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JANUARY 2009 The Magazine for DestinationTravel Specialists ® ASIA PACIFIC LATIN AMERICA Goway Packages Australia’s Award-winning Tasmania Palena in Chile: A Piece of NORTH AMERICA Paradise Alaska! 49th State Celebrates 50th Birthday CARIBBEAN Luxurious Ceiba del Mar Offers a Uniquely Mexican Experience JANUARY 2009 ISSUE NO. 247 executive office INDUSTRY EVENTS 3 28 Knight Street Norwalk, CT 06851-4707 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 7 Voice: 203.286.6679 • Fax: 203.286.6681 INDUSTRY NEWS 8 internet website www.travelworldnews.com FAM TRIPS 11 publisher EUROPE 12 Charles Gatt, Jr. [email protected] NORTH AMERICA 16 editor Jennifer M. Lane CARIBBEAN [email protected] design production manager Luxurious Ceiba del Mar Offers a Linda Rogers Uniquely Mexican Experience 20 [email protected] Maria Rebello, Accounting Manager All Ashore! Mexico’s Costa Maya Port Shawn Hebert, IT Manager & Surrounding Region Shine as a Top Ten 22 Cindy Johnson, Circulation Manager Jamaican Tourism Minister Announces Carol A. Petro, Design Consultant John Lynch as Director of Tourism 26 dive editor Lorry Heverly Agua’s Special Promotion Includes cruise editor Michael Iachetta Impressive Arrival by Helicopter 30 southeast regional correspondent Joan Gonzalez Anguilla Tourist Board Launches Charming western regional correspondent Escapes Collection Website 34 Connie Skoog south america correspondent Mark Zussman [email protected] LATIN AMERICA contributing editors Palena in Chile: A Piece of Paradise Jacquie Balaschak • Andrew Bill • Mona Birch Jerry W. Bird • Ann Charles • Gail P. Dubov Austin-Lehman Adventures Has Expansive George Hairston • Al Haut • Marjorie Klein Nancy Marcantonio • Anita Mason Peru Itinerary for Time-Challenged Travelers 39 D.O. Christian Rieger • Knox Robinson • Mary Ellen Schultz Robin Swados • Helen Kitti Smith • Diane Terry Small-Ship Company Ecoventura Singled Out to Receive Award for Responsible Tourism 40 Travel World News (ISSN 1044-4602) is published monthly by Travel Industry Network, Inc., 28 Knight Street, Norwalk, CT 06851-4707. The cost of a subscription in the USA is $25, in Lonely Planet Names Mexico City Canada $40. For subscribers outside USA or Canada, the rate is One of Top 10 Cities for 2009 43 $80. Please send check or money order in U.S. dollars payable to Travel World News. For change of address, please enclose your mailing label and send to: Circulation Department, Travel World News, 28 Knight Street, Norwalk, CT 06851-4707. Periodicals postage paid at Norwalk, CT, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Travel World News, ASIA-PACIFIC 28 Knight Street, Norwalk, CT 06851-4707. Address advertising inquiries and/or editorial copy to: Travel World News, 28 Knight First River Cruise in Borneo’s Sarawak Street, Norwalk, CT 06851-4707. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. No part of this publication may be repro- Set by Pandaw River Cruises 45 duced without permission. Kempinski Hotel Sanya Appoints All advertising in Travel World News is based on data submitted to the Publisher by the advertisers. The Publisher shall not be liable Puneet Singh General Manager 46 for the accuracy or inaccuracy of any information contained in Travel World News and shall not be liable, including but not limited to consequential or special damages, to any party for any Adventure Magazine products or services advertised or reported upon herein. The Places Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge Publisher shall not be responsible for typographical errors. All One of Top 50 Eco-Lodges Worldwide information contained herein is subject to change without notice by 47 the parties providing such products and services. The Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising that has been submitted at his sole discretion. Upon providing a refund of any amount paid to the party whose submittal was rejected, the Publisher shall not have any liability to any party for such rejection. COVER PHOTO CREDIT: Alaska - Northern Lights, Brian Adams INDUSTRY EVENTS ATTENDANCE UP AT Outside of World Travel Market, World Responsible Tourism Day, WORLD TRAVEL MARKET 2008 November 12, was marked by worldwide press conferences, prod- uct launches, picnics, a community fair and even a charity run. “Its aim is a simple one,” said Jeffery. “We want to encourage every travel company, operator, hotel and destination to take real action and show consumers that we not only care about the sustainability of Planet Earth but also the communities that are so often nega- tively affected by mass tourism. Making tourism responsible is one of the single biggest challenges that the industry faces today.” World Trade Market, www.wtmlondon.com TAS TOURISM EXPERTS EXPLORE WAYS OF WORKING WITH AIRPORTS AND AIRLINES Up to 100 world tourism and air service experts gathered in the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre recently to attend TAS, The in- augural Tourism & Air Services Summit—a topical summit focus- ing on the three-way relationship between national tourism organi- zations, airlines and airports and their involvement in air service development. Launched by Routes in collaboration with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and sponsored by Tourism Malaysia, TAS is the first conference dedicated specifically to the vital link between air services and tourist development. The successful summit was characterized by presentations and in- World Travel Market’s figures are showing a 12-percent increase tense discussions evolving around such topics as ‘Tourism destina- in visitors in 2008, with total participants at an unprecedented tions created by air services,’ ‘Destinations at greater risk from 50,246, up four percent. Trade delegate attendance climbed to high oil prices’ and ‘What airlines want to know from tourism 26,498, compared to 23,722 in 2007. There was also a four-per- authorities.’ cent increase in exhibiting companies to 5,631. “The inaugural Annual Tourism & Air Services Summit could not “This was a phenomenal result, exceeding expectations,” said have come at a better time, as we look to an uncertain future in our Fiona Jeffery, chairman of World Travel Market.” It demonstrated industry,” said Janice Antonson, Chairman, PATA Board of that in these tough times for the industry, it is absolutely necessary Directors. “Bringing together the leaders of aviation and tourism for senior and middle management to come together, not only to at this critical time gives us the opportunity to share ideas and to- conduct business and identify new contacts and markets, but also gether form solutions to the issues we all face.” to discuss, debate and address the many challenges that lie ahead.” Introduced by Antonson and Peter Semone, Vice President of The Ministers’ Summit, hosted by World Travel Market, brought Tourism Development at RDG, speakers included: Jon Woolf, together the largest number of tourism ministers anywhere in the Principal Consultant, Airport Strategy and Marketing; Mohamed world and examined how best to respond to the economic downturn Sallauddin Mat Sah, General Manager Marketing, Malaysia without losing sight of priorities such as climate change and Airports; Anita Mehra Houmayoun, Vice President Marketing and poverty reduction. “It’s a measure of World Travel Market’s role Corporate Communications, Dubai Airports; Professor Callum in helping to lead the international industry that it was once again Thomas, Centre for Aviation and the Environment, Manchester chosen as the backdrop for such an important occasion”, said Metropolitan University; John Grant, Managing Director, Airport Jeffery. “The outcome of these summit discussions will penetrate Strategy and Marketing; and Shaun Monnery, Director of government thinking and policy for the tourism industry in years Astraeus. to come.” The inaugural TAS event was co-located with Routes—The 14th Some of the world’s foremost economic brains came together for World Route Development Forum. Routes is the world’s largest the prestigious WTM Global Economic Forum when senior man- gathering of airlines, airports and suppliers, and the annual assem- agement were helped with business planning for 2010 and 2011. bly of airline destination planners as well. Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President of World Travel and Tourism TAS will be held annually, with the second summit planned to Council, issued a plea to governments: “Don’t overcharge, overtax, take place alongside Routes Regional Americas 2009 in Cancun, surcharge. On the contrary, let this industry help you to restart your Mexico February 15–17. economies.” The Route Development Group (RDG), www.routedevgroup.com Travel World News • www.travelworldnews.com JANUARY 2009 • 3 INDUSTRY EVENTS EIBTM BREAKS ALL RECORDS FOR HOSTED BUYERS AND ATTENDANCE Last year’s EIBTM was confirmed by Paul Kennedy, MBE, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions Meetings and Incentive Events as the ‘biggest ever.’ Unaudited figures showed the event at- tracted a record number of hosted buyers— 3,711, up 12 percent on the previous year; 51,000 pre-scheduled meetings were orga- nized over the three-day event—up over 11,000, and total attendance is expected to top the 8,000 mark, a six-percent increase over 2007. EIBTM is ABC-audited every year to guarantee that the number of visitors pro- moted is completely accurate and are unique attendees only. Paul Kennedy commented: “The record figures show not only how resilient the meetings market is in challenging times but the reputation EIBTM has as the place to do business. It certainly seemed that more actual business was being transacted on the show floor than ever before.” The buzz around the show highlighted the enormous amount of business generated at the event. Peter Bull, Saleslink Marketing Portugal, said “We had 290 pre-scheduled appoint- ments in three days. We haven’t stopped. On Wednesday we had 14 signed specific group enquiries.” Tereza Zarogianni, Eventit Greece, de- clared “It's been fantastic business—no re- cession here; at least not here at EIBTM.” Hosted Buyer Dicky Riel, General Manager A La Carte International, claimed it to be “the most fantastic EIBTM event so far.