Travelography #153: Mexico and Thailand's Tourism Challenges, and more...

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 21 to 27 April 2009. This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

Canada hoping to attract Chinese travellers

Canada is one of the few remaining countries that hasn't been granted "approved destination status," known as ADS, by the Chinese. As a result, the Canadian tourism industry cannot actively market Canada in China, and Chinese travel agents can't advertise and promote Canadian trips. But that may be about to change.

Thais to move swiftly to limit strife damage

Tourism was hit particularly hard by recent street violence in a long battle between royalists, the military and urban Thais who back the current government and supporters of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra whose power base was mainly drawn from the millions of rural poor. "The combination of the impact of the slowdown of the global economy and the social unrest domestically means that we're anticipating tourist arrivals, originally forecast at 14 million, to be something closer to…

Ryanair proposes surcharge for fat passengers

“With passengers voting overwhelmingly for a ‘fat tax’ we are now asking them to suggest which format the charge should take. The above four points seem to us to be the simplest, fairest and administratively easiest to apply. In all cases we’ve limits at very high levels so that a ‘fat tax’ will only apply to those really large passengers who invade’ the space of the passengers sitting beside them."

Swiss heartland voters ban nude hiking in Alps

By a show of hands citizens of the tiny canton (state) of Appenzell Inner Rhodes voted overwhelmingly at their traditional open-air annual assembly to impose a 200 Swiss franc ($176) fine on violators. Only a scattering of people on Sunday opposed the ban on the back-to-nature activity that took off last autumn when naked hikers — primarily Germans — started showing up in eastern Switzerland. RT @markwilliams

Baja, land of drug wars, tries to keep tourists coming

Given the circumstances (Tijuana's 843 murders last year doubled 2007's), it takes moxie to launch a [tourism] campaign. Number one on the list: "Take a picture with the famous Tijuana zebra donkey." Number 75: Get out of town by "Flying direct to Narita, Japan, from Tijuana Airport." Delusional thinking or marketing optimism?

Digital IDs make clearing customs easier

The ID cards are embedded with an image of the traveler's eye that is used to verify his identity. Industry groups say the program will encourage travel to the USA by reducing the hassles of clearing customs.

Thai tourism to lose $5.35 billion: Government spokesman

"The revenue from tourism could drop 35 percent... to only 350 billion baht from 540 billion baht in 2008," ... The kingdom's tourist-friendly image was dented by a nine-day seizure of Bangkok's airports at the end of last year that left thousands stranded, and was further affected by rallies held by rival demonstrators last week.

Travel Geography #148: Tourism and Political Bedfellows

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 15 to 22 March 2009. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

Tourism Concern Calls For Halt On Construction Of Mega-Resorts

The global trend in developing luxury, large-scale resorts is leading to widespread alienation and displacement of people from their land, and is wreaking havoc with fragile ecosystems. Poor communities in developing countries, which depend heavily upon their natural resources for their livelihoods, are the hardest hit.

Anti-illegal immigrant groups launch Mexico tourism boycott

Americans United to Halt Tourism in Mexico – formed by Minutemen groups across the country ... – is urging Americans bound for sun and fun south of the border to instead visit the U.S. Southwest. "Do not give your tourist dollars to Mexico!" the fliers say.

Forget the lederhosen: Nude hiking alarms a Swiss farm town

Last summer, the number of nude hikers increased to such an extent that the hills often seemed alive with the sound of everything but the swish of trousers.

Croatia courts old enemy and its tourism spending

... for the first time since Serbian and Montenegrin forces besieged this historic port city in 1991, businesspeople [in Dubrovnik, Croatia] are publicly appealing to Serbian tourists to help rescue the economy.

Air travel showing signs of stability

...the drops in new booking revenue that US Airways saw in January and the first half of February had stopped, and in March even rose a little. ... the overall number of leisure passengers has held up — it's just that they're paying less to fly than they used to.

The art of passport fakery is alive and well

One investigator used the Social Security number of a man who died in 1965, a fake New York birth certificate and a fake Florida driver's license. He received a passport four days later. A second attempt had the investigator using a 5-year-old boy's information but identifying himself as 53 years old on the passport application. He received that passport seven days later.

Travelography #141: More Birds, Fog, Obama, and Mexico

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 19 January 2009. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

• Turkish plane lands safely after bird strike

  The aircraft with 143 passengers aboard had just taken off Monday from Istanbul bound for Denmark when it struck the birds and the pilot was able to return to the city's airport. Nobody was hurt. Turkish Airlines said passengers will be flown to Copenhagen...

• JetBlue flight aborts takeoff on bird strike fears

  None of the 136 passengers was injured, and the plane didn't leave the runway but returned to the gate. The passengers were put on another plane to continue their journey, and the plane was undergoing inspection to see if either of its engines had been hit.

• Paramedics bring Big Macs to stranded AeroMexico passengers

  The flight was diverted from Sea-Tac Airport on Tuesday night, and passengers weren't allowed off the plane in Portland, officials said, because no customs agents were available to process the passengers. Eventually, the plane went back to Mexico, and then it returned to the United States to complete the flight to Seattle.

• Will Obama image translate into tourism?

  This year, the number of foreign visitors is expected to dip for the first time since 2003 as the economic crisis spreads and consumers worldwide curb spending. The U.S. Travel Association, the industry's main trade group, this year expects about 60 million foreigners, or 1.6% less than last year.,

• Mexico City is the world's top religious tourist destination

  A study carried out by the Spanish Office of Tourism found that Mexico's capital is the preferred destination of tourists seeking religious sites, largely because of its Basilica de Guadalupe, which receives millions of pilgrims each year.

• South African Airways crew held over drug haul

  Customs agents found the drugs in three suitcases when the crew members passed through a customs clearance point. All fifteen cabin and flight crew staff including the pilot have been arrested after authorities found 110 pounds of cannabis, worth about $210,000, and 9 pounds of cocaine, worth about $240,000.

• Tumbling peso makes Mexico a hot destination

  Mexico is counting on its weakened currency against the dollar and its proximity to the U.S. to attract recession-shocked Americans and fuel its tourism industry — a major source of foreign income. Tourism officials say Mexico saw 3% more visitors who spent an estimated 4% more in 2008, with tourists flocking to its beaches and cobble-stoned streets even during the global economic crisis. And, unlike most tourist destinations around the world, there is no sign that this year will be any different.

Travelography #139: Travel Trends for 2009

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 12 January 2009. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

• Trend Watch Euromonitor Internationals Top City Destinations Ranking ...

• AAA releases tips and trends for 2009 travel - AAA

• Travelers will be getting lots of deals in 2009 (in the US)

  Other findings in the Travel Leaders 2009 trends survey: •90.5% say customers are cutting back on travel compared with the same period last year. •57.4% say clients are cutting back on the length of their trips. •31.5% say airfares on 2009 corporate bookings are equal to or lower than those in 2008. •81.6% say clients are trading down when it comes to hotels. •84.3% recommend Mexico as the best value outside the USA, followed by cruises (61.1%) and the Caribbean (43.9%). Agents were asked to pick up to three places.

• The Optimal Way to Board Plane Passengers

  ...loading the back rows first and then gradually rows nearer the front -- should be among the best ways to board, but simulations indicate that this is the second-slowest way. Even random boarding is faster.

• Mexican Hospitals Aim To Attract More Americans (NPR)

  As many Americans struggle to pay for health care or health insurance, hospitals in Mexico are expanding in hopes of attracting more patients from north of the border — in addition, a rapidly growing industry is marketing "medical tourism" to Americans.

Travelography #136: Holiday Travel Ups and Downs

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 17 November 2008. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

• Gloomy economy expected to curtail Thanksgiving travel

  Los Angeles International Airport holiday travel will be down 14.3% from the 1.85 million passengers that passed through the airport last year, airport officials said Thursday.

• Japanese traveler refuses to leave Mexico City airport

  At first, he frightened passengers, and airport authorities asked the Japanese Embassy to investigate why the foul-smelling man refused to leave. Now, he's somewhat of a celebrity, capturing Mexico's collective imagination with nearly daily television news reports on his life at the food court.

• UK travelers avoiding USA - Skyscanner Report

  while flight search traffic remains high on the Skyscanner site, over the last month there has been a 15 percent fall in searches for UK-USA flights, suggesting that the credit crunch and the weakening pound have finally taken their toll on British travelers, and that they are forgoing their American trips.

• American Automobile Association Predicts Drop in Holiday Travel

  AAA and the Air Transport Association predict fewer Americans will be on the move during the upcoming holiday travel period, the first drop in Thanksgiving travel since 2002. It's the fourth holiday this year that will have seen decreased travel compared with the year before.

• End of the [US] Tourism Boom?

  As an example, hotels in Miami alone expect a 3 to 6 percent decline in budget revenues, compared to the same period in 2007. With pressures to attract more customers, the hospitality industry is bound to offer more deals and reduce its rates. "The U.S. hotel industry is virtually frozen by the uncertain state of the global economy,"

• U.S. Economy Expected to Receive a Shot in the Arm from Visa Waiver Program Expansion

  Starting today [Nov-17], travelers from seven new countries--the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta and the Republic of Korea (South Korea)--can travel to the United States without first obtaining a tourist visa.

• Despite Economic Challenges, People Traveling Over Holidays Feel Time and Money Spent is Small Price to Pay to be With Loved Ones

  Older Americans, in particular, appreciate the value of travel during the holidays.

Travelography #124: Crime and Mayhem Against, and By, Tourist

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 25 August 2008. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

• Macau, the fastest-growing destination in 2008

More than 1.5 million international visitors have come to Macau in the first six months of this year, a 46.5 % jump over the same period last year. This does not include the 8.8 million Mainland residents who visited in the same period, according to the Macau Government Tourist Office.

• European countries warn tourists against violence in Mexico

The German Foreign Ministry advised its citizens not to resist if they fell victim to any crime in Mexico, because that might threaten their lives. Criminal acts in Mexico have surged considerably recently and "unfortunately," police forces are involved in the violence, said the German government.

• Italy Mulls Tougher Crackdown as Tourists Attacked

The Italian government was considering ordering more troops on to the streets Tuesday after two brutal attacks on tourists within three days during an already tough crackdown against crime, according to a newspaper report.

• Crete mayor asks British government to act on drunken tourists

"They scream, they sing, they fall down, they take their clothes off, they cross-dress, they vomit," ... "It's only the British people - not the Germans or the French." His anger echoed the frustration felt by the residents of many Mediterranean resorts, who have watched helplessly while their town centres are invaded by hordes of carousing British teenagers.

• Iraq plans giant Ferris wheel, hopes to lure tourists to Baghdad

It would be 650 feet high - even taller than the wheel that overlooks London's River Thames. "We hope to attract a great number of customers who will be able to see the whole city and enjoy the restaurants and pools on the ground below,"...

• Eight million people at risk of ID fraud after credit card details are stolen by hotel chain hackers

An Indian hacker broke into the IT system of Best Western Hotel Group and stole personal details of everyone who has stayed there in the past 12 months. The details, which included home addresses, phone numbers, place of employment and credit card details, were sold on through an underground network controlled by the Russian Mafia.

• Best Western Responds to Sunday Herald Story Claiming Security Breach

We have found no evidence to support the sensational claims ultimately made by the reporter and newspaper. Most importantly, whereas the reporter asserted the recent compromise of data for past guests from as far back as 2007, Best Western purges all online reservations promptly upon guest departure.

Travelography #115: WW3 on the Beach and Wilding the Great Plains

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Stories discussed in this podcast from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 9 June 2008:

Camera Karma: Find Your Lost Pics Here! http://tinyurl.com/6p4agn

India tourists stranded after group calls strike
http://tinyurl.com/6ds9q2

U.S. Tightens Rules for Foreign Travelers
http://tinyurl.com/4ntpzy

Mexico reimburses foreign tourists for sales tax expenditures
http://tinyurl.com/5gq7ty

Germans, Brits at War Again...Over Towels http://tinyurl.com/5ekobq

The Great Plains Restored and Ready for Eco-Tourists http://tinyurl.com/5ctqo4

Travelography #46: Passports 2.0; Tibet Flight; Brazil Crash; Virgin Reality Show

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

The US Congress has extended to 2009 the due date when North Americans (US, Canada, Mexico & the Caribbean) will need passports to visit each other. Tibet received its first ever international air flight, while Brazil investigates its worst ever airplane crash. Virgin Galactic debuts its suborbital spaceship and plans a reality TV program for a free trip to space.

Tibet welcomes first nonstop overseas charter flight for tourists

Latest Passport Extension is Boost for Short Cruise Travelers!

Border security plan delayed

Ontario says lobbying against new U.S. passport rule has paid off

All 155 dead in Brazil plane crash

Branson unveils Virgin spaceship

Travelography #45: US Passports, Moroccan Train + Birds Head Indonesia

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

Now is the time to get your US passport if you plan to visit Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean in 2007. Morocco plans the first the Arab world's first high speed train. And scientists discover the riches marine ecosystem in the world in the Bird's Head area off the west coast of Papua in Indonesia.

New passport rules to take effect Jan. 8

Arab world’s first high-speed train planned

50 New Marine Species Discovered in Indonesia

Stunning finds of fish and coral in Indonesia This podcast was originally posted on Sept 29, 2006. I was at the Podcast and Portable Media Expo on that day and forgot to post the show notes here, as I usually do.

G4T #14: Hurricane Wilma and Tourism in Cozumel, Mexico

This was my first interview podcast! I recorded it using Gizmo Project -- which is like Skype, but includes a built-in record function. I also interviewed my sister, who has a vacation rental in Cozumel, Mexico, and was there when hurricane Wilma made landfall over Cozumel and Cancun on October 21, 2005. Hurricane Wilma was the strongest low pressure air system (lowest atmospheric pressure) ever recorded in the Caribbean, though it had weakened some by the time it reached Cozumel. (Note that stronger low pressure systems exist in the form of Tornados, but their air pressure has never been measured because they tend to tear the instruments apart.)

The interview is in two parts, which I put together through editing the original interview. In Part 1 she describes what she personally experienced as the hurricane approached and passed over Cozumel. In Part 2 she discusses the impacts of the hurricane on other tourists and the town of Cozumel, as well as her struggle to get back to the US after the hurricane. She arrived back in the US on Sunday, October 30, and the interview was recorded on Monday, October 31.

Click Here to download Part 1
Click Here to download Part 2

About Hurricane Wilma:
* Wilma dumped up to 5 feet of rain in parts of the Yucatan Peninsula; One station recorded 64 inches of rain in a 24 hour period -- a record amount for Mexico, if confirmed
* With 145 mph winds (category 4 storm) and gusts up to 170 mph, Wilma was the worst storm that anyone in this hurricane region could remember, mostly because it lasted so long (36 hours, at least)
* Playa del Carmen, on the mainland across from Cozumel, suffered the worst destruction, with ate least 1,000 homes seriously destroyed
* In Cancun, 1,800 people hid from Wilma in a 9 screen multiplex theater, but were eventually cramped into 3 of the screens as the other 6 became too dangerous -- none of the bathrooms were in working order
* Many beaches were washed away by the strong waves
* Wilma confounded meteorologists, because the hurricane did not follow the paths and characteristics of standard hurricane forecasting models
* Hot on the heals of Wilma, tropical storm Alpha reached the Dominican Republic on Sunday, October 22nd.
* Caribbean countries fear that the record number of hurricanes in 2005 could reduce the number of visitors to the region in the coming year -- Americans have a tendency to perceive a natural disaster in any one part of the Caribbean as affecting all of the Caribbean
* The Caribbean receive 22 million cruise ships and air visitors in 2004 - just over half of whom come from the US

Sources:
* Wilma Lashes Mexico Resorts (TravelNewsWire)
http://www.travelwirenews.com/cgi-script/csArticles/articles/000062/006232-p.htm
* Caribbean Fears Storms Will Hurt Tourism (Yahoo/AP)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/051023/caribbean_hurricane_stigma.html?.v=1
* Photo of Tourists Evacuees in Cancun (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/05/americas_wilma_lashes_mexico0s_coast/html/6.stm
* Wilma bamboozles hurricane experts (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4365898.stm