One of the best views of the Salvadorian coast can be seen from the Conchagua Volcano. From there you can also see the islands in the Gulf of Fonseca (Meanguera, Meanguerita, Amapala, among others) as well as the city of La Union.
The Conchagua Volcano is located in the department of La Unión, in the municipality of Conchagua at approximately 190 km from the capital city of San Salvador, at 1,242 m ASL.
Its name means "narrow valley" in Lenca, even though some authors relate the origin of its name to the story of a fearless woman named Comizahual, which means "flying tiger". In fact, one of the pathways on the way to the top of the volcano is called "The flying tiger".
In order to get to the top of the volcano we recommend you ride a four wheel drive vehicle, since most of it is dirt road. You can access this road from the city of La Unión, or Conchagua. Drive to the town known as "El Faro" where a gate protects the entrance towards the top of the volcano. A person in charge of CODECA (Asociación Coordinadora de Comunidades para el Desarrollo de Cacahuatique) will open the gate for you.
We suggest you tip him for his help. In order to prevent any delays you should try to contact with the association before taking this trip. CODECA keeps park rangers who help the preservation of the area, and also provides of a safe area for camping. There are two sightspots in this area.
Conchagua, according to the Salvadorian geologist Walter Hernández, is a volcano complex, which divides itself into two volcanic cones: Ocotal to the West and Banderas to the East. Ocotal is the oldest one and it's been modified by several plates; therefore does not have the perfect cone shape. Banderas on the other hand is much younger and therefore well shaped. Both volcanoes have craters but Banderas' is more evident.
Local population refers to the volcanoes as "Cerro" (hill) since they elevate on a flatter surface. Much older volcanoes are sometimes not always recognized as volcanoes, due to their shape. For example, volcano Guazapa (older than Conchagua) can not be easily recognized as a volcano unless the person is related to vulcanology or geology.
The volcanic complex of Conchagua shares some similarities with the volcanic complex in San Vicente, but the latter one has had more recent volcanic activity, therefore has better shaped cones.
If the vehicle you are ridding is not a 4x4, we suggest you spend the night at the property of CODECA, which has running water, since the road to the top is too rocky and steep. Next day, wake up early and take a walk for about 1Hour 30mins to the main sightspot and in 45 more minutes to the second one, through the pathway called "el tigre que vuela".
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Thursday, 2 February 2017
CAMBODIA: Angkor Wat Changes Prices With Effect From 1st Feb 2017
Millions of visitors are expected to be impacted as the sprawling complex is the top attraction in the country. Almost half of all visitors to Cambodia make their way here to explore the temples built between 900 and 1200 AD by the ancient ‘god-kings’ of the Khmer Empire. Each entry fee covers all 72 of the temples found on site.
A one-day pass has increased from US $25 to $37, the three-day ticket goes up from $40 to $62 while a seven-day pass is now $72, formerly $60.
The decision to increase the ticket prices was introduced by the government and was met with complaints by tour companies, who claimed the change was too drastic and might deter potential visitors.
However, Carrol Sahaidak-Beaver of the Cambodia Tourism Federation defended the decision. “The prices have been unchanged for 25 years and were overdue for an increase. We are not anticipating any negative impact on tourism numbers. The new price is competitive to what is offered by our neighbours and internationally.”
The Angkor Wat price increase is the first for the Unesco Heritage Site in 25 years. It was announced last August and $2 from every entrance ticket sold will go to the Kantha Bopha Children Hospitals Foundation, which offers free medical treatment to children in five hospitals around Cambodia.
The price change to the famous temples follow smaller price increases to other tourist hotspots in January, like Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism released its annual report last week, which revealed that international tourist numbers passed the five million mark in 2016. Despite this, revenue from tourism had dropped from the 2015 figures, a problem the government hopes to tackle by eliminating non-licensed tourist businesses by 2018.
COLOMBIA: Cartagena Restaurante Inferno A Prisoners Restaurant Attracting Tourists
Restaurante Interno opened in December and has already attracted a strong turnout in the tourist town. Visitors eat in a renovated hall which still has bars over the door but now is brightly decorated with pink paint, floral murals and comfortable cushions.
The popularity is unsurprising when you consider where the prisoners learned their skills; a series of workshops run by celebrity chefs where they learned how to make everything from bread to pastries.
Many of the recipes used in the kitchen have been donated by the chefs with an expertise in Colombian food, including a sea bass cocktail for starters and Cartagena-style sliced beef for a main course.
The prison restaurant offers a set meal for $80 per person which includes three courses and one glass of juice or wine. The project was inspired by Milan’s InGalera restaurant which opened in November 2015 inside Bollate prison to rave reviews and full reservations.
Interno bills itself as a space of reconciliation between the prison population and the civilian population, generating opportunities and tools for a new vision of life for people deprived of freedom and offers them a second chance at life.
The women in the prison can work on anything from cooking, customer service, gardening, finance or generating new business. As well as helping their social reintegration, the project aims to strengthen their real-world skills in preparation for life after prison and to discourage re-offending.
The new prison restaurant is just one of the social enterprises on offer from the Fundación Interno Foundation who work with current and former prisoners. Colombia’s prisons have long faced criticism for their overcrowding and San Diego prison is no different.
Once prisoners are released, society can often be fearful of them and both the inmates and the customers have expressed hope that Restaurante Interno can help improve society and themselves in a small way.
INDIA: Former Air India Plane Turned Into Restaurant In Ludhiana, Punjab
It took more than a year to transform the plane into a restaurant and the name means ‘airport’ in Hindi. Hands Hospitality were behind the project and they wanted to retain most of the original elements of the aircraft. As a result, they had to hire experienced engineers and airline support staff to work on the renovation. Posts on its Instagram page reveal a prettily-illuminated exterior and a plush and glamorous interior.
The opening of the airplane restaurant was delayed over fire safety issues, and it was also claimed that that its wings were touching the edges of the Ludhiana- Ferozepur national highway, which was viewed as a potential traffic hazard.
These issues have now been resolved and the restaurant opened recently for business, where it thankfully doesn’t serve typical airline food. It also has a cafe, a bakery and a hall that can hold up to 40 people, and it holds the distinction of being India’s first airplane restaurant.
TAIWAN: Wonder Chickens Tours At Hsinchu Zoo
The ‘wonder chickens tour’ will give visitors a detailed introduction to the dozens of species of ground-feeding birds that live at the zoo. Special attention will be paid to the Chrysolophus pictus, or golden pheasant, which zoo director Yang Chia-min has dubbed the zoo’s Lunar New Year icon due to its bright red and yellow plumage – both colours are considered auspicious in Taiwanese culture.
The zoo feels tours are especially well set up for families, with “information boards for all the ‘wonder chickens’ to improve children’s understanding of these creatures.”
Hsinchu Zoo is located in the city of Hsinchu, around 90 km southwest of Taipei along Taiwan’s northwest coast. Opened in 1936, the zoo is among Taiwan’s oldest and is home to several native Taiwanese species, including the Formosan Sika deer and barking deer.
SOUTH AFRICA: Sun City Teams With Pilanesberg National Park In Rhino Notching Programme
Conservation takes on many guises, and in South Africa where rhino poaching has reached epidemic proportions, officials in one park have started an innovative rhino identification programme to protect the animals. This will entail veterinarians and park management individually tracking and tranquilising every rhino in Pilanesberg National Park, after which unique notches will be made in each animal’s ears, along with ID chips being placed in their horns and DNA samples being taken.
To help cover the high costs of the programme, Sun International’s flagship resort at Sun City has teamed up with Pilanesberg Wildlife Trust to offer guests the chance to take part. Visitors will help the team during the operation, and may be able to get close enough to listen the sedated animal’s heartbeat through the skin on its chest.
Perry Dell, Pilanesberg Wildlife Trust’s marketing and PR manager, said that identity notching is a core part of gathering of vital information for a new biological database. He added that while humans are the biggest threat to the species, they are also the rhino’s only hope for survival. Prior to the experience, visitors will be briefed by the park’s chief ecologist about rhinos, poaching and the ‘do’s and don’ts’ while at the notching.
The veterinarian will provide guests with information on each procedure that will be performed. Next the vet will take to the air with a pilot to locate and dart a suitable rhino, after which point guests will be moved into the area. Once it has been established that the sedation was successful and that the situation is safe, visitors will approach the animal as part of the notching team. They will then help as directed by staff.
Once all ecological and veterinary work is completed, individual and group photos can be taken if there is no risk to the rhino’s welfare. It is after this point that the vet will reverse the anaesthesia, leading to the rhino retaking to its feet within three minutes. Visitors, standing at a safe distance, can watch this last procedure and then see the rhino move back into the African bush.
The entire experience should take between 90 minutes and three hours. Group sizes are limited to 15 people per rhino. Fundamentally, the safety, welfare and dignity of the rhinos are paramount throughout, so a notching will be halted immediately if the attending veterinarian identifies any risk to the animal.
VIETNAM: Train Dangerously Passes Through Heavily Residential Area
It still boggles my mind that a massive speeding train passes through this insanely narrow street at 3.30pm and 7.30pm every day. And yet the residents don't have a care in the world. Such a unique place!
The twice-daily train, linking Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh in the far South, passes through a residential area in Hanoi’s old quarter, causing residents to carry all their worldly possessions inside every afternoon and evening.
Walking down the street where the train literally runs through it. A metre each side of the track separates the train from people's houses.
The train runs so close to the houses that residents must actually stay indoors at 3.30pm and 7pm every day to stay out of the way of the train. The street is so unusual that tourists visiting the city have started to flock there to take photos and videos of the passing train as well as the street itself.
Visitors to Vietnam have been posting photos of the famous train street to social media, with photos highlighting just how narrow the street really is. The train is shown to pass by just mere inches from some the buildings on either side of the tracks.
Train travel has seen a new lease of life recently, with a new bullet train linking Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Bangladesh launching their first luxury train and a new bullet train cutting travel time in India.
Hotels Be Aware, After Romantik Seehotel Jaegerwirt Hotel Is Hacked
Hotels may start considering a switch from electronic room passes back to the traditional lock and key, after an Austrian hotel’s electronic key card system was hacked until a ransom was paid.
The Romantik Seehotel Jaegerwirt was recently hit by hackers who stalled some of the hotel’s electronic devices and demanded they pay about €1500 in bitcoin.
The hack had left the hotel unable to issue new key cards, but as the hotel was completely booked, they ended up paying the ransom in order to get guests into their rooms. The issue didn’t affect guests who already checked in.
The issue arose after the hotel was hit by ransomware, which infects computers, encrypts their data and refuses to open it back up unless the money is handed over.
In this case, it locked not only the hotel’s ability to issue new keys, but its reservation system and other technology. The issue was made public by the hotel in a press release in an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of such ransomware attacks.
Since the perpetrators have not been found, the hotel is making the switch back to old-school locks and keys. But the guests might actually enjoy the low-tech vibe at the four-star hotel, as the hotel is located in the village of Turracher Höhe in the Alps, a popular destination for skiers and nature lovers.
And while the Austria hotel decided to go public with their issues, it remains to be seen whether other hotels may consider a switch back to the old style of keys and locks.
The Romantik Seehotel Jaegerwirt was recently hit by hackers who stalled some of the hotel’s electronic devices and demanded they pay about €1500 in bitcoin.
The hack had left the hotel unable to issue new key cards, but as the hotel was completely booked, they ended up paying the ransom in order to get guests into their rooms. The issue didn’t affect guests who already checked in.
The issue arose after the hotel was hit by ransomware, which infects computers, encrypts their data and refuses to open it back up unless the money is handed over.
In this case, it locked not only the hotel’s ability to issue new keys, but its reservation system and other technology. The issue was made public by the hotel in a press release in an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of such ransomware attacks.
Since the perpetrators have not been found, the hotel is making the switch back to old-school locks and keys. But the guests might actually enjoy the low-tech vibe at the four-star hotel, as the hotel is located in the village of Turracher Höhe in the Alps, a popular destination for skiers and nature lovers.
And while the Austria hotel decided to go public with their issues, it remains to be seen whether other hotels may consider a switch back to the old style of keys and locks.
EL SALVADOR: Coffee Tourism In El Salvador
Supported by the El Salvador tourism board, the coffee route, or “Ruta del café” is currently working closely with a range of farms, estates and manufacturers linked closely with coffee production to further develop coffee tourism within the area throughout the next few years.
Depending on the season, visitors to El Salvador can learn about a range of aspects involved in the process, including teaching guests about cultivation, harvesting, pulping, washing, drying, roasting and of course tasting.
Introduced to the country by former president Gerardo Barrios, the development and commercialisation of Arabica coffee, known then as the “Golden Grain”, has led to El Salvador becoming one of the leading coffee exporters and producers in Central America. Harvesting begins in October in the low areas and extends to March in the higher altitudes, with collecting happening from November until the beginning of January.
Businesses such as the El Carmen estate are taking part in the route, offering traditional tours of the coffee mill as well as tastings of gourmet coffee. A range of accommodation is available throughout the coffee route, enabling visitors to take in the scenic surroundings.
SPAIN: Barcelona Introduces New Rules To Discourage Over Crowding In The City
The plan will limit the number of beds available to tourists. Zones will be established to ensure an even spread of tourist accommodation throughout the city and there will be no more accommodation allowed to open in historic central districts like the Old Town. It will also temporarily forbid building any new hotels or issuing new licences for tourist apartments.
The Barcelona tourist rules are coming as a relief to many of the 1.6 million residents who saw an estimated 32 million visitors pass through the Catalan capital last year. Most recent estimates put tourism at contributing 12-14% of the city’s economy, with approximately 20% of visitors coming from other parts of Spain. Some in the tourist industry have expressed fears that the move will weaken the local economy.
In fact, the new law has proved controversial to people on both sides of the debate. In an open letter, the Barcelona Hotel Association argued the city should deal with illegal tourist apartments – estimated at 50,000 – or the high number of day-trippers to the city who contribute little to the economy. Meanwhile, resident and community associations worry the plan doesn’t go far enough.
The rules are not expected to come into effect until 2019 so travellers are unlikely to be affected just yet. In the future, however, it may encourage visitors to explore areas outside the densely populated areas of La Rambla and El Poblenou. Combined with the council’s recent measures to increase the number of cycle lanes and turn many streets into pedestrianised green areas, this could be the start of a more eco-friendly and balanced Barcelona.
VIETNAM: Enjoy Coffee In Hanoi
The egg coffee – or ca phe trung – concoction may sound difficult to stomach for many westerners. It’s a mix of egg yolk, cheese, butter, powdered coffee and condensed milk, plus some additional secret ingredients. Giang Cafe, however, has built an international reputation for the drink with its secret formula to get the taste just right. It’s been compared by many to liquid tiramisu, with not even a hint of egg flavour to throw you off.
Whatever the exact measurements, the formula works. Rave reviews and word of mouth have brought many tourists here out of curiosity and the vast majority have been converted to the protein-heavy caffeinated drink. If coffee is not for you, the cafe also serves egg hot chocolate and egg matcha, so there’s plenty of choice on the menu for different palettes.
Today, Giang Cafe is run by Nguyen Tri Hoa who has been making the drink all his life after his father invented it in 1946. For 25,000 dong (US $1.10), visitors are promptly served up with the unusual mixture, the cup sitting in a hot bowl to keep the drink warm, and many now call themselves converts.
Egg coffee is nothing new in Vietnam. It began during the French Vietnam war in the 1940s when milk was scarce in the country. Coffee is an essential part of Vietnamese socialising and a lack of condensed milk was not going to stop locals from enjoying it, so many cafes and bars were forced to improvise.
Vietnam is considered one of the best destinations for caffeine-lovers in the world and is the second-largest producer of coffee in the world. It also produces one of the most expensive brews; so-called ‘weasel coffee’ which is produced by civets eating ripened coffee cherries and passing them later. The beans are then picked out of the dung, thoroughly washed and roasted to produce a rich and smooth drink.
SLOVENIA: The Great Museum Of Illusions,
According to its website, visitors will have to have their cameras ready for exhibits that make people look like their head is on a platter, a rotated room where they can walk on the ceiling, an “anti-gravity” room where balls rolls upwards and water flows uphill, and an Ames room that will make visitors shrink and grow like Alice in Wonderland.
There is also the Vortex Tunnel that “will drive you crazy and make you believe you’re heavily struggling just to make a step forward through a rotating cylinder – on a surface so stable and flat”.
But the tricks are intended to do more than just disorient, they are designed to teach visitors about vision, perceptions, the human brain and science. The museum is open every day from 9 am to 10 pm and it located at Congress Square, one of the city’s central squares.
While the museum is new in Ljubljana, it’s not the first of its kind in Europe.
Zadar, Croatia also has a Museum of Illusions, as does Barcelona, Moscow and St Petersburg.
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
EGYPT: EgyptAir Implementing Trump Travel Ban, Someone Tell Trump It Is Bad For America Tourism And Travel
According to Hossam Hussein, an EgyptAir official who is responsible for the carrier’s daily flight to New York, authorities there had notified them hours earlier of the new restrictions.
The directive calls for airlines to prevent U.S. immigration visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries from boarding flights to the United States.
The countries affected are Sudan, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Somalia and Libya.
Officials at EgyptAir however said holders of diplomatic passports or government officials from the affected countries would be allowed to board.
The move by the US President has sparked confusion and anger after immigrants and refugees were kept off flights and left stranded in airports.
TUNISIA: Tourists Sneak Back To Tunisia
Tourists are slowly returning to Tunisia ending a period of decline that followed the 2015 attacks, said the director of the Tunisian tourism office Abdellatif Hmam.
The Director said owners of the Sousse hotel which was attacked in 2015 are in the process of renovation and must complete within 15 days.
“2016 has been a calm year, without any terrorist incident, without any particular security problem. Therefore it was a year for Tunisia, overall, it was a year for the country to control its security,” he said.
He noted that the country has taken a step of 5.7 million tourists adding that in the figure, Russian market who behaved in an extraordinary way.
“The French market is in any way imperative for us. Because even as professionals, when there are no French there, we feel uncomfortable. Even if there may be all other nationalities,” Hmam explained.
He said the objective of the government in 2017 is to have 500,000 visitors adding that they are optimistic and ready to resume the tourism business.
“We have always maintained our position that we must be present (on the British market) because when we are absent, the whole destination could be completely wiped off the map. Therefore we continue to invest here and must be patient,” he added.
Unemployment is almost 30 percent in the north African country as the country suffers from the impact of the deadly militant attacks on tourists.
A least 70 hotels have been closed since September 2015 in Tunisia after the two deadly attacks on foreign tourists.
According to a recent report, only 400,000 tourists visited the country last year while a total of 1.5 million visited before the revolution of 2011 and the Jihadist attack of 2015 where 59 tourists were killed at the Bardo museum.
The Director said owners of the Sousse hotel which was attacked in 2015 are in the process of renovation and must complete within 15 days.
“2016 has been a calm year, without any terrorist incident, without any particular security problem. Therefore it was a year for Tunisia, overall, it was a year for the country to control its security,” he said.
He noted that the country has taken a step of 5.7 million tourists adding that in the figure, Russian market who behaved in an extraordinary way.
“The French market is in any way imperative for us. Because even as professionals, when there are no French there, we feel uncomfortable. Even if there may be all other nationalities,” Hmam explained.
He said the objective of the government in 2017 is to have 500,000 visitors adding that they are optimistic and ready to resume the tourism business.
“We have always maintained our position that we must be present (on the British market) because when we are absent, the whole destination could be completely wiped off the map. Therefore we continue to invest here and must be patient,” he added.
Unemployment is almost 30 percent in the north African country as the country suffers from the impact of the deadly militant attacks on tourists.
A least 70 hotels have been closed since September 2015 in Tunisia after the two deadly attacks on foreign tourists.
According to a recent report, only 400,000 tourists visited the country last year while a total of 1.5 million visited before the revolution of 2011 and the Jihadist attack of 2015 where 59 tourists were killed at the Bardo museum.
GAMBIA: Arms Seized From Yahya Jammehs Home
The commander of the joint mission, General François Ndiaye announced the seizure on Monday without specifying the quantity of weapons nor the day they were seized.
“All weapons and ammunition are now in the custody of ECOWAS, so nothing will happen there (Kanilai). The situation is under control … the Gambian armed forces have been very cooperative,” he said.
General Ndiaye also confirmed the arrest of the head of an elite unit of the Gambian army, General Bora Colley in Senegal without giving details.
He also mentioned the arrest of four members of Jammeh’s bodyguards who had accompanied him into exile but tried to return to The Gambia.
They were arrested in the Senegalese city of Karang, bordering the Gambia, and were detained on Monday in Dakar. He declined to give further details on the operations.
The ECOWAS forces were deployed to enforce a peaceful transfer of power and to protect the rights and freedom of civilians if defiant Yahya Jammeh decides to use the military to remain in power.
New Gambian President Adama Barrow who returned to the country last week said over the weekend that the ECOWAS troops will remain in the country indefinitely until they are not needed anymore.
Barrow decided to maintain the head of the army General Ousmane Badjie and also keep the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) but change its name.
GAMBIA: European Union Gives €33 Million To Adama Barrow Government
According to the EU Ambassador in the Gambia, Attila Lajos, the sum of €33 million will be made available to the Barrow administration. The EU envoy added that more funds will be made available if the government delivers on its promises.
“It is a fundamental concern of the European Union to support this democratic process in this country… We are at the start of a completely new chapter of the history of the EU-Gambia relations,” Lajos told journalists after a meeting with President Adama Barrow.
Talks to release the funds were stalled under the Jammeh regime after an EU Envoy Agnes Guillaud was expelled by the former government in 2015. It will be recalled that Jammeh refused the EU observers entry into the country in the run-up to the December 1, 2016 presidential elections.
The Gambia, Africa’s smallest mainland country was nearly thrown into political instability after former President Yahya Jammeh attempted to overturn a poll loss last December. Jammeh’s posture put the country on edge as his mandate expired on January 19.
Barrow took his oath of office in neighboring Senegal due to the security climate in the country. He however returned days after Jammeh accepted to leave the country into exile. He is currently in Equatorial Guinea after 22 years as president.
The Gambia is the smallest country on the African continent with a total area of 11,300 km² and a population of 1.9 million people (2013 census). It ranks 172 out of 187 countries on the 2014 UNDP Human Development Index. In 2014 the GDP per capita was US$ 543.
The partnership between the European Union and The Gambia is guided by the principles and objectives laid down in the Cotonou Agreement, the institutional framework which governs the relationship between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The Gambia is a signatory to the Agreement.
ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines Jets To 98 More Destinations
“With the addition of these stations, Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline group would have increased its service from Addis Ababa to 98 different international cities located across the world,” Mrs Atnafu stated in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday.
Ethiopian Airlines envisages reaching 120 international destinations worldwide by the year 2025.
According to the statement, Mr. Tewolde Gebre Mariam, Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines said: “Africa’s share of the Global Aviation is the smallest which is only around three per cent and as the largest airline group in the continent.
“We are highly concerned on the low base of air connectivity in the continent and we are setting record expansion to enable Africans enjoy safe, reliable and economical air connectivity both within the continent and between the continent and the rest of the world.”
He said looking beyond the current economic slowdown especially in the oil export dependent economies of Africa, the Airlines firmly believed that the continent would become the magnet for foreign direct investment, trade and tourism, which were the engines of air travel growth and in turn efficient air connectivity also drives socio economic development.
He said in 2016, new flights to Moroni (Comoros), WindHoek (Namibia) and Newark (United States) were launched, as well as three cities in Ethiopia: Hawassa, Kebridahar and Dembidolo.
USA: TWA Hotel At New York JFK
Upon arriving in the U.S. for the first time in 1978 to study architecture at Harvard University, Mina Marefat walked off of her plane at New York's JFK Airport into the most stunning building she'd ever laid eyes on.
She found herself in the TWA Flight Center, the sweeping, birdlike airport terminal that was designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen. It opened in 1962, a symbol of the dawn of the Jet Age.
TWA lost her luggage that day, but that did nothing to dim her enthusiasm for the building's sunken lounge, swooping lines and crimson-and-white color scheme.
"I'm walking around thinking this is the most magnificent building I've seen in my life," said Marefat, a Washington-based architect and Georgetown University professor who was later inspired to curate a traveling museum exhibit based on Saarinen's work. "I was totally blown away."
One New York-based hotel developer is aiming for a similar reaction the next time the now-shuttered building is opened to the general public. MCR Development, whose 90 owned and managed hotels include Manhattan's High Line Hotel, will redevelop the terminal as the TWA Hotel, a 505-room, "four-plus-star" property that will include 50,000 square feet of meetings space, a 10,000-square-foot observation deck overlooking the airport's runways and on the tarmac, a Lockheed Constellation, a classic four-engine prop plane, that will be converted into a lounge near the building's two pedestrian tubes.
The fully restored terminal, which broke ground on its redevelopment last month, will house as many as eight restaurants and six bars, while the hotel rooms will be in two newly built, six-story towers behind the existing building. The former first-class lounge will be converted into a restaurant called the Admirals Club, while the ticket-counter area will be rebuilt as a food hall featuring yet-to-be-identified purveyors from the New York boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. MCR will also preserve and restore the custom-built furniture designed by midcentury designer Charles Eames as well as a sculpture created by Isamu Noguchi.
JetBlue Airways, whose Terminal 5 is adjacent to the site and will be connectable via one of the tubes, has a 5% stake in the $265 million project, which is slated to open in 2018.
"We opened the building a couple of weeks ago for a couple hours and 10,000 people came," MCR Development CEO Tyler Morse said in an interview earlier this month. "It's a spectacular building. You have to see it to believe it."
The hotel, which will be the first within the confines of JFK since it opened as Idlewild Airport in 1948, will compete in the Queens market that, while not as lucrative as Manhattan's, generates occupancy and room rates that far exceed the national averages.
For the first 11 months of last year, hotels closest to the airport, which range from upper-upscale properties such as Sheraton and Hilton to more budget-oriented hotels such as Howard Johnson and Rodeway Inn, had an occupancy rate of 87% while commanding a nightly room-rate average of $147, or about $100 a night less than New York's overall average, according to research firm STR.
In addition to its location, the TWA Hotel's size will provide another competitive advantage, said Mark VanStekelenburg, New York-based managing director at CBRE Hotels Consulting. While the Hilton New York JFK Airport and Sheraton JFK are both within two miles of the airport, the former hotel has 356 rooms while the latter has 150, compared with TWA Hotel's proposed 505 rooms.
Morse said that the hotel's architectural pedigree, cachet and full-service amenities will enable it to fetch nightly rates in the $250 range while competing against hotels in Manhattan, which can be accessed by rail in about 45 minutes via the TWA terminal's AirTrain stop nearby, which offers a connection to the city's subway line.
A far cry from the branded, select-service properties that surround most major U.S. airports, the TWA Hotel is envisioned as part of a newer crop of higher-end, architecturally significant on-site airport hotels that are built to be destinations in their own right.
That includes the 519-room Westin Denver International Airport, which opened in November 2015; the 433-room Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which opened the following month; and the 350-room Grand Hyatt San Francisco International Airport, which is scheduled to open in 2019.
"It's a game changer for JFK, and there's certainly a need for it," said VanStekelenburg, adding that Manhattan's high room rates have enabled markets such as northern New Jersey and Queens' Long Island City to flourish. "While Manhattan has had certain challenges over the past two years, a lot of this new development outside of Manhattan has held its own."
With that in mind, MCR is banking on a future for the TWA Hotel that's more stable than the building's 39-year history as a functioning airport terminal. Then owned by Howard Hughes, TWA commissioned the site in 1956 amid a battle against Pan Am for international aviation supremacy and tapped Saarinen, whose works included the St. Louis Gateway Arch and Washington Dulles Airport. Both of those landmarks and the TWA Flight Center were completed after Saarinen's death in 1961 at the age of 51.
The building, which is said to be devoid of right angles, was designed to accommodate a fleet of 55-passenger Lockheed Constellations, which in 1956 was considered the world's most advanced passenger plane.
The aviation industry was surging at the time, as U.S. commercial-airline capacity jumped 81% between 1955 and 1960, according to the Air Transport Association of America.
But prop planes were not to be the future. By the time the building opened, six years after being commissioned, Boeing's first passenger jet, the 707, with twice the passenger capacity, had replaced "the Connie" as major airlines' aircraft of choice.
As a result, Morse said, "The building was overwhelmed the day it opened."
After Hughes sold off his TWA shares in 1966, the carrier subsequently took on more debt, especially following the airline industry's 1978 deregulation. It filed for bankruptcy for the first time in 1992 and was ultimately acquired by American Airlines in 2001. That same year, the TWA Flight Center shut down. In 2005, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Reimagining the building as a potential hospitality site, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey reached an agreement in 2013 with Standard Hotels founder Andre Balazs (who now owns New York's the Mercer, London's Chiltern Firehouse and West Hollywood, Calif.'s Chateau Marmont) to redevelop the building into a hotel and conference center.
That deal ultimately fell through, and Rick Garlick, global travel and hospitality practice leader at J.D. Power, said the current developers could face further challenges and find it difficult for the prospective hotel to avoid a fate similar to that of the defunct terminal.
Part of the problem is that JFK, which accommodated a record 60 million passengers last year, has a reputation as one of the least user-friendly airports in the country. According to the J.D. Power 2016 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, JFK finished 24th out of the 31 ranked airports though it did finish ahead of both of the metropolitan New York area's other major airports, Newark Liberty and New York LaGuardia.
"When you look at the area around JFK, there's a bazillion hotels, so there's going to be competition from every single level," Garlick said. "And JFK has been consistently rated among the poorest airports."
The bigger challenge, however, might be getting domestic travelers, especially time-crunched New Yorkers, to change their travel habits enough for people to regard the TWA Hotel as either a lodging option or a food or entertainment destination and allow for extra time to explore the landmark.
"Unlike international terminals in Rome, London and Hong Kong, where people see airports as a destination, we don't see any example like that in the U.S.," Garlick said. "You're talking about a fundamental change in the way people utilize airports."
The New York state government is pledging to do its part to make JFK more user-friendly. Earlier this month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled a plan that will include improving pedestrian connections between terminals, redesigning airport roadways into a "ring road" and investing as much as $2 billion to improve the roadways leading into JFK.
The state, which estimates that its improvements will generate as much as $7 billion in private-sector investment in airport improvements, is also mulling a plan that would reconfigure the local rail network to eliminate the need to transfer between AirTrain and the subway line and offer a "one-seat" rail option between the airport and Manhattan. Morse estimates that such a move would shave about 15 minutes off the typical commute time between the airport and Manhattan.
Such improvements would complement MCR's. As it is, Morse said, 35,000 people, on average, experience layovers of at least four hours at Kennedy Airport every day.
With that in mind, Morse said his company is "talking to the best food and beverage guys in the U.S." about operating outlets at the project. He declined to disclose which hospitality companies MCR has contacted.
Additionally, with more than half of JFK's passengers flying international routes, Morse estimated that the hotel will further benefit from being a five-minute walk from Terminal 4, which serves more than 30 domestic and international carriers.
Morse added that the TWA Hotel will be the only facility at the airport with meetings spaces, enabling business executives to fly into New York and hold conferences without having to leave the airport.
VanStekelenburg agreed that the TWA Hotel's location would be a draw for both business and leisure meeting planners, estimating that the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott hosts about 30 weddings a year.
"If we can provide a terrific experience through food and beverage, guest rooms and architecture, for a conference or wedding, and you can do that without taking the hour or 45 minutes to get into Manhattan, why wouldn't you do that?" Morse said.
As for the TWA Flight Center's use as a hotel, architect Marefat has mixed feelings about the prospect, wishing that the building still had use as an airport terminal. She said that Saarinen's early death deprived him of the opportunity to achieve the architectural notoriety of contemporaries like Frank Lloyd Wright, who completed notable works such as Pennsylvania's Fallingwater and New York's Guggenheim Museum after the age of 60. He died at 91.
Marefat said Saarinen "was very aware that the building had a dual function of being viewed from both the ground and the air. That represented the best of flight, and now it's considered no longer useful."
Still, she said that the redevelopment is preferable to tearing down the architectural landmark, and she is pleased that the TWA Flight Center is slated to join the ranks of Union Station in Denver and in Washington among travel sites that either have been or will be redeveloped and expanded to include travel facilities beyond their original use instead of being demolished.
When the original terminal was constructed, she said, "Travel was much more of a leisurely experience than we have today. It wasn't as hectic, and the TWA Flight Center functioned as a more loungelike experience. So maybe having it be a hotel isn't such a bad idea. Buildings go through multiple lives, and maybe this is the next life."
She found herself in the TWA Flight Center, the sweeping, birdlike airport terminal that was designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen. It opened in 1962, a symbol of the dawn of the Jet Age.
TWA lost her luggage that day, but that did nothing to dim her enthusiasm for the building's sunken lounge, swooping lines and crimson-and-white color scheme.
"I'm walking around thinking this is the most magnificent building I've seen in my life," said Marefat, a Washington-based architect and Georgetown University professor who was later inspired to curate a traveling museum exhibit based on Saarinen's work. "I was totally blown away."
One New York-based hotel developer is aiming for a similar reaction the next time the now-shuttered building is opened to the general public. MCR Development, whose 90 owned and managed hotels include Manhattan's High Line Hotel, will redevelop the terminal as the TWA Hotel, a 505-room, "four-plus-star" property that will include 50,000 square feet of meetings space, a 10,000-square-foot observation deck overlooking the airport's runways and on the tarmac, a Lockheed Constellation, a classic four-engine prop plane, that will be converted into a lounge near the building's two pedestrian tubes.
The fully restored terminal, which broke ground on its redevelopment last month, will house as many as eight restaurants and six bars, while the hotel rooms will be in two newly built, six-story towers behind the existing building. The former first-class lounge will be converted into a restaurant called the Admirals Club, while the ticket-counter area will be rebuilt as a food hall featuring yet-to-be-identified purveyors from the New York boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. MCR will also preserve and restore the custom-built furniture designed by midcentury designer Charles Eames as well as a sculpture created by Isamu Noguchi.
JetBlue Airways, whose Terminal 5 is adjacent to the site and will be connectable via one of the tubes, has a 5% stake in the $265 million project, which is slated to open in 2018.
"We opened the building a couple of weeks ago for a couple hours and 10,000 people came," MCR Development CEO Tyler Morse said in an interview earlier this month. "It's a spectacular building. You have to see it to believe it."
The hotel, which will be the first within the confines of JFK since it opened as Idlewild Airport in 1948, will compete in the Queens market that, while not as lucrative as Manhattan's, generates occupancy and room rates that far exceed the national averages.
For the first 11 months of last year, hotels closest to the airport, which range from upper-upscale properties such as Sheraton and Hilton to more budget-oriented hotels such as Howard Johnson and Rodeway Inn, had an occupancy rate of 87% while commanding a nightly room-rate average of $147, or about $100 a night less than New York's overall average, according to research firm STR.
In addition to its location, the TWA Hotel's size will provide another competitive advantage, said Mark VanStekelenburg, New York-based managing director at CBRE Hotels Consulting. While the Hilton New York JFK Airport and Sheraton JFK are both within two miles of the airport, the former hotel has 356 rooms while the latter has 150, compared with TWA Hotel's proposed 505 rooms.
Morse said that the hotel's architectural pedigree, cachet and full-service amenities will enable it to fetch nightly rates in the $250 range while competing against hotels in Manhattan, which can be accessed by rail in about 45 minutes via the TWA terminal's AirTrain stop nearby, which offers a connection to the city's subway line.
A far cry from the branded, select-service properties that surround most major U.S. airports, the TWA Hotel is envisioned as part of a newer crop of higher-end, architecturally significant on-site airport hotels that are built to be destinations in their own right.
That includes the 519-room Westin Denver International Airport, which opened in November 2015; the 433-room Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which opened the following month; and the 350-room Grand Hyatt San Francisco International Airport, which is scheduled to open in 2019.
"It's a game changer for JFK, and there's certainly a need for it," said VanStekelenburg, adding that Manhattan's high room rates have enabled markets such as northern New Jersey and Queens' Long Island City to flourish. "While Manhattan has had certain challenges over the past two years, a lot of this new development outside of Manhattan has held its own."
With that in mind, MCR is banking on a future for the TWA Hotel that's more stable than the building's 39-year history as a functioning airport terminal. Then owned by Howard Hughes, TWA commissioned the site in 1956 amid a battle against Pan Am for international aviation supremacy and tapped Saarinen, whose works included the St. Louis Gateway Arch and Washington Dulles Airport. Both of those landmarks and the TWA Flight Center were completed after Saarinen's death in 1961 at the age of 51.
The building, which is said to be devoid of right angles, was designed to accommodate a fleet of 55-passenger Lockheed Constellations, which in 1956 was considered the world's most advanced passenger plane.
The aviation industry was surging at the time, as U.S. commercial-airline capacity jumped 81% between 1955 and 1960, according to the Air Transport Association of America.
But prop planes were not to be the future. By the time the building opened, six years after being commissioned, Boeing's first passenger jet, the 707, with twice the passenger capacity, had replaced "the Connie" as major airlines' aircraft of choice.
As a result, Morse said, "The building was overwhelmed the day it opened."
After Hughes sold off his TWA shares in 1966, the carrier subsequently took on more debt, especially following the airline industry's 1978 deregulation. It filed for bankruptcy for the first time in 1992 and was ultimately acquired by American Airlines in 2001. That same year, the TWA Flight Center shut down. In 2005, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Reimagining the building as a potential hospitality site, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey reached an agreement in 2013 with Standard Hotels founder Andre Balazs (who now owns New York's the Mercer, London's Chiltern Firehouse and West Hollywood, Calif.'s Chateau Marmont) to redevelop the building into a hotel and conference center.
That deal ultimately fell through, and Rick Garlick, global travel and hospitality practice leader at J.D. Power, said the current developers could face further challenges and find it difficult for the prospective hotel to avoid a fate similar to that of the defunct terminal.
Part of the problem is that JFK, which accommodated a record 60 million passengers last year, has a reputation as one of the least user-friendly airports in the country. According to the J.D. Power 2016 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, JFK finished 24th out of the 31 ranked airports though it did finish ahead of both of the metropolitan New York area's other major airports, Newark Liberty and New York LaGuardia.
"When you look at the area around JFK, there's a bazillion hotels, so there's going to be competition from every single level," Garlick said. "And JFK has been consistently rated among the poorest airports."
The bigger challenge, however, might be getting domestic travelers, especially time-crunched New Yorkers, to change their travel habits enough for people to regard the TWA Hotel as either a lodging option or a food or entertainment destination and allow for extra time to explore the landmark.
"Unlike international terminals in Rome, London and Hong Kong, where people see airports as a destination, we don't see any example like that in the U.S.," Garlick said. "You're talking about a fundamental change in the way people utilize airports."
The New York state government is pledging to do its part to make JFK more user-friendly. Earlier this month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled a plan that will include improving pedestrian connections between terminals, redesigning airport roadways into a "ring road" and investing as much as $2 billion to improve the roadways leading into JFK.
The state, which estimates that its improvements will generate as much as $7 billion in private-sector investment in airport improvements, is also mulling a plan that would reconfigure the local rail network to eliminate the need to transfer between AirTrain and the subway line and offer a "one-seat" rail option between the airport and Manhattan. Morse estimates that such a move would shave about 15 minutes off the typical commute time between the airport and Manhattan.
Such improvements would complement MCR's. As it is, Morse said, 35,000 people, on average, experience layovers of at least four hours at Kennedy Airport every day.
With that in mind, Morse said his company is "talking to the best food and beverage guys in the U.S." about operating outlets at the project. He declined to disclose which hospitality companies MCR has contacted.
Additionally, with more than half of JFK's passengers flying international routes, Morse estimated that the hotel will further benefit from being a five-minute walk from Terminal 4, which serves more than 30 domestic and international carriers.
Morse added that the TWA Hotel will be the only facility at the airport with meetings spaces, enabling business executives to fly into New York and hold conferences without having to leave the airport.
VanStekelenburg agreed that the TWA Hotel's location would be a draw for both business and leisure meeting planners, estimating that the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott hosts about 30 weddings a year.
"If we can provide a terrific experience through food and beverage, guest rooms and architecture, for a conference or wedding, and you can do that without taking the hour or 45 minutes to get into Manhattan, why wouldn't you do that?" Morse said.
As for the TWA Flight Center's use as a hotel, architect Marefat has mixed feelings about the prospect, wishing that the building still had use as an airport terminal. She said that Saarinen's early death deprived him of the opportunity to achieve the architectural notoriety of contemporaries like Frank Lloyd Wright, who completed notable works such as Pennsylvania's Fallingwater and New York's Guggenheim Museum after the age of 60. He died at 91.
Marefat said Saarinen "was very aware that the building had a dual function of being viewed from both the ground and the air. That represented the best of flight, and now it's considered no longer useful."
Still, she said that the redevelopment is preferable to tearing down the architectural landmark, and she is pleased that the TWA Flight Center is slated to join the ranks of Union Station in Denver and in Washington among travel sites that either have been or will be redeveloped and expanded to include travel facilities beyond their original use instead of being demolished.
When the original terminal was constructed, she said, "Travel was much more of a leisurely experience than we have today. It wasn't as hectic, and the TWA Flight Center functioned as a more loungelike experience. So maybe having it be a hotel isn't such a bad idea. Buildings go through multiple lives, and maybe this is the next life."
CHINA: Authorities Close 74 Tourism Websites
74 tourism websites have been closed in a nationwide campaign that began in September, according to China’s Internet regulator.
Violations included failure to register in accordance with law, counterfeiting legal tourism websites, and disseminating illegal content involving gambling and pornography, said a statement issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China.
The administration called on consumers to choose tourism products through legal websites and encouraged the public to report violations.
Violations included failure to register in accordance with law, counterfeiting legal tourism websites, and disseminating illegal content involving gambling and pornography, said a statement issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China.
The administration called on consumers to choose tourism products through legal websites and encouraged the public to report violations.
TANZANIA: Zanzibar Boosts Tourism On The Beaches And Forest Reserves
Zanzibar archipelago marked its 53rd anniversary , the Indian Ocean Island intends to explore opportunities on its beautiful beaches and natural forest reserves to boost the tourism industry.
“We have pristine beaches, warm water, coral reefs, natural forests, antiquities, which can be used to lure more international visitors,” said Juma Ali Juma, Zanzibar permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock and Fisheries
He said: “We’re encouraging more visitors to come and enjoy the Zanzibar natural beauty including our beautiful beaches, coupled with prevailing peace.”
He named some of the beautiful beaches in Zanzibar as Nungwi, Kendwa, Matemwe, Kiwengwa and Pongwe, Kizimkazi, Bwejuu, and Dongwe.
The official further said the Isles’ government has been working to explore as many tourist destinations as possible and “recently we have launched the Zanzibar City Park. This is a new tourism center located in the Masingini Forest Reserve, which will lure more tourists.”
Situated at the highest peak of Zanzibar; about 120 metres above sea level, the official said: “Masingini Forest Reserve is a catchment forest and one of the major sources of water for the people of Zanzibar and the surrounding areas with estimates of about 27,400,000 litres of water pumped daily. This natural forest can be used as another tourist destination.”
January Makamba, Tanzania’s Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office, in-charge of Union and Environment also suggested the need for Zanzibar to capitalize on the nation’s natural beauty, and making this sector a success, is crucial if the country wants to retain the top spot in African human development rankings.
“Effective use of these attractions could be used to promote tourism in Zanzibar,” the minister said, noting that tourism alone could help to boost national coffers as well as create job opportunities for islanders and address poverty.
He said that Zanzibar is famous for its spices and the slave trade of the 19th century, to the extent that the Stone Town of Zanzibar is named as the UNESCO World heritage site; “hence use that opportunity to market the island outside the world.”
Zanzibar, which is made up of two large islands-Unguja and Pemba with many small islands, is expected to host 450,000 international tourists this year, and these visitors will contribute 27 percent of its gross domestic product and 83 percent of foreign exchange. The industry also has generated 22,000 jobs as well as benefiting farmers, fishermen and livestock keepers in the Indian Ocean Island. Enditem
“We have pristine beaches, warm water, coral reefs, natural forests, antiquities, which can be used to lure more international visitors,” said Juma Ali Juma, Zanzibar permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock and Fisheries
He said: “We’re encouraging more visitors to come and enjoy the Zanzibar natural beauty including our beautiful beaches, coupled with prevailing peace.”
He named some of the beautiful beaches in Zanzibar as Nungwi, Kendwa, Matemwe, Kiwengwa and Pongwe, Kizimkazi, Bwejuu, and Dongwe.
The official further said the Isles’ government has been working to explore as many tourist destinations as possible and “recently we have launched the Zanzibar City Park. This is a new tourism center located in the Masingini Forest Reserve, which will lure more tourists.”
Situated at the highest peak of Zanzibar; about 120 metres above sea level, the official said: “Masingini Forest Reserve is a catchment forest and one of the major sources of water for the people of Zanzibar and the surrounding areas with estimates of about 27,400,000 litres of water pumped daily. This natural forest can be used as another tourist destination.”
January Makamba, Tanzania’s Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office, in-charge of Union and Environment also suggested the need for Zanzibar to capitalize on the nation’s natural beauty, and making this sector a success, is crucial if the country wants to retain the top spot in African human development rankings.
“Effective use of these attractions could be used to promote tourism in Zanzibar,” the minister said, noting that tourism alone could help to boost national coffers as well as create job opportunities for islanders and address poverty.
He said that Zanzibar is famous for its spices and the slave trade of the 19th century, to the extent that the Stone Town of Zanzibar is named as the UNESCO World heritage site; “hence use that opportunity to market the island outside the world.”
Zanzibar, which is made up of two large islands-Unguja and Pemba with many small islands, is expected to host 450,000 international tourists this year, and these visitors will contribute 27 percent of its gross domestic product and 83 percent of foreign exchange. The industry also has generated 22,000 jobs as well as benefiting farmers, fishermen and livestock keepers in the Indian Ocean Island. Enditem
UAE: Dubai Latest Hotspot Is New 430-room Jumeirah Al Naseem
At the time, he emphasized how Dubai’s tourism infrastructure must match the UAE’s increasingly strong position as an international tourism hub. Global infrastructure and engineering advisory firm Aurecon rose to the design challenges, helping ensure the venue delivers a truly five-star experience for its guests.
The opening of the new 430-room Jumeirah Al Naseem gives substance to the Ruler of Dubai’s ambition. The fourth luxury hotel within the Madinat Jumeirah Resort development, the Jumeirah Al Naseem links with the three existing Jumeirah resorts, which occupy a prime spot on the stunning local coastline. The Resort, Dubai’s largest, was recently named in the Top 3 hotels of the Middle East and Africa by Travel + Leisure magazine.
Aurecon started work on the Jumeirah Al Naseem in December 2012 when the company was invited to collaborate on a range of engineering disciplines by leading development and management company, Mirage Leisure and Development. Aurecon and Mirage have collaborated on several previous developments within the Madinat Jumeirah Resort. Other companies appointed to the project included South African architects, Northpoint, who delivered the concept, and the Dubai office of Woods Bagot, who served as executive architect.
Having been awarded several engineering disciplines within the project, Aurecon began its design work in 2013. Civil and structural work was led by the local Dubai office with support from Aurecon’s office in Cape Town, while acoustics design, vertical transportation, marine design, waste management and geotechnical design was handled by experts in other global offices in Australia and South Africa.
Wouter Brand, Technical Director of Buildings and the Project Director for Aurecon’s work on the Jumeirah Al Naseem, says the company’s previous experience in the region, particularly in hotels and resorts, proved invaluable in making this project a success.
“Our knowledge of the local construction industry was as important as our ability to provide engineering solutions to the many design challenges of the project,” he said. “Creating a seamless connection with the rest of the resort was essential, as was making the most of its geographic location, lying across the water from the spectacular Burj Al Arab Jumeirah and delivering incredible sea views to all guest rooms.”
One of the biggest challenges to the structural design was to accommodate the complex building geometry and orientation of the hotel rooms, which were not compatible with the structural grid of the supporting basement car park. The lower level car park was designed with a rectangular grid of supporting concrete columns and walls for effective traffic flow and generous parking bay sizes. However, the structural column grid for the superstructure was restricted by the orientation of the hotel rooms and corridors, as well as the siting of the public entrances, retail and services spaces on the ground floor.
Adjusting the orientation of the hotel was not an option because every room was required to have a sea view; while the grand entrance hall was situated to give guests a sweeping vista of the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. With numerous balconies and floor plates that stepped back with increasing height, the combined design challenges made for an intricate and highly detailed engineering process.
“The optimal solution to this engineering challenge was the introduction of a concrete transfer slab to overcome the differences between the column grid above and below the ground level” said Faan Calitz, Technical Director of Structural Engineering at Aurecon. “The transfer slab system, which in certain areas is in excess of a metre thick, proved to be one of the challenging technical aspects of the project.”
The design had to ensure low deflection of the transfer slab and provide structural redundancy against earthquake loads. It was made more demanding because the transfer slab does not have a uniform thickness or a uniform top level, as it also has to support landscape, planting and pool areas, which lie at different levels around the ground floor of the hotel.
Geotechnical and Marine
Early involvement with the geotechnical and enabling works contractor was also crucial to the success of the project. Aurecon recommended the site be vibro-compacted to improve soil conditions and reduce the risk of liquefaction, which can occur during a seismic event. This compaction lowered the ground level by 400 mm and was an effective ground improvement solution.
In addition, Aurecon carried out a Marine Study for the project, which assessed the vulnerability of the coastal development to severe storm surges. The study included a risk assessment of possible flooding and associated inundation and run-up levels, and care was taken to ensure that ground floor levels of the hotel were above possible flood levels. Aurecon also designed marine protection elements, which included sheet piling to the front of the property to prevent undermining of the structure.
Local knowledge
As with all projects in Dubai, Aurecon’s design had to be approved by Government authorities before any construction could proceed. This approval process is aimed at ensuring the highest standards of design and construction quality are maintained in Dubai.
“Aurecon understands the importance of achieving an approved design within the available timeframe, because this is essential if a contractor is to commence construction on time,” said Ben Hawkes, Senior Structural Engineer who was based at the project site. “The Middle East is well-known for the scale and spectacular nature of its designs, as well as ambitious timeframes that are set for development. This all adds to the importance of ensuring that the execution of any project includes a robust plan for achieving authority approvals.”
“At Aurecon, we are committed to engineering solutions that suit the designs and dreams of our clients,” he concluded. “Although it’s only one part of the overall development, the location and guest experience of Jumeirah Al Naseem is crucial to ensuring Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah Resort remains one of the world’s leading tourist destinations for many years to come.”
About Jumeirah Al Naseem
The gross floor area for the Jumeirah Al Naseem is 85 000 m2, including the basement parking which has space for some 400 cars. It includes pedestrian-friendly walkways to connect it with neighbouring facilities including the Madinat Jumeirah Souk, Talise Spa, Quay Health Club, Canal, Wild Wadi Water Park and the glorious Jumeirah Beach. The hotel was officially opened to guests on 1 December 2016.
TAIWAN: Taiwan Tourism Declining
The fall, which is compared to the same period in the previous year, was steeper than the 18.5 percent decline measured for most of 2016, the island’s Mainland Affairs Council said.
Data on tourists from the mainland going to Taiwan has been closely watched since Tsai took office on May 20.
Tsai and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which advocates “independence” for Taiwan, have said they want to maintain peace with the mainland but have never conceded to the “One China” principle.
“Taiwan will maintain its policy of welcoming mainland tourists,” Chiu Chui-cheng, the council’s deputy chief, said at a regular news briefing. “But due to political factors that impact mainland tourists coming to Taiwan, our government will plan for the worst and prepare for the best.”
Citing immigration figures from May 20 to December 27, he said the number of mainland tourists arriving on group tours had dropped 51.2 percent from the same period a year earlier, a greater drop than the total number of tourists for the same period.
For the full year to Tuesday this week, the number of mainland tourists arriving on group tours fell 29.9 percent.
The number of mainland residents arriving as individual tourists, a figure that is not as easy to calculate, fell at a slower pace, but still reflected double-digit drop during Tsai’s rule, the data showed.
The decline in tourist numbers from mainland has been keenly felt by the island’s tourism industry whose members staged a large protest earlier this year, prompting the government to issue preferential loans to help struggling businesses dependent on tourism.
Also yesterday, authorities in the island said Tsai will pass through the United States when she visits Latin America next month, angering China which urged the US to block any stopovers.
Details of stopovers will be disclosed before the end of this week, the island said.
China urged the US not to let her in.
“We hope the US can abide by the ‘One China’ policy … and not let her pass through their border, not give any false signals to Taiwan independence forces, and through concrete actions safeguard overall China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news briefing in Beijing.
The transit details are being closely watched as Taiwan media has speculated that Tsai will seek to meet US President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team ahead of his January 20 inauguration.
Trump angered China when he spoke to Tsai earlier this month in a break with decades of precedent, a move that cast doubt on his incoming administration’s commitment to the “One China” policy.
The US has acknowledged that there is only One China and that Taiwan is part of it.
Tsai’s office earlier this month said she would visit Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador in that order. She will leave Taiwan on January 7 and return on January 15.
GHANA: Akwasi Agyeman Appointed Acting CEO Of The Ghana Tourism Authority
The Managing Director of Global Media Alliance Broadcasting (GMA), Akwasi Agyeman, has been appointed acting CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority.
The Tulane University trained banker and management expert, is expected to bring his banking experience to bear on the Authority.
He is currently in charge of the broadcasting wing of the Global Media Alliance, which includes e.TV Ghana, Happy FM and Y FM (Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi).
Before joining GMA as a founding partner, Akwasi Agyeman worked in various senior level capacities with Ecobank, Merchant Bank and Stanbic Bank in South Africa. He was also a Business Analyst for Entergy Inc. in New Orleans, USA.
Mr. Agyeman has several years experience in Project Management, Crisis Communications, PR and Media Relations across the African continent.
His involvement in several projects including event management, corporate positioning, corporate communications, media relations, image building and public relations across Africa, provides him a great opportunity as he heads Ghana’s buoyant tourism sector.
Akwasi Agyeman, who is the President of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), also serves on several boards including Graphic Communications Group Ltd, and Silverbird Entertainment Ghana Ltd.
Akwasi Agyeman holds an MBA in Marketing and Information Systems from Tulane University in Louisiana, USA. He also holds a BA in Social Sciences and a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Ghana.
In 2016, he was awarded for his outstanding contribution to Media Excellence in Ghana at the Radio and TV Personality (RTP) Awards.
The Tulane University trained banker and management expert, is expected to bring his banking experience to bear on the Authority.
He is currently in charge of the broadcasting wing of the Global Media Alliance, which includes e.TV Ghana, Happy FM and Y FM (Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi).
Before joining GMA as a founding partner, Akwasi Agyeman worked in various senior level capacities with Ecobank, Merchant Bank and Stanbic Bank in South Africa. He was also a Business Analyst for Entergy Inc. in New Orleans, USA.
Mr. Agyeman has several years experience in Project Management, Crisis Communications, PR and Media Relations across the African continent.
His involvement in several projects including event management, corporate positioning, corporate communications, media relations, image building and public relations across Africa, provides him a great opportunity as he heads Ghana’s buoyant tourism sector.
Akwasi Agyeman, who is the President of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), also serves on several boards including Graphic Communications Group Ltd, and Silverbird Entertainment Ghana Ltd.
Akwasi Agyeman holds an MBA in Marketing and Information Systems from Tulane University in Louisiana, USA. He also holds a BA in Social Sciences and a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Ghana.
In 2016, he was awarded for his outstanding contribution to Media Excellence in Ghana at the Radio and TV Personality (RTP) Awards.
TURKEY: Tourism Fell By 30% In 2016, All Because Of Security Concerns
Turkey’s tourism income dropped by nearly 30 percent year-on-year in 2016 as tourists chose to shun the country due to worsening security.
Turkey posted an income of 22.1 billion U.S. dollars from tourism last year, a sharp fall from 31.5 billion dollars in 2015, according to data released by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat) on Tuesday.
In 2016, Turkey welcomed 31.3 million visitors, a dip of 24.6 percent over the previous year, according to the latest figures.
“The decline in 2016 is very significant due to worsening security concerns and increasing terror threat in the country,” Serdar Ibis, a member of board with Dorak-Itir Tours.
Over the past one and a half years, Turkey has been hit by more than 30 bombing attacks, in which over 400 people were killed.
“In the meantime, all the optimistic expectations of Turkey’s tourism sector have collapsed with the latest attack on Istanbul’s Reina nightclub on New Year’s Day,” said Ibis.
The shooting attack inside the nightclub by an Islamic State militant left 39 people dead, mostly foreigners.
Ibis noted that foreign tourists in particular had been very much influenced by the attacks in Turkey as most of them had revised their travel plans for 2016 and 2017.
“Turkey as a center of attraction has dropped down to 4th or even 5th place in the eyes of foreign tourists,” he added.
Nearly 73 percent of Turkey’s tourism revenue comes from foreign arrivals, with 27 percent from Turks living abroad, according to TurkStat’s figures.
While the country’s tourism income in 2016 plummeted by almost 30 percent, tour operators saw their turnover dwindle by as much as 50 percent, Ibis said.
In his view, if stability returns soon to Turkey, “there will be some recovery in the second half of this year,” as efforts are being made to draw potential foreign holidaymakers to the country.
Turkey posted an income of 22.1 billion U.S. dollars from tourism last year, a sharp fall from 31.5 billion dollars in 2015, according to data released by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat) on Tuesday.
In 2016, Turkey welcomed 31.3 million visitors, a dip of 24.6 percent over the previous year, according to the latest figures.
“The decline in 2016 is very significant due to worsening security concerns and increasing terror threat in the country,” Serdar Ibis, a member of board with Dorak-Itir Tours.
Over the past one and a half years, Turkey has been hit by more than 30 bombing attacks, in which over 400 people were killed.
“In the meantime, all the optimistic expectations of Turkey’s tourism sector have collapsed with the latest attack on Istanbul’s Reina nightclub on New Year’s Day,” said Ibis.
The shooting attack inside the nightclub by an Islamic State militant left 39 people dead, mostly foreigners.
Ibis noted that foreign tourists in particular had been very much influenced by the attacks in Turkey as most of them had revised their travel plans for 2016 and 2017.
“Turkey as a center of attraction has dropped down to 4th or even 5th place in the eyes of foreign tourists,” he added.
Nearly 73 percent of Turkey’s tourism revenue comes from foreign arrivals, with 27 percent from Turks living abroad, according to TurkStat’s figures.
While the country’s tourism income in 2016 plummeted by almost 30 percent, tour operators saw their turnover dwindle by as much as 50 percent, Ibis said.
In his view, if stability returns soon to Turkey, “there will be some recovery in the second half of this year,” as efforts are being made to draw potential foreign holidaymakers to the country.
USA: Trump Travel Ban Sparked Confusion, Chaos And Protests At Airports, Will Negatively Affect Tourism
President Trump's ban on travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries could have a chilling effect on U.S. tourism, global business and enrollment in American universities, say a cross-section of legal experts and travel advocates.
While the orders are temporary, these voices say the policy could have a long-term impact.
“There’s a real potential negative impact, even after the 90- or 120-period is over, from a travel point of view,” said Thomas M. McDonnell, a professor at Pace University’s law school, who is an expert in international law. “If you were a Muslim from Saudi Arabia, which is not included in the list, you might say, ‘Gee, should I really go to the U.S. with Trump as president? Who knows what might happen.’”
Trump's sweeping executive order suspends U.S. refugee resettlement for 120 days and halts anyone traveling from Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from entering the United States for the next 90 days.
The administration says the move will allow them to review and establish stronger vetting standards in an effort to beef up travel security and prevent terrorists from infiltrating the U.S. Officials also argue that those directly affected by the ban reflect a small minority.
The seven countries outlined in the executive order don’t crack the top 20 travel markets to the United States, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
But the ban sparked confusion, chaos and protests at airports over the weekend, creating uncertainty throughout the travel industry.
Tourism and travel advocacy groups say it’s too early to quantify the actual impact of the executive order, but acknowledge it’s important to strike a balance between security and free travel.
“In this case, it’s a limited universe of people directly affected, but carries with it not inconsequential fall-out potential when it comes to reputational risk and sending an unintended message,” said Jonathan Grella, executive vice president of public affairs for the U.S. Travel Association.
“People will be understanding and forgiving when security is your motivation, but if they are left with other takeaways that leave the impression that they’re not welcome here, than that’s obviously a different story.”
Trump’s new policy prevents immigration and non-immigration visa holders from those seven countries from entering the United States for the next 90 days, which McDonnell said includes those wanting to travel to the U.S. to visit their family or conduct business trips.
An Oscar-winning Iranian film director who directed a movie nominated again this year, for example, would not be able to attend the Oscars unless provided with an exception.
“If you’re from Iraq and you want to visit your family here during this period for a few weeks or a month, there’s absolutely no way you’re going to be able to get in,” McDonnell said.
“Let’s say you’re a business person - and there’s lots of business between the U.S. and Iraq - if you’re not an American citizen or green card holder, you’re not going to be able to come in.”
Dubai-based Emirates airline has had to adjust which employees it puts on U.S.-bound flights in order to comply with the new restrictions. Airline stocks plunged more than 4 percent Monday in the wake of the ban.
The impact of the executive order could be more far-reaching, though.
Foreign students may be discouraged to enroll in American universities amid the uncertainty. Several colleges are advising foreign students and scholars who might be impacted by the ban to avoid traveling outside of the U.S. until there is more clarity about the policy.
And industries that have a diverse workforce, particularly in technology, transportation and healthcare, may see their foreign workers decline in the future. Multiple news outlets reported that nearly 200 Google employees belong to countries included in the ban, with Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressing concern it will create obstacles to bringing good talent to the U.S.
“I’m concerned about the economic ramifications across our economy, from tech to travel to agriculture and our defense industry,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said. “They’re all potentially at risk.”
Some advocates worry that the executive order will make the visa process slower, since Trump suspended a program allowing some applicants to get a temporary visa without a formal interview.
Experts also say it’s possible that countries affected by the ban could impose similar restrictions on the U.S. in retaliation, thus creating hurdles for American tourists and visitors hoping to travel abroad as well.
“It’s going to have long-term, negative consequences for business, tourism and students,” McDonnell said. “It creates a lot of uncertainty… and it affects our reputation in the Islamic world.”
While the orders are temporary, these voices say the policy could have a long-term impact.
“There’s a real potential negative impact, even after the 90- or 120-period is over, from a travel point of view,” said Thomas M. McDonnell, a professor at Pace University’s law school, who is an expert in international law. “If you were a Muslim from Saudi Arabia, which is not included in the list, you might say, ‘Gee, should I really go to the U.S. with Trump as president? Who knows what might happen.’”
Trump's sweeping executive order suspends U.S. refugee resettlement for 120 days and halts anyone traveling from Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from entering the United States for the next 90 days.
The administration says the move will allow them to review and establish stronger vetting standards in an effort to beef up travel security and prevent terrorists from infiltrating the U.S. Officials also argue that those directly affected by the ban reflect a small minority.
The seven countries outlined in the executive order don’t crack the top 20 travel markets to the United States, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
But the ban sparked confusion, chaos and protests at airports over the weekend, creating uncertainty throughout the travel industry.
Tourism and travel advocacy groups say it’s too early to quantify the actual impact of the executive order, but acknowledge it’s important to strike a balance between security and free travel.
“In this case, it’s a limited universe of people directly affected, but carries with it not inconsequential fall-out potential when it comes to reputational risk and sending an unintended message,” said Jonathan Grella, executive vice president of public affairs for the U.S. Travel Association.
“People will be understanding and forgiving when security is your motivation, but if they are left with other takeaways that leave the impression that they’re not welcome here, than that’s obviously a different story.”
Trump’s new policy prevents immigration and non-immigration visa holders from those seven countries from entering the United States for the next 90 days, which McDonnell said includes those wanting to travel to the U.S. to visit their family or conduct business trips.
An Oscar-winning Iranian film director who directed a movie nominated again this year, for example, would not be able to attend the Oscars unless provided with an exception.
“If you’re from Iraq and you want to visit your family here during this period for a few weeks or a month, there’s absolutely no way you’re going to be able to get in,” McDonnell said.
“Let’s say you’re a business person - and there’s lots of business between the U.S. and Iraq - if you’re not an American citizen or green card holder, you’re not going to be able to come in.”
Dubai-based Emirates airline has had to adjust which employees it puts on U.S.-bound flights in order to comply with the new restrictions. Airline stocks plunged more than 4 percent Monday in the wake of the ban.
The impact of the executive order could be more far-reaching, though.
Foreign students may be discouraged to enroll in American universities amid the uncertainty. Several colleges are advising foreign students and scholars who might be impacted by the ban to avoid traveling outside of the U.S. until there is more clarity about the policy.
And industries that have a diverse workforce, particularly in technology, transportation and healthcare, may see their foreign workers decline in the future. Multiple news outlets reported that nearly 200 Google employees belong to countries included in the ban, with Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressing concern it will create obstacles to bringing good talent to the U.S.
“I’m concerned about the economic ramifications across our economy, from tech to travel to agriculture and our defense industry,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said. “They’re all potentially at risk.”
Some advocates worry that the executive order will make the visa process slower, since Trump suspended a program allowing some applicants to get a temporary visa without a formal interview.
Experts also say it’s possible that countries affected by the ban could impose similar restrictions on the U.S. in retaliation, thus creating hurdles for American tourists and visitors hoping to travel abroad as well.
“It’s going to have long-term, negative consequences for business, tourism and students,” McDonnell said. “It creates a lot of uncertainty… and it affects our reputation in the Islamic world.”
SLOVENIA: Slovenia Enjoying Tourism Growth Home Country Of United States First Lady Melania Trump
The Slovenian tourism industry has been boosted by the fact that it is the home country of new United States First Lady Melania Trump, preliminary figures of the national Statistics Office showed on Tuesday.
The number of overnight stays in Slovenia by American tourists jumped by 15.4 percent in December and 10.2 percent in the whole of 2016.
The total number of tourist overnight stays in Slovenia rose by 7.6 percent to some 11.1 million in 2016 versus a rise of 7.2 percent in 2015.
The overall number of foreign tourist stays was up by 10.3 percent in the whole year with most visitors coming from Italy, Austria, Croatia, Germany and Serbia.
Slovenia's government expects tourism to help towards a further boost to the country's economy which is seen expanding by 2.9 percent this year versus some 2.3 percent in 2016.
The number of overnight stays in Slovenia by American tourists jumped by 15.4 percent in December and 10.2 percent in the whole of 2016.
The total number of tourist overnight stays in Slovenia rose by 7.6 percent to some 11.1 million in 2016 versus a rise of 7.2 percent in 2015.
The overall number of foreign tourist stays was up by 10.3 percent in the whole year with most visitors coming from Italy, Austria, Croatia, Germany and Serbia.
Slovenia's government expects tourism to help towards a further boost to the country's economy which is seen expanding by 2.9 percent this year versus some 2.3 percent in 2016.
Asia To Grab Advantage Of Travel Ban To Attract Tourists And Students
Mr Trump's Friday directive put a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the country, an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a 90-day bar on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
In Malaysia, the group CEO of Asia's largest budget airline, AirAsia, suggested countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) could cash in.
"With the world now getting more isolationist, it's time for Asean to start making it easier for tourists to come," Mr Tony Fernandes said in a tweet yesterday.
Malaysia is a popular destination for tourists from the Middle East, with nearly 200,000 arriving last year from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Qatar.
In neighbouring Thailand, tourism officials said the US ban could lift visitor numbers.
The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector. They may choose to visit Thailand more and this may also boost our sector," Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.
Mr Trump has presented his ban as a way to protect the US s from Islamist militants, but it has been condemned by a growing list of foreign leaders and drawn protests by tens of thousands in American cities.
With concerns about safety and security building, some Asians were reconsidering US travel plans and seeking alternatives, even though their countries were not subject to the restrictions.
"When you want to travel, especially for leisure, then you want peace of mind," said Ms Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Singapore's Dynasty Travel.
"Right now people are planning for their March-April onwards travel. They will put their travel plans (to the US) on hold at this juncture in time."
Singaporeans may either chose to travel to the US later in the year or explore alternative locations such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada or within Asia, she said.
Mr Trump has argued that tougher vetting of immigrants is needed to protect America from attacks, but critics complain that his order unfairly singles out Muslims and defiles America's historic reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants.
Mr Keysar Trad, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said Trump's travel restrictions were not only hurting innocent people but were "bringing great damage to his own economy and to the standings of Americans internationally".
"Everyone who has relatives in America, whether they are from the countries listed or not, they are petrified of what this man is going to do to America and to their relatives," Mr Trad said.
Some education providers had seen early signs of an impact.
Mr Rod Jones, CEO of Australian-listed education firm Navitas Ltd, said the company had seen a downturn in inquiries for their US-based English language courses.
"We have started to see students back off from the US because of their concerns about potential issues they may face," Mr Jones told analysts on an earnings call.
"But they still want to go somewhere," he added, identifying Canada and Australia as important alternatives.
"The Canadian Prime Minister has come out and said 'if the US doesn't want you, we'd love to have you' and I think it is the approach of Australia too."
Ms Aulia Adila, 24, a young professional in the media industry in Jakarta, had been considering the US as an option for postgraduate study.
"When Trump had a chance of winning the election this made me reconsider going to the States to study. Now that he won, and with the Muslim ban and the new migrant policy, it's becoming even more impossible and unsafe to be in America," Ms Adila said.
"I'm considering another country where I'll feel safe."
In Malaysia, the group CEO of Asia's largest budget airline, AirAsia, suggested countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) could cash in.
"With the world now getting more isolationist, it's time for Asean to start making it easier for tourists to come," Mr Tony Fernandes said in a tweet yesterday.
Malaysia is a popular destination for tourists from the Middle East, with nearly 200,000 arriving last year from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Qatar.
In neighbouring Thailand, tourism officials said the US ban could lift visitor numbers.
The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector. They may choose to visit Thailand more and this may also boost our sector," Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.
Mr Trump has presented his ban as a way to protect the US s from Islamist militants, but it has been condemned by a growing list of foreign leaders and drawn protests by tens of thousands in American cities.
With concerns about safety and security building, some Asians were reconsidering US travel plans and seeking alternatives, even though their countries were not subject to the restrictions.
"When you want to travel, especially for leisure, then you want peace of mind," said Ms Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Singapore's Dynasty Travel.
"Right now people are planning for their March-April onwards travel. They will put their travel plans (to the US) on hold at this juncture in time."
Singaporeans may either chose to travel to the US later in the year or explore alternative locations such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada or within Asia, she said.
Mr Trump has argued that tougher vetting of immigrants is needed to protect America from attacks, but critics complain that his order unfairly singles out Muslims and defiles America's historic reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants.
Mr Keysar Trad, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said Trump's travel restrictions were not only hurting innocent people but were "bringing great damage to his own economy and to the standings of Americans internationally".
"Everyone who has relatives in America, whether they are from the countries listed or not, they are petrified of what this man is going to do to America and to their relatives," Mr Trad said.
Some education providers had seen early signs of an impact.
Mr Rod Jones, CEO of Australian-listed education firm Navitas Ltd, said the company had seen a downturn in inquiries for their US-based English language courses.
"We have started to see students back off from the US because of their concerns about potential issues they may face," Mr Jones told analysts on an earnings call.
"But they still want to go somewhere," he added, identifying Canada and Australia as important alternatives.
"The Canadian Prime Minister has come out and said 'if the US doesn't want you, we'd love to have you' and I think it is the approach of Australia too."
Ms Aulia Adila, 24, a young professional in the media industry in Jakarta, had been considering the US as an option for postgraduate study.
"When Trump had a chance of winning the election this made me reconsider going to the States to study. Now that he won, and with the Muslim ban and the new migrant policy, it's becoming even more impossible and unsafe to be in America," Ms Adila said.
"I'm considering another country where I'll feel safe."
SIERRA LEONE: Swiss International's Chef Wins The Braai Master Challenge In Sierra Leone
1. Press release For Immediate Release Swiss International’s chef bags the title of Braai Master Chef after winning the 1st Braai Master Challenge held in Sierra Leone “The chef of Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Freetown, Amadu Mbyie wins the Braai Master Challenge Baar (CH)/ Ras Al Khaimah (UAE)/ Freetown (Sierra Leone), November 29, 2016 – The chef of Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Freetown, Amadu Mbyie, clinched the title of Braai Master Chef in the Braai Master Challenge held at the Golden Tulip Essential Kimbima Hotel in Freetown on November 10, 2016. The first Braai Master Challenge witnessed participants from some of the top hotels & restaurants of Sierra Leone including the New Brookfields Hotel, Golden Tulip Essential Hotel, Mammy Yoko Radison Blu Hotel, The Cube Restaurant, and Montana Palace Restaurant.
The chefs exhibited their culinary skills through a variety of delectable dishes which was presented in front of four judges including the General Manager of Golden Tulip Essential Kimbima, David Church and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sierra Akker Food Processing Company, Pakai Kamara. Amadu Mybie along with Sous Chef Mohamed presented succulent grilled chicken, roasted beef, with rice, fruits and a vegetable dish covered in savoury tomato sauce. The food preparation was assessed on the flavours and presentation of each dish.
The Braai Master and the Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Freetown’s chef, Amadu Mbyie said, “Cooking has always been my passion and I have been cooking for over 30 years now. Working in Swiss Café Restaurant & Lounge, has broadened my horizons as a chef and it’s an enriching experience every day in the kitchen. I am really happy that the judges appreciated and liked the food I prepared. Being recognised for your skills is really special.” amee.yadav@swissinternationalhotels.com
2. (Braai Master Challenge winners: On the left is Chef Amadu Mybie and on the right is Sous Chef Mohamed) (Sous Chef Mohamed & Chef Amadu Mybie) The General Manager of Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Freetown, Francois Scholtz said, “The event was extremely exciting and it got even more exciting when the title was brought to our hotel. The event couldn’t have got better for us.
The Braai Master Challenge is an amazing platform for the chefs to exhibit their cooking talents” Mr Henri Kennedie, the Chairman and CEO of Swiss International Hotels & Resorts said, “We are delighted with the results of the Braai Master Challenge and I congratulate the chef and team for achieving this title.”
The event was adorned with a session of African dance and music and discussions on topics like diets, cooking & hygiene. The event was sponsored by Golden Tulip Essential Kimbima Hotel, Sierra Akker Food Processing, Golf Beverages, Adnan Supermarket and Freetown Direct Supermarket.
3. Swiss International Hotels & Resorts Founded in 1982, Swiss International Hotels is established in Switzerland. Swiss International Hotels & Resorts is currently associated with hotels in Switzerland, Greater China, the Middle East and Africa. The company is registered in Baar, Switzerland and is operating from the UAE (Ras Al Khaimah).
Swiss International is operating and licensing its hotels under the luxury brand “Royal Swiss” the upscale Swiss International and The Residences by Swiss International, as well as the company’s midscale brand Swiss Spirit, Hotels & Resorts. Other Swiss International hotels on the African continent: Swiss International Mabisel Port Harcourt Nigeria Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Mardezok Asaba Nigeria Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Freetown Freetown Sierra Leone Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Alisa Accra Ghana Swiss International Resort Mount Kenya Mount Kenya Kenya Please also see :( http://www.swissinternationalhotels.com/)
USA: Hawaii Tourism Industry Performing Well
A strong U.S. economy helped lift Hawaii tourism industry to another record-breaking year.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority's director of tourism research says the recovering U.S. housing market boosted travel to the islands. Daniel Nahoopii says stable oil prices have also helped.
Nahoopii spoke Monday after the state agency reported a record 8.9 million travelers came to Hawaii last year. Spending rose to a record $15.6 billion in 2016.
Nahoopii says the introduction of new airline routes and service brought more travelers to the islands. For example, Virgin America began flying to Honolulu and Kahului from San Francisco in late 2015.
He says Hawaii has benefited from relatively stable exchange rates for the Korean won and Australian dollar and a slight strengthening of the Japanese yen.
Nearly 9 million visitors traveled to Hawaii last year as the state broke records for tourist arrivals and spending.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority said Monday 8.9 million visitors came to the state in 2016. That's 3 percent more than the previous year.
Visitors spent $15.6 billion while in the islands, a 4 percent increase over 2015.
It's the fifth straight year visitor arrival and spending figures have broken records.
Travelers from the western half of the continental U.S. grew 4.3 percent to 3.7 million. Travelers from the eastern part of the continental U.S. climbed 3.7 percent to 1.9 million.
Visitor traffic from Japan was little changed from the previous year at 1.5 million.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority's director of tourism research says the recovering U.S. housing market boosted travel to the islands. Daniel Nahoopii says stable oil prices have also helped.
Nahoopii spoke Monday after the state agency reported a record 8.9 million travelers came to Hawaii last year. Spending rose to a record $15.6 billion in 2016.
Nahoopii says the introduction of new airline routes and service brought more travelers to the islands. For example, Virgin America began flying to Honolulu and Kahului from San Francisco in late 2015.
He says Hawaii has benefited from relatively stable exchange rates for the Korean won and Australian dollar and a slight strengthening of the Japanese yen.
Nearly 9 million visitors traveled to Hawaii last year as the state broke records for tourist arrivals and spending.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority said Monday 8.9 million visitors came to the state in 2016. That's 3 percent more than the previous year.
Visitors spent $15.6 billion while in the islands, a 4 percent increase over 2015.
It's the fifth straight year visitor arrival and spending figures have broken records.
Travelers from the western half of the continental U.S. grew 4.3 percent to 3.7 million. Travelers from the eastern part of the continental U.S. climbed 3.7 percent to 1.9 million.
Visitor traffic from Japan was little changed from the previous year at 1.5 million.
KENYA: Kenya Tourism Arrivals Shot Up In The Year 201
Kenya Tourism arrivals for the year 2016 shot up.
Mombasa was highest with a rise of 22.2 percent compared to the year 2015 with actual figures reaching 92.872 foreign arrivals through Moi International Airport, up from the previous year's 75.983.
In real terms though did Nairobi top coast figures with 782.013 arrivals, a rise of 16.2 percent and up from the 671.789 travelers entering through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in 2015.
A regular source close to the Kenya Tourism Board however shared the challenge cruise tourism continues to pose as numbers for 2016 ended up below those the year earlier with only 2.717 cruise tourists entering through the port of Mombasa.
The building of a new dedicated cruise terminal however, and efforts to associate more closely with the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands, which were hugely successful in 2016 to drive cruise passenger numbers up, appears to be a promising investment and strategy to have such cruises between the islands also call on mainland ports like Mombasa.
Arrivals from the US to Kenya, despite the lack of direct flights, reached 97,883 in 2016, overtaking the UK - as previously stated here - as Kenya's top source country for tourists. This is of particular importance vis a vis revenues as most American visitors come to Kenya for safari holidays and spend a lot more than tourists coming for beach vacations.
The US figure is up by more than 13.000, a sign that marketing Kenya as a premier safari tourism destination has been successful. The UK ended up second in the ranking list with only 96,404 arrivals for the year 2016, down by nearly 2.000 visitors and attributed to the fact that - despite the incentive packages launched by Kenya in early 2016 to stimulate a return of charter flights - not all those flights from the UK were restored.
India surprisingly turned out to become third largest market for Kenya with 64,116 arrivals last year, an increase of over 15.000 visitors compared to the 49,756 in 2015 while Uganda was fourth and leading African country with 51,023 up from 29,038 previously. Many of those visitors from Uganda are thought to be expatriates now taking advantage of Visa free Interstate Passes, inspite of periodic reports that Kenyan immigration officials hassle them.
China is the surprise fifth placed tourism market source and pushed Germany and Italy to position six and seven last year, with 47,860 compared to only 29,790. This rise is attributed to more flights from China to Kenya, both direct and indirect and in particular the Gulf airlines can take credit for this achievements besides national airline Kenya Airways and its main rival Ethiopian Airlines.
Tourists from the Germany in 2016 reached 43.502, up from 38,236 in 2015 but still had to yield the number five spot to China, again thought to be for not all charter flights being revived from that market.
Italy's arrivals climbed at an albeit slower pace to 35,953 compared to 33,415 in 2015 but also remained behind expectations with not enough seats available for Mombasa and in particular the Malindi market.
The South African market in contrast performed much better in 2016, almost catching the Italians with 35,926 arrivals last year compared with 30,500 in 2015.
Easing Visa regulations was seen as a major factor for that sharp rise after the tit for tat spats between the two countries over advance Visa requirements in previous years.
Notably did arrivals from neighbouring Tanzania only very marginally rise, thought to be rooted in the fact that the Tanzanian government had refused to join the East African common tourist Visa implemented between Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya and the facilitation of expatriate travel via Interstate Passes, a factor also sharply limiting travel into Tanzania by expats from the wider region who prefer Visa free travel among participating states.
For 2017 though have tourism sources already expressed their misgivings over the negative tone introduced for the upcoming August elections and voiced their concern that, should the rhetoric not be brought to civil levels, this could impact on the recovery of the sector at a crucial time.
'If the elections impact negatively on our sector's performance, it is the level of bad language which we have seen emerge over the past months. If tour operators abroad get scared away, fearing for the worst, is is the fault of our politicians who put themselves and not their country first.
If tourists get worried they stay away or look for alternatives. Jobs have slowly come back in the industry but far too slowly at the coast. Any diversion of tourism flows from Kenya to other countries will reverse our gains.
In fact some charters were put on a wait and see mode and might only resume if we as Kenyans can deliver a clean and peaceful election in August. This is our major challenge for the new year. The Kenya Tourism Board, unlike in the run up to the last elections when government did not give them enough money to run a major marketing campaign in core markets and emerging markets, will no doubt go out and sell the country, but buyers will keep an eye on the upcoming elections.
It is a chicken or egg question and we hope that politics will not get in the way of recovering the ground we lost since 2012' contributed a Nairobi based regular reader of this publication.
Mombasa was highest with a rise of 22.2 percent compared to the year 2015 with actual figures reaching 92.872 foreign arrivals through Moi International Airport, up from the previous year's 75.983.
In real terms though did Nairobi top coast figures with 782.013 arrivals, a rise of 16.2 percent and up from the 671.789 travelers entering through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in 2015.
A regular source close to the Kenya Tourism Board however shared the challenge cruise tourism continues to pose as numbers for 2016 ended up below those the year earlier with only 2.717 cruise tourists entering through the port of Mombasa.
The building of a new dedicated cruise terminal however, and efforts to associate more closely with the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands, which were hugely successful in 2016 to drive cruise passenger numbers up, appears to be a promising investment and strategy to have such cruises between the islands also call on mainland ports like Mombasa.
Arrivals from the US to Kenya, despite the lack of direct flights, reached 97,883 in 2016, overtaking the UK - as previously stated here - as Kenya's top source country for tourists. This is of particular importance vis a vis revenues as most American visitors come to Kenya for safari holidays and spend a lot more than tourists coming for beach vacations.
The US figure is up by more than 13.000, a sign that marketing Kenya as a premier safari tourism destination has been successful. The UK ended up second in the ranking list with only 96,404 arrivals for the year 2016, down by nearly 2.000 visitors and attributed to the fact that - despite the incentive packages launched by Kenya in early 2016 to stimulate a return of charter flights - not all those flights from the UK were restored.
India surprisingly turned out to become third largest market for Kenya with 64,116 arrivals last year, an increase of over 15.000 visitors compared to the 49,756 in 2015 while Uganda was fourth and leading African country with 51,023 up from 29,038 previously. Many of those visitors from Uganda are thought to be expatriates now taking advantage of Visa free Interstate Passes, inspite of periodic reports that Kenyan immigration officials hassle them.
China is the surprise fifth placed tourism market source and pushed Germany and Italy to position six and seven last year, with 47,860 compared to only 29,790. This rise is attributed to more flights from China to Kenya, both direct and indirect and in particular the Gulf airlines can take credit for this achievements besides national airline Kenya Airways and its main rival Ethiopian Airlines.
Tourists from the Germany in 2016 reached 43.502, up from 38,236 in 2015 but still had to yield the number five spot to China, again thought to be for not all charter flights being revived from that market.
Italy's arrivals climbed at an albeit slower pace to 35,953 compared to 33,415 in 2015 but also remained behind expectations with not enough seats available for Mombasa and in particular the Malindi market.
The South African market in contrast performed much better in 2016, almost catching the Italians with 35,926 arrivals last year compared with 30,500 in 2015.
Easing Visa regulations was seen as a major factor for that sharp rise after the tit for tat spats between the two countries over advance Visa requirements in previous years.
Notably did arrivals from neighbouring Tanzania only very marginally rise, thought to be rooted in the fact that the Tanzanian government had refused to join the East African common tourist Visa implemented between Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya and the facilitation of expatriate travel via Interstate Passes, a factor also sharply limiting travel into Tanzania by expats from the wider region who prefer Visa free travel among participating states.
For 2017 though have tourism sources already expressed their misgivings over the negative tone introduced for the upcoming August elections and voiced their concern that, should the rhetoric not be brought to civil levels, this could impact on the recovery of the sector at a crucial time.
'If the elections impact negatively on our sector's performance, it is the level of bad language which we have seen emerge over the past months. If tour operators abroad get scared away, fearing for the worst, is is the fault of our politicians who put themselves and not their country first.
If tourists get worried they stay away or look for alternatives. Jobs have slowly come back in the industry but far too slowly at the coast. Any diversion of tourism flows from Kenya to other countries will reverse our gains.
In fact some charters were put on a wait and see mode and might only resume if we as Kenyans can deliver a clean and peaceful election in August. This is our major challenge for the new year. The Kenya Tourism Board, unlike in the run up to the last elections when government did not give them enough money to run a major marketing campaign in core markets and emerging markets, will no doubt go out and sell the country, but buyers will keep an eye on the upcoming elections.
It is a chicken or egg question and we hope that politics will not get in the way of recovering the ground we lost since 2012' contributed a Nairobi based regular reader of this publication.
RWANDA: Marasa To Take Over Umubano Hotel
Previously owned by the Rwandan government and the Libyan Africa Investment Company LAICO, before losing the hotel after Libya failed to refurbish the hotel under the terms of the initial MoU is the Umubano Hotel now lined up for fresh privatisation. The hotel company is under liquidation and former shareholders are due to get some form of recompense after the property has been sold on it was learned.
Madhvani Group is said to be set to take over the three star hotel and then embark on a major modernization and upgrade of the structures.
With safari lodge properties in Uganda and Kenya, and more recently a chain of three star hotels along the Indian Hindu pilgrimage circuit, is Marasa Africa no doubt qualified to take on such a venture and live up to the terms agreed with the Rwandan government.
The liquidator is quoted in Rwandan media earlier this week to the effect that while no deal has been finalized is the end of the negotiations near following a high powered visit of Madhvani executives to Kigali last week.
Madhvani Group is said to be set to take over the three star hotel and then embark on a major modernization and upgrade of the structures.
With safari lodge properties in Uganda and Kenya, and more recently a chain of three star hotels along the Indian Hindu pilgrimage circuit, is Marasa Africa no doubt qualified to take on such a venture and live up to the terms agreed with the Rwandan government.
The liquidator is quoted in Rwandan media earlier this week to the effect that while no deal has been finalized is the end of the negotiations near following a high powered visit of Madhvani executives to Kigali last week.
PAKISTAN: Next On The "Travel Ban" Countries May Be Pakistan Afghanistan
Pakistan, viewed as an epicentre of global terrorism, could be included in a list of Muslim- majority countries from where immigration to the US has been banned by President Donald Trump, the White House has hinted.
"Why not Pakistan?," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked when he appeared on Tuesday at the George Washington University for a forum on media's relationship with President Trump.
"Maybe we will," Spicer said, responding to the question, which has been trailing senior White House officials ever since President Trump signed an executive order that prevented people from seven Muslim majority countries from entering the US. These countries are Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen.
For the past few days, top White House officials have been asked why the list does not include countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.
The White House Press Secretary indicated that Pakistan could very well be part of that list. "Maybe we will. The bottom line is we started with the seven countries that have previously been identified, did a 90-day review. Maybe during that 90-day review we find other countries or we take someone off or whatever. But it is a review process," Spicer said.
"Our number one priority as a government and as leaders is to protect the 324 million people who live in this country. So I understand that people may be inconvenienced a little coming into the nation. But this is our nation, our country. Our first and foremost responsibility is to our people," he asserted.
"If people want to come to this country and visit or travel or study, then we welcome them. We've always been a welcoming country. But the idea that we should just have an open door and let people in willy-nilly is ridiculous," Spicer said.
Over the weekend, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus had also said that Pakistan could also be included in a list of Muslim-majority countries from where immigration to the US has been banned by President Trump.
"Why not Pakistan?," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked when he appeared on Tuesday at the George Washington University for a forum on media's relationship with President Trump.
"Maybe we will," Spicer said, responding to the question, which has been trailing senior White House officials ever since President Trump signed an executive order that prevented people from seven Muslim majority countries from entering the US. These countries are Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen.
For the past few days, top White House officials have been asked why the list does not include countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.
The White House Press Secretary indicated that Pakistan could very well be part of that list. "Maybe we will. The bottom line is we started with the seven countries that have previously been identified, did a 90-day review. Maybe during that 90-day review we find other countries or we take someone off or whatever. But it is a review process," Spicer said.
"Our number one priority as a government and as leaders is to protect the 324 million people who live in this country. So I understand that people may be inconvenienced a little coming into the nation. But this is our nation, our country. Our first and foremost responsibility is to our people," he asserted.
"If people want to come to this country and visit or travel or study, then we welcome them. We've always been a welcoming country. But the idea that we should just have an open door and let people in willy-nilly is ridiculous," Spicer said.
Over the weekend, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus had also said that Pakistan could also be included in a list of Muslim-majority countries from where immigration to the US has been banned by President Trump.
USA: American Travel Restrictions To Hurt Many Countries Including The USA
Seeking to capitalise on U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial new travel restrictions, companies and officials in Asia said they would target greater tourism and education ties with Muslims worried about the curbs.
Trump's Friday directive put a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the country, an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a 90-day bar on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
In Muslim-majority Malaysia, the group CEO of Asia's largest budget airline, AirAsia, suggested countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) could cash in.
"With the world now getting more isolationist it's time for ASEAN to start making it easier for tourists to come," Tony Fernandes said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Malaysia is a popular destination for tourists from the Middle East, with nearly 200,000 arriving in 2016 from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Qatar.
The country is also a key destination for medical tourism and halal tourism, with food and other products largely halal-certified.
In neighbouring Thailand, tourism officials said the U.S. ban could lift visitor numbers.
"The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector. They may choose to visit Thailand more and this may also boost our sector," Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.
Trump has presented his ban as a way to protect the United States from Islamist militants, but it has been condemned by a growing list of foreign leaders and drawn protests by tens of thousands in American cities.
With concerns about safety and security building, some Asians were reconsidering U.S. travel plans and seeking alternatives, even though their countries were not subject to the restrictions.
"When you want to travel, especially for leisure, then you want peace of mind," said Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Singapore's Dynasty Travel.
"Right now people are planning for their March-April onwards travel. They will put their travel plans (to the United States) on hold at this juncture in time."
Singaporeans may either chose to travel to the United States later in the year or explore alternative locations such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada or within Asia, she said.
Trump has argued tougher vetting of immigrants is needed to protect America from attacks, but critics complain that his order unfairly singles out Muslims and defiles America's historic reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants.
Keysar Trad, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said Trump's travel restrictions were not only hurting innocent people but were "bringing great damage to his own economy and to the standings of Americans internationally".
"Everyone who has relatives in America, whether they are from the countries listed or not, they are petrified of what this man is going to do to America and to their relatives," Trad told Reuters.
Some education providers had seen early signs of an impact.
Rod Jones, CEO of Australian-listed education firm Navitas Ltd, said the company had seen a downturn in inquiries for their U.S.-based English language courses.
"We have started to see students back off from the U.S. because of their concerns about potential issues they may face," Jones told analysts on an earnings call.
"But they still want to go somewhere," Jones added, identifying Canada and Australia as important alternatives. "The Canadian Prime Minister has come out and said 'if the U.S. doesn't want you, we'd love to have you' and I think it is the approach of Australia too."
Aulia Adila, 24, a young professional in the media industry in Jakarta, had been considering the United States as an option for postgraduate study.
"When Trump had a chance of winning the election this made me reconsider going to the States to study. Now that he won, and with the Muslim ban and the new migrant policy, it's becoming even more impossible and unsafe to be in America," Adila said.
"I'm considering another country where I'll feel safe."
Trump's Friday directive put a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the country, an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a 90-day bar on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
In Muslim-majority Malaysia, the group CEO of Asia's largest budget airline, AirAsia, suggested countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) could cash in.
"With the world now getting more isolationist it's time for ASEAN to start making it easier for tourists to come," Tony Fernandes said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Malaysia is a popular destination for tourists from the Middle East, with nearly 200,000 arriving in 2016 from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Qatar.
The country is also a key destination for medical tourism and halal tourism, with food and other products largely halal-certified.
In neighbouring Thailand, tourism officials said the U.S. ban could lift visitor numbers.
"The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector. They may choose to visit Thailand more and this may also boost our sector," Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.
Trump has presented his ban as a way to protect the United States from Islamist militants, but it has been condemned by a growing list of foreign leaders and drawn protests by tens of thousands in American cities.
With concerns about safety and security building, some Asians were reconsidering U.S. travel plans and seeking alternatives, even though their countries were not subject to the restrictions.
"When you want to travel, especially for leisure, then you want peace of mind," said Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Singapore's Dynasty Travel.
"Right now people are planning for their March-April onwards travel. They will put their travel plans (to the United States) on hold at this juncture in time."
Singaporeans may either chose to travel to the United States later in the year or explore alternative locations such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada or within Asia, she said.
Trump has argued tougher vetting of immigrants is needed to protect America from attacks, but critics complain that his order unfairly singles out Muslims and defiles America's historic reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants.
Keysar Trad, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said Trump's travel restrictions were not only hurting innocent people but were "bringing great damage to his own economy and to the standings of Americans internationally".
"Everyone who has relatives in America, whether they are from the countries listed or not, they are petrified of what this man is going to do to America and to their relatives," Trad told Reuters.
Some education providers had seen early signs of an impact.
Rod Jones, CEO of Australian-listed education firm Navitas Ltd, said the company had seen a downturn in inquiries for their U.S.-based English language courses.
"We have started to see students back off from the U.S. because of their concerns about potential issues they may face," Jones told analysts on an earnings call.
"But they still want to go somewhere," Jones added, identifying Canada and Australia as important alternatives. "The Canadian Prime Minister has come out and said 'if the U.S. doesn't want you, we'd love to have you' and I think it is the approach of Australia too."
Aulia Adila, 24, a young professional in the media industry in Jakarta, had been considering the United States as an option for postgraduate study.
"When Trump had a chance of winning the election this made me reconsider going to the States to study. Now that he won, and with the Muslim ban and the new migrant policy, it's becoming even more impossible and unsafe to be in America," Adila said.
"I'm considering another country where I'll feel safe."
Dear Travelers Cope With Trump Travel Bans, Simply Travel Elswhere
The scary relationship between the Trump administration and Mexico, industry executives shared their feelings on what's happening with Mexico..
During the keynote panel, moderator and travel journalist James Shillinglaw asked the panel -- Ninan Chacko, CEO of Travel Leaders Group; Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corp.; Alejandro Zozaya, CEO of Apple Leisure Group; and Brian King, global officer of digital, distribution, revenue management and global sales for Marriott International -- for their opinions.
Chacko shared an anecdote about a recent trip to Mexico, when some Mexicans who normally travel to Vail and Aspen for ski vacations instead decided to travel to Vancouver. He said he felt the image the U.S. was projecting to the world wasn't one encouraging them to come to the country at the moment.
Donald, however, said he believed the rest of the world could distinguish between the people and the government.
"My experience in the world has been there are the people, and there are the governments," he said. "And most people around the world understand there are the people, and there are the governments."
He pointed out that tourists visited the Soviet Union when it was under communist rule, as they do in China today.
"In the end, people will travel, but they have to be able to travel and they can't be hassled in traveling," he said.
About 50% of Apple Leisure Group's hotels are in Mexico, Zozaya said. He outlined two concerns: The possibility of tourism to Mexico being taxed and the perception of Mexico that the Trump administration could communicate to supporters.
"Those people, a lot of them just trust him blindly, and if he makes it look like Mexico is the enemy, people will stop traveling to the enemy," he said.
"That would hurt us badly, but it would also hurt the United States," Zozaya added. "Most importantly, it would hurt the humanity and the morals and the principles of the United States."
King said travel professionals in the room in particular understand the value that travel can have in bringing together people of different cultures.
"If suddenly the perception is that one of our closest allies and neighbors for many years is quote-unquote the enemy, we have a problem in our industry," he said.
If that does happen, King suggested the industry take action by writing to legislators.
"That being said, we also have to protect our borders, but I believe in nets, not walls, right? It's about a net so make sure people have the proper visas and everything they need," he said.
During the keynote panel, moderator and travel journalist James Shillinglaw asked the panel -- Ninan Chacko, CEO of Travel Leaders Group; Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corp.; Alejandro Zozaya, CEO of Apple Leisure Group; and Brian King, global officer of digital, distribution, revenue management and global sales for Marriott International -- for their opinions.
Chacko shared an anecdote about a recent trip to Mexico, when some Mexicans who normally travel to Vail and Aspen for ski vacations instead decided to travel to Vancouver. He said he felt the image the U.S. was projecting to the world wasn't one encouraging them to come to the country at the moment.
Donald, however, said he believed the rest of the world could distinguish between the people and the government.
"My experience in the world has been there are the people, and there are the governments," he said. "And most people around the world understand there are the people, and there are the governments."
He pointed out that tourists visited the Soviet Union when it was under communist rule, as they do in China today.
"In the end, people will travel, but they have to be able to travel and they can't be hassled in traveling," he said.
About 50% of Apple Leisure Group's hotels are in Mexico, Zozaya said. He outlined two concerns: The possibility of tourism to Mexico being taxed and the perception of Mexico that the Trump administration could communicate to supporters.
"Those people, a lot of them just trust him blindly, and if he makes it look like Mexico is the enemy, people will stop traveling to the enemy," he said.
"That would hurt us badly, but it would also hurt the United States," Zozaya added. "Most importantly, it would hurt the humanity and the morals and the principles of the United States."
King said travel professionals in the room in particular understand the value that travel can have in bringing together people of different cultures.
"If suddenly the perception is that one of our closest allies and neighbors for many years is quote-unquote the enemy, we have a problem in our industry," he said.
If that does happen, King suggested the industry take action by writing to legislators.
"That being said, we also have to protect our borders, but I believe in nets, not walls, right? It's about a net so make sure people have the proper visas and everything they need," he said.
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