New York Fashion Week debut a successful world stage

New York Fashion Week debut a successful world stage: New York Fashion Week collection, the largest of the two seats reserved reonweyieseo 1000 Fashion Show, held this group of New York s finest fashion professional stage director, stylists, models, hair, makeup, and local staff members in New York fashion show spectacular 360-degree support the participation said

FDI Leeway For Projects In Hospitality And Tourism

In yet another move to ease the foreign direct investment (FDI) guideline for real estate, the department of industrial policy & promotion (DIPP) has proposed that minimum capitalisation norms be waived for some projects in hospitality and tourism.  

In a note drafted for the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), the DIPP, which also handles the FDI policy, has said the minimum capitalisation norms specified in Press Note 2 can be waived in the case of projects involving hospitality and tourism facilities such as hotels, restaurants or entertainment facilities. Press Note 5 specifies that minimum capitalisation should be $5 million for permitting FDI in realty projects which involve an Indian partner. However, for a fully-owned subsidiary of an overseas firm the minimum capitalisation is $10 million. The waiver would be available to projects where half the built-up area is devoted to hotel and tourism businesses like food courts, resorts, restaurants, or if 20% of the total built-up area is used for hotel rooms.  

The DIPP has also proposed that FDI should be allowed to flow into smaller realty projects covering only 10 acres. As of now, FDI is allowed in realty projects only if the minimum area covered is 25 acres (or 10 hectares). The move will help realty projects in metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad attract FDI.

Realty players say that it is not possible to find 25 acres of land in these cities to make their projects comply with Press Note 2 of 2005, which defines guidelines for permitting FDI in this sector. The industry is keen on business in the metros as it attracts high-profile customers, but wants FDI to be allowed since the cost of land in these cities is high, making them expensive.

Veterans in the real estate business who do not want to be identified said the liberalisation moves were welcome. These steps, when implemented, will provide relief to high-value projects in metros and projects being developed for the tourism sector. The move comes as a relief at a time when realty players are struggling to managed debt and lull in business, they added.

However, the realty industry is upset that its demand for waiving off the three-year lock-in for FDI in real estate has not been accepted. Many fund houses keep off realty projects due to the threeyear lock-in period, industry players feel.

Hospitality & Tourism Industry Cape Town South Africa

The hospitality industry in Cape Town has experienced significant growth in recent years, and this upward trend is expected to continue in the near future, as despite a worldwide recession, as the citywide and country wide efforts to further development strengthen with the rising hopes surrounding the Soccer World Cup 2010.
As the world began to discover the true potential of South Africa, whether for business or leisure purposes, the number of visitors to the country increased. The most recent data indicate that South Africa as a single country surpassed the world and the whole African continent in terms of growth in international arrivals, posting healthy increases of about 14%in 2006 and 9% in the year-to-date period through October 2007 compared to the corresponding months of 2006. In addition, South Africa was ranked one of the top 25 tourist destinations in the world according to the 2006 data gathered by the World Tourism Organization.
The countries ranked in the Western Cape's top three source markets are the United Kingdom, Germany, and somewhat surprisingly the United States. The United States has only in the recent period ranked in the top three due to the distance, time and cost associated with travelled to the tip of the African continent.
The increasingly strong presence of European and US travellers to the Western Cape Region is indicative of the potential growth in demand for internationally recognized branded hotels. A significant number of new developments and infrastructural expansions are currently underway in the major cities of South Africa ahead of 2010.
Refurbishment of existing stadiums and building of new ones continues in South Africa, as well as upgrades to infrastructure such as airports. Meanwhile, many smaller enterprises, such as guesthouses and restaurants, are preparing to host the world.
"The hotel sector in South Africa is first-rate," the Fifa inspection team said in its country report. "There are enough hotel rooms to accommodate everyone taking part in the 2010 Fifa World Cup, including media representatives and fans from around the world, both in the main towns, and in the other towns suggested as 2010 Fifa World Cup venues."
With world class restaurants, hotels and wine farms and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, South Africans are right to be upbeat about this event and their hospitality offering in general.

Visit for Hospitality and Travel Jobs continued news and events leading up to the World Cup as well as hospitality jobs and training for the Hospitality Jobs, News, Events Africa

International Hospitality and Tourism Management

A career in international hospitality and tourism management encompasses hotels, restaurants and travel, to be concise. There is much more involved within each of these headings.
Hospitality management by itself involves the management of administration of running hotels, and may include everything from the front desk to catering and entertainment. In fact, hotel management consists of the involvement of the organization of the rooms, the front office, the concierge, reception, reservations, housekeeping, catering, and entertainment. The hotel manager will also manage the financial aspect of running the hotel, and the marketing of it. They will also get involve in ordering the furniture, carpet, linens and oversee security issues.
Tourism management involves the movement of people during their vacations. They will find various destinations for people on holiday to visit. It will involve the journey to the destination and the stay there itself. They would need to know all about the facilities in which their travelers would be staying, and other comforts offered. They would get their vacationers involved in the activities while on their tour. These destinations would need to be very temporary and short-term.
Eco tourism is also becoming a very popular type of tourism. It involves the encouragement of travel that is environmentally responsible, and the greening of tourism.
The education involved in this type of career may be of special interest to developers in timeshares and other vacation ownership. As well, it would be beneficial to people managing visitors bureaus, members of hotel and motel associations, and hotel and restaurant developers.
When getting into the hospitality and tourism careers, it would also be very beneficial to learn other languages and dialects. This, of course, would open up an entire world of communication with your guests, so that you can be that much more accommodating. Being bilingual is always a plus, however, in almost any career.

To find out more about hotel management degrees, go to this hotel management degrees website, and read about hotel management degrees to help you choose what schedule and education is right for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3806735

Best Hospitality and Tourism Management Schools

The best hospitality and tourism management schools are where you gain an academic education on a degree program, which is a requirement if you are planning on enjoying a long career in the travel and tourism industry. When you gain qualifications in the tourism industry, the knowledge and education you gain will ensure that you are going to succeed in the hospitality industry in general.
Here are just a few of the top tourism and hospitality management schools located around the world:

• National Academy Foundations, New York
• IMI Switzerland
• AIM Paris, France
• Queenstown Resort College, New Zealand
• Victoria Management School, New Zealand
• Tourism Management Institute of Singapore (TMIS)

Choose any one of these great management schools, and your life will soon become an adventure in this vast and exciting industry.
The courses provided at these top colleges are designed to fit the students needs for knowledge and education, as well as the requirements of the tourism industry itself. Meaning hotels, casinos and cruise line companies. Courses offer both a practical approach to business administration and leadership to ensure qualify with an understanding of general, as well as tourism business practices. Although an exciting industry to be a part of, it very demanding of individuals and their knowledge.
A degree in tourism management is just one of graduates qualifications/requirements (leadership aside), along with extracurricular learning in over two thousand hours of volunteer and paid work in one or more internships.
Tourism management schools focus on the areas of hotel and event operations, as well as restaurant and gaming operations. This education is fundamental for working in a coastal resort or hotel, where education requirements vary amongst employers. The reason students are required to gain work experience on internships, usually throughout the summer months, is that most employers will hire someone who has already had experience in the tourism field. However, this is not always the case as many people become part of management team only having a bachelor's degree and working their way up through the ranks to senior management level.

Knysna Hotel and Tourism Information

Knysna Tourism

Knysna is a scenic municipality nestled along the Garden Route, a 200 kilometer stretch of land covering beaches, mountains, inland water systems, and lush forest greenery. Located in the southeastern coast of South Africa, Knysna in the Garden Route pulls in domestic and international visitors all year round with its amazing natural beauty, outdoor activities, cultural attractions, and wonderful Knysan accommodation options, including upmarket Knysna Hotel, easy Knysna self-catering and peaceful Knysna B&B accommodation. In terms of weather and climate conditions, even the winters are mild in Knysna, with temperatures averaging consistently within or a little bit above 19 degrees Celsius.

Attractions in Knysna

The municipality, which is situated between George and Plettenberg Bay, comprises of Buffalo Bay, Brenton, Noetzie, Rheenenal, and Sedgerfield. The main tourism attraction of Knysna is its natural beauty, especially it's salt water lagoon, which has been protected and promoted for its tourism potential.There are numerous small accommodation establishments, as well as a number of larger hotels surrounding the lagoon. What makes Knysna accommodation so special is the fact that many self-catering, B&B and hotel establishments are situated right on the shores of this lagoon!

Tourism excursions can be arranged to view any of the several forest and mountain trails surrounding the area. The Garden Route trail takes visitors on a tour of the estuaries, wetlands, sand dunes, coastal areas, and forests along the Garden Route, which crosses some areas of the Goukamma Nature Reserve and the Wilderness National Park. There are many hiking trails through the Knysna Forest, an 80,000 hectare sanctuary famous for its elephants. There are also many accommodation options available in this forest.

For those who are looking for history and art, the municipality has a thriving community showcasing their arts and crafts in several galleries and alternative venues such as the alfresco markets. The Millwood Museum and Materoli Tea Room is constructed at the mining site of the old Goldfield Gold Rush and provides an interactive mining experience.

Dining, Shopping and Outdoor Activities

Knysna's wonderful verdant surroundings, exciting mountain terrain, and deep blue coastal waters attract a host of sports and outdoor activity enthusiasts every year. Abseiling, bungee jumping, hiking, paragliding, mountain biking, water skiing, canoeing, and other exciting outdoor activities are offered by tourism companies specializing in extreme, sports, and recreational activities. Many Knysna accommodation establishments will help organize these activities for their guests.

This quiet town is a magnet for gourmands and beer aficionados. Traditional South African and Cape-Malay influenced establishments serve a wide array of choices, from braai to bobotie, alongside restaurants offering international and fusion cuisine. Locally cultivated oysters and other seafood are served fresh in Knysna. Mitchell's Brewery, one of the foremost breweries in South Africa and a tourism attraction by itself, produces a range of excellent beers.

In terms of shopping, Knysna has an array of specialty shops and stores, including six open air markets, for the satisfaction of the inveterate shopper or the souvenir hunter. The alfresco markets, where locally produced vegetables, fruits, and other farm products are sold, provide a good opportunity to meet and interact with the members of the community.

Where to Stay

Visitors to this popular South African tourism destination will not be disappointed with the range of Knysna accommodation is available for booking. Since the area receives different types of visitors each year, the numerous accommodation options are designed to cater to individual and group preferences and budget. There are more than 6,000 beds available for visitors, these include Knynsa Hotel, Knysna B&B and Knysna self catering accommodation options.

Knysan has many accommodation options available to accommodate everyone. Some accommodation options include campsite, lodges, chalets, hotels, and bed and breakfasts. Other accommodation options include holiday and wildlife resorts and private game resorts. Visit: Knysna Accommodation for a complete listing of Knysna accommodation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6282495

We can't wait until next year for tourism plan - the industry's dying and we must act now

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2: Several Bermuda hotels have been running at a loss for more than two years and could be facing closure before next summer, a leading hotelier has warned.

Mike Winfield, a former president of the Bermuda Hoteliers Association, condemned the delay in producing a strategic plan for tourism.
He said the industry was in “critical condition” and warned “we are fiddling while Rome burns”.
The Cambridge Beaches boss said the announcement, from Tourism Minister Patrice Minors, that the much-hyped masterplan for the future of the industry would not be released until next year was “deeply concerning. We have been talking and talking about this. There were clear and definitive ideas to come out of that retreat.
“There was a consensus that we should be putting this out no later than October to save 2012.
“To find out now that it is not coming out until the beginning of next year is deeply concerning.
“I am not sure the number of hotels will be the same in 2012. There is potential of losing some.”
He said even a small delay in producing a new vision and brand for Bermuda was significant for the shareholders of the island’s hotels.
“How long do shareholders continue to invest money if they are not at least given assurances that the organization responsible for creating demand and ensuring a sustainable environment is in place and making things happen?”
The Annual Job Market Employment Briefs, released on Wednesday, showed 287 jobs were lost in hotels in 2010 — despite no significant closures.
Mr Winfield said the cuts were a sign of how badly hotels were struggling to make ends meet.
“What we are seeing is very clear evidence of the criticality of Bermuda’s hotel industry today.
“Many hotels have been losing money during this economic crisis and there is an obvious impact on the labour force.
“It is the shareholders that pay for that and they are increasingly worried about the sustainability of the industry.”
The Tourism Board held a ‘retreat’ in April to brainstorm ideas with key industry figures with a view to charting the way forward for the struggling industry.
The aim was to produce and publish a clear plan by October to give the island time to market itself for the 2012 season.
But Minster Minors announced last week that progress had been delayed.
Several hoteliers are said to be concerned.
“We can’t procrastinate ad-infinitum,” said Mr Winfield.
“It is my belief that what is required is not rocket science.
Guidance
“There are some definitive steps that need to be taken. We need to know what we want tourism to look like in five years and have a plan to get there. That needs professional input, guidance and management. We should have that in place and we should be moving forward. The state of Bermuda’s industry is not a surprise. We’ve been in a loss position for the last two years.”
He said business had been declining badly for ten years with Bermuda reaching the “critical point” where it could not afford to lose any more hotel beds.
“Look at the number of hotels that have closed. Look at the number of beds on the island.We are half of what we were ten years ago.
“There are lots of people taking decisions about the future of their hotels and looking at different ways of using the land.
“But from a social and financial perspective the tourism industry is vital to the future of Bermuda.
“It provides the infrastructure for International Business. It provides the rationale for the airlift that also supports IB.

Gloom but not doom for Indian hospitality industry

Although the reports about credit crisis in the US economy and debt crisis in the key European markets do not augur well for the Indian travel industry, as they are key source markets, the tourism stakeholders in the country are yet to press the panic button. While telecommunication and IT industries are wary of another recessionary spell due to crisis in these markets, travel and tourism industry in India is not expecting any major impact on the industry, at least in the short term. However, the current credit crisis could in fact be impact the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flow into the developing economies like India.  According to Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, India, USA ranked third after Mauritius and Singapore among the top three investors in India. The total FDI from April 2000-June 2011 was Rs 640, 886 crore (USD 143,158  million), of which the FDI inflow to hotel and tourism sector between April  2000-June 2011 was Rs 12,427.91 crore (USD 2,758.78  million). Services sector, telecommunication and computer software and hardware are the top three sectors for FDI inflow to India. DD Sharma, Retail Researcher, Anand Rathi Stock Brokers and Service Ltd said, “FDI inflow in the Indian hospitality sector might not be negatively affected, as slowing economies with low interest rates will find emerging economies like India as better option for investment. For this reason, India’s growing market will offer higher returns to investors from those countries. US economic slowdown may affect India in IT/BPO, or textiles and merchandise exports, etc.” India receives majority of tourists from European and South Asian countries. “The debt crisis in my opinion would not have a major impact like 2008. The upcoming inbound season is looking fairly stable. However, we need to tread cautiously in some of the volatile markets. Looking at the direct effect on India, it may not be felt much as the Indian inbound dependence on these traditional markets is lesser, as there are countries like Russia, China, Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Ukraine, Singapore and Philippines, which today have a sizeable inbound movement into India and one that is growing steadily,” observed Arjun Sharma, Managing Director, Le Passage to India. He hoped that inbound from these markets would well offset the shortfall from the developed world.  “However, I probably see a large drop in the business travel segment from both USA and Europe. Also the trend of decline is a bit more pronounced for luxury and deluxe products, mid-scale products are still selling well,” Sharma added. Echoing the same sentiments, Rajesh Mudgill, Secretary, IATO and Managing Director, Planet India Travels informed, “The credit ratings will not affect the day-to-day travel and such situations would not actually change the ground reality. The effect might be reflected by way of diverting to short haul destinations and short trips rather than long haul trips. People will travel, but will start spending  cautiously.” The impact of the present crisis would take some time to reflect here, opines Sreekumar Menon, Managing Director, Chalukya Grace Tours. “Unlike five years ago, when we used to get reservation a year in advance, nowadays the bookings are made two months prior to travel. And hence we are yet to witness any cancellations or dip in the arrivals,” Menon informed. But there are people who believe that the current credit in the US would impact inbound into India. As one of the top 15 largest creditors to USA with an exposure of over USD 40 billion, no doubt India will be affected by the slowdown with other countries across the region, states Aiden McAuley, Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific, Swissotel Hotels & Resorts. However, the large domestic base would work in India’s favour, he believes.  “India has a  large domestic economy with strong fundamentals and India may still stand to gain from opportunities among the emerging markets,” he adds. Manav Thadani, Chairman, HVS India believes that if at all there is an impact that would be limited to key metro cities in India. “I would like to clarify that this impact will mainly be felt in the major metro cities and in-particular in the luxury and upscale segment.” KB Kachru, Executive Vice President - South Asia, Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific, believes that domestic market would keep the industry afloat even in the crisis. “The inbound may go down as companies cut down expenditure. Even the leisure segment, owing to the negative sentiment,  might see a decline. However, we expect domestic travelling to increase and drive  up the numbers. Nevertheless, the rates would come under pressure in the short term.”

Sunday, September 04, 2011 Local Saturday, September 03, 2011 HANMI TO LAWMAKERS Pass $15 travel promotion fee to grow CNMI tourism

The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands is asking the Senate and the House to pass a bill that seeks to charge passengers from non-U.S. destinations a new $15 “travel promotion fee,” but asks that fees collected should go directly to the Marianas Visitors Authority instead of the general fund to help grow the tourism industry.

HANMI represents hundreds of hotel rooms in the CNMI.

“We support the implementation of a $15 per person travel promotion fee on arrivals from non-U.S. destinations to fund the Tourism Incentive Program. We do not feel this additional fee will negatively affect the average visitor's decision to choose the Northern Marianas destination,” HANMI board chair Nick Nishikawa and five other HANMI directors said in a letter to Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) and House Speaker Eli Cabrera.

House Bill 17-179, House Substitute 1 passed the House in May, and has since been with the Senate.

The bill seeks to amend a law signed in February, to expand the target market for the tourism incentive program to include “Asian countries” in addition to Japan, which was struck by disasters in March or a month after the original law was enacted.

But Nishikawa and the other board members said it is imperative that the funds collected for this bill's purpose be given “directly” to MVA for the purpose of the Tourism Incentive Program.

“We do not support this revenue being collected under the general fund, as there is concern it would be diverted for other than the intended purpose, which is solely for the growth of our tourism industry. Furthermore, allocating this revenue directly to MVA will eliminate any delays in allotments, a challenge the tourism authority continues to face in implementing its programs,” the HANMI officials said.

Tourism is now the only major industry in the CNMI, after the total pullout of the garment industry. But tourist arrivals have been steadily declining. In June, for example, arrivals dropped by 17 percent compared to June 2010, attributed mainly to the negative effects of the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan.

MVA said there were only 23,604 visitors in June compared to 28,372 during the same month last year. Overall, visitor arrivals are down 5 percent this fiscal year to 251,992 visitors.

House floor leader George Camacho (Ind-Saipan), author of HB 17-179, HS1, said yesterday he's hopeful that the Senate will pass the tourism incentive bill.

“I am sure the Senate understands the CNMI's need for revenue and will pass the legislation. I just hope they can do it soon and not delay the process. MVA is waiting on that bill so that they can quickly promulgate the rules to get the program started,” Camacho told Saipan Tribune.

But a copy of the Senate's scheduled Sept. 8 session agenda does not include the tourism incentive bill. The bill calendar has only the fiscal year 2012 budget.

Sen. Ralph Torres (R-Saipan), chair of the Senate Committee on Resources and Economic Development, said in a separate interview yesterday that the panel will meet on Wednesday or Thursday to discuss this legislation.

“And from there, we'll know whether to recommend passage or not of the bill,” he added.

The Fitial administration sponsored the original tourism incentive bill that became law.

When a bill amending the tourism law was introduced, it contained the new $15 fee to be collected by airlines, besides expanding the target market for the tour agent incentive program.

The law gives monetary incentives to travel agents who are able to bring in tourists from the Japanese cities of Osaka and Nagoya during so-called low peak periods. The March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan has prompted the CNMI to expand the target market, to include those from Korea and China and other Asian countries.

Collections from this new fee will also be used to “recover costs incurred for enforcement of customs and quarantine laws,” the bill amending the law says.

Lawmakers have always talked about passing revenue-generating bills and cut spending, but only a few actually get acted on.

Idul Fitri Good News for Local Tourism

Many of Indonesia’s 237 million people are in the mood for holidaying in the post-fasting Idul Fitri period, and they have flocked to domestic tourist attractions.

The government combined the national holiday with leave days, giving almost everyone nine days off for Idul Fitri 2011. Work starts again on Monday.

The long holiday helped boost transportation and tourism, with about 15.5 million travelers going home to celebrate Idul Fitri with their relatives. And once the prayers were over, they spent the rest of the holiday at the beach and other attractions.

In Jakarta, PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol official Metty Yan Harahap estimated that at least 1.5 million visitors would flood Ancol Dreamland during the week, at least 10 percent more than during last year` week-long Lebaran holiday.

In addition, on the second day of Idul Fitri, Thursday, at least 45,000 people visited the Taman Mini Indonesia theme park in East Jakarta, said the park’s spokesman, Mas`ud Toyib said. He expected visits would hit a peak Sunday.

In nearby Tangerang, thousands of holiday makers visited the popular Tanjung Pasir beach on Saturday, said beach security coordinator Asmar Yopi. He said the place would stay packed through the weekend as people get as much fun as possible out of the holiday before heading back to work.

Rosidah, a resident of nearby Balaraja, Tangerang, said every year she and her friends visited Tanjung Pasir beach because it’s close to home and easier to reach than the popular seaside Anyer resort in Banten.

"If we go to Anyer, we are also afraid of getting stuck in a traffic jam," she said.

Anyer itself was crowded for its busiest time of the year.

"The peak of tourist arrivals at Anyer is expected this Saturday and Sunday," Secretary of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association’s Serang Chapter, Sukirman, said Friday.

Cilegon Police Chief Umar Surya Fana said he would deploy extra personnel in Anyer to handle the crush of arrivals over the weekend.

"This weekend, it`s not only the peak of tourist arrivals in Anyer Beach, but also the reverse flow of Idul Fitri travelers from Bakauheni to Merak Seaport," he said.

In West Java, thousands of tourists visiting Mount Papandayan in Garut, West Java ignored a government warning to stay away from the volcano, which erupted recently and has been on alert status since Aug. 13, according to local government spokesperson Dikdik Hendraja.

Also in West Java, at least 25,000 visitors were expected by resorts in the Rancabali region of Bandung District.

"Around 17,000 people already have arrived from various cities in Indonesia. It`s likely that the number of tourist arrivals this year will increase from the previous year," Asep Ester, the chairman of the Bandung Tourism Association, said last week.

Its also been a good time for malls and department stores. In Bekasi, visitors to malls in Cikarang are up about 17 percent after Idul Fitri.

"Visitors come for discounted products, especially garments and Lebaran necessities," Ridwan Arifin, a spokesman for Sentra Grosir Cikarang  in Bekasi said on Friday.

The stories are repeated nationwide, from  the Punti Kayu forest resort in Palembang to East Java’s Wonorejo Dam and reservoir, where numbers were up sharply. 

In Malam, East Java, five to six thousand people a day visited Jatim Park 2 during the holiday, an increase of 40 percent from non-peak times, said an official. Jatim Park 1 saw about 4,000 people a day.

For the wealthy, Australia was a popular destination, with the Australian Embassy getting over 16,000 tourist visa applications in the seven weeks leading up to the holiday.

"Lebaran is a special time for all Indonesians and we`re proud to be able to meet the growing demand for Indonesians visiting Australia," Australian Ambassador Greg Moriarty said in a press release Friday.

Welcome aboard North Korea’s first cruise ship.Keen to boost tourism and earn much-needed cash,

Welcome aboard North Korea’s first cruise ship.Keen to boost tourism and earn much-needed cash, authorities in the impoverished nation have decided to launch a cruise tour from the rundown northeastern port city of Rajin to the scenic resort of Mount Kumgang.

In a highly unusual move, the reclusive regime invited more than 120 journalists and Chinese tour operators on board the newly renovated, 39-year-old Man Gyong Bong ship for a trial run of the 21-hour journey.

The vessel left one of Rajin’s aging piers Tuesday to the sound of rousing music, as hundreds of students and workers holding colorful flowers stood in line and clapped in unison.

“The boat was only renovated one week ago,” said Hwang Chol Nam, vice mayor of the Rason special economic zone, as he sat on the top deck at a table filled with bottles of North Korean beer, a large plate of fruit, and egg and seafood dishes.

“But it has already made the trip to Mount Kumgang and back. I told people to test the ship to make sure it was safe,” said the 48-year-old, dressed in a crisp suit adorned with a red pin sporting late leader Kim Il-Sung’s portrait.

The project is the brainchild of North Korea’s Taepung International Investment Group and the government of Rason, a triangular coastal area in the northeast that encompasses Rajin and Sonbong cities, and borders China and Russia.

Set up as a special economic zone in 1991 to attract investment to North Korea, it never took off due to poor infrastructure, chronic power shortages and a lack of confidence in the reclusive regime.

Now though, authorities are trying to revive the area as the North’s economy falters under the weight of international sanctions imposed over the regime’s pursuit of ballistic missiles and atomic weapons.

The country is desperately poor after decades of isolation and bungled economic policies, and is grappling with persistent food shortages.

In Rason, Hwang said authorities had decided to focus on three areas of growth – cargo trade, seafood processing and tourism.

North Korea has only been open to Western tourists since 1987 and remains tightly controlled, but more destinations are gradually opening up to tour groups keen to see the country for themselves.

Mount Kumgang, though, is at the heart of a political dispute between North and South Korea after a tourist from the South was shot dead by a North Korean soldier in 2008.

And Rason, where the cruise begins, is a poor area. The tours are tightly monitored, and the only brief contact with locals is with guides, tourist shop owners and hotel employees.

Visitors can expect only brief glimpses of everyday life through the windows of tour buses, as locals – many dressed in monochrome clothing – cycle past or drive the occasional car in otherwise quiet streets.

Small apartment blocks, many of them run down, are interspersed with monuments to the glory of the country’s leaders.

A portrait of current leader Kim Jong-Il and his late father Kim Il-Sung greets visitors as they walk through the vast lobby of the large, white hotel in Rajin. “The book is a silent teacher and a companion to life,” reads a quotation from the late Kim, hung over glass cases full of books about North Korea, with titles like “The Great Man Kim Jong-Il” and “Korea – a trailblazer.”

A North Korean Resort Seeks to Draw Foreigners

The golf course is devoid of caddies; banks and restaurants are chained and padlocked; and empty hotel rooms have grown musty.

Income from tourism here has plummeted since a South Korean visitor was shot dead in 2008 by a North Korean soldier while wandering one night into a nearby area that North Korean officials said was a military zone. South Korea then forbade its citizens from traveling here, and the South Korean developer of the park, Hyundai Asan, had to suspend the venture, for which it had exclusive rights from this authoritarian Communist state.

Now, the North Korean government, desperate for revenue, seeks to lure other foreign investors to Mount Kumgang, against the wishes of South Korea.

A senior North Korean tourism official gave a video presentation on Wednesday night to scores of Chinese businesspeople and officials shuttled to the park on a 21-hour bare-bones cruise from the Rason region in the far north of the country. The official, Kim Kwang-yun, told foreign reporters who had been given a rare opportunity to accompany the Chinese group to this secretive country that Mount Kumgang was open to investment from anywhere.

“Last night, I explained a lot to allow foreigners to see the beautiful sights of Mount Kumgang,” Mr. Kim said as he sat beneath chandeliers in the lobby of the Kumgang Hotel, adding that he could also talk about investing “if big delegations from Europe, Africa and other countries come to the Mount Kumgang area.”

The effort by North Korean officials to bring foreign investment to Mount Kumgang is the latest move in a chess match between the two Koreas over the park, which abuts the demilitarized zone. New investment would help with infrastructure construction, and rejuvenated park operations could bolster tourist numbers. But the vast majority of the two million visitors who have come to the resort since its opening in 1998 have been South Koreans, and North Korean officials say they want to restart their partnership with Hyundai Asan. The very public wooing of foreign investors could be an effort to pressure the South Korean government to let Hyundai Asan rejoin the venture.

The North Koreans began raising the stakes on Aug. 22, when officials informed the government in the South that they were evicting any remaining South Korean employees from the park and contended that they had the right to “start legal disposal” of South Korean assets, which amount to $443 million.

The South Korean government immediately said it would take legal and diplomatic measures to protect the assets, and Hyundai Asan warned that anyone who bought facilities at the resort would be implicated in international lawsuits.

Mr. Kim said the South Korean government was responsible for the conflict by putting “unilateral restrictions on tourism” for “political purposes.” He added that the tensions would not scare off foreign investors.

“I think we already established the legal foundation for developing this Mount Kumgang area,” he said. “Whether they will invest in this area is their choice.”

An official at South Korea’s Unification Ministry said in an e-mail on Saturday that the “Mount Kumgang tourism issue cannot be resolved by the unilateral measures by the North. It can be addressed by inter-Korean dialogue.”

Once accessed by ferry and road from South Korea, the special administrative zone of Mount Kumgang is a rugged area of pine trees and waterfalls, soaring stony peaks and curving coastlines. Carved into the ubiquitous granite rock faces are gigantic slogans paying homage to the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, and his deceased father and North Korea’s founder, Kim Il-sung.

The South Korean government built a center here for a pilot program in which family members split by the division of Korea in 1945 and the subsequent war could meet again. But since the killing of the South Korean tourist, relations between the two Koreas have become much more strained, especially after the sinking of a South Korean naval ship for which the South blames the North and the shelling of a South Korean island last year.

The drop in tourism has been particularly hard on North Korea, which has been grappling with food shortages caused in part by failed economic policies and struggling with the effect of economic sanctions from the United Nations. The sanctions were imposed mostly at the urging of the United States, which is trying to force the North Korean leader to end a nuclear weapons program.

Emirati students boost their skills in Delma Island tourism

Abu Dhabi: For Mariam Ahmad Mohammad, the chance to return to the island where her father tended to the animals loved by the UAE's late President Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan was a dream come true.

"My father was the caretaker of Sir Bani Yas… he would look after the island and the animals… he met with Shaikh Zayed whenever he visited to talk about any changes that took place. Growing up, I visited the island regularly with my father and I loved seeing all the animals, especially the giraffes," she said.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from the UAE University, Mariam returned to Delma Island and enrolled in various courses in the Delma Island Education Centre (DIEC).

"While studying at the centre, I heard about a new tourism programme and when I found out more about it, I was very excited to join… it provided me with the perfect way to enhance my BA skills while also promoting my culture and heritage in a unique, hands-on way," Mariam said.

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"My parents were very supportive, especially my father… they're very proud that I am following in his footsteps but in my own way," she added.

First batch

The 24-year-old is one of five Emirati women who make up the first batch of students who have graduated from the DIEC's 11-month programme, the Introductory Diploma in Travel and Tourism. The diploma is accredited and certified through the UK-based vocational skills organisation City & Guilds Group.

"We launched this programme because we wanted to encourage Emirati involvement to develop the desert islands into a tourist destination," Mahra Al Qasimi, Senior Communications Manager in Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), said. "Even though our first graduates from this programme are women, it is open to both men and women who are Emiratis. The women have given their feedback and we are considering their suggestions for the next batch, of which we've already begun receiving applications," she added.

The women completed courses in English, tourism, customer service, the presentation of promotional materials, task planning and time management before moving on to an internship at the Desert Island Resort & Spa by Anantara, the signature hotel on Sir Bani Yas, a two-hour ferry ride from home.

Wafa Sanad Al Mehairbi, 21, was studying at the UAE University before enrolling in the Centre. "I loved the programme… it taught me so much, both about the industry and myself… I was a very shy person and wasn't very physically active. But when we had to do our practical training on the island, I had a lot of fun. I learnt to ride a bicycle and through interacting with guests, I became more confident about speaking in public," Wafa said.

Fostering closeness

"Another great thing about the programme is that while at first the only other person I knew was Mariam, by the time it ended, we all became as close as sisters," she added.

Mariam, Wafa and their fellow graduates, Inaam Yousuf Al Hammadi and Yasmeen Ebrahim Al Hammadi are working as tour guides on the island while their fifth classmate, Shaikha Mohammad Al Ali, is an administrator in the DIEC.

"Being able to do all these activities is amazing, especially since not many people were sure we could be full-time tour guides. Also, we were able to share our culture with international guests who don't know a lot about the UAE"

Wafa said because of the positive experiences she's had, she is trying to encourage a friend to enrol with the next batch.

"We need more Emiratis to join this industry because who better than us to represent our country's culture and hospitality?" Wafa said.

About the Desert Islands Education Centre

Travel Wise: Local hotel rates rise, but tourists still coming

Hotel occupancy rates in Seattle and around Washington state inched upward in July, a sign of a slightly improved economy. The flip side was higher room prices.

Smith Travel Research reports the average room rate for July in the Seattle area was $126.50, up 5.3 percent compared to July 2010. That doesn't appear to be deterring tourists, however.

If the city feels crowded this weekend, there's a reason. The online travel agency CheapOair reports Seattle is among the nation's top 10 destinations for Labor Day. Los Angeles is No. 1. New York City didn't make the cut.

Cyber travel

Anyone who's tried to plan a trip into Eastern Europe knows there's a dearth of up-to-date travel information. New hotels and restaurants are opening all the time, yet most guidebook authors do their research a year before the books are published, then update only every two or three years.

My favorite online resources for this part of the world are the In Your Pocket Guides and apps (www.inyourpocket.com). Now there's another. Argophilia (http://argophilia.com/Albania/) launched last month with an online guide to Albania, the first in a planned series of guides for 30 Eastern European destinations.

I would have loved to have had an online guide for Albania when I traveled there in 2010. The country is truly a hidden gem, filled with medieval towns, beautiful beaches and historical sites.

In the meantime, when it comes to printed guidebooks, the slim Bradt Guides (www.bradtguides.com) still top my list for info about foreign destinations most tourists know little about.

Closer to home, the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau has come up with four free, self-guided cyber tours for smartphones and tablets such as the iPad.

Use them on the ferry, in a hotel room or while standing in front of a historic theater or scenic trailhead. The tours cover Granite Falls, the Mountain Loop Highway, local aviation-related attractions and the Snohomish antique district. Details at www.snohomish.org.

Airline refund policies

Following up on an August column on airline refund policies when fares drop, I heard from Bruce and Olga Sutherland, who booked flights to Frankfurt from Seattle in August on Condor Air.

"We checked the airfare on tickets we booked for Europe in May," they wrote in an email. "Sure enough, the fares had dropped significantly, nearly $1,000 for the two of us. We called the airline immediately but were told they could do nothing, no voucher, no upgrade. 'Sorry!' What can you advise?"

How to be a tourism billionaire

Tourism is the world’s biggest and most exciting industry. Last year, more than a billion tourists spent over $1 trillion gallivanting around the planet. The top 10 destinations, according to the United Nations-affiliated World Tourism Organization, are (1) France, (2) the United States, (3) Spain, (4) China, (5) Italy, (6) Great Britain, (7) Turkey, (8) Germany, (9) Malaysia and (10) Mexico.

Bottom dweller. Note that among the 10 topnotchers are two of our Asian neighbors. China had 51 million visitors who poured in $39.7 billion into the Chinese economy, and Malaysia had 23.6 million visitors who spent $30 billion –much more the remittance of $18.7 billion of all our OFWs last year. I am not surprised by the Chinese performance but the big wow is Malaysia.

Among the bottom-dwellers was the Philippines with 3.5 million visitors who spent $2.49 billion. The tourist attractions of Malaysia are similar to ours. But it received almost 10 times more tourists and earned 10 times more dollars than us. If we can replicate just half of the Malaysian performance, our economy will boom. And perhaps, our people need not go abroad to find jobs.

How can the Philippines become a tourism multi-billionaire? Our Department of Tourism pinned its hope on its “action-oriented” National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP), which aims to “attract about 6.5 million foreign tourists and generate 2.9 million new jobs in the next five years.”

Without preempting the new tourism secretary (Ramon Jimenez), I think any tourism program should consider at least five basic things: (1) product, (2) transportation, (3) accommodation, (4) facilitation, and (5) marketing.

Stress the positives. On the first, our “product,” I think we should learn to capitalize on our “positives,” like our naturally hospitable, smiling and English-speaking people; and the very reasonable prices of our food, hotels, shopping and entertainment. We need to stress our multi-culture heritage and natural attractions like beaches (nothing in the world beats Boracay).

We have to attend to basic infrastructures. Let’s improve the Manila airport pronto; it is the worst capital airport in Asia. Let’s solve the Piatco imbroglio that has lingered for over 10 years now. If San Miguel can create a miracle in the Caticlan airport as the gateway to Boracay, we can do it anywhere.

And let’s plan long term for the Diosdado Macapagal Airport in Pampanga. It may be “far” from Manila, but so are the huge Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur airports. Yet, with proper rail and freeway links, these new international gateways are admired everywhere. Did you ever wonder why cruise ships practically ignore our country? Well, let us provide better facilities for them!

And we need to improve our negatives, like our peace and order in certain areas. Let’s not bring tourists where we cannot assure them of safety. In tourist havens, let’s have visible tourist police. Let’s improve our vanishing sidewalks. One of the first things tourists do is to walk around their hotel. Can that be done in Manila where sidewalks are used as garbage dumps, repair shops and parking lots?

Review open skies policy. On the second item, transportation, almost all our tourists arrive by air. And yet, we still have a confusing air policy. On April 3, I wrote on “open skies” and will not now repeat my thesis. Suffice it to say that no country in the world succeeded in its tourism program by sacrificing its national air carriers.

Perhaps, at a distant past when Philippine Airlines did not have sufficient capacity, it made sense to think of open skies. But now, PAL’s capacity has been greatly improved. And we have new carriers, like Cebu Pacific, that can fill whatever capacity gaps there may be.

Aside from international carriers, we need to review our domestic air links, shipping lines, tourist buses, taxis, and our crude railroad tracks. Years ago, the DoT was advertising the Banaue Rice Terraces. The big question was: How do we get there?

Facilitation refers to government formalities, like visas, immigration, customs and security checks. Our ragtag Manila airport is one of the few in the world that still charges an “airport terminal fee.” Melvin Cruz, a successful Filipino hotel executive in the United States, sadly told me recently that cruise ships avoid us because of difficulty in dealing with immigration and customs personnel.

On accommodation, we have great hotels here that charge reasonable rates. But we need many more hotel rooms of the kind and price range that complement the NTDP’s aim to double our tourist arrivals in five years. It is not easy to build hotels. We need feasibility studies, visionary entrepreneurs, resources, time and stable government policies.

Finally, our marketing must be synchronized with our product. If we decide to sell mainly beaches, then we need to find foreign tourists who want them. We cannot sell beaches to mountain climbers or to non-swimmers. Also, the world is a huge market. We need to segment it and focus on the tourists who want our attractions.

Sports and tourism would be big for city

For the past two years, Demopolis has played host to two Cal Ripken Youth Baseball Tournaments, which have pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash onto the streets of Demopolis and through local businesses.

Hotels, restaurants, local retailers, probably a few doctors and many other things have benefited from what has become an annual event.

On the heels of that influx, Art Evans, Cal Ripken League Administrator and Alabama Babe Ruth District 10 Commissioner, asked the Demopolis city council Thursday night to consider creating a full-time position whose sole purpose was to secure sporting events that could be held in the City of the People.

According to Evans, for the past two years, in excess of $380,000 was spent in the city during the two tournaments. That, he said, equals approximately $17,000 in taxes paid to the city.

That’s a lot. Especially considering those dollars are transient. They weren’t something we were just going to get. We had to find it.

Creating a position whose sole purpose is to market the sports environment in Demopolis is a good move. However, I think Mayor Mike Grayson’s estimated startup cost is somewhat conservative.

A good salesman, which is what we need in a potential “sports commissioner”, can earn a hefty salary in the private sector. There’s not a lot of room for an attractive salary and benefit package at an all encompassing $68,000.

I believe, that position in the right hands could justify a salary of $50,000 plus, which would likely push startup costs to around $90,000.

That’s a chunk of money, but you have to plan big to make it big.

Look at the money already brought into our city based on the work of Art Evans, Rob Pearson, Charles Singleton and a handful of volunteers.

I think it’s more than reasonable to think that an aggressive push put forth by a full-time employee could more than cover his or her own expenses within 18 months or less.

Evans noted that the potential Demopolis will serve as a host site for a Cal Ripken World Series in the near future is at least a possibility. Again, that’s roughly another $45,000 in taxes.

Jay Shows and the local hotel contingent have agreed to implement a 50 cent per bad tax on their occupants if it will help bring more people and tourism dollars to the community through this employee.

Our natural resources, our hunting and fishing, are extraordinarily marketable. One good size bass tournament – maybe a stop on the FLW Tour or something of that size – would easily pump in another very conservative $20,000 to the tax base, not to mention the dollars spent at Parr’s, and Vowell’s, and the Best Western and a host of other local businesses that could use the boost.

Art and Rob have clearly shown there is potential for success in this venture, and have done so with their own sweat, own time and in some cases, their own money.

They deserve to see this idea put on the street in the form of a master marketer who can sell one of the easiest things there is to sell on the planet – the quality of the sports facilities in Demopolis.

Hospitality, Tourism, and Leisure

What courses? A plethora of options covering the three fields, including: tourism and leisure; tourism management; hospitality management; events management; travel and tourism; activity tourism management; adventure tourism management; airline and airport management; cruise industry management; culinary arts management; food tourism management; heritage management; nature tourism management; international tourism management.

What do you come out with? BA or BSc

Why do it? Because they are glamorous fields of work which allow you, in many cases, to see the world and learn new languages. Hospitality, leisure and tourism give you the opportunity to work in fast-paced, people friendly environments where you can develop skills in sales, management and lots more. Tourism is a valuable part of the world economy and for many small countries around the world it’s a massive chunk of their GDP. Tourism is also booming in the UK, with many staying closer to home for their holidays during the recession and the inevitable draw of the 2012 London Olympics on the horizon. The employment prospects are great for such vocational courses and you’re in with a good chance of getting to work abroad if you fancy some time in the sun.

What's it all about? Courses in these three fields are highly vocational and industry-focused – not to mention incredibly popular. You will study the basics of human resources, marketing, finance and operations, all geared towards your career preferences. For example, a tourism degree tends to focus on travel and management in the context of local economic, environmental and social issues. When it comes to hospitality, expect to learn about industry-specific issues, such as food hygiene and nutrition, as well as getting hands-on experience in the kitchen and on the restaurant floor. Events courses focus on the ever-expanding big business of events (surprisingly), whether these are music festivals, comic conventions or massive corporate conferences. Due to the massive vocational emphasis of these courses, a sandwich year (particularly appropriately-named for catering courses) is compulsory in nearly all cases. With many universities building strong links with the industries’ major players – University College Birmingham students can work with Whitbread or Holiday Inn – graduate prospects can be greatly benefited in this placement year.

Study options: Courses are three years, but the addition of the sandwich makes most four. You will also have to do four years if you are at a Scottish university or taking the part-time option at Greenwich. There is often the option to study alongside a foreign language, in which case, you’ll also be spending an additional year working or studying abroad.

What will I need to do it? Anything goes, generally, although some places recommend business, economics and geography A-levels. If you’re doing hospitality management, an A-level in food technology might also help on the practical side of things. Offers range depending on the university – it’s ABB at Surrey, BBC at Northumbria, or CDD at UWIC and Greenwich.

What are my job prospects? As a group of fairly vocational degrees, they generally have a well-established route into graduate jobs either in the UK or overseas. Some graduates go on to work in travel consultancy, tour operations, destination marketing, visitor attractions management, hospitality provision, events programming and small business development. Others work in hotel management, on cruise ships or in marketing. If you decide the tourism, hospitality and leisure industries aren’t for you on completion of your degree, then you should have acquired a host of business and interpersonal skills that will leave you open for a range of jobs in various other sectors. However, due to the large number of courses now offered across the UK, graduates are slowly outnumbering jobs, meaning employment figures don't look overly positive. According to The Times' Good University Guide 2012, just under 40 per cent of leavers went straight into graduate-level jobs, while 46 per cent were in non-graduate positions andnine per cent were unemployed, which is about the national average. Average graduate salaries are £17,680.

Firm expands hotel chains in Nigeria

Thornberry Africa, which prides itself as Africa’s premier hospitality management and marketing company, has recorded more positive strides in the Nigerian hotel and tourism landscape with the recent addition of Penthouse Hotel by Americas Best Inns and Suites, Ikoyi.

This is coming shortly after the recent addition of Juanita Hotel in Port Harcourt and the expected launch of Lekki Oxford Hotel, WestPoint and Savannah Suites later this month and October respectively.
Briefing newsmen in Lagos, the Managing Director of Thornberry Africa, David Church, said this new deal broadens the array of hotels that the Thornberry brand represents; a portfolio of lodges, resorts and other tourist concerns situated in strategic destinations throughout Africa.
The Penthouse Hotel and Suites, which is originally owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), according to Church, is also modelled after the Americas Best Inns and Suites, in the US, which has over 100, 000 properties.
While commenting on the unique selling points of the Penthouse Hotel, Thornberry boss, who trained in the UK, said, among other things, it has executive suites, 24-hours internet access and has a Lady’s Room, which is one of the flagship products of Thornberry.
The General Manager of Penthouse Hotel, Jannie Lombard, who took journalists on a tour of the facility said the hotel is a business-oriented hotel, targeted at serving upwardly mobile executives and other high end individuals.
He, however, hinted of plans by the hotel to partner with the Ikoyi Club, to allow customers easy access to outdoor facilities like the gym, swimming pool, among others.
Church, who claimed that his firm has taken over the management of Tinapa resort, in Cross River, said the resort has grown in the last six months since they assumed its management.
The hotelier who said his company only selects hotels which meets or exceeds its extensive minimum standards and value experience for both travelers and bookers, further added that each property on the Thornberry list is treated with specific; almost signature approach, "This flows through culinary experience, furnishings and interiors and staff attitude to the highly placed guests."
The company, which currently overseas over 21 projects across the continent including Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa, among others, first came to Nigeria a little over a year ago and now manages hotels and resorts including Citilodge, Citipark, Tinapa Lakeside and Aqua Vista. While recent deals are Penthouse by Americas Best, Sommerset Hotel, Westpoint Hotel, Lekki Oxford and Savanna Kennan Country Lodge.

Civic Center, tourism officials disappointed by Marriott decision

PEORIA —

People interested in seeing the Downtown Marriott Hotel project go forward were disappointed about the possible cancellation of the redevelopment agreement for the project.

"It's unfortunate," Jim Wetherington, general manager of the Peoria Civic Center, said Friday, two days after City Manager Patrick Urich and Mayor Jim Ardis told developer Gary Matthews that they were canceling the redevelopment agreement. "We were hoping for the shovel to hit the ground sooner than later."

Civic Center officials last spoke with Matthews about the particulars of a skywalk connecting the Downtown sports and entertainment facility with the Marriott about 1 1/2 years ago, Wetherington said. The last drawing, presented by PSA Dewberry, showed the skywalk connecting from the hotel at the Civic Center's Fulton Street entrance.

"It limits the amount of shows we can do," Wetherington said. "It's not a deal breaker nor ends our business, but it doesn't give as many options as we have."

The Civic Center completed its $55 million expansion in 2007, with the hopes of attracting more conventions if an attached hotel surfaced. Officials in the past have estimated there has been about 52,000 hotel room nights lost because the Civic Center is not attached to a hotel.

"(The Marriott Hotel project) was a major focus not only on what we hoped was a major urban renewal but a marketing story with potential clients," said Bob Marx, president/CEO of the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Financially, that's a huge loss."

The cancellation also will probably hurt the Hotel Pere Marquette, an aging hotel that was built in 1927 and is in need of an upgrade.

The hotel, according to Marx, had a 44 percent occupancy rate in July, which is low compared to the other Downtown hotels, which are doing business in the mid-50s.

"Typically, it's said in the industry that between the mid-50s and 60s is where a hotel starts to make money," Marx said.

Marx was not sure of the viability of the Pere Marquette now that the redevelopment agreement is likely to be canceled. The hotel's general manager, Bill Carter, did not return calls for comment.

Also in limbo is the fate of state historic tax credits that would be used to renovate the Pere Marquette.

In June 2010, Gov. Pat Quinn, during a signing ceremony at the hotel, authorized the credits to assist in reducing the public's share of the hotel's financing.

State Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, said the legislation has since expired and that it would take a vote again by the General Assembly to renew the tax credits. He said the biggest obstacle, though, would be getting it endorsed in the Illinois House, where state Rep. Jehan Gordon, D-Peoria, would be the chief sponsor. She could not be reached for comment.

Admiral House Hotel awarded three star rating

ADMIRAL House Hotel in Douglas has been awarded a three star rating by Quality in Tourism.

The independent assessment body, contracted by Isle of Man Tourism, has increased the hotel's rating by a star for displaying a high standard of service, food and accommodation.

Quality in Tourism works in conjunction with Visit Britain to award independent gradings and adheres to national standards known as the National Quality Assessment Scheme (NQAS).

Rachel Camilleri, general manager at the Admiral House Hotel, said: "The Quality in Tourism inspectors are renowned for having incredibly high standards but we were quietly confident that the review would go well.

"We work very hard to make sure that all of our visitors receive the same high level of service all day every day and it is fantastic news that we have been recognised for this."

Geoff Corkish MHK, political member for Isle of Man Tourism, said: "Admiral House Hotel has clearly strived hard for this significant achievement. We view the hotel as a valued partner in our efforts to drive up quality and service to visitors and residents alike and their hard work reflects on their investment and effort."

Admiral House Hotel was also recently awarded two rosettes by the AA for its restaurant JAR which is the maximum possible rating for a restaurant on its first inspection.

Investors plan more resort, hotel rooms

With the continued confidence in the tourism industry in the whole country especially in Cebu, property developers and managers announced their plans to build more properties to add more room capacity this year.

Quantuvis executive Alfred Reyes said the firm planned to build six more hotels and resorts in the country within two years.

“These properties will likely have about 75 to 200 rooms each, which we are targeting to develop and finish in two years,” Reyes told Cebu Daily News on Friday.

Quantuvis, which developed Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center in Manila, will develop three projects in Cebu this year.

Reyes said a business hotel project would soon rise near the Cebu Business Park.

“This property will have about 150 to 200 rooms. We’ll start building soon and have the property ready before Sinulog of 2013,” he said.

Reyes said the company allocated P500,000 to P1 million for the business hotel project.

The other two projects will be in the reclamation area and in Mactan island.

“Our Cebu property will have conference room facilities to cater to the MICE market which is what Cebu is trying to get a share of,” Reyes said.

Another property developer Genesis Hotels and Resorts Corp. is also looking for local partners for possible projects in Cebu.

The firm had no property in Cebu but they were open for opportunities here, said John A. Tanjangco, Genesis Hotels and Resorts Corp. assistant vice president for marketing.

“We are very interested in Cebu and open for a partnership with anyone who would want us to manage their properties for them,” Tanjangco said.

“In Cebu there are a lot of opportunities for a business hotel, a resort property or even a budget hotel,” he said.

The firm. manages seven hotels and resorts around the country including Astoria Plaza in Manila.

“Our properties are located in the most unusual places and we are bringing more marketing efforts here to strengthen our presence in Cebu which is a hub and has access to direct international flights,” Tanjangco said

He said the firm would open a property in Bohol Province in September and two more properties in Cagayan de Oro.

As a committed member of the local community, Riyadh's Al Faisaliah Hotel,

As a committed member of the local community, Riyadh's Al Faisaliah Hotel, A Rosewood Hotel, is running its 10th consecutive internship programme for promising Saudi hospitality students. Organised in collaboration with the Human Resources Development Funds, Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, the King Saud University and the College of Tourism and Archaeology, the comprehensive one year programme enables students to gain significant knowledge and experience that may become their future career.

Since the internship programme was launched 10 years ago, more than 100 Saudi graduates have enjoyed full time positions within various departments at Al Faisaliah Hotel.

"It has been our privilege to contribute to the development of Saudi talent in the hospitality industry. Al Faisaliah Hotel is renowned for its world class service and award-winning hospitality, and we take our responsibility to transfer this excellence to the next generation of professionals from our local community. We look forward to welcoming our latest intake of Saudi students who may well become our future colleagues," said Peter Finamore, Managing Director of Al Faisaliah Hotel.

A total of nine students are participating in this year's internship programme. One of the successful applicants, Arab Khalid Alhaidary, a student from King Saud University said: "There is no better place to learn from about the hospitality sector than Al Faisaliah Hotel. I've learned invaluable lessons from the talented staff in all the departments, which has helped me in choosing my future career in this industry".