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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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/

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.

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.

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.

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

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."

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."

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.

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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.

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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

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.

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.

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.

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.

http://www.world-tourism.org/facts/eng/pdf/economy/economy_growth.jpg

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

This thread is GREAT!!

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)

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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."

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.

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."

The Greek tourist numbers are extremely underwhelming IMO.

;12194922']The Greek tourist numbers are extremely underwhelming IMO.

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

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

Sri Lanka tourism a casualty of escalating war

COLOMBO, April 9 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's tourism industry, which blossomed in the wake of a 2002 ceasefire, has fallen victim to the resumption of the country's long-running civil war, industry groups say.

Authorities are hoping a targeted marketing push can lure visitors back to the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean", but with no end in sight to near-daily sea, air and land clashes between government and Tamil Tiger rebels, few expect a rush of tourists in the coming months.

"Tourism is always a casualty, the first casualty in a situation like this," said Renton De Alwis, chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board.

Tourist arrivals fell 18.3 percent in February compared to a year ago, continuing a trend that began in the middle of last year -- not an encouraging sign for a country still recovering from the 2004 tsunami.

More than 50 people have died in violence in the past week, including 25 killed in bomb attacks on civilian buses in the east and north of the country.

Well over 4,000 troops, civilians and rebels have been killed in the past 15 months alone.

"Unless some kind of peace comes to Sri Lanka, people will be scared. Especially with travel advisories by certain countries, it will definitely affect our industry," said V.Mahadevan, head of the Sri Lanka Travel Agent's Association.

In January, the heart of the peak season, tourist arrivals rose slightly compared with the same month the year before, but each of the last four months of 2006 saw double-digit drops.

AIR RAID

Last month, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), fighting to establish an independent state, launched their first-ever air strike, hitting an air force base near the capital's international airport.

The raid drew wide attention and prompted Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific, Asia's third biggest airline, to suspend daily flights in and out of Sri Lanka.

The Tiger air attack had caused no noticeable rise in room cancellations, a hotel industry group said. Overall bookings were generally weak but helped by a steady flow of NGO and aid workers.

"Those who have booked are coming. We really do not know how much we have lost," said Hiran Cooray, president of Sri Lanka's hoteliers' association.

Still, he added: "These are peak months and we are not achieving those targets that we had before."

Authorities are trying to revive the industry.

"We have a tactical marketing programme in place in order to work the Indian market as well as some other key markets, and we have strong trust in the Middle East market, as well," De Alwis said.

Earlier this week, Cathay said it would resume flights to Colombo on April 22, which could help.

But with the ceasefire agreement in tatters and many expecting escalation of a conflict that has killed more than 67,000 people since 1983, the trend of falling tourist numbers is expected to continue this month and well into 2007.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa's majority-Sinhalese government is pushing ahead with a plan to destroy all Tiger military assets, while the Tigers have vowed to fight on and have warned of a bloodbath.

Goa, going, gone - Asia tourism faces climate chaos

COLOMBO, April 6 (Reuters Life!) - Enjoy your exotic Asian beach or skiing holidays while you can.

In coming decades, warmer weather, rising seas, more intense storms, even changes in ocean currents will literally wipe some idyllic destinations off the tourist map, experts say.

Thousands, and possibly millions, of jobs could be lost.

Tourism accounts for 35 percent of the Maldives' annual GDP of around $800 million.

But the Indian Ocean island chain, on average just 1.5 metres (five feet) above sea level, risks disappearing within generations if sea levels rise in line with the U.N. climate panel's predictions.

Experts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meeting in Brussels on Friday issued the bleakest U.N. warning yet about the impacts of global warming.

"Our entire tourism infrastructure is coastal-based," Maldives Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed told Reuters in an interview on Friday. "If sea levels were to rise and destroy all our beaches, then obviously the main attraction is gone."

"We are reputed to be a diving destination ... What climate change will also do is raise the (sea) temperature, which will kill the reefs," he added.

Scientists say climate change could also devastate Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The tourism industry fears the natural wonder could badly damaged or even extinct in 40 years.

"If there's no reef, there's no tourism. So it is a concern," David Windsor, executive director of the Barrier Reef Tourism Operators Association, told Reuters.

"There has been significant bleaching of corals over the past few years, which is directly attributable to water getting warmer," he added.

The 2,300 km (1,400 miles) reef is Australia's top tourist drawcard, attracting 4.9 million visitors a year, generating about 60,000 jobs and more than A$5.4 billion ($4.5 billion) a year for the economy.

BYE, BYE BONDI?

Around Japan's Okinawa island it is a similar story.

"We hear from divers that there appears to be more and more bleaching each year," said Yasunori Toma of Okinawa government's Tourism Planning Department. The warmer waters have also triggered invasions of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish.

The palm-fringed beaches of Goa in western India, which attract hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, are also extremely vulnerable.

By 2030, beach erosion and inundation of shoreline properties was likely to be a serious problem, according to a recent report by Halifax Travel Insurance.

Another report by British insurance company Churchill and the Centre for Future Studies in September listed Goa alongside the Great Barrier Reef as among the top 10 destinations that might be taken off the tourist map by 2020.

Himalayan ski resorts such as Gulmarg, Auli and Narkanda could also be affected because higher temperatures mean the number of skiing days would be reduced, said K. Srinivas, climate change campaigner for Greenpeace India. The danger of landslides also increased.

Shunji Takahashi, a forecaster with Japan's Meteorological Agency, pointed to declining snow falls in parts of northwest and northern Japan, where many of the nation's ski areas are located.

"I believe things like the ski season will become shorter," Takahashi said.

A worker at Amihari ski area north of Tokyo agreed.

"The snow is getting less each year. In the past, there used to be snow until May but now it really only lasts until the end of March."

Beaches from Bondi in Sydney, to Fiji, Bali, Thailand and the Philippines are also under threat.

Rising seas and storm surges would erode Bondi. Huge amounts of sand would have to be imported to try to preserve the beach, a sea-level expert told Australian media in February.

In low-lying Singapore, half of the city's man-made East Coast Beach has already disappeared due to erosion, prompting the government to look into building more sea walls along the beach to prevent damage from rising tides and stronger currents.

Still, it's not all gloom.

"I don't think winter sports will die out because of climate change -- it will just bring growth to a new form of indoor winter sports to trade in for the loss in outdoor sports," said Han Wha-jin of South Korea's Environment Institute.

She also expected growth in summer sports, such as golf.

Some tour operators were also upbeat.

Subhash Goyal, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, said climate change posed real risks.

"However, if some beach is damaged, it is not going to affect the growth of the tourism industry in India as tourists will find another beach. So much of India's coast remains undeveloped so we have plenty of space," Goyal added. (Reporting by Elaine Lies in Tokyo, James Grubel in Canberra, Nita Bhalla and Manjusha Chatterjee in New Delhi, Jack Kim in Seoul and Koh Gui Qing in Singapore) (Writing by David Fogarty; editing by John Chalmers; Reuters Messaging: david.fogarty.reuters.net@reuters.com; +65 6870 3815)

Egypt sees 2007 tourism revenue surging 18 pct

DOHA, April 10 (Reuters) - Egypt's revenues from tourism, a key part of the north African nation's economy, is expected to rise 18.4 percent to about $9 billion in 2007, Egyptian tourism minister Zoheir Garrana said on Tuesday.

"We are creating more spending outlets," Garrana told Reuters in the Qatari capital Doha, adding that revenues from the pivotal industry amounted to $7.6 billion in 2006.

Garrana said he estimates a 10 percent rise in tourist arrivals to at least 10 million in the same period due to "normal growth in the market."

After tailing off sharply following a string of attacks by Islamist militants in the 1990s, tourist numbers in Egypt climbed to 8.6 million in 2005 and 9.1 million in 2006.

Egypt, whose famed ancient sites like the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings attract tourists from all over the world, wants to boost tourist numbers to 16 million by 2014.

Garrana said the average number of nights a tourists spends is 10.

INTERVIEW-Cape Verde leader wants to spread tourism wealth

PRAIA, April 12 (Reuters) - Cape Verde must lever its budding tourism industry to spur other economic sectors as the tiny West African state graduates from the world's poorest club, its president said on Thursday.

Pedro Pires, who was re-elected last year, told Reuters more efforts were needed to ensure sustainable economic growth in the 10-island archipelago, which will lose the "least-developed country" tag next year.

"Cape Verde's economy is growing, it has had a relatively elevated growth rate. In this perspective, we need to make efforts to maintain this growth rate and guarantee the sustainability of economic, social and cultural development," he said in an interview.

"There is tourism but it doesn't function alone. We need to develop sectors that are linked to tourism, like agriculture, fishing, artisanal work, small industries. Tourism needs to be capable of stimulating other sectors," he added.

Economic growth is expected to reach 7 percent this year from around 6.5 percent in 2006, driven by large investments in hotels and other tourism-related construction, an International Monetary Fund team concluded after a visit last month.

The United Nations Economic and Social Council judges its economic and human development are such that from 2008 Cape Verde will no longer qualify as a "least-developed country" -- a tag that attracts foreign aid and preferential trade terms.

The archipelago, which lies in the Atlantic off West Africa and has a population of just 450,000, has few significant natural resources beyond fisheries and suffers frequent drought.

But it has enjoyed a huge tourism boom in recent years as foreigners flock to its beaches and volcanic landscapes.

REAL ESTATE BOOM

Tourism has been concentrated on Sal island, where the real estate sector has mushroomed with mainly European entrepreneurs throwing up tourist complexes, hotels and apartment blocks.

In one of the biggest deals, Irish-based developer Cape Verde Development plans to spend 2 billion euros ($2.69 billion) to build a 6,000-unit leisure resort on Sal's west coast complete with a spa, hotel and two golf courses designed by South African golfer Ernie Els.

Several European charter flights arrive on the island each week with around 160,000 foreign tourists arriving each year.

Local officials say Sal's population is growing by nearly 7 percent a year as people migrate from poorer islands and mainland Africa. At independence, many questioned the viability of Cape Verde's economy without colonial power Portugal behind it.

But it has avoided the fate of other former Portuguese colonies such as Angola, Mozambique and nearby Guinea-Bissau, where civil war left a trail of devastation in its wake.

"Nothing in the world is a miracle, everything is the fruit of our labour. What makes people interested in coming to Cape Verde are the results of the governance and development of the country in more than 30 years of independence," Pires said.

"The rest depends on relationships with investors. If they meet the right conditions for their investments to be successful and viable, it is clear they will come to Cape Verde. What we ... can do is to create favourable institutional conditions for foreign investment in Cape Verde," he added.

Potatoes and tourism ads backed

Tourism experts have praised a decision to fund television adverts for Jersey's potatoes that also promote the island as a holiday destination.
Potato farmers had complained after a subsidy used for advertising Jersey Royal potatoes in the UK was cut.

A compromise to run a joint campaign was reached between farmers and the department responsible for subsidising potato marketing.

David de Carteret, of Jersey Tourism, said it was a good pairing.

He said: "Food is such an important part of the holiday experience, therefore showing imagery of food is very appealing when people are trying to choose a holiday.

"The provenance of Jersey and the Jersey Royal is also helpful in promoting Jersey as a wholesome place to come to, so both work together very well."

Jersey Royals are the island's highest crop export from Jersey, making up 73% of the island's exports in 2006.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/europe/jersey/6555619.stm

Published: 2007/04/14 12:39:43 GMT

Tourism threatens fragile beauty of former Lao royal capital

LUANG PRABANG, Laos, March 31, 2007 (AFP) - World heritage status has turned the former Lao capital from a ghost town into a tourism hub, but too much of a good thing could soon prove the kiss of death, say experts and residents.

In recent years a trickle of backpackers has turned into a flood of tourists coming to the sleepy town of glistening Buddhist temples and palm shaded French colonial mansions sitting pretty on a Mekong river peninsula.

Camera-toting visitors now follow saffron-robed monks on their morning alms rounds and foreigners are transforming quiet neighbourhoods into rows of cafes and hotels, say those who worry about the town's fragile beauty.

"People are surprised at the pace of change," said Francis Engelmann, a former UNESCO advisor and current resident of Luang Prabang. "There are more cars, there is more noise. Behind my house three new guesthouses are going up."

The 700-year-old town, seen as the jewel of ancient Lao heritage, threatens to turn into "a mono-industry where everything depends on tourism," he warned.

By the standards of many Asian tourist sites, Luang Prabang retains much of the tranquil charm that led the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to list it as a world heritage site in 1995.

Nestled below lush hills between the Mekong and Khan rivers, it was once the capital of the Lan Xang kingdom, the Land of One Million Elephants, and remained the spiritual and religious centre of Laos in the centuries since.

The town's fortunes took a dive during the Vietnam War, when US forces fought communist troops in Laos, and in the post-war years from 1975 when the new socialist regime shuttered most of the country's Buddhist temples.

From the late 1980s a few hundred intrepid travellers per year returned to Luang Prabang as Laos re-opened to the outside world, but the years of neglect had taken a heavy toll on Luang Prabang's former royal beauty.

"When I first came here in 1988-89, it was a ghost town," said Engelmann.

"There were only old people and it was a sad place, like a town after an epidemic. Everything was closed and roofs were caving in. The young people were all in Vientiane. Now they have all come back."

World heritage status has placed Luang Prabang firmly on Indochina's tourism map alongside UNESCO-listed sites such as the Angkor Wat temples of Cambodia and the karst islands of Halong Bay in Vietnam.

The UN body imposed strict preservation guidelines, which banned demolitions within the heritage zone and mandated the use of local materials for repairs, overseen by the local Heritage House foundation.

In 2000 UNESCO launched the Monk Project, in which elder craftsmen passed on skills such as wood-carving, mural painting and lacquerwork to young Buddhist monks to maintain the authenticity of temples here and across Laos.

By 2003, the tourism boom was bringing 600,000 visitors a year, says UNESCO, as guesthouses, riverside restaurants and handicraft shops mushroomed, increasing the strain on the town's electricity, water, sewage and garbage services.

The UN cultural agency warned in a 2004 report that development pressure had placed "critical stress on both the environment and the historic cultural resources of Luang Prabang and threatens to overwhelm them".

It warned of a future where "billboards dominate the landscape, where the sound of tour buses drowns out the soft temple prayers, and where the town's residents are reduced to the roles of bit-players in a cultural theme park".

"Today business is good," said Gilles Vautrin, a seven-year resident and owner of several restaurants here. "But the quality of life is not so nice anymore. It's faster and faster and there is more noise."

Vautrin said tourists wearing shorts now crowd out many of the 34 temples that are the core of the town's spiritual heritage and which have always been financed by the Lao residents, some of whom are now leaving town.

"It's become a falang city," he said, using the Lao word for foreigner.

"Many falangs rent houses for 30 years, but who's going to give food to the monks now? The alms-giving round is more like a show, like theatre. The Lao people don't say anything, but I think they don't like it."

He added: "Now the problem is the mass tourism. We're worried about the impact of large Chinese tour groups coming down the Mekong River.

"I think one day the monks will disappear to another retreat, and then we'll lose a lot. The spirit of the town will disappear."

Engelmann agreed that tourism has been a double-edged sword here.

"If you ask businessmen, they'll say it's fuelling business," he said.

"If you ask environmentalists, they'll say it's destructive. If you ask locals, they may say it's bringing jobs, but also driving up prices."

UNESCO listing, he said, "has been good for the 'hardware' -- the architecture -- but not the 'software' -- the people, the monks, the rituals."

Australia fears jet flight guilt could hit tourism

SYDNEY, April 18, 2007 (AFP) - Australia is concerned that growing guilt over the impact of jet flights on global warming could hit the country's multi-billion-dollar tourism industry, officials said Wednesday.

With long-distance airline flights virtually the only way of reaching "Down Under" and climate change threatening major attractions such as the Great Barrier Reef, the government has launched a "Tourism Action Plan".

"Tourism is a 75 billion dollar (62.7 billion US) industry employing more than half a million Australians and is dependent upon a sustainable environment," Tourism Minister Fran Bailey said in a statement Wednesday.

"For example, the Great Barrier Reef employs 33,000 people and generates more than 5.8 billion for our nation," she said.

Scientists have warned the reef's famous corals could be killed by rising sea temperatures blamed on global warming, which is in turn blamed on greenhouse gases from burning fuels such as those used by airlines.

The tourism industry had been identified as one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate change and the action plan would develop adaptation strategies, Bailey said.

The move was welcomed by Australian Tourism Export Council managing director Matt Hingerty, but he told AFP the industry had been too slow to react to the threat to air travel.

"It's quite a hot topic in the European Union, driven by some Green politicians and taken up by mainstream people.

"There is a global movement saying in effect that travel by air is bad -- a global guilt industry.

"That's a significant threat to us because being a long-haul destination the only way you can get here, apart from a minute portion coming by sea, is by air -- and if people stop flying we're in trouble."

Environmental groups say jet travel is one of the fastest growing sources of carbon dioxide and jet-setting politicians are regularly castigated for the tonnes of pollution their travels produce.

Hingerty said travellers would increasingly demand the ability to offset the impact of their travel on the environment.

Virgin Blue was already offering an offset option, he said. "When you pay for your ticket, they add an extra dollar or so onto your airfare and use it to plant forests.

"Tourism is Australia's second largest export industry after coal, so this is an issue that is crucial to our nation's well-being.

"We need to understand what the impacts will be and plan for those impacts, but we also have to win the philosophical debate that says travel is not bad."

He described as "an absolute disaster" reports that award-winning British novelist Jeanette Winterson had turned down an invitation to this month's Sydney Writers Festival because of long-haul pollution concerns.

An additional challenge to Australia's tourism industry could come from visitors judging a country on its green record, Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief Daniel Gschwind told the Australian Financial Review.

As one of the only two countries in the world to have refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, Australia could thus find itself shunned by eco-conscious travellers in the same way destinations run by repressive regimes are avoided for political reasons.

Thai alcohol ad ban may cost 2 bln dlrs in tourism revenue

BANGKOK, March 13, 2007 (AFP) - Thailand's proposed alcohol control bill could shave 10 percent off the 800 billion baht (22.85 billion dollars) the tourism industry is expected to earn this year, an industry group said Thursday.

The bill, which was approved by the post-coup government and is awaiting approval from the military-installed parliament, bans alcohol sales within 500 meters of schools, temples and government offices.

It also calls for a ban on all alcohol advertising and raises the drinking age from 18 to 20.

The Federation of Thai Tourism Associations warned that the ban would prevent many bars and restaurants from serving alcohol to holidaymakers, because many are located too close to schools or temples to comply with the law.

"The law would make it inconvenient for foreign tourists to find alcoholic beverages. Tourists spend 30 percent more on beverages than the average person," said Charoen Wangananont, a member of the federation which gathers five tourism-related groups.

He said some tourists could decide to move their holidays to neighbouring countries where the drinks are more free-flowing.

"We estimate 10 percent of tourism revenue in Thailand could disappear," he told AFP.

Charoen joined other business leaders in urging the government to review the proposed law.

"We suggest that the draft to be postponed until a new elected government and parliament take office," said Varin Thiemcharas, spokesman for a coalition of business groups called the Federation on Alcohol Control in Thailand (FACT).

The group called on the government to revise the current tax structure on alcohol, and to impose harsher penalties on retailers selling liquor without a license.

Authorities should also launch educational campaigns, including requiring labels about the health risks of alcohol, he added.

Thais are among the world's heaviest drinkers. A health ministry study found that per capita, Thais consumed 41.6 litres of alcohol in 2001, up 67 percent from a decade earlier.

That placed Thailand only behind Portugal, Ireland, the Bahamas and the Czech Republic, the study found.

Greek cruise ship sinking won't hurt holiday bookings, says tourism body
18 April 2007

ATHENS, Greece (AP) - The sinking of a cruise ship off the island of Santorini and the resulting oil spill is not expected to dampen strong holiday bookings expected for Greece this summer, the head of a world tourism body said.

Two French tourists are missing and believed drowned after the Sea Diamond cruise ship struck rocks on April 5, but nearly 1,600 people were rescued, including hundreds of Americans and groups from Canada, Britain, Australia, France and Spain.

"The crisis was handled with dignity and handled very well," said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President World Travel and Tourism Council, or WTTC, a London-based industry body. "It is something which will have no long-term, medium or even short-term effect of bookings in Greece."

Baumgarten's remarks were made Tuesday after meeting Greece's Tourism Minister Fanny Palli Petralia, and were carried on state-run television Wednesday.

Sea Diamond operator Louis Cruise Lines has submitted a plan to the government to pump fuel from the ship's leaking hull, but work has not yet started.

Yiannis Evangelou, head of Greece's association of travel and tourist agencies, said his agency had not changed predictions that 1.2 million visitors would travel on cruises in Greece this year -- a 20 percent increase from last year -- with 900,000 of them stopping at Santorini.

The WTTC is predicting a 4 percent increase in tourism-generated in Greece in 2007, nearly $54 billion of economic activity.

China blames Taiwan for stalled tourism, air talks

BEIJING, May 16 (Reuters) - China blamed Taiwan on Wednesday for stalled talks on opening up the self-ruled island Beijing claims as its own to mainland tourists.

Five rounds of negotiations over the past year to allow 1,000 mainland tourists a day to visit the island have yet to yield any result.

"We proposed several pragmatic solutions to the existing problems in the last round of talks, but they have since adopted a passive attitude and have not responded," said Li Weiyi, spokesman for the policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office.

"The mainland is not responsibile for (the plan) not being realised up to now," Li told a news conference.

A sticking point has reportedly been China's insistence on designating the island "China Taiwan" and making the travel route a domestic one.

China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Beijing has vowed to bring the self-governed democracy of 23 million people back under mainland rule, by force if necessary.

Li also criticised the Taiwan government for being too "politically minded" to move ahead to establish direct bilateral transportation links.

"We've made unremitting efforts to achieve the direct links ... Chen Shui-bian has no sincerity and may take new actions to obstruct them."

Beijing deeply distrusts the administration of Taiwan's independence-leaning President Chen Shui-bian, who won presidential elections for the Democratic Progressive Party in 2000 and 2004.

Despite chilly political ties, economic and personnel exchanges between the two sides have flourished since the late 1980s. An estimated one million Taiwan businessmen and their families live in China and have poured up to $100 billion into the mainland since the late 1980s.

Taiwan is basically closed to ordinary Chinese tourists and the two sides only started to fly a limited number of non-stop chartered holiday flights. They have to fly via Hong Kong airspace, adding hours to the flight time.

Cross-strait ties will be tested by a series of sensitive events in the coming year. Taiwan will hold presidential elections in March and Beijing is to host the Olympic Games in August 2008.

INTERVIEW-UPDATE 1-Tourism industry aims to go green -official

LISBON, May 11 (Reuters) - The world's leading tourism companies are trying to agree on ways to fight climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions from hotels, cruise ships and airliners, the head of a major tourism association said.

Geoffrey Kent, chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) which represents the leading 100 companies in the sector, said on Friday he expected members to begin implementing some of the measures in about a year.

"I believe it is our responsibility to come up with an overall agreement to follow within our own council of members," Kent said in an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of a global meeting on the environment and tourism.

"By the end of the year, we'll probably come up with some really good and concrete challenges for WTTC members."

The tourism industry is expected to contribute to 10.4 percent of the world's economy in 2007 and is responsible for 231 million jobs, according to the WTTC.

There are no exact numbers as to the volume of carbon emissions that tourism releases into the atmosphere, but the industry is dependent on construction, airline and sea travel and other activities that are often blamed for climate change.

Kent said he expected some of the WTTC measures to make some tourism companies more cost efficient. WTTC members include U.S. hospitality company Wyndham Worldwide Corp. and the Intercontinental Hotel Group.

GOVERNMENTS TOO

"Climate change is actually going to make them save money," he said, adding that he believed companies who cut as much as 40 percent of carbon emissions would become more energy-efficient and save money.

He said airlines had been overly criticized, however, for the role they play in climate change.

"Airlines are being demonized, because it's easy for government officials to lift their finger at them, but they only contribute 1.6 percent of the problem, compared with 40 percent (of emissions) in new buildings," he said.

Kent said it would also be important for governments to show tourists that they care about sustainable development and are taking measures to limit the impact of tourism on the environment.

"Any country that doesn't show concern for the environment will lose tourists," said Marta Suplicy, minister of tourism for Brazil, which was recently nominated for a sustainable tourism award.

Her Greek counterpart, Fanny Palli-Petralia, said it was important to support sustainable tourism and not repeat what she said were errors of the past.

"If we do so, we'll have no tourists." (Additional reporting by Ruben Bicho)

FEATURE-Kenya tourism rides crest of booming demand

NAKURU, Kenya, May 14 (Reuters) - Lunchtime at an upmarket Kenyan safari lodge in what should be the slow off-season, and the dining room is packed with tourists from all over the world.

Chattering excitedly in many languages as they watch antelope, buffalo and a giraffe grazing just a short distance away across a stone terrace, they are driving an unprecedented boom in a key sector of east Africa's biggest economy.

Kenya made $800 million from tourism in 2006, making the industry its best hard currency earner ahead of horticulture and tea. This year, the tourist board expects revenues to top $1 billion for the first time.

"This is the busiest we have seen it," says Patrick, a barman at the lodge. Behind him, Lake Nakuru reflects the sky like a mirror, lined with an electric pink fringe of about 1 million flamingos.

Kenyan tourism was hit by U.S. travel warnings after bombings in 1998 and 2002 that were blamed on al Qaeda.

But it has rebounded strongly in the past three years, and earlier this month the Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) said March 2007 had been the most profitable month on record.

Perhaps the best news was that -- defying the warnings -- U.S. arrivals were up by 20.7 percent in the first quarter to 22,802.

PRE-ELECTION BOOST

The figures reflect a broader financial boom in the country and a success for President Mwai Kibaki, who inherited stagnant economic growth of just 0.6 percent from his long-serving predecessor Daniel arap Moi in late 2002.

His administration is staking its reputation on economic recovery ahead of elections due in December, and was boosted by a recent central bank forecast of 8 percent growth by 2008, up from at least 6 percent this year.

Tourism will play a leading role. While growth is constrained by potholed roads, environmental degradation, and fear of crime -- particularly in Nairobi -- the government still hopes to more than double visitor numbers to 5 million by 2012.

From Beijing to Baltimore, television, print and radio campaigns are selling the attractions of parks like Nakuru: nestled in the Great Rift Valley, ringed by acacia and euphorbia forests and roamed by wildlife including lions and rhinos.

Much of the future growth will be fed by emerging markets in Russia and China, officials say, as well as more tourists from traditional markets like Europe and Japan.

Underlining the booming interest, Virgin Atlantic is launching daily London-Nairobi flights next month, hoping to carry some 100,000 extra passengers to Kenya in the first year.

"If it is successful we hope to go up to two planes a day," Virgin Chairman Richard Branson said during a visit in March.

RE-BRANDING DRIVE

Rising before dawn with strong coffee, donuts and fresh fruit in Nakuru, one group of Americans prepared for an early game drive, hoping to spot the park's more reclusive big game.

Numerous forays into Africa by U.S. celebrities in recent months have raised the continent's profile there.

But this year's biggest growth came from Eastern Europe, and particularly Russia, where KTB said economic growth meant aggressive Kenyan adverts were reaching more potential visitors.

To support its bullish vision, the government is reforming operations at home as well as spreading the word overseas.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the body that runs more than 60 parks, reserves and sanctuaries, held its first conference on the science of wildlife preservation last month, drawing hundreds of delegates to the golden ballroom of a Nairobi hotel.

It stressed the importance of the organisation becoming more "science-led", and of a re-branding drive to market each area as a unique destination, from climbing Mount Kenya to lion-trekking in the savannah to lounging on the coast's sandy white beaches.

It is trying to improve facilities and services at its resorts, hotels and lodges, and the infrastructure linking them.

Yellow bulldozers are repairing the notoriously potholed road to the Maasai Mara reserve, famed for its huge wildebeest migration which begins in July.

When tourists reach the park, new technology has been introduced and they will sign in and out using smart cards to instantly build a database that was once compiled by hand.

"ONLY IN KENYA"

There are, of course, long and short term challenges.

Competition from African safari rivals, notably South Africa and neighbouring Tanzania, has become increasingly fierce in recent years. Weakness in the rand has made South Africa even more attractive for Western tourists in recent months, KTB says.

And in the longer term, Kenya faces a threat from the projected impacts of global warming, which is seen dramatically affecting weather patterns and cutting existing animal ranges.

Even the government's upbeat growth predictions will not be enough to pull the majority of its 35 million population out of penury. Donors say Kenya's economy needs to grow by at least 10 percent a year to halve the number in poverty by 2015.

But Kenyan tourism players are optimistic, and even the Rift's stunning pink flamingos -- once threatened with extinction by erosion and pollution -- are making a comeback as locals are encouraged to play a bigger role in conservation.

Pollution chokes Indian Kashmir tourist draw

SRINAGAR, India, May 23, 2007 (AFP) - Pollution is turning a mountain-ringed lake in Indian Kashmir into a weed-clogged swamp, hampering the recovery of tourism in the region, environmentalists say.

Dal Lake, famed for its ornately-carved cedar houseboats, is the centrepiece of Srinagar's tourist trade.

But in the past two decades it has shrunk by more than half to 11 square kilometres (4.2 square miles) and lost 12 meters (40 feet) in depth.

"This lake is dying fast. It's turning into a swamp," says Manzoor Ahmed, a leading businessman who is spearheading a campaign to rescue the lake.

Cleaning up the lake is vital to tourism as visitors begin to return to revolt-hit Indian Kashmir amid moves by India and Pakistan to end their half-century dispute over the Himalayan territory that both claim.

Last September, a court slammed authorities for not doing enough to save the Dal Lake, saying it had become "a slum."

Gaudily-painted shikaras -- Kashmiri-style gondolas -- skim across its surface, and tourists come to stay on the brightly-hued houseboats moored on the lake.

But sewage from the more than 1,000 houseboats empties into the lake along with waste from hotels and homes on shore. Pollution is sometimes so bad it turns the lake a brackish green.

Tests showed high levels of lead, arsenic, iron, manganese, copper and cadmium that accumulate in fish which are then consumed by humans, posing serious health risks, a government report said.

"Effects of these elements can cause damage to brain, liver and kidneys of the consumers," the report warned.

In addition to the 7,500 people living on houseboats, another 50,000 people inhabit small islands in the area.

"The lake's environmental deterioration can be attributed rightly to human settlements within and near the lake," says Shafiq-ur-Rehman, a professor at the region's agriculture university and an expert on the lake.

Aijaz Rasool, a government engineer, says three sewage plants that began operating last year have helped to ease the problem of domestic waste, but more are needed.

"Once the boats are linked up to the system, the government will take care of the sewage," says Rasool.

However, Rasool says houseboat owners have refused to hook up their waste systems to a waste disposal system because it means they would have to shift to the rear of their lake.

The houseboat owners believe the proposed new location would make their accommodation less attractive as it would be farther away from a road frequented by tourists.

This is short-sighted, says Rasool.

"If we can't clean up the lake, it will stink too much and no tourist will come," he said.

Authorities have cut down more than 500,000 trees within the lake last year to stop the decomposing leaves polluting the water.

Brightly-coloured floating vegetable gardens are also major polluters. Dal Lake's floating gardens on reed rafts constitute one of Kashmir's biggest vegetable-producing areas.

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

There are other obstacles to saving the lake, which is fed by springs and water from the surrounding mountains.

During the rainy summer months, silt from the mountains stripped of trees by heavy logging seeps into the lake.

The government has built a basin to stop 80,000 tonnes of slit from going into the lake yearly. "But the basin cannot catch it all," said Rasool.

"We need a sustainable and well-designed anti-pollution programme to save Dal Lake," says state lawmaker Raman Bhalla.

"Otherwise the lake faces disaster."

Cambodia, Myanmar agree to direct flights to boost tourism

PHNOM PENH, May 23, 2007 (AFP) - Cambodia and Myanmar have agreed to direct flights between their main tourist destinations, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong said Wednesday.

The flights will connect Bagan and Mandalay, Myanmar's top tourist stops, to Cambodia's Angkor temple town Siem Reap, he told reporters after returning from accompanying Prime Minister Hun Sen to the reclusive state.

"Cambodia and Myanmar agree to boost the tourism industry between the two nations and attract more international visitors," he said.

"We have the same culture because we are both Buddhist, so we have to attract more tourists to both countries," he added.

Impoverished Cambodia has built a booming tourist industry on the back of the 800 year-old Angkor temples, drawing some 1.7 million foreign visitors in 2006.

But Myanmar has failed to bring in even a fraction of that number, mostly due to poor infrastructure, and its cultural treasures go largely unseen by foreigners.

Cambodia, which has close diplomatic ties with military-run Myanmar, hopes to create regional package tours that also take in neighbouring Thailand and Laos, Cambodian officials said before the start of the visit.

Direct flights between Myanmar and Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh will begin sometime in the future, Hor Nam Hong said.

Ecuador Wants Habitat on Endangered List
22 June 2007

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - Ecuador says tourism is threatening the Galapagos Islands and has asked UNESCO to add the habitat that inspired the theory of evolution to its endangered list, the culture agency said Friday.

The U.N. agency's World Heritage Committee will consider Ecuador's request at a weeklong meeting that begins in New Zealand on Saturday, chairman Tumu te Heuheu said.

The Galapagos Islands, about 620 miles off Ecuador's Pacific coast, are home to unique animal species that inspired Charles Darwin's ideas on evolution. They are also Ecuador's top tourist attraction.

The country's president, Rafael Correa, says the islands are suffering an environmental crisis and has called for restrictions on tourists.

The islands have "a very fragile ecosystem and there is a need to manage those activities," Te HeuHeu said.

UNESCO protects 830 sites around the world that have what it describes as "outstanding universal values." The Galapagos gained World Heritage Site status in 1978.

The Tower of London is another World Heritage Site the organization will consider listing as "in danger" when it meets in the southern city of Christchurch. The 900-year-old fortress once towered over the city but now skyscrapers threaten the view from its turreted towers.

Some 31 World Heritage Sites are already on the danger list. Besides tourism, the threats include natural disasters, pillaging and pollution.

Delegates will also consider applications to add at least another 45 new sites -- including the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House in Australia -- to the World Heritage list.

The meeting will also examine how climate change is affecting World Heritage sites and ways to protect them from natural disasters.

Politics a barrier to Taiwan opening to China visitors

HUALIEN, Taiwan, June 21 (Reuters) - A deal to open Taiwan to more Chinese visitors has become stuck on the issue of what to call Taiwan, as China-based businessmen from the island clamoured for an agreement that would sharply boost cross-strait flights.

All the logistics have been worked out, but Beijing has insisted that Taiwan be known as "China, Taiwan", despite Taiwan's objections, Chen Ming-tong, chairman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, told Reuters in an interview.

"It's in the forseeable future," Chen said on the sidelines of a two-day conference, referring to when an agreement might be struck.

Earlier in the day, he told about 150 China-based Taiwanese businessman that talks had largely stalled in April and May, but that Beijing had given some ground recently. P

lans being discussed would increase the number of direct flights between China and Taiwan to every weekend, compared with on just four major holidays each year.

Taiwan has been self-ruled since 1949, when the Nationalist Party fled there after losing a civil war to the Communists.

Direct flights between the two sides were non-existent for the 50 years after the war ended, but have restarted in recent years with some chartered flights on major holidays.

An estimated 1 million Taiwanese now live and work in China, and Taiwan investors have pumped an estimated $100 billion into mainland ventures. China is also Taiwan's top trading partner.

Many of the businessmen gathered in Hualien called the opening of more regular cross-strait flights their top priority, and expressed frustration at how long talks have dragged on.

"Our home is in Taiwan, but our workplaces are in China," said conference participant Wang Jen-sheng, president of the Taiwan business association for central China city of Zhengzhou.

Taiwan and China have been negotiating a tourism agreement for more than a year, which would significantly open up the island to Chinese tourists.

Analysts estimate opening Taiwan to mainland tourists could provide a boost for the island's relatively small international travel industry, adding as much as 0.2 percentage points to economic growth. (Additional reporting by Argin Chang)

Greenpeace warns that overbuilding is threatening Spain's coasts
27 June 2007

MADRID, Spain (AP) - Rampant construction along the Spanish coastline is damaging Spain's shores and endangering the vital tourism industry, environmental organization Greenpeace warned on Wednesday.

"The numbers demonstrate the failure on the part of local administrations to find a solution to the problems of the coastline and the need to adopt important reforms regarding the management of the coast to put the brakes on the coast's destruction," the report said.

In a report, the Greenpeace said that Spanish developers plan to build more than 200,000 hotel rooms, 316 golf courses and 112 marinas.

These significant projects in environmentally sensitive areas threaten to damage Spain's coastlines that annually attract millions of tourists, they said.

Tourism accounts for about 12 percent of Spain's gross domestic product.

Greenpeace also said Spanish police are currently investigating nearly 200 cases of corruption in the southern coast region of Andalucia that it says have led to illegal building along protected coastal areas.

The Spanish Environment Ministry had no immediate reaction to the report, although a spokesman said the government is also trying to protect the coast.

Last week, the European Parliament firmly condemned Spain for the environmental damage that overdevelopment had caused in Madrid and along the Mediterranean coast.

In a motion, it said the mix of lax building laws, greedy developers and corrupt politicians had had a "disastrous effect" on the country's environment.

Hunting, tourism groups call for reinstating spring bear hunt in northern Ont.
Fri Jul 13, 8:06 PM
By Michael Oliveira

TORONTO (CP) - The cancellation of Ontario's spring bear hunt eight years ago was more about electioneering than common sense, hunting and tourism groups said Friday as they argued that reinstating the hunt will keep the bear population in check and provide an economic boost to northern Ontario.

The spring hunt was cancelled in 1999 by former Conservative premier Mike Harris because there was an election around the corner and animal-rights activists were pressuring the government, said Doug Reynolds of the Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters Association.

"The cancellation was based on the contention made by some groups - quite incorrectly, I would suggest - that hunting black bears in the spring orphaned cubs," he said. "That was the argument but there has never at any time been any evidence to support that."

With the bear population growing and more and more anecdotal reports of bears encroaching on populated areas, it's time to bring back the spring hunt, Reynolds added.

"If we're seeing a lot of bears wandering into towns and doing things that we haven't seen them do before, that may be a sign that there are some problems with our management strategies," he said.

"We're seeing them turn up frequently in places we didn't see them turn up before, like relatively close to some of the populated areas on the northern parts of southern Ontario, and that's something that wasn't commonplace a few years ago."

Ed Reid, a wildlife biologist with the Ontario Federation of Hunters and Anglers, said he believes the harvest rate for the fall hunt isn't high enough. As a result, he said, bears are becoming more of a nuisance, and people are increasingly nervous about camping or spending time at the cottage.

"They're looking over their shoulder," Reid said. "They're not enjoying the outdoors like they did in the past."

But the Natural Resources Ministry has no plans to bring back the spring hunt and says an increase of bear "occurrences" this year - calls received about the animals that require a followup by officials - is just part of a cyclical ebb and flow.

As of July 8, there were 4,849 occurrences across the province this year, compared to 2,861 at the same time last year, and 4,135 in 2005. In 2004, there were 5,274 occurrences as of July 8.

By region, most occurrences were reported in northeastern Ontario, where 2,482 have been tallied so far this year, compared to 1,089 last year. There were 3,268 occurrences in 2005, when drought had an impact on food and more bear problems were reported.

Ministry spokeswoman Jolanta Kowalski said the fall hunt has been expanded to make up for the cancellation of the spring hunt, and there's no need to make any changes.

"We take almost as many bear now in the fall as we did in the spring hunt, so there's really no reason or rationale to bring it back," Kowalski said.

But Reynolds argued the spring hunt was a boon for tourism operators in northern Ontario who would love to regain that revenue stream.

Bringing back the hunt could extend their seasons by a month or more and help get their year started with money in the bank, he added.

"To have four to six weeks of very high-value activity at the very beginning of the season is that little cash-flow start that most businesses need," Reynolds said.

"You've just been through literally half a year of no income and very high expenses because that's the time of the year you're doing your marketing. And to have a sudden infusion of cash into your business just as you're opening up for the season is tremendously important."

There's little risk to the government in bringing back the hunt, which would be applauded in northern Ontario and virtually ignored in the province's southern urban regions, Reynolds said.

"Northerners are very engaged in this story because they see the economic impact on their communities and they see the adverse impacts that nuisance bears are having in their communities," he said.

"I don't think any government would be running a huge risk to reinstate it. It would be very positively seen in the north, and frankly, it would be greeted largely with indifference in the south."

Tourism Departement preparing "Visit Indonesia Year"

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government`s culture and tourism department is currently making preparations for the launching of a "Visit Indonesia Year" in the middle of 2007, a spokesman said.

"A `Visit Indonesia Year` (VIY) is now in the final phase of preparation. We will launch it in July or August," Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said here Tuesday.

Speaking after witnessing the signing of a cooperation agreement between the department and PT Garuda Indonesia, the minister said the preparations included the production of brochures, composition and arrangement of programs of events.

Meanwhile, Thamrin B Bachri, the culture and tourism department`s director general of marketing, said VIY 2008 would be declared as soon as its logo was completed.

"So what we are waiting for now is the completion of the logo. As soon as the logo and a guide on its use are finished, we will conduct a soft launching." he said.

He said the most crucial thing in organizing the VIY was coordination between the department in Jakarta and the tourism offices in all of the country`s regions on the time and venues of as many as 100 top touristic events during the year.

"The events must be prepared and executed with high accuracy," he said , adding that the 100 planned events were expected to induce foreign tourists to come to Indonesia.

The department would also publish a booklet listing all the 100 events to be organized in many parts of the country, Thamrin said.

Minister Wacik said his ministry had proposed a budget of Rp153 billion for tourism develoment in 2007. Some 80 percent of the amount was to cover the cost of promoting Indonesia`s tourist destinations through advertisements in international televisions abroad.(*)

I haven't seen much from Indonesia's tourism campaigns yet, although I've been seeing Tourism Malaysia's promotions very often on international media already.

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

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

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."

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)

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

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.

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.

Tourists pack KL hotels
By Vasantha Ganesan
bt@nstp.com.my


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.

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Saturday/Frontpage/julhtl-2.xml/Article/Current_News/BT/Images/btgraph2/hotel4.jpg


"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.

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:D :okay:

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.

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)

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:
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/9011/imperial01jr4.jpg


Actual construction photo:
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u177/Jarenz_038/ip-3.jpg

from Travel+Leisure (http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2007/results.cfm?cat=islands)

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/6325/baliyq8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

:okay::okay::okay:

well deserved for Bali

beautiful island with wonderful people...!

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.

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.

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.

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?

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)

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

French experts to help develop island Louvre in Gulf

ABU DHABI, Aug 12, 2007 (AFP) - Abu Dhabi on Sunday announced the creation of a body comprising some of France's leading cultural figures to oversee the development of a satellite Louvre musuem in the wealthy Gulf Arab emirate.

The French Museums agency will help develop the branch of the famed cultural icon on an island off the coast of Abu Dhabi, the emirate's tourism authority said in a statement.

Under the 30-year agreement, the government of Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, will pay 400 million euros (525 million dollars) just for the Louvre brand name.

Representatives from the Pompidou Centre, the Orsay Museum and the National Library of France are part of the new agency, the statement said.

"The French Museums agency comprises some of the finest minds in the French cultural arena," Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun al-Nahayan, head of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, said in the statement.

Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere, leading financer and member of the French Academy of Fine Arts, is chairing the new agency, the statement added.

The Louvre in the Gulf project has sparked bitter controversy in France where some 4,650 people -- among them dozens of museum directors, curators and art historians -- have signed a petition in protest.

Critics accuse the Louvre of "selling its soul" by loaning out its prized collections overseas, and dismiss the Abu Dhabi project as a gimmick that will only deprive the Louvre's 7.3 million annual visitors in Paris.

Construction of the 24,000-square-metre (260,000-square foot) gallery designed by French architect Jean Nouvel will start later this year and cost 83 million euros (109 million dollars).

The government of Abu Dhabi, the largest and wealthiest of the UAE's seven members, will foot the bill.

The new agency will "supply expertise in the fields of restoration, curatorship, (and) exhibition design," Sunday's statement said, adding that "our long-term ambition is to see UAE nationals fully trained in these specialist fields."

French museums will lend artworks for a maximum of two years on a voluntary basis to the museum, in an arrangement that will last 10 years. Some 300 works will be loaned out in the first four years.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi is one of five museums to be built on Saadiyat island in the Gulf, a vast complex of luxury hotels, golf courses, marinas and private villas set for completion in 2018.

The Abu Dhabi government plans to turn the island into a world class tourist resort and a home for 150,000 people by 2018 as part of an effort to secure a larger slice of the Gulf region's booming tourist industry.

Guiding Tourists to Asia
It's home to some fantastic attractions, but the Asia tourism industry has to brand itself better if it wants to catch up with Europe
24 April 2007
BusinessWeek Online

We take it for granted now, but before the age of relatively cheap international air travel--in the 1960s and 1970s--a trip from New York to, say, Tokyo was a fairly exotic travel adventure. Today, winging out to explore the planet's biggest cities and tourism havens is no longer out of reach for a big portion of humanity with some financial means. For the really world-weary in search of a thrill, maybe it's time to move on to space tourism.

Consider that back in 1950 there were about 25 million international travelers. Last year, 763 million souls made an international trip of some sort, according to a new study by the World Economic Forum.

Today global travel and tourism is a $622 billion industry, generating about 10.3% of global economic output and employing 234 million. The economic impact is far bigger if you consider the impact of tourist spending on such things as seaweed wraps and doctor visits to remedy an out-of-control digestive system.

Asia, of course, wants a bigger piece of that action. Right now, European destinations such as Switzerland, Austria, and Germany are considered the most competitive tourism spots, according to the WEC study. The highest-ranking Asian city is Hong Kong [sixth], followed by Singapore [eighth]. No other Asian country or city made the top 10 in the survey that examined safety, transportation infrastructure, environmental quality, and other factors.

Watch Out Eiffel Tower?

It's not that Asia doesn't have plenty to offer. It is home to world-class cities such as Tokyo, Shanghai, and Kuala Lumpur. And New Zealand and Australian metropolises rank high in surveys of desirable places to live [see BusinessWeek.com, 4/13/07, "Asia's Most Livable Cities"]. Other regional assets include the pristine beaches of the Maldives and Phuket and the ancient temple complexes in Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

Asia's multibillion-dollar tourism industry has had some rough luck this decade, what with the 2004 earthquake and resulting devastating tsunami, sporadic terrorism incidents, and uncertainty about the direction of Avian flu. Even so, while Europe has an edge, plenty of destinations such as the Maldives, Bhutan, Thailand, and Cambodia saw their tourism businesses expand more than 10% last year.

While Asian economies are probably best known for auto manufacturing, consumer electronics, commodity export, and outsourcing, tourism is a critical part of the mix. It accounts for more than 10% of the economic output of Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Getting the Information Out

To improve on that, regional tourism industries have to do a better job of promoting themselves and getting credible information out to the marketplace about where in the region risks such as terrorism and disease are truly a problem, according to Ian Kean, executive director of the APEC International Centre for Sustainable Tourism [AICST], based in Australia.

When it comes to Asia a lot of global tourists are misinformed about which destinations were most affected by the tsunami or have had troubles with Avian flu. "Most consumers aren't well informed," he says. "If there is an event, you have to be proactive and give real hard information about who is affected and who is not affected."

Even so, Asia is fascinating to explore and has attractions that appeal to both global jet-setters and low-budget backpackers. This special report will give you some ideas about tourist havens that aren't well-known but are worth a serious look. Also, check out the slide show reporting which Asian destinations are growing the fastest these days. It may surprise you.

finally..

Hotels in KL fully booked



KUALA LUMPUR: Sorry, but Kuala Lumpur is fully booked.

Hotel occupancy rates in the city have hit a record high, with turned-away guests forced to hunt for rooms as far away as Seremban.

Industry figures cite a nearly double-digit growth in tourist arrivals due to the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign, the July-August peak season for Arab tourists and the coming 50th Merdeka celebrations as reasons for the shortage of rooms.

There are 29,973 hotel rooms in Kuala Lumpur, of which 9,931 are in the five-star category. Another 6,614 are four-star, while three-star rooms total 5,292.

But most had been occupied since last month, with many hotels in Kuala Lumpur operating at "full house" since July, said Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners executive director Shaharudin M. Saaid.

"Occupancy rates for Kuala Lumpur hotels are at the highest in 15 years. As a result, some hotels are advising guests to look for rooms in Shah Alam, Putrajaya and even Seremban," he said.
And room rates have gone up due to the shortage.

Shaharudin said one major five-star hotel here had an average room rate last year of about RM300, but the figure had now shot up to almost double that amount.

Room rates in Malaysia are determined by market forces. A minimum US$80 (RM280) per night was set by the Tourism Ministry for five-star hotels to better regulate the industry.

The figure, said Shaharudin, was 25 to 30 per cent cheaper than other regional destinations like Singapore.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab said the average room occupancy for Kuala Lumpur, Pahang and Sabah was now more than 70 per cent, higher than the national average of 65.5 per cent.

"Seventy per cent is the ‘trigger rate’, the point at which you have to start planning to build more. Kuala Lumpur needs more rooms."

He said it took about five years to add new rooms, from the planning to the construction.

But some hoteliers are reluctant to add more rooms.

"Their argument is that their rates are still low compared with other countries, so who is going to subsidise them during the off-season periods if they build more?

"Their fear of the off-season period will mean that they are not allowing the peak period traffic to grow."

Vietnam restrictions for heritage site

HANOI, Aug 15, 2007 (AFP) - Vietnam will ban jet skis and stop tourist resort development inside world-heritage listed Halong Bay following a request by the UN cultural organisation, state media reported Wednesday.

Authorities in the communist country will also halt new permits for fish and shrimp farms in the bay, one of the country's main tourist draws, and speed up plans to resettle some island residents to the mainland, it said.

Halong Bay, located in the Gulf of Tonkin about 160 kilometres (100 miles) east of the capital Hanoi, was declared a World Heritage site in 1994.

Its 1,600 islands and islets form a spectacular seascape of mostly uninhabited limestone pillars made famous by the 1992 French movie "Indochine."

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at a meeting in New Zealand last month urged the Ha Long Bay Management Authority to "address growing urban, industrial and tourism development pressures" there.

It asked Vietnam to ban jet-skis in the bay's core zone and to "reconsider and cancel the plans to develop a tourism resort on Lam Bo Island and major infrastructure in the Cua Van floating village."

The Quang Ninh provincial people's committee and the authority adopted the recommendations last weekend, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported.

UNESCO also asked Vietnam to prepare a report by February 2009 on the bay's conservation and the impact of the construction of a new coastal highway.

Alcohol shortage looms on Indonesia's Bali

DENPASAR, Indonesia, Aug 14, 2007 (AFP) - Dry holidays may be looming for tourists on the Indonesian resort island of Bali with an alcohol shortage already hitting hotels and bars, officials and industry workers said Tuesday.

The shortage comes as the island reported its first human bird flu death on Monday, triggering fears that a tourism recovery, finally gaining momentum in the wake of bombings by Islamic militants in 2002 and 2005, could stall.

A quota allowing alcohol imports is usually issued every six months to the state-run Indonesian Trading Company, which controls supplies to the hospitality industry, but the one for the second half of 2007 has been delayed.

Donny, an executive from the company, told AFP that nothing could be brought into the country for anything except duty-free outlets without the quota. The outlets are supplied by a separate state trading company.

The quota "usually should have already been released, but we are still awaiting word from the trade ministry, which acts as the regulator," he said.

He declined to comment on a report that the delay was due to an investigation into irregularities in its operations.

Zaenuri, an official from the alcohol import section of the trade ministry, confirmed the quota had not been issued but declined to explain why.

The government needed to urgently address the situation or risk tourists going elsewhere, warned the chairman of the Bali Tourism Board, Bagus Sudibya.

"I am also a hotel owner and I know that even though tourists are returning in droves to Bali, it has become increasingly difficult to find alcoholic beverages, especially wine," he told AFP.

"I can understand that we have strict alcohol import regulations, but we must also take into account that Bali is a major tourism destination," he said.

"If we hope to make tourism a leading source of income, then we should rethink the restriction wisely, especially for the case of Bali," Sudibya said, arguing that the resort island contributed about half of the country's annual tourism revenue.

Tourism arrivals to Bali, a Hindu majority island in predominantly Muslim Indonesia, jumped 34 percent to 781,059 in the first half of 2007, compared to a year earlier.

Visitors shied away from the island after bombings in 2002 left 202 people dead, mostly western holidaymakers. Just as recovery was in full-swing, triple suicide bombings in 2005 left 20 bystanders dead.

Tourist boom brings threat to Leh's Tibetan architecture

LEH, India, Aug 19, 2007 (AFP) - Perched high above the Himalayan town of Leh, a warren of traditional mud-brick houses squats by the ruins of the royal palace and a monastery, appearing to grow out of the mountainside.

These homes in the capital of India's Buddhist Ladakh region which have stood for centuries are regarded as some of the best remaining examples of urban Tibetan-style architecture.

But conservationists are increasingly fretting about the survival of these medieval buildings in the Old Town which are now sadly dilapidated.

The New York-based World Monuments Fund in June put Leh's Old Town on a list of the world's 100 most endangered sites, citing a host of factors as cause for concern, including more rain from climate change in the usually arid region.

But although Leh last year received unusually heavy downpours that caused several of the flat roofs to cave in, a walk through the old area shows that decades of plain neglect are more to blame than anything else.

"Since the last 15 years people have been moving away," said conservationist Andre Alexander, head of the Tibet Heritage Fund, which has been working for the last four years to restore buildings in Old Leh.

"There's been a build-up of infrastructure in the modern town. The contrast has helped to convince people there's no future in Old Town."

In the past, when Leh was more dependent on farming, people cultivated land in the valley and lived on the hillside.

But in the past decade tourism has boomed -- more that 40,000 people visited Ladakh last year alone, officials say -- and the money it brought in allowed more people to move down to the modern part of town.

"They no longer need to do farming so they have sold the farmland or built it up," said the pony-tailed Alexander, originally from Germany.

Many of the former farms are now hotels or large houses, and many of the traditional homes on the hillside are empty.

Yet the three-floor houses are perfectly adapted for the cold, dry climate, with the thick walls great for keeping warmth in while numerous tall windows let in lots of sunshine.

They are beautiful too, with carved wooden window frames and narrow stairs that lead out to rooftop terraces that look out over the valley below.

Alexander's conservation group offers financing to locals still living in the area, mainly poor labourers, to help them restore their homes, which can cost as much as 1,250 dollars.

"Before the roof was coming down. The walls were crooked. There were many cracks," said Tsering Dorje, as he sipped butter tea made with yak's milk in his spruced-up house.

The impoverished mason got help from the group by offering to do all the work himself.

Alexander believes that as Tibet's capital, Lhasa, becomes more modern under Chinese rule, it has become more important than ever to protect Leh's architecture.

"In Lhasa there is not so much left. The government had a very different vision of what Lhasa should be -- very modern," said Alexander who worked in Lhasa before moving to Leh in 2003.

"Leh now has much more than Lhasa."

Tibet-influenced Ladakh shares many cultural similarities with its trans-Himalayan neighbour, which China has ruled since 1951 after sending in troops to "liberate" the region the previous year.

But Leh's Old Town is by and large still ignored by the authorities.

Most tourists stay in cheap guesthouses in the new part of town and eat in restaurants there, while the Old Town's unpaved alleys, infrequently cleaned, make it difficult for visitors to get to its temples and monasteries.

It does not yet have running water, though some observers note that with no proper sewage system in place, that is not such a bad thing.

"Definitely we are lacking a policy on that -- I have been always saying that," said Tsewang Rigzin, new tourism councillor for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.

"In the last 15 to 20 years there's been very bad planning for Leh. Everything has gone on in a very haphazard manner."

Rigzin hopes the authorities will come up with a plan for the old area, but admits that the council lacks the funds to actually restore anything.

The World Monuments Fund said the authorities could at least do a better job of maintenance, as well as monitoring new construction.

"There are new buildings being built out of concrete and cement next to some of the historic mud-brick buildings. So there's a loss of character going on," fund technical director Mark Weber told AFP from New York.

"These buildings have survived centuries but some of them have not been attended to. Properly maintained, using traditional materials, these buildings can last for centuries more."

Paris tourism increases despite strong euro

PARIS, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Paris recorded a strong rise in tourism in the first half of 2007 despite the high level of the euro, the tourism office said on Monday, but added that continued financial market turbulence poses a potential risk.

Paris recorded 16.9 million hotel night stays from January till June, an increase of 4.8 percent compared with the same period last year, the office said, adding that number is expected to rise to 35.1 million by the end of the year.

"We're seeing encouraging momentum," Paul Roll, the director-general of Paris's Office for Tourism and Conferences, told a press conference.

Roll said although the rise of the euro against the dollar and the yen had made travel to Paris more expensive for U.S. and Japanese tourists, the number of visits from America rose 6.6 percent in the first half of 2007.

Visits from Japan increased 8 percent.

However, the office said recent turbulence in financial markets may weigh on people's intention to travel.

"Growth could be affected by a worsening of the financial crisis or an abrupt slowdown in global growth," the tourism office said in a statement.

France is the world's top tourism destination, attracting around 79 million visitors a year, and tourism accounts for about 7 percent of gross domestic product.

A recent study showed rain and unseasonably cool weather kept some tourists away from France in July and August, and hotel, camping and vacation home rentals fell 3 percent from 2006 levels. The Alps and the Pyrenees suffered the most, it showed.

In Paris however, 91 percent of restaurant, hotel and other tourism workers said they had a better month of July than in 2006, the tourism office said on Monday.

Some outdoor activities -- such as Paris Plage, the artificial beach on the banks of the River Seine, and open air cinemas -- suffered from the cold weather this summer, but some indoor cultural sites recorded a visitor rise in turn, it said.

New city bike program "Velib'," used by tens of thousands of people every day, has helped the city's image.

"Velib' has been a significant success with tourists, and it gives Paris a young, dynamic and modern image," the tourism office's president Jean-Claude Lesourd said. (Reporting by Kerstin Gehmlich)

Tourists flock to Malaysia for its 50th birthday

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Rehearsals are underway, flags are flying and traffic is jammed as Kuala Lumpur prepares to mark Malaysia's independence day. But at hotel desks nationwide, frustrated tourists are being turned away.

After a glitzy multi-million dollar campaign to attract holidaymakers for Malaysia's 50th year of nationhood, so many have turned up that the tourism minister last week resorted to telling tour operators to "cool off".

"The numbers are amazing," says Katie Hoo, communications director for Hotel Nikko in Kuala Lumpur.

"This is our best performance since we set up here in 1996. We had to push away many bookings to our sister hotel at the other side of town, but sometimes even they cannot accommodate the bookings."

At the fully-booked Andaman Langkawi Resort, a spokeswoman called this an "exceptional year" for business.

The figures are good news for the Malaysian government, which has been struggling to compete for the tourist dollar with neighbouring Thailand and shopping hub Singapore.

After spending 200 million ringgit (57 million dollars) on the Visit Malaysia 2007 campaign, expectations in the government are high.

The marketing blitz aims to bring 20.1 million tourists and 44.5 billion ringgit into the nation this year -- up from 17.5 million visitors in 2006.

So far, the immigration ministry has reported more than 13.5 million tourist arrivals, bringing with them almost 23 billion ringgit.

Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said he expected the figures to be even higher, with at least 24 million holidaymakers by the end of the year.

"Some questioned our move of pouring a lot of money into the tourism industry, but our plan has worked and Visit Malaysia Year is a grand, grand success," Tengku Adnan told AFP.

But where to put all of the tourists remains a problem. Most hotels in Kuala Lumpur, the resort island of Langkawi and other tourist favourites like Kota Kinabalu and Penang are almost fully booked until October.

"It was an impromptu decision to come here, but it turned out to be a tough one as I spent almost one day before getting a place to stay," said Jadeen Jucipher, a Mauritian who arrived in Kuala Lumpur last week.

He finally found a bed in Chinatown, but bemoaned the traffic jams caused by preparations for the independence day anniversary, which will see nearly two days of pomp and partying beginning Thursday night.

"I happened to hear that Malaysia was gearing up for a grand independence day celebration this month, and I just wanted to see how it's done in this part of the world," Jadeen said.

Many tourists enjoyed Malaysia so much they decided to stay longer, a trend the tourism ministry said is causing the hotel room shortage.

Samiellah Al-Jaber and Aymen Al Masrahi, banking employees from Saudi Arabia, described their trip as fantastic: "So good that we decided to extend the stay here by another week," Samiellah said.

Ivo R. Nekvapil, vice president of the Malaysian Association of Hotels, said many holidaymakers have been enticed by the government campaign and have timed their visit to catch this week's 50th birthday show.

"That push is like getting a train started and now it is running very well," he told AFP, adding that an increase in conferences and events had also helped push tourist numbers up.

However there have been some disappointments. Manchester United had to cancel plans to play a match to celebrate the 50th anniversary because Malaysia was an Asian Cup host and had promised not to stage any other games.

But Nekvapil said there should be no more disappointments for holidaymakers.

And he said the shortage of hotel rooms has been overplayed. Although people may not be able to get into their first choice of hotel or location, he said: "I don't think anyone is going to miss out at all."

Egypt had record 9.7 million visitors in 2006/7

CAIRO, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Egypt received a record 9.7 million vistors in 2006/7, 13 percent up on 8.6 million in the previous year, state news agency MENA said on Monday.

The visitors brought $8.2 billion to the country, 14 percent up on $7.2 billion in the previous year, preserving the status of tourism as a major contributor to Egypt's current account, along with oil and gas exports, Suez Canal transit fees and remittances from Egyptians working abroad.

The agency quoted Tourism Minister Zoheir Garrana as saying the visitors spent a cumulative total of 92.3 million nights in Egypt, 8.5 percent up on 85.1 million in 2005/6.

The government is planning for the country to receive 14 million visitors a year in 2011, by which time the country will have 240,000 hotel rooms, compared to 184,000 today, he added.

The government is looking to tourism for job creation, saying that every five extra visitors create one extra job, either directly or indirectly. Already 10 percent of the Egyptian work force is in the tourism sector.

Due to its rich and complex history, the Philippines is a melting pot of cultures much like the U.S., and the third largest English speaking nation in the world. An early trading history with China and Japan, as well as Spanish colonization and American influence, has created a cross-breeding of cultures and resulted in a unique and alluring tropical vacation destination.


For U.S. visitors interested in experiencing the Philippines first-hand, New York-based Pacific Holidays, a tour operator specializing in travel to Asia, is offering a nine-night Islands Of The Philippines vacation package, inclusive of airfare, first-class accommodations, meals and sightseeing starting at $2,480* per person.

Upon arrival in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, an introductory tour of the city including Rizal Park and the historic walled Spanish colonial city of Intramuros will provide visitors with a first glimpse into the country's rich historical background. An excursion into the countryside takes vacationers to the small town of Pagsanjan, famous for its waterfalls. An exhilarating river boat ride through a tropical gorge will be a definite highlight.

A visit to Banaue reveals breathtaking views of the 2,000-year-old Banaue rice terraces, sculpted from steep mountain slopes, and referred to by many as the "Eighth Wonder of the World."

Vacationers will also experience the town of Baguio. Planned and built by Americans in the early 20th century, Baguio is a popular favorite vacation spot among Filipinos because of its cool climate and its vibrant flowers, vegetables, and strawberries.

Of course, a visit to the Philippines would not be complete without a visit to Cebu, the country's oldest city, known for its mangos and beach resorts. A city tour includes Magellan's Cross, Fort San Pedro, the Basilica del Santo Nino, the public market, and the Casa Gorordo Museum.

Finally, vacationers will enjoy a trip to the island of Bohol, home to the famous Chocolate Hills, a dense grouping of more than 1,268 hills which dry to a "chocolate" brown during summer months, resembling miles of oversized Hershey's Kisses. Bohol is also the home of the Tarsier, the world's smallest monkey, said to be no bigger than the palm of one's hand. Sightseeing in Bohol also includes a cruise along the palm-fringed Loboc River with lunch onboard a floating restaurant.

"The Philippines has much to offer, especially for visitors from the U.S.," said Emma Ruth Yulo, Director of the Philippine Department of Tourism in New York. "Vacation packages from tour operators such as Pacific Holiday save time and ensure smoother transfers. It is a hassle-free way to benefit from the full Philippines experience."

The Islands Of The Philippines vacation starts at $2,480* per person now through March 27, 2008, and varies by departure date. To book, contact Pacific Holidays at 800-355-8025.

* Pricing is based on air transportation from LAX and SFO. Other major gateways throughout the U.S. are available upon request. Please call Pacific Holidays at 800-355-8025 for more information.

Philippine Department of Tourism

The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) is one of the Executive Departments of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines responsible for the promotion of travel to the Philippines, tourism investments, and enhancement and preservation of tourism products in the country. Field offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco provide the following services free of charge on a selective basis: dissemination of tourism information, maps, brochures and posters; lending out of videos, CDs and other tourism-related materials; recommendations on places to visit; endorsement of relevant entities; and assistance to those traveling to the Philippines. These offices also engage in a number of promotional activities: presentations to travel organizations, travel trade shows, media inserts and joint marketing arrangements.

The Philippine Department of Tourism is headquartered in Manila, Philippines, with offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.experiencephilippines.ph or www.wowphilippines.com.ph

Kahn Travel Communications (KTC) is the appointed publicist for the Philippine Department of Tourism, covering North America. Media may contact KTC at (516) 594-4100, or via e-mail at j.kahn@ktcpr.com

http://travelvideo.tv/news/more.php?id=12399_0_1_0_M

U.S. to lift travel warning to Bali

Ary Hermawan, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

The U.S. will soon lift its travel warning to Bali as the Ngurah Rai international airport has met international security standards -- a move that will hopefully give a considerable boost to tourism.

Chadik Wibowo, the aviation security manager of state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I at Ngurah Rai, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) informed him the U.S. government would soon lift the travel warning to Bali.

"You will receive good news shortly," Chadik quoted Mc. Quai -- an official at the TSA headquarters in Washington D.C. -- as saying during his visit to airports in the U.S. from Aug. 12-24.

Chadik was told the proposal to withdraw the travel warning to Bali had been lodged with the U.S. parliament and "it was just a matter of time" before its official announcement.

TSA is an internationally recognized U.S. government agency that was created in response to aviation security threats after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attack.

In December 2005, it advised airline passengers to avoid Ngurah Rai airport because it did not maintain and administer effective aviation security measures and failed to meet the security standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Transportation minister Hatta Radjasa protested the assessment and announcement made by TSA on Ngurah Rai, saying that it should be the ICAO, not TSA, that had the authority to conduct such an assessment.

Chadik said PT Angkasa Pura I had made concerted efforts to improve infrastructure and human resources pertaining to security management. In July 2006, Ngurah Rai was named the best Indonesian airport in terms of security by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) after increasing the number of security personnel by 300 percent from 211 in 2005 to 705.

TSA's position, however, remained unchanged.

Angkasa Pura finally asked the TSA to reassess the airport and an assessment was conducted from March 26 to April 2.

"The results are satisfying."

In June, an audit conducted by the Transportation Ministry placed Ngurah Rai as the best Indonesian airport in terms of aviation safety and security, surpassing Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport.

The airport now employs 820 security personnel and has placed X-Ray devices to screen all cargo.

Despite travel warnings and advisories, foreign tourists, including Australians and Americans, continue to arrive at Ngurah Rai. The Bali Tourism Board recorded 51,000 Americans visited Bali in 2005 and in the first half of 2007 the figure had reached 25,500.

PT Angkasa Pura General Manager Suwetja Putra said he was upbeat the lifting of the travel warning from the U.S. on Bali would contribute positively to tourism.

"We hope that after the U.S. lifts the travel warning, other countries will follow suit and more foreign tourists will come to Bali," he said.

He added the withdrawal of the travel warning would convince those tourists who doubted the island's security to visit.

"I am optimistic the target of eight million foreign tourists to Bali this year can be achieved."



:banana::D:D yay!

U.S. to lift travel warning to Bali

Ary Hermawan, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

The U.S. will soon lift its travel warning to Bali as the Ngurah Rai international airport has met international security standards -- a move that will hopefully give a considerable boost to tourism.

Chadik Wibowo, the aviation security manager of state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I at Ngurah Rai, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) informed him the U.S. government would soon lift the travel warning to Bali.

"You will receive good news shortly," Chadik quoted Mc. Quai -- an official at the TSA headquarters in Washington D.C. -- as saying during his visit to airports in the U.S. from Aug. 12-24.

Chadik was told the proposal to withdraw the travel warning to Bali had been lodged with the U.S. parliament and "it was just a matter of time" before its official announcement.

TSA is an internationally recognized U.S. government agency that was created in response to aviation security threats after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attack.

In December 2005, it advised airline passengers to avoid Ngurah Rai airport because it did not maintain and administer effective aviation security measures and failed to meet the security standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Transportation minister Hatta Radjasa protested the assessment and announcement made by TSA on Ngurah Rai, saying that it should be the ICAO, not TSA, that had the authority to conduct such an assessment.

Chadik said PT Angkasa Pura I had made concerted efforts to improve infrastructure and human resources pertaining to security management. In July 2006, Ngurah Rai was named the best Indonesian airport in terms of security by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) after increasing the number of security personnel by 300 percent from 211 in 2005 to 705.

TSA's position, however, remained unchanged.

Angkasa Pura finally asked the TSA to reassess the airport and an assessment was conducted from March 26 to April 2.

"The results are satisfying."

In June, an audit conducted by the Transportation Ministry placed Ngurah Rai as the best Indonesian airport in terms of aviation safety and security, surpassing Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport.

The airport now employs 820 security personnel and has placed X-Ray devices to screen all cargo.

Despite travel warnings and advisories, foreign tourists, including Australians and Americans, continue to arrive at Ngurah Rai. The Bali Tourism Board recorded 51,000 Americans visited Bali in 2005 and in the first half of 2007 the figure had reached 25,500.

PT Angkasa Pura General Manager Suwetja Putra said he was upbeat the lifting of the travel warning from the U.S. on Bali would contribute positively to tourism.

"We hope that after the U.S. lifts the travel warning, other countries will follow suit and more foreign tourists will come to Bali," he said.

He added the withdrawal of the travel warning would convince those tourists who doubted the island's security to visit.

"I am optimistic the target of eight million foreign tourists to Bali this year can be achieved."



:banana::D:D yay!

"I am optimistic the target of eight million foreign tourists to Bali this year can be achieved."
WOW!

Sri Lanka joins hands with Maldives to promote tourism

COLOMBO, Sept 4, 2007 (AFP) - Sri Lanka has teamed up with the neighbouring island paradise of the Maldives to woo tourists from China, Russia and the Middle East, officials said Tuesday.

The Maldives, South Asia's most exotic holiday destination, hopes the joint effort will help convince well-heeled tourists to stop in Sri Lanka and then visit the Indian Ocean atoll nation.

"The Maldives offer beach tourism while Sri Lanka offers beach, nature and cultural packages to visitors. We see synergies for joint marketing," Maldivian deputy tourism minister Abdul Hameed Zakariyya told reporters here.

The archipelago attracted more than 600,000 visitors last year, mostly celebrities and big spenders from Britain, Germany, Italy and Japan.

Zakariyya hopes to see 690,000 tourist arrivals by year's end.

Tourism accounts for the bulk of the Maldivian economy of just under one billion dollars, making it the richest nation in South Asia with a per capita income of 2,674 dollars.

Sri Lanka, which attracts around 560,000 holidaymakers, has struggled to fill hotel rooms amid an escalation in violence between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.

Colombo is planning to offer a series of discount packages to encourage Maldivians to visit Sri Lanka.

"Around 27,000 Maldivians visited Sri Lanka last year and we hope this partnership will bring in more traffic," said Sri Lanka's deputy tourism minister Faizer Musthapha.

Sri Lanka's 26-billion-dollar economy earned nearly 400 million dollars from tourism last year, the fourth largest foreign currency earner behind tea, clothing and remittances from abroad.

Maldives tourist paradise flourishes at 35

KURUMATHI ISLANDS, Maldives, Aug 26, 2007 (AFP) - Sabrina Chang decided this year to treat herself to a fancy vacation, opting to stay in a thatched bungalow over a lagoon in the Maldives where a swim with exotic fish is as common as taking a stroll.

The Maldives is celebrating the 35th anniversary since its first two resorts opened and visitors like Chang are among a growing breed of tourists who splash out for a slice of paradise on the remote islands.

Chang, 38, a Hong Kong-based programmer, said she wanted to be pampered for a week and learn about marine life at a biology centre on Kurumathi Island, 35 miles (56 kilometres) west of the Maldivian capital island Male.

"It's a luxury holiday combined with an educational experience," said Chang, who spent 320 dollars a night for her luxury room at Kurumathi Blue Lagoon.

Holidaymakers like Chang have made Maldives the richest nation in South Asia with a per capita income of 2,674 dollars.

The 600,000 visitors who jet here each year rarely see the congested capital Male. Once they clear the airport island, they are whisked off by speedboat or seaplane to resorts.

"They need not leave the resort unless to dive, snorkle or view dolphins," Tourism Minister Mahamoud Shougee told AFP.

Guests do not even need to change their hard currency into the local rufiyaa as dollar purchases are permitted and the few Maldivians they meet will often be resort staff.

Home to 300,000 Sunni Muslims, the Islamic Republic of the Maldives has relaxed rules in the resorts where alcohol is served, unlike in the capital island where it is prohibited.

Presently, 89 islands have luxury resorts, with occupancy rates averaging 95 percent. The government last year opened 51 new islands for a combination of resort and airport development.

"The hotel developments, some of which will come alongside 10 new airports, is part of our plan to attract a million tourists by 2010 and increase our bed capacity from present 20,500 to 36,700 by 2012," Shougee said.

Investors are expected to inject 120 million dollars within the next 10 years, some into exclusive villas that charge in excess of 30,000 dollars a night, pampering to the rich and famous.

But most holidaymakers are package tourists from Italy, Germany and Britain -- with countries like China, India and the Gulf fast emerging as the next big growth market, said Shougee.

"Some of the new resort developments are being tweaked in terms of menus and products on offer to cater to Chinese, Indian and Gulf tourists, who are not low-budget but want a slightly different experience," he said.

However, Maldives Association of Tourism Industry head Mohamed Sim Ibrahim says the resort industry has "reached a crossroads."

"The government is under pressure to release more islands for resort development," he said.

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who has ruled since 1978, promises to "protect investors" and not "cheapen" the Maldives' reputation as a premium eco-destination.

Tourism accounts for a large chunk of the Maldives' economy of just under a billion dollars with money coming from resort lease rentals, annual taxes on resort beds and airport departure taxes.

A three per cent goods and service tax on resort sales will also kick in later this year to boost government revenue.

But trouble may be on the horizon for the low-lying islands which are vulnerable to climate change. Gayoom has warned a rise of about three feet, or one metre, of water would swamp much of his nation, leaving mere sandbars.

Andaman tsunami tourism plan backfiring - industry

PORT BLAIR, India, Sept 9 (Reuters) - A flood of low-budget tourists since the 2004 tsunami is hurting India's ecologically fragile Andaman and Nicobar islands and ruining plans to make it a top global destination, industry officials said.

It has drained scarce resources such as water, sparked excessive demand for airline tickets, hit hotel revenues and created a service culture which is insensitive to the needs of wealthier travellers, they said.

The problem, officials said, is a decision to allow all levels of government and state-run firms' workers to use their paid family and home leave travel allowances, awarded every two years, to fly if they want to visit the Andamans.

That means low wage state workers were visiting -- taking up the chance to fly for the first time and visit the far-off islands -- with trips previously restricted to senior level state employees.

The islands, known for their sparkling beaches, tropical forests, coral reefs, tribal cultures and emerald Indian Ocean waters, are 1,200 km (750 miles) from the mainland, and are closer to southeast Asia than India.

However, a move to exploit this to attract more visitors and boost the economy, badly hit by the tsunami has backfired as it has overburdened the isles without raising earnings correspondingly, tourism officials said.

"For these tourists, the destination does not matter. They come because they get to fly for the first time in their lives," said Mohamed H. Jadwet, head of the Andaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"We also pushed for this after the tsunami but we never thought it would come to this."

A dreaded penal territory during British colonial rule, the islands have for long been a destination cloaked in mystery.

Tourism, farming and fishing are the main sources of income for the islands, which can be reached only by air or a three-day ship journey from the mainland.

The tsunami hit the isles badly, killing about 3,500 people, and displacing 40,000.

It also hurt tourism, with the number of visitors in 2005 plummeting to 32,000 from an annual average of 100,000. But the government move saw it surge to over 125,000 in 2006 and it is expected to cross 150,000 this year, officials said.

CAPACITY TRAMPLED

The influx, however, has not seen an increase in revenues as an estimated 80 percent are low-wage state workers.

They are drawn by travel firms on the mainland known to corner cheap airline tickets and offer them to state employees who get full fare leave travel allowance, allowing them to pocket the difference, tourism industry officials said.

"These people will not spend more than 500 rupees ($12) per day on rooms, food and sight-seeing," said G. Bhasker, who owns a middle-level hotel and runs a travel firm in Port Blair, the quaint capital of the archipelago.

"We are not against any strata of society coming here but we also have to see what it is doing to the island's resources and the industry," he said.

Foreign visitors, often the most high-paying of visitors to India, are few and far between.

The Andamans have faced a severe water shortage this year and the rising number of tourists meant that Port Blair got 30 minutes of tap water supply once every five days this summer, residents and activists said.

Garbage disposal has become a huge problem as the sprawling town has no modern waste management system.

While an airline boom has seen fares fall, they remain artificially high for Port Blair, preventing island residents from flying and putting off regular tourists.

"We have limited tourism carrying capacity due to limited resources and that has been overstretched," said Samir Acharya, of the Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology.

"Now the Andamans are badmouthed so much that genuine tourists don't want to come," he said.

(Additional reporting by Sanjib Kumar Roy)

Visit Indonesia Year 2008 Logo

http://www.budpar.go.id/imgdata/_cache/_big_paper-article3147-img3089_LOGOVIY2008.jpg

Branding Concept:

1) The figure of Visit Indonesian Year 2008 branding took the concept of Garuda Pancasila as the Indonesian way of life, but it was performed by perfectly modern approach.
2) The 5 (five) norms draw by 5 different colored lines and symbolized the Indonesian the Unity Diversity.
3) This logo brand formulated into dynamic figure and colors as the implementation of Indonesian Dynamic which is developing.
4) The types of letters of logo brand is driven from the Indonesian elements which perfectly by modern approach.

http://www.budpar.go.id/page.php?ic=651&id=3147

FEATURE-Malaysia seeks World Heritage listing for historic port

GEORGE TOWN, Malaysia, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The sweet smell of incense from a centuries-old Chinese temple, the perfume of a Hindu shrine decked in flowers and the call to Muslim prayer.

The old Malaysian trading port of George Town makes a powerful assault on the senses, through the peaceful co-existence of Asian races and religions, all crammed together in a streetscape stuck in time.

While the world resounds with religious discord, multi-racial Malaysia is pushing for George Town on the island of Penang to be recognised internationally as a historical oasis of religious and social harmony, worthy of becoming a World Heritage site.

"Penang is so unique -- a multicultural trading town, a melting pot of all the great religions, townscapes of unique architecture," Laurence Loh, a conservation architect working on the World Heritage submission.

"There's nowhere else in the world like it. There is only one Penang in the world. It's all that we really are, that's the whole selling point of Penang."

The government-backed submission also calls for Malaysia's other multi-cultural gem, the old Portuguese and Dutch port town of Malacca to the south, to be inscribed on the World Heritage register, but George Town is the much larger historical precinct.

The island of Penang, off the northwest coast of peninsular Malaysia, was a stop for traders as long ago as the 16th century, when Europeans sailed east in search of the spices that grew on islands just beyond the peninsular, in what is now Indonesia.

Penang, named after the Malay word for betel nut, lies at the northern entrance of the Malacca strait, then as now the main sea channel linking east and west Asia. The British took possession of it in 1786 and established George Town as a trading centre.

The British erected some fine colonial buildings, including a Georgian fort and elegant Victorian church, but the real attractions are the jam of gilded Chinese temples, bleached minarets and the epic, sculpted facades of Indian shrines.

"THE REAL THING"

"Penang is authentic, the real thing," said Ahmad Chik, a council member of the Penang Heritage Trust, whose offices are located in a restored Chinese shophouse from the 1860s.

"You can't very well just create a 16th century town steeped in history. While Penang can't compete with Bali or Phuket on beaches, on a heritage basis we are clearly ahead of the rest, a class of our own."

If successful, World Heritage status would put Penang and Malacca in the same category as the Great Wall of China and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which are also World Heritage sites.

But there are concerns that Malaysia is not taking enough care of these two treasures to warrant their inclusion.

"Heritage conservation is still a marginal activity that is not seen as central to Malaysia's core values," said architect Loh, also the deputy president of the Heritage of Malaysia Trust.

"It should change because this is what we really are."

In the old quarter of George Town and also in Malacca, the old shophouses are literally crumbling, their brickwork riddled with damp. Without the meagre maintenance that comes with human occupation, many of them might have collapsed long ago.

One award-winning restoration, carried out by Loh on a magnificent old Chinese mansion, gives a vivid glimpse of the wealth and colour of George Town in the late 19th century -- and is also an example of how it can regain some of its former glory.

A TURNING POINT?

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, restored in 1999 with its facade painted in its original colour of dazzling indigo-blue, is now a boutique hotel but it remains a rare example of restoration.

UNESCO, the U.N. organisation that supervises the World Heritage list of culturally important sites, told Reuters that few such historic properties could be considered "intact" but it was important that governments be committed to preserving them.

"This is why the committee wants nomination requests to feature a detailed management plan for the properties that are up for inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage list," Kishore Rao, deputy director of UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, explained in an email.

Malaysia's government has been criticised generally for failing to preserve its heritage, particularly old buildings relating to its colonial era or to its minority ethnic Chinese community which has played a large part in commercial life.

But the government, dominated by the party of the majority ethnic Malays, is backing the World Heritage submission for George Town and Malacca, and conservationists hope that it marks a turning point for the country's two main heritage attractions.

"Other sites show that tourism increases by between 10 and 30 percent within a year of being inscribed as a World Heritage site," Loh said. "All stakeholders will benefit and the government should see heritage as equally valuable to its other efforts."

Libya opens door to tourists but obstacles remain in the former pariah country
10 October 2007

CYRENE, Libya (AP) - From thousands of miles (kilometers) of pristine Mediterranean coastline, to sweeping desert sand dunes and ancient ruins that rival Greece and Italy, Libya has a lot to offer travelers looking for a rare off-the-beaten path destination -- but obstacles remain.

U.N. sanctions kept tourists from visiting this North African country for more than a decade. Now the former pariah state best known for its eccentric leader, Moammar Gadhafi, is slowly opening its doors as it tries to shed its rogue state status.

A new airport is in the works for the capital of Tripoli. The national airline, Afriqiyah Airways, is buying new Airbus planes, and in September, one of Gadhafi's sons announced a sweeping plan to promote ecotourism in the pine and olive-tree filled Green Mountains in northeastern Libya, saying it was time for the oil-dominated country to diversify its economy.

"Libya used to be just oil, but now we have another way for the future -- tourism. And Libya is still virgin," said Ibris Saleh Abdussalam, a Libyan tour guide.

Despite the plans and promises, however, tourists seeking a convenience-filled, luxury vacation should beware -- Libya's tourism industry is still far behind its Mediterranean neighbors. ATMs are scarce and often unreliable, the decor of many hotels is straight out of the 1970s.

And forget about having a glass a wine with dinner: Alcohol is forbidden in Libya, even in Tripoli's high-end Corinthia Bab Africa hotel.

"Libya has tremendous potential. ... But Libya is still in its infancy and needs to develop infrastructure and facilities," said Amr Abdel-Ghaffar, of the U.N. World Tourism Organization in Madrid.

Once the United States' sworn enemy, Libya is embarking on a political and economic U-turn that includes boosting its tourism industry.

The change of heart began in 2003, when U.N. sanctions were abruptly lifted after 11 years when Gadhafi announced he was dismantling his nuclear weapons program and took responsibility for the 1988 bombing of a Pam Am plane over Lockerbie, Scotland. Last year, the State Department removed Libya from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and reopened its embassy for the first time since 1979, when a mob attacked and set fire to the mission.

But obstacles -- including government red-tape -- remain in this country where Gadhafi has ruled with an iron fist for more than three decades and outsiders have traditionally not been welcome.

Proof that Libya has a long way to go is in the numbers. According to the U.N. tourism agency, less than 1 percent of Libya's GDP came from tourism with only 149,000 tourists visiting in 2004, the last year the country provided statistics. Compare that to neighboring Egypt, which hosted about 9 million tourists last year.

"Libya is into the hundreds of thousands of tourists versus millions in Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt," said Rajeev Singh-Molares, a director at the Cambridge, Mass.-based consulting firm Monitor Group, who helped write a report on Libya's economy in 2006.

Just getting inside Libya may be the most difficult part of the journey -- especially if you're American.

U.S. passport holders can't apply for a tourist visa in the U.S. and must send their application to a Libyan embassy elsewhere like Canada. The visas take months to process and usually require a letter of invitation from a tour operator in Libya. Even if all the paperwork is completed months ahead of time, the visa rules are subject to change without notice and U.S. citizens are often "blocked without warning," the State Department warns.

Libya also won't issue a visa to anyone whose passport bears a stamp showing travel to Israel.

Kenneth Jackson, a customer service agent with the U.S.-based Zierer Visa Service, said most of the Americans who apply for Libyan tourist visas through his company are traveling on Mediterranean cruises. Though a majority who apply, receive a visa, many Americans chose to stay onboard the ship when it docks in Tripoli rather than deal with the visa hassle, he said.

Visa regulations are less strict for Europeans, but like Americans, they are usually required to travel as part of a group with a government-approved agency.

"The biggest problem is Libyan bureaucracy. ... And they're erratic, suddenly deciding they aren't going to admit Americans just as a cruise ship with Americans on board is about to arrive is not a good way to develop tourism," Tony Wheeler, a co-founder of Lonely Planet travel guidebooks, said via e-mail from Australia. Lonely Planet issued its first book solely dedicated to Libya in 2002, and a second edition was released a few months ago.

Once inside, Libyans are welcoming, often giving curious looks and friendly "hellos" to Westerners. And the sites -- both natural and man-made -- are spectacular.

On the northwestern coast, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Tripoli, is Leptis Magna, among the most significant cities of the Roman Empire and one of five UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Libya. The well-preserved ancient limestone city features towering columns and arches, temples, a theater and bathhouses.

One the opposite side of the country -- the northeastern coast -- sits Cyrene, an ancient Greek city founded in 631 B.C. Vast ruins including temples, forums and theaters sit on cliffs here overlooking the virtually untouched Mediterranean coast.

Then there is the great Sahara Desert, which covers more than 90 percent of the country. Among its many features is the small oasis city of Ghadames, which was one of the most notable stops on the ancient Sahara trade routes. Farther south is the mountain range of Jebel Acacus, home to the indigenous Tuareg people and prehistoric rock art that dates back 12,000 years.

Tourist Gerd Juetting, who in September traveled to Libya with about a dozen others as part of a German tour group, believes the time is now to see Libya -- despite the hassles and lack of infrastructure.

"People would ask us, 'Why Libya?'" said Juetting as he looked at ancient marble statues of Greek gods at a small museum in Cyrene.

"But the only way to see Roman and Greek settlements from back then is to come. ... We now hope we can go back home and tell people about this."

--------

If You Go...

LIBYA: UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in Libya: http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ly .

GUIDEBOOK: Lonely Planet's "Libya" by Anthony Ham (July, $25.99;euro19); http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/africa/libya/ . Ham's six must-sees in Libya:

-- The Roman ruins of Leptis Magna, northwestern Libya: Ham calls these well-preserved limestone ruins "simply the finest and most extravagant Roman city in the southern Mediterranean."

--The ancient Greek city of Cyrene, northeastern Libya: Vast ruins that date back more than 2,500 years in the Green Mountains, many on cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

--The Sahara Desert town of Ghadames, western Libya: Ham calls this the "most extraordinary and extensive oasis town left in the Sahara" because of its labyrinth of covered lanes and traditional architecture.

-- The Sahara Desert's Ubari Lakes, in west-central Libya: Palm-fringed lakes hidden amid the desert's dunes in a sand sea the size of Switzerland.

-- Jebel Acacus, southwestern Libya: A mountain range that features prehistoric rock paintings and carvings.

-- The Libyan capital of Tripoli: Ham describes the city of 1.7 million as one "North Africa's most agreeable cities with a world-class museum, marvelous medina and cosmopolitan air."

Tibet receives record number of visitors

BEIJING, Oct 19 (Reuters) - More then 3.2 million people have visited Tibet so far this year, breaking all records and doubling tourist spending in the Himalayan region, thanks to a new railway and airport, state media reported on Friday.

The tourists spent 3.89 billion yuan ($518 million), an increase of 90.1 percent from on the same period last year.

"Since the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and promotion efforts, the tourism industry has boomed," Xinhua news agency said. The railway opened in July 2006.

Most the tourists were domestic but 325,870 came from overseas -- a rise of 155.4 percent.

Tibet, which now has three airports, noted a one-fifth rise in flights over the summer.

China, which expects the number of tourists visiting Tibet to reach 6 million in 2010, is building a fourth airport in Ngari in the west, which will be the world's highest.

Tibetan activists have warned that tourism and migration by Han Chinese could swamp Buddhist Tibet's distinctive culture, as an increasing numbers of Chinese set up business.

Maintaining social stability is a key concern for the ruling Communist Party, particularly in ethnic minority regions such as Tibet, from where its spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled in 1959 after a failed uprising.

The Dalai Lama received the the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal this week, infuriating China.

Don't go near the baobab at Nigerian heritage site
Mon Oct 22, 12:33 AM ET

SUKUR, Nigeria (Reuters) - Visitors to Sukur are warned not to approach a certain ancient baobab tree because, villagers say, it turns people into hermaphrodites.

It is an atmospheric introduction to this Nigerian World Heritage Site for the trickle of outsiders who come, but villagers who trek up and down from the remote hillside community are ready for an injection of modernity.

A road would be a start.

As the outside world starts to take a greater interest in the hilltop outpost, which earned its World Heritage label from UNESCO in 1999, the people there would also like to see more of the outside world.

"Can you take me to your place?" asked Hadanina Ajesko, 29, joking with a foreign visitor as she bent over to harvest groundnuts from a terraced field, her baby strapped to her back.

A wide gash in the hillside is still visible from where the village men started digging a road before the government of Adamawa state, where Sukur is located, told them to stop.

So the farms and stone dwellings perched in lush mountains near the northeastern border with Cameroon are accessible only by a steep footpath, paved centuries ago with slabs of local granite.

"I have never been further than Madagali," said Ajesko through a translator, referring to a tiny market town about 15 km (9 miles) away where the women of Sukur sell their produce.

PAST THE BAOBAB TREE

Farmers still terrace the steep slopes to grow millet, groundnuts or beans. Blacksmiths make farming tools in traditional forges powered by manual bellows, high in the hills rich in iron ore.

The Hidi, or king, can resolve disputes and take decisions that affect the whole community, while in his spiritual role he presides over the cult of the ancestors and religious festivals.

His palace is a compound of stone huts with roofs made of woven mats, protected by an ancient circular dry-stone wall. Every corner has a specific function in the annual cycle of festivals celebrating farming, cattle and the ancestors.

Villagers say two giants built the palace in a single night before vanishing.

What makes Sukur special is that its tradition of terracing is for ritual as well as farming purposes, experts say. The terraces incorporate graves and shrines whose layout is strictly codified according to the community's religion and social order.

The footpath winds its way up to the Hidi's palace through fertile terraces, burial grounds and stone gates marking the boundaries of the kingdom, past the perilous baobab tree and its enticing dark green fruit.

While the committee report that recommended Sukur be given World Heritage status hailed its "unusual symbiotic interaction between nature and culture, the dead and the living, the past and the present," the villagers who daily lug heavy loads of water or produce from their farms have had enough.

"Anything we need from outside, we have to carry up the path on our heads, even bags of cement if we want to build something new," said Ezra Ke Bako, 26, a member of the Hidi's family.

Ke Bako returned to Sukur to teach after studying English in a faraway city, but he said more and more young men were leaving for good, moving to Lagos in search of an easier life.

"When someone gets sick, especially a pregnant woman, it's very dangerous because there is no doctor here and we have to carry them down. We make stretchers from branches," he said.

BUILDING A ROAD

The men of Sukur pooled resources and effort last year to start building a road. Villagers said the state government had not explained its decision to halt construction.

A spokesman for the state blamed the previous administration and said the new government was planning to build a road, but he could not say when.

So tourism infrastructure remains limited. A few rusty metal signposts mark the way up the path and around the Hidi's palace, and at the foot of the hill are five simple guest huts, locked up except when visitors come.

The guest book contains about 30 signatures so far this year. Hardly any foreign tourists make it to Nigeria because of its reputation for crime, few Nigerians have heard of Sukur and little practical information is available for those who have.

For Sukur, even that small number of visitors is a break with a past of near-total isolation.

"The main difference to our lives since Sukur became a World Heritage Site is that we see so many tourists now," said the Hidi, 76-year-old Gezik Kanakakaw, who greets all visitors in the shade of a huge tree just outside his palace.

The Hidi said he welcomed the newcomers, just as he would welcome other gifts from the world outside -- a road of course, but also a clinic, and maybe one day, electricity.

"We are always praying for these things to come," he said.

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.

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.

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.

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

[size=4][b]
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.

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.

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.

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.

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/

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.

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

http://www.euromonitor.com/reportgraphics/Articles/7520b6a4-0ee6-47c3-86fe-1bc657a1e86c.gif

Source: Euromonitor International from national statistics

has the falling dollar increased the tourism in the US any?

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.

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?

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

^^ It will get better soon, Air Asia and Tiger Airways and several local Thai non-frill airlines keep introducing new lines which are comparable to bus fares.

has the falling dollar increased the tourism in the US any?

Yes. I haven't the news articles in front of me, but it appears there are increasing numbers of foreign tourists in the US due to the falling dollar.

Yes. I haven't the news articles in front of me, but it appears there are increasing numbers of foreign tourists in the US due to the falling dollar.

Strong euro? US tourists prefer land of forint and zloty

WASHINGTON, Sept 30, 2007 (AFP) - With the dollar plummeting against the euro, US tourists are altering their travel plans, preferring non-eurozone destinations such as Budapest and Warsaw to Berlin and Paris.

"Reservations for eastern Europe have soared this year because Americans want more for their money," said Mike Pina, spokesman for the American Automobile Association (AAA), one of the largest tour operators and travel agents in the United States.

This summer, bookings made at AAA agencies for eastern European destinations climbed 55 percent, according to a poll.

Bookings for the former Yugoslav republic of Croatia climbed by 69 percent, for Hungary by 76 percent and for Poland by 10 percent.

Slovenia, which adopted the euro at the beginning of the year, saw a 100-percent rise in bookings by US tourists, but the grand prize went to new European Union member Romania, where bookings rose seven-fold.

But Americans have not been entirely dissuaded by the strong euro from visiting Europe.

For the 12 months from August 2006, before the dollar-euro exchange rate began to bite, bookings to Italy and France were both up more than 13 percent.

Reservations to England and Scotland rose by a more modest 2.5 percent and 4.6 percent, compared to the same period a year earlier.

"Americans love Western Europe, and the UK, France and Italy continue to be top destinations," said Sandy Hughes, vice president of AAA Travel.

"But many are choosing to visit countries where the dollar stretches further and the crowds are lighter," she added.

"Places like Poland, Croatia and Hungary appeal to repeat visitors who have already cut their teeth on the classic icons of Western Europe," Hughes said.

"These travelers are looking for wider adventures on the continent and bragging rights as the first among their friends to visit places like Warsaw and Budapest."

Data from the US Department of Trade showed that nearly 6.5 million Americans travelled to Europe in the first six months of the year, a rise of one percent from the same period a year earlier.

But as the euro soared to record heights against the dollar, reservations for "old" Europe countries fell off this summer by 2.4 percent.

Another destination paying the price of an unfavorable exchange rate with the US dollar is Canada, which has seen the number of visiting Americans drop by four percent in the first six months of the year.

Last week, the Canadian and US dollars hit parity for the first time since 1976.

In July, the number of US travelers to Canada fell by 5.2 percent to its second lowest level in 35 years.

Meanwhile, on the plus side the number of European tourists visiting the United States has climbed as the euro has strengthened against the dollar.

But Europeans are still put off by the hoops they sometimes have to go through to get a visa and the stringent security measures in place for travellers to the United States, and numbers have not yet returned to their pre-September 11, 2001 levels.

St. Martin: Winter respite and good food in a tropical setting
14 November 2007

MARIGOT, St. Martin (AP) - It was early on our first morning here as we stepped on to the hotel room terrace to see clear blue, cloudless sky.

The only sounds were ripples of the waters from the Simpson Bay lagoon below and the chirping of the birds. Blackbirds in the palm trees. Tiny goldfinches flitting among the bougainvillea and hibiscus shrubs.

It was only a four-hour-or-so flight from New York area airports, but it was already about 60 F (33 C) warmer than when we left the day before.

When the weather outside is frightful, the Caribbean is oh, sooooo delightful.

There are some 7,000 islands in the Caribbean, arcing south-southeast from below Florida to near the coast of Venezuela. Many are islets and uninhabited reefs, but that still leaves quite a choice.

We have visited some - St. Thomas, Nassau in the Bahamas, Curacao among them and had no complaints with any. All have the allure of bright sun, white sands and signature blue-green waters. But we have settled most assuredly on St. Martin/St. Maarten, coming back some six or seven times.

It is an unusual, if not unique place, as its twin names would indicate. A small, 37-square-mile (96-square-kilometer) island, it is half French-owned, part of the French West Indies, and half Dutch territory, listed among the Netherlands Antilles. But there is no real border; it is much like driving through the Holland Tunnel, where you have to be alert to the sign marking the change between New York and New Jersey.

The legend is that the boundaries were set by a race between a Dutchman and a Frenchman, who would walk in opposite directions around the island, and where they met would determine the border. The Frenchman, the story goes, took with him a flask of wine; the Dutchman carried old Dutch gin. The Frenchman covered more ground and claimed 21 square miles (54 square kilometers); the Dutchman apparently stopped for several gin breaks and ended up with just 16 square miles (41 square kilometers).

No truth to it. But a good story.

The economy of the island, discovered by Columbus in 1493, used to be based on salt production, which created many salt ponds. But all that is gone today and tourism is the main source of income.

The Dutch side is the busier. It has the welcoming airport, Princess Juliana International Airport, recently re-done and opened with a spanking new terminal in November 2006. It is here, too, in the Dutch-side capital of Philipsburg, where the cruise ships dock at a newly constructed harbor and the shops are generally crowded with tourists.

Construction has boomed in the last five or 10 years, with new hotels, condominiums and casinos.

The French side is quieter and it is there that we have found winter respite. Speaking French, or the native Creole dialect, is not necessary here. Euros or dollars. French or English. All are accepted with no loss of friendliness on "The Friendly Island."

Most of the visitors are French, enjoying their country's generous vacation time, much of it in December. But many are Canadians or Americans, escaping, too, from the northern cold.

Dennis Garo, of Brooklyn, N.Y., has come back twice with his girlfriend. They say they like the atmosphere, calm and relaxed.

Michel and Claire Gonthier, French-Canadians from Orleans, outside Ottawa, stayed on the Dutch side last year, but tried the French half this time.

Neil and Cordelia Goldstein, my brother and sister-in-law from Silver Spring, Md., came back again, too, our companions for a second time.

They joined us on that first day, after breakfast on the terrace, at one of the two pools at our hotel, Le Flamboyant, in an area known as Nettle Bay, or Baie Nettle, on the northwestern part of the island.

I watched as some took part in the hotel's organized aqua exercises and read about the typical water sports available in virtually all of the Caribbean resorts: snorkeling, water-skiing, pedal-boating and such. But I tend to follow the basic Caribbean mantra: beach-food-beach. Or pool-food-pool. Or any combination thereof.

We rented a car and, dragged from my pool chaise, drove through the French-side capital of Marigot toward the Atlantic Ocean in the east to Grand Case village for lunch.

And herein lies the attraction that we feel sets St. Martin apart: the food. French cooking in a tropical setting. La vie en rose.

At Le Tastevin, we ate "en bord de la mer," at the edge of the sea.

An Acapulco salad for some lobster with mixed greens, sliced avocado and grilled shrimp. Chicken breast over mixed greens with slices of bleu cheese. Or swordfish or mahi-mahi.

All, of course, with wine. (At other times, beer is more likely, or as the tourist T-shirt quips: Time flies when you're having rum.)

After lunch, to walk it all off, we hiked up Pic Paradis, the highest point on the island at 1,392 feet (424 meters).

That, and an easier walk up to the top of Fort Louis for a view of the Marigot harbor, was the extent of my activity for the five days, but for a game of pingpong at the beach.

Of course, there's much more to do for those who desire "doing." Water activities, typical of the islands, include water skiing (traditional or mechanized), pedal-boating, snorkeling, sailing, fishing.

There's the shopping, of course, de rigueur in all these islands.

And there are more than 30 different beaches to try out.

On our agenda was a 20-minute ferry to Anguilla for a day trip. (Don't forget your passport.) Similar trips are available to St. Barthelemy or Saba.

But we never made it.

Maybe next year.

------

If You Go...

ST. MARTIN: http://www.st-martin.org/ or 646-227-9440. Attractions include Fort Louis and Pic Paradis, the highest point on the island. The euro is the currency of St. Martin and the Netherlands Antilles guilder is the currency of St. Maarten. But U.S. dollars are accepted throughout the island.

LE FLAMBOYANT: Nettle Bay; http://www.le-flamboyant.com or 011-590-590-87-6000. Depending on season and accommodations, nightly rates advertised online range from US$138 (euro95) for a room before Dec. 21 to US$1,070 (euro734) for a two-level suite for four adults during the Christmas holidays including breakfast.

LE TASTEVIN: 86 Boulevard de Grand Case, Grand Case; http://www.grandcase.com/ or 011-590-590-87-5545. Entrees in the range of US$30(euro21)-US$35(euro24).

Alaska tourist numbers rise in 2007
13 November 2007

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The number of visitors to Alaska grew steadily in the summer of 2007, bringing $1.8 billion to the state, according to travel industry figures.

The tourist season brought about 1.7 million visitors, up from 1.6 million in 2006, the Alaska Travel Industry Association said.

Nearly 1 million cruise ship passengers disembarked at Juneau for an increase of about 4 percent over the summer of 2006. About 44,000 visitors arrived in Juneau by ferry, a 13 percent jump over the 39,000 in 2006, according to the Juneau Convention and Visitors Bureau. About 74,000 visitors came by plane, an increase of 4 percent over 2006.

Cruise passengers spent $186 million for tours, attractions, food, shopping and other services in town, according to estimates by the visitors.

Summer business was good for Blue Bergmann, owner of the Alaskan Fudge Co. on Franklin Street.

"This is a tourist business. (Although we stay open in the winter), we make our money in the summer," Bergmann said.

Cori Tocco, manager at The Jewel Box, however, said the store did not have as good a summer as 2006.

"The passenger count is up but the money isn't," Tocco said. "It's a totally different demographic than it used to be. Some people just save everything they can to get here. And they pay for a lot of stuff on board now when they didn't used to have to."

The majority of Alaska visitors came on cruise ships, but the number of tourists coming by car and plane also is growing. About 1 million Alaska visitors came by cruise, 600,000 came by air travel and 100,000 came by car.

"Slow but steady growth among cruise and independent travelers is positive news for Juneau's economic future," said Lorene Palmer, president of the Juneau Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The total number of cruise ship passengers visiting Alaska has quadrupled since 1990, when 235,000 people visited by cruise ships. The number of independent travelers has grown only 48 percent since 1990, when there were 455,000, compared to 673,000 in 2006.

Calendar of Event Visit Indonesia Year 2008
http://www.my-indonesia.info/imgdata/_cache/_m763_-categ701im1-img4000_calendarheader.jpg

There will be more than 100 calendar of events throughout 33 provinces in Indonesia from January - December 2008 that will enhance and enrich your travel experience. Enjoy the beauty and magic of our natural and cultural appeals. Welcome to Indonesia, the endless beauty of diversity.

Click here : Calendar of Events (http://www.my-indonesia.info/page.php?ic=701&month=1&year=2008)

Download PDF File : Calendar of Events (http://www.my-indonesia.info/filedata/3133_869-CAL08VIY201107.pdf)

The TV Ad for Visit Indonesia Year 2008
-RVO4Wvt_Xk
I saw it twice on Star World yesterday at around 7 :D:D

On war-divided Cyprus, No Man's Land becomes a wildlife sanctuary
16 November 2007

VARISEIA, Cyprus (AP) - No one has lived in this hillside village for 33 years. Nestled in the no man's land dividing Cyprus between its Greek Cypriot south and Turkish Cypriot north, it has been abandoned to the elements and its stone walls are crumbling.

But the village and its surrounding areas are teeming with life: Once-endangered animals have moved into the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone, turning it into an unexpected wildlife sanctuary.

The transformation has sparked a comeback of the island's national symbol, a wild sheep called the Cypriot mouflon.

Wildlife experts from rival Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot communities discovered the wildlife surge during joint expeditions into the demilitarized area -- the first scientific attempt to assess the flora and fauna of the buffer zone.

On Thursday, they visited Variseia to observe the people-shy mouflon and adjust infrared cameras and other sensors used to track elusive animals.

"There are plants and animals which were thought extinct on the island -- or at least on the verge of extinction -- and which are actually still doing all right in the buffer zone," said Nicolas Jarraud, an environmental officer at the United Nations Development Programme who played a key role in the project.

There are up to 3,000 mouflon in the buffer zone, he said. The animal remains listed as endangered by the World Conservation Union after coming close to extinction a decade ago; the number rose to about 800 in the late 1990s through breeding programs.

"The main reason it survived so well is because of the buffer zone ... It's a symbol of Cyprus. If they lose the mouflon they lose their national animal."

Birds, foxes, snakes and other threatened wildlife -- under pressure from rampant tourism development and overhunting -- take refuge along the 180-kilometer (112-mile) strip of no man's land.

The buffer zone is strewn with minefields, patrolled by U.N. peacekeepers and heavily guarded on either side by rival troops. Peacekeepers from Argentina in well-marked vehicles accompanied the scientists throughout Thursday's nine-hour outing.

"We are very careful when we come here at night, because we don't want to get shot ... We don't go near the (military) checkpoints," said Salih Gucel, a Turkish Cypriot who heads the 14-member team of scientists.

He said the scientists from the rival ethnic groups are working well together.

"It's going very well with our Greek colleagues. We are all scientists and are all very curious .... Everyone is very interested in this project so we don't have problems," he said.

The buffer zone was created in 1974, after Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third of Cyprus following a failed coup by supporters of uniting the island with Greece.

Winding across Cyprus and splitting the capital, Nicosia, in half, the buffer zone covers nearly three percent of the island's land, and reaches a width of up to seven kilometers (4.5 miles).

The scientists' monthly trips into the buffer zone started in July in a yearlong nature project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID.

Gucel's team is armed with high-tech gadgets to make the most of the rare access. Their kit includes bat detectors, infrared-activated cameras, motion censors, telescopes and light traps used to observe small mammals.

The team has also been surprised by some observations, said the UNDP's Jarraud.

Stray dogs, descended from domestic animals abandoned during the war, have adopted wolf-like behavior and roam in packs.

"They have filled the niche of top predator," Jarraud said. "They are all bastardized. Some look like a cross between a poodle and a terrier but they are completely wild and they do not approach you unless they are angry."

One sad discovery was that parts of the buffer zone have been used by rogue hunters.

Jarraud did not want to speculate on what would happen to the protected animals if Cyprus is reunited.

"These things have to be analyzed before a conflict is resolved, so the data is available," he said. "It's a delicate issue because the entire buffer zone belongs to someone -- most of the buffer zone is Greek Cypriot land. We can only make recommendations, but it's for the people (here) to decide."

--------

Derek Gatopoulos reported from Nicosia, Cyprus and Athens, Greece; Petros Karadjias reported from Variseia, Cyprus.

Kathmandu-Lhasa bus service to resume in January

KATHMANDU, Nov 23 (Reuters) - A direct public bus service linking the Nepali capital Kathmandu and Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, will resume in January next year in a move aimed at boosting tourism, officials said on Friday.

Nepal and its giant communist neighbour China started the bus service in 2005 but the journey on the 873-km (545-mile) route across the Himalayas was suspended owing to problems and delays faced by passengers in getting a Chinese visa.

"This time the Chinese authorities have assured us that they will expedite the visa process and clear applications as early as possible," Khagendra Mani Pokharel, director general in Nepal's Transport Management Department, said after negotiations with the Tibetan officials.

The first bus will leave Kathmandu to Lhasa on Jan. 1 next year.

After that a Nepali and a Tibetan bus will leave Kathmandu and Lhasa on every Friday. The journey will cost $70 per passenger, he said.

"We hope the service will boost our tourism and we can develop Kathmandu as a major transit point for Tibet," he said.

China has also assured Nepal that it will ease visa formalities for foreign tourists travelling in groups but the Chinese visa for visitors wanting to travel alone will be difficult, Pokharel said.

Every year thousands of Western trekkers visit scenic Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest.

1997 Deaths Changed Egyptian Tourism
16 November 2007

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - The attack a decade ago was stunning, and is still recalled with horror: Islamic militants with knives and automatic weapons killed 58 foreign tourists -- mainly Germans, Swiss and Japanese -- at one of Egypt's most popular pharaonic temples. Some of the bodies were mutilated.

The Nov. 17, 1997, massacre at Hatshepsut temple in Luxor turned out to be the last gasp in the wave of Islamic militant violence that struck Egypt in the 1990s.

The 10th anniversary of the attack highlights the changes in Egypt since then -- both in tourism and terrorism.

Over the years, the jailed leaders of the once-robust Islamic rebellion have called for an end to the violence after Egyptian security forces crushed the two main militant groups of the 1990s, Islamic Jihad and the Gamaa Islamiya.

Sayed Imam, a jailed ideologue of radical Islam, on Sunday is publishing "Revisions," a book in which he recants his past calls for the forceful overthrow of Arab governments seen as infidels.

The Nile Valley, once the heartland of violence, has not seen a major attack since the Hatshepsut slayings. But the nature of terrorism has now shifted: Since 2004, Egypt saw a string of deadly bombings on Red Sea beach resorts in the Sinai Peninsula that killed 121 people, including many tourists.

Egypt says those attacks were allegedly carried out by Sinai Bedouin radicalized by Palestinian militants. But Israeli and some Western analysts have warned that al-Qaida sympathizers may have had a role, raising worries of international terrorism in the country.

But between 1997 and the Sinai attacks, Egypt's vital tourism industry has changed as well, becoming more varied and resilient. The Hatshepsut massacre sparked a rethinking of Egypt's tourism strategy, pushing authorities to promote Red Sea resorts, far from the Nile Valley temples. Now tourists spend more time at beaches, with day trips to the pharaonic sites.

At the same time, tourists from around the world have become less frightened of terrorism after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the U.S. Within weeks of each attack in the Sinai, tourists returned to the resorts, which are now doing as good a business as ever. In 2006, Egypt earned $8.7 million from tourism and is hoping to reach $14 billion by 2011.

The quick rebound is a stark contrast to the fate of Luxor, where tourism took years to fully recover from the Hatshepsut bloodshed.

Mostafa Wazery, the director of Luxor's Valley of the Kings, remembers that day well. He was across the Nile working at the Karnak temple when the news came.

"It was a big disaster, especially for the Egyptians living in the Luxor. They were running to the hospital to donate their blood," he recalled. "They felt that one of their own family members had died."

The militants slipped in among the tourists at the temple in the Valley of the Queens and opened fire, chasing some of their victims and mutilating bodies before fleeing into the nearby mountains, where they were later killed by police.

"It took three years for it (tourism) to wake up," said Mohammed Soliman, who with his father, has run the Amon Hotel for 17 years. The small guest house on Luxor's west bank is just minutes from the massacre site.

Even before the killings, the main militant groups were reeling from a harsh government crackdown. In July 1997, jailed leaders of the Gamaa Islamiya declared their willingness for a truce. "That was the real turning point," said Diaa Rashwan, an Egyptian expert on Islamic movements.

The Luxor attack was claimed by Gamaa Islamiya, apparently a splinter faction of the group trying to continue its attacks. But in the years since, Gamaa leaders issued calls on their followers to end their campaign.

Now comes the new book by Imam, of the Islamic Jihad group. His "Essential Guide for Preparation," which sought to justify armed struggle against "infidel" governments, was required reading for the mujahedeen of Afghanistan in the 1980s and was influential among the current leaders of al-Qaida. Imam was arrested in Yemen in 2001 and extradited to Egypt in 2004.

Egypt is hoping his "Revisions" will diminish support for militancy. But al-Qaida leaders have dismissed similar recantations as being forced on imprisoned militants.

Yasser el-Sirri, an Egyptian fundamentalist living in exile in London, said radicals in Egypt have only gone underground, shifting from organized groups to more fragmented ones.

"Egypt might be witnessing a period of calm, but it's just temporary," said el-Sirri, who faces two death sentences in Egypt for alleged involvement in militant groups.

Lol, but $ 70 one-way is quite costly for a 850 km trip from Kathmandu to Lhasa ..

How long it takes ? 20 hrs ?

Lol, but $ 70 one-way is quite costly for a 850 km trip from Kathmandu to Lhasa ..

How long it takes ? 20 hrs ?The mountain scenery may be well worth it.

Railway linking Tibet with rest of China brings flocks of tourists to Buddhist holy sites
28 November 2007

LHASA, China (AP) - Three crimson-robed monks chant quietly as they file through the ancient palace, pausing every now and then to pray in the candlelit rooms filled with Buddhist statues and religious murals.

At the Potala Palace, the mountaintop Tibetan landmark where the Dalai Lama lived until he fled to India in 1959 to escape Chinese control, they are in the minority.

A year-old rail line linking Lhasa, capital of the remote Himalayan region of Tibet, with the rest of China has brought a deluge of Chinese tourists. Once quiet, holy sites are now filled with sightseers, many of them trailing behind guides loudly explaining their cultural significance.

"In the past, this was a very comfortable place to come for Buddhists. You could see a lot of lamas and Tibetans in this place and it made you feel like this was a place for your faith," monk Renzin Gyaltso said as he strolled down a stone path at the Potala Palace.

Tibet's Buddhist culture, often besieged in the past half-century of Chinese rule by religious restrictions and communist political movements, is facing a new threat: mass tourism.

Pilgrimages to sacred sites are an integral part of Tibetan Buddhism. Renzin Gyaltso, 29, has visited the sprawling Potala Palace 14 times since joining a monastery as a small boy.

"Now I feel sad when I come here because I cannot see any good people, I can't see any people wearing lama robes. You can't see anything special, they all look the same," he said of the tourists, dressed in fleece jackets and sneakers.

The Dalai Lama has warned that Tibet's religion and culture are imperiled as he travels the world meeting heads of state and drawing harsh rebukes from China.

"Every year, the Chinese population inside Tibet is increasing at an alarming rate. And if we are to judge by the example of the population of Lhasa, there is a real danger that the Tibetans will be reduced to an insignificant minority in their own homeland," he said when accepting the U.S. Congress' highest civilian honor in October.

Few government plans have succeeded in bringing Chinese to Tibet like the "Sky Train," which has become a popular alternative to expensive flights or long, bone-crunching bus rides.

Beijing wanted to build a railway to Tibet for decades but was put off by engineering challenges. The project launched in earnest in 2001 and the train began running in July 2006, on a specially designed track to protect the delicate permafrost that lies under much of the last third of the rail line.

According to government statistics, 3.2 million tourists visited Tibet in the first nine month of this year, an increase of 67 percent over the same period in 2006. The figure -- 2.9 million Chinese tourists and 326,000 from overseas -- is 710,000 more than the total number of visitors for all of 2006.

"There's been a dramatic increase in tourism generally since the opening of the railway," said Kate Saunders of the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet. "It's been particularly acute at the major sacred sites ... the sites that are most important to Tibetan heritage."

In addition to the 7th century Potala Palace, tourists in Lhasa pack the Jokhang Temple Monastery, the most sacred of Tibet's temples, and Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama's former summer palace.

Colorfully dressed pilgrims prostrate themselves over and over in the square outside the Jokhang Temple, which is crowded with a gumbo of Tibetan herders, Buddhist monks and wide-eyed tourists. Vendors at cluttered stalls hawk handmade jewelry, prayer flags and Buddha statues carved out of orange-tinged yak bone.

Inside the temple, mostly Chinese tourists crowd a large hall filled with rare religious statues, including a life-sized representation of Buddha Sakyamuni as a 12-year-old. At least three different tour guides are shepherding their groups through the room, lit by bare bulbs, as temple workers keep watch.

"As a Tibetan monk I feel especially happy to see that so many people are so interested in Tibetan culture, the splendid culture," said Ngawang Choedra, director of the temple's management committee.

But "it is a contradiction," he said, "on one hand to protect the cultural relics and on the other hand to let (tourists) visit Jokhang Temple in an orderly fashion."

The number of visitors has doubled or tripled in the year since the railway opened, he said. The temple now gets about 2,500 visitors per day, in addition to the five or six thousand pilgrims who come to pray.

To handle the crush, the temple administration has drafted a plan to cap the number of tourists per day. The admission fee, which used to be as little as 20 cents (3 U.S. cents;2 euro cents), has climbed to 70 yuan, more than US$9 (euro6).

At the Potala Palace, the number of visitors per day is limited to 2,300, said the director of the management committee, Champa Kesang.

"The limitation is to better protect the structure, the architecture of the Potala Palace. The palace was built on the Red Mountain ... of wood and earth," he said.

Most of the tickets -- 1,600 -- are allocated to tour groups. Others who want to see the palace must arrive early to get one of the remaining 700, and the line begins to form more than nine hours before the ticket office opens.

The rush of tourists, most of them Chinese, is a sensitive issue.

Since communist troops took over Tibet in 1951, ordinary Tibetans have often felt under attack. To exert control, Beijing destroyed monasteries and at one point banned religion.

In recent years, Beijing has focused on spurring economic development to tie Tibet more closely to China. That effort has drawn criticism from some Tibetans and their supporters abroad, who claim that Tibet's rich spiritual culture is being diluted.

Many visitors are awed by Tibetan culture, saying it's "more holy" than the rest of China.

"When you go to the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple, there are a lot more pilgrims praying and that type of thing, whereas when to went to the temples in China, it was a lot more obvious it was just a tourist attraction," said Carmen Elmasry, of Toronto.

Renzin Gyaltso, the monk visiting the Potala Palace, said Tibetan culture needed to be protected, but did not seem to be worried about it ever being wiped out.

"Our culture is Buddhism. Tibetans are all loyal to Buddhism. There is nothing else. It will never be broken, it will always be here," he said.

------

If You Go...

ETHICAL ISSUES: The International Campaign for Tibet discusses ethical issues related to Tibetan travel at http://www.savetibet.org/tibet/travel/index.php .

DOCUMENTATION: Foreigners must obtain a visa to visit China as well as an additional permit for visiting Tibet. A number of travel agencies outside China offer packaged tours that include train tickets and the necessary permits. Web sites with information include http://www.lonelyplanet.com/journeys/feature/ts2/article/tibetfa --07 07 and http://en.tibettour.com.cn/ . The China National Tourist Office - http://www.cnto.org - can help locate a tour operator to arrange the trip.

TRAIN TO TIBET: The Beijing-Lhasa trip takes about 48 hours. One-way tickets range from about US$50 (euro34) for a seat to US$170 (euro115) for a bunk in a four-bed cabin. Tickets can be harder to obtain heading into Lhasa than leaving Lhasa, especially in peak summer season; as a result, some travelers fly to Lhasa and take the train back.

TIPS:

-Lhasa is located at about 12,000 feet (3,658 meters), or more than two miles (three kilometers) above sea level. Altitude sickness is common among visitors. Some hotels sell oxygen and have doctors on call. Tourists are advised to bring extra water and high energy snacks, along with basic medications for headache, diarrhea and minor ailments.

-The disk drives of some laptop computers and other portable electronic devices may crash at high altitudes and data could be lost.

Hotel deficit plagues EU newcomer Poland

WARSAW, Nov 29, 2007 (AFP) - Booming European Union newcomer Poland has the fewest hotels per capita in the entire 27-member bloc, according to an expert report published in the Polish capital Warsaw Thursday.

Poland has just 44 hotel beds per 10,000 residents, while Austria boasts 695, Greece has 615 and Spain, 364, according to the '2007 Hotel Market' report by Poland's Institute of Tourism.

While the overall number of hotel beds in 38-million strong Poland is on the rise, it pales in comparison to Italy, with a population of 56.7 million, leading the statistics with a whopping two million hotel beds.

The report predicts rapid investment growth in Poland's fledgling hotel sector, with forecasts calling for outlays to total 1.3 billion euros by 2012, when Poland is set to co-host the European football championships with Ukraine.

This could translate into 32,000 new hotel beds across the country.

According to the Institute's calculations, the number of visitors to Poland will exceed 15.7 million this year and 20 million in 2012.

Vietnam welcomes year's 4 millionth foreign tourist

HANOI, Dec 6, 2007 (AFP) - Vietnam on Thursday greeted its four-millionth visitor of the year, celebrating a milestone for the tourism sector as it is seeking to position itself as a leading Southeast Asian travel destination.

US citizen Michael Davis Magidson was surprised to be greeted with flowers by women wearing traditional au dai dresses and conical hats as he stepped off a Vietnam Airlines flight at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport.

"We look forward to seeing your beautiful country," said Magidson at a ceremony to mark his arrival on flight VN 830 from Bangkok, which meant the sector had achieved its annual target several weeks ahead of time.

Vietnam, mainly a backpackers' destination in the 1990s, is now ramping up its airline capacity and building a string of new hotels and resorts as it seeks to catch up as a mainstream destination with countries such as Thailand.

The number of international arrivals is forecast to reach 4.3 million in 2007, or 700,000 more visitors than last year, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), which organised the welcome.

Visitors from neighbouring China made up the largest group, with 515,000 arrivals in 11 months, followed by arrivals from South Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, France, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore.

With this year's rise in international arrivals, the tourism industry expects earnings to increase to 3.5 billion dollars from last year's 2.85 billion dollars, the state-run Vietnam News Agency said.

Vietnam had just 250,000 international visitors in 1990 but aims to attract six million foreign visitors a year by 2010 and earn 4.5 billion dollars from the tourism sector, said VNAT vice chairman Nguyen Manh Cuong.

Tourism, although still facing a shortage of high-end hotel rooms, is among Vietnam's top five industries and sustains 230,000 direct and 600,000 indirect jobs, a Hanoi business conference was told this week.

Europe opens its borders to central Europe

BRUSSELS, Dec 8, 2007 (AFP) - Europe brings down the last remnants of the Iron Curtain on December 21 when it opens land and sea borders into central Europe and expands its passport-free zone to 24 nations.

Travellers, commuting workers, freight trucks and cargo ships will be able to move more freely from Tallinn, Estonia in the Baltics down to Lisbon, Portugal in the west and as far into the Mediterranean as the Greek islands.

By March, passport checks will also be abolished at airports in nine new nations linking them to the 15 currently signed up to the Schengen Treaty, named after the Luxembourg border village where the pact was born in 1985.

"It's the end of a process that began with the fall of the Berlin Wall 18 years ago," German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on December 6, after he and his EU counterparts had given the expansion final approval.

To mark the occasion, seen in Brussels as an early Christmas present to citizens in the nine countries at a peak travel time, European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini will travel to border points to take part in ceremonies as the barriers come down.

The first will be held in Zitau, the German town which lies at the Polish and Czech Republic border. Later, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen will steam into Tallinn harbour on a ferry, minus the usual travel formalities.

On December 22, events will also be held at the borders of Hungary and Austria and Italy's frontier with Slovenia.

In all, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia will enter the zone, joining the oldest European Union countries, bar Britain and Ireland, plus Iceland and Norway.

Cyprus hopes to sign up soon, as does Switzerland, while London and Dublin prefer to remain outside and keep their own visa regimes, rather than the one visa for all Schengen countries policy.

To compensate for easing restrictions, member nations have to provide security data to the Schengen Information System (SIS) so police and customs officers can access information about people, vehicles or goods.

For the benefit of the Schengen newcomers, a high-performance version, SIS II, has been developed to take on biometric data like fingerprints.

However delays with the system -- caused by legal, contractual and technical problems -- were threatening to push the whole process back until 2009, although December 2008 is now being tipped as a possible starting date.

Any further delays would be tough on the former Soviet satellites, which have made a political and economic priority of opening borders and have already been stung by the reluctance of older EU states to free up labour markets.

For now, a temporary extension has been made to the original version.

Police and judicial cooperation has also been strengthened with the introduction of new rights allowing cross-border surveillance or the "hot pursuit" of suspects over frontiers.

All the controls can be re-established temporarily in case of emergency, for security reasons, or in times of great movement of people such as sporting events.

Yet despite the advantages promoted by EU officials, such as boosting tourism and fostering economic and cultural dynamism, the whole process is not without its problems.

Slovenia, for example, will find its borders open to Italy and Austria but its responsibilities to enforce Schengen's new external frontier will oblige it, almost literally, to burn its bridges with neighbouring Croatia.

When Slovenia officially enters the zone, a number of bridges that span the river Kupa -- a natural border between the two former Yugoslav republics -- and which have been used by locals for decades will have to be closed.

"The knowledge that I have to cross a checkpoint every time discourages me," said Mladen Mauhar, a 40-year-old Croatian forester who traverses a stone bridge each day to work a parcel of land in Slovenia.

"I think that I'll completely abandon my land," he said.

All change at the Spanish palace with new guard ceremony

MADRID, Dec 12, 2007 (AFP) - Spain's royal palace in Madrid witnessed Wednesday its first weekly changing of the guard ceremony, which officials hope will become a tourist draw like similar events in other European cities.

Two foot-soldiers and two on horseback will now take part in the ceremony every Wednesday outside the Palacio de Oriente, one of the biggest royal palaces in Europe.

The foot-soldiers change guard every half hour while those on horseback every hour between 11 am to 2 pm (1000 GMT to 1300 GMT).

The ceremony will be held year-round, weather permitting, except for during the months of August and September or when the palace is used for an official event.

On the first Wednesday of the month a larger changing of the guard ceremony involving 400 uniformed soldiers and 100 horses will continue to be held as it has for over a decade.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia receive guests at the palace, which was completed in 1734, but live in the smaller Zarzuela palace outside Madrid.

Asean Airlines Introduce New Visit Asean Pass Fare
December 13, 2007 18:43 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- Asean airlines participating in the Visit Asean Pass (VAP) programme have introduced a new air-pass with lower airfare from beginning this month.

The new air-pass, called Special Visit Asean Air-Pass, is valid until Nov 30, 2008, and the eight participating airlines are Malaysia Airlines, Garuda Airlines, Lao Airlines, Myanmar Airways International, Philippine Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Thai Airways International and Vietnam Airlines.

At the same time, the validity of the original air-pass, named Visit Asean Air-Pass, was extended for another year until Nov 30, 2008, said the Asean Tourism Association (Aseanta) which launched the pass in January 2006.

Aseanta president Felix J. Cruz said the new air-pass would be a major catalyst for further boosting tourism in Asean countries.

"We will continue to look for more ways that airlines of Asean can play that important role," he said in a statement here today.

The new air-pass is priced at US$319 (US$1.00=RM3.21) for three sectors or coupons and each additional sector or coupon is priced at US$120, up to a maximum of five sectors or coupons.

-- BERNAMA

Number of Chinese and Australian tourist arrivals increasing: minister

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The number of Chinese and Australian tourists arriving in Indonesia in the January - October 2007 period increased significantly, according to the Data Center of the Ministry of Culture an Tourism here on Friday.

"Chinese and Australian tourists arriving in Indonesia in the January-October 2007 period increased significantly, by 48.96 percent and 43.26 percent respectively, Head of the Data Center Hari Waluyo said.

Chinese tourist who arrived in Indonesia in that period reached 145,000, an increase by 48.96 percnet compared to the 97,902 in last year`s same period.

"Australian tourists who arrived in Indonesia in the January-October 2007 period totalled 219,310, which is an increase by 43.26 percent compared with the 153.083 in last year`s corresponding period," he said.

He said that the tourists from Bahrain recorded the highest percentage in the number of foreign tourists who arrived in the country, namely increasing by 234.04 percent to 471.

Accoring to Waluyo, the total number of foreign tourists arriving through 15 gates in the country during the period reached 3.71 million, an increase by 14.24 percent compared with the same period last year. (*)

Bethlehem kicks off Christmas, encouraged by more tourists
15 December 2007

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) - Palestinians lit a four-story Christmas tree in this biblical town Saturday, kicking off a holiday season free of fighting with Israel that officials say will bring the most pilgrims since hostilities broke out seven years ago.

Residents of the West Bank town of 30,000 and foreign tourists alike strolled streets Saturday under lights shaped like bells and Santa Claus. Christians count for only a small percentage of Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land, including Bethlehem, but the town believed to be the birthplace of Jesus is one of the few places that Christmas is felt.

Tourism is integral to efforts to bolster the Palestinian economy, which is tattered from years of conflict with Israel. Early in the fighting that broke out in 2000, Bethlehem was the scene of fierce shootouts between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli army forces in nearby Jerusalem who fired at each other across a riverbed separating the communities. For several Christmas seasons, only a handful of tourists came.

But relative calm in the West Bank this year combined with renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts have persuaded some tourists to return. Mideast envoy Tony Blair visited Bethlehem this month and spent the night to signal that it is safe to visit.

"We see encouraging signs with more tourists here," Hanna Tofian, a university professor, said as he emerged from prayers at the Church of the Nativity to a square crowded with tour buses. "It is because of the diplomatic atmosphere and because there is movement in talks with Israel."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed in a U.S.-hosted conference last month to renew peace talks. The reconciliation came after Abbas kicked the Islamic Hamas movement out of the government following its violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in June, and installed a moderate administration of his own, backed by the West.

This season, around 65,000 tourists are expected to visit the traditional site of Jesus' birth, Mayor Victor Batarseh said. That's four times the number that came in Christmas 2005.

Israeli and Palestinian forces have cooperated to facilitate the passage of pilgrims from Jerusalem through an Israeli army checkpoint into Bethlehem, said Ahmed al-Haddar, the area's Palestinian security chief. About 1,500 Palestinian police will be deployed during the festivities, he said.

An aide to Abbas, Rafik Husseini, flicked the switch to light the pine tree that was decorated with red and gold balls. Dozens of onlookers cheered and a band of bagpipes played Christmas carols.

Bethlehem resident Margaret Jackman, 70, said she was encouraged by the tourists.

"The town greatly benefits from this," Jackman said. "This will help reduce the unemployment."

Larry Ross, a visitor from Dallas, Texas, said Saturday that he was so sure of the calm situation that he brought his son on the trip. He was touring with 70 Americans.

"This is a place that, as a person of faith, is very meaningful to me," said Ross, 54, standing alongside his son, Harrison. "The message of hope that Christmas brings started right here."

Seychelles promises to protect its sharks

PORT LOUIS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - The Seychelles will protect its rapidly declining shark population, the government said on Wednesday, after a Taiwanese fishing boat was caught in its waters with an illegal load of fins.

Booming demand for shark fin soup in Asia, especially China, is driving the shark fishing industry and increasing the risk of extinction for some shark species, marine scientists warn.

Conducting searches around the 115-island Indian Ocean archipelago last week, a French navy ship found 650 kg of shark fins aboard a Taiwanese fishing vessel. The fishermen's paperwork said only 15 kg were caught in Seychellois waters.

"We could only get them for the 15 kg, not for the rest, but this shows you the volume of sharks caught," Didier Dogley, permanent secretary at the Seychelles' Environment Ministry, told Reuters by telephone.

"We are going to crack down on illegal shark finning ... We have already started with the patrolling."

The 650 kg of dried shark fin that was discovered would have come from about 13 tonnes of sharks, he added. Some shark fishermen cut off the fins before throwing the shark back into the water -- where they drown because they cannot swim.

Dogley was speaking as scores of delegates from around the world held the second of three days of talks in the Seychelles to discuss how to best protect shark populations.

The whale shark -- the largest fish species, growing up to 20 metres long -- visits the Seychelles between August and November.

"These sharks are very important for countries like us," Dogley said, referring to Seychelles' eco-tourism industry.

"If you're lucky, you can see about a dozen."

Japan Airlines increases flights for aurora-gazing tourists
18 December 2007

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) - More Japanese tourists than ever are expected to visit Alaska's interior this winter to take in the aurora borealis.

Japan Airlines announced plans to increase the number of direct flights to Fairbanks to 16, bringing as many as 5,500 visitors from that country. That's about 2,000 more tourists than the airline brought last winter.

The flights will depart from Tokyo and Osaka and include two exclusive charters from the major cities of Fukuoka and Nagoya through Hankyu Express International. The flights run through March.

Entering its fourth winter flying Japanese tourists to the interior, the airline began with three flights in 2004, increased to seven in 2005 and then to 10 flights this past winter.

"All of us have been working on selling these flights, and in many cases it's a cooperative effort," said Deb Hickok, president of the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Winter tourism to Fairbanks was once considered ludicrous because of the cold weather and short days. But it is an increasingly important segment of the local tourism industry -- 56,000 visitors came to Fairbanks in the fall and winter of 2006 for business and pleasure, according to a state-sponsored survey conducted last year.

The Japanese travel industry features tour packages that include flights, hotels, transportation and activities, such as stops at the Aurora Borealis Lodge on Cleary Summit.

"It's made quite a difference," said Mok Kumagai, co-owner of the lodge.

Before the flights began, Kumagai had 300 guests for the winter season. After the first year of the flights from Japan, the number increased to 1,000 guests. Kimagai said more guests come back year after year.

"The aurora is always something people have been fascinated by. But before the flights, Alaska was always so far," Kumagai said.

By flying directly into Fairbanks, Japan Airlines shaved about 11 hours off a one-way trip.

Spectacular sand dunes and teeming wildlife await visitors to Namibia
19 December 2007

ETOSHA, Namibia (AP) - Two prides of lions stretched luxuriously in the midday sun, casting an occasional lazy glance at crowds of zebras, impalas and giraffes waiting anxiously for a turn to quench their thirst at the water hole.

Nearby, plume-puffing ostriches stood in the shadow of mud-caked elephants in the shimmering afternoon heat punctuated only by whirlwinds of dust. In the distance, herds of wildebeest and gemsbok emerged on the vast salt plain.

Typical scenes on an average day in Namibia's Etosha National Park, which is home to rare black rhinos and the world's largest population of cheetahs and where a single photo frame captures multiple species of wildlife, shaming its more famous neighbor -- South Africa's Kruger Park.

"Thank goodness for digital cameras," I thought as our two oohing and aahing daughters clicked away endlessly and jostled for the best vantage point at the car window, which was hastily closed as a male lion heading for a shady bush sauntered way too close for comfort.

We visited late September, the end of the six-month dry season when the landscape takes on almost ghostly qualities as dust and sand envelops the scrub and vegetation. It's the best time for instant, quick-fix game viewing -- in contrast to the hours sometimes spent in the Kruger. Although visits are possible all year round, it can get uncomfortably hot between November and February.

Etosha is deservedly the highlight of a visit to Namibia, a country dominated by the Namib and Kalahari deserts and roughly the size of France and Germany combined, which is attracting growing numbers of tourists -- especially from Europe -- lured by safaris and sand. Endless, endless sand.

And above the sand?

Ballooning, paragliding, skydiving and rock-climbing adventures abound as the southern African nation seeks to carve out a niche market among well-heeled tourists in search of the wild and adventurers thirsting for the spectacular.

Nearly 850,000 tourists visited Namibia in 2006, according to official statistics, a rise of 7 percent on 2005. Small fry compared to the numbers who flock to Paris or Rome, but in a country with a population of less than 2 million, this translates into big bucks.

A recent study carried out for the government estimated that tourism accounts for 18 percent of gross domestic product and in the next 10 years will be the largest single contributor to the mineral-dependent economy.

It's not just the "Brangelina factor" -- although Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's decision to have their daughter Shiloh in the seaside resort of Swakopmund certainly helped catapult the little-known corner of Africa onto the international map.

It's also because Namibia remains wonderfully unspoiled, an "insider's secret" tempered by increasing accessibility through regular nonstop flights from Frankfurt and London as well as daily connections with South Africa. Cars are few and far between on its fantastic, tabletop roads -- one of the happier results of brutal German colonial influence and apartheid-era South African control which ended only with independence in 1990.

It's clean, safe -- at least by African standards -- and the food is simple but tasty, with game being a staple on many menus. Our daughters -- having declared they wanted to become vegetarians -- sneaked seconds of the gemsbok steaks, although drew the line at zebra.

There is a high quality, though fairly limited, choice in guest houses, farms, hotels and posh safari lodges -- as well as camping for the budget-conscious. Prices are comparable to those in South Africa -- the Namibian dollar is pegged to the South African rand, which can be used everywhere.

A taxidermist store, with luridly painted model animals, stands near Windhoek airport in testimony to Namibia's growing popularity with the hunting fraternity that is not content to view the wildlife through the lens of a camera.

The government has woken up to the economic potential and is seeking to overhaul the tourist industry and spread its benefits.

Accommodations in Etosha were upgraded ahead of the park's centenary celebrations in September. Locals complained that prices also rose, but even so they are cheaper than the privately run lodges around the park and offer unrivaled nighttime game viewing around the water holes in the camps. Bed and breakfast in a double room at a waterhole chalet in Okaukuejo -- near the western entrance to the park -- is 700 Namibian dollars (US$104;euro72) per person.

It's easy to travel independently -- be warned that car hire is expensive because of the high rate of accidents by tourists driving too fast along empty roads. But it is often cheaper and easier to go with an organized tour as their all-terrain vehicles are equipped for long desert drives. Some also combine it with a visit to other southern African countries. Budget camping tours -- with equipment included -- cost as little as 700 Namibian dollars (US$100;euro69) per day while 10-day luxury safari packages -- including internal flights -- can be up to 70,000 Namibian dollars (US$10,000;euro6,950). One option for the adventurous is to hire an off-road vehicle with its own tent built in the top.

We met an Italian couple who had asked family and friends to contribute to a honeymoon tour embracing South Africa's Kruger Park, Botswana's famed Okovanga Delta and Chobe Park and the Victoria Falls on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

"Why, oh, why did we settle for a TV, toaster and towels?" I sighed, listening to accounts of their dream journey.

Namibia's coastline is long and desolate -- and notorious for shipwrecks. Its best-known resort, Swakopmund, remains heavily influenced by its German colonial past -- Germany gained control in 1883 and surrendered the territory to South Africa in 1915 -- and is particularly popular with German tourists. It was hard to share in the enthusiasm for a Bavarian-style beer festival (though Namibia makes an excellent brew) and the town's designer shops and kitsch held little allure after the raw beauty of Etosha.

By contrast, the sand dunes were breathtaking between Swakopmund and the port of Walvis Bay (which is incidentally the starting point for journeys to Napoleon's island exile, St. Helena, for those with an extra couple of weeks on their hands).

The dunes have become the center of adventure activities like sand boarding -- where the intrepid reach speeds of up to 55 mph an hour and sand skiing. Being in the midst of the dunes is almost like being in the Alps surrounded by an endless expanse of virgin snow -only of course it's yellow rather than white.

We opted for a quadbiking tour which catered both for adrenaline junkies seeking thrills and spills as well as those wanting more leisurely sightseeing. Victor Gouws, our guide from Dare Devil Adventures, said his oldest client had been an 86-year-old American woman. And she didn't fall off, he grinned.

Brad Pitt also made a brief foray into the dunes last year, Gouws mentioned casually, as heavily pregnant Jolie stayed in a nearby hotel. But Gouws and most locals shrugged their shoulders about the famous visitors. Tourism is increasing on a monthly basis, and it doesn't depend on the whim of visiting celebrities.

The majesty of the Swakopmund dunes apparently is insignificant to the famous, much photographed star dunes further south at Sossusvlei, deep in the Namib desert.

Sadly we didn't have time to make that long trek, settling instead for a quick catamaran cruise in Walvis Bay to see dolphins, seals and pelicans, and look at the nets of one of Namibia's newest industries -- oyster farming. Neither did we make it farther south to the Fish River Canyon -- said to be one of the world's biggest after Colorado's Grand Canyon.

"Next time," I vowed. "Next time."

------

If You Go...

GETTING THERE: Air Namibia flies from London Gatwick and Frankfurt. There are regular flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town with Air Namibia and South African Airways.

NAMIBIA TOURISM: http://www.namibiatourism.com.na or 011-264-61-290-6000. Tour and safari operators -- with a selection of safaris and prices -- can be found at http://www.tasa.na . The Hospitality Association of Namibia, http://www.hannamibia.com , has details on accommodation.

ETOSHA: Reservations for Etosha and other national parks can be made through the national parks authority at http://www.nwr.com.na but bookings for the April-November dry season must be made well ahead, especially if it coincides with Namibian and South African school holidays in July and the end of September.

Europe's border-free zone to breach former Iron Curtain

PRAGUE, Dec 19, 2007 (AFP) - European nations bring down the last remnants of the Iron Curtain on Friday when they form a vast free-movement zone embracing 24 countries from Spain to Estonia.

From the first moment of Friday 400 million Europeans will find travelling by road, rail and ship easier as internal border controls are scrapped with nine mostly eastern European EU members.

By March, travel document checks will be also abolished at airports in the nine as they join the 15 nations signed up to the Schengen Treaty, named after the Luxembourg border village where the no-frontiers pact was born in 1985.

"It is a visible sign that the former divisions in Europe, the borders on the ground and in people's minds, are being overcome," European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering told EU leaders at their summit last week.

"This will lead to greater freedom and security, not only for the citizens of the nine future Schengen countries, but also for the European Union as a whole," he said.

After two years of preparation, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia will join the oldest EU states -- bar Britain and Ireland -- plus Iceland and Norway in the zone.

Cyprus plans to sign up soon, as does Switzerland, while London and Dublin prefer to remain outside and keep their own visa regimes, rather than the one visa for all policy that applies to the Schengen countries.

To mark the occasion, seen as an early Christmas present at a peak travel time, European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini will take part in border ceremonies as the barriers come down.

Slovak premier Robert Fico and Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer will saw through a border post.

Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen will steam into Tallinn harbour in Estonia on a ferry, minus the usual travel formalities.

"We will live and circulate in an area of 24 countries without internal borders. This is a unique and historic accomplishment," Barroso said Tuesday.

"The lifting of the European Union's internal borders brings opportunities for people living, circulating and doing business in Europe," he said.

However those opportunities imply tightened security in other areas.

The new countries will be obliged to provide data to the Schengen Information System (SIS) so police and customs officers can access information about people, vehicles or goods.

Police and judicial cooperation has also been strengthened with the introduction of new rights allowing cross-border surveillance or the "hot pursuit" of suspects over frontiers.

All the controls can be re-established temporarily in case of emergency, for security reasons, or when people move en-masse, such as for sporting events.

Yet despite the advantages promoted by EU officials, like boosting tourism and fostering economic and cultural dynamism, the process is not without drawbacks.

The flip side of the new internal freedom is tightened security on Schengen's new eastern reaches.

Slovenia will open its borders to Italy and Austria but its responsibilities to enforce Schengen's new external frontier will oblige it to impose tougher controls on citizens who have long-crossed over from Croatia.

Ukrainians fear their easy access to the west will disappear with new rules demanding they produce return tickets, proof they can finance their stays and health insurance.

And the high-tech new frontier controls have failed to overcome fears, in Germany and Austria especially, that the Schengen zone's expansion east will spark a made-in eastern Europe crime wave.

Ebersbach, a small town of 8,500 in former East Germany on the Czech border already looks set for an assault with barbed wire framing house windows and properties and resident having creating their own frontier security association.

Around 59 percent of former East Germans view Schengen's expansion negatively with local media reporting a boom in house alarms and reinforced doors.

NYTimes.com
Portugal Polishes Its Image as the ‘West Coast of Europe’
Friday December 21, 2:50 am ET
By ERIC PFANNER

FOR Portugal, the signing in Lisbon last week of a treaty to overhaul the governance of the European Union was a “tipping point,” said Manuel Pinho, Portugal’s minister for the economy and innovation.

“We are the focus of Europe, and even the whole world,” he said.

The event did not go entirely smoothly. Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain skipped the ceremony, coming to town later in the day to add his signature.

The apparent snub — Mr. Brown cited a scheduling conflict — probably had more to do with fear of the euroskeptic Fleet Street tabloids than with any desire to offend the hosts. But to the Portuguese, being brushed off, overlooked or misunderstood by larger European countries is an all-too-common occurrence. Now they are trying to do something about it.

Last week, as the European Union leaders converged on Lisbon, Portugal started an international advertising campaign aimed at bolstering the country’s image. The campaign, one of a growing number of marketing initiatives by countries, states or cities, aims to give one of the oldest countries in Europe a New World high-tech gloss, portraying Portugal as “the West Coast of Europe.”

Print and outdoor ads feature well-known Portuguese sports figures like José Mourinho, the former coach of the Chelsea soccer team in London, and Cristiano Ronaldo, a star at Manchester United. Other subjects include Miguel Câncio Martins, an architect who designed the Buddha Bar in Paris and the Man Ray restaurant in New York. Their portraits are superimposed on pictures of dramatic Portuguese coastlines.

Other ads focus on Portugal’s strength in environmentally friendly energy production. Mr. Pinho said that 19 percent of the country’s power comes from renewable sources like the wind or the sun, putting Portugal in third place in Europe, behind Sweden and Austria.

That might come as something of a surprise to people who see Southern European countries like Portugal as being rich in history, with a good quality of life, but not necessarily progressive in business or technology, Mr. Pinho said. “It’s better to present a country as a champion of renewable energy than history,” he said. “History is the past.”

The pages of international business magazines are full of government-sponsored advertising. But typically these campaigns are aimed at well-defined audiences like foreign investors or tourists. The former Soviet state of Georgia, for example, has been running ads that make the bold claim that it is a better place to do business than the Georgia in the United States, among other places.

The campaign for Portugal is different because, like a corporate brand-building initiative, it aims to improve the general perception of Portugal, rather than focusing on specific attributes for potential investors or travelers, said João Wengorovius, chief executive of BBDO Portugal, the ad agency based in Lisbon that created the campaign.

“We were trying to move away from the stereotypes and clichés of this kind of advertising,” he said.

One campaign conceived in a similar way was the German effort last year, in connection with the soccer World Cup, to brand itself as a “land of ideas,” focusing on German technological and cultural innovation.

For Portugal, Mr. Pinho and Mr. Wengorovius acknowledged, one problem is that many people, even in Europe, have only vaguely formed ideas about Portugal. The tagline, highlighting Portugal’s westward orientation, was intended to remind them that the country’s coastline is along the Atlantic, not the Mediterranean, unlike other countries in Southern Europe with which it is sometimes lumped in the Northern European consciousness.

Portugal has found itself the subject of unwanted media attention lately over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, a 3-year-old British girl who was on vacation with her family last spring. The unsolved case remains a big story for the British tabloids, and there have been reports of declines in tourism from Britain, an important market for Portugal.

Over all, though, tourism remains strong, Mr. Pinho said. “This is a tragic case, of course, but it has not affected the numbers,” he said. “It’s a very peaceful country, a very safe country.”

The government is spending about $4.32 million on the ad campaign, Mr. Wengorovius said. “We know that you cannot change the perception of a country just like that,” he said. “But this is about trying to put perception closer to reality.”

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Service with a smile: France struggles to keep tourists happy

PARIS, Dec 23, 2007 (AFP) - It has glorious architecture, fabulous museums and exquisite food but France is worried that all this may not be enough to secure its position as the world's top tourism destination.

A new study shows that despite progress over recent years, France is still struggling to shed its image as an unfriendly nation of surly waiters and grumpy taxi drivers, compared to Italy and Spain, seen as more hospitable.

Some 62 percent of tourists who came to France in 2006 rated the welcome they received as "satisfactory," up from 58 percent in 2003, according to the study by the IPSOS institute.

"There is progress, but it's still not enough. Making tourists feel welcomed still remains the weak point of our tourism sector," said the junior minister for tourism, Luc Chatel.

"Nowadays tourists compare a lot more, they are much more demanding and there are destinations that offer top quality customer service and this can lead to a loss of tourists for France," he added.

The most visited country in the world, France welcomed 78 million foreign tourists in 2006, an increase of 2.7 percent from 2005, according to the tourism ministry.

France's struggle to offer service with a smile comes amid World Tourism Organization predictions of a tourism boom, with the number of travelers worldwide expected to double to 1.6 billion by 2020.

"Hospitality means a smile from an immigration officer when you present your passport, or 'bonjour' from a taxi driver or a department store that offers special services for tourists," Economy Minister Christine Lagarde told a recent conference of leaders from the hospitality industry.

The tourism ministry has brought together hotel managers, restauranteurs, airport and train authorities as well as taxi and border officials to try to improve service to foreign guests.

A study by the Maison de la France tourism promotional agency showed Italy to be ranked as "friendly and warmer than France" when it comes to welcoming tourists.

Foreigners rank France's cultural attractions and food as its top draws while hospitality gets the last spot on the list.

Despite efforts to offer good service at airports for example, only 54 percent of Americans say they are satisfied with the welcome they received upon arrival in France.

The latest push from the tourism ministry comes after Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe in July launched a charm offensive after a separate study showed Paris ranked 52nd on a list of 60 cities when it came to hospitality.

Last month the hotel industry issued an alarming report showing that one in four hotels was in a state of disrepair and that 24 percent of customers complained of rude or incompetent service.

The report by the Committee for the Modernisation of the French Hotel Trade blamed falling profit margins, badly-paid staff and conservative management for the poor state of the country's 18,000 officially-classified hotels.

But Maison de la France director Thierry Baudier said criticism of French hospitality may be exaggerated and that if tourists keep coming, France must be doing something right.

"We can't say that the 78 million tourists who come to France every year are all masochists," said Baudier.

China "red tourism" boom said good for economy

BEIJING, Dec 19 (Reuters) - More than 400 million people have taken "red tourism" holidays in the last three years in China, bringing in over $13.5 billion to many of the country's most economically deprived areas, a state newspaper said on Wednesday.

The government has been promoting travel to places connected with the rise of Communist China as a way of instilling patriotism and Communist Party loyalty, and also to boost incomes in the mainly remote and rural areas where these sites are located.

That campaign has proven successful, said the People's Daily, the Party's newspaper, with an estimated 100 billion yuan ($13.54 billion) generated already, a target which was supposed to have been hit only in 2010.

Almost 2 million people owed their jobs to the scheme, either directly or indirectly, the report said.

Popular destinations include Chairman Mao Zedong's hometown in the southern province of Hunan, and Yanan, where Mao and his cohorts lived in caves during the civil war's dark days.

"Red tourism has had considerable economic benefits for old revolutionary areas," it added. "It has become a catalyst for economic development in many of these places."

More than half the red tourists go under their own steam, as opposed to travelling with government paid-for groups, and one fifth are young people.

Beijing has also spent 2.15 billion yuan supporting the project, renovating old buildings and memorials, and built more than 2,400 km (1,491 miles) of connecting roads, it added.

But the programme has proved unpopular with some old revolutionaries, who say it has led to the Disneyfication of what should be sacred sites and that it is immoral to make money from historical figures who were resolutely anti-capitalist. ($1=7.384 yuan)

Nepal's Domestic Aviation Industry Takes Off As Tourism Recovers

KATHMANDU, Dec 28 - As Nepal's tourism industry bounces back, the sector that has benefited the most is domestic aviation.

There aren't enough planes, or enough hours in the day, to take tourists on an aerial sight-seeing trip to Chomolungma. On 31 August this year, airlines set a record with 31 mountain flights by Buddha Air and 12 by Yeti Airlines. Right through the autumn season, the two airlines reaped a windfall of tourism traffic.

This is one of the few flights in the world that takes off and lands from the same airport and at US$140 per passenger, the margins are high (Nepalis and Indians pay Rs 7,000 [US$110.06]).

But as winter sets in, tourist volumes drop and poor visibility at Kathmandu airport due to fog restricts the number of flights. One recent morning, fog closed the airport after five mountain flights had already taken off. The planes were diverted to Simara, Pokhara and one to Bhairawa.

Early morning at Kathmandu airport looks like the deck of an aircraft carrier with a dozen twin turboprop planes lining up to take off. Captain Ang Ghelu Sherpa lines up his Beechcraft on the runway and guns the throttle. Soon we are taking a wide climbing turn over Kathmandu Valley. Ganesh, Langtang and Dorje Lakpa immediately swing into view.

In other airlines, flight attendants are usually busy with safety drills or handing out food and drinks, but on this flight, stewardess T W Lama looks more like a school teacher as she points out various mountains to passengers.

However many times one has been on a mountain flight, every trip is different. Since this was early morning, there wasn't much turbulence over the mountains so Captain Sherpa was flying right past Numbur and as we banked, there was Lukla right below us with its inclined runway.

Through the tilted cockpit window, Chomolungma moved from left to right. We were so close, you could see the wavey yellow limestone band on the south face of Lhotse. On the return leg, the passengers on the righthand side got their chance. They see right into the arid pastel mountains of Tibet and magnificent border peaks like Melungtse and Sishapangma. Abreast of Gauri Shankhar, we begin our descent, but Captain Sherpa informs us that Kathmandu airport is closed due to poor visibility.

Usually, such an announcement from the cockpit would be met by a collective groan from passengers. But inside this plane, there was jubilation. As we circled over Kathmandu waiting for the fog to clear, passengers got an extra hour of mountain flight for free.

Below, the fog draped Kathmandu like a quilt. The Himalaya stretched on to the west towards Himalchuli, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. After finally getting his clearance, Captain Sherpa swooped down through the murky mist for a landing.

Was what we'd been through just a dream? Couldn't be, there are photographs to prove we actually saw what we did.

(Nepali Times)

Phuket looks to sailing to promote high-end tourism
AFP
Thu Jan 3, 12:48 AM ET

Phuket's postcard-perfect beaches once welcomed masses of backpackers, but the island is rapidly turning into an upmarket holiday spot by becoming Asia's premier sailing destination.

Phuket is already the crown jewel of Thai tourism, attracting about five million visitors this year -- or one-third of all tourists to Thailand.

There are still plenty of spots for backpackers to kick up their heels, but as Phuket's infrastructure stretches to accommodate all the holidaymakers, the island has begun billing itself as a high-end destination and developing a swath of luxury resorts.

Along with the golf resorts, diving expeditions and luxury spas, sailing is an integral part of Phuket's strategy -- highlighted at the 20th annual King's Cup regatta in early December.

"The island has five marinas and a total of 800 berths, as well as nearly 200 specialist shops," said Andy Dowden, founder of the Phuket International Marine Expo (Pimex), a yachting show held just before the regatta.

Dowden arrived in Phuket 20 years when he sailed in on his own boat and started a chartering company.

In that time, he said Thailand has become "the premier market for water sports in Asia, surpassing even Singapore".

Thai authorities have actively encouraged that development, lowering taxes on imported yachts, Dowden said. As a result, Phuket now has 15 charter companies with a combined fleet of about 150 boats.

Phuket has some of the "most beautiful moorings in the world and optimal navigation conditions," Dowden said, adding the island "has everything it needs to profit from nautical tourism".

Sheer numbers of tourists are still important for the kingdom.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand says 2007 will be another record year for the industry, with 14.8 million foreign holidaymakers bringing 547.5 billion baht (1.6 billion dollars) into the country.

TAT's head Phornsiri Manoharn confidently predicted 2008 would be even bigger, with an expected 15.7 million tourists set to earn the country about 600 billion baht.

In addition to bringing more tourists to Thailand, Phornsiri said the country also wanted to attract tourists who would spend more money.

"TAT will focus on the quality tourist, especially upmarket and niche markets," she said.

Local officials in Phuket have already begun asking the government to develop tourism in other parts of the country to prevent overcrowding here.

"We have 30,000 hotel rooms in Phuket, with an average annual occupancy of 70 percent. That's enough," said Maitree Narukatpichai, director of the Hilton Arcadia in Phuket and president of the Phuket Tourist Association.

The King's Cup, Asia's most prestigious regatta, illustrates Phuket's new strategy.

The event drew in 103 ships, compared to just 20 in the first regatta two decades ago, sailing in the Andaman Sea.

Each ship has about 20 people, including sailors and crew. The roughly 2,000 people who came for the regatta spent about 10 million US dollars, said Rob Kothe, editor in chief of Sail-World.com, an Australian sailing site.

"The King's Cup has no problem finding big sponsors, property developers or hotel groups who find potential clients on the teams and find the race an excellent way to communicate," Kothe said.

Inaugurated in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the annual event takes place during the first week of December and reflects the monarch's passion for sailing.

In December 1967, King Bhumibol and his eldest daughter Princess Ubolratana finished equal first in the OK Dinghy Division of the Fourth South East Asia Peninsular Games, now known as the South East Asian (SEA) Games.

In recognition of the king's prowess as a dinghy sailor, on his 60th birthday in December 1987 he was awarded the International Olympic Committee's Insignia of the Olympic Order, the only reigning monarch to receive the honour.

Sailing has also driven the development in Phuket of several new luxury properties that include marinas in the compounds. A dormant proposal for an international convention centre in Phuket has also been revived by the minister of tourism.

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Travel firms cancel trips to Kenya amid unrest
AFP
Thu Jan 3, 5:03 PM ET

Major travel operators on Thursday joined firms in other countries who have suspended trips to Kenya because of unrest there, as cancellations threatened to badly hurt the African nation's economy.

The suspension for at least two days came after the Foreign Office advised against all non-essential travel to the East African country, where hundreds have died in clashes since disputed elections.

Britain has strong ties with its former colony including through major tourist trade. About 6,000 Britons are believed to be currently travelling in Kenya, including some 3,000 on package holidays.

Tourism is a pillar of the country's economy, with officials estimating that there are currently tens of thousands of foreign guests in Kenya.

Faced with cancellations and repatriations, police and the state-run Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) said security had been boosted at tourist hotspots in the coastal region and popular inland safari destinations.

"We are on top of things and ensuring that all tourists are well protected," said police spokesman Eric Kiraithe.

Any cancellations will hit Kenya's economy hard, experts say, recalling the impact of 2002 terror attacks on the US embassies in Nairobi and Tanzania.

"Tourism plays a very important part in Kenya's economy," said Frances Tuke of the the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).

"UK numbers did dip after the 2002 terrorist attack but Kenya is once again a very popular place for Britons, particularly during our winter. Any suspension of holidays there will have huge commercial implications."

After a meeting of major British operators, the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) announced the suspension until Saturday, adding that a decision on holidays after that date would be made in the next few days.

"Following advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (tour operators are) suspending holidays to Kenya with departures due up to and including Saturday 5 January due to the current political unrest," it said.

A decision on measures after that will be taken in the next few days.

The Foreign Office on Wednesday ramped up its travel warning for Kenya, advising against "all but essential travel to Kenya." The department had previously warned against travel to areas of Mombasa and the capital, Nairobi.

Britons have long flocked to the beaches on the Indian Ocean coast around Mombasa or on safari, while many also have family ties in the country.

Last year nearly 200,000 British tourists visited the country, said a spokesman for the Kenya Tourist Board in London, while voicing confidence that Britons would not stay away for long.

"Until today we haven't seen any major cancellation," he told AFP. "In the short term there may well be a small downturn in arrival figures. I wouldn't see a major impact on arrival from the UK at longer term."

The British travel suspension follows moves by other countries in reaction to the Kenya violence which has left more than 300 people dead in the wake of President Mwai Kibaki's re-election, disputed by challenger Raila Odinga.

French tour operator association Ceto said Thursday a suspension of all departures for Kenya has been prolonged until January 18.

In Austria, for which Kenya is a popular travel destination, travel industry officials downplayed concerns. "As soon as things are calm again, I think tourists will return," said a representative of the TUI Reisecenter agency.

The Association of Italian Tour Operators also sought to downplay the violence. While acknowledging that 20 percent of bookings had been cancelled, it said the "situation is neither critical nor dramatic."

Other European countries warned against non-essential travel to Kenya.

Some 200 Dutch tourists in Kenya will be repatriated this weekend, while the Netherlands foreign ministry has strongly advised against tourism and non-essential trips to the country.

In South Africa the government said travellers "should exercice caution in travelling to Kenya".

Johannesburg travel agent Elena Deresende said: "I definitely can say there has been a drop in the tourism to Nairobi and Kenya in general. In December 2007 already, people were not going.

"When it comes to time of elections, a lot of people get a little bit nervous. What happens is that they don't want to be in that area."

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China ice festival feels heat from climate change

HARBIN, China, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Chinese scientists have warned that climate change is hurting the most famous draw in the northern city of Harbin -- its annual ice sculpture contest.

Average annual temperatures in the city perched on the edge of Siberia hit 6.6 degrees Celsius (44 Fahrenheit) last year, the highest average since records began, and the ice sculptures are feeling the heat.

"In the beginning of December 2002, ice lanterns in Harbin melted right after they were sculpted. What came out of the work was sweaty ice sculptures," Yin Xuemian, senior meteorologist at the Heilongjiang Observatory, told Reuters.

Problems got worse in 2006.

"Lots of money and energy were spent on redoing the sculptures. As the temperature rises, the period of ice and snow activities have shortened dramatically."

China has blamed global warming for growing water shortages around the country that have been taking their toll on rice cultivation. Climate change is also shrinking the country's high altitude glaciers.

"Global warming was only something people talked about. But it's when we take a look at documents, statistics and the actual change of climate that we realise how alarming it can be," said Yin. "The average temperature of winter in Harbin is 5 degrees Celsius higher than historical records."

Despite the changes in temperatures and patterns of drought and flooding around the country, China, which is on track to overtake the United States as the world's top emitter of carbon dioxide, has resisted setting firm caps on its emissions growth.

Instead, it says rich countries must take the lead in fighting climate change and do more to transfer clean-energy technologies to the developing world.

Far from the global debates about how to curb climate change, participants in Harbin's festival have more immediate concerns: how to keep their creations from melting.

"We are worried that the thing will collapse. We tried to readjust a little bit," said one Malaysian participant chipping away at a hunk of ice.

A Chinese Canadian participant said he was feeling the same changes in his adopted country.

"When I first got to Canada, it was so cold. But now, it's getting much warmer," he said. "Maybe slowly, Vancouver will become Hong Kong."

(Writing by Lindsay Beck; Editing by Nick Macfie and Sanjeev Miglani)

Pakistan Tourism: Still Trying
time
Mon Jan 7, 10:35 AM ET

The young man at the airport approached me with a nervous smile and a hint of hesitation. He was from the Ministry of Tourism, he explained. Would I be so kind as to fill out a survey on my stay in Pakistan? The previous week had been eventful, to say the least. I had landed in Lahore on Thursday, Dec 27. As I left the airport for my hotel my cell phone pinged with an SMS from my wife: "Bhutto dead in Rawalpindi blast." The following few days are a bit of a blur, and then on New Year's Eve I fell sick with some intestinal bug that took two days to beat. "I'm not sure I'm the best person to help you," I told the man. But he insisted, and so I was soon filling out the three-page form, which mixed statistics gathering (nationality, places I visited, number of nights I spent in hotels) with questions like "During your stay which features did you like most?"

The hardest two questions came at the end. "Would you please like to identify the problems you faced during the trip?" the first of them asked. "You want me to be truthful?" I asked the survey man, who hovered over me to make sure I didn't skip any questions. "Of course," he said, smiling. "Information will help us improve. We need to hear the truth."

The truth is Pakistan could be - should be - an incredible tourist destination. It offers wonderful Mughal ruins, evocative British colonial architecture, world-class hiking and climbing in the Karakoram Mountains, gorgeous rolling green meadows, captivating culture, great food (especially the fruits and kebabs), and some of the best carpet shops in South Asia. Unfortunately, it is also regularly described as the world's most dangerous country - which, while more intriguing than slogans like "Malaysia, Truly Asia" or "I Feel Slovenia," is not exactly an inducement for people to visit.

It's not like Pakistan's tourism ministry hasn't been trying. The survey I was filling out is part of a two-year-long project that will wrap up this year. Pakistan has a great tourism website. And the country even decided to make last year "Destination Pakistan 2007." But there's the rub. Last year was one of the most troubled in Pakistan's history. Terrorist attacks became a weekly, sometimes daily, occurrence. President Pervez Musharraf threw out the Supreme Court Chief Justice triggering massive street protests. The Swat Valley, a picturesque tourist spot renowned for its skiing and trout fishing, is now, as my colleague Aryn Baker so vividly described just two months ago, Taliban Central. And to end the year, the leading opposition figure was assassinated.

Even the most beautiful country in the world is going to struggle to air its charms with all that going on. The problems I faced during my trip? "Rioting, looting, burning of shops and tires along roads, shooting, general chaos, mayhem and insecurity - and a very bad stomach ailment," I wrote. I looked up and saw that the survey man, who was waiting patiently for me to finish the forms, was no longer smiling.

The next question read: "Would you please like to give suggestions for improving tourist facilities in Pakistan?" "How do you think I should answer this?" I asked the man, "Pakistan has so many troubles it's not fair to complain about particular tourist facilities." He shook his head and agreed that there had been a lot of unrest. "It's only 10% or 20% of the people," he said. "The rest of us are very welcoming." I nodded in agreement - Pakistanis are indeed warm, hospitable and generous - and lamented that he had a tough job. He nodded: "It's a struggle."

We both looked at the last question again and talked a bit more about what might help. Then, with a smile from my new friend, I wrote in: "Democracy and Stability." Easy to write, of course. Harder to make real.

Record tourism seen in Japan in 2008: travel group

TOKYO, Dec 27, 2007 (AFP) - A record nine million foreigners are expected to visit Japan next year, drawn both by the country's culture and the upcoming Group of Eight summit, Japan's largest travel agency said Thursday.

The number of visitors will rise by 700,000 from an estimated 8.3 million who came this year, led by a spurt in travellers from other Asian countries, the Japan Travel Bureau said in an annual report.

Japan takes over from Germany in the new year as president of the Group of Eight major industrial nations. It will host a series of meetings culminating in the G8 leaders' summit from July 7 to 9 on the northern island of Hokkaido.

"Along with Japan's chairmanship of the G8, Japan's presence in the news across the world is expected to contribute to the attractiveness of Japan's major cities, starting with Tokyo, along with Hokkaido," the agency said.

It noted that Japanese pop culture, particularly manga comics, was winning a wider global following. It said that visitors would also be drawn next year to the 25th anniversary of Tokyo Disneyland, the first Disney theme park outside the United States.

Japan has been promoting a "Visit Japan" campaign to double the annual total of visitors to 10 million by 2010 from 5.21 million in 2003.

The campaign includes advertisements overseas and more foreign-language assistance in Japan. Critics, however, fear the effort would be set back by Japan's new security measure of fingerprinting all foreigners.

Tourism to Japan has also been boosted by the recent weakness of the yen, particularly in comparison to the soaring South Korean won, euro and British pound.

Crime-wary Americans shun popular strip of Mexican beaches
7 January 2008

PLAYAS DE ROSARITO, Mexico (AP) - Assaults on American tourists have brought hard times to hotels and restaurants that dot Mexican beaches just south of the border from San Diego.

Surfers and kayakers are frightened to hit the waters of the northern stretch of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, long popular as a weekend destination for U.S. tourists. Weddings have been canceled. Lobster joints a few steps from the Pacific were almost empty on the usually busy New Year's weekend.

Americans have long tolerated shakedowns by police who boost salaries by pulling over motorists for alleged traffic violations, and tourists know parts of Baja are a hotbed of drug-related violence. But a handful of attacks since summer by masked, armed bandits -- some of whom used flashing lights to appear like police -- marks a new extreme that has spooked even longtime visitors.

Lori Hoffman, a San Diego-area emergency room nurse, said she was sexually assaulted Oct. 23 by two masked men in front of her boyfriend, San Diego Surfing Academy owner Pat Weber, who was forced to kneel at gunpoint for 45 minutes. They were at a campground with about 30 tents, some 200 miles south of the border.

The men shot out windows of the couple's trailer and forced their way inside, ransacked the cupboards and left with about US$7,000 (euro4,750) worth of gear, including computers, video equipment and a guitar.

Weber, who has taught dozens of students in Mexico over the last 10 years, plans to surf in Costa Rica or New Zealand. "No more Mexico," said Hoffman, who reported the attack to Mexican police. No arrests have been made.

The Baja California peninsula is known worldwide for clean and sparsely populated beaches, lobster and margaritas and blue waters visited by whales and dolphins. Surfers love the waves; fishermen catch tuna, yellowtail and marlin. Food and hotels are cheap.

News of harrowing assaults on American tourists has begun to overshadow that appeal in the northern part of the peninsula, home to drug gangs and the seedy border city of Tijuana. The comparatively isolated southern tip, with its tony Los Cabos resort, remains safer and is still popular with Hollywood celebrities, anglers and other foreign tourists.

Local media and surfing Web sites that trumpeted Baja in the past have reported several frightening crimes that U.S. and Mexican officials consider credible. Longtime visitors are particularly wary of a toll road near the border that runs through Playas de Rosarito -- Rosarito Beach.

In late November, as they returned from the Baja 1000 off-road race, a San Diego-area family was pulled over on the toll road by a car with flashing lights. Heavily armed men held the family hostage for two hours. They eventually released them but stole the family's truck.

Before dawn on Aug. 31, three surfers were carjacked on the same stretch of highway. Gunmen pulled them over in a car with flashing lights, forced them out of their vehicles and ordered one to kneel. They took the trucks and left the surfers.

Aqua Adventures of San Diego scrapped its annual three-day kayak trip to scout for whales in January, ending a run of about 10 years. Customers had already been complaining about longer waits to return to the U.S.; crime gave them another reason to stay away.

"People are just saying, 'No way.' They don't want to deal with the risk," said owner Jen Kleck, who has sponsored trips to Baja about five times a year but hasn't been since July.

Charles Smith, spokesman for the U.S. consulate in Tijuana, said the U.S. government has not found a widespread increase in attacks against Americans, but he acknowledged many crimes go unreported. The State Department has long warned motorists on Mexico's border to watch for people following them, though no new warnings have been issued.

Mexican officials acknowledge crime has threatened a lifeblood of Baja's economy. In Playas de Rosarito, a city of 130,000, police were forced to surrender their weapons last month for testing to determine links to any crimes. Heavily armed men have patrolled City Hall since a failed assassination attempt on the new police chief left one officer dead. On Thursday the bullet-riddled bodies of a Tijuana police official and another man were found dumped near the beach.

"We cannot minimize what's happening to public safety," said Oscar Escobedo Carignan, Baja's new secretary of tourism. "We're going to impose order ... We're indignant about what's happening."

Tourist visits to Baja totaled about 18 million in 2007, down from 21 million the previous year, Escobedo said. Hotel occupancy dropped about 5 percentage points to 53 percent.

Hugo Torres, owner of the storied Rosarito Beach Hotel and the city's new mayor, estimates the number of visitors to Rosarito Beach since summer is down 30 percent.

In the city's Puerto Nuevo tourist enclave, which offers US$20 (euro13.60) lobster dinners and US$1 (euro.68) margaritas, restaurant managers said sales were down as much as 80 percent from last year. One Saturday afternoon in October, masked bandits wielding pistols walked the streets and kidnapped two men -- an American and a Spanish citizen -- who were later released unharmed. Two people who were with them were shot and wounded.

Omar Armendariz, who manages a Puerto Nuevo lobster restaurant, is counting on the new state and city governments to make tourists feel safer. He has never seen fewer visitors in his nine years on the job.

"It's dead," he said.

Danish tourist influx in U.S. Virgin Islands revives ties with former colony
9 January 2008

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) - The Danish owned these tropical islands for centuries, but about the only people speaking their language here these days are tourists.

History buffs and sun-seekers are flocking here from Denmark, coming in greater numbers than their colonial forebears ever did as the tiny Scandinavian country revives cultural ties with its old Caribbean possession.

As Danes rediscover the one-time trading hub as a beach haven, some find themselves asking why their government sold the islands to the United States in 1917.

"It was a mistake," joked Karen Larsen, a 60-year-old teacher from Blokhus, Denmark, as she relaxed at a seaside hotel after taking a Danish-language tour through the lush mountain greenery and colonial architecture of St. Thomas.

When the U.S. Navy took over, the Danish administrators and soldiers abruptly returned to Europe, leaving behind forts and mansions but little of their language in islands where business was done in English or Dutch Creole.

Now, decades later, the former colony is in vogue. Denmark recently agreed to transfer many of its colonial archives to the islands, and labor unions are sending craftsmen to teach islanders traditional masonry and painting techniques to help restore two ancient forts.

The soaring value of the kroner against the dollar, meantime, has enticed Danes to cross the Atlantic to explore the increasingly affordable U.S. territory.

Hotels in the capital named for a 17th-century Danish queen, Charlotte Amalie, fly red flags with white crosses to welcome the return of her countrymen. Over the last two years, at least 9,000 people have visited from Denmark -- more than from any other European country.

"We've had visits from officials and people from the Senate -- primarily because of the good relations, but also because of the nice weather and the sun," said the Danish consul general, Soeren Blak.

Larsen and her husband Jens, 66, said they got interested in the islands after seeing a Danish film about the emancipation of slaves here in 1848.

A highlight of the trip, they said, was climbing the famed "99 steps" -- made with bricks used as ballast on Danish ships -- that lead to the lavishly restored homes of merchants on a hill overlooking a harbor now packed with cruise ships.

As a free port in the 19th century, St. Thomas generated wealth for traders by remaining open to all major Atlantic powers, regardless of who was at war. During World War I, the United States bought the territory for $25 million (euro17 million) in part to keep Germany from seizing it as a submarine base.

Not all Danish ventures into the past have been welcomed on islands where many associate their rule with the brutal slave trade.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen planned to unearth Africans' skeletons from graves found on St. Croix, the largest island, to learn more about their lives. But the project collapsed this year under protests from islanders, including some who alleged the scientists wanted to show slavery wasn't so bad.

But Danish tourists including Anders Johansen, 55, of Roskilde, said they have been welcomed warmly by locals and also made friends from unexpected places.

"This is the only vacation where there is so many Danes," Johansen said, sipping a banana daiquiri at a mountaintop bar with about 20 other Danes from his tour bus.

Macau set to surpass Hong Kong in visitor numbers

HONG KONG, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The number of visitors to Macau jumped almost 23 percent last year, putting the fast-growing gambling haven on track to surpass neighbouring Hong Kong.

The tiny, former Portuguese-ruled enclave of about half a million people registered more than 27 million arrivals in 2007, up 22.7 percent from the previous year, according to government statistics.

Hong Kong registered more than 28 million visitor arrivals, an increase of more than 10 percent on 2006 and a record. If growth rates are maintained, Macau will take the lead this year.

The sharp rise in the number of travellers stopping in Macau highlights the radical transition the once-sleepy territory has made in the years since it was returned to Chinese rule in 1999.

Macau's leap ahead of Hong Kong in total visitor numbers would not necessarily be bad for the former British colony, said Andrew Chan, an assistant professor at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Home to some 7 million people, Hong Kong remains the leader as a shopping destination and its airport is an unrivalled hub. Tourism contributes somewhere between 20 and 30 percent of Hong Kong's retail sales, economists estimate, and in 2007, it contributed an estimated 6-8 percent of GDP.

"Basically, I do not see it as competition. Rather, it strengthens the position of Hong Kong," Chan said, adding that the authorities should come up with ways to make it easier to travel between Hong Kong and Macau. "It will feed the market for us."

Ferries run regularly between Hong Kong and Macau, taking about an hour. By helicopter, the trip is about 15 minutes.

The Macau economy has boomed since a decades-long casino monopoly was dissolved and Beijing loosened travel restrictions on Chinese tourists from dozens of cities.

Several foreign-owned, Las Vegas-style casinos have gone up, including Las Vegas Sands' palatial Venetian Macau, which boasts the biggest casino on earth.

Not surprisingly, the biggest and one of the fastest growing source of visitors to Macau last year was China, accounting for 55 percent of the total. The number of Chinese visitors grew 24 percent, according to the statistics.

Macau's figures were among the highest in the region.

China in 2006 had more visits than any other country, with 124 million international arrivals, according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Thailand had nearly 14 million arrivals in 2006, Malaysia saw 17.5 million arrivals and Singapore had more than 9 million, PATA said. By contrast, Japan welcomed just 7.3 million visitors.

Thursday January 10, 10:42 AM
Post-bushfire tours plan for Kangaroo Island
ABC

Kangaroo Island's tourism marketing manager says she is looking into marketing post-bushfire tours.

Tania O'Neil says about 700 fewer people went to Kangaroo Island in December compared with the year before, because of recent bushfires.

Ms O'Neil says the trend is continuing this month.

She says it is disappointing because even the sites that were burned offer unique insights into how the environment regenerates after fires.

"I honestly think that is a really great opportunity for Australians to come across to the island and see the Australian bush regenerating. It really is nature at work," she said.

"I think that'll be the focus of our future marketing campaigns because there is actually a lot of interest from internationals to see this because they don't get it in Europe."

Baghdad museum unveils two restored display halls

BAGHDAD, Jan 12, 2008 (AFP) - The Baghdad National Museum has completed the renovation of two exhibition halls closed after looting following the US-led invasion of 2003, Iraqi antiquities and heritage chief Eedan al-Thahabi said.

The Islamic and Assyrian halls have been completely restored but will not be opened to the public until security measures can be put in place to prevent a repeat of the looting in which around 15,000 items were stolen.

Only 4,000 artefacts have been recovered despite the introduction of a reward system offering up to 3,000 dollars to those handing in stolen items.

"Eleven Iraqi search teams started to look for antiquities in some cities after a five year gap. What the museum is receiving now is part of what they have been able to recover," Thahabi said.

The newly refurbished halls, which are among 14 that had been closed due to damage, are now home to a host of spectacular ancient treasures including a huge stone slab featuring the Assyrian god of water, Aya, found in the palace of Sargon II, king of Assyria from 721 to 705 BC.

Around 32,000 artefacts were looted from 12,000 archaeological sites around Iraq during the chaos which followed the US-led invasion.

The museum also has a laboratory to maintain and repair damaged artefacts which is supported by UNESCO and several European countries.

Tibet Tourism Rises 60 Percent Last Year
13 January 2008

BEIJING (AP) - Tourist arrivals in Tibet soared 60 percent last year to 4 million visitors, forcing the government to add hundreds of new tour buses to allay transportation strains, official media reported Sunday.

Tourism in the remote Himalayan region has roared ahead since the opening of a direct rail route to its capital Lhasa in 2006. An additional 775 tourist buses were recently added to the region's fleet, Xinhua News Agency said, bringing the total to 2,777.

The growth of tourism is part of an overall push to develop Tibet's economy, one that critics say is leaving Tibetans behind and threatening the fragile environment of the plateau -- the source of rivers that feed hundreds of millions of people in Asia.

In one sign of growing bottlenecks, Chinese state media has repeatedly reported on worsening traffic in Lhasa, an ancient city of Buddhist temples and stone buildings now largely subsumed by modern roads and infrastructure.

However, the government has dismissed criticism of its development policies as unfounded, accusing opponents of favoring the return of exiled Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama and Tibet's independence from China.

LIVERPOOL


WHAT TO DO IN THE UK http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/...cle3103605.ece

Cool in Liverpool: “It’s happening in Liverpool,” is the slogan plugging the European Capital of Culture 2008 – or “O Eight” as it’s known locally, James Collard writes. But what is happening? Well, just as the cruise liners call in again on what was once the world’s leading port, so in the next 12 months a raft of big marquee events make special guest appearances in the city, beginning with the Turner Prize at Tate Liverpool (to January 13) and culminating with the MTV Awards at the new Liverpool Echo Arena next November. Bigger draws will be the Gustav Klimt show at the Tate, and all those lovely Manets and Van Goghs on show at Art in Age of Steam, over at the Walker. Both will be blockbusters and are timely reminders that Liverpool has the best museums outside London, housed in splendid buildings built in the city’s mercantile heyday.

Those shows, plus the lively Biennial (which helped secure culture capital status) represent the high art offering. On the pop front, MTV speaks to Liverpool’s rock aristocracy. The year also turns up the perfect sporting weekend when the Tall Ships’ Races start from Liverpool Docks just as the Open Championship tees off at the Royal Birkdale (this is, after all, Britain’s Golf Coast, offering the marriage-saving combo of great golf courses and cool boutique hotels). Those races will be a moving prospect: the Mersey filled once again with masts of sailing ships. More nostalgia anyone? Ringo performs at the opening, Macca plays Anfield, Simon Rattle conducts “the Phil”, and our leading actors tread the boards at the Everyman. But 2008 will also be a celebration of Liverpool today and a future that looks bright. Details: www.visitliverpool.com, www.liverpool08.com.

Ice is money in China's coldest city

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HARBIN, China, Jan 10, 2008 (AFP) - Ice might seem a tough sell in Harbin, one of China's coldest cities, but it has pulled it off with a spectacular annual festival that for many is far more tempting than a warm beach holiday.

The Ice and Snow Festival, which features hundreds of massive sculptures carved out of ice, has become a huge draw for visitors, turning northern China's often forbidding temperatures into a competitive advantage.

"We've had a few copycats. Other cities in north China have opened ice festivals. But they aren't as favoured by geography as we are," said Liu Ruiqiang, president of Harbin Modern Group, a tourism and hotel business.

The "Harbin Ice and Snow Big World," a theme park featuring dazzlingly lit sculptures of Chinese palaces, Russian churches and French cathedrals, has benefitted from its close proximity to the Songhua River.

"This is much better than I thought it would be. The carvings are really elaborate. I would have expected them to be much cruder," said 23-year-old Harbin Industrial University student Hao Zhifu, one of the visitors.

In early December, 15,000 workers began cutting ice blocks from the river's frozen surface, and 16 days and 120,000 cubic metres (4.2 million cubic feet) of ice later, the show was ready.

The speed and efficiency reflect the growing professionalism of an annual event that traces its modest beginnings back to the early 1960s, when the city was a bleak, industrial powerbase for communist China.

Now, as the old-style communist economic theories have evaporated and much of the manufacturing has disappeared, the festival reflects the city's efforts to modernise.

In that light, organisers hope it will become an event on a global scale, and apparently it is having success.

In January, when the mercury often creeps below 20 degrees Celsius (minus four Fahrenheit), one would expect those who could afford it to be rushing to the south, but in fact the stream of wealthy visitors is in the opposite direction.

"We've got Koreans, Japanese, Thai, Singaporeans. Especially the Southeast Asians, are fascinated by the snow and the ice. They don't get too much of that where they come from," said Liu, who is also director of the "Big World."

"But our focus will remain on the domestic market. The economy is booming, and so is tourism. And we're offering a choice for the new breed of holiday maker."

On average, the festival records about 800,000 visitors every year, 90 percent of them Chinese, making it hard to find a hotel room during the peak season in January.

At the same time, the festival is not cheap by Chinese standards. Entrance into the "Big World", the festival's main attraction, is 150 yuan (21 dollars).

"The festival is Harbin's way of saying hello to the world," said 22-year-old Zhang Wei, selling instant coffee at 15 yuan a cup inside the "Big World".

"Of course, it's also a way to make money."

Nevertheless, the festival's organisers still find it hard to make money. Liu said he expected 60 million yuan in revenue from "Big World," roughly equal to the cost.

"Basically, we're just breaking even. Some years we even have to shoulder a small loss. But it's OK, we're still in the process of building up a brand," said Liu.

In coming years, he said, he plans to attract new visitors through more intensive advertising on TV and via the Internet.

In another sign that money is ice in Harbin, the "Big World" features exhibits of major international products, including life-sized replicas of Porsche autos and a giant Coca-Cola bottle.

"I don't mind that people try to make money. They also need to make ends meet," said Hao, the university student.

"But I think the advertisements for some of the foreign brands are a bit too much on the commercial side."

Commercialism does not bother Li Zhi, 25, from north China's Changchun city, who sells commemorative coins from a booth inside the "Big World", one of an army of souvenir sellers and snack vendors here.

"I heard there was good money to be made here, and it's true," he said. "I'll be back next year."

Spain attracts near 60 mln tourists in 2007-group

MADRID, Jan 14 (Reuters) - The growth of city breaks and low-cost airlines helped Spain attract 59.7 million tourists last year, 2.2 percent more than visited the world's second most popular destination in 2006, its main tourism trade body said on Monday.

Exceltur, which groups the country's major hotel chains, travel agents, tour operators and airlines, said Spain should break the 60 million visitor barrier this year.

"For 2008, we expect 60.7 million tourists in Spain," said Exceltur Executive Vice-Pres