Uncategorized
A default category is required, I figured I’d just call it news.
22 Dec, 2023
Thailand’s telegenic, fashionable, peace-promoting tourism Brand Ambassador
Bangkok – I am often challenged to prove my characterisation of Thailand as “The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY.” Having covered this chaotic yet magnificent country’s high-flying tourism industry since 1981, I have seen and experienced its unique selling propositions across multiple sectors. Today, I can claim that Thailand has the world’s most telegenic, […]
more…4 Aug, 2018
Malaysian oil & gas company Petronas to create new Green Lung in Bintulu
BINTULU, July 31 (Bernama) — PETRONAS Carigali Sarawak Gas (SK Gas) will collaborate with Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) and Universiti Putra Malaysia, Bintulu (UPM) to transform Nyabau Hill here into a new green lung. Through this collaboration some 3,000 Hopea Odorata (Merawan Siput Jantan) trees will be planted on a 3-hectare plot at the Nyabau […]
more…18 May, 2018
First TIR transports in China advance Belt and Road prospects
Dalian, 18 May 2018, (IRU media release) – The world’s biggest trading nation opens its borders for TIR (“Transports Internationaux Routiers”) operations today. Offering time savings in China of up to 80%, the global customs transit standard connects 73 countries across the world and is a cornerstone of the Belt and Road initiative to boost […]
more…11 May, 2018
IOGT International welcomes new alcohol taxes introduced in Peru
Düsseldorf, Germany, May 10, 2018 – The government of Peru has just introduced new taxes to address harms caused by alcohol, tobacco and sugar-sweetened beverages. IOGT International welcomes these new measures and commends the Peruvian government for their leadership to protect the health and wellbeing of their people. “Alcohol taxation is a triple-win measure as […]
more…9 May, 2018
UFI European Conference 2018 in Verona debates how to future-proof exhibitions
Paris/Verona, 9 May 2018: This year, the UFI European Conference once again lived up to its reputation as the most international gathering of European exhibition industry leaders. The event recorded double-digit growth for the second year in a row, bringing together over 220 participants from 35 different countries and regions. “I am happy to see […]
more…6 Apr, 2018
ADB to Extend $5 Billion for Next 3 Years for Regional Cooperation in South Asia
SINGAPORE, 6 March 2018, (ADB News) — Senior officials of member countries of the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program met on 5-6 March in Singapore to review progress of regional projects in transport, trade facilitation, and energy. They also updated and improved the SASEC operational plan, which has identified about 300 projects in […]
more…24 Mar, 2018
ADB, China Water Affairs Sign Deal to Improve Urban Water Management in PRC
BEIJING, 2 March 2018, (ADB News) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a loan equivalent of up to $200 million to help China Water Affairs Group Limited (CWA) improve wastewater management and increase people’s access to clean and reliable water supply in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The agreement was signed by […]
more…9 Oct, 2017
Chinese take 705 million trips during double holiday break
Beijing, China Daily, 09 Oct 2017 — With a record-high number of trips made during the past eight days, the National Day holiday, one of the most important times of a year in China, has inspired big changes in the way people travel. Usually, the National Day holiday runs from Oct 1 to 7 and […]
more…9 May, 2017
Time to find ‘magic formula’ for peaceful coexistence, says UNESCO chief
United Nations, (UN News Centre) 6 May 2017 – It is time to find that “magic formula” that will encourage people to live together in peace, the head of the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) urged earlier today at the end of a UN-backed conference on intercultural dialogue in Baku, Azerbaijan. In […]
more…3 Feb, 2017
Strategy Analytics: Global Smartphone Shipments Hit Record 1.5 billion Units in 2016
BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 31, 2017 – According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments grew 3 percent annually to hit a record 1.5 billion units in 2016. Apple iPhone recaptured first position with 18 percent global smartphone marketshare in Q4 2016, while OPPO grew 99 percent annually and was the star performer. Linda […]
more…25 Jan, 2017
Trump set to sign “Muslim ban” orders
Bangkok – Jewish and Muslim activist groups are set to come out strongly against what the Jewish Voice for Peace calls “a package of Executive Orders targeting Muslims, Arab, refugees and immigrants, making national policy of his racist, Islamophobic campaign rhetoric.” Read the following announcements by JVP and the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR): Message […]
more…4 Jan, 2017
Why India, and the world, should beware of digital dictatorship – Vandana Shiva
Two sets of means come together in what is now declared the real reason for demonetisation — the digital economy. Money making and tools for money making have become the new religion and the government policy has been reduced to the facilitation of the imposition of the digital empires of the new moghuls. Why else […]
more…20 Jul, 2016
How the Spineless Travel & Tourism Industry Rewards Failure
The annual Global Travel Price Outlook just released by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) is positioned as a comprehensive look at travel pricing and the macro-economic influencers that drive it. In addition to forecasting weaker-than-expected performance for all major global economies well into 2017, the report cites a range […]
more…1 May, 2016
How Israel lobby manufactured UK Labour Party’s anti-Semitism crisis | The Electronic Intifada
An investigation by The Electronic Intifada has found that some of the most prominent stories about anti-Semitism in the party are falsified. The Electronic Intifada can reveal that a key player in Labour’s “anti-Semitism crisis” covered up his involvement in the Israel lobby. Most Labour members so accused are in reality being attacked for expressing […]
more…30 Apr, 2016
Workers in Dubai claim their rights through legal channels | GulfNews.com
“There has been a growing trust between workers and our department because of the direct communication. This trust increased from 87 per cent in 2011 to 93 per cent in 2015. Complaints are being addressed within 45 minutes of receiving them,” Lt Colonel Al Helli said.“Special attention is given to group complaints, as any delays […]
more…27 Apr, 2016
We were in love for 12 years… How can they call it love jihad: Ashitha Babu | The Indian Express
Her mother warned her “there would be no happy ending” as she was a Hindu, and he a Muslim. But with their families and police beside them, the story of Ashitha Babu and Shakeel Ahmed has turned out different. On April 17, Ashitha and Shakeel of Mandya city, both 29, got married, after 12 years […]
more…27 Apr, 2016
Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque renamed “Solomon’s Stables” in Israel tourist map
Among the map’s many omitted Christian sites is the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, whose bell tower is one of the most recognizable features of the Old City’s skyline. The fourteen stations along the infamous Via Dolorosa – the path Jesus walked before his crucifixion – are also unlisted, even though they are a major […]
more…27 Apr, 2016
Airbnb is ‘ravaging’ black neighbourhoods in New York City and trying to hide it, officials say – The Independent
New York City policymakers and affordable housing advocates have criticised Airbnb following a report the company released claiming it benefits “predominantly black” neighbourhoods. Critics call the company’s release of this information a “duplicitous” and “disingenuous” PR push, a smokescreen to obscure how Airbnb is actually “ravaging” black neighbourhoods in New York City by taking rental […]
more…27 Apr, 2016
Statue of Nelson Mandela unveiled in Israeli-occupied West Bank – The Jakarta Post
A 6-meter-high (20-foot) bronze statue of Nelson Mandela has been unveiled in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Ramallah’s Mayor Mussa Hadid said Tuesday the statue was a gift from the Johannesburg municipality. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Johannesburg’s Mayor Parks Tau took part in the unveiling. Hadid says the statue reflects the “special relationship […]
more…26 Apr, 2016
US town promises terrorized Saudi students security | Arab News
WASHINGTON: Idaho State University in Pocatello has taken new security measures to ensure the safety of Saudi and Gulf students who have been subjected to harassment, thefts and in one instance physical attack in recent weeks. Saudi Cultural Attaché Mohammed Al-Eissa said in a press statement that the university and the authorities in Pocatello have […]
more…1 Mar, 2016
Europe’s restrictive measures place added hardships on refugees and asylum-seekers – UN
United Nations, 23 February 2016, (UN News Centre) – The United Nations refugee agency said today it is concerned by recent restrictive practices adopted in a number of European countries that are placing additional undue hardships on refugees and asylum-seekers across Europe, creating chaos at several border points, and putting particular pressure on Greece as […]
more…13 Jan, 2016
Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai named citizen and Ambassador of Bethlehem
London, 13 Jan 2016, (OpenBethlehem.org media release) – Malala Yousafszi, the youngest ever Nobel Prize Laureate, and her father Ziauddin Yousafzai, the United Nations Special Advisor on Global Education, are our newest citizens and ambassadors of Bethlehem! “I feel very happy that I got the opportunity to see Open Bethlehem and also met the producer and director […]
more…14 Oct, 2015
30 Palestinians Killed by Israel since Start of October
RAMALLAH, October 13, 2015 (WAFA) – Thirty Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army and security forces since the beginning of October 2015, according to figures released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The ministry said over 1,400 Palestinians were injured by live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets used by the Israeli forces during […]
more…27 Mar, 2015
Full list of exhibitors at Singapore trade show for People With Disability
Singapore – Asia Pacific, besides facing rapidly ageing population, is home to approximately 650 million people with disabilities. The rapid and unabated expansion of the ageing and disabled community in Asia Pacific has resulted in increased demand for long term integrated care services, products and technologies, hence making Asia Pacific the new growth market for […]
more…2 Jan, 2015
Chinese white-collar workers: Too much work, too little sex
Beijing, (China Daily), 2014-12-31 – Most young white-collar workers in China lack a sex life and physical exercise, according to a report released by Zhi-lian, one of China’s largest online recruitment companies. The report sampled 9,272 white-collar workers from major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, most of whom had been in the workforce five […]
more…21 Sep, 2014
Survey lists 10 problems Chinese feel plague their society
Beijing, (chinadaily.com.cn) 2014-09-17 – Twenty-four percent has cited the credibility deficit of the government as a main reason behind the lack of trust in Chinese society, according to a survey conducted by People’s Tribune, a magazine of People’s Daily. The survey finds more than 80 percent of respondents think of Chinese society as “sub-healthy” and 40.4 percent believe that a crisis of […]
more…10 Sep, 2014
Brits spend a year of their life being hungover – The Independent
The average Briton spends over a year of their life nursing a hangover – and it takes women two hours longer than men to recover. People will spend on average 315 days of their lives battling with inevitable headaches and nausea caused by a hard night’s drinking, Macmillan Cancer Support estimates. People in the north […]
more…18 Apr, 2014
Jewish Voice for Peace Issues Call to Action to Defeat Pro-War Israeli lobby
Editor’s Note: This call to action was issued by Jewish Voice for Peace on 17 April 2014. It is being transmitted onwards by Travel Impact Newswire in solidarity with the message. Action Alert Help us defeat AIPAC in just eight days. AIPAC or JVP? It’s time to show the world who you “Like” more. Dear […]
more…7 Apr, 2014
Thailand Claims Title as ‘Top Tippers’ in Asia Pacific: MasterCard Survey
April 7, 2014 – Thai consumers have proven to be the most generous when it comes to tipping, overtaking Bangladesh and claiming the top spot, according to research conducted across 16 Asia/Pacific markets by MasterCard. The research is based on a survey conducted between October and November 2013 with 7932 respondents aged 18 – 64 […]
more…21 Mar, 2014
Int’l Day Of Happiness: Study Reveals 4 Ways To Boost Happiness On Vacation
LITTLETON, Colo., March 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — On the second annual International Day of Happiness (the United Nations-inspired celebration dedicated to spreading happiness worldwide), Monograms and Shawn Achor, positive psychology researcher and author of The Happiness Advantage, unveil results from a NEW Road to Happiness Study. This 34-item survey of 414 world travelers examines the […]
more…19 Mar, 2014
Did you catch your bad mood from Facebook? – Hindustan Times
Can you “catch a mood” from spending time on social media? Researchers from the University of California, San Diego believe so. Their study, published in PLOS ONE, analysed over a billion anonymised status updates from more than 100 million Facebook users located in major US cities. It took place over 1,180 days, between January 2009 […]
more…16 Mar, 2014
Indian TV anchor sees future global channel that will outgun BBC, CNN
Mumbai, 13 March, 2014 (FICCI media release): “From this country, in the next five to six years will emerge a channel so great, so technologically potent, so editorially confident, so slick in production and so wide in its appeal that it will give the BBC and the CNN a solid run for their money” declared […]
more…12 Feb, 2014
Most foreign students in UK do not feel welcome: Survey – The Independent
The majority of international students studying in the UK feel unwelcome in the country with a significant number saying they would not recommend to their friends that they come here to attend university, says a survey published on Monday. A study of the attitudes of 3,100 international students by the National Union of Students revealed […]
more…7 Feb, 2014
6 Offensively Overpriced Products We Can Do Without | Alternet
Unless you’re a member of the 1%, you’re likely to wince when you open up your heating bill or pick up a gallon of milk. But as much as you might lament about the rising prices of everyday staples, there are many common products that you can ditch to save yourself a wad of cash. […]
more…16 Jan, 2014
One Aussie student’s tips on how to survive a gap year – Sydney Morning Herald
By Harriet Forster Of the 220,000 young Australians offered a university place last year, almost one quarter deferred their study. Many of these will head overseas for their gap year. I’m now safely ensconced back home in Sydney with my family, and can reflect on my 12-month gap year in Britain. I spent 2013 at […]
more…12 Dec, 2013
PressTV – Canada set up spy posts for NSA
Canada has set up covert spying posts around the world and spied on trading partners at the request of the US National Security Agency (NSA), a report says. Canadian broadcaster, CBC News, published the report on Monday, revealing that the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) is involved in espionage activities with its US counterpart in […]
more…10 Dec, 2013
International bill of digital rights: call from 500 writers around the world | The Guardian
A stand for democracy in a digital age In recent months, the extent of mass surveillance has become common knowledge. With a few clicks of the mouse the state can access your mobile device, your email, your social networking and internet searches. It can follow your political leanings and activities and, in partnership with internet […]
more…10 Dec, 2013
State surveillance of personal data is theft, say world’s leading authors | The Guardian
More than 500 of the world’s leading authors, including five Nobel prize winners, have condemned the scale of state surveillance revealed by the whistleblower Edward Snowden and warned that spy agencies are undermining democracy and must be curbed by a new international charter. The signatories, who come from 81 different countries and include Margaret Atwood, […]
more…25 Nov, 2013
Boeing’s “Future of Washington” ad features Airbus | GulfNews.com
Washington: An advertisement placed in The Seattle Times on Wednesday by a group hoping to encourage Washington state to keep up its fight to secure the coveted work on the new Boeing 777 includes a notable miscue. At the top of the full-page ad, under the all-caps text “The Future of Washington,” is pictured not […]
more…6 Sep, 2013
6 Major Players Who Turned Syrian Crisis Into a Proxy War Nightmare – Alternet
What started out as a civil uprising against years of repression, poverty and government corruption turned into a regional proxy war that is now engulfing the entire Middle East, with the nonviolent section of the opposition withering under the weight of civil war. Refugees have poured into Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Jordan, and Lebanon has […]
more…6 Aug, 2013
Newly Expanded Colombo Port To Make Sri Lanka Into Competitive Shipping Hub
COLOMBO, (ADB Media release) 5 August 2013 — The newly expanded Colombo Port formally opened for business today, a move that will allow Sri Lanka to regain its role as a leading South Asia trans-shipment hub. Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa opened the port, which was also attended by Xiaoyu Zhao, Vice-President at the Asian […]
more…13 Apr, 2013
China opens four more Confucius Institutes
2013-04-13 — The opening of Confucius Institutes in New York and Washington in the past week brings a key part of China’s “soft power” initiative to the United States. Chinese and US dignitaries opened the first Confucius Institute in the US capital on Wednesday, expressing hope for a flowering of cooperation in education. George Washington […]
more…3 Apr, 2013
World Social Forum 2013 Activists Blast State of the World, Seek Alternative Paradigms
The World Social Forum is barely known to the travel & tourism industry, compared to the much higher profile of the World Economic Forum. While the CEOs, Ministers and Heads of State head for the WEFs, those at the receiving end of their decisions head for the WSFs in an attempt to hold them accountable. […]
more…12 Mar, 2013
New App to Help Consumers Choose Fish That’s Not Endangered
12 March 2013, Rome – You want to know more about the fish you are eating or going to buy? Is it maybe an endangered species? AppliFish will tell you. This free mobile application developed by the fisheries and biodiversity knowledge platform i-Marine makes aquatic-related information available to anyone, anytime, anywhere. While human consumption of […]
more…23 Jan, 2013
Address Causes, Not Symptoms of Global Crises: UN Chief
22 January 2013 (UN News Centre) – Stressing that now is not the time for business as usual, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for innovative action to tackle the numerous challenges facing the world and to meet shared goals such as sustainable development, disarmament and conflict resolution. “My fervent hope – and our common urgent […]
more…20 Jan, 2013
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport Opens Espace Musées with 50 Original Artworks
PARIS- January 15, 2013-(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aéroports de Paris offers passengers, in Hall M of Terminal 2E, a free-to-enter museum. This unique experience is offered to passengers from all over the world through Espace Musées, a new cultural showcase and a major venue for the promotion of French artistic heritage. The first Espace Musées exhibition, “Rodin, the […]
more…18 Jan, 2013
No Arab school on my watch – Israeli mayor — RT
The mayor of Israel’s Upper Nazareth has refused to allow an Arab school to be built, defying an Israeli rights group that said the nearly 2,000 Arab children have a “basic right” to education, and that he is denying Arabs a “legitimate existence.” Upper Nazareth, a Jewish settlement in Galilee near the town of Nazareth, […]
more…13 Sep, 2012
OECD Report Forecasts Riskier Global Investment Environment
Paris, 13 September 2012 – According to new OECD data, international mergers and acquisitions are set to fall sharply in 2012 to USD 675 billion, down 34% on 2011(USD 1 trillion). According to Michael Gestrin, the report’s author, this decline is largely explained by uncertainty over prospects for global economy and international business fears of […]
more…30 Aug, 2012
Job freeze now hits headhunters – Hindustan Times
The global economic uncertainty and its impact on business sentiments have claimed a new victim — headhunters or recruitment agencies. With companies turning choosy both on hiring and spending, staffing firms are facing pricing pressures, said industry experts. “Costs are under pressure as the cycle to close the recruitment process has become longer,” said Manish […]
more…17 Aug, 2012
U.S. Iran Sanctions Threaten Ties With Russia: Official – RIA Novosti
Relations between the United States and Russia may suffer as a result of new, wide-ranging U.S. sanctions introduced against Iran, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said on Monday. “Washington should…be aware that our bilateral relations will be seriously affected if the applied American restrictions affect Russian economic players that interact with their Iranian counterparts in […]
more…14 Mar, 2012
South Asia’s Largest Food & Hospitality Fair Opens in India
The 27th International Food & Hospitality Fair, said to be the largest in South Asia, opened in New Delhi on March 12. The show combines two separate but concurrent exhibitions. “Hospitality India” covering Hotel & Restaurant Equipment and Supplies and “Food India” covering Processed Food & Beverages. This year’s show, which runs until march 16, […]
more…10 Mar, 2012
Coke reveals its secret: It may need to carry a cancer warning – The Independent
Nightmares about the backlash they suffered the last time they dared to change the secret recipe for their drink still most likely haunt Coca-Cola executives. But 27 years after the ill-fated launch of New Coke, the threat of having a cancer warning placed on their famous red bottles is forcing them to revise the closely […]
more…10 Mar, 2012
Editor’s Letter: British Empire – The Independent
While Paxo has certainly boosted his Avios account, there is little new to be learnt, but it is a timely reminder of quite how ubiquitous British power was and the astonishing arrogance it begat. And that it was all so relatively recent. I say timely, because of the tragic failed rescue bid for the British […]
more…10 Mar, 2012
PressTV – Iran war ‘disaster’ for world economy: China
“I couldn’t think of any worse proposals to resolve the Iranian issue than resolving it by force,” Wu Hailong said in a Friday briefing with foreign journalists, The Wall Street Journal reported. Touching upon the financial ramifications of any potential aggression against the Islamic Republic, he said, “I don’t know what kind of disaster there […]
more…17 Nov, 2011
As the American dream unravels – Opinion – Al Jazeera English
Something is unravelling in America. The dream, the purpose and the drive are worn and tired. The people are under siege. Occupy Wall Street is organic; it’s homegrown and native. The voluntary, viral and near-spontaneous movement began as a reaction to a political system governed by a venal class of politicians and financiers. The story […]
more…13 Jul, 2011
U.S. Image Sinks Further in Middle East, Poll Shows
Washington D.C., (Arab-American Institute Media Release) — With the 2008 election of Barack Obama, favorable attitudes toward the U.S. more than doubled in many Arab countries. But in the two years since his famous “Cairo speech,” ratings for both the U.S. and the President have spiraled downwards.
more…7 Jul, 2011
Arab Spring Awakens Palestinians, Knocks At Israel’s Door
A compilation of stories, press releases and announcements about how activists plan to help the Arab spring lead to freedom and statehood for the Palestinian people. A Palestinian state will allow the people of the world to visit Palestine without undergoing the ignominy of applying for an visa at an Israeli embassy or dealing with […]
more…27 Jun, 2011
ICANN gTLD: The New Frontiers of Global Cyber Name Identity Branding
What are the immediate and future threats to the current name identity? What are the options for a partial or a full name change? Under what global rules or ‘the laws of corporate naming’ will they find the perfect solution that is best for their wider customer base, international marketing goals, and equally passable under the new ICANN policies?
more…3 Jun, 2011
Two-way EU-South America Low-Season Travel Project Launched
Brussels, 01 June 2011 (Europa Press Release) — To increase two-way, low season travel, the European Commission is promoting an innovative collaborative project between South America and Europe aimed at generating an 50,000 additional tourists.
more…3 Feb, 2011
A Website That Will Change The Way The Industry Thinks
This website is designed to change the way the travel & tourism industry thinks. It contains a treasure trove of information, insights and intelligence dating back to the 1990s, arguably the most tumultuous period in the history of travel and tourism. The content ranges from the impact of “war on terror” to the downside of […]
more…2 Apr, 2002
Just Months After 9/11, The Industry Changes Hands
1. THE INDUSTRY CHANGES HANDS: The travel and tourism industry has now slipped well and truly into the hands of security companies, insurance firms, intelligence agencies and diplomats. A serious problem looms.
2. UP IN ARMS AGAINST ADVISORIES: A number of governments resent being held hostage to “unfair, capricious and arbitrary” travel advisories. At least two ministers are speaking out. The UNWTO feels they have a point.
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