THAILAND - Koh Samui ready to hoist her sails

Asia Property Report - September 24 2007

Every cruising market eventually loses momentum, but will a second wind follow swiftly for Koh Samui? And what form will it take? James Cook talks to the survivors of the recent slump and assesses new arrivals to the island’s shores.
A five-year property boom ended abruptly on Koh Samui when a series of high profile investigations into land encroachment coincided with the strict enforcement of the Foreign Business Act. The latter made it considerably more difficult for foreign investors to buy land through a Thai registered company, and with added uncertainty after the military coup, Samui’s once soaring market seemed to be facing a bleak future.

>>Full article

PHILIPPINES - Volcanoes as attractions are RP’s next pitch for tourism

globalnation.inquirer.net, 24 Sept 2007

Environment officials plan to turn volcanoes which are rich in biodiversity, such as Mt. Iraya in Batanes, into “eco-tourism zones” that could benefit the local communities.
Officials of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said that aside from their natural features, volcanoes offered other attractions such as endemic flora and fauna to climbers, adventurers and tourists.“A volcano doesn’t erupt every day. Therefore, we can promote these as tourist attractions. And biodiversity is part of the attraction,” PAWB director Theresa Mundita Lim said at a forum on volcano eco-tourism.

>>Full article

BALI - Overly Dependent on Tourism Business

Balidiscovery.com, (9/23/2007)

As reported in the authoritative Indonesia Digest, Bali economist, Prof. Nyoman Erawan has recently predicted that Bali's rate of economic growth may reach 6% in 2007.According to Erawan, while the island's economy is gradually improving, such growth remains precarious when dependent solely on business trends in the tourism sector. In comments carried in the Bali Post, He warned that Bali must develop other sectors, such as agriculture, which can provide a significant contribution to public welfare.The respected economist from Bali's Udayana University also predicted that Bali's economy will continue to grow a rate above 6% in 2008 and beyond, as long as the province's economic stability is guarded and other sectors beyond tourism are developed.

>>Full article

BALI - Regent to Get Tough with Noise-Polluting Bars and Restaurants

Balidiscovery.com, (9/23/2007)

A group of disgruntled commercial villa and private home owners in Bali's Petitenget area are trying to increase pressure on local authorities to enforce anti-noise pollution regulations on bars and restaurants operating in the area.In a letter sent to the Regent of Badung on September 17, 2007, the group complained of the lack of action by authorities against business places who electronically amplify music. Those who signed the letter underlined how the bars often play music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 11:00 p.m. until the early hours of the following day.In the letter, business operators report they are losing revenues when disgruntled guests check out early from their villas and pledge not to return until the noise pollution problem is remedied.

>>Full article

INDIA - Kerala starts year-long study on tourism impact

business-standard.com, 20 Sept 2007

Kerala Tourism (KT) has launched a year-long study to find out the impact of tourism on ecology and infrastructure. The study comes in the wake of its initiative to promote eco-tourism in a big way.
The Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative is being implemented on a pilot basis in four destinations -- Kovalam, Kumarakom, Thekkady and Wayanad."The state is also set to host the second international conference on responsible tourism in association with the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT), India," Venu V, secretary, Kerala Tourism, said.

>>Full article

MARKETS - More Asian Women aged 18 to 35 Travelling Abroad

Asiatraveltips.com, 20 September 2007

Contiki Holidays, a leader in vacations for 18-35 year-olds, has found that more women than men are travelling around the world according to the number of tour bookings made in the first six months of this year.
Seven out of every ten tour bookings at the company were made by a female traveller, an increase of 10% when compared to the same period last year.
Travellers from Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore made up the female majority, and of that number, close to 60% travelled as individuals.
Japanese and Korean women proved to be the most independent travellers of the four, embarking on various tours to Australia, Europe, New Zealand and North America.

>>Full article

INDIA - Luxury travel new craze among millionaires

indiatimes.com, 19 September 2007

If luxury is about indulging, sans the boundaries, then owning a private jet or yacht is the ultimate in luxury travel for the Indian millionaires.
Luxury travel has arrived in India and is moving very fast— from speedboats to luxury yachts, from small four-seater aircraft to bigger brands. Indian corporate houses—Reliance Industries , Videocon, UB Group, Raymond, GMR, Bharat Hotels, Taj Air, Oberoi et alare all buying private jets such as Falcons, Cessnas, Bombardiers, Beech Kings and Gulfstreams in large numbers. The new-age Indian traveller wants to travel not only in comfort but also save time, and at his convenience. With money not being the deciding factor, orders for private jets shot up to more than 45 last year while nearly 100 new yachts are expected to enter the India market this year.

>>Full article

MALAYSIA - PGCC to create 40,000 jobs

The egde daily, 13-09-2007

PENANG: The Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) will give Penang a major boost in economic development, particularly the tourism sector, and is expected to create some 40,000 jobs.
The PGCC will initially generate 5,000 jobs in the construction industry, and when completed, will create over 20,000 jobs in the retail industry, 10,000 office jobs, 2,000 jobs in the service and health care industry, 1,000 in the convention centre and 4,000 in the hotel industry.
The project, with a gross development value (GDV) of over RM20 billion, is being developed by Abad Naluri Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Equine Capital Bhd over the next 18 to 20 years.
The PGCC, to be developed under the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), will comprise two towers, a metropolitan park, the Penang Performing Arts Centre, high-end retail outlets, a convention centre and condominiums.

>>Full article

SRI LANKA -Promoting tourism through sports

Dailynews.lk, 14 September 2007

SPORTS TOURISM Deputy Minister of Tourism, Faizer Mustapha had a discussion last week with Malaysian High Commissioner, Rosli Ismail and CEO of Asian German Sports Exchange Programme, (AGSEP) Dietmar Doering, regarding tours by German sports teams from Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Dresden and
Meet: From Left. Deputy Minister of Tourism Faizer Mustapha, Malaysian High Commissioner Rosli Ismail, CEO of AGSEP Dietmar Doering, Co-ordinators of Marketing of AGSEP Stefan Eggecs, Rebecca Schmalen and Assistant to CEO of AGSEP Isabelle Bogorinsky.
Magdeburg to Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
This would help to promote the two countries as tourist destinations.
AGSEP is presently launching this Campaign which will result in bringing German football, table tennis, volleyball, badminton and tennis teams to Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
Thirty clubs will visit each country next year that will foster closer relationships through sport events.

>>Full article

THAILAND -Slump in foreign visitors 15% fall in those booking via agents

The Nation business, September 12, 2007

It says the number of foreign tourists who arrived at Suvarnabhumi between January and August, after booking their travel through travel agencies, totalled 1.57 million, down by a whopping 15.3 per cent from the corresponding period last year.
The association's figures show that the arrivals were down by 350,000 from 1.92 million in the first eight months of 2006.
The figures do not, however, include the large number of tourists who travel without using agencies, and who book directly with airlines. And although Suvarnabhumi is the main tourist gateway to Thailand, the figures do not include arrivals directly to other international airports like Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Krabi.
The ATTA says the global economic slowdown, Thailand's political turmoil, rumours that Bangkok was targeted for more bombings and the sharp fluctuations in major currencies had been the main negative factors affecting the tourist industry.

>>Full article

PHILIPPINES - Jolo Island eyeing huge developments

Manilatimes.net, September 17, 2007

The province of Sulu in Mindanao may soon become an island resort similar to Boracay in central Philippines or even to Phuket in Thailand as part of a new tourism plan to lure Filipino and foreign visitors.
Gov. Sakur Tan said they would convert some of Sulu’s islands and pristine beaches into resorts, complete with amenities and business centers and land and water vessels to transport holidaymakers.
“We want to develop Sulu into one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines, and we are pursuing an ambitious program to promote tourism and also trade and investments,” Tan told The Manila Times.
Tan said the plan to put up world-class resorts in Sulu would probably begin in 2008 and would take between one to two years to finish. “We are now working on this project,” he said.

>>Full article

CHINA - to invest 26.9 bln yuan to develop tourism in Three Gorges

China Daily Online, September 17, 2007

China's Three Gorges Dam region will receive 26.9 billion yuan (3.5 billion U.S. dollars) from 2007 to 2020 to develop tourism to provide jobs for people relocated for the project.The investment aims at realizing the government's plan to build tourism into the pillar sector in the Three Gorges Dam region, in order to generate 20 billion yuan, or 24.7 percent of the area's GDP by 2020.
The Three Gorges tourism development plan, which outlined the investment schedule, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, has been approved by a group of experts in tourism and city planning organized by the government.

>>Full article

BALI - Potential Bali villa crackdown

Asia Property Report - September 16 2007

In Bali today, at the height of the tourist season with visitors flooding back into the island, you’d be hard pushed to buy a bottle of half-decent wine. By mistake or design, the authorities have decreed that all imported wines on sale are illegal. Even newly opened French megastore Carrefour has hardly a bottle on its once-groaning shelves.
If that’s putting a dampener on the holiday season, try this on for size. It’s not just visitors and their favoured quaff but also the very roof over their heads that’s under threat. From August 30, over 250 rental-villa properties or over a third of the total could in theory be closed or even pulled down.

>>Full article

CHINA - China Contact Survey

ForImmediateRelease.Net, September 17, 2007

ChinaContact, a leading consultancy on China market access for the tourism sector, has launched the first ever global survey of the travel industry's readiness for Chinese tourists. This survey will provide a snapshot of what travel organisations have been or are intending to do to prepare for the growth in tourism coming from China. The data is valuable for destinations to assess the market and for travel companies to understand the trends and realise where investment is needed. Tourism from China is growing at 14% this year, with forecasts for strong growth until 2020. Recent media reports of an imminent tourism deal between China and the US are prompting renewed urgency to prepare for Chinese visitors. Competition for Chinese tourists is becoming fierce with 92 destinations now approved for marketing travel in China and further 40 that have signed bilateral tourism agreements.

>>Full article

INDONESIA - ASEAN Tourism Investment Forum in Bali

Balidiscovery.com, (9/16/2007)

As reported in TBSC-Strategic Communication's Indonesian Digest, the ASEAN Tourism Investment Forum (ATIF) will be held in Bali September 20-22, 2007. Organized back to back with the PATA Travel Mart, the Forum will be followed by the ASEAN Task Force Meeting before the commencement of the PATA Travel Mart September 25-28, 2007."The strategic importance of the tourism industry to support sustainable socio-economic growth of ASEAN Member States and the diversity in cultures, economy, and the complementary advantages across the region, will benefit tourism development in ASEAN in the pursuit of improved regional quality of life, peace and prosperity", says an ATIF brochure.

>>Full article

MYANMAR - Tourism thrives as Myanmar is urged to release demonstrators

eTN, 13-Sept-2007

An official from Myanmar's Ministry of Tourism has claimed that no significant cancellations have been reported, and arrivals are still up over last year. The official, who was not authorized to speak to reporters therefore speaking on condition of anonymity, told Agence France Presse: "We don't think tourist arrivals will decrease because of the protests here. Now the number of arrivals is up 11 percent from April 1 to now, compared to the same period last year. These protests are not about tourists."Tourism's peak season is due to start in October when the dry season starts and the weather turns cooler. Travel operators are so far claiming that no tourists have cancelled their reservation yet as a result of the protests. Last year, approximately 630,000 foreigners visited military-ruled Myanmar, spending some US$164 million.

>>Full article

BRUNEI - New Executive Committee for Brunei Association of Hotels

Asiatraveltips.com, 12 September 2007

The Brunei Association of Hotels (BAH) has appointed a new Executive Committee for the next 2 year term.
Heading up the new BAH Executive Committee is BAH President- Mohammad Irwan Goh, General Manager of The Rizqun International Hotel with Pg Dato Hj Jaludin Pg Mohd Limbang, Owner of Nazira Guesthouse as BAH Vice President. Other Executive Committee members are Cynthia Bong, General Manager of Brunei Hotel as Honorary Treasurer, Shamsul Bahrin Pehin Hj Ahmad, General Manager of Orchid Garden Hotel as Honorary Secretary and Executive Committee Members- Alex Riva, General Manager of Sheraton Utama Hotel, Manfred Keiler, General Manager of The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Bambi Sumadsad, Assistant Operations Manager of The Holiday Lodge and Simon Leong, General Manager of Traders Inn.

>>Full article

PHILIPPINES - Body formed to develop

visayandailystar.com, September 6, 2007

The steering committee will supervise the over-all implementation of the action plan that will be formulated by regional and provincial technical working groups chaired by Regional Technical Director for Research Alicia Lustica.
The groups are expected to hold consultations with various stakeholders and come up with a plan six months.
Claudio, through Regional Special Order 2007-263, also instructed the technical working groups to include in their gathering of data existing plans and programs of different national government agencies, local government units, business and private sectors, non-government organizations and individuals with stakes in Boracay Island.

>>Full article

INDIA - promises to link Thailand and Singapore to the Andamans

AFP, Sep 8, 2007

India on Saturday said it will try to link Singapore and Thailand to the Andamans by air by March 2008 but added the archipelago needed a makeover to sell itself to tourists.
The announcement comes amid an unprecedented increase in the number of arrivals by low-budget domestic tourists to the Andamans, where most of the 36 inhabited islands are now partially open to visitors.
Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said the Indian Ocean archipelago, mauled by the tsunami in 2004, could outshine destinations in Thailand and Singapore if it were refurbished.
"There is not much difference between Phuket, Bangkok and the Andamans but more tourism-related facilities are needed here," Patel said in capital Port Blair, which upgraded its airport to international standards six months ago.
Most European tourists to India avoid the island chain because of its remote location and due to the stifling presence of the Indian military.
"We now intend to link Andamans to Singapore, Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand within six months by air and we are certain we can match their tourism industries," Patel said.

>>Full article

INDIA - Andaman tsunami tourism plan backfiring - industry

in.reuters.com, September 10,2007

PORT BLAIR, India - A flood of low-budget tourists since the 2004 tsunami is hurting India's ecologically fragile Andaman and Nicobar islands and ruining plans to make it a top global destination, industry officials said.
It has drained scarce resources such as water, sparked excessive demand for airline tickets, hit hotel revenues and created a service culture which is insensitive to the needs of wealthier travellers, they said.The problem, officials said, is a decision to allow all levels of government and state-run firms' workers to use their paid family and home leave travel allowances, awarded every two years, to fly if they want to visit the Andamans.That means low wage state workers were visiting -- taking up the chance to fly for the first time and visit the far-off islands -- with trips previously restricted to senior level state employees.

>>Full article