Travel Agent - June 9, 2008 - (Page 76)

NEWS IMPACT China Continues to Welcome Visitors During Recovery Efforts THE MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE that struck China' s southwestern region of Sichuan and the city of Chengdu in early May continues to wreak havoc. The death toll is a reported 68,000, a figure that rises daily as rubble is cleared and more victims are discovered. The 7.9-magnitude quake came on the heels of disturbances in Tibet, and less than three months before the start of the Beijing Summer Olympics. In the aftermath of the disaster, Victoria Cruises (www. victoriacruises.com), which sails China' s Yangtze River, immediately stepped up to the plate to assist humanitarian relief efforts, donating excess inventory and supplies. ª Tibet and the earthquake have similar to that of traveling during Thanksgiving in the States, when demand is at its highest.º Pi observes that high fuel prices and the recession are causing Americans to cut back on travel this summer, and opt for local rather than long-haul trips. Luckily for Victoria Cruises, they' re picking up business from other markets. ª There' s enhanced purchasing power from around the world, especially in Europe and Asia,º says Pi. ª We see a huge growth in the Asian marketÐ they have the disposable income to travel.º Fall is a busy time for Victoria Cruises; September through November is the company' s prime season. ª A lot of travelers postponed travel to Tibet and we anticipate pent-up demand. If they can' t get a fall booking, they'l l look at traveling March to June,º says Pi. ª Those months are already looking very strong for us.º As part of its role in the relief effort, the line will spearhead the rebuilding of two schools. The company is also exploring the possibility of donating a portion of each booking to earthquake relief. company, due to the hot weather. Ritz Tours (www.ritztours.com), a U.S.-based tour company, reports that the earthquake had no impact on its operation of tours throughout China, as well as cruises along the Yangtze River. ª All of our passengers and personnel in China are safe and were not impacted by the earthquake. Our tours are not going into the epicenter areas impacted by the earthquake and, therefore, everything is operating on schedule,º says Martin Chan, founder and president of Ritz Tours. ª After the earthquake, we received phone calls from people concerned about traveling to China, but we haven' t had any cancellations,º says Hunter Wang, CEO of Panda Travel USA (www. chinatours.travel). Wang notes that the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Chengdu/Sichuan Province area affected by the earthquake remain undamaged. This month, Panda Travel USA has tourist groups traveling on a Mongolia/Beijing tour and a Xian/ Beijing/Yangtze River program. ª They'v e been undeterred by the earthquake,º says Wang. ª The excellent response that the Chinese government made in the aftermath of the earthquake inspires confidence in the traveler. Although the earthquake has a psychological ripple effect, I believe that travel to China will return to normal in the next six months, if not sooner.º Ð MARK ROGERS Mark Rogers plus, although he predicts that the benefits will generally be felt in the months to come. He also notes that summer travel to China will be affected by the closing of Tibet and the Panda Reserve. As far as pre- and postOlympics bookings for Victoria Cruises, tour operators have found ª Minimal Disruptionº ª We'v e had minimal disruption as a result of the earthquake,º says Richard Marnell, senior vice president of marketing for Viking River Cruises (www.vikingrivers. com). ª Passengers are still traveling, and over the last seven days we'v e seen demand pick up for fall 2008 and into 2009.º Marnell notes that the line has also faced little difficulties booking seats and rooms as a result of the Beijing Summer Olympics, since August is a relatively slow month for the Dale and Donna Murphy were six miles from the epicenter when the earthquake hit; days later they continued with their Yangtze cruise on Victoria Empress made it a challenging year for the China travel market,º says Jerry Pi, operating partner for Victoria Cruises. ª It' s been even further complicated by the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing.º In Pi' s experience, travel agents aren' t seeing the Olympics as a 76 | TravelAgent June 9, 2008 it difficult to find the hotel rooms they need, since many hotels are charging Western rates in Beijing during August. ª This doesn' t work for tour operators,º says Pi. ª It' s the same with air space. Carriers wouldn' t release their blocks for tour operators. The situation is CONNECTING YOU For more information on travel in China, visit www.travelagentcentral. com/east-asia http://www.ritztours.com http://www.victoriacruises.com http://www.victoriacruises.com http://www.chinatours.travel http://www.chinatours.travel http://www.vikingrivers.com http://www.vikingrivers.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/east-asia http://www.travelagentcentral.com/east-asia

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Travel Agent - June 9, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor From the Publisher Pacific/Asia: Hong Kong’s Kowloon District Honors Chinese Traditions while Brandishing Cutting-Edge Style Hawaii: Nature Lovers with an Urge to Get Out and Move Flock to Kauai - Hawaii's Garden Isle Pacific Northwest: Washington State has Become the Hot New Destination for Wine Lovers New Zealand: Two New Hotels Make Queenstown Even More Enticing Las Vegas: The Coolest Places to Beat the Heat are the Exclusive Pools at Las Vegas Hotels Central & South America: A Restored Railway Line Offers a New Way to Enjoy Quito Caribbean & Bahamas: Nikki Beach Hotels' Aggressive Expansion Continues Europe: Reporting Back from the German Travel Mart in Munich Cruises: Princess Cruises Introduces a Group Amenity Feature Cover Story: Costa Cruises Delta/Northwest: The Airline Merger that Could Change the Industry Hotels: Historic Hotels are Going Green Spas: Indulging Guests, with an Environmental Focus Agent Profile: Montrose Travel Shares its Secrets Passport Online: The New Website Supports Agents, Supplies and Consortia Agenda: From Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar China Continues to Welcome Visitors Alternative Fuel for Cruise Ships News from the Caribbean ARC Launches Accreditation Program In the Spotlight Agent Access Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - June 9, 2008

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