NOVEMber, 2009
Dear readers, The first signs of global economic recovery have cheered many travel trade professionals including those working in the meetings industry. How badly were the event providers hit though? What are the current trends? Check out the Professional supplement. The Transport part on the other hand focuses on car rental business, which according to some experts was not affected that much by the downturn. Yet, what is the outlook of the industry? If you still cannot cope with the daily hassles and keep thinking about your summer holiday let’s take a break and visit a unique destination – Yemen. Just imagine the hot summer, sandy beaches and rare flora and fauna. Read the Destination supplement. Have you ever tried a rickshaw tour? Or ballooning? Let us invite you for several tours guaranteeing a bit different sightseeing – in the Heritage supplement. First of all however why not to go back in time and remember the school trips you enjoyed so much. Educational trips and tours are still popular among students as well as teachers. Find out why in the Ethical part.
Milada Sovadinova Editor
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
NOVEMBER, 2009
H E R I TAG E
ETHICAL Way for KnoWledge: educational tours
UniqUe SightSeeing toUrS Balloons, rickshaws, Trabants ... these are all special means to enhance the unique experience you take home from your vacations. Have you ever seen an amphibious coach? Head to Hungary and try one.
Educational tours and school trips have always been popular among students and kids. However, aren’t they just a distraction from the more serious school work? Actually, quite the opposite.
HERITAGE: Unique Sightseeing Tours............... 4
ETHICAL: Way for Knowledge: Educational Tours............................. 35
See Budapest from Both Land & Water........................................................................ 5
Educational Tours 101.................................................................................................... 36
Cappadocia Ballooning: A Bird-in-Flight Perspective............................................ 7
Educational Tours: Travel as a Learning Experience............................................. 38
Rickshaw–A Journey through the Streets of Kathmandu............................... 10
Swimming with Flipper: Education with Wild Dolphins in Aotearoa New Zealand............................................................................................. 41
Trabants Ready to Give You a Lift............................................................................. 12
OK, Kids, Your Vacation Made You Smarter............................................................. 43 PRofeSSionaL
De St I nat Ion
How to ... organize an event
Yemen Yemen – the land of friendly people, unique culture and several World Heritage Sites. Discover a city with the oldest skyscrapers in the world, try jumping over the backs of camels or go to Socotra Island and study its rare flora and fauna.
What are the latest trends in the meetings industry? What about the prices? What is the outlook of the industry in such markets as Russia or even Sri Lanka?
Professional: How to ... Organize an Event......... 13
Destination: Yemen............................................................ 43
Meeting Industry at the Crossroads. ...................................................................... 14
Yemen – A Journey to Discover.................................................................................... 45
Interview: Organising an Event during Tough Times........................................ 16
Huge Potential & Great Challenges......................................................................... 47
Russian В2В Events Market: Tendencies & Prospects. .......................................... 19
Euromonitor International: Travel & Tourism in Yemen................................. 49
WTM: Towards Sustainable Event Management.................................................... 23
Festivals of the Happy Arabia? Camel-Jumping & Much More........................... 51
Sri Lanka Events: Low Cost and Exotic.................................................................... 25
Yemen’s Island of Untouched Beauty....................................................................... 53 Inbound Tour Operators. .................................................................................................. 55
TRANSPORT
Fairs & Exhibitions T r av e l / T o u r i s m
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n o v e m B e r
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B y
r e g i o n s
Rent a CaR? Car rentals have been highly important for many vacationers – especially those who decided for last-minute holidays. Are the prices likely to go down any time soon? What’s the future of electric cars in this field? Check out the opinions of experts.
Transport: Wanna Rent a Car?.............................. 26
Fairs & Exhibitions: Travel/Tourism in NOVEmBER 2009 by regions................................................. 56
Car Rentals Are Getting Specialised......................................................................... 27
Western Europe. ............................................................................................................... 57
Interview: Bright Future of the Car Rental Industry...................................... 29
CENTRAL Europe................................................................................................................. 58
Car Hire Firms: Higher Rates in 2010........................................................................... 31
Africa/MIDDLE EAST.......................................................................................................... 59
Rightsize or Capsize........................................................................................................ 33
North America.................................................................................................................. 60
H E R I TAG E Unique Sightseeing Tours Balloons, rickshaws, Trabants ... these are all special means to enhance the unique experience you take home from your vacations. Have you ever seen an amphibious coach? Head to Hungary and try one.
H e r itage : Uni qu e Sig ht s e e ing Tour s
See Budapest from Both Land & Water
B
udapest is the first city on the Continent where you can enjoy the unique experience of sightseeing aboard an exceptional amphibious coach. Until now you had to decide between two options: see the beautiful capital city through the windows Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
of a tour coach or enjoy a boat ride on the Danube surrounded by the wonderful sights of Budapest. No need to choose anymore... RiverRide is a special sightseeing coach, outfitted with two anchors, a horn, 160 meters of rope,
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life vests under each of the 45 seats; it is propelled by a jet engine and its driver is a licensed skipper... or, conversely, it is a boat that rolls along on six wheels, can slow down using disk brakes, features backup and break lights and its captain has a bus driver’s license. First, enjoy the sights of Budapest from the comfortable seats of the coach, as you go through busy streets; then experience the unforgettable moment when with a big splash the coach plunges into the Danube and sails downriver with you while you pass the breathtaking World Heritage sites of this magnificent city. Following the water adventure, the coach climbs ashore, and you’ll find yourself once again in the midst of a bustling metropolis. Seeing Budapest from special coach is a unique experience because you can enjoy the best of both worlds: visit important sights up-close and see also the big picture from the Danube without ever having to leave your seat. Launching its operation in September, the amphibious vehicle is the result of international cooperation. The hull, designed by a British naval engineer, was manufactured in Malta; the undercarriage and powertrain come from the Italian plant of IVECO; the jet engine is also Italian, made by Castoldi. Thermosol, a Hungarian company prepared the vehicle to meet European Union’s strict quality and safety inspection standards. In the present financial crisis several banks declined to support the project; finally FHB Bank signed on and helped this innovative enterprise to become reality. Quality and safety assurance of the amphibious vehicle is backed by both TÜV Rheinland in Hungary and Lloyd’s Register in Great Britain, and its operating permit is underwritten by the National Transport Authority of Hungary and the Malta Maritime Authority.
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Not only passenger safety, but also the protection of the environment is a key issue for the operator. Therefore the vehicle has the most eco-friendly, EURO5 engine, to protect the air and waters of Budapest. The coach operates every day throughout the year; five times a day during the high season, and four times daily between November and March. The tour departs from Roosevelt Square heading north to the Parliament, then goes on along Alkotmány Street and Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street to Erzsébet Square, then continuing on Andrássy Avenue to Heroes’ Square. From there the tour heads to DHSR Helia Hotel on Dózsa György Street, where
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RiverRide plunges into the River Danube via a 70 meter long ramp. The sail lasts about an hour, gliding by the city’s landmark bridges, the Royal Castle and the Citadella. The boat ride ends at the splash point and from there the tour continues again on land along the Pest Embankment and concludes at the starting point: Roosevelt Square. The whole tour takes about 2 hours. Take a seat on the amphibious coach, enjoy the ride and splash into the Danube! By Mr Gergő Galla (Director of Operation, River Ride) http://www.riverride.com
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H e r itage : Uni qu e Sig ht s e e ing Tour s
Cappadocia Ballooning: A Bird-in-Flight Perspective i
Why is Cappadocia Special?
Cappadocia’s geological foundation was laid down three million years ago by the volcanic eruption of two local mountains that covered the plateau deep in volcanic ash. Wind and weather have eroded this now solidified rock into pillars, cones, and “fairy chimneys” in a rainbow of colors. Since ancient times, people have hollowed out dwellings in this soft rock. In particular, the early Christians created over 600 cave churches, chapels and monasteries, some of which are still well preserved. There are also entire underground cities into which men, women, children and animals could retreat from waves of enemies passing through the area well into the Middle Ages. Few people occupy these dwellings today because many are designated for preservation under the UN World Heritage Site program, and because government programs have provided safer, modern family housing options elsewhere around the plateau.
While ballooning, there is no sensation of movement so it is not necessary to brace oneself or even hold on in the basket while taking photos. © Kapadokya Balloons, www.kapadokyaballoons.com
If
judged solely by average flying time, the cost of hot air ballooning is indeed a travel luxury few would consider sampling. But measured in terms of an uncommon experience with a soaring birds’ eye perspective over our planet’s natural and cul-
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tural treasures, a carefully-selected balloon trip is a bargain. I moved from skeptic to convert in 2001 during a Kapadokya Balloons (KB) hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia’s sculpted valleys and deep narrow ra-
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vines in Central Turkey. I returned to the area in 2008 for a second ballooning experience that was even more exhilarating and informative, my most unique sightseeing tour among many travel adventures. KB is the only Cappadocia-based operator
H e r itage : Uni qu e Sig ht s e e ing Tour s
Most balloon rides launch just after dawn when wind currents are at their most mild and predictable. © Alison Gardner, www.travelwithachallenge.com Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
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that practices free-style ballooning, usually covering about 15 km/10 miles per trip. For less money, others pretty much go straight up and dangle in one area for about 45 minutes before descending to the same landing spot, but the experience is understandably less dramatic, photogenic or informative. Picked up well before dawn, we headed for the day’s chosen launch field about an hour from our hotel. The take-off field varies according to wind direction, with considerable skill required to judge the best possible flight path over such a deeplychiseled landscape. Flights launch early when the gentle stable wind conditions are most predictable. This time of day is ideal for photography with splendid colors, shadows and contrasts. Our veteran pilot, Lars-Eric More, has 25 years of ballooning experience. He and his partner, Kaili Kidner, one of the world’s top woman pilots, have operated the company for 19 years. On this occasion, Kaili drew the tough job of leading the ground crew – not only responsible for setting up and getting us safely and smoothly into the air but then performing the challenging task of tracking us with two vehicles, a two-way radio and a basket trailer on rough roads and tracks until the landing spot was selected. At the designated launch site, our crew made quick work of unloading the wicker basket from the trailer and laying out 27 metres/90 feet of balloon, ropes and hot air paraphernalia. Following a seamless launch, tranquility enveloped our basket as we entered the perfect classroom for erosion studies! Lars informed us that it is Mother Nature’s soft breath that is responsible for defining our route over this hauntingly beautiful countryside. The pilot can only guide the balloon up and down, not sideways. When not pointing out landmarks and talking about the geological formations, history and wildlife
H e r itage : Uni qu e Sig ht s e e ing Tour s of the area, Lars surveyed his surreal realm with quiet contentment. From time to time, he pulled a lever, sending a huge tongue of flame blasting upward into the balloon cavity. This adjusts height up or down. At some points we were deep inside a weather-sculpted valley literally skimming the tops of neatly planted pocket orchards, villages and volcanic fairy chimneys; at other times Lars shot the flame and we gracefully rose over a canyon lip. An hour and a half passed all too quickly, and soon Lars and Kaili exchanged crucial information by radio about the best place to land. Soaring as high as the Egyptian vultures that cruise the area, we observed the two vehicles and trailer careening along beneath us looking like Match Box toys. Lars spotted his unlikely landing pad, a patch of scrub and rocks not far from a rough track where the vehicles will be put to the test. We descended ever so slowly while our pilot intensely worked the levers to release just the right amount of air from the balloon. The ground crew surrounded the basket, bobbing above the ground, and grabbed with practiced hands for the dangling ropes to stabilize the touchdown. After making less-than-graceful exits over the basket edge, we watched with traditional champagne glass in hand while our enormous bird was deflated and stowed for another day. By Alison Gardner
Soft volcanic stone has allowed past residents to sculpt houses, even underground towns, from this unique landscape. © Kapadokya Balloons, www.kapadokyaballoons.com Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
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Editor/journalist, Alison Gardner, is a global expert on nature-based vacations and cultural/educational travel. Her Travel with a Challenge web magazine, www.travelwithachallenge.com, is a recognized source of new and established operators, accommodations and richly-illustrated feature articles covering all types of senior-friendly alternative travel. http://www.travelwithachallenge.com
H e r itage : Uni qu e Sig ht s e e ing Tour s
Rickshaw–A Journey through the Streets of Kathmandu
The
sun goes down over streets crowded with house wives shopping for vegetables for the evening meal. Motor bikes weave in and out of the hustle and bustle. The cobbled alleyways are slippery from the last night's rains; old men watch the world go by in intricately carved Newari style windows. There's a smell of mingled fresh and rotting vegetables in the air and the hum of conversations reaches my ears. My driver, his bone thin body hunched over the handles bars of the ancient Indian style frame, his wiry legs causally pump the wooden block like peddles and sweat trickles down his brow as he navigates the squeaky rickshaw through the crowd. From where I sit, in my Nepalese style rickshaw
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from my well padded seat I see clearly the scene before me. No one bumps me, no one hassles me to buy anything, in fact I slip by unnoticed in the local throng, allowed at my own leisure to view the sights and snap and shoot my camera as I like at the endless sights and scenes that Kathmandu has to offer. The cycle rickshaw is common through Asia as a means of local transport. Nepal has its own unique style of rickshaw which resembles a kind of Jinka attached to the back of a sturdy framed India bicycle. These two seated contraptions are all adored with a colourful canopy, images of the various Hindu gods, loud comical sounding horns, normally made from plastic bottles and propelled along by the skinny, yet deceivingly powerful legs of a Nepalese Driver. The drivers vary in age from the seemingly ancient to those too young to even reach the peddles properly! All are poor and earn a meager living from their daily toil of hauling locals to the market, porting luggage, slabs of meat and water to and fro and occasionally the lucky ones pickup the well paying cargo of a foreign tourist! Each driver is an individual character and they all have their own stories to tell from Baji (Old Man) that started out hauling buffalo carcasses from the slaughter house to the butcher shop and now spends his days in the more lucrative trade of taking around tourists from the four star hotels, to Babu (Small Boy) who grew up on the streets when his parents died, he picked rags to save money to
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buy a rickshaw and now he peddles upper-class ladies to market...and the thousand Indra's, Keshaps, Deepkas and Biksahes in-between. As varied as their stories are, they all have something in common, they all know this city intimately and they will all greet you with a welcoming smile and enjoy nothing better than showing off their Kathmandu to you! My rickshaw clears the crowded market place in Asan and we pull into Indra Chowk where the Lassie Whallla pours ice cold lassies, freshly made from local curd into two glasses and passes one to the driver and to me. My driver introduced me to this place along with many other local favorites where to buy the cheapest & juiciest mangoes, where to eat the tastiest Momo (meat filled dumpling) the sweetest tea and the most mouth-watering sekwa (BBQ Meat Skewers) in the city.
H e r itage : Uni qu e Sig ht s e e ing Tour s
Our next stop are the ancient buildings in Kathmandu Durba Square, we whiz by Kumari Ko Ghar (house of the living Goddess), he calls to her in his soft voice and the living goddess briefly smiles down on us from her window where she will spend the most of her young life. We pass Kasmandap, the original building here, the name means "Kathmandu House" and this giant structure is said to have been built from the wood of one Sal Tree some 800 years ago.
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Skirting the whitewashed walls of the royal palace we come to a halt at the Kaju Deval, a seven tiered temple like building. The driver relaxes while I climb the steep stairs in time to watch the sun kiss the horizon behind Swayambunath (Monkey Temple) perched on the hill, the Himalaya turns orange, then pink, then fades away with the darkness. The Square below is now emptying out as the locals head home for Dhal Bhart (he evening meal of rice and lentils).
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Back in the rickshaw we head up a newly paved boulevard, shops are pulling down their shutters for the night and local Sekwa and Tass house crowds are shifting from middle age men having a shot of local Raski (Rice Wine) on their way back home to young stylishly dressed youths heading for a cheap drink with their friends. Children are replaced by street dogs and homeless boys hover in the darkening corners inhaling glue from old milk bags. Turning a corner the street lights up again and the haunting tone of a conch shells plays over the night sound of Kathmandu. The Buddhist area emits a sense of calm and safety. Monks gracefully trace steps around the stupa chanting prayers and spinning Mani Wheels. The scent of butter candles and their soft light invite us into the Monastery. More monks sit chanting and the soft glow brings to life the golden figure of Buddha at the altar. We sip salty butter tea and feel our minds and souls relax. Many things divide us, skin color, wealth, cultural background and upbringing, but Dipu and I are not so different, we are touched by the same things except he drives the rickshaw and I sit in the back. The monks stand up and leave and so do we, the rickshaw whirls through the silent streets, back to my hotel. The day is nearly gone, but not the memories, never will they fade. I thank Dipu for unearthing the wonders of Kathmandu to me and slip him some money, at which he doesn't even look, it slides into his pocket and without a backward glance he peddles up the alleyway and fades back into the streets of Kathmandu......Me, just another tourist to him. By Jenny Lama http://www.dtoursoriginal.com
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Trabants Ready to Give You a Lift
It’s
been said time and again, but Budapest is truly the city where East meets West, bang in the centre of the continent. We could go on about how much we love it all day, but we’re here now to tell you about Trabants and how you can get your hands on them! Not everyone’s lucky enough to have a friend with an über cool uncle Laci with one of these babies. You sorry souls need not to fear, though, as these
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mean machines are still at your fingertips – in Budapest you can now rent a ... yes ... Trabant ... of various colors and designs. Take it to the streets for a day, a weekend, and discover the city with these unique cars. Feeling more adventurous? Well just how far do you want to go? If there are a few of you, then how about putting the Trabants to the test on a closed track? Slalom anyone?
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Want to use a bit of grey matter? No problem, they’ll set up a Trabant treasure hunt. Teams go head to head searching for clues with their cars on a citywide scale – more complex than a cover up at Chernobyl. If that’s not enough, then get your head round this. Want to do a rally, create a route and close down roads to avoid the traffic? How about your very own police escort? Welcome to the old world, comrade – just say the word. If you’re looking for something a little different (as if all that wouldn’t be different enough), drop them a line and they’ll draw up a customized program, from a stripped down trip taking in some of the city’s sites to a tailor-made tour with all the bell and whistles. It’s their mission to be “here to make all your communist bloc retro dreams come true”. A life mission indeed! So, if you’d like to do something they haven’t thought of, they’ll organize it. No sweat, no bother – old world style with new world service, it seems. Remember, if it can be done in a Trabant, then they can do it. So, do it! By Tímea Kovács http://www.rentatrabantbudapest.com
P rofessio n al How to ... Organize an Event What are the latest trends in the meetings industry? What about the prices? What is the outlook of the industry in such markets as Russia or even Sri Lanka?
P rof essional : How to . . . O r g ani z e an Ev e nt
Meeting Industry at the Crossroads
F
ew are the industries that can boast that the current economic crisis has not affected them, and the meeting industry is not one of these chosen few. During the boom years, pickings were rich, attracting numerous freebooters whose motto was “with cash, anyone can organize an event.” With event budgets plummeting
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and a growing demand for greater accountability, planners are now obliged to justify the events that they organize, provide added value and generate higher ROI, while facing up to stiffening marketplace competition, notwithstanding a process of natural selection sparked by the steep economic downturn.
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Despite the pressures of survival in the current climate, new trends and approaches continue to emerge. This hardly means there will never be a return to the sumptuousness of yesteryear, but the idea of an event as a form of luxury hospitality is on the road to extinction. Arguably the most important industry movement resides in the differentiation between the tourist and meeting industries. Tourism is hospitality; meetings and events are investments. Although hospitality does play a sizeable part in the process, it is not the main objective. Companies invest in events to obtain value, and the planner’s job is to maximize this value for all stakeholders. As this can only be achieved through improving on format and content design, more than ever planners must reinforce or change participant behaviour so as to create significantly greater value for stakeholders. So, we encounter experiential marketing, or as defined by Wikipedia, the art of creating an experience that results is an emotional connection to a person, brand, product or idea. The concept originated in 2000, but the approach to connect with target markets is only just now generally acknowledged as a more effective method of reinforcing or changing behaviour than conventional media techniques.
P rof essional : How to . . . O r g ani z e an Ev e nt
i
Germany Is Top Association Meeting Destination Outside U.S.
The International Congress & Convention Association in Amsterdam has released its 2008 association meetings statistics, placing Germany once again at the top of the list for association meetings outside the United States. And Berlin remains the most popular meeting city in Germany. ICCA rankings cover meetings organized by international associations that take place on a regular basis and rotate between a minimum of three countries. As has been the case since 2004, the U.S. and Germany hosted the greatest number of association meetings (507 and 402 respectively). In the third and fourth positions are Spain, with 347 meetings, and France, with 334 meetings. In fifth place is the United Kingdom with 322 meetings. Ic c aw or l d.c om
In fact, MPI’s EventView 2009 study shows that 53 percent of executives believe that event (or experiential) marketing is the best discipline to accelerate and deepen relationships with target audiences. Nevertheless, to be fully effective it requires large doses of creativity. As well as knowing how to present ideas to clients and convince them that they will create the value they are looking for, the pressure is on planners to be consistently creative. New technologies, when used correctly, also provide a way of improving participant experience. Blogs, social media, Web videos and platforms such as Twitter disseminate information and collect value feedback before, during and after event; QR codes retrieve leads; planners issue electronic tickets and conduct audience polls; and software
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programmes help with organization and management. The wise use of new technologies not only improves participant experience, but reduces costs, yet another basic requirement in the current economic climate, and one that is probably here to stay. Cost reductions aside, green initiatives promise to be more than a passing trend. Although the current crisis has slowed down the implementation of environmental initiatives, recent research—IMEX, Convention Industry Council, etc.—shows that
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planners, participants (and sponsors) are increasingly aware of the impact that meetings and events have on the environment—above all as regards transport and organic and plastic waste—and are eager to collaborate in green programmes. Given budget restraints, expensive carbon footprint offset programmes can be cost prohibitive, but there are a large number of less ambitious initiatives that can make a difference, such as harnessing new technologies to cut back on paper-based methods of data collection and promotion, recycling food waste, substituting drinking fountains for bottled water, using recyclable badges and lanyards or even choosing a closer destination or venue to cut back on transport costs and pollution. Every bit counts. Ironically, one of the chief side-effects of the current economic maelstrom will be an increase in competition. Many planners will have fallen by the wayside, but event stakeholders will continue to demand innovating experiences that provide them with maximum value at lowest possible cost. This is the challenge that planners will be expected to face in the future, and to achieve all event objectives, many will find it necessary to hone their professional skills. With initiatives such as MPI’s CMP certification programme and Maarten Vanneste’s Meeting Architecture manifesto, the professionalization of the industry is now a reality, and ultimately, it will be up to individual planners to keep up with the pace of change.
By Thomas MacFarlane (Partner and content manager of Event Planner Spain) http://www.eventplannerspain.com
P rof essional : How to . . . O r g ani z e an Ev e nt
Interview: Organising an Event during Tough Times
M
ore than ever, achievements and good work needs to be praised and rewarded, lifting employee morale and boosting their motivation to continue performing during this period of economic decline. At the moment, times are difficult. The global financial crisis has been one of those major occurrences that has affected everyone, and in so many
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ways. It has driven economies around the world downwards, and forced many institutions to cut back on ‘unnecessary’ expenses. No doubt, many companies would deem participation at an industry event as somewhat unnecessary, especially when budgets are scarce and the near future is still very much an uphill road. Tourism and hospitality industries have certainly not been an exception. New developments have slowed down, postponed or cancelled altogether, whilst performances have progressively diminished. Organising an event, of course depending on its magnitude, is a huge task even at the best of times. Immense planning and preparations, organisation, marketing, relations, logistics, contacts, followups…the list goes on. Although many events might seem as though they are perfect, the reality is exhaustive amounts of work is required. The original challenge is to make an event interesting and beneficial; to provide value for participants – guests, sponsors and speakers. However now, during this economic crisis, event organisers must battle much harder to convince their audience and markets that this added expense is worthwhile. Beyond this, an industry event specialised in the tourism and hospitality industry, welcomes international guests who are themselves event organisers, or at least regular visitors to other similar events.
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MKG Group’s Bruno Courtin tells us more about what other challenges are involved in organising events, as well as some advice on what to focus on. MKG has been organising both the Worldwide Hospitality Awards and Global Lodging Forum for over ten years. How many people are you expecting at each event? The Hospitality Awards gather over 700 top level executives from France and abroad, whilst Global Lodging Forum used to be limited to 300 participants, mainly due to venue size. The change of venue now will increase participation. Despite the current state of the economy, this is an actual increase from previous years, as we have managed to prove to the industry that such events are even more important now. How far in advance must you start planning to organise each event? As soon as the latest one is over. The first advisory board for the Hospitality Awards is programmed
i
MKG Tips & Hints
1. Thorough planning and brainstorming 2. Choose the right venue and timing 3. Extensive Marketing & Promotions 4. Organisational & PR initiatives on the day 5. Post-event evaluation – measure success
P rof essional : How to . . . O r g ani z e an Ev e nt
i
Worldwide Hospitality Awards
Organised by the MKG Group, the Worldwide Hospitality Awards were created 10 years ago to serve as a benchmark platform for the industry and in every aspect of hotel operations. The Hospitality Awards pay tribute to new initiatives and experiences, awarding the finest achievements, in not just major hotel groups, but also independent properties. It is indeed a channel or medium to expose excellence, but also an opportunity for the industry to unite, network and learn from each other. The 2009 Worldwide Hospitality Awards will take place at InterContinental Paris Le Grand on November 25th.
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after the last session of the Global Forum. And the sessions for the Global Lodging Forum are finalised by October the year before. What is involved in the planning stages of the event? A lot of work actually! Plenty of sweat, anxiety, stress, imagination, and of course contact with industry leaders, as well as with actual and potential sponsors. For such events, you must create a real buzz, especially when working with the hospitality
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industry. It is crucial that each event attracts leading figures and personalities, as this will then have a domino-effect and draw other participants. Thus, exposure is fundamental – marketing and promotions – to make sure the industry is aware of what’s happening. This year’s event has been more challenging, and we’ve had to work very hard to make people commit. We knew this was going to happen, so we put in the extra effort and tried new strategies. At the same time, due to a slowdown in per-
P rof essional : How to . . . O r g ani z e an Ev e nt
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Global Lodging Forum
For over a decade, the Global Lodging Forum has been the only international platform staged in France to facilitate a close encounter between the various business areas of the hospitality industry, i.e. operators, financial institutions, real estate and developers. Over 400 leading decisions makers gather to exchange information and strategies on European and global issues. The event was previously held at the Press Club de France in Paris and also the acclaimed Four Seasons George V. However, in order to host a larger audience, the 2010 Global Lodging Forum will be at Le Pullman Tour Eiffel in early March.
formance, it has been slightly easier to negotiate deals with suppliers. What challenges do you regularly face in organising these events and how do you normally overcome them? To stage a bigger and more impressive event each year, as the event’s prestige is at stake, as is our company’s reputation. There are also many competitors always trying to mimic what you do, so you must stand-out above the rest and clearly communicate your position as the number one. The secret to successes is no doubt a lot of hard work, ef-
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ficient planning and creativity, as well as of course regular participation of highly acclaimed guests, which we always achieve. What happens at the event; are you still running around organising bits and pieces, and are there any new challenges? We must make sure presentations are accurate and debates relevant to topics. We have up to 60 different panel members with six different moderators for the parallel sessions. As you can imagine, this alone is a major challenge, requiring focus, attention to detail and spontaneity. We must also make sure that all participants feel comfortable and are enjoying the experience. It must be educational and informative in a friendly atmosphere. What usually happens after the event; as in what follow-ups you must do? The main problem we face, considering the size of the team is to capitalise on the success of these events. We do follow up on contacts, relations with candidates and all guests, but we could do a lot better. This part is much underrated when organising an event, but in my opinion, something that will drive a long-lasting successful event. http://www.mkg-group.com
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P rof essional : How to . . . O r g ani z e an Ev e nt
Russian В2В Events Market: Tendencies & Prospects
R
ussian market of specialised events has already been established. Russians indeed can create big and impressive events: large-scale economic forums, music festivals, and presentations. When an order comes from an important corporation or from a country, with the huge budget provided and so-called “administrative resource” involved, these events meet or nearly meet high international standards.
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Problems can however emerge when you represent a small business and you need qualified assistance in organization of specialized business event (round table, seminar, etc.). In Russia nowadays there are a lot of full service event agencies, seeking to deal with all the event marketing at once – weddings, jubilees, corporate meetings, theme parties. Business event usually occupies one of the last places in the service list of such companies.
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While in some other parts of the world, in particular in Europe and in the USA, the industry of B2B events is well developed, in Russia it is still a developing one. Companies’ expenses for BTL (‘below the line’) and ATL (‘above the line’) in Russia are 22% and 78% respectively. Just to compare, the same numbers for the USA are 60% to 40%, for Europe – 49% and 51%. However, we see it as a prospective market, able to make a statement within the next 5 years, notwithstanding crisis effects, and we assume that the interest towards BTL services will only increase while the importance of ATL will steadily decline. Nowadays more and more foreign companies see Russian market as a priority for their development, thus, qualitative services in the field of business event marketing become as important as ever. When entering a new market, it is vital to understand the local specificity, find common language with partners, and choose the right approach to clients. Such goals can not be achieved only through simple advertising. Organisation of a small or medium size focused event can bring incomparably more output, and it is much more efficient either for promotion of a single company, or for development of new markets and directions of activities. Organisation of an event itself is not an easy task for a company working in other sphere, e.g. for a manufacturer. The right choice of venues and time, well drawn up programme, interested target audience, reliable providers and exceptional logistics –
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— 20 — P rof essional : How to . . . O r g ani z e an Ev e nt
Around the world in 4 days
Explore a world of business opportunities at WTM 2009 Meridian Club membership at World Travel Market allows travel industry buyers to network, negotiate and strike deals with exhibitors in a business focused environment. Meridian Club member benefits include: • Complementary Welcome Pack, including the WTM Catalogue (worth £26) • Dedicated Meridian Club lounges with free internet access, newspapers, chair massage, shoe shine, refreshments and hospitality including the M-Bar. • Exclusive access to meeting room facilities • Networking events with exhibitors • Discounted access to WTM’s Thursday’s paid conferences • Exclusive free travel voucher and motivational speaker session on Thursday 12 November
ExCeL London 9-12 Nov 2009 Register for free entry at www.wtmlondon.com/tr Official Media Partner
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only combination of all these components can be a keystone of success. Unfortunately, by now not too many Russian event companies can endure international quality standards. Incompetence of managers, undeveloped network of providers, absence of enough state-of-the-art congress venues, tendency to overblow a project budget – all these factors characterize Russian event market not from its best side. Event management in Russia is not considered as a substantive profession in full sense of the word; principles and requirements, obligations and the code of honor in the event industry are still to be established. Moreover, potential clients themselves – companies interested in promotion and development – now only begin to understand advantages of turning to professional agencies for arrangement of their own business events. Regarding classification of the Russian business event market products, it is pretty simple: most of the event agencies will offer you a basic selection of events types – conference, round table, seminar, promo action. Most of the scenarios suggested will not pretend to be original or brand new, e.g. official welcome speeches, plenary sessions with
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impressive number of speakers, formal moderation of sessions, evening reception in grand style in a palace or in a museum, plus maniac tutelage of VIP guests, sometimes carried to the point of absurdity (often they can hardly talk to other participants, being under such a “special” conditions). So, the conference part is quite predictable; it is a rare case when some interesting variations are introduced. As long as the intention to make something special exists, it takes shape in the most simple (in terms of creation) yet the most costly result – expensive gala reception. This trend can be well observed in St. Petersburg that affords beautiful palaces for holding gala events. The costs of renting a hall in a palace for 250 participants vary between 7,000-10,000 Euros. Naturally, any increase of the budget leads to the increase of the registration fee. Virtually, it turns out that the major part of the registration fee goes to cover meals and the rent. However, participants should pay for something else, namely, for the possibility to meet partners, clients, form perspective contacts and projects, in general, for the development of their businesses. Unfortunately, often this is not what happens and many participants leave having failed to obtain the aim. Such a situation adversely affect the industry of business events, as after attending several conferences without achieving the goals, many entrepreneurs develop a certain stereotypical image which is hard to change in future. This very situation, alas, characterize the Russian present-day reality: numerous congress events with expert topics about investment climate or economic situation, a lot of competing sector events held within the same month or even the same dates; same speakers with similar presentations at different events, absence of direct communication and lively discussions.
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Recently we have had an honor to undertake assignments of experts of a European event company while preparing an international conference in St. Petersburg funded by the European Commission. This experience demonstrated huge differences in principles and approaches to the organization of business events in Russia and in Europe. Problems started emerging at the very initial stage, when organizers from the Russian side began promoting their providers of equipment, catering, transport and printing services. They were not willing to make at least a comparative analysis of other companies’ offers. Some of the providers were given special instructions on how to work with the experts. All of our proposals concerning logistics were rejected. The situation got to absurdity when, for example, prices for transport services during negotiations within the single day fell from 14,000 to 2,800 Euros. Problems may appear even with high level congress venues, provided by 5-star hotels, i.e. un-
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Survey: Content Rules & Procurement Reigns
Relevant and engaging content is key to successful events, while the influence of procurement is rising. These are two of the key messages from a new survey of 600 events buyers from corporates and associations, which also produced a number of other interesting findings. With 60% of UK corporate and 54% of association buyers citing reduced budgets as their key concern for the next 12 months, it is no surprise that venue and supplier cancellation policies and terms and conditions were also revealed as a high priority to event planners by the British Meetings and Events Industry Survey (BMEIS). One surprising result of the survey was a slight increase in overall budget for the association sector, up by 0.5% in the last 12 months. This contrasts with a 1.9% reduction in event budgets in the corporate sector. Me e t insre v i e w.c om
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qualified technical personnel, cold coffee and mess in the events department. With one of such hotels our clients could not finalize payments within a week after the event, as the hotel’s management could not provide relevant calculations. Of course, cases described above are not typical for the Russian event industry, and the quality of the services improves each year. The main thing is that the approach of the companies towards their work is being changed, and aspiration to high quality and good business reputation begin to prevail over the desire to make a scoop. As regards the prospects, we consider B2B meetings to be a promising direction. In Russia they are sometimes called Business Contacts Exchange or Partneriat – cost-effective, targeted, short-term business meetings with a limited number of participants. They allow every participant to establish personal contacts with potential partners. Such kind
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of meetings has already become a natural part of business life almost worldwide; in Russia this segment is only in the initial phase. Usually large exhibition companies are interested in this type of meetings, since they want to attract professionals and try to create special site for negotiations. We hope that professionally prepared B2B meetings will become demanded even more, and that their share in the overall mass of congress events will increase. What can encourage such a process is the current economic situation when marketing budgets of companies were considerably reduced but the demand for communication, up-to-date information, new clients and partners still remains on the agenda. In general it should be admitted that Russian market of the event industry is a developing one, and it undoubtedly has some specificity of the “infancy” period. However, from our point of view, general evolution of the industry is evident, and the world economic crisis will give an additional impetus not only to the development of new directions, but also to emerging new actors. Considerable interest of foreign companies in the Russian market even nowadays ensure significant number of business missions and international events, aimed at the development of mutually beneficial cooperation. Thus, B2B cost-effective short-term industry meetings are supposed to be the most efficient way of promotion and establishing new contacts. By Valentina Gorchakova & Vladimir Antchak (Globus Eventi) http://www.globus-eventi.com
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WTM: Towards Sustainable Event Management
The
organising of tourism events has changed dramatically since World Travel Market first opened its doors 30 years ago. As it has the travel industry, the internet has revolutionised the way the events industry has positioned and marketed its exhibitions. Prior to the internet there was no focal point for an event before it took place, where exhibitors and visitors could visit to find out the latest information. Today a website is the shop window for all exhibitions as it is for all commercial organisations. Like the travel industry the events and exhibitions sector relied on brochures, I can remember scrutinising exhibition promotional brochures the same way a newspaper editor in Fleet Street would before sending it to the presses. Today, direct marketing is conducted via email meaning information is far more up to date and al-
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lows us to have a more personal relationship with our exhibitors and visitors. The biggest challenge today is the impact the current financial uncertainty has had on the travel industry and in-turn the exhibition sector. Organisations’ scrutiny of their marketing budget means the days of companies exhibiting at events every year without evaluating its success have long gone. At World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, we have always been committed to offering our exhibitors value and making sure they receive a high return on their investment in WTM. We work closely with all our exhibitors to make sure they are meeting all their marketing, branding and public relations objectives. Ultimately, most exhibitors equate the success of an event by the number of senior industry buyers they met and the volume of business conducted and deals signed. Due to this we make sure exhibitors have a range of opportunities to talk to the industry senior buyers, who are all members of WTM’s Meridian Club. Last year we changed the admission policy with access on the first day of the show by exhibitor-invite only. While this year we have introduced speed networking for the first time, which has been over subscribed with Meridian Club members looking to open negotiations with WTM exhibitors. This focus has left us in a strong position during the current financial uncertainty, with our high exhibitor satisfaction levels and our very low churn
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rate meaning we will be celebrating our 30th anniversary this year with a high number of exhibitors who have supported the event for much of the past three decades. Success for an exhibitor is high exhibitor and visitor satisfaction with exhibitors and visitors retuning year after year. WTM 2008 took place with the backdrop of the global financial uncertainty, despite this it was the largest event ever with almost 50,000 participants and more than 5,600 exhibitors. The final major change in the exhibition industry over the past 30 years is the focus on providing a sustainable and environmentally-friendly event. World Travel Market led the travel industry when it launched Environmental Awareness Day in 1994 (renamed World Responsible Tourism Day in 2004), which is still the only international day of action of its kind.
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Executives: Face-to-Face Meetings Are Best
When the goals of a meeting include persuasion, leadership, engagement, inspiration, decision-making, accountability, or candor, U.S. business executives overwhelmingly believe that holding a face-toface gathering is the only way to go. In a June 2009 survey of 760 executives from businesses of all sizes, Forbes Insights found that 84 percent of them prefer in-person, face-to-face business meetings, citing those as more effective than web conferences, videoconferences, or teleconferences for reaching a dozen goals, including those listed above. However, technologyenabled meetings have their place as well. The respondents deemed virtual meetings best for “information dissemination” and “data presentation.” Me e t ingsn e t .c om
This time we are leading the exhibition industry with WTM looking to be one of the first exhibitions to achieve the new British standard for sustainable event management – BS8901. WTM 2009 will be marked against the BS8901 framework for events, venues and suppliers considering economic, environmental and social impact the exhibition has on its local community.
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World Travel Market is working alongside its exhibitors to achieve a sustainable event and is set to be the first ExCeL – London event to achieve the BS8901 standard. By Fiona Jeffery (Chairman of World Travel Market) http://www.wtmlondon.com/
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Sri Lanka Events: Low Cost and Exotic
Sri Lanka has not been on the list of top destinations for congresses and conventions for a long time. As a result of the latest changes in the security situation, the country starts opening up in numerous areas offering unique experience. Holding a business conference, meeting, or promotional seminar in Sri Lanka today has many advantages mainly because of the extremely low prices not only at five star hotels.
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The prolonged so-called "war" with the terrorist tigers (LTTE) has caused the once-thriving tourism industry to virtually come to a standstill for the past 26 or so years, and the competition for the limited number of tourist arrivals into Sri Lanka has resulted in some of the lowest rates at luxury hotels, compared to any other comparable destination in the world. For instance, right next door in India, you would be lucky to get a room at a five star hotel in any major city for less than $200 a night. In Sri Lanka, rates are presently running around $60 to 80 per night, for some of the best five star hotels in Colombo city. Additionally, Sri Lanka enjoys extremely low airfare rates from many countries in the region, and in certain cases, for instance India, it is actually cheaper to hold your group event in Sri Lanka, than in India itself! Sri Lanka boasts some of the most inviting, friendly people in the world, and some of the most spectacular scenery that can be seen on one small island, where it is possible to go from the beach to a cool mountainous climate in under three hours! The key to holding a successful group conference, meeting or seminar is to firstly, anticipate every possible requirement of all the candidates before it is even asked for, and secondly, to provide
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every single requirement to each participant, from the moment of their arrival in Sri Lanka, right up until their departure. To maximize comfort and enjoyment for all the participants, the tour company should have an idea of the median age group of the participants, as well as their basic interests, etc., so that all sightseeing and leisure activities can be tailor-made to suite the participants needs & requirements. So why not to explore the possibility of an exotic destination such as Sri Lanka for the next large group convention, meeting or seminar, where you would probably maximize the participants satisfaction, and save money at the same time! By Sam Sultan (Managing Director, Exotic Tours) http://www.ExoticTourSriLanka.com
TRANSPORT Wanna rent a car? Car rentals have been highly important for many vacationers – especially those who decided for last-minute holidays. Are the prices likely to go down any time soon? What’s the future of electric cars in this field? Check out the opinions of experts.
T r ansport: Wanna re nt a car ?
Car Rentals Are Getting Specialised O
nline renting is nothing new for the car rental industry – major car hire companies were quick to spot the potential of the web in generating business and have been operating online for many years. The internet has since enabled a small number of car rental companies to strengthen their position as market leaders, by investing heavily in sophisticated e-commerce sites and powerful online marketing tools. Indeed, the European car rental industry – worth billions of euros – is now dominated by a handful of companies such as Avis, Hertz, Europcar and Sixt. However, the more recent emergence of online rental marketplaces is now giving smaller car rental companies the opportunity to compete and has created new opportunities for specialist car rental services. Building a successful online business is no simple task. After all, it is not just about creating a website – it is also about generating traffic and converting potential customers into revenue. Indeed, major car hire companies invest very substantial sums in making their sites easy to find and use, making it difficult for small rental companies to compete. By applying the same successful marketplace model used by e-commerce giants like Amazon, online rental marketplaces remove the cost and complexity of e-commerce and create a level playing field in which each service has an equal footing. Rather than competing on the basis of e-commerce expertise, the online rental marketplace model ensures that rental companies are online competing on the basis of service, price and location. Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
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As a result, the online marketplace model is opening up the car rental industry. Specialist car rental services, from classic cars to motorhomes, are now able to compete on a global scale. For instance, erento is helping a diverse range of rental services – from Harley Davidson motorcycle rentals in California to 4x4 rentals in Namibia – to instantly access the worldwide tourism market and generate customers from a variety of countries and continents. We now have the broadest range of vehicles for rent on the planet – from regular car hire to SUV’s, vintage cars, classic cars, supercars and even stretch Hummer limousines. This trend for specialist car rental services is also being enforced by the growing demand for a rental experience rather than a standard holiday rental service. Indeed, holidaymakers at home and abroad are increasingly looking for rental services that fit the nature and location of their trip. For example, someone driving along the autobahn in Germany may prefer a Ferrari or Porsche while someone visiting Los Angeles is more likely to want a convertible Cadillac. We’ve also seen a particularly strong demand for sports cars and convertibles this year as people opt for staycations rather than travelling overseas.
T r ansport: Wanna re nt a car ?
Environmental concerns are also having an effect as more and more people look to minimise the carbon footprint of their trip. While the popularity of hybrid car rentals has been particularly strong in the US, partly driven by high fuel prices, we’re now seeing a growing demand for hybrids in a number of countries and regions. We’re also now expecting a strong growth in demand for vans – though not from holidaymakers but home movers. As the property market recovers from the recent slump and people return from their holidays, we believe the last quarter of this year could see a flurry of home moving. Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
So while we have become accustomed to a commoditised car rental industry, characterized by large fleets of identical cars, the sector looks like it will undergo significant change over the coming years. In a more transparent market, where it is easier to find niche rental services, the variety of rental services available will become increasingly diverse – giving rental holidaymakers more choice than ever before. By Clinton Patterson (Director at erento) http://www.erento.co.uk
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T r ansport: Wanna re nt a car ?
Interview: Bright Future of the Car Rental Industry Tourism-review.com discussed the latest trends in the car rental industry worldwide with the Euromonitor International industry analyst Angelo Rossini. As many other industries the car rental sector without doubt has been affected by the current economic downturn. How seriously has the industry been hit? In what ways? The current economic downturn has severely affected the car rental sector with all main industry players reporting negative results for the first two quarters of 2009. The economic crisis especially affected business car rental sales, however, also leisure car rental was impacted due to the decline of international trips in 2009. What are the most efficient coping strategies that the companies have adopted to save or develop their business in the unsteady times? Companies responded to these challenging times mainly in two ways: through price discipline in order to preserve number of car rental transactions and average days of rental and through active fleet management, adjusting fleets to changes in demand. What are the current trends in the industry? The most important long term trends in the car rental industry today are: growth of leisure travellers thanks to the development of fly-drive breaks and to the increase of independent travellers; technological innovation through the adoption of green cars, navigation systems and other technological Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
features; the strong growth of online sales making car rental bookings easier and faster; the development of no-frills car rental companies and in general of budget car rental sales; higher level of service offered to customers, such as roadside assistance. In September, the first rental company in Europe started offering electric cars to their customers. Are electric and hybrid cars the future of the rental business? Environment-friendly cars are one of the main directions of innovation in the car rental industry. Hertz and Avis are actively promoting the rental of hybrid cars, while Europcar has recently signed a partnership agreement with Renault to add electric
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vehicles to its fleet, as well as implement the infrastructure needed to recharge batteries at its rental points, starting in 2011. Many rental companies offer online bookings, some even booking through iPhone. Are mobile gadgets popular among consumers when booking their cars? Multi-channel distribution and online bookings in particular are a key driver of growth for the car rental industry. These are very significant through car
Australasia Middle East and Africa Latin America Asia Pacific Western Europe North America
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Car rental in the world (retail value - US$ bn)
©2009 Euromonitor International
C a r Rental
25,0
( Retail Value R SP, U S $ b n )
2008 Eastern Europe 0,5 Australasia 1,5 Middle East and Africa 2,9 Latin America 3,0 Asia Pacific 9,1 Western Europe 15,7 North America 23,0
Forecast 2009 2010 0,5 0,5 1,4 1,4 2,9 3,0 3,0 3,1 9,4 9,7 15,6 15,8 21,2 21,3
© 2009 Euromonitor International
20,0
15,0 US$ bn
i
1,5 1,4 1,4 2,9 2,9 3,0 3,0 3,0 3,1 9,1 9,4 9,7 15,7 15,6 15,8 23,0 21,2 21,3
10,0
5,0
0,0 Eastern Europe
Australasia Middle East Latin Asia Pacific Western and Africa America Europe 2008
rental companies’ websites, online travel agencies and partnerships, especially with airlines. Mobile gadgets do not have a significant impact currently but are expected to have it in five years. What is the outlook of the car rental sector? Where is the industry heading? After the challenging times of the current global crisis, the future of the car rental industry looks generally positive. The industry is expected to consolidate even further in the next few years due to an increasing competitive environment and to the high
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2009
North America
2010
investments required for technological improvements. Business car rental will have to face the challenge posed by alternative services, such as video-conferencing. On the other hand, leisure car rental is expected to grow as a result of the rise of independent travellers and fly-drive breaks. Growth is expected to be significant for both the business and leisure segments in fast developing areas such as Latin America, Middle East, India and China. http://www.euromonitor.com
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T r ansport: Wanna re nt a car ?
Car Hire Firms: Higher Rates in 2010
The
price of a rental car is very unlikely to drop next year despite the drop in rental days this year. The normal story entails of a drop in car rentals per day leads to a drop in the cost of hire cars. Many companies that use fleet cars usually use this time of year to hedge their bets and see what other providers can offer them in the way of a better deal. This year and next seems to be a little different though as the hire car business is not dropping prices. They have stayed steady now for the past few years and are thought to be looking to possibly increase the rates for next year. The increase in the demand for car hire this year has been widely reported and if the forecasts are to be believed, we’re unlikely to see a drop in prices any time soon. It has been claimed that many corporate customer of car hire firms will stick to their current provider in the coming year in order to benefit from repeat hire offers instead of starting all over again with another company.
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U S C a r Rental C ompanies Shi f t to For eign B r an d s
Car Hire companies in the US are adding more foreign manufactured cars to their fleets than ever before. Between February and July 2009, 48.8% of cars to become part of rental fleets were produced by Ford, Chrysler or General Motors, compared with almost two-third at the same time last year, according to Automotive Fleet magazine. About 8 in 10 vehicles sold to rental companies came from local manufacturers, but now the big three rental companies, Avis, Hertz and Dollar Thrifty are increasingly adding foreign names like Hyundai, Kia, Toyota and Nissan to their fleets. This change shows how the domestic automakers are losing to their foreign competitors, and how car rental companies are tightening their belts and dealing with slimmer profits as the travel industry is by the recession. Erentals.co.uk
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T r ansport: Wanna re nt a car ?
These predictions have been made by the president of Abrams Consulting Group, Neil Abrams who specialises in car hire. He went on to add that car hire businesses have been affected differently by this recession as opposed to previous ones as the industry has been left largely undamaged by the economic downturn. Mr Abrams credits the companies themselves for this saying that good financial management and cost-cutting strategies have been successful in keeping rates stable. He also added that the sensible pricing by car hire firms has enabled them to weather the storm and discounts and special offers have in fact attracted customers as many people Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
opted for a “staycation” this year taking their holidays in the UK. But as the green shoots of recovery start to appear bringing with them a glimmer of hope for a return to normality, experts predict that some car hire companies could increase their prices in order to capitalise on the economy’s return to form. Discounts and special offers on car rental schemes are likely to be a thing of the past as we enter into 2010. http://news.limobroker.co.uk http://news.carrentals.co.uk
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T r ansport: Wanna re nt a car ?
Rightsize or Capsize
The mandate: Right-size or capsize. The following is a compendium of the industry’s recalculations and adjustments to stay on course. Brace yourself—that could be bright skies on the horizon, or just the eye of the storm.
A Major Scramble
Rental car companies large and small grapple with tight lending, lower demand and two supplier bankruptcies. Is the industry heading in the right direction? The car rental industry is in the midst of an unprecedented maelstrom. Just as the industry survived the thrashing it took in the used car market last year, the recession hit and weakened travel and rental car demand. With the collapse of the Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
securitization and bond markets and lenders pulling back, the major rental companies down to the independents were left scrambling to find financing. They’re getting squeezed on the back end too, as consumers and other commercial buyers of rental fleets suffer the credit crunch. It’s all costing much more. And then Chrysler and General Motors, two of the biggest suppliers of rental fleets, declared bankruptcy.
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Like many other industries dependent on large amounts of capital to run, the major car rental companies are trimming fat as they work to replace funding lost in the wake of the securitization market implosion. There was no disaster in car rental; no one had to liquidate entire fleets. But with a virtually insolvent bond market, the backstop to securitization is gone—as is 4 percent financing. Hertz was able to raise close to $1 billion recently through debt and equity offerings, which will be used to help in debt refinancing and lower fleet interest expense. Hertz cut its U.S. car rental fleet in the first quarter by 15 percent year over year. Avis Budget says it will need to raise $1–$1.5 billion for fleet needs over the next year. The company ended the quarter with its fleet down 22 percent from the year earlier. Dollar Thrifty reduced debt by $490 million in the first quarter, while reducing its investment in fleet by about 43 percent, or more than $1.1 billion from the year earlier. Enterprise has paid down $3 billion worth of debt in the first nine months of its fiscal year (ending July 31, 2009) while purchasing more than $10 billion worth of cars in that time. “We have paid down debt this year, we haven’t borrowed and we have not drawn on our lines of credit,” says Bill Snyder, CFO and executive vice president for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car.
T r ansport: Wanna re nt a car ? With the demise of securitization, the majors investigated government TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) money and TALF (Term AssetBacked Securities Loan Facility) loans. But TALF terms require a AAA rating and 60 percent equity in the deal. This is a difficult proposition for car rental. Nonetheless, Avis Budget remains optimistic about accessing TALF funds. “We are actively working through the logistics of issuing debt under this program and we hope to issue TALF eligible asset-backed securities in the coming months,” said David Wyshner, executive vice president and CFO, in the company’s first quarter earnings call. “Early indications are that costs under this program will be in line with our current conduit facility costs.” “By being unsecured we believe that the flexibility in how we manage our fleet more than offsets any potential interest savings that we would get by being a securitized borrower,” says Snyder. However, Enterprise says it will not need financing any time soon. “We are totally internally financing vehicles right now,” says Snyder. “We have sufficient liquidity such that we will not need to go to the debt markets through our fiscal year-end. Actually, as we look out, unless we start seeing signifi-
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cant fleet growth, we would be fine through fiscal year-end 2011.”
Independents Follow Suit Like the majors, licensees and independents are trying to pay down debt, run tighter fleets and keep funding in place. “I’ve taken the value of my fleet and cut it almost in half in the last eight months,” says Michael Jones, a National franchisee in Bentonville, Ark. “I’m working aggressively to show my bank that there will not be a problem on my end to pay the money back.” “We’re getting into lower cap cost cars and are increasing the amortization on them,” says Monty Merrill, a Dollar and Thrifty franchisee in Austin and Killeen, Texas. “We’ve lowered our lending needs by 30 percent. We’ve battened down the hatches.” Financing is still tight, as RACs regroup from the virtual pullout of GE Capital from the market and banks shorten up on credit lines. “We lost GE, our largest lender,” says one operator. “I still have 100 cars on that line and I’m gradually selling them down. We have 12 months to deal with this, which is reasonable.” By Chris Brown http://www.autorentalnews.com
ETHICAL Way for Knowledge: Educational Tours Educational tours and school trips have always been popular among students and kids. However, aren’t they just a distraction from the more serious school work? Actually, quite the opposite.
E T H IC A L : Way for Know l e dg e : E du cat i onal Tour s
Educational Tours 101
What is an educational tour? Educational travel is an opportunity for teachers and community leaders to use the world as their classroom. As group leaders, educators lead their students abroad on tours that range in duration from a few days to several weeks. During that time, students can experience many of the things they have read about in textbooks or learned to say in Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
language classes, placing classroom lessons into a real world context. Who travels on an educational tour? Typically, educational tours are led by teachers who want to engage their students by taking learning outside the classroom. Group leaders are often high school teachers who teach foreign languages,
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social studies, art, English and science courses. But anyone who wants to enrich young people’s lives can lead such a tour. Student travelers are typically in high school but can also be in middle school or college. Anyone who wants to learn about the world by experiencing it firsthand can find a place on an educational tour. What are the benefits for teachers who take students on a tour? For teachers, the biggest benefit is that they are changing their students’ lives. Many teachers credit their experiences on tour with making them better teachers, and travel can benefit schools as a whole a s well. Stu-
E T H IC A L : Way for Know l e dg e : E du cat i onal Tour s
dents who travel often return more confident with a new understanding of the world around them, and their experiences help promote cultural understanding among students and teachers. What are the benefits for students who go on a tour? In addition to the life-changing benefits of seeing the world, students who travel on an educational
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tour can earn credit by completing coursework associated with some of the tours. As more and more colleges expect students to have had international experiences, educational travel enhances students’ college applications and prepares them for a more international higher education experience. Many students have also credited traveling on an educational tour with inspiring
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them to study abroad and even influencing their career direction. What are “experiential learning opportunities?” Experiential learning opportunities allow students to learn by experience, a style of learning which we’ve found leaves a lasting impression on travelers. Examples include: • Rome: Pizza-making – students learn how to make a classic Italian favorite from expert chefs! • Madrid: Flamenco or Fado lessons – students learn the age-old art of the Fado song or the rhythmic steps of flamenco. • London: Globe Theatre Workshop – students practice the dramatic art by reciting the works of Shakespeare and learning about stagecraft. • China: Cultural immersion – students get a glimpse of Chinese culture by visiting a local family for dinner, visiting a school and learning about traditional and modern Chinese medicine with a visit to a local hospital. • Africa: Young Rangers activities – students partake in hands-on activities designed to give them a feel for what life is like in the wilderness.
http://www.eftours.com
E T H IC A L : Way for Know l e dg e : E du cat i onal Tour s
Educational Tours: Travel as a Learning Experience
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can still hear my homeroom teacher saying it, "We're not teaching you facts, we're teaching you to learn." At the time, it meant little more to me than the idea that she would be grading on participation – an exercise of which I was not a fan. Memorization came easy for me. I sailed through
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tests. I could listen well and regurgitate information appropriately. But she was one of those innovative teachers who expected more. Despite all of my memorization I do not think I truly grasped Mrs. Hudson's meaning until later. While
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in school I was still just trying to please her, to learn in the way that would get me the proper grades and get me through the class. She wanted me to look up answers for myself, right? No, she wanted me to discover my own questions. I did not realize that what she was searching for was that spark – the light in my eyes to register some kind of thirst to know more than she could tell me, more than the book had described, and more than I had penciled onto the test. The LA Times recently ran an article on the decline of field trips in schools, especially since the establishment of No Child Left Behind. Under scrutiny and being analyzed for revision, the No Child Left Behind act has been accused of forcing teachers to focus on preparation for standardized tests at the expense of the overall learning experience. In essence, they will be so busy teaching the children to memorize facts that they will fail to teach them to learn. The article in the Times, written by Seema Mehta, suggests that funding for field trips has declined due to the focus on standardized learning. The teachers featured in the article worry that the educational experience suffers with the decline in field trips. According to the article, there are groups who have recognized the decline and, believing field trips to still be a valuable component to a child's education, have found ways around the problem. Museums have tailored and enhanced their exhibits to comply so well with the standardized requirements that administrators are more willing to include the
E T H IC A L : Way for Know l e dg e : E du cat i onal Tour s trips into their schedules. Target was also moved to action, creating a grant program for educators for the purpose of field trips. Perhaps the first and best intervention for this dilemma will be for parents and educators to continue to champion the value of extra-classroom experience for a child's learning environment. If field trips continue to decline in the elementary levels, perhaps educational tours at the secondary and college level will gain momentum. My first trip out of the country was to Colombia, South America, one year after graduating from high school. Possibly the most reluctant student on the journey, I believe now I had the most to learn. That trip awakened me to life in a way I had never imagined. The unfamiliar sights and sounds stirred my senses in a way home never could. It thrilled me to reach for common denominators with people of such different language and culture. The busy streets fascinated me. To see life pulsating in another world from mine, was invigorating. The question is, what do we want our children to learn? Proponents of No Child Left Behind believe the act serves to ensure the basic learning rights of every child, especially reading. Certainly reading is considered the foundation for all learning. But before reading, there was experience. We were touched by humanity through our parents, through learning to interact with siblings, and by watching life ignite and swirl around us. Reading and writing are of course irreplaceable building blocks to education. But the further benefit of seeing and experiencing new places, many educators believe to be irreplaceable as well. What are some specific educational benefits to field trips and student travel? Compassion – The best way to convince young people that they belong to a global community is to let them travel the globe. By finding similarities
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E T H IC A L : Way for Know l e dg e : E du cat i onal Tour s to themselves in other cities and cultures, they are more likely to be moved to help and serve the areas of greatest contrast. History – Perhaps this is obvious, but what person cares more for the facts and figures in their history book than they do for the places and events in which the facts first came to life? Seeing important landmarks firsthand can instill in a young person ownership over both the tradition of history and the responsibility to keep from repeating its mistakes. Reading Comprehension – It is well-established that reading is fundamental to all other aspects of learning. What better way to enhance comprehension than through experience? Visiting new places challenges our comfort levels. It makes us look closer, ask more questions, even read more carefully as we attempt to navigate unfamiliar territory. Economy – Understanding our economy is crucial to growth and success. Earning money for student tours or graduation trips can teach a young person more about commerce than sitting in a classroom. And seeing how the economy is affected by various lifestyles and cultural centers will make a lasting impression on a young person's mind. Communication Skills – The building block for all of commerce, education, industry, and invention. Group travel can enhance this skill for even the shyest homebody. You only have to share a hotel room with one interesting personality to discover this. The challenges of travel strengthen this skill in every aspect, though, as we must learn to participate in the culture in which we are visiting. Student travel can awake in young adults the thirst for learning they may have failed to grasp in
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the classroom. To see the evidence of history and touch it with your own hands makes history come alive. To experience the pulse of life in another city and culture creates appreciation in a way a book could not. One commenter toward the article written by Mehta quoted Mark Twain from his book Innocents Abroad. "Travel," he said, "Is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad,
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wholesome, charitable views of men and things can not be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." Perhaps in this way, experience through travel can teach us what books never could alone.
http://hubpages.com
E T H IC A L : Way for Know l e dg e : E du cat i onal Tour s
Swimming with Flipper: Education with Wild Dolphins in Aotearoa New Zealand
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umans have a special bond with dolphins. We can all relate to these happy smiling creatures, even though they are not really smiling (it is just the shape of their beak that makes them look as if they were smiling). For many, seeing dolphins in their natural habitat is a wonderful experience, but being able to swim with these creatures is the ultimate once in a lifetime opportunity. In many countries, national marine mammal protection regulations do not allow swimming with wild dolphins, but there are places where you can do so. Despite relatively tight Marine Mammal Protection Act and Marine Mammal Protection Regulations, New Zealand does allow a
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number of licenced operators to take tourists out on the ocean and swim with wild dolphins. Depending on the location, you can swim with Bottlenose dolphins (Flipper was one of those), Common dolphins, Dusky dolphins, and even the very rare and endemic Hector’s dolphin. Most dolphin operators in New Zealand identify as eco-tour operators, which means they are complying with a number of requirements regarding the natural environment. They try to keep the negative impacts on the environment in general, and the viewed dolphins in particular, to a minimum. For example, in compliance with New Zealand’s Marine Mammal Protection Regulations (1992), op-
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erators travel at no-wake speed within 300 meters of dolphins, have no more than three boats at any one time within 300 meters, approach only from behind or parallel to the animals, so that the path of dolphins will not be obstructed or cut off by boats or swimmers. In addition to these regulations, the majority of many ecotourism definitions and accreditation programs suggest that ecotourism takes place in natural, relatively undisturbed environments, and actively contributes to the protection and conservation of these environments. Ecotourism is supposed to generate benefits for the host communities, and respect the local people and cultures. It
E T H IC A L : Way for Know l e dg e : E du cat i onal Tour s tries to operate in a sustainable way, and includes an educational component. In New Zealand, any tour company operating in the conservation estate, must include an educational component in their tours as part of the requirement to obtain a concession. There are critics who argue that tourists are nothing but consumers, and all they want is being entertained. However, another school of thought argues that tourists not only accept an educational component during their holidays, but that they even desire educational opportunities.
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More information
Dolphin Encounter: http://www.dolphin.co.nz/ Dolphin Discoveries: http://www.dolphinz.co.nz/ Lück, M. (2009). Environmentalism and Tourists’ Experiences on Swim-With Dolphins Tours: A case study of New Zealand. Saarbrücken: VDM-Verlag. Lück, M. (2003). Environmental education on marine mammal tours as agent for conservation–but do tourists want to be educated? Ocean & Coastal Management, 46(9 & 10), 943–956
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In a study on three swim-with wild dolphins operators in New Zealand, tourists clearly showed a high degree of environmental consciousness, and a clear desire for information, regardless of their demographic background. While most participants acknowledged that they received excellent information about the dolphins they encountered during their tour, they indeed asked for more information about the wider marine environment, the role of the Department of Conservation (New Zealand’s Crown agency managing the conservation estate), threats to the marine environment and the dolphins, climate change, and similar topics. Indeed, 91.5% of the 733 respondents indicated that they enjoy learning during their holidays, 96.9% indicated that learning new things and increasing their knowledge is important for their holidays in general, and almost all participants believed that courses focusing on conservation of natural resources should be taught in primary and secondary schools. In contrast to this very strong support for education, participants felt that the educational experience on their respective tours was not equally strong. While 76.7% agreed that the tours was an educational experience, only 63.3% thought that they learned a lot about dolphins, and a mere 21.6% said that they learned a lot about the wider
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marine environment. These results clearly indicate that the operators do have an educational component in place, and that they provide good information about the dolphins viewed, but that there is a need to widen their interpretation, and include related topics about the wider marine environment. This is very encouraging, particularly because this request does not come from some hardcore “tree huggers”, but from the vast majority of “general” tourists on dolphin tours around New Zealand. These results also are encouraging for wildlife tour operators in other parts of the world, to put more emphasis on their interpretational components on the tours. By Dr. Michael Lück (Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand) Michael currently holds the position of Associate Professor in the School of Hospitality & Tourism, AUT University in Auckland, New Zealand. He is Head of Department (Tourism & Events), and an Associate Director of the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI), where he is responsible for the development of the coastal & marine tourism research programme area. Michael’s research interests are in the wider area of marine tourism, with a focus on marine wildlife tourism and interpretation and education. He is also interested in ecotourism, sustainable tourism, and the impacts of tourism. He has published in international academic journals, and contributed to various books. He is the editor/co-editor of four books on ecotourism and marine tourism, the Encyclopedia of Tourism and Recreation in Marine Environments (CABI), the founding editor of the academic journal Tourism in Marine Environments, and Associate Editor of the Journal of Ecotourism.
Contact: mlueck@aut.ac.nz
E T H IC A L : Way for Know l e dg e : E du cat i onal Tour s
OK, Kids, Your Vacation Made You Smarter It’s
now official: children who travel over summer break did better in reading, math and their general knowledge than those who did not, says a US Department of Education study. “The data is clear – and gives hard-working parents another reason not to put off a summer vacation trip,” said Bill Norman, Clemson University. “Providing kids with the experience of travel broadens their horizons and opens up their minds to learning.” A series of analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between summer vacation travel and academic achievement in children entering first grade. Specifically, the study explored whether going on a vacation, the number of days spent on a vacation and places visited were linked to academic achievement in the ar-
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eas of reading, mathematics and general knowledge. “Children that traveled with their family over summer vacation scored higher on academic achievement assessment tests than those who did not travel. The days spent on family summer vacation trips had a modest significant relationship with academic achievement,” the study found. Also, children who visited plays or concerts, art or science museums, historical sites, beaches or lakes, national or state parks, and zoos or aquariums had significantly higher academic achievement scores than those who did not. “To date there has never been a study that plainly shows the correlation between travel and academic achievement,” said Jessica Parker, researcher, Clemson University. “It was interesting to see the impact on a child when they spend vacation time away with their family.”
By David Wilkening http://www.travelmole.com
D esti n atio n Yemen Yemen – the land of friendly people, unique culture and several World Heritage Sites. Discover a city with the oldest skyscrapers in the world, try jumping over the backs of camels or go to Socotra Island and study its rare flora and fauna.
Destination : Ye me n
Yemen – A Journey to Discover guage spoken in Yemen is Arabic, but also English is spoken by some, mainly in the cities. Yemeni families are big with an average of more than seven children per family, and often three generations live under the same roof. Practically all Yemenis are Muslims and Islam is the state religion. Shari'a is the source of all legislation. Yemenis eat cereals, vegetables, rice and beans. This is often accompanied by fish or lamb, chicken, and beef. Yemenis bake bread regularly, in clay ovens – the result is an enormous piece of delicious bread accompanying most dishes. One of the typical Yemeni dishes is salta: lamb or chicken with beans, lentils, coriander and spices, other dishes are stews and soups, and something between the
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Yemen is one of the last countries in the Arabic world untouched by western influences. The landscapes, the people and their culture are without a doubt a discovery for anyone visiting Yemen. It is a country that offers everything: the world's oldest skyscrapers, spectacular mountaintop villages, pristine coral reefs, desert and stunningly wonderful nature. Yemen is a country that breathes history through every pore, not only through its ancient ruins and Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
monuments, but also through its traditions and culture which are part of everyday life. In the streets you meet Yemeni people who are very welcoming and warmhearted towards foreigners. They want travellers to feel “at home” and their hospitality is incomparable and make you want to return. Yemen is the most populous country on the Arabian Peninsula. The great majority of the population is Arab (90%); some are Afro-Arab. Minorities include Indians, Somalis, and Europeans. The lan-
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Shibam – The Oldest Skyscraper-city in the World
Shibam with its 7,000 inhabitants is thought to have existed since the 2nd century AD. It owes its fame to its distinct architecture, which is now on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site program to safeguard the human cultural heritage. The houses of Shibam are all made out of mud bricks, but about 500 of them are tower houses, which rise 5 to 16 stories high. Shibam is often called “the oldest skyscraper-city in the world”, and is the earliest example of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction. The city has the tallest mud buildings in the world, with some of them about 40 meters (130 feet) high, thus being the first high-rise (which need to be at least 75 feet or 23 meters) apartment buildings and tower blocks. The tallest building in the city is the mudbrick minaret which stands at about 53 meters (175 feet) tall. Wi k ip e di a.org
Destination : Ye me n two. Since many people cannot afford meat every day, vegetarian dishes are also widely available. The most common is called ful: brown beans, tomatoes, onions and chili, sometimes made with fried beans. Traveling across the country is always a journey of discovery. You can enjoy breathtaking views from the mountains (Jebel) in the North (2,000 – 3,000 metres) over fortress villages with narrow streets and terraced hillsides planted with coffee, millet and qat, houses of beautiful architecture built from ochre sandstone and decorated with wonderful ornaments. You can also experience traditional souqs (commercial quarters) in the cities or an absolutely different vegetation which is rich of banana-, mango-, and papaya-trees towards the Red Sea. On the other hand, the coastal desert plain called the Tihama offers hot, humid and arid climate and only a little vegetation. Another unique experience is Hadramout (with the skyscrapers of Shibam) which is a spectacular lush and fertile spot. It has its own music and its own style of almost everything. Colors are bright and the food is spicy. A visit to the vast Arabian desert known as the Rub‘ al Khali (Empty Quarter) is also among popular attractions. Because of the variations in its topography, Yemen has various climates. In the desert, summers are very hot, while in the mountains the climate is much milder. In the coastal area, rain falls sporadically, mostly between late July and September. Higher up, it rains every month, with most rain occuring in July and August. In the North, the climate is drier, and cooler due to the altitude, with possible frost during winter nights. There is a light rainy season in March and April, and a heavier one in August. The east is mostly desert, and as such dry and warm to hot year round. The island of Socotra belongs to Yemen as well and is located in the Indian Ocean. It measures approximately 130 by 40 km and its population Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
counts about 35,000 inhabitants. They have their own language and culture, but they speak the Arab language of Yemen as well. As Socotra has been isolated for a very long time from the rest of the world, it is one of the most fascinating places on earth today. The coastal areas are inhabited by fishermen of African origin whereas in the wadis and mountains Nomads of Arab origin live. The untouched nature is breathtaking with its unique geology, flora and fauna. You can also discover here several kinds of plants and animals not found anywhere else in the world. Photos: TR, Flickr By Noman Alarasi http://www.yementrek.com
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Destination : Ye me n
Huge Potential & Great Challenges
Nature lovers can not be disappointed with variety of different landscapes they can find in Yemen. Archaeologists are dreaming about the treasures of the mighty desert kingdoms that are still hidden under the sand dunes. Those who are interested in architecture will not stay untouched by the art of construction all over the country. Biologists are aware of the biological significance and uniqueness of Socotra Island. The thing that certainly makes Yemen attractive and different from other countries is the culture. Yemen is an eternal land, a cradle of great Arab civilization. If you would like to find yourself in a living museum, in another century, in a world with still strong tribal rules, Yemen is your destination.
Problems, Challenges & Potential of Tourism
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emen, country of hundreds of faces, is for tourism industry still an undiscovered treasure. Nowadays, when the travelers are becoming more and more discerning, they seek authentic places in a globalized world, which Yemen certainly is.
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What Makes Yemen So Special? First of all there are several exceptional sites, unique in the world – the old town of Sana’a with fabulous, decorated houses, Shibam with the first skyscrapers in the world, the endemic Island of Socotra and others.
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With so many attractions, the position of Yemen in tourism industry is still underestimated. The reasons certainly lie in an unfavorable image of a dangerous country that media have incorrectly attached to Yemen. It is important to know that anything can happen to tourists in most other countries as well. However, Yemeni government takes care of all visitors and do not permit access to any region where the travelers could be endangered. With the tourists’ permissions authorities carefully follow the travelers as they discover various parts of the country. Of course, a lot should be done for the preservation of the sites, as many of them are falling into decay. This is however in many places difficult due to the lack of interest, financing and due to the unstable political situation. In ecologically precious regions such as Socotra Island, the right approach is urgent for developing tourism and at the same time to preserve the island as it is. Therefore the Ministries of tourism and of Environment are developing sustainable and ecological strategy to build efficient infrastructure in Socotra.
Destination : Ye me n
Another burden of the Yemeni wilderness is pollution. This can only be improved through educational process and is a long term project. With respect to tour agencies one of the current challenges is the fact that there are often big differences in prices and the quality of services, which reflects still loose tourist policies. While only a few tour agencies managed to fulfill various rigorous conditions to get registered, they did not achieve any advantage against the non-registered ones or against people who offer cheaper tourist services right on the street although illegally and without a permit. Such cheaper services are however a double-edged sword as they are often of worse quality and the final price is usually higher than agreed. Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
Another problem is the availability of different tourist services and facilities like hotels, restaurants etc. which still does not meet the needs of western clients. This poses a considerable drawback but in a way it is also an advantage that Yemenis could use in the future when developing Yemen’s tourism infrastructure. Today there is a great potential for building sustainable hotels, to offer sustainable tours, to include different sport activities and to present Yemeni culture in a ways benefiting the local communities.
Treat Yourself with an Experience of a Lifetime Yemen is a country that deserves the stereotypes to be broken. According to numerous testimonies,
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Yemen is one of the safest countries for tourists and it often stays in the visitor’s heart for a long time. It is a timeless, monumental, surreal journey into the past. Although these attributes are accurate, no words or pictures can fully prepare you for the experience that awaits here. In Yemen the past effortlessly continues to live in the presence challenging your notions of reality. Yemen is a living tradition and a large monument to the grandeurs of life and nature.
By Tina Zorman (Director of Eternal Yemen, tour and travel operator) http://www.eternal-yemen.com
Destination : Ye me n
Euromonitor International: Travel & Tourism in Yemen cil published a 6-year plan to develop tourism, and it is evident that the government has finally embraced tourism as a path for future development.
But security remains a major challenge Security for tourists is an increasingly challenging issue in Yemen, a country which has long been renowned for the kidnapping of foreign nationals.
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Huge potential starting to be rediscovered Yemen is a potential tourist paradise, with many unique historical, cultural, landscape, beach, desert and mountain attractions. However, it has remained off the beaten track for many years due to its tribal instability and harsh geography, with Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
few visitors except backpackers and exclusive tour groups. However, Arab visitors have recently become more numerous and European, Asian and American visitor numbers are also growing, albeit somewhat sporadically due to the ongoing security situation, with numbers dropping after bombs and tourist kidnappings. In April 2009 the Tourism Promotion Coun-
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Yemen Inbound Tourism (‘000 people)
Arrivals from: Saudi Arabia USA Syria Egypt United Kingdom Jordan France Iraq Sudan Germany Italy Japan Netherlands Australia Switzerland Other countries of origin ©2009 Eurom onitor Inter n at i on a l
2008 226,8 16,4 13,4 12,9 11,1 7,3 6,5 4,1 3,3 3,3 2,9 2,9 1,9 1,2 0,7 153,4
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i Health & Wellness Tourism Sales (€ mn)
Forecast 2008 2009 2011 2013 7,2 6,9
10,2 14,5
©2009 Eurom onitor Inter n at i on a l
Eco and medical tourism have many prospects
Since 2007, 13 foreign tourists have been killed in bomb attacks and a number have been kidnapped, but fortunately released unharmed. There are areas of the country which are off limits to tourists as tribal disagreements have become violent. It goes without saying that these events are proving disastrous for Yemen’s tourist industry, which suffered greatly after the events of 11 September 2001 and was showing strong signs of recovery.
Infrastructure remains poor and in need of investment According to Euromonitor International, Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East, with small oil reserves and a weak economy. Despite the potential that the tourism industry has long shown, the infrastructure remains poor and requires funding. Many of the hotels and restaurants are below international standards, and land transportation is difficult due to many roads being unpaved, as well Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
as numerous police checkpoints. The continued security issues have deterred many investors from putting money into infrastructure projects, and it is likely that the worldwide economic downturn will prevent others from contributing.
Internet is not yet a viable booking channel According to Euromonitor International data, online services in Yemen remain nearly non-existent and cannot be considered to make any significant contribution to booking channels in the country. With less than 2% of the country having access to the internet, and 45% of the population considered as living in poverty, the internet is not yet an important feature of life in Yemen. Yet, some travel retailers have realised the potential of the internet as a means of providing information and are developing websites, as are hoteliers, particularly those who cater for backpackers.
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The worldwide growth of eco-tourism will be positive for Yemen, particularly as the undeveloped nature of many of its regions is ideal for responsible and sustainable tourism. It is extremely positive for the long-term future of tourism in Yemen that ecotourism is a practical choice for communities, and should help maintain the country’s unique environmental attractions. Incentives provided to local residents will also help to educate the population as to the importance of sustainable development. A further future niche for Yemen could be medical tourism, with the development of its first medical tourism destination at Damt. The city has an abundance of natural mineral springs, which are believed to have medicinal properties and attract visitors seeking cures for illnesses such as skin complaints, rheumatism and digestive problems. There are a number of hotels in the area, but facilities remain quite basic, and more investment is required to cater for international patients. Medical tourism currently accounts for 5% of international tourism and visitors travelling for treatment abroad tend to stay for longer than leisure travellers. Photos: TR, Flickr Extract from Euromonitor International’s report “Travel and tourism in Yemen” http://www.euromonitor.com/
Destination : Ye me n
Festivals of the Happy Arabia? Camel-Jumping & Much More...
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hile exploring Yemen’s rich cultural history through a visit of its diverse landscapes and charming people is an enchanting experience in its own right, partaking in one of the country’s festivals Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
can turn a simple visit into a unique celebration. Some festivals have sprung from ancient traditions while others are more recent developments created to please the expanding tourist market, but all of them afford an opportunity to delve a little deeper into this country’s mystery – not to mention a chance for Yemeni’s to extend their infamous hospitality. The capital city is a good place to start–here the big and colorful Sana’a Summer Festival is held for over a month, beginning mid-July. Among a plethora of performances to choose from, one can attend famous folkloric dances, military band performances, Yemeni poetry readings, as well as fashion shows displaying traditional attire. The events are held throughout the city, in the streets, open-air parks, theatres, and historical and tourist locations, creating a vibrant context for exhibitions of art, photography, crafts and industrial items on display. Visitors should not forget to add a walk around the old city of Sana’a, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see some of the world’s oldest skyscrapers. To the East there lies quite a different city, Mukalla. Now a bustling port city, Mukalla is young by Yemeni standards, becoming something more than a mere fishing village in 1625 when Qu’aiti Sultan Ahmed al-Kasadi made Mukalla the seat of his power. Known for its shoreline composed of white-washed buildings presiding over curving sandy beaches, Mukalla takes advantage of its beautiful backdrop for Al-Badah Festival
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held on August 10th and named after a star that is visible on the same date. It is said that the presence of the star makes the seawater cold and people travel from all over to bathe in the refreshing sea, along with its resident dolphins. Around this time, Hadramout also organizes public games, artistic displays, and presentations of their national folklore. To round out a trip to this region, spend a night sleeping open-air on a beach in the coastal area of Ras Sharma, just a two-hour drive to the East and witnessing the hatchings of a colony of thriving green sea turtles that make it their home. Perhaps a bit less ethereal but no less captivating is Eid al-Adha, the “Festival of Sacrifice”, a major Islamic celebration commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. The festival occurs throughout the country for 4 days during the last month of the Islamic calendar, when almost all Muslim families sacrifice a goat or a sheep. As a consequence, the streets literally run with blood. However, it is the hospitality of the Yemenis that is most memorable – with an abundance of meat people are keen to share their delicacies with others. A short walk on the streets is thus likely to result in numerous offers to share local peoples’ bounty with you. This generosity is a demonstration of their willingness to give up what they consider precious for the sake of strengthening ties of friendship and helping those in need – an uplifting touch to what may seem on the outside a gory celebration. During this time, Yemenis don their best clothes and enjoy
Destination : Ye me n all the events and socializing that take place in the towns. In the lush and historically rich governorate of Ibb, every August a celebration of culture, arts, sports, and poetry comes alive for a week in a different location each year (though the exact location is only determined a few weeks in advance, so leave room for spontaneity if you want to catch this one!). During the Ibb Tourist Festival, as this modern event is known, exhibitions of environmental and tourist heritage abound, as well as displays of women’s clothing, Yemeni photography, agriculture, and books. Also, be sure to watch out for the enthusiastic artistic and sporting competitions. For a break from the hustle and bustle, a stroll around Ibb’s peaceful countryside affords one the chance to spot the intriguing Yemeni Chameleon. The littoral mainland of Yemen, known as the Tihama, is distinctly different from the rest of the country, with African influences visible in the people, culture and architecture. The region’s capital, Al Hodeidah, is often likened by visitors to the Mos
Eisley Cantina from the first Star Wars. An important port of the Ottomans when the coffee trade at Mukha declined, it retains its old and stunning Turkish quarter and every morning, the mammoth fish market comes alive and is a sight to behold. However, for something truly bizarre, travel about 25 km south to Al-Husayninah and behold the spectacle of the camel-jumping competitions. For
over 100 years, the people of al-Duraihimi have celebrated the end of the palm season with a festival called al-Khamis which includes horse and camel racing and, naturally, camel-jumping. The aim of the game is simply to jump over as many camels as possible. To do this, the contestants take a long run-up and sprint at top speed towards the camels. Just when it seems that a humorous (and possibly grotesque) collision is unavoidable, the men spring off a half-metre high dirt mound and sail over the seated dromedaries. A clearance of six is usually enough for victory, with more audacious efforts often rewarded with amusing tumbles and gasps of concern and awe from onlookers. If you miss the festival, which takes place in mid-August, young men will often arrange an impromptu competition for a small financial incentive. Aptly called ‘Arabia Felix’, or Happy Arabia, by the Romans and Greeks, it is nowhere else more visible that Yemen still honors its name than from the heart of one of its many unique festivals. With celebrations as distinct as the regions of the country in which they are held, there is sure to be something that will intrigue, delight, and entertain us all. Photos: TR, Flickr By Anna Cote & Christopher Imbsen (Yemen Tourism Promotion Board, UK & Ireland) http://www.yementourism.com
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Destination : Ye me n
Yemen’s Island of Untouched Beauty
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of the Yemen’s greatest attractions is the remote Socotra Island, which is not used to crowds of tourists at all. Some 6 million years ago, Socotra got separated from the mainland, and ever since, the life has been developing here in its own way. According to scientific research, there are
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700 species of plants and animals which are not to be found anywhere else on the planet. The coastal plains tend to be fairly arid and vegetation is sparse. The foothills of the mountains display a shrubby landscape with incense trees and bizarre bottle-trunked trees. The species for which
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the island is renowned in evergreen woodland over the centre and east of the island and is the dominant tree in some areas. The island is, also, one of the most important homes for rare birds in the Middle East, with over a hundred species of which seven are endemic. Around the coasts are large numbers of dolphins and some whales, in particular sperm whales. Positioned near the southern gateway to the Red Sea, Socotra has been famous since ancient times. By the time of Abraham, traders from Egypt, Africa, India and Arabia called in here. Ancient Egypt knew Socotra as the Island of the Genie–the spirit of the sacred tree, whose gum they used for mummification, temple offerings and medicine. In the first century AD the Greeks called Socotra, Dioscoridea. The Hadramout kingdom traded here out of Qana, near present-day Bir Ali, and later the Himyarites sailed here from Muza on the Red Sea. Today there is only one airport on Socotra. Locals are quite unused to receiving any attention from the outside world and thus anyone who arrives here is
Destination : Ye me n likely to draw a lot of attention. Besides the unique flora and fauna the great tourist potential of Socotra are also its numerous wonderful beaches that are completely untouched. Recently, Socotra found itself in the spotlight when its name appeared on the shortlist of the New Seven Wonders of the World contest. Also, it was named the ‘New York Times travel destination of the year 2006’. The local way of life is very simple; no industry, not much agriculture, no quarrels or fights. Socotra is in its own way a striking place – not particularly booming with night life, yet a welcome haven of peace and quiet.
15-17 November
Al Bustan Rotana, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
15-17 15-17 November November 15-17 November
Al Bustan Bustan Rotana, Rotana, Dubai, Dubai, United United Arab Arab Emirates Emirates Al
Al Bustan Rotana, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Photos: TR, Flickr http://www.tourism-review.com http://www.yementourism.com A Global Event dedicated to the complete supply chain of the Medical Travel Industry “We’vechain had good visibility A Global Event dedicated to the complete supply here. We’ve had a lot of of Medical Travel This the event brings hundreds of experts,Industry executives and senior exchange of experience “We’vechain had good visibility management together on a ground breaking platform A Globalteams Event dedicated to the complete supply amongst colleagues that is both targeted towards and truly representative of the here. We’ve had a lotfrom of around the can total medical travelhundreds industry. This event brings of experts,Industry executives and senior of the Medical Travel exchange ofworld….I experience management teams together on a ground breaking platform only assume that it will “We’ve had good visibility Discover New Opportunities at Healthcare Travel amongst colleagues from that is both targeted towards and truly representative of the attract more delegates A Global Event dedicated to the complete supply chain here. We’ve had a lot can of Exhibition Congress around the world….I total medical& travel industry.2009: This event brings hundreds of experts, executives and senior and exhibitors next year ” exchange of experience only assume that it will Network with up to 40 international industry experts and speakers of the Medical Travel Industry Discover New Opportunities Healthcare Travel management teams together on aatground breaking platform
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Book your stand today
Organised by:
only assume that it will NASER SALEH attract more delegates Director of Marketing and Sales and exhibitors year ” American Hospital,next Dubai, UAE 2008 Exhibitor
NASER SALEH
W : www.healthcare-travel.com Director of Marketing and Sales
American Hospital, Dubai, UAE
2008 Exhibitor Wby:: www.healthcare-travel.com Organised
Book your stand today
Gain more by exhibiting T : +971 4 336 5161 E : healthcare-travel@iirme.com Organised Wby:: www.healthcare-travel.com
Book your stand today T : +971 4 336 5161
Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
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E : healthcare-travel@iirme.com
W : www.healthcare-travel.com
I n b o u n d To u r O p e r a t o r s
Destination : Ye me n
ADEN TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 2533, Alhoreiah Street, Sana'a
MAGELLAN TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 4197, Sana'a
ADMIRE YEMEN TRAVEL AND TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 5429, Sana'a
MARIB TRAVEL & TOURISM - Yemen | Ali Abdul Mughni Street, P.O.Box 161, Sana'a
AL MOKALLA TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 4269, Sana'a
MOKA TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 1049, Sana'a
AL-GHURABI TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 1373, Sana'a
NASA ALYEMEN TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 3145, Sana'a
AL-MAMOON INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 3072, Sam City Hotel Building, Al-Qiyadah Street, Sana'a
ORIENTAL TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 17031, Sana'a QAHWASH TRAVELLING & TOURISM AGENCIES - Yemen | P.O.Box 1255, Sana'a
ALNASIM TRAVEL AND TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 10544, 30 Zubairi Street, Sana'a
RUTTA TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 3331, Sana'a
AL-SUNIDAR TRAVEL & TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 2632, Zubairy Street, Sana'a
SABA/SHEBA AGENCY FOR TOURISM & INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL - Yemen | P.O.Box 12447, Sana'a
AL-YAMAM HOTEL & TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 3297, Sana'a
SHIBAM TOURISM AGENCY - Yemen | P.O.Box 3235, Sana'a
ALZAHRA TOURS (ATA) - Yemen | P.O.Box 23132, Haddah Street, Sana'a
SINBAD TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 19872, Al-Omam Al Mutahida Street 33/1, Sana'a
AMIR TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 891, Sana'a
SOCOTRA ADVENTURE TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 111, Hadibo, Socotra Island
ARABIAN BEAUTY TOURS AGENCY (ABTA) - Yemen | P.O.Box 4273, Sana'a
SOCOTRA ECOTOURISM SOCIETY - Yemen | Hadibo, Socotra Island
ARABIAN HORIZONS TRAVEL & TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 8665, Hadda Street, Sarah Tower Building, Sana'a
SUMMER TOURS & TRAVEL - Yemen | P.O.Box 16820, Hadda Street 127, Sana'a
ASHTAL TRAVEL & TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 1501, 94 Hadda Street, Sana'a
UNIVERSAL TRAVEL & TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 10473, Al Bounia Street, Tahreer Square 20, Sana'a
ATG ABU TALEB GROUP - Yemen | P.O.Box 25321, Sana'a
VOYAGES AU YEMEN - Yemen | P.O.Box 3980, Sana'a
BTT / BAZARA TRAVEL & TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 2616, Al-Zubairy Street, Sana'a
WORLD WIDE TRAVEL & TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 18394, Sana'a
CAMELEERS TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 20373, Nouakchott Street 12, Sana'a
YAMANAT TOURS - Yemen | P.O. Box 1977, Sana'a
CARAVAN TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 2826, Sana'a
YATA / YEMEN ARAB TOURISM AGENCY - Yemen | P.O.Box 1153, Airport Road 142, Sana'a
DUBAI TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 735, Sana'a
YEMAN TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 8192, 14 Al-Qiadah Street, Sana'a
ETERNAL YEMEN - Yemen | Street 50 (close to Sheba city), Sana'a
YEMEN EXPLORERS TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 23091, Sana'a
FTI FUTURE TOURS INDUSTRIES - Yemen | P.O.Box 1203, Al-Quiada Street, Sana'a GOLD MOORE TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 20196, Sana'a
YEMEN OLD SPLENDOUR TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 19554, Al-Yaheri Commercial Center, Sana'a
HAJEEB TRAVEL & TOURISM - Yemen | P.O.Box 15291, Sana'a
YEMEN TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 2074, Sana'a
I.T.T. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & TOURS - Yemen | P.O.Box 4289, Zubiry Street, Sana'a
YEMEN TRAVEL - Yemen | c/o Taj Sheba Hotel, P.O.Box 773, Ali Abdulmughni Street, Sana'a
KTR KUHLAN TOURISM & RENT-A-CAR LTD. - Yemen | P.O.Box 25305, Sana'a
YEMENI DREAMS FOR TOURISM &TRAVELS - Yemen | Khartoum St., Sana'a
Nov emb er, 2 0 0 9
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Fairs & Exhibitions T r av e l / T o u r i s m
i n
NOVEM B ER
2 0 0 9
b y
r e g i o n s
Fai r s & E x hi b itions : N OV E M B E R , 2 0 0 9
Western Europe
World Travel Market (WTM) Location
London / UK
Start / End
09 November 2009 / 12 November 2009
Provider
Reed Travel Exhibitions
Contact
www.wtmlondon.com
wtmteam@reedexpo.co.uk
TEMOS: Healthcare Abroad and Health Tourism Location
Cologne / Germany
Start / End
15 November 2009 / 17 November 2009
Provider
TEMOS
Contact
info@temos-conference.com
International Golf Travel Market (IGTM)
IWTM – International Wine Travel Market
Location
Malaga / Spain
Start / End
16 November 2009 / 19 November 2009
Provider
Reed Travel Exhibitions
Contact
catherine.vaughan@reedexpo.co.uk
TUREXPO GALICIA
Location
Bordeaux / France
Location
Silleda / Spain
Start / End
04 November 2009 / 06 November 2009
Start / End
27 November 2009 / 29 November 2009
Reed Expositions France
Provider
International Trade Fair of Galicia
info@reedexpo.fr
Contact
rociorego@feiragalicia.com
Provider Contact
BTC International Location
Rome / Italy
Start / End
05 November 2009 / 06 November 2009
Provider
Exmedia Srl
Contact
m.pieralli@btc.it
Global European Marketplace Location
London / UK
Start / End
05 November 2009 / 07 November 2009
Provider
ETOA
Contact
office@etoa.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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Fai r s & E x hi b itions : N OV E M B E R , 2 0 0 9
CENTR AL Europe
MADI Travel Market Location
Prague / Czech Republic
Start / End
03 November 2009 / 05 November 2009
Provider
MADI
Contact
madi@madi.cz
7. Festival of camping & caravaning 2009 Location
Ljubljana / Slovenia
Start / End
19 November 2009 / 22 November 2009
Provider
AS-Press d.o.o.
Contact
info@as-press.si
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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Fai r s & E x hi b itions : N OV E M B E R , 2 0 0 9
Africa/MIDDLE EAST
Healthcare Travel Exhibition & Congress Location
Dubai / United Arab Emirates
Start / End
15 November 2009 / 17 November 2009
Provider
Institute for International Research
Contact
www.healthcare-travel.com
healthcare-travel@iirme.com
International Congress in Aesthetic, Anti-Aging Medicine & Medical Spa - MIDDLE EAST Location
Dubai / United Arab Emirates
Start / End
19 November 2009 / 21 November 2009
Provider
EuroMediCom
Contact
emaa@euromedicom.com
Middle East Hospitality Expansion Congress (MEHEC) Location
Abu Dhabi / United Arab Emirates
Start / End
22 November 2009 / 23 November 2009
Provider
naseba
Contact
www.HotelExpansion.com communications@naseba.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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Fai r s & E x hi b itions : N OV E M B E R , 2 0 0 9
North America
MITM Americas, Meetings & Incentive Travel Market Location
Havana / Cuba
Start / End
18 November 2009 / 19 November 2009
Provider
G.S.A.R. Marketing
Contact
gsar@gsamark.com 15/10/09 17:04
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Canada’s Tourism Leadership Summit Location
Saint John, New Brunswick / Canada
Start / End
02 November 2009 / 04 November 2009
Provider
Tourism Industry Association of Canada
Contact
info@tiac.travel
Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference
Around the world in 4 days
Location
Protland, OR / United States of America
Explore a world of business opportunities at WTM 2009
Start / End
02 November 2009 / 04 November 2009
Meridian Club membership at World Travel Market allows travel industry buyers to network, negotiate and strike deals with exhibitors in a business focused environment. Meridian Club member benefits include: • Complementary Welcome Pack, including the WTM Catalogue (worth £26) • Dedicated Meridian Club lounges with free internet access, newspapers, chair massage, shoe shine, refreshments and hospitality including the M-Bar. • Exclusive access to meeting room facilities • Networking events with exhibitors • Discounted access to WTM’s Thursday’s paid conferences • Exclusive free travel voucher and motivational speaker session on Thursday 12 November
Provider
The International Ecotourism Society
Contact
events@ecotourism.org
World Religious Travel Expo Location
Reno, NV / United States of America
Start / End
14 November 2009 / 16 November 2009
Provider
World Religious Travel Association (WRTA)
Contact
headquarters@WRTAreligioustravel.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
ExCeL London 9-12 Nov 2009 Register for free entry at www.wtmlondon.com/tr Official Media Partner
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Destination
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