World Tourism Blog

Mexico’s spring break king — Cancun — is rebounding quickly from last year’s triple blow to its tourism industry caused by the country’s swine flu epidemic, drug violence and a global economic crisis.

Those worries couldn’t compete this year against Mexico’s cheap airfare from the United States and phenomenal package deals that include the popular all-you-can-drink enticements.

February saw 85 percent of its 28,000 rooms filled, a sign of Cancun’s speedy recovery from 2009, when 1 million fewer visitors came than in a typical year. The relatively high occupancy seen in February is expected to go even higher in March when more universities are on spring break.

“We’re back to normal levels after having seen tourism practically paralyzed last year,” said Quintana Roo state assistant tourism secretary Dario Flota.

At the sprawling, palm-tree packed Oasis Hotel, a popular spot with spring breakers, visitors from the U.S. Midwest and Canada looking to shake the chill from a usually brutal winter dotted the beach where some took photos with monkeys while others danced to music pumped out from gigantic speakers.

Emma Duranti, a 20-year-old science major at Queens University in Kingston, Canada, decided to come to Cancun after comparing it to Jamaica and finding a better deal. Duranti said she paid $1,040 for a seven-day, all-inclusive trip.

“I was expecting a good party but it went above and beyond,” said Duranti while sunbathing with two other friends on the beach of the Oasis Hotel. “There is always a party on the beach and you can party all day and party all night!”

Tourism officials say they expect about 25,000 spring breakers to descend this season on Cancun’s newly rebuilt beaches and turquoise blue ocean, compared to the 20,000 spring breakers who visited last year. That’s in addition to tourists of all ages who visit throughout the year. And not only is Cancun drawing them back. Destinations across the country are seeing tourists return, despite a U.S. travel alert warning Americans to stay away from some parts, mostly in the northern border states, because of drug violence.

Lonely Planet’s U.S. staff’s top-10 list for 2010 put Mexico as the No. 4 destination for the new year, declaring that “H1N1 is so 2009″ and that Mexico is “still a good bargain, easy to get to for most Americans” — giving a much-needed endorsement for Mexico’s third largest source of foreign income.

Tourism all but came to a halt in April 2009 when fear over the swine flu epidemic virtually paralyzed Mexico, forcing the closure of schools, restaurants and archaeological sites and restricted air travel to Mexico from some countries. Mexico’s revenue from foreign tourism dropped 15 percent to $11.3 billion from $13.3 billion in 2008, according to the Tourism Department.

The world has since learned that swine flu is treatable if detected in time, vaccines are available, and death rates have dropped in Mexico and elsewhere.

Mexico has had a tougher time fighting off its bad image from drug violence, which has left more than 15,000 people dead since President Felipe Calderon declared his war on cartels in 2006.

To counter the bad news, the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco in drug-plagued Guerrero state paid MTV $200,000 for the network to host its spring party there this year. The city expects to draw between 7,000 to 10,000 spring breakers despite the resort’s sporadic drug killings and gun battles, one of which took place near an historic tourist hotel last year.

Some U.S. universities last year warned students headed for Mexico of a surge in drug-related violence south of the border prompting some to cancel already paid for spring break trips.

Mexican government officials have gone on the offensive and made clear every chance they get that the violence is concentrated in a handful of states, most along the Mexico-U.S. border, like Durango, Coahuila and Chihuahua, and in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan — all far from the country’s popular beach resorts.

That message appears to be working: Travelocity’s senior editor Genevieve Shaw Brown said bookings on Travelocity.com for spring travel to Mexico have shot up 25 percent compared to last year. Cancun is No. 5 on Travelocity’s top 10 spring break bookings list for this year, up from the No. 10 spot last year.

She said the swine flu epidemic, violence and an unhealthy economy forced Mexico to lower its prices.

“Now Mexico is reaping the benefits of cheap travel costs with the return of spring breakers who are looking for deals,” Shaw Brown said. “It’s been communicated very well that Mexico is an outstanding value.”

Those who risk it are also reaping the benefits for doing so: The federal, state and local governments have invested $80 million to rebuild Cancun’s world-renowned powdery white beaches that have been suffering from erosion.

Calderon on Tuesday was scheduled to inaugurate the recently completed project along Cancun’s 8-mile (13-kilometer) long strip that extends the beach to 85 meters (280 feet) wide. The rebuilding, which took a year to complete, is the second attempt to rebuild the sandy playground since Hurricane Wilma devastated the area in 2005. An artificial reef off was also built off the coast to help contain the sand.

Elysee Burgess, a 21-year-old nursing major from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., had only one complaint: She has to get up from the beach every time she wants to get another drink from her hotel bar.

“The beach is great, there are some awesome parties,” Burgess said, while her friend Kristen Fleming took a picture with a monkey. “The only thing that sucks is that you can only get one drink at a time.” Home Security Systems.

Weather permitting, Boeing Co. plans to finally get its new 787 jetliner into the air Tuesday, more than two years after it had intended.

The test aircraft completed its ground tests during the weekend, including a 150-mph dash down the runway at Everett’s Paine Field during which its nose gear briefly lifted off the pavement. Tuesday morning, pilots Michael Carriker and Randall Neville hope to take the 787 on a four-hour flight over Washington state, beginning the extensive flight test program needed to obtain the plane’s Federal Aviation Administration certification.

Before landing at Seattle’s Boeing Field, the two-member crew will perform a variety of basic tests and systems checks, said Boeing Commercial Airplanes spokesman Jim Proulx. “They will essentially make sure that the airplane under normal circumstances flies the way it’s supposed to fly,” he said.

Proulx said good visibility, no standing water at the two airports and gentle or no wind are needed for the initial flight, but he noted it was raining when Boeing’s previous all-new airplane, the 777, made its first flight 15 years ago.

Tuesday’s forecast called for rain, 10 mph winds and a cloud ceiling at about 1,500 feet, National Weather Service meteorologist Ted Buehner said — nothing to prevent a modern jetliner from flying.

The plane is the first of six 787s Boeing will use in the flight test program, expected to last about nine months and subject the planes to conditions well beyond those found in normal airline service. Chicago-based Boeing, which has orders for 840 787s, plans to make the first delivery to Japan’s All Nippon Airways late next year.

The 787 is a radical departure for Boeing: About 50 percent of the plane is made of lightweight composite materials, with large sections produced by suppliers around the globe and assembled by Boeing at Everett. The plane, Boeing says, will be quieter, produce fewer emissions and use 20 percent less fuel than comparable aircraft, while passengers will enjoy a more comfortable cabin with better air quality and larger windows.

But the program has been plagued by ill-fitting parts and other problems. The first flight was supposed to be in 2007 with deliveries the following year, but Boeing has been forced to push that back five times — delays that have cost the company credibility, sales and billions of dollars. Most recently, Boeing said it needed to reinforce the area where the wings join the fuselage, with tests completed on that fix just two weeks ago.

An eight-week strike last year by Seattle-area production workers also hampered the program and was a factor in Boeing choosing North Charleston, S.C., in October as the site for a second 787 assembly line.

The 787 remains Boeing’s best-selling new plane to date, though some airlines have been forced to cancel or postpone purchase plans due to the weak global economy.

The version being tested will be able to fly up to 250 passengers about 9,000 miles. A stretch version will be capable of carrying 290 passengers and a short-range model up to 330. Hard money training.

Business travel  often the target for cutbacks by companies seeking to reduce expenses actually boosts profits and could help the U.S. economy come back from the recession, a report found on Tuesday.

Research released by the global research firm Oxford Economics estimated that for every dollar invested in business travel, companies can expect an average $12.50 in increased revenue and $3.80 in new profits.

“Cutting back on business travel can in the short run have some benefits but, even over a 12 month period, (have) significant negative effects on corporate performance,” said Adam Sacks, managing director of Oxford Economics. “As companies perform, so does the U.S. economy.

“When companies reduce their travel budgets there are negative consequences that we can now quantify, in terms of lost revenue and profit growth and in terms of giving competitors a distinct advantage.”

The study was commissioned in part by the U.S. Travel Association, which represents the American travel industry.

Roger Dow, president of the association, said the report quantified how businesses can benefit from travel and from face-to-face meetings.

The analysis said executives and business travelers estimated 28 percent of current business would be lost without in-person meetings. They said about 40 percent of prospective customers are converted to new customers with an in-person meeting compared to 16 percent without one.

“In this economy especially, business travel has come under greater scrutiny than before,” Dow told reporters.

“It’s very important that business travel be seen as a solution. This industry could lead the economy out of the recession if people begin traveling and doing business.”

The industry group said in the first six months of 2009, business travel spending is down 12.5 percent and business travel volume is down more than 6 percent.

Sacks said a 10 percent increase in business travel across the board could potentially boost U.S. gross domestic product between 1.5 percent to 2.8 percent.

The report was based on a combination of two separate surveys of corporate executives and business travelers and an econometric analysis of the effects of business travel on corporate performance. It covered 14 economic sectors over a span of 13 years. Hard money training

Welcome to the Tourism Commission’s homepage and, in particular, a special warm welcome to visitors to Hong Kong.

In order to maintain Hong Kong’s position as the top destination city for visitors in Asia, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region established the Tourism Commission in May 1999. Our job is to enhance our tourism facilities and support the development of new attractions and events so that Hong Kong remains a premier tourist destination.

As Asia’s world city, Hong Kong has much to offer to you as a visitor, whether you are coming here on business or for pleasure:

* A city of charm: the sophistication of an international city, cultural diversity and cosmopolitan lifestyle are at the very core of Hong Kong’s attractions.
* Natural beauty: we also offer unspoilt natural parkland and spectacular scenery.

Here are some of the most popular tourist attractions:

* The Peak is one of the most popular attractions in Hong Kong. Looking down from The Peak you will be amazed by the spectacular view of the world- famous Victoria Harbour.
* Giant Buddha at Lantau Island beside the Po Lin Monastery, is the world’s tallest, outdoor, seated bronze Buddha.
* Ocean Park at the southern part of Hong Kong Island, provides an exciting mix of entertainment, education and conservation facilities.
* Golden Bauhinia Square outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on the Wan Chai waterfront marks the unification of Hong Kong with the motherland. The “Forever Blooming Bauhinia” Sculpture (Golden Bauhinia) at the Square is a gift from the Central Government. There is also the flag-raising ceremony held every morning.
* Repulse Bay at the southern part of Hong Kong Island, famous for its wide and wave-lapped beach, is popular with locals and visitors alike.
* Stanley Market & Murray House, a popular market town that offers crisp sea environs and bargain buys. Murray House is a restored three-storey colonial building situated at the Stanley seaside.
* A Symphony of Lights, awarded the World’s Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show by Guinness World Records, staged on both sides of the Victoria Harbour, starting at 8:00pm every night.
* Avenue of Stars, located on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, not only a salute to eminent Hong Kong film workers for their devoted contribution to local and world theatres, but also one of the ideal vantage points for visitors to appreciate “A Symphony of Lights”. National Hard Money Association Conference

International tourism demand has deteriorated further due to the impact of the global economic recession. International tourist arrivals declined at a rate of 8% between January and February this year, leaving the overall volume at the same level as recorded in 2007. At the same time, influenza A(H1N1) is starting to affect the sector. Its impact is being closely monitored by UNWTO in close collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). UNWTO follows the WHO’s advice as it is the leading UN agency in matters relating to health. WHO does not recommend travel restrictions at this point.