INDONESIA:Vietnam International Travel Fair, Indonesia Exhibit Wins Best Booth Awards

Indonesias exhibit in Vietnams International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC) earned awards for ITE Best Booth Design and ITE Exhibitor Recognition categories, continuing victories of the nations exhibits in previous worlds international ITE events, an Indonesian official said here on Monday.

Indonesia showcased a pavilion themed Phinisi traditional vessel in the Vietnam international travel expo, opted as the best booth in the event.

We are very grateful for that, the country should be proud of that, Deputy Assistant for Southeast Asia Market Development Rizki Handayani said, referring to the event held recently from Sept. 7 to 9.

She added that the three-day event was catered by around 26,000 visitors with 250 exhibitors from several countries and regions taking part in the event.

Hailing the latest of Indonesian exhibits achievement, Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said that it shows the nations tourism level in international business.

We have received similar achievements in most of prominent travel fair events held across the world.

It shows that our nation has the capacity and ability to compete in tourism sector.

Victories are planned, they dont come for granted, the minister said on Monday.

Indonesian exhibit themed Phinisi vessel has prevailed in the previous worlds travel fairs, among others, Internationale Tourismus Borse (ITB) Berlin, World Travel Market (WTM) London, CITM China, ATM Dubai, ITB Asia Singapore, ATF Travex, NATAS & ADEX Singapore and JATA Japan, he added.

The option to showcase the traditional South Sulawesi provinces vessel of Phinisi was aimed at showing the world the highly potential marine tourism in Indonesia, completing the existing abundance of traditional and diverse cultural attraction ones, he added.

He said that seven of the new ten destinations across the country developed by the government at present were themed marine attractions.



Tourism Observer

GHANA: Construction Terminal 3 At Kotoka International Airport Underway

Construction work on the new terminal three at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Ghana set to begin by April this year. The project is scheduled for completion by December 2016.

The new terminal will be situated at the round airside stretching to the Old Fire Service area, to the Hanger area of KIA according to sources, and will have a capacity of 5million passengers a year. The airport terminal construction plan comes after the country registered gradually growth in demand for the international flights, thus putting pressure on airport facilities.

However, one of the construction firm has already been awarded the project tender; it has also been confirmed that the handover of the project is expected is expected to be finalized by end of March.

The planned airport terminal construction project aims at positioning Kokota International Airport as the hub for aviation business in the sub-region, and it will be operating along with three terminals, of which one will handle domestic activities while the remaining two handles international travels.

Furthermore, facilities at the current arrival and departure halls at Terminal 2 are set to undergo upgrading and activities will temporarily be moved to the new terminal while managers begin the upgrade.

ST VINCENT & GRENADINES: St Vincent Getting $5 Million Loan From Taiwan to Complete International Airport

St Vincent and the Grenadines is getting some additional help to fund the construction of its long-awaited international airport.

The country is securing a loan of $5 million from the government of Taiwan to “assist in the financing of the construction of the Argyle International Airport,” according to a statement.

The project, when completed, will allow larger passenger jets to fly into the country for the first time.

St Vincent’s existing airport, ET Joshua, can only receive regional flights from neighbouring islands.

In a presentation on the loan, St Vincent and the Grenadines Foreign Minister Camillo Gonsalves said the international airport was a “basic requirement for the development of a modern society.”