Travelography #158: Global Economy Hurting Tourism, Helping Sharks

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Summary of the some of the more interesting tourism news stories from this past week, most of which are related to the continuing global economic crisis in the tourism industry. There are, though, a few brights spots -- Natonal Parks, Cuba, Haiti, and Paulau's sharks. This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com, TravelCastNetwork.com, and Travelgeography.info. And also check out Twitter.com/Travelography. Click Here for ALL of the News Stories discussed in this podcast. A couple of the top stories are: International Visitor Spending in the United States Down Sharply in July - July 2009 marks the ninth straight month in which U.S. travel and tourism-related exports were lower when compared to the same period of the previous year, having declined in November 2008 (-4%), December 2008 (-2%), January 2009 (-6%), February 2009 (-10%), March 2009 (-18%), April 2009 (-14%), May 2009 (-23%), June 2009 (-22%), and July (-24%). To protect tourism Palau creates shark sanctuary - In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Johnson Toribiong declared his country’s entire Exclusive Economic Zone, an area of 629 thousand square kilometers, or roughly the size of France as a "shark sanctuary," which will ban all commercial shark fishing. [I hope they can enforce it! - Alan]

Travelography #157: Fighting the Image War for Tourism

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This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. And also check out Travelography on Twitter.com. Click Here for ALL of the News Stories discussed in this podcast. The Two Highlighted Stories for today are: Political Instability, Violence Threat to Asia's Tourism Industry   Political violence has done considerable damage to tourism in Asia and the Pacific over the past few years. But industry experts say the damage is not necessarily permanent. Governments and industry leaders say much can be done to rebuild tattered tourism reputations. Wish you were here? Asian war zones battle for tourists   Across a swath of south and south-east Asia previously wracked by war or strife, officials are carrying out a rebranding exercise to lure back tourists who have long been scared of visiting. In places such as Nepal, it is more like fine-tuning. In others, such as Kashmir, it means a complete overhaul.

Travelography #156: What do Brazil, Russia, Argentina have in Common?

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This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. And also check out my Travelography on Twitter.com.

International Visitation To US Down 11% In June 2009

 

June 2009 marks the eighth consecutive month of decreases in international visitors spending. In the first six months 2009, visitors spent $60 billion, down 15 percent from the same period in 2008.

 

Travelography 155: Our Changing World: Geishas and Satellites

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This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. And also check out my Travelography Twitter Blog.

Geisha turn barmaids to keep Japan’s ‘Floating World’ afloat

A traditional two-hour dinner with a geisha, who will entertain with music, dance performances and conversation, can cost as much as 67,000 yen ($715), more than half of which goes to the teahouse and an arranger, ... "It's a luxury industry, and like the high-end hotels, it has dropped," ... [However,] bookings have declined 50 percent since last October, the month after the collapse of [financial services firm] Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, ...

Economists Measure GDP Growth From Outer Space

 

Using U.S. Air Force weather satellite picture composites, they look at changes in a region’s light density over a 10-year period. “Consumption of nearly all goods in the evening requires lights,” ... “As income rises, so does light usage per person, in both consumption activities and many investment activities.” ... For example, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lights suggest a 2.4-percent annual growth rate in GDP, while official estimates suggest a negative 2.6-percent growth over the same time period. The Congo appears to be growing faster than official estimates suggest. At the other end, Myanmar has an official growth rate of 8.6 percent a year, but the lights data imply only a 3.4-percent annual growth rate.

Travelography #154: Tourism is the New Flat

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 26 August to 3 September 2009. This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

Travel is Growing Again!

“flat is the new up.” By that definition, and taking into consideration the trends and data discussed below, the good news is that U.S. Travel is growing again! Yes, this is a bullish view on our sector, but even if it’s premature, who couldn’t use good news?

Southwest Airlines adds charge to board sooner

... for an extra $10 each way Southwest passengers can automatically reserve a boarding position prior to general check-in. That would allow those customers to begin boarding the plane after certain elite fliers, who don't have to pay add-on fees for early boarding privileges. Unlike other carriers, Southwest does not offer assigned seating.

My H1N1 Swine Flu Inspection in China

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A Black African Ghetto in Guangzhou, China

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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.

Travelography #152: Green Skeptics, and a Week of Bizarre Travel News

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 14 to 20 April 2009. This podcast is also available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

Polish travel agency takes tourists to Afghanistan [Extreme Tourism]

It said the 12 places, costing up to $3,700 apiece, have all been booked. However, reports of the offer spurred Poland's Foreign Ministry to warn Poles against unnecessary travel to Afghanistan, where NATO forces are struggling to tame a relentless Taliban insurgency. The ministry said the country "remains a zone especially susceptible to terrorist attacks" and said Poles could be targets for kidnappers due to the presence of some 1,600 Polish troops in the NATO force. #tnt

Four Corners misses mark by 2.5 miles

Oh No! ... the Four Corners marker showing the intersection of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah is about 2.5 miles west of where it should be, According to readings by the National Geodetic Survey... #geog #travel

Zimbabwe dumps own currency

Trade in goods across Zimbabwe will now be conducted in US dollars, euros, British pounds, and probably South African rand, besides accepting currencies of neighboring countries. Ordinary people, however, in villages across the country will find it hard to get hold of foreign money making it arguably even more difficult to access goods and services.

Pets-only airline says it plans to serve Denver, New York, Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles

Pet Airways, a startup based in Delray Beach, Fla., said in an announcement Thursday it will carry pets (but not their human friends) in the main cabin. The budding airline said it will carry "pawsengers" ...

Travel firm plans cruise to mark anniversary of Titanic disaster (example of Dark Tourism)

The sailing will follow the Titanic's original route westward and include a memorial service on the morning of April 15, 2012 in the exact location where the Titanic went down. The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912.

Police delete London tourists' photos 'to prevent terrorism'

He described his horror as he and his 15-year-old son were forced to delete all transport-related pictures on their cameras, including images of Vauxhall underground station. "Google Street View is allowed to show any details of our cities on the world wide web," he said. "But a father and his son are not allowed to take pictures of famous London landmarks."

72% Question Hotel "Green" Practices; 44% Say Green Travel Options Hard to Find

Seventy-six percent of travelers sometimes incorporate green choices in their travel plans and 27 percent of respondents intentionally made environmentally-friendly travel choices in the past year. Fifty-two percent regularly find it challenging to incorporate "green" choices into their travel plans and 44 percent of travelers find that environmentally-friendly options are not readily available when traveling.

Travelography #151: Time for Sustainable Tourism, and The Best of ...

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 7 April to 14 April 2009. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

US Volunteer vacation sales up 28 percent

"The recession has encouraged many people to volunteer and take some time away from all of the bad news. What we have seen is an increase in shorter volunteer trips in locations that are closer to home for Americans such as Latin America," ... There has been a distinct increase in 22-30 year olds wanting to volunteer abroad - a mixture of recession fear and a new generation of travelers that want to give back when going abroad.

No more new hotels for Bali

In an effort to protect the resort island's natural environment, the Bali provincial administration has decided to stop issuing official recommendations for the construction of new hotels, villas or homestays. "The moratorium for the construction of new hotels is an appropriate measure to secure the island's future." .... The moratorium is temporary, he added.

Ranking the country's (US) most popular destinations

#1. Times Square, New York City: 37.6 million; #2. The Las Vegas Strip, Nev.: 30 Million; #3. National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, D.C.: 25 million ...

The 20 best views in the world

1. The Grand Canyon from the South Rim; 2. Hong Kong Island from Kowloon; 3. Phang Nga Bay, Thailand; 4. Manhattan from the top of Rockefeller Plaza; 5. Istanbul skyline from the Bosphorus strait, Turkey

Beijing extends limits on car use for cleaner air

The restrictions were first announced in October following public debate over whether to extend traffic restrictions that helped keep skies clear during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. They were set to expire at the end of this week. The traffic bureau said on its Web site Sunday that the capital will continue to keep a third of government vehicles off the road altogether.

Italy wrestles with historic preservation

... the state-run Civil Protection Service said it would cost at least $1.7 billion to monitor and upgrade the safety standards of government-owned buildings that are more than 3 centuries old. "The problem is extraordinarily serious in Italy because there are so many ancient structures still being used, probably more than in any other country," ...

Travelography #150: PATA Numbers, Hawaiian MICE, Antarctic Tours, & More Nudes

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 30 March to 6 April 2009. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

Hawaii asks Obama to bring back business travelers

Gov. Linda Lingle, 90 business leaders and Hawaii's four mayors wrote Obama last week urging him to oppose any measure restricting companies that receive federal funds from using business meetings "as a legitimate business tool."

Obama Calls for Limits on Tourism to Antarctica

The new U.S. proposal contains no specific enforcement mechanism or penalties for limiting tourist operations. But it would require signatories to the pact to ensure that Antarctic tour operators bar ships with more than 500 passengers from landing sites, restrict landings to one vessel at a time per site and limit passengers on shore to 100 at a time. It would mandate a minimum of one guide for every 20 tourists while ashore, according to the documents.

Thailand shuts down tourist spots after fatal clashes

Thai authorities have indefinitely closed tourist spots near the Preah Vihear temple as Thai and Cambodian soldiers clashed twice in the vicinity today (Friday), leaving two Thai and two Cambodian soldiers dead and several injured.

Atlantic City casino brings back real-coin slot machines

It used to be the signature sound of gambling: the clacking of coins spilling into metal trays on slot machines. But newer electronic machines that spit paper vouchers or credit winnings to cards now emit only canned noise.

Report: Hawaii's tourism industry in 'crisis mode'

The report urges the tourism industry should receive the highest priority in receiving stimulus funding. "Until tourism gets well, the rest of the economy cannot," ... "And the Hawaii tourism industry is in a crisis mode now."

Check In at Germany's First Naked Hotel

Investors plan to set up a hotel catering exclusively to nudists in the picturesque Black Forest town of Freudenstadt, which incidentally translates as Town of Joys. Guests will be required to remove their clothes at the entrance and must be naked at all times while on the premises

Some cause for industry hope in new PATA Tourism Forecasts

The PATA (Pacific Asia Tourism Assn) Tourism Forecasts 2009-2011, to be published this month, suggest growth in international arrivals for many destinations across the region - despite the global economic downturn. The Forecasts indicate a very mixed bag of results with significant variations across Asia Pacific.

Travelography #149: Dark Tourism, East Africa, Vegas and the TSA

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Travel and Tourism News Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 23 to 30 March 2009. This podcast is also available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info

Tourists look for luck at Pol Pot’s grave

Cambodia - He was one of the greatest mass killers of the 20th century, but that doesn't stop the hopeful from praying at Pol Pot's hillside grave for lucky lottery numbers, job promotions and beautiful brides. Nor does it stop tourists from picking clean the bones and ashes from the Khmer Rouge leader's burial ground in this remote town in northwestern Cambodia.

McCook abuzz over tourism idea: ‘Old Sparky’ the electric chair

Residents of a small southwest Nebraska town have a question for state officials: You’re not doing anything with that old electric chair, are you? The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled last year that the state’s use of the electric chair was unconstitutional because it amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. Some people in McCook—population just under 8,000—think “Old Sparky’’ could be a tourist attraction and have offered to take it off the state’s hands.

East Africa: Region to Start Issuing Single Tourist Visas

The East African Community (EAC) has agreed to start a single tourist visa for the region, ... the EAC members were discussing a protocol to create and market the region as a single tourist destination. Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda make up the EAC.

FAA to seal bird-strike records

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that the information could mislead the public and its release could prompt some airports and others not to report incidents, but the proposal is drawing sharp criticism from bird safety experts and public records advocates.

80,000 on TSA's 'cleared' fliers list

critics want stricter standards for deciding who goes on the watch list. The list is based on "nominations" from intelligence and security agencies, such as the CIA and FBI, which use a "reasonable suspicion" standard to decide whether a person's suspected links to terrorism are strong enough to put him in the database. "No one wants to be the person who was too cautious about nominating names … so every name ends up on the list when only a handful should be,"

MGM Mirage says Dubai lawsuit ‘without merit’

On Monday Dubai World's Infinity World subsidiary filed a lawsuit against MGM Mirage because of its concern about the viability of their $8.6 billion joint venture project under construction on the Las Vegas Strip. The 67 acre project is under a cloud after SEC returns filed by MGM indicated it may breach its debt repayment obligations. MGM Mirage is currently saddled with $13 billion of debt.

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 #147: Finally - Some Good Travel and Tourism News!

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 8 to 15 March 2009. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

Tripology Report Finds Positive Trends for Agents

"With a 42% increase in trip requests received via Tripology.com in 2009 over the end of 2008, the increase demonstrates that many consumers are looking to travel in the next 140 days -- just in time for the summer travel season. Further, the increase in trip requests reveals a continued trend of consumers seeking the assistance of expert travel agents to help them plan and book their trips based on their specific specs -- a definitive plus for specialists."

Economic downturn to create new winners and losers in travel

Internet bookings will surge. Demand for online virtual meetings will gather pace. Domestic travel will stay stable or grow, as will demand for low-cost flights. Destinations adjacent to big travel markets will do not so bad. Long-haul travel will fall sharply. And the most pain will be felt in the business travel and MICE sectors.

Corporate Travel Cuts May Threaten Economic Recovery

In fact, 72 percent believe that increasing travel budgets will allow companies to gain a competitive edge by building market share and forging new customer relationships.

White House says it encourages business travel

"These comments are extremely positive for the 1 million employees in this industry whose livelihood depends on business meetings and events," said Geoff Freeman, senior vice president of the U.S. Travel Association.

South America tourism is up despite global economic slump

"In a year when flat is the new up, South America is actually up," said Melissa Snape, vice president of product at Collette Vacations, whose 2009 bookings for the continent are trending 30% ahead of last year.

Sen. Kerry, Rep. Matsui Introduce Cruise Safety Bill

“We have now held two House hearings and one Senate hearing on crimes aboard cruise ships, and this legislation will ensure that those who have bravely stepped forward to tell their story will not have done so in vain,”

Princess Cruises crew member accused of sexual assault

"Cruise lines are seemingly becoming more sensitive to the needs of crime victims, and are creating the appearance of being responsible.” It remains to be seen whether these moves are being made out of genuine concern for passengers, or out of a desire to avoid bad publicity.

No membership needed: Utah bars to open to public

"I think it's great that it essentially says to tourists, to travelers, that you are welcome here and that we're excited to host you and Utah's a normal place," ...

Travelography #146: Direct Flights are Best & Filling Cruises at Any Price

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 1 to 8 March 2009. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

Seoul warns North Korea to withdraw airline threat

"Threatening civilian airliners' normal operations under international aviation regulations is not only against international rules but is an act against humanity," ... North should "immediately withdraw the military threat."

Downturn in cruise business worse than we thought

Several cruise lines including Carnival have reported strong bookings in recent months. ... Still, "while these bookings are clearly being taken at steep discounts, it is a positive that consumers are responding to the operators’ promotions and making up for some lost load factor,"

Cruise Analyst Sees "Challenging" Cruise Trends

Alaska “appears especially weak” with pricing down from 20 to 40 percent as fares “hit new lows in February….We believe both companies [Carnival Corp. and RCCL] are now aggressively moving to fill remaining Q2 and Q3 capacity after attempting to hold price as long as possible,”

Discount airlines grow amid downturn

Nimble discount airlines here and around the world are growing and opening new routes even as the recession forces traditional carriers to cut flights and jobs. Low-cost carriers, such as New York-based JetBlue (JBLU), Ireland-based Ryanair and Canada-based WestJet, are making inroads where higher-cost carriers are shrinking amid falling travel demand, especially among cost-conscious fliers.

The Economics of Airline Layovers

... the marginal cost of a connecting flight was $12 more expensive than that of a direct flight. The change is probably driven by the increasing fuel cost in the sample period. Since the fraction of fuel consumed at the takeoffs and landings could be as high as 40 percent, rising fuel costs offset the benefit of denser traffic created by connecting flights.

Carnival: Discounts sparking record cruise ship bookings

The world's largest cruise line says it recorded the highest number of net weekly bookings in its history during the one-week period that ended Sunday. On a cumulative basis, net bookings are up 10% as compared to last year since mid-January.

Tourism heats up at the North Pole

"With the centennial this year of the Robert F. Peary discovery of the North Pole, combined with the fear that global warming may soon change the arctic regions forever, it's a very busy year for us,"...