Tourism Indochina: Tourism ideas seen to lack wow now factor

Tourism Indochina: Tourism ideas seen to lack wow now factor

(Tourism Indochina:Date : 2008-10-16):

The Hong Kong Tourism Board has been promised support to target emerging markets such as India, the Middle East and Russia.

Donald Tsang also promised to help attract mainland visitors from provinces other than Guangdong to boost tourism. But he did not spell out exactly how much the government might contribute.

The board will establish an office overseas to promote meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions - or MICE business, as it is known.

The government and the Trade Development Council are also examining the feasibility of a phase three expansion of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre at a nearby site.

Negotiations with Russia for a mutual visa-free agreement, meanwhile, are in their final stages.

That could make Hong Kong the first advanced region to reach such an agreement with Moscow.

Tsang said Hong Kong is also about to conclude an agreement with Macau to speed up immigration clearance for residents traveling between the two.

Hong Kong residents made 8.17 million visits to Macau last year. Under the deal, they should before the end of next year be able to clear immigration procedures using e-channels in Macau without filling out arrival forms.

On what Hong Kong offers, Tsang said cultural infrastructure and heritage conservation were just as important as economic growth.

Hexagonal rock columns and other features on the New Territories eastern coastline are unique attractions, he noted, and a geological park would provide academic research as well as tourism.

Ten sites are being considered as worthy candidates for heritage attention, including the Ninepin island group, Lai Chi Chong, Ping Chau and High Island.

On the cultural front, a revitalization of the original Central School would be modeled on the Fringe Club, though a public consultation will begin next year.

The government will also continue to back popular tourism and infrastructure, including a Kai Tak cruise terminal, the former Marine Police Headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui and the West Kowloon Cultural District.

But the chairman of the Inbound Travel Association, Paul Leung Yiu- lam, said Tsang failed to provide fast remedies for the struggling sector. He said the government is on the right track but that it will take years for these plans to materialize.

"It is good to waive visas for Russians, but we don't have enough Russian- speaking tour guides," Leung added. For example, the SAR is better equipped for Vietnamese or English-speaking Middle Eastern tourists.

On eco-tourism, he said a geological park or revitalized heritage sites may be value-added attractions, but "if tourists want to see rocks, they don't come to Hong Kong for that."

Tourism constituency lawmaker Paul Tse Wai-chun found the policy address disappointing.

He believes organizing events such as the Rugby Sevens and the International Dragon Boat Championships will invigorate tourism quickly.


By Nickkita Lau

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Tourism Indochina: Medical travel: vital to maintaining demand

Tourism Indochina: Medical travel: vital to maintaining demand

(Tourism Indochina:Date : 2008-12-09):

Recent findings have suggested that the multi-billion dollar medical travel sector will be the next best thing to drive demand as mainstream sectors become increasingly threatened.

Focus On Medical Travel- fad or focus for hotel operators and investors?, conducted by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, found that hotel operators and investors are yet to tap into the medical travel sector’s full potential.

Currently, Asia drives the medical travel industry – in particular Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India.

According to Mark Wynne Smith, CEO for Europe, Middle East & Africa at Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, those countries have been developing first-class facilities with highly skilled medical specialists that have been trained abroad.

This results in the attraction of international tourists that want high-quality and relatively low-cost healthcare, said Smith.

Smith predicts that this market will expand increasingly in the future, with Eastern Europe, Turkey and Dubai already getting on the bandwagon.

Medical tourism will see travelers seeking for hotels and resort offering medical spas and rehabilitation at attractive destinations. There are already an estimated 120 spas, health clubs and clinics offering wellness treatments in Dubai alone.

“By 2015, the United Arab Emirates could be amongst the top spa destinations in the world with an estimated 200 hotels offering world-class facilities”

The research suggests that stakeholders ensure that the medical travel industry maintains accurate, high-quality and accessible information and care to garner a cemented reputation amongst travellers.

In turn, this will allow partnerships between hotel chains, property developers, airlines, insurance companies and financial institutions to tap the full potential of the medical travel sector.

“These partnerships are vital as medical travelers need the security and peace of mind provided by purchasing an all-inclusive package for their trip” concluded Smith.

Source: ETB

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Tourism Indochina: CAMBODIA is hoping to lure more Chinese visitors

Tourism Indochina: CAMBODIA is hoping to lure more Chinese visitors

(Tourism Indochina:Date : 2008-12-16):

According to some Cambodian media resources, tourism authorities hope to double the number of Chinese visits within the next two year.

CAMBODIA is hoping to lure more Chinese visitors in the wake of crippling anti-government protests in Thailand and falling arrivals from Western countries hit by the global financial crisis, tourism officials told the Phnom Penh Post Monday.

Tourism Minister Dr. Thong Khon said that China is a growing tourism market and that officials plan to double the number of Chinese visitors by the end of 2009.

China is the fifth-largest market after Korea, Viet Nam, Japan and the United States, with 10,776 visiting Cambodia in the first 10 months of 2008, according to Tourism Ministry figures.

An April 2008 report by the Tourism Ministry said that 6.4 percent of the total number of tourists to Cambodia in the first four months of the year was Chinese.

In 2007, Cambodia received 94,374 Chinese tourists out of a total of 2,015,128 visitors, according to the Tourism Ministry.

"We plan to attract a large number of Chinese tourists to Cambodia in 2009, and step -by-step we will double the number to keep the tourism industry strong," Dr. Thong Khon said.

"We expect that a lot of Chinese tourists will visit Cambodia soon, if there are more flights than before ... and plan to advertise to attract Chinese tourists through CCTV1 television," he added. "Through this plan, we expect that big Chinese airline companies will increase their activity, too."

There are currently four air routes between Cambodia and China, namely from Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Dr. Thong Khon said.

Ho Vandy, chairman of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents (CATA), said the Tourism Ministry's plan might help attract more Chinese tourists.

He added however, that he does not expect the numbers to increase dramatically until 2010.

"I think the Tourism Ministry's plan to attract Chinese tourists to Cambodia is a golden opportunity, because China is warning their people not to visit Thailand, which is under turmoil," Ho Vandy said.

According to an evaluation by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) up to 2020, China will get 100 million international visitors, while the country will also provide 100 million visitors to countries in the region.

Lao Heng, Chairman of VLK Tour Company, said that an increase in Chinese tourism would help offset declining visitors from the US and Europe.

"I think we should not depend on only European tourists," he told the phnom Penh Post.

"We had better look at regional tourists, because our people need food to eat."

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Tourism Indochina:The Rating System Boost the Quality of Accommodation and Attract More Visitors

Tourism Indochina:The Rating System Boost the Quality of Accommodation and Attract More Visitors

(Tourism Indochina:Date : 2008-12-19):

THE government on Tuesday urged all of Cambodia's hotel owners to apply for a rating classification it says will improve the quality of services and attract more international travelers.

The rating system was first announced by a 2003 subdecree and awarded up to three stars based on the size and number of rooms, location, facilities, design, environmental impact, and food and service standards.

The system will now offer hotels the option of applying for up to five stars, based on the type of services they offer, Minister of Tourism Thong Khon told reporters Tuesday at a workshop on ecotourism.

"I believe that [hotel owners] will apply for classification because without it, they will lose customers." Only 10 hotels currently hold classification rankings, but the ministry has taken steps to make the registration process as simple as possible, Thong Khon said.

To receive a ranking, hotels will need to submit an application that includes a description of the services they offer and the number of stars they want, Thong Khon said.

An internationally trained three-member evaluation task force from the ministry's Hotel Classification Committee then reviews the applicant and gives an aggregate score, which determines the number of stars assigned, he said.

"If a hotel gets a score of 800, the rating will be five stars. A lower score will receive a lower rating," he said.

Rankings will be valid for only two years, after which hotels must reapply, he said, adding that application costs run between US$300 and $500, depending on the number of stars assigned.

Philip Set Kao, general manager of the Borei Angkor Resort and Spa, said hotel grading was not the only way to attract business. "I think the classification of hotels is the right thing to do to make them more competitive. But I believe that many hotels will not do it because they have done well without it," he said.


Source Phnom Penh Post

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Tourism Indochina: Air travel, freight declines accelerated in November, IATA says

Tourism Indochina: Air travel, freight declines accelerated in November, IATA says

(Tourism Indochina:Date : 2008-12-31:)

Worldwide air travel fell for a third straight month in November, with cargo handling logging a “shocking” decline because of weakening global trade, the International Air Transport Association said.

Passenger traffic, or kilometers flown multiplied by the number of travelers, slumped 4.6 percent from a year earlier, IATA said today in a statement on its Web site. That compares with a 1.3 percent decline in October and a 2.9 percent drop in September. Freight traffic plunged almost 14 percent, the sixth straight monthly decrease.

The decline in air travel outstripped a 1 percent reduction in capacity and is likely to lead to airlines logging losses in the fourth quarter, according to Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s chief executive officer. Japan’s sales abroad plunged the most on record in November, while Germany’s exports in October fell 0.5 percent and those of the U.S. fell 2.2 percent.

“The industry is now shrinking by all measures,” Bisignani said in the statement. The decline in freight transport “clearly shows the rapid fall in global trade and the broadening impact of the economic slowdown.”

Asia-Pacific freight traffic fell 17 percent, the largest decline of any region, the association said. China’s exports decreased for the first time in seven years in November while imports plunged, China’s customs bureau reported Dec. 10.

Geneva- and Montreal-based IATA estimates that more than one-third of the value of goods traded internationally is transported by air.

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Tourism Indochina: Bangkok nightclub fire kills 54 injures 100

Tourism Indochina: Bangkok nightclub fire kills 54 injures 100

(Tourism Indochina: Date : 2009-01-02:)

Bangkok, Thailand – A fire swept through a high class nightclub jammed with hundreds of New Year's revelers in the Thai capital, killing at least 54 people and injuring about 100, officials said early Thursday. Victims died from burns, smoke inhalation and injuries during the stampede to escape from the club, which had only one door for entry and exit, police Maj. Gen. Chokchai Deeprasertwit said.

He said that the fire may have been caused by firecrackers brought into the Santika Club by guests or sparks flying from a New Year's countdown display on the nightclub stage.

Police said 53 people people were confirmed dead at the club and another person died at a hospital. Workers counting bodies told The Associated Press that about 100 others were injured when the blaze broke out in the building, which has two stories and a basement.

The rescue workers said most of the bodies were found in the basement of the club, which attracts a well-heeled crowd of Thais and foreigners. The corpses, placed in white body bags, were laid out in rows in the parking lot in front of the club.

A video provided to AP Television News by one of the rescue workers showed bloodied, bruised and burned victims being dragged out of the burning club or managing to run through the door or shattered windows. Flames were racing through the entire building during the rescue operation.

Witnesses said several hundred people were inside the club when the blaze erupted.

One local Web site about the entertainment scene in Bangkok described the club as attracting "an affluent Thai student crowd, with Euro models and Westerners also popping in" with a "whisky-sipping crowd all focused on a large stage."

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Tourism Indochina: Singapore Air Cargo pilots offered unpaid leave on demand slump

Tourism Indochina: Singapore Air Cargo pilots offered unpaid leave on demand slump

(Tourism Indochina:Date : 2009-01-05:)

Singapore Airlines Ltd., the world’s biggest airline by market value, said its cargo unit is offering pilots as much as 30 months’ unpaid leave because of slumping air-freight demand.

The cargo unit is also planning to park some aircraft over the next few months, airline spokesman Stephen Forshaw said in an e-mail today. The airline’s passenger unit isn’t planning any similar steps at present, he added.

Singapore Airlines joins Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. in offering employees unpaid leave, as airlines battle to cut costs amid slowing demand. Global freight traffic fell 13.5 percent last month from a year earlier, the sixth straight decline, while passenger traffic dropped for the third month in a row, the International Air Transport Association said yesterday.

“SIA Cargo needs to do all it can to contain costs,” Forshaw said. The freight unit has about 300 pilots, while Singapore Airlines employs about 2,000 pilots, the Business Times said today, when reporting the plans.

The cargo unit posted an operating loss of S$76 million ($53 million) in the six months ended September, compared with a S$19 million profit a year earlier, the airline said in November.

Singapore Airlines started the cargo division in 1992. The unit operates 14 Boeing Co. 747-400F freighters as well as using capacity on Singapore Airlines’ passenger aircraft, according to the company’s Web Site.

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Tourism Indochina: Growth in low cost carrier passenger traffic within Asia Pacific

Tourism Indochina: Growth in low cost carrier passenger traffic within Asia Pacific

(Tourism Indochina:Date : 2009-01-08:)

SINGAPORE - Airline companies have played an immense feat, juggling both the legacy and low-cost carrier segment with unwavering commitment in going through the test of times during the last seven years and especially through 2008. The year 2007 was a year of regaining profitability for the airline industry after the uphill struggle of cutting off redundant infrastructure and going through various mergers and acquisitions and recovering from the post 9/11 downturn in volume of passenger air traffic. The exponential surge in fuel price and present volatility in financial sectors have significantly affected the aerospace industry as a whole.

According to Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Consultant of Aerospace & Defense Practice Amartya De, the year 2008 alone saw the International Air Transport Association (IATA) terminate 26 carriers and is keeping watch on 10 - 15 other carriers.

"This watch is not concentrated on any particular part of the world, but rather, in many different pockets. The load factor has remained more or less close to 75 percent since the last 7 years, and there is not much one can do above this unless the existing capacities are significantly cut down," he said.

He added that North America has been the largest loser in 2008 with Europe and Asia Pacific making meager profits of a few hundred million dollars and the Middle East retaining a little respectable share by the close of 2008.

"Airline companies will be able to rationalize and offer efficient services with gradual freedom to operate in open skies if governments look to deregulation as a way to promote the industry as a whole. The previous drop of 50 percent in airline share prices might just reach their initial levels, post all the merger and infrastructure cutbacks by early 2009," he continued.

In terms of industry, Frost & Sullivan estimates that the year 2009 will have its share of global losses owing to the liquidity crunch in the airline industry but most of it will be taken off by the US market. Emerging economies in Asia Pacific will still see an increase in passenger traffic of the order of 5 - 7 percent.

"The prices of air tickets globally will have come down to initial levels by end of 2008. On a positive note, the Asia Pacific players will not face any loss for 2009 and might even be left with few cents in the pocket. The market will still see reasonable growth in Low Cost Carrier (LCC) passenger traffic within Asia Pacific and even in the long haul segment," De said.

Frost & Sullivan also estimates that there will be stronger growth in the economy class travel rather than in the long-haul business class travel mainly for Asia and intra-Europe. "The three sectors - namely Europe-Middle East, Middle East-Asia, and Asia-Europe - will continue to grow at about 7 percent CAGR in 2009," De continued.

He also added that despite the financial slowdown, there will be continuing demand for new and fuel-efficient narrow body aircrafts with around 1,800 new fuel-efficient aircraft deliveries for 2009 equally shared by Boeing/McD-D and Airbus, while on the other hand, airlines will continue to deal with volatility in foreign currencies and hedging strategies.

"The financial torrent is affecting the aircraft leasing sector more than ever before and these times of change are definitely going to lay the new foundations of this industry. Increasing cost-cutting measures and resource sharing are forging together new business models in the airline industry," he said.

According to De, "The distinction between Legacy and LCC becomes thinner and thinner, and eventually we will see fewer carriers with better service and a reasonable ticket prices."


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Tourism Indochina: Mekong tourism officials outline future orientation

Tourism Indochina: Mekong tourism officials outline future orientation

(Tourism Indochina:Date : 2009-01-13:)

The 2 nd meeting of Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) tourism ministers on Jan. 9 passed a joint declaration concerning recent progress in cooperation between the region’s tourism authorities and orientation for future development.

The GMS tourism ministers’ meeting took place within the framework of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) currently taking place in Hanoi.

GMS consists of Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

The joint declaration said that GMS’s tourism sector is continuing to grow and is standing firm against the fallout from the global financial crisis. Meanwhile, a new website for tourism promotion activities is to be launched soon, which will also act as a forum to effectively implement the Mekong tourism promotion strategy, which was adopted in 2005.

The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) has successfully organised three recent seminars aimed at accelerating the implementation of preferential projects under the tourism development plan, and preparing in-depth proposals to present at the upcoming conference of development partners later this year.

GMS tourism ministers praised the MTCO Executive Director’s efforts to speed up the programme regarding tourism development and marketing and improve coordination in the implementation of the tourism strategy.

The ministers also made a special note of the assistance received from the French government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in enhancing the MTCO’s financial and technical capacities, and spoke highly of Thailand’s initiative in launching the Mekong Tourism Year 2009-2010.

Regarding their orientation for the future, the six GMS countries’ tourism ministers affirmed that they would make full use of the sub-region’s infrastructure and improve and expand their coordination to promote the development of sustainable tourism in a socially responsible manner. The six nations vowed to continue to pool their resources in order to establish GMS as a common destination in the context of the global economic recession.

The six ministers requested that the Tourism Working Group and MTCO exploit all available resources and hoped that the upcoming conference of development partners later this year would be successful in expanding their mutually-beneficial partnership.

MGS expects to welcome 53 million foreign visitors by 2015, generating new jobs for more than 4.2 million workers


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Tourism Indochina: Travel magazine chooses top 10 budget destinations

Tourism Indochina: Travel magazine chooses top 10 budget destinations

(Tourism Indochina:Date : 2009-01-19):

Undiscovered places, important events and tumbling foreign currencies helped define Budget Travel Magazine's list of the top 10 budget destinations for 2009.

Austin, Texas, made the list as a venue for affordable and free cultural events like the annual South by Southwest festival. Washington was included because of the presidential inauguration, but also because so many of the museums and monuments are free to visit. The magazine also lauded Hawaii because a drop in visitors last year has led to discounts this year.

Abroad, Budget Travel recommends Mexico, Hungary and Iceland as places where the U.S. dollar goes farther than it used to.

Destinations getting ready for big events include Berlin, which marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall this year, and Vancouver, which will host the Winter Olympics in 2010.

Finally, the magazine's list includes Cambodia for its affordable guesthouses and must-see temples, and Panama, for its eco-tourism and wildlife.

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Tourism Indochina: European, US tourists may drop, but Asia looks upbeat

Tourism Indochina: European, US tourists may drop, but Asia looks upbeat

(Tourism Indochian:Date : 2009-01-21:)

While the number of tourists visiting Bali from Europe and the United States might drop, tourists from the Asia-Pacific countries will increase, a noted tourism association has predicted.

The Bali chapter of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) predicted that tourists from European countries and the US may drop by 40 percent this year compared to last year. "Tourists from Europe and the US will be those worse hit by the global financial crisis. Furthermore, the flights from Europe and the US (to Bali) are the most expensive," ASITA Bali chapter chairman Aloysius Purwa said in Denpasar on Saturday.

In 2008, the number of tourists from the United States reached an average of 5,000 per month, while tourists from European countries reached an average of 40,000.

However, he noted that the financial crisis could persuade tourists from the Asia-Pacific countries to change their holiday destinations from crisis-hit countries to Bali. He predicted a 10 percent increase in the number of tourists coming from countries such as Japan, Taiwan, China and Malaysia.

He said the upcoming 2009 election may bring more domestic tourists to Bali, citing a traditional upsurge in domestic travel during the campaign season.

"This is usually caused by parties campaigning around the country accompanied by their supporters," Purwa said.

course this could mean that they may travel to holiday spots during their stopovers. They are tourists too, in a sense."

According to data from the Bali Tourism Agency, the number of tourists coming to Bali reached 1.9 million last year. Japanese tourists remain in the top spot as the largest contributor to the island's tourism industry, with Australia coming in second and Taiwan third.

The tourism agency has cut its target of tourists from 2.1 million to 1.8 million this year, citing the financial crisis as its main reason.

"We have aimed for 2.1 million based on data from the past five years, but have decided to reduce that target to a more realistic 1.8 million due to the global financial crisis," Bali Tourism Agency Chief Gede Nurjaya said.

Meanwhile, Bali Tourism Board Chief Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya was optimistic that the predicted increase in the number of Asian tourists could help the island exceed its target of 1.8 million tourists this year.

"I am very optimistic that we can exceed the government's target, because aside from getting a lot of cancellations, we have also been getting a lot of reservations," he said.

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3rd World Ecotourism Conference to be held by Discovery Mice in Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Ahead of the 3rd 'World Ecotourism Conference', to be held by Discovery Mice in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, UNWTO Secretary-General outlines the value of ecotourism and UNWTO's commitment to sustainable tourism development. This event will be celebrated in Sihanouk Ville Cambodia with discussion panel about ecotourism sustainable development of Minister of Tourism in Cambodia.

The Ministry of Tourism is pleased to collaborate with UNWTO and DISCOVERYMICE to deliver yet another productive platform for global ecotourism leaders to share, learn and network. .

Our proposed sustainable and responsible development of the Phnom Penh-Sihanouk Ville Ecotourism Corridor will provide a wide range of experiences from National Parks to pristine nature reserves, Dr. Thong Kun, Minister of Tourism.

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Different cultural experiences will make tourists spend, survey shows

A survey has found that travelers are willing to spend extra on experiencing different cultures and more efficient and simple service.

Results were based on the Visa and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) ‘Determining Travel Preferences in 2009 and Beyond’ survey. It was conducted from 7 to 28 August 2008 with 5,554 respondents from 11 key Asia Pacific travel source markets.

Of the respondents, 57 percent said they would spend extra on experiencing different cultures.

Hassle-free service (54 percent), good customer service (53 percent), exotic destinations (53 percent) and cultural immersion programs (40 percent) were also on the top of the list.

Identifying what people are willing to pay more for on holiday gives the travel industry valuable insights into how best to attract tourists” said Greg Duffell, PATA President and CEO.

“From this information they can direct valuable marketing resources to create a win-win situation for both tourists and themselves.”

The Australians (56 per cent) and Japanese (55 percent) were more willing to pay for experiencing local culture, whilst respondents from China (67 percent) were bigger fans of cultural immersion programs.

In terms of gender, experiencing different cultures was the number one choice with 55 percent men and 59 percent women saying they would pay more for it.

Results also showed that women were more concerned with the location of a holiday, with 56 percent of women saying they would pay extra for an exotic destination compared to 51 percent of men.

“Exotic destinations in Asia Pacific are certainly helping to attract more people to the region as travelers look for something different and a contrast to the traditional and mainstream type of vacation”

Duffell said he expected the trend to continue as more and more travelers craved different experiences...

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Airlines lose $1.7 billion from volcanic ash

Airlines lost more than $1.7 billion in revenue during the six days after the initial eruption of the Icelandic volcano, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated on Wednesday.

During the three-day period from 17-19 April, when disruptions were greatest, the lost revenues reached $400 million per day.

"At the worst, the crisis impacted 29% of global aviation and affected 1.2 million passengers a day" said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's Director General and CEO.

"For an industry that lost $9.4 billion last year and was forecast to lose a further $2.8 billion in 2010, this crisis is devastating.

"It is hitting hardest where the carriers are in the most difficult financial situation. Europe's carriers were already expected to lose $2.2 billion this year—the largest in the industry,"

IATA is now urging airports and governments to help mitigate the financial impact on airlines.

"London Heathrow and Dubai are waiving parking fees and not charging for repositioning flights. Others airports must follow" said Bisignani.

He also requested that airports relax their rules on take-off and landing slot allocation and governments to relax bans on night flights to get passengers home as soon as possible.

The EU was also urged to ease its passenger care regulations, IATA saying it was "unfair" that airlines were held responsible to pay for hotels, meals and telephones for stranded passengers when the volcanic crisis was "completely beyond the control of airlines."

Governments were also asked to help carriers recover the cost of the disruption.

"I am the first one to say that this industry does not want or need bailouts. But this crisis is not the result of running our business badly.

"It is an extra-ordinary situation exaggerated with a poor decision-making process by national governments. The airlines could not do business normally."

Source: ETB

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Cargo growth boosts hope for aviation

Rising cargo volume is sparking signs of recovery for the North American aviation industry, Air Canada's chief executive said last week.

"We've seen some encouraging news from the cargo environment," Air Canada Chief Executive Calin Rovinescu told reporters on Friday.

"We are seeing a marked improvement over last year and generally cargo tends to be the bellwether indicator that the recovery is starting."

But Rovinescu is still not ready to declare a recovery, saying the airline industry still faces a weak market and must wait for business travel to rebound.

"Businesses tend to need to recover first before ... airlines that cater to businesses start seeing the recovery."

When Rovinescu took over as Air Canada's chief executive last April, the carrier was struggling financially and dealing with rumours that it might need to file for bankruptcy protection.

However, he has since strengthened the carrier's liquidity position, lined up equity funding and cut both capacity and costs according to Reuters.

Source ETB

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Cambodia and Vietnam on Thursday signed a treaty that will allow freedom of navigation on Mekong wat

TourismIndochina.com(2009-12-21):The Treaty on Waterway Transportation, signed in Phnom Penh on the first day of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh’s three-day visit to Cambodia, legally binds Cambodia and Vietnam to reducing the official restrictions that have existed for cross-border navigation, according to the Mekong River Commission (MRC).

Both governments say that the move will free-up regional and international trade, help avoid delays and make river-based customs and immigration procedures more efficient and straight-forward, according to the MRC.

The Mekong body added the agreement also introduced a range of other measures that should improve efficiency and safety for vessels using the more than 65 Cambodian and Vietnamese registered internal ports.

The MRC – the intergovernmental body responsible for cooperation on the sustainable management of the Mekong Basin whose members are Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam – facilitated the agreement by assisting a legal task force in both countries, with funding provided by the Governments of Belgium and Australia.

“The Mekong and a range of other tributaries between Cambodia and Vietnam are now officially open. Now no one may legally stop river trade,” Mr. Mom Sibon, Secretary of State, Ministry of Public Works and Transport was quoted by the MRC as saying in Phnom Penh Thursday.

He was also quoted as saying that the agreement would in the long term increase export potential and help both Cambodia and Vietnam achieve their poverty alleviation goals.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hei Bavy, Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia, Chairman and CEO of Phnom Penh Port, was quoted, “This agreement, along with the recent development of Cai Mep Port in Vietnam, provide exciting opportunities for economic growth in Cambodia and development of Phnom Penh Port.”

“We can now realize the full potential of the Mekong River by transporting goods directly to the United States, Europe and Australia through Cai Mep Port,” added Mr. Bavy.

According to the MRC, the new treaty will open up Mekong waterways to a range of new possibilities for generating trade revenue.

“Through this treaty, the Governments of Cambodia and Vietnam have agreed to allow all waterway users to freely cross borders for the transport of cargo and passengers,” said Jeremy Bird, CEO of the MRC.

Mr. Bird added “This will help all vessels, including, river cruise ships by allowing better access to ports in the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and many more sites that attract tourists.”

MRC chief technical advisor Lieven Geerinck said, “Shipping on the Lower Mekong River has previously not been conducted in a consistent manner. Now shipping companies can plan with confidence when exactly their containers will arrive at destination. It is all about reliability”.

The new regulations cover the Mekong River, the Tonle Sap, Bassac and Vam Nao rivers, as well as a number of canals in Vietnam and apply to all kinds of vessels, including sea-going ships under foreign flag.

Both countries have agreed to grant to each other’s vessels “most favoured-nation treatment,” according to the wording of the treaty.

A Mekong Navigation Facilitation Committee will be established to implement and monitor the agreement.

By Tuong Thuy

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The Spa is launching some special new treatment on November 2009

The Spa is launching some special new treatment on November 2009

Cleopatra’s secret

3hours USD117/ single USD220/ double (Milky bath – Golden body scrub – Golden body mask – Golden facial – champagne)

The anti-aging benefits of gold can be traced back 5,000 years to Cleopatra, who was said to sleep in a gold face mask every night to enhance the suppleness of her complexion and preserve its natural luminosity.

In addition to antioxidant and antimicrobial powers, gold is praised for its purported ability to ward off UV damage, tighten lax skin and reduce the appearance of discoloration. It’s also can slow the breakdown of elastin, keeping skin firm and taut; other proponents believe gold increases circulation, eliminating toxins from the body and speeding up tissue repair.

Green tea’s miracle

3 hours USD98/ single USD180/ double (Green tea and apple bath – Refreshing facial – Green tea scrub and wrap – Green Tea)

Now, with research indicating that green tea has even more antioxidant properties than these powerful vitamins, there is a surge in products capitalizing on its natural benefits.

The Green tea gentle facemask will help remove toxins from your skin, as well as leaving it silky smooth.

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Middle East advised to focus on religious tourism sector

Industry experts are saying specialist travel operators in the Middle East should focus on capturing the potential of the religious tourism sector which is currently valued at $18 billion per year.

Currently, the majority of religious travel, tourism and hospitality, is driven by the Middle East with the sector contributing 11 percent in annual tourism growth.

However, Kevin J Wright, President of the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) says that more travel alternatives need to be developed to capture the three billion people across the globe that has religious roots in the Middle East.

“Pilgrimages are not the sole driver of the religious market anymore and people of faith are increasingly seeking greater quality travel experiences across the full spectrum of sub-sectors which drive the industry” said Wright.

Affordability is a factor that Wright believes specialist travel operators must concentrate on.

“Investment...needs to be focused on surrounding infrastructures to ensure the increased visitors experience quality services at affordable prices”

The primary driver of the religious market is Saudi Arabia with over six million Islamic Hajj and Umrah pilgrims making their way to the Kingdom each year.

“In Saudi Arabia alone the religious tourism industry generates an estimated US$7billion annually and with the market expecting 20 percent growth in the coming years, tour operators, hotels and airlines are already tailoring products to tap into the religious market”

Jordan and Palestine were identified as growth markets by Wright, with 95 percent of tourism in Palestine religion-based and Jordan aiming to garner tourism revenues of up to US$2.4billion per year by 2010.

Similarly, Iraq’s religious sector is booming with the sacred shrine of Prophet Mohammad welcoming 8 million pilgrims a year.

It is these robust revenue streams that must be tapped into in order to weather the current economic storm according to Mark Walsh, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions - Organiser of Arabian Travel Market.

“Our industry is changing and tour operators and travel companies need to examine alternative business avenues to increase profits during these challenging times” said Walsh.

“The religious tourism market is one such possibility and remains extremely relevant to Middle East based operations”

Wright will conduct a seminar entitled ‘The New Era of Religious Tourism’ at the Arabian Travel Mart in May


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Singapore named Asia most competitive tourism destinations

In this year’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report, Singapore was named the most competitive Asian destination for travel and tourism, moving six spaces to make tenth for most competitive global destination.

2009’s report, with the theme “Managing in a Time of Turbulence”, looks closely at the impacts of oil prices in the tourism industry and also price competitiveness in attracting customers.

Switzerland, Austria and Germany were named the top three, with their positions unchanged from 2008. France shot up from tenth to fourth, followed by Canada at fifth up from last year’s ninth position.

Singapore was the only Asian destination to make the top ten.

“We are pleased to have improved our ranking in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009 to be among the top 10 countries globally and the only Asian country in the top 10 out of 133 countries,” said John Gregory Conceicao, Singapore Tourism Board Director Strategic Planning.

“This is an indication of Singapore’s strengths in its tourism management and infrastructure. It will in turn strengthen our efforts to ride out the current downturn and position ourselves for future growth.”

Singapore’s “excellent” transport infrastructure, both public and air, was noted in the report, as well as its human resources sector and environmental policies.

“To thrive, or even survive, in this period of uncertainty and change, both the travel and tourism industry, and destinations themselves will need to approach the challenges in a holistic and systemic manner,” said Thea Chiesa, the World Economic Forum Head of Aviation, Travel and Tourism.

“This would allow innovative ideas to emerge, new directions to be taken, new alliances to be forged and profits to be reaped. This comprehensive approach to travel and tourism competitiveness is taken in the report aims to contribute to this discussion.”

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Tourism crucial in this current economic crisis: UNWTO

Outlining tourism ‘Roadmap for Resilience’ Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary General, opened the 2009 ITB Berlin travel exhibition on Tuesday in front of thousands of representatives from around the world.

ITB Berlin kicked off on its five-day agenda underneath the cloud of gloomy economic data, but Mr Rifai implores the travel community to pull together under a brand new framework of resilience.

“Over the last few decades, our industry has experienced various setbacks, and faced severe natural and man-made crises. Through it all, the industry demonstrated a remarkable resilience and always came out stronger and healthier,” he said in his opening speech.

“Indeed, resilience has become synonymous with our industry. This juncture, however, seems to be different. This crisis is truly global and its parameters are unclear. We need a different mindset.”

Outlining six main points, he highlighted the need for the industry to be realistic with forecasts, take actions to shore up defences, recognise that measures need to be taken immediately, use all available tools including new technologies, take advantage of tried and tested partnerships, and lastly he pledges that the UNWTO will offer all the support that it can.

“History shows that the biggest challenges provide the biggest opportunities,” Mr Rifai adds.

He reiterates, “We know that tourism means trade, jobs, development, cultural sustainability, peace and the fulfilment of human aspirations. If ever there was a time to get this message out loud and clear, it is now.”

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