Archive for 2006
25 Dec, 2006
Thai Industry Sees No Impact Of Currency, Stock Crash
The Thai travel & tourism industry has shrugged off both last week’s turmoil in the stock market as well as the strengthening of the baht as having no immediate or short-term impact on either visitor arrivals or occupancies. However, a number of hoteliers and other industry executives said the situation may begin to have an […]
more…24 Dec, 2006
Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus asks: Is it globalisation, or financial imperialism?
Originally Published: 24 Dec 2006 In the light of global geopolitical developments of the past year, and economic developments in Thailand in the past week, the words of two Nobel prize winners in the past month will prove extremely insightful in pondering what awaits us all in the year ahead. On December 10, Muhammad Yunus, […]
more…18 Dec, 2006
Intrusive Security Helps Private Jets Boost Marketing Pitch
The growing exasperation of upmarket travellers with intrusive, arbitrary and constantly changing airport security procedures has provided a golden opportunity for marketers of private jets to step up their sales pitch. David Savile, CEO of the U.K.-based company Private Jet describes the experience thus: “Far away from scanners, and security staff asking me to surrender […]
more…11 Dec, 2006
Luxury Travel Targets 2% of World’s “Uber-Wealthy”
CANNES, France — The world’s growing list of “uber-wealthy” were the target of a luxury travel market organised here last week, with more than 2,500 delegates seeking a piece of the action estimated to be worth more than US$ 44 billion in travel expenditure. Deluxe yachts, private jets, remote islands and lavish resorts were among […]
more…10 Dec, 2006
Iraq Study Group report warns U.S. about dangers of staying the course
Originally Published: 10 Dec 2006 Like many Middle East watchers around the world, I carefully read through the Iraq Study Group report which, curiously enough, seemed to reflect the views of many of my columns over the past five years. And the global media reporting of its contents also seemed to reflect the same line. […]
more…4 Dec, 2006
Taj Hotels Acquires Ritz-Carlton in Boston
India’s Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces continued a global expansion drive last month with a US$ 170 million acquisition of The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Boston, raising the company’s portfolio of hotels in India and abroad to 77. The group, which entered Thailand earlier this year with the announcement of a luxury property in Phuket, has […]
more…27 Nov, 2006
EU-India Aviation Summit to Yield Flights Bonanza
India and the European Union last week signed a Joint Declaration to pave the way for more bilateral flights and open up business opportunities for European companies in India’s massive civil aviation infrastructure requirements. The declaration was signed by the EU’s Vice President and Commissioner for Transport Jacques Barrot and India’s Minister for Civil Aviation […]
more…26 Nov, 2006
Why does peace remain so elusive in the Middle East?
Originally Published: 26 Nov 2006 I often get asked why I focus so much on the Middle East. An answer came in the past fortnight from the United Nations Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch-Brown. Speaking on Nov 20 to an audience of diplomats and students of international affairs at an event organized by Washington University’s […]
more…20 Nov, 2006
Weekend Bookings by Mobile Phone Debut at WTM 2006
LONDON: Stressed-out executives idling over lunch are becoming major customers of weekend travel breaks being made bookable through a rapidly-growing medium — mobile phones. According to Gerry Samuels, Founder & Executive Director of Mobiletravel Technologies, for consumers with “time to kill”, mobile phones and devices like the Blackberry are quick and easy to use and […]
more…12 Nov, 2006
When you are Number One, the only place you can go next is down
Originally Published: 12 Nov 2006 “Operation Infinite Justice” continued to surge ahead in the last fortnight as both Saddam Hussein and George W Bush got their just rewards, each suffering a blowback for the suffering they have caused to hundreds of thousands of people in their own countries and worldwide. While Saddam was sentenced to […]
more…6 Nov, 2006
Climate Change Report Blasts Aviation’s Growing Role
Barely a few weeks after a University of Oxford report discussed the potential environmental impact of aviation-dependent island nations like the U.K., another report on climate change and global warming has sounded the warning at a global level. The flurry of these reports indicate that the era of unrestricted aviation expansion is about to end […]
more…30 Oct, 2006
More Flights from Thailand to Buddhist Circuit Sites
Buddhist pilgrims heading for the holy sites in India are set to benefit from a bonanza of new flights connecting Bangkok directly to the cities of Bodhgaya and Varanasi as of the winter schedule 2006/2007, effective this week. The thrice weekly flights each by INDIAN (formerly known as Indian airlines) and Thai Airways International will […]
more…29 Oct, 2006
When will the American people finally tire of being lied to?
Originally Published: 29 Oct 2006 Before reading any further, please log onto this website: www.truthdig.com/report/item/200601019_after_pats_birthday/. And note the words: “Somehow America has become a country that projects everything that it is not and condemns everything that it is. “Somehow the most reasonable, trusted and respected country in the world has become one of the most […]
more…23 Oct, 2006
Low Cost Airlines Facing Climate Change Scrutiny
Although aviation liberalisation and low-cost airlines are being widely credited for the short-term boom in travel and economic growth, their long-term ecological impact is facing increasing scrutiny. A report by the Environmental Change Institute of the University of Oxford, U.K., released earlier this month says that with governments coming under pressure to curb carbon emissions […]
more…16 Oct, 2006
Business Executives Push for “Fast-Track” Past Security Hassles
Business executives and their travel managers are beginning to push for speedier passage through increasingly tight aviation security queues, according to a survey by London-based aviation consultancy Ascend. While corporate travel managers (those who handle the travel plans of the giant global multinationals) said that passenger security whilst travelling is the most important issue, around […]
more…15 Oct, 2006
Good WILL triumph over evil, but evil will not go down without a fight
Originally Published: 15 Oct 2006 The day after my last column appeared a fortnight ago, excerpts began appearing in the US media from “State of Denial,” the newest book by Watergate sleuth Bob Woodward. The book effectively says what I have been saying for years: The Bush administration lied to the world about the reasons […]
more…2 Oct, 2006
Tourism Research Papers Say Much Needs Fixing in Thai Tourism
Now that Thailand has a world-class airport, perhaps it is time to put in an equivalent effort into creating a world-class travel and tourism industry. Media coverage of the early round of inevitable growing pains – which will soon be fixed – has obscured the symbolism of the new airport which over time will go […]
more…1 Oct, 2006
Time to redefine the buzzwords that drive “wealth creation”
Originally Published: 01 October 2006 Of the many buzzwords that drive economic and corporate growth these days, three stand out: “development,” “progress” and “success.” All of these are rooted in the assumption that they must be measured in terms of monetary advancement – also known as “wealth creation.” But as deep misgivings begin to set […]
more…25 Sep, 2006
Thai “Orchid Revolution” Ousts Thaksin
While military coups tend to create image problems for most countries, exactly the opposite is expected to happen for Thailand where last week’s “Orchid Revolution” has generated huge amounts of positive publicity. After the dust settled on the first few hours of regime change, following the knee-jerk travel advisories and perfunctory Western concern about the […]
more…18 Sep, 2006
Tourism Products, Processes Changing With Lifestyle, Business Pressures
Two studies released last week by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and American Express show how the products and processes of the travel & tourism industry are changing in line with lifestyle trends and business pressures. The fourth ‘European Lifestyle Hotel Survey’ by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP released last week said that “lifestyle hotels” (which are now becoming a rage […]
more…17 Sep, 2006
Flashback: How did we EVER get hoodwinked into these mindless wars?
Originally Published: 17 September 2006 While the world was looking back five years at the 9/11 memorial, I was looking ahead five years in earnest hope that we will then be able to look back 10 years and wonder how we could have been hoodwinked into these mindless wars and conflict by some of the […]
more…11 Sep, 2006
Thais Show Their Proficiency in Risk Management
From currency appreciation to tsunamis and oil prices, the Thai tourism industry is coming to grips with the growing list of ‘risks’ that it knows can strike anywhere and anytime. Speaking last week at an Executive Management Forum on the subject of “Hospitality Management in Crisis,” Mr. Wallop Bhukkanasut, Executive Vice President Commercial Department, Thai […]
more…4 Sep, 2006
Easier Visas Sought to Spur Indian Travel To Australia
Fast-growing visitor arrivals from India are proving a saving grace for the Australian travel & tourism industry, prompting efforts to stoke the growth further by speeding up visa processing times. In the first half of 2006, Indian visitor arrivals to Australia touched 44,100, up 33% over the first half of 2005. India was the fastest […]
more…28 Aug, 2006
Six Senses Chief Warns of Environ Impact of Spas
HUA HIN — Spas and treatment rooms in the fast growing health and wellness industry are inefficient and wasteful consumers of water and electricity, and need to pay more attention to the impact on global warming, the Chairman of Six Senses Resorts and Spas warned last week. Speaking at the SpaAsia Wellness Summit 2006, Mr […]
more…21 Aug, 2006
Security Hassles Will Worsen “Flight Attendant Fatigue”
Crises in the aviation industry often tend to focus on the impact on passengers and the business side of airlines. Little attention is paid to the impact on those who work in airlines, airports and others who bear the brunt. Among those getting increasingly concerned about these crises are flight attendants, those whom most passengers […]
more…14 Aug, 2006
Here We Go Again: More Attacks, More Travel Advisories
Britain and the United States last week found themselves at the receiving end of security alerts from other countries as well as from other each other. A check of the various travel advisory websites issued by the US, UK, Canada and Australia indicated that although warnings were being put out about the very high level […]
more…7 Aug, 2006
Bangkok Airport Chief Blasts IATA Spokesman
The row over landing charges at Suvarnabhumi airport turned personal last week with the Airports of Thailand (AOT) President accusing the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Corporate Communications Director for Asia of making “biased” statements in view of his former connections to Singapore Changi airport. However, even as airlines sought to put pressure on Bangkok […]
more…31 Jul, 2006
World Trade Pact May Contain Unpleasant Surprises for Tourism
If the travel & tourism industry is looking for good reason to celebrate the collapse of the WTO talks, it is contained in the WTO annual report for 2006. The main subject of the report is subsidies and if history is an indicator, it will be a step in a process towards pursuing the eventual […]
more…24 Jul, 2006
International Student Traffic Set to Become “Bi Busine$$”
International students are big business — or as they are now being referred to, “Big Busine$$” — with important implications for migration issues as well as domestic tourism and Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) traffic. A report by the British Council anticipates a global demand of 5.8 million students studying away from home by 2020 […]
more…23 Jul, 2006
Israel is a law unto itself
Originally Published: 23 July 2006 Pardon my confusion, but wasn’t there a lot of hand-wringing about threats by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad to “wipe Israel off the map”? So why isn’t there any outrage now among the so-called “civilised countries”, the paragons of democracy, transparency and accountability, the upholders of rule of law, human rights, […]
more…17 Jul, 2006
Indonesia Remains “Sick Man” of ASEAN Arrivals 2005
CHIANG MAI — Indonesia remained the sick-man of the ASEAN tourism industry in 2005 with a 6.07% fall in arrivals to 5,002,101 visitors. It was the worst performance of all the 10 ASEAN countries and indicated that the country’s arrivals have remained essentially unchanged since 1996 when arrivals totalled 5,034,472. A sobering status report presented […]
more…10 Jul, 2006
Hit by Tsunami, Thailand Visitor Arrivals Fall In 2005
Total visitor arrivals to Thailand in 2005 were finally released last week, showing a drop of 1.15% to 11.5 million arrivals. It was the second annual decline after 2003, the year of SARS and the Iraq war. The decline was triggered by sharp falls in arrivals from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea and Japan […]
more…9 Jul, 2006
Soccer World Cup: Looking Toward A Bigger Set of Goals
Originally Published: 9 July 2006 For the first time, several UN agencies took advantage of the global viewership of the tournament to merge the objectives of the World Cup and the United Nations in “striving for the shared goal of celebrating humanity,” Secretary-General Kofi Annan said before the tournament opened. “As the pinnacle of the […]
more…3 Jul, 2006
U.S. Casino Barons Salivate at Asia Prospects
Thailand has been identified as one of the “future candidates” for expansion of US casino conglomerates in Asia, a market estimated to be worth US$20bn per annum in gaming revenues by 2009. Other “candidates” are Taiwan, India and Japan. Callum Nash, Senior Director, Consumer Industries – Asia Pacific of the Royal Bank of Scotland, told […]
more…26 Jun, 2006
Thai Industry Executives Comment on Applying “Sufficiency Economy” in Tourism
The Royal events commemorating His Majesty the King’s 60th anniversary celebrations gained Thailand a slew of positive global publicity and also generated some thinking about the applicability of the royal “sufficiency economy” theories to travel & tourism. Eight senior industry executives, all Thais, responded to a survey seeking comment on the recent celebrations and their […]
more…19 Jun, 2006
Shanghai Cooperation Pact Countries Signal No Attack On Iran
Although intra-regional tourism cooperation figures in the economic development plans outlined by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) following its summit last week, its real contribution to the cause of global travel & tourism will be to assuage widespread industry concerns about the possibility of an attack on Iran. Official statements emerging from the summit sent […]
more…12 Jun, 2006
Need to “Institutionalise” Sufficiency Tourism Concept
One of the biggest legacies that the Thai tourism industry could bequeath to His Majesty the King is to re-engineer and restructure it along the lines of the sufficiency economy. For want of a better phrase, let’s call it ‘sufficiency tourism.’ This concept is not new. A number of Thai tourism academics and industry officials […]
more…11 Jun, 2006
A Tribute to The Last Great Leader of This Generation
Originally published: 11 Jun 2006 The 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King’s accession to the throne has brought Thailand closer to an even more important landmark. In 2010, just four years from now, His Majesty will equal the record of the longest reigning monarch in modern history, the U.K.’s Queen Victoria who reigned for […]
more…5 Jun, 2006
Low Cost Airlines Changing European Travel Patterns
Low-cost airlines (LCAs) in Europe are significantly growing the volume of travellers but leading to numerous other changes in travel patterns, choice of destinations and expenditure, according to a Market Intelligence report of the European Travel Commission. Said the report, released last week, “2005 looks like being the best for European tourist arrivals growth since […]
more…29 May, 2006
Thailand Prepares Massive Migration to New Bangkok Airport
As the opening date for Bangkok’s new airport nears, preparations are being finalised for arguably the largest logistical operation in global aviation history – moving millions of tons of aircraft and equipment from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi within roughly 12 hours. There have been a number of recent airport moves in the Asia-Pacific — Seoul, […]
more…22 May, 2006
Fear of Tsunami “Ghosts” Hurts Thai Tourism Arrivals
Fear of ghosts in the tsunami-hit destinations and instability in South Thailand are set to exact a devastating toll on Thailand’s 2005 visitor arrivals. Although it is now May, final figures for 2005 have not yet been released, the longest such delay ever. However, some very significant clues are contained in the final figures for […]
more…8 May, 2006
Shaza Hotels Plans Alcohol-Free Accommodation
DUBAI: Kempinski Hotels & Resorts is to provide the management know-how for a new brand of Middle Eastern hotels over the next few years, with a small difference – they will all be alcohol-free. Kempinski executives say they are looking forward to the challenge of developing Shaza Hotels, a “unique lifestyle brand” that is well-suited […]
more…30 Apr, 2006
Guide To Help Americans Dispel Stereotype of the “Ugly American”
Originally Published: 30 April 2006 A group of U.S. students has compiled a guide to help Americans travelling abroad “dispel the stereotype of the Ugly American”. In an amazingly forthright piece of market research that would apply more to the U.S. government than U.S. citizens, the guide identifies the four root causes of anti-American sentiment […]
more…17 Apr, 2006
Hotel Beds Get Better, But Do They Deliver Returns?
Hotel chains have spent millions of dollars to make their beds more comfortable than their guests can find back home, but evaluating the return on investment is proving elusive. In attempting to analyse whether the investment has been worth it, hospitality consultancy company HVS International noted that hotel chains like Marriott, Starwood and Hilton had […]
more…16 Apr, 2006
Scientists Bid to Prove/Disprove the Power of Prayer
Originally Published: 16 April 2006 Religion-watchers were in tizzy last week about a study that revolved around the question: Can prayer actually help another person recover from disease? A group of prominent scientists recently sought at least part of the answer in the largest study of its kind, and concluded that prayer from strangers had […]
more…10 Apr, 2006
Tension Grows Between Airports, Airlines Over User Charges
The turbulence in the global aviation industry is heightening tensions between airlines and airports. The latest example is last week’s row between the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global airlines club, and Munich airport. In a speech on 7 April, Giovanni Bisignani, the IATA Director General and CEO, called on the European Commission to […]
more…3 Apr, 2006
Laos Visitor Arrivals Cross the One Million Mark
Visitor arrivals to Laos crossed the one million mark in 2005, with Thais accounting for more than 60%, according to detailed arrival figures released last week by the Lao National Tourism Administration. The total arrivals of 1,095,315 included 603,189 Thais, well ahead of Vietnam which came in second at 165,151 visitors. This was followed by […]
more…2 Apr, 2006
New Research Unveils the Link between “The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy”
Originally Published: 02 April 2006 A research paper by political scientists from two of America’s top universities has blown the lid off one of the most taboo subjects in the field of international relations – the massive influence of the Israeli lobby in the US political establishment, colleges, think-tanks and the media, and its impact […]
more…27 Mar, 2006
Fair-Trade Group Wins Tourism Award
BERLIN: A South African NGO that pushes the cause of ‘fair trade’ in tourism has been given a major German tourism award with an accompanying call for its principles and practises to be “exported” and globalised. The Institute for Tourism and Development (Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung) conferred its annual “To Do!” award on the […]
more…20 Mar, 2006
Pakistan Seeks Tourism Dividend from Peace With India
BERLIN: Seeking to cash in on the peace dividend with India, Pakistan is also going on a tourism promotion offensive, a move that could give a big boost to Thai Airways’ flights to Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore. Hashim Khan, Managing Director, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, told a press conference at the ITB Berlin that although […]
more…13 Mar, 2006
Germany Seeks Tourism Dividend From World Cup 2006
BERLIN: The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is moving rapidly to take advantage of this summer’s “festival of World Cup football” to attract around five million additional overnight stays. Alongside the millions of fans who will be watching their teams in the stadiums or on giant screens in towns and cities across Germany, the organisers […]
more…6 Mar, 2006
ITB Berlin Turns 40 As Industry Swirls With Change
BERLIN: The world’s largest travel show, ITB Berlin, celebrates its 40th birthday this week amidst tumultuous changes taking place in global travel & tourism. Thailand will be fielding its biggest contingent ever — 117 companies will be part of the Thai pavilion, up from 111 companies last year, and several other companies will participating separately […]
more…5 Mar, 2006
How Conventional Wisdoms Can be Wrong, Very Wrong
Originally Published: 5 March 2006 One of the best parts of writing a topical and controversial column is the emails I get from like-minded people who, for reasons I can well understand, shy away from penning their thoughts to Postbag but do keep me pumped up enough to make it worth the effort. This week, […]
more…27 Feb, 2006
As Indian Hotels Boom, Staff Shortage Looms
With India forecast to require 100,000 to 125,000 hotel rooms nationwide over the next five to seven years, the big question making the rounds is how to deal with an equally rapidly growing headache – poaching of staff. A study by hotel consultancy HVS International says that while India’s teeming population will generate no shortage […]
more…20 Feb, 2006
Impact of Tsunami on 2005 Arrivals to Maldives, Sri Lanka
Visitor arrivals to the tourism-dependent Maldives slumped by a massive 35.9% in 2005 but Sri Lanka, the other island-nation devastated by the December 2004 tsunami, appears to have been less affected, just released arrival figures show. According to the first set of full-year 2005 visitor statistics provided by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), arrivals […]
more…6 Feb, 2006
Indian Tourism Surge Hits Speedbreakers
MUMBAI: India’s fast-tracked travel & tourism industry is beginning to face major hurdles, speed-bumps and growing pains, which do not augur well for the future. Speakers at a major travel show here last week noted that while the economic benefits of liberalisation, privatisation and deregulation are seeing inbound, outbound and domestic tourism grow to record […]
more…5 Feb, 2006
Shouldn’t ‘Never Again’ Apply to All?
Originally Published: 5 Feb 2006 On 27 January, the United Nations system marked its first Holocaust memorial day at a global level. Its overt objective is for present generations never to forget the genocide against the Jews and for future generations to remain vigilant against it ever occuring again. But a deeper analysis will yield […]
more…30 Jan, 2006
Globalisation May Backfire, Labour Leaders Warn Tourism Industry
In a veiled jab at the globalising travel & tourism industry, well-known for shedding jobs with every business downturn, labour and union leaders last week used the World Economic Forum in Davos to remind governments and multinationals that economic liberalisation and free-trade may backfire big-time if continued in their present form. The International Confederation of […]
more…23 Jan, 2006
“War on Terror” Scaring Britons Off Foreign Travel, Poll Shows
If fear of terrorism is impacting on where and how people choose to travel, the publicity surrounding the so-called “war on terror” is also exacting a toll, according to a number of global public opinion surveys. Publicity about other safety fears like health scares and natural disasters is worsening the situation, with a growing perception […]
more…22 Jan, 2006
Non-Resident Indians Hear Warning About Foreign Funding of Sectarian Agendas
Originally Published: 22 Jan 2006 HYDERABAD – Indian expatriates living abroad who believe in a secular and communally harmonious India as espoused by its founding fathers have been urged to remain “vigilant” about foreign funding of sectarian agendas back home. Speaking at a convention of the overseas Indian diaspora here earlier this month, Mr George […]
more…20 Jan, 2006
The Growing Global Trust Deficit
Two global surveys of people in over 60 countries and 2,500 leaders from business, politics and civil society conducted in preparation for the 2006 World Economic Forum, yield a strong feeling that we live “in a world where trust in leaders is declining.”
more…16 Jan, 2006
New Hyderabad Convention Centre Hosts Indian Diaspora Caucus
Hyderabad, India: The convening here of the 4 th annual overseas Indian diaspora caucus between Jan 7-9 also marked the opening of the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), claimed to be the first of its kind in South Asia. It also launched the first of roughly US$4 billion worth of real estate projects to be […]
more…8 Jan, 2006
Beware the new colonialism
Originally Published: 08 Jan 2006 The primary challenge facing the new generation of leaders in the developing world will be to maintain national independence against the influence and reach of global multinationals which are becoming more powerful than countries. Unless one is a keen student of global history – and let’s face it, who really […]
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