Cambodia flexes manufacturing muscle | beyondbrics: News and views on emerging markets | FT.comIf Cambodia is known for investment at all, it is known for low-cost, low-margin industries such as textiles, but there are signs that the country could be starting its own journey up the value chain.
Minebea, the Japanese precision component manufacturer, has just announced that it is to build a Y5bn component factory near Phnom Penh, in a move to build up its Southeast Asian production network.
Under the new arrangement, the Cambodian facility - which will manufacture small and mid-sized motots for home electronics - will receive parts from Minebea’s plant in Thailand, Dow Jones reports.
The Japanese company has announced that production will start in April 2011 and that it will begin by leasing facilities within Phnom Penh’s Special Economic Zone. At a later date the company will build a new plant where production will start at the end of 2012 with 5,000 workers.
For investors, Cambodia offers a number of attractions: it is stable (even if its democratic credentials are somewhat tarnished), labour is cheap, and its largely dollarized economy makes it particularly attractive for Japanese investors, who have watched with dismay as the yen has appreciated more than 9 per cent against the dollar year to date.
But it lacks infrastructure and high quality human resources, and its buccaneering business environment has put off all but the hardiest investors.
Regional players, however, are showing increasing interest. China is the biggest investor, but Vietnamese and Korean companies are also coming in, particularly in primary industries such as rubber, mining and power generation.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Myanmar Revisited
Myanmar RevisitedLike many baby boomer travellers I'm fascinated by politically and socially backward countries and cultures. Age-old agrarian societies, seemingly untouched by industrialization, afford me a rare glimpse of how my forefathers would have lived off the land 100 years ago. So, when I heard that Nobel Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi was released Nov. 13 from more than 20 years of house arrest in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), I immediately pictured revisiting the beautiful country where time seems to have stood still.
The Burmese still farm with oxen and plows, spin lotus filaments into religious vestments, weave fabric on hand-looms, drive carts and bikes more often than cars, and row longboats with their bare feet.
"Giraffe" women continue to stretch their necks with golden hoops and everyone uses chalky bark paste from Thanakha trees in place of sunscreen, beauty products and acne creams.
Men wear traditional longhi skirts even with a jacket and tie -- and not as a fashion faux pas like David Beckham.
I visited Yangon (the former capital Rangoon) as well as Inle Lake with my family as part of a round-the-world cruise with the floating university, Semester At Sea about four years ago. At the time, Aung San Suu Kyi, known by democratic Burmese as "The Lady" had urged tourists to keep away while she and other political opponents of the repressive regime were still incarcerated.
However, our ship was docking there so we had little alternative than to break the tourism taboo. After much debate, we decided to position ourselves as citizen diplomats, reporting back home about the realities of everyday life in Myanmar.
Now the tourism boycott of Burma is over, I am hoping that more foreign currency will trickle down to some of the poorest people in the world with the worst health-care system (ranked bottom of the World Health Organization chart) and few opportunities for entrepreneurial or academic advancement.
Despite its societal shortcomings, the country is replete with history, remarkable religious icons, unspoiled people and scenery, and South Africastyle wildlife. Currently tourism grosses around $200 million US annually, a pittance compared to Myanmar's biggest money-spinner, natural gas which nets the regime more than $2 billion US per year.
Since her release, Aung San Suu Kyi has relaxed her opposition to tourism, supporting private companies while warning against government-run group tours contrived to show only the best of Burma.
In an interview with Der Speigel in November she said "it is essential that people see what is actually happening in this country."
Things are gradually changing, too, in the world's attitude to travel in Myanmar. Visitation was already on the upturn by 37 per cent in 2010 over 2009 -- if you believe the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism statistics.
The Myanmar Times reported in October that several new hotel projects in would be completed in 2011. Earlier this year, Myanmar launched a co-operative marketing partnership with neighbouring Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos in a publicity campaign entitled "Four Countries: One Destination" to encourage cross-border tours.
Cox and Kings, one of the world's oldest travel companies established in 1758, reintroduced the Golden Land of Burma to travel itineraries after Aung San Suu Kyi's release, with 98 people booking on the first tour.
The country has a long way to go in the tourism polls -- in 2009 only 227,400 visitors braved the warnings and sanctions. This is partly due to the lack of comfortable infrastructure. Internal airlines are very basic -- it's always a worry when the flight attendant disembarks after making sure everyone is strapped in for takeoff. But they whisk the time-pressed tourist to Inle Lake, where life slows to the pace of longboats gliding over the oasis of water lilies and ingenious floating gardens -- albeit surrounded by mist caused by the slash-and-burn farming.
Roughly 300,000 people are employed in the tourism industry.
Certainly on my trip to Yangon (formerly Rangoon) and Inle Lake, I saw many locals benefiting directly from tourism. My tour guide told me stories about his lavish wedding and relatively secure lifestyle, all facilitated by his job. The evening entertainer at Inle Lake's Golden Island Cottages was able to cash in on westerners' voyeurism by inviting groups to his humble home for green tea and tofu. These were surprisingly tasty, deep-fried snacks served in the communal living space which housed a primitive range created from earthenware pots over an open fire, a few hardbacked chairs, beds on the floor made from motley covers on the floor, all enclosed from the searing heat by windowless wooden walls. This was an uncommon sneak peek inside one of the traditional stilted homes shared by three or four generations plus livestock who all use the lake for bath, laundry, fishing and sewer. Not a lot of water sports here for tourists wary of water-borne diseases.
Religious tourism is big business for Burma's Buddhist monks who otherwise rely on locals' largesse for their livelihood. Juxtaposed to both the hovels of rural villages and tenements of inner city streets, their temples stand out like diamond-clad debutantes in Dickensian slums. Over the centuries, karma-seeking supplicants have financed religious adornments, the most impressive being Shwedagon in Yangon with its 100-metre gold, diamond and ruby encrusted spire.
Rural temples, although somewhat less endowed, attract both locals and tourists with their religious icons and fancy fixtures. One, Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery at Inle Lake, has got itself onto YouTube. The monks teach their cats to jump through hoops in a novel circus act to attract visitors and donations. I had a go and was the only one in our group to entice the cat to jump. I copied the monk's authoritative way of setting the cat down in front of the hoop, rubbed it under the chin against the pile of its fur as instructed and, after two attempts, it humoured me by soaring through the foot-wide metal ring.
As a self-appointed citizen diplomat, I hope I've honoured my commitment to spread the word about Myanmar through travel articles and book chapters. Only problem is now, as a journalist, I probably wouldn't get a visa to go again.
If You Go
-Check voyage.gc.ca and click on Burma (Myanmar) for the latest safety guidelines.
-Canadians need passports and visas to visit for tourism or business. However the visa on arrival program is currently suspended so potential visitors need to contact the nearest Embassy of the Union of Myanmar before travelling.
-Avoid border areas with Thailand, China and Laos where there are official travel warnings about uprisings and landmines.
-Register your visit with an embassy. As Canada does not have consular offices in Myanmar, Canadians must contact the Australian Embassy.
-The Canadian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand is responsible for Myanmar: www.thailand.gc.ca
-Health risks include malaria, dengue fever and hepatitis A and B. Check the Public Health Agency of Canada for updates.
-Be aware that baggage may be searched upon arrival and it is illegal to enter/exit Burma with religious materials.
-Take cash in U.S. dollars or euros as there are no ATMs or credit card facilities. Foreign currency over $2,000 US must be declared upon arrival, failure to do so could result in imprisonment.
-Check the law -cultural and archeological artifacts and gems cannot be taken out of the country; homosexual activity is illegal; politically sensitive photography is prohibited.
The Burmese still farm with oxen and plows, spin lotus filaments into religious vestments, weave fabric on hand-looms, drive carts and bikes more often than cars, and row longboats with their bare feet.
"Giraffe" women continue to stretch their necks with golden hoops and everyone uses chalky bark paste from Thanakha trees in place of sunscreen, beauty products and acne creams.
Men wear traditional longhi skirts even with a jacket and tie -- and not as a fashion faux pas like David Beckham.
I visited Yangon (the former capital Rangoon) as well as Inle Lake with my family as part of a round-the-world cruise with the floating university, Semester At Sea about four years ago. At the time, Aung San Suu Kyi, known by democratic Burmese as "The Lady" had urged tourists to keep away while she and other political opponents of the repressive regime were still incarcerated.
However, our ship was docking there so we had little alternative than to break the tourism taboo. After much debate, we decided to position ourselves as citizen diplomats, reporting back home about the realities of everyday life in Myanmar.
Now the tourism boycott of Burma is over, I am hoping that more foreign currency will trickle down to some of the poorest people in the world with the worst health-care system (ranked bottom of the World Health Organization chart) and few opportunities for entrepreneurial or academic advancement.
Despite its societal shortcomings, the country is replete with history, remarkable religious icons, unspoiled people and scenery, and South Africastyle wildlife. Currently tourism grosses around $200 million US annually, a pittance compared to Myanmar's biggest money-spinner, natural gas which nets the regime more than $2 billion US per year.
Since her release, Aung San Suu Kyi has relaxed her opposition to tourism, supporting private companies while warning against government-run group tours contrived to show only the best of Burma.
In an interview with Der Speigel in November she said "it is essential that people see what is actually happening in this country."
Things are gradually changing, too, in the world's attitude to travel in Myanmar. Visitation was already on the upturn by 37 per cent in 2010 over 2009 -- if you believe the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism statistics.
The Myanmar Times reported in October that several new hotel projects in would be completed in 2011. Earlier this year, Myanmar launched a co-operative marketing partnership with neighbouring Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos in a publicity campaign entitled "Four Countries: One Destination" to encourage cross-border tours.
Cox and Kings, one of the world's oldest travel companies established in 1758, reintroduced the Golden Land of Burma to travel itineraries after Aung San Suu Kyi's release, with 98 people booking on the first tour.
The country has a long way to go in the tourism polls -- in 2009 only 227,400 visitors braved the warnings and sanctions. This is partly due to the lack of comfortable infrastructure. Internal airlines are very basic -- it's always a worry when the flight attendant disembarks after making sure everyone is strapped in for takeoff. But they whisk the time-pressed tourist to Inle Lake, where life slows to the pace of longboats gliding over the oasis of water lilies and ingenious floating gardens -- albeit surrounded by mist caused by the slash-and-burn farming.
Roughly 300,000 people are employed in the tourism industry.
Certainly on my trip to Yangon (formerly Rangoon) and Inle Lake, I saw many locals benefiting directly from tourism. My tour guide told me stories about his lavish wedding and relatively secure lifestyle, all facilitated by his job. The evening entertainer at Inle Lake's Golden Island Cottages was able to cash in on westerners' voyeurism by inviting groups to his humble home for green tea and tofu. These were surprisingly tasty, deep-fried snacks served in the communal living space which housed a primitive range created from earthenware pots over an open fire, a few hardbacked chairs, beds on the floor made from motley covers on the floor, all enclosed from the searing heat by windowless wooden walls. This was an uncommon sneak peek inside one of the traditional stilted homes shared by three or four generations plus livestock who all use the lake for bath, laundry, fishing and sewer. Not a lot of water sports here for tourists wary of water-borne diseases.
Religious tourism is big business for Burma's Buddhist monks who otherwise rely on locals' largesse for their livelihood. Juxtaposed to both the hovels of rural villages and tenements of inner city streets, their temples stand out like diamond-clad debutantes in Dickensian slums. Over the centuries, karma-seeking supplicants have financed religious adornments, the most impressive being Shwedagon in Yangon with its 100-metre gold, diamond and ruby encrusted spire.
Rural temples, although somewhat less endowed, attract both locals and tourists with their religious icons and fancy fixtures. One, Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery at Inle Lake, has got itself onto YouTube. The monks teach their cats to jump through hoops in a novel circus act to attract visitors and donations. I had a go and was the only one in our group to entice the cat to jump. I copied the monk's authoritative way of setting the cat down in front of the hoop, rubbed it under the chin against the pile of its fur as instructed and, after two attempts, it humoured me by soaring through the foot-wide metal ring.
As a self-appointed citizen diplomat, I hope I've honoured my commitment to spread the word about Myanmar through travel articles and book chapters. Only problem is now, as a journalist, I probably wouldn't get a visa to go again.
If You Go
-Check voyage.gc.ca and click on Burma (Myanmar) for the latest safety guidelines.
-Canadians need passports and visas to visit for tourism or business. However the visa on arrival program is currently suspended so potential visitors need to contact the nearest Embassy of the Union of Myanmar before travelling.
-Avoid border areas with Thailand, China and Laos where there are official travel warnings about uprisings and landmines.
-Register your visit with an embassy. As Canada does not have consular offices in Myanmar, Canadians must contact the Australian Embassy.
-The Canadian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand is responsible for Myanmar: www.thailand.gc.ca
-Health risks include malaria, dengue fever and hepatitis A and B. Check the Public Health Agency of Canada for updates.
-Be aware that baggage may be searched upon arrival and it is illegal to enter/exit Burma with religious materials.
-Take cash in U.S. dollars or euros as there are no ATMs or credit card facilities. Foreign currency over $2,000 US must be declared upon arrival, failure to do so could result in imprisonment.
-Check the law -cultural and archeological artifacts and gems cannot be taken out of the country; homosexual activity is illegal; politically sensitive photography is prohibited.
USB Expected From 'Gaharu' Products Annually | Local News
USB Expected From 'Gaharu' Products Annually | Local NewsBandar Seri Begawan - Gaharu Berjaya Resources (GaharuBrunei) aims to earn US$6 billion per annum when it sets up a factory manufacturing green tea from gaharu (sandalwood) leaves by mid 2011, its managing director told The Brunei Times yesterday.
Other products that will be manufactured from the gaharu tree include perfume, soap and bath merchandise.
"The reason we want to set up a factory in Brunei is because we want Brunei to be the centre in the world for exporting gaharu products."
"We also want to make 60 per cent of the world's demand for exporting gaharu products, and achieve US$6 billion a year in income," Hj Mohamad Ali Hj Dollah said during a seminar on creating awareness about gaharu to about 50 civil servants at the Business School.
The managing director added that by setting up the factory, it will also create job opportunities for Bruneians.
Expecting its first harvest in two years, the manufacturer will also be producing green tea next year.
"It takes about seven years to harvest the tree, and we already started planting them in Tutong and Temburong in 2007," he said.
GaharuBrunei Managing Director Hj Mohamad Ali Hj Dollah (L), during a seminar on 'gaharu' products that can be delivered from the tree attended by civil servants at the Business School yesterday.
He cited Singapore as the current hub for exporting 15 per cent of the world's demand for gaharu, but said Brunei is aiming to be the "future hub".
"Singapore has been a hub over the past 50 years in exporting gaharu products, where their income from exporting is US$1.2 billion a year. But our target is to be the future hub for exporting gaharu," he said.
Hj Mohamad Ali added, "Our target is to plant one million gaharu trees by the end of seven years. In order to realise the goal, we have already established a joint venture with a Malaysian and Indonesian companies to help us plant the trees there, and once it is ready for harvesting, then they will bring the (end-products) here."
To help the company achieve its goal in placing Brunei on the map as gaharu's world exporter, the managing director encouraged the public to plant the tree wherever possible. "Our project is to commercialise the gaharu tree, and we want the public to plant it anywhere possible. We know that Brunei has land, and people can even plant it around their houses and around government buildings," he said, adding that their target is to also make gaharu the "product of Brunei".
He explained that the company will travel around the Sultanate to maintain the trees every three months.
In a previous report, he said the purchasing price of one tree costs about $500 to $800, whereas the seedlings are priced at $15 each.
He pointed out he was pleased to note that more than 10,000 gaharu trees have been planted around the four districts this year. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times
Other products that will be manufactured from the gaharu tree include perfume, soap and bath merchandise.
"The reason we want to set up a factory in Brunei is because we want Brunei to be the centre in the world for exporting gaharu products."
"We also want to make 60 per cent of the world's demand for exporting gaharu products, and achieve US$6 billion a year in income," Hj Mohamad Ali Hj Dollah said during a seminar on creating awareness about gaharu to about 50 civil servants at the Business School.
The managing director added that by setting up the factory, it will also create job opportunities for Bruneians.
Expecting its first harvest in two years, the manufacturer will also be producing green tea next year.
"It takes about seven years to harvest the tree, and we already started planting them in Tutong and Temburong in 2007," he said.
GaharuBrunei Managing Director Hj Mohamad Ali Hj Dollah (L), during a seminar on 'gaharu' products that can be delivered from the tree attended by civil servants at the Business School yesterday.
He cited Singapore as the current hub for exporting 15 per cent of the world's demand for gaharu, but said Brunei is aiming to be the "future hub".
"Singapore has been a hub over the past 50 years in exporting gaharu products, where their income from exporting is US$1.2 billion a year. But our target is to be the future hub for exporting gaharu," he said.
Hj Mohamad Ali added, "Our target is to plant one million gaharu trees by the end of seven years. In order to realise the goal, we have already established a joint venture with a Malaysian and Indonesian companies to help us plant the trees there, and once it is ready for harvesting, then they will bring the (end-products) here."
To help the company achieve its goal in placing Brunei on the map as gaharu's world exporter, the managing director encouraged the public to plant the tree wherever possible. "Our project is to commercialise the gaharu tree, and we want the public to plant it anywhere possible. We know that Brunei has land, and people can even plant it around their houses and around government buildings," he said, adding that their target is to also make gaharu the "product of Brunei".
He explained that the company will travel around the Sultanate to maintain the trees every three months.
In a previous report, he said the purchasing price of one tree costs about $500 to $800, whereas the seedlings are priced at $15 each.
He pointed out he was pleased to note that more than 10,000 gaharu trees have been planted around the four districts this year. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times
Vietnam Today Travel to promote Myanmar Tours
Vietnam Today Travel to promote Myanmar ToursThe first Vietnamese Travel company to open new office in Yangon
Online PR News – 20-December-2010 –Vietnam Today Travel, an international travel agency based in Hanoi has become the first Vietnamese travel firm to open the representative office in Yangon.
The company is the pioneer in offering online travel service, tour packages and customized holiday to Myanmar. With the lanching of http://www.myanmartravel.com , they also start promoting holidays connecting Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Their very first target is to provide qualified services for inbound market included: English, French, Spanish and Itilian speaking customers.
Since 2008, Vietnam Today Travel has launched offices in Siem Riep ( Cambodia), Ho Chi Minh city ( Vietnam) , representative office in America. The 5th office in Yangon enables them to ensure their service quality in Indochina countries.
Online PR News – 20-December-2010 –Vietnam Today Travel, an international travel agency based in Hanoi has become the first Vietnamese travel firm to open the representative office in Yangon.
The company is the pioneer in offering online travel service, tour packages and customized holiday to Myanmar. With the lanching of http://www.myanmartravel.com , they also start promoting holidays connecting Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Their very first target is to provide qualified services for inbound market included: English, French, Spanish and Itilian speaking customers.
Since 2008, Vietnam Today Travel has launched offices in Siem Riep ( Cambodia), Ho Chi Minh city ( Vietnam) , representative office in America. The 5th office in Yangon enables them to ensure their service quality in Indochina countries.
Rail Europe adds Japan Rail Pass to Portfolio
Rail Europe adds Japan Rail Pass to PortfolioThe Japan Rail Pass has joined Rail Europe’s fast-growing network of worldwide rail journeys.
Japan’s entire range of rail passes, starting from €19 for unlimited travel for a day, can now be booked through the international marketing network.
Options extend from various consecutive day choices to 7, 14 or 21 days and include trips aboard most of the famous Shinkansen bullet trains.
Rail Europe began as a partnership of Europe’s national railways as train travel becomes increasingly popular worldwide, eliminating airport inconveniences and providing direct destination transportation – from remote rural locations to the centre of cities.
The network has since become a leader in distributing rail products worldwide in more than 45 countries across Asia, Australia and New Zealand, North and South America and Africa/Middle East.
It simplifies the booking process, enabling booking through travel agents as well as localised websites, in local languages and currency.
Non-European partners include Via Rail and Rocky Mountaineer in Canada, America’s national rail operator Amtrak, the Ghan and Indian Pacific in Australia, Korean railways’ Korail and now Japan Rail’s state-of-the-art railway system.
Rail Europe CEO Pierre Stephane Austi said, “Japan is an exciting new addition to our portfolio of international train travel options. Rail Europe is fast becoming the gateway to booking value-added train journeys not only in Europe but worldwide.”
Underlining the growing popularity of train travel, Rail Europe recorded three consecutive quarters of 36% growth in 2010.
Japan’s entire range of rail passes, starting from €19 for unlimited travel for a day, can now be booked through the international marketing network.
Options extend from various consecutive day choices to 7, 14 or 21 days and include trips aboard most of the famous Shinkansen bullet trains.
Rail Europe began as a partnership of Europe’s national railways as train travel becomes increasingly popular worldwide, eliminating airport inconveniences and providing direct destination transportation – from remote rural locations to the centre of cities.
The network has since become a leader in distributing rail products worldwide in more than 45 countries across Asia, Australia and New Zealand, North and South America and Africa/Middle East.
It simplifies the booking process, enabling booking through travel agents as well as localised websites, in local languages and currency.
Non-European partners include Via Rail and Rocky Mountaineer in Canada, America’s national rail operator Amtrak, the Ghan and Indian Pacific in Australia, Korean railways’ Korail and now Japan Rail’s state-of-the-art railway system.
Rail Europe CEO Pierre Stephane Austi said, “Japan is an exciting new addition to our portfolio of international train travel options. Rail Europe is fast becoming the gateway to booking value-added train journeys not only in Europe but worldwide.”
Underlining the growing popularity of train travel, Rail Europe recorded three consecutive quarters of 36% growth in 2010.
Chinese tourist quota to be boosted by one-third - Taipei Times
Chinese tourist quota to be boosted by one-third - Taipei Times
Taiwan is expected to allow one-third more Chinese tourists visit the nation next year, local media reported yesterday, ahead of a fresh round of talks between the two sides.
Currently, up to 3,000 Chinese tourists are allowed to visit Taiwan each day, but that quota is expected to be increased to 4,000 from next month to meet strong demand, the Liberty Times reported, citing an unnamed tourism official.
Officials from the Mainland Affairs Council were not immediately available for comment.
Tourism operators welcomed the reported move and called on the government to further relax restrictions.
“The government should raise the daily quota to 5,000,” said Roger Hsu (許高慶), the chief secretary to the Travel Agent Association of Taiwan, which promotes tourism in the nation. Such a level was promised by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) before the 2008 presidential election.
Hsu said Taiwan’s existing tourism facilities such as hotels and buses were more than able cope with a daily quota of that size.
Chinese tourists have made 1.13 million visits to Taiwan so far this year.
Authorities have said tourism grew faster than anywhere else in Asia last year, largely due to the influx of visitors from China.
The report came one day before China’s top negotiator, Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), flies to Taipei for the sixth round of talks since 2008.
Chen, the head of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, is scheduled to hold talks with Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) tomorrow, officials said.
Ties have improved markedly since Ma came to power in 2008, with the two sides resuming routine high-level direct unofficial talks and adopting various measures to boost trade and tourism.
Taiwan is expected to allow one-third more Chinese tourists visit the nation next year, local media reported yesterday, ahead of a fresh round of talks between the two sides.
Currently, up to 3,000 Chinese tourists are allowed to visit Taiwan each day, but that quota is expected to be increased to 4,000 from next month to meet strong demand, the Liberty Times reported, citing an unnamed tourism official.
Officials from the Mainland Affairs Council were not immediately available for comment.
Tourism operators welcomed the reported move and called on the government to further relax restrictions.
“The government should raise the daily quota to 5,000,” said Roger Hsu (許高慶), the chief secretary to the Travel Agent Association of Taiwan, which promotes tourism in the nation. Such a level was promised by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) before the 2008 presidential election.
Hsu said Taiwan’s existing tourism facilities such as hotels and buses were more than able cope with a daily quota of that size.
Chinese tourists have made 1.13 million visits to Taiwan so far this year.
Authorities have said tourism grew faster than anywhere else in Asia last year, largely due to the influx of visitors from China.
The report came one day before China’s top negotiator, Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), flies to Taipei for the sixth round of talks since 2008.
Chen, the head of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, is scheduled to hold talks with Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) tomorrow, officials said.
Ties have improved markedly since Ma came to power in 2008, with the two sides resuming routine high-level direct unofficial talks and adopting various measures to boost trade and tourism.
MYREPUBLICA.com - News in Nepal: Fast, Full & Factual
MYREPUBLICA.com - News in Nepal: Fast, Full & FactualKATHMANDU, Dec 10: A 10-day travel and tour management training for Tibetan tour operators and officials of Tibet Tourism Administration concluded here Friday.
The training was designed to include both workshop-style and session on communication, marketing, team building and customer services.
President of Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO), Ashok Pokharel, gave away the certificates to the participants.
Speaking on the occasion, he urged the participants to implement the skills learnt in the training in practice. Drolma of Tibet China International Travel Service and Rupesh K Shrestha, CEO of Fifth Dimension addressed the concluding ceremony.
The program was supported by United Nations Development Program, China International Centre for Economic and Technical Exchanges and Tibet Tourism Administration.
The training was designed to include both workshop-style and session on communication, marketing, team building and customer services.
President of Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO), Ashok Pokharel, gave away the certificates to the participants.
Speaking on the occasion, he urged the participants to implement the skills learnt in the training in practice. Drolma of Tibet China International Travel Service and Rupesh K Shrestha, CEO of Fifth Dimension addressed the concluding ceremony.
The program was supported by United Nations Development Program, China International Centre for Economic and Technical Exchanges and Tibet Tourism Administration.
City Tours Increasing In Popularity | Local News
City Tours Increasing In Popularity | Local News
Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei's city tour operators are seeing heightened interest among tourists in the Sultanate's capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan and other urban areas, with some saying that visitors are as interested in the urban areas as they are in the lush forests of the country.
This, as tour operators confirmed a marked increase in tourist arrivals in the country following the expansion of flights by flag carrier Royal Brunei Airlines Sdn Bhd as well as the quieting down of concerns over the H1N1 virus strain that caused a global flu pandemic last year.
The tour operators' observation lend support to the Brunei Tourism Board's expectations of a jump in tourist visits this year.
The Brunei Times had earlier reported that tourist arrivals to the country were expected to have risen by 20-30 per cent in 2010, exceeding the 14 per cent annual target set by the government. Sheikh Jamaluddin Sheikh Mohamed, chief executive of Brunei Tourism, had said Chinese tourists make up the majority of the tourist arrivals.
"There has been a definite increase of tourists," said Sugu Maran, in-bound tour manager of Freme Travel Services, who noted that the city tours are catching the attention of visitors.
Often, people chose city tours as a primary preference, he said. The tour includes visits to various mosques and religious centres, the ancient water village of Kampong Ayer, open markets, as well as other cultural sites such as museums and tombs of previous sultans.
"We do also try to promote visits to Temburong, and generally they are interested once they hear about our offers," said Sugu.
Temburong, the eastern-most district in Brunei, is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by Malaysia and Brunei Bay. It is home to Brunei's first national park, the Ulu Temburong National Park, which covers 550 square kilometres of the Temburong forest.
Another tour operator who wished to remain anonymous said city tours were more popular among tourists than visits to the country's jungles because they feel that the rainforests were "too exotic".
She noted that many of these tourists opt for the most basic package, choosing to go around the city and perhaps to the Seria Oil Fields, where one can catch a glimpse of active oil wells.
"Often these tourists are also just transiting through Brunei," the tour operator said, as part of a longer journey.
While the maximum length a tourist can stay in Brunei on a transit visa is three days, the tour operator said that often, those who transit stay only for a few hours, and spend just enough time to get on a bus to see the city's mosques as well as to make a quick visit to some of the museums.
For three days and two nights of stay, it is possible for tourists to see quite a bit of the country's developed areas, she added.
Meanwhile, CP Foo, tour manager for Century Travel Services, said that a number of tourists who come to visit the country are not actually part of any tour package.
Noting that his tour company's office is based near the centre of Bandar, he said that 20 to 30 times a month, the company would have people coming in from other countries, asking how to best go around the Sultanate.
He said this was higher compared to the last few years, when the company only had one or two such visits. Most of the inquiries are from Europeans who often just walk around the city and are on a more limited budget, he said.
"Some even travel by road, asking what's the best way to get to Kuala Belait or Seria, or even Miri and Labuan." -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times
Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei's city tour operators are seeing heightened interest among tourists in the Sultanate's capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan and other urban areas, with some saying that visitors are as interested in the urban areas as they are in the lush forests of the country.
This, as tour operators confirmed a marked increase in tourist arrivals in the country following the expansion of flights by flag carrier Royal Brunei Airlines Sdn Bhd as well as the quieting down of concerns over the H1N1 virus strain that caused a global flu pandemic last year.
The tour operators' observation lend support to the Brunei Tourism Board's expectations of a jump in tourist visits this year.
The Brunei Times had earlier reported that tourist arrivals to the country were expected to have risen by 20-30 per cent in 2010, exceeding the 14 per cent annual target set by the government. Sheikh Jamaluddin Sheikh Mohamed, chief executive of Brunei Tourism, had said Chinese tourists make up the majority of the tourist arrivals.
"There has been a definite increase of tourists," said Sugu Maran, in-bound tour manager of Freme Travel Services, who noted that the city tours are catching the attention of visitors.
Often, people chose city tours as a primary preference, he said. The tour includes visits to various mosques and religious centres, the ancient water village of Kampong Ayer, open markets, as well as other cultural sites such as museums and tombs of previous sultans.
"We do also try to promote visits to Temburong, and generally they are interested once they hear about our offers," said Sugu.
Temburong, the eastern-most district in Brunei, is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by Malaysia and Brunei Bay. It is home to Brunei's first national park, the Ulu Temburong National Park, which covers 550 square kilometres of the Temburong forest.
Another tour operator who wished to remain anonymous said city tours were more popular among tourists than visits to the country's jungles because they feel that the rainforests were "too exotic".
She noted that many of these tourists opt for the most basic package, choosing to go around the city and perhaps to the Seria Oil Fields, where one can catch a glimpse of active oil wells.
"Often these tourists are also just transiting through Brunei," the tour operator said, as part of a longer journey.
While the maximum length a tourist can stay in Brunei on a transit visa is three days, the tour operator said that often, those who transit stay only for a few hours, and spend just enough time to get on a bus to see the city's mosques as well as to make a quick visit to some of the museums.
For three days and two nights of stay, it is possible for tourists to see quite a bit of the country's developed areas, she added.
Meanwhile, CP Foo, tour manager for Century Travel Services, said that a number of tourists who come to visit the country are not actually part of any tour package.
Noting that his tour company's office is based near the centre of Bandar, he said that 20 to 30 times a month, the company would have people coming in from other countries, asking how to best go around the Sultanate.
He said this was higher compared to the last few years, when the company only had one or two such visits. Most of the inquiries are from Europeans who often just walk around the city and are on a more limited budget, he said.
"Some even travel by road, asking what's the best way to get to Kuala Belait or Seria, or even Miri and Labuan." -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times
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