said. 

"Although we lost momentum because it took four months for the funds to be released, we are going to work hard to start our programs to attract tourists back to Bali," Sudibya told AFP. 

Board officials will use the funds to attend tourism events and roadshows abroad and bring foreign travel operators and writers to Bali in a bid to restore Bali's image as a "safe haven" for tourists, Sudibya said. 

The money is also to be used for maintainance work on Bali's facilities and infrastructure for tourism, the main engine of the island's economy. 

Some 84,000 foreign tourists flew to Bali in January 2006 compared to 101,000 in January the previous year, Sudibya said, adding that current conditions were still better than the aftermath of the October 2002 nightclub bombings which killed 202 people. 

Tourism struggled for two years after those attacks before surging back to life. 

Gde Restino, a T-shirt distributor in Bali's Sanur district was skeptical however that the money would be effectively used by the board. 

"What's there to be restored? Many tourist sites here are in good shape. I think they will be better off giving the money as loans to improve small-scale businesses such as mine," he told AFP.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism plan ruled out for Phi Phi island
Govt decision to keep Dasta away welcomed *
17 February 2006
Bangkok Post

Krabi - Tsunami-ravaged Phi Phi island will not be redeveloped as a special, high-end tourism destination and its rehabilitation will be left in the hands of government agencies. 

The decision, announced yesterday, was welcomed by local residents and business people. 

It was reached at a meeting involving Krabi Governor Sonthi Techarat, PM's Office inspector-general Nathi Premrassami, about 200 local residents and business people and officials of the Interior Ministry's Public Works and Town and Country Planning Department. 

Mr Sonthi announced that Koh Phi Phi will not be put under the Designated Area for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Dasta) as earlier planned. 

Instead, government agencies would rebuild public utilities wrecked by the tsunami on Dec 26, 2004. For example, a cable would be laid to provide the island with electricity and modern desalinisation plants would provide fresh water. 

The meeting agreed on town planning and 11 evacuation routes in case of a natural disaster. Local people agreed to allow government officials to use their land for development work on condition that the land must not be expropriated. 

The signing of a land use agreement between land owners and various government officials was set for Feb 22. 

"The idea of making Phi Phi a special area under Dasta was floated, for it could be a channel to bring in money to reconstruct tourist facilities on the island," Mr Sonthi said. 

"However, the idea has been ruled out. Actual development work will be carried out by government units. Phi Phi will definitely not go under Dasta. 

The governor's announcement drew loud applause from those at the meeting. Three previous meetings failed to reach any agreement. 

Phi Phi was one of the places most heavily damaged by the tsunami. 

There has been little progress in its rehabilitation other than for clearing wrecked buildings, although the Public Works and Town and Country Planning Department has drawn up a new town plan. 

Residents were opposed to the government's plan to upgrade Phi Phi to a world-class tourist spot under Dasta. They feared it would help only business groups close to the government. Dasta is a public organisation headed by Plodprasop Suraswadi, assistant to the minister for natural resources and the environment.


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## hkskyline

*Marriott CEO says visa rules sting U.S. tourism *
By Michael Connor

BOCA RATON, Florida, Feb 16 (Reuters) - U.S. visa rules discourage foreign visits to the United States and contribute to a drop in America's share of global tourism, the head of Marriott International said on Thursday. 

"We are losing market share as a country," J.W. Marriott said in an interview. "Our market share as a nation in the global economy in tracking tourists is down." 

Marriott, chairman and chief executive of the global lodging group, said U.S. leaders such as Michael Chertoff, head of homeland security, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice were being pressed on the matter. 

"We are pushing for change," he said. 

Marriott, whose firm last week reported a 25 percent rise in quarterly profit, said an especially high hurdle for many people wanting to visit the United States was a mandatory interview for a U.S. visa in the country from which they apply. 

"In Brazil, there are only four offices that will process visas. That country is bigger than the United States," Marriott said. "People say, 'The heck with it. I'll go to France, or I'll go to Venezuela, or I'll go to the Caribbean, or I'll go somewhere else'." 

Marriott, during a break at the Business Council meeting of blue-chip corporate leaders at a sea-side resort, said the decline in U.S. travel market share was substantial even as the number of visitors to the United States was increasing. 

"The visa problem is a problem in a lot of countries," he said. 

The U.S. government has promised to streamline and simplify the visa interviews, possibly relying in some instances on closed-circuit television links, Marriott said. 

"They realize they've got a problem, and that's the first thing in solving a problem is realizing you've got one ... I think they are addressing this, but government moves very slowly," he said. 

Asked about the outlook for his company, the operator of more than 2,700 lodging properties in 67 countries, Marriott said he expected room rates to rise again during 2006 as economic expansion in the United States and elsewhere continues. 

"We expect RevPar, that's revenue per available room, to increase between 8 and 10 percent. About 75 percent to 80 percent of that will be pricing. Some it will be occupancy," he said. 

Rates at Marriott, whose chains include Courtyard and Ritz-Carlton, would likely go up 6 to 7 percent during 2006, he said. 

(Additional reporting by Nick Zieminski)


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## empersouf

Hkskylines, do you actually read all the articles you post?


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## hkskyline

Yes, I skim through them really quickly and if they're of interest to me I'll read most of the text. Since I examine the newswires every day, it's the most effective and quickest way of going through all the articles.


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## hkskyline

*Florida Reports Record Tourism *
27 February 2006

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Tourists visited Florida in record numbers last year, apparently undeterred by four hurricanes that lashed the state and caused widespread damage, officials announced Monday. 

Preliminary figures show 85.8 million people visited Florida in 2005 despite Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma. That's 6 million more visitors than in 2004, or a 7.6 percent increase. 

"Florida is amazingly resilient compared to other destinations. There is no state, and possibly no country, that is better equipped to deal with these storms," said Bud Nocera, president of Visit Florida, an agency that promotes tourism and travel. 

Tourism, which employs nearly 1 million Floridians, bounced back after the storms because businesses reopened quickly, he said. 

But not everyone was so upbeat. Hotelier Harris Rosen was skeptical about the new figures showing that more tourists had visited the state. 

"Not only have we not seen them, we've seen significantly less," Rosen said, whose company owns six Orlando hotels. 

American tourists counted for 79 million of Florida's visitors, while international travelers numbered 6.8 million, with nearly 2 million coming from Canada.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism booms in Berlin with 6.5 million visitors in 2005 *

BERLIN, Feb 22, 2006 (AFP) - A record 6.46 million tourists visited Berlin in 2005, an increase of 9.1 percent compared to 2004, the German capital's statistics service said on Wednesday. 

The number of foreign visitors also showed a strong rise last year, jumping to nearly two million, which represents an increase of 18.9 percent compared to 2004. 

British nationals last year again headed the tourist rush to Berlin that began after the reunification of Germany in 1990, followed by US citizens. 

The figures for Berlin were in line with a rise in the number of foreign visitors to Germany as a whole. 

The federal statistics office said earlier this month that foreigners accounted for 48.2 million overnight stays in hotels and youth hostels in Germany in 2005, an increase of six percent on 2004.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism in Turkey suffering from bird flu fears and Muslim protests *

ISTANBUL, Feb 26, 2006 (AFP) - Fewer tourists are flocking to Turkey this winter season, scared off by an outbreak of the deadly bird flu virus and the violent protests by Muslims over publication in Europe of the Prophet Mohammed cartoons, tourism operators and officials say. 

The number of foreigners visiting Turkey last month fell 4.7 percent to 667,000, compared with January 2005, according to government figures. 

Even more disappointing, reservations for the summer season are down, according to hotel representatives and travel agents interviewed by AFP at a tourism conference in Istanbul on Friday. 

Reservations have fallen "by 25 to 30 percent compared with last season," said Fusan Kayan, responsible for sales at the luxury hotel chain Marti, which is based in Marmaris in the west and Antalya in the south. 

"The season has gotten off to a bad start," Yusuf Istanbullu, manager of the Orient Palace in Alanya in southern Turkey, lamented, reporting a 10 percent drop in reservations. 

He blamed the decline on the recent tensions in Turkey with tens of thousands of Muslims protesting against the Mohammed cartoons first published in a Danish newspaper. 

Before that in January, four people died after coming in contact with birds infected with the highly pathogenic H5NI strain of avian flu in eastern Turkey. 

Tourism is a vital sector of the Turkish economy, representing 5.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product. The tourist industry brought in 18.15 billion dollars (14.9 billion euros) in 2005. 

The Turkish minister of tourism and culture, Attila Koc, admitted that the goal of 26 million tourists in 2006, up from 20.5 million last year, may be out of reach. 

"It's a risky goal, I know, but there has been some exaggeration concerning bird flu in our media, and tour operators have been able to book hotels in Turkey at half price," Koc told AFP. 

The minister said that the spread of bird flu throughout Europe may lessen the negative consequences of the disease in Turkey, where there has not been any more cases of the virus in humans since mid-January. 

Koc said he was counting on a revival of foreign visitors from the West and other regions such as Iran, Russia, Israel and China. 

The minister also launched a campaign Friday to encourage Turks to spend their vacations in their homeland. 

Despite the decline in demand from the European market, Koc said that did not mean tourists would stay away from Turkey, noting that last-minute reservations could make up for the lag. 

"But there is going to be a drop in receipts per capita," he added. 

That view was shared by Emre Kunda, manager of the Tusan Beach Resort in Kusadasi in western Turkey. 

He said reservations were down between 20 and 30 percent from the Netherlands, Great Britain, and France where early booking is a common practice. But he added that the damage was being contained by last-minute reservations, which come with special reductions in price. 

"We're going to extend our 15-percent reductions, normally reserved for early booking, until April or May," Kunda said.


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## hkskyline

*Tourists to Russia Fall by One-Sixth *
Conor Humphries
3 March 2006
The Moscow Times

The slide in the number of foreign tourists visiting Russia appears to be accelerating, with the number of people entering the country on tourist visas falling by almost a half-million in 2005 to 2.3 million, according to government statistics released Thursday. 

Last year's fall of around 17 percent follows a 9.2 percent decline in visitor numbers in 2004, according to the State Statistics Service, as tour operators struggle with spiraling prices, a lack of hotel space and the country's intractable image problem. 

"We expected a fall, but we were still a little distressed because it is accelerating," said Irina Tyurina, a spokeswoman for the Russian Tourism Union, whose members claim two-thirds of the Russian market for incoming tourism. 

Tourists are staying away mainly because of high prices, followed by a lack of modern tourist-class hotels and the country's poor image abroad, according to a poll by the union of 115 tour operators. 

"The numbers are falling because these problems are not being solved," Tyurina said. 

The union's member organizations say numbers of foreign visitors have fallen even more drastically than the official statistics show, by 20 to 25 percent in the last year, she said, adding that the government was doing little to help. 

"The first problem is prices, and the government cannot control that -- but it is not even trying. Even with regard to monopolies like the railways and the high-profile museums that all tourists want to visit," Tyurina said. 

To develop the industry, the government has proposed earmarking certain regions for tourism development, giving them the status of special economic zones that would benefit from state support. But it is far too early to say how successful this will be, Tyurina said. 

The price of tours sold in the West has grown by 20 to 25 percent annually over the past two years, due to inflation and increasing hotel prices in Russia, said Sergei Sinitsyn, adviser to the chairman of Federal Tourism Agency, a body that answers to the prime minister. 

Several well-known tourist hotels in the capital, such as the Moskva and Rossiya, have recently closed their doors, leaving few budget options for tour operators. 

And while the product is becoming more expensive, the country's marketing budget is still paltry compared to with rivals. 

Russia spends 3 million euros ($3.6 million) per year on advertising itself abroad as a tourist destination, according to the Federal Tourism Agency. Finland, by comparison, spent 26.5 million euros last year, while Mexico spent almost 120 million euros, according to the World Tourism Organization. 

One issue clouding the figures is the fact that official statistics measure the number of foreigners arriving in the country on tourist visas, thus including any unscrupulous businesspeople traveling as tourists. 

According to the State Statistics Service, the total number of foreigners entering the country was unchanged last year, with the number of foreigners entering on business visas up by 18.4 percent. 

Although business travelers on a short stay occasionally use tourist visas, the practice used to be more common, and there have been no recent changes in visa procedures that would have affected the latest numbers, said Sergei Kostin of visa agency RBV Consulting.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism in Bali still stagnant five months after blasts *
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni , The Jakarta Post, Denpasar
4 March 2006

Balinese involved in the tourist industry are increasingly worried about the imminent threat of massive layoffs due to the drastic drop in tourist arrivals on the island. 

Four months after Bali was rocked by suicide bombings on Oct. 1, 2005, the tourist industry has yet to bounce back. 

An average of 2,000 foreign and domestic tourists have arrived on Bali daily over the past two months, a far cry from normal times when there is an average of 4,000 tourist arrivals daily. 

As a result, the hotel occupancy rate in Bali has dropped to as low as 30 percent. A number of hotels cannot even reach breakeven, let alone gain profits, thus jeopardizing the jobs of thousands of workers. 

A number of cafes and restaurants in the Nusa Dua area have closed recently due to sluggish business. 

A former employee of Bale Banjar restaurant in Nusa Dua, Ngurah Pinda, who had lost his job when the restaurant closed, said that he was resigned to his fate. 

"We couldn't do anything because the cafe could only earn Rp 3 million (US$300) a day, while overhead costs reached Rp 15 million per day," he said. 

The drop in tourist arrivals has also affected the handicraft business, threatening the future of at least 3,000 small and medium scale enterprises. Thousands of taxi drivers are also forced to park their cabs on the roadside due to the scarcity of passengers. 

"There are very few passengers now. We sometimes can't even get enough money to buy gasoline," said Made Artana, a taxi driver. 

Kuta and Sanur beaches are deserted, with only a few tourists passing by. 

Data at the Bali Legislative Council shows that the lowest number of tourist arrivals was on Jan. 10, 2006, with 1,986 tourists, while the highest number was on Jan. 28, with 4,108 tourists. Only 2,140 tourists visited Bali on Feb. 14, despite it being Valentine's Day, while the highest number of tourists in February was on Feb. 1 at 4,087. 

"Bali is not befitting from the recognition of it being 'the best island destination in the world'," said council member, Nyoman Budiarta, adding that the problem has been exacerbated by the absence of a definite calendar of events in Bali. 

Beratha Ashrama from the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin) acknowledged that the low tourist arrivals following the disturbances showed that tourism in Bali was very vulnerable. 

"Tourism in Bali cannot remain steady amid disturbances, it is fragile, as is evident from the drop in tourist arrivals triggered by the bomb attacks and the bird flu scare." 

The drop in the number of tourist arrivals throughout the country in 2005 was also acknowledged by Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik. He disclosed that only five million foreign tourists visited Indonesia in 2005 from a targeted six million. 

Wacik warned that the battered tourism industry in Bali would have a severe impact on the economic and banking sectors. Of the Rp 9.7 trillion worth of loans extended to businesses in Bali, Rp 3.7 trillion went to the tourism sector. 

"I'm aware that this is a very difficult year, especially when the hotel occupancy rate has dropped drastically. I have discussed the matter with the governor of Bank Indonesia and he has agreed to reschedule loan payments to 2007, on the assumption that conditions would have improved by next year," said Wacik. 

According to Wacik, the measure was also taken to prevent mass layoffs in the tourism sector. 

In response to the Bali Recovery Fund program, in which the central government had provided funds to revive the tourism sector in Bali, Minister Wacik acknowledged that a large portion of the funds would be allocated for promotional and security campaigns. 

He added that officials from the ministry and Bali provincial administration would tour countries, such as Australia, Japan, China and European countries to promote Bali and other places in Indonesia as alternative tourist destinations, besides inviting foreign journalists to cover tourism destinations and organize a number of international events for promotional purposes. 

Stakeholders in Bali's tourism sector have agreed to sit together with the central government, provincial administration, Kadin and tour operators from various provinces to discuss measures to develop sustainable tourism. The meeting will discuss measures to establish a tourist industry that could remain stable despite disturbances, such as in the case of Pattaya, Thailand, where tourism was able to recover soon after the tsunami.


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## hkskyline

*Louisiana unveils celebrity-studded tourism campaign *
By STACEY PLAISANCE
7 March 2006

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The state rolled out a star-studded, $7 million advertising campaign Tuesday aimed at luring tourists back to Louisiana and boosting the sluggish economy along the state's coast, which was ravaged last year by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

Chef Emeril Lagasse, professional golfer David Toms, actor John Goodman and musicians Wynton Marsalis and Allen Toussaint are among the celebrities with Louisiana connections appearing in a television commercial that both thanks Americans for their hurricane recovery efforts and asks that they return to enjoy the state's unique culture, arts, food and music. 

"Come for the people. Come for beignets," says actress Patricia Clarkson, a New Orleans native who most recently played a role in the Oscar-nominated movie "Good Night, and Good Luck," directed by George Clooney. 

Called "Fall in Love with Louisiana All Over Again," the campaign consists of a commercial and half-dozen print ads unveiled by Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu. Landrieu said the celebrities donated their time and images for the campaign. 

"This is the first installment," Landrieu said. The $7 million only covers the first phase of the effort to reach out to fellow Americans, "thank them for what they've done and invite them to come back." 

There wasn't enough money to air the commercials nationally, so they will be concentrated in large nearby markets, including Atlanta, Little Rock, and San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston in Texas, said Angele Davis, secretary of the state Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. 

"We're hoping for Congressional relief dollars to help expand the campaign," Davis said. 

The print ads will be in dozens of major newspapers and magazines, including "Food and Wine" and "Essence," Davis said. They depict various cultural elements from Louisiana. Lagasse can be seen standing on a dock holding a large fish with a trawling boat in the background. 

Many of the ads depict New Orleans, where 60 percent of the state's pre-Katrina tourism business was concentrated, Davis said. There's John Goodman tipping his hat from a New Orleans streetcar and Allen Toussaint sitting at a piano on a French Quarter sidewalk. 

"These ads get the message across that many of the cultural elements are intact," Davis said, adding that the timing for the campaign coincides with the recent availability of hotel rooms. 

Katrina flooded 80 percent of New Orleans and much of the city remains a mess. Demolition of the worst-damaged homes in the hard hit lower Ninth Ward and Lakeview areas only began this week. 

But the campaign stresses the areas of the city that have largely bounced back. 

Wendy Rodrigue, wife of famous "Blue Dog" artist George Rodrigue, said her husband participated to spread the word that the parts of New Orleans tourists love, particularly the French Quarter, are fine and ready for tourists. 

The Rodrigues just moved back into their New Orleans home about a week ago, Wendy Rodrigue said. The couple had evacuated to Lafayette and Carmel, Calif., while their home was being repaired from storm damage. 

"It feels so good to be back," she said. "George was so honored to be a part of this."


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## hkskyline

*A dozen unusual U.S. destinations suggested for tourists *
By CARL HARTMAN
8 March 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) - People looking for a new vacation spot might try one of 12 unusual places reachable without a passport, such as Lewes, Del., called "the first town in the first state," a town whose history goes back 375 years. 

The suggestion comes from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which, each year starting in 2000, has named a "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" appealing to tourists' taste for historic places. 

Swedish and Finnish settlers came to Delaware in 1638, a few years after the Dutch, who had established a settlement at what is now Lewes. Seventeen years later the Swedes seized a Dutch fort and the Dutch drove them out. A few years later the British drove out the Dutch and named the town after the county seat of East Sussex. 

Delaware was the first of the 13 colonies to ratify the Constitution, becoming the first U.S. state. 

Except for Waimea on Hawaii's Kaua'i island, where historic sites are half a millennium older, the destinations don't call for expensive trans-ocean travel. Kaua'i, the first Hawaiian Island sighted by Capt. James Cook, boasts a canyon almost as deep as the Grand Canyon, a Russian fort and a huge irrigation ditch the Polynesians dug in the 1200s. 

Every year since 2000 the National Trust for Historic Preservation names a "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" appealing to tourists' taste for historic places. 

The National Trust's 2006 list starts with Arrow Rock, Mo. It's on a bluff high above the Missouri River, with grand views of the great stream and well preserved houses from the early 1800s, when the Lewis and Clark expedition traveled west on the river to explore the far reaches of the newly purchased Louisiana territory. 

Other suggestions: 

--Monterey, Calif., once the Spanish and Mexican capital of the region, site of a huge aquarium and the setting for John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row" 

--Palm Springs, Calif., an oasis known for its famous residents, its climate and jet-set life style. 

--Bartlesville, Okla., enriched by an early oil strike, boasting the only skyscraper designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. 

--Bowling Green, Ky., with notable Civil War sites and an old cavern where outlaws and soldiers hid. 

--Milwaukee, Wis., the U.S. beer-making capital, home of a famous art museum and zoo and a deep German tradition. 

--Philipsburg, Mont., a mining tradition in a beautiful landscape, the state's oldest operating school, jail and opera house. 

--Prescott, Ariz., born overnight when gold was discovered, celebrating the wild West and Native Americans in its museums. 

--Saranac Lake, N.Y., a health resort since the early 1800s, amid lakes, mountains and evergreen forests. 

--West Chester, Pa., an old Quaker village with brick sidewalks and period architecture. 

This year's destinations were chosen from 93 nominated in 39 states. If additional ideas are needed, the Trust has 72 others it has named in earlier lists. 


On the Net: National Trust for Historic Preservation: http://www.nationaltrust.org/


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## hkskyline

*Tourism in and out of booming Ireland keeps growing, statisticians report *
9 March 2006

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - Tourism into Ireland keeps growing, the government's Central Statistics Office reported Thursday, but overseas tourism from this economically booming land is growing even faster. 

The latest figures for the traditionally slow October-December quarter showed tourism reaching new highs in both directions. The report said 1,574,000 people traveled into the Republic of Ireland over the quarter, a 10 percent increase on 2004. The number of visitors from Europe shot up 33 percent, while visitors from the United States and Canada declined 9 percent. 

But the figures showed that Ireland's increasingly affluent society was traveling at unprecedented levels. The report said 1,316,000 took trips outside Ireland, nearly a third of the country's entire population and an 11 percent gain on 2004. 

The report said the number of people on flights to continental Europe rose 17 percent, while travel to Britain rose 7 percent. But the figures pointed to trouble for ferry services, with a 24 percent drop in outbound passengers. 

The Irish also were bigger spenders, on average, than their visitors. The report said tourists to Ireland spent €929 million (US$1.1 billion) here, while a smaller number of Irish people managed to spend €1.035 billion (US$1.278 billion) abroad.


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## hkskyline

*Foreign tourism in US sets record in 2005 - Commerce *

WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - Foreigners spent a record $104.8 billion on travel-related goods and services in the United States in 2005, following several years of reduced tourism in the wake of the September 2001 attacks, the U.S. Commerce Department said on Wednesday. 

"Today's data show that America remains one of the top destinations for international visitors," Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said in a statement. "Collectively, these visitors are spending record levels during their stay, which helps employ more than 8 million Americans." 

Foreign tourism spending surpassed the previous record year of $103.1 billion in 2000 and was 12 percent higher than in 2004. The number of foreigners visiting the United States increased 7 percent last year to 49.4 million, Commerce said. 

Foreign spending on travel-related U.S. goods and services tumbled in the months and years after the September 2001 attacks, hitting a low of $80 billion in 2003. 

U.S. travelers spent $95.1 billion last year on foreign travel-related goods and services, up 6 percent from 2004. 

The United States ran a $9.7 billion trade surplus in the travel category last year, Commerce said.


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## hkskyline

The Scotsman
March 8, 2006
*Why green is the new tartan for tourism in Scotland*

GREEN tourism is the key to the Scottish Executive's plans to expand the industry by 50 per cent over the next decade, it emerged yesterday. 

Patricia Ferguson, the tourism minister, declared that by 2015 every tourism business should be vetted and accredited to be environmentally responsible.

She said: "People come to Scotland for the scenery and clean air. We need to make sure those areas are looked after and maintained. By recognising the importance of environmental issues we can look after them.

"We would like every tourism provider to be a part of the Green Tourism Business Scheme [GTBS]."

The scheme ensures that hotels and tourist attractions conserve energy, recycle waste and look after the local environment, in a bid to attract environmentally conscious customers.

A growth of 50 per cent in the industry would provide around 30,000 extra jobs.

Alan Rankin, the chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Forum, said: "The trend in international tourism is that people are being more responsive to businesses that are ethically responsible.

"We need to market the greenness of Scotland's hotels."

The Executive is also pledging to tackle the skills gap in customer services and kitchen positions by attracting people who want more permanent careers.

If successful, the GTBS initiative will make Scotland the most sustainable tourist destination in Europe.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism Helps Boost European Integration *
World Tourism Organization

MADRID, 10 March 2006 - While tourism can play a major role in European integration, countries need a joint tourism policy to face the continuing tests that confront the industry, according to the 300 delegates meeting at an international conference staged by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 1-2 March.

For “Tourism today has to cope with newly emerging large-scale challenges, including terrorism, unpredictable natural disasters or spreading epidemics,” they agreed.

“In order to meet these challenges, as well as increased competition from emerging regions, European countries have to make a concerted effort to formulate a European tourism policy.”

This was one of the main conclusions of a conference, dealing with the “Impact of the European Union Enlargement on tourism development in Europe” following the adhesion of 10 new countries in May 2004, which was attended by four Lithuanian ministers, led by premier, Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas.

With Europe being the largest inbound and outbound regional tourist market, accounting for more than 50% of worldwide tourist arrivals and receipts, “the tourism sector is not only a generator of wealth and a major contributor to European GDP but it is also closely interrelated with other economic and social aspects,” delegates agreed.

As such it can “play a major role in European integration, at a time when the construction of the European Union is faced with demanding challenges.”

The publicity surrounding the expansion had brought an image boost and increased visitor numbers for new member states. Tourist destinations had benefited from better transportation, especially with the growth of low-cost airlines.

Border procedures had become simpler for travellers who also gained from the extension of the EU consumer protection framework, including medical care, and an improved service culture.

But among the disadvantages, delegates noted, were skilled tourism personnel leaving the new member states, and the problems arising for a sector dominated by small and micro-size companies in areas such as price competition, delivery, quality and reliability.

Given the importance of emerging markets like China, India and Russia, it was felt that “cumbersome or expensive requirements to obtain visas to enter the EU” had especially penalized some new members, reducing the number of tourist arrivals.

Rural tourism is a sector that is expected to play an increasingly important role in the newer member countries, while modern forms of social tourism should be “a factor of social cohesion” and help “in the fight against exclusion caused by poverty, cultural differences or physical disabilities,” delegates concluded.

With the EU's cohesion policy for 2007-2013 set to support the development of sustainable tourism, it was agreed that the long-term impact of enlargement is likely to further reinforce intra-regional tourism.

New states will benefit from EU transport policy and network development and a common legal framework in areas such as taxes, quality standards and customer protection. At the same time the increased purchasing power in these countries is expected to boost the number of their outbound travellers to other European destinations.

For further information please visit our web and see all presentations and conclusions of the meeting at:

http://www.world-tourism.org/regional/europe/menu.htm


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## hkskyline

*Space tourism companies reaching for the stars *

BERLIN, March 12, 2006 (AFP) - Will our grandchildren spend their vacations on the moon, or their honeymoons in a hotel orbiting Mars? A few dreamers at the International Tourism Fair say space tours for average travelers could come sooner than we think. 

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are rumored to have booked tickets on Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic Spaceship which is due for lift-off in 2010. But experts at the ITB in Berlin said space travel may also one day be within reach for mere mortals. 

"If you have 20 million dollars lying around, there is a spot available in April next year," Dieter Isakeit of the manned flight division of the European Space Agency said, noting the still astronomical cost for amateur astronauts. 

US millionaire Dennis Tito laid down that amount in 2001 to become the first galactic tourist, spending a week on the International Space Station (ISS). 

But few are able to pay such princely sums to realize their dream -- a Japanese man became only the fourth holidaymaker in space last September. 

But more modest -- and radically cheaper -- trips could become available in the foreseeable future. 

Professor Robert Goehlich of Keio University in Yokohama, Japan said that short suborbital flights, which would make it possible to experience a few weightless minutes, could be a reality within 15 years. 

Flights that take passengers into spatial orbit for a few hours could be a niche market in 25 years, he added. 

However the next step, a true holiday in space, is a more distant fantasy, not only for financial reasons. 

A model space hotel on display in Berlin shows that comfort when travelers are afloat in the Milky Way will be hard to find. 

The module, designed for use on the ISS, is comprised of four tiny cabins with berths for couples, a common room and a very basic bathroom. 

Its developer, Dirk Schumann, said the package could be had at a price of two million dollars per person per week. 

The other concern is safety. 

"The Achilles' heel of the shuttles today is that they do not allow the crew to be ejected in case of major damage," German astronaut Ulf Merbold said. 

"The space station is not like a plane in which the cockpit is separate from the passengers' cabin. It is as if people in a hospital could walk in and out of the operating room during a heart operation," Isakeit added. 

And it will also take some time before Mars and Saturn start appearing as destinations in tour catalogues. The length of the journey is so prohibitive that it would take new propulsion technology to make manned travel to the major planets even a remote possibility. 

But for those too impatient to wait, there are options. 

The travel group European Space Tourist is offering four-day trips to the Cosmonaut Training Center at Star City east of Moscow with zero-gravity simulation flights. The experience can be yours for just 5,000 euros (6,000 dollars). 

"The demand is growing all the time," proprietor Thomas Kraus said, saying that companies seeking a unique gift were particularly intrigued. 

Certain inconveniences associated with space, however, will probably never improve. 

European Space Tourist sells food developed by NASA on the Internet including packets of dried fruits. 

The rest, "sounds good on the menu but on the plate it has a gelatinous consistency that is much less appetizing," Goehlich said. 

"This artificial colony on the space station is incredibly lacking compared to the quality of life on earth," Merbold said. 

"There are much more comfortable places than a shuttle to spend a honeymoon" or hold a wedding. "You cannot kiss the bride with a space-suit helmet on."


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## hkskyline

*Tourism a tough sell in Afghanistan, East Timor and Rwanda *

BERLIN, March 12, 2006 (AFP) - Afghanistan, Rwanda or East Timor may not top most holiday destination lists, but the war-scarred countries are now trying to appeal to adventure tourists keen to spy gorillas in the wild, or take a tour led by a former guerrilla. 

Marketing executives at the International Tourism Fair (ITB) in Berlin admitted they faced a challenge selling former conflict zones as vacation spots but said even marginal success could mark a new beginning for the countries. 

"The past is the past and the future is now" reads the slogan on a glossy travel brochure about Rwanda, displayed at a colorful stand staffed by men in flowing African robes. 

Although Rwanda is synonymous for most Europeans with the 1994 massacre in which 800,000 people were killed in the span of 100 days, the country sees tourism, primarily driven by gorilla photo safaris, as a path toward economic redevelopment. 

Meanwhile East Timor, which has a bloody legacy of Indonesian occupation in which more than 100,000 Timorese are believed to have died, is also undergoing a campaign to revamp its image. 

It takes pride in being "the newest country in the world" since voting for independence in 1999 and guerrillas who once fought Indonesian forces are now offering treks into the country's verdant interior complete with vivid combat stories, said Eduardo Massa, director of the country's only tour company, Timor Megatours. 

Massa is a tireless salesman of the country's charms: its coastline "where you are all alone, the beach is all yours", its organic coffee plantations and especially its rich underwater life, perfect for divers. 

About 1,000 tourists per month come looking for a bit of paradise off the beaten track, with Australians, Japanese and French travelers leading the pack. 

According to Massa, they are not put off by the lack of infrastructure and the "very basic" accommodations. 

Afghanistan, however, may be an even tougher sell, plagued as it is by ongoing strife. 

Ulf Amann, a German consultant working on a concept to develop tourism in the central Asian nation, acknowledges "there are very unique conditions" in a country ravaged by 20 years of war, the brutality of the extremist Taliban regime and continued bombing attacks. 

Amann said there is a select target audience ready to consider a trip to Afghanistan, comprised largely of educated people over 40 who have higher than average incomes but are ready to sacrifice a bit of comfort to discover a fascinating country. 

"Yes, I'm who he is talking about," interjected Dieter Krause, a German software engineer visiting the ITB stand. 

Krause said he had visited the country in the 1970s and had fond memories of traveling by camel through ruggedly dramatic landscapes and staying with hospitable locals. 

Amann admits it will take some time before Afghanistan revives the tourism heyday it enjoyed three decades ago. 

Many of its cultural treasures have been obliterated, including the ancient Buddha statues of Bamiyan northwest of Kabul which were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001, although there are a few restoration initiatives. 

A tentative start in organizing tours with foreign travelers has involved two-day excursions from Uzbekistan and in 2005, some 2,200 tourists went to Afghanistan. 

Amann said as soon as an adventurous vanguard paved the way, others would follow. 

Although it will probably take decades before broad-based tours take hold, he said the plan now was to develop two or three safe and attractive destinations in cooperation with clan chiefs who can help guarantee security. 

Tourism could then become a viable source of income for part of a new generation of Afghans. 

"For the moment, there are few real sources of income other than from drugs," he said, referring to the booming poppy industry used to produce heroin. 

"There is investment in education but it is the next generation that will benefit from that."


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## hkskyline

*Multi-country tours promoted as Central America tourism surges *
By KATHIA MARTINEZ
15 March 2006

PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP) - Ten or 20 years ago, mentions of countries like Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala conjured up visions of soldiers and civil war. 

But today Central America has become a tourism hot spot. The isthmus between Mexico and Colombia is better known for its culture and wildlife than its wartorn past. And tourism revenue has surpassed that of most local industries. 

Now regional officials are trying to encourage visitors to experience the region the way Americans have long traveled in Europe -- by taking in several countries in one trip. 

Some 20 companies in Europe, mostly Italy, Spain and Britain, already promote tours of Central America that include visits to multiple countries in the region. And Air Costa Rica and Air Panama are trying to capitalize on the trend by opening two new routes between the Costa Rican capital of San Jose and two popular destinations in Panama. 

Promoting regional tourism is seen as a way of improving other aspects of life in Central America, from the economy to law enforcement to health and education. 

"Tourism is the passport to peace," said Sara Sanchez, Panama's tourism minister. 

The number of visitors coming to Central America has spiked notably in the past two years. In 2004, some 5.7 million people visited the region and spent more than US$4 billion (euro3.35 billion), up 14 percent from 2003. 

Preliminary data indicates that some 6.5 million tourists -- mostly from the United States, Mexico and Canada -- visited Central America last year. 

Nicaraguan Tourism Minister Maria Rivas said the Sept. 11 attacks contributed to the growth. 

"They are coming to destinations that are closer and safer," she said. 

Marcos Gandasegui, whose Ancon Expedition travel agency specializes in nature tours, described the spike after Sept. 11 as an "explosion." He said the appearance of SARS in Asia also encouraged many to turn to Central America for their vacation plans. 

Regional officials say they have been working for years to build up the so-called "industry without smokestacks" by encouraging investment, culture and the development of a regional market. 

"It's not something that grew up unplanned," said Coralia Dreyfus, a tourism official with the Central American Integration System. "It has been something that the seven countries of the region have been working on." 

Still, Gandasegui said the growing industry has forced countries to focus on tourism and related projects, like strengthening infrastructure, health and education in their countries. 

One thing the region doesn't need to develop is its natural resources: pristine beaches, coral reefs, some 900,000 different species of plants and animals, and rich and varied cultures fed by the countries' native Indian heritage, European colonialism and coastal settlements. 

For El Salvador and Guatemala, two countries that survived years of civil conflict, tourism has become the countries' second-largest source of income, after money sent home by migrants living in the United States. 

Last year, 13 years after peace accords ended that country's civil war, 1.1 million people visited El Salvador and spent US$644 million (euro539 million). In Guatemala, where the civil war ended in 1996, 1.3 million tourists visited, spending US$868 million (euro726 million). 

Panama has also worked to build up its tourism industry, converting many of the former U.S. installations turned over with the canal handover in 1999 into restaurants, resorts and even an upscale cruise ship-docking station. The country has been so successful that tourism revenues have risen to US$860 million (euro720 million), surpassed only by revenues from the Panama Canal. 

Nicaragua and Honduras have the smallest number of tourists, with 700,000 and 800,000 annual visitors respectively. But both countries rely heavily on tourism dollars, with Nicaragua seeing US$190 million (euro159 million) from visitors and Honduras with US$500 million (euro418 million) annually. Nicaragua has also just lately begun promoting its tourism industry, and has received lavish coverage in many top travel publications aimed at affluent Americans. 

Costa Rica is the region's granddaddy in the industry, especially eco-tourism. Last year, 1.6 million people spent US$1.5 billion (euro1.26 billion) hiking its cloud forests, touring its volcanos, sunning on its beaches and observing its famous wildlife. 

---------- 

Associated Press reporters Marcos Aleman in El Salvador; Freddy Cuevas in Honduras; Marianela Jimenez and Tatiana Lopez in Costa Rica and Juan Zamorano in Panama contributed to this report. 

---------- 

If You Go ... 

COUNTRIES IN THE REGION: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. 

MAJOR AIRLINES FLYING TO CENTRAL AMERICA: Delta, Iberia, Taca, United Airlines, US Airways, Mexicana, American Airlines, Martin Air, Continental Airlines, Cubana de Aviacion, Avianca, Sol Air. 

REGIONAL TOURISM WEB SITES: 

http://www.enjoycentralamerica.com

http://www.visitcentroamerica.com


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## hkskyline

*Indian Kashmir weeds out pollution to clean-up tourism jewel *

SRINAGAR, India, March 24, 2006 (AFP) - Indian Kashmir is stepping up efforts to save its watery jewel ringed by Himalayan peaks, Dal Lake, from pollution that threatens to turn it into a weed-clogged swamp just as tourists return to the revolt-hit region. 

Cleaning up the lake, state officials say, is vital to tourism as visitors slowly venture back to Kashmir amid peace moves by India and Pakistan to end their half-century dispute over the territory that both claim. 

The region's High Court this month asked the Lakes and Waterways Authority, which tends water bodies in Kashmir, to demolish hotels, houses and restaurants around the lake which have been declared as "illegal and hazardous". 

"We will take every step needed to protect the lake," says Tariq Hamid, the state's forest minister. 

The lake -- famed for its brightly hued, ornately carved cedar houseboats bearing names like "New Australia" and "Telaviv" -- has already shrunk by more than half to 11 square kilometres (4.2 square miles) in the past two decades and is becoming choked by weeds. Its depth has decreased by 12 meters (40 feet) in the same period. 

"These hotels on the shores must go. They are the biggest polluters of the lake," says Manzoor Ahmed, a Srinagar resident. 

The pollution is sometimes so bad it turns the normally blue coloured lake into a brackish green as effluent from hotels and houses on the shores is flushed into the lake water. 

Ironically it is also the lake's 1,400 houseboats -- which during colonial times housed the British who were forbidden by Kashmir's princely ruler to own land -- that are among the chief offenders in discharging waste into the water. 

The government is setting up six sewage treatment areas along the lake that are expected to control pollution to a large extent. 

At one time, the region was known as "paradise on earth" for its many lakes and mountains that drew tens of thousands of visitors a year. But in 1989 a revolt against Indian rule erupted and the tourist flow slowed to a trickle as the insurgency has claimed more than 44,000 lives. 

But since India and Pakistan began a peace process two years ago, tourists have started returning with more than 600,000 in 2005, almost double the previous year and the highest since the insurgency began. 

The state government and tourist operators expect those numbers to grow if the peace process remains on track. 

However, Islamic militants routinely detonate car bombs and attack Indian security posts throughout Kashmir and in Srinagar resulting in an average of three to four people killed daily. 

But violence has declined compared to two years ago when eight to ten people were killed daily and the area around Dal Lake has remained relatively peaceful. 

Besides the violence, there are other obstacles to overcome to save the lake fed by springs and two higher altitude water bodies. For instance, during the rainy months in summer, silt from the mountains stripped of trees by heavy logging seeps into the lake. 

But the government is taking action. 

"We're also acquiring sophisticated multi-purpose dredgers to clear the lake of mud and silt," says forest minister Hamid. 

On court orders, forest department officials have felled some 80,000 trees growing in the lake and must cut 500,000 more, says senior government forest officer Zahoor Jan. 

The trees shed leaves into the water which decompose and pollute the lake. 

Cutting down the trees in the water "will definitely help in cleaning the lake", says scientist Shafiq-ur-Rehman, a professor at Sheri Kashmir agriculture and research university. 

In addition to the houseboats where some 7,500 people live, another 50,000 people live on little islands within the lake area. 

"The lake's environmental deterioration can be attributed rightly to human settlements within and near the lake," Rehman says. 

Brightly coloured floating vegetable gardens have also become big sources of contamination. Dal Lake's floating gardens on rafts made of reeds make it one of the Indian Kashmir's biggest vegetable producing areas. 

"Pesticides used by farmers find their way into the lake, causing colossal damage to its fauna and flora," observes Rehman. 

Shafat Hussain of the local chapter of environmental group Greenpeace says the court's intervention is making things happen fast. 

"For the first time it seems authorities are really serious in cleaning the lake," Hussain adds.


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## hkskyline

*Rural Tibetans taste sugarplum of tourism *
27 March 2006
Xinhua's China Economic Information Service

LHASA, March 27 (CEIS) -- More and more rural Tibetans, who traditionally live on farming and husbandry, have found a new way to shake off poverty - catering for the tourists swarming into the autonomous region. 

More than 30,000 Tibetan farmers took part in catering services in 2005 with each earning an average of 2,000 yuan (250 U. S. dollars) more than previous year, according to a press release from the regional tourism bureau on March 24. 

The Bureau said about 300 rural Tibetan families are leading a better life than ordinary Tibetans thanks to the lucrative tourism in Tibet, where the average annual income per person was around 2,000 yuan in 2005. 

In Tibet's vast rural areas, traditional industries are considerably hindered by a low level of productivity and vulnerability to environmental pollution, said Tibet's Vice-Chairman Losang Jamcun. 

Tourism should be a significant part of the rural economy and a fast way to increase the income of rural citizens, said the vice chairman. 

With Tibet's booming tourism industry, more tourists will branch out to the vast farms and pastures, enabling more rural Tibetans to moonlight as caterers, said Bagzho, director of the tourism bureau. 

Bagzho said with his bureau's support, nearly 20,000 rural Tibetans had offered services to tourists in the past four years. 

In 2006, the director said, the bureau will continue with such support and pledges to incorporate 100 to 200 new rural households into the industry. 

The local tourism is bound to mushroom after the Qinghai-Tibet railway begins test runs in July, which will bring more benefits to those rural caterers, he said.


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## hkskyline

*Africa and Asia prepare for influx of eclipse tourists *

NIAMEY, March 27, 2006 (AFP) - From west Africa to central Asia, a handful of countries are gearing up for an unprecedented wave of stargazing visitors as thousands of amateur and professional astronomers head for the world's best spots to view Wednesday's solar eclipse. 

An area spanning 14,500 kilometres (9,000 miles), from Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger and Libya, to Greece, Turkey, Georgia, southern Russia and Kazakhstan, will see the moon completely cover the sun for several minutes on March 29. 

Some countries have gone to great lengths to attract tourists and scientists, with special installations and over-the-top claims for viewing conditions. 

The Libyan authorities have pulled out all the stops, granting astronomers normally hard-to-come-by tourist visas and giving them special permission to bring their equipment into the country. 

The north African nation is to dedicate its air and sea ports to the arrival of eclipse lovers from 47 countries, including Americans, Britons and French but excluding Israelis, tourism official Shaban al-Taeb told AFP. 

Tent villages with a capacity for 7,000 people, described as "luxuriously equipped", have been put up in the desert to accommodate the tourists. 

The authorities claim the country offers the best conditions for observing the eclipse, which will be visible for seven minutes in Libya. 

The total eclipse will be visible from some of Turkey's biggest tourist areas, including the Mediterranean coast and Cappadocia. 

Authorities there claim their country offers the best likelihood of clear skies and optimal weather conditions for the eclipse. "Unlike in Libya, there is no risk of sandstorms," said Attila Ozguc, head of astronomy at Istanbul's Kadillia research centre. 

Many hotels in the region are already fully booked for March 29, with most of the bookings coming from American and Japanese eclipse-chasers. 

The Greek island of Kastellorizo in the southeastern Aegean Sea, the only place in Europe where the total eclipse can be seen, is expected to be overrun with visitors. 

Around 1,000 visitors are expected to descend on the tiny island and local authorities have increased ferry boat services from the neighbouring island of Rhodes, the sole point of contact between Kastellorizo and the Greek mainland. 

A total eclipse of the sun has in many cultures traditionally been seen as a harbinger of disaster. 

One of Niger's seniormost Muslim figures has called on Muslims to organise group prayers, warning that eclipses are traditionally "a call to order". 

But if its supernatural effects are as yet unproved, one thing that is certainly harmful about a solar eclipse is its effect on eyes -- even where the eclipse is only partial. 

In Togo, where the last total eclipse was in 1947, people have rushed to take up a government offer of protective glasses. 

Wednesday morning has been declared a national holiday in Togo, where more than 700,000 pairs of protective glasses had already been sold by March 18, according to Population Minister Kanny Sokpoh-Diallo. 

In Niger and Ghana, special committees have been set up to inform the public of the dangers of viewing the eclipse through the naked eye. 

In 1,433 Ghanaian towns and villages sirens will go off for the two to three minutes of the total eclipse to warn people without protective glasses to keep their eyes closed.


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## hkskyline

*Mexico Proves a Role Model for Rapid Recovery *
World Tourism Organization

MEXICO CITY/CANCUN, MEXICO, 28 March 2006 - The rapid recovery programme carried out in Mexico´s leading Caribbean resorts after the devastation caused by Hurricane Wilma last year should be used as a blueprint for other tourism regions facing similar catastrophes says World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli.

Following a visit to some of the worst-affected areas around Cancun, Mr Frangialli said: “Getting these resorts back into action so quickly after such a destructive hurricane is a credit to the combined efforts of both public and private sectors in Mexico.

“With climate change increasingly threatening the livelihood of the tourism industry, the speed and efficiency shown in the recuperation of these resorts is worthy of being a role model to be followed by other destinations around the world.”

During a fact-finding tour to Mexico in which he promised UNWTO’s continuing support in assisting in the recovery efforts, Mr Frangialli said that despite Wilma’s lashing of the Caribbean coast in October the number of foreign tourists to Mexico had managed to rise to almost 22 million and their spending to 12 billion US dollars.

The vigour shown in restoring the damage to the country’s leading resort area was recognized barely a month after the hurricane struck in a resolution approved at the UNWTO General Assembly in Senegal, a copy of which he presented to Mexican President Vicente Fox.

As a result Mexico had joined a special group created at the assembly and chaired by France to draw up a joint plan to prepare for and offer management guidelines for future crises that may affect the industry. Among these was the threat of a global avian flu pandemic, Mr Frangialli told the president.

On his visit to Cancun, during which he was accompanied by the Mexican Under-Secretary for Tourism Francisco Madrid and UNWTO’s Regional Representative for the Americas Carlos Gutierrez, Mr Frangialli held talks with the Governor of Quintana Roo state and officials from the city as well as nearby hurricane-affected communities on the Riviera Maya, Cozumel and the Islas Mujeres islands.

He also met with representatives of the media and the private tourism sector on a tour that included several of the restored beach areas.

“It was clear to see the impressive progress that has already been made, demonstrating that Cancun and Mexico’s other Caribbean destinations have made a speedy recovery in restoring the levels of quality and services that have made this one of the world’s leading tourist destinations,” he said.

Latest tourism figures for the region show an average 83 per cent occupation of the 53,000 hotel beds. While refurbishment continues at Cancun airport, terminal 1 is completely operative for scheduled and charter flights and all main roads in the area have been reopened to traffic.


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## hkskyline

Source: World Tourism Organization; International Monetary Fund

Tourism demand depends above all strongly on the economic conditions in major generating markets. When economies grow, levels of disposable income will usually also rise. A relatively large part of discretionary income will typically be spent on tourism, in particular in the case of emerging economies. A tightening of the economic situation on the other hand, will often result in a decrease or trading down of tourism spending.

In general, the growth of international tourism arrivals significantly outpaces growth of economic output as measured in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In years when world economic growth exceeds 4 per cent, the growth of tourism volume tends to be higher. When GDP growth falls below 2 per cent, tourism growth tends to be even lower. In and GDP at 3.5 per cent, i.e. tourism grew on average 1.3 times faster than GDP. the period 1975-2000 tourism increased at an average rate of 4.6 per cent a year.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism Earnings Drop by Half in Zimbabwe *
Thursday March 30, 6:54 am ET

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) -- Tourism earnings in Zimbabwe dropped by half last year, the state tourism authority said Thursday, exacerbating an acute hard currency shortage as the country suffers through its worst economic crisis since independence.

The authority's annual report blamed the tourism slump on soaring domestic inflation, currently the world's highest at 783 percent, gasoline shortages and "negative publicity" abroad about Zimbabwe's problems.

Tourism, which was the third largest hard currency earner after tobacco exports and mining, brought in just US$98 million (euro81 million) in 2005, compared to US$198 million (euro165 million) in 2004. Foreign visitors accounted for 13 percent of tourism revenues last year, the report said. The balance was made up by local tourists who could no longer afford to travel abroad.

The report also noted, however, that tourism in Africa as a whole declined by 11 percent last year, with foreign arrivals down 39 percent.

The Harare Sheraton Hotel lowered its brand flag and logo on Wednesday and handed over control of its luxury towers, a landmark on the capital city's western skyline, to the state-controlled Rainbow Tourism group.

A 20-year management contract with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, owners of the Sheraton Hotel brand, expired Dec. 31 and was not renewed by "mutual agreement," Starwood said.

Zimbabwe's agriculture-based economy went into free fall after an increasingly authoritarian President Robert Mugabe in 2000 ordered the often violent seizures of thousands of white-owned commercial farms.


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## hkskyline

*Brazilian police detain tourists in operation to curb 'sex tourism' *
By TALES AZZONI 
1 April 2006

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Cracking down on visitors who come to Brazil for sex, police raided clubs known for using call girls and strippers, detaining 118 foreigners early Saturday to discourage what authorities called "sexual tourism." 

The tourists -- mostly from Portugal, Spain, Italy, France and Norway -- were briefly held in the northeastern city of Natal for not carrying passports or international identification cards that Brazil requires of all foreigners, police said. They were fined $76 and released. 

Luiz Pereira, a federal police officer, said the country hoped the operation "will help discourage tourists who think sexual tourism is easy in Brazil." 

"We are showing that police are paying attention to this problem," he said. 

More than 70 federal agents raided two nightclubs known for using strippers and call girls to attract tourists, Pereira said. Police detained 118 tourists in the raids in Natal, 1,520 miles northeast of Sao Paulo, he said. 

Prostitution is legal in Brazil, but people who promote sex tourism can be charged. 

Some of the detained had expired visas and were ordered to leave the country within eight days, police said. 

Police have conducted similar operations in recent months in Natal. In one raid, six Italian men were arrested on charges of owning prostitution houses aimed at tourists.


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## hkskyline

*INTERVIEW-Maldives GDP shrinks for first time in 2005 *
By Simon Gardner 

COLOMBO, April 5 (Reuters) - The Maldives' economy shrank by 3.4 percent in 2005 -- the first contraction since records began in the mid-1970s -- after Asia's tsunami pounded the tourist industry, the island chain's foreign minister said on Wednesday. 

However, Ahmed Shaheed forecast that gross domestic product (GDP) -- which had expanded by 6.0 percent in 2004 to $650 million -- would rebound with a sharp 10-11 percent expansion this year as tourists returned to the country's luxury resorts. 

"We had a contraction of 3.4 percent (in 2005)," Shaheed told Reuters in a telephone interview from the island cluster's capital of Male. "The tourism figures speak for themselves. We were down some 40 percent from the previous year. That accounts by and large for the contraction." 

"We were lucky to have tourism rebound towards the end of the year. Without that it would have been far worse," he said. 

Tourist arrivals fell to around 385,000 in 2005 from around 600,000 the previous year -- double the 300,000-strong mostly Sunni Muslim population. 

The pick-up at the end of 2005 has carried over into this year -- Shaheed said the islands' 87 resorts enjoyed average occupancy rates of 95-97 percent in the first quarter of 2006. 

For two decades up until 2004, the Maldives posted average annual growth of around 8.0 percent thanks to tourism. Visitors pay hundreds of dollars a night to stay on tiny lagoon-encircled coral islands that offer some of the world's best scuba diving. 

Luxury tourism is the axis of the economy. 

Spread over 1,200 tiny, mostly uninhabited islands dotted 500 miles (800 km) off the toe of India, the country has little in the way of industry or agricultural production aside from fishing and the islands rely heavily on imports. 

RECONSTRUCTION 

Shaheed said reconstruction of homes and infrastructure damaged by the 2004 tsunami would help boost growth in 2006, but he said reconstruction aid pledged in the wake of the disaster was $150 million short. 

"We forecast growth of 10-11 percent this year. Firstly we're coming off a low base, and secondly a lot of reconstruction and repair activities happening after the tsunami will all continue to heighten economic activity," Shaheed said. 

"But we have a reconstruction funding shortfall. Petroleum prices having spiked and stayed quite high for the past eight months have increased the costs of everything, therefore the amount of money required has increased," he added. 

He said the government planned to lease another 35 islands to leisure companies to raise extra revenue to plug a shortfall in a record high government budget of $470 million for 2006. Eleven more hotels are already under construction. 

Some resorts charge upwards of $1,000 a night for glass-floored rooms in small wooden pavilions built on stilts over azure lagoons. 

The government leases the islands on 35-year contracts to major hotel chains like Four Seasons, Banyan Tree and Club Med as well as a host of smaller hotel companies. 

However, the lucrative industry is also a bone of contention in local politics. 

Critics of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, in power since 1978, accuse him of dragging his feet in implementing pledged democratic reforms because trusted aides run several of the resorts in a country where half the population lives in poverty on a dollar a day.


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## hkskyline

*Visitor arrivals in India rise 11 pct in March *

NEW DELHI, April 7 (Reuters) - The number of visitors to India rose by more than 11 percent in March, the government said said on Friday, as a booming economy lured droves of business and leisure travelers. 

Arrivals in the past month stood at 407,446, compared with 367,068 in March last year, with foreign exchange earnings climbing 8.2 percent to $547.17 million, it said in a statement. 

Home to the Taj Mahal, India is running a publicity campaign across world capitals to boost its image as an international travel destination offering jungle safaris, golden sand beaches, heritage maharaja palaces, Buddhist sites and backwater cruises among others. 

In 2005, India attracted just 3.91 million visitors, just a fraction of the total world travelers, government figures showed earlier this month. 

The government has said it is focusing on the growth of hotels, particularly budget hotels to attract more visitors into Asia's third-largest economy. 

Tourism was the third largest net earner of foreign exchange for India with $5.73 billion in 2005, up 20.2 percent over 2004.


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## hkskyline

*Foreign visitors to Japan hit record high in 2005 *
10 April 2006

TOKYO, April 10, 2006 (AFP) - The number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2005 rose 9.6 percent from the previous year to a record 6.73 million thanks to the World Exposition, an industry body said on Monday. 

Some 4.37 million foreigners came to Japan specifically for tourism, up 13.8 percent from the previous year, the Japan National Tourist Organization said in a statement. 

The gains were mainly due to extra foreign visitors who came for the World Exposition in central Aichi prefecture, the government-backed organization said. 

The six-month international showcase of technology which ended in September drew a bigger-than-expected crowd of 22 million visitors from Japan and other countries. 

Japan boosted the numbers by lifting visa requirements for South Koreans and Taiwanese, the tourist organization said. 

South Koreans topped the foreign visitors' list with 1.7 million, up 10.0 percent, followed by Taiwanese at 1.3 million. US visitors were third at 822,000. 

The body also said the number of Japanese who traveled abroad rose 3.4 percent to 17.4 million in 2005, the second highest figure. The record was in 2000, before the global slump in travel following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. 

Japan has launched a drive aimed at drawing 10 million foreign tourists in 2010 compared with 5.73 million in 2003. 

The government has aired television commercials abroad, waived visa requirements and expanded amenities for tourists in a bid to draw foreigners who may be put off by Japan's high prices and language barrier.


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## hkskyline

*French court fines tourism office for racial discrimination *
14 April 2006

MONTPELLIER, France (AP) - A court fined a tourism office in southern France on Friday for complicity in racial discrimination in vacation rentals, in what an anti-racism group hailed as the first such ruling against a government agency. 

Three whistle-blowers from inside the office in Cap d'Agde, on France's Mediterranean coast, brought the case to light in September 2003, saying that about 10 real estate agents had persuaded the office to pull North African-sounding names from its reservation database for the region's popular resorts. 

A criminal court in nearby Beziers fined the office euro20,000 (US$24,000), parties to the case said. Reservations director Viviane Praz was convicted and given a 15-day suspended jail sentence. 

"It's the first time that we've gotten such a penalty for racial discrimination. Until now, fines never topped euro10,000 (US$12,000)," said Samuel Thomas, vice president of advocacy group SOS Racisme, which had been alerted to the discrimination by the whistleblowers. 

"It's also the first time that a public institution has been convicted of racial discrimination," he said, despite repeated lawsuits filed against unemployment offices and public housing providers. 

The verdict comes as France is strengthening its legal arsenal in the fight against racial discrimination -- often cited by immigrants and their children in troubled suburbs where rioting erupted last year. 

France enacted an equal opportunities law this month supporting the use of anonymous resumes to help job seekers avoid discrimination based on foreign-sounding names or addresses in neighborhoods in which many immigrants live. It also permits undercover checks of nightclubs, employment agencies and other establishments for possible discrimination.


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## hkskyline

*Jerusalem enjoys busiest Easter for years *

JERUSALEM, April 16, 2006 (AFP) - Thousands of Christians from around the world attended church services in Jerusalem on Easter Sunday, in the busiest Easter weekend since the start of the Palestinian uprising five years ago. 

Many pilgrims retraced the final steps of Jesus Christ on the Via Dolorosa through the narrow streets of the walled Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, said to be the site of his burial. 

Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, the Vatican's chief representative in the Holy Land, presided over the traditional Easter Day service in the Holy Sepulchre where he prayed for peace among people of all faiths. 

"For all the inhabitants of this land -- Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Druze -- we ask God that the grace of the Resurrection may become a blessing and a source of peace, of protection against all oppression, and of courage to face all the challenges of our difficult life here in this Holy Land," said Sabbah during a mass attended by several thousand worshippers. 

"To the Jewish people who are celebrating Passover, we pray that this feast will be for you and for everyone in this land a source of peace, justice, and reconciliation." 

As Sabbah presided over the mass for Catholic worshippers, followers of the Greek Orthodox church also converged on the Holy Sepulchre as part of their celebrations for Palm Sunday. 

Among the pilgrims who were also marking Palm Sunday were around 2,000 Egyptian Copts who had been allowed to travel to Israel for the first time since the eruption of the uprising in September 2000. 

The Orthodox church marks Easter Sunday a week on from the Catholic faith. 

Members of the Anglican Church celebrated the dawn of Easter Day with a ceremony at the Garden Tomb just outside the Old City, which is believed by some to be the site where Jesus was laid after his crucifixion and then ascended into heaven. 

The Easter week coincides with the Jewish Passover festival, making it one of the busiest times on the tourist calendar for many years. 

A spokesman for the Israeli tourism ministry said around 90,000 foreign visitors had arrived in the country in the last week. 

"It's a 20 percent rise on the numbers from last year and more than we have had in the last five years," she said.


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## hkskyline

*Tourists find strife-torn Nepal is not so tranquil *
By Raju Gopalakrishnan 

KATHMANDU, April 18 (Reuters) - Coming to Nepal for a trek under the shadows of snow-capped Himalayan peaks or to visit ancient temples might not be as tranquil an experience as it may seem, tourists to the kingdom found this week. 

For years, mounting political strife in the country has been consciously kept well clear of foreign visitors because it had nothing to do with them and, more importantly, no one wanted to disrupt the inflow of tourist dollars to the impoverished nation. 

Maoist rebels who have been fighting to overthrow the monarchy for a decade, a campaign that has killed 13,000 people, have made it clear that they will not target tourists. No tourist has been killed. 

And a pro-democracy movement to remove King Gyanendra from absolute power has raged for months with many tourists scarcely aware. 

But on two days this week, there has been tear gas, burning tyres and cane charges in the Thamel tourist quarter of the capital Kathmandu as activists gathered to protest against the royalist government. 

Curio shops, bars and restaurants have been shut for large parts of the day, but they have been quick to reopen once the trouble passed. 

One foreign woman received minor injuries. But on Monday evening, groups of tourists could be seen huddled in alleys outside backpacker hotels, wondering what to do next. 

Travel has been curtailed because of a continuing strike launched on April 6 and food supplies in shops are running short. 

"It's terrible, we can't go trekking, we are stuck here," said Lino Ben Ari, an Israeli woman from the town of Betach Tikva, who was sitting outside a shuttered shop with others. "I am missing out on something. 

"We will take a decision on whether to leave in a couple of days, but if all had been well, we would have stayed for a month," she said. 

This is bad news for Nepal, which relies on tourism, aid and remittances from citizens overseas for foreign exchange. 

Tourist arrivals have fallen from a peak of about half a million in 1999 to 297,000 in 2003 and 277,000 last year. Many fear this year could be worse. 

"Business people are suffering with cancellations and the fall in the number of tourists," said Man Mohan Singh Chhetri, deputy general manager of Asian Trekking, an agency in Thamel. 

As he spoke, his secretary received calls from two trekking groups cancelling their reservations. 

But what keeps businesses like his afloat are mountaineering expeditions, which are planned years in advance and are not easily cancelled. Nepal is home to eight of the world's 10 tallest peaks, including Mount Everest. 

But even here, numbers are dwindling. There were 101 expeditions to the mountains in spring last year, and only 65 this year. 

And trekkers, who can easily postpone their trips, are doing so in large numbers, those in the industry say. 

Thamel, which is usually crowded, has mostly deserted bars and restaurants, and shops selling hiking equipment lie empty. 

There were several empty tables one evening this week at the famed mountaineers' hangout, the Rum Doodle Bar, where anyone who has conquered Everest gets a free meal. 

"Business is terrible," said Kumar Sharma, one of the managers. "We are down 40 percent from last year." 

Still, many hope the industry will receive a fillip in mid-May when Indian school holidays begin. Indian families visit Nepal in droves, for the shopping, sightseeing and casinos. 

Chhetri, of the trekking agency, blamed sensationalist reporting for the situation. 

"The media makes it seem like landing in Kathmandu is like landing in Iraq," he said.


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## hkskyline

*Turkey expects to miss target of 26 mln tourists *

ANKARA, April 17 (Reuters) - Turkish Tourism Minister Atilla Koc said he does not expect Turkey to meet a target of attracting 26 million tourists this year, after arrivals fell 14 percent in the first quarter. "If extraordinary conditions do not emerge, we will exceed 21 million arrivals this year but cannot reach 26 million," he told reporters at the weekend. 

Tourism revenues are a vital source of foreign income for Turkey as it looks to rein in a large current account deficit. 

Koc said he hoped arrivals would pick up from March despite political incidents that hurt Turkey's image in Europe as a peaceful holiday destination. 

"The tourism sector has had some difficulties because of bird flu, the crisis about cartoons (of the Prophet Mohammad) and the killing of the Italian priest," said Koc. 

An outbreak of bird flu killed four people in Turkey at the start of the year, scaring off some tourists. An Italian priest was murdered in Trabzon on the Black Sea coast amid protests against Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. 

"We have put a 25 percent year-on-year growth target in tourist numbers. 

This was an ambitious target I determined counting on neighbouring countries Iran, Israel, Syria and Russia," he said. 

The Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TYD) said two weeks ago that European tourism bookings for summer holidays to Turkey have fallen 40 percent year-on-year due to foreign factors and a strong currency. 

Turkey, with a long coastline and just a short flight from the main European tourist markets, has become a major travel destination in recent years. 

A total of 21.1 million people visited Turkey last year, and the government has said it hopes for more than $20 billion in revenues this year.


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## hkskyline

*Taiwan to let more Chinese tourists visit -premier *

TAIPEI, April 19 (Reuters) - Taiwan's government said on Wednesday it will gradually open its door wider to Chinese tourists, days after Beijing issued new rules allowing authorised group tours to the island it claims as its own. 

Premier Su Tseng-chang said a limit on the number of visitors from its giant neighbour was necessary due to national security concerns and to ensure the quality of their trips. 

"We can't afford not to set any limits. We are not capable of handling 500,000 or 1 million people coming at the same time," state-funded Central News Agency quoted Su as telling a weekly cabinet meeting. 

"The opening process must be step by step. We need to have an open attitude, provided that we have the ability to manage," Su was quoted as saying. 

Taiwan's top China policy-maker, Joseph Wu, said the government would stick to an original proposal of 1,000 Chinese tourists a day, but might raise the ceiling later. 

The tourism rules issued on Sunday continued Beijing's campaign of seeking to win over Taiwanese public opinion by holding out possible investment and trade rewards. 

But it was unclear how soon such tours could start -- the two sides have wrangled over arrangements and political tensions remain high. 

Taiwan's pro-independence government has refused to accept the island belongs to "one China" as a precondition for dialogue. 

Taiwan and China have been split since 1949, when the Nationalists lost a civil war and fled to the island. China has threatened force if the island of 23 million people formally declares independence. 

Both China and Taiwan place tight restrictions on mainland visits to the island. The trickle of mainlanders now able to travel there is tiny compared to the 4.1 million trips to the mainland last year by Taiwanese people, many of them investors. 

Last week, China announced possible aviation, agriculture and finance concessions to Taiwan at an economic forum in Beijing attended by Chinese Communist officials and Taiwan's main opposition party, which favours closer ties with the mainland.


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## hkskyline

*Cuba squabbles with partners over tourism dollar *
By Marc Frank 

HAVANA, April 21 (Reuters) - Cuba is becoming increasingly costly and less profitable for foreign tour operators, some of whom are canceling trips to the island nation and taking people to other Caribbean resorts, industry sources say. 

They say Cuba and tourism companies are increasingly at odds, with the government seeking a greater share of shrinking profits even as the arrival of new visitors stagnate. 

"Tour operators are canceling bookings and flights," a European hotel manager said. "They are making their money from places like the Dominican Republic and Mexico, but nothing from Cuba." 

The Canadian Association of Tour Operators recently complained to the Cuban Ministry of Tourism about the lack of adequate service for tourists, theft at airports and hotels, and jet fuel costing 33 percent more than elsewhere. 

"Rates have become completely uncompetitive with other tourist destinations in the Caribbean," the association said in the letter sent in January and obtained by Reuters. 

Cuba opened up to foreign tourism and investment when the Soviet Union collapsed a decade ago, costing it a key ally and trading partner. 

Tourist arrivals were up just 1 percent in the first two months of 2006, according to the government, while labor and other costs rose due to wage increases and the revaluation of the Cuban currency. 

Canadians are the most numerous at Cuba's beach resorts, followed by Europeans. Few Americans visit the Caribbean island due to the U.S. embargo and travel restrictions. 

Canada accounted for 26 percent of the 2.3 million tourists that visited Cuba in 2005, but the numbers dropped by more than 13,000, or 7 percent, in January and February. 

More and more visitors come from other Caribbean and Latin American countries for medical reasons, particularly eye surgery funded by Venezuela. Foreign private companies play no part in the health travel trade. 

TOURISM LESS IMPORTANT 

In the last two years, preferentially financed oil supplies from Venezuela and a boom in medical and other service exports have eased the pressure on Cuba's treasury, making tourism less vital. 

"The economy is doing a bit better and more revenues are coming in from Venezuelan supported health tourism so the government is less concerned about what foreign businesses think," a Western diplomat said. 

Cuba eliminated the dollar from circulation 18 months ago, replacing it with the locally printed convertible peso, which Havana later revalued by 8 percent. 

"Currency conversions put Canadian-dollar based contracts in Cuba at a disadvantage when compared to other destinations," the letter from the Canadian tour operators said. 

Foreign companies administering and marketing Cuban hotels said they were also being squeezed. 

"At my all-inclusive beach hotel January through March guests and revenues were more or less the same as in 2005, but profits fell 11 percent," said one hotel manager. 

A Havana hotel manager said his profits were down more than 15 percent. 

More than 18,000 of Cuba's 42,000-room hotel capacity are managed and marketed by 10 foreign companies, including Spain's Sol Melia, France's Accor or Jamaica's Super Clubs. 

The foreign companies pay the Cuban state in hard currency for hiring staff, who then are paid by the government in local pesos worth 95 percent less. 

Significant government increases in the local peso minimum wage and all salaries last year have meant hotels pay more convertible pesos to the hiring halls. 

At the same time, the value of the convertible peso was increased by 8 percent against other currencies, further increasing labor and all other costs.


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## hkskyline

*Taiwan hopes to conclude talks on Chinese tourism within months *
2 June 2006

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Taiwan said Friday it hopes to conclude talks on allowing tourists from rival China to visit the island directly within four to five months. 

At present Taiwan only allows Chinese tourists to enter its territory through a third point, usually Hong Kong. 

"There seems to be progress in the talks with the Chinese side," said Joseph Wu, the Cabinet member in charge of relations with China. He did not elaborate. 

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, and Taiwan has since banned direct transportation links between the two sides. 

Wu said the talks with China have focused on practical details including minimum income levels for would-be Chinese tourists and procedures for providing emergency care. 

On a related issue, Wu said Taiwan may raise the daily quota of Chinese visitors to the island to 1,500 from the current threshold of 1,000. 

Any decision to raise the quota will take into account the capacity of the island's hotels and infrastructure, he said. 

Taiwan is also talking to China on regular passenger and cargo charter flights, Wu said, raising the prospect that the current regime of holiday flights could be expanded. 

Taiwan and China offered charter flights for Taiwanese citizens in China during the Lunar Chinese New Year holidays in 2003, 2005, and 2006.


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## hkskyline

*Cambodia awards French group a contract to operate coastal airport to boost tourism *
20 July 2006

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - The government has awarded a French group a contract to upgrade and operate an airport in the coastal town of Sihanoukville in southwestern Cambodia, an official said Thursday. 

The renovated airport, scheduled to be operational early next year, will diversify the destinations tourists can reach by air beyond the famous Angkor temples in the country's northwest, said Deputy Tourism Minister Thong Khon. 

Thong Khon said the government awarded the contract to the Societe Concessionnaire des Aeroports, or SCA, a subsidiary of the French construction group Vinci, quite recently but was unable to say exactly when. 

"So far, tourists coming to Cambodia can only visit Angkor temples while missing our attractive sea beaches," said Thong Khon. "So this airport will become a major link between the beach tourism and the Angkor temples." 

Sihanoukville is also where Cambodia's main seaport is located. 

Vinci, in a statement dated Tuesday, announced it had won a 35-year concession contract to upgrade and operate the airport. 

The investment could reach US$200 million (euro160.23 million) over the concession period, and the airport will contribute "to development of tourism in a still largely untouched coastal region" of Cambodia, said the statement seen on Vinci's Web site on Thursday. 

"Development of an international airport in Sihanoukville is a crucial challenge for the Cambodian economy," it said. 

Sihanoukville has an old airport but it is in a state of disrepair, so until now tourists could visit Sihanoukville's beaches, 185 kilometers (115 miles) southwest of the capital Phnom Penh, only by road. 

Vinci, through SCA, is also currently managing Cambodian airports in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap province, the home to the famed century-old Angkor monuments. 

The tourism industry earns hundreds of millions of dollars (euros) every year for impoverished Cambodia. 

In 2005, Cambodia welcomed 1.4 million tourists, more than half of whom visited the temples in Siem Reap province. 

----- 

On the Net: 

Vinci: http://www.vinci.com/appli/vnc/vncus.nsf/web/homepage.htm


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## hkskyline

*World Tourism Sets Record in 2006 *
By DANIEL WOOLLS 
29 January 2007

MADRID, Spain (AP) - World tourism broke all records in 2006 despite fears over terrorism, bird flu and rising oil prices, the United Nations tourism watchdog reported Monday. A total of 842 million international tourist arrivals were recorded last year, an increase of 4.5 percent, the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization said, citing preliminary data. 

That followed a 5.5 percent jump in 2005. But such strong growth figures are expected to slip in the future, the agency said, citing possible energy tax increases imposed to fight global warming. 

Rising interest rates in some countries, and the impact on household debt, could also take a toll, the report said. 

Africa posted the biggest growth rate in 2006 at 8.1 percent, benefiting from travelers' fears of terrorism elsewhere in the world. 

"Although no destination is immune to terrorist attacks, sub-Saharan Africa in particular is seen as being a long way from the center of zones of tension and unrest," the agency said in a report. 

Africa is also a lure because of its natural resources, including wildlife, and appeal as a place for "authentic" experiences for vacationers, it added. 

Europe and the Middle East both posted growth rates of 4 percent, while Asia and the Pacific saw an increase of 7.6 percent. This strong performance was due "in no small part" to the recovery of Thailand and the Maldives islands from the destruction caused by the December 2004 tsunami, and good showings by countries including Japan and China. 

The region with the weakest growth was the Americas -- just 2 percent -- due mainly to stagnation in arrivals in North America, the WTO said. 

The cheaper U.S. dollar should in theory encourage travelers to head for the United States. But arrivals from western Europe, for instance, fell 3 percent. 

Travel experts cited widespread confusion in long-haul markets over U.S. visa and passport requirements for foreign visitors, the WTO report said. 

However, the United States remained the world's top tourism destination by revenue, followed by France and Spain.


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## skyscraperboy

Malaysia tops holiday poll

Malaysia has been voted as the best holiday destination in the world for 2006.

A poll of Global Traveller Magazine readers in the US put the south-east Asian country at the top of the list, which is good news for the country as it enters into 2007.

Malaysia's tourist board has launched a huge campaign as part of Visit Malaysia Year 2007 and officials are delighted that their message is getting through.

'Naturally, Tourism Malaysia is proud to receive the award which also confirms that our pre-publicity for the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 was a success,' said Azizan Noordin, Tourism Malaysia advertising director in Kuala Lumpur.

'Our media and advertising efforts are paying dividends now. The award is also testimony that Malaysia is now making a mark in the international arena.'

In total, 13,653 people took part in the survey and the result surprised many tourism experts.

Malaysia has long been a very popular tourist destination, but rarely tops polls carried out in America.

Other destinations that ranked well in the survey were Singapore, Hong Kong, Italy, Indonesia, Hawaii, Thailand, South Africa, Fiji and Australia.


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## hkskyline

*Spectacular Colombian island in tourism battle *
By Hugh Bronstein 

ISLA BARU, Colombia, Feb 20 (Reuters) - To visitors, it is a paradise of white beaches and brilliant blue waters, but Colombia's Isla Baru has been scarred by a long fight for control between Afro-Colombian residents and hotel developers. 

Armed security guards, paid by the government and private business groups, this month fired around the feet of locals trying to plant fields on contested property worth millions of dollars near the booming Caribbean coast tourist city of Cartagena. 

No one was wounded but residents are scared. "Now we know they have orders to shoot at us, we're afraid for our lives," said Carlos Rincon, a farmer. "This is getting worse." 

What local media have dubbed "The Battle for Baru" started in the 1970s when the government says it bought 300 hectares from business groups that say they still hold 200 hectares. 

Together they have drawn up plans for a luxury resort and want to start building. 

But the Afro-Colombian descendants of slaves who say they hold land titles dating back to the 1590s insist the purchase documents were falsified and that they never sold to anyone. 

For years, residents have periodically tried to push back into areas they once controlled before being chased out again. 

Manuela Miranda says she was detained in 1995 and flown to the capital Bogota where she was interrogated for two days in a hotel room and forced to sign papers saying she had sold her papaya farm 

"They said they would take me up to the top of Monserrate and shoot me," she said, referring to a mountain peak that overlooks Bogota. "I ended up signing out of fear." 

Miranda never gave up her land though, and says she filed a complaint with authorities despite notes placed under the door of her home telling her to keep quiet. 

NO WINNERS 

Neither side has won. The developers have been unable to build their hotels, and Isla Baru is mired in poverty. 

The island traditionally lives from fishing and tropical fruits but most families have shabby homes, schools are poorly equipped, women carry water to their homes in buckets on their heads, and there are very few jobs. 

"We'd like to get to the beach to fish but the guards won't let us through," said Sergio Morales, a father of four. "That's how we always fed our families before this conflict began." 

The attorney general's office last year declined a government request to bring invasion of property charges against the locals, leaving the case at a standoff. 

Oscar Rueda, Colombia's deputy minister for commerce, industry and tourism, says those who claim land rights must stop confronting security guards and take their case to court. 

"They are attempting to invade," he told Reuters. "If you legally own a house you don't come at night with a group of friends and try to take over the property. You file a legal claim to get your house back." 

Island residents say documents from the mayor's office in Cartagena prove the property is theirs. 

"If the national government and the conglomerates want to contest that decision then they are the ones that must appeal in court," said their lawyer, Alvaro Luna. 

A Reuters reporter was stopped by guards on the road to Baru's best beach, Playa Blanca, and forbidden to pass. 

Nearby, Morvil Rocha lives in a metal shack close enough to what he claims is his land to watch security guards strolling through the wasting orange groves he once tended. 

Families being pushed from their homes is nothing new in Colombia, where more than 3 million people have been displaced by decades of guerrilla war driven by the cocaine trade. 

"We're willing to sell but we've never seen an offer," said Carmen Garcia, the owner of a small group of huts that serves as Playa Blanca's only hotel. "People are displaced in Colombia all the time, but by the war. This time it's by tourism.


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## neil

This thread is GREAT!!


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## hkskyline

*FEATURE-No early harvest in China's rural tourism push *
By Ben Blanchard 

UPPER JIDAO, China, Feb 28 (Reuters) - A crystal river, lush fields, forest views and gentle village life should be all the ingredients Upper Jidao needs to attract tourists to this little piece of paradise in the world's most populous nation. 

But hopes that tourism would boost this picturesque village in China's poor southwestern province of Guizhou have yet to come to fruition as the expected flood of rich Chinese tourists and foreign visitors has turned out to be little more than a trickle. 

"We lack the infrastructure, the basic facilities. We need to build toilets, places for people to stay," said Pan Shengfu, the recently elected village head, standing in one of the narrow alleys that criss-cross the village. 

"Visitors have high standards," he explained. 

The village is at the heart of government efforts to raise rural incomes -- a third of the urban average -- by encouraging tourism in the vast countryside. 

Rural issues, especially how to boost farmers' livelihoods, are likely once again to be in focus at this year's annual meeting of parliament, which opens in early March. 

Places like Upper Jidao are at the heart of a government bid to revitalise rural China, left behind by an economic boom that has brought great wealth to many cities in China. 

In recent years the rural tourism concept of "nong jia le" -- meaning "peasant family happiness" -- has taken off in more developed tourist areas like Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. 

Last year, Guizhou earned some 38 billion yuan ($4.9 billion) from tourism and played host to around 47 million tourists, up by more than 50 percent from 2005, according to government figures. An estimated 10 percent of that came from "village tourism". 

HIGH HOPES 

At Upper Jidao, a village populated by ethnic Miao people, children play as their parents tend fields of lush, organically grown vegetables surrounded by towering pine forests. 

Elderly women stoke fires in traditional wooden houses, some hundreds of years old. In the distance, a cow grazes. 

The idyllic village and the Bala River region in which it sits was chosen for official tourist development in 2002. 

Partly funded by the World Bank, foreign consultants were brought in to train villagers, English language signs were hung up and money was doled out. 

Residents had high hopes that villagers, forced by poverty to leave for jobs in richer parts of China would return to Upper Jidao to work as tour guides, or run guest houses. 

"We hoped everyone would be able to come home to help out," said village elder Pan Nianwu. "It hasn't developed as quickly as we had hoped," he added sadly. 

Villagers welcome tourists to stay the night, in sparse but clean guest rooms, for just 10 yuan ($1.30) a person. 

Yet the lack of bathrooms and extremely basic toilets have put many off, they say. 

Still, the village looks tidy, and pigs are generally hidden away in sties under houses. 

"I ask them what's changed in the village since opening up to tourism, and the usual response is 'things are much cleaner here'," said Jenny Chio, a University of California doctoral student researching tourism and development in southwest China. 

"I think that's been a really positive benefit. What remains is that they need tourists now," she added. 

Villagers estimate they received no more than a few thousand yuan from tourism last year, and much of that concentrated during the "golden week" holidays -- Lunar New Year, Labour Day in May and National Day in October -- started by the government to spur consumer spending. 

"There's no regularity to the tourism income. It's more like a tip than a direct income. This is a big problem," said Chio. 

HELP THE FARMERS 

The rural tourism project has attracted support from the top echelons of power in Beijing. 

The magazine Seeking Truth, the Communist Party's ideological journal, last month carried a long piece by National Tourism Administration head Shao Qiwei praising the idea, and recognising its potential importance for boosting the incomes of hundreds of millions of farmers. 

"We must vigorously develop village tourism, putting into force the guiding principle of 'using tourism to help the farmers', to push the development of the new socialist countryside," Shao wrote. 

Few places need the help more than Guizhou. It is so poor, mountainous and remote that there is a saying in China that the three things you'll never come across there are three days of sun, three acres of flat land and three grams of silver. 

Chen Qin, 27, a member of Upper Jidao's tourism committee, is optimistic about the village's chances. 

"Look at other villages. There has been a large improvement in their lives because of tourism," she said, dressed in a traditional, colourful Miao embroidered jacket. 

Upper Jidao is getting 500,000 yuan in aid over the next three years from Ningbo, a city in the affluent eastern coastal province of Zhejiang, to improve its infrastructure. 

"We can drink the water here, but if people come we're going to need flushing toilets," Chen added. "We are preparing." ($1=7.751 Yuan) (Additional reporting by Kitty Bu)


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## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Marrakesh in two minds over tourism boom *

MARRAKESH, Morocco, Feb 28 (Reuters Life!) - With its snake charmers, storytellers and palm trees against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, Marrakesh was once an offbeat destination for rich or adventurous Europeans. 

Now hotels, holiday homes and golf courses are transforming the ancient city into a mass tourism destination, leaving some residents fearing the development may be too much, too fast. 

"Tourism brings only illnesses and social deviance," said one young man in a recent survey of local attitudes. 

"You're wrong," interrupted his mother. "It is thanks to these people that we have bread to eat." 

The government wants to double the number of tourists to Morocco to 10 million per year by 2010. Last year it approved investment projects around Marrakesh worth over $2 billion. 

The aim is to divert some of Europe's wealth and narrow a glaring wealth gap. 

Marrakesh may be only an hour by plane from Spain's Costa del Sol but it lies in a country that last year ranked 123rd out of 177 in the U.N. Human Development Index, which measures such factors as child mortality and health care. 

The city's population has doubled in two decades as droughts led to a gradual exodus from the surrounding countryside. 

Tourists are drawn to the old medina's narrow streets where mules and scooters jostle just yards from the trickling fountains of shaded traditional riad courtyard homes. 

But veiled women sit begging near marble-clad riad hotels that cost up to 3,000 dirhams ($350) per night. Security guards are posted at the doors of new shopping malls. 

Foreigners have bought and restored more than 1,000 riads in the medina, creating much-needed work for local craftsmen but also forcing house prices up five-fold in 10 years. 

Some tourists flout travel advice and dress scantily, or sunbathe on their hotel terraces, shocking the local women hanging out their washing. 

Ageing European men can be seen socialising with young Moroccan women in the city's night clubs, stirring suspicions that sex tourism is growing. 

Europeans complain of being hassled to buy gifts -- without realising competition is fierce. One purchase could feed a shopkeeper's family for days. 

RESPECT 

Morocco's moderate Islamists, tipped to do well in parliamentary elections this year, say they would not reverse the government's tourism drive if elected. 

But they say European tourists and home-buyers must respect local customs and pay decent wages to Moroccan employees. 

"Some foreign residents took maids and security guards but did not pay them proper wages, just giving them old clothes and a few coins -- they saw luxury at a low cost," said Younes Bensliman of the Islamist Justice and Development Party. 

Local activists say poverty and the breakdown of family ties leave many young people vulnerable to exploitation: newspapers have written of street orphans lured with gifts to houses where they were abused and filmed by foreigners. 

"It's a growing phenomenon," Adil Abdellatif of Moroccan human rights group AMDH. "There are cases we know about but we know there are others. It's the tip of the iceberg." 

Police have told worried locals that child sex tourism is not widespread and the situation is under control. 

Little escapes the authorities because of Morocco's traditional network of "moqaddems" -- government agents who keep a close eye on local life and pay car park attendants and cigarette sellers for information. 

In over 80 cases of child sexual abuse documented in Marrakesh since mid-2004 by the association "Ne touche pas a mon enfant" (Don't Touch My Child), eight involved foreigners, Abdellatif said. 

WELCOMING 

Many Marrakshis hotly deny they are swallowing their pride for the sake of tourist dollars and say they want visitors not just for their wallets but for the diversity they bring. 

Unlike the more conservative cities of Rabat and Fez, Marrakesh has a tradition of welcoming strangers. 

When the trans-Saharan caravan routes were still in use, it was a gateway to the south and in Djamaa El Fnaa square, peasants from the Atlas, Souss and Draa rubbed shoulders with Senegalese traders, Touaregs and Saharan "Blue Men". 

The biggest change is taking place on the edge of town where leisure developments, swimming pools and lush lawns are spreading across the arid terrain. 

Five golf courses have been built and developers have asked for permission to lay out another 10. With a new town, Tamansourt, due to house 300,000 people, farmers are worrying about dwindling water supplies. 

Local officials say new dams under construction will capture enough water from the melting Atlas snows to feed the growing city. French-owned water company Lydec is building an 800-million-dirham ($95 million) plant to recycle used water that once spilled into the river and polluted the water table. 

Farmers often waste half the water they use for irrigation and are being helped to invest in more efficient modern technology, said Abdelaziz Belkeziz, regional inspector at the ministry for land settlement, water and environment. 

Officials say well-managed development could transform the lives of struggling families, but conversations with residents betray a sense of disquiet. 

"It makes me uneasy when I see luxury hotels opening in poor parts of the medina," said Frenchwoman Laetitia Trouillet, who makes fashion accessories and organises tourist shopping trips. 

Some Moroccans say foreigners aren't the only ones to blame. 

"What shocks many Marrakshis, including myself, is the way some rich Moroccans splash their wealth around," said Fouad Chafiqi, a local academic and development consultant.


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## hkskyline

*Terror will not affect India's tourism-lobby group *

NEW DELHI, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Terror attacks in India will not deter tourists from visiting the country as it has emerged as a major global tourist destination, Peter de Jong, president and CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), said on Thursday. 

PATA is the biggest coalition of travel and tourism companies in Asia-Pacific. 

India has witnessed a string of terror attacks on trains and public places in the recent past. 

The latest attack on Sunday was on a train -- the Samjhauta Express , which connects the Indian capital New Delhi to the Pakistani city of Lahore -- which killed 68 people. 

"I don't -- as a consumer, let's say -- don't associate India at all with that kind of a threat," Jong told Reuters on the sidelines of the launch of a tourism report on India. 

"I think India is seen in a very positive light and particularly in a culturally diverse light". 

Despite lingering terror threats, particularly in key tourist destinations, visitors to India have increased. 

About 4.4 million tourists visited India last year, which is around 13 percent more than in 2005, government data showed. 

Foreign exchange earnings from tourism rose 23.2 percent on year to $822.5 million in December and analysts say there is tremendous potential for growth. 

Jong said India had the potential of being a leader in tourism if it urgently tackled problems in infrastructure, aviation and hygiene where it is lagging behind other Asian destinations. 

"Between the growth potential and the growth realised, there is a margin that could be narrowed if initiatives were taken by the government and the industry together ... to bridge the gap," he said. 

Best known on the world tourist map as home to the Taj Mahal, India has been running a campaign to woo tourists to its grand palaces, golden beaches, ancient temples and wildlife sanctuaries.


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## Stratosphere 2020

*Aruba Announces Over $350M in Tourism Investments Including Airport, Cruise & Hotel Developments *


Aruba is enjoying significant developments throughout its tourism sector in 2007 with over $350 million in investments encompassing nearly every aspect of the travel industry. The changes to the tourism infrastructure include noteworthy upgrades at Queen Beatrix International Airport, the opening of a brand-new private jet terminal, remarkable advancements at the island’s cruise facilities, impressive expansions and renovations at many hotels and resorts and more. 

Below is a list of developments underway in Aruba: 

Aruba Airport Authority - Investments totaling over $35 million started at Queen Beatrix International Airport in 2006 and are underway through 2010. Improvements include:
- The opening of the first-ever private jet terminal (FBO) happened in January 2007. Customs and immigrations are available. Coming soon are a cafeteria, duty free stores, hotel and car rental outlets and more. 
- Installation of four elevators. 
- New central security area. 
- Expanded runway and taxiway. 

Cruise Terminal Facility and Marina
- Renovations underway at one of the three cruise terminals. 
- Cargo and loading docks being moved from Oranjestad to Barcadera, Aruba. 
- Former cargo areas will undergo multi-million dollar waterfront redevelopment expected to begin late 2007. Area to be transformed into waterfront marina that will include residential, retail and commercial components. 

Hotels and Resorts – Aruba’s hotels and resorts are experiencing hundreds of millions in major investments. 
- Occidental Grand Aruba - Finalized $24 million in investments and reopened in May 2006 as the island’s first luxury all-inclusive product. 
- Westin Aruba Resort –Undertaking ten of millions in renovations and has been officially reflagged from the former Wyndham Aruba. 
- RIU Aruba Grand – The Spanish hotel chain purchased the Aruba Grand and closed it for a $120 million facelift and expansion. When completed the hotel will open with 451 rooms, nearly triple the original 171 rooms. 
- Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino opened its $5.2 million, 13,000-square-foot oceanfront Larimar Spa in November 2006. 
- Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino – After a $40 million upgrade, the resort will boast a new lobby, upgraded rooms and more. 
- Divi Resorts – Notable investments of well over $50 million are being made at Divi Resorts throughout Aruba. Changes include new rooms, villas, timeshare product and more. 
- Bushiri Beach Resort – Spanish resort giant, Sol Melia is finalizing the purchase of the 153-room resort and has plans to expand the property to approximately 450 rooms. 

New Airlift –
- Delta Airlines – New Sunday flight from JFK as of February 18. 
- JetBlue Airlines– Daily, non-stop flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and second Saturday, non-stop flight. 
- Tiara Air and Insel Air – Daily regional connections. 

Linear Park – In the third and fourth quarter of 2007, groundbreaking is expected to begin on the longest linear park in the Caribbean. Aruba’s Linear Park is expected to span 10 miles from the airport to Eagle Beach. The $10 million project will include: 
- Green zones
- Walking/jogging paths
- Oceanfront vistas


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## hkskyline

* Louvre museum to build a branch in UAE*
By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer
Tue Mar 6, 4:59 AM ET

France and the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement Tuesday to open a branch of the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi, despite criticism that the French government is peddling the country's artistic treasures.

Abu Dhabi officials want the Louvre to be one of five satellite art museums they hope to build on uninhabited Saadiyat Island, just off the city's Gulf-side corniche.

New York's Guggenheim museum also has signed on to build a franchise in the wealthy Gulf state.

Tuesday's deal was said to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi will display works from its museum in Paris as well as from other museums in and around the French capital, including the Pompidou Centre, the Musee d'Orsay and the Versailles palace.

In Paris, protesters warned that French museums could be selling their souls by lending too many works to museums abroad and questioned whether the government is turning France's rich artistic heritage into a commercial brand.

"Museums are not for sale," stated an online petition signed by several prominent members of the French art scene.

French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres and the head of Abu Dhabi's tourism authority, Sheik Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, signed the agreement, which provides for the construction of a 260,000-square-foot museum that will open in 2012.

"This is a major achievement in Abu Dhabi's vision to become a world-class destination bridging global cultures," Emirates president Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a statement.

French President Jacques Chirac sent a message, read out by de Vabres, saying that the Emirates had "sealed a partnership with the world's most visited and well-known museum."

Designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel, the Louvre Abu Dhabi will be a white discus-shaped building with irregular-shaped windows in the roof.


----------



## hkskyline

*Bangladesh calls for boost to tourism in South Asia *

COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh, March 15 (Reuters) - Bangladesh called on Thursday for tourism to be a top priority for the seven member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). 

"Efforts should be geared up for joint promotion of the SAARC region as a common tourist destination by pooling our resources together," Fakhruddin Ahmed, chief of Bangladesh's interim administration said while inaugurating a SAARC car rally at Cox's Bazar, a popular Bangladeshi seaside resort town. 

The rally, designed to boost tourism in the region, will cross nearly 8,000 km (5,000 miles) from Bangladesh to Maldives through other SAARC countries -- India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 

A total of 120 participants in 26 four-wheel drives from all SAARC states are participating in the month-long rally that will end on April 14 in Male, the capital of the Maldives. 

SAARC was set up in 1985 to accelerate economic growth in one of the poorest regions in the world. During its 13th summit last year in Dhaka, the bloc decided to include Afghanistan at its next summit meeting in New Delhi on April 3-4.


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## hkskyline

*Greek tourism demands better ferries, ports *

ATHENS, March 13 (Reuters Life!) - Greek passenger ferries and dozens of popular Aegean island ports must urgently improve if the Mediterranean country is to continue cashing in on a bumper tourist market, industry officials said on Tuesday. 

Tourism accounts for about 18 percent of the country's gross domestic product and roughly one in five jobs. But transport standards threaten to sour holidaymakers' experience. 

Greece expects the third consecutive year of tourist growth since the 2004 Athens Olympics, partly thanks to more investment in the industry. But little has been channelled to improving ports and ferries, officials said. "There are a series of issues that must be tackled if we want to improve what we offer visitors, and these have to be addressed as soon as possible," said Yannis Evangelou, President of the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies. 

More than 14 million tourists visited Greece last year, an increase of about 8 percent from 2005, and about 15 million are expected this year, industry and government officials have said. 

Greece has made a determined effort in recent years to shake off its mass tourism image and lure more high-end visitors. 

Gone are the days when island-hopping backpackers formed the staple diet of the industry which now boasts golf courses, spas and five star hotels. 

But the coastal shipping industry, which ferries millions of tourists to the sun-drenched isles each year, needs serious upgrading, Evangelou told a news conference. 

Late announcement of summer schedules, still to be issued in their entirety for this season, scarce routes for more remote islands, an ageing fleet and below-par on-board services compromise the sector. 

"How can we book a trip to the island of Serifos, for example, if we do not know well in advance whether a ferry will sail there on that specific day," Evangelou said. 

Evangelou said the state must dramatically increase spending to upgrade dozens of ports across the country to allow bigger ferries to dock there and boost visitor numbers. 

Michalis Sakellis, president of the union of coastal shipping enterprises, conceded there were problems but said action was underway to remedy them next year, if not this. 

"We are not perfect and there are problems," he said. "For the 2008 schedule we plan to publish travel schedules as early as this coming October to give sufficient time to plan in advance."


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## hkskyline

*UN urges Internet use to boost Asia-Pacific tourism *

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13, 2007 (AFP) - Governments and private operators should make greater use of the Internet to promote Asia-Pacific tourism, the United Nations said Tuesday as the industry gathered for its first regional e-tourism conference. 

The Internet could be used to target tourists directly, rather than depending on tour operators, Arlette Verploegh, of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), told AFP. 

"Implementing information and communication technologies (ICT) in the tourism sector can greatly promote tourism and contribute to growth and empowerment in the region's tourism sector," Verploegh said from Kota Kinabalu, in Malaysia's Sabah state, where UNCTAD and Malaysian tourism authorities were hosting the two-day conference, which ends Wednesday. 

She said use of the Internet in tourism was currently limited to hotel websites and government tourism boards, which advertised attractions and services. 

"It can be actually made to be more efficient, where (government and private operators) can better manage their operations by e-branding and e-marketing," Verploegh said. 

"In this was they will not always be depending on a middleman. They can directly target their customers and decide on where, how, and what they should promote," she said. 

Verploegh said countries which had practised e-tourism had seen a boost in revenues from the sector. 

About 200 delegates representing tourism ministries, tour operators, transport companies and other industry members were attending the conference.


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## hkskyline

* Science trumping tourism in China's "Valley of Kings" *

XIAN, China, March 14, 2007 (AFP) - A heated debate over whether to excavate one of the 28 imperial tombs dotting the outskirts of China's ancient capital of Xian has resurfaced with a respected economist weighing in on the advantages to the nation of opening the royal grave. 

"The cultural enlightenment from excavating the tomb of Qinshi Huang will surpass the pyramids of Egypt," Zhang Wuchang of Hong Kong University said in a recent article that has sparked the debate. 

"Not starting excavations is the same as having nothing. Only by excavating will we find value capable of contributing to society." 

Zhang's article, posted on his website late last year, drew heated reaction with the official Xinhua news agency reporting that over 240,000 people had weighed in with their own opinions. 

According to Zhang, by opening up Qinshi Huang's tomb, the imperial tomb that accompanies Xian's famed terra-cotta warriors, tourism revenues in Shaanxi province would double. 

"Many view this kind of thinking as the main problem facing China today," said Duan Qingbo, head of the excavation team of the Qinshi Huang mausoleum. 

"A lot of officials are only thinking about money and the benefits that such an excavation will bring to them. Meanwhile they ignore the science," he said. 

"If any dig is going to be undertaken we have to ensure that what is found can be preserved, otherwise we will be killing the chicken that lays the golden egg." 

Over 40 million people have visited the mausoleum of Qinshi Huang, China's first emperor and ruler of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC), since the discovery of the terra-cotta warriors in 1974. 

In the first half of 2006, 356,000 foreign visitors and 12.6 million domestic tourists visited Xian, both up around 13 percent from the previous year, bringing in revenues of 8.49 billion yuan (1.1 billion dollars), according to the Shaanxi Economic Information Centre. 

Other leading candidates for excavation include the Han Yangling mausoleum of Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD) emperor Jing Di and the Tang Dynasty (618-907) Qianling mausoleum of emperor Gaozong and his powerful empress Wu Zetian. 

The Qianlong mausoleum is already a prominent tourist site, while the Han Yangling museum opened last year. 

Modern surveys indicate that the main burial vaults of the three imperial tombs remain undisturbed, Duan said. 

Historic records however suggest that grave robbers cleaned out at least 17 of the Tang tombs in China's "Valley of the Kings," most of the nine nearby Han tombs and even Qinshi Huang's tomb that lies east of Xian. 

Meanwhile, Duan recalls the late 1950 excavation of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Dingling Mausoleum near Beijing that was supposed to have brought China to the forefront of world archaeology. 

The dig was a disaster due to poor quality work that was worsened by the intervening Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) when Red Guards destroyed some of the finds, including the remains of the dead emperor. 

"Chinese archaeologists have ruined many objects because excavations were not properly done and the technology was lacking," Duan said. 

This not only includes the bodies of former emperors and empresses, but also clothes, paintings and any other artifacts susceptible to disintegration after being exposed to different atmospheric conditions following up to 2,200 years of burial, he said. 

"Shaanxi province applied to excavate Qianling in 2000, but was turned down by (China's cabinet) based on the opinions of archaeologists around the country," Wu Xiaocong, curator of the Han Yangling Mausoleum, said. 

"But techniques are getting better and if a tomb is going to be excavated, Qianling would likely be the first." 

Wu's museum, in the northern outskirts of Xian, boasts state of the art techniques, with the ongoing dig being carried out under climate-controlled conditions that will ensure the preservation of the finds. 

Such new techniques mean that the time is nearing when the state-protected imperial tombs may be excavated, he said. 

According to written records, the Qianling tomb holds the Gaozong emperor's most precious possessions including paintings, silks, lacquer objects, ceramics, wooden objects, silver, gold and jewelled articles. 

He is also said to be buried in a jade coffin, which purportedly can prevent the corpse from decaying. 

Qinshi Huang's tomb is even more elaborate with historical records saying the coffin of the first emperor is encased in molten copper and sits in a large tomb chamber full of fine vessels, precious stones and rarities. 

The ceiling of the chamber is studded with jewels that represent the stars, sun and moon, while on the floor rivers of mercury represent the earth. 

"Certainly recent initial surveys have found high concentrations of mercury under the tomb chamber," mausoleum archaeologist Duan said. "But we will never know how accurate the historical records are until actual excavation takes place."


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## Giorgio

The Greek tourist numbers are extremely underwhelming IMO.


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## jlshyang

[Gioяgos];12194922 said:


> The Greek tourist numbers are extremely underwhelming IMO.


Greece is my dream destination. Only if i have enough savings...


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## hkskyline

*Qantas launches domestic tourism business*
April 13, 2007

QANTAS is branching into inbound tourism by setting up a new Sydney based business, Tour East Australia.

The new company will provide sightseeing tours and accommodation that can be wrapped into packages by travel wholesalers worldwide.

Qantas said Tour East Australia would be a wholly owned subsidiary of its Singapore based joint venture, Holiday Tours and Travel.

Qantas chief executive officer, Geoff Dixon, said Tour East Australia would begin operating on July 1.

"It will also provide a comprehensive travel service for the inbound meetings, incentives, conferences and events market, and offer a meet-and-greet airport transfer service for individual and group travellers," Mr Dixon said.

"Holiday Tours and Travel has considerable expertise in destination management, including an extensive network of destination management companies under the Tour East brand throughout Asia.

"The Qantas Group aims to further leverage this expertise as well as strengthen its involvement in growing inbound markets with the establishment of this new Australia-based subsidiary," the Qantas CEO said.

Mr Dixon said Qantas Holidays inbound business had grown more than 60 per cent in the past six months.

Qantas regional general manager for NSW, Simon Bernardi, will head Tour East Australia.

- AAP


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## XxRyoChanxX

^ yup very true.
but now they're starting to take notice, and actually doing something about it.


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## pedang

uly 27, 2007 13:12 PM 
*
Malaysia Wins Four Pata Gold Awards*

BANGKOK, July 27 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has won four awards in the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) Gold Awards this year.

*Tourism Malaysia clinched three of the awards, winning the "Marketing media-Broadcast Media" (Malaysia Truly Asia global TV commercial), "Marketing Media-Print Media" (Malaysia Truly Asia media campaign) and "Marketing Media-Website" (www.malaysia.travel) categories.*

AsiaReach Events won in the "Marketing Campaign-Industry" category with "The Malaysia International Gourmet Festival 2006."

This year's winners in 28 categories were chosen from an unprecedented 339 entries from 132 organisations worldwide by the Bangkok-based Pata.

According to Pata, cultural heritage and environmental tourism were the dominant themes of the winning entries in this year's Gold Awards.

The four best-of-show Grand Awards went to the Indian Ministry of Tourism in the Marketing category, the Macau Tourist Office (MGTO) for Heritage, Six Senses Resorts & Spas of Thailand for the Environment, and Jetwing Hotels of Sri Lanka for Education & Training.

The winners will be honoured at a special luncheon during the Pata Travel Mart 2007 in Bali on Sept 28.

-- BERNAMA


----------



## hkskyline

*Eco-tourists take to village life in India's 'Little Tibet' *

RUMBUK, India, Aug 1, 2007 (AFP) - Answering the call of nature over a pit of manure with no flush water in sight and learning how to churn butter may not be everyone's idea of a great holiday. 

But in India's "Little Tibet", the remote Himalayan region of Ladakh, a pioneering scheme to offer tourists the authentic tastes of mountain life is taking off -- and could hold the key to preserving a fragile ecosystem. 

"Himalayan Homestays," as the programme is called, started out as one environmental group's way of protecting the endangered snow leopard, which roams the high-altitude plateau and towering peaks on the border with China. 

In the past, villagers here hunted the predator that each year bit into their earnings by killing 13 percent of their livestock -- sheep, goats, yaks and dzos, a cow-yak hybrid. 

"We wanted to do something that would serve as an incentive for the villagers not to kill the snow leopard," explained Rinchen Wangchuck, the head of the non-profit Snow Leopard Conservancy. 

Now, residents have a new source of income. 

Wangchuck says his group helped villagers transform their wish to operate run-of-the-mill guesthouses into a niche tourism concept that would boost their income and protect the delicate environmental balance in the rural areas. 

Five years on, the homestay programme -- which allows trekkers to sleep and eat with families in the Hemis National Park or Sham and Zanskar mountains -- is catching on as a local model for eco-tourism. 

About 15 villages with 65 households are involved, charging couples 700 rupees (17 dollars) a night for their stay. All but 50 rupees go straight to the family. 

-- Alternative sanitation -- 

For 35-year-old Swedish tourist Melinda Kinnaman, her stay at Padma Dolma's home in the tiny Ladakhi village of Rumbuk gave her a true break from her work back home as an actress -- a taste of a simpler, old-fashioned life. 

"This morning the grandfather was churning the butter and I've never seen that before," Kinnaman said as she sat next to a window in Dolma's house looking out at snow-capped peaks and bright green fields of barley. 

The home -- a three-floor flat-roofed earthen house with carved wooden window frames -- appeared, like its neighbours, to blend seamlessly into the surrounding mountains of the Stok range. 

There's little in the way of technology -- a tape recorder sits in one corner of the room while government-distributed solar panels power a few bulbs after dark. 

"In Sweden, it would be much more modern and mechanised," said Kinnaman. 

Visitors get breakfast and dinner -- and a crash course in alternative sanitation, with Ladakhi villages still using dry composting rather than the flush toilets increasingly in vogue in Leh, Ladakh's main town. 

The region is dependent on glaciers for 90 percent of its water and with little infrastructure to deal with sewage or garbage, wasting water has never been an option. 

A visit to the ladies' room during a Ladakh homestay involves crouching with a leg on either side of a rectangular hole over a storage chamber and pouring a shovel of dirt over any new additions to the pile below. 

Eventually, the whole lot turns into manure that is used by the villagers in the fields. 

"The toilet -- sometimes it's a little difficult," laughed Kinnaman. 

Most food comes directly from the land, such as the Ladakhi pasta-type dish skyu -- small thumb-indented flour balls that are boiled and served with freshly picked peas and cream. 

"How I live, I don't even know who makes my food or where it comes from. They have so much knowledge that I don't," said Kinnaman, who had watched her hosts go out to gather food for meals from the farm. 

"It's such a different tempo from Sweden. There's just another sense of time here." 

-- Cash for education, clean-up -- 

The homestays are mainly run by women, who plough 10 percent of the proceeds back into a village conservation committee in charge of keeping the area free of plastic bottles, soft drink cans and the other kinds of tourist litter that ruins many of the world's scenic spots. 

Dolma, who was hosting Kinnaman, has also been able to send her youngest daughter to a private boarding school -- something that would have been unattainable before Rumbuk, a picturesque but simple hamlet of nine households, joined the tourism industry. 

"Here there is no income. Everyone would stay in campgrounds," said Dolma, reflecting on the previous tourism trends, which kept the money out of reach of villagers, to the benefit of mainstream tour operators and hoteliers. 

"Now we get four to five thousand rupees (over a hundred dollars)" a season, she said in her spotless mountain home, with woven mats spread on the kitchen floor for guests to sit on. 

Dolma, who says she was the first one to sign up for the homestay programme, said she never doubted the wisdom of allowing strangers into her home but admitted feeling a little shy. 

"First we had problems in speaking. Now there's no problem -- we speak a bit of Hindi and English," said Dolma, a smiling, rosy-cheeked mother of three who has embraced globalisation with the help of an English language cassette. 

"We had to learn how to cook and serve food. First we didn't even know if they would eat dinner like us." 

In Leh, 30 kilometres (18 miles) away from Rumbuk, officials are hoping they can spread the homestay model to other villages -- and perhaps even to Leh. 

Last year, 40,000 tourists visited Ladakh and the number is going up 10 percent each year -- a major boost for the isolated region's economy but also laden with potential disastrous environmental consequences. 

A 2005 study for the governing Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council found that Leh produced 6,000 tonnes of waste during the tourist season, about three times what it produces in the rest of the year. 

"We are never prepared. Every year there are more hotels and guesthouses," council chief Chering Dorjay told AFP. "They are not eco-friendly."


----------



## hkskyline

*Tourist numbers to Tibet double on new railway *

BEIJING, July 31 (Reuters) - The number of tourists visiting the remote Himalayan region of Tibet in the first half nearly doubled to more than 1 million, helped by a new rail link and new airport, Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday. 

They spent 990 million yuan ($130.8 million), again almost double the same period last year, the report said. 

There was also a one-fifth rise in flights to Tibet, which now has three civil airports with regular services. 

"The opening of the Qinghai-Tibet railway and Nyingchi airport as well as other improvements in basic infrastructure have driven the development of Tibet's tertiary sector," it said. 

Most the tourists were domestic. Just 73,000 came from overseas, the report said. 

Train services from Beijing to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa began last July, opening the door to a surge of Chinese and foreign tourism to the region. 

Tibetan activists have warned that tourism and migration by Han Chinese could swamp Tibet's distinctive culture, with Tibetan people receiving less than their share of new jobs and income. 

China, which expects the number of tourists visiting Tibet to reach 6 million in 2010, is building a fourth airport at Ngari in the west, which will be the world's highest. ($1=7.569 Yuan)


----------



## F-ian

*World Leading Writer Says Bali is Safe*

One of the world's leading travel writers has emerged from trips to Australia and Bali bemused at the huge difference between the fears about Bali often generated in this country and the exquisitely rich and tranquil experiences of those who actually visit there.

*Pico Iyer, author of eight books whose articles are published worldwide in magazines such as Time, the New York Times and the Financial Times. says he encountered superb security, among the best in Asia*, and "Aussies who couldn't believe that so many of their friends and neighbors were staying at home".

He also found the island was bustling and crowded with visitors from Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other parts of Asia while many Australians missed out on the attractions of one of the top destinations in the world.

"The island struck me as far safer than Los Angeles, where I maintain a home, or Delhi, which I visited soon afterwards, or New York, or carjack-filled London, or most of the places I visit.

http://www.my-indonesia.info/page.php?ic=7&id=2709


----------



## hkskyline

*Greek hotels to star in new ratings system *

ATHENS, July 31, 2007 (AFP) - Visitors to Greece will soon be able to choose hotels with help from a star-based rating system incorporating international standards, a government minister said Tuesday. 

"Greek hotel companies will finally have a classification system based on credible international criteria, filling a void that has hindered the development of Greek tourism," said Fani Palli-Petralia, Greece's minister of tourism development. 

An international call for bids amounting to 10 million euros (14 million dollars) has been launched to choose who will carry out the ratings. 

The new classification system should apply to all hotels, while the current system has involved only 40 percent, the minister said.


----------



## hkskyline

*Six companies given green light to develop Cambodian islands *

PHNOM PENH, July 30, 2007 (AFP) - Six companies have been given permission by the Cambodian government to develop resorts worth 627 million dollars on islands off the country's southern coast, according to government documents. 

The two Cambodian and four foreign companies signed agreements with Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh last Friday, said the documents from the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), which were obtained by AFP Monday. 

This marked the second time Cambodia has allowed a private company to develop the islands near the popular seaside tourism towns of Sihanoukville and Kampot. 

Last year a Russian company was granted permission to build a 300 million dollar resort on Koh Poh, or Snake Island. 

The six companies now have one year to submit their development plans to the CDC for approval. 

"The CDC believes that these projects ... will build momentum to attract other foreign investment," the CDC said. 

"These developments will inform the world's investment markets that Cambodia is a potentially good area for tourism investment. The CDC is optimistic that these projects will become a magnet to attract tourists as well as investors to Cambodia," it added. 

Cambodia recorded about 1.7 million tourist arrivals in 2006, bringing 1.4 billion dollars in revenue to the impoverished country. 

Visitors have flocked mostly to the Angkor temples in northwestern Cambodia but as the number of tourists is expected to increase, the government is looking more towards its coast as a development gold mine. 

The airport in Sihanoukville re-opened earlier this year after being closed for decades in a bid to attract more visitors to the area.


----------



## haze

*Tourists pack KL hotels*
By Vasantha Ganesan
[email protected]


August 4 2007


HOTELS in Kuala Lumpur city centre were almost full in July, one of their best performances in years, as more tourists visited the country.
August could also be a record, said an industry consultant that compiled the figures.











"The light is brighter at the end of the tunnel," said Ivo Nekvapil, the group chairman and chief executive officer of hospitality consultant MIHR Consulting Sdn Bhd.


The hotels had an average occupancy of 92.89 per cent in July this year.


With such healthy numbers, the hotel industry could post a higher full-year average occupancy than projected earlier at 70 per cent. 


"Occupancy level has been good since mid-June 2007 and will be so until mid-September 2007," Nekvapil said.


MIHR compiles the monthly data for hotels in the Klang Valley.


"The high occupancy levels were a result of the push for Visit Malaysia Year and the Middle Eastern market has helped as they have been the biggest group in the Klang Valley," Nekvapil said.


Some 33 four- and five-star hotels with total rooms of over 11,500 had submitted their July occupancy figures to MIHR.


Average room rate (ARR) per night in July, meanwhile, was RM284.34 with one hotel, the Mandarin Oriental, achieving close to RM600 per night. 


This compares to July 2006 when the average occupancy and ARR was 80.6 per cent and RM249.19 respectively.


General manager of Dorsett Regency Christina Toh when contacted said, "We achieved 98.65 per cent occupancy last month, which was better than July 2006."


In fact, she said, the response at some hotels has been so overwhelming that there has been overbooking and the guests have had to be moved to another hotel.


Leo Kuscher, the general manager of The Royale Bintang Kuala Lumpur, said: "We had full occupancy in July 2007 and we expect August to be the same up until the first week of September."


Traditionally, average occupancy rates dwindle every year during the fasting month.


Kuscher added that its ARR for July and August 2007 is 25 per cent more than other months.


Meanwhile, Nekvapil, who is also the vice-president of the Malaysian Association of Hotels, said the industry body may have to revise its full-year occupancy forecast of 70 per cent.


----------



## marching

Farean said:


> *World Leading Writer Says Bali is Safe*
> 
> One of the world's leading travel writers has emerged from trips to Australia and Bali bemused at the huge difference between the fears about Bali often generated in this country and the exquisitely rich and tranquil experiences of those who actually visit there.
> 
> *Pico Iyer, author of eight books whose articles are published worldwide in magazines such as Time, the New York Times and the Financial Times. says he encountered superb security, among the best in Asia*, and "Aussies who couldn't believe that so many of their friends and neighbors were staying at home".
> 
> He also found the island was bustling and crowded with visitors from Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other parts of Asia while many Australians missed out on the attractions of one of the top destinations in the world.
> 
> "The island struck me as far safer than Los Angeles, where I maintain a home, or Delhi, which I visited soon afterwards, or New York, or carjack-filled London, or most of the places I visit.
> 
> http://www.my-indonesia.info/page.php?ic=7&id=2709


I'm sure for it kay:


----------



## hkskyline

*China in line for record foreign tourists: report *

BEIJING, Aug 5, 2007 (AFP) - More than 12 million foreign tourists visited China in the first half of 2007 and the country is in line to set a new record if the trend continues, according to the national tourist body. 

The total for the first six months of the year is 18 percent up on the same period from 2006, suggesting the number of foreign visitors could exceed last year's record of 22 million. 

Tourism growth is expected to stay strong in coming years with an expected boost from next year's Beijing Olympics, and another shot in the arm supplied by the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. 

As a result, China is tipped to overtake France by 2014 as the world's top tourism destination, according to the World Tourism Organisation. 

According to the China National Tourism Administration, total spending by foreign tourists in the first half of the year -- excluding vsitors from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan -- rose to 18 billion dollars, up 13.1 percent. 

The report published Saturday by the official news agency Xinhua said that arrivals from South Korea were up 30 percent in the first half of 2007, while arrivals from India and Russia rose by around 16 percent. 

Arrivals from Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and the United States also registered growth of more than 10 percent. 

Beijing is expecting to welcome 500,000 overseas visitors during the 2008 Summer Games from August 8-24 next year.


----------



## LordCarnal

*Cebu tourist arrivals increase; Koreans top list*

TOURIST arrivals in Cebu jumped almost 24 percent in the first five months of the year compared to that of the same period in 2006, records from the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 revealed.

From a total of 508,028 in the same period last year, visitor arrivals registered in the province rose to 629,541 from January to May this year. Of the total figure, 262,539 were foreign visitors while domestic travelers reached 367,002.

According to a DOT 7 document furnished to Sun.Star Cebu, the top market visitors continue to be the Koreans, followed by Japanese and Americans.

The Koreans, which make up the fastest growing market of the country’s tourism industry, numbered 98,822 from January to May this year, up by 61.26 percent from 61,280 in the same period last year.

Japanese visitors totaled 57,201 with a growth rate of 15.57 percent while the Americans numbered 29,285 or an increase of 34.31 percent.

Visitors from the country’s Asean neighbors grew from 3,722 in the first five months of 2006 to 7,411 in the same period this year, or an almost 100 percent increase.

Leading the growth in terms of number of tourists is Singapore with 3,583, followed by Malaysia with 1,735 and Thailand with 928.

Tourism Undersecretary Phineas Alburo attributed the growth in the number of Asean visitors to Cebu’s successful hosting of the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit last January.

*Perception*

“It has placed Cebu in the map of the world as a tourism and business destination. We created the right perception and image that’s why we have become a prime destination,” he said.

Travelers from East Asian countries like China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan went up by 40.93 percent or a total of 173,333 this year while last year’s figure was only at 122,993.

In terms of growth rate, Chinese tourists, who are seen to be a potentially strong market, grew by 120.96 percent from 2,624 in 2006 to 5,798 this year.

Indian visitors and those from other South Asian countries, considered as another potential market, numbered 1,476 which jumped 67.92 percent from 879 in 2006.

Cebu is also attracting more Europeans. The number of European guests rose to 42.19 percent in the first five months of the year to 28,944 from 20,356 last year.

Tourists from the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland were identified as the top three visitors of the province.

Europeans perceive the province as a leisure destination, which is why they are considered among the longest staying visitors, Alburo said.

In the same data however, visitors from Finland decreased by 39.52 percent or from 167 guests in January to May 2006 to 101 this year.

Cebu is also a destination for those from Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. Visitors from this region totaled 1,586 from January to May this year.

The province is also a favorite among overseas Filipino workers whose numbers rose to 1,637 from January to May this year from the 954 in the same period last year.

With the country’s economic growth, more tourists are expected to arrive at the end of this year, said Alburo. (MMM)


----------



## LordCarnal

*Korean firm to invest P3B on resort in Cebu*

A well-known hotel chain in Korea will be building a P3-billion (US$67-million) five star resort in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Proponents of the Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa held the groundbreaking ceremonies of the project on a 7.5-hectare in Barangay Maribago, in Lapu-Lapu City last Friday.

Construction will begin immediately as the resort is scheduled to open in 2009.

The water park and resort, which will be designed by TPJavier Architects and Associates, is “the biggest Korean investment in hotel development in the country,” says Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano.

Jong Hwan Park, chairman of the Philippine BXT Corporation, conceptualized the project.

*Vacation*

“He went on a vacation here for four days and stayed in a Mactan hotel. He decided to stay a little longer than expected pero kulang ang accommodation,” explained project consultant Jefferson Lim.

Park saw the shortage of accommodations, especially in Mactan, and found it to be an opportunity for investment.

Durano said there is an increased demand for beach resort as a type of accommodation “because it is what we are short of.”

He said the construction of Imperial Palace Hotel will help solve the shortage of rooms in the province.

“It is a virtuous cycle. By increasing investment volume, we are increasing employment and business opportunities,” he said.

Since the waterpark resort will be marketed in Korea, Durano is sure of a further influx of Korean tourists in the next few years.
With this, he also encouraged existing hotels to upgrade their services and facilities.

Philippine BXT Corp., owned and operated by Korean stakeholders, tapped the services of Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul to run and manage the resort.

Known to be one of Korea’s finest hotel chains, Imperial Palace Hotel has been recognized for its excellence in providing world-class luxury hotels. This will be their first venture in the Philippines.

“They are also looking into developing a 110-hectare golf court resort and retirement village in Cordova as an added facility,” said Lim.

*Why Cebu?*

Lim did not elaborate on the Cordova project, however.

The Korean firm decided to implement the project in Cebu because of “the mild temperature…a sea condition (with) which various sea sports can be enjoyed, easy access to big tourist markets, the use of English as a common language and inexpensive prices,” read a statement of Imperial Palace’s Shin Chul Ho.

*The world class resort will have 616 rooms in six medium (16-storeys) and three low-rise buildings. There will also be 40 single-units complete with amenities.*

“The waterpark won’t just be a swimming pool, it will be a milestone in the water entertainment business, and Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort will become a hotel with a true imperial scent” Chul Ho’s statement read.


Perspective:










Actual construction photo:


----------



## paradyto

*World's Best Award 2007*

from Travel+Leisure



kay:kay:kay:


----------



## Alibaba

well deserved for Bali

beautiful island with wonderful people...!


----------



## hkskyline

*Tiny Lesotho aims to build Africa's biggest ski resort *

MAHLASELA VALLEY, Lesotho, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - The tiny kingdom of Lesotho is the unlikely venue for ambitious plans to create the number one destination for skiers in Africa. 

"This is going to be the biggest ski resort in Africa," says Ollie Esplin, manager of the Afri-Ski resort, as he tries to explain how to minimise the risks of meltdown in Lesotho's picturesque Mahlasela Valley. 

"When you make a ski slope, especially in Africa, it must be facing south where it receives the least sun," adds Esplin as skiers on a break from neighbouring South Africa snake down the single slope currently in operation. 

While the exact numbers of visitors to Afri-Ski are unknown, 5,000 people came through the local ski shop to rent or buy equipment last winter which was only the second season that it had been open for business. 

Eventually the resort will have five ski slopes ranging from red (medium difficulty) to blue (easy), some 100 ski chalets and one of the highest altitude golf courses on the planet at 3,300 metres (10,800 feet) above sea level. 

Several chalets imported from the small Baltic state of Estonia already dot the mountainside, but the flavour of Africa is never far away with cattle-drawn carts and traditional mud huts running alongside the hairpin road which leads to the resort. 

Billed by tourist chiefs as the Switzerland of the South, landlocked Lesotho is in fact one of the poorest countries in Africa with most people having eke out a living on subsistence agriculture. 

The 400-rand (58 dollars, 42 euros) fee for a four-hour ski lesson is well beyond the budget of most locals in a country where salaries average less than a thousand dollars a year, but the tourists have provided a shot in the arm to the economy. 

"Our main clients are from Gauteng (the largest province in South Africa which includes both Pretoria and Johannesburg), and we are bringing a lot of tourists into Lesotho," says Esplin. 

The resort has received royal approval from Lesotho's King Letsie III who has given his name to the annual King's Cup skiing and snowboarding and has visited the resort during the event. 

Billy Becker, visiting from Pretoria, was thrilled by the proximity of the resort. 

"It's my first day today," said Becker who came to the slope to snowboard. 

"It's very comfortable, only four hour's drive, and it's stunning. The drive up to the place is brilliant, with the mountains covered in snow." 

Lebohang Ramonotse, from nearby Butha-Buthe in Lesotho, is one of the few locals who have ventured onto the slope, enrolling for his first lesson from the resort's only black instructor, South African Charles Mositoane. 

It is hoped the resort will create many opportunities for locals like Ramonotse, who works in the ski shop. 

"Its a big thing to us, even though the majority of us don't see this opportunity," Ramonotse tells AFP after a run down the slope. "Now everybody can see the world I can see." 

The Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation says tourism contributes to 2.4 percent of the country's gross domestic product, with some 300,000 people visiting the country in 2005. 

According to a ski travel expert, the only other ski resort in Africa is the popular Tiffendell in South Africa's Eastern Cape mountains, which has three slopes and charges 1205-rand for a four hour lesson. 

Afri-ski, which may prove closer and cheaper to skiing hopefuls from Gauteng, has however "done very little publicity", he said. 

In Lesotho, where the main tourism attractions are pony trekking in the mountains or hiking, Mositoane loves the fact that Africans get to enjoy the slopes. 

"For them it's a lot of fun, it's a lot closer to where they live. They are like, yo, we couldn't believe it when people said there is a resort here in Lesotho." 

According to Esplin, skiers have actually been using the slope since the 1970s, as the area has at least one good snowfall a year, before an Austrian and South African partnership decided to go ahead and build the resort. 

"The nicest thing is it's in the middle of nowhere, not like European resorts. This is Africa," he adds. 

With business booming, the management team wants to make the resort an all-year destination with plans under way for a health spa and a high-altitude training facility for athletes and cyclists. 

Those less inclined to take to the slope can also go fishing for trout in the nearby Motete river.


----------



## hkskyline

*Hundreds in repair effort at Brunei's historic Water Village *

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Hundreds of rescue personnel have been deployed to help repair almost 200 storm-damaged homes in Brunei's historic Water Village, an official said Thursday. 

The homes -- a key tourism attraction for Brunei -- were damaged Monday night when high winds struck the labyrinthine collection of large houses on stilts where about 30,000 people live, continuing a tradition set by their seafaring ancestors. 

Of the 192 damaged homes, 31 were seriously affected and some collapsed, said Station Officer Noor Aflan of the Fire and Rescue Department. 

Nobody was hurt, he said, adding that at least 200 fire and rescue, military and other personnel were helping rebuild the area. 

"We have sent a lot of help," he said. "If there are no obstacles or bad weather, two or three days more." 

It could be the first time such a vicious storm had heavily damaged the riverfront villages, he said. 

Kampung Ayer, as the area is known in Malay, has schools, mosques, fire stations and other facilities linked by pathways above the water where speedboats ferry people to and fro.


----------



## hkskyline

*Guam welcomes military personnel and their wallets *
6 August 2007

HAGATNA, Guam (AP) - With fewer visitors coming this year, the island's business community has looked forward to this week's joint U.S. military exercises. 

Gerald Perez, chairman of the Guam Chamber of Commerce Armed Forces Committee, said the exercises is expected to create an "economic surge across the island" when the sailors make port visits. 

The average sailor spends $200 to $300 per day during a port visit, and the exercises, called "Valiant Shield," could bring up to 20,000 sailors to Guam, Perez said. 

"Just do the math," he said. "If only half of those people spend a few days on Guam, we are talking about millions of dollars." 

All told, Valiant Shield could send at least $4 million flowing into the economy of this U.S. territory. The expected infusion comes at time when the island's main economic engine -- the $1.2 billion tourism industry -- is seeing fewer tourists and lackluster visitor spending. More than 1 million tourists, mostly from Japan, visit Guam each year. 

Perez explained that port visits are not only a boon for hotels, restaurants and bars. He noted that many sailors want to play golf or become certified to skin dive once they hit land. 

"There are a lot more women on these boats than people realize, too. They make port and want to get their hair done or go to a spa," Perez said. 

To maximize spending, the Chamber of Commerce has convinced bus companies to schedule extra bus routes to military installations. Perez expected all local businesses to feel some effect from the port visits. 

Naval Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base will play a "support role" in Valiant Shield, said Lt. Donnell Evans, Naval Base Guam's public affairs officer. 

So will Jan Z's Lounge. 

Assistant manager Joe Pangelinan expects the visiting military personnel to swarm the restaurant and bar throughout the week. 

"Basically, we will need to double up all of our preps -- more lemons, more burgers, more staff, more of everything," he said. "But we'll be ready for them." 

The Horse & Cow also stocked up for a rush of military personnel. A retired Navy submariner owns the bar, which is popular watering hole for locals and military alike. The bar proudly displays the banners and colors of U.S. submarine groups. 

Manager Rebecca Corley expects large crowds with simple needs. 

"Whenever we know there is a carrier coming in, we just order a lot more booze," she said. 

But some military will be doing more than eating, drinking and relaxing. 

Dozens of servicemen and women have joined their Guam-stationed military counterparts and local civilians in donating their time, sweat and skills to a community effort to prepare, clean and fix Guam's more than 30 public schools. 

With only a couple more weeks left before more than 30,000 public school students return to their classrooms, the volunteer work -- included painting walls, cutting grass and fixing doors, classroom fixtures and furniture -- couldn't have come at a better time. 

Guam, with a population of 170,000, is located 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii.


----------



## isaidso

I'd be interested in the numbers of tourists major cities receive each year. Overall totals, both foreign and domestic would be nice. Does anyone have statistics, or could direct me to an online resource that compiles such estimates?


----------



## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Tourists and investors to Iraq? Why not, say Kurds *
By Bernd Debusmann, Special Correspondent 

ARBIL, Iraq, Aug 8 (Reuters) - The Ministry of Tourism has 417 employees and big plans: "We need three or four times as many hotels as we have now," says Nimrud Youkhana, the minister, "and we need to get more airlines to fly here." 

Tourism in Iraq? More hotels in a country whose name evokes images of truck bombs and mayhem, kidnappings and beheaded foreigners? 

This is what an advertising campaign in the United States called The Other Iraq, the three northern provinces that blossomed into a quasi-independent state in the 16 years since the U.S. placed a protective umbrella -- the 'no-fly zone' -- over the region to stop a genocidal anti-Kurdish campaign waged by Saddam Hussein. 

Administered by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the provinces have largely escaped the violence that has been tearing apart the rest of Iraq since the U.S. invasion in 2003, toppled Saddam and uncorked long-suppressed sectarian hostility. 

"We have some way to go still," said Youkhana, "but we plan to eventually hold annual folklore events like the Jerash festival," a reference to the Jordanian city which brings together performers from all over the world each summer. 

Customers the ministry wants to attract are Arabs from the Gulf who appreciate mountain resorts in an Alpine setting (and a relaxed attitude towards alcohol) and Europeans in search of exotic destinations and archaeological remains dating back thousands of years. 

Youkhana's plans, and the mere existence of a Tourism Ministry, highlight a bullish view of Kurdistan's future which is also evident in building projects on a grand scale, from a 6,000-shop mall to a string of U.S.-style gated communities with names such as Dream City, Empire Villas and American Village. 

Near the airport, Naz City, a new complex of 14 high-rise apartment towers, is cabled for high-speed Internet access. New hotels under construction include one by the German luxury chain Kempinski. 

And rising in the shadow of Arbil's citadel, near where Alexander the Great defeated King Darius of Persia, the huge Nishtiman mall features Kurdistan's first escalator -- a magnet for children who ride it up and down in wide-eyed wonder. 

There are no detailed figures on how much money has been invested in Kurdistan since 2003, when the rest of Iraq slipped into violence and the north remained stable. The Board of Investment, a government agency set up last summer, has approved more than $3.5 billion in development projects. 

The Kurds' main argument to persuade foreigners to visit and invest is security: there is no other place in Iraq where a foreigner can shop in local markets or walk the streets without fear of being killed or kidnapped. 

"I feel safer in Arbil or Suleimaniyah than in Camden, New Jersey," said Harry Schute, a retired U.S. army colonel who served in Iraq and is now a security adviser to KRG president Massoud Barzani. 

"But people hear 'Iraq' and they think violence. There's a lack of understanding that Baghdad and Arbil are different worlds." 

OWN FLAG, ARMY, BORDER PATROL 

So different that the KRG has all the trappings of an independent state -- its own flag, its own army, its own border patrol, its own national anthem, its own education system, even its own stamp inked into the passports of visitors. 

Turkey, Iran and Syria -- all of which have sizeable Kurdish minorities they do not want to become autonomous -- are viewing the KRG's progress with considerable concern. They fear full independence for Iraqi Kurdistan would set off a chain reaction in the region. 

The Iraqi Kurds' sense of tranquillity was shattered by two bombs in May -- a truck bomb outside the regional government's Interior Ministry killed 15 people and wounded more than 100 and three days later, a car bomb in the office of Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) left 30 dead and injured 50. 

The government responded by stepping up security, already tight, and virtually sealing the roads into KRG-controlled territory to non-Kurds. Travellers from outside the region are not allowed to pass unless a Kurdish resident meets them in person and "guarantees" their stay. 

Despite the May bombs, Austrian Airlines, the only European carrier with a regular service to Arbil, added a flight to its schedule in July to bring Vienna-Arbil connections to four a week. The flights are usually packed. 

"The bomb attacks did not dent business interest," said Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, the London-based head of the Kurdish Development Corporation (KDC). "In fact, inquiries picked up after a few days." 

They did not dent a booming business in luxury cars, either. "Things are looking good," said Lezan Shafeea, a sales manager at the sprawling Mercedes dealership in Arbil. "We are selling more top-end models, at $138,500 apiece, than mid-size cars." 

These are cash-only transactions -- Kurdistan's embryonic financial system has no provision for consumer credit. 

Obstacles to opening up Kurdistan to the world, Kurdish officials say, include the travel advisories governments issue to their citizens. The U.S. State Department, for example, makes no distinction between the Kurdish north and the rest of Iraq and "continues to strongly warn" against travel there. 

But other countries have taken Kurdistan off their list of life-threatening destinations, according to Falah Mustafa Bakir, the head of the KRG's Foreign Relations Department -- the region's de facto foreign minister. 

"Denmark, Japan, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands have all changed their advisories," he said. 

Not even the rosiest optimist predicts a travel boom soon to Kurdistan but a British company, Hinterland Travel, led a group of adventurous tourists in their 50s and 60s on a package tour through the three provinces administered by the KRG in May. Another is scheduled for September. 

"This is for people interested in archaeology and history," said the company's owner, Geoff Hann, "and who are not faint of heart." (Editing by Sara Ledwith)


----------



## pedang

*Tourists Advised To Stay Outside KL As City Hotels Fill Up*
August 14, 2007 00:33 AM

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- The Tourism Ministry is encouraging foreign tourists to stay in cities just outside Kuala Lumpur as the city's hotels are facing a shortage of rooms as occupancy hovers at *98 per cent*.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the tourists could stay in Shah Alam, Nilai and Seremban.

The shortage of rooms occurred as many tourists, especially Arabs, preferred to stay longer in the country, he told a news conference held to announce the KL International Tattoo 2007.

"Arab tourists come in groups of seven to 17 people and they travel first class or business class. We have to always work hard to ensure that they have every facility which they require (as tourists)," he said.

He also said that military bands from 13 countries including Malaysia would participate in the KL International Tattoo 2007 to be held at the Merdeka Stadium from Sept 7 to 9.

The tattoo is being organised jointly by the Armed Forces and the Tourism Ministry at a cost of RM9 million, he said.

-- BERNAMA


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## nazrey

*Singapore set to woo Malay tourists*
Tuesday October 23, 2007


MALACCA: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will launch an aggressive campaign – Uniknya Singapura – to woo bumiputras to visit the island nation. 

Its Southern & Eastern Malaysia area director Albert Poon said STB would also work closely with Malaysian bumiputra travel agents to work out packages for the Malay market. 

“We would undertake an aggressive campaign, with an attractive Malay jingle in television commercials, advertisements in Malay newspapers and consumer promotions next month,” he said. 

This is the first time that STB would be undertaking a promotion to woo this segment of the market in Malaysia, he said, adding that a stream of Chinese and Indian visitors from Malaysia have been visiting Singapore over the past decade. 

Poon said the campaign was also aimed at addressing the concerns of bumiputras on the availability of halal food restaurants as well as mosques on the island. 

He said that in a survey, it was found that 70% of bumiputras in Johor had never set foot in Singapore and this was one of the reasons for a campaign to woo them to the island. 

Poon said visitors from India, China, Malaysia and Australia topped arrivals to Singapore last year. 

“Last year, we had 9.7 million visitors last year and have recorded 5.7 million arrivals in the first seven months of this year and hope to exceed 10.5 million this year.” 

Poon said special tours have been created for the visitors including the annual ZoukOut dance festival and the Christmas festivities. 

“We are providing free shuttle service between Johor Baru City Square and Orchard Road between Nov 17 and Jan 1, 2008, with a mystery prize for five winners every week. 

“We also provide shopping vouchers for each even trip.” 

He said that every Malaysian who spend S$50 (RM115) using their Citibank credit card between Sep 15 and Jan 11, 2008 in the island republic, would be eligible to win prizes in a lucky draw which included a MINI Cooper convertible. 

“Any visitor spending S$800 (RM1,840) in a single day will walk away with a Creative Zen Stone Plus Audio Player, with a limit of 25 pieces every week until Jan 11 next year,” he said.


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## hkskyline

*Foreign visitors to Turkey rise 23.5 pct in Sept *

ISTANBUL, Oct 23 (Reuters) - The number of foreign visitors to Turkey rose 23.5 percent year-on-year in September, the Turkish Statistics Institute said on Tuesday, signalling a continued recovery in the crucial tourist industry. 

Some 2.8 million people visited the country in September, still a high season month in Turkey. 

The tourism sector, an important source of foreign earnings which helps offset a large current account deficit, has seen a recovery this year after being hit hard in 2006 by an outbreak of bird flu and a series of bomb attacks. 

Separatist violence has escalated once again in recent months and tension over a possible anti-rebel incursion by Turkish troops into northern Iraq could hurt the industry again. 

Third quarter tourism revenue data are due on Oct. 30. In the second quarter, revenues rose just 1 percent year-on-year despite a strong rise in visitor numbers as operators said Turkey was failing to attract high-spending visitors.


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## hkskyline

*Caribbean Urged to Face Warming Risks *
22 October 2007

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - The Caribbean tourism industry, the lifeblood for many island economies, needs to brace itself for stronger hurricanes, more frequent droughts and rising sea levels resulting from global warming, scientists said Monday. 

The Caribbean, where more than half the population lives within a mile of the coast, faces some of the greatest risks from climate change, according to the expert panel at the Caribbean Tourism Organization meeting in San Juan. 

"The region as a whole is really vulnerable -- it's sand, sun and beaches," said Ulric Trotz, science adviser to the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center in Belize. 

Trotz said governments should limit development along eroding coastlines, protect natural resources including reefs and mangroves and take other steps before global warming accelerates in the coming decades, as some experts forecast. 

Already, rising ocean temperatures have been blamed for killing off coral that sustains significant marine life and fueling monstrous storms. This year was the first on record when two Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes -- Felix and Dean, which both gained strength in the Caribbean -- made landfall in the same season. 

While humans' role in global warming remains a source of controversy, panelists said the trend is driving decisions by investors on where to develop hotels. 

"Even if you don't believe in climate change, it's part of decision making in the industry," said Daniel Scott, a climate specialist at the University of Waterloo in Canada. 

Many have launched campaigns to emphasize sustainable or "green" tourism. Barbados, which already suffers a scarcity of fresh water, has required new golf courses to build desalination plants for irrigation. 

To help adapt the tourism industry regionwide, Trotz suggested imposing a $5 levy on every visitor arriving by plane or cruise ship -- a method that could raise more than $60 million annually. 

"We have to do something very urgently about resources for adaptation," he said. 

And as other regions grow warmer, the tropics might lose their appeal. 

"We can't move these islands," said Brenda Ekwurzel, of the Washington-based nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists.


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## rahnfeld

*sea level about to raise 7m ...*

I will merely post this to sign the thread, but it could also be a point of crucial interest:

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/2007/2007032324604.html 
this study which revealed that, if something should melt all that ice, * global sea level would rise as much as 7 meters* (23 feet). 

thx
jens


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## goschio

hkskyline said:


> *
> Already, rising ocean temperatures have been blamed for killing off coral that sustains significant marine life and fueling monstrous storms. This year was the first on record when two Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes -- Felix and Dean, which both gained strength in the Caribbean -- made landfall in the same season.
> 
> *


*

There is no hope for Caribbean coral reefs. They are already fucked up.*


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## hkskyline

*British tourism eager to cash in on movie magic *

LONDON, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Tourist chiefs keen to tempt "set-jetters" to Britain launched a campaign on Monday to cash in on historic locations featured in the new Cate Blanchett movie "The Golden Age" about Tudor Queen Elizabeth I. 

Location vacations have proved to be a major tourist draw with visitors flocking to see where the Harry Potter movies and "The Da Vinci Code" were made. Britain has set up film tourism offices in Los Angeles and Mumbai. 

Tours inspired by movie and TV locations -- known as "set-jetting" in the travel business -- are thriving with "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy boosting New Zealand tourism and Hawaii promoting Elvis Presley and Indiana Jones sites. 

"Set-jetting is a great way of marketing a destination," said Tom Wright, chief executive of the national tourism agency VisitBritain. 

"This is a major opportunity for us to remind visitors -- and Americans particularly -- of one of the enduring appeals of our destination," he said. 

"If the right film is chosen, it acts as free advertising for a destination, location or attraction and is shown to millions of people around the world." 

Forty percent of potential tourists cite "jet-setting" in to see movie locations as a major reason for their visit. 

So VisitBritain, cashing in on the launch of the new Elizabethan saga, is running a global campaign promoting hotel, car hire and specialist tour group tie-ins that cover the film's major locations. 

Its visitbritain.com/goldenage website takes in a string of Tudor backdrops from Westminster and Winchester cathedrals to a Cambridge University college. 

Nearly three quarters of the potential visitors to Britain are likely to visit castles and stately homes, tourist industry research shows. 

The top five royal attractions accounted for 4.2 million visits last year, up 11 percent on the 2005 figure. 

In a bid to boost the country's tourist economy, VisitBritain has published a series of movie maps for visitors keen to follow in the footsteps of screen blockbusters. 

The tourist industry, milking a valuable new market, even awarded an outstanding achievement "Oscar" to Harry Potter as the teenage wizard waved his magic wand over a string of cathedrals, colleges and castles.


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## hkskyline

*Spain to demolish illegal coastal homes-report *

MADRID, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Spain plans to demolish illegally built homes and hotels along an eighth of its coastline to halt rapid destruction of its Mediterranean and Canary Island beaches, the El Pais newspaper reported on Monday. 

The 5-billion-euro ($7-billion) plan aims to reclaim 776 kms (482 miles) of coastline and put an end to illegal urban development that threatens Spain's tourism industry, one of the country's biggest sources of foreign cash, El Pais reported. 

The Socialist government will present the plan to regional authorities on Wednesday and promote it as a means to attract wealthy tourists who seek natural beauty rather than concrete resorts, the newspaper said. 

"Without the agreement of regional governments and town halls it will not be possible to implement the plan," said Antonio Serrano, head of land and biodiversity at Spain's Environment Ministry, in comments published in El Pais. 

Environmentalists blame corruption and incompetence among local councils for the destruction of Spain's coastline which is disappearing under concrete at a rate of three soccer pitches a day, according to Greenpeace. 

Government officials were not immediately available to comment on the report. 

Under the environment ministry plan, local authorities would negotiate compensation with owners of houses and hotels built illegally on beaches and 100 metres of public land behind them, El Pais said. 

Properties would be expropriated if settlements were not reached, the newspaper said. 

The European Parliament has condemned the impact of tourist development on the Mediterranean environment and traditional communities, especially in the Valencia region. 

Even Spain's tourist bosses say the industry faces competition from cheaper, less spoiled destinations. 

While low-cost flights have kept arrivals high, the length of stays and the amount tourists spend in each visit has fallen. 

About 1,000 kms of Spain's 8,000 kms of coastline has been built upon, El Pais reported.


----------



## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Bulgaria property boom has environmental cost *

BANSKO, Bulgaria, Oct 29 (Reuters) - The citizens of Bansko, a ski resort in Bulgaria's Pirin mountains, are selling their land with gusto to buy fancy cars and replace communist-era furniture. 

The same is true of other mountain resorts, as well as Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, as foreigners snap up cheap second homes, sending the price of resort and farming land to 250 euros a square metre from just 20 euros five years ago. 

But this growth comes at a cost. The once idyllic little town with cobblestone streets and traditional architecture, which in the 1980s was popular among skiiers and hikers from the former Soviet bloc, has changed beyond recognition. 

It is now crammed with concrete hotels. Roads are damaged, infrastructure is insufficient and pressure over water resources grows. 

Dozens of ageing, roaring trucks carry concrete and bricks over unpaved tracks to Bansko's mushrooming new districts. Dust and huge cranes mar the view to the mountain. 

"Our beautiful Bansko has been spoiled. Look at all these blocks and buildings," said 83-year-old Danka Spaseva, who has lived in Bansko through world war and communism. 

The cost also includes corruption, illegal land deals and construction of ski pistes involving local officials and property developers. 

"Corruption is rampant. The state has abdicated its functions to exercise control and the rule of law," said Ivan Sirleshtov, 60, a member of a local civil group to fight graft. 

"Bansko is being built in a very barbaric, outrageous way. There is no urban planning whatsoever," said Sirleshtov, who once published newspaper ads to lure tourists to his town. 

FLOURISHING CORRUPTION 

The tale of Bansko is a microcosm of the property boom in mountain resorts and along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, where corporate appetites grow and laws, rules and environment protection are often compromised. 

The promise of high profits after the Balkan country joined the European Union in January has lured investors from Britain, Ireland and Russia to buy property at a fraction of the price they would have to pay in Spain or France. 

Pristine nature and sunny weather in what was once the favourite holiday destination for former communist countries are also strong magnets. 

Visitors are amazed to discover that Bulgaria, relatively unknown in the West, has 220 km (137 miles) of Black Sea beaches, and its mountains boast 130 peaks over 2,000 metres (6,560 feet) with excellent skiing and hiking. 

But the flourishing corruption means many hotels, holiday homes and other investments are built on illegally acquired land or without necessary permits. 

"In all too many cases, foreign investors from Great Britain and other countries are silent accomplices," environmental group WWF said in an article aiming to raise awareness among buyers. 

Real estate agents in Bansko say many foreigners buy property via the Internet and try to rent it without ever visiting the resort. 

The names of politicians, businessmen, and even criminal groups who invest in real estate and bypass the law are an open secret in Bulgaria, but court charges are very rare. 

The EU has repeatedly criticised Bulgaria for its ineffective judiciary and lack of vigour in fighting graft. 

"For a mayor or a town architect, the more construction there is, the more bribery opportunities exist," said Toma Belev, who heads the association representing Bulgaria's nature parks. 

In many cases, mayors give away construction permits before roads, sewage and water infrastructure are in place. 

The mayor of Bansko, who has issued over 400 construction permits, had to impose a two-year building moratorium this summer because of lack of infrastructure. 

The rush for quick profits is also affecting quality. 

Over 130 foreign holiday makers were evacuated when the roof of their newly built hotel in the Black Sea resort of Golden Sands collapsed in September. Such incidents are not isolated. 

NATURE PARKS TARGETED 

Property developers are now casting their eyes on Bulgaria's protected areas. 

Conservation groups that have repeatedly challenged the construction of ski facilities in Bansko, say half of them were built illegally on the territory inside the Pirin Nature Park, a UNESCO world heritage site. 

Several consecutive governments, which made tourism a priority, have promised to crack down on illegal building but little has been done in practice. 

"It is very difficult to exercise control at this stage," said Valeri Vulchinkov of the Environment Ministry. 

But some note that external factors may put a damper on development. 

Bansko was unable to fill its 100,000-bed tourist capacity last winter, as unusually warm weather brought too little snow, while over the summer Black Sea resorts many hotels were unfilled and suffered a sharp drop in revenue.


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## RawLee

Budapest Winter Invasion

A winter tourism promotion in Budapest will receive the significant backing of the oneworld airline alliance.
Running from 1 December 2007 until 31 March 2008, Budapest Winter Invasion will involve 50 of the Hungarian capital's hotels as well as a range of service providers in the historic city.

Officials hope to increase the number of tourists travelling to Budapest by 20,000 this winter, as the number of nights that people stay in the city increases to 80,000.

oneworld, which includes the likes of British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines, will lend its support to the winter campaign. Malev Hungarian Airlines, oneworld's newest member, will also be playing a central role, as Budapest Airport looks to strengthen its international reputation.

Malev chief execuive Lloyd Paxton said: 'Having our oneworld partners join with us in this year's Budapest Winter Invasion is a classic example of how Malev and Hungary are benefiting from our membership of the alliance.'

Oneworld's Nicolas Ferri added: 'We are delighted to be working with the carrier itself and the various tourism associations involved towards making the coming winter the city's best yet for inbound travel.'

With more than 100 thermal springs, Budapest is a truly unique city that blends a cosmopolitan atmosphere with ancient architecture and charm.

source:http://blog.budpocketguide.com/2007/08/budapest-winter-invasion.html
http://www.budapestwinterinvasion.com/


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## haze

*Cooperate, not compete in tourism, says Taib*

KUCHING: Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines – which form the BIMP-EAGA (East Asean Growth Area) region – should cooperate rather than compete with each other to develop their tourism industries. 

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said joint efforts to promote tourism would be beneficial to the BIMP-EAGA member countries. 

“If we can undertake joint promotions, such as packages combining different destinations in the region, we will be in a strong position to attract more visitors. “The Sarawak Government will always be prepared to work together in the regional context to promote tourism,” he said when opening the 3rd BIMP-EAGA Travel Exchange here Friday. 

Taib said the four countries should also work together to bring more low-cost airlines to the region. 

“Perhaps a dialogue between low-cost airlines and industry players can be held to chart out tourism promotion efforts in the region,” he said. 

He also pointed out that the four countries shared a similar cultural and natural heritage. 

The four-day travel exchange at the Permata Exhibition Centre here is organised by the Sarawak Tourism Federation and the Urban Development and Tourism Ministry. 

It features 80 exhibitors from the four BIMP-EAGA countries as well as from the East Asia Tourism Forum comprising China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.


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## nazrey

*Vietnam to be among the world's top ten tourist destinations by 2016*
Author: An Hodgson
Date published: 20 Apr 2007 


Vietnam is predicted to be among the world's top ten tourist destinations by 2016. The expansion of the tourism industry will generate jobs, boost incomes and consumer spending as well as accelerate economic transition towards services and drive economic growth.

*Future scenarios*

The tourism sector is striving to receive 6 million foreign visitors by 2010 to earn US$4.0 billion in total incoming tourism receipts. It also aims to attract US$5.5 billion in foreign direct investment for the industry's development during this period. Also by 2010, the total number of workers in the tourism sector is expected to reach 1.4 million, of which some 308,000 will be receptionists, tourist guides and hotel workers.

Vietnam's travel and tourism sector is projected to have the world's sixth-highest growth rate between 2007 and 2016 (based on a projected growth of 7.5% per year). The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) predicts that Vietnam will be among the top ten major tourist destinations in the world by 2016.

*Issue*

Vietnam's tourism sector is striving to attract 6 million foreign visitors by 2010, compared to 3.6 million in 2006. Future development of the tourism industry will generate jobs, increase incomes, and contribute to overall economic growth. Businesses in a wide range of sectors can also expect to benefit from rising international tourist arrivals.

*Importance*

Thanks to economic reforms and the opening up of the country, Vietnam has enjoyed strong economic growth since the mid-1990s and rising international tourist arrivals:	Real GDP growth averaged 7.5% per year during 2000-2006. This is among the best economic performances in Asia;
-	The total number of international tourist arrivals in 2006 was 3.6 million, up from 2.1 million in 2000;
-	In 2006, incoming tourism receipts reached US$2.4 billion (3.9% of total GDP), up from US$1.2 billion in 2000;
-	The tourism sector employs around 250,000 people directly whilst an additional 500,000 people work in tourism-related businesses and industries;
-	Vietnam's major markets include China, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries. The government has waived visa requirements for visitors from these key markets as well as a number of European countries;
-	Compared with other Southeast Asian countries, however, the Vietnamese tourism sector is relatively young and small. In 2006, Malaysia recorded a total 18.1 million international tourist arrivals whilst Thailand and Singapore received 13.4 million and 9.4 million international visitors, respectively.



> International tourist arrivals in selected Southeast Asian countries: 2006
> Million
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Source: Euromonitor International from national statistics_


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## xXFallenXx

has the falling dollar increased the tourism in the US any?


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## nazrey

*It’s better to work together*
Saturday November 3, 2007


KUCHING: Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines – which form the BIMP-EAGA (East Asean Growth Area) region – should co-operate rather than compete with each other to develop their tourism industries. 

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said joint efforts to promote tourism would be beneficial to the BIMP-EAGA member countries. 

“If we can undertake joint promotions, such as packages combining different destinations in the region, we will be in a strong position to attract more visitors. 

“The Sarawak government will always be prepared to work together in the regional context to promote tourism,” he said when opening the 3rd BIMP-EAGA Travel Exchange here yesterday. 

Taib said the four countries should also work together to bring more low-cost airlines to the region. 

“Perhaps a dialogue between low-cost airlines and industry players can be held to chart out tourism promotion efforts in the region,” he said. 

Taib also pointed out that the four countries shared a similar cultural and natural heritage. 

The four-day travel exchange at the Permata Exhibition Centre is organised by the Sarawak Tourism Federation and the Urban Development and Tourism Ministry. 

It features 80 exhibitors from the four BIMP-EAGA countries, as well as the East Asia Tourism Forum comprising China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.


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## hkskyline

I don't think ASEAN has the seemless air connection yet to really promote regional tourism. It's quite a challenge flying between countries especially with some of the smaller, local airlines (a bit scary). Nevertheless, what types of theme tourism can arise out of this initiative?


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## nazrey

hkskyline said:


> I don't think ASEAN has the seemless air connection yet to really promote regional tourism. It's quite a challenge flying between countries especially with some of the smaller, local airlines (a bit scary). Nevertheless, what types of theme tourism can arise out of this initiative?


*Tourism Players Want A Say In BIMP-EAGA Air Links*
November 03, 2007 16:04 PM 

KUCHING, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- Tourism players want their input considered when airlines initiate air connectivity within the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

The call follows the disclosure that a Malaysia Airlines subsidiary, FireFly, is considering serving the sub-region.

Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) president Wee Hong Seng said Saturday such feedback would help create a win-win situation for the airline industry as well as the BIMP-EAGA stakeholders in the public and private sectors of the four participating countries.

"We need to promote two-way traffic for both inbound and outbound tourists, otherwise the load may not be enough for the airlines to be viable in this sub region," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Value Chain Tourism Forum held in conjunction with the Third BIMP-EAGA Travel Exchange 2007 here.

He said the statement by MAS managing director and FireFly chairman Datuk Idris Jala that FireFly was considering operating flights from Kota Kinabalu to major towns within BIMP-EAGA would give a further boost to the sub-region's tourism development.

On Thursday, Jala said that the Sabah government had given the greenlight to make Kota Kinabalu one of the hubs for FireFly to operate a domestic and international network.

He had said that the airline could position in Kota Kinabalu some of the Italian turboprop aircraft FireFly had ordered to cater for the BIMP-EAGA sub-region over the next five years.

Meanwhile a senior consultant for promoting regional economic cooperation in BIMP-EAGA, Dr Peter Richter, said an estimated five million tourists were anticipated to visit the sub-region in 2010, an increase of one million from the four million currently.

Dr Richter, who is also the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) project manager based in Makati City in the Philippines, was confident of the growth in tourist arrivals to the sub-region due to improvements in air connectivity, besides the low air fares being offered by AirAsia to enable tourists to "really move around."

Describing it as one of the last untapped sub regions, he said BIMP-EAGA had tremendous tourism potential, including culture, adventure and nature (CAN) products, especially with the proximity of the "Heart of Borneo" rainforest project to promote sustainable development while protecting the environment and the Coral Triangle initiative in the region, which contains the world's richest marine life.

Dr Richter noted that the BIMP-EAGA tourism stakeholders had come up with an action plan to support innovative and competitive packaging of CAN tours with a single slogan, which is expected to be implemented by next year.

-- BERNAMA


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## Skyprince

hkskyline said:


> I don't think ASEAN has the seemless air connection yet to really promote regional tourism. It's quite a challenge flying between countries especially with some of the smaller, local airlines (a bit scary). Nevertheless, what types of theme tourism can arise out of this initiative?


Its very easy to hop from one ASEAN country to another, especially with the huge presence of budget carriers like Air Asia. 

Budget airline travel in SEA = Rail travel in Europe


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## hkskyline

Skyprince said:


> Its very easy to hop from one ASEAN country to another, especially with the huge presence of budget carriers like Air Asia.
> 
> Budget airline travel in SEA = Rail travel in Europe


The traffic numbers are nowhere near, and even budget carriers such as AirAsia have limited reach. From Vientianne, going to Hanoi isn't so easy on AirAsia. Go south and connect in KL, which is a waste of time, or try a traditional airline with an expensive ticket. Basically any flight to a secondary city has to originate in either KL or Bangkok, which doesn't always make geographic sense. The European low-cost network is far better equipped to do point-to-point even between secondary cities. That industry is far more mature with a lot more players.

The latest AirAsia rolling annual traffic figures show about 14 million passengers. Deutsche Bahn, the largest rail and transport company in Europe, serves more than 5 million passengers *daily* on some 28,000 trains. It has 34,128 kilometres of track and 4,183 train stations throughout the country.


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## Skyprince

hkskyline said:


> The traffic numbers are nowhere near, and even budget carriers such as AirAsia have limited reach. From Vientianne, going to Hanoi isn't so easy on AirAsia. Go south and connect in KL, which is a waste of time, or try a traditional airline with an expensive ticket. Basically any flight to a secondary city has to originate in either KL or Bangkok, which doesn't always make geographic sense. The European low-cost network is far better equipped to do point-to-point even between secondary cities. That industry is far more mature with a lot more players.
> 
> The latest AirAsia rolling annual traffic figures show about 14 million passengers. Deutsche Bahn, the largest rail and transport company in Europe, serves more than 5 million passengers *daily* on some 28,000 trains. It has 34,128 kilometres of track and 4,183 train stations throughout the country.


Well, in terms of per-capita income EU is 5 to 6 times higher than ASEAN, and rail transport isn't popular at all in ASEAN countries except in parts of Vietnam and Myanmar. I think there are regular and frequent bus services connecting Vientiane or LP to its neighboring Vietnam and Thailand ; most tourists I met here said travelling inside ASEAN is far easier than travelling inside East Asia or South Asia because there is a great balance between cost and accessibility factor. Hopping from one Indochina country to another is easy by bus ( but service isn't up to standard though ). 

Rail travel is nice, but it takes a lot of time; imagine travelling from Singapore to Bangkok by train :nuts: and ASEAN is geographically disconnected region with thousands of islands ; so air travel is the best way to go.


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## nazrey

*ASEAN says it is on track to implement open skies*
Published: November 1, 2007
Herald Tribune


SINGAPORE: Southeast Asian countries on Thursday said they were on track to fully liberalize air travel in the region by December 2008, adding that an agreement to legalize it would be signed as soon as possible.

In a statement issued during their annual meeting, the region's transport ministers said they "affirmed their commitment toward the timely implementation of the liberalization of air services."

Transport officials of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations have finalized the text on the implementation of a roadmap that will allow all regional airlines to operate unlimited services on routes between their capital cities in 2008.

"In this regard the ministers agreed to the signing of the ASEAN multilateral agreement on the full liberalization of ... air services at the earliest possible opportunity in time for implementation by December 2008," the statement said.

It said a similar agreement on air freight services would also be signed.

Singapore Transport Minister Raymond Lim said the ministers will take the text of the roadmap back to their governments for domestic consultations but all countries have agreed to sign the pact "at the earliest opportunity next year."

Earlier Thursday, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in a speech to inaugurate the two-day meeting, said ASEAN's commitment to the liberalization pact must be followed through quickly.

Lee said ASEAN must look beyond the roadmap to a full liberalization of air travel in the region.

"If necessary, those who are ready should move even faster, putting in place market- and consumer-friendly liberalization measures such as open skies agreements," he said. "Such bold steps will put ASEAN in a strong position to benefit from the rapid growth in air travel around the region."

Last year, more than 27 million people traveled within the region, a 20 percent increase over 2005, officials say.

Under the roadmap, the privileges will be extended to other cities in the member countries by 2010.

Also Thursday, the transport ministers endorsed a roadmap for the liberalization of maritime transport services within the region.

On Friday, the ministers were expected to sign a maritime transport agreement and an aviation cooperation pact with China, and a roadmap to boost aviation security infrastructure with Japan.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.


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## hkskyline

Skyprince said:


> Well, in terms of per-capita income EU is 5 to 6 times higher than ASEAN, and rail transport isn't popular at all in ASEAN countries except in parts of Vietnam and Myanmar. I think there are regular and frequent bus services connecting Vientiane or LP to its neighboring Vietnam and Thailand ; most tourists I met here said travelling inside ASEAN is far easier than travelling inside East Asia or South Asia because there is a great balance between cost and accessibility factor. Hopping from one Indochina country to another is easy by bus ( but service isn't up to standard though ).
> 
> Rail travel is nice, but it takes a lot of time; imagine travelling from Singapore to Bangkok by train :nuts: and ASEAN is geographically disconnected region with thousands of islands ; so air travel is the best way to go.


While air travel is indeed the best way to see ASEAN countries from a timing and convenience factor, my point is the connectivity must increase before a regional tourism initiative can be successful.


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## hkskyline

*Hawaii: Tourists Make Lousy Neighbors *
3 March 2008

HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii's verdant volcanic peaks and crystalline waters have made tourism the state's biggest industry. But not all Hawaii residents are thrilled by the millions who flock to their shores. 

They complain that some of the visitors renting homes and rooms in their residential neighborhoods create noise, drive up home and rental prices and destroy the sense of community. 

"When you live in a place like Hawaii that is a resort 24-7, you need areas where people can feel at home," said Katherine Bryant-Hunter, chairwoman of a neighborhood board on the island of Oahu. "Our neighbors change everyday. They don't coach volleyball. They don't go to church with us. They are not part of the community fabric." 

Their concerns have led to a flurry of proposals by lawmakers on Oahu, Maui and Kauai. The legislators are trying to address what they say is a proliferation of short-term rentals that are operating without required county approval. 

But owners of short-term rental units call them an asset to Hawaii's tourism industry. They say they set rules ensuring their guests aren't disruptive. 

"In my area, I never had noise that I know of, and there were always house rules," said Angie Larson, who runs a bed and breakfast out of her home in an upscale Oahu neighborhood near the beach. She is part of a group fighting to lift a ban on new short-term rentals on Oahu. 

Larson and other short-term rental owners argue that their guests help them pay the mortgage and meet other expenses, not get rich. But disputes between owners and their neighbors have sparked angry confrontations and lawsuits. 

"There's a lot of ugly things occurring in neighborhoods," Bryant-Hunter said. "People are really frustrated because they don't want to fight with their neighbors, and nobody wants to throw out the visitors." 

In one of the most contentious cases, Oahu resident Susan Cummings sued her neighbor Marlene Roth, accusing her of operating an illegal bed and breakfast. She has installed a video camera on the side of her beach cottage to catch renters going up and down the driveway she shares with Roth. 

Cummings, who will be 75 this year, said a stream of guests coming in and out of Roth's house at all hours have ruined her dream of a quiet retirement. 

"This isn't the way I intended these years of my life to be," she said recently. 

She won a lawsuit against Roth two years ago, but said she still has little relief. 

Roth is appealing the case and has accused Cummings in court papers of spying and harassment. Her attorney said she was unavailable for comment. 

Vacation rentals and bed and breakfasts are a small part of Hawaii's tourism industry. Hotel rooms account for most of the roughly 73,000 units of visitor accommodations. 

Studies financed by real estate and vacation rental groups in 2005 found more than 4,000 short-term rental units on Oahu, Maui and Kauai -- most of them illegal. The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism counted more than 1,100 units on the state's remaining islands. 

Bed and breakfast rooms in Hawaii are available for as little as $80 a night, while the average hotel room is nearly $200, according to Hospitality Advisors LLC. 

Short-term vacation rentals tend to be more expensive, going for a few hundred dollars a night. 

Maui is considering a proposal to eliminate special permits allowing short-term vacation rentals in residential areas, said Jeff Hunt, Maui County planning director. The proposal would simplify the process of getting a bed and breakfast permit and expand the areas where short-term vacation rentals can operate without a permit. 

"We're trying to find some middle ground," Hunt said. 

Vacation rental homes tend to incite the most outrage among neighbors, because unlike bed and breakfasts, they have no owner or manager on site, Hunt said. The county has about 1,100 illegal bed and breakfasts and vacation rentals, he estimated. 

On Kauai, the county council recently passed a law that prohibits single-family homes from serving as vacation rentals outside certain resort areas. The previous law had mentioned only multifamily units, leading some people to argue it didn't apply to single-family homes, according to Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura, who proposed the new law. 

Oahu banned new bed and breakfasts and short-term vacation rentals in the late 1980s. About 1,000 property owners -- grandfathered in at the time of the ban -- have city approval to rent rooms for less than 30 days. But hundreds of others operate illegally in oceanside communities, critics say. 

City officials are considering a measure that would nearly quadruple the property tax on homes used as vacation rentals and bed-and-breakfasts. 

"If they are going to be making money out of residential districts operating as basically a hotel, I think it's only fair they pay something that is equivalent to a hotel rate," said Councilman Gary Okino, who introduced the proposal.


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## hkskyline

* Global tourism worth eight trillion dollars this year: WTTC*
AFP
Thu Mar 6, 11:21 AM ET

Global tourism is expected to be worth almost eight trillion dollars (5.2 trillion euros) this year, up three percent, as the economic outlook dims, World Travel and Tourism Council said Thursday.

In 2007, tourism spending grew 3.9 percent but this year, US economic problems, high fuel prices and concern about climate change could temper growth, the WTTC said in a study presented at the Berlin tourism fair.

At the same time, tourism, which is widely believed to be the world's largest single industry, "is expected to generate close to eight trillion dollars (5.2 trillion euros) in 2008, rising to approximately 15 trillion dollars over the next ten years," the WTTC said.

"Continued strong expansion in emerging countries -- both as tourism destinations and as an increasing source of international visitors -- means that the industry's prospects remain bright into the medium-term," WTTC president Jean-Claude Baumgarten said in a statement.

Chinese tourists were forecast to exceed Japanese and Germans this year to move into second spot behind citizens of the United States, the council said.

"Even in countries where economic growth slows, there is likely to be a switch from international to domestic travel rather than a contraction in demand," it added.

The tourism sector, which employs around 240 million people worldwide, should create another six million jobs this year. By 2018, tourism spending is expected to grow by an average annual rate of 4.4 percent, the WTTC said.


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## hkskyline

*Sewer tours a hot ticket for Sydney tourism *

SYDNEY, March 3 (Reuters) - They are dark, smelly and buried beneath Australia's biggest city, but Sydney's historic sewers have become one of the country's most sought-after tourist destinations. 

Demand for the underground tours is so great that people who apply for tickets have been known to offer bribes such as chocolates and flowers to try make sure they are not among the thousands turned away each year, tour organisers said on Monday. 

"I've had people calling up and offering all kinds of bribes to try and get a place on the tour," said Pascale Hastings, from Sydney's Historic Houses Trust, which runs the sewer tours. 

"There's a huge appeal in going underground and being in dark, confined spaces normally off limits." 

The Historic Houses Trust, which manages some of Australia's oldest heritage buildings, organises tours of the old Sydney sewers only twice a year, and can take only 180 people through the drains every six months. 

But more than 4,000 people regularly apply for tickets to tour the drains, built to provide fresh water for the British settlement in Sydney in about 1790 by convicts sent to Australia. 

By the 1820s, the stone drains were being used as a sewers. Today, they carry only storm water to Sydney Harbour, running beneath Sydney's tallest buildings and commercial centre. 

The drains are some of the oldest surviving remnants of Australia's early European settlement, after the first British settlers and convicts arrived to set up a British colony in Sydney in 1788. 

The tours operate only two days a year because water authorities have to clear out the drains, treat lingering bacteria, and pump in air to make the tours safe.


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## hkskyline

*Slump in Gulf tourists hits heart of Lebanon's economy *

BEIRUT, March 10, 2008 (AFP) - Lebanon's political crisis has turned into an economic nightmare for the vital tourist industry, hard hit by a slump in tourists from oil-rich Gulf states who have been told to avoid the troubled country. 

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, whose citizens often spend as much of their money on Lebanon's ski slopes in the winter as they do on its beaches in the summer, have advised their citizens not to travel to a country in the grip of its worst political crisis since the end of the civil war in 1990. 

Riyadh -- one of Lebanon's main bankrollers -- went even further, recently instructing its citizens already in Lebanon to leave the country "if possible". 

And Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal warned last month that the country was "on the verge of civil war." 

For a tourist industry already reeling from February 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri and Israel's war on Hezbollah in the summer 2006, such warnings are the kiss of death. 

"Without tourists from the Gulf, we can't live!" exclaimed Elyssar who works at a furniture store along the road that connects the capital Beirut to Bhammdoun and Aley, two villages very popular with rich Arab tourists. 

"More than 50 percent of our revenue comes from them as every year they update the furniture in their Lebanese apartments," she said. 

Lebanon has been rocked by a wave of attacks against anti-Syrian figures over the past three years and is riven by a protracted political crisis that has left the country without a president for more than three months. 

A long-running sit-in staged by the Hezbollah-led opposition in Beirut's downtown, rebuilt and renovated from the ruins of civil war, has also left the usually vibrant area deserted, forcing most of its shops and restaurants out of business. 

-- 'We can't talk about tourism anymore, it's over' -- 

"We can't talk about tourism anymore, it's over," lamented Pierre Ashkar, president of Lebanon's hotel owners' syndicate. 

"Since Hariri's assassination in 2005 and the war in 2006, it's been nothing but a series of (assassination) attempts, fiery discourses and skirmishes. All this scares tourists away." 

Tourist numbers were little more than one million in 2007, a dramatic fall to expectations of close to 1.6 million before the 2006 war with Israel. 

According to the general union of Arab chambers of commerce, losses in the tourism sector over the past two and a half years have run up to 2.2 billion dollars. 

In the capital, where Saudis and Emiratis are known for their extravagant purchases, anxiety has won out. 

In an upmarket boutique that sells signature bags priced between 500 and 1,000 dollars apiece, salesgirl Cosette said sales have plunged because of a lack of customers. 

In Beirut's large hotels, the number of customers has also gone down. "There have unfortunately been some cancellations by some Gulf clients," said a manager at the Bristol, once the grandest hotel in Lebanon. 

Achkar said that during normal times, at least 60 percent of hotel guests come from the Gulf but that occupancy rates had dropped by half over the past two years. 

"We cut prices in order to attract clients," he said. 

"Thousands of people come to the country from the Gulf and we are wasting all of it," said Paul Aariss, president of the Lebanese restaurant owners syndicate. 

"Now we are afraid that Lebanese expatriates will decide to not come and vist the country. 

The land of the cedars, as Lebanon is known, has about four million inhabitants and one of the largest diasporas in the world estimated at several million people. 

"My wife, who is Lebanese, is in Canada but doesn't want to come back to the country. And why should she come in these conditions?" said Toufiq Shehayeb, a cafe owner in Aley. 

Jawad, a 23-year-old bakery worker, said the latest travel advisories issued by the Gulf states were of little consequence as tourists have already deserted Lebanon. 

"Since the 2006 war, they haven't come. Who feels like doing tourism in a country that could become like Iraq?" 

In a luxury furniture store at an upscale mall, people seem less preoccupied with the situation. "Arab princes and princesses are amongst our customers," said shopkeeper Randa. "They make their purchases on the Internet."


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## hkskyline

*Las Vegas adopts new ad campaign to blunt tourism slump *
12 March 2008

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Southern Nevada tourism officials are starting a $12 million ad campaign to invite visitors and conventioneers to town despite high gasoline prices, sagging consumer confidence and a global credit crisis. 

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, representing area governments and the largest Las Vegas area hotel-casinos, gave the go-ahead Tuesday to the "Vegas Right Now" campaign to run through June. 

The aim, officials said, is to spur trips to Sin City by customers the authority dubs "Vegas enthusiasts." 

"Every magazine and every newspaper and every television station has covered the economy," said Terry Jicinsky, marketing vice president for the authority. "This campaign will address some of that." 

The convention and visitors authority, which controls the "What Happens Here, Stays Here" ad campaign, mounted a similar ad blitz amid a tourism slump following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. 

The "Vegas Right Now" unveiling coincided with the announcement of a $20 million campaign by the Vegas.com Web site, called "The Vegas Experts." Those ads feature Vegas.com employees scouting parties, clubs and hotels on behalf of Web site users. 

Research presented during the authority's monthly meeting showed declines in arrivals and departures at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, decreasing visitor traffic from Southern California and a dip in casino gambling revenue. 

The CVA ads will be targeted in cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and San Francisco as well as Boston, Atlanta and Dallas.


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## hkskyline

*Crackdown fallout hits Myanmar tourism hard *
Fri Mar 14, 9:07 AM ET
Reuters 

It may be awash with cultural splendors, topped off by the 1,000-year-old temples of Bagan, but a reviled military government has ensured Myanmar has never been flooded with foreign tourists.

Six months after September's bloody crackdown on monk-led protests, that trickle of visitors -- 350,000 in 2006 compared to 13 million in neighboring Thailand -- has all but dried up.

The former Burma's rigidly controlled domestic newspapers admit tourism almost halved in the three months after the crackdown, in which the United Nations says at least 31 people were killed.

But in Bagan, a mystical plain studded with more than 4,000 temples and stupas on the banks of the mighty Irrawaddy River, hotel and restaurant operators say occupancy rates and takings are just 20-30 percent of the same time last year.

Given that the unrest, and the shocking images of soldiers attacking monks and unarmed demonstrators, fell on the eve of the "cool season" -- the traditional peak time for tourism -- the decline is threatening many with ruin.

"There are so few visitors at the moment," said tour guide Aung Myint with a shake of the head. "Many people are wondering how they will support their families during the low season. Now is when we're meant to be making all our money."

Although it only took a few days for the junta to crush the biggest democracy protests in 19 years, pictures, including the shooting of a Japanese journalist, reinforced the image of the former British colony as an unstable, hostile place.

Besides a growing number of Russian tour groups, the only visitors who appear to have shrugged off scruples or the perception of risk are German.

"I don't know why but most of the tourists now are Germans," said Aung Thein Myint, owner of a swish open-air restaurant on the banks of the Irrawaddy, where takings in October and November were down by 80 percent.

"They seem to think that until they start shooting Germans, it's still safe to visit," he said.

BLAME IT ON THE MEDIA

In typically uncompromising tone, the junta -- the latest face of 46 years of unbroken military rule -- blames the decline on the foreign media and dissidents who smuggled out pictures and reports of atrocities on the Internet.

"Some foreigners attempted to tarnish the image of Myanmar by posting in the Web sites the photos of the protest walks," Deputy Tourism Minister Aye Myint Kyu, a brigadier-general, wrote in state-run papers in January under a widely known pseudonym.

However, in one sense he is right: coverage of the crisis put the oft-forgotten southeast Asian nation firmly in the world spotlight and bolstered the cries of many anti-government organizations telling potential visitors to stay away.

Under the slogan "The cost of a holiday could be someone's life," groups such as the Burma Campaign UK argue that every tourist dollar props up a regime that uses forced labor, child soldiers and systematic rape of ethnic minority women -- allegations the junta denies.

Boycott campaigners also say that the jobs of people working in tourism are an unfortunate but unavoidable consequence of the wider effort to overthrow the generals.

"The tourism industry in Burma is tiny. The vast majority of people will never see a tourist in their life," said Anna Roberts of the Burma Campaign UK.

SHOULD I STAY, SHOULD I GO? 

Even though the call for a boycott came from detained Nobel peace laureate and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, it is not without its critics. 

In particular, detractors argue it is an empty gesture since the cash gleaned directly and indirectly from tourism is a tiny fraction of that from gems and natural gas, which made the generals more than $2 billion in sales to Thailand alone in 2007. 

They also say it pushes them further into the isolation on which they appear to thrive. 

"The boycott is totally pointless," said Ton Schoonderwoerd, an independent Dutch tourist watching the sun rise above Bagan's temples, the product of 230 years of building by Buddhist kings that came to an abrupt end with a Mongol invasion in 1287. 

"It may seem good to politicians in the U.S. and Europe, but out here it just means that people struggle even more to make ends meet," he said. 

Rather than coming down on either side of what is a passionate debate, backpacker bible Lonely Planet chooses simply to outline the pros and cons of visiting, and urges those who do to avoid government-run hotels and airlines.


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## sk

*Cypriot tourism update*

LATEST FIGURES: TOURISM ARRIVALS, FEB 2008

17/03/2008



On the basis of the results of the Passengers Survey, arrivals of tourists reached 70.140 in February 2008 compared to 63.098 in February 2007, recording an increase of 11,2%. An increase of 4,4% was recorded in tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom (from 31.481 in February 2007 to 32.877 in February 2008) as well as 38,7% increase from Greece (from 6.594 to 9.146) and 24,8% increase from Germany (from 5.535 to 6.910 this year).

For the period January – February 2008 arrivals of tourists totalled 120.798 compared to 114.947 in the corresponding period of 2007, recording an increase of 5,1%.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism must not destroy Mediterranean environment: ministers *

FES, Morocco, April 3, 2008 (AFP) - Tourism ministers agreed here Thursday on the need to curb the burgeoning spread of tourist hotels and other facilities that might one day damage the environment of the Mediterranean coast. 

A statement said they had "underlined the importance of preventing and reducing the negative impacts of urbanisation and non-sustainable land use for tourism infrastructure construction, especially at coastal areas." 

The Mediterraneanan basin would become one of the regions most vulnerable to climatic change, said a unanimously adopted resolution by ministers from the European Union, and north African and eastern Mediterranean countries. 

The ministers "underlined the need to enhance awareness among the stakeholders, and particularly the private sector, on the impact of climate change by promoting measures and actions aiming at developing sustainable tourism in the EuroMed region," said the statement following a meeting in Fes in Morocco. 

Mohamed Moroccan Tourism Minister Mohamed Boussaid said Euro-Mediterranean tourism represented about a third of world tourism trade in terms of visitor numbers. 

"A central condition of the growth of tourism is that preservation of the environment should be at the heart of tourist projects so that its potential can bring true benefits to partner countries in the long term," said Philippe de Fontaine Vive, Vice President of the European Investment Bank. 

Joe Borg, a member of the European Union's Executive Commission in Brussels responsible for maritime affairs and fisheries, said the EU was promoting training, technical support, and restoration of cultural heritage in order to promote sustainable tourism around the Mediterranean. 

Ministers of the 27 member states of the European Union, together with nine Arab countries, the Palestinian Territories, Turkey, Israel and Albania attended the first ever conference of this kind on Mediterranean tourist development.


----------



## nazrey

*Savvy traveller: how not to look like a tourist*
Nick Trend
Last Updated: 5:06PM BST 09/04/2008



> You can’t avoid being part of 'the tourist problem’, but lowering your profile will help you feel more like a local, writes Nick Trend.












One of the things I enjoy least about travelling is the feeling of being a tourist. True, there have been some memorable times when it has felt like a privilege. In the USSR and eastern Europe before the fall of the Berlin Wall, and in China in the 1980s, visitors from the West were still quite rare and had a special status. Many locals would positively want to meet and talk to you. It is still often true in remoter parts of the world, though only where tourists are a novelty rather than a nuisance. 

But for the most part, in the big holiday destinations of the world, we tourists are a blight on the landscape, clearly wanted for our money, but often resented, or at least regarded as irritants, by the local population. 

I have just come back from two weeks in Venice, where the problem is acute. Watching old ladies and young mothers struggling to get through the crowds of visitors on the water buses, I found it is easy to see why the number of permanent residents is in serious decline, and why tourists can often get an impatient response from locals. 

But while you can’t avoid being part of the problem, there are things you can do to keep a lower profile. This has its advantages. After all, camouflaging your tourist status not only helps you feel less of an intruder, it makes you more secure - a much less obvious target for opportunist pickpockets and conmen. 

Of course it won’t work in all cultures. Unless you are of Oriental extraction, you will always look like a foreigner in China, for example. And unless you are a linguist, you will always get found out when you try to speak the local language. 

But in European or American cities, it is possible to take a more discreet approach to travelling. Here are some ruses to lower your profile, and make you feel more like a local. 

How not to look like a tourist 
Buy a plastic carrier bag 

It may not be stylish, but it seems to work. Here’s the proof: in two weeks of regular travel on the vaporetti in Venice, I was never asked to show my ticket once - even though other tourists were checked regularly. Since I scarcely look Italian, the only explanation I could think of was that I had kept my notebook, guidebooks and camera in a carrier bag I picked up from a local supermarket. Had I been carrying a day pack, or wearing a money belt, I’m sure I would have been treated differently. 

Don’t wear shorts 

I wouldn’t dream of offering sartorial advice to women, but on men, shorts are a sure-fire giveaway of your tourist status in Europe. 

Do wear a jacket 

Few tourists bother, so if you make the effort you will look more like one of the locals. 

Carry your camera discreetly 

You inevitably give yourself away when you take snaps. But in between time, disguise your status by putting your camera in your bag or on your belt, rather than leaving it bouncing ostentatiously on your chest or dangling from a wrist. 

Fold the map in advance 

We have all stood on the corner of the street struggling with a map of an unfamiliar city. But you can reduce the chances of appearing quite so obviously alien if you get as much of your route in your head before you set off. Folding the map carefully will also mean you can glance at it more discreetly. 

*How not to feel like a tourist *
*Learn some key words *

Having even a handful of basic words, and especially numbers, changes the way you are treated, and reduces the sense of being a complete outsider. And even if the waiter replies in fluent English, at least you have shown a willingness to make an effort. 

*Use local buses *

In Venice this advice doesn’t work very well, because so many tourists use the vaporetti. But in most cities, familiarising yourself with the bus map is a big step towards living like a local. Pick the routes carefully and you can even use them as an alternative to a sightseeing tour. The number 100 in Berlin, the 40 in Rome and the M1 in New York, for example, all follow routes past many of the principal sights. 

*Rent an apartment *

Everything mitigates in your favour: you won’t be surrounded by other tourists at breakfast and dinner, you will be living alongside the city residents, you will probably use the local food shops and markets, and, to cap it all, if you cater for yourself, you will spend much less money than you would eating out. For a good selection of accommodation, see Interhome (020 8780 6633, www.interhome.co.uk). 

*Visit off-beat sights and areas *

In Venice, the contrast between the everyday city and the tourist town is especially sharp. Step just one street away from the railway station/Rialto/St Mark’s axis, for example, and you find yourself in a real city rather than an overcrowded stage-set. Here, too, there are dozens of smaller museums, churches and palaces that often see only a handful of visitors at a time. You may still be a tourist, but you won’t be part of the visiting hordes. 

*Travel alone *

This is not the ideal solution for most tourists, but it is certainly easier to blend in with the local crowd when you are travelling solo than when you are kissing and cuddling in a gondola on the Grand Canal. 

© Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2008.


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## hkskyline

* Personal requiem for Asia's lost gems *
By DENIS D. GRAY, Associated Press Writer
Thu Apr 10, 11:32 AM ET

EDITOR'S NOTE: As more of the world opens to tourism, some who treasured undiscovered places mourn what they have lost. This is one man's lament, from Bangkok Chief of Bureau Denis D. Gray, who has lived, worked and traveled in Asia for more than 30 years.

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP) — On a chilly pre-dawn in this wondrous and once-secluded place, scruffy European backpackers and well-heeled American tourists have staked out their firing positions.

A fusillade of flashing, jostling cameras and videocams is triggered the moment Buddhist monks pad barefoot out of their monasteries in a serene, timeless ritual. A forward surge breaks into the line of golden-yellow robes, and nearly tramples kneeling Lao women offering food to the monks.

Later that day, a prince of the former royal capital struggling to preserve his town's cultural legacy, protests: "For many tourists, coming to Luang Prabang is like going on safari, but our monks are not monkeys or buffaloes."

Nestled deep in a Mekong River valley, cut off from most of the world by the Vietnam War, Luang Prabang was very different when I first saw it in 1974. Fraying at the edges, yes, but still a magic fusion of traditional Lao dwellings, French colonial architecture and more than 30 graceful monasteries, some dating back to the 14th century. It wasn't a museum, but a cohesive, authentic, living community.

Fast forward to 2008: Many of the old families have departed, selling or leasing their homes to rich outsiders who have turned them into a guesthouses, Internet cafes and pizza parlors. There are fewer monks because the newcomers no longer support the monasteries. And the influx of tourists skyrockets, the fragile town of 25,000 now taking in some 300,000 of them a year. Throughout Laos, tourism was up an astounding 36.5 percent in 2007, compared to 2006, with more than 1.3 million visitors in the first 10 months of the year, according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association.

Some time has passed since destinations on the major crossroads of Asia - Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and others - first took on this influx - even, ironically, as they bulldozed and skyscrapered over the very character, atmosphere and history which drew the visitors by the jumbo flight.

Now, it's the turn of places once isolated by conflicts, hostile regimes and "off-road" geography to which only the more intrepid travelers had earlier ventured. And as Asia's last little gems, one after another, succumb to tourism's withering impact, there are truly pangs in my heart - together with a dose of selfish jealousy as for a love one must now share with many.

"Siem Reap may be one of the few spots that still clings to the remnants of the old Cambodia, before the war, before the slaughter," I wrote in my diary in 1980, returning to this northwestern Cambodia town just months after the fall of the murderous Khmer Rouge.

The human toll had been terrible, but Siem Reap itself endured, its small, languid scale, the old French market, the artistic ambiance so befitting a community at the edge of Cambodia's greatest creations - the ancient temples of Angkor.

At Angkor Wat, an old penniless couple offered warm palm sugar juice from a bamboo cup as a few soldiers escorted me - the sole tourist - through the haunting chambers of the most magnificent temple of them all.

On a recent visit to Siem Reap, I encountered a frenzied, dust-blown work site. Multistory hotels with plate glass windows were springing up on the banks of the lazy Siem Reap River, into which raw sewage oozed from legions of guesthouses. The market had more bars per block than Las Vegas.

The spiritually traumatized at luxury retreats could now book one-on-one healing sessions with "life coaches" flown in from United States, and "Angkorean" stomach wraps of lotus leaf and warm rice.

Would-be warriors, down with temple fatigue, were throwing hand grenades and firing assault rifles for $30 a burst at the Army Shooting Range. The Phokeethra Royal Angkor Golf and Spa Resort, which boasts an 11th century bridge between the 9th and 10th holes, had brought "the gentlemen's game to the Eighth Wonder of the World."

The 3.7-mile road from Siem Reap to that wonder, once a tranquil alley lined with towering trees, formed a troop of hotels and ugly, mall-like shopping centers - most of them in violation of zoning laws.

On my last evening, I thought a Grand Prix was being run. Young travelers were gathering for sundowner parties while buses delivered Chinese tourists to the grand causeway of Angkor Wat, wreathed by rising exhaust fumes.

Maybe the package groups and top-rung vacationists, with their high-maintenance demands, leave a bigger footprint than backpackers. But in Asia, backpackers have served as the industry's reconnaissance teams, penetrating rural hinterlands to colonize idyllic spots and pave the way for upmarket travelers. The banana pancake circuit it's called, after one of their requisite staples.

Take Pai, a village embedded in an expansive, mountain-encircled valley of northern Thailand. It used to be a great escape into an easygoing, exotic world, with tribal settlements scattered in the hills - until the global migratory tribe appeared in droves, dragging its own culture along.

Bamboo and thatch tourist huts hug the meandering Pai River as far as the eye can see, gobbling up rice paddies and clambering up hillsides on its left bank. On the right bank, high-priced resorts have begun to mushroom.

The short downtown strip is jammed with Apple Pai and nine other Internet cafes, video and tattoo parlors, bars, yoga and cooking classes, countless trinket shops and an eatery featuring bagels and cream cheese.

There's even an English-language newspaper, published by Joe Cummings, an author of those Bibles of shoestring travel, the Lonely Planet guides, which probably did more than anything to put Pai on the circuit. In a wicked daydream, I condemn Joe to eating nothing but banana pancakes and lugging a 500-pound backpack through all eternity.

Even those who make their living from tourism lament the growth. "It's too developed now. Too much concrete everywhere, too many guesthouses," says Watcharee Boonyathammaraksa, who, when I first met her in 1999 had just fled Bangkok's frantic advertising world to start a cafe, All About Coffee, in what is one of the only old wooden houses left in town.

Luang Prabang has done better in not tearing down its past. UNESCO has kept a close watch after declaring it a World Heritage site in 1995. The agency described the urban jewel as "the best preserved city of Southeast Asia."

Still, former UNESCO expert and resident, Francis Engelmann, says: "We have saved Luang Prabang's buildings, but we have lost its soul."

The traditional community is dissolving in tourism's wake, with those taking over the old residences interested in profits rather than supporting the monasteries, which exist largely on the offerings of the faithful.

One monastery, Engelmann says, has already closed down and abbots of others complain that tourists enter uninvited into their quarters to snap photos "right in their noses" while they study or meditate. The senior clergy report drugs, sex and minor crimes, once virtually unknown, among young novices as imported enticements and titillations swirl around their temple gates.

"Sustainable, ethical, eco-tourism." Tourist officials in Laos and elsewhere in Asia chant these fashionable mantras. But their operational plans push for "more, more, more." Nothing plunges the region's governments and marketers into a deeper funk than a drop in arrivals because of a tsunami or outbreak of bird flu.

In Luang Prabang, by official count, more than 160 guesthouses and hotels are already in business, with the Chinese and Koreans planning some really big ones for the wholesale trade.

Along the long block of Sisavangvong Road, at the old town's core, every building caters to the sightseers in one fashion or another. What a pleasure to finally discover one that doesn't, even if it's one housing the Luang Prabang Provincial Federation of Trade Unions.

A lean, old man, barefoot and clad only in a checkered blue sarong, would have been a common sight a few years ago. Now, as he shuffles across Sisavangvong, among the trekking boots and fancy parkas, he seems like a stranger in his own hometown.

Nearby, at the Cultural House Puang Champ, my friend Prince Nithakhong Tiaoksomsanith is hoping to somehow act as a conduit of authentic Lao culture between a globalizing generation and the passing one. His traditional wooden house, propped on stilts, serves as a center where old masters teach music, dancing, cooking, gold thread embroidery and other arts.

This, Nithakhong says, may help avert Luang Prabang's possible fate: "Disneyland."

So, on a late afternoon, four teenagers under the guidance of a musician who once performed in the royal palace, practice. On strings and percussion, they play "The Lao Full Moon," a mournful, romantic song.

But even this private compound is vulnerable. As the youngsters play, a tourist tries barging in. And who's that over the wall, craning their necks?

More tourists, clicking cameras in hand.


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## nazrey

*Matta to host Asian tourism expo in KL next month*
Published: 2008/04/18 BusinessTimes

THE Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) is hosting the Asian International Tourism Expo 2008 (AITE) from May 22 to 25.

The four-day event will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association and Malaysia India Tour & Travel Association are also jointly hosting the event this year.

"AITE 2008 is set to be a proprietary Malaysian trade show that is at par with other regional trade shows. We hope more local tourism players will take part in the event," AITE 2008 Travex committee chairman Rozzana Rahmat said in a statement.

AITE 2008 will showcase a variety of inbound travel products ranging from flights, accommodation and activities within Malaysia and Asia.

About 30 per cent of the exhibitors are from international markets. The trade show is open to public on its last day on May 25 where exhibitors can sell directly to consumers.


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## hkskyline

Thursday April 17, 05:05 PM
*Tourism boosts economy by $85 billion*
AAP

The Australian tourism industry is now worth $85 billion to the country's economy after its strongest growth in almost a decade, new data shows.

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the industry added $84.975 billion to the economy in the 2006-2007 financial year - an increase of 7.8 per cent from the previous year and the largest growth in the sector since 1999. 

The figures show the industry represented 3.7 per cent of Australia's gross domestic product (GDP) and employed 482,800 people.

The report found air and water transport, eateries and retail trade were the most important sectors of the industry, while increased spending by Australians in their own country had driven domestic tourism consumption up 6.8 per cent to $62.6 billion.

International tourists injected $22.3 billion into the economy - an increase of 9.8 per cent.

Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) managing director Christopher Brown said the new figures showed the importance of the tourism industry, especially in the services export sector.

"The success of the national economy will increasingly depend on the performance of the tourism industry, especially in a post-resource boom scenario," Mr Brown said in a statement.

"When the mining boom is over, it is the services sector that will help to carry the Australian economy and the tourism industry is a major component of that."

He said the tourism industry needed to continue to innovate to ensure its contribution to the economy in tough international conditions.

"While today's figures are a shining light for the sector, we can't afford to rest on our laurels," he said.

"In a weakened global economy, it's essential that Australian tourism maintains its competitiveness on the world stage as consumers consider their discretionary spend on items such as travel."


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## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Natural wonders await tourists to Yemeni islands *

SOCOTRA, Yemen, April 24 (Reuters) - Evolution has run riot on Yemen's windy isles of Socotra, whose dizzying cliffs, jagged peaks and exotic plants entice the imagination to do the same.

Here be dragons, or at least Dragon's Blood trees, prized for their red medicinal sap. Fearsome gales blow beaches up hillsides. People speak an obscure language older than Arabic.

The ancients cherished Socotra as a source of frankincense, myrhh and aloe, and until just a few years ago these islands off the Horn of Africa were all but cut off from the modern world.

Yemen is now asking UNESCO to recognise its remote Arabian Sea archipelago, with its spectacular green mountains and white beaches, as a world natural heritage site for its biodiversity and natural beauty. The U.N. agency is to decide in early July.

Its long isolation eroded, Socotra now faces the challenge of how to conserve its natural treasures while carefully opening up to tourism and improving life for its 50,000 people, many of whom still subsist on fish, dates and goats in a harsh climate.

"The islanders aspire for what other people have," Yemen's Environment Minister Abdul-Rahman al-Iryani told Reuters.

"In the past they didn't know of anything except what they had. They thought the whole world was like theirs. The pressure is now very strong. Socio-economic change has been very fast."

In Irsal, on the northeastern tip of Socotra, deputy village headman Matar Abdullah recalled bygone times when he used to catch sharks for a living with lines from a wooden rowing boat.

"Now we have motor boats, but the sharks have gone far out to sea. There are too many fishermen, with big ships from (the Yemeni mainland ports of) Mukalla and Hodeida, or Pakistan," said the 45-year-old with gold teeth and grey hair.

DEVELOPMENT DILEMMA

Abdullah said the road being built between Irsal and the island capital, Hadibo, had made it easier for the 400 villagers to make occasional trips to buy food or get medical help. They also appreciated their new school and clinic, but needed jobs.

Conservationists trying to preserve Socotra, which rivals the Galapagos and Mauritius for endemic plant species, realise they cannot ignore the material interests of the islanders.

But they challenge government decisions that have endowed Socotra with Yemen's longest airport runway, roads as broad as some mainland highways, and schools and hospitals built with little thought for how to staff, equip and maintain them.

"The problem is you are getting roads up to eight metres wide in areas where there are hardly any communities," said Paul Scholte, a U.N. expert who works as chief technical adviser to the Socotra Conservation and Development Programme (SCDP).

"Irsal has approximately 400 people and four or five cars. The road leading there...is the same width as the one between Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, and Hodeida, the main port."

Scholte said highways like this -- and others which bypass villages rather than connect them -- were eyesores hugely damaging to the environment and to Socotra's tourist potential.

"For example, the road to the northeast goes through a very narrow coastal plain, destroying the dune landscape and a couple of very nice camping sites that attract hundreds of tourists. So you are killing the goose that lays the golden egg."

Not many tourists find their way to Socotra, which has only basic guest houses and campsites, but 3,000 are expected this year, up from 2,500 in 2007 and 1,600 the previous year.

Iryani, the environment minister, ruled out mass tourism on an island in mid-ocean that has little water and no respite from seasonal winds that batter its shores from May to September.

"It can be an eco-tourism destination, if managed well, for people interested in biodiversity, culture, flora," he said.

Iryani is among the conservationists fighting other ministries over road plans for Socotra -- in principle no new ones can now be built without meeting environmental criteria.

"These roads are motivated by contracts, not the needs of the people. This is part of the corruption we are fighting in Yemen," Iryani said of plans for a ring road around Socotra.

The island's myriad goats pose another environmental threat to Socotra's 900 plant species, a third of which are endemic.

"A lot of species are vulnerable or endangered, mostly due to lack of regeneration," said Nadim Taleb, SCDP's site manager. "Goats are eating the young trees, except the poisonous ones."

OLD WAYS UNDER PRESSURE

Socotra's traditional way of life is crumbling under the onslaught of modernity kept largely at bay until north and south Yemen united in 1990 and the new airport was built in 1999.

Schools teach only in Arabic, not Socotri, an unwritten tongue. Mobile telephones and satellite television dishes are spreading, fuelling unrealistic demand for consumer goods. Many Socotris have acquired a qat habit -- qat is a mild stimulant drug popular in mainland Yemen, but new to Socotra.

In Homhill, Abdullah Ali manages a campsite in a protected area in rugged mountains where villagers peddle dried Dragon's Blood sap and frankincense to occasional foreign visitors.

"Some changes have improved the lives of locals who act as guides or sell handicrafts and incense. We are used to a poor life, looking after livestock far from the market in the city.

"The government has built a school and I hope my children will be teachers or doctors to help the community," said the father of two, sitting cross-legged in a matting shelter.

Ali, whose livelihood is now linked to tourism, is wary of the idea that foreigners might want to visit Socotri villages.

"A guide should tell them the rules, not to take photos of our women. We can't let people go to the village because of our traditions. Anyway our women can't speak English or Arabic."

Some tourists on Socotra seemed keener on beach frolics than biodiversity, posing a dilemma for locals -- they are affronted by bikini-clad Westerners ignoring Muslim dresscodes, but are aware of the cash to be earned from them.

So far friction has been minimal and Socotra remains a hospitable place, seemingly insulated from the violence of Islamist militants whose attacks on tourists in mainland Yemen have prompted Western travel warnings. But tensions exist.

"Things are changing for the worse," warned Mukhtar al-Hinkasi, a youthful preacher teaching Islam to a group of teenagers in a spring-watered date palm grove near Qalensiya, Socotra's second biggest town.

He said tourists must respect local customs and Islamic traditions: "Some respect Islam, some don't," the bearded 26-year-old added.

"Some bring bad things like alcohol, Christmas and New Year (celebrations), dancing, makeup and women wearing bad clothes. The government should make rules against this."


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## hkskyline

*After unrest Yemen tourism only for "adventurers" *

SANAA, April 14 (Reuters) - Spanish, French and American tourists once filled the winding alleys of Sanaa's old quarter, drawn by Yemen's 2,500-year-old history and unique architecture.

But a spate of attacks on foreigners is driving visitors away and souvenir shop owner Hussain Abdel Moghni says the only tourists who come to Yemen these days are "adventurers".

"We had more than 3,000 tourists in the old city before, but they fell to 600 after the attack on the Spanish tourists," said Abdel Moghni referring to a July 2007 explosion which killed seven Spanish nationals.

Now, since shells were fired this month at a residential complex housing Americans and other Westerners, there have been no more than half a dozen tourists, he added.

"The tourists who are here now are the adventurers. Being here is a matter of life or death," he said. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack on the residential compound -- in which no-one was hurt -- and for a mortar attack that missed the U.S. embassy last month but wounded 13 girls at a nearby school.

A blast also shook an area near the offices of a Canadian oil company on Thursday.

In January, gunmen ambushed two tourist vehicles in Shibam and killed two Belgian women.

The seven Spanish tourists were killed in a blast at the Queen of Sheba temple in the volatile eastern province of Marib.

ANCIENT SITES

One of the poorest countries outside Africa, Yemen has been trying to encourage tourism and draw foreign visitors to ancient sites such as the Biblical-era temple and the 16th century towers of Shibam, dubbed the "Manhattan of the desert".

But despite its wealth of attractions, from cool mountains, to Red Sea and Arabian Sea coasts, wild valleys and ancient ruins, tourism accounts for only 1.5-2 percent of Yemen's GDP.

The Tourism Ministry, set up only in 2006, faces an uphill task to fulfil its target of attracting one million tourists by 2010.

"Five German tourists who were supposed to arrive this week, cancelled their booking after the attack... Every time there is an attack, tourist numbers decrease," says Abdul Wahed al-Hemiaree, manager of a 22-room hotel in Sanaa.

"This time last year, the hotel was almost full but now, there is almost nobody," he added, walking among the empty tables of the hotel's restaurant.

The ancestral home of Osama bin Laden, Yemen is seen in the West as a haven for al Qaeda militants, dozens of whom are jailed for attacks on Western targets.

Kidnappings of Westerners by tribesmen trying to pressure the state into building rural roads also put visitors off. Foreigners need Interior Ministry permits to travel outside Sanaa, a measure authorities say is meant to protect them.

"What we are seeing now is a war on the economy ... by these attackers," Abdel Moghni said.

"Tourists are now afraid to come to Yemen, especially the Americans because they are concerned they are being targeted," he said, pointing to a picture of him with an American tourist. "See, he wants to come again but he can't." (Editing by Lin Noueihed and Richard Balmforth)


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## hkskyline

*St Paul's Cathedral loses out in UK landmark poll *

LONDON, May 5 (Reuters) - Sir Christopher Wren's St Paul's Cathedral came up short in a survey of Britain's most recognisable landmarks on Sunday as Anthony Gormley's "Angel of the North" sculpture proved a convincing winner.

While 83 percent of Britons identified a photograph of Gormley's steel sculpture of an angel sited near Gateshead in northeast England just 38 percent recognised Wren's iconic structure in a test of contemporary and classical landmarks.

The old St Paul's was destroyed in the great Fire of London in 1666 and Wren was commissioned to design the current building shortly afterwards, but nearly a quarter of Britons mistook his masterpiece for St Peter's in Vatican City.

Over a third of Britons thought Brighton's Royal Pavilion to be the Taj Mahal in India.

The poll of 3,015 Britons made uncomfortable reading for London's tourism industry, with only 48 percent identifying Trafalgar Square, the site of Nelson's column, with landmarks in the north of England taking three of the top four places.

World heritage site Hadrian's Wall, an ancient Roman fortification regarded as the most important Roman monument in Britain was second, with Liverpool's Liver Building in fourth, while Bath's Roman baths came third.

"Britons seem to be too focused on destinations and attractions overseas and are missing out on the fantastic breaks they can enjoy in their own country," said Tom Wright, chief executive of tourism body VisitBritain.

"That they are confusing domestic destinations with those abroad proves holidays here can rival any other country in the world."

Commissioned by budget hotel chain Travelodge, the poll was carried out in April.


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## Ramazzotti

*Lebanon's tourism phoenix rises again *

BEIRUT - For three consecutive seasons tourism revenue, once Lebanon's lifeblood, was reduced to a trickle by violence and political uncertainty.

In 2006 it was the Hezbollah-Israel war, in 2007 it was the struggle against Fatah al-Islam militants in the north, and this year internal sectarian clashes dragged Lebanon to the brink of a new civil war. But now it is receiving a much-needed transfusion.

Reservations have begun pouring into this land of sun, sea and mountains, and a bumper tourism season is predicted after years of instability.

There was a collective sigh of relief as calm returned last week after Lebanese leaders came to an agreement in Qatar that ended a long-running political crisis.

"The ink on the Doha agreement wasn't dry yet and the phones were ringing off the hook. From the Gulf, from Europe, from everywhere, we're booked up until the end of the summer," said Mary Shwairy, head of public relations at the upscale Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut.



"Tourism is bouncing back in a big way -- short stays, long stays, conferences, weddings of returning Lebanese who live abroad," she added.

Caretaker Tourism Minister Joseph Sarkis said he expects this year's figures to be the best for years.

"By the end of April we had only received 280,000 visitors because of the security situation. Now we expect between 1.3 and 1.6 million -- the same projected figure for summer 2006 which had seemed to be the most promising," he told AFP.

"In 2006, about 4.4 billion US dollars in tourism revenue was projected. Only about 1.5 billion came in," Sarkis added.

That summer's tourism prospects were shattered by Israel's 34-day war in July and August -- prime holiday months -- against the Shiite Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.

The vicious conflict between the army and Islamist militants in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared north of the country's second city of Tripoli killed tourism in 2007.

That added to a prolonged political crisis between the ruling bloc and the opposition, and culminated in clashes that erupted on May 7 this year, leaving 65 people dead and much of mostly Muslim west Beirut in Hezbollah hands.

It could have been the final straw for tourism.

But the May 21 agreement in Qatar restored calm. It led to the election of Michel Sleiman as president, a post that had been vacant for more than five months because of political squabbling.

It also saw the lifting of an opposition sit-in that had throttled business life in central Beirut for a year and a half.

Since the Doha agreement there has been "a 30 percent increase in the number of expected tourists compared with last year. Hotels are hiring extra staff and the airlines are adding extra flights," Sarkis said.

"Forty percent of the tourists are Arab, 25 percent are European and the rest are of various nationalities," he added.

"Of the Arabs, 40 percent are Jordanian who come in large numbers since visa requirements were waived three years ago. They are followed by Saudis, Kuwaitis, Iraqis and Emiratis," he said.

Sarkis said Lebanese expatriates spend large sums of money when they return to the homeland.


"Nature and a love of life are Lebanon's greatest attractions. The Arabs come for the refreshing climate, night clubs and restaurants... Europeans for the archaeological sites" such as Baalbek or Tyre.

In another sign of recovery kicking in, the popular Beiteddine and Baalbek music festivals, silenced for the past two summers, will return this year in July.

The Beiteddine and Baalbek festival organisers are also co-sponsoring a concert by Lebanese-born pop sensation Mika in Beirut on July 27.

Popular summer destinations in Lebanon include the mountain towns of Aley, Bhamdun, Brummana and Beit Mery. In winter the ski resorts of Faraya and Faqra are thronged with visitors.

Aley, which saw heavy fighting in early May, is now preparing to double its population over the tourism season.

"Restaurants and cafes that were closed for two years have reopened in record time over the last few days," municipal official Essam Ebeid told AFP.

"Aley gets as many tourists as its 40,000 inhabitants -- mostly Qataris, Saudis and Kuwaitis," he said. "But the season will actually be longer than the three summer months because many Arabs and expatriates own homes here."

Ebeid cited property prices as an indication of the return rush of visitors. "Prices have soared by about a third since the Doha agreement," he said. Before the accord was reached "we were expecting fighters armed to the teeth, but fortunately now we welcome tourists with flowers."


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## hkskyline

*Thailand confident on tourism despite fuel costs, protests *
9 June 2008
Agence France Presse

Thailand is confident that its key tourism industry will keep growing despite soaring fuel costs and political protests in Bangkok, Tourism minister Weerasak Kowsurat said Monday.

Around 14.5 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Thailand this year, up slightly from last year's 14.46 million visitors, he said.

Record oil prices have already prompted flag carrier Thai Airways to scrap its direct flight to New York, and the airline is expected reduce its flights to Los Angeles and other cities.

In Bangkok, small anti-government protests have rumbled along for two weeks, raising fears of a coup despite assurances from top generals that no such development is planned.

None of that appears to have deterred foreign tourists, Weerasak told reporters.

"At present, there may be some inconveniences but it has not yet caused any unrest," Weerasak said.

Thailand's tourism industry generates six percent of the national economy, and has proved incredibly resistant to shocks.

Tourism has posted record years despite the Indian Ocean tsunami, a coup, and a plane crash on the resort isle of Phuket.


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## hkskyline

*Flight cuts may hurt Caribbean tourism *
18 June 2008

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Expensive jet fuel and a soft American economy are threatening to sink Caribbean tourism as airline ticket prices soar and flights are sharply reduced, choking the flow of the vacationers that many tiny islands depend upon.

Tourism is the economic cornerstone of the Caribbean, which drew more than 15 million visitors last year to colonial cities and carefree beaches.

"Billions of dollars of investment are being exposed and thousands of jobs are being exposed," said Allen Chastanet, chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Airlines are cutting back across the world as passengers balk at paying fares that have risen along with fuel costs. The Caribbean is particularly vulnerable because one foundering airline, American, controls much of the market -- carrying more than 60 percent of passengers traveling through Puerto Rico last year.

American now expects to cut daily flights out of Puerto Rico's capital from 93 to 51 in September. Gone will be flights to Santo Domingo, Antigua, St. Maarten, Aruba and Samana in the Dominican Republic, spokeswoman Minnette Velez said.

Fewer flights to Puerto Rico also could also jeopardize the island's cruise ship industry, since it would be harder for passengers to reach the island to board. Ten cruise ships used Puerto Rico as their home port last year.

Rather than raise ticket prices so high that they're beyond the reach of most customers, American has decided to cut flights and reduce capacity, Velez said. "Traveling would be completely inaccessible if we increase fares as oil prices rise," she said.

Other carriers are making similar moves. Spirit Airlines recently said it would close its San Juan hub, and Continental Airlines expects to soon announce destination and flight cuts.

The Caribbean is still affordable for wealthy travelers, but resorts "that appeal particularly to price-sensitive families are in a world of trouble," said Christopher Hart, a professor at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

The flight cuts are coming despite increases in tourism this year to most of the islands, including double-digit growth in U.S. visitors to Antigua, St. Lucia and Jamaica, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. The Dominican Republic reported 407,000 U.S. tourists from January to April, a 6 percent increase from last year, and Puerto Rico reported increased airline passenger traffic as well.

Now many fear even more cuts, meaning the islands won't even have a chance to lure more tourists.

"This is just the beginning," said Peter Muller, a German native who owns the Hotel Coyamar in Samana, the Dominican Republic.

"We're going to reach a point where it's no longer worth keeping the airport open."

In Antigua, where tourism officials tried to lure visitors over the weekend of June 14-15 with a music festival featuring Lionel Richie and Kenny Rogers, most of the tickets sold were to locals, festival chairman Alvin Edwards said.

And while Antigua's tourism board announced in early June that Delta Airlines would soon launch a direct flight from New York to Antigua, the airline itself has not confirmed the change.

The U.S. Caribbean territory of Puerto Rico, the region's main tourism gateway, has offered to reduce low-season airport fees by as much as 45 percent to persuade airlines to reconsider.

Flying against the trend is JetBlue Airways Corp., which plans to add daily flights to Puerto Rico from New York, Orlando and Boston starting this fall, and Virgin Atlantic, whose president Richard Branson told The Associated Press that he also might add extra flights from the U.S. to the Caribbean.

"Where things are seriously going wrong is in America," Branson said. "Virgin America is a great airline, it's doing very well. We have young planes which are more fuel-efficient than the ones American Airlines has."

Smaller islands are asking regional carriers such as LIAT and Air Jamaica to increase flights and coordinate schedules to fill gaps left by American, said Chastanet, who is also St. Lucia's tourism minister.

Some islands also are turning to Europe, where the euro has risen against the dollar, making Caribbean vacations more attractive.

"There's an opportunity given the strength of the euro," said Allegra Kean-Moorehead, spokeswoman for the U.S. Virgin Islands tourism department. "It's a market that has a huge amount of potential."

------

Associated Press writer Luis Andres Henao in the British Virgin Islands contributed to this story.


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## hkskyline

*Caribbean leaders agree to establish shared fund to market regional tourism *
5 July 2008

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua (AP) - Caribbean leaders have agreed to establish a US$60 million fund to aggressively market the region's tourism attractions as their fragile economies are threatened by a global financial downturn, officials said Saturday.

Caribbean Community nations agreed to contribute US$21 million into the shared marketing fund for regional tourism while the remainder would come from various stakeholders including hotel associations, according to Allen Chastanet, chairman of the bloc's tourism task force.

The decision to create the fund was made at an annual summit in Antigua and Barbuda's capital as regional leaders sought common strategies to ease the impact of soaring fuel and food prices on their tourism-dependent economies.

Political leaders of the Caribbean Community, or Caricom, dedicated a full day during the four-day gathering to brainstorm ways of safeguarding the region's tourism industry. The summit ended late Friday.

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding said Caricom member nations had to synchronize efforts for their common good as economic forecasts darken.

"In this time of crisis, strong leadership is critical. Leaders have the duty to seize the opportunity and rise to the occasion," Golding was quoted as saying in a statement issued at the close of the regional bloc's 29th summit.

Antiguan Tourism Minister Harold Lovell said approval of the joint marketing strategy was the most important decision of the gathering.

"This appears to be the most sustained, most organized and the most serious commitment that is being made by Caricom," Lovell told reporters.

Leaders also created a civil aviation authority to improve oversight across the region, including boosting resources for crash investigations and quickening emergency response time.

Caribbean presidents and prime ministers called for increased investment in agriculture and proposed various strategies to help member countries grappling with a world food crisis as prices of corn, wheat, rice, soybeans and other farm products skyrocket.

"We cannot grow food by rhetoric or talk or even a food strategy, important as it is, but by investment," Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo said.

To help offset rising food prices, Jagdeo proposed making large plots of land available in his English-speaking South American nation to spur private sector investment and transform the parcels into commercial farms.

Food prices have risen as much as 40 percent in the region, prompting countries such as Trinidad and Guyana to contemplate so-called megafarms.


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## Whiteeclipse

U.S. sets new records for travel abroad in 2007

The overall U.S. outbound market grew by one percent in 2007 compared to annual 2006 figures, enabling it to post the fourth successive record for total U.S. outbound travel. In 2007, 64.0 million U.S. residents traveled abroad, surpassing the 2006 record of 63.6 million. The growth came entirely in travel to the overseas regions, 31.2 million, up four percent. Travel to Mexico and Canada declined by one percent and three percent, respectively.

Spending by U.S. residents traveling abroad (imports) also set the fourth successive record in 2007 at $104.7 billion, up five percent from 2006. Spending by U.S. travelers within foreign countries (travel payments) totaled $76.2 billion and spending on air transportation, via foreign air carriers (passenger fare payments), totaled $28.5 billion in 2007.

The top five countries where U.S. spent their 2007 travel dollars were: Mexico ($11.1 billion), United Kingdom ($10.5 billion), Canada ($7.6 billion), Germany ($5.9 billion) and Japan ($4.7 billion).

U.S. travelers set records for 2007 travel spending in: Mexico, Germany, Japan, Italy, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Australia, Netherlands, Argentina, and South Africa. 

Mexico
Mexico was the top U.S. international destination again in 2007 with 19.5 million travelers, even though travel was down one percent from 2006. Travel to Mexico has fluctuated over the last 10 years. The strongest growth periods were in 1995, up 20 percent, in 2000, up 10 percent and 2004, also up 10 percent.

Spending by U.S. travelers to Mexico, however, totaled a record $11.1 billion, up two percent from 2006 the previous record.

Canada
Canada continues to be the second largest destination for U.S. international travelers. In 2007, 13.4 million U.S. travelers visited our northern neighbor, albeit three percent down from 2006. Although Canada generally has been a growth market over the last decade non-resident arrivals from Canada exceeded U.S. travelers to Canada again in 2007 for the second time since 1998. The peak year for U.S. travel to Canada was in 2002 with 16.2 million U.S. outbound travelers. Since then, U.S. travel to Canada has declined four of the last five years. Spending by U.S. travelers to Canada in 2007 totaled $7.6 billion, down two percent from 2006.

Overseas
In 2007, a record 31.2 million U.S. travelers visited overseas markets, an increase of four percent from 2006. The top five overseas markets visited by U.S. travelers in 2007 were: the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany and Japan. If travel to the PRC was combined with Hong Kong, China would have been third. Destinations that experienced the highest growth in U.S. visitation between 2006 and 2007 were Germany, up 15 percent, Japan, up 12 percent, Spain and India, both up 10 percent, and Italy, up eight percent.

Contributing to the new record for outbound travel, six of the top 20 U.S. outbound destination markets posted records in 2007, including Italy, Japan, China, India and Hong Kong. Also, All Overseas, Eastern Europe, South America, Central America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia set regional records for U.S. outbound visits between 1997 and 2007.

Profile of the U.S. Overseas Traveler:
The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries also released a profile of U.S. travelers who visited overseas destinations (excluding Canada and Mexico). The profile provides key information on the travel patterns, traveler characteristics and spending by U.S. travelers going abroad. In addition, a breakdown is provided on leisure/VFR travelers and business/convention travelers. The Survey data tables and standard national reports can assist the industry in understanding U.S. travelers going abroad. Also 48 subsets of the data are available by 32 questions on the traveler.

Select highlights, comparing 2007 to 2006:

* The top cities of origin for U.S. travel to overseas destinations in 2007 were: New York City/Nassau, NY; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco/Oakland, CA; Washington DC Metro; Chicago, IL and Miami, FL.

* The top ports of departure for U.S. citizens were New York (JFK), Miami, Los Angeles, Newark and Chicago (ORD). 

* Advance trip decision time increased from an average of 90 to 93 days and airline reservation times increased from 58 to 60 days prior to departure.

* The personal computer/Internet continues to grow in importance as a source of information for international trip planning. As an information source, the personal computer/Internet surpassed the travel agent as the top information for U.S. travelers going overseas in 2007. However travel agents continue to be the primary means of booking the trip (35 percent) vs. 32 percent for personal computer/internet although the gap has narrowed since 2006.

* Pre-paid package usage dropped to13 percent of overseas travelers from 15 percent in 2006.

* The main purpose of the overseas trip was leisure/recreation/holiday for 38 percent of the travelers, down from 42 percent. Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) was the second highest main purpose of trip at 34 percent, up from 31 percent. Business travel comprised 20 percent of outbound travel, down slightly from 2006.

* The average length of trip outside the U.S. increased to 17.4 nights in 2007 compared to16.2 nights in 2006.

* Seven percent of travelers were on their first international trip, slightly up from 2006, and the average number of international trips taken by U.S. travelers in the last 12 months was 2.7, about the same as in 2006.

* Forty-four percent U.S. travelers visiting overseas destinations used the taxi/cab/limousine as their top mode of transportation outside the country, down slightly from 2006. The other top two modes of transportation were a flight between cities and use of a company or private auto. 

* Top leisure activities for U.S. travelers other than dining in restaurants and shopping were: visiting historical places, sightseeing in cities, visiting small towns and villages, touring the countryside and visiting cultural heritage sites.

* Average international airfare per visitor, per trip, was $1,503 USD, down three percent from 2006, and average expenditures (travel payments) per visitor, per trip, while overseas were $1,467, up over three percent from 2006. The usage of credit cards declined by one percentage point to 55 percent.

* Males comprised 54 percent of U.S. travelers; however, there was higher growth in the number of women travelers in 2007. The average ages of males and females were 46.4 and 43.2 years old, respectively, younger than in 2006.

* Average household income was $114,400, down 10 percent from 2006.

http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/26357


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## the pool08

City among Britain’s top breaks:banana:

Sep 4 2008 by Ben Schofield, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL has fought off tough competition to be rated the UK’s third favourite city for holidays.

It beats Cambridge, Durham and Manchester in a run-down of the top city break destinations, compiled by Conde Nast Traveller readers.

In what is thought to be a surge linked to the Capital of Culture celebrations, Liverpool jumped four places – from seventh to third – since the last survey.

With a score of 86.78 out of a possible 100, it was narrowly beaten by London, with 90.22, and Edinburgh, which scored 88.15.

City leaders said yesterday they are designing 2009’s events calendar with the aim of challenging Edinburgh for a place in the top two.

Conde Nast Traveller’s editor-in-chief Sarah Miller said: “A lot of readers seem to have experienced Liverpool for the first time and thought ‘wow’.

“Liverpool’s very much in people’s minds. They are reading about it, seeing it on telly, they hear about it and want to know about it.”

According to Culture Company figures, Liverpool has enjoyed media coverage worth £70m, which includes 7,500 national and international newspaper articles up to the end of July.

Ms Miller added: “It didn’t surprise me that it scored high for culture.

“I think Liverpool’s image has come a long way from how our readers perceived it a few years ago.”

Around 40,000 readers completed the survey during April and May.

The list is printed in the edition of the magazine published today. Readers were asked to rate cities on aesthetics and architecture, culture, environmental friendliness, food and restaurants, nightlife and entertainment, people and hospitality, accommodation, safety and value for money.

Ms Miller said the city excelled at aesthetics and architecture, people and hospitality, and accommodation, which all scored more than 90 out of a possible 100.

Its lowest score was for safety, which was in the 70s.


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## hkskyline

*Crisis? What crisis, ask backpackers in Bangkok *

BANGKOK, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Thailand has been going through one of its periodic political convulsions for weeks now, but shops, street stalls and backpacker hangouts in the capital Bangkok seem remarkably unaffected.

Despite the tropical heat, Khao San Road, a destination for generations of low-budget tourists, was crowded on Wednesday with Westerners out for a meal, visiting Internet cafes or getting a massage in tiny streetside parlours.

"It doesn't bother me at all," said British tourist Wayne Shakey, speaking a day after Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej imposed emergency rule in Bangkok following clashes between pro and anti-government protesters that killed one man.

He echoed the view of many in Bangkok that the latest unrest was simply a Thai affair.

"I have a Thai girlfriend and she's upset," Shakey said, smoking a cigarette at an open-air bar. "She said stay away and leave it to the Thai people."

A short taxi ride from the bars and street stalls in Bangkok's backpacker haven, thousands of opposition protesters have been camped out in Samak's office compound for nine days, demanding he resign.

They have barricaded themselves behind rubber tyres and barbed wire and say they will leave only when Samak goes, something he has vowed never to do.

One person was killed and 45 injured in clashes early on Tuesday between the protesters and government supporters, but there has been no other violence and a strike by public sector workers largely fizzled out on Wednesday.

On Khao San Road, stalls selling meatballs and fried fish were doing brisk business as traffic moved at a snail's pace.

"There's no reason for tourists to be afraid at all," said a man in a cafe who said he was from Aberdeen in Scotland, but refused to give his name.

"No one targets tourists. It's between Thais."

TRAVEL WARNINGS

Thailand is expecting 15.5 million tourists this year and the industry brings in the equivalent of 6 percent of gross domestic product, making it a significant driver of growth.

Tens of thousands of Westerners stay for years, attracted by its beaches, low costs and easygoing lifestyle.

The Southeast Asian nation has seen 24 coups and attempted coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, and scores of other political crises, but foreigners are rarely affected.

Still, several foreign countries issued warnings this week against travel to Bangkok, and tourism officials fear a drop-off in arrivals because of the political tensions.

"My parents and friends keep asking what's going on in Bangkok," said Thomas Egi, a 31-year-old from Stuttgart in Germany. "I keep telling them it's safe and I am OK."

Indeed, the protests have really affected only two small areas in the city of 10 million people -- the Government House compound and the headquarters of ASTV, a channel owned by opposition leader Sondhi Limthongkul.

At Government House on Wednesday, about 200 riot police watched as opposition leaders addressed a crowd of a few thousand. There was no sign of any tension.

On Tuesday, anti-government activists barricaded a road leading to the ASTV office, fearing a government move to close down the mouthpiece of the opposition. They were dismantling the barriers on Wednesday as tensions eased.

"The daytime situation is returning to normal. The evenings and the nights are of most concern," said Chadaporn Lin, the managing editor of one of ASTV's channels. "But last night was uneventful, so tensions are lower."


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## hkskyline

*Kenya tourism seeks 92 million dollars to revive sector *
9 September 2008
Agence France Presse

Kenyan tourism is seeking 6.5 billion shillings for international marketing to revive the sector battered by post-election violence, an official said Tuesday.

Tourism Minister Najib Balala said the sector, which generates 65 billion shillings (922 million dollars, 652 million euros) annually, needs more cash to boost its image sullied by post-December 27 election violence that left 1,500 people dead.

"We need to be given 10 percent of what we generate as a marketing fund. This amounts to 6.5 billion shillings. Unfortunately we are given 400 million shillings which is a joke," Balala said.

"If you want to compete with the world, you should invest more in marketing," he told local media.

Violence, sparked by disputed December elections, also displaced hundreds of thousands of people and dealt a severe blow to the mainstay tourism and agricultural sectors.

Tourism revenue slumped by 32 percent in the first half of 2008, earning 23.12 billion shillings compared to 34.08 billion estimated earnings.


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## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Spanish beaches busy, but tourist spending down *

BENALMADENA, Spain, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Few Spaniards would sacrifice their annual summer vacation. But while Spain's beaches are still busy, shops and restaurants at its resorts are ominously quiet as the country's economic crisis envelops the tourism industry.

After 50 years of uninterrupted growth, Spain's overbuilt and relatively expensive resorts seem ill-placed to cope with a downturn, at a time of increasing competition from cheaper, less crowded destinations like Croatia and Turkey.

"In 48 years, I have never seen losses like this; tourism bosses I'm talking to have never suffered so much," said Domenec Biosca, president of Spain's Association of Tourism Directors and Experts.

He said that in many parts of the country, tourism is already in deep recession, as both Spaniards and foreigners travel less distance, stay less time and spend less money.

Spain's biggest hotel group, Sol Melia, reported profits fell 41 percent in the first half of the year, while those at business hotel group NH dropped 20 percent.

Revenues in the Canary and Balearic islands have fallen as much as 12 percent this year, Biosca estimated, predicting that such mature destinations will gradually decline in the face of foreign competition, despite lowering their prices.

Benalmadena, a resort near the southern city of Malaga, is one such mature destination.

Its wide strip of golden sand is shadowed by 1970s hotels, high-rise apartments and cul-de-sacs of whitewashed houses that stretch in a 50 km (30 mile) swathe of concrete from Malaga in the east to Marbella in the west.

While the town's beach was packed with sunbathers on a typical afternoon in late August, despite the explosion of a small bomb by Basque separatist group ETA on Aug. 17, local businesses said sales were down.

British and Spanish tourists strolled past Hami Bhot's beachwear store, but only a few entered and fewer still spent any money. Takings have halved this summer, he said.

"I can perhaps survive another year but then I will have to close. Maybe I will go back to India; the economy is better there," said Bhot, who had dimmed the shop's lights to save money.

EURO TROUBLE

Tourism, which accounts for up to 15 percent of Spain's GDP and one in seven jobs, is suffering just as the economy needs it to take up the slack left by the rapidly contracting construction sector.

Until recently, towns on Spain's coasts relied on construction for most of their income and growth, but as foreign home buyers shun Spain, these towns can ill-afford to lose tourism revenues as well.

For the first time in a generation, Spaniards have had to slash spending on things like vacations as their incomes stagnate, prices rise and credit dries up. Unemployment, which leapt by over 100,000 in August to a 10-year high of 2.5 million, has become a major concern for the first time in years.

Spain was the world's No.2 tourist destination after France last year, with almost half of its 60 million foreign visitors coming from Britain and Germany.

But both countries are teetering on the edge of recession and the British are turning away from euro-denominated countries like Spain after the British pound's 15 percent slide against the euro in the last 12 months.

Britain's Thomas Cook, Europe's No.2 travel company, has cut destinations in euro-zone countries and boosted offerings to Egypt and Turkey, which received 25 and 15 percent more tourists last year, respectively.

Eight percent fewer foreigners arrived in Spain this July, according to Ramon Estalella, secretary general of hotel confederation CEHAT. But more worrying, he said, will be the impact of Britain's economic plight on bookings for later this year.

"Most package holidays in Britain were sold between January and April when there wasn't this feeling of recession as there is at the moment. I'm much more worried about bookings being made right now for the winter season," he said.

SPANISH NO SHOW

But it is economic pain in Spain, contending with the end of a 10-year-long property boom, that poses the greatest threat to the tourism sector, experts say.

Hotel occupancy in some northern areas favoured by Spaniards fell a hefty 15 percentage points over the summer, said CEHAT's Estalella, compared with a 3 to 4 point drop across the country.

Establishments reported a respectable 85 percent occupancy rate in August, Estalella said, but to achieve that they resorted to price freezes and special offers that kept the average hotel bill increase to just 2 percent.

The crash of a plane carrying tourists from Madrid to the Canary Islands on Aug. 20, which killed 154 people, was another potential damper on the sector.

In Benalmadena, hoteliers and apartment owners reported that, for the first time, many guests have cut their stay to one week from two. Others are coming just for a long weekend.

At his steakhouse on Benalmadena's beachfront, Raul Alvarez said he saw strong early season demand from northern Europeans before business fell away going into the high season.

"We were up 20 percent in April, May and June, but in July everything changed. Quite simply, the Spaniards did not arrive," he said gesturing towards empty tables.

Alvarez is missing clients like Rafa Nogales, his wife and young children, Benalmadena regulars who this year swapped eating out for meals in their rented apartment to save money.

Nogales said his family stayed one week rather than their usual two weeks because income from their own business, a restaurant in Madrid, has fallen 20 percent this year while food prices have soared.

After years of comfortable and predictable demand, Spanish officials say they now face major new challenges, including cheap competition from other destinations.

"We have no idea how it will go," Estalella said of September bookings. "The situation can change much more quickly than before. The demand has changed, supply has changed and the 'last-minute' Internet phenomenon has changed marketing radically.

"To continue winning will require a lot of effort and imagination." (Reporting by Ben Harding; Editing by Eddie Evans)


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## hkskyline

*Tourism officials trying to entice visitors, tourist dollars back to storm-raked Caribbean*
11 September 2008

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Caribbean tourism officials are working overtime to reassure reluctant travelers that plenty of sun-soaked islands were untouched by a recent spate of deadly tropical cyclones.

Potential visitors may assume the entire region was ravaged by four storms that pummeled several islands since mid-August -- but they assume wrong, said Alec Sanguinetti, head of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.

The trade group is lobbying U.S. and Caribbean meteorologists to counter that impression by naming specific islands affected, and is urging local tourism officials to use Web cams and broadcast live video of idyllic beach settings.

It's a challenging sell, since Caribbean weather reports and satellite images have shown an almost constant mass of spinning storms in recent weeks.

Tropical Storm Fay formed in mid-August, followed by Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike. The storms have killed more than 360 people across the western Caribbean and battered hotels and airports in Cuba, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Tourism is the Caribbean's chief industry, drawing more than 15 million visitors to beach resorts and colonial capitals last year.

Storms so far have sidestepped Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the entire eastern Caribbean, including Martinique and Barbados.

Government officials are still calculating damages. Johnson JohnRose, spokesman for the Caribbean Tourism Organization, said it is too early to say how many tourists canceled hotel bookings, and Sanguinetti did not estimate how much resorts have lost.

But Hurricane Ike caused an estimated $5 million to $10 million in damage to the cruise ship terminal in Grand Turk over the weekend, according to officials with Carnival Corp., which owns the cruise ship pier and terminal on the island. And in Cuba, officials evacuated about 10,000 tourists from seaside hotels.

Hotels in the Bahamas meanwhile lost about $1 million in storm-related cancellations -- although some income was recovered when cruise ships were later diverted there from other islands hurt by Ike, said Vernice Walkine, director of the chain's tourism ministry.

"It's one of those difficult scenarios where some destinations end up benefiting as a result of the misfortune of others," Walkine said.


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## hkskyline

*Afirma optimistic for 'Brazilian Cancun' finance *

MADRID, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Spanish property firm Afirma said on Friday it was confident it would secure financing for a tourist complex on Brazil's northern coast, dubbed a $10 billion "new Cancun" by the Brazilian press.

The 30 square kilometre site -- one-third the size of Paris -- will be built along 12 km (7.5 miles) of beach and spread inland around an estuary near the city of Fortaleza and will contain 13 five-star hotels and three golf courses.

"We are talking about a very attractive project in a very attractive country from a tourism point of view and emerging economically," an Afirma spokesman said.

"With all these elements, it is easy to deduce that there will be sufficient financing," he said, adding that until the project had been authorised it was too early to talk concretely about how the project will be financed.

Afirma said in a statement on Friday it had a 55 percent stake in the project, whose execution would depend on a viability study and obtaining financing.

The spokesman declined to say how much the development would cost to build but Brazilian newspapers have put the figure at $10 billion, and compared it to the popular resort in Cancun, Mexico.

The development is being challenged in the courts by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) campaigning for indigenous rights, but the spokesman said he was confident of a positive outcome for the company.

"It will soon be sorted out," he said, adding that environmental objections had not been raised.

In Spain, Afirma has been hit by a virtual freeze in the residential property sector and tighter financing.

However, unlike some of its peers, the company has successfully refinanced, agreeing with creditors led by private savings bank Caixa Galicia to only pay interest on 754 million euros worth of debt this year and next before starting to cut the pile from 2010.

Afirma was formed from a merger of three companies including Astroc, whose share price plunge last year first triggered a sector meltdown that has dragged the Spanish economy into crisis.


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## hkskyline

*Thailand's tourism industry reels as political uncertainty continues with no end in sight *
16 September 2008

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - The bellboy yawned as he stood sentry at the five-star hotel's doors. The hostess checked her long red nails and looked longingly at the empty driveway.

It was another quiet day at the luxury Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, thanks in part to the noisy political protests across town.

Tourism has been hit hard by Thailand's political crisis, which has seen the prime minister removed from office, a state of emergency imposed and lifted, key airports shut down by demonstrators and tenacious anti-government protesters occupying the grounds of the prime minister's office for three weeks.

Parliament's scheduled selection of a new prime minister Wednesday seems unlikely to put an end to tensions, as the protest alliance has already rejected the choice of Somchai Wongsawat, who currently holds the job in a caretaker capacity.

Many fear a prolonged crisis could further weaken the tourism sector, which brought in roughly $16 billion in revenue last year, about 6.5 percent of Thailand's gross domestic product.

Governments overseas have issued warnings about traveling to Thailand. Hotel occupancy has fallen by 40 percent, according to the Thai Hotels Association. International arrivals are down 30 percent from this time last year, said the Association of Thai Travel Agents.

Thai Airways is flying with 20 percent fewer passengers than the same period last year, company officials said. The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, the city's most famous hotel, has vacancy rates around 50 percent, the manager told reporters.

A weak global economy was already expected to take a chunk out of tourism. The political chaos, which has left one dead and dozens injured, has only made things worse.

"We're worried, of course, but what can we do?" said Apichart Sankary of the Association of Thai Travel Agents. "We have had crises before ... but this is the first time it's been really bad."

A&F Tour, a travel agency in Bangkok, has had three groups cancel their trips for November, costing the company nearly $12,000.

"We're a small company so that's a lot," said Franz Dobersberger, the managing director.

If the chaos drags into the key holiday season, the Tourism Authority of Thailand fears the number of tourists this year will fall nearly 8 percent to 14 million. The group has been holding weekly "crisis management meetings" with trade leaders since last month.

While the protests have been mostly limited to the prime minister's compound and nearby areas in the capital, Bangkok, the ramifications have been felt elsewhere in the country.

Protesters briefly shut down airports in the popular southern beach resorts of Phuket and Krabi, and threatened action at the capital's main international airport, but never followed through.

Despite all the uncertainty, Thailand does not feel under siege and most people have carried on with life as normal. In Bangkok, traffic still crowds the busy streets, sidewalk noodle vendors still do brisk business, and bars still overflow at night.

The tourists trickling into Thailand shrug off talk of a political crisis.

"I know there have been some problems, but I'm not scared," said Valentina Lupano, 21, sitting in a crowded backpacker cafe. It may be an ordeal for the Thai people, she said, "but for me, it's not a problem."

That's not the case for nearby shopkeepers.

"Travelers aren't buying gifts like before," said Charin Vinitsom, owner of a clothing store on Bangkok's Khao San road, a famous haven for budget travelers. "They used to spend much more money. Now, it's a little quiet."

The crisis began last month when the People's Alliance for Democracy, a strident anti-government group, occupied Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's compound and called for him to leave office. They accused Samak of being a puppet of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup after street demonstrations by the same group.

Two weeks later, Samak was forced to resign for violating the constitution by accepting money to host TV cooking shows while in office. Political party bickering put off an effort to select a successor last Friday.

The caretaker government is well aware of how badly the unrest has hurt tourism.

Acting Prime Minister Somchai lifted a state of emergency Sunday, 12 days after it was imposed, to "bring back the smile to the country once again, as we are called 'The Land of Smiles.'"

"We have to restore outsiders' confidence, especially tourists, that we are a peaceful country and have no more conflict," he said.

Prakit Chinamourphong, president of the Thai Hotels Association, ticked off other blows the industry has weathered: the downturn after the Sept. 11 attacks, the SARS epidemic in 2003, the tsunami in 2004.

"We have never had business as bad as it now," he said.


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## Skyprince

^^ Thanks to misleading media coverage on the real situation in Thai.


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## nomarandlee

^^ What has been this universal media coverage and how has it been misleading?


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## hkskyline

A lot of the arguments point to estimates of how the events will impact the medium term. I think the expectations are reasonable, given people will need some time to rebuild confidence even after the state of emergency is lifted before returning.


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## Skyprince

nomarandlee said:


> ^^ What has been this universal media coverage and how has it been misleading?


At least they should mention " Tourists to Thailand should not worry. Despite protests in few streets of Bangkok , the situation on the ground is very normal as usual where tourists were unharmed"

This one magic sentence could save billions of tourism revenue


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## nomarandlee

Skyprince said:


> At least they should mention " Tourists to Thailand should not worry. Despite protests in few streets of Bangkok , the situation on the ground is very normal as usual where tourists were unharmed"
> 
> This one magic sentence could save billions of tourism revenue


I think the article somewhat does that with saying, _"Despite all the uncertainty, Thailand does not feel under siege and most people have carried on with life as normal. In Bangkok, traffic still crowds the busy streets, sidewalk noodle vendors still do brisk business, and bars still overflow at night.

The tourists trickling into Thailand shrug off talk of a political crisis."_

I don't know if the insinuation that people will be harmed but that people don't want to get wrapped up in any even remote political upheaval carried onto the streets that could disrupt their vacation. I am just guessing that last time that in 2006 when there was martial law imposed by a new government that it tends to inconvenience travelers.


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## Skyprince

^^Only very recently those statement hav been mentioned, its already too late to erase the damage of lost tourism dollars


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## hkskyline

*Unrest ends Kashmir tourism revival *
15 September 2008
Agence France Presse

Protests against India's rule in the spectacularly beautiful Kashmir valley have brought an abrupt halt to tourism, which had been showing signs of a hard-won recovery, officials say.

In the past few months, Kashmir has witnessed the biggest pro-independence demonstrations since the separatist insurgency erupted in 1989.

The protests have triggered a heavy crackdown by Indian security forces, and tourist numbers have dropped to virtually zero, officials said.

Last year nearly 500,000 visitors travelled to Indian Kashmir, the largest number since tourists rediscovered the region as violence declined after 2004.

This year nearly 400,000 people -- mostly from India itself -- had already visited Kashmir by mid-June, tourism officials said.

But the renewed violence, and a series of curfews, quickly dissuaded anyone planning to flee the summer heat of India's plains in search of cooler climes from choosing Kashmir.

"My houseboat is empty. The business was flourishing in May but it has come to a grinding halt since the protests began," said Abdul Rashid, who owns one of the famous houseboats on Dal Lake in the region's summer capital Srinagar.

"I was fully booked until early October but now everything is cancelled," said Rashid, adding that this year would have "surely been the best tourist season but for the unrest."

Since June, 42 Muslim and three Hindu protesters have been shot dead by security forces in unrest sparked by a state government plan to grant land to a Hindu pilgrim trust, a move opposed by Kashmir's majority Muslims.

"The continuous disturbances for the last two months have brought down hotel occupancy from 100 percent in May 2008 to almost zero in September 2008," a government statement said.

Tourism in Kashmir has received repeated setbacks since armed militants launched their insurgency against New Delhi's rule 20 years ago.

But after 2004 the bloodshed tapered off in the picturesque region known as the "Switzerland of the East" for its snow-capped peaks, fast-running rivers and verdant valleys.

The lull came against the backdrop of the peace process between India and Pakistan over the disputed region, which is held in part but claimed in full by both countries.

Officials say about 30 percent of the population in the Kashmir valley was directly or indirectly dependent on tourism for their livelihoods.

Leading tour operator Nazir Bakshi said he had suffered 100 percent cancellations of bookings, and was not optimistic about the future.

"The tourist trade is finished at the moment. I am not hopeful of any positive change in the near future," said Bakshi.

Instead, riot police patrol the shores of the Dal Lake, a spot previously favoured by Indian tourists, especially honeymooners.

And many foreign ministries -- including those of the United States and Britain -- have now advised their nationals against travel to Kashmir.


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## nazrey

*Lack Of Air Connectivity Can Impair German Tourism Traffic To Malaysia*
September 05, 2008 16:08 PM
By Manik Mehta

FRANKFURT, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- Although Malaysia is increasingly becoming a popular destination among German tourists, the strong growth in traffic to Malaysia could be seriously impaired with long-term implications for tourism if adequate air connections are not available from Germany to Malaysia.

This view widespread among German tour operators, who offer Malaysia as a destination, is also shared by the Frankfurt-based director of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia), Syed Yahya Syed Othman, who took over the directorship in Frankfurt only four months ago after serving at the Tourism Malaysia headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Prior to his home posting, he was director of Tourism Malaysia office in Seoul.

"Traffic from Germany to Malaysia posted a 35 percent growth during the first six months of the current year over the year earlier," he told Bernama.

Traffic to Malaysia from other German-speaking countries such as Switzerland and Austria has also increased by 17 and 3 per cent, respectively.

However, Malaysia, already facing a paucity of direct flights to and from Western Europe, is now feeling the pressure as tourists, unable to get good flight connections, are opting for Thailand and Bali instead.

"The frequency of air connections between Germany and Malaysia has gone down," he said.

Malaysian Airlines (MAS) has slashed its weekly flights to Frankfurt from five to four effective September, creating traffic bottlenecks just as the number of German tourists in Malaysia has steadily surged.

German tour operators, who offer Malaysia as a destination, are not happy with what they perceive as a "pennywise-pound-foolish" tactic.

"MAS will not only lose its market share in Germany and other countries but its move will also adversely affect traffic to Malaysia in the long run.

"Other destinations, particularly Thailand and the Indonesian island of Bali, offer better accessibility and air connections and will naturally stand to gain at Malaysia’s expense if MAS reduces its flight frequency," says one Frankfurt-based operator.

Singapore Airlines is already scoring points from Frankfurt which is well patronised by German customers. Thai Airways and even the low-key Royal Brunei Airlines are also expected to benefit from MAS flight reduction as they take passengers to their home airport base and then offer connections to Malaysia.

"We are now aggressively working with other airlines to push traffic from Germany to Malaysia via a third country though I personally feel it is a pity that our national carrier should lose business, particularly at a time when there is an impressive surge in tourism not only from Germany but other neighbouring countries as well," Syed Yahya admitted.

He is coordinating not only with Singapore Airlines but also with Cathay Pacific, Kuwait Airways, Gulf Air, Emirates and Korean Airlines to work out package deals for tourists interested to visit Malaysia.

"We participated in a joint tactical campaign with Singapore Airlines recently," he said.

Traffic has also risen from the Netherlands (+50%) and Belgium (+83%) in the first six months of the year over the corresponding period last year.

In absolute terms, Malaysia received 52,238 arrivals from Germany, 12,714 from Switzerland, 7,087 from Austria, 39,639 from the Netherlands and 7,447 from Belgium in the first half of this year.

Syed Yahya said Germans are fascinated by the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur and are deeply impressed by the hospitality and friendliness of Malaysians.

"Germans are pleasantly surprised to find Kuala Lumpur a very modern and sophisticated city with sprawling shopping malls, culture and entertainment," he said.

Sabah and Sarawak, with their rainforest and pristine sandy beaches, are a big draw for German tourists.

But Syed Yahya says he is also very keen to foray into the lucrative MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) market, given the fact that Malaysia has a "very modern and sophisticated infrastructure, combined with entertainment and tourist attractions".

The forthcoming ITB Asia 2008, the Asian version of the worlds biggest tourism fair called "International Tourism Bourse of Berlin", is being organised by the Berlin trade fair company "Messe Berlin" for the first time in Singapore in October.

"The ITB Asia will be a very interesting venue for attracting visitors to Malaysia which is easily accessible from Singapore. We can offer visitors to Singapore a package for Malaysia as part of a larger tour programme of the region.

"Of course, we are focusing on leisure tourism but the incentive market also holds out the promise of good business. There are many big companies in Germany that will be interested in sending their delegates to Malaysia," he added.

-- BERNAMA


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## hkskyline

*Everything old is new again in Quito *
17 September 2008

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) - As the sun descends, street lamps take over, illuminating grandiose colonial plazas, antiquated historic buildings and romantic balconies that line the major streets of capital city Quito's "Centro Historico" district in Ecuador.

The streets buzz with activity. Indigenous women in colorful dress bustle around. Young hombres whiz by on motorcycles. Mustached men sell warm peanuts and pastries. Restaurant patios crowd with hungry patrons. And all those in the central square, Plaza Grande, jostle about to the musical backdrop of an impromptu jam session from curbside guitarists and accordion players.

It's a scene in stark contrast to Ecuador's Centro Historico of its historical past. An evening stroll down these parts eight years ago was a stroll into a world of crime, ghettos and dilapidated buildings. But it's amazing what US$200 million and a vision to attract tourists can do for a capital city. In 2000, under the direction of Mayor Paco Moncayo, the city embarked on an extensive restoration project to save its historic center, deemed a world UNESCO site in 1978, from increasing decay and rid its streets of crime.

The plan is not quite completed -- and street crime remains a problem -- but architects and restoration crews have finished more than 200 rehabilitation projects including the city's cathedral; three historic theaters; plazas; monasteries; churches; entire blocks of colonial homes and buildings; and the narrow picture-perfect street known as La Ronda.

Four historical buildings have been converted into luxury boutique hotels, and several restaurants specializing in gourmet Ecuadorean fare have recently opened. This rebirth has transformed Quito from a mere transit point en route to the Amazon and Galapagos into a veritable destination in its own right.

"Before, tourist operators wouldn't bring travelers into the Old Town and tourists wouldn't come here on their own either," says Andrea Swigilsky, general manager of the upscale boutique hotel Patio Andaluz. "Only the brave stayed the night in the Old Town. But now everyone wants to come here, the locals, tourists, and even new businesses, local and foreign, are vying to get into this part of Quito."

It's not hard to see why tourists now want to come to Quito's Centro Historico.

There are now fewer slash-and-grab muggings, with more police stationed throughout the district and formerly dark and dreary streets, some newly pedestrianized, glowing under lampposts. Cobblestone pathways have been scrubbed and swept.

Recently painted facades of peppermint green, cotton-candy pink and powder blue make you feel as though you've walked into an Easter egg wonderland. Mansions that had been sectioned into small apartments over the years have been restored to their former glory. And, in a hotly contested move, the throngs of street-side vendors that crowded the district with their neon signs and tacky cumbersome stalls, which made navigating the sidewalks challenging, have been relocated to indoor shopping centers.

"Viva la ciudad!" calls out a jovial shopkeeper in the Centro Commercial Granada to passers-by.

Long live the city indeed -- a city bursting with new culture and life. For example, the former Naval Archives is now the Centro Cultural Metropolitano, a bustling museum housed in a 400-year-old complex that today contains several extensive public libraries, a museum, and performance spaces. The San Juan de Dios Hospital has become the innovative Museo de la Ciudad (City Museum), which documents Quito's past with displays recreating daily life from prehistory to the 19th century with wax figures and sound effects.

The Neoclassical Teatro Sucre has been restored to its former glory, along with its nearby cousin, the Variety Theatre. Fronting the northeast side of the main square, Plaza Independencia, the two-story, colonnaded Palazio de Arzobispal (Archbishop's palace) now houses two excellent restaurants, Internet cafes, public restrooms and a tourist information office.

The new Hotel Plaza Grande, which faces the Old Town's eponymous central plaza, caters to the indulgent traveler. Luxurious rooms in the restored Spanish colonial mansion go for US$500-US$1,500 per night. Six blocks away, the charming and far less imposing Villa Colonna opened its doors two years ago, offering six classy rooms and B&B hospitality.

Despite all the recent additions, however, the center has not forgotten its past, which the district has brought back to life through its renovation initiatives. Today, the Old Town's 15th-18th century buildings shine anew, notably, the monochrome Church of San Francisco, a hybrid of Spanish, Mudejar and Incan architecture built in the Plaza San Francisco in 1536 shortly after the founding of Quito.

Next door is the Monastery of San Francisco, the country's largest colonial structure, which has shed its makeshift corrugated tin roof and now, with its newly whitewashed walls, includes a renovated museum with paintings from the Quito School of Art, a renowned body of gothic Catholic religious art produced by indigenous sculptors and painters during the 17th and 18th centuries.

A few blocks away is La Compania de Jesus, arguably Ecuador's finest church. Built by Jesuits between 1605 and 1765, it boasts a newly scrubbed Baroque facade of carved volcanic stone and twisted columns, sacred hearts, angles and saints. The opulent interior, renovated after a fire in 1996, showcases a downpour of gold leaf, reputedly seven tones that covers alters, galleries and the Moorish tracery and pulpit.

Take a few steps east to the Plaza de la Independencia, also known as the Plaza Grande, which still preserves its dimensions from when it was first laid out with a string and ruler in 1534. The square houses the glistening white Cathedral, built in 1678, and the dazzling two-story Neoclassical Palacio Arzobispal. The white-stuccoed Palacio de Gobierno, built in the 17the century, is still the seat of the government and presidential palace today, and is often the chosen spot of weekly protests and rallies by passionate Quinteros.

In fact, a stroll down any of the Old Town's colonial plazas takes you on a journey of the capital city's rich and renewed history, with an optimistic sense of where the district's future is headed.

------
If You Go...

GETTING THERE: Quito's Centro Historico is about a US$15 (Ecuador's main currency is the U.S. dollar) cab ride from Quito's airport. Ask the driver for the Plaza de la Independencia (also known as Plaza Grande) but agree upon the price before stepping into the cab or ensure that the driver puts on the meter. Once in the Old Town, you can access all major plazas by foot.

CENTRO HISTORICO: The tourist office is located in the Palacio Municipal (City Hall) on Plaza Grande, on Venezuela and Espejo; http://www.quito.com.ec (English language option in upper right corner) or 011-593-2586-591. The office conducts two-three hour walking tours of the district led by fabulously informed multilingual guides from the municipal police - your very own tourist body guard! Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., US$10. Two nighttime tours at 7 p.m. showcase a beautiful floodlit Old Town, Tuesday-Sunday, US$5.

LODGING: Patio Andaluz, Av. Garcia Moreno N6-52 at Olmedo y Mejia, http://www.hotelpatioandaluz.com or 011-593-2228-08-30, $200-$250.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: An umbrella and sweater will be your best friend - take them with you always. You also might want to carry a few aspirins to prevent altitude sickness since Quito is 9,252 feet (2,820 meters) above sea level, almost twice as high as Denver, Colo.


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## hkskyline

*Greek tourist island sees red over migrant influx *
19 September 2008
Agence France Presse

A Greek tourist island has threatened to block patrol boats escorting clandestine immigrants from docking there, saying it was overwhelmed by an influx of clandestine migrants, officials said Friday.

The Patmos Island's municipal council sent a series of letters to the government warning it could take such a step after hundreds of migrants reached its shores every week in July and August, the merchant marine ministry said.

"There is indeed a serious problem, given the amount of migrants who came this summer," said ministry spokesman Andreas Phyllou.

"We are trying to solve it, notably by speeding up their transfer to other islands that have welcome centres," he said.

Most of the illegal immigrants who landed on Patmos, an upscale tourism island of 3,000 people, were collected on the nearby island of Agathonissi, where smugglers drop them off.

"Our effort has begun to bear fruit, with patrol boats around Agathonissi and immigrants being rejected or escorted elsewhere," Anna Romeos, president of the local hotel industry union, told AFP.

"With the tourists that we welcome, the situation was not worthy of the island," she said.

Greek authorities have detained about 8,880 illegal immigrants arriving clandestinely by sea since the start of the year, the merchant marine ministry said last week.

Faced with a daily arrival of Asian migrants, who travel through Turkey to try and reach western Europe, Greece has repeated its demand for European assistance in patrolling its maritime borders.


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## hkskyline

*Dubai bets it can keep tourists coming with $1.5 billion resort on palm-shaped island *
22 September 2008 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - It's the latest word in Persian Gulf excess: a $1.5 billion resort boasting a $25,000-a-night suite and dolphins flown in from the South Pacific -- all atop an island built in the shape of a palm tree.

Environmentalists have long criticized both Palm Jumeirah island and some of the features of the Atlantis hotel, set to open Wednesday. And analysts wonder if global financial turmoil will crimp Dubai's big hopes for tourists.

Dubai is not blinking. The 113-acre resort on the artificial island off the coast is among the city-state's biggest bets that tourism can help sustain its economy once regional oil profits stop flowing.

"You don't build a billion-and-a-half dollar project just anywhere in the world," said Alan Leibman, president and managing director of Kerzner International, the hotel operator that teamed with Dubai developer Nakheel on the resort.

With its own oil reserves running dry, Dubai hopes to woo those eager to make money and those who know how to spend it -- even as much of the global economy sours.

For years, the emirate -- one of seven semi-independent states that make up the United Arab Emirates -- has been feverishly building skyscrapers and luxury hotels.

A key piece of the strategy has been to cultivate an image in the West as a sun-kissed tourist destination despite its intense summer heat, conservative Muslim society and dearth of historic sites.

Among the daring projects are an indoor ski slope, the as-yet-incomplete world's tallest skyscraper and a growing archipelago of man-made islands such as Palm Jumeirah -- the smallest of three such projects planned.

Much of the focus at the Atlantis, modeled on a sister resort in the Bahamas, is on ocean-themed family entertainment. The resort has a giant, open-air tank with 65,000 fish, stingrays and other sea creatures and a dolphinarium with more than two dozen bottlenose dolphins flown in from the Solomon Islands.

The hotel's top floor aims squarely at the ultra-wealthy. A three-bedroom, three-bathroom suite complete with gold-leaf, 18-seat dining table is on offer for $25,000 a night.

Environmental groups and some people in the Solomons protested the sale of the dolphins to the resort as well as the 30-hour plane flight to get them to Dubai.

Dubai's development has long been criticized by environmental activists, who say the construction of artificial islands hurts coral reefs and even shifts water currents. They also point to growing water and electricity consumption.

Developers seem undaunted. For the moment, the Atlantis shares the island only with rows of high-end houses and construction sites. But other international names are set to move in.

Donald Trump plans a hotel straddling the center of the tree-shaped island's "palm," and the storied QE2 ocean liner will become a hotel and a tourist attraction docked alongside its "trunk." An 1,800-seat theater nearby will house a permanent Cirque du Soleil show beginning in summer 2011.

"Palm Jumeirah in and of itself will become one of Dubai's major tourist attractions," said Joe Cita, chief executive of Nakheel's hotel division.

Boosting the number of attractions on the island will not only entice more visitors, but also persuade them to spend more time and money in the city, he said.

By 2010, Dubai aims to attract 10 million hotel visitors annually, up from about 7 million in 2007. Atlantis alone will increase the city's hotel capacity by 3 percent.

So far, demand appears strong. The Middle East had the highest hotel occupancy rates in the world during the first half of the year, with Dubai leading the region at 85.3 percent, according to professional services firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.

Dubai also had the highest room rates in the region, although revenue growth is slowing, Deloitte noted.

Atlantis' backers are optimistic they can fill its 1,539 rooms despite the economic uncertainty wracking some of the world's richest economies. Their focus is on well-heeled travelers from Europe, Russia, Asia and elsewhere in the Middle East.

"People will still take family holidays," Leibman said. "Dubai is still good value when you're paying in pounds, (or) you're paying in euros."

Nakheel, the developer, and Kerzner, the hotel operator, are both privately held companies and do not release sales data. Leibman said demand from tour groups looks strong well into the first part of next year.

Yet Marios Maratheftis, head of regional research for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan at Standard Chartered Bank in Dubai, said there is "good reason" to be concerned that global financial problems could hit Dubai's tourism industry. Nevertheless, he said, the city's long-term outlook remains positive.

Kerzner has grown increasingly close to Dubai in recent years. In 2006, the company took itself private in a $3.8 billion deal partially bankrolled by a division of Nakheel's state-owned parent, Dubai World. Nakheel retains a large stake in the company.

Nakheel's hotel division has expanded rapidly. The company's holdings include New York's Mandarin Oriental, the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, and the W Hotel in Washington.

Its parent also owns a minority stake in MGM Mirage Inc. and is teaming with that casino operator and Kerzner to build a multibillion-dollar casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

But don't expect to find roulette wheels at Dubai's Atlantis. Islamic prohibitions against gambling ensure casinos remain off limits.


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## hkskyline

*Tourists won't be intimidated by attacks: Egypt experts *
25 September 2008
Agence France Presse

The kidnapping of 11 Europeans in Egypt's southern desert will barely dent the country's lucrative tourist industry which seems to bounce back faster after each attempt to damage it, experts say.

The group of five Germans, five Italians and a Romanian as well as eight Egyptian drivers and guides was snatched by masked bandits while on a desert safari to view prehistoric art in Egypt's remote southwest last Friday.

"There have been no repercussions, and if the kidnapping ends well, there will be none," Samer Maurice of leading tour agent Travco told AFP.

"Tourists are no longer intimidated and don't want to be. The proof is that the impact of attacks is decreasing," said Fathi Nur, the head of Egypt's hotelier's syndicate.

Kidnappings of foreigners are extremely rare in Egypt but the country has witnessed a number of deadly attacks against holidaymakers which have been blamed on Islamist militants.

In 1997, 62 people were killed in an attack in the southern city of Luxor that was claimed by Jamaa Islamiyya.

A string of deadly attacks rocked the popular Red Sea resorts of Taba, Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab on the Sinai peninsula between 2004 and 2006, killing dozens.

"The impact of the attacks is decreasing. The industry was affected for three years after the 1997 attack in Luxor and for only one month after the Dahab attack in 2006," Nur said.

Elderly travellers in their 70s are among the group being held in the desert, where daytime temperatures can hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) even in September.

Egyptian authorities who are highly protective of their tourist industry -- which draws 11 million visitors a year -- have implemented tight security measures in popular tourist spots around the country.

But the army has little control over the 1,000 kilometre (621 mile) border with Sudan.

"We will continue our efforts until this unfortunate banditry incident is over," Tourism Minister Zuhair Garana told AFP.

Garana refused to ban trips organised by adventure tourism companies in the area.

"I would have made such a decision if I felt Egypt was not safe. But Egypt is safe," he said. "If an accident happens on a highway, we are not going to ban traffic."

Desert tourism which is on the increase in Egypt, remains marginal and only makes up two percent of total tourist numbers.

Around 20,000 tourists visit the oases every year, including around a thousand who make it to the remote no-man's land straddling the Egyptian, Sudanese and Libyan borders where the 19 were kidnapped.

Special permits are needed for each trip and police accompany foreign tour groups.

Ahmed Mukhtar, the governor of Wadi el-Gedid province where the tourists were taken, said the kidnapping had not discouraged tourism there and that five other groups of European tourists were currently on safari in the area.

But a manager at Minamar Hotel, which organises excursions to Gilf el-Kabir -- where the kidnapping happened-- told AFP the hotel had cancelled trips to the region after the abduction.

The area is a desert plateau famous for prehistoric cave paintings, including the "Cave of the Swimmers" featured in the 1996 film "The English Patient."

Since 2000, the number of tourists in Egypt has doubled to reach 11.1 million last year and brought in 9.2 billion dollars, or 11.6 percent of the country's GNP. The industry employs 12 percent of the workforce.


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## nazrey

*First Int'l Cruise Ship Launches Service In Vietnam*
October 11, 2008 11:01 AM

HANOI, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Panama 's Jupiter Cruises firm has launched sea travel service in Vietnam, becoming the first foreign firm to provide cruise service for tourists in the coastal country.

Its four-star ship, Jupiter, which is 175 meters long and 22 meters wide, offers restaurants, a health spa, karaoke rooms, a dance hall and entertainment area, the Vietnam news agency (VNA) reported.

It is capable of carrying 1,200 people.

The cruise ship will take travelers to tourist sports along Vietnam 's coastline, including Hai Phong, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau, Con Dao and Phu Quoc.

Quoting Sam Lam, the Chairman of the Executive Council of Jupiter Cruises Ship, VNA reported that the Jupiter wants to provide good tour service by sea at reasonable prices to be come the first choice of every Vietnamese and Asian tourists.

Many foreign cruise companies expect to develop this luxury tourist service in Vietnam as the country is seeing strong development of tourism.

Vietnam has more than 3,260 km of coast with many attractive bays and beaches and famous world heritage sites like Ha Long Bay and Nha Trang Bay, thousands of islands and a system of major sea ports.

Vietnam has been emerging as an attractive destination to foreign shipping firms and travelers by sea.

-- BERNAMA


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## hkskyline

*Travel Postcard - 48 hours in Addis Ababa *

ADDIS ABABA, October 17 (Reuters) - Got 48 hours to spare in Addis Ababa -- Africa's diplomatic hub and one of the highest capital cities in the world? Reuters correspondents with local knowledge give tips on how to make the most of a short stay.

FRIDAY

5 p.m. Have a couple of cold beers by the pool during happy hour at the Hilton Hotel. You'll rub shoulders with African Union diplomats, United Nation's workers and government ministers so the conversation is always controversial and interesting.

8 p.m. Ethiopians serve their food on a spongy pancake called injera. Well-cooked pieces of lamb called tibs are particularly good as are the array of vegetables eaten during fasting times. Hop in a taxi (the blue ones are cheapest and perfectly safe) to Fasika. It's one of the swankiest restaurants in town but a great place to try the local cuisine for the first time. A lively dance show takes you on a whistle-stop tour of Ethiopian culture.

10 p.m. With a belly full of Ethiopian food, now's a good time to head to a traditional bar known as an Azmari bet. Try the Kazanchis area and ask your taxi driver for recommendations. Fendika is a good one. Azmaris are the performers who sing songs often made up on the spot. If you're lucky they might even sing one about you.

SATURDAY

9 a.m. Many visitors to Addis are overwhelmed by the scale of visible poverty and the street children they see on almost every corner. Instead of doling out change randomly, pay a quick visit to Hope Enterprises on Churchill Road and buy some meal tickets. Every day almost 700 children redeem the tickets for a healthy dinner at the centre.

9:15 a.m. Now you're in the right spot to indulge in some souvenir shopping. Shops carrying everything from Ethiopian silver to memorabilia from Ethiopia's brief Italian occupation line Churchill Road. Take your time to compare prices across a few stores.

11:00 a.m. If the shopping bug has bitten, why not hop in a taxi to the Mercato? Some say it's Africa's biggest open-air market but nobody really knows. Just watch your pockets. But don't worry too much. Addis is one of Africa's safest capitals and crime is rare.

1 p.m. After a trip to London at the turn of the 20th century, Princess Taitu asked her husband Emperor Menelik II to build a hotel like the ones she had seen there. The Itegue Taitu Hotel was the result and is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Addis. Go for a bite and ask to be served outside the upstairs bedrooms in the main building.

3 p.m. Time for coffee. And you're in the best place in the world for that. Legend has it the coffee bean was discovered centuries ago by a shepherd in northern Ethiopia and Ethiopians take their coffee very seriously indeed. Tamoca on Algeria Street is the oldest coffee shop in town and serves a great macchiato (espresso with milk). Coffee beans roast in front of your eyes in stylish Italian art-deco surroundings. They're for sale too.

5 p.m. English Premier League football obsesses Africans. And Meskel Square -- where all Addis roads meet -- is a truly unique place to witness their passion. A giant screen illuminates the west end of the square and hundreds of Addis Ababans regularly congregate in the square to cheer on their teams. Arsenal is by far the most popular.

8 p.m. Said to be Bob Geldof's favourite Italian restaurant, Castelli's elegant wood-panelled dining room has played host to Swedish royalty, Bill Clinton, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Consistency is the seller - the restaurant has served up its tasty selection of pastas, seafood and steaks through all manner of strife. It famously stayed open the night Ethiopia's communist regime was toppled in 1991. The antipasti buffet is a must.

11 p.m. If you fancy late drinks, you could start at the Sheraton Hotel's Gaslight and watch the city's rich at play. Then across town to Memo's nightclub for a recharging snack in its courtyard restaurant (order the chirro), before a dance with the less spoiled locals and a smattering of expats. Or you could head to Le Bateau Ivre in Kazanchis -- one of the most reliably raucous and fun late, late bars in town.

SUNDAY

9 a.m. - The best thing about the wonderful Ethnological Museum/Haile Selassie's Palace on Algeria Street is that you get to see the real former bedrooms, bathrooms and dressing rooms of the famously regal and elegant Emperor Haile Selassie and his wife.

12 p.m. A leisurely lunch at Blue Tops across the road. You have to try the ice cream.

3 p.m. The Derg Monument on Churchill Avenue is a surprisingly haunting reminder of Ethiopia's difficult years of communist rule. The site also houses a moving pictorial memorial to Cuban soldiers who died fighting alongside Ethiopian troops during the country's war against Somalia in 1977/78.

6 p.m. Watch the sun set over your Addis weekend at the fine Top View restaurant.


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## hkskyline

*NY's Bloomberg says tourism could be hit by crisis*

NEW YORK, Oct 17 (Reuters) - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg cautioned that the $55 billion boost to the city's economy contributed by Times Square may be at risk if the financial crisis hurts tourism.

The $55 billion estimate counts all Broadway entertainment ticket sales, restaurant checks and hotel bills paid by tourists who come to Manhattan's neon-lit center to see the shows, according to the Theater Development Fund.

That is approximately one-eighth of the city's Gross City Product, the broadest measure of all goods and services.

Wall Street is still the city's most important source of tax dollars, contributing 23 percent of all collections.

The dollar's marked weakness in recent years, however, has inspired many more tourists from around the world to visit and shop, creating entry-level jobs for New Yorkers, Bloomberg said.

"As we go through tough economic times, this is the kind of thing we really need more than ever before. It is tourism that has carried our city," he told a news conference on Thursday.

The conference, organized by the Theater Development Fund, unveiled a big new booth where it will sell discounted tickets for shows, musicals and dance performances.

Tim Tompkins, the president of the Times Square Alliance, said that Broadway as a whole contributes about $5 billion to the city economy.


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## hkskyline

*Greek tourist body sees rocky 2009 as slowdown hits *

ATHENS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The number of foreign tourists arriving at Greek airports fell 1.2 percent in the first nine months of 2008 and next year is likely to be significantly worse as a global downturn bites, an industry body said on Monday. Greece's Touristic Research Institute (ITEP) said the number of tourists fell by 4.8 percent in September -- normally a strong month for tourist arrivals -- suggesting that figures for the rest of the year would remain negative.

Tourism accounts for roughly 18 percent of Greece's 240 billion euro economy, and employs a fifth of the workforce.

"Tourism is one of the victims of the financial crisis," said the ITEP report. "No-one can predict the duration and intensity of the current crisis, but we can say with certainty 2009 will be a significantly worse year than 2008."

ITEP said 10.5 million foreign tourists visited Greece between January and September, versus 10.7 million a year earlier. In September, the number of visitors slipped to 1.7 million, versus 1.8 million the previous year.

All of Greece's main tourist destinations showed a decrease in airport arrivals in September, with the worst-hit being the Dodecanese archipelago with a plunge of 7 percent year-on-year.

The Bank of Greece has said that although tourist numbers fell, expenditure had increased by around 5 percent in the first seven months of the year. Economists, however, say this figure is notoriously difficult to estimate.

The conservative government, which faces mounting union protests over its liberal economic reforms, has predicted economic growth of 3.0 percent next year but economists have said this could be overly optimistic.

The government has lowered its 2008 growth forecasts for Greece's tourism- and shipping-reliant economy to 3.4 percent, from 4.0 percent in 2007.


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## hkskyline

*U.N. says people will travel despite credit crisis *

MANILA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Tourist arrivals around the world are expected to slow this year due to high fuel prices, a U.N. official said on Monday, but he said he was confident the tourism sector was not overly vulnerable to the global credit crunch.

Francesco Frangialli, secretary-general of the U.N. World Tourism Organisation (WTO), said the financial crisis could cut down on travel and leisure spending but people across the globe were still traveling.

"We are worried, of course," Frangialli told delegates of the United Federation of Travel Agents' Associations.

"But, we are not giving in to panic. Experience teaches us that tourism is resilient. The need to go on trips, to take holidays, is too strong in our post-industrial societies."

He said the prospect of a deep recession in the United States and Western Europe had started changing consumer behaviour, although it had not stopped travel.

The crisis, he said, was likely to have less of an effect than the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003, when travel fell off sharply, especially in Asia.

"American and European consumers have been spending less in their destinations," Frangialli said, reducing incidental expenditures, such as restaurants, entertainment and transport options.

"This has led to the popularity of staying with relatives and friends, at camping sites, mobile homes and social tourist accommodations."

While low-cost airlines suffered during the first half of 2008 due to high prices of fuel, Frangialli said many travelers were now using budget carriers.

He said about 900 million people traveled in 2007 and this number was expected to hit 1.1 billion in 2010, growing slowly from the 6 percent rise in tourism traffic last year.

BEACH COUNTRY

In the Philippines, the head of the travel agencies association said the impact of the financial problems in the United States would likely be felt in the first quarter of 2009.

"When a global economic crisis hits, the first thing that people cut are the luxury items and activities," Jose Clemente told Reuters in an interview.

"Traveling is one of them. Our bookings are still good until January because these were done much earlier. What we're seeing right now is a bit of a downtrend. We're not receiving as many bookings as we would expect compared to previous years."

Clemente said the Philippines remained one of the top destinations in Southeast Asia because of its tropical beaches, particularly Boracay, Cebu and Palawan island resorts.

He said newer markets had also been discovered, such as Russia, the Scandinavian states and India while tourist arrivals from South Korea and China remained steady.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the government had scaled down its tourist arrival growth from a high of 10 percent to about 5-7 percent this year due to high fuel prices and credit problems in its major markets, such as the United States and Japan.

Tourist arrivals in 2008 was expected to hit 3.7 million from about 3.5 million last year.


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## hkskyline

*Euro Disney reports record visits despite crisis *
21 October 2008
Agence France Presse

Euro Disney said on Tuesday it had a record number of visits to its French parks this year and a 9.0-percent jump in sales, reflecting its appeal to cash-strapped Europeans as an affordable attraction in a financial crisis.

Euro Disney, which manages Disneyland Paris, reported a jump of 800,000 visitors in its fiscal year that ended in September to a record 15.3 million.

The company said its theme parks east of Paris had slashed an annual net loss to 2.8 million euros (3.7 billion dollars) from 38.4 million in the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Sales rose 9.0 percent to 1.33 billion euros.

"In a time of crisis," said company chief executive Philippe Gas, Disneyland Paris is "a good alternative to long-distance trips."

"It's a short-term destination easily accessible for Europeans ...

"Euro Disney has put up strong resistance to the economic gloom. But we remain vigilant, since everything depends on the scope of the crisis and we are not immune."

Occupancy rates at hotels connected to the parks, located in Marne-la-Vallee, rose to 90.9 percent from 89.3 percent in the previous fiscal period. Average spending per room rose 7.0 percent to 211.4 euros.

Gas said in the coming quarter, October to December, activity should remain "stable or show a slight increase," despite signs that the British and Spanish markets had weakened over the summer.

He added that the Disneyland Paris was becoming of increased interest to visitors from Russia and the Middle East, areas that "are less affected by a decline in purchasing power."

Another promising market is Poland, Gas said.

Euro Disney shares have fallen 34 percent this year, in line with declines elsewhere in the tourism sector.

The share was showing a loss on Tuesday of 2.03 percent at 5.78 euros on a generally stronger Paris exchange.


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## NewTomorrow

Madeira promo Video


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## hkskyline

*Cape Town is easy on a budget *
22 October 2008

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) - One of the world's most beautiful cities is probably one of the cheapest.

Cape Town, the sparkling jewel in South Africa's tourist crown, regularly wins international travel awards. It combines excellent infrastructure and hotels with magnificent beaches, wildlife and winelands, making it a favorite among business conventions and wealthy surf and safari seekers.

But even for those on a budget, the so-called Mother City is as welcoming as its name. Best news is the weakness of the South African rand, which make dollars and euros go further.

GETTING THERE: Only a few airlines fly straight to Cape Town, so direct flights from London are full and discount fares rare. Delta flies from New York via Senegal. Emirates via Dubai often has bargains. In addition to South African Airways, budget airlines like 1Time and kulula.com fly from Johannesburg into Cape Town. (Don't panic if kulula staff announce the plane has landed in Zimbabwe -- they love joking).

The airport tourism information desk arranges bus shuttles to the city at 120 rands (US$12) per person and less for subsequent passengers. The Backpacker bus charges 150 rands (US$15) and its Web site -- http://www.backpackerbus.co.za -- has good tips on travel and accommodation. Or ask your hotel or guesthouse to meet you. Metered taxis are expensive and there is no regular bus or train service to the city center. If you are renting a car, shop around for deals for foreigners.

GETTING AROUND: Cape Town lacks a decent public transport system. It's worth hiring a car at least for a day or two. Most hotels and hostels offer peninsular and wineland tours. Some take bikes along with them.

Minibus taxis are used by locals and will give you a cheap, genuine taste of South Africa. But they are not for the fainthearted, despite efforts by the government to persuade minibus drivers to upgrade their vehicles and respect basic rules of the road. For a more predictable alternative, the Explorer double-decker open-topped bus has a hop-on, hop-off system, with the red line serving the city and the blue line surrounding areas at a cost of 200 rands (US$20) per adult for a universal 24-hour pass. You can walk around most parts of central Cape Town without fear of crime during the day, unlike Johannesburg and Durban. But at night take a taxi, even for short distances.

WHAT TO SEE:

--Table Mountain. This is Cape Town's icon. You can hike up or down a steep three kilometers (1.8 miles) on the Platteklip Gorge trail) but check at the information booth on conditions (strong winds are common). The return trip by cable car costs 145 rands (US$14.50), with discounts for children and students and sometimes in early morning and evening. Operating times depend on season and weather. Be prepared to wait at busy periods. Details at http://www.tablemountain.net.

A wonderful alternative to Table Mountain lies just across the road. Signal Hill has no lines, no hassle, no fees. Just uninterrupted 360-degree views of the city from the winding road. Join the locals at full moon and walk up and down the mountain (about 90 minutes each way) for an unforgettable experience. Remember, there is safety in numbers.

--Robben Island. The wind-swept island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned is a must. The trip takes 3 1/2 hours and costs 150 rands (US$15, children half-price). Book well in advance at http://www.robben-island.org as it's hugely popular. Also, for just 15 rands (US$1.50), visit the District Six Museum, which highlights the injustice of the apartheid era and the forced relocations of nonwhites from the vibrant city center to dismal Cape Flats townships, which are still home to the majority of the population. (Robben Island will be closed the first two weeks of November while authorities remove an infestation of rabbits.)

--Waterfront. The harbor and shopping complex is home to pricey hotels and boutiques. But you can soak up the sea air and enjoy live entertainment for free. There are restaurants and fast food joints for all budgets. Or pick up a picnic at the Pick 'N Pay supermarket.The world-class aquarium is fab for both kids and adults.

--Beaches. The powder-white sand of Camps Bay and Clifton are the places to chill -- and literally freeze in the Antarctic-influenced currents, even on scorching days. For swimming, the saltwater, open-air pool in Sea Point costs next to nothing and is in a breathtaking location on the beach, with a huge grass area for sunbathing. Weekends are packed but weekdays often empty (unless you coincide with a school outing, which adds to the fun). Take your own padlock for the lockers.

For less frigid waters, head to Fish Hoek and Muizenberg on the other side of the peninsula, which is warmed by the Indian Ocean currents. Muizenberg is a hotspot for surfers. Take time to chat with shark-spotters positioned on the beach and an overlooking hill to sound the alarm about occasional Great White visitors. (If you really want a close encounter, try shark cage-diving in Gansbaaii, a couple of hours drive away with transport offered from the Waterfront.)

SIDE TRIPS: A Cape Peninsular tour is a full-day highlight either with an organized group or (better) on your own. Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope are the best-known attractions. Beware the baboons who aggressively search for food. (We once watched a hapless tourist getting out of his car for photos as a baboon jumped into the driver's seat next to the man's hysterical wife!!)

Next to Cape Point, an ostrich farm offers guided tours, but you can also watch the mighty birds for free.

Farther down the road toward the naval base of Simons Town, you can swim with penguins at Boulders Beach, which boasts a thriving colony of endangered African penguins. It's magical, and the birds are unfazed by humans.

Watch fishermen at work in the beautiful harbors of Kalk Bay and on the other side of the peninsula, Hout Bay. Hout Bay also offers 45-minute trips (about 40 rands, US$4) to smelly but spectacular Seal Island, home to thousands of seals. World of Birds, also in Hout Bay, is great value for the money and popular with families. It also has giant tortoises, wallabies and squirrel monkeys (tourists are allowed into their enclosure twice a day).

Chapman's Peak leading out of Hout Bay is one of the world's most scenic roads but is currently closed following rockfalls. You can go halfway up to the picnic spots and, between August and November, feast your eyes for free on southern right whales. (Hermanus, the main center for whale-watching, is about two hours out of Cape Town).

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens are much loved among locals for their Sunday evening summer concerts. Take a picnic and get there early.

DINING OUT: By international standards, restaurants are cheap in South Africa. It's easy to have a slap-up dinner for around 100 rands (US$10). Fish is superb -- try the firm juicy kingklip -- and fish 'n chips on the seafront is hard to beat. Local cuisine includes Cape Malay curries and bobotie (a dish with minced meat). You rarely pay more than 15 rands (US$1.50) for a coffee and there are great, cheap local beers and wines. Unlike other African countries, the water is safe and most restaurants happily supply a big jug of free tap water. Even the Waterfront has cheap options with pizzas, wraps, kebabs and noodles. There are plenty of eateries in Long Street -- the nightlife center -- in the trendy Waterkant district and along the Camps Bay beach. For unrivaled views at affordable prices, book a table in the Ritz hotel's revolving restaurant in Sea Point. Even if you are trying to save money, don't skimp on the customary 10 percent tip as waiters rely heavily on it to supplement their minimal wages.

SLEEPING IN: At the Waterfront, the Breakwater Lodge -- a former prison -- is the cheapest option. There's an abundance of reasonably priced guest houses and B&Bs in central locations like Gardens, Tamberskloef, Sea Point and Green Point. Prices vary with the season but it's easy to find a double room with private bathroom for less than 1,000 rands (US$100) -- often much less -- and some establishments offer self-catering. The official Cape Town Web site http://www.tourismcapetown.co.za has listings but doesn't provide links or prices. So try http://www.capestay.co.za. There's plenty of choice in vibey hostels offering clean dormitory as well as private accommodation at even lower prices than guesthouses. These include http://www.longstreetbackpackers.co.za and http://www.catandmoose.co.za on Long Street. Quieter but also central are the recommended http://www.backpackers.co.za and the lovely Ashanti Lodge http://www.ashanti.co.za. In the suburb of Observatory, popular with students, is the Green Elephant, http://www.hostels.co.za. There are also many choices in Cape Town's surrounding areas like Kalk Bay, Hout Bay and the lovely university town of Stellenbosch in the winelands.

WHEN TO GO: Spring (September to November) offers a floral feast in the Table Mountain national park. Mid-January to April is also a great time to visit. Mid-December to mid-January it seems as if half the country descends upon Cape Town and it gets packed and pricey. Avoid June to August unless you like wind and rain - but even then there are glorious sunny days as well as cut prices.


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## hkskyline

*Museum aims to make French town the hub of perfume history *
21 October 2008
Agence France Presse

From ancient Egyptian ceremonial incense to pungent Mesopotamian ointments and lotions dating back to medieval France, a newly re-opened French museum traces perfume's lesser-known past.

"The history of perfume is not only that of the industry linked to fashion or luxury, in which France has become the main player," said the curator of the International Perfume Museum, which re-opened this weekend in Grasse, near Cannes in the south of France.

"Since antiquity, perfume has also been at the crossroads of therapeutics, cosmetics, cuisine, even sacred" uses, said Marie-Christine Grasse, according to whom the museum offers a unique collection in terms of size and scope.

While the picturesque Provence town that hosts the museum is no longer the heart of the perfume industry, officials hope it will now serve as a centre for history on the fragrance industry.

After three years of renovations, the museum has been transformed from a dusty collection housed in an 18th century mansion, to a modern exhibition of artefacts spread across new inter-connected buildings.

Once the home of nobility, the mansion lies at the centre of architect Frederic Jung's complex -- mixing old with modern, mouldings with contemporary glasswork.

The actual size of the display area has been doubled to 3,000 square metres (32,300 square feet) and some 3,000 artefacts of the total collection of 50,000 objects are on display.

The chronological, interactive and olfactory -- sense-driven -- tour of perfumery is presented along three themes: seduction, healing and communication.

The collection's centrepiece is an 80-kilogramme (175-pound) "travel" vanity case once owned by Marie-Antoinette, the French queen arguably best remembered for her extravagant tastes.

Fashioned out of mahogany and leather, the case is riddled with compartments and drawers containing brushes and gadgets necessary for the young queen's elaborate beauty regime.

The story of perfumery further unravels in rooms devoted to the 19th century advent of the industry, in which Grasse played a major role.

The town's name will be familiar to viewers of "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer," a film based on a novel by German writer Patrick Suskind and following a young perfumier's search for the ultimate odour.

Grasse was a global centre for producing natural extracts from the jasmine, rose and orange blossom plantations emanating from its periphery.

The majority of extracts today come from outside France, but Grasse has maintained a foothold in formulating perfumes and food flavours.

Formulations from Grasse, where specialists also come to use the museum's large research library, account for more than half of France's sales in these industries.

Perfume professionals in the region -- many of whom are partners in the project -- hope the museum will give them a chance to exert a unique influence on the industry's past and present.


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## hkskyline

*Ailing, Iceland Invites Tourists And Dollars *
25 October 2008
The New York Times

Its economy went into a tailspin three weeks ago, and it is now seeking billions of dollars in rescue funds. Its stock market has fallen about 90 percent, and its currency has lost nearly half its value this year.

With a long list of financial troubles, Iceland may not immediately come to mind as a travel destination. But that has not stopped the country's tourist board, along with the airline Icelandair, from trying. They are pitching the country as an island of bargains, especially to Americans who hold a suddenly valuable commodity: dollars.

''With the dramatic increase in the value of the U.S. dollar against the Icelandic krona, Iceland is now a top bargain destination, giving consumers nearly twice the spending power compared to last year,'' their advertisement says.

The campaign seems to have worked. Thorsteinn Egilsson, managing director of Icelandair U.S.A., said tourists had responded strongly to a $559 package that covers the cost of a round-trip flight from New York or Boston and three nights at the Hilton hotel in Reykjavik. Bookings are up by 72 percent over the period a year earlier, Mr. Egilsson said.

''We wanted to inform the market that Iceland is cheaper,'' he said. ''And it's really taken off.''

Einar Gustavsson, director of the Icelandic Tourist Board in the United States, said the campaign was directly related to the country's financial crisis. ''We desperately need foreign currency,'' he said. ''Foreign travel by Iceland's citizens has dropped 40 percent since the crash, so that leaves a lot of empty seats on Icelandair.''

In a typical year, according to the tourist board, 60,000 Americans visit Iceland, and the country has marketed itself to young urban professionals in search of an exotic weekend excursion. The message to young professionals has changed: now it is that the trip you were thinking about is much cheaper.

Mr. Gustavsson hastened to add that the tourist board wanted to make sure that Iceland kept its status as an offbeat, exotic destination. It's still a windswept island of cool cafes and geothermal geysers, he said. It's just that for an American visitor, ''a $100 meal now costs $50.''


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## Gustavo__Almeida__

*Portugal could become the world's 10th largest tourism market by 2020*

Portugal could become the world's 10th largest tourism market by 2020, attracting
almost quadruple the current number of tourists, according to the World Tourism
Organization. Wine tourism is growing at a strong 7 to 12 per cent a year in Europe,
and Portugal is one of the main destinations. Portugal’s annual income from the golf
industry represents 1.25 per cent of national income and 14 per cent of all income from
tourism.


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## hkskyline

*Dutch towns close coffee-shops to ward off 'drug tourists' *
23 October 2008
Agence France Presse

Two Dutch towns said Thursday they planned to close their cannabis smoking coffee-shops after admitting that an influx of up to 25,000 French and Belgian "drug tourists" each week had become too much.

Local authorities in southwestern Roosendaal and Bergen-op-Doom announced they could no longer cope with the "drug tourists" whose presence they blamed for traffic congestion, crime and unlicensed dealing.

"Soft drug tourism is the motor of criminality linked to (harder) drugs," they said in a joint statement. "It has an overwhelming negative effect on public order."

All eight coffee-shops in the two towns will shut, with closures beginning in February 2009.

"The mayor of Roosendaal thinks we could close them all within two years," town hall spokeswoman Marjolein Koppens told AFP.

Until then, all local coffee-shops will be forced to limit the sale of cannabis to two grammes (0.07 ounces) per customer per day instead of the current five grammes.

Liberal drugs laws in the Netherlands allow people to carry five grammes of marijuana on their person without being prosecuted.

Another border town, Terneuzen, announced Wednesday it would toughen its local by-laws on the sale of cannabis from May next year. Opening hours would be restricted and the amount each customer could buy would also be reduced.


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## TEHR_IR

*Over $405m investment in Gilan Prov. tourism sector*

Over $405m investment in Gilan Prov. tourism sector

RASHT – Gilan Province director of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization stated here on Sunday that tourism promotion plans valued at over four trillion rials (about $405.6 million) are underway in the province. 


Talking to Mehr News Agency, Mohammad-Hossein Mehdipour said that investment in the tourism sector of Gilan Province totaled only 69 billion rials (about $7 million) in 2005. 

He added that the 20-Year Outlook Plan has stipulated that 5.5 percent of the projected 20 million tourists entering Iran would visit Gilan Province as their first destination. 

Gilan is one of the northern provinces of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea. The province with mountains, forests and waterways, as well as a seven-thousand-year history and culture is one of the nation’s most attractive tourist hubs.


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## TEHR_IR

*Iran and Malaysia to Expand Tourism Cooperation*

Tehran, October 27, 2008: The Malaysian deputy minister of tourism said that Iran-Malaysia ties will expand in all fields, especially in the tourism sector on the basis of mutual interest.

Speaking to reporters, Soleiman Abdul Rahman Tayyeb, who is currently in Iran to confer with officials of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, added that the two countries enjoy special affinities for development of ties in tourism sector, because they both are Muslim countries.

Conditions for Muslim tourists are prepared in both countries, he noted.

Iran ranks third in terms of the number of its visitors to the country, Tayyeb said, adding that the figure increased to 27,215 in 2007 from 18,725 in 2006.

Commenting on the backgrounds for expansion of tourism ties with Iran, he further said that Iran is one of the main and strategic partners of Malaysia.

A joint committee has been set up to pursue agreements and programs in the field, he noted.

Stating that his country is not after political considerations in developing ties with Iran, he said, "We view the issue from cultural and commercial points of view."

"We will always support Iran as a civilized and cultured country and are keen to expand ties with it in all arenas," he said.


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## TEHR_IR

*Iran's tourism office opens in Turkey*

TEHRAN (IRNA) -- Iran's Tourism Information Office was inaugurated in Istanbul, Turkey in a ceremony attended by deputy head of Cultural Iran's Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization's Investment and Projects Department, Mehdi Jahangiri. 


According to IRNA, the office will be administered by a Turk investor named Salman Chatin. 

Addressing the gathering, Jahangiri elaborated on Iran's potentials for investment in the tourism sector and said that supporting foreign investors was one of the most important programs of the government. 

Describing cultural heritage and tourism as a rich field, he further said that prosperity of the field will help promote economy because tourism has become a dynamic industry in the world. 

Citing job generation, economic growth and dynamism as among the achievements of the tourism industry, Jahangiri further said that fortunately, in Iran grounds for materializing the goals are ready. 

Approving plans for promoting tourism areas and providing facilities for tourists are among the government's measures to support investment in the field.


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## TEHR_IR

*ECO Tourism Ministers Convene in Iran*

Tehran sees the first-time attendance of tourism ministers from the ten member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). 
Tehran, October 21, 2008: Tehran sees the first-time attendance of tourism ministers from the ten member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). 


Tourism ministers and experts from the ten member states gathered in Tehran’s Laleh International Hotel to discuss ECO tourism promotion. 

The establishment of an ECO tourism fund, the publication of a tourist guide and facilitation of the visa issuance process for tourists from ECO states were on the summit agenda. 

Ecotourism as well as regional tourism cooperation were also touched on during the talks. 

ECO is an intergovernmental regional organization, the 1985 established of which is directed at expanding economic, technical and cultural cooperation among members. 

The ECO member states are Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.


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## ENRIQUE DANIEL

New campaign "Peru, Live the Legend" to reach 510 million people

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

In an effort to invite the world to experience the joys and treasures Peru has to offer, the country's tourism promotion agency, PromPeru, has launched a new publicity campaign.

The new campaign portrays the Andean country as not just an exquisite place to visit, but as an experience that must be lived, an experience with cultures that have stood the test of time and continue to bewilder modern man.

"Peru, Live the Legend", shows the world that the country is a place where one will come into contact with sacred archaeological ruins and hidden natural wonders that were sites where legends took place.

The campaign assures Peru is a privileged place to visit because of the combination of its rich culture, diverse natural wonders and uniqueness in the world.

The objective of "Peru, Live the Legend" is to present our country as the best destination for trips in markets in the United States, Germany, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil and Chile, said PromPeru.

Furthermore, the tourism promotion body announced that the campaign would reach 350 million people around the world as well as an additional 160 million through a deal made with One World.

After a rigorous investigation, it was decided that the previous campaign, "Pack your six senses, come to Peru", needed to be modified to fit an ever changing market, said PromPeru.


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## ENRIQUE DANIEL

Peru expects 2.1 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2008


About 2.1 million foreign tourists are to visit Peru this year, a 10 percent increase compared to 2007, the National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur) said today.

Canatur president Eduardo Arrarte said the current U.S. financial crisis will not affect the country's tourism growth; although the number of U.S. tourists has begun to drop, but it has been offset by the increased inflow of tourists from Latin America, Europe and Asia.

In that regard, he noted the importance to tourism international summits such as the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean (EU-LAC) Summit held last May in Lima and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings held throughout the year across the country.

Arrarte mentioned that in the first six months of 2008, tourist arrivals increased 13 percent compared to the same period last year.

He also stressed the need for coordinated work between local and regional authorities to join efforts and improve existing tourism infrastructure and facilities and thus maintain growth rates exceeding 10 percent annually.

News source: ANDINA


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## melbstud

Post from Culwulla in Australian Scrapers forum.


Sydney voted top city in the world




Sydney has been voted the number one city in the world for the 13th time at the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller Awards in New York, the Minister for Tourism Jodi McKay announced today. 

For a record 20th year in a row, readers of the influential American travel magazine also voted Sydney the top city in the Australia-Pacific Cities category. 

“13 years at number one and 20 in a row as the best city in the Australia Pacific region is a fantastic achievement and a strong endorsement by the discerning readers of Conde Nast,” McKay said. 

The magazine described Sydney as; Laid-back, vibrant and gorgeous. The city has food to rival any in the world, and is at the forefront of cutting-edge design, with chic hotels and excellent restaurants. 

In the Awards, Sydney outranked other global cities including San Francisco, Florence and Cape Town. Conde Nast Traveller magazine has a paid circulation of 770,000 in the US and a readership of 3.1 million. 

“Our laid-back lifestyle along with the city’s iconic attractions, the beauty of our natural environment, the eclectic nightlife and gourmet restaurants are part of what makes Sydney so appealing to international visitors,” Mckay said. 

The Awards have been running for 21 years and Sydney has won the top city award from 1988 – 2008 in the Asia Pacific Cities category.


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## hkskyline

*Swiss tourism to see winter slowdown on financial crisis *
3 November 2008
Agence France Presse

Swiss tourism is expected to see a slowdown as the winter season begins but the full force of the financial crisis should hit the hospitality industry only next summer, official forecasts showed on Monday.

"The first effects of a net slowdown in the world economy will already be felt in the coming winter," said the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) in a statement.

The number of overnight stays is expected to fall 2.4 percent in the winter season which started this month and lasts through to April 2009, with stays from foreigners to drop 2.9 percent.

For 2009, demand is expected to fall 3 percent, with foreign demand to drop off most significantly -- at 4 percent, said SECO.

Domestic demand is expected to remain stable as the Swiss economy remain relatively strong, it added.

"This negative trend should be confirmed, although in a less marked manner, during the tourism year 2010," said SECO, adding that a recovery was expected only in 2011, with growth of 1.3 percent.


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## hkskyline

*French Riviera resorts hit by massive power cut *
3 November 2008
Agence France Presse

The resorts of Nice, Cannes and Monaco were left without power Monday when an outage hit the entire Riviera, halting trains, trapping people in lifts and plunging shops into darkness.

Stormy weather probably caused the blackout that was due to a problem on two high-voltage electricity lines and extended from near Marseille right up to the Italian border, the EDF state electricity company said.

The power cut came after a weekend of heavy winds and rain that forced two motorways further north to close and caused hundreds of homes to be evacuated.

Trams in Nice came to a stop in the middle of the street when the 1,500-megawatt outage kicked in around 0830 GMT, and cafes in the beachfront town frequented by the international jet set had to stop serving morning coffee.

Shops across the region, one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world, were no longer able to take payments by credit card because of the lack of power, while many larger stores were plunged into darkness.

Trains between the cities of Toulon and Nice also rolled to a stop when the power went out. Nice airport, France's third busiest, was still operating because it had its own emergency power source, officials said.

The Alpes-Maritimes and the Var departments, which stretch from the Mediterranean up into the foothills of the Alps, were completely deprived of power.

Part of the Bouches-du-Rhone department was also affected, but its main city, the port of Marseille, escaped the blackout, which lasted for more than two hours and was at lunchtime still continuing in a few areas.

The three departments were hit over the weekend by the storms that battered the southeast and centre-east of France.

On Sunday, the A6 motorway, France's main north-south axis, was closed for several hours due to flooding between Paris and Lyon.

The A46 between Lyon and Saint-Etienne to the south was also closed down by the flooding and rail officials said some train services in the area would be cancelled at least until Tuesday.

Hundreds of people had to be evacuated from their homes in various regions in east-central France due to the flooding or for fear of rivers bursting their banks, officials said.

Some areas suffered power cuts Sunday due to the rains that caused mudslides as well as damage to homes, businesses and vehicles.

Police helicopters were meanwhile searching Monday for a light aircraft that went missing with four people on board in southern France after its pilot ignored warnings and took off late Sunday in stormy weather.

The single-engine Robin airplane took off from the town of Romans in the Rhone valley and was heading south to Aix-en-Provence, near the Mediterranean coast, when it went missing.


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## nazrey

*Visa free travel to Asean countries for a month*
Published: Wednesday November 5, 2008 MYT 10:28:00 PM

KUALA LUMPUR: People from Asean countries can now travel to any country in the grouping for one month without visas, except for Myanmar.

Immigration director-general Datuk Mahmood Adam said Myanmar was excluded for security reasons as the country was still mired in crisis.

"Previously, tourists from Asean countries were only allowed to travel not more than 17 or 18 days without visas," he told reporters after chairing the Asean heads of immmigration and heads of consular meeting on Wednesday.

Mahmood said the extension was aimed at making travel in the region easy and encouraging them to stay longer.

"We also discussed ways to increase the functions and concepts of Asean passports.

"There is a need to standardise the functions and concepts of our passports as this will help in identifying genuine passports from fakes," he added. - Bernama


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## hkskyline

*Trump eyeing investment in Philippine freeport *
4 November 2008
Agence France Presse

US property tycoon Donald Trump is eyeing up a move to develop part of a new complex in the Philippine freeport of Subic Bay into a tourist centre, a Trump company official said Wednesday.

The flamboyant billionaire is looking at joining a South Korean company that is already building a major complex in Subic Bay, which is located north of Manila.

Trump Organization executive vice-president Michael Cohen said he had met officials of the Heung-A Property Group to discuss the plan.

He said the two sides were working on "a definitive agreement" where the Trump group would be a key developer of the beachfront but added that no formal accord had been signed.

Heung-A Property owns Subic Neocove Corp., a venture that is developing a tourism complex. The company is planning an initial 250 million-dollar investment to build hotels, golf courses, a casino and residential areas.


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## Saigoneseguy

nazrey said:


> *Visa free travel to Asean countries for a month*
> Published: Wednesday November 5, 2008 MYT 10:28:00 PM
> 
> KUALA LUMPUR: People from Asean countries can now travel to any country in the grouping for one month without visas, except for Myanmar.
> 
> Immigration director-general Datuk Mahmood Adam said Myanmar was excluded for security reasons as the country was still mired in crisis.
> 
> "Previously, tourists from Asean countries were only allowed to travel not more than 17 or 18 days without visas," he told reporters after chairing the Asean heads of immmigration and heads of consular meeting on Wednesday.
> 
> Mahmood said the extension was aimed at making travel in the region easy and encouraging them to stay longer.
> 
> "We also discussed ways to increase the functions and concepts of Asean passports.
> 
> "There is a need to standardise the functions and concepts of our passports as this will help in identifying genuine passports from fakes," he added. - Bernama


ASEAN Union ftw! :cheers:


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## hkskyline

*'Obama Eats Here': Chicago tourism officials bank on election of one of their own as a boost*
6 November 2008

CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago's tourism Web site beckons visitors to "experience the city the Obamas enjoy." The Illinois Bureau of Tourism plans to launch a three-day getaway promotion featuring Barack Obama sites. And tour guides at the Old State Capitol in Springfield may get new scripts to stress two important speeches the president-elect made as a candidate.

It's all part of Illinois tourism officials' rush to capitalize on the Obama buzz.

A security perimeter surrounds the Obamas' block in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, but tourism office volunteer Catherine Williams still tries to get visitors on walking tours as close to the family home as the Secret Service will allow.

"They want to see the house, and, hopefully, they might get a glimpse of him," Williams said Thursday. "He's almost like a rock star."

Nearby, a restaurant has sold 3,000 T-shirts that read "Obama Eats Here," and a hand-lettered sign in the window of 57th Street Books congratulates "longtime customer" Obama, who has shopped there since 1986.

"They ask, 'What does the senator like to read?'" Jack Cella, of the cooperative that runs the bookstore, said of touring customers. "They buy copies of his book and say they wanted to buy it in the bookstore he shops in."

A household name outside Illinois for just a few years, Obama appears to be quickly edging out Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey or Al Capone for title of "most famous Chicagoan."

That's become particularly true for international visitors, said Laura Baginski, features editor for the weekly entertainment magazine Time Out Chicago, which has published a self-guided tour that includes the University of Chicago Law School, where Obama taught, and the Hyde Park Hair Salon & Barber Shop.

"I don't know if we're quite prepared for the attention we're going to get," Baginski said. "I think people are interested in seeing where he eats, seeing where he gets his hair cut."

Travel agencies from around the globe have been phoning for information, and the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau is in the thick of an Obama-focused Internet marketing campaign, said Mark Theis, agency's executive vice president.

"We completely changed our home page to congratulate Obama," Theis said.

Clicking on the site's new "Presidential Chicago" page gives visitors the skinny on restaurants, stores and other Obama hangouts, including U.S. Cellular Field, home of his beloved White Sox.

Three hours south, the state capital of Springfield isn't about to miss out on the celebration.

"It will be a big part of our marketing plan," said Tim Farley, executive director of Springfield's convention and visitors bureau. "We're scrambling to do that."

Obama's two campaign speeches at the Old State Capitol -- in February 2007 to announce his presidential bid, and in August to introduce Joe Biden as his running mate -- are just the beginning, Farley said. The future president spent nearly eight years in the Legislature, and parallels with Abraham Lincoln are strong.

And Farley plans to play on Obama's appeal to young people, because when it comes to choosing a vacation spot, "the youth, they are the decision-makers in a family."

The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, which runs the Old State Capitol, is pondering a commemorative marker, new scripts for tour guides and the possibility of recording oral histories of people who attended the Obama speeches.

The agency has autographed copies of the 2008 Obama and Biden speeches and is considering how to display them.

"We're not discounting any possibility," said agency spokesman David Blanchette. "Let's face it. The man's only been president-elect for two days."

Inspired by the glittering Chicago skyline seen on televisions worldwide during Obama's Election Day victory rally at Grant Park, special events coordinator Andrew Schorr says he's considering launching a driving tour "focused on Obama's impact on Chicago and the world."

"I don't know if people have seen Chicago lit up like that," said Schorr, president of In the Loop-Chicago. "My immediate thought was, 'Wow, we have great potential.'"

------

Associated Press writer Rupa Shenoy contributed to this report.

------

On the Net:

Chicago Greeter: http://www.chicagogreeter.com/

Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau: http://www.choosechicago.com

Old State Capitol: http://www.state.il.us/HPA/hs/old--capitol.htm

Illinois Bureau of Tourism: http://www.enjoyillinois.com/

Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau: http://www.visit-springfieldillinois.com/


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## hkskyline

*Caribbean hotel bookings plunge as economy sags *

SAN JUAN, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Hotel bookings in the Caribbean are plunging as financial turbulence dashes vacation plans, and hoteliers and governments are trying to ward off a deep slump by ramping up marketing efforts and slashing prices.

The big cruise operators, whose ships ply the warm, azure waters of the Caribbean and upon which many islands depend, have also warned of a slowdown in bookings worldwide.

The economic downturn following the global credit crunch -- and once-surging oil prices that increased air fares and prompted airlines to cut flights -- are already having an effect, with Caribbean hoteliers reporting drops of 30 percent to 50 percent in bookings.

But the real pain will be felt during the winter high season, from Dec. 15 through April 15, when many vacationers flee the cold north for the Caribbean's sun-drenched beaches.

"The forecast is for a bad winter," said Clarisa Jimenez, president of the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association.

The United States accounts for 50 percent of the Caribbean tourism market, which attracts 22 million visitors and injects $21.6 billion into the island economies each year.

Europe accounts for another 40 percent of the region's tourists, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Bookings are off from both major sources, the CTO said.

In fact, the current economic problems will likely inflict greater harm on the region's main industry than the Sept. 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, said Winfield Griffith, CTO information and statistics director.

"Tourism bounced back from 9/11 with remarkable speed. Two years after, we were back to pre-9/11 levels," Griffith said. "This promises to be a little more drawn out."

CRUISE OPERATORS SEE IMPACT

The world's leading cruise operator, Carnival Corp & Plc , last month said that it would suspend its quarterly dividend due to the slowdown and that advance bookings for the first half of 2009 lagged those of the prior year.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd , the world's second-largest cruise operator, warned that new bookings slowed considerably in September but leveled off over the last couple of weeks.

"I think there will definitely be some short term pain as consumers pull back," said Robin Diedrich, cruise industry analyst at Edward Jones. "We are expecting a softer year going forward -- but our long-term outlook is still very, very positive."

The Caribbean tourism industry first throttled back over the summer when airlines announced plans to cut flights to the region in the face of then-surging oil prices.

AMR Corp's American Airlines, which controls 60 percent of the traffic out of San Juan, Puerto Rico's international airport, cut half its 38 daily flights from the U.S. mainland. It also cut to 33 from 55 the number of daily regional flights from San Juan to smaller Caribbean islands.

Small tourism destinations in the Eastern Caribbean have been particularly hard hit, said Wayne Cummings, director of business administration for Sandals Resorts International, which operates properties in Jamaica, the Bahamas, Antigua and St. Lucia.

"It's distressing to see," Cummings said. "To put it bluntly, some hotels are already sucking wind."

To attract visitors in tough economic times, resorts are slashing prices. In some cases, they are also pitching in to bring down the cost of airfares.

"The prices have never been better in the winter than they are now," Cummings said, adding that Sandals is reducing rates by as much as 50 percent on some of its products.

Other destinations are offering 40 percent off rates plus complimentary airfare, Jimenez said.

The Caribbean tourism industry and island governments are also kicking up their marketing efforts.

Puerto Rico began a special "emergency" marketing campaign, adding $12 million to the destination's annual marketing budget of about $20 million. In Jamaica, the government is spending $5 million on an additional advertising blitz above its normal $30 million marketing budget, Cummings said.

"There are still are still a lot of people in the United States who have the ability to travel, and we have to capture their imagination," Cummings added.

Griffith said the region's marketing efforts are also focusing on places "less vulnerable" to the financial crisis, such as Canada. (Additional reporting by Mark McSherry in New York) (Editing by Michael Christie and Gerald E. McCormick)


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## kiva.ld

*Delta rice turned city specialty*

Overcooked rice, dry-cooked fish sauce and fried thac lac is a Mekong Delta common dish that has made it big in the cities of Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh.










The dish can be easily found in almost every restaurant in Can Tho for VND15,000-25,000 (US$0.90-1.50).

Several HCMC eateries specializing in southern cuisine now also boast the dish, a potent blend of freshwater fish meat, crispy rice and thick sauce that tastes just as good as it smells.

The dish usually costs between VND20,000-30,000 (US$1.18-1.78) at restaurants in the city.

First, to make dry-cooked fish sauce, it’s best to use high-quality fish sauce and a clay pot. Leave the pot over a medium heat for a few seconds until it is hot. Add small pieces of larder, then some spring onions and garlic.










When the mixture becomes fragrant, slowly pour fish sauce into the pot. Use a pair of chopsticks or a long-handle spoon to stir until the fish sauce turns thick. Then add some pepper and chilli. After about 20 minutes of cooking, the fish sauce should be dark yellow, dry and sticky.

Next, to make the overcooked rice, sauté some garlic in a pan before adding some well-done rice. Use a spatula to press the rice to the bottom of the pan. Cook the rice until it is a shade of yellow-brown and crispy. Overcooked rice is traditionally cooked in a clay pot over fire.

After preparing the dry-cooked fish sauce and overcooked rice, fry the whole fish in oil. Cook until both sides of the fish are well done and yellow. The fish should be seasoned beforehand with sugar, pepper, fish sauce, lemon grass and chili. Let it sit for some time before cooking to absorb the spices.

The dish is now ready to serve. The rice shouldn’t be too hard, while the dry-cooked fish sauce should be strong and the fried fish crispy and fragrant. The combination of all three is a real delta treat.

Source: Thanh Nien News


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## hkskyline

* From harbor seals to historic burial grounds, Boston is abundant in cheap haunts *
1 November 2008

BOSTON (AP) - This is the cradle of patriotism, the site of Paul Revere's historic ride and home to the USS Constitution.

But it's also home to a new greenway, high fashion at low prices, discount theater tickets, great public transportation and cool places to eat well on a budget.

The combination of old and new, historic and trendy, gives Boston its unique personality -- and provides limitless opportunities for a visit that doesn't require help from one of the city's leaders in venture capital.

There's a lot to choose from, well beyond clam "chowdah," the patriots of 1776 and historic Faneuil Hall.

But first...

PAHK YOUR CAHR: Here's the secret of why Bostonians "pahk their cahr in Hahvid Yahd" -- because it's too expensive to park it in the city.

If you plan to stay in Boston, there's no need to rent a car. The city's public transit -- known locally as "the T" -- is an easy-to-follow color-coded system that is safe and inexpensive, just $2 per ride, with kids free.

In good weather, the most affordable and efficient way to navigate Boston is on foot. And the best way to see the most historic sites -- for free -- is along the Freedom Trail.

You can start anywhere along the red-brick pathway that winds and bends through historic Boston -- from Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument. There are 16 official sites but plenty of fun unofficial stops along the way, too.

HISTORIC HAUNTS: Some of the most intriguing figures in the nation are spending their eternal rest in the Boston area. Just one free visit to the Old Granary Burying Ground provides a history lesson for the thousands who come each year to see the graves of noted patriots John Hancock, John Adams and Robert Treat Paine -- who all signed the Declaration of Independence. Also buried here are Paul Revere and victims of the Boston Massacre. Established in 1660 in what used to be the southernmost portion of the city, the burial grounds are now in the heart of the downtown bustle, just steps from the Boston Common and the Park Street subway station. It's one of three cemeteries on the Freedom Trail, http://www.thefreedomtrail.org.

GO GREEN: It's not the "Go Green" chant of the NBA champion Celtics or the Green Monster of historic Fenway Park.

One of the newest ways to enjoy Boston is with a stroll along the Rose Kennedy Greenway -- http://www.rosekennedygreenway.org -- which was officially dedicated in October. This string of parks and fountains replaces a giant eyesore of an elevated highway, which was taken down and buried beneath the city in the nation's largest public works project known as the Big Dig.

KIDS WILL LOVE THIS: Big kids will, too. Grab an ice cream, burger or fried foods at Sullivan's on Castle Island in South Boston. From there, you can watch the boats heading in and out of Boston Harbor, feel the rumble of planes flying remarkably close overhead, and let the kids let off some steam running around the playground. Sullivan's closes for the winter at the end of November, but the parks and walking trails around Castle Island are open year round, http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/castle.htm.

HIGH FASHION-LOW PRICES: Boston also has bargains for the fashion-addicted. Among the boutiques on the Back Bay's Newbury Street is The Closet, at 175 Newbury between Dartmouth and Exeter Streets, known for 30 years for its high-end designer consignments. The Second Time Around consignment chain has also several stores in the area, including at 176 Newbury, 219 Newbury, and 82 Charles St. In the North End, Karma Designer Consignment at 26 Prince St. has designer consignments and vintage clothing.

Filene's Basement, founded in Boston a century ago to move excess goods from the now-defunct Filene's department store, is best known for its "Running of the Brides" wedding gown sales, but has fashion markdowns year-round. The Boston location of the now-national chain is at 497 Boylston St. in the Back Bay. The bridal sale is held twice a year here. The next one: Feb. 20, 2009, at the Hynes Convention Center.

HARBOR CRUISES: One of the quickest, easiest and most affordable ways to get to and from Boston's Logan International Airport is by boat. Water taxis offer service from several spots on Boston Harbor to a dock at the airport, where a free bus shuttle will pick up passengers and take them to their terminals. The ride across the water is just $10 one-way -- far less expensive than a cab -- and takes just seven minutes. It also affords one of the most spectacular views of the Boston waterfront, http://www.massport.com/logan/getti--typeo--water.html

While you're along the waterfront, save time to take a quick detour to the New England Aquarium, where you don't need to pay admission to get up close with one of the most enjoyable attractions: the frolicking harbor seals in the tank outside, http://www.neaq.org.

OVER THE RIVER: If you want another view of the city, take a quick T ride or a walk a bridge over the Charles River to Cambridge, home to Harvard and MIT. Enjoy the spectacular Boston skyline, visit the Harvard Coop bookstore, or take in the street performers in Harvard Square. When you're done, check out Grendel's Den, just off Harvard Square. By law there can be no official "happy hours" in Massachusetts, but all food is half-price with $3 drink purchases at dinnertime at this great student haunt, http://www.grendelsden.com.

BOSTON'S BROADWAY: Get half-price same-day tickets to shows in Boston's theater district at the BosTix booth at Copley Plaza or Faneuil Hall. The tickets also are listed online at http://www.bostix.org.

GOOD EATS: Breakfast at The Paramount on Charles Street requires a healthy appetite -- and some attention to protocol. Don't try to sit down before your food is ready at the counter. The unique seating policy -- waiting in line while your food is prepared -- keeps customers from Massachusetts General Hospital doctors to bluebloods to tourists moving in and out of the door, http://www.paramountboston.com.

Taste the rich Italian history in Boston's North End at Regina Pizzeria for the best cheap pizza in town. Boston's "original pizzeria" has been serving up slices since 1926, http://www.reginapizzeria.com.

If you can't decide between Italian, Chinese, seafood, steak or virtually anything else, take a walk through Faneuil Hall Marketplace, where nearly every food or drink craving can be satisfied. To save some dough, grab your food to-go at one of the more than 40 eateries and enjoy some people-watching instead of eating at a sit-down restaurant. There is seating available inside the hall, http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com.

For more information on visiting Boston, check out with the Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, http://www.bostonusa.com

------

AP reporters Glen Johnson, Sylvia Wingfield, Jay Lindsay, Bill Sikes and Ray Henry contributed to this story.


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## hkskyline

*Tourists complain over 'Bird's Nest' entry fees: state media *
12 November 2008
Agence France Presse

The company managing Beijing's "Bird's Nest" National Stadium is in hot water for allegedly charging too much money for visits to the iconic venue, state media said Wednesday.

The CITIC Group consortium, which is in charge of the structure under a 30-year contract with the Beijing government, charges 50 yuan (7.3 dollars) per ticket with very few discount options, the Xinhua news agency reported.

According to China's National Bureau of Statistics, the average Beijing household has only 60 yuan of disposable income per day.

"Even the Forbidden City has half-priced tickets for students and the seniors," a visitor from Beijing surnamed Xiang told Xinhua, brandishing a certificate showing he is over 60 years old.

The only ones who get in free are children less than 1.2 metres (four feet) tall, and soldiers injured or handicapped while on active service, said Xinhua.

Despite the price, the Bird's Nest has proved a hit with tourists, attracting 60,000 visitors on its October 1 opening day, and 20,000 to 30,000 people every day since.

CITIC Group defended its pricing policies, citing maintenance costs, Xinhua said.

"Besides, we can't use the stadium for other purposes when the public is visiting," company spokesman Zhang Hengli was quoted as saying.

The stadium, known as the Bird's Nest because of its striking design of interlocking steel girders, was the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies at the August Beijing Olympics, as well as the athletics.

The eye-catching venue seats 91,000 people in a rice bowl design made up of more than 36 kilometres (24 miles) of steel weighing 45,000 tonnes. It cost nearly half a billion dollars to build.


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## Rabih

*Lebanon expects 2.3 million visitors by end of year*
_By Dana Halawi 
Special to The Daily Star
Wednesday, November 12, 2008_


BEIRUT: Tourism Minister Elie Marouni said on Tuesday that around 2.3 million people would visit Lebanon by the end of this year. But the minister stressed that a big chunk of these visitors are Lebanese living abroad. He added that the aim is to drive this number up to 3 million in the near future, which will increase the tourism sector's contribution to gross domestic product from 9 to 20 percent.

"This places a huge responsibility on the private sectors, namely the banking and financial sectors, for them to be able to satisfy the growing needs of comers who wish to deposit their money in Lebanese banks. It also holds the public sector responsible of maintaining a good infrastructure and be ready to host the huge amount of visitors providing them with transportations to hotels and residences," said Marouni. 

His remarks came during a news conference organized by Visa at the Phoenicia InterContinental Hotel to discuss the influence of electronic payments on the tourism industry while examining how Lebanon can take advantage of various opportunities to achieve greater success in the sector.

According to Tony Gougassian, Visa Inc. area manager for Qatar and the Levant, tourism spending in Lebanon has been positively influenced by the growing use of electronic payments in the country.


"Tourism spending using electronic payments grew by 12 percent between 2004 and 2007 and reached 25 percent of the total tourism spending in Lebanon this year," Gougassian told The Daily Star.

Visa operates the world's largest retail electronic payments network providing processing services and payment product platforms. According to the corporation's statistics, payments volume worldwide using Visa grew 15 percent between 2007 and 2008 to reach $699 billion.

Gougassian stressed on the implications that e-commerce has for the Lebanese tourism, saying that it has given rise to a new channel, which will help drive business and economic growth in the future. 

Marouni emphasized the important role that the Lebanese tourism sector plays in driving the local economy forward. 

"This forum does not only highlight the attributes of e-payment solutions, but it also offers a space for us all, as specialists in the field, to come together and strengthen the performance of key economic sectors in Lebanon such as the financial, industrial and agricultural sectors," said Marouni.


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## hkskyline

*Maldives to trim sales pitch to sail financial storm *
11 November 2008
Agence France Presse

The exotic Maldives, one of the world's most exclusive tourist destinations, is looking to cut prices and put resort expansion on hold to weather the global financial crisis.

Traditionally a high-end destination even by the standards of luxury hospitality, the Maldives' secluded resort islands cannot escape the international meltdown, the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) says.

MATI, which represents more than 80 percent of the Maldives' tourism and travel sector, said the cash crunch in their main European markets would force the resort industry to make adjustments.

"What we can do is lower our prices," MATI Vice President Ahmed Mujuthaba told AFP.

"We have never been a cheap destination and never can be, but we need to reduce our dependency on the very rich and try to attract the upper middle classes as well."

According to Mujuthaba, the average daily expenditure of a tourist in the Maldives could be as high as 15,000 dollars, with only a few resorts offering "budget" rooms at 200 dollars a night.

Nearly three quarters of holidaymakers going to the Maldives are from Europe, and recent falls in the value of the euro and the British pound have made an island paradise vacation far more costly.

"Most of our contracts are in dollars. Suddenly the rates have become even more expensive for our European guests," Mujuthaba said, adding that the government might have to reduce rates on resorts to ensure they remain viable.

Hussain Hilmee, the manager of Sunland Hotels which operates four resorts, said there had been no big cancellations so far, but occupancy next year was a concern.

"People will now be more price conscious and will be looking for value for money," he said. "With cost cutting, we may be able to weather the storm."

Tourism had been the big success story of the Maldives, an archipelago of 1,192 tiny islands in the Indian Ocean. The land area of the country is less than one percent of its 90,000-square kilometre (55,000-square mile) territory.

The Maldives enjoys a unique concept where each resort is a self-contained island offering privacy. That has also raised overheads with each island having to produce its own electricity, drinking water and sewage treatment.

The tourism ministry secretary Mohamed Solih said the country may not be able to achieve the 5.3 percent growth it expected in the hospitality sector this year.

"This is because we are highly dependent on the economic stability of the major European and Asian markets," said Solih. "But if you look at the picture so far, it is not so bad."

However, he said the country will review the planned development of more resorts to avoid the risk of overcapacity at a time of a global recession.

The one-billion-dollar Maldivian economy earns a third of its income from tourism. It has helped the Maldives, a nation of 300,000 Sunni Muslims, to become the richest country, per capita, in South Asia.

The new ruler of the thousand islands Mohamed "Anni" Nasheed said he expected the country to survive the financial crisis given its experience in weathering two Gulf wars and the December 2004 Asian tsunami.

"Our fundamentals are still very strong," said Nasheed, shortly after he won the October 28 presidential run-off, defeating Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who had turned the country into a tourist hotspot since coming to power in 1978.

"I am confident our tourism industry has the resilience to survive this one as well," the president-elect said.

"Tourism is glamorous, but we get more money from fishing and that industry is doing really well."


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## Giorgio

ENRIQUE DANIEL said:


> New campaign "Peru, Live the Legend" to reach 510 million people
> 
> Living in Peru
> Israel J. Ruiz
> 
> In an effort to invite the world to experience the joys and treasures Peru has to offer, the country's tourism promotion agency, PromPeru, has launched a new publicity campaign.
> 
> The new campaign portrays the Andean country as not just an exquisite place to visit, but as an experience that must be lived, an experience with cultures that have stood the test of time and continue to bewilder modern man.
> 
> "Peru, Live the Legend", shows the world that the country is a place where one will come into contact with sacred archaeological ruins and hidden natural wonders that were sites where legends took place.
> 
> The campaign assures Peru is a privileged place to visit because of the combination of its rich culture, diverse natural wonders and uniqueness in the world.
> 
> The objective of "Peru, Live the Legend" is to present our country as the best destination for trips in markets in the United States, Germany, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil and Chile, said PromPeru.
> 
> Furthermore, the tourism promotion body announced that the campaign would reach 350 million people around the world as well as an additional 160 million through a deal made with One World.
> 
> After a rigorous investigation, it was decided that the previous campaign, "Pack your six senses, come to Peru", needed to be modified to fit an ever changing market, said PromPeru.


Wow, these campaigns are very similar to Greece.
Peru: Live the Legend (2008) - Live your Myth in Greece (2005)

Peru: Pack your six senses, come to Peru - Explore your sense, Greece.


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## hkskyline

*India eyes rural tourism to defy global credit crunch *
Tue Nov 11

LONDON (AFP) – India's tourism industry can overcome the global financial downturn by tapping into its unspoilt countryside, Indian Tourism Minister Sujit Banerjee said here Tuesday.

By boosting infrastructure outside of India's bustling cities, the country can maintain its strong growth as a tourist destination, he said at the World Travel Market, the global tourism industry's annual fair in London.

"We are very optimistic and we are rebranding our tourism," Banerjee told AFP.

The number of international tourists visiting India has nearly doubled in the last five years, rising from 2.73 million in 2003 to 5.07 million in 2007, according to official figures.

His ministry expects it to slow due to the credit crunch, but is nonetheless hopeful that its plans to diversify the tourist market can keep visitors coming to India in the long-haul.

"We are promoting what is called responsible tourism and this is a very innovative rural tourism project which positions India's rural way of life as a unique visitor experience," said the minister.

"We are going into wellness, cruise, rural, adventure and faith tourism and we are absolutely hopeful that we'll be able to overcome this problem and have a robust growth rate in tourism."

In its 2008 global report, the World Travel Market said countries and firms which embraced the consumer trend for sustainable, environmentally-responsible tourism would be best placed to survive the financial downturn.

Figures for the first nine months of 2008 show 3.87 million foreign arrivals in India, an increase of 10.4 percent on the same period last year.

Leena Nandan, a junior tourism minister from Delhi also at the ExCeL, said the global downturn was being taken seriously.

But she added: "While it would be reasonable to expect this growth may slow down, it is not likely to be completely stopped by the turbulence that is shaking the world economy.

"Overall, there is every reason for the Indian tourism industry to be optimistic."


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## hkskyline

*Travel Picks: 10 top ugly buildings and monument *

SYDNEY, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Travel can open your eyes to some of the world's most beautiful sights and buildings -- and to some of the ugliest.

Web site VirtualTourist.com (www.virtualtourist.com) has come up with a list of "The World's Top 10 Ugliest Buildings and Monuments" according to their editors and readers. Reuters has not endorsed this list.

"Some of these picks have all the charm of a bag of nails while others are just jaw-dropping in their complexity. Love them or hate them, the list is certainly entertaining," said General manager Giampiero Ambrosi.

1. Boston City Hall; Boston, Massachusetts

While it was hip for it's time, this concrete structure now gets routinely criticized for its dreary facade and incongruity with the rest of the city's more genteel architecture. Luckily, it's very close to more aesthetically pleasing attractions. 2. Montparnasse Tower; Paris, France

While it's almost universally agreed that this ominous stick is a blight on the landscape of the world's most stunning city, its detractors admit that there is one very good reason to take in the view from the building's observation deck: it's the only place you can go to get a view of the city without it.

3. LuckyShoe Monument; Tuuri, Finland

It may be over-the-top, but there is something to be said for the giant, golden horseshoe that looms over Finland's second-largest shopping center. The shoe, and, in fact, the entire town in which it is situated, is said to bring good luck.

4. Metropolitan Cathedral; Liverpool, England

The people who work here must be sick of the space capsule jokes. Even those who find the building's shell a bit "spacey", have to admit the circular interior is pretty spectacular. 5. Port Authority Bus Terminal; New York City, New York

Those who pass by this iron monstrosity might be tempted to ask about a completion date, but alas, this is the finished product.

6. Torres de Colon; Madrid, Spain

Like a set of giant salt-and-pepper shakers, these matching towers loom over the city to the dissatisfaction of many area residents. The buildings are also known as "El Enchufe" or "The Plug" for the plug-like structure that holds them together.

7. Liechtenstein Museum of Fine Arts; Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Some feel the building's minimalist box design is a triumph, others say it's an eyesore.

8. Scottish Parliament Building; Edinburgh, Scotland

Stone, oak, and bamboo are part of the make-up of the Scottish Parliament, a building that is the subject of much debate.

9. Birmingham Central Library; Birmingham, England

One look and it's easy to see how this genre of architecture came to be known as the "Brutalist" style. Not surprisingly, the issue of its possible demolition has been looming for years.

10. Peter the Great Statue; Moscow, Russia

Some 15 stories high, the larger-than-life monument was designed by controversial artist, Zurab K. Tsereteli, whose statue of Christopher Columbus was repeatedly rejected by the United States.


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## Juan Pilgrim

*Top 10 Emerging Food Destinations*
November 13, 2008 - 10:30AM 


*Top 10 Emerging Food Destinations *
(from expedia.com.au):

1. *The Philippines *- Most dishes use chillies sparingly unlike neighbouring Asian countries. The Malay, Spanish and Chinese influence is obvious in many dishes and the unique and often surprising combinations of flavours make Filipino food striking and interesting. Fresh seafood is a prominent ingredient, often served uncooked, in vinaigrette. Coconut is also regularly used to create exotic savoury and sweet dishes, ranging from meat and vegetable dishes to luscious rice puddings.

Dish not to miss: Sinigang - soup dish made with stewed fish, pork, chicken, shrimp or beef and combined with rice.

2. *Mauritius* - Mauritian food stems from a combination of African, Indian, French and Chinese cuisines, complemented by its own unique Mauritian Creole touch. The variety of dishes range from slowly braised meats, curries, stir fries, seafood and pickles and a healthy selection of French-influenced sweet tarts.

Dish not to miss: Vindaye Ourite - a zesty octopus vindaloo curry with a strong Indian influence; made with octopus, saffron, onions and green pepper.

3. *Sri Lanka *- Sri Lankan food is just as unique and expansive as its rich and colourful culture. Local dishes include a mix of hot and spicy curries, delicious fresh prawns, crabs, and even fish and chips with a twist. Sri Lanka is the biggest producer of tea in the world so a cuppa is a must.

Dish not to miss: Pittu - a mixture of roasted rice flour and freshly grated coconut steamed in a bamboo mould.

4. *Laos* - Laotian cuisine is typically very hot and spicy. Influenced by its Thai neighbours, dishes are often quite dry with explosive flavours and accompanied by sticky rice. The French colonial influence in some areas of Laos is surprising and provides an enjoyable alternative to the fiery nature of most Laotian food. In the larger towns, travellers can pick up a French baguette with pate for breakfast, or for what must certainly be unique to Laos, baguettes dunked in coffee.

Dish not to miss: Barbecued Son Moo - made with transparent rice paper, thin noodles, vegetables and lettuce, it is a fun dish to enjoy preparing with the locals.

5.* Cambodia *- Cambodia is the perfect location to try plenty of unusual foods such as bugs, betal nuts that turn your teeth a dark shade of grey, and prahok, a traditional fish paste made from rotten fish that is left to ferment. For less courageous travellers, there is a whole range of tasty dishes, with most Cambodian meals made up of at least three or four separate dishes that may be sweet, sour, salty or bitter. Fruit is everywhere, often used to create sweet deserts.

Dish not to miss: Kuay Namuan - an incredibly sweet dessert made from simmered coconut milk and sugar poured piping hot over banana.

6. *Croatia *- With all the sea around, it is not surprising Croatian cuisine is predominantly seafood influenced. Croatians know how to turn simple grilled fish into a masterpiece. Similarly, spit roasts of lamb and pork are also regularly enjoyed and cooked to perfection. The desserts are made from local and exotic fruits.

Dish not to miss: Janjetina - a hearty, creamed soup made with meaty lamb bones, green peppers, onions and tomatoes. It is regularly the first course of a hearty Easter lunch banquet.

7. *Poland* - Substantial is one of the best ways to describe traditional Polish food. With many recipes from Jewish origin, some of the main ingredients used in Polish food are sauerkraut, beetroot, gherkins, sour cream, kohlrabi, mushrooms, sausages and smoked sausage. They are served as a three-course meal and predominantly made up of hearty meats and carbohydrates.

Dish not to miss: Zrazy zawijane - succulent beef rolls stuffed with sizzling strips of bacon, gherkin, and onion served with a spicy, sour cream sauce.

8. *Nepal* - Nepalese food is renowned for its nutritional value and distinctive tastes, with lots of spices and flavours in a great variety of dishes. Lentils, rice and vegetable curry are some of the key ingredients in local cuisine with plenty of relishes, pickles, garlic and spices to liven up wholesome dishes.

Dish not to miss: Daal Bhaat - core ingredients are lentils and rice livened up with a variety of different spices and prepared in a myriad of ways. It is most often eaten with the fingers.

9. *Jamaic*a - With explosive flavours and some key ingredients indigenous to the country, most food is unprocessed. Smaller portions of meats and an abundance of seafood make Jamaican food wholesome and succulent. There are a variety of sweet, hot and savoury dishes and some of the most regularly used herbal remedies like garlic, ginger, all spice and hot peppers form the basis of flavoursome dishes.

Dish not to miss: Jerk seasoning - the fiery flavours of a unique, yet simple spice mix forms a marinade for pork, chicken, fish or tofu. Served with rice and peas.

10. *Morocco *- The hustle and bustle of the local markets and the colourful, local produce is overwhelming. Smell the raw scent of spices that waft from a Moroccan tagine pot. Mixed flavours season lamb or chicken alongside a plate of couscous, Morocco's staple food.

Dish not to miss: Bisteeya - a savoury filo pastry, layered with chicken, eggs and a lemon and onion sauce, topped with crushed almonds, cinnamon and sugar.

AAP


This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/11/13/1226318795692.html


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## hkskyline

*Domestic travellers boost 2007 tourism revenue: StatsCan *
Wed Nov 12, 8:55 AM
By The Canadian Press

OTTAWA - Tourism generated $19.7 billion of revenue for governments in Canada in 2007, boosted 4.3 per cent over 2006 by domestic travel.

Statistics Canada reports government revenue from domestic tourism rose 6.1 per cent to just over $14.5 billion last year, while revenue from international visitors dropped 0.6 per cent to $5.1 billion.

The agency says the share of government revenue from international visitors declined to about a quarter last year from just over a third in 2000.

Taxes on products, such as the goods-and-services tax and provincial sales taxes, were the single largest source of tourism revenue for the federal, provincial and territorial governments.

These taxes accounted for $4.7 billion for the federal government in 2007, half its revenue from tourism.

Provincial and territorial governments collected $5.5 billion from taxes, 60 per cent of their tourism revenue.

These tax revenues rose just 2.7 per cent in 2007, the second straight year of weak gains, largely due to one-percentage-point drop in the GST that took effect in July 2006.

Taxes on employment income and business profits were the second most important source of tourism revenue for both the federal and provincial and territorial governments.

Income taxes directly attributable to tourism rose 9.4 per cent in 2007, reflecting gains in both personal and corporate incomes and associated taxes.

These taxes brought in $3 billion for the federal government and another $1.9 billion for provincial and territorial governments.


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## hkskyline

*Cuba expects tourist record despite storms, crisis *

HAVANA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Cuba said on Friday it expects to end 2008 with a record 2.3 million tourists having visited the island despite three hurricanes and a global financial crisis.

The projection came during an airport ceremony in which Vice Minister of Tourism Alexis Trujillo welcomed passengers on an Air Canada flight said to have included this year's 2 millionth tourist.

The passengers got mojito cocktails while musicians played the Cuban song "Guantanmera."

"This year we will surpass 2.34 million visitors, which is a record number," Trujillo said.

Cuba was devastated by three hurricanes this year that did almost $10 billion in damage, but the government has said they did not stop many tourists from coming.

Trujillo said bookings were strong going into 2009, but that at some point there could be "some kind of effect" on Cuban tourism as global financial problems deepen.

Officials have said 2.1 million tourists visited the island in 2007, which is the current record.

Tourism is one of the main sources of foreign currency for Cuba, which has said it expects tourist revenues of $2.5 billion this year.


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## hkskyline

*Tourist arrivals plummet in Thailand amid credit crunch*
Sun Nov 16, 10:30 pm ET

BANGKOK (AFP) – Thailand's high season for tourism has just begun and runs to February, but the signs for one of Southeast Asia's top tourism destinations are worrying.

Sitting outside his Thai kickboxing equipment shop in Bangkok, Soombut Yinglap says he has a plan for coping with the global financial downturn -- eat less and hope the tourists eventually arrive.

"Now there are not many tourists. Before in the high season it would be full," he told AFP, gesturing to the nearly empty pavement where vendors try to sell holiday-makers everything from fake DVDs to knuckle dusters.

"I cannot do anything, just wait and see. Eat little, spend little -- try and save some money," the 37-year-old said outside his shop selling shorts, shin pads and headguards in the downtown Nana district.

Up the road at Boss Avenue tailor shop, 28-year-old Peter Geri says his store will cope by marketing cheaper fabrics.

Fewer tourists in need of a new suit are coming through his doors this year, a slowdown he blames on "the business crash down all around the world".

Rising fuel costs pushed international arrivals at Bangkok's main airport down to about 600,000 in August -- a 33 percent drop from a year earlier after a jump of 5.5 percent in July, Ministry of Tourism figures show.

In September, arrivals were down 21 percent, and industry experts say numbers are expected to remain low as the global credit crunch prompts consumers worried about their jobs and mortgages to stay at home.

"We will probably have a very bad high season," said Oliver Martin of industry body the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

"You're going to have it across the board. It's going to be everyone -- from the luxury resort right down to a small tour operator, a mom-and-pop shop or a restaurant," he added.

Thailand is suffering from what Martin calls a "double whammy," as bloody anti-government street protests in Bangkok also make the news worldwide, worrying potential holiday-makers.

Adding to the woes, a territorial dispute with Cambodia erupted into a deadly firefight in October affecting border arrivals, while a separatist bomb attack injured 74 people near Thailand's frontier with Malaysia.

Kongkirt Hiranyakit, chairman of government body the Tourism Council of Thailand, warned that the perfect storm of factors could lead to the loss of up to 70,000 tourism industry jobs.

An estimated one million people work in the tourism business and around 700,000 in small and medium enterprises, he said, adding: "The current crisis could hit around 10 percent of those or around 60,000 to 70,000 people."

Although the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has been trying to lure luxury travellers, seen as more immune to global downturns, one of the problems with that strategy is that the kingdom still relies on mass-market package tourists, Martin said.

"This is your middle-income and middle-class market and this is very much the market that's been affected by their mortgages, potential jobs losses," he said.

PATA had forecast Thai tourist growth at four to five percent this year. The first nine months of the year were on track, but now the group is expecting growth to fall to about two or three percent.

Tourism businesses will also be lowering prices to lure thrifty holiday-makers, which may keep numbers steady but impact profit.

From the small stallholders at Nana to the five-star resorts stringing Thailand's beaches, businesses are finding ways to cope.

Debbie Dionysius, marketing director at Laguna Phuket, a resort complex on the southern holiday isle, said they had seen a 12 percent slowdown in revenue so far in the last quarter of 2008 compared to last year.

To counter falling numbers from long-haul destinations such as Europe and the United States, the company is looking to the Middle East and China.

"The economies of these regions have not experienced the same impact from the downturn as western economies, and potentially serve as more positive markets," she said.

The TAT, meanwhile, is trying to entice tourists from Southeast Asian markets like Singapore and Malaysia, which have so far managed to avoid any serious impact from the financial woes.

"Thailand is generally better suited to weather this kind of storm. Because the economy is so dependent on tourism they were very relatively quick to react," said Martin.


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## hkskyline

*Terrorism kills off tourism in Mauritania*
Wed Nov 19, 1:14 am ET

NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) – The Saharan sand dunes are more barren than ever in Mauritania as tourists have deserted this North African desert nation following attacks blamed on Al-Qaeda last year.

The number of visitors plunged 60 percent in the 2007-2008 season to 29,000, according to the country's tourism ministry, and hopes are not high for the 2008-2009 season which got underway last month.

The brutal fall has forced the government to plan a "count-attack" to lure tourists back and save the budding industry which employs 45,000 people and brought the country 31 million euros (39 million dollars) last year.

The plan entails stepping up promotional trips for travel writers and marshalling friends of the country to talk it up.

"We'll even go door-to-door in France and Europe to rehabilitate the image of our country and explain that it is and will remain a safe destination," the country's top tourism official, Cisse Mint Boyda, told AFP.

In recent years the country had become increasingly popular among French trekkers, but the Christmas day 2007 murder of four French tourists in the southern town of Aleg by Mauritanians said to be linked to Al-Qaeda started a downward spiral that shows no sign of stopping.

The killing of three soldiers in Atar, Mauritania's top tourism destination, several days later sent shudders through the industry.

A travel warning by France and the cancellation of the celebrated Paris-Dakar auto rally -- which ran through the Mauritanian desert -- for security reasons were further blows.

But Mint Boyda insisted that security fears are overblown.

"We are not any more at threat than other Maghreb countries. On the contrary, the security measures taken by the government are sufficiently reassuring," she said.

But attacks have continued, with Al Qaeda claiming an incident in September that left 11 soldiers and their guide dead.

The August military coup ousting Mauritania's first democratically-elected president since independence in 1960 may have done little to reassure tourists.

For hotel operators the government tourism promotion effort cannot come soon enough.

In the top tourist region of Adrar, hotels are operating at just 20 percent of capacity and have cut back on staff, industry representatives say.

"Chinguetti is dead, Atar and Ouadane as well, the region has been hit by a severe disaster," said Sylvie Lansier, a French hotel operator in Chinguetti, which became a focal point of Islamic culture after it was founded around the 12-13th century to serve caravans crossing the Sahara.

Instead of the 40 to 60 tourists they would normally expect in the first week of November they welcomed just four.

"It's a real catastrophe and we have no real hope of a rebound at the moment because of the country is a victim of a campaign of bad lies," she said.

Mint Boyda also believes the country is getting a bad wrap.

"We've suffered from a noxious and unjust media overexposure against 'Destination Mauritania'," she said.

Atar tourism operator Mohamed Elmoustapha Cheibani downplayed the threat of terror attacks.

"The Adrar is a natural fortress, a real rampart against any terrorist infiltration," he said. "All it takes to make area inaccessible is to close two passes in the north, which the army has done."

He also dismissed the view that the coup had hurt tourism, saying the putsches in 2003 and 2005 had little impact on visitor numbers.


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## hkskyline

*Poland launches Warsaw ghetto tourist trail *
19 November 2008
Agence France Presse

A tourist trail tracing the boundary of the former Warsaw ghetto was inaugurated in the Polish capital Wednesday, honouring the memory of the 450,000 Jews from the city killed by the occupying Nazis.

Twenty-one commemorative plaques bearing photographs from the period have been installed at key points along the trail, although few vestiges of the ghetto remain today.

"The Warsaw ghetto was the largest to be set up in Poland during the Nazi occupation. It was a horrific place of isolation and death for a third of the city's population," Warsaw's mayor, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, said during the inauguration ceremony.

The plaques, and an accompanying tourist map, were developed by Warsaw city hall, the culture ministry and the Jewish Historical Institute, a renowned Polish centre for the study of the Holocaust.

For some, the trail evokes an all-too-real past.

"The plaques have revived my worst memories. My escape from the ghetto, my separation from my mother and little sister who stayed there and died," said Estera Migdalska, 78, at the ceremony.

On the eve of World War II, Poland was Europe's Jewish heartland, home to 3.5 million Jews who made up around a tenth of the country's total population.

Warsaw was the the largest Jewish city in Europe.

After invading in 1939, Nazi Germany set up ghettos across Poland to isolate and later wipe out the Jews.

Half of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust were Polish.

At its height, around 450,000 people were crammed behind the walls of the 307-hectare (758-acre) ghetto centred on Warsaw's traditional Jewish quarter.

About 100,000 died inside from starvation and disease.

More than 300,000 were sent by train to the Treblinka death camp, 100 kilometres (60 miles) to the northeast, mostly in mass deportations in 1942.

In April 1943 the Nazis decided to wipe out the remaining tens of thousands of ghetto-dwellers.

The move sparked an ill-fated uprising by hundreds of young Jews who decided to fight rather than face near-certain death.

Around 7,000 Jews died in the month-long revolt, most of them burned alive, and more than 50,000 were deported to the death camps.

The Nazis razed most of the district as they crushed the revolt. Similar destruction was unleashed on the rest of Warsaw after a failed two-month uprising by the wider Polish resistance in 1944.

The ruins were largely swept away during a vast post-war construction programme by Poland's communist regime, meaning there is little physical trace of the ghetto.

A few sections of ghetto wall are visible, as well as the Nozyk synagogue, the single Jewish place of worship in Warsaw to have survived the occupation, when it was used as a stable.

The city's Jewish cemetery also survived, despite heavy damage.

Plaques and memorials were put up across post-war Warsaw, but the trail makes it easier to trace the boundary.

"This project helps remembrance of Warsaw's dramatic history. Thanks to the plaques, more people will be aware of the extent of the ghetto," said Michael Schudrich, Poland's chief rabbi.

Poland today is home to less than 15,000 Jews out of a total population of 38 million people, more than 90 percent of whom are Roman Catholic.


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## hkskyline

*Financial turmoil biting hard for Vegas gaming giants *
20 November 2008
Agence France Presse

Times are tough for Las Vegas casinos as for every other sector of the ailing US economy, but that in itself is news because, until this economic downturn, the one place that seemed less impacted by hard times was the world's gambling capital.

"When we look back historically, this is one of the most severe downturns we've ever seen," said industry analyst Brian Gordon of Applied Analysis.

"Wall Street is responding much more sharply, but a lot of that is based on concerns about how a global recession will hit gaming and leisure travel."

The most recent data paints a grim picture that’s expected to get grimmer before it gets better.

September 2008 saw 10.1 percent fewer visitors in Las Vegas than September 2007, and those who came paid 21 percent less per room night, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Casinos on the Strip raked in 5.2 percent less in gaming revenue compared to a year ago.

As a result, the stock market has punished every major publicly traded gaming company. Las Vegas Sands (LVS) is down 95 percent, Wynn Resorts (WYNN) is down 71 percent, MGM Mirage (MGM) is down 88 percent and Boyd Gaming (BYD) is down 90 percent since last year.

Las Vegas Sands' shaky position was highlighted earlier this month when CEO and majority shareholder Sheldon Adelson announced layoffs of 11,000 construction workers in Macau, where the company has been building an Asian version of the Las Vegas Strip with plans for eight major hotel-casinos.

The company has also halted construction projects in Las Vegas and Pennsylvania. Adelson, who a year ago was named by Forbes Magazine the third wealthiest man in the US when LVS was riding high, has lost an estimated 34 billion in the decline.

Las Vegas Sands isn't the only company feeling the pain.

Boyd Gaming halted construction of its five billion dollar Echelon project on the Strip earlier this year and has said it is unlikely to resume at least until late 2009.

Harrah's Entertainment and Station Casinos are facing looming deadlines on debt service payments and have halted plans for redevelopment or expansions indefinitely.

MGM Mirage, the largest US gaming company with 10 resorts on the Strip, has shed about 8.0 percent of its workforce in Nevada or about 3,200 full-time equivalent positions.

The company is moving ahead with an 11.2 billion-dollar, five-skyscraper complex on the Las Vegas Strip, but sales of condominium units at the center have stalled. The company took reservations on just 32 of them in the third quarter of 2008; about 1,300 remain to be sold.

MGM Mirage also has frozen plans to build a second resort in Macau and to develop a large swath of vacant land at the north end of the Strip.

"What we are experiencing now is unique," said Alan Feldman, senior vice president for MGM Mirage, referring to consumer confidence levels sinking to historic lows.

"Things weren't great this year but they were holding their own. Then in July and August we really started to feel some pressure and the bottom started to drop out in September," he said.

That also wasn't such a big problem in past downturns. Today, Las Vegas resorts earn more than 60 percent of their revenues from non-gaming sources such as hotel rooms, shopping, dining and entertainment.

The last time there was a significant, lasting downturn, in the early 1990s, non-gaming revenue amounted to about 42 percent. In past recessions, then, people still found Las Vegas affordable to visit.

"Historically, Las Vegas was a low-cost destination and only the gambling was expensive," said Keith Schwer, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

"In more recent times, the price attractiveness of Las Vegas -- rooms, things other than gambling -- has increased. We may not seem as much of a price competitive destination as we were in the past."


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## hkskyline

*A new type of tourist is making Texas a popular destination after Hurricane Ike*
13 December 2008

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Janet Oostenbrink came to see the sights. Actually, the Canadian was on Galveston's seawall to see what sites were no longer there.

"It's amazing," said Oostenbrink, who was visiting from Edmonton, Alberta. "You talk about the power of the ocean, and you see that there is nothing you can do to stand against it."

She didn't come to the United States just to see what destruction Ike had brought to Galveston. She was visiting fellow Canadian Beth Wiebe in Spring, and the two were curious just what was left of Galveston. They had seen plenty of images on TV, but standing on the seawall and seeing what was left of Murdoch's Pier and the damage to the Flagship Hotel they decided the television images didn't do the storm justice.

"We just didn't realize it impacted this area," Wiebe said. "It is so different from what we have in Spring."

The Canadian women are not the only tourists who are making trips to the island to see what was destroyed, what was damaged and what survived Ike. They also wouldn't be the first disaster tourists.

From the site of the World Trade Center towers in New York to the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans to far off places such as Chernobyl in the former Soviet Union, communities that have endured horrible destruction are attractions for many visitors.

Some make trips out of curiosity. Others come to see history firsthand. For many, it's an educational experience.

But is there a line between insensitive voyeurism and education?

"For a year, I refused to show the destruction, but people started asking so we had to show the areas," said Javier Cuellar, owner of Dixie International Tours in New Orleans. "It's part of our history now. Tourists now don't want to see the destruction; they want to see the recovery of the area and how we are rebuilding."

For a while, though, destruction was the tourism attraction in the Crescent City.

"Some companies almost immediately they were taking people to the 9th Ward, places that were so bad," said Cuellar, who has been in the touring business in New Orleans for 20 years.

So in addition to stops in the French Quarter and along the riverfront, Dixie Tours also makes stops in the Lower 9th Ward, along the levee system and at the Superdome.

Cuellar pointed out that New Orleans is a tourist town, not unlike Galveston, and that a tour operator has to adjust the sites visited to what the visitors want to see. While his tourists, who are mostly from Mexico and Europe, want to see the areas that sustained the worst damage, Cuellar's tour guides stress the rebuilding process and the resiliency of New Oreleanians.

"My guys, they add their own stories, what they went through," Cuellar said. "Then they tell people how they are doing now."

But he notes the tourist business in New Orleans is nowhere near what it was pre-Katrina.

"Some of it you have to blame on the economy the way it is right now but the crowds just aren't the same as before," he said. "Many people still think it is not safe to come here. They heard about the killings, and they think we have people dying of malaria. I constantly have to tell people we don't have malaria down here."

RoShelle Gaskins is used to shutting down rumors, too. The public relations manager for Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau has been on the road the last two weeks drumming up the island's tourist business.

The first thing she has to do is convince people Galveston is indeed open. The delayed and well publicized re-entry plan for Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula left many with the impression the island was either a wasteland or not welcoming guests.

While there are not ways to accurately track it, tourism officials say there is definitely an interest in post-Ike Galveston as a tourist destination.

"Many people are surprised Galveston is even open," Gaskins said. "They ask us, do we still have beaches, do they have to wear masks (and) is it safe to come here."

Gaskins and Moody Gardens' marketing manager, Jerri Hamachek, made stops in Austin, College Station and Victoria telling tour operators, church groups, chambers of commerce, civic groups and anyone who would listen Galveston is indeed open and welcoming tourists.

"Of course, we have to say that The Strand is not really open because it took on so much water and that there are restaurants that have not opened up yet because they are still making repairs," Gaskins said.

Still, the curiosity about what is not here or what is damaged is first on many people's minds.

"We are getting a lot of curiosity," Gaskins said. "They ask, 'What really happened to Murdoch's or the Balinese Room?' And we see it with the press we take on tours. We have to go to the seawall, and they all get out and take 10 pictures. Then we have a lot of people asking if that shrimp boat is still in the parking lot of Willie G's (near the waterfront)."

Galveston has been promoting a form of devastation tourism for years. From movies to the tours at Bishop's Palace and Ashton Villa to the historic homes tour, the 1900 Storm is a part of the Galveston tourism machine.

One cannot visit the island's historic East End without seeing plaques that designate the homes that survived the great storm in 1900. Along the seawall, statues and markers also tell the story of destruction and recovery.

Still, Gaskins and others are not in the business of promoting Ike's destruction. At least not now.

"We have to be realistic, though," she said. "We are not going to go out there and promote anything negative. It's finding the balance of explaining it ... is what is the challenge."

When it comes to promoting the city, however, island tourism officials may have no choice. That's because meeting planners and tourist groups are already inquiring.

Whether to promote the devastation the island suffered was a hot topic at the most recent Galveston Parks Board meeting. Officials acknowledged more and more convention planners who contact local tourism sales representatives are asking where they can take guests to see the hurricane damage.

While a sensitive topic to be sure, one local business owner thinks Galveston should embrace the idea.

"You need to rethink the wheel," said Mike Dean, owner of Yaga's and the Tsunami Exotic Tequila Emporium on The Strand. "I promise you, if we put up an Ike disaster (exhibit) it will triple the traffic."

Soon after reopening Tsunami, Dean noticed his customers wanted to know how high the water got and what the area looked like in the days after the storm. So, he now keeps a photo book of pictures he took behind the bar and a mark on the wall shows how high Ike's storm surge got inside.

Dean said one only needs to spend some time on The Strand to know the disaster tourists are already here, and they are spending money.

"They ain't your usual tourists. You look at The Strand right now and it's people wanting to see what things are like," Dean said. "But they spend a lot of money on drinks, because they feel bad for us. They want to help us recover.

"Bottom line. We can't go back to the mold of what it used to be."

A first test came when Dickens on The Strand returned to downtown last weekend. Even Dickens characters promoting the festival at the city's holiday tree lighting noted The Strand looks much like London did during Charles Dickens' time.

This weekend, the Lone Star Rally will return to the island.

Dean expects most who will come for those two events will want to see what Ike left standing and how the recovery process is going.

"We need to take advantage of that," he said.


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## hkskyline

*In Jesus' town, Christmas looking cheerful again *
14 December 2008

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) - After eight bleak years, Jesus' birthplace finally has a Christmas season to cheer about.

Hotels are booked solid through January, the central Manger Square is bustling with tourists, and Israeli and Palestinian forces are working to make things go smoothly.

Elias Al-Araj's 200-room hotel is fully booked for the season, and he plans to open a 100-room annex. He says he already has bookings through July.

"This year, business was great," he said.

Bethlehem's economic fortunes are closely tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Tourism blossomed in the 1990s when peace hopes were alive, but was crushed by the outbreak of fighting in 2000. Christmas after Christmas, tourists were scared off by Palestinian violence and Israeli travel restrictions.

With calm gradually returning to the West Bank, Bethlehem has again become a magnet for Christmas pilgrims.

"It's a difference between heaven and earth," said entrepreneur Mike Kanawati, who is so optimistic he's opening a new restaurant near the Church of the Nativity.

Palestinian officials say 1.3 million tourists have visited the West Bank this year, nearly double last year's level. The total for 2008 could rise to 1.6 million. The tourism boom has created 12,000 new jobs, said Palestinian Information Minister Riad Malki.

Bethlehem's 19 hotels are fully booked through January, said Mayor Victor Batarseh. He said he expects 30,000 visitors on Christmas Eve alone, compared with 22,000 last year, with about 5,000 more expected during Orthodox rites in January.

Batarseh said he hopes the signs of recovery will persuade more Bethlehemites to stay in their town. In recent years, growing numbers, particularly Christians, have emigrated.

"Calm and an increase in tourism will create more job opportunities and encourage families to stay in the city," said Batarseh, who is Christian. Officials say 40 percent of the town's 32,000 residents are Christian, down from 90 percent in the 1950s. The rest are Muslim.

Christmas decorations are being put up, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a major player in the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Manger Square -- the tree is a large cypress. Bands of yellow lights are strung across the main road at the entrance to Bethlehem.

Bethlehem is a typical West Bank town, with congested streets and noisy markets, very different from the biblical idyll visitors might imagine.

"It's fascinating to see the place I heard about all my life," said Michael Creasy, 30, a software engineer from San Francisco, after emerging from the Church of the Nativity that stands over Jesus' traditional birth grotto. He said he'd love to stay for Christmas, but has to get back to work.

The upbeat mood contrasts sharply with the dismal Muslim holiday season in the Gaza Strip. Because of an Israeli economic blockade imposed in response to repeated rocket attacks, the coastal strip is acutely short of sheep and cattle needed for the Muslim feast of the sacrifice.

Meanwhile, Bethlehem is being turned into a showcase for Palestinian security forces, who have been gradually expanding areas under their control in the once unruly West Bank.

Some 1,500 Palestinian police officers will be deployed in Bethlehem during the holiday.

They are trying to look reassuring, though the dozens of armed officers who recently stomped in unison across Manger Square might have scared some tourists.

Suleiman Emran, a security official, said officers are to greet the visitors with roses, candy and holiday greeting cards that include emergency phone numbers in case of trouble.

Israeli security officials say they are working with their Palestinian counterparts to ensure easy access to Bethlehem.

Bethlehem is ringed on three sides by a barrier which Israel says is meant to keep out Palestinian militants. A large gray wall separates the city from nearby Jerusalem, and tourists entering Bethlehem must pass through a military checkpoint with barbed wire and watchtowers.

Late last month, at a meeting of Palestinian military chiefs to discuss Christmas preparations, the Palestinians asked Israel to speed tourists through its army checkpoints and not carry out arrest raids in Bethlehem during the holidays, Emran said.

"We are afraid it would terrify the visitors," he said.


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## hkskyline

*Bangladeshi 'Taj Mahal' owner slams critics *
15 December 2008
Agence France Presse

The owner of Bangladesh's newly opened replica of the Taj Mahal has defended the building after visitors said it was shoddily designed and constructed of cheap materials.

Thousands of Bangladeshis have descended on Sonargaon, 30 kilometres (20 miles) northeast of the capital Dhaka, since film director Ahsanullah Moni unveiled his own version of India's monument to love last week.

Moni said he had spent 58 million dollars building the "Bangladesh Taj Mahal" importing marble and granite from Italy, diamonds from Belgium and using 160 kilograms (350 pounds) of bronze for the dome.

His project attracted interest around the world and even prompted Indian diplomats to question whether Moni had breached copyright laws.

But a report in the Bengali language newspaper Prothom Alo said that visitors who travelled to Sonargaon felt cheated.

"We came to see the Taj Mahal with high hopes but we are greatly disappointed," Dhaka resident Asma Mita said.

"The whole project is done in a shoddy manner. It is nothing compared to the real Taj," another visitor, Sohana Parvin, told the paper. "There is no sign of the valuable stones, tiles and diamonds the owner has spoken of using."

Bloggers too have reacted angrily to Moni's replica, which he claims is life-size.

Aparna Ray concluded that the hype surrounding the attraction was a gimmick.

"[It's] a money-making scam in the name of the Taj," Ray wrote.

"The tiles look like the type you'd use in a bathroom. We've been cheated by this guy," another blogger wrote.

Moni, who will next month raise the entry fee from 50 taka (73 cents) to 100 taka, defended his building to AFP, saying the quality of the tiles he used was better than those in the real building.

"It's the Taj of Bangladesh. If you want to see the real Taj you have to travel to the Indian city of Agra and spend at least 20,000 taka. It costs just 50 taka to see my Taj," he said.

"There's nothing I can do if a visitor is disappointed," he said.

Moni's copycat construction took five years to finish, while the real Taj Mahal was built by 20,000 people over 22 years by Moghul emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife who died during childbirth in 1631.

Moni, a successful director in Bangladesh's "Dhaliwood" film industry, has made 20 movies. He also owns a cinema hall in Dhaka and a three-star hotel.


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## hkskyline

*The sky's not the limit for Las Vegas fireworks *
16 December 2008

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Tourism officials are adopting a "Taking It to the Streets" theme for a revamped New Year's Eve fireworks display that lowers the pyrotechnics closer to revelers on the Las Vegas Strip.

The fireworks won't ring in 2009 from the rooftops of Strip casinos as they have in the past. Instead because of concerns over fire safety the aerial display will be set off from resort parking lots, with rockets and streamers shot at different angles and at lower heights than in previous years.

Pat Christenson, president for Las Vegas events, said the changes mean fireworks will rise to 300 feet -- not 600 feet -- above the pedestrians who crowd the Strip.

The change was recommended by the Clark County fire department, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority spokesman Vince Alberta said.

"It will be closer to them, but whoever wants to watch it, you'll have to be at the Strip at those locations and down on Fremont Street to actually get a great view of the fireworks," Alberta said.

County spokesman Dan Kulin said county officials did not forbid rooftop fireworks displays, but added a requirement for a third-party inspection of launch sites.

"To put it simply, we are always looking for ways to make things even safer in Clark County, and so we adopted this even stricter standard," Kulin said. "It would be inappropriate for us to speak to a private party's decision, but obviously this inspection would take some time and could carry a significant cost."

Kulin said the requirement was added after the county reviewed its fire requirements following a three-alarm fire at the Monte Carlo hotel-casino in January. That fire caused more than $100 million in damage and lost business, and about 6,000 guests and employees had to evacuate as the blaze rained debris down on surrounding areas. A county investigation released in August said an unapproved material on the exterior of the hotel helped spread the fire, which was ignited by welders.

Felix Grucci, chief financial officer for New York-based Fireworks by Grucci, which designed the pyrotechnics display, said lowering the firework does not change the level of safety.

The eight-minute, eight-second show will feature roughly 30,000 fireworks across the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas, with 9,800 shot during the 44-second finale. The soundtrack, which will be carried on two radio stations, includes "Takin' it to the Streets" by the Doobie Brothers, the Mick Jagger and David Bowie version of "Dancing in the Street," and "We Like to Party" by the Venga Boys.

Officials said they expect some 250,000 people to view the display, down from 284,000 last year. Alberta said last year's New Year's Eve brought $197 million of non-gambling revenue to Las Vegas casinos.

Fireworks locations will include the parking lots of the Mandalay Bay, Luxor, MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island and Stratosphere casinos on the Strip -- and at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Fremont Street Experience.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he thinks people are yearning for a break from everyday life and the woes of the economy, and he plans to give them a good party Dec. 31.


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## hkskyline

*Santa village in Finnish Arctic awaits crisis crunch -- next year *
16 December 2008
Agence France Presse

A Santa village in Finnish Lapland that each December draws throngs of tourists seeking Christmas cheer expects to weather this season well but is worried the global economic downturn could make next year's holidays anything but merry.

"I don't believe the flow of tourists to Finnish Lapland will end, but we should prepare for the fact that growth will stop and the number of visitors might even fall," Santa Park chief executive Wille Rajala told AFP.

"The financial crisis will impact Lapland tourism, although maybe not this year," Tuula Rintala-Gardin, the director of tourism in the northern Finnish town of Rovaniemi, agreed.

"There is some uncertainty and growth is not expected" this year, she told AFP.

At Rovaniemi's Christmas theme park, the season is nonetheless in full swing, teeming mainly with families with children eager to meet Santa and his elves.

In 2007, almost one million tourists visited Finnish Lapland above the Arctic Circle, 360,000 of whom were foreigners, mainly from Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway and Russia, according to the regional council of Lapland.

During the holiday season alone last year some 110,000 foreign tourists visited Lapland. This year, the number is expected to be only slightly lower at around 100,000.

More than 500 international flights will take tourists to northern Finland this December, a drop of about 16 percent from last year, according to airport service company Finavia.

Despite the expected dip in flight numbers, tourism companies insist there have been few cancellations.

"International deals are made well in advance. A large number of deals were made last spring. We have not received many cancellations," said Johanna Tolonen, who heads up Villi Pohjola, a company that organises activities such as snowmobiling, skiing and reindeer rides for tourists.

Santa Park too is fully booked each weekend this December.

"We are so close to Christmastime that only a catastrophe could change international tour operators' plans," Rajala said.

But with the increasing global economic uncertainty expected to prompt more people to choose cheaper holidays or skip travel altogether, tourism firms are bracing for a challenging year in 2009.

"In recent years tourism in Lapland has risen sharply every year," Tolonen said, adding that tourism numbers could slip back to where they were several years ago.


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## melbstud

SA tops again
December 18 2008

Destination South Africa has made it into the Top 10 list of the influential Country Brand Index (CBI) Report 2008, released last month.

South Africa has been rated among the Top 10 Brand Countries in both the Authenticity (sixth place) and Value for Money (ninth place) brand categories in the latest CBI Report 2008.

The CBI examines how countries are branded and ranked according to key criteria, and identifies emerging global trends in the world's fastest-growing economic sector - travel and tourism - which has already accounted for $5,9-trillion (about R60-trillion) in economic activity worldwide this year, as well as more than 238 million jobs.

FutureBrand, the leading international branding consultancy behind the report, says countries should be seen as brands, not commodities. The Country Brand Index rankings is based on extensive global research, expert interviews and statistics, together with reviews of trends, behaviours and so-called "influencers".

It produces the report in association with public relations firm Weber Shandwick. FutureBrand boasts having helped an array of countries, cities and destinations build and dimension strong brands. 

Having spent numerous hours interviewing consumers, business travellers, meeting planners, government officials and agencies, travel professionals, analysts and associations, the group has acquired a unique perspective on the world of country branding.

The CBI Report - now in its fourth year - recognises that countries, as brands, need to differentiate themselves. 

'Fueling the travel and tourism industry' It also noted that Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are experiencing higher travel growth rates than the world average. 

*Overall, Australia earned the coveted spot as the world's top country brand for the third consecutive year, according to the 2008 Country Brand Index. Rising from its sixth-place ranking last year, Canada is recognised second and the United States rounds out the top three country brands in the 2008 study.* 

"With the present state of the world - economic turmoil, political unrest and global warming - it is always fascinating to see which countries come out on top in branding themselves, generating global recognition and fuelling the travel and tourism industry," said René Mack, president of Weber Shandwick.


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## hkskyline

*India bans Goa beach parties in wake of Mumbai blast *

NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Authorities in India's tourist destination of Goa have banned Christmas and New Year parties on its beaches, following security threats after the Mumbai attacks, a top police officer said on Saturday.

"No party will be allowed in the open on any beach of Goa between December 23 and January 5," Kishan Kumar, the Inspector General of Police told Reuters on Saturday.

"Obviously there is a security threat, but we cannot say anything more specific at the moment," he said by telephone from Goa.

At least 179 people were killed in Mumbai last month in a militant attack, which India says was carried out by Islamist militants from Pakistan.

India has tightened security around the country, especially in coastal areas following the Mumbai attacks, in which militants used a sea route to reach India.

Thousands of tourists travel to Goa every month to visit its beaches, also famous for night-long parties.

"Tourism is a lifeline of Goa, this decision will seriously affect tourism," Vikram Varma, a lawyer in Goa, said.

"After all, Christmas is just round the corner."


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## hkskyline

*Morocco says tourism strong despite global downturn *

CASABLANCA, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Morocco's tourism industry "is in good health" despite the global economic crisis, with tourist arrivals expected to reach a record 7.9 million this year, a government minister said on Tuesday.

The tourism sector is Morocco's primary foreign currency earner and main employer after labour-intensive agriculture and the textile industry.

It is also the country's main attraction for foreign investment, with high-profile real estate and tourism projects financed by Arab Gulf investors worth some $20 billion.

Analysts and people in the tourism industry fear that a slowdown in tourism caused by economic recession in Europe and elsewhere might derail Morocco's ambitious plan to develop its tourism industry.

"Tourism is in good health. The tourism industry would remain the main foreign currency earner and main receiver of foreign investment," Tourism Minister Mohamed Boussaid told reporters.

Boussaid said Morocco expects the number of foreign vacationers to hit 7.9 million this year, 7 percent higher than in 2007 when the number of tourist arrivals reached a record.

But he said tourism revenue would be almost the same in 2008 as it was the previous year when earnings stood at 59 billion dirhams ($7.33 billion), 12 percent more than in 2006.

"I have no explanation why the number of tourists would increase by 7 percent this year while revenue would be flat. It is a riddle for me and for the government," he said.

The government plans to increase the number of tourists visiting Morocco to 10 million in 2010.

"During crisis tourists turn to destinations close to their homes." Boussaid said. "Morocco is close to Europe which accounts for 46 percent of the total number of tourists in the world, which is estimated at 900 million."


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## hkskyline

*Alaska winter trip: Northern Lights and much more*
24 December 2008

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) - Last winter, my 10-year-old son and I headed to a destination that had friends and family wondering if we'd lost our minds.

We went to Fairbanks. In February.

We hoped to see the Northern Lights, though we knew there were no guarantees. If you stay three nights in the area, locals say you have a 75 percent likelihood of witnessing the phenomenon, but cloud cover or snow falling can ruin your chances. We got lucky, and saw them twice on a three-night stay.

But while we went to see the aurora borealis, we ended up doing so much more. In Fairbanks, we visited an ice park, saw ice sculptures and toured the Museum of the North. At Chena Hot Springs Resort, about 60 miles from Fairbanks, we went dogsledding and snowmobiling, soaked in an outdoor hot tub surrounded by snow, and visited an ice museum and geothermal energy plant.

We don't get much snow in New York City, where we live, so the trip also cured our snow deficit. My son Nathaniel loved rolling down snowy hills and climbing up snowpacked river banks.

We'd been to Alaska once before -- like most tourists, in the summer. We fell in love with the landscape and wildlife, and became obsessed with everything about the state. We read books, talked endlessly about our trip (him in school, me at work), showed off our photos, and quizzed anyone we met who'd been there.

Only about 250,000 tourists venture to Alaska between October and April (compared to some 1.7 million summer visitors). But most winter tourists are like us -- 75 percent are making their second trip to the state, according to the most recent data from the Alaska Visitor Statistics Program.

My husband and teenage son declined to accompany us, although they had been on the summer trip. Husband said he had to work; teenager headed to a warm beach with a friend's family. I wondered if they were right to take a pass when I checked the weather in Fairbanks a few weeks before our trip: Temperatures in early February had set record lows in the minus 40s and 50s.

We bought special gloves, socks and face protectors, borrowed ski outerwear from relatives, and hoped it would warm up. It did, with temps in the 20s and 30s -- above zero. We were fine outside for hours at a time.

We also experienced an unexpected cultural immersion. Charter flights from Tokyo bring thousands of Japanese visitors to Alaska each winter. Seeing the Northern Lights is "on their life list," explained Chena spokeswoman Denise Ferree. It's also part of Japanese culture's "traditional reverence for and appreciation of the beauty of nature," said Colin Lawrence, director of tourism for the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Watching these Japanese visitors waiting outside in the snow, sometimes for hours, all bundled up, for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the aurora borealis, was inspiring. Like a lot of Americans, patience is not my strong suit. But my son and I shared the Japanese tourists' exclamations of joy when we spotted the Northern Lights.

If all this gets you dreaming of your own magical visit to Alaska this winter, the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau can help: http://www.explorefairbanks.com, 800-327-5774. Meanwhile, here are highlights and practical information from our trip.

DAY 1: We landed in Fairbanks late afternoon, headed to our hotel for dinner and a nap (Alaska is four hours earlier than East Coast time). We set an alarm to be up for a 10 p.m. pickup to see the Northern Lights at the Aurora Borealis Lodge. Lodge owner Mok Kumagai picks guests up at hotels downtown, and takes them away from city lights to see the aurora. We stayed at his home until 2 a.m., napping in his loft before being awakened by exclamations of "Aurora!" from his Japanese guests when the light show began. Details at http://www.auroracabin.com or 907-389-2812, $75 a person; overnight accommodations, $169-$224.

DAYS 2 AND 3: We previewed Fairbanks' Ice Park, where the World Ice Art Championships take place. The park has slides and other playground structures made from ice, along with larger-than-life ice sculptures. Open Feb. 24-March 22, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; http://www.icealaska.com. The sculptors do their chiseling and carving Feb. 24-26, and March 1-6, with the creations finished and lighted on Feb. 27 and March 7.

Then we headed to Chena Hot Springs Resort, http://www.chenahotsprings.com or 907-451-8104 (nightly room rates start at $179 a night; packages available; van transportation from Fairbanks can be arranged 72 hours in advance for a fee). Our visit included dogsledding through snowy woods; visiting and playing with sled dogs and their puppies; our first-ever snowmobiling adventure, with a guide; dips in the hot tubs and hot lake, where the water is 165 degrees (children are not allowed in the lake but they can try the outdoor tub and indoor pool); and tours of the resort's Aurora Ice Museum and geothermal energy plant. The resort also offers horsedrawn sleigh rides, flightseeing and therapeutic massage.

Chena Hot Springs, which is open year-round, was discovered in 1905 by surveyors and enjoyed by goldminers of the era. Today the resort uses the springs' naturally hot water to generate all its own energy; indoor temperatures are toasty, and my son loved learning about the science behind the power plant on a tour.

The ice museum, from the outside, looks like a giant igloo. Inside are whimsical ice carvings of animals, chess pieces, and furniture. I had an "appletini" drink in a glass carved from ice, at a bar carved from ice. Colored lights infuse the place with psychedelic hues.

A few tips: You can rent parkas and boots from the resort if you lack cold weather gear. The resort is literally off the grid; there is no town nearby, so you'll be eating all your meals there. We found the food good and reasonably priced; yummy salads are made from lettuce grown onsite in a geothermally heated greenhouse.

The water from the springs is sulphuric, and some people don't like the odor. It didn't bother us; we were too taken with the novelty of sitting outside in our bathing suits, surrounded by snow. Internet service is only available in the activities center, so you won't be checking your e-mail every minute. We brought a laptop, DVDs and books, but we were so tired staying up to look for the Northern Lights that most of our downtime was spent napping.

DAY 4: Back in Fairbanks, my son had a blast climbing up and down the snowy banks of the Chena River. Then we headed out to the Museum of the North, at the University of Alaska campus (a $15-$20 taxi ride from downtown, or take the Airlink shuttle from the airport). My son was fascinated by displays on Alaska's animals, from prehistoric creatures like mammoths and mastodons, to bears and wolves. I liked the history of the goldminers, the frontier era and Native culture. Don't miss the museum's unique sound-light installation, called "The Place Where You Go To Listen." Computers create sounds and images using real-time data from seismic stations and magnetometers that track earthquake and auroral activity, and the colors and sounds in the installation change with the position of the sun. Museum winter hours: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (holiday schedule, Dec. 26-Jan. 4, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily), admission $10, http://www.uaf.edu/museum/.

Fairbanks' many restaurants include 25 offering Asian cuisine. We ate at Lemongrass, one of 10 local Thai eateries, before heading back east.

There was no snow when we got home; we put away our ski gloves. And the trip didn't cure our Alaska obsession. We're still reading books about Alaska (my son surprised his fifth-grade teacher by tackling Jack London), and we're dreaming of our next trip -- to the Arctic Circle.


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## hkskyline

*Sahara festival opens with camel races, desert dog hunting *
25 December 2008
Agence France Presse

The 41st International Sahara Festival opened here Thursday with camel races, desert dog hunting and Saharan music launching four days of cultural events with participants from around the world.

More than 75,000 people attended the opening ceremony led by Tunisian Tourism Minister Khelil Lajimi in the southern city of Douz, a desert oasis at the edge of the Sahara.

Participants from France, Italy, Japan and several Arab countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are taking part in the festivities.

The first day of the festival included saharan folk dances and exhibits of desert medicinal plants as well as dates and handcraft.

The programme includes an international conference on cultural and nature tourism in the Sahara, a poetry contest and safaris.

The festival was created 98 years ago. At the time, it only featured camel races.


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## hkskyline

*Bumper year for Nepal tourism in 2008: official *
2 January 2009
Agence France Presse

Two years after the end of Nepal's brutal civil war, more tourists than ever visited the Himalayan country in 2008, officials said Friday.

Tourism brings vital foreign currency into the young republic governed by former rebel Maoists who won elections last April with pledges to lift Nepal out of dire poverty.

"With nearly 550,000 tourists in 2008, arrivals have increased by just over four percent compared to the previous year," said Aditya Baral, Nepal Tourism Board spokesman, adding that 2007 set the previous record for the highest number of tourist arrivals.

Officials had been expecting higher numbers, but the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and recent unrest that shut down Thailand's main international airport have taken their toll on arrivals, the spokesman said.

Indians account for one quarter of Nepal's tourists, and have been arriving in lower numbers since the attacks, Baral said.

"Bangkok is a major gateway to Nepal for tourists from Australia and Southeast Asia, and the number of arrivals declined due to the political disturbances there," the spokesman said.

The former rebel Maoists who now govern Nepal have made tourism central to their economic reforms.

Tourism provides jobs for around 300,000 people and contributes around four per cent of GDP. The government has announced that by 2011 it plans to attract one million tourists annually.

The effects of the global financial crisis on Nepal's tourism have yet to bite, the tourism spokesman said, but he expressed concerns that the downturn will hit next year's arrivals.

"The impact of the financial crisis will be seen in Nepal in the next three to four months as belt-tightening Westerners economise on their 2009 holidays due to the ongoing financial crisis," said Baral.


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## hkskyline

*New Orleans kicks off Carnival with festivities *
6 January 2009

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Roll out the king cakes, plastic beads and Mardi Gras masks as Carnival season kicks off in New Orleans on Tuesday.

Jan. 6, the 12th night on the Biblical calendar, marked the beginning of the 153rd annual pre-Lenten celebration. Before it wraps up Feb. 24, almost 100 parades will have rolled in the area and thousands of riders will have thrown tons of glitzy gee-gaws to what organizers hope will be huge crowds.

"The celebration is pretty local for a couple of weeks," said Mardi Gras historian Errol Laborde. "But the parades kick in just before the end of the month, and then it's pretty much nonstop."

Mayor Ray Nagin acknowledged the start of the season with the city's annual king cake party, slicing up dozens of pastries covered with purple, green and gold icing, and each holding a tiny, plastic baby. Tradition has it that the person getting the baby in their slice of cake must supply the next king cake.

King cakes, believed to have originated in France around the 12th century, are eaten throughout Carnival season, but on 12th night, or the Feast of the Epiphany, they mark the arrival of the three wise men bearing gifts 12 days after Christmas.

In New Orleans, with its tourism-oriented economy, the rowdy celebration represents both fun and business.

"This is a time of year when everybody can kind of get together and do their own thing and make money at the same time," Nagin said. "So we're looking forward to it."

Unlike last year, when the NBA All-Star game and the Bowl Championship Series title game were added to the city's usual lineup of the Bayou Classic, New Orleans Bowl, and Sugar Bowl, this year Mardi Gras will stand as the solitary big money draw between the Sugar Bowl and Jazz Fest.

A study by a Tulane University economist in 2000 showed a steady growth in Mardi Gras attendance and spending over a decade. Although that dropped after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the event has been rebuilding since then.

Mardi Gras generates more than $1 billion in spending each year, said Mary Beth Romig of the Greater New Orleans Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Similar but smaller celebrations are held along the French-influenced Gulf Coast.

Despite the financial downturn nationally and a sluggish tourism economy, hotel bookings for Mardi Gras are ahead of last year's pace, said Mavis Early, executive director of the Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association.

"We are very happy with Mardi Gras bookings to date, and we expect to have the best year yet since Katrina," Early said.

Billed as the "Greatest Free Show on Earth," there is no charge to those attending the parades, but for those riding on the floats, the cost can be high. The riders shoulder the cost of all "throws" -- the strings of beads, toys and trinkets showered on crowds along the parade route.

"In Orleans Parish it's against the law to have sponsors or other financial backing," Laborde said. "It's up to krewe members to pay for everything."

At Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery, one of more than a dozen bakeries that ship king cakes nationally and internationally, orders for king cakes began coming in before Christmas, said saleswoman Cindi Picou, and will continue through "Fat Tuesday."

"We'll send out more than 2,000 cakes in the next few weeks," Picou said Tuesday.

On Tuesday night, the group Phunny Phorty Phellows was scheduled to take its traditional streetcar ride up St. Charles Avenue, signaling the official start of the season.

The Phorty Phellows, an historic Mardi Gras organization, this year was hosting the king and queen of Zulu, the traditional black Carnival organization that is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

"The Phorty Phellows is a low-key event," Laborde said. "It's just one streetcar full of people, but there are people along the route who set up tables and have buffets and champagne to mark the passing. It's a symbol of the opening of the season."


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## hkskyline

*Lisbon is easy on a budget *
7 January 2009

LISBON, Portugal (AP) - Lisbon is not only one of Europe's cheapest and sunniest capitals, it's also one of the most beautiful, with a jumble of ancient neighborhoods that tumble down to the vast Tagus river (or, as the locals call it, the Tejo) as it rolls toward the Atlantic.

The most memorable Lisbon experiences can be absolutely free: strolling beneath freshly laundered linen strung over the alleyways of the old Moorish neighborhoods; June days when jacaranda trees splash the avenues with blue; the scent of cinnamon sprinkled over hot custard tarts; the ocean breeze on sultry summer evenings or fragments of fado tunes seeping from lace-veiled windows.

WHAT TO SEE:

-- Tram 28. The best tour of Lisbon costs a mere euro1.40 (US$1.90). Hop on the No. 28 streetcar, settle into the leather seats and watch the city ride by. The little yellow trams have rattled though Lisbon's historic heart for 90 years. Like a funfair ghost train they swing round corners to reveal jawdropping views over river and rooftops, then dive back into a shady maze of medieval alleys. The No. 28 slips past delicate Baroque churches and the fortified cathedral built when Christians and Muslims battled for control of what would become Portugal. In the Baixa and Chiado shopping districts, you may also spot mourners headed to the main cemetery, http://www.carris.pt.

-- Belem. This riverside neighborhood was the launch pad for Portugal's epic voyages of exploration to Africa, Asia and Brazil. The pristine Torre de Belem was built at the water's edge to welcome explorers home and is now the city's most famous symbol. The Jeronimos monastery was built in 1502 to commemorate Vasco da Gama's voyage to the East Indies; his tomb is there. The tower and the monastery cost euro8 to visit but, like most museums, are free on Sundays up to 2 p.m., http://www.mosteirojeronimos.pt.

There are modern monuments too. Built around a grassy waterfront plaza, the monumental Centro Cultural de Belem arts center offers opera, jazz, ballet and a 20th century art museum, http://www.ccb.pt. The soaring Padrao dos Descobrimentos was built in the 1960s to celebrate the glories of the discoveries.

-- Coffee. Centuries of trade with Brazil and Africa have left Portugal with a taste for great coffee and Lisbon is home to some Europe's most charming old cafes. A Brasileira in the Chiado district opened in 1905 as a haunt for poets and artists. The Antiga Confeitaria de Belem is lined with 17th century ceramics, but is best known for its custard tarts -- pasteis de nata -- served here since the 1830s, http://www.pasteisdebelem.pt.

In Rossio square at the heart of downtown Lisbon, two venerable cafes face off across the plaza, the Nicola and the Suica. Round the corner in Praca de Figueira, the Confeitaria Nacional has been renowned for its pastries since 1829, http://www.confeitarianacional.com. Travelers on a shoestring should sip their bicas (espresso coffee) standing at the bar where prices are lower than sitting at the table.

-- Neighborhoods. Strolling the city's old districts is one of Lisbon's great pleasures. Start up at the Castelo Sao Jorge fortress overlooking the city, then lose yourself in Alfama, the oldest part of the city, a warren of narrow lanes and tiny squares, where the pastel painted facades are hung with laundry and the whiff of grilled sardines wafts up from curbside braziers. Admire the views from the Portas do Sol and Santa Luzia squares, then hit the shops in Baixa and Chiado districts rebuilt after the great earthquake of 1755 before finishing up for a long night among the bars and restaurants of the Bairro Alto, http://www.atl-turismolisboa.pt.

-- Museums. The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum houses one of Europe's greatest private art collections, amassed by an Armenian oil tycoon. In this eclectic mix of East and West you can marvel at masterpieces by Rembrandt, Renoir and Monet alongside Islamic, Chinese and Armenian artifacts, http://www.museu.gulbenkian.pt.

The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, better known as the "green windows museum" is a spectacular palace overlooking the river with great views from the garden cafe, . It's filled with European old masters and a unique collection of Japanese screens and African ivory work dating back to the Age of Exploration, http://www.mnarteantiga-ipmuseus.pt.

For insights into Portuguese culture, check out the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, http://www.mnazulejo-ipmuseus.pt, which showcases traditional ceramics in a restored 16th century convent; the Museu Nacional dos Coches, with its collection of Cinderella-style royal carriages -- http://www.museudoscoches-ipmuseus.pt -- or the Fado Museum focusing on the haunting urban blues that form the essential soundtrack for a Lisbon trip, http://www.museudofado.egeac.pt.

-- Parque das Nacoes. The former industrial wasteland on the eastern edge of the city emerged from the 1998 World Fair as a riverside park filled with avant garde architecture housing theaters, exhibition halls, a vast shopping mall, restaurants, gardens, fountains and a fabulous aquarium -- the Oceanario -- http://www.oceanario.pt -- the best place in Europe to come eye to eye with sharks, rays and cuttlefish.

SIDE TRIPS:

-- Take a cruise: Dozens of ferry boats shuttle commuters across the Tagus, which is 14 miles (23 kilometers) broad at its widest stretch. Ticket prices start from just euro0.85. The boats offer great views of the city skyline and can take you to out of the way places like the bullfighting town of Montijo or the popular beaches at Costa da Caparica, http://www.transtejo.pt.

-- Mountain hideaway: Sintra has been a retreat from the capital since the Middle Ages. Hidden in the cool hillside forest between the city and the sea, the whole town is a World Heritage site complete with fairytale castles and romantic mansions. The 40-minute train trip from downtown Lisbon costs euro1.70.

-- Hit the beach: West from Lisbon stretches a chain of beach suburbs easily reached by the train that hugs the coast up to the posh Atlantic resort towns of Estoril and Cascais. Joggers, cyclists and skaters now compete for space along a promenade linking the popular sandy beaches at Oeiras and Caracavelas. The train from Lisbon to Cascais takes 40 minutes and costs euro1.70.

SLEEPING IN:

Lisbon has a good range of budget hotels. You can find traditional "pensoes" with bare basics in great downtown locations like the Pensao Praca da Figueira -- http://www.pensaopracadafigueira.com -- from euro25 for a double or the Residencial Alegria -- http://www.alegrianet.com/ -- from euro43.

More upmarket choices include the BB Gold -- http://www.bbgold.com.pt -- in the heart of the Bairro Alto from euro75; the 17th century Casa Sao Mamede -- http://www.casadesaomamede.com -- doubles from euro100: or the Albergaria Senhora Senhora do Monte -- http://senhoramonte.blogspot.com -- from euro85.

Recently a new generation of hostels has opened offering modernized budget accommodation. Among the most highly rated are: Travellers House with bed and breakfast in a mixed dorm from euro18 per person, http://www.travellershouse.com; Lisbon Lounge also from euro18 per person, http://www.lisbonloungehostel.com; or the Oasis Backpackers' Mansion from euro15 per person, http://www.oasislisboa.com.

DINING OUT:

The Portuguese are among Europe's most avid restaurant goers because eating out can be almost as cheap as eating at home. There are hundreds of neighborhood "tascas" or taverns where you can dine on homecooked staples like fava beans with sausage and coriander, or shredded salt cod mixed with eggs, olives and potatoes. Expect to pay around euro5 a dish, or less if you ask for a "meia-dose" or half-portion.

Here are some traditional places where a meal with wine should not go much above euro20 a head:

-- Antigo 1 de Maio, Rua da Atalaia, 8, try the fried rabbit with clams;

-- Tasquinha da Adelaide, Rua do Patrocinio, 70, for barbequed octopus;

-- Varina da Madragoa, Rua das Madres, 24, baked rice with duck;

-- Alfaia, Travessa da Queimada, 18, pear soaked in port wine with lemon sorbet.

Another good bet is Portugal's famous spit-roast chicken with hot piri-piri sauce - try it at Bom Jardim, Travessa de Santo Antao, 11, known locally as rei dos frangos -- king of chickens.

GETTING AROUND:

After major investments over the past decade, the Lisbon subway is now quick and efficient with tickets from euro0.80. Most stations were renovated in the 1990s and decorated by Portuguese artists, http://www.metrolisboa.pt.

The Metro is supplemented by an extensive bus and streetcar network. Lisbon cabs are much cheaper than in most European capitals and careering around the narrow streets in one of the cream-colored cabs can be better than a roller coaster ride.

GETTING THERE:

From New York or Newark, TAP Portugal, http://www.flytap.com, and Continental, http://www.continental.com. Regional airline SATA, http://www.sata.pt, flies from Boston and Toronto, with some flights stopping over in the mid-Atlantic Azores islands.

Lisbon has excellent air links to other European capitals, with easyJet, http://www.easyjet.com, offering a no-frills alternative to traditional carriers for London, Paris, Berlin and Madrid.

Lisbon Airport is close to the city center. A city bus to downtown is euro1.35. A faster shuttle bus runs every 20 minutes at euro3.35. Taxis to the center cost around euro15.

The overnight train from Madrid costs euro55 -- http://www.renfe.es. Eurolines offers one-way bus trips from Paris of around 24 hours for euro41, http://www.eurolines.com.


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## hkskyline

*Record tourist numbers as Nepal emerges from civil war *
By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Less than three years after a long and bloody civil war ended, tourists are returning to Nepal and its spectacular mountain scenery in record numbers despite a global economic slowdown.

The government, led by former Maoist rebels who waged an insurgency against the monarchy for 10 years, has set an ambitious target of doubling visitor numbers to the Himalayan nation by 2011, a top tourism official said.

The Maoists signed a peace deal in 2006 and won a landmark election in April last year, after the end of a civil war that killed an estimated 13, 000 people. Tourism is a key source of income for Nepal, one of the world's poorest countries.

It brought in $230.6 million in 2007 and accounted for 4 percent of GDP, but there are concerns that the bulk of the money is going to tour operators and not those living in the poor, remote areas where tourists visit.

Tourist arrivals grew 4 percent last year from 526,000 in 2007, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said, the highest number since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climbed Mount Everest in 1953 and effectively launched the country's tourism industry. Prachanda Man Shrestha, the NTB chief, said the government has designated 2011 as "Nepal Tourism Year" and hoped to receive 1 million visitors on the back of the peace deal.

"It is challenging but achievable," Shrestha said. "Tourism is not a choice but compulsion for the economic development of Nepal."

EQUAL PAY: A STEEP MOUNTAIN?

There is also a perception the cash from tourism is mainly fattening the wallets of foreign travel operators in Kathmandu.

Tourism Ministry official Ramesh K.C. said the government has promised to spend 30 percent of the income from climbers and trekkers on community development.

"But the money has not been disbursed yet because the procedures of doing this are unclear," K.C. said.

But some local sherpas in the Khumbhu region, home to Mount Everest, are already threatening to protest.

Analysts said the bulk of the money goes to foreign tour operators because Nepal has an ailing national carrier and mostly depends on foreign airlines. Many hotels import consumer goods as the country still suffers food shortages.

"Tourism must be expanded to rural areas so local farm and other products are consumed by tourists and the income stays in the villages," said Sanjay Neupane, a tourism analyst.

Nepal's healthier tourism numbers buck the global trend of a slowdown, which saw a 3 percent negative growth in 2008, Shrestha said, as a result of the worst financial crisis in 80 years.

Shrestha said Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, has an advantage over neighbours India and China because it can attract more tourists without extra investment, as those who come do so for the country's natural sights.

But the 2011 target may be optimistic.

"The international financial recession has yet to impact Nepal's tourism and overall economy because we don't have direct integration with international tourist markets," said Aditya Baral, another official at the NTB.

"The recession might affect tourism growth in 2009 since foreign tour operators are asking us to reduce prices by 15 to 20 percent."

Frequent travellers say some popular destinations in the remote Himalayas are already overcrowded, and that rafting and kayaking are polluting rivers.

Peter Patterson, a U.S. guide, said the construction of a road in scenic Mustang, in central Nepal, was destroying the mountain environment which attracts tourists in the first place.

"It may be good for the local people but it is not good for tourists," he said. "The place changes and the attraction for trekking disappears."


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*Weak won attracts tourists, keeps Koreans at home: government data *
10 January 2009
Agence France Presse

South Korea's travel account deficit drastically narrowed last year as the weaker won attracted more foreign tourists while preventing many Koreans from travelling abroad, government data showed Sunday.

The country's travel account shortfall fell to less than one third from 10.1 billion dollars in 2007 to 3.1 billion dollars in 2008, according to figures released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Foreign tourists spent 9.3 billion dollars here in 2008, up 61.3 percent from the previous year, as South Koreans' spending on overseas travel slumped 22 percent to 12.4 billion dollars.

Per-capita spending here by foreign tourists jumped to 1,740 dollars last year, up from an average 907 dollars over the three previous years.

The won weakened to an average 1,373.84 to the dollar in December last year from 930.24 won a year earlier.

A total of 6.89 million foreigners visited South Korea last year, up 6.9 percent from 2007.

But the number of Koreans traveling overseas fell 13 percent to 12 million, the first decrease since 2003.

Japan topped the list with 2.38 million tourists visiting here last year, followed by China (1.17 million) and the US (610,000).


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*China 2008 tourism drops 2 pct despite Olympics *

BEIJING, Jan 8 (Reuters) - The number of foreign tourists visiting China fell 2 percent last year to 130 million despite the lure of the Beijing Olympics, and their spending fell 5 percent.

In a statement on its website, the National Tourism Administration also said it was forecasting a 1.5 percent rebound in visitors this year to 132 million, with revenues projected to increase 1 percent to $41.5 billion.

Shao Qiwei, the agency's head, said the tourism industry faced stern challenges because of the global recession.

China became the world's fourth-largest tourist destination in 2006 after France, Spain and the United States. Shao has said China aims to grab the top spot by 2015.


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*Fewer people are visiting Britain and more British staying home as credit crunch bites *
15 January 2009

LONDON (AP) - The number of visitors to Britain fell in the three months to November, and Britons took fewer trips abroad, according to official figures that suggest the global economic slowdown is hitting the travel industry.

The Office for National Statistics said Thursday that 7.6 million people visited Britain in the three months to Nov. 30, down 5 percent from the same period in 2007. Britons took 16.4 million trips abroad in the same period, a 6 percent fall.

The total number of visitors for the year to November was 32.4 million, down 1 percent from a year earlier.

The steepest fall was in North American visitors -- down 12 percent in the year to November despite a recent dramatic weakening of the pound against the U.S. dollar.

Christopher Rodrigues, executive chairman of national tourism agency VisitBritain, said the government should fund a campaign "to remind potential travelers in the eurozone and America of Britain's new affordability and persuade them to come here now."

"Whatever December's figures bring, 2008 will have been a challenging year for British tourism and 2009 could see job losses as travelers tighten their belts," he said.


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*Money, not war will hurt Sri Lanka tourism in '09 *

COLOMBO, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The world financial crisis will cut 2009 tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka to their lowest level in seven years, potentially stripping gains expected as a 25-year war nears an end, tourism officials said on Friday.

Tourism is the Indian Ocean island nation's fourth-biggest source of foreign exchange after garments, remittances, and tea, and is an industry that has stayed alive during a war with Tamil Tiger separatists that started in 1983.

Despite the conflict and occasional bombings in the capital Colombo, many visitors still flock to Sri Lanka's white-sand beaches, visit its ancient cities, or make pilgrimages to sites sacred primarily to Buddhists and Hindus.

But even with the military attacking the Tigers' last bases and victory looking close, the industry is already struggling to find cash for new investments and losing its best workers to better-paying markets. This year looks worse.

"Even for 2009, we expect a 10 percent fall due to the world economic crisis," said S. Kalaiselvam, director general at the state-run Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority told Reuters.

That forecast means the number of arrivals will be around 394,000, the lowest level since 2002 -- when the numbers were hit by a then-raging war.

A truce that year started to bring in more visitors, pushing the total over a half million a year from 2003-2007, and then renewed hostilities depressed them again.

On Thursday, the tourism board blamed war and recession for an 11.2 percent year-on-year fall in arrivals to 438,475 visitors, the lowest since 2002 and a fourth straight fall.

Central bank data showed tourism brought the island $304 million in revenue in the first 11 months of the year, 10 percent less than same period last year. "We are concerned on the fall," said Sirilal Miththapala, president of the Sri Lanka Hoteliers' Association. "Even if the war stops, things might improve locally, but foreigners will not come to Sri Lanka as they are hit hard by the global crisis."

The country in 2008 got 43 percent of its visitors from western Europe and North America, and Miththpala said the financial crisis will keep more of them home in 2009. They spend more per person than any other group of travellers, he said.

Foreign visitors have been shying away from the island since the government threw out a six-year-old truce a year ago and unleashed an offensive to wipe out the Tamil Tigers.

Although most popular tourist destinations are far from the war, sporadic bomb attacks around Colombo have dampened arrivals.

And many of the industry's workers have left for more lucrative jobs in India or the neighbouring Maldives, which form part of a classic tourist circuit on which Sri Lanka was an essential stop, tourism operators say.


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*Weak pound ends British love affair with French holiday homes *
17 January 2009
Agence France Presse

The pound's collapse is making Britons think twice about heading across the English Channel for a break -- and their love affair with buying French holiday homes is well and truly over, experts say.

The British currency has plunged by some 20 percent against the euro in recent months, casting a deep shadow over the mood at this month's annual France Show in London, which showcases the Gallic holiday and property market.

Visitors were softened up with Beaujolais nouveau and saucisson, the strains of accordeon wafting in the background, but many admitted that their French projects may have be shelved due to sterling's slump.

"This move down is a shock, but it could be the kind of path of things to come," said Mark O'Sullivan, director of dealing at foreign exchange specialists Currencies Direct.

"The euro may trade at 1.10, 1.20 for the next couple of years, so we need to be used to where it is, to be quite honest," he added, at the France Show, attended by some 30,000 Britons.

The British invasion of some parts of France is well documented: for years buyers flush from booming property prices here have bought property in places like the Dordogne, turning some areas into virtual British enclaves.

But that has all changed. "People are really nervous," said Steve Gillham, estate agent for Alliance French Property Group, adding that his company had had virtually no sales since last October.

And Guy Lesage, a lawyer from the Creuse department in central France which has been inundated with Britons buying up ageing ruins at a fraction of prices for similar properties in Britain.

"We've seen a collapse in the number of deals, far fewer purchases than in previous years. It's been moving this way since the summer of 2007," he explained.

"Between 2000 and 2007 we sold properties for up to 800,000 euros, those are big prices for the French countryside, but now prices aren't going higher than 60,000-80,000 euros," he added

Britons have lost a substantial proportion of their purchasing power, "so they are waiting," he said.

Tourism chiefs meanwhile are crossing their fingers that Britons -- 15 million of whom enjoyed stays in France in 2008 -- will not cancel their holidays across the Channel this year.

Martyn Sumners, chief executive of the Association of British Travel Organisers to France (ABTOF), said initial indications of bookings for 2009 are encouraging, although people are clearly tightening their belts.

"People are actually moving from hotels to self-catering, so that you have more control on your own budget," he said.

"I think the impact of the euro for people travelling to France is not going to be quite as bad as it would have been for people travelling to other places in Europe where you have to fly," he said.

Ski holiday bookings have been helped by exceptional snowfalls in the Alps this winter, he said.

Forecasts by the Foreign Office and the travel industry federation ABTA suggest that France and Spain will remain the biggest destinations for British travellers this year despite the unfavourable exchange rate.

But destinations outside the 16-nation eurozone, such as Turkey and Egypt, will likely see a surge in British holidaymakers this year as Britons seek cheap sun outside the pricey euro area.

While the weakened pound is hitting Britons' plans to travel abroad, the British tourist industry is hoping the country's relative cheapness will attract more foreign visitors -- although figures so far do not reflect this.

Foreigners made 2.2 million visits to Britain in November 2008 compared with nearly 2.5 million in November 2007, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday, possibly reflecting general lack of money for holidays.

"As expected, the benefits of the exchange rates did not have a significant impact on inbound visits during November," said Christopher Rodrigues, head of national tourism agency VisitBritain.

"We need investment from government -- that will be willingly matched by the private-sector -- for a campaign to remind potential travellers in the eurozone and America of Britain's new affordability and persuade them to come here now."


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*Hong Kong forecasts 1.6 pct drop in tourism in '09 *

HONG KONG, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Hong Kong expects tourist arrivals to fall 1.6 percent this year, putting further pressure on the recession-hit economy as visitors account for 20-30 percent of retail sales in the territory.

In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council, the Hong Kong Tourism Board projected visitor arrivals in 2009 of 29 million, down from a record 29.5 million last year. The global economic downturn, the recent introduction of direct flights between Taiwan and China and further appreciation of the U.S. dollar, to which Hong Kong's currency is pegged, could all dampen tourism this year, the board said.

It sees 4.1 percent growth in visitors from mainland China, who account for more than half of the territory's visitors, but sees a 9.2 percent plunge in visitors from elsewhere.

Visitor arrivals last year grew 4.7 percent from 2007 with visitors from mainland China, totalling 28.5 million, rising 8.9 percent.

The average length of stay remained at 3.3 days but tourists' overnight per capita spending rose 4.6 percent to HK$5,360 (US$687).

In 2009, the tourism board forecasts overnight per capita spending will decline 1.5 percent to HK$5,278.

A four-year boom in tourism after China in 2003 began allowing its citizens to travel to Hong Kong independently of tour groups helped Hong Kong's economy average economic growth of 7.3 percent between 2004 and 2007.

However, as an open, trade-reliant economy, the territory has been hit hard by the downturn in advanced economies and slipped into recession in third quarter of 2008. Economists expect it to remain in recession for most of this year as exports are falling and rising unemployment and weak wage growth will hurt consumer spending. (US$=HK$7.8)


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*FEATURE-Asian tourism set for rocky ride in 2009 *

HONG KONG, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Across Asia -- hotels, airlines and tourism operators are bracing for another tough year as the financial crisis keeps long haul visitors at home, and regional travellers tighten purse-strings with shorter, budget trips.

"There'll definitely be a drop in business, fewer tourists is a reality," said Laurence Lai, the owner of two photo galleries at Hong Kong tourist hotspots, including the Star Ferry pier, selling iconic images of the former British colony.

"I expect a 30 percent fall at least. I'm having to shift my strategies to confront this financial tsunami, but you just have to stand firm and face the winds," added Lai, who relies on tourists for half his sales.

Asia's blend of diverse cultures, geography, bargains and exoticism, with travel gems ranging from snowy Himalayan kingdoms to neon-lit capitals, crumbling Khmer ruins and powdery beaches -- have made it one of the world's fastest growing tourism regions in recent years, along with the Middle East.

But since the downturn intensified last year, travel markets spanning Hong Kong, Thailand and India have suffered sharp contractions, at times worsened by political turmoil, with many projecting negative growth in 2009.

Hong Kong, now one of Asia's top tourist hubs with 29.5 million visitors last year, is predicting visitor arrivals to dip 1.6 percent in 2009, though a steeper drop of 9.2 percent is forecast for non-Chinese visitors.

Singapore's tourist arrivals, meanwhile, fell 2 percent last year with more gloom expected, while Thailand and Malaysia both expect 9 percent drops in visitors this year.

TIGHTER BUDGETS BITE

The U.N.'s World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has described the Asia-Pacific region's performance in 2008 as having "deteriorated most rapidly", compared with the Americas, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, with tourism demand expected to be impacted further in the short to medium term.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned global airlines face their worst business crisis in 50 years with carriers facing possible collapse, revenues tumbling and hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk.

IATA'S director-general said in December some 300,000-400,000 jobs were at risk among some 32 million or so people now employed around the world in air transport, travel and tourism sectors.

Despite the extremely fragile situation, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) expects Asia, which lured around 280 million international arrivals in 2008, to bounce back and enjoy 4-5 percent average growth over the next three years.

"We are extremely cautious in our optimism, but we still believe it'll be above the line over the next couple of years," said John Koldowski, director of the Strategic Intelligence Centre for PATA.

But Koldowski said more budget-conscious travellers cutting back on lengths of stay and spending, could spell worse-than-expected pain for tourism-reliant businesses such as retailers, catering and hotels.

Hotel occupancy rates in the Asia Pacific region fell to 66.7 percent last November, versus 76.4 percent for the same period a year before, according to STR Global.

"While we're saying the (arrivals) numbers may still show some growth, we're very conscious of the fact that people are changing their habits and you can't expect the same amount of revenue out there," he added.

The UNWTO says it expects the decline in trip duration and spending to be "more pronounced" than the fall in arrivals.

James Standen, an American tourist is an example of this.

Snapping shots of Hong Kong's cityscape with his wife on Victoria Peak, he said the tanking U.S. economy hadn't put them off their 10-day trip to Asia, but they delayed coming till after the New Year to save on airfares.

"The economy hasn't really bitten us ... but it cost about half as much by coming later."

POLITICAL RISK

Political instability and shifting government policies have also exacerbated the strain on the tourism sector in countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Macau.

The weeklong siege of Bangkok's airports tarnished Thailand's reputation as a tourist haven, and caused around a million foreign visitors to cancel or go elsewhere.

Thailand's Central Bank recently forecast tourist arrivals could fall 9 percent this year to 12.8 million, the worst year since 2005 after the tsunami disaster.

In India, 179 people, including scores of tourists, were killed in November's Mumbai attacks, when gunmen targeted luxury hotels and other popular tourist spots in India's financial capital. The gloom has since spread to places such as Goa, one of the country's top tourist draws where visitor arrivals fell 25 percent during the peak season, according to officials.

"We did see a slowdown in foreign tourist arrivals because of the economic slowdown and later, because of the Mumbai attacks," Ralph DeSousa, who heads the travel and tourism association of Goa, told Reuters by phone.

"When you go on a holiday, you want to be relaxed, and all these factors don't allow you to be that," he added.

In the gambling mecca of Macau, whose remarkable casino boom has helped triple its annual arrivals over six years to just over 30 million last year, sudden visa curbs on Chinese visitors by Beijing's communist leaders last year have dampened growth.

"In 2009, if we can have the same number of 2008, or a little decrease or a little increase. I think we have achieved good results," said Joao Manuel Costa Antunes, the director of Macau's Tourist Office told reporters.


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*Scotland hopes 250th anniversary of Robbie Burns' birth will draw tourists, for auld lang syne*
23 January 2009

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) - Scottish poet Robert Burns gave the English-speaking world some of its most famous sayings and sentiments, including the New Year's favorite "Auld Lang Syne" and the rhapsody, "my love is like a red, red rose."

Now on the 250th anniversary of his birth, the Scottish government hopes worldwide interest in the poet will create a boom in the tourist trade.

The anniversary on Sunday, celebrated by Scots around the world as Burns Night, will be marked by the usual Burns Suppers, feasts at which devotees consume Scotch whisky and haggis -- a delicacy made of oats and offal wrapped in a sheep's stomach -- and toast the life and works of Scotland's bard.

The Royal Mail is issuing a set of three stamps to mark the birthday -- two carrying an image of the poet, the third with another of his famous sayings: "A man's a man for a' that." The Royal Mint is producing a limited-edition gold coin, selling for 475 pounds ($650), as well as an ordinary 2 pound ($3) coin inscribed with Burns' words "We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne" -- for old times' sake. The stamps and coins were this week presented to two of Britain's most illustrious Scots -- Prime Minister Gordon Brown and treasury chief Alistair Darling.

The anniversary also marks the start of Homecoming Scotland 2009, a campaign the tourism industry hopes will attract tourists with Scottish roots from around the world, as well as those who are just curious, back to the old country with a series of 300 events including a huge gathering of the clans in Edinburgh in July.

The tourist industry hopes the 5 million-pound ($7 million) campaign will draw an extra 100,000 visitors who could spend up to 40 million pounds ($56 million) in 2009.

Burns' political radicalism, romantic verse and use of Scots' dialect have made him a heroic figure to many Scottish people, especially to nationalists like the Scottish National Party, which governs in Edinburgh.

"Burns is the inspiration behind our yearlong celebration of some of Scotland's great contributions to the world: golf, whisky, great minds and innovations, our rich culture, wonderful heritage and of course, Robert Burns himself," said Scottish tourism minister Jim Mather.

But critics accuse tourism chiefs of preaching to the converted. They point out that a sentimental television commercial starring former James Bond actor Sean Connery, pop star Sandie Thom and triple Olympic gold-winning cyclist Chris Hoy singing the ballad "Caledonia" has, so far, only been shown on Scottish networks.

"Not enough attention has been paid to North America or Australia. There is a great opportunity here to attract the descendants of Scots from around the world but they have not put enough money into the marketing, it has been disappointing," said Lewis Macdonald, the Labour Party's tourism and culture spokesman in the Scottish Parliament.

Supporters of the Homecoming campaign say critics underestimate the enthusiasm of Scots around the world.

Tourism body VisitScotland says around 16 million tourists come to Scotland each year, most from other parts of Britain but a fifth from overseas. The number includes 350,000 American visitors.

"The Scots around the world are passionate about their roots and origins," said Roddy Martine, author of the book "Scottish Clan and Family Names."

"I've found that the further away you are, the more you care. Often the diaspora is much more caring and enthusiastic of Scotland than those of us left behind.

"A lot of what is said about the clans now is romantic nonsense, but the trick is not to take it too seriously, and I think the clan gathering in July is going to be a very special event," Martine said.

The global Scottish diaspora dwarfs Scotland's population of just over 5 million. More than 4.8 million Americans reported Scottish ancestry in the 2000 census, and more than 4 million Canadians also claim Scottish roots.

Look in any phone book from North America to Australia and it will be packed with Scottish names. From Charleston, South Carolina, to Adelaide, Australia, and Kingston, Jamaica, surnames such as Ross, Campbell and Mcdonald are common.

Barack Obama joins a long list of U.S. Presidents, including Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Woodrow Wilson, who can lay claim to Scottish roots.

According to Gary Boyd Roberts, a senior research scholar at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Obama's ancestors include William the Lion, who ruled Scotland between 1165 and 1214. His maternal ancestor, Edward FitzRandolph, emigrated to America in the 17th century.

VisitScotland spokeswoman Barbara Clark said the TV commercial will be shown in the U.S. in February. She said the marketing campaign had been running in 40 countries since 2007 with efforts concentrated in North America, Australasia and Europe. It is also available on YouTube.

"With the U.S. dollar strong against the pound compared to the last 10 years or so, I think coming here is now an attractive prospect, even though times are tough," she said.


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*High wire thrills for India's heritage tourists *
24 January 2009
Agence France Presse

High above the tranquil lawns of a 15th-century hillside fort, a man flew through the air attached to a steel wire.

"There goes the British high commissioner," said one of the impressed spectators at the opening last week of India's first "zip wire" adventure venue.

Neemrana, 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of New Delhi, is one of several magnificent forts and palaces in Rajasthan that have been converted into luxury hotels over the past 15 years to offer tourists a taste of history and romance.

Now it has added a new twist to the country's popular "heritage trail" by giving visitors the chance to be strapped into a harness and slide down cables that are suspended far above its battlements.

The exhilarating activity of "zip wiring" is well established in New Zealand, Europe and North America, but India has been slow to embrace the booming adventure tourism market.

"Sitting on a camel was about as much as tourists in India could expect before this," said Jonathan Walter, one of two Delhi-based British entrepreneurs behind the scheme.

"Zip wiring is extremely exciting and certainly gets the adrenaline pumping. Teenagers and their parents both get an extraordinary kick out of it."

The Neemrana course consists of five separate wires which carry participants over wooded valleys, cliffs and rivers in the hills above the fort before delivering them back to base -- just in time for a cocktail by the pool.

"This is a unique way to observe Rajasthan's landscape and architecture, as long as you dare to open your eyes," said Walter, 40, a former Gurkha army officer who has led mountaineering expeditions around the world.

"Zip wiring is also very low-impact on the local environment, which is crucial at a protected cultural site like Neemrana.

"The wires don't ruin the view, it is quiet and we haven't had to interfere with the fort's structure at all."

The whole course takes over two hours to complete once clients have hiked up to the start of first wire, been given safety guidance and then completed the various "zips".

The longest wire, at 390 metres (1,300 feet), has been labelled "Where Eagles Dare" and gives an stunning view of the fort set against the Aravalli hills and the plains below.

Much of the equipment and cables has been installed by specialist Swiss engineers, and a full-time team of eight instructors have been employed on site to guide groups and issue instructions.

"When I first heard about this plan, I was not entirely sure it would ever happen," said Richard Stagg, the 53-year-old British high commissioner (ambassador), before he flew down the wires last week.

"But here it is and it is fabulous. The project will be a great boost to tourism, which needs all the help it can get at the moment."

India's tourism industry is struggling as the global economic downturn worsens and after the Mumbai terror attacks, with some hotels in destinations such as Jaipur city -- two hours south of Neemrana -- reporting only 15 cent occupancy.

An opulent new sleeper train, the Royal Rajasthan, launched last month for wealthy foreigners, has already been shunted into the sidings due to a lack of bookings.

But Walter is certain that zip wiring is going to generate huge interest, and "Flying Fox" -- the company he co-founded to bring the adventure sport to India -- is already scouting for its next location.

"We're expecting a lot of Indian clients, as well as overseas tourists," he said. "The domestic market is still strong and every year India becomes an easier place to visit as roads and hotels are improving all the time."


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*FEATURE-Top-end adventure industry defies recession *

DALLAS, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Briton Pete Lemon is not letting a recession or a $60,000 price tag get in the way of his dream to ski to the South Pole.

"It's a lot of money, but this is a once in a lifetime chance to go to Antarctica," Lemon said in Punta Arenas in southern Chile, where he and a half a dozen other people were readying for a trip that will include an attempt on the highest peak in Antarctica, Mount Vinson.

From arduous trips to the end of the world to bids to reach its highest summit to elephant hunting safaris in Africa, the upper echelons of the outdoor adventure industry seem to rise above the global financial crisis and recession.

Mountaineering and safari operators say this is partly explained by the income levels of their clients, but also because such trips are often once-in-a-lifetime goals that determined individuals have striven for years to achieve.

Further down the income ladder, demand is seen falling for less costly options such as antelope hunts in Africa or climbs that are less taxing than Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.

Seattle-based Alpine Ascents International will take seven to 12 climbers on $65,000 expeditions up Everest this year, the same as in previous years, said program director Gordon Janow.

But Janow said he expected to see a decline in less-demanding and less-expensive expeditions.

Eric Simonson of International Mountain Guides, which offers Everest trips from $43,000 to $70,000, also said his company, based in Ashford, Washington, would be fully booked this year for Everest packages.

But he said it was not so much a question of wealth as of sheer determination.

"There is a misconception that the people who do these trips are super-wealthy and can write a check without thinking about it," he said. "They are professionals, engineers -- normal people who aspire to goals."

THE EVEREST OF SAFARIS

For some, stalking and shooting an elephant or rhino in the African bush is the hunting equivalent of climbing Everest -- with a similar or even higher price tag.

Safari operators and guides promoting their services at the Dallas Safari Club's annual convention this month said they had seen little slackening in demand for top hunts.

"We do about 40 hunts a year and we've had one cancellation based on the recession this year. The client said that (the recession) was the cause of it," said Alistair Pole of Zambezi Hunters, which sells elephant and rhino hunts in Zimbabwe costing tens of thousands of dollars.

"I would say 80 percent of our clients are in the wealthy bracket," he said.

Permits to shoot species such as rhino and elephant are limited and such hunts can cost up to $100,000 in countries like South Africa or Namibia.

But there are signs that even the wealthy are starting to feel the effects of the recession so industries which cater to them may get pinched yet.

A report this month said American millionaires have seen their assets shrink by 30 percent during the economic crisis.

And 55 percent are concerned they will not have enough assets to maintain their lifestyles, according to Spectrem Group, a consultancy involved in the affluent and retirement markets.

There are indeed signs of a general slowdown in spending in the multi-billion dollar hunting and outdoor industry in line with the wider woes of retailers and tourism operators.

U.S. retailer Cabela's, which claims to be the world's largest supplier of hunting and fishing equipment, has forecast a modest decline in earnings per share for 2008 as its revenue growth slows.

Several of the safari outfitters attending the Dallas convention said demand was down for basic antelope hunts that cost far less than the pursuit of a trophy elephant.

Jeff Shankle, a small businessman from Mississippi who went to Africa last year to shoot some antelope, falls into that category.

"I went last year but won't go this year and the economy will be a factor," he said.


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*Maldives '08 tourist arrivals up 1.1 pct, hit record *

COLOMBO, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Tourist arrivals to the Maldives edged up 1.1 percent in 2008 from a year earlier to a record high, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture said on Friday.

Data released by the ministry showed the number of visitors to the Indian Ocean island nation hit 683,012 last year, compared to its previous record high of 675,889 in 2007. The record came despite the onslaught of the global financial crisis in the latter part of the year.


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*Dubai's Jumeirah delays first China hotel - sources *

HONG KONG/SHANGHAI, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Dubai-based Jumeirah has delayed plans to open a first hotel in China due to the tough financial climate and slowdown in business travellers to the world's fastest growing major economy, hotel industry sources said on Friday.

Jumeirah, one of the world's top luxury hotel operators, missed its original target to open the planned 338-room Jumeirah Han Tang Xintiandi Hotel in downtown Shanghai in late 2008.

Jumeirah manages 11 hotels for investors -- eight in Dubai, including the sail-shaped Burj al-Arab hotel.

The company has now re-scheduled the launch of its Shanghai hotel to late this year, Aslada Gu from Upstream Asia, which handles media relations for Jumeirah in China, said in an email in response to inquiries from Reuters.

The controlling shareholder of the Jumeirah Han Tang project is Leo Investment, a real estate-focused investment firm run by businessman Leo Koguan, and Hong Kong developer Shui On Group is a minority shareholder with a 15 percent stake in the project, said Brenda Yau, a Shui On spokeswoman.

"Unavoidably, the financial and property markets are currently affected by the worldwide economic meltdown," Yau said.

But she also said Shui On sees expansion opportunities in tough times through consolidation of resources and efficiencies.

"We strive to delve even deeper into the design and quality of our projects, and get prepared for launch when the market accelerates again," she said.

Jumeirah does not own a stake in the Shanghai hotel project but is hired by investors, including Leo Koguan and Shui On, to manage the hotel.

The number of overseas travellers visiting China in September fell 5.9 percent from a year earlier, in part due to the global financial crisis, the National Tourism Administration said.

Many multinational companies have been forced to tighten their belts to save costs amid the crisis, hitting the hotel and travel industries hard and causing property markets to decline.


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## hkskyline

*Europe to suffer most in 2009 tourism pain-UN body *

MADRID, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Worldwide tourist arrivals will fall this year for the first time since 2003, with Europe taking the biggest hit, a report from the UN's World Tourism Organisation said on Tuesday.

"Europe will be the most affected region ... since the majority of the countries from which tourists originate are already in, or are now entering, recession," the Madrid-based organisation said in a press statement.

The global economic crisis will cut the number of tourists entering foreign countries by up to 2 percent, or 16 million people, this year the UNWTO said in its World Tourism Barometer. "That range of 2 percent could be widened because of the unknown nature of this crisis," incoming Secretary General Taleb Rifai told a news conference in Madrid. However he added that tourism would probably be less affected than other sectors.

The Asia-Pacific region should still register growth, albeit down on previous years, as will Africa and the Middle East, the UNWTO said.

Just in foreign tourist receipts the industry grossed $853 billion in 2007, and for countries such as Spain, the world's second most biggest tourist destination behind France, depend on the industry for some 10 percent of gross domestic product.

Last year a 5 percent growth in demand in the first six months flipped to a 1 percent fall in visitor numbers in the second half as the global financial crisis seeped into the broader economy, the organisation's figures showed.

The European market was stagnant, while the Middle East grew 11 percent and Africa and the Americas by 4 percent.

"We are sticking to our long-term forecast for a healthy tourism industry," spokesman Geoffrey Lipman said, referring to an estimate of 1.6 billion tourist arrivals by 2020 compared to 924 million in 2008. "Our belief is that in the next four years we will return to see good growth."

Although the UNWTO did not publish tourist income figures alongside arrivals data, Rifai said anecdotal evidence suggested income would fall faster than arrivals since tourists were taking shorter breaks.

"It will take a little bit more time for receipts to bounce back even when we see arrivals recover," he added.

World tourist arrivals grew by 7 percent a year on average between 2004 and 2007.


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## hkskyline

*World tourism to decline in economic crisis: UN *
27 January 2009
Agence France Presse

World tourism will decline in 2009 with numbers dropping by up to two percent as the economic downturn bites, the United Nations' tourism agency said on Tuesday.

The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) "expects 2009 international tourism to be in a range of zero to two percent decline," a statement released by the agency's Madrid headquarters said.

And a WTO spokesman said the sector may only recover in four years' time.

The global financial crisis set off a wave of bankruptcies, job cuts and recessions prompting consumers to cut back on spending out of fear for their jobs, or as they find themselves unemployed.

This has already wrought a negative impact on service industries and markets for consumer products, and now looks likely to take its toll on tourism.

"Along with the Americas, Europe will be the most affected region in terms of overall tourism results as most of its source markets are already in or entering into recession," the statement said.

The two percent prediction "could be widened," said Taleb Rifai, the organisation's deputy secretary general, adding that there was still uncertainty over the precise extent of the current global economic crisis.

"We expect the results to be geographically mixed," he said.

"We expect the Americas to do slightly better than Europe, but not as good as Africa, the Middle East or Asia regions."

The forecasts mark a sharp change from 2008, when tourist arrivals worldwide rose to 924 million, a two percent increase from the previous year.

But signs of a downturn became clear as the year progressed, said John Kester, director of market studies.

"Around the middle of the year, we noticed a sharp change," he said.

In the first six months of 2008, arrivals grew by five percent before decreasing by one percent in the second half when the global financial crisis became a major concern, he said.

"We have witnessed a sharp drop in confidence in the sector," Kester said.

The last time tourist arrivals shrank over the course of a year was 2003, which saw a 1.4 percent decrease, the organisation said.

The 2008 year had a promising start for the sector, with arrivals increasing across the board, except in Europe "which suffered a stagnation", said WTO.

Northern and Western Europe recorded declines of 2.1 and 1.2 percent respectively.

Despite steady increases in other regions in 2008, improvements did not match those of the previous year, except in the Caribbean, "the only subregion in the world to perform better in 2008 than in 2007."

In Asia-Pacific, a 1.6 percent growth rate was "well below" the 10.5 percent rate recorded in 2007, according to WTO.

Arrivals in the Americas grew by 3.6 percent in 2008, over 4.9 percent in 2007, while in Africa they stood at 4.6 and 8.5 percent.

The sector was especially dynamic in the Middle East, where arrivals nudged up 11.3 percent in 2008, slightly down from 15.3 percent in 2007.

But for now, all eyes are turned on the future performance of the sector.

"The real question is how long will this situation go on, how long it will be and its depth", said Kester.

Geoffrey Lipman, a spokesman for the organisation, predicted the tourism industry could rebound "in four years."


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## hkskyline

*Turkish 2008 tourism revenues jump to $22 bln*
Reuters

ISTANBUL, Jan 29 - Turkey's tourism revenues rose 15.2 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter, bringing 2008 revenues to about $22 billion, official data showed on Thursday, sustaining a strong growth trend despite the global crisis. 

The full-year figure exceeded a target of some $20 billion in tourism revenues, which are a valuable source of foreign currency and important in curbing the country's large current-account deficit.

The fourth-quarter revenues amounted to $4.454 billion, the Turkish Statistics Institute said.

Full-year revenues were $21.911 billion, up 18.5 percent compared to a previously released figure of $18.49 billion for 2007 revenues.

The number of visitors in 2008 stood at 30.929 million, with average spending amounting to $708, the stats office also said.

Fourth-quarter revenues consisted of $3.302 billion from foreign visitors, and $1.151 billion from Turkish citizens living abroad.

In the third quarter of 2008, tourism revenues had risen 14.4 percent on the year to $9.988 billion.


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## hkskyline

*Travel Postcard: 48 hours in Kathmandu *

KATHMANDU, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Got 48 hours to explore Kathmandu?

Reuters correpondents with local knowlege help visitors make the most of a short stay in the capital of the Himalayan nation of Nepal, which is seeing a surge in tourism less than three years after the end of a long and bloody civil war.

SATURDAY

6.45 a.m. - Start your day trying to get rid of any jetlag by visiting the New Orleans Jazz Cafe in Thamel where you can relax in a quite haven out of the back street frenzy. The farmer's omlette or the "absolutely brilliant British" choices are recommended to give you enough energy for the day ahead.

7.30 a.m. - Grab a taxi and head off to Swayambhunath Temple, famous for the bands of red monkeys that have made it their home. With fantastic views over Kathmandu, when the morning mist has lifted, remember to walk around in a clockwise direction spinning the prayer wheels as you go. Many locals visit the site on a daily basis to make odd-number laps of the temple.

10.00 a.m. - On the return journey, have the taxi drop you are Freak Street where you will find a local market of commonplace offerings like singing bowls, prayer wheels, and carved animal statues but bargaining here can get you lower prices than elsewhere. Browse the many stalls and try to avoid being swamped by offers for tiger balm, chess sets and flutes.

10.30 a.m. - Work your way back northwards towards Indra Chowk through the hustle and bustle of the narrow streets past the dentists, butchers, hardware stores and clothes stores that each seem to be tucked into impossible alcoves. If your time in Kathmandu is prior to a trek in the Himalayas, take advantage of the many outdoor clothes and equipment stores. Your route should take you via the Seto Machhendranath temple, one of the most ornate in Kathmandu.

11.30 a.m. - Arrive at Tahiti Tole and the Nateshwar Temple, whose door plates are covered in creatures playing musical instruments. The temple is dedicated to Nataraja, one of the five forms of Shiva, the Lord of Dance.

12.00 p.m. - Take an early lunch in the Weizen Bakery which serves freshly baked bread and cakes along with a lassi or ginger tea, which you can enjoy in the neighboring outdoor restuarant.

1.30 p.m. - Drop-in at the Pilgrim Bookshop, a local landmark, which has the largest array of books on Nepal and Tibet imagineable and where Western names such as Michael Palin and Peter Matthiessen sit alongside local publications such as Tsering Wangmo's Tibetan Cookbook. The inexpensive restaurant at back is a great place to sit with books over a hot coffee.

3.30 p.m. - Take a break and a trip to one of the many reflexologists in Thamel where 400 rupees will see you suitably pampered and kneaded.

5.00 p.m. - Head out early for dinner to ensure that you avoid the crowds. A great location is the Third Eye restaurant for real Indian food. The upper floors allow you sit at low tables with your shoes off while you enjoy a butter masala curry.

8.00 p.m. - Depending on how you feel, either head to the young and hip Shisha Bar, almost above the Kathmandu Guest House, where local bands cover Western songs or, for a quieter evening, a hundred feet further north is a new unnamed Thai restaurant on the top floor of a shopping complex.

SUNDAY

7.00 a.m. - Hail a taxi and head out to the Boudhanath temple. Although in a slightly less scenic setting that Swayambhunath, this temple is in a better condition and more frequented by locals than tourists. You can make your way up onto the side of the temple for a better view of the surrounding plaza. When done, climb to the top floor of the Saturday Cafe on the north side of the plaza for a bird's eye view.

10.00 a.m. - On the way back to Thamel, stop at the Garden of Dreams. The garden, also called Swapna Bagaicha, was built in 1895 but fell into neglect. In 1990s, it was restored over a six-year period. Inside there is a cafe.

11.00 a.m. - On foot, head in a direction away from Thamel, towards the Royal Palace (public entry not allowed) where you will find the start of the long shopping street with more Western clothes and electronics shops. At the end of the street, or when your feet become tired, take a taxi to lunch at Chez Caroline, a French restaurant which lies completely hidden inside a maze of courtyards within the restored Rana palace.

2.00 p.m. - You can use the afternoon to see as much as possible of Thamel as well as doing any gift shopping of typical items such as prayer flags, blankets, pashmina scarves and Darjeeling tea or more unusual things like authentic Ghurka knives. Or, if you're trekking to the mountains the next day, this is a good time for last-minute preparations.

6.00 p.m. - Before heading off on a trek there is no better place than the Rum Doodle, whose walls and ceilings are decorated with Big Foot (or rather Yeti Foot) cut-outs covered with quirky remarks from the returnees of previous Everest, and more recently Annapurna, treks alongside the occasional sobering remembrance for those who never made it back.

8.00 p.m. - As a final cocktail to build up the team spirits before the trek begins, a visit to the newly opened and relatively peaceful Russian OQO gives you time to talk before heading to bed for a final night of sleep in a real bed.


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## hkskyline

*Holiday travel revives tourism in China's quake-hit Sichuan *
February 01, 2009

Tourism in southwest China's quake-hit Sichuan Province is showing signs of revival at the end of the week-long Lunar New Year holiday.

The provincial tourism office on Sunday announced 16.5 million tourist visits in the holiday, which ended Saturday, up 21.9 percent from the Spring Festival week last year.

The Donghekou Earthquake Relics Park, established to commemorate last year's May 12 earthquake, in Qingchuan County welcomed more than 64,300 domestic and overseas tourists during the holiday.

The park contains the ruins of Donghekou Village, where all but 300 of more than 1,400 villagers failed to survive a devastating landslide triggered by the earthquake.

Earthquake tours in the county attracted more than 100,000 visitors in the holiday, which helped revive small businesses, said a tourist office official.

Many tourists visited small restaurants set up by survivors in temporary settlements in Beichuan County, one of the worst affected areas, and were drawn to countryside tours to see farmhouses built after the earthquake.

Source: Xinhua


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## Skyprince

hkskyline said:


> *Turkish 2008 tourism revenues jump to $22 bln*
> Reuters
> 
> ISTANBUL, Jan 29 - Turkey's tourism revenues rose 15.2 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter, bringing 2008 revenues to about $22 billion, official data showed on Thursday, sustaining a strong growth trend despite the global crisis.
> 
> The full-year figure exceeded a target of some $20 billion in tourism revenues, which are a valuable source of foreign currency and important in curbing the country's large current-account deficit.
> 
> The fourth-quarter revenues amounted to $4.454 billion, the Turkish Statistics Institute said.
> 
> Full-year revenues were $21.911 billion, up 18.5 percent compared to a previously released figure of $18.49 billion for 2007 revenues.
> 
> The number of visitors in 2008 stood at 30.929 million, with average spending amounting to $708, the stats office also said.
> 
> Fourth-quarter revenues consisted of $3.302 billion from foreign visitors, and $1.151 billion from Turkish citizens living abroad.
> 
> In the third quarter of 2008, tourism revenues had risen 14.4 percent on the year to $9.988 billion.



That's a huge jump in tourist number- more than 25% ?


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## hkskyline

*Greece seeks to open coast to big tourism complexes *

ATHENS, Feb 3 (Reuters) - A government plan to open Greece's coast and nature reserves to vast tourism complexes threatens some of the Mediterranean's most pristine habitat and could ruin thousands of small businesses, campaigners said on Tuesday.

The Environment Ministry proposal, which will go before a panel of experts on Wednesday, would legalise sprawling developments of tourist villas of the kind popular on Spain's southern Costa del Sol and Portugal's Algarve region.

The regulations, allowing construction in EU nature reserves and uninhabited islands, can be approved by Greece's conservative government and do not require a parliamentary vote.

But environmentalists have pledged to fight them.

"We have collected more than 6,000 signatures demanding the withdrawal of the plan," said Kriton Arsenis, a representative of 10 environmental organisations opposing the scheme. "We won't stop our struggle...We'll use all legal means to block it."

Tourists, most of them attracted by Greece's 15,000-km coastline, already account for nearly a fifth of the country's economic output. Greece faces a slump in tourism revenues as the global economic crisis keeps people from travelling overseas.

The government says the regulations aim to boost Greece's competitiveness, safeguard tourism resources, strengthen rural development and create a clear framework for local authorities and investors. The Environment Ministry declined to comment on environmentalists' and business leaders' objections.

EU FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE

The proposals would give a green light to countryside developments provided they comply with regional legislation and were at least 150,000 square metres.

Under certain circumstances, construction would be allowed even in areas covered by the Natura 2000 scheme -- an EU network of sites to protect natural habitat and endangered species, one of the bloc's flagship environmental initiatives.

The new rules would also allow developments on uninhabited islands, provided they covered less than two percent of the territory and had a positive impact at a regional level.

"If this is approved then all the beauty Greece advertises to attract tourism will be threatened," Arsenis said.

Arsenis said investors were interested in large-scale developments in Greece's islands. He said businessmen had already acquired plots covering 15 percent of the Aegean island of Ios, which attracts thousands of young holidaymakers a year.

Small- and medium-sized businesses argue the plan would deal a blow to local restaurants, bars and shops as tourists would tend to remain within the walls of their giant villa complexes.

"In these difficult circumstances due to the (global) crisis, when Greece sees fewer tourists every year, these village-like constructions ... will further hurt local businesses supported by tourism," Spyros Papakonstantinou, head of the General Confederation of small Greek businessmen, said.


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## hkskyline

*Ethiopia tourism aims to tap new markets-minister *

ADDIS ABABA, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The Ethiopian tourism sector hopes to weather the global recession by developing its unique attractions, boosting private sector involvement and tapping new markets like China, India and Russia.

Just under 400,000 holidaymakers visited the huge Horn of Africa nation in 2008, and the authorities say they expect that to increase to half a million this year. Their target is one million within five years.

"In spite of the crisis, there are people coming ... there are frequent visitors, there are niche tourists who want to discover Ethiopia and that is good omen," Tourism Minister Mohamoud Dirir told Reuters in an interview.

Ethiopia's tourist attractions range from the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela to the giant Axum obelisk and desert sites where scientists unearthed evidence of the birth of humanity.

But the sector was neglected during the Marxist rule of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Mohamoud said -- just at a time when continental tourism leaders like Egypt and Kenya were fast developing their facilities and infrastructure.

"We missed a very important trend in terms of major investments ... Now we want to enhance public-private partnerships and focus on our comparative advantages," he said.

"The economic slowdown in the West is very unfortunate, but we can convince some investors to invest in Ethiopia, where the benefits and the turnout is certain and sure."

Mohamoud said the government was seeking investment in tourism from the local private sector, wealthy Ethiopians in the diaspora, and the Gulf states.

Last July, Dubai World -- part of Dubai Holding owned by the emirate's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum -- said it would invest about $100 million in several Ethiopian economic sectors, including hotels and tourism.

Ethiopia earned about $136 million from tourism in 2007, and some $88 million in the first seven months of last year -- the latest period for which figures were available.

Tourism accounts for a mere 2.5 percent of gross national product, something the government is keen to change. The country of about 80 million people is one of the world's poorest, ranked 170 out of 177 on the U.N. Human Development Index.

THE OBAMA FACTOR

Mohamoud's forecast looked optimistic, given that the World Travel and Tourism Council predicts global tourism to grow at just 4 percent a year for the next decade.

"There will be some miraculous leaps as we enhance infrastructure, the service sector and the involvement of the private sector," he said.

Mohamoud said President Barack Obama's election would help draw more U.S. visitors, particularly the many African-Americans who associated Ethiopia with a search for their roots.

"We are also focusing on emerging markets like China, India, Turkey, Russia," he said.

Many Ethiopians had been educated in the former Soviet Union, he added, so the government was increasingly involving them in trying to break into the Russian market.

His ministry was forging stronger links with countries in the region, he said, both to create cross-border package tours and to learn from their experiences.

Neighbouring Djibouti offered beaches and world-class scuba diving, he said, while Yemen shares cultural links tied to the legend of the Biblical Queen of Sheba.

Sudan had a growing middle-class that Ethiopia also wanted to attract, partly with its more temperate climate. From Kenya, he said, they were getting expertise on wildlife management. The World Bank is helping with projects including technical support for the conservation of Ethiopia's many historic monuments.

The government also wants more Ethiopians to take holidays at home -- inspired by the success of the domestic markets in India and China -- and it is developing "community tourism", where local villagers host foreign visitors.

"It is a unique experience and helps bring income to marginalised communities," Mohamoud said. "We want to involve more and more communities ... It is an open-ended opportunity."


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## hkskyline

*Taiwan coral reefs "turn black" with disease *

TAIPEI, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Coral reefs off the southeast coast of Taiwan have turned black with disease possibly due to sewage discharge, threatening fragile undersea ecosystems and tourism, a study released on Friday said.

The discovery on a problem long suspected but seldom documented shows that coral is suffering widely in waters up to five metres (16.4 feet) deep and 300 metres offshore from two outlying islands, said researcher Chen Chao-lun of Taiwan's state-funded Academia Sinica.

"This is a large distribution and we had no previous information," said Chen, whose began doing research with local environmental groups in 2007. "If you snorkel, you'll see it's black. If it's all black, there won't be too many tourists."

Coral reefs, delicate undersea structures resembling rocky gardens made by tiny animals called coral polyps, are important nurseries and shelters for fish and other sea life.

They also protect coastlines, provide a critical source of food for millions of people and are potential storehouses of medicines.

Taiwan's study did not pinpoint a cause for the diseased coral, but untreated sewage may a factor, Chen said.

On Green Island, a tourism hotspot and one the sites surrounded by diseased coral, garbage and excrement are dumped into the surrounding azure waters while reefs are often plundered by coral-robbing tourists, officials and long-time divers say.

The Taiwan researchers have sent their report to the government and plan to check for problems in other offshore areas known to support coral, Chen said. Coral covers about 400,000 square km (154,000 sq miles) of tropical ocean floor. The biggest is Australia's Great Barrier Reef, a collection of 2,900 reefs along 2,100 km (1,300 miles) of Australia's northeast coast in a marine park the size of Germany.


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## hkskyline

*Tills fail to jingle at Dubai Shopping Festival *
6 February 2009
Agence France Presse

Ahmed, clad in an elegant black suit, smiles from behind a fine display of cosmetics at a department store in Dubai, but most shoppers glance quickly and dash away, with only a few reaching the cashier.

Like many retail workers in the Gulf Arab emirate, Ahmed feels the Dubai Shopping Festival -- an annual month-long sales extravaganza starting in mid-January -- is not the same this year due to the global financial crisis.

"During last year's festival, customers used to buy a whole set of perfume, shower gel, body lotion and other additions. Instead, this year, we would be really thankful if they bought just the perfume," Ahmed says as he adjusts his tie. "You just have to do a lot of convincing for them to actually buy stuff."

This year even enticements such as raffles for luxury cars, apartments or even gold are failing to make people open their purses and wallets.

"We don't feel there is a shopping festival anymore. We have experienced days (during the festival) that are even slower than normal days last year, let alone last year's shopping festival," Ahmed said.

Dubai -- one of the seven members of the United Arab Emirates -- has enjoyed a six-year boom as a financial and tourism hub but in recent months consumer appetite has been battered by the global economic downturn.

Over the years, the annual festival (DSF), seen as a key barometer of Dubai's economy, has been popular both with tourists and the country's resident population, lured by the emirate's tax-free status and glitzy mega malls.

The DSF "accounts for 25 percent of the annual sales of some retailers, but this year, the mood is certainly more quiet in the malls and the traders will not see the peaks of previous years," says Trevor Lloyd-Jones, managing editor of Business Intelligence Middle East.

"Consumers in the UAE are spending less and some major retailers have said their sales are currently down 20 percent."

Retailers from various trades told AFP they have witnessed a drop in footfall, per-customer spending and number of tourists - a main catalyst in boosting the festival's sales.

Shopkeepers informally estimated that their sales are down between 20 and 50 percent, a drop that could not be independently verified.

Ahmed of the fragrance store said this year's sales at one outlet have more than halved to 5,000 dirhams (1,360 dollars) per day, from an average of 11,000 to 12,000 dirhams per day a year ago.

Laila Suhail, chief executive of the festival's office said although footfall at malls has increased this year, consumers are spending less.

"Consumers are spending less, but spending wisely... but footfall at malls rose 3-5 percent," she told AFP.

A survey by Mastercard forecast that consumer confidence in the UAE is set to dip in the first half of this year.

Dubai, where expatriates make up more than 80 percent of an estimated population of two million, has suffered jobs cuts, a stock market rout and is facing forecasts of economic slowdown.

The city state does not have much oil but hydrocarbons are the main source of income for the UAE, which is the world's fifth largest oil exporter and the slump in global prices has affected business confidence in Dubai.

At the Mall of the Emirates, most people shopping at the weekend, when throughput is supposed to be at its peak, are barely holding a shopping bag or two, pushing carts that are only half full or even just window-shopping. No pushing or shoving at the fitting room or queuing at the tills.

Even the "70 percent discount" signs plastered all over shop facades are failing to generate the hype of the previous years' festivals.

"The mall this season is not as crowded as it had been last year and you can even tell: you find that most sizes of clothes are available unlike last year," says Marianne, an Egyptian living in Dubai.

A drop in tourist numbers has also contributed to sluggish sales, retailers say. Tourist expenditure is a key source of income for the emirate, which boasts enjoys year-long sunshine and luxury hotels.

Hotel occupancy rates have dropped and hotels have been forced to slash their rates, according to hotel employees.

A hotel executive who declined to be named says the chain he manages has seen a drop in tourist arrivals, forcing the company to cut prices by 40 to 50 percent.

Usually, occupancy rates in the winter high season are close to 100 percent, but they were already down to 60 percent in December, he said.

Lloyd-Jones of Business Intelligence cites industry sources as saying occupancy rates were down by 25 percent in some hotels as of early January.

"Tourists are a very important element of spending in Dubai, they comprise up to 25 percent of (customers in) some of the tourist-oriented malls such as Mall of the Emirates," he added.

Alongside hydrocarbons and real estate, the UAE relies on the services sector, which in 2007 represented 47.9 percent of real gross domestic product.

But the UAE is forecast to see a deceleration in economic growth this year. Shuaa Capital expects the UAE economy to grow only 2.4 percent in 2009, compared with 7.5 percent last year.

Dubai's population is also expected to shrink by eight percent in 2009, according to a UBS Bank forecast, implying lower total expenditure.

Even those who remain may be cautious with their cash.

"They (people) don't want to spend on electronics - they only want to spend money on food, their basic needs," a salesman said.


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## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Babylon's future written in its ruins *

BABYLON, Iraq, Feb 11 (Reuters) - For a site whose historical importance ranks with Egypt's Pyramids, the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon has suffered some rough treatment.

In recent times, U.S. troops and allied armies have parked tanks and weapons on the site in southern Iraq and used earth containing ancient fragments to fill their sandbags.

Looters ransacked its treasures, and before that Saddam Hussein "restored" parts of it using new bricks bearing his name and built a kitsch palace overlooking it.

Now officials hope Babylon can be revived and made ready for a rich future of tourism, with help from experts at the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the U.S. embassy.

"The Future of Babylon" project launched last month seeks to "map the current conditions of Babylon and develop a master plan for its conservation, study and tourism", the WMF says.

"We don't know how long it will take to reopen to tourists," said Mariam Omran Musa, head of a government inspection team based at the site. "It depends on funds. I hope that Babylon can be reborn in a better image."

Fabled home of the Hanging Gardens, one of the wonders of the ancient world, and lying in a region ancient historians call the cradle of civilisation, Babylon was badly damaged during the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to overthrow Saddam.

Looters had been plundering the ancient site, about 85 miles (135 km) south of Baghdad for centuries, but the pillage accelerated rapidly after the invasion, when thousands of other archaeological sites in Iraq were also targeted.

ONCE MIGHTY

The ruins of the once mighty city are a far cry from the Babylon of popular imagination, with its magnificent golden gate and lush gardens cultivated by King Nebuchadnezzar for his wife.

Its clay-brick walls are crumbling, a statue of the Lion of Babylon has all but lost its facial features and European imperial powers long ago looted the best of Babylon. The Ishtar Gate has been in Berlin since German archaeologists seized it before World War One, despite calls for its return.

Officials say preserving Babylon, a relic of a time and place that gave birth to such milestones of civilisation as agriculture, writing, codified law and the wheel, is crucial.

"It's extremely important. When people say this (region) is the cradle of civilisation, that's certainly true of Babylon," Lisa Ackerman, WMF vice-president, told Reuters in a telephone interview. "It's a culture that had a profound impact on what we think of as modern civilisation."

It may also help war-racked Iraq generate revenue in the future through tourism, as it seeks to rebuild after years of sectarian slaughter and attacks by insurgents.

Religious tourism to Iraq's Shi'ite Muslim holy sites has boomed since the fall of Saddam, but the country still has a long way to go, and security will have to be vastly improved before it can start to dream of luring Western tourists.

Babylon, and places such as the southern marshes believed to be the biblical Garden of Eden, could eventually be major attractions.

The U.S. military occupied Babylon as a base for five months before handing over to a Polish-led division which left in 2005.

WALLS CRUSHED

The British Museum said in a report that U.S. and Polish military vehicles had crushed 2,600-year-old pavements and their forces had used archaeological fragments to fill sandbags.

"They dug trenches for storing gas by the Babylon theatre," said Maitham Hamza, who keeps the site's two museums. "They also crushed walls by landing helicopters on them."

The U.S. embassy in Baghdad is contributing $700,000 towards the site's restoration.

Saddam Hussein's insensitive reconstructions also pose a dilemma for efforts to restore Babylon. Apart from his palace, he also rebuilt Processional Way, a street of ancient stones.

And he painted on it. A mural of King Nebuchadnezzar in blue and gold, with a suspiciously Saddam-like face, adorns one wall; a tacky cartoon lion, another. He built an artificial lake in what critics called the "Disneyfication" of Babylon.

Ackerman said one of the first things the WMF would do was establish whether underground water was present and erect barriers to prevent it from seeping into the ruins and damaging the clay bricks.

But Saddam's alterations might be best left alone.

"One approach is: people have been doing things to Babylon for centuries, if not millennia, so we can accept Saddam Hussein's changes as part of the life of Babylon."

Eventually, if security in Iraq continues to improve, officials hope tourists will return.

"We are optimistic about 'ruins tourism' in Iraq," Qais Hussein Rasheed, acting head of Iraq's Committee of Antiquities and Heritage, told Reuters.

"God willing, we could surpass Jordan and Egypt's tourism."


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## hkskyline

*Olympics-Games will benefit Vancouver despite slowdown *

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb 12 (Reuters) - The 2010 Winter Olympics will benefit Vancouver regardless of the global economic slowdown, experts said as the city began the one-year countdown to the Games on Thursday.

"The teams still need to come, their family and support staff will still need to come, the upscale tourists are likely to still come," economist Mike Tretheway told Reuters.

He said the scale of the economic benefit would depend on Vancouver's marketing skills and ability to please visitors.

"Realising the legacy benefits will depend on how effective the tourism destination marketing organisations are at levering free Olympic exposure into future visitors, and whether the press observe good hospitality during their stays around the Olympics," he said.

A 2002 study, which Tretheway's firm InterVISTAS Consulting Inc. helped to prepare, predicted that the Games, which will open on Feb. 12 2010, would provide an economic boost of between C$2 billion ($1.61 billion) and C$4.2 billion depending on the number of visitors during the Games and how many people visited the city later because of the Olympic publicity.

A report on the economic impact of the Games so far is being reviewed by the government and is expected to be released in the next few weeks.

"There is not an economy in the country, or on the continent, that would not like to have the Olympics coming," British Columbia premier Gordon Campbell said last week, citing the Games as a key reason the province expects to return to budget surpluses in three years.

VENUE CONSTRUCTION

Vancouver's economy was red hot until last year when its real estate market slowed. It is still healthier than many North American cities but British Columbia's provincial economy has been hit hard by the commodity markets collapse.

The Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC), which has a C$1.75-billion operating budget not including security and construction costs, was already spending C$3 million a day to prepare for the two-week event, Campbell said.

The Vancouver area has already received some economic benefit from the C$580 million in government-funded sports venue construction, most of which has been completed or will be done in the next few weeks.

The federal and provincial government are also funding highway and infrastructure improvements associated with the Games, putting the total cost to taxpayers at more than C$2.5 billion, according to British Columbia's auditor general.

VANOC say demand for tickets in Canada is much higher than the supply available. Demand in the United States is also very high, according to ticket seller CoSport.

Anti-poverty activists have complained that the Games have already hurt Vancouver's homeless by reducing the amount of affordable housing -- a charge that government officials dispute.

The activists say only rich businesses with sponsorship deals will see any economic stimulus from the Games, and the money would have been better spent addressing problems in areas such as Vancouver's poor Downtown Eastside neighbourhood.


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## hkskyline

*AFP, French partner launch global leisure newswire in Asia *
11 February 2009
Agence France Presse

Agence France-Presse and French agency relaxnews have launched a global leisure newswire in Asia that they hope will become the world's leading source for lifestyle news.

Aimed at the media, industry brands, PR agencies and telecommunications companies, the service will offer stories and multimedia reports on tourism, home life, entertainment, health and well-being.

Covering a range of subjects from cosmetics to cooking, the environment and travel, relaxnews will provide daily content, a must-see events calendar, video and slide shows, opinion polls and more.

"In the past, we would see science, health and leisure stories in weekend supplements. Now we often see them on the front pages," said AFP's Asia regional director Eric Wishart at the launch party in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

"There is a tremendous interest in lifestyle news today," he said.

The new service, launched in Paris late last year, will initially be available in English and French, with Arabic and Spanish services to follow.

The wire will have full-time correspondents in New York, London, Dubai and Hong Kong with a desk of 10 editors in Paris.

"We have seen 'leisurisation' on a worldwide basis, with people spending more and more time and money on leisure interests," said Jerome Doncieux, CEO of relaxnews.

He added that a survey ahead of the launch had shown the appetite for leisure activities is increasing even in the current economic climate.

The new service will be sold on a subscription basis, with 70 percent of the content to come from relaxnews and 30 percent from AFP, one of the world's major international news agencies.

The goal is to bring in revenue of 15 million euros (19 million dollars) by 2012.


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## hkskyline

*FEATURES-'Incredible' India loses lustre as tourists stay away *

NEW DELHI, Feb 16 (Reuters) - It's billed as one of the world's most luxurious and romantic train journeys. An old-world tour of India's palaces and lakes, all the way to the Taj Mahal.

Despite great expectations when it was launched in January, the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels train, with $2,000 suites and gourmet dining cars, has at times been left languishing in the rail yards as the global economic crisis and the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks put the brakes on India's tourist boom.

"If you don't have guests, what's the point of running the train?" asked Supinder Singh, the president of Palace Tours.

India has seen its tourist arrivals drop in recent months for the first time since 2002 when it launched its hugely successful "Incredible India" campaign that enticed millions of well-heeled tourists from around the world to explore the wonders of India.

Winter is peak season, but this year business has been slow and hotels are struggling to fill empty rooms due to mass cancellations by foreign tourists. All sectors have been hit, from pricey tours of Rajasthan, to budget beach holidays in Goa.

When Palace Tours launched the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels in January it had high hopes the $8 million train would be inundated with bookings by wealthy tourists seeking to explore India in the comfort of a five-star train compartment, with wireless Internet, a spa and silver-service dining on demand.

Instead, the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels has either been relegated to the rail yards due to lack of passengers or plied the journey through Rajasthan to the Taj Mahal in Agra, with only a handful of the possible 82 visitors it can carry.

"I think there are more staff than us," said Amrit Dhaliwal, a tourist who travelled on the near empty train this month with her husband.

The American couple were among 10 passengers who embarked on the trip from New Delhi, welcomed by traditional musicians sitting on cushions and playing flutes and drums.

"We didn't realise it would have so few people on it. It would have been nice to have had more people," said Amrit's husband Kulwant.

Several of the visitors on the train were upgraded from the less lavish Palace on Wheels, a sister train that is operating at about 60 percent capacity instead of its usual 100 percent.

Tourism contributes more than 6 percent to India's GDP of $1 trillion, and employs 53 million people directly or indirectly. Foreign tourist arrivals to India dropped 12 percent to 522,000 in December, compared to 596,560 in the same month in 2007.

HOTEL OCCUPANCY DOWN

The plunge in arrivals has hurt the entire sector from New Delhi, to Agra, to the beaches of Goa and Kerala, which in recent years have become favourite haunts for European tourists soaking up the sun during the winter at home.

Boats and fishing gear are more visible than sunbathers on some of the most popular beaches of Kerala, and business is so slow that restaurant waiters and shopkeepers vie for the odd tourist seen wandering about the streets.

"The spectre of cancellations we have been witnessing following the global meltdown has increased in the wake of the terror strikes," said Peter Kurien, the general manager of the Jasmine Palace hotel.

"All the hotels and restaurants used to be filled to capacity at this time of the year. They are half empty now."

Aside from the global economic woes which have prompted many potential tourists to tighten their belts and stay home, India is still reeling from the Mumbai attacks in which Islamist gunmen killed 179 people in a three-day shooting spree in November that was broadcast live on television news channels around the world.

Foreigners appear to have been targeted as the gunmen attacked two luxury hotels, a popular night spot and a Jewish centre in India's financial capital.

Since then, countries have issued advisories against travelling to India and popular tourist areas such as Goa have been on alert for more attacks.

"There was a slowdown anyway," said Dhruv Shringi, the CEO and co-founder of Yatra.com travel.

"Post the Mumbai attacks, we had almost a 22 percent cancellation in December and it's about 15 percent in January. So my worry is this trend seems to be continuing into February."

Hotel occupancy rates in the seaside town of Kovalam in Kerala were at 60 percent over the peak season, compared to nearly 100 percent at the same time last year.

Ratings agency Crisil said in a report in January that "hotel occupancy rates (in India) are expected to show their steepest decline in a decade".

'OSTRICH MENTALITY'?

A slump risks undermining India's enormous growth potential in the tourism sector, which the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) says has been let down in the past by a lack of adequate accommodation and poor infrastructure.

Despite its size and array of historical monuments, India ranks at no. 42 in the world's holiday destinations of choice.

Slashing hotel rates, offering buy-one-get-one-free air tickets and free spa treatments are some measures being introduced to entice visitors. Security has been visibly beefed up at many of India's plushest hotels, especially in New Delhi and Mumbai.

But some tour operators are frustrated by what they see as the government's failure to address the sector's relatively slow progress compared to other destinations.

It rankles that smaller Asian rivals such as Thailand, which ranks at number 18 in the foreign tourist arrival rankings, and Malaysia, at 11, are far ahead of the south Asian giant.

"What is there in Malaysia? What is there in Thailand?" asked Sujit Banerjee, the secretary of the Ministry of Tourism at a crisis meeting for the tourism sector in January. "Only 5 percent of India has been shown to the world.

Tour operators say India is seen as a "hardship destination" even as hotels in major cities charge up to $400 a night.

"If you land at the airport and if it takes you an hour-and-a-half to get your bags and then you have to fight in a taxi queue, that's not really the kind of experience you want as a customer," Shringi of Yatra.com said.

An advertising campaign featuring one of India's biggest Bollywood stars has been launched to send a message to touts hassling tourists that "guest is god".

"India is not giving value for money," said Himmat Anand, the managing director of Diethelm Travel India. "There is an ostrich mentality amongst us when we say everything is alright."


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## hkskyline

*Disney says Tokyo resort drew record visitors in FY2008 *
1 April 2009
Agence France Presse

A record of more than 27 million people visited Tokyo Disney Resort in the year to March despite the economic downturn, the amusement park operator said Wednesday.

Total attendance at Tokyo Disneyland Park and Tokyo DisneySea Park reached 27,221,000 for the fiscal year ended March 31, up 7.1 percent from the previous year, said operator Tokyo Disney Resort.

It cited as the main reason the 25th anniversary of Tokyo Disney Resort, where special events were held through the year at the park in Urayasu, an eastern suburb of Tokyo.

But the firm forecast lighter attendance of about 25-26 million visitors for fiscal 2009 "as this year follows immediately after the 25th anniversary celebration events end," it said in a statement.


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## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Under a cloud: Greece frets for tourist season *

ATHENS, April 7 (Reuters) - Below Athens' lofty Acropolis, taverna-owners chase after potential customers strolling along the stone-paved alleys of Plaka past empty handicraft shops. The season hasn't started, but the tourist industry is worried.

Holiday bookings -- mainly from Britain, Germany and, lately, also eastern Europe -- are already down about 15 to 20 percent from 2008, according to the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Tourism Enterprises (POET).

If recession-hit Europeans continue to stay away from Greece's sun-bleached islands, it would threaten a vital source of income in a country where unemployment, anger at political scandals and the government's weakness in the face of the global crisis already fuel almost daily street demonstrations.

Greece relies on tourism for about one in five jobs. Its conservative government is clinging to a one-seat majority and under pressure to do more to help even though its credit rating, recently cut by Standard and Poor's, put Greece one notch below Estonia.

"I've worked here for 15 years and never seen anything like this before," said Labros Pit, busy attracting passers-by to the tables of the popular Vizantino restaurant in Plaka.

Any visitors to Athens in early 2009 risked being turned away at the gates of the Acropolis, an ancient symbol of the classical spirit and civilisation, as culture ministry employees blockaded it to protest against job cuts and pay delays.

It's a stark contrast for Greece, which since it was discovered by the international jet set in the 1950s, has evolved into a European magnet for mass-market tourism, attracting 15 million or so visitors each year.

With $15.5 billion in tourist receipts in 2007, the Mediterranean country was the 12th most popular international destination in the world, immediately following Turkey and Thailand, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

"Business is down, with the riots in Athens and the financial crisis," said Nikos Kalyvas, 55, smoking a cigarette in his rustic taverna, nested among Plaka's Greek specialty shops and elegant 19th-century houses painted in soft cream colours. "We are at least 30-40 percent down from last year."

The first test will be the Easter season, when coastal resorts traditionally reopen after the winter.

KEY FOR STABILITY

Hotels have slashed prices to counter the drop in arrivals, hoping wary consumers may be just deferring spending decisions.

"Our hopes are now pinned on last-minute bookings," said Nikos Papalexis, head of hoteliers in Peloponnese's Achaia, a southern region still recovering from ruinous wildfires in 2007.

Tourism and related services are the economy's main driver, worth about 44 billion euros per year or 18 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), according to the Greek tourism ministry.

The strength of the euro further darkens the picture, hampering Greece's competitiveness compared with neighbouring Turkey. Bookings from Britain, Greece's top feeder market, were down 18 percent at mid-March, said UK-based Ascent-MI, mirroring a similar drop in the pound's value against the single currency.

"We are seeing a 40 percent drop from last year," said Apostolos Karvelas, 50, sitting in his shop among the tiny lidded pots that he paints in the terracotta tones of ancient Greek pottery.

"This summer will be tough. Some shops may close down in the fall, because owners won't have money to pay rent."

Conservative estimates see a 5 percent fall in arrivals this year -- which think-tank ITEP said would mean the loss of 25,000 jobs from Greece's five million workforce and cut tourism's input to GDP by nearly one percentage point.

Others double those figures -- spelling further unemployment, which the European Commission sees at 9 percent in 2009 from a late 2008 level around 8 percent.

"The worst-case scenario would be a 10 percent drop in arrivals," said Gerasimos Fokas, chairman of the Greek Chamber of Hotels, pointing to a potential loss of 50,000 jobs.

Tourism is also being dented by near-daily outbreaks of extremist violence in the capital since riots shook the country in December, after the fatal police shooting of a teenager ignited discontent amid high youth unemployment.

With a budget deficit running at about 4 percent of GDP and a large current account gap due to poor competitiveness, the government has very little fiscal wiggle-room.

Greece's central bank expects the crisis to halt the country's economic expansion after years of growth at around 4 percent annually.

The government recently pledged funds to pay a subsidy to any hotels whose workforce at end-May has not changed from 2008.

It also introduced some tax breaks, although these did not go far enough for hoteliers, who complained that Greece's 9 percent hotel occupancy tax put them at a disadvantage to Spain -- where the rate is 7 percent and visitors reached 59 million in 2007, according to the UNWTO.

Spain is the world's second most popular tourist destination after France, which had nearly 82 million visitors in 2007.

Hotels may delay opening to save money, and hire less staff. In some cases discounts have already reached 30 percent.

"Particularly if you book now there are some incredible bargains. This year the goal is not to maximise profitability but to minimise any kind of losses," said George Drakopoulos of the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises.

Businesses that took on loans in recent years to fund renovations or expansion are more likely to suffer and the Hellenic Association of Tourist and Travel Agencies said lenders had now turned their backs on tourist enterprises.

"Banks won't lend to us," said Karvelas. "Things are difficult in Greece. If I can't make ends meet this summer I see myself feeding pigeons on Syntagma Square."


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## hkskyline

*FACTBOX-Tourism as a share of European nations' GDP *

April 7 (Reuters) - Countries across Europe are bracing for less revenue from tourism this year as economic crisis cuts spending. Here is an alphabetical list of European countries with the contribution of travel and tourism to their Gross Domestic Product in 2008:

EUROPE:

ALBANIA - 14.7 percent

AUSTRIA - 14.5 percent.

ARMENIA - 10.2 percent

BELGIUM - 8.9 percent

BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA - 10.3 percent

BULGARIA - 12 percent

CROATIA - 25.5 percent

CYPRUS - 21.4 percent

CZECH REPUBLIC - 10.4 percent

DENMARK - 8.5 percent

ESTONIA - 20.4 percent

FINLAND - 8.9 percent

FRANCE - 10.9 percent

GERMANY - 8.6 percent

GREECE - 17.2 percent

HUNGARY - 6.7 percent

ICELAND - 13.3 percent

IRELAND - 7.3 percent

ITALY - 9.7 percent

LATVIA - 7.5 percent

LITHUANIA - 6.2 percent

LUXEMBOURG - 8.1 percent

MACEDONIA - 6.1 percent

MALTA - 23 percent

MONTENEGRO - 24.6 percent

NETHERLANDS - 7.4 percent

NORWAY - 6.1 percent

POLAND - 7.7 percent

PORTUGAL - 15.7 percent

ROMANIA - 5.8 percent

SERBIA - 4.7 percent

SLOVAKIA - 12.6 percent

SLOVENIA - 11.9 percent

SPAIN - 17.2 percent

SWEDEN - 7.1 percent

SWITZERLAND - 12.6 percent

UK - 9.2 percent

Source: World Travel & Tourism Council (www.wttc.org)


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## hkskyline

*Kenya eyes African visitors to shore up tourism *

NAIROBI, April 8 (Reuters) - The Kenya Tourist Board and national carrier, Kenya Airways, will spend 50 million shillings ($624,600) to promote the nation's attractions in Africa, a statement said on Wednesday.

East Africa's biggest economy has been struggling to revive the sector from last year's debilitating post-election crisis and the effects of the global downturn.

It has halved visa fees for tourists and expanded its marketing budget.

"We want to generate new business from Africa as opposed to our existing source markets and we feel this initiative will encourage growth in intra-regional tourism," the statement quoted Tourism Minister Najib Balala as telling visiting tour operators and agents.

The central bank said 729,000 tourists visited Kenya last year, down from 1,048,372 visitors in 2007. Regulator Kenya Tourist Board has however yet to give its numbers for 2008.

Balala said last month they were hoping to maintain 2008's arrivals.

Tourism's contribution to the current account fell $158 million last year to a $753 million surplus, central bank's data show.


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## hkskyline

*Hong Kong expects a drop in tourist revenue *

HONG KONG, April 9 (Reuters) - Spending by tourists in Hong Kong rose 11.7 percent in 2008 but fell in the fourth quarter, a trend that is likely to continue as a result of the global economic downturn, the Hong Kong Tourism Board said on Friday.

"Depending on the economic conditions, our current projection is that both (total tourist expenditure) and the average per capita spending of overnight visitors will suffer a decline (in 2009)," James Tien, chairman of the tourism board, said in a statement.

Visitors spent HK$158.9 billion (US$20.4 billion) last year in the territory, up from HK$142.2 billion in 2007, according to the tourism board. It did not give a precise breakdown of quarterly spending figures.

Visitors from mainland China account for more than half of the territory's visitors, who totalled 29.5 million in 2008 -- more than four times the size of the local population and up 4.7 percent from 2007.

Overnight visitors from China were the highest spending of all tourists, forking out an average HK$2,138 per capita, up 16.7 percent from a year earlier.

Tourists contribute 20-30 percent of the territory's retail sales. Their numbers have been declining on an annual basis since October, apart from in January due to the Lunar New Year holiday. Weak tourism is aggravating an economic recession which began in the third quarter of last year. (US$=HK$7.8)


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## hkskyline

*Greek court halts British tourist complex in Crete *
10 April 2009
Agence France Presse

A top Greek court Friday ordered a halt on environmental grounds to the building of a large tourism complex by a British company on the Mediterranean island of Crete.

Hundreds of local people, mostly from two communes in the east of the island, where the development is planned, had protested against the project.

The Council of State, Greece's highest administrative body, has now overturned a ministerial decision allowing "the tourist development of the region".

The British Minoan group and its subsidiary Loyalward have been planning a 1.2 billion euro (1.57 billion dollar) investment in the Cavo Sidero region in a 2,600 hectare (6,420 acre) complex of six hotels with 7,O00 beds and three golf courses.

The land belongs to the Greek Orthodox monastery of Toplou, one of the largest on the island, which has leased it to Minoan for 40 years with an option for an extra 40 years.

Several Greek and foreign environmentalist bodies, private citizens and scientists mobilised on ecological grounds against the decision by the environment ministry to allow the work to begin.

They argued that the region risked desertification given that a tourist uses six to 12 times more water than a local inhabitant and that a golf course consumes as much as a town of 10,000 to 12,000 people, by their calculations.

The area also includes sites protected by the European Union Natura 2000 network and the prehistoric site of Itanos where excavations are under way.


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## hkskyline

*Italy quake exacts toll on cultural heritage *
7 April 2009
Agence France Presse

The earthquake that struck Abruzzo, a mountain region abounding with medieval and Renaissance architecture, has exacted a heavy toll on Italy's heritage, the culture ministry's top archaeologist said Tuesday.

"Of course it is a great tragedy," Giuseppe Proietto told AFP. "In some cases the damage was very bad," he said, citing fallen belltowers, collapsed church domes and crumbling arches.

L'Aquila, founded in the 13th century and located about 100 kilometres (60 miles) northeast of Rome, was an important urban centre in its heyday.

"The greatest losses" occurred at the Basilica di Collemaggio, the symbol of the quake's epicentre L'Aquila, Proietto said, "not only for its historical importance but for its aesthetic beauty as well."

The medieval basilica, destroyed and rebuilt after an earthquake in 1703, suffered heavy damage to its transept and apse in Monday's quake, losing some precious frescoes.

The church, which has an unusual facade of alternating pink and white tiles in a geometrical design, is the burial place of 13th century "hermit pope" Celestine V, who was crowned there in 1294.

Pilgrims travel to the site each year to honour the pope, a hermit from the Abruzzo mountains who was elected to break a two-year deadlock among squabbling cardinals.

The earthquake also destroyed the Porta Napoli, a gate built in 1548 to honour Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and L'Aquila's oldest, and the belltower of the San Bernardino basilica, the city's largest Renaissance church.

The dome of L'Aquila's Baroque Sant'Agostino church -- which was also destroyed and restored following the 1703 earthquake -- caved in as well.

The Spanish Fortress, an imposing hilltop Renaissance castle that contains Abruzzo's national museum and offers stunning views of the Apennine mountains, also suffered a partial collapse.

Proietti said earlier that inspectors could not enter the fortress, built during the period of Spanish domination, because of fears of further collapses.

Teams will use a crane to remove works exhibited in the museum for safekeeping, he told Italy's domestic ANSA news agency.

So extensive has been the damage to churches that Easter masses have been cancelled across the L'Aquila diocese, Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari announced Tuesday.

"All the churches are damaged, which makes them dangerous for holding services," Molinari told ANSA. "We are also cancelling the Good Friday procession" usually held in L'Aquila's old town.

Instead, Easter prayers are to be held in tent villages sheltering earthquake survivors.

Proietto, who is coordinating efforts to assess the damage and plan restoration, noted that all rebuilding will be done so as to clearly demarcate original structures from replicas.

"Since the 1970s, the Italian school of restoration has taken a dim view of exact replicas," said Proietto, the culture ministry's secretary general.

The effort may get a boost with some financial support from the United States after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has gently but firmly turned down humanitarian aid, said he would accept reconstruction assistance.

He said he discussed the idea with US President Barack Obama in a phone conversation on Tuesday.

Elsewhere in the quake zone, the stone village of San Stefano di Sessanio, dating to medieval times, lost its landmark Medici Tower, recalling its history as a stronghold of the powerful Florentine family, which owned the surrounding countryside for 200 years.

In Pratola Peligna, the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Freedom, has been ordered closed just weeks before an annual pilgrimage to the site on the first weekend of May.

The earthquake's destructive path reached as far as Rome, causing damage to the sprawling third-century Baths of Caracalla.

The red-brick ruins, which cover some 11 hectares (27 acres) at the foot of Rome's Aventine Hill, are the frequent site of opera productions and open-air concerts in the summer.

During Emperor Caracalla's era, the facilities could accommodate more than 1,600 people and included gymnasiums, libraries and gardens.


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## hkskyline

*Shoppers drive change *
8 April 2009
South China Morning Post

China's individual visit scheme allows travellers from the mainland to visit Hong Kong and Macau on an individual basis as opposed to previously restricted visits on business visas or in groups.

It was introduced on July 28, 2003 and the relaxation applied initially to residents of the four Guangdong cities of Dongguan, Foshan, Jiangmen and Zhongshan. But the scheme has since been expanded to cover 49 cities across China, and for Hong Kong the result has been a surge in mainland visitors.

According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, mainland visitors accounted for 57.1 per cent of travellers to the city last year and almost all of these visitors - some 9.6 million - arrived under the scheme. The data clearly indicates that mainland visitors and in particular the scheme are the main contributors to Hong Kong's tourism business.

Retail markets benefit from this growth in mainland visitors for whom shopping constitutes more than 50 per cent of their total expenditure. In view of this trend, many retailers are keen to secure prime locations and expand operations to capture this spending.

Over a span of five years there has been a shift of in-demand locations directed mainly by the shopping behaviour of tourists. In the initial stages of the scheme mainlanders shopped mainly for gold jewellery, cosmetics and branded electronic gadgets. The shopping areas of Sai Yeung Choi Street and Nathan Road in Mong Kok were the most desired locations.

International brands have responded to the importance of Hong Kong as a major tourist destination for mainland visitors, taking the view that a flagship store in the city would provide a drawcard for the China market where wealth and demand for luxury foreign products is increasing.

From 2005, more international labels have opened flagship stores in Queen's Road Central and Canton Road, which are respectively the main luxury hub for Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

Now almost every corner shop in Causeway Bay is occupied by a luxury watch boutique and Russell Street has been converted into "Watch Street". Rentals have risen to reflect the increased attraction and in prime retail locations rents have gone up threefold in five years.

Like most of the world's favoured travel destinations, prime retail locations are always in demand. Amid the global financial crisis, well-known international brands are still seeing solid demand from mainland visitors. Local brands selling leather goods, fashion and cosmetics are particular favourites.

Retailers are gathering in the prime shopping locations to concentrate their services and are willing to pay premium rentals to secure a shop in the recognised tourist landmarks as there is a guarantee of doing business. Furthermore, some retailers consider that if they are seen close to other better known labels, the synergy will help elevate their brand image and take them into the mainstream market.

Prime shopping locations are always the best and most reliable places for visitors to shop. Most visitors do not discover the second-tier shopping areas until they have visited the city several times and have the confidence to roam.

International labels seldom open stores in second-tier areas where market demographics may not be aligned with the image the brand is trying to achieve.

This has resulted in an increased diversification in the retail property sector in Hong Kong. The demand for prime retail locations has expanded enormously while the demand for shop spaces in the second-tier areas has declined.

Second-tier areas do not benefit from the tourism spending but they rely on the support of the local market. However, with the continuing negative effect of the slowing economy and the edging up of the unemployment rate, vacancy rates of retail shops in the second-tier areas are expected to increase further.

In the next few years, new supply in prime shopping locations will remain low. However, owing to some infrastructural redevelopment projects in some districts it is anticipated that there will be a shift of focus in prime retail areas.

For example, Mody Road was once acknowledged as the first developed commercial district in Tsim Sha Tsui during the 1970s. The street attracted high-end jewellers, tailors and shops with merchandise targeted at tourists.

Then the focus gradually shifted to Nathan Road and in the '80s there was a pure retail development completed on Nathan Road - Park Lane Shoppers Boulevard.

About 10 years ago Canton Road became a hub for local brands and a mix of trade. But now most of the top international labels are there.

When new grand-scale shopping facilities are completed in an old neighbourhood, it can breathe new life into the area. They provide a new retail configuration, attract retailers and help to reposition the area into a new shopping destination.

Portland Street is a good example. It is a block behind Nathan Road, and was a run-down and seedy area for locals. After the completion of Langham Place, the street has been transformed into a prime shopping location for locals and tourists alike.

The outlook of the second-tier areas is not all that grim. All it takes is a shift in retail focus or a chance for new shopping developments to strengthen its retail infrastructure to rebuild its prime position.

Helen Mak is director of Retail Services, Colliers International Hong Kong


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## tollfreak

April 13, 2009
*Hotel glut in SE-Asia
*
KEY South-east Asian cities will suffer a glut of hotel rooms for the next three years as the economic slowdown hits the travel sector, a global real estate consultancy said on Monday.
A CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) survey of five cities including Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur showed 23,000 four- and five-star hotel rooms will be potentially available from 2009 until the end of 2012.

'Despite the likelihood that some projects will be delayed or even cancelled, a significant number of hotel properties will open across the region in the next two to three years,' said Robert McIntosh, CBRE Hotels regional executive director. 'The additional supply, combined with declining demand, will present a challenging period for hotels in the short to medium term.'

In Singapore, which is already in recession and hit by falling tourist arrivals, almost 10,000 new rooms in the category will come onstream by the end of 2012 on top of the 25,700 in supply now, the consultancy said.

'Until recently, there was general consensus that Singapore could not only absorb the increase in supply, but that additional rooms were essential to accommodate the future growth in visitor arrivals,' said Alison Poore, CBRE Hotels senior consultant for South-east Asia.

'However, with declining occupancy... the addition of new supply will likely result in a further softening of the market in the short term,' she said.

Looking beyond the downturn, Singapore's tourist sector stands to benefit from the rise in hotel rooms when the global economy returns back to health, CBRE said.

'Singapore's underlying market fundamentals remain strong,' said Ms Poore. 'The ongoing success of branding and destination marketing initiatives combined with excellent infrastructure and a steady stream of attractions will ensure Singapore can respond quickly when the economy shows signs of recovery.'

In Bangkok, the number of four- and five-star hotel rooms will rise by more than 6,000 by the end of 2012 - a concern that is increased partly because of the ongoing political unrest in the Thai capital, said CBRE.

'Supply has increased substantially over the past two years, and the addition of further supply in the future is a cause of concern,' the consultancy said. 'The performance of hotels in Bangkok will be further impacted by declining demand driven by the economic crisis and recent political unrest.'

In Hanoi, new rooms will increase by 75 per cent to about 7,000 while in Ho Chi Minh City, it will rise by 38 per cent to more than 7,000, said the CBRE.

The consultancy said new rooms in Kuala Lumpur will increase by 10 per cent to 20,400 for the same period. -- AFP


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## hkskyline

*Spain tourism sector faces consolidation -Barcelo *

MADRID, April 14 (Reuters) - Spain's tourism sector will face further consolidation as structural problems and sharp falls in numbers of new visitors hit earnings, the co-chairman of the country's third largest hotel group said.

"The sun and beach model isn't exhausted, but with low profitability, companies are increasingly less able to act and, in the long term, we will pay," Grupo Barcelo's Simon Pedro Barcelo said in an interview in Expansion on Tuesday.

The number of tourists visiting Spain dropped 15.9 percent in February compared to a year earlier, the sharpest fall since the global economic crisis began.

Falling revenues in what is Spain's second-largest industry would lead to consolidation among some hotel chains, he said.

"Medium-sized companies based in Spain of 15 to 20 hotels will have serious problems and will be obliged to look to the larger chains," Barcelo said.

Shares in Spain's major listed hotel groups rose sharply in early trade. At 0730 GMT, NH Hoteles was up 4.82 percent at 2.61 euros per share, and Sol Melia rose 7.19 percent to 3.28.


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## hkskyline

*Foreign visitors to S.Korea hit a record in Q1 *

SEOUL, April 14 (Reuters) - The number of foreign visitors to South Korea hit a record in the first quarter as the won's sharp fall against major currencies made the country an attractive site for tourism and shopping, the Justice Ministry said on Tuesday.

A record 2.01 million foreign nationals entered South Korea in the first quarter of this year, up 25.6 percent from a year earlier.

The percentage increase was also the largest for any quarter since 1980 when quarterly data was first made available, a ministry official said.

"Despite a deepening global economic slump, foreign visitors topped 2 million for the first time in the first quarter, largely thanks to a jump in the yen and other currencies," said Kim Min-soo, deputy director at the Ministry of Justice.

"Even if the won regains strength, we believe the government's efforts to attract more foreign tourists, investors and students will help attract more international visitors," Kim said.

About half of those who came to South Korea last quarter were Japanese, up 61 percent from a year earlier, as the yen soared more than 60 percent against the won since last year. The dollar also rallied about 50 percent against the won.

Meanwhile, the number of South Koreans travelling overseas fell 33.4 percent from a year earlier to 2.34 million in the first quarter due to the weak won and economic slump, the ministry said.

Kim said the decline in outbound tourists since late last year was the biggest since the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.


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## hkskyline

*Mexico tourism rises despite violent drug war * 

MEXICO CITY, April 15 (Reuters) - The number of tourists visiting Mexico jumped in early 2009 despite the global economic downturn and worries about a violent drug war.

About 4 million people visited Mexico in January and February, up almost 13 percent over the same period last year, although part of that was due to more quick trips to border towns rather than longer and more expensive vacations at beach resorts, the tourism ministry said.

Tourism is a top source of dollars for Mexico, and the country is counting on the sector this year as exports are hammered by the U.S. recession, migrants living in the United States send home less cash and oil production slips.

The rise in visits came despite warnings by the U.S. and Canadian governments to their citizens about traveling to areas of Mexico that have seen a surge in violence related to a government campaign against drug cartels.

Visitors to Mexico spent $2.384 billion in January and February, down 7.5 percent over the same period in 2008, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

Part of that decline may be because of steep losses in the Mexican peso in recent months, making products and services cheaper for tourists and other visitors.

Mexico is one of the world's top destinations for international tourists, with 22.6 million foreigners last year paying visits to the country's white-sand beaches, colonial towns and ancient ruins.

The global economic slump may be helping Mexican tourism because U.S. visitors could be choosing Mexico over destinations that are more expensive and further away.

Measured in pesos, visitors to Mexico spent 21 percent more in the first two months of 2009 than in the same period last year, the ministry said.


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## hkskyline

*Portugal hotels see 20% decline in tourism in Feb *

LISBON, April 16 (Reuters) - Portuguese hotels posted a 20 percent decline in revenues in February as the global downturn led foreign tourists to cut their holidays, hitting an important source of income for the local economy, data showed on Thursday.

The National Statistics Institute said total hotel revenues slumped 20 percent to 84.4 million euros in February compared with the same month in 2008.

INE said the number of nights spent in Portuguese hotels by foreign visitors in February fell by 19.4 percent from a year ago while the numbers spent by local tourists dropped 3.8 percent. British visitors, the biggest group of foreign tourists to Portugal, made up the biggest decline in February. The number of nights spent at Portuguese hotels by Britons fell 26.6 percent.

While a much smaller market than neighbouring Spain, Portugal's tourism sector accounts for about 10 percent of the economy.

A number of large tourist projects were in the offing before the global slump started last year and lower demand could delay their completion, hitting other key sectors such as construction.


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## hkskyline

*Travel Postcard - 48 hours in Oxford *










OXFORD, England April 17 (Reuters) - Got 48 hours to explore the dreaming spires of Oxford?

Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors get the most out of a visit to the home town of one of the world's leading universities.

FRIDAY

6:30 p.m. Begin your trip with a look at Oxford's historic centre from a slightly different angle. Bill Spectre's Oxford Ghost Trail (+447941041811) departs from Oxford Castle Unlocked (44-46 Oxford Castle), and offers a walking tour of the sights, plus the nightmarish tales that lie behind them, complete with costumed guide, props and illusions.

8:15 p.m. Dine in style at the beautiful Old Parsonage Hotel Restaurant (+441865310210) on Banbury Road. With jazz every Friday from 8 p.m. and a delightful setting, the restaurant serves simple British and modern European classics using the best seasonal produce. Alternately, try its more central sister restaurant, Quod Brasserie, on the High Street (+441864202505) for a lively and robust eating experience.

SATURDAY

9:00 p.m. - Begin your day at Broad Street, the heart of the city, to admire the imposing facade of Balliol College, one of Oxford's oldest. A cross outside on the street marks the spot where Protestant Bishops Latimer, Ridley and Cranmer were burnt at the stake. While on Broad Street, admire the Sheldonian Theatre and Radcliffe Camera (closed to visitors), a part of the Bodleian Library built between 1737 and 1749.

10:00 p.m. Pay a visit to the Bodleian's Divinity School (+441865277224). The Divinity School is the oldest teaching and examination room in the university, and a masterpiece of English Gothic architecture. Just opposite is the historic Bridge of Sighs, a Venetian-style bridge linking two sides of Hertford College.

11:00 p.m. Browse some of Oxford's antique shops on the High Street, or head to Little Clarendon Street for vintage clothing. For the ultimate shopping experience, enter the Covered Market, home to everything from organic butchers to shoe shops, cafes, boutiques and the famous Cake Shop with its stunning window displays of bespoke confectionary. Climb the narrow staircase to Georgina's, a colourful cafe whose walls are covered in posters.

1:00 p.m. - lunch at the Nosebag, St Michael's Street (off Cornmarket Street) for informal, buffet-style dining with a wealth of hearty dishes to choose from, as well as a great selection of cakes. Or grab lunch on the go at one of Oxford's delis: Olives Delicatessen on the High Street serves freshly made baguettes with fillings from its deli selection, home-made soups and ice cream, and Fasta Pasta in the Covered Market offers good value custom-made ciabattas.

2:30 p.m. For an unforgettable experience, visit Oxford's quirkiest museum, the Pitt Rivers collection in the Natural History Museum (+441865270927, reopens May 1). It displays archaeological and ethnographic objects from all over the world. See stuffed animals, shrunken heads and tribal clothing.

4:00 p.m. Wander back to the centre of town via Wadham College, and stop to admire New College on Holywell Street, one of Oxford's largest and most beautiful, and Exeter College, with its unusual chapel.

5:00 p.m. Explore some of Oxford's most famous pubs. The Turf Tavern (+441865243235) is hard to find - tucked down an alleyway between Holywell Street and New College Lane - but worth a visit. It is one of Oxford's oldest pubs, a favourite with students, and appears in two of the Inspector Morse books. Offering a good selection of ales, the Turf also serves food and provide outside seating with coal braziers where you can toast marshmallows in the colder months. The Bear Tavern on Alfred Street features a bizarre collection of over 4,500 pieces of ties on the walls and ceiling. These are mounted complete with the patron's name and college; the tradition began in the 1950s where customers could donate a tie in exchange for a free pint of beer. Unfortunately, this no longer applies! The White Horse on Broad Street is another classic Oxford tavern, and possibly England's smallest pub. It claims to offer the best fish and chips in Oxford. For a true gastropub experience, take a taxi to the frequently recommended White Hart in Wytham (+441865244372). It dates back to the 16th century and offers a weekly a la carte menu, fresh fish specials and Sunday roast dinner, plus a large wine and ale selection.

7:30 p.m. - If you don't fancy a pub dinner, head to the High Table (+441865248695) on the High Street for sophisticated and elegant modern European food, or Fishers (+441865243003) on St Clements for a daily changing selection of fresh seafood dishes. In term time you might see a few gown-clad students in the town, on their way to formal dinner in hall.

11:00 p.m. Sample Oxford's nightlife with a visit to The Coven (+441865242770) on Oxpens Road, or The Bridge on Hythe Bridge Street (+441865242526). Or, if you don't fancy clubbing, visit G&Ds, Oxford's late-night ice cream cafe (until midnight). Venues on St Aldates, Little Clarendon Street and Cowley Road.

SUNDAY

9:00 a.m. Spend the morning visiting more of Oxford's famous colleges. Christ Church (+441865276492) is perhaps the grandest, and famously provided the setting for the Great Hall in the Harry Potter films. Make sure you include a stroll around its beautiful meadows after your visit, where you can watch students row along the Isis. This will take you to the back of Merton College (entrance on Merton Street, off the High Street), one of Oxford's oldest (it was founded in 1264) and home to the bizarre Time Ceremony tradition, where students dress up in formal academic wear and walk backwards for an hour around Fellows Quad from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. as the clocks go back in October, in order to preserve the space-time continuum. Exiting Merton via Rose Lane will take you near Magdalen College (+441865276000), alma mater of Oscar Wilde and worth a visit for its beautiful cloisters and deer park.

At 6 a.m. on May Day morning, the choir sing from the top of Magdalen Tower, and - before health and safety regulations intervened - it used to be traditional for students to jump into the river off Magdalen Bridge.

11:00 a.m. Visit the Museum of Oxford on St Aldate's (+441865252761), Oxford's only museum dedicated to the history of the city.

12:30 p.m. For stunning panoramic views, climb the tower at the Church of St Mary the Virgin on the High Street.

1:00 p.m. Lunch at the Vaults and Garden cafe (+441865279112), next to the church, for excellent value organic food and Fairtrade tea and coffee.

2:00 p.m. From March to October, you can try your hand at punting or rowing along the river Cherwell, or hire a chauffeur if you don't feel confident enough to brave it yourself. Visit Magdalen Bridge Boathouse (+441865202643) at the end of the High Street and enjoy Oxford's beautiful scenery from the river.

4:30 p.m. Stop to admire the beautiful Examination Schools on the High Street - look out for students in gowns sporting carnations, meaning they're in the middle of taking exams - and then pause at The Rose, High Street (+441865244429) to indulge in the British institution of afternoon tea. Reputed to bake the best scones in Oxford, The Rose also serves sumptuous homemade cakes, clotted cream and finger sandwiches as part of its selection, as well as a comprehensive tea menu.


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## manila_eye

RP: Asia's most popular destination



MANILA, April 18 (PNA)--Professional jurors at the concluded World Travel Fair (WTF) 2009 in Shanghai, China named the Philippines as the "Most Popular Destination in Asia."

The jurors included the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration and VNU Exhibitions Europe.

“Our country's receiving the highest laurel in Asia’s leading source fair in China is a notable milestone in the industry’s optimism in sustaining the momentum generated from efforts to reach this important market segment,” Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said on Friday.

“The Philippines is one of the fastest growing destinations in China’s outbound travel industry, recording a 74 per cent month-on-month growth rate in visa issuances for February of this year," Durano said.

The Philippines was also the nearest tropical beach country for the Chinese, since Manila was only two hours away from Guangzhou, while Cebu was only three hours away from Shanghai, he said.

Durano also said the country’s competitive tour pricing, the remarkable progress of the transportation sector and the Filipino’s friendliness and hospitality contributed much to the citation given by the Chinese.

Dubbed as the ‘Outbound Travel Industry's Leading Source Fair in Asia, the WTF received thousands of travel buyers from China, Asia and the rest of the world, who came to hold exchanges with more than 500 exhibitors from 62 countries, held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

“The Chinese travelers rank our country’s beaches and heritage sites high, as proven by the various recognitions they have awarded to our tourist spots,” Durano said.

Beach holidays rank 79 percent among the top leisure activities undertaken by the Chinese, according to an outbound travel study in China.

The International Visitor Survey, conducted by the DoT, showed that foreign visitors rank the country highest for visitor satisfaction in terms of Filipino hospitality.

The tourism department has urged the transportation sector to open direct chartered flights and daily regular flights to Cebu and Manila.

The direct chartered flights to Cebu and Manila rose 61 percent last year.

Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions Eduardo Jarque, Jr. said the country had always garnered positive feedback from Asian tourists.

“The Philippines has managed to secure, among others, the Best Leisure Destination in the last year’s WTF, for Boracay; the Top 10 Island Getaways for Chinese Summer Travel, for Bohol; the only Asian entry in the list of premier destinations in the acclaimed World Traveller Magazine; and Top 10 Most Searched Destination among Shanghai online users.”

Jarque was referring to Baidu, the biggest search engine in China, capturing 68 per cent of the Chinese online market (Google a distant second with 20 per cent market share), which listed the Philippines in the Top 10 most searched travel destination among Shanghai online users from its latest report.

Meanwhile, Arlene Alipio, head of DoT Team China, said that the flourishing outbound travel of China had been propitious to the Philippines as well.

Recent statistics from the China National Tourism Administration show that the number of Chinese travelers reached 34.4 million in the first nine months of 2008, up 14.8 percent year-on-year.

"In September alone, about 3.7 million Chinese people traveled overseas, an increase of nine per cent year-on-year. “

Shanghai-based Philippine Tourism Attaché to China, Gerry Panga, said: “The country’s continued and consolidated efforts in promoting a wide array of travel opportunities to its Asian neighbors have indeed resulted to our strong market performance despite the global crunch."

The Philippines posted a growth rate of 58.5 per cent in 2008 in terms of visa issuances for travel to the country from Eastern China plus Sichuan and Chongqing.
Current growth rate stands at 20 per cent from January to March 2009, making the Philippines one of the fastest growing outbound destinations for Chinese tourists. (PNA)


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## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Asia tourism reels as firms cut back business travel *

HONG KONG, April 22 (Reuters) - At a plush Hong Kong airport hotel, the only sign of activity comes from the dining-room where a queue of locals fill up their plates at a dinner buffet offered at a promotional rate to Hong Kong residents.

Before the slowdown, the hotel lobby would have been filled with business travellers working on laptops or having a drink at the bar. These days, the empty lobby bears testament to the effects of the global slump on Hong Kong's $20.4 billion tourism sector.

To get through the slump, the airport hotel has had to resort to promotional buffets and cheap spa packages for locals.

As dwindling earnings prompt companies globally to slash travel budgets, Asia has been hard hit with hotel room rates falling for the first time in five years and airlines suffering.

"Companies are now looking at what business travel is revenue generating and are cutting non-revenue producing travel," said Susan Gurley, executive director of the U.S.-based Association of Corporate Travel Executives.

It's not just hotels that are feeling the pinch, long-haul business travel has declined along with business activity.

Asia-Pacific carriers are among the worst affected airlines from the global economic turmoil, according to the International Air Transport Association. They stand to lose US$1.7 billion this year, it said.

Singapore Airlines has cut some of its business-class only flights to the United States, and demand for Japan Airlines' premium cabins has fallen by 20 percent on long-haul routes.

Besides business trips, which many companies are allowing on an exception-only basis, travel for regional in-house meetings and company retreats has been slashed.

Such non-essential travel constitutes up to 40 percent of an average corporation's travel budget, said Gurley.

Investment banks and other companies have forced executives to forego club class for economy on short-haul flights and Gurley says employers are combing expense accounts, refusing to pay mini-bar charges and downgrading staff to cheaper hotels.

Hotel room rates in Seoul have dropped by more than 20 percent in the past year. In Manila, they plunged by more than 30 percent, the most marked decline across the region.

DAMAGING CONSEQUENCES

With Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan in recession, and some companies asking employees to defer travel to Thailand following violent anti-government protests in Bangkok, the outlook for travel in Asia is not promising.

Hong Kong and Singapore, with no domestic travel, are being hit by declining participation at conferences and trade fairs.

Tourism constituted 7 percent of Hong Kong's GDP in 2008 when the territory, which serves as a gateway into China, drew 3.6 million business travellers out of a total of 29.5 million visitors.

Attendance at the Hong Kong Toy and Games Fair, Asia's largest toy fair, which usually draws the world's biggest retailers, was down 20 percent this year as the industry reels from declining U.S. and European consumption.

Yet some experts say that while cutting back travel might seem like an easy way to reduce costs when business slows, it could take a toll on future competitive advantage, especially if rivals don't take similar cost-cutting steps.

In a survey released by the U.S. Travel Association last month, 72 percent of respondents said they saw an opportunity to capture market share by increasing travel as others cut back.

Fifty-three percent said companies that reduce business travel will give an advantage to competitors who maintain their travel commitments.

"It's ... clear from our survey results that the old maxim remains true: If you don't take care of your customers, someone else will," Suzanne Cook, the association's senior vice president of research, said on releasing the study.

Travel to China and India, in contrast, is holding up much better because those markets are too important and competition for market share is intense, analysts say.

Shanghai is one of few cities globally where hotel rates are actually higher than a year ago, by 2 percent, according to Hotels.com, although room rates in Beijing have dropped 13 percent.

Pressure to cut costs is encouraging firms to adopt video teleconferencing facilities, a worldwide trend that Gartner Research estimates will replace 2.1 million airline seats annually by 2012, costing the travel industry US$3.5 billion a year.

"The (financial) crisis has almost served as a catalyst for businesses to give these products a go as they are now faced with stark budget cuts across the board, especially for business travel," said Tng Szu Lin at IT services provider Datacraft Asia Ltd, adding that enquiries about videoconferencing services have doubled since September.

Cutbacks on first and business class travel and rooms at top hotels also reflect an unwillingness by managers to be seen enjoying luxury fringe benefits at company expense when employees are losing their jobs, analysts say.

CORPORATE JETS

Demand for private jets, which was at an all-time high at the beginning of 2008 has crumbled, according to Deloitte, ironically triggering thousands of job losses at corporate jet makers including Canada's Bombardier Inc this year.

"At a time of political scrutiny of non-essential corporate spending, the mere appearance of spending on 'extravagant' corporate jets can have damaging consequences," said Deloitte in a report on the aviation industry.

Gurley of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives sees little hope of a rebound in business travel to Asia soon even as glimmers of a possible recover emerge.

"Business in the United States will have to pick up first," she said.

Marriott International Inc is undeterred, pushing ahead with plans to open nearly 60 hotels in Asia in the next four years, despite a fourth-quarter loss.

Business travellers account for around 53 percent of its guests in the region and the hotelier says it is confident of strong growth in demand once the economy picks up.


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## hkskyline

*Blair in Sierra Leone to promote tourism: spokesman *
27 April 2009
Agence France Presse

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is to visit Sierra Leone this week to promote the country's potential as a tourism hotspot, a spokesman said Monday.

Blair, who will be in Freetown on Tuesday and Wednesday, will meet President Ernest Koroma as part of his Africa Governance Initiative, which has had nine experts working with the war-torn country for the past six months.

"During this visit Tony Blair will particularly focus on the tourism potential of the country and the fact that Sierra Leone is being recognised as an emerging destination," said the spokesman for Blair, who was lauded for his role in ending Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war.

He added: "The overall aim of the Sierra Leone project is to work with President Koroma and his government to build capacity, improve government systems and attract investment."

The initiative aimed "to help the president achieve his compelling vision of economic development and poverty reduction, overcoming the immense challenges that are faced by a country so recently ravaged by civil war," he said.

The visit will be Blair's fourth to Sierra Leone -- he has previously toured the country in June 2008, and as prime minister in May 2007 and February 2002, the last of which was shortly after the end of the war.


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## hkskyline

*INTERVIEW - Global hotel investment could fall 58% in 2009 *

DUBAI, April 22 (Reuters) - International hotel investment could fall as much as 58.3 percent to $10 billion in 2009 as the global financial crisis spreads to the leisure and tourism industry, an executive at Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels said on Wednesday.

Arthur de Haast told Reuters the firm had noticed the biggest declines in the Americas and Asia with transactions slumping about 80 percent in 2008.

"In 2009, we are currently looking in the range of somewhere between $10 to $15 billion as the likely outcome so a further significant decline on 2008," Haast said in an interview.

Investment volumes in 2008 were about $24 billion, down from $121 billion in 2007, he said.

Globally, travel and tourism gross domestic product is expected to contract by 3.6 percent in 2009 and remain weak in 2010 with marginal growth of less than 0.3 percent, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

JLL Hotels, a unit of real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle , provides financial feasibility studies and consultancy services in the hotel sector.

Haast said the group had worked on deals worth just under $3 billion in 2008, down from about $14 billion in 2007.

"We are beginning to see selective demand coming back for certain areas ... smaller resort hotels that are offering something different," he said. "The ones that are going to lag the most are the large hotels that are dependant on travel groups."


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## hkskyline

*Tourism benefits from weak pound*
BBC
Published: 2009/04/29 15:38:53 GMT










Guernsey's tourism industry is hoping for a good season as a result of the weak pound against the euro, the States director of marketing and tourism says.

Chris Elliott claims interest in the island as a holiday destination has soared, with a 95% rise in brochure demand on last year.

This has led to the States ordering a 31,000 reprint of brochure copies.

Mr Elliott said most interest has come from Britons who do not want to lose out on the pound's poor exchange rate.

"It is an odd year for the tourist industry worldwide because the recession has meant that there are fewer people travelling and those who do are actually travelling are doing so less frequently," he added.

"The weakness of the pound against the euro means that a lot of Britons are wanting a holiday destination where they do not have to change their sterling into euros so they are considering Guernsey."

According to Mr Elliott, with 185,000 holidaymakers visiting Guernsey each year, the tourism industry is worth an annual £80m to the island's economy.

"The island is an ideal destination because it has both a British and French flavour so visitors get the best of both worlds," he said.

"We are a small island measuring four miles (6km) by six miles (10km) but we have more than 200 restaurants, beautiful scenery, wonderful beaches and are generally just an hour's flight from most UK airports.

"And, to top it off, British visitors will see their money go further because they are not losing out by having to convert it when the rate is not to their advantage."


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## hkskyline

*Flu crisis halves Mexico tourist numbers *
1 May 2009
Agence France Presse

Mexico's flu epidemic will cut hotel occupancy rates in the country's main resorts to around 50 percent between May 1 and May 10, the tourism ministry said Friday.

Cancun, a popular spot for Europeans and Americans on the Yucatan Peninsula, has seen 70 percent cancelations and an occupancy rate of 44.8 percent for the period, the statement said.

The luxury Los Cabos resort on the northwestern Baja California peninsula has only 28 percent hotel occupancy, while farther south, the Pacific resort of Puerta Vallarta recorded 1,200 cancelations.

The tourist office in the famous resort of Acapulco announced occupancy rates of 64 percent on Friday as many Mexico City residents fled a virtual shutdown in the capital for a five-day national holiday.

Hotels in Mexico City, the sprawling capital at the heart of the epidemic, saw April occupancy rates between 10 and 15 percent, industry officials said.

Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said Friday the confirmed Mexican death toll now stood at 15 dead and 328 people infected from the H1N1 flu.


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## hkskyline

*China's Mount Wutai, Italy's Dolomites join World Heritage List *
26 June 2009
Agence France Presse

The sacred Buddhist mountain of Wutai in China and Italy's Dolomite Mountains were among five new sites named Friday to UNESCO's World Heritage List.

The tidal flats and wetlands of the Wadden Sea in Germany and the Netherlands, Cape Verde's 15th century town of Cidade Velha and Burkina Faso's Loropeni ruins also became World Heritage Sites, UNESCO announced.

It also inscribed the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in the Philippines as an "extension" to the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, which joined the World Heritage List in 1993.

The announcements were made on the fifth day of a meeting of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee in Seville, Spain.

The committee, which is meeting until June 30, is deciding which of 27 sites deserve to be added to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's heritage list of 881 sites that have "outstanding universal value."

UNESCO said Mount Wutai, a "sacred Buddhist mountain" in northern China that includes 53 monasteries, was named as a "cultural landscape."

It features "the Ming Dynasty Shuxiang Temple with a huge complex of 500 statues representing Buddhist stories woven into three dimensional pictures of mountains and water.

"Overall, the buildings on the site present a catalogue of the way Buddhist architecture developed and influenced palace building in China over more than one millennium."

The Dolomites in northern Italy comprise "a diversity of spectacular landscapes of international significance for geomorphology marked by steeples, pinnacles and rock walls," UNESCO said in a statement.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which makes recommendations to the UNESCO committee, said the mountains were chosen for "their outstanding natural beauty and the geological significance of their limestone formations."

UNESCO said the Wadden Sea "is one of the last remaining natural, large-scale, intertidal ecosystems where natural processes continue to function largely undisturbed.

"It is home to numerous plant and animal species, including marine mammals such as the harbour seal, grey seal and harbour porpoise."

German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel welcomed the decision as "a great day for the protection of nature in Germany", and said the government now had an "obligation to make protection of the site a priority."

A Dutch environmental organisation, Bund, described it as "a great responsibility" for both countries, which must support "tourism that is sustainable and respectful of nature."

UNESCO said Cidade Velha "bears testimony to the history of Europe's colonial presence in Africa and to the history of slavery.

"The town of Ribeira Grande, renamed Cidade Velha in the late 18th century, was the first European colonial outpost in the tropics. Located in the south of the island of Santiago, the town features some of the original street layout, impressive remains including two churches, a royal fortress and Pillory Square with its ornate 16th century marble pillar."

UNESCO said the extension of the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park represents a "threefold increase in the size of the original property."

Josephine Langley, the IUCN's World Heritage Monitoring Officer, added that the park, "composed of two atolls and one reef, is home to a number of threatened and endangered species, such as the iconic Napoleon wrasse."

UNESCO announced Thursday it had removed Dresden's Elbe Valley from its World Heritage List because the eastern German city had gone ahead with the building of a road bridge "in the heart of the cultural landscape."

It is only the second site ever to have been removed from the list, after Oman's Arabian Oryx Sanctuary was dropped in 2007.


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## hkskyline

*Indonesia to ask tourists to wear masks: minister *
29 June 2009
Agence France Presse

Indonesia is planning to ask all people arriving from swine flu-affected countries to wear face masks for at least three days, the health minister said Monday.

The presence of the A(H1N1) virus was confirmed in Indonesia only last week and so far four of the eight known cases have been foreigners.

"Visitors from infected countries should wear masks. It's a precautionary measure we're taking to avoid human-to-human transmission of the virus," Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari told AFP.

"We'll give them the masks when they arrive at the airports and tell them to wear them for three days."

But the minister said the government had no intention of enforcing the precaution, which could do serious damage to the country's stuttering tourism industry.

"There'll be no penalty if people don't wear them. You can't expect people to wear masks when they're swimming," Supari said, adding the masks would be handed out to visitors as soon as possible depending on funding.

She made the announcement after a ministerial meeting to discuss the swine flu outbreak in Indonesia.

Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie chaired the meeting and said funds would be allocated to pay for the masks, Antara news agency reported. Transportation Minister Jusman Sjafii Djamal also attended.

Supari said last week she was particularly worried about Australian tourists who flock to the famous surf beaches of Bali island. More than 300,000 Australian holiday-makers visited the island last year.

Australia is the Asia-Pacific country worst-hit by swine flu with almost 4,000 cases.

Indonesia has been the country hit hardest by avian influenza with 115 deaths since 2005.


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## hkskyline

*Stonehenge to be given greater visitor appeal*

LONDON, May 13 (Reuters) - Britain has given the go-ahead for a new 25 million pound visitor centre at Stonehenge and will shut a road that runs alongside the country's most famous prehistoric monument.

The circle of towering megaliths on Salisbury Plain in southwest England has been at the centre of arguments for years over how to ease congestion and to improve facilities at the World Heritage Site for the thousands of visitors it attracts.

"Stonehenge is our most important and well recognised prehistoric site and as such is absolutely at the heart of our national history and heritage," said Culture Minister Barbara Follett.

"Everyone agrees however that the way is it presented to visitors is far short of ideal."

Built between 3,000 and 1,600 BC, the stone circle might have been a temple, burial ground, astronomical calendar or all three, scholars say.

Nobody knows for sure either how ancient people got the stones, the heaviest of which weighs about 45 tons, to stand upright.

Apart from tourists, the monument attracts thousands of revellers and druids who converge there on the summer solstice -- the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere -- to watch the sun rise.

Two years ago, plans to build a tunnel to protect the site from the regular flow of cars that pass each day on two busy nearby roads were ditched because of the cost, estimated at more than 500 million pounds.

The Stonehenge Programme Board (SPB) has now given approval "in principle" for a new visitor centre to be built at Airman's Corner about 1.5 miles from the current site.

In addition, it has proposed closing the A344 road which takes traffic very close to the stones.

The project will now need planning approval and funding, which will come from both private and public sources.


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## nazrey

*China To Use E-Passport, E-Travel Permits For Macao Residents*
July 01, 2009 12:59 PM

BEIJING, July 1 (Bernama) -- China will start using e-passport and e-TP (Travel Permits) for residents of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) from September 1, 2009, according to a bulletin issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry here on Wednesday.

Both the e-passport and e-TP for the Macao SAR will be travel documents issued by the Chinese government, reports Xinhua news agency.

The holder of the two documents will be permitted to travel to all countries and regions in the world, the bulletin says.

The ministry requests the authorities of all countries and regions to render convenience and necessary assistance to travelers holding the e-passport, it says.

In line with the provisions of Article 139 of the Basic Law of the Macao SAR, the Chinese government has authorized the Macao SAR government to issue e-passport and e-TP according to relevant laws.

According to the bulletin, the Chinese Foreign Ministry already began to provide samples of the Macao SAR e-passport and e-TP and their e-specifications to all countries of the world through diplomatic channels.

The Foreign Ministry hopes that all countries and regions will give positive consideration to offering visa-exempt treatment to Macao SAR passport holders, Xinhua cited the bulletin as saying.

-- BERNAMA

> http://bernama.com.my/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=422119


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## hkskyline

^ They're a bit late in doing this. Hong Kong introduced e-passports in 2007.




























http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/eppt_edi.htm


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## nazrey

Malaysian e-passport since 1998
Malaysia was the first country in the world to issue biometric passports in March 1998


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## hkskyline

While e-passports enable easy access *out-bound*, the fact is, most countries around the world would not simplify *entry* procedures. In fact, in Hong Kong, people can use their smart ID cards to enter using automated machines, and not even have to use an e-passport.


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## hkskyline

*Ethiopia: lifting the mystery on rock churches 'built by angels' *
31 May 2009
Agence France Presse

The ancient mystery shrouding Lalibela, Ethiopia's revered medieval rock-hewn churches, could be lifted by a group of French researchers given the go-ahead for the first comprehensive study of this world heritage site legend says was "built by angels".

The team will have full access to the network of 10 Orthodox chapels chiseled out of volcanic rock -- some standing 15 metres (42 feet) high -- in the mountainous heart of Ethiopia.

Local lore holds they were built in less than 25 years by their namesake, the 13th-century King Lalibela, with the help of angels after God ordered him to erect a "New Jerusalem".

The monolithic structures are located 500 kilometres (300 miles) north of the capital Addis Ababa. Long a holy pilgrimage site in a land proud of its Christian Orthodox heritage, they are also a travel draw in a poverty-stricken country hoping to boost tourism.

The multidisciplinary team of historians, archaeologists, topographers and a specialist in liturgy will spend several weeks probing the subterranean complex to try to identify its origins.

Historian Marie Laure Derat, with the French Centre for Ethiopian Studies (CFEE), said "there are several theories". In one, "an Egyptian patriarch was believed to be the source of these structures, another says the 13th-century King Lalibela built the site from scratch."

"During the day the king would work with Ethiopian artisans and at night he would 'be helped by angels'. Some even cite a key role by the Knights Templar," she said, referring to one of the key Western Christian military orders of the Middle Ages.

Though earlier studies have been carried out, they were generally by lone researchers with restricted access who studied mainly church interiors .

Derat said the heretofore reluctant Orthodox church gave the French team carte blanche to probe "the entire site, not just the churches, to understand how the periods overlap and to read history in this open book that is Lalibela".

Funded by the French government and Ethiopian Airlines, the team is already certain the chapels were not built in one go.

Research chief Francois Xavier Fauvelle said three distinct periods have been identified in the maze of deep tunnels, passageways and chapels, some of which resemble ancient Greek temples.

"There was originally a basalt dome under which we found evidence of cave dwellers. Then there was the construction of a fortress with trenches, a perimetre wall and underground tunnels," he said pointing to rocks he said where once part of the defence wall.

"The third period was established thanks to an enormous mound of earth about 20 metres high that came from the excavation of the church of Gabriel Ruphael," he said, referring to the chapel some believe was once King Lalibela's residence.

"The Ruphael Gabriel church was probably part of the fortress and was turned into a church: the facade was extended, windows opened and a chapel dug out," said Fauvelle.

UNESCO added Lalibela to its world heritage list in 1978, a boon for tourism efforts in this country of 85 million where poverty is rampant and agriculture accounts for nearly half the economy. Visitors can already join organized tours of the site.

But the bid to shed light on its origins has not shaken the Orthodox clergy and faithful here, who contend that Lalibela arose with divine intervention.

"It is God through his angels who made these churches," said Alebachew Reta, spokesman for the Lalibela clergy who insisted "the 10 churches were created in just 24 years."

"You can observe that even one would be difficult to build in that space of time. So for us it is God's work," said Reta. "For the one who created mankind, building these churches was not difficult."


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## nazrey

hkskyline said:


> While e-passports enable easy access *out-bound*, the fact is, most countries around the world would not simplify *entry* procedures. In fact, in Hong Kong, people can use their smart ID cards to enter using automated machines, and not even have to use an e-passport.


Seriously ID cards of Malaysia, *Mykad* also regarded as the world's first smart identity card. Part of the *Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC)* flagship applications, it was officially launched on *September 5, 2001* and incorporates a microchip, which contains several items of data including biometrics. As of 2006, MyKad has eight current and several planned applications which are mostly related to proof of identity or electronic money. From March 2003, a variant issuable to newborn babies was introduced, known as *MyKid*.










Mind to share > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyKad


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## hkskyline

nazrey said:


> Seriously ID cards of Malaysia, *Mykad* also regarded as the world's first smart identity card. Part of the *Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC)* flagship applications, it was officially launched on *September 5, 2001* and incorporates a microchip, which contains several items of data including biometrics. As of 2006, MyKad has eight current and several planned applications which are mostly related to proof of identity or electronic money. From March 2003, a variant issuable to newborn babies was introduced, known as *MyKid*.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mind to share > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyKad


Again, the fact is, these cards facilitate *entry*, but once on foreign soil, foreign governments expect a full passport, and the fact 
that it is an e-passport or normal passport is not going to do much in shortening the immigration process. I think we need to consider this fact since lineups at the in-bound immigration counters are major bottlenecks.


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## hkskyline

*Caribbean states fight to ride out economic storm *

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, July 2 (Reuters) - The Caribbean's small island states ride out hurricanes year after year, but they are fighting to stay afloat in a global economic storm that is battering rich and poor nations alike.

Tiny nations like twin-island St. Kitts and Nevis, a short chain of lush green volcanic cones set in an azure sea, have felt the shocks of the downturn and credit crunch as keenly as the winds and seas that lash them every summer.

Their high dependence on tourism, remittances, investment flows, imports and commodity prices makes than all the more vulnerable to recent worldwide economic tremors that have shaken giants like the United States and China.

Shock has followed shock. First, soaring oil prices last year pushed up energy and food import bills and swelled inflation. Then, recession in the United States and Europe cut tourism and investment flows.

The International Monetary Fund forecasts real 2009 GDP for the eight-member Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), which includes St. Kitts and Nevis, will contract by 2.5 percent "reflecting a sharply-slowing global economy, declining tourist arrivals and foreign direct investment flows, and increased financial sector stresses."

"It's been difficult, it's not without pain, and we have gotten wet," said Richard Skerritt, St. Kitts and Nevis' Tourism Minister, citing a 12 percent January-April drop in visitors from the United States.

Since the local sugar industry closed in 2005, tourism has taken over from "King Sugar" as the economic mainstay on the twin-island state of 40,000 people and now contributes an estimated 40 percent of gross domestic product.

Any dip in visitor activity is painful. The January-April visitor fall-off forced the country's biggest resort, the St. Kitts Marriott, to lay off 100 employees.

"That was a shock, because in a small country, lay-offs hurt everybody," Skerritt said.

Nature too has taken its toll on the former British territory. Hurricane Omar, which pummeled St. Kitts and Nevis last year, forced the closure in October of the Four Seasons, the biggest resort on Nevis, which has still not reopened.

"WEATHERING THE STORM"

To the east, Antigua and Barbuda's hotels suffered a 30 percent decrease in occupancy and government revenue fell by 25 percent, Antigua Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer said.

St. Kitts' Skerritt said his government was fighting back. It had removed some duties and taxes to shield consumers from price rises in basic food, introduced stimulus measures for small hotels and negotiated hard with airlines and big resort operators to try to keep visitors coming.

"We are weathering the storm better than most," Skerritt told Reuters. St. Kitts was banking on the Christophe Harbour project, a big new hotel, marina and golf course development on its southeast peninsula, to attract new visitors.

Skerritt said the new resort was already impacting the local economy and had created some 100 new jobs.

Citing another encouraging sign, he said St. Kitts' cruise passenger arrivals had increased by 150 percent in the last three years, from 200,000 to 500,000, thanks to the Port Zante cruise terminal which now had more than 50 shops.

But spending by cruise visitors was sharply down across the Caribbean, retailers and tour operators said.

"It's the same story in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, all the big retailers are down," said Avi Sippy of Diamond Island Jewelers in Port Zante.

In St. Lucia, whose 170,000 population is one of the largest in the eastern islands, the government is putting a brave face on the situation.

"Tourism arrivals remain fairly buoyant although there is a fair degree of discounting (of prices)," Foreign Affairs and Trade minister Rufus Bousquet told Reuters.

"I'm not suggesting it's a rose garden, but we're paying our bills."

FINANCIAL SHOCKS, SOCIAL STRAINS

At a June summit in St. Kitts of the Venezuelan-backed regional energy alliance PetroCaribe, Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding warned that the recession could stoke social tensions and inequalities.

"Poverty that had been reduced, we are in danger of that poverty returning ... We fear a real danger that we will come out of this crisis with the gap between rich and poor countries widening," Golding said. He demanded "a seat at the table" for small developing countries at global groupings like the G20.

Some analysts see the cumulative shocks straining Caribbean unity. "There is a growing sense of every country for itself," said David Jessop, executive director of the U.K.-based Caribbean Council, that specializes in Caribbean trade issues.

"We're now a year, a year and a half into the global economic crisis and the Caribbean hasn't actually been able to agree a strategy," Jessop added.

Compounding their troubles, recent high-publicity fraud scandals and financial collapses have pummeled the region's financial sector.

Analysts say the case of Texas billionaire Allen Stanford and his Antigua-based banking operation, charged in the United States with running a "massive Ponzi scheme," is another black eye for the Caribbean's offshore finance sector.

The charges have implicated Antigua's top financial regulator, adding force to critics who say the region's financial sector lacks adequate control and oversight.

Similarly, the collapse earlier this year of the Trinidad-based Caribbean business conglomerate CL Financial has sent shock waves through the Eastern Caribbean's financial system, the IMF says.

"High government exposures, credit risk and liquidity risk present major threats to ECCU banking system stability," the fund said in a report published in May.

ECCU members are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Many regional governments view calls from the developed world for the Caribbean to clean up its tax havens as unfair. But some are moving to sign multiple bilateral tax treaties to meet demands for more financial transparency and oversight.

"It's a good way to show transparency and to generate business," said St. Lucia Foreign Minister Bousquet.


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## hkskyline

*Thai 2009 tourist arrivals may fall 20 pct -study *

BANGKOK, July 1 (Reuters) - Thailand may see a drop of up to 20 percent in tourist arrivals this year due to the global economic slowdown and domestic political unrest, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce said on Wednesday.

However, the industry is expected to recover in the first quarter of next year, as long as the global and domestic economies recover and the H1N1 flu outbreak is contained, university economist Thanavath Phonvichai told a news conference. "The industry still has to face problems throughout the year. There are no bright signs yet and we may have to wait for the second stimulus package," he said.

The government plans to spend 1.43 trillion baht ($42 billion) over the three years to finance stimulus spending and fiscal deficits to help the economy out of recession. Spending under the second plan should start this quarter.

The university projected the number of tourist arrivals would fall by 15-20 percent from last year's 14.5 million and revenue would fall 10-15 percent from 520 billion baht last year.

Industry operators want the government to restore confidence to bring back holidaymakers and to help businesses with funding, Thanavath said, citing a survey of some 400 tourism-related firms conducted by the university from June 25-29.

The survey showed that operators expected the flu outbreak to have less impact than political strife, but they wanted both problems to be resolved quickly, he said.

The tourist industry, which employs 1.8 million people and brings in the equivalent of 6 percent of GDP, has still not recovered from a week-long siege of Suvarnabhumi airport late last year, which stranded thousands of tourists.

Violent anti-government protests in April, which prompted the government to impose emergency rule, dealt another blow. ($1=34.02 Baht)


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## hkskyline

*Spanish tourists replacing foreigners in their own country *
3 July 2009
Agence France Presse

The economic crisis means that Spanish hotels will have more domestic than foreign tourists this summer for the first time in decades, an industry official predicted Friday.

In the 1980s an estimated 70 percent of tourists were foreigners, Roman Estalella, head of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation, told the Europa Press news agency.

This year, "Spaniards will spend less on travel by staying" within the country, while the number of overseas tourists will be down by 8.0 percent as the economic crisis hits both Spain iteself and its source markets for tourism.

He said the months May and June have already been "very bad."

And "for the first time", the percentage of domestic tourists taking holidays in Spanish hotels will exceed that of foreigners, he said.

Spain saw a huge boom in tourism development in the 1960s and 70s, which led it to becoming one of the world's top destinations.

It received 57.4 million visitors last year, a 2.6 percent drop from 2007 and the first fall since the current record-keeping system was introduced in 1995.

On Thursday, the UN World Tourism Organisation announced that Spain had fallen from second to third among the world's favorite destinations, behind France and the United States.

The government has forecast a 10-percent fall in tourist arrivals this summer.

Earlier this year, it announced a one-billion-euro loan scheme aimed at hotels and other tourist sector establishments to help them modernise and face up to growing competition from cheaper sunshine destinations.

Estalalla said the regions most affected by the crisis in the tourism industry this summer will be the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands due to "air connectivity problems."

But he said discounts being offered by hotels mean that occupancy will remain high.


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## hkskyline

*UN forecasts higher decline in global tourism in 2009 *
2 July 2009
Agence France Presse

The UN World Tourism Organisation revised its 2009 global tourism forecast down sharply Thursday due to worsening economic growth prospects and uncertainty over the impact of the swine flu.

In the June edition of its "World Tourism Barometer", the Madrid-based body forecast international tourism would decrease between four and six percent this year. In January it had predicted a decline of between zero and two percent.

"The negative trend in international tourism that emerged during the second half of 2008 intensified in 2009," it said in a statement, adding economic growth prospects have been adjusted downwards repeatedly over the past six months.

"There is additional uncertainty regarding the future of the influenza A(H1N1) virus and its effect on demand in the short to medium term," the statement added.

The International Monetary Fund was forecasting growth of over 2.0 percent for the world economy when the UN body issued its tourism forecast in January. The IMF is now forecasting a global economic contraction of 1.3 percent.

During the first four months of 2009, global tourism declined by 8.0 percent from the same period last year to 247 million international tourism arrivals, the UN body said in the statement.

Europe posted a decline of 10 percent between January and April while Asia and the Pacific region saw a decline of 6.0 percent during the period.

Africa and South America were the only regions to buck the downward trend, posting increases of 3.0 percent and 0.2 percent respectively.

"The positive results in Africa reflect the strength of North African destinations around the Mediterranean and the recovery of Kenya as one of leading Sub-Saharan destinations," the statement said.

International tourism arrivals rose 1.9 percent in 2008 over the previous year to 922 million.

France remained the world's top tourism destination that year with 79 million arrivals while the United States regained the second-place position which it lost to Spain after the September 11, 2001 attacks.


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## hkskyline

*World Bank loans Ethiopia 35 mln dollars for tourism *
2 July 2009
Agence France Presse

The World Bank is lending Ethiopia 35 million dollars (25 million euros) to boost tourism, state-media said on Thursday.

The money will go to projects that include "destination, market and institutional developments, capacity building and implementation support, and results monitoring," the Ethiopian News Agency said, quoting a bank statement.

Ethiopia attracted slightly more than 300,000 visitors in 2007, more than double the 148,000 who came in 2001, according to official figures. The sector accounts for around 15 percent of foreign currency earnings.


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## hkskyline

*Hong Kong lawmakers discuss plan to expand Disneyland *
4 July 2009

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong lawmakers said Saturday they would be unwilling to approve a plan to expand the city's Disneyland unless the government and Walt Disney Co. tell them how the theme park has performed since it opened in 2005.

Walt Disney and Hong Kong last week agreed to expand their joint venture, Hong Kong Disneyland, at a cost of 3.5 billion Hong Kong dollars ($450 million), in hopes of boosting the park's fortunes. Hong Kong lawmakers must approve the expansion before construction can begin.

The Burbank, California-based entertainment giant will put up all the new capital to cover the construction and operation costs during the building phases. Hong Kong will not inject any new money but will convert a large portion of the loan it provided to Disney for the construction of the original park, to buy more shares in the venture.

Nevertheless, the territory's total stake is expected to be diluted by the new expansion capital injected by Disney, from about 57 percent to 52 percent.

Scrutinizing the deal Saturday, lawmakers said the Hong Kong executive has not disclosed the park's attendance figures or told them how well it has performed in the more than three years since it opened. They said they needed to see more details of the expansion before they could vote Friday to approve or reject the plan.

"We have to decide whether to approve the commitment of this large sum as equity for the expansion of the park, but we have been given very little information. This is really depressing," said pro-government lawmaker Starry Lee.

Another lawmaker asked whether the government had thought about pulling out of the joint venture altogether.

"Has the government ever considered selling all its shares to Walt Disney?" asked opposition lawmaker Fred Li. "We'll forget about the money we've already lost. We can't put any more money into this bottomless pit."

Rita Lau, Hong Kong's commerce and economic development secretary, said it would be difficult to find investors to buy the government's share in the joint venture because of the park's "poor operating conditions." She did not elaborate.

The proposed expansion would add three new theme areas and 30 new attractions, enlarging the park by nearly a quarter over the next five years.

Hong Kong is also under pressure to increase the theme park's appeal to compete with a proposed Disneyland in Shanghai, which could open in the coming years, and would siphon off Chinese tourists.


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## ch1le

hkskyline said:


> Again, the fact is, these cards facilitate *entry*, but once on foreign soil, foreign governments expect a full passport, and the fact
> that it is an e-passport or normal passport is not going to do much in shortening the immigration process. I think we need to consider this fact since lineups at the in-bound immigration counters are major bottlenecks.


Well, our ID-cards are and have to be accepted atleast in the european union.


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## hkskyline

ch1le said:


> Well, our ID-cards are and have to be accepted atleast in the european union.


But I thought if you're from the EU zone you don't need to go through immigration when travelling to another EU country?


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## hkskyline

*Toronto grapples with smelly problem *
7 July 2009
Agence France Presse

A deepening garbage strike now entering its third week is sullying Toronto's reputation as one of the world's cleanest cities, with overflowing trash cans turning off tourists and residents alike.

"I definitely noticed all the rubbish around, it's not what you think of when coming to Canada," said Australian, Cheryl Karey, who was on holiday in Toronto.

Karey was walking along Queen Street West, a busy retail street in Toronto, where local businesses are now witnessing mounds of smelly black bags strewn about on the sidewalks, which have piled up since the strike started on June 22.

"It's disgusting, there's garbage flying around everywhere, we have to sweep the patio every 30 minutes just to keep it presentable," said Vicki Rivard, manager at David's Tea on the street.

For more than 15 days now none of the garbage and recycling units that dot most street corners in Canada's largest city have been emptied.

And it is the second time in seven years that garbage pick-up has been disrupted, with the last civic strike in 2002.

A block away, street vendor Anthony Vilanova says business is already being hit.

"The garbage is everywhere, I can't even move to another corner," he said, as he sat next to an overflowing trash can.

Two union groups, representing over 30,000 full and part-time city workers including garbage collectors and office staff, have gone on strike protesting proposed cuts in benefits and sick pay.

The key demand is for workers to keep 18 sick days per year, bankable until retirement.

According to an Angus Reid Poll conducted during the first week, 76 percent of 600 residents were opposed to the strike and 81 percent favored provincial back-to-work legislation. The poll had a four percent margin of error.

"I think what they're doing is ridiculous, I have no sympathy for them in this economy, I never get paid for sick days, let alone being able to bank them," said Toronto resident Jeanette Janzen.

Residents have been taking their garbage to 19 temporary sites in parks, parking lots and a hockey rink during the strike.

"I can't tolerate it, I was going to take a picnic this afternoon nearby, but the smell is too much," said Sandra Cripps, a resident who lives two blocks away from one of the temporary sites at Moss Park.

"It's smelly and I hope it ends soon," added Renee Coutts, as she walked by the Moss Park site.

The strike has also shut down local swimming pools, day-care centers and golf courses. In addition to the overflowing garbage units on sidewalks, over 500,000 homes and 20,000 small businesses are not getting their weekly pickup of garbage or recyclable items such as paper and cans.

Two of the sites, at Christie Pits and York Mills arena, were closed at the weekend as they were filled to capacity. The site at Christie Pits had garbage stacked about two meters high and filled an entire outdoor hockey arena.

"I've been able to smell it for a week, garbage delivery should be an essential service, it's a health risk," said Lisa Vettelli who lives directly across from the site.

On Friday, Toronto city mayor, David Miller started to lose patience with the unions.

"I want to say to the unions and to the people they represent: enough is enough. We've made progress at the bargaining table this week and now is the time to end this strike," said Miller.

"This strike should be settled, it can be settled, and it will be settled if people recognize the city's financial situation and agree to an affordable contract," he said. "And back-to-work legislation that provides arbitration won't do that."


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## schmidt

hkskyline said:


> But I thought if you're from the EU zone you don't need to go through immigration when travelling to another EU country?


When I took the boat from Tallinn to Helsinki in March 2008 they didn't ask me anything in Finland, only in Estonia. But normally you don't have to show anything to the authorities. When you arrive in Berlin-Tegel they normally pick some passengers randomly and ask for ID or whatsoever. They did that to me when I came from Barcelona, but not to everybody.


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## jagggn

*Flushing Meadows Resort & Playground*


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## hkskyline

*Thailand woos foreign golfers with sun, sand traps *

BANGKOK, July 10 (Reuters) - Glittering temples, bargain-filled markets, stunning beaches and verdant golf courses: for an increasing number of visitors, Thailand is the ideal recession-friendly holiday destination, down to a tee.

At a time of global economic woes, Thailand is marketing itself as a place for good food, sun and sand traps, in the hope that more golfers will help rescue a floundering tourism industry that still comprises 6 percent of GDP.

"As counterintuitive as it seems, the recession is actually helping Thailand," said Mark Siegel, director of golf tour operator Golfasian, which handles 4,000 overseas golfers a year.

"For example, North Americans normally travel to Scotland and Ireland for their golf holidays. This year however, it has become prohibitively expensive for some. Therefore, rather than cancel their travels, these same golfers are selecting Thailand."

Siegel says Thailand's relative value for money, and 260 golf courses, is one of the reasons why his business has been growing 10 percent a year and is expected to grow 10-20 percent in 2010.

And the estimated $800 million local golf tourism industry appears to be doing better than the overall tourism industry.

A recent study by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce predicted tourist arrivals would drop by as much as 20 percent this year from 2008 levels.

Thailand has struggled to lure tourists back since political demonstrations shut down Bangkok's airports in December. Deadly riots in April that forced the cancellation of an Asian summit also did little to soothe would-be visitors.

"We cannot ignore factors like the world economic crisis, Thailand's political situation and declining disposable incomes," said Boyd Barker, general manager of Hua Hin Marriott & Spa, which estimates 10-15 percent of its guests are golfers.

GOLFERS' PARADISE

Little wonder, then, that Thai tourism has turned to golf as a way to buoy its fortunes, with hotel groups, tour operators and golf properties banding together in the "Golf in a Kingdom" (www.golfinakingdom.com) marketing campaign.

To the Asians who form the bulk of Thailand's golfing tourists, the country has long been seen as a relative bargain when compared with more well-known properties abroad.

At Phuket's Blue Canyon golf course, one of the most expensive, visiting golfers pay up to 5,600 baht ($164), compared with $495 at Pebble Beach in the United States.

And golfers do not only shell out on green fees. They also make up a generally affluent group of who spend substantial sums of money on restaurants, massages, shopping and hotels.

"A big number of Koreans, Japanese, Singaporeans and Europeans are playing golf in the major tourist attractions. But many of them do not come to Thailand just to play golf," said Santi Chudintra, director of the Americas Market Division for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

But the game also has its critics.

The Global Anti-Golf Movement (www.antigolf.org) has charged golf with diverting important resources into course development, polluting the land with chemicals, among other crimes.

Yet the game described by author Mark Twain as "a good walk spoiled" still has many local fans.

LPGA tour member Kate Dunn considers golf one of the pluses of living in Thailand, despite frustrations such as compulsory caddies and higher fees for foreigners at some courses.

"I have played golf in over 100 countries, and the reason why I have settled for so long in Thailand is because of the high quality of golf courses located close to one another," said the Australian player. "The experience is unlike any other country."

($1=34.08 Baht)


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## hkskyline

*Tourism agency reports May drop in Las Vegas convention attendance, room rates*
10 July 2009

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority says fewer meetings and lower attendance at conventions drove Las Vegas visitor numbers down again in May.

Statistics released Thursday by the CVA showed the number of visitors dropped 5.8 percent for the month, to just under 3.2 million.

The CVA says the National Hardware Show and the International Council of Shopping Centers drew half the 50,000 attendees of years past, and there were 565 fewer meetings and conventions in May.

Las Vegas hotel occupancy dropped to 84.4 percent in May 2009, compared with 89.7 percent a year earlier. Weekend occupancy dropped less than 1 percent, to 91.8 percent.

Daily average room rates were down 28 percent, to about $97 per night in May, from $135 per night in May 2008.


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## hkskyline

*Australia PM opposes Uluru climbing ban *
10 July 2009
Agence France Presse

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Friday spoke out against plans to stop people climbing tourist hotspot Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, as debate raged about the ban.

Rudd said it would be "very sad" if visitors couldn't climb the giant red rock, one of Australia's most recognisable landmarks along with Sydney's Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef.

"I think it would be very sad if we got to the stage where Australians, and, frankly, our guests from abroad weren't able to enjoy that experience," he told local radio.

Parks officials this week announced plans to end the popular climb on cultural and safety grounds following consultations with the Aboriginal community, which owns the site and regards it as sacred.

Environment Minister Peter Garrett, former frontman of rock band Midnight Oil, said there were "strong reasons" for the ban, with about 30 tourists known to have died on the steep ascent.

But Rudd said people should have "appropriate access" to the huge rock in Australia's desolate Outback.

"I've run into people from abroad who've climbed it and have had a great experience," he said.

David Ross, director of the Central Land Council, which administers Uluru, immediately hit out at Rudd's comments.

"Prime Ministers come and go," he said in a statement. "Kevin Rudd won't be around forever. One day he'll be gone but Aboriginal people won't. They'll still be there watching people leave tracks up over their sacred site."

Central to the creation mythology of local tribes, Uluru was handed back to its traditional owners in 1985 and elders have reluctantly permitted visitors to walk over it.

Signs erected at the site ask people not to climb the rock out of respect for the Aboriginal community, but about one-third of the 350,000 annual visitors still do so.

Local officials claim fully closing Uluru would worsen Australia's steadily declining tourist numbers, and Rudd said public safety and other concerns could be addressed through appropriate management plans.


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## hkskyline

*Athens hotels say Jan-May revenues down 21 pct *

ATHENS, July 13 (Reuters) - Athens hoteliers said on Monday revenues in the first five months of the year fell 20.8 percent due to the adverse economic environment and riots that rocked Greece in December.

Greece, which receives about 15 million tourists a year is one of Europe's biggest tourism destinations and how the sector fares this year is crucial to the Greek economy, which faces its first recession since 1993 as the global downturn bites.

"Total revenues per room were down 20.8 percent in the first five months of 2009," the Attica Hotels Association said in a statement.

It said average room rates had dropped by 5.1 percent in the same period, while hotel room occupancy fell by 16.6 percent.

The association said that the country's worst riots in decades, triggered by the police shooting of a 15-year-old and fuelled by anger at youth unemployment, hurt the country's image and turned visitors away.

It also urged the government and tourism enterprises to take measures and protect the sector, which accounts for about 18 percent of GDP and employs one in five Greeks.

Greece has said it expects tourist arrivals to drop by up to 11 percent this year, but some destinations such as the Aegean island of Santorini have already been badly hurt, with arrivals down nearly 70 percent year-on-year in the first quarter.


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## hkskyline

*Angola to build over 28 hotels by 2011 - minister *

LUANDA, July 15 (Reuters) - Angola plans to build over 28 hotels by 2011 in a bid to satisfy demand for rooms from tourists and businessmen to the southwestern African nation, Tourism Minister Pedro Mutindi said on Wednesday.

The oil-producing country is recovering from a ruinous civil war that ended in 2002 and destroyed most of its infrastructure. Tourists lucky enough to find a room in Luanda have to pay up over $400 per night.

Mutindi told reporters Angola would be able to meet demand from tourists and soccer teams attending the African Nations Cup next year. About 10,000 tourists are expected to come to Angola during the Jan. 10-31 event. InterContinental Hotels , the world's biggest hotelier, is building a high-rise luxury hotel and casino in the capital Luanda and other international groups are expected to follow.

"Until 2011 the Angolan government has planned to build 28 hotels nationwide, and will give priority to two and four-star hotels," he said.


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## Jan Del Castillo

*Good news of Angola. Regards.*


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## hkskyline

*SKorea's tourism plug sparking negative response: official *
15 July 2009
Agence France Presse

South Korea is considering changing its official tourism slogan "Korea, Sparkling" because it sounds too much like a fizzy drink brand, according to the man in charge of promoting the nation's image overseas.

The other national slogan "Dynamic Korea" can also give a negative image of violent demonstrations, Thursday's newspapers quoted presidential adviser Euh Yoon-Dae as saying.

Euh, who heads the Presidential Council on National Branding, said the tourism association's "Korea, Sparkling" frequently conjures up images of mineral water among foreigners.

And while "Dynamic Korea" aims to reflect the characteristics of the fast-growing nation, "some say the slogan induces images of violent demonstrations," he added.

"So it should be changed to better describe the nation's image as a strong IT country," Euh said in a lecture Wednesday to parliamentarians, adding that a foreign firm would be asked to research a new tourism slogan.

As an alternative to "Dynamic Korea," Euh suggested "Miraculous Korea" -- a reference to the dramatic growth in earlier decades often termed the "Miracle on the Han."

Euh cited the North Korean nuclear crisis, fractious domestic politics, street demonstrations and "unkindness" as factors behind a negative national image.

"One of the wrong promotional efforts is to take foreigners to the Demilitarised Zone (on the border with the North)," news reports quoted him as saying.

"Once the foreigners return to their home countries, their only memory about South Korea tends to be its confrontation with North Korea."


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## hkskyline

*Opening to tourism, Syria flaunts hidden treasures * 

DAMASCUS, July 17 (Reuters) - Iranian pilgrims pray beside Arabs at the 8th-century Umayyad Mosque, one of Islam's grandest sites. Down a nearby alley, European tourists watch restoration work at an Ottoman-era palace being converted into a hotel.

"I've not seen such contrast between image and the reality," said German tourist Anna Kopola, looking at Syrian art on display in a gallery in the capital, Damascus. "Syria is portrayed as a centre of terrorism in the West but it's peaceful and modern."

While tourists have long travelled to see Egypt's pyramids, tense ties with the West made Syria a no-go zone for decades.

Few have heard of the magnificent ruins at Dura Europos, a Greco-Roman city dubbed the Pompeii of the desert, or Krak des Chevaliers, among the world's greatest Crusader castles.

But a rapprochement with the West -- Syria this month invited U.S. President Barack Obama to Damascus for talks -- and the gradual liberalisation of an economy that long shunned foreign input are helping Syria shed its pariah state image.

"Nicolas Sarkozy's visit last year was a boost," Antoine Mamarbachi, a tour operator said of the French president.

"Syria is no longer a persona non grata."

Tourist numbers rose 15 percent last year and Tourism Minister Saadallah Agha al-Qalaa expects 40,000 new hotel beds to become available in the next three years, up from 48,000 now.

Demand has grown so fast, he said, that Syrian tourism may escape the impact of the global downturn that has hit the sector worldwide. Tourism already accounts for 13 percent of Syria's gross domestic product and will only become more important as the Arab country's dwindling oil production falls further.

Syria has so far tended to attract visitors from other parts of the Middle East, who are less perturbed by its image and more interested in its beach resorts. Two-thirds of visitors last year were Arab, but promotional campaigns by the state and tour operators over the last year have targeted high-end Europeans.

NEW CHAPTER IN RICH HISTORY?

As the East-West crossroads of the ancient world, Syria has been a trade hub for centuries, attracting European adventurers from Lawrence of Arabia to Freya Stark.

Dura Europos, the ruined walled city above the banks of the Euphrates, produced early examples of Judaic and Christian art. The Umayyad dynasty made Damascus the capital of a Muslim empire that stretched to Spain.

Legend has it that two heads are buried beneath the Ummayad Mosque -- those of John the Baptist and Imam Hussein, an early Islamic figure whose killing in 680 AD cemented Shi'ite-Sunni splits.

But Syria's modern history has been dominated by its struggle with Israel and Soviet-style policies since the Baath Party's 1963 coup that reduced it to an economic backwater.

The United States imposed sanctions on Syria in 2004 and the government faces two United Nations investigations, although tensions have eased in recent months and Washington said in June it would appoint an ambassador to Damascus after a four-year hiatus.

"The business environment in Syria is still poorer than its neighbours, but this is a virgin market and the fact that so many investors are coming shows that the risk is worth taking," said Jihad Yazigi, editor of the Syria Report online newsletter.

Only in the past decade has Syria eased restrictions on foreign exchange and banking and allowed companies to transfer profits abroad. But it remains among the world's hardest places to do business, according to World Economic Forum study.

Courts lack safeguards against political interference and the workforce lacks language skills and training. Yet the risks have not put off investors from the oil-exporting Gulf.

Qatari Diyar, a real estate company owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, is building a $350 million resort on the Mediterranean coast. Kuwait's Kharafi group is building a 361-room hotel in Damascus. Global hotel brands including Movenpick, Kempinski and Holiday Inn also plan developments.

"Syria is a bargain, although it needs to develop its infrastructure," said Kuwaiti businessman Abdul Hameed Dashti.

SWEEP OF HISTORY

In the covered souqs of Old Damascus, Western tourists now shop for Syrian kilims and amble from the tomb of the Mamluk ruler Baibars to courtyard houses-turned-boutique hotels.

Gone are the days when a visitor could wander through the ruins of Palmyra, a classical city that rises like a mirage from the eastern desert, without encountering another soul.

"Syria needs to do more preservation. I was in Lebanon and the level of indiscriminate construction made me never want to go back," said Swiss tourist Roland Diethelm, who was having a drink on a hotel terrace overlooking the ruins at Palmyra.

Repeated wars have left scars on Syria's neighbour Lebanon but those tourists who do make the journey often combine it with a short drive to Damascus.

Construction across Syria has been chaotic but investors are taking increasing care to preserve the character of Old Damascus and Aleppo, realising that this is what many Europeans crave.

Opened a year ago, Beit Zaman hotel is a painstakingly restored 300-year-old courtyard house located on Damascus' Roman-era Straight Street, which is mentioned in the Bible.

The hotel now hosts luxury tourists and special events.

"Our customers appreciate the restoration work we have done and the feel of Old Damascus," said Beit Zaman spokeswoman Solar Arissian. "It took some time, but we are seeing more competition and efforts to promote Syria that are attracting more tourists."


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## hkskyline

*Spain tourism slowdown eases in June, helped by UK *

MADRID, July 21 (Reuters) - The number of foreign visitors to Spain fell 10 percent in June versus a year ago, a slight improvement on the January-May period, figures showed on Tuesday.

Compared with the earlier five months, there was a marked slowdown in the decline in British visitor numbers, the biggest segment of an industry accounting for 11 percent of Spain's economy.

The ministry of tourism and industry said 5.2 million foreigners arrived in June, a 10 percent fall which was in line with the government's forecast for the summer months, versus a cumulative 11.8 percent drop for the year to the end of May.

1.5 million Britons flocked to Mediterranean resorts like Alicante, Ibiza and Malaga -- 11.6 percent fewer than a year ago but a 6.2 percentage point improvement on January to May.

Britons make up 26 percent of all Spain's visitors, while Germans account for 18 percent. Their numbers fell 10.4 percent year on year -- a 1.2 point moderation versus the first five months.

June is usually the fourth most important month of the year.

Spanish tourism has taken a battering from the weak pound and a longer-term structural change in holidaymakers' shift away from packed beach destinations.

"They must work to correct weaknesses in Spain as a tourist destination unless they want to kill the goose which lays the golden egg for the economy," consumer association Adeces said on Tuesday, blaming rising noise levels, environmental destruction, high prices and over-saturation of the marekt.

According to preliminary figures, Spain last year lost its spot as the second-most visited destination in the world to the United States. France is the most popular holiday spot.

Following sustained criticism from the sector, the government has announced plans to spend around 1 billion euros to improve the infrastructure this year; part of one of the world's largest economic stimulus plans in relative terms.

In the first six months of the year, foreign tourist arrivals dropped 11.4 percent to 23.6 million.


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## hkskyline

*Sri Lanka's air force turns to tourist flights after war*
22 July 2009
Agence France Presse

Sri Lanka's air force announced Wednesday it would run domestic flights to meet an expected surge in tourism following the end of nearly four decades of fighting with Tamil rebels.

Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said fixed-wing aircraft would operate from the capital Colombo to the northern peninsula of Jaffna and the eastern coastal resort of Trincomalee.

A helicopter service will also operate to Sigiriya, a 5th century rock fortress declared a world heritage site by UNESCO.

"Initially we will operate a thrice-weekly service," Nanayakkara said, adding the flights would start within a week.

Sri Lanka's air force has a fleet of transport helicopters and aircraft which played a key role in the military's victory against Tamil Tiger rebels in mid-May.

Military officials said the air force was gearing up for a peace time role serving an expected increase in tourists visiting the island nation.

At the height of fighting, the government banned all domestic commercial flights fearing that Tamil rebels could use a hijacked aircraft to carry out attacks.


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## hkskyline

*Saddam palace suffers as Iraq seeks tourists *

BABYLON, Iraq, July 23 (Reuters) - Revenge and romance define the fate of one of Saddam Hussein's sumptuous palaces, to which Iraqis who suffered under his rule return to vandalise and others flock to honeymoon in a rare oasis of luxury.

The monolithic stone structure sits on a man-made hill overlooking the ancient city of Babylon, 100 km (62 miles) south of Baghdad, a naked attempt to compete with the grandeur of the millennia-old structures below.

Grand marble halls, stunning views of the Euphrates river and beautifully carved wall panels could make the building a handsome conference centre or museum, but six years after Saddam's fall, Iraq is still struggling to encourage tourists.

"We've had to stop people visiting a month ago. They're coming to take revenge, breaking things and leaving graffiti," said Burkan Jabbar, deputy director of the palace grounds and associated buildings, which have been turned into a resort.

Iraqi authorities had planned to make use of the building but ran out of money for its rehabilitation after a fall in oil prices from last year dented Iraq's oil-dependent budget.

Nearby, the Babylon ruins are in need of repair and far from ready for tourists. Although security has improved greatly in Iraq, attacks are still common and keep most tourists away.

The palace, one of several constructed by Saddam, was built in 1988, before U.N. sanctions thrust many Iraqis into malnourishment and deprived others of needed medicine.

Looted after U.S. troops invaded in 2003, the palace also shows more recent signs of destruction. Fresh graffiti covers the walls, and the stench of urine makes it difficult to enter bathrooms once famed for their gold fittings.

"Saddam, please clean the bathroom after you've used it," reads one message in a filthy bathroom, now stripped bare.

A hoop had been nailed to a delicately carved wooden panel of arabesques, converting a regal hall into a basketball court.

"Power would never have reached you if it had remained in the hands of those before you," read one poetic piece of graffiti, a famous Arab proverb on the transience of power.

"Saddam is a bastard," read one more blunt statement.

Birds fluttered about the ceilings of the ornately plastered halls, having flown in through the building's smashed windows.

SADDAM AND GOD

The palace is not all bad news for Iraqi tourism. Its guest house has been hugely popular with newlyweds after it was converted into a hotel and is still receiving guests.

Once meant for dignitaries and Saddam's army of guards, only one man now guards the palace, kept company by two pet kittens.

The guesthouse rooms cost up to about $170 a night, and the vast presidential suite features a flatscreen TV and gold coloured furniture in keeping with the palace's mood.

Its gardens have been well kept, and the smell of flowers wafts on the summer breeze. The grounds feature a banquet hall with a giant chandelier and a ceiling festooned with arabesques.

The spot is a rare oasis of calm and beauty in a country ravaged by war, explaining its popularity with honeymooners.

In the banquet hall, original Arabic script praises Saddam: "Oh Saddam, flower of Iraq, whose laugh lights up the land."

The hall's cupola is adorned with self-given names for Saddam, like "the warrior", "the victorious" and "the brave".

Such motifs are usually used in mosques to praise God.

When asked what he thought of the hall, now a restaurant, customer Ali Turky smiled and repeated the old proverb on power.

"I hope the current authorities aspire to Saddam's level of construction," he added, sweeping his gaze across the hall.

"But not his level of oppression."


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## hkskyline

*Britain asks Greece to cut down "booze tourism" *

ATHENS, July 23 (Reuters) - Britain urged Greece on Thursday to ban organised "bar-hopping" tours and clamp down on doctored drinks to help stop young British tourists getting into alcohol-related trouble, officials said.

British holidaymakers account for about a fifth of the 15 million tourists a year who visit Greece, one of Europe's top holiday destinations. But young Britons have gained notoriety for drunken, violent and sometimes indecent behaviour.

Police officials from both countries met on the island of Zakynthos to discuss the problem on Thursday. Britain has already urged young tourists not to drink too much while on holiday in Greece.

"The British police officials called for more controls on bars to prevent drink adulteration and the illegal sale of alcohol to minors, and asked police to use less violence when arresting drunken tourists," said a Greek police official who declined to be named.

British embassy officials declined to comment.

According to British Foreign Office data, 16- to 20-year olds represent a third of all Britons visiting Greece, but account for more than 70 percent of Britain's annual 800-900 consular cases there.

In May, 17 British men went on trial dressed in nun's habits after being arrested for baring their bottoms in public on the island of Crete.

Greece's conservative government vowed to clean up resorts last year, saying much drink-related misconduct was due to profit-hungry bar owners supplying tourists with drinks adulterated with industrial alcohol.

Flyers, beer mats and business cards reading "If you drink too much, things can get out of control" will be handed out to British tourists on Greek islands this year as part of a British campaign titled "Another side to paradise".


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## hkskyline

*Spain expects 10 percent drop in foreign tourists this year *
25 July 2009
Agence France Presse

Spain expects foreign tourist arrivals to drop by up to 10 percent this year due largely to the global economic downturn, Industry and Tourism Minister Miguel Sebastian said Saturday.

"Our forecast is that the end of the year will be better than the data that we are seeing now. While we will close with a decline in arrivals it will not be more than 10 percent," he told reporters after meeting with sector leaders in the holiday island of Palma de Mallorca.

The decline is due mostly to a sharp fall in the number of visitors from Britain, Spain's main source of foreign visitors, because of the drop in the value of the pound, and severe recession, he added.

The number of foreign tourists who visited Spain fell 11.4 percent during the first half of 2009 over the same time last year to 23.6 million, according to government data released earlier in the week.

The number of British tourists, who account for one-quarter of all visitors to Spain, dropped 16.6 percent during the period while the number of German tourists fell 11 percent.

Germany is the second most important source of tourists to Spain, accounting for 18 percent of all visitors to the country.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's socialist government approved Friday a new stimulus package for the tourism sector worth one billion euros (1.4 billion dollars).

The new aid package brings the total amount alloted to the sector so far this year to two billion euros, Sebastian said.

The government is also seeking to attract more tourists from growing markets such as Russia and China and develop rural and cultural tourism to compensate for a decline in the number of sunseekers.

"We are seeking through rural development, through new products like scientific tourism, cultural tourism, gastronomic tourism, to raise tourism revenues through better quality," Sebastian told public television TVE.

Spain saw a huge boom in tourism development in the 1960s and 70s, which led it to becoming one of the world's top destinations.

But the country lost its spot as the second-most visited country in the world to the United States last year, according to the United Nations' World Tourism Organisation.

France remained the world's most popular holiday destination.

Spain received 57.4 million visitors last year, a 2.6 percent drop from 2007 and the first fall since the current record-keeping system was introduced in 1995.

The emergence of cheaper sunshine destinations in other Mediterranean countries like Turkey and Tunisia and the declining popularity of package beach holidays which Spain helped pioneer are other factors blamed for the decline in tourist arrivals.

The tourism sector accounts for about 11 percent of Spain's jobs and gross domestic product, with the bulk of the industry's income generated in Spain's ageing "sun and beach" destinations that dot its southern coast.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism within Arab states to grow in 2009 - report *

DUBAI, July 21 (Reuters) - Tourism in Arab countries is expected to rise between 2 to 6 percent this year as frugal residents, wary of the new H1N1 flu, opt to travel within the region, the World Tourism Organisation said on Tuesday.

Arab travellers are expected to spend less due to the financial crisis, but they will be encouraged to travel within the region due to the limited spread of swine flu in the Arab world, the organisation said in a report.

The Middle East saw the highest tourism growth rate in the world in 2008 with an 11 percent increase, compared to 2 percent in the rest of the world, it added.

The number of tourists visiting Jordan is not expected to decline this year, with more than half of the total 4.8 million Arab tourists planning to spend their holidays there in 2009, while an estimated 2 million tourists, mostly Arabs, are expected to visit Lebanon, the report said.

The tourism sector could provide 10.5 million jobs -- 10 percent of the total workforce -- in the Middle East and North Africa region in 2009, according to the International Travel and Tourism Council.

Figures cited by the report showed that Arab Gulf countries are estimated to spend $20 billion on vacations every year, led by Saudi tourists with $8.5 billion. Kuwaiti and UAE tourists spend $5 billion each, followed by Qatari, Omani and Bahraini tourists.


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## hkskyline

*Mexico City gives medical insurance to tourists *
28 July 2009

MEXICO CITY (AP) - The Mexico City government has launched a program to provide medical insurance to cover tourists who face health problems while visiting the capital.

Mayor Marcelo Ebrard says the program was proposed during the April swine flu outbreak that battered the tourism industry in the city, which is visited by about 7 million tourists each year.

The city government stressed Tuesday that the program will cover treatment for swine flu, as well as treatment for other health emergencies. The city will pay the deductible cost of $30 for the plan, which will be available through December.

Tourism authorities say hotel occupancy is back up to about 59 percent, after having fallen to as low as five percent around the time of the outbreak.


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## hkskyline

*Vegas casinos cut costs, slash room prices in 2Q *
30 July 2009

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Declines in convention business and tourism took their toll on Las Vegas casino operators in the second quarter, as Wynn Resorts Ltd. and Las Vegas Sands Corp. each reported worse results Thursday than they did a year earlier.

Wynn Resorts said its profit dropped 91 percent to $25.5 million, or 21 cents per share, down from $272 million, or $2.42 per share last year.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. reported a loss of $175.9 million, compared with a loss of $8.8 million a year earlier.

The two companies -- with similar businesses but different philosophies in management -- both faced pressures to cut room rates and their operating costs -- all while maintaining an experience for guests worthy of high-end prices.

Wynn Resorts, run by billionaire CEO Steve Wynn, has cut about $100 million in annual costs for its two casino resorts in Las Vegas, but Wynn says further cuts could hurt the morale of his employees and affect his guests.

"There is a very surreal question here: Is it intelligent to ruthlessly grind every last dime out of this place when it involves dislocating groups of your employees?" Wynn said. "Oh yes, the quarter looks better and you have one of these fancy phone calls. But is that good business? I think not."

Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire chairman and chief executive of Las Vegas Sands, said cuts that will save the company $500 million each year are an important prong of a three-part strategy that involves finishing its Marina Bay Sands casino in Singapore next year and raising additional liquidity.

"We don't feel as uncomfortable as some people might think," Adelson said.

Both companies took hits to their room rates and revenue at their hotels in Las Vegas.

Wynn Resorts' two Las Vegas casinos combined generated $188 per available room during the second quarter this year, compared with $292 last year, when Wynn operated only one casino in town.

Also, tellingly, Wynn's overall revenue in Las Vegas did not rise significantly despite the opening of an entire new casino with 82 table games, 812 slot machines, more restaurants and shopping.

At Sands, revenue per available room -- known as revpar and a key hospitality industry metric because it takes occupancy rates into account -- dropped to $190 at its Palazzo resort and $166 at the Venetian. Revpar for both hotels were above $220 last year.

Sands officials said they were giving away more rooms to slot players instead of lowering prices across the board because they want to preserve higher rates as much as possible.

Business travelers, Sands' core target customers, traditionally are willing to pay more for rooms than tourists, though midweek rates and convention business has been down significantly more than weekend tourism in Las Vegas.

"We think we can get away with something $50 or $75 more than what just a plain hotel room can get," Adelson said. "So not all Vegas properties are created equal."

Michael Leven, Sands' president and chief operating officer, said the company was keeping a close eye on customer responses as it cut costs.

"We're very, very aware of the fact that we can't absorb customer complaints," he said. "We've seen nothing to indicate that we've gone too far."

Sands' adjusted earnings amounted to 1 cent per diluted share, excluding one-time items, in line with analysts' average forecast. The company's net quarterly revenue was $1.06 billion, a decrease of 4.8 percent from $1.11 billion a year earlier and just below the $1.08 billion analysts expected.

Wynn adjusted profit of 9 cents per share, excluding one-time items, beat analyst expectations of a penny loss per share. But the quarterly revenue of $723.3 million fell 12 percent from $825.2 million in last year's second quarter and fell short of analysts' prediction of $739.3 million.


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## hkskyline

*Greek tourism holding up in global downturn: minister *
3 August 2009
Agence France Presse

Greece's vital tourism industry is holding up in "satisfactory fashion" against fears of serious losses due to the global economic downturn, the Greek tourism minister said on Monday.

"Despite the economic situation things are proceeding in satisfactory fashion... the disaster scenarios fortunately have not been fulfilled," Tourism Minister Costas Markopoulos told reporters after briefing Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

Economic slowdown and job losses in the United States, Britain and Germany, which generate the bulk of Greece's tourism income, had alarmed local operators with one prominent association warning in April that the industry stood to lose five billion euros (7.1 billion dollars) this year and thousands of jobs.

At the time, the association of Greek tourism enterprises (SETE) said early bookings indicated a 20-percent drop in arrivals and cruise ship demand.

Markopoulos on Monday said the latest figures pointed to a drop "between one and two digits."

The Bank of Greece recently reported that tourism proceeds in the first five months of the year fell 17.9 percent -- or 1.7 billion euros -- compared with the same period last year.

The country's main source of income after shipping, tourism makes up 18 percent of the Greek economy and employs over 850,000 people directly or indirectly, according to the tourism ministry.


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## hkskyline

*Latvian mayor sick of unruly British tourists *
4 August 2009
Agence France Presse

Latvia's capital Riga is fed up with unruly British tourists who head to the city for boozy holidays, damaging its reputation among other would-be visitors, its mayor said in an interview published Tuesday.

Nils Usakovs told the monthly magazine Rigas Laiks that he aimed to attract a wider range of visitors to the picturesque city as the Baltic state tries to battle a deepening recession.

"The only problem is that we have a large share of those British tourists," said Usakovs.

"If we also had other tourists, then British visitors who piss about all the time would not be as noticeable ... Let's not be politically correct -- unfortunately this is their speciality," he added.

A major sore point has been tourists who urinate on central Riga's imposing Freedom Monument, a symbol of Latvia's struggle against centuries of foreign domination.

Visitors have regularly been arrested and fined for relieving themselves on the monument, or for having their pictures taken on it in the nude.

Over recent years, Riga has become a popular low-cost destination for young Britons on stag weekends, the often drunken ritual of partying hard with a groom before his wedding.

Many locals and tourism officials have grown weary of their antics which they see as a turn-off for other visitors.

Usakovs' outburst is not the first by a senior Latvian official.

Last year, the country's then interior minister, Mareks Seglins, lashed out at "English pigs" for being a "dirty, hoggish people."

President Valdis Zatlers rebuked Seglins, saying that while foreigners should obey the law, Latvian officials should not resort to name-calling.

The British embassy in Riga has frequently expressed regret over the behaviour of its citizens but underlined that most are not trouble-makers and should not be associated with the unruly minority.


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## hkskyline

*Fabled Timbuktu bent on wooing tourists, despite terror scare *
7 August 2009
Agence France Presse

The fabled desert city of Timbuktu has long fired the imagination of travelers but an outbreak of fierce fighting in the region has sparked concern that tourists may snub this African treasure.

"Each tourist season, we have around 11,000 tourists. That is good for the local economy," said Mahamane Dady, a local official from the Malian tourism office.

"But with the recent problems linked to security in the region, we are crossing our fingers."

Clashes between a regional branch of Al-Qaeda, called Al-Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), and soldiers on July 4 killed "dozens" of people in the Timbuktu region, according to the army.

Mali's President Amadou Toumani Toure has since stepped up an offensive to counter AQIM, announcing a "total struggle" against the group.

So far, tourists are streaming into this UNESCO world heritage site in northwestern Mali, an oasis with towering mosques and monuments that emerged as a trade hub in the 13th century then developed into an important spiritual and intellectual centre of the Islamic world in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its name is still a metaphor in many cultures for exotic, distant lands.

"Timbuktu is very nice. I don't fear for my safety here, I am not frightened," said Lisa, a Spanish tourist who gave only here first name as she was fitted in a local shop for a "boubou", the ample traditional robe worn in much of West Africa.

Western countries, notably France and the United States, have expressed concern about the development of the north African branch of Al-Qaeda, which has stepped up attacks in recent years, particularly in Mali and Mauritania.

In another incident last month, AQIM took four European tourists and two Canadian diplomats hostage in northeast Mali and neighbouring Niger, executing a British tourist but finally releasing the others.

But tourism officials insist Timbuktu remains safe and are working hard to spread the message -- notably with increased security and cut-price offers.

"Security problems? It's not in Timbuktu or the surrounding region," said Dady. "It's always on the other side of Mali that this happens," he said, referring to the July kidnappings.

Outside the city's oldest hotel, Le Bouctou, a tour guide who gave his name as Iba said business was stable, with 30 "confirmed" tourist bookings so far this year against 35 the previous year.

Another guide, Ayouba Ag Moha, has actually seen client numbers rise to 55 from 42 in 2008, criticising travel warnings issued by several countries against visiting the northern part of Mali.

One of the world's poorest countries, Mali has invested in tourism to boost revenue.

"It's our job to explain to tourists that they are safe with us," the guide said.

To do this, local authorities and even some guides are employing security guards -- quietly.

"We have guards in civilian clothing in Timbuktu and the region who provide discreet security for tourists and the people," one security official said.

"But it's very important for tourists to feel free," said a tour guide named Baba. "I don't tell them they're being guarded."

Cut prices are also wooing visitors.

Outside a large tent, a group of 10 tourists said they had booked a tour of the area for "only" 125,000 CFA francs (190 euros, 273 dollars), instead of the original fee of 200,000 CFA francs.

And one local hostel owner said he's booked full, pulling in tourists by offering a free traditional barbecue, or "mechoui".

"We start by barbecuing a camel," he explained. "Inside, there is beef. Inside the beef, there is mutton, inside the mutton there is chicken, inside the chicken there is a pigeon. And inside the pigeon there is an egg."

The only drawback -- tourists wait six hours for the meal to cook.


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## hkskyline

*FACTBOX-Crisis hurts tourism in Europe*

Aug 12 (Reuters) - Here are some details about winners and losers in tourism around Europe:

WINNERS:

* ICELAND -- A dramatic tumble in the Icelandic crown has attracted foreign tourists and encouraged residents to spend their holidays at home. Iceland has also benefitted from publicity over its crisis, with more travellers now aware of the remote, glacial land.

LOSERS:

* AUSTRIA -- Austria's economic research institute, Wifo, expects tourism by foreigners to contribute 3.5 percent less in real terms to Austria's GDP in 2009.

* BULGARIA -- Foreign tourist visits dropped 8 percent in the first six months on an annual basis to 2.12 million people. The decrease in June alone was 12.7 percent, data from the statistics office showed. Industry officials expect about 20 percent fewer tourists to visit Bulgaria's Black Sea resorts.

* CROATIA -- Official figures show the overall number of tourists fell 7 percent in the first six months of 2009, but the number of stays was down by just 3 percent. Tourist revenues fell 4.4 percent in Q1. However, the last weekend in July and the first in August, seen as the peak of the season, recorded an unexpectedly high number of foreign arrivals, prompting officials to say the season may not turn out as bad as feared.

* CZECH REPUBLIC -- Prague, the Czech Republic's main tourist destination, saw an 18 percent fall in tourism numbers in Q1 as Europeans and Americans cut back travel, according to the government agency CzechTourism.

* FRANCE -- France faces a lacklustre rather than disastrous tourist season, with stay-at-home French holidaymakers helping make up for a drop in foreign visitors, tourism officials say. French tourism body Protourisme said there was a 7 percent drop in the number of nights people stayed in French hotels, camp sites and B&Bs during July.

* GREECE -- Greek tourism industry groups see their revenues falling about 15 percent in 2009. Tourism accounts for nearly a fifth of Greece's 250 billion euros ($358.9 billion) economy.

* HUNGARY -- In the January-May period, the number of foreign tourists dropped by 15.6 percent year-on-year, with foreign guest nights falling by 14.2 percent.

* ITALY -- Tourism accounts for about 10 percent of GDP. Turnover for summer 2009 is expected to drop 15 percent, according to trade body Confturismo-Federalberghi. Hotel bookings by Italian and foreign tourists were down 7.1 percent between January and July, mainly due to the economic downturn and swine flu.

* SLOVENIA -- In the first six months of 2009 the number of overnight stays fell by 5 percent compared to the same period in 2008, the Statistical Office said in July.

* SPAIN -- Spain's tourism industry accounts for about 11 percent of the country's economy. In the first six months of the year, foreign tourist arrivals dropped 11.4 percent to 23.6 million, although there was a slight improvement in June, mainly due to a slowdown in the decline of British tourists, according to official figures.

* SWITZERLAND -- Switzerland expects the number of hotel stays to fall by over 7 percent in the summer season from May to October, the sharpest drop since 1982.

* TURKEY -- The tourism industry looks to have held up well in terms of foreign arrivals. The number of visitors in the first six months of 2009 fell only 0.9 percent to 10.6 million. However, those tourists are spending significantly less. Tourism receipts fell by 9.6 percent in the second quarter to $4.24 billion, after falling 11.2 percent in the first quarter.

* SOME NUMBERS:

According to the U.N. tourism barometer, worldwide international tourism arrivals are down 8 percent from January-April 2009, with Europe second-worst hit -- down 10 percent. The Middle East was down 18 percent.

Outbound tourism from Europe's second largest market, Britain, has been strongly affected by the depreciation of sterling.

Source: Reuters bureaux/United Nations World Tourism Barometer


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## hkskyline

*Decline in Asian travel seen slowing: Abacus *
13 August 2009
Agence France Presse

The rate of decline in Asia's travel industry should slow in the second half of this year as the global economy stabilises, but risks remain, a top industry player said Thursday.

Abacus International, an Asian air ticketing and reservations firm, forecast travel bookings from July to December would fall between 4.0 and 6.0 percent from a year earlier, compared with the 10 percent drop seen in the first half.

"It's true that there is evidence of green shoots sprouting and lining the path that the industry is travelling on right now, which is great news," said Abacus president and chief executive Robert Bailey.

"However, this road is still likely to be a bumpy one."

The risks include terrorist attacks like the hotel bombings in Jakarta last month and a further escalation of the swine flu virus.

Despite the travel industry being hammered by the global economic slump, there were also bright spots, with Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, China, Pakistan, Nepal and Kazakhstan registering travel growth in the first half, he said.

More people were also booking for short-haul and domestic trips, he said.

Corporate travel, however, will remain subdued and could recover only by mid-2010, Bailey told reporters.

Companies are scrutinising business trips more closely and this practice is likely to stay even after the global economy recovers, he added.

"The financial pressures faced by companies have forced them to be more stringent about granting permission for staff travel," Bailey said.

Markets like Singapore and Hong Kong, which draw the bulk of the business travellers, have been the most affected "and will continue to feel that pain for some time," he said.

"When will it upturn? I would say we're looking well into mid-2010 before that comes back."

Premium airlines have suffered from the decline in the number of corporate clients as they derive a bulk of their income from business class travellers, analysts have said.


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## hkskyline

*Tibet notches record number of tourists for July: state media *
16 August 2009
Agence France Presse

A total of 1.2 million tourists visited Tibet last month -- a record for July -- state media said Sunday, as travellers returned to the Himalayan region 17 months after deadly unrest there.

The domestic and foreign tourists generated revenue of 1.1 billion yuan (160 million dollars) in the month, nearly double the amount for July 2008, the official Tibet Daily reported.

We "achieved the highest performance in terms of the number of tourists and total income in July in the history of tourism development in Tibet," the report said.

Tourism in Tibet was hit when China banned travellers from going there immediately after riots erupted in the region's capital Lhasa in March last year, marking the 49th anniversary of a failed revolt.

The ban was later relaxed, but authorities once again tightened their clampdown on Tibet earlier this year to prevent unrest during the 50th anniversary of the uprising.

Official statistics showed visitor arrivals in Tibet reached nearly 2.25 million in 2008, down 44 percent from the previous year with tourism revenue more than halving, a previous report from the official Xinhua news agency said.

But from January to July this year, more than 2.7 million tourists visited Tibet, nearly triple that of the same period in 2008, the Tibet Daily report said.


----------



## nazrey

*Less International Arrivals In Asia Pacific*
August 19, 2009 20:35 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- International inbound arrivals in Asia Pacific this year todate decreased to 124,550,780 from 130,962,043 in the same period of last year.

The number of international visitor arrivals in Southeast Asia for the first quarter this year contracted by 18.9 percent compared with a growth of 7.8 percent in the same quarter of last year.

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) President Gregory A.Duffell cited political instability, natural disasters, acts of terrorism, disease and security issues among the reasons for the drop in inbound arrivals.

Fear of contracting the highly infectious virus Pandemic A(H1N1), brought about thousands of travel package cancellations from May to July this year, he said during the launch of the Standard Online Tourism Architecture (SOTA) international conference here Wednesday.

SOTA is a consolidated tourism e-business platform aimed at uniting government agencies, various sectors of the travel industry and consumers.

It is a travel eco-system to leverage on the power of networking, via collaboration with Google, Cari.com, Nuff Nang, and other social networking websites.

The online platform includes components for travel packages, hotel and flight bookings, and other travel-related technology integral to the entire supply chain of the tourism industry.

The platform was created by Creative Advances Technology Sdn Bhd (CAT) which is also the developer of VirtualMalaysia.com, the official e-tourism portal for the Ministry of Tourism.

CAT has been an e-business catalyst for the Malaysian tourism industry since its establishment nine years ago.

--BERNAMA


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## hkskyline

*Tough year for travel, even in peak season 
Downturn has tourists staying close to home or spending less on trips*
19 August 2009
International Herald Tribune

CAPRI, ITALY-- This island off southern Italy is known as a playground for movie stars, soccer players and billionaires and for attracting tourists from all over the world. But this year, its numbers are down. Restaurants are nearly empty at lunchtime. Most luxury hotels are not full.

"After 23 years working in Capri, this is the first time that it's been slow," said Salvatore Vitiello, 42, a waiter at Al Piccolo Bar, in the Piazza Umberto, where only a handful of customers enjoyed a drink on a recent afternoon. Mr. Vitiello estimated a 30 percent drop in tourists this year, compared with 2008.

The global tourism industry is taking a nose dive, even during the peak summer season in the Northern Hemisphere. Travelers are taking shorter vacations, if they go at all, and spending less. Hotel occupancy rates during the first half of the year were down in Europe; the Americas, including the United States; and the Asia-Pacific region compared with last year, according to data compiled by STR Global, a market forecaster.

A report published in June by the World Tourism Organization, a U.N. agency that studies and promotes tourism, predicted that the industry would decline by 4 percent to 6 percent over all during 2009. Those figures were revised downward because of the global recession and concerns about the swine flu.

David and Sharon Zad from Los Angeles acknowledged being more cautious about how they spent money, because of the economic downturn. During a recent three-week vacation in Europe, they resisted splurging.

"Shopping doesn't make sense here because of the exchange rate," said Ms. Zad, who works in real estate development. Eight years ago, a dollar was worth Û1.14. These days, it hovers around 71 euro cents.

But visitors to the United States are also cutting back. Despite the weak dollar's providing better value for most travelers, the downturn has limited their disposable income. In May, the latest full month for which figures were available, international visitors spent 22 percent less on travel and tourism-related activities compared with the same period last year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Tourists spent more money in the United States than anywhere else in 2008, when the industry was still booming.

May was the seventh consecutive month in which the U.S. spending figures were down compared with the year-earlier period, after more than 60 consecutive months of growth, according to a report by the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, a government agency that promotes U.S. tourism interests. The number of international visitors was 12 percent below last year's figures, the report said, and it predicted an 8 percent drop in international travel for the year.

Britain, another top international tourist destination, is also suffering. According to the Travel Trends report published in July by the Office for National Statistics, the number of foreign tourists visiting Britain in 2008 fell for the first time in seven years. While more French residents crossed the Channel to take advantage of the weak pound, the number of visitors from the United States decreased by 20 percent.

British residents opted for less expensive travel destinations closer to home, with the amount of overseas travelers dropping by 0.6 percent last year, according to the Travel Trends report. The trend is continuing in 2009 as their economy plunges further into recession and the value of the pound against other currencies continues to fall.

Even Asia, which last year was expected to experience a milder downturn, has not been able to escape the travel industry decline. The U.N. tourism report shows that demand in the Asia-Pacific region fell about 6 percent in the first four months of this year.

Cathay Pacific, a leading airline serving Asia, had 4.2 percent fewer passengers from January to June this year, compared with a year earlier.

But not all regions have experienced a downturn in tourism, the U.N. report showed. Foreigners traveling to Africa grew by 5 percent during the first four months of 2009. The travel industries in Morocco and Tunisia have been helped by inexpensive package vacations from overseas tour operators.

Similarly, inexpensive accommodation options are benefiting from the global recession. Hostelworld.com, an online budget reservations provider, reported substantial hostel booking increases for places like Moldova, Colombia and Ukraine during the past year.

"Growth in these markets is driven in part by the economy and those seeking more affordable choices in accommodations," a Hostelworld.com representative, Aisling White, said in a statement.

Businesses that are surviving the economic downturn are getting creative. During April and May this year, the Hotel La Palma in Capri organized free live music to entice customers, as well as a special offer of a two-course meal and glass of wine for Û25.

Travelers may be spending less, but they are still spending. Marcus Leon Pelham, the restaurant and bar manager at the Hotel La Palma, said it had received more bookings this year, especially from people who might have gone to a more expensive property in the past.

"Everybody comes to Capri," Mr. Pelham said. "The rich still come and spend here."


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## hkskyline

*NYC hoping to lure US visitors from LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas and Miami with air deal* 
19 August 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - New York City tourism officials are hoping to lure some extra visitors this fall with a new campaign targeted at residents of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas and Miami.

It's the first time that NYC & Co. has partnered with a domestic air carrier to draw people to the city from within the United States.

American Airlines is offering fares from the five cities for between $138 and $218 round trip. The deal is available until this Friday.

The offer comes as city tourism officials face a 5 percent drop in the number of visitors this year compared to last. Federal travel officials say the country's tourism industry shrank by more than 15 percent in the first three months of the year.


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## hkskyline

*Hawaii hotel occupancy still on the decline *
21 August 2009

HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii's hotel occupancy fell again in June, closing out the first half of the year that saw the lowest rate ever recorded by Hospitality Advisors LLC since its survey began in 1987.

Island hotels were 66 percent full from January through June, down from 78.3 percent over the same six-month period last year, Hospitality Advisors said.

Hotel room revenues over the first six months of the year fell by $339 million to $1.2 billion, representing a 21.8 percent decline, it said.

The plunge in occupancy reflects a 9.8 percent drop in visitor arrivals to Hawaii during the first half of the year as reported by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

"Similar to most destinations, we have experienced a tremendous pullback in the market, unlike anything we have seen before," said Joseph Toy, president and CEO of Hospitality Advisors.

"Despite the steep discounting of room rates in the market, hotel occupancies during what would normally be our busy summer season are at record lows, and the impact on hotel revenue and Hawaii's tax base is tremendous," Toy noted. "With such weak performance, we still do not expect to see any foundation for recovery until mid-2010."

For June, statewide hotel occupancy fell by 5.8 percentage points to 63.1 percent, while average daily room rate declined by 16.6 percent to $171.97, Hospitality Advisors reported.

Oahu hotels led the state in June occupancy at 67.8 percent, while hotels on Kauai suffered the most, dropping 10.3 percentage points in occupancy to 61 percent, the company said.


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## hkskyline

*China completes renovation of Tibet's Potala Palace, once home to the Dalai Lamas *
24 August 2009

BEIJING (AP) - China has completed a seven-year renovation of Tibet's Potala Palace -- home to the Dalai Lamas until the region's current spiritual leader fled during an aborted uprising against Communist rule 50 years ago.

China says the project is part of its plan to promote Tibetan culture and language in the region as it develops its economy, of which tourism forms a major part. The renovation, which also repaired the Norbu Lingka, a summer palace for the Dalai Lamas, cost 300 million yuan ($43.9 million), according to a report Monday from the state-run news agency.

But many Tibetan exiles say the Himalayan region's cultural heritage has been threatened by Beijing's restrictions on the native Buddhist religion and the Tibetan language as well as a government-orchestrated mass migration of Han Chinese in the last three decades. A large number of monasteries and other artifacts also were destroyed during China's Cultural Revolution, from 1966 to 1976, although the Potala was spared in the violence.

In March 2008, riots erupted in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, to protest Chinese rule. In response, Beijing poured troops into Tibetan areas and intensified its vilification of the Dalai Lama, accusing him of instigating the unrest.

The spiritual leader, who fled China in 1959 and now lives in exile in India, has said that restrictions on Tibet's religious practices have resulted in a "cultural genocide."

A ceremony was held Sunday on the square in front of the Potala -- whose facade looms over the city of Lhasa -- according to the Xinhua News Agency.

"The repairs to the three key cultural relics is an important part in the conservation of the Tibetan culture," said Liu Yandong, a member of the Communist Party's Politburo, who attended the ceremony.

More than 189,000 workers were involved, and the government also spent 94.74 million yuan ($13.9 million) repairing the Sagya Monastery, which houses classical Buddhist texts, Xinhua said.

Xinhua quoted a former director of the Potala's administration office saying the palace could now accommodate 1,000 visitors a day.

The renovations are part of a 570 million yuan ($73 million) plan to promote tourism to Tibet, a mainstay of the region's economy, and include the repair to 22 cultural sites.

Earlier this year China tightened restrictions on advertising and construction outside the palace, following calls from the United Nations to better preserve the UNESCO World Heritage Site's natural setting.

Although palaces have existed on the grounds of the Potala since the seventh century, the current building dates from the rule of the fifth Dalai Lama, known as the "Great Fifth," who started its construction in 1645. It was then used as living quarters and a winter palace by the Dalai Lamas.


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## Pavlemadrid

*The foreigner tourists descends in Spain, except in Madrid.*

Spanish:
http://www.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=85936


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## melbstud

from Melbourne thread.

http://www.sceneadvisor.com/travel-n...ive-11524.html

The News
While it is still enjoying its current buzz-worthy status, Dubai is no place to live. Nor is Hong Kong. Milan perhaps passes muster. Mumbai? Forget about it.

Behind the News
After a year of research, across 95 cities and with over 3600 hotel, bar and restaurants reviews by our global team of writers, contributors and ambassadors – the results are in. Melbourne, nestled on the south-eastern coast of mainland Australia, is the world's most desirable city to live, stay, eat and play, ranking at the top of SA's Global Cities 2009 Index. 


By assessing current conditions in 95 cities based on stability, health care, education, infrastructure, culture and environment, Melbourne ranks first in the world, just slightly ahead of Zürich and Geneva. Copenhagen comes in fourth and Paris rounds out the top five list of the world’s most liveable cities. 


Joining Jakarta at the bottom of the list were Mumbai (#99), Macau (#98), Mexico City (#96) and Dallas (#93). Beijing and Manila also ranked poorly coming in at #94 and #87, respectively. We have simply found that these cities have aspects of daily life that present significant challenges to its inhabitants and visitors alike.


With the exception of high scores in Australia and some Asian centres, most of the better-ranking cities are based in the more developed regions of Western Europe and North America. Tokyo (#6), Singapore (#10), Hamburg (#16) and Toronto (#13) – all placed in the top 25.


Cities that scored highly are mostly mid-sized, in developed countries with a medium population density. They also benefit from cultural or recreational availability but with lower infrastructure problems typically caused by large populations. The world’s most interconnected cities help set global agendas and serve as the hubs of global integration. These are the well-oiled machines of growth for their countries and the gateways to the resources of their regions in the 21st century.




1) Melbourne 

While Sydney enjoys a stunning harbour and that much ballyhooed opera house, and Adelaide with its vineyards and the outback on it’s doorstep, it's Melbourne that has emerged as the most important city in Australia. With its idiosyncratic blend of Victorian and contemporary architecture, impressive cultural life and situated as one the top university cities, Melbourne is also one of the world's pre-eminent global cities. The city is now the fastest growing city in Australia, with thousands flocking to live here on a never before seen scale. By paying attention to urban flow, Melbourne has opened itself up as extremely pedestrian and biking friendly, with its extensive network of laneways and arcades; an enormous amount of new outdoor cafés and restaurants have opened on Melbourne’s streets. While the tram network (the world’s largest) is due for a much needed upgrade, and the city has an increasingly expanding waistline (it's estimated that the city will need to accommodate another 1 million people before 2025), all eyes are currently on Melbourne. 
__________________


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## hkskyline

*Coastal erosion threatens Goa's idyllic beaches *
29 August 2009
Agence France Presse

India's resort state of Goa has been hit by several setbacks in the last 18 months, including high-profile crime and the knock-on effects of Islamist extremist attacks up the coast in Mumbai.

But with each holiday season, a greater threat to the tourist trade emerges -- coastal erosion that is leading to fears that some of the former Portuguese colony's famous white sandy beaches could disappear for good.

The Goa assembly heard last month that more than 10 percent of the 105-kilometre (65-mile) coastline was falling into the sea, including the beach next to the state governor's official Raj Bhavan residency.

"A total of 21 stretches are affected. They cover 11.22 kilometres of coastal area," Goa's minister for water resources Filipe Neri Rodrigues told the state parliament.

Two major stretches of beach -- Colva, in south Goa, and Coco Beach, in the north -- are being reinforced with flexible barriers called "geotubes" which stop land being undercut by erosion, Rodrigues said.

Other beaches where work is required include Calangute, Baga, Sinquerim, Candolim and Palolem, which attract many of the 2.4 million tourists from India and abroad who flock to Goa every year.

"The sea erosion over the years has intensified to a very large extent, resulting in a very huge threat not only to the coastline but also to human lives," Rodrigues' department said on its website.

For Goa's many shoreline tourist bars, the situation could wreck already insecure livelihoods.

Last tourist season, business dipped sharply after the widely-publicised rape and unsolved death of a 15-year-old British girl in February 2008.

The investigation into the death of Scarlett Keeling, whose battered body was found on a beach, exposed the dark underbelly of traditionally laid-back Goa and led to a police crackdown on drink and drug-fuelled excess.

Many tourists also stayed away after militants killed 166 people in Mumbai in November last year, while restrictions were placed on Goa's annual Christmas and New Year beach parties on security grounds.

"If we lose the beaches to soil erosion, tourism will naturally be affected," said Cruz Cardoso, a local entrepreneur who heads the Goa Shack Owners Association.

Flooding due to coastal erosion had already affected trade at some beaches, he added.

The state tourist authority has expressed concern and said it is working with scientists to shore up beaches so they are not lost to the Arabian Sea.

"We're taking it very seriously because we understand how important beaches are to us," Lyndon Monteiro, vice-chairman of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation, told AFP.

"We're doing whatever is required to see that our beaches are protected from nature's fury... We're confident we can address this issue and people are aware. They know that we must act fast and in the right manner."

Goa's predicament is faced by many coastal areas around the world, as global warming affects sea levels, the intensity of storms and ocean currents.

Monteiro also accepted that haphazard and unauthorised development since tourism took off in Goa from the days of the hippie trail in the late 1960s and early 1970s has added to its woes.

Environmental scientists have said the destruction of mangroves and salt pans, plus sand mining and construction for tourism have exacerbated problems.

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that coastal erosion could displace millions and many idyllic destinations, like the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, could be wiped off the tourist map.

In India, about 1,500 kilometres or 26 percent of the mainland coastline faces "serious erosion" and is "actively retreating", according to the Asian Development Bank.

The Manila-based organisation is currently providing technical assistance for a 1.2-million-dollar sustainable coastal protection and management project of shorelines in three states along India's west coast, including Goa.


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## hkskyline

*Stay-at-home French prop up tourism business *

PARIS, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Tourism in France, the world's top holiday destination, held up over the summer months because a rise in domestic holidaymakers offset a sharp drop in foreign visitors, government data showed Wednesday.

Hotels in France saw visitor numbers rise 1 percent in July and August, breaking down into a 3.6 percent increase in July and a 1.2 percent fall in August, Herve Novelli, state secretary for tourism, said in a statement.

Tourism accounts for around 6 percent of France's gross domestic product and the government had forecast a marked decline for 2009 because of the economic crisis, extending last year's 3 percent drop.

Foreign visitor numbers did indeed dive in France over the summer, with a 14.5 percent fall in July-August underlining the tourism downturn that has hit cities, beaches and mountain resorts all over Europe.

Compensating for this, hotels, holiday homes and campsites recorded a 6.3 percent rise in the number of French customers.

"In terms of types of accommodation, we have noticed that French customers tend to stay in more moderately priced accommodation," the statement said.


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## sophiaa11

If you are traveling to Barcelona girona, Spain for the first time then you can visit the site girona airport and important news i stat they have launched phone help too.You can call them to find any independent information regarding travel in Barcelona girona spain.


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## hkskyline

*Top Paris brasseries ban flu masks for waiters *
4 September 2009
Agence France Presse

Waiters in famed Paris brasseries such as La Coupole and Bofinger will not be allowed wear masks to protect themselves from swine flu, the group that owns them and nearly 300 other French eateries said.

"It is incompatible with a service industry like our own," Dominique Giraudier, chairman of Groupe Flo, told AFP on Friday when asked what plans his group was drawing up to deal with a potential major flu outbreak in France.

He said masks would not be distributed to workers but said he would close restaurants if staffing levels fell by more than 40 percent due to illness.

The group's best-known brasseries in Paris include La Coupole, Bofinger, Le Boeuf sur le Toit and Le Vaudeville, but it also owns restaurant chains such as Hippopotamus and Bistro Romain.

It employs 5,200 people and has eateries in countries as far apart as China and Morocco.


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## hkskyline

*Gulf Arabs to boost Oman's tourism 11 pct in 2009 *

MUSCAT, Sept 13 (Reuters) Oman will see an increase of about 11 percent in tourists this year, taking it to the two million mark, thanks to Gulf residents looking for cheaper holiday in the region, tourism officials and operators said on Sunday.

"The global crisis has forced Gulf nationals to travel closer from home and Oman is hugely benefitting from it," Khalid Al-Ghassan, Head of development at the ministry of tourism told Reuters.

"For the first time in any year on record, we expect about two million tourists in 2009," he added.

About 1.8 million tourists visited Oman in 2008 -- 75 percent of that are regional residents from Oman's five energy-exporting neighbours who made up the Gulf Cooperation Council economic bloc, Ghassan said.

The number of GCC residents visiting Oman has increased 6 percent in the first half of 2009 to 710,000 compared to the same period last year, Ghassan said.

About 1.1 million total tourists visited Oman in the first six months of this year, from 980,000 over the same period in 2008, according to Ghassan.

"The improvement of oil prices, and I guess the H1N1 flu has got something to do with the rise of GCC tourists as well," Suleiman Al Harthy, Managing Director of Horizon Tourism said.

Apart from Oman, the GCC states comprise of UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. The GCC states rely heavily on crude oil exports, which make 70 percent of their income.

Gulf states have seen revenue fall with the slump in oil prices from a peak near $150 in July 2008. Crude prices have recovered from lows around $32 a barrel in December to around $70.

Travel agents said that Salalah in the south is the major tourist attraction for Gulf nationals for its mild weather in the summer and Ras Al Hadd during the winter.

"Gulf citizens and Europeans love Salalah during the summer and the place is booming...they also go to see turtle nesting at Ras Al Hadd," said Mustafa Al-Khairy of Bahwan Travels.

Other major tourist attractions in Oman are the ancient castles, beaches, handicrafts and desert camping.


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## hkskyline

*Spain moves upmarket to attract more tourists *
14 September 2009
Agence France Presse

Half a century after it pioneered the cheap "holiday-in-the-sun" package deal, Spain is seeking to upgrade its image by convincing the discerning and affluent tourist that it has much more to offer than just sun, sea and sangria.

Instead of overcrowded beaches in concrete jungles, tourist authorities want to put Spain's lesser known attractions, including its strong home-grown gastronomic traditions, firmly on the tourist map, targeting in particular the upper end of the market.

Among the destinations being highlighted are the vineyards of the Rioja region, the futuristic Guggenheim Museum in the Basque city of Bilbao and the vast Donana national park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to rare wildlife.

"It is time to look for customers with high purchasing power because there is plenty to offer them," said Jose Maria Rubio, the head of Spain's Hotel and Catering Federation (FEHR).

A plummeting number of tourists to Spain has forced the shift in focus -- the UN World Tourism Organisation says Spain lost its spot as the second-most visited country in the world to the United States last year -- while tourism still plays a crucial part in the struggling Spanish economy.

Military dictator Francisco Franco first opened up Spain to foreign tourists in the late 1950s.

But his idea has seen Mediterranean fishing villages transformed into a mass of skyscrapers, fast-food outlets, bars and nightclubs that are now synonymous with the worst of mass tourism.

Spain is suffering from a "perceived loss of authenticity in its coastal destinations," the tourism ministry concluded in its Horizon 2020 plan last year.

It must "develop new proposals to meet the new requirements of the market" and emphasize "qualitative rather than quantitative growth."

Tourism accounts for about 11 percent of Spain's jobs and gross domestic product, with the bulk of the industry's income generated in the ageing resorts that extend along much of its Mediterranean coast.

But stiff competition from cheaper Mediterranean destinations such as Turkey, Croatia and Tunisia, the declining popularity of such package beach holidays and the economic crisis in its main markets of northern Europe have all combined to batter the sector.

Spain received 57.4 million visitors last year, a 2.6 percent drop from 2007 and the first fall since the current record-keeping system was introduced in 1995.

And in the first seven months of this year, tourist arrivals plunged 10.3 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2008.

The government has now moved to diversify the industry, to make it less focused on the summer season and on Spain's coastal regions.

This summer it unveiled the "privilegespain" initiative aimed at creating "high-value products to promote Spain as a tourist destination capable of attracting and satisfying the most demanding travellers."

The plan targets four countries -- Britain, Germany, France and Italy -- and seeks to attract both the elderly and families with young children, as well as gourmets, and anyone seeking "alternatives to the more traditional" tourist sites.

It has started with three destinations -- the historic Moorish cities of Cadiz and Jerez in the southwest, the beautiful wine-growing region of La Rioja in the northeast, and the northern Basque Country, home of some of Spain's best cuisine.

Work is underway to expand privilegespain to other areas, including Madrid and the rugged northwestern region of Galicia, where the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the final stop on an ancient pilgrimage route.

Rubio emphasized that tourist authorities were not seeking "to change the image of Spain from a sun and beach destination to a cultural destination."

"Spain has more than 3,000 kilometres of coastline and this will remain a key factor" in its tourism promotion, he told AFP.

"It is more a question of completing the image of Spain with its culture, natural and historical attractions and gastronomy."

Rubio is also heading another new initiative called "Saborear Espana" ("Tasting Spain").

Backed by top chefs, it aims to "improve and diversify the international image of Spain, using food to increase its competitiveness in the global tourism market."

Rubio said authorities were producing "gastromaps" of the country and organising gastronomic tours and other specific events to attract food lovers.

Despite the growing international recognition of Spanish cuisine, its gastronomic diversity is still relatively unknown overseas, he said.

"Spain is known for paella, gazpacho, tapas and little else, and yet if you stroll through the centre of any Spanish city you will see bars and restaurants offering gastronomic delights."

There are already signs of a shift in Spain's tourism dynamic. Figures released this month show stays at the country's 93 Paradores -- luxury hotels in converted castles, palaces and monasteries -- were up around 2.0 percent this summer from the same time last year.

"It's another sign that there's light at the end of the tunnel" of the economic crisis, said the president of the Paradores association, Miguel Martinez.


----------



## hkskyline

*HK stands great chance of world 'geopark' status, academic says *
12 September 2009
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong stands an excellent chance of being recognised as a world "geopark", but the community seems unaware of the city's tremendous natural resources potential, a leading geotourism academic said.

Dr David Newsome, an associate professor of environmental science and ecotourism at Australia's Murdoch University, said he was surprised to learn about the city's unique geological features, which were more spectacular than he had imagined.

Newsome said the massive hexagonal rock columns found in Sai Kung were more impressive than geological features in Iceland, which he had just visited.

"I have never seen anything like this before and the geology actually speaks to me," he said during a visit to the city this week.

The visit was arranged by the Association for Geoconservation of Hong Kong as part of its application to Beijing to list eastern parts of the city as a national geopark and then seek Unesco recognition.

Newsome said it seemed many Hongkongers still overlooked the potential of the city's natural resources and their ability to reshape the city's tourism brand.

"When I got on the city-bound airport train, I could see the promotion of geotourism in New Zealand, but not Hong Kong," he said.

"It is not tall buildings, restaurants or shopping malls that define Hong Kong, as you can find them all in London or Sydney. Hong Kong in its context is unique. You have nature in the city and you've got an urban geopark next to your doorstep."

As a qualified assessor for the global geoparks network under the umbrella of Unesco, Newsome said Hong Kong certainly had the qualities to become a network member. "It stands an excellent chance. I would be horrified if it doesn't occur."

Criteria include the park's naturalness, plans for sustainable development, ecotourism and public education. There are 63 geoparks in the network.

But Newsome was also concerned about a proposed wind farm, with up to 67 wind turbines, to be located in the southeast.

He said it might be a "potential problem" for the world geopark bid as the man-made structures could "spoil the visual amenity" and wilderness of the seascape.

"I do not oppose wind farms, but the real question is where you put them," Newsome said.

A detailed cost analysis should be conducted to see if the project was cost-effective and if alternatives had been fully explored.


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## hkskyline

*War-weary Asian nations offer new treats for tourists *
15 September 2009
Agence France Presse

Tempting tourists back when the bombing stops is never easy, but war-weary Asian countries are planning new treats for travellers in a bid to cash in on a "peace dividend".

Governments are scrambling to replace images of conflict with offers of dream holidays, from whale-watching in Sri Lanka to leisurely treks in Nepal, meditation in Bali and golf in Cambodia.

Sri Lanka's golden beaches, along with tea plantations and ancient religious sites, had long attracted visitors -- but numbers dropped as decades of war tormented the teardrop-shaped tropical island.

When government forces claimed victory against Tamil Tiger separatist rebels in May, tourism chiefs set to work, launching a campaign entitled "Sri Lanka: Small Miracle", to polish its post-war image.

One of the new activities designed to sell the country as a diverse destination is whale watching, focused on the giant mammals frequenting the island's shores between December and April.

British marine biologist Charles Anderson says the numbers of blue and sperm whales and their proximity to shore make the island a natural lure for the growing numbers of eco-tourists.

"Sri Lanka has enormous potential to be a whale destination," said the Maldives-based Anderson, who has been studying Indian Ocean whales for 25 years.

Dileep Mudadeniya, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau's managing director, estimates the promotional campaign will help raise tourist arrivals by at least 20 percent to 500,000 visitors in 2010.

"We have an image that has been challenged by war and travel advisories. Now the war is over. There is lot of interest in us and we will see an upswing by November," Mudadeniya told AFP.

Another country recently freed from the grip of conflict, Nepal, is also hoping that peace will bring back the tourists and is looking to tempt them with a new "Himalayan Trail" running the length of the country.

The number of tourists travelling to Nepal slumped during a 10-year civil war between the army and Maoist rebels which ended in 2006.

But last year a record 550,000 people visited the Himalayan state after foreign governments relaxed their travel warnings.

Tourism authorities say they hope to attract a million visitors by 2011 and are focusing on some of the less developed areas of the country, where few foreigners have ventured.

"We are banking on the peace dividend," said Aditya Baral, director of the Nepal Tourism Board.

"There are lots of unexplored areas in western and eastern Nepal and this time we are trying our best to encourage people to visit those areas where very few people have travelled."

One plan -- still in its early stages -- involves creating a "Himalayan Trail", taking trekkers to some of the remotest parts of the country.

The trail would link paths already used by local people to transport goods and livestock, and would take three months to complete -- with most visitors expected to walk it in stages.

Even intermittent violence can ruin a country's tourist trade, as the Indonesian resort island of Bali learnt to its cost after Islamic militant bomb attacks in 2002 and 2005 killed a total of some 220 people.

The first Bali bombings cut foreign tourist arrivals to the island by 70 percent -- and they took years to return.

Bali Tourism Board secretary general Anak Agung Suryawan Wiranatha said the island had marketed itself as a haven of peace to counter the negative consequences of the bombings.

"Now we promote Bali as a peaceful and spiritual destination. We promote yoga and meditation on the island," Wiranatha said.

"Now health tourism and spas are booming. They are the favorites of tourists from Japan and Korea."

But it is not easy to rebuild tourism in a country that has seen sustained violence, like Cambodia, where up to two million people died under the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s.

Decades of civil strife ended in 1998, and tourism is now one of the few sources of foreign exchange for the impoverished southeast Asian nation.

Even though Cambodia now lures more than two million foreign visitors a year, most stay only briefly to see the ancient World Heritage-listed Angkor Wat temple complex.

"We need time to (change our image)," Ho Vandy, co-chair of Cambodia's tourism working group told AFP.

The government last year launched an international "Kingdom of Wonder" campaign promoting the country's beaches, eco-tourism and culture.

More than 20 islands have been designated for development, Vandy said, while a new airport in seaside Sihanoukville is expected to open later this year.

Other plans include a game park for well-heeled hunters in the remote jungle-covered northern Ratanakiri province and several luxury golf courses around the country.

Nothing illustrates the cost of violence and the value of peace in the Asian region quite as clearly as the contrasting situations in Pakistan's Swat valley and Indian Kashmir.

Tourists are returning to Kashmir, once described by a 17th-century visiting emperor as a "paradise on earth", as militant violence in the Muslim-majority region subsides to its lowest level since 1989.

In 1988 more than 700,000 tourists visited Kashmir, but the number declined sharply as the insurgency intensified. Now the tide appears to be turning again, with more than 380,000 visiting in the first seven months of 2009.

Not far away, Pakistan's Swat valley was the jewel of the country's tourism crown and known as the "Switzerland of Pakistan" -- until Taliban militants this year pushed into towns and villages in a bid to enforce sharia law.

It is not just Swat that has been hit by insurgents -- more than 2,000 people have been killed in Taliban-linked attacks across Pakistan in the last two years, scaring away all but the most intrepid foreign tourists.

Pakistan earned 16 billion rupees (200 million dollars) from 800,000 visitors in 2007. Fewer than 400,000 visitors came in 2008, bringing in just eight billion rupees, and the numbers are expected to be even lower this year.

"Terrorism has really affected us a great deal," Tourism Minister Ataur Rehman told AFP.

"We have started our endeavours to attract tourists from the world over as the situation in Swat and other areas is stable now and will enable us to again make them attractive tourist zones," he said.

But the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009 put Pakistan at 113 out of 130 countries, and officials say there is a long way to go until Swat is returned to its former glory.

Until then, tourists are likely to turn to the countries that have already put their conflicts behind them, to sample the new temptations on offer.


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## hkskyline

*Hawaii hopes to cash in on Japan's 'Silver Week'*
18 September 2009

HONOLULU (AP) - Japanese tourists have long been golden for Hawaii. The islands now hope to cash in on Japan's so-called "Silver Week."

Hawaii and other vacation destinations are expecting to see a much-needed boost in Japanese travelers thanks to the first-ever Silver Week, a series of national holidays that provide a five-day respite starting this weekend.

It couldn't come at a better time for Hawaii, which has been reeling from a drop-off in the highly coveted visitors because of the stumbling global economy and swine flu fears.

Japan's outbound travel is down nearly double digits this year. The ones who are traveling are spending considerably less, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue for cash-strapped Hawaii.

"This year is going to be very tough," said Takashi Ichikura, executive director of Hawaii Tourism Japan.

According to the latest state figures, Japanese arrivals to the islands have fallen 10.7 percent through July, the largest decline in Hawaii's four top feeder markets, which include the Eastern U.S. (10.4), Canada (8.6) and the Western U.S. (5.4).

Ichikura said Hawaii is actually faring better with Japanese travelers than most places like North America, Australia, China and Guam.

Japanese are treasured in tourism-dependent Hawaii for their affection of shopping and dining. They also embrace Hawaiian culture, such as hula, and outspend Americans nearly 2-to-1 on a per-person, per-day average.

"It's not just their spending, but their habits when they are here," state tourism liaison Marsha Wienert said. "They are just voracious experiential travelers."

And that's why Hawaii is not willing to say "sayonara."

The Hawaii Tourism Authority recently committed $3.4 million to stimulate the Japan market and lure visitors in the short term with a media and marketing blitz.

During the summer, the state sent a delegation to Japan to meet with travel agents. Hawaii also helped coordinate July's Aloha Yokohama festival, which attracted 300,000 people and featured Hawaii-born sumo wrestler Konishiki and musicians.

There was also Hawaiian music playing at Narita International Airport, TV commercials, and images of the islands plastered along train lines during the Japanese royal couple's visit to Hawaii in July.

Ichikura said Hawaii is now working on having a strong presence at travel agencies, where 80 percent of Japanese still go to book package tours.

"We want to show there's so much to see and experience," he said.

Meanwhile, Japanese-dependent businesses are trying to survive the downturn. Luxury retailer DFS Galleria in June launched its first-ever, global storewide sale at its 150 stores stretching from New York to Abu Dhabi.

"We've never had a storewide sale before where almost every brand in every category had some merchandise on sale," said Sharon Weiner, global vice president of communications for DFS Group Ltd.

DFS operates four stores in Hawaii, including a 180,000-square-foot location in Waikiki, where 90 percent of duty-free sales are to Japanese.

Since the Japanese aren't spending like they used to, despite the favorable exchange rate, Weiner is worried about what would happen if the yen declines. She remains hopeful of a quick recovery.

"Hopeful is a better word than optimistic," Weiner said. "We are still planning very conservatively."

DFS and other retailers, along with hotels and restaurants, are counting on Silver Week. The week was created this year because two holidays -- Respect for the Aged Day and the Autumn Equinox -- fell a day apart this year. In Japan, any day in between two holidays becomes a day off as well.

Besides Silver Week, the royal visit in July provided priceless media attention and helped mitigate concerns about the 2009 H1N1 virus known as swine flu.

"It was a huge hit for Hawaii. We were the envy of every travel destination in the world," said Weiner, who also serves on the state tourism board. "Because the emperor came here, and he didn't wear a mask, it was very positive. ... The trip showed how much they clearly love Hawaii."

The market isn't expected to fully rebound until the world's second-largest economy shows improvement or flu fears subside.

Hawaii is expected to fall short of its original 2009 target of 1.17 million Japanese visitors, which is far less than the 1.5 million that visited in 2005. The projection was made before H1N1 became prevalent.

Another major challenge for Hawaii is fuel surcharges being imposed by struggling airlines, which are cutting flights and staff. Japan Airlines incurred its biggest-ever quarterly net loss of $1 billion in the three months that ended in June. Asia's biggest carrier is restructuring and plans to cut 14 percent of its work force and raise capital.

Hawaii had high hopes after a strong showing in April when Japanese visitors to Hawaii actually rose 8.8 percent to 84,387 because of the annual "Golden Week," when many Japanese vacation.

Then the peak summer travel season arrived, along with fears of swine flu. Japanese arrivals plunged 32.8 percent in June. July fared much better because of heavy discounting and the royal couple, but arrivals were still off 9.2 percent.

"It takes awhile to get a market motivated again," Wienert said. "It just doesn't happen overnight."


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## hkskyline

*Death prompts New Zealand adventure tourism inquiry *
21 September 2009
Agence France Presse

The death of an English tourist on a guided ride down a New Zealand river has prompted an inquiry into the safety of adventure tourism, Prime Minister John Key said Monday.

Emily Jordan, 21, drowned while riverboarding -- riding on a flotation board -- down the Kawarau River near the South Island tourist centre of Queenstown in April last year.

Her grieving father Chris Jordan wrote to Key, who is also the tourism minister, saying safety standards need to be improved.

Key said he believed most adventure tourism operators had good safety standards but added there were concerns some were cowboys and safety standards were not being monitored.

Ministers from several government departments would report on the state of the sector and whether changes were needed.

"Tourism is critically important to New Zealand and we must do all we can to ensure visitor safety," Key told journalists.

"A lot of people come here and engage in forms of adventure tourism and there are always risks involved," he said.

"It is also important they are afforded the protection and care we would expect to take place and in the case of one or two of these incidences I am just not absolutely satisfied that has been the case."

Jordan drowned after becoming trapped against a rock in the river during the trip run by Queenstown company Mad Dog Riverboarding.

An inquiry fined the company after finding it did not have necessary safety equipment.

A Chinese tourist was also killed near Queenstown in September last year when a jetboat flipped in the Shotover River. The jetboat driver is scheduled to stand trial over the incident.


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## hkskyline

*Indonesia sees 2010 tourist arrivals up 8.5 pct*

JAKARTA, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Indonesia aims to attract 7 million foreign tourists in 2010, up from about 6.45 million visitors this year, Tourism and Culture Minister Jero Wacik said on Wednesday.

The minister said the Southeast Asian country had edged past its target of 6.4 million arrivals for this year despite the global economic crisis, militant suicide attacks on two luxury hotels in Jakarta in July and concerns over possible violence during parliamentary and presidential elections in 2009.

Wacik said, however, the amount spent by each foreign tourist fell to $995 this year from $1,178 in 2008.

The minister said foreign tourists in 2010 were expected to spend around $1,000 each, meaning a $7 billion inflow into the economy.

The minister also told reporters that the lifting of a European Union ban on airlines including flag carrier Garuda this year would also help boost tourism next year.

"And now, because Garuda Airlines is flying to and from Europe now, the numbers of tourists will go up," he said.

Tourism accounts for about 3 percent of gross domestic product in Southeast Asia's biggest economy, but some areas, including the resort island of Bali, are heavily dependent on tourism for jobs and growth.

The archipelago of more than 17,500 islands has beaches, mountains and dive-spots among its diverse attractions, but tourism infrastructure outside Bali is often poor and tourism campaigns have often been criticised as lacklustre.

Indonesia is also well behind tiny neighbour Singapore, which aims to attract up to 9.5 million tourists this year, and Malaysia, which is targeting 19 million foreign tourist arrivals.

Wacik said, however, that Indonesia's arrivals had held up better than Vietnam and Thailand, which had seen drops of 16 percent and 17 percent respectively.


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## Ten

napoleon said:


> Foreign arrivals expected to reach 16 million this year
> 
> 
> BANGKOK, Jan 5 (TNA) – The number of foreign tourists this year is expected to reach 16 million as targeted if there are no serious political disturbances nor epidemics, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
> 
> Speaking on the first day of assuming the TAT governorship, Governor Surapon Sawetseeranee said he would attempt to increase the number of foreign arrivals to the target set by Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa.
> 
> “Unless there is political chaos or epidemics, the number of foreign tourists will edge up to 15-15.5 million against the target number of 14 million,” he said.
> 
> For local tourism, the target number of local tourists is expected to reach 90 million with combined revenues of Bt430 billion this year.
> 
> He said strategies to attract foreign tourists are to expand, maintain, and retrieve the 3 groups of markets including ASEAN, Oceania (Australia-New Zealand and the Pacific) and China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Canada where there are several million targeted foreign tourists.
> 
> The TAT chief added that the New Year celebrations this year were more joyful than those of last year, which could help boost tourism.
> 
> The New Year celebrations generated incomes of at least Bt3.2 billion. Of this, Bt1.1 billion came from foreign tourists and Bt2.1 billion baht from domestic tourists.
> 
> Thailand’s most favoured destinations are major provinces including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Phuket, Songkla, Samui and Pattaya. (TNA)



....


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## hkskyline

Is 16 million above the pre-crisis figure?


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## Ten

hkskyline said:


> Is 16 million above the pre-crisis figure?




Yes, according to this graph. It's from http://www.thaiwebsites.com/tourism.asp


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## Ten

a bit different number from another source.



BANGKOK – Given Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s tourism promotion initiatives and the recovery of the world economy, TAT estimates that the number of international tourists for 2009 came close to 14 million, down only four percent compared to 2008.

The global financial crisis and Thailand's political turmoil that began in late 2008 have resulted in a decline in the number of inbound tourists, with a decrease of 16 percent in the first half of 2009. The greatest decline included visitors from Northeast Asia, with a drop of more than 30 percent, followed by the Americas and Oceania. The ASEAN and Europe markets were affected only slightly, while South Asia and the Middle East were able not only to maintain their market base but to show actual growth.

Since August 2009 however, tourism in Thailand has shown clear signs of recovery. The number of tourists declined by only five percent in August and switched to a growth of more than 10 percent in September and October. This dramatic increase continued until the end of 2009.

TAT said the number of tourists arriving via Suvarnabhumi International Airport between November and mid-December 2009 increased nearly 40 percent. Charter flights from Europe and Asia to major tourism destinations including Phuket and Koh Samui also grew significantly during November and December. TAT said that from September, there were clear signs of recovery and normalisation in all adversely affected markets.

The NTO said the Thai tourism industry is expected to be more favourable in 2010, as long as no major political crisis occurs. The economic situation of individual countries continues to be the major factor influencing the growth of each target market. Given these, TAT expects the number of international tourists to grow at around seven to 10 percent to approximately 15 to 15.5 million in 2010.

According to...http://www.travelweeklyweb.com/Article/Thailand_optimistic_on_tourism_projection_for_2009_forecast_for_2010.html


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## hkskyline

*Indian Ocean isles eye tourism rebound in 2010*

ANTANANARIVO, Jan 21 (Reuters) - The Indian Ocean's luxury island destinations eye a tourism rebound in 2010 after receipts fell sharply last year despite better than expected arrival numbers.

The azure waters and palm-fringed beaches of Mauritius and the Seychelles may be among the world's top holiday spots, but the global downturn still forced the rivals to slash prices to keep market share.

"The visibility that we have for the first three or four months of 2010 is quite positive and encouraging. It seems people have started to travel more," Patrice Legris, head of the Mauritius Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs (AHRIM), told Reuters.

Mauritius posted record visitor numbers in December, boosting 2009's overall tourist arrivals which reached 871,356, down 6.5 percent on the previous year.

But Legris said he expected tourism receipts to be down by 13 to 15 percent on 2008 because of a strong local unit and aggressive discounting.

AHRIM's data showed tourism accounted for 7.4 percent of GDP in 2009, against 9.4 percent and 8.7 percent in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Revenue falls are set to be more severe in the Seychelles where 2009 receipts are expected to sink by up to 20 percent from more than $320 million a year earlier -- key for a nation whose entire gross domestic product is below a billion dollars.

AIRLINES CHASING DEMAND

Famed for the pristine environment of its coral atolls and forested granitic islands, a rebound in Seychelles' tourism is seen underpinning economic growth of 4 percent this year after an estimated contraction of 7.5 percent in 2009.

"For 2010 we are quite bullish, we're going for plus 5 percent (on 2009) or 165,000 arrivals," Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, head of the Seychelles Tourism Board, said in a phone interview.

The Dubai-based Emirates airline will increase its flights to Seychelles to six times a week from four, he said, while another Gulf airline, Etihad, will launch a new service four times a week in August.

"Airplane seats are now chasing demand," observed Loustau-Lalanne.

He said Russia and the Arab Emirates were among the archipelago's fastest growing markets.

But it is Madagascar, renowned for its leaping lemurs and exotic chameleons and plant-life but battered by a year-long political crisis, that faces the sternest challenge.

Joel Randriamandranto, who heads the National Tourism Office, said tourism revenue in 2009 slumped to $116 million compared to $302 million the year before.

A political crisis which started last March is still occupying the time of international mediators who are keen on a resolution. 

Perhaps most damaging long term to its emerging reputation as a top eco-tourism destination will be the pillaging of precious hardwood and poaching of endangered animals that has exploded in the current security vacuum.

"For Madagascar's image, it's really awful," said Randriamandranto. "They've got to stop that."


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## hkskyline

*Syria tourist numbers up 12 pct, government says*
24 January 2010

DAMASCUS, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Tourist numbers in Syria rose 12 percent last year from 2008 levels, with Arabs accounting for the bulk of visitors, government statistics showed on Sunday.

Syria, which contains several important sites of antiquity, including the ancient city of Palymra, received around six million tourists, including 1.1 million Syrian expatriates and 3.6 million Arabs, in 2009, the state media said.

The government deems almost any foreigner who enters to be a tourist, a practice criticised by industry specialists as misleading.

Syria has been under U.S. sanctions since 2004 for its support of militant groups, but relations with the West have improved and Washington is seeking a rapprochement.

The ruling Baath Party has taken steps to liberalise the economy after decades of nationalisation and bans on private enterprise.

In the last few years new hotels have been built, mainly in Damascus and Aleppo, but fewer of them are of international quality than in neighbouring Lebanon or Jordan, which have put more resources into developing their tourism sector.

The Baath Party took power in Syria in 1963, banning all opposition and imposing emergency law that remains in force.


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## hkskyline

*UAE's Noor to build $100 mln Iraq hotel -report *

DUBAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi investment company Noor Capital will build a $100 million five-star hotel apartment project in Karbala, Iraq, with UK hospitality developer Range Hospitality, an executive said in remarks published on Wednesday.

The project in the holy city, called The Range, is expected to be completed in 2013, daily The National reported.

The hotel will have between 650 and 700 rooms and will be managed by the Splendid Hotel Group of London.

"The transaction is in line with Noor Capital's governing philosophy to promote hospitality projects within the Middle East and in particular within the religious tourism sector," Ehab al-Bakri, the head of placement and business development at Noor was reported as saying.


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## hkskyline

*Caribbean tourism outlook improves despite tax, crime* 
28 January 2010

SAN JUAN (Reuters) - After taking a flogging last year, the Caribbean tourism industry is looking toward an improvement in 2010 despite concerns about a British-imposed environmental tax and crime against tourists on some islands.

Earthquake-hit Haiti has not been a major tourist destination, except for Royal Caribbean's private Labadee beach resort on the north coast, which was spared from damage.

But most other Caribbean islands depend heavily on tourism for revenue and jobs, and reported declines last year as the global economic crisis and credit crunch kept Europeans and North Americans at home.

The tourism minister in the eastern Caribbean island of St. Lucia, Allan Chastanet, said he has been meeting with airline officials and arranging for additional flights.

"We will probably end the year 5.6 percent down but we're looking for a strong rebound in 2010," Chastanet told Reuters during Caribbean Marketplace, an annual event hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association which brings together hoteliers and suppliers.

St. Lucia received 360,000 stayover visitors -- those who spend money on hotel rooms and on restaurants -- and saw a 15 percent increase in cruise arrivals.

Tobago, the smaller sister island of Trinidad, suffered significant declines in tourist arrivals from their major UK market and also from Germany.

"The economic situation globally impacted negatively on Tobago. Hotels reported as much as a 40 percent decline in stayover, particularly from the British and the German markets," said hotelier Rene Seepersadsingh.

While most of the islands are reporting a poor 2009 for tourism, Jamaica saw an increase of 4 percent in arrivals.

"It was a good year for us notwithstanding everything globally," said Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett.

MORE SEATS

Jamaica has been running television ads across North America during an unusually cold winter to entice viewers to its warm climate, and hopes for one of its best years.

"For this winter season now beginning, we have a record 1 million (airline) seats which is the largest number we ever had," Bartlett told Reuters.

While tourism officials are optimistic about improvement in the industry this year, they're worried about the impact of an environmental tax the UK government imposes on air travelers.

When a rate hike takes effect in November, an economy-class ticket from a UK airport to the Caribbean will carry a tax of 75 pounds while the tax on a first class ticket is 150 pounds .

"It's a tax that is unfair, unnecessary and unjust," said John Taker, purchasing director at Virgin Holidays.

Many of the islands face an additional challenge of convincing potential travelers of their safety following several crimes against tourists.

Armed robbers in the Bahamas have targeted cruise ship visitors, while travel advisories have been issued for Trinidad and Tobago because of sexual assaults and murders of tourists and foreign residents.

Though local residents are more often targeted than visitors, the region is struggling with high murder rates.

Bermuda had six murders in 2009 and one already this year. At least three of the killings were gang-related.

Hotelier Michael Winfield, chairman of the Bermuda Alliance for Tourism, said the killings and the resulting international publicity threatened the island's image.

"One of Bermuda's strongest selling points has, traditionally, been its safety and friendliness and for that main plank of our profile to now be threatened is alarming; this at a time when projections are already very poor," Winfield said in Bermuda.

Seeparsadsingh said Tobago had boosted police presence, while the crime detection rate has been increasing.

Jamaica, described as one of the most violent countries in the Western Hemisphere, continues to attracts tourists despite its staggering murder rate. The island logged 1,680 murders last year, a record for the nation of 2.7 million people.

"It's a contradiction. The most iconic attraction in Jamaica is the people. It belies the crime statistics," Bartlett said.


----------



## hkskyline

*Peru repair of Machu Picchu train to take 2 months*
29 January 2010

MACHU PICCHU, Peru, Jan 29 (Reuters) - The last of about 4,000 tourists stranded by floods and mudslides near Peru's Incan citadel Machu Picchu waited to be airlifted on Friday, as travelers were told it would likely take some two months to re-establish train service to the famous ruins.

Authorities said they expected to complete the evacuation of the roughly 800 tourists late on Friday.

They have been stuck near the World Heritage Site since the heaviest rains in the region in 15 years flooded the area over the weekend, killing five people.

The torrential rains triggered mudslides that washed away parts of the only train line that connects the ruins with the nearby city of Cusco.

In places, bits of twisted track plunged into rivers of muddy water, which had risen with the rains.

Officials said it would likely take seven weeks to re-establish rail service, but that they were looking at other ways to reach Peru's top tourist draw.

Apart from the train, the only ways to reach the ancient Incan site is to trek some 28 miles (45 km) through steep mountain passes, or fly by helicopter.

Authorities closed the hiking trail earlier this week.

"Clearing the southern railway that runs ... to Machu Picchu will take some seven weeks at least," Armando Pareja, head of PeruRail, told Reuters.

The company operates the train with Orient-Express.

Pareja said PeruRail was exploring a northern route, which would run on roads and a separate train line.

Machu Picchu was built in the mid-15th century and lies some 690 miles (1,100 km) southeast of Lima. Roughly 1 million people visit the site, which sits some 7,874 feet (2,400 metres) above sea level, each year.

Authorities say roughly 4,600 homes and several bridges have been damaged by the rains, as well as some 39,500 acres (16,000 hectares) of farmland.

Cusco's governor has put an initial estimate of the damage at $280 million, while the National Chamber of Tourism said the impact of the rains would be wide-reaching.

"The tourism sector was hit hard, but so were the townspeople, who won't have work for two months," said Bartolome Campana, head of the tourism chamber.


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## hkskyline

*In Vancouver and suburbs, museums, malls, dining show Asian immigration, diversity *
1 February 2010

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - With its colorful ornamental gate, traditional garden and old-Shanghai-style street lamps, a small section of Vancouver lays claim to the title of Chinatown.

However, it's the nearby suburb of Richmond that acts like it.

Home to one-sixth of Vancouver's nearly 700,000 Asians, Richmond considered installing Chinese street signs due to the prevalence of Chinese speakers. The city entices visitors with working museums detailing the lives of Asians and others on the coast of British Columbia, a multitude of dining choices, and malls which transport visitors to the other side of the Pacific.

Richmond was founded in 1879 with an already-thriving aboriginal culture added to by British, Japanese and Chinese immigrants.

Recent immigrants have come in waves from Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan. All have left an indelible stamp on the Vancouver region's culture.

For fascinating shopping or lunch outings, Richmond's Yaohan Centre and Aberdeen Centre malls are must-sees.

Yaohan Centre is home to a vibrant food fair catering to the many palates of Asia. Near Richmond Centre mall is Kirin Restaurant, which boasts a celebrated Cantonese and seafood menu.

Richmond's Aberdeen Centre kicks off the Chinese New Year Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. with Chinese dragons and lions and dancers back by Chinese festival drums.

In Vancouver, the Year of the Tiger parade starts to roll through Chinatown at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 14.

For those with a spiritual bent, the International Buddhist Society's Kuan Yin Temple in Richmond is considered North America's most magnificent and authentic temple of traditional Chinese architecture.

At 11 p.m. on Chinese New Year's Eve (Feb. 13), Abbot Guan Cheng, will lead chanting and group prayers. Visitors are welcome.

Chinese architecture can also be explored at Vancouver's Sun Yat-Sen Traditional Chinese Garden, a Ming Dynasty oasis of serenity in the busy downtown core.

But the Chinese community is just one of many diverse ethnic groups adding to the vibrancy of the Vancouver area.

Japanese contributions to B.C.'s culture are celebrated at the University of British Columbia's Nitobe Garden. It's considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America, and among the top five outside of Japan.

"I am in Japan," Japanese Emperor Akihito once said as he strolled past Nitobe's reflecting pond with Koi, streams and waterfalls, stone lanterns and the teahouse.

For more than a century, Sikhs from India have made their homes in the Vancouver area. The 49th Avenue and Main Street area is known as the Punjabi Market and is alive with stores, markets and restaurants.

The Sikh presence is marked by two large gurdwaras or temples.

Vancouver's Ross Street Temple and Guru Nanak Gurdwara in the suburb of Surrey welcome visitors.

A darker side of Olympic history is documented at Vancouver's Jewish Community Centre's Holocaust Education Centre. Two current exhibits, "More Than Just Games: Canada and the 1936 Olympics" and "Framing Bodies: Sport and Spectacle in Nazi Germany," caused a sensation when they opened prior to the start of the Olympic Torch Run.

Back in Richmond, the early contributions of the region's diverse populations to B.C.'s economy are preserved at the Britannia Shipyard National Historic Site. It's a rare surviving example of a once-thriving mixture of fish canneries, boatyards and heritage buildings.

Situated atop wooden pilings over the Fraser River, the village of Steveston's Gulf of Georgia Cannery is one of the few remaining 19th century salmon canneries on the coast.

A less-talked-about piece of B.C. history is the seizure of Japanese-Canadians during World War II. Fearing a Japanese invasion, the Canadian government rounded up Japanese-Canadians, stripped them of their belongings, and forced them into camps in the province's interior. (The U.S. conducted a similar round-up of its Japanese residents.) That dark episode in Canadian history is commemorated at Richmond Museum, as is the rich coastal aboriginal culture. For visitors heading into the province's Interior, New Denver is home to a haunting internment camp museum.

Steveston is also a great place to wander through quaint shops or have a beer on the docks. After that, Dave's Fish & Chips serves up a hearty English meal. This is where the Brits eat.

------

If You Go...

GETTING THERE: Vancouver International Airport is located in Richmond. Vancouver's newest light rail line, Canada Line, runs from downtown Vancouver. For Richmond, take trains to Richmond-Brighouse. Trip Planner: http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca

VANCOUVER ETHNIC TOURISM: http://tinyurl.com/yzj24f6

SHOPPING: Aberdeen Centre: http://www.aberdeencentre.com. Yaohan Centre: http://www.yaohancentre.com.

DINING: Kirin: http://www.kirinrestaurants.com/ (several locations in Vancouver and Richmond. Dave's Fish & Chips: http://dinehere.ca/richmond/daves-fish-chips (3460 Moncton St., Richmond).

PLACES OF INTEREST:

Steveston: http://www.stevestonivillage.com/aboutsteveston.html

Gulf of Georgia Cannery: http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/bc/georgia/index.aspx

Kuan Yin Temple: http://www.buddhisttemple.ca

City of Richmond: http://www.richmond.ca/home.htm

Nitobe Memorial Garden: http://www.nitobe.org/

Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara: http://www.gurunanakgurdwara.ca/

Ross Street Sikh Temple: http://www.kdsvancouver.com/ross-street-temple.html

Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre: http://www.vhec.org/


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## hkskyline

*Ritz-Carlton to close 5-diamond Las Vegas hotel in May *

NEW YORK, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co will close its five-diamond property in Las Vegas this May, after the hotel struggled with a slide in demand and revenue.

"It's nothing the hotel did. It's a simple lack of business and a decline in the tourism industry," said Ritz-Carlton spokeswoman Vivian Deuschl.

The owners of the 348-room property, Village Hospitality LLC, an arm of Deutsche Bank , will stop funding the Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas day-to-day operations on May 2.

"That was the owner's decision and we reluctantly agreed to go along with it," Deuschl said.

Luxury properties have been hit hard in the past year and a half. Corporate travel and business from associations accounts for the bulk revenue of these hotels, but companies and groups have cut back on travel spending in the past year.

Village Hospitality, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank's German American Capital Corp, acquired the hotel in a nonjudicial foreclosure sale in February 2009.

"The unprecedented economic downturn has had a significant impact on the hotel's operations," said Deutsche Bank spokesman Scott Helfman. "As a result, Village Hospitality LLC concluded that continuing to fund operations was no longer economically viable and consequently decided to close the hotel effective May 2, 2010."

Ritz-Carlton is a division of Marriott International .

The hotel opened seven years ago and has played host to an array of celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Celine Dion and the late pop icon Michael Jackson.

The Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas property employs some 350 people, Deuschl said, some of whom may be relocated to other Ritz-Carlton properties or other Las Vegas hotels.

THE "AIG" EFFECT

Located 17 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, the hotel boasts retail boutiques, a wedding chapel and gondola rides, according to the hotel's website.

It received a "five-diamond" rating from the American Automobile Association for 2010.

Last year, revenue for U.S. luxury hotels fell nearly 17 percent, outpacing the 14 percent drop in the overall industry, according to an analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC.

Revenue per available room (RevPAR), a fiscal measure of health in the industry, plummeted about 24 percent, compared with a 16.4 percent drop for the industry overall.

Luxury hotels have also suffered from the backlash from the so-called "AIG effect," referring to the uproar caused by American International Group's decision to fly top brokers and executives to a resort shortly after receiving a bailout check from the U.S. government.

"The whole demonization of luxury meetings and companies' pulling back on having their high-end meetings in luxury hotels -- this has had a tremendous impact on Las Vegas," Deuschl said. "I can't think of another destination that has had to defend itself more against comments from politicians."

Deuschl did not comment specifically on the hotel's occupancy level, but said it was lower than the company would have liked.


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## jbkayaker12

Ten said:


> a bit different number from another source.
> 
> 
> 
> BANGKOK – Given Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s tourism promotion initiatives and the recovery of the world economy, TAT estimates that the number of international tourists for 2009 came close to 14 million, down only four percent compared to 2008.
> 
> Since August 2009 however, tourism in Thailand has shown clear signs of recovery. The number of tourists declined by only five percent in August and switched to a growth of more than 10 percent in September and October. This dramatic increase continued until the end of 2009.


We have a similar situation in Las Vegas, tourism for 2009 compared to 2008 was down 3% while the last 4 months of 2009 saw an increase in visitation compared to the same months of 2008. 

Overall visitation numbers for Las Vegas in 2009 was around 36+ million.
-------

NUMBER OF VISITORS TO LAS VEGAS DROPPED 3 PERCENT LAST YEAR

By Tim Richardson (contact), Richard N. Velotta (contact)
Published Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010 | 11:19 a.m.

The number of visitors to Las Vegas declined by 3 percent last year when compared to 2008.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said the city had 36,351,469 visitors last year. The average daily room rate for 2009 was $92.93, which was a drop of 22 percent compared to a year earlier.

Room inventory finished the year at 148,941, which was a 6 percent increase in the number of rooms over the past year. The average occupancy rate was 81.5 percent last year, which was down 4.5 percentage points from a year earlier.

Convention attendance was down 23.9 percent last year, while the number of conventions was down 13.6 percent, the LVCVA said.

But the numbers weren’t all bad.

A trend of increasing visitor numbers continued into the December, according to numbers released today. Las Vegas had 2,780,648 visitors in December, which was up 1.5 percent compared to December 2008.

It’s the fourth consecutive month that year-over-year visitor numbers have increased.

The LVCVA said convention attendance in December was up 11.6 percent compared to a year earlier, while the number of conventions was up 10 percent.

Kevin Bagger, senior director of marketing for the LVCVA, told the organization’s board of directors Tuesday that he is forecasting a 3 percent increase in visitors in 2010 to an estimated 37.4 million.

Bagger said that while Las Vegas’ 81.5 percent occupancy rate was down from last year, it still was considerably healthier than other centers of tourism. Citing statistics from Smith Travel Research, Bagger said convention-hosting rival Orlando had occupancy of 60.7 percent in 2009 while Chicago had a rate of 56.6 percent.

Other cities in the comparison: New York had an occupancy rate of 77.2 percent, the Hawaiian island of Oahu, 73.3 percent, and San Francisco, 71.6 percent. The U.S. average rate was 55.1 percent, down 5.2 percentage points from last year.

Las Vegas’ occupancy rate has been challenged by the dramatic increase in the number of rooms in the city. The 6 percent increase in the number of rooms translates into a net change of 8,412 rooms with the opening of the M Resort and CityCenter and expansions at the Golden Nugget, Planet Hollywood and two at the Hard Rock.

Other cities struggled with their average daily room rates, but Las Vegas’ 22 percent decline was the largest by percentage of any of the major tourism centers and at $92.93 was below the national average.

The average national ADR was calculated at $98, 8.8 percent below the 2009 level.

Most of the other major tourism centers were off by double-digit percentages. New York City’s ADR fell 21.8 percent to $215, Chicago’s fell 14.5 percent to $113 and Orlando’s fell 12.2 percent to $93.

Bagger said the LVCVA is happy about the four consecutive months of visitor volume increases, but leaders also are pleased with the three consecutive months of increases in the consumer confidence index through January.
Las Vegas Sun


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## hkskyline

Hmm .. that hotel occupancy % is still quite high even during boom times!


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## hkskyline

*Mauritius sees tourism resurging in 2010 *

PORT LOUIS, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Mauritius expects its its tourism industry to recover this year on the back of higher visitor numbers after the island, one of Africa's best tourism performers, has weathered the crisis better than expected.

"Based on data available on tourist arrivals and information gathered from stakeholders, it is expected that tourist arrivals for the year 2010 would be around 915,000, representing an increase of 5 percent over the figure of 871,356 in 2009," the Central Statistics Office said in a statement on Thursday.

The Indian Ocean island's tourism revenue for the year is forecast at around 40.1 billion rupees ($1.3 billion), up over 12 percent on the 35.6 billion generated in 2009.

Long-haul luxury destinations have suffered as the financial crisis and the ensuing economic slowdown changed consumer spending habits.

Mauritius, which is best known for its azure waters, white beaches and luxury spas, has pursued an aggressive international marketing campaign, while its hotels have offered heavy discounts as it fights for market share.

Arrivals from Europe in 2009 fell 4.7 percent to 579,509 led by a 16.6 percent decline in German arrivals, a 14.6 percent drop in Italian arrivals and a 5.5 percent fall in British visitors.

France, Mauritius' leading market, bucked the trend with a 6 percent increase.

Visitor numbers from Asia, a market the island is increasingly looking to tap, decreased by 14.6 percent to 62,131.

Arrivals from India, a big revenue generator, fell by 10.6 percent, the United Arab Emirates by 23.6 percent and Japan by 22.8 percent.

This week, Mauritius' leading hotel groups including New Mauritius Hotels reported sharp declines in revenues.

The statistics office said the average room occupancy rate for all hotels during in 2009 was 61 percent.


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## hkskyline

*Cuban tourism season off to rough start *
24 February 2010

HAVANA, Feb 24 (Reuters) - The Cuban tourism season got off to a rough start in 2010, with arrivals down 4.9 percent in January from the same month of last year, according to a government report seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

The report, due to be released later this week, said arrivals were 254,845 in the first month of this year, compared with 268,115 in January 2009. It gave no further details.

Tourism and related businesses are an important source of income for the cash-strapped, communist-run Caribbean island, totaling more than $2 billion last year, or about 20 percent of Cuba's foreign exchange income.

Foreign sources in the tourism industry blamed the January decline on a pricing spat with a major Canadian tour operator that reduced bookings from Canada, economic hard times in Europe and competition from lower-priced packages in the Dominican Republic and the Mexican resort of Cancun.

Slightly more than 2.4 million tourists visited Cuba last year, an increase of 3.5 percent over 2008. Of those, the biggest number -- 914,884 -- were Canadians.

The foreign manager of a Cuban hotel said tourist arrivals were down again in February and prospects for March were not encouraging because the response by tourism officials to January's decline was too slow in coming.

"They are running around lowering their prices now but it's too late through March," he said.

Also, other countries expecting fewer arrivals from Europe and the United States due to the global recession are trying to lure Canadian tourists.

"They have waged a price war for the Canadian market," the hotel manager said.

The U.S. market is largely off-limits to Cuba because the 48-year-long U.S. trade embargo against the island prohibits most Americans from traveling there.


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## hkskyline

*WHAT A CATCH!*
25 February 2010
China Daily









_Source : http://www.pbase.com/venturabumm/image/74252660_

One in every five fish caught in the world ends up here but you would never guess this in Tokyo's orderly Tsukiji market, Ou Shuyi reports

It is 5 am and I am wide awake amid the rising buzz in the chilly warehouse. Squeezing into a roped-off aisle, I stand on tiptoe jostling dozens of other tourists for a good view of the highlight of my visit to the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo.

The tuna auction is about to begin.

More than 200 frozen tuna have been laid out on the floor like rows of torpedoes, with their tails sliced off. On each of them is a small piece of paper that gives its origin and weight.

A swarm of bidders, all wearing baseball caps and rubber boots, bend over the fish, prodding the flesh of the sliced-off tail end with a long, wooden handled hook, peering at it with a flashlight, and taking notes on a palm-sized pad.

"They are checking the freshness and fattiness of the flesh," says my guide Oliver Weber, executive chef at Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo. The American has visited the market several times during his one-year stay in the city and knows the auction process well.

The bidders include wholesalers who operate stalls within Tsukiji Market, as well as other licensed buyers, such as agents for restaurants, food processing companies and large retailers.

As one of the largest wholesale seafood markets in the world, Tsukiji is at the very heart of Japan's seafood business, handling more than 2,200 tons of at least 400 varieties every day, worth $15 million.

From penny-a-piece sardines to golden grown dried sea slug caviar, it is all in abundance here. One in every five fish caught in the world goes through this market.

While certainly a serious place for business, Tsukiji reminds me more of a playground where a "fishy drama" - the tuna auction - is unfolding, offering me a glimpse into a culture of seafood commerce that dates back to the 16th century.

A brass bell rings and the bustle in the warehouse stills - the auction begins. The auctioneer, standing on a small stool, is the star of the proceedings. He moves his knees, hip and arms in a strange dance while yelling out prices in a rhythmic way, his eyes flitting across the audience to make sure he does not miss a bid.

"Bids are sealed within seconds," Weber explains, pointing to a bidder making a small hand gesture. "And the prices vary dramatically."

The smaller fish, weighing about the same as an average adult, go for around $3,000. The bigger fish, weighing more than 200 kg, can fetch up to $10,000. In 2001 a bluefin tuna was sold for $220,000, the highest price in Tsukiji's auction.

The frenetic auction sees about 200 tuna sold in half an hour. But the tuna auction is only one of a series of auctions taking place everyday in the market; there are also those for sea urchins, shrimp and dried fish. Tsukiji sets the pulse of this sushi-craving nation.

The history of the market dates back to the early development of Edo (now Tokyo) about 400 years ago when Tokugawa Ieyasu established a fish market to ensure supplies for his castle. The fish market expanded gradually but was mostly destroyed in an earthquake in 1923. The current market was built in 1935 in Tsukiji, located near the Sumida River in central Tokyo, and is now administered and managed by the municipal government.

Covering an area of 23 hectares, Tsukiji is divided into two sections: The inner market, where the auctions and processing of the majority of the fish takes place with about 900 licensed wholesale dealers operating small stalls; and the outer market, consisting of a mixture of wholesale and retail shops that sell everything from seafood to Japanese kitchen tools - and many sushi restaurants.

Every morning at around 3 am, while most of Tokyo's 12 million people are still asleep, Tsukiji comes to life - seafood pours in from all over the world and much of it comes from ships that pull right up to the unloading docks on the Sumida River; and the rest arrives by trucks from other ports, or airplanes.

The auctions end at 7 am. The activity then shifts to the wholesale stalls in the market as hundreds of three-wheeled electric trolleys whistle around, moving tons of fish from one stall to another. Wholesale dealers get busy, cutting up the frozen tuna and swordfish with band saws or chopping the fish into saleable pieces with axes.

"All the seafood we see right here, right now, might arrive at the city's supermarkets or restaurants by lunchtime," Weber says, as he leads me through a maze of alleys lined with hundreds of small stalls.

Each stall is fronted by tables heavily laden with Styrofoam containers. The tanks of live fish, mountains of octopus, bundles of crawling crabs and endless varieties of shellfish, will leave the most jaded foodie with an open jaw.

Although choking with fish, the market does not have a fish smell. Employing about 60,000 people, this is one busy place, but is highly orderly - a fine reflection of a nation that prizes efficiency and organization.

For years this major tourism draw of Tokyo has been dogged by plans of relocation. The government once planned the site as a possible Olympics Game venue when Tokyo bid for the 2016 Olympics. The plan was suspended when the city lost the bid.

Yet, rumors keep swirling that it will soon be relocated.

The sun begins to rise as I walk into the outer market. Vendors have already set up their wares, such as hand-made sweets, cooked octopus, various kinds of fish gut, tuna heads and rice crackers.

Like most other tourists, I top off my visit with a sushi breakfast - the freshest and tastiest I've ever had.


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## hkskyline

*European heritage label seeks to bind EU states *

BRUSSELS, March 11 (Reuters) - In an effort to create a sense of shared history, the European Union has launched an initiative to promote important sites of culture and heritage across its 27 member states and the continent.

The European Heritage label -- modelled on the U.N. World Heritage programme -- brings together dozens of locations that have had a part to play in forging the culture and history of modern Europe.

The label has already been awarded to 64 places, from Poland's Gdansk shipyards, a hotbed of the Solidarity movement that helped bring an end to communism, to the Acropolis in Athens, a relic of ancient Greece and a symbol of democracy.

The European Commission formally signed off on the idea this week, and it will now be expanded across the union, with each member state allowed to nominate two sites for the label each year, although only one, at most, will be chosen.

In its sweep, the initiative seeks to contribute to the political and economic integration of Europe by binding its 4,000-year-old history and culture more tightly together, and building on the European City of Culture programme that has been running since the 1980s.

Cypriot Androulla Vassiliou, the European commissioner in charge of education, culture, multilingualism and youth, believes the initiative will give the European Union's 500 million citizens a better sense of where they have come from.

For young people particularly, she hopes it will be educational and contribute to cultural tourism throughout the bloc, which will in turn have economic benefits.

"There will be new opportunities to learn about our common yet diverse cultural heritage, about the history and the building of the European Union, and about the democratic values and human rights that underpin European integration," she said.

Costing less than 1 million euros ($1.4 million) a year to administer, she said the initiative had a price that was "small compared to the potential educational and tourist benefits."

Other notable sites already awarded the label include the Palace of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete, the palace of the popes in Avignon, France, and the birthplaces of Italian composers Rossini, Puccini and Verdi.

Switzerland, while not a member of the European Union, has had three sites recognised, including the Hospice of St. Gothard high in the Alps that has been a stopping off and treacherous passage point between north and south Europe for centuries.

Although the label idea was begun by France, Hungary and Spain four years ago, the Commission has only now given its formal backing. Its support should raise the profile of the scheme and make it possible to promote it more widely.

The timing would appear to be right. An online poll conducted by the Commission last May showed that 58 percent of people were unaware there was even a European Heritage label.

At the same time, 89 percent of the 220 polled said the idea would help define a European identity, and 90 percent said it was good that the Commission was backing it.


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## hkskyline

*Sleepy India town wakes up to tourists, business *

GOKARNA, India, March 12 (Reuters) - German tourist Oliver Krupke has travelled to India every year for the past three years, but it's not the Taj Mahal, the beaches of Goa or the bustle of Mumbai that keep bringing him back.

For the 33-year-old, the perfect holiday lies in the sleepy beach town of Gokarna, some 125 kms (78 miles) from Goa, India's beach capital.

"This might not be the most beautiful beach in the world, but the people and the peace here are like no other," said Krupke, adding that on his way to Gokarna, he had to stay for a day in Goa and hated it.

Gokarna, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, has four famous beaches -- the Om, Half-Moon, Paradise and Kudle.

And it would appear that these low-profile beaches on the India's western coast are stealing a number of tourists from its more famous neighbour Goa, as more and more foreigners look for the anti-thesis of their often busy city lives.

With its blend of spirituality and tolerance, Gokarna has been steadily building its popularity with tourists.

While the town of holds religious significance for Hindus, the beaches draw people from all over the world.

As the sun goes down, the shacks -- the numerous makeshift lodges that dot the shores -- don't start pumping loud party music. Instead, people gather wood to light bonfires in the evening, which they huddle around and jam with mandolins and guitars on the dimly lit beaches.

For tourists looking for more traditional accommodation, there are also a number of motels further away from the beach. And if the lure of the city becomes too strong, you can always go to Goa for a few days.

"I came here after a lot of my friends recommended this place. Beaches in Europe are more beautiful, but this place helps me relax," said Ludwik Ballton, a Polish home builder, who was staying at one of the many beachside shacks.

As word-of-mouth recommendations increase, traffic through Gokarna is increasing by the day, and business in and around the town is booming.

In 2009, the number of foreign tourists visiting Gokarna rose 9 percent, according to the state tourism department.

When Ganesh, who runs a shack and who declined to give his full name, came to Gokarna eight years ago, guests were few and far in between. Now, business is so brisk, he often has to decline boarders.

"If you have stayed here for two days, everyone knows everyone else. Most of my foreign guests stay here for weeks on end, though Indian visitors are generally here only for the weekend," said Ganesh, adding that repeat visitors comprise most of the crowd in Gokarna.

Another shack worker on Om beach who goes by the name of "Rambo" also reported more visitors, adding that he and his peers expect even more tourists to come this year.

Goa's image has taken a beating recently, largely due to a spate of crimes against foreign tourists as well as rising prices and over-crowded beaches.

The resulting media coverage of the crimes has lead to security fears, chairman of Goa Tourism, Ralph DeSouza, said. Interim 2009 official figures show a 3 percent drop in the number of foreign tourists to the former Portuguese colony, and 2008 saw a decline of about 10 percent.

All these factors have helped the allure of lesser-known destinations such as Gokarna. But as the town becomes more and more on the tourist track, it could also become a victim of its own success.

"If these beaches ultimately start brimming with people... and they already are... we would move further along the coast, looking for other places," said Polish tourist Ballton.


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## hkskyline

*Once a Spring Break mecca, Fort Lauderdale has shooed away collegiate bacchanalia *
7 March 2010 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - As they stripped off their sweatshirts and began to toss around a football, Justin Gibson and three college friends had just what they needed to kick off a weeklong vacation from snow and studying for exams.

The sun broke through the clouds, the sand of Fort Lauderdale beach grew warm beneath their toes, and on a blanket nearby was their beer cooler.

"I do wish there were a few more people around," said Gibson, 20, as he launched a spiral to Indiana Wesleyan University classmate Justin Sauder. "But we don't have to worry about hitting anyone with a bad pass."

As the annual bacchanal called Spring Break builds toward a peak later this month, there might be a few more college-age revelers on South Florida beaches than there were last week when Gibson and Sauder were here. But not many more.

Almost 25 years after Broward County officials began to actively discourage the Spring Break mayhem touched off by the movie "Where The Boys Are" and fueled by MTV, there is plenty of room for football on the beach where Las Olas Boulevard meets it.

And that is just fine with local tourism officials.

"That low-rated, kind of raunchy thing?" said Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau chief Nicki Grossman. "No one in the tourism business wants to go back to that."

Palm Beach County also is well down the list of favored Spring Break destinations, though tourism officials hope Black Entertainment Television will choose Riviera Beach for a fourth consecutive year as the site of "Spring Bling."

The April festival of music draws about 3,000 young people to Singer Island.

"It's a big deal," said Jorge Pesquera, president of the county's Convention and Visitors Bureau.

College students taking in the rays Saturday at Boca Raton beach said they were there because it's a beautiful place and a passport isn't necessary.

"There's no place like Florida," said John Garrish, 21, a Wagner College junior who was taking a break from the New York snow. "You can go to Cancun and get the MTV treatment, but I'm just trying to relax and it's calmer here."

Twenty-somethings were playing volleyball, trying to catch a wave or a tan to show off when they return to their winter-struck schools.

But long gone are the chances of finding a $100 beachfront hotel room to serve as a crash pad for any number of sunburned, beer-blasted young scholars on holiday.

Rooms at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel, formerly known as the Yankee Clipper, start at $229. And that's for a double, not a dozen.

Some college students pick South Florida because they cannot afford Spring Break hot spots such as Cancun, Acapulco or Panama City.

"I started out with about $350 for the week -- that's gas, food, drinks, everything," said Sauder, who is from Archbold, Ohio.

Many don't even pay for a hotel.

"We're staying in my great-grandmother's house," said Tara Duhl, 19, an Indiana Wesleyan sophomore who drove from Indiana with Gibson, Sauder and Haley Pearce, 21. "We thought about Mexico," she said. "But this was the best option for us."

Nearby on the sand last week were four Minneapolis men, including University of Minnesota political science student Nick Erickson, 24. They were staying with his parents in Fort Lauderdale and socializing on the sand with four women on Spring Break from Cegep de Sherbrooke, a technical school in Quebec.

They, too, were staying with relatives, said Catherine Brendle, 21.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler said he understands the economics.

"I was here for four years when I was at Notre Dame," Seiler said, "and I always brought six to 12 kids with me to stay at my house."

Seiler's undergraduate years, from 1981 to 1985, marked the heyday of Fort Lauderdale as a Spring Break mecca.

"It was a little crazy, a little wild," Seiler said. "I was here. I had my share of cold beers on the beach."

However, Seiler does not want to revisit those days, nor see the city again become a Spring Break capital.

"In this economy, dollars are dollars," he said. "We are not targeting that crowd, but we're not turning our back on that crowd. Everything in moderation."

There are some echoes of the past. The beachside ban on open containers that helped wipe out Spring Break in the mid-1980s was suspended recently for events such as the Super Bowl. And Seiler said it is unlikely now that any older-than-21 college student is going to be busted for having a beer on the beach.

"We can allow people to responsibly have a cup of beer or wine while sitting outside," he said. "The key is that it not become a problem."

On the south side of the venerable Elbo Room along Las Olas is a poster for the Great American Beach Party, which will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1960 movie that put Fort Lauderdale on the Spring Break map. Connie Francis, one of the stars of the movie, recently was in town to promote the Memorial Day weekend event.

Seiler said he plans to be there, as will City Commissioner Romney Rogers, who partied on the beach in the early 1970s. "I saw it," he said. "And no, it's not in the best interest of the city to bring it back to that level."


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## hkskyline

*INTERVIEW-Lebanon's key tourism sector growing fast-minister*

BEIRUT, March 17 (Reuters) - Tourism in Lebanon is expected to grow by 25 percent in 2010 after setting a record-breaking year in 2009 when it contributed a quarter of the country's GDP, the tourism minister Fadi Abboud said on Wednesday.

Abboud, who described 2009 as the best year for the tourism sector since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war, told Reuters in an interview that he plans to attract more European tourists through competitive packages which will pay off in 2011.

"The income from tourism in 2009 was $7.2 billion -- compared to around $4.8 in 2008 and this makes up the quarter of GDP," he said.

"Lebanon received about 1.85 million tourists in 2009, an increase of 39 percent from 2008," he added.

The tourism sector used to account for about a fifth of Lebanon's gross domestic product before the industry was destroyed by the 1975-90 civil war.

Abboud said investment in the tourism sector increased by 60 percent in 2009, most of which went to restaurants, hotels and spas.

Abboud said Lebanon signed deals with Chinese companies to encourage tourists and is expecting around 100,000 Chinese tourists to visit the country in 2010.

"We are working on a plan to make Lebanon a tourism (destination) 365 days. It's worth noting that packages and tours make up less than 3 percent of the tourism in the country," he said, adding that he was looking to increase that.

Nearly 750,000 of the tourists that visited last year came from Arab countries, 600,000 from European countries and the rest from elsewhere.

Lebanon's economy is expected to grow as much as 8 percent this year if structural reforms and long-stalled privatisation plans are implemented, the finance minister has said.

But Lebanon, which shrugged off the effects of the global financial crisis, is one of the most highly-indebted countries in the world with a public debt of $51 billion.

Pitched into crisis by war, assassinations and political instability from 2005, Lebanon has enjoyed relative calm for more than a year. The country's economy has seen rapid growth in the past two years, expanding by 9 percent in 2009 and more than 8 percent in 2008.

"There's no doubt that with the new government and stable conditions ... the tourism sector has benefited. Otherwise we wouldn't have been able to talk about tourism (growth)," he said.


----------



## hakz2007

*Tourism leaders look to transform to survive*


> HAIKOU, March 24 (PNA/Xinhua) -- Leaders in the world of tourism need to start plotting a sustainable recovery for the industry after one of the worst years on record.
> 
> Industry leaders are still reflecting on the message that emerged after the close of the five-day Boao International Tourism Forum in south China's Hainan Province on Sunday.
> 
> Last year saw the first decline in global tourism revenue in 15 years and tourist numbers dropped 3 to 4 percent year on year, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
> 
> "Even if this year's growth rate reaches 4 percent, world tourism will only be at the same the level of 2008," UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai said at the forum.
> 
> The industry should understand that it had grown unsustainably in the past 50 to 60 years, said Rifai.
> 
> It was also vulnerable to challenges, including climate change and unemployment, he said.
> 
> Industry figures agreed the recovery was fragile and global cooperation was needed to overcome challenges.
> 
> *PROBLEMS AHEAD*
> 
> UNWTO forecasts the industry will grow by 3 to 4 percent in 2010.
> 
> However, at a time of weak economic performance, many people are traveling shorter distances and spending of individual tourists had not increased since the downturn began.
> 
> Rifai said the industry faced two major threats -- government debt and unemployment -- which could lead the governments to withdraw support for the tourism industry.
> 
> Unemployment could also lead to social tension, discouraging travelers.
> 
> The industry could provide remarkable employment and promote other industries, but it was vulnerable to natural disasters, epidemics and financial crises, said the 2010 Hainan Tourism Declaration.
> 
> The world's tourism industry should establish cooperation and development mechanisms to jointly respond to these problems, the declaration said.
> 
> *POST-CRISIS TRANSFORMATION*
> 
> Tourism has become desirable for many countries and regions to expand domestic market and achieve green recovery, and it is becoming more connected with sectors such as culture, sport and exhibitions.
> 
> Integrated development of tourism and culture offered huge potential for the industry, said Liu Yunshan, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in a keynote speech.
> 
> "The cultural element is essential to the transform and sustained development of tourism," said Chinese Culture Minister Cai Wu.
> 
> Tourism, as an important engine in economic development, could provide jobs and be a green industry, as tourists could promote the protection of nature, said Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of Sate.
> 
> Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said global tourism should learn from the past and start balanced development with innovative growth measures.
> 
> Baumgarten stressed the environment was at the core of tourism and development should not be made at the expense of nature.
> 
> *CHINA'S ROLE*
> 
> "China, we predict, is going to become the world's number one tourist destination in the world by the year 2015," Rifai said.
> 
> With 48 million international tourists a year, China was already the fourth biggest destination after France, the United States and Spain.
> 
> Chinese outbound tourists rose 4 percent year on year to 47.65 million in 2009, according to the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).
> 
> The policies for Chinese to travel overseas remain unchanged while China itself faces difficulties in economic growth.
> 
> Rifai praised China's tourism policy documents last year, which rated tourism as a pillar industry of the economy, and said he believed China would see the benefits in the next 10 years.
> 
> The government announced January it would develop China's only tropical island, Hainan, into an international tourist resort by 2020.
> 
> The Ministry of Culture and the National Tourism Administration will hold a year of cultural tourism every four years from 2010, an international cultural tourism festival every two years and support eight to 10 local cultural tourism events. (PNA/Xinhua)


http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=6&sid=&nid=6&rid=266061


----------



## hkskyline

*Zambia wants to raise 2010 tourist arrivals by 25 pct *
27 March 2010

LUSAKA, March 27 (Reuters) - Zambia wants to increase tourist arrivals by 25 percent to one million this year, helped by an improved global economic environment and the World Cup in South Africa, industry officials said on Saturday.

Tourism accounts for about 18 percent of Zambia's GDP and is a key employer, especially in the southern African country's rural areas, but officials say visits were sharply lower last year as a global recession weighed.

Timothy Mushibwe, chairman of the Zambia Tourist Board, said rebranding the country's tourism packages and promotions in key markets like Europe would spur the increase in visitors.

"The feeling in the market is that tourists are beginning to travel again and in as much as we are targeting one million tourists this year, we think we can move to a level of attracting 3.5 million people to Zambia in the next three years," Mushibwe said.

Mark O'Donnell, chairman of the Tourism Council of Zambia, said hotel bookings had dropped by 20-25 percent in 2009.

"This year, what we want to do is probably recover those numbers, especially with the soccer World Cup coming to South Africa," O'Donnell told Reuters.

Zambia, Africa's largest copper producer, has been pushing to diversify the economy away from mining to agriculture and tourism for sustainable growth.


----------



## p2bsa

*Life's a beach in World Cup city of Durban*

more AP coverage of Durban - published numerously worldwide

*Life's a beach in World Cup city of Durban
*South Africa's most-popular holiday resort city expected to draw thousands to its sand and sun








By Robert Millward, AP Football Writer
Associated Press | Posted: Apr 1, 5:52a ET | Updated: Apr 1, 5:52a ET

DURBAN, South Africa (AP) -- If World Cup fans going to South Africa want a taste of sun, sea and sand before they head for the games, they should book themselves into Durban.
Built on a huge natural lagoon in Africa's biggest and busiest harbor, Durban has a year-round warm, subtropical climate, soft, sandy beaches and is South Africa's most popular domestic holiday resort.
The draw was kind to sun-seeking fans from Germany, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal and Brazil, who all have games in the east coast city at its spectacular 70,000-seat Moses Mabhida football stadium just outside the center.
Though hot and very humid in the summer, temperatures are around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter, when the World Cup is being held June 11-July 11, and rarely dip below 16 degrees C (62 degrees F) at night.
What began as a small trading post settled by the British in 1824, Durban spread along the coast and now has a population of 3.5 million. Most of those are Zulu, although 15 percent have origins in India, their families having crossed the Indian Ocean several generations ago.
Like Johannesburg and Cape Town, Durban has a crime problem but it is mainly concentrated in the townships, well away from the tourist areas.
"It's easy to police the city," said Dr. Zweli Mikhize, premier of the province of KwaZulu-Natal. "The whole area is much more highly policed than before. I wouldn't worry about that, not at all. The football World Cup has done wonders for us. There's huge investments in infrastructure, facilities and prevention of crime."
A new international airport, the King Shaka, is being built to allow direct flights from abroad rather than via Johannesburg. Also known as La Mercy, after the name of the nearest town 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of the city, it should be completed by May, a month before the World Cup kicks off, and will replace the existing Durban Airport, which will be closed.
While the main tourist hotels overlook the beaches and the ocean, the cruise liners and yachts moor around the corner in the Bay of Natal. The city's business and entertainment centers are in between.
The main sports arenas, Kingsmead cricket ground, Kings Park rugby stadium and Moses Mabhida, are situated a short drive away.
The football stadium has a unique feature-a Y-shaped arch which visitors can climb either by going up the 560 steps or using the cable car. The top of the arch gives the best view possible of the city and the ocean.
The city has four Premier League clubs, Amazulu, Golden Arrows, Thanda Royal Zulu and Maritzburg United, and is the home of Super 14 rugby union team Sharks. The Sharks play at the Kings Park, which is next to the spectacular new football ground.
Durban has had a long football history and the biggest match it has hosted was when South Africa played a full strength England national team in 2002. Durban was also the venue for South Africa's first post-apartheid game when the national team played Cameroon, winning 1-0 at Kings Park. The city also hosted group, quarterfinal and semifinal matches during the 1996 African Cup of Nations.
The new three-tiered stadium will be part of a Kings Park sporting precinct, which will also include athletics, rugby, golf and swimming.
Source: http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=466692.html
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-04-01-4240398009_x.htm
http://arabnews.com/sports/article38158.ece
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcupcity-durban


----------



## p2bsa




----------



## Reghu

p2bsa said:


> more AP coverage of Durban - published numerously worldwide
> 
> *Life's a beach in World Cup city of Durban
> *South Africa's most-popular holiday resort city expected to draw thousands to its sand and sun
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By Robert Millward, AP Football Writer
> Associated Press | Posted: Apr 1, 5:52a ET | Updated: Apr 1, 5:52a ET
> 
> DURBAN, South Africa (AP) -- If World Cup fans going to South Africa want a taste of sun, sea and sand before they head for the games, they should book themselves into Durban.
> Built on a huge natural lagoon in Africa's biggest and busiest harbor, Durban has a year-round warm, subtropical climate, soft, sandy beaches and is South Africa's most popular domestic holiday resort.
> The draw was kind to sun-seeking fans from Germany, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal and Brazil, who all have games in the east coast city at its spectacular 70,000-seat Moses Mabhida football stadium just outside the center.
> Though hot and very humid in the summer, temperatures are around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter, when the World Cup is being held June 11-July 11, and rarely dip below 16 degrees C (62 degrees F) at night.
> What began as a small trading post settled by the British in 1824, Durban spread along the coast and now has a population of 3.5 million. Most of those are Zulu, although 15 percent have origins in India, their families having crossed the Indian Ocean several generations ago.
> Like Johannesburg and Cape Town, Durban has a crime problem but it is mainly concentrated in the townships, well away from the tourist areas.
> "It's easy to police the city," said Dr. Zweli Mikhize, premier of the province of KwaZulu-Natal. "The whole area is much more highly policed than before. I wouldn't worry about that, not at all. The football World Cup has done wonders for us. There's huge investments in infrastructure, facilities and prevention of crime."
> A new international airport, the King Shaka, is being built to allow direct flights from abroad rather than via Johannesburg. Also known as La Mercy, after the name of the nearest town 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of the city, it should be completed by May, a month before the World Cup kicks off, and will replace the existing Durban Airport, which will be closed.
> While the main tourist hotels overlook the beaches and the ocean, the cruise liners and yachts moor around the corner in the Bay of Natal. The city's business and entertainment centers are in between.
> The main sports arenas, Kingsmead cricket ground, Kings Park rugby stadium and Moses Mabhida, are situated a short drive away.
> The football stadium has a unique feature-a Y-shaped arch which visitors can climb either by going up the 560 steps or using the cable car. The top of the arch gives the best view possible of the city and the ocean.
> The city has four Premier League clubs, Amazulu, Golden Arrows, Thanda Royal Zulu and Maritzburg United, and is the home of Super 14 rugby union team Sharks. The Sharks play at the Kings Park, which is next to the spectacular new football ground.
> Durban has had a long football history and the biggest match it has hosted was when South Africa played a full strength England national team in 2002. Durban was also the venue for South Africa's first post-apartheid game when the national team played Cameroon, winning 1-0 at Kings Park. The city also hosted group, quarterfinal and semifinal matches during the 1996 African Cup of Nations.
> The new three-tiered stadium will be part of a Kings Park sporting precinct, which will also include athletics, rugby, golf and swimming.
> Source: http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=466692.html
> http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-04-01-4240398009_x.htm
> http://arabnews.com/sports/article38158.ece
> http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-wcupcity-durban



So excited to watch the 2010 FIFA Worldcup. Waiting for June 11, 2010.

*KOLLAM - The Gateway of back water tourism in India *


----------



## erbse

Inland tourism is heavily evolving in Germany.  I'll see if I can't find some proper English news articles about it.


----------



## p2bsa

*Giant arch turns Durban stadium into tourist trap*

cross-post from SA threads

*Giant arch turns Durban stadium into tourist trap

2010 WORLD CUP: World Cup fans will see Durban stadium arch as bonus attraction*

By Robert Millward








*DURBAN, South Africa (AP) - Fans going to Durban's spectacular new football stadium will get a view no other World Cup spectator has had before.*
A gigantic Y-shaped arch which spans the length of the Moses Mabhida Stadium has steps and a cable car ride that will take visitors 106 meters (350 feet) above the field with a panoramic view of the city and its beaches.
If they take the car ride rather than the 520 steps, fans can stand on a walkway high above the stadium and, although they can see little of the field, the view is breathtaking, if not a little scary.
*Months before the World Cup arrives in Durban on June 13, the arch is being put to use as a tourist attraction and is likely to be a money maker long after the tournament finishes on July 11 as organizers aim to make up the $450 million cost of building the stadium.
It emerged in March that the city council in charge of Durban's new World Cup venue had been given 60 days to ensure that the cable car above the stadium is safe after an incident in which it became stuck, leaving its passengers stranded.*
Safety inspectors visited the stadium following media reports and complaints about the stranded passengers.
The stadium sits alongside the 56,000-capacity Kings Park rugby stadium, which is the home to the Sharks rugby union team and regularly hosts national team games. It was strongly hoped that the Sharks would move next door to the new stadium but they have a 50-year lease on Kings Park and only a huge amount of money will persuade them to leave.
*There have also been rumors that the Moses Mabhida Stadium, which has plenty of space for a running track, might be the venue if South Africa bids to host the first Olympics to be staged on the African continent. But that is unlikely to be before 2024 and local government officials are coy when asked about the prospects because the South African government first has to decide whether to mount an Olympic bid and where it should be.
**Meanwhile, the three-tiered stadium seems certain to be one of the wonders of this year's World Cup.
Only about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) outside the city center, it is also a short walk from the ocean and organizers are building a complex and a walkway so that spectators can easily get to the complex from the beaches.
Once inside, fans will be able to see former World Cup winners Brazil and Germany, two-time runner-up Netherlands and current European champion Spain play at the 70,000-capacity stadium. The ground will also stage a second round match and a semifinal match.
Germany and Australia will play in the first match in Group D on June 13 and, three days later, Spain will face Switzerland in Group H. The Netherlands will take on Japan in Group E on June 19, and Nigeria will face South Korea in Group B three days later.
The stadium then has one of the highlights of the first round, Portugal vs. Brazil, on June 25 in Group G.
*
SOURCE: 
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-04-01-2081864952_x.htm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36134107/ns/travel-destinations/
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/market_news/article.jsp?content=D9EQBCKO


----------



## hkskyline

*Q+A-Are Thai protests hurting tourism and the economy? *

BANGKOK, April 7 (Reuters) - Growing political unrest in Thailand, including the occupation of Bangkok's main shopping area by anti-government protesters, could hurt tourism but may not have a big impact on the economy unless it drags on.

Tourism in Thailand directly employs 1.8 million people out of a population of about 67 million and it accounts for 6 percent of the $264 billion economy, Southeast Asia's second largest.

Comparisons with tourist data last year are tricky.

Tourism was dealt a blow in April 2009 by Thailand's worst street violence in 17 years, involving the "red shirts". And the sector was only just recovering from a blockade of Bangkok's airports by a different group of protesters in late 2008.

ARE PROTESTS HURTING TOURISM?

The occupation since Saturday of a district of five-star hotels such as the Grand Hyatt, operated by Erawan Group, has hurt the retail, restaurant and tourist sectors, persuading some foreign visitors to stay away.

Some operators said thousands of tourists from China, Hong Kong and South Korea had pulled out. Out of 100 flights booked for Chinese tourists to fly in for the Thai New Year festival, Songkran, more than 60 percent had been cancelled, according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents.

The Federation of Thai Tourism Associations says the industry has already lost more than 10 billion baht ($309 million).

Thailand Tourism Council says foreign arrivals have dropped about 10 percent from normal levels since the protest started but arrivals so far this year are still higher than in 2009.

About 3.2 million foreign visitors arrived in the first two months of this year compared with about 3.6 million in the first quarter of 2009.

The Thai Hotels Association says bookings at hotels around the occupied area stand at just 20-30 percent of capacity.

But AllTheBestTravel says Japanese clients, often nervous about political unrest, are still coming and heading to the resort island of Phuket.

Khao San Road, a magnet for budget tourists just a 10-minute walk from one main protest site, seems unaffected, with plenty of Westerners in the bars and Internet cafes.

HOW MUCH WILL IT AFFECT THE ECONOMY?

Central World, the second-largest shopping complex in Southeast Asia, and many other big malls remain closed.

The protests, including the occupation of the shopping district, are expected to cost the economy up to 2 billion baht ($62 million) per day, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce predicts.

The university said last week the problem could cost the economy $3.1 billion and cut growth by 0.5 point to 3.0-3.5 percent this year, if it dragged on for three months.

On March 29 the Finance Ministry raised its 2010 economic growth forecast to 4.5 percent from 3.5 percent but warned the turmoil could cut that by as much as 1.8 points if it went on until the fourth quarter and led to a dissolution of parliament.

Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij told Reuters on Wednesday the protests could delay an interest rate rise and might cause growth this year to be "significantly" worse than the ministry's forecast..

The World Bank forecast on Wednesday that Thailand's economy would grow 6.2 percent this year.

Private economists expect growth of 4-5 percent. They say that, despite the problems, the export-driven economy should perform well due to the global recovery, with momentum carrying over from the final quarter of 2009, when the economy grew 3.6 percent, its fastest quarterly pace in 10 years.

WHAT EFFECT DID THE AIRPORT SIEGE AND 2009 RIOTS HAVE?

The eight-day closure of Bangkok's two main airports by the "yellow shirts" in December 2008 cut GDP growth by 0.6 percentage point, stranded 230,000 tourists and disrupted trade flows.

Foreign arrivals fell 18 percent in the final quarter of 2008 from a year earlier and the hotel occupancy rate slumped to 51 percent. Arrivals rose just 0.8 percent in 2008 as a whole, when the economy grew 2.5 percent, also hit by the global downturn.

The tourist sector remained weak in 2009, when April's riots and the global economic slump helped push arrivals down 3 percent.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has forecast 15.5 million tourist arrivals this year, up from 14.1 million last year. It is aiming for a 10 percent rise in tourist revenue to 580 billion baht ($18 billion).

HOW HAVE CONFERENCES BEEN AFFECTED?

Central Plaza Hotel says it has lost 4-5 million baht ($123,500-$154,400) a day since Saturday, the result of cancelled bookings for hotel rooms, seminars and meetings at its Centara Grand hotel at Central World.

GMM Grammy and Advanced Info Service have cancelled a joint business event scheduled for Central World this week.

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau says the protests have prompted several seminars and meetings to be cancelled with the damage estimated at about 800 million baht so far.

Operators of the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, which hosts many major events and seminars, says there have been no cancellations so far.


----------



## siamu maharaj

I for one had plans to go to Bangkok but canceled it due to the protests.


----------



## hkskyline

siamu maharaj said:


> I for one had plans to go to Bangkok but canceled it due to the protests.


Yes - I've held off going to Thailand for the past few years due to the sporadic protests, then the airport blockade really put me off from going any time soon. There are more options in that region that welcome my dollars.


----------



## hkskyline

*India opens Himalayan peaks to foreigners*
By AIJAZ HUSSAIN, Associated Press Writer 
Fri Apr 9, 1:48 pm ET

SRINAGAR, India – Foreigners will be allowed to climb nearly 100 high-altitude Himalayan peaks for the first time on the Indian side of Kashmir, an official said Friday.

The move by the Indian government to allow foreign climbers follows a significant decline in violence by insurgent groups in the region since India and Pakistan started a peace process in 2004, said Farooq Ahmed Shah, a state tourism official.

The move is aimed at helping to boost tourism, an important source of income for Kashmiris and their saucer-shaped valley of fruit orchards, lakes and wildflowers.

Before the start of the insurgency by separatists in 1989, hundreds of thousands of tourists flocked to the region — known as the Switzerland of the east — to enjoy the glacier-fed streams flowing through the forests and grasslands or lounge on houseboats floating on Srinagar's Dal Lake.

"We are optimistic that the decision will give a big boost to tourism and attract more and more foreign tourists," Shah told The Associated Press.

Separatist violence caused the number of tourists to drop to a few thousand every year, deterred by travel warnings from Western governments and extensive media coverage of fighting between government forces and insurgents.

The government in the Indian state of Jammu-Kashmir declared 2010 a "visit Kashmir year" following an improvement in the security situation, Shah said.

"The decision has been taken at the highest level and nearly 100 peaks in Ladakh region are open for trekking and mountaineering," he said.

These peaks are situated at an altitude ranging from 9,840 feet (3,000 meters) to nearly 26,246 feet (8,000 meters).

The Indian climbers have been scaling those peaks for decades.

Aijaz Ahmed, a travel operator, said the opening of the peaks to foreign tourists would help promote Kashmir.

"The tourism sector has suffered a lot during the last two decades. We're hopeful the decision will attract foreign tourists to the region," he said.

Ladakh is a remote part of the former princely state of Kashmir, which is at the heart of the decades-old conflict between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan. The heavily militarized region also borders China. A part of Ladakh — an ethnically distinct region with historical ties to Tibet — has been controlled by China for decades.

More than a dozen rebel groups have been fighting for Kashmir's independence from India or its merger with neighboring Pakistan since 1989.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training Muslim militants. Islamabad denies the charge, saying it only gives moral and diplomatic support to the rebels.

More than 68,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in the uprising and the subsequent Indian crackdown.


----------



## hkskyline

*NZ guest nights rise in February - Statistics NZ*

WELLINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) - Guest nights in short term New Zealand commercial accommodation rose for the sixth month in a row in February, with a rise in international visitors offsetting a fall in domestic visitors, data showed on Monday.

There were 3.3 million guest nights in the month, up 1.5 percent on the same month a year earlier. International guest nights rose 6 percent while domestic guest nights fell 3 percent, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said.

The number of guest nights were a seasonally adjusted 3.7 percent down on the previous month, which SNZ might be because a public holiday occurred during the weekend rather than a weekday as in 2009.

The data compared with 4.4 percent rise in January's guest nights from the year before.

The government agency said nine of New Zealand's 12 regions had more guest nights, with higher numbers at hotels and motels.

Overseas visitors rose 4 percent in February from the same month a year ago.

Tourism accounts for around 10 percent of New Zealand's gross domestic product.


----------



## p2bsa

*KSIA to be officially opened by President Jacob Zuma smack bang on the INDABA weekend*

Cross post from the Durban/ SA threads



romanSA said:


> Zuma to officially open King Shaka airport
> April 13 2010 at 02:02PM
> 
> President Jacob Zuma will officially open the new state of the art King Shaka International Airport in KwaZulu-Natal on May 8, the province's economic development MEC said on Tuesday.
> 
> The R8-billion airport would start operating on May 1, but it would be officially opened by Zuma on May 8, MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu told members of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature in Pietermaritzburg.
> 
> "On May 8 history will be made when our president officiates at the opening of this state of the art airport which has superior facilities and a longer runway compared to the old Durban International Airport," he said.
> 
> The old Durban International Airport would be used during the World Cup then decommissioned.
> 
> "Pre-opening trials and tests of facilities continue to be undertaken to ensure that, come the decommissioning of the old airport and commissioning of the new facility, it is all systems go," he said.
> 
> He said the government's challenge was to attract more international airlines to use the airport. - Sapa
> 
> http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=181&art_id=nw20100413133805936C636363


^^
YES! - It's definitely a tactical move taking advantage of the thousands of tourism industry delegates and media in the city for Africa's biggest travel tradeshow and a month before the World Cup!!!

*INDABA 2010 set to capitalise on World Cup buzz in Durban
*09. APR, 2010








*
INDABA 2010 in Durban is a month away and, with the World Cup kicking off in June, the southern African tourism industry is gearing up for the continent’s biggest annual travel tradeshow with more fervour than ever.

“It’s going to be a massive publicity event this year, effectively being the last major business and tourism showcase before the World Cup bonanza hits us a month later in June.

“Durban and the International Convention Centre (ICC) is going to be the epicentre of the hype around South Africa’s hosting of the World Cup,” said Ndabo Khoza, chief executive of Tourism KwaZulu-Natal.*

Wendy Tlou, SA Tourism’s global communications manager, said: “Yes, Indaba 2010 is definitely going to be big because of the event’s close proximity to the World Cup.

“Many of the World Cup LOC bigwigs will be in Durban, together with some of the leading tourism industry deal-makers and government leaders.

“There are some exciting things and big names expected but that is going to be under wraps for now.

“Exhibition space for the event is sold out, and we have even reduced our SA Tourism stand this year so that the 2010 host cities can take advantage of the event and get more profile.

*“We’re expecting a huge contingent of media again this year with already more than 400 registered,” said Tlou. “Many international media already in the country at that time, setting up for the World Cup, will come down to Durban for Indaba. Because of high numbers, SA Tourism is moving the media centre at Indaba to another part of the ICC and making it six times bigger this year,” she said.
**
Tlou would not name the VIPs expected for Indaba, but industry insiders say it won’t be surprising to see President Jacob Zuma or Fifa president Sepp Blatter among the big names attending.

There have been moves to try to get the spectacular Indaba opening ceremony broadcast on SABC. The Coca-Cola World Cup Trophy Tour is expected to start touring South Africa soon and Indaba organisers want its arrival in Durban to coincide with the trade show.*

Tlou said SA Tourism was expecting similar attendance to last year because of the downturn.

However, they were expecting better quality exhibitors and tourism industry buyers at Indaba this year.

*Last year, Indaba attracted more than 12 000 delegates. This included stand and event organising personnel; local and international tourism industry players – such as tour operators, airlines and destination marketing organisations; and more than 600 industry and mainstream media.
*
Khoza agreed with Tlou, saying that even if Indaba 2010 did not break the record in terms of attendance figures, there was no question this year’s event would be the most important and high-profile show yet.

“Due to the profile of the World Cup and hype around hosting the event, we are expecting top-quality industry buyers and better value deals to come out of this year’s Indaba. But it’s not just about the World Cup…

“The industry needs to be looking beyond that and how South African tourism can leverage off the global exposure of the event to boost international tourist arrival for years to come,” he said.

*Khoza said another major factor in increasing the Indaba experience in Durban this year was the opening of the new King Shaka International Airport in May.

“This is a big thing and Indaba delegates jetting into Durban will be among the first to get to experience our stunning new airport.

“Also, many international delegates will have the opportunity to travel on Emirates Airlines’ new international air route into Durban for Indaba this year via Dubai. It will be the first time in almost a decade that they will be able to fly straight into Durban for Indaba.”*

Khoza urged the KZN tourism industry to pull out all the stops to ensure that this year’s Indaba would be the best yet. He said the local industry also needed to look at the broader potential benefits from the event and not just the economic spin-offs of hosting it.

“Indaba is more than the five or so days of hosting the event. It is an industry trade show and the Durban and KZN tourism industry needs to be more proactive in taking advantage of the opportunities and business deals that could come out of Indaba,” he said.

“When we talk about the success of Indaba, it’s not just about the economic benefits of hosting the event. It is about the deals and networks that are made at Indaba with ‘buyers’ or tour operators who develop the tour packages to bring more tourists into a region. KZN tourism firms and business people taking part in Indaba need to ensure they have full diaries during the event,” said Khoza.

“The sooner the local industry realises that Indaba is not about all the tourism industry bosses staying at Durban hotels during the event, the better.

“It’s about the thousands of tourists and ‘bed-nights’ these important tourism industry people can bring into Durban as a result of business deals from Indaba.”

Meanwhile, turning to the World Cup, Khoza said this year’s Indaba would also see some last-minute industry engagements.

“It will effectively be our last opportunity to market the World Cup to the people that will help bring the tourists to South Africa – the tourism industry operators.

“But perhaps most crucial will be the large contingent of media expected. The expectations are that Indaba will get the good news about the World Cup out there and help in positively profiling the country,” he said.

Source: http://www.travelwires.com/wp/2010/04/indaba-2010-set-to-capitalise-on-world-cup-buzz-in-durban/


----------



## hkskyline

*Visitor arrival from China to Fiji increase*
23 April 2010
Copyright 2010 China Daily Information Company. All Rights Reserved.

Visitor arrival from China to Fiji has increased tremendously by 93.2 percent for January-February, 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

Tourism Fiji's chief executive Josefa Tuamoto said on Friday that with Fiji's 2010 visitor intake figures from China already showing a massive 90 percent plus spike for the first two months of the year, they were confident the numbers would continue to rise.

For January-February, Chinese arrivals were 3,428 for this year and 1,774 for the same period last year.

And while Fiji traditional source markets Australia was 34,363 for January -February and 23,309 for the same period last year, New Zealand recorded 8,212 for this year and 6,028 for last year.

Tuamoto believed the Chinese market's potential has also been boosted in recent weeks following a Tourism Fiji-lead industry visit to the key cities of Beijing and Guangzhou.

"In China, the Fiji team staged industry workshops with key local partners in Beijing and Guangzhou, both of which were very well attended. They also participated at the Guangzhou International Travel Fair," he said

Tuamoto added that the high levels of interest now being shown in Fiji by the Chinese market were extremely promising.

He said February figures alone had shown a massive 112 percent increase over the same month in the preceding year.

"Admittedly the increases are coming off a very small base but low numbers aside, the huge jump we have seen in our Chinese visitor arrivals is indicative of the potential the market holds," he added.

"It also underlines the efforts Tourism Fiji and its industry colleagues have gone to throughout 2009 and in this first quarter of 2010 to attract this prime source of visitor arrivals," he said.

"Both workshops were very well attended and the Fiji stand at the fair certainly attracted a good deal of attention at the International Travel Fair," he added.

Tuamoto said the China visit, which also encompassed a visit to Hong Kong, was a prime example of how the national tourist office and its industry colleagues were continuing to thrust Fiji's international brand target into the spotlight in emerging markets such as China, China's Hong Kong and India.

Fiji is targeting the luxury or high-end Chinese market, upon gaining Approved Destination status from the Chinese government.

As the world's travel and tourism industry aggressively competes for a share of China's huge outbound travel market, Tourism Fiji says Fiji too has begun to pave ways to entice Chinese visitors. " With greater air accessibility and capacity, visitors from China and Hong Kong are expected to increase substantially," he said.


----------



## hakz2007

*U.S. top international tourism exhibition kicks off in Orlando*


> ORLANDO, the United States, May 18 (PNA/Xinhua) -- Thousands of tourism operators and buyers gathered here on Monday for an annual U.S. international travel event in an effort to revive the industry inflicted by the global economic downturn and recent disasters.
> 
> "The global economy -- and even Mother Nature -- has affected our industry in so many ways, but we are vey optimistic about the road ahead and are -- thankfully -- moving into positive territory, " U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow said on the opening day of the International Pow Wow 2010, the U.S. travel industry's premier international marketplace and the largest generator of visits to the country.
> 
> During the three-day fair, more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations across the country and more than 1,200 buyers from 90 countries would conduct business negotiations, according to the U.S. Travel Association, organizer of the Pow Wow.
> 
> Dow said that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and flooding in Tennessee further burdened the already struggling tourism industry amid global economic downturn.
> 
> "Reporting from the Gulf has painted the unfortunate picture that beaches and resorts in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida are adversely affected by the oil spill, and that perception is causing peril to the one million workers who serve our industry in those states," he said.
> 
> Despite recent difficulties, Dow expressed his optimism for the future, adding that the spill has stayed well away from the shorelines, and inundated Tennessee is well into recovery.
> 
> Pow Wow is not a typical trade show. It is featured with intensive pre-scheduled business appointments, in which buyers and sellers are able to conduct business that would otherwise be generated only through an exhaustive number of around-the-world trips.
> 
> "In the three days here, we'll have 90,000 appointments between buyers and suppliers, between 3 and 4 billion dollars of contracts would be signed," Bruce Bommarito, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the U.S. Travel Association, told Xinhua.


*Seychelles expects record tourist arrivals in 2010*


> VICTORIA, May 17 (PNA/Xinhua) -- The Seychelles is expecting a record tourist arrivals in 2010, according to the Indian Ocean island country's Tourism National Council.
> 
> Alain St Ange, the marketing officer of the council, told reporters on Sunday that the number of arrivals for the first four months represents a growth of 13 percent over last year and 1 percent over 2008, when the Seychelles registered the highest number of visitors.
> 
> The good performance of the tourism industry shows that this economic pillar of the archipelago has resisted shocks of global economic recession, or better still, the recent threat to aerial transport by the Iceland volcanic ash.
> 
> St Ange attributed the performance to the new tourism policy of the country based on public-private partnership and the strategy of diversification of the source market.
> 
> The Seychelles' tourism guru explained that the new tourism policy was a win-win strategy where the state regulates the industry while the private sector drives the industry.
> 
> On diversification, he noted that the Seychelles had succeeded in moving away from its dependence on the traditional European market, thanks to the aggressive work on the emerging markets.
> 
> The strategy has attracted such countries as South Africa, already the sixth source market for the Seychelles. The South African market has the potential of doubling the arrivals since the country is also a hub for visitors from other countries, especially those from the United States. There are also visitors from the Reunion, Kenya, India and China, which constitute the emerging markets with great potential.


http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=6&sid=&nid=6&rid=276209


----------



## hkskyline

*Orascom, Montenegro to build 1.1 bln euro resort *

PODGORICA, May 17 (Reuters) - Montenegro and Swiss-based developer Orascom Development announced plans on Monday to develop a 1.1 billion euros ($1.36 billion) resort town on the Adriatic coast.

The project will consist of a marina, town centre, commercial facilities and 2,350 apartments over 6.8 million square metres on the Lustica peninsula near the coastal town of Tivat, Montenegrin tourism minister Predrag Nenezic said.

"This should be region's first self-sustainable holiday resort. It means a lot to us, because this is one of the biggest projects which can bring back tourists from Western Europe," Nenezic told Reuters.

The former Yugoslav republic has sought major investments for its Adriatic coastline, where officials would like to promote upscale tourism. About a quarter of Montenegro's total economy is related to tourism.

Orascom has a 90 percent stake in the Lustica Development AD company, with the Montenegrin government holding the rest. The joint venture was formed in 2009.

The first phase of Lustica project should start immediately after the 2010 summer season and be completed by 2013, Nenezic said after a joint presentation of the project in the capital Podgorica.

The economy of Montenegro, a European Union applicant, contracted 5.3 percent last year, according to the government, and by 7 percent according to the IMF.

The government in Podgorica is seeking investors in its real estate and tourism sectors to generate more revenue and boost employment in the least populated country in the Balkans. "Several hundred new jobs will be created in connection with the project," Orascom said in a statement.

Orascom Development's main presence is in Egypt but it has projects in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Switzerland and Morocco.

On Monday, the firm said it posted net profit after non-controlling interest of 16.9 million francs in the first quarter of 2010, down from 21.6 million a year earlier. ($1=.8114 euros)


----------



## hakz2007

*WEAK EURO THREATENS AFRICA'S TOURISM INDUSTRY *


> JOHANNESBURG, May 22 (NNN-AFROLNEWS) -- The weak euro and pound make travels to Africa more expensive for Europeans. But the few African countries able to offer all-inclusive packages, like Egypt, tend to become the winners of the 2010 season.
> 
> Europe is the main market for almost every African tourist destination. Trends on the northern continent thus strongly influence the annual development of this increasingly important industry in Africa.
> 
> The trends for the northern summer season are already quite clear. In the euro zone, including main markets Germany and France, economic modesty is high on the agenda. And with the euro steadily losing value, euro consumers fear for their vacations abroad.
> 
> The reaction to this situation is already measured by European travel agencies and tour operators. Many chose to spend their vacations in their home country. Most of those choosing to go abroad however seek all-inclusive packages. These packages make travel costs calculable far in advance, and any further euro devaluation will not influence the holiday budget.
> 
> In Germany, Europe's greatest tourist market, the influential German Travel Association (DRV) has registered a 4 percent growth in bookings this year, compared to the poor 2009 season. Bookings are almost reaching the level of 2008, before the global financial crisis.
> 
> According to DRV President Klaus Laepple, there is "a growing demand for all-inclusive summer holiday deals within Germany." Turkey and Egypt continue to be increasingly popular trendy destinations, DRV found. Especially Egypt, with its large offer of all-inclusive packages, tends to be the market winner on 2010, new statistics show.
> 
> But also other intercontinental destinations are strongly growing on the German market. This includes Kenya and especially Mauritius, according to the DRV. With the increasingly tense situation in top tropical destination Thailand, popular African destinations could see even stronger growth, other German travel market analysts hold.
> 
> But for more individual travels and non-inclusive packages to African destinations, the weak euro is already having a negative impact. Especially Southern Africa, where many countries bind their currency to the strong South African rand, is seeing lower booking numbers than expected. For euro and pound consumers, Southern Africa has become an expensive destination, travel agents note.
> 
> The UK market, also among the greatest in Europe, confirms the trend. Even the numerous British soccer fans are failing to book travels to South Africa "due to the high costs," according to the English Football Supporters Federation. FIFA had originally expected 450,000 fans to travel to South Africa, but has already downgraded its latest estimate to 350,000 fans. Many newly built hotel rooms in South Africa will stand empty during the World Cup.
> 
> With the pound sterling at an almost historic low and with announced budget cuts in Britain, travel agents have registered a growth in inland travels this year. International travels still show a downwards trend this year and a recovery is not in sight. And the Britons going abroad also prefer calculable all-inclusive packages, including cruises. Trips to Africa however are decreasing less than other destinations.
> 
> Back in the euro zone, the French remain among the most important travellers to Africa. Indeed, last year 12.5 percent of French tourists travelling abroad went to North Africa, with Morocco being a leading destination, and 5.8 percent went to sub-Saharan Africa, mostly former French colonies.
> 
> The French are expected to maintain or increase their level of travels to Africa this year. Many typical destinations for French tourists in North Africa and the Indian Ocean offer all-inclusive packages, while most ex-colonies on the continent use the franc CFA currency, which is tied to the euro.
> 
> Other markets in the euro zone experience greater trouble. Spain and Portugal, countries that recently recorded the highest growth rates in travels to Africa, are in a deep recession, which strongly is reducing household abilities to travel abroad.
> 
> But outside the euro and pound zones, some markets are experiencing better times. In Switzerland, Norway and Sweden, currencies have strengthened against the euro and some African currencies, making travelling cheaper and more attractive. Travel agents here are registering growth, with North Africa and in particular Egypt crystallising as a winner for the 2010 season.
> 
> The trends registered by European travel agents are somewhat in line with earlier forecasts by the UN's World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), which had forecast a growth in international tourist arrivals of between 3 and 4 percent in 2010. Growth in Africa was forecast to be somewhat higher than the global average.
> 
> But growth seems to concentrate on fewer destinations than UNTWO had forecast, and several African nations could therefore see a decline in arrivals in the 2010 season.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=121072

*MALAYSIAN STATES OF SABAH AND SARAWAK TO LURE 120,000 SINGAPORE TOURISTS IN 2010 * 


> SINGAPORE, May 20 (NNN-Bernama) -- Sabah and Sarawak states which are aggressively marketing their tourism products abroad, hope to lure about 120,000 Singaporean tourists to the two states by this year.
> 
> The tourism boards of the two states joined hands Thursday with Tourism Malaysia in Singapore, led by its local director Zalizam Zakaria, in organising a seminar and travel mart for over 50 Singapore travel agents here.
> 
> About 20 travel agents and hoteliers from Sabah and Sarawak participated in the events promoting the nature and adventure attractions, which are in abundance, in the two states.
> 
> The Sabah delegation was led by the Sabah Tourism Board Assistant Marketing Manager Simon Jr Jalin and Sarawak, by the Sarawak Tourism Board Marketing Director, Benedict Jimbau.
> 
> Simon said Sabah hoped to increase its Singapore tourist arrivals to between 42,000 to 45,000 this year from the 40,000 recorded last year, by luring them to its fascinating Mount Kinabalu, forest and nature reserves as well as sea and diving spots.
> 
> Benedict said Sarawak was targeting 76,000 Singaporeans to visit the state this year, especially to its nature products such as the Mulu National Park, the Pandaw Cruise along the Rejang river and its international events, the annual Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching and Jazz Festival in Miri.
> 
> Last year, the state registered over 50,000 tourist arrivals from Singapore, making the city-state fourth, among top-five tourist generating markets for Sarawak after Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines.
> 
> Benedict said the Sarawak Tourism Board, now operating in a more business-like manner rather than as a government agency before, has been going all out to promote the state tourism industry abroad, especially in the international travel marts.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=120963

*ALGERIA SIGNS CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT WITH WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION * 


> ALGIERS, May 19 (NNN-APS) -- Algeria has signed an agreement for a co-operation programme with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) for the 2010-2015 period.
> 
> The agreement was signed here Monday on the sidelines of the 50th meeting of the WTO Commission for Africa being held in the Algerian capital from May 17 to19.
> 
> The agreement, which was inked by Minister of Town Planning, Environment and Tourism Cherif Rahmani and WTO Secretary General Taleb Rafai, is "a short and long-term agreement that includes three main lines -- marketing, the improvement of Algerian capacities and means to become a tourist destination, as well as training", the WTO secretary-general told the press.
> 
> He added that it was dealing with the promotion of human resources by training and upgrading within tourism institutes and schools in Algeria in order to train high level executives in tourism services.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=120815

*IATA SAYS EUROPE NEEDS MORE PRECISE PROCEDURES TO IDENTIFY ASH, ALLOW MORE FLIGHTS * 


> KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (NNN-BERNAMA) -- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on European governments and air navigation service providers to urgently develop more precise procedures to identify ash-contaminated air space and allow more flights.
> 
> The call came in the wake of 1,000 flight cancellations on Monday this week as a result of the continued volcanic eruptions in Iceland.
> 
> "This problem is not going away any time soon. The current European-wide system to decide on airspace closures is not working," said IATA Director-General and Chief Executive Officers Giovanni Bisignani in a statement Tuesday.
> 
> "We welcome the operational refinements made by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) in their theoretical model but we are still basically relying on one-dimensional information to make decisions on a four-dimensional problem. The result is the unnecessary closure of airspace," he said.
> 
> He said France had been able to safely keep its airspace open by enhancing the VAAC data with operational expertise to more precisely determine safe fly zones.
> 
> On Tuesday, UK Civil Aviation, working with UK NATS (the air navigation service provider), announced another step forward by working with airlines and manufacturers to more accurately define tolerance levels while taking into account special operational procedures.
> 
> "Both are examples for other European governments to follow," said Bisignani, who called for more robust data collection and analysis, a change in the decision making process and urgency in addressing the issues.
> 
> He said numbers showed that the current system was flawed. "Over 200,000 flights have operated in European airspace identified by the VAAC as having the potential presence of ash. Not one aircraft has reported significant ash presence and this is verified by post-flight aircraft and engine inspections," he noted.
> 
> "We must back the theory with facts gathered by aircraft to test ash concentration. France and the UK are showing that this is possible. If European civil aviation does not have the resources, it should look to borrow the test aircraft from other countries or military sources."


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=120781


----------



## hkskyline

*Everest climbers to get free Nepal visas *

KATHMANDU, May 13 (Reuters) - Foreign mountaineers who have climbed Mount Everest and another peak will get free Nepali visas for two years, part of a scheme to boost tourism in the Himalayan nation, a senior government official said.

More than 4,000 climbers have scaled the 8,850 metre (29,035 feet) Everest summit since it was first climbed by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953. Some 700 of these foreigners are said to be still alive.

"We will waive the visa fees for them to visit Nepal in 2010 and 2011 part of the Nepal Tourism Year plan," Ranjan Aryal, the most senior bureaucrat in the tourism ministry told Reuters this week.

Himalayan Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest, has designated 2011 as the year to boost tourism. It plans to receive one million visitors next year, up from nearly half a million now.

Tourism accounts for 4 percent of the gross domestic product but travel officials say political unrest, frequent general strikes and shutdowns of transportation and roads had hit the industry.

Officials said nearly 200 foreigners who have climbed Mount Dhaulagiri, the world's seventh highest at 8,167 metres (26,794 feet), would also get free visa this year and in 2011 as Nepal marks the 50th anniversary this week of the first ascent of Dhaulagiri by a Swiss-Austrian expedition.

Climbers will also get a 50 percent discount in climbing fees for Dhaulagiri for the rest of 2010 and all of next year as part of the celebrations, another official said.

Each foreign climber has to pay $5,000 to the government as royalty for climbing Dhaulagiri.


----------



## hakz2007

*BARBADOS TAKES TOURISM ROAD SHOW TO BRAZIL *


> BRIDGETOWN (BARBADOS), May 23 (NNN-BGIS) -- The Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA) will intensify its promotional efforts in Brazil when a delegation of government officials and trade partners travel to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to launch the island's official marketing campaign.
> 
> According to Director Marketing Services, Averil Byer, the design of the campaign was led by Brazil-based advertising agency, ONEWG, in concert with destination representatives, Global Vision Access (GVA), and seeks to drive traffic to the upcoming direct service via GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes (GOL Intelligent Airlines), which commences June 26.
> 
> "Our partners in Brazil have assisted us in developing a culturally appropriate institutional campaign that will play a significant role in promoting our new direct service and drive awareness of Barbados as a new and exciting destination for the Brazilians. We have been proactively engaging the Brazilian market through initiatives targeting the travel trade and the media, and we are excited about the new relationships that have developed as a direct result and see great things ahead from this emerging market."
> 
> The road show will allow local hoteliers, attractions managers and destination management companies the opportunity to participate in business meetings with Brazilian tour operators, travel agents, media professionals and tourism-related associations.
> 
> These occasions will also be used to garner additional market intelligence on how to advance the island's bid for its fair share of this burgeoning market.
> 
> Participating companies include the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Divi Southwinds, Almond Beach Resorts, The Crane, Ocean Hotels, Suntours Caribbean, Intimate Hotels of Barbados and Elegant Hotels Group.
> 
> They will be joined by Ambassador Yvette Goddard who is based in Brasilia, Ms. Juliana Razetto and representatives of GOL Airlines. A team of entertainers has also been commissioned to provide cultural entertainment throughout the show.
> 
> The BTA signed the contract with GOL back in February and moved swiftly to create a long-term presence within that market. The Barbados team has been actively conducting educational seminars for the tour operators, travel agents and staff of GOL airlines.
> 
> Key personnel in the public and private sector have already commenced training in Portuguese and important collateral materials are being appropriately translated.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=121230

*MARTINIQUE NAMES 'BEST CARIBBEAN DESTINATION'* 


> NEW YORK, May 23 (NNN-CNN) -- Martinique was the runaway winner in the recent ”Best Caribbean Destination” poll conducted by About.com’s Caribbean Travel site.
> 
> The Isle of Flowers was the preferred choice of 38% of the 3,800 voters, out-pacing second place finishers Dominica and St Kitts & Nevis, each with 26% of the vote.
> 
> Among the seven other finalists placing even further behind Martinique were such notables as Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, the Mexican Caribbean (Cancun, Cozumel, etc.), Costa Rica, Antigua & Barbuda and St Maarten/St Martin.
> 
> Muriel Wiltord, director Americas for the Martinique Promotion Bureau /CMT USA, commented on the survey results, stating: "This is a wonderful affirmation that our special brand of tourism product, characterized by intimate boutique hotels and emphasizing nature, a rich cultural heritage, romance, scuba diving and gastronomy is winning the hearts of US travelers.”
> 
> The About.com honour is the latest in a recent string of accolades for Martinique. In November 2009, Caribbean World Magazine named Martinique “Best Gourmet Island of the Year” for a second consecutive year.
> 
> This followed an impressive win by Martinique in an October 2009 Caribbean Travel Life Magazine survey asking readers to name their favourite Caribbean destination for delectable dining. Martinique garnered 43.3% of the 807 votes cast over the course of the one-month survey period.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=121229

*SOUTH AFRICA TO PROMOTE TOURISM LOCALLY * 


> PRETORIA, May 23 (NNN-BUANEWS) -- Tourism Minister Marthinus Van Schalkwyk says the South African government is willing to invest in a partnership with the private sector to develop holiday resorts for modest income earners.
> 
> Addressing media at the launch of the department's National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS) in Johannesburg on Friday, Van Schalkwyk said while no definite steps had been taken with regards to this initiative, it was an idea he wanted to discuss with unions.
> 
> "We want to convince them [unions] that workers can also become tourists in this country and not just travel for work purposes," he said.
> 
> The minister emphasised that these resorts would not be government run or owned.
> 
> "We are willing to come to the table and provide some of the funding and expertise but it must be privately run resorts," he added.
> 
> The resorts were just one of the ways through which the department was aiming to attract more domestic and international tourists.
> 
> The draft NTSS which was approved by Cabinet earlier this week, outlines the department's targets for the next five years.
> 
> "I believe this strategy, which is the result of a collective industry-wide effort, places South African tourism firmly on a new and ambitious growth trajectory for the future. We recognise the vital role tourism must play in growing the economy and creating jobs," he said.
> 
> The objectives for the department as set out in the NTSS is to: grow the tourism sector's contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) by more than average GDP growth: achieve transformation within the tourism sector: provide excellent people development and decent work; entrench a culture of travel among South Africans and deliver a world class visitor experience.
> 
> Targets set out in the NTSS are to increase the number of jobs supported by the tourism sector by 500 000 and to grow tourism's contribution to the GDP from an estimated R173.9-billion in 2009 to R338.2-billion by 2015.
> 
> South Africa saw an increase is the number of foreign visitors to the country last year, despite the recession, and the department says it is determined to see that trend continue.
> 
> While 9.9-million foreigners visited the country in 2009, the department hopes to increase that figure to 13.5-million by 2015.
> 
> The NTSS will be gazetted in the Government Gazette next week after which the public will have 60 days to comment on it.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=121224

*CARIBBEAN: ELECTING TOURISM EXECUTIVES * 


> KINGSTON, May 22 (NNN-Prensa Latina) -- Electing its five Vice Presidents for the 2010-2012 term will be the key point of the Annual General Meeting of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) next June 27 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
> 
> In its announcement release, CHTA indicates that the group will also choose its Treasurer, discuss other business matters and hear the reports on the Association work during 2009 from its President and General Director.
> 
> How the Association members have coped with the global economic crisis will surely be one of the issues the two leading executives will discuss in their reports.
> 
> The CHTA Nominating Committee has recommended Richard Doumeng, Alberto Abreu, Sherille Hughes, Georg Roehrbein and William Jonckheer
> 
> for the posts of Vice Presidents, and Oliver Jordan for Treasurer.
> 
> CHTA, founded in 1962, represents the entire spectrum of the hospitality industry's private sector including 36 national hotel associations across the Caribbean region.
> 
> Over 850 hotel members with approximately 125,500 rooms, and more than 600 supplier companies are represented as 'Allied' members.
> 
> On May 4-6 it held in Puerto Rico its Hotel Investment Conference.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=121146

*MARUDU BAY HAS POTENTIAL TO BE AN ECO-TOURISM CENTRE * 


> KOTA MARUDU, Malaysia May 23 (NNN-Bernama) -- Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili on Saturday called on the people of Kota Marudu to intensify efforts to develop the district as another destination for eco-tourism.
> 
> He said over the past 400 years, Marudu Bay here had been known for the uniqueness of its beaches and marine resources and it could become a fast-growing tourist destination if the eco-tourism aspects were to be developed.
> 
> As such, he said the ministry's National Oceanography Directorate, with the cooperation of Universiti Putra Malaysia, was in the midst of conducting a research on Marudu Bay's mangrove and seashore areas to improve the eco-system and the socio-economic level for the local residents through mangrove resource management.
> 
> He said the ministry had also allocated RM720,000 for the research.
> 
> "The research, which is 75 per cent completed, has found that the seashore and mangrove areas in Kota Marudu are intact in terms of the water quality.
> 
> "The areas also have vast potential for economic development such as through the breeding of fish and mussels in cages," the minister said at the opening of Marudu Bay Carnival 2010 in Kampung Tanjung Batu Laut, here Saturday.
> 
> Ongkili said a scientific research was also being done to identify local products with potential to be developed in the future.
> 
> So far, he said the research also revealed that Marudu Bay had over 60 species of almost-extinct birds, mammals and reptiles which could attract tourists to the area.
> 
> "The area could also be developed with homestay and water-village," he added.
> 
> Meanwhile, the annual Marudu Bay Carnival is aimed, among others, at creating public awareness on the importance of preserving the nature for future generation.
> 
> It is held in conjunction with the Kota Marudu-level Kaamatan Festival scheduled for Sunday.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=121189


----------



## hkskyline

*Adventure travel going mainstream - study*
6 August 2010

NEW YORK, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Adventure tourism, long considered the milieu of a small group of dare devils, is becoming more mainstream, with tourists more likely to rappel down mountains, cycle or volunteer while on vacation.

These adventurers are young, affluent and spent $89 billion last year, excluding the cost of airfare and gear, according to a study by researchers at George Washington University's School of Business.

"You have a lot of people who want to roll up their sleeves, get involved in a culture and have a more authentic experience than just laying in the sun," said Dr. Kristin Lamoureux, an author of the study, which was conducted with the Adventure Travel Trade Association, an industry group.

The researchers questioned 850 travelers from North and South America and Europe. Seventy percent of international travel originates in those regions. Countries with the most travelers are the United States, Argentina, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain.

Although overall tourism figures were down by 6 percent in 2009, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the study showed that when people travel, they are more likely to engage in physical activities, providing a new revenue base for tour operators.

Based on their findings and data from the UNWTO, the researchers estimate that 150 million adventure trips will be taken next year.

"There is a perception that the adventure tourism market is a very limited group of people who are seeking high-risk activity, but the reality is that it's a much broader market than we thought ... and they are willing to spend," Lamoureux said.

The typical adventure traveler was 36 years old, spent between $450 and $800 per vacation, excluding airfare, and owned a passport, according to the researchers.

The biggest source of news for adventure tourists was their local newspaper and information found through Google and Facebook.

Most adventure travelers did not own cutting edge technology like iPhones, a crucial point, Lamoureux said, in helping tour operators maximize their advertising dollars, especially in times of recession.


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## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Cape Verde: no resources, no problem *

PRAIA, Aug 11 (Reuters) - For a small string of barren volcanic islands that have no natural resources, suffer from chronic droughts and are perched far off Africa's west coast, Cape Verde is punching well above its weight.

Unscathed by conflict or political instability, the country has quietly become a middle-income nation and looks set to be one of few in Africa to meet any of the Millennium Development Goals set for measuring progress in improving livelihoods.

Yet it has loftier ambitions.

In return for special deals on economic and political cooperation with Europe, it increasingly plays a trouble-fixing role on the more unruly mainland some 400 kms (250 miles) away.

It hopes to turn its location to its advantage by becoming a springboard for business in West Africa. And it thinks tourist numbers could soon match the country's population.

"The fact that we don't have resources has made us be creative," Fatima Fialho, Cape Verde's minister for tourism, industry and energy, told Reuters.

"We are an economy in transformation -- moving from one of (aid) to one of production," she added, detailing plans for a service-based economy focusing on shipping and fisheries, providing a hub for technology and finance, and tourism.

Economic growth for 2010 will be 5-6 percent, she said.

The country is not without its challenges. The lack of rain still means over three quarters of its food is imported.

Cape Verde's response to the financial crisis has been to accelerate its public investment programme, known locally as the nation's "air bag". This has delivered an impressive upgrade of infrastructure, but also rising debt levels.

Fitch ratings said in May a fiscal deficit of 12 percent of GDP in 2010 and 2011, and central government debt at 78 percent of GDP by the end of next year, should ensure long-term growth but will increase pressure for sound management.

POOR, BUT SUCCESSFUL

After other African nations with similarly small populations but far higher revenues, mainly from oil, failed to use vast sums of money to benefit the country outside a tight-knit elite, the nation is being heralded as a non-resource success story.

In April, the African Development Bank (AfDB) called Cape Verde the first African case of "policy induced graduation".

"Here is evidence that no matter how bad the initial conditions, with good governance, solid institutions, and a peaceful political and social climate, take-off is possible," Donald Kaberuka, AfDB group president, said during a visit.

Ahead of elections next year, Jorge Santos, deputy head of the MpD opposition party, is quick to express confidence in the political system, saying there is no comparison in the region.

Donor aid has played a key role in its success.

But so too have payments from its diaspora -- believed to be double the 500,000 Cape Verdeans living at home. Many left the country due to hardship there and, spread out across the globe, send millions to families back home every month.

Even after taking a hit from the global crisis, remittances amounted to 132 million euros ($172 million) in 2009, having averaged 12.3 percent of GDP between 1999-2008, according to the AfDB.

But Fialho said that tourism has just overtaken remittances as the biggest contributor to the economy at around 20 percent of GDP: "This is an important shift."

Ever since Italian dictator Benito Mussolini built the first airport on the island of Sal, Italians have dominated tourism there. Charter flights from around Europe jet in to a number of gleaming new airports, ferrying most of the 330,000 tourists in 2009 to all-inclusive hotels on sun-blessed beaches.

Some in the industry grumble that vast hotels, like a 4,500-bed all inclusive resort being built for Spanish firm Riu on Boa Vista, are wrecking the charm of the islands.

"This is not very good for local communities -- they only stay in the hotels. They don't learn about our cultures ... we must not move too fast," said Lindorfo Olivio Marques Ortet, who owns a hotel for walkers in mist-shrouded hills above Praia.

But Fialho argues that mass tourism was essential to get the country on the map, and the focus is now on improving services to meet a target of 500,000 visitors a year by 2012.

LINK TO THE REGION

Uninhabited until it was discovered by Portuguese mariners in the 1450s, the country's population is a mix of settlers and former slaves, a combination that means tribalism is not an issue.

Yet many speak of Africa as a separate continent and have far more links with Europe or the Americas. The national airline, for example, flies directly to Brazil, the United States and a number of airports across Europe, but just one in Africa.

The islands, however, are becoming an increasingly important strategic partner for the African mainland but also for outsiders looking to strengthen their African links.

"What Cape Verde can bring to the region is a bridge," Foreign Minister Jose Brito told Reuters.

A visit by Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in July highlighted the role Cape Verde could play as a springboard into West Africa. But Europeans and the United States also see the country as barrier against the flow of drugs and people.

Cape Verde was the first West African nation used to transit cocaine headed to Europe, and has since been widely praised for cracking down on corruption and improving law enforcement.

In July, it helped the United States by receiving a Syrian prisoner from Guantanamo Bay. The country is also increasingly active in seeking to resolve African conflicts, such as in Guinea-Bissau.

In return, Praia has secured a special partnership with Europe and is the first country to be made eligible for a second round of funding from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation.

Brito said it was in Europe's interests to have a special relationship with Cape Verde, especially in having a real partner in fighting crime, and the country would seek to meet EU standards, but was not looking to join the institution.

"We are an African country ... Cape Verde cannot be alone, separate from what is happening in (the region)."


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## hkskyline

*Obama looks to boost Gulf tourism with family trip*
Julie Pace, Associated Press Writer, On Friday August 13, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is heeding his own advice to American vacationers, taking his family to the Gulf Coast this weekend to help the sagging tourism industry.

The president will arrive Saturday and spend just over 24 hours in the Panama City, Fla., area, a quick jaunt in contrast to the family's upcoming 10-day vacation to Martha's Vineyard, known as a destination for the wealthy and privileged.

White House officials dismiss questions about the length of the family's stay, saying that has no relation to the president's commitment to the region's recovery.

"The president is deeply committed to the folks in the Gulf region," said White House spokesman Bill Burton. He said Obama wants to ensure the people of the Gulf Coast are "made whole again after what was a terrible catastrophe."

Obama's been promoting the idea of Gulf travel as a way for Americans to help the region's recovery. The White House says the Obamas and daughter Sasha (her sister Malia's at summer camp) plan to spend much of their time in the Gulf enjoying the area's recreational activities.

The president and first lady Michelle Obama also will meet with small business owners to discuss the recovery efforts. They'll be joined by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, a former governor of Mississippi chosen by Obama to develop a long-term Gulf Coast restoration plan.

In Florida, particularly the Panhandle region where the Obamas will spend the weekend, it's tourism -- the state's top industry -- that's been hurt most by the spill.

Tourism officials say the region typically brings in 70 percent of its yearly income between June and August. But despite the fact that just 16 of the 180 beaches in the western part of the Panhandle were effected by the spill, tourism officials say many potential visitors have stayed away, deterred by images of oil-slicked waters and tar-ball strewn beaches in other parts of the region.

The head of the U.S. Travel Association has proposed that BP -- the company that held the lease to the offshore rig that exploded April 20 and spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf -- set aside $500 million for a marketing campaign to help draw tourists to the Gulf states.

Obama has tried to do his part to boost tourism on four previous trips to the region, urging Americans to include the Gulf Coast in their summer travel plans.

"This is still a place that's open for business and welcoming so vacationers and people can have a wonderful holiday here," Obama said during a June trip to Pensacola, Fla.

The first lady went a step further during a July visit to Panama City Beach, Fla., practically ensuring that her own family would vacation in the Gulf when she said, "One of the best ways that fellow Americans can help is to come on down here and spend some money."

The president's trip comes as the government's point man on the spill, retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, said Friday that the blown-out well in the Gulf is not securely plugged to his satisfaction and that the drilling of the relief well -- long regarded as the only way to ensure that the hole at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico never leaks oil again -- must go forward.

Work on the relief well was suspended earlier this week because of bad weather. Allen did not say when it would resume, but when the order comes, it could take four days to get the operation up and running again.


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## hkskyline

*Kenya tourist numbers set to beat 2007 record - board*

NAIROBI, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Kenya's tourist arrivals rose to 483,000 in the first half of 2010, officials said on Monday, putting east Africa's largest economy on track to beat record foreign visitor numbers set in 2007.

Tourism is Kenya's second-largest foreign exchange earner after horticulture and tea exports.

"We are fully recovered and on a growth trajectory," Muriithi Ndegwa, head of the Kenya Tourist Board, told Reuters in an interview.

In 2008, post-election violence hurt Kenyan tourism, and then the global economic slowdown hit.

In the first half of 2007, 477,000 tourists visited the country, which is popular for its safari parks and beaches.

"We are above our benchmark year. God willing and barring any negative incidents, we see tourism growing this year and surpassing the level we saw in 2007," Ndegwa said.

Kenya had 1,048,000 visitors in 2007, and around 953,000 last year.

The country earned 62.46 billion shillings from tourism in 2009, down from a record 65.4 billion in 2007 before the country plunged into ethnic violence following a disputed election.

The country is due to promulgate a new constitution next week in the hope of avoiding similar violence in future.


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## hakz2007

*CHINA LIMITS TOURIST NUMBERS TO PROTECT WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE SITE* 


> ZHENGZHOU, Aug 20 (NNN-Bernama): Local cultural heritage officials in central China's Henan Province said Friday they will limit tourist numbers during peak travel times to better protect the World Cultural Heritage-listed Historic Monuments of Dengfeng, China's Xinhua news agency reproted.
> 
> "We have taken measures to restrict the number of tourists and the burning of incense," said Gong Songtao, deputy director of the administration of cultural heritage in Dengfeng City.
> 
> Nestled in the Songshan Mountains, the "Center of Heaven and Earth" is composed of eight clusters of 11 buildings and sites, including the Shaolin Monastery, the Three Han Que Gates, the Observatory, the Songyang Academy and the Songyue Pagoda.
> 
> "Carbon dioxide and humidity levels are also being strictly monitored since high concentrations of those chemicals may damage the structures," said Gong.
> 
> "Tourists will be encouraged to visit other sites when the numbers at one site approach their limit," said Gong.
> 
> The Three Han Que Gates and the Ancestor's Monastery will remain closed to ordinary tourists as they have been for the last six decades, added Gong.
> 
> "Que," located at the side of a road, is an entry sign to a city, palace, temple, pass or tomb.
> 
> The Three Han Que Gates, made of stone and adorned with calligraphy and carvings, can be dated back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 A.D.).
> 
> The Historic Monuments of Dengfeng were added to the World Cultural Heritage List during the 34th session of the World Heritage Committee on Aug 1 in Brasilia, Brazil.
> 
> UNESCO said the monuments stand out for their great aesthetic beauty and their profound cultural importance.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=130824
*
TOURIST SPENDING SPIKES NEAR YOG OPENING*


> SINGAPORE, Aug 19 (NNN-CNA) -- The Singapore economy has seen a boost in foreign visitor spending during the days leading to the opening day of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
> 
> More than US$8.3 million was spent by international visitors to Singapore on Visa-branded payment cards on the opening day of the Games.
> 
> This was almost twice what was spent over the same day in 2009.
> 
> Between Aug 11 and 15, more than US$42.5 million was spent by international visitors to Singapore on Visa-branded payment cards.
> 
> Visa said this is a 45 per cent increase from the same period in 2009.
> 
> Visitors from the US, Indonesia and Britain were among the top spenders.
> 
> Visa's country manager for Singapore and Brunei Meranda Chan said based on these initial figures, the YOG looks to have started on a positive note for the local economy and businesses.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=130729

*ETHIOPIA SECURES 3.06 BILLION BIRR REVENUE FROM FOREIGN TOURISTS* 


> ADDIS ABABA, Aug 19 (NNN-ENA) -- Ethiopia haS secured more than 3.061 billion Birr (one USD = about 13.66 Birr) from foreign tourists who visited the country so far this year, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
> 
> The stated amount of revenue was obtained from over half a million foreign tourists who visited different centres existing in the country, Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Tadelech Dalecho told a news conference here Wednesday.
> 
> She said the revenue Ethiopia earned from the sector had shown a growth rate of 22 per cent over the last five years with the number of tourists visiting the country in the last five years increasing by 13.5 per cent.
> 
> Tadelech said over 400,000 tourists had visited Ethiopia in 2009.
> 
> The amount of revenue secured during the reported period accounted for 17 per cent of the country's total export revenue secured during same year, she said.
> 
> Tadelech attributed the increase in the amount of revenue and number of foreign tourists visiting the country mainly to the promotional work undertaken by the ministry, Ethiopian Airlines and Ethiopian embassies abroad.
> 
> The revenue being obtained from tourism is expected to increase by 20 per cent on average. She said over one million foreign tourists are expected to visit the country by 2020, making Ethiopia one of the top 10 tourist destinations in Africa. -- NNN-ENA


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=130677

*PRE-HISTORIC VILLAGE UNCOVERED IN BELAAS MOUNTAIN, HAMA* 


> HAMA (CENTRAL SYRIA), Aug 18 (NNN-SANA) -- A part of archeological village dating back to Neolithic Era, 10,000 years before Christ, was discovered at-Belaas Mountain located to the southeast of Hama Province, central Syria.
> 
> Head of Hama Antiquities Department Abdul Qader Farzat said the Syrian-French expedition found two archeological sets at the site, the first consists of simple archeological constructions paved with stones in a circular shape in addition to rows of stony walls.
> 
> The second set is the oldest part of the village. It dates back to the Neolithic Era, having an architectural design that is different from those found in Palestine and Euphrates Basin.
> 
> Farzat pointed out that the Stone Age was known in the East through the archeological excavations in Euphrates Basin, Damascus Basin and Palestine, yet vast areas between these geographic clusters are still unstudied precisely.
> 
> He added that the discovery indicates that the site was inhabited during the prehistoric period through discovering the nature of the houses ancient ancestors lived, in addition to the economic and social activities pursued at the site.
> 
> Archeologist Abdul Salam al-Bashmaky said the site chronicles the Neolithic Era in Syria, from 1000 to 6000 years before Christ, particularly that the period witnessed an important transition in human history, moving from the stage of hunting and picking up to agriculture stage.
> 
> He added that the archeological site discovered is one of the first agricultural villages which made a transitional point from the Modern Stone Age to the so-called Agriculture or Neolite Revolution. -- NNN-SANA


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=130633


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## hkskyline

Monday, Aug. 23, 2010
*Tourism chiefs want 26 million 'intervisitations' 
Japan, China, South Korea set 2015 goal*

HANGZHOU, China (Kyodo) The tourism chiefs of Japan, China and South Korea agreed Sunday to get 26 million people to visit their three countries in 2015 — nearly double the total for 2009.

The target, mentioned in a joint statement from their trilateral meeting in China, noted that the three countries' earlier goal of 17 million "intervisitations" in 2010 is expected to be achieved. A total of 13.5 million people traveled among the three East Asian countries in 2009.

"It is significant that the three countries set a target and confirmed what must be done to that end," Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Seiji Maehara said after signing the statement.

The three ministers also decided to share information related to tourism, including that pertaining to major natural disasters and infectious diseases, the statement said.

They also agreed at the meeting, the fifth trilateral tourism ministerial meeting, to cooperate on developing and utilizing such areas as health care, sports, movies, animation, and food and beverages to develop tourism.

Maehara, Chinese National Tourism Administration Chairman Shao Qiwei and South Korean Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In Chon visited the Hangzhou area in Zhejiang Province for a series of related meetings that ran from Saturday to Monday.

On Saturday, China's Shao hinted that Japanese travel agencies might be allowed to sell services to Chinese tourists headed for Japan.

"We are now preparing to revise (relevant) laws," Shao was quoted by Japanese officials as saying to Maehara.

Maehara later said that any deal might be restricted to frequent visitors.

"Japanese companies would be able to offer a wide range of travel plans to Chinese who travel to Japan repeatedly, since they have explored the tourism routes most extensively," he said.

Later, Maehara held a meeting with South Korea's Yu. Maehara proposed that the two countries make efforts to increase visitors both ways by taking advantage of a plan by Japanese and South Korean filmmakers to jointly film movies next year.

Maehara, who flew to Shanghai from Tokyo's Haneda airport earlier in the day, inspected Chinese bullet train technology firsthand by riding a train with a top speed of over 300 kph from Shanghai to Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.


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## pTaMo

hkskyline said:


> _Hong Thai cancels all Philippine tours beginning tomorrow to the 28th. The government will issue the black outbound travel alert shortly. _
> 
> *康泰取消明起所有前往菲律賓旅行團*
> 【21:40】2010年08月23日
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 【on.cc專訊】 康泰旅行社總經理劉美詩表示，由於接獲保安局通知，將會向菲律賓發出黑色旅遊警示，故旅行社會取消明日起至本月28日的所有前往菲律賓的旅行團，合共3團共68人受影響，亦會安排現時在當地的旅行團盡快返港。


*Hostage crisis ends in bloody carnage*

The hostage crisis in Manila ended in a bloody carnage Monday night, after a SWAT team assaulted a tourist bus full of mostly Chinese nationals (HK), resulting in the death of hostage taker Rolando Mendoza, a former police officer, and at least four hostages.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo told reporters at least six of the hostages were confirmed alive.

Four hostages were confirmed dead, according to presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda. The fate of the other hostages, meanwhile, was unknown as of posting time.

Mendoza was confirmed dead after sustaining a shot in the head, according to the sniper who claimed he hit the hostage-taker who was armed with an M-16 rifle.

The wounded hostages were taken to Ospital ng Maynila and Philippine General Hospital.

Of the six hostages taken to Ospital ng Maynila, two were declared dead after sustaining several gunshot wounds in different parts of the body.

*Philippine hostage crisis ends, four captives alive*

MANILA (AFP) – A hostage crisis in the Philippine capital ended on Monday with four captives emerging from a bus alive and the gunman believed to have been killed, according to footage broadcast on television.

Fifteen tourists from Hong Kong were believed to have been on the bus at the end of the 12-hour ordeal, and there were fears for the lives of the others who did not get off the bus immediately afterwards.

The body of the man believed to be the gunman, an ex-policeman who hijacked the bus in a desperate bid to get his job back, was seen slumped out of the main door of the vehicle.


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## hakz2007

*108 big foreign travel agents to attend 10th RP Travel Exchange *


> MANILA, Philippines—Delegates of 108 wholesale travel agents from the world’s six continents are coming over to forge deals with the various sectors of the local tourism industry.
> 
> “They (foreign travel wholesalers) are joining this year’s 10th Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex 2010), which is geared to bring in big volume of tourists from around the world,” said Tourism Secretary Alberto A. Lim in a news release.
> 
> Lim said among the foreign delegates to Phitex 2010 are large representations from outbound travel wholesalers in China, Korea, Japan, Asia Pacific, North America, India, the Middle East, and Europe.
> 
> “They will do business with 194 local sellers (of tour packages), thus generating volumes of foreign visitors over the short and long term,” he said.
> 
> Scheduled at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel on Tuesday (September 2), Phitex 2010 is an industry-based and government-supported marketing initiative that links foreign wholesale buyers and local sellers of tourism products and services in a full day of one-on-one business meetings, with each delegate being accorded a number of pre-scheduled appointments for table-top discussions.
> 
> “Thus, the foreign wholesalers themselves will push the Philippine tourism brand in their respective countries through OTC (over-the-counter) or POS (point-of-sale) promotion and other agency-driven consumer marketing schemes,” said Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions (TPP) Vicente R. Romano III.
> 
> “At the same time, their participation in Phitex 2010 will guide the members of the local tourism industry in conducting product development based on market-specific demands, or the actual requirements of their target foreign clients,” he explained.
> 
> In the process, Romano said, local industry players would also learn about the present and future global market opportunities that they could take advantage of.
> 
> “All in all, Phitex 2010 will boost and guide our efforts in focusing on infrastructure and product development since this event covers both ends (supply and demand) of the market spectrum,” Romano added.
> 
> With the theme “Awesome Philippines, Awesome Sceneries, Awesome Activities, Awesome Experiences,” Phitex 2010 will be formally opened by Lim, who is expected to speak on the strategic direction of the country’s tourism development for the duration of his term.
> 
> To highlight the welcome dinner for the participants is the celebration of “A Decade of AWESOME Phitex Experience” jointly hosted by the Department of Tourism and Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila.
> 
> Part of this Awesome Phitex Experience is the foreign buyers’ visit to the Manila Ocean Park, the Philippine’s first state-of-the-art oceanarium. The following day, the foreign buyers will have a glimpse of the country’s Awesome Sceneries through the Philippine Travel Mart, which will be held at the SM Megamall.
> 
> The buyers then get the chance to sample these local destinations with the familiarization programs organized by the DOT in cooperation with the Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa). They will visit Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, Bicol, Palawan, Clark, Subic, and the Ilocos Region to see and experience the Awesome Philippines, according to Romano.
> 
> These Awesome Experiences are made possible by Philtoa, Philippine Airlines, Manila Hotel, Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila, and the participating hotels and resorts.


http://globalnation.inquirer.net/ne...avel-agents-to-attend-10th-RP-Travel-Exchange


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## xxxriainxxx

*Philippines 101 – Origin of Myth*
Posted by Scott Allford on Apr 19th, 2010
Filed Under: Walkabout Pinas


While writing about the media’s negative portrayal of the Philippines in my article ‘Viewing the Philippines in a Different Light’, I was “baffled as to why [The Philippines] has been branded in such a negative way by the International media.” Since then I have come to realize that a lot of negativity towards this beautiful country comes out of misinformation, uninformed opinions/ideas and perhaps a little prejudice. After months of reading blogs and articles it became clear that these common themes were the root of most ‘anti-Pinoy’ commentary online. So it’s time to look at the facts and examine some of the negative myths that surround this country.











Philippine Geography

Last night I was online and got a message from a relative in Australia asking if I was okay after the bombing in Basilan. I replied that Basilan is over 1,000 kilometers (well over 600 miles) from Manila and is just off the coast of Malaysia. She then replied that she really needs to get an atlas. Most people around the world need to not only get an atlas, but also read it when it comes to the Philippines.










Just to help those who don’t know -The Philippines is the 12th most populated nation on Earth and is made up of 7,107 islands which stretch over 2,000 kilometers (Well over 1,200 miles) from Batanes in the north to Tawi-tawi in the south. Politically the country is divided into 80 provinces, 17 Regions and 3 Island Groups: Luzon in the north (where Manila is), Visayas in the centre and Mindanao in the south.


The Geography of Danger

It seems that many people overseas think that the whole of the Philippines is constantly experiencing problems with terrorist attacks. However, most of the troubles of this nature in Philippines are in the south western portion of the island of Mindanao which is over 1,000 kilometers to the south of the Philippine capital of Manila. Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines and the 19th largest in the world making it just over 1.5 times the size of Tasmania.











Speaking of Tasmania, let’s focus on one problem I have. Back in 1996 in Port Arthur, Tasmania when Martin Bryant went on what was at the time the world’s worst killing spree and shot 35 people who were mostly tourists; massive numbers of people didn’t suddenly cancel their trips to Australia or even the cities of Hobart and Launceston in Tasmania. Yet last year in November when the Maguindanao Massacre happened (57 killed in a politically motivated attack) people suddenly cancelled tours around Manila and jumped on the next plane back to their home countries. Maguindanao is literally on the other side of the country from Manila. It would be like people cancelling tours in New York when the LA riots happened, ridiculous.

This ignorance of Philippine geography is not only prevalent amongst foreign travellers but also amongst some Filipinos and some expats living in the Philippines. Many times I hear from people in Manila that Mindanao is dangerous and a no go zone. I went to Northern Mindanao last year and had a great time. I also met a lot of really friendly locals who helped me as much as they could on my travels. I travelled by taxi, tricycle, ferry, local (non air conditioned) bus, multicab, a friendly stranger’s brother’s van and also just walked. There was no point along the way that I felt like I was in danger. I also hear from foreigners who live in or travel in the more notorious parts of Mindanao, that they had similar experiences to mine. Perhaps it just comes down to having some good old fashioned street smarts when you travel.










Official Misinformation

Earlier this week, I was looking at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s travel advisory website and was surprised to learn that their level of caution for the Philippines is exactly the same as Thailand. Thailand has bombings in the south just like the Philippines but that’s about where the similarities end. Thailand also has border skirmishes with Cambodia, Bird Flu, the Thai Government has declared a state of Emergency and people are dying on the streets of Bangkok amidst grenade attacks, shootings and the current protests by the Red Shirts. I was also surprised to learn that the site warns about the eruption of the beautiful Mayon Volcano in the Philippines. This volcano did have a small eruption back in December (concerned relatives in Australia asked if I was in danger even though Mayon is about 450 km away from Manila) and tourists actually flocked to Albay Province to take pictures of the streaming lava at night. It has since died down and I took my mother there last month and it really didn’t seem like a “hazardous magmatic eruption” was going to happen, as the DFAT suggests. In fact, PHILVOLCS agrees with my observation stating:

“This is a notice for the lowering of Mayon Volcano’s status from Alert Level 2 (evidence of magmatic intrusion that could eventually lead to an eruption) to Alert Level 1 (no hazardous eruption imminent).”

Even though PHILVOLCS issued this update on March 2, 2010, the DFAT website currently states that their advice on the danger of Mayon erupting “…is current for Friday, 16 April 2010.” It is sites like this which present a dangerous Philippines that just doesn’t seem to exist in reality.

Is it safe?
On our Tourism Philippines Facebook Fanpage (www.facebook.com/TourismPhilippines) the other week an American man asked if it was safe to come to the Philippines. Here is my response in which I quoted http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php :

“For murder per capita (US #24/Philippines not in top 62), rape (US #1/Philippines not in top 84), burglary (US #1/ Philippines not in top 68), executions (US #7/Philippines not on the list) the US is far more dangerous than the Philippines.”












The question of safety in the Philippines has to be one of the most common ones I hear and I believe it is so prevalent due the spread of misinformation and uninformed opinions that have spread across the internet and the media in general.

I have asked many people in the Philippines if they think it is dangerous here and the most common responses are either “No.” or “It’s no more dangerous than any other country, you just need to be a little street smart.” I totally agree with these comments. I wouldn’t walk down a street in a bad area I’m not familiar with at 3am in Manila. I also wouldn’t do the same in London, New York or Sydney for that matter. I’m also not the kind of traveller who arrives in a destination without knowing anything about the place. As travellers we must have some personal responsibility. On landing in Hanoi back in 2006, I hadn’t read up on the best way to get from the airport and was quite sleepy so my internal currency converter wasn’t working well. As a result, I was majorly ripped off by an unlicensed taxi driver. Ultimately, it was my own fault for not being prepared.










Crab Mentality / Tall Poppy Syndrome

After my previous article on the Philippines being portrayed negatively in foreign media was posted on countless blogs, a lot of people had their say about what I wrote. While a lot of the feedback was positive, there were also countless negative responses. One Filipino referred to Manila as a “festering sore” and others focused on corruption in the Philippines or poverty. While I have never stated that the Philippines has never had problems, I do feel that the over promotion of the negative aspects of this country has managed to squash most of the good that comes out of the Philippines. I also view this as a vicious cycle which gradually diminishes the pride of country that Filipinos have and erodes the international image of this nation further. I say this because it is exactly what I witnessed on the blogs. I wrote something good about the Philippines and many Filipinos ignored the positives and went back to saying how terrible the country is.

Our own Worst Enemy
Jojo A. Robles wrote on this in the Manila Standard in response to my article stating that:

“no one can out-criticize Filipinos like the Filipinos themselves, as we do every single day in our own media……. if we are to stop people in other countries from thinking that we live in a hopelessly corrupt, poor and dangerous country, perhaps we should begin by ending our own persistent and oft-stated belief that we do so in the first place.”

Last December when I took a walk through Quiapo in Manila with Carlos Celdran, I saw many of the things that may lead a person to think of Manila as a ‘festering sore’, however, I really enjoyed the experience and actually went back the following month. The culture and history of Quiapo is really quite amazing and all you have to do is walk down Hidalgo Street or around the occult stalls beside Quiapo Church to see it for yourself. I guess that one man’s trash can truly be another’s treasure and to quote Carlos Celdran, “You can’t change the way Manila looks, but you can change the way you look at Manila.” This country really needs a vast number of its citizens to change their perspectives in order to create a better image of The Philippines on the world stage.












What it all boils down to in the end is that no country is perfect, but each is unique and beautiful in its own way. Sadly, the image of the Philippines has been under attack from all angles for quite some time. Nevertheless, many Filipinos and foreign visitors are starting to discover that while the Philippines does have many problems, it also has so many amazing experiences to offer if you’re willing to seek them out. As more people experience this country and word gets out, the perceptions of both locals and foreigners are becoming more informed. Ryan Buaron recently posted on our Facebook Fanpage (www.facebook.com/TourismPhilippines): “When we see something amazing in the Philippines, we usually exclaim “Parang hindi sa Pilipinas! (Looks like it’s not in the Philippines!) – WRONG. It should be – “Ang ganda talaga ng Pilipinas!” (The Philippines is really beautiful!).” As a result of this change in thinking, Pinoy Pride is slowly on the rise and the astounding ecological and cultural beauty of the Philippines and the warmth of its people are starting to become more than dull whispers to travelers around the world.


----------



## xxxriainxxx

*Viewing the Philippines in a Different Light*
Posted by Scott Allford on Oct 7th, 2009
Filed Under: Walkabout Pinas












If you live outside of the Philippines and you watch or read the news you may feel very justified in believing that the Philippines is a very dangerous country. Savaged by typhoons, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and terrorist attacks. You may also be assured in your belief that it is a poor country with images of children picking through garbage, slums, and corruption scandals broadcast in most international news reports. I am not going to deny that these things are true, however, they are not all that the country contains. Not every person in the Philippines is poor, a terrorist, or a victim of terror. In fact other countries around the world suffer from these same problems yet they do not become iconic images of those nations.












The common view of the Philippines

A few months ago I was at a roof-top birthday party in Makati filled with socialites and expats. Whilst there I was introduced to a German ‘journalist’, and my friend asked him why the Philippines is portrayed in such a negative light in the foreign media. His response was in two parts; Firstly because in his experience he could not sell stories about the Philippines in Germany if they were not about poverty, violence, or corruption. Secondly, he said that because there is so much poverty, violence, and corruption there is nothing else to report on. After saying this he sipped his glass of red wine and was whisked away into a group of Filipino socialites.










Photo from: http://pedroiho.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/surigao-escapade-marvelous-tinuy-an-falls/

Perhaps the red wine was ‘poor’ in taste, or the fact that that particular roof-top was one of the few in Makati which doesn’t have a swimming pool made him focus on the poverty in the Philippines, or maybe the sounds of merrymaking were ‘violent’ on his ears. I think that it was none of these things. Germany, a developed country, has slums. But if the focus can be moved away from the poverty in the developed countries and put on some islands way out in the Pacific Ocean, then people in developed countries can feel a little bit better.

I remember growing up in Australia, taking garbage out to the dump after cleaning up the garden. I would see Aboriginals picking through the garbage for food. Yet that has never been an iconic image of Australia. I went to ‘water villages’ in Malaysia and Brunei and thought how similar they look to slums in Manila. Yet ‘water villages’ are tourist attractions and the slums here are not. I lived in South Korea a few hundred kilometres away from the DMZ, with jets and helicopters flying overhead all the time it felt like a war zone. In the spring I would have 40 tanks facing in the direction of my apartment. Yet South Korea is generally not viewed or branded as a dangerous country. And South Korea has slums too. Perhaps the time will come when people outside the Philippines will come to realise that the branded image of the Philippines portrayed in the media is only a small piece of the full picture of this country.












A Different View

Since the Philippines was settled by people 30,000 years ago this country has blossomed into a mix of over 180 indigenous ethnic groups, over half of which also represent unique linguistic groups. This array of cultures, languages, and cultural artifacts cannot be matched by most nations of the world. From the Ilocano, Pangasinense, Kapampangan, Tagalog, Bicolano, and Visayans to the Binukid, Moros, Ati, Igorot, and the T’boli, just to name a few. These cultures are rich, strong and proud and in most cases the people that make up these cultures are very friendly and welcoming to outsiders. On a trip to Sagada I was welcomed into a very warm and friendly Kankanaey family. They showed us around Sagada and told us stories of Kankanaey cultural practices. They even taught me how to wear a traditional bahag (a hand-loomed loin cloth or G-string).

Neighbouring Sagada is Ifugao, with vast rice terraces that shape the mountains of the region. The oldest rice terraces are 6,000 years old, which is 1,000 years older than the oldest pyramid in Egypt. If put end to end the rice terraces dwarf the Great Wall of China and the rice terraces were not made by using slave labor like most other ancient wonders of the world.











The Banaue Rice Terraces are a UNESCO World Heritage site. But they are not alone. The Philippines have numerous UNESCO world heritage sites including the Baroque churches of San Agustin Church in Manila, Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur, San Agustin Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, and Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church in Miag-ao, Iloilo. There is also the beautiful and historic town of Vigan in Ilocos Sur. Furthermore, there are the natural UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park and the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.


Lastly the Philippines consists of 7,107 beautiful islands. These islands contain remote beaches and amazing rock formations as well as other natural wonders like the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, the perfectly conical Mt. Mayon volcano or the stunning Bacuit Bay in El Nido, Palwan. But also on these islands is a range of biodiversity not seen in most other places on the planet. In Romblon, Sibuyan Island is known as the Galapagos of Asia as it contains such a diverse range of species which can be found nowhere else on the planet. If you get off these islands and dive into the cool blue-turquoise waters of the Philippines, you may also see some of the richest biodiversity in the world’s seas. The Verde Island Passage has been named as the ‘centre of the centre’ of marine biodiversity in the world. It has over 300 species of corals as well as vast numbers of fish that you will not find anywhere else.










With all that this country has to offer I am baffled as to why it has been branded in such a negative way by the International media. However, I think that more and more people are starting to discover that there is a different side to the Philippines to the one they have been bombarded with for the past few decades. Those who come to the Philippines to seek out the beauty of this country will not be disappointed. However, first time travellers to the Philippines should beware, just like me and many other foreigners, this amazing country may compel you to stay quite a bit longer than you initially planned.


http://tourism-philippines.com/viewing-the-philippines-in-a-different-light/


----------



## hkskyline

*Cuba, with eye on golf, liberalizes land law *

HAVANA, Aug 26 (Reuters) - The cash-strapped Cuban government will allow foreign investors to use state-owned land for up to 99 years in a change that is likely to bring developments of luxury golf courses to the communist island.

The new law, published in the Official Gazette on Thursday, was said to be aimed at "facilitating the process of participation of foreign investment in international tourism" by giving "greater security and guarantee to the foreign investor in the real estate business."

Cuban authorities have said that a dozen or so golf developments are under consideration as they seek ways to boost tourist revenues for the fragile economy.

Before the legal change, which was decreed in July but not announced until Thursday, Cuban law permitted use of state lands for 50 years. Most land in Cuba belongs to the government.

Foreign investors who have proposed the golf developments say the 99-year limit is necessary to attract buyers and make their projects, which will feature course-side homes, financially viable.

Cuba, which discouraged the sport after the 1959 revolution, has only two golf courses.

Cuba attracted about 2.4 million tourists last year, and is hoping golf will bring wealthier visitors to the island.

Officials are also planning for the day when the United States, 90 miles (145 km) away, ends its longstanding ban on travel to Cuba.

Legislation is pending in the U.S. Congress that would lift the ban that is part of the 48-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.

President Raul Castro has undertaken various reforms to improve the Cuban economy, with the goal of ensuring the survival of the communist system installed after the revolution that put his older brother Fidel Castro in power.

Earlier this month, he told the national parliament that the government would grant more licenses for people to operate small businesses.

In another decree published in the Official Gazette on Thursday, the government said it would allow small-time private vendors to sell agricultural products from roadside stands.

The concept has been in use in some parts of the country since last year, but now is official national policy.


----------



## hkskyline

*Bosnia, Serbia restart steam train line in bid to attract tourists, boost ties *
29 August 2010

VISEGRAD, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) - Bosnia and Serbia restarted an old steam-powered train Saturday in an effort to increase tourism in a region that was devastated by war in the 1990s.

Thousands of people gathered in the eastern Bosnian town of Visegrad to greet the train on century-old, narrow-gauge rails as it ended its 26-mile (42-kilometer) journey from Mokra Gora station in Serbia.

Bosnian and Serbian officials said the joint Serbia-Bosnia effort also is aimed at restoring the broken ties between the wartime foes.

"I am very happy that we are restarting an old train, an old railway, to open new perspectives," said Serbia's President Boris Tadic, who traveled to Visegrad for the ceremony.

The narrow-gauge rail line once connected Belgrade with Sarajevo and Dubrovnik in Croatia, but was closed in 1974.

It was forgotten for many years until Serbia reconstructed a 9-mile-long (15-kilometer-long) section in scenic Sargan Mountain to promote its own tourism with the vintage train.

Bosnian authorities invested $6.4 million ((EURO)5 million) to extend the route the rest of the way to Visegrad.

Bitter ethnic conflicts involving Serbs, Croats, Muslim Bosniacs and other groups in 1991-95 split Yugoslavia into several nations, including Bosnia and Serbia. It was the worst fighting that Europe had seen since World War II.


----------



## hakz2007

*BRAZIL PROMOTES TOURISM TO RIO'S CRIME-FREE SHANTY TOWNS*


> RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 1 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) -Tourists usually try to run from Brazil’s Rio do Janeiro's notorious slums.
> 
> Now officials headed by President Lula da Silva are inviting them to come and visit instead. The Santa Marta shantytown this week became the first community in a programme meant to promote tourism in the poor neighbourhoods that are home to some unique music and art work.
> 
> The programme, “Rio Top Tour: Rio de Janeiro in a Different Perspective,” also rewards communities like Santa Marta that have been cleared of the violent drug gangs that have long made Rio's crowded hillsides notoriously dangerous.
> 
> Slum residents will be trained to work as tourist guides and street signs in English will be posted throughout the shantytown of some 5,000 people, which will have about 30 attractions such as the place where Michael Jackson in 1996 filmed a video, a samba school and works of local artists, as well as a vista point with a breathtaking view of the city.
> 
> “Rio will not be known only for the Christ the Redeemer statue, the Sugar Loaf Mountain or the Copacabana and Ipanema beaches,” Brazil's Tourism Minister Luiz Barreto said.
> 
> The programme created by federal and state authorities includes a marketing campaign and information booths posted in more traditional tourist spots.
> 
> President Lula visited Santa Marta over the weekend to officially launch the programme and said he intends to spread the programme to other poor communities in Rio and across Brazil.


http://namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=131913


----------



## micel9f

*Sri Lankan tourist killed fleeing Malaysian kidnappers*

AFP - Tuesday, August 31
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-new...ist-killed-fleeing-malays-20100831-14e0p.html
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100831/tap-malaysia-srilanka-crime-kidnap-0193655.html

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31, 2010 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan tourist died fleeing kidnappers in Malaysia while a friend escaped and another was rescued by police, the force said Tuesday.

The three had just arrived on holiday and to sell gemstones worth 40,000 ringgit (12,736 dollars) when they were abducted last week at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, district police chief Abdul Rahim Abdullah said.

"The three were trying to get a cheap ride to the city but were instead led into a van and kidnapped by four people and taken to a flat in the suburbs," he told AFP.

"The men were held for ransom and one of them managed to escape their captors on Sunday morning but one died in the escape bid," he said.

Mohammad Mihilar, 32, the tourist who escaped, told the New Straits Times he and his two friends, whom he identified as Samsudeen and Sarifdeen, were tortured during the three-day ordeal to get family details so that a ransom could be demanded.

"We were beaten and tortured for three days and were not given any food or water for refusing to give them the contact details of our families in Sri Lanka," he told the paper.

"They used masks as they assaulted us with iron rods, water hose and hot iron," Mohammad said.

He said the kidnappers took the gemstones and demanded a 35,000-dollar ransom from their captives' families.

"As I was heading to the toilet, I turned around and kicked the kidnapper before running out of the flat. I ran up to the rooftop of the flat and jumped off to escape," he added.

Mohammad broke a leg in the fall but said Samsudeen, who had jumped out of an open window, fell to his death.

Mohammad raised the alarm and police rescued Sarifdeen, who was found handcuffed in the flat.

"We have arrested two persons and one is believed to be a volunteer in the reserve police and we are on the lookout for two others believed to be involved in the kidnapping," Abdul Rahim said.

"Police are still investigating the case but we do not believe the kidnappers were part of any syndicate operating at the airport as it appears to be an opportunistic crime."


----------



## hakz2007

*Tourism Dept leaves HK tourists out of goal equation*


> The Department of Tourism is leaving Hong Kong tourists in peace for now, focusing on other countries instead to achieve its goal of attracting 3.3 million tourists into the country and $2.5 billion in tourism receipts.
> 
> Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim told the House appropriations committee Tuesday the department can't force the Hong Kong market to bounce back right away after the Aug. 23 hostage tragedy that left eight Hong Kongers and seven others wounded.
> 
> “We are focusing heavily on other markets to replace what we lose in the Hong Kong-China market," Lim told the House appropriations committee during Tuesday’s discussions on the P1.303 billion the department wants for 2011.
> 
> Once the "wounds" over the hostage incident have healed, tourism officials will again woo the Hong Kong and Chinese tourists back to the Philippines, Lim said.
> 
> Those wounds are "something that must be healed naturally." There are indications that the wounds are already healing and “we are ready to start working quietly," he added.
> 
> “We are hoping to get 3.3 million foreign visitors by year-end and $2.5 billion in receipts and additional job generation of 377,000 people employed this year," Lim said.
> 
> 'Notwithstanding the incident' The department wants to achieve a 10 percent increase in arrivals over 2009, “notwithstanding the incident that happened in Luneta on Aug. 23," he said.
> 
> According to him, the DOT expects to double tourist arrivals in the country to 6 million by in 2016 – the end of President Aquino’s term.
> 
> Tourists from Hong Kong and China account for 9 to 10 percent of arrivals in the Philippines, Lim earlier said.
> 
> In his budget presentation Tuesday, Lim said the department plans to spend P87 million in promoting Philippine tourist destinations to Asia Pacific markets including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Australia.
> 
> The department will also spend P86 million in promotion money to get American and Canadian tourists, as well as P64 million for Korea, P43 million for Japan, P38 million for Europe, P23 million for China, P15 million for the Middle East, P12 million for India, and P8.1 million for other countries.
> 
> The Philippines at present ranks sixth in terms of visitor arrivals, following Malaysia (No. 1), Thailand (No. 2), Singapore (No.3), Indonesia (No. 4), and Vietnam (No. 5).
> 
> Lim told the committee that the country has limited access and interconnections to other countries and lacks world-class infrastructure and tourism facilities.
> 
> The Philippine’s unfriendly business environment and inconsistent regulations were also cited as reasons why the Philippines is not attracting more tourists, he added.


http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20100914/tph-tourism-dept-leaves-hk-tourists-out-d6cd5cf.html


----------



## hakz2007

*CHINA NOW MALAYSIA'S 3RD LARGEST TOURISM MARKET*


> SHANGHAI, Sept 14 (NNN-BERNAMA) -- Strong co-operation and friendship between
> Malaysia and China has paid dividends in the form of continued growth in trade
> and tourism and helped China to overtake Thailand to become the third largest tourist
> market for Malaysia, after Singapore and Indonesia.
> 
> Malaysian Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen said here Sunday that last year, one million
> Chinese tourists visited Malaysia, an increase of 7.4 per cent over the previous year. She was speaking to the media after officiating the Malaysia Pavillion Day Celebration at the Shanghai EXPO Centre where she represented Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
> 
> "Malaysia attracted 23.6 million tourists last year, and we are now placed ninth in the world tourism branding. The China market is important to us for its quantity and quality ... and we are targeting 1.2 million Chinese tourists this year," she said.
> 
> "Tourism Malaysia has changed its strategy accordingly, to attract high-yield Chinese tourists who will stay for five days or more, and those who visit frequently."
> 
> Dr Ng added that as China had become more prosperous, Chinese tourists were now eyeing quality and luxury vacations overseas.
> 
> She said her ministry was in the midst of introducing focus pakaging and doing away with general sight-seeing tour packages. The tour packages had been re-designed and re-packaged to suit the Chinese tourists coming to Malaysia for shopping, food, cultural heritage and adventure.
> 
> "China's tour operators are asked to develop focus products, such as to attract clans and associations and companies to hold annual gatherings and conventions in Malaysia, under the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions concept for tourism," said the minister.
> 
> Apart from famous Malaysian pop singer Michael Wong (Guang Liang), renowned Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Ooi Chean See has also been appointed Tourism Goodwill Ambassador for Germany and Europe to lure tourists, she added.
> 
> Ooi works with the equally-renowned Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, having put together a unique orchestral performance at the Shanghai Concert Hall, in conjunction with Malaysia's 53rd independence anniversary celebrations here Sunday night.


http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20100914/tph-tourism-dept-leaves-hk-tourists-out-d6cd5cf.html


----------



## hakz2007

*Australia's int'l visitor numbers lag behind growth levels -- tourism forum*


> CANBERRA, Sept. 13 (PNA/Xinhua) -- The Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) on Monday said newly appointed Australian Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson faces some major challenges, with international visitor numbers still in the doldrums at 2008 levels.
> 
> Ferguson will be backed by Tasmanian senator Nick Sherry as assistant minister and Simon Crean, through his new role as regional affairs minister.
> 
> Queensland's Craig Emerson, in his new position of trade minister, will also contribute to industry growth and the development of Australia's global brand.
> 
> "Tourism looks set to have a high priority in the Australian Labor government, with a number of ministers focusing their attention on the flagging industry," Australian Associated Press said on Monday.
> 
> The national industry body said developing new products and experiences, and a whole-of-government approach must be the hallmarks of the government's term.
> 
> "The latest figures show international travel to Australia rose by three percent in 2009/10," TTF managing director Christopher Brown told Australian Associated Press on Monday.
> 
> "But while the increase is good news, it only returns us to 2008 levels, and Australia continues to lag behind growth levels in global tourism. Investing in new products, experiences and tourism infrastructure has the double benefit of enticing more Australians to travel at home, helping to address tourism's balance of trade deficit."
> 
> Tourism directly employs nearly half a million Australians, almost half in regional and rural areas.


http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=6&sid=&nid=6&rid=300363


----------



## hkskyline

*Russia says EU stalling on visa-free travel *

MOSCOW, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Russia said on Monday that the European Union was dragging its feet in talks on scrapping visas and warned that the delay was already hurting relations with its biggest trading partner.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has repeatedly said that clinching a deal on visa-free travel is one of its top priorities in relations with the European Union.

But some EU members are worried that scrapping visas for Russians could spark a surge of illegal immigration from Russia and other former Soviet republics whose citizens already have the right to travel to Russia without a visa.

"One problem which I would say is becoming unseemly for our level of our relations is the foot-dragging on the move to a visa-free (travel) regime," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"This is already creating real problems for the development of our relations," Lavrov said. He added that fears about illegal immigration were unfounded and said the EU needed to make a political decision as soon as possible.

Russians, most of whom consider themselves as part of a wider European culture, say visa rules are one of the most frustrating aspects of their dealings with the European Union.

European officials say privately that visa-free travel with Russia is a matter of time but that there are serious divisions between member states on what measures need to be implemented before a deal could become reality.

The European Union, for which tourism generates over 5 percent of gross domestic product each year, has reported soaring numbers of tourists from countries such as Russia, India, China and Brazil over the past decade.

Russians were the ninth biggest spenders on international travel in 2009, spending $20.8 billion, according to the World Tourism Organization.


----------



## hakz2007

*Israel touts record-breaking tourist season*


> JERUSALEM, Sept. 15 (PNA/Xinhua) -- Israel broke what officials said is an all-time record for incoming tourism in August, according to just-released figures.
> 
> Some 280,000 tourists arrived in Israel in August -- a seven percent jump year on year, with 2.2 million visitors entering the country since January -- a 30 percent increase over the same period in 2009, according to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics figures.
> 
> "The significant and consistent growth in incoming tourism over the last year, alongside the interest shown by Israeli and foreign investors and entrepreneurs, obligates placing the issue of marketing land for tourism at the top of the order of national priorities in order to avoid bottlenecks that will adversely affect the tourism industry's development," Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov said in a statement on Tuesday.
> 
> Citing a ministry investment budget for 2010-2011 of about half a billion shekels (more than 100 million U.S. dollars), Misezhnikov said his ministry and the Israel Lands Administration "will work to market additional plots in areas of demand to the hotel industry, in order to encourage new entrepreneurs and facilitate increased construction."
> 
> "Competition with neighboring countries is continually increasing and will do so for the next few years," Misezhnikov said in the statement, adding that "in order to compete, the Tourism Ministry will invest a significant part of its budget over the coming years in offering assistance to entrepreneurs."


http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&nid=4&rid=300925


----------



## micel9f

hakz2007 said:


> *Australia's int'l visitor numbers lag behind growth levels -- tourism forum*
> 
> CANBERRA, Sept. 13 (PNA/Xinhua) -- The Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) on Monday said newly appointed Australian Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson faces some major challenges, with international visitor numbers still in the doldrums at 2008 levels.
> 
> Ferguson will be backed by Tasmanian senator Nick Sherry as assistant minister and Simon Crean, through his new role as regional affairs minister.
> 
> Queensland's Craig Emerson, in his new position of trade minister, will also contribute to industry growth and the development of Australia's global brand.
> 
> "Tourism looks set to have a high priority in the Australian Labor government, with a number of ministers focusing their attention on the flagging industry," Australian Associated Press said on Monday.
> 
> The national industry body said developing new products and experiences, and a whole-of-government approach must be the hallmarks of the government's term.
> 
> "The latest figures show international travel to Australia rose by three percent in 2009/10," TTF managing director Christopher Brown told Australian Associated Press on Monday.
> 
> "But while the increase is good news, it only returns us to 2008 levels, and Australia continues to lag behind growth levels in global tourism. Investing in new products, experiences and tourism infrastructure has the double benefit of enticing more Australians to travel at home, helping to address tourism's balance of trade deficit."
> 
> Tourism directly employs nearly half a million Australians, almost half in regional and rural areas.
> 
> http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=6&sid=&nid=6&rid=300363


*HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY AUSTRALIAS INTERNATIONAL VISITOR NUMBERS ARE LOW*

*Crime against tourist in Australia.*


*Indians attacked again in Oz*
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/never-safe-indian-attacked-again-in-oz/94414-2.html

*Indians attacked in Australia*
http://www.livemint.com/2009/09/15155805/3-Indians-attacked-in-Australi.html

*Indian killed in Vic 'feared for life'*
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-...led-in-vic-feared-for-life-20100103-lmrc.html

*Fatally and critically attacked Irishmen in Coogee,Sydney's east*
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/attackers-wanted-to-roll-tourist-20100315-q7ek.html

*A disabled Canadian man bashed in Sydney's west.*
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/10/2842242.htm 

*A Scottish man forced to undergo brain surgery after getting bashed in Sydney*
http://thumbrella.com.au/four-teenagers-charged-for-attacking-scottish-working-holiday-maker-7104

*German tourist hospitalized after attacked at Australian school* 
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7132508.html

*There’s nothing like Australia’s violence on tourists*
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/back-in-...thing-like-australia’s-violence-on-tourists…/

*Irish backpacker died after he was attacked in Sydney*
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/924542/backpackers-mum-wants-attacker-spared-jail

*German tourist attacked, stabbed in Melbourne*
http://www.eturbonews.com/11981/german-tourist-attacked-stabbed-melbourne

*Coast thugs attack Irish tourists*
http://www.finda.com.au/story/2010/01/01/an-irish-tourist-has-had-half-his-ear-bitten-off-a/

*Tourist attacked by 'brick-wielding teens'*
http://abc.gov.au/news/stories/2009/07/27/2637699.htm?site=brisbane


----------



## hakz2007

*Overcrowding shuts Disneyland for 2 straight days *


> LOS ANGELES, Dec. 29 (PNA/Xinhua) -- Two of southern California's most popular resorts were forced to shut their gates to holiday visitors for two straight days Tuesday, as an overwhelming number of mass descended upon Disneyland and Disney California Adventure to enjoy their time there.
> 
> Disneyland had to stop selling tickets around 10 a.m. -- roughly two hours after the park opened, and patrons were directed to Disney California Adventure, both situated in close vicinity in Anaheim, Orange County.
> 
> "Disneyland Resort is extremely popular today due to holiday offerings," a park official said. "Disneyland park access is temporarily limited."
> 
> Disney California Adventure, which sits close to the Disneyland, reached its capacity three hours later.
> 
> The holiday between Christmas and New Year has traditionally been one of the busiest times of the year for the Disney resort, and park officials did not know how long will it take before ticket sales resume.
> 
> This is the second straight day for Disneyland to halt admitting to the popular theme park. Visitors were banned for admittance Monday as the park struggled with overcrowding.


http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=6&sid=&nid=6&rid=320949

*RI attracts 7M foreign tourists in 2010 *


> JAKARTA, Dec. 29 (PNA/Antara) -- Indonesia was in 2010 visited by a total of about seven million foreign tourists who spent more than US$ 7 billion in the country, Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said.
> 
> "The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) has recorded seven million foreign tourist arrivals or more than the target figure for 2010. More detailed information on this matter will be given in early 2011," the minister said when attending a Visit Indonesia Year (VIY) 2010 appraisal night here Monday (Dec 27).
> 
> Jero said the seven million foreign tourist arrivals constituted a new record because in 2009 the target figure was about 6.45 million.
> 
> "In my contract with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, I promised to attract 6.75 million tourists. But it turned out to be more than 7 million," Jero said.
> 
> Jero also stated tourism in Indonesia during 2010 was hampered by several natural disasters like the Mt. Merapi eruptions in October to November.
> 
> "I was worried when 14 airlines canceled their flights to Jakarta and Yogyakarta last November. But it did not last long because I met the managements of the airlines," Jero said.
> 
> The normalization of airline flights had a salutary effect on the target`s achievement which was 9.3 percent up from 6.45 million in 2009 , said the minister.


http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=6&sid=&nid=6&rid=320934

*Tourists spend more money in Spain in 2010 *


> MADRID, Dec. 29 (PNA/Xinhua) -- Tourists traveling in Spain spent more money in 2010 than they did in 2009, according to data released Tuesday by the Institute of Studies in Tourism (IST), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Tourism and Commerce.
> 
> The IST said in a survey that as of November the tourism industry had scooped up a total of 46.259 billion euros (about 61. 104 billion U.S. dollars), 2.4 percent higher than the same period in 2009. Average spending per tourist rose by 1.2 percent.
> 
> Except for those from Britain, visitors from most other countries increased their spending in Spain, the survey showed.
> 
> Spain appeared increasingly popular with the French whose spending rose by 19 percent while Italian tourists also increased their spending vastly in 2010, it said.
> 
> The winter sun of the Canary Islands continues to be the most popular destination, followed by Catalonia and Andalusia in the south of the country, it added.


http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=6&sid=&nid=6&rid=320914


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## hkskyline

*Irish tourism drops in 2010, small growth seen in 2011 *

DUBLIN, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The number of tourists visiting Ireland fell by 16 percent in 2010 but favourable exchange rates and a faster rebound in the British and American economies should drive modest growth in 2011, an Irish tourism body said.

The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) said financial woes that forced Ireland to accept an 85 billion euro bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund earlier this year had hurt the country's image abroad.

ITIC said there were 1 million fewer overseas visitors compared to 2009, with total arrivals estimated at 5.5 million. Total tourism revenue, including domestic tourists, generated 4.5 billion euros.

Eamonn McKeon, ITIC's chief executive, said he expected the number of tourists to increase between 5 and 8 percent next year and forecast a 5 to 7 percent increase in revenues.

McKeon said it would take until 2014 to reach the peak 2007 figure of 7.7 million visitors.

"There are a number of things going our way for next year that we haven't had up to now," McKeon said.

"The dollar is trading much more strongly against the euro -- that's good, it means Americans will be more disposed to come to Europe and to Ireland.

"The (British) pound is appreciably stronger against the euro," he said, while the U.S. and British economies "are recovering at a rate considerably faster than ours".

Britain and the United States are the two biggest markets for Irish tourism, with Britain accounting for 45 percent of tourist visitors.

DOMESTIC TOURISM HURT

One-off incidents like the volcanic ash cloud and major flight disruptions due to heavy snow also hit visitor numbers in 2010, ITIC said.

Domestic tourism is not expected to fare as well next year, as Irish taxpayers feel the brunt of an austere 2011 budget which calls for 6 billion euros in spending cuts and tax hikes. The budget is the toughest in a four year-austerity drive that aims ultimately to save 15 billion euros. "We do realistically expect that as the impact of the budget kicks in, (affecting) January, February and March paychecks, that the domestic market will be slow," McKeon said.

He said the banking crisis that followed the collapse of the property sector that fuelled Ireland's boom years, and which ultimately forced Dublin to resort to external assistance, had damaged the former Celtic Tiger's image.

"We have a problem with publicity. Just as Irish tourism benefited during the years of the Celtic Tiger of that good news story ... the publicity ... most particularly of the last couple of months has just been enormous. It's not been good, (with) the IMF arriving in," McKeon said.

"We've really got to get this message across quickly that we have survived all this, we will survive it. We need to get the message across that the product is still brilliant, the people are the same, we're friendly and we're open for business."

The message may have got through: Readers of Frommer's travel guide recently voted Ireland the top tourist destination for 2011.


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## hkskyline

*Irish tourism drops in 2010, small growth seen in 2011 *

DUBLIN, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The number of tourists visiting Ireland fell by 16 percent in 2010 but favourable exchange rates and a faster rebound in the British and American economies should drive modest growth in 2011, an Irish tourism body said.

The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) said financial woes that forced Ireland to accept an 85 billion euro bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund earlier this year had hurt the country's image abroad.

ITIC said there were 1 million fewer overseas visitors compared to 2009, with total arrivals estimated at 5.5 million. Total tourism revenue, including domestic tourists, generated 4.5 billion euros.

Eamonn McKeon, ITIC's chief executive, said he expected the number of tourists to increase between 5 and 8 percent next year and forecast a 5 to 7 percent increase in revenues.

McKeon said it would take until 2014 to reach the peak 2007 figure of 7.7 million visitors.

"There are a number of things going our way for next year that we haven't had up to now," McKeon said.

"The dollar is trading much more strongly against the euro -- that's good, it means Americans will be more disposed to come to Europe and to Ireland.

"The (British) pound is appreciably stronger against the euro," he said, while the U.S. and British economies "are recovering at a rate considerably faster than ours".

Britain and the United States are the two biggest markets for Irish tourism, with Britain accounting for 45 percent of tourist visitors.

DOMESTIC TOURISM HURT

One-off incidents like the volcanic ash cloud and major flight disruptions due to heavy snow also hit visitor numbers in 2010, ITIC said.

Domestic tourism is not expected to fare as well next year, as Irish taxpayers feel the brunt of an austere 2011 budget which calls for 6 billion euros in spending cuts and tax hikes. The budget is the toughest in a four year-austerity drive that aims ultimately to save 15 billion euros. "We do realistically expect that as the impact of the budget kicks in, (affecting) January, February and March paychecks, that the domestic market will be slow," McKeon said.

He said the banking crisis that followed the collapse of the property sector that fuelled Ireland's boom years, and which ultimately forced Dublin to resort to external assistance, had damaged the former Celtic Tiger's image.

"We have a problem with publicity. Just as Irish tourism benefited during the years of the Celtic Tiger of that good news story ... the publicity ... most particularly of the last couple of months has just been enormous. It's not been good, (with) the IMF arriving in," McKeon said.

"We've really got to get this message across quickly that we have survived all this, we will survive it. We need to get the message across that the product is still brilliant, the people are the same, we're friendly and we're open for business."

The message may have got through: Readers of Frommer's travel guide recently voted Ireland the top tourist destination for 2011.


----------



## Yellow Fever

*Whales find peace in B.C.'s Inside Passage*

2,000 humpbacks pass through

BY MICHAEL MCCARTHY, SPECIAL TO VANCOUVER COURIER










Janie Wray and "whale dog" Meekus stand carefully balanced in the bow of a small research boat, watching intently. While African chimps have Jane Goodall to protect them and the mountain gorillas can thank the late Diane Fossey for preserving them, in Canada lovers of humpback whales have Wray, who's determined to assure their future.

Aside from the honk of ducks and a slight murmur in the trees off Princess Royal Island, the waters of Whale Passage are silent. Suddenly, not 20 metres off the starboard bow, there is a whoosh as a gigantic humpback whale launches its entire 10-tonne body out of the ocean and lands with a mighty splash. A few seconds later, a second humpback breaches, and then another. The spectacle continues unabated for over half an hour, the enormous creatures throwing their entire bodies in the air like porpoises.

"Last week, I watched a calf breach over 75 times in a row," Wray says. "I guess it was in training to follow its mother south in the fall. We've even seen some right whales and fin whales migrating through this year. The northern whale populations are starting to recover and grow. This is the best place in the world to see and study them."

On Gil Island, just west of Princess Royal Island some 80 kilometres south of Prince Rupert, whale researchers Hermann Meuter and Wray have established Cetacealab, a research station to study the lives of resident and transient orcas and the growing population of humpback whales that pass through these waters every year. For any lover of these creatures, as Hermann and Wray surely are, it's a wilderness dream come true.

While scientists track the southern pods of resident orca whales in the Gulf Islands and Desolation Sound with some concern for their future (in March, researchers confirmed the birth of a calf in J Pod, bringing the precarious southern resident killer whale population up to 86), in the sparkling northern waters around Princess Royal Island the future of whales looks sunnier. Wray estimates there are "about 100" humpbacks living near the lab and about 2,000 that pass through the Inside Passage every summer.

Wray and Meuter built Cetacealab in 2001. They formed the North Coast Cetacean Society, a charitable organization dedicated to the research and protection of whales in B.C. coastal waters. "From Gil over to Aristazabal Island is like an orca highway," Wray explains over a cup of tea in the house they built by hand. "We have four hydrophones placed around the region, with one more to come. We've lost a few over the years to the winter storms, which are pretty rough. Hermann dives down to 60 feet and places a hydrophone on a cliff or rock face, and fixes it in place with rocks. A microphone runs up a cable to the forest and a radio transmitter. The hydrophone and cable each cost $2,000 and the transmitter is $2,000, so it's about $8,000 per unit."

Some orcas and humpbacks stay in the Princess Royal Island region all winter while others come and go with the seasons. Wray and Meuter estimate there are 220 resident orcas and 250 transients in the region, but an accurate count requires more study. Wray is the humpback lover, while Meuter tracks orcas.

Aside from a few floating fishing lodges moored nearby in the summer months, Meuter and Wray are alone in this vast wilderness. Their closest neighbours are an hour north by boat in the village of Hartley Bay, where the Gitga'at people are pleased to welcome guests to their bed and breakfast, take visitors out to whale watch, fish for five different species of salmon in summer, kayak, and go bear watching in the fall.

A hydrophone suddenly starts squawking, indicating a pod of humpbacks right outside the front door. In a flash, Wray runs for the boat, binoculars in hand, with Meekus right behind. B.C.'s own wilderness woman and whale champion is on the job, and those who worry about creatures can rest assured their future is in good hands.

For guiding and accommodations to the Princess Royal Island region, go to www.gitgaat.net. To learn more about whales or to donate to Cetacealab, visit www.whaleresearch.ca.

© Copyright (c) Postmedia News


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## hkskyline

*British ship docks in Havana to much fanfare as Cuba welcomes return of big cruise liners *
6 January 2011

HAVANA (AP) - A salsa band, dancing schoolchildren and showgirls in bikini tops and feather headdresses welcomed some 1,500 tourists on a British cruise liner that officials described as among the biggest ships to visit Cuba in years.

Once a frequent sight here, cruise ships have become a rarity since 2006, after then President Fidel Castro complained that the industry did little more than flood this communist-governed country with trash.

But the cash-strapped government now led by Fidel's younger brother Raul appears to have taken a rosier view of late. Tourism Ministry official Jose Manuel Bisbe said the arrival of the Thomson Dream underscored the recent resurgence of cruise traffic to the island.

In a brief address to journalists as passengers in shorts and flip-flops streamed off the ship, Bisbe said a number of deals have been signed with European cruise operators to add regular stops in Cuban ports, and more accords are in the works.

"We think that more than anything, this change reflects the operators' understanding ... of all Cuba's attributes as a destination," said Bisbe, the ministry's commercial director.

Each passenger spends an average of $50 to $200 a day on the island, he said, adding that officials hope increased traffic will pump "several million dollars" into the lackluster Cuban economy this year.

Bisbe did not specify how many cruise passengers were expected to dock in Cuban ports in 2011 but said about 10,000 visited the island last year. That was down from some 100,000 passengers in 2005, he said.

Bisbe blamed the downturn on the 2006 purchase of Pullmantur Cruises -- a Spanish company that was among the biggest operator of tours to Cuba -- by Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Washington's trade embargo bars U.S. tourists from visiting Cuba and prohibits nearly all business between both countries, so dockings dried up after the company changed hands.

Cuba rolled out the red carpet to welcome the Thomson Dream, a nine-deck behemoth with four restaurants, two swimming pools, a casino and a disco.

Little girls in traditional white dresses and colorful sashes and others inexplicably decked out in bee costumes performed as waiters to hand out shot-sized samples of Havana Club rum to the disembarking passengers.

Four showgirls in towering headdresses and yellow spandex pants and matching sequin-covered bikini tops struck seductive poses as the tourists snapped pictures.

Richard Ring, a 40-year-old Briton, said he was amazed by the warm welcome.

"People were leaning out of windows waving at us and we were waving back. It was really enthusiastic," Ring shouted over the din of the salsa band.

He added that "it was nothing like that" at the other ports visited by the Thomson Dream during a 14-day cruise, which included stops on the Caribbean islands of Barbados, Grenada and Curacao.


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## hkskyline

*New York City tops list of U.S. travel destinations *

NEW YORK, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Despite an economic recession and fears of bedbugs, New York City attracted a record 48.7 million visitors in 2010, making it the biggest tourist destination in the U.S for the second year in a row.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the number of visitors marked a 6.8 percent increase over the 45.6 million people who visited in 2009, which was the first year since 1990 that the Big Apple attracted the most tourists, surpassing Orlando, Florida.

According to Bloomberg, the city should meet his administration's goal - set in 2007 - to attract 50 million visitors annually by 2012.

"This past year was New York City's most successful year for tourism ever, and we're well on our way to achieving our goal of attracting 50 million visitors a year," he said.

Of 2010's visitors, 39 million were American and 9.7 million from abroad. Both numbers broke previous records.

Room rates rose to an average of $330 last year, an 8.9 percent increase over 2009. Overall, tourists spent $31 billion.

The hospitality industry added 6,600 jobs in 2010. July was particularly notable, with 323,200 people working in hospitality jobs across all industry sub-sectors.

A record 25.7 million hotel room nights were sold in 2010, two million room nights more than the year before.

George Fertitta, the CEO of NYC&Company, said that although New York is still visited by fewer people than Paris and London, they lag behind New York in occupancy rates and hotel rates.

"That makes a visit to New York more valuable than it would be in Paris and London," he said.

New York City's Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, Robert Steel, attributed the local tourism industry's strong performance to enhanced efforts to market the city both domestically and abroad.

NYC&Company operates 18 offices to market city tourism in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.


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## Guest

*Financial Times: Albania is hot in 2011*



> Even in 2011, pockets of Europe remain thrillingly unfamiliar. One of this year’s most intriguing prospects is Albania – partly for its quiet, affordable Mediterranean beaches, partly for its rugged landscape. For active types, the biggest buzz is around the “Accursed Mountains” of the country’s far north – an isolated region of serrated 2,600m peaks populated by bears and wolves, with farming villages rich in folklore.
> 
> http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/8b194f34-19e1-11e0-b921-00144feab49a.html#axzz1AmZ7xHeA


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## 7t

In the FT page they mention the photo as being in Northern Albania but I'm afraid that's not the case. That right there looks very much like Vjosa River with the Nemerçka mountains in the background which are located in the SouthEast part of the country.
Here's a larger image of the area near where the photo was taken:










And a broader perspective of the region


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## hkskyline

*Russian tourists flock to France for New Year party *

PARIS, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Hotels across France are gearing up for an influx of Russians coming to celebrate their Orthodox Christian New Year in a country that is becoming a playground for millionaires from the former Soviet Union.

As Russia grows richer, more than half a million Russians are visiting France each year, according to French tourism development agency Atout France. Numbers peak each January when Russians celebrate their New Year according to the Orthodox Julian calendar, 13 days after the western New Year.

Well-heeled Russians favor the fashionable ski resort of Courchevel, Cote d'Azur resorts like Nice and Paris -- where five-star hotels are busy lining up decadent Russian-themed soirees with caviar and vodka to mark the 2011 party.

"We get families, couples, celebrities like the model Natalya Vodyanova, oligarchs, some politicians and business clients," said a spokesperson for the swanky Le Meurice hotel, which will offer a special menu of beef stroganoff, caviar and blinis prepared by Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alleno.

In the same chic Paris district, the upmarket hotel Bristol also has caviar and blinis on its January 13 dinner menu, with prices ranging from 240 euros ($310.8) to an eye-watering 800 euros per head in a annexed eatery -- and that excludes vodka or wine.

On the elegant Champs Elysees avenue, nightclub L'Arc will cater to Russian revellers by laying on live Cossack-style music and installing an ice-rink for the occasion.

"We're talking about a clientele with a very high purchasing power, that is very much dependent on the financial markets, on stock market and commodity prices," said Thomas Deschamps, head of statistics at the Paris tourist board.

Russia's move to a market-based economy and high demand for oil, natural gas and raw materials has created a large pool of millionaire tycoons who are flaunting their wealth abroad, including snapping up Paris apartments and holiday chalets in the Alps, where they stand out in designer ski suits.

In December, Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Pinchuk made headlines in France by putting on a lavish 50th birthday bash at a reported cost of several million euros at the Courchevel ski resort. He flew in the Cirque du Soleil circus for a private show and some 150 guests were served a gourmet buffet prepared by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse.

With crude oil prices headed towards $100 a barrel, and other raw materials prices surging to record highs, celebrations by wealthy Russians are unlikely to be restrained this year.

Russians headed to the French Riviera this year will be able to splash out on an Orient Express-style experience, travelling on a direct Moscow-Nice rail service launched last autumn.

Tickets for the 50-hour journey start at 306 euros, and 1,200 euros buys a luxury compartment with shower and mini-bar.


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## Yellow Fever

Photo Gallery: Beauty of the Harbin Ice Festival

Now in its 27th year, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival is gaining world renown.















































































































http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/beauty+Harbin+Festival/4056837/story.html


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## hkskyline

*Global tourism to grow 4-5 pct in 2011 - U.N. body*

MADRID, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is predicting global tourism growth of between 4 and 5 percent in 2011 after a stronger than expected recovery in 2010, the U.N. body's secretary general said on Monday.

The UNWTO said global tourism rose 6.7 percent to 935 million international arrivals in 2010, following a decline in 2009, thanks to strong growth in Asia and a recovery in Europe and the Americas.

"We are now back in line with the pace of growth expected over the long term. Now the challenge for 2011 is to consolidate this growth," UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai said.

However, he said tourism growth will decelerate in line with slower global economic growth, and said austerity measures and higher taxes in Europe as the region continues to battle sovereign debt crises could have a negative impact on travel.

The recovery in Europe, which receives over half the world's tourists, was the slowest in the world in 2010 at 3 percent, Rifai said.


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## hkskyline

*Thailand closes dive sites to halt damage to reefs*
20 January 2011

BANGKOK, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Thailand is closing dozens of dive sites to tourists after unusually warm seas caused severe damage to coral reefs in the Andaman Sea, one of the world's top diving and beach resort regions, authorities said on Thursday.

More than half of southern Thailand's 15,000 hectares of coral reefs are suffering from bleaching, or the shedding of coral colours, a phenomenon caused largely by rising sea temperatures over an extended period, officials said.

"We will study the cause and effect and find a way to restore them," Sunan Arunnopparat, director of the Department of National Parks, told Reuters, adding that the reefs will be closed across seven national parks.

"This is part of an effort to restore the reefs."

He declined to say how many diving spots would be closed or how extensive the damage was to the reefs. He said diving sites where bleaching had spread to 80 percent of the reefs would be shut for an unspecified period.

The coral bleaching -- whitening due to heat driving out the algae living within the coral tissues -- was first reported in May after a surge in temperatures across the Andaman Sea from the northern tip of Sumatra island to Thailand and Myanmar.

Other parts of Southeast Asia have also suffered. An international team of scientists studying bleaching off Indonesia's Aceh province found that 80 percent of some species have died between May and August.

Marine conservationists blame unregulated tourism -- walking on coral, mooring of boats over reefs and contamination of the water in the Andaman Sea, a region of sparkling blue-green waters and pearl-white beaches that draws thousands of tourists a year.

But Sunan said global warming was at fault.

Between April and late May, sea surface temperatures in the Andaman Sea rose to 34 degrees Celsius or about 4 degrees C above the long-term average, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coral Hotspots website. (See: http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/ocean/cb/hotspots.html)

Coral bleaching involves the loss or expulsion of single cell algae (zooxanthellae) which normally live within the coral tissue and give it a brownish coloration. Loss of the algae sees the coral skeleton become visible through the transparent tissue giving the coral a bleached white appearance.

Bleaching occurs when coral is under stress from high temperatures, strong light and low salinity. Coral can only recover from minor bleaching.

"We did not close all of the national parks, just some of the dive sites. Tourists can still go see the forests and the mountains in these parks," Sunan said.


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## hkskyline

*Sun-drenched Caribbean hopes for rebound in tourism *

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Tourism-dependent Caribbean countries are optimistic that business will continue to grow this year after visits to the sun-drenched region increased nearly 5 percent in 2010.

Regional business leaders expect to see growth, essential for sorely needed jobs and tax revenues, despite many challenges, including Britain's 2009 hike in its air passenger duty tax, which caused British travel to the Caribbean to fall.

Josef Forstmayr, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, speaking at the group's Marketplace 2011 event earlier this week in Montego Bay, Jamaica, said there are signs of growth after the global recession in 2008 and 2009.

"Right now at Marketplace 2011, we have more buyers that have come to meet with hotels and tourist offices than last year, an indication that business is coming back," he said.

The Caribbean is more dependent on travel and tourism than almost any other region, according to the World Tourism Organization. Of the 10 countries in the world most reliant on tourism, seven are in the Caribbean.

Forstmayr, a Jamaican hotelier, said tourism is the essential provider of employment and a principal provider of taxes for Caribbean governments to provide funding for education, healthcare and key infrastructure projects.

According to the Caribbean Tourism Organization, visitor arrivals in 2010 rose by 4.7 percent to 23.1 million, up from 22.1 million visitors in 2009.

Cruise tourism has also been on the rise, growing 6 percent in 2010.

"Indications are that the fortunes of Caribbean tourism are gradually changing for the better, but could take some time before experiencing robust, sustained growth," said Winfield Griffith, director of research and information technology for the tourism organization.

SURGE IN SEA CRUISE ARRIVALS

Bermuda's director of tourism, William Griffith, said preliminary figures indicate that the island, which is highly dependent on the U.S. market, saw arrivals rise by 12 percent in 2010, driven by a double-digit increase in cruise arrivals.

Air arrivals at 235,000 were flat, he said.

"In terms of advance projection, certainly in the first six months of the year, we are optimistic. We are keeping our fingers crossed that things continue to trend positively for Bermuda," Griffith said.

Barbadian hotelier Peter Odle said the biggest challenge on the horizon was next summer, a time when the industry traditionally sees a slight decline.

"Hopefully, we can maintain market share and then we should be OK," he said.

St. Lucia Tourism Minister Allen Chastanet called 2010 a record year for the eastern Caribbean island, with over 670,000 cruise ship arrivals and 320,000 land-based arrivals.

"Those numbers would have been substantially higher had it not been for the mishap with Hurricane Tomas, but overall, I think we are very pleased with the performance of tourism in St. Lucia for 2010," he told Reuters.

Chastanet said he was cautiously optimistic about this year but will be looking at the impact of the increase in the price of fuel and continuing fallout from the British tax.

Britain's air passenger duty tax rates vary, dictated by how the UK government classifies worldwide destinations -- with passengers to the Caribbean among those particularly hard hit.

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding said several appeals had been made about the tax's negative impact on the region.

"Going to London and pleading are not the only options we have," Golding said at the opening of the Marketplace conference. He did not elaborate but called the tax "unfair and unjust," saying it was "in conflict with established global rules of tourism."

British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh, speaking at a conference in Barbados last October, said arrivals from Britain to some Caribbean islands had fallen as much as 25 percent since November 2009 due to the tax.


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## hkskyline

*'Rubbish hotel' opens in heart of Madrid*
Jan 19, 10:15 pm ET

MADRID (AFP) – A new hotel has opened in the heart of Madrid proudly declaring that it's complete rubbish.

More of a wooden shack than a five-star establishment, the walls of the Beach Garbage Hotel are strewn with detritus dragged up by the tide, recovered from landfills or snapped up at flea markets.

Among the wall decorations: Plastic drums, wooden frames, musical instruments, striped socks, tyres, and children's books.

In the five rooms there are street lights, wobbly sideboards, and torn Persian rugs, ready to welcome the lucky winners of a Facebook competition whose prize was a free stay.

Out front, there is a small patch of sand and palm trees.

Located in the city centre's Plaza de Callao, it is the work of German artist Ha Schult, timed to coincide with Madrid's hosting of the annual international tourism trade fair.

"I created the Beach Garbage Hotel because the oceans of our planet are the biggest garbage dump," Schult said.

Rosa Piqueras, spokeswoman for the environmental project, said the idea was to show something a little different from the ideal destinations touted by the tourism industry.

"We wanted to show what our holidays could become if we don't clean our beaches," she said.

About 30-40 percent of the objects adorning the hotel were picked up from beaches in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The dirtiest, said Piqueras, were the beaches in southern Italy.

Hotel notices warn guests of environmental developments, such as: "One Spaniard in 10 no longer goes to the beach because of their bad state. Fourteen percent of Europeans do the same."

The hotel closes January 23.


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## hkskyline

*Inside Cuba, small businesses ramp up tourism offer*

CIENFUEGOS, Cuba, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Communist Cuba's recent easing of red tape for private enterprise is improving services for tourists in provincial towns on the Caribbean island, with hundreds of new restaurants and lodgings opening up.

"Mom-and-pop" small businesses have begun to boom in Cuban cities and towns following reforms by President Raul Castro to boost private enterprise and lay off state workers to improve efficiency in one of the world's last Soviet-style economies.

In the quaint south coast port city of Cienfuegos, the number of private restaurants has jumped from two to 16 in just a few months. There are now more than 100 home-based 'bed and breakfast' lodgings, local entrepreneurs say.

That is a welcome relief for visitors to the town, nestled between the foothills of the Escambray mountains and a palm-lined bay. Both foreigners and locals have grumbled in the past about the poor food and accommodation on offer in the Cuban interior, away from the capital and main tourist resorts.

Cienfuegos' 400,000 residents and wandering tourists, who last year struggled to find refreshment in the often sweltering city, can now choose between dozens of home-based snack outlets serving pizza, pastries, coffee and soft drinks.

"Competition means you have to improve your service and that's a good thing, everyone gains, you, the tourists and the country," said Orestes Toledo, owner of the Perla Hostal, a two-room bed and breakfast.

"Now even the state will have to shape up," he added, sipping coffee on his roof-top terrace overlooking the bay.

Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro nationalized all small businesses in 1968 and only after the collapse of longtime benefactor the Soviet Union in 1991 begrudgingly allowed their return under tight regulation.

But after a few years, his government stopped issuing new private self-employment licenses that underpinned small business. Many small businesses were strangled by red tape.

Fidel's brother, Raul Castro, became president in 2008 and has now struck out in a different direction with plans to turn much of the retail sector over to leasing arrangements, cooperatives and private entrepreneurs.

Cienfuegos is 150 miles (240 km) east of Havana, near the restored colonial town of Trinidad and a few hours from the popular Varadero beach resort. Foreign visitors to the city usually pass through for a day or two.

HIGH HOPES

Cienfuegos' new private entrepreneurs believe their businesses will now steadily improve and seem to relish the challenge of more joining their ranks.

"I think a lot of people are going to open restaurants. I calculate you might eventually see 40 or 50 and a lot of cafes," said Tony Azorlin, a strapping former forest ranger.

Azorlin and his wife doted over clients last week at the Ache 'paladar', or home-based restaurant.

"I think there is a market for that many, as long as tourism holds up," he said. Azorlin added the sky would be the limit for local private business if the United States lifted its ban on most Americans visiting the island.

This ban persists under the decades-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, which U.S. President Barack Obama slightly eased earlier this month, to allow more trips by American professors and students, artists and church groups.

Some 2.5 million foreign tourists visited Cuba last year, the government reported.

The Ache was one of 18 'paladares' that opened in Cienfuegos in the 1990s when small family businesses were first allowed. All but two closed over the years under ensuing over-regulation imposed by a state loath to allow competition.

Azorlin said under rules introduced in the last few months, his taxes were now lower. He also could have more seats, hire employees and serve what he pleased, with beef, shrimp, lobster and potatoes no longer banned from private restaurant menus.

At a government office in Cienfuegos issuing private business permits, Arlina Rodriguez estimated she and colleagues had issued more than 200 licenses since Castro lifted restrictions in October, proclaiming small business vital to the country's future.

"It hasn't stopped and doesn't appear it will any time soon," said Rodriguez, busy dealing with eight people seeking licenses at her poorly lit hole-in-the-wall office.

Nationwide, the government reports more than 75,000 self-employment licenses have been granted so far.

The Ache is a quaint, upscale eatery, but right next door neighbor Carlos Alberto is of a more ambitious breed. He has just opened the Casa de Chango restaurant and bar, a splashier and lower-priced establishment, operating around the clock.

Carlos Alberto said he wanted to take full advantage of new regulations allowing him to hire labor and rent space.

"I have decided to expand and open a second Casa de Chango, and eventually will have three, four or five," he said, insisting local authorities and Chango, the most powerful deity in the Afro-Cuban Santeria religion, would bless his ambition to found the first private restaurant chain in the country.


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## hkskyline

*Sri Lanka military HQ to make way for hotels*
Wed Jan 26, 2:32 am ET

COLOMBO (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government said Wednesday it was relocating the defence ministry and main army headquarters in Colombo to make way for a billion-dollar hotel project.

An information department statement said the cabinet had decided to shift the military facilities from their prime, seafront location in the capital to the eastern edge of the city.

The move would accommodate "two giant foreign (hotel) projects that will bring in a direct investment of $1 billion," an information department statement said.

Sri Lanka's military has been expanding its commercial operations since the defeat of the separatist Tamil Tiger rebel movement in May 2009.

It already runs small restaurants and kiosks along the main highway across the island's former northern war zone, and operates a lucrative vegetable business in competition with private traders.

Tourism has boomed after the end of the island's ethnic conflict that had previously deterred both foreign investors and holiday makers.

Hong Kong-based Shangri La leisure group announced earlier this month that it had paid $125 million for a 99-year lease on the Sri Lankan army's sports grounds to build a deluxe hotel.

Some $1.5 billion worth of hotel projects are expected to start this year, according to Sri Lanka Tourism.


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## hkskyline

*FACTBOX-Protests and Egypt's tourism industry *

CAIRO, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Mass protests against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year reign have raised questions over whether Egypt's vital tourism industry will be affected.

Here are some facts about the sector:

HOW IMPORTANT IS TOURISM TO EGYPT?

-- Tourism accounts for over 11 percent of Egypt's gross domestic product, according to the tourism ministry.

-- It provides about one in eight jobs in the most populous Arab country.

-- About 12.5 million tourists visited Egypt in 2009, bringing revenue of $10.8 billion. Tourism brought in over $9 billion in the first nine months of 2010, government figures show.

-- Tourism is one of Egypt's top sources of foreign revenue.

WHERE IS TOURISM CONCENTRATED IN EGYPT?

-- Most major tourism sites are away from the heavily populated cities that have seen two days of anti-government protests.

-- The Red Sea resort towns of Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada are major draws for tourists because of their beaches and year-round warm weather.

-- But antiquities such as the Egyptian Museum and the Giza Pyramids also draw millions of tourists to the capital Cairo, which has seen much of the unrest.

-- Also popular are the southern cities of Luxor and Aswan.

-- Most of Egypt's tourists come from Russia, Italy, France, Germany and Britain.

ARE TOURIST COMPANIES WORRIED ABOUT THE PROTESTS?

-- Hamed El Chiaty, chairman of Egypt's Travco, said on Wednesday: "Given the fact that it was a peaceful demonstration, I don't think it will have a negative effect. Unless of course these demonstrations continue".

-- A spokesperson for Thomas Cook UK & Ireland said: "We continue to monitor the situation in Egypt and we are in close contact with the FCO (British foreign ministry). Our experienced teams on the ground assure us that no tourist areas at the Red Sea have been affected in any way by the recent demonstrations".

HOW HAS THE INDUSTRY WEATHERED PREVIOUS CHALLENGES?

-- The industry suffered after gunmen killed 58 tourists and four Egyptians at an ancient temple in Luxor in 1997, but has weathered disruptions relatively well since then.

-- The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the second Palestinian Intifada, and a series of bomb attacks on tourist resorts in Sinai from 2004 to 2006 all led to temporary decreases in tourist arrivals, but the trend over the last decade has been broadly upward.

-- Protests in Egypt may not be enough on their own to deter tourists. But news of unrest in Tunisia, Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East, could help convince some travellers to reroute to a region that is making fewer headlines.


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## manon

*Antalya received 10.3 million tourists in 2010*

Turkey's Mediterranean province of Antalya was the favorite holiday destination for tourists from Germany and Russia in 2010. 

German tourists visiting Antalya increased by 10.4 percent in 2010 compared to 2009, while the number of Russian visitors were up 16.6 percent, tourism officials told the Anatolia news agency on Thursday.

Last year, number of British tourists also rose by 37.9 percent compared to 2009, authorities said.

According to the Governorship of Antalya, the magnificent city of Mediterranean where is Antalya received 10.3 million tourists in 2010.

Visitors from Germany, Russia, the Netherlands, Britain and Ukraine preferred Antalya the most throughout the year.

The number of Swedish, French, Austrian, Polish, Norwegian, Danish, Kazakh, Swiss, Czech, Belorussian, Romanian and Iranian tourists were on the rise in 2010, officials noted.

Turkey's Mediterranean resort city of Antalya eyes to host 11 million tourists in 2011, head of a local union of hoteliers has said."We have set a target of 11 million tourists to host in Antalya this year and I believe we will achieve that target,"Sururi Corabatir told reporters.Corabatir said the number of tourists visiting Antalya last year reached to around 10.3 million, which marked a 11 percent increase over 2009.


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## hkskyline

*At the Pyramids, unrest empties desert of tourists*

By Alexander Dziadosz CAIRO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - At the pyramids, something is wrong with the picture. The Sphinx is still there, gazing out inscrutably over the sands of Giza on the outskirts of Cairo.

But as Daniel Tham from Malaysia pointed his camera to take some souvenir snaps on Wednesday, something was missing from the much photographed view of the Great Pyramids -- the people.

Instead of the thousands of foreign visitors who normally flock by the busload, Tham and his friend were alone, and could take only long-distance shots of this wonder of the world, kept out by gates locked after the outbreak of unrest across Egypt.

"A lot is closed," Tham said. "A lot of tours are not able to carry us and there are no trains." He had been able to see only a fraction of the sights he planned to visit on his trip.

Most foreigners have not been so intrepid. They have flocked to airports trying to get out of the country, cancelled holidays if they had not yet arrived, and in doing so they have delivered a heavy blow to the Egyptian economy and its tourism industry.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, sympathy for the pro-democracy demonstrators who have tried to unseat President Hosni Mubarak is in short supply among the guides and stallholders of Giza.

"We need peace," said Fouad Hassan, 63, as he stood outside his locked souvenir store. "People now are flying back home. How long will it take for these people to come back?"

SECURITY

In central Cairo, street clashes surged back and forth around the Egyptian Museum, home to mummies and a treasure trove of antiquities from the time of the pharaohs which is another major focus of tourist activity in normal times.

Giza's pyramids, 15 km (10 miles) from Tahrir Square downtown, was much too quiet for the liking of the locals, some of whom felt Mubarak, in promising to stand down later in the year, had done the right thing and that protests should now end.

"He has done his best, you know," said Abdullah, 35, a tour guide with no tourists to guide. "He changed almost 90 percent or 95 percent of what they were looking for."

The dusty streets near the pyramids, usually bustling with camels, perfume vendors and sunburned visitors, were mostly deserted. Shopkeepers sitting by their shuttered storefronts complained that unrest had strangled their business and many echoed vigorous support for Mubarak, crediting him for security they said helped draw millions of tourists to Egypt a year.

Mubarak, dubbed "Pharaoh" by some Egyptians, has portrayed himself to Western allies and his own people as a bulwark of stability -- an image many have accepted in return for a government criticised as repressive, brutal and corrupt.

Mubarak's forces fought a violent Islamist insurgency in Egypt's south in the 1990s that included a bloody attack on tourists in Luxor, home to the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple. Soldiers guard tourist trains and man desert checkpoints around beach resorts and major attractions. It seemed to work.

"It's safe, it's very, very safe with Mubarak," said Ayman, a 25-year-old souvenir vendor, sitting outside a shop filled with postcards, papyrus, ceramic scarabs and alabaster pyramids.

The tourism industry has grown steadily over the last decade, weathering bomb attacks on resorts in the Sinai peninsula. Over 12 million tourists visited in Egypt in 2009, earning the country nearly $11 billion in revenue.

On a normal day, said Ayman, he might see 200 to 300 customers, mostly from Europe, at his store near the Sphinx. But on Wednesday, he said, he had just three.

Yet his neighbour Gouda Fayed, 55, put the troubles into perspective as he drank tea by his empty souvenir store close by the monuments which have symbolised Egypt for 4,500 years.

He said: "I'm sure when everything settles down, it will all go back to normal."


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## ziesha

wow that s really great !


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## hkskyline

*Travel Picks: Top 10 Spring Break destinations*

NEW YORK, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Sun, sand, surf and a sea of friends and possible dates is the recipe for a successful Spring Break holiday for North American university students.

Online travel advisor Cheapflights.com (www.cheapflights.com) provides a list of the top 10 Spring Break destinations. Reuters does not endorse this list:

1. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

With 24,000 hotel rooms and counting, Punta Cana is the tourist haven of the Dominican Republic. Rife with some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, all-inclusive deals and buffets galore, this destination has a lot to offer in terms of value. Nightlife abounds too, with free VIP passes to the island's top-rated clubs when you look through student programs like Student City, which has two headquarters there - Grand Paradise Bavaro and Barcelo Punta Cana. 

2. Cancun, Mexico

If you didn't know it already, Cancun is the unofficial Spring break capital of North America. With an average daily temperature of 80 degrees, this Mexican mother city is unapologetic in its mass-tourism reputation. Students love it for its accessibility to nightlife and the plethora of all-inclusive resorts that include food and drink. Add in the fact that the dollar is standing strong against the peso, and you've got yourself a deal. 

3. Montego Bay, Jamaica

The island's busiest airport and cruise-ship port bring loads of tourists to Montego Bay all year round, but a certain clientele appreciate it most during Spring break season. Sunny days are well-spent along Fletcher Beach and Doctor's Cave Beach, while partygoers find countless clubs on Gloucester Avenue, (referred to as "hip strip") at night. 

4. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

An alternative to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta is known by some as the liveliest and most sophisticated resort destination. It brims with stylish restaurants and shops along cobblestone streets, and holds the elegance of beach vacations in high esteem. So, whether you're in the mood to explore tequila manufacturing, or chill out within the local dining scene, Puerto Vallarta offers a new edge on discovering Mexico. 

5. South Padre Island, Texas

Any location that offers Mardi Gras Tuesdays -- every Tuesday -- screams spring break to us. Just off the Gulf Coast of Texas, South Padre Island is all the fun of sun and social scandal, but right at home within the States. Students love Coca-Cola Beach, open every day for festivities and revelry (so, choose another beach for peaceful sunbathing). Lots of cheap food and all-inclusive offerings are available here for an economical week of celebrating. 

6. San Diego, California

Sunny SoCal rarely fails for a mix of beaches and outdoor activities. Trail along the boardwalk and scope out the incredibly fit packs of residents, or stretch out along Balboa Park for a greener view. More than 70 miles of beaches make San Diego an easy target for sun seekers and surfers. Once the sun goes down, head to nightlife areas of Garnett Avenue or the Gaslamp District. 


7. Miami, Florida

While it's perfect for partying, Miami is also an upscale city, with world-renowned cuisine, culture, art and shopping, so students with more complex agendas will enjoy the Latin rhythm here. High-priced hotels are the norm here, but there are low-cost accommodations and inexpensive food options for those willing to dig. Rem
ember though " you're still in the U.S., so the drinking age remains at 21. 

8. Panama City Beach, Florida

If Cancun were in the U.S., it would have to duke it out with Panama City Beach for the title of best spring break city. Celebrities like Kenny Chesney, 50 Cent and Sean Kingston have made appearances in the past to hail this Floridian locale as a party mecca. Walk along the main strip, and you'll find a steady concoction of beach bars, hotels, mini golf centers, souvenir shops, and more beach bars. Dive into its renowned wreck-diving site for an alternative daytime activity. 

9. Orlando, Florida

Think Orlando is just a minivan destination? Think again. With plenty of all-inclusive resorts with glamorous pools and lots of food and drink, Orlando makes spring break a secret hot spot for students. Universal Orlando is more than just kiddies and snow-cones, too: The attraction hosts multiple Mardi Gras nights with parades, street performers, Cajun cuisine, free concerts and other free events with your ticket purchase. 

10. Montreal, Quebec Canada

Go ahead, buck the trend. You won't find sun and sand here, but you will get a better exchange rate, a legal drinking age of 18, and a whole lot of "European" charm on top of amazing food. It's like Paris on the cheap, but without the jetlag. Ski the Laurentians by day, and hit one of 300 nightclubs, bars, pubs or lounge at night.


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## hkskyline

*Heli-skiing takes flight in Kashmir as violence wanes*

GULMARG, India, March 1 (Reuters) - Helicopters aren't just carrying troops to the snow-capped mountains of Indian Kashmir any more.

They are also flying foreign skiers to ski slopes near a ceasefire line that divides the Himalayan region between India and Pakistan.

Ski operator Gulmarg Heliski started the heli-skiing service in January hoping to attract adventure tourists to Kashmir with separatist violence down in the region once a top tourism destination popular with honeymooners, skiers and trekkers.

The region attracted about a million tourists a year until 1989, when simmering anger against New Delhi's rule burst into a violent rebellion.

But years of separatist violence across the Muslim-majority region ensured visitors stayed away even though authorities built a spectacular cable car network running through forests of towering pine trees to attract skiers to Gulmarg.

"Gulmarg is an adventure destination. There are endless possibilities for heli-ski runs in this area," said Martin Jones, a New Zealander, one of the directors of Gulmarg Heliski.

"The future for heli-ski in Kashmir is very good, and Inshallah, we will return next winter with big business."

A little over 300 people signed up during the six-week season that ended early this week.

"There is hardly any violence. I think overall security situation has improved significantly, that is why Gulmarg is abuzz with foreign skiers," Billa Bakhshi, a Kashmir-based partner in the firm, said.

Behind Bakhshi, a number of Western tourists were strapping an avalanche transceiver to their chests before boarding the helicopter ready to ski in the Kashmir mountains.

"I have discovered a safe heaven for skiers in Himalayas, unparalleled adventure, amazing powder riding," said Lel Tones, a 40-year-old skier from California.

"Such spectacular terrain, I personally think access to these Gulmarg mountains for a skier is a special opportunity," she said.

Tourism returned in force to Kashmir in 2005 as violence fell after India and Pakistan began a peace process. Some 600,000 people visited the scenic region, most of them Indians. But numbers dropped off again since 2008 after massive anti-India protests broke out in the region.

Scores of protesters were killed and hundreds wounded, most of them in police firing.

The armies of South Asian neighbours India and Pakistan, who have gone to war twice over Kashmir, regularly exchanged artillery fire along the disputed border until they declared a ceasefire seven years ago.

Jammu and Kashmir officials said they expected skiers to return next winter.

"Kashmir is safe and everything is normal. I am sure Gulmarg next winter will be house full," Nawang Rigzin Jora, Kashmir's tourism minister, said.


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## hkskyline

*Florida jumps into fray over online hotel taxes*
By MITCH STACY, Associated Press 
Tue Mar 1, 2:55 pm ET

TAMPA, Fla. – Two years ago Florida joined dozens of other states and municipalities in suing online travel companies for a bigger chunk of local hotel taxes. This spring, though, the state's Republican Legislature seems poised to do an about-face.

The passage of bills in Florida siding with online travel operations such as Expedia, Orbitz and Priceline would be a significant victory for the industry in a conflict that has dragged on for years and led to a patchwork of lawsuits and contradictory court decisions around the country. About 9 percent of the nation's 4 million hotel rooms are in the Sunshine State, where tourism is $60-billion-a-year industry.

The bills in the Republican-led Florida Legislature would exempt the online companies from paying a larger share of hotel occupancy taxes. A similar measure stalled in the Senate last year, but backers are buoyed this spring by the militant anti-tax tone set by new Gov. Rick Scott and other new conservative faces in the chambers. The session starts March 8.

But lawmakers will act at the risk of angering Florida's hotel and lodging industry, which says shielding the out-of-state sellers from paying more gives the companies an unfair competitive advantage and could ultimately lead to higher taxes as cash-strapped local governments try to make up the revenue.

Online travel companies make money by negotiating discounts from hotels and then selling the rooms to consumers at a higher rate. States and municipalities say they are losing tax revenue because the online sellers pay local occupancy taxes only on the wholesale price of the room, not the full rate they charge consumers.

For instance, if an online company negotiates a rate of $100 per night and sells the room to a traveler for $120 per night, it pays occupancy taxes only on the $100 at the time the room is booked. In Florida, state economists estimate the loss of revenue to state and local governments amounts to $20 million a year.

The online companies consider the difference a booking fee that's not subject to local taxes.

"An online company is not a hotel," said Andrew Weinstein, spokesman for the Interactive Travel Services Association, which represents online travel companies. "It's not in the business of renting rooms and managing properties, and it was not intended to be a collector of these taxes."

There is certainly no consensus on the issue.

If the bill is passed, Florida would follow Missouri as the second state with a law favoring the online sellers. Some states and municipalities, most notably New York City and Washington, D.C., have gone the other way, passing measures that extend occupancy taxes to the online companies. Judges have sided with the industry in most of the cases already decided by the courts, and another 40 to 50 lawsuits — including the 2009 Florida action — are still pending nationally.

A federal class-action suit against 15 online travel companies in Monroe County, which includes the Florida Keys, was settled last year for $6.5 million, split among 32 Florida counties. The deal does not require the companies to start paying taxes for the full room price, but temporarily precludes the counties from suing some of the online companies.

State Sen. Don Gaetz, who sponsored the bill in the Florida Senate, said it's critical to remove any barriers to increasing hotel bookings in his Florida Panhandle district whose tourism industry took a one-two punch from the recession and Gulf oil spill last year. Moreover, he hopes a state law will definitively settle the rancorous issue here, instead of relying on the courts or the federal government to do something about it.

"I'm optimistic we will come to some solution," Gaetz said. "I don't believe that the way to improve our tourist economy is with a tax increase."

While hotels have to deal with third-party online sellers to keep their properties full, they also are competing with them for consumers' online business. So, the lodging industry argues that the online companies are not carrying their fair share of the local tax burden, which they say could result in the hotels — and their guests — paying more.

"As hotels, we think if this goes through, if Florida passes this thing, what this is going to result in is the hotels paying the difference," said Shawn McBurney, senior vice president of governmental affairs for the American Hotel & Lodging Association. "It's eventually going to get passed on to the consumer."

The online travel industry unsuccessfully shopped a federal measure in Congress last year that would have exempted them from paying any additional taxes. But Weinstein said the cause is being boosted by a new wave of conservative elected officials around the country who swept in last fall with a clear anti-tax message.

"I think you have reinforcing waves of anti-tax and pro-tourism (sentiment), and legislators are realizing how critical the tourism industry is for local revenue," Weinstein said. "And I think they are generally disinclined to pass new taxes that could hurt that revenue stream."


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## hkskyline

*Egypt, Tunisia tourism recovering fast - German assn *

FRANKFURT, March 4 (Reuters) - Tourists are returning quickly to Egypt and Tunisia after the uprising there, according to the German travel association DRV.

The two countries are a popular destination for Germans, who spent more than any other nation on holidays abroad in 2010, said the DRV.

Juergen Buechy, president of the DRV said the unrest would have a short-term effect on travel there, but that bookings were already significantly improving.

"I am certain Egypt and Tunisia will recover quickly and reclaim their place on the tourism map," he told journalists on Friday.

"Many Germans have sympathy with the peaceful uprisings," he added.

Sales at German tour operators increased by 2.5 percent to 21.3 billion euros ($29.71 billion) last year. Buechy said the industry should return to or even exceed the pre-crisis levels of 2008 this year.

Buechy added some months had even shown double-digit increases in bookings for this year compared with last year.

The largest tour operators in Germany include TUI Travel, Thomas Cook and unlisted Rewe.

Buechy said the current spike in the oil price was not having an effect at the moment, especially as many summer bookings had already been made.

While sales at German tour operators rose 2.5 percent last year, the numbers of holidaymakers actually increased by 5 percent. This discrepancy reflects that tour operators lowered prices in 2008 to attract customers, Buechy said.

Buechy told Reuters Insider Germans were definitely spending more on holidays this year and the consumer mood was good.

"They're booking earlier. It's definitely not a 'last-minute' year," he said.

German retail sales came in much stronger than expected in January, showing traditionally conservative consumers are contributing to an economic recovery that shows little sign of faltering. ($1=.7170 Euro)


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## siamu maharaj

Now there's a surprise. I always thought the Brits were the single biggest tourists in the world. Could've never guessed that it's ze Germans.


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## Indusriver

lol at the title: :lol::nuts:

"Egypt, Tunisia tourism recovering fast - German ass"


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## hkskyline

*Tourists still wary of revolutionary Egypt, Tunisia *

BERLIN, March 10 (Reuters) - Tour operators and travel officials may be encouraging people to travel to Egypt and Tunisia after their largely peaceful revolutions, but it will take time for holidaymakers to return in their former numbers.

Egypt's economy ground nearly to a halt during weeks of protests that started on Jan. 25 and toppled the government of Hosni Mubarak, and some of its main sources of foreign exchange, including tourism, have collapsed. 

Tourism is a key source of income for Tunisia, too, accounting for 7 percent of its GDP and providing jobs for about 30 percent of the population.

"Over the past few days we have seen the beginning of recovery; hotel occupancy is increasing, the situation is bouncing back," Egypt's new tourism minister Mounir Abdel Nour told visitors to the ITB travel fair in Berlin.

While Nour believes Egypt can match 2010's visitor total of 14.2 million people, Tunisia expects tourist arrivals to slide this year to 60-80 percent of last year's 7 million, tourism Minister Mehdi Houas told Reuters. 

Tour operators in Germany, the world's biggest spenders on international holidays, say bookings to the countries for the summer have collapsed by as much as 50 percent. 

The big three tour operators, TUI Germany , Thomas Cook AG and Rewe, have now restarted holidays to the countries after a hiatus in February. 

"The two destinations are coming on slowly," said Peter Fankhauser, head of Thomas Cook's German unit.

MARKETING THE REVOLUTION

The countries' tourism authorities, however, have not been slow to grab the marketing opportunity offered by the uprisings.

Egypt's huge stand at the ITB, the world's largest travel trade fair, is emblazoned with slogans such as "Online revolution - made in Egypt" and postmarks of Jan. 25, the day on which the protests began.

Visitors can also take away small posters with the message "Tahrir Square - from Egypt with love".

Tunisia's is more modest, calling on people to visit "now!", while the tang of revolution is still in the air.

"The big difference is now you can see a country with its face uncovered," said Tunisia tourism minister Mehdi Houas, who admits the uprising took him by surprise.

President Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali was toppled by mass protests on Jan. 14 after 23 years of autocratic rule and fled to Saudi Arabia. 

Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, said the new political landscape was creating opportunities to attract visitors.

"People are going to Egypt to see many places -- the Pyramids, Luxor, the Red Sea -- and now they're adding Tahrir Square; it's become something for them to admire," he said.

German economy minister Rainer Bruederle also said at the ITB opening ceremony, "The people have earned our sympathy. We must help them out."

The most recent summer bookings figures for other sunny destinations indicate people do not yet feel comfortable choosing Egypt and Tunisia for their holidays.

Rewe said Turkey had gained in particular, with bookings up around 50 percent, while Thomas Cook and TUI have shifted capacity to Spanish destinations such as the Canary Islands. 

Emirates President Tim Clark told Reuters it was having a knock-on effect in neighbouring countries, as often people travel first to Egypt and then on to places like Jordan.

Starwood Hotels CEO Frits van Paasschen said Egypt, where its hotels are currently only between 5 and 30 percent full, may be helped by the fact it has some convention business.

"Once the world feels like the water is safe to jump back in, business will resume fairly normally," he added.


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## hkskyline

*INTERVIEW-Tunisia sees tourism falling by up to 40 pct in 2011 *

BERLIN, March 9 (Reuters) - Tunisia expects tourist arrivals to slide this year to 60-80 percent of last year's 7 million in the wake of January's revolution, Tourism Minister Mehdi Houas said on Wednesday.

But Houas said that the country was now safe for tourists and that it was determined to distinguish itself from neighbouring Libya, where rebels are battling forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.

"In 2010 we had 7 million tourists, and if we manage to reach 80 percent of that figure (this year) we will have saved the season," he told Reuters on the sidelines of the ITB travel fair in Berlin. "Today we expect between 60 and 80 percent."

President Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali was toppled by mass protests on Jan. 14 after 23 years of autocratic rule and fled to Saudi Arabia. Interim authorities have struggled to restore stability in the North African country, but over the past week they have laid out a plan for a transition to democracy.

"Safety is now totally guaranteed and established because the police and the army are working hand in hand," Houas said in an interview. "We are on the path to free and democratic elections that has greatly satisfied the Tunisian population."

German travel association DRV said last week that tourists are returning quickly to Tunisia.

"TUNISIA IS NOT LIBYA"

Houas said Tunisia's tourism sector, which employs about 400,000 people directly, should recover to maintain a vital sector of the economy in the years ahead.

He admitted that Tunisia may struggle to differentiate itself in the eyes of Western tourists from the upheaval affecting other Arab countries, especially Libya.

"We are hoping to distinguish Tunisia's image to reinforce the fact that Tunisia is not Libya," he said. "The changes in Tunisia are making it easier for tourists to come."

As part of a drive to draw new types of visitors, Houas said the government was preparing 12 archaeological and cultural sites to receive tourists from this spring.

He also tried to reassure German tour operators, which include TUI Travel , Thomas Cook and unlisted Rewe, saying Tunisia would no longer be a "mafia state".

"We are giving large companies like TUI, Thomas Cook and Rewe the extra guarantees they need to be reassured the country will respect the law."

"We are guaranteeing people the same beaches, the same sun and the same sea, but with a much more liberal, transparent and warm-hearted welcome," he added.


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## hkskyline

*Cricket nudges up Sri Lanka Feb tourist arrivals*
11 March 2011

COLOMBO, March 11 (Reuters) - Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka rose 14.8 percent in February compared to a year earlier, tourism board data showed on Friday, boosted by spectators to the cricket World Cup which the country is co-hosting.

Numbers of visitors in the first two months of 2011 rose 29.6 percent as the Indian Ocean island's tourism industry continued a revival that began following the end of a 25-year civil war in May 2009.

Arrivals hit a record high of 654,476 in 2010 with a 46.1 percent year-on-year rise and broke the previous record of 566,202 set in 2004, when a peace accord between the government and the separatist Tamil Tigers was in place.

Tourism revenue jumped 64.8 percent year-on-year to a record $575.9 million in 2010, the central bank's latest data showed. The previous full-year record of $416.8 million was also set in 2004.

The cricket tournament runs from Feb. 19 to April 2.

The following table shows tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka:



Code:


                2011           2010 Change
                                             (in %)
 February       65,797         57,300          14.8
 Jan-Feb       139,994        108,057          29.6

* Sri Lanka aims to attract $2.7 billion in investments to upgrade its post-war tourism capacity, with the goal of growing revenue to $2.5 billion by 2016. 

* The hotel and travel index <.CSEHT> on the Colombo Stock Exchange has risen nearly fourfold since the end of the war.

* Tourism is one of the main foreign exchange earners for Sri Lanka's $50 billion economy along with remittances from abroad, garments and tea.

* The government had forecast arrivals to hit a new record of 700,000 in 2011.

* Sri Lanka, through its 2011 budget, has imposed a tax of $20 per room night on five-star hotels if they fail to charge a minimum rate of $125.

($1=111.02 Sri Lankan rupee)


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## hkskyline

*Japan faces lean tourist season*

TOKYO, March 21 (Reuters) - As Japan enters its annual cherry blossom festival season, tourists are heading elsewhere, scared off by fears of radiation from a nuclear crisis that erupted hard on the heels of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Tokyo, with its sleek shops and high-end restaurants, has long been a favorite destination for wealthy tourists, particularly those from Japan's faster-growing neighbors such as China.

The crisis around the crippled Fukushima power plant and reports of radiation in food have sparked a wave of cancellations by foreign visitors, dealing another blow to airlines, stores and restaurants in an economy already smarting from weak domestic consumption.

As the tourists stay away, it will also be bad news for department store operators Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings and Matsuya Co, as well as electronics retailer Laox Co, all popular with visitors.

"Sales to overseas tourists, especially the Chinese, of high-end goods and personal electronics have been growing, but that will certainly stop," said Takayuki Suzuki, a retail analyst at Primo Research Japan.

"The increased levels of radiation ... have raised many fears, so I see many tourists avoiding Japan for a year, at least," he said.

In the upscale Ginza neighborhood, a major tourist draw for its sprawling department stores and expensive boutiques, the crowds were noticeably thinner this weekend ahead of Monday's national holiday.

"We get a lot of visitors from China, Russia and other places during the cherry blossom season, but after the tragic destruction it's hard to see many tourists coming this year," said Shigeyuki Ando, manager of the Ginza branch of Ando Cloissone, a boutique selling pricey traditional ceramics.

The shop usually makes up to 10 percent of its sales from foreigners in the peak season, another manager at the store said, adding he had seen only a trickle of European visitors over the weekend, and no Chinese.

COUNTING ON ASIA

Travel and tourism were expected to contribute nearly 7 percent to Japan's gross domestic product this year, or 33 trillion yen ($409.4 billion), according to the International Air Transport Association, a forecast that will likely be scaled back following the quake.

Squeezed by an aging population and deflationary pressures, Japan has pushed to draw more tourists to offset weak domestic consumption, particularly from elsewhere in Asia.

A record 9.44 million foreigners visited Japan last year. In-bound Chinese jumped by more than a third to about 1.6 million, overtaking Taiwanese as having the most visitors to Japan, behind the South Koreans.

All tours from Hong Kong to Japan have been cancelled until the middle of next month, the Hong Kong Travel Industry Council said. Japan usually accounts for 20-30 percent of outbound tourists from Hong Kong, said Joseph Tung, executive director of the travel council.

"People are worried. Until the situation is clear, I don't think people will have any interest to visit Japan," Tung said.

South Korean tour agencies also said many package reservations to Japan had been cancelled.

That could put pressure on airlines such as All Nippon Airways and may impact Oriental Land Co, which operates the Tokyo Disneyland theme park, a popular tourist draw that has been closed since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake.

Korean housewife Jin Hye-ryun may speak for many would-be tourists to Japan. Jin, 52, and her husband had planned to visit in May, but cancelled as soon as they heard about the earthquake and radiation leaks.

"Safety is not guaranteed," she said. "Besides, think about people dying there. No one wants to go there to have fun."

($1 = 80.610 Japanese Yen)


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## hkskyline

*INTERVIEW-Kenya tourism hit by Egypt, local politics*

NAIROBI, March 25 (Reuters) - Tourism in Kenya will suffer this year after Egypt slashed hotel rates by up to 50 percent to draw back visitors after weeks of political unrest, a major Kenyan hotelier said on Friday.

Mahmud Janmohamed, managing director of hotel group TPS Eastern Africa, said Egypt's discounts would divert traffic from Kenya's beaches and safari parks.

The north African country's economy came to a halt after protests which toppled President Hosni Mubarak and stalled the vital tourism industry.

"People may think events in Egypt will impact us positively. But as far as I am concerned they are creating competition because they have dropped rates by 40-50 percent," Janmohamed told Reuters in an interview.

Kenya's tourism sector earned a record 73.68 billion shillings ($887 million) in 2010, up 18 percent from a year earlier, while TPS registered a 33 percent jump in 2010 pretax profits to 692.9 million shillings. 

Kenya's political climate after the International Criminal Court summoned six suspects of the its 2008 bloody post-election crisis and ahead of 2012 general elections has dimmed its appeal. 

"If Kenya starts to get a lot of bad publicity, people would think twice about booking Kenya. Tour operators who supply us with business are already asking us if there will be any problem (in 2012). There will always be nervousness," said Janmohamed.

He said ripple effects from the global financial crisis continue to take a toll on Kenya's tourism, leading to last-minute bookings.

This was causing panic in the industry and forcing some hotels to offer too many special deal which are typically bad for the bottom line, he said.

"Nowadays people are booking very short lead times because they not sure about a destination or whether they will have a job in six months," Janmohamed said.

TPS operates a string of hotels under the Serena brand in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique and Rwanda and plans to expand to Burundi.

TPS has several cash-intensive projects for 2011 following a 1.2 billion shilling capital injection from last year's rights issue. Of this 600 million is yet to be drawn, while the group has shelved plans to raise additional capital.

Its Nairobi Serena hotel will be expanded to 220 bedrooms from 184 by third quarter of this year.


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## hkskyline

*Fewer Las Vegas visitors gambled in 2010 compared with 2009, and those who did each spent less*
28 March 2011

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Fewer Sin City visitors gambled in 2010 than in 2009, and they each spent less wagering on games like craps, slots and blackjack, according to a study by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

The agency that promotes tourism in Las Vegas said 80 percent of visitors spent an average of just over $466 gambling during their trips last year, compared with 83 percent gambling nearly $482 each in 2009.

Visitors also spent a little less time gambling -- just under 3 hours per day in 2010 compared with 3.2 hours per day in 2009, the study said.

The gambling spending bucked trends for other spending in 2010. Visitors spent slightly more last year on hotel rooms, food and drink, transportation, shopping, shows and sightseeing than in 2009.

The demographics of Las Vegas visitors were essentially unchanged in 2010, with the exception of a slightly higher share of foreign visitors.

Casinos and the visitors authority have been hoping for more international visitors because they typically take longer trips and spend more while they're in Las Vegas.

The study said 18 percent of visitors in 2010 were from a foreign country, compared with 14 percent in 2009.

Most Las Vegas visitors came from the western United States, including 30 percent from California, the study said.

About 18 percent of visitors last year said they were taking their first trip to Las Vegas, up slightly from 2009.

The study said 59 percent of visitors in 2010 game by car or some other mode of ground transportation, with 48 percent using their own cars.

The survey was conducted for the agency by GLS Research, which interviewed 3,600 visitors each year for the study. Participants were chosen randomly from Las Vegas casinos, hotels, motels and RV parks.


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## vinith98

hkskyline said:


> *Heli-skiing takes flight in Kashmir as violence wanes*
> 
> GULMARG, India, March 1 (Reuters) - Helicopters aren't just carrying troops to the snow-capped mountains of Indian Kashmir any more.
> 
> They are also flying foreign skiers to ski slopes near a ceasefire line that divides the Himalayan region between India and Pakistan.
> 
> Ski operator Gulmarg Heliski started the heli-skiing service in January hoping to attract adventure tourists to Kashmir with separatist violence down in the region once a top tourism destination popular with honeymooners, skiers and trekkers.
> 
> The region attracted about a million tourists a year until 1989, when simmering anger against New Delhi's rule burst into a violent rebellion.
> 
> But years of separatist violence across the Muslim-majority region ensured visitors stayed away even though authorities built a spectacular cable car network running through forests of towering pine trees to attract skiers to Gulmarg.
> 
> "Gulmarg is an adventure destination. There are endless possibilities for heli-ski runs in this area," said Martin Jones, a New Zealander, one of the directors of Gulmarg Heliski.
> 
> "The future for heli-ski in Kashmir is very good, and Inshallah, we will return next winter with big business."
> 
> A little over 300 people signed up during the six-week season that ended early this week.
> 
> "There is hardly any violence. I think overall security situation has improved significantly, that is why Gulmarg is abuzz with foreign skiers," Billa Bakhshi, a Kashmir-based partner in the firm, said.
> 
> Behind Bakhshi, a number of Western tourists were strapping an avalanche transceiver to their chests before boarding the helicopter ready to ski in the Kashmir mountains.
> 
> "I have discovered a safe heaven for skiers in Himalayas, unparalleled adventure, amazing powder riding," said Lel Tones, a 40-year-old skier from California.
> 
> "Such spectacular terrain, I personally think access to these Gulmarg mountains for a skier is a special opportunity," she said.
> 
> Tourism returned in force to Kashmir in 2005 as violence fell after India and Pakistan began a peace process. Some 600,000 people visited the scenic region, most of them Indians. But numbers dropped off again since 2008 after massive anti-India protests broke out in the region.
> 
> Scores of protesters were killed and hundreds wounded, most of them in police firing.
> 
> The armies of South Asian neighbours India and Pakistan, who have gone to war twice over Kashmir, regularly exchanged artillery fire along the disputed border until they declared a ceasefire seven years ago.
> 
> Jammu and Kashmir officials said they expected skiers to return next winter.
> 
> "Kashmir is safe and everything is normal. I am sure Gulmarg next winter will be house full," Nawang Rigzin Jora, Kashmir's tourism minister, said.


I completely agree with you, Gulmarg is one of the most beautiful places I have been to, but not much people are visiting it because of the common misconception that it is unsafe. It was unsafe a couple of years back but not now, the situation has greatly improved and tourists are back again. Its a must visit.


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## hkskyline

*Japanese tourism drop not as bad as expected *
3 April 2011

HONOLULU (AP) - The drop in tourists from Japan to Hawaii may not be as severe as originally thought.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is projecting an 18 percent decline in arrivals from Japan for the month of March, a smaller dip than the authority's initial 25 percent estimate.

The loss of Japanese travelers was expected to damage Hawaii's economy and government, both of which rely on tourism money.

The state Council on Revenues downgraded its forecast this week, in part due to the drop in Japanese visitors, to show the state government now has an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over the next two years.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority also said it's hopeful that April flight reductions by Japan Airlines from Narita to Honolulu will be restored soon.


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## hkskyline

*Checking in for a Canadian hotel recovery *

TORONTO, April 3 (Reuters) - Investors in Canada's hotel sector discovered a hard truth when the recession hit -- no other real estate play has customers who can pack up and leave so quickly. The upside is they're starting to check back in.

Retail, office and even apartment landlords all fared better than hoteliers when the downturn hit, with longer-term leases helping cushion the impact on revenues and profits.

Yet this liability in a recession is actually an advantage in a recovery, say analysts, who predict the hotel sector will outperform other real estate investment options as the recovery takes hold.

The Toronto Stock Exchange is no longer host to grand hoteliers such as Fairmont and the Four Seasons. But it still lists a few hotel operators, typically structured as tax-advantaged real estate investment trusts (REITs).

"At this point, a lot of the other REITs have gained what they lost. Hotels have not yet. Within the REIT space, I think hotels are fairly compelling," said Jenny Ma, an associate research analyst at Canaccord Genuity.

"You've seen the bottom behind you and you've seen a little bit of a recovery to show that fundamentals in the hotel space have firmed up."

Canada's lodging stocks, such as InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust , Royal Host , Holloway Lodging REIT , Lakeview Hotel REIT and Temple REIT , offered investors little shelter when the global financial crisis hit.

Each took a steep dive at the end of 2008. Investors were spooked by a freefall in occupancy and average room rates -- two of the industry's performance yardsticks -- across the country as business and leisure travelers reined in costs.

None of the Canadian lodging stocks has yet returned to pre-recession levels. But hotel room demand is picking up, and room rates are expected to soon follow, as the economic recovery gains traction.

Recent Statistics Canada data showed tourism spending advanced in the fourth quarter, while tourism GDP notched its sixth straight quarterly gain.

And Smith Travel Research tracking data for the week ended March 26 showed the Canadian hotel industry's three important performance measures trended higher year-over-year.

Occupancy rose 1.3 percent to 60.1 percent, while the average daily rate edged up 0.7 percent to C$121.99. Revenue per available room, which multiplies the occupancy rate by the room rate, bumped up 2.1 percent to C$73.27.

"There isn't, largely, a market across Canada that hasn't improved," said Bill Stone, executive vice-president at brokerage CBRE Hotels.

INVEST IN INNVEST

As the largest owner and operator of hotel properties by brand and geography in Canada, InnVest REIT is a natural choice among lodging stocks in all types of real estate picks, say analysts. The handful of other lodging REITs are much smaller and more geographically focused. 

"If you're a Canadian investor looking for hotel exposure, InnVest is by far the most liquid way to gain that exposure," said Scotia Capital real estate analyst Mario Saric, who rates InnVest a "top pick."

"As an investor you're also getting a healthy distribution yield to wait for that eventual recovery in hotel demand."

Units of InnVest, which yield more than 7 percent, closed on Friday at C$6.89. The units are up more than 14 percent in the past 12 months, underperforming the S&P/TSX real estate subgroup <.GSPTTRE>, which has risen 23 percent, and underperforming the main Toronto composite index <.GSPTSE>, which is up 16.3 percent in the same period.

By comparison, Royal Host dropped as much as 18 percent since it suspended its dividend on March 24, but shaved losses on Friday, finishing up 8.5 percent at C$1.79. Saric said the stock may "remain under pressure given a lack of yield support and a far-from-cheap valuation."

Analysts warn that investors in the hotel space should recognize the industry is cyclical, and that another global economic shock or downturn would trip up the hotel recovery.

That said, they see the outlook for the entire real estate sector firming, with hotels having especially good return potential.

"I'm expecting pretty decent fundamentals across the board for Canadian real estate," said Saric. "Going forward, you could make the argument that you're going to get the best growth from the hotel space. It has the most upside because it fell the most during the downturn."

($1=$0.97 Canadian)


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## hkskyline

*NY's rat problem damaging tourism - city official *

NEW YORK, April 5 (Reuters) - Absolutely no one likes a rat, a city official said on Tuesday, demanding $1.5 million be restored to the budget to be help control what he called Manhattan's horrific rat problem.

Seeing vermin running amok on city streets and in subway tunnels is a turn-off for tourists, said Manhattan Borough president Scott Stringer.

"They don't want to come here and share their vacation with a New York City rat," Stringer told Reuters.

Demanding rat control money be restored to the city Health Department budget, Stringer said the cuts forced the layoff of 57 Pest Control workers. The result has been a 1.5 percent rise in complaints over last year and damage to New York's appeal as a tourist destination, he said.

It's also a public safety issue.

"I find this to be unacceptable because rodents are very dangerous to children and the quality of life of the city," Stringer said.

He said the cut "makes no sense" as the city's pest control program was collecting around $6 million in fines each year from building owners for pest-related health violations.

"Why would you make cuts to a program that actually makes money for the city?" Stringer said.

Unless the cuts are restored and the pest control force fortified, the rat control problem is only going to get worse, he said.

City health spokeswoman Susan Craig said the layoffs have "had no impact on the agency's ability to respond to rat complaints."

The city has adapted to the cuts by doing more comprehensive pest control sweeps of neighborhoods as opposed to responding to individual complaints, she said.

"Our new approach has allowed us to become better at discovering rat problems, better at notifying landlords about infestations and better at getting properties near each other to treat rat problems simultaneously," she said.


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## jbkayaker12

Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Monthly Stats and Year to Date Stats as of February 2011. Even with an increase of visitor numbers, people are gambling less but the nightlife and everything else is going well. 


Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority


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## hkskyline

*Little wiggle room for LVCVA *
13 April 2011
The Las Vegas Review-Journal

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

In the face of an unpredictable outlook for the tourism industry, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's predictions will count for more than at any time in recent memory.

The budget for the authority's coming fiscal year calls for finishing with a reserve, called a fund balance, of $7.8 million on June 30, 2012. This represents a drop of nearly half from the current spending plan and just 4.3 percent of total operational spending, the low end of the range the authority tries to maintain.

At the same time, the authority has built in a $7 million increase next year in room tax revenue, the source of three-fourths of its funding. A hiccup in visitor traffic could quickly eat away at the reserve, although better-than-expected room taxes this year allowed the authority to come in with a reserve $5.3 million higher than originally expected.

The budget calls for a 1 percent decline from this year to $230 million. Due to rising debt service, spending on operations, including running the Las Vegas Convention Center and selling the city to the world, will drop 4.5 percent to $180.4 million.

In putting together the 2012 estimates, authority Vice President of Finance Brenda Siddall said she canvassed member hotels about their outlooks. "To a person, they talked about the inconsistency of what they were seeing," she said. "Roller coaster was the operative term."

Sharply climbing oil prices have emerged as a potential brake on the economy, hitting Las Vegas in the form of rising airfares and gasoline prices that now average about $4.17 a gallon in Southern California, the largest source of visitors. Siddall noted that the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index dropped sharply in March after several months of gains.

Boulder City Councilman Cam Walker, an authority board member, raised a caution flag about the shrinking reserve. If the revenue projections turn out to be high, it could lead to another round of budget cuts like those that followed the onset of recession three years ago.

"I am concerned about the people that would be affected," he said.

The state calls for authorities to keep reserves of 4 percent to 8.3 percent of an operating budget, but the authority has adopted a target of 4 percent to 12 percent.

The reserve hit $45.7 million three years ago, 16.4 percent of operating spending, as the authority built up funds to carry out a capital improvement program. But when room tax collections took a sharp dive, the more ambitious projects were shelved and some of the funds went to maintain the authority's basic functions.

Out of 572 positions shown on the books, 101 sit vacant. As part of the new budget, the authority will eliminate 67 permanently.

The allocations for 2012 were trimmed 1 percent for marketing and 7 percent for advertising, two categories that comprise just over half of the operating budget. The dollar amounts for both categories are still lower than they were in 2005.

Still, said Siddall, the gradual economic improvement over the past year is projected to continue, with low single-digit percentage gains in hotel room occupancy and average daily rates. This will let the authority make some headway in its two top funding priorities of boosting the advertising budget and spending on employees through such measures as eliminating mandatory furloughs.


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## hkskyline

*ANALYSIS-Tourism boost could lift Spain economy*

MADRID, April 14 (Reuters) - Holidaymakers unnerved by turmoil in the Middle East are giving Spain's tourist industry a welcome boost, but for the sector to hold its gains and help drive economic growth, it must become more competitive.

That may require politically and fiscally difficult cuts in wages and taxes as Spain -- like other southern European states whose historic sites and sunny beaches make visitors a key economic resource -- struggles with high debt and unemployment.

Around one million more tourists are expected to visit Spain this year, many of them northern Europeans re-routing trips from regions that have become natural or political disaster zones: good news for an industry emerging from a long downturn.

But Spain -- the world's third largest tourist destination behind France and the United States -- has seen past windfalls from crises in other regions prove temporary, and experts say quality must rise and prices fall for growth to be sustained.

"Spain has a lot to offer ... but we fall short in terms of price-to-quality and legislative control,"

Josep Francesc Valls, a tourism expert at the ESADE business school in Barcelona said.

Valls expects foreign arrivals to grow between 2 and 2.5 percent in 2011, after rising 1.4 percent to 53 million in 2010 after two years of declines. That could help the tourism sector recover between 7,000 and 10,000 jobs of 180,000 shed since since the financial crisis began three years ago.

Tourism accounts for about 11 percent of Spain's gross domestic product, despite the impact of lower travel spending as the country crawls out of recession and battles the highest unemployment in the euro zone at more than 20 percent.

COMPETITION

It has struggled to compete with cheaper destinations such as Turkey, however, while the euro's rise against sterling has weighed on travel from Britain, home to some of Spain's most faithful tourists.

The website of Europe's second-biggest travel firm Thomas Cook currently shows an all-inclusive seven-day beach holiday package to a 4-star hotel in Spain or Turkey over Easter costs an average 600 pounds per person, compared to about 450 pounds for a similar trip to Tunisia.

Analysts said prices in Spain are likely to remain stable this year -- reflected in the performance of listed hoteliers like NH Hoteles and Sol Melia -- despite cuts in competing markets such as Greece, where tourism brings in nearly one-fifth of GDP and is also seen as key to recovery for the debt-choked economy.

Aware of tourism's economic potential as global travel grows, the Spanish government has pumped over 3.6 billion euros ($5.21 billion) into the sector in the past three years, despite cutting overall spending to avoid a Greek-style bailout.

Industry lobby Exceltur believes its forecasts for an average 1.5 percent growth in tourism each year between 2011 and 2015 could double if the government gave the sector priority treatment, boosting growth for the wider economy.

But experts say lower airport taxes and better legislation to protect infrastructure from the kind of wildcat strikes that paralysed Spanish airports in December, costing the sector millions of euros, could be as important as marketing campaigns.

Last month, airport unions called off 22 days of strikes to protest the privatisation of airport operator AENA, averting disruption over peak holiday periods between April and August.

NEW STRATEGIES

From the 14th century Alhambra Moorish palace in southern Granada to the modern Guggenheim Museum in northern Bilbao, the mountainous Spanish peninsula offers a range of cultural, gastronomical and leisure options beyond its beaches.

And with 900 million people crossing international borders each year, according to data from the World Tourism Organisation, experts say more could be done to promote the country as an all-seasons destination.

"The challenge is coordinated public-private efforts for creative and competitive new packages across the country so that one city isn't competing with another's uniqueness," Jose Ramon Pin, professor at business school IESE said.

One suggestion is the creation of a tourism minister to coordinate policy among the regions and sectors affected by travel, from infrastructure to the environment.

Spain has never had a single tourism chief, unlike rivals such as Tunisia, which has launched fresh campaigns to lure back tourists after political upheaval early this year. Tunisia's tourism minister said last month that 2011 arrivals there were expected to fall by up to 40 percent, while Egypt has predicted a 25 percent drop in tourism revenues.

Another strategy is for Spain to upgrade accommodation and facilities to distinguish itself as a quality destination for higher-spending visitors. Tourists spent about 49 billion euros in Spain in 2010, according to government data, with the same expected this year -- well below boom-year figures of about 52 billion euros.

The government has already pledged to promote Spain as a destination in major emerging markets like China and India through aggressive campaigns and moves to facilitate visas.

Another step would be to tear down the apartment blocks that flourished on the country's coasts during a long property boom and rebuild with boardwalks and parks, Valls of ESADE said -- although funds for such large-scale investment are unlikely to be found until Europe's debt crisis comes to an end.


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## manon

Congratulations Russia & Turkey.A visa-free travel regime between Turkey and Russia officially went into effect today as a sign of expanding bilateral relations between the two countries. Russia has thus become one of several countries with which Turkey has mutually waived visa requirements and enabled citizens of both countries to enjoy visa-free travel.The simplification of visa procedures now allows citizens to freely enter the territory of each country. 
The agreement establishes a 30-day period during which a person with, for example, a Russian passport, can be on the territory of Turkey. 

Russians and Turks may be in the others country without a visa for a total of 90 days during a 180-day period.If there is a need to extend these deadlines citizens will have to contact the consular offices to obtain a visa.
The number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey was expected to increase from three million to four million while Turkish trips to Russia were expected to rise from 300,000 to 500,000 under the new agreement.










http://www.todayszaman.com/news-241173-visa-free-regime-with-russia-officially-begins-today.html


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## hkskyline

*Brazil to promote tourism with release of 'Rio'*
AP
Wed Apr 13, 5:13 pm ET

BRASILIA, Brazil – Brazil's tourism agency plans to use the global release of the 3-D animation movie "Rio" to promote the country as a destination for foreign tourists.

Embratur said Wednesday a short promotional video — "Brazil Calls You. Celebrate Life Here" — will be shown in theaters in 10 nations around the world just before the film is screened this weekend.

There will be 7,500 showings of the video at 250 movie houses in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Italy, Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain and the United States.

Besides promoting Brazil, the video is aimed at reducing concerns that foreigners may have about violence in Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian city most visited by tourists, an Embratur official said. The official agreed to discuss that aspect of the video only if not quoted by name.

Last week, a gunman killed 12 children at an elementary school in Rio, lining them up against a wall and shooting them in the head. After being shot in the legs by a police officer, the shooter killed himself.

Rio is frequently in the news as a city rife with drug-gang violence in its vast slums.

In 2009, police began an ambitious "pacification" program in which security forces clear heavily armed gangs from slums and establish a police presence. The program aims to reduce violence in the city before the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games and improve the lives of shantytown residents by bringing in basic services.

"Rio," which was directed by Brazilian Carlos Saldanha, opened last month in Brazil.

It is the story of Blu, a rare blue macaw born in Brazil but raised in Minnesota, where he never learned to fly. Blu travels to Rio de Janeiro after his owners learn a female blue macaw has been discovered there, then amid a series of adventures falls in love with her and learns to fly while rediscovering himself among sweeping views of the city.

"It is very important to take advantage of this visibility to promote our diversity," Embratur president Mario Moyses said in a statement. "Besides Rio de Janeiro, which everyone should visit, we have natural beauties: beaches, sun and destinations for anyone seeking culture, sports, ecotourism, and adventure and business tourism."


----------



## Cauê

*Top 10 destinations in the world (by TripAdvisor):

1. Cape Town, South Africa









2. Sydney, Australia









3. Machu Picchu, Peru









4. Paris, France









5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil









6. New York City, United States









7. Rome, Italy









8. London, United Kingdom









9. Barcelona, Spain









10. Hong Kong, China*









The news:CNN​


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## hkskyline

*Hawaii tourism up 9 percent in first quarter*
AP
Fri Apr 29, 1:46 pm ET

HONOLULU – Visitors to Hawaii increased 9 percent in the first quarter of 2011 compared to last year despite a decline in arrivals from Japan following the earthquake and tsunami.

Japan arrivals plunged nearly 17.9 percent last month compared to March 2010, according to data from the Hawaii Tourism Authority released Thursday. Prior to the earthquake and tsunami, the number of visitors from Japan had increased nine out of the last 10 months since last May.

"As expected, Hawaii saw a decline in arrivals from Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11," tourism authority president and CEO Mike McCartney said.

The tourism industry made up for that anticipated loss because of business from other markets, he said. Arrivals from the U.S. mainland and Canada increased from last year despite a drop in spring break visitors. The authority anticipated seeing the full effect of spring break in April, which is when the majority of California schools schedule their breaks.

Total visitor spending in Hawaii during the first three months of the year increased 16.9 percent to $3.2 billion compared to the same time last year. Last month's visitor spending grew 11.8 percent from last March while arrivals increased 4.2 percent. The average daily spending by all visitors last month was $167 per person, a $5 increase from last year.

McCartney said tourism is expected to be strong in April and May because of spring break, the Easter holiday and charter flights from Japan for the country's string of national holidays known as "Golden Week."

The authority, he said, "will continue to monitor the Japan market as well as other global conditions, such as the rise in oil prices, which will have an effect on our state's economic recovery."


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## hkskyline

*Travel Postcard: 48 hours in Bhutan*

THIMPHU, May 13 (Reuters) - The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is becoming increasingly popular for well-heeled travellers keen to explore this remote and unspoiled Buddhist Shangri La.

Surrounded by mountains and flanked by India and Tibet, this tiny country has only been opened to tourism for a few decades and its traditional way of life remains miraculously preserved despite the growing prevalence of mobile phones and cable television.

While tourists are lured to Bhutan for a break from the 21st century, the country is also uniquely progressive. Tobacco is illegal, plastic bags are banned, and traditional economic indicators are shunned in favour of Gross National Happiness.

The expensive price tag ($200 per person per day) has kept budget travellers at bay, but the cost includes all meals, accommodation, guide, driver and car. Contrary to popular belief, there is no quota on the number of tourists allowed per year although hotels and airline seats fill up fast.

FRIDAY

5 p.m. - Marvel at the view from your Druk Air window seat at one of the most spectacular commercial airline descents in the world as you make the hair-raising landing in Bhutan's steep Paro valley. Meet your guide after clearing customs.

The 1-hour journey to Thimphu follows a river through idyllic countryside, taking in paddy fields and villages featuring Bhutanese-style architecture.

6 p.m. - Arrive in Thimphu, a charming city which boasts of being the world's only capital without traffic lights, and where white-gloved police direct traffic by hand. Walk into town to soak up the village-like atmosphere at dusk where monks with mobile phones mingle with government officials wearing traditional 'ghos', a knee-length robe worn by Bhutanese men, and young modern Bhutanese playing carom, finger snooker, in bars. Wander into shops selling handicrafts, prayer flags and textiles.

7 p.m. - Eat dinner in one of the local restaurants around Clock-tower Square. Chillies are the staple of Bhutanese dining and feature in almost every meal along with red rice. Buffet-style dining is popular for tourists and common dishes include chicken, dried beef, lentils and dried vegetable spiced with chilli and cheese.

9 p.m. - You don't travel to Bhutan for the nightlife but if you are still keen to party, ask your guide to take you to one of the town's friendly bars or karaoke clubs.

SATURDAY

7 a.m. - After a huge buffet breakfast at your hotel, strap on your hiking boots and meet your guide for an early start. Drop into Thimphu's National Memorial Chorten, an impressive monument to a former king, and soak up the enormous prayer wheels and watch locals in colourful traditional dress. Take in views of Bhutan's impressive Taschhhodzong or parliament building.

If you have time, visit one of the local Thanka-making houses where intricate Buddhist tapestries are hand-sewn.

11 a.m. - Take the winding roads back into the Paro Upper Valley to begin the steep trek to the famous Taktsang or Tiger Nest Monastery. This cluster of buildings hanging off a sheer cliff face 900 metres above the valley below is Bhutan's most photographed attraction. It involves a strenuous hike through lush pine forests and groves of prayer flags for one to two hours but the reward is worth it.

1 p.m - Rest and enjoy lunch at the wooden teahouse halfway up, taking in spectacular views of the monastery and the valley below. Tackle the steep path to the top, passing the Snow Lion Cave and a waterfall. Explore the labyrinth of chapels inside the monastery and watch the monks, who spend large parts of their lives meditating at the top of the world.

4 p.m - Drive back to Paro to check into your hotel and rest your feet after the long climb. Paro offers a range of accommodation nestled in pine forests or by rivers and many rooms have scenic views across the valley. The most popular at the high-end is the Uma Como. (http://www.uma.paro.como.bz/).

An increasing number of hotels feature luxurious spas where tourists can ease any aches and pains from long days trekking with hot stone massages and other treatments.

7 p.m. - Enjoy Bhutan beer -- Druk 11000 is a popular and potent brand -- from your balcony overlooking the valley before either venturing into town or enjoying dinner by a roaring fire at your hotel.

SUNDAY

9 a.m - Reward yourself for yesterday's hike with a large buffet breakfast in your hotel before meeting your guide to explore the picturesque Paro valley.

10 a.m. Archery is Bhutan's national sport and a great spectator event. Drop by the Paro Archery Grounds to watch local men in traditional dress hitting impossibly distant targets. The sport is laced with ritual and the competitive singing and dancing which follows each round is more fun to watch than the archery itself. Some hotels will organise archery lessons.

11 a.m - Drive up to Paro's National Museum, an old watchtower perched above the town, and inspect the ancient artefacts which illustrate Bhutan's rich history. From here it is a short walk downhill to the Paro Dzong (Rinpung Dzong), an enormous fortress-monastery built in 1646 which featured in the movie The Last Emperor. It is also the site for Bhutan's famous Tsechu, a spectacular festival held each spring where thousands come to see the elaborate costumes and dances which recreate stories from Buddhist mythology.

1 p.m - Lunch in Paro town and spend the afternoon visiting the weekend food market or wandering around local shops. Relax in the town square and take final photos of locals in traditional dress before departing for the airport.


----------



## hkskyline

*Unrest boosts tourism in more stable Gulf states*

DUBAI, May 17 (Reuters) - Gulf Arab states least affected by regional turmoil are likely to see a boost in tourism, analysts said on Tuesday, with the United Arab Emirates outperforming other destinations.

"Dubai has benefitted drastically, with high occupancy rates, more tourists, and high retail numbers, because your average Arab who used to go to ... Jordan, Syria or Lebanon, or to Egypt find these countries suffering from unrest," said Mahdi Mattar, chief economist at Abu Dhabi-based CAPM Investment.

"They have adjusted to the next best thing which is Dubai. Also international tourists who used to go to Egypt and wanted to see a better weather are coming to Dubai right now," he said.

UAE Economy Minister Sultan bin Saeed al-Mansouri said earlier this month that he had already seen an uptick in tourism in the first four months of 2011.

Tourism contributes about 25 percent to Dubai's economy.

"It's a very broad mix of tourists. If we look at the Dubai market for tourism, the number one nationality providing tourists to Dubai is traditionally the United Kingdom, closely followed by Asian, Russian and (Gulf) tourists," said Farouk Soussa, Citi's Middle East chief economist in Dubai.

"If you look at the number of tourist arrivals, the number of people going through Dubai airport, all these indicators are growing at a rate of between 10 to 15 percent," he added.

The UAE, along with Qatar, has avoided the public protests that have swept through the Arab world, and Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in the Gulf. Occupancy rates in Bahrain hotels dropped to 10 percent in March, compared with 60 percent a year earlier, according to a Ernst & Young Middle East survey.

In Oman, a small sultanate hit by street protests since February, hotel occupancy rates stood at 68 percent in March this year, down from 83 percent in March 2010, the data showed.


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## hkskyline

*France to help Russia create Caucasus ski resorts *

DEAUVILLE, France, May 26 (Reuters) - France will help Russia with its ambitious plan to create a constellation of ski resorts in the North Caucasus, a poor region plagued by insurgent violence, the two presidents said on Thursday.

Russia laid out a $15 billion plan last year to build five resorts in the stunning mountains of the North Caucasus, hoping to draw tourism and investment to an area where poverty fuels an Islamist insurgency a decade after the wars in Chechnya.

France voiced support in a joint statement released after talks between President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during a G8 summit in the seaside resort of Deauville.

Sarkozy and Medvedev "agreed to list the creation of a tourist cluster in the North Caucasus as a priority ... in the strategic partnership between the two countries," it said.

"France has unique and varied experience and knowledge of full-scale development of highland regions ... and is ready to share its experience with Russia," the document said.

Russia and France are considering a joint venture that would inject at least 2 billion euro ($2.79 billion) in to the project, the Russian business daily Vedomosti reported.

State-run North Caucasus Resorts Company (NCRC), which is running the project, has said it would create 200,000 jobs in the impoverished region and is to be named Peak 5,642 after Europe's tallest mountain, Mount Elbrus.

Russia has ski areas around Mount Elbrus and elsewhere in the western portion of the North Caucasus, but much of the infrastructure is rudimentary and few foreigners visit.

The insurgency, which is rooted in Russia's 1990s wars against Chechen separatists but has spread to other mostly Muslim provinces further west in the North Caucasus, poses a serious challenge to the plan.

In February, three Russian ski vacationers were killed by insurgents near Mount Elbrus in Kabardino-Balkaria province.


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## AltinD

hkskyline said:


> *Unrest boosts tourism in more stable Gulf states*
> 
> ...
> 
> In Oman, a small sultanate hit by street protests since February, hotel occupancy rates stood at 68 percent in March this year, down from 83 percent in March 2010, the data showed.


I don't understand how Muscat, the capital, is so expensive compared to Dubai. Every price (except petrol/gas) was more expensive: The hotels, restaurants, fashion, grosseries, McDonalds. I was really surprised.


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## AltinD

A 5 years old, but very interesting article. I bet still actual:

'Paris Syndrome' strikes Japanese 
By Caroline Wyatt 
BBC News, Paris

*A dozen or so Japanese tourists a year have to be repatriated from the French capital, after falling prey to what's become known as "Paris syndrome". 

That is what some polite Japanese tourists suffer when they discover that Parisians can be rude or the city does not meet their expectations. The experience can apparently be too stressful for some and they suffer a psychiatric breakdown.*

Around a million Japanese travel to France every year. 

Many of the visitors come with a deeply romantic vision of Paris - the cobbled streets, as seen in the film Amelie, the beauty of French women or the high culture and art at the Louvre. The reality can come as a shock. 

An encounter with a rude taxi driver, or a Parisian waiter who shouts at customers who cannot speak fluent French, might be laughed off by those from other Western cultures. 

But for the Japanese - used to a more polite and helpful society in which voices are rarely raised in anger - the experience of their dream city turning into a nightmare can simply be too much. 

This year alone, the Japanese embassy in Paris has had to repatriate four people with a doctor or nurse on board the plane to help them get over the shock. 

An encounter with a rude Parisian can be a shocking experience. They were suffering from "Paris syndrome". It was a Japanese psychiatrist working in France, Professor Hiroaki Ota, who first identified the syndrome some 20 years ago. 

On average, up to 12 Japanese tourists a year fall victim to it, mainly women in their 30s with high expectations of what may be their first trip abroad. 

The Japanese embassy has a 24-hour hotline for those suffering from severe culture shock, and can help find hospital treatment for anyone in need. 

However, the only permanent cure is to go back to Japan - never to return to Paris

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6197921.stm


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## manon

*The six best cities to get lost in*

Put your map away and spin round three times – it is time to get lost. Going off the radar in a strange city can be the perfect way to uncover its secrets, get a feel for the layout and meet the locals.

Of course, there is good lost and bad lost. It is best done on purpose, with plenty of time to spare and a sound way to get found again. Some cities lend themselves to this kind of off-the-chart adventure; here are six of our favourites – and six ways to make it home again.

*Venice*
This northern Italian city is the ultimate head-spinner. First it comes at you with an endless recession of identical canals and bridges, then it veers off at odd angles and into blind corners, and all the time boggles your senses with its impossible film-set beauty. No fair, Venice! Getting lost here pays – the tramp of a thousand tourists yields to tranquil sunlit courtyards and the sound of pigeons’ wings.

Get found: Look for signs and arrows scrawled on the walls. You can follow them to hubs like the Rialto and L’Accademia.

*Varanasi*
You could throw yourself into Varanasi’s dark maze of streets a hundred times over and still come out at a different point. Discover temples, sweet shops and silk bargains in the back alleys of this Indian city.

Get found: Countless bicycle rickshaw drivers will be only too happy to take you home – for a price that is in range of just about every budget.

*London*
Most visitors to London have a fractured, point-to-point experience of the city, popping up from tube stations to visit the sights then diving underground again. It is efficient, but where is the romance? Try to wander and you will be rewarded by grand squares, secluded churchyards and one-off boutiques.

Get found: Just look for the distinctive London Underground sign. Bingo, you are back on the map!

*Tokyo*
The bewildering pace and flickering neon of this go-go city guarantee a bit of giddiness. Abandon yourself to the disorientation and you might just get off-road enough to find the wabi-sabi side of Tokyo.

Get found: Like London, Tokyo has an excellent public transport system. If it all gets too much, jump a train back to home base.

*Istanbul*
There are (at least) two great things about getting out of the tourist centre in Istanbul. One – the hotels and hard-sell rug merchants fall away, replaced by local tea shops, parks and houses. Two – the city’s rollercoaster hills reward you with Bosphorus views and toned-up legs. Get lost every day and see your fitness soar!

Get found: If you want to get back to the tourist area, stop for a glass of tea and ask the way to Sultanahmet. Soothe your tired muscles in one of the city’s spectacular bath houses.

*Canberra*
With its systems of circular roads, Australia’s capital city regularly traps its visitors in a hamster-wheel spiral of confusion. But there are better ways to get lost here. Head out of the city centre – yes, into the bush. Keep going. There! See those suburbs? That is where the life of the city is going on – including some of its best eating.

Get found: Hooray for GPS! Or go with the traditional Aussie method and ask for directions at a servo (service station).

http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20110722-the-six-best-cities-to-get-lost-in


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## Dimethyltryptamine

*Top 10 Gay Honeymoon Destinations*

_You’ve got the ceremony and reception planned, now comes the really fun part. Need ideas for the perfect honeymoon spots? Here are our top 10 picks for cities that are sure to inspire romance!_


10. *Sitges, Spain*

The pride of the Mediterranean, Sitges is a beach resort haven located just a 40-minute drive from the coast from Barcelona. Sitges is a former fishing village offering more than 300 days of sunshine a year and unlike some summer hotspots that close down in autumn, Sitges is jumping 12 months a year.

9. *San Juan, Puerto Rico*

PR has unique charm, beauty and excitement. It’s an amazing island and perfect for a romantic honeymoon getaway. You’ll find many warm and friendly people and as a stand-alone getaway, you definitely won’t be disappointed. You can also take a cruise and explore the other exotic surrounding locales. 

8. *Sonoma, California*

You’ll fall in love with this tiny, charming town nestled in the rolling hills and sweeping landscape of the Valley of the Moon. When you want a break from wine-tasting, take part in one of the popular festivals, including the Sonoma International Film Festival in April and The Sonoma Jazz Festival in May.

7. *Ogunquit, Maine*

This sleepy gay resort town encompasses the beauty and appeal of New England. Less than two hours from Boston, Ogunquit offers sprawling shoreline, lovely galleries, shops and friendly locals. Summer is the most popular season but tourists continue to flock here in the fall. 

6. *Quebec City, Quebec*

This historic and quaint city is an ideal honeymoon destination. There’s a plethora of attractions if you’re into sightseeing but there are also world-class restaurants, shopping and nightlife options as well.

5. *Maui, Hawaii*

Locals say “Maui no ka oi” - “Maui is the best.” Newlyweds are sure to agree. Beyond the tourist traps it’s still possible to find remote areas with indescribable natural beauty and tranquility. 

4. *Cape Town, South Africa*

The jewel of Africa is a place you must explore with the one you love. Go on safari, lay on the beach, shop or luxuriate at a spa. There’s no limit to what you can do.

3. *Stowe, Vermont*

For winter sport enthusiasts, the Green Mountain State is most appealing when those mountains turn white. Whether you ski or snowboard, Stowe will delight and amaze you. Hit the slopes during the day and soak in a hot tub with your hubby or wife at night. 

2. *Palm Springs, California*

Some couples like it hot! For those who do, Palm Springs is the honeymoon destination for you. The key is finding the perfect resort or hotel. Lounge by the pool, then take a stroll down Palm Canyon Drive. A longtime haven for Hollywood’s elite, you’ll find great restaurants, shops and performances almost every night. 

1. *Gold Coast, Australia*

Spanning some 40 miles, Australia’s famous holiday destination is surely one of the most romantic spots in the world. The flaxen, sun-kissed, golden sands nestled near the majestic rainforests will leave you breathless. 

http://www.gaytravel.com/blog/entry/top-10-honeymoon-destinations/#When:15:20:13Z


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## hkskyline

*Cuban tourism up 10.6 percent, U.S. travel stable*
Fri, Jul 29, 2011

HAVANA (Reuters) - The Cuban tourism industry performed strongly through June as arrivals from just about all travel providers increased and the number of U.S. visitors was stable, according to a government report released on Friday.

Tourist arrivals during the first half of the year were 1.538 million, up 10.6 percent over the same period in 2010, the National Statistics Office reported on its website (http://www.one.cu).

The 148,000 additional arrivals included just 30,000 in the "other" category where Cuban American and U.S. citizens not of Cuban origin are included.

Cuba has said it had 2.53 million tourists in 2010, with Canada the largest provider at nearly 945,000, followed by Britain at 174,000 and Italy at 112,000.

Tourism is one of Cuba's most important earners of foreign exchange, with revenues of $2.2 billion last year, and an important provider of jobs.

U.S. President Barack Obama lifted all restrictions on Cuban American travel to the island in 2009, resulting in a big jump in arrivals in 2010. That appears to have leveled off this year.

According to industry insiders 375,500 Cubans residing abroad visited in 2010, compared with 296,000 in 2009, with most of the increase attributed to Cuban Americans.

The number of U.S. citizens visiting their government's long-time ideological foe also increased last year by 20 percent, reaching 63,000, according to Cuban government statistics.

The Obama administration earlier this year significantly loosened travel restrictions for non-Cuban Americans visiting for academic, religious and other professional reasons, authorized the issuing of licenses to more Cuba travel providers and allowed more airports to give charter service between the two countries.

The new regulations are now kicking in and are expected to result in a significant increase in U.S. travel to the country for the remainder of the year.

Travel providers report they are swamped and forecast more than 100,000 Americans not of Cuban descent will come to the island this year.

The increase in U.S. travel to the country, which remains under stiff U.S. sanctions and a ban on tourism-related visits, has provoked the ire of Cuban American lawmakers. They have introduced legislation that would roll back Cuban American visits to once every three years and more strictly enforce other travel to the country.

The lawmakers argue that the Obama administration is helping to prop up the Cuban government, while the White House counters more people-to-people contact is the best way to undermine the island's Communist authorities.


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## hkskyline

The Irish Times 
Saturday, August 20, 2011
*Dublin Tourism voices concern at unofficial outlets*

DUBLIN TOURISM, Fáilte Ireland’s official tourist organisation in the capital, has raised concerns about unofficial tourist offices that have opened over the last 18 months.

Paul Hayden, acting chief executive of Dublin Tourism, said while he had no problem with sales and booking offices, he was concerned about the quality of the service offered to visitors.

“We would be concerned about the orientation of visitors, for example, whether or not they are being directed to historical sites and approved accommodation,” he said.

“Some only have a certain budget while others do want to undertake paid trips.”

He also said Dublin Tourism would take leaflets from any tour business once they were approved and would hold them for the public to access, though display in the office required partnership agreement.

Four private tourism offices have opened in Dublin in the last year – on Grafton Street, College Green, O’Connell Street and Bachelors Walk.

All four display the “i” sign, synonymous with tourist information the world over, and offer booking facilities for tours in the capital and beyond. None of the offices has any affiliation with the official tourism office, Dublin Tourism on Suffolk Street.

The College Green and O’Connell Street offices, both signed “Tourism Office”, are owned by adventure company Extreme Ireland.

The Grafton Street office, signed “Tourist Office”, sells independent tours and does not provide accommodation. It is owned by tour operator Paddywagon.

The Bachelors Walk office, signed “Dublin’s Tourist Office”, sells accommodation, tours and bus tickets.

All four offices stay open longer than the official office, which operates from 9am to 5pm only.

Mr Hayden wished the operators “good luck” in running their business, but said there had been some “anecdotal feedback” and some complaints from people who had visited the offices and were unhappy with the services.

“Anything damaging the reputation of Dublin would be of concern,” he said. “We have a good reputation, but it could break down quite easily.”

A spokesman for Extreme Ireland said all of his staff were highly trained and multilingual. The business worked on a commission basis and did not charge tour businesses to have their flyers in his offices, while Dublin Tourism charged €700, he said.

They were serving a need for small operators who couldn’t afford the charge as well as for tourists who could avail of their services, he said. “Dublin Tourism is not happy because we are taking customers away,” the spokesman said. “It’s Aer Lingus vs Ryanair.”

Robert O’Dolan, co-founder of the Bachelors Walk office, said 12 jobs were created with the opening of their office and they received “nothing but compliments” about it.

“Dublin Tourism doesn’t encourage competition,” he said.

“I think we are a thorn in their side. We are giving good service over long hours and making small profits and we have shown up a State-sponsored organisation.”

A spokeswoman for the Grafton Street office said it opened two months ago and had created seven jobs. It gave free general information to visitors as well as selling tours and directing them to the official office for accommodation, she said.


----------



## Dimethyltryptamine

QUEENSLAND has been voted the 'Green Tourism Destination of the Year' by more than 4.2 million readers of China's Travel Weekly tourism trade publication.

Queensland Tourism Minister Jan Jarratt was today celebrating the win, announced in Beijing overnight.

"This result shows the hard work of Tourism Queensland is delivering results for Queensland and boosting the state's profile as an eco-friendly holiday destination," she said.

"Queensland was chosen as one of the top three green tourism destinations in the world by the selection panel.

"We went head-to-head with Norway and New Zealand before being voted into the No.1 spot by Travel Weekly China readers in an online poll."

China is Queensland's fourth largest and fastest-growing international market, with 197,000 Chinese visiting in the year ending March 2011, 29 per cent more than the previous year.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2011/08/30/345145_tourism-news.html


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## hkskyline

I'd think the Great Barrier Reef would be a huge draw to Chinese tourists, although I expect Norway to offer a different kind of stunning natural beauty as well.


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## hkskyline

*Abu Dhabi delays opening dates for Louvre, Guggenheim museums*
Sat, Oct 29, 2011
_Excerpt_

DUBAI (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi government-owned Tourism Development and Investment Co (TDIC) said on Saturday it was postponing the opening of three museums, in a fresh delay for one of the largest cultural projects in the Middle East.

The company gave no new date for opening the Abu Dhabi branches of the Guggenheim and the Louvre museums and the Zayed National Museum, originally scheduled between 2013 and 2014.

The announcement came less than a week after the company said it had canceled a tender related to the construction of the 450,000 sq foot Guggenheim museum, designed by architect Frank Gehry and expected to be the largest in the world.

"Due to the immense magnitude of the work associated with the development of such consequential projects, the company has decided to extend the delivery dates," the company said in a statement.

*******************************

The Guggenheim and Louvre museums are planned for the Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, which is a $27 billion art and culture project.

($1 = 3.673 UAE Dirhams)


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## Diggerdog

Wow, Cape Town is really cooking at the moment. The momentum from the World Cup is continuing, Tripadvisor says Cape Town is the number one travel destination in the world, the Telegraph just listed it second best, and now the city has been named the World Design Capital!


Cape Town awarded design gong
31st October 2011


CAPE Town has beaten the other shortlisted finalists, Dublin (Ireland) and Bilbao (Spain), in being awarded the title of World Design Capital 2014 at the International Design Alliance (IDA) Congress.

South African Tourism Australasia country manager Lalie Ngozi said*Cape Town's status as World Design Capital 2014 is a major boost for South Africa's credentials as a major international lifestyle destination and a big boost for the country's tourism industry.

"This is wonderful news for Cape Town and our country's entire tourism industry and South African Tourism congratulates everyone involved with the Mother City's successful World Design Capital 2014 bid," Ms Ngozi said.

The prestigious World Design Capital award is made every other year by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) to a city that is dedicated to using design for social, cultural and economic development.

*The Mother City is the first African city to be given the honour, joining former World Design Capitals Torino, Italy (2008), Seoul, South Korea (2010) and Helsinki, Finland (2012).*

...through our involvement this year with events such as Design Indaba in Cape Town, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, the Joy of Jazz and Macufe Festivals, the Joburg Art Fair, the Joburg, Cape Town and Africa Fashion Weeks and the Designing South Africa project, we have made a concerted attempt with our cities and provinces to position South Africa as a major international lifestyle destination.

"Cape Town specifically already has a world-renowned reputation as an amazing city to visit amongst Australian travellers, not only because of its acclaimed natural beauty, but because it is home to creative, inspired people who are building an innovative future," Ms Ngozi said.

Previous award winners have seen increased visitor numbers following their awarding of the title, with Torino reporting higher visitor numbers in their title year than in the year the city hosted the Winter Olympics in 2006.

"From our consumer research we know that travellers want to engage with South Africa's design, art, fashion and music offering when they visit our country and we're responding to that demand. This award gives us all a considerable boost and even more compelling reasons to entice visitors to our exciting destination," Ms Ngozi said.

The World Design Capital title is awarded well in advance, allowing winning cities sufficient time to plan, develop and promote a year-long programme of World Design Capital-themed events for their designated year and also the opportunity of two years of pre-publicity to showcase its design and creativity.

Cape Town officials are looking to use the title to celebrate the role design has played in taking a previously divided city and transforming it into a more integrated one and to address the issues of growing urbanisation.


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## manon

*Liverpool FC agrees deal with Turkish Tourism*








Liverpool Football Club has announced a new two-year partnership with Turkish Tourism.

The deal, the first of its kind in the UK for the tourism body, includes advertising rights and other benefits.

The club’s managing director Ian Ayre said: “Turkey is a great country and we all have fantastic memories of our European Cup win in Istanbul in 2005.

“Through this partnership the club can provide Turkish Tourism with significant brand visibility and access to our supporter base to help raise awareness of their tourism opportunities.”

Tolga Tuyluoglu, director of the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office in London, said: “I am delighted that Turkey will be an official partner to such a historic club. I am sure that all Liverpool fans will have positive associations with Turkey already, following their dramatic Champions League win in Istanbul back in 2005. We hope to build on this to create a dynamic partnership.

“The city of Liverpool is known for its music and culture; its world-class galleries, museums and landmarks, which of course provides a body of shared values for us to work with. Over one quarter of those taking package-holidays to Turkey do so from the North West of England so this area is very important to Turkey. Of course, the fact that Liverpool FC plays in red and white is a bonus too!”

The deal was unveiled at the World Travel Market in London.


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## hkskyline

*Summary Box: Egypt tourism slipped in 2011*
Associated Press
Thu, Jan 19, 2012

VANISHING VISITORS: Revenues from Egypt's vital tourism sector plunged about 30 percent last year, dragged down by the unrest following the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak. The shortfall has forced the country to turn to the International Monetary Fund to bridge a burgeoning budget deficit.

NERVOUS ON THE NILE: The decline in revenues caused by near-daily protests and strikes underscores the challenges as its military rulers and the interim government plot a course toward handing over power to an elected civilian administration. The number of tourists who came to Egypt in 2011 dropped to 9.8 million from 14.7 million in 2010.

IMF ON BOARD: The tourism drop has led the country to turn again to the IMF after having rejected an earlier loan offer. Earlier in the week an IMF delegation visited the country and a formal request for a $3.2 billion support package was issued.


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## hkskyline

*Japan sets ambitious tourism target*
AFP 
Fri, Feb 17, 2012

Japan has set itself the ambitious target of attracting 18 million visitors a year to its shores by 2016 as it bids to shake off the impact of the natural disasters of 2011.

A record 8.61 million tourists visited Japan in 2010, attracted by a strong campaign to raise the nation's profile as a vacation destination. Tourism authorities were hoping to build on that success in 2011 and had set a target of 10 million foreign visitors a year.

That target became impossible to achieve after the massive earthquake of March 11, which triggered a tsunami that devastated stretches of the coast of northeast Japan and crippled the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant.

The total number of overseas visitors for the year slumped to 6.22 million. A year later, however, the crisis has abated and Japan wants to put itself back on the tourism map.

The Japanese government is expected to approve a plan that will be put into action from April that will increase the amount of information available to foreign visitors and particularly target tourists from China, South Korea and other nearby Asian nations.

As well as trying to attract tourists for short trips and repeat visitors, the government wants to increase the number of people visiting destinations that are off the beaten track for tourists.

The aim is to have tourists spend Y30 trillion (€292.8 million) a year, Y18 trillion (€175.7 million) of which will be by Japanese holidaymakers on overnight stays, Y6.5 trillion (€63.4 million) by Japanese day-trippers and some Y3 trillion (€29.3 million) by foreign tourists.

The Japan National Tourism Organisation has been promoting the message that virtually all of Japan is completely safe and that food and water supplies pose no danger to visitors a year after the disasters struck.

The agency has seen tourist numbers recover in areas such as Hokkaido, Okinawa, Kansai and Kyushu, although the recovery in Tokyo has been less strong, officials said.

Tourism accounts for only 2 percent of Japan's GDP, but the government hopes to increase that figure substantially in the years ahead.


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## hkskyline

*Iraq town seeks shift from 'terrorism' to tourism*
AFP
24 February 2012

Suspected of being a biological weapons site under Saddam Hussein and later an Al-Qaeda stronghold, an Iraqi town wants to return to its previous status as a centre for archaeology and tourism.

Madain, a town of some 7,000 inhabitants, was founded by the Parthian King Mithridates I more than 2,000 years ago.

It now lies between the two main highways linking the capital with southern Iraq, as do historical sites such as the Arch of Ctesiphon and the tomb of Salman Pak -- one of the companions of the Prophet Mohammed.

"We want to restore life to this place and make it one of the beautiful places for tourism," said Abdelhadi Hassan, director of antiquities in the town, 30 kilometres (18 miles) south of Baghdad.

He said that both Iraqis and foreigners used to visit the gardens and parks in the town.

"Because of negligence the gardens and parks disappeared," he said. Maintenance work was stopped "because of the wars of the former regime."

Postcards from the 1970s show luxuriant gardens and arbours, but today there is little foliage because the irrigation pipes were destroyed and the trees were cut down for firewood by inhabitants during the 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran war.

And the museum was looted in 2003 following the US-led invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein, who was later executed.

A yellow brick palace, built by Shapur I (241-272 AD) of the Persian Sassanid dynasty, features the Arch of Ctesiphon, which at 37 metres (122 feet) tall and 48 metres (158 feet) deep, is the largest in the world.

About two kilometres (1.2 miles) away lies the tomb of Salman Pak ("The Pure" in Persian).

According to tradition, Salman Pak was originally Zoroastrian but converted to Christianity, and was later sold into slavery to a Jewish family in Medina in present-day Saudi Arabia, before converting to Islam.

Though it once was a centre for tourism and still features historical sites, Madain has had a notorious reputation in recent decades.

In 1986, according to the UN, the Iraqi biological weapons programme was developed in the area, and during the 2003 invasion, American forces said they captured Egyptians and Sudanese in a "terrorist training camp" in the town.

Al-Qaeda in 2005 made the town its stronghold, manufacturing car bombs and other explosive devices, while its fighters attacked the police and US forces, and constructed "dungeons" in the orchards in the area to detain victims kidnapped from the nearby highways.

Former Iraqi intelligence chief General Mohammed Shahwani dubbed it a "guerrilla hideout."

"This region was a site of armed conflict, but now that is all over," Hassan said.

But the military and police still patrol both on foot and in armoured vehicles between the Sunni and Shiite neighbourhoods, as the wounds from the conflict between the two communities are far from healed.

The Shiites cannot forget the terrible years from 2005 to 2008 during which insurgents carried out murders, abductions and attacks on their places of worship.

Abu Ali al-Shimmari, a 56-year-old restaurant owner, is still traumatised because of one day in 2005 when three armed men told him: "You have three days to leave, or we will kill you."

So he and his family left the town until 2008, by which time the security situation had improved.

Both Sunnis and Shiites want to see Madain become a tourist destination once again.

"I really want us to return to the old days," Shimmari said.

Adnan Khideir, a 42-year-old retired Sunni official, agreed: "The state must rebuild the town, especially now that the security situation is better."

He said he wants the gardens and public parks to be restored and an old hotel to be renovated.

But for now, the palace and the Arch of Ctesiphon remain a desolate place guarded by security forces.

The site has not even been registered as a UNESCO world heritage site, nor has such a request been made, an official from the international organisation said.


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## si_di_ow

This is last year but i wanna share 

*10 barkada adventure destinations that will electrify your senses*
by Skyscanner

*1. Ulu Temburong National Park, Brunei*
Want to experience a memorable jungle trekking adventure with your gang of buddies? Then, plan a trip with your fun-loving circle of best friends to Temburong, Brunei. One of Asia’s most underrated destinations, Temburong is a deeply beautiful and pristine jungle that’s almost untouched by development. Here, you and your comrades will get to set foot in hilly and verdant hills, lined with streams, sheathed in mist and adorned with vibrant fauna and flora.

Much of Temburong is a national park, and can only be accessed by boat, making it one of the most authentic adventure travel destinations in Southeast Asia. And, if you don’t want to traverse its wilderness, you can see the lush park from a wide selection of 50-meter-tall walkways that hang above the canopy, which is accessible on a day-trip from the capital of Brunei – Bandar Seri Begawan.










*2. Maasai Mara, Kenya*
Known as one of Kenya’ best country parks, Maasai Mara is a wonderland that offers an exciting array of safaris, including lots of nature photography opportunities, hiking and walking trails and of course, the epic hot air balloon rides. The reserve, together with Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, forms the most diverse eco-system in all of Africa. Famous for its wildlife, Maasai Mara will give you and your friends the wildlife adventure of a lifetime, with its sheer number and variety of mighty predators, such as leopards, cheetahs and lions.










*3. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States*
With its swirling prismatic pools, gorgeous lakes, dramatic peaks and verdant forests, Yellowstone is truly a paradise for Pinoy outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife lovers. From packs of wolves and oversized bison to shaggy grizzlies, America’s first and most popular national park is also teeming with other forms of wildlife, making it an even more appealing adventure destination for the intrepid Pinoy barkadas. Though it’s a little remote, over 3 million visitors come to Yellowstone every year to experience its sheer grandeur and majestic natural beauty.










*4. Yangshuo, China*
Yangshuo – a popular backpacker destination in China since the 1980s – is a scenic and vibrant town surrounded by stunning scenery and karst mountains. Labeled as the adventure capital of China, Yangshuo offers plenty of excellent rock climbing opportunities for you and your barkadas. Furthermore, Yangshuo has eye-catching karst landscapes that can be viewed wonderfully through a variety of fun-filled trips, such as trekking, cycling, bamboo-raft cruises and river cruises. To top it all off, the town has an abundance of mountain caves and water caves to appease your need for thrills.










*5. Thailand*
Thailand is a diverse and dynamic adventure playground that will unleash the adventurous side of every member in your barkada. Whether you’re hitting the streets of Bangkok or enjoying Mother Nature’s masterpieces in its northern territory, Thailand has a cluster of treks and outdoor trips to offer to every Juan. A must-try for those traveling with their friends in Thailand is jungle bamboo rafting – an exciting escapade that will test your barkada’s teamwork.










*6. Lombok, Indonesia*
While most Pinoy travelers may think of Lombok as a beach haven, there’s so much more to this island paradise than sunshine, sand and sea. Outdoor adventure aficionados, who are traveling with their equally adventurous buddies, can get their fix by indulging on the island’s hiking trails and incredible natural wonders.

The best hiking options in Lombok center on Mount Rinjani – the second highest volcano in Indonesia, with an imposing height of 3,726 meters. The climb to the mountain’s summit is strenuous, but those who finish the trek will be rewarded with awe-inspiring overlooking views that you'll never forget. As an added plus, trekkers will stumble upon a plethora of sulfuric lakes, striking volcanic scenery and waterfalls, as you make your way to the top.

And, by the way, did we mention that Lombok has a multitude of thrilling water sports to offer to thrill-seeking Pinoys? From scuba diving and snorkeling to surfing and fishing charters, Lombok has quite a variety of water sports to please your adventurous barkada.










*7. Queenstown, New Zealand*
No list of the top barkada adventure destinations would be complete without the inclusion of Queenstown, New Zealand. Aptly dubbed as the adventure capital of New Zealand, this Kiwi city has a host of spine-tingling adventures that will scare even the bravest member of your barkada, including mountaineering, zip-line rides, caving, skydiving, zorbing and bungee jumping. What’s more, Queenstown has a fabulous natural backdrop that will give an urge to snap dozens of wacky barkada photos for your Facebook and Instagram posts - selfies, jumpshots and all.










*8. Singapore*
Think Singapore is a destination for foodies, casual sightseers and shopaholics only? Although the Lion City isn’t famed for its adventures, it has quite a few sports and thrill-seeking options that will give you a blast as well as a heart-pumping workout. From Sentosa’s rope courses and zip-line rides to wakeboarding at Bedok Reservoir, there is indeed no shortage of fun and thrilling experiences in Singapore.

For a scenic hike, don't miss out on the Tree-top walk at Macritchie Reservoir Park or the Henderson Waves Bridges Trail at the Southern Ridges Park. And for a gravity defying experience, go on the G-Max Reverse Bungy at Clarke Quay or the Battlestar Galactica at Universal Studios in Sentosa.










*9. Cagayan de Oro, Philippines*
Cagayan de Oro is by far the ultimate adventure destination for barkadas in the Philippines. As you go on a barkada adventure in CDO, you’ll get a chance to test your courage with a whitewater rafting trip through the raging 22-kilomoter stretch of the Cagayan de Oro River. Not to mention, the city has a pair of parks that can make your barkada trip even more fun and adventuresome – the Mapawa Nature Park and Macahambus Adventure Park.










*10. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil*
Want to see Brazil’s crown jewel from a different perspective? A trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil offers you a chance to experience a heap of adventures in the sky, including zip-lining, parachuting, hang gliding, paragliding and parasailing. Love to try some water sports? You and your friends might want to try their white-water rafting, scuba diving, kayaking and paddling tours.


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## hkskyline

*Exclusive: China's border city with North Korea eases tourism curbs - sources*
_Excerpt_
Dec. 20, 2017

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese tourists are still visiting Pyongyang from China’s border city of Dandong, tourism sources say, even after authorities unofficially halted the tours just ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to China last month.

A group of 40 Chinese tourists left on Friday from the border city of Dandong to Pyongyang, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, a sign local authorities have not been strongly enforcing curbs on tourist flows.

“This is the largest group to go in from Dandong since the curb,” a tour operator said, adding the tourists traveled by train into North Korea for a four-day tour.

The Dandong Tourism Bureau declined to be interviewed for this story. When asked for comment, China’s foreign ministry said they did “not understand the situation.”

Local businesses in China are known to find ways around policies introduced by local authorities or Beijing, whether in good times or bad.

“There’s always a way around government policies,” said one Dandong-based tourism source. “You know how Chinese people are.”

“I think the central government will be very annoyed at Dandong for lifting the travel restriction,” the tour operator said.

Tourism to North Korea is not banned by the United Nations and is one of the few remaining ways that North Korea earns hard currency. The Korea Maritime Institute, a South Korean think-tank, estimates that tourism generates about $44 million in annual revenue for North Korea.


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## hkskyline

Dec. 22, 2017
_Excerpt_
*Indonesia holds cabinet meeting in Bali as volcano threatens tourism*

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo will on Friday hold his cabinet meeting on the holiday island of Bali in a bid to reassure visitors that there is nothing to worry about from the rumbling Mount Agung volcano.

Authorities last month raised the alert status of Mount Agung in northeastern Bali to the highest level, imposing an exclusion zone of up to 10 km (6 miles) around its crater as it spewed clouds of ash, steam, and other volcanic material.

Widodo will take the unusual step of gathering his cabinet in Bali as part of government efforts to assure visitors that the island is safe to come to and to stave off a major drop off in visitor numbers during the upcoming holiday season.

“For those who have plans to vacation in Bali, there’s no need to doubt or be worried about the status of Mount Agung, Bali is very safe to visit,” Energy Minister Ignasius Jonan said in a Twitter message after visiting an observatory overlooking the volcano, before the cabinet meeting.

President Widodo is expected to make a statement after the cabinet meeting.

The cabinet usually meets at the state palace in the capital Jakarta or on its outskirts in Bogor.

The relatively small island of Bali, famous for its beaches and temples, has an outsized importance for Indonesian tourism. In January-September, Bali received 4.5 million foreign tourist arrivals, nearly half of the 10.5 million arrivals in Indonesia.

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said this week that Indonesia was expecting an estimated 15 trillion rupiah ($1.11 billion) in lost income and around 1 million fewer tourists because of the volcano, according to daily newspaper Kompas.


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## 1ºBoaz




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## hkskyline

*Foreign tourist numbers up 23 percent in Tunisia in 2017*
Dec. 27, 2017
_Excerpt_

TUNIS (Reuters) - The number of foreign tourists in Tunisia rose by 23 percent in 2017 compared with the previous year, official data showed, indicating that a vital industry crippled two years ago by Islamist attacks is recovering.

Tourism accounts for about 8 percent of Tunisia’s gross domestic product, provides thousands of jobs and is a key source of foreign currency, but has struggled since two deadly militant attacks in 2015.

A total of 6.731 million tourists visited the North African country in the year until Dec. 20, data provided by the presidency showed.

The number of European tourists rose by 19.5 percent to 1.664 million, the data showed. The number of French visitors rose by 45.5 percent and the number of Germans by 40.8 percent in the same period.

The number of Algerians visiting rose by 40.5 percent to 2.322 million.

Tunisia’s tourism revenues rose by 16.3 percent to 2.69 billion dinars ($1.09 billion), data showed.

In 2010 Tunisia’s tourism revenues had hit a record at 3.5 billion dinars with almost 7 million tourists visiting.


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## hkskyline

*Tourism to Israel jumps 25 pct in 2017 to record 3.6 mln visitors*
_Excerpt_

JERUSALEM, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Tourism to Israel grew 25 percent in 2017 to a record 3.6 million people, bringing in 20 billion shekels ($5.8 billion) of revenue, the Tourism Ministry said on Tuesday.

The ministry said the increase of 700,000 tourists last year was buoyed by 18 new routes flying into Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion Airport as well as more flights to the Red Sea resort of Eilat, some of which were subsidised by the ministry.

A new route on Hainan Airlines boosted tourism from China by 46 percent. Ryanair, Lot, WizzAir and WOW also added routes.

The United States, Russia, France, Germany and Great Britain were the top sources of incoming tourism last year. Jerusalem was the top destination for tourists, followed by Tel Aviv.


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## hkskyline

Jan 5, 2018
*Exclusive: India plans to boost tourism, travel in annual budget: sources*
_Excerpt_

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India is planning to cut taxes on travel and tourism in next month’s federal budget and give more incentives to the $210 billion sector, government sources said, hoping to boost economic growth and create more jobs.

The move could add to a domestic tourism boom in the world’s second most populous nation, where low inflation and rising incomes are changing lifestyles and consumption patterns of an estimated 250 million middle-class Indians. With scores of destinations introduced on airline routes last year, air travel is also surging.

India’s tourism sector grew over 10 percent in the six months ending September, compared to near 8 percent in the year-ago period. According to an industry report, tourism employs 40 million people in India and could add 10 million jobs in a decade.

“We’ll announce measures in the budget to promote investment in the tourism sector,” a top finance ministry official told Reuters, adding that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley favors lowering a 28 percent tax on hotel tariffs, and offering incentives to attract private investments.

If the moves come about, companies expected to benefit include airlines like IndiGo, owned by InterGlobe Aviation (INGL.NS), and Jet Airways (JET.NS) and hotel operators such as Indian Hotels (IHTL.NS), that owns the Taj Mahal chain and EIH Ltd (EIHO.NS) that operates the Oberoi hotels in India.

Tour operators including Cox & Kings (COKI.NS) and Thomas Cook (THOM.NS) are also likely to gain.

In India tourists, on average, pay 30 percent tax on hotel rooms and travel compared with less than 10 percent in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, said Pronab Sarkar, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).

Another government official said the budget was likely to “significantly” raise allocations for tourism infrastructure and raise income tax exemptions on investments in new hotels.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...travel-in-annual-budget-sources-idUSKBN1EU0YI


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## hkskyline

*Paris tourism shakes post-attack lull to record decade-best 2017*
Feb 22, 2018
_Excerpt_

PARIS (Reuters) - Tourists flocked back to Paris last year as safety concerns following a spate of attacks by Islamist militants appeared to ease, making 2017 the city’s best year for foreign visitors in at least a decade.

Hotel bookings in Paris and the wider Ile de France region rose to 33.8 million, the local tourist federation said. There were big rises in numbers of Japanese, German and U.S. visitors.

The total fell to 30.9 million in 2016 from 32.4 million in 2015, a drop largely viewed as a reaction to the attacks, including a coordinated series in the capital in November 2015 in which Islamist gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people.

The 2017 tally rose 9.9 percent to 15,9 million in inner Paris, and 9.5 percent in Ile de France, which includes the Chateau de Versailles.

“The tourism industry has shown how resilient it is after the attacks, strikes and bad weather incidents that took a toll in 2015 and 2016,” said Eric Jeunemaitre, President of the CRT tourism body, adding that the trend was expected to continue in 2018.

Top of the most-visited list were the Louvre museum with 8.1 million visits, followed by the Chateau de Versailles at 7.7 million and, in third place, the Eiffel Tower, at 6.2 million.


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## hkskyline

*Thai Feb tourist arrivals jump 20 pct y/y - ministry*
_Excerpt_

BANGKOK, March 12 (Reuters) - Thailand saw a 20 percent increase in foreign tourists in February from a year earlier, led by visitors from China, the government said on Monday.

There were 3.6 million foreign tourists in February, up from 2.99 million visitors in the same period last year, Pongpanu Svetarundra, permanent-secretary of the tourism and sports ministry, told Reuters.

Thailand saw 3.54 million visitors in January.

In the January-February period, foreign tourists spent about 400 billion baht ($12.78 billion), he said.


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## hkskyline

*Portugal's flourishing tourism becomes economic mainstay*
Mar 16, 2018

LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal’s tourism boom has made the industry one of the biggest contributors to the national economy and the largest employer, with almost 1 million direct and indirect jobs, the head of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) said.

Portugal has long been popular for its beaches, historic sites and golf courses, but tourism has broken records in the past few years after government and businesses looked to the sector as an engine of growth after the 2011-14 debt crisis.

Gloria Guevara, the president of the WTTC, told Reuters Portugal was already in the top five most-visited countries in Europe, and now “they should make sure that they continue as one of the top five”.

Portugal has been spared the bloody attacks seen in neighboring European countries and benefited as violence and political unrest deter visitors from parts of the eastern Mediterranean and north Africa.

With Portugal starting to muscle into the ranks of Europe’s most popular destinations, Guevara urged the country to adopt measures to avoid problems of so-called overtourism seen in cities including Barcelona.

That includes investment on infrastructure such as potentially a new Lisbon airport.

Portugal’s tourism sector was set to grow further, thanks to a “very rich culture, amazing gastronomy,” and its geographic position with a long coastline and sunny climate.

Portugal won the top destination spot in the 2017 World Travel Awards after the number of foreign tourists jumped 12 percent to 12.7 million. Including domestic tourists, the total is about 21 million.

Guevara said Portugal’s focus on tourism had ensured that travelers and holiday companies had turned to the country, with many new hotels and frequent flights by low-cost carriers.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...urism-becomes-economic-mainstay-idUSKCN1GS1YF


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## hkskyline

*Philippines shelves Galaxy's planned $500 mln casino resort on Boracay*
_Excerpt_

MANILA, April 11 (Reuters) - The Philippines on Wednesday shelved a plan by Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd to build a $500 million integrated casino-resort on a holiday island that will be closed for a cleanup.

Macau casino operator Galaxy last month won a provisional licence for an integrated casino-resort project in the island of Boracay, which Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called a “cesspool” due to pollution.

“There will be no new casino in Boracay,” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a news conference in Hong Kong that was aired live in Manila.

While Galaxy has a provisional licence from the gaming regulator, it cannot build its gaming project in Boracay, Roque said, adding that Duterte had not issued an order allowing a new casino on the island.

Galaxy partnered with Leisure and Resorts World Corp , which acquired the 23-hectare lot, for the casino project. Galaxy and Leisure were not immediately available for comment outside office hours.

The Philippines’ gambling sector has benefited from warmer ties with China, a key source of wealthy gamblers, since the Southeast Asian country set aside territorial hostility with Beijing in exchange for pledges of loans and investments.


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## hkskyline

July 16, 2018
*With new airport, Israel's Eilat competes for European tourists*
_Excerpt_

EILAT, Israel (Reuters) - Once almost lost to international tourism, the Israeli resort of Eilat hopes a new airport will attract a million foreign visitors a year by 2025, with eastern Europeans especially offering growth for the winter holiday season.

Teenagers hold onto an inflatable water sport raft in the Red Sea, in Eilat, Israel, June 12, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
International tourist arrivals in Israel hit a record 3.6 million last year, pumping $5.5 billion into the economy. But three-quarters of them opted for Jerusalem, leaving the Red Sea beaches of Eilat more for Israeli holidaymakers.

Foreign tourists are scarce in the winter when temperatures in Eilat are warm but hotels are half empty.

Travelers to Eilat flying into Israel’s main international airport near Tel Aviv need to take an extra domestic flight, or make an arduous four-hour drive through the Negev desert.

But the most glaring problem is the old airport in the city center, which can take only eight flights an hour and no wide-body aircraft. That capacity is already filled by the 1.4 million plus Israelis who fly to Eilat each year.

“Eilat almost disappeared from the map of international tourism,” Tourism Minister Yariv Levin told Reuters. “We saw only four (international) flights a week to Eilat three years ago, which is almost nothing. From next winter, we will probably see more than 50 and maybe even 60 flights per week.”

Direct international flights are now available thanks to government incentives, but only to a stop-gap civilian terminal at the Ovda military airfield 60 km (40 miles) from Eilat. More than 175,000 foreign tourists flew into Ovda in the first five months of this year, double the entire figure for 2017.

But the $500 million Ramon International Airport will have an annual capacity of 2.5 million passengers, with room for expansion. Scheduled to open later this year, it will be able to handle 20 takeoffs and landings an hour and accommodate larger aircraft such as Boeing 747s.


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## hkskyline

*Egypt's tourism revenue jumps 77 pct in first half - government official*
_Excerpt_

CAIRO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Egypt’s tourism revenue jumped 77 percent in the first half of 2018 to around $4.8 billion compared with the same period last year, a government official told Reuters.

Egyptian tourism has been gradually recovering from a 2011 downturn triggered by the uprising that ousted president Hosni Mubarak, helped by a currency float in late 2016 that halved the pound’s value and made the country a relatively cheap bet for foreign visitors.

The tourism sector is a pillar of the country’s economy and a key earner of foreign currency.

The official, who declined the be named, said visitor numbers during the first half of 2018 jumped 41 percent from a year before to about 5 million. A total of 14.7 million people visited Egypt in 2010 before the uprising.


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## hkskyline

*Protesters denounce gentrification in Lisbon as housing prices soar*
_Excerpt_

LISBON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Anti-gentrification groups from across Europe joined hundreds of Portuguese activists on Saturday in a rally against soaring rent prices in Lisbon as the city experiences the biggest tourism boom in its history.

“The housing market in Portugal is focused on foreign purchasing power”, Rita Silva, one of the protest organisers, told Reuters. “This is not a xenophobic view but a concern with those who have lived here for many years and are now at risk of losing everything.”

Lisbon’s tourism boom has made headlines abroad, but it has also been heavily criticised by locals who say they are being pushed out of their city as private developers transform houses into hotels and luxury flats. Numerous other cities across the continent have experienced similar problems, including Berlin, Paris and London.

Portuguese house prices rose 11 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, National Statistics Institute data show on Friday, taking them to new highs in a run-up in house prices that began in 2014.

Tourist accommodation already accounts for at least 34 percent of houses in the city centre, according to an article published by Jornal de Negocios last week.


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## hkskyline

Sep 22, 2018
*U.S. backs protecting Yellowstone’s northern gateway from mining*
_Excerpt_

(Reuters) - New mining claims should be banned for 20 years on more than 30,000 acres north of Yellowstone National Park to preserve scenery, wildlife habitat, waterways and outdoor recreation that fuels tourism in nearby Montana towns, the U.S. Forest Service said Friday.

The recommendation to withdraw 30,370 acres of the Custer Gallatin National Forest from mineral development comes after two large gold-mining operations were proposed near Yellowstone, sparking opposition from conservationists and local businesses in an area known as Paradise Valley.

The controversial proposals were put on hold for at least two years in 2016 under the Obama administration, with officials saying more time was needed to conduct an environmental review. That study, released in May, supported continued restrictions on mining.

The original two-year moratorium is due to end Nov. 21. The Forest Service recommendation to protect the acreage for an additional two decades must be formally approved by U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to go into effect. The proposed 20-year ban would not affect existing claims.

National forests fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Agriculture Department, but an Interior Department agency holds subsurface mineral rights to the area in question.

While Zinke, a former Montana congressman, has broadly promoted energy and mining activities on public lands since becoming interior secretary under President Donald Trump, he wrote on Twitter on Friday that he supported the mineral withdrawal in his home state.

“I’ve always said there are places where it is appropriate to mine and places where it isn’t,” he tweeted. “I’ve long fought to protect the Paradise Valley.”


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## hkskyline

*Puerto Rico open for tourists despite 'mixed-bag' recovery - governor *
Sep 28, 2018
_Excerpt_

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello flew to New York this week on a mission: persuade potential tourists that the hurricane-ravaged island was ready for their return.

But Puerto Rico’s recovery from last year’s Hurricane Maria has been a “mixed bag,” Rossello told Reuters on Thursday, acknowledging that the bankrupt U.S. territory, while improving, is far from out of the woods.

Puerto Rico has received only a small fraction of the federal funding it needs to get back on its feet, Rossello said in a 75-minute interview, and getting access to the rest could take more than a decade.

His administration estimates that fixing Puerto Rico fully will require $139 billion, but the federal government has earmarked only about $60 billion to $65 billion for the recovery, he said. Of that, only about $3 billion to $4 billion has actually flowed into the island’s coffers. Obtaining the remainder could take 10 to 11 years, he said, adding that his team is lobbying the U.S. Congress for more money.

Compounding the problem is Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy in U.S. federal court, where it is trying to restructure $120 billion of debt and pension obligations. There are also ongoing spending disputes between the government and a federally appointed fiscal oversight board.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ite-mixed-bag-recovery-governor-idUSKCN1M72U3


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## hkskyline

*FEATURE-Mexico village struggles to navigate tourism tightrope*
_Excerpt_

JARRETADERAS, Mexico, Oct 2 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - F rom his rooftop, Luis Vazquez Miramontes has a front-row view of the vast construction site that promises to one day morph into a glittering Cirque du Soleil theme park, but he bets few in his village of Jarretaderas could ever afford tickets.

Billed as a “first-of-its kind immersive experience”, the site being built by Mexico’s Grupo Vidanta is the latest in a series of developments around the village, which locals say is being walled off from the nearby Ameca river and beachfront hotels.

Some worry the development of the surrounding resort areas has altered the river’s flow and could increase the flood risk to the Pacific Coast village, about 10km north of the beach town of Puerto Vallarta.

“This is like a ghetto - we’re here, we can’t see what’s happening on the other side,” said Vazquez, as trucks weighed down with construction materials trundled past his corner cafe.

“We’re not against development, it’s welcome ... but it’s putting us at risk (of flooding from the river).”

Tourism is growing fast in Mexico’s Nayarit state with a number of big-name resorts slated, but campaigners and residents warn some developers are riding roughshod over both the local environment and communities.

Driving along the cobbled streets of Jarretaderas through sprawling pools of stagnant rainwater, local campaigner Librado Consuedra Pascacio pointed out the security guards stopping villagers and fishermen from accessing roads to the river.

Now guards on quad bikes patrol the fences and walls that run along two sides of the village, and the only way to reach the Ameca is through a flood-prone concrete tunnel built by Vidanta, he said.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/mex...s-to-navigate-tourism-tightrope-idUSL8N1W475U


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## hkskyline

*Back-to-back summers of smoke and fire stoke B.C. tourism industry fears*
Tourism operators worry wildfires could hurt international reputation
Oct 1, 2018
CBC _Excerpt_

The smoke has cleared after the worst forest fire season in B.C. history but tourism operators fear the reputational damage to their industry will linger far into the future.

Hundreds of wildfires fanned by hot, dry conditions forced the province to declare a state of emergency in British Columbia for the second year in a row.

From Aug. 15 to Sept. 7, evacuation orders, closed roads and smoke-filled parks affected thousands of residents and visitors and the smoke was so thick it spilled over into Alberta and parts of the northwestern United States.

"We've run our guiding business for 30 years — in 30 years, we've had three smoky years and two of them were back-to-back, which is not a good sign, right?" said Ian Eakins of family-owned Wells Gray Adventures.

"I'm a bit concerned, absolutely. If this is our future, it's a lot tougher game, isn't it?"

The company which offers guided hut-to-hut backcountry hiking trips in the summer for small groups was shut down for three weeks in 2017 when the province closed Wells Gray Provincial Park due to fire danger.

This year, many of his guests called to cancel because of the smoke but Eakins, 63, said he was able to convince most that the air would be clear and the views magnificent once they got out of the valleys and onto mountain trails above the haze.

The 2018 fires burned more than 1.3 million hectares of forest, surpassing the total from the record set the previous year when the province was in a state of emergency for a much longer 10-week period.

Many tourism businesses have suffered losses from the back-to-back fire seasons but the damage to B.C.'s brand could be just as costly, said Jeremy Stone, an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia who has conducted research into economic and business resilience to disasters.

"The brand damage, that's the much more difficult one... You really start to become associated with, 'This is not a place I should be,"' he said. He said a recent news story about a European tourist who was evacuated due to fire for the second year in a row this summer is an example of the hits B.C.'s reputation is taking.

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brit...re-stoke-b-c-tourism-industry-fears-1.4844731


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## hkskyline

Oct 9, 2018
*Indonesian islanders fight developer with snorkels and homestays*
_Excerpt_

PULAU PARI, Indonesia (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Syahrul Hidayat’s family has lived on the Indonesian island of Pulau Pari for four generations, fishing in its clear blue waters and selling seaweed to supplement their incomes.

But their lives and livelihoods have come under threat in recent years as their customary land rights have been denied, and a developer claims ownership of much of the island off the northern coast near Jakarta.

The 1,200-strong community is already contending with the existential threats of warmer temperatures, rising seas and worsening marine pollution. But the denial of land rights could strike the deadliest blow, said Hidayat.

“We have adapted to smaller catches of fish and smaller volumes of seaweed, because of climate change and pollution,” said Hidayat, who is leading the campaign to reclaim the community’s land rights.

“But how can we cope with losing our homes and land? Where will we go, what will we do?”

Indonesia, an archipelago of thousands of islands, has about 81,000 km (50,000 miles) of coastline, with millions of people dependent on the sea for their livelihood.

Across the country, many have already been forced to move because of eroding coastlines.

Others face pressure from developers keen to build hotels and apartment blocks on its acclaimed beaches, activists say.

“The coastal communities have always had customary rights, but few have formal titles, and this is being used as a way to evict them,” said Susan Herawati, secretary general of the People’s Coalition for Fisheries Justice, KIARA.

“We are an island nation, yet so many coastal communities are struggling without rights. They are forgotten even in the push for agrarian reform in the country,” she said.

.........

Tourism is a major source of revenue for Indonesia, accounting for more than 10 percent of its annual gross domestic product. The country, famed for its beaches and volcanic craters, aims to draw 20 million visitors a year by 2019.

Key to this goal is the creation of “10 new Balis”, as the president has vowed, referring to the country’s most popular tourist destination.

Among the proposed new Balis are islands that will be spruced up with new airports, wider roads, resorts and other tourist facilities.

But officials risk damaging fragile eco-systems and excluding local communities from livelihood opportunities and access to their land, say analysts and activists.

That is becoming a common complain across the region.

From Thailand to the Philippines, authorities have come under fire for allowing unchecked sprawl on islands and denying coastal communities their “right to island”.

“Instead of a resort that occupies the land of the residents and may damage the ecology without much benefit to the people, a community-led effort is a far better option,” said Herawati.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...per-with-snorkels-and-homestays-idUSKCN1MJ01L


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## hkskyline

*Zambia revives plan to cull 2,000 hippos over next five years*
Oct 22, 2018
_Excerpt_

LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia has revived plans it suspended two years ago after protests by animal rights activists for the controlled slaughter of up to 2,000 hippos over the next five years, its tourism minister said on Monday.

Charles Banda said the hippo population could not be supported by the water levels in the Luangwa river where most of the animals are located, while moving them elsewhere in the southern African country would be too costly.

The government had therefore decided to proceed with the plan to control the hippo population in eastern Zambia, the tourism minister said.

“The South Luangwa National Park has a population of more than 13,000 hippos but the area is only ideal for 5,000 hippos,” Banda said, adding that the ecosystem would be threatened.

“Moving the hippos to other water bodies would be very expensive. At the moment the only option we have is to do the culling.”

British wildlife charity Born Free led the campaign against the culling in June 2016 describing it as trophy hunting.

On Monday, Born Free said on its website Zambia had failed to provide robust, scientific evidence demonstrating that there is an overpopulation of hippos in the Luangwa river.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...000-hippos-over-next-five-years-idUSKCN1MW17Y


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## hkskyline

Oct 23, 2018
_Excerpt_
*Vandalism and neglect haunt Libya's ancient heritage sites*

SHAHAT, Libya (Reuters) - Graffiti covers the ruins of Cyrene in eastern Libya, a city founded by Greeks more than 2,600 years ago that once attracted tourists but is now neglected and the target of vandals.

Insecurity and looting has hit Libya’s archaeological sites in the chaos and fighting that has followed the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, as rival groups struggle to consolidate control of the country.

Libya is home to five of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, listed for their outstanding universal value. The sites include the ruins of the Roman city of Leptis Magna and Sabratha, which is famous for its amphitheatre.

There are also prehistoric rock carvings in the Akakous mountains deep in the southern Sahara desert near the border with Algeria.

In the east, tourists once trekked to Cyrene, a site founded by Greeks and later expanded by Romans, nestled in the mountains some 200 km (124 miles) east of Benghazi.

But with foreign tourists gone and the sites visited only by Libyan families on weekend trips, locals have seized land at the sites and vandals have even smeared graffiti on columns and walls.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...t-libyas-ancient-heritage-sites-idUSKCN1MX25B


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## hkskyline

Oct 26, 2018
_Excerpt_
*'No more cesspool': Philippines welcomes tourists to Boracay after makeover*

BORACAY, Philippines (Reuters) - The Philippines reopened its top holiday island on Friday, promising sustainable tourism and a greener environment as it welcomed back visitors after a six-month cleanup ordered by a president who had described it as a “cesspool”.

Hundreds of excited tourists barred from Boracay since April trooped to a jetty that is the gateway of the 10-sq-km (4-sq-mile) island, famed for its powdery white sands, turquoise waters, lively nightlife and abundant water sports.

“We are lucky today to be here, so we have to enjoy and see what it’s like. Party, swim and eat and everything,” French tourist Chris Balloug told Reuters upon disembarking.

Filipino tourist Kat Ruiz said she was looking forward to a better island with a home-like atmosphere.

Cabinet and local government officials unveiled a billboard-size image of Boracay’s Puka Beach, before declaring the island “officially open to all”.

In April, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Boracay’s closure after seeing a video of dirty water being piped to sea, a side-effect of decades of unregulated construction that overwhelmed a tiny sewerage system.

“We have already done the first phase, this is the rehabilitation,” Environment Minister Roy Cimatu told a news conference. “There is no more cesspool.”

Boracay attracted 2 million visitors last year and raked in $1 billion in revenue, but its environment suffered, with garbage pile-ups, rampant land encroachment, and narrow roads clogged with traffic emitting fumes.

Now the island is reforming.

Beach parties are banned, as is smoking and drinking. Its shoreline is free of vendors, masseuses, fire dancers and watersports, while the scores of moored boats on the beach, a fixture in former years, must anchor elsewhere. 

Just 19,000 tourists are to be allowed on the island each day, with worker numbers also capped at 15,000.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...rists-to-boracay-after-makeover-idUSKCN1N00RG


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## hkskyline

Oct 30, 2018
*Seychelles raises $15 million with world's first blue bond*

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Seychelles has raised $15 million by offering the world’s first blue bond, raised from investors to finance ocean-based projects, to expand its marine protected areas and boost its fisheries sector.

The Indian Ocean archipelago’s economy is dependent on the ocean and on fisheries for food, nutrition and livelihoods, marine habitats, and other blue economy sectors like tourism.

The 10-year bond was sold directly to three social impact investors based in the United States; Calvert Impact Capital, Nuveen, and Prudential, through Standard Chartered which served as the placement agent, said the World Bank, which supported the issuance.

“The general population will benefit from a healthier marine environment and increased food security,” said the Bank, which offered a partial guarantee for the bond.

In February, Seychelles gave details on the first 210,000 square kilometer (81,000 square miles) area to be conserved, limiting activities like fishing, oil exploration and large-scale development in the most fragile habitats, while allowing them under certain conditions in the rest of the area. 

The archipelago of fewer than 100,000 people mainly relies on tourism and fishing for revenue, but in recent years oil and gas companies have been exploring its turquoise waters, home to dugongs, turtles and tuna.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ion-with-worlds-first-blue-bond-idUSKCN1N41HO


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## hkskyline

Nov 10, 2018
*Rains and floods kill eight in Jordan, force tourists to flee Petra*
_Excerpt_

AMMAN (Reuters) - Heavy rains and flooding killed at least eight people in Jordan and forced authorities to evacuate more then 3,700 tourists from the ancient city of Petra on Friday, officials said.

The visitors were taken to safe areas before flash floods inundated parts of the mountainous city famed for its carved rock ruins, government spokeswoman Jumana Ghunaimat said.

Authorities declared a state of emergency in the Red Sea port city of Aqaba further south as downpours started in the afternoon.

Civil defense divers searched for five people whose car was swept away by floods in the Madaba area, southwest of the capital, state news agency Petra said.

A major highway that links Amman with the south was also closed. The government announced the closure of universities and schools on Saturday and mosques were opened to shelter civilians in areas hit by the floods.


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## hkskyline

Nov 12, 2018
*Colombia's island fishermen dive into battle to protect coral reefs*
_Excerpt_

SAN ANDRES, Colombia (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - For nearly three decades, Javier Barker has fished in the Caribbean Sea surrounding the Colombian island of San Andres - but until recently he knew little about the importance of coral reefs that fish depend on to survive.

“I used to think corals were just hard stones. I didn’t know that corals are living creatures,” said 40-year-old Barker, who began line fishing as a teenager with his family.

“I now know corals are cradles for fish, and healthier corals equals more fish so corals are important for everyone,” he said.

Worldwide, coral reefs from the Caribbean to the Pacific Ocean have come under growing stress as a result of rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change and other human-induced pressures including overfishing, pollution and tourism.

Now fishermen are being enlisted in the fight to protect them.

Barker is one of nearly 40 artisanal fishermen in Colombia’s archipelago of San Andres and Providencia, in the western Caribbean, who are being paid $125 a month by the government to farm coral in an undersea gardening project.

CORAL SEA FARMS

The project, overseen by Colombia’s government agency Coralina - tasked with promoting sustainable development in the archipelago - and by environmental group Conservation International Colombia, is billed as the second largest coral conservation project in the Caribbean, after one in Belize.

As part of the project, that began last year, about 10,000 fragments of coral are being reared in floating underwater nurseries in the emerald green waters around the archipelago, which is home to 80 percent of Colombia’s tropical reefs.

Project supporters hope corals grown in the nurseries can replenish and restore existing reef coral colonies in an area covering 60 hectares (150 acres).

The archipelago was declared a protected marine area - the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve - by the United Nations’ cultural agency UNESCO in 2000.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...o-battle-to-protect-coral-reefs-idUSKCN1NH142


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## hkskyline

Nov 20, 2018
*Top Egyptian travel company sees sector recovering as tourists return*
_Excerpt_

CAIRO (Reuters) - One of the biggest Egyptian travel companies, Travco Group, said on Tuesday that hotel bookings are rising as tourists return to the country after years of political turmoil and security concerns.

Tourism is a cornerstone of Egypt’s economy, a source of income for millions of citizens and a major source of foreign exchange. But the sector suffered severely in the years following 2011’s popular uprising and was further hampered by a spate of militant attacks which targeted visitors.

Egypt’s revenues from tourism jumped 77 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2018 to $4.8 billion, while the number of tourists arriving in the country increased by 41 percent to just over 5 million.

Travco Group, which owns over 40 hotels in Egypt and abroad and is the local agent for Germany’s TUI Group, raised its prices by 30-35 percent at the beginning of this winter season, its CEO Hamed El Chiaty told Reuters in an interview.

“The level of tourist bookings during the current winter holiday season in Egypt is promising,” Chiaty said, adding that bookings from Germany, Italy, Poland and Ukraine were particularly promising.

In a devastating blow to the already struggling sector, Russia halted all flights to Egypt, and Britain stopped flights to Sinai, after an Islamist militant bomb attack brought down a Russian passenger plane in October 2015, killing everyone on board.

There have not been any major attacks aimed at the tourist sector in well over a year and Russia resumed flights to Cairo in April, although it has yet to authorize its aircraft to land in the Red Sea resort of Sham al-Sheikh.


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## hkskyline

Dec 4, 2018
*Tourism and marine parks threaten Thailand's 'people of the sea'*
_Excerpt_

RAWAI BEACH, Thailand (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Sutem Lakkao’s grandmother and father died, they were buried much as their ancestors had been: on the beach, close to their beloved boats so they could listen to the waves and watch over the Chao Lay community of fisherfolk in their afterlife.

But when his time comes, Sutem will be laid to rest in a cemetery where all he will hear is the roar of traffic on Phuket, Thailand’s largest island and a key tourism destination.

The land in which Sutem’s ancestors were buried now heaves with daytrippers taking selfies, while the Urak Lawoi community of the Chao Lay are confined to a small patch of Phuket’s Rawai beach that is also claimed by developers and individuals.

“Our way of life of the olden days is gone - when we could fish anywhere, and we had a connection to the land because of our ancestors’ burial site and spiritual shrines,” said Sutem.

“We do not have that connection any more,” he said standing on the sandy beach of Koh He, a small island off Phuket’s southern coast, where his ancestors were once buried.

The Chao Lay, or people of the sea, have lived on the shores of Thailand and Myanmar for generations, fishing and foraging.

Some, like the Moken, are nomadic, spending weeks on the sea and free-diving to spear fish. Others, like the Urak Lawoi on Rawai beach in Phuket, have a more settled life while fishing in the Andaman Sea with their traps of rattan and wire.

They grabbed the world’s attention in 2004 when they escaped the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami by fleeing to higher ground when they saw the waters recede.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ten-thailands-people-of-the-sea-idUSKBN1O30EX


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## hkskyline

*These Are the World’s Hottest Travel Destinations of 2018*
Bloomberg _Excerpt_
December 4, 2018

Jerusalem is poised to lead growth in inbound arrivals, making the Israeli city one of the world’s most popular travel destinations in a year in which Japan and India continued to lure visitors, Euromonitor International said.

Worldwide, inbound arrivals will probably increase 5 percent to reach 1.4 billion trips in 2018, according to the London-based market research company’s Top 100 City Destinations report, released Tuesday.

Jerusalem will drive the expansion, with growth set to accelerate 38 percent to 4.8 million arrivals by the end of the year, after a 32 percent jump in 2017. The holy city is benefiting from “relative stability and a strong marketing push,” the report said.

Arrivals to this year’s top-100 city destinations are poised to increase by 7.5 percent overall, with city hubs extending their importance for the global travel industry, said Wouter Geerts, a travel research consultant with Euromonitor. Asia continues to rise in the rankings, accounting for 41 out of this year’s top 100 cities.

Other areas of the Middle East and Africa will probably benefit least, with cities such as Jerba and Sousse in Tunisia, and Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, dropping out of the rankings “mainly due to terrorist attacks and subsequent slumping demand,” Geerts said, adding that Cairo is defying the trend with a resurgence in arrivals.

Japan and India stand out for their strong growth in inbound city arrivals. Cities such as Osaka and Chiba have shown average annual growth of 43 percent and 35 percent respectively from 2012 to 2017, while Delhi and Mumbai have averaged more than 20 percent annual growth.

Porto, named Europe’s leading destination at the 2018 World Travel Awards, is another city to watch, according to Euromonitor. 

More : https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...international-visitor-growth-as-tourism-booms


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## hkskyline

Dec 15, 2018
*Western tourists trickle into Saudi Arabia as it tries to open up*
_Excerpt_

RIYADH (Reuters) - Western tourists, a rarity in Saudi Arabia, visited this weekend under a new visa system, as one of the world’s most inaccessible countries tries to open up its society and diversify its economy away from oil.

Thousands of fans flocked to Riyadh’s historic Diriyah district for Formula E, a motor sports tournament using electric vehicles, and concerts including by David Guetta and Black Eyed Peas.

Most were Saudis still unaccustomed to such entertainment in their own country, where cinemas and public concerts were banned until changes by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the past two years.

Despite an international outcry over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi-led war in Yemen, some Westerners also seized the opportunity to visit a country that still largely restricts foreigners to resident workers and their dependents, business visitors, and Muslim pilgrims.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...i-arabia-as-it-tries-to-open-up-idUSKBN1OE0J7


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## hkskyline

Jan 2, 2019
*Saudi PIF entertainment company plans to build leisure complex in Riyadh*
_Excerpt_

DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia announced plans on Wednesday to build an entertainment complex in the capital Riyadh, the latest in a series of state-backed efforts to encourage public leisure activities after decades of tight social restrictions.

The 100,000 square meter complex will be developed by the Saudi Entertainment Ventures Company (SEVEN), a wholly owned subsidiary of the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, according to a statement carried by state news agency SPA.

The project will feature sports activities, live performances, restaurants and cinemas, it said. It did not specify the value of the investment.

The Public Investment Fund established SEVEN last year with initial funding of 10 billion riyals ($2.67 billion) and hired former Disney executive Bill Ernest to run it.

The company aims to set up about 20 entertainment centers around the country over the next several years, as Saudi Arabia tries to use the leisure sector to create jobs, liberalize social norms and diversify the economy beyond oil exports.

SEVEN has already opened the kingdom’s first cinema in nearly four decades, in partnership with U.S. based AMC Group, and hopes to attract private companies to invest alongside it at all of its projects.

Those plans could be complicated by fallout from the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate in October, which has led some foreign media and technology companies to distance themselves from the kingdom.


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## hkskyline

Jan 2, 2019
*Philippine Airlines seeks Saudi overfly permit for direct route to Israel*
_Excerpt_

MANILA/TEL AVIV (Reuters) - The Philippines has requested permission for its flag carrier [PHL.UL] to overfly Saudi Arabia en route to Israel, the company president said, seeking to become the second airline to win such rights after a decades-long ban by Riyadh.

Should Philippine Airlines get an overflight permit, which would save on flight time and costs, it could launch direct service to Tel Aviv within six months, airline president Jaime Bautista said on Wednesday.

“The Civil Aeronautics Board wrote to Saudi authorities asking for overflight (rights),” Bautista told Reuters. “A letter was sent in October.”

Last March, Saudi Arabia opened its airspace for the first time to a commercial flight to Israel for an Air India route between New Delhi and Tel Aviv.

Saudi Arabia does not recognize Israel and the move ended a 70-year-old ban, marking a diplomatic shift as Israel attempts to reach out to Gulf Arab states that share its concern over Iran’s regional activities.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...rmit-for-direct-route-to-israel-idUSKCN1OW12U


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## hkskyline

Jan 9, 2019
*Vinci to fund Lisbon airport projects as Portuguese tourism booms*
_Excerpt_

PARIS/LISBON (Reuters) - France’s Vinci (SGEF.PA) has agreed to provide 1.15 billion euros ($1.32 billion) in funding for the expansion of Lisbon’s main airport and the construction of a new hub in nearby Montijo opposed by environmental campaigners, it said on Tuesday.

Under the terms of the deal struck with the Portuguese government, 650 million euros of the investment will be used for the first phase of the expansion of Lisbon airport, while 500 million euros will fund the new Montijo site, Vinci said.

As visitor numbers reach record levels, Portugal’s tourism sector has grown increasingly frustrated with Lisbon’s main airport near the city center, which is operating at full capacity.

But the plan for a new airport, under consideration for five decades, has also proved controversial and is still uncertain.

It has been blocked by an initial environmental impact study, and its advancement depends on the approval of a second study.

“We will do everything possible, once the environmental impact study proves favorable, for the operation to start immediately,” Prime Minister Antonio Costa said at the deal signing with Vinci. “Every day of delay will add to the 50 years we have been waiting for a solution to the airport.”

The airport, which if approved could be ready in 2022, would be built on the site of a military airfield on the bank of the Tagus River estuary, a spot frequented by flocks of migratory birds and other wildlife.


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## hkskyline

Jan 14, 2019
*Millions expected to throng Indian city for world's largest religious festival*
_Excerpt_

PRAYAGRAJ, India (Reuters) - Pilgrims from across the world are gathering in India for the Kumbh Mela, a heady mix of spirituality, politics and tourism that begins on Tuesday, garnering extra attention ahead of a general election in the Hindu-majority country this year.

During the eight-week festival at Prayagraj in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, authorities expect up to 150 million people, including a million foreign visitors, to bathe at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and a mythical third river, the Saraswati.

Devout Hindus believe that bathing in the waters of the Ganges absolves people of sins and bathing at the time of the Kumbh Mela, or the “festival of the pot”, brings salvation from the cycle of life and death.

“Belief is what brings us here, to bathe in the waters despite the cold,” said Ram Krishna Dwivedi, making his way back from the shore dressed in flowing white robes.

More than 80 percent of India’s 1.3 billion people are Hindus, many of them deeply religious despite an increasingly Westernized middle class.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...rlds-largest-religious-festival-idUSKCN1P80DK


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## hkskyline

Feb 2, 2019
*From smarter energy to less plastic, Caribbean resorts go green*
_Excerpt_

ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - At home in the United States, Kerrie Springer takes pride in being environmentally conscious. So when she booked a week’s getaway at the Bucuti and Tara Beach Resort in Aruba, she choose the “green stay” option, agreeing to reuse her sheets and towels rather than have them changed each day.

“You don’t do that at home, so why do it at a resort?” asked Springer, who visited the resort with her husband.

“Water in the Caribbean is precious, so why use it if you do not have to?”

Environmentally friendly tourism options – available at a growing string of hotels across the Caribbean – are proving popular with tourists, helping curb climate change and waste, industry groups say.

The Bucuti and Tara resort last August was certified as 100 percent carbon neutral by Natural Capital Partners, an international organization that works to promote low-carbon sustainable development.

The resort, established by Austrian Ewald Biemans in 1987, after he moved to Aruba in the 1960s, is known for its use of renewable energy, smaller portions at meal time to reduce food waste, and reuseable containers for everything from ketchup to shampoo.

Those kinds of changes are catching on around the Caribbean, with a range of hotels and resorts eliminating single-use plastics such as straws, water bottles and shampoo containers.

Others are switching to more efficient air conditioners and refrigerators and installing LED lights, officials say.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...stic-caribbean-resorts-go-green-idUSKCN1PQ5KX


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## hkskyline

Feb 4, 2019
*Saudi antiquities site, long seen as haunted, tries to woo visitors*
_Excerpt_


Elephant Mountain, Madain Saleh, Al Ula by Haseeb Sohail Photography, on Flickr

AL ULA, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - In a remote northern corner of Saudi Arabia sit the relics of an ancient civilization, which the kingdom hopes to turn into a global tourism destination as it tries to open up to the world and diversify its economy away from oil.

Backed by billions of dollars in state-led investment and a French cultural partnership, the authorities expect al-Ula and its majestic rock-hewn tombs of Madain Saleh could eventually attract millions of visitors, local and foreign alike.

That is generating excitement in the kingdom, while upending a superstition among many Saudis - and long-backed by religious edicts - that the area is haunted by jinn, the malevolent spirits of the Koran and Arabian mythology, and must be avoided.

Al-Ula’s development is part of a push to preserve pre-Islamic heritage sites in order to attract non-Muslim tourists, strengthen national identity and temper the austere strain of Sunni Islam that has dominated Saudi Arabia for decades.

Madain Saleh, a UNESCO World Heritage site located there, is a 2,000-year-old city carved into desert rocks by the Nabateans, the pre-Islamic Arab people that also built Petra in neighboring Jordan.

Elaborately carved multi-storey facades with epigraphs inscribed into the red sandstone give way to internal chambers where bodies were once laid to rest. At night, stars twinkle in the vast desert sky.

Superstition about the site can be traced back to a hadith, or saying attributed to the Prophet Mohammad, warning Muslims not to enter “unless you are crying ... lest you suffer the affliction” of its people, said to have perished for their sins.

While interpretation of that passage is nowadays contested, Saudi state-backed clerics had referenced it for years. In 2012, one of them ruled that al-Ula should be opened to the public, but even years later a school in the area was temporarily closed after students sighted jinn, local media reported.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...s-haunted-tries-to-woo-visitors-idUSKCN1PT1CK


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## hkskyline

Mar 27, 2019
*Chill waters, arid land: climate change arrives on Easter Island*
_Excerpt_

EASTER ISLAND, Chile (Reuters) - Ludovic Burns Tuki first felt the chill of climate change while diving in the waters around his home on Easter Island, locally known as Rapa Nui, a remote land mass in the South Pacific famed for its distinctive ancient stone statues.

The Polynesian diver has swum in these waters all his life, but found himself recently needing to wear a wet suit as water temperatures have dropped around the island, which sits isolated some 3,700 kilometers (2,299 miles) west of continental Chile.

“We are facing a problem that is becoming a reality. In the years that I have been a diver, I have seen changes that are affecting us all along the coasts,” Burns Tuki, who heads the local environmental association Mesa del Mar, told Reuters.

The famed island is starting to feel the impact of climate change, from the cooler waters caused by fluctuating global temperatures to a record drought, which has drained the island’s wetlands and put its freshwater reserves at risk.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...change-arrives-on-easter-island-idUSKCN1R812M


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## hkskyline

*Airbnb to invest $100-200 million in India's OYO - source*
Apr 1, 2019
Reuters _Excerpt_

Home-renting company Airbnb will invest between $100 and $200 million in SoftBank Group-backed Indian hotel start-up OYO, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as it dives deeper into the hotel-booking business.

Airbnb said earlier on Monday it has invested in OYO’s latest funding round and it will look at ways to make the Indian start-up’s accommodation available on its platform. It did not disclose details of the deal.

The investment will give U.S.-based Airbnb access to a variety of franchised or leased hotels, helping it lure travelers who have shied away from the risks and quirks of renting a stranger’s home.

irbnb, last month bought HotelTonight, an app for finding hotel rooms at a discount, with an eye on a variety of travelers ahead of the U.S. company’s hotly anticipated initial public offering.

“Emerging markets like India and China are some of Airbnb’s fastest-growing, with our growth increasingly powered by tourism to and from these markets,” said Greg Greeley, president of homes, Airbnb.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...00-million-in-indias-oyo-source-idUSKCN1RD1N5


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## hkskyline

* Belize more than doubles protected marine area*
Reuters _Excerpt_
Apr 6, 2019

Belize has approved a plan to set aside nearly 12 percent of its territorial waters as a protected area, more than doubling the size of existing reserves in the world’s second largest barrier reef.

The major expansion of the small Caribbean island’s protected areas follows a six-year effort by international scientists and conservation groups led by Belizeans, the Environmental Defense Fund said in a statement on Friday.

The coalition found zones that can protect marine habitat and allow for recovery of degraded ecosystems, while helping replenish fish stocks, the EDF said.

Coral reefs, diverse marine ecosystems formed from tiny organisms, have faced intensifying stress worldwide from rising ocean temperatures compounded by overfishing, pollution and tourism.

Scientists say they are key barometers of global warming.

The Belize cabinet agreed Tuesday to increase the country’s marine “replenishment zones” - globally recognized fisheries management tools to protect habitats - from 4.5 percent to 11.6 percent, according to a government statement.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...n-doubles-protected-marine-area-idUSKCN1RH29X


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## hkskyline

April 6, 2019
*Mayors of the world unite to tackle challenges of mass tourism*
_Excerpt_

LISBON (Reuters) - As major cities struggle to tackle the challenges of mass tourism, mayors from around the world gathered in Lisbon and adopted a first of its kind declaration to ensure the growing sector is beneficial for both visitors and locals alike.

Mayors and vice mayors from 16 cities including Lisbon, Barcelona, Paris, Sao Paulo and Seoul pledged on Friday to put sustainability at the core of the tourism industry by using new technologies to build “cities for all”.

The declaration comes at a time that low-cost airlines have created tourism booms in many leading cities, but at the same time prompting outcries from locals who have been pushed out because of surging house prices due to short-term rentals.

“We truly believe innovation can lead to many solutions to problematic issues in urban tourism development,” said Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary general of the World Tourism Organisation.

The declaration highlighted the contribution of tourism to cities’ economies but it also acknowledged some of the challenges, including pressure on infrastructure, relationships between visitors and locals and fair working conditions.

“Lisbon needs to have a strong economy and tourism is part of that but we also need quality of life, public services adapted to a growing number of visitors and we need a city where there is access to fundamental rights, including housing,” Lisbon’s mayor Fernando Medina told reporters.

More : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ckle-challenges-of-mass-tourism-idUSKCN1RH22B


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## hkskyline

*First hotel with sleeping capsules opens in Slovenian capital*
Apr 9, 2019

LJUBLJANA (Reuters) - Tourists who visit Ljubljana can now stay in the Slovenian capital’s first sleeping capsules after the city’s Central Hotel put up 10 capsules in a former telephone switchboard room. 

“This is a new story in Slovenia,” said Matej Rigelnik, chief executive officer of the hotel.

Slovenia, the native country of US First Lady Melania Trump, has seen a surge in tourism since it joined the European Union in 2004 and the eurozone in 2007.

The Alpine state’s capital has a picturesque medieval center that stretches along the Ljubljanica river and a castle on a hill above the center.

Last year the number overnight stays by foreign tourists in Slovenia jumped by 15.4 percent, with most of them coming from Germany, Italy, Austria, Netherlands and Croatia.


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## hkskyline

* Spain not discussing UK travel corridor but will welcome thousands of German tourists * 
_Excerpt_
June 9, 2020

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain is not discussing a travel corridor with Britain, a Spanish foreign ministry source told Reuters on Tuesday, but it will allow nearly 11,000 German tourists to visit the Balearic Islands two weeks before officially reopening its borders.

With summer fast approaching, a key question is whether and how tourists will be able to travel across Europe — particularly those from the United Kingdom, which on Monday imposed a 14-day quarantine on foreign visitors.

A UK tourism group said corridors allowing unrestricted movement with a number of countries would open from June 29, but the British embassy in Madrid said the government had not yet discussed such a proposal with other countries.

Portugal has said it is discussing an arrangement to exempt returning British holidaymakers from quarantine but Spain has no plans to do the same, the foreign ministry source said.

Severely affected by the pandemic, Spain now seems to have it under control. But it has taken a stricter approach than other countries and plans to start opening its borders to foreign visitors only on July 1.

More : Spain not discussing UK travel corridor but will welcome thousands of German tourists


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## hkskyline

* With healthcare in focus, Cyprus reopens for visitors *
_Excerpt_
June 9, 2020

LARNACA, Cyprus (Reuters) - Cyprus reopened its airports on Tuesday after almost three months of lockdown, hoping its record in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and a pledge of free medical treatment for any COVID-19 cases will lure tourists back to its beaches.

Heavily reliant on tourism, Cyprus announced a lockdown soon after its first cases on March 9. By Monday, it had recorded 970 cases and just 18 deaths, and its daily count of new infections was down to a handful.

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos welcomed 22 arrivals from Israel at Larnaka Airport, saying Cyprus was in effect free of the virus.

More : With healthcare in focus, Cyprus reopens for visitors


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## hkskyline

* Jobs gone, investments wasted: Africa's deserted safaris leave mounting toll *
_Excerpt_
June 11, 2020

MABARHULE, South Africa (Reuters) - When Khimbini Hlongwane spent most of his small safari tour company’s savings on the deposit for a new minibus in February, it seemed like a safe bet.

His revenues had doubled in the previous year. And bookings by American, British, and Brazilian tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of elephants, giraffes and lions at South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park were up.

Now, with borders closed and airlines grounded due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa’s multi-billion-dollar safari industry is unravelling and he can no longer afford the payments on the new 21-seater, which sits collecting dust in the parking lot.

“It hasn’t moved since the day we bought it,” said Hlongwane, who has been forced to stop paying the salaries of his five employees. “We could’ve been using that money to survive right now.”

From Kenya’s Masai Mara to the Okavango Delta in Botswana, rural communities that depend on safaris for income are seeing their livelihoods and dreams shattered. Hundreds of thousands of people rely on the sector, not to mention their dependents.

More : Jobs gone, investments wasted: Africa's deserted safaris leave mounting toll


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## hkskyline

* Lack of international visitors a chance for Canadians to see nation's tourist attractions this summer *
CBC _Excerpt_
June 11, 2020

As the majority of national parks opened earlier this month, Nick Schlachter was waiting in his truck at the front of the line to access Banff National Park's Lake Minnewanka, a picturesque glacial lake surrounded by towering mountains and lush forests near Banff, Alta.

He couldn't wait for the park to open for the first time this season and get his boat on the open water.

"It's been a long three months. Everyone has been cooped up, and it's time to get out and get some lake trout," said Schlachter, who lives in Canmore, Alta. "It's time to go."

The lake is a tourist magnet, but this year, the water will be noticeably quieter, as will the nearby bike paths, cafe and campground.

With international visitors staying away due to the pandemic and border restrictions, this will be a summer like no other and presents an opportunity for Canadians to rediscover the many world-renowned attractions and locations, such as Banff, Montreal and Victoria. 

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/la...n-s-tourist-attractions-this-summer-1.5600122


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## hkskyline

* Egypt to allow foreigners to return to some resorts from July 1 *
_Excerpt_
June 11, 2020

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt will allow scheduled international flights and foreign tourists to resorts that have been least affected by the coronavirus starting from July 1, the cabinet said.

Egypt suspended regular international flights in March and shut down restaurants, hotels and cafes.

Airports remain closed to all but domestic and repatriation flights, but hotels were last month allowed to reopen for domestic tourists at reduced capacity if they met strict health protocols.

The areas opening up are southern Sinai, where the resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab are located, and Red Sea province, home to the Hurghada and Marsa Alam resorts, as well as Marsa Matrouh on the Mediterranean, the cabinet statement said.

The pandemic has shut down Egypt’s tourist sector, which accounts for 5% of GDP.

More : Egypt to open seaside resorts to foreigners from July 1


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## hkskyline

* Which countries are open for summer travel? Here’s the list *
CNBC _Excerpt_
June 12, 2020

Many of the world’s greatest travel destinations are reopening to international travelers this summer.

But not all openings are created equal. A handful of countries are letting in everyone, while others are inviting only a select few.

Here is a definitive guide to the countries that are now welcoming travelers — or have indicated they will before August.

Do consider:

We are excluding countries that require a 14-day quarantine upon entering; we assume even those staying at the poshest of places want to occasionally leave their rooms.
Importantly, this is a list of where you can go — not whether you can ease back into your home country. Americans who have always dreamed of seeing the Maldives can likely do so only if they’ve got the vacation time for a 14-day quarantine upon returning home.
Nearly all countries have special requirements to enter; some are noted.
We will update this list as new information is made public.

More : Which countries are open for summer travel? Here's the list


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## hkskyline

* Cash-short Caribbean confronts hurricane fears after COVID blow *
_Excerpt_
June 10, 2020

BOGOTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Severe thunderstorms in recent weeks over the Bahamas have revived memories of the death and destruction from Hurricane Dorian last year. Islanders are still struggling to recover from that shock as another hurricane season gets underway.

“We were just starting to see a little light at the end of that tunnel when COVID-19 started,” said Stephanie Ferguson, who runs a small customs brokerage firm on Grand Bahama island.

“A lot of people here have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). When they hear the rain, they lose it. And with the isolation and because of COVID, you really can’t hug each other,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

After Dorian, thousands of islanders still live in tents and makeshift shelters and rely on drinking water delivered by truck, while repairs on destroyed homes and hospitals continue.

Ashleigh Lockhart, an officer with aid agency Mercy Corps’ Grand Bahama economic recovery programme, said residents were trying to make sure their roofs were fixed, they had a safe place to stay and were stocked up on supplies.

All of that “has been difficult in advance of the hurricane season because of COVID”, she added.

Coronavirus lockdowns have decimated the economies of small Caribbean island nations that depend heavily on tourism, hampering preparations this year for the hurricane season, which runs from June through November.

More : Cash-short Caribbean confronts hurricane fears after COVID blow


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## hkskyline

* Germany launches coronavirus app as EU eyes travel revival *
_Excerpt_
June 16, 2020

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany appealed to the public on Tuesday to download a new smartphone app to help break the chain of coronavirus infections, one of several such apps that European governments hope will revive travel and tourism safely.

The Corona-Warn-App, now available for Apple and Android devices, uses Bluetooth short-range radio to measure close contacts between people and issues a warning should one of them later test positive for COVID-19.

“This app isn’t a cure-all. It’s not a free pass. But it’s an important additional tool for containing the pandemic,” Health Minister Jens Spahn told a launch event.

More : Germany launches coronavirus app as EU eyes travel revival


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## hkskyline

* U.S. states, cities to lose $16.8 billion in hotel-related taxes, group says * 
_Excerpt_
June 18, 2020

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Plummeting travel due to the coronavirus outbreak will cost U.S. states and local governments $16.8 billion in hotel-related tax revenue this year, according to a report released on Thursday.

Stay-at-home orders aimed at limiting the virus’ spread led to a sharp drop in business and leisure travel, negatively impacting room occupancy taxes and other revenue collected by the governments, according to the Oxford Economics report released by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

The biggest tax losses are in California at $1.9 billion, New York and Florida at $1.3 billion each, and Nevada at $1.1 billion, the report said.

More : U.S. states, cities to lose $16.8 billion in hotel-related taxes, group says


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## hkskyline

* Indigenous tourism industry sets sights on local travellers for summer season * 
CBC _Excerpt_
June 20, 2020

Mike Willie's summers are usually spent guiding European tourists on wildlife excursions through the Great Bear Rainforest where he grew up on B.C.'s Central coast.

Not this year. The owner of Sea Wolf Adventures in Port McNeil on northern Vancouver Island and a member of the Musgamagw Dzawada'enuxw First Nation says he was shocked to see his summer season wither away because of COVID-19.

He's one of several Indigenous tour operators and business owners who hope British Columbians make up for an unconventional tourism season by exploring their own province this summer — and learn some Indigenous history while they're at it.

"Many people travel overseas to witness and take part in ancient cultures. But ... the culture here is at least 14,000 years," he told CBC's All Points West.

"If people want history, you don't need to travel far."

Indigenous tourism was a rapidly-growing $705-million industry before the pandemic.

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/indigenous-tourism-b-c-covid19-1.5618639


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## hkskyline

* Number of unemployed triple in Portugal's tourist-haven Algarve * 
_Excerpt_
June 22, 2020

LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal’s tourism-dependent Algarve region saw its number of unemployed triple in May compared with a year ago as the coronavirus crisis kept foreign visitors away, wiping out thousands of seasonal jobs, data showed on Monday.

In Portugal as a whole, the total of those without jobs rose by 34% from a year earlier to nearly 409,000 people, data from the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training revealed.

The Bank of Portugal forecast last week that the jobless rate, which had been falling steadily under the ruling Socialists, to 6.5% in 2019, would jump to 10.1% this year, slightly above the government’s own estimate of 9.6%. 

More : Number of unemployed triple in Portugal's tourist-haven Algarve


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## hkskyline

* Turkey's lonely tourist attractions face make-or-break week * 
_Excerpt_
June 22, 2020

ISTANBUL/ANTALYA (Reuters) - Turkey’s Mediterranean coasts and historic attractions face a critical week as the government presses to open borders and salvage at least part of a tourist season already battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

With beaches largely empty and many hotels deciding whether to open, Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy told Reuters he hoped the world’s sixth-largest destination could attract up to half of last year’s 45 million arrivals.

But much depends on talks to begin flights from Russia, Germany and Britain - also hard hit by the virus - which should reach some conclusions by early next week, he said.

The stakes are high for Turkey, where a rebound this month in COVID-19 cases has raised concerns in a country where tourism accounts for up to 12% of the economy. Foreign arrivals fell by two thirds in the first five months of the year.

To convince foreigners and their governments that travel is safe, Ankara launched a “healthy tourism” programme including health and hygiene checks, and more than 600 hotels have applied for certification. It is lobbying some 70 countries with a focus on the European Union.

More : Turkey's lonely tourist attractions face make-or-break week


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## hkskyline

* From Canary Islands, royals push to save tourism in Spain * 
_Excerpt_
June 23, 2020

LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA, Spain (Reuters) - Spain’s king and queen visited the Canary Islands on Tuesday to begin a tour intended to help rescue a tourism-dependent economy battered by the coronavirus crisis and a months-long lockdown.

Locals applauded King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia in the regional capital Gran Canaria. Some shouted “Viva!” as the king bumped elbows with people to avoid shaking hands.

He and Queen Letizia met tourism sector representatives on the popular Spanish archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa. Their “Spain for Sure” tour will take them to every region of the country in coming days.

There were signs elsewhere of Spain’s slow re-emergence from the coronavirus confinement, with Madrid’s zoo reopening to eager, mask-wearing families and other animal lovers.

“(I came) to enjoy the animals,” primary schooler Adrian Gomez said from his vantage point by the monkey enclosure. “We really wanted to see them!”

More : From Canary Islands, royals push to save tourism in Spain


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## hkskyline

* Tunisia reopens borders to tourists after halting spread of coronavirus * 
Reuters _Excerpt_
June 27, 2020

TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia reopened its land, sea and air borders for the first time in more than three months on Saturday after it announced it had brought the coronavirus outbreak under control.

Some operations restarted at Tunis-Carthage airport, with flights to Rome, Geneva and Paris scheduled to depart.

The government ended all restrictions on movement and businesses after Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh said on June 14 that Tunisia had won the battle against the spread of the virus.

However, the pandemic has severely impacted the tourism sector, which contributes nearly 10% of gross domestic product and is a key source of foreign currency.

More : Tunisia reopens borders to tourists after halting spread of coronavirus


----------



## hkskyline

* How Canada's tourism industry is trying to salvage summer 2020* 
CBC _Excerpt_
June 28, 2020

Canada's tourism industry is facing a reckoning as the summer season starts, with many businesses facing either complete shut down or limited operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some tourism businesses are resorting to unprecedented measures, such as two rival Newfoundland boat tour companies joining forces.

"You get lemons, you gotta make the best to try to make lemonade out of it," said Michael Gatherall, owner of Gatheralls Puffin and Whale Watch in Bay Bulls, Nfld. He's teamed up with nearby rival O'Brien's Boat Tours to stay alive this season.

According to Gatherall, in February he was expecting the summer of 2020 to be one of their best ever. 

COVID-19 changed all of that. And it's a problem across the country.

Further west, the Stratford Festival attracts around half a million visitors, both domestic and international, to the small city of Stratford in southwestern Ontario.

More : https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costoflivi...ry-is-trying-to-salvage-summer-2020-1.5630486


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## hkskyline

* As tourists trickle back to resorts, Greeks have modest expectations *
_Excerpt_
July 3, 2020

RHODES, Greece (Reuters) - Shops shuttered and streets abandoned, the island of Rhodes is pinning its hopes on a trickle of tourists to salvage what is left of a holiday season decimated by the coronavirus pandemic.

One of Greece’s busiest resort islands, the cobbled streets of the imposing medieval city of Rhodes town were empty this week. At this rate, only a few hotels will open this year, locals say.

“We have never experienced anything like this, not at least for the past 50 to 60 years,” said Manolis Markopoulos, head of the hoteliers association in Rhodes.

Greece opened its regional airports, including in Rhodes, to travellers this week.

At present, only about 20 percent of hotels are open, and the next two weeks will be an important gauge of how the season will perform, Markopoulos said.

More : As tourists trickle back to resorts, Greeks have modest expectations


----------



## hkskyline

* India puts back Taj Mahal reopening citing COVID-19 risks *
_Excerpt_
July 5, 2020

NEW DELHI/AGRA (Reuters) - India has withdrawn a planned reopening of the Taj Mahal, citing the risk of new coronavirus infections spreading in the northern city of Agra from visitors flocking to see the 17th century monument to love.

Local authorities issued a new advisory late on Sunday ordering an extension of lockdown curbs on monuments in and around Agra. The government order did not specify the duration of the lockdown for monuments that have been closed since March.

“In the interest of the public, it has been decided that opening monuments in Agra will not be advisable as of now”, the district authorities said in a notice published in Hindi.

More : India puts back Taj Mahal reopening citing COVID-19 risks


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## hkskyline

* Dubai hotels ready to welcome foreign visitors as emirate reopens*
_Excerpt_
July 7, 2020

DUBAI (Reuters) - In Dubai’s Atlantis resort, at the head of a palm tree-shaped island, workers in face masks clean cushions, sofas and king-size beds in luxury suites that have largely been vacant since the coronavirus pandemic.

The resort and seven other hotels in the regional tourism hub contacted by Reuters are seeing business pick up as Dubai reopened to foreign visitors on Tuesday, but do not expect a significant increase before the fourth quarter of 2020.

“Bookings have started to increase,” Tim Kelly, managing director at Atlantis Dubai, said, adding he expected a “solid” fourth quarter for the resort, known for its giant aquarium and water slides.

The resort shut in March as the United Arab Emirates imposed a coronavirus lockdown and reopened in mid-May when restrictions started easing gradually. Curfews were fully lifted late last month and commercial business and public venues have reopened.

The coronavirus outbreak delivered a blow to Dubai, one of the most visited cities globally, where tourism accounts for more than 11% of GDP. Dozens of hotels closed while occupancy rates fell to less than 10% in others.

More : Dubai hotels ready to welcome foreign visitors as emirate reopens


----------



## hkskyline

* Belgians holiday in trees as COVID-19 prompts staycations *
_Excerpt_
July 8, 2020

BORGLOON, Belgium (Reuters) - Rather than take a summer holiday abroad during the coronavirus pandemic, some Belgians are trying a novel camping experience at home, spending a night in a tear drop-shaped tent hanging from a tree.

The idea of Dutch artist Dre Wapenaar, the tree tents double as an art installation and are considered sculpture, rather than a commercially-produced tent.

“The tents are fully booked every summer, but this year, the bookings went much faster. If we had more tents, they would also be taken every day of July and August,” said Katrien Houbey, head of tourism for the eastern town of Borgloon, which has hosted four tents along a tree-lined field since 2011.

More : Belgians holiday in trees as COVID-19 prompts staycations


----------



## hkskyline

* Travel blues for Australian border towns stuck in coronavirus isolation *
_Excerpt_
July 8, 2020

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - From ski resorts to beach cafes, businesses on the border of Australia’s two most populous states are the latest casualties of the novel coronavirus, with Victoria isolated from the rest of the country to stop a surge in infections.

Hotels and campgrounds faced mass cancellations and pubs and cafes prepared to dump food as the state of New South Wales shut its border with Victoria on Tuesday and Victoria’s capital, Melbourne, reimposed lockdowns on Wednesday.

Dealing another blow, New South Wales on Wednesday urged its citizens to stay away from the border region.

“It’s a double whammy for us,” said Mark Francis, chief executive of Murray Regional Tourism, referring to the restrictions on both sides of the border.

“Whilst it’s saving us from a health crisis, it is shutting down the visitor economy.”

More : Travel blues for Australian border towns stuck in coronavirus isolation


----------



## hkskyline

*Rio de Janeiro will reopen beaches when there is a COVID-19 vaccine: mayor*
_Excerpt_
July 10, 2020

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The famous beaches in Brazil’s tourist hot spot of Rio de Janeiro will only reopen officially for sun bathers and swimmers once there is a vaccine for COVID-19, Mayor Marcelo Crivella said on Thursday.

Currently, the city of Rio’s beaches are open for exercise and water sports, although casual beachgoers regularly break those rules to pack the sand on recent weekends, with many not using masks or following social distancing guidelines.

“Where you can’t use masks, the inclination is to only return when there is a vaccine, which is being tested, or when contamination is close to zero,” Crivella told reporters.

“On the beach, you don’t use a mask and the level of infection goes up.”

Brazil is the second-worst-hit country by the novel coronavirus pandemic after the United States, with more than 1.6 million cases of the disease. Rio de Janeiro state has the second-highest death toll in Brazil, with nearly 11,000 people killed.

More : Rio de Janeiro will reopen beaches when there is a COVID-19 vaccine: mayor


----------



## hkskyline

* Île d'Orléans welcomes flocks of Quebec tourists as COVID-19 keeps international travellers home *
CBC _Excerpt_
July 12, 2020

Despite COVID-19 preventing tourists coming from abroad, business owners on l'Île d'Orléans say their shops are bustling.

"I think we'll have a very good season, and we're very happy about that," said Marie-Maude Chevrier, a tourism advisor for the MRC L'Île-d'Orléans, east of Quebec City.

According to Chevrier, there may be less traffic in museums and art galleries, but the take-out restaurants, farms, chocolatiers and agri-tourism businesses are booming.

She says that boom is thanks to Quebecers visiting from elsewhere in the province.

Chevrier credits the strong visitor numbers to a marketing campaign encouraging regional tourism, and said many people stopping at the tourism information centre have said it was their first trip to the island. 

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/ile-oreleans-covid-19-1.5644673


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## hkskyline

* Before the virus, Asia's ecosystems were buckling under overtourism. When the tourists return, it has to be different *
CNN _Excerpt_
July 13, 2020

Before the pandemic put a stop to most international travel, each year millions of people flocked to Southeast Asia's white sandy beaches, ancient temples and diverse wildlife.

Last year, 133 million tourists visited the region, spurred by an increase in arrivals from China, which is now the world's largest market for outbound travel.

In some places the crowds became so intense it caused locals, environmentalists and even governments to complain that overtourism was pushing the region's fragile ecosystems to breaking point.

Coral die-offs, vanishing marine life, damaged cultural sites and idyllic islands overflowing with plastic and human waste were all blamed on too many tourists -- and the unchecked development set up to attract and accommodate them.

Then the global coronavirus pandemic struck. Countries went into lockdown. International travel dramatically reduced. And the tourists were largely gone.

More : Before the virus, Asia's ecosystems were buckling under overtourism. When the tourists return, it has to be different


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## jamesmith1

How much time it will take to come its in normal routine of travel in India


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## hkskyline

* Portugal: UK COVID-19 quarantine restriction hits tourism in the Algarve *
euronews _Excerpt_
July 11, 2020

As with many regions in Europe that rely on tourism, Portugal's Algarve is being badly hit by coronavirus travel restrictions.

Industry analysts say only about a third of the usual number of tourists will visit this summer.

Around 30 percent of the Algarve's tourists usually come from the UK and about half of all tourists arriving at the main airport, Faro, are from there.

More : Portugal: UK COVID-19 quarantine restriction hits Algarve tourism


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## hkskyline

* Japan's domestic tourism campaign faces uncertainty as coronavirus spikes in Tokyo *
_Excerpt_
July 16, 2020

TOKYO (Reuters) - A multi-billion dollar Japanese campaign to boost domestic tourism faced uncertainty on Thursday as coronavirus cases grew in Tokyo, with government ministers and experts looking at ways to stop the virus being spread from the capital.

Minister of Transport Kazuyoshi Akaba told reporters he was proposing implementing the “Go To” campaign but without travel to and from the capital, where new cases of the coronavirus are causing alarm.

“I would like to hear what our experts think about starting it on July 22 with Tokyo residents, or the city as a destination, not included,” Akaba told reporters.

The concerns in Japan highlight a conundrum facing countries around the world over how to balance reviving economies battered by the coronavirus while safeguarding public health.

Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura was also due to meet the experts to discuss the tourism campaign a day after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike questioned its timing and methods.

More : Japan's domestic tourism campaign faces uncertainty as coronavirus spikes in Tokyo


----------



## hkskyline

* Visitor numbers in London's West End down 73% on year since lockdown eased *
_Excerpt_
July 16, 2020

LONDON (Reuters) - Visitors to London’s West End shopping and entertainment district are down 73% year-on-year since lockdown restrictions were eased on June 15, an industry lobby group said on Thursday, warning the lack of trade was putting 50,000 jobs at risk.

Britain’s retailers, already struggling with high rents, business taxes, tight margins and online competition, were particularly hammered by the lockdown. Thousands of job losses have already been announced.

The New West End Company said that without further government action, businesses in the area were facing 5 billion pounds ($6.3 billion) of lost sales. It represents 600 retail, restaurant, hotel and property owners across one of the world’s top shopping and leisure destinations — encompassing Oxford Street, Bond Street, Regent Street and Mayfair.

More : Visitor numbers in London's West End down 73% on year since lockdown eased


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## hkskyline

* Cracking down on drunken crowds, Mallorca shuts party streets *
_Excerpt_
July 16, 2020

MADRID (Reuters) - Authorities on the Spanish island of Mallorca ordered the closure of three popular party streets on Wednesday in a bid to prevent drunken tourists from flouting coronavirus restrictions and risking a fresh outbreak.

The move comes after several widely circulated videos showed German and British tourists partying in packed bars without face masks and, in one case, jumping up and down on a parked car.

“The objective is to prevent antisocial behaviour which could jeopardise what has been achieved in terms of a safe restart for the tourism sector,” the Balearic Islands’ regional government said in a statement.

Shops, bars and restaurants on Punta Ballena street in the resort of Magaluf, notorious for attracting young, rowdy Britons, will be closed for an undetermined period of time.

In the Palma Beach area, two streets known as Calle de la Cerveza and Calle del Jamon will also be closed.

More : Cracking down on drunken crowds, Mallorca shuts party streets


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## hkskyline

* Penghu sees hike in visitors as pandemic eases in Taiwan *
_Excerpt_
July 19, 2020 

Taipei, July 19 (CNA) Domestic tourism has received a significant boost as the COVID-19 pandemic eases in Taiwan, with the offshore archipelago of Penghu one of the top travel destinations, according to a Penghu County government press release on Sunday.

With overseas travel restrictions still in place, many people in Taiwan have chosen to visit Penghu, a collection of about 90 islands located in the Taiwan Strait midway between Taiwan and China.

According to the county government, summer has always been peak travel season for Penghu, but this year it has been particularly busy because people in Taiwan are eager to travel as COVID-19 fears ease in the country but overseas travel remains difficult.

County government numbers show that from July 1-18, a total of 153,135 people arrived in Penghu either by air (113,577) or by sea (39,558).

The arrivals surpassed the total number of visitors in July 2019, which stood at 132,860, said the press release. 

More : https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202007190005


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## hkskyline

*Cruise ships return to Danube with strict safety rules on board *
_Excerpt_
July 20, 2020

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - River cruises are making a quiet comeback on the Danube after the COVID-19 pandemic brought global tourism to a standstill and forced companies to suspend voyages.

Holiday makers are adapting to strict new safety measures on the elegant ships with Germany’s Nicko Cruises the first to restart Danube trips on June 22.

The company is now operating three vessels for the six to eight-day trips from Passau, in Germany, to Budapest, passing scenic hills and old castles along the way.

“Normally, we have 90% occupancy, this year we have around 70%. There are no limits to how many guests you can have on board, so we are glad for every guest we have,” said cruise manager Alexander Steiner on board the vessel NickoVISION which was docked in central Budapest.

Guests come mostly from Germany, Austria and Switzerland as there are still travel limitations on groups coming in from the United States, United Kingdom and Israel, he said.

Passengers must take a COVID blood test before coming onboard, and wear masks when moving around. Tables are placed well apart with dividing screens and waiters wear masks and gloves.

Guests have their temperatures checked daily, and special safety rules apply for excursions.

More : Cruise ships return to Danube with strict safety rules on board


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## hkskyline

* How South Africa and Rwanda are coping without tourists *
BBC _Excerpt_
July 22, 2020

With its game parks, beaches and historic sites, Africa attracts a huge number of foreign tourists but numbers are sharply down because of the coronavirus outbreak, writes Larry Madowo.

Maria Maile has been cooking lunches and hosting overnight guests at her home in South Africa's coastal city of Cape Town since her first three guests checked in nearly 22 years ago.

She lives there with her daughter and three grandchildren, but the spare room has been available to book - until that is the coronavirus outbreak shut down South Africa, and her business, in March.

"Guests are not coming in so the only income I'm getting is the social grant from the government," she told me from her home in Cape Town's Khayelitsha township.

"I fear for myself as well because I'm 70. I need the money, but my health comes first," she added.

Ms Maile's predicament underscores how the pandemic has crippled Africa's tourism industry, depleted much needed foreign exchange earnings and left millions out of work.

More : Cheetahs and gorillas but few tourists to see them


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## hkskyline

*European tourism faces turbulence only weeks after restart *
July 27, 2020
_Excerpt_

BERLIN (AP) — Europe’s tourism revival is running into turbulence only weeks after countries reopened their borders, with rising infections in Spain and other nations causing increasing concern among health authorities over people bringing the coronavirus home from their summer vacations.

European countries started opening up to each other’s tourists in mid-June, but recent events have shown that the new freedom to travel is subject to setbacks. Over the weekend, Britain imposed a 14-day quarantine on travelers arriving from Spain, Norway ordered a 10-day quarantine for people returning from the entire Iberian peninsula, and France urged its citizens not to visit Spain’s Catalonia region.

In Austria, the lakeside resort town of St. Wolfgang shortened bar opening hours after an outbreak was detected on Friday. By Monday, 53 people had tested positive, including many people working in the tourism industry.

In Germany, officials decided last week to set up testing stations at airports to encourage people arriving from a long list of countries deemed high-risk — including popular destinations such as Turkey — to get tested. They will also allow people to get tested elsewhere for free within three days of arrival.

Bavaria’s governor, Markus Soeder, said he is worried about travelers returning from vacation. Referring to the Austrian ski resort that was an early European hot spot in March, he said: “My worry is not that there will be one big Ischgl, but that there will be many mini-Ischgls.”

Source : European tourism faces turbulence only weeks after restart


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## hkskyline

* SE Asia's biggest travel app Traveloka raises $250 mln as lockdowns ease *
Reuters _Excerpt_
July 28, 2020

Traveloka, Southeast Asia’s largest online travel app, announced on Tuesday it had raised $250 million to help bolster its operations amid the coronavirus crisis, and as domestic travel starts to pick up in the region of 650 million people.

The eight-year-old startup said its funding round was led by a "global financial institution" and included existing investors, such as early backer East Ventures.

Traveloka, which claims more than 60 million downloads, has been battered by the virus outbreak, as Southeast Asian countries shut borders and imposed strict lockdowns, throttling a previously booming tourism industry.

The startup cut jobs, with one of its affiliates, Indonesian hotel aggregator Airy Rooms, shutting down.

But as domestic travel restrictions start to ease in the region, the Jakarta-based firm's chief executive said it "was seeing an encouraging recovery across its key markets" due to a resurgence in travel and activity bookings by local holiday-makers.

"Our business in Vietnam has returned to 100% pre-COVID-19 level and Thailand has surpassed 50% pre-COVID-level," Traveloka co-founder & CEO Ferry Unardi said in a statement.

More : SE Asia's biggest travel app Traveloka raises $250 million as lockdowns ease


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## hkskyline

*'No tourist, no dollar': Pandemic decimates livelihoods of Kenya's Maasai *
_Excerpt_
July 31, 2020

MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE, Kenya (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - For more than 50 years, Loiman Letolo, 70, has peddled her colourful beaded necklaces and bracelets to safari-goers at the entrance gates to Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve.

As the annual “Great Migration” of millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles into the Mara’s vast savannah gets underway, Letolo would normally be earning $50 a day from the droves of binocular-wielding tourists in their open-top jeeps.

The COVID-19 pandemic has, however, put a stop to that.

Instead, the grandmother of eight - wrapped in a vivid red “shuka”, or shawl, and wearing a face mask - queues with scores of women as community elders dole out rations of maize flour, beans and sugar bought with funds raised from well-wishers.

“I’ve been selling at the roadside since I was a teenager. In all my life, it has never been like this. There have always been tourists,” said Letolo, at the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy, a few kilometres from the Maasai Mara’s Sekenani gate.

More : 'No tourist, no dollar': Pandemic decimates livelihoods of Kenya's Maasai


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## hkskyline

* Bali reopens for domestic tourists with modest ceremony *
Jakarta Post _Excerpt_
July 31, 2020

After a five-month hiatus imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bali was officially reopened for tourism in a modest ceremony in Bali's tourism enclave of Nusa Dua on Thursday evening.

Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Wishnutama and Bali Governor I Wayan Koster were joined by scores of dignitaries as they struck a kulkul (bamboo slit drum) to mark the reopening. Toward the end of the ceremony, they raised their hands in a joint toast featuring the island's locally produced palm spirit of arak.

"This is a historical day, and the decision to reopen the island was not made hastily. It was made after taking into consideration the number of people who have been discharged and recovered, the mortality rate as well as the fact that the island, with regard to the pandemic, now comprises green and yellow zones, no red zones," Luhut said in his speech.

More : Bali reopens for domestic tourists with modest ceremony


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## hkskyline

*Most Brits, French, Germans would skip holiday if tests, masks involved: survey *
_Excerpt_
August 3, 2020

LISBON (Reuters) - As new coronavirus travel restrictions kick in across Europe, a survey showed at least half of German, British and French travellers would rather cancel a holiday than quarantine afterwards, take a test upon arrival, or wear a mask outdoors.

The survey, carried out on July 13-23 and whose results were shared exclusively with Reuters by market research firm YouGov, showed two-thirds of Germans who normally travel abroad would cancel a holiday if they needed a test upon arrival.

Germany this week imposed mandatory coronavirus testing for travellers from 130 countries. 

In France, which implemented testing upon arrival last Saturday for travellers from 12 countries, half of those who normally holiday abroad said they would cancel rather than take a test. The same proportion would call off a holiday if they had to wear a mask outdoors.

In other countries surveyed - Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and Britain - over two thirds would not tolerate mask-wearing outdoors.

More : Most Brits, French, Germans would skip holiday if tests, masks involved: survey


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## hkskyline

* Penguins and jellyfish wow visitors at new Taiwan aquarium *
_Excerpt_ 
Aug 7, 2020

TAOYUAN, Taiwan (Reuters) - From lunch with the penguins to the translucent shimmer of jellyfish and gliding rays, all underwater life was on display at a new aquarium in Taiwan that opened on Friday despite the ravaging effects of coronavirus on global tourism.

It had planned to open at the end of last year, but the pandemic pushed back the launch until now, Xpark Aquarium director of sales Gu Yu said.

“(We) have been expecting Xpark to open for a long time, so we scrambled to get tickets when (we heard) it would open,” said visitor Jiang Liuyu, who was given a temperature check on arrival.

A Japanese bullhead shark is to be a star attraction of a collection of 30,000 fish, drawn from more than 300 species in 13 exhibition areas, the Kyodo news agency said.

The aquarium café, which features penguins swimming through a network of transparent pipes, is also set to delight visitors.

The aquarium in northwestern Taoyuan is a joint venture of Seibu Holdings Inc., which runs Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Japan, and Taiwan’s Cathay Life Insurance, Kyodo said.

More : Penguins and jellyfish wow visitors at new Taiwan aquarium


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## hkskyline

* Kenya's famed wildebeest migration begins without foreign tourist crowds *
_Excerpt_
August 10, 2020

MAASAI MARA,Kenya (Reuters) - Normally, the magnificent plains of Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve are crowded with international tourists hoping to see a lion hunt during the annual wildebeest migration - but this year COVID-19 means Kenyans had it all to themselves.

That’s good news for animal watchers but bad for conservationists who rely on the funds to pay for rangers and protection. By June, Kenya had already lost 80 billion Kenyan shillings ($740 million)in tourism revenue, about half of last year’s total, due to the coronavirus crisis.

This weekend, thousands of mostly Kenyan visitors travelled to the park to witness the migration. There were few foreigners - Kenya shut down international flights in March and only resumed them on Aug. 1. 

More : Kenya's famed wildebeest migration begins without foreign tourist crowds


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## hkskyline

* Canadian tourism sector needs help through ‘very, very dire’ straits: industry heads *[size]
Global News _Excerpt_
Aug 10, 2020

The heads of the country’s tourism industry groups are warning their sector has been decimated by the months-long coronavirus lockdown and needs federal help to survive through “very, very dire” straits until next year.

“It is, across the board, a very, very dire situation,” said Charlotte Bell, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

“Every other sector’s allowed to recover and we’re not,” added Susie Grynol, president and chief executive officer of the Hotel Association of Canada.

Speaking as part of the industry committee’s hearings into the government’s coronavirus pandemic response, the groups stressed that while the sector as a while understands the importance of the physical distancing rules put in place to limit the spread, they urgently need financial help.

Tourism association partners have seen their revenues drop by between 61 and 100 per cent as a result of the restrictions, while hotels have seen a drop of between 70 and 90 per cent since March, they said.

More : Canadian tourism sector needs help through ‘very, very dire’ straits: industry heads


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## hkskyline

* Mauritius tourism, reeling from COVID, now hit by oil spill *
_Excerpt_
Aug 12, 2020

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Tourist operators in Mauritius fear that an oil spill from a Japanese ship will further damage their businesses, already reeling from the coronavirus epidemic, and could cost jobs if their pristine beaches are spoiled.

Tourism generated 63 billion rupees ($1.6 billion) for the economy last year. In May, the central bank said that in the past two months alone, the nation had lost 12 billion rupees in foreign exchange due to the fall in tourism.

More : Mauritius tourism, reeling from COVID, now hit by oil spill


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## hkskyline

* Holiday company TUI loses $1.3 bln as pandemic wipes out revenue *
_Excerpt_ 

LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - TUI, the world’s largest tourism company, lost 1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) after COVID-19 wiped out revenue in the three months through June and said it was evaluating its options to achieve an optimal balance sheet structure.

The company, which secured a second credit line from the German government on Wednesday, said on Thursday it resumed holidays in mid-June and demand had returned, helping to strengthen its strained finances.

TUI said liquidity now stood at 2.4 billion euros, which gave it confidence it could make it through to 2021 as the pandemic continues to hit travel and as it approaches the winter season when holiday companies generally lose money.

Chief Executive Fritz Joussen told reporters that he did not know yet whether TUI would need the extra credit line but the company wanted to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

TUI shares listed in London, which have lost 60% of their value this year, were down 1% at 364 pence.

More : UPDATE 2-Holiday company TUI loses $1.3 bln as pandemic wipes out revenue


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## hkskyline

*At the Birthplace of Mass Tourism, Hotels Try to Reinvent Themselves*
Bloomberg _Excerpt_ 
Aug 14, 2020

Few places are as tied to mass tourism as the Spanish resort town of Benidorm. It’s often dubbed the birthplace of package tours, and on a typical summer day its broad beaches, towering hotels, and palm-lined promenades are jammed with visitors seeking sun and surf. This year it’s been more about silence and social distance.

So in mid-July, as Ramón Martínez watched the first mask-clad guests enter his 320-room Hotel Presidente after four months of lockdown, he was overwhelmed with emotion—akin to what he imagines locals felt when the first foreign tourists arrived in the 1950s. “I told the staff, ‘This is incredible,’ ” Martínez says. “It was a special moment.”

More : At the Birthplace of Mass Tourism, Hotels Try to Reinvent Themselves


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## hkskyline

*BlackRock consortium sole bidder for section of Mexico's Mayan Train *
_Excerpt_ 
August 14, 2020

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A consortium that includes U.S. investment group BlackRock Inc (BLK.N) was the sole bidder for a section of one of the Mexican president’s flagship infrastructure projects, the so-called “Mayan Train,” the tourism authority said on Thursday evening.

The 1,470-km (910-mile) project is designed to link tourist hot spots and spur development on the Yucatan Peninsula. The cost of the project is estimated at about $7 billion.

More : BlackRock consortium sole bidder for section of Mexico's Mayan Train


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## hkskyline

*From Barcelona to New Zealand, how destinations are shaping tourism’s ‘new normal’ *
South China Morning Post _Excerpt_ 
August 14, 2020

It started with clear canals in Venice. Then came stories of thriving turtle populations in Thailand and Greece, and plummeting levels of air pollution in northern India, meaning the Himalayas were visible for the first time in 30 years.

The world has gone from overtourism to nearly no tourism in a matter of months and the crisis is providing an opportunity to rethink, reimagine and reboot in a more sustainable way. There’s renewed talk of intelligent tourism, responsible tourism and slow tourism, forms of travel that inspire visitors to immerse themselves in the destinations they visit and enjoy meaningful experiences, rather than trying to cram 12 countries into seven days.

Not for the first time, there have been calls for a move away from mass tourism towards high-end holidays targeted at small groups of well-heeled visitors. But while a more exclusive model enables wealthy holidaymakers to flaunt their eco-credentials, the inconvenient truth is that mass tourism creates masses of jobs – an estimated 100 million worldwide until recently.

More : How destinations are shaping tourism’s ‘new normal’


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## hkskyline

* Caribbean indigenous people return to roots as COVID-19 shrinks tourism *
_Excerpt_
August 18, 2020

BOGOTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Indigenous cultures in the Caribbean, struggling as their tourism-dependent economies are ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, are returning to traditional farming and fishing roots for their livelihoods, local experts said on Tuesday.

Being forced to look to older, more organic ways of survival can be a silver lining within the devastation of the pandemic, connecting communities with their history, they said in an online meeting held by the Organization of American States (OAS).

Caribbean nations, so economically dependent on tourism, have seen a plunge in visitors due to lockdowns, closed borders and airport shutdowns throughout the region.

The coronavirus lockdown is expected to cause a 6.2% contraction of the Caribbean economy in 2020, largely fueled by a stop in tourism, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Caribbean countries have reported more than 120,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 2,000 deaths.

More : Caribbean indigenous people return to roots as COVID-19 shrinks tourism


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## hkskyline

* Australia's Crown Resorts bets on domestic gamblers as virus hammers tourism, profit *
_Excerpt_

SYDNEY, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Australian casino giant Crown Resorts Ltd said on Wednesday it was betting on domestic gambling to bolster profit as an international travel ban triggered by the coronavirus pandemic wiped out much of its annual earnings.

Crown, one-third owned by billionaire James Packer, previously pegged its future to well-heeled Chinese tourists visiting its casinos in Melbourne and Perth, with a new A$2.2 billion ($1.6 billion) resort in Sydney to open later this year.

But with borders closed to try to stop the spread of COVID-19, net profit plunged to A$79.5 million for the year to end-June, from a restated A$401.8 million a year earlier. The company scrapped its final dividend payout, against 30 cents per share last year.

The results reflect the need for a dramatic change of strategy for the company. Crown’s main casino, in Melbourne, has been at least partly closed since March due to a virus outbreak there and the company has laid off most of its workforce.

“Realistically it’s not going to be much of a Chinese New Year for international travel,” said CEO Ken Barton on a call with analysts, referring to the annual Chinese holiday season, taking place in mid-February next year.

More : UPDATE 2-Australia's Crown Resorts bets on domestic gamblers as virus hammers tourism, profit


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## hkskyline

* Hawaii won’t allow tourists until at least October because of coronavirus surge *
Washington Post _Excerpt_
August 19, 2020

Travelers that gambled on planning a trip to Hawaii for later this year may need to rethink their timing. The state has officially delayed its reopening to mainland travelers until at least Oct. 1.

The move replaces a program that was set to allow entry with a negative test on Sept. 1 and comes after a recent surge in coronavirus cases that prompted the state to impose quarantine restrictions on inter-island flights between Kauai, Hawaii Island and Maui.

All residents and non-tourist visitors will continue to be subject to a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine, according to guidelines.

More : https://www.washingtonpost.com/trav...ts-until-least-october-due-coronavirus-surge/


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## hkskyline

* Bali plans to reopen to international tourists in September. A number of obstacles stand in its way *
CNN _Excerpt_
August 19, 2020

September 11 might be associated with tragedy in US aviation history, but it's an auspicious day on Bali's Hindu calendar.

That's why, come 9/11, authorities on this Indonesian island hope to see the return of some of the millions of international visitors who usually flock to its beaches, temples, rice fields and yoga studios. This would allow long-shuttered hotels to reopen while providing desperately needed income for tourism workers -- some of whom have earned nothing since February.

Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati, Bali's vice-governor and former chair of the island's hotel and restaurant association, tells CNN Travel the date remains tentative, but reopening is critical to the island's economy.

"The Covid-19 pandemic is the most devastating disaster for Bali tourism," he says. "It is much worse than the Bali bombings, both the first and the second, and worse than all the Mount Agung eruptions combined."

Hotel arrivals in July were down over 99% year on year, Sukawati noted, while the island is missing out on around 9.7 trillion rupiah (over $650 million) of income every month. Tens of thousands of local workers have been officially furloughed, generally without pay.

More : Bali plans to reopen to international tourists in September. A number of obstacles stand in its way


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## hkskyline

* Uluru tourism operators on 'life support' as COVID-19 smashes business *
ABC _Excerpt_
August 20, 2020

Most of the planes Chris Mitskinis flies over Uluru are now sitting dormant.

It has been FlyUluru's quietest season on record and, with temperatures beginning to rise in Central Australia once again, the situation is not expected to improve.

"We're looking at sticking out the summer, purely because we hope for an uptick next year," Mr Mitskinis said.

"If that uptick doesn't come, I'm not sure if we'll manage to justify the costs that we're bearing at the moment."

Before COVID-19, tourism comprised 4.2 per cent of the NT economy, with $2.6 billion each year circulating through small businesses like FlyUluru.

More : 'We can't sugar-coat it, it's bad': Uluru tourism operators on the brink


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## hkskyline

* Coronavirus forces tourism rethink in world's most visited city *
_Excerpt_
August 20, 2020

BANGKOK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Bangkok tourist destination Khao San Road is usually heaving with people on weekends, its cheap beer bars, tattoo parlours, street vendors, hostels and buzzing nightlife drawing budget travellers and tour group alike.

On a recent Saturday evening, the street was deserted except for a few dozen locals who wandered past boarded up shops, ignoring restaurant staff calling out meal and drink deals.

Khao San Road clearly shows the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Bangkok, the world’s most visited city for four consecutive years before a ban on international travel.

“I have never seen it like this. Usually we don’t have time to stand for even a minute,” said a waitress who goes by the name Pookie.

“Lots of businesses have shut here, and if we don’t see foreign tourists coming back soon, we may also shut. There are some locals coming on the weekends, but that’s not enough to keep us all going,” she said, pointing to the empty tables. 

More : Coronavirus forces tourism rethink in world's most visited city


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## hkskyline

*Tourism crash holds back recovery*
Bangkok Post _Excerpt_
Aug 20, 2020

The Thai economy is set for a challenging recovery, as the disruption to exports proves a drag on headline growth. In the second quarter, real GDP growth contracted by 12.2%, from a revised contraction of 1.9% in the first quarter, resulting in a 7.1% drop in first-half GDP.

Lockdown measures in force throughout most of the second quarter to contain the spread of Covid-19 proved a major drag on domestic activity, while border restrictions and lockdowns in other countries proved a major shock to the tourism and export sectors. Over the coming quarters, we see domestic activity recovering gradually as authorities relax confinement rules and stimulus measures feed through.

However, with mass tourism unlikely to resume until 2021 at the earliest, the external sector will continue to prove a major drag on the overall economy. Indeed, job losses and falling income in the travel and tourism sectors will cap the pace of the domestic rebound and as such, we still see the economy struggling to regain its footing in 2021.

More : Tourism crash holds back recovery


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## hkskyline

* Thailand to allow long-stay tourists in island of Phuket from October *
_Excerpt_ 

BANGKOK, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Thailand will allow foreign tourists to visit for longer stays from October, a senior official said on Friday, as the government tries to revive a key economic sector that has been devasted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Tourists will have to stay for at least 30 days, with the first 14 days in quarantine in a limited vicinity of their hotel, before they can visit other areas, Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters.

The announcement comes after authorities suspended plans to create ‘travel bubbles’ with partner countries as the number of coronavirus cases in Asia rose. 

More : Thailand to allow long-stay tourists in island of Phuket from October


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## hkskyline

* Tourist ban leaves Brazil's indigenous lands vulnerable to loggers *
_Excerpt_ 
August 21, 2020

RIO DE JANEIRO (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When the coronavirus first hit Brazil in early March, local indigenous leaders barred tourists from the trails on Monte Pascoal, the first piece of land Portuguese colonizers saw as they arrived 520 years ago.

Usually, some of the about 120 inhabitants of Pe do Monte village in the northeastern state of Bahia serve as guides on the mountain, earning money to live on and to help protect the forests around them.

When community leaders closed off the village, they knew they would be forgoing vital income. But they did not expect that illegal loggers would move in.

“We used to have five trails, (but) four of them have been deforested,” said indigenous leader Toho Pataxo.

“We are looking into the possibility ... of opening new trails (after the pandemic), so that tourism doesn’t stop. If tourist income stops, our whole community stops.”

More : Tourist ban leaves Brazil's indigenous lands vulnerable to loggers


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## hkskyline

* Bali closed to foreign tourists until end of 2020 *
BBC _Excerpt_
August 25, 2020

The Indonesian island of Bali will not open to foreign tourists again this year, due to coronavirus concerns.

Authorities of the popular holiday destination had earlier said foreign visitors would be allowed to return from next month.

But the plan has been scrapped over concerns about Indonesia's mounting Covid-19 cases.

The move has renewed worries about the impact on residents in an economy heavily dependent on tourism.

Millions of foreigners fly to Bali each year in search of deserted beaches, terraced rice fields and sprawling Hindu temples.

More : Bali closed to foreign tourists until end of 2020


----------



## hkskyline

* Devastated by pandemic, tourism sector must be rebuilt in a safe, equitable and climate friendly way – UN chief *
UN News _Excerpt_
August 25, 2020

Launching his latest policy brief, on tourism, Secretary-General António Guterres, pointed out that the industry “employs one-in-every-ten people on Earth and provides livelihoods to hundreds of millions more”.

Strong data from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows that 100 to 120 million direct tourism jobs are at risk. And the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) forecasts a loss of 1.5 to 2.8 per cent of global GDP.

Describing tourism as an opportunity to experience the world’s cultural and natural riches, bringing people closer to each other and highlighting our common humanity, Mr. Guterres said: “One might say that tourism is itself one of the wonders of the world”.

Among other things, the brief finds that, due to the unprecedented shutdown of global travel and trade, tourism may be the sector worst affected by the coronavirus. 

“It has been so painful to see how tourism has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic”, the UN chief reflected.

More : https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/08/1070902


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## hkskyline

* Pandemic has gutted global tourism and it's costing Australia $10b every month *
9News _Excerpt_
Aug 25, 2020

Global tourism has been gutted by the COVID-19 pandemic and cost the industry $320 billion in just five months worldwide, the United Nations chief has said.

In Australia, the enormous losses are still costing the nation's tourism industry up to $10 billion every month — including almost $6 billion in domestic travel and $4 billion in foreign visitors, the Tourism & Transport Forum told 9News.com.au.

The coronavirus fallout has also seen as many as 532,000 jobs and up to $21.3 billion in wages and salaries lost this year across the country.

More : COVID-19 has gutted global tourism and it's costing Australia $10b every month


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## hkskyline

* Bringing Bali home: South Koreans indulge in extreme staycationing *
_Excerpt_
August 25, 2020

SEOUL (Reuters) - This time last year Yoon Seok-min, his wife Kim Hyo-jung and their two children were holidaying in the Philippines, Vietnam and Guam. A trip to Hawaii was on the cards for this summer.

Instead, as the global coronavirus pandemic has stymied overseas travel, the family, like other South Koreans, has turned to a new and extreme form of staycation: transforming their home into their favourite vacation spots.

Now, Kim and Yoon’s five-bedroom apartment in Yongin city, south of Seoul, is decked out with potted palms and rattan furniture, bringing the breezy feel of the tropics indoors.

More : Bringing Bali home: South Koreans indulge in extreme staycationing


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## hkskyline

* Climbers twice as likely to reach Mount Everest summit but "death zone" crowding soars, study shows *
_Excerpt_
August 27, 2020

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Climbers tackling Mount Everest are twice as likely to make it to the summit and slightly less likely to die than two decades ago, despite a sharp increase in crowding in the so-called “death zone”, a study released on Wednesday showed.

Between 2006 and 2019, around two thirds of climbers were successful in their attempt to reach the summit, compared to around a third in the preceding 15 years, according to the study by the University of Washington and the University of California, Davis.

The risk of dying on the mountain stood at 0.5 percent for women and 1.1 percent for men, down from 1.9 percent and 1.7 percent in 1990-2005, the study said.

The number of summit attempts has soared over the decades, leading to four-fold rise in crowding. In 2019, 955 people attempted to reach the summit, up from 222 in 2000. The study showed that on a single day in May 2019, 396 climbers had gathered at the narrow route below the summit - known as the “death zone”.

Nine climbers died on Everest in May last year, making the season the deadliest since a 2015 earthquake that killed at least 18 people at the base camp.

More : Climbers twice as likely to reach Mount Everest summit but "death zone" crowding soars, study shows


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## hkskyline

*Foreign tourism to Spain drops 75% in July *
_Excerpt_
Sept 1, 2020

(Reuters) - The number of foreign tourists visiting Spain fell 75% in July from a year earlier, data showed on Tuesday, as the coronavirus outbreak shaved tens of billions of euros off the nation’s usual income from the sector.

Spain, usually the world’s second-most visited country after France with some 80 million visitors a year, welcomed just 2.5 million foreigners in the normally brisk holiday month of July, the National Statistics Institute said.

Foreign holidaymakers spent 14.29 billion euros ($17.10 billion) in Spain in the year to July, a gaping 73% below the 52.36 billion euros they had spent by that point last year.

More : Foreign tourism to Spain drops 75% in July


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## hkskyline

* Mexico delays decision for section of 'Mayan Train' project eyed by BlackRock *
_Excerpt_
Aug 31, 2020

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico on Monday said it had “deferred” issuing a decision over a tender for a section of the “Mayan Train” rail project, a major government infrastructure initiative in which a consortium that includes BlackRock (BLK.N) was the sole bidder.

The 1,470-km (910-mile) project is designed to link tourist hot spots and spur development on the Yucatan Peninsula. The cost of the project, championed by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is estimated at about $7 billion.

Mexico’s National Fund for Tourism Promotion (Fonatur) said in a statement that the delay was done “in order to deepen analysis of the economic proposal presented”.

More : Mexico delays decision for section of 'Mayan Train' project eyed by BlackRock


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## hkskyline

*New Los Angeles Tourism Campaign Targets Locals Save Hotels And Restaurants *
Forbes _Excerpt_ 
Sep 1, 2020

Few sectors have been as hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic as the hospitality industry, including hotels, restaurants and bars. Lockdowns and social distancing guidelines have taken their toll – causing nearly 16,000 restaurants across the country to close permanently according to the most recent Yelp Economic Average Report, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association predicting a historic wave of hotel foreclosures.

As part of an effort to revitalize its travel industry and the city’s economy in general, Los Angeles Tourism has launched its first-ever marketing campaign specifically targeting locals. Participating in the initiative, which is dubbed “LA ♥,” over 100 hospitality businesses throughout the city will offer Angelenos special staycation offers and discounts now through the end of the year.

With entry restrictions and border closures affecting not only international travel, but even trips between some states, many cities across the country are feeling the brunt of the pandemic. That’s especially true in Los Angeles, which is one of the busiest destinations in the U.S., and welcomed over 50 million visitors last year. Now that certain lockdowns are easing and the normally peak summer travel season draws to a close, L.A.’s tourism agency is hoping that pent-up demand from a summer stuck at home will have residents booking staycations to support local businesses. That’s all the more urgent since the California Employment Development Department reported a 30% decline – nearly 166,000 jobs – in the leisure and hospitality sector between July 2019 and July 2020.

More : New Los Angeles Tourism Campaign Targets Locals Save Hotels And Restaurants


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## hkskyline

* Benidorm faces closure of nearly all hotels for the year without Brit tourists *
Daily Star _Excerpt_ 
Sept 2, 2020

Benidorm tourism chiefs say 65% of its hotels could be shut by the end of September as British tourists are unlikely to visit in their majorities – the resort may take a financial hit until a coronavirus vaccine is found

With British holidaymakers limiting their travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, nearly all hotels in Benidorm could remain closed until the end of the year.

Tourism chiefs reveal only 15 hotels could stay open by the end of September, reports The Sun.

The Costa Blanca resort in Spain, which relies on Brits, will shut nearly 65% of the total operating hotels shut by the end of the month.

By next month it has been predicted by regional hotel association Hosbec president Toni Mayor only 10 to 15 of the 140 hotels will remain open. 

More : Benidorm faces closure of nearly all hotels for the year without Brit tourists


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## hkskyline

* COVID-19 takes 15% bite out of Banff visitation, more than 50% from hotels *
Calgary Herald _Excerpt_ 
Sept 1, 2020

The loss of foreign tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic cut visitation to Banff by 15% this summer and bit into the hotel trade by more than 50%, says the area's hospitality industry.

While those numbers are better than forecast, the almost total absence of big-spending international tourists due to closed borders has meant mountainous losses for many businesses, said Angela Anderson, spokeswoman for Banff Lake Louise Tourism.

"What we have seen this summer is there are many people visiting Banff National Park, but not as many are staying overnight and taking their vacations here, thus hotels and activities in particular have been greatly impacted," Anderson said in an email. "That said, overall, visitation this summer was stronger than expected."

More : COVID-19 takes 15% bite out of Banff visitation, more than 50% from hotels


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## hkskyline

* Tourism authority to buy idled Las Vegas Monorail for $24M *
_Excerpt_
Sept 2, 2020

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The idled Las Vegas Monorail is being bought by the local tourism authority with plans to arrange the system’s second Chapter 11 bankruptcy after 16 years of operation by a not-for-profit corporation.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority on Tuesday approved, by a series of 12-1 votes, spending $24.26 million to acquire the 3.9-mile elevated train system from Las Vegas Monorail Co., the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman voted no.

The elected Clark County Commission also approved the move.

The system shut down in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. It makes six north-south stops serving the Las Vegas Convention Center and several hotel-casinos east of the Las Vegas Strip.

Officials said management and operations will change after the purchase by the authority, which also owns and operates the convention center.

More : Tourism authority to buy idled Las Vegas Monorail for $24M


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## hkskyline

*Historical tourism lures more young sightseers*
China Daily _Excerpt_
Sep 4, 2020

A volley of gunshots split the air as a young Chinese Red Army soldier in a ragged uniform swiftly pulled out his gun, aimed and squeezed the trigger without hesitation at Japanese troops that were brutally stabbing innocent villagers.

Though facing a well-equipped force all by himself, the crack shot didn't flinch, he just kept moving and shooting. The scene, visually stunning and intended to set the heart pounding, is not a scene from an action movie.

The engagement is re-enacted daily, drawing many young tourists to learn about the history of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. It is performed in Wuxiang county, Shanxi province, which was a major battleground during the war.

Quite a few tourism sites like Wuxiang have been using different forms of art and communication to bring history back to life, attracting more young people who have found the subjects intriguing and informative, as well as patriotically stirring.

China has 33,315 such historical sites and relics on record, and more than 800 million tourist visits to them are made every year on average, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said.

More : Historical tourism lures more young sightseers


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## hkskyline

*Stay-at-home tourism a silver lining to pandemic restrictions, says Tourism Manitoba*
Global News _Excerpt_
Sep 3, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and Manitoba sees an increasing number of cases, the province is again restricting travel, limiting access to some northern Manitoba communities.

Although the Northern Health Region doesn’t currently have any active cases, concern over the growing number of cases in southern Manitoba has led public health officials to reintroduce restricted travel to the north as of Friday, with the goal of keeping the virus from entering more isolated northern communities.

Churchill, Man., known as the “polar bear capital of the world”, has already seen big tourism impacts from the restrictions around travel during the pandemic- — and the town’s mayor says Churchill might not host many tourists for polar bear season this fall.

More : Stay-at-home tourism a silver lining to pandemic restrictions, says Tourism Manitoba


----------



## Tucson2018

hkskyline said:


> * Tourism authority to buy idled Las Vegas Monorail for $24M *
> _Excerpt_
> Sept 2, 2020
> 
> LAS VEGAS (AP) — The idled Las Vegas Monorail is being bought by the local tourism authority with plans to arrange the system’s second Chapter 11 bankruptcy after 16 years of operation by a not-for-profit corporation.
> 
> The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority on Tuesday approved, by a series of 12-1 votes, spending $24.26 million to acquire the 3.9-mile elevated train system from Las Vegas Monorail Co., the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman voted no.
> 
> The elected Clark County Commission also approved the move.
> 
> The system shut down in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. It makes six north-south stops serving the Las Vegas Convention Center and several hotel-casinos east of the Las Vegas Strip.
> 
> Officials said management and operations will change after the purchase by the authority, which also owns and operates the convention center.
> 
> More : Tourism authority to buy idled Las Vegas Monorail for $24M


I left Las Vegas 2 years ago and at the time there were plans to extend the Monorail from the MGM to Mandalay Bay and the Allegiant Stadium. Does anyone know if that extension was ever realized?


----------



## hkskyline

Tucson2018 said:


> I left Las Vegas 2 years ago and at the time there were plans to extend the Monorail from the MGM to Mandalay Bay and the Allegiant Stadium. Does anyone know if that extension was ever realized?


From this editorial a month ago, the language seems it's not finalized : Purchase of Las Vegas Monorail could be first move in reimagining transportation in Southern Nevada

Here is the Vegas thread in the urban transport section : LAS VEGAS | Public Transport


----------



## hkskyline

* Pandemic turns summer into European tourism’s leanest season *
_Excerpt_
Sep 6, 2020

BRUGES, Belgium (AP) — Bruges mayor Dirk De fauw first realized something was desperately wrong with European tourism when on a brisk March morning he crossed the Burg square in front of the Gothic city hall and there was nothing but silence.

“There are always people. Always,” De fauw said. That morning?

“Nothing. Nobody is on that large square” at the heart of one of Europe’s most picturesque cities, he said.

Six months later, as Europe’s leanest tourist summer season in recent history is starting to draw to a close, COVID-19 is yet to loosen its suffocating grip on the continent.

If anything the pandemic might tighten it over the coming months, with losses piling up in the tens of billions of euros across the 27-nation European Union, and the continent’s vaunted government support and social security system under increasing strain to prop up the sector.

More : Pandemic turns summer into European tourism's leanest season


----------



## hkskyline

* China’s post-Covid-19 travel industry sees green shoots with tourists embracing short trips, luxury stays in lessons for global operators *
South China Morning Post _Excerpt_
Sep 6, 2020

In China’s post-Covid-19 tourism market, short-distance travelling and luxury holidays are leading the rebound, while tour groups and business trips are declining, according to industry players.

As the country’s US$1 trillion tourism industry slowly gets back on its feet after taking a massive hit from the coronavirus outbreak, the shape of its recovery could provide lessons for the rest of the world still struggling with the pandemic.

“The coronavirus will have a profound and long-standing effect on the global tourism industry,” said Qian Jiannong, chairman and chief executive of Fosun Tourism, in an recent interview with the South China Morning Post. “Different segments and regions in the market will diverge in their future performance, and this will lead to great structural opportunities.”

More : Chinese tourists embrace short trips, luxury stays in post-Covid-19 revival


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## hkskyline

* New virus cases knock hopes of reviving Southeast Asia's holiday hotspots *
_Excerpt_
Sept 8, 2020

BALI, Indonesia/BANGKOK (Reuters) - A spike in coronavirus infections in Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali and Thailand’s first locally transmitted case in 100 days have dealt further blows to Southeast Asian hopes of reviving vital tourism industries.

Plans to reopen Bali to foreign tourists from September have been postponed indefinitely, while Thailand’s proposal for the cautious reopening of Phuket island has come into doubt.

As well as trying to encourage domestic tourism industries, some Southeast Asian countries have been considering “travel bubbles” with others as a way to get businesses restarted.

Bali initially appeared to weather the health crisis better than other parts of Indonesia, which has suffered Southeast Asia’s biggest death toll by far. But coronavirus cases have spiked after it reopened its borders to domestic tourism at the end of July.

“Increasing domestic tourism is one important factor for increasing cases in Bali,” said Dr Pandu Riono, an epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia.

More : New virus cases knock hopes of reviving Southeast Asia's holiday hotspots


----------



## hkskyline

* When will tourists return to Africa? Continent must guess *
_Excerpt_
Sept 8, 2020

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Raino Bolz quickly diversified when his tourism business in South Africa’s winelands crashed to a halt in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. He sold a minibus — useless without tourists to ferry around — and bought a herd of pregnant cows.

He’ll have to wait for the cows to have calves and for the calves to be old enough to sell before he can make money from them. That probably won’t be until early next year, but it’s his insurance policy.

Bolz hopes to see a return of some tourists in November, the start of South Africa’s tourism season. If foreign visitors — 80% of his income — don’t arrive for end-of-year vacations, he’ll need the profit from his cattle to stay afloat.

More : When will tourists return to Africa? Continent must guess


----------



## hkskyline

* Romanian tourists swamp village loved by Prince Charles *
BBC _Excerpt_
Sept 6, 2020

Only 450 people live in the remote village of Viscri in central Romania, but in recent months it has become overrun by tourists and their cars.

It is arguably the most popular village in Transylvania. Not only is it a Unesco World Heritage site but the Prince of Wales has owned a traditional farmhouse here since 2006.

The prince fell for the area's historic beauty more than two decades ago. For years he has helped develop schemes to preserve heritage architecture and what his local foundation describes as a "way of life unchanged for hundreds of years".

More : Romanian tourists swamp village loved by Prince Charles


----------



## hkskyline

* Mexico voids BlackRock consortium's bid for 'Mayan Train' project *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Sep 9, 2020

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico declared void a tender process in which a consortium that includes U.S. investment group BlackRock Inc (BLK.N) was the sole bidder, to build a section of one of the government’s flagship infrastructure projects, the so-called “Mayan Train”.

The 1,470-km (910-mile) train project is designed to link tourist spots and spur development on the Yucatan Peninsula at an estimated cost of $7 billion.

Deemed essential infrastructure by the government, the rail project is a top priority of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who hopes it will be a major generator of jobs in the poorer south.

More : Mexico voids BlackRock consortium's bid for 'Mayan Train' project


----------



## hkskyline

* Teotihuacan pyramids, top Mexican tourist draw, reopen to public *
_Excerpt_
Sep 10, 2020 

TEOTIHUACAN, Mexico (Reuters) - The massive temples and pyramids of Teotihuacan, one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations, reopened to visitors on Thursday, more than five months after closing in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

A trickle of tourists could be seen Thursday morning along the ancient city’s main thoroughfare, the so-called Avenue of the Dead, though they were not allowed to scale the site’s three tallest pyramids.

The main archeological zone will be limited to 3,000 visitors per day, with both temperature checks and masks required going forward. Two local museums will remain closed.

More : Teotihuacan pyramids, top Mexican tourist draw, reopen to public


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## hkskyline

* Latin America's battered tourism sector to see $230 bln in losses this year - WTTC *
_Excerpt_
Sep 10, 2020 

MEXICO CITY, Sept 10 (Reuters) - The coronavirus pandemic is this year expected to trigger 12.4 million job cuts and losses worth $230 billion in the decimated tourism industry in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the president of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Tourism has been brought to its knees by collapsing demand on the back of travel restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 27 million people globally and killed nearly 900,000.

The hit from the pandemic would leave the industry in Latin America and the Caribbean barely a third the size it was last year, according to the data from WTTC, the main global forum representing tourism.

Job losses will be of a similar scale, the group forecasts.

"There is no country that escapes," Gloria Guevara, president of the group, told Reuters in an interview this week.

More : Latin America's battered tourism sector to see $230 billion in losses this year: WTTC


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## hkskyline

*Can micro-tourism save Japan's ailing travel industry?*
Japan Times _Excerpt_
Sep 12, 2020

Social media users have appeared somewhat resigned over the loss of their summer vacations this year, typically describing it on platforms such as Twitter as an exercise in despair.

The good news, however, is that Silver Week is right around the corner, and some people are already revealing plans to get away at some point between Sept. 19 and 22.

These trips are mostly 30 minutes to an hour’s drive from their homes, traveling to a local destination that features lower levels of anxiety than a far-flung escape. Welcome to the age of micro-tourism.

More : Can micro-tourism save Japan's ailing travel industry?


----------



## hkskyline

*The tourists are leaving Italy. Now catastrophe looms*
CNN _Excerpt_
Sep 13, 2020

For all too brief a time, the Italian summer offered a glimmer of hope. After emerging from what was in early 2020, one of the world's harshest coronavirus lockdowns, Italy managed to dust itself down in time to welcome visitors.

But as the sun begins to cool, so do hopes of a full recovery for Italy's decimated 2020 tourism season. Winter is coming, and with it what is expected to be a full-blown economic catastrophe.

The Italian government, like many across the world, has been doling out cash to help support many ailing businesses and individuals, but with many global travel restrictions still in place, lost revenues from the country's faltering travel industry leaves a gaping financial hole that must now be filled.

More : The tourists are leaving Italy. Now catastrophe looms


----------



## hkskyline

* Luxor and Aswan floating hotels to reopen in October *
Egypt Independent _Excerpt_
Sep 14, 2020

Another important division of tourism in Egypt is preparing to reopen at the beginning of October, as the floating hotels between Luxor and Aswan will return to sail on the Nile River, carrying tourists to and from the sites and cities scattered along the river. 

According to a report by Youm7, the decision to open the hotels came from the country’s tourism authorities, in an attempt to resume cultural tourism in Egypt amid tight precautionary measures against COVID-19.

Tourism kicked off in Luxor and Aswan on September 1, after a seven-month hiatus in response to the virus. 

During the suspension, Upper Egypt suffered a major financial loss, as Tharwat al-Agamy, Chairman of the Luxor Chamber of Tourism, confirmed that all sectors related to tourism were affected, from horse carriage drivers to hotel owners.

The chairman stressed that resuming tourism at this crucial time before the beginning of winter gives hope to everyone.

More : Luxor and Aswan floating hotels to reopen in October - Egypt Independent


----------



## hkskyline

* U.S. Gulf Coast tourism, already stung by pandemic, slammed by Hurricane Sally *
_Excerpt_
Sep 18, 2020

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - Hurricane Sally made a direct hit on the U.S. Gulf Coast this week, dealing a blow to a popular tourist destination already reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. In the storm’s aftermath, many bar and restaurant owners were breathing a sigh of relief the damage was not worse.

Sally bulled its way through this stretch of beach towns and condos in Alabama and Florida, making landfall on Wednesday as a powerful Category 2 hurricane and bringing extensive floods that destroyed numerous piers and caused two riverboat casinos under construction to break free of their moorings.

Max Murphy, general manager of Crabs, a seafood and steak restaurant in Pensacola Beach, Florida, said the hurricane’s late eastward turn left residents unprepared.

More : U.S. Gulf Coast tourism, already stung by pandemic, slammed by Hurricane Sally


----------



## hkskyline

* With tourists slow to return, Egypt's resorts and ancient sites face tough winter *
_Excerpt_
Sep 18, 2020

CAIRO (Reuters) - At the Pyramids of Giza, just a handful of tourists walks among the ancient wonders. Twelve people showed up to admire Luxor’s towering colonnades the day it reopened this month. At Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, visitor numbers are well below previous years.

Even as international flights and tourist spots open up and Egypt’s coronavirus cases remain in check, officials, hotel owners and tour guides concede that the key winter season starting in October is going to be tough.

That could be bad news for the economy. Tourism accounts for up to 15% of Egypt’s national output, and officials said it was losing around $1 billion each month after the sector all but shut down from March as the coronavirus pandemic struck.

More : With tourists slow to return, Egypt's resorts and ancient sites face tough winter


----------



## hkskyline

* Cyprus: Only handful of tourists showed COVID-19 symptoms *
_Excerpt_
Sep 19, 2020

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus is trying to salvage a dismal tourist season by touting that only five of the roughly 200,000 tourists that have spent their holidays on east Mediterranean island nation this summer have exhibited any COVID-19 symptoms.

Cyprus’ Deputy Minister for Tourism Savvas Perdios said those five people received medical treatment free-of-charge and were sent back home symptom-free. That’s in line with Cyprus’ pledge to cover lodging, food, drink and medication for anyone who may have contracted coronavirus while vacationing on the island.

The country will also cover costs for patients’ relatives or anyone travelling with them. Perdios credits the low number of COVID-19 cases among holidaymakers to the strict health protocols that have been in force for several months to screen incoming passengers for COVID-19.

More : Cyprus: Only handful of tourists showed COVID-19 symptoms


----------



## hkskyline

*Thailand says hoping to help 100,000 tourists to stay longer *
_Excerpt_
Sep 24, 2020

BANGKOK, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Thai immigration authorities said on Thursday they would help more than 100,000 foreign tourists who were facing penalties for staying in the country too long, as a grace period expires six months after border and flight restrictions were imposed.

Thailand, which welcomed nearly 40 million tourists in 2019, halted commercial flights in April and banned foreign visitors in an effort to keep the coronavirus at bay, with repatriation flights infrequent and the only means of leaving the country.

Thailand had granted automatic visa extensions from late March to Sept. 26 to all foreigners, including workers.

More : Thailand says hoping to help 100,000 tourists to stay longer


----------



## hkskyline

* Thailand to slowly restart tourism with flight from China*
Reuters _Excerpt_
Sep 29, 2020

Thailand will receive its first foreign vacationers when a flight from China arrives next week, marking the gradual restart of a vital tourism sector battered by coronavirus travel curbs, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The first flight will have about 120 tourists from Guangzhou, flying directly to the resort island of Phuket, Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters.

Thailand has kept coronavirus infections low with just 3,559 cases and 59 deaths, but its economy has taken a hit from a ban on foreign visitors since April and is expected to contract 8.5% this year.

More : Thailand to slowly restart tourism with flight from China


----------



## hkskyline

* 2 Philippine tourist spots partially reopen *
AP _Excerpt_
Oct 2, 2020

Two of the most popular Philippine tourist destinations, including the Boracay beach, have partially reopened with only a fraction of their usual crowds showing up given continuing coronavirus restrictions.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said Friday that 35 local tourists, including seven from Manila, came on the first day of the reopening of Boracay, a central island famous for its powdery white sands, azure waters and stunning sunsets. Only local tourists from regions with low-level quarantine designations could go, subject to safeguards, including tests showing a visitor is coronavirus-free.

The mountain city of Baguio, regarded as a summer hideaway for its pine trees, cool breeze and picturesque upland views, has been reopened to tourists only from its northern region, she told ABS-CBN News.

More : The Latest: 2 Philippine tourist spots partially reopen


----------



## hkskyline

* Tourism revenues collapse in COVID-hit Spain *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Oct 2, 2020

Much-needed revenues from foreign tourists collapsed in Spain this year as the coronavirus pandemic pushed many holiday makers to stay at home, further weighing down the euro zone's fourth largest economy.

Usually the world's second-most visited country after France, Spain had over the past years received some 80 million foreign tourists a year, with much of the revenues over the summer.

However, between January and August, just 15.7 million visited, around 73% fewer than in the same period of 2019, the National Statistics Institute (INE) said.

As a result, over the same period, earnings from tourism fell 47 billion euros ($55.07 billion) year on year to 16.75 billion euros.

Spending by Britons, usually the biggest contributors, fell around 10 billion euros to 2.61 billion.

More : Tourism revenues collapse in COVID-hit Spain


----------



## hkskyline

* New Orleans bars serving drinks to go as virus cases wane *
_Excerpt_
Oct 4, 2020

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — One of the sacraments of New Orleans life, buying a drink to go, is again on offer.

City officials on Saturday allowed bars to begin selling takeout alcoholic beverages, as part of the city's gradual reopening from COVID-19.

Go-cups had been allowed during a temporary loosening of restrictions that began in June. But in late July, officials halted all alcohol service at bars, after Bourbon Street and other tourism magnets attracted crowds lubricated by to-go cocktails.

Also on Saturday, restaurants were allowed to increase their capacity to 75% from 50%, as long as tables are at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart.

James Garner swung open the door Saturday to the Golden Lantern in the French Quarter at 8 a.m. Saturday with a big smile on his face. Finally, the owner would be able to talk with his close-knit crew of customers. “I can’t wait to see ’em,” he said.

More : New Orleans bars serving drinks to go as virus cases wane


----------



## hkskyline

* Agoda pins hopes on Asia's domestic tourism to drive revenue *
_Excerpt_
Oct 5, 2020

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Asia-focused online travel agency Agoda is counting on a revival of domestic tourism in parts of the region to help it weather the coronavirus pandemic, its top executive said on Monday.

Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan are among the top markets where domestic tourism activity was returning, chief executive John Brown told Reuters in an interview, reflecting their success in containing outbreaks.

With international travel restrictions in place to halt the contagion, the company is relying on domestic markets for its revenue, such as Thailand, where local bookings were up 20% from last year, he said.

More : Agoda pins hopes on Asia's domestic tourism to drive revenue


----------



## hkskyline

* 11 Nile cruise lines reopen in Luxor and Aswan after obtaining health certification *
Egypt Independent _Excerpt_
Oct 5, 2020

Eleven of Luxor and Aswan’s floating hotels have reopened after undergoing coronavirus-related health and safety inspections conducted by Egypt’s ministries of health and tourism, according to an October 5 statement from Abdel Fattah al-Assy, the Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities. 

A total of 22 hotels have applied for inspections.

The establishments that received certification met all health and safety controls set by the ministry, Assy said. He noted that two hotels have already resumed cruise trips at 50 percent capacity, with tourists coming from the US, France, and Spain. 

More : 11 Nile cruise lines reopen in Luxor and Aswan after obtaining health certification - Egypt Independent


----------



## hkskyline

* Resurgent coronavirus hobbles Madrid's hospitality sector *
_Excerpt_
Oct 6, 2020

MADRID (Reuters) - Madrid’s hospitality sector says it is struggling due to restrictions on opening hours and capacity aimed at reining in a sharp resurgence in coronavirus infections, which reached a nationwide total of 825,140 on Tuesday.

Data from the Health Ministry showed 11,998 new cases were reported since Monday, when Spain became the first country in Western Europe to exceed 800,000 infections.

Madrid, which has one of Europe’s most severe outbreaks and has been subject to a ban on all non-essential travel since Friday, accounted for 5,187 of the new cases.

More : Resurgent coronavirus hobbles Madrid's hospitality sector


----------



## hkskyline

* Brazil’s Tourism Industry Is Dying *
Forbes _Excerpt_
Oct 5, 2020

It was already bad enough that Rio de Janeiro has become a nearly bankrupted shooting gallery, but when the coronavirus came to town, it just made matters worse. Brazil’s tourism industry is dying.

How so?

Over 50,000 companies in the sector have gone out of business in the last several months due to lockdowns and consumer concerns about flying and staying in hotels.

A study by the National Confederation of Goods & Services (CNC), some 50,000 companies that are dependent on tourist traffic, including restaurants and cultural attractions, have closed for good since March. Agencia Estado newswire reported on the study this weekend.

The number accounts for some 16.7% of Brazil’s tourist-related businesses, with tourist town restaurants and bars being the hardest hit and making up more than half of the bloodletting as of August.

More : Brazil’s Tourism Industry Is Dying


----------



## Fred23

hkskyline said:


> * Brazil’s Tourism Industry Is Dying *
> Forbes _Excerpt_
> Oct 5, 2020
> 
> It was already bad enough that Rio de Janeiro has become a nearly bankrupted shooting gallery, but when the coronavirus came to town, it just made matters worse. Brazil’s tourism industry is dying.
> 
> How so?
> 
> Over 50,000 companies in the sector have gone out of business in the last several months due to lockdowns and consumer concerns about flying and staying in hotels.
> 
> A study by the National Confederation of Goods & Services (CNC), some 50,000 companies that are dependent on tourist traffic, including restaurants and cultural attractions, have closed for good since March. Agencia Estado newswire reported on the study this weekend.
> 
> The number accounts for some 16.7% of Brazil’s tourist-related businesses, with tourist town restaurants and bars being the hardest hit and making up more than half of the bloodletting as of August.
> 
> More : Brazil’s Tourism Industry Is Dying


Just a note: most of brazilian tourism is domestic.


----------



## hkskyline

* Renowned Empress Hotel on Victoria's waterfront to close for 3 months to complete major renovations *
CBC _Excerpt_
Oct 6, 2020


Victoria, BC - Empress Hotel by Janusz Sliwinski, on Flickr

Victoria's renowned 112-year-old Empress Hotel will be out of commission this winter.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts announced late Monday that the hotel will close completely for 87 days, starting Jan. 3, to complete a necessary $3-million renovation to its heating system. 

A release from Fairmont Hotels and Resorts says there'll be "periods of time where the building will be without heat ... or hot water," as the project involves replacing the building's steam heating system with a high-efficiency hot water heating system, along with replacing two 1960's-era steam boilers and hot water tanks.

The hotel's automation system, which controls things like heating, lighting and security features, will also be upgraded. The building is expected to reopen on April 1.

The hotel's general manager Indu Brar said in a press release that "being able to leverage the slower season and reduced tourism due to COVID-19 travel restrictions gives us the opportunity to complete these necessary upgrades."

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/empress-hotel-close-3-months-1.5753010


----------



## hkskyline

* Thailand delays hosting of first foreign tourists since April *
_Excerpt_
Oct 8, 2020

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is pushing back plans to receive its first batch of foreign tourists due to administrative issues, a senior official said on Thursday, adding to uncertainty about when it will welcome back visitors vital to its economy.

Processes involved in applying for and issuing special visas is delaying the soft reopening, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters, adding that about 100 tourists were expected to arrive this month.

Foreign arrivals stopped in April after the government banned commercial flights to keep the coronavirus at bay.

More : Thailand delays hosting of first foreign tourists since April


----------



## hkskyline

* Japan extends deadline for casino host-city bids to April 2022 *
_Excerpt_
Oct 9, 2020

(Reuters) - Japan has pushed back by nine months a July 2021 deadline for cities to submit bids to host casinos amid delays in preparation and a downturn in operators' business conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japan Tourism Agency said on Friday.

The government sees the so-called integrated resorts, which include casinos, shopping outlets and hotels, as a significant means of bolstering tourism, tax revenue and local economies as the country grapples with the impact of a shrinking population.

It has authorised licences for three resorts, and set a new April 28, 2022, deadline for bids and development plans from interested cities. Those that have expressed an interest include Yokohama, Tokyo, Osaka - Japan's three largest cities - as well as smaller cities including Nagasaki and Wakayama.

More : UPDATE 1-Japan extends deadline for casino host-city bids to April 2022


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## hkskyline

* Australia in travel talks with Japan, Korea as coronavirus cases ease *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Oct 11, 2020

Australia is in talks with Japan, South Korea, Singapore and South Pacific nations on reopening travel as coronavirus infections ease, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday.

Australia shut its borders in March to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and is looking to revive tourism to help pull the country out of its first recession in nearly three decades.

While Australia has managed to contain the outbreak better than others, it is facing a second wave in the state of Victoria, where Melbourne remains under a tight lockdown. But infections there have been falling since early August.

More : Australia in travel talks with Japan, Korea as coronavirus cases ease


----------



## hkskyline

* Asia-Pacific countries begin to ease pandemic-related travel bans, but hurdles remain *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Oct 13, 2020

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asia-Pacific countries including Singapore, Australia, Japan and Thailand are gradually easing some international travel restrictions as coronavirus cases slow, in hopes of helping to revive their economies.

International travel in Asia has collapsed during the pandemic because of border closures, with passenger numbers down 97% in August, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.

European Union countries last week agreed to a common "traffic light" system to guide them on COVID-19 testing or quarantines on EU tourists, though rising case numbers are leading to fresh restrictions.

In Asia the trend is toward easing, though not always on a bilateral basis.

For now, few people are likely to travel because of testing and insurance requirements, and in some cases the need to quarantine upon return home, meaning the deals offer limited hope for airlines and the tourism industry.

A Singapore-Indonesia deal announced on Monday for essential business and official travel will require an application and COVID-19 swab tests both before and after travel. 

More : Asia-Pacific countries begin to ease pandemic-related travel bans, but hurdles remain


----------



## hkskyline

*Canadian ski resorts face winter without international cash cows *
_Excerpt_ 

TORONTO, Oct 19 (Reuters) - As Canada's world-class ski resorts brace of a winter without international tourists due to closed borders, many are betting that locals eager to get onto the slopes will help make up for the lost revenues for the resorts.

Canada closed its borders since March to all but immediate and extended family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to limit the spread of COVID-19.

That poses a problem for both the ski resorts and their towns, mainly concentrated in the west coast province of British Columbia, who rely on international tourists buying ski lessons, renting gear and spending locally, to buoy their economies.

"We are desperately trying to make that up with domestic booking," said Michael Ballingall, senior vice president of Big White Ski Resort, located around 450 km (280 miles) east of Vancouver. The resort plans to roll out flight deals and discounts on long-term stays to attract Canadians.

Although international visitors represent just 21% of reservations, they contribute 32% of revenue, Ballingall said, underscoring how the different spending patterns of domestic visitors won't necessarily bridge the budget gap - Canadians take fewer lessons, buy little or no equipment and eat out less frequently.

More : Canadian ski resorts face winter without international cash cows


----------



## hkskyline

*Israeli tourism, media representatives to visit UAE *
_Excerpt_ 

DUBAI/JERUSALEM, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Israeli tourism, travel and media representatives will visit the United Arab Emirates this week on the invitation of state carrier Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi's tourism industry.

The representatives will depart Tel Aviv for Abu Dhabi on Oct. 19 and return from Abu Dhabi on Oct. 21, Etihad said on Monday.

Abu Dhabi's Etihad will operate the flights, which it said would be the first commercial passenger service from a Gulf state to Israel.

Israeli tourism executives, travel and cargo agents and media will be on board the flights which are being operated in partnership with Israeli logistics company Maman Group , Etihad said.

More : Israeli tourism, media representatives to visit UAE


----------



## hkskyline

* Christmas in danger as Santa's Lapland home feels pandemic chill *
_Excerpt_

ROVANIEMI, Finland, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Christmas is coming, but in Santa's home village in northern Finland, the COVID pandemic means that the flocks of tourists who usually start to make merry in Rovaniemi at this time of year are not.

Finland has adopted some of the strictest travel restrictions in Europe, despite its low level of infections, meaning most foreigners cannot enter the country.

The northern part of Finland, where many businesses rely on tourists flying in to meet Santa Claus, see the Northern Lights or take a snowmobile safari, has seen visitor numbers plummet.

In August 2020, foreign tourist numbers were down 78% from a year earlier, according to travel industry data from Business Finland.

"For local businesses, definitely, Christmas is in danger," Sanna Karkkainen, managing director of Visit Rovaniemi tourist board, said. "Christmas itself will come, but how merry it will be, that's the question mark." 

More : Christmas in danger as Santa's Lapland home feels pandemic chill


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## hkskyline

* 39 Chinese are Thailand's 1st foreign tourists in 7 months *
_Excerpt_
Oct 21, 2020

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s tourist industry took a modest step toward reviving its coronavirus-battered fortunes Tuesday by welcoming 39 visitors who flew in from Shanghai, the first such arrivals since regular travelers were banned almost seven months ago.

The visitors who arrived at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport are pioneers in a "Special Tourist Visa" program devised by Thai authorities to restore step by step a sector of the economy that welcomed almost 40 million foreign visitors last year and by some estimates accounts for more than 10% of the country’s GDP.

China was a natural choice for restarting tourism. Thailand was one of the top overseas destinations for Chinese tourists in 2019, when they accounted for by far the largest number of visitors to Thailand by nationality. Just as crucial is that China has largely contained the virus domestically, in sharp contrast to other countries.

Thailand has had only a handful of domestic cases since June, and China's few local outbreaks have dissipated quickly after authorities took steps such as testing entire cities and quarantining communities with potential exposure.

Thailand's newest visitors cannot freely traipse around the country, however.

More : 39 Chinese are Thailand's 1st foreign tourists in 7 months


----------



## TalkingDeep

hkskyline said:


> * 39 Chinese are Thailand's 1st foreign tourists in 7 months *
> _Excerpt_
> Oct 21, 2020
> 
> BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s tourist industry took a modest step toward reviving its coronavirus-battered fortunes Tuesday by welcoming 39 visitors who flew in from Shanghai, the first such arrivals since regular travelers were banned almost seven months ago.
> 
> The visitors who arrived at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport are pioneers in a "Special Tourist Visa" program devised by Thai authorities to restore step by step a sector of the economy that welcomed almost 40 million foreign visitors last year and by some estimates accounts for more than 10% of the country’s GDP.
> 
> China was a natural choice for restarting tourism. Thailand was one of the top overseas destinations for Chinese tourists in 2019, when they accounted for by far the largest number of visitors to Thailand by nationality. Just as crucial is that China has largely contained the virus domestically, in sharp contrast to other countries.
> 
> Thailand has had only a handful of domestic cases since June, and China's few local outbreaks have dissipated quickly after authorities took steps such as testing entire cities and quarantining communities with potential exposure. Many prefer advices from web How to Enjoy Luxury Car Rental in NYC to the Fullest » Trending Us on renting a luxury cars instead of using public transportaion services to avoid contacts.
> 
> Thailand's newest visitors cannot freely traipse around the country, however.
> 
> More : 39 Chinese are Thailand's 1st foreign tourists in 7 months



Though seems like a pretty small step, but that's definitely a proper move in a right direction, tourism should come back one way or another.


----------



## AddwebSolution

hkskyline said:


> *Asians to challenge German tourism record - study *
> 
> LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Japanese and Chinese travellers are set to challenge the dominance of the Germans over the next 15 years for the title of world's most prolific globe-trotters, according to a survey on Friday.
> 
> Research company MINTEL said Japan and China will generate around four times as many outbound trips in 2020 as they did last year, making them number two and three respectively behind Germany.
> 
> MINTEL's Richard Cope said both countries would be driven by growth in their business and leisure markets.
> 
> "With 10 years of little or no growth, the Japanese economy is picking up -- that means more business trips and more tourism," he told Reuters.
> 
> As for the Chinese market, pent up demand coupled with more opportunity was "creating a travelling class."
> 
> In both markets, the business traveller was likely to continue to make short regional trips while tourists head further afield.
> 
> Overall, the number of trips taken abroad from the world's top 15 travelling nations will double by 2020 to 836.6 million from 433.3 million, the survey predicted.
> 
> Cope said travellers were unlikely to be deterred by terrorism or natural disasters.
> 
> "Whilst national economies and security fears will cause some would-be travellers to stay at home, or sway their choice of destination, for a considerable proportion, a holiday or a business trip abroad has become part of day-to-day life and is no longer regarded as a luxury," he said.
> 
> Back in 2003, Germans ousted Americans as the most travelled nationality.
> 
> Last year, Germans alone accounted for over 86.6 million trips abroad, with Britons in second place (65.3 million) and Americans trailing in third (58.3 million).
> 
> Cope said the foreign travel market in the United States has stagnated primarily because of the weakness of the dollar.
> 
> According to MINTEL, the other top travelling nations are: France, Russia, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, South Korea, Sweden, Belgium, Hong Kong and Australia.


Ready to go whenever i want to go..


----------



## hkskyline

* Thailand eases more rules to attract foreign tourists *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Oct 21, 2020

Thailand on Wednesday further eased coronavirus restrictions and plans to shorten a quarantine period to encourage foreign tourists, an official said, after the country welcomed its first vacationers since a ban in April aimed at halting the spread.

Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy suffered its worst contraction in over two decades in the second quarter as the vital tourism sector was badly hit.

Relaxed rules will make it easier for people on yachts and the foreign crew of ships to enter the country, but with strict adherence to health measures, coronavirus taskforce spokesman, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, told a briefing.

The government is considering shortening the mandatory quarantine period for new arrivals from the current two weeks, he said. 

More : Thailand eases more rules to attract foreign tourists


----------



## hkskyline

* Germany warns against travel to ski regions in Austria, Switzerland, Italy *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Oct 22, 2020

Germany has issued travel warnings for popular ski regions in Austria, Italy and Switzerland, scrambling to contain the spread of the coronavirus as new infection numbers rose above 10,000 a day for the first time.

...

Germany’s move could significantly impact the Alpine countries’ ski season. Especially Austria, which reported a record 2,435 new daily infections on Thursday, is a popular destination for Germans.

Switzerland Tourism’s spokesman Markus Berger said the news from Germany was obviously not good. The industry hoped that the situation would improve over the next one or two months.

More : Germany warns against travel to ski regions in Austria, Switzerland, Italy


----------



## hkskyline

* Hurtigruten cancels Jan-March Antarctica cruises because of pandemic *
_Excerpt_

OSLO, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Norway's Hurtigruten has called off its remaining Antarctica cruises from January to March next year and will reduce capacity along the Norwegian coast because of a lack of international travellers, the company said on Thursday.

The cruise line announced in September that it had cancelled all remaining cruises this year because of the rise in COVID-19 cases in Europe and the Americas.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting large parts of the world and travel restrictions and quarantine requirements are widespread and changing rapidly," the company said on Thursday.

More : Hurtigruten cancels Jan-March Antarctica cruises because of pandemic


----------



## hkskyline

*Canary Islands hope to save tourist season after Germany, England lift warnings *
_Excerpt_

MADRID, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Spain's Canary Islands could save the crucial winter tourism season after Germany and England decided on Thursday that the archipelago was no longer a high risk area for the coronavirus.

Some 5.1 million Britons and 2.8 million Germans visited the archipelago in 2019, accounting for over half its 13.3 million foreign tourists.

"It's magnificent news," said regional tourism secretary Yaiza Castilla, adding that airlines and tour operators were scrambling to increase capacity and revise pricing in expectation of a rise in demand.

After Germany took the islands off its list of high risk areas on Thursday morning, England followed later in the day, meaning passengers returning to both countries will not have to quarantine.

"The quarantine was putting the brakes on travel decisions from our two main markets," Castilla said.

More : UPDATE 1-Canary Islands hope to save tourist season after Germany, England lift warnings


----------



## hkskyline

* 'Very Nice!': Kazakhstan taps new Borat movie to woo tourists *
_Excerpt_
Oct 27, 2020

MOSCOW/ALMATY (Reuters) - Ridiculed once again in a film featuring fictional Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev, the ex-Soviet state of Kazakhstan has embraced the joke this time round and adopted Borat’s catch phrase to try to attract tourists.

“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” a follow-up to a 2006 film featuring the same sexist and racist character, was released on Amazon Prime last week.

Like the first film, the movie has Borat on the rampage in the United States where he tries to trick U.S. politicians and others into letting their guard down and compromising themselves.

Borat’s first outing caused anger in Kazakhstan where authorities discouraged its screening and threatened legal action over what they saw as an insult to their national character.

This time round, they have taken a different approach and adopted Borat’s catchphrase “Very Nice!” to try to promote tourism in the vast Central Asian country.

More : 'Very Nice!': Kazakhstan taps new Borat movie to woo tourists


----------



## hkskyline

* Peru’s Machu Picchu reopening Sunday after pandemic closure*
_Excerpt_
Oct 28, 2020

MACHU PICCHU, Peru (AP) — Except workers repairing roads and signs, Peru’s majestic Incan citadel of Machu Picchu is eerily empty ahead of its reopening Sunday after seven months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The long closure of Peru’s No. 1 tourist draw, which has hammered the local economy, marks the second time it has been shut down since it opened its doors to tourism in 1948. The first time was in 2010 when torrential and prolonged rains forced it to close.

The stone complex built in the 15th century will receive 675 visitors a day starting Sunday, the director of Machu Picchu archaeological park, José Bastante, told The Associated Press during an exclusive visit to the near-empty ruin ahead of its reopening.

More : Peru's Machu Picchu reopening Sunday after pandemic closure


----------



## hkskyline

* Argentina to restart international flights, some tourism after ban *
_Excerpt_

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Argentina will resume commercial international flights from November and allow tourists to enter from bordering countries, the government said on Friday, as it aims to lift coronavirus restrictions after one of the strictest lockdowns in the world.

Since April, most air traffic has been grounded, with the exception of special outgoing flights for residents and citizens of specified countries, including the United States, and incoming flights for Argentines.

The government extended the lockdown, including the flight ban, several times, prompting criticism from the Airline industry group IATA.

In its official bulletin on Friday, Argentina said regular international commercial flights for all airlines that operate in Argentina will resume. Only Argentina's citizens and residents and tourists from neighboring countries will be allowed to enter.

Those tourists will be allowed into Buenos Aires under a health protocol that includes a negative test for the new coronavirus before the flight and travelers must submit a sworn statement that they are free of symptoms.

More : Argentina to restart international flights, some tourism after ban


----------



## hkskyline

* ‘We’re losing $6m a day’: Queensland's tourism industry pleads for more attention *
The Guardian _Excerpt_
Oct 30, 2020

It’s the industry that provides at least 140,000 jobs across Queensland, with most of them outside of Brisbane, but both major parties in the Queensland election have been unusually quiet on it.

Tourism is one of Queensland’s biggest industries but the parties instead seem focused on mining and manufacturing. The premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, and the opposition leader, Deb Frecklington, have been making regular announcements of support packages for blue-collar industries – the sort of announcements that lend themselves to hi-vis photo opportunities.

The Palaszczuk government has pledged $74m for the tourism sector, but much of it is to promote the state, with only $15m pledged for regional areas. And the Liberal National party has committed $50m for destination marketing, but that is a drop in the ocean compared with what has been lost.

More : ‘We’re losing $6m a day’: Queensland's tourism industry pleads for more attention


----------



## hkskyline

* WA border reopening: Tourism industry offers discounts to kickstart interstate travel *
7News _Excerpt_
Oct 30, 2020

It was a moment 208 days in the making and a return to relative freedom.

On Friday, WA Premier Mark McGowan announced the opening of the state borders to the rest of the country from November 14.

From that date, visitors will be welcome from “low-risk” states.

That includes South Australia, the Nothern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT.

...

The news immediately had the tourism industry buzzing, with around 25 per cent of providers dropping their prices to encourage interstate travellers.

Around $200 million tourism dollars have been lost in WA each month since the shutdown.

Qantas will boost its flights from November 14, starting with a new route from Perth to Hobart.

More : Tourism discounts to kickstart interstate travel as WA border reopens


----------



## hkskyline

* New P.E.I. tourism campaign shows 'harsh reality' of 2020 season *
CBC _Excerpt_
Oct 27, 2020

The Tourism Industry Association of P.E.I. (TIAPEI) has launched a new campaign called Tourism Counts to raise awareness about the importance of tourism on P.E.I. and its value for the Island economy. 

"I think normally what you would see from tourism by way of videos and campaigns would be very optimistic and happy," said Corryn Clemence, the association's CEO. 

"That's not so much what we're going to see in this campaign. This is the harsh reality that our industry is facing right now."

The campaign will share the personal stories and perspectives of those who worked in the sector this season. Clemence said they will talk about the impact COVID-19 had on their businesses, their families and answer questions like "what keeps you up at night?"

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-tourism-campaing-covid-1.5779118


----------



## hkskyline

Nov 4, 2020
* Tourism and Sports Ministry targets 10m high-season trips *
Bangkok Post _Excerpt_

The Tourism and Sports Ministry has committed to pushing for 10 million domestic trips per month during high season following the cabinet's approval of more financial aid measures on Tuesday.

After the government lifted the lockdown in the second quarter, the number of domestic trips gradually picked up from merely 90,000 in April to 8.5 million in September, but has yet to cross the 10-million-trip threshold despite government stimulus schemes.

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said improved scenarios are expected the last two months of this year, the high season for the domestic market, while measures approved by the government may help operators run their businesses at a steadier pace.

More : Tourism and Sports Ministry targets 10m high-season trips


----------



## hkskyline

* FEATURE-Bedouins go back to their roots in Egypt as COVID-19 hits tourism *
_Excerpt_

SAINT CATHERINE, Egypt, Nov 6 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - For years, Um Saad has been urging fellow Bedouins to tend their orchards and vegetable patches in the mountains of Egypt's South Sinai. It took a pandemic for them to listen to her.

Tourism, her community's main source of income, has been wobbly for years - rattled by militant attacks and political unrest. But COVID-19 has decimated the sector, encouraging many Bedouins to go back to the livelihoods of their ancestors.

"This is one good thing about the coronavirus," said Um Saad, 75, sitting outside the house where she has lived for decades near the town of Saint Catherine, occasionally hosting foreign visitors hiking in the mountainous region.

"For me, agriculture and tourism have always been in parallel. But agriculture is the major source of sustaining life here," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Since the pandemic brought tourism to a virtual standstill in March, hundreds of Bedouins have returned to their plots in the mountains of Saint Catherine, which have often served as a haven in times of political upheaval and war.

More : FEATURE-Bedouins go back to their roots in Egypt as COVID-19 hits tourism


----------



## hkskyline

* Australia may open borders to Asia as it records third day without local COVID-19 case *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Nov 10, 2020

Australia is considering opening its borders to Asian countries, including parts of China, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday, as Canberra seeks to revive an economy ravaged by COVID-19.

Australia in March shut its borders to all non-citizens and permanent residents, though in October Canberra allowed New Zealand residents to enter. Internal travel is limited, although those restrictions are scheduled to be removed by the end of the year.

Morrison ruled out entry from the United States or Europe, but said Australia may allow people from low-risk countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and even provinces in China.

"We ... are looking at what alternative arrangements could be hard to channel visitors through appropriate quarantine arrangements for low-risk countries," Morrison told reporters in Canberra.

China was one of the first countries from which Australia restricted entry.

More : Australia may open borders to Asia as it records third day without local COVID-19 case


----------



## hkskyline

*South Africa reopens to foreign travelers amid virus creep *
_Excerpt_
Nov 12, 2020

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — In an effort to revive its tourism industry, South Africa has opened up international travel to visitors from all countries, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced.

South Africa will now admit foreign visitors providing they produce negative COVID-19 test results, Ramaphosa said in a broadcast address Wednesday night.

This step, making South Africa one of the world's countries most open to international travel, comes as cases of the disease are slowly increasing in the country. Ramaphosa said his government will closely monitor any signs that international visitors increase transmission rates.

“By using rapid tests and strict monitoring we intend to limit the spread of the infection through importation,” said Ramaphosa. “We expect that these measures will greatly assist businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors.”

After closing its borders as part of one of the world's strictest lockdowns imposed at the end of March, South Africa has gradually reopened, resuming international flights on Oct. 1 but not admitting travelers from countries with high infection levels. Now that restriction has been removed, Ramaphosa said.

More : South Africa reopens to foreign travelers amid virus creep


----------



## hkskyline

* Saudi Red Sea project plans 16 hotels by 2023, finalising $3.7 bln loan -CEO *
_Excerpt_
Nov 12, 2020 

DUBAI/RIYADH, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s flagship tourism project, The Red Sea Development Co (TRSDC), plans to have 16 hotels ready by the end of 2023, two more than initially planned in the first phase, as it expects a V-shape recovery in global tourism once the pandemic abates, Chief Executive John Pagano told Reuters.

Owned by a Saudi sovereign fund, and backed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the multi-billion dollar project entails developing luxury resorts on 50 islands off the coral-fringed Red Sea coast, where tourists can go diving, and visit a nature reserve and heritage sites.

During the first phase, the project aims to attract 300,000 visitors annually, Pagano said, expecting demand to soar in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More : Saudi Red Sea project plans 16 hotels by 2023, finalising $3.7 bln loan -CEO


----------



## qbeck37

hkskyline said:


> * Saudi Red Sea project plans 16 hotels by 2023, finalising $3.7 bln loan -CEO *
> _Excerpt_
> Nov 12, 2020
> 
> DUBAI/RIYADH, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s flagship tourism project, The Red Sea Development Co (TRSDC), plans to have 16 hotels ready by the end of 2023, two more than initially planned in the first phase, as it expects a V-shape recovery in global tourism once the pandemic abates, Chief Executive John Pagano told Reuters.
> 
> Owned by a Saudi sovereign fund, and backed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the multi-billion dollar project entails developing luxury resorts on 50 islands off the coral-fringed Red Sea coast, where tourists can go diving, and visit a nature reserve and heritage sites.
> 
> During the first phase, the project aims to attract 300,000 visitors annually, Pagano said, expecting demand to soar in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
> 
> More : Saudi Red Sea project plans 16 hotels by 2023, finalising $3.7 bln loan -CEO


Hopefully by then the pandemic will be over with...


----------



## hkskyline

*Swimming Santa brings Dead Sea to life with tree and cheer *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Nov 15, 2020

At the lowest point on earth, in the middle of a giant salt lake where animals and plants have no chance of surviving, a jolly man dressed in red with a flowing white beard stuck a Christmas tree in the ground and went for a swim.

Santa Claus came to the Dead Sea on Sunday ahead of the Christmas season, part of a campaign by Israel’s Tourism Ministry to bring some Christmas cheer during a global pandemic that has kept Christian pilgrims away from the Holy Land.

He rode a paddle board a few hundred meters offshore to a spot where salt has piled up in a massive mushroom shape, allowing him to stand in the middle of the otherwise much deeper lake.

More : Swimming Santa brings Dead Sea to life with tree and cheer


----------



## hkskyline

* Indian partying hotspot Goa counts losses, braces for change *
_Excerpt_ 
Jan 13, 2021

GOA, India (AP) — The sun’s golden rays fall on Goa’s smooth, sandy beaches every evening, magical as ever but strangely quiet and lonely. This holiday season, few visitors are enjoying the celebrated sunsets in the Indian party hotspot.

The unspoken fear of the coronavirus is sapping Goa’s vibrant beach shacks and noisy bars of their lifeblood.

A Portuguese colony until 1961, this western Indian state usually comes alive in December and January, its tourism-led economy booming with foreign travelers and chartered flights bringing in hordes of vacationers.

More : Indian partying hotspot Goa counts losses, braces for change


----------



## hkskyline

* Airbnb CEO says travel never going back to the way it was before pandemic *
Reuters _Excerpt_ 
Jan 14, 2021

Airbnb Chief Executive Officer Brian Chesky on Thursday predicted travel would permanently change due to the pandemic with people seeking out thousands of smaller cities and spending more time visiting friends and family.

Traditional tourism and sightseeing at top global destinations would be significantly reduced by travelers who will drive to smaller communities and fly less for business meetings.

Travelers are “yearning for what was taken away from them,” Chesky said at the Reuters Next conference in an interview with Jonathan Weber, Reuters global technology editor. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square. What they are yearning to do is to see their friends and their families they have not seen in a long time.”

More : Airbnb CEO says travel never going back to the way it was before pandemic


----------



## hkskyline

* EU looks at vaccine certificates to help summer tourism *
_Excerpt_ 
Jan 15, 2021

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is looking at a common vaccine certificate to help get travelers to their vacation destinations and prevent tourism from suffering another disastrous year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the certificates for individuals who have been vaccinated could be combined with COVID-19 tests for those awaiting shots to allow as many people as possible to travel during the summer, which is vital for warm weather Mediterranean destinations like Greece, Italy and Spain.

The issue will likely be discussed during a video meeting of EU leaders next week. Europeans have been concerned residents might be split into two camps - those with vaccine certificates permitting them to travel and others who remain limited in where they can go.

More : EU looks at vaccine certificates to help summer tourism


----------



## hkskyline

*Which destinations need tourism most to survive after COVID-19? * 
euronews _Excerpt_
Jan 15, 2021

International tourist arrivals worldwide were down on average by 72 per cent between January and October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And while many of us remain in lockdown at the start of this year, we’re looking ahead to future travel.

Every aspect of the travel industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. But some destinations are particularly vulnerable because a high amount of their GDP relies on tourism.

Many of us have had time to reflect during lockdown and want to make a conscious effort to ensure the income from tourism reaches further afield - and that we make a positive impact on the destinations we visit.

Now is the time for the travel industry to plan, and come back better and stronger than ever. After months of lockdown and social distancing, many of us crave wide open green spaces and little-known gems where overtourism isn’t a problem.

We’ve rounded up some of the destinations that need our help the most to recover, as well as some advice on where to go to get off the beaten track. 

More : Which destinations need tourism most to survive after COVID-19?


----------



## hkskyline

* ‘Luang Prabang is dead’; in jewel of Laos tourism jobs have gone, businesses have closed, and the future looks uncertain – but a lot quieter * 
South China Morning Post _Excerpt_
Jan 17, 2021 

An eerie peace has descended on Luang Prabang in Laos. Residents describe a tranquillity that has not been seen in the increasingly popular Southeast Asian tourist destination for decades.

This should be high season for tourism in the town, which has held Unesco World Heritage Site status since 1995, although in recent years it has been busy year-round.

Laos is a wild, landlocked country of jungle and mountains, and Luang Prabang is its crowning jewel. A spiritual place, the town is known for its Buddhist temples and morning alms ceremony, in which processions of orange-robed monks walk the early morning streets to receive gifts of food from believers.

More : Covid-19 entry ban takes the shine off Luang Prabang, jewel of Laos tourism


----------



## hkskyline

* Thailand Sold Itself as a Paradise Covid Retreat. No One Came * 
Bloomberg _Excerpt_
Jan 16, 2021

It’s hard to imagine a more luxurious place to spend two weeks of quarantine than the Anantara Phuket Suites & Villas in Thailand, where visitors are pampered in private residences that can have their own pool and courtyard.

Yet more than three months after the resort and more than a hundred like it reopened to extended-stay travelers in an attempt to revive Thailand’s battered economy, foreign arrivals have failed to meet even rock-bottom expectations. Just 346 overseas visitors have entered the country on average each month on special visas since October, according to the Thailand Longstay Company, which helps facilitate the program. That’s well below the government’s target of about 1,200 and a tiny fraction of the more than 3 million who came before the pandemic.

The tepid response to Thailand’s highly publicized reopening illustrates the difficulties facing tourist-dependent countries as they try to shore up economic growth while also protecting citizens from Covid-19 before vaccines become widely available. 

More : Bloomberg - Are you a robot?


----------



## hkskyline

* Dubai, party haven amid pandemic, faces its biggest surge * 
_Excerpt_
Jan 19, 2021 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Masks off the minute you step inside. Bars packed and pulsing like it’s 2019. Social media stars waving bottles of champagne. DJs spinning party tunes through multi-hour brunches.

Since becoming one of the world’s first destinations to open up for tourism, Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has promoted itself as the ideal pandemic vacation spot. It cannot afford otherwise, analysts say, as the virus shakes the foundations of the city-state’s economy.

With its cavernous malls, frenetic construction and legions of foreign workers, Dubai was built on the promise of globalization, drawing largely from the aviation, hospitality and retail sectors — all hard hit by the virus.

More : Dubai, party haven amid pandemic, faces its biggest surge


----------



## hkskyline

* Citing threat from COVID-19 variants, Quebec calls on Ottawa to ban vacation travel * 
CBC _Excerpt_
Jan 19, 2021

Flights continue to arrive at Quebec's airports from sunshine destinations every day and Premier François Legault wants it to stop.

He is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to immediately ban all non-essential travel, adding "we can talk about what non-essential means."

"Going to Cancun ... and partying by the pool, I'm very sorry but that's not essential," Legault told a news conference. "I don't understand how someone could go to an all-inclusive [resort] in Punta Cana."

He also demanded that, in the interim, Ottawa go further in enforcing its quarantine policy and said the current system of checking up on people with automated calls simply isn't enough. 

The main reason for demanding stiffer measures — Ottawa has already tightened quarantine rules, increased fines for scofflaws and acceded to Quebec's earlier demand that travellers produce a negative COVID-19 test before flying home — is the threat of more infectious coronavirus variants from Europe, South America and Africa.

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/covid-19-legault-caribbean-travel-ban-1.5879182


----------



## hkskyline

* Australian tourism forecast to lose 320,000 jobs, $7 billion if border closures remain * 
9news _Excerpt_
Jan 21, 2021

Australia's tourism industry is forecast to lose almost $7 billion and place 320,000 jobs at risk over the summer holiday period due to domestic and international border closures brought in by COVID-19.

New analysis by the Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) found that in the short period of December 24, 2020 to January 31, 2021, holiday spending is predicted to be down by $6.8 billion.

The research also forecasts that if border closures continue, and JobKeeper ends as planned in March, as many as 320,000 jobs in the tourism sector could be lost by September 2021. 

More : Australian tourism forecast to lose 320,000 jobs, $7 billion if border closures remain


----------



## hkskyline

*Sri Lanka reopens to tourists after 10 months * 
AP _Excerpt_
Jan 21, 2021

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka reopened to foreign tourists on Thursday after a nearly 10-month pandemic closure that cut deeply into the Indian Ocean island nation’s lucrative travel industry.

Full operations also resumed Thursday at the island’s two international airports, accommodating the commercial flights.

Under new protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19, tourists must be tested for the virus in their country 72 hours prior to their flight, when they arrive at their hotel in Sri Lanka and again seven days later. They must stay in a “travel bubble” designated in 14 tourism zones without mixing with the local population. About 180 hotels have been earmarked for tourist accommodations.

More : Asia Today: Sri Lanka reopens to tourists after 10 months


----------



## hkskyline

* Japan tourism push linked to surge in COVID-19 infections -study * 
_Excerpt_
Jan 22, 2021

TOKYO (Reuters) - A domestic tourism campaign promoted by Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga may have contributed to a sharp increase in coronavirus infection cases in the country, a prominent adviser to the government’s pandemic response said.

While the government has said there is no evidence that its “Go To” travel campaign spread the coronavirus, Suga suspended it in December to contain mounting COVID-19 cases, and as his approval ratings sank over handling of the pandemic.

A study was published on Thursday by the Journal of Clinical Medicine concluded that “the number of travel-associated COVID-19 cases that involved crossing of prefectural borders increased during the Go To Travel campaign.” 

More : Japan tourism push linked to surge in COVID-19 infections -study


----------



## hkskyline

* Belgium bans leisure travel for a month to combat pandemic * 
_Excerpt_
Jan 22, 2021

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium is banning all leisure travel abroad for its citizens as of next week and until March, in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 and its virulent variants.

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Friday that “when people travel, the virus travels with them.”

He said visitors from Britain, South Africa and South America will have to quarantine for ten days to make sure they don’t bring dangerous variants into Belgium.

The move came one day after the 27 European Union leaders said that borders within the bloc needed to remain open to assure essential transport and movement of workers, but left it up to member states to take other measures they deemed necessary.

In Belgium only essential business, family and humanitarian travel will still be allowed from next week until March. Over the past year, Belgium has seen a spike in cases after popular holidays because of returning travelers. February is the traditional month for Belgians to go skiing in the Alps or fly down south for warmth.

More : Belgium bans leisure travel for a month to combat pandemic


----------



## hkskyline

* Hope for tourism in Wales after 'devastating' pandemic * 
BBC _Excerpt_
Jan 24, 2021

There is hope for the tourism industry in Wales for the coming year, despite the "devastating" impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, business owners have said.

Welsh Government data showed occupancy levels in all sectors of the tourism industry fell dramatically in 2020.

However, in August and September, when restrictions were loosest, occupancy rates in most sectors were similar or better than in the previous two years.

The Welsh Government said it had set aside £180m to support tourism.

According to the data, about 66% of hotel rooms were occupied in 2018 and 2019, but this number fell to an average of 39% between March and September of 2020 as a result of lockdown restrictions.

More : Covid: Hope for tourism in Wales after 'devastating' pandemic


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## hkskyline

*Vaccine tourism on the rise as wealthy international tourists eye an opportunity in the U.S. * 
NBC _Excerpt_
Jan 25, 2021

Shortly before the Covid-19 vaccine made its debut last month in the United States, an Indian travel agency called Gem Tours & Travels announced it was registering customers for an exciting new package: a four-day trip from Mumbai to New York City with a coronavirus shot thrown in for about $2,000.

"Vaccine tourism," Nimesh Shah, the company's business development specialist, called it.

“We are only taking registrations of Indians with a valid 10-year U.S. visa,” Shah told ThePrint. “We are not taking any money but just collecting data for the moment. We are proud to have coined the term ‘vaccine tourism.’”

Soon, competitors like the Kolkata-based Zenith Holidays were registering customers for vaccination packages.

Pronab Sarkar, president of Indian Association of Tour Operators, condemned the companies for peddling these junkets. But Zenith Holidays, which generally does not offer travel packages to the U.S., still has on its website a "Vaccine Tourism" tab where customers can fill out a registration form, click send, and within minutes an email from the company pops up in their inbox promising more information soon.

More : Vaccine tourism on the rise as wealthy international tourists eye an opportunity in the U.S.


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## hkskyline

* Thailand may see 1 mln tourism job losses in Q1 after new outbreak * 
_Excerpt_ 

BANGKOK, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Thailand could see a million more jobless tourism workers in the first quarter after its latest wave of coronavirus infections, while relief measures are urgently needed to support the struggling sector, a private tourism group said on Tuesday.

The Tourism Council of Thailand will later on Tuesday propose to the government measures including a 50% co-pay scheme to retain workers, utility bill cuts, soft loans and a two-year debt moratoria, said its president, Chamnan Srisawat.

The proposed co-pay scheme will help some 800,000 people keep their jobs, he told a briefing.

More : Thailand may see 1 mln tourism job losses in Q1 after new outbreak


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## hkskyline

*Long wait for trans-Tasman bubble just got even longer *
RNZ _Excerpt_
Jan 27, 2021

New Zealanders could be waiting even longer for a full trans-Tasman bubble, with the government downplaying its previous suggestion one could be in place by the end of March.

It comes as the one-way travel bubble to Australia is put on ice, in response to the community case in Northland.

The National Party says instead of focusing on a full travel bubble, the government should instead be working on a state-by-state approach.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has expressed her disappointment Australia has temporarily frozen the trans-Tasman bubble.

"We have seen the impacts of that decision on travellers, we need to have some confidence if we are in a trans-Tasman travel arrangement that we won't see decisions that impact people when it may not be necessary," she said.

More : Long wait for trans-Tasman bubble just got even longer


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## hkskyline

*2020: WORST YEAR IN TOURISM HISTORY WITH 1 BILLION FEWER INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS * 
UNWTO Press Release _Excerpt_ 
Jan 28, 2021

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, the collapse in international travel represents an estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues - more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. The crisis has put between 100 and 120 million direct tourism jobs at risk, many of them in small and medium-sized enterprises. 

Due to the evolving nature of the pandemic, many countries are now reintroducing stricter travel restrictions. These include mandatory testing, quarantines and in some cases a complete closure of borders, all weighing on the resumption of international travel. At the same time, the gradual rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine is expected to help restore consumer confidence, contribute to the easing travel restrictions and slowly normalize travel during the year ahead.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “While much has been made in making safe international travel a possibility, we are aware that the crisis is far from over. The harmonization, coordination and digitalization of COVID-19 travel-related risk reduction measures, including testing, tracing and vaccination certificates, are essential foundations to promote safe travel and prepare for the recovery of tourism once conditions allow."

More : 2020: Worst Year in Tourism History with 1 Billion Fewer International Arrivals


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## hkskyline

*Mexico says tourism could lose $782 million from Canada flight freeze* 
_Excerpt_

MEXICO CITY, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Canada’s decision to suspend flights by its major airlines to Mexico for three months to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic could cost the Mexican tourism industry around $782 million in lost revenue, Mexico’s government said on Sunday.

Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco made the estimate on the basis there could be up to 791,000 fewer tourists as a result of the suspension Canada imposed from Sunday through April 30, his ministry said in a statement.

Still, the losses may end up smaller, Torruco said.

The minister said Canada could also miss out on 372,000 Mexican visitors and $368 million in lost revenues because of freezing the flights.

Mexico has not moved to suspend flights to Canada, although one airline, Aeromexico, said it would halt flights to Canada from the second week of February until the end of April.

More : Mexico says tourism could lose $782 million from Canada flight freeze


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## hkskyline

* Taiwan eyeing post-COVID-19 travel niche -- in the woods * 
_Excerpt_

Taipei, Feb. 3 (CNA) - Taiwan's tourism industry, laid low by the COVID-19 pandemic, is gearing up to find a niche market in ecotourism, encouraging people to visit the country's forests, in particular, authorities said recently.

In the wake of a six-month pilot program that allowed citizens and foreign residents to visit any one of Taiwan's 12 forest recreational areas for free, officials said they are hoping that the momentum would continue, creating new possibilities for the country's travel industry.

According to the Forestry Bureau, some 2.38 million tourists visited the forest parks July 15-Dec. 31 last year during the special promotion, representing a 38 percent increase from the same period in 2019. 

More : Taiwan eyeing post-COVID-19 travel niche -- in the woods - Focus Taiwan


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## hkskyline

* Pandemic pulverizes Spain’s tourism as arrivals plunge 77% * 
_Excerpt_
Feb 4, 2021

MADRID (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic has pulverized Spain’s key tourism industry with arrivals dropping to 19 million in 2020, down from the near 84 million visitors the previous year.

The 77% decrease snapped a seven-year trend of annual records and ended a decade-long run of yearly increases.

The National Statistics Institute said Wednesday that income from foreign tourism plunged in 2020 to just 20 billion euros ($24 billion), 79% less than the 92 billion euros received in 2019.

More : Pandemic pulverizes Spain's tourism as arrivals plunge 77%


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## hkskyline

* Thai hotel operator Central Plaza plans to launch eight hotels in 2021 * 
_Excerpt_ 

BANGKOK, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Thai hotelier Central Plaza Hotel Pcl on Friday said it would move ahead with plans to launch eight hotels across seven countries this year, counting on eased travel restrictions as coronavirus vaccinations are unrolled.

“It’s our hope that by the third quarter, with vaccinations underway, that travellers with vaccination passports will be able to come to Thailand and not have to do quarantine,” deputy chief executive Markland Blaiklock, told Reuters.

He also expects “pent-up demand” for travel from markets like Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea.

More : Thai hotel operator Central Plaza plans to launch eight hotels in 2021


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## hkskyline

* Domestic tourism in Russia to grow by 15-20% in 2021 - agency chief * 
_Excerpt_

ULAN-DE, February 7. /TASS/. Domestic tourism in Russia is expected to grow by 15-20% in 2021 on the previous year, Zarina Doguzova, chief of Russia’s Tourism Agency, said on Sunday.

"This year, we hope there will be no lockdowns in Russia. So, we expect a growth [in the domestic tourism sector] of 15-20% on the previous year," she said, adding that most popular vacationing destinations in the country may regain the pre-coronavirus level.

"In general, it is too early to speak about complete revival of the sector. As for domestic tourism, we expect complete revival in 2022, and as for international tourism, the sector will revive not earlier than 2023, if things go well. The main thing is to begin gradual revival," she added. 

More : Domestic tourism in Russia to grow by 15-20% in 2021 - agency chief


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## hkskyline

*Around the globe, virus cancels spring travel for millions *
_Excerpt_
Feb 8, 2021

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — They are the annual journeys of late winter and early spring: Factory workers in China heading home for the Lunar New Year; American college students going on road trips and hitting the beach over spring break; Germans and Britons fleeing drab skies for some Mediterranean sun over Easter.

All of it canceled, in doubt or under pressure because of the coronavirus.

Amid fears of new variants of the virus, new restrictions on movement have hit just as people start to look ahead to what is usually a busy time of year for travel.

It means more pain for airlines, hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations that were already struggling more than a year into the pandemic, and a slower recovery for countries where tourism is a big chunk of the economy.

More : Around the globe, virus cancels spring travel for millions


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## hkskyline

* Reinventing Sri Lanka: As the country reopens to international travelers, the tourism industry ponders its future *
CNN _Excerpt_
Feb 9, 2021

A year ago, Dinesh Perera and his friends owned and operated the only two LGBTQ-friendly accommodations in Colombo: Mahasen by Foozoo and Mahasen Terrace by Foozoo. Both hotels sat opposite each other on Mahasen Mawatha, a quiet road in a residential neighborhood in Colombo.

Foreign and domestic visitors flocked to them, drawn to their cooking sessions and rooftop drinks, places where the clinking of the morning coffee cups, chit-chat and laughter filled the air, providing an escape from the busy metropolis.

But those days are long gone.

"Our chapter in Mahasen Mawatha has come to an end," Perera tells CNN Travel, referring to their decision to shutter both their Colombo properties in December.
They are not alone. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many tourist service providers around the island have had to close. However, for some Sri Lanka establishments, their troubles began well before Covid-19 forced the world's borders to close.

More : Reinventing Sri Lanka: As the country reopens to international travelers, the tourism industry ponders its future


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## hkskyline

*Alaskans, our state’s tourism businesses need your help *
Anchorage Daily News _Excerpt_
Feb 11, 2021

Travel and tourism have taken a hard hit everywhere during the pandemic, and Alaska is no exception. In-state travel was the difference maker for many businesses in 2020. Alaskans traveling in their own backyards kept many places going through the leanest of months. The effects would have been much worse without you. In some of our communities, locals made up more than two-thirds of 2020 business, far higher than typical. If you hiked another trail, camped someplace different, hit the road headed in a new direction, or booked a getaway — even in your own town — thank you. It all made a difference.

There’s reason to believe that, nationally, travel will begin recovering soon. As more people are vaccinated, we could see more Americans ready to travel — and travel safely — this summer. But as you’ve no doubt seen, Alaska’s tourism businesses face a lot of challenges between now and recovery. As Alaskans working in tourism, we have our work cut out for us.

Our aim has always been to maximize the benefits — economic and beyond — of travel and tourism for our communities. We will continue to share Alaska with adventurers, and in doing so, support our communities, local businesses, and Alaskans who rely on travel to make a living.

More : Alaskans, our state’s tourism businesses need your help


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## hkskyline

*Covid in Ireland: Domestic tourism faces ‘perfect storm’, hoteliers warn *
The Times _Excerpt_ 
Feb 13, 2021

Irish tourism faces a “perfect storm” if the domestic market falters this year amid hopes that people can holiday overseas along with the loss of foreign visitors, a hotelier has said.

Michael Wade, general manager of the Delphi Lodge in Co Galway, said businesses would struggle to survive another year in the pandemic.

Wade said bookings were picking up for this year’s season but it had been “slow to start”.

“Every time Michael O’Leary goes on the radio, bookings falter because people still hope they can get off the island,” he said. “No one would blame anyone for wanting to travel but the perfect storm for our sector comes if we have no international market and the state supports start to run out.”

More : Covid in Ireland: Domestic tourism faces ‘perfect storm’, hoteliers warn


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## hkskyline

* Viral Vegas: Deaths jump, tourism slumps amid long pandemic *
_Excerpt_ 
Feb 12, 2021

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Six weeks ago, thousands of New Year’s revelers gathered beneath the neon-lit marquees on the Las Vegas Strip — even though the big annual fireworks show was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The sight of the big crowd, including many people without masks, spurred fears that COVID-19 infections would skyrocket, followed by hospitalizations and then deaths. That’s exactly what happened. January was Nevada’s deadliest month since the pandemic began, with 1,132 deaths. December was second.

Now the virus is reshaping a tourist destination built for excess and known for bright lights, big crowds, indulgent meals and headline shows. Visitors arrive to find some freedoms curtailed and some familiar attractions closed, but parking and bargain prices are abundant. Big performances and conventions are still on hold.

More : Viral Vegas: Deaths jump, tourism slumps amid long pandemic


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## hkskyline

* Israel plans to reopen restaurants in March, restart tourism with Cyprus *
_Excerpt_ 
Feb 14, 2021

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel plans to reopen restaurants around March 9 and restart tourism with Cyprus as part of a gradual return to normality thanks to a COVID-19 vaccination campaign, officials said on Sunday.

With more than 41% of Israelis having received at least one shot of Pfizer Inc’s vaccine, Israel has said it will partially reopen hotels and gyms on Feb. 23 to those fully inoculated or deemed immune after recovering from COVID-19.

To gain entry, these beneficiaries would have to present a “Green Pass”, displayed on a Health Ministry app linked to their medical files. The app’s rollout is due this week.

More : Israel plans to reopen restaurants in March, restart tourism with Cyprus


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## hkskyline

* Italy won’t open its ski slopes due to virus fears *
_Excerpt_ 
Feb 14, 2021

ROME (AP) — The Italian government on Sunday abruptly delayed opening Italy’s beloved ski season because a coronavirus variant was detected in a good portion of recently infected persons in the country.

Health Minister Roberto Speranza’s ordinance forbidding amateur skiing at least until March 5 effectively kills the hopes of ski lift operators and resort owners that they would be able to salvage part of the season. The ski business is a big source of winter tourism in Italy and the news came on the eve of the expected opening.

A ministry statement noted that analyses of virus samples indicated that a variant first found in Britain is sickening 17.8% of recently infected people in Italy.

More : Italy won't open its ski slopes due to virus fears


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## hkskyline

* French resort opens single ski run, but you'll need a car to reach the top *
_Excerpt_ 
Feb 18, 2021

COURCHEVEL, France (Reuters) - Gari Abou and his teenage brother clutched their snowboards as they rode up the mountainside to the top of the only piste open in Courchevel. Their ride was not a chairlift, but a taxi.

France’s ski resorts cannot operate their lifts under the country’s tight COVID-19 restrictions. But Courchevel, a favourite in normal years with Britons and Russians, has opened a single run that can be reached by car.

“It’s good for learning because we repeat the run over and over,” Abou said, strapping his board to his feet and launching himself down the gentle slope under a blue alpine sky.

More : French resort opens single ski run, but you'll need a car to reach the top


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## hkskyline

* It is time to end extractive tourism *
Al Jazeera _Excerpt_ 
Feb 18, 2021

As we draw closer to the anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, many are hopeful that the vaccine roll-out will help us return to our pre-pandemic “normal”. For a certain privileged group of people, this would mean getting back the “freedom” to travel anywhere they want.

Indeed, their perceived “right” to holiday in far-away places where tourists are provided with all comforts and freedoms to do as they please has become almost sacrosanct. This has as much to do with privilege, as it has with the way capitalism exploits labour.

As wages remain stagnant, productivity demands increase and working hours get longer, capitalist societies are creating a middle class that sees tourism as a form of momentary escape from its stressful reality.

Capitalist forces have convinced the increasingly overworked middle-class labour force in the West and elsewhere that to “relax”, it needs a vacation abroad with all comforts provided. As a result, it is willing to pay significant sums of money to be mass transported south and east to enjoy a week of leisure at the expense of local communities who suffer from the abuse of their land and resources by tourism corporations and their local partners.

Quite literally, whole relationships between people, and between people and nature are shaped by the need to allow the paying tourist customer to do and be whatever they desire. It is a vicious circle where capitalist labour exploitation, consumerism and wealth extraction work to produce an incredibly destructive kind of mass tourism.

If there was ever a time to reconsider the tourism industry, it would be now. The COVID-19 pandemic offers us the unique opportunity to reflect on the ugly reality behind our exotic vacations and break the cycle of exploitation. This would take not only reforming the tourist industry but also overhauling our labour systems.

More : It is time to end extractive tourism


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## hkskyline

* How the Maldives became the biggest 2020 international tourism success story *
CNN _Excerpt_ 
Feb 17, 2021

In most destinations, being a million tourists short over the previous year would be a huge cause for concern, the result of a horrible natural disaster. But that was before 2020, and before the coronavirus pandemic changed the way we travel forever.

The Maldives, an Indian Ocean island archipelago practically synonymous with romance, normally sees north of 1.7 million visitors per year. In 2020, it had around 500,000. And despite the significant decrease, it marks one of the most successful tourism stories amid the pandemic.

While many other destinations slammed their borders closed, the Maldives chose to fully reopen to travelers from any country, regardless of the status of the virus there, in July 2020. 

Part of the decision was financial. According to data from Michigan State University, tourism contributes 28% of the Maldives's GDP, one of the highest totals in the world.
The country's geography also lends itself well to coronavirus protocols. Many hotels and resorts are on their own private islands -- there are more than a thousand to choose from, even before man-made islands come into the equation -- which makes isolating and social distancing exceptionally easy.

More : How the Maldives became the biggest 2020 international tourism success story


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## hkskyline

*Central bank sees hazy tourism outlook as major risk*
Bloomberg _Excerpt_ 
Feb 18, 2021

The economy is expected to expand this year more slowly than previously forecast because of a resurgence in coronavirus cases, the central bank said, singling out an uncertain recovery in tourist arrivals as a “major risk” to the medium-term outlook.

The latest outbreak that began in mid-December will have less impact on the economy than the initial wave, but the pace of recovery will be slower and uneven, according to edited minutes of the Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee released Wednesday.

The government should prepare additional fiscal stimulus measures if the tourism-reliant nation can’t reopen for foreign visitors during the peak season from late 2021 to early 2022, it said.

More : Bloomberg - Are you a robot?


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## hkskyline

*Powdering sleeping beauty’s nose: Virus eases Louvre works *
_Excerpt_ 
Feb 20, 2021

PARIS (AP) — The 518-year-old Mona Lisa has seen many things in her life on a wall, but rarely this: Almost four months with no Louvre visitors.

As she stares out through bulletproof glass into the silent Salle des Etats, in what was once the world’s most-visited museum, her celebrated smile could almost denote relief. A bit further on, the white marble Venus de Milo is for once free of her girdle of picture-snapping visitors.

It’s uncertain when the Paris museum will reopen, after being closed on Oct. 30 in line with the French government’s virus containment measures. But those lucky enough to get in benefit from a rare private look at collections covering 9,000 years of human history -- with plenty of space to breathe.

More : Powdering sleeping beauty's nose: Virus eases Louvre works


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## hkskyline

* The big pivot: How tourist mecca Queenstown is adapting to a Covid world and beyond *
Stuff _Excerpt_ 
Feb 21, 2021

Trent Yeo is exhausted.

His Queenstown zipline business – Ziptrek Eco Tours – has been stripped of its international visitors, and he is fighting to keep it going. But these are the times in which entrepreneurs thrive, and it is also giving him new energy.

“It is exhausting, making these changes all the time. It’s not easy, but we’re more capable than we’ve ever been at reinventing what our businesses could and should look like.

“My view is that if you’re not trying something, you’re going to eventually fail.”

As soon as Covid-19 hit New Zealand last year Yeo, who was named Emerging Tourism Leader Award at the 2019 New Zealand Tourism Awards and also sits on the Tourism Industry Association board, began re-working his backing systems, renegotiating every contract he has, seeking new ideas.

More : The big pivot: How tourist mecca Queenstown is adapting to a Covid world and beyond


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## hkskyline

* Kenya's international tourism market to recover in 2024 - Balala *
The Star _Excerpt_ 
Feb 21, 2021

The Government is banking on domestic tourism to revive the economy which was greatly affected by the Covid 19 pandemic.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said the international tourism market will take time to recover up to 2024 when they will be expected to return in large numbers.

Kenya’s tourism sector lost close to $1 billion in revenue between January and October when numbers of foreign visitors fell by two-thirds due to Covid-19.

More : Kenya's international tourism market to recover in 2024 - Balala


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## hkskyline

* French city of Nice asks tourists to stay away amid COVID surge *
_Excerpt_ 
Feb 21, 2021

PARIS (Reuters) - The mayor of Nice in southern France called on Sunday for a weekend lockdown in the area to reduce the flow of tourists as it battles a sharp spike in coronavirus infections to triple the national rate.

The Nice area has France’s highest COVID-19 infection rate, with 740 new cases per week per 100,000 residents, according to Covidtracker.fr.

“We need strong measures that go beyond the nationwide 6 p.m. curfew, either tighter curfew, or a partial and time-specific lockdown. A weekend lockdown would make sense,” Mayor Christian Estrosi said on franceinfo radio.

More : French city of Nice asks tourists to stay away amid COVID surge


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## hkskyline

*Britons rush to book holidays amid plans to end lockdown *
_Excerpt_ 
Feb 23, 2021

LONDON (AP) — Stir-crazy Britons rushed to book overseas vacations after Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled plans to slowly ease a national lockdown, boosting optimism that travel restrictions will be removed in time for the summer holiday season.

TUI, the U.K.’s largest tour operator said bookings increased six-fold on Monday, the company’s busiest day in more than a month. Discount airline easyJet said demand for flights more than tripled, and package holiday company Thomas Cook said traffic on its website increased 75%. International travel has nearly ground to a halt globally, so the increases are a sign of hope for the beleaguered industry.

“We have consistently seen that there is pent-up demand for travel, and this surge in bookings shows that this signal from the government that it plans to reopen travel has been what U.K. consumers have been waiting for,” easyJet Chief Executive Johan Lundgren said in a statement. “The Prime Minister’s address has provided a much-needed boost in confidence for so many of our customers in the U.K.”

More : https://apnews.com/article/england-...oris-johnson-587179b6af3ebf5b5c804f31e1a21140


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## hkskyline

*EU mulls vaccination passports to resurrect tourism after COVID-19 *
_Excerpt_ 
Feb 24, 2021

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders will agree on Thursday to work on certificates of vaccination for EU citizens who have had an anti-COVID shot, with southern EU countries that depend heavily on tourism desperate to rescue this summer’s holiday season.

Lockdowns to slow the pandemic caused the deepest ever economic recession in the 27-nation bloc last year, hitting the south of the EU, where economies are often much more dependent on visitors, disproportionately hard.

With the rollout of vaccines against COVID-19 now gathering pace, some governments, like those of Greece and Spain, are pushing for a quick adoption of an EU-wide certificate for those already inoculated so that people can travel again.

More : EU mulls vaccination passports to resurrect tourism after COVID-19


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## hkskyline

* What is 'extractive tourism' and what can we do about it? * 
euronews _Excerpt_ 
Feb 24, 2021

The term ‘overtourism’ has become the go-to expression to describe mass tourism, particularly for places underprepared for influxes of visitors.

Facilitated largely by the advent of budget travel, the world has never been more accessible and affordable to explore. But, in addition to the obvious financial considerations involved, there is a human, environmental and ethical cost to our lifestyle choices - especially when it comes to travel.

What is 'extractive tourism'?
‘Extractive tourism’ - a term first coined by academic Vijay Kolinjivadi - goes beyond the basic interpretation of overtourism as a congestion caused by travellers flocking to tourism hotspots while balancing out the economic benefits. The new phrase better encompasses the destructive impact of mass tourism on local communities as well.

In recent years, the issue of overtourism has sparked feverish debate in the travel industry itself as well as in wider society. For many, travel has ceased to be seen as a benign activity to be enjoyed by all. The privilege of being able to travel the world freely is increasingly being considered as an entitlement. This view is having a toxic effect on the planet, contributing to the climate crisis and the destruction of ecosystems as well as harming the cultural heritage and livelihoods of indigenous populations, according to Kolinjivadi.

The government in Thailand, for instance, was forced to close Maya Bay indefinitely in 2018 to allow its ecosystem - damaged by years of untrammelled mass tourism - to fully regenerate.

More : What is 'extractive tourism' and what can we do about it?


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## hkskyline

*German hotel owners angry over lockdown as holidaymakers head to Mallorca *
_Excerpt_
23 March 2021

BERLIN (Reuters) - German hotel owners are fuming over an extension to measures that bar citizens from going on vacation in their own country but allow them to travel abroad, as the industry struggles to survive the coronavirus lockdown.

Berlin on Tuesday extended a nationwide lockdown until April 18 in an attempt to break a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping hotels and holiday apartments closed for tourists.

"It's OK to fly to Mallorca if you're tested? But you can't stay in a Bavarian holiday apartment? It's simply incomprehensible," said Hubert Buchwieser, a holiday apartment owner in the Bavarian town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Daniel Schimmer, a manager at the town's Garmischer Hof hotel, said: "We are frustrated, sad and disappointed that our industry is being treated this way."

The BTW tourism association said the decision fanned fears and frustration in the industry for its future. It called for pilot projects to test how hotels and tourist regions can reopen safely.

More : German hotel owners angry over lockdown as holidaymakers head to Mallorca


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## hkskyline

*Mallorca's Easter revival masks a slow, painful recovery for Spanish tourism *
_Excerpt_

MALLORCA, Spain, March 24 (Reuters) - German tourists flocking to the sunny shores of Mallorca for Easter are a boon for a few local businesses, but closed hotels and restaurants across the island are a reminder that Spain's tourism sector is still years away from full recovery.

The beer is flowing and holidaymakers are basking in the sun in Mallorca seaside bars popular with Germans, days after Berlin lifted coronavirus quarantine requirements for returning travellers.

But the tens of thousands who have hopped on last-minute flights are a fraction of the nearly 1.4 million foreign tourists, about half of them from Germany, that came to the archipelago in March and April last year.

More : Mallorca's Easter revival masks a slow, painful recovery for Spanish tourism


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## hkskyline

* This is Your Best Chance to Get a Crazy Deal on Luxury Travel *
Bloomberg _Excerpt_
March 25, 2021

With vaccines promising to take the lid off pent-up travel demand, hotels and airlines are bracing for a surge in business. But for consumers, just as the window for safe travel cracks open, the window for deals is starting to close.

“If you know exactly what you want, you’d better jump on it now,” advises Paul Tumpowsky, founder and chief executive officer of high-tech travel consultancy Skylark, who forecasts that steep discounts will start to erode as borders reopen and airlines restore consumer confidence.

His advice—and the advice of his peers throughout the travel industry—varies depending on where you want to go. What’s consistent across the board is the impact of American dollars.

The U.S. drives luxury tourism revenues in so many countries around the world that the policies on where Americans can and can’t go are the best predictors for where to find deep discounts. Placing your bets on future travel to still-closed countries may open the door to the very best deals, albeit with lingering uncertainties.

Here’s the current outlook on where to find remaining pockets of value, now that the promise of herd immunity is on the horizon.

More : This is Your Best Chance to Get a Crazy Deal on Luxury Travel


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## hkskyline

* Mexico complains of mask-less tourists, closes ruin site *
_Excerpt_
March 26, 2021










MEXICO CITY (AP) — Authorities in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula complained Friday about tourists not wearing face masks, as Mexico braces for a surge of Easter Week visitors.

The acting police chief of the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo patrolled the streets of the resort of Tulum, reminding people to wear their masks and complaining about how few people did.

“It is regrettable to see how undisciplined things have become,” said Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez. “It was truly frustrating to see hundreds of people walking around without face masks,” noting that tourists were the worst offenders.

“It really is embarrassing that we have to get to this point, of asking people (to wear masks), when we should be conscious of the risks we face,” he said.

Federal authorities have decided to close the Chichén Itzá Maya ruin site in neighboring Yucatan state from April 1-4 to avoid the possible spread of coronavirus. The sprawling temple complex is Mexico’s second most-visited archaeological site, and usually draws about 1.8 million visitors per year.

More : Mexico complains of mask-less tourists, closes ruin site


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## hkskyline

* Bikes from failed ReadyBike hire scheme used for tourism boost *
BBC _Excerpt_
March 28, 2021

Bicycles left over from a failed hire scheme are being donated to hotels in a bid to boost tourism.

The ReadyBike scheme in Reading ended in 2019 after struggling when a government subsidy ended.

It emerged Reading Borough Council had been keeping the scheme running at a cost of £10,000 a month.

The council said it was donating 50 redundant bikes as a "new sustainable travel option" for hotel visitors and staff.

The stock of ReadyBikes has been kept in storage since the bike hire scheme ended two years ago.

The bikes were also offered to key workers in Reading as part of a short-term loan scheme during the pandemic. 

More : Bikes from failed ReadyBike hire scheme used for tourism boost


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## hkskyline

* Portugal’s New Tourism Campaign Promises A Better Tomorrow: Here’s What That Really Means *
Forbes _Excerpt_
March 29, 2021

One of the silver linings of the pandemic and the immeasurable toll that it has taken on the travel world is that it’s given us a reset, an opportunity to think everything through, start over and correct some of the mistakes and excesses of the past.

A few weeks ago, around the same time that the Portuguese government began to announce plans to emerge from its strict but successful winter lockdown—the country went from having the worst coronavirus numbers in Europe to some of the best—the Portuguese tourism board doubled down on that message of doing things better this time around.

In early March, it launching its #CantSkipTomorrow campaign and (a follower to last year’s successful #Can’t Skip Hope) and a video called “Hello World. It’s Me, Tomorrow” that’s full of gorgeous images of the natural world and a voice-over in which a child expresses his love for wild places and then an adult voice takes over and asks us to “change today so we can keep visiting tomorrow.”

More : Portugal’s New Tourism Campaign Promises A Better Tomorrow: Here’s What That Really Means


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## hkskyline

* Too quiet for comfort: Spanish party town worries about tourist season *
_Excerpt_ 

MAGALUF, Spain, March 29 (Reuters) - Quiet and birdsong have replaced the sounds of thumping music and fun-loving tourists in the popular Mallorca resort of Magaluf, and the prospect of another potentially lost season is weighing heavily on locals.

Along the deserted main drag, bars that usually throng with mainly British tourists to the Spanish island are shuttered. Some have put up hand-made paper signs saying "we love tourists" and "we will be back in 2021".

"It's very strange, it's like a ghost city," said a 35-year-old Italian tourist from Florence, who gave only her first name, Virginia. She and her friend Helena were among the few tourists to make it to Magaluf for a spring holiday as much of Europe grapples to get coronavirus under control.

"We just have to wait for better times and meanwhile we enjoy the peace," said Helena, 29, a designer from Milan.

But for locals, peace and quiet doesn't pay the bills.

More : Too quiet for comfort: Spanish party town worries about tourist season


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## hkskyline

* Looking for solitude in pandemic times *
_Excerpt_
Apr 1, 2021

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — One year into the pandemic, just about everyone’s travel experience has changed.

So it’s not surprising that someone came up with this: Instead of a cabin on a Mediterranean cruise ship where vacationers mill around with thousands of others, the total opposite — complete solitude, on land, in the middle of nowhere.

And instead of all the luxury of pre-COVID-19 life with air-conditioning, four-course dinners and cocktails, these wooden cabins carry a warning: Don’t stay in the shower too long, it might get cold. And don’t bother looking for Wi-Fi.

More : AP PHOTOS: Looking for solitude in pandemic times


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## hkskyline

* Food bank, charities busy in Algarve as pandemic ravages Portugal tourism *
_Excerpt_ 
Apr 2, 2021

FARO, Portugal (Reuters) - Carla Lacerda used to earn a good salary selling duty-free goods to holidaymakers arriving at Algarve airport in southern Portugal, but she lost her job last August due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quickly ran out of cash to feed her two kids.

The 40-year-old now receives around 500 euros ($587) per month in unemployment benefits, leaving her no option but to join the queue for food donations.

"I never thought I'd be in this situation," Lacerda said as she waited for milk, vegetables and other essential goods at the Refood charity in Faro, capital of the Algarve. "It's sad I've reached this point, but I'm not ashamed."

More : Food bank, charities busy in Algarve as pandemic ravages Portugal tourism


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## hkskyline

*Tourism first! Island of Phuket in mass vaccination drive ahead of the rest of Thailand*
_Excerpt_ 
April 5, 2021

PHUKET, Thailand (Reuters) - In Thailand, it’s the all-important tourism sector that has jumped to the head of the COVID-19 vaccination line, with the country’s most popular resort island embarking on a mass inoculation programme two months ahead of the rest of the country.

The island of Phuket aims to deliver shots to at least 460,000 people - most of its population - as it gears up for July 1, when vaccinated overseas visitors will no longer be required to quarantine.

Phuket also has its own international airport and tourists would be able to roam the island freely without posing any coronavirus risk to the rest of Thailand’s population.

More : Tourism first! Island of Phuket in mass vaccination drive ahead of the rest of Thailand


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## ksj

A tourism attraction opened in March 2020 (at the start of the pandemic) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Now, one year on.


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## hkskyline

* Maldives Is Indians’ Choice Holiday Spot to Escape the Pandemic *
Bloomberg _Excerpt_ 
Apr 7, 2021

Indians are jetting off to the Maldives in ever greater numbers to escape the coronavirus pandemic.

Visitors from the South Asian nation to the sandy paradise known for its clear water and white beaches jumped 50% to just over 44,000 in the first two months of the year versus 2020, figures from the island nation’s ministry of tourism show. Arrivals from China, Japan and South Korea were down around 98%. Tourists from India also made up 23.3% of the total in the two months, the most from any single country.

India reached a grim milestone on April 5 when the government reported over 100,000 new cases on a single day for the first time. The second wave has shuttered businesses once again and sent some cities back into lockdown, triggering a desire to holiday in far-flung destinations. The country’s vaccine roll out has also been slow -- at this rate, it will take 2.4 years to cover 75% of the population with a two-dose jab.

More : Maldives Is Indians’ Choice Holiday Spot to Escape the Pandemic


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## hkskyline

* Cambodia’s Angkor site shut for 2 weeks to curb coronavirus *
Apr 8, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia is shutting its most popular tourist destination, the centuries-old Angkor temple complex, to visitors for two weeks to help curb the country’s coronavirus outbreak.

The closing of the world-famous site is the latest in a slew of measures the country is taking after the number of coronavirus cases surged in February.

The Apsara Authority, the government agency that oversees the archaeological site, said that temporarily stopping local and foreign tourists from visiting the temples is important to help combat the virus. It said in a statement dated Wednesday that visitors are banned from April 7 through April 20. 

More : Cambodia's Angkor site shut for 2 weeks to curb coronavirus


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## hkskyline

*Visitors tiptoe through the tulips in Dutch virus test *
Apr 9, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

LISSE, Netherlands (AP) — Finally, after bleak winter months of a coronavirus lockdown, springtime shoots of hope emerged Friday as restrictions were relaxed at a Dutch flower garden and other public venues.

Under a government-approved pilot scheme, the world-famous Keukenhof garden opened its gates to let a few thousand people tiptoe through the 7 million tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and myriad other flowers meticulously hand-planted throughout its manicured lawns by a small army of gardeners.

A maximum of 5,000 visitors were allowed into the garden, nestled amid the pancake flat bulb fields between Amsterdam and The Hague, if they could show proof that they had just tested negative for COVID-19. 

More : Visitors tiptoe through the tulips in Dutch virus test


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## hkskyline

*Yosemite National Park to limit summer visitors due to virus *
Apr 9, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — Yosemite National Park will require advanced reservations for day visitors during the peak summer season to limit the number of visitors and allow social distancing amid the pandemic.

Under the new rules, advance reservations will be required for day use visitors who enter Yosemite from May 21 to Sept. 30, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

The park’s superintendent, Cicely Muldoon, said large crowds already have been coming to the park in recent weeks, and there are still cases of COVID-19 spreading in California, and other states and countries where visitors are coming from.

More : Yosemite National Park to limit summer visitors due to virus


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## hkskyline

* Turkey could lose 500,000 tourists due to Russia flight restrictions - NTV *
Apr 14, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said flight restrictions imposed by Russia until June could cost Turkey 500,000 tourists, broadcaster NTV reported on Wednesday.

Russia said it will restrict flights to and from Turkey from April 15 to June 1 as new coronavirus infections rose to an all time high in Turkey, prompting fresh lockdown measures.

“The date when the flight ban ends could be brought forward depending on a fall in COVID-19 case numbers. There might be a fall of near 500,000 in tourist numbers,” Ersoy said, adding that there are no issues with summer bookings, according to NTV.

More : Turkey could lose 500,000 tourists due to Russia flight restrictions - NTV


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## hkskyline

* International travel is getting easier — except for the unvaccinated *
Apr 14, 2021
CNBC _Excerpt_ 

Traveling abroad is getting less complicated for vaccinated travelers. 

A growing list of countries is reducing or eliminating quarantine and Covid-19 testing requirements for those who have been fully vaccinated, while keeping restrictions in place for those who haven’t.

Barbados announced this week that quarantine requirements for vaccinated travelers will be reduced to zero to two days, during which they can move around their hotels. Unvaccinated visitors, however, must stay in their hotel rooms until they pass a Covid test on the fifth day, and wait several more days for results.

The new protocols start May 8.

Children aren’t eligible to be vaccinated yet, a fact which is complicating family travel plans this year, but Barbados doesn’t leave them out. Kids under 18 years old who are traveling with vaccinated parents are subject to the same rules as vaccinated travelers, according to Barbados’ tourism marketing website.

More : International travel is getting easier — except for the unvaccinated


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## hkskyline

* Maldives to offer holidaymakers vaccines on arrival in a push to revive tourism *
CNBC _Excerpt_ 
Apr 15, 2021

Maldives will soon offer visitors vaccinations on arrival as part of its three-pronged initiative aimed at reviving the country’s hard hit travel sector, according to its tourism minister.

The “3V” strategy, which encourages tourists to “visit, vaccinate, and vacation,” will provide a “more convenient” way to visit the country, Abdulla Mausoom told CNBC on Wednesday.

At present, visitors to Maldives must provide a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and proof of hotel booking to gain entry. Mausoom said the country’s Health Protection Agency is set to make an announcement on restriction-free entry to vaccinated arrivals “very soon — maybe even this week.”

More : Maldives to offer holidaymakers vaccines on arrival in a push to revive tourism


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## hkskyline

* French president foresees some summer tourists in Paris *
Apr 19, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron says he foresees at least some tourists returning to Paris this summer if they have gotten vaccinated or have proof of testing negative for the coronavirus as France moves to progressively lift infection-control restrictions.

“We are building a certificate to facilitate travel after these restrictions between the different European countries with testing and vaccination,” Macron said in an interview that aired Sunday on the CBS News show “Face the Nation.”

Macron spoke as the French government is preparing to impose tough, new entry restrictions on travelers from four countries — Argentina, Chile, South Africa and Brazil — in hopes of keeping out especially contagious virus variants. The number of countries on the list could grow, France’s foreign minister said Saturday.

More : French president foresees some summer tourists in Paris


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## hkskyline

* Pandemic puts tulips, bluebells, cherry blossoms in hiding *
Apr 20, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

HALLE, Belgium (AP) — There is no stopping flowers when they bloom, blossoms when they burst. Unfortunately, people have been stopped from enjoying them these days.

In pandemic times, when so much goes against the grain, some beauties of nature are no longer embraced but kept at bay.

From Japan’s cherry blossom trees, to the endless Keukenhof tulip fields in the Netherlands, to the riot of purple bluebells in the Hallerbos south of Brussels, everything looks its best this spring when conditions are at its worst.

“The flowers are there. Nature refuses to be stopped by anyone,” said Halle mayor Marc Snoeck, who for the second year in a row needs to keep people away from the municipality’s famed woods instead of inviting them in.

Across the world, authorities are seeking to stave off a new surge of COVID-19 infections to contain a death toll which already exceeds 3 million. Crowds are anathema to health. Yet at the same time, the soothing glories of nature are said to be an ideal balm against the psychological burdens of loneliness, disorientation and fear that the pandemic has wrought.

More : Pandemic puts tulips, bluebells, cherry blossoms in hiding


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## hkskyline

* Tourism vouchers for Brisbane, Whitsundays to save holidaymakers hundreds *
Apr 22, 2021
Brisbane Times _Excerpt_ 

Queensland holidaymakers who hoped to hit the tropics or live it up in Brisbane could find their dollars stretch further, as the Premier announced a travel voucher giveaway to boost the state’s tourism.

Through the Holiday Dollars program, 36,000 travel vouchers valued at $100 and $200 will be on offer from April 27 to 30.

Travellers could receive 50 per cent off at selected accommodation or tourism experiences with the vouchers.

The promotion includes Brisbane, the Whitsundays and Cairns.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it would be an incentive to holiday at home and support local jobs.

More : Tourism vouchers for Brisbane, Whitsundays to save holidaymakers hundreds


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## hkskyline

* Egyptology Is Having a Big Moment. But Will Tourists Come? *
Apr 24, 2021
New York Times _Excerpt_

On a cool morning last November, Egypt’s tourism and antiquities minister stood in a packed tent at the vast necropolis of Saqqara just outside Cairo to reveal the ancient site’s largest archaeological discovery of the year.

The giant trove included 100 wooden coffins — some containing mummies interred over 2,500 years ago — 40 statues, amulets, canopic jars and funerary masks. The minister, Khaled el-Enany, said the latest findings hinted at the great potential of the ancient site and showcased the dedication of the all-Egyptian team that unearthed the gilded artifacts.

But he also singled out another reason the archaeological discoveries were crucial: it was a boon for tourism, which had been decimated by the coronavirus pandemic.

More : Egyptology Is Having a Big Moment. But Will Tourists Come?


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## hkskyline

* Forget Phuket, here’s Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s big tourism hope *
Apr 25, 2021
South China Morning Post _Excerpt_

On a late afternoon in Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, couples and families relax on beanbag chairs at a Middle Eastern-themed beach bar, clinking their glasses while watching the sun set on the horizon. A few metres away, children build sandcastles, jump into the waves and indulge in water fights.

A scene like this in April seems far-fetched amid a raging Covid-19 pandemic that has seen spikes in new cases and fresh lockdowns in Asia and Europe.

But this is a reality in Vietnam, where life is almost back to normal thanks to many containment strategies including border closures that have kept out almost everyone since March last year, except for repatriated citizens, foreign investors and businesspeople. The country has recorded some 2,800 infections and 35 coronavirus-related deaths so far, despite sharing a border with China, where Covid-19 was first reported.

More : Forget Phuket, here’s Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s big tourism hope


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## hkskyline

* ‘Red Tourism’ draws Chinese on centennial of Communist Party *
Apr 27, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

JINGGANGSHAN, China (AP) — On the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party, tourists are flocking to historic sites and making pilgrimages to party landmarks.

On a street where the Red Army once roamed, a group of retirees in historic pastel-blue army uniforms belt out tunes made famous through countless movies, television shows and other forms of propaganda. Historic locations in Jiangxi and Guizhou provinces — the sites of revolutionary leader Mao Zedong’s early battles, his escape from Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist forces in the Long March and the cementing of his leadership in Zunyi — are experiencing an influx of tourists this year as post-pandemic travel returns to China.

In Guizhou, tourism in the first quarter of 2021 has already recovered to 2019 levels, local official Lu Yongzheng said. The province, among China’s top tourist destinations, received millions of tourists who brought in billions of dollars in revenue.

More : 'Red Tourism' draws Chinese on centennial of Communist Party


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## hkskyline

* Being named a UNESCO World Heritage site is a big deal — so is losing it *
Apr 27, 2021
CNBC _Excerpt_ 

Being named to UNESCO’s World Heritage List often brings worldwide acclaim, tourist revenue and access to international funding and expertise.

But there are strings attached. 

World Heritage sites are, in principle, inscribed “forever,” said Mechtild Rossler, director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, but countries have to do their part to protect and counteract threats to the sites. That includes agreeing not to materially alter sites.

Failure to comply can result in being “delisted,” a fate which has befallen only two World Heritage sites to date. 

The process to be inscribed on the World Heritage List takes years, said Rossler, adding that several sites waited some 25 years to be named to the prestigious list.

More : Being named a UNESCO World Heritage site is a big deal — so is losing it


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## hkskyline

* Thailand’s Tourism Reopening Could Be In Doubt With New COVID-19 Surge *
Apr 27, 2021
Forbes _Excerpt_ 

In early April, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced its plan for the country to reopen to vaccinated travelers in three phases.

Stage one welcomed vaccinated travelers into the country but still required them to quarantine for seven days upon arrival. The next two phases, set to begin in July, would allow more flexibility, slowly allowing travelers more freedoms to move about the country. The plan was to start with a pilot program of sorts in Phuket this summer, and then five other provinces to follow in the fall.

Though the plan is still officially in place, a new surge of COVID-19 in the country has made the path less straightforward.

More : Thailand’s Tourism Reopening Could Be In Doubt With New COVID-19 Surge


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## hkskyline

*Turkey's tourism sector pins hope on strict lockdown *
Apr 29, 2021
DW _Excerpt_ 

The daily number of new COVID-19 infections in Turkey has fallen from over 60,000 to 43,000 in the past week. But the government is no longer taking any chances. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a strict "full lockdown" that will remain in force from April 29 until May 17.

Many businesses, restaurants and cafes will be closed, and Turks will only be allowed to leave their homes for essential food shopping trips or for medical reasons. They will have to obtain permission if they want to travel between cities.

But foreign tourists will be exempt from these rules. Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has said that the country's "most visited and important museums and archaeological sites" would remain open.

"In some ways, being a tourist in Turkey is beneficial," said Ersoy on Tuesday.

The idea is that a strict lockdown now will salvage the season later. Turkey is particularly popular with tourists from Russia and other parts of Europe, including Germany.

The country's economy is already in crisis, and the resorts and hotels on the Mediterranean and Aegean coast cannot afford another year like 2020. Last year, tourist numbers dropped by some 15.9 million people, according to the national statistics agency, and the tourism sector suffered losses of €8.3 billion ($10.1 billion). Revenue fell by 65%, and more than 320,000 people lost their jobs. 

More : COVID: Turkey's tourism sector pins hope on strict lockdown | DW | 29.04.2021


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## hkskyline

*Why Australia's rocks could be the secret to reviving its regional economies *
May 3, 2021
WAtoday _Excerpt_ 

Western Australia's Murchison region boasts some of the oldest rocks on earth, dating back four billion years.

But to Karen Morrissey, the ancient materials hold the key to the region's future.

Ms Morrissey, a councillor in the remote Shire of Mount Magnet, said she became fascinated by the idea of geotourism in 2009 after hearing at a conference about the significant economic boost it had provided a small Irish town.

Eleven years later, in September 2020, Mount Magnet and six other local shires together launched the Murchison GeoRegion, Australia's first major geotourism development.

"Our two significant industries here have traditionally been mining and pastoral," Ms Morrissey said.

"In a sense mining is fly-in and fly-out… and in pastoralism many properties have had to destock because of wild dogs and drought, so the usual sources of employment in the region are not what they used to be.

More : Why Australia’s rocks could be the secret to reviving its regional economies


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## hkskyline

* Attention travelers! EU proposes reopening external borders *
_Excerpt_ 
May 3, 2021

BRUSSELS (AP) — In an announcement sure to be welcomed by travelers worldwide, EU officials on Monday proposed easing restrictions on visiting the 27-nation bloc as vaccination campaigns across the continent gather speed.

Travel to the European Union is currently extremely limited except for a handful of countries with low infection rates. But with the summer tourist season looming, the bloc’s European Commission hopes the new recommendations will dramatically expand that list.

The Commission hopes the move will soon allow travelers reunite with their friends and relatives living in Europe and support the bloc’s economy this summer.

More : Attention travelers! EU proposes reopening external borders


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## hkskyline

*China opens Everest’s north side to 38 virus-tested climbers*
AP _Excerpt_ 
May 7, 2021

China has opened Mount Everest’s northern slope to a few dozen mountaineers who will be tested for the coronavirus and must keep their distance while ascending the world’s highest peak.

Both Nepal and China closed the mountain to foreign climbers last year because of the pandemic. Nepal has allowed in foreign climbers this season despite a surging COVID-19 outbreak, and at least one climber, a Norwegian, confirmed last month he had contracted the virus.

Nepal mountaineering officials have denied any outbreak on the mountain, citing only altitude sickness and other ailments common in the cold, harsh, low-oxygen environment where climbers stay in close quarters. This week, the Himalayan nation halted all flights as part of a strict lockdown of its capital and major cities amid its recent surge.

More : China opens Everest's north side to 38 virus-tested climbers


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## hkskyline

* Travel deals are here but should you book now? *
CBC _Excerpt_ 
May 9, 2021

Refunds for cancelled trips. Vacations for half price. Pay just $50 down. 

These are just some of the deals travel companies are offering Canadians to entice them to book now for a future trip — once it's deemed safe to travel. 

But some travel experts recommend Canadians refrain from making reservations now because the COVID-19 pandemic remains in full force and could still wreak havoc on upcoming vacation plans. 

"My advice is to hold off for a little bit longer," said Walter Rodrigues with Bestway Travel Agency in Winnipeg. He points to Alberta's recent surge in COVID-19 infections as a sign the pandemic is far from over. 

"Look at what's happening in Alberta. It's just getting worse and worse."

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/travel-deal-covid-19-book-1.6017433


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## hkskyline

*‘There’s no going back’: Ireland’s tourism trade prepares to re-open for good *
CNBC _Excerpt_ 
May 11, 2021

When Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin announced the phased re-opening of hospitality businesses for June, hotel managers like Niall Coffey breathed a sigh of relief. 

Ireland’s tourism and hospitality industries have been the worst hit during the pandemic and previous attempts at re-opening have been upended by fresh surges of Covid-19.

“I think we have no choice but to stay open at this stage because from a financial survival (view), we really need to do it,” said Coffey, who is general manager of Harvey’s Point, a four-star hotel in Donegal in northwest Ireland.

More : 'There's no going back': Ireland's tourism trade prepares to re-open for good


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## hkskyline

* Clock is ticking for EU vaccine certificates as summer looms *
_Excerpt_ 
May 11, 2021

BRUSSELS (AP) — As strict lockdowns are loosened across Europe and many EU citizens dream about holidays in the sun, the 27-nation bloc has yet to agree on how to quickly implement a virus certificate scheme to boost summer travel and tourism.

European affairs ministers gathered Tuesday in Brussels to assess progress in discussions with European lawmakers and expressed their optimism that trans-border travel passes will be approved soon.

A deal between the Parliament and EU countries is required in May to ensure the system facilitating free movement within the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic will be up and running by the end of June, but several sticking points remain.

More : Clock is ticking for EU vaccine certificates as summer looms


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## hkskyline

* Can New Zealand's tourism industry make a sustainable return? *
BBC _Excerpt_
May 13, 2021

New Zealand is hopeful that a recently opened travel bubble with Australia will rekindle its pandemic-battered tourism industry. However, many are also seeing an opportunity to rethink how to make the sector more climate friendly.

New Zealand's Queenstown - a popular tourist spot - is throbbing with activity.

"To see and hear all the boats and the screaming and the complete joy… it puts a smile on all of our faces," said Jolanda Cave, the general manager at Shotover Jet - one of the most established adventure firms there.

It's a busy time for the company, named after the river where for more than half a century, boats have been whizzing, spinning and splashing to the delight of tourists.

But even so, the numbers it is seeing are a fraction of what it was used to before the pandemic closed the country's borders. It used to operate eight boat rides an hour. Sometimes, that was down to just one.

More : Can New Zealand's tourism industry make a sustainable return?


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## hkskyline

*Vacation redux: British tourists return to Portugal beaches *
May 17, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — British vacationers began arriving in large numbers in southern Portugal on Monday for the first time in more than a year, after governments in the two countries eased their COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions.

A plane from Manchester, England, disgorged the first of more than 5,000 tourists expected to arrive on 17 U.K. flights in Portugal’s southern Algarve region on the first day nonessential travel was allowed.

As local temperatures climbed toward a forecast high of 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit), the tourists were met at Faro airport by workers handing out COVID-19 welcome kits containing masks and disinfectant, and by the head of the Algarve tourist authority.

More : Vacation redux: British tourists return to Portugal beaches


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## hkskyline

* Penghu urges visitors to stay away *
Taipei Times _Excerpt_ 
May 19, 2021

Penghu County Commissioner Lai Feng-wei (賴峰偉) yesterday asked people from Taiwan proper to suspend any plans to visit the islands following a surge in locally transmitted cases of COVID-19.

The Penghu County Government has suspended the Penghu Fireworks Festival and other tourism events until June 8, Lai said at a disease prevention meeting.

“We urge students, police officers, civil servants and military personnel who are from Taiwan proper, but currently study or work in Penghu, to consider postponing trips home until after May 28. Those returning to work or school from Taiwan proper should observe self-health management guidelines for 14 days,” Lai said.

More : COVID-19: Penghu urges visitors to stay away - Taipei Times


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## hkskyline

*Legislation raises hopes for Alaskan cruises this summer *
AP _Excerpt_ 
May 20, 2021

Congress has voted to let large cruise ships sail directly from Washington state to Alaska without stopping in Canada, a step that could clear the way for cruises later this year.

The legislation approved by the House on Thursday goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it.

“This legislation is literally a lifeline for so many of Alaska’s small businesses that were struggling, and it means jobs for more Alaskans this summer,” said Sarah Leonard, president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association.

Carnival Corp. said it expects to resume sailing to Alaska in late July and running until early October. The company said its Carnival, Holland America and Princess lines will each operate one ship on round-trip voyages between Seattle and Alaska for fully vaccinated passengers.

A longstanding federal law prohibits foreign-flagged ships — typically the big cruise liners — from carrying passengers between two U.S. ports without stopping in another country. With Canada forbidding any cruise operations through next February, the law threatened to eliminate Alaskan voyages on large ships this year.

More : Legislation raises hopes for Alaskan cruises this summer


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## hkskyline

* Croatia ready to welcome foreign tourists, hoping they come *
_Excerpt_ 
May 24, 2021

ROVINJ, Croatia (AP) — Sun loungers are out, beach bars are open and rave music is pumping. Hotels and restaurants are greeting visitors hoping to get a head start on summer after more than a year of coronavirus lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Croatia has widely reopened its stunning Adriatic coastline for foreign tourists, becoming one of the first European countries to drop most of its pandemic measures. Now, the ability of people to go there depends on each country’s travel rules.

The mood is relaxed in the Istria region, the northernmost part of the Croatian coast famous for its pebble beaches, thick pine forests, wine and delicacies such as truffles, olive oil, goat cheese and prosciutto.

More : Croatia ready to welcome foreign tourists, hoping they come


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## hkskyline

* Countries eager to reopen to travel as pandemic recedes *
May 25, 2021
AP _Excerpt_ 

Countries reliant on tourism are racing to reopen borders and revive economies decimated by the pandemic.

The World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that the sector lost nearly $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs last year. Airlines alone lost $126 billion last year and are on track to lose another $48 billion this year, according to their largest trade group.

The rollout of vaccines against COVID-19 is giving government officials in many countries new confidence to welcome visitors. But time is critical.

More : Countries eager to reopen to travel as pandemic recedes


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## hkskyline

* Egypt bets on ancient finds to pull tourism out of pandemic *
May 30, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

CAIRO (AP) — Workers dig and ferry wheelbarrows laden with sand to open a new shaft at a bustling archaeological site outside of Cairo, while a handful of Egyptian archaeologists supervise from garden chairs. The dig is at the foot of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, arguably the world’s oldest pyramid, and is one of many recent excavations that are yielding troves of ancient artifacts from the country’s largest archaeological site.

As some European countries reopen to international tourists, Egypt has already been trying for months to attract them to its archaeological sites and museums. Officials are betting that the new ancient discoveries will set it apart on the mid- and post-pandemic tourism market. They need visitors to come back in force to inject cash into the tourism industry, a pillar of the economy.

But like countries elsewhere, Egypt continues to battle the coronavirus, and is struggling to get its people vaccinated. The country has, up until now, received only 5 million vaccines for its population of 100 million people, according to its Health Ministry. In early May, the government announced that 1 million people had been vaccinated, though that number is believed to be higher now.

More : Egypt bets on ancient finds to pull tourism out of pandemic


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## hkskyline

* U.S. Cities to Power Revival in Domestic Travel: TripAdvisor CEO *
May 30, 2021
Bloomberg _Excerpt_

The U.S. will have a busy vacation season this summer as cities make a strong comeback, according to Stephen Kaufer, chief executive officer of TripAdvisor Inc.

“Now we have a lot more activities all around the country, and it’s not just outdoors. The cities are making a very real comeback,” Kaufer said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday. Hotel searches on TripAdvisor have gone up and bookings of experiences are going strong, he said, adding that people also plan to take longer vacations and spend more money on their trips.

The Transportation Security Administration reported that it screened nearly 2 million people Friday at airports, ahead of the Memorial Day weekend. That’s the most since the Covid-19 pandemic started in March, signaling a rebound of travel as people take advantage of relaxed restrictions and expanding vaccinations.

More : U.S. Cities to Power Revival in Domestic Travel: TripAdvisor CEO


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## hkskyline

* Phuket on track to reopen to vaccinated international tourists from July 1 *
June 1, 2021
CNN _Excerpt_ 

As Thailand continues to battle its third and worst Covid-19 wave since the start of the pandemic, officials say the popular resort island of Phuket is still on track to reopen to international tourists next month.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has confirmed that vaccinated travelers from low-risk countries will be permitted to fly direct to the Thai island without having to quarantine from July 1 as part of its pilot "Phuket Sandbox" program.

TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn told CNN that he expects around 129,000 visitors to arrive in Phuket between July and September this year.

More : Phuket on track to reopen to vaccinated international tourists from July 1


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## hkskyline

* Italian police seize sand, shells; fine tourists in Sardinia *
_Excerpt_ 
June 5, 2021

ROME (AP) — Dozens of tourists will have to pay dearly for their souvenirs from Sardinia’s pristine beaches.

Italian media on Saturday said customs police on the Mediterranean island issued fines of up to 3,000 euros ($3,600) to 41 people who in recent days tried to leave the island with a total of 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of sand, seashells and beach rocks.

The LaPresse news agency said in some cases tourists had put the beach booty up for sale on the internet, feeding a flourishing, illicit market for such souvenirs, including from swank resort areas along the Italian island’s Emerald Coast.

Bags of sand, shells and stones were seized at Sardinia’s airports and ports in keeping with a 2017 regional law that established fines ranging from 500 euros ($600) to 3,000 euros. The seized sand was brought back by authorities to the beaches when possible.

The law aims to prevent the cumulative effect of removing sand and shells by the millions of tourists who flock each year to the Mediterranean island, which is renowned for long stretches of pristine sandy beaches.

More : Italian police seize sand, shells; fine tourists in Sardinia


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## hkskyline

* Closed hotels and deserted streets: the unrecognizable face of Spain’s tourism industry *
El Pais _Excerpt_ 
June 7, 2021

Last week, in the month when the summer season begins, you could walk through one of Spain’s main vacation destinations without bumping into a single tourist. All that was to be heard was the sound of the sea, or workmen fixing the street. That reflects the extent to which the coronavirus pandemic has hit the country’s tourism sector, a key industry that accounted for 12.4% of GDP in 2019 – €154 billion – as well as 2.72 million jobs, which is 12.9% of the total.

Right now, the south of Tenerife looks like a miniature model, like the set for a once-bustling party. The lack of tourists from the United Kingdom, a country that is still imposing a quarantine on travelers returning from Spain, has dealt the island a huge blow. All around the place the signs are in English, but there are no Britons here. That has the knock-on effect of meaning that there are no taxi drivers waiting on the streets, and restaurant chains that usually would have lines outside for tables are not even open. The businesses that are operating are often ending the day without a single sale.

Tourism is a chain, and in the same way as the bursting of the real estate bubble ruined a small village of 10,000 inhabitants – Villacañas, which has produced as many as 11 million doors a year – the pandemic has caused a disaster with a domino effect that is leaving companies big and small on a cliff edge.

More : Closed hotels and deserted streets: the unrecognizable face of Spain’s tourism industry


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## hkskyline

* EU lawmakers OK virus pass, boosting summer travel hopes *
June 9, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union lawmakers on Wednesday endorsed a new travel certificate that will allow people to move between European countries without having to quarantine or undergo extra coronavirus tests, paving the way for the pass to start in time for summer.

The widely awaited certificate is aimed at saving Europe’s travel industry and prime tourist sites from another disastrous vacation season. Key travel destinations like Greece have led the drive to have the certificate, which will have both paper and digital forms, rapidly introduced.

Several EU countries have already begun using the system, including Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece and Poland.

More : EU lawmakers OK virus pass, boosting summer travel hopes


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## hkskyline

* New rail pass and vouchers for tourist attractions part of tourism recovery plan *
June 11, 2021
Sky News _Excerpt_ 

A new rail pass and vouchers for tourist attractions are part of a plan to return domestic tourism to pre-pandemic levels next year.

The £10m voucher scheme will be launched by The National Lottery this autumn to encourage people to travel within the UK after the peak summer season.

Players will have the chance to claim vouchers for tourist attractions in the UK between September this year and March 2022.

More : New rail pass and vouchers for tourist attractions part of tourism recovery plan


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## hkskyline

* Yellowstone National Park sets tourism record for May*
_Excerpt_ 
June 12, 2021

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — Yellowstone National Park had its busiest May as tourism continued to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.

The park had over 483,000 recreation visits last month, up 11% from May 2019, park officials said Friday.

So far, Yellowstone is having its busiest year in recent memory. The park recorded over 658,000 visits from January through May, the most since 594,000 visits during that time in 2016.

More : Yellowstone National Park sets tourism record for May


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## hkskyline

* Phuket Reopening Offers Model for Asia as Travel Bubbles Burst *
Bloomberg _Excerpt_ 
June 16, 2021

Thailand’s plan to reopen the tourist haven of Phuket could become a model for other vacation hotspots in Asia to prise open their borders and bring in visitors as strategies such as travel bubbles falter, according to the founder of Banyan Tree Holdings Ltd.

Tourism-reliant Thailand aims to allow quarantine-free travel to its prime destination from July 1 for the first time in more than a year, provided visitors are inoculated against Covid-19 and aren’t coming from high-risk countries.

The so-called Phuket Sandbox plan is dependent on the vaccination rate among the island’s residents hitting at least 70%. It currently stands at about 60%, far higher than the 5% nationwide, after a concerted push to get locals vaccinated.

More : Phuket Reopening Offers Model for Asia as Travel Bubbles Burst


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## hkskyline

* French tourism seeks new boost with Disneyland reopening *
June 17, 2021
_Excerpt_ 

PARIS (AP) — France’s tourism sector is taking a further step toward normality with the reopening of Disneyland Paris, two weeks after the country reopened its borders to vaccinated visitors from across the world.

Europe’s most frequented theme park in Marne-la-Vallee, east of the French capital, opened its doors on Thursday after nearly eight months of closure.

A crowd of smiling visitors was welcomed by Disney characters dancing to the sound of joyful music.

More : French tourism seeks new boost with Disneyland reopening


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## hkskyline

* Goa: Tourism eyes high-value domestic visitors for reboot *
June 20, 2021
Times of India _Excerpt_

PANAJI: The just-concluded tourist season barely lasted less than six months due to the second Covid wave. With the forthcoming season also looking bleak, Goa’s hospitality industry may have to be content with domestic visitors.

As tourism stakeholders await the government to lift restrictions, they are worried considering that India received a lot of negative publicity over the past few months due to Covid-19. Goa also made headlines as its case positivity rate soared and at one point exceeded 50%.

It remains to be seen if Goa can reclaim its lost foreign markets in the immediate future, said branding consultant Cajetan Vaz. “Goa has received negative word of mouth due to the exponential spike in infections and deaths,” Vaz said.

More : Goa: Tourism eyes high-value domestic visitors for reboot | Goa News - Times of India


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## hkskyline

* Can Hawaii reset its stressed out tourism industry after the pandemic?*
June 21, 2021
The Guardian _Excerpt_ 

On a recent Sunday morning, Makua Beach looks like the picture of paradise.

A stretch of soft, yellow sand lies on a strip of land between the lush Waianae mountain range and the deep blue Pacific Ocean on the north-west coast of Oahu. Waves crash against rocks along the beach, and a monk seal can be seen swimming near the shore.

While this is a place that would make a striking Instagram post for visitors, it has become a source of sadness for Micah Doane. His grandmother’s family was one of many who were evicted from the area to make way for military training infrastructure during the second world war. Doane grew up taking trips to Makua with his family, including his grandmother’s brother, Ivanhoe Naiwi, who shared the heartache of the family’s displacement and passion for preserving the area with Doane.

More : Can Hawaii reset its stressed out tourism industry after the pandemic?


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## hkskyline

* Las Vegas tourism industry expected to surge back from pandemic plunge *
Las Vegas Review-Journal _Excerpt_
June 24, 2021

Las Vegas’ tourism industry is expected to surge back this year from its steep plunge in 2020, but the valley’s economic recovery could stall if it suffers another wave of coronavirus infections, a new report says.

UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research predicts that visitor volume in Southern Nevada will climb 57 percent this year and 13.2 percent next year, following its 55.2 percent drop in 2020 after the pandemic kept people home and away from crowds for fear of getting infected.

The center also forecasts that Southern Nevada gambling revenue will rise 35.5 percent this year and 10.7 percent next year after it fell 36.8 percent in 2020, and that hotel and motel occupancy will climb 30.2 percent this year and 12.1 percent next year, following its 46.6 percent drop in 2020.

More : Las Vegas tourism industry expected to surge back from pandemic plunge


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## hkskyline

*Taxing tourists is helping the Balearic islands to give back to sustainable initiatives *
June 28, 2021
euronews _Excerpt_ 

For many years the Balearic Islands have been a tourism hotspot. Made up of four larger islands of Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera - along with numerous minor islands - they have been where holiday-makers flock to for sun, sand and day-parties.

But in order to combat a mass influx of tourists yearly, the islands’ tourist board decided to regulate the laws surrounding tourist rentals, thus curbing the number of tourists flocking to the islands.

In 2016 it was announced that the Balearic Parliament would create a new tax which would apply to stays in tourist accommodations. Although small (between €1- €4 per person/per day) the idea was that this would hopefully offset people looking to come to the island for a short period of time, instead encouraging more meaningful trips as after nine days the tax was discounted by 50 per cent.

More : How have the Balearic Islands avoided mass tourism?


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## hkskyline

*Pandemic tourism: Thailand launches Phuket ‘sandbox’ plan *
July 1, 2021
_Excerpt_

PHUKET, Thailand (AP) — Thailand embarked on an ambitious but risky plan Thursday that it hopes will breathe new life into a tourism industry devastated by the pandemic, opening the popular resort island of Phuket to fully vaccinated foreigners from lower-risk countries.

As the first flight arrived, airport fire trucks blasted their water canons to form an arch over the Etihad jet from Abu Dhabi as it taxied to its gate.

Leaving the airport, Frenchman Bruno Souillard said he had been dreaming for a year of returning to Thailand and jumped at the opportunity.

More : Pandemic tourism: Thailand launches Phuket 'sandbox' plan


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## hkskyline

*Mired in crises, Lebanon hopes summer arrivals bring relief *
July 5, 2021
AP _Excerpt_ 

NIHA, Lebanon (AP) — In a village in Lebanon’s scenic Chouf Mountains, 69-year-old Chafik Mershad pulls out a massive rectangular guestbook and reads out despairingly the date when he hosted his last visitor: Nov. 16, 2019.

A month earlier, anti-government protests had exploded across the country over taxes and a deteriorating currency crisis. Amid such uncertainty, few people visited his guesthouse. Then came the coronavirus and subsequent government-imposed lockdowns. The guesthouse officially closed its doors in February 2020. A year and a half later, he still has no plans to reopen amid the country’s current financial meltdown.

“Corona really affected us, but the biggest thing was the currency crisis,” Mershad said, speaking at his home above the guesthouse. “We used to offer meals for guests with Nescafe, tea, whatever they wanted for a cheap price. Now, one hamburger patty costs that much.”

More : Mired in crises, Lebanon hopes summer arrivals bring relief


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## hkskyline

* Seeking summer breeze and natural getaway, Saudis flock to Ukraine *
_Excerpt_

KYIV/LVIV, July 8 (Reuters) - Nabeel Kensara and Nasal Alzamzmi, a couple from Saudi Arabia, used to go for holidays to Switzerland twice a year, but coronavirus travel restrictions across Europe have forced them to discover new destinations.

Ukraine, which only requires a coronavirus PCR or express test upon entry, is one of just a few visa-free countries for Saudi tourists.

Ukraine stopped all regular flights last March to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but in June resumed domestic air traffic and flights to foreign destinations.

More : Seeking summer breeze and natural getaway, Saudis flock to Ukraine


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## hkskyline

*Warner Bros studio tour expands with DC Universe, Potter *
July 11, 2021
_Excerpt_

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — Batman’s secret cave, Harry Potter’s cupboard under the stairs and the apartment from “Friends” are major centerpieces to the huge Warner Bros. studio lot expansion.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood recently reopened more than a year after doors were shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, attendees will have a chance to explore the studio’s nearly 100 years of television and filmmaking history, highlighting the DC Universe and “Harry Potter.”

A firsthand look took place a couple of days before the tour opened in late June at the Southern California studio, which now welcomes families with children ages 5 and older.

More : Warner Bros studio tour expands with DC Universe, Potter


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## hkskyline

*NYC tourism is still struggling, and it’s keeping inflation at bay *
July 16, 2021
New York Post _Excerpt_

The sluggish recovery of New York City tourism offers one bright spot — it appears to be keeping some costs that have spiked nationwide in check in the Big Apple.

In cities across the country, higher prices for airfare, hotels, restaurants, car rentals and other items all made it more expensive to be a tourist.

But with travel to New York City still far below pre-pandemic levels, there doesn’t appear to be the same price pressure building in Gotham as in other cities.

More : NYC tourism is still struggling, and it’s keeping inflation at bay


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## hkskyline

* Dive in: Cyprus opening up ancient harbor of Amathus in attempt to lure tourists *
19 July 2021
USA Today _Excerpt_

It’s said that Demetrius the Besieger, a mighty warrior king and one of Alexander the Great’s successors, built the ancient harbor of Amathus on Cyprus’ southern coast 2,400 years ago to thwart a potential naval invasion from the ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy I, another of Alexander’s heirs.

French archaeologists who initially studied Amathus believe it to be an incomplete military fortification work, the three piers of which would have accommodated the best of the ancient world’s naval ships, ready to repel an attacking force.

Lying just a few feet underwater a mere 200 feet off the coastline near the resort town of Limassol, the harbor will soon be Cyprus’ newest tourist attraction where adventurous travelers can snorkel over its submerged stone remains.

More : Dive in: Cyprus opening up ancient harbor of Amathus in attempt to lure tourists


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## hkskyline

* Fully vaccinated tourists will soon be able to visit Canada again *
19 July 2021
CBC _Excerpt_

The federal government announced today it plans to let fully vaccinated tourists visit Canada again soon.

Ottawa now says that — starting Aug. 9 at 12:01 a.m. ET. — fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents living in that country will be able to visit Canada without having to quarantine for two weeks.

The government said it then plans to open Canada's borders to fully vaccinated travellers from all other countries on Sept. 7.

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-border-measures-reopening-1.6107988


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## hkskyline

*Canada's tourism sector must be revived *
Winnipeg Free Press _Excerpt_
Oct 11, 2021

The COVID-19 crisis led to significant travel restrictions around the world. Canada has totally or partially closed its borders to tourists and non-essential travellers.

Travel between provinces has also been restricted. Provinces such as New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador banned non-essential travel or all travel between provinces. And we were told not to travel to other provinces, including British Columbia and Ontario, unless it was essential.

But if people can’t travel, tourism can’t flourish. COVID-19 has strongly impacted this sector.

In 2019, tourism activities accounted for about two per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product and generated about 750,000 jobs. Destination Canada reports that tourism is linked to one in 10 Canadian jobs, so 1.9 million jobs. Tourism contributes significantly to the Canadian economy; 99 per cent of businesses in Canada’s tourism sector are small or medium-sized enterprises. For them, it’s more challenging to deal with the loss of income.

More : Canada's tourism sector must be revived


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## hkskyline

*How she was chosen to be the only tourist in Bhutan *
_Excerpt_
Oct 12, 2021

(CNN) — Fran Bak never read "Eat, Pray, Love."

But when her husband of 30 years passed away in 2018, Bak set off on a not-unlike-Elizabeth-Gilbert spiritual journey that would take her though Bali and India, and end with her being the only tourist given permission to enter the kingdom of Bhutan since the advent of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mourning brought Bak, now 70, through a range of spiritual practices. During a six-month stint on Bali, Bak stayed next door to a cafe where gong meditation -- a practice where different kinds of metal gongs are used as a form of sound therapy -- was going on. Initially skeptical, she fell for the practice and then began doing it herself.

More : How she was chosen to be the only tourist in Bhutan


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## hkskyline

*Bali reopens to foreign travelers as COVID-19 surge subsides*
_Excerpt_
Oct 14, 2021 

DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — The Indonesian resort island of Bali reopened for international travelers to visit its shops and white-sand beaches for the first time in more than a year Thursday — if they’re vaccinated, test negative, hail from certain countries, quarantine and heed restrictions in public.

However, foreign visitors may be slow to arrive. No international flights to Bali were scheduled on the first day of the reopening and a tourism official forecast travel would pick up in November.

Bali’s airport will welcome new foreign arrivals from 19 countries that meet World Health Organization’s criteria such as having their COVID-19 cases under control, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the government minister who leads the COVID-19 response in Java and Bali, said in a statement late Wednesday.

More : Bali reopens to foreign travelers as COVID-19 surge subsides


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## hkskyline

* U.S. to lift restrictions Nov 8 for vaccinated foreign travelers *
_Excerpt_
Oct 15, 2021

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House on Friday will lift COVID-19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated international visitors starting Nov. 8, ending historic restrictions that had barred much of the world from entering the United States for as long as 21 months.

The unprecedented travel restrictions kept millions of visitors out of the United States from China, Canada, Mexico, India, Brazil, much of Europe and elsewhere; shrunk U.S. tourism; and hurt border community economies. They prevented many loved ones and foreign workers from reuniting with families.

“Oh how I’ve missed Christmas in NY,” Alexandros Koronakis, an executive with AT&T Inc in Brussels, wrote on Twitter.

More : U.S. to lift restrictions Nov 8 for vaccinated foreign travelers


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## hkskyline

*Restarting Asian tourism will be harder than shutting it down*
The Economist _Excerpt_
Oct 23, 2021

Call it an October surprise. Almost every day over the past two weeks countries across Asia have revealed plans to loosen pandemic-induced restrictions on inbound tourism. India went first, announcing on October 7th that it would at last resume issuing tourist visas for visitors from all countries on November 15th. Two days later Singapore expanded its quarantine-free travel lanes beyond just Germany and Brunei. Prayuth Chan-ocha, Thailand’s prime minister, said on October 11th that fully vaccinated tourists would be able to visit many parts of the country without quarantine from November 1st.

Several Indonesian islands, including Bali, opened up on October 14th. Malaysia’s prime minister hinted at a reopening in December. Fiji’s government said it wants people to spend Christmas there. Even parts of Australia, which has had among the harshest travel policies in the world, will welcome travellers again from next month. “For double-vaccinated people around the world, Sydney, New South Wales, is open for business,” said Dominic Perrottet, the state’s premier.

More : Restarting Asian tourism will be harder than shutting it down


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## hkskyline

* Malaysia reopens cautiously to foreign workers, tourists *
_Excerpt_
Oct 22, 2021

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia said Friday it will reopen to foreign workers to address a labor crunch, and allow fully vaccinated tourists at the northern resort island of Langkawi next month without quarantine.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government will use the reopening of Langkawi on Nov. 15, the first time foreign tourists will be allowed back since March 2020, as a gauge for three months before opening up the rest of the country.

It comes amid a sharp fall in coronavirus cases, and a beefed-up vaccination campaign with 94% of adults — or 72% of the population — getting their shots. Daily infections have fallen to below 7,000 from a peak of more than 20,000 in August. Malaysia has recorded a total 2.41 million cases, with more than 28,000 deaths.

More : Malaysia reopens cautiously to foreign workers, tourists


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## hkskyline

* Hoteliers doubt eased tourist rules will make a difference *
The Times of Israel _Excerpt_
Oct 24, 2021

A move by the government to open Israel’s borders to visitors has been met with skepticism by some in the tourism industry, who point out that the scheme’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements greatly limit the list of those who would be granted entry, Reuters reported Sunday.

The vast majority of tourists have effectively been banned from entering Israel since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March of 2020. The reopening of borders has been delayed numerous times throughout the year, as COVID infections waxed and waned.

Last week the Prime Minister’s Office said ministers agreed to open Israel’s borders from November 1 to tourists who are vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from the disease.

More : Hoteliers doubt eased tourist rules will make a difference


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## hkskyline

* Covid fears mount as Bangkok eyes tourists *
Bangkok Post _Excerpt_
Oct 28, 2021

About 300,000 foreign tourists are expected to visit Bangkok in each of the next two months after the capital reopens, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

However, the private sector has expressed concern about the risk of a new surge of infections if the consumption of alcoholic drinks in restaurants and other entertainment venues is allowed to resume on Dec 1 as planned.

Bangkok governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang chaired a meeting via teleconference of a committee steering the plan to reopen Bangkok to fully vaccinated tourists.

More : Covid fears mount as Bangkok eyes tourists


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## hkskyline

* COVID: Will European tourists return to Southeast Asia? *
DW _Excerpt_
Oct 13, 2021

It's little wonder Southeast Asia is now in a rush to welcome back tourists: In 2019, the tourism sector was worth $393 billion (€340 billion) for the regional economy. Tourism accounted for about a third of Cambodia's GDP and one-fifth of Thailand's. 

But the coronavirus pandemic has hit hard. The region welcomed 143 million tourists in 2019, but this collapsed by 81% last year, bringing down visitors to just 26.1 million, mostly from neighboring states, according to data from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc. 

In 2019, the UK accounted for the 13th-largest share of tourists in the region, with 3.1 million British travelers visiting Southeast Asia. Some 2.1 million Germans and 2 million French also visited the region, according to ASEAN data.

More : COVID: Will European tourists return to Southeast Asia? | DW | 13.10.2021


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## hkskyline

* Foreign Tourists’ Return Poised to Bolster U.S. Holiday Sales *
Bloomberg _Excerpt_
Oct 28, 2021

U.S. retailers will get a welcome boost at the end of the year as the country loosens its travel restrictions for foreigners on Nov. 8. 

Their return, under new travel guidelines announced earlier this week, should add billions of dollars in sales for retailers in 2021 versus the previous year. Historically, tourists have been an important source of revenue, especially for luxury companies such as LVMH’s Tiffany & Co. and Coach parent Tapestry Inc. 

International travelers will likely “give a jolt” to retail sales, according to Matthew Shay, head of the National Retail Federation, during comments this week about his group’s holiday sales forecast.

More : Bloomberg - Are you a robot?


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## hkskyline

*Inuit government, Air Borealis hopeful for Labrador's tourism future post-pandemic *
Oct 29, 2021
CBC _Excerpt_

The COVID-19 pandemic decimated tourism to Labrador's Indigenous lands but a revised tourism strategy and the reopening of the Torngat Mountains Base Camp are aimed at helping to revive the industry. 

Base Camp at Torngat National Park was closed in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic but has been reopened for bookings for the 2022 season.

"Obviously, it's been very disappointing that we weren't able to invite guests into the Torngats and share the experience with them," said Sarah Leo, chief operating officer of the Nunatsiavut Group of Companies, which operates the site with Air Borealis and Parks Canada.

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/labrador-tourism-post-covid-1.6221066


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## hkskyline

*Canadian snowbirds head south as US land borders reopen *
_Excerpt_
Nov 2, 2021

PHOENIX (AP) — Canadians Ian and Heather Stewart are savoring the idea of leaving behind this winter’s subzero temperatures when the U.S. reopens its borders to nonessential land travel next week and they launch a long-delayed drive to their seasonal home in Fort Myers, Florida.

Restrictions imposed by both countries during the coronavirus pandemic and their own concerns kept the retired couple and millions of other Canadians from driving south to warmer climes like Florida, Arizona and Mexico during last year’s freezing winter months.

Now, the Biden administration’s decision to allow vaccinated people to enter the U.S. by land for any reason starting Nov. 8 has many Canadians packing up their campers and making reservations at their favorite vacation condos and mobile home parks. Some are already in the U.S., arriving on flights that never stopped and have required just a negative COVID-19 test.

More : Canadian snowbirds head south as US land borders reopen


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## hkskyline

*Airbnb's revenue hits record as company weathers COVID crisis*
Bloomberg _Excerpt_ 
Nov 4, 2021

Airbnb Inc. reported record sales and earnings that beat analysts’ estimates, proving the vacation-rental giant’s resilience even as the delta variant of Covid-19 prompted new travel concerns and restrictions.

Revenue grew 67% to $2.2 billion in the third quarter, Airbnb said in a statement Thursday. Analysts forecast $2.07 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Net income of $834 million far exceeded Wall Street’s expectation of $456.2 million. The shares rose in extended trading. 

The San Francisco-based company warned in August that the number of nights and experiences booked in the third quarter, typically the busiest period of the year, would fall short of the total during the same period in 2019, due to the resurgence of COVID cases.

More : Bloomberg - Are you a robot?


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## hkskyline

* 2 dead in dramatic shootout near upscale Mexican resorts*
_Excerpt_ 
Nov 4, 2021

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A commando of drug gang gunmen on Thursday stormed ashore at a beach on Mexico’s resort-studded Caribbean coast in front of luxury hotels and executed two drug dealers from a rival gang.

The dramatic shooting attack sent tourists scrambling for cover at the resort of Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancun.

The two suspected drug dealers killed Thursday had apparently arrived at the beach in front of the Azul Beach Resort and the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun earlier in the day, claiming it was now their territory.

More : 2 dead in dramatic shootout near upscale Mexican resorts


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## hkskyline

* Asia Cracks Open the Doors to Restart Travel, But Curbs Linger *
Bloomberg _Excerpt_
Nov 6, 2021

The travel hotspots of Asia are eager to get visitors back, along with the dollars, euros, pounds and renminbi they used to spend. But restrictions on the ground as well as back home mean those tourists will be slow to arrive.

Thailand, which led Asia with a pilot program for travel to Phuket, just reopened its doors to more than 60 countries. Indonesia is welcoming some travelers back to Bali and the Riau Islands, while Malaysia will reopen the sugar sand beaches of Langkawi to quarantine-free travel starting in mid-November. 

Australia, which effectively locked its own citizens out of coming home for months, is allowing some inbound travel. Even Singapore, which is still hanging on to all manner of domestic regulations despite its 84% vaccination rate, has started easing on departures and arrivals. Quarantine-free travel from the city-state is now possible to the U.S., Canada, and several countries in Western Europe, and that will expand to Australia, Switzerland and South Korea later this month. 

More : Bloomberg - Are you a robot?


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## hkskyline

Nov 6, 2021
*Easing of COVID travel restrictions lets loved ones reunite*
AP _Excerpt_

For Erin Tridle and her boyfriend, it was love at first sight. They met while the American was traveling in France in the summer of 2019. They said, “I love you,” on day two. “People tell us it’s like something from a movie,” she said.

When Tridle returned home to Los Angeles, they began a long-distance relationship, spending time together when they could. Then the pandemic hit, separating them indefinitely as countries locked down travel.

“The uncertainty of not knowing when we would be together again was one of the hardest things I’ve even been through,” Tridle said.

Travel restrictions that have upended lives will relax Monday, when new rules go into effect allowing air travel from previously restricted countries as long as the traveler has proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. Land travel will require proof of vaccination but no test.

Eirini Linardaki was already in Paris on Friday, making her way from her home in Crete to her partner of seven years in New York City on a series of four flights. The visual artist said the travel restrictions were especially hard on people in nontraditional relationships. But at 45, it’s not so easy for her to just move to America.

More : Easing of COVID travel restrictions lets loved ones reunite


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## hkskyline

* Now largely vaccinated, Cubans prepare to welcome visitors *
_Excerpt_
Nov 9, 2021

HAVANA (AP) — Crafts vendors are returning to the streets, transport between provinces is gradually returning to normal and crowds once again line the seafront Malecon boulevard as night falls over the Cuban capital.

The characteristic bustle of the Caribbean nation is gradually rebounding after 20 months of pandemic restrictions, with the key moment set to occur on Nov. 15 with the start of the full opening of airports, gateways to a tourism industry that feeds thousands of families.

A significant decrease in infections and mortality caused by the virus has followed an inoculation campaign with three locally developed vaccines — Soberana 02, Soberana Plus and Abdala — even if some fear the reopening could bring a resurgence of COVID-19.

More : Now largely vaccinated, Cubans prepare to welcome visitors


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## hkskyline

* India starts issuing tourist visas to foreign travellers *
Economic Times _Excerpt_
Nov 16, 2021

India has begun issuing tourist visas to overseas travellers after suspending them in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, but travel service providers said the response has been lukewarm so far.

Last month, the Union home ministry had said it would begin granting fresh tourist visas to foreigners coming to India through chartered flight with effect from October 15. It had also said that foreign tourists coming to India from flights other than chartered aircraft would be ab ..

Read more at:








India starts issuing tourist visas to foreign travellers


Last month, the Union home ministry had said it would begin granting fresh tourist visas to foreigners coming to India through chartered flight with effect from October 15.




economictimes.indiatimes.com


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## hkskyline

* Chic hotel opening in New York City celebrates Broadway *
_Excerpt_
Nov 17, 2021

NEW YORK (AP) — Visitors to the latest chic hotel to open in New York’s theater district can easily walk to any Broadway show — or they can stay inside and celebrate them.

The Civilian — a 203-room hotel with bars, lounges and a bistro — is packed with hundreds of pieces of Broadway art, including sketches, set models, costume pieces, photographs and artifacts that show theater past and present.

“I think people don’t realize that this neighborhood is just like a walking history of so much,” said award-winning architect and theater designer David Rockwell during a tour of the hotel he helped craft. “So I think it deserves to have a place that’s dedicated to that.”

More : Chic hotel opening in New York City celebrates Broadway


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## hkskyline

* As tourism brightens, Times Square hopes to regain luster*
_Excerpt_
Nov 20, 2021

NEW YORK (AP) — David Cohen has been yearning for a return to the days when business boomed at his family’s souvenir shop in Times Square.

While tourists have begun returning, foot traffic into Grand Slam souvenirs is still not what it was before the coronavirus pandemic, when hordes of global visitors crowded under the canopy of electric billboards just outside his door.

But the return of foreign tourists to a place popularly called the crossroads of the world may help hasten recovery for businesses like his — many of them mom-and-pop shops — that collectively employ thousands of people and serve as one of New York City’s most important economic engines.

More : As tourism brightens, Times Square hopes to regain luster


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## hkskyline

*Broome pushes forward with plan to regulate Airbnb and other short-term rental properties*
ABC _Excerpt_
Nov 20, 2021

Home owners in one of Western Australia's prime tourist destinations wanting to rent their properties to travellers will soon have to apply for permission from their local council. 

The Shire of Broome has formalised its stance on short-term rentals, which have boomed in popularity through platforms like Airbnb and Stayz.

The shire will soon require home owners to apply for their property to be listed as a holiday house if it is in a suburban area and the owner is not residing there.

More : Prime tourist town pushes ahead with plan to regulate short-term rentals


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## hkskyline

* From Katz’s Deli to Broadway, International Tourists Trickle Back *
New York Times _Excerpt_
Nov 22, 2021

The lines are getting longer at the Halal Guys food cart in the heart of Manhattan. The number of international visitors buying Statue of Liberty tickets has jumped more than 50 percent. And a few thousand more people are walking through Times Square.

After more than 18 months, the United States reopened its borders on Nov. 8 to vaccinated foreign travelers. Early indications suggest that they have been trickling back to New York, the top American destination city for international tourists.

But many businesses that depend on international visitors, including hotel operators and restaurants, see signs that even more tourists could start streaming in as the year-end holiday season approaches, providing a badly needed boost as the city’s labor force struggles to recover from the pandemic.

More : From Katz’s Deli to Broadway, International Tourists Trickle Back


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## hkskyline

*Brazilian mayors torn between Carnival and pandemic safety*
Nov 25, 2021
_Excerpt_

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Mayors across Brazil are divided on whether to maintain end of year festivities and February’s Carnival, traditionally celebrated lavishly in all four corners of the vast nation, with some fearing that now-low COVID-19 infection rates could roar back.

Rio de Janeiro is moving forward with both New Year’s Eve and its legendary Carnival, each likely to attract millions of revelers. But others have opted for a more conservative approach: Several municipalities in Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais and other states cancelled Carnival altogether, including the street parties known as “blocos”.

The number of daily deaths and new infections from the virus are currently low and vaccination coverage is higher than in many countries — including the U.S. — but officials fear bringing large crowds together could reignite a disease that has already killed more than 600,000 in Brazil alone.

More : Brazilian mayors torn between Carnival and pandemic safety | AP News


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## hkskyline

*Global tourism to recover to pre-pandemic level no earlier than 2023 — UN *
_Excerpt_ 

MADRID, November 29. /TASS/. The global tourism will most likely return to its pre-pandemic levels no earlier than in 2023, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Zurab Pololikashvili told a TASS correspondent.

"A group of experts of the UNWTO is forecasting a very positive rise conditioned by a high delayed demand for travel in the second and third quarters of 2022," he noted. "Currently, we see a small recovery in the regions of southern Europe, Central America and the Caribbean," he added.

"Almost half of the experts (45%) think that the international tourism will return to the 2019 level in 2024 or later while 43% indicate the recovery in 2023," the official said. "Rates, the even distribution of vaccines and effective cooperation on the protocols on travel and healthcare will have a key significance for the coordination of correlated actions that the sphere of tourism needs," he explained.

More : Global tourism to recover to pre-pandemic level no earlier than 2023 — UN


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## hkskyline

*Japan bans foreign visitors for 1 month over Omicron fears *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
Nov 30, 2021

Japan on Tuesday banned new entries by foreigners globally for at least one month in an attempt to stave off the new Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the measure, reversing a three-week relaxation of travel restrictions, is needed to "avoid the worst-case scenario."

Additionally, 14 countries and regions, including Britain and Germany, were added to a list of places from which returning Japanese citizens and foreign residents will be subject to stricter quarantine requirements.

More : Japan bans foreign visitors for 1 month over Omicron fears


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## hkskyline

*Fiji reopens to foreign tourists for first time in nearly two years*
Dec 1, 2021
Reuters _Excerpt_

Fiji reopened its border to international travellers for the first time in nearly two years on Wednesday, as the Pacific Island country seeks to revive its dominant tourism industry.

Fiji shut its border to all foreign nationals in March 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19 in a desperate bid to stop its limited medical facilities being overrun.

With about 90% of all Fijian adults now fully vaccinated, the Pacific Island reopened its border to tourists from a small number of countries - much to the relief of tourism operators.

More : Fiji reopens to foreign tourists for first time in nearly two years


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## hkskyline

*Getting tourism rolling again with bullet trains *
China Daily _Excerpt_
Dec 1, 2021

For Benny Kong, a hotel owner and co-founder of a tour company in Laos, the China-Laos Railway is poised to bring more tourists and put business back on track.

The 33-year-old Singaporean, who lives in Laos, set up the MyLao-Home boutique hotel 14 years ago after a backpacking trip to Laos. That's when he discovered there was demand for hotels in Luang Prabang, a former Laotian capital and a World Heritage Site listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Kong's business was growing in tandem with the tourism industry in Laos－until the pandemic stuck.

More : Getting tourism rolling again with bullet trains


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## hkskyline

* Omicron unravels travel industry’s plans for a comeback *
_Excerpt_
Dec 1, 2021

Tourism businesses that were just finding their footing after nearly two years of devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic are being rattled again as countries throw up new barriers to travel in an effort to contain the omicron variant.

From shopping districts in Japan and tour guides in the Holy Land to ski resorts in the Alps and airlines the world over, a familiar dread is rising about the renewed restrictions.

Meanwhile, travelers eager to get out there have been thrown back into the old routine of reading up on new requirements and postponing trips.

More : Omicron unravels travel industry's plans for a comeback | AP News


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## hkskyline

* EXPLAINER: What are the rules for travelers entering the US? *
AP _Excerpt_
Dec 2, 2021

President Joe Biden’s latest measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 will increase the hassle factor of flying into the United States, even for American citizens returning from overseas.

Beginning next week, travelers heading to the U.S. will be required to show evidence of a negative test for the virus within one day of boarding their flight. The previous period was three days.

Also, Biden will extend the federal rule requiring passengers on planes, trains and buses to wear face masks through March 18. It was scheduled to expire in mid-January.

More : EXPLAINER: What are the rules for travelers entering the US? | AP News


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## nazrey

Expat Insider 2021: The Best & Worst Cities for Expats


Want to know what the best and worst cities for expats are? Then have a look at the results of the Expat City Ranking 2021.




www.internations.org






https://cms-internationsgmbh.netdna-ssl.com/cdn/file/cms-media/public/2021-11/Expat-Insider_City-Ranking-Report-2021_1.pdf



KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA








MALAGA, SPAIN

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES


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## hkskyline

*Hong Kong, other Asian cities shut out of world’s top 10 tourist destinations amid tough travel restrictions *
South China Morning Post _Excerpt_
Dec 5, 2021

The stringent approach of many Asian cities to shutting out Covid-19 may have kept case numbers in check and taken some pressure off local economies. But it has done nothing for their global standing as tourism destinations.

Asian cities are nowhere to be seen in the top 10 of an index ranking the world’s best destinations. Paris and other European cities dominate the list compiled by Euromonitor International, owing to their more relaxed travel policies amid the pandemic.

The Top 100 City Destinations Index 2021 tracks 54 different metrics across six key pillars to generate an overall attractiveness score. The pillars are tourism performance, economic and business performance, tourism policy and attractiveness, tourism infrastructure, health and safety and sustainability.

More : Tough travel rules ensure no Asian cities in top 10 tourist destinations


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## hkskyline

*Iconic sheer trail at Zion National Park to require permits *
_Excerpt_ 
Dec 4, 2021

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Zion National Park will soon require reservations to hike a famous southern Utah trail perched on the edge of a red-rock cliff, officials announced Friday.

As of April 1, people who want to hike the narrow Angels Landing hike will need permits provided through a lottery system.

The lottery will be fairer to visitors and reduce crowding on the trail, said superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh. Crowding is a major concern on the trail edged by a sheer cliff, where a small number of people typically fall and die every year, park officials have said.

The number of people visiting Zion has been growing rapidly in recent years, swelling from about 2.8 million visits in 2011 to nearly 4.5 million visits in 2019.

More : Iconic sheer trail at Zion National Park to require permits | AP News


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## hkskyline

* Six weeks after reopening, Bali wonders where the tourists are *
Dec 6, 2021
Al Jazeera _Excerpt_

Before the pandemic, Dicky, who like many Indonesians goes by only one name, earned up to $20 a day hawking shell craft jewellery to tourists on the crowded beaches of Bali’s southwest coast.

But nearly two months after Indonesia reopened its doors to visitors from China and 18 other countries, the international tourists Dicky once relied upon for sales are still few and far between.

“I came here at eight in the morning and have been walking up and down the beach all day. I try, try and try but I have not sold a single piece all day,” he told Al Jazeera as a blindingly beautiful blood-red sun set over the Indian Ocean at Pererenan Beach last weekend. “I don’t understand why more tourists aren’t coming now that Bali is open again.”

Dicky is not the only person on the island perplexed about the fact that not a single international flight has landed in Bali since the international airport reopened on October 14. The island’s COVID-19 metrics – just about the lowest recorded since the start of the pandemic – only add to the conundrum.

According to Indonesia’s National Board for Disaster Management, the seven-day average for new positive cases in Bali now stands at 11, the seven-day average for deaths is just one while the seven-day positivity rate for individuals tested is 0.17 percent – well below WHO’s minimum threshold of 1 percent for territories it classifies as having the virus under control. Vaccine numbers are also well above the world average of 42.7 percent, with more than 77 percent of all adults fully vaccinated in Bali, according to Indonesia’s Ministry of Health.

More : Six weeks after reopening, Bali wonders where the tourists are


----------



## hkskyline

* Omicron travel bans strike South Africa’s safari business * 
_Excerpt_
Dec 7, 2021

DINOKENG GAME RESERVE, South Africa (AP) — Recent travel bans imposed on South Africa and neighboring countries in response to the discovery of the omicron variant in southern Africa have hammered the country’s safari business, already hard hit by the pandemic.

South Africa’s tourism industry suffered a more than 70% drop in foreign tourists in 2020, with COVID-19 blamed for the drop from about 15 million visitors in 2019 to less than 5 million in 2020. Tourism employs about 4.7% of South Africa’s workforce.

Britain, the largest source of tourists to South Africa, lifted its “red list” travel restrictions on South Africa in October and safari operators were beginning to see an improved outlook for the holiday season and 2022. But then the news of omicron struck, bringing a new round of international restrictions on flights.

More : Omicron travel bans strike South Africa's safari business | AP News


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## hkskyline

* COVID: Malaysia's tourism sector faces collapse *
DW _Excerpt_
Dec 6, 2021

Kira, who prefers to not disclose her full name, usually rents out vacation homes in Kuala Lumpur. Before COVID-19 it was a thriving business. After all, her home country is not only known for its rainforests, gorgeous beaches and picturesque islands — travelers have long been drawn to its capital, Kuala Lumpur. Among the city's most popular attractions are the famous 451-meter-high (1230 ft.) Petronas Twin Towers.

But instead of the hoped-for influx of tourists, the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic came in 2019. Since then, things have looked rather bleak for Kira, as well as for many of the 3.5 million people in Malaysia who depend on the tourism industry. "I have hardly any bookings and when I do, it's only for a few days. These are mostly business people or some locals who might be visiting family in town," she tells DW. Before the pandemic, her apartments were always fully booked. More than a year ago, the 28-year-old had to move back in with her parents to avoid paying rent.

Young women like Kira in particular are suffering from the impacts of the pandemic in the Muslim country, according to the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. This is also evidenced by the 2020 analysis by the International Labor Organization, which shows that more female workers in the tourism sector have lost their jobs worldwide than men.

More : COVID: Malaysia's tourism sector faces collapse | DW | 06.12.2021


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## hkskyline

*Utah’s Arches to require timed tickets as visitation swells *
_Excerpt_
Dec 11, 2021

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah national park famed for its otherworldly sandstone arches will require visitors to get timed entry tickets during its high season next year, the second Utah park to implement such a system as visitation swells.

Arches National Park officials said Friday they’re not trying to decrease the number of visitors during the six-month period, but rather spread them out over the course of the day. The announcement came a week after nearby Zion National Park said it would require reservations to hike the famed cliffside Angels Landing trail.

At Arches, visitation skyrocketed 66% over the last decade, and is on track to break another record this year with nearly 1.7 million visitors as of the end of October, said park spokesperson Kait Thomas. At times, Arches has gotten so crowded officials have had to close the gates for hours at a time to delay entry.

More : Utah's Arches to require timed tickets as visitation swells | AP News


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## hkskyline

* Bosnian ski resorts benefit from lax anti-virus measures*
_Excerpt_
Dec 12, 2021

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — As most European nations impose new restrictions to curb the spread of the omicron variant, Bosnia is taking a relatively laissez-faire approach to soaring COVID-19 infections in the region, much to the delight of its winter tourism industry.

Last week, thousands of skiers from around the country, the Balkans and the European Union happily slalomed their way through fresh snow on Bosnia’s mountain slopes following the official Dec. 4 kickoff for the season. Most ski resorts in the Balkans opened over the past week as well, but with much stricter pandemic-induced capacity and access limits.

On the Jahorina and Bjelasnica mountains near Sarajevo, hosts of the 1984 Winter Olympics, long, tightly packed queues formed at ski lifts while local and international guests gathered at cafes both indoors and outdoors, with some even taking in a nightly music concert.

More : Bosnian ski resorts benefit from lax anti-virus measures | AP News


----------



## hkskyline

*Renowned Western Australia tourist route Caves Road severely damaged during bushfire *
ABC News _Excerpt_
Dec 14, 2021

Caves Road in the South West of Western Australia will be closed for weeks after last week's bushfire caused significant damage. 

The renowned tourist route winds through the pristine Margaret River region, connecting world-class vineyards and some of WA's most popular destinations.

Main Roads WA said a section of the road between Redgate Road and Bushby Road was the worst affected area and remains closed.

More : Well-known Margaret River tourist road remains closed after parts were destroyed in a bushfire


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## hkskyline

*Bali only received 45 international tourists in 2021 despite reopening*
Dec 16, 2021
_Excerpt_

Hong Kong/Jakarta (CNN) — Destinations around the world have faced significant tourist reductions amid the coronavirus pandemic. But few have taken a harder hit than Bali, the Indonesian island long beloved of global travelers.

Due to strict border control measures and a closed airport, Bali went from receiving millions of international visitors to welcoming just 45 in 2021.

Compare that to about 6.2 million international arrivals in 2019 and 1.05 million in 2020.

More : Bali only received 45 international tourists in 2021 despite reopening


----------



## hkskyline

* UK tourist travel ban a "disaster" for French ski resorts*
_Excerpt_
Dec 17, 2021

PARIS (Reuters) - In the French ski resort of Val d'Isere, staff had been hired, shelves fully stocked and everyone was looking forward to a good season until, that is, France banned British tourists due to fears over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The ban was announced on Thursday, just two days before the start of the holiday season.

"It's an economic disaster," said resort director Christophe Lavaut, pointing out that in Val d'Isere, the bulk of the clients come from Britain. "No business in any sector can make it, losing 42% of its clients in two days."

More : UK tourist travel ban a "disaster" for French ski resorts


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## hkskyline

* Global tourism to recover from pandemic by 2023, post 10-year growth spurt *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Apr 21, 2022

The global travel and tourism sectors are projected to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and grow at a rate that will outpace global gross domestic product (GDP) growth, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said on Thursday.

The industry is expected to post an annual average growth rate of 5.8 per cent from 2022 to 2032 versus the 2.7 per cent increase in global GDP, and create 126 million new jobs, WTTC said in a report released during the industry group's conference in Manila.

More : Global tourism to recover from pandemic by 2023, post 10-year growth spurt


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## hkskyline

* Thailand ends mandatory quarantine for vaccinated visitors *
_Excerpt_
Apr 22, 2022

BANGKOK (AP) — Visitors to Thailand who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will no longer need to undergo any test or quarantine on arrival starting May 1, a measure the authorities hope will help rejuvenate the country’s lucrative tourism industry.

“Many countries have already eased their restrictions,” Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Friday. “We are a country that relies on the tourism industry, especially during these times. This will help move the economy forward.”

Under the new rules announced by the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, unvaccinated travelers will still have to provide proof of negative results from a RT-PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival.

More : Thailand ends mandatory quarantine for vaccinated visitors


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## hkskyline

* Tourists must make reservations to visit iconic Hawaii site *
_Excerpt_
Apr 26, 2022

HONOLULU (AP) — Out-of-state visitors will soon need reservations to visit one of Hawaii’s most recognizable natural sites.

State land officials announced Monday the new policy for Diamond Head State Monument will take effect on May 12.

The iconic ancient volcanic crater stands at the end of Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu.

Diamond Head is the third state park to have such a rule. Non-residents must also make reservations for Haena State Park on Kauai and Waianapanapa State Park on Maui. Reservations are required at certain times to visit Haleakala National Park on Maui.

More : Tourists must make reservations to visit iconic Hawaii site


----------



## hkskyline

* As international travel picks up, several popular destinations remain off limits to tourists *
CNN _Excerpt_
Apr 27, 2022

Over the recent Easter break, social media feeds were filled with photos of happy travelers, many taking their first overseas trips since the start of the pandemic.

Ski holidays in Switzerland. Beach breaks in Thailand. That long-promised family trip to Disney World.

In fact, so many travelers are hitting the road that experts are already predicting a summer of travel chaos lies ahead, as the industry struggles to cope in the face of reduced capacity and decreased workforces.

A scroll through the UNWTO's Destination Tracker reveals the majority of the places reliant on tourism dollars have dropped quarantine restrictions and are welcoming travelers -- albeit some still come with a few caveats such as mandatory Covid-19 tests on arrival, tests before you fly, mandatory quarantines if tests come back positive and so on.

But while most of world's popular destinations have reopened, there are a few tourism favorites that remain off limits to leisure travelers -- regardless of their willingness to test, get vaccinated and quarantine.

More : As international travel picks up, several popular destinations remain off limits to tourists


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## hkskyline

* ‘March Madness’ atmosphere lifts Vegas economy from pandemic *
_Excerpt_
Apr 28, 2022

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada casinos reported near-record March house winnings, while the airport in Las Vegas reported passenger traffic almost as heavy as pre-pandemic levels and tourism officials marked another big jump in visitor volume.

The state Gaming Control Board reported Thursday the $1.35 billion that casinos statewide reaped was just shy of the best-ever monthly mark of $1.36 billion set last July.

The state and Clark County set all-time records for house slot machine winnings, while the Las Vegas Strip recorded third-highest monthly slot winnings, board senior analyst Michael Lawton said.

More : 'March Madness' atmosphere lifts Vegas economy from pandemic


----------



## hkskyline

* New Zealand welcomes back tourists as pandemic rules eased *
_Excerpt_
May 2, 2022

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years Monday after dropping most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions.

The country has long been renowned for its breathtaking scenery and adventure tourism offerings such as bungy jumping and skiing. Before the spread of COVID-19, more than 3 million tourists visited each year, accounting for 20% of New Zealand’s foreign income and more than 5% of the overall economy.

But international tourism stopped altogether in early 2020 after New Zealand imposed some of the world’s toughest border restrictions.

More : New Zealand welcomes back tourists as pandemic rules eased


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## hkskyline

* Tourists, rejoice! Italy, Greece relax COVID-19 restrictions *
_Excerpt_
May 1, 2022

ROME (AP) — For travelers heading to Europe, summer vacations just got a whole lot easier.

Italy and Greece relaxed some COVID-19 restrictions on Sunday before Europe’s peak summer tourist season, in a sign that life was increasingly returning to normal.

Greece’s civil aviation authority announced that it was lifting all COVID-19 rules for international and domestic flights except for the wearing of face masks during flights and at airports. Previously, air travelers were required to show proof of vaccination, a negative test or a recent recovery from the disease.

More : Tourists, rejoice! Italy, Greece relax COVID-19 restrictions


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## hkskyline

*Mexico’s Hottest Resort Towns Struggle With Covid Travel Boom*
Bloomberg _Excerpt_
May 10, 2022

It’s 2 in the afternoon at the Mexican resort town of Tulum, and the beach club at the Ikal Hotel is heating up for its “ecstatic dance” session. Inside a thatch-roofed pavilion, a sweaty crowd bops to a “folktronica” track spun by a DJ whose next stop is Berlin. Down a set of wide stone steps, fit thirtysomethings smack volleyballs on a beach that smells of seaweed and sunscreen. A “treehouse” room will set you back $800 a night, and a bottle of Crémant de Bourgogne sparkling wine runs $110.

A decade ago, Tulum was a sleepy fishing village that served as a gateway to nearby Mayan ruins. These days it’s part of the international party circuit—marketed as a jungle paradise with really great nightlife. The town’s beach strip is lined with tony restaurants, designer clothing boutiques, and chalkboard ads for yoga classes and hand-poke tattoos. With its clubs, linen-clad models, and ample supplies of weed, ayahuasca, and cocaine, it’s the kind of place where “the hippies become millionaires and the millionaires become hippies,” says tour guide Hervé Pech.

More :


Bloomberg - Are you a robot?


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## hkskyline

* Airbnb overhauls site searches with categories of rentals *
_Excerpt_
May 11, 2022

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Airbnb said Wednesday it is overhauling the way that consumers search for rental listings, adding dozens of categories including “chef’s kitchens” and “historical homes” to its current listings, which are mostly searched by location.

The company will also let people book split stays between homes and it promised new protections for renters when listings fall short of advertised promises.

Airbnb said the changes will help people find listings that they didn’t know existed before and in locations that they had not considered, taking pressure off overtourism in popular destinations.

More : Airbnb overhauls site searches with categories of rentals


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## hkskyline

*After reopening, Thailand’s battered tourism struggles to rebuild *
Al Jazeera _Excerpt_
May 16, 2022

Krabi, Thailand – At Railay Beach, an Instagrammers’ favourite known for its wide, warm sands bookended by limestone cliffs, 23-year-old Londoner Becca sips coffee and savours the return of Thai backpacking following a recent easing of entry requirements.

“We saved our money, quit work and travelled here,” she told Al Jazeera of her months-long trip with friends, which was impossible during the last two years lost to the pandemic.

Thailand was one of the first places in the world to reopen to tourists late last year, but under a confusing web of rules – including seven-day quarantine – travellers complained the small print failed to match the big announcements.

Meanwhile, horror stories of people testing positive on arrival and being shunted into 14-day quarantine – paid for from their own pocket – bounced around travel blogs and Twitter.

On May 1, Thailand dropped its “Test & Go” quarantine procedure, allowing vaccinated visitors to enter freely, while an onerous pre-departure registration scheme known as the “Thailand Pass” is likely to also be abandoned within weeks.

More : After reopening, Thailand’s battered tourism struggles to rebuild


----------



## hkskyline

*Parks Canada closes some areas around Lake Louise to protect wildlife *
Calgary Herald _Excerpt_
May 16, 2022

Some hiking trails and forested areas around Lake Louise are being temporarily closed to the public this summer to protect sensitive wildlife corridors, says Parks Canada.

The measures that took effect Sunday and run until Oct. 15 have shut the section of the Bow River Loop Trail extending along the west side of the river north of Lake Louise Drive and south of the Lake Louise Campground.

A wilderness area just to the west of Tramline Trail and north of Lake Louise Drive has been declared out of bounds until the fall while that trail is under an advisory.

More : Parks Canada closes some areas around Lake Louise to protect wildlife


----------



## hkskyline

* Seeing a country with the most high-ranking tour guide *
_Excerpt_
May 20, 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — With one notable exception, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan seemed to enjoy guiding American journalist Peter Greenberg around her country for the television show “The Royal Tour.”

The time spent recording voiceovers she could have done without.

“You tortured me!” the African leader needled Greenberg at a New York screening of the show, which is airing on PBS stations this spring.

More : Seeing a country with the most high-ranking tour guide


----------



## hkskyline

* Spain relaxes entry rules for Britons ahead of summer holidays*
Sky News _Excerpt_
May 21, 2022

Unvaccinated Britons planning summer holidays in Spain will be able to enter the country more easily as the government is relaxing COVID restrictions.

The health requirements for people visiting from the UK and elsewhere outside the EU are now going to be aligned with those from inside the Schengen area.

Visitors will need to show either their COVID vaccination certificates, a negative PCR test, or a certificate showing they had recovered from coronavirus within the last 180 days.

More : COVID: Spain relaxes entry rules for Britons ahead of summer holidays


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## hkskyline

*Why there is no fencing, safety equipment or lifeguards at Peggys Cove*
CBC _Excerpt_
May 22, 2022

Shortly after the death of a 25-year-old man who was swept into the ocean at Peggys Cove in 2015, an eclectic group assembled to discuss how safety could be improved at the landmark southwest of Halifax.

One idea brought forward was to close the iconic site that attracts over 700,000 people a year and features a much-photographed lighthouse on a large outcrop of granite, one with tantalizing but slippery "black rocks" that descend to the water's edge.

The idea was quickly rejected.

"People are still going to venture to find a way to get to the shore, to the ocean's edge, to the black rocks beyond the lighthouse to have that experience," said Mark Furey, a retired Liberal cabinet minister who served as tourism minister at the time and led the safety discussions.

"That was always the challenge, and it will remain the challenge for the foreseeable future."

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/peggyscove-safetyequipment-fencing-lifeguards-1.6456001

Lighthouse at Peggy's Cove by Peggy Reimchen, on Flickr


----------



## hkskyline

*Rocky Mountain hotels, restaurants doubt help will arrive in time for summer tourist season*
CBC _Excerpt_
May 24, 2022

Steven Calderon says he doesn't mind working nearly 75 hours per week. He has two restaurant jobs in Banff and some of those hours include covering jobs that aren't filled — or taking over from co-workers who are exhausted and need a break. 

"I like it, so it's all good," said Calderon, 30, while taking a break from chopping onions. 

He obtained a working holiday permit and arrived in Canada from Costa Rica last fall. He's helping to fill what people in the Rocky Mountain town are calling a labour drought — and a crisis.

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/banff-canmore-temporary-foreign-worker-program-1.6448604


----------



## hkskyline

*Japan to resume accepting foreign tourists on June 10: Kishida *
Kyodo _Excerpt_
May 26, 2022

Japan will resume accepting foreign tourists from June 10, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday, as the country continues to ease its COVID-19 border controls.

Kishida's announcement was made during an international event in Tokyo and came ahead of Japan's move to double the current cap on daily entries to 20,000 from next Wednesday. To reduce the potential spread of infections, tourism arrivals will initially be limited to guided tour groups.

The government's decision will set the stage for reviving inbound tourism for the first time in about two years. Still, relaxations will be implemented in stages and it will likely take time to again see a large number of foreign tourists, who were once key for Japan's economic growth.

More : Japan to resume accepting foreign tourists on June 10: Kishida


----------



## hkskyline

*Prepare for sticker shock if you are traveling this summer *
_Excerpt_
May 27, 2022

DALLAS (AP) — Airlines and tourist destinations are expecting monster crowds this summer as travel restrictions ease and pandemic fatigue overcomes lingering fear of contracting COVID-19 during travel.

Many forecasters believe the number of travelers will match or even exceed levels in the good-old, pre-pandemic days. However, airlines have thousands fewer employees than they did in 2019, and that has at times contributed to widespread flight cancellations.

People who are only now booking travel for the summer are experiencing the sticker shock.

Domestic airline fares for summer are averaging more than $400 a round trip, 24% higher than this time in 2019, before the pandemic, and a whopping 45% higher than a year ago, according to travel-data firm Hopper.

“The time to have gotten cheap summer flights was probably three or four months ago,” says Scott Keyes, who runs the Scott’s Cheap Flights site.

More : Prepare for sticker shock if you are traveling this summer


----------



## hkskyline

* U.S. aims to ramp up international tourism hit hard by COVID*
Reuters _Excerpt_
June 6, 2022

The U.S. Commerce Department on Monday will unveil a new strategy aimed at boosting international tourism hit hard by COVID-19 and government travel restrictions by streamlining the entry process and promoting more diverse destinations.

The "National Travel and Tourism Strategy" sets a goal of 90 million international visitors by 2027 who will spend an estimated $279 billion annually, topping pre-pandemic levels, the department told Reuters.

"There are a lot of industries that are well past COVID - travel and tourism is not," U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in an interview.

More : U.S. aims to ramp up international tourism hit hard by COVID


----------



## hkskyline

* Golf vacations to top British courses are selling out this year — and next *
CNBC _Excerpt_
June 9, 2022

Travelers planning a golfing vacation to prestigious courses in the United Kingdom may need to act fast.

Some of the U.K.’s top venues are selling out, not just this year, but for spots — or tee times — in 2023, due in part to growing confidence in international travel among wealthy Americans.

Travelers are attracted by the chance to tee off at venues played by some of the game’s top players, and premium courses in proximity to one another make Scotland a particularly hot ticket.

More : Golf vacations to top British courses are selling out this year — and next


----------



## hkskyline

*US lifts COVID-19 test requirement for international travel * 
_Excerpt_
June 10, 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is lifting its requirement that international travelers test negative for COVID-19 within a day before boarding a flight to the United States, ending one of the last remaining government mandates designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that the requirement will end early Sunday morning. The health agency said it will continue to monitor state of the pandemic and will reassess the need for a testing requirement if the situation changes.

“This step is possible because of the progress we’ve made in our fight against COVID-19,” said U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra.

More : US lifts COVID-19 test requirement for international travel


----------



## hkskyline

* Spain edges closer to pre-pandemic tourism levels with 7.5 million visitors in June*
_Excerpt_
Aug 2, 2022 

MADRID (Reuters) - More than twice as many tourists visited Spain in June than in the same month last year and they spent almost three times as much during their stay, National Statistics Institute data showed on Tuesday.

The 7.5 million visitors in June spent close to 9 billion euros ($9.2 billion), as Spain edges closer to pre-pandemic levels in its biggest and most important economic sector.

Before the pandemic put a halt to travel in 2020, Spain received a total of 38.2 million tourists in 2019, with 8.8 million visiting in June.

More : Spain edges closer to pre-pandemic tourism levels with 7.5 mln visitors in June


----------



## hkskyline

*Chile's Easter Island reopens to tourists after pandemic shutdown*
Reuters _Excerpt_
Aug 5, 2022

Chile's Easter Island received its first group of tourists on Thursday after closing its borders for more than two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Easter Island, over 2,000 miles (3,219 km) from the coast of Chile, has over a thousand stone statues -- giant heads that were carved centuries ago by the island's inhabitants -- which have brought it fame and UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

"(Easter Island) is the biggest open air museum in the world," said Pedro Edmunds, the mayor of Easter Island, adding that it was time to open the island after it shut its borders 868 days ago.

More : Chile's Easter Island reopens to tourists after pandemic shutdown


----------



## hkskyline

* Tiny African kingdom has skiing as Europe sweats summer heat *
_Excerpt_
Aug 7, 2022

BUTHA-BUTHE, Lesotho (AP) — While millions across Europe sweat through a summer of record-breaking heat, they’re skiing in Africa.

Don’t worry. This isn’t another sign of climate change but rather the fascinating anomaly of Lesotho, a tiny mountain kingdom completely surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho has an obscure geographical claim to fame: It’s the only country on Earth where every inch of its territory sits more than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level.

That gives Lesotho snow in the southern hemiphere’s winters. And while cold winters aren’t rare in southern Africa, snow is and ski resorts are even rarer. At an altitude of 3,000 meters (9,842 feet), Afriski in Lesotho’s Maluti Mountains is Africa’s only operating ski resort south of the equator.

More : Tiny African kingdom has skiing as Europe sweats summer heat


----------



## LEAFS FANATIC

*Greece Travel Arrivals Reach One Million Per Week*



https://greekreporter.com/2022/08/08/greece-travel-%ce%b1rrivals-reach-one-million-per-week-in-august/


----------



## hkskyline

* Thailand's tourism-reliant economy likely gathered pace in Q2 *
_Excerpt_
Aug 12, 2022

BENGALURU (Reuters) - Thailand's economy likely grew at its fastest pace in a year last quarter, thanks to increased tourism as pandemic curbs eased, but the high cost of living and a slowdown in China pose threats to the outlook, a Reuters poll showed.

Growth in the tourism-dependent economy is estimated at 3.1% year-on-year in the second quarter, according to the median forecast of 16 economists polled between Aug. 8 and 11, up from 2.2% growth in the previous quarter.

However, on a quarterly basis, gross domestic product (GDP) grew a seasonally-adjusted 0.9%, slowing slightly from 1.1% in the preceding quarter, the median forecast from a smaller sample of 12 economists showed.

More : Thailand's tourism-reliant economy likely gathered pace in Q2


----------



## hkskyline

* France Travel: Tension With Tourists Amid Drought And ‘Monstrous’ Fires*
Forbeds _Excerpt_
Aug 12, 2022

Like many of its neighbors, France is feeling the full blow of environmental catastrophes during summer 2022. It is currently experiencing ferocious fires, drought, water restrictions and subsequent cuts in food production—and in some cases, tensions are rising between tourists and locals over water use.

The French Prime Minister has promised to revisit the management of climate change with the utmost importance, as EU countries are sending in firefighters and equipment to help tackle an "ogre-like" fire, of a size and ferocity rarely seen in the country.

...

France's acute water shortage is causing tension between locals and tourists—eco-warriors in the Vosges area of eastern France are reportedly turning off water supplies to jacuzzis used by tourists in holiday resorts, claiming that it is needed for drinking instead. Another resident said that “we, the inhabitants of Gérardmer, are still depriving ourselves of water. And we fill up [their hot tubs] every weekend. It’s ridiculous.”

More : France Travel: Tension With Tourists Amid Drought And ‘Monstrous’ Fires


----------



## hkskyline

* Booming business: Cape Breton Island tourism making up for lost time *
CTV _Excerpt_
Aug 13, 2022

With the summer season sailing by, tourism operators in Cape Breton are cashing in.

After the COVID-19 pandemic plagued the past few years, people are travelling again and businesses on the island are busier than ever.

“It really started picking up for us this month. We really started to see a large amount of tourists coming through the gates,” said Martin Kejval, project manager for Cape Smokey Holding Ltd.

This is the first summer in business for the revamped Cape Smokey grounds. The newest attraction is a gondola, which allows visitors to experience breathtaking views.

“This month, we really started to see a big shift in the clientele. We see much more people from Ontario, Quebec, and we do see a fair bit of Americans as well,” said Kejval.

More : Booming business: Cape Breton Island tourism making up for lost time


----------



## hkskyline

*Business travel spending might not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2026* 
CNBC _Excerpt_
Aug 15, 2022

Business travel spending might not recover to pre-pandemic levels until sometime in 2026 — two years later than previously expected — as inflation, labor shortages and geopolitical issues slow the sector’s rebound, according to a new industry forecast.

Spending by business travelers, a key source of revenue for airlines and hotels, some of the hardest-hit industries in the pandemic, has been on the upswing this year. Spending worldwide is set to rise nearly 34% in 2022 to $933 billion, according to the Global Business Travel Association’s annual report and forecast, published Monday.

That’s still far short of the more than $1.4 trillion in business travel generated in 2019, before the Covid pandemic. One reason is that high inflation is driving up travel costs, which the industry group last week said would continue to climb through 2023.

More : Business travel spending might not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2026


----------



## hkskyline

* Thailand saw 3.78 million tourists from Jan to mid-Aug - govt *
_Excerpt_ 

BANGKOK, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Thailand saw 3.78 million tourist arrivals from January to Aug 17, a government official said on Friday.

The arrivals, mainly from Malaysia, India and Singapore, generated revenues of 176 billion baht ($4.93 billion), said Taweesin Visanuyothin, a spokesperson for the government's COVID-19 taskforce.

Thailand will extend the duration of its visa-on-arrival, which applies to nationals of India, China and Saudi Arabia, from 15 days to 30 days starting in October, said Taweesin. The measure is aimed at boosting the tourism sector as it recovers from a pandemic-induced slump.

More : Thailand saw 3.78 million tourists from Jan to mid-Aug - govt


----------



## hkskyline

* Japan moving to allow individual tourists in again *
NHK _Excerpt_
Aug 23, 2022

The Japanese government is moving to start accepting overseas tourists who do not want to take guided tours in a bid to address a decline in the numbers of foreign travelers visiting Japan.

The country reopened to foreign holidaymakers in June with the easing of anti-coronavirus border controls. But all tourists are still required to join guided tours and obtain a visa.

The tourists also have to comply with anti-infection measures, such as wearing masks, set under guidelines by the Japanese government.

More : Japan moving to allow individual tourists in again | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News


----------



## hkskyline

* Amid housing crises vacation towns limit short-term rentals *
_Excerpt_
Aug 24, 2022

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — In the Colorado ski town of Steamboat Springs, motels line the freeway, once filled with tourists eager to pitch down the slopes or bathe in the local hot springs.

Now residents like Marc McDonald, who keep the town humming by working service-level jobs, live in the converted motels. They cram into rooms, some with small refrigerators and 6-foot-wide kitchens, or even just microwave kitchenettes. Others live in mobile homes.

Steamboat Springs is part of a wave of vacation towns across the country facing a housing crisis and grappling with how to regulate the industry they point to as a culprit: Short-term rentals such as those booked through Airbnb and Vrbo that have squeezed small towns’ limited housing supply and sent rents skyrocketing for full-time residents.

More : Amid housing crises vacation towns limit short-term rentals


----------



## hkskyline

* Frasco optimistic about PH tourism resurgence *
The Manila Times _Excerpt_
Aug 28, 2022

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco is optimistic that the Philippine tourism industry will have a resurgence under the vision set forth by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. of strengthening the tourism industry through institutional reforms that would spread development across the country.

The tourism chief announced the "Go explore Cebu," a tourism summit organized by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) held at the Sky Hall Seaside Cebu-SMX Convention Center on August 11.

Addressing some 200 stakeholders from the tourism industry, representatives from the local government units (LGUs), businesses and the CCCI, Frasco shared the Department of Tourism's (DoT) projections that the Philippine tourism industry, which used to hold more than 12 percent of the country's total gross domestic product before the pandemic, will recoup its losses and revert to pre-pandemic level in the next three years.

More : Frasco optimistic about PH tourism resurgence


----------



## hkskyline

* Thailand Targets $11 Billion From Tourist Rush in Second Half *
Bloomberg _Excerpt_
Aug 30, 2022

Thailand expects to net about 400 billion baht ($11 billion) from a surge in foreign tourist arrivals in the second half as leisure travelers return to the Southeast Asian country following the easing of most Covid curbs.

About 7.5 million international travelers are expected to travel to tourist hotspots such as Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui between July and December, a 1,840% jump from a year earlier, according to Rachada Dhnadirek, a deputy government spokeswoman. That will propel the full-year arrivals to 10 million, she said. 

Thailand, like most tourism-reliant countries, is benefiting from a rebound in global travel demand with authorities scrapping all pandemic-era restrictions that kept visitors out for almost two years. 

More : Thailand Targets $11 Billion From Tourist Rush in Second Half


----------



## hkskyline

* Japan to ease tourism restrictions and raise daily arrival cap to 50,000 *
Kyodo News _Excerpt_
Aug 31, 2022

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday that Japan will allow the entry of nonescorted visitors on package tours and raise the daily arrival cap to 50,000 starting Sept. 7 — a significant step toward the full resumption of tourism.

“In countries worldwide, international exchange is growing. To participate in these exchanges and to benefit from the weaker yen, we will raise the daily arrival cap to 50,000 from Sept. 7, as well as allow (tourists on) nonguided tours from all countries to enter the country,” Kishida said.

The prime minister also said he will consider easing restrictions further based on various conditions at home and abroad, aiming to put border measures on par with fellow members of the Group of Seven major countries.

More : Japan to ease tourism restrictions and raise daily arrival cap to 50,000


----------



## hkskyline

*French tourism better than pre-COVID, despite climate woes *
_Excerpt_
Aug 31, 2022

PARIS (AP) — Tourism came back with a vengeance to France this summer, sending revenues over pre-pandemic levels, according to government estimates released this week.

Crowds packed Paris landmarks and Riviera beaches, notably thanks to an influx of Americans benefiting from the weak euro, but also British and other European visitors reveling in the end of pandemic restrictions.

“It’s beautiful to go again to travel,” said Serena Veronese, a tourist from Lago Maggiore in Italy soaking in the view of the Eiffel Tower. She and her husband work for an airline and “suffered a lot” as the COVID-19 crisis grounded planes worldwide. “Now people have to go traveling again, they have to.”

More : French tourism better than pre-COVID, despite climate woes


----------



## hkskyline

* Tourism is slowly returning to South-East Asia, but business as usual might not be a blessing *
ABC _Excerpt_
Sept 2, 2022

When the world stood still in March 2020 and tourists disappeared from the ancient stone walkways of Angkor Wat, Cambodian tour operator Sareth Duch's nightmare began.

"This is something everybody still has in mind, even now we're still trying to heal," Mr Duch said.

As the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic halted international tourism, Mr Duch looked for a way to keep his decade-old tourism and hospitality business afloat. 

"We decided to convert our [tourist] restaurant to local, so we sold Khmer food and we kept our workforce in service," he said.

For nearly a year, earnings from the restaurant and savings kept staff employed.

More : Loved to death? Why the return of tourism to South-East Asia isn't all good news


----------



## hkskyline

* Weak Yen a Chance to Lure Tourists, Tokyo Governor Says*
Bloomberg _Excerpt_
Sept 9, 2022

Japan should take advantage of its plunging currency to encourage more foreign tourists, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told Bloomberg News in an interview late on Thursday local time, adding she would like to open the country’s doors “tomorrow.”

The yen has slumped to its lowest levels in almost a quarter of a century in recent days, prompting a Ministry of Finance official to express concern. The flagging currency amplifies the effect of already surging import prices, but Koike emphasized the potential upside.

“Tourism is a big industry in Tokyo, as well as in all Japan, so this is the time to greet more foreign tourists by using this advantage of the depreciation of the yen,” she said.

More : Weak Yen a Chance to Lure Tourists, Tokyo Governor Says


----------



## hkskyline

* Japan aims to remove daily arrival cap in October to spur tourism *
Kyodo News _Excerpt_
Sept 13, 2022

Japan is aiming to remove its cap on daily arrivals by the end of October, government sources said Monday, as it looks to revive the world's third-largest economy hit hard by the absence of tourists amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's administration, facing pressure from business circles to loosen strict COVID-19 travel regulations, is likely to judge how to ease its border control measures as early as next week, the sources said.

In addition to lifting the entry cap, currently set at 50,000, the government is also expected to discuss whether to allow foreign tourists to travel without a tour guide, according to the sources.

More : Japan aims to remove daily arrival cap in October to spur tourism


----------



## hkskyline

* Royal fans give London tourism a bump amid UK economic woes *
_Excerpt_
Sept 17, 2022

LONDON (AP) — Royal fans have poured into the heart of London to experience the flag-lined roads, pomp-filled processions and, above all, brave a mileslong line for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to bid adieu to Queen Elizabeth II, who died after an unprecedented seven decades on the throne. And while they’re here, they’re packing hotels, restaurants and shops.

Visitors crowding into central London from as far away as the U.S. and India for the historic moment are giving a boost to businesses at a time when the British economy is facing a cost-of-living crisis fueled by the highest inflation in four decades and predictions of a looming recession.

“This is the history, you know, this happens once in the lifetime,” said Kanakkantt Benedict, who was visiting from India with his wife and filed past the queen’s flag-draped coffin this week. “So we became a part of it.”

More : Royal fans give London tourism a bump amid UK economic woes


----------



## hkskyline

* You can visit Bhutan again — if you’re willing to cough up $200 a day in fees *
CNBC _Excerpt_
Sept 18, 2022

The Kingdom of Bhutan is reopening to tourists on Friday with a hefty hike to its daily tourist tax.

Before the country closed its borders in March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, travelers to Bhutan were required to pay a minimum daily package rate of $200-$250 — depending on the time of year. The rate often included hotel, food, transportation and tour guide costs as well as a mandatory $65 Sustainable Development Fee.

But in late June, Bhutan passed a Tourism Levy Bill that eliminated the minimum daily package rate in favor of raising the Sustainable Development Fee from $65 to $200 per person per day.

More : You can visit Bhutan again — if you're willing to cough up $200 a day in fees


----------



## hkskyline

* A tale of two cities as Londoners mourn, tourists cheer pound's slide *
Reuters _Excerpt_
Sept 26, 2022

As a drizzle fell over a grey autumnal London, and the pound plummeted on traders' screens, U.S. tourist Heather Davidson saw one gleaming bright spot on her horizon – the chance of ever cheaper treats in Covent Garden’s boutiques.

Across town, the capital's financial district was still reeling from the impact of new finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng's tax cuts which, as the biggest since 1972, will be funded by huge government borrowing.

Sterling plunged after the cuts were announced on Friday and fell again on Monday to a record low. A lot for the bankers to ponder. But the sums were simpler for the tourists. As the pound depreciated in Londoners' pockets, the buying power of the visitors' currencies soared.

More : A tale of two cities as Londoners mourn, tourists cheer pound's slide


----------



## hkskyline

* Japan’s Businesses Brace for Long-Awaited Return of Tourists *
Bloomberg _Excerpt_
Sept 28, 2022

Japan’s tourism industry is opening for business again. 

From the streets of Kyoto to the slopes of Hokkaido, retailers, restaurants and hotels are seeking to recover the revenue they lost during the pandemic with the return of overseas visitors starting Oct. 11. 

One of the last remaining rich economies with tight border controls, and with the yen at quarter-century lows against the dollar, the archipelago is now an affordable and attractive destination for overseas visitors. That’s welcome relief for the 4,000-plus enterprises that folded after retailers adopted curbs in early 2020 on operating hours and the country closed its borders to tourists. 

More : Japan’s Businesses Brace for Long-Awaited Return of Tourists


----------



## hkskyline

* Dubai, Tel Aviv and beyond: CNBC names the best hotels for business travel in the Middle East *
CNBC _Excerpt_
Oct 3, 2022

Preparing for a business trip to the Middle East? CNBC has made it easy to find the best hotel for the trip.

CNBC Travel and the market data firm Statista today release a ranking of the “Best Hotels for Business Travelers” in the Middle East.

This is the first ranking of its kind between CNBC and Statista, which also jointly released hotel rankings in Europe today. Asia-Pacific rankings were published in September.

More : Dubai, Tel Aviv and beyond: CNBC names the best hotels for business travel in the Middle East


----------



## hkskyline

*Asia Pacific set to lose title as the world's largest travel region *
_Excerpt_
Oct 6, 2022

(CNN) — Asia Pacific is home to some of the world's most beloved travel destinations, from the natural beauty of Bali to the urban buzz of Singapore. These dreamy vacation hotspots -- teamed with the region's business power -- secured Asia Pacific the title of world's largest travel region for much of the past decade.

But with destinations like China and Japan comparatively slow to drop Covid entry restrictions, air travel in Asia Pacific remains low compared to the region's pre-pandemic levels.

And a new report from international travel industry analysts the Centre for Aviation (CAPA) predicts Asia Pacific will no longer be the world's largest travel region by the end of 2022, ceding the title to Europe.

More : Asia Pacific set to lose title as the world's largest travel region


----------



## hkskyline

* Airbnb wants to add 'hanok' as a category amid growing interest in K-culture from international travelers *
_Excerpt_ 

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Airbnb Inc. could add Korean traditional houses known as "hanok" as an independent booking option on its home rental platform, an executive has said, amid the growing popularity of the Korean wave of pop culture among international travelers.

In May, Airbnb made major upgrades to its platform, including a reorganization of its homepage and app search function around what it calls "Airbnb Categories," which sorts homes by style -- such as beach, mountain and tree house -- instead of location or dates.

Japanese traditional inns known as ryokan and distinguished for their unique interior and proximity to hot springs were added on Airbnb's categories list in the May update.

More : (Yonhap Interview) Airbnb wants to add 'hanok' as a category amid growing interest in K-culture from international travelers | Yonhap News Agency


----------



## hkskyline

* Japan scraps COVID border controls in hopes of reviving tourism boom *
Kyodo News _Excerpt_
Oct 11, 2022

Japan removed on Tuesday its cap on daily arrivals and its ban on individual, non-prearranged trips as it seeks to revive the country's struggling inbound tourism sector by easing its COVID-19 border controls.

In addition to lifting the 50,000-person entry cap and ending the requirement that tourists travel on package tours, Japan will no longer require visitors to obtain a visa if they are citizens of a country with which Japan had a waiver agreement before the pandemic.

Domestically, the government started the National Travel Discount program, offering a financial subsidy of up to 11,000 yen ($76) per person per night up to a total of seven nights. The program started in all of Japan's 47 prefectures except for Tokyo, which will join on Oct. 20.

More : Japan scraps COVID border controls in hopes of reviving tourism boom


----------



## hkskyline

* The yen may be weak, but Japan’s tourism isn’t expected to get a ‘bona fide’ rebound without Chinese visitors *
CNBC _Excerpt_
Oct 12, 2022

The Japanese yen’s slump against the U.S. dollar has sparked some worry in Japan, but that could encourage more travelers to visit the country again, according to analysts — though they say a significant rebound in the tourism sector won’t happen without the return of Chinese tourists.

After more than two years of strict Covid border controls, Japan reinstated visa-free travel to 68 countries on Tuesday. 

Package tours are no longer necessary, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) reported. 

More : The yen may be weak, but Japan's tourism isn't expected to get a 'bona fide' rebound without Chinese visitors


----------



## hkskyline

* Taiwan looks to lure 700,000 tourists this year after border reopening *
_Excerpt_ 

Taipei, Oct. 13 (CNA) Taiwan aims to attract 700,000 foreign tourists to the country by the end of this year and restore the total number of arrivals to pre-coronavirus-pandemic levels of about 10 million by 2024, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said Thursday when the nation reopened its border to tourists.

The ministry said in a report during a regular Cabinet meeting that in response to the reopening of Taiwan's border, it will be actively promoting multi-themed tourism such as developing sample travel itineraries, recommending tours featuring ecology, culture, bicycles, and railways.

It will also work to gradually resume flight routes and cruise services to provide tourists with different travel experiences, according to the ministry.

More : Taiwan looks to lure 700,000 tourists this year after border reopening - Focus Taiwan


----------



## hkskyline

*Japan foreign arrivals in Sept. up near 12-fold from 2021 to 206,500*
Oct 19, 2022
Kyodo News _Excerpt_

The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan in September increased 11.7-fold from a year earlier to 206,500, government data showed Wednesday, with the figure likely to jump in the coming months after Japan removed almost all its COVID-19 entry restrictions earlier this month.

The figure exceeded 200,000 for the first time since February 2020 but was down 90.9 percent from September in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Visitors in the month were primarily businesspeople, technical interns and international students.

Although the government resumed accepting foreign tourists in early September on tour packages that were unaccompanied by tour guides, the number of visitors entering the country for tourism remained sluggish at 19,013.

On Oct. 11, the government removed its cap on daily arrivals and its ban on individual, non-prearranged trips to revive the country's struggling inbound tourism sector.

More : Japan foreign arrivals in Sept. up near 12-fold from 2021 to 206,500


----------



## hkskyline

*Canada Counts on Big Outdoors, Indigenous Tourism to Bring Americans Back*
Oct 21, 2022
Bloomberg _Excerpt_

Just 41% of US travelers said in a June 2022 sentiment survey that they had a trip to Canada planned in the following nine months. Granted this was before Canada announced an end to all entry requirements as of Oct. 1, but confidence in vacationing north of the border has taken a hit. Consider that before the Covid-19 pandemic, two-thirds of Canada’s total overnight visitors were from the US.

Marsha Walden, Destination Canada’s chief executive officer, says her No. 1 priority is communicating to Americans that Canada is wide open. “We've always been a very safe country to visit, but now all of those little hassle factors that used to make it a little harder to plan your trip are gone,” she says. “So it's very, very, easy now to enter Canada.”

The removal of all Covid-era restrictions—mandatory masking rules, the ArriveCAN entry app, vaccination cards, random airport testing, and potential quarantines—comes as the North American holiday season approaches. It also comes more than two years since the pandemic decimated Canada’s tourism industry.

More : Canada Counts on Big Outdoors, Indigenous Tourism to Bring Americans Back


----------



## hkskyline

* Tourists stranded underground at Arizona’s Grand Canyon Caverns are back on surface *
CNN _Excerpt_
Oct 25, 2022

The tourists who had become stuck about 200 feet underground at the Grand Canyon Caverns in Peach Springs, Arizona, on Sunday when an elevator malfunctioned have all been brought back to the surface with the help of local fire departments.

According to Seligman Fire Chief Gary Bennett, six people had become stranded at the tourist site after an elevator stopped working around noon on Sunday, including a family of four with two young children, and a second couple.

Firefighters with the Seligman Fire District were able to help the family of four up the approximately 21 flights of stairs to the surface between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on Sunday evening.

More : Tourists stranded underground at Arizona's Grand Canyon Caverns are back on surface | CNN


----------



## hkskyline

*National Geographic reveals its top destinations for 2023 *
_Excerpt_
Oct 26, 2022

(CNN) — It's never too early to start planning for next year's big trips.

National Geographic is getting an early start, too, releasing its Best of the World list in late October with 25 must-see destinations for 2023.

Respect -- for the people and their cultures, for the land and its conservation -- is an overarching theme of the list, which is divided into five official categories.

The hope is that 2023 will be not just a big return to travel but also to rediscovering wonder, said Amy Alipio, senior editor for National Geographic Travel.

"Because when you are awed by something, you treat it with respect. And that spirit is something we want to encourage with this list," Alipio said.

The list focuses on destinations that have community-led conservation efforts, healing and heritage journeys and ways for travelers to give back as well as places that are doing important work in ecotourism, sustainability and inclusive travel.

More : National Geographic reveals its top destinations for 2023


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## hkskyline

* Tourist numbers rebounding as Covid-19 brakes come off *
Radio New Zealand _Excerpt_
Oct 28, 2022

The tourism minister says Aotearoa is set for a strong summer but acknowledges there are more challenges ahead.

Roughly 145,000 overseas visitors arrived in the four weeks to 26 October.

Tourism Minister Stuart Nash said the numbers showed the demand for New Zealand was still there.

"It's wonderful to welcome international visitors to our beautiful country to enjoy our hospitality and the world class attractions on offer over summer," he said.

"It's been a tough time for our tourism sector throughout the pandemic, but I've said repeatedly that the commitment and dedication of the incredible people in the sector means we will come out of these past two years stronger and ready to embrace a forward-thinking, sustainable tourism sector."

More : Tourist numbers rebounding as Covid-19 brakes come off


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## hkskyline

* Ahead of harsh winter, tourism roars back in Mediterranean *
_Excerpt_
Oct 29, 2022

CAPE SOUNION, Greece (AP) — When Stelios Zompanakis quit his job at Greece’s central bank to try his luck at boat racing, friends and family pleaded with him to reconsider.

Nine years later, he spends summers on the “Ikigai,” a 53-foot yacht he named after the Japanese concept of finding happiness through a life of meaning.

Weeklong holiday trips on his yacht around some of the lesser-known Greek islands — Milos, Sifnos, Serifos, Kythnos and many others — were booked up through October.

More : Ahead of harsh winter, tourism roars back in Mediterranean


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## hkskyline

*Argentina adds another exchange rate -- for tourists only*
_Excerpt_
Nov 5, 2022

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — In recent years, a moment often came when a visitor to Argentina suddenly grasped they could have gotten a lot more bang for their bucks if only they had brought cash to buy pesos on the unofficial market.

A dollar sometimes would buy twice as many pesos in informal cash trading as the amount in pesos it would get in purchases using a credit or debit card covered by the official exchange rate.

“You can almost hear the blood drain out of their voice when they realize this,” said Jed Rothenberg, owner of a travel agency that specializes in trips to Argentina.

More : https://apnews.com/article/travel-business-caribbean-argentina-15702fc6853c4df439e8f35177ca6768


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## hkskyline

* G-20 summit casts spotlight on Bali’s tourism revival *
_Excerpt_
Nov 14, 2022

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) — Bali wants the world to know it’s back.

Dozens of world leaders and other dignitaries are traveling to the Indonesian island for the G-20 summit, drawing a welcome spotlight on the revival of the tropical destination’s vital tourism sector.

Tourism is the main source of income on this idyllic “island of the gods,” which is renowned for its tropical beaches, terraced rice paddies, mystical temples and colorful spiritual offerings.

The pandemic hit Bali harder than most places in Indonesia.

More : G-20 summit casts spotlight on Bali's tourism revival


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## hkskyline

*Lonely Planet reveals its top destinations for 2023 *
_Excerpt_
Nov 16, 2022

(CNN) — Guidebook company Lonely Planet has revealed its 18th annual "Best in Travel" list.

The 2023 edition is in a slightly different format than it has been in years past. Rather than a simple list, the destinations are split up into five categories -- eat, learn, journey, unwind and connect.

"This year, we really wanted to try something new and we wanted to reflect the way that we saw travelers looking for travel, which was about the destination, but also about the experience," explains Nitya Chambers, executive editor and senior vice president of content at Lonely Planet.

Editors begin work on the list as early as April. Chambers says that -- as much as they'd like to -- not every staffer can visit each place on the list personally.

Instead, she explains, Lonely Planet reaches out to its wide network of contributors around the world and asks them to nominate destinations they believe should be on the list.

More : Lonely Planet reveals its top destinations for 2023


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## hkskyline

*Updated Airbnb can make hosting easier, travel experience more unique: executive *
_Excerpt_ 

SEOUL, Nov. 17 (Yonhap) -- Home rental platform Airbnb Inc. hopes to make hosting easier and travel experiences more unique, through stronger host protections and a wider variety of listings included in its latest platform upgrade, a top executive has said.

Airbnb announced a series of upgrades to its platform Thursday, consisting of an increased host damage coverage, a host mentorship program and six new Airbnb categories.

The categories function is a reorganized search feature introduced in May, which sorts homes by style instead of location or dates. Beachside houses, camping and traditional homes like Japan's "ryokan" and Mongolia's traditional yurts are some examples of the 54 categories available on Airbnb.

"Fabulous listings that in themselves can be an experience, and these are the kinds of trips that Airbnb can really enable," said the company's co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Nathan Blecharczyk in an online interview with Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday, ahead of the global update announcement.

Airbnb added Korean traditional houses, known as "hanok," as a category in the November upgrade, illustrating South Korea's growing significance in Airbnb's global operations.

More : (Yonhap Interview) Updated Airbnb can make hosting easier, travel experience more unique: executive | Yonhap News Agency


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## hkskyline

* Paradise paused: Asia-Pacific tourism continues to lag after the Covid induced freeze *
The Guardian _Excerpt_
Nov 21, 2022

Mari Kishigawa’s family have been in the tourism business for decades. In the remote Pacific country of Palau, on an even more remote archipelago, Mari runs the 11-room Carp Island Resort, a 30km boat journey from Palau’s commercial centre, Koror.

But beneath canopies of palm trees, bordered by crystal clear water, Mari is reassessing her future.

“If I had financing, I would have changed my business to house rental instead of a tourism-related business.”

The Covid-19 pandemic and the rising cost of living have battered her business.

“Even though the border is open, we are still having a hard time getting customers. Our resort uses a generator for electricity, so even without customers, I still need money to buy diesel and to bring a speed boat to the island weekly – for food, diesel, gasoline.”

More : Paradise paused: Asia-Pacific tourism continues to lag after the Covid induced freeze


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## hkskyline

* Banff tourism plan focuses on sustainability, Indigenous story, housing and transportation *
CBC _Excerpt_
Nov 22, 2022

Tourism in Banff National Park is at a crossroads. The region depends on visitors to fuel the local economy. But as throngs of visitors take in the scenery, there's a sense that a better balance is needed to carry this community into the next decade.

This is where Tourism Together comes in. The plan brings together Banff and Lake Louise Tourism, the Town of Banff, Parks Canada and an Indigenous working group to brainstorm a 10-year vision these groups hope will guide a more intentional way forward. 

"We're feeling and seeing the need for us to really come together as a community to focus on the right kind of tourism," said Banff and Lake Louise Tourism CEO Leslie Bruce. "The kind of tourism that we can sustain and the kind that really helps share this wonderful place and protect this place for generations to come."

More : https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/tourism-together-banff-national-park-indigenous-1.6659504


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