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Dear readers, No matter your age, skills or experience you can always pack few essentials and set out for the journey of your life. If you feel too old for that, check out the Ethical supplement and be inspired by the modern senior travelers. Maybe you could start simply by traveling to see your champions in Wimbledon or the golf masters in St Andrews. Read more about the current trend of sports tourism in the Active supplement. Perhaps you just dream about relaxing and luxurious holiday at some beautiful hotel. Should you opt for 5 star facility or even 6 star though? What is the Zero Star Hotel anyway? Check the Professional part. If you wish to experience something unique then head to the coast of Caspian Sea and visit the world’s oil hub – Azerbaijan. Read more in the Destination supplement presenting the beauties as well as drawbacks of this land of fire. If you ever wondered about the future of the precious monuments and sites in your region read the Heritage part focusing this time on organizations protecting unique historical treasures. Milada Sovadinova Editor
CONTENTS
EthicAl/REligiouS
H E R I TAG E
Get Out Of the Way! SeniOrS are COminG
Protecting Heritage? Professionally The historical and cultural value of many sites and monuments is undisputable as well as the necessity to protect them against any human or natural danger. Numerous organizations and associations focus their everyday efforts to protect the heritage of a specific region. Let’s get familiar with some of their projects and work.
CONTENTS
J u ly- AU G U S T, 2 0 0 9
HERITAGE: Protecting Heritage? Professionally........................................ 4
So, when exactly is the age when you stop traveling? Never! Seniors are the new kids on the block. There are more and more of 50+ and 60+ enthusiasts who can’t help but go for safari, work as volunteers somewhere in Africa, travel to learn new skills and much more. Senior travel market is quickly expanding.
Ethical/Religious: Get Out of the Way! Seniors Are Coming............................ 36
English Heritage: Saving Nation’s Neighbourhood Heritage........................... 5
The Mature Age Market in Europe & Its Influence on Tourism. ...................... 37
WATCH out! Historic Sites under Attack...................................................................... 7
Travel Is Aging Gracefully............................................................................................. 40
Opening up South Africa’s Heritage............................................................................ 9
Eurostat Report: Tourism in Europe – Does Age Matter?. .................................. 43
India: Protecting Heritage through New Commission...................................... 11
Senior Travellers Going on Safari?…....................................................................... 46
Kosovo: Destruction & Reconstruction................................................................. 13
ProfessIonal
De st i nAt ion
Hotel Rankings witHout limit Diamonds or stars? If stars then – how many? Hotel ranking is a hot issue in the hospitality industry, or rather the absence of any international system to be more precise. What is the difference between the 5 stars and 4 stars? Do the 1, 2, 3 star facilities have any future? What if the hotel has no stars at all?
AzerbAijAn –
A Lost DiAmonD Azerbaijan is the land of fire! Literally! Have you ever visited a place where flames of fire simply burst out of the ground? Visit this country in the Caucasus region offering not only beautiful nature and centuries-old culture but also hospitable people, fire temples or even mud volcanoes.
Professional: Hotel Rankings without Limit.... 16
Destination: Azerbaijan – a Lost Diamond....... 48
5 Stars vs. 4 Stars: What’s the Difference?. .............................................................. 17
Azerbaijan: The Land of Fire........................................................................................ 49
Certification for Hight End Operators.................................................................. 19
Euromonitor: Travel and Tourism in Azerbaijan................................................ 52
Budget & Economy Hotels: A Wise Choice................................................................ 22
Greater Baku: The Beak of Flying Bird..................................................................... 54
The World’s First Zero-Star Hotel. ........................................................................... 25
The Fire Temple Ateshgah. ............................................................................................ 57
EU Ecolabel: Assessing Environmental Qualities................................................. 26
Gobustan Rock Engragings & Muddy Volcanoes.................................................. 58
AcTiVe/AdVenTure
Fairs & Exhibitions T r av e l / T o u r i s m i n J u lY — a u g u s T 2 0 0 9 b Y r e g i o n s
See the ChampionS Live! All ye sport fans – this is your time. Today, a growing number of sport lovers want more than just watch their heroes on TV. They pack their bags and set out for a journey to see and experience the match personally!
Active/Adventure: See the Champions Live!.................. 27
Fairs & Exhibitions: Travel/Tourism in JULY-AUGUST 2009 by regions....................................... 60
Super Bowl or Wimbledon? See It Live!. .................................................................... 28
Western Europe. ............................................................................................................... 61
Sport Business: A Combined Tourism Strategy....................................................... 30
North America.................................................................................................................. 62
2010 FIFA World Cup: Africa Getting Ready.............................................................. 32
Asia & Pacific................................................................................................................... 63
A Serenity Prayer for the Sports Industry............................................................ 34
H E R I TAG E Protecting Heritage? Professionally The historical and cultural value of many sites and monuments is undisputable as well as the necessity to protect them against any human or natural danger. Numerous organizations and associations focus their everyday efforts to protect the heritage of a specific region. Let’s get familiar with some of their projects and work.
H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly
English Heritage: Saving Nation’s Neighbourhood Heritage
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ngland has some 9,300 conservation areas, places designated by local councils to protect their special character and appearance, but the latest edition of English Heritage’s annual Heritage at Risk register, launched in June reveals that 1 in 7 is at risk of neglect, decay or damaging change and many more give cause for concern. The results of English Heritage’s first ever survey of the condition of conservation areas shows the top threats to be: • Plastic windows and doors (83% of conservation areas affected) • Poorly maintained roads and pavements (60%) • Street clutter (45%) Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
• Loss of front garden walls, fences and hedges (43%) • Unsightly satellite dishes (38%) – the effects of traffic calming or traffic management (36%) • Alterations to the fronts, roofs and chimneys of buildings (34%) • Unsympathetic extensions (31%) • Impact of advertisements (23%) • Neglected green spaces (18%) Based on the findings of the survey, English Heritage has launched a Conservation Areas at Risk campaign to get residents, local groups and councils working together to improve these special places before it is too late. Dr Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: “To find out for the first time ever what condition the nation’s conservation areas are in, we asked every local authority to complete questionnaires for each of its conservation areas. We are delighted that 75% responded, a heroic effort on behalf of council conservation teams.” “Analysing the results it is clear the problems fall into two main areas: what owners do to their properties and what councils do or fail to do to the streets, pavements, parks and public spaces. So, we are asking for three things. First, we want councils to make more use of Article 4 Directions – only 13% of conservation areas currently have one – to protect small but important original details such as windows, doors and front gardens. Lose these and slowly but inevitably you lose the character and the
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history that made the area special in the first place. And where there are neglected or derelict buildings, councils should use their powers to encourage owners to repair or sell them.” “Secondly, we want council departments to work together to take better care of the public areas. Highways and Environmental Services teams, even Health and Education departments whose buildings often dominate a conservation area, they all need to co-operate to save the public parts of conservation areas from decay. Conservation areas should not just be the responsibility of the council’s Conservation Officer. Thirdly, we want local people to get involved. Our survey shows that conservation
H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly
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Ou r C on servati on Wor k
English Heritage is probably best known for the historic sites in our care which are open to the public. Less well known is our role in looking after the historic environment as a whole, including historic buildings, monuments and areas, and archaeological remains. We aim not only to ensure the preservation of our historic surroundings for the future, but also to encourage people to appreciate and enjoy this heritage today. E ng lish-h er it ag e.org .u k
areas with community support are more than twice as likely to have improved over the last three years as those without. And there are countless instances where civic societies and residents groups are helping councils by finding out what local people value, by doing street clutter audits, commenting on planning applications or helping to prepare local lists of historic buildings.” There are also financial reasons why caring for your conservation area makes sense. An English Heritage poll of estate agents reveals that 82% think original features add value to a property and 75% think being in a well-kept conservation area enhances house prices. Dr Thurley continued: “Millions of us live in, work in, pass through or visit conservation areas. They are the centres of historic towns and villages, 1930s suburbs, rural idylls or estates of industrial workers’ cottages: the local heritage which gives England its distinctiveness. These are difficult economic times but our research shows that conservation areas do not need time-consuming or costly measures, just prioritising as places people cherish, the commitment of the whole council and good-management by residents and councils alike. Well-cared for they encourage good neighbourliness, give a boost to the local economy and will continue to be a source of national pride and joy for generations to come.” http://www.english-heritage.org.uk
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H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly
WATCH out! Historic Sites under Attack T
oday’s societies require appropriate protective environments in order to protect their cultural diversities, tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Conservation of Cultural Heritage (CH) is “the real and primary investment” of sustainable development of Nations. Cultural Heritage, while physically and mentally located within the artificial boundaries of states, must not be looked at as the property of a single nation, regardless of the moral, racial and religious rationale, that we utilize to justify ownership. The truth is that Cultural Heritage belongs to Humanity at large. It is part and parcel of the collective consciousness and memory of Mankind. Nations and Cultures who physically “own” a monument or an artifact are entrusted with the responsibility of its protection for the benefit of all. Our duty is to safeguard the inheritance our forefathers have left, so we can hand it over to future generations. War, armed conflicts and terrorism, that seem to trigger them, have detrimental and irreversible effects on CH. The huge destruction of CH witnessed during World War II has driven to the formulation of the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention 1954) and its First (1954) and Second (1999) Protocols were signed by state parties of UNESCO. Over the following years Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs) like UNESCO and ICCROM undertook to determine strategies and policies for the conservation of cultural heritage during times of
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peace as well as during armed conflict. Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such as ICOM, ICOMOS and more recently the Blue Shield, became important partners of both governments and IGOs for the definition and implementation of these strategies and policies. They also contribute to the efforts to contrast the illicit trade or the destruction of cultural objects during peacetime especially in areas of turmoil. NGOs play an important role in defining and implementing new methods and approaches, as well as in raising public and political awareness about the importance of protecting cultural heritage. Direct, effective and carefully considered campaigns and events are organized to achieve the expected awareness by using various approaches through education and training programs, conferences, petition campaigns etc. Despite these efforts, at the onset of the new millennium, we continued to witness the huge destruction of CH in the Balkans, Afghanistan conflicts, the Gulf War and Iraq War.
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W hat E x ac tly I s WATC H ?
It is a global network of Cultural Heritage stakeholders and a non-profit and volunteer world association. WATCH does not have any political affiliations, religious or national inclinations, and maintains the strong objective to remain neutral in order to gain credibility from all parties involved in conflicts, disputes, or actual hostilities.
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During the military preparations and subsequent implementation of military actions which occurred during the War in Iraq in 2003, many International bodies such as ICOMOS, the Blue Shield International (March 2003), the International Petition Campaign in Turkey, the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) with intensive attempts by Prof. McGuire Gibson from The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, urged the Coalition Forces and the Iraqi Government to protect and avoid deliberate destruction of historic sites in Iraq. These calls did not prevent that several unique cultural
H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly
heritage sites and artifacts suffered severe damages or went looted, sacked and trafficked. As a result, in view of the escalation of tensions in the Euro Mediterranean region during the last two decades, there appeared an idea to create a new international entity, expression of CH stakeholders and civil society at large, to plan and carry out realistic, measurable and effective actions to help with the protection of cultural heritage within areas of actual and potential conflicts. In the light of these realities, at the “Second International Conference on Archaeology and Conservation” held by the Hashemite University, Queen Rania Institute of Tourism and Heritage under the patronage of Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan and UNESCO on 7-11 December 2003 at the Dead Sea, Jordan, it was decided the foundation of a new international association. Two years after that, in 2005, WATCH (World Association for the Protection of Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage in Time of Armed Conflict) was officially registered in Italy. To-date members from 25 countries are actively involved in the Association. WATCH aims to accomplish the following objectives:
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General Objectives: • To contribute to the safeguarding of tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage • To develop an early detection system against risks in cases of destruction, vandalism, illicit trade, looting, pillaging before, during and after conflict. Specific Objective: To foster the safeguarding of cultural Heritage according to criteria set by The Hague Convention, by: providing support and assistance in the documentation of CH, providing appropriate training programs, raising public awareness & participation, encouraging peaceful resolutions, promoting inter-cultural dialogue, providing interdisciplinary expertise, developing and assisting in contingency planning, disseminating information, creating and maintaining contacts with Military organizations (liaison). Photos: TR, Flickr http://www.eyeonculture.net
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H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly
Opening up South Africa's Heritage
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new project titled Open SA! aims to make South African historical and cultural material widely accessible, by allowing ordinary people as well as professionals to share their heritage online and make it available for republishing and remixing, for the benefit of all. "We believe that getting ordinary people involved in sharing their history on the internet with artists, historians, students and researchers is a great way to keep local history alive and accessible," said the Open SA! team in a statement. The Open SA! project is an initiative of popular positive-themed blog SA Rocks and the African Commons Project, a Johannesburg-based nonprofit organisation that works to empower communities towards innovation, creativity and wisdom through the internet and other new technologies. African Commons is working closely with the Alexandria Archive Institute, which is building a collection of open access, internet-based resources for archaeology and world history. Using the principle of public domain – works that the public may copy, adapt and share without limitation – Open SA! gathers, tags and manages relevant submissions from contributors from all facets of society, and makes them freely available online. The Open SA! team has another mission, and that is to reach out to young creative voices in South Africa, with a view to teaching them how to find open content that they may freely and legally adapt and share. Finally, for those whose material needs to be digi-
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H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly tized first, Open SA! plans to arrange digitization drives, with the help of volunteers, to transfer collections into the correct format.
Shared Heritage South Africa's national Department of Arts and Culture, the custodian of the country's rich and diverse heritage, has long held that shared heritage is an important tool in social cohesion and nation building. The Encyclopaedia of South African Arts and Culture, currently in beta testing, defines nation-building as the fostering of a sense of pride and knowledge in all aspects of South African culture, heritage and the arts. An additional aspect of nation building is the encouragement of mutual respect and tolerance and inter-cultural exchange between various cultures and art disciplines, which in turn facilitates the emergence of a shared cultural identity based on diversity. Open SA! takes advantage of new developments and publishing platforms, such as blogging and citizen journalism, and online publishing of photographs, videos and music, which it views as vital components of a new form of democratic speech. This, it says, should be nurtured, and one of the best ways to do that is to provide easy access to quality resources and materials. Citing examples such as the speech former president Nelson Mandela delivered on his release from prison in 1990, or his successor Thabo Mbeki's rousing "I am an African" speech, the Open SA! project says that these priceless resources should Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
be available to more than just the professional journalists, filmmakers and researchers who were traditionally authorized to re-publish them. To this end, the public is encouraged to submit their material or material belonging to friends or family, provided that contributors either own the copyright to the materials or have written permission from the copyright holder.
Leading the Field One of the first contributors to Open SA! is new media specialist and photographer Gregor Rohrig, who has made available a classy selection of his photos taken around Johannesburg. All photos are licensed under the Creative Commons concept and may freely be shared and remixed, provided that proper attribution is given, images are used for noncommercial purposes, and any adaptation of the works is distributed under the same or a similar license. These conditions may be waived with permission from Rohrig. Commenting on the wealth of historical and cultural material held by South Africans, Rohrig asked, "What good are these materials if they cannot be used and reused creatively?" The talented photographer expects the local creative industry to be even more inspired and encouraged with the unlocking of local resources that have previously been inaccessible. Open SA!’s website: http://iheritage.org.za/ By Janine Erasmus http://www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com
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H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ?
India: Protecting Heritage through New Commission
It
has not been difficult to persuade the Indian government to accept monuments such as Sanchi Stupa and Humayun’s tomb as valuable heritage and invest in their protection. However, the same cannot be said of heritage structures such as the crumbling wadas of Pune and the colonial buildings in Chennai, which are not classified as monu-
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ments but possess distinctive architectural and historical merit. Though these structures contribute much to the nation’s cultural wealth, they have not received adequate support for their conservation. Much of what remains conserved owes it to the efforts of individuals and voluntary organisations.
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To redress this deficit, the Government of India has decided to set up a National Commission for Heritage Sites with statutory powers. The mandate of the proposed commission will include policy formulation, evolving guidelines, and maintaining a national registry of heritage sites. It will be empowered to issue directions to the owners
H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly
of heritage sites for their conservation and maintenance. The rather belated initiative comes after a substantial number of heritage structures have been lost. Yet it is welcome for the reason that it will give a boost to the struggling heritage conservation movement. The commission faces the challenge of managing a staggering number of heritage buildings. Every historic city in India boasts hundreds of buildings that need to be conserved. Unlike monuments, these structures are in use and cannot be taken up in isolation or managed entirely by one centralized agency.
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T HOU S A N D S OF SI T E S UN P ROT E C T E D
The current body maintaining the Indian heritage site is the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which takes care of 37,000 heritage sites across the country. However, experts say over 50,000 heritage sites are unprotected and lying neglected. Si li c onin di a.c om
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The success of the panel’s efforts will depend on whether conservation measures are placed at “the heart of local city planning processes.” Unless this is done and changes are allowed to be made in the buildings without, of course, diminishing their heritage value, there is the real danger of conservation being perceived as catering only to antiquarian interests and the idea not getting the wider community support it needs. Moreover, an active involvement and participation of local administrative units in this endeavor makes Constitutional sense because land and development are State subjects. In fact, in the British model, on which the proposed legislation is based, 90 per cent of the heritage buildings are under the local administration’s responsibility. The commission must aim to strengthen the local bodies, administratively and financially, so that they implement efficient conservation measures. Photos: TR, Flickr http://www.hindu.com
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H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly
Kosovo: Destruction & Reconstruction
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rom the spring of 1998 until the summer of 1999, Kosovo was the scene of armed conflict and savage ‘ethnic cleansing’. Thousands of the region's Kosovar Albanian inhabitants were killed and nearly a million were driven from their homes. Less well known than the human tragedy is the fate
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of Kosovo's rich cultural heritage – its churches, mosques, monasteries, and other religious monuments, traditional residential architecture, well-preserved historic urban centres, libraries, archives, museums and other cultural and educational institutions.
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During the war, there had been disturbing reports from official and professional sources in Yugoslavia, suggesting that major damage had been inflicted on historic monuments in Kosovo by NATO’s aerial bombardment. Among the monuments and sites reported to have been destroyed or seriously damaged by the air strikes were: the Gracanica monastery near Prishtina; the Decani monastery; the Pec Patriarchate complex; the Church of the Virgin at Ljeviška and the Sinan Pasha Mosque in Prizren; the Prizren League Museum; the Hadum Mosque complex in Gjakova (Serbian: Djakovica); the historic bazaars in Gjakova and Pec (Albanian.: Peja); and two old Ottoman bridges, Ura e Terzive (Terzijski most) and Ura e Tabakeve (Tabacki most), near Gjakova. These allegations were given wide publicity in the news media, in professional forums (including the US/ICOMOS Newsletter), and in two white books issued by the Yugoslav government. On 1 June 1999, Yugoslavia's ambassador to UNESCO announced that the old parts of the Kosovo city of Prizren and the provincial capital Prishtina had been completely destroyed by NATO bombing. Meanwhile, eyewitness accounts by Kosovar refugees also spoke of cultural destruction. In a survey of Kosovar refugee heads of households in camps in Albania and Macedonia, carried out in April-May 1999 by the NGO Physicians for Human Rights, nearly half (47 percent) of the respondents reported seeing mosques destroyed by Serb forces before they left Kosovo.
H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly Following the end of hostilities in June 1999, it was evident that there was an urgent need to assess what had happened to cultural heritage in Kosovo during the war. However, amidst the human drama of the post-war return of refugees, the discoveries of mass graves and other evidence of atrocities, and the urgency of providing shelter before the onset of winter, the fate of heritage was not foremost among the concerns of the international organizations active in Kosovo. In response, we formed the Kosovo Cultural Heritage Project. Our first task was to carry out a post-war field survey in Kosovo; supported by a grant from the Packard Humanities Institute, we spent three weeks in Kosovo in October 1999 Among the goals of the survey was to gather evidence to assist the investigations of the UN Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The deliberate destruction of cultural property, in the absence of overriding military necessity, is a serious violation of international law and those responsible for ordering and carrying out such attacks can be prosecuted for war crimes. Another aim of the survey was to provide a basis for planning the post-war restoration of heritage sites by identifying monuments in need of immediate conservation and assisting in the formulation of reconstruction projects. We also sought to identify qualified individuals, institutions, and local initiatives on the ground in Kosovo that would benefit from outside support. Documentation assembled by the survey has already been used to launch the first projects for the protection and reconstruction of war-damaged historical architecture in Kosovo since the end of the war. We made it our goal to ascertain, insofar as possible, the condition of all cultural and religious monuments and institutions, whether listed or not, that were reported to have been damaged. Covering both wartime and post-war Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
destruction, the survey was primarily a damage assessment. Our survey database has 268 entries for architectural monuments. We found that out of the four well-preserved historic urban centres in Kosovo, three old towns – Pec, Gjakova, Vushtrri (Serbian: Vucitrn) – had suffered severe devastation. Allegations by the Yugoslav authorities notwithstanding, it was evident both from the nature of the damage we saw and from the statements of eyewitnesses we interviewed that this destruction was not the result of aerial bombardment. The historic city of Prizren survived the war without significant damage to any of its monuments, except for the Museum of the 1878 Albanian League of Prizren, which was burned down on March 28, 1999, by Serbian police using rifle-propelled grenades. Prishtina, Kosovo's capital city, had already lost much of its historic core to Titoera urban renewal decades ago, but has a number of major monuments, which survived the war intact as did most of the rest of the city. War damage in the capital was largely limited to a handful of modern government buildings, including the Serbian police headquarters and the post and telecommunications centre, which were hit by NATO air strikes; one 16th-century neighborhood mosque and a number
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of Albanian houses and shops had been burned by Serbian forces during the war. Other allegations of NATO bombing damage to cultural monuments in Kosovo also proved to be unfounded. We found the two historic bridges near Gjakova, alleged to have suffered direct hits, were completely intact. The destruction of the old urban centres was clearly the result of arson, with signs that historic structures associated with the culture and religion of Kosovo's Albanian majority population had been singled out for attack while nearby modern concrete apartment buildings stood untouched. In the small towns and villages of the countryside, traditional residential architecture was also a major target in the recent conflict. Ottoman-era town houses (konak, shtëpia) of prominent Albanian families, and the stone tower-residences (kulla) that are indigenous to this area of the Balkans and typical of Albanian traditional architecture, had clearly been singled out for destruction by Serbian forces during the ‘ethnic cleansing’ campaigns of the summer of 1998 and the spring of 1999. Out of some 500 kullas in Kosovo, built mostly during the 18th and19th centuries and inhabited by generations of the same families, barely 10 per cent are estimated to have survived the war intact.
H eritage : Prote c ting He r itage ? Profe ssi onal ly
Another category of historical architecture in urgent need of protection in Kosovo is Muslim houses of worship. This part of Europe is home to an indigenous Islamic tradition going back more than 600 years, with its own rich architectural heritage – mosques, tekkes (lodges of the Sufi lay brotherhoods), medreses (theological schools), Islamic libraries, hamams (Turkish baths), and bazaars built to support charitable foundations. This heritage suffered massive destruction during the recent conflict. In the majority of cases, it was evident from the statements of eyewitnesses, from the type of damage, and from visible signs of vandalism that this destruction was not the result of military activities. These were not buildings that had been caught in the crossfire as Serbian forces fought Albanian rebels, or hit by NATO's bombs and missiles. Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
According to statistics published before the war, there were 607 mosques in Kosovo as of 1993. Of these, 528 were congregational mosques (xhamia) of which 498 were in active use, and 79 smaller mosques (mesxhid) of which 70 were in active use; the majority dated from Ottoman times. More than 200 of these mosques – a third of all Islamic houses of worship in Kosovo – were destroyed or damaged during the recent conflict, according to our survey and documentation we examined in the offices of the Islamic Community. Now some of these mosques are being rebuilt, often with the assistance of Islamic charities from abroad which are pushing their own narrow, sectarian agendas, with little consideration given to historic preservation or indigenous traditions. Dr Rexhep Boja, the president of the Islamic Community of Kosovo, is
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not happy about this state of affairs. He told us the Islamic Community would welcome the assistance of international organizations concerned with heritage protection in restoring mosques that are of importance as historic monuments, or as examples of traditional village mosque architecture. Although much concern was expressed during the NATO bombing campaign about the fate of Kosovo's medieval Orthodox churches and monasteries, in fact we found no evidence that any Orthodox sites had suffered serious damage during the war – either from NATO bombs or at the hands of Albanians. After the end of the war, however, the situation with respect to Serbian Orthodox heritage changed for the worse. Although international peacekeeping forces were deployed swiftly to guard the famous medieval churches and monasteries, many less well-known churches in rural areas abandoned by the fleeing ethnic Serb minority became easy targets for revenge attacks by returning Albanian villagers in the immediate aftermath of the war. Most of the Serb village churches that have been vandalized or destroyed are of relatively recent vintage, built or ‘rebuilt on ancient foundations’ (obnovljena) in the 20th century; 25 of them were churches built in the 1980s and 1990s. About a dozen, however, were genuinely medieval structures and listed monuments. Providing security for such sites is a matter for the UN peacekeeping force in Kosovo, which somewhat belatedly realized the need to protect all Orthodox churches, not just the ones listed in the encyclopaedias and guidebooks. In response to increased vigilance the number of attacks on churches has dropped significantly. (Text shortened) Photos: TR, Flickr By Andrew Herscher & Andras Riedlmayer http://www.kosovotimes.net
P r o f essi o nal Hotel Rankings without Limit Diamonds or stars? If stars then – how many? Hotel ranking is a hot issue in the hospitality industry, or rather the absence of any international system to be more precise. What is the difference between the 5 stars and 4 stars? Do the 1, 2, 3 star facilities have any future? What if the hotel has no stars at all?
P rof essional : Hotel R anking s w ithout Limit
5 Stars vs. 4 Stars: What’s the Difference?
C
hampionship winning coaches have a habit of demanding excellence from everyone on their team. They never tolerate mediocrity from anyone. Incredibly high standards are discussed everyday (yes, everyday). This article, however, is not about sports. Nor is it about AAA ratings, Mobil ratings, or Michelin Guide ratings. It is about what separates very good from exceptional. I’ve had the privilege to work with 5-star hotels, restaurants, and spas. I have also worked with 4-star establishments. The difference between the two is like night and day. 4 star properties are repu-
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table and very good. In most cases, the staff knows what they are supposed to do, and they have an idea about what great service is. In a 5 star establishment, excellence is demanded from everyone every day. Mistakes are always reviewed. Follow through is always done. The best employees are always recognized. Everyone works like they have a personal stake in the property. To put it bluntly, good is never good enough…employees in 5 star properties strive to be perfect all the time. The leadership in 5-star properties always challenges their teams and themselves to get better. Being 5-stars is more about a mindset than it is about adhering to certain standards. So what are the best ways to implement this 5-star mindset? First, recognize that 5-stars is not about an award or designation. It’s about a mentality…a way of working…discipline…and most of all, a healthy disdain for anything mediocre. Whenever you find yourself thinking, “Well that’s ok” or “It’s not that bad” or “It’ll be perfect next time”, then you’re drifting away from the 5-star mentality. Let me be clear, you don’t have to work in a 5-star establishment to have a 5-star mentality. I’ve seen 3 and 4 star establishments with the 5-star mindset. I’ve seen grocery stores and airlines with the 5-star mindset as well. 5-stars is about excellence and striving to be world-class in whatever you are doing all the time. I recently stayed at the Wynn Las Vegas, and had a 5-star experience. One of the true testaments of a 5-star experience is how well the staff takes owner-
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ship and follows through. Shortly after checking in, I ordered room service. When the order came, the server was refined, yet very personable. She asked me where I would like the table to be set up, and I told her in front of the television. She then asked about my television station preference, turned the channel to the desired station, and placed the remote control right next to me. After uncovering my food and describing each dish, she asked if there was anything further she could do to assist. I had forgotten my lint roller at home, so I asked if the hotel might have one for me. She said that she’d be happy to take care of it, and I would have an update within a half-hour. Less than 15 minutes later, someone was knocking at my door. It was a laundry attendant with a silver tray and 3 lint rollers for me to use. By the way, the attendant also used my name and inquired about further assistance also. Keep in mind that these were the laundry attendant and the room service server. Those are not the highest paid employees, but their actions cre-
P rof essional : Hotel R anking s w ithout Limit
ated a 5-star experience. The true test of a 5-star establishment is not whether they can create a single memorable experience. It’s whether they can create memorable experiences repeatedly every day. From a leadership perspective, one of the best ways to do this is to continuously solicit and share examples of memorable experiences. Every week, solicit examples from your team, or you can read letters submitted by past guests. Just make sure that you focus on the level of service you want to see repeated. Focusing on excellence will stimulate more excellence. Talking about excellence will
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stimulate more excellence. Rewarding excellence will stimulate more excellence. One general manager with 5-star hotel experience put it perfectly… “It is the small, simple, special moments that we create through personal engagement with each guest that they will recall when they return home. To accomplish this type of sustainability we carefully and methodically select our employees, and then continuously train. It’s not about the tactical as much as it is about speaking the language of the guest”. So become very clear about your vision for service excellence. Share some examples from various industries. Ask your team about the most memorable service they ever received. Most importantly, challenge everyone on your team to take ownership and follow through on guest requests all the time. 5-stars is not an award, it’s a declaration to your team that good is not good enough; only excellence will do. By Bryan K. Williams (Chief Service Officer of B.Williams Enterprise, LLC) http://www.bwenterprise.net http://www.hotel-online.com
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Certification for Hight End Operators risk for this special vacation. As such, he selects the “World Class Certified™” property and proceeds to book the hotel. This scene above replays itself thousands of times a day, worldwide. For high end hotel operators, the value of the ranking and certification simply cannot be underestimated. Why are the rankings and/or certifications of a hotel property so important? Let’s take a closer look at both perspectives:
The Guest Perspective At the defining moment of making the hotel reservation, prospective guests employ a wide variety of factors into their decision making process including: rankings and certifications, user reviews, brand logos, web site quality, promoted amenities, affiliations, memberships, location, prior history of brand association and price. On balance, the guest will make the decision based on the importance of each of these factors. Robert Kent has been planning that big vacation for some time now. Scanning his laptop screen, he has selected that exotic location, and is now vacillating between three fine hotels. All three are highly regarded, appear to be luxurious, and offer top drawer amenities. One is a five-star property, one is unranked and the other one is World Class Certified™. Robert has stayed at some questionable four and five star properties in the past, so those rankings hold little value for him. Likewise, an unranked property, in his opinion, carries too much Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
The Hotel’s Perspective The goal is simple, and it’s to maximize revenue per available room or RevPar. In order to drive this number up, hotel features such as a spa, restaurant(s), unique location and many other factors were considered prior to the hotel’s construction and additional features may have been added since. Another key factor is the ranking, such as a star or other certification. The higher the rank or certification, the easier it is to justify a higher the room rate and of course, the RevPar increases.
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Generally, at the very highest levels of luxury, there is less, but equally significant competition. The “Winner” in the competitive battle is usually the property that has achieved the highest level of ranking or certification. These properties in many cases promote themselves as a 6 or 7 star hotel, or claim other designations in order to obtain the top market position.
Deliver True Value The high end market is extraordinary competitive. As such, the value of a top ranking or certification should not be underestimated. The best way to justify prices higher than competitors is to deliver true value that competitors cannot match. This means every aspect of your operation must be much better than good. It must be truly outstanding in every aspect, but especially in the realm of value delivery. If you do not continue to emphasize your value proposal relative to your hotel ranking and certifications, you will leave yourself vulnerable, thereby making it possible for your potential guests to price shop your hotel against your competition, even if your hotel actually delivers more value. Now is the time to ensure that your entire team is fully aware of the value that your property
P rof essional : Hotel R anking s w ithout Limit tificated™ hotel is one of the top methods available for you to highlight the value differentiators and secure the top marketing position for your business. The face of luxury is changing and the industry has seen this coming for some time. Many wonder when the one-upmanship of the luxury game will end, and I’m here to say that it never will. Human nature says that we want more, never being satiated, and fortunately, there are those among us willing to risk everything in providing for those privileged enough to enjoy the very best. Don’t let the challenges of securing a top ranking or certification dissuade you from enhancing your reputation. It should be one of the most important items on your agenda this year!
holds for your guests. You need to ensure that your hotel is appropriately represented relative to certification as well. For those operators at the very top level, becoming a World Class Cer-
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By Kevin Moll (Chief Executive Officer, World Class Certification Services™) World Class Certification Services™ is an independent certification body that sets the official standards of World Class Certification™ within the hospitality industry. http://www.wccsi.com
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P rof essional : Hotel R anking s w ithout Limit
P rof essional : Hotel R anking s w ithout Limit
Budget & Economy Hotels: A Wise Choice L
eading tourism and hotel consultants, MKG Hospitality looks into the growing popularity of economy and budget hotel products – supply and demand. Economy and budget hotel products will no doubt be the next major boom in the hospitality industry. In fact, we’re already seeing all the signs, particularly when observing mature markets, such as Western Europe and North America – generally considered as providing the best indication of how a global trend will transpire. Corporate chain economy segments (1-, 2- and 3-stars) are fast becoming the number one choice for both business and leisure travellers, as they are deemed to offer optimal value-for-money. The new wave of these hotels are especially offering a product and service considered to be better quality (i.e. in terms of facilities and service), but at a much more affordable price. A similar situation to what happened with low cost airline carriers, such as EasyJet. These products contribute to a destination’s overall goal of attracting an increasing number of arrivals. They diversify a destination’s available product and provide more options for visitors – not everyone wants to or can stay in upscale hotels these days – therefore a greater market share can be captured. Indeed, a destination should not be mono-segment, but rather have an even-spread of hotel products. This balance opens up the market and fuels more visitors.
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More importantly for owners and investors, economy and budget hotels are more resilient towards a bubble burst. They endure external threats much better, such as economic recessions, low consumer purchasing power, a declining currency, pressure from competing markets and other global uncertainties, whilst offering owners a more secure Return on Investment (ROI), due to much lower operational expenses. In the industry, the main hotel performance indicators to be observed include: Occupancy Rate (OR) – a percentage indicating the number of room nights sold (compared to number available) – it is how we often measure demand. Average Daily Rate (ADR) – measurement of hotel's pricing scale, derived by dividing actual daily revenue by the total number of sold rooms. Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) – Measuring commercial performance, and representing the success a hotel is having at earning revenue from its room inventory (multiplying ADR by OR).
North America remains the most balanced market in the world in terms of category breakdown, followed closely by Europe. Meanwhile, other regions are still considered to be relatively nonmature. Although the European budget and economy hotel supply remains less developed (20% of total supply) compared to the US, it is growing year-onyear, boosted by the continued penetration into non-mature markets, such as Central and Eastern Europe. This is also a good sign for hotel groups and investors, indicating that there is still ample room for expansion. Breakdown of corporate chain hotel supply by continent and segment in 2008 Europe North Am. Asia South Am. A. M-E 0%
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40%
60%
80%
100%
% in number of rooms
Hotel Supply Trends Between 1999 and 2009, the world’s budget and economy supply recorded moderate average annual growth at 3.4% (2% for the mid- and upscale segments). Most of this growth occurred in Europe and North America, with 134,000 and 246,000 newly created rooms, respectively.
20%
Economy
Midscale
Upscale
France and the UK were the pioneering European markets. In fact, together they still currently account for 78% of Europe’s economy hotel supply. France proved to be the first major influential market, with its key players, Accor’s Ibis, Etap Hotel and HotelF1 (former Formule 1), as well as B&B and Louvre Hotel’s Première Classe and Campanile. Following this popularity, UK brands such as Premier Inn, Travelodge and Holiday Inn Express were established and to this day, enjoy significant growth – between 1999 and 2009 the UK’s economy hotel supply increased by an average of 9.1%. Other major European markets, such as Germany and Spain have also started to see their economy hotel supply increase (now with 8% and 4% of the EU’s share), primarily fuelled by French and local chains (i.e. Motel One in Germany).
France and the UK were the pioneering European markets. In fact, together they still currently account for 78% of Europe’s economy hotel supply. France proved to be the first major influential market, with its key players, Accor’s Ibis, Etap Chain economy hotel supply in the EU (2009) Breakdown of room number Spain 4% Germany
Others 10%
We can expect to see this continue well into 2009, and hopefully start to recover in 2010, when the economy rebounds and average hotel prices are at their lowest, thus encouraging purchasing.
Europe North Am.
P rof essional : Hotel R anking s w ithout Limit
Asia South Am. Hotel and HotelF1 (former Formule 1), as well A. M-E as B&B and Louvre Hotel’s Première Classe and Campanile. Following this popularity, UK brands 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Category such as Premier Inn, Travelodge and Holiday Inn % in number of rooms Express were established and to this day, enjoy 1/2* significant growth –Economy between 1999 and 2009Upscale the Midscale UK’s economy hotel supply increased by an aver3* France and9.1%. the UK were the pioneering European markets. In fact, together they still currently age of 4* account for 78% of Europe’s economy hotel supply. Other major such with as Germany France proved to be European the first majormarkets, influential market, its key players, Accor’s Ibis, Etap Hotel HotelF1 (former Formule 1), as well as B&B and Louvre Hotel’s Première Classe5* and andand Spain have also started to see their economy Campanile. Following this popularity, UK brands such as Premier Inn, Travelodge and Holiday hotel supply increase withenjoy 8%significant and 4%growth of the Global Inn Express were established and(now to this day, – between 1999 and 2009 the UK’sshare), economy hotel supply increased an average of 9.1%. EU’s primarily fuelledbyby French and local Other major European markets, such as Germany and Spain have also started to see their chainshotel (i.e.supply Motel One(now in Germany). economy increase with 8% and 4% of the EU’s share), primarily fuelled by
European performance indicators in 2008 OR 2008 %
Change in pts
ADR, incl VAT euro
Change in %
RevPAR, incl VAT euro
Change in %
69.9%
-1,3
40.1
4.7%
28.1
2.8%
70.4%
-2.6
64.4
5.5%
45.4
1.7%
65.4%
-2.2
91.8
2.9%
60.0
-0.5%
65.0%
-3.3
146.0
2.3%
94.9
-2.6%
66.4%
-2.7
107.2
2.6%
71.1
-1.4%
Source: MKG Hospitality Database
French and local chains (i.e. Motel One in Germany).
Chain economy hotel supply in the EU (2009) Breakdown of room number Spain 4%
Top 10 economy chains in Europe in 2009
Others 10%
Germany 8%
Rank Rank
France 49%
UK 29%
Source: MKG Hospitality Database
78%
Hotel Performance Indicators in 2008 In terms of performance, budget and economy hotels prove to be the most resilient in Europe over this recent challenging period. In 2008, they were the only segments with a positive RevPAR growth – 2.8% increase in the budget category and 1.7% in economy. Although they both experienced a reduction in occupancy, a healthy ADR is what allowed them to achieve these results. Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
Hotels in
Change in
Chains Group Rooms in 2009 09 08 Brands 2009 rooms Popular For1 the 1past -three years, the economy hotel industry’s metamorphosis has69been making headlines ACCOR IBIS 656 158 3% all over Europe. Their new positioning has become a widespread phenomenon, with the 2 2 WHITBREAD PREMIER INN 572 38 695 12.4% introduction of new innovative concepts and re-branding of existing products, such as hotelF1 ACCOR ETAP HOTEL 384 31 948 5.9% and3 the 3new -gener ation Campanile or B&B Hotels. This new status of quality value-for-money is 4 no6longer TRAVELODGE TRAVELODGE 376 25 300 13.1% now an option, but rather a prerequisite. 5 4 LOuVRE HOTELS and design, CAMPANILE modern construction 386 774 2.3% Technical innovations, techniques as24well as more efficient operational methods are what have allowed theACCOR budget and economy segments to -3.2% transform and 6 5 HOTELF1 305 22 550 prosper. isEXPRESS why there is a critical network size size per 20 hotel in this segment, in 7 7 This IHG and critical178 BY HOLID. INN 308 7.9% order to8 make operations feasible. 8 LOuVRE HOTELS PREMIERE CLASSE 224 16 058 2.8% Accor’s Ibis brand is by far the largest economy brand in Europe, with currently almost 70,000 9 9 B&B HOTELS B&B 197 14 489 3.2% rooms under this flag. This is a slight increase of 3% from 2008. The most dynamic growth came 10 10 LOuVRE HOTELS KYRIAD/KYRIAD PRESTIGE 222 13 223 2.5% from Travelodge, with a 13.1% increase, Whitbread’s Premier Inn with 12.4%, and IHG’s TOTAL 2.9% 4 238 320 918 Express by Holiday Inn. In terms of hotel groups, the two French groups Accor and Louvre Source: MKG Hospitality Database Hotels still dominate the European market, closely rivaled by IHG.
— 23 — About MKG Group Established in 1985, MKG Group has built a reputation for solid business expertise and substantial know-how in the field
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i
Methodology & Innovation
With a team of over 60 experienced consultants, as well as advanced research and analytical tools and applications, MKG Hospitality provides a unique savoir-faire in four major areas of expertise: Market Research; Financial Feasibility Studies; Consulting; and Sector publications. MKG Hospitality is a global leader in tourism, hotel and catering consulting, with the largest database in the world (outside the US), representing all segments from budget to upscale hotels. MKG’s customised database, Hotel CompSet, contains a sample of over 200 brands and 11,000 corporate chain hotels, representing more than one million rooms. Hotel CompSet provides daily, monthly and yearly monitoring of hotel indicators and analyses of its sample. w w w.h otel c omp s e t .c om Together with other specialised brands, MKG Qualiting, OlaKala, Worldwide Hospitality Awards, Global Lodging Forum, HTR Magazine and Hotel Restau Hedbo, MKG Group supports investors, hoteliers and key tourism players improve performance, boost productivity and achieve results. w w w.m kg-h o spit a lit y.c om
By comparison, the midscale segment recorded a 0.5% decrease in RevPAR, whilst the upscale category was the most affected, with a 2.6% drop. Clearly, travellers have become a lot more price conscious in recent months, especially the business sector, cutting back on expenses in order to battle the financial downturn. We can expect to see this continue well into 2009, and hopefully start to recover in 2010, when the economy rebounds and average hotel
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prices are at their lowest, thus encouraging purchasing.
Popular Brands For the past three years, the economy hotel industry’s metamorphosis has been making headlines all over Europe. Their new positioning has become a widespread phenomenon, with the introduction of new innovative concepts and re-branding of existing products, such as hotelF1 and the new generation Campanile or B&B Hotels. This new status of quality value-for-money is now no longer an option, but rather a prerequisite. Technical innovations, modern construction techniques and design, as well as more efficient operational methods are what have allowed the budget and economy segments to transform and prosper. This is why there is a critical network size and critical size per hotel in this segment, in order to make operations feasible. Accor’s Ibis brand is by far the largest economy brand in Europe, with currently almost 70,000 rooms under this flag. This is a slight increase of 3% from 2008. The most dynamic growth came from Travelodge, with a 13.1% increase, Whitbread’s Premier Inn with 12.4%, and IHG’s Express by Holiday Inn. In terms of hotel groups, the two French groups Accor and Louvre Hotels still dominate the European market, closely rivaled by IHG. About MKG Group Established in 1985, MKG Group has built a reputation for solid business expertise and substantial know-how in the fields of tourism, lodging and food service. MKG Group meets the needs of each of its clients by providing the valuable analytical and decision-making tools necessary for success. http://www.mkg-group.com
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The World's First Zero-Star Hotel
L
ocated in a converted nuclear bunker in Switzerland, this hotel offers no amenities, no frills, and no comfort. In the last decade or so, the luxury hotel industry has really taken off. Larger-than-life hospitality impresarios have been routinely tripping over each other to build the hottest hotel, the most lavish accommodations in the most opulent milieu. But the economic climate now stresses affordability over impractical extravagance, and the fashion world has taken note. Recession-friendly is the new Eco Chic, and hoteliers have taken notice. The brainchild of Swiss artists Frank and Patrik Riklin, Null Stern Hotel (opened at the beginning of june) takes the concept of frugality and multiplies it by a million, or, more suitably, it takes the concept of luxury and multiplies it by zero. For a hotel to gain the dubious distinction of zero stars, it had
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better be pretty damn unaccommodating. And it is. Located in a converted nuclear bunker in Teufen, Canton Appenzell Outer Rhodes, Switzerland, the hotel offers no amenities, no frills, and no comfort. Sounds great, right? Null Stern boasts three large rooms, two bedrooms, each of which accommodates up to seven guests, and a bathroom with a series of toilets all in a row and gang showers. There's no heat, but there are plenty of bottles that can be filled with hot water, and complimentary slippers for walking across the icy floor. There are also no windows, but there are a row of monitors in the reception area. These are hardly the features you'll find at a W Hotel or Four Seasons. So why on Earth would anyone want to stay there? Well one reason would have to be for sport. The hyperbolic austerity of the hotel is more conceptual than it is earnest. The minimal approach suggests a commentary on the state of the world. If we can survive in such conditions, we don't need fancy amenities like decorations, entertainment, or comfort. But also, the hotel is just pretty damn cheap. For £6 (about US$10), you're given a room, a bed, and... well that's pretty much it, but it's still pretty damn cheap. Ultimately, people seem to be treating the hotel as an experience, a social experiment more than actual accommodation. But it's also a social experience. Living is all communal and it's impossible to ignore your fellow guests. Customers enter a draw to see who gets a hot morning shower (there's only enough hot water for one), while bed assignments are decided with the spin of an old bike wheel. Bedtime is decided by taking the average amount
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of sleep everyone wants and subtracting it from a mandatory 7 a.m. wake-up call. Who needs privacy, anyway? It may sound crazy, but the Riklin Brothers are already planning on expanding the Zero Star Hotel concept to other bunkers around the world. Already, it has attracted interest from recognized Hospitality Advisor Daniel Charbonnier, who has previously worked for Larry Flynt and Four Seasons. Start selling your possessions now, because zero is the new seven. The Hotel website: http://www.null-stern-hotel.ch Photos: Null Stern Hotel By Richard Trapunski http://www.sceneadvisor.com
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EU Ecolabel: Assessing Environmental Qualities
It
is nothing new in modern marketing that companies claim to be friends of the environment in order to gain popularity. Environmentalists may favour a company claiming to grow flowers or use recycled packaging material. However, the European Flower Ecolabel, which came into the tourism sector in 1993, forces companies and organisations to prove what they claim with inspections to check if what they say about their environmental policies is true or not. The label is a very recognizable flower, known throughout Europe at least. The EU Ecolabel is an official sign of environmental quality that is both certified by an independent organisation and valid throughout Europe. It presents a unique opportunity to satisfy customer's ex-
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pectations. The European Ecolabel was originally created to reward tourist accommodation services and tourists that respect the environment. In 2004, the European Commission also established criteria for camp site services and since 2005, camp site services can apply for the European Ecolabel. The Flower signals environmental good performance as it is an added quality value when consumers are choosing a resort. Enterprises bearing the Flower Logo have officially been distinguished as being amongst the most environmentally friendly in their area. In order for the accommodation to achieve the Ecolabel, it must fulfill a number of requirements. One requirement is to have at least 22% of its electricity from a renewable source. Similarly, the site must provide proof that it tries to have a reduced water flow. Furthermore, proof must be provided to the tune that the site recycles waste
i
European Ecolabel on a Tourist Accommodation Service Means:
• • • •
Limited energy consumption Limited water consumption Reduced waste production Favouring the use of renewable resources and of substances which are less hazardous to the environment • Promoting environmental education and communication
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on the premises and separates glass and plastics. These are simple instructions, which should be adhered to in any case. There should be a general sense of wellbeing at the site and unnecessary emissions of odors and fumes should not be tolerated. Any entrepreneur with a hotel chain, city hotel palace, mountain hut, B&B, farm house or campsite can apply for the European Ecolabel. The great advantage of this label is that tourists no longer need to check all of these items separately as the Ecolabel does it for them. http://www.ecolabel-tourism.eu http://www.tourism-review.com
Active/Adventure See the Champions Live! All ye sport fans – this is your time. Today, a growing number of sport lovers want more than just watch their heroes on TV. They pack their bags and set out for a journey to see and experience the match personally!
Ac ti v e / A dv e n t u re : S e e the C hampi on s Liv e !
Super Bowl or Wimbledon? See It Live! or Olympics was reserved for only a few in the know. Remember at the time there really wasn’t a major internet presence and the transparency of the sports travel marketplace was cloudy at best. Fast forward to today and my company which was acquired in 2006 by Premiere Global Sports takes over 50,000 individuals, corporate executives, and incentive winners in the course of a year to events around the world. It’s amazing to think that only a dozen years earlier our industry was in its infancy. Today we are moving into a new realm which has an increasingly sharp international feel to it. Through the internet and social networking groups the business has expanded to find partners across
i
S
port tourism and sports travel for avid fans is hitting a second wave. When I started my business, TSE Sports & Entertainment, in 1997 in my apartment in New York City the idea of traveling to a major sporting event like the World Cup Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
T he Bu si n ess of Sp ort Tou rism
Sport tourism has become one of the hottest businesses in sports. It is already one of the fastest growing sectors of the global travel and tourism industry with estimates of its value in 2003 alone as high as $51bn, equivalent 10 percent of the total international tourism market. Sport tourism encompasses both fans travelling to watch sport and people pursuing their sport abroad. The economies of cities, regions and even countries around the world are increasingly reliant on the visiting golfer and skier or the travelling football, rugby or cricket supporter. Sportbusiness.com
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the world, who are working with us to send travelers to events. The other area we have seen a burst of new activity is in the desire from people to see events outside of their homelands. Many people in the United
Ac ti v e / A dv e n t u re : S e e the C hampi on s Liv e !
i
H istory of Sp ort Tou rism
The term “sport tourism” was first mentioned in the late 1960s or early 1070s to describe the special form of tourism which was combined with sport activities. Sport tourism is perceived to be a modern area of endeavor for academics as well as professionals and managed to attract significant numbers of people. As a consequence it is characterized by important growth ratio. Some authors define sport tourism as all forms of active or passive involvement in sport activities be it for professional purposes or for the sake of amateurism. Prerequisite is, however, travelling away of the place of permanent living. Sport-tourism.com
States thanks to cable television and the internet now follow sports such as Soccer, Cricket, and Rugby. We have many of these people requesting trips to see Premier League matches and the Cricket World Cup. We also find many travelers are now looking to come inbound to major US sporting events such as
Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
the Masters Golf Tournament and the Super Bowl. The world is continually shrinking and many people now have the ability to follow sports, leagues, and teams that they had no media access to five years ago. It’s an incredible sight to see passionate fans across the world that are now able to really enjoy their sport of choice. They are able to follow the best. With this new territory comes the desire for these people to go and experience these events first hand. There is one thing to watch a game from your couch but it’s an entirely different experience to be there. I have been watching Pre-
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mier Soccer via Fox sports here in New York but I rather go see Manchester United play Liverpool at the Old Trafford. I would love to go see the Epsom Derby or even the Australian Open. There are so many major international events on my list to go check out. Now thanks to the expansion of the sports travel industry all of these events are possible. In fact it led me to write a book titled the 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live. The book is a Frommers like travel guide that gives people information on how to buy tickets, find hotels, and experience all the opportunities surrounding these great events. It’s really a bucket list for the sports lover. On the list you will find the big names such as the Olympics, World Cup, Wimbledon, and Monaco Grand Prix but you will also find smaller less known events such as the Little 500, the Penn Relays, and the relatively newly formed London Marathon. So many people nowadays are looking for experiences, not just vacations. There is no better way to do it then going to see something you are passionate about.
By Robert Tuchman Robert Tuchman is the president of Premiere Corporate, a division of Premiere Global Sports. Read his monthly column in Incentive Magazine. http://www.pcevents.com
Ac ti v e / A dv e n t u re : S e e the C hampi on s Liv e !
Sport Business: A Combined Tourism Strategy
Ask
five different cities bidding to host the world’s major sports events the principal reason for putting their hands up, and the chances are you will receive five different answers. Generating sports tourism is unlikely to be among them. Sport’s mega events are both too powerful and too costly to justify staging for reasons of generating sports tourism alone. Visitor expenditure is very welcome to help pay the spiralling bills, but most hosts have bigger fish to fry. As the world’s mostvisited city, London is not hosting the 2012 Olympic Games to add another string to its tourism bow; rather it is using the event to regenerate its blighted East End. Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
And although South Africa has at least one eye on tourism in hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, this is only in the general sense through the improved transport infrastructure and heightened international profile the football showcase will bring, as well as the opportunity it presents to dispel negative perceptions of the country’s security standards. Even for destinations that have set out to develop a strong event economy, hosting strategies are about much more than putting tourists’ bums on stadium seats. In Melbourne, voted SportBusiness’s Ultimate Sports City for 2008, Victorian Major Events Company chief executive Brendan McClements explains: “When assessing a particular event opportunity, in additional to assessing its potential economic impact, we look at its ability to raise Melbourne and Victoria's international profile on a global scale, the prestige of the event, potential for use of existing facilities, Victorian community involvement and interest, opportunity to promote sports participation and whether there is an opportunity to showcase regional Victoria by hosting an event in one of our large regional cities.” In Singapore, the development of the city state’s impressive Sports Hub is as much about improving recreational opportunities for its population as it is about becoming a major destination for sports tourism. And in Manchester, a city launched into the event game’s major leagues by its hosting of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, sport is just one of several strands of an overall tourism strategy work-
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ing in tandem to give the city its appeal. Marketing Manchester’s deputy chief executive, Paul Simpson, says: “Sport is one facet of what makes Manchester and being able to show the world we stage events enhances the appeal of Manchester, particularly from the international visitor perspective. “Our target markets tend to be thematic: US visitors will come from the business visit perspective, but the gay and lesbian niche market is also quite prevalent. In Europe, for the Irish market the appeal is shopping and football, for Germany it is shopping and industrial heritage, for Scandinavia its football and shopping and for Spain it is culture and football.” If major spectator events are as much about profile and prestige as they are about profits, the reverse is true for participation events, which for smaller destinations in particular have a far greater impact on tourist revenues than on reputations beyond the city limits. In the US, a huge domestic market combined with the internal focus fostered by a private sector bid funding model that handicaps its cities in the competitive international bidding arena has seen the participation sector become the backbone of the sports tourism market. Don Schumacher, the Executive Director of the National Association of Sports Commissions, says: “When I go to international sports conferences I find people are so hung up on the Olympic Games and world championship events they completely forget the basis of this industry is participants.”
Ac ti v e / A dv e n t u re : S e e the C hampi on s Liv e !
But he adds: “Europe at least is now increasingly focused on what we have been focused on for a long time, which is that 90-95 per cent of the many thousands of events that drive visitor spending are participation events, where there are no direct ticket sales except perhaps to the parents and friends of the competitors.” So where now for the spectator event in the 21st century sports tourism strategy? Clearly event hosting still has significant direct value in areas such as generating room nights and resort income in low season, but the event strategies of sophisticated sports tourism planners are increasingly focused on creating on a micro-scale the sort of wholeeconomy benefits sought by bidders for the mega events that are largely now beyond their reach. For the economic regeneration, infrastructure development and place branding benefits an Olympics or World Cup can bring to a host city or nation, read revived reputations, new facilities and higher market visibility for participation destinations staging related spectator events on a smaller scale. For the Colorado ski resort of Aspen/Snowmass, hosting the ESPN Winter X Games in high season Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
on its Buttermilk mountain is not adding an avalanche of revenue to its bottom line during the event weekend itself, but has added hugely to its overall success as a snow sports destination throughout its now eight-year association. Aspen Skiing Company vice president of sales and events John Rigney credits the X Games with rejuvenating the resort by giving it a fresh new image, while investments made to stage the event – such as the building of an Olympic-size, 22-foot half-pipe – have added the credibility needed to turn the Games’ promotional power into new business on the slopes. He says: “Buttermilk is arguably the greatest teaching mountain in the world but in 2001 it was seen as somewhere young kids and old folks came to learn, and numbers were not growing. Hosting the Winter X Games opened up a whole new market for us and gave us an unmatched credibility in it. “Our first X Games coincided with the opening of Aspen Mountain to snowboarding, so it was a great opportunity to announce that. We already had three mountains open to snowboarding but the story had got muddled and was that this resort didn’t allow snowboarding at all. The X Games showed that we embraced it and now we have this whole new ‘pipes and parks’ dimension and a new generation that only knows one home of the Winter X Games – and that’s Aspen.” The event now attracts 70-80,000 spectators across its four days and has evolved a day-night schedule that enables spectators to sample the slopes as well as see the show. Rigney says: “We have plenty of data showing we have the best return rate in the industry – all we have to do is get people to try this place, and events like the X Games are a means of persuading them to do that.” Meshing spectator events and sports participation for the mutual benefit of both is becoming an in-
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creasingly popular tourism strategy from the snow of the Rockies to the sunshine of Dubai, where the developers of Dubai Sports City (DSC) are expecting the two branches to feed off each other through crossover interest between players and spectators visiting its wide range of facilities. Malcolm Thorpe, DSC’s marketing director, sports business, says: “When we have got our academies going, we would like to have people coming in for a cricket event and be able to say to them, while you are here why don’t you come down and take a course at the ICC Global Cricket Academy? We want to have the systems and the capability to specifically offer relevant participation to people buying event tickets, and vice versa.” http://www.sportbusiness.com
Ac ti v e / A dv e n t u re : S e e the C hampi on s Liv e !
2010 FIFA World Cup: Africa Getting Ready L
arge football events do not only do wonders for the game of football itself, yet also earn a huge amount of money for the countries hosting them. Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Portugal have been able to verify this claim in recent years. As the matches, which are always available for viewing all over the planet, are often repeated, the adverts for the countries simply continue for many years. Therefore, it is no surprise that so many countries bid for events such as the World Cup or the European Championships. South Africa was the lucky nation to win the right to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the biggest football competition. Yet, the neighboring and nearby nations are hoping to cash in too. The previous World Cup was held in Germany, making it easily accessible for most Europeans and other football fans around the world. Indeed, people visit Germany on a regular basis without the lure of sport. The same could be said about Korea, the venue for the 2002 World Cup. To a certain degree, South Africa is also visited for other reasons than football, but this is not true of the surrounding African countries. It is hoped that hordes of football fans, once they have travelled so far anyway, will travel also to some other countries in Africa. For this to happen, South African visas need to be recognised on the African continent, even if temporarily. It may be many peoples’ first and last trip to that particular area of the world, so the locals want to make the most of the opportunity. Namibia and Botswana in Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
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Sp ort Tou rists
The sport tourist is at the heart of strategies that spend tens of millions of dollars on attracting an Olympic Games or World Cup. These flagship events help build new transport systems, improve airports and clean up cities – all because the sport tourist is coming to town. Sport tourists are passionate, high-spending, enjoy new sporting experiences and often stimulate other tourism. Their direct benefit to a destination is cash – their indirect benefit can be years of follow-on tourists. Sport tourism is now a tool to make achieve many things – to make money, create thousands of new jobs and even help change cultural perceptions such as in the Middle East and South Africa. Sport-tourism.com
particular are making arrangements to attract football fans on day trips to their countries. South Africa itself expects a considerable boost for its economy thanks to the 2010 World Cup. The country is likely to benefit from the event especially now in time of the global economic crisis. African tourism has already recorded a drop in foreign tourists’ arrivals but tourism professionals expect the World Cup and other events to improve the situation. The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism expects the World Cup to add some US$ 2.52 billion to SA gross domestic product – part of it in form of direct investments and the other part in tourist spending. Some experts suggest the growth is to be even more robust. Other events are also expected to lure tourists to SA and boost its economy; among them is e.g. the British and Irish Lions rugby tour. The 2010 World Cup is expected to bring some 3 million tourists to SA from Africa as well as from Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
other continents. Almost all sectors of South African economy will be under big pressure to provide the best services. The goal of the event should not be only to generate one-off revenue; it should convince the visitors to come back next time. The World Cup is an ideal marketing opportunity for the country. Retailers need to get ready for the influx of customers. This sector will benefit highly from the event as an international visitor of the World Cup is expected to spend some $166 a day. A domestic traveler will presumably spend $89 daily. http://www.tourism-review.com
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Ac ti v e / A dv e n t u re : S e e the C hampi on s Liv e !
A Serenity Prayer for the Sports Industry
'The beer is always colder after a win.'–A former colleague of mine used to incorporate that one-liner into client meetings regularly. I would cringe every time. The comment was usually made within the context of a presentation of fan research results and was meant to acknowledge that–yes–the outcome Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
of the event does have an impact on the fan's perception of their experience at said event. He would quickly move on to outline all of the elements of the "gameday" experience where the client had a bit more control, in other words, those completely unrelated to the outcome on the field, court, track, rink or course. In many instances, however, the dam-
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age had been done. His background was not in the sports industry, so he never realized that he was offering up the number one crutch in sports business as an appetizer, if the audience was hungry enough to scarf it down, the main course to follow went undigested. If we don't win, we can't sell. We can't draw. We can't compete. WE. CAN'T. It would be foolish to ignore wins and losses completely, as they bubble up to the surface as a "key driver" of fan behavior in some form in virtually every study on the fan experience. The key is to attempt to separate the competitive product (how good is the team?) from the overall experience (how does this event make me feel?). As an executive on the business side of a sports organization, chances are you aren't being invited into the war room to set the draft board, so your mandate is to identify everything that falls into the latter bucket. Your job as a business-identify what we can control...and how we can deliver on those elements of the fan experience in such a way that we give ourselves the best possible chance of success. It's not often that I quote the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, but he is the one widely accredited with penning the "Serenity Prayer." Not familiar? You'll know it when you read it below, as it's been widely co-opted by everyone from Alcoholic's Anonymous to 50 Cent. Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. If you work in sports and you're not involved in coaching, playing or personnel, this is the perfect mantra. If you have no input into that (admittedly important) component of the product, then don't agonize over it. You do need to agonize over making sure that you have a full understanding of every-
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thing else that impacts the fan experience, the relative importance of these "touch points," and your organization's ability to execute at each "moment of truth." The December 1st issue of Sports Business Journal printed a "Team Brand Index" study, which con-
Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
cluded that winning teams had stronger brands. No great surprise there. The words of Greg Economou, former senior vice president with the NBA and CMO of the Charlotte Bobcats, were more revelatory. He noted: "Winning is going to drive a lot of your brand strength. What you want to figure out is, How much? If there's a 60 percent lift when you win and make the playoffs, that means that there's 40 percent out there that I have control over. I need to make sure I'm getting every bit of that 40 percent." Niebuhr couldn't have said it better himself. Think of the fan experience as a giant debit card. Each interaction with a fan–a ticket purchase, in-game promotion, a wink and a nod with an usher, buying Dipping Dots for the kids–is an opportunity to make a deposit onto that debit card. The more deposits you make over the course of your relationship with that fan, the better able you are to withstand
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the withdrawals that inevitably accompany a loss. This dynamic has never been more true than in the current economy, where fans–whether they are households or corporations–are scrutinizing every discretionary dollar spent. By focusing on all that takes place outside of the actual competition, you are making your product less discretionary, more necessary...whether that necessity manifests itself in "feeling good" or "spending time with the family" or "doing business." So unless you are going to spend long hours vastly improving your jumper, curveball, slap shot, putting, spiral or driving, it's best that you try to forget about the W's and the L's. Your standings appear on a financial statement, in the instance your team or event isn't as competitive as you'd like, your challenge is to separate the profits on that financial statement from the losses on the field. By Zach Conen http://www.lraworldwide.com
Ethical/Religious Get Out of the Way! Seniors Are Coming So, when exactly is the age when you stop traveling? Never! Seniors are the new kids on the block. There are more and more of 50+ and 60+ enthusiasts who can’t help but go for safari, work as volunteers somewhere in Africa, travel to learn new skills and much more. Senior travel market is quickly expanding.
E thic al / R eligi ou s : G e t O ut of the Way! S e ni or s Are C oming
The Mature Age Market in Europe & Its Influence on Tourism try about the type of products and services suitable for elderly people. Many hotels and tour operators consider that everyone over the age of 55 is looking for the same type of products and services. The industry must consider that elderly people think different than young people, in order to reach the single market efficiently. The elderly people have more money and prefer having "experiences" instead of owning many possessions. On the other hand, mature people are better educated and more sophisticated. They demand and expect quality in all aspects of their travel. Many elderly people also have more free time and mature age travellers are more flexible with their time and can contribute to a longer tourism season as they can travel during "off-peak" periods. The older part of the market (65+years) tends to have a longer length of stay than younger seniors for whom work commitments often influence the length of holidays.
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M
ature age travellers already form a major part of the travel market. As the population ages, travellers can likewise be expected to age and mature age people will represent an increasingly significant proportion of the tourism market. The continued growth of tourism industry in many countries over the next ten years may well depend
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Current Demographic Trends in EU
• Spectacular increase in senior population in EU and industrialized countries along with decline in birth rates
on how companies understand demographic trends affecting consumer behaviour.
• Zero population growth and even decline in population
Mature Age Travellers
• Decline in number of younger people
As far as the mature age market is concerned, there appears to be a misconception in the indus-
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E thic al / R eligi ou s : G e t O ut of the Way! S e ni or s Are C oming
Seniors will be the demographic discovery of this decade for two reasons. First, they are abundant in number. Secondly, their life styles are remarkably different from those of previous generations. With no models to guide them, the independent elderly are making new choices about how they want to live during a prolonged retirement. Recently, business attitudes towards senior travellers have begun to change. For example, airlines and hotel chains, being conscious that the elderly are a potentially huge market, have designed speJu ly– Au g ust , 2009
cial discount programs for seniors. Moreover, a number of tour operators have specialised in the market for older people, with packages meeting their requirements in Southern Europe during the winter off-season, when even if the climate is not at its warmest, it is certainly much milder than in Northern Europe. Many mature age travellers seek relaxing, quiet and more passive holidays that include time with friends and family and visits to places they have always wanted to go. Others take shorter trips, have higher levels of spending and seek new experiences, soft adventure and opportunities to socialise and meet new people. Many older people are interested in heritage and cultural experiences and seek growth and enrichment from travel''. Favourite trip activities by mature travellers include shopping (29 %), visiting historical places or museums (15 %), attending cultural events or festivals (12 %), gambling (11 %), outdoor activities (11 %), visiting national or state parks (8 %) and going to the beach (7 %). According to a report in Modern Maturity, "over-50s" report they are likely to travel 3+times per year (68 %), travel by car (46 %), for relaxation (42 %) or adventure (32 %), and prefer to travel either their mate (39 %) or family (22 %) or as part of a tour group (16 %). Although, the number of holidays which are taken declines with advancing age, the elderly people taking holidays abroad rather than at home have increased significantly.
Travel Propensities of the Mature Age Market Marketers should take into account the travel propensities of the elderly people. Older people are also more likely to spread their holidays into off-peak months than are the general population. A significant trend in recent years has been the increasing numbers of winter holidays taken by senior citizens.
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Some examples of demographic trends
• Netherlands: 45% increase in 50 + population within 25 years • Germany – Persons aged 60 year or older: Increase of 4 million between 2000 and 2020 In 2020 28,5 % of population In the same period 11 % decline in number of children under 15 year • Worldwide: In 2025 the population over 60 will double compared with 2000 Si lv ere c on omy2006.n l
The time spent on holiday by the elderly is longer on average than spent by the rest of the population; winter holidays could last for a period of 4-28 weeks, usually between October and May. Many elderly people from northern Europe spend the winter in countries on the Mediterranean, with Spain the most important destination. Mature holiday makers of Europe stay 4 to 7 nights in holiday destinations. German and Dutch travellers show the highest propensity for taking holidays of four-nights plus, with 76,9% and 67,9% of the population respectively. Portugal, at 31,2%, has the lowest holidaymaking rate in the European Union. Although private or hired vehicles are the mode of transport used most frequently by the European tourists, senior travellers tend to use intermediaries such as travel agents and tour operators. Air transport is popular with British tourists. European senior holidaymakers differ in their destination preferences. Tourists from Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Finland and Sweden tend to spend their holidays in their own country. More than 95%
E thic al / R eligi ou s : G e t O ut of the Way! S e ni or s Are C oming of holidays taken by Greeks are in Greece itself, and the equivalent for Spain is around 90%, while Belgians, Danes, Luxemburgers, Dutch and Austrians tend to travel abroad. In Belgium, the 45-64 age bracket boosts this trend with a rate of 77,2% and Danes in this age group show a similar preference for trips abroad (63,9%).
Expanding Tourism Market Older international and domestic travellers offer an emerging and expanding tourism market. Europe possesses a number of qualities and attractions with potential to attract this market but it is important to offer the type of travel experiences that the mature age market seeks. Despite the size of the senior citizen market, the travel and tourism industry in Europe has not taken full advantage of the opportunities of this market. It is clear, that the mature market is already a good stable market for the hospitality industry. The tourism industry needs to understand changing demands, needs and opportunities of the elderly people and be in a position to provide for and benefit from them. The shifts in the total population of Europe have several implications for the tourism industry in targeting the mature age market. From a practical perspective, some outcomes and practical solutions can be drawn: - The travel and tourism industry should think of seniors as a heterogeneous group which has many distinct segments. - The market needs to be segmented in order to meet the diversity of demand such as income, age groups, gender, values, attitudes, lifestyles and interest across older people. - While developing tours, it is important to organise activities and tours that offer a heritage/cultural theme and a learning component. Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
- Mature age people generally show above average levels of newspaper readership and television watching. It is therefore useful to use the media means above in order to target the mature age market. - Senior travel clubs and other associations to which older people belong could be used more ef-
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fectively by the tourism and travel industry to promote sales. - Some events and festivals should be offered to appeal to senior travellers because seniors tend to extend their stays to participate in these events. Such events also provide for seniors' interests in social opportunities and meeting new people. - While today's seniors enjoy better health than older people before them, it must still be recognised that health and disability issues are more important with increasing age. Therefore, the travel and tourism industry need to be conscious of and provide for, the special needs of senior travellers in this market. - Most coach and other transportation terminal facilities need improvements to meet the needs of seniors. - Some other issues for the senior travellers are also important. In particular, the accommodation industry needs to give more importance to some important issues such as cleanliness, friendliness of staff, security, comfortable rooms, opportunities to meet new people, good maintenance, help with bags, easy access, close proximity between car park, room and check-in. - Loyalty schemes are also important for seniors as they like the discounts and some other programmes offered. - There is also a need of cooperation between the industry and organisations related to elderly people. - Finally, the industry should carry out continued market research and public relations and promotion programs to take full advantage of the growing and changing senior travel market. (text shortened) By Cevdet Avcikurt (Balıkesir University) http://sbe.balikesir.edu.tr
E thic al / R eligi ou s : G e t O ut of the Way! S e ni or s Are C oming
Travel Is Aging Gracefully
A
mong the most noticeable features of global travel today are both the age and the shear numbers of older men and women—most particularly women—taking active, adventurous vacations with a strong learning and service focus. While sun and sand vacations will be with us always, many more people today are measuring their travel satisfaction by newly acquired skills, significant brain stimulation, and, yes, even proudly worn calluses, blisters, and bruises. People over 50 make up the vast majority of travellers worldwide, and these numbers promise to expand even more rapidly as the so-called baby boomers move with vigor and high expectations into their second half century—there are no thoughts of retiring to a rocking chair on the front porch among this group! Largely due to travellers between the ages of 50 to 80 years old, naturebased (ecological) vacations, educational, cultural/ historical, and volunteer vacations are flourishing, while establishing a very different tourism agenda for the 21st century. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the baby boomers who started this shift from mainstream/ conventional travel to “alternative travel” some
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Who Are Senior Tourists?
• ‘Senior tourists’ are people of later age (after 55) who travel for leisure and whose earning and family obligations decrease and finally disappear • A -first- distinction can be made in young-old (aged 55-64), old (aged 65-74) and very old (aged 75 and over) • Calendar age differs from biological age Si l v e r e c on omy 2 0 0 6 . n l
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British journalist, Jan Taylor, digs in on a volunteer vacation in rural Tanzania. (Global Service Corps, www.globalservicecorps.org )
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E thic al / R eligi ou s : G e t O ut of the Way! S e ni or s Are C oming
i • • • • •
Older Persons Are Attractive as Consumers Because
They have the financial means They have time They have a better education than in the past They belong to a generation which has traveled They are relatively healthy and know that activities like tourism and recreation contribute to a healthy life style
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25 or 30 years ago, but rather the generation before the boomers. However, the boomers have adopted all types of alternative travel as their own, and they are already making changes that travel professionals from tour operators and tourism organizations to travel agencies and planners would do well to understand if they are to survive and thrive. The stereotype of older vacationers wanting to rest and relax in multi-national hotel enclaves or aboard large cruise ships is well and truly out the window for at least 50% of senior travellers. They won’t bother to leave home unless they have a meaningful, responsible, stimulating holiday to lure them. They are indeed the adventurers of our time with women (on average) making up 65% of alternative travelers on nature-based and educational vacations and 70% on cultural and volunteer vacations. Try your hand at creating French cuisine while staying in an elegantly restored chateau in France, or brush up your Spanish language skills at a popular language school in Guatemala. How about a A senior-friendly zipline in a volcano forest on Maui, Hawaii is adventurous and educational. (Ron Dalquist/Skyline Eco-Adventures, www.zipline.com ) Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
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E thic al / R eligi ou s : G e t O ut of the Way! S e ni or s Are C oming
Seniors clearly enjoy the challenge of learning a new language at Malaca Instituto, Spain. (The Learning Traveller, www.learningtraveller.com/50plus.asp )
guided horseback holiday into the Maori heartland of New Zealand or an immersion in undisturbed nature and Aboriginal culture at a remote safari camp in Australia’s Northern Territory? Dig dinosaur remains in Alberta, teach English for a couple of weeks in China or volunteer with cheetah conserva-
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tion in Namibia. Many people are combining these exhilarating but often challenging experiences with an add-on independent holiday—once in a country, you might as well enjoy it from all angles! Nature on its own turf is a high priority with senior travelers, often enjoyed on foot, bicycle,
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horseback, or via canoes, river rafts or sea kayaks. Walking part of northern Spain’s pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela is a never-to-be forgotten experience where you will see older pilgrims meeting the challenge more than any other age group. Equally, you will find plenty of seniors on a kayak camping vacation among the grey whales of Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Small-scale expeditionary cruising opens up a world of otherwise inaccessible destinations ranging from the Arctic to the Amazon to Antarctica, enriched with expert evening slide lectures and daily shore excursions. This type of cruising is flourishing only because of the active, curious senior. Thanks to the Internet around which seniors are highly motivated travel researchers, they are prepared to do a lot of personal research before making up their minds what travel themes to embrace and destinations to explore. Since retired seniors frequently take more than one focused vacation a year—for example, an educational program in Rome in the Spring and a bird watching tour to Costa Rica in the Fall—there is plenty of potential for travel professionals to work with alternative travelers and build an ongoing client relationship. Just don’t try talking them into a large-ship cruise or a casino holiday, or they will be gone forever! An ongoing source of new and established operators and richly-illustrated feature articles covering all types of senior-friendly alternative travel is Travel with a Challenge web magazine at www.travelwithachallenge.com. Editor, Alison Gardner, is a global expert on alternative travel for seniors.
E thic al / R eligi ou s : G e t O ut of the Way! S e ni or s Are C oming
Eurostat Report: Tourism in Europe – Does Age Matter? age group (15 to 24 years), on the other hand, the percentages are identical. The oldest age group (65+ years) makes up the smallest proportion of both the population and the number of tourists. However, it can be assumed, given the prevailing tendency of an ageing population, that this age pattern will change within the coming decades. Translating these numbers into the participation rate, that is the share of the population taking part in tourism, for the different age groups, the following picture emerges: the youngest group (15 to 24 years) is, with 55%, at the level of the overall average for the EU-27; with 61% and 59% respectively persons aged 25 to 44 and 45 to 64 years show a participation rate slightly above the average; while people aged 65 and over tend to take less part in tourism, with only 41% of them making at least one holiday trip of four nights or more.
Approximately one tourist in three is between 25 and 44 years old
F
ocusing on several aspects of the travel behaviour of residents from the EU Member States in 2006 this report deals with differences in travel behaviour of four different age groups, that is tourists aged 15 to 24 years, 25 to 44 years, 45 to 64 years and older than 64 years.
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The age distribution of tourists corresponds approximately to the age distribution of the total population People aged 25 to 44 years represent a share of 35% of the total population, while the same group accounts for 38% of all tourists. For the youngest
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In 2006, 213 million Europeans went on holiday at least once for four nights or more. Of these, some 80 million tourists are aged between 25 and 44 years. This is obviously a reflection of the fact that this age group also makes up the highest proportion of the total population. People aged 25 to 44 years make up the largest share of tourists in nearly all EU Member States. To recap, they represent 38% of all tourists as an EU-average with the highest proportion in Lithuania (48%) and Italy (44%). The exceptions, however, are Belgium and
E thi c al / R eligiou s : G e t O ut of the Way! total number of tourists is generally 5 percentage points or more below the EU-27 average, except for Hungary. For the two remaining age classes (25 to 44 years and 45 to 64 years) it is not possible to detect any particular geographical difference. In five Member States, that is Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and the UK, the youngest group has the smallest percentage in the total number of tourists. Nevertheless, people older than 64 years represent the lowest proportion of tourists in fifteen EU Member States. The demographic trend suggests, however, that the share of people older than 64 years in the total population will increase in the long run. Their share is expected to nearly double, reaching 30% by the year 2060. As a consequence, the share of older people in the number of tourists will also grow. Due to various influencing factors, e.g. improving health conditions, their share will most probably increase even faster than that expected on the basis of the demographic trend. Furthermore, many people who belong to the younger age groups nowadays actively participate in tourism as most of them have gone on holidays since childhood which is not always the case for the current older generation. Thus, they will most likely keep on travelling when they are older which will also increase the share of older people in the number of tourists. Finland where people between the ages of 45 and 64 make up the largest proportion of tourists. Younger tourists aged between 15 and 24 years account for an average share of 15% of all tourists Europe-wide, with the lowest proportion in France (12%) and the highest proportion in Latvia (30%). There is evidence that, in this younger age group, the share of tourists tends to be higher for the new Member States than for the old ones. Additionally, in the new Member States, the oldest age class measured as a percentage of the Ju ly, 2009
In all age cohorts the majority make holidays in their country of residence On a European average, 38% of the 438 million long trips of four nights or more in 2006 were undertaken by persons aged 25 to 44 years, while the age group of 45 to 64 year-olds accounted for 32% of all trips. The two other age classes each accounted for 15%. This approximately reflects the share of each age group in the total number of tourists. This feature suggests that there is little or no difference in the frequency with which each age group par-
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Highlights
• People aged 25 to 44 years make up the largest share of the total number of tourists • While on average 55% of the population makes at least one holiday trip of four nights or more during the year, this is only the case for 41% of the population aged 65 years and over • More than 6 out of 10 holiday trips are spent within the own country, for the oldest age group more than 7 out of 10 trips are domestic trips • Of all persons participating in tourism, tourists aged 65 and over make on average the most and the longest trips
ticipates in tourism, meaning that all age classes travel to approximately the same extent. In addition, it can be assumed that a positive relationship between the number of tourists and the number of trips does exist. Of these 438 million long trips, tourists made 61% within their respective country of residence, while the remaining 39% were trips abroad. In Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Slovenia, more than 70% of all trips were made to destinations outside the country of residence. In Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Romania, on the other hand, more than 70% of all trips were within the borders of the respective country. The decision whether to go abroad or to stay within the country of residence is definitely influenced by the size of the respective country, as well as by its geographical location. Consequently, this tendency is also reflected in all four age groups, meaning that in 2006 European tourists of every age group made more trips within their country of residence than to a foreign country. On closer inspection, it appears that travel behaviour in the individual Member States tends to fol-
E thic al / R eligi ou s : G e t O ut of the Way! S e ni or s Are C oming Netherlands this situation is the reverse. However, in six of the EU Member States, namely in Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom, this trend is not consistent across the age classes.
Persons older than 64 years make on average the longest trips of all tourists
low a consistent pattern in most cases: either the majority of holiday trips throughout all age groups are made to a destination abroad or the majority of trips in all age groups are holidays in the respective home country. To illustrate: Spanish people of all age groups make more trips within Spain than to destinations outside the country. The same applies to people from the Czech Republic, Greece, France, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Finland and Sweden. In Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and the
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In general, Greek residents make the longest trips, spending 12.2 nights per trip, followed by residents of Belgium with 11.7 nights and residents of the Netherlands with 11.6 nights. In contrast, the trips undertaken by Finnish and Hungarian people are at least 2 nights shorter than the EU average. As to the different age classes, once again it is the oldest age group (65 years and over) who makes the longest trips on average in the EU, spending 11.7 nights away on each trip. Thus, they make longer trips than the EU average, while people aged 15 to 24 years or 25 to 44 years generally make shorter trips than the average European tourist. It is worth mentioning that the variation between the individual countries is smaller than it was for the average number of nights spent. The only group that deviates from the EU-27 average by more than five nights are Lithuanians aged between 15 and 24 years. (text shortened) By Julia Urhausen (Eurostat) http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
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Senior Travellers Going on Safari?
A Safari?! I think I am quite past that stage of my life! Well, if these are your sentiments you may just be making a big mistake. Nowadays there are numerJu ly– Au g ust , 2009
ous African Safari products available fitting most tastes and budgets. Botswana, Southern Africa’s best kept secret is no exception to offering a magnitude of Safari pos-
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sibilities to the Senior Adventurers. Botswana with its very well known Kalahari Desert and Okavango delta is a true wilderness with one of the few large scale natural ecosystems still to be found on the African continent. Numerous wild-life documentaries filmed on location, in and around the pristine national parks and game reserves have helped to promote the natural wealth of wildlife the region has to offer and equally as important the Botswana Government has conservation in the forefront of all its policies and decisions. It is well worth researching the type of tour and Safari properly before booking, like with all travels, disappointment can largely be avoided by a little extra attention to detail. There are a few basic pointers that will save you and your Safari specialist time, and ultimately ensure you buy the Safari you chose and dreamt about. Firstly be realistic about your budget, indicate honestly about the amount you are willing to spend on your holiday, in most cases try to keep international and regional flights if there are any, separate from your actual holiday budget. Secondly enquire about costs regarding regional and smaller charter flights if they should form part of your final itinerary.
E thic al / R eligi ou s : G e t O ut of the Way! S e ni or s Are C oming
Thirdly express realistically how many people you will be travelling with. Very often private vehicles and better rates can be negotiated if bookings are made further in advance. Lastly, inform your specialist if you have any type of mobility impairment, such as hip replacements or knee/back operations that might influence the type of travel that you are physically able to do. Should this be the case, please do not despair; there are Specialist Operators that can make sure your Safari experience is not jeopardized in any way due to a physical factor. Botswana’s attitude towards responsible tourism is one of lower volume and higher cost, which keeps the region pristine, less impact on the environment and Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
animals as well as a far more exclusive overall safari experience for the visitors. Very popular with guests are combinations of the Botswana Safari experience and our surrounding countries with their world famous attractions such as Table Mountain, Cape Town, unspoilt beaches and the Namib Desert. Botswana welcomes you, and encourages you on Safari no matter your age or physical ability. Adventure has nothing to do with age. By Endeavour Safaris Endeavour Safaris specializes in accessible travel to Southern Africa for Persons with Disabilities and Senior Travelers. http://www.endeavour-safaris.com
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D estinati o n Azerbaijan – a Lost Diamond Azerbaijan is the land of fire! Literally! Have you ever visited a place where flames of fire simply burst out of the ground? Visit this country in the Caucasus region offering not only beautiful nature and centuries-old culture but also hospitable people, fire temples or even mud volcanoes.
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond
Azerbaijan: The Land of Fire
water (“bulag”), and the pure underground waters are brought on a surface by construction of special systems kagreze. There are Alpine zones, and woods with relic types of trees, where the climate is rainy even in the summer. There are vast steppes and high mountain ranges with the peaks attracting climbers, tourists and those interested in wild nature.
Ancient Culture Azerbaijan is one of the most ancient sites of humankind. There were settlements in Azerbaijan even at the earliest stages of mankind. Azerbaijan made its own contribution into the establishment of the current culture and civilization, progress and dialectics. The time kept a range of ancient archeological and architectural monuments for the tourists. The ancient headstones, manuscripts and models of carpets, preserved to the present times from the ancient ages, can provide much information to those who can and want to read them. Azerbaijan is a country of ancient culture. The Oguz tribes which moved here and stayed for ages
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A
zerbaijan is a country with unlimited natural resources, centuries-old culture, history and ancient people, whose lifestyle presents a unique and harmonious combination of the traditions and ceremonies of different cultures and civilizations.
Geography Azerbaijan is a region with unique geographical, climatic and geopolitical characteristics. The presJu ly– Au g ust , 2009
ent Republic of Azerbaijan has rather small territory (86,6 thousand sq km) but it is possible to experience here 9 of 11 basic climate zones. For example, on droughty and hot Absheron the climate was improved by parks and gardens planted for centuries, but the natural landscape consists of prickles, rocks, saline soils and steppes that become covered by grass only in spring. In other areas of the Republic, you can see numerous sources of spring
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Dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh
Azerbaijan’s most important domestic and foreign policy issue remains the resolution of the dispute over the region known as Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group–Russia, France, and the U.S.–are currently holding the peace negotiations. Ne ws-en.t ren d.az
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond
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Economy of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan’s high economic growth during 2006-08 is attributable to large and growing oil exports, but the non-energy sector also featured double-digit growth in 2008, spurred by growth in the construction, banking, and real estate sectors. However, the current global economic slowdown presents some challenges for the Azerbaijani economy as oil prices have plummeted since mid-2008 and local banks face a more uncertain international financial environment. Azerbaijan shares all the formidable problems of the former Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its medium-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic ties and structures are slowly being replaced. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan’s economic progress: the need for stepped up foreign investment in the non-energy sector, the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region,pervasive corruption,and potential for a sharp downturn in the construction and real estate sectors. E a r t h.org
found a deeply rooted culture and in their turn enriched it with Turkic national traditions. The talented and creative powers of the nation are personified in such epic monuments as "Kitabi-Dede Gorgud", "Oguzname" "Keroglu" and many others.
Travelers Azerbaijan encapsulated between Russia, Iran, Georgia and Armenia is not visited a lot by tourists – for many people visa is a bit difficult to get and hotels are expensive. For this reason, tour agencies which visit the Caucasus often avoid the Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
country. However, things are getting easier since Azerbaijan is making efforts to boost its tourism. The country is, although unknown, worth visiting. There are many things to see. The capital Baku has a wide variety of parks, statues, shops. People on the streets are friendly, always ready to help a stranger, to point out directions, or just to offer playing a boardgame or drink tea. The hassle of tourist scams and bargaining just doesn't exist in this country, perhaps because of the lack of tourists.
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Also outside Baku there are things to see: which country can offer a unique phenomenon of cold "mud volcanoes", petroglyphs, or where else than here can you discover one of the only remaining temples of the Zoroastrians? How about visiting Yanar Dag, the "Fire Mountain", a mountain filled with natural gas, which is on fire all the time.
Dark Spot: Oil Industry Over the decades, the local industry was successfully represented by oil production, petrochemical and oil processing enterprises. If one compares
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond Shipwrecks are resting in the sea, oil is often floating on the water, plants and soil are covered with dust. Further inside the country, unique graveyards, mountains, rivers and a paradise of nature can be discovered – a complete contradiction of the pollution of oil business.
Nature
the economy of Azerbaijan with a living body, it becomes evident that oil flows in the veins of Azerbaijan. The oil and gas resources of Azerbaijan have made this place famous in every part of the world. For travelers however the oil industry and how it is managed is an obvious downside. The industry destroys nature and makes Azerbaijan the most
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polluted country in the world. Local scientists consider the Absheron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton.
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In Azerbaijan one can find plenty of curative, mineral and thermal waters, mud and oil for medical treatment. They are spread throughout Guba, Shamakhi–Ismayilli, Balakan–Gabala, Sheki–Zagatala, Nakhchivan, Ganjabasar regions. There are 6 national parks, 12 reserves and 17 protected areas occupying 2,4 % from the total territory of the country and cover all basic climatic landscapes in Azerbaijan. Today, the plans for extension of area of protected nature territories up to 10 % of the total area of the republic are in progress. Azerbaijan has always been famous for its sources of eternal fires–the atashgehs. There is a place called Yanardag (blazing mountain) in Absheron and thermal springs in some parts of Nakhichivan, Kelbejar, Masali, Lenkoran, Babadag. In Surakhani, there is an eternal fire place. From the ancient times the fire worshippers from remote places and even the Indian priests were coming to Absheron in search of fire. They built their main temples here in Surakhani and Ateshgah. Photos: TR, Flickr http://www.azerbaijan.az http://www.tourism.az http://www.delaet.biz
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond
Euromonitor: Travel and Tourism in Azerbaijan with such hotel brands as Marriott, Kempinski, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Meridian and Sheraton to build and operate their hotels in Baku and the regions. Most of the hotels are concentrated in the capital Baku, and cater for the needs of international business tourists. Consequently, the prices are quite high even compared to European prices since there is not enough competition.
Tourism a small but increasingly important contributor to the economy Tourism is a small but increasingly important contributor to the economy of Azerbaijan, with international tourism receipts amounting to AZN800 million
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Hotel infrastructure supported by developments in the oil industry Developments in the oil and gas industry have boosted construction of new hotels in Azerbaijan. Over the last five years period, the number of hoJu ly– Au g ust , 2009
tels increased from 262 in 2005 to 296 by the end of 2007. There are several international hotel chains, like Hyatt and Radisson, already present in the country. In addition, Azerbaijan has started negotiations
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TOP 10 Source Countries for Azerbaijan Tourism (‘000 people) 2007 2008
Arrivals from Georgia Arrivals from Russia Arrivals from Iran Arrivals from Turkey Arrivals from United Kingdom Arrivals from Ukraine Arrivals from Kazakhstan Arrivals from USA Arrivals from Germany Arrivals from Uzbekistan
323,0 312,0 182,0 61,0 20,0 16,0 8,0 7,7 6,5 3,6 ©2009 Euromonitor International
342,4 330,7 200,0 68,3 22,4 17,1 9,1 7,9 7,0 3,8
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond
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Azerbaijan: Tourism Expenditures (€ mn)
2007 2008 2009 (Forecast) Incoming tourist receipts 783,8 799,3 896,8 Domestic tourist expenditure 134,7 135,7 151,1 ©2009 Euromonitor International
country from becoming a popular leisure tourist destination.
Marketing still far from reaching its full potential
(€715 m) in 2007 and reached AZN952 million (€ 850 m) in 2008. The growth in tourism receipts will mainly reflect the low initial level, and tourism will continue to play only a small role in the economy. Tourist receipts are mostly driven by business tourists as Azerbaijan is first and foremost an oil and gas producing country.
Balance of payments negative–compounded by rise in outgoing expenditure Due to the growing affluence of a minority of Bakubased residents, outgoing tourism expenditure was increasing at a rapid rate in 2008, thereby keeping Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
the balance of payments negative. This pattern is projected to continue over the forecast period despite the expected increase in international and domestic tourism receipts.
Air travel maintains strong demand Air travel in Azerbaijan accounted for over 90% of international arrivals and 80% of departures in 2008. Within the country, air transportation is the favourite choice of 56% of businessmen and almost 18% of leisure tourists. Air travel is projected to remain the most convenient way to reach Azerbaijan, but high air fares and insufficient number of air carriers will impede the
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In general, there is a lack of marketing materials such as flyers, brochures, maps and postcards. There are guidebooks published by the Ministry each year; however, these contain mostly advertisements, with some information on the regions. On-line marketing remains underdeveloped. There are some good travel agency websites but some are difficult to find. There is a country tourism website (www.tourism.az) which offers very limited information and is hard to navigate. Over the review period, another tourism portal (www. turizm.az) was launched. This portal is supposed to be the gateway to tourism in Azerbaijan and provide information on the regions, tourism routes, hotels and companies. However, the site is only in the Azeri language, thereby limiting the number of potential readers. All of the above are hindering the country’s attempts to attract international tourism. (Extract from Euromonitor International’s report “Travel and tourism in Azerbaijan”) Photos: TR, Flickr http://www.euromonitor.com
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond
Greater Baku: The Beak of Flying Bird terms. Due to this, the whole Absheron peninsula including the capital is called "Greater Baku". Absheron and Baku feature major transport lines: International Airport n.a. Heydar Aliev, a big port in the Baku Bay (the biggest on the whole Caspian Sea), Baku Railway station and highways connecting the capital with the rest of the country. Major oil and gas pipelines also originate on the peninsula. Baku is a key point of the international transport corridor (Europe-Caucasus-Asia) TRASECA, in the framework of which Azerbaijan participates in restoration of a historical route, the Great Silk Road.
The Absheron Peninsula Favorable climate, geographical and geological conditions contributed to the fact that Absheron
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If
the shape of Azerbaijan on a map is similar to a bird flying towards the sea then the bird's "beak" would be the Absheron peninsula with an ancient and ever young city situated on its southwest coast. The city is Baku – the capital of Azerbaijan.
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The population is 2-2,5 million. Even though administratively Baku is separated from Absheron suburb settlements (in a total number of 32), historically they are indivisibly linked to the capital both in cultural and economical as well as in geographical
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Oil Industry
Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, is located directly on the Caspian Sea. It has been home to a vibrant oil industry since the late nineteenth century. At one time Azerbaijan produced more than half of the world’s oil. Industrialists from around the world have been drawn to Baku because of the large supply, making it one of the most international cities in the Caucasus. To this day, the oil obtained from the Caspian Sea makes Azerbaijan a highly desirable trading partner. C i es .org
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond was already inhabited 20.000 years ago (e.g. an ancient human settlement site near the village of Yeni Surakhany). The whole peninsula is studded with ancient settlement sites and mounds dated to the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. There are types of burial complexes with burials of anthropomorphic figures made of stone accompanied by plot pictures (villages of Dubandy, Turkani, Hashahuna, Mardakan, and Shuvelan) that are restricted only to the Absheron. More settlement sites have been found in Pirallakhi, on the lake of Zikh, in Binagadi and in Amiradzhani. This evidences that the whole Absheron was inhabited in the ancient times. However, geostrategic position of the peninsula attracted various invaders as well. Besides the settlements there are also monuments from later periods – Bira Argutai mosque (1414), a mosque dated to the 13th-14th centuries with a 40 m tall minaret built later, a bath of 17th century, Ovdan (a lodgment dated to the 19th century), several mausoleums. Attracting a great interest among guests of Baku is the temple of Zoroastrians–Ateshgah (the house of fire) in the village of Surakhany (17th century). It is situated on a rock where natural emergences of gas on the surface have been burning for thousands of years. Near the village of Muhammedli one can observe an interesting natural phenomenon–the emergence of burning natural gases at the bottom of the mountains. The place is called Yanar Dag (The Burning Mountain"). In ancient times there were many such places in Azerbaijan.
Landmarks in Baku Among the historical monuments of Baku the most exciting is the Old City – Icheri Sheher (UNESCO World Heritage site), surrounded by large fortress walls from three directions. There is a palace of Shirvanshahs with a complex of various structures: a burial vault, palace, mosque, Divan-khane, Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
the Mausoleum of Seyd Yakhya Bakuvi (mausoleum of a dervish) – a court scientist. The palace was built by Shirvanshah Khalilullah I (1417-1462) and his son Farrukh Yasar (1462-1501). An interesting monument of antiquity is Juma Mosque with the inscription of Sultan Oldzhaytu (13th century). In the narrow streets of Icheri Sheher where the width of passages between houses are often reduced to the width of stretched arms, there are many little shops where one can buy ancient and modern wares of local craftsmen: carpets, ceramics, copperware etc. Here in Icheri Sheher, in the buildings of the ancient caravanserais there are restaurants where one can taste the meals of Azerbaijani national cuisine. Viewing the city from above, from the Upland Park or from the direction of the sea it is easily seen that the city's shape resembles an amphitheater on the slopes of rocky hills, it is like a bowl on the sea
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coast. Rising above at the edge of Icheri Sheher, near the big Baku Boulevard is one of the most famous historical-architecture monuments of the country, a symbol of Baku, Giz Galasy (Maiden's Tower). Giz Galasy is dated to the 12th century, researchers maintain that the Tower was of military and defensive importance and was a part of the whole complex of defensive structures originating on the northern borders of Azerbaijan (at Derbent Fortress), Gilgichai Defensive Structures (a long wall, originating in the sea with many fortresses along its extent and ending in the mountains with a big tower called Chirag-Gala). However, not all secrets of Giz Galasy have been revealed. For instance, there are facts supporting the view that the Tower was built in much earlier times. For many residents of Baku the Tower, a unique example of the history and architecture of the country, possesses not only cultural, defensive (astronomic) but also esoteric importance. City folklore contains many legends both about the Tower itself and about its name.
Modern City Nowadays Baku is a modern city with a delicate charming of the East and features of a modern
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Baku as the World’s Dirtiest City
In February 2008, the city of Baku was named the world’s dirtiest city by Forbes: “Surrounded by Iran, Georgia, Russia and Armenia on the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan has long been an oil hub. As a consequence, Baku, the capital, suffers from life-threatening levels of air pollution emitted from oil drilling and shipping.” For b es . c om
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond
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Maiden’s Tower
Baku’s landmark symbol is believed to date to 12th century. The name of the Tower “Maiden’s” is explained by numerous legends concerning a determined young lady pursued by a despotic local king (sometimes identified as her father), who reportedly imprisoned her in this Tower. According to the legend, rather than becoming his lover, she committed suicide by throwing herself from the Tower into the Caspian Sea. Az er b a ij a n24.c om
megapolis. Here, in the capital, there are museums of History of Azerbaijan, Literature, Music Culture, Carpets, and Theater. There are also memorial museums of U. Hadzhibekov, the founder of modern Azerbaijani music, a renowned Azerbaijani composer Niyazi; composer and jazz performer V. Mustafazade, Baku-born world-famous musician M. Rostropovich, writers and playwrights G. Javid, Jabbarli, M.S. Ordubadi and a unique museum of miniature books. There are also a number of exhibitions, concert halls, art galleries, theaters, sport complexes, sta-
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diums, swimming pools, numerous hotels and restaurants. Around Baku, along the whole perimeter of the Absheron peninsula there are a number of beaches. One can bathe and tan on the Absheron five months a year since there are many warm and hot sunny days. When the sun goes down and the heat of summer days fades away discos and night clubs begin their work on the beaches. At the service of tourist and vacationers are plentiful of hotels, resorts and health centers on the Caspian Coast.
Photos: TR, Flickr, Travel-images.com http://www.tourism.az
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Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond
The Fire Temple Ateshgah
In
early history Azerbaijan was called the “land of the sacred fire”. Although the “everlasting fire” mentioned by early travelers such as Alexander Dumas was caused by the gas and oil deposits erupting from the earth, it became surrounded by legends and mystery. Some 2,600 years ago, Zarathustra formulated Zoroastrianism, one of the first major monotheistic religions. His idea to use fire as a metaphor for the mysteries of God probably came from witnessing the spontaneous flames that rise so eerily from Azerbaijan's Absheron Peninsula. Today the fires still burn. Most notable is Yanar Dagh near Mammedli, where a small hillside is constantly and naturally aflame. On Absheron there were many temples of fire as well. The most famous is the well-preserved Hindu temple Ateshgah ("the Fire Place") in Surakhany, located 20 kilometers east of the town center. This rare temple is dedicated to 'Jwalaji or the goddess of fire', forgotten for decades but now catching the
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attention of tourists. The temple was built over a pocket of natural gas that fuelled a vent providing an 'eternal' fire. This kind of use of fire in Zoroastrian temples led to the followers of Zoroaster (Zarathustra). Historians, archaeologists, and theologians have argued over the construction date of the temple. Some state that there was a Zoroastrian temple in Surakhany since the 6th century; others delay that event for another seven centuries. As the introduction of Islam to the region to the area resulted in the destruction of almost every Zoroastrian temple and documents, these claims are hard to assess. After Azerbaijan was islamised some Zoroastrians escaped to India. But trade links with India in later centuries, led to renewed contacts with the fire-worshippers, who had migrated from to Northern India. During 17th and 18th centuries, the site was rebuilt by Indian merchants and masons, who had established in Baku their settlement. What you can see today dates mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries, built over the crumbling remains of the previous temple, by active Zoroastrian worshipers from India (know there as 'Parsees', for their Persian origin). This fire temple, with a mixture of Indian and Azerbaijani architectural styles, is a surviving proof of age old relationship between the two countries. The pentagon shaped building is surrounded by a wall with a guest room over the gate ('balakhane'). There are still some wall inscriptions in Sanskrit and Gurumukhi, including poems. Cells for pilgrims line the wall inside and surround the main altar in the center of the temple – a quadrangular pavilion with the fire on the altar inside.
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On the carved entrances of cells there are stone plaques describing who built them and in which year. There are over 20 stone plaques, of which 18 are in Devanagri, one in Gurumukhi and one in Farsi (Persian), Sanskrit text with which begins in Hindu tradition with "Om Shri Ganeshaye Namah." Surakhany remained a popular destination for Indian pilgrims until the end of 19th century. The natural gas vent has been exhausted and in 1880 the last pilgrim returned to India. The temple was last restored in 1975. Today low, dark cells for monks and pilgrims in the Ateshgah Temple at Surakhany house represent an interesting museum, intended to introduce the rudiments of Zoroastrianism to the visitors. Photos: TR, Flickr http://aze.info
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond
Gobustan Rock Engragings & Muddy Volcanoes
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ne of the most popular sites in Azerbaijan is definitely Gobustan and its ancient rock engravings.
Gobustan Dancers Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape covers three areas of a plateau of rocky boulders rising Ju ly– Au g ust , 2009
out of the semi-desert of central Azerbaijan, with an outstanding collection of more than 6,000 rock engravings bearing testimony to 40,000 years of rock art. The site also features the remains of inhabited caves, settlements and burials, all reflecting an intensive human use by the inhabitants of the area during the wet period that followed the last Ice Age,
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from the Upper Paleolithic to the Middle Ages. The site, which covers an area of 537 ha, is part of the larger protected Gobustan Reservation. Just 65km south of Baku Gobustan is an openair museum littered with Neolithic rock drawings. Stone Age folks sporting loin cloths pose hunt and boogie down. Their dances are thought to have been accompanied by the melodious strains of the Gaval-Dashy (Tambourine Stone) – a rock that has a deep, resonating tone when struck. The well-preserved sketches display ancient populations travelling on reed boats; men hunt antelope and wild bulls, women dance. The famed Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl returned many times to Azerbaijan between 1961 and 2002 to study the site, which he argued to evidence that modern-day Scandinavians migrated north through the Caucasus in prehistoric times. He found similarities in the drawings to those found in Scandinavia, particularly some in Alta, Norway. According to Icelandic Sagas, written in the 13th century, the Norse God Odin (Wotan) migrated from the Caucasus in the first century AD. The rocks of Gobustan also retain the evidence of the presence of Roman legionnaires crossing this attractive region in the 1st century BC. A rock has been found here with the carved inscription in Latin written by Roman centurions of the XII Legio Fulminata. The inscription reads that the Emperor Domitianus Caesar Augustus Germanicus ruled in Rome at that time. In 2007 Gobustan was inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage.
Desti nation : A z e rb aijan – a L o st D i amond
Mud Volcanoes In the region you can also visit quite a unique site with cold mud volcanoes. Azerbaijan is the first among the world's countries by quantity and diversity of mud volcanoes. Out of the 800 mud volcanoes that can be found in different countries 400 are located within the boundaries of the South Caucasus oil-and-gas basins and among the latter 300 are located in Azerbaijan, within its Caspian area of water and on numerous islands. Many geologists as well as locals and international mud tourists trek to such places as the Firuz Crater, Gobustan, Salyan and end up happily covered in mud which is thought to have medicinal qualities. In 2001 one mud volcano 15 kilometers from Baku made world headlines when it suddenly started spewing flames 15 meters high. In the Spring of 2001, volcanic activity under the Caspian Sea off the Azeri coast created a whole new island. In October 2001 there was an impressive volcanic eruption in Azerbaijan at Lokbatan, but there were no casualties or evacuation warn-
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ings. Mud volcanoes are the little-known relatives of the more common magmatic variety. They do erupt occasionally with spectacular results, but are generally not considered to be dangerous. Mud volcanoes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but those most common in Azerbaijan have several small cones, or vents, up to about four metres in height (13 feet), sometimes topping a hill of several hundred metres. These small cones emit cold mud, water and gas almost continually – an amazing and even beautiful sight, which has become part of the tourist itinerary for foreigners visiting Azerbaijan. But sometimes even mud volcanoes have their day. Every twenty years or so, a mud volcano may explode with great force, shooting flames hundreds of metres into the sky, and depositing tonnes of mud on the surrounding area. Photos: TR, Flickr http://whc.unesco.org http://azerbaijan24.com
Fairs & Exhibitions T r a v e l / T o u r i s m i n J UL Y — A u g u s t 2 0 0 9 b y r e g i o n s
Fairs & E x hi b ition s : J U LY– AU G U ST, 2009
Western Europe
Creativ Salzburg Location
Salzburg / Austria
Start / End
28 August 2009 / 30 August 2009
Provider
Reed Exhibitions Salzburg
Contact
info@reedexpo.at
European Outdoor Trade Fair Location
Friedrichshafen / Germany
Start / End
16 July 2009 / 19 July 2009
Provider
Messe Friedrichshafen
Contact
presse@messe-fn.de
RDA Workshop Location
Cologne / Germany
Start / End
04 August 2009 / 07 August 2009
Provider
RDA-Workshop Touristik-Service GmbH
Contact
fleischhauer.fmk@t-online.de
AIEST Congress 2009 Location
Savonlinna / Finland
Start / End
23 August 2009 / 27 August 2009
Provider
AIEST
Contact
aiest@unisg.ch
More events related to Travel/Tourism can be found here If you are an event provider you may consider to place your event in the above category, please click here If your event already is in the list you may consider using the enhanced listing. For replacement just click here
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Fairs & E x hi b ition s : J U LY– AU G U ST, 2009
North America
NBTA International Convention & Exposition Location
San Diego, CA / United States of America
Start / End
23 August 2009 / 26 August 2009
Provider
NBTA
Contact
cbeisel@nbta.org
Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) Location
Reno, NE / United States of America
Start / End
30 August 2009 / 01 September 2009
Provider
TIA
Contact
ncstd@ustravel.org
Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality, & Foodservice Expo Location
Blaisdell Center, Hawaii / United States of America
Start / End
08 July 2009 / 09 July 2009
Provider
Douglas Trade Shows
Contact
dtsm@hawaii.rr.com
Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) Annual Convention Location
Atlanta, GA / United States of America
Start / End
28 July 2009 / 30 July 2009
Provider
Destination Marketing Association International
Contact
info@destinationmarketing.org
ICHRIE Annual Conference & Marketplace Location
San Francisco, CA / United States of America
Start / End
29 July 2009 / 01 August 2009
Provider
The International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education
Contact
conference@chrie.org
More events related to Travel/Tourism can be found here If you are an event provider you may consider to place your event in the above category, please click here If your event already is in the list you may consider using the enhanced listing. For replacement just click here
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Fairs & E x hi b ition s : J U LY– AU G U ST, 2009
Asia & Pacific
Travel & Tourism Fair - Calcutta Location
Calcutta / India
Start / End
11 July 2009 / 13 July 2009
Provider
Fairfest Media Limited
Contact
fairfest@vsnl.com
India International Travel Mart - Bangalore Location
Bangalore, Karnataka / India
Start / End
18 July 2009 / 20 July 2009
Provider
Travel Media Networks
Contact
info@iitmindia.com
India International Travel Mart - Chennai
Travel & Tourism Fair - Hyderabad Location
Hyderabad / India
Start / End
03 July 2009 / 05 July 2009
Provider
Fairfest Media Limited
Contact
fairfest@vsnl.com
MATTA Fair Penang 2009 Location
Relau, Penang / Malaysia
Start / End
03 July 2009 / 05 July 2009
Provider
MATTA Penang Chapter
Contact
mattapen@po.jaring.my
MATTA Fair Negeri Sembilan 2009
Location
Chennai, Tamil Nadu / India
Start / End
24 July 2009 / 26 July 2009
Provider
Travel Media Networks
Contact
info@iitmindia.com
MATTA Fair Johor 2009 Location
Johor / Malaysia
Start / End
24 July 2009 / 26 July 2009
Provider
MATTA Johor Chapter
Contact
mattapen@po.jaring.my
Travel & Tourism Fair - Ahmedabad Location
Ahmedabad, Gujarat / India
Start / End
31 July 2009 / 02 August 2009
Provider
Fairfest Media Limited
Contact
fairfest@vsnl.com
Maldives Hotel & Trade Exhibition 2009
Location
Seremban / Malaysia
Location
Male / Maldives
Start / End
10 July 2009 / 12 July 2009
Start / End
04 August 2009 / 06 August 2009
Provider
MATTA
Provider
Artline Design Service Pvt Ltd.
Contact
mattapen@po.jaring.my
Contact
info@artlinedesign.com
More events related to Travel/Tourism can be found here If you are an event provider you may consider to place your event in the above category, please click here If your event already is in the list you may consider using the enhanced listing. For replacement just click here
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Fairs & E x hi b ition s : J U LY– AU G U ST, 2009 Travel & Tourism Fair - Surat
Hospitality New Zealand
Location
Surat / India
Location
Auckland / New Zealand
Start / End
07 August 2009 / 09 August 2009
Start / End
23 August 2009 / 25 August 2009
Provider
Fairfest Media Limited
Provider
D. M. G. World Media
Contact
fairfest@vsnl.com
Contact
rochellegray@dmgworldmedia.com
Food & Hotel Malaysia 2009
NBTA Asia Pacific Regional Business Travel Conference
Location
Kuala Lumpur / Malaysia
Location
Canberra / Australia
Start / End
11 August 2009 / 13 August 2009
Start / End
31 August 2009 / 01 September 2009
Provider
Malaysian Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd
Provider
NBTA Asia Pacific
Contact
enquiry@mesallworld.com
Contact
nbta@nbta.org.au
National Conference on Tourism Futures Location
Gold Coast / Australia
Start / End
17 August 2009 / 19 August 2009
Provider
Management Solutions
Contact
info@managementsolutions.net.au
Hotelex Beijing Location
Beijing / China
Start / End
18 August 2009 / 20 August 2009
Provider
CMP Asia Limited
Contact
hotelex@cmpsinoexpo.com
India Travel Mart - Jaipur Location
Jaipur / India
Start / End
21 August 2009 / 23 August 2009
Provider
India Travel Mart
Contact
indiatravelmart@airtelmail.in
MATTA Fair Perak 2009 Location
Perak / Malaysia
Start / End
21 August 2009 / 23 August 2009
Provider
Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA)
Contact
admin@matta.org.my
More events related to Travel/Tourism can be found here If you are an event provider you may consider to place your event in the above category, please click here If your event already is in the list you may consider using the enhanced listing. For replacement just click here
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