27 Mar, 2014
UN Human Rights Experts Denounce Land-Grab for Viet Nam Eco-Resort
United Nations, (UN News Centre) Mar 26 2014 – A group of United Nations independent human rights experts today called on the Vietnamese Government to “intervene urgently” in a case of forced eviction of the last remaining residents of Con Dau, a small village located on the outskirts of Da Nang city in the centre […]
more…26 Mar, 2014
FREE Download: World Media Freedom Report Warns of Growing “Privatization of Censorship”
United Nations, (UN News Centre) Mar 25 2014 – While technological progress and innovative business models have expanded opportunities for freedom expression, they have also allowed for new threats to emerge in the form of Internet censorship, filtering, blocking, and surveillance, warns the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Freedom of expression is […]
more…25 Mar, 2014
WHO report: 7 million premature deaths annually linked to air pollution
Geneva, 25 March 2014, (World Health Organization news release )– In new estimates released today, WHO reports that in 2012 around 7 million people died – one in eight of total global deaths – as a result of air pollution exposure. This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air pollution is now […]
more…25 Mar, 2014
Time to Show Support: Visit Thailand for Songkran, Malaysia for Easter
A friend in need is a friend indeed. Today, two ASEAN countries (Malaysia and Thailand) need as many friends as they can get. There is no better time than now to show them friendship and support. Thailand is recovering from a three-month political crisis. It’s not yet over but common sense has prevailed and a […]
more…25 Mar, 2014
Chinese become world’s top tipplers of red wine
LONDON, (Agencies) 2014-01-29 – China has overtaken France and Italy to become the world’s number one consumer of red wine, although the United States remains the world’s biggest tippler of all types of wines, the wine and spirits trade association VINEXPO said on Tuesday. China drank 1.865 billion bottles of red wine last year, or […]
more…25 Mar, 2014
China identifies six major uncertainties facing global economy
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online) March 24, 2014 – The global economy in 2014 is fraught with six major uncertainties, said Zhu Guangyao, Vice Minister of Finance, when delivering a speech at the “2014 Global Economic Outlook” session of the “China Development Forum 2014” in Beijing, March 22, 2014. These six uncertainties are : The Fed’s […]
more…25 Mar, 2014
China’s top universities to enroll more rural students
BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) — China is eyeing a 10-percent increase in the number of students from impoverished rural areas attending the country’s top universities this year, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Monday. The MOE said the growth will be realized through expanding three existing programs. Under the […]
more…24 Mar, 2014
Chinese doctors list the top 10 professions with worst sleep quality
Beijing, 2014-03-21 (chinadaily.com.cn) – Everyone wants good quality sleep. However, some find it difficult to give their body clock a proper rest due to the nature of their occupation. Chinese Medical Doctor Association, which launched the 2014 China Sleep Quality Index research report on March 16, shows that, in general, the sleep quality of Chinese […]
more…24 Mar, 2014
Agoda.com Survey Reveals Things Travellers Can’t Live Without
Singapore (PRWEB) March 24, 2014 – Agoda.com, one of Asia’s leading hotel booking sites and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq:PCLN), has announced the results of their latest global survey, which reveals that Asian don’t want to forget their mobile phones on vacation while Westerners don’t want to forget their credit cards. The survey, conducted […]
more…22 Mar, 2014
Obama launches online poll to gauge public concerns on privacy vs big data
For the first time, the Obama administration has launched online opinion poll to gather public views on the “complicated issue” of balancing privacy, security and trust. The simple five-question survey first probes the level of trust respondents have in those who maintain “big data” records and queries their level of concern about how that data […]
more…21 Mar, 2014
UK’s new immigration policy signals welcome for Mandarin-speaking teachers
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online) March 20, 2014 – UK’s immigration policy creates a new visa category for overseas language teachers aiming to share knowledge and awareness of foreign culture in the UK. The first of these schemes will support a Mandarin teaching scheme designed to foster good cultural relations between the UK and China. A […]
more…21 Mar, 2014
Lessons from the Ukraine crisis: How Many Wars Does the West Seek to Wage?
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online) March 19, 2014 – Ukraine has become the final battlefield in the “cold war”, and it is becoming a possibility that the crisis will trigger a second “cold war”. The Crimean parliament’s declaration of independence from Ukraine ahead of the March 16 referendum indicates that Crimea may go ahead and join […]
more…20 Mar, 2014
On Int’l Day Of Happiness, UN Urges Action To End Poverty, Build Harmony
United Nations, (UN News Centre), Mar 20 2014 – Marking the International Day of Happiness with calls to promote social inclusion and intercultural harmony, senior United Nations officials today urged the global community to make real the UN Charter’s pledge to end conflict and poverty and ensure the well-being of all. “Happiness is neither a […]
more…20 Mar, 2014
Australian Minister lists full range of measures to balance facilitation <> security interests
Full text of speech delivered at the Tourism and Transport Forum leadership summit in Canberra, 19 March 2014 I would like to acknowledge the presence of The Hon Bruce Baird AM, Chairman of TTF, Ken Morrison, CEO of TTF and Trent Zimmerman, Deputy CEO of TFF and thank them for their invitation to speak to […]
more…20 Mar, 2014
Political unrest causes Bt50 billion monthly damage to Thai economy
BANGKOK, March 19 (MCOT online news)– Thailand’s tourism sector has been hardest hit of all sectors by the political turmoil since November during which a monthly circulating fund of Bt40-50 billion has vanished, according to the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Mr Issara Wongkusolkit, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade […]
more…19 Mar, 2014
Emerging New World Order: UK students to get Chinese math teachers
SHANGHAI, March 18 -(Xinhua) – Shanghai’s education authority has begun drafting a program to recruit math teachers from the city’s schools to teach in the UK at the invitation of the UK Department of Education, according to sources with the city’s education committee on Tuesday. The invitation came earlier this month after British parliamentary under-secretary […]
more…19 Mar, 2014
As confidence in Thai tourism resumes, major hotel conf returns to Bangkok
BANGKOK – A major hotel industry conference in Bangkok that came dangerously close to being moved to Phuket has now been reconfirmed for the Thai capital following the return to normalcy and the scaling down of anti-government protests. The move will further boost confidence for the MICE sector, which was one of the worst hit […]
more…18 Mar, 2014
A Global First: A database that visualises planetary land cover
17 March 2014, Rome (FAO Media release) – A new FAO database released today collects previously scattered and unharmonized land cover information from around the globe into one centralized database, marking a major improvement in information regarding the physical characteristics of the Earth’s surface. Up to now, one of the major challenges to getting a […]
more…18 Mar, 2014
As massive travel shift looms, Asia, Africa, Latin America set to gain big-time from Ukraine crisis
The geopolitical confrontation between Russia and the United States / Europe over Ukraine is almost certain to generate a significant boost for Latin America, Asia and Africa as both European and Russian travellers shift towards destinations where they may feel more welcome. Good geopolitical relations between countries are the bedrock of travel & tourism flows, […]
more…16 Mar, 2014
Gallup Polls: In U.S., Most Do Not See Global Warming as Serious Threat
PRINCETON, NJ — March 13, 2014 — Gallup Polls — The majority of Americans continue to believe that the effects of global warming are happening or will begin to happen during their lifetimes. At the same time, many fewer, currently 36%, believe global warming will pose a serious threat to their way of life during their […]
more…16 Mar, 2014
FAO survey detects steady rise in low levels of GM crops in traded food and feed
13 March 2014, Rome (FAO media release) – The increased production of genetically modified crops around the globe has led to a higher number of incidents of low levels of GMOs being detected in traded food and feed, FAO said today. The incidents have led to trade disruptions between countries with shipments of grain, cereal […]
more…12 Mar, 2014
Watch Livestream: “Christ at the Checkpoint” Conference in Bethlehem
BETHLEHEM, Palestine, Christian Newswire/ — The Bethlehem Bible College is currently holding the third Christ at the Checkpoint (CATC) conference, in Bethlehem from March 10-14, 2014. The conference theme, “Christ at the Checkpoint III: Your Kingdom Come,” draws from the Lord’s Prayer to ask how Jesus Christ would approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict today. According to […]
more…12 Mar, 2014
Healthcare providers see risks and opportunities in speed of technology change
LONDON-March 11, 2014-(BUSINESS WIRE)–European healthcare executives (51 per cent) predict that over the next three years technology platforms will have the biggest impact on their business models, however they are wary that in driving rapid change the biggest areas at risk are 1) technology itself and crucially 2) R&D. The majority (71 per cent) believe […]
more…12 Mar, 2014
FREE Download: ASTA reports strong growth in profitable travel agencies
Alexandria, VA, March 11, 2014 (ASTA news release) – The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) released its 2014 ASTA Agency Profile, which revealed that two-thirds of ASTA member agencies reported a profitable year in 2013, which is a ten percentage point increase over 2011 and 2012. In addition, agencies reporting that they just “broke […]
more…12 Mar, 2014
Report discloses attempts to cheat, defraud Asian Development Bank
Manila, 11 March 2014 – Submission of fraudulent documents, recommending spouses to work as consultants, misrepresenting work experience and accepting kickbacks from suppliers were among some of the 250 cases related to internal fraud and corruption reported to the Asian Development Bank in 2013. Other cases identified in the ADB’s Annual Report of the Office […]
more…11 Mar, 2014
Four in 10 wealthy Americans “don’t feel good about the money they have to spend”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 7 2014) Gallup Polls — While Americans’ average daily self-reported spending increased in 2013, many Americans nonetheless expressed anxiety about how much money they had to spend. Less than half (45%) said they felt “pretty good” about it. Lower-income Americans were least likely to feel good about their amount of disposable income, […]
more…11 Mar, 2014
Following NACTA Survey, Travel Agents to be rebranded as Travel Consultants
March 10, 2014, Alexandria, Va. (NACTA media release) – The National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA) reports that Travel Agents prefer to be called Travel Consultants through a recent member survey and the results are consistent with their parent company ASTAs findings. NACTA research conducted December 2013- January 2014 indicates nearly half of the […]
more…11 Mar, 2014
Growing economies, populations will strain Asia-Pacific food resources, FAO report warns
10 March 2014, Ulaanbaatar (FAO media release) – Governments in Asia and the Pacific should take some major, fundamental decisions – and soon – about ways to increase their food production and address undernourishment, FAO has warned. The warning comes as nearly 40 FAO member countries gathered in the Mongolian capital for the 32nd FAO […]
more…9 Mar, 2014
White House plans US$1 billion in new aviation taxes in FY 2015 budget
WASHINGTON-March 05, 2014-(BUSINESS WIRE)–Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today opposed the FY2015 White House budget proposal, which calls for an additional $4.2 billion in new and higher taxes on airlines and their customers, calling it an unprecedented cash grab that will hurt jobs, service to small communities […]
more…9 Mar, 2014
China Exclusive: Wheels in motion for new US$50 billion Asian investment bank
BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) — China has begun the practical work to establish an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) that would offer financial support to boost regional infrastructure, said China’s Finance Minister on Friday. “China has just established the Working Group for the AIIB preparation in a bid to accelerate the process,” said Lou Jiwei […]
more…9 Mar, 2014
What Everyone Should Know About U.S. Mass Surveillance – By Edward Snowden
07 March, 2014 CommonDreams.org — What follows is a statement addressed to an investigative panel of the European Parliament looking into the nature and scope of U.S. surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency and its partner agencies in Europe. Subsequent to the statement are specific answers to written questions posed by the panel to […]
more…8 Mar, 2014
Global Trade Union group urges higher safety levels for women at work
In a statement marking International Women’s Day 2014, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called for stronger legal measures to end to gender-based violence and sexual harassment at work. With women comprising a significant part of the labour force in travel & tourism, the statement has major relevance to this industry which, unfortunately, has […]
more…8 Mar, 2014
Record Number Of Women Winning Seats In World Parliaments, IPU reports
Mar 7 2014, United Nations, (UN News Centre) – When the United Kingdom’s former Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe, was visiting Pakistan during Benazir Bhutto’s term as Prime Minister, his wife asked a little boy what he would like to be when he grew up. “A truck driver, maybe,” mused the child. Surprised at his […]
more…7 Mar, 2014
OECD survey charts how women spend their time
Paris (OECD News release) New OECD data comparing how people use their time highlights striking differences between countries and particularly between men and women. Women are slowly closing the gap with men as more have careers. But there is still a huge gender gap in unpaid work, clearly showing that men are still struggling to […]
more…7 Mar, 2014
Nielsen Research: Rising Women’s Income Changing Balance of Power in Purchasing Decisions
New York, 03.March.2014 (Nielsen Research Report) – There’s something interesting happening with men and women and shopping. Women’s incomes are rising around the world, making them a force to be reckoned with. And they’re using their newfound clout to influence purchasing decisions in categories once dominated by men. So is the gender influence scale tipping […]
more…6 Mar, 2014
New Zealand Top, India at the Bottom of MasterCard Index of Women’s Advancement in Asia Pacific
Singapore, 6 March 2014 (MasterCard Media release) – Women in Asia Pacific’s emerging markets tend to have more positive views of their own well-being when compared to their developed counterparts, according to the inaugural MasterCard Index of Well-Being being launched today. The Index, based on a survey of 16 Asia Pacific markets, aims to measure […]
more…6 Mar, 2014
Thai Airways slashes outbound fares, as price-led recovery strategy sets in across “Travel Trinity”
Bangkok – Thai Airways International (THAI) is offering special “EARLY BIRD” promotion for customers to take advantage of roundtrip international fares on THAI and THAI Smile flights in Economy Class. The move indicates the start of a price-led strategy to get the outbound market moving following the winding down of the “Bangkok Shutdown” political protest. […]
more…6 Mar, 2014
U.S. Supreme Court extends whistleblower protection to private contractors
JURIST, University of Pittsburgh Law School, 04 March 2014 – The US Supreme Court has ruled [Download the full text of the opinion here] Tuesday in Lawson v. FMR LLC that the whistleblower provision 18 USC § 1514A [Cornell LII backgrounder] of the Sarbones Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) protects employees of private contractors and […]
more…6 Mar, 2014
Europe sets new standards to monitor bankers’ pay and risk profiles
Brussels, 4 March 2014, European Commission Press release – The European Commission has today adopted Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) on criteria to identify categories of staff whose professional activities have a material impact on an institution’s risk profile (so-called ‘material risk takers’). These standards identify risk takers in banks and investment firms. This matters because […]
more…6 Mar, 2014
First EU survey shows shocking level of violence, harassment directed at women
Vienna / Brussels, 05/03/2014 – A new report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) presents results from the world’s biggest-ever survey on violence against women, revealing the extent of abuse suffered by women at home, work, in public and online. As well as demonstrating the wide prevalence of violence against adult women, […]
more…5 Mar, 2014
Transition: Ram Kohli, the man who shook up PATA
Mr Ram Kohli, Chairman & Founder of Creative Travel India, passed away in the early hours of March 4, after suffering two major cardiac arrests from non-related procedures at a hospital. He is to be cremated on Wednesday March 5. In a message to their friends and colleagues worldwide, his sons Rajeev and Rohit said: […]
more…5 Mar, 2014
Malaysia Looking At Singapore’s Model To Promote National Unity, Religious Harmony
SINGAPORE, March 4 (NNN-Bernama) — Minister in the Malaysia’s Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Kurup says Malaysia is looking at Singapore’s model to further promote national unity and religious harmony among its citizens. “Overall, our national unity and religious harmony is quite good. Every religious festivity such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Christmas, Pesta Keamatan […]
more…5 Mar, 2014
New rules to make Chinese low-cost airlines more competitive
Beijing, (China Daily) 2014-03-03 – Guidelines to enhance the development of low-cost airlines have been unveiled, in a move expected to provide a boost to the nation’s aviation sector. The guidelines will adjust the cap on budget airline fleets, encourage more rapid expansion and make it easier to set up low-cost carriers, the Civil Aviation […]
more…4 Mar, 2014
Unity Amidst Volatility: Thais-Help-Thais in full swing at “Thai Tour Thai” Travel Fair
BANGKOK – Domestic travel is expected to be a major beneficiary of the Thai political unrest, especially during the upcoming school holiday months of April-May. More than 900 companies from all around the country exhibited at the “Thai Thiew Thai” (Thai Tour Thai) travel fair organised between Feb 27 – Mar 2 at the Queen […]
more…3 Mar, 2014
25 years after fall of the Wall, ITB Berlin fails to heed the lessons of history
This year marks 25 years since the fall of the Berlin wall, one of the most historic events in world history and a major conduit for the travel & tourism boom that followed. The anniversary would have been a great occasion to take stock of how the stupendous changes in global history have impacted on […]
more…2 Mar, 2014
Multi-billion dollar corruption threat looms over climate change funds, Transparency International warns
28 February 2014, Transparency International Secretariat – Funds set up to manage the global response to climate change must act now to prevent the abuse of power, bribery and secret deals from disrupting the flow of billions of dollars set aside to address the issue, global anti-corruption coalition Transparency International warned today. Climate change will […]
more…2 Mar, 2014
In Pictures: The Great Bangkok Bounceback Begins
BANGKOK – Six weeks of anti-government protests that severely crippled businesses in the central business district have now come to an end. All the protest stages erected at three major inner-city intersections have been dismantled, allowing normal traffic flow to resume and all the offices, shopping complexes, department stores, hotels and dozens of small and […]
more…26 Feb, 2014
Jan 2014 Airport Stats Released: LCCs, Phuket Prove Saviours for Thai Aviation Sector
BANGKOK – International passenger movements at Bangkok’s secondary airport at Don Muang as well as at Phuket airport reported increases in January 2014 over January 2013, helping to offset a 4.3% decline in international passenger movements at Thailand’s main gateway airport, Suvarnabhumi. Don Muang now serves Air Asia, Thai Air Asia, Nok Air and a […]
more…26 Feb, 2014
Crisis-hit Thai tour & travel agents told to upgrade in preparation for upturn
Bangkok – Thailand’s inbound tour operators have been urged to upgrade their own products and services and update themselves with improvements in other Thai travel products and services in preparation for a post-political crisis business upturn. Committee members of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) told the wider membership at that monthly February meeting, […]
more…25 Feb, 2014
Job vacancy trends reveal growing North-South divide in EU labour market
Brussels, 24 February 2014, European Commission Press release – Vacancy trends in the European labour market indicate a widening gap in job opportunities between Northern and Southern countries. The latest issue of the European Vacancy Monitor (EVM) reveals a shortage of labour supply in countries such as Austria, Denmark Sweden, Estonia and Latvia, while competition […]
more…25 Feb, 2014
Amazing search engine graphics chart Chinese Spring Festival migrant movements
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online) February 20, 2014 – On January 26, 2014, search engine giant Baidu launched “Baidu Migration”, an online map tracking the movement of Chinese people migrating to other parts of the country for the Spring Festival. This map uses location-based technology to track its 200 million registered users. The data is gathered […]
more…24 Feb, 2014
China plans tax refunds to lure overseas tourists
Beijjing, (China Daily) 2014-02-22 – Overseas tourists may be able to claim tax refunds at shopping malls in Beijing as the city strives to boost inbound tourism. Local authorities are working on a plan, according to the Beijing Tourism Development Commission. Zhou Zhengyu, head of the commission, said at a news conference on Friday that […]
more…24 Feb, 2014
FREE Download Exec Summary: German Convention Board Study of MICE industry megatrends to 2030
Frankfurt, 24 Feb 2014 – GCB media release – The German Convention Bureau has released the findings from “Meetings and Conventions 2030: A study of megatrends shaping our industry.” According to Matthias Schultze, Managing Director of the German Convention Bureau: “The meetings industry is an economic driver for nations all over the world. As an […]
more…24 Feb, 2014
Report: 50 soccer fields of forest lost every minute of every day for 12 years
WASHINGTON, February 20, 2014—The World Resources Institute (WRI), Google, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and a group of more than 40 partners on Thursday launched the Global Forest Watch (GFW), a dynamic online forest monitoring and alert system that empowers people everywhere to better manage forests. For the first time, Global Forest Watch unites […]
more…22 Feb, 2014
Bhutanese Prince to Thailand: Some Gross National Happiness May Help
BANGKOK – Bhutan’s Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck has indicated his support for a suggestion that Thailand may find it useful to apply the principles of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) national development philosophy as a way out of its present political impasse. The Prince was addressing a media gathering at an event marking the 25th […]
more…22 Feb, 2014
Small-scale fish farmers not benefitting from big-scale fish profits, UN reports
21 February 2014, Bergen/Rome (Food and Agriculture Organisation media release) – The booming world fish trade is generating more wealth than ever before, but countries must help small-scale fishers and fish farmers benefit too, FAO said today. Global fishery production from wild capture fisheries and aquaculture is expected to set a new record in 2013 […]
more…21 Feb, 2014
European Data Protection Chief: Enforcing EU law essential for rebuilding trust with US
Brussels, 21 February 2014, EDPS Press release -The strict enforcement of existing European data protection laws is an essential element for restoring trust between the EU and the USA said the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) today. Peter Hustinx, EDPS, said: “The rights of EU citizens to the protection of their privacy and personal information […]
more…20 Feb, 2014
Visa-free Japan dominates Thailand Travel Fair 2014
BANGKOK- A strong 64-company Japanese presence at this year’s Thailand International Travel Fair has provided ample proof that ease of access is the primary driver of travel & tourism. Japan waived visa requirements for Thai visitors last year, triggering a 74% surge in Thai arrivals to 450,000 in 2013, according to Kazuhiro Ito, Executive Director […]
more…20 Feb, 2014
Economic impact of political unrest: Thai Airways passengers down 9% in Jan
Bangkok – In another strong indicator of the economic impact of the ongoing Thai political unrest, Thai Airways international has reported a 9.4% decline in total passengers carried in January 2014 over January 2013. The figures, released today, tallied almost entirely with the total visitor arrivals reported earlier this week by the Ministry of Tourism […]
more…20 Feb, 2014
Idyllic tourism islands facing backlash for aiding corporate secrecy, corruption, money-laundering
19 February 2014, (Transparency International media release ) – Have you ever wondered why the Cayman Islands has more registered companies, 93,000, than people, 54,000? It might be because it can take as little as 24 hours to set up a company and you don’t even have to tell anyone outside the government who the […]
more…20 Feb, 2014
Snowden Documents Reveal Surveillance, Pressure Tactics Aimed at WikiLeaks and Supporters – The Intercept
Top-secret documents from the National Security Agency and its British counterpart reveal for the first time how the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom targeted WikiLeaks and other activist groups with tactics ranging from covert surveillance to prosecution. The efforts – detailed in documents provided previously by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden – […]
more…19 Feb, 2014
Sydney Airport 20-year Master Plan Approved
Canberra, Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Media Release, 18 February 2014 – Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss announced that he has approved Sydney Airport’s 2014 Master Plan. Sydney Airport submitted the plan to the Deputy Prime Minister in December 2013. Mr Truss said the Master Plan […]
more…19 Feb, 2014
Pulitzer-winning NYT journalist to speak on how the “American Dream” is unravelling
Atlanta, Georgia (PRWEB) February 18, 2014 – Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author Hedrick Smith will visit Georgia State University on Wednesday, March 12 to discuss how America has moved from an era of middle class prosperity and power to an unequal economy that is unraveling the “American Dream” for millions of middle-class families. […]
more…18 Feb, 2014
Unemployment Rises to Top Problem in the U.S. – Gallup Polls
WASHINGTON, D.C. February 17, 2014 (Gallup Polls) — Americans have a new No. 1 problem. Nearly one in four Americans mention jobs and unemployment as the most important problem facing the country, up from 16% in January. The government and politicians had topped the list since the government shutdown in October. Prior to last fall, […]
more…17 Feb, 2014
January 2014 Thai tourism stats show impact of political unrest
BANGKOK – Visitor arrival figures for January 2014 released earlier today confirm the extent of the damage being caused by the ongoing political unrest in Thailand. The total arrivals of 2,319,821 were virtually the same as 2,318,447 in January 2013, meaning that a growth level of probably more than 20% that may otherwise have materialised […]
more…17 Feb, 2014
Chinese left stranded as Canada scraps investor visa program
BEIJING, Feb. 16 (Xinhuanet) — Uncertainty looms for thousands of mainland Chinese as Canada has scrapped its decades long investor visa program. Many say they had been hoping to school their young children in Canada but are now being forced to make new plans. An Li and her family had been waiting for five years […]
more…17 Feb, 2014
EU report projects nearly 5 million jobs in €63 billion app sector by 2018
Brussels, 13 February 2014, European Commission Press release – The EU’s app sector has gone from zero to digital superhero in less than five years. By 2018 it could employ 4.8 million people and contribute €63 billion to the EU economy according to a report presented in Brussels today. The study, carried out by GIGAOM […]
more…17 Feb, 2014
TAT to maintain arrivals and revenue targets, revise strategic plan
Bangkok, (Royal Thai Government official media release) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will not adjust projected figures and revenue target for 2014, but instead revise its strategic plan. It is expected that tourists will gain back their confidence during the third and fourth quarters, particularly those from China, Japan, and Russia. On February […]
more…17 Feb, 2014
Thai police told to retake Bangkok protest sites this week
BANGKOK, Feb 16 (MCOT Online News) – Thailand’s police have been instructed to reclaim the five major capital protest sites occupied by protesters of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) and its allies this week. Caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, as director of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO),said Sunday on live television that he had ordered […]
more…16 Feb, 2014
China mulls rules to regulate Internet finance
BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) — China’s securities regulator said on Friday that it would work with other agencies to issue a set of rules to govern the burgeoning Internet finance industry. Despite being “generally supportive” of Internet finance, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said the nascent sector still needs proper regulation and guidance. “Internet […]
more…14 Feb, 2014
As trust fades, Europe proposes “more transparent, accountable, inclusive” Internet governance
Brussels, 12 February 2014, European Commission Press release – In the wake of large-scale Internet surveillance and reduced trust in the internet, the European Commission today proposes a key reform to the way the Internet is managed and run. The proposal calls for more transparent, accountable and inclusive governance. Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes said: “The […]
more…14 Feb, 2014
Malaysia, Indonesia Team Up for First Joint Seminar on Islamic Tourism
Malaysia and Indonesia are to hold the first joint seminar on promoting Islamic tourism, one of the most promising future trends in travel, especially within the Asia-Pacific region. To be held 17-18 February in Kuala Lumpur, the seminar is the result of cooperation between the Islamic Tourism Centre (Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia), Ministry […]
more…13 Feb, 2014
Pakistan to host ‘India Show’ in Lahore from February 14
NEW DELHI, TNN | Feb 12, 2014: Exploring ‘business’ route to improve relations between the two countries, Pakistan will host three-day ‘India Show’ in Lahore beginning February 14. It may just be a coincidence that this mega business show of ‘made-in-India’ goods in Pakistan will begin on the Valentine’s Day, but the occasion will indeed […]
more…13 Feb, 2014
FREE Download: Report shows social-economic gains from free movement of EU citizens
Brussels, 11 February 2014, European Commission Press release – EU citizens go to other EU countries mainly for job opportunities and are on average younger and more likely to be working. This is confirmed by a new, independent study on the impact of the right to move freely within the EU which was published today. […]
more…13 Feb, 2014
S.African Parliamentary Committee Adopts Boycott Of Israel Resolution
Feb 10, 2014 (BDS South Africa media release) – The Palestine solidarity human rights organization, BDS South Africa, welcomes the resolutions and recommendations of South Africa’s Parliamentary Portfolio Committee’s recent conference in support of the people of Palestine, Cuba and Western Sahara. BDS South Africa particularly welcomes the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee’s conference resolution in support […]
more…13 Feb, 2014
Maori Tourism CEO clears the air over suspended PATA Indigenous Tourism Conf
BANGKOK – The chief executive of New Zealand Maori Tourism has stepped in to dispel speculation about the reasons for the abrupt suspension of an April conference on Indigenous Tourism that was scheduled to be held in Rotorua in cooperation with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). In a statement emailed to this editor, Mrs […]
more…12 Feb, 2014
Palestine Plans Airport in West Bank, Seaport and Railway in Gaza
BETHLEHEM, Feb 11 (NNN-Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority Ministry of Transport has been working with Egypt to prepare plans for an airport in the occupied West Bank and a seaport and railway line in the Gaza Strip, a minister said. Nabil Dmeidi, minister of transport and chairman of Palestinian Airlines, told Ma’an that the transport […]
more…12 Feb, 2014
UN meeting to forge new quality standards for booming spice and herb sector
11 February 2014, Kochi, India/Rome (Food & Agriculture Organisation media release) – An international effort has been launched to develop quality standards for key products of the multi-billion dollar spice and herb trade. The sector has been enjoying rapid growth for several decades on the back of burgeoning demand from the booming economies of Asia […]
more…12 Feb, 2014
Airports join push for liberalised EU-ASEAN aviation pact
February 12, 2014, Hong Kong, (Airports Council International media release) – As the 1st EU-ASEAN Aviation Summit kicked off yesterday in Singapore, airports on both sides were quick to herald the benefits of opening aviation markets between Europe and ASEAN countries. The airport trade bodies, ACI Asia-Pacific and ACI Europe expressed strong hopes that the […]
more…12 Feb, 2014
FREE Download: Six-language Guidelines to Protect Children from On-line Predators
Geneva, 11 February 2014 (International Telecommunications Union media release) – The ITU is joining with other UN agencies, NGOs, governments and tech companies around the world today to celebrate Safer Internet Day, with a special focus on education strategies to promote greater online safety for children and young people. Under the theme “Creating a better […]
more…11 Feb, 2014
Full Backgrounder: Why Europe is seeking an Open Skies Pact with ASEAN?
Brussels, 10 February 2014, European Commission Memo on the EU–ASEAN1 Aviation Summit – Towards stronger relations in aviation Frequently asked questions EU-ASEAN in figures The EU traded with ASEAN more than €206 billion in goods and services in 2011 ASEAN is the EU’s 3rd largest trading partner outside Europe. The EU is ASEAN’s 2nd largest […]
more…11 Feb, 2014
Australian research to identify how growing number of retirees spend their money
Melbourne, 10 February 2014 – Researchers from CSIRO and Monash University in Melbourne are putting the spending habits of retirees under the microscope in an effort to understand the finer details behind how they use and manage their superannuation funds in retirement. “We’re looking to understand what retirees need, how long their super lasts and […]
more…11 Feb, 2014
Volunteer tourism study: “High price no indicator of responsibility levels”
London, (Tourism Concern media release) Feb 10, 2014 – Volunteer tourism organisations that offer the most expensive products are likely to be the least responsible, research from Leeds Metropolitan University has revealed. The study, published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, led by Victoria Smith and Dr Xavier Font, suggests that price and responsibility display […]
more…11 Feb, 2014
UK faces high costs of mental-ill health, says OECD
Paris, (OECD media release) – 10/02/2014 – Mental health issues cost the UK around GBP 70 billion every year, or roughly 4.5% of GDP, in lost productivity at work, benefit payments and health care expenditure. Better policies and practices by employers and the health system are needed to help people deal with mental health issues […]
more…11 Feb, 2014
Goo Study: Most U.S. Consumers Ignore Online Ads
STOCKHOLM-February 11, 2014-(BUSINESS WIRE)–Goo Technologies, a provider of HTML5 high-end graphics for games and interactive visualizations on the web and the company behind the Goo Create® cloud platform, today announced the results of the first annual Goo Online Advertising Survey of over 2,000 Americans aged 18 and older, conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf […]
more…9 Feb, 2014
ASEAN-EU Aviation Summit to explore “Open Skies” Pact
Singapore, 10 February 2014, European Commission Press release – The EU-ASEAN Aviation Summit, jointly organised by the European Commission and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), will take place in Singapore on 11-12 February 2014. The Summit’s objective is to enhance political, technical and industrial co-operation between ASEAN and the EU in the aviation […]
more…8 Feb, 2014
Chinese Spring Festival holidays boost tourism revenues, and pollution
BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) — Tourism revenue in China rose 16.4 percent year on year during the week-long Spring Festival holiday, the National Tourism Administration said on Friday. Tourism revenue reached 126.4 billion yuan (20.69 billion U.S. dollars) during the holiday, which began last Friday, according to a statement released by the administration. The Spring […]
more…8 Feb, 2014
Philippines launches “Thank You” ad campaign for aiding typhoon recovery
MANILA, Philippines–(BUSINESS WIRE)–On 8 February 2014 at 4:40am Manila time, exactly three months after Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, the country will launch a global campaign expressing its gratitude to the world, having received an outpouring of support following the devastating effects of the typhoon. Triggered by an overwhelming sense of appreciation, which has been […]
more…7 Feb, 2014
Sri Lanka Hits Back at GloboCop, Denies Visa To Senior U.S. Official
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Feb 4 (NNN-BERNAMA) — The Sri Lankan government has refused to issue a visa to U.S. ambassador at Large for Women’s Issues, Catherine Russell, forcing her to cancel a high-level visit scheduled for Feb 10-11. “It is regrettable that the Sri Lankan government has refused to grant a visa to ambassador Catherine […]
more…7 Feb, 2014
Lufthansa eying renewed business in Iran
Feb 6, 2014 (PressTV) – Germany’s main carrier Lufthansa is weighing up the potential of further sanctions relief against Iran with a view to resuming work in Iran, a senior Lufthansa official says. “Iran is going to be an interesting development for us,” Carsten Schaeffer, Lufthansa’s vice-president for sales and services, was quoted as saying […]
more…7 Feb, 2014
Australian funds new projects to protect Indigenous languages
Canberra, 6 February 2014 – Minister for the Arts, Senator George Brandis QC, and Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Nigel Scullion today announced the recipients of $2.6 million in funding for new language preservation projects. “The Australian Government is committed to helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples keep their languages alive,” Senator Brandis said. […]
more…7 Feb, 2014
ESCAP gets German funds to boost early warning for natural disasters
Bangkok 7 February 2014, (ESCAP News) – Early warning systems for natural disasters in the Indian Ocean and southeast Asian countries were today strengthened by a 500,000 Euro contribution from the German Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ) through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) and a new agreement with the United […]
more…6 Feb, 2014
FREE Download: Horwath Report Sees Myanmar Hotel Sector As “Most Profitable”
Bangkok, 05 February 2014 – Myanmar is likely to grow faster than other emerging market within Asia, and the hospitality sector is likely to be one of the most profitable sectors, according to the Hotel Yearbook 2014: Asia-Pacific, released by the hotel consultancy group Horwath HTL. James Chappell, Global Business Director at Horwath HTL, said: […]
more…4 Feb, 2014
SME Hotel Investment Seminar In Myanmar, 22-23 March
Yangon, 4 February 2014 (Thai Hotel and Hospitality Management Association media release) – In 2013, the number of tourists visiting Myanmar surged over 2.0 million compared to 1.0 million in 2012 indicating a significant double increase from last year. Ministry of Hotel and Tourism of Myanmar forecasted that in 2014 the number of international tourists […]
more…4 Feb, 2014
Int’l Road Transport Union joins with UN to fight corruption, extortion on global highways
New York, 4 February 2014 – The International Road Transport Union (IRU) and UN Global Compact officially launched the Global Anti-Corruption Initiative today to combine efforts in fighting extortion and corruption along major road transport corridors and secure the sustainable development of global supply chains to the benefit of economies worldwide. Currently, transport operators suffer from […]
more…4 Feb, 2014
Exclusive: How the Philippines peace pact will boost tourism, and vice versa
Editor’s Note: Last week, after the signing of the peace agreement between the Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, I asked Department of Tourism Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz to comment on the implications for tourism and the global peace movement. He sent me the following response: The signing of the peace agreement between the […]
more…2 Feb, 2014
Bangkok on Election Day: Exclusive Images You Will NOT See on Either BBC or CNN
One hour after polls closed on Bangkok election day, I hopped on my motorcycle and took off to see what was going on around town. What I saw did not surprise me in the least because I’ve seen it before. But it may surprise many readers because it is so completely contradictory to what they […]
more…2 Feb, 2014
Four important ways Chinese spend money during the Spring Festival
Beijing (People’s Daily Online) January 30, 2014 – The following four ways Chinese spend their money during this year’s Spring Festival offer unique insights into Chinese culture, as well as pointers for the travel & tourism industry on how to attract Chinese visitors. New Year’s Eve dinner New Year’s Eve dinner, also called family reunion […]
more…2 Feb, 2014
2013 Safest Year on Record for Scheduled International Aviation
MONTRÉAL, 17 January 2014 (ICAO media release) – Preliminary data released by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has confirmed that 2013 was the safest year ever recorded in terms of fatalities for scheduled international air transport operations. Although the number of fatal accidents involving scheduled commercial operations remained steady at nine during 2013, fatalities […]
more…2 Feb, 2014
Asia’s First Under-One-Roof Nutritional Research Centre Set Up in Singapore
Singapore, Jan 29, 2014 – (ACN Newswire) – The Clinical Nutrition Research Centre (CNRC) – a $20 million joint-venture by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and National University Health Systems (NUHS) – is the most comprehensive centre in Asia that will conduct nutritional studies to understand the causes of metabolic diseases such […]
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