Update on the situation in Kampala 11 September 2009
Editor’s Note: ATTA Member Volcanoes Safaris has just issued the following:
Update on the situation in Kampala 11 September 2009
During the last two days there have been reports of civil disturbance in a few areas of Kampala city sparked off by local political issues. The Government has taken steps to restore law and order and most of Kampala is calm now and has returned to normal. Volcanoes Safaris is monitoring the situation and will inform agents/clients if there is any change. Clients safety is paramount to the company and if required we will change safari programs to minimize inconvenience or risk to clients. At present travel to and from Kampala is proceeding normally.
If you have any enquiries please address them to carol@volcanoessafaris.com
New research confirms Mexico’s tourism will remain strong over long term
(August 10, 2009) — WTTC expects Mexico’s Travel & Tourism Economy GDP growth to average around 5% per annum over the next decade (2009-19), generating some 2 million direct industry jobs by the end of the period.
As the first country in the world to experience an outbreak of the now widespread A (H1N1) influenza virus, Mexico has been really hard hit in terms of tourism demand over the past three months. Preliminary estimates from the Mexican Government put the impact so far at around US$200-$300 million, but the final toll could well be much greater. More than 2,000 inbound flights were cancelled during the early stages of the crisis.
“Mexico should be applauded for the way it handled the swine flu crisis,” said Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Operations Officer of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), speaking at a recent media breakfast organised by the Mexico Tourism Board. “The Mexican Government and other stakeholders in the local Travel & Tourism industry have taught us all a lot because they have shown great leadership during their period of crisis, not to mention responsibility, timeliness and effectiveness.
“This was one of the clear messages that came out of our 9th Global Travel & Tourism Summit, held in Florianópolis, Brazil, in May 2009,” Ms Ibrahim added. “The virus and the need for the global Travel & Tourism industry to prepare for a pandemic were top of the agenda at the Summit, and Mexico’s responsible approach to reporting the outbreak and its impact impressed delegates from around the world.”
In 2008, international tourist arrivals in Mexico grew by 5.9% to 22.6 million while US dollar travel spending by all visitors rose 3.4% to US$13.3 billion. More significantly, WTTC’s research shows that the country’s Travel & Tourism Economy increased its contribution to 13.2% of Mexico’s GDP, growing by 3.8% – as against stagnation in Travel & Tourism Economy GDP posted by the Americas as a whole.
In addition and, even more importantly, given the global economic situation and rising unemployment around the world, an estimated 40,000 additional jobs were created directly last year by Mexico’s Travel & Tourism Industry, raising the total number of people directly employed in the sector to 1.7 million.
Mexico’s Travel & Tourism started 2009 on a positive note …
Despite the intensification of the global recession and continued drug-related violence in Mexico, international tourist arrivals continued to expand (+5.9%) in the first four months of 2009. However, the gains were concentrated in January and February, while April saw just a 0.2% year-on-year rise and the growth is estimated to have come mainly from lower-spending visitors staying near the US border.
For more on this story, visit WTTC’s Tourism News.
Asia Travel Company Assists Cyclone Relief
Asia Transpacific Journeys Responds to Crisis in Myanmar By Providing Clean Drinking WaterBOULDER, CO. – A Colorado-based travel company is assisting cyclone relief by stepping up its already-established, in-Myanmar program of producing clay water filters for clean drinking water.
Asia Transpacific Journeys, based in Boulder, Colorado, established its non-profit Asia Transpacific Foundation to help on a year-round basis with global clean drinking water issues and is now moving immediately to distribute water filters from its Yangon facility to those in desperate need from the aftermath of the cyclone.
“Our production facility is just outside of Yangon. It sustained damage to the roof from the cyclone, but the kilns are operating and we’re ready to hit the ground running,” says Marilyn Downing Staff, Asia Transpacific Journeys’ founder and owner. “We have three American volunteers based in Yangon. They are ramping up filter production with local staff as a response to this terrible crisis.”
“Our foundation is uniquely poised to provide direct relief to those without drinking water. We’ve operated our Clean Water Initiative for several years in Myanmar, and are among the very few authorized, licensed and legitimate operations of its kind, in a country that normally spurns foreign NGOs.”
The Asia Transpacific Foundation is the charitable arm of Asia Transpacific Journeys. The foundation, established in 1996, is a 501(c) (3) registered non-profit organization, and is volunteer driven. 100% of tax-deductible donations go directly to producing and firing clay filters, that are then distributed to the local population. Each dollar buys a few bricks and some clay, a kiln is built, filters are fired, and lives are saved.
A $100 donation provides clean drinking water for 20 children. A $10,000 donation funds the construction of an entire filter production facility, which employs 20 people and can produce 100 filters a day.
“Many people feel helpless in the face of such suffering. By donating to the foundation anyone can make a real and lasting impact. Clean, drinking water can help alleviate disease and provide comfort and health to the Burmese people,” says Downing Staff.
About the Asia Transpacific Foundation
Asia Transpacific Foundation is the charitable arm of Asia Transpacific Journeys, a Boulder, Colorado-based tour operator specializing in travel throughout Asia. The foundation, established in 1996, provides direct financial support to the clean water initiative, which produces and distributes water filters to orphanages, schools and local communities in Asia. It also responds to specific pleas in times of crisis, including aid to the tsunami survivors in Asia in 2004.
