Go Tell it on the Mountain: Ski Resorts Shed Their Skin for Summer

When the snow melts and the snowboarders jump on skateboards and hot chocolate is replaced by iced tea, the winter wonderlands don't become any less wondrous. No, the ski resorts shift gears and become summer havens for adventure travelers, health conscious fitness lovers, hikers, white rapid rafters, fisherman, and golf and tennis nuts who power walk and spring up the slopes with the same smile as skiers fly down them.

Vail Mountain in Colorado is one of the premiere summer resorts in the country. With activities ranging from rafting, horseback riding, kayaking, hiking, rock-climbing, biking, Vail is complete summer activity destination for the outdoor-oriented traveler. Add world-class spas, high-style fashion houses and five-star dining, then take away the jet-set skiing types, and summer Vail becomes a mellow alternative to its winter hot-spot. For a complete look at the complete offerings of summer Vail including dining, shopping and transportation information, check out www.vailalways.com.

The site also has an excellent reservation engine that allows you to choose your dates before giving you a choice of hotels and prices relating to your travel requirements. For a three-day trip in June, we found accommodations at the Vail Racquet Club Town homes and Condominiums for just $135 per night for double occupancy. Tucked away in the Vail woods, the hotel and condominium facility has a large outdoor pool, a work-out room, 14 outdoor tennis courts, fitness and Yoga classes, an on-premise bar/lounge/restaurant as well as a long list of in-room facilities and comforts. Several other hotel options are available.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is an incredibly quaint and beautiful ski town at the base of Grand Teton National Park. Summers in Jackson are relaxing and fun-filled as the Tetons become a Mecca for hikers and rock climbers looking for incredible climbs and beautiful local vistas. With many hotels to choose from, remember that Jackson Hole is so coveted by outdoor enthusiasts the summer rates can often exceed the ski season rates. One hotel to check out is the Cowboy Village Resort (tel. 800/329-9205; www.jacksonhole.net/properties/downtown/cowboyvillage.htm). Just four blocks from downtown and a fifteen minute drive from the base of the Tetons, the Cowboy Village is a series of 82 log cabins that sleep from one to four people. With outdoor barbecues, two outdoor hot tubs, and several public transportation bus stops on the property, the Cowboy Village is popular lodge for first-time and repeat visitors to the Jackson area. Summer rates start at $75 per night and increase to $190. Don't forget, Jackson Hole sits about an hour's drive north to Yellowstone National Park where you can see Old Faithful spout.

Further east, in the Vermont mountains, the village of Stowe is a growing summer vacation getaway for New England-savvy travelers. Centered with a colonial church with a high steeple, Stowe's main attraction is a main road leading to the mountain filled with shops, hotels, restaurants and bars. Surrounded by bike trails, mountain bike areas, swimming holes and a well known "recreation trail" where joggers and walkers exercise daily, Stowe is known for its clean air and good living.

For a traditional Vermont summer retreat, the Stowe Inn (tel. 802/253-4030; www.stoweinn.com) has affordable summer rate specials and plenty of country history. Just a quick walk under a covered bridge to the village of Stowe, the Stowe Inn is on the list of National Registered Historic Places. Furnished in 19th century period pieces, the Inn is a nice break from the hectic pace of today's city life. Its restaurant is known for hearty New England cuisine. Summer rates, which work from June 12 to September 15, 2005, start at $99 for a midweek stay increasing to a starting cost of $129 on the weekends.

These are just a few of the summer offerings from winter ski resorts. Check your favorite mountain area for summer deals

Source: Jason Sheftell http://www.frommers.com/

Mesaba Airlines wins FAA Diamond Award

Mesaba Airlines, a subsidiary company of MAIR Holdings, Inc., received the Federal Aviation Administration's Diamond Award for 100% participation by Mesaba's aviation maintenance technicians in FAA-accepted training programs.
It was the fifth consecutive year that Mesaba (NASDAQ: MAIR) has received the Diamond Award, which requires at least 25% participation from eligible mechanics. Three times in the past four years, Mesaba has achieved 100% participation status.

The Diamond Award recognizes training for aircraft maintenance professionals throughout the airline industry.

During 2004, more than 250 Mesaba mechanics participated in training programs, including aircraft systems training, regulatory training and FAA rules orientation.

Mesaba Aviation, Inc., (d.b.a. Mesaba Airlines) operates as a Northwest Jet Airlink and Northwest Airlink partner under service agreements with Northwest Airlines. Currently, Mesaba Aviation serves 109 cities in 29 states and Canada from Northwest's and Mesaba Aviation's three major hubs: Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Memphis. Mesaba Aviation operates an advanced fleet of 98 regional jet and jet-prop aircraft, consisting of the 69-passenger Avro RJ85 and the 30- 34-passenger Saab SF340.

Mesaba operates about 58 daily flights from Memphis, primarily to Jackson, Miss.; Fayetteville/Bentonville, Ark.; Huntsville, Ala.; Panama City, Fla.; and Baton Rouge, La.

Source: American City Business Journals Inc.

THE HISTORY MAN: Time travel —Ihsan Aslam

Following on from the partition of Bengal in 1905 two critical events took place in 1906. A large delegation of Muslim leaders — the Simla Deputation — had a meeting with Lord Minto in October. They got what they had demanded: separate electorates to safeguard their interests. And, secondly, the All-India Muslim League was founded in Dacca on December 30

You know you’re becoming history when trips to the hospital begin in earnest. Old age doesn’t forgive anyone. The machinery sooner or later gets an “Out of Order” label stuck on it. It is then difficult to maintain that “everything is fine, really”. There is no way out but to visit the body repair yard, the doctor’s surgery or the hospital.

The happy hospital chap operating the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan wasn’t sure how to describe the experience of being bombarded with magnetic and radio waves other than to say, “It’s noisy”. I was injected with a dye — thankfully, I haven’t turned bright green or been sucked into the space-age machine or — as it seemed to me then — time machine.

Subjected to radio waves up to 30,000 times greater than the earth’s magnetic field, I was soon adrift in white space as the machine took images of my head. Lying isolated inside the machine I remembered this was the week when Pakistan Day, March 23, is commemorated. I imagined I drifted over Lahore and landed near Minar-i-Pakistan. The year was 1940. I could see a huge crowd all around me and I could hear Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah explaining the Muslim demand for independence.

I soon drifted up into space, however. I remembered, too, an old Cambridge colleague, who had phoned a couple of days earlier to remind me of another anniversary. “Do you realise,” he had said, “this year is the centenary of the partition of Bengal?” To be frank, I hadn’t! Well, undergoing the MRI scan now, I was transported to Dacca (Dhaka) and back to 1906. The city looked in awful shape, the people backward.

The partition of the Bengal — the precursor to The Partition of 1947 — had become effective the year before. Viceroy Lord Curzon was behind the move to re-organise the large and unwieldy Bengal presidency. The creation, in October 16,1905, of the Muslim-majority province of Eastern Bengal and Assam had certainly helped the Muslims and aided their journey to independence.

However, there was immense Hindu agitation against the partition. The Hindu reaction was as anti-British as it was anti-Muslim. Historian Khalid B Sayeed has noted that Hindu revivalist movements such as the Swadeshi movement, “took a clear anti-Muslim turn and was run and organised on Hindu lines… It was well-known that partition would benefit Muslims of East Bengal”.

I had travelled back to October 24, 1906 to witness a huge, pro-partition Muslim rally in Dacca. The crowd welcomed the partition and resented the Hindu agitation. A resolution was passed at the meeting that as a result of the division of the Bengal Muslims “would be spared many oppressions which they had hitherto had to endure from the Hindus”.

Commenting on the Hindu reaction against the partition, IH Qureshi, the renowned historian, has written, “The net result was that the Hindu agitation definitely estranged the Muslims from the Congress” and convinced them “of the futility of expecting justice and fairplay from the Hindu majority”. This was a crucial development in the struggle for Pakistan.

Following on from the partition of Bengal in 1905 (it was annulled in 1911), two critical events took place in 1906. A large delegation of Muslim leaders — the Simla Deputation — had a meeting with Lord Minto at the Viceroy’s house in Simla in October. They got what they had demanded: separate electorates to safeguard their interests. And, secondly, the All-India Muslim League was founded in Dacca on December 30.

However, the present beckoned as I landed back with a thud. Time travel: that’s how I’d describe the experience of undergoing an MRI scan.

Ihsan Aslam is exploring public history at Ruskin College, Oxford. He can be contacted at: timeshistoryman@yahoo.co.uk or visited at: http://www.pakistanhistory.com

Roads and Airports Busy as Easter Get-Away Begins

Tens of thousands of motorists brought travel problems to parts of the UK today as the Easter get-away began in earnest.

Conditions on Britain’s major routes were more like a busy Friday while the first of a record 2.2 million people travelling abroad this weekend flew out of the country.
The RAC predicted that tomorrow morning would also be busy with more people either heading off on their holidays or to the nearest garden centre or retail park.

The organisation said as many as 17 million vehicles would be on the move over the Easter weekend.

An RAC spokeswoman said: “Down in the Devon area at the end of the M5 we saw traffic problems today and in the south east especially around the M20.

“Different parts of the country have seen schools breaking up at different times so we’ve seen a steady flow of traffic.

“But the traffic today was like a busy Friday evening than a Thursday.”

She predicted tomorrow would also be very busy as holiday traffic mingled with people heading for shops and DIY or garden centres.”

Forecasters predicted the best of the weather would be tomorrow when temperatures could reach as high as 18C (64F) in southern England.

Although Saturday is likely to be dry and sunny in places, cooler and showery weather was expected on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Sporting events over the weekend include the Boat Race on Sunday, England’s World Cup qualifying match on Saturday with Northern Ireland in Manchester and the the clash in Cardiff between Wales and Austria.

Among the most popular foreign destinations were New York, Dublin, Paris, Tenerife and southern Spain.

The Association of British Travel Agents said many ski resorts were sold out and that north Africa was proving a popular Easter destination for Britons.

The VisitBritain organisation said research showed that 21% of British adults were planning a trip in the UK in the next two weeks.

The RAC spokesperson said: “On Monday many people who have travelled further afield will be returning from their breaks, with motorways, major roads and those surrounding airports and ferry ports being the busiest.”

The Highways Agency has suspended a number of roadworks on major routes in England, but some remain in place, including those on the western section of the M25 near Heathrow airport – the busiest stretch of the country’s busiest motorway.

Roadworks at junction 6 on the M6 in Birmingham will also stay over the weekend.

On the railways, there will be widespread engineering works, with many trains being replaced by buses over the holiday period

Source: Tony Jones, PA. http://news.scotsman.com/

U.S. warns against travel to Philippines

The U.S. State Department has warned Americans considering travel to the Philippines that terrorist groups are thought to be planning attacks there. It urged that non-essential travel to the Philippines be avoided.

The advisory, issued Wednesday, said terrorist groups including Jemaah Islamiyah, Abu Sayyaf and parts of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are "planning multiple attacks throughout the Philippines" and said that Philippine government officials have released similar information.

Americans who choose to travel to the Philippines were urged "to observe vigilant personal security precautions; to remain aware of the continued potential for terrorist attacks against Americans, U.S. or other Western interests in the Philippines, and to register with the U.S. Embassy. The Department warns against all but essential travel throughout the country in light of a heightened threat to Westerners."

Source: Associated Press and Seattle Times travel staff

Tourists pack global power base

Prepare yourself for the Great Indian Summer. If it's nearly time for your yearly vacation, be sure there will be quite a few international tour operators training their eyes on you.

They are wooing the Indian tourist like never before with flexible tour options and personalised services.

So why is the outbound Indian such hot property this summer? Out-bound tourism in India registered a 15-20 percent growth this year compared to 8-10 percent last year, and the preferred destinations seem to be Egypt, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the US, and South East Asia.

Says Nikhil Kumar, head (outbound tourism), Abercrombie & Kent India: "The operators' sudden interest in India has been attributed to India's growing economy and a rise in the country's per capita income. The economy is really doing well and people now have money to spend on travelling abroad.

" Agrees G Naqshband, chairman, Le Passage To India: "Indians are big spenders and tour operators are trying to cash in on that. Around 4.8 million Indian tourists travelled abroad last year and that figure will surely show an increase of 15-20 percent in the coming year."

The other thing that has changed is the spending power of Indian tourists. Prices of these tours start from the $250-300 range per person and goes up to $6,000-8,000 per person for a three-week package.

The target customers of the tour operators seem to be corporate houses, film stars, industrialists and others in the high income group in metros such as Delhi and Mumbai.

The tour operators sure realise the importance of the Indian market.

"They are aiming at sourcing 15 percent of their business from India in the next three years," says Rajeev Kohli, director, Creative Travel Ltd. "Though things are looking up for the out-bound tourism industry in India, tour operators still have a couple of grievances.

The frequency of flights has certainly improved, but there still aren't enough flights to Africa. We also hope that the visa-procuring procedure for Indians will be eased."

The high service tax is also a huge dampner. Travel and tour operators hope the government will ensure that tour prices do not skyrocket as a result of VAT.

Rabindra Seth, ITDC panel member feels: "The taxes on ATF in India are one of the highest in the world. The government should do something in this regard."

Source: By Raja Awasthi, The Economic Times, IndiaKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Spring break brings bump in tourism dollars (The Bulletin, Bend, Ore.)

The spring weather may have temporarily taken a vacation, but area ski hills, restaurants and resorts aren't complaining about a spring break filled with snowy skies.

"We got swamped last night," said Todd McGee, owner of The Powder House ski shop, in an interview Tuesday. "It was really busy yesterday. It's been an average spring break for us. It hasn't been anything bad, but it hasn't been anything fabulous."

Oregon schools are out for spring vacation this week and, McGee said, the snowstorms definitely brought an influx of people into his shop. The weekend was not particularly busy, he said, but as the vacation week progressed his business picked up.

That sentiment has been reported at many of the tourism-related businesses in town this week. Many places are finding that spring break wasn't booked up early, as it often is, but instead people made last-minute plans to visit the area.

"There is not as much calling a month in advance," said Aleta Nissen, co-owner of Wanderlust Tours. "A lot of that has to do with people waiting to see what's happening with the weather."

On Monday, she said, a family of four called in the morning asking to do one of Wanderlust's cave tours that afternoon. She expected similar last-minute reservations to continue for tours as the week continued.

At Inn of the Seventh Mountain, bookings jumped by about 8 percent in the past week, said Davis Smith, director of sales and marketing. He attributed the last-minute increase to spring break, the weather and a lack of competition from other area ski resorts.

"It's due to the fact that Mount Bachelor is one of the only resorts open in the Pacific Northwest," Smith said. "Our levels are about 5 percent over last year."

Sunriver Resort is also having a strong year, said ShanRae Hawkins, director of marketing and sales, explaining that spring break is only helping the bottom line.

"We're packed. We had 270 check-ins on Sunday. Our private homes and condos ... are over 60 percent occupied, which is fabulous for this time of year," she said. "We're pacing ahead of what we did last year."

Although the snow has been slow throughout the winter months, Nissen said Wanderlust . which offers snowshoe tours, cave tours and canoe trips at this time of year . hasn't suffered. In fact, business is up a total of 84 percent over last year for December through February, she said. And, spring break business is actually up by 29 percent over the entire Oregon spring break week of last year.

"So far, we are having a great winter and spring," Nissen said. "What I'm seeing is that there has been more snow than most people know. I think a lot of people are talking about the lack of snow ... we've been on a good couple of feet of snow all winter and spring."

The perception of an overall dearth of snow -- and the reality of it in some places -- is hurting many local businesses. Mike Cooper, general manager at Deschutes Brewery and Public House, said spring break has brought in a bigger crowd but his business is still down for the season.

"This winter, overall, has been pretty bad. There has been a lack of tourism, really," Cooper said. "Compared to last winter when we had great snow and everything, it has dropped off. But, we're staying OK."

When word gets out that snow conditions are poor, he said, people put their skis away and head to the beach. Carly Carmichael, director of marketing at Mount Bachelor, agreed saying that having other ski areas in Oregon and Washington close early doesn't necessarily help business here.

Mount Bachelor's business is down by about 10 percent to 12 percent for the year, although Carmichael said she's noticing a solid spring break week so far. When Washington schools go on spring break next week, she said, die-hard skiers shut out by early closures may head south to Mount Bachelor for a final winter ride.

"I think it helps us as much as it hurts us," she said. "The perception is that the skiing is not very good if the other hills are closed. Warm weather causes skiers to put their skis away."

Source: By Kayley Mendenhall, The Bulletin, Bend, Ore.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

A Package of News Briefs From the Caribbean

CARIBBEAN: Foreign ministers to meet in Barbados to discuss U.N. reform

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) - Caribbean foreign ministers will meet in Barbados next week to seek a common regional position on how to reform the U.N. Security Council, an official said Thursday.

Germany, Brazil, India, Japan, and South Africa have been pushing proposals to expand the council or to have a system of rotation that will permit other countries to sit on it.

The one-day meeting in Barbados Wednesday follows a decision made at a Caribbean Community summit in Suriname last month to study the proposals before July, when Caribbean leaders meet again in St. Lucia, Guyana Foreign Minister Rudy Insanally said.

The permanent peacekeeping body of the United Nations, the Security Council is composed of five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States - and 10 elected members.

HAITI: Gunfire erupts at pro-Aristide protest, killing at least one

CITE SOLEIL, Haiti (AP) - Gunfire erupted Thursday outside Haiti's capital at a protest of several thousand people calling for the return of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and at least one man was killed and another injured, witnesses said.

The shooting follows a spate of violence this week that saw two U.N. peacekeepers and two ex-soldiers killed in clashes, and gunmen open fire on the house of Haiti's justice minister, killing a police officer. The attacks underscored the country's shaky security climate ahead of fall elections.

Thursday's protest started peacefully in the seaside slum of Cite Soleil with marchers waving photos of Aristide, who was ousted from power last year, and chanting "Aristide forever!"

Several gunshots rang out as the demonstrators approached the local police station, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene. The origin of the gunfire was not clear and police officers immediately dropped to the ground but did not open fire. No injuries were reported at that point.

DOMINICA: China funds sports stadium

ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) - China signed an agreement to fund a sports stadium in Dominica, one year after the Caribbean island severed ties with Taiwan to establish diplomatic relations with the Asian economic giant, officials said.

China's Minister of Commerce Liao Xiaogi signed the US$12.3 million agreement at a ceremony Wednesday in Windsor Park, where the 8,000-seat stadium will be built in the capital, Roseau.

"China and Dominica are both developing countries and are committed to the common path of developing their national economies and improving the living standards of their people," Liao said.

This former British colony is one of the poorest in the region. It cut ties with Taiwan in March of 2004 in exchange for a six-year, Eastern Caribbean $300 million (US$112 million) Chinese assistance program.

The package includes plans to build the sports stadium and a middle school, renovate hospital wards, and upgrade a road to link the capital and the island's second largest city, Portsmouth.

PUERTO RICO: Man charged with murdering new boyfriend of ex-girlfriend

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Police charged a man with murdering the new boyfriend of his elderly ex-girlfriend in Puerto Rico, authorities said Thursday.

Luis Ramos Morales, 44, of north-coast Camuy, was charged with first-degree murder and weapons violations, police said. He could not post $1.5 million bail and Superior Court Judge Jose Diaz Espinosa ordered Ramos to remain in custody until a preliminary hearing April 11.

Ramos allegedly stabbed 23-year-old Jose Rosa Muniz 18 times on Wednesday, authorities said. Muniz was found dead on the balcony of his home.

A 62-year-old woman Ramos had been involved with for the past 23 years broke up with him about three months ago and started a relationship with the younger Rosa Muniz, police said.

Source: The Associated Press

Vacation: Overseas travel to touch new high (The Times of India)

It's that time of the year again! With summer knocking on India's doors and schools getting ready for their annual vacation, Indians are headed for the friendly neighbourhood travel agent -- with their copies of Lonely Planet in tow -- seeking newer options to beat the heat.

And if travel industry insiders are to be believed, 2005 is set to become the year when international summer travel -- which has traditionally known to be lean -- will peak to a new high. Travel bookings -- for both long-haul and short-haul destinations -- are already about 20 per cent higher year-on-year. And by the looks of it, total overseas travel is expected to witness a 50 per cent surge by the end of summer vacations.

The entry of new international airlines -- ranging from the homegrown Jet Airways and Air Sahara to some global newcomers like Etihad Air and Myanmar Airlines -- coupled with competition-induced discount fare offers of existing biggies are enabling factors that are now helping thousands of Indians realise their long-cherished dream of a phirang holiday.

"International air fares from India are already at a record low with some airlines offering return tickets at rates that are cheaper than the one-way fare on some domestic routes. This will see several Indians moving away from domestic locations and opt for foreign holidays this summer," says Kapil Kaul of Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation.

But a look at the fare chart, first. South and South East Asia are leading the fare war to win away India's large base of domestic travellers. Myanmar Airlines is offering return tickets to Bangkok for as low at Rs 7,999 -- which is nearly as much as the one-way fare on the Delhi-Mumbai route. Besides, Air Sahara has launched Rs 10,000 return fares to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Singapore Airlines is offering return tickets to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur for Rs 13,100, while Sri Lankan Airlines has cut by half the fares from India to London, Paris, Zurich, Singapore, Bang-kok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Male.

On the Europe front, most airlines -- led by both European carriers and even Gulf-based airlines -- are offering return tickets for as low as Rs 20,000. The US fare has also been cut to a low of Rs 38,000 by Emirates. And the tags, insiders point out, are only poised to cruise to a lower altitude in the coming months.

What's hot, what's not Europe, travel industry insiders say, continues to be the hot favourite among group travellers from India, but it's the Asian destinations -- encompassing the beaches of Phuket and the shopping malls of Dubai -- that are emerging the most sought after among first-time overseas travellers.

"Europe continues to rule the roost with almost 85 per cent of group travellers already booking for multiple destination packages to the continent," says Thomas Cook India MD Ashwini Kakkar. "Group travellers have traditionally been early bookers for summer vacations. But we are expecting higher demand to flow in for short-haul Asian nations towards the end of April. And given the volatility on the fare front in Asian countries, a lot of first-timers are expected to push this growth."

The regular overseas traveller, insiders say, prefers to beat the summer heat by heading for the hills. And that explains the rush for Western destinations, particularly to Switzerland. But this year is also seeing the emergence of smaller eastern European cities in the travel plans.

As for the Asian hot-spots, Male and Vietnam are emerging as the preferred holiday destinations among travelling Indians this summer. "Even in South East Asia, regular travellers are now visiting smaller cities like Chiang Mai and Hanoi rather than heading for traditional hot-spots like Bangkok," says Ankur Bhatia, MD of airline reservation system provider Amadeus India.

While holidayers from north India, he adds, traditionally pick up cooler locations for their summer vacations, people from west India plan to spend some time on the beaches of Phuket and Mauritius.

The abundant supply of budget rooms are an added advantage with most Asian destinations. "These are value-packaged holiday spots for the travelling Indian," says Manav Kapur of Onkar International Travels. "The overall improvement in the economy has also pushed higher spend on travel and entertainment among Indians."

No wonder then that international traffic to and from India is increasing at the rate of nearly 17 per cent a year. The industry's positive growth momentum is now becoming clearer, says a ministry of tourism official. "Earlier in the year, it was difficult to benchmark the progress accurately due to the low comparison base of early 2003. But now, we are comparing performance against previous records and still surpassing them," the official adds.

Have money, will spend While airlines are already working overtime to win holidayers -- and shore up bottomlines -- tourist promotion organisations are also fast getting their act together. For them, the budget traveller is only a collateral target as it's the high-spending regular overseas vacationer who's more important.

According to traveller data prepared by most tourism promotion boards, Indians rank among the highest spenders the world over. "Barring travellers from the US or UK, who spend close to a month in Australia, Indians are the biggest spenders," says Maggie White, regional manager for Tourism Australia. "An Indian tourist spends around A$3,000 per trip and the average stay varies from 10 to 14 days. Isn't that reason enough for us to target them?"

Switzerland -- among the costliest holiday destinations -- has for long been a summer favourite with the Japanese and Americans. But a recent survey by Swiss tourism reveals that Indians have emerged as the second biggest spenders in the land of the Alps, after the Japanese.

"Even the middle class is splurging on travel and wants to visit newer destinations. Countries are waking up to this fact and are increasingly focusing on indulging them," says Bhatia of Amadeus.

In fact, when Dubai's Burj Al Arab opened its $750-a-night doors to the world, the owners had expected only the likes of Bill Gates to be their regular patrons. But the actual booking pattern took the management by surprise as a chunk of their regular bookings for these ultra-luxurious suites came from India.

Statistics reveal that of the $150 an Indian spends daily in Malaysia, a major chunk is spent in malls and night clubs, so much so that their daily spend is far higher than tourists from the US and Japan.

Rush hour in the skies These fast changing travel habits are also prompting several international airlines to up their capacity on the India route this summer. To name a few, Singapore authorities have already sought the Indian government's permission to mount 210 weekly flights to India. The Air France-KLM combine have also announced plans to start an additional daily flight to Mumbai and launch a daily service to Chennai.

Add to this, the daily Singapore and Kuala Lumpur flights being mounted by both Jet Airways and Air Sahara, Air Arabia's debut and the expansion plans being chalked out by state-owned Air-India and Indian Airlines, and the skies seem to be headed for rush-hour traffic.

Source: By Byas Anand, The Times of IndiaKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Hotels go full as corporate, leisure travel boom (The Times of India)

It's party time for the hospitality industry in India. With corporate travel booming all over again and the Indian middle class also splurging on regular getaways, the hotel industry has finally thrown heavy discounts on room rates out of the window.

Hotel occupancies across the country, insiders say, have been hovering at around 85 per cent through the year and average room rates have already seen a 15 per cent-20 per cent surge. And the future only looks brighter, thanks to a host of conferences and trade shows concurrently being hosted in India.

"The hotel industry is surely witnessing a boom," says Manfred Keiler, general manager of The Grand, New Delhi, adding that political stability, economic surge and emergence of India as a tourist destination are playing catalysts to this growth.

While corporate clients still account for the lion's share of occupants for hotels in India, industry insiders feel that the coming months will see the share of leisure travellers picking up.

While average room rates through most part of the year have already peaked to a recent high and settled close to the $150-a-night mark, peak season rates in some metros even top $200 for some 5-Star properties.

"Though the rates are still low as compared to the once peak levels of $300 a night, they're still better than post-9/11. Most hotels are now averaging at a room rent of $120-150 per night. And this is helping them meet operating costs as well as reap profits," says a Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India official.

No wonder then that a host of international biggies in the business are making a beeline for India. Shangri-La Hotels, for one, is planning to start its revamped Delhi property this summer, besides planning a major expansion in Bangalore.

Hyatt is also reported to be growing its presence in the market, which has seen demand growing at a pace of 20 per cent annually. Not to be left behind, French hospitality major Accor has chalked out an ambitious re-entry plan for the Indian market.

This spurt in booking is true not only for premium properties -- budget hotels and mid-sized properties are also witnessing a buoyancy in occupancies.

"With young Indians planning regular but small getaways every two-three months, mid-market hotels are witnessing a steady stream of customers," says Sunil Mathur, COO of Choice Hotels in India.

The growth may have lifted spirits for now, but the industry has its fingers crossed, hoping that the revival won't be short-lived.

"The absence of government will to change the land use norms for hotels is threatening to derail the industry. This growth can be sustained with government support," adds Mathur.

Source: By Byas Anand, The Times of IndiaKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Tourists pack global power base (The Economic Times, India)

NEW DELHI -- Prepare yourself for the Great Indian Summer. If it's nearly time for your yearly vacation, be sure there will be quite a few international tour operators training their eyes on you.

They are wooing the Indian tourist like never before with flexible tour options and personalised services.

So why is the outbound Indian such hot property this summer? Out-bound tourism in India registered a 15-20 percent growth this year compared to 8-10 percent last year, and the preferred destinations seem to be Egypt, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the US, and South East Asia.

Says Nikhil Kumar, head (outbound tourism), Abercrombie & Kent India: "The operators' sudden interest in India has been attributed to India's growing economy and a rise in the country's per capita income. The economy is really doing well and people now have money to spend on travelling abroad.

" Agrees G Naqshband, chairman, Le Passage To India: "Indians are big spenders and tour operators are trying to cash in on that. Around 4.8 million Indian tourists travelled abroad last year and that figure will surely show an increase of 15-20 percent in the coming year."

The other thing that has changed is the spending power of Indian tourists. Prices of these tours start from the $250-300 range per person and goes up to $6,000-8,000 per person for a three-week package.

The target customers of the tour operators seem to be corporate houses, film stars, industrialists and others in the high income group in metros such as Delhi and Mumbai.

The tour operators sure realise the importance of the Indian market.

"They are aiming at sourcing 15 percent of their business from India in the next three years," says Rajeev Kohli, director, Creative Travel Ltd. "Though things are looking up for the out-bound tourism industry in India, tour operators still have a couple of grievances.

The frequency of flights has certainly improved, but there still aren't enough flights to Africa. We also hope that the visa-procuring procedure for Indians will be eased."

The high service tax is also a huge dampner. Travel and tour operators hope the government will ensure that tour prices do not skyrocket as a result of VAT.

Rabindra Seth, ITDC panel member feels: "The taxes on ATF in India are one of the highest in the world. The government should do something in this regard."

Source: By Raja Awasthi, The Economic Times, IndiaKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Record number of Britons fly abroad for Easter

The first of a record 2.2 million people travelling abroad this Easter have flown out of Britain.

Many of those staying at home are expected to take to the roads, with the RAC predicting that as many as 17 million vehicles will be on the move over the holiday period.

The RAC said that evening rush-hour is likely to start early, with Good Friday also expected to be a busy time on the roads.

Forecasters predict that the best of the weather will be on Good Friday when temperatures could reach as high as 18C (64F) in southern England.

Although Saturday is likely to be dry and sunny in places, cooler and showery weather is expected on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Sporting events over the weekend include the Boat Race on Sunday, England's World Cup match against Northern Ireland in Manchester and the Cardiff World Cup clash between Wales and Austria.

Those going abroad are heading for such destinations as New York, Dublin, Paris, Tenerife and southern Spain.

The Association of British Travel Agents said many ski resorts are sold out and that north Africa is proving a popular Easter destination for Britons.

The Highways Agency has suspended a number of roadworks on major routes in England, but some remain in place, including those on the western section of the M25 near Heathrow airport - the busiest stretch of the country's busiest motorway.

Roadworks at junction 6 on the M6 in Birmingham will also stay over the weekend.

On the railways, there will be widespread engineering works, with many trains being replaced by buses over the holiday period.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/index.jhtml

Australia changes travel alert for Philippines

Australia has revised its travel alert for the Philippines this Easter, warning that authorities in Manila and key cities in Mindanao are on high alert for bomb attacks.

The travel warning notes that an extra 15,000 police have been deployed in Manila during the holidays, to patrol shopping malls, churches and public transport.

The alert reflects reports that terrorists in the region may be in the final stages of planning an attack.

Earlier this week, Philippines authorities arrested a suspected Muslim militant and discovered explosives believed to be stored for attacks over the Easter period

Source: ABC News on line

Saudi Arabian Airlines to boost fleet for domestic flights

Saudi Arabian Airlines said it intends to purchase 15 new medium sized aircraft with a capacity of between 50 and 100 passengers for use on domestic flights.

The announcement followed a decision by the Saudi cabinet to establish the Civil Aviation Corp. as an independent body that will operate as a commercial organisation responsible for streamlining and developing the civil aviation and air transport industry.

According to BNA, Dr. Khaled Bakr, director-general of Saudi Arabian Airlines, said contracts for the purchase of the new aircraft would be signed next month in the presence of Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of Defence and Aviation, who is also Chairman of the airline's board of directors.

© 2005 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)

Sinoair to buy 49 percent of Sichuan Airlines

Freight forwarder Sinotrans Ltd. said Wednesday its Shanghai-listed subsidiary Sinotrans Air Transportation Develepment Co., or Sinoair, would buy 49 percent of the registered capital of Sichuan Airlines Group Co.
The Hong Kong-listed firm said the purchase price would be determined after the completion of asset valuation of Sichuan Airlines.
Sinotrans said another 49 percent of Sichuan Airlines would be acquired by State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration of Sichuan Province and two percent by Chuanhua Holdings.
Sinoair said the plan would improve the quality of its domestic air cargo services and its competitiveness in the cargo market.
Sinoair, 70.36-percent owned by Sinotrans, reported a 17.66 percent rise in net profit to 398.6 million yuan (US$48.14) of last year, with turnover surging 27.04 percent to 3.81 billion yuan.
The Hong Kong-listed Sinotrans said Tuesday its 2004 net profit rose 13.9 percent to 802.82 million yuan as strong growth in China’s trade boosted demand for logistics services.
Sinotrans is one of China’s largest express-delivery providers. It has joint venture operations with companies like DHL Worldwide Express Inc. and United Parcel Services Inc. (UPS)
Last December, Sinotrans sold to UPS a large part of its joint-venture operations with the U.S.-based firm for US$100 million. Analysts said the deal could help boost its 2005 net profit.

Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies

Business travellers' pet peeves

Frequent flyers are frustrated by delays, crying babies and chatty seatmates

Frequent flyer Daniel Fafard, a Montreal-based executive with L'Oréal Canada, is always first on the plane -- avoiding the obstacle course of other passengers' oversized carry-on luggage.

Jack O'Neill of Minneapolis never wears boots to the airport; they're too cumbersome to remove quickly during security checks. "Always wear shoes. You are going to have to take them off," advises Mr. O'Neill, chief operating officer for Carlson Wagonlit Canada in North America.

Whenever Joseph Palumbo of Toronto's York University travels, he gets to the airport in plenty of time to "hurry up and wait" -- unless he happens to be in Beijing, where the check-in and security measures are so efficient that he just breezes through.

"In China, especially Beijing, my goodness, what a system! They have got probably 100 agents at the airport checking your ID, your visas and everything else. There is absolutely no waiting there whatsoever . . . you almost have a concierge service as you are entering the terminal," Mr. Palumbo, executive director of the career development centre at York's Schulich School of Business, said in a recent interview

As with many business travellers, lineups and delays top the list of Mr. Palumbo's travel frustrations. Others take issue with crying babies, fellow passengers who bring too much luggage on board and chatty seatmates.

Carlson Wagonlit Travel recently commissioned a poll of 1,200 Canadians and Americans about what bugs them most about business travel. The survey, conducted by KRC Research, found that 32 per cent of those polled reported that their biggest pet peeve was fellow travellers who don't check their baggage when they should, followed by crying babies (13 per cent). But the unchecked baggage irks Americans more than Canadians.

"Canadian business travellers' biggest pet peeves . . . are travellers who disturb them by not letting them work, sleep or read (31 per cent versus 10 per cent for U.S. travellers)," Carlson Wagonlit reported last week.

Mr. O'Neill said the complaint about babies is an age thing, with those travellers aged 30 and under expressing the least tolerance.

The survey also found that 21 per cent of North American business travellers rate the time they spend away from family as the most negative impact of business travel.

Employers, on the other hand, find the longer road trips more cost-effective than frequent day trips, Mr. O'Neill said. "Employers are becoming a lot more aggressive. If your job requires you to be on the road, make a week of it. Don't do day trips. It's more expensive."

Employers are cutting costs in other areas as well which, for many, means no more luxury hotels and eggs benedict on the company tab.

Alain LeGault, president of the Canadian Business Travel Association, said it is increasingly common for employers to negotiate preferential rates with hotels. "And you might get them to throw in a free continental breakfast -- so that's breakfast taken care of."

The North American business travellers and the 300 employer representatives surveyed in the poll commissioned by Carlson Wagonlit projected that business travel spending will remain the same or increase this year.

However, Mr. Legault, manager of travel and relocation at Nav Canada, said the anecdotal impression he gets from Canadian employers is that many Canadian organizations will hold the line on business travel spending, or reduce their travel budgets.

Mr. Fafard, senior vice-president of L'Oréal's consumer products division in Canada, said in an interview last week that his company now makes its travel dollars stretch further -- but the amount of travel has not decreased.

"We have changed some of our travel habits. We're no longer flying business class on every flight we take," said Mr. Fafard, who is travels frequently across Canada, to the United States and Europe.

He is, he concedes, one of those Canadians who does not talk to his seatmates.

"You know what? Once you take out your laptop, it basically cuts down the conversation," said Mr. Fafard, who has found the airplane a great place to get work done.

"I take my laptop or I take some paperwork."

When he travels with colleagues, they turn the trip into a mile-high business meeting. "You make the time efficient."

Source: By VIRGINIA GALT - WORKPLACE REPORTER - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Global airlines remove first class on India flights

NEW DELHI: First class international air travel seems to be heading for a quiet burial in India. With an eye on maximising returns with more economy class seats, a host of global airlines — including two new entrants Jet and Sahara — are removing first class seats from their flights on the India route.

This holds true, not only for short and medium haul flights but even on long haul sectors like UK and US. Most of these carriers are, instead, planning to offer an upper-end business class — with flat beds, personal entertainment systems, with service standards at par with first class — to the growing lot of value-conscious Indian air traveller.

"We are not withdrawing the frills of upper class travel. We feel there is not enough demand for first class travel from India to maintain three-class configuration," said Air Sahara CEO Rono J Dutta.
Among the established international carriers, British Airways has chosen not to offer first class on its flights to Kolkata, while Thai Airways has withdrawn this upper class services to India. Gulf Air is also now offering all economy flights to India citing dropping demand for upper class travel.
"Indians may be known as the biggest spenders on holidays, but the mindset is to save on travel costs. This has led to higher demand for economy class travel," said an analyst. Demand for upper class travel has also hit a low with corporates scaling down travel perks offered even to senior officials.

Source: BYAS ANAND - TIMES NEWS NETWORK

More Americans plan to travel, tourism expert tells Montana panel (Independent Record, Helena, Mont.)

Americans are traveling more -- and traveling more with their families - but they're working harder to find the lowest possible prices for their vacations, a Florida-based tourism consultant said Monday.

As the opening speaker at the annual Governor's Conference on Tourism and Recreation, Peter Yesawich said that his company's annual survey shows that more Americans are planning to travel this year than in any of the past three years, but that the demographics and desires of travelers have changed.

Yesawich, president of an Orlando public relations firm that serves travel industry clients, said 56 percent of the adult population this year plans a vacation, up from 49 percent last year. Yesawich said that whereas the '80s were about personal growth and the '90s saw people focus on money and material wealth, Americans in the post-9/11 world are turning their attention to family.

More and more families -- including children -- see vacations as a way to spend quality time together, and family travel is the only segment of the leisure travel market that's shown measurable growth in recent years.

"Kids have a yearning to spend time with their parents because with the frenetic pace of life they don't get enough of that," he said.

He also noted a trend toward groups of friends or groups of families traveling together, a trend he called "togethering." Four families may simply show up in a hotel's guest register as four sets of guests, but in reality they booked their trips together and are traveling together.

While travel trends may be favorable in terms of numbers, competition has never been more fierce for leisure dollars. The Internet, Yesawich said, has revolutionized the way people shop for plane tickets, hotel rooms and vacation packages, making price paramount. People will spend an hour searching for a better deal to save $10.

"Brand loyalty is a moribund idea in a price-transparent world," he said. "Cheaper is chicer. Does that mean everybody wants to buy it on the cheap? No, but nobody wants to overpay."

Instead, Yesawich said brand clarity becomes more and more important - setting a product or destination apart from all the others competing for Americans' leisure dollars.

"The brands that have the greatest clarity in the minds of the consumer are the ones that will get the business," he said. "Clarity is what you stand for in the uniqueness of your product, and communicating that with the people targeted."

Yesawich said Montana ranks 14th in the country as a destination vacation state -- remarkable, he said, given the state's remoteness and comparatively limited marketing budget. Florida and California top the list.

One way operators can still capture larger margins, Yesawich said, is by offering personalized vacations, presenting customers with a menu of activities and other options and allowing them to customize the experience.

The conference brought 450 travel professionals, including motel and hotel owners, museum directors, chamber of commerce directors and others from around the state. It continues today and wraps up this evening with presentation of several tourism awards.

Source: By John Harrington, Independent Record, Helena, Mont.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Airlines reinstate fare hikes

Round-trip rates to increase by $10

DALLAS - Fasten your seat belts. Airlines moved closer to raising domestic fares on Tuesday after a frenzy of raising, cutting and re-raising prices.

advertisement

If they stick, the latest increases would be the third in less than a month, for a cumulative jump of $30 or $40 on some domestic round trips. Carriers say they must charge more to cover the rising cost of jet fuel.

Years of bruising fare wars have also taken their toll on airline revenues. An industry group, the Air Transport Association, said despite more traffic, revenue as a ratio of capacity fell 1.6 percent in February compared to a year earlier at the largest airlines, adding pressure on carriers to raise fares.

Delta Air Lines Inc., which over the weekend raised prices on many domestic flights by $10 per round trip to match an initial move by Continental Airlines Inc., dropped the increases Monday.

On Tuesday morning, Delta reversed course and pushed prices higher. That had a domino effect on other carriers.

"We're back in," said Sarah Anthony, a spokeswoman for Continental, which responded to Delta by raising its fares back up by $10 per round trip on Tuesday.

American Airlines, the largest U.S. carrier, Northwest Airlines Corp., and US Airways Group Inc., which had dropped their weekend increases on Monday night to match Delta's retreat, also reinstated the $10 increases on many U.S. flights on Tuesday.

"We reinstated it today, and it looks like a number of others are doing the same thing," said Tim Smith, a spokesman for American, a unit of AMR Corp. "It's not universal, but it's moving in that direction."

United Airlines also dropped its fare hike overnight but, unlike the other longtime carriers, it had not revived the increase by Tuesday afternoon. "We're still studying it," said Robin Urbanski, a spokeswoman for United, a unit of UAL Corp.

JetBlue Airways Corp. also raised domestic fares $10 per round trip, but some low-cost carriers, including the largest, Southwest Airlines Co., did not. Southwest, which has locked in 85 percent of its 2005 fuel purchases at lower prices, raised fares $2 to $6 per round trip last week.

U.S. carriers spent about $6 billion more for fuel in 2004 than 2003, and analysts predict fuel costs will lead to billions more in losses at the major airlines this year.

Jamie Baker, an analyst with J.P. Morgan, said Tuesday that the latest fare increases are "a step in the right direction" to cope with higher fuel bills.

Oil futures shot past $57 a barrel in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Baker said the latest fare increase, if it sticks, would allow airlines to offset about $5 per barrel of that cost.

This month, Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest led two successful rounds of fare increases, each adding $10 to $20 to the price of many round trip tickets. The increases, however, have not been applied equally in all places, sometimes leading to the unusual situation of major carriers offering slightly different prices for the same trip.

Source: The Associated Press

Hilton Salutes Top Hotels for Excellence in Hotel Performance During 2004

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2005--Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT) is proud to announce its top hotel performance award winners for 2004, which were presented March 15, 2005 during the Hilton General Manager/Director of Sales Conference in Houston.

Award recipients chosen from the brand's more than 230 full-service hotels across the U.S., Canada and Mexico were determined through key areas within the brand's Balanced Scorecard rating system -- customer loyalty, brand consistency, quality assurance and customer satisfaction ratings - as well as exemplary efforts in hotel renovation and diversity projects. Each hotel received a trophy and individual recognition at specially planned celebratory receptions during the conference.
"Each of the winners of this year's Hilton Performance Awards leads the way in their commitment to the fundamentals of guest service, while at the same time using innovative and forward-thinking practices to go beyond what's expected," said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president, Brand Management and Marketing, Hilton Hotels Corporation. "These award winners represent the very best of what we have to offer, representing strengths and talents that truly make them masters of the art of hospitality."

BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE - The Connie Awards - Named in honor of company founder Conrad Hilton, these awards are presented to the top airport, commercial and resort hotels with the highest overall hotel performance scores.

AIRPORT:    Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center, Texas

     COMMERCIAL: Hilton Lac-Leamy, Quebec

     RESORT:     Hilton Cancun Beach & Golf Resort

    CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AWARD - Awarded to the top airport,
commercial and resort hotels with the highest marked improvement in
overall hotel performance scores from 2003 to 2004.

     AIRPORT:    Hilton Palm Beach Airport

     COMMERCIAL: Hilton Knoxville

     RESORT:     Hilton Oceanfront Resort Hilton Head Island

    GUEST ASSISTANCE AWARD - Awarded to hotels for outstanding
handling of guest concerns/requests.

Under 500 Rooms: Hilton Guadalajara

Over 500 Rooms:  Hilton Suites Toronto/Markham Conference Centre & Spa
 

GUEST LOYALTY AWARD - Awarded to hotels with the highest annual
customer loyalty scores.

     Under 500 Rooms: Hilton Inn at Penn

     Over 500 Rooms:  Millenium Hilton, NYC
 

HILTON HHONORS(R) GUEST RECOGNITION AWARD - Awarded to hotels that
provided the most exemplary service to members of Hilton HHonors(R) --
the company's award-winning frequent guest program.

     Under 500 Rooms: Hilton Columbia, Maryland

     Over 500 Rooms:  The Palmer House(R) Hilton

PROPERTY RENOVATION AWARD - Presented to hotel teams that made
significant and outstanding upgrades to their facilities.

     Under 500 Rooms: Hilton Little Rock Metro Center
                      A $22-million renovation closed the doors to the
                      hotel for 18 months, but it has been transformed
                      into a state-of-the-art gathering place that
                      resonates with guests. The exterior was fully
                      renovated, a new two-story lobby was created,
                      guestrooms and bathrooms were remodeled and
                      redecorated, public areas were redone and the
                      courtyards and grounds were re-landscaped.

     Over 500 Rooms:  The Palmer House(R) Hilton (The Empire Room
                      Renovation)
                      The historic Empire Room at the Palmer House
                      Hilton was painstakingly restored this year. Host
                      to dignitaries and celebrities, and one of
                      Chicago's most prestigious and well-known venues,
                      the Empire Room received new carpets, restoration
                      of the original gold-leaf paintwork, and walls
                      were removed to open up the space and make it
                      more user-friendly. All of this work was done to
                      bring the room up to modern standards while
                      remaining true to the look and feel of the
                      original room.
 

DIVERSITY AWARD - Awarded to hotels for outstanding diversity
initiatives in the local community.

     Under 500 Rooms: Hilton Alexandria Old Town
                      This hotel has championed a local effort to
                      encourage positive parenting. For the last eight
                      years, the local organization of the National
                      Association of Children's Hospitals and Related
                      Institutions has relied on this hotel to organize
                      a fund-raising and recognition party. The
                      proceeds of this effort provide support and
                      guidance to overburdened parents struggling with
                      risks, including childhood histories of abuse and
                      neglect.

     Over 500 Rooms:  Hilton New Orleans Riverside
                      This hotel hosts the most important social events
                      and the largest fund-raisers in the city,
                      bringing influential people together to unite in
                      support of common causes. The continued efforts
                      of this hotel are vital to those in need in the
                      community and to the success of the Convention
                      Center and the CVB.

Conference Backgrounder



    

Themed "Radically Fundamental," the Hilton General Manager/
Director of Sales Conference offered opportunities for hotel general
managers, directors of sales and corporate team members to learn,
network and build relationships through brand-specific meetings,
workshops, guest speakers and award presentations.



    

Company Backgrounder



    

Hilton Hotels Corporation is recognized internationally as a
preeminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or
franchises approximately 2,300 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership
properties. Its portfolio includes many of the world's best known and
most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton(R), Conrad(R),
Doubletree(R), Embassy Suites Hotels(R), Hampton Inn(R), Hampton Inn &
Suites(R), Hilton Garden Inn(R), Hilton Grand Vacations Club(R) and
Homewood Suites by Hilton(R).

Source: Business Editors/Travel & Hospitality Writers/Travel Editors

On the US Revocation of Modi's Visit Visa

It is a sad day for India, that on Human Rights violations of Gujarat riot victims, it was upstaged by a country, which has much more sordid record of violation of Human Rights by using lethal blanket bombings to kill and maim thousands of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Modi’s complexity in the genocidal spree of mass murders, rape and torching of victims has not remained a secret, mostly due to convoluted show of pride by the Sangh Parivar itslef over their despicable orgy of bestial inhumanity.

Though US consular staff has cited India’s own state Human Rights Commission’s report on its decision to deny diplomatic visa to Modi as well as revocation of his tourist/business visa for travel to the US; Indian political leadership is remarkably smug and conceited about the wider context of the brutality of the whole state sponsored communal holocaust in Gujarat.

The political leadership is seriously out of step with the changing globalized world.

As the reverberation of the denial of visa to Gujarat State Chief Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi will put India in the docks in the world court of public opinion, as to how its then BJP-led Coalition government dealt with the horrors of Gujarat carnage and how the new Congress-led coalition government is still dragging its feet on providing full justice to the victims and trying its best to put the whole incident in cold storage, India cannot hide behind the false security of its ‘internal matter’ cover, as India is signatory of international covenants on Human Rights and genocide.

Gujarat genocide and BJP’s basic anti-people political ideology is very much live issues that has now become an albatross around the neck of Indian politics. It is time the ruling elites in both BJP and Congress realize that their attempt to chalk up a two party system on the basis of communal divide in the nation can never go very far.

In strict construction of Indian constitutional norms, BJP’s Hindutva plank can never fit the secular democratic test that should be applied to allow legal recognizance to Hindutva politics. In fact, there is no space left in the world for jingoist, extremist, racialist and exclusivist political movements.

The world has not forgotten the horrors of its past incarnations.

India’s own experiment with such an ideology sneaked through democratic loopholes is not yet fully exposed to world scrutiny.

The US action against Modi, who was being projected in the US Gujarati circle as the rightful successor to take over from the aging Vajpayee, has for the first time put Hindutva with all its warts and blemishes in the glare for world scrutiny. In a way, the US action has given Indian government enough grounds to reclaim political courage to deal with a festering wound that Gujarat riots in its essence symbolizes. Congress coalition with its Leftist partners, should rise above the politics of power cartelization and rearrange its priorities to bolster India's constitutional democratic and secular fundamentals. Without solid social justice foundations, India's economic development and super power aspirations will only remain a distant and unfulfilled dream.

Source: Ghulam Muhammed, Mumbai, India <Ghulam_muhammed2@yahoo.co.in>

Al-Jazeerah

Travelers can expect fare rise at airlines

Major airlines are nudging up air fares, but most riders shouldn't worry just yet, industry watchers say.

With fuel prices running ahead of expectations, many airlines are tacking on surcharges or raising fares on certain routes. But there are still many deals to be had.


``They're trying to move the base fares up,'' said David Stempler, Air Travelers Association president.


But the big carriers still have to compete with the discounters, and they're still trying to fill planes to key destinations.


``There is no cut-and-dried (formula) with the airlines,'' said Irene Ross, of Ross Travel Consultants in Jamaica Plain. ``They fluctuate whenever possible.''


The price depends largely on where you're going and when. Travelers who are flexible will get the best deals.


Major U.S. carriers on Feb. 24 and March 11 raised some fares by up to $20 per round trip, based on distance. Continental, the fifth-largest U.S. carrier, started another round late last week. It was joined by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp.


The increases will generally be seen on flights with no low-cost competition, said Tom Parsons, chief executive of the travel Web site BestFares.com.


``The number of cities in which you can get away with this is dwindling,'' he said.


Apart from the most recent increases, several airlines are still running sales. It's not clear how long they will last.


Parson's predicted rates will go even higher this summer.


Travelers could wait to see if fares go down, but they risk not being able to get a seat, Stempler said.

Herald wire services contributed to this report.
By Jennifer Heldt Powell

China Southern Airlines: Board OKs Lease Of 25 Aircraft

SHANGHAI -(Dow Jones)- China Southern Airlines Co. (ZNH) said Tuesday its board has approved the airline to lease 25 aircraft for 10-12 years from International Lease Finance Corp. in an effort to expand its flight network.

The airline said in a statement it would lease five Boeing Co. (BA) B737-700s, five Boeing B737-800s, five Airbus (ABI.YY) A320-200s, and 10 Airbus A321-200s.

China Southern, one of China's major state-controlled airlines, will take delivery of the aircraft between January, 2006 and May, 2007.

International Lease Finance Corp. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American International Group Inc. (AIG).

China Southern said in the statement the leasing plan still needs shareholder and regulatory approval.

Both Boeing and Airbus view China - the world's second-largest market for passenger planes - as an increasingly important focus for their business.

Airbus is a joint venture between European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. ( 5730.FR) and BAE Systems PLC (BA.LN).

-By Jeff Meyer, Dow Jones Newswires; 8621 6120-1200; jeff.meyer@dowjones.com

(Linda Lin contributed to this story.)

  Dow Jones Newswires

Region's tourism industry endures a dreary February (The Day, New London, Conn.)

A monthly survey of the region's tourism industry showed continued softness in February, with declines registered among hotels, tourism attractions, the region's two casinos and restaurants.

The Mystic Places Travel Index for February showed an overall decline of 2.3 percent compared to last February. The overall decline for the first two months of the year also was 2.3 percent, according to the monthly index compiled for the Mystic Coast & Country Travel Industry Association.

The Norwich-based tourism group, which is based in Norwich, said the tourism index in January also was off 2.5 percent compared to last year's results. January and February aren't considered strong months for the tourism industry across New England. Activity typically picks up in the spring and gains further traction into the summer months.

Eastern Connecticut's tourism industry also has been developing its fall season, known as the "shoulder season," for tourists interested in viewing fall foliage or visiting the region's attractions without the usual summer crowds.

The monthly index measures the results from numerous tourism-based venues, from hotels and popular tourism attractions to Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mohegan Sun and restaurants. During February, the Mystic Coast & Country index showed a nearly 8 percent decline in lodging, almost a 17 percent falloff in attraction visits and about a 2 percent drop in restaurant dining. In addition, activity at the casinos was off almost 2 percent during February, the index showed.

Chris Jennings, who heads Mystic Coast & Country, said the index did show some signs of improvement. Despite declines in hotel demand and occupancy for the first two months of this year, the average daily rate has increased significantly, the first time it has done so in several years, according to Mystic Coast & Country's analysis.

The year-to-date average daily rate, known in the industry as the ADR, increased to $112.02 in February, up a healthy 5 percent from the average daily rate of $106.82 in February 2003. Year-to-date room revenues are down by only 4 percent despite a more than 8 percent decline in room demand, according to the travel index, because of increases in the rates charged for the rooms.

Across Connecticut, room demand was up 1.1 percent in January, while Massachusetts said demand for its hotel rooms rose 2.5 percent. New England, however, was off nearly a percent during the month. Comparable figures weren't available for February or for the first two months of the year.

By Anthony Cronin, The Day, New London, Conn.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Tourists keeping Inland hotels full (The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif.)

Neither fire, mudslides, nor rain has dampened Inland Southern California's hotel industry, which fared better than the nation's last year, according to data from Smith Travel Research.

While 61.3 percent of the nation's hotel rooms were filled last year, occupancy rates for both San Bernardino and Riverside counties came in at 68.1 percent and 63.8 percent respectively.

Riverside County was also likely boosted by its two usual tourist destinations: Temecula and Palm Springs.

"We're extremely optimistic about the growth that is happening in the tourism industry here," which includes gaming, golf, wine and ballooning opportunities, said Kimberly Adams, the tourism director for Temecula's Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Temecula filled more rooms, but Palm Springs bested the wine-producing region with its average room rate of $113.64 a night to Temecula's $100.42. Palm Springs' seasonal appeal, though, has kept the city's occupancy figures narrowly above the 2004 national average of $86.41.

Jan Freitag, the director of client services for Smith Travel Research, said Palm Springs' occupancy rate for March 2004 hit 95.9 percent and the average room rate was $150. But by June, occupancy fell to 40 percent.

The city is still largely seasonal but "the leisure traveler is still out there," Freitag said, referring to strong weekend numbers but low mid-week rates.

Steve Henthorn, the president of San Bernardino's Convention and Visitors Bureau, attributed that county's steady hotel performance to the region's overall booming economy. He said the inclement weather for much of last year and the beginning of this year wasn't much of a deterrent.

The fresh wildlife growth after the fires and rain has brought more people to the mountains, he said.

Jamie Wolcott, the executive director of the Big Bear Lake Resort Association, said the weather and fires were hurdles for the mountain resort's image, but that tourism has remained strong because of the early snowfall.

Idyllwild, another mountain destination, has experienced the opposite, said Gary Boedeker, the owner of The Lodge at Pine Cove. Boedeker said business has been slower than usual at the bed and breakfast he has owned for three years. He said most visitors have been "day-trippers, not weekend-stayers."

"I think we have a little bit of an identity crisis," Boedeker said. Too often Idyllwild is lumped together in the "mountain resort" category along with Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, he said.

"They've had mudslides and fires and Idyllwild has had none of that," he said. He thinks the recent weather problems and subsequent media coverage have tainted Idyllwild's image inadvertently.

Ontario's occupancy rate trounced the national average, but the room rate missed the average by about $10.

"I think the weekend is dragging the rate down," said Mary Jane Olhasso, the economic development director for Ontario's Convention and Visitors Authority.

But she said visitors won't have much luck finding a room in the airport-hub city during the week. "This is a business market."

Ted Weggeland, the director of the Historic Mission Inn Corporation, said advertising pushes in San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County for the famed Riverside hotel could explain some of the tourism growth.

"The Mission Inn is getting some nice play nationally," he said, adding that the hotel has booked more corporate business visitors and weekend tourists.

THE NATIONAL AVERAGE occupancy rate and room cost in 2004 was 61.3 percent and $86.41. How did the Inland Empire compare?

Riverside County: 63.8 percent, $98.90

San Bernardino County: 68.1 percent, $65.19

Ontario: 74.1 percent, $76.59

Temecula: 71.8 percent, $100.42

Palm Springs: 61.4 percent, $113.64

Source: Smith Travel Research

By Kimberly Pierceall, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Corporate travelers keep closer eye on costs (The Dallas Morning News)

Mar. 20--Gloria Nevarez stopped in an airline VIP lounge at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport recently to catch up on some work, scrolling through e-mail on her Treo before a flight home to San Francisco. "The terminals are so noisy," she said, sipping a glass of wine at American Airlines Inc.'s Admirals Club. "I can focus more on work in here and be more productive." In major airports nationwide, these lounges have become a sort of office away from the office for frequent travelers such as Ms. Nevarez -- a place to pick up faxes or conduct meetings. Welcome to the new era of business travel, when one of the last vestiges of the glamorous good old days is more about productivity than leisure. As the nation's largest carriers struggle to reverse their sliding financial fortunes, business travelers are finding