22 Apr, 2012
U.S. Strategy Shift Boosts Visa Issuance For Chinese
Washington (China Daily) 20 April 2012 – The United States, hoping to rev up its economy through greater travel from China, is on the way to meeting President Barack Obama’s 2012 goal of a 40 percent boost in the processing of visas from the country. US consular officials in China issued more than 453,000 visas […]
more…21 Apr, 2012
Stark Reminder of the REAL Global Challenges on Int’l Mother Earth Day
Apr 20 2012, UN News Centre – Ahead of International Mother Earth Day on Sunday, senior United Nations officials today drew attention to global issues affecting the planet. In a message to mark the occasion, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the annual observance honours “our one and only planet and the place of human beings in […]
more…21 Apr, 2012
UN Urges Countries to Spend Less On Swords, More on Ploughshares
Apr 17 2012 (UN News Centre) – The top United Nations official on disarmament affairs today encouraged world leaders to reassess their countries’ defence needs, explore confidence-building measures for global security, and consider shifting priorities and resources to international social, economic and human development. In her message to mark the Global Day of Action on […]
more…20 Apr, 2012
Decade of Action To Cut 1.3 Million Annual Road Deaths, Millions Of Injuries
UN Headquarters, 19 April 2012, Department of Public Information – Recognizing the global public health and development burden resulting from road traffic crashes, the General Assembly today adopted a consensus resolution welcoming the national and local launches of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 in over 100 countries, the regional launches, and other global […]
more…20 Apr, 2012
First Database Released On National Responses To Global Economic Crisis
Geneva, 20 April 2012, (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Bank (WB) have created a comprehensive new database that for the first time lists and examines the policy responses taken by 77 countries since the start of the financial and economic crisis. The information contained in the database was collected […]
more…20 Apr, 2012
UNCTAD Roundtable Addresses Impact of Israeli Occupation on Palestinians
Doha, Qatar, 19 April 2012 (UNCTAD Press Release) – Participants in a round table debate here recommended greater links between the Palestinian economy and Arab countries and steps to reduce the impact of the measures imposed by the occupation and the forced Palestinian dependence on the Israeli economy. They also said greater “policy space” for […]
more…20 Apr, 2012
Developing Countries Seek New Economic Deal, Spurn “Free Market” Neoliberalism
Doha, Qatar, 19 April 2012 (UNCTAD Press Release) – Ministers of the world’s 48 least developed countries (LDCs), meeting here in advance of the UNCTAD XIII quadrennial conference, adopted a declaration reaffirming the LDCs’ support for the concept – long advocated by UNCTAD – of the “developmental State.” The document also called for strengthening of […]
more…17 Apr, 2012
Welcome to Palestine Campaign: Airlines Help Israel Block Visits by Peace Activists
Bethlehem, April 15 (Welcome to Palestine Campaign Press release) – We did not have to show our 1,500 visitors Israeli racism, arrogance, and human rights violations; the Israeli government showed them and also showed the whole world. Calling itself a democracy, this outlaw state denied the right of people from around the world to come […]
more…17 Apr, 2012
UNESCO: Timbuktu’s Cultural Heritage Set to be Looted, Trafficked
PARIS, (UN News Centre) April 16, 2012 – Reports that rebels have over-run and looted centres containing thousands of ancient books and documents in Mali’s historic city of Timbuktu has led the head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to appeal to all relevant authorities to be on the alert against […]
more…17 Apr, 2012
India: “Left-wing Extremism” Now the “Most Formidable” Internal Security Threat”
New Delhi, April 16, 2012 (Press Information Bureau) – Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram provided a comprehensive round-up of India’s internal security situation at a Conference of the State Chief Ministers on Internal Security in New Delhi on April 16. Mr Chidambaram said that “left-wing extremism” has now […]
more…15 Apr, 2012
“Welcome to Palestine” Campaign: Letter to Global Church Leaders & News Update
Bethlehem, 15 April 2012 – The following is the full text of a letter from Welcome to Palestine Campaign to Global Church Leaders in the spirit of the Kairos document (http://kairospalestine.ps/). As Palestinian Christians celebrate Easter, we Palestinians also welcome international visitors to Palestine as has always happened this season for hundreds of years. This […]
more…15 Apr, 2012
“Women in Travel” Forum in Bangkok to Highlight History, Leadership Roles
Bangkok – Web In Travel, a leading regional conference on travel distribution, marketing and technology, is hold its first WITX-Women In Travel on April 27 at the Dusit Thani hotel in Bangkok. The one-day conference aims to put the spotlight on women leadership and vision in travel and tourism and share insights into the women’s […]
more…14 Apr, 2012
Europe Probes Privacy, Competitive Threats As Mobile Technology Spreads
Brussels, 12 April 2012 (Europa Press Release) – The “Internet of Things” (IoT) is a future in which everyday objects such as phones, cars, household appliances, clothes and even food are wirelessly connected to the Internet through smart chips, and can collect and share data. The European Commission wants to know what framework is needed […]
more…14 Apr, 2012
“Welcome to Palestine” Campaign Gains Traction; Australia Blasts Settlement Expansion
JERUSALEM, April 12, 2012 (WAFA) – An Israeli peace group Thursday called on the Israeli government not to stop international activists who plan to fly into Tel Aviv airport next week to demonstrate their support for the Palestinians. Under the slogan, “Welcome to Palestine,” some 1000 activists are planning to fly into Israel starting Sunday […]
more…12 Apr, 2012
UN Debate on Food Price Spikes Exposes Commodity Market Manipulation, Control
UN Headquarters, 11 April 2012, UN Department of Public Information — With more than a billion hungry people around the world now facing increasingly unstable food prices, collective will was needed to end excessive market speculation in food and other commodities, experts emphasized today as the General Assembly took stock of the “human tragedy” disproportionately […]
more…12 Apr, 2012
“Welcome to Palestine” Campaigners Battle Israeli Lies, Pressure
Bethlehem, 11 April 2012 – The Welcome to Palestine 2012 campaign had a successful inaugural press conference in Bethlehem (with support from the Mayor and Governor) while the Israeli establishment continues to show hysterical reaction. Below is a youtube video taken at the conference and links to stories, some showing Israeli paranoia about allowing peaceful […]
more…11 Apr, 2012
Asian Development Bank Highlights Tourism’s Critical Role in Recovering, Diversifying Economies
BANGKOK / MANILA — Travel & tourism is playing an increasingly critical role in helping Asia-Pacific countries recover from a wide range of problems, ranging from economic downturns to geopolitical crises and natural disasters, according to an Asian Development Bank report issued today. The Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2012, the ADB’s flagship annual economic publication, […]
more…10 Apr, 2012
Poll Shows Majority in U.S. Has No Appetite for Iran Conflict
NEW YORK, April 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — As the United States has removed itself from one extended military conflict in the Middle East — in Iraq — another one possibly looms on the horizon, brought on by Iran’s suspected nuclear program and, among other things, Israel’s desire to abolish it. The U.S. has a tricky […]
more…10 Apr, 2012
Global Mayan Conference Gathers to Dispel Notion of 2012 “Apocalypse”
Yreka, California (PRWEB) April 09, 2012 — While Hollywood movie makers, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and various unauthorized ‘experts’ have shared opinions about what the end of the Mayan Calendar means, the Maya have remained very quiet about the astronomical event. That is, until now. On April 12-15, Mayan spiritual leaders, scientists and anthropologists will […]
more…9 Apr, 2012
Challenging the Israeli Siege: Easter and the “Welcome to Palestine” Campaign
Easter is here with its past memories, present joys, and future hopes. Church bells in Bethlehem remind us of ancient traditions. The roar of Israeli jets overhead (on another bombing mission to Gaza?) remind us of the present. Stories of freedom and resurrection, past and future, mix as I see a Palestinian Christian child offering […]
more…8 Apr, 2012
Will PATA Regain Its Past Glory?
BANGKOK: Twenty years ago, the Pacific Asia Travel Association, PATA, was the pre-eminent travel industry organisation of the Asia Pacific, recognised as its primary authority and “voice”. Its membership totalled a formidable 2,060 in 1994. Its annual conference was the place to be for marketing, networking, research and lobbying. Cities queued up to bid for […]
more…6 Apr, 2012
Arab Christians Denied Chance to Celebrate Good Friday
JERUSALEM, April 6, 2012 (WAFA) – While Christians from all over the world were able to attend the Good Friday celebrations in the Old City of Jerusalem, Palestinian Christians were denied this opportunity. Israel has imposed a total closure on the occupied territories preventing Christians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip the chance to […]
more…5 Apr, 2012
Watching the Watchers: Arab-Americans Resent Being Under the NY Police Microscope
Washington, DC, www.adc.org, March 30, 2012 — As part of the ongoing Arabesque Lecture Series, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) hosted an event titled NYPD: The Community under a Microscope. This was the sixth lecture in the 2011-2012 series. (The event was streamed live online via ADC-TV. Click here to watch a full recording of […]
more…5 Apr, 2012
Hotel Survey Results “Surprise”: Brands Less Important Than Claimed
Costa Mesa, California (Burba Hotel Network) April 5 2012 – The results are in for BHN’s first hotel opinion survey, covering the likes, dislikes and preferences of hotel insiders. More than 1,000 hotel insiders from around the world responded to the survey, and here are their opinions. Location, Location, Location What is the first consideration […]
more…5 Apr, 2012
Indian Hospitality Sector Needs 200,000 Trained People Yearly – Minister
New Delhi, Press Information Bureau, April 4, 2012 – With the Ministry of tourism targeting over 12 % growth rate in in-bound as well as domestic tourists, it has been projected that tourism sector will generate additional jobs of about 2.5 crore, both direct and indirect, during the 12th Five year Plan. This was stated […]
more…4 Apr, 2012
Blitz in Telecoms Usage Projected To Reduce Business, MICE Travel
Geneva, 2 April 2012 – Broadband can help transition the world towards a low carbon-economy and address the causes and effects of climate change, according to a new report by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development. The Broadband Bridge: Linking ICT with Climate Action makes a number of clear suggestions on how the growing power […]
more…4 Apr, 2012
India Okays 160 Tourism Projects During 2011-12, Boosts Highway Development
New Delhi, April 3, 2012 (Press Information Bureau) – According to the Annual Report of the Ministry of Tourism for the year 2011-12 released here today, the Ministry has approved 160 tourism projects for an amount of Rs. 710.02 crores for tourism infrastructure augmentation to States/Union Territories upto 31st December, 2011. The Ministry has given […]
more…3 Apr, 2012
American Way is The Wrong Way: World Happiness Report 2012
UN Headquarters, April 2 – Although it is the world’s pre-eminent economic superpower, the United States is also a key example of a country where material affluence has been accompanied by widening social and economic inequalities, high levels of uncertainties and anxieties, declining social trust and all-time low levels of confidence in government, according to […]
more…2 Apr, 2012
BRICS Summit Unites With A Clear Voice: No Attack on Iran
The travel & tourism industry has received a clear mandate to rally public opposition to a potential Israeli-U.S. attack on Iran. The Delhi Declaration, a joint communique issued on March 29 after a summit by the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) contains the unequivocal statement: “The situation concerning Iran cannot […]
more…2 Apr, 2012
China Plans New System to Facilitate Cross-border Yuan Use, Improve Trade
China’s central bank has decided to develop a new international payment system to facilitate cross-border renminbi clearance among market players, Financial News, a publication run by the People’s Bank of China, reported on Friday. The newspaper said the decision was made after technical feasibility studies with commercial lenders, citing an anonymous source in charge of […]
more…30 Mar, 2012
World Bank Anti-Corruption Study Urges Full Disclosure of Assets, Income by Public Officials
WASHINGTON, March 28, 2012 (World Bank Media release) — Disclosure by public officials of their income, assets and interests should be mandated if the fight against corruption is to succeed, according to a study released today by the Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative of the World Bank and the United Nations Office on Drugs and […]
more…29 Mar, 2012
Exercising the Universal Right to Visit Palestine, Minus an Israeli Visa
Palestine, a state recognised by the governments of 132 countries around the world, is the only sovereign state that needs a visa from another state in order to visit it. This travesty must end. When that happens, when the Israeli Occupation ends, then and only then can the peoples of the Middle East, and the […]
more…29 Mar, 2012
With U.S. Support, Israel All Set to Wipe Palestine Off the Map, UN Told
UN Headquarters, March 27, 2012 – Without serious, concrete intervention by year’s end to stop Israel’s policies and strategies to systematically and deliberately destroy the two-State solution, prospects for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians would be ruined, a top Palestinian peace negotiator today told the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights […]
more…28 Mar, 2012
Led by Asians, Global Rich Get Richer But Fear Income Inequality Backlash – Wealth Report
London, 28 March 2012 — Most of the world’s richest people became even more rich in 2011 and are optimistic about getting still richer in future. However, 91% of them see “global economic factors” as the biggest threat to future wealth creation, as against a fractional 6% who see “terrorism” as the biggest threat and […]
more…28 Mar, 2012
Rising Higher Studies Costs Will Widen Rich-Poor Social Chasm, ADB Warns
A new report by the Asian Development Bank has raised serious questions about the “massification” and privatisation of higher education in the Asia-Pacific, asserting that rising costs and higher fees will further favour the rich and exacerbate the region’s rich-poor income gap. That, in turn could lead to other downstream problems such as worsening social […]
more…27 Mar, 2012
Global Peace Groups Launch “Welcome to Palestine” Campaign
Join Land Day events around the world including the global march to Jerusalem (March 30th see http://www.gm2j.org), and then join us (or at least help) in the Welcome to Palestine Campaign *CALL FOR PARTICIPATION* Welcome to Palestine Campaign April 15th-21st, 2012 Palestinian civil society organizations and peace and human rights defenders and activists call on […]
more…26 Mar, 2012
India To Open 11 New Int’l Routes, Rejects Payment of EU Carbon Tax
India has formally served notice that it will not pay the EU carbon tax. The announcement to Parliament by the Indian Minister of Civil Aviation Ch Ajit Singh on March 22 was one of a series of moves by the Indian aviation industry to alleviate the plight of what is now being officially described as […]
more…25 Mar, 2012
Gallup Poll: Egyptians Sour on U.S., Eye Closer Ties to Turkey, Iran
LOS ANGELES, 23 March 2012 — The majority of Egyptians (56%) now see closer relations with the U.S. as a bad thing for their country, up sharply from 40% in December 2011. Slightly more than one-quarter (28%) say closer relations are a good thing, fewer than say the same thing about Turkey (60%) and Iran […]
more…24 Mar, 2012
Strong Youth Turnout as UN Debates Culture, Conflict and Cohesion
United Nations, March 22, 2012 (Department of Public Information) – Cultural diversity, freedom of thought and mutual understanding formed the bedrock on which the United Nations had been built, and returning to those principles was vital in a world increasingly characterized by extremism and an entrenched fear of the “other”, the General Assembly was told […]
more…24 Mar, 2012
Forbidden No More: Disabled Chinese Youth Transform Forbidden City into City for All
Beijing – A small group of disabled young people in China have made history by using social media to make parts of the ancient Forbidden City of Beijing accessible to people with disabilities for the first time. Congcong Guo is a member of Young Voices China, a global advocacy campaign hosted by Leonard Cheshire Disability: […]
more…23 Mar, 2012
New York City an “Epicenter of Systemic Racial Profiling” – South Asian Groups Report
New York, March 22, 2012 – The last ten years have been needlessly difficult for South Asians living in New York. South Asians, and in particular, Sikhs and Muslims, have faced ten years of profiling, ten years of negative encounters with law enforcement and immigration officers. These encounters have left deep scars. Here is how […]
more…22 Mar, 2012
Verizon Report: “Hacktivism” Surged in 2011, Personal Data a “Jackpot”
NEW YORK March 22, 2012, /PRNewswire/– The “Verizon 2012 Data Breach Investigations Report” reveals a dramatic rise of “hacktivism” — cyberhacking to advance political and social objectives. In 2011, 58 percent of data stolen was attributed to hacktivism, according to the annual report released today from Verizon. The new trend contrasts sharply with the data-breach […]
more…21 Mar, 2012
Australians Beam as Asian Demand Makes Their Mines Boom
CANBERRA: The Australian government has passed two separate laws designed to better spread the benefits the country’s mining boom and give 3.4 million pensioners an increase in their income support payments to help meet their cost of living. The cumulative effect of both should help make more Australians richer and spend more money on travelling. […]
more…20 Mar, 2012
Cambodian Railways Project Takes One More Step to Complete “Missing Link”
The Cambodian Railway Project took one more step forward on 16 March with a call for procurement of 1,900 tons of additional rails which will be used to complete the last missing links in preparation for completion of the project by September 2013. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its development partners are providing over […]
more…19 Mar, 2012
EU Wants China To Start Carbon-Trading Scheme, With Aviation Included
19 March 2012 – The European Union has hinted that it hopes to avoid levying its controversial carbon-emissions tax on flights from China, if Beijing introduces its own carbon-trading scheme to cover aviation. However, the debate is set to continue after China responded by saying that it will take time to set up its own […]
more…19 Mar, 2012
Global UN Executives Face Air-Travel Curbs As Austerity Takes Hold
UN Headquarters, New York – United Nations officials worldwide, who spend an estimated US$73 million annually on air travel, are facing drastic cutbacks in their access to first- and business-class air travel as well as their ability to use frequent flier miles for personal travel. The cutbacks, which run the entire gamut from increased use […]
more…15 Mar, 2012
First-Ever TEDxWallStreet to Focus on “Redefining Success” in a Challenging World
NEW YORK, March 15, 2012 — (BUSINESS WIRE) — The soul-searching sweeping through the global financial community in the wake of the “Why I Left Goldman Sachs” commentary in the New York Times has heightened the topicality of the first-ever TEDxWallStreet, a not-for-profit event, on March 30: “Redefining Success,” within the Wall Street community and […]
more…12 Mar, 2012
ADB Debars Consultants For Inflating Travel Expenses, Flouting Integrity Rules
Consultants concocting airline documents to justify false expense claims is one of numerous integrity violations reported by the Asian Development Bank in an internal investigation report made public on March 12.
more…10 Mar, 2012
Anti-Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace Manual Launched in Indonesia
JAKARTA (ILO / APINDO), 8 March 2012: The International Labour Organization and the Indonesian Employers’ Association (Apindo) marked 8 March, International Women’s Day, by launching a guideline manual to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. The guideline manual to prevent and manage sexual harassment at the enterprise level was jointly launched at FX Lifestyle X’nter […]
more…10 Mar, 2012
Attn: Young People, Chance to Tell the World How Jobs Crisis is Impacting You
08 March 2012, GENEVA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched a video contest for young people (from 18 to 29 years) to show how the global jobs crisis is affecting them, their friends, families and communities. Three winners will be invited to Geneva (all expenses paid) to attend the ILO Youth […]
more…9 Mar, 2012
U.S. Islamic Civil Rights Group Urges Lawmakers to End Racial, Religious Profiling
WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/8/2012 – Representatives of the largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization in the United States fanned out across the U.S. Congress this past week to press legislators for an end to racial and religious profiling by U.S. security agencies. According to a brief by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), “Since September […]
more…7 Mar, 2012
Western Lifestyles Contributing to “Global Health Disaster” – UN Report
GENEVA (6 March 2012) – “Our food systems create sick people,” the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, warned today. “One in seven people globally are undernourished, but many more suffer from the ‘hidden hunger’ of micronutrient deficiency, while 1.3 billion are overweight or obese.” “Faced with this nutritional […]
more…6 Mar, 2012
European NGOs Sift Through Tourism “Label Jungle” to Verify Trust, Transparency
A group of European NGOs specialising in the travel & tourism industry have closely scrutinised 20 labels being used worldwide as symbols of certification for sustainability and environmental responsibility. The objective was to help travellers and the travel trade make better informed decisions by differentiating “between what is reliable and what is dubious.” Appropriately entitled, […]
more…5 Mar, 2012
One Settlement at a Time, Who is Really Trying to Wipe Whom Off the Map?
One of the claims being made to justify Israel’s demand for a blank cheque to attack Iran is that the Islamic Republic poses an “existential threat” to the Jewish state in view of its supposed statements about wanting to “wipe Israel off the map.” This lie has been repeated so often that it has become […]
more…5 Mar, 2012
Never Forget: Egyptian ex-Nuclear Body Chief Exposes “Treachery & Deception” Behind Iraq War
The sabre rattling over an attack on Iran, now in full swing, is following the identical game-plan that was mounted before the 2003 attack on Iraq, according to a tell-all book by Dr Mohamed ElBaradei, the former director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The key question facing the world now is whether it will […]
more…4 Mar, 2012
Attack on Iran: Israel Seeks “Opportunity”, Indian Editor Sees “Insanity”
Editor’s Comment: The two columns reprinted in this dispatch go right to the heart of the political divide between Israel and much of the rest of the world over an attack on Iran. One is by the director of Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, the other by one of India’s most prominent editors. When […]
more…2 Mar, 2012
AIPAC Supports War on Iran, U.S. Jews Don’t
I don’t have much time, and I need your help. In just a few days, thousands of AIPAC (American-Israel Public Affairs Committee) supporters will gather in Washington DC for their annual policy conference billed as “three of the most important days affecting Israel’s future.” President Obama, Newt Gingrich, Prime Minister Netanyahu and most members of […]
more…27 Feb, 2012
Rabbi Seeks Funds for Ad Campaign Opposing “Crazy” Plan to Attack Iran
A Jewish rabbi who heads an anti-war group based in Berkeley, California, has launched an appeal for US$100,000 to fund an ad campaign in mainstream U.S. papers opposing what he refers to as the “crazy plan” to attack Iran. Calling especially for backing by “the peace-oriented majority of Americans who don’t support another war,” Rabbi […]
more…27 Feb, 2012
ILO Toolkit on Poverty Reduction Through Tourism Available Free
GENEVA – The International Labour Organisation has released a comprehensive training toolkit designed to promote decent work in the tourism industry and contribute to poverty reduction via the promotion of jobs in rural areas. Designed as training course, the toolkit is aimed at assisting developing and least developed countries to create a sustainable tourism industry […]
more…24 Feb, 2012
Chinese Housewives Spent More in 2011, Mostly on Travel & Investment
BEIJING – Chinese housewives, who traditionally hold the purse strings, spent more last year, with most of the increase going into trips and investments in stocks and real estate, a report has found. In 2011, more than 60 percent of the average household income went into consumption, six percentage points more than in 2010. Another […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
Chinese Online Travel Giant Ctrip Revenue Soars 21% in 2011
SHANGHAI, Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CTRP), a leading travel service provider of hotel accommodations, airline tickets, packaged tours and corporate travel management in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year ended December 31, 2011. Highlights for the Fourth Quarter of 2011 Net […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
Android Now the Most Targeted Mobile Platform by Cyber-criminals
SAN JOSE, Calif. and BEIJING, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — A new report from NQ Mobile Inc., (NYSE: NQ), a leading global provider of consumer-centric mobile Internet services focusing on security and productivity, indicates that from 2010 to 2011, Android officially overtook Symbian as the most targeted mobile platform in the world by cyber criminals. […]
more…22 Feb, 2012
UNCTAD’s Lone-Voice Early Warnings Ignored At First, But Proven Right Today
Geneva, 21 February 2012 – Experts marking the 30th anniversary of one of the world’s more influential economic annuals said Monday that themes long sounded in UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Report retain current prominence – particularly those citing the questionable wisdom of unbridled free markets. Other prominent themes concerned the persistence of trade imbalances, the […]
more…21 Feb, 2012
Australia Proposes First Regulatory Package to Curb Problem Gambling
The Australian Government on 17 February released the draft National Gambling Reform Bills 2012 which will deliver long-lasting reforms to help the five million Australians affected by problem gambling. This is the first time the Commonwealth has taken national action to help problem gamblers and their families. The package is designed to “deliver the most […]
more…16 Feb, 2012
Israel’s Leaders Are The Real Liars — Times of India Commentator
15 February 2012 – In Oliver Stone’s JFK, Kevin Costner, playing an attorney who wants to dig out the truth behind President Kennedy’s assassination, meets X, a former CIA operative, to know who really pulled the trigger on JFK. ‘X’ chuckles and says, “The real question isn’t “Why?”… The “how” is just “scenery” for the suckers…, […]
more…15 Feb, 2012
Financial Markets A “Systemic Threat” To Global Economic Stability – UNCTAD Chief
Bangkok – Dr Supachai Panitchapakdi is not very well-known to most people in travel & tourism, except perhaps to my readers in Thailand. The 65-year-old former Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister was closely involved in rebuilding the devastated Thai economy in the wake of 1997 currency attack by the Jewish market speculator George […]
more…13 Feb, 2012
What’s Cooking? New Study on Food Trends Can Boost Culinary Tourism
What and how we eat today might look quite baffling to anyone who’s missed the past decade: buying gluten-free treats from a food truck, for instance, or “Foodspotting” an order of locally sourced, heirloom vegetables. Yet at the same time we’re reconnecting with our past, looking to eat more communally and celebrating regional food traditions, […]
more…11 Feb, 2012
Islamophobia is America’s Real Enemy
The hysterical campaign to stigmatise US Muslims poses a far greater threat than radicalisation to America’s civic union. Daisy Khan is executive director and co-founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement and co-founder of the Cordoba Initiative 9 February 2012 — A report released this week has at last confirmed what we Muslim Americans […]
more…10 Feb, 2012
India-ASEAN Links Grow: Myanmar A New “Bridge”, Bangkok A New Hub
BANGKOK – The Look East Policy of India and the Look India Policy of ASEAN will combine the 600 million population of ASEAN and the 1.2 billion population of India into a multi-dimensional cooperative network. Two important developments to watch are the emergence of Myanmar as a bridgehead between South Asia and Southeast Asia, and […]
more…10 Feb, 2012
Australia Invites Comments on “Asian Century” Issues Paper
Canberra, February 9 2012 (Australian Ministry of Trade Press Release) – Australian Trade Minister Craig Emerson on February 10 will meet peak business and industry associations to canvass their views on the ‘Australia in the Asian Century’ White Paper. The meeting will include high-level representatives from the agriculture, mining, services and manufacturing sectors. “An important […]
more…8 Feb, 2012
Australian Inbound-Outbound Movements: 10-Year Analysis
CANBERRA – Figures on international movements through Australian border crossings over the last 10 years show some remarkable changes. Short-term visitor arrivals from Japan, once the blue-eyed boy of Asia-Pacific tourism, have fallen from 673,600 in 2001 to 332,600 in 2011 with a commensurate fall in market share from 13.9% to 5.7%. By contrast, short-term […]
more…8 Feb, 2012
China Again Blasts EU: Cannot Act As Sole Toll Bearer of the Skies
Full Text of Commentary reprinted in the official Chinese publication People’s Daily Online Beijing – China has taken a tough stance against the EU charges on carbon emissions from flights in and out of the EU by forbidding domestic airlines from taking part in the carbon-emissions system on Monday. According to the Civil Aviation Administration […]
more…7 Feb, 2012
Asia, Emerging Markets Led Air Travel Surge in 2011: World Airports Report
Montreal, 3 February 2012 (Airports Council International) – The international traveller is leading the global growth curve in passenger traffic since the stock of international passengers has risen by almost 7 percent year over year in December 2011. Overall passenger traffic posted gains of 5 percent for both the month of December and the entire […]
more…6 Feb, 2012
China Hits Back, Bans Airlines From Paying EU Carbon Tax
BEIJING, 6 February 2012, (Xinhua News Agency) – China’s airlines are not allowed to pay a charge on carbon emissions imposed by the Europe Union (EU), and neither to hike freights nor to add other fees accordingly without government permission, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said Monday. The CAAC said in a statement […]
more…4 Feb, 2012
New Report Out: European Tourism 2011 – Trends & Prospects
Brussels, 30 January 2012. (www.visiteurope.com) – Although 2011 will prove to have been a record year for travel to Europe, the latest report by the European Travel Commission says that the Eurozone economic crisis is set to have a significant impact in 2012. According to Leslie Vella, Chairman, ETC Market Intelligence Group, “Last year will […]
more…1 Feb, 2012
Feb 4: US Activist Groups Invite World to Join Protests Against Attack on Iran
Source: International Action Center A broad spectrum of U.S.-based anti-war organizations, including the IAC, agreed on a Jan. 17 conference call to hold coordinated protests across the country on Saturday, Feb. 4. The demands will be: “No war, no sanctions, no intervention, no assassinations against Iran.” The ad-hoc group that took part in the call […]
more…31 Jan, 2012
Thai Professor Alerts Travel Industry to Impact of Attack on Iran
BANGKOK – A prominent Thai economics professor has alerted the Thai tourism industry to the impact of an Israeli attack on Iran, including high oil prices and the dangers of a wider conflict. Addressing the joint annual meeting of the Thai Hotels Association and Association of Thai Travel Agents on Jan 30, Assoc.Prof. Somchai Pakapaswiwat […]
more…30 Jan, 2012
Former Thai Tourism Chief Says Industry Has “Lost Focus,” Needs New Roadmap
(First in a multi-part series of dispatches on the Thai tourism industry 25 years after Visit Thailand Year) BANGKOK: 25 years after the historic 1987 Visit Thailand Year, a number of industry veterans are voicing concern about the state of the industry and its future directions. With the number of arrivals skyrocketing, and future growth […]
more…27 Jan, 2012
Financial Short-Termism Obstructs Sustainable Change in Business: Experts
Nairobi/ Paris, 26 January 2012 – Financial short-termism represents a critical barrier to businesses’ transition to sustainability, according to a new poll. The latest wave of The Sustainability Survey – GlobeScan and SustainAbility’s regular survey of attitudes across businesses, NGOs, academia and government – reveals that a very large majority (88%) of the 642 experts […]
more…25 Jan, 2012
Labour Leaders Demand Jobs, Growth And Equity In Davos
25 January 2012 (ITUC, WEF media releases): The international union movement has put its case for the reform of capitalism at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week with five principles for dealing with current economic challenges. Addressing political and business chiefs, trade union leaders from Indonesia, USA and the UK and the international […]
more…24 Jan, 2012
Western Economic Crisis Has Cost 27 Million Jobs, And It’s Not Over Yet
The global economic crisis increased the number of total unemployed by 27 million, raising to 1.1 billion people the number of people out of work, most of them young people, women and those already poor, according to a blistering report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a United Nations agency. Mincing no words, the report […]
more…23 Jan, 2012
World Economic Forum: Most Global Experts Fear Looming Geopolitical Disruption
Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January 2012 (World Economic Forum media release) – Fear among international experts of a major geopolitical disruption over the next 12 months has risen significantly to 54%, just as confidence in the state of global cooperation has dropped, according to the World Economic Forum’s third Global Confidence Index. The bleak outlook at […]
more…20 Jan, 2012
Post-floods Thai Tourism Surged 46% in Dec 2011, Arrivals Hit Record 19 mln
BANGKOK: After slumping in October and November 2011 due to the flooding crisis, visitor arrivals to Thailand rebounded by 46.2% in December 2011. The odds-defying surge allowed Thailand to end the year with a record 19.09 million arrivals, up 19.8% over 2010.
more…19 Jan, 2012
India’s “People Power” Diaspora Now A Major Agent Of Change
JAIPUR, Rajasthan: When the Q&A began after one of the plenary sessions at the overseas Indian diaspora caucus on January 9, the first person to raise her voice was Dr Rashmi Dickinson, a former Hampstead, UK-based cardiologist. After narrating a brief story about her career in the UK, she said she had decided that it […]
more…16 Jan, 2012
World Economic Forum Lists 50 Biggest Global Risks, Cites “Seeds of Dystopia”
The 7th Global Risks report issued by the World Economic Forum last week could be a watershed in the history of such reports. Alongside a listing of 50 of the most pressing risks facing the world, the report for the first time mentions the word “dystopia”, defined by the Oxford dictionary as “the opposite of […]
more…15 Jan, 2012
Professor Lists 10 Reasons Why The U.S. Is No Longer The Land Of The Free
In the decade since Sept. 11, 2001, the United States has comprehensively reduced civil liberties in the name of an expanded security state, and is now in the same “troubling company” as Russia, China, Cuba, Iran and other countries it criticises, according to Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington […]
more…10 Jan, 2012
India Again Presses The Point, Cites High Economic Cost of Gulf Conflict
Jaipur, January 9 – For the second day running, India reiterated its concern for the safety and welfare of its six million strong diaspora in the Gulf, this time couching it in terms of their importance to the national economy. Addressing representatives of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf attending the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), […]
more…8 Jan, 2012
India Warns Against Gulf Conflict, But Prepares for Another Evacuation Operation
JAIPUR, Jan 8, 2012: Voicing concerns about the safety of millions of Indian migrant workers and citizens in the Gulf, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today sent a strong warning signal to the various countries against triggering yet another conflict there, but said that an evacuation plan has been prepared for implementation “should the […]
more…5 Jan, 2012
25 Years After “1987 Visit Thailand Year”, New Tourism Era Set to Dawn?
BANGKOK – Recent announcements by the Thai travel & tourism industry indicate that a long-overdue mindset-change is under way in the future approach to development and sustainability. After spending 25 years since 1987 Visit Thailand Year (VTY) doing heavy-duty marketing, the Thai tourism industry is poised to enter a new era by rebalancing its management […]
more…5 Jan, 2012
The Only English-language Books Ever Written About Historic 1987 Visit Thailand Year
Way back in 1987, Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil was the only industry journalist to realise the long-term significance of Visit Thailand Year, and how the momentous event would forever change both the country and the industry. To help this foresight benefit future generations, he chronicled the historic tourism extravaganza in two books […]
more…21 Dec, 2011
A Must-Read Book For The Travel & Tourism Industry in 2012, U.S. Election Year
Editor’s Note: 2012 will be an election year in the United States and a critical year for the world at large. The travel & tourism industry will be significantly affected by the many geopolitical and economic events and developments sure to unfold next year. In an era of shifting global balance of power, it is […]
more…21 Dec, 2011
Muslim Religious Leaders Sue U.S. Airline Over Removal from Flight
Attorneys from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and United Firm of Carolina Law (UFC Law) have filed a lawsuit against Delta Air Lines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines for removing two Islamic religious leaders, or imams, from a flight from Memphis, Tennessee, to Charlotte, N.C., in May 2011 after the pilot refused to fly with […]
more…17 Dec, 2011
Standing Ovation For Palestinian Leader As Flag Is Raised At UNESCO
PARIS, December 13 (UNESCO Media release) – The Palestinian flag was raised at UNESCO’s Headquarters on December 13 to mark the admission of Palestine to the Organization. The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, UNESCO’s Director-General Irina Bokova, the President of the General Conference Katalin Bogyay, the Chairperson of the UNESCO Executive Board Alissandra […]
more…16 Dec, 2011
World Economic Forum Report Cites Danger of “Widespread Public Mistrust”
The rich man’s club known as the World Economic Forum has finally awoken to the unpredictable, unstable and insecure world its own elitist members have helped create. A report entitled “Outlook on the Global Agenda 2012” released on 12 December 2011 talks about the “rollback of globalisation,” the possibility of more civil and social unrest, […]
more…12 Dec, 2011
Lessons in Leadership from the World’s Last Great Head of State
Everything, they say in Thailand, amounts to destiny. It was perhaps destiny that Thailand marked two events on Dec 5 – the start of clean-up campaigns after one of the worst natural disasters in Thai history and the auspicious 84th birthday of King Bhumibhol Adulyadej, the world’s longest reigning monarch, who more than four decades […]
more…8 Dec, 2011
Another Gulf Conflict “Just a Matter of Time” – Chinese Media Comment
When chief executives of international travel organisations and the airline industry decide to stop fretting and fuming over the UK Air Passenger Duty, they may wish to heed a warning from an official Chinese newspaper that an Israel-US-European attack on Iran is “just a matter of time.” A commentary published in the publication “People’s Daily” […]
more…6 Dec, 2011
How to Prevent Travel & Tourism From Falling Victim to Global Crises
BANGKOK – An exclusive report produced by Travel Impact Newswire has identified a significant disconnect between the development agendas being pursued by global leaders and the travel/tourism industry. Unless and until this disconnect is narrowed, or plugged entirely, travel & tourism will continue falling victim to the repeated global crises, the report warns.
more…28 Nov, 2011
Indian Travel Agents Plan Life After IATA Accreditation Status
MACAU — The Indian head of an aviation consultancy has called on Indian travel agents to move beyond talking about change and focus instead on the challenge of change. That comment set the scene for a boisterous discussion amongst members of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) about preparing for life after the “unending […]
more…22 Nov, 2011
Media Coverage of the Thai Floods: Here We Go Again
It did not take long for the floods in Thailand to reignite the déjà vu debate over media reporting of the crisis. While the raging waters have washed out a huge swathe of territory across Bangkok and a number of Thailand’s economically vital central provinces, the rest of the country, including the key tourism centres […]
more…22 Nov, 2011
Trades Union Decry “Inhuman Working Conditions” Behind Gulf Miracle
The awarding of the 2022 World Cup football extravaganza to Qatar has allowed the global trades union movement to jack up pressure on the Gulf states to safeguard the rights of the hundreds of thousands of migrant labourers who endure “inhuman working conditions” in building the gleaming new hotels, convention centres and airports. A report, […]
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