|
Shanghai takes the Mickey out of Hong Kong
Mayor Han Zheng announced one week ago that Shanghai has
been making preliminary preparations for a Disney theme park and yesterday,
a Shanghai city official confirmed the city government has applied to the
State Council in Beijing for permission.
There has been land set aside in Pudong and Shanghai officials said
privately that the city hoped the first park on the mainland would be open
in time for the World Expo in 2010.
In Hong Kong, Legislative Council member, Fred Li, said Hong Kong Disneyland
should steer with a clear market direction to avoid direct competition with
Shanghai. He suggested that Hong Kong focus on attracting visitors from
within a two-hour plane ride, particularly from neighboring Guangzhou. (TTG
Asia)
Indonesian government backs ailing national airlines
The Indonesian government is to issue undertaking letters
for Garuda Indonesia and Merpati Nusantara Airlines as a short-term move to
save the state-owned airline companies.
In a parliamentary hearing with House of Representative’s Commission XI in
Jakarta, Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati said: “the undertaking
letters are expected to attract creditors to invest in both airlines.
“The amount, period, and use of fund (undertaken) will be determined based
on the due diligence the government is taking on the airlines’ operations,
financial audit, and business plans.”
The government is planning to set up a special purpose vehicle or to do a
debt conversion to save the two airline companies in the mid- and long-term
period, according to Minister Indrawati.
In the mean time, State Minister for State-owned Companies, Sugiharto said
his office would still continue to invite strategic partners for Garuda. The
government will sell up to 49 percent of its shares.
Garuda President, Emirsyah Satar, told the local media the issuance of the
undertaking letter was a new option the government had taken to save the
airline.
“We will start working on finding creditors (with the undertaking letter),
hopefully, we will be able to get one soon,” Satar said. (TTG Asia)
Receding Mekong River water levels affect tour operators
The declining water levels in the Mekong River has forced
many water tour operators in Thailand’s northernmost border district of
Chiang Saen to keep their craft at their moorings.
Tour services that are still in operation have halved their passenger loads,
resulting in a dramatic drop in revenue, said a local tour operator.
Songchai Suksomjai, managing director of Nava Luk Luang Company, said water
tour operators have to bypass certain tourist attractions as their boats
could not access the areas as the water in the river has receded to a
critical level.
Tourist ferries have risked beaching on sandy riverbeds or have run aground
on rocky river bottoms which cause severe damage to their boats.
Songchai’s company is among the major tour operators in the region that
provides water journeys throughout the Golden Triangle in Chiang Saen.
He said bigger passenger boats that could not afford to take the risks have
remained at their moorings while smaller ferries have halved their loads,
reducing profitability. (TNA)
Grand celebration to honor King’s Diamond Jubilee
The Ministry of Interior and the Tourism Authority of
Thailand (TAT) are jointly organizing the “Thailand Grand Invitation 2006”
to take place throughout the year 2006 to honor His Majesty King Bhumibol
Adulyadej on the auspicious occasion of the 60th anniversary, or the Diamond
Jubilee of His Majesty’s ascension to the throne.
Tourists around the world are invited to Thailand’s year-long grand festival
of events to be held throughout the country, Air Chief Marshal Kongsak
Wanthana said.
The interior ministry has asked all provinces nationwide to cooperate with
all parties, including the state and private sector, as well as the local
populace, in holding activities in their provinces to celebrate the
auspicious occasion. The most appealing landscapes and important tourist
attractions in each province need to be revitalized and made more
attractive, ACM Kongsak said.
Maps, easy to see and read street numbers, traffic and direction signs and
other elements for foreign travelers needing help in finding their way, must
be made easily noticeable to visitors, said ACM Kongsak.
In addition, security and general services for visitors must meet
international quality assurance standards, the interior minister said.
His Majesty King Bhumibol, now the world’s longest-reigning living monarch,
was born on Dec 5, 1927, in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States.
He became the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty in June 1946. The kingdom
celebrated his Golden Jubilee in 1996. Kings and queens and other royalty
worldwide have been invited to the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of
his ascension to the throne in June. (TNA)
No more Hyatt for Macau
Hyatt Regency Macau will close its doors on July 1. The
owner, Macau Hotel Company, has terminated the management contract with
Hyatt International. Located on the island of Taipa, the 326-room property
was managed by Hyatt for the last 23 years.
There has been no announcement as to whether the property will be demolished
or fully renovated. Sources said the cost either way will be about the same
due to the age of the structure. (TTG Asia)
Chinese advisory troubles Tourism Malaysia
Malaysia has identified the travel advisories posted by
China National Tourist Office as one of the main reasons for the sharp drop
in Chinese tourist arrival and is seeking the removal of the advisories.
TTG Asia has learnt from Tourism Malaysia that tourism minister Tengku Adnan
Mansor will visit China soon over the matter.
Since the end of last year, the China National Tourist Office has urged
Chinese travelers going to Malaysia to be wary of robberies and
snatch-thefts. (TTG Asia)
Expansion phase for Siam City group
Siam City Hotels and Resorts is spending 680 million baht
(US$17 million) on an ambitious renovation and expansion plan to maintain
and raise products and services standards of its three properties.
Kamala said the group also planned to open a new 50-key hip hotel, The Siam
on The River, in 2009 to display lifestyle of traditional Thai people. It
would feature Jim Thompson’s second house as well as Thai antiquities, art
pieces and paintings. “The property will be the jewel in the crown for our
group. Everywhere you look there will be art.”
The group has recently achieved five-star status for its flagship property,
Siam City Hotel Bangkok, and four-star category for the two properties in
Pattaya, Siam Bayshore Resort & Spa and Siam Bayview Hotel. President,
Kamala Sukosol, said it aimed to raise Siam Bayshore Resort & Spa to a
five-star property in two years.
Siam City Hotel Bangkok and Siam Bay View Hotel Pattaya will also receive
refurbishment throughout the properties. (TTG Asia)
Koh Chang continues to grow
Royal Princess Hotels and Resorts is opening its first
resort property, the Princess Resort Koh Chang, in November.
Developed by Bailann Resort Company Limited, the 96-key resort occupies 150m
of beach front on Ao Bai Lan Beach, located on the Thai island’s southern
west side. Some 70 percent of construction has been completed to date.
Dusit and Royal Princess Hotels and Resorts Vice-President Development,
Duncan Jamieson, said: “This is Royal Princess Hotels and Resorts’ first
resort property, since all our existing hotels have city locations. Koh
Chang is the ideal site being the second largest island of Thailand from
Phuket, and there are only a few five-star resorts on the island.”
Amari Hotels and Resorts was the first well-known Thai chain to enter the
resort when it opened there in 2004. (TTG Asia)
Vietnam air access set to increase
The European Commission and Vietnam have initialed an air
services agreement which ensures airlines have fair access to air routes
between EU member nations and Vietnam.
Vietnam is the third ASEAN member to finalize negotiations with the EC.
Meanwhile, from June 21, Vietnam Airlines will double its once-weekly
service between Ho Chi Minh City and Frankfurt to meet increasing demand on
the sector. Departing Ho Chi Minh city every Monday and Thursday, the
flights leave Frankfurt on Wednesday and Saturday.
“Both these developments are good news. We need more flights to increase the
numbers of visitors to Vietnam and all these airline developments will
contribute to promote Vietnam as a major tourist destination. We can also
expect that the airlines competition will help to put more attractive fares
on the market,” Exotissimo Travel Group Managing Director, Olivier Colomes,
said. (TTG Asia)
Asian beaches boom again
The European market for Asian beaches is booming, with
tour operators interviewed showing healthy increases on forward bookings
to-date.
Luck and good products account for the swing in business to Thai beach
resorts, and Bali appears to be recovering.
TUI Contracting senior contracting manager Asia, Oliver Libutzki, said: “We
offered to rebook clients to the Caribbean after the hurricanes and most
chose Thailand. Without the hurricanes, the second Bali bombing and the fact
Sri Lanka was still suffering from the uprising there, Thailand’s recovery
would not be as fast.”
For Bali, Libutzki expects business to be back by May/June. “The recovery is
fast. All European markets - German, Swiss, Dutch - are doing well for Bali.
The only exception is the Nordic market, due to the cartoon controversy
resulting in a warning on travel to Indonesia.” (TTG Asia)
Nepal makes a comeback
Nepal is clawing its way back as one of Asia’s most
unique destinations with the launch of a new campaign, Naturally Nepal, Once
Is Not Enough.
Minister of state in charge of culture, tourism and civil aviation, Yankila
Sherpa, said: “The new campaign will help to revamp Nepal’s image and
reaffirm the government’s commitment to develop and improve infrastructure,
safety and security.”
In addition, a new tourism master plan would be ready in six months and it
would address the development of tourism products, infrastructure and
aviation; segment target markets; and rural/village tourism and poverty
alleviation.
Last year, Nepal welcomed some 375,000 visitors, a slight decline from
385,000 in 2004. Latest figures show tourism contributed US$180 million
(Bt.7.2 billion) in foreign exchange earnings in 2004, compared to US$192
million (Bt.7.68 billion) in 2003. (TTG Asia)
|
