MARKETS - Segments Emerge in China (PRC) Outbound Market

PATA COMMUNICATIONS, September 14, 2006

China (PRC) outbound travel to Asia Pacific destinations has grown at an average annual rate of 19.8% since 2001, fuelled by strong economic growth; greater consumer spending power; Beijing’s moves to loosen travel restrictions and allow the Chinese currency to strengthen; and greater segmentation in the marketplace.

Travel trade participants in the PATA Travel Mart 2006 China (PRC) Outbound luncheon workshop learned this today at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong.

Panellists in the interactive session included Shanghai Business International Travel Service Deputy General Manager Ms Li Guo; Shanghai Shihua International Travel Service Assistant General Manager Mr Tom Wang; and Tourism Australia Regional General Manager-North Asia & Business Tourism Mr Johnny Nee.

Panel moderator and PATA China (PRC) Representative Ms Kate Chang warned destinations to be wary of the sheer number of potential Chinese travellers in the future.

“Destination tourism organisations will have to check how the Chinese “golden weeks”, which coincide with Chinese New Year, May Day and National Day, fit in with existing inbound patterns,” she said. “There is a risk of destinations being “swamped” by travel demand from Chinese travellers.”

>>Full article

ASIA PACIFIC - Tourism Breaks Records in 2005

PATA COMMUNICATIONS, September 13, 2006


The ‘PATA Annual Statistical Report 2005 Summary & Extracts’ was launched today in Hong Kong, at a PATA Travel Mart 2006 luncheon workshop on Asia Pacific travel and tourism’s state-of-play. The new report by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC) brings together in one volume the top-line performance statistics for destinations across the Asia Pacific region for the period 2001 to 2005. Covering both inbound and outbound flows, the report provides an overview of annual travel movements to and within the most dynamic region in the world today – Asia Pacific. During the workshop, PATA Director-SIC Mr John Koldowski outlined the major issues and trends affecting international travel flows to and within the region. International visitor arrivals (IVAs) to Asia Pacific in 2005 numbered nearly 330 million trips, representing region-wide year-on-year growth of 7.6%. Since 2001, IVAs have grown at an average annual rate of 6%. “Calendar year 2005 was a very successful year in terms of IVAs into and within Asia Pacific,” said Mr Koldowski. “In fact, by the end of 2005, a number of international inbound volume records were broken.” The following destinations posted “best-ever’ performances” in 2005:- • Chile and Mexico in the Americas; • Bhutan, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in South Asia; • China (PRC), Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Korea (ROK) and Macau SAR in Northeast Asia; • Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam in Southeast Asia; and • Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hawaii, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu in the Pacific.

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AUSTRALIA - Queensland tourism to focus on Chinese market

eTN Asia/Pacific, 09-13-2006

Tourism officials from one of Australia's leading tourist destinations, Queensland state, said they recognize the Chinese market as a vital component in the state’s tourism industry plans for the next 10 years.

A flat domestic market, declining number of tourists from Japan, which contributes the second highest number of foreign visitors to Australia and stiff competition in the international market have forced the state to focus on high-yielding overseas markets, including the Middle East and Europe, reported the CourierMail.

"The Chinese market and protecting the Japanese market will be two vital components of the state's tourism industry for the next 10 years," said Queensland Tourism Minister Margaret Keech, outlining the industry's expansion plans.

"We will be focusing on developing the Chinese, Indian and Japanese markets, but China will become our biggest overseas market.

>>Full article

NEW ZEALAND - records highest tourism figures

eTN Asia/Pacific, 09-12-2006

Tourism Ministry figures from New Zealand showing international visitors spent a record new high of NZ$6.6 billion confirms its strategy of attracting higher spending visitors has paid off.

"This is great news for the industry," said Damien O'Connor, tourism minister. "It is the highest recorded figures in New Zealand tourism."

In a recent poll of 30,000 readers by Conde Nast Traveller (UK) magazine, New Zealand was voted the second best country in the world, behind Italy for visitors.

Figures show visitors spent 8 percent, or $500 million more, compared to the same period in the last year, despite arrival figures dropping 0.4 percent.

"The increase is pleasing given that many tourism businesses has been feeling the effects of slow growth," said Fiona Luhrs, chief executive of Tourism Industry Association New Zealand. "The figures show our strategy of targeting high-spending visitors is paying off."

The figures include $172 million spent by British rugby fans during the 2005 Lions tour, proving that hosting sports events can be a lucrative income-earner.

Neighbor Australians contributed $1.5 billion (up by 9 percent), British visitors $1.1 billion (up by 18.5 percent) while visitors from the US contributed $649 million (up 5.6 percent) during the year.

>>Full article

ACOMMODATION - Western hotel chains mushroom in Vietnam

USA Today, 8 September, 2006

Hyatt last year opened its first hotel in the country in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. InterContinental will open its first hotel in 2007 in Hanoi. Accor, with nine hotels, plans four more by 2008.

Starwood entered the country in 2003 and operates two Sheratons. Marriott operates two hotels, and Hilton, one.From 2000 to 2005, the number of rooms in Vietnam grew by 72 percent to 95,700, according to the Vietnamese government.

Western companies, for the most part, are building business hotels in big cities: Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Beach-front resorts are slower to develop. Strengthening business ties with the West and Asia are boosting demand for good hotels. In the first eight months this year, the number of visitors grew 10 percent from a year earlier to about 2.5 million.Nearly 80 percent of the available rooms in four hotels in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City owned by France-based Accor have been filled this year, largely by business travelers from Asia."In the last two years, the growth in occupancy there was higher than any other Asian country," says Accor's Peter Hook. "Vietnam is hot."

The shortage of rooms in Hanoi will be felt in November when the city hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference that will draw thousands of diplomats, journalists and business people, Hook says.

>>Full article

MALAYSIA - Action plans needed to conserve wetlands

DAILY EXPRESS NEWS, September 10, 2006

Realistic goals and action plans must be formulated to ensure the sustainable development and conservation of wetlands in Sabah, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat.

Chong, who is also Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, said there was a great need to have an integrated approach and effort in managing these areas involving all stakeholders, including the public and private sectors, NGOs and local communities.

"I believe this integrated approach will not only help minimise negative environmental impacts of development programmes but also prevent unsustainable activities," he said.

However, in order to enable the stakeholders work as partners as well as develop smart partnerships in new and different ways, especially in the planning, organisation and implementation, realistic goals and actions are needed, he said.

Towards this end, Chong believed the establishment of the Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS) was appropriate and timely as another important strategy to strengthen the institutional framework to enhance environmental conservation and protection efforts in Sabah.

>>Full article

MALAYSIA - Sipadan to be exploited as 'sustainble' (sic) dive tourism toilet

CYBER DIVER News Network, 7 September, 2006

Keeping to his word to personally monitor development at eco-sensitive areas, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman yesterday visited Pulau Sipadan. He toured the island which was thrown into the limelight for the wrong reasons when a barge damaged coral reefs the size of one-and-a-half tennis courts four months ago.

The barge had gone to deliver building material for the construction of a RM5 million clubhouse, a project which was later called off.

After the walkabout, Musa told reporters that a facility costing less than RM1.5 million would be built for the comfort of divers and government officers stationed there.

"We are looking at some options that have been given to us by a consultant to construct facilities which include toilets, showers, a rest area for divers and staff quarters," he said.

He said once there was sufficient input, views would be sought from the Joint Committee on the Management and Supervision of Pulau Sipadan and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who recently made it clear that he was concerned about conserving the island's environment.

>>Full article

GUAM - Report: Guam must better fund education

Pacific Daily News, 12 September, 2006

The U.S. Pacific Command in 2005 produced the U.S. Pacific Command Asia Pacific Economic Update," a report that summarizes the economic conditions in countries and territories in the Pacific region.
The report was prepared by the economic adviser at the U.S. Pacific Command, Leif Rosenberger, who has held the post since 1998. In the report, Rosenberger examined the strategy and performance of 43 economies in Asia and the Pacific, including Guam. Following several years of stagnation and decline, Guam's economy is headed for recovery and growth.

In 2004, most of the economic, financial and security factors affecting Guam's tourism were moving in directions favorable to the U.S. territory's economy.

The two main engines of growth -- tourism and national defense spending -- are rising.

Japan's recovery is driving the rise in tourism.

That said, Guam's financial mismanagement is a formidable obstacle.

>>Full article

EAST ASIA - Seminar on Decentralization in East Asia and the Philippines: SECOND Session

worldbank.org

Over the past two decades, subnational governments in East Asia have taken on core responsibilities for raising and spending public money and for providing critical services and infrastructure. This decentralization has unleashed local initiative and energy, providing new ways to deliver services to people. With great potential for continued improvement and innovation, says a new World Bank report, it is essential that decentralization be carried out correctly. The report, East Asia Decentralizes—Making Local Government Work, was launched during a policy seminar on Decentralization in East Asia and the Philippines on June 14, 2005, at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City, Philippines. The event was organized by the Center for Local and Regional Governance at the University of the Philippines and the World Bank, in partnership with the Philippine Department of Interior and Local Government. Alex B. Brillantes, Jr., Dean of the National College of Public Administration and Governance at the University of the Philippines, chaired the event. The second session centered on a presentation by Jorge Vazquez-Martinez, Economics Professor at Georgia State University, who provided an international perspective on Philippine decentralization. Vazquez-Martinez pointed out that while the Philippine system had a good start, a second generation of reforms is still needed. He insisted that reliance on transfers, among other concerns, has prevented local governments from being truly able to fend for themselves. A panel discussion on decentralization challenges in the Philippines followed. Panelists included Representative Rodolfo Agbayani, Member of the Philippine House Committee on Local Government; Geronimo Treñas, President of the League of Cities and Mayor of Iloilo City; Sixto Donato Macasaet, Executive Director of the Caucus of Development Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Network; and Galina Kurlyandskaya, General Director of the Center for Fiscal Policy (Moscow).

>>Watch video

EAST ASIA - Seminar on Decentralization in East Asia and the Philippines: FIRST Session

worldbank.org

Over the past two decades, subnational governments in East Asia have taken on core responsibilities for raising and spending public money and for providing critical services and infrastructure. This decentralization has unleashed local initiative and energy, providing new ways to deliver services to people. With great potential for continued improvement and innovation, says a new World Bank report, it is essential that decentralization be carried out correctly. The report, East Asia Decentralizes—Making Local Government Work, was launched during a policy seminar on Decentralization in East Asia and the Philippines on June 14, 2005, at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City, Philippines. The event was organized by the Center for Local and Regional Governance at the University of the Philippines and the World Bank, in partnership with the Philippine Department of Interior and Local Government.


>>Watch video

INDIA - ADB expects loans to hit $2.85 bn in 2009

The Financial Express, New Delhi, September 09, 2006

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), a multilateral finance institution that promotes economic and social progress in the Asia-Pacific region, expects to step up its loans to India, reaching $2.85 billion in 2009 from a planned $2.25 billion this year, mainly to fund infrastructure projects, a senior official said on Friday.
The bank’s lending will touch $2.45 billion in 2007, ADB director general for South Asia, Kunio Senga, said in a statement. “Broadly, it is our aim to raise annual lending levels to more than $2 billion, and disbursement to between $800 million to $1 billion annually. The bank and the government are working closely toward reaching these goals,” he said.

>>Full article

MALAYSIA - Attractive packages urged to woo 2.7mil

Daily Express, 10 September, 2006

Sabah is confident of attracting 2.7 million tourists to the State in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2007. Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Karim Bujang said the State tourism's target could be achieved with effort and cooperation of all. The Federal Government had targeted 20.1 million tourist arrivals next year and to achieve it, the Government is improving the quality of tourism infrastructure under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

"The State Government will cooperate closely with the public and private sectors especially the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board, airline companies, hotel entrepreneurs and tourism agencies to make the Visit Malaysia Year a success," he said.

In this regard, Karim urged all parties involved in the tourism industry to offer attractive packages to lure tourists to the State. Karim said this while officiating the "Community Service with a Smile" event organised by the Tanjung Aru Tours and Travel Sdn. Bhd. (TATT) at Prince Phillip Park, here, Saturday.

His speech was delivered by Sabah Tourism Board Chairman Tengku Datuk Dr Zainal Adlin Tengku Mahmood.

>>Full article

PHUKET - City Office conducts training to improve service quality of beauty parlor operators and masseurs.

Andaman News TV11, September 12th, 2006

In an attempt to upgrade the service and hygiene of beauty parlours and masseurs for the health services in its perimeters, the Office of Phuket City is organizing a training workshop for the operators and masseurs. There are around 330 operators in the Phuket City area for the two businesses. The mayor Somjai Suwansupana urges the masseurs to form a club to help check on their quality and acquire appropriate technical support. If the business operators are strong, it would be good for the customers and tourism atmosphere as a whole.

>>Watch video

ACCOMMODATION - Seeking to diversify, Banyan Tree places hopes in China

Herald Tribune, September 11, 2006

SINGAPORE Banyan Tree Holdings, an operator of luxury hotels from the Seychelles to Bahrain, said that China would become its fastest-growing market in a global expansion plan that seeks to cut dependence on its flagship resort in Phuket, Thailand.

Banyan Tree, based in Singapore, has more employees assessing opportunities in China than anywhere else, Ho Kwon Ping, chairman of the company, said during an interview.

Banyan Tree is focusing its expansion in China as economic growth there raises salaries and lifts consumer spending. At Banyan Tree's new resort in Yunnan Province, almost half the clients paying more than $400 for a night's accommodation are Chinese nationals, Ho said.

That could reduce reliance on the Phuket hotel that brings in the bulk of the group's income, said Tan Cheng Wee, an analyst in Singapore at DBS Vickers Securities.

"It's in line with the plan to reach out to a more global market," said Tan, who recommends buying Banyan Tree shares. "China should be a very big market to go into, but it should take some time."

Banyan Tree's expansion plans include opening 24 new resorts in the next three years, from Greece to Mexico.

>>Full article

VIETNAM - to simplify investment procedures

People's Daily Online, September 11, 2006

Vietnam will empower the People's Committees of cities and provinces, and management boards of industrial parks and export processing zones nationwide to license nearly all kinds of domestic and foreign-invested projects.
Under a draft decree on guiding the implementation of the new Investment Law, taking effect in July, the committees and the boards will have the rights to either directly consider and license most of projects or indirectly license some projects which are earlier approved by the prime minister, local newspaper Youth quoted Pham Manh Dung, director of the Legal Department under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as saying.
The prime minister is in charge of approving projects in some limited fields, including construction of airports, air transport, building and running national seaports, mineral exploration and exploration, broadcasting and television, and casino, Dung said, noting that if projects in the fields have already been listed in Vietnam's development plans, investors do not have to submit them to the prime minister for approval.

>>Full article

VIETNAM - resorts: few in number, poor in quality

VietNamNet Bridge, 10/09/2006

The development of tourism in Vietnam has created a boom in newly built resorts across the country. However, it has been revealed that running these businesses is not easy. Vietnam is in the early stage of resort development. Experts say that there are 26 3-5 star resorts nationwide. Currently, the number of rooms in these 26 resorts is 1,972, accounting for 0.4% of total hotel and resort rooms in Vietnam. Most resorts in the country are in well-known tourism sites such as Ha Long, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, Phu Quoc. They are operating under the forms of either joint venture or 100% foreign invested. Many other tourism sites in Vietnam are also in need of more resorts. But a lot of investors say that planning work and other red tape have discouraged them from investing. Pham Hoang Minh, an investor in Phu Hai resort in Mui Ne, said he had had to spend at least one year to complete procedures for his project to be begun.

>>Full article

PHILIPPINES - 7-Mo Hotel Occupancy 71.79% Vs 71.07% Year-Ago

September 8th, 2006

An average seven in every 10 hotel rooms in the Philippine capital were occupied during the first seven months of the year with guests brought by business seminars, conventions and group tours, data from the Department of Tourism showed Friday. The survey of 75 hotels operating in metropolitan Manila showed that in the January-July period, 71.79% of the 13,612 available rooms were filled with guests that stayed an average of 2.65 nights. In the same period a year earlier, the survey covered 65 hotels and reported an average occupancy of 71.07% of the 12,594 rooms available. The average stay was 2.63 nights.

>>Full article

PHILIPPINES - Puerto Princesa fund for Palawan Tourism

palawan.com, 12-9-2006

The city’s local government has allotted some US$100 million, or P5.5 billion, in the next three years for project developments to attract visitors and investors.

In an interview with reporters, Mayor Edward Hagedorn said the $100 million will be used for the construction of hotels and infrastructure projects to entice more foreign and local visitors. He said that the fund for the city development will be sourced from loans, internal revenue allotment and local revenues.

Hagedorn noted that in 1992, the investment capital in the city only reached P50 million but in 2001, it reached as much as P4-billion capital investment because of the new airport and major infrastructure projects. With the city’s development, Hagedorn is confident that after three to four years, Puerto Princesa will be the main tourist destination in the country, with a projected 600,000 local and foreign visitors yearly. Puerto Prinsesa has 117,000 visitors a year.

"Tourism really contributes a lot to the economy and gives employment," Hagedorn said.

>>Full article

PHILIPPINES - 3rd among World’s best dive sites

palawan.com, 9-12-2006

Thailand, Hawaii and other South Pacific and Caribbean countries are known for their prime scuba sites — but they have nothing on the Philippines, which has officially earned the distinction of being among the world’s top three diving destinations. Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) general manager Robert Barbers said the country was chosen as one of the top three dive sites in the world during the Dive and Travel Awards for 2006 held in Japan. The best dive site award was a result of a survey conducted by the Marine Diving Fair (MDF), now considered to be Asia’s largest scuba diving and beach resort exhibition that annually attracts over 50,000 travelers. "The Philippines was very fortunate to be given recognition and the honor to be named among the best dive sites in the world next to Maldives and Palau," Barbers said. The Philippines swam past other locations with internationally known diving sites including Thailand, Hawaii and several South Pacific and Caribbean countries. During the award ceremony, Barbers expressed optimism that with this new distinction, more foreign travelers will be encouraged to visit the Philippines and enjoy the many different dive sites around the country. According to Barbers, the tourism market of the world’s diving industry is Very Very Big (Billions of US Dollars), Philippine tourism industry stakeholders must intensify efforts to develop dive resorts around the country in order to attract more tourists.

>>Full article

PHILIPPINES - China extends loan for Busuanga Development - Palawan Islands

palawan.com, 12-9-2006

CHINA has committed to extend official development assistance (ODA) to boost Philippine tourism, according to the National Economic and Development Authority, adding the funds would be used to develop alternative destinations like Busuanga, an island north of Palawan province. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri on Monday disclosed that the loan of between $5 billion and $10 billion from China’s Export-Import Bank would be used to develop tourism destinations like Busuanga as an alternative to world-renowned Boracay Island.

>>Full article

AVIATION - Singaporean budget carrier to fly to Malaysian cities on Borneo Island- report

The Associated Press, September 10, 2006

Malaysian authorities have granted permission to Singapore's low-cost carrier Tiger Airways to fly from the city-state to three destinations in Malaysia's Sarawak state on Borneo Island, a news report said Monday.
The airline will be allowed to fly to the cities of Kuching, Miri and Sibu in Sarawak to boost tourist arrivals in the state, The Star newspaper quoted Sarawak State Tourism and Urban Development Minister Wong Soon Koh as saying.

>>Full article

SINGAPORE - Mickey at Marina?

channelnewsasia.com, 8 september 2006

One month before the four bidders for the Sentosa integrated resort (IR) put their cards on the table, comes a stunner: The winner could face a theme park rival, right here in Singapore. Mickey Mouse - who has spurned the advances of Johor - could come to town. According to market talk, US-based operator Walt Disney has been in discussions with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on a possible theme park in Marina East. The site in question is an empty plot of land beside the new 18-hole Marina Bay Golf Course at Tanjong Rhu, operated by a unit of NTUC Club, Lianhe Zaobao reported yesterday.

>>Full article

THAILAND - Hua Hin: Developers heading for the hills

Thailand Property Report - September 06

One could easily say that there are three main hotspots for Thai property right now, those being Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin. All three are experiencing rapid growth and expansion but not all offer the same thing to the same people. “All of them have their strengths and weaknesses,” said Nusara Banyatpiyaphod, President of Ocean Property. “Phuket is the most expensive due to the airport and pristine quality of its water and beaches, but the effects of the tsunami still linger. Pattaya is close to Bangkok, but it’s a party town with a wild reputation and every Western convenience. Hua Hin is a nice compromise: it’s smaller and has a more traditional, relaxed feel to it.”A recent survey by Knight Frank Chartered (Thailand) shows that Hua Hin has a total of 18 condominium projects with 1,732 units launched for sale priced from Bt30,000/sqm to Bt100,000/sqm. The firm expects to see sustained growth in the Hua Hin condominium market for the rest of the year, driven largely by Thai buyers seeking to acquire lifestyle properties.

>>Full article

PHILIPPINES - Foreign aid helps treat dirty household water

manila times, September 11, 2006

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is implementing a project called Sustainable Coastal Tourism in Asia (SCOTIA)-Philippines to pursue a collaborative program to promote sustainable coastal tourism that will protect the long-term viability of delicate coastal and marine areas.
SCOTIA is modeled on other successful public-private, voluntary ecotourism programs and focuses on minimizing the environmental footprints of tourism industry operators like resorts, hotels, tourist agencies and dive shops. SCOTIA aims to strengthen the capability of local governments to safeguard the sustainability and tourism value of their marine and coastal ecologies. SCOTIA is focused primarily on six project sites—Panglao Island in Bohol, Mactan Island and Moalboal in Cebu, Puerto Galera in Mindoro Oriental, Balayan Bay region in Batangas and El Nido in Palawan. SCOTIA offers technical assistance on coastal resource management and environmental management to local governments and resort operators with special emphasis on solid-waste management and sanitation in the six project areas. SCOTIA seeks the assistance and cooperation of organizations, agencies and concerned individuals who share the concern for strengthening local capability for sustainable coastal tourism.

>>Full article

PHILIPPINES - Poor sewage treatment, sanitation costs P67B

manila times, September 10, 2006

POOR sewage treatment and sewerage—resulting in bad sanitation—in Metro Manila, if not in the country, is costing the economy at least P67 billion a year, according to government authorities. The inability to dispose, collect and treat human and industrial waste also sends thousands of Filipinos daily to hospitals, doctors’ offices and drugstores for diarrhea, dysentery and respiratory diseases. Poor sanitation has polluted rivers, lakes, bays and esteros, principally Manila Bay, the Pasig River and Laguna Lake. Countless rivers in Luzon are considered biologically dead because of industrial and human pollution. Swimmers, bathers and fishermen have complained of pain, discomfort and diseases after swimming or taking a dip in the Pasig River or in Manila Bay. Pollution has seeped into tap water and public faucets, restaurants, hotels, cocktail lounges and other public places.

As a result, not only hotels and restaurants but most households have shifted to buying bottled drinking water.

>>Full article

THAILAND - Diethelm tourism review 2005

bangkokpost, 12-9-2006

This fourth issue of our Travel Review is designed almost entirely to focus on the Thai travel and tourism industry's gargantuan efforts to get back on its feet. As we go to press, the recovery strategies appear to be producing results, with strong indications that numbers are picking up again.
It is necessary now to view from various angles the correct direction the Thai travel industry needs to take in order to ensure a sustainable future. We need not just new destinations, but also adequate infrastructure, education and constant training, all of which are the absolute key factors for a successful destination.

>>Full report

FIJI - Storm clouds gather over Fijian tourism

The Sydney Morning Herald, 9-12-2006

Due to a deal with the reef's traditional owners, surfers have to stay at a nearby $US300-a-night resort ($396) to ride it. The resort then passes on a percentage of profits to the local community.
Nearby, on Fiji's popular Yasawa and Mamanuca islands, some hoteliers simply pay locals to stay off the water around the resorts. Others build schools and infrastructure to foster goodwill. But the Fijian Government wants to extend a Cloudbreak-style scheme across the country. The Qoliqoli bill, before parliament, would return the ownership of the water off all beaches, lagoons and reefs from the Government to their traditional owners and ensure that anyone fishing, diving, surfing, sailing, and perhaps even swimming with a commercial operator in Fiji pays for the privilege.

>>Full article

MALAYSIA - Johor government opposes budget airlines flights between Singapore and Malaysia

eTN Asia, 9-111-2006

Expressing its concern over the issue of liberalizing air routes between Singapore and Malaysia, the Johor state government is against a proposal to let budget airlines - AirAsia and Tiger Airways - operate direct flights between the neighboring countries.
Johor Tourism and Environment Committee chairman Freddie Long said travelers from Singapore who wanted to visit Sabah and Sarawak would bypass Senai Airport in Johor, and feared they would opt to fly on Tiger Airways to Kuala Lumpur for AirAsia connecting flights to East Malaysia.
Malaysian daily, The Star, quoted Long as saying between 60 and 65 percent of the tourist arrivals registered last year entered through Johor. According to the Immigration department’s records for year 2005, 60-65 percent of the 16.7 million tourists to Malaysia, enter through Johor.

>>Full article

CAMBODIA - finds gold in 'genocide trail' tours

eTN Asia, 9-11-2006

Cambodia's Khmer Rouge sites (also known as killing fields), which left behind memories of a genocide that killed as many as 2 million people, is expected to attract 1.6 million visitors this year.
Today dubbed as Cambodia's Khmer Rouge theme park, it is on almost every tour company's itineraries, reaping valuable tourist dollars for an impoverished country.
The 'genocide trail' covers Tuoi Sieng, Choeing Ek and the latest addition, Anlong Veng, Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot's last stronghold.
Pol Pot's shabby grave and a towering stack of his victims’ skulls are drawing a growing number of tourists, curious to see for themselves evidence of Cambodia's macabre regime.

>>Full article

DEVELOPMENTS - Space tourism blasts off into legal mire

ABC Science Online, 30 August 2006

We need a legal definition of where space begins and ends to ensure future space tourists get what they pay for, says an Australian expert in space law. Associate Professor Steven Freeland from the University of Western Sydney will speak about emerging issues in space law at a seminar next week. Freeland says there are plenty of laws and treaties dealing with what we can and can't do in space. For example, it's illegal to claim territory in space or to use space for military or non-peaceful purposes. But he says there's no actual legal demarcation of where space begins and the sky ends. Freeland says the existing space laws are badly in need of an overhaul because developments like space tourism were never envisioned at the time they were drafted.

>>Full article

BALI - Bank Indonesia Report Shows Hotels May be Losing a Growing Market Share to Villas

bali discovery.com, 9/10/2006)

A report issued by Bank Indonesia states that a growing number of tourists visiting Bali are seeking accommodation outside of traditional hotel settings.The characteristic survey of Bali visitors carried out by Bank Indonesia reports that in February 2006 a 7.3% share of all foreign visitors sought accommodation outside of hotels, a figure that increased to 8% in March 2006.

>>Full article

BALI - Government Studies Suggest Toll Roads May be Inevitable

bali discovery.com, 9/9/2006

The idea of toll roads in Bali is hardly new. Past discussions calling for superhighways and fly-overs have always been abandoned in the face of stern opposition from certain segments of Bali's Hindu majority who view overpasses and underpasses as unacceptable to religious dictates and local traditions.Despite this long-standing resistance, a member of Commission D of the Regional People's Consultative Assembly, Made Dauh Wijana, recently told the Indonesian language Radar Bali that the time has come for Bali to construct expressways. In support of his position, Wijana points to the increasing congestion in Bali's main population centers and the steady growth in industrial and residential complexes.

>>Full article

BALI - Keeping Track of Bali's Largest Inbound Market

bali discovery.com, 9/10/2006

Indonesia's burgeoning domestic airline industry and the resulting abundance of inexpensive flights available to Bali over the past several years have created a significant inbound domestic travel market. As the accompanying figures demonstrate, the inbound domestic market to Bali represented an average 56.33% of total arrivals to Bali for June-July 2006. By comparison, the domestic market share is 575% larger than Bali's largest overseas market of Japan which represents only 10% of all arrivals and a 19.4% of international arrivals in July.
Far and away, Bali's most important source of business remains domestic visitors from Indonesia's other 17,507 islands.

>>Full article

MARKETS - China Retains Top Spot as Most Frequently Visited Destination

asiatraveltips.com, 8 September 2006

MasterCard Worldwide released on Thursday the results of its MasterIndex of Travel survey report on business and personal travel trends among the urban middle class across 13 markets (Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam). Released twice a year, the survey report shows that intra-regional travel around the region still seems to be the most popular choice.

>>Full article

INDIA - Small airports: The way forward for India?

e turbo news, 09-07-2006

The Indian aviation industry will benefit immediately if the approximately 450 'unused' airports around the country are turned instead into low cost carrier airports, said a delegate at the recently concluded Indian Travel Congress in Hyderabad.
Mostly grass strips and generally referred to as “bush strips,” the airports are mostly not utilized. With lower airport charges it would boost the low cost carrier market in India.
"The industry's future growth and expansion is in serving smaller towns, or building low cost carrier terminals," said G. Gopinath, managing director of Air Deccan, a low cost carrier pioneer. "City airports can have a budget terminal to avoid monopolies."

>>Full article

QATAR - New visa regulations

e turbo news, 09-07-2006

New regulations for tourist visas in the tiny state of Qatar have come into effect recently. A recent directive from the Ministry of Interior has seen a change in requirements for a traveler to receive a tourist visa for Qatar.
According to the new guidelines, which came into effect a matter of days ago, a person wishing to visit Qatar as a tourist visitor must show QR5,000 in cash or its foreign currency equivalent. Failing that, an internationally-valid credit card must be shown.

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HONG KONG - Disneyland to focus on familiarizing Chinese with Disney characters

e turbo news, 09-07-2006

New regulations for tourist visas in the tiny state of Qatar have into effect recently. A recent directive from the Ministry of Interior has seen a change in requirements for a traveler to receive a tourist visa for Qatar.
According to the new guidelines, which came into effect a matter of days ago, a person wishing to visit Qatar as a tourist visitor must show QR5,000 in cash or its foreign currency equivalent. Failing that, an internationally-valid credit card must be shown.

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AUSTRALIA - says tourists are staying longer, spending more

Citing recently released figures, Australian tourism officials are claiming the growth in international visitor numbers has slowed, but those who are coming are staying longer and spending more.
Managing Director of the Australian Tourism Export Council, (ATEC) Matthew Hingerty, said information released in the quarterly International Visitors Survey revealed that 5,037,483 international visitors came to Australia in the year ended June 30, injecting A$18.8 billion into Australia's economy.

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BALI - The Ritz-Carlton, Bali Resort & Spa to Open Spectacular Ocean Beach Pool in Landmark Island First

When The Ritz-Carlton, Bali Resort & Spa open their dramatic purpose built Ocean Beach Pool in late 2006 it will herald yet another impressive island first and landmark development for the resort. The pools opening will coincide with the resorts ten year anniversary celebrations commemorating a decade of award winning excellence. Considered an extraordinary engineering feat in revolutionary design concept and construction complexity, the phenomenal purpose built 80-meter square natural beach pool, which overhangs the magnificent Indian Ocean from a ten-meter high vantage point, is the most ingeniously created swimming pool to ever be built on the island.

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PHILIPPINES - Boracay blooms

BORACAY, arguably Philippine tourism’s most exquisite beach destination, will soon get an accommodation boost to cope with the room shortages often experienced during peak seasons.

The island, which has more than 200 resorts of varying sizes and star ratings, will add the 88-room Discovery Shores Boracay Resort and Spa this December and the 220-room Shangri-La Boracay Resort and Spa in mid-2007. The 198-room Boracay Regency Beach Resort and Convention Center, the island’s biggest resort, will add 90 rooms by December, while Fairways & Bluewater Golf Resort and Country Club has added 24 units to its Mulligan Golf Hotel.

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HONG KONG - Big Island awakens

TWICE as large as Hong Kong, Lantau (the name means Big Island Mountain in Cantonese) was for years a land that time had forgotten.
Then came the opening of the Chek Lap Kok airport in 1998, which was the impetus that propelled the island into the 21st century. As part of airport related projects, a superhighway was built along the island’s long-neglected northern coast and a new satellite town rose at nearby Tung Chung. Since the opening of Disneyland in September last year, the pace has quickened. Chek Lap Kok is feverishly being updated to cement its regional aviation hub status. A second terminal with extensive retail outlets will double its capacity. Last year the airport handled 40.7 million passengers.

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ACCOMMODATION - Mövenpick expands

Swiss hotel chain Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has ambitious plans to increase its portfolio in Asia-Pacific from one hotel now to more than 30 over the next five to seven years.Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts senior vice-president for Middle East and Asia-Pacific, Mr Andreas Mattmueller, told TTG Asia, the hotel chain, which has most of its 85 properties in Europe and the Middle East, “ideally plans to have at least one property in each key city and resort destination in Asia-Pacific”.Mr Mattmueller identified Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong as key cities, and Phuket, Bali and Koh Samui as key resorts. Japan, China and India were also part of the expansion blueprint, he said.

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PHILIPPINES - CEBU Going for global appeal

CEBU province’s tourism stakeholders have formed the Coalition of Tourism Groups to push Cebu globally as the Philippines’ tourism hub. Infrastructure development has reached a feverish pace. For the ASEAN summit, Mactan International Airport will get a new VIP building, while a state-of-the-art convention facility, Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), is being built in Mandaue City. The latter is also the site of Cebu Boardwalk, an integrated development touted as Cebu’s premier business, commercial, institutional and tourism hub. It will have themed leisure, recreational and residential facilities including a marina, esplanade, amphitheatre, restaurants, shops, and deluxe, first-class and standard hotels.

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PHILIPPINES - MICE gaining momentum

THE Philippines’ MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) machinery is heating up with new venues and a slew of international events to play host to. The capital city’s MICE capabilities has been strengthened by Metro Manila’s recently-renovated Philippine International Convention Center and the new MAITrade Expo and Convention Center in SM Central Business Park along Manila Bay.
Meanwhile, Cebu is gearing up for the 12th ASEAN Leaders Summit from December 9 to 14 to be held at Cebu International Convention Center.

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PHILIPPINES - Full steam ahead for development

THE recent emphasis on tourism by president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has resulted in a rejuvenation of the country’s marketing efforts and infrastructure development.
So far, these efforts seem to be paying off: In the first half of the year, arrivals reached 1,285,762, a 10.4 per cent increase over last year. T
he Department of Tourism (DoT) has endorsed 22 projects for incentive and clearance grants including the US$60 million Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa in Cebu and a US$10 million 18-hole championship golf course in Angeles City, Pampanga. Airports are being built in Albay, Balabac, Bohol, Iloilo and Kabankalan in Palawan. Those in Busuanga, Guiuan, Puerto Princesa, San Vicente, Siargao and Tacloban are being upgraded.

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PHILIPPINES - strengthens air links with ASEAN neighbors

The Philippine government's announcement of air service agreements with two ASEAN member states is helping in its bid to attract more tourists and business travelers to the Mindanao region (in the south), as well as other parts of the country.
Philippine-based Mosphil Aero has confirmed it is starting services from Zamboanga to Sandakan in Malaysian Borneo as its first destination. The region has indicated it is looking forward to benefiting from Philippines’ participation under the East ASEAN growth destination agreement.

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INDIA - Islands in Andaman region being readied for tourism

India is to open 15 islands in the remote Andaman archipelago, developing a total of 50 new sites in the northern cluster of islands, 1,200 kilometres off mainland India.
“These sites have been selected so that environmentally-sensitive hotels and beach resorts can be set up under our tourism plan,” Andaman’s Tourism chief Dharam Pal told media. As per the information available, only 36 of the more than 500 islands in the archipelago, closer to Indonesia than India, are inhabited.

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INTERVIEW - Eric Liebman, managing director, IQ Asia

There is a lot of headroom for database management in China. “The trend to capture data and intelligently utilise it for customer innovation is still a way off as the expertise is not proliferated in the region yet,” says Eric Liebman, managing director, IQ Asia.

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AVIATION - New Low Cost - Long Haul Hong Kong based Airline opens for Reservations

On Monday, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines, began taking its first-ever reservations. The new airline which is 100% owned by Hong Kong investors, will begin its first non-stop flights from Hong Kong to London Gatwick on October 25. Fares start from as little as HK$1,000 one way. “Oasis Hong Kong Airlines believes in making customers’ travel dreams come true by offering them the best choice for long-haul travel at incredibly affordable prices with the same comfort and service as other airlines.

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NORTH KOREA - puts restriction on tourists from China

Citing “a need to fix its roads and railways”, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has decided to suspend all tours from China.
The development comes at a stage when its been acknowledged that DPRK has attempted to attract foreign tourists as means of earning much needed foreign currency, but an underdeveloped service sector, inadequate infrastructure, and political tensions with surrounding countries have stymied these efforts. North Korea’s efforts to expand tourism have focused primarily on group tours from China and South Korea to the Mount Kumgang tourist area.

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VIETNAM - Four-star tourist site inaugurated in central province

The first four-star tourist site was inaugurated in the central coastal province of Ninh Thuan on the National Day (September 2).The site, called Saigon-Ninh Chu, is on the Ninh Chu coast. It is planned to develop it into a marine tourism park.As much as VND150bil (roughly US$10mil) has been invested in the site to date. About VND80bil has already been spent installing service utilities, and the remaining VND70bil will be used to build bungalows, hotels, and other supporting facilities.

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DEVELOPMENTS - Six Palawan municipalities to be developed into economic zones

Palawan becomes part of the borderless trade program under the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines, East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Its six municipalities namely Brooke’s Point, Bataraza, Balabac Island, Espanola, Quezon, and Rizal will be developed into economic zones.
BIMP-EAGA is a borderless trading concept formed through the cooperation and coordination of the East Asean nations of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. This cooperation ensures the free flow of economic activities between and among these countries.

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PHILIPPINES -Tourism tops 15th Minbizcon agenda

TOURISM is of the most important part of the agenda that will be discussed in the three-day 15th Mindanao Business Conference (Minbizcon) that reels off Thursday and ends on Saturday in this city. The stakeholders are looking into the possibility of increasing linkages within the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga), following the recent certification of the 5th freedom traffic rights by the Bimp-Eaga transport ministers.

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BALI - Academic vows to bring Bali, India closer

An Indian professor living in Bali is spearheading efforts to bring the overwhelmingly Hindu Indonesian island and India closer with a string of events covering everything from religion to Bollywood.
Somvir, 35, has brought together a team of eminent Indonesians and Indians to form the Bali-India Foundation, which will promote academic and student exchanges besides spiritual tourism, teach yoga, Hindi, Sanskrit and Balinese languages, and help the people of Bali to know India better.

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CHINA - Rethinking Conservation: Ecotourism Offers Hope for Chinese Ecosystems and the People Who Live in Them

Laojun Mountain has long been considered sacred to the Chinese minority groups who call it home. Flanking the foothills of the Himalaya in northwestern Yunnan province, the region contains more than 100 species of wild rhododendron, nearly 100 known mammal species, and over 150 distinct bird species. Many of these plants and animals are highly endangered, including two species of the Yunnan Golden Monkey, of which less than 1,500 exist in the wild. Yet despite these ecological riches, the region’s human residents remain poor and marginalized, left behind in the rapid economic development occurring around them..

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THAILAND - Segway tours coming to Phuket

Thanet Traiwut, Director of SegwayPhuket and southern Thailand distributor of the handy two-wheel perambulators, has announced his intention to create a Segway Patong City tour in time for the high season. The Segway, which retails for between 350,000 to 400,000 baht, is self balancing and travels at speeds of up to 20km. It has become increasingly popular for city dwellers all around the globe and has been available in Phuket for several months.







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BALI - attracting property investment from long time Asia expats

Bali enjoys several seasonal peaks due to its diverse source of visitors - Australians come to escape their winter or enjoy the Easter break, Chinese enjoy visiting during their new year, Russians’ Christmas breaks extend through to mid-January, Europeans to enjoy their long summer holidays, it’s all led to a very balanced and diverse market.
Bali’s status as an ideal destination is continuously reaffirmed in the international press - Condé Nast rated Bali No.1 island destination in the world for the second year in a row. Its’ ever-increasing attractiveness has caused the Tourism Board to twice raise its predicted arrivals number this year. All of these visitors contribute to the yield that vacation properties can generate when rented out.

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PHILIPPINES - Batuhan: Funding paradise lost (5)

What good is a paradise of a beach resort if there are no visitors who can enjoy it? You know the answer? Right, of course, it is no good– from a business standpoint, that is. Although ecologists may rejoice in the fact that a pristine piece of nature remains untouched, it does tourism revenue no favors whatsoever.
ACCESSIBILITY. The first requirement, therefore, for any country wanting to develop its tourism industry is accessibility...

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PHUKET - Special - PPAO delegation went on a study tour to Chinese cities

The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization approved a delegation to go on a recent study tour to the People’s Republic of China, in serving its policy of having good town planning and designs in response to provincial tourism development that would be attractive to tourists and visitors. The Phuket delegation comprised council members led by its chairman Hat Katanchaleekun and town and country planning experts. They visited the Chinese cities of Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai to learn about their town layout and management policy as well as local culture and tourism.

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AVIATION - Singapore and Malaysia welcome opening up of two-way air routes

Malaysia and Singapore have both welcomed the imminent opening up of two-way air routes, seeing mutual benefits in such a development. Singapore's Transport Minister Raymond Lim met his Malaysian counterpart Chan Kong Choy for the first time on Monday in Putrajaya. Malaysia set up a committee last month to look into the feasibility of bringing forward an Open Sky Agreement with Singapore ahead of the deadline set by ASEAN, of which both are members. Under ASEAN's Open Sky Agreement, airlines of member countries can operate unlimited flights between their capital cities by 2008.

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VIETNAM - City books ahead to counter room shortage

City real estate managers have been hesitant to act on the latest announcement from the Hanoi People’s Committee, which pinpoints prime locations to be reserved for five-star hotels development. Under the committee’s announcement, large plots of land to be earmarked for five-star hotels development are in My Dinh commune of Tu Liem district, where land has been cleared, relocated families compensated, and infrastructure already laid.

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PACIFIC - PIASA: On The Wing Of Regional Cooperation

The forecasts have been varied for Pacific aviation industry in recent times - turbulent for some; hopeful for others; but volatile for most, to say the very least. Confronted by ever-rising fuel costs, the region’s aviation sector and relatively small market economies are struggling with the realities of vast distances between island nations, expensive air travel costs and - in the greater scheme of things – worldwide liberalisation of markets.

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SINGAPORE - Rejuvenate Orchard Road, but with new pickings

A S$1.6 billion rejuvenation plan announced in March 2005 was put in place by the Singapore Tourism Board, working alongside the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA).

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SINGAPORE - Tourism Sector Performance For Jan - June 2006

This fact sheet provides a summary of the key statistics on total visitor arrivals and information on the performance of Singapore’s top-15 visitor-generating markets. All comparisons made in this fact sheet are year-on-year comparisons with 2005.

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PHUKET - Exclusive Developments to Go On Display in Hong Kong

One of the highlights of the developments on show will be Barama Bay, a gated community with 24-hour security on an island paradise off the shore of Phuket that is made up of a private deep water marina, a six-star boutique hotel, yacht club, spa and wellness centre and luxury estate villa homes. Reachable only by helicopter, the development is heralded to set a new standard as the most exclusive, luxury resort development in the world.

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BALI - Villas as Villains of Bali's North?

According to Commission "B" Chairman, Made Agus Yudiarsana, villas that violate the set back rules and do not posses the necessary building permits are seriously damaging the public interest. The local legislator pointed out that Balinese villagers are increasingly unable to gain beach access during religious rites due to illegal villa construction. In some areas, according to Yudiarsana, local fishermen are also prevented from landing their vessels due to the "illegal appropriation" of shore line areas by villa operators.

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CHINA - Destination marketing to China a challenge

In order to market to the Chinese tourists, Glos recommends a 4-prong approach including non-independent entry which entails coalition with a local group in China. The advantage of it includes getting very quickly into China and getting more local market knowledge fairly fast. The disadvantage with non-independent deals is lost of control over the product. “You have to find a very strong partner in order to crush the market,” Glos said.
The other approaches include the representative liaison entry wherein one recommends a group going in for the first time. They work through an agency with some kind of a contract relationship in which a group works and answers to the destination. Glos said, “This offers easier control over ways to brand, market and receive information through the agency contractor.”

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THAILAND - Holiday Inn brand to Debut in Pattaya

InterContinental Hotels Group is to open a new Holiday Inn Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand. The 367-room Holiday Inn Pattaya hotel is scheduled to open at the end of 2008. It will mark the Holiday Inn brand’s entry to Pattaya, a popular resort city less than two hours by road from capital city Bangkok and an hour’s drive from the new Suvarnabhumi international airport.

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INDIA - Medical tourism on the rise

With around one million tourists flocking to India for healthcare, a Rs 10,000 crore medical travel value expected by 2010, and a growth of 25% per year, medical tourism is booming like never before.

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MALAYSIA - to solve Kuala Lumpur public transport woes

The Malaysian government has announced a massive RM10 billion (app.US$3 billion) investment to establish an efficient and cost-effective public transport system for the Malaysian capital. The government hopes investments in the capital's public transport system will persuade up to 50 percent of motorists to become pubic transport commuters.

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DEVELOPMENTS - Group to jointly provide boost to tourism

BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) group has decided to simplifying visa procedures and establishing a crisis management network to deal with issues like infectious diseases and natural disasters that affect the sector.
BIMSTEC has seven member countries including Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.
Tourism ministers of seven-member regional grouping, BIMSTEC also called for setting up of BIMSTEC tourism working group comprising of private stake holders of tourism industry in the region and to encourage joint investment in the sector. The meeting agreed in principle to receive assistance from the Asian Development Bank to upgrade facilities and build infrastructures in the region for tourism promotion.

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CHINA - hubs report first half profit gains

Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation reports that while "China’s airlines continue to struggle under high fuel prices and intense competition, the country’s main airports have reported impressive first half profits – further illustrating the growing divide between China’s airport and airline sectors".

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DEVELOPMENTS - PATA Focuses on The Gulf with Regional Appointment

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is committed to forging stronger strategic alliances with the travel industry in the Gulf Region.
PATA has appointed Ms Nicki Page, Executive Director of Fusion Marketing Management LLC, a Dubai-based specialist tourism marketing consultancy, as its regional representative.

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CAMBODIA - opens new air terminal

The Mekong Delta region will become more accessible to tourists with the opening of a new French-financed and -administered terminal at Siem Reap International Airport, the gateway to Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat temples.
"The key to developing tourism is to have international airports," Cambodian Tourism Minsiter Lay Prohas said.

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SINGAPORE - A hive of activity

THE southern tip of Singapore is all set to become the latest entertainment hub as brand new places to shop, party and play open in the coming months. St James Power Station, will be the beacon drawing clubbers from neighbouring destinations. Situated at the causeway to Sentosa island, it will open in stages starting October, with nine outlets spread over 5,520m². They include a dance club, world music bar, clubs playing swing and big band music, pop and rock as well as an al fresco bar.

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PHILIPPINES - Tourism stakeholders agree to form coalition

Stakeholders of Cebu’s tourism industry has agreed to work together in one organization for the sole purpose of fast-tracking the developments of the industry and make it competitive with other tourism hubs in other parts of Asia. As first step to achieve the goal, stakeholder groups decided to establish a coalition.

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INDONESIA - expects 5.5 million tourists this year

Indonesia has predicted that the largest number of foreign tourists to come to the country this year will be from Southeast Asia. Indonesia expects the number of tourists from those countries to reach more than two million, which is more than 38 percent of the projected 5.5 million visitors for the year, the director general of marketing of the ministry of tourism and culture, Thamrin B Bachri, said here.

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DEVELOPMENTS - Asia bets on casino boom

Singapore’s plans to build casino resorts could set the stage for other Asian countries to build similar entertainment complexes in the years ahead, the top executive of Las Vegas Sands Corp. said. “There could be as many as 10 ‘Las Vegases’ in Asia,” said Sheldon Adelson, chief executive officer of the U.S.-based luxury casino operator. “Other countries will say: ‘If it’s good enough for wholesome Singapore, it’s good enough for us.’ ”

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SINGAPORE - Construction works for Marina Bay integrated resort to start next week

Las Vegas Sands took over the Marina Bay integrated resort site on Wednesday with the signing of a development agreement. This will kick start construction works next week and the company has also begun pre-marketing activities for convention and retail space. The Marina Bay Sands is on-track to be opened in 2009.

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PHUKET - Several ancient objects were found in Thalang district, authority plans to boost it as historical tourist site

19 items of ancient objects, comprising parts of a pagoda, pots, earthenware and others were found at Khanaen village in Thepkasarttri of Thalang district in Phuket. They are now under examination by officials from the Fine Arts Department.

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PHUKET - Interview: Pak-dee Kruthanang, Managing Director of West Coast Divers about new regulations for Phuket dive operators

Our interview is with Pak-dee Kru-tha-nang, Managing Director of West Coast Divers, previously Secretary of the Dive Operators Club Of Thailand (DOCT)-Phuket Chapter, and also President of the Phuket Eco Tourism Association, who told us about the worries of the diving businesses in Phuket about the new diving regulations just signed and coming into effect next month. She told us first about their own private meeting held last week:

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PHILIPPINES - U.S. firm to build medical tourism center in Cebu

Medical tourism, is a rapidly evolving multi-billion dollar industry in Malaysia, India, Thailand, and it is bullish that the Philippines, with its natural and people resources, talents, industry and hospitality, and knowledge of the English language, can do it better than those other Asian countries.

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MALAYSIA - police commits to next year’s tourism campaign

The Home Ministry has announced it has given the police an additional budget of RM260 million (app.US$70 million) to acquire an additional 2,000 police patrol cars, in addition to fast-track train some 3,000 police officers in preparation for the country's tourism campaign.

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THAILAND - Bangkok and Chiang Mai, best cities in Asia

In an internet survey conducted by American publication Travel + Leisure Magazine, Bangkok and Chiang Mai were voted first and second in the ‘Best Cities in Asia 2006’. Globally, Bangkok placed at the third best city in the world and Chiang Mai at fifth.

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THAILAND - BMA to set up a fund for development of the city and quality of life

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin (อภิรักษ์ โกษะโยธิน) said operations of the fund will cover four areas, namely quality of life, environment, culture and tourism and economy. BR> Mr. Apirak said 1% of the BMA budget will be allocated to start operations f the fund. The fund will be managed by representatives of the public and private sectors, he said.

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VIETNAM - An unclear path ahead

Tourism services providers have yet to be informed of any details about Vietnam’s tourism commitments to the WTO. All what they know is the Government will open up 12 groups of services to foreign companies, including tourism, but the roadmap for integration remains unknown.

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VIETNAM - Developing the tourism sector a top priority for Ha Noi planners

The tourism sector has gained remarkable achievement during the past years. Tourism has become the main economic industry in the city’s economic structure.Tourism development has created more jobs, ensured a stable income for workers, attracted more foreign investment as well as improved the development of other industries.The number of tourists to Ha Noi has increased rapidly since 1992, at an annual rate of between 15-20 percent.

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ASIA - ''Asia's Coming Water Wars''

Water is increasingly emerging as a scarce commodity, fueled by population pressures, intensive irrigation, and erratic weather patterns brought on by global warming. According to the International Water Management Institute, by 2025 one-third of the world's population will lack access to water. Developing countries bear the brunt of water shortages given the lack of clean drinking water and adequate sanitation in these states, which has been exacerbated by rapid development, population pressures and significant urban-to-rural migration. Developing countries are also the most likely to face water-related conflict given the lack of cooperative management mechanisms between developing states on managing shared water resources.

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BALI - Denpasar's Environment Department Says the 3 Rivers Flowing Through Bali’s Capital are Badly Polluted

A front-page story in the Wednesday, August 23, 2006 edition of the Indonesian language Bali Post reports that the three main rivers flowing through Bali's capital - Tukad Badung, Tukad Ayung and Tukad Mati are all badly contaminated by human and chemical wastes, and the by-products from the cloth-dyeing cottage industries operating along the rivers' banks.

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INDONESIA - Finally, Indonesian tourism gets positive projections

“The outlook for Bali’s tourism and hotel industry remains positive,” Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels’ reported revealed. “Bali as Indonesia’s premier resort destination will continue to be a popular leisure destination. We believe the pick up in room demand will gather pace from mid-2006 when Bali enters its peak season.”

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AVIATION - Airlines respond radically to fuel

Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation reports Qantas has followed the lead of Singapore Airlines (SIA) and segmented its international fuel surcharges into four route groups, with passengers on the longest haul routes to pay a significantly higher charge.
Meanwhile, Korean Air (KAL) confirmed its interest in acquiring a 28.4% stake in Korea’s third largest oil refiner, “to secure a stable supply of oil”.

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VIETNAM - Cradle of the revolution targets tourists

Viet Nam’s revolutionary cradle, the northern province of Tuyen Quang, has launched a local culture and tourism week that features a fashion show. Organisers also opened ecology tours to the historical sites of Minh Thanh, Na Hang and Ham Yen and held a ceremony to receive a certificate recognising the Pac Ban Waterfall and Dong Tien Cave as sites of national landscape.

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AVIATION - Aussie buys Air Paradise stake

BALI-based Indonesian airline PT Air Paradise International has sold 49 per cent of its shares to an undisclosed Australian operator, a report said today.

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SINGAPORE - May Face Shortage Of Hotels In Coming Years

Singapore may face a shortage of hotel rooms in the coming years as the supply won't be sufficient to meet visitor arrival projections by the city-state's tourism authority, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels said Monday. "We estimate about 9,830 rooms to be added to the industry up to 2010. (If) tourist arrivals double to 17 million in 2015 as targeted by the Singapore Tourism Board, we will need another 20,000 rooms to meet this massive influx," Chee Hock Yean, an executive vice president at JLL Hotels, said at a briefing.

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PHUKET - Desal plant ‘ready by high season’

Construction of a 528-million-baht desalination plant is now 90% complete and the plant should be ready to begin providing 12,000 cubic meters of tap water daily to Patong and Kata-Karon in the upcoming high season – if all the necessary permits can be obtained in time.

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MALAYSIA - 'Labuan's population too little'

The long-proposed construction of a bridge linking Sabah and Labuan is at the planning stage, according to Federal Territory Minister Datuk Zulhasnan bin Rafique.
He said there have been discussions on where the bridge linkages should ideally be in the event the proposal is taken up. However, he said land reclamation may also have to take place, especially since land is becoming a problem in efforts to develop the island.

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VIETNAM - IFC supports Vietnam's move to market economy

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) expects to double its investment and advisory services over the next three years to help support Vietnam's transition to a more market-based economy, Sin Foong Wong, IFC country manager for the region, has told a local English-language daily.
IFC has been supporting Vietnam's transition to a more market-based economy by financing and advising private sector companies since 1992.

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MALAYSIA - development race puts mangroves at risk

Malaysia's scramble for rich country status threatens its mangroves unless the government puts teeth in its plans to protect the rich wetlands that offer a home to marine life and help block extreme weather. Malaysia's mangrove forests, made up of evergreen trees and shrubs that grow on stilt-like roots in dense thickets, are home to 41 of the world's 69 species of mangrove plants, but they have shrunk about 30 percent in the last 50 years.

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PHILIPPINES - P140 billion is lost annually to gridlock

After giving an analysis of the Philippines compared with Thailand, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry offered its recommendations:

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THAILAND - aims to woo Bollywood producers

Attracting Indian film producers and tourists to Thailand will be the key goal of a high-level trade delegation due to visit India within the next few months. Somkid Jatusripitak, the caretaker deputy prime minister, will lead the delegation of private companies to India with the goal of persuading filmmakers to consider Thailand for their productions.

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