Tourism Indochina: Upswing in tourists equals more operators

Upswing in tourists equals more operators

The number of tour operators registered with Ministry of Tourism increased by more than 10 per cent in the first half of this year compared to last year due to an upswing in the number of tourists visiting the Kingdom, insiders say.

Figures from the tourism ministry showed newly registrated tour companies reached 568 companies in the first six months while the figures for last year were only 516 tour companies, for the same period. Among those companies last year, 403 were head offices and 113 branches in the provinces. Head offices increased to 459, but the brances decreased by 4 in the first six months of 2012.

Prak Chandara, director of the Tourism Industry Department of the Ministry of Tourism, said the increase in the number of tour companies resulted from an increase in the number of tourists visiting Cambodia.

“Registration increased because they are seeing more tourists come through,” he said.

Among those companies, 205 companies, which are members of Cambodian Association of Travel Agents (CATA), have 76 branches in provinces, mostly in Siem Reap province.

Ang Kim Eang, president of CATA, agreed with Prak Chandara and said some newly established companies were preparing themselves for the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

"When the ASEAN Economic Community comes into force in 2015, there would be an increase in the easy circulation of goods, but tourists from the region as well", he said. “This is good preparation for Khmer tour operators,” he said, adding: “I think that some companies will be ready to open branches in other countries by 2015.”

Phoan Sopheak, tour operator at Angkor Seventh Travel company in Phnom Penh, said he saw the numbers of tourists increase considerably in recent months, particularly in Siem Reap where there were crowds of tourists, even thoughout the rainy season.

Source: Phnompenhpost/15August2012

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Tourism Indochina: Tourism entrepreneurs get connected

Tourism entrepreneurs get connected

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has begun matching tourism entrepreneurs in an effort to provide better quality services to tourists in Cambodia, company officials say.

Thourn Sinan, chairman of PATA’s Cambodia chapter, said the matches would allow better quality services among the tourism entrepreneurs of Cambodia to thrive.

“This is the best channel for connecting you to the people you need to know,” he said, adding that “it’s not just about what we know, but who we know in this business.”

The purpose of matching entrepreneurs is to strengthen relations, extend business networks, raise awareness of important issues, and to save time in Cambodia’s tourism industry, according to a press release from PATA.

Nuon Someth, undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Tourism, said late last week that this was the second time PATA organised entrepreneur matching, and 63 companies took part, compared to only 40 companies during the previous event.

“We can consider this event as an important one for participating in improving tourism sector in Cambodia,” he said.

Statistics from the Ministry of Tourism show the number of international tourists visiting Cambodia grew almost 27 per cent in the first six months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. Visitors coming to Cambodia during the first six months of the year numbered 1,756,652, compared to 1,385,029 in 2011.

Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the tourism situation in the Asia Pacific region and ASEAN, in particular, is better than other areas of the world.

Source: Phnompenhpost/13August2012

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Tourism Indochina: Tourism project puts temple on road to recovery

Tourism project puts temple on road to recovery

Walking the vine-wreathed paths of Banteay Chhmar, a 12th-century temple near the Thai border that some call the “second Angkor Wat” feels like sneaking into a renowned historical site after the tour guides and the tourists have all gone home.

The pervasive silence can strike a first-time visitor as odd, given that the temple is open to anyone who embarks on the trip. But it is far from abnormal, say members of the Community-Based Tourism project in Banteay Chhmar village, an initiative supported by the group restoring the temple, Global Heritage Fund.

Hampered by its isolation and working on a shoestring budget, the project has made slow, but steady, progress since its inception five years ago. The number of sightseers goes up and down.

“Some days, one person will sit alone in the temple, some days, there is a group, and some days, no one visits the temple,” says the local director, Tath Sophal, while balancing himself against scaffolding on top of a section of ruins.

“The tourists who want to visit here, they always ask when they email, ‘What about the road?’ he said.

That road, a 69-kilometre sun-baked stretch of potholes, is a turbulent, two-hour ride from sleepy Sisophon town in northwestern Banteay Meanchey.

And that’s without inclement weather.

When the potholes collect water, as they have a habit of doing during the rainy season, the moist clay soil creates muddy, slippery impasses. Towards the end of last year, when the country experienced major flooding, four or five tour groups cancelled their visits.

Although inaccessibility is a problem tourism infrastructure and the financial benefits that go with it have been growing year after year.

In 2007, when the program was established, 281 people visited Banteay Chhmar, which archaeologists believe was built by King Jayavarman VII during the Angkorian period.

The temple, though in disrepair, retains ornate bas-reliefs carved into walls depicting military confrontations between ancient Khmer soldiers and Cham armies.

The first year, tourists only spent around $3,000. Through a number of expanded activities, the project boosted revenue and took in $10,000 last year. In the period of January through July of 2012, visitors and profits were up 25 per cent, Sophal said.

Even the forbidding road that everyone emails about is getting a long overdue makeover, courtesy of the Asian Development Bank. Construction should be finished by the end of 2013.

The project trained tour guides in English, introduced scenic ox-cart rides and offered cooked meals at the office.

Tourists can also sleep over at “homestays,” in which four families have refurbished parts of their residences as modest guest houses.

“I like hosting the tourists when they come here,” said Siem Seiv, 64, who arrived in the dusty and placid area of 1,200 families in 1993, after spending time in a Thai refugee camp following Khmer Rouge rule.

Siev and his family partitioned off a half the second floor, two bedrooms in total, for overnight guests.

“So we are like one family together,” Siev said. Although he makes about $400 a year from the homestay, it’s not enough, he says, explaining that he farms for extra income.

Most of the tour guides have two, or even three, jobs because giving tours is not steady full-time work.

Peat Pel, 38, is a guide, a moto taxi driver, a traditional music teacher and a farmer. He needs the extra work to help raise his two kids. He’s been taking intensive English classes for the past year as part of an agreement with tutors in Siem Reap.

Learning English will help him be a better guide, he says. But first, more tourists need to come.

“Right now it’s not sustainable yet, because the money is only a little,” Peat Pel says.

Source: Phnompenhpost/13August2012

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Tourism Indochina: A very Jolie birthday for Cambodian son

A very Jolie birthday for Cambodian son

He's the lucky Cambodian son hand-picked by Hollywood royalty – the adopted child of the film star Angelina Jolie, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, turned 11 years old yesterday.

Cambodian well-wishers posted messages online in tribute to the boy. Internet users on the local blog Sabay wished him good health.

Maddox, who was originally known as Rath Vibol, was adopted from an orphanage in the country at seven months old.

He is the eldest child of Jolie and her fiancé, actor Brad Pitt.

They went to the orphanage in 2002 while she was in Cambodia filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and also working as a goodwill ambassador of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

A year after the adoption she set up the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation in Battambang province, a project dedicated to community development and environmental preservation.

The adoption caused controversy in the United States when allegations were made that the actress paid Maddox’s birth parents to give him up.

The orphanage in Cambodia said that his parents had passed away and nobody has come forward claiming to be his original parents.

Although Jolie and her then-husband Billy Bob Thornton announced the adoption together, she adopted Maddox as a single parent before she met actor Brad Pitt in 2005.

The couple announced their engagement in April. They have three adopted children, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, and three biological children, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne.

Source: Phnompenhpost/6August2012

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Tourism Indochina: Asian tourist numbers up, profits stagnant

Asian tourist numbers up, profits stagnant

The growth in international tourists visiting Cambodia is almost 27 per cent that of the numbers seen during the first six months of 2011, according to tourism officials who are predicting that the growth may be 25 per cent at the end of this year.

Visitors coming to Cambodia during the first six months of the year numbered 1,756,652, increasing 26.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2011, when only 1,385,029 visited the Kingdom.

Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the tourism situation in the Asia Pacific in general and ASEAN in particular is better than other areas, which is not only better for the region but means that Cambodia no longer suffers from a low season in terms of tourist numbers.

“Previously, in rainy season it was considered a low season tourism but no longer because when it rains in Cambodia, in Europe it is the hot season,” he said.

The growth in tourism numbers was the result of an increase in the number of direct flights from China and Korea, good internal security, broad promotion, and strengthening tourism services, he said.

The minister expects that the increase in tourists to Cambodia may be from 20 per cent to 25 per cent by the end of this year when compared to the same period last year.

Source: Phnompenhpost/7August2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Over 1,500 tourists evacuated as fires rage in Croatia

Over 1,500 tourists evacuated as fires rage in Croatia

ZAGREB: A firefighter died and 1,500 tourists were evacuated after forest fires fanned by strong winds broke out on Croatia's Adriatic coast Monday, with the interior minister warning of a "very difficult" scenario.

"The situation is very difficult ... we are doing everything possible to protect people's lives and property," Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic told commercial Nova television, as the fires continued to blaze out of control in the increasingly popular tourist area.

"Everything is ready for (further) evacuations," said the minister, who visited the coastal resort of Selce, close to the northern port of Rijeka, where some 150 firefighters were battling the blaze.

A 45-year firefighter died while battling another blaze that broke out near Moscenicka Draga on the Istria peninsula, fire service official Slavko Gaus told national HRT television.

That fire was brought under control later in the day.

The inferno broke out in the morning in the hinterland of Rijeka, some 180 kilometres (110 miles) southwest of Zagreb, and spread towards Selce.

Strong winds of more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) an hour made tackling the fires very difficult as water-bombing planes could not be used, the authorities said.

In Selce some 1,500 tourists from two campsites, mostly Slovenians and Austrians, were evacuated while a number of other tourists left a nearby hotel, officials said.

Part of the Adriatic coastal highway was closed, police said.

The resort was cut off from electricity and phone lines were down, Nova television reported, showing footage of people in Selce covering their faces with scarves to protect themselves from the thick smoke and ashes.

The roofs of several houses also caught fire.

In fellow former Yugoslav republic Macedonia, 14 people were injured, five of them seriously, in a forest fire at Strumica, 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Skopje, the country's farm minister said.

The minister, Lupco Dimovski, said there was information suggesting that this fire may heave been started deliberately

The Macedonia fire was still raging late Monday.

-AFP/ac:24July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Euro crisis 'not hurting tourism'

Euro crisis 'not hurting tourism'

The ongoing debt crisis in Europe has had no effect on the country’s tourism-related industries so far, says Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa.

Speaking on the "Yingluck Government Meets the People" weekly talk show on NBT on Saturday, Mr Chumpol said the number of foreign tourists from 11 European countries continued to increase from last year. As well, he said, the ountry was seeing healthy growth in arrivals Korea, Japan and China.

The minister attributed the tourism expansion to the success of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in restoring confidence in the country by visiting several countries soon after taking office.

He forecast the number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand would reach 20 million this year, with total revenue of about 800 billion baht. Last year the country attracted 19.2 million visitors and about 770 billion baht in tourism revenue.

Mr Chumpol said he believed the ministry’s target to increase revenue of the tourism sector to 2 trillion baht in 2015 would be achieved.

Source: Bangkokpost:14/07/2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Thai tourism 'at risk' from Myanmar travel boom

Thai tourism 'at risk' from Myanmar travel boom

Travel agents yesterday warned the government that Myanmar's rapidly growing tourism sector could put Thailand's position as a major regional gateway at risk.

The comments came as Myanmar's deputy tourism minister U Htay Aung told the Sasin Bangkok Forum yesterday that his country was ramping up its tourism infrastructure to cope with a sharp rise in the number of visitors.

He conceded that the Myanmar tourism industry was still in its infancy, but pointed to rapidly increasing visitor numbers.

Between January and June of this year, the number of foreigners flying in to Yangon and Mandalay airports was 50% higher than the same period in 2011, U Htay Aung said.

Market analysts believe Myanmar has strong potential to establish itself as a prime tourism destination in Southeast Asia following democratic reforms.

U Htay Aung said infrastructure development is key to achieving this goal.

He said his country has drawn up a tourism master plan which has received backing for its efforts from the Norwegian government.

Plans are afoot for a new international airport, 50km from Yangon, to be constructed over the next few years.

He said investors in hotel and tourism infrastructure are expected to flock to Myanmar in the near future.

With the rising number of tourists, businessmen and international visitors, Myanmar now has a severe shortage of hotel rooms, he said.

The lack of prior tourism infrastructure development in Myanmar was partially because of sanctions by Western countries, U Htay Aung said, while political and security issues were also obstacles.

Communicable diseases and natural disasters had also kept tourists to Myanmar at bay, he said.

Some foreign hotels and investors had left the country because of sanctions in the past, he said.

"With the commitment to progressive reforms by the government that came to power through a general election in 2011, including national reconciliation and restructuring of the economy, the tourism sector will be revived," he said.

The Shangri-La Group is constructing a 240-room hotel, while the Accor Group and India's Oberoi are also interested in investing in Myanmar, U Htay Aung said.

There are about 25,000 hotels and guesthouses across Myanmar.

U Htay Aung said foreigners are allowed a 100% investment in hotels and restaurants, but investors cannot obtain land ownership and businesses must operate on a 45-year land lease period.

He said new investment regulations were being considered. Myanmar President Thein Sein recently approved a five-year short-term development plan from fiscal year 2011 to 2015 that aims for average gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 7.7% and for a three-fold increase in per-capita GDP.

Charoen Wangananont, secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said the government must adopt a constructive strategy to enjoy mutual benefits from Myanmar's development.

He said inconsistent policies made Thailand vulnerable to losing tourists to other countries in the region.

Source: Bangkokpost/9/07/2012

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Tourism Indochina: Restaurant association to start up in temple town

Restaurant association to start up in temple town

Siem Reap’s eateries are joining forces to form the Siem Reap Restaurant Association.

At a meeting of the Cambodian Restaurant Association in Siem Reap’s Casa Angkor Hotel last Monday, the board presented the idea of setting up a Siem Reap chapter.

Temple Town businesses were quick on the uptake, following the success of CRA in representing Phnom Penh-based F&B companies for the last two years. CRA now works on behalf of more than 50 companies, made up of over 100 outlets, from long-running favourites to smaller enterprises.

“We came to Siem Reap two years ago to attract businesses here,” explains Geert Vanbaelen, who is spearheading the establishment of the Siem Reap chapter, “But we were only new and the businesses here were afraid to join. Now they see the brands we’ve attracted, and they’re ready to get started.”

Geert says that the larger restaurant groups and hotel restaurants were the most enthusiastic, but he believes others will follow suit. The association will be assisted by the already-established Cambodia Hotel Association Siem Reap, which was represented at the meeting by its president, Emmett McHenry of Sokha Angkor Resort.

Geert, a former CRA treasurer who recently relocated to Siem Reap, says the establishment of the chapter will help businesses in a multitude of areas. “It’s a networking association, so it’s gets people together, it improves communication. It can represent restaurants with a common voice to the government, and will work to make food and beverage a leading industry in Cambodia.”

Vanbaelen also says the association works in communities, with schools and NGOs, educating and encouraging students to become interested in hospitality. The association has also lobbied the government to improve hygiene guidelines and to formalise inspections.

Another item on Monday’s agenda was the CamFood and CamHotel 2012 Exhibition which will take place in Phnom Penh in October. It will be held in Diamond Island Exhibition Center, and hopes to attract over 12,000 industry professionals.

CRA is now pushing for more representation from Siem Reap and Geert says, “Some restaurants and hotels came to the expo two years ago, but after our presentation in Siem Reap, a lot more were very motivated to get involved.”

CRA will encourage representation by providing transport for staff to the capital for the exhibition.

While also a showcase for products and businesses, the expo will be a showcase for staff too, with competitions in everything from bartending to bed-making, even a waiter race. Geert says, “I hope this year we will see some Siem Reap staff taking part. It will improve their skills and who knows maybe they’ll go on to work abroad?”

Source: Phnompenhpost/13July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Over 1.5 mln foreign tourists visit Cambodia in first 5 months

Over 1.5 mln foreign tourists visit Cambodia in first 5 months

PHNOM PENH, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has attracted over 1.5 million international visitors in the first five months of 2012, up 26 percent compared with the same period last year, the statistics released by the tourism ministry showed Monday.

About 941,450 foreign tourists, or 62.5 percent of the total, visited the world heritage site Angkor archeological park in Siem Reap province, which is located about 315 km northwest of the capital city Phnom Penh.

During the January-May period this year, Vietnam topped the chart among the top 10 arrivals with 305,750 tourists, up 30 percent, followed by South Korea with 204,150, up 35 percent, and Chinese visitors ranked a third place, with 132,000, up 33 percent.

Thai visitors to Cambodia had surged by 89 percent to 78,160 thanks to the improving relations between the two neighbors after tensions over border disputed areas have eased since last July.

The report said some 49 percent of the visitors arrived in Cambodia by air, 48 percent by land and the rest by water ways.

Tourism industry is one of the four major pillars supporting Cambodia's economy. Last year, 2.88 million foreign tourists visited the country, bringing in a total revenue of 1.91 billion U. S. dollars.

Source: Xinhua/2012-06-25

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Tourism Indochina: A resort in the clouds

Tourism Indochina: A resort in the clouds

Bokor Mountain, just two hours from Phnom Penh and a towering 1,075 metres above sea level, is a quintessential Kampot experience.

These days, in addition to “picnics in the clouds” and pilgrimages to Wat Sampov Pram, locals and tourists have a new destination: the newly built Thansur Bokor Highland Resort.

Critics, however, have yet to warm to it.

According to one Kampot local: “Bokor Mountain isn’t natural any more because of all the development.”

Chansophal Kheng, Thansur Bokor Highland Resort’s marketing director, says the mega-resort is not intended solely as a gaming venue.

“It offers a combination of natural beauty and entertainment. Our customers can enjoy the view in addition to other tourist attractions,” Kheng says.

Since its soft launch in March this year, Thansur Bokor has been running at full steam, as Kheng explained in an email interview with The Phnom Penh Post’s Lifestyle section.....Read more>>>

Source: Phnompenhpost/12July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Apsara studying ticket cost

Apsara studying ticket cost

Ticket prices for Angkor Wat will increase after a feasibility study is conducted by tourism experts, according to an official from the Apsara National Authority, the state-run body charged with maintaining the archaeological park.

The experts were determining how feasible increasing entrance fees for Cambodia’s UNESCO World Heritage site would be, but had not provided a date when they expected to present their results, authority general director Bun Narith said.

“They are looking into ways to increase the amount raised through ticket sales before we take the conclusions to the goverment for approval, pending which there will be an increase,” Narith said.

The plan would not directly increase the general entrance fee of $20 per person for a one-day pass, but was an effort to steer tourists towards less-visited locales in the park to ease congestion and wear and tear on the temples, he said.

Cambodian Association of Travel Agents president Ang Kim Eang said the study was a welcome look at Cambodia’s largest tourist attraction and the price of tickets in Cambodia was still inexpensive compared with those in neighbouring countries, but an increased entrance fee was not necessary at this time.

“We welcome the study prior to any specific increase, as a clear study will help ensure there is as little impact on visitors as possible,” Eang said.

According to Ministry of Tourism figures, visitors to Angkor Wat increased by nearly 29 per cent during the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2011.

Source: Phnompenhpost/13July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Tourism not hurt by outbreak

Tourism not hurt by outbreak

Cambodia's tourism sector has emerged from a “mystery disease” scare unscathed, industry insiders said yesterday, although some regional health authorities noted what the World Health Organisation called an outbreak of Enterovirus-71 (EV-71), which has killed at least 52 children in the Kingdom.

“The disease has only affected children under the age of 10, so I don’t think this will have much of an affect on the tourists that come to Cambodia,” said Ang Kim Eang, president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents.

Tourism Minister Thong Khon said yesterday health authorities had handled the situation well and the industry had been unaffected.

Health departments in Hong Kong and the Philippines have issued notices concerning the Cambodian outbreak. Neither country has warned against travel to the Kingdom.

All passengers arriving in the Philippines are being screened. Hong Kong authorities have monitored the outbreak and doctors have been alerted for potential cases, according to a statement from Hong Kong’s Department of Health.

“Our position is very much dependent on the WHO position on this disease. Right now, we have not issued a travel warning,” Chris Cheung, a communications officer at the department, said yesterday.

The WHO has not issued a warning against travel to Cambodia.

The news had not deterred Filipino travellers, K C Vicebo, outbound manager at the Manila-based travel agency Scorpio Travel and Tour, said.

Unlike other outbreaks of infectious diseases in the region, EV-71 had flown under the radar of most Filipino travellers in Cambodia, she said.

“SARS was scary. It really affected travel to Hong Kong a few years ago. But these days we haven’t seen any kind of reaction here,” Vicebo said.

Source: Phnompenhpost/11July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Siem Reap-based art movie inspired by travels

Siem Reap-based art movie inspired by travels

Hotel de la Paix, which is shortly to close its doors and re-emerge next year as a Park Hyatt hotel, has been immortalised in a Singapore-made art film, I Have Loved, directed and written by Elizabeth Wijaya and Lai Weijie.

The film, produced by 13 Little Pictures in Singapore, was shot entirely on location in Siem Reap and many local landmarks are included, including Hotel de la Paix, and of course the temples are given a starring role.

According to the director's statement, the film features, “The splendor and illusion of the grand and cold Hotel de la Paix as a modern temple for privileged pilgrims gestures towards Resnais’ Last Year in Marienbad.”

Not sure exactly what that means, but hey it sounds good.

As for Siem Reap itself, the director’s statement says, “The landscape and architecture of Siem Reap and the Angkor temples are also characters in this film that explores contradiction on different levels.

The town of Siem Reap, compact and yet filled with contradictory building styles and transient tourists, is a metaphor for the frazzled yet searching and hopeful minds of the characters.”

The director’s statement also says, “The time- weathered temples form the emotional core of the film and visually allude to the ancient human soul – battered yet magnificent before the dust of modernity.”

According to the directors; the film’s plot is: “Marie goes to Cambodia in search of a romantic honeymoon but is confronted with the ambiguities of life and struggles with emotions and impulses beyond her understanding.

“I Have Loved is an intimate exploration of human consciousness, time and ways of remembering. After the death of her husband, Marie is haunted by an eclipsed memory – she cannot remember a key traumatic event as it happened.

Trapped in a Freudian cycle of mourning and repetition, she returns to Siem Reap to remember – so that she may forget.”

Director Elizabeth Wijaya told the Sinema website about the inspiration for the movie.

She said, “The idea came about from a trip we took in 2008. We went from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville,
Kampot, Kep, Bokor Hill and back to Siem Reap. We decided to set the feature in Siem Reap as we were interested in the paradoxes and dynamics of the interaction between the town and the millennial-old Angkor temples.”

Source: Phnompenhpost/29June2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Malaysia Airlines launches first A380 flight

Malaysia Airlines launches first A380 flight

Malaysia Airlines' inauguaral Airbus A380 flight took off from Heathrow this week, making it the eighth airline to operate the largest passenger jet in the world.

This week Malaysia Airlines became the eighth airline to operate the largest passenger jet in the world when its first Airbus A380 took off from Heathrow Airport for Kuala Lumpur. As the airline takes delivery of more A380s, it looks set to revolutionise travel to the Far East and Australia.

In a ceremony at Terminal 4 to mark the inaugural flight the airline’s chief executive, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, cut a cake and promised passengers “new levels of comfort, luxury and convenience.” And this correspondent – who was on board for his first flight on a “Superjumbo” – can vouch for it being a step-change in long-haul travel.

The A380 claims to be 50 per cent quieter on take-off, as well as more fuel-efficient, than that veteran of long-haul flying, the Boeing 747-400. The take-off was certainly smoother and the other obvious improvement is that the cabin pressure – set at the equivalent of 5,000ft above sea level, as opposed to 8,000ft in a 747-400 – is more conducive to a pleasant flight.

The A380 has a capacity of 494 seats on two decks – 350 economy and eight first-class seats on the lower (main) deck, and 66 business class and 70 economy seats on the upper deck. Though the width of the fuselage makes the cabin feel far more spacious in business class, on the lower deck the economy seats are ten abreast, across two aisles, and the cabin looks more like a cinema than an aircraft.

Source: Telegraph/3July2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: South Korean activist arrested after trip to North Korea

South Korean activist arrested after trip to North Korea

PAJU, South Korea: A left-wing South Korean activist was detained on Thursday when he returned home from an illegal trip to North Korea and a meeting with its ceremonial head of state, police said.

Security officials held Ro Su-Hui soon after he walked across the border at the truce village of Panmunjom. Seoul says he faces stern punishment for his trip, during which he praised Pyongyang's rulers.

Ro, 68, went to Pyongyang on March 24 without Seoul government approval for a memorial service marking the 100th day since the death of long-time ruler Kim Jong-Il.

More than 1,000 conservative activists rallied with anti-Pyongyang placards at Paju near a border bridge leading to Panmunjom, demanding he be punished.

They torched a North Korean flag and an effigy of current leader Kim Jong-Un along with his portraits.

"Expel traitor Ro Su-Hui to North Korea!" one placard read.

Pictures provided by the South's unification ministry showed about 300 North Koreans waving flags on the northern side of Panmunjom as Ro, wearing a grey suit, crossed the frontier watched by border guards.

The North Koreans gave him "a hearty send-off", shouting slogans such as "Down with the (President) Lee Myung-Bak group of traitors!", according to the North's official news agency KCNA.

He was taken to a police station at Paju, police said.

The detention came hours after police raided Ro's home and office in Seoul to seize computer hard discs and documents.

He could face up to 10 years in prison under a tough security law that penalises pro-Pyongyang activity and bans citizens from going to the North without approval.

Ro is a member of pro-Pyongyang group the North and South headquarters of the Pan-national Alliance for Korea's Reunification, which said the visit was justified.

It accused Seoul of trying to use his return to eliminate "progressive pro-reform forces" before presidential elections in December, and called Ro's visit "a token of due courtesy" for North Koreans during the mourning period for the late leader.

In an interview on Tuesday with the North's official news agency, Ro praised Jong-Un for "pursuing politics of love for the people and posterity".

"In the North the people are regarded as Heaven, children as kings and the single-minded unity is stronger than nuclear weapons," he said.

He met the ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-Nam in Pyongyang on Wednesday.

Seoul did not send any representatives to Kim's funeral and approved a trip only by two private delegations, a decision strongly criticised by Pyongyang.

The North has ratcheted up hostility towards Seoul for perceived insults to the late leader during the mourning period and other alleged slights.

Other activists visiting the North have been charged or jailed on return. Han Sang-Ryol, a pastor, was sentenced to three years in jail last year for an unauthorised trip in 2010.

- AFP/de:5July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Tourism News: Hun Sen shoots down free-visa plan

Hun Sen shoots down free-visa plan

Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday shot down calls for a free visa system for all ASEAN + 3 nations.

The proposal would have included the ASEAN nations as well as China, Japan and South Korea.

Minister of Tourism Thong Khon made the proposal during a Tourism Ministry meeting at the Chaktomok Conference Hall in Phnom Penh.

The Cambodian government has already produced a framework on free visas for all ASEAN nations other than Brunei and Myanmar.

Questions remain over how Cambodia will deal with the “+3” countries in terms of visa status.

“We cannot exempt them [Japan, South Korea and China]” Hun Sen said during the meeting.

“For instance, if we offer free visas for country A and they do not offer free visas to us, how should we respond?”

“Then country B will make the same request: because we offered free visas to country A, why not country B?”

The Prime Minister said that if Cambodia could come to a reciprocal agreement with the three regional neighbours, he would okay the plan.

“We should not only look at the ASEAN + 3 nations, we should look into the whole jungle,” he said.

Revenue from visas would diminish, forcing the tourism sector to drain the national revenue, Hun Sen said.

The amount of revenue that would be lost from a free ASEAN + 3 visa system would not be small, he said.

In fact, Hun Sen said, a free visa system for the “+ 3” nations could end up costing Cambodia millions of dollars in revenue.

Thong Khon could not be reached for comment.

The ASEAN + 3 nations were countries with large populations, and offering them a free-visa system when they did not offer one in return would result in a loss of revenue, Ang Kim Eang, president of Cambodia’s Association of Travel and Agents, said.

The number of tourists from ASEAN + 3 sharply increased. Tourists from Korea rose 35.2 per cent, supplying the second-largest number of tourists to Cambodia after Vietnam.

Source: Phnompenhpost/5July2012

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Tourism Indochina: Angkor Wat bans tacky souvenirs

Angkor Wat bans tacky souvenirs

It was announced last week that smoking would be banned at Angkor temple sites, and this week local authorities added that there will also be a clampdown on tacky souvenirs and photos.

On Tuesday, Bun Narith, director general of the Apsara Authority told Insider that the smoking ban had been introduced to protect temples from ashes and fire and show respect to the monuments, the culture and the religion, as well as to promote health and comfort for visitors.

He added that the Apsara Authority prohibits the sale of certain “tacky” souvenirs such as ashtrays or drinking glasses that contained a sketch of the temple at the bottom of the glass.

Also prohibited is the practice of vendors superimposing photographs of tourists on an Angkor Wat background that is then printed on a souvenir and sold.

Apsara Authority director general Bun Narith said such sales practices and prohibited souvenirs were damaging the Khmer identity and pride and must stop immediately.

Source: Phnompenhpost/22June2012

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Tourism Indochina: World Tourism News: Thailand ranks as No. 1 outbound destination for Indian travelers

Thailand ranks as No. 1 outbound destination for Indian travelers

Indians are known to travel year round and it is no surprise that the most visited destination by Indians is a 365-day holiday spot like no other – Thailand.

For the calendar year 2011, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has revealed that a record number of 917,832 Indians travelled to Thailand in comparison to 791,185 in 2010, making it the number one destination for Indians with a growth rate in excess of 16% in 2011. In 2012, this growth is continuing with 210,722 Indians visiting Thailand from January to March, representing an increase of 1.64% over the same period in 2011.

With its wide range of “value for money” offerings that include leisure sports, fine dining, adventure services, wellness and quality hotels and resorts, Thailand has been consistently increasing in popularity among Indians from all parts of the country. Travel agents, tour operators and even niche segment travel trade members have actively been working with the Tourism Authority of Thailand in launching new packages that encourage first-time and repeat travelers. Packages that included destinations such as Pattaya and Phuket have now been further enhanced to include new beach destinations such as Ko Samui, Hua Hin and Krabi. Mountainous regions of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai have also become attractive for the corporate sector in addition to adventure seekers.

Commenting on the remarkable growth, Mr. Sethaphan Buddhani, Director for Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Mumbai said, “We are delighted to have welcomed so many Indians to our nation and look forward to welcoming even more during 2012. We have achieved this consistent growth due to our result-oriented marketing strategies that are matched with performance indicators. We are also grateful to the Indian travel trade fraternity which has been actively supporting our initiatives through joint promotions that showcase Amazing Thailand as a value-for-money destination.”

Mr. Buddhani further elaborated, ”We realized the need to tap niche segments as the Indian market has matured over a period of time. As a result, we now tap niche segments such as golf, luxury holidays, weddings, medical, and Bollywood tourism.”

Commenting on TAT’s success strategy, Mr. Buddhani stated that the Tourism Authority of Thailand focused on educating travel agents, tour operators, wedding planners and media on new and exotic destinations in Thailand through ground-based marketing activities that include workshops, seminars and educational tours. Augmented by exhibitions, joint promotions and mass communication through a wide range of media that include outdoor, print, electronic and online, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has been able to effectively position Thailand as a ‘Value for Money’ destination.

Source: TravelDailyNews/14May2012

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Tourism Indochina: More tourists set to spend money in Asia Pacific

More tourists set to spend money in Asia Pacific

SINGAPORE: Asia Pacific is set to get a tourism boost according to forecasts based on an international index released Monday.

The MasterCard Worldwide Global Destination Cities Index, that ranks cities in terms of the number of international visitor arrivals and cross-border spending by visitors in destination cities, placed Bangkok top on the list for tourist spending.

The Thai capital is also world's third destination city in terms of visitor spending for 2012, with an estimated forecast of US$19.3 billion.

Singapore was ranked second in Asia Pacific and fifth in the world, with an expected visitor spending of US$12.7 billion.

In addition, the index forecast that Singapore would see more tourists from Jakarta, Hong Kong and London -- with Londoners tipped to spend the most.

The index, which is used as a barometer for understanding the global economy and the flow of commerce across the world, is compiled using international flight and flight capacity data, and not based on MasterCard volumes or transactional data.

- CNA/wk/18June2012

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