Since 1997 volume 17, issue 11, November 2014 COLOMBIA - CHIRIBIQUETE NATIONAL PARK

EUROPEAN WINTER HOLIDAY TRENDS

GLOBAL WELLNESS INDUSTRY A TOP SECTOR

CONSTANTINOPLE/ISTANBUL ATTRACTS MORE AND MORE

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM…

SEOUL HOSTS 2016 INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONGRESS

ADELAIDE ‘OVER THE MOON’

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA

EUROPEAN AIRLINES ALLOW PASSENGERS TO…

KUELAP, PERU

‘GREECE WELCOMES YOU IN LONDON’

EAST MEETS WEST - CHINESE STYLE!

SAMARKAND: A TREASURE OF THE SILK ROAD

Thames River, Richmond, Surrey, UK - TATW Monthly 2014 © www.tourismaroundtheworld.co.uk

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Since 1997

Volume 17, Issue 11, November 2014 edition

Contents

4 COLOMBIA - CHIRIBIQUETE NATIONAL PARK

5 EUROPEAN WINTER HOLIDAY TRENDS

5 GLOBAL WELLNESS INDUSTRY A TOP SECTOR

6 CONSTANTINOPLE/ISTANBUL ATTRACTS MORE AND MORE

7 WE WILL REMEMBER THEM…

9 SEOUL HOSTS 2016 INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

CONGRESS

9 PUEBLA, MEXICO, HOSTS MITM AMERICAS &

CULTOURFAIR 2014

12 VILNIUS, LITHUANIA

14 EUROPEAN AIRLINES ALLOW PASSENGERS TO ...

14 AMERICAN’S ENTRY IN ASIA COULD BE TO ITS BENEFIT

15 KUELAP, PERU

15 FALKLAND ISLANDS READY FOR BUSY TOURIST SEASON

16 EMITT 2015 HIGHLIGHTS TURKEY’S POTENTIAL

17 ‘GREECE WELCOMES YOU IN LONDON’

18 EAST MEETS WEST - CHINESE STYLE!

19 SAMARKAND: A TREASURE OF THE SILK ROAD

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Thoughts from Dimitri…

Dear Friends and Readers,

Welcome to the November edition of TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD Monthly.

With what seems like more and more serious crimes taking place around the world, like murder and kidnapping of tourists, many countries are trying to restore confidence and improve safety in many ways. Whatever measures are taken, crime can happen, in any country, on any island, in any city or village, and to anyone, but there are ways to ensure, as tourists you minimise the risks.

On the other hand, national and local enforcement agencies must do all they can to protect their own citizens as well as tourists, who are often easy to spot and target for crime.

One recent tourist safety measure suggestion came from Thailand who may consider ‘controlling’ tourists by providing each one with an ID wristband, or tracking device. Both ideas were met globally with controversy and criticism. Surely what is needed is for greater efforts in improving safety and preventing crime in every destination, (not only for tourists but also for locals), but to also make visitors more clearly aware of any risks. This will then benefit both locals and tourists. Simple initiatives like better street lighting and CCTV cameras at key spots, and closer liaisons with central and local authorities will make locals feel safer and so too will tourists. These kinds of measures, combined with an effective strong police force are vital to restoring confidence and ultimately tourist arrivals numbers.

The Greek philosopher, Plato, said 3,000 years ago that ‘to be civilised, humanity must be controlled’. This is nothing new; we are already heavily controlled (whether we want it, or are aware of it, or not) by our modern way of life, through our mobiles, tablets, internet usage, electronic payments and social media, etc. But is it a step too far to be controlled during our valued and much awaited free time, ‘our holiday’ to be controlled in the name of ’safety and security’, without neglecting ‘freedom’!

Dimitri Laspas – managing editor & founder

www.tourismaroundtheworld.co.uk

COLOMBIA THE CHIRIBIQUETE NATIONAL PARK!

by Caroline-Artemis Laspas – editor & co-founder Colombia’s largest national park is the Serrania De Chiribiquete National Park; which is roughly the size of Belgium or 3 times the size of Yellowstone National Park.

It is a truly stunning place, with thick rainforest, mountain ranges and savannahs. It is considered globally as one of the most important places of cultural heritage, ecology and biodiversity in the world.

Following recent expansion of the Park, it now boasts some amazing statistics, which makes it a spectacular place to visit; There are 4 indigenous tribes living in the park, thought to be the oldest surviving on the continent; 41 different species of reptiles, 49 amphibians, 145 birds, 209 butterflies, 7 monkey species and about 13 species of mammals which are endangered and could become extinct. There are 6 species which are to be confirmed as totally new and as a result of the expansion.

Colombia is now conserving 9.5million hectares of Amazonia as two thirds of the country’s natural forest in with the 18 protected areas under its control in Amazonia.

The park has been protected since the early 1990’s following the discovering of cliff paintings dating back to 18,000BC, which were drawn by the Karijona people. It also provides a huge amount of the planets oxygen and acts as a filter for a lot of Colombia’s fresh water supply.

Located in the centre of the Colombian Amazon, the park has increased in size from 1,298,954 hectares to

2,782,353 hectares, the largest ever expansion of protected land in Colombia’s history, making environmentalists and conservations very happy! The expansion also protects the area which was at risk of mining and oil digging.

Colombia is aiming for sustainability and much of the country’s current deforestation is due to increased intensive cattle farming, illegal tree cutting and mining, and growing illegal crops, like coca. The park expansion offers conversation and sustainable development. So vast and so dense is the land, that there is thought to be a voluntarily isolated indigenous tribe, living on the land which this new expansion will help to protect. The expansion is an investment by the Colombian government and is helping reduce climate change and preserving the nation’s heritage, as Chiribiquete is also an important archaeological site due to the rock

paintings and carvings. There are over 32 cave painting sites with over 250,000 drawings.

Through the park, run two rivers; Mesay river and Cuñare river. There are waterfalls reaching as high as 50-70m which fall from the top of the tepuys (rock outcrops) of heights of 350-840m. There are rapids too, providing a place of exceptional beauty.

Colombia is developing its tourism industry with the top priority for sustainability and community based eco-tourism with a number of strategies and initiatives driving the plan forward. Many of the communities live in the protected areas and therefore are keen to develop the conservation of their homeland. From offering ecotourism services to becoming a direct eco-guide, presenting traditional crafts and cuisine, there is something for all to do to help. This theme has grown across Colombia with 7 areas offering Community Ecotourism.

Since 2012, the Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Due to its vast and dense nature, it is believed that only a small part of the park has been investigated, making it an even more important place to preserve on planet Earth. ●

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TOURISM News

General De Gaulle, Square, Lil le, France

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EUROPEAN WINTER HOLIDAY TRENDS With winter on the way Europeans head for

sunnier destinations. The latest research shows that the sun and sea vacation is preferable to traditional winter skiing holidays, which are seeing a decline in bookings as a result. Over the past 7years the number of Europeans taking wintertime holidays has risen by 50%. In winter 2013, Europeans took 127 million holiday trips abroad. UK and German citizens in particular like to travel abroad in winter, with an ever growing number of Russians taking a share of the winter vacation market, just behind the French. 52% of Swedish tourists are also preferring to holiday in winter than summer. Winter holidays were also ranked highly by Spanish, Italian and Croatian citizens. In 2013, Europeans opted for 25% on beach holidays, 23% took city breaks and 17% booked round trips. Only 7% opted for snow based vacations. Spain was the most popular winter holiday destination, followed by Germany, France, Austria and Italy. Spain was the No.1 destination for wintertime beach holidays, followed by Turkey, Egypt, Thailand and Greece.

GLOBAL WELLNESS INDUSTRY A TOP SECTOR With the BRICS nations providing a

new and large affluent middle class potential tourist, many are looking to combine health and travel with creating a global industry sector worth an estimated UK£2.12, (EU€2.68) trillion in 2013. With nutrition and weight loss, preventative and personalised health, complementary and alternative medicine, and beauty and anti-aging treatments are the biggest growing sectors. The clientele are coming from all over the world. Prevention is seen as a focus with a variety of healthy habits, nutritional eating, exercise and treatments. In 2013, the global spa sector generated UK£59, (EU€74) billion (up from UK£37, (EU€47) billion in 2007). With more than 32,000 spas, Europe had the highest revenue of UK£19, (EU€23) billion, followed by the Asia-Pacific region with UK£12, (EU€15) billion and North America with UK£11.43, (EU€14.45) billion. Emerging markets include the Middle East, Africa, Russia and the Baltic States, but growth is leading from Asia, India and China. Thermal/mineral springs generated UK£31, (EU€40) billion worldwide, but the biggest industry sector was wellness tourism, or travel associated with maintaining or enhancing one's personal well-being and health, which accounted for UK£308, (EU€390) billion.

1st BICYCLE TOURISM SURVEY The Adventure Travel Trade Association has conducted

the 1st global bicycle tourism survey for the adventure travel industry. The 2014 Bicycle Tourism survey focuses on adventure businesses offering cycling trips or activities. Nearly 200 tour companies completed the survey, providing a large quantity of data from a variety of countries. The results include statistics on Average Cycling Trip Length and Price, Types of Cycling Activities, Difficulty of Trip, Bike Brands & Types Used, Training Requirements for Guides and Cycling Customer Demographics. The companies surveyed, which includes both cycling-exclusive and mixed-offering tour companies, received an average of 45.6% of their revenue from cycling activities and reported an average 16.3% net profit margin.

BERLIN KEEPS CHANGING A big new German shopping mall has opened on the site of

a previously famous shopping centre which was destroyed during WW2 and located in the heart of Berlin, The ‘Mall of Berlin’ is a glass-covered arcade offering 270 shops, a hotel and flats and is where the ‘Wertheim’ store was built in 1896. Prior to the war, it was well known as Europe’s most famous and biggest shopping centre. Located in the ‘Leipzig platz’, the original ‘Wertheim’ store stood for quality and innovation and today the same is continuing.

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TOURISM News

The Galata Quarter, Constantinople/Istanbul, Turkey

CONSTANTINOPLE/ISTANBUL ATTRACTS MORE AND MORE Constantinople /

Istanbul saw an increase of 13% in the number of international tourist arrivals as compared to the same period last year, with arrival figures for September 2014 increase by 17.5% compared to September 2013. The number of foreign tourists visiting Constantinople/Istanbul between 2000 and 2013 is approximately 10.5 million. The number of foreign tourists visiting Constantinople/Istanbul between January and September 2014 is 9,010.233! Top tourists are from Germany - 10.1%, followed by Russians - 5.1%, Iranians - 4.9%, Americans - 4.6%, English - 4.3%, French - 4.2%, Italians - 3.9%, Saudi Arabians - 3.0%, Iraqis - 2.9%, Dutch - 2.5%, Libyans - 2.2%, Ukrainians - 2.1%, Spanish - 2.0%, Azerbaijanis - 2.0%, and Syrians - 1.9%. Increases from 2013 to 2014 as to where tourists came from saw the most growth of Arabian tourists up 29%. There was a decrease of Japanese tourists but an increase in Iranian tourists of 50%; South Koreans, Chinese and Iraqi tourists increased by 40-50%. In addition, the numbers of German, Italian, French, Dutch and Austrian tourists are similar during both 2013 and 2014. At present there are 2,456 travel agencies in Constantinople/Istanbul. Accommodation covers all levels and those with Tourism Establishment Certificates from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, are 450 offering a total bed capacity of 89,560. In addition, there are 170 accommodation facilities with 48,790 bed capacity which are under construction. Across the city there are nearly 645 dining and entertainment facilities with 98,461 seating capacity which have Tourism Certificates from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

SOUTH EUROPE SEES POSITIVE TOURISM SEASON With the main summer

season ending, Southern Europe’s destinations of Spain, Greece and Italy saw positive tourism traffic. Spain: Tourism arrivals reached record figures with British, French and German tourists. From Jan-Aug, Spain received 45 million foreign visitors. In August alone for the 1st time total foreign tourists reached over 9 million. The number of Russian visitors dropped by 8% but Spaniards holidaying in their own country was up 3%.

Italy: Hotel revenue dropped 5% between June and August compared to the same period in 2013. Foreign visitors increased by 0.6%, while less Italians holidayed at home; down 0.6%. On average, hotel and restaurant prices are 10% higher than in other European destinations. The recently imposed ‘tourist tax’ is partly to blame.

Greece: A record year with approx 21.5 million visitors expected this year. Tourism accounts for 17% of Greeces GDP and the tourists are expected to pour UK£11, (EU€13.5)

Aegina island, Greece billion into the Greek economy. The Greeks are taking holidays but not spending as much as usual on them.

ROTTERDAMS NEW LANDMARK Not a usual name quoted as a top tourism

destination, but Rotterdam is now a must visit city. It is the largest harbour in Europe and it has been working on plans to develop into a top tourism destination. The construction of the iconic new Markthal Rotterdam has helped shaped the heart of Rotterdam, bringing with it life, business and fun.

It is not only a shopping mall, but also offers a food market, as well as housing

within its striking arch, an architectural beauty, that will put Rotterdam firmly on the tourism map. Markthal is centrally located parallel to the late medieval ‘Laurenskerk’ (Laurens church) and at the location of the former dike along the river Rotte.

SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM - NEW UK COUNTRY MANAGER Travel industry

expert Tolene van der Merwe is the new UK Country Manager for South African Tourism. A South African native, Tolene

brings more than 15 years’ experience in the travel industry, working on Business to Business and Business to Con-sumer initiatives. She moved to the UK in 2005.

In 2007, van der Merwe launched her own company, London-based Boutique Travel Marketing, providing marketing and representation for African tourism products. Already well-known in the travel trade industry, Tolene has served as Chairperson of the Southern African Tour Operators’ Association and currently sits on the SATOA board and is the UK and Vice President of SKAL London Travel Club. In 2011, she was nominated and became a finalist for SA Woman of the Year in the Business category by the SA Business Club. ●

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WE WILL REMEMBER THEM… By Caroline-Artemis Laspas – editor and co-founder

As commemorations around the world continue, in this the centennial year in remembrance of the start of the First World War, London has made its mark with a stunning poppy sculpture at one its top tourist attractions. During WW1, the number of fatalities from the UK and the Commonwealth countries reach 888,246. A special one-off commemoration of this tragic loss of life has seen thousands of people flock to the capital to see the spectacle. In the moat of the Tower of London, 888,246 handmade ceramic red poppies were planted; one for each life lost. The poppies encircle the iconic landmark and offer a very thought provoking sight for reflection.

The title of the installation is ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’, which was inspired by a line in the will of a Derbyshire man who joined up in the

earliest days of the war and died in Flanders. Knowing that everyone was dead and he was surrounded by blood, the man wrote: 'The Blood Swept lands and seas of red, where angels fear to tread.' From this line came the idea for this truly breathtaking site. Each day in the moat at sunset, names of 180 Commonwealth troops killed during the war are read out as part of a ‘Roll of Honour’, followed by the playing of the Last Post. Members of the public nominate a name for the Roll of Honour.

In addition dedications to a lost loved one or current serving military personnel can be made by making a donation to the ‘Poppies at the Tower’ together with submitting a photograph of them on the online ‘Dedication Map’. The poppies were for sale, with the proceeds going to 6 service charities, and not surprisingly all have been sold. A team of volunteers handmade the poppies using techniques utilised by potters during the First World War. Other volunteers, made up of the public wishing to be part of this project gradually planted the vast number of poppies in the castles’ moat. So popular has this commemoration been that not only are there no more poppies for sale, the requests for volunteers reached 18,000 applications and the Roll of Honour nomination requests has closed as it has reached the maximum number of nominations to take the readings up until the close of the installation.

It is a fitting tribute for this artwork, to be located at The Tower of London, as it played its own role during WW1. 1,600 men took their Oath of Allegiance at the Tower to

join the Army and form the ‘Stockbrokers’ Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. The site was also used for training as well as for the imprisonment and execution of enemy spies.

The display concludes on 11th November 2014; Remembrance Sunday. It may be 100 years ago, but nations still feel strongly that although we have moved on, they will not forget.

Having seen the installation in real life, seeing pictures of the display cannot prepare you for such a vast sea of red poppies, especially when each one represents a lost life. It is a truly moving and thought-provoking work of art, with such meaning and pride.

It was these fallen who allow us to live in freedom today. There is still strong support for today’s armed services as well as for the 6 charities benefitting from this phenomenal artwork project.

A more permanent commemoration of the centenary of WW1 can be found across London and especially at the newly refurbished Imperial War Museum, which has a ground-breaking new ‘First World War Gallery’ or discover art and photography in the exhibition ‘Truth & Memory: British Art of the First World War’.

Global centennial commemorations are taking place all the time led mainly by Belgium and the Flanders region where the most loss of life was witnessed. Different forms of marking the occasion include photographic exhibitions, plays, talks, sculptures, memorial services, etc. Events will continue to take place over a 4 year period, the length of WW1 from 2014-2018. ●

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M.I.C.E News

DENMARK JOINS CONVENE 2015 Exhibitors from Denmark will be making their debut in

CONVENE 2015 with Visit Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen, Park Inn by Radisson Copenhagen Airport and DMC Nordic already confirmed into the show completing a Baltic Sea circle of exhibitors represented at the event. Danish exhibitors will join a growing representation from Sweden, Finland, Poland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania and there will also be representation from Lviv in the Ukraine and from Belarus. In the first 2 editions of CONVENE, it has established a great reputation as an elegant and effective industry trade event delivering an impressive array of hosted buyers to a clearly defined regional exhibitor group who benefit from a very well managed appointment schedule supported by great networking and education. Danish exhibitors are entering the show at a time of increased participation from Sweden, Estonia and Latvia in particular with the very strong Lithuanian representation set to continue.

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISERS (IAPCO) The IAPCO’s 4th Meetings MasterClass is to be held in Lisbon, Portugal from

15-18 February 2015. There is an early bird registration offer ending on 15 November 2014. www.iapcoeducation.org. The 4th Meetings MasterClass is open to managers, team leaders and decision-makers from across the meetings industry. In a small-group retreat-style setting, attendees will discover how to critique and articulate the value they bring to their clients. In addition, learn how to proactively guide clients, providing the game-changing vision and leadership that will deliver the business results they need. The MasterClass learning environment is informal, stimulating, and highly interactive, offering opportunities to debate and explore, share knowledge and problem-solve. Attendees will leave with practical ideas and new approaches to help them survive and thrive in the new meetings landscape, and ensure they deliver value every step of the way.

SEOUL HOSTS 2016 INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONGRESS Seoul has won

the bid to host the 33rd Federation Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP) Congress, in 2016 from 22-28 August, at the Grand Ambassador Seoul. The event will bring 800 of the world’s top photographers from 60 countries. They will have the chance to see and photograph Seoul and Korea at its best. FIAP, also known in English as the International Federation of Photographic Art, is the only photographic society to be officially recognised by UNESCO. Its membership includes over one million persons affiliated with FIAP-approved branches and associations. Its congress is held biannually. Planned tour destinations in Seoul for the congress participants include Sungnyemun Gate, royal palaces Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Deoksugung, as well as the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Samsung d’light, and the Jongmyo Shrine. They will also visit the Korean Demilitarized Zone, Andong Hahoe Village, and Gyeongju, with many of the selected locations both in and out of Seoul UNESCO World Heritage sites.

IT&CM EVENTS ASSOCIATION DAY – SINGAPORE IT&CM Events’ educational

programme on Association Management for Association professionals and executives will launch in Singapore on 2 December 2014. Organised in a 1st ever collaboration with Suntec Singapore, the upcoming session is IT&CM Events’ 4th instalment of its Association Day programme this year. As a top M.I.C.E destination, Singapore is a favourite location for association meetings and conventions. Similar success at IT&CM China’s and IT&CM India’s Association Day in April and August this year had been applauded by Association Executives as they gave top marks to its knowledge platforms. IT&CM Events’ Association Days scheduled in 2015 include IT&CM China in Shanghai (15 April), IT&CM India in Delhi (19 August), and IT&CMA in Bangkok, Thailand (30 September and 1 October). www.itcmevents.com

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M.I.C.E News

EVENTEX 2015 Eventex is the 1st of its kind as an annual event for event industry

professionals, held each year in Sofia, Bulgaria. Its programme is a forward-looking combination of education, networking, entertainment and awards ceremony that attracts hundreds of attendees from a variety of countries across Europe and beyond.

In 2015 it takes place from 25-26 February at the Inter Expo Centre. Registration for the Congress is now open. The congress will host more than 15 distinguished speakers, including meeting designers,

entrepreneurs, authors and strategists from the M.I.C.E Industry. Already there is a high level of interest and devotion from speakers, sponsors and attendees for this unparalleled congress. Eventex will bring together many esteemed industry leaders for a substantive discussion on event marketing, innovative technology and all current key issues facing the event industry today. Panel and workshop topics include: Innovation Explosion: Breakthrough Strategies for Sales, Marketing, and Big New Ideas that get the World Talking, What is the ROI of using Technology for your Event, TikiTaka Ticketing: State of the Art Solutions and Features, The Art of Creative Storytelling to Encourage Audience Engagement and Sales, Meeting Design and Venue Sales. Key sponsors for the event are Weemss, an advanced ticketing and event registration software and Guidebook - the mobile event guide. Partners include ISES: The International Special Events Society and Innovation Institute of America. Tourism around the World Monthly is a proud Media Partner. http://bit.ly/1Dux44b

PUEBLA, MEXICO, HOSTS MITM AMERICAS & CULTOURFAIR 2014 Because of its

wide tourism infrastructure, vast culture, tradition and gastronomy, the state of Puebla will be the venue for the MITM Americas, and CULTOURFAIR, from 3-5 December, world-class events that put Puebla in the international map as a destination. The Centro Expositor in the Fuertes area will receive 90 buyers from 30 countries, experts in the high impact M.I.C.E market as well as specialists in cultural and heritage travel. Roberto Trauwitz Echeguren, Secretary of Tourism, said that according to the most recent study of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), one of the most important associations worldwide in congress and meetings, Puebla's capital occupies the 3rd place, nationally, in international congress and conventions tourism.

(from left to r ight: Charo Trabado, General Manager of GSAR Marketing, Roberto Trauwitz Echeguren, Tourism Secretary and Matthi js de Kool, Director of Expo Puebla)

The 20th edition of MITM Americas and 6th CULTOURFAIR will gather the main product development managers, tour operators and travel agencies that produce cultural and heritage travel. Also, incentive and events travel agencies, international meetings and congresses organisers will visit Puebla. Meanwhile, Charo Trabado, General Manager of GSAR Marketing and organiser of the events noted that these fairs are exclusive for the tourism industry and not open to general public, generating high levels of business between buyers and sellers, to offer and promote the touristic products in a real way. Trauwitz Echeguren pointed out that in 2013, the Centro

Expositor y de Convenciones showed an increase of 146% revenues in comparison with 2012, increasing the number of events by 80%. At the same time, he highlighted the increase in hotel rooms from 8,500 in 2010 to 9,478 in 2014. Developing touristic products like the Estrella de Puebla ferris wheel, the Concordia lake and the Touristic Police, international tourism has grown 123.15%, compared to 2010. During the events Puebla will promote its tourism attractions. The VIP hosted buyers and journalists attending MITM Americas & CULTOUR can attend post show tours and experience wonderful Puebla and Hidalgo, their delicious gastronomy and rich culture. In Puebla's programme is included the Magical Town of Cholula, the Ethnobotanical Garden, the Estrella de Puebla ferris wheel, Atlixco Municipality, and Africam Safari Zoo, among other attractions, while in Hidalgo's programme visits to Pachuca, Mineral del Chico, Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo Magical Towns, the basaltic prisms, a natural wonder, Hacienda Santa Maria Regla, and tasting the typical regional is among the activities on offer.

EXHIBITORS GENERATE OVER UK £400,000 EACH AT MEETINGS SHOW 2014 Exhibitors at The Meetings Show

2014 are expected to generate an average of UK£409,551, (EU€519,351) of new business as a direct result of exhibiting at the show. The 2014 edition of the event attracted 474 exhibiting companies - an increase of 20% from 2013, and an increase of 60% in hosted buyers. The average number of pre-scheduled appointments per exhibitor was 21 with several exceeding 100 appointments. Exhibitors also benefited from the large number of walk on meetings. Analysis shows that 88% of exhibitors said The Meetings Show was important to their business, and the amount of business generated certainly confirms this. It also confirms the event as the UK’s leading trade show for meeting industry professionals. The Meetings Show will take place from 7-9 July 2015 at Olympia, London.

THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION SUMMIT 2015: ‘PIONEERS OF CHANGE’

For the 3rd year running the visit.brussels Convention Bureau is organising the European Association Summit (EAS) in Brussels from 5-7 May 2015. A must attend event to share information, knowledge and network with other international associations. For 2015 the introduction of a ‘call for presentations’, offers international associations executives the chance to put their success stories, original, innovative ideas under the spotlight. A committee will select the associations who will present their success stories at the 2015 event. ●

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M.I.C.E News

SARAWAK TARGETS LOS ANGELES The Sarawak

Convention Bureau (SCB) have been to Los Angeles to conduct the 1st ever USA ‘Borneo Talk’ programme to reintroduce Sarawak as a Business Events destination and share Sarawak’s conservation efforts through the soft launch of the first ‘Soulful Orangutan Appeal Project’. Meeting and incentive planners are constantly on the lookout for exotic and unique destinations. Research shows that clients are also increasingly seeking experiential and memorable experiences. Sarawak can offer all this and more to American meeting planners.

ADELAIDE ‘OVER THE MOON’ The Adelaide Convention

Bureau, in partnership with The Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA) and State Government of South Australia is to host the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in September 2017. Adelaide beat competition from Germany (Bremen), USA (Orlando), Turkey (Istanbul) and Ireland (Dublin). It will be the biggest congress the city has ever held, expecting to attract over 3,000 delegates including 200 astronauts’ space professionals, academics, major corporations, government representatives, students and media from over 70 countries. It will provide 22,000 bed nights for hotels and create more than 170 jobs. The bid took 4 years. The IAC is the world’s most important annual inter-disciplinary meeting for the space industry. In addition to its 3,000+ delegates, the IAC will feature a large exhibition which is designed to attract support from space agencies and international space companies.

PARTNERSHIP LAUNCHED TO BOOST CONVENTION BUSINESS IN INDIA AND THE NETHERLANDS A strategic

partnership was launched which will see more international association conferences visit India and the Netherlands over the next 3 years. The new partnership is formed between CIM-Global and the Global Industry Development Network (GIDN)

around business development, grant writing, and conference management. GIDN’s business development team across 16 countries will be engaging with international associations around the world to introduce them to their counterparts from India or the Netherlands. CIM-Global will be managing the conferences secured and GIDN will support with grant writing services. The partnership will expand CIM-Global’s sales team to all corners of the world, and will add benefits to GIDN’s 120 association clients it services each year by ensuring they receive high quality event management services for their conferences.

EUROMIC SUPPORTS ‘SAGAPO’ CHILDRENS FOUNDATION

Euromic, the leading international consortium of companies specialising in destination management and MICE travel, is enhancing its corporate social responsibility programme by supporting the Sagapo Children's Foundation. For every appointment made with one of Euromic's 37 member DMCs at the upcoming IMEX America convention in Las Vegas, a donation will be made to Sagapo. This is in addition to Euromic's ongoing financial commitment to charitable organisations. Sagapo is dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential through education. Their mission is to create a better learning environment for children and increase awareness among their parents, communities, and governments about the necessity and importance of proper education.

PRAGUE’S UNIFIED BRAND Organisations representing the

city of Prague in the field of tourism, Prague Convention Bureau and Prague Information Service – Prague City Tourism, are to use a unified visual style of the destination in order to promote Prague and strengthen its position as a tourist and congress destination internationally. ●

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Vilnius, City Hall , Li thuania

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA, EUROPE’S BALTIC CENTRE, by Dimitri Laspas

Lithuania is the most southern and the largest of the Baltic States. It borders the Baltic Sea, Latvia, Belarus, Poland and Russia.

The capital, Vilnius is in the South East of the country and has a rich history dating back to 1323. A nation always keen to do business with others, the then Grand Duke of Gediminas, wrote to European traders and craftsmen to visit the city. From then on, Lithuania’s capital has always attracted visitors with its varied architectural styles. Traditionally called a Gothic city, with its narrow streets, church spires, castles, bell towers, red tile roofs the Renaissance period left a very strong mark on the city in the 17th -18th centuries with many Baroque style buildings. Vilnius is like a mini-Europe with Italian Baroque, Russian Orthodox churches, German Gothic, Austrian Rococo and neo-classical architecture. Vilnius is now considered a Baroque city and is the only capital in Europe situated on the boundary of two ancient civilizations; Latin and Byzantine.

Vilnius, City Hall , Li thuania

Vilnius is the largest old town in central and Eastern Europe and since 1994 has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is geographically just 7km away from the very heart of Europe! It is the here that the most valuable historic and cultural heritage is to be found. Any visit to Vilnius must include the Gediminas Castle, the Cathedral Square and the historic centre. It is also one of the Greenest cities in

Europe with over 46% of its area dedicated to green open spaces, like parks, reserves, public gardens, etc. For MICE, the city offers a wide range of conference venues and options from small and cosy in the traditional town to grand hotel and conference facilities that can accommodate up to 3,000 delegates. With direct flights from approx. 30 European cities and connecting flights from over 600 other world locations, Vilnius is easily accessible and the airport is just 20 minute from the city centre.

Lithuania offer a world-class business infrastructure combined with unique cultural riches, making it a popular and natural choice for MICE. There are numerous first-class hotels, well-equipped conference centres as well as more unusual venues that can offer interesting unique packages and meet the needs of any meeting or event. It is well known as a great value for money and high quality destination and utilises the top technologies to stay ahead of competitors.

Of course, Lithuania is not just Vilnius, there are many other cities and towns offering a wide range of venues and options for MICE, like the 2nd largest town of Kaunas, or the white-sand beach resorts of Neringa and Palanga or the famous spa towns of Druskininkai and Birštonas.

With so many influences over the centuries, Lithuania is a melting pot with a rich culture of people; Lithuanians, Poles, Russians, Jews, Germans among others, making it a proud nation of a diverse cultural heritage.

Lithuania is a historic and diverse country and offers UNESCO World Heritage sites, enchanting old-towns, unspoiled nature, great local and international cuisine and truly vibrant cultural life. It is therefore not surprising that Lithuania and its capital, Vilnius is the right place to

host CONVENE; an annual business to business 2 day event for the meetings industry for the countries of the Baltic. It is an international show case for the regional meetings

industry which accelerates the interest in, and demand for, holding meetings, incentives and conferences in the region.

The Cathedral , Vilnius, Li thuania

It was launched by the Vilnius Convention Bureau and offers a high quality hosted buyer programme which accommodates 160+ qualified buyers from whole Europe. The events offers see approx. 100 exhibitors including convention bureaux, hotels, conference centres, special venues, DMCs, PCOs, specialist suppliers from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia, Finland, Sweden and Belarus take part by showcasing their meeting products and services. Convene also offers a major professional education programme and a several high quality business networking events. In order experience and see all the Baltic region has to offer, special fam tours around Lithuania and the neighbouring destinations are on offer to international buyers. The 2015 edition of Convene will be held from 11-12 February at the LITEXPO, Vilnius. Lithuania welcomes between 20-30,000 delegates to over 200 events it hosts each year in Vilnius and its cities.

Make your next M.I.C.E event a heart-stopping one, in the heart of Europe; Lithuania! ●

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13

AVIATION News

EUROPEAN AIRLINES ALLOW PASSENGERS TO USE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Airlines across Europe can now allow passengers to use mobile phones and portable electronic devices throughout flights. Travellers must still wait for airlines to decide their own policy, as specialist communications packages must be installed to allow phone connections at cruising altitude. This is the latest regulatory step towards enabling the ability to offer so-called gate-to-gate telecommunication or wifi services for air travellers. Some airlines may even segregate seating with 'quiet zones'. Passengers must still follow the airline crew instructions. Safety always comes first onboard of an aircraft.”

BRITISH AIRWAYS STARTS DIRECT TO GREEK ISLANDS FROM SUMMER 2015

In summer 2015, British Airways will commence flights from London Heathrow to 2 Greek islands; Kos and Corfu. The airline will launch 2 weekly flights to Kos and 4 weekly flights to Corfu. Flight start from 1 May 2015 and operate using Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. The new routes will strengthen the local economy of the 2 islands and give the opportunity to even more people to visit Greece for their holidays with a direct flight.

AIR FRANCE-KLM TO GO AHEAD WITH LOW COST BRAND Air France-KLM is to

proceed with expanding its low cost brand in France and has a back-up plan if a deadlock with pilots continues. Pilots ended the airline's longest strike since 1998 in late September despite continued deadlock with managers. The pilots launched their strike in an effort to force Air France-KLM to revise plans to expand its low-cost brand, Transavia in Europe, fearing that the project would erode their own pay and conditions. The airline thus dropped its proposal to expand its Transavia low-cost operations beyond France and the Netherlands to a total of 100 planes.

CUBANA AIRLINES RESTARTS FLIGHTS TO COSTA RICA Cubana Airlines is to fly

directly to Costa Rica, from November. The new nonstop flight opens up great

opportunities to strengthen ties between the Caribbean and Central American nations, offering a great opportunity to expand ties between Central American and Caribbean countries and for developing multi-destination routes in the area. The twice a week

flight will use an 85-seat Antonov158 aircraft, the latest addition to Cubana’s fleet.

UNITED AIRLINES MORE CHRISTMAS FLIGHTS United Airlines is to increase the

number of nonstop flights between Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica and hubs at George Bush International Airport in Houston and Newark Liberty in New York from 19 December to 4th January 2014.

THAI FLIGHTS TO LUANG PRABANG Thai Airways is to operate a direct service

from Bangkok to Luang Prabang, Laos People’s Democratic Republic from end October 2014 in order to support the economy and tourism industry of Thailand and Laos. Luang Prabang is a popular tourist destination due to its ancient culture and relaxed lifestyle. Luang Prabang won the UNESCO award for ‘The Best Preserved City in South- East Asia’ and registered as a ‘World Heritage City’, with many ancient temples and colonial homes.

TOKYO - NEW DESTINATION FOR ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES From April 2015,

Ethiopian Airlines will start flights to Japan, with a flight 3 times a week route; Addis Ababa – Hong Kong – Tokyo Narita, using a Boeing 787 aircraft. Overall service to Hong Kong will increase from 4 to 7 weekly as a result.

AMERICAN’S ENTRY IN ASIA COULD BE TO ITS BENEFIT American Airlines route

network to the Asia Pacific region is looking to expand with an application for a new route from Dallas/Fort Worth-Beijing route. If approved, this would be American’s 10th nonstop Asia-Pacific route from the U.S. In all, American flies to 5 Asia-Pacific cities: Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing.

38 NEW ROUTES AEGEAN AIRLINES FOR SUMMER 2015 For summer 2015,

Aegean Airlines will include a total of 38 new routes. New routes include from Heraklion (Crete) to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Geneva, Istanbul, Sabiha Gokcen, London

Gatwick, Metz, Milan, Nantes, Prague, Rome, Stockholm (Arlanda), Stuttgart and Toulouse. In addition routes from Rhodes to Amsterdam, Geneva, Larnaca, Lyon, Stuttgart, Tel Aviv and Vienna, as well as from Corfu to Paris and Rome. At the beginning of October, the ‘Best Regional Airline in Europe 2014’, as voted by Skytrax, revealed a further 3 routes from Athens to Paphos and Oslo, and Rhodes to Marseille. Other new routes are from Athens to Bordeaux, Dubrovnik, Helsinki, Malta, Naples, Pisa, Preveza, Riyadh, Tallinn, Tehran, Toulouse and Yerevan. Aegean is increasing the size of its fleet with 7 new Airbus A320ceos on order equipped with the new ‘Sharklets’ on their wings. The aircraft will be delivered in June 2015 and will be completed in early 2016.

CHINA TO BECOME LARGEST PASSENGER MARKET BY 2030 China is

expected to overtake the USA to become the largest single passenger market by 2030. IATA predicts the aviation sector over the next 2 decades will see global passenger numbers reach 7.3 billion by 2034, representing annual growth of 4.1% on average which will result in doubling the 3.3 billion passengers expected to travel in 2014. Together the USA and China will easily remain the top passenger suppliers. It is expected that by 2034 flights to, from and within China will see a total of 1.3 billion passengers, 856 million more than 2014 with average growth of 5.5%p.a. For the USA flights will see 1.2 billion passengers, annual growth of 3.2% and 559 million more than in 2014. Flights to, from and within Asia-Pacific by 2034 will carry an extra 1.8 billion annual passengers, with a total market size of 2.9 billion. This represents annual growth of 4.9% which will also match expected growth for the Middle East region.

ASIAN AIRSPACE CONGESTION The 3

major Middle Eastern airlines, Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are all wishing to expand their routes into the South East Asia region to meet the new rise in demand of 54% across the 3 carriers since 2011. However, this is beginning to cause major airspace congestion at some Asian hub airports which would delay these carriers’ growth plans. Already hubs like Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia are at maximum capacity and many airlines operating to and from these have new aircraft on order, with nowhere to put them. The options to date are for airlines to either operate out of lesser known airports, or negotiate open skies agreements like the UAE did with India recently. With predictions for aviation to grow in all regions, the sector needs to find a more permanent solution to this growing problem. ●

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LATIN AMERICA News

Kuelap, Peru

KUELAP, PERU, CONNECTED WITH CABLE CAR Peru is to build and

operate a cable car system to reach the Kuelap archaeological site in the cloud forest of northern Amazonas region. The cable car will make it easier for tourists to visit Kuelap, a large fortress at the top of a mountain ridge. It became a cultural heritage site in 2003 but remains under explored by tourists who still flock to Machu Picchu and other archaeological sites in the south. The cable car will be operational by 2016 and comprise of 26 cars capable of carrying 8-10 passengers at a time, with total capacity of 1,000 passengers per hour. The project is vital to revitalising Peru’s northern tourist circuit, with Kuelap at the centre of the attractions. The stone fortress with circular buildings and unique friezes, built around AD1300, is a steep climb up the mountainside from a small parking area, and offers unlimited views of the surrounding landscape. Its impressive walls are about 19m tall. The fortress was built by the Chachapoya civilization, a strongly independent people who lived in the Andean cloud forests from about AD800, building hilltop complexes such as Kuelap and the large cities of circular buildings of Gran Pajaten and Gran Vilaya. Tourism is an increasingly important part of Peru’s economy, with many foreign visitors attracted to the country’s rich archaeological remains and immense biodiversity.

PANAMA TO ATTRACT MORE TOURISTS To date, UK£51, (EU€65)

million has been invested in tourism projects outside of Panama City. The Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) will bring forward the campaign ‘Vive Panamá’ which runs for the month of November with offers for tourists, including dining and shopping. Tourists will receive personalised attention at airports with information on tourist sites in Panama.

‘DAY OF CUBAN CULTURE’ IN VENEZUELA There are over 5 million Venezuelans

benefitting from the work of Cuban professionals of the sector, which prompted the Mission Cultura Corazon Adentro to mark 22 August the Day of Cuban Culture. There are 1,200 Cuban collaborators working in the 23 states of Venezuela, contributing to social development of low-income communities. Initiated by late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, the Mission Cultura Corazon Adentro has been for 5 years in communities and schools promoting a process of changes, improving the quality of life of Venezuelans, easing their access to culture, always respecting the country's richness and diversity. The Cuba-Venezuela agreement covers exchanges in the performing arts, music, fine arts, history, heritage, library, archives and cinema, among other fields.

HONDURAS TO HOST RURAL TOURISM MEETING The western city of Santa Rosa de

Copan will host a discussion of sustainable rural tourism to the countries of the Northern Triangle of Central America. Attendees will include heads of tourism from Honduras Tourism, El Salvador, and Guatemala in the 'First Tri-National Congress of Sustainable Tourism’. Part of the meeting will see guided tours and exhibitions of local products such as crafts, food, among others, as well as visiting an organic coffee farm.

NICARAGUA: A BEST CARIBBEAN DESTINATION Nicaragua is a country that has

everything, and tourism is a continuous growth area for the country’s development of

Volcano Conception, Lake Nicaragua

investment and infrastructure. With the spectacular volcanos, charming colonial cities of León and Granada, a very hospitable people and wildlife in the rainforests are part of the beauty that is continuing to attract tourists. Nicaragua is increasingly becoming a ‘popular’ international destination. More hotels are opening and under construction to meet growing demand. Between January and June Nicaragua received 650,008 foreign visitors, representing a growth of 7.1% compared to the same period in 2013, when the country received 607,155 tourists.’

FALKLAND ISLANDS READY FOR BUSY TOURIST SEASON The Falkland Islands

Tourist Board is in the final stages of renovations on the Jetty Visitors Centre in time for the start of the new cruise season. With new products added to its retail outlet anticipated sales should exceed 2013’s record breaking season. The new ‘Accommodation Accreditation Scheme’ which began recently is progressing well with registrations. Once reviewed the properties will be given a star rating and a report on how to reach the next star level. On the back of the programme, participants are eligible to apply for the tourism grant which is a match funding programme to assist with upgrades. Participants are also listed on the FITB website, promoted to tour operators and also included in marketing and promotional materials distributed by FITB and travel agents. The aim is to raise the standards and offerings in the Falklands in order to continue growth and success. ●

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EXHIBITION News

1st INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXPO IN THE CARIBBEAN - PUERTO RICO 2015

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company has launched the ‘ETI – Expo de Turismo Internacional’, the 1

st international tourism expo in the Caribbean that will take place at

the Puerto Rico Convention Center, from 13-16 May 2015. The inaugural international tourism expo will showcase the beauty, sports, nature, adventure, and gastronomy experiences available throughout the Caribbean and beyond, bringing together members of the tourism industry from across the globe. ETI - Puerto Rico will be held at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, the largest and most technologically advanced business conference venue in the Caribbean. The Center is located in the heart of San Juan on the Isla Grande peninsula, near the world-renowned city of Old San Juan. As the U.S. travel market’s top-selling destination, the Caribbean has, for a long time needed an annual event tailored specifically to travel agents and with Puerto Rico as a hub for the Caribbean with air and sea access to most islands, makes it an ideal location for the inaugural tourism expo. The 4-day event will include group meetings, social and cultural events, field trips, workshops, destination trainings, keynote addresses and more, while the Exhibit Hall will be open 2 days to travel trade and 1 day to consumers. ETI - Puerto Rico will feature pavilions from the Caribbean and beyond, providing tourism boards, hotels, suppliers, tour operators, airlines and others with direct access to 1,000+ travel agents from the U.S., Central & South America, and Europe, and exposing them to new destinations and attractions.

INAUGURAL CORPORATE TRAVEL WORLD CHINA 2015 The 7th edition of the

IT&CM China & CTW China Corporate Travel Roundtable was held recently in Beijing, attracting 12 travel managers from local, state-owned and multinational companies to register their interest. Hailing from the airline, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, financial services and international trade industries, participants shared a diversity of perspectives during the session. The series of roundtable discussions, which travels to different Chinese cities every 2 months, is a platform for TTG Events and partner Carlson Wagonlit Travel, China to engage the marketplace ahead of the inaugural Corporate Travel World China (CTW China) conference in April 2015. Research has shown that the opinions of local travel managers is essential to conducting business in China and it is clear that there is a need for the localisation of industry knowledge, which confirms the decision of TTG Events, which has organised Corporate Travel World Asia-Pacific for 17 years that China deserves its own edition. The conference programme will focus on the specific needs of the Chinese market. Topics like the impact of the legislative and regulatory environment on travel management, redesigning travel policies and optimising the use of travel technology are being planned. At the same time, the conference will also address the key issue of cost savings with a dedicated track that will delve into supplier relationships in the air, ground and hotel segments. Carlson Wagonlit Travel, China also intends to reveal the results of its 2015 China survey during the conference. The inaugural Corporate Travel World China will be held from 14 - 16 April 2015 in Shanghai. In the lead-up to the conference, TTG Events and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, China will continue its engagement efforts with another corporate travel roundtable in Shanghai this November.

EMITT 2015 HIGHLIGHTS TURKEY’S POTENTIAL EMİTT Fairs will allocate an

entire hall to convention or congress tourism in 2015 in order to develop this industry in Turkey. EMİTT will thus introduce Turkey’s vast potential in the field of convention tourism Lounge. The 18th EMİTT (East Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition) will take place at TÜYAP on 22-25 January, in Istanbul. While Turkey secured its 6th position in the world welcoming more than 35 million visitors in 2013, the EMİTT Fair maintained its position as the world’s 5th largest tourism fair with

136,730 visitors (of that 63,230 were trade professionals). EMITT Fair Director, Hacer Aydın, called attention to the events role in promoting the country’s tourism and stated that the fair has been hosting tourism sector professionals and making sensational headlines for the last 18 years.

Ms. Hacer Aydin – EMITT Fair Director

She pointed out that while the number of tourists visiting Turkey were just 9 million with a mere revenue of UK£5.60, (EU€7.10) billion in 2000, figures from the period January-November 2013, showed a rise to 33 million tourists with an income of UK£15.30, (EU€19.35) billion, 7% growth in 2013. EMITT 2014 offered new private lounges for both health and winter tourism sectors in order to attract international professionals interested in these tourism topics. Aydın continued that the rise in tourism in Turkey ran parallel to the rise in business hotel capacity and air transportation figures. Furthermore, Aydın finalised by highlighting that there was also a massive explosion in the number of travel agents during the same period, with a rise from 4,354 in 2000 to 7,247 in 2013.

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EXHIBITION News

‘Greece Welcomes You In London’ is a cultural celebration of Greek art, food, drink and music. With visitors enjoying cooking demonstrations, listening to traditional music from live bands and watching exciting authentic dancing, this will sure to be a regular annual event to attend for all things Greek. Also part of the event is the 'ROTH – Reflections On Traditionalism and Heritage’ art exhibition which highlights renowned Greek artists with paintings, installations, photography and sculptures. So next time round, make sure you get ready to soak up the Greek atmosphere and indulge a little in delicious food and drink.

BTC 2014: MORE NEW EXHIBITORS

New exhibitors continue to sign up for the annual BTC, Italy’s events exhibition that takes place at Fortezza da Basso, Florence from 11-12 November. This confirms the positive trend registered not only for the event itself, but also for the meetings industry as a whole, on which Italian and foreign demand-side operator are now increasingly focused. Two new exhibitors include the national tourism boards of Croatia and Santo Domingo. Other new entries include many hotel venues, both independent and those belonging to a chain, like Dolce Hotels & Resorts. Equally significant is the debut at BTC of 3 gems in the hotel-conference offer in Como, one of the emerging destinations of the Italian M.I.C.E industry: the 4* superior Hotel Cruise and the 4* Hotel Como (which are sharing a stand) and the Grand Hotel di Como. These 3 hotels join company network ‘Lake Como Events’, which, returns with its own stand, having exhibited at BTC last year.

LONDON CRUISE SHOW 2015 The annual Cruise Show (London edition) is taking place

at Olympia from 14-15 February. The 7th CRUISE Show is Europe’s leading public cruising event and offers the largest collection of major cruise lines and specialist operators all under one roof. With exclusive money-saving cruise offers and upgrades, new itineraries, ships and destinations for the 2015/2016 and new informative show features combined with free inspirational talks and gain essential expert advice makes the Cruise show a must for repeat passengers and first timer cruisers! So, whether you're looking for a once-in-a-lifetime expedition cruise to a far-flung destination, a sumptuous ultra-luxury voyage, maybe a relaxing river cruise or a tropical family holiday with lots to entertain all ages, with such an array of cruise lines on hand for you to meet with, you are sure to find your dream voyage at the show.

BUSINESS EVENTS AUSTRALIA (BEA) TO DEBUT AT IT&CM CHINA 2015 A regular at

IT&CM China, Business Events Australia (BEA) has been a loyal and long-time partner of the leading MICE event in China since 2012. Returning for their 4th consecutive year as hosted luncheon sponsor, BEA will also make their debut as IT&CM China’s exhibitor with a 96sqm booth for the 2015 event. Trade events like IT&CM China have strategic importance to deepen and strengthen Australia’s relationship with Chinese buyers and business partners as well as create awareness for its trade engagement programme and tailored tools for the Chinese market. Australia ranks 10th among all out of region outbound destinations for Chinese travellers. BEA has excellent and competitive MICE facilities to provide visitors with rewarding and engaging experiences, and a diverse range of new and interesting business and incentive travel products, services and ideas. Chinese corporate travel buyers can also expect to look forward to BEA’s hosted luncheon at the 2015 event. IT&CM China hosts the largest and most diverse selection of key MICE buyers in China, and attracts key buyers from various segments covering incentives, association and corporate events. For more information on IT&CM China, visit www.itcmchina.com

SUCCESS AT SEATRADE MED The 10th edition of the Seatrade Med Cruise Convention,

came to a close in Barcelona, Spain recently and concluded that the Mediterranean market is continuing to grow, despite the economic downturn. More than 3,000 participants visited the showcase exhibition where over 170 exhibitors from all over the globe, including numerous companies new to cruise, showcased their products and demonstrated innovations on the exhibition floor. From cruise ports to tour organisers, from interior outfitters to entertainment specialists, all relevant segments of the cruise value chain were represented at Seatrade Med. Delegates who attended the 'State of the Cruise Industry in Mediterranean' opening session heard from MSC Cruises executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago in his role as CLIA Europe chairman where he identified the fact that Europe has been able to boost demand for cruises by a hefty 43% since the global recession hit in 2008 - when other tourism sectors were flat - shows its resilience. For ports, 2013 broke all Mediterranean records, with 24% growth and 27m passenger movements. Seatrade Med continued its ongoing success and proved once again to be the Mediterranean¹s most prestigious cruise event, setting a new benchmark for cruise industry trade shows. Seatrade Med will be back in 2016. ●

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EAST MEETS WEST - CHINESE STYLE! By Dimitri Laspas

Highlighting some new tips on making the best of opportunities for conducting long term business relationships with Chinese companies is the way forward to help British and other European companies succeed.

The Chinese as a general trend like to get to know each other before they do serious business. It is much more important in China than in the West, where it is quite normal to conduct business with someone met only via email. Although email plays a big role in China, the personal interaction is much more important, and adds huge strength to any deal.

The ‘88 initiative’, so called ‘88’, as 8 is considered the lucky number in China, is a venture designed to initiate more dea ls between the UK and China. The idea is to connect UK financiers and entrepreneurs with young Chinese entrepreneurs in the UK who are very well connected to an older generation and more wealthy entrepreneurs. As the older generation of Chinese entrepreneurs speak little English and are not up-to-date with international markets, they may not see the opportunity to invest in the UK, but if they can trust a younger Chinese entrepreneur that may change everything.

Many Chinese entrepreneurs buy UK companies aiming to take them to China. They take the brand name to China and build on it and extend the name geographically.

In the west the deal is done via signing a contract, for many in China a deal is sealed by trust or verbally. Therefore the Chinese want to know who you are first before doing business, as there is still no strong legal framework in China to deal with business deals which go wrong. The court system takes ages and the laws are very different.

This importance on human relationship is very much part of Chinese culture since ancient times, led by the teachings of Confucius. The Confucian way of thinking looks in detail at human relationships, with

Ansun Bridge, Chengdu, China the emperor and parents at the top and citizens and children as secondary. In the West our philosophers such as Aristotle are keen on being observers of nature. This feeds down to make us both very different in our way of thinking or conducting business.

Today the ancient philosophy when translated into how we act today sees the Chinese people do business over meals, but not to talk about business; just a way of getting to know the new business partner more as a person.

Therefore to do business with contracts, for the Chinese is still a strange concept, as it is strange for us to conduct business their way. However, in the West we can and must learn more about Chinese relationships as both trust and law (contracts) to go hand in hand when doing business.

If a Chinese business trusts you, they will come back for more business, so it is worthwhile investing in the effort to understand their business etiquette. Also the Chinese are loyal employees and stay much longer in jobs than many do in the west.

Finally, the Chinese are hard working, intelligent and motivated as workers. They are always looking for new opportunities and are open to suggestions and ideas. So, take the opportunities that are there in plenty. The Chinese are extremely keen to expand into the West and especially in tourism.

One way to target the many opportunities on offer is by attending several regional tourism exhibitions. Exhibiting at exhibitions shows to the Chinese tourism businesses that you are there, in person, and wish to conduct business with them.

Exhibiting at the following exhibitions can open the doors to your new business deal in China: Chengdu International Travel Fair, China Guilin International Tourism Expo, Xi’an International Tourism Expo, Hungzhou International Travel Fair and Bei jing International Tourism Expo. These events promote tourism in key regions of China, where business opportunities are still huge. For more details on these events email exhibitions@bmlinternational.co.uk●

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ASIA News

Gur Amir Mausoleum, Samarkand

LAOS TARGETS AFFLUENT THAI & CHINESE TOURISTS Officials from

Laos and Thailand have met to discuss plans to encourage big-spending Thai tourists to extend their visits in Laos. Tourism industry professionals from both countries shared experiences and information on each others tourism sectors. Both nations agreed to continue investigating ways to improve connections from north to south and vice versa. They also agreed to promote smoother tourism transport in both countries for mutual benefit leading up to the Asean Economic Community next year. In 2013, over 2 million Thai tourists visited Laos, which is similar to the number of Lao tourists recorded visiting Thailand in 2013. Chinese tourists continue to flock to Laos with 111,898 visiting the country in the first 4 months of 2014. In 2013, over 245,000 Chinese tourists visited Laos. This year Chinese outbound tourists are expected to reach over 100 million. In 2013, there were 97 million Chinese tourists travelling abroad - nearly double 2009's total of 49 million.

SINGAPORE TOURISM In the first half

of 2014, Singapore saw tourism receipts grew by 2% year-on-year, despite a drop in international visitor arrivals of 3% to 7.5 million over the same period. The drop in tourists was mainly from China (30%), as tourist numbers from other destinations grew by 2%. There was also an increase in M.I.C.E business. International visitor arrivals were 3.6 million in the 2nd quarter, down 6% from the same period last year. Indonesia (1,525,000), China (871,000), Malaysia (592,000), Australia (529,000), and India (492,000) were Singapore’s top 5 international visitor-generating markets from January to June 2014. These markets accounted for 53% of total international visitor

arrivals. Arrivals from Hong Kong were boosted by the introduction of new flight connections by low-cost carrier Scoot airline. Similarly, South Korean visitor arrival growth was due to the additional travel route by Scoot between Seoul and Singapore.

SAMARKAND: A TREASURE OF THE SILK ROAD The ancient and spectacular Uzbek city

of Samarkand recently saw the 99th Executive Council session of the UN World Tourism Organisation take place. With over 2,500 years of history, Samarkand has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2001 and is where ‘The Declaration of Silk Road Tourism’ was adopted 20 years ago. Opening the session the Uzbek President stated that ‘the development of tourism would be impossible without ‘ensuring peace, security and political and economic stability in the world’.’ Despite unrest around the world, in the first half of 2014, tourism saw growth of over 5%. Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organisation stated that ‘Tourism is a very important sector, very important human activity in the life of people today, and that we are underestimating what it is doing to the lives of people, how much it benefits, how much it provides income and how many jobs it is creating.’ Hosting this conference allowed Uzbekistan to showcasing its stunning, historic sites, attract investment and offer a road for more tourists to discover Uzbekistan and particularly Samarkand. In addition the conference highlighted the city’s role in the field of tourism and its significance in the Great Silk Road project.

TOURISM SHIFT - HELLO, RUSSIA, INDIA AND CHINA! While Europe and the rest of the

West are struggling with finances and political unrest, many Asian destinations are taking the opportunity to target the emerging markets of India, Russia and China as they offer good business and are less problematic. The Asian destinations offer entertainment, relaxation and tourism exploration and many have new visa waivers making the opportunities even greater. The UNWTO predicts that the Asia-Pacific region will see the largest increase in inbound tourism through to 2030, reaching 535 million foreign arrivals and a 30% global market share. It is the only region expected to increase its market share for the period. Not only are Asian nations working hard to gain more new tourists, but they are filling the gap created by Europe with its own hand, either politically, financially, educationally and/or socio-demographically. Nothing stays the same and every crisis presents new opportunities, which Asia is eager to take advantage of. One niche sector seeing growth is that of Indian weddings taking place abroad. With such events often catering for 200-600 guests, it is big business. Another sector is the long-stay sector, where Russians are keen to invest. TOURISM HELPS CLAIM SOVEREIGNTY: PARACEL ISLANDS, CHINA Located at the

most southern frontier of China, over 200 miles south of Hainan Island, lie the Paracel Islands, which are in dispute by China, Vietnam, Philippines and Taiwan as to who they belong to. Chinese Cruise ships are keen to bring patriotic passengers to the islands because under international law, it must prove a civilian and not just a military use for the islands to claim sovereignty. The cruises to this outpost require special permission and last 5 days. Services on board are quite basic, but for the claim of sovereignty, Chinese tourists believe it is all worth it. Already this part of the South China Sea, which has rich fish stocks, possibly huge amounts of oil and important fishing lanes has regular disputes. Now it would seem that patriotic tourists, over 3,000 since May 2013, are showing their national support to the islands. China has even built a huge government HQ on the northern islands. Small inflatable boats take tourists to the islands and reefs for swimming and snorkelling. There are only a few residents on the Yingyu Island and they are paid to live there by the government. ●

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