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August 2013

● MYKONOS The Jetsetters Island, by Caroline-Artemis Laspas

● UNITED KINGDOM TOURISM UP

● ROMANIA Surprises, by Pamela McCourt Francescone

● An Interview With... STUTTGART MARKETING ....

● AMERICANS HEAD FOR CUBA

● BIG HOTEL CHAINS OPEN IN MYANMAR

● 1ST HANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FAIR, CHINA

● SEATRADE MED CRUISE CONVENTION, SPAIN

● MORE GERMANWINGS, LESS LUFTHANSA

● RECORD BREAKING INCENTIVE VISIT TO SYDNEY

Agios Nikolaos, Rifina, Greece TATW Monthly 2013 © Dimitris Spyropolous, Photographer www.tourismaroundtheworld.co.uk

Letter from the Editor

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Welcome to the ‘Sizzling Summer’ edition of TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD MONTHLY.

Here at TOURISM AROUND THE

WORLD MONTHLY Head Office in

London, summer has at long last arrived after a winter which lasted almost 9 months!

Summer, sea, sand, and sun mean holidays and a busy tourism season for us all in the industry. In the UK this summer, we are having a rare heat wave with it looking like the hottest summer in a decade with temperatures reaching 30-33 degrees! The last hot summer was in July 2006 when the UK was bathed in 16 days of continuous sunshine, with temperatures reaching 28-29 degrees. This year’s sizzling summer has already led to motorway surfaces melting as well as train tracks bending due to the extreme heat, the lush green meadows of the English countryside are yellow and dry, ice cream sales are sky high and we have a rosy glow from a touch of sun!

With such good weather, the UK tourism industry is already seeing a boost in tourism figures, especially in the South West region, Cornwall or the ‘English Riveria’ with tourism figures up 17% so far as people opt to stay closer to home rather than heading for hot sun elsewhere.

As a nation we are always talking about the weather and we are known for our rain and grey clouds, but even with great weather like we have now, we are still talking about it! Our geographical location means the weather can change very quickly and we can easily experience all four seasons in a day!

So, we will take our chances now and make the most of warm summer picnics, BBQ’s, flip flops, ice cream and not think about how long it may last, but just enjoy the moment!

‘Happy Summer’ from us all and hope you enjoy the August edition! Caroline-Artemis Laspas editor & co-founder

Paranga, Mykonos, Geece

Located in the centre of the Aegean Sea in the Cycladic Islands of Greece, lies Mykonos; a dry barren landscape, but one that is full of life and music, culture and traditions, classic whitewashed Cycladic architecture and villages, small churches and chapels, all blended with crystal clear waters and beautiful beaches. It is sophisticated, cosmopolitan, elegant and glamorous; old and new all combined into an amazing tourist destination!

MYKONOS! The Jetsetters

Island

by Caroline-Artemis Laspas, editor

If you are looking for nightlife, then Mykonos is where to be. If you are looking for peace and quiet, Mykonos is the place to be. If you are looking for luxury or the true authentic Greek holiday magic, Mykonos is the place to be. There is a corner of this island suited for everyone, every budget and every inclination!

The island was named after the hero Mykonos, a descendant of Niue, King of Delos, son of Apollo. The island has been inhabited since the end of the Neolithic Age. In 1207 the Venetians occupied the Cyclades among other Aegean islands. After the war between Venice and Turkey in 1540, the island came under Turkish rule. During this time Mykonos saw huge naval development and was a major trade hub. Modern tourism boomed on the island in the 1960 and 1970’s, but Mykonos was already a hot tourist destination in antiquity with many people coming to the island in order to visit the sacred neighbouring island of Delos.

The main town of Chora is compact and full of narrow streets and with old windmills set above the picturesque fishing harbour it is one of the most charming of all the islands and as such has been declared a traditional settlement as an example of popular Cycladic architecture. There are churches at every turn and plenty of shops and cafes and bars to suit all tastes. Getting to Mykonos is easy by airplane, ferry, or luxury yacht! One of the most important archaeological sites from the times of antiquity is on the nearby island of Delos, a sacred uninhabited island, only accessible via small boats leaving from Mykonos.

‘L i t t le Venice’ , Mykonos .

Blue and white colours dominate everywhere, with white buildings and staircases leading to blue doors and windows, hanging balconies that mix with spectacular bursts of colour from bougainvillea at every turn.

The famous church of Panagia Paraportiani, built

in 1475 is Greece’s most photographed church and is famous for its unusual architecture as well as having 5 chapels within it. There are approx 400 churches and chapels on the island.

Another classic Mykonian sight is that of ‘Little Venice’ where elegant houses with colourful balconies sit on the edge of the blue sea of the Aegean and where white waves crash against the rocks below the balconies.

The Mykonian windmills are instinctively related to the island and part of its history dating back to the 16th century. Five stand proudly on a hill leading out of the town to the west and you can see why, with the island being well known for its windy conditions, but making it ideal for a trade in ancient times for the grinding of wheat on a trade route stretching from Venice to Asia.

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MYKONOS! The Jetsetters

Island

by Caroline-Artemis Laspas, editor

Mykonos is also home to one of the oldest museums in Greece, the Archaeological Museum where you can see the famous pottery collection from the necropolis Rinia. One of the most important artefacts is the ‘mnimeiakospithamforeas Mykonos’ embossed depiction of the fall of Troy, dating from the 7th century BC. The Lady of Mykonos, is a clay figurine, just 30cm tall and the small bronze kouros

statue both date from the 6th century BC. The Aegean Maritime Museum is located in the city centre with displays of several model ships from pro-Minoan times until the 19th century and shows the great importance of the maritime traditions of the island. The Folklore Museum is located next to the Paraportiani Church and displays collections of Mykonian furniture, post-Byzantine sculptures and ceramics, tools, iron and brass house keys, musical instruments and other daily objects. Mykonos is known for its beaches. ‘Must go beaches’ include those of Paradise and Super Paradise, where the warm sea waters, soft sand, bars and restaurants pass away the time of day with music on the go most of the time. There are also very quiet calm family beaches and coves and long stretches of open sand to be found around the island as well as ideal windsurfing conditions in the north of the island.

There is truly something for everyone on Mykonos. It is a complete holiday destination packed onto an island and one that is totally unique compared to any other Greek island or any other island you will find anywhere else around the world.

The Magic of Mykonos is Mykonos! ●

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TOURISM

AROUND THE WORLD

Minsk , The Tr ini ty, Belarus

MOST EXPENSIVE HOLIDAY AROUND THE WORLD Fancy the ultimate travel

experience, then take the ‘Around the World Trip’ that visits 962 UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the world. This includes trips to Stonehenge, Machu Pichu, The Pyramids of Giza, Easter Island, The Taj Mahal, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Vatican City. The trip covers 28 destinations in Britain and 21 in the US. There are some destinations that are not ideal to visit at present such as Aleppo-Syria, Pasargadae- Iran and Magna-Libya. However the Luxury tour operator aims to please all who wishes to travel even to the dangerous parts on the tours. The tour costs UK£439,500, (Euro€510,900) per person, and includes overland travel, flights in business class, guided tours of the different sites, accommodation at a range of luxury hotels including Sandy Lane in Barbados, the Hotel George V in Paris, The Plaza in New York, the Cipriani in Venice and the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai. The tour is designed for a couple and includes a UK£4,900, (Euro€5,710) donation to UNESCO.

UNITED KINGDOM TOURISM UP VisitBritain has seen some its best results so far

with a 4% rise in the number of May visits and a 5% increase in spending following a 2% rise in the first 5 months with a 10% rise in revenue. This makes the UK£6.88, (Euro€8) billion generated in the first 5 months of 2013 an all-time record! May also saw a record number of visits with 3.08 million tourists enjoying Britain, beating the previous best held since 2008. These visitors spent UK£1.67 (Euro€ 1.95) billion. The increasingly important business travel market continues to grow, 4% up, showing signs that confidence is well and truly being restored in a sector which brings high spending visitors for short stays. The Olympic Games spirit surely helped these great results and it is expected that the spend forecast for 2013 will be beaten.

BELARUS TO ATTRACT MORE TOURISTS New tourism areas are to be the focus

in order to attract more tourists to Belarus. One sector is that of events, which is continuing to grow around the world. With people travelling more than ever, just seeing the sights is no longer so attractive and so visiting a nation along with a special event, like a sporting championship or a festival or an exhibition is becoming more popular. During 2008-2010 Belarus focused on transit tourism, trans-boundary tourism, business tourism, sports tourism, recreational tourism, and religious tourism due to the situation at the time. It has recently seen growth in farm tourism which it will promote further. Belarus boasts a favourable geographical location as it sits on the crossroads of major international routes from Germany and Poland to Russia and from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea, making it a great destination for business and leisure. Tourist statistics show only 750,000 arrivals for 2011, compared to the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius receiving more than 1.5 million tourists. 80% of tourists to Belarus come from Russia, mainly as it has an open border and no passport control.

EUROPEAN HOTELS SALES INCREASE Despite Europe still struggling with its

Eurozone issues, the hotel industry in the region has not faced any downslide as hotel acquisitions have increased. Many large hotel group sales have taken place in order to recover previous debts and losses and combined with low interest rates, the opportunities are great for investors. Within the Europe, Middle East and Africa region sales reached UK£3.27, (Euro€3.80) billion, up 45% on 2012 figures for the 1st quarter. It is expected that the total for 2013 will exceed the UK£7.20, (Euro€8.40) billion total figure from 2012. Sales included in the UK, the brands Hotel du Vin and Malmaison, the Principal Hayley portfolio and the UK Marriott portfolio, which sold for a reduced price of UK£640million (portfolio value is thought to be approx UK£655, (Euro€761) million. An investor from the Middle East bought the trophy hotel Intercontinental London Park Lane for UK£197 (Euro€230) million. Other sales on the market include the De Vere Group selling conference and leisure facilities including 3,000 rooms. In Germany the Blackstone Group is selling its portfolio which includes landmark properties such as the Westin Grand Berlin, and the Radisson Park Inn. Europe’s hotel industry is seeing more sales with more foreign investors coming mainly from the Middle East and Asia.

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TOURISM

AROUND THE WORLD

The harbour of Gavro, Andros is land, Greece (Dimi tr is Spyropoulos, Photographer)

OCEANIA CRUISES: LONGEST AROUND-THE-WORLD VOYAGE IN HISTORY

Oceania has launched its 1st ‘Around the World in 180 Days’ cruise aboard Insignia. Designed for the ultimate exotic traveller, the cruise will accommodate 684 guests. The cruise will cover 5 continents, 44 countries, and 89 ports of call. The journey will begin from Miami, visiting small beautiful Caribbean ports, then head to South America and then east to 12 ports in Africa. The cruise will then head for an extensive visit throughout Asia covering India, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and then 12 ports in the South Pacific and Hawaii. Insignia get back to Miami via the Panama Canal. The cruise will entail 11 overnight calls plus 4 two-night calls in Cape Town, South Africa; Yangon, Myanmar; Singapore, and Shanghai, China. The elegant mid-size ship includes spacious, modern accommodation and a state-of-the-art fitness centre, casino, boutique, large pool and the Canyon Ranch Spa Club. The Around the World in 180 Days cruise will let travellers experience 3 oceans and 10 seas, call on 45 islands and a chance to visit 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Insignia is the world’s first cruise that will sail through all 24 time zones and cross the equator 4 times. A new trend of serious travellers seems to be appearing with the world’s first 21-day Around the World Grand East Africa Safari, the world’s most expensive holiday which takes travellers to 962 world heritage sites around the world and Four Seasons’ Around the World by private jet trip. What next?

WORLD’S TOP TRAVEL SPENDERS… SAUDI ARABIANS Saudi Arabians have

maintained their position as No.1 top travel spenders with Saudi’s lavishing an average of UK£4,365 (Euro€5,075) per trip as compared to the global average of UK£1,637 (Euro€1,905). Australia and China are in 2nd and 3rd place spending UK£2,696 (Euro€3,135) and UK£2,505 (Euro€2,910), respectively. Overall, travellers plan to increase the amount they spend by approx 5% this year. The Asian market is still growing rapidly which predicts a rise of 46% in spending. Travellers from the Middle East and Africa showed intentions to increase travel budgets by 76%. The most popular destinations with the avid travellers are the USA, UK, France, China, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong.

NEW VANCOUVER HOTEL The development of a UK£227, (Euro€264) million

‘Trump International Hotel and Tower Vancouver’ will be located in the downtown scenic Coal Harbour and will be among the city’s highest towers with 63 storeys when completed in 2016. In addition to 218 luxury residences and 147 hotel rooms, the hotel will feature a champagne bar, pool area and nightclub, boutique spa, and plenty of meeting space. The twisting glass design will maximise views and ensure each unit’s site lines are distinctive. The new development is expected increase Vancouver’s international presence particularly among the luxury market. It will also be Vancouver's first pool bar nightclub.

PROPERTY INVESTMENTS - NOW IS THE TIME! With the Eurozone still struggling

and many of the southern European nations, still trying to balance their books, the property market in these countries; Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece mainly, are offering some amazing value opportunities for property investment. There was a time when timeshare companies were not considered a sensible investment, as they were too restrictive, but these days the timeshare industry has changed to become more flexible and investor friendly. The timeshare company Hideaways Club has made its name by buying when the time is right and offers luxury accommodation to a membership base of 400 members, who, to join have paid between UK£65,000, (Euro€75,600) and UK£250,000 (Euro€290,615) plus pay an annual maintenance fee but in return, members have a share in the global property portfolio of 10 luxury villas as well as stylish apartments around the world from Tuscany - Italy, Miami - USA and Mauritius and also have access to these property for a certain number of days a year. ●

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Schlosplatz, the Castle Square, Stuttgart.

Interview With… Ms. Anne Demuth,

Head of Stuttgart Convention Bureau and

Ms. Nicole-Joy Henzler, Head of Sales Stuttgart-Marketing GmbH

Stuttgart is as diverse as its nature. There are two sides to the city, the vibrant, multicultural and industrial city and the amazing nature all combined with its high standards of living, which are among the highest in Germany.

Located in the Southwest of Germany, it is the nation’s 6th largest city. Industry and cars are the city’s largest economic sectors, but tourism and services are becoming major contributors. One of Stuttgart's key attractions is its car museums and vineyards.

The 39th edition of the Germany Travel Mart (GTM) took take place from 05-07 May 2013 in the capital of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart.

While attending the recent GTM 2013 exhibition in Stuttgart, Publisher of TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD MONTHLY, Dimitri Laspas, had the opportunity to meet with the Ms. Anne Demuth, Head of Stuttgart Convention Bureau (Stuttgart-Marketing GmbH) and Ms. Nicole-Joy Henzler, Head of Sales (Stuttgart-Marketing

GmbH). Here we find out more about the diverse attractions of Stuttgart and what the future holds for its tourism and M.I.C.E. industry sectors.

1. In your opinion what is the conference infrastructure in Stuttgart like and how would you rate the level of services offered by hotels and other venues in Baden-Württemberg and the south west of Germany? The Stuttgart Region is

Ms. Anne Demuth,

Head of Stuttgart Convention Bureau .

one of Europe's leading economic and most innovative metropolitan areas and is a centre of high technology, such as automobile construction, electro-mobility, engineering, aerospace and environmental technologies. In the current German ‘Meeting & Event Barometer’ it ranks in 6th place as a top-class event destination. Nearly 250 competent providers are proof that Baden-Württemberg’s state capital and its surrounding region are in great demand as a location for business, scientific, political and social functions. To mention the three leading sites: the ICS International Congress Center Stuttgart, the Kultur und

Kongresszentrum Liederhalle (Cultural and Congress Centre Liederhalle) and the Mercedes-Benz Arena with its Business Centers, the Hanns Martin Schleyer Hall and Porsche Arena complex, the Cannstatter Wasen, the Carl Benz Center, the Mercedes-Benz Museum, the Olympic training centre and the SpOrt Stuttgart - all of which make up the NeckarPark Stuttgart.

2. How has the leisure and business tourism boom being seen across Germany affected Stuttgart and how is the Stuttgart tourism sector coping with this success? Stuttgart and its region have registered an improvement in the

numbers of overnight stays during the last 10 years for both business and leisure. The reasons for this include Europe's state-of-the-art trade fair congress center, located just 3 minutes walk from Stuttgart Airport as well as the football World championship in 2006, the spectacular Mercedes-Benz museum as well as the fantastic Porsche museum have contributed to increased overnight stays.

3. What sets aside the quality of conference facilities and tourism services offered by Stuttgart compared to other regions of Germany? The congress

region is committed to high environmental standards and stands out by virtue of its above-average sustainability commitment. A 2012 survey confirms Stuttgart's leading position as Germany's most sustainable city - and thus also the congress destination with the highest degree of sustainability. In the Stuttgart region event organisers can find countless congress venues and hotels which are deeply concerned with the theme of sustainability, hold certification to this effect or have already implemented sustainability strategies. Many events are held here with the theme of sustainability, including the 39th GTM Germany Travel Mart. The German National Tourist Board sees sustainability is a key element in the organisation of its annual Business to Business event.

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Marketplatz, Stuttgart.

Berl inerplatz, Stuttgart.

4. What does the future hold for conferences and events in Stuttgart?

Stuttgart as an economic region is one of Europe's most successful centres of innovation. The region's companies and research institutions are closely linked with each other and have excellent connections to the global network.

We are very optimistic with regard to the future conference business in our city: Congresses play an increasingly important role as ideal platforms for the exchange of expertise and the transfer of knowledge. The congress region of Stuttgart offers an inspiring setting for them and is the perfect location for successful meetings and conferences.

5. From where does the majority of the city’s M.I.C.E. business come from? (Both regionally and globally?) The M.I.C.E. business in Stuttgart reflects the

significance and interconnectedness of the regional economy on the national and international scale. Industries and universities cooperate with partners, clients or colleagues beyond the regional borders, hence attendance of meetings and conferences alike is national and international.

6. In general how is the current inbound tourist flow into Baden-Württemberg and in particular into Stuttgart and from where are most tourists from? In

2012 the Stuttgart region generated an increase of over 8% in the overnight stop sector. The strongest increase is recorded from overnights stays from inland Germany, followed by the USA, Switzerland and France. The markets of China, India and the Arabic Gulf States are becoming increasingly important.

7. What plans does Stuttgart Tourism have to attract more European and Asian Business Travellers? The target markets are featured in a compiled

Marketing Plan. Not only does this feature local representation at fairs and tourism events, product training of travel agent’s representatives but also increased advertising activities that have been especially designed for the individual market spectrums. These activities are accompanied by a Media Plan that has been developed for each market. For travellers visiting Stuttgart on business we have extended our service with a Business App, allowing customers to receive short and precise information about all the attractions in the city.

8. How does Stuttgart maintain its position as the Destination in the South West of Germany? Our team and our partners keep

updated with trends in the travel and meeting industries. But trends have to be filled with appropriate offers to make them liveable for our guests. For example: we recently celebrated the

Ms. Nicole-Joy Henzler, Head of Sales Stuttgart -Marketing GmbH

125th anniversary of the automobile. So we launched a unique travel bonus where the hotel reservation included a special travel ticket for the local public transport network for up to 8 days. For visitors this attractive offer allows them to save money and to conveniently use our public transportation network, and for us it is a major boost for sustainable tourism in Stuttgart. And of course our local sales team will continue to be supported by a well-informed sales team in the various target markets.

9. In 2013 Stuttgart hosted one of the most important tourism exhibition in Germany, The German Travel Mart (GTM). What influence and what benefits did this have on Stuttgart and how does Stuttgart Tourism plan to exploit the positive impact of such an event? The GTM was a massive

success for the Stuttgart region. Tourism professionals from all over the world could see for themselves what a high touristic potential Stuttgart and its region has. During this event for tourism professionals our aim was to draw attention to Stuttgart as a destination and we were absolutely delighted with the results and our expectations were met in full. We sincerely hope that the unique combination of traditional and modern aspects that are found in Stuttgart will continue to convince travel companies all over the world to include Stuttgart in their product catalogue. ●

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LATIN AMERICA AROUND THE WORLD

PANAMA TOURISM TO GIVE BOOST ITS CONOMY IN 2013

Tourism in Panama is booming and it is estimated that the industry could contribute UK£1.65, (Euro€1.90) billion to the Panama economy this year. To date the country has seen 875,000 tourist arrivals with the year end target for 2.2 million. With Panama’s economic and geographical location combined with the famous canal has led to more foreign investments and for the city to become a convention hub for the region, allowing for the tourism industry to growth substantially. The new convention centre to open in 2014. Air connectivity is also key to increased tourism with the country investing heavily in this sector. Panama currently has 16 daily direct flights from North America and over 80 from the Caribbean, Central and South America, as well as from Europe. In 2012 convention business saw 82,281 tourist arrivals up from 71,328 in 2011. This year conventions are expected to produce revenue of UK£26.5, (Euro€31) 40.5 million with 180 conventions compared to 120 conventions last year.

MEXICO TO MODERNISE TOURISM INDUSTRY The Mexico

Ministry of Tourism has announced a complete overhaul of the tourism sector in order to make it more competitive and to achieve its full potential. Investments will be made for roads, airports and docks where the country can significantly benefit from the tourism sector. Mexico is determined to make Mexico a world class tourist destination. By strengthening tourism in Mexico as a key driver for the development of the country, will give a strong boost to innovation and competitiveness. The ministry will work to diversify and strengthen the destinations and existing tourism products. The Tourism Board will also invest more resources in the promotion and marketing of domestic destinations in conjunction with state governments and the private sector. It will also focus on sustainable tourism taking care to preserve its natural resources, heritage and culture.

LATIN AMERICA: MEDICAL TOURISM DESTINATION Medical

tourism is growing in many countries around the world and in Latin America it is too! It is thought that

Cayo Gui l lermo, Cuba

approx. 3% of the world’s population travels to foreign countries for medical treatment, in an industry that is now worth UK£26, (Euro€30) billion a year. Latin America is offering not only cheaper medical procedures, but also increasingly quality facilities and accredited doctors. The list of procedures is also wide and varied with Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Argentina, and El Salvador all offering major surgical procedures and increasingly more frequent are cancer treatments, cheap pharmaceuticals, diabetic care and rehab. Mexico now attracts over a million patients a year, many of whom are Spanish speakers from California, Arizona and Texas. With is close location to North America makes Latin America’s medical tourism highly attractive. Latin American countries wishing to expand medical tourism should look at Costa Rica, where the International Medical Travel and Business Summit was held recently. Costa Rica has become the premier destination for medical travel and tourism in the Western hemisphere. The biggest challenge now is for Latin America to educate the rest of the world about its medical tourism opportunities.

AMERICANS HEAD FOR CUBA Americans wishing to travel to Cuba can do so

following the renewed licence granted to Insight Cuba which offers 150 departures with 6 itineraries. For almost 50 years, travelling to Cuba has not been possible for most Americans, but now through the extensive opportunities on offer can engage with Cubans in real life settings and gain a deeper understanding of their rich history and culture. Insight Cuba also provides unique access to people and places the average tourist rarely sees. Since 2000, Insight Cuba has sent more than 6,000 tourists on hundreds of tours. Now is the time to visit Cuba before it changes forever. Insight Cuba handpicks exclusive experiences and keeps its groups to 24 people maximum.

MULTI-DESTINATION TOURISM Multi-Destination Tourism (MDT) is one of

regional importance that will be discussed at the 24th Meeting of the Special Committee on Sustainable Tourism of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in November in Cancun, Mexico. The ACS, through its Directorate of Sustainable Tourism, has been involved in the development of a Multi-Destination Tourism Programme across the nations and their tourism and transport sectors. The aim is to preserve the ‘Caribbean’ destination market share in extra-regional markets and increase intra-regional tourist flows. The Directorate will report on progress via the ‘Aviation Day Caribbean’, which gathers together the regional tourism and transport authorities with the airline executives, to aid working together and building new business deals as connectivity across the regions islands is key to multi-destination tourism becoming real. Increasing cooperation among the countries of the Greater Caribbean Region is vital in positioning the region as one ‘Greater Caribbean Destination’. Via the proposed initiatives, the ACS wishes to tap into existing and potential partnerships by increasing collaboration in crosscutting issues of mutual interest.

BRAZIL TOURISM BOOM HELPED BY BRITISH TOURISTS The number of British

tourists who went to Brazil in 2012 increased by 4% with a total of 155,548 tourists. The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, confirms that a record number of international tourists visited Brazil in 2012, with a total of 5,433,354 tourists, a 4.5% growth on 2011. These figures are most promising especially with the upcoming major world sporting events of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and the Rio 2016 Olympic & Paralympic games which provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase Brazil’s diversity. Brazil is now on track to meet its goal of 10 million visitors by 2020. Due to the growing increase, the country is working to meet the growing demand for hotels and resorts with 109 new hotels, resorts and hostels are being built in the 12 host cities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. This will add to the pre-existing 567,100 beds the 12 cities currently have. ●

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ROMANIA Surprises

Romania is the latest signatory country of the UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics. Pamela McCourt Francescone attended the signing ceremony in Bucharest in July and joined a tour of the Danube Delta and Transylvania’s castles and medieval cities.

Bran Castle. Romania

Romania’s Minister for SMEs, Business Environment and Tourism Maria Grapini and UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai signed the UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism at a ceremony in the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest. International tourism representatives and ambassadors from 47 countries attended the international tourism conference “Identifying the competitive advantages of tourist destinations, opportunities and challenges to the sustainable development of tourism,” during which the UNWTO document was signed. Adopted in 1999 by the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization the code of ethics is aimed at guiding tourism development while maximising the

The Parliament, Bucharest, Romania.

industry’s benefits and minimising its potentially negative impact on the environment, cultural heritage and communities around the globe. “Travel is 9% of the global GDP and generates some UK£856, (Euro989) billion annually with an increasingly larger slice going to regions and people in poorer parts of the world that greatly benefit from tourism,” said Taleb Rifai. “Culture and nature, smiling faces and good weather are Romania’s strengths. What a country owns does not matter as much as what it does with what it owns. And so Romania’s strengths must be enhanced through cooperation, public-public partner and public-private partnerships.” Romania currently holds the presidency of the World Tourism Organization and has a tradition of almost 40 years with the organization, having been one of the founding members in 1975. Following the Bucharest seminar Minister Grapini and Secretary General Rifai, accompanied by tourism officials and the international media, travelled to Tulcea on the Delta of the Danube and to Transylvania. The first visits were to the Castle of Peles, the former home of King Charles 1 of Romania and Bran Castle, which was also a royal residence but is universally known as Dracula’s Castle, even though there are no records to show that

Romanian Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Maria. Grapini

and UNWTO Secretary General Mr.Taleb Rifai. Vlad III Prince of Wallachia, better known as Dracula, ever actually stayed there. The tour continued to some of Transylvania’s most visited cities. Brasov, one of the best preserved, has splendid Baroque, Renaissance and Gothic architecture. Founded by the Saxon’s it is popular as a set for period films, particularly for its majestic Town Hall Square. Prejmer, which has an ancient fortified church built by the Teutonic knights for the town’s inhabitants who sought refuge there during times of war. Sighisoara, another beautifully preserved Medieval Saxon town has nine towers and cobbled streets and is the birthplace of Vlad Dracula, the Impaler. Alba Iulia was the most important military and economic centre during the Roman occupation. The citadel has recently undergone major excavations to uncover its amphitheatres, thermae and the Daciarum Trium governor’s palace. Sibiu, a 12th-century walled city with a distinctly German atmosphere, is pedestrian-friendly and the upper city is dominated by the magnificent Great Square. It is home to the first hospital in Romania (1292), the first pharmacy (1494) and the country’s oldest museum, the Brukenthal Museum, which opened in 1817. ●

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AVIATION AROUND THE WORLD

SINGAPORE AIRLINES 1st CLASS CABINS DESIGNED BY BMW BMW

and Singapore Airlines have been working to upgrade the 1st class cabins on the planes. The result is of lavish lounge-like luxury interiors with great levels of privacy along with comfort and increased stowage space for luggage and other travel accessories.

The seats and suites in the cabin shield passengers both visually and acoustically. Seats also convert into a comfortable bed. Mood lighting, small storage pockets and elegant tables help give a clean and spacious look and feel. The new design will be seen from September on board the new Boeing 777-300ER on selected flights between Singapore and London.

HOME COMFORTS BY EMIRATES

Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East flies always aims to be first to introduce new premium services to offer the ultimate flying experience. In 2008, it offered mid-air hot shower facility to its 1st class passengers. Then came the largest in-flight HD enabled display screens. Now the airline plans to offer 1st and business class passengers on its A380 fleet a new shisha (hubble-bubble pipe) lounge; Signature Shisha Rooms. Passengers will be able to pre-order a shisha from the onboard menu while at their seat and retire to the lounge after the main meal. If trials go well, Emirates hopes to have the shisha service across its entire fleet of A380s before 2014.

NIGERIA’S NEW AIRLINE The

Nigerian government hopes to set up a new national carrier, Nigeria One. Nigeria 1 Aviation (Lagos) will be the name of the new Nigerian national carrier. The airline will be the 2nd venture into the airline industry, the first ended with the collapse of Nigeria Airways in 2003. The fleet and routes have yet to be confirmed. Last year, both Lufthansa and Air France were approached for a joint partnership, but no deal was made.

TOP AIRPORT LOUNGES While waiting for your next flight; you can usually

amuse yourself with one of many activities in the airport, but for a real rest take a seat in one of the best 1st class airport lounges. Here is a list of the top 5 best airport lounges in the world! ‘Thai Airways lounge’ in Bangkok: This lounge at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport brings Thailand to you and offers spa suites, sauna and steam room, gym and yoga room and health food and beverage corners. There is also the best traditional Thai massage on offer. Singapore Airlines ‘SilverKris Lounge’ in Bangkok: You can rest and work here with many options from relaxing to business meetings. There are relaxing showers, a self-service buffet and bar counters, and workstations with complimentary Internet access and more. British Airways ‘Concorde Room’ at London: This area has luxurious crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, decorated in velvet and leather, and offers champagne, cabanas with daybeds, private dining facilities and more. Lufthansa Airlines First Class Terminal at the Frankfurt Airport: Reserved for 1st class passengers, with security checkpoints that make sure your are on time, the terminal includes a cigar lounge, soaking baths and a chauffeur-driven Porsche or Mercedes-Benz to the tarmac. Cathay Pacific ‘The Pier and The Wing’ at Hong Kong International Airport: With 6 Day-Break Rooms, privacy with a television screen for each visitor with Balzac armchairs, wake-up calls, waiter services and shower suites. The lounge also has Personal Living Spaces that provide a cocooned environment and computers.

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES FLIES TO SEOUL Ethiopian Airlines has started scheduled

flights to Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea. Africa is having an economic boom and its growing trade, investment, business and tourism ties with Asia in general and in particular with South Korea, makes it a natural choice for Ethiopian Airlines to provide essential air connections that will help continue this growth. With the new flights, Seoul will be connected to many African cities via Ethiopian Airlines hub in Addis Ababa.

MORE GERMANWINGS, LESS LUFTHANSA

This summer sees more and more Germanwings aircraft in the sky rather than Lufthansa planes. From July, the German low budget carrier, a subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, will gradually take over Lufthansa’s continental routes with the exception of main hubs Frankfurt and Munich. Lufthansa has been suffering losses in the European market owing to tough competition from cheap-fare airlines and is presently restructuring. A future emphasis for LH lies in the dynamic South East Asia market. The ‘New Germanwings’ aims to offer the low-cost market in Europe the highest-quality airline experience. The company has launched its new brand and product concept allowing passengers to fly ‘à la carte’ meaning passengers can put together individualised packages ranging from budget, no-frills travel to a more refined passenger experience with more advantages and extra services, all of which are tailored to your specific needs. In economy class, ‘new Germanwings’ will have 3 fare brackets with differing services provided in each. The ‘Best’ bracket is the top category with business travellers in mind. The ‘Smart’ bracket includes some extra services and the possibility to purchase others. The ‘Basic’ bracket is the purely low-cost category. While remaining a low budget carrier, Germanwings promises to add a touch of luxury. And they have a brand new look. Planes, logo and uniforms all reflect the new colours of yellow and burgundy. ●

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M.I.C.E AROUND THE WORLD

RECORD BREAKING INCENTIVE VISIT TO SYDNEY More than 3,000

Chinese delegates from the leading health and personal care direct selling company Perfect China will be in Sydney for their annual Leadership Seminar, to motivate and reward high performing staff. Sydney is still a favourite destination for large corporate and incentive programmes from the fast-growing China tourism market. One of the highlights of the Perfect China visit programme will be scaling the heights of the Sydney Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb to take in the sights of the city and harbour. This will be the largest group to ever climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Perfect China said they chose Sydney as they really liked the idea of literally sending its high-achievers to new heights by climbing a true Sydney icon. In addition to a record-breaking BridgeClimb, the group will take in Sydney’s famous Opera House, magnificent harbour and winter sunshine onboard a Captain Cook Cruise. They will also have a rural Australian and outback experience at a Sheep Station. The event, secured by Business Events Sydney in partnership with Destination NSW, is expected to inject UK£12,636, (Euro€14,690) million in to the New South Wales’s economy. China is Australia’s 3rd largest market for business events with close to 65,000 arrivals in the year ending March 2013 a 5% increase on 2012. It’s also one of Sydney’s most important source markets for business events. In the past year, Chinese corporate incentive events secured by Business Events Sydney represented over 50% of its total economic impact secured for the corporate incentive market. There are now 44 direct flights a day from Chinese cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Guangzhou. The China market is hugely important for Australia in helping the business events industry reach its goal of contributing up to UK£9,628, (Euro€11,112) billion annually to the economy by 2020.

M.I.C.E. IN ASIA As China’s M.I.C.E

industry develops; M.I.C.E planners may soon be able to include small island resorts in their portfolio of destinations for M.I.C.E travel. Last

year, the government published a list of 176 uninhabited islands offshore from China’s main coastal provinces – including Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang - that it wishes to privatise. The list of islands currently available for lease is small but the long-term potential is huge as China has over 9,000 uninhabited islands. Two islands have already been leased; Dayangyu Island off the coast of Ningbo in Zheijiang province is to be turned into a high-end tourism and recreational destination. The concept of island resorts as a destination for M.I.C.E events has seen significant success in the Southeast Asian region. Locations such as islands near Cebu in the Philippines, or Langkawi in Malaysia have now established themselves as international hubs for island-based M.I.C.E events. Cebu has grown in popularity as a M.I.C.E destination over the past 10 years and has the Cebu International Conference Center, was a major advance for this island’s M.I.C.E market potential. Cebu is considered a real player to the big M.I.C.E players of the US and some European destinations. Other new M.I.C.E. hubs are appearing like Sentosa Island off the coast of Singapore and Jeju - a tropical island belonging to a South Korean province. The attraction for M.I.C.E in Southeast Asian islands is the remoteness of an event that gives a luxury feel, the beaches, wonderful views and cuisine. Beach resorts have long been favoured for incentive travel in the global market, and while the concept of incentive travel rewards is starting in Chinese firms, it has potential for growth. There is still some time before the M.I.C.E island hub really emerges as the development of transport and infrastructure links to these islands, still need to be established.

SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTES M.I.C.E. SECTOR

Accounting for half of its tourism market, the M.I.C.E. sector in South Africa is the focus of a new big promotion. Already South Africa receives groups from all over the world and South Africa Tourism now wish to expand the regions for M.I.C.E. business, like Johannesburg, which is a cosmopolitan city with tourists mainly coming from the UK, USA, India and Europe. In a bid to become a more attractive city it is undergoing a rebrand in order to show that South Africa is not just the tourist Cape Town and Durban. There is much to see and do in Johannesburg, which is a very green city. For adventure there is abseiling and rap jumping. The Apartheid Museum is a must see and there are many nightlife areas, shopping malls, art galleries and theatres as well as much more.

SYDNEY’S GLEBE ISLAND EXHIBITION FACILITY – NEW MANAGER AEG

Ogden has appointed an expert team at the Sydney Exhibition Centre at Glebe Island following its appointment by the New South Wales Government to operate the

facility. Ms. Malu Barrios has been appointed General Manager of the Glebe Island facility. Ms. Barrios has for the past 5 years overseen the opening and ongoing success of the Darwin Convention Centre. Prior to Darwin she was General Manager of Sydney Showground and as Events Director at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Sydney Exhibition Centre at Glebe Island will open in 2014 and offer 25,000sq.m of high quality, fully enclosed space specifically constructed for Sydney’s exhibitions and tradeshows. It will house Sydney’s leading exhibitions and trade shows while the

development of the new 20 hectare international convention, exhibition and entertainment project at Darling Harbour in being constructed.

MEETINGS TOURISM ARGENTINA The Meetings Tourism sector in Argentina had

an economic impact of UK£989,000, (Euro€1,150) million with over 3,300 conferences in 2012. Congresses and conferences held during 2012 were attended by a total of 2 million participants, 369,194 of which were from abroad. Joint projects between the public and private sector linked to the organisation of conferences, conventions, exhibitions and sporting events have led to the strong growth that Argentina has achieved in recent years has placed it in 2nd place in the Latin American region as a host of international events. ●

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ASIA AROUND THE WORLD

CAMBODIA’S NEW TOURISM INVESTMENTS A number of

infrastructure developments are under constructions in Cambodia in line with the expected growth in tourist arrivals. The new Sokha Phnom Penh convention hotel, the high-rise Gold Tower 42 and the UK£1.30, (Euro€1.52) billion Camko City mixed-use development project on Pong Peay Lake are all well on their way. Sokha Hotels and Resorts, Cambodia’s only international hotel chain, is also developing another 5* convention hotel on Ochheuteal Beach in Sihanouville and 2 hotels, one 5* and one 3* on Bokor Mountain near Kampot. In Siem Reap, the Angkor Hill Project, includes hotels, a water park, convention centre, golf courses, spa’, condominium and villas. The other key project is the ‘Gold & White Sands - One Dream, One Island’, off Cambodia’s coastal area. The projects are expected to serve the growth in tourist arrivals. The country expects to welcome 4.5 million tourists by 2015, up from 3 million visitors in 2012. The target is to reach 7 million tourists by 2020.

BIG HOTEL CHAINS OPENS IN MYANMAR Myanmar is gradually

opening its doors to tourism and with it is big investment opportunities for many sectors including big hotel brands like Hilton, Accor and Best Western who are all seeking partners and locations in Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay, Bagan and other locations across the country. Hilton Worldwide has signed an agreement with LP Holdings to manage the Hilton Yangon in Kyauktada township, the brand’s 1st ever property in the country. Due to open in 2014, the 300 room hotel is part of the Centrepoint Towers a multi use building with high-end retail boutiques and offices. Accor Hospitality is working with Max Myanmar Group of Companies to manage a new 5* hotel in Yangon known as Pyay Tower. The hotel will have a total of 366 rooms. Best Western is also in franchising and ownership discussions with potential investors.

JAPAN TARGETS ASIAN TRAVELLERS Japan has relaxed

visa requirements for tourists from several Southeast Asian countries with the aim of boosting the number

Gangga Island, Indonesia.

of tourist arrivals from the ASEAN nations as it is 40 years since the two sides started working together. One initiative is the ‘Ride with a great view’. The 'Sky Hop Bus' serves 3 routes in Tokyo. For a daily ticket of US$18, one can hop on and off anytime, as it makes its way through Tokyo's landmarks - from the electronics and pop culture capital of Akihabara to the historic gateway to the rest of Japan, Nihonbashi, and the highest tower in the world 'Tokyo Sky Tree'. Still a popular destination for westerners, Japan is seeing more arrivals from Asia. The famous Sensoji Temple in Tokyo, which is along the route, is full of Asian tourists. Inbound tourists are increasing too at a record pace as well as Koreans. The Japanese government aims to attract 10 million visitors in 2013, with a target of 30 million tourists a year by 2030.

LARGE, LARGER, LARGEST IN CHINA In recent years China has witnessed

phenomenal growth and amazing constructions. With its own artificial sun and a floor area 3 times that of the Pentagon, the ‘world's largest building’ has opened in Chengdu, southwest China. The towering 100m high New Century Global Centre,

which is said to be big enough to hold 20 Sydney Opera Houses, has recently opened its doors. The complex, which is the world's largest standalone structure, is 500m long by 400m wide, offering 1.7 million sq.m of floor space. The complex houses 400,000sq.m of shopping space, offices, conference rooms, a university complex, 2 commercial

centres, two 5* hotels, and an IMAX cinema. The Global Centre has a marine theme, with fountains, a huge water park and an artificial beach. The centrepiece is a 5,000sq.m artificial beach, which includes a rafting course and a ‘seafront’ promenade, complete with parasols and seafood outlets that can accommodate 6,000 people! Chengdu is a popular destination in southwest China, which is world-famous for the hometown of giant pandas.

NEW INITIATIVES FOR INDONESIA M.I.C.E INDUSTRY Indonesia has

established its Directorate of Special Interest Tours, Convention, Incentive and Events Development, an initiative to improve the competitiveness of its tourism industry. It would also develop human resources, facilities and other standards necessary for Indonesia to become a ‘quality M.I.C.E destination.’ The directorate will focus on destinations like Jakarta, Jogjakarta, Surabaya, Bali, Lombok, Medan, Batam-Bintan, Padang-Bukittinggi, Makassar and Manado. Infrastructure projects are already in place for several cities, including a new airport in Lombok, and a new convention venue in Manado. Tourism is its 3rd largest sector in revenue, and welcomes 8 million foreign tourists, with predictions that the number will reach 9.5 million in 2014. With a reduction in tourists from the US and Europe, Indonesia is targeting travellers from South Korea, India, Russia and China. The number of Chinese tourists in 2011 visiting Indonesia was around 470,000. Indonesia intends on doubling that figure to 1 million Chinese tourists by 2014. To boost tourism from China, Indonesia’s leading carrier PT Garuda Indonesia has expanded operations to Beijing, with plans for daily flights to Jakarta. It would also help if the Association of Southeast Asian Nations would quickly implement a common visa for the 10-nation bloc.

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ASIA AROUND THE WORLD

TOUR JAPAN’S COUNTRYSIDE IN LUXURY TRAIN Japanese train

operator JR East plans starting a luxury train service in the regions of Tohoku and Shinetsu. Scheduled to commence operations from spring 2016 the interiors and exteriors of the sleeper train will be designed with 2 or 3 ultra luxurious suites.

The train will include 10 cars and also feature a dining and lounge car. Touring the Japanese countryside will be an ultimate 1st class Japan holiday experience, riding through the scenic Japanese mountains. The train will offer 2 day trips to explore areas of Japan that might not immediately come to mind. The project is said to cost UK£33.10, (Euro€38.45) million.

CHINA TEMPTS GLOBAL DEALERS

A Chinese luxury consumer report says that the country has 63,500 ultrahigh net worth individuals in China, but only 163 registered private planes, meaning there is a huge potential market to take into. China is hungry for aircraft. In the last 5 years Airbus has sold over 20 aircraft to China, which accounts to a quarter of Airbus’s global sales. Hawker Beechcraft has seen aircraft orders from China increasing 395% from 2002 to 2011. It is expected that demand will continue in China and that they will purchase 2,400 new jets in the next 20 years. Cessna recently signed with Chinese partners to build business jets in Chengdu, while Warren Buffett is to expand into the China market with his private jet-sharing company. In China, ownership of private planes has only been legal since 2003. Private aircraft operating certificates are difficult to obtain from aviation regulators. At present, 80 prospective jet owners are waiting for one of 20 certificates that will be handed out over the next few years. China has limited airports at present but is due to have 45 new airports by 2015. China presently has only 180 airports, compared to 14,000 in the USA and 70% of its airspace is under military control.

New Century Global Centre, Chengdu, China.

CHINAS 1ST LUXURY CRUISE LINER SETS SAIL The Henna, the first Chinese

luxury cruise liner has taken her maiden voyage from the southern resort island province of Hainan. It is the 1st step for China to enter the cruise industry with her own ship. The 3 day, 2 night voyage saw the ship sail from Sanya Phoenix Island International Port to Halong Bay in Vietnam. 39 additional voyages to Vietnam are planned for its 1st cruise season. This move marks the opening of the domestic cruise industry for China and a market that is already booming. China received 262 international cruise ships in 2011, a year on year increase of 17.5% and brought 504,582 cruise travellers. With such growth the Chinese government has highlighted 2013 as National Ocean Tourism Year and is implementing a 5 year plan for cruise industry development. More than 70% booking volume for the maiden voyage has given the company hope that the huge investment was well worth the effort considering the potential demand in China. The ship has 739 cabins as well as a full range of living and entertainment facilities. 50% of Chinese cruise travellers are aged between 20-40 years, with cruises price from UK£1,650 - UK£176,810,(Euro€205-Euro€1,918). To attract Chinese clients, the Henna has included electric kettles in rooms, a mahjong room and will serve Chinese dishes. After the 1st season, the Henna will sail to Tianjin for its 2nd season, with 40 4-5 day voyages arranged around the Korean Peninsula. There are also plans to open routes to Taiwan and Hong Kong. ●

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GERMANY

AROUND THE WORLD

GERMANY STILL AS POPULAR AS EVER Germany has become more

popular as a destination not only for foreign visitors but also for native Germans. The landscape, the opportunities for leisure and sport activities, cultural sites, events with international prestige, as well as fascinating cities such as Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Cologne or Munich, attract tourists from all over the world. As far as a competitive edge is concerned Germany has a prominent position on the international stage with only Switzerland seen as having a comparable infrastructure in terms of the tourism industry. The results from the recent 4th Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum, which analysed the competitiveness in the tourism sectors of 139 countries, Germany takes top placing in many sectors including its favourable economic environment and its efficient transportation and telecommunications infrastructure (2nd place). Germany also ranked high for its cultural resources (4th), its ecological sustainability (4th), its health care system and cleanliness (7th), as well as its security status (9th). Germany provides a solid foundation for businesses in the tourism and leisure industries. The country also offers a variety of state funding opportunities for international investors with diverse programmes aimed at the specific needs of businesses in different stages of development.

CONNECTING UK TO EUROPE WITH HIGH SPEED RAIL Deutsche

Bahn plans to establish a direct service from London to Frankfurt via Brussels and Cologne as well as to Amsterdam via Rotterdam. Using the latest version of its highspeed flagship Intercity Express (ICE), the direct rail service will reduce the travel time from London to Cologne and Amsterdam to less than 4 hours and to Frankfurt in just over 5. Deutsche Bahn will use the newly build ICE 3. In cooperation with European partner rail companies, Deutsche Bahn already offers ICE connections to 6 European countries; Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.

VALUE FOR MONEY Whatever

travelling criteria you fit into price is always a deciding factor for what you do, where you go and when you go. Germany is already well known as a

Esslingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

top destination, but in terms of accommodation, visitors will find that they can rely on excellent value for money, good facilities and service. When compared to European accommodation, Germany’s hotel prices are below average, which has helped to boost the nations overnight stays figures to new records for 3 years in a row. There were 68.8 million overnight stays in 2012 an increase of 8.1% compared to 2011 figures. With Europe still caught in an economic struggle, price is key and Germany wins highly on this. Last year room rates within Europe rose by 4.7% to €104, whereas in Germany they only rose by 3.4% and an average rate of €94. Indeed, Germany’s popular cities hotel rates are far below other European destinations.

GERMAN TOURISTS HEAD FOR GREECE AS TOP DESTINATION

Many tour operators are seeing that the top destination in Europe this year is Greece this summer. Greece continues to recover from its financial situation and to develop and build on its strong tourism product making it a hot destination in 2013. More Germans are choosing to again travel to Greece, previously a strong tourist source market. Bookings show a rise of 15% from 2012 figures. With Spain still the most popular destination, mainly Majorca, Greece has much more to offer German holidaymakers. With continued infrastructure developments, improvements in its hospitality and its social behaviour, Greece can easily attract not only German tourists, but also holidaymakers from the whole of Europe. The top 5 destinations for German tourists are Spain, Greece, Turkey, Italy and Poland.

DEUTSCHE BAHN YOUR TRANSPORT TICKET! The Deutsche Bahn ‘Event

Ticket’ offers attractive conditions and tailor-made mobility packages for associations or corporations and fair, meeting or event planners to benefit their events. Staging a business event often means hundreds of attendees needing to be transported from all over Germany and neighbouring European countries to the venue – comfortably, quickly and conveniently. Deutsche Bahn can provide one-stop delegate travel to and from the event. The Event Ticket includes expert customer support by a personal Deutsche Bahn contact, making it a win-win situation for all as no matter from which station your attendees start their journey, the ticket price is the same for everybody, giving organisers more calculation and planning certainty in addition to offering travellers great value for money and individual options for travelling to and from the event location. Deutsche Bahn will also ensure a smooth transfer of all attendees to the hotels and event venues using its own bus service. There is even the option for utilising a fleet of over 1,500 carsharing vehicles Deutsche Bahn’s own chauffeur service offers customers 100 trained drivers, top-of-the-range vehicles and individual comfort nationwide. ●

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und tourismus, M.I.C.E, messe und ausstellungs und airlines industrien. Es bietet akurate, detailierte, informative und brauchbare Informationen und ist hergestellt in Englisch.

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EXHIBITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

QUITO WILL HOST TRAVEL MART LATIN AMERICA IN 2013 The city of

Quito has been chosen to host the 37th annual Travel Mart Latin America (TMLA) scheduled to take place in September 2013. Quito has a new state-of-the-art Convention Center, the luxurious Ferrocarriles del Ecuador (Ecuador's new train) and its new international airport, to attract new business. Quito expects to host more than a thousand international travel professionals during TMLA, providing them with an opportunity to experience the historical city first hand. TMLA will be the 2nd international tourism event to take place in Quito after the 54th WTO Americas Meeting which took place last September, where over 400 guests, including Tourism Ministers and authorities from 25 countries, visited Quito, positioning it an international meetings destination. Quito is a UNESCO world heritage site, it is quaint and colonial equipped with great infrastructure and modern services. Visitors will be amazed at the cuisine, the diverse landscape which allows for nature walks, bird watching, hiking, mountain biking and other great adventure and ecological tourism activities. Among its main attractions are the Avenue of the Volcanoes, Middle of the World Monument, its historic center and much more.

IT&CMA AND CTW ASIA-PACIFIC IS AN EFFECTIVE BUSINESS PLATFORM A recent survey with

2012 buyers who attended IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific has revealed that close to 70% have confirmed purchases with exhibitors within 6 months of the event, where the total value of all purchases made so far is estimated at over UK£30, (Euro€34) million. With the conclusion of more sales in the next 6 months this figure could reach UK£79, (Euro€91) million. The results confirm that the World’s Only Doublebill Event In MICE and Corporate Travel as an effective industry platform for business generation. Feedback from exhibiting Convention Visitor Bureaus (CVBs) also confirms the importance and value that IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific delivers to both the destinations and their exhibitors. Many CVB’s have been exhibiting for many years and they return each year due

to the quantity and quality of buyers they meet every year from the region as well as internationally. Delegates can expect several new implementations to this year’s show that will further harness opportunities for business generation. One new initiative is the Online Diary facility that enables delegates to complete up to 100% of their business appointments before their arrival in Bangkok. The existing Pre-Scheduled Appointments (PSA) facility will computer-match up to 60% of exhibitor-buyer meeting requests and 40% of the remaining appointments can be scheduled via the Online Diary facility. Additional appointments can be scheduled onsite at the event during the Buyer-Meet-Seller (BMS) appointment scheduling session. Exhibitors will also benefits from a more diversified buyer profile that includes a significantly higher percentage of Association Executives and Corporate professionals. The dedicated education-led Association Day and Performance Improvement Forum enables the show to cater to a larger proportion of these professionals respectively. Exhibitors also have the added advantage of reaching multiple niche buyer segments at a single industry event, which means greater opportunities for business generation. Corporate Travel buyers delivered by the conference event CTW Asia-Pacific that targets Corporate Travel Managers, and luxury buyers will continue to form part of the show’s entire buying delegation. To enhance the show’s Luxury Travel programme, eligible international buyers can look forward to the 1st ever Luxury post-show tour aimed at promoting Thailand’s upmarket appeal and luxury offerings. Luxury buyers will experience, a luxuriously crafted itinerary that includes stays at high-end properties with premium ground services. This year celebrates IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific’s 10th year of co-location, with Thailand being the show’s host country for the last decade.

THE MEDITERRANEAN’S LARGEST CRUISE GATHERING The Seatrade Med

Cruise Convention, the major biennial cruise event focused on the world's 2nd largest cruise destination – the Mediterranean, will gather in Barcelona, Spain from 16-18 September 2014 at Fira de Barcelona Gran Via Conference Centre. Seatrade Med is Europe's most prestigious cruise event, welcoming over 4,000 attendees and 300 exhibiting suppliers and service providers to the Mediterranean cruise market. Seatrade Med features a comprehensive conference featuring high-profile speakers, an exhibition, a travel agent training component, and valuable networking events. It is the region's leading cruise event, providing a meeting place for a wide range of industry suppliers to engage with purchasers and decision makers from cruise lines active in the Mediterranean. The exhibition showcases the whole range of cruise products from hotel and leisure supplies to engineering and technical services, as well as hosting the greatest collection of Mediterranean ports and destinations and an extensive range of global destinations. There are also huge opportunities here for new suppliers to the industry and to achieve months of business in just a few days! Some 3000 participants from 52 countries attended Seatrade Med in 2012, including many representatives from cruise lines active in the region. This gathering together of a prime target group represents a key opportunity to accomplish dedicated and focussed business all under one roof. 38 cruise line brands were represented in 2012.

IMEX 2013 The 2013 edition of IMEX saw some important new business

achievements for the Frankfurt edition of the trade show. Over 3,900 hosted buyers from 75 countries had attended the show (amongst an overall visitor total of nearly 9,000); 27% of them from long-haul markets, which is up from 25% in 2012. Day 1 saw 3,000 hosted buyers in attendance conducting business with exhibitors and day 2 saw almost 3, 400 buyers. Visitors are also attending the show for 2 consecutive days, with at least half who came for day 1 also attending day 2 of IMEX. Changes to the design of the hosted buyer diaries, and the introduction of the single IMEX inbox for hosted buyers, had resulted in a new record of over 53,000 individual appointments between buyers and exhibitors – an increase of 33% on 2012. In all nearly 65,000 appointments took place, which included individual and group appointments and also stand presentations. IMEX 2014 will take place from 20-22 May.

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EXHIBITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

CHINA HOTEL TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT: 12-13 SEPTEMBER 2014 SHANGHAI, CHINA It is worth noting

that the procurement market has continued to be driven strongly by the booming hotel industry in China as the market scale of Chinese hotel is expected to surpass the United States in 2025. As the hospitality industry in China rebounds and responds to current social, economic and techno-logical trends, the China Hotel Technology Summit taking place on September 12th -13th in Shanghai is an outstanding opportunity for IT executives to stay ahead. The event brings together more than 125 high-level, hard to reach hotel IT executives as well as major property developers in mainland China for an exclusive leadership summit and relationship-building event. With an agenda tailored towards strategic insights and tactical analysis, the hands on nature of the Hotel Technology Summit offers a unique opportunity to gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing hotel IT executives in China today.

EXPOTRAVEL 2013 The Interna-

tional Travel & Tourism exhibition ‘Expotravel 2013’ which is organised by ‘EXPOCOM’ will take place between 4-5 October 2013 in Yekaterinburg, Russia. With a committed visitorship of over 8,000 and more than 200 exhibitors from 17 countries and 10 regions of the Russian Federation, Expotravel 2013 is one of the most trusted market leaders in Russia bringing together numerous companies, bodies and institutions from the tourism industry throughout the world. Expotravel 2013 is dedicated to following the globe’s latest travel and tourism trends, with a focus on serving the needs of its extensive B2B clientele. Expotravel 2013 presents an unparalleled marketing opportunity for exhibitors and is the best place for networking, face-to-face meetings, striking the deals of the future and building successful, steady business partnerships. Expotravel 2013 is the ideal platform for the travel trade to meet, mix, and market - all under one roof. When it comes to business, nothing can beat the face-to-face marketing opportunity of Expotravel 2013.

1ST HANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FAIR 14-16 MARCH 2014 Organised

by Conference & Exhibition Management Services Pte Ltd and supported by Hangzhou Tourism Commission, the inaugural event is expected to attract 300 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions, across 9,000sq.m. The fair is also expected to receive about 3,000 trade visitors and 60,000 visitors from the public. Hangzhou International Travel Fair (HITF) 2014 will provide the ideal business-to-business networking platform for international and domestic tourism and travel industry players. HITF 2014 will be the ideal venue to meet quality buyers and trade visitors as well as explore lucrative business opportunities in South-eastern China’s tourism markets.

The city of Hangzhou, is well-known for its natural scenery and its bustling city, and was named the ‘first state in Southeast China’ since ancient times. Identified as one of the first best tourism cities in China, the province of Hangzhou enjoys a superior location, prosperous economy, as well as convenient transportation system. Hangzhou’s social development index is ranked 1st among China’s sub-provincial cities. Several international organisations and business publications have ranked Hangzhou as one of China’s best commercial cities and one of the best cities with the optimal environments for investments. Tourism is one of the most competitive industries in Hangzhou and is one of cities top 10 industries and a strategic pillar of economic development for Hangzhou’s service industries. In 2012 Hangzhou’s tourism industry was valued at UK£5.11, (Euro€5.95) billion, an increase of 11.8% compared to 2011, while the area’s GDP growth was only at 2.8%. Hangzhou’s tourism industry growth accounted for 6.2% of the GDP growth. The number of outbound tourists increased 24.8% in 2012 compared to 2011 figures. The number of people participating in organised tours to other destinations increased 19.33%, and the number of people travelling overseas increased 36.79%. Hangzhou is a key regional centre for tourism and business in China. The 1st Hangzhou International Tourism Fair is the place to be to tap into this growth and highly potential tourism market. ●

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BML INTERNATIONAL-UK

We promote You

to expand Your exhibition!

Increase Your Sales

Increase Your Exhibitors

Gain New Hosted Buyers

Expand Into New Territories/Markets

Through our extensive global experiences of travel, tourism and M.I.C.E. exhibitions, we can bring new business to your event.

We BML International-UK are an

international representation company for travel, tourism, m.i.c.e exhibitions.

We have worked with some of the biggest and smallest, the newest and most established events over the past 18 years.

We tailor our services to meet your needs and

offer marketing opportunities…

We

BML International-UK bring growth

to your doorstep!

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BML INTERNATIONAL-UK

We represent You

to expand Your business!

Marketing,

Consulting,

Representation company for

tourism,

convention bureaus,

exhibitions

We

BML International-UK bring growth

to your doorstep!

22 www.tourismaroundtheworld.co. uk