MONGOLIA: Genghis Khan Airlines To Commence Flights 2019

Genghis Khan Airlines a new start-up in the Inner Mongolia region of China. However, unlike some airline start-ups, which start seamlessly, Genghis Khan has had a few problems along its route to the sky.

Genghis Khan Airlines was originally marketed as Tianjiao airlines. However, that name was dropped for a more iconic name, which is based on the famed historic Mongolian figure Genghis Khan.

The airline originally planned to start operations with Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft in March, but it was unable to secure production slots with Bombardier.

Then, in May, the airline was said to be negotiating with Embraer for E190 aircraft to launch operations. The airline was not able to secure production slots or maintenance contracting with Embraer either.

Finally, the airline announced a large order for up to 50 Comac ARJ21 aircraft, including 25 firm orders and options for an additional 25.

The airline plans to receive its first two aircraft in December 2018, with the remaining 23 in the next five years.

Genghis Khan Airlines has also entered into an agreement with Comac in order to establish a flight school for its pilots as well as a maintenance and overhaul facility for the airline’s operations.

The airline’s investors are mostly the Inner Mongolian government, which has invested USD$438 million US dollars into the airline.

The Inner Mongolian government is hoping to increase tourism to the region, which has increased already 12% over 2017, to 202,600 tourists in the first half of 2018.

The airline will be run by a mix of executives who have left various other Chinese airlines, such as Air China, 9 Air, China Southern Airlines, and Qingdao Airlines.

The former chairman of Qingdao Airlines will be in charge of preparing the airline for its commercial operations, and the chairman of the airline will be Hao Yutao.

Genghis Khan Airlines will be the second airline to operate the Comac ARJ21 after the Comac-owned Chengdu Airlines.

Genghis Khan will also be the second-largest operator of the ARJ21 should they exercise their options; Genghis Khan Airlines will follow Henan Airlines and tie with Joy Air.

Should the new carrier choose to do so, the 25 additional aircraft will be delivered 3 years after the original 25 aircraft.

After starting operations, Genghis Khan Airlines plans to launch into the international market once they have received their 25th aircraft.

The airline plans to be operating to 40 destinations with 25 aircraft in 5 years, and then to 80 destinations with 50 aircraft in 8 years. While these plans are ambitious, the airline’s wide investor pool will be able to help finance their expansion plans.

Genghis Khan Airlines yet released its plans for seating configurations on the ARJ21. However, the aircraft is typically equipped with between 78 and 90 seats depending on the number of classes, allowing for some flexibility on the airline’s part.

The aircraft also has a range of up to 3,700 km, which will allow for great flexibility when the airline is considering new routes.

The airline also plans to operate extensive flights within Inner Mongolia from its base at the capital of Hohhot, as there are 20 transport-class airports within the region prepared for the airline to serve them.

Genghis Khan Airlines says that it has completed acquiring the personnel required, including executives, maintenance personnel, pilots, cabin crew, and more.

Genghis Khan airlines look like it has a good chance at being successful in an under served region of China, and although their plans may be ambitious, they have a strong team behind the plans to help see them through.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has approved Genghis Khan Airlines to start operations. The brand-new carrier may commence the flight operations as early as early 2019.

Genghis Khan Airlines was established in 2015 and selected Hohhot Airport as their main hub. Hohhot is the capital city of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, which is located at northwest of Beijing and is just a short 90-minute flight away.

Inner Mongolia has an area of 1.183 million kilometers squared. In recent years, an improvement in airport facilities has not attracted carriers as originally planned.

According to the company proposal, the airline will use Chinese-manufactured Comac ARJ21 aircraft and hope to operate a fleet of 25 the type.

It plans to fly 40 destinations and 60 routes within the first five years. In the next eight years, a fleet of 50 aircraft are expected and the airline has set a goal to reach 80 destinations and 150 routes, the route map will be covering the country’s major cities, Mongolia and Russia.

Inner Mongolia has 28 civil airports, the most airports in a region of China. In 2017, 58 airlines served across the region, reaching 116 destinations and 426 routes, including 37 international route and 21 destinations.

In the first seven months of 2018, the total passengers volume of the airports in Inner Mongolia was 14.28 million, an increase of 17.6 percent over the same period last year.

Expecting rapid economic growth, the number of airports will 50 by 2030. At that point, Hohhot will become a major hub for the region.The airline has already employed maintenance personal, safety regulators, safety management teams and customer services agents.

Hao Yutao, the chairman of Genghis Khan, said, the airline has reached an agreement with Commercial Aircraft Cooperation Of China Ltd (COMAC). The company is going to setup Aero institute, aircraft maintenance center and training center in the region and support surrounding airports.

As a result of the rapid economic growth in China, the airline network of Inner Mongolia can’t meet popular demand. Genghis Khan Airlines commencing service may solve the region’s problems.

The airline has to face competition with the high speed train in the long run, meaning the future is cautiously optimistic.


Tourism Observer

CHINA: Air China Pilots Fired, After e-Cigarette Incident

China revoked the licences of two Air China pilots after a vaping incident in the cockpit forced an emergency descent.

A passenger flight from Hong Kong to Dalian had to drop more than 6500m due to a sudden loss of cabin pressure.

Investigators said it was caused by one of the pilots smoking an e-cigarette.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will also launch a safety crackdown on the Chinese flag carrier for three months and fine the airline 50,000 yuan ($NZ10,964), China Central Television (CCTV) said on its WeChat account.

The cuts to the carrier's 737 flights amount to 5400 hours a month, it said.

The CAAC also suspended the licenses of other staff involved in the emergency incident that was linked to a co-pilot smoking in the cockpit, CCTV said.

It also ordered Air China to undertake a three-month safety review.

The mid-air drama unfolded when one of the pilots, who was vaping, tried to turn off a fan to stop his smoke reaching the passenger cabin.

Instead, he turned off the air-conditioning unit, causing a drop in the cabin's oxygen levels.

Emergency measures were triggered, and oxygen masks dropped.

The plane was forced to descend rapidly.

If a plane loses cabin pressure, the pilot has to bring the aircraft to a lower altitude to keep crew and passengers safe.

Once the crew saw that the air conditioning had been turned off, they reactivated it and brought the flight back to its normal altitude.

The plane went on to complete its flight as scheduled, and none of the 153 passengers or crew were injured.

A third pilot on board, who was not involved in the incident, had his licence revoked for six months and was banned by Air China for two years.

Chinese flight regulations prohibit all flight crew from smoking, and banned passengers from using e-cigarettes on board in 2006.

Air China shares fell as much as 1.4 percent in Hong Kong in response to the safety crackdown, before recovering slightly, against a flat Hang Seng index.

The stock is down nearly 40 percent in Shanghai so far this year, amid a falling yuan and higher oil prices.

BOCOM International analyst Geoffrey Cheng said the crackdown would likely have an impact on Air China's flight schedules, especially as it enters peak travel season, but could also prompt the airline to cut poorly performing routes.

It could have pros and cons, he said.

A Chinese aviation professor, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not permitted to speak to media, said the cuts appeared to only apply to Boeing 737 planes stationed at Air China's Beijing headquarters.

For a big company like Air China they can move some 737s to their companies in southwest China or Zhejiang which could lessen Air China's losses, he said.

Air China has several branch offices in places such as Inner Mongolia and Shanghai as well as number of subsidiary airlines.

It operated 269 Boeing 737s out of its 655-strong fleet at the end of December, according to its full-year report issued in March. It has 311 Airbus 320 and 321 jets.


Tourism Observer

USA: Facial Recognition Working Well And Fast At Mineta San Jose Airport

Mineta San Jose International Airport is one of several airports nationwide chosen by the United States Customs and Border Protection agency to use facial recognition to screen all arriving and departing international travelers.

The airport quietly began using the technology on arriving international flights June 25. International fliers leaving SJC will see it in use at departure gates in the coming months, according to the airport. The technology is also in use at airports in Orlando and San Diego.

Here's one of the biggest changes travelers can expect: all departing international passengers will be photographed at the gate before they board their flight.

The images give the government verifiable biometric proof that a U.S. visitor has left the country, and presumably, will also be used to match citizens when they re-enter the country.

When entering the United States off a flight, passengers are photographed at passport control.

Facial recognition software compares the image against passport or visa photos the federal government already has on file.

The process takes less than a second. It eliminates the need for agents to scan passports manually and visually compare travelers to their passport photos, both are time consuming tasks that slow down immigration queues.

Interviews and customs luggage inspections will still go ahead.

Travelers enrolled in Global Entry will see no changes in the way they enter the country since those kiosks already photograph and fingerprint arriving international passengers.

Travelers who use the Mobile Passport app to digitally fill-out immigration forms and customs declarations can continue to use it, but will also go through the same facial recognition process at passport control.

SJC will install biometric readers at each of the seven gates used for international departures to photograph travelers leaving the country. That's coming in the fall, we're told.

At SJC, the process has already expedited long passport screening lines which have grown to become unbearable for many travelers.

The airport has seen a staggering increase in the number of international flights in recent years such as Aeromexico, Air China, All Nippon Airways, British Airways, and Lufthansa have all launched flights to SJC in the last decade.

In 2017, the airport logged 438,800 international arrivals — more than double the number in 2015, when there were 199,900.

Simultaneously, airport officials said there has been a shortage of Customs and Border Patrol agents to staff passport control counters because the agency isn't able to recruit and retain enough people willing to put up with the Bay Area's high cost of living.

The airport hopes the new automated screening process will shorten wait times and put an end to a lot of the frustration.

The use of the technology has raised suspicions by civil liberties groups, which oppose the government's collection of the photographs of citizens.

The biggest danger is that this technology will be used for general, suspicionless surveillance systems, the American Civil Liberties Union warned.

State motor vehicles agencies possess high-quality photographs of most citizens that are a natural source for face recognition programs and could easily be combined with public surveillance or other cameras in the construction of a comprehensive system of identification and tracking.

Passengers who want to opt-out of the biometric screening will have the option to do so.

The federal government says photos of U.S. citizens might be stored for up to 14 days, but photos of non-U.S. citizens could be stored for decades.


Tourism Observer

FRANCE: Air China Flight From Paris To Beijing Forced Back After Suspected Terrorist Threat

An Air China flight was turned around after receiving suspected terrorist information during an international trip that was later said be a false threat.

The flight was travelling from France to Beijing on Thursday when it was suddenly forced to turn back and land in Paris.

In a message posted across social media, the commercial airline said it received a suspected terrorist message after taking off.

Air China has received a suspected terrorist message, the statement read. Flight CA876 has returned to Paris safely, with the plane and its passengers all unharmed.

By Thursday afternoon, however, Chinese state media reported the issue was a false alarm.

The Air China flight reported an emergency after 8:00 a.m. EST on Thursday, Reports from international air transportation monitoring agencies about an emergency on the Air China trip were posted to Twitter early Thursday morning.

The flight’s trajectory showed the plane had not yet passed Brussels, Belgium before turning around to Paris.

Air China did not immediately respond to enquiries, but said in a statement to one of its social media profiles that it turned the flight around to ensure safety.


Tourism Observer

CHINA: Air China Starts Flights To North Korea Again

Air China has resumed its flights between Beijing and Pyongyang.

The Beijing-based carrier has announced the restarting of all its flights to the North Korean capital city following a lengthy suspension that began in November following a United Nations mandate.

North Korea has been relying on China for most of its imports and exports.

The service has now resumed due to subsequent meetings between the leaders of both countries, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un.

Data suggests that the route will operate three times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Air China will deploy a Boeing 737-700 on the route, with a seat configuration of eight reclining First Class seats and 120 seats in Economy.

An Air China official said that these flights are continuing due to market reasons but did not provide any further comments.

However, the fact that Kim Jong-un traveled to Singapore on June 12 for the summit with other leaders suggests that the political tensions in the region might be tuning down, re-opening the door for direct connectivity with other international destinations.

Air China’s service to Pyongyang launched had frequently been canceled or disrupted due to what had been unspecified problems, according to Chinese media.

Noth Korea’s national airline, Air Koryo, is also planning to open a new route between Pyongyang and Chengdu. However, there are no official confirmations in this regard.

This is a significant move for both China and North Korea, as this route opening could enable a relief on sanctions.

It is something that will have to be observed over the next few weeks as Kim Jong-un steps further onto the world stage and starts to provide the positive dialogue that the other world leaders are seeking to achieve.


Tourism Observer

CHINA: China Southern Airlines Bans Shark Fin Shipments, Pledges To Support Conservation

China Southern Airlines, the mainland’s biggest carrier, has banned shark fin shipments and promised to actively participate in animal conservation.

The decision is significant as the company is based in Guangzhou, the world’s largest trading hub for the delicacy, and it narrows the options for Chinese importers.

It means that 51 per cent of international airlines, based on seat capacity, have now banned the cargo.

Flag carrier Air China had already banned shark fin, leaving just China Eastern among the big three state-owned airlines yet to declare a position.

Robust campaigning by wildlife activists over the years has also led the nation’s largest shipper and logistics firm, China COSCO Shipping, to come onside.

In a letter to WildAid Hong Kong, China Southern’s vice-president Han Wensheng said the company attached great importance to the issue and had taken immediate action.

The nation’s largest airline by revenue and eighth biggest globally said it had banned shark fin on passenger and cargo flights as of March 1, but the letter was its first public announcement of the policy change.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend our appreciation to the global coalition of shark and marine conservation groups for your constant attention and support to China Southern’s air transport business, Han said.

The airline said it would shoulder its social responsibility and pledged to actively participate in the cause of wild animal and plants conservation.

Also to jointly promote conservation culture and the sustainable development of the human community with the general public.

Environmentalists have long campaigned against the trade in fins, a staple at weddings and banquets saying the harvesting methods are cruel and that shark populations have declined dramatically.

Other carriers making the same commitment include Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways, British Airways, American Airlines, Emirates and Singapore Airlines.

Worldwide, 17 of the 19 biggest shipping lines measured by container capacity have banned shark fin, impacting 71 per cent of the global market.

Notable signatories include Maersk, the world’s biggest, and former Hong Kong chief executive Tung Chee-hwa’s family company Orient Overseas Container Line, better known as OOCL.

Alex Hofford, wildlife campaigner at WildAid Hong Kong, applauded the move.

This particular shark fin airline ban will be hugely impactful for the simple fact that Guangzhou is the world’s largest shark fin trading hub, even eclipsing Hong Kong, he said.

China Southern’s ban will no doubt send a strong message to the many Guangzhou shark fin traders that their business activities are often illegal, but always unethical, immoral, cruel and unsustainable.

Attention will now turn to the United States with the likes of FedEx and United Airlines whose mistreatment of an Asian-American passenger thrust it into the spotlight likely to face growing pressure to change their ways.

More than a dozen protesters descended on a press conference held by FedEx on Thursday to protest about shark fins as the company launched an online service in Hong Kong to tap into the burgeoning e-commerce and online shopping market.

Questions remain on why United States air carriers FedEx and United Airlines still continue to ship shark fin, often illegally, Hofford said.

Air China became first mainland carrier to ban shark fin cargo.

The airline joined more than 30 others worldwide in battle against controversial trade.

Air China Cargo has become the first mainland carrier to ban the transport of shark fin, dealing another blow to the international trade.

The carrier, which is part of Air China and responsible for cargo shipment on freight planes and the airline’s commercial aircraft, did not specify when the policy change would take effect.

Some 36 airlines have now joined the ban globally.

In a statement posted on its website on Friday, the cargo company said it was committed to playing a bigger role in global sustainability.

“We understand the community’s desire to promote responsible and sustainable marine sourcing practices, and this remains important to Air China Cargo’s overall sustainable development goals,” the statement read.

“Therefore, on the issue of shark fin, we reiterate our ‘No Shark Fin’ carriage policy.”

Last year, budget carrier HK Express became the first local carrier to implement a ban, followed in recent months by Cathay Pacific and Dragonair.

Other major airlines observing the ban include British Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and American Airlines.

Also in July, mainland China’s biggest shipping and ­logistics company, China Ocean Shipping Company (Cosco Shipping), pledged a total ban on shark fin transportation.

The shipping giant is the fourth-largest container operator in the world with a 7.7 per cent market share.

Alex Hofford, a wildlife activist from conservation group WildAid, said Air China’s action to save sharks would be far-reaching.

Scientists estimate that fins from up to 73 million sharks a year are used for shark’s fin soup, with much of the trade in shark fin destined for China, he said.

Air China’s No Shark Fin commitment is therefore hugely significant because, despite government efforts, China including Hong Kong is a country where significant demand for shark’s fin soup still exists.

It’s a bold move and this is likely to have a huge and lasting impact on shark populations and marine ecosystems worldwide, he added.

Hofford said full enforcement of the ban by airlines and shipping lines was vital to ensure its effectiveness in protecting shark populations.

He urged vigilance against deliberate mislabelling of shark fin cargo to stop people from circumventing the ban.

Focus has now turned to mainland China’s other major airlines, especially one of the biggest global carriers by revenue, China Southern Airlines.

The company is based in Guangzhou, an area singled out as a major shark fin trading hub, WildAid said.

According to the group, research suggested that Chinese consumption of shark fin fell by 50 to 70 per cent in recent years.

Hong Kong airlines Cathay Pacific and Dragonair impose total ban on carriage of shark fin.

The two carriers came under increasing pressure from conservationists after they pledged in 2012 to carry fins only from sustainable sources.

Hong Kong’s flagship airline has finally bowed to public pressure by slapping a blanket ban on shark fin being carried on any of its planes.

But Cathay Pacific, the city’s biggest carrier, and its sister ­airline Dragonair have left the door open to a possible U-turn by saying the new policy will be ­subject to review.

The move which will take ­effect immediately comes after budget airline HK Express became the first local carrier to axe shark fin shipments last month.

Cathay has faced sustained pressure from environmentalists, including protests at their check-in desks at Hong Kong International Airport and children petitioning airline executives.

We understand the community’s desire to promote responsible and sustainable marine sourcing practices, and this remains important to Cathay Pacific’s overall sustainable development goals, Cathay said in a statement.

Therefore, on the issue of shark fin, with immediate effect we are happy to agree to ban the carriage. We will continue to review this practice, as we do all our sustainable development policies.

Previously, Cathay chose not to impose an outright ban but instead set up a panel of experts to decide on a case-by-case basis whether each shipment was from a sustainable source.

The policy dates back to 2012, but since then three dozen airlines have gone one step further to implement an outright ban, leaving Cathay exposed to criticism.

Campaigners argue it is often impossible to verify whether cargo is sustainable or not.

The old policy was described by the airline as a more challenging approach than an outright ban.

Cathay said the criticism was unwarranted as it was one of the first airlines to raise awareness of the unsustainability of the global shark fin trade back in 2012.

The government says shark fin imports to Hong Kong dropped by 42 per cent between 2010 and last year to reach 5,717 tonnes. During this period there was also a 72 per cent drop in imports by air to 450 tonnes.

Cathay and Dragonair join British Airways, American Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Emirates in banning shark fin.

Alex Hofford, wildlife campaigner for WildAid, said: A responsible corporation like Cathay Pacific should never be seen to be a link in the supply chain for a criminal trade.

That’s why we are so happy that Cathay has done the right thing by no longer carrying any shark fin or shark products. Shipping sharks by air is not just an issue of sustainability, but ethics and legality.

Only Hong Kong Airlines has yet to establish a position on shark fins.


Tourism Observer

CHINA: Air China To Start Flying Beijing To Hanoi 1st June 2018

Air China will launch a new service between Beijing and Hanoi on 1 June 2018.

The non-stop route will enable passengers to travel from Beijing to Vietnam's charming capital city in just four hours.

The new route between Beijing and Hanoi will be operated under flight numbers CA741/742 four times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Outbound flights will depart from Beijing at 01:25 and arrive in Hanoi at 04:15 while inbound flights will depart from Hanoi at 05:45 and arrive in Beijing at 10:25.

Founded over 1,000 years ago, Hanoi has a long and complex history reflected in its eclectic range of architectural styles, including its French colonial buildings.

As well as the Neo-Gothic Hanoi Cathedral and the countless Chinese temples and pagodas that can be spotted throughout the city.

In 2017, bilateral trade between China and Vietnam surpassed USD 100 billion for the first time, while China remained Vietnam's largest trade partner for the 13th consecutive year.

According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, Chinese holidaymakers made over 4 million trips to Vietnam in 2017, an increase of 48.6% over the previous year.

Air China Limited is the flag carrier and one of the major airlines of the People's Republic of China, with its headquarters in Shunyi District, Beijing.

Air China's flight operations are based at Beijing Capital International Airport.

In 2015, the airline carried 90 million domestic and international passengers with an average load factor of 80%.

Air China was established and commenced operations on 1 July 1988.

This as a result of the Chinese government's decision in late 1987 to split the operating divisions of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) into six separate airlines.

- Air China

- China Eastern

- China Southern

- China Northern

- China Southwest

- China Northwest

Air China was given chief responsibility for intercontinental flights and took over the CAAC's long haul aircraft Boeing 747s, 767s, and 707s and routes.

In January 2001, the former CAAC's ten airlines agreed on a merger plan, according to which Air China was to acquire China Southwest Airlines.

Before this acquisition, Air China was the country's fourth largest domestic airline. The merger created a group with assets of 56 billion Yuan (USD $8.63 billion), and a fleet of 118 aircraft.

In October 2002, Air China consolidated with the China National Aviation Holding and China Southwest Airlines.

On 15 December 2004, Air China was successfully listed on the Hong Kong and London Stock Exchanges.

In 2006, Air China signed an agreement to join the Star Alliance. It became a member of the alliance on 12 December 2007 alongside Shanghai Airlines.

In July 2009, Air China acquired $19.3 million of shares from its troubled subsidiary Air Macau, lifting its stake in the carrier from 51% to 80.9%.

One month later, Air China spent HK$6.3 billion (USD $813 million) to raise its stake in Cathay Pacific from 17.5% to 30%, expanding its presence in Hong Kong.

In April 2010, Air China completed the increase of shareholdings in Shenzhen Airlines and became the controlling shareholder of Shenzhen Airlines.

This allowing Air China to further enhance its position in Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai as well as achieve a more balanced domestic network.

On 2 December 2010, Air China received Spain's highest tourism industry award, the Plaque for Tourist Merit.

Air China was the first foreign airline to receive the award, which is given to organisations and individuals contributing to the Spanish tourism industry.

On 23 December 2010, Air China became the first Chinese airline to offer combined tickets that include domestic flights and shuttle bus services to nearby cities.

The first combined flight-shuttle bus ticket connected Tianjin via shuttle bus with domestic flights passing through Beijing.

Air China began offering free Wi-Fi internet service on board its aircraft on 15 November 2011, making it the first Chinese carrier to offer this service.

However reported by users, the service is not allowed on smartphones, only tablets and laptops.

In 2012, after pressure from PETA, Air China stated that it would no longer transport monkeys to laboratories. PETA welcomed the airline’s announcement.

On July 3, 2013 in time for the company's 25th anniversary, Air China successfully tested Wireless LAN in flight. It was the first global satellite Internet flight in Mainland China.

In early 2015 it was announced that the airline had selected the Boeing 737 Next Generation and 737 MAX for its fleet renewal programme of 60 aircraft.

The deal, with a value of over $6 billion at current list prices, has yet to be finalized.

The entity Air China Limited was registered in 2003, and its shares began trading in Hong Kong and London on December 15, 2004.

Originally the airline corporate entity was Air China International, which was founded 2002 Air China International incorporated China Southwest Airlines and the air transportation services of the China National Aviation Corporation, becoming a new entity.

The Air China HQ Building the corporate headquarters, is located in Zone A of the Tianzhu Airport Industrial Zone in Shunyi District, Beijing.

The company registered office is on the ninth floor of the Blue Sky Mansion, also in Zone A of the Tianzhu Airport Industrial Zone.

The enterprise logo of Air China consists of an artistic phoenix pattern, the name of the airline written in calligraphy by former national leader Deng Xiaoping, and "AIR CHINA" in English.

The phoenix logo is also the artistic transfiguration of the word "VIP". Air China is a member of Star Alliance.

Air China is primarily based in its hub of Beijing Capital International Airport (IATA:PEK), where it operates numerous long range aircraft on routes to North America, Europe, South America, Africa and Australia.

Its fleet is made up of an assortment of Boeing and Airbus aircraft, including: Boeing 737's, Boeing 777's, Boeing 747's, Boeing 787's along with Airbus A319's, Airbus A320's, Airbus A321's and Airbus A330's.

Air China also operates a second hub in Chengdu International Airport, where it primarily flies domestic routes.

Air China's route network extends throughout Asia to the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America from its hubs at Beijing Capital International Airport and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.

It also currently reaches a significant number of Asian, Australian and European destinations from Shanghai. Some international routes operate from Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Hangzhou, Kunming and Xiamen.

It is one of the few world airlines that fly to all six inhabitable continents.

On 10 December 2006, Air China began serving its first South American destination, Sao Paulo-Guarulhos via Madrid-Barajas. This was the airline's longest direct flight.

The service was initiated with a Boeing 767-300ER, but due to increased demand, the service has been upgraded to an Airbus A330-200.

Regular flights between Mainland China (PRC) and Taiwan (ROC) started in July 2009.

Due to the political status of Taiwan, all Air China airframes that operate flights to and from Taiwan are required to cover the flag of the People's Republic of China on the fuselage.

This including a number of Airbus A320s, A330s, A340s, Boeing 777-200s, and Boeing 747-400BDSFs.

Air China introduced its new Airbus A330-300 to long-haul operations beginning with services to Düsseldorf, Germany in summer 2011.

These aircraft provided the same two-class cabin standard as the Airbus A330-200 except that the economy cabin had no seat-back entertainment system installed with the exception of the first two economy rows which also had increased legroom.

Dusseldorf is now the third German destination on the Air China network. The airline launched a new Beijing-Milan-Malpensa service on 15 June 2011, complementing the airline's existing service to Milan from Shanghai.

Deliveries of the carrier's 19 new Boeing 777-300ERs commenced in mid-2011, with the aircraft forming the new backbone of its future longhaul operations.

The new Boeing 777-300ERs replaced the Boeing 747–400s on routes to U.S. destinations such as Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, but was expected to first enter service on flights to Paris from March 2012.

The Boeing 777-300ER began to replace most 747 service once sufficient numbers entered the fleet.

Air China expanded its operations in India with a Beijing-Mumbai route begun in September 2011, while the existing Delhi route was upgraded to the A330.

The airline also launched service to Mumbai from Chengdu on 2 May 2012. The airline began using the Boeing 777-300ER on one of its two daily Beijing-Los Angeles flights on 1 February 2012.

Beginning in late-2012 to early 2013, the airline will replace the Boeing 747-400s currently servicing the New York and San Francisco routes with the Boeing 777-300ER.

With the addition of the Boeing 777-300ERs on the US routes, Air China increased frequency on the Beijing-New York route, changing the flights from 7 to 11 flights a week by adding two new flights to the route.

On 21 January 2014, the airline launched its service to Hawaii with flights from Beijing to Honolulu, the first nonstop flights between the two cities.

The airline also increased the frequency of service on the Beijing-Houston Intercontinental route from four times weekly to daily service from 30 March 2014.

Beginning 10 June 2014, Air China introduced new nonstop service from Beijing to Washington-Dulles, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER.

As of September 29 2015, Air China also introduced a 3 times weekly flight to Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in a codeshare with Air Canada.

The Montreal flight was extended to Havana from 27 December 2015.

Air China started its direct flights to Johannesburg, South Africa from 29 October 2015. The flight operates three times weekly.

Air China fleet consists of a total of 402 aircraft.

Air China has placed orders for 170 aircrafts


Tourism Observer

QATAR: Qatar Airways Buys Into Cathay Pacific As Black Stars Football Club Captain Asamoah Gyan Goes Aviation

Qatar Airways has announced it is taking an almost Qatar Airways 10% stake in Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways.

The agreement, which Qatar Airways said it expects to complete Nov. 6, means the Gulf carrier will hold a 9.6% stake in Cathay at a value of about $600 million.

Cathay and Qatar are both members of the oneworld global alliance.

Qatar Airways already has a 20% stake in International Airlines Group, parent of British Airways, another oneworld member, as well as a 10% stake in LATAM Airlines Group, and a 49% investment in Meridiana.

Qatar backed off from a move in June to take a 10% stake in American Airlines, also in oneworld, after American chairman and CEO Doug Parker sharply rebuked the bid as puzzling at best; concerning at worst.

American is campaigning with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines to constrain growth of the major Gulf carriers – Qatar, Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways – over claims that they are heavily subsidized by their government owners.

Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said in a statement Monday that Cathay was one of the strongest airlines in the world, respected throughout the industry and with massive potential for the future.

There was no press statement from Cathay, which in August posted a net loss of HKD2.1 billion ($268.2 million) for the first half of 2017, a reversal from a HKD353 million net profit in the same period last year.

Cathay faces increasing competition in many of its markets, particularly from mainland China’s major airlines.

Cathay’s major shareholders are Swire Pacific, which holds 35%, and Air China, which holds almost 30%.

A Transavia Boeing 737-700 performing flight from Eindhoven to Tel Aviv was near Prague, when the crew decided to return after both autopilots had failed and the aircraft thus had lost its capability to operate in reduced vertical separation minima.

The aircraft descended to FL360 for the return and diverted to Amsterdam (Netherlands) for a safe landing on runway 27 about one hour later.

A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration PH-HSM departed about 2 hours after landing and reached Tel Aviv with a delay of 3.5 hours.

Air China has taken delivery of the airline’s first 737 MAX 8. China’s national flag carrier is the first airline in the country to receive the 737 MAX.

Customers throughout China will take delivery of nearly 100 737 MAXs by the end of next year. Boeing’s partnership with Air China dates back to the 1970s.

Air China’s fleet includes seven Boeing 747-8s, 26 777-300ERs, 11 787-9 Dreamliners and more than 140 Next-Generation 737s.

WestJet announced it has been recognized as Best Low-Cost Airline – The Americas for 2018 by airlineratings.com. The website rates more than 425 airlines around the globe to determine its award winners.

It is an honour to be named Best Low-Cost Airline for the whole of North and South America, said Ed Sims, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Commercial.

This is a reflection of the hard work and caring nature of our more than 13,000 WestJetters. The timing on this award is welcome as we begin to build our international reputation in preparation for the arrival of our Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in 2019.

WestJet was selected on its innovation of bringing affordable and safe travel to millions across North America, said AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas.

In addition, WestJet’s employees have brought back the magic of flying to its guests.

Meanwhile,the Captain of Black Stars Football Club of Ghana, the country’s national football team, Asamoah Gyan has obtained an air carrier license for the establishment of a commercial airline called Baby Jet Airlines

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who disclosed this recently while declaring open, the African Airshow in Accra, Ghana said he was enthused about the development.

He called on Ghanaians, both home and abroad, to take advantage of the prevailing friendly environment and invest in the rapidly growing aviation sector, adding that the government had successfully created the right conditions for the private sector to thrive in the industry in order to propel growth and create employment, especially for the youth.



Tourism Observer

CHINA: Air China, Emirates Most Popular Domestic And International Carriers For Chinese Luxury Travelers

According to a new report on 2017 luxury travelers in China, travelers have visited an average of 18 countries, and take an average of 3.3 overseas trips annually, amounting to 27 days, of which tourism accounts for 69%.

These are the results of the 2017 Chinese Luxury Traveller report, issued jointlyby Hurun Report and ILTM, focusing on the behaviour and demands of China's high-end tourists, to understand and interpret the direction in which the industry is heading.

When it comes to destinations, Europe and Southeast Asia are preferred by a considerable margin. Europe of course, with its cultural heritage and picturesque natural scenery, is long-established as the destination of choice among the Chinese jet set, while Southeast Asia is more newly established, having surpassed the Americas as one of the hottest destinations for luxury travelers over the past two years.

The latter finds particular favor among the millennial generation, with a staggering 34% choosing it as their top pick, transforming it from the fourth most popular destination last year to the first.

The region's convenient geographical proximity and lush tropical climate are the factors attracting ever-increasing droves of high-end Chinese tourists.

In terms of reasons for travelling abroad, travelling for leisure remains the most common motivation, with 41%. The recent trends of polar exploration and adventure travel continued to grow in popularity, with 31% and 20% respectively.

Island travel saw the most noticeable upsurge in 2016, becoming the third most popular reason for travel at 23%, ahead of taking road trips (13%) and cruises (14%). Among millennial respondents, visiting islands was the most popular choice, with 46%.

Luxury travelers are becoming increasingly adventurous, with the growth in popularity of polar exploration a case in point.

Islands, with their balmy climates and sparkling ocean views and beaches, also hold a particularly strong allure for respondents, especially for the millennial generation.

As well as offering exciting water sport opportunities like surfing and diving for the more active, islands are also viewed as a family-friendly option which allow for a high degree of personal space.

Air China, Emirates Most Popular Domestic and International Carriers

Air China is by far the most popular domestic airline, selected by 53.9%, followed by China Southern Airlines (22.4%) and Cathay Pacific (21.9%).

Between both age categories, Air China comes out on top, earning impressive customer loyalty, with more than half of respondents ranking it the highest due to its good reputation.

For overseas airlines, Emirates and Singapore Airlines set the benchmark for luxury flight experiences, leaving their competitors trailing far behind with figures of 23% and 22% respectively.

Both airlines count cost-effective services among their main selling points.

The fact that Singapore and Dubai airports are such important hubs for flight transfers also contributes to their popularity.

Respondents have taken an average of 1.7 cruises before, although 34% have never been on one.



Tourism Observer
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HONG KONG: Cathy Pacific To Cut 600 Jobs To Save HK$4 Billion To Return To Profitability

Hong Kong flag carrier is cutting 600 staff as airline seeks to save HK$4 billion over coming three years and return to profitability.

Cathay Pacific Airways has denied a report in the South China Morning Post that there will be an additional 200 staff cuts later this year.

A Cathay Pacific spokeswoman said on Tuesday afternoon: The number of redundancies resulting from the transformation programme is around 600, as we announced to our people and the public yesterday. Rumours of other figures are incorrect.

Sources said that the 200 extra jobs to be culled would be from junior ranks and they would go before the conclusion of the restructuring exercise at the end of this year.

Anger rippled through the airline on Monday as the company said 600 of 3,000 head office jobs would be axed with no department spared except for frontline staff such as pilots and cabin crew.

Changing customer habits and a “challenging business environment” were cited as reasons for the largest job losses in 20 years.

Cathay Pacific’s new chief executive, Rupert Hogg, paid tribute to colleagues by praising their commitment and professionalism in an internal note to staff as he described the day’s events as an “unquestionably difficult day”, warning the “unsettling” changes would “continue to be so for a little while longer”.

Hogg said the transformation plan was the right thing to do for the long-term future of our business and our customers.

In a public statement, Hogg described the changes as tough but necessary.

Changes in people’s travel habits and what they expect from us, evolving competition and a challenging business outlook have created the need for significant change, Hogg said.

Staff let go on Monday will receive 12 months’ salary in the form of severance pay and extended medical and travel benefits. They will also be offered counselling.

Despite the words of gratitude from Hogg, the announcement rankled with the head office union, which represents 800 staff.

Local Staff Union representative Hearty Baleros said: People are not happy about this action by the company.

We will continue to have an open dialogue with the company to try and get better terms for those affected.

The major problems facing new Cathay Pacific boss Rupert Hogg after management reshuffle

The Labour Department said it was highly concerned about the job cuts and urged the airline to maintain effective communications over the terminations.

Asian rival Singapore Airlines is also facing significant challenges.

Both airlines have been hurt by competition from Middle East and mainland Chinese airlines as well as budget carriers. They are bleeding cash from slumping ticket prices.

Singapore Airlines last week announced a comprehensive review of its business after reporting an unexpected loss of US$99 million in the first quarter of this year.

Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon lost HK$3 billion last year but the company as a whole lost HK$575 million because of better performances in other areas of the business, including catering and its shareholding in Air China.

Cathay also struggled after two years of substantial fuel hedging losses amounting to HK$8.4 billion each year in 2015 and 2016.

The losses were absorbed into the overall fuel cost.

The successful turnaround of Australia’s Qantas Airways could offer a blueprint. It saved HK$12.5 billion over three years by axing 5,000 out of 33,000 jobs, retiring old planes and trimming its flights and destinations.

Frontline staff also agreed to wage cuts.

Key to Qantas’ recovery was a partnership with Emirates and expansion of its pan-Asian budget airline Jetstar.

Staff cuts could deliver annual savings of HK$600 million for Cathay Pacific, according to FlightGlobal Asia finance editor Ellis Taylor.

The airline is seeking HK$4 billion of cuts over three years, including HK$2 billion this year.

Taylor believed the staff cuts were just the start of wider workforce measures.I expect that we will see more integration of Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon, possibly with the latter taking over more services into Southeast Asia, he said.

For Cathay to be really serious, it needs to consider reversing some of the capacity growth that it has made over the past few years to cope with lower demand and higher competition from mainland and Middle Eastern carriers, Taylor added.

Cathay Pacific must push ahead with its restructuring

In Monday’s announcement, 190 management jobs will go immediately, representing 25 per cent of such posts. A further 400 non-management staff – or 18 per cent of the total – will be cut by mid-June.

Before the staff cuts, Cathay employed 19,000 people in Hong Kong, most being frontline staff, including pilots and cabin crew.

Among other announced changes, the airline’s cargo unit will be restructured. Job losses in the cargo, finance and human resources departments will be unveiled later.

The airline said it would look for greater efficiencies and productivity improvements in the rest of the workforce.

CHINA: 20 Million Passengers Went Through Changsha Airport in 2016

Changsha Huanghua International Airport handled 21.3 million passengers in 2016 according to CAAC statistics. This was an increase of close to 14% on the previous year and left the airport ranked 13th in China.

This was one place higher than in 2015 when it was still ranked below Wuhan Airport which it has now overtaken. Analysis of OAG Schedule Analyser data indicates that international traffic at the airport was around 7% of the total in 2015, increasing to about 9% in 2016.

Since 2007 passenger demand at the airport has grown by an average of over 11% per annum. Last year’s growth of almost 14% was the airport’s fastest increase in traffic since 2010. The year-on-year increase in passenger numbers was almost 2.6 million, the most in the airport’s history.

The airport finished building a second runway in 2016, which is expected to become operational during 2017. There are also plans to build a third runway in the medium-term.

Last year saw the airport welcome a number of new high-profile international services with Hainan Airlines, with the carrier beginning direct flights to Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, as well as Los Angeles in California.

Hainan Airlines drives growth but China Southern Airlines still #1

China Southern Airlines is the busiest carrier at the airport, accounting for just under 22% of annual scheduled seat capacity. A total of 39 airlines served Changsha in 2016 with the top 15 accounting for 89% of the airport’s capacity.

While China Southern and China Eastern Airlines appear to have both reduced capacity marginally at the airport in 2016, other carriers grew their presence at the airport considerably.

Hainan Airlines has jumped from fourth place in 2015 to second place in 2016 thanks to a 46% increase in seat capacity at the airport. Beijing Capital Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Tianjin Airlines all grew their capacity at the airport by more than 40% last year.

Beijing is #1 Changsha route; high-speed rail may impact some routes in 2017

The busiest route from Changsha is the 1,355-kilometre sector to Beijing. Capacity on the route is provided by Air China, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines.

Between them these four carriers offer 116 weekly flights, equivalent to around 17 flights per day. The fastest-growing domestic route in 2016 was Tianjin, where capacity was up almost 40%.

At the end of last year the opening of a new high-speed rail link to Kunming reduced travel time from Changsha from 19 hours to just five. This may have an impact on air travel demand on the 1,099-kilometre route in 2017.

As a result Haikou may become the airport’s second busiest route in 2017.

Currently the airport offers non-stop service to 20 international destinations in 13 countries. The leading international country markets currently are Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia.

There are non-stop flights to Europe, with China Southern Airlines operating a three times weekly service to Frankfurt. North America is now also served directly since Hainan Airlines began twice-weekly flights to Los Angeles in January 2016.

On 21 January 2016 Hainan Airlines celebrated the launch of the first non-stop service between Changsha and an airport in North America. Los Angeles was the lucky destination with the Chinese carrier offering twice-weekly (Mondays and Thursdays) flights using its 787s.

SWITZERLAND: Air China To Commence Zurich, Astana Flights From Beijing

On April 27, Air China held a press conference in Beijing to announce the launch of two new routes between Beijing and Astana and Beijing and Zurich. Due to be launched in June, these new routes will provide direct connections between China, Kazakhstan, and Switzerland.

The Beijing-Astana route will be launched on 1 June. Located in Kazakhstan, Astana is one of the world’s youngest capitals. It enjoys a reputation as one of the happiest and most modern cities in Central Asia. The launch of Air China’s Beijing-Astana route coincides with the 2017 World Expo, which will be held in Astana in June. The event is expected to attract visitors from all over the world.

China has a long history of friendly relations with Kazakhstan. Contact between the two nations dates back to the Western Han dynasty when the Chinese diplomat Zhang Qian visited the region.

In addition to being China’s second largest trading partner in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Kazakhstan is also one of the most important countries in the Silk Road Economic Belt region.

The Beijing-Astana route will provide a new direct connection between China and Kazakhstan and facilitate energy, transportation, tourism, culture, and trade cooperation between the two countries.

The Beijing-Zurich route will be launched on 7 June. Home to the global and European headquarters of over 100 banks, Zurich is surrounded by the famous Lake Zurich and the Alps, making it a popular destination for tourists from all over the world.

The city’s chic, laid-back character and the beautiful surroundings make it one of the world’s most livable cities. In recent years, China and Switzerland have held numerous high-level exchanges, and bilateral trade relations have gone from strength to strength.

During a state visit to Switzerland by President Xi Jinping in January this year, both countries agreed to cooperate on a number of issues to promote the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative, including infrastructure construction, finance, insurance, and industry.

The two countries also agreed to launch the 2017 “Sino-Swiss Year of Tourism” to boost tourist numbers. In addition to the new Beijing-Zurich route, Air China also flies from Beijing to Geneva, providing passengers with a choice of convenient, direct connections between China and Switzerland.

At the recent press conference, Air China’s Vice President Ma Chongxian explained the company’s growth strategy: In recent years, Air China has been expanding its route network to meet passengers’ needs. Operating from our three hubs in Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai, we plan to improve connections to a number of destinations in Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Australasia.

China’s OBOR initiative has also created new opportunities for us to expand our international route network. In 2015, Air China launched several routes between Beijing and key cities in the OBOR region, including Minsk, Budapest, Warsaw, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Colombo, and Islamabad.

As China’s only national flag carrier, Air China is committed to corporate social responsibility and plays an important role in facilitating the implementation of key national strategies, such as the OBOR initiative and the “Going Global Strategy”, which encourages Chinese enterprises to invest overseas.

Beijing-Astana: Flight no. CA791/2, three times weekly (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday), Airbus A320. The outbound flight departs Beijing at 17:20 and arrives at 21:00; the inbound flight departs Astana at 22:30 and arrives at 05:30 (all times are local).

Beijing-Zurich: Flight no. CA781/2, four times weekly (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday). The outbound flight departs Beijing at 02:35 and arrives at 07:25; the inbound flight departs Zurich at 12:55 and arrives at 05:05 (all times are local).

The flights will be operated by an Airbus A330-200 featuring business class seats that can be fully reclined up to 180 degrees. Premium economy seats offer 120% more leg room than regular economy class, and economy class seats are ergonomically designed to reduce fatigue.

All seats feature a personal entertainment system.

AFRICA: Africa Needs More Chinese Tourists

China has recently become the largest outbound tourist market in the world. The number of Chinese tourists traveling worldwide has grown to over a 100 million, likely to double by 2020. In 2013 Chinese tourists spent a total $102 billion dollars on their trips.

When Chinese-looking persons enter the Nairobi City Market or Massai Market Fair in Kenya’s capital, they are often greeted with “Ni Hao” as they pass shops and stands. Some local shop-keepers have a broader Mandarin vocabulary, which helps them sell African woodcarvings, fabric, or other local souvenirs to Chinese tourists.

Those numbers are expected to keep rising. Many Chinese are weary of traditional destinations, such as Europe and North America. So they are turning to Africa as a great place to spend an exotic vacation.

The numerous bilateral exchanges between China and Africa have encouraged Chinese tourism in African countries. In 2008 only 2.8 % of Chinese tourists chose Africa as a destination.

In 2014, according to the China Outbound Travel Development Report, that number has reached 9.4 %. The annual growth rate of Chinese tourist traffic to Africa has been 50% since 2010 - higher than to any other part of the world.

The most popular destination for Chinese tourists is South Africa; with direct flights currently available between Beijing and Johannesburg. Derek Hanekom, Tourism Minister of South Africa, says China is one of the important sources of tourists for his country and pledges to help create more conveniences to welcome Chinese travelers.

Other destinations popular among the Chinese are Egypt, Kenya, Cameroon, Senegal, Algeria, Angola, Mauritius, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe.

Since the Chinese government has granted Kenya an Approved Destination Status for outbound tourism in 2004, the number of Chinese tourists going there has risen. In 2013, 37,000 Chinese visited Kenya.

The same year, on a visit to China, Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta said his country’s tourism industry had set the goal of attracting a record number of 1.3 million Chinese.

Tourism in Kenya is popular in the summer when migration of animals can be observed in its national parks. When China Central Television (CCTV) aired live broadcasts of the migration of rhinos, zebras, and wilder beasts in 2012-13, that became a well-known wonder in China.

That has attracted thousands of Chinese during the summer season to Kenya.

Zhang Hongtao, director of AA lodges in Kenya, said, Now Chinese tourists book hotels six months in advance to get a room nearby even when the accommodation price doubles or triples.

The majority of Chinese tourists prefer big organized group trips within budget. About 10% of them, however, are high-end travelers who spend 4-5 times more money than the average tourist.

People in this category travel in smaller groups and avoid rough roads by taking charter flights to national parks.

They use secluded private lodges instead of hotels. While in Europe they may buy luxury brands, in South Africa their interests are diamonds.

Some of Kenya’s tour-operators, including Safari Collection, Governor’s Camp, and Loisaba Wilderness, cooperate with Chinese counterparts to promote luxury services.

There are some important tips from experts, which would be helpful to Africans in their attempts to attract more Chinese tourists and make their experience more enjoyable:

1.African governments should make tourism a greater priority on their national agenda by taking the following steps:

a). Improve safety measures around tourist sites.

b). Enhance tourism-related infrastructure.

c). Ease visa procedures for Chinese travelers.

d). Spend more on tourism promotion, which brings much easier and quicker economic returns than industrial investments.

Currently, only few African countries, such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Morocco have set up tourist promoting agencies in China.

If the Chinese overcome the stereotypical international fear of travel in Africa and realize what a great experience it could be, the number of their visits there would skyrocket.

2.African service and hospitality sector needs to:

a). Hire more Chinese-speakers. Many Chinese business travelers might know English, but their families members who come on a safari often might not.

b). Offer Chinese food at National Park lodges, porridge and noodles for breakfast, complimentary green tea, and hot water – all good gestures of Chinese hospitality.

Many National Park lodges in Kenya, for example do not offer any Chinese food. Some Chinese tourists, especially seniors, may enjoy their safaris, but can’t wait to return to Nairobi for Chinese food.

Even though Chinese travelers, like others, might sometimes be discouraged by problems including the Ebola epidemic in 2013-14 or an occasional terrorist assault, Chinese tourism in Africa will flourish.

Yang Jinsong, a professor of international tourism at the China Tourism Academy, considers this phenomenon astounding. “The number of Chinese tourists to Africa will rise, and rise greatly” said Yang.

South Africa is targeting Chinese and Indian tourists after relaxing its visa rules.

South Africa’s tourism industry is recovering from an ill-fated experiment with stricter visa regulations. The country welcomed nearly 3 million tourists in January this year, 15% up on a year ago, according to the tourism ministry this week.

In the last quarter of 2015, the number of tourists from China fell by nearly half, and visitors from India dropped by 15%, according to the South African Tourism Services Association.

Tourism has consistently made up 3% of South Africa’s economy in the last decade, and is a key source of jobs and foreign income, according to Statistics South Africa, a government agency.

Tourism minister Derek Hanekom attributed the revitalized growth to South Africa’s weakened currency, the elimination of the Ebola outbreak all the way over in West Africa, and scrapping controversial visa restrictions.

The laws were relaxed earlier this year but it could take up to five years for the industry to fully recover, Tourism Business Council of South Africa CEO Mmatati Ramawela said.

In October 2014, South Africa’s Home Affairs department introduced new laws that required all visitors to have their bio-metric data captured in person at an embassy or official visa center.

Children were required to travel with a certified unabridged birth certificate and the written consent of a parent where the child was traveling with one parent or a relative.

The new regulations were aimed at a broad number of issues to “balance South Africa’s openness to legitimate travelers,” home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba said at the time. His department’s main concerns were South Africa’s porous borders and national security.

But it was the legitimate travelers who may have been worst affected, especially from China and India. The tourism minister Hanekom has since traveled to China and India to reassure visitors that South Africa is once again a hassle-free dream destination.

The improved numbers still reflect a bias toward countries that have historically favored passports. Eight of the top ten visiting nationalities come from countries that don’t need visas, meaning remaining restrictions are still deterring a huge tourism market in the developing world.

South Africa is also missing out on tourists from its own continent. More than 98% of African tourists who visited South Africa, all came from countries within the Southern African Development Community.

Citizens of the 15-member trade and diplomatic community do not need visas to travel within the community, a model South Africa, and the rest of the continent, may want to consider expanding.

South Africa saw a huge increase of Chinese tourists in January and the country is expecting a Chinese tourist boom with a series of measures to facilitate their coming, according to South Africa's digital publishing house.

The report said data from Statistics South Africa show that 1,012,641 tourist arrivals to South Africa were recorded in January this year, up 15 percent from that of the same month last year.

It is the first time South Africa had more than one million tourist arrivals in a month, it said.

The report said 79 percent arrived from African countries and the others were from overseas. And of the overseas visitors, arrivals from China grew by 93 percent.

South Africa Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom indicated that despite China's economic slow-down, there is an expected boom of Chinese tourists in South Africa, the report said.

It said a series of measures have been taken to attract expected Chinese tourists.

With an Accredited Travel Company program in China, which was announced by the Department of Home Affairs of South Africa in January, Chinese travelers to South Africa don't need to make in-person applications at visa processing centers any more.

There's also no requirement for Chinese nationals to have transit visas to travel to South Africa's neighboring countries.

South Africa also opened new visa facilitation centers in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, and Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province. The country already had visa centers in Beijing and Shanghai. Five more centers are expected to be open at the end of April in another five provincial capitals.

We are confident that the number of tourists visiting South Africa from China will grow significantly this year. Our discussions with the Chinese travel trade have included measures on how to make the best of the expected boom, Hanekom said.

In 2015, China was the world's top outbound tourist market, with more than 100 million Chinese traveling abroad.

With the opening of direct flights, relaxation of visa regimes and other incentives, many African countries are expecting the arrival of more Chinese tourists.

In 2015, China Southern Airlines launched flights to Kenya's capital, Nairobi, from Guangzhou and Air China also launched direct flights from Beijing to Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.

HNA Group A Chinese Travel Corporation To Buy Cruise Line

According to a report by Cruise Industry News, Chinese travel conglomerate HNA Group is eyeing the acquisition of an unnamed “major” cruise line.

The rumors of HNA’s potential acquisition of a cruise line sent cruise line stocks soaring, including industry giants such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Corp.

The potential move follows a busy last week for HNA Group, when it acquired a 16.79 percent stake in travel retail giant Dufry, as well as acquired a substantial stake in Rio de Janeiro’s Galeo airport. HNA Group previously had an unsuccessful foray into the cruise industry with the HNA Cruises brand and its MS Henna, which was sold for scrap in 2016. HNA cruise operations were suspended in 2015.

Even though HNA’s unsuccessful attempt to penetrate China’s domestic cruise market may be cause for skepticism about the rumored acquisition of an international cruise line, it wouldn’t be the first time HNA makes a substantial investment in a tourism industry giant.

In October last year, HNA Group acquired a 25 percent stake in Hilton Worldwide for $6.5 billion, only a few months after acquiring Carlson Hotels—owner of Radisson hotels. The company holds substantial investments in airlines, airports, airport services providers, duty-free operators, and even owns the third-largest stake in Deutsche Bank.

After withdrawing from China’s cruise market in 2015, it is currently left without a stake in China’s growing cruise market.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), China’s cruise industry grew at an annual compounded rate of 66 percent between 2012 and 2015, making it the fastest growing cruise tourism market in the world.

Market leaders in the cruise industry have reacted accordingly, repurposing ships for the Chinese market, building new ships designed with the Chinese market in mind, as well as entering joint ventures with Chinese partners to boost growth and domestic ship construction in China.

The Chinese government is also one of the biggest cruise industry stakeholders with various state-owned enterprises owning stakes in domestic cruise brands and shipbuilding plants.

Among the major players in the market is a domestic cruise brand owned by Carnival Corp, state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), and China Investment Corporation.

For HNA Group, it wouldn’t be the first time it goes into a market where the Chinese state has significant interests. HNA Group’s Hainan Airlines is the largest privately-owned airline in China, trailing only state-owned Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, and has enjoyed substantial growth as a result of the booming popularity of international tourism in China.

With the growth of cruise tourism outpacing overall tourism growth in China, buying a significant stake in one the Chinese cruise market’s many suitors could present an exciting prospect for HNA Group in its search for future growth through acquisition.

With competition in the Chinese cruise market heating up, HNA Group and its strong foothold in China’s tourism industry could also present an ideal partner for cruise lines looking to China and Asia for future growth.

NEPAL: Poacers Kill Rare Rhino In Chitwan National Park, Airlines Ask For Reforms

A rare one-horned rhino has been killed by poachers in Nepal’s largest habitat of rhinos, Chitwan National Park, on Saturday.

Officials at the Chitwan National Park (CNP) confirmed that an adult male rhino was shot dead on Friday night and the horns were hacked off.

“We found a dead rhino killed by poachers in a community forest, near the central office of the park, this afternoon (Friday). We have launched investigations into the incident,” Nurendra Aryal, assistant conservation officer at CNP said.

As per the initial reports, the endangered species was shot by rifle while the horn has been cut off with an axe.

The poachers tried their luck during the night-storm and at a time when the security concern has been shifted towards relocation of five rhinos from CNP to far-western region based Shuklaphanta National Park. As part of government’s decision of transferring five rhinos, four have already been released to the new habitat within a week.

The incident comes at a time when Nepal was planning to mark the success of third consecutive “Zero Poaching Year,” thanks to effective conservation efforts and scientific security mechanism. The last rhino-poaching incident occurred in May 2014 in the same region.

Chitwan National Park, located some 150 km from the capital city, is renowned for protection of one-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal tiger and Gharial Crocodile. According to Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, out of total 645 rhinos in Nepal, over 600 are in Chitwan National Park.

Exquisitely hand-painted cakes and cookies were on display both for art and food connoisseurs to feast their eyes (as well as relish) at the Hotel Annapurna in Kathmandu on Tuesday. The delicacies that came in various shapes and sizes were hand-painted/inspired by the works of 12 famous local and international artists who are part of the forthcoming Kathmandu Triennale 2017: S.C. Suman, Laxman Bajra Lama, Prithivi Shrestha, Saurgauna Darshandhari and Sujan Dangol, Ang Tshering Sherpa, Birendra Pratap Singh, Carol Vanderlin, Bard Lowijks, Francis Alys, Heide Hinrichs, Song Dong and Brian Hodgson.

Shalini Rana coordinated the design of the cakes provided by the Cake Shop, Hotel Annapurna during the ‘Cakes, Art and High Tea’ event, a collaborative effort between Hotel Annapurna, My City Pulse and The Kathmandu Triennale 2017.

“Hotel Annapurna is delighted to have this opportunity to showcase local artists and be involved with community organizations that support Nepal. ‘Cakes, Art and High Tea’ is one such event to endorse Nepali Art,” said Suarpana Shahi, Assistant Manager of the Annapurna Hotel.

Speaking about the significance of such event, senior artist S.C.Suman said that he participated in the event to show that food can also be an art piece.

“All these hand-painted cakes look so beautiful that one would be in a dilemma whether to eat these nicely hand-painted cakes or keep it as a work of art. But they are made to be eaten and only prove the point that we first eat with our eyes, “ Suman said, adding smilingly that people don’t prefer to eat anything that doesn’t look nice to them.

Situ Ratna Sthapit, Executive Pastry chef at the Hotel Annapurna, said, that Hotel Annapurna and the artists came together to do this innovative thing of baking hand-painted cakes and cookies to send a message that food is both a science as well as an art.

The event was part of the Kathmandu Triennale 2017, a non-commercial, mega art event organized by Siddhartha Arts foundation to promote Nepali arts and culture. It gives a platform to showcase contemporary (and traditional) art by Nepali and international artists on particular edition themes and develops programming and outreach to explore the pedagogical potential of arts.

The trans-Himalayan district of Mustang was once known as the forbidden kingdom of Nepal.

But since opening to the outside world in 1992, the region bordering China has never failed to enchant its visitors with mysterious and picturesque landscapes.

Located just in the lap of Mount Nilgiri and other Himalayan ranges, Mustang is a unique travel destination due to its remoteness and exclusive high-altitude deserts.

Often listed among the top tourist destinations in the world, Mustang in 2016 alone attracted nearly 40,000 foreign tourists compared to less than 500 a quarter of a century ago.

Foreign tourists are usually found trekking in this Himalayan region that comprises the world’s popular Annapurna trekking circuit.

“The flow of tourists is increasing every year due to its beautiful landscapes, accessibility by road and hotels,” Bal Bahadur Gurung, an officer at the Annapurna Conservation Area Project Mustang, said.

“The fact that the culture and tradition have been preserved by the locals also adds to Mustang as a favorite destination for tourists,” the officer added.

Although Mustang has the second lowest population of all regions in Nepal, it boasts more than 200 registered hotels with 4,500 rooms, with more hotels currently under construction. Also catering to visitors are restaurants serving European coffee, modern bakeries, souvenir shops and pool houses.

Between five and seven morning flights connect to the district headquarters of Jomsom from Lake City Pokhara every day.

One of the major features of Mustang, which lies along the Kali Gandaki River, is its pristine geography and climate. The landscape there reflects a natural architecture and where the weather, usually dry and windy, can be also be unpredictable.

Beside its geography, spectacular lifestyle and unique culture are also attractive. The region hosts a number of prominent festivals like Tenji, Yartung and Lha Phewa in which former royal family members, monks and locals participate.

Though Lower Mustang is easily accessible for travel, foreign tourists need to receive a special permit from the government by paying 500 U.S. dollars to visit Upper Mustang, known as “Lo Manthang,” the unofficial capital city of Mustang.

Lo Manthang, also known as the walled city, is popular for monasteries, centuries-old caves and archaeological sites.

Muktinath temple is one of the major attractions of the Mustang district as it is a pilgrimage center for both Buddhists and Hindus.

Hindus believe that the temple is associated with Lord Vishnu while Buddhists consider the place to be linked with Buddhist master Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava.

Located at an altitude of 3,800 meters above the sea level, the temple attracts 200,000 pilgrims every year.

“The cycle of life, death and rebirth goes on until the soul is freed. So this is the place where any human can attain salvation and they will rest in peace after this life,” Krishna Prasad Subedi, who has been serving as the main priest of the temple for the past 20 years, told Xinhua.

The temple is located in the middle of an oasis filled with lush green forest and was established centuries back. The Buddhist-Hindu temple of Vishnu and Chenrezig was built in 1815, according to commonly believed accounts.

One of the most interesting things about Muktinath are the 108 water taps with chilled water in its courtyard. This is where devotees take a bath with a belief that it will wash away all the sins they have committed.

“Muktinath temple is a place for liberation. Our religious leader Shree Swami Narayan travelled to this place many years ago and practiced penance for a long time. So, I wanted to visit this place at least once with my family before I die,” Dr. Mahendra Parmar, an Indian pilgrim, told Xinhua.

After years of isolation, the development of Mustang is now rapid. The road improvement project has already started from the nearest city of Beni to Jomsom, while a two-lane road is being constructed from Jomsom to Koro La Pass.

According to authorities, these road projects will be completed within three years. With the ongoing construction of bridges, schools and health centers and the opening of modern hotels, the once hidden kingdom is witnessing signs of modern progress.

Government authorities believe that Mustang’s potential can be further developed economically through the advancement of tourism, thus enhancing local entrepreneurship and economic growth opportunities.

“There are many important plans for the development of Mustang. Currently, we are constructing five major bridges and a small-scale hydropower project as well as upgrading the roads. The tourism sector is growing very fast, which is the backbone of development in this region,” Bhim Prasad Pokharel, chief district officer of Mustang, told Xinhua,

With a population of just 15,000 people, most of the locals are either fully dependent on tourism or on apple farming. Both avenues can generate an attractive income for individuals and their communities.

Having been exposed to the outside world and modernization, a visible change can be seen in the lives of the locals in terms of awareness and lifestyle.

The locals of Mustang are hopeful that the completion of road construction projects and the opening of the Nepal-China border at Koro La in the near future will provide a new life to this once isolated Himalayan region.

ourism business has now gradually started recovering in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project region after suffering a blow due to the major earthquake on April 25, 2015, state-owned news agency RSS reports. Ghorepani, the major tourism destination in the ACAP region, has seen double the number of tourists visiting the area in a year’s period. This has provided some succour to the local tourism entrepreneurs who had suffered a dwindling business in the year immediately after the earthquake.

Citing the logbook maintained by the Tourist Police Office, Ghorepani, RSS reported that 19 thousand 348 tourists visited Ghorepani in 2072 BS and the number reached 45,685 in the succeeding year.

Ghorepani in Annapurna Rural Municipality of Myagdi district is situated at an altitude of 2,810 metres from the sea level. It offers the visitors a panoramic view of over a dozen mountain peaks as Dhawalagiri, Nilgiri and Annapurna. The tourists can enjoy the sunrise and sunset from the Punhill tower.

More, the place offers glimpses of the typical local Gurung and Magar culture in rural setting. It has also home-stay facilities, besides over a dozen hotels with all the basic amenities.

Ghorepani is the main destination for trekkers travelling on to Mustang from Nayapul in Kaski as well as for those using the route through Thorang-La pass in Mustang in their journey from Manang to Pokhara in Kaski. It lies on the way to some of the famous tourism destinations like Khopralek, Ghandruk and the Annapurna Base Camp.

Eight thousand 335 tourists visited Ghorepani in the last one month period alone, the Tourist Police Office, Ghorepani stated.

Nepalese tourism stakeholders on Wednesday stressed on making air travel between Nepal and China cheaper to promote bilateral tourism, arguing that air transport between the two neighbors is one of the most expensive in the world.

They said at an interaction on the theme of Silk Road Tourism between Nepal and China, organized by China National Tourist Office and Nepal China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCCI) that potential growth of Chinese tourists to Nepal has been hindered by higher air fare and relatively low air connectivity.

China is the Nepal’s second largest source market for tourists after India since 2010. Nepal welcomed 104,005 Chinese tourists in 2016 as arrivals surged by 55.26 percent on year-on-year basis after disastrous 2015 due to deadly earthquake and subsequent blockade in southern border points of Nepal, according to the data of Department of Immigration of Nepal.

NCCCI President Rajesh Kaji Shrestha said that air ticket for Kathmandu-Guangzhou is more expensive than travelling through the Kathmandu-Bangkok-Guangzhou. “Travelling Kathmandu to Kunming is costlier than India’s Kolkata’s to Kunming. Price must be competitive to attract more Chinese tourists to Nepal,” he said.

Currently, four Chinese airlines — China Southern, China Eastern, Sichuan Airline and Air China are serving Kathmandu to Guangzhou, Kunming, Chengdu and Lhasa respectively.

Shrestha said that there should be direct air connectivity between Kathmandu and Beijing, Shanghai to attract more Chinese tourists. Nepal’s national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation is also serving Kathmandu-Hong Kong route currently and also has plan to reach Chinese mainland.

Sunil Sharma, officiating director of Nepal Tourism Board, the main tourism promotion body of Nepal, said that the board has been consistently promoting Nepal’s tourism in China but travel cost has been hindering the potential of Chinese tourist arrivals to Nepal.

Nepalese stakeholders also asked China to ease travel for tourist through land route too, particularly through bordering Geelong port which is currently only international trade route between the two countries.

Chinese ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong said that China was promoting Nepal’s tourism under the Year of Tourism for Nepal 2017 in line with the joint statement signed in 2016.

CHINA: Chinese Tourists Biggest Spendors

China is the world's fastest growing tourist source market, thanks to higher disposable incomes in the world's number two economy and looser foreign travel restrictions. Chinese tourists made 83 million foreign trips in 2012, compared to 10 million in 2000.

Chinese tourists spent US$ 262 billon on foreign trips in 2016, a 12 per cent increase over the figure in 2015.

Chinese tourists continued to spend more than any other country's outbound travellers last year, while more than doubling the spending by their US counterparts, according to data released this week by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Chinese tourists spent US$ 262 billon on foreign trips in 2016, a 12 per cent increase over the figure in 2015, while the number of outbound tourists rose 6 per cent to 135 million in 2016.

Meanwhile, outbound travellers from the US, the second largest outbound market for tourism spending last year, spent US$122 billon abroad. Travellers from Germany, the United Kingdom and France trailed behind and made up the top five spenders.

The UNWTO said that China has been the largest outbound travel market since 2012 and that 2016 marked the 13th consecutive year that China saw double-digit growth on outbound tourism expenditure.

The growth of China's outbound tourism benefited not only many short-haul destinations in Asia and the Pacific, most notably Japan, South Korea and Thailand, but also long-haul destinations including the US and Europe.

Chinese tourists are spending 6 times more than Japanese tourists while traveling abroad.

Chinese and Japanese people have a serious rivalry when it comes to the manufacturing of innovative and novel products. These two nations are considered as the most hardworking and sophisticated nations.

People of both nations travel all over the world to explore new places and learn new things. It is the secret behind the success of these nations.

Now, the question is tourists of which country spend more money in foreign countries. Generally, tourists of both countries are very versatile as some of them spend generously while others don’t spend too much in foreign countries. Here you are going to find tourists of which nation are more bighearted and why.

Chinese vacationers spend through six times more than their Japanese brothers when they pay a visit to the South Korean capital, a review done by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. As indicated by the Seoul Institute under the city organization, Chinese tourists visit Seoul 1.9 times normally yet spend somewhere in the range of 2.13 million won (US$1,800) when they are on vacations.

In the examination, Japanese tourist goes to Seoul 4.9 times normally, however, spend only 330,000 won. The survey was directed in December a year ago on 1,045 outside tourists who were leaving through Incheon and Gimpo air terminals after their journey here.

More tourists from Southeast Asian nations said they come to Seoul 1.9 times normally, spending around 790,000 won on every visit, the most recent survey said.

The discoveries then demonstrated that travelers from North America, Oceania, and Oceania spend about 660,000 won each, with every individual visiting by a normal of 3.1 times.

The report said each foreign visitor going by Seoul spend through 1.84 million won normally, generally during his or her visit. Of the aggregate, shopping represented the most with 1.06 million won or 57.6 percent of the aggregate.

It is also a fact that youngsters spend more money as compared to old people because they have energy and desire to live every second of life. The only issue is that most young travelers don’t possess enough money to spend generously. Due to this reason, middle age travelers spent maximum amount during traveling because they have enough energy and money for it.

As per age, visitors who are in their 30s spend the most on shopping with costs hitting 1.22 million won, trailed by individuals in their 20s with 1.18 million won. Tourists in the 40-something age category spend through 920,000 won and those in their 50s and more senior spend 650,000 won.

Female tourist spends more on shopping than means with every spending through 1.14 million won, which is more than the 970,000 won that men spend on the journey.

The survey, in the meantime, demonstrated that the more times travelers come to Seoul; the more outlandish they are to spend cash here.

Among first-time guests, total expenses achieved an average of 1.10 million won. This means to around 800,000 for individuals who were here 4-6 times and fell further to 780,000 won for individuals who were in the city more than seven times, as per the survey.

What is astonishing is the matter that how price-insensitive a considerable measure of these Chinese travelers is. Hardly recognizing what the cost of something is, they will simply top off carts with things that could possibly be great esteem for cash.

Korea spends a ton of its struggle advantageously devastating everything that western travelers would likely be curious about finding in return for the modern – including new makeup shops and shopping centers for Chinese individuals. It isn’t so much that individuals from western nations don’t have cash to spend, it’s that they don’t come to Korea to spend it.

Why should they? There are numerous closer and more appealing places if one’s expectation is just to shop. As another poster said, even “duty-free” is essentially insignificant to Americans.

Most likely a lot of Chinese vacationers doesn’t come here looking to simply be carried from duty-free shop to obligation free shop with the express reason for spending. That is exactly what they’re made to do. Cash doesn’t rise on trees; it obviously originates from Chinese pockets.

Japanese people also travel a lot but they are less generous than Chinese tourists. The social and economic relations also play an important role in this difference. China has a better economy than Japan.

Moreover, the economy of scale is also in the favor of china. In short, business should focus on Chinese travelers because it is evident from statistics that which market segment is more profitable.

The number of foreign visitors from China increased significantly in 2015, but the Tourism Board of Costa Rica (Spanish initials: ICT would like to see even greater growth.

According to a news report filed by Diego Perez Damasco of national newspaper La Prensa Libre, the year-over-year increase of Chinese tourists in Costa Rica was nearly 30 percent last year. Still, the overall number of tourists from China is still not significant in comparison to other markets, particularly when compared to the United States.

Less than 9,060 Chinese tourists visited Costa Rica last year, compared to more than one million from the United States, a North American nation that sent 81,112 additional tourists in 2015. Nonetheless, Minister of Tourism Mauricio Ventura explained that attracting more Chinese tourists is an economic priority.

Chinese tourists who visit Costa Rica tend to be more affluent and not as frugal as their North American counterparts, according to research published by the National Chamber of Tourism,CANATUR. ICT officials would like to attract the type of Chinese tourists who land on private jet charters and who arrange chauffeured private transportation during their entire stay at luxury resorts.

The effort to attract more Chinese tourism to Costa Rica dates back to the administration of former President Laura Chinchilla, who visited Shanghai in August of 2012. President Luis Guillermo Solis visited the People’s Republic of China in late 2014.

Plans to open Costa Rica consulates in Hong Kong and Shanghai date back to 2013, and tourism has been a major reason for establishing these diplomatic ties, particularly at a time when Cuba is becoming very attractive to Chinese tourists who would like to experience the Caribbean for the first time.

As recently reported by The Costa Rica Star, Air China began offering direct flights to Cuba in late December.

Chinese tourists spend up big in Australia $7.7bn in the past year.

Tourism Research Australia says Chinese visitors spent more than the combined figure of $7.5bn by Britons, Americans and Canadians

Spending by Chinese tourists rose 43% in the 12 months to September, compared with the previous year, says Tourism Research Australia.

Chinese tourist spending in Australia soared to $7.7bn over the past year, rising at more than three times the rate of increase in overall visitor spending.

Spending by visitors from China rose 43% in the 12 months to September compared with the previous year. A fall in the value of the Australian dollar helped make the country more affordable to overseas visitors.

Chinese visitor expenditure has exceeded the tourist industry’s annual target of $7.4bn – set in 2010 – five years ahead of schedule. It is more than the combined $7.5bn spent by Britons, Americans and Canadians.

Total inbound visitor spending grew 13% to a record $34.8bn, said Tourism Research Australia.

The tourist industry has received a welcome boost from the decline in the Australian dollar. Even after its recent mini recovery, the currency is down almost 15% against the US dollar compared with this time last year.

Tourism Research Australia’s managing director, John O’Sullivan, said the priority was to get visitors out of the capital cities and spending their dollars across the country.

“The tyranny of time, distance and cost mean that Australia will never be a high- volume destination,” O’Sullivan said.

“Our Tourism 2020 strategy is unashamedly focused upon yield: encouraging international visitors to stay longer, disperse further and ultimately do more and spend more while in our country.”

Food and wine spending by visitors is approaching $700m, far exceeding the $500m target the industry set when it launched a Restaurant Australia advertising campaign in December 2013.

Chinese overtake Germans as biggest spending tourists.

Chinese tourists have overtaken Germans as the world's biggest-spending travelers after a decade of robust growth in the number of Chinese holidaying abroad, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said on Thursday.

Chinese tourists, known for travelling in organized tours and snapping up luxury fashion abroad, spent $102 billion on foreign trips last year, outstripping deep-pocketed travelers from Germany and the United States.

Chinese tourists spent 41 percent more on foreign travel in 2012 than the year before, beating the close to $84 billion both German and U.S. travelers parted with last year.

Tourists from other fast-growing economies with swelling middle classes, like Russia and Brazil, also increased spending in 2012. In recession-hit Europe, however, French and Italian tourists reined in their holiday budgets.

"The impressive growth of tourism expenditure from China and Russia reflects the entry into the tourism market of a growing middle class from these countries," said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.

The German Travel Association (DRV) said it was to be expected that the Chinese would eventually overtake Germans in terms of spending, given that the country had more inhabitants than North America, Russia and Europe put together.

"But that they have overtaken us already is astonishing," DRV president Juergen Buechy said.

The Chinese make more long-haul trips than Germans, who typically go to Mediterranean destinations, meaning that the average spend per holiday was greater, he added.

Hoteliers, tour companies, restaurants and even taxi drivers will need to brush up on their knowledge of Chinese cuisine, culture and language if they are to tempt them away from favorite destinations like Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Maldives, European tourism officials have said.

Other countries in the top 10 including Japan and Australia posted growth in travel spending, though only Russia came close to China's huge growth, with a 32 percent increase in holiday budgets.

Russians are now the fifth highest-spending tourists, parting with $43 billion last year, according to the Madrid-based UNWTO, and catching up on the British, who spent $52 billion in 2012.

Italian spending dipped by 1 percent to $26 billion in 2012 and French tourists parted with $38 billion, a 6 percent drop year-on-year. The two euro zone peers were the only countries in the top 10 outbound markets to post declines.