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Help stop even higher taxes on flights to the Caribbean ABTA says
31 August 2010, 11:00 pm

        With thousands of friends and relatives jetting over from the Caribbean to London to enjoy the Notting Hill carnival, Europe`s biggest and best, ABTA is calling on people to write to their MPs to stop the Government once again drastically increasing taxes on long haul flights later this year, following on from significant increases in 2009. This increase will have a particularly dramatic effect on the cost of flying to the Caribbean making visiting friends and family much more expensive when domestic budgets are already under pressure.Currently if you fly economy to the Caribbean you pay the Government

Conrad Bali plays a part in coastal conservation
31 August 2010, 11:00 pm

        As part of the 2010 Conrad Bali Environmental program 500 mangrove trees were planted at the nearby Tengkulung Beach. The tree saplings were provided by the Forestry Office, Bali province for the local community in support of the coastal conservation efforts.

“The team members at Conrad Bali felt strongly about playing a part in conserving the lovely beaches where Conrad Bali is situated on,” said Michael Burchett, General Manager. “The planting of the mangrove trees will aid in the preservation of the coastal environment in Bali and also ensure the sustainability of the people and communities that live here.”

Mangrove trees are of major ecological and cultural importance to Bali and the local community as they build their own environment and protect coastal areas from erosion and storm surges especially during hurricanes and tsunamis.        

Source: Travel Daily News Feed

SITE and SCCB host the Academy for Young SITE Leaders, October 2010
31 August 2010, 11:00 pm

        The Society of Incentive and Travel Executives (SITE) and Seville`s Congress and Convention Bureau (SCCB) host the Academy for Young SITE Leaders, October 2010. The city of Seville will be hosting the Young SITE Leaders Academy between 1-3 October 2010. The event is organised by SITE SPAIN with the support of Seville`s Congress and Convention Bureau (SCCB). The meeting will bring together professionals working in the international corporate world who organise meetings, conventions, congresses and incentive travel. It will be a unique opportunity to discover Seville`s potential as a destination for these types of events.The NH Central Convenciones Hotel will be the main venue hosting the Young SITE Leaders Academy. It will bring together over sixty SITE associate members with professionals from Seville`s Congress and Convention Bureau.

SITE SPAIN is a professional business association with to date over sixty members from all over the country. It includes managing and marketing directors from Destination Management Companies (DMCs), Travel Agencies, Hotels, Carrier and Transportation companies, Convention Bureaus and private sector companies specialising in incentive travel. SITE is recognised as offering an excellent opportunity to meet colleagues from all over the world and to exchange special business needs.

SITE`s aim is to provide its associate members with information services and educational programmes that support

and promote the professional skills and personal qualities specific to the sector.

Its objective is to raise members` awareness of the business and marketing possibilities within the industry of incentive travel. In July 2010 the SCCB invited Mateo Asensio, from Barcelona`s Convention Bureau and Vice-President of SITE Young Leaders, to outline the essential ideas behind SITE SPAIN and Young SITE Leaders Academy at a professional breakfast. Organised by the SCCB this took place at the Alfonso XIII Hotel on 5 July 2010. Asensio`s presence at this event highlighted the SCCB`s ongoing commitment to provide the latest available training and information about industry trends that will guide present and future event management services at an international level. In doing so the SCCB has strongly emphasised the stimulus and cooperation required for optimum positioning in this sector.

During the 2010 Young SITE Leaders Academy meeting to be held in October, Asensio`s acumen will be built upon and further enhanced by the presence of prominent international speakers including Cosimo Bruzzese (BRIGGS Marketing Director, New York, USA); Airy Garrigosa (Barcelona Convention Bureau Director, Spain); Rob Davidson (Senior Lecturer, Travel and Tourism at the Westminster Business School, UK); and Sean Mahoney (Corporate Selling & Incentives Vice-President, Silversea Cruises, Miami, USA).        

Source: Travel Daily News Feed

AirTran fined for violating rules protecting air travelers with disabilities
31 August 2010, 11:00 pm

        The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) assessed a civil penalty against AirTran Airways for violating rules protecting air travelers with disabilities. The carrier was assessed a civil penalty of $500,000, of which up to $200,000 may be used to improve its service to disabled passengers beyond what is required by law.“People with disabilities have the right to expect fair treatment when they fly, and we will continue to take enforcement action when their rights are violated,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 requires airlines to provide assistance to passengers with disabilities in boarding and deplaning aircraft, including the use of wheelchairs, ramps, mechanical lifts or service personnel where needed. U.S. Department of Transportation rules also require carriers to respond within 30 days to written complaints about their treatment of disabled passengers, and to specifically address the issues raised in the complaint. In addition, airlines must submit annual reports to the Department on disability-related complaints from passengers, noting the type of disability and nature of the complaint.

An investigation by the Department of Transportation’s Aviation Enforcement Office of disability complaints filed with AirTran and DOT revealed a number of violations of the requirement for boarding assistance. In addition, the carrier’s complaint files showed that it frequently did not provide an adequate written response to complaints from passengers. AirTran also failed to properly categorize disability complaints in reports filed with the Department, the Aviation Enforcement Office found.

Of the $500,000 penalty, up to $60,000 may be used to establish a council to help the carrier comply with federal disability rules and hire a manager for disability accommodations. Up to $140,000 may be used to develop and employ an automated wheelchair tracking system at AirTran’s major hub airports within one year that will generate real-time reports of the carrier’s wheelchair assistance performance.        

Source: Travel Daily News Feed

New competition comes to the Medical Tourism industry as battle emerges
31 August 2010, 11:00 pm

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The Medical Tourism industry is facing new obstacles and challenges it never faced before. One of these challenges is the new competition entering the marketplace. Established medical tourism destinations are being challenged by new and emerging one."As new opportunities arise in any industry, so does new competition," said Renee-Marie Stephano, President of the Medical Tourism Association and Chief Editor of Medical Tourism Magazine. "We are starting to see some of the more established medical tourism destinations with excellent reputations letting their guard down in terms of marketing and promotion. This is allowing new, emerging destinations to make a big push, generating larger international patient flow through brand awareness. The lack of a comprehensive roadmap will mean less consumer awareness and loss of market positioning in the future," adds Stephano.

As new buyers of healthcare enter into the medical tourism marketplace including medical tourism facilitators, insurance companies or employers who are looking to implement medical tourism, a greater sense of brand awareness will be necessary to maintain demand. As new hospitals and countries enter the medical tourism market with internationally accredited and super specialty facilities, going that extra mile to deliver the brand may be just what makes the difference in attracting these new buyers.

"The upcoming 3rd World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress provides an excellent opportunity for new and emerging players in the medical tourism marketplace to establish a brand in front of some of the new buyers who are entering this marketplace. Because some of the older players are relying on past marketing efforts, certain new players may come in to `eat their lunch," said Stephano.

Ms. Stephano also added, "We are seeing new areas of competition being generated simply by development of healthcare clusters. One example of this emerging regional competition is Brazil. Several cities in Brazil realized that word of mouth reputation may not be enough to establish competitiveness. They are in the process of creating healthcare clusters to deliver the message about high quality of care extending beyond cosmetic surgery, which will create tremendous competition to the rest of Latin America`s healthcare providers who have been enjoying the lion`s share of patients in the region. Also developing is more organized growth for countries of inbound and outbound care such as Japan and China. This is a trend is also being seen in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The whole model and shift in power in medical tourism`s future is perceptible," added Stephano.

This year`s 3rd World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress will feature many of the new and emerging healthcare providers, hospitals and countries getting involved in medical tourism.

The conference will also have a focus on bringing in employers, insurance companies and governments who deal with international healthcare issues and employees and patients on a global basis."

The 3rd annual MTA World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress,  organized by the Medical Tourism Association,  and the Medical Tourism Magazine,  will bring together up to 2,000 of the most senior level healthcare, leaders, employers and insurance industry professionals September 22nd-24th, 2010 in Los Angeles.

The conference is the dedicated annual event of the Medical Tourism Association, the non profit trade association in the Medical Tourism industry,  and media partner Medical Tourism Magazine,  the only dedicated magazine for the medical tourism and global healthcare industry, and by Medical Tourism City,  a social network for the medical tourism and global healthcare industry with over one thousand participants from over sixty countries.

The 3rd World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress will also feature two additional conferences, the Expatriate Healthcare, Travel Insurance and Global Health Insurance Conference, which focuses on international employers and insurance companies, and the Sustainable Healthcare and Hospital Development Conference,  which focuses on the growth of medical tourism in the healthcare sector and the building and development of healthcare facilities around the world.

The Medical Tourism Association (Global Healthcare Association) is the international non-profit trade association for the medical tourism and global healthcare industry made up of the top international hospitals, healthcare providers, medical travel facilitators, insurance companies, and other affiliated companies and members with the common goal of promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients in a global environment. Our Association (Global Healthcare Association) promotes the interests of its healthcare provider and medical tourism facilitator members. The Medical Tourism Association (Global Healthcare Association) has three tenets: Transparency in Quality and Pricing, Communication and Education.        

Source: Travel Daily News Feed

Smart phones are utilized by U.S. travelers for things other than talking and texting
31 August 2010, 11:00 pm

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Three out ten cell phones in use in the United States are now "smart phones" with Internet connectivity, leading to one of the most intriguing questions facing travel service marketers today: how are travelers using these devices to plan, purchase and share information about both destinations and travel service suppliers? The results of the new Ypartnership / Harrison Group 2010 Portrait of American Travelers survey provide some insightful answers.Nearly two in ten (19%) travelers have downloaded a travel-related application (app) to their smart phone. Among them, nearly one-half have navigated a destination using the built-in GPS functionality (47%) or searched for the latest information on flight schedules and delays (46%). Nearly three in ten have compared airfares or hotel rates (29%) or shared information or photos about their travel experiences (28%) using their smart phone. Approximately one in six has booked air travel or lodging (18%) or viewed a virtual visitor guide that provides information on things to do and see while visiting a destination (15%). Finally, more than one in ten (11%) has used their smart phone to download and redeem mobile coupons, while one in twenty (6%) has downloaded an audio walking tour of a specific destination.

"Clearly, mobile devices are destined to play an increasingly important role in the distribution and sale of travel services in years ahead," said Peter C. Yesawich, chairman and CEO of Ypartnership. "Both shopping and more real-time engagement in the discovery of what a destination has to offer are likely to rival talking and texting in the years ahead."

The Portrait of American Travelers is national survey of 2,524 U.S. households that was conducted in February 2010. The results provide an in-depth examination of the impact of the current economic environment, social values and media habits on the travel habits of Americans with an annual household income of $50,000 or more.

Ypartnership is America`s leading marketing services company serving travel, leisure and entertainment clients. The agency`s Insights group is widely acknowledged as the preeminent source of market intelligence on emerging business and leisure travel trends, as published in the Ypartnership/Harrison Group 2010 Portrait of American Travelers (SM). The firm also co-authors the quarterly travelhorizons survey with the U.S. Travel Association.

Harrison Group is a leading market research and strategy consulting firm specializing in sophisticated market strategy, market analytics, survey and forecasting services. In addition, Harrison Group is the recognized expert in the American affluent and wealth space and also specializes in the travel, real estate, media, financial management, consumer products and interactive entertainment markets.        

Source: Travel Daily News Feed

Over-worked Americans give up an average of 459m. vacation days each year
31 August 2010, 11:00 pm

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Over-worked, over-tired and stressed-out workers have one more thing to worry about this coming Labor Day - how many vacation days they could potentially be losing this year. And if The President of the United States, who just returned from a respite on Martha`s Vineyard, can still find time, then shouldn`t everyone?The fact that people are not using all of their vacation days is well documented and the statistics are staggering. According to data released in a 2009 vacation study, U.S. adults who only receive an average of 13 vacation days per year typically leave three days unused. When considering that the U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics has recorded approximately 153 million employed Americans, this means that each year an average of 459 million vacation days are going unused in the United States. Based on these overwhelming facts, Royal Caribbean is encouraging consumers to use their hard-earned vacation days and reminding them that even The President - a person with arguably one of the hardest jobs in America - needs to get away every now and then.

"Vacations are not a luxury, they`re a necessity," says John de Graaf, Executive Director of Take Back Your Time, a nonprofit organization that studies issues related to overwork. "Men who take them are 32% less likely to suffer from heart disease than those who don`t. For women, it`s 50%. And women who don`t take vacations are more than twice as likely to suffer from depression. Pass them by at your peril."

Championing a "cruise them, don`t lose them" message, Royal Caribbean is giving vacation-deprived consumers encouragement to leave their desks behind in favor of some much needed rest and relaxation. The cruise line has recently launched a compelling video - Vacation Daze - showcasing the irony of letting vacation days expire and the absurdity of this unfortunate reality.

"The average American spends 261 days commuting, filling out time sheets and wondering what`s for dinner. As Labor Day marks the end of summer, we wanted to shine a spotlight on this perennial issue and also remind people to take a much needed and hard-earned break, even if it`s just for a couple of days," states Betsy O`Rourke, SVP Marketing, Royal Caribbean International.

A recent travel industry survey suggests that close to half (45%) of working Americans let hard-earned time-away go to waste in 2009; furthermore, three-quarters (78%) anticipate leaving as many as 10 vacation days on the table in 2010. Why the annual commitment to all work and no play? Most confess that coordinating schedules with family and friends is too difficult (51%) or they are not able to afford a "real vacation" (40%); others admit it is less about personal situations and more about work-life being too busy to enjoy time away (47%). While consumers express pessimism towards the possibility of a work escape, adults who choose to go on vacation feel reconnected with the family (53%), more productive and positive about their jobs (34%), as well as the health benefits of being rested and rejuvenated.        

Source: Travel Daily News Feed

American Airlines help customers affected by Mexicana Airlines service suspension
31 August 2010, 11:00 pm

        American Airlines and its regional affiliate, American Eagle, announced that they are assisting customers affected by oneworld partner, Mexicana Airlines` decision to cease operations indefinitely. Mexicana filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. and Mexico on Aug. 2, and suspended ticket sales on Aug. 4.Subsequently, Mexicana announced significant capacity reductions between Mexico and the West Coast, as well as on other international routes. Effective Saturday, Aug. 28 at noon, Mexicana and its affiliates MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink suspended all operations indefinitely.

American and American Eagle are offering a special 20 percent discount off any published fare for customers holding tickets for confirmed bookings on cancelled Mexicana flights. Under this offer, effective today, American and American Eagle will replace a customer`s current travel itinerary with a new confirmed ticket to their original destination. Changes to the closest airport served by American or American Eagle are permitted only if American or American Eagle does not fly into the original destination. This offer is only valid for travel on American and American Eagle between the U.S. and Mexico within seven days of the original travel dates. Travel must be completed by Oct. 28, 2010. Tickets must be issued by Sept. 5, 2010.

To take advantage of this special offer, customers may call American Airlines reservations:

U.S.-based Customers

1-800-433-7300 (English)

1-800-633-3711 (Spanish)

Mexico-based Customers

5209-1400 (Mexico City only)

01 800 904 6000 (Rest of Mexico)

To further assist stranded Mexicana customers, American added two additional flights from Mexico City and Cancun, Mexico to Dallas/Ft. Worth and one from Mexico City to Miami on Aug. 29.        

Source: Travel Daily News Feed

Sensis Multilateration and VeeLo NextGen Vehicle Locators selected by Avinor
31 August 2010, 11:00 pm

        Avinor AS, Norway`s Air Navigation Service Provider, has selected Sensis Corporation`s multilateration and VeeLo NextGen vehicle locators for Bergen Airport, Flesland. The Sensis deployment at Bergen will provide surveillance of the runways, taxiways and stand areas along with the location of vehicles operating on the surface, enabling air traffic controllers at Norway`s second busiest airport to enhance the safety and efficiency of the airport in all weather conditions."Sensis` proven track record of successful surface multilateration systems operating at major airports was a leading factor in selecting their solution for Bergen," said Per Ingar Skaar, director of ATM/CNS Systems for Avinor. "The system will provide our controllers with the precise location and identification of aircraft and vehicles on the surface to reduce incursions and increase efficiency in all weather conditions."

Sensis multilateration uses multiple low-maintenance, non-rotating sensors to triangulate aircraft and vehicle locations based on transponder signals to provide air traffic controllers with precise aircraft position and identification information regardless of weather conditions. With a higher update rate and greater positional accuracy than traditional radar, Sensis multilateration provides effective surveillance for increased safety, capacity and efficiency of airspace. By employing advanced processing techniques, a Sensis multilateration system uses the minimal number of sensors for a less complex, lower lifecycle cost solution. Additionally, each multilateration sensor deployed by Sensis supports Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B), providing an infrastructure that is ready for today`s surveillance needs and tomorrow`s avionics for an economical, long-term solution. Almost 100 sites worldwide have chosen Sensis multilateration for airport surface surveillance, wide area surveillance and airport surface management.

"Our solution for Bergen Airport is based on years of experience in developing, deploying and certifying surface multilateration systems around the world," said John Jarrell, vice president and general manager of Sensis Air Traffic Systems. "Sensis surface multilateration systems can be easily adapted to accommodate future airport growth or expanded into a wide area system for terminal surveillance."

VeeLo NextGen is a small, light weight device in a rugged, weather-resistant enclosure that is attached to the exterior of an airport vehicle to provide air traffic controllers with situational awareness of vehicles operating on the airport surface. The vehicle locator attains its position from a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS)-enabled Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and broadcasts its location and identity using the Mode S Extended Squitter ADS-B message format. VeeLo NextGen automatically turns off when the vehicle travels outside of the movement area, ensuring an efficient use of available aviation spectrum.        

Source: Travel Daily News Feed

GCC flourishes with USD 35b. worth of maritime projects
30 August 2010, 11:00 pm

        Saudi International Boat Show 2010, the second edition of the only international leisure marine and tourism festival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has announced that the 2010 edition will showcase a broader range of marine products and services to cater to the growing number of maritime developments in the GCC. New business opportunities have emerged for international suppliers with the recent announcement of 12 major maritime projects to be implemented within the next three years across the GCC with a collective value of over USD 35 billion, including three in Saudi Arabia in King Abdullah Economic City, Jizan Economic City and the Kingdom City.Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), endorsed by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and venue managed by Al Ahlam Marine Tourism Group, the Saudi International Boat Show 2010 will be held from December 8 to 11, 2010 at the Al Furusya Marina & Yacht Club in Jeddah. The event provides an ideal marketing and networking platform for leading industry players in the boating and maritime sector.

The GCC's high disposable income likewise serves as a key catalyst for growth; a study on the salaries of senior management executives, who are key customers for yachts and luxury boats, has revealed that disposable income of managers in the GCC is the highest in the world with all Gulf countries dominating the top six rankings.

"Saudi Arabia remains strongly positioned to contribute in establishing the GCC as a premier boating hub because of the government's proactive development initiatives. With its proximity to the Red Sea and the growing reclamation projects being undertaken, Jeddah in particular will be crucial in the government's vision to harness the full economic potential of the maritime sector. Saudi International Boat Show 2010 will serve as an ideal complementary initiative that will generate global awareness and drive more business opportunities in the country," said H.H. Prince Abdullah bin Saud bin Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Chairman of Al Ahlam Marine Tourism Group, venue management of Saudi International Boat Show 2010.

"We have made extensive preparations to accommodate an expected increase in the number of visitors and exhibitors at this year's Saudi International Boat Show. This event provides a consolidating platform that will leverage the surge in demand for various maritime products and services in the Kingdom. We have studied feedback from last year's participants, allowing us to further improve this year's showcase that will include a much more comprehensive range of the latest superyachts, leisure crafts, accessories and services," said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre.

Many local and international leading brands have already confirmed their participation, including Al Ahlam Marine Tourism Group, Al Khorayef Commercial Co. Ltd., ART Marine LLC, Blue Limits, Chehab Marine, Garmin, KB Marine, Mega Marine, Princess Yachts, Westport and many more.

Saudi International Boat Show 2010, which attracted over 37,000 buyers from all over the region during its inaugural exhibition last year, will feature a dedicated Supplies & Services Pavilion that will group together regional dealers and distributors displaying an extensive range of navigation equipment, engines and fixtures and fittings. The Marina Display Area will showcase top-of-the-range models from the world's leading boat manufacturers in what is the largest display of superyachts, leisure crafts, fishing boats, power and sailing boats in the Kingdom.

The Saudi International Boat Show Dive Village, on the other hand, is Saudi Arabia's only dedicated diving village, offering diving lessons and seminars as well as several other activities focusing on diving and marine tourism. Saudi International Boat Show 2010 will also feature a full weekend of festivities.        

Source: Travel Daily News Feed