THAILAND - tourism minister keen on getting away from mass tourism

eTN, October 16 2007

Exclusive chat with Thailand's tourism minister.
Few people in Thailand have the courage of the current Thai Tourism Minister Suvhit Yodmani. Khun Suvhit is among few tourism promoters to raise the question of sustainable environment in tourism development. If Thailand’s tourism has indeed enjoyed a remarkable evolution in tourism over the last decade, reflected in a tourist arrivals growth from 7.7 million in 1997 to 13.8 million in 2006, the Southeast Asian kingdom is facing increased pressure to protect its natural assets.

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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS - Flow of tourists from Indochina seen surging

Bangkokpost, 15th October 2007

Private tourism operators are being urged to prepare for an influx of foreign tourists as the East-West Economic Corridor linking Burma, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam approaches completion.
According to Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, deputy secretary general to National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), the East-West Economic Corridor linking Thailand, Laos and Vietnam has been finished, with the construction of 18 kilometres in Burma nearly completed.
The economic corridor is created based on a road of 1,450 km with the west end at port city of Mawlamyine (Burma), crossing Kayin Division, the Thai provinces of Tak, Sukhothai, Kalasin, Phitsanulok, Khon Kaen, Yasothon, Mukdahan and the Laotian provinces of Savannakhet, Vietnamese provinces of Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue Province and Da Nang city as the east end.

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CHINA - to build world's largest national park

chinadaily.com.cn, 2007-10-15

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has planned to build the world's largest national park by integrating the scattered neighboring tourist resorts into a whole.
The Kanas Geological Park, now around 1,000 square kilometers, will be expanded to about ten times larger in a few years after incorporating the nearby tourist regions and grassland, said Tan Weiping, head of the park administration committee.
Tan said under a new tourism development plan, the Tiere Keti town of Kaba County and the Hom Kanas town of Burqin County will be included in the new national park, which s expected to replace America's Yellowstone National Park, covering an area of about 9,000 square kilometers, to become the world's largest.
"The new national park is helpful to protect the unique natural scenery, wildlife and cultural relics here," said Tan.

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DUBAI - Maritime City enters Final Phase of Development

Asiatraveltips.com, 12 October 2007

Dubai Maritime City, a purpose-built maritime centre and member of the Dubai World Group of companies, recently commenced work on the third and final phase of the project, which includes infrastructure development.
The new phase consists of the expansion of service networks such as fire, telecommunications, water, district cooling, electricity, wastewater pipelines, access roads, supporting civil infrastructure needs and landscaping works. The final phase of the development is expected to be completed by the end of 2009.

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THAILAND - Proposed site for ICEC finally selected

Phuketgazette.net, October 8, 2007

Investment group ING Funds (Thailand) has chosen a 350-rai plot of Treasury Department land in Mai Khao as the preferred site for the Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC).The announcement came during a meeting of the project’s siting committee chaired by Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit at Phuket Provincial Hall on Thursday.In announcing its conclusion, ING Funds (Thailand) Managing Director Maris Tarab told the committee his firm hopes to fund the three-billion-baht project at the island’s northernmost tip through a limited public company that would be set up by the Treasury Department, if the idea is approved by the Finance Ministry. The seaside site was chosen over a 250-rai locale privately owned by the other finalist, Anuphas & Sons off Chao Fa West Rd in Wichit.

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AUSTRALIA - Gold Coast's road to wealth is clear

goldcoast.com.au, 09 Oct 07

THERE was a time, about a decade ago, when the Gold Coast's confidence could be described as tepid. The past 10 years have been the most remarkable in the city's history.
Gold Coast Airport records at least 70 arrivals and departures of large passenger jets a day, compared with about 40 flights a day on smaller aircraft conducted by Ansett and Qantas in 1997.
The volume of traffic on the Gold Coast section of Pacific Highway has increased by about 40,000 vehicles a day since that year.
Tourism bosses are daring to dream about a much larger, busier Gold Coast within a few more years and property analysts are already talking about a time when the city runs out of land available for housing.
Outsiders certainly can see the potential. Budget carrier Tiger Airways plans to provide an extra 1.4 million seats into the Gold Coast by 2010, and other airlines are keen to start up new services that would give the Gold Coast direct access to the seemingly inexhaustible markets of India, China and the Middle East.

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TAIWAN - Industries promote medical tourism

CNA, Oct 06, 2007

A new business alliance between a popular hotel, a travel agency and a medical association announced a program yesterday to promote medical tourism in Taiwan.
It is the first time that the three industries have joined forces to promote medical tourism, the market for which, according to estimates by the Council for Economic Planning and Development, could be worth up to NT$7 billion (US$220 million) per year.
Under the program, the Grand Hotel, the Taiwan Hospital Association and the Taipei-based Asia-Pacific Society of Travel Medicine (ASTM) will cooperate in promoting tourism packages to foreign visitors.
The cost of a four-day tour is estimated at between NT$30,000 and NT$60,000. The tour would include a three-hour health checkup, an anti-oxidation treatment, skin care and a magnetic wave face lift session.
Customers would stay at Taipei's Grand Hotel and spend their leisure time visiting local tourists spots, such as Taipei 101 and the National Palace Museum.

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PHILIPPINES - Boracay, Palawan among world’s top 10 destinations

Manilastandardtoday.com, October 4th 2007

Boracay and Palawan have landed in the top 10 list of best destinations in the world by international publications.
The white, powdery sands and azure waters of Boracay, Aklan landed in the top 10 beach destinations of the Asian Wall Street Journal. The publication noted Boracay as a favorite among Asian holiday seekers for the variety of activities and entertainment available—from water sports to spas, from all-night parties to quiet, secluded nooks. It is also the only Southeast Asian attraction in the survey, joining other upcoming and exotic places such as Honduras, Abu Dhabi and Montenegro.
Asian Wall Street Journal’s list was endorsed by a panel of executives from global companies in the luxury hotel and cruise industry, including Four Seasons, which operates 74 hotels in 31 countries, the internationally acclaimed Ritz Carlton, high-ranking Asian brand Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, and Amanresorts, a company that specializes in top-quality spa getaways.

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China - ETHNIC KAZAKHS TO PONDER FUTURE AMID TOURISM BOOM

Eurasianet.org, 10/05/07

Chinese rule and an influx of people from other parts of the country have forced lifestyle changes upon Xinjiang’s Kazakhs, who have for centuries lived a nomadic existence. The jewel of Xinjiang’s Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture is Kanas, a crescent-shaped glacial lake tucked into mountains not far from the point where the borders of China, Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan converge. The lake is surrounded by thick taiga, giving way to sweeping meadows. Rich in resources and with abundant water supplies, it is a prime area for the livestock breeding that sustains nomadic families.
This natural beauty now threatens the nomadic way of life, as tourists have begun flocking to Lake Kanas. Paved roads now reach the lake and beyond, running alongside tracks used by nomads to move between winter and summer pastures. Yurts -- the round, felt tents in which the nomads live -- are flanked by luxurious hotels painted in garish orange and yellow hues, conspicuous against the deep green taiga.

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PHILIPPINES - Calicoan Island makes a splash among surfers

INQUIRER.net, 10/07/2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines--Efforts to promote Guiuan, Eastern Samar through a sports competition are paying off as more tourists and adventure lovers are coming down to sample the town's delights. The Department of Tourism and the provincial and municipal governments have been organizing the annual surfing competition in Calicoan Island, Guiuan to get enthusiasts to see what the town could offer as a destination.
Aurora delos Reyes, investment and tourism officer of Guiuan, said Guiuan Mayor Analiza Kwan has been very active in promoting Guiuan as a tourist spot, banking not only on the waves but also the town's rich historical, pilgrimage and cultural sites.

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INDONESIA - Clouds Over the Bali Climate Change Conference?

Balidiscovery.com, (10/6/2007)

Chairman of the Bali Tourism Board, Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, urges the government, Climate Change Conference organizers and the tourist industry to anticipate an overload of visitors to the island, since December is normally Bali's peak tourist season, reports Kompas on October 4, 2007.The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will be held between 3-14 December, with pre-conference meetings by NGO's and experts commencing in late November, is a prestigious conference that must be organized successfully, said Ngurah Widjaja. The UNFCCC is expected to draw some 10,000 delegates. "If, say, only 7,000 delegates will attend, Bali will already be overstretched" said Wijaya. This will be the first time ever that Bali has hosted such a large number of Convention delegates. Up to now, Bali has organized a maximum of 5,000 Meeting and Conference delegates at one time. For that purpose a large number of hotels have been blocked in the resorts of Nusa Dua, Kuta and Sanur, in order to be able to accommodate all delegates.

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BANGLADESH - Development of tourism in Bangladesh

Thedailystar.net, 2007-09-27

Tourism creates employment for both sexes. According to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), the tourism industry accounts for 11% of total global employment. It is said that every twelve tourists create a new job. Unfortunately, tourism is one of the most neglected sectors in Bangladesh, though there is no lack of lip service on the part of the government. In fact, government high-ups and policy makers have hazy as well as negative ideas about tourism. They firmly believe that to attract foreign tourists to Bangladesh, the country needs to have nightlife facilities, bars, massage parlours etc., as if these are the essence of tourism.

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MACAU - Stakes are high for new casino, hotel in Asia

Delawareonline.com, September 23, 2007

The $2.4 billion Venetian Macau Resort Hotel is an ambitious venture, remarkable both for its massive size and for its location on the once-empty Cotai Strip. The Venetian, which opened on August 28, is the biggest hotel in Asia and the second biggest building in the world. It has the world's largest gaming floor, a 15,000-seat arena, 30 upscale restaurants plus a giant food court, 350 retail shops, 3,000 all-suite rooms and 1.2 million square feet of convention space, to say nothing of its signature canals, complete with gondolas and boatmen.
And the Venetian is only the beginning of the $10 to $12 billion Cotai Strip project, which will eventually feature 14 hotels, 20,000 guest rooms, hundreds of restaurants and three million square feet of retail space, along with the card tables, slot machines, roulette wheels and other games of chance for which Macau is famous. "We are going to create a mini Las Vegas out of the Cotai Strip," said Sheldon G. Adelson, one of the world's richest businessmen with a net worth of at least US$ 15 billion and the owner and CEO of Las Vegas Sands, which owns both the Venetian and the Cotai Strip as well as the profitable Sands Macao casino in downtown Macau.

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VIETNAM - “Hoi An Eco Tour” of young fisherman

VietNamNet Bridge, 30/09/2007

It is an interesting tour attracting foreign tourists in Hoi An ancient town, whose author is a young man, 29, originating from a fisherman. He ever worked as a receptionist for the Victoria Hotel in Hoi An.Khoa asked his parents to borrow VND 100 million to buy boats to organise his own tours. “Hoi An Eco Tour” was given birth from that time. Khoa’s father rows the boat and cooks dishes; and Khoa works as a tourist guide.
“What I would like to do is to combine making tourism with protecting the environment, promoting unique values of the sea,” Khoa said.

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VIETNAM - Tourism human resources in shortage

Nhandan.com.vn, September 28, 2007

The high growth of the tourism industry has recently brought about the great demand for human resources. Human resources are directly influencing service quality and the professionalism of the tourism sector.
According to statistics of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the total number of workers in the tourism sector is around 850,000 at present, including 250,000 workers who directly serve tourists. However, only around 50% of them are trained.
The tourism sector needs an additional around 35,000 trained workers each year but training centres can provide only about one-third of the number.
Besides weakness in terms of professional knowledge and skills, the largest disadvantage of Vietnamese tourism workers is foreign languages.

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MACAO - threatens Hong Kong for popularity

China Daily, 2007-10-01

Macao is expected to catch up with Hong Kong in the near future in terms of mainland tourist traffic, an expert said.
The estimation is based on the increasing trend of Macao's growing shares in the mainland tourist market and Macao's enriching tourism facilities.
The number of mainland tourists bound for Macao has been rising since 1999, causing annual growth of over 30 percent between 1999 and 2004, said Dai Bin, a professor at Beijing International Studies University, in a recent interview.
Although the growth rate has slowed a little in the past two years, it still beat the comparative rate for Hong Kong last year, when Macao registered 14.6 percent growth compared to Hong Kong's 8.4 percent.

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CHINA - 120 million Chinese celebrate Golden Week

CanWest News Service, October 01, 2007

At least 120 million Chinese were on the move during the weekend, filling seats in every plane, boat, train, bus and car available to take advantage of Golden Week, which officially starts today, China's National Day.
They've gone en masse to shop in Hong Kong, to gamble in Macao, to lie in the simmering autumn sunshine on Hainan Island, to visit Shangri-La in Yunnan Province and to Beijing to see the wonders of the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. Others have just gone home to the provinces to see families they only have the leisure to visit once or twice a year.
One way or another, however, China's population is on holidays. Almost all 1.3 billion of them.
"It's the time of the year you absolutely don't want to travel," an ex-pat businessman advises. "It's crazy. Stay put and enjoy the peace and quiet."

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HONG KONG - Visitor Arrivals for August 2007

ASIATravelTips.com, 1 October 2007

Hong Kong visitor arrivals in August 2007 numbered 2,758,337, the highest single-month total on record. The achievement represents 16.9% growth over last August. Arrivals from Mainland China also increased by a substantial 23.5% to over 1.68 million – the best-ever monthly record for the Mainland.
All long and short-haul market regions showed positive gain this August. On top of Mainland China, Europe, Africa and the Middle East and Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific also performed exceptionally well.

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BALI - Bali's Airport: Between a Wet and a Soft Place

Balidiscovery.com (9/29/2007)

Indonesia's Vice President, Jusuf Kalla, conducted an inspection of Bali's air gateway while in town to open the PATA Travel Mart - accompanied by the Minister of Transportation, Syaffi Djamal, and the Minister for State-Owned Enterprises, Sofyan Djalil. Following that inspection Kalla called on PT Angkasa Pura - the company charged with managing the airport, to extend and expand the current runway. Kalla told the Bali Post: "the Ngurah Rai airport must soon be expanded. In the first phbase, the runway must be extended 600 meters. In the second phase, a new runway must be constructed." The Vice President called for an urgent construction program to be undertaken in order to permit Bali to welcome the larger, A380 aircraft within two year's time.

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THAILAND - Healthy progress in medical tourism

TTGasia.com, Sep 7 - 13, 2007

MORE than 10 private hospitals in Bangkok are vying for foreign patients, which according to Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health (MPH), have amounted to more than one million patients per year since 2005.
Kasikorn Research Centre said foreign patients who sought medical treatments in Thailand spent an average of 25,800 baht (US$880) per person per trip in 2005. Meanwhile, MPH expected revenue from medical services for foreign patients to reach 32.89 billion baht this year, and would subsequently reach 39.83 billion baht next year.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the main sources of medical tourists were the Middle East, South Asia, the US, Europe, Australia and Indochina.

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MARKETS - Asia Pacific Tourism Continues to Break Records

Pata.org, September 25, 2007

There were close to 356 million international trips to Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) member destinations in 2006, representing region-wide year-on-year growth of 5.3% over 2005. This was revealed by the ‘PATA Annual Statistical Report 2006’, launched today during a strategic intelligence workshop at PATA Travel Mart 2007 in Bali, which has set a new year-to-date record for arrivals. “Calendar year 2006 was very successful in terms of international visitor arrivals (IVAs) into and within Asia Pacific,” said PATA Director - Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC) Mr John Koldowski. The following destinations posted “best-ever performances” in 2006:
• Chile, in the Americas;
• Bhutan, India and Pakistan, in South Asia;
• China (PRC), Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Korea (ROK) Macau SAR and Mongolia, in Northeast Asia;
• Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar. Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, in Southeast Asia; and
• Australia, Cook Islands, Hawaii, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea and Samoa, in the Pacific.
“Asia Pacific may attract up to 380 million IVAs in 2007,” he added. “So far this year the region has added 13.8 million international visitor arrivals compared to the same period in 2006, an expansion of 7.1% year-on-year.”

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AVIATION - Low Cost Airlines increase Share of Business Travel Market

Asiatraveltips.com, 27 September 2007

Fares for budget airlines grew by 10% in the last year and now account for one in eight business travel bookings, according to a recent survey by international corporate services company Hogg Robinson Group.
Traditional carriers have responded to the growth of the low cost carriers in the business sector by reducing the cost of their economy fares by an average 5%. This heightened competition across the airline industry has kept overall average price increases below those seen in previous years despite an increase in the number of travellers.

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AUSTRALIA - Gold Coast airport expansion

Asia Property Report - September 18 2007

The federal government has approved a $A100 million ($US82.44 million) refurbishment andexpansion of the Gold Coast Airport´s main terminal.Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile said the airport redevelopment would relieve congestion and improve passenger services."The Gold Coast Airport is a key global gateway for tourism, business travel and the shipment of freight to the Pacific Rim," Mr Vaile said."Gold Coast Airport has continued to grow in terms of both its domestic and international airline services resulting in the terminals experiencing some congestion."

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FIJI - not ready for Chinese tourists

.fijilive.com, September 25, 2007

Fiji at the moment is still not ready for Chinese tourists, it does not have the products to accommodate them, Tourism permanent secretary Adi Banuve Kaumaitotoya has admitted. She says Fiji is targeting middle level Chinese tourists whom she described as independent travelers from China who come here and stay in accommodations just like a conventional tourist. These tourists are interested in culture, in ecotourism, scenic views and shopping, she says.

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THAILAND - Chiang Mai’s condo conundrum

Asia Property Report - September 27 2007

Investors have snapped up the limited number of new luxury condos available in Chiang Mai over the past 18 months, but finding tenants is proving more difficult. A combination of over-confidence in the rental market, construction-site proximity and bad location are all reasons given for the lack of demand among tenants. Yet new projects appear to enjoy buoyant sales, reports Andrew Bond.
The emergence of a small but certain luxury condo market is one of the key characteristics of property in this Northern town which has been overhauling its image somewhat in recent years. The arrival of several five-star hotels and the gentrification of areas such as Nimminhemin road and the Night Bazaar area are signs of confidence in a more cosmopolitan city atmosphere. The city has also noted a marked influx in foreigners becoming residents here, and traditionally this sector has supported the existing condo market. Now, buildings such as Twin Peaks, Kharn Kanok and Punna are offering foreign buyers and residents far more choice.

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MALAYSIA - Northern Malaysia’s major plans

Asia Property Report - September 19 2007

Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, announced on July 30 the government’s plan to develop the country’s northern region. Dubbed the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), the plan will introduce a slew of projects to spur growth and boost income levels in the states of Perlis, Kedah and northern Perak. Penang is also included in the masterplan and is expected to play a major role as a logistics and transportation hub and a gateway to the region.
The government hopes to attract up to RM177 billion (about US$50 billion) in investment over 18 years, with two-thirds of it coming from the private sector, according to government estimates. Sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and logistics will be the major beneficiaries of the NCER project.

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BHUTAN - is interested in Phuket’s tourism and education

Thaisnews.com, September 25 2007

A delegation from the small mountainous country of Bhutan led by its Head of Services Division in the Department of Tourism, Rinzin Jamtsho, paid a call on the Phuket Vice Governor Worapote Ratasrima during their trip to Phuket last weekend. The group discussed a possibility in tourism cooperation. Mr. Rinzin Jamtsho paid special interest in the island’s hotel accommodation and spa management to apply in their country as Bhutan is promoting its tourism development. They observed the management of large hotels like the Hilton Acadia Resort and Spa and Marina Cottage at Karon beach. A possible direct – flight between Phuket and Bhutan was also mentioned. At present Prince of Songkhla University in Phuket have some students enrolled from Bhutan.

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