Internet booking
of tours will account for more than half in 2007
Jan.1, 2007 — According to a new report from PhoCusWright
Inc., transactions on the Internet will account for
over half of all U.S. travel bookings in 2007 for
the first time ever.
As part of the study, PhoCusWright's U.S. Online Travel
Overview looks at how suppliers have been outperforming
online travel agencies like Expedia, Orbitz and Priceline
since 2000. It suggests that growth rates for the
two channels will converge by 2008 as the suppliers'
online advantage is disappearing with the majority
of travel transactions moving to the Web.
Other insights from PhoCusWright's U.S. Online Travel
Overview include:
While the U.S. represented just one third of total
online and offline travel bookings of the combined
North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific markets
in 2005, the U.S. share of online bookings was over
60 percent of all online bookings.
Growth of dynamic packaging — the ability of consumers
to easily combine airline, hotel, rental car and other
product purchases online — is projected to slow significantly
from 51 percent in 2005 to 18 percent in 2008. This
trend is partly attributable to the current tight
supply of bulk airfares and merchant hotel rates available
for packages, thanks to higher load factors and occupancy
as suppliers enjoyed strong sales during the recent
robust economy.
Hotels will be the fastest growing segment online,
surpassing air travel, which until 2006 had long been
the fastest growing product segment.
The advanced level of the U.S. online travel market
creates an atmosphere in which many innovations such
as dynamic packaging, metasearch and user-generated
content incubate in the U.S. before expanding to other
global markets. Many of these innovations include
the new online capabilities that PhoCusWright has
termed Travel 2.0 — the travel industry's application
of Web 2.0 practices empowering the online consumer.
The tipping point of the travel market, with the
online channel becoming the norm for travel purchases,
is going to further shape consumer behavior that utilizes
Travel 2.0 tools and applications.
News About
Pssports:
The United States Congress recently approved a bill
that includes provisions to delay the implementation
of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. These
new provisions include important deadlines for passport
requirements.
Air Travel — U.S. citizens will be required to have
a valid passport for exiting and reentering the United
States starting Jan. 8, 2007, for all air travel.
Sea and Land Travel — U.S. citizens traveling by
sea and land within the Western Hemisphere will be
required to have a valid U.S. passport by June 1,
2009. This deadline was originally Jan. 1, 2008.
Students under the age of 18 do not have to have a
passport or other citizenship documents as long as
they have parental consent and adult supervision.
Flying
car ready for takeoff
This summer, graduate students at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology will try to get an idea aloft
that has intrigued people for decades: the flying
car---it is called the Transition "personal air
vehicle," a vehicle resembling an SUV with retractable
wings.
The Transition is designed for 100- to 500-mile jumps.
It will carry two people and luggage on a single tank
of premium unleaded gas. It will also come with an
electric calculator (to help fine-tune weight distribution),
airbags, aerodynamic bumpers and of course a GPS (Global
Positioning System) navigation unit.
Building retractable wings won't be the major challenge:
F-18s and even some World War II era planes have folding
wings. Instead, one of the biggest challenges will
be creating enough cargo room to satisfy customers.
The planes, which will cruise up to 12,000 feet, will
probably use an off-the-shelf engine.
Flying cars are technically feasible. Inventor Molt
Taylor built prototypes in the 1950s and 1960s--but
they haven't been practical from an economic perspective.
Now, the picture has changed, however, with the development
of lighter and stronger construction materials and
more efficient engines. Scientists are aiming to build
a vehicle that will fly at 120 miles per hour and
get 30 miles a gallon in the air. (It will also get
40 miles per gallon on the freeway and 30 in the city).
Demand also has finally begun to emerge. Today's clogged
freeway traffic and dispersed suburban living patterns
have created an audience for these types of vehicles.
Regional airports are also somewhat plentiful and
underutilized. In addition, Federal Aviation Administration
regulations passed in 2004 have made it easier to
get a sport pilot's license.
Since 9/11, for the first time, average door-to-door
travel speed has really dropped substantially due
to a combination of increased security measures at
airports and more road traffic. A flying car will
be a solution in about 3--6 years from now.
E-Passport
Testing to Begin
January 17, 2006 - A live test of e-Passports begins
this week at the San Francisco International Airport.
e-Passports contain the holder's biographic information
and a biometric identifier. The test is a collaboration
between the United States, Australia, New Zealand
and Singapore, running through April 15, 2006.
"This test provides an important opportunity
to work with our international partners to further
the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to put
in place an e-Passport reader solution by the fall
of this year," Director of US-VISIT Jim Williams
said.
The testing will evaluate operational impact of using
new equipment and software to read and verify the
information embedded in the e-Passports. Participants
will present their e-Passports when arriving in the
United States at SFO, at Changi Airport in Singapore
or at Sydney Airport in Australia.
This is the second live test conducted between the
United States, Australia and New Zealand. The goal
of the live test is to gather information that can
support countries around the world in their development
and implementation of e-Passports that comply with
International Civil Aviation Organization standards.
It will also provide valuable information on the capability
of the reader technology.
For more information on US-VISIT, or to learn more
about entry procedures, please visit the US-VISIT
Web site at http://www.dhs.gov/us-visit.
California
Tourism Delegates Visit China on Governor's Mission
Eleven delegates representing California's
top travel destinations, accommodations and attractions
are in Beijing today, and Shanghai and Hong Kong later
this week, as part of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's
China Trade and Tourism Mission.
Working with the Governor's office
to help coordinate the trip is the California Travel
and Tourism Commission (CTTC), a non-profit organization
with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs
in partnership with the state's travel industry that
keep California top-of-mind.
"Tourism is big business for
California generating $82.5 billion in direct travel
spending and producing $5.2 billion in direct state
and local revenues," CTTC Executive Director
Caroline Beteta said. "International visitors
are a key component to California tourism, generating
nearly 16 percent of total travel spending while representing
less than three percent of total visitation. These
visitors tend to travel during shoulder periods and
stay longer than domestic visitors."
According to the World Tourism Organization,
China is ranked among the world's top 10 outbound
tourism nations. Figures from the China National Tourism
Administration indicate that the number of travelers
outbound from China reached 16 million in the first
seven months of 2004, soaring 63.7 percent from the
same period last year. By 2010, the Travel Industry
Association of America predicts China to be the largest
outsource of outbound travelers in the world.
"The latest figures from D.K.
Shifflet and Associates indicate that in 2004 California
welcomed 101,000 visitors from China with another
57,000 from Hong Kong," Beteta said. "Although
modest compared to the U.K. (693,000 visitors) and
Japan (630,000), China is important to California
because it offers a much more significant potential
for growth. Travel in China is starting to become
liberalized and this, together with the expansion
of the Chinese middle class (estimated to be from
175 to 250 million people), growing economic and social
ties with the rest of the world, and improved transportation
access (U.S. carriers to China are expected to double
by 2010) has launched the beginning of a travel boom
of major proportions. For these reasons California
is increasing its marketing efforts in China to better
compete with other destinations aggressively promoting
to Chinese travelers."
The delegation includes a variety
of California businesses, as well as convention and
visitor bureaus representing some of the state's most
popular destinations, including the CTTC, Walt Disney
Parks and Resorts, LA INC. The Convention and Visitors
Bureau, Citypass, Inc., SeaWorld San Diego and Hornblower
Cruises & Events.
The tentative tourism delegation
schedule includes a Chinese tour operator luncheon,
media blitzes, Governor's private welcome reception,
American Chamber of Commerce luncheon hosted by the
China Council for the Promotion of International Trade,
California reception, Shanghai tour operator luncheon,
California reception and Hollywood showcase film premiere,
Hong Kong tour operator luncheon and a private business
delegation reception with the Governor.
California is currently ranked as
the number one travel destination in the country,
and its tourism economy is twice the size of New York
and five times the size of Hawaii. As California's
fourth largest employer, tourism supports nearly 900,000
jobs. Unlike manufacturing, information and trade
sectors, these jobs can't be outsourced. Dining, shopping
and entertainment-based activities are the most popular
expenditure-based tourist activities in California.
Sightseeing, followed by visiting theme and amusement
parks and beach/waterfront activities are the most
popular recreational pursuits.
For more information about the CTTC,
China Trade and Tourism Mission and for a free California
vacation packet, go to www.visitcalifornia.com or
call 800-862-2543 (domestic) or 916-444-4429 (international).
Guo's
Xiulian Retreat Group Heads For China On 11/26/05
WHAT:
Dr. Sha Zhi Gang's student group is heading for Beijing,
China on 11/26/2005. Dr. Sha's message is, "I
have the power to heal myself. You have the power
to heal yourself. Together, we have the power to heal
the world."
New INFO!
New Tour #3 on 11/28 for One
Day Beijing Discovery
$50 / person with lunch, dinner, admissions and English
guide. ( minimum 10 people )
>>9 am: depart from the hotel to visit a "Hu
Tong", which is a residential area in the old
part of Beijing. Foreigners usually don't have access
to those humble areas. Then, you visit the Jingshan
Park, which has a bird's eye view of the Forbidden
City. It is also a place where the last Emperor of
the Ming Dynasty hung himself when the uprising forces
attacked the Forbidden City.
> > 1 pm: lunch
> > 2 pm: visit a famous shopping area Lady
Street, Wan Tong Shopping Center, and / or
a silk market where you will be able to buy a variety
of good products at a super low price.
> > 6 pm: dinner
> > 7 pm: back to hotel.
Hotel:
Great news about our hotel in Beijing ! We successfully
upgraded the hotel in Beijing from a 4 star hotel
to a 5 star hotel at no additional cost to our group
members. Please share the following hotel information
with your friends and family members.
Name: Grand Changan Days Hotel and Suites,
Beijing ( 5 star )
Address: 27 Huaweili, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100021
Phone: 86-10-6773-1234, Website: http://www.dhsbj.com
Note: this hotel is near the one our group stayed
in April. The hotel has foreign exchange service,
business center where you can access internet, and
if you carry a laptop with you, you can access internet
in your room. There are colorful indoor places for
evening entertainment at a low cost.
Departure date from
San Francisco: 11/26/05 by Air China Flight CA 986
at 1:55 pm. Departures from Los Angeles
and other cities are also available.
Arrival time in
Beijing, China: 11/27/05 at 6:15 pm local time.
What is covered by the ISMBM:
A) transfer from Beijing
airport to the hotel on the date of arrival of 11/27.
B) two nights hotel accommodation
in Beijing on double occupancy basis. C)
transfer on 11/29 from Beijing's hotel to Master Guo's
healing center. and D)
transfer on 12/10 from Master Guo's healing center
to Beijing airport.
What needs to pay at the
time of issuing airline tickets: A)
Your airline tickets. B)
Your extra cost if you choose to occupy a room by
yourself, about $23 per night. C)
Your optional tour cost in Beijing, Shanghai or Xian.
D) Any other cost not
covered by the ISMBM, such as your visa application
fee to enter China, or extended stay in China.
Visa is definitely
required to enter China. See detailed information
about how to obtain a visa to China. Please click
on About Us, and then About
Your Visa To China. Please make sure your
passport is valid at least 6 months from the date
of departure.
Travel Insurance
information: please click Insurance to
find the prices and coverages.
Tour Options in Beijing or
in Shanghai ( limit 30 people in
each city, please sign up for the tours and other
services at the time of reserving your airline tickets.
Minimum group size: 10 people )
Tours arrangements in Beijing
( optional ):
Detailed Itinerary:
Tour 1: $50
per person with lunch and dinner, admissions to all
attractions and English speaking tour guide
( from 9 am through 7 pm )
After breakfast in the hotel, we will take our exciting
excursion to the Great Wall, one of the Seven Wonders
of the World. The Wall is about six thousand kilometers
in length from east to west across the country, and
the only manmade structure visible from the Moon.
In the afternoon we will marvel at the incredible
Ming Tombs, where 13 of the 16 Emperors of the Ming
Dynasty were buried.
Tour 2: $50 per person with
lunch & dinner, admissions to all attractions,
admission to the evening Acrobatic Show, & English
tour guide ( from 9 am thru 10 pm )
Beijing is the Capital of China, once served as the
Capital City for 5 dynasties over a period of 800
years. We start today’s tour from the Tiananmen Square
– the largest square in the world. The present Tiananmen
Square has an area of 440,000 square meters and has
become a relaxing place for the common people to fly
kites and walk. Behind the Tiananmen Gate Tower is
the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City.
The City was built between 1406 and 1420 and served
as the Imperial Palace for 24 Emperors of the Ming
and Qing Dynasties. This complex, being the world
largest Imperial Palace, features more than 800 buildings
with resplendent golden-glazed roofs, red lacquered
pillars and vermilion walls. In the afternoon we will
tour the Temple of Heaven where the Ming and Qing
Emperors worshipped the God of Heaven and prayed for
a good harvest. You can visit the most brilliant buildings
there, the Circular Mound Altar (Yuanqiutan), Imperial
Vault of Heaven (Huangqiongyu) and Hall of Prayer
for Good Harvest (Qiniandian) from south to north.
What’s more, you can have a chance to experience the
magnificent atmosphere of the Echo Wall around the
Imperial Vault of Heaven. For evening entertainment,
we arranged the well known Acrobatic Show for the
group.
Tours arrangements in Shanghai
( optional ):
Hotel Jiulong 3 star: Group rate is $28 / per person
based on double occupancy for one night. Note:
a total booking of five rooms and over is considered
as a group with a group rate. A booking of one to
four rooms is considered as individual rate, which
is $38 per person based on double occupancy. Individule
hotel booking does not include freakfast.
Tours and transfers: $55 / per person per day for
2 days = $110 / person total Inclusions:
deluxe bus for the city tours and a night tour to
the Bund, 3 meals daily (breakfast in the hotel) ,
all admission tickets to tour attractions, English
speaking tour guide.
Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1:
For airport transfer from the Shanghai airport, and
tours for the rest of the day
We are taking a morning flight to Shanghai, the largest
commercial center in China, and the largest city in
Asia. It is nestled in the fertile Yangtze River Valley,
a home to 14 million people. We will visit the Jade
Buddha Temple, which is famous for its huge Jade Buddhas,
each of them was carved out of a single piece of Jade.
Enjoy your night tour on the famous sleepless commercial
street, Nanjing Road and the beautiful Bund by the
Huangpu River.
Day 2:
For Shanghai city tour, and after lunch transfer to
the Pudong International Airport
We will visit Yuyuan Garden, a finely designed maze
of elegant pavilions and ponds in the old part of
the city. In the afternoon, we will be transferred
to the Pudong Airport for our flight back home. CA
985 departs at 4:05 pm, & arrives
in SFO the same day at 12:15 pm.
Tours arrangements in Xian
( optional ):
>Most likely
the total participants in Xian will be less than 10
people, which is not a group, therefore the following
cost is for individules from 2 to 10 people (Individule
hotel booking does not include freakfast). If it is
over 10 people, the price will be lower.
Hotel: Tanghua Hotel 4*
: $23 per person based on double occupancy (no breakfast).
Airport Transfers and Tours
with 2 lunches, all admissions, and English speaking
tour guide: $152 per person ( it is $130
per person if there are 10 people or more in the group
) The 2-day stay in Xian with the following inclusions:
1) First day, transfer
from the airport to the city upon arrival in Xian.
A lunch. A tour to the old City Wall, the Old Town,
the Mosque, and the Wild Geese Pagoda. 22)
Second day: An excursion to the 8th
world Wonder, the astonishing underground ruins over
2000 years ago--- about 8000 life-sized terra cotta
warriors, horses and chariots. A lunch. A visit to
the Huaqing Hot Springs where the Emperor's concubines
took bath 1300 years ago. Transfer to the airport.
Please call us to check details regarding
air cost and reservations to Xian, etc.
Note: Air or tour prices
are subject to change without prior notice.
______________________________________________________________________
U.S.
International Arrivals Up
August,
2005 - The U.S. Department of Commerce has released
figures showing that over 12 million international visitors
traveled to the United States during the first four
months of 2005. This is an increase of eight percent
over the same period in 2004. Other highlights related
to international arrivals are:
Canadian
visitation grew by two percent during April and eight
percent through the first four months of 2005 as compared
to 2004.
Arrivals from Mexico
(traveling to interior U.S. points) were down 41 percent
in April, reflecting a change in the Easter holiday.
Overall, year-to-date Mexican arrivals were up by eight
percent.
Overseas arrivals (excluding Canada
and Mexico) increased two percent over April of last
year and seven percent for the year-to-date.
Visitation from Western
Europe saw a slight decline from last April,
but visitation for the year still remains up by eight
percent.
Visitation from the United
Kingdom decreased by roughly seven percent for
the month but the year remains up by four percent from
2004.
German
arrivals were also down for April, (nearly six percent)
as compared to April of last year. Year-to-date visitation
still remains up by seven percent.
Visitation from Asia
increased almost eight percent for April and
five percent for the year-to-date. Japanese arrivals
increased by nearly six percent for the month and four
percent for the year. Japanese
visitors accounted for roughly 65 percent of all Asian
visitors for 2005 thus far.
South America
saw a growth of two percent and nine percent in visitation
for April and the year-to-date, respectively. Central
America saw a two percent decrease for April,
but remains up by 10 percent for the year. Strong growth
was noted from Brazil,
who saw increases of nearly 27 percent for the month.
The number of travelers from Oceania
increased six percent for April and is up 10 percent
from last year; Australia
registered an increase of nearly five percent for the
month of April.
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