Since 1997 volume 18, issue 3, March 2015

CASTLE HOWARD, YORKSHIRE’S GLORY!

CONVENE 2015 CLOSES TO HUGE ACCLAIM

CORPORATE EVENT DECISION-MAKERS TOGETHER FOR…

SOUTHWEST GERMANY: 10 HIGHLIGHTS IN 2015 TOP BEST BEACHES IN THE WORLD

ICELAND AIM TO ATTRACT THE CHINESE TOURISTS

1ST UNWTO/UNESCO WORLD CONFERENCE ON TOURISM AND CULTURE!

AN INTERVIEW WITH DR AUNG MYAT KYAW, Myanmar 3RD MYANMAR HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM CONFERENCE 2015

GREECE HOSTS 4-DAY INTERNATIONAL HEALTH TOURISM CONVENTION

ASEAN TOURISM STRATEGIC VISION 2016 – 2025

CHINESE BUY AUSTRALIAN ISLAND RESORT

PARAGUAY AND ARGENTINA PROMOTING RELIGIOUS TOURISM

BRANDING NICARAGUA

AIRPORT OF THE YEAR FOR LONDON HEATHROW AND QE2 TERMINAL

Beijing International Tourism Expo 26- 28 June, 2015, Beijing, China

The Sky Palace, at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar - TATW Monthly 2015 © www.tourismaroundtheworld.co.uk

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Since 1997

Volume 18, Issue 3, March 2015 edition

Contents

4 Castle Howard, Yorkshire’s glory!

5 CONVENE 2015 Closes To Huge Acclaim

8 Corporate Event Decision-Makers Together For...

9 Southwest Germany: 10 Highlights In 2015

10 Top Best Beaches In The World

12 Iceland Aim To Attract The Chinese Tourists

12 1st UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference On Tourism And Culture

13 An Interview With Dr Aung Myat Kyaw, Myanmar

15 3rd Myanmar Hospitality And Tourism Conference 2015

16 Greece Hosts 4-Day International Health Tourism Convention

17 ASEAN Tourism Strategic Vision 2016 – 2025

17 Chinese Buy Australian Island Resort

18 Paraguay And Argentina Promoting Religious Tourism

18 Branding Nicaragua

19 Airport Of The Year For London Heathrow And QE2 Terminal

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Thoughts from Caroline-Artemis…

Dear Friends & Readers,

Across the world there any number of events we can attend but they all offer the one thing that we all still need in our lives; face to face communication.

In our modern world conference calls, e-mails, texting, video conferences, social networks and other

forms of communication are all crucial elements in building and maintaining business relationships. However, none of them satisfies more than meeting with someone face-to-face.

That is why exhibition attendance still remains high. It is a human desire to want to see the person we are to do business with. Exhibitions give us the chance for the personal touch; facial expressions, hand gestures, voice tone, etc, provide more clues to listeners than the words themselves. To see someone face to face gives us all an element of security when conducting business. After all, you cannot see someone frowning on a conference call!

Events are a great way of selling your product and services; they are hands-on and are a dedicated place for finding new business contacts. They allow you to have a good chat with current and potential clients, to network at functions that can all lead to building long-term relationships and ultimately successful business.

Over the past decade, our global way of working has changed hugely. We have discovered the opportunities and benefits of marketing not only through traditional methods, but also through social media, web sites and other instant channels. Indeed business has been achieved like this for many companies. However research has shown that ‘remote’ clients often become repeat clients once a face to face handshake has taken place. This has led to many companies, who had once reduced exhibition budgets due to the rise in being able to achieve business results electronically or remotely, renewing the budgets for business travel to events and exhibitions as it is just better for business resulting in increases in both corporate revenue and profits.

Whether it’s a face-to-face business meeting within your company or with clients and prospects, they are important and hugely beneficial. Studies show that 77% of people believe that offsite meetings are a ‘necessity’ not a ‘luxury’; 85% believe face-to-face meetings are more likely to result in breakthrough thinking; and 84% believe that meetings bring out the best in people.

Long live Exhibitions and Events!

Enjoy the Spring edition of the e-journal TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD Monthly.

Caroline-Artemis Laspas - editor & co-founder

Howard Castle, Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Castle Howard, Yorkshire’s glory by Caroline-Artemis Laspas

England with its rich aristocratic history is full of palaces, mansions, castles and stately homes, many of which have been protected and preserved for us to enjoy today.

They are spread far and wide across the whole of the country and this month we look at one in the North of England in Yorkshire.

The many stately homes found in the region of Yorkshire, tell of the region's vivid history. Many of the homes have been lived in and still are by the same families for centuries and they are filled not only with family memorabilia, but also great works of art and priceless antiques. Within their walls you will find many hidden treasures while outside they all offer some magnificent surrounding gardens and landscapes, for which Yorkshire is famous.

The temple of the four winds

One such gem is Castle Howard. Located in North Yorkshire, the 18th century residence is not in fact a true castle but as it was built on the site of a former military castle this phrase of ‘castle’ is used. Castle Howard has been home to the Howard family for over 300 years and sits in magnificent grounds with spectacular scenery, for which England is known for, particularly on sunny days!

Construction of the castle took over 100 years to complete and started in 1699, its development was overseen by three resident Earls. The estate originally incorporated several small villages on its land and even has its own railway station, up until the 1950s.

The castle is known as one of the finest historic houses in England. With over 200 building on the whole estate, covering over 1,000 acres, it offers some beautiful landscaped gardens, lakes, fountains and woodlands all within the countryside of the Howardian Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

With such grand gardens, the Castle is known for its annual displays of daffodils, rhododendrons, bluebells and roses.

Arriving at the castle is breathtaking with its majestic architecture dominating. Through tourism, and national funding it has been able to be maintained for the public to enjoy and also offers a grand venue for corporate events of varying sizes and requirements from small rooms to ballrooms.

The venue also offers visitors an 18th century courtyard with a selection of shops and cafes. The farm shop has a delicatessen and butchers selling local estate produce, the gift shop and Carriage House Bookshop are delightful and in the Garden centre you will find a wide variety of plants, trees and expert advice. In the Bistro style Courtyard Café and coffee shop a range of home cooked foods are available. Continuing your travels around this region, there is plenty more to see and do which capture the essence of Yorkshire, from the soaring natural beauty of the Yorkshire Dales to the rugged sandy beaches of the Yorkshire Coast, and from the cosmopolitan charm of Leeds to York's ancient cobbled streets. The city of Harrogate with its handsome historic buildings and verdant gardens is one of Yorkshire's most elegant destinations. It is renowned for its smart little tearooms and classy cafés spilling out onto the pavements. The town of Bridlington by the sea offers elegant award winning promenades, sandy beaches and a historic harbour. The town of Richmond was founded by the Normans in 1071. It is a leafy, vibrant market town with an impressive

The dome at the great hal l .

castle, a vast cobbled market place and an elegant Georgian district. Easby Abbey is worth visiting and make sure you take a leisurely walk along the banks of the River Swale.

Yorkshire as part of Britain’s tourism scene has a wide variety of offerings for business and leisure and is host to many var ied events. It offers an extraordinary range of inspiring venues for successful events - from purpose built convention centres to award winning out-of-the-ordinary venues and magnificent country houses in truly stunning locations. There are several local conference bureaux in Yorkshire who are experts able to provide free advice on the best venue for your event. ●

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M.I.C.E News

At Convene 2015, Vi lnius, Li thuania

CONVENE 2015 CLOSES TO HUGE ACCLAIM The 3rd edition of CONVENE held at the Litexpo centre from 11-12 February in

Vilnius closed with huge success with positive endorsements from hosted buyer and exhibitors alike. Records were broken at

CONVENE with 157 hosted buyers from 29 countries joined by VIP visitors from Lithuania undertaking 3525 pre scheduled appointments. Nearly 600 attended the substantially enlarged professional education programme with a 21 session across 3 days. 50% of buyers participated in 7 fam tours with the further 70 taking advantage of complimentary Vilnius city tours. “Vilnius meetings industry supply chain has collaborated to present an event with style and panache which show cases what our city, our country and the Baltic Sea region has to offer", said Jolanta Beniuliene, the director of CONVENE exhibition and Vilnius Convention Bureau. The annual show’s aim is to focus attention on the Baltic Sea Region. CONVENE 2015 boasted an increased number of exhibitors, who were from 11 different countries. This year Denmark, Ukraine and Slovakia joined the original exhibitor countries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Belarus and Russia. Visit Denmark was delighted with their first visit to CONVENE: “We all agree that we are coming back. Quality of the meetings was good, very intense and compact schedule, very well organised and very nice people backing this up. You found a niche in the market well done.” Universal City Conferences: “The whole experience was perfect from start to finish. Fantastically organised, well structured appointments and a great variety of exhibitors. I have discovered some incredible new destinations that would have never crossed my mind before going to CONVENE. Thank you so much for everything!“ Finland Convention Bureau and Ambassador of CONVENE: “The organisation of the event is great. Staff is extremely helpful and everything works smoothly. We have been participating from the beginning and are happy to continue with CONVENE. “ Tourism around the World Monthly were present for the first time and can only highly commend the organisers for a truly spectacular event, one of the best in terms of layout, professionalism, and

attention to detail. CONVENE deserves the acclaim it has received as it now enters into its 4th edition in 2016. The next CONVENE will be held on 10 -11 February 2016. THESSALONIKI - GREECE PROMOTION AS M.I.C.E DESTINATION IN SLOVENIA The Thessaloniki Convention

Bureau (TCB) introduced Thessaloniki as a destination for MICE recently at Conventa, New Europe exhibition for meetings, events and incentives that took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Conventa is a leading B2B event in the South East European region area. It was the first time Greece had been present at the event and attended via a ‘Conventa Wild Card’, a programme designed to help new or emerging meeting providers to enter the global meeting industry market. Launched last year, the TCB is a non-profit bureau established to promote the Greek Northern City as a destination for European and international conferences. The entrepreneurs that launched the bureau are all based in Thessaloniki and are directly involved in congress tourism.

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KYOTO CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU NEW MEMBER Kyoto Convention and Visitors Bureau has

welcomed a new member which will give international business visitors access to one of the country’s most ancient performing arts. Samurai Kembu Kyoto is a traditional sword play and performance organisation offers event organisers and delegates to experience Japanese culture as part of their business programme. The word kembu means 'Sword dance' and is the Japanese traditional performing art that shows the culture of the samurai. By participating in a kembu session, delegates can learn about samurai and samurai kembu, and put into practice the etiquette of samurai. Kyoto stands out from other business destinations because of its rich culture and heritage. The plethora of cultural attractions on offer makes the city a more attractive place to do business.

M.I.C.E News

CHINA CONFERENCE MEETING & INCENTIVE TRAVEL FORUM 2015

The CCMIT will take place from 19-20 March in Hungzhou, China. Organisers, Merisis Consulting will welcome buyers from the leading corporations to share their success stories and know-how of their marketing events and incentive activities. New programmes and event schedules will be shared through the forum and world leading suppliers are invited to talk about their understanding of products, ideas and trends. Attendees will benefit from these lectures aimed at delivering better events. The Forum will cover 28 in-depth topics delivering hands-on experience. There will be 200+ specially invited corporate buyers from the automotive, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electronics and luxury industry, etc present. There will be a presentation area for attendees to experience innovative products / services on-site. There will be 8 hours of dedicated networking with Pre-arranged breakfast and luncheon meetings among others. There is also a 10 minute on-site project bidding – where one can showcase strengths; benchmarking with peers, gain

business from clients. Finally there is an opportunity to take part in the site inspection programme. Some of the core topics of the forum are: explore your next event venue, analysing the development, variation and trend of global academics, large scale, industrial conference, how to build informative and attractive conference content to motivate target audience and members’ participation, how to utilise the advanced technology to enhance clients’ experience, how to closely combine digital marketing with off-line events, how to control the conference/event budget precisely and comprehensively, how the creating and development of database effect the implementation of conferences/ events, probing into the trend and management requirement of global corporate travel, how to optimise the cost control of corporate travel, how to fit incentive travel programme into the employees’ overall incentive plan, how to perform the employee achievement management through incentive travel, introducing the global novel incentive travel destination and conference venue, how to create innovative idea in the annual party and how to make the corporate meeting look better, smell better and experience better!

ASIA MEETING & INCENTIVE TRAVEL EXCHANGE (AMITE) 2015 The 2nd annual

Asia Meeting and Incentive Travel Exchange (AMITE) will host leading MICE buyers from long-haul markets on 1 July, 2015 at Marina Bay Sands Singapore. AMITE is the Asian edition of the Global Meetings & Incentive Travel Exchange (GMITE) portfolio, the world's leading MICE exchange programme serving the industry for the last 10 years. AMITE is produced by Questex Hospitality + Travel in partnership with the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (SACEOS). Participation in AMITE is by invitation only and limited to qualified, high-volume MICE travel buyers with Asia products on their current or past books and near-future plans. To ensure a positive experience, the interactive format of AMITE 2015 is designed to keep participants actively engaged. Suppliers will have the exclusive opportunity to interact with buyers and feature their products throughout the process. AMITE 2015 will be held in conjunction with the 5th Annual Singapore MICE Forum (SMF), organised by SACEOS. Buyers at AMITE 2015 will be invited to attend the opening SMF keynote address as special guests of SACEOS. In additional to guaranteed and scheduled one-to-one meetings, AMITE 2015 will offer several networking opportunities. During AMITE 2014 there were over 340 one-to-one meetings in a single day.www.questexevents.net/AMITE.6

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M.I.C.E News

CORPORATE EVENT DECISION-MAKERS TOGETHER FOR 1st TIME IN AN INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION: UNICEO

UNICEO members are exclusively decision-makers, directors of marketing and communication responsible for events and representing major international companies. The main objective of UNICEO is to provide an exchange platform for senior leaders of the industry. Based in Geneva, United Networks of International Corporate Event Organisers - UNICEO is a non-profit international association that brings together seniors responsible for corporate events organisation in blue chip international companies. The initiative comes from a group of senior decision-makers responsible for the planning, organisation, marketing, communication and procurement for corporate events in their companies. Marketing and Communication budget reductions, evolution of the demand and the advent of new digital technologies have forced them to exert greater control over their suppliers, particularly intermediaries leading to a significant increase in their workload and new needs for strategic, operational and management solutions. In this context, UNICEO is conceived with the objective of enabling its members to make the most of collective intelligence and to adapt to a constantly changing business environment. Through UNICEO, members gain the opportunity to network and meet to share experiences, knowledge and professional skills, and to discuss best practices with peers in other companies sharing the same needs. They save time in their daily work, acquire new knowledge and professional skills, broaden and energise their network, drive their purchase strategy and gain influence in the industry. UNICEO is born in a sector which, until now, had no association bringing together corporate event decision-makers for large companies.

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HOTEL RESERVATION SERVICE (HRS) BECOMES CTW ASIA-PACIFIC 2015 SPONSOR Eager to leverage on the

opportunity to exclusively engage some 150 quality attending corporate travel buyers from across Asia-Pacific, Hotel Reservation Service (HRS), Europe’s leading hotel portal for business and private travellers has come on board as a CTW Asia-Pacific 2015 silver sponsor. CTW Asia-Pacific’s dedication and track record of delivering this niche buying segment cements HRS’ confidence in the event as a powerful platform that provides outreach to the corporate buying segment. As the global leading hotel solutions provider, HRS understands that with the shift in dynamics of the global business travel industry towards Asia-Pacific, and the maturing of the corporate travel market in the region, demand from both corporates and travellers alike increases pressure on suppliers, especially accommodation providers. In answer to this greater need for sophistication to manage corporate travel spend, HRS offers over 250,000 business hotels available globally in a single portal, coupled with a variety of innovative, free-of-charge tools that cover the whole value-add chain of the hotel booking process and provide valuable hotel attachment, negotiated rates and clear visibility. According to HRS, their solution allows corporates to better manage the accommodation component of their travel programme in the region. YOKOHAMA-A CONVENTION CITY IN JAPAN Yokohama is

28km west of Tokyo with convenient transportation allowing visitors to arrive by train from Tokyo Station in approx.30 mins and in 25mins from Haneda International Airport. Yokohama has a large-scale convention facility called ‘Pacifico Yokohama’ and many worldwide hotels chains. To further promote the city, a branding concept ‘Japan’s First Port of Call’ is aimed at expanding knowledge of the destination in Japan and globally. ●

Stuttgart, Beer Festival

SOUTHWEST GERMANY: 10 HIGHLIGHTS IN 2015 This time of year we are all thinking of our next vacation. One place you may not have considered is Germany. Think again! You are missing a lot. The South West of the country has a huge variety of things to do and see and places to stay like in a wine barrel or a water tower; in a circus wagon or a 1920s railway carriage. There is even a Teddy Bear hotel! This region, known as the ‘Sunny Side of Germany’ is full of traditions and modern fun and offers value for money. Here are our top 10 ideas for enjoying a truly authentic German vacation in 2015.

1 NEW: Happy birthday, Karlsruhe! One

of the world’s first ‘planned cities’, Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 and is celebrating its 300th birthday in 2015! This Baroque gem is nicknamed the ‘Fan City’ for the elegant streets that fan out from the palace. 2 NEW: The Black Forest National Park:

In 2014, a large chunk of the Black Forest, one of the world’s most beautiful destinations, officially became Germany’s 15th National Park. Incorporating the longest and largest mountain range in Germany, the Black Forest stretches from the Swiss border in the south to the city of Karlsruhe in the north. Now, 40 sq.m of this unspoiled and varied landscape are officially protected. On the well-marked trails, adults, families and children can hike and cycle, explore and learn about the environment. 3 Europa-Park: the world’s No 1 theme

park: The annual Golden Ticket Awards are ‘the Oscars’ of the amusement park industry. In the 2014, the ‘Best of the Best’ title went to Europa-Park in Rust, SouthWest Germany. That broke the 16-year-long North American monopoly of the top prize! Europa-Park sees over 5 million visitors a year and welcomed its 100-millionth visitor in 2014. Divided into 13 European themed areas, with more than 100 attractions and shows, the park boasts the Gazprom Blue Fire megacoaster, with the highest loop of a launch-coaster in Europe, as well as 5 themed, luxury hotels.

4 Germany’s best food and wine!: In the

latest German edition of the Michelin Red Guide, the world’s most respected gastronomic guide, SouthWest Germany’s restaurants have achieved 77 ‘stars’ more than any other Federal state. Alongside great food, SouthWest Germany produces great wines. This year the region is offering more wine-related experiences in a brochure called ‘Wege durch den Weinsüden’, ‘Explore SouthWest Germany’s Sunny Vineyards’. 5 ChocolART: Europe’s yummiest festival;

1-6 December 2015. Best known for its famous old university, Tübingen turns into a Willy Wonka-like attraction, with a 6-day chocolate festival. Sample chocolate made by experts and make your own; watch artists paint with chocolate; taste chocolate-inspired beers in taverns and dishes in restaurants. The cobbled streets are lined with elegant stalls, where chocolatiers from as far apart as Africa, Europe and Latin America tempt your taste buds.

The fountain, Donaueschingen

6 Christmas Markets: Nowhere is prettier

than SouthWest Germany in the build-up to the holidays; snowflakes on half-timbered houses, carol singers on cobbled streets, the scent of spices and hot chocolate. From late November, the 4 weeks of Advent are an excuse to buy one-of-a-kind hand-crafted gifts, enjoy Glühwein (mulled wine) and eat special cakes and Bratwurst (grilled sausages). The Baroque market in Ludwigsburg or one of Germany’s largest, oldest and best Christmas markets in Stuttgart. Visit Gengenbach in the Black Forest, where the 24 windows of the 18th-century town hall are slowly transformed into the world’s biggest Advent calendar!

7 Celebrate world-class music, opera

and ballet: Music lovers will flock to Baden-Baden’s Festspielhaus, Europe’s largest and most beautiful modern opera house. Great music is everywhere in SouthWest Germany: Stuttgart’s world-class Opera House presents opera and internationally-acclaimed ballet; Schwäbisch Hall has open-air theatre; the Palace of Weikersheim holds a festival of international music. And many concerts are staged in romantic settings: Heidelberg’s castle; Maulbronn’s monastery; Ludwigsburg’s baroque palace. From traditional to cutting-edge, the choice is huge. 8 NEW: The Lake Constance Gardens:

With its Mediterranean-like micro-climate, Lake Constance (Bodensee in German) is a horticultural paradise. Now several outstanding gardens have combined to create a network, called ‘The Lake Constance Gardens: a Journey through Time’ (Bodensee-gärten: Eine Reise durch die Zeit). The flower-filled islands of Mainau and Reichenau are well-known to garden lovers. Visit Arenenberg Castle and its park, the Carthusian monastery gardens at Ittingen and the palace gardens at Salem and Meersburg. 9 NEW: The restored Birthplace of the

River Danube: Flowing through 10 countries, the Danube (Donau in German) is the European Union’s longest river at 2,845km. But its source is in the Black Forest. In the town of Donaueschingen, the ‘young’ Danube bubbles up and then heads east. In the summer, the crystal clear turquoise pool that marks the Danube’s source re-opens after restoration. 10 Enjoy a real beer festival: German

beer festivals are world-famous. Some are thronged with tourists, but in SouthWest Germany, beer festivals still cater to locals. The 200-year-old Stuttgart Beer Festival (Sep 25 - Oct 11, 2015) is Germany’s 2nd biggest and follows tradition, with brass bands, folk costumes and beer food. Located in the city’s massive fair ground, rides, and music add to the fun. ●

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TOURISM News

Syros Island, Greece

1.1 BILLION TOURISTS TRAVELLED ABROAD IN 2014 International tourist arrivals reached 1.138

million(overnight) in 2014, seeing a 4.7% increase over 2013 figures (51 million more). International tourism is still expected to see growth of between 3-4% in 2015. By region, the Americas (+7%) and Asia and the Pacific (+5%) registered the strongest growth, while Europe (+4%), the Middle East (+4%) and Africa (+2%) grew slightly more slowly. By subregion, North America (+8%) saw the best results, followed by North-East Asia, South Asia, Southern and Mediterranean Europe, Northern Europe and the Caribbean, all increasing by 7%. The growth in international tourism receipts in 2014 is expected to reflect the arrival figure growth (2014 results will be released in April 2015). Europe (+4%), saw an increase of 22 million arrivals in 2014, reaching a total of 588 million. International tourist arrivals in Asia and the Pacific (+5%) increased by 13 million to 263 million. The Americas was the best performing region in relative terms with growth of 7%, welcoming an additional 13 million international tourists giving a total of 181 million. The Middle East (+4%) showed a recovery with an additional 2 million arrivals, bringing the total to 50 million. Africa’s international tourist numbers grew by an estimated 2%, equivalent to an increase of one million arrivals. The region reached 56 million tourists. Total trips abroad from China is estimated to have increased by 11 million to 109 million. The other 2 main emerging markets, Russia (-6%) lost out in 2014, while Brazil grew by 2%. Smaller emerging markets saw expenditure grow substantially, with Saudi Arabia, India, the Philippines and Qatar all reporting increases of 30% or over.

TOP BEST BEACHES IN THE WORLD Whatever it is that

makes your perfect beach; white sands, turquoise waters long stretches of beach, palm trees, the beautiful surroundings, the calmness, etc here are the 25 very special places you can visit around the world according to Tripadvisor.

Woolacombe, United Kingdom

Baia do Sancho - Fernando de Noronha, Brazil; Rabbit Beach - Lampedusa, Islands of Sicily; Playa Paraiso Beach - Cayo Largo, Cuba; Anse Lazio - Praslin Island, Seychelles; Whitehaven Beach - Whitsunday Island, Whitsunday Islands; Elafonissi Beach -

Elafonissi, Greece; Radhanagar Beach - Havelock Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Woolacombe Beach - Woolacombe, United Kingdom; Siesta Beach - Siesta Key, Florida; West Bay Beach - West Bay, Honduras; Iztuzu Beach - Dalyan, Turkey; Playa Paraiso - Tulum, Mexico; Eagle Beach - Palm - Eagle Beach, Aruba and Ngapali Beach - Ngapali, Myanmar.

ATHENS SAW OVER 15 MILLION VISITORS IN 2014

Athens welcomed over 15 million tourists last year, an increase of over 20%. Tourism in Greece has been on an upward trend since 2012, even with political instability and negative press about Greece’s financial state. USA visitors are increasing while those from Russia and Ukraine are dropping slightly. Greece is targeting Brazil as well as other South American countries and in Asia, China. It was also highlighted that the basic infrastructure like roads, airports, ports and marinas still need to be upgraded while also investing more towards developing special and alternative forms of tourism.

HISTORIC HOTELS OF EUROPE GAINS 20 NEW MEMBERS

With a recent surge in growth, the Historic Hotels of Europe, a niche group of luxury hotels with historical significance, has started 2015 with an amazing 20 new members joining the group. This now brings the total to 500 members with the new members coming from France, Austria, Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, Wales and Greece. The growth in new membership is testament to the value independent hoteliers recognise, today more than ever in the strength of being members of an upscale consortium and promoting themselves with a united voice. Ranging from historic boutique hotels in city locations to luxury estates in the country, the new members include hotels and restaurants in prime locations. With new sales and social media tools a dramatic rise in bookings has been seen by all members. The Historic Hotels of Europe was established in 1997 with the objective to promote the unique cultural and historic heritage of Europe. All members of the Historic Hotels of Europe have successfully maintained their authenticity and sense of place creating a lasting memory of a Europe both past and present.

RECORD 56.4 MILLION TOURISTS VISITED NEW YORK

With a previous record set in 2013 at 54.3 million tourists, this new record breaker is great news. More than 42 million tourists came from elsewhere in the United States, while among foreign visitors those from Britain, Canada, Brazil, France, China, Australia and Germany were the most common. The New York tourist industry employs 359,000 people and generates 21 billion in wages, city hall said.

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TOURISM News

The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

20 MOST BEAUTIFUL UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Our world is full of wonderful sites and places to visit, some ancient, some modern and some naturally spectacular. There are over 1,000 that have gained the status of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The original list was started in 1978 and included 12 entries. Each year, approx 25 global sites are added to the list as having ‘outstanding universal value’. In a recent survey the top ten of these sites was named:Angkor (Cambodia), Acropolis,(Greece), Bagan (Myanmar), Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia (Turkey), Great Barrier Reef (Australia), Hampi (India), Iguazu National Park (Brazil and Argentina), Los Glaciares National Park (Argentina), Machu Picchu (Peru), Mont-Saint-Michel (France), Petra (Jordan), The Pyramids of Giza (Egypt), Rapa Nui (Chile), Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Sigiriva (Sri Lanka), Tulum (Mexico), Valletta (Malta), Venice and its lagoon (Italy) and Yellowstone National Park (United States).

EUROPE’S BEST DESTINATIONS Athens, Greece, was

ranked in 3rd place in the recent European Best Destinations (EBD) organisation. 20 ‘must-see’ destinations were in competition to win the prestigious title. They were Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Bordeaux, Brussels, Istanbul, Innsbruck, Lisbon, Ljubljana, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Reykjavik, Riga, Rome, Valetta, Vienna, Zagreb. Bordeaux was 1st, followed by Lisbon. The 2015 best European Destination will use the title and affix the ‘European Best Destination’ logo on all its materials and promotions.

1ST UNWTO/UNESCO WORLD CONFERENCE ON TOURISM AND CULTURE Over 900 participants, including

over 45 Ministers and Vice Ministers of Tourism and Culture, international experts, speakers and guests from 100 countries, gathered at the UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture in Siem Reap, Cambodia, from 4-6 February 2015 to explore and advance new partnership models between tourism and culture. Over the course of 2 days, the 1st UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture highlighted the need to create a new framework for collaboration between tourism and culture, which includes active participation of host communities, visitors, the public and the private sector. Issues discussed were the need for ‘cross cutting policies’ to promote the sustainable development of cultural tourism and the advance of future Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the link between tourism and culture. Cultural heritage tells mankind’s story. Carefully managed, tourism can protect and enliven this heritage, generate new opportunities for local communities, and foster tolerance and respect between

peoples and nations. It is the responsibility of every tourist to act as a custodian of world heritage. The technical sessions focused on cultural preservation, cultural routes, tourism and creative industries, and urban regeneration through cultural tourism. At the Conference, the Agreement on the Establishment of the International ST-EP (Sustainable Tourism Eliminating Poverty) Organization was signed by Cambodia, Ethiopia, Peru, Paraguay and the Republic of Korea.

ICELAND AIM TO ATTRACT THE CHINESE TOURISTS

Iceland saw more than 23,000 Chinese visitors in 2014, an increase of 49% from the same period of 2013. Based on the positive figures, Iceland’s Prime Minister Mr. Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, has expressed his welcome, ‘’we are extremely pleased to see the growth in tourism and particularly in this large number of Chinese tourists which we welcome very much," adding that ‘’China is in many ways the country of the future. A growing country in many ways’’, he said. An increase of tourism from China to Iceland, that will lead an encouragement of further cooperation with both countries, as tourism, as such, is a door to prosperity in several domains in each country’s industries.

Akureyri , Iceland

Meanwhile Iceland’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir said that, Chinese tourist are valuable to Iceland and she would like very much to see further increase of Chinese tourist even further more and the country’s aim is to achieve that, with bilateral cooperation. Iceland is preparing for that and targeting and seeing what efforts needed to be done, with different companies, within the tourism industry from the public and private sector, - to be ready at the best possible way, to welcome the Chinese

tourists. ●

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INTERVIEWING…

Dr Aung Myat Kyaw, a pioneer of tourism in Myanmar, was one of the founding members of the Myanmar Marketing Committee which courageously promoted the country through long and difficult years. Dr Myat Kyaw is Chairman of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association and Chairman of Orchestra Travel & Ayravata Cruises Company Limited and of Sandoway Resort. At the ASEAN Tourism Forum, in the capital Nay Pyi Taw in January, he talked to Pamela McCourt Francescone about the challenges facing the industry and the role of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association. The Myanmar Market Committee was, for many years, the only organisation that promoted Myanmar. Now that your country has opened up to the world, what has changed in the promotion of the destination? “With the Myanmar Marketing Committee we were able to fill a

gap when there was a need. Now everyone is promoting Myanmar, but one of the main challenges we are facing is that we must be sustainable and take a long-term view. While we have come a long way in a very short time, we cannot be fully satisfied with the progress made so far. We need to take a step back and not rush headlong without assessing things. Just over two years ago we went from a few hundred thousand visitors to over a million and then two and three million and now we are looking at 5 million. But to achieve these numbers in a balanced way we need more infrastructure and better planning.”

What are the main problems? “Travel agents were spoiled

because it was a buyers’ market. Now it has changed to being a sellers’ market, but with the speed things happened problems have arisen. For example last summer hotels were not performing as well as they had expected due to price hikes. Now they are being watchful of the situation. Some of the larger properties are still suffering, but if you look at small hotels and family-run guesthouses, they are full. Price awareness is now an issue, and more and more local businesses are doing well as new jobs are being created. We also have to be aware that the trend is changing with online sales.”

Is the industry embracing technology and using it to its full potential? “We need to specialise more and innovate

more and so we must use technology better. It opens up many opportunities for us, but we must move fast. We are now part of the world; we are no longer a closed country.”

Which main markets is Myanmar looking at? “We

border on two of the world’s most populous countries, China and India, and so interregional travel is increasing. But we are also looking at long-haul markets, as regional markets tend to be short stays while arrivals from the long-haul markets boost long-stays. So we must aim for balanced growth, also to give opportunities to small and medium-sized local investors.”

What does Myanmar as a tourism product need to improve? “It is vital to come up with products that have a

Myanmar signature. We are developing many new hotels but it is important that they reflect our culture. Just as we must put the emphasis on Myanmar food, because everything we sell must have the Myanmar brand. The branding of our destination is one of the strategic programmes in the Tourism Master Plan 2013-2020 as emphasised just the other day here in Nay Pyi Taw by His Excellency U Htay Aung, the minister of hotels and tourism.”

Here in Nay Pyi Taw hotel staff are very friendly and helpful but we noticed a lack of professional training. Is the industry aware how important it is to invest in training? “Human resources development is the second

programme in the Tourism Master Plan. Let’s not forget that ten years ago Naypidaw was only rice fields. Now thanks to the many major events like the ATF which are organised here locals are finding jobs but yes, we are aware they need better skills. In 2009 and 2010 after the Saffron Revolution and the

Nargis Cyclone people did not feel there was a future. Now they know the future is here, and they are eager to be part of tourism’s growth.”

What changes will there be in the short term? “Well, we

are moving very fast and so of course mistakes will be made. But they can be rectified. It is easy to say we can learn from the mistakes of others, but in practice this is very difficult. There is a realisation that respect for the environment is essential, even small companies and hotels and guest houses are becoming aware of this.”

What is the role of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association? “We are an elected body, an independent

private association and our role is to lobby.”

Your unbound enthusiasm for tourism and your warm and outgoing personality have always made you a towering figure on the tourism stage in Myanmar, in this new role at the head of this major association what are your immediate goals? “To manage change! We have

884 members, both inbound and outbound tour operators and travel agents. My challenge is to speak different languages to different people. I want to prepare our members to be more interactive, and at the same time we would like to give more service to our members. We have to become more efficient, and our members have to become more independent.” ●

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EXHIBITION News

At ATF 2015, Myanmar

OFFICIAL CARRIERS OF THE 19th MITM EUROMED & POST TOURS GSAR Marketing, organisers of MITM Euromed,

Meetings and Incentive Travel Market has appointed Iberia and RENFE the official carriers of the fair. Both companies are offering great discounts for MITM Euromed's national and international participants to attend the fair and to personally experience Calpe's offer as a MICE destination. MITM Euromed will hold its 19th edition in Calpe, Spain, from 6-8 May with the sponsorship of Calpe's City Hall and the AR Diamante Beach Spa & Convention Centre****, venue of the event. After a busy work schedule, the national and international hosted buyers and press will be able to enjoy the magnificent post-tours offered by Alicante, Benidorm, Calpe, Elche and Valencia. They will have the opportunity to personally experiment these singular destinations with its entire offer for the MICE tourism and enjoy their beautiful beaches and spectacular gastronomy. MITM Euromed has been rated by the exhibitors and buyers as one of the most professional international MICE fairs in the tourism industry. Their notarised evaluations confirm it!! Evaluation of MITM Euromed, Cádiz, Spain, 2014: Overall rating of Exhibitors: 32% excellent; 55% Good; 12% fair; 1% Poor. Overall rating of Buyers: 64% Excellent; 33% Good; 3% Fair and 0% Poor.

3RD POSIDONIA SEA TOURISM FORUM ATTRACTS GLOBAL INDUSTRY INTEREST The East Mediterranean is

gearing to increase its share of the cruise sector’s UK£29, (EU€40) billion annual contribution to Europe’s economy. According to industry representatives who will participate in the upcoming Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, scheduled for 26-27 May in Athens, 2015 brings the first positive news following the industry’s post Arab Spring deployment correction and a capacity increase with the introduction of new and larger vessels. Senior executives from the world’s biggest and most prestigious cruise lines will be there to table the challenges the sector is facing in the Eastern Mediterranean, tackle long standing issues and try to turn trends to opportunities for the industry’s key players and the region’s port destinations. Speakers include senior officials from Azamara Club Cruises, Celestyal Cruises (former Louis Cruises), Crystal Cruises, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises and more, who will gather in the Greek capital for this 2-day event to meet industry officials from the region’s private sector, government bodies and regulatory authorities. During the Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, CLIA Europe will be holding its biannual Executive Committee Meeting in Athens, thereby showing the importance the region

has for the cruise industry. According to Theodore Vokos, Executive Director of Posidonia Exhibitions, the event’s organiser, ‘Greece continues to enjoy a significant cruise presence with passenger calls reaching a total of 5 million in 2014’. The development of new potential homeports and ports of call in the region facilitates the additional European capacity coming online in 2015 with the delivery of vessels for TUI, Costa and P&O Cruises as well as the deployment of mega ships such as Anthem of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Norwegian Epic. The positive news continues for 2016 and 2017 with new capacity from AIDA and MSC Cruises scheduled to join the Europe-based fleet. The Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum’s exhibition is also the ideal platform for port destinations, port and regional authorities, chambers of commerce, airlines, tourist services providers and marinas to showcase their offering to influential international cruise industry decision makers.

WORLD TRAVEL FAIR 2015 The 12th Shanghai World Travel

Fair will be held from 7-10 May at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. WTF is a prominent and most influential annual gala for the international tourism industry in China. It brings together destinations, tourist attractions as well as organisations and business in the field of civil aviation cruise, hotel and business travel around the world. WTF is committed to provide an effective platform that helps global tourism sellers develop China market, plus an one-stop solution to promote sales and gain brand awareness. The 2015 edition of the shows is offering over 700 exhibitors from 55 countries/regions, over 450 hosted buyers, over 12,000 trade visitors, 15,000+ business meetings and 43,000 + consumer visitors. This year’s event sees a focus on luxury travel, cruise, business travel, themed entertainment tourism, and medical health tourism. Among other features of this year event are The Outbound Tourism Forum which focuses on China’s outbound tourism market and development situation, and releases the exclusive new season of ‘Report on the Outbound Tourism Market of the Three Generating Areas of China’. The World Travel Fair Awards Ceremony will be held during the show, 23 awards will be given to outstanding brands in travel industry with the categories of air / hotel companies, travel agencies, travel services and tourist destination.

ASTINDO FAIR 2015 The Association of Air Ticketing

Companies in Indonesia (ASTINDO) will for the 5th time organise the biggest annual consumer travel fair in Indonesia. ASTINDO Fair 2015 which will be held from 27-29 March 2015 at Jakarta International Expo, Kemayoran. In addition, this year the same event will be held in Surabaya on 23-26 April 2015 at Grand City Mall. ASTINDO is an industry-led body representing the travel/ticketing agents community with top, medium and small size agents as its member.

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EXHIBITION News

At Access, Vienna, Austria

3RD MYANMAR HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM CONFERENCE 2015 With the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism,

approving 31 foreign investment hotels to be permitted in 6 regions, across Myanmar, it is sure sign that investment in Mynamar is stronger than ever and more is still needed to meet demand with its rapidly growing tourism sector. The new properties are: 20 hotels with 3,047 rooms in Yangon, 4 hotels with 660 rooms in Mandalay, 1 hotel with 127 rooms in Bagan, 2 foreign investment hotels with 252 rooms in Kawthaung, 3 hotels with 291 rooms in Tachileik, and 1 hotel with 41 rooms in Myeik. There are 279 hotels with licences in the Yangon Region, 329 in Mandalay and 200 in Shan State. The 3rd annual Myanmar Hospitality and Tourism Conference is the premier platform to find out about investment opportunities in Myanmar. In our past 2 editions, close to 300 delegates from 17 different countries were in attendance and eager to find out what Myanmar’s hospitality and tourism sector had to offer. This year sees the conference back again with new features and highlights. Event highlights include interview with reputable local hoteliers and business owners; site visit to projects under development and sites available for investment; and a full day covering challenges in managing a hotel in Myanmar. The Myanmar Hospitality and Tourism Conference 2015 will be an annual gathering of industry leaders from the hospitality and tourism into one common platform to push tourism development forward in the region. Following the success of hosting the ASEAN Tourism Forum in January, Myanmar is Asia’s top destination developing its tourism and hospitality sectors.

TRAVEL ZOOM CROATIA 2015 Travel Zoom with new

solutions for strategic and creative marketing in tourism! From 19-20 March 2015, Zagreb will host the 5th Travel Zoom, conference on creative and strategic marketing in tourism. After 4 successful years in Slovenia the conference is changing its location and moving to Croatia. Gorazd Čad, Director of Toleranca Marketing and The Head of the organisational team: “By bringing Travel Zoom to Croatia this year, we would like to emphasise the importance of great marketing in tourism, one of this country’s most important industries. Croatia is already ranked among the top 20 most popular tourist destinations in the world. With our partner, Zagreb Tourist Board & Convention Bureau, we believe that by passing new knowledge and experience, Croatia can become a true Tourism Icon.” The 5th edition will continue with the theme ‘Become the Icon’. The conference designed for high-level management in tourism business, marketing departments of travel companies, scientists and researchers in tourism, marketing and advertising agencies and representatives of local tourism organisations is expected to attract around 150 delegates mostly from the Balkan region. The 2 day programme will be filled with lectures on new marketing

trends, the proper use of marketing tools, creative approaches in marketing, heated panel discussions and numerous workshops where delegates will be able to transform theory into practical knowledge. The 5th Travel Zoom held in Sheraton Hotel Zagreb has invited some of the biggest names from the marketing/tourism industry. Visit www.travel-zoom.si for the full programme and registration to the event.

GREECE HOSTS 4-DAY INTERNATIONAL HEALTH TOURISM CONVENTION IN 2015 Athens, Greece has been

selected to host the 2015 International Health Tourism Convention and the Health Tourism Innovation Awards Ceremony from 11 – 14 March at the Royal Olympic Hotel in the capital. The Convention, through its design and structure, has introduced the innovative value-adding concept of the ‘Segmented and Integrated Event’. The Convention is also an exemplar of the ‘Optimized Health Tourism Event’. The Convention takes the form of: Forums (8), Seminar and Workshop, Exhibition. The 8 Forums are: Health Tourism Integration Forum, Health Tourism Vital Few Forum (to table, discuss and endorse macro level policies and strategies, Health Tourism Business Forum, Health Destination Forum, Health Tourism Investment Forum, Assisted Residential Tourism Forum, Health Tourism Innovation Forum, Health Tourism Lux Forum. The Convention will also serve to introduce and feature ‘Distinct’ Health Tourism Categories and Segments, including: Health Tourism Lux, Boutique Health Tourism, Health Tourism for Children, Assisted Residential Tourism, Health Tourism Cruise. The Exhibition is in the form of: Health Tourism Business Exchange, Health Tourism Franchise Marketplace, Health Tourism Destination Showcase, Health Tourism Jobs Fair. The Convention begins with a ‘curtain raiser’ event in the form of a Seminar and Workshop. The Convention brings together the global stakeholders representing: the health-related services providers in the 8 segments, the providers of sector-supporting services and products, the industry representative bodies (associations and councils), buyers / payers / cost bearers of health-related services (health insurance, health funds, national health systems, the investment and finance industry and state and governmental organisations. An impressive roster of sector-specific deep insiders, from around the world, will be speaking at the Convention. These are internationally recognised thought leaders and ‘hands on practitioners’ from established and successful health tourism destinations. The Convention has been designed to be a truly international event with global relevance and impact. The IHTC is co-organised by HealthCare cybernetics (www.healthcarecybernetics.com and Zita Medical Management S.A. (www.zita-management.com) www.internationalhealthtourismconvention.com.

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EXHIBITION News

At WTM London, UK

4TH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF MEDICAL TOURISM, SPA&WELLNESS - HEALTHCARE TRAVEL EXPO From 15-

17 April 2015 the 4th International Exhibition of Medical Tourism, SPA&Wellness- Healthcare Travel Expo is to take place. The Healthcare Travel Expo brings together medical tourism and healthcare industry specialists, heads of field-oriented departments, representatives of embassies, local, regional and international associations and organisations, representatives of international clinics, rehabilitation centers, SPA&Wellness resorts in Europe, Asia and America to develop medical tourism market. The event provides a professional platform for the meeting of doctors, experts, companies working in the field of medical tourism, travel agencies, medical insurance companies, medical tourism agencies, suppliers, buyers and consumers in order to attract new customers, establish business contacts, exchange experience with foreign colleagues, establish bilateral cooperation with the world's leading clinics, rehabilitation centers, health and SPA&Wellness resorts without going abroad. Exhibitors from the industry are confirmed from Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Finland, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Georgia, Israel, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, United States, Cuba and many other countries. A feature of the Exhibition are the business programmes - Business Point and Buyers programme, which allow participants to maximise time using - hold productive pre-scheduled meetings. There will also be numerous seminars, training, workshops for beginners and professionals in medical tourism. An added advantage of the event is it runs alongside the International Medical Forum ‘Medicine Innovations – the Nation’s Health’. The Forum is considered the main event in the Ukraine healthcare industry and annually brings together over 12,000 professionals. Combined with the Forum will also be the International Medical Congress ‘Introduction of medical science advances into healthcare practice in Ukraine’, which includes over 40 scientific-practical events in various fields of medicine. The 2014 events saw: 350 exhibitors at IMF; 96 exhibitors of HTEXPO, coming from Austria, Spain, Italy, China, Lithuania, Malaysia, Germany, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the USA, Thailand, Turkey, Hungary, Ukraine, Finland, France, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Japan; 10,252 registered professional visitors coming from the Netherlands, the USA, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Italy, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Moldova, Russia; 55 scientific-practical events; 30 master-classes; 76 organisers and co-organisers.

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CRUISE SHIPPING MIAMI 2015 CONFERENCE PROGRAMME UPDATED UBM and Seatrade have announced

additions and updates to the Cruise Shipping Miami 2015 conference programme. Cruise Shipping Miami 2015 is set for 16-19 March at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Thematic topics include The Geography of Cruise Tourism, Safety and Ship Operations, Market Segments and Cruise Product Development. The Conference Programme includes: The State of the Cruise Industry: North and South America; The State of the Cruise Industry: Europe; Enhancement of Safety Measures at Sea; Trends and Challenges in Marketing, Sales and Distribution; The State of the Cruise Industry: Asia/Australasia – Will China Transform Cruising?; The State of the Cruise Industry: The Future of the Caribbean and How it is Being Reshaped; Energy Efficiency Onboard and Ashore; In the Galley and Behind the Bar: The Latest Trends in Hotel Operations/Food and Beverage; Upscale Cruise Market: What's Next?; Specialty Cruising: Opportunities and Challenges in the Expedition, Coastal, Inland and River Cruise Sectors, among others. ●

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ASIA News

Pak Beng, Mekong River, Laos

ASEAN TOURISM STRATEGIC VISION 2016 – 2025 With the

current ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2011-2015 ending this year, new plan is being developed with a strong collaboration among Member States in developing tourism in the region. Through various sessions, meetings and workshops a vision statement has been adopted: ‘By 2025, ASEAN will be a quality tourism destination offering a unique, diverse ASEAN experience, and will be committed to responsible, sustainable and inclusive tourism development, so as to contribute significantly to the socio-economic well-being of ASEAN people.’ With the goal of ASEAN becoming single economic community and the advancement of ASEAN as a single tourism destination, the new ATSP 2016 – 2025 will chart the strategic directions, focus areas and game changers to accelerate the growth and development of ASEAN tourism. The new ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan is due to be launched at the 2016 ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), to be held in the Philippines.

MALDIVES FACES CHALLENGES AS CHINESE TOURISTS SLOW Tourism is the Maldives top industry, but it is seeing a

reduction in tourist’s arrivals due to less Chinese tourists, who provide the main source of tourism revenues. A decline of 7.8% in January 2015 compared to January 2014 figures. Chinese tourists visiting the Maldives tripled from about 100,000 in 2010 to more than 300,000 in 2014, accounting for nearly one-third of arrivals with a 30% market share, representing the single biggest source market for tourists to the island nation. A total of 52,545 visitors were recorded from European countries, growth of 0.5% compared to January 2014. Total arrivals for 2014 reached the target of 1.2 million in 2014. In January 2015, Italy was the 2nd largest source market, followed by the UK, Germany and Russia.

CHINESE BUY AUSTRALIAN ISLAND RESORT A tropical

island resort off the east coast of northern Australia has been purchased for UK£15.30, (EU€21.10) million by Shanghai based China Capital Investment Group (CCIG). The 4.5*Queensland's Daydream Island Resort & Spa has 296 rooms and suites, as well as a ‘Living Reef’ with about 80 species of fish and 50 coral varieties. The new owners will have an opportunity to further develop the southern end of the island and offer new accommodation.

PAK BENG, LAOS - HIDDEN CHARM The area of Pak Beng

district in Oudomxay province is an unexpected delight for tourists travelling by boat on the Mekong River in the northern part of Laos on their way from the Golden Triangle in Bokeo province to the World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang. The natural sites in Pak Beng district see a panoramic vista of mountains and rock formations. After a 7 hours boat journey a stay on ‘solid ground’ is ideal at Pekbeng. One of its charms is

the mountains on the Xayaboury side of the Mekong which are shrouded in fog and cloud in the early morning and make for a beautiful site at dawn. Pak Beng is developing fast to cater for the growing number of tourists who are discovering the city’s delights.

MALAYSIA 9th DESTINATION FOR EDUCATION Malaysia

has been ranked in 9th place as a destination of choice worldwide for international students to continue their studies, confirming that Malaysia’s education system is of quality and on equal with other developed countries. Its universities saw 11 faculties ranked among the world’s top 100, like Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), which is ranked 28th for its Faculty of Environmental Science, Agriculture Faculty at Universiti Putra Malaysia, at 54th place and Engineering Faculty Universiti Malaya, at 83rd place. Besides quality education, another positive factor for international students was the low cost.

BANGKOK ONE OF WORLDS TOP DESTINATION'S

Thailand’s capital, Bangkok has, for the 2nd year running, been voted as one of the World’s Top 20 Destinations to Visit in the ‘2015 Travellers’ Favourites Awards’ by travel website, gogobot.com. The Awards aim to celebrate the best places ‘gogobot’ members have enjoyed as they travelled the world. Categories include best hotels, restaurants, beaches and tours. The top award it the best destinations category for which Bangkok took the 12th place. The top 20 destinations included New York, London and Las Vegas. Bangkok was praised for its vibrant streets with their characteristic ‘cacophony of sounds’ and world-famous street goods. Bangkok’s value for money and easy-going culture also made it stand out. In 2014 the city was also ranked highly in 10th place with the architecture, bars and temples being singled out for praise. International recognition is also coming from elsewhere with regards to the city’s Wi-Fi capabilities. The city was ranked 22nd out of 50 internationally on the website hotelwifitest.com, for the quality of Wi-Fi services offered in hotels, with fast download and upload speeds and high quality wifi services on offer. Bangkok rated much higher than cities including Dubai, New York, LA and Paris.

SAIL TOMINI 2015 HELPS PUSH SULAWESI’S TOURISM SECTOR The annual ‘Sail Indonesia’ event, held in Tomini,

Central Sulawesi, this September, is hoping to push economic growth and develop marine tourism destinations in Indonesia. Tourist arrivals have already seen growth of 10.53% in the 4

th

quarter of 2014 compared to 2013 figures. The event will also strengthen its position as a safe and conducive province. Locals have been getting involved by maintaining the cleanliness, beauty and security of the province so that the Sail Tomini 2015 will run successfully. ●

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LATIN AMERICA News

The Plaza del Panteon Assumption, Paraguay

PARAGUAY AND ARGENTINA PROMOTING RELIGIOUS TOURISM Entrepreneurs Paraguay and Argentina are to

develop a unique holiday package for ‘Jesuit Route’ of both countries. National Secretariat of Tourism (Senatur) of Paraguay, and the Ministry of Tourism of the Province of Misiones, Argentina, met to build on the agreement for the route with the aim to generate business in the short term consensual tour packages and promote this cultural heritage that unites the nations in a special way. The Jesuit Route generates no competition but an interaction between the two countries. The possibility of developing a website for the product and unique promotions that facilitate operators to market the route was also agreed.

CARIBBEAN TOURISM INCREASING FOR 2015 The

Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) expects a 5% increase in tourist arrivals in 2015 following a record 2014 for tourist arrivals. 26.3 million visitors came to the Caribbean in 2014, spending a record UK£19, (EU€26) billion. This was the 5th year of growth. Summer arrivals were double that from 2013 summer figures. It seems that the Caribbean is still a much sort after holiday destination. Certain political and economic conditions, increased airline seat capacity, improved airport facilities, increased accommodation with recognised hotel chains all playing a part in the positive results. The outlook for Caribbean tourism is positive, and project a further 4-5% rise in arrivals in 2015. 1.3 million more visitors came to the Caribbean than in 2013, which itself was a record year, representing a 5.3% rise, and well above the projected 2-3%.

Plaza de armas de Piura, Peru

PIURA-PERU ECONOMY BOOSTED BY TOURISM

Piura’s tourism and agricultural industries are improving employment opportunities following development in agriculture, road works, and tourism, making it the 2nd highest for opportunities after the capital Lima. For tourism, the region is looking to connect the Carretera Costanera to multiple Piura

beaches. With a wonderful cuisine and great breaches, it is a popular attraction for locals and there is a big increase in investment which is helping develop the region and ultimately provide more jobs in the coming years.

ECUADOR PROMOTES ITS BIODIVERSITY AND NATURE TOURISM The Central American nation of Ecuador is

promoting the sectors of biodiversity and its stunning nature offering as a key tourism attraction this year. Ecuador is experiencing a real boom in the tourism. In 2014 it saw a 14% increase of tourist arrivals, a sector which in recent years is one of its engines of development. That same year, 1.4 million foreign tourists visited Ecuador, 44% more than in 2009. It is a destination that offers 4 unique and well known bio-diverse environments; the Amazon rainforest; the Galapagos Islands; 1,600miles of beaches on the Pacific with warm water; and finally the majestic Andes 'Avenue of the Volcanoes'. In addition it offers colourful Indian markets and historic tourist train, among much more. Ecuadorian tourism was awarded with 14 international awards at the World Travel Awards 2014, confirming its status as ‘a global tourist power’ and summed up in the country’s slogan ‘All you need is Ecuador’.

BRANDING NICARAGUA Nicaragua does not yet have a

country brand, like other neighbouring countries Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile and Peru. To develop a national brand takes research and consultation, to reach a simple expression that identifies the country in a clear and effective way. At present the country has only one known as image: Nicaragua, unique and original, relating to promoting it as a tourism destination. As this process begins, Nicaragua will be able to highlight and develop further its rich culture and authenticity, promote its unique production of goods and services, its hospitable citizens and history and geographical situation, ie showing how different it is from its neighbours and competitors through focus, heritage and culture.

JAMAICA IDEAL SPORTS TOURISM DESTINATION! The

western region of Jamaica has been highlighted by the ministry of Tourism for the potential to develop it as an ideal region for sport tourism. There are a lot of opportunities to develop sport activities, including football, which is a much loved sport for the young and enjoyed by many others in the community and the country. By developing sports tourism, there is a huge potential for increased financial income and earnings as well as providing a great opportunity for major hotels, resorts, and the nation’s travel and hospitality industries. The government aims to make Jamaica as THE sport tourism destination in the Caribbean region. ●

18

AVIATION News

BLUE AIR, ATHENS–LARNACA ROUTE Romanian airline Blue

Air has launched a flight between Athens and Larnaca. This together with the Thessaloniki–Larnaca route complements its pan European network covering more than 35 connections flown out of its 4 hubs: Bucharest, Bacau, Turin and Larnaca. Blue Air is the 1st Smart Flying airline, a hybrid model between the Low Cost Airline model and the Legacy Carrier model. The Smart Flying model offers passengers complete visibility over all components of the ticket price, allowing them to buy only those services they attach value for.

NEW TORONTO – TOKYO HANEDA SERVICE From December 2015, Air

Canada hopes to fly a Boeing 787-9 from Toronto to Tokyo Haneda for the winter season. The 787-9 would replace Boeing 777-200LR aircraft on this route.

AIR TAHITI NUI AIRCRAFT PURCHASE French Polynesia national

carrier Air Tahiti Nui has ordered two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and will lease another 2 to replace its older A340 fleet. The new planes will be in operation by 2018 when the airline celebrates 20 years of operation.

COPA AIRLINES Figures for 2014

operations of Copa Airlines were not as good as expected due to reducing services into Venezuela combined with the overall economic weakness in some regions in Latin America. However the airline expects 2015 to be a steady year with projected 7% capacity growth.

MORE FLIGHTS FROM UK TO GREECE AND CYPRUS Greece’s

largest carrier Aegean has increased its UK routes to Greece and Cyprus with 2 new direct flights from London to Larnaca and Iraklio, Crete. Flights

to Larnaca will depart from Heathrow daily at the end of March; with flights to Iraklio will leave from Gatwick Airport from 21 June. Aegean is to also upgrade its summer flight schedule to Athens from Birmingham airport to an all-year-round service. Aegean has a fleet of 56 aircraft and flies to 134 destinations. Aegean has been awarded by Skytrax, as the best European airline for 2014, an accolade it has achieved 5 times in the past 6 years.

AIRPORT OF THE YEAR FOR LONDON HEATHROW & QE2 TERMINAL At the

recent 41st Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards, London’s Heathrow and Star Alliance have won the World’s Airport of the Year for their collaboration on the new Queen Elizabeth II Terminal 2. Heathrow and Star Alliance produced a top class facility that is a win-win for its passengers. The purpose-built, state of the art facility was jointly conceived by Heathrow Airport, Star Alliance and its member carriers with the aim of establishing a true seamless hub at one of the world’s premier international airports. Operating from a single terminal at Heathrow ensures that Star Alliance member carriers can offer their 12 million passengers using the airport on an annual basis a vastly improved travel experience, including shorter connecting times. The latest technology is used throughout the terminal to give passengers control of their journey. T2 operates over 121 flights per day to 47 destinations in 26 countries. Each of these flights is a gateway to the full Alliance network of more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,321 airports in 193 countries.

CHINA AIRPORTS BECOME COMMERCIAL HUBS Airports are transforming around

the world from purely being the place we arrive in a destination, to offering us a reason for choosing the destination! Today one need not go ‘downtown’ for facilities and services as airports cater for all our needs. These are City airports as they have become like cities in their own right. China is seeing this and is building, upgrading and expanding all its airports to become cities in themselves as business across the country grows. At present at least 85 civilian airports are planned or newly built ready for 2020. China is investing approx. CNY280 billion, (UK£29.22, EU€40.22 billion) is being invested in China’s civil airports annually. It is predicted that 1.5 trillion yuan will be spent on airport development by 2020. Two new airports include the Huizhou Airport in Guangdong province and the Beijing Capital Second Airport at Daxing. Airports are being built on an articial island in Dalian, Liaoning province, and on flattened mountain tops in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomour region and at Shennongjia, Hubei province. Even into Mongolia and Tibet, airports are being expanded.

SWISS EUROPEAN AIR LINES RENAMED SWISS GLOBAL AIR LINES Swiss

International Air Lines (SWISS) has renamed its Swiss European Air Lines subsidiary, the operator of its Avro RJ100 fleet. The company is now known as Swiss Global Air Lines. Both Swiss International Air Lines and Swiss Global Air Lines will operate under the SWISS brand.

QATAR AIRWAYS SPREADS IT WINGS WESTWARDS Qatar Airways has bought a

10% share in International Airlines Group (IAG), who owns British Airways and Iberia. Qatar Airways is already a member of the Oneworld Alliance. The 10% stake is worth approx UK£1.15, (EU1.58) billion and gives Qatar closer links with a group that has 2 major European hubs and strong transatlantic networks. It also allows them to further develop its ‘westwards’ strategy. The new deal now complements each other with Qatar being strong in southeast Asia, India and the Middle East, and Iberia flying into much of South America. Qatar is keen to increase its share, but it limited to a maximum of 49% cap on non-EU ownership of European airlines. Qatar’s fleet is over 130 aircraft with an additional 340 on order. ●

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