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World Tourism Cities Monthly
世界旅游城市资讯 (月 刊 ) Issue No.10
(2015.01.01—2015.01.31)
Address: 6th Floor of the
White Peacock Art World,
No. 3 Dongbinhelu
Deshengmenwai Street,
Xicheng District, Beijing,
P.R.China
Zip Code: 100120
Phone: 008610-65289071
E-mail: info@wtcf.org.cn
【Special Focus】……………………1
⊿ Changes make China tourism different
【Tourism News】……………………4
⊿ Egypt: welcomes a super large-scale Chinese tourist
group
【City News】……………………8
⊿ Beijing: awarded as “Top 10 Chinese Tourism Cities”
【Industry News】……………………12
⊿ Club Med: to target Chinese market under new owners
【Figure Scan】……………………17
⊿ 43.4 million: Los Angeles hits tourism record for 4th
year
World Tourism Cities Federation
世界旅游城市联合会
Content
1
Changes make China tourism different
2015 China Tourism Work Conference
was held in Nanchang, Jiangxi province,
China on January 15th. Li Jinzao,
chairman of China National Tourism
Administration plans “515 Strategy” to
boost tourism development in China that focuses on “civilization,
orderliness, Security, convenience and prosperity”. There are 10 actions
and 52 measures to accomplish the goals. The strategy covers such
aspects as the order of the tourism industries, travel safety, industrial
promotion, new type of the tourism operation, regional tourism
integration, tourism diplomacy, reforms, blend Internet and so on.
The media, tourism industries, academia and WTCF members pay high
attention to this conference. China Tourism News, Xinhua Net,
Renmin.com said, the conference provides new power and gives
confidence to the tourism development. It will boost a new development
on it. The reform measures which were indicated in the conference will
promote the management and service quality as well.
Wei Xiao’an, Director of WTCF Expert Committee, said the concept in
Special Focus
Reference:people.com
2
this conference is a totally new way on tourism, focusing on economy,
quality of life and cultural development. This “cyclone” will make
tourism difference in future. Bao Jigang, President of Tourist Education
Branch of China Association of Tourism and Dean of Tourism of
Zhongshan University, also believes the report from this conference is
worth doing further research. Liu Yi, General Manager of Beijing
Tourism Group and Zhang Lijun, President of China CYTS Tours gave
their opinion on tourism development. The development of an industry
and the position in national economy reflect in industrial-scale,
internationalizing and integer programming of market participants. The
policies can boost vigorous enterprise development. Enterprise should
cooperate with government to pursue mutual benefit and common
development.
The Reuters said, Chinese tourists overtook Americans and Germans as
the world's top-spending travelers in 2013, but questionable behavior has
given offence in some countries, making them unwelcome. The Chinese
government has started working on a national database to help rein in
some of its unruly sightseers and monitor the behavior of habitual
offenders. According to the TODAY news, we should thank the Chinese
government for showing everyone else how to behave. “Barbaric” travel
behavior cuts across all nationalities and countries; as the world shrinks
3
further and more people start to travel. It is important to every country to
enhance awareness of civilization.
The “Toilet revolution” has caused wide
international media concern as well.
Daily Mail reported that tourists will no
longer have to hold their breath when
they visit the loo at certain attractions in China. Western holidaymakers
are often befuddled or disgusted when they first encounter a row of squat
toilets.
WTCF member A&K Group thought, the conference has significant
meaning on accelerating the benign development of tourism industry. It is
of great importance in guiding highly-recognized service idea and further
communication with industry. The conference indicated to building
security pre-warning mechanism, adding more safe facilities and
equipment, promoting emergency rescue system are truly significant in
tourism. Tourism practitioners should update their products and find
position in new tourism format. A&K Group will follow the new
direction of the policy and highlight the leisure vacation products to
boosts tourism market.
4
Cooperation: South Korea launches Chinese Tourism Year
With the hopes of boosting tourism and promoting people-to-people
exchange, the 2015 Chinese Tourism Year in South Korea was launched
on January 23. For South Korea, 2015 will be the “Year of Visit to China”
and 2016 will be the “Year of Visit to South Korea” for China.
(Reference: Xinhua net)
Seychelles: is voted China's Best Island Travel Destination
Seychelles has been voted “The Best Island Travel Destination” by
China’s Best Travel Media which is the Asian nations’ leading travel
media that reaches over 200,000 professionals in the travel industry. The
award was presented to its representative in China during the 10th China
Outbound Travel award ceremony held at the Beijing Regent Hotel on
December 16. (Reference: seychellesnewsagency.com)
Canada: 2015's Best Places to Visit announced
20 Best Places to Visit in Canada in 2015 were announced on January 2nd
.
Toronto tops the list. Toronto welcomes the Pan Am Games and 40th
edition of Toronto International Film Festival. (Reference: VACAY.CA)
Tourism News
5
New Zealand: want special driving rules for foreign tourists
Special rules for overseas drivers are favored by the majority of New
Zealanders, according to a survey. Overseas drivers were found at fault in
75% of 538 injury crashes in which they were involved. Despite the poll
findings, the Government is defending education ahead of new rules.
(Reference: nzherald.co.nz)
USA: “52 Places to Go in 2015”is released by New York
Times
The New York Times rolled out its annual list of Places to Go on January
9th
, allowing 52 destination marketing organizations to declare an early
win on their 2015 publicity efforts. In the paper, it’s a multiple page
spread with images of some destinations and descriptions of each.
(Reference: skift.com)
Nepal: to issue passports for three genders
Nepal joins Australia and New Zealand in recognizing a third gender.
Citizens will now have the chance to choose between three genders -
male, female or indeterminate, marked by an 'x' in the passport. It is
hoped to welcome more gay visitors in future. (Reference: jiemian.com)
6
Malta: Green tourism on target for 2020
Malta’s “island of dreams” and an understated place of beauty, Gozo is
developing its infrastructure and tourism industry in line with its goal of
becoming an eco-island by 2020. The government is placing particular
emphasis on the conservation of the island’s ecosystem, while reducing
its carbon and water footprints. (Reference: theworldfolio.com)
Spain: plans to be the leader of Shopping Tourism
For 2015, Spain has set its target to become a leader in shopping tourism,
a booming segment that attracts visitors to the big cities. This will help to
diversify the offer and attract tourists with a higher than average
purchasing power. (Reference: tourexpi.com)
UNWTO: Tourism innovation awards unveiled
The finalists of the 11th UNWTO Ulysses Awards for Innovation in
Tourism, one of the three categories in the annual UNWTO Awards for
Excellence and Innovation in Tourism have been announced.
(Reference: travelmole.com)
Thailand: Tries to Boost Tourism
Thailand attempts to fix its sagging international image while admitting it
is facing increasing competition from Cambodia, Laos and Burma. The
7
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced a year-long global
promotion campaign of twelve slightly off the beaten track cities and
twelve new tourism routes. (Reference: travelagentcentral.com)
Korea: targets $23.2 billion in tourism investments
The South Korean government said it will create a business environment
to induce more than 25 trillion won (US$23.2 billion) in investment by
local companies to build up the country's tourism industry and corporate
competitiveness. (Reference: eTurbo News)
Portugal: ranks high on global ranking of visa restrictions
Portugal ranks high (172) on the 2013 Henley & Partners Visa
Restrictions Index – A Global Ranking of Countries based on Freedom of
Travel for their Citizens. That means a Portuguese passport holder may
enter 172 countries and territories without a visa. The top rank is jointly
held by Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom with a score of 174.
(Reference: PR Newswire)
Cyprus: boost tourism by Russians, Israelis
A surge in Russian and Israeli tourists ensured visitors to Cyprus rose last
year, helping its bailed-out economy weather three years of recession.
Tourists from Russia increased 4.6% to 636,766. Israeli visitors also rose
8
57.6% to 68,822 last year. The figures represent a rare upward trend for
the economy of Cyprus. (Reference: euronews.com)
Egypt: welcomes a super large-scale Chinese tourist group
A super large Chinese tourism group arrived in Egypt on January 7th,
2015. This is the largest number of Single Tourist Group to Egypt from
China since 2011. As the introduction, it was a year-end incentive travel
for the staff of a Guangzhou Biotechnology Company. Egyptian Tourism
Authority held a grand dinner and officials also had the dinner with them.
(Reference: City Member - Egypt)
Dubai: Shopping Festival's 20th edition underway
The 20th edition of the Dubai Shopping
Festival started on January 1st which is
organized by the Dubai Festivals and
Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency
of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). This
event is running until February 1, with more than 150 attractions on its
agenda. (Reference: hoteliermiddleeast.com)
City News
9
Houston: The 60th Anniversary of Boat Show
The 60th Anniversary of the Houston
Boat Show kicked off on January 2nd at
the NRG Center. The Houston Boat Show
is the biggest and longest running of its
kind in the USA, also is one of the most attractive event in Houston as
well. (Reference: houstonboatshows.com)
Harbin: 31st Int'l Ice and Snow Festival kicked off
The 31st Harbin International Ice and
Snow Festival kicked off at the capital of
Northeast China's Heilongjiang province,
on Jan 5, 2015. The Harbin Ice Festival
has become one of the world's four largest ice and snow festivals
nowadays, along with the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, the Quebec
Winter Carnival in Canada and Norway's Ski Festival. (Reference: harbin.gov)
Brussels: The Visit.Brussels Awards
2014 is coming soon
Each year, visit.brussels rewards the best
touristic initiatives and the projects that
10
contributed to the reputation of Brussels within our borders and beyond.
The visit.brussels Awards ceremony will starts on 26th March.
(Reference: visitbrussels.be)
Paris: tourism launches campaign after shootings
Representatives of the Paris tourist
industry will set off on a world tour next
month to reassure visitors and agents that
the French capital is safe and open for
business after last week's fatal shootings by Islamist militants.
(Reference: reuters.com)
Beijing: awarded as “Top 10 Chinese Tourism Cities”
The “Ctrip Awards Ceremony of Annual
Best Tourism Destination Internet
Selection” was held in Lijiang of Yunnan
Province on January 10. During the
ceremony, Beijing was ranked Top 1 of the “Best Students’ Favorite
Destination”, Top 4 of the “Best Family Fun Destination” and Top 7 of
the “Best Domestic Tourism Cities in 2014”. (Reference: bjta.gov)
11
Wellington: FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015
The FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015 starts on
30 May 2015 and concludes on 20 June
2015. Fans that get in early to purchase
venue packs for next year’s FIFA U-20
World Cup will be rewarded with a chance to witness the spotlight shine
on football’s future superstars from less than $20 per match.
(Reference: wellingtonnz.com)
Barcelona: sweetest walking tour
Sign up for the authentic and unique
“Barcelona Sweet Tour”, created by Food
& Wine Tours. An English-speaking
guided walking tour with tastings that will
take you to a selection of chocolate shops, patisseries and cafés in
Barcelona. The tourists will gain first-hand knowledge of the importance
of the cake- and chocolate-making tradition in Catalonia.
(Reference: barcelonaturisme.com)
Hong Kong: 2015 C3 in Hong Kong
C3 in Hong Kong is an annual anime and
manga event for fans of Japanese anime
12
and manga culture. Major Anime publishers, retailers and production
houses bring the authentic Japanese anime and manga culture to Hong
Kong with their latest creations form February 6th to 8th, 2015.
(Reference: discoverhongkong.com)
Rabat and Casablanca: Morocco wants them to become “global
destinations”
Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development (SMIT) intends to put Rabat
and Casablanca among the world’s most prestigious destinations as
resorts for recreation and culture through the creation of museums,
theaters, libraries, interpretation centers, marinas, restaurants, cafes,
shopping malls, and upscale hotels. (Reference: eTurbo News)
Hyatt: Announces Sales of Five Select Service Hotels
Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the sales of five select service hotels
for a total gross sale price of approximately $53 million on January 14th.
As part of the sales, Hyatt entered into franchise agreements with the
purchasers, with all hotels retaining their existing Hyatt Place branding.
Accommodation
Industry News
13
The purchasers intend to spend a total of approximately $6 million in
additional capital expenditures at the hotels. (Reference: marketwatch.com)
Costa Cruises: released sustainability report
Costa Cruises, Europe’s leading cruise company, released its
Sustainability Report for the period from 2012–2013, detailing the
company's sustainability efforts. The Sustainability Report was prepared
in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 3.1 and a full
copy can be downloaded from the Costa Websites. (Reference: eTurbo News)
UnionPay: expands merchant acceptance in Canada
UnionPay International announced on January 6 it deepened cooperation
with Global Payments Inc to enable tens of thousands more Canadian
merchants to accept UnionPay cards, further expanding the local
UnionPay acceptance network. (Reference: unionpayintl.com)
DFS: set to secure extra year on Los Angeles Airport duty
free contract
DFS Group is set to secure an additional year on its duty free contract at
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as the results of delays and
Activity
14
costs related to the revamped Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT).
In 2012, DFS was awarded a ten-year concession at LAX to develop and
operate the duty-free locations at the airport. (Reference: dfnionline.com)
American Express: Travel Cites London and Santiago as Top
Travel Destinations for 2015
Perennial favorites and exciting new locations are trending this year,
according to customer booking data and findings from a survey of more
than 200 American Express North American Travel Counselors. Topping
the list of trending destinations are London, a lasting favorite enjoyed for
its famous landmarks and culture, and Santiago, Chile, where offering a
range of experiences for travelers wanting outdoor adventures.
(Reference: americanexpress.com)
JTB: cooperate with JAL to provide visitors to Japan with
new domestic package tours
JTB Group (JTB) and Japan Airlines (JAL) announced on December that
they have jointly planned and created new domestic package tours,
Experience Japan “JAL Special Package,” for individual travelers from
overseas to Japan. (Reference: Japan Today)
Agency
15
Club Med: to target Chinese market under new owners
Fosun, the Chinese conglomerate which has won a bidding war for Club
Méditerranée, is banking on China’s growing affluent class and a
shortage of high-end resorts on the mainland to anchor the French
holiday’s group’s growth. (Reference: irishtimes.com)
Ctrip: Surge in vacationing Chinese seniors drives travel
business
Statistics show as much as 40% of the senior Chinese are willing and able
to go on a tour, at home and abroad. Ctrip has special tour products
tailored for the senior, Happy Tours for Parents, hundreds of routes of
which cover home and abroad. (Reference: China Daily)
Kuoni Group: exit from the tour operating business
While ranking in the ‘top five tour operators’ in Europe, Kuoni Group has
put its tour operating business up for sale under a strategic review.,
covering operations in Switzerland, UK, Benelux, Hong Kong/China,
India and Scandinavia. New owners are expected to be found in 2015.
(Reference: Travel Weekly)
16
CITS: ink deal with Cambodia to boost tourism
China International Travel Service Corp (CITS) and Cambodia's Tourism
Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on tourism
strategic cooperation, aiming at attracting more Chinese visitors to
Cambodia on December 29th. (Reference: xinhuanet.com)
TUI Group: buys cruise ship Europa
Tui Group is buying luxury cruise ship MS Europa 2 for €278 million in
cash and debt to bolster results at its Hapag-Lloyd cruise business. The
ship, previously owned by Swiss businessman Otto Mihm, was newly
commissioned in 2013. (Reference: travelmole.com)
Hong Kong Airlines: presents 2015 Best Partner Award
Continues Long-term Strategic Alliance with Ctrip.com
Hong Kong Airlines (HKA), an internationally-acclaimed SKYTRAX
4-star airline, presented “Best Partner Award” to renowned online travel
agent, Ctrip.com (“Ctrip”), as a tribute to Ctrip’s outstanding performance
in ticket sales on January 8th. (Reference: hongkongairlines.com)
Transportation
17
Air China: new B747-8 Beijing- New York route debuts
Air China’s Boeing 747-8 aircraft debuts internationally on the
Beijing-New York route on January 7th in New York. The 13-hour flight
will run once a day between Beijing and New York. (Reference: Travel Weekly)
YVR: Officially Opens Newly Expanded Domestic Terminal
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) celebrated the opening of the
expanded Domestic Terminal on January 13th. Featuring new gate
capacity, an expedited baggage system, seismic upgrades and a wide
range of new dining and shopping options, the A-B Connector will keep
YVR connected to destinations across Canada. (Reference: newswire.ca)
500,000: Dubai targets more medical tourists by 2020
The number of medical tourists reached 135,000 last year, up from
120,000 in 2013, according to Dubai Health Authority (DHA). The
number is expected to exceed 150,000 by the end of the year, estimates
the consultant Colliers International. DHA has set a target to attract
500,000 medical tourists a year by 2020. (Reference: The National)
Figure Scan
18
1.5 million: tourists arrive in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Tourism welcomed the arrival of German tourist Torrance
Jimmy as the 1.5 millionth tourists arrived in Sri Lanka for the year 2014
on December 28th. This is the first time in the history of Sri Lanka
tourism industry 1.5 million tourists have arrived in the island.
(Reference: eTurbo News)
1.7 million: Sustainable tourism growth in Malta
An all-time record for tourism in Malta was registered in 2014. It is
estimated that 1.7 million tourists visited Malta last year. Malta’s tourism
performance has been on the high side when compared to European and
Mediterranean figures. The government need to immediately enhance the
tourism policy covering the period 2015-2020. (Reference: timesofmalta.com)
9.3 million: Paris’s Louvre is the most-visited museum in the
world
The famous Louvre in France received 9.3 million visitors last year,
retaining its title as the most-visited museum in the world. Foreign
visitors represented 70% of ticket sales, with Americans, Chinese, Italians,
British and Brazilians visiting in strong numbers over 2014.
(Reference: ttrweekly.com)
19
43.4 million: Los Angeles hits tourism record for 4th year
Los Angeles has broken its tourism record for the fourth year in a row. All
those visitors helped make Los Angeles International Airport the
second-busiest in the country. About 43.4 million people made LA their
ultimate destination last year — up more than 1 million from 2013.
(Reference: greenwichtime.com)
2.9%: Beijing Capital International Airport Passenger
Throughput up
Beijing Capital International Airport announces that it served 581,950
take-offs and landings and recorded a passenger throughput of 86 million
persons in 2014, up 2.5% and 2.9% year on year. The airport served
49,360 take-offs and landings and recorded a passenger throughput of 7
million persons in December, up 3.6% and 6.7% year on year.
(Reference: 4-traders.com)
7%: Europe’s online travel market will expand in 2015
European online travel gross bookings will march forward at a brisk pace
in 2015. Optimism over Europe’s recovery experienced in the first half of
2014 proved short-lived, as the French economy continued its slowdown
into 2015 and Greece’s fiscal woes continued to weigh heavily.
(Reference: Breaking Travel News)
20
20%: Outbound holiday tourism up in Greece
The bookings by Greeks for European destinations in the period from
Christmas to the Epiphany have risen by about 20 percent from the same
time a year earlier. This is the biggest outgoing tourism flow in the last
five years. (Reference: greeceoutsidein.blogspot.com)
389%: Foreign investment in tourism in Nepal
Foreign investment commitments in tourism sector have increased by
389% over the first five months of current fiscal year. The highest
commitment has come from investors from British Virgin Islands (BVI).
(Reference: eTurbo News)
Contribution Invitation:We would like to invite you to contribute news
or information and propose advise for our publication that we could
provide better service for all the members and cooperative partners.
Please email us to newsletter@wtcf.org.cn anytime without hesitate.
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