Annual installation ceremony for graduation of new monks, Qiangabling Monastery, Chamdo

Trevor Sofield is the Foundation Professor of Tourism, University of Tasmania, Australia and he has written a long report on the future of tourism in Tibet. You can download the complete report HERE.

A major commitment, supported by more than US$20 billion, has been made for the economic development of China’s western provinces (the Western Development Plan) because of their relative under-development compared to the booming eastern coastal provinces.

The Lin Zhi Prefecture and four counties in the south east of Tibet Autonomous Region abuts Myanmar and India to the south, is in a part of Tibet not yet opened to international tourism.

A master plan is being formulated under the auspices of the China National Tourism Administration, a key aim of which is to promote Tibetan culture.

The development plan submitted for the pilgrimage town of Chamdo in central eastern Tibet, home of perhaps the most famous Yellow Hat sect Buddhist teaching monastery in Tibet with currently more than 2000 resident monks, Qianbaling, provides such an example.

Chamdo is surrounded by eight ancient monasteries and temples located high up in the surrounding mountains, each one at the end of a road that radiates out from Chamdo like the spoke of a wheel.

Each temple requires a full day in a 4WD vehicle to reach and return to Chamdo.

This configuration lends itself to a classical hub-and-spokes cluster development and the concept incorporated in our Tourism Development Plan utilises the Tibetan prayer wheel or circle of life to emphasize the cultural richness of the experience.
Much more HERE.
Source:4Hoteliers

Zen Shaolin show

‘Zen Shaolin,’ is an outdoor spectacle and tourist attraction in Henan Province, China. The extravaganza, with a cast of 500, is staged after nightfall in a valley that sits before a huge mountain in central Henan Province, one of the cradles of Chinese civilization.

For those who were dazzled by the opening of the Beijing Olympics earlier this month, that ceremony had its roots in shows like this one, which with government backing and private financing are drawing huge audiences to some of China’s most scenic or historic spots.

The outdoor performances are part cultural event, part tourist attraction, with a dash of Hollywood and an intriguing blend of high and pop culture.

In the new China, investors and the government can team up to acquire a mountain, hire the Academy Award-winning composer Tan Dun and the internationally known dancer and choreographer Huang Dou Dou, and produce a spectacle that includes monks from the famed Shaolin Temple.

The project’s investors spent more than $15 million to build a theater set in a valley below three mountains, one rising 4,921 feet, with temples, a wooden pagoda, a martial-arts school, an arched bridge, a stream and a small village with a stone pathway.

One of the hopes of the producers was that “Zen Shaolin,” which opened in May 2007, would bolster tourism in a province that has 100 million residents and has largely been left behind by China’s economic boom. Much more HERE.
Source: New York Times

Stanley Ho

Last month Stanley Ho, the Hong Kong-born gambling magnate, announced plans to tear down his flagship Lisboa casino and hotel and build his biggest and most opulent showcase yet, at a cost of $1.54 billion. The amazing 86-year-old also pushed through a long-delayed initial public offering for the company he controls, SJM Holdings, raising $494 million.

Since 2002, when this former Portuguese colony allowed others to break into Stanley Ho’s longtime monopoly here, Las Vegas heavyweights have had massive casinos built.

The combined gambling revenue for all Macau’s casinos increased 80% to $10.3 billion between 2005 and 2007, making it bigger than Atlantic City and the Las Vegas Strip combined.

Over the same period, revenue at SJM’s operating subsidiary, Sociedade De Jogos de Macau, fell to $4.1 billion from $4.3 billion, as business dropped off at its older, comparatively cramped casinos.

SJM owns 19 of Macau’s 29 casinos and 29% of the market’s gambling revenues. Las Vegas Sands, which owns two casinos, is close behind with 21%.

SJM and Stanley Ho, its chairman, are now going on the offensive.

In view of the possibility of China restricting access for locals to Macau this seems interesting timing. Much more on this HERE.
Source: Wall Street Journal

Luxury train to Tibet

China still aims to launch ‘the most luxurious train in the world’ from Beijing to Tibet despite potential security problems.

State-run Xinhua news agency reported in early March, just days before local problems started in Tibet, that the train would go into service on September 1.

But an official at the Qinghai Tibet Railway Company, who also asked to remain anonymous, says there is no timetable yet for the train’s maiden voyage.

Xinhua said earlier a ticket of the 96-seat train, decorated ‘according to the standards of a five-star hotel’, would cost about RMB40,000 ($5,800), or 20 times the ordinary fare for a train ride to Tibet.

Foreign visitors were only allowed back in Tibet at the end of June.
Source: AFP

Macau gambling casino

Uncertainty over Beijing’s policies is worrying major casino operators in Macau’s fast-growing gambling market.

Shares of Las Vegas Sands and MGM Mirage fell when Portuguese news service Lusa reported that Beijing might make it harder for mainland Chinese to visit the one part of the country where gambling is legal.

China’s government has previously taken incremental steps to limit visitor numbers from the mainland in an apparent effort to cool Macau’s scorching economic growth and keep inflation in check.

According to the report, the central government might soon allow mainland Chinese to visit Macau only once every six months. Current rules allow them to visit once every two months.

The question is: how much business does Macau get from China and the SARs? If Beijing seriously clamps down on visas then there will be problems. Much more HERE.
Source: Wall Street Journal

A pilot scheme for Mainland-authorized Hong Kong travel enterprises to organize group tours to Hong Kong for non-Guangdong residents in Shenzhen —  these are currently allowed — will bring extra Mainland tourists to Hong Kong and contribute to the Hong Kong economy.

The Tourism Commission said the scheme is part of the Central Government’s policy. And that it should happen quite soon as part of services liberalization and facilitation measures.

Depending on the results, it is hoped the Central Government will extend it to other cities in Guangdong Province.

China Travel Service (Holdings) Hong Kong has been authorised to operate this business and is discussing the details with Mainland authorities.

The company plans to organise ‘three-day-two-night’ tour groups to Hong Kong. These groups’ itinerary will include Hong Kong Disneyland (it is to be hoped this is not compulsory) and other attractions.
Source: Business and Finance HK

Wang Zhifa, National Tourist Administration (NTA) deputy director, said China’s tourism market has become a magnet for international investment, raising about RMB150 billion ($21.8 billion) annually over the past few years.

He added, ‘Some high-end international tourism products have made their way into the Chinese market, such as port calls by luxury liners and booming business for limousine and yacht rentals.’

Despite this he said the country still faced great hurdles even though it was poised to become the world’s largest tourist destination by 2015.

He said the industry still lacked large companies to take a leadership position in comprehensive tourist development.

He added public service in tourism, from tourist consultation to toilets in scenic spots, had been substantially improved.

Wang said the NTA had given project approval to five-star hotels on a monthly basis, and more project applications were on the waiting list. Tianjin, for example, had a total of 45 five-star hotel projects planned between now and 2010. This would draw investment of up to RMB83.8 billion.

Last year, the country welcomed 54.7 million inbound overnight tourists putting at fourth position in the world tourism stakes.
Source: China View

Reports that China’s Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of kung fu and the star of many martial arts films and a major tourist attraction, has set up an online store, seems to be a criticism that it should indulge in such commercialism. Which seems odd given the fact that cathedrals in, say, Britain do almost anything to make money.

The Shaolin temple in Song Shan in Henan Province has set up new web page on the popular Chinese e-commerce site www.taobao.com, offering a range of goods including shoes, tea, T-shirts and slippers.

Enthusiasts can buy a kung fu instruction manual or a pair of ‘environmentally friendly’ chopsticks.

Shaolin Temple’s business ventures include kung fu shows, film production and a reality TV search for the next kung fu star. Its monks also go on world tours to demonstrate feats of agility and balance.
Source: Reuters

From July 18 Taiwan will open its borders for the first time to up to 3,000 visitors per day from the mainland. The tourists will be subjected to a number of restrictions. The tourism agreement between the mainland and Taiwan stipulates no gambling by Chinese tourists in Taiwan.

The agreements on charter flights means that tourists from the mainland will only be able to travel only with tour groups.

The travel agencies that arrange the the trips will not be allowed to arrange any activities that have to do with gambling or pornography, although pornography was not defined.

Managers from mainland travel agencies traveled to Taiwan to see the various hotels and transportation options available to tourists. They also were working on packages that could be offered to their customers.

The agreement that is in place will send a maximum of 3,000 Chinese tourists a day to Taiwan. 36 charter flights will be available at weekends.

In Taiwan the Mainland Affairs Council said visitors from China will have to a fixed travel schedule. The duration of stay will initially be limited to ten days. Prospective visitors will also have to show they have assets equivalent to $6,500 when applying for their permit to travel.
Sources: Casino Gambling Web and Radio Taiwan International

Exhibitors at the Beijing International Tourism Expo were promoting their products and competing for tourists, betting on a continuously booming tourism market after the 2008 Olympic Games.

The three-day opened to coincide with the 50-day countdown for the 2008 Games. It has attracted more than 700 tourism industry players from home and abroad, the most popular since the annual expo started in 2004.

Some industry experts have repeated that the 2008 Games would be a great opportunity for China’s tourism industry. Every player in the sector wants to share a piece of the Olympic cake and no one could afford to skip it.

However, others worried about an industry slump after the Games, as had happened to some previous Olympics hosts.

Yu Hong, an official with China Youth Travel Service, said, ‘A short-term industry lull right after the Games is expected, as tourists tried to avoid the travel peak from the Games. We are optimistic about the country’s tourism industry in the post-Olympic era.’

He expected the downturn to end after September when people started to spend their saved holidays.

The country is expected to become the world’s largest tourism destination by 2015. Its tourism earnings hit RMB1.09 trillion (RMB155.7 billion) in 2007, up 22.6% year on year.
Source: China View