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Archive for December, 2017

18 Dec, 2017

Aligarh: A Captivating Tale of Two Remarkable “Sities”

Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India – Between Nov 27-29, one of India’s best-known institutions of higher education, Aligarh Muslim University, held its first Tourism Research Conference. Made possible thanks to a grant of Rs 852,500 (about US$13,300) by the Ministry of Tourism, it was packed with world-class presentations by research students, academics and private sector on […]

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18 Dec, 2017

World-class research at Aligarh Muslim University tourism conference

Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India — Although this was the first tourism research conference held at Aligarh Muslim University, the subject matter and depth of the presentations were world-class. Of the nearly 140 presentations included in the abstracts, 36 were devoted to the impact of the situation in Kashmir. Numerous others focussed on issues such as […]

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18 Dec, 2017

Aligarh Muslim University – Much more than just a University

Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India — Aligarh Muslim University is more than just a University; it is a citadel of cultural, architectural and artistic heritage. In accordance with the principles of its founding fathers and the constitution of India, the campus, museum and library brim with fine works of Islamic, Buddhist and Hindu traditions, all meticulously […]

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18 Dec, 2017

In pictures: The amazing grace and rustic charm of Aligarh Old City

A motorcycle tour of Aligarh Old City, an experience beyond description. All pictures by Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil. One of a three-part compendium on the first Tourism Research conference held at Aligarh Muslim University between Nov 27-29, 2017 on the theme of “New Tourism Paradigms in a Changing World: Innovations, Dynamics and […]

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16 Dec, 2017

‘American Dream’ quickly becoming an ‘illusion,’ says UN human rights expert

United Nations, (UN News Centre) 15 December 2017 – The number of Americans living in poverty and the already high income inequality could worsen further in the days to come, making the United States the most unequal society in the world, the United Nations expert on extreme poverty and human rights warned Friday. “The American […]

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15 Dec, 2017

Are travel & tourism advertisers unwittingly funding fake news?

NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — In new research, the Society for New Communications Research of The Conference Board (SNCR) concludes that big brand marketers are reluctant players in the world of online misinformation, or fake news. Nearly 50 percent of marketers do not know where their ads are running, due to programmatic advertising (or […]

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15 Dec, 2017

ADB clears $499 million loan to improve air quality in Greater Beijing

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (14 December 2017) — The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors has approved a €428 million ($499 million) loan to set up a regional emission-reduction and pollution-control facility as part of a multiyear and multisector support program to improve air quality in the greater Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region, which suffers from heavy air […]

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15 Dec, 2017

4G mobile networks now cover nearly 100% of Australian population: Report

12 December 2017 (ACMA media release) – The Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) Communications Report for 2016-17 shows that Australians are downloading, consuming and creating more content than ever before, with more than 3.1 million terabytes downloaded in the June 2017 quarter alone. The majority of the data was downloaded over fixed line broadband, […]

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15 Dec, 2017

ASEAN integration boosting Malaysian SMEs, including tourism companies

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 December 2017, (Bernama) — The small and medium enterprises (SME) sector in Malaysia remain buoyant, with participants of the SME100 survey registering a 14.54 percent growth in revenue and a 6.93 percent growth in profit. This contrasts sharply with the GDP growth projection of 5.2 percent for the country as a whole. […]

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15 Dec, 2017

136 civil society groups again target Myanmar over genocide in Rakhine State

Bangkok — Myanmar’s global image has sunk further with the issuance of a strongly worded statement by 136 civil society groups and individuals across multiple religious denominations, professions and nationalities calling on the Myanmar government to stop violence against the civilian population of Rakhine state and address the root causes of violence. The full statement, […]

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15 Dec, 2017

Beauty and Braille at the first “Tourism for All” Miss Thailand Friendly Design Expo

Bangkok – Thailand’s rapidly ageing society is expected to lead to a major redesign and restructuring of the way Thai people live, work and move around in the years ahead. As many other countries are undergoing the same demographic transition, the changes will open up opportunities to attract more silver-aged visitors, too. The business potential […]

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13 Dec, 2017

Frontiers 2017: UN Report flags Six Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern

UN Environment

How does our careless disposal of antimicrobial drugs produce bacteria that can resist them? Why are Marine Protected Areas vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals? Can off-grid solar plug the energy gap for cities in the developing world? UN Environment experts will address these and other emerging issues with the launch of Frontiers 2017, […]

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13 Dec, 2017

A message from the Thailand Halal Assembly 2017 to the Myanmar tourism industry

Bangkok – A tourism-promotion forum organised as part of this year’s Thailand Halal Assembly has sent a clear message to the Myanmar tourism industry about the Thai approach to building inclusive, Muslim-friendly tourism and what Myanmar can learn from it. Editor’s Comment This special report is dedicated to the memory of my good friend, the […]

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8 Dec, 2017

The TRiUMPh of Jewish extremist terrorism

U.S. President Donald Trump has just proved that terrorism works – Jewish terrorism, that is. It was on 4 November 1995 that the Jewish extremist fanatic terrorist Yigal Amir, then only 25 years old, shot and killed former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, a joint Nobel Peace prize winner with the late Palestinian leader Yasser […]

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6 Dec, 2017

Human Rights Watch Report documents devastating impact of Trump’s Immigration policy

Washington, DC, Human Rights Watch Media release, 05 December 2017 – A surge in immigration arrests of people living in the United States under the Trump administration is having a devastating impact on long-term immigrants with strong ties to the US. According to numbers released by the US Department of Homeland Security on December 5, […]

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6 Dec, 2017

Silence of the Lambs: Global travel industry associations remain mum on U.S. Muslim ban

Bangkok – The U.S. Supreme Court has produced a guilty-until-proven-innocent ruling that effectively allows the Trump Administration to “temporarily” implement a ban on arrivals from most or all nationals from six Muslim-majority countries. The ban effectively bypasses a number of legal and constitutional challenges currently being heard in the lower courts. According to the American […]

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6 Dec, 2017

Deloitte survey: Greater boardroom diversity boosts competitive advantage, improves business performance

NEW YORK, Dec. 5, 2017 (Deloitte media release) – The evidence is in. Business leaders clearly believe in the benefits of diversity on their boards of directors. Yet it’s equally clear that current methods of sourcing and selecting candidates tend to reinforce a lack of diversity. Three hundred board members and executives believe achieving greater […]

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5 Dec, 2017

America First backlash: U.S. visitor arrivals swimming in a sea of red ink

The United States’ tourism industry is swimming in a sea of red ink. On 29 November, the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office released preliminary data of visitor arrivals for the first half of 2017. It showed an overall decline of 3.9%, with significant drops in arrivals from key markets such as China, Europe, the […]

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5 Dec, 2017

Vistajet hits highest third quarter revenue earnings

LONDON,  30 Nov 2017,  (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VistaJet, which claims to be the first and only global business aviation company, has announced record results in its third quarter trading update, driven by the continued demand for the company’s flagship Program Membership with a 38% increase in revenue. The Program segment achieved a record 32% increase […]

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5 Dec, 2017

Online Initiative to monitor transparency of Government assistance to Malaysian SMEs

KUALA LUMPUR, 29 Nov 2017, (Bernama) — In an effort to enhance the transparency of reporting and coordination of SME programmes, SME Corp. Malaysia developed an online initiative called the SME Central Incentives System (SCenIc). As a centralised database of beneficiaries of Government assistance, SCenIc served as an important referral to avoid duplication and optimize […]

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5 Dec, 2017

Malaysia’s first Creative Arts Institute launched to promote fashion, film and beauty technology

KUALA LUMPUR, 29 Nov 2017, (Bernama) — Snips College of Creative Arts (SCCA) unveiled its all-new comprehensive creative arts college on 28 November at its grand launch event held at SCCA Sungei Wang Plaza. This is in line with the government’s initiatives to spur the growth of the arts and cultural development in Malaysia. According […]

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5 Dec, 2017

Malaysia and Industry 4.0: Executives Cite Need For Skilled Workers As Top Concern

KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Nov 2017, (Bernama) — Shortfalls in talent and direction, and a general lack of awareness about the profound industrial revolution underway worldwide are the top concerns of senior business and government executives assessing Malaysia’s readiness for “Industry 4.0” — the automation and digitization of industrial processes through robotics and other emerging technologies. […]

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5 Dec, 2017

Tourism Malaysia promoting Hat Yai to Penang Bike Tours for Thais

SADAO, 3 Dec 2017, (Bernama) — Tourism Malaysia held sending off ceremony for “Biker from Phuket” to promote Southern Thai Packages to Malaysia through bikers’ ride from Ban Dannok, Sadao, Songkhla to Bukit Kayu Hitam/Kedah with the aim to increase Thai arrivals to Malaysia especially from the Southern part of Thailand. Deputy Director General (Promotion), […]

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