Richard Gere wrote on his piece in New York Time “Railroad to Perdition” about how the world’s highest railway, from Beijing to Lhasa, Tibet is a serious threat to the survival of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural and linguistic identity.
China Travel, Travel News
Photo by RobK
CNN reported about study conducted by AC Nielsen, Visa and PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association), with respondents interviewed between March 20 and 30 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Sweden, Britain and the United States.
The study indicated that more people are willing to travel to Asia region compare with a year ago, when news about Terorrist Attacks, Tsunami and Bird Flu were in the news.
Some points from the study:
The Singapore Flyer - a giant observation wheel, is set to be Asia’s most visible Iconic Visitor Attraction. When completed in March 2008, The Singapore Flyer will provide breathtaking panoramic views of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
It will be one of the world’s largest man-made moving land objects at a height of 169 metres – equivalent to a 42-story building. It will comprise a giant observation wheel 150-metres in diameter sitting astride a 20-metre high, three storey terminal building.
Official website of Singapore Flyer
Very similar construction with another similar giant observation wheel in London, called London Eye
Singapore Travel, Tourism, Travel News
For the whole day on 30th March, Bali, Indonesia will practically closed due to Nyepi or the Day of Silence a Balinese New Year.
No flighst will be landing or take off into the island. Shops, beaches, nightclubs, bar will all be closed.
Tourists are not allowed to venture out between 6 a.m on March 30 to 6 a.m. on March 31.
Authorities require that all people in Bali stay indoors, make no noise and switch off all lights for the duration of this period. To Balinese Hindus, Nyepi is perhaps the most important day on the religious calendar and the prohibitions are taken very seriously.
The Nyepi Day, the Balinese day of Silence, which falls on the day following the dark moon of the spring equinox, opens a new year of the Saka Hindu era which began in 78 A.D.
Nyepi is a day to make and keep the balance of nature.
From the religious and philosophy point of view, Nyepi is meant to be a day of self introspection to decide on values, eg humanity, love, patience, kindness, etc., that should kept forever.
Related links with Nyepi:
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Low-cost carrier AirAsia hopes to launch more flights to China and subsequently to India as part of its ambitious plans to become an Asia-wide airline.
Southeast Asia’s most profitable budget carrier is also looking at forming new joint-ventures in the region to boost revenue, group deputy chief executive Kamarudin Meranum told AFP over the weekend.
“We continue to talk to various parties to explore the possibility of establishing joint-ventures,” Kamarudin said.
Kamarudin said Indochina countries and the Philippines were on AirAsia’s radar to form joint-ventures.
“From our experiences in Thailand and Indonesia, we can set up joint-ventures fairly quickly.
“But it must fit into our strategic plan to make AirAsia become an Asian carrier and to provide easy and affordable access for people to travel in the region,” he said.
The Malaysia-based AirAsia has already managed 49 percent-owned joint venture low-cost carriers in Thailand and Indonesia since 2004.
Kamarudin declined to state with which Indochina country — Cambodia, Laos or Vietnam — the carrier would establish a joint-venture.
“In any joint-ventures, we will try to retain as much stake as allowed by the law of the country without contravening the air services agreement,” he said.
The AirAsia official also declined to comment on a report in January that the carrier had partnered with privately-owned Spring Airlines in hopes of tapping China’s budget travel market.
Kamarudin said with the arrival of new Airbus 320 aircraft, AirAsia hoped to increase both flights and frequency to China and other destinations.
“Our Thai hub will cover China and may look at the possibility of going to the Indian subcontinent of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“It is a natural plan of action to capture the leisure and business market in that region,” he said.
Kamarudin said AirAsia Thailand hoped to mount daily flights from the Thai capital Bangkok to Xiamen in southeast China, up from four flights a week now.
“We want to have a minimum of one flight a day to all our destinations. From there we will increase the frequency,” he said. Besides Xiamen, AirAsia flies to the southern Chinese territory of Macau.
But with the arrival of the A320s, airline officials said AirAsia would consider flying from Kuala Lumpur to China’s southern cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, which neighbours Hong Kong.
Kamarudin, however, said AirAsia now faced a shortage of aircraft but when more of the A320 planes arrive, “we will increase the frequency and routes.”
Since last December, AirAsia has taken delivery of five of the 100 A320 aircraft it had ordered. By end of 2006, it will have 15 in service along with the Boeing 737-400s that would be slowly phased out.
AirAsia, which has welcomed the Malaysian government’s domestic rationalisation plan, Friday said that it would hold talks with flag carrier Malaysia Airlines to acquire its 737-400 aircraft and staff.
AirAsia on Thursday secured approval to fly most of Malaysia’s domestic routes.
Under the rationalisation programme, AirAsia would operate all secondary domestic services while also operating on perhaps the five-10 busiest routes with Malaysia Airlines.
The government has ordered both AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines to identify and workout the division of routes by March 27.
Malaysia Airlines has 39 737-400 aircraft which are primarily used for domestic and regional routes.
AirAsia was launched as a budget carrier in December 2001 with just two aircraft. It offers more than 100 domestic and international flights to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Source: Yahoo! News
Asia Airlines, China Travel, India Travel, Travel NewsNew York Times Editors’ picks for the most intriguing places in the world to go in 2006 is listed here: The Destinations of 2006
From the list, destinations in Asia:
travel, world, china, himalaya, india, malaysia, kuala lumpur
China Travel, Events & Festivals, India Travel, Malaysia Travel, Nepal Travel, Travel News
New York Times has a very interesting story about luxury tourism in Cambodia.
It seems that 5 stars hotels and world class restaurants are beating each other to exist in Cambodia.
From the article:
… now more than 100 hotels serve tourists of all budgets. The Grand has been joined by a Sofitel, Le Meridien and the Sokha Angkor. On the boutique side, Angkor Village must now contend with la Paix, La Résidence d’Angkor, the FCC Angkor, the Shinta Mani and an Aman resort, the Amansara. By the end of this month, the One Hotel plans to open its doors - or, rather, its door: There’s just one room, a duplex with flat-screen TV, iBook, Wi-Fi and a whirlpool…
Most of Cambodia tourism industry are centered around at Siem Reap, the famous Angkor Wat’s city visited by 690,987 visitors last year, up from 451,046 in 2004.
Complete NYTimes story here: Why Is Everybody Going to Cambodia?
Hotels mentioned on the article:
More information about Cambodia:
cambodia, siem reap, angkor wat
Cambodia Travel, Travel News
Photos by Praziquantel
CNN has a new story about the economic slump in Bali after a second round of terror attacks last fall.
This has become the main reason why business owners in Bali are worried.
A few numbers from the story:
Only a handful of European sunbathers dot the sprawling beaches, and restaurants that once required reservations weeks in advance are begging for diners.
Complete story CNN Travel: Slump has Bali business owners worried
More about Bali: Bali Tourism Board and Bali Tourism Authority.
bali, indonesia, tourism, bali travel
Indonesia Travel, Travel News
According to Norwegian travel trade, Kingdom of Thailand is “The World’s Best Tourist Country 2005″.
For the the second consecutive year Thailand has won “Grand Travel Award 2005″ that was being hosted for the 10th time and as the result of a survey which polled over 300 travel industry members in Norway.
2nd place is Greece with the score of 4.74 followed by Denmark 4.74, Spain 4.47 and Turkey 3.75.
More information about Thailand Tourism can be obtained from Tourism Authority of Thailand official site.
More about Thailand: Highlights of Thailand
From TAT News: THAILAND WINS PRESTIGIOUS NORWEGIAN GRAND TRAVEL AWARD FOR ‘THE WORLD’S BEST TOURIST COUNTRY 2005’
thailand, travel award, tourism
Thailand Travel, Tourism, Travel News
Phuketremembers.com a memorial website dedicated for Tsunami Disaster in Phuket, Thailand launched by Phuket province.
The bilingual website English-Thai, provides a personal tribute section for visitors who wish to remember and pay their respects to those who lost their life, those who were saved and those who gave their time and help, and in some cases their lives, in assisting others.
You can also enter yourself in Tsunami Memorial Writing Contest. More information about the contest can be found here.
The site feature includes: event calendar concerning with tsunami memorial days, memorial guest book and photos submission of memorial days.
Phuket province vice-governor, Niran Kalayanamit:
“Tsunami memorial days will be from 25 to 27 December while the monument should be at Khao lak-Lam Ru National Park in Phangnga province, ceremonies will be held in at Phuket’s Patong and Kamala beaches and in Krabi.”
Check out the memorial site here: www.phuketremembers.com
phuket, thailand, tsunami
Events & Festivals, Thailand Travel, Travel NewsBird Eye View Tours introduces a bird watching trip to Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi province that costs Bt2,800 per person for a group of minimum six persons (includes transportation from Bangkok, tent accommodation, telescope, meals, entrance fee and insurance).
Groups depart from Bangkok by van and conduct bird watching activities in three main areas of the national park with the help of expert guides.
I am just wondering whether bird watching is one of the activity that tourist wants to be a part of?
I mean with the news about the bird flu in Asia and all…
bird watching, bangkok, thailand, avian flu, bird flu
Thailand Travel, Travel News
