Travel News Europe - #88 - November 2008 - (Page 2)

n news TRAVEL NEWS EUROPE Editor Victoria Geddes Managing Director Christos Agathocleous Sales & Marketing Mike Trafford Graphic Design Debby Heffernan debbhef@mac.com Correspondents Financial Crisis Impacts New Zealand’s Visitor Arrivals Austria Jean A. Guilhermet Belgium Carole Hazlewood France Barbara Casassus Germany Paul Needham Greece Vicky Karantzavelou, Theodore Koumelis Italy Pamela McCourt Francescone Monaco Jean A. Guilhermet Scandinavia Martin Lladó Spain David Ing Headquarters 8 Vitsi Street, 1st floor, Nicosia 2373, Cyprus Tel: +357 22 459359, Fax: +357 22 459361 E-mail: office@travelnewseurope.com www.travelnewseurope.com Representatives Worldwide N India Mediascope Publicitas Fax: +912222835799 Malaysia Int. Media Sdn. Bhd. Fax: +603 704 2285 Monaco, France, Italy, Austria Promocom. Fax: +377 9777 83 06 Nepal Globex Representative, Fax: +977 1 421179 Portugal Ilimitada Publicidade Int., Fax: +35 11 388 3283 Thailand Public Major Media Ltd., Fax: +662 314 4863 Japan Pacific Business Inc Fax: +81336616139 Printed In Cyprus by ew Zealand has once again been voted a favourite destination by British travellers, confirmed Tourism Minister Damien O’Connor. Readers of the Guardian, the Observer and guardian.co.uk voted New Zealand their favourite long-haul holiday destination in the recent annual Reader’s Travel Awards. Mr O’Connor said the win reflected the effort New Zealand’s tourism industry had put into providing a world-class experience to international visitors. “Only by offering authentic and unique visitor experiences and delivering high-levels of customer service will the tourism industry be able to remain competitive and deliver on the goals set out in the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015. Of note is that this win comes in the face of flattening visitor numbers from the UK, New Zealand’s secondlargest tourist market.” The impact of the global financial crisis is being felt by the tourism industry, with visitor arrivals to New Zealand down 6.6% in September, just over 11,000 fewer people than in September 2007. Increasing economic uncertainty saw a drop in the number of visitors arriving from almost all of New Zealand’s major tourist markets, compared with 2007. “It is clear that New Zealand tourism is facing difficult times as a result of the financial crisis and that things will be even more challenging in 2009,” Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said. “Because tourism is based largely on discretionary income we will definitely see an impact on the tourism industry. Tourism New Zealand is focused on maintaining our efforts in key markets where it is important we retain a high profile.” Despite visitor arrivals from the UK being down 5.3% (598 visitors), the launch of the $7.3 million ‘What Do You Say UK?’ campaign in September has boosted awareness of New Zealand. A recent Marketing Magazine survey named the new television commercials in the top-10 ads most-remembered by British consumers. China has taken longer than expected to recover from the Olympic Games and Sichuan Earthquake, but the forward outlook for summer is improving. Mr Hickton said Australia will become an even more important market as the full-impact of the financial crisis begins to be felt. “With long-haul travel becoming more expensive, Australians will be looking to holiday closer to home, providing a lot of opportunities for New Zealand.” Highlights of International Visitor Arrivals September 2008: • Australia - 82,317, down 2.6% • UK - 10,580, down 5.3% • USA - 9,131, down 11.6% • Canada - 2,139, up 12.0% • China - 5,497, down 33.2% • Korea - 4,577, down 30.7% • Japan - 6,486, down 22.1% J G Cassoulides & Son Ltd., PO Box 21980, 1515 Nicosia, Cyprus, Tel: +357 22 843600, Fax: +357 22 348835 Ramada Worldwide has announced the grand opening of its largest hotel, a 998-room property in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Located in the holy district of the Haram, a site of the highest sanctity, and less than a quarter of a mile from the Holy Mosque, the 29-story Ramada Makkah caters to guests looking to make the pilgrimage to Mecca during the Hajj and Umrah seasons. In addition to being located within walking distance of many of the city’s holy sites, the property offers private underground parking, 4 restaurants and meeting space for up to 250 guests. Each room features high-speed Internet access, free local and long distance telephone calls, a 26-inch plasma television and an in-room safe. The hotel, owned by Riyada International Hotels and Resorts and managed by Al Massa Hotels Company, is the Ramada brand’s second property in Mecca and its 11th in Saudi Arabia. TRAVEL NEWS EUROPE November 2008 www.travelnewseurope.com http://www.travelnewseurope.com http://guardian.co.uk http://www.travelnewseurope.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Travel News Europe - #88 - November 2008

Cover&Contents
NEWS
WTM News Pages
DESTINATIONS - Tanzania
DESTINATIONS - India
BUSINESS - Winter Holidays
BUSINESS - Exhibitions

Travel News Europe - #88 - November 2008

https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0812_89
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0811_88
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0810_87
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0809_86
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0807_85
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0806_84
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0805_83
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0804_82
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0803_81
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0801_80
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0712_79
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0711_78
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0710_77
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0709_76
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0707_75
https://www.nxtbook.com/newpress/travel-news-europe/travelnewseurope0706_74
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com