A View of Cambodia

by Gary Hacker

"Take your daughter to Phnom Penh, that’s a crazy idea." Just one of the many comments from my friends when I voiced my intentions to show my older daughter, Keri, the Angkor Wat Temples and spend a few nights in Phnom Penh on the way. During 1998, the political instability in Cambodia resulted in mass chaos with bombings, riots, looting and deaths. Still, it was a place I wanted to revisit, this time with my daughter Keri, after an informative and fascinating trip that I made alone late last year.

The Cambodian people have suffered with one unsuccessful regime after another for decades. Their land has been chipped away by the Vietnamese and by Thailand and even by their upper neighbors, Laos. They have been mined and bombed and suffered starvation and poverty longer than any other country in the world. In the seventies, the US cut off their financial aid forcing poor maintenance of the infrastructure and the lack of production and jobs, which has forced the majority of families into a state of poverty close to starvation. The Cambodian currency has devaluated to the extent that even one American dollar is considered a large sum. American dollars are used for most purchases and the current exchange rate is 3,700 Riel to one dollar; many services are priced at 1,000 to 1,500 riels. There is virtually no middle class and you see ragged poverty and pain among the common people while the rich dine in pricey restaurants and drive Mercedes automobiles over the potted roads.

Keri and I arrived by Bangkok Airways ATR72 aircraft, a small high winged commute plane used for short hops around Thailand. The Phnom Penh Airport looks like something out of the fifties. We were unloaded far out from the terminal building and walked across the hot tarmac to an arrival line to stamp Visas into our passports. A line of eight Khmers took part in the procedure, passing the passports down a line to be stamped. A 30-day Visa costs $20 American and a booth in the outer lobby collects $7.00 for a taxi to the hotel. An army of children waits outside to grab your bags with eager faces and outstretched palms.

I had chosen a small French hotel just off Montivong Boulevard called the Bayon. The rooms are spacious and clean with TV’s and refrigerators; both rooms had sunny windows looking toward the river a short distance away. The room rates are $20 to $50 per night, extremely expensive by Cambodian standards.

There are only half a dozen paved boulevards in the city of Phnom Penh; the connecting dirt streets are rocky and dusty and have no night lighting. Moto drivers (motorbikes) sit in front of the hotel to take the guests around the town for 500 to 800 riels. The traffic is heavy with motorbikes and bicycles, pushcarts and bicycle rickshaws all weaving in and out at a steady moderate pace. Very few stoplights exist and those that do seem to be ignored. Traffic crisscrosses at the intersections with vehicles stopping and starting as they wind and zig zag to get through the maze of vehicles. Buildings are mostly two and three stories in old French style, badly in need of paint, and sidewalks are broken or non existent. There is a warm charm about Phnom Penh with French influences left from the long occupation earlier in the century; I was amazed to find fresh warm bread offered everywhere in the morning. Loaves are sold openly on the street and in the three large marketplaces jammed daily with locals. The smell of freshly baked rolls and loafs mingle with the sweet odor of fruit and smoke, giving merit to the exotic feeling of the country. At night, foreigners are advised not to go out alone, as dark streets invite hungry stricken people to prey on rich strangers.

We had dinner at the Bayon Hotel, entrees written on a hand held blackboard, featuring specialties of the day. Prices were in the $6 to $9 range. The menu was mostly French, and the food was prepared by a French chef, who periodically strode though the dining room soliciting comments. Keri had rack of lamb; I brought along a bottle of red wine, which they opened without charge. We had noticed a girl about Keri’s age, 21 or so, at the airport traveling with her mother and they sat at an adjoining table at dinner. The mother was from Hong Kong and the daughter lived in Bangkok; she and my daughter lingered for cocktails and conversation after I excused myself and retired to bed.

We spent the next few days on a dilapidated rented motorbike exploring the town and shopping at the local markets. The "Foreign Correspondents Club" on the river offers Western style food on an open second floor with a wood burning oven and well-mixed cocktails at Western prices.

You see poverty everywhere, with one armed children and beggars without legs approaching with palms outstretched. We toured the palace near the river and the "Toul Sleng School" where so many citizens were tortured and killed during the Pol Pot regime in the seventies. Keri was struck with the slow pace of the community and the freshness and vitality of the residents. With faltering steps, Cambodia is casting aside the pain and sadness of the past and extending warmth and welcome to visiting tourists. The political problems seem to have stabilized and the country is not yet spoiled by mass tourism.

We decided to take the boat trip up the Tonle Sap River to Siem Reap, the town adjoining the Angkor Temples. The trip takes six hours, costs $25 and offers lovely scenery along the riverbanks. Unfortunately, it leaves at 7 a.m., forcing us to get up at 5 to eat and walk to the pier. Keri knocked on my door while it was still dark outside and said she preferred to sleep in and could we fly up later in the afternoon. The plane trip takes an hour and costs $55 one way. At the Phnom Penh airport, we were approached by a young man who convinced us that we should meet his brother at Siem Reap, who would show us their hotel and provide free taxi service to town. If we chose not to stay at their hotel, the fare would be $2 to any hotel of our choice.

Sure enough, the brother was waiting for us and after talking with him a bit, we accompanied him and the driver to see the hotel. It is called the Freedom Hotel and has clean basic rooms with air con, fans, TV’s and refrigerators. For $20 a night it was a bargain. The restaurant offered excellent inexpensive food and the service staff was friendly and proficient.

We were advised to spend at least three days visiting the Angkor complex, as there is so much to see. Student tours often take six or seven days and go back for three or four more to study the many stone carvings and dramatic features of the ancient temples. Tickets cost $20 per person for a day, $40 for two or three days and $60 to spend from four to seven days on the temple grounds. A personal car with driver and trained English speaking tour guide cost an additional $40 per day. We checked around and these prices seem standard.

It is worth it. The Angkor Temples are one of the wonders of the world and should not be missed. They are breathtaking. They are spread out over a wide area and the trip entails a lot of walking; the magnificent grandeur of this ancient City is spellbinding. It ranks up there with architecture like the Egyptian Pyramids and the Roman Empire. The Angkor Wat Temple is one of the largest religious structures ever built and probably the most beautiful. There are more than 1,000 archeological sites. At one time, the great Khmer Empire covered much of what are now Cambodia, Thailand and Laos.

Our guide was exceptional; his name was "Lucky" and he can be contacted through the Freedom Hotel, which took care of all the arrangements. Keri and I met four young preteen girls on the Temple grounds who walked around with us and helped keep the many venders at bay. They followed us with fans, helped us pick out souvenirs and ran for ice cold bottles of water. Hawkers pitch everything from refreshments, postcards, shirts and rice paper paintings. Almost everything is one or two dollars. Keri and I were busy shooting photographs and were spellbound by the utter magnificence of what we saw. We used a motorbike to get around at night and enjoyed dinners by the river and poking through the local marketplaces.

There are no motorbikes that we could find in Siem Reap for rental. We approached one of several used motorbike dealers and one of the employees’ translated my limited Thai. We struck a deal on a relatively new motorbike for five dollars a day, which we heard later, had been stolen off the streets of Pattaya early in the year. It was enjoyable revisiting some of the grandest sites with the motorbike, as it gave us time to sit in the shade and read the history of fierce battles fought here generations ago. Late afternoon is a great time to explore along the river and stop for a cold beer with the locals under a tree.

My daughter was so overwhelmed with the experience and with meeting and interacting with the local children that she is considering applying for a teaching job in Cambodia next year.

We flew back to Bangkok through Phnom Penh and arrived early afternoon.

Koh Chang - A step back in time

By: Khun Bobby (Peterson)

March, 99

Faced with the problem of storing the Mazda pickup after a long ride from Pattaya to Trad, I asked in Thainglish (feeble attempt at Thai + English) at the Trad Hotel where would be the best (read: safest) place to leave it during a two or three day stay on Koh Chang. The parking lot manager at the small Trad Hotel informed me that for ThB300 r/t I could take the pickup with me to Koh Chang. None of the tour books had mentioned this so I spent another five minutes making sure I understood him correctly. On the basis of his information I headed for the ferry terminal at Laem Ngop, 17 Km west of Trad.

Sure enough, two Km before Laem Ngop there were direction signs to the Koh Chang vehicle ferries. The price ended up being ThB800 r/t (so much for the ThB300 rumor). I decided it was worth the cost and booked. The ferry I chose was probably the best-maintained sea vessel I’ve seen in Thailand. Family run with Mom offering coffee and freshly steamed spicy fish cakes wrapped in banana leaves for a very low price.

How right I was about the pickup. Turns out the roads in Koh Chang (about 90 Km total) are mostly unpaved and many km are course gravel with deep dust and, I suppose, mud when it rains hard. It was wonderfully comfortable to have the closed and air-conditioned vehicle, plus it was much safer than a rented motorcycle given the steep, rutted and rocky roads. Cheaper, too, at the going rate of ThB400/day for a bike. Having all my stuff close at hand in the locked security of the pickup was another serendipitous plus.

I had been pouring over the guidebooks and maps for several days and had decided to head for the west shore of Koh Chang and look for accommodations at the centrally located and more densely populated Hat Sai Khao (White Sand Beach). There are about twenty resorts, most with some sort of restaurant and bar, along this beautiful four-km beach. A friend had visited Koh Chang six years ago and this beach had only four or five resorts then. Electricity, nonexistent then, is now available in most areas of the island. It is easy to see the rapid growth even with the depressed national economy.

Hat Sai Khao resorts are located between the impeccable white sand beach and steep volcanic slopes foliated with old growth Teak and Mahogany trees. The peaks of the mountains rise to about five hundred meters in altitude less than one km from the beach. At most places, the beach is about twenty meters wide and at the end of the tourist season had only a few dozen Farang (Caucasian) sunbathers lounging in various degrees of undress. Thai beach sellers were aggressively hawking everything from snorkeling trips to an endless array of do-dads.

Bungalow accommodations vary from the most rudimentary nylon tent at ThB40/night, to two-story A/C townhouse type units at ThB2200/night. In the mid-range of prices there are literally hundreds of tiny grass shacks balanced precariously on spindly bamboo legs at ThB150 - 250. They look as if any synchronized activity inside would surely bring them crashing down. Each unit shares bathroom facilities with a dozen or so other identical bungalows. Additional bungalows of varying prices and styles, some with private bathrooms, appear sturdier but are less esthetically congruent. Hot water is a fantasy except in the priciest units.

Wisely (I have learned a little in the last five years) I chose a bungalow on the extreme south end of the beach at Sai Sun Resort. A bit expensive at ThB700/night but with private bath and a wondrous sea view from the veranda-like porch. At midnight I patted myself on the back as I listened to the gentle surf above the distant and scarcely audible boom-boom of the beer bars disco music at the center of the beach near the Cookie Resort.

After checking out several restaurants on Hat Sai Khao, I ended up eating all my meals at the Sai Sun Resort. Fare in the restaurants I checked was mostly western or generic Thai/Chinese, mediocre at best and some very expensive. Surprisingly, vegetarian food was virtually absent from the offerings of the places I checked. Thai food at Sai Sun Resort is good and the ambiance superb. I enjoyed a grass roofed table on the beach with a hanging kerosene lantern, fresh seafood barbecued on the beach within smelling range or brought from the kitchen in the main lodge. Prices are not cheap (by Thai standards) but one has to take into account that almost everything, including drinking water, has to be trucked to the island from the huge fresh market in Trad. A typical meal of Thai food, 2 or 3 dishes, rice and beverage was ~ ThB200 (US$5) per person. This is a bargain by any Western guideline, especially when one considers the paradise-like atmosphere.

I spotted an attractive all fresh seafood restaurant on the extreme southern end of the eastern shoreline during a daytime excursion. I wasn’t hungry at the time (having just enjoyed a bowl of gwaytiaw nahm sen lek plamuk, fresh squid rice noodle soup, at a roadside stand). The prospect of repeating the three hour ride over dusty, pot-holed roads that evening decided me against this choice for dinner. Really looked good though. Maybe next time.

The center of Koh Chang is reported to be a rain forest and from the look of sinister, dark clouds continually in residence over the central peaks of the island, I’d guess it is. Daily showers spin off the main rain clouds and an occasional welcome wetness falls on resident workers and tourists alike. Air is freshened, dust is dampened, and weather cools a bit. Steep switchbacks across the ridge on the north end of the island are slickend, making ascent and decent of the patched asphalt road very tricky even for a surefooted low geared Mazda diesel pickup. The bridge across a dry creek bed is only a few cm wider than the side mirrors. Concrete pavement ends suspiciously twenty meters from either side of the steep ramp onto the bridge; indicative of frequent violent flash floods during the wet season.

The western shore of Koh Chang, looking out on the Gulf of Thailand, is developed only at its north end. The quality of the road deteriorates swiftly the farther south one drives. A few smaller resorts dot the south coast, notably Hat Kai Bae where a much more peaceful atmosphere exists. The sea is a lovely light blue color.

A delightful half hour hike and occasional scramble over steep granite boulders, through a dense forest aromatic with the smell of fresh new foliage and crisp, fallen leaves, is rewarded with the discovery of ten meter high Kholong Phu waterfall. A clear, deep, cool pool is carved into solid granite at the base. Swimming is not only allowed but also encouraged so I availed myself of this oasis and spent twenty refreshing minutes paddling about. No matter that I had neglected to bring a proper swimsuit. Walking shorts work just fine and the wetness was welcome during the return hike to the pickup. In Thailand dampness is a welcome, temporary respite from the relentless heat and humidity.

Thai people are culturally very shy. Except for the very young, one never sees a native Thai publicly swimming in only a bathing suit. Leg coverings and some sort of shirt are worn, even over a regular swimsuit. In a formal swimming pool, however, bathing suits are apparently acceptable. Thai people never expose their bodies in public and are very shocked when less modest westerners sun themselves with bared breasts or swim in the nude. It is ignorance, arrogance or apathy for visitors or tourists to violate native customs. I continue to be embarrassed for Farang who behave thusly. It seems to me that it is an important personal responsibility as a visitor to learn and respect local customs.

The western shore of Koh Chang is exposed to the Gulf of Thailand and experiences rough seas and high winds during the wet season, although typhoons are almost never seen here. Foliage is very hardy with tall Teak and Mahogany trees and sturdy vines covering the mountainsides. Alluvian and delta areas are covered in bamboo and Pampas grasses. Beautiful, jungle-like vines entwine themselves in the native trees. Orchids, bougainvillea, and some other hardy native flowers exist in the undergrowth but mostly the cover is lush green bushes, bamboo and grasses. There are a few cultivated rubber tree plantations in protected locations.

The eastern coast, by comparison, is a veritable wonderland of plants, fruit trees and flowers native to the latitude and exposure. The sweet smell of a Durian flower is a much better indicator of the deliciousness of the fruit than the acrid smell of the mature fruit itself. The view eastward from roadside viewpoints, toward the Thai/Cambodian mainland across the Strait of Koh Chang, is an impressive vista.

Even though I’m relatively ignorant of plants, with the aid of some books and a few halting questions and astute pointing, I was able to identify the following plants and trees along the Western shoreline: Durian, Canoon, wild and domestic Lemon (manow), Salat, Litchi, Mango (Mamueng) and Banana (Gluay). Also there were examples of Mancoot, Cashew nut (with its edible fruit), coconut, Teak, Rubber, Eucalyptus, sakay, starfruit (mafooyung), and Satar (an edible legume). I’m sure there are many more varieties that escaped me. Koh Chang has a myriad of plants. Anyone interested in plants should bring a plant guide.

I cannot help but remembering my visit to Koh Samui only a few years ago compared with my visit there earlier this month. In Samui, large buildings, crowding and greedy attitudes have replaced the relaxed environment I so enjoyed in ’95 and ’96. With this awareness of Samui freshly in my mind it is disconcerting to see a three-story hotel under construction at Hat Sai Khao on Koh Chang between the beach and rim road.

I fear for things to come in too short a time on Koh Chang. This is the last undeveloped sizable island paradise in Thailand. Hopefully the status Koh Chang enjoys as a National Park will somewhat protect its environs from uncontrolled development. Money still talks loudly here and I can’t help being pessimistic about the future.

If one wants to experience what Thailand and Southeast Asia was like a hundred years ago, Koh Chang is probably the best destination short of complex and dangerous safaris into Cambodia, Lao or Burma. It remains a beautiful and relatively unspoiled place. Go soon, however. The tentacles of development threaten even the ‘protected’ island of Koh Chang.

Laem Chabang School of Engineering opens Business Management programs

Swinburne University of Technology, an Australian University funded by the Australian Government, has joined with Technology Supply Group of companies, Thailand, to establish its new campus in Thailand called "Laem Chabang School of Engineering". Its first aim is to create an institution of an international standard that provides Engineering and Technology programs which are taught in English. LCSE focuses on practical skills through competency-based instruction in modern workshops. The courses offered will produce highly qualified graduates with these practical skills and competencies for the needs of the local job market. In addition to this, students are sent into local companies for industrial placements. This practical emphasis results in the school producing students who have industrial experience before they finally graduate to the job market.

The first group of students will graduate from LCSE at the end of this year. They will receive 2 qualifications: The Higher Vocational Certificate (Por Wor Sor) from the Thai Ministry of Education and a Diploma from Swinburne University of Technology. The qualifications are equivalent to those received at Swinburne and credits from courses taken can be fully transferred to other universities. LCSE graduates have the added advantage of being accepted as Swinburne alumni.

Swinburne University also sees the importance of developing knowledge and competencies in other educational fields. To this end, LCSE has recently opened three Business Management Diploma Programs. These programs are Marketing, Accounting and International Trade. Enrollment date for the June intake is from now until May 30, 1999. A special discount for enrolment into the Engineering program of 20,000 per term is currently being offered. This discount reduces the cost from 95,000 to only 75,000 per term for the whole of the two year program. For further information or any inquiries, please contact Laem Chabang School of Engineering, tel. (038) 490 487-92, fax: (038 490 489.

Summer Splashes at the Royal Garden Plaza

The management of the Royal Garden Plaza is getting very active lately. There is always something new on their program and usually the fountain at the ground floor is the perfect background for these activities.

On May 1st another attraction was shown there. Various games were played on stage before the real program started - the Summer Splash fashion show.

Usually, models have to get dressed before entering the catwalk. In this case it was different. The beautiful women, top models of ForMen Magazine, had to get more or less undressed, to model the "Summer Splash" beach and swimwear fashion show of Panos Emporio.

Pulchritude prevailed as the area’s best models walked the Royal Garden catwalk wearing the latest in swimwear.

A big crowd gathered around the fountain and on all the balconies of the plaza to catch a glimpse of these beautiful women. The many men were especially attracted by the looks of the - no not the swimwear - but the girls.

The women in the audience were also very impressed, yet more by the bathing suits. Voices could be heard asking when and where those swimsuits will be available in Pattaya.

$ 200,000 Extension to Warwick’s South East Asian Scholar

University of Warwick extends Special South East Asian Scholarship Scheme for further year

The University of Warwick, one of Britain’s top five research universities, has announced that it is to extend its special South East Asian Scholarship scheme for a further year. The University has added an additional $200,000 to this scholarship fund, which was established to help students from South East Asian countries whose economies suffered unexpected adverse foreign currency fluctuations this time last year. The new scholarships are open to prospective students from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and Indonesia applying for places to start at the University of Warwick in October 1999. Some of the money has also been set aside to give financial assistance to students from the region who are already on degree programmes at Warwick and who have developed particular financial needs. Warwick was the first European university to announce such a scholarship scheme to assist students from these countries facing this sudden adverse economic change.

This quick action was warmly welcomed throughout the region. The popularity of the Warwick Scholarship scheme combined with Warwick’s strong reputation for teaching and research has meant that despite extensive reports of an overall fall in the number of South East Asian students applying to study in the UK, the University of Warwick has actually seen an increase in students from the region applying to study on its postgraduate programmes. Overall, the total number of overseas students applying to the University of Warwick is up 9.4% on previous years. In particular Warwick’s position as one of the top 5 UK research universities with a strong campus wide Graduate School (over 40% of Warwick’s students are postgraduates) has meant that it has actually seen real increases in the number of students from the region applying to study at Warwick. Postgraduate applications to Warwick from Malaysia (122), Singapore (57) and Hong Kong (113) are all actually up around 5% on the previous year.

For further information contact: Peter Dunn, Press Office, Public Affairs Office, Senate House, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL Tel: (+44)01203-523708, Email: [email protected].

Amerika, Amerika

by Ken Langbell

It’ hard to be an American in Thailand. The Thai people are very friendly. But the Europeans treat you like the village idiot. The Aussies know you’re the village idiot but are too polite to say so. You seldom find a New Zealander sober enough to care.

So what do you do if you’re an American? Pretend you’re a Canadian, saying "oot" every so often? It works for the Germans who, when not among other Germans, pretend to be Austrians.

That works because there really are Austrians in Thailand, as often as not retired procurers posing as music professors.

Unfortunately, there are no Canadians in Thailand. Why? I don’t know. But when was the last time you stumbled across anyone from Montreal or Moose Jaw? Never, right?

The next time you’re in Bangkok, drop by the Canadian "Embassy" and take a good look. The front looks fine, but it’s a facade, like the front of the general store in a cowboy film. There are no walls or roof.

Inside is a shop where a man sells maple syrup. I believe he’s the ambassador.

Come to think of it, there are no Mexicans in Thailand, either. Could it be because we once stole half of Mexico, the half with the Mexicans who traveled?

Drive through California, Texas and Mexico, and you soon realise it wasn’t bad enough we took half of Mexico’s territory. We took the rich half.

No, if you meet a North American in Thailand, he’s a Yank, a synonym for which, any European will happily point out, is "jerk".

I find it hard to defend my fellow Americans and myself as we do our thing in South East Asia. Like all ex-pats, we are outcasts, round pegs unable to fit into the square holes at home. We are the wretched refuse we once invited to our shores but now produce in such amounts we have begun to export.

What I don’t understand is why European outcasts look down on us American outcasts.

For one thing, they’re not any smarter. Believe it or not, the average IQ in San Francisco is 100, the same as it is in Switzerland.

Italians look down on us because we don’t go to the Opera. If they could afford television sets, they wouldn’t go to the Opera either. Hitler loved the Opera. If he’d had a TV set, we would have avoided World War Two.

I can understand the Africans hating us after the way we wholesaled them into slavery. By what Europeans die we enslave?

The Belgians were enslaved by the Dutch, who were enslaved by the Spanish, who were enslaved by the Portuguese, who were enslaved by the Germans, who were enslaved by the Italians, who were enslaved by the Austrians, who were enslaved by the French, who every so often enslave everybody the can.

Russia enslaved everybody in Eastern Europe, and the UK was conquered by everybody in Western Europe.

And they hate us? Looking down on Americans presents another problem. The average height of a Thai female impersonator is five-foot-ten (I don’t know what that is in meters or stones), which makes them as a group the tallest people in the world.

Regular viewers of National Geographic Channel 12 may argue this title belongs to the Watusi. However, there are a lot of Watusis, and National Geographic cameramen aren’t interested in the short ones.

As a nation, we Americans are the world’s tallest people, the average man standing five-foot-eight and the average woman five-foot-nine.

Aussies can eat steak and Scandinavians can gorge themselves on milk and cheese until the cows come home, but when it comes to nutrition, nothing equals Pizza, Tacos or French Fries, which are as American as Mel Gibson or Santa Claus.

Maybe that’s why nobody likes Americans. We’re so tall we stick out, inviting undue attention. It’s a shame because we’re quite likable when you get to know us.

Comedian Will Rogers captured the true American spirit when he said, "I’ve never met a man I didn’t like." He said it during a party in which he and Pilot Wiley Post were preparing to reenact Glen Miller’s famous flight across the English Channel.

Everyone had a great deal to drink, and there has been considerable disagreement about Rogers’ exact words.

Some claim he actually said, "I’ve never met an American I didn’t like."

Wallace Simpson, in her autobiography "Me and Ed", quoted Rogers as saying "I never met a man I didn’t like until I came to Europe."

President Clinton has nothing but the highest regards for the English in his upcoming book "I Didn’t Inhale." Monica Lewinsky, in her upcoming book "I Didn’t Either," said she had wanted to ask the President about his time at Oxford but was "too much of a lady to talk with my mouth full."

Were others to follow Monica’s example, there would be a lot less American-bashing in the world and a lot more men with big smiles on their faces.

Oz scores with Asian marketing campaign

by Imtiaz Muqbil,
Executive Editor,
Travel Impact Newswire

When the economic crisis hit two years ago, and the once-booming Asian outbound travel took a dip, many national tourism organizations reacted the way most marketers tend to do: They slashed advertising and promotions in the crisis-hit countries.

Not the Australians. While a few budgetary adjustments were made in some Asian countries, depending on the extent of the economic damage and the prognosis about how long it would remain bad, the devalued currencies allowed the Australians to spend less A$ to maintain their marketing spend in local currencies.

Hence, the timing was right for a US$7.5 million tactical print and TV campaign that the Australian Tourist Commission launched in October 1998 after 18 months of planning and strategic research. Earlier this month, at the annual Pacific Asia Travel Association conference in Nagoya, the campaign won two Gold Awards for marketing and public relations.

The ATC estimates that as of March 1999, the broadcast and print publicity generated from the launch and promotional activities stands at US$8.28 million and is still incoming. "The publicity value alone, based on a standard 3:1 multiplier, is more than the ATC Asia’s entire marketing and production value for the next three years," said ATC’s Regional Director for Asia, Richard Beere.

"In terms of awareness, this makes the campaign the most successful in ATC’s history."

As the long decline in outbound travel from Asia bottoms out, the ATC is clearly hoping that the campaign will pay off, in terms of awareness amongst young consumers and especially travel agents who have been reminded that the ATC is not a ‘fair-weather friend’ and did not abandon ship when times turned bad. Asian travel agents still play a major role in influencing destination choices by Asian travelers, unlike their counterparts in Europe and North America who are losing influence.

Visitor arrival figures indicate that outbound Asian travel is picking up. The ATC reports that arrivals from Korea and Indonesia, two of the worst-hit crisis countries, were up respectively 113% and 31% in January 1999 while arrivals from Thailand dropped only a marginal 1.2% over January 1998.

However, arrivals to Australia are still dropping by significant percentages from several other Asian countries and territories like Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Overall, visitors to Australia from all of Asia except Japan dropped 8.9% to 80,664 in January 1999 over January 1998.

While the continuing declines in arrivals from the key countries where the campaign is being waged raises some questions about how effective it is, the ATC has always maintained that it is in the Asian market for the long-term and is optimistic that those markets, too, will rebound. The campaign, entitled "See You There," is designed to expedite that rebound.

In assessing the campaign for the PATA Gold Award, the judges noted that the ATC campaign had covered Thailand, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, was localized in several languages and involved a co-operative approach that kept costs down while stretching the campaign’s impact and longevity.

The ATC also took advantage of the opportunity to further develop Australia’s position as a "colorful, contemporary, youthful and stylish destination for young Asian travelers."

While one of its goals was to position itself as an industry leader in the field of tourism marketing, the ATC stressed that the campaign could not have been done without the support of all members of the Brand Australia "family" - two international airlines, six state tourist offices together with international giant Warner Music. Together, this strategic and creative approach, claimed to be the first of its kind and a ‘pioneer in cross-marketing’, helped save production and advertising costs even as it reinforced the key elements of Brand Australia.

Said Mr. Beere, "The Warner Music partnership presented the ATC with an ideal vehicle to attract a younger audience and enabled both partners to expand their communication mediums. Some of the region’s most promising pop artists and production teams were selected and flown to Australia to shoot a range of music videos featuring destination footage and songs specially written for the campaign.

"The promotional activities that followed the simultaneous advertising and CD launches increased the longevity of the campaign," he said. "The benefits are expected to be ongoing as the association with these artists is further exploited."

The campaign has essentially reached out to those in the 18-35 age bracket. Popular local singers in Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia recorded the campaign songs which were also released commercially. Mr. Beere said the songs "speak to Australia’s core targets in their own language, in their own style and, importantly, in a manner which holds tremendous appeal for each market."

Leveraging the marketing power of Warner Music yielded handsome dividends in broadening the exposure. In Singapore, two of the videos shot in Australia received four weeks free airplay on a major terrestrial Mandarin TV channel.

A radio contest, with the opportunity to win a trip to Australia on a popular FM station, ran for one week last November-December, generating 4,700 entries. Listeners were asked questions about Australia and on the last day the singer, Ann Kok, drew the winner.

In Malaysia, promotional activities began a little later than expected because the singer, Nora, became pregnant. However, she shot the video footage last year and apparently has her own website, which also includes various stories regarding her trip to Australia. In addition, an interview with her appeared on MTV.

ATC’s contribution to the Warner promotion was only A$200,000, including pre-production visits and shoots for each market, post-production and Australian holiday prizes. The campaign received further help from both Ansett International and Singapore Airlines.

Beere said the ATC expects that outbound travel from Asia will return to normal growth levels in 2000. "This campaign has allowed to underscore our commitment to the region, provided us with the ability to refresh and renew our marketing approach as never before," he said. "It is an endorsement of our business from Asia and speaks volumes of our faith in the future of the region."

Copyright 1998 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
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