Newsletter - May 8, 2002
 

NATIONAL TOURISM WEEK, 2002

President Bush has proclaimed May 5-11 National Tourism Week, 2002 and urged Americans and citizens of other nations to travel to and around the United States "to experience the hospitality and quality of our Nation's great destinations."

Following is the Proclamation:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

May 6, 2002

A Proclamation

For hundreds of years, people across our Nation and around the world have enjoyed traveling across America to visit our magnificent cities, parks, museums, and countless other natural, historic, and cultural sites. Our land provides endless opportunities to learn as well as to enjoy our Nation's immense variety of attractions.

The travel and tourism industry represents a vital part of the American economy. The Department of Commerce estimates that in 2001 the travel and tourism industry generated more than $90 billion in export revenue and provided a $7.7 billion balance of trade surplus. Preliminary numbers show that last year, the industry created approximately $545 billion in total travel expenditures and provided $94 billion in tax revenue to local, State, and Federal governments. As one of our Nation's largest employers, travel and tourism supports more than 7 million jobs.

During National Tourism Week 2002, we recognize the significance of this important industry to our economy and for the lives of all Americans. In the aftermath of the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, the travel and tourism industry contributed to our country's efforts to persevere through this challenging time. As we have encouraged people to resume the regular course of their lives, Americans and visitors from around the world have responded by traveling to and enjoying the beauty of our Nation.

During this observance, I urge all Americans and people around the globe to travel to and within our country to experience the hospitality and quality of our Nation's great destinations.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 5-11, 2002, as National Tourism Week. In recognition of the significance of the travel and tourism industry in the lives of citizens of our Nation and to visitors from abroad, I call upon all Americans to mark this observance with activities that highlight this important industry.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-sixth.

GEORGE W. BUSH 

HONG KONG MARCH TOURIST ARRIVALS 1.3 MILLION, UP 11.8 % YEAR-ON-YEAR

March tourist arrivals totalled nearly 1.3 mln visitors, up 11.8 pct from March 2001, with 41.1 pct of the tourists coming from the mainland, the Hong Kong Tourism Board said. Visitors from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas all increased, with Oceania arrivals showing a slight drop of 0.5 pct. HKTB executive director Clara Chong said in a report from Beijing she expects the arrivals to keep growing.

"We can see the long-haul markets moving steadily back into positive growth, a pattern we expect to continue in the coming months," Chong said. "On the other hand, we can see mixed performances from other parts of Asia, closely related to prevailing economic conditions

She said the highest number of visitors came from mainland China. "We knew that the abolition of tour group quotas and an increase in the number of licensed tour agents would boost the mainland market substantially, but first-quarter growth of more than 40 pct exceeds our best expectations. "We have also been encouraged to see a further surge in mainland arrivals this last week, to coincide with the long May Day holidays."

EU TOURISM OFFICIALS DISCUSS COMMON PLANS; COOPERATION RESOLUTION DUE MAY 21

The European Union has begun to develop a common framework on tourism to help its 15 members promote a sector that accounts for 7 pct of aggregate domestic product and employs 20 mln people, officials said yesterday. An official EU resolution, to be adopted May 21 in Brussels, will "determine the criteria for cooperation and development" of the pan-EU industry, Finance Minister Rodrigo Rato said.

The resolution will emphasize Europe's recognition of the economic weight of tourism and demonstrate "the homogeneity of the market," said Bruno Fareniaux, director of the French Tourist Bureau. Most of EU tourism is internal, with 89 pct of all visitors coming from one of the 15 member states.

"For three years now, European tourism officials have been seated around the table together speaking the same language," said Fareniaux. Europe's tourist industry has traditionally divided into camps designated by Fareniaux as "receivers" -- mostly France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece -- and "senders" -- Germany, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavia. This overall division of labour has long kept the industry from having any "clear political visibility" within the EU, said Fareniaux

The resolution will propose two major initiatives, said Errki Liikanen, commissioner for enterprise and the information society. The first is aimed at analyzing the impact on tourism of other government policies, such as the environment, transportation, taxes, and education. It will create a series of "tourism satellite accounting entities" (CST) all over Europe. Already present in France and Spain, the CSTs will expand into all remaining EU states and will provide precise data for an EU-wide analysis of the industry. The second initiative, a "European Tourism Forum," will bring together private and public sectors at its launch meeting on Dec 10 in Brussels. Participants in the forum, which is to be an annual event, will focus on ways to create sustainable development for the industry and to "better integrate tourism into European policies as a whole," said Liikanen.

NICHE AGENCIES THRIVE IN THE ONLINE LODGING INDUSTRY

Selling  hotel rooms, condos, villas and hostels on the Internet is an estimated US$6 billion per annum business and growing very rapidly with many large online travel companies active in this market. So how does a new entrant to this market compete with the big online wholesalers who have well known brands, large advertising budgets, and cover many destinations? WITH A NICHE. 

Unlike air travel and car rentals, the online lodging industry is highly fragmented. There are thousands of destinations with each one having many hundred suppliers. New online agencies are thriving in this market. Here is how you do it. 

1. DEVELOP A DISTINCTIVE NICHE

Online lodging consumers tend to be very specific in their demands. They have either a particular destination or a leisure activity in mind when they begin their online hunt.

If you can't be the only hotel reservation agent on the Internet (and you can't) develop a specific niche where you can have a competitive edge. Online lodging agents can specialize in offering long stay condos in Florida, "mountain" vacations in the Rockies or casino hotel reservations in Monte Carlo. Price doesn't have to be your only competitive factor if the inventory you offer is unique.

In order to be viable, your chosen market segment must be clearly defined. Targeting "online leisure travel buyers" is not refined enough. What are their interests? Where are they from? What is their budget?

There are many market segments in the online lodging industry that are chronically under supplied. Be careful in choosing the market segment that best fits your business. Your target clientele must have a clear need for what you are selling and must be large enough to be considered a market segment.

Your niche has to be geographically feasible. It is best to concentrate on a locale where you have good contacts with hotels and accommodation suppliers. If you are a localized agent, you will be able to manage your inventory and rates better by maintaining close contacts with local lodging suppliers. 

3. FOCUS YOUR ONLINE MARKETING

Niche websites are ideal for online promotion. Online consumers search for accommodations with the help of destination or activity specific keywords (e.g. London apartments, Scotland hunting lodges, Atlantic City casinos). It is more cost-effective for niche sites to focus their online marketing strategies than large online travel sites that cover many destinations. 

Select a great domain name. The majority of online consumers find websites through search engines. A good URL that communicates what you are offering will help you obtain high rankings in search engines and draw targeted traffic.

Carefully decide your keyword list and keep refining it continuously. Once you have narrowed down on the keywords that your target audience is likely to type in ( e.g. New Orleans budget hotels), build the content of your website around them and use the list for all your search engine optimization programs.

Your website must be easily accessible to your target clients. Building an affiliate network is a great way to achieve this and is ideally suited for niche markets with very focused needs. This strategy involves identifying highly trafficked websites where potential consumers are likely to "hang out" and building links with those sites in order to direct traffic to your online reservation centre. 

3. OFFER A COMPLETE SERVICE

Your website may have the best room inventory in Ft. Lauderdale, attractive photographs of beach front cabanas and a complete narration of all the facilities they offer. However nearly 70% of your online visitors will turn away if they have to e-mail you in order to make a reservation. They want a high level of service and require immediate confirmations. You can't waste their time. Watch out - they won't be back either.

Ensure that your website enables consumers to make quick comparisons of room rates and availability and make bookings online in real-time.

Make the shoppers' experience complete by offering flexible booking capabilities, maps, travel tips and special members offers. Offline or online, customers are always are looking for great service.

Online lodging consumers value in-depth information about a destination they wish to visit. A specialized agent is able to offer expert and up to date information about each property they offer along with activities in the area and handy travel tips. This is the unique advantage that niche "been-there-done-that" agents have over impersonal mega sites. In brief - having a localized presence and knowledge about a destination or activity builds trust and confidence in consumers. 

If you are about to venture into online lodging industry, keep in mind that it offers as many challenges as great opportunities. Focus on your niche and be the best in it.

About RoomsNet

RoomsNet is an online technology and marketing services provider to the online lodging industry. RoomsNet provides customized Web based travel reservation software and marketing solutions to accommodation agents and entrepreneurs (such as ex-hotel reservation personnel) who wish to operate their own Internet reservation services and develop their own niche online lodging markets.

www.roomsnet.com

VIETNAM INTRODUCES 5-DAY VISA-FREE STAY

In a significant move, the Vietnamese Government has introduced a five-day, visa-free stay which will now be available to all international travellers irrespective of nationality and which applies to all ports of entry, by air, sea and road. This new visa facility is scheduled to come into operation from May 2002.

This follows the successful "visa upon arrival" facility which has been in operation for over a year at Danang international airport whereby guests of the five-star Furama Resort Danang are able to process their visa upon arrival in Vietnam at a cost of around USD30.00 per person through prior arrangement with the resort, and this arrangement will continue to be available to those travellers spending more than 5 nights in the country.

Travelling to Vietnam is getting more and more convenient", said Paul Stoll, General Manager of the Furama Resort "and this new visa rule will provide added encouragement to short haul travel especially from nearby markets such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Taipei, Japan, Singapore and other destinations. The decision will cut the cost of short stays in Vietnam which  will become very attractive for families and frequent travelers

Source: Furama Danang


HOTEL MANAGER GREW INTO HIS ROLE: SWISS-BORN GURTNER AT HOME IN HUB

by Anna McCart  Bostonherald.com

Thomas Gurtner, at 54, has been living in hotels most of his life.

``Living in a hotel is not normal,'' admits the Swiss-born Gurtner.

A fourth-generation hotelier, Gurtner is the general manager of the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston. He replaced Robin Brown last November, coming to the Hub after a five-year stint as the general manager of the Four Seasons Hong Kong.

``He's from a Swiss background, so he's made for this business,'' says Serge Denis, the French-born general manager of Le Meridien in Boston and a close friend of Gurtner's. The Swiss are known for their preciseness and the way they run hotels, he says. But Gurtner's expertise goes beyond his heritage, says Denis. ``He learned the job the hard way.''

Gurtner spoke little English when he arrived in the United States on his 21st birthday in 1969. The language barrier didn't stop him from landing a job - of all places - at the information desk of an upscale hotel in Seattle.

``Only in America,'' says Gurtner, who was convinced he would be fired because his English skills were so poor.

When he went home at night, Gurtner watched Humphrey Bogart movies and Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show to pick up more English. ``The guys at work would say: Tom, you've been watching the late movies again. We don't use that anymore,'' Gurtner remembers with a smile.

The first few months Gurtner spent in Seattle were the most difficult of his life, he says.

``I had always led a very sheltered life. I was a spoiled brat,'' says Gurtner, who remembers always having cooks and waiters. He and his brother and sister could order whatever they wanted to eat at the Grand Hotel in the Swiss Alps, which their parents owned.

``The first time I lived on my own, I didn't know how to do laundry. I'd never done laundry in my life.''

But his pride wouldn't let him quit, says Gurtner, and he continued to work his way up from the bottom. Those who know the business say that's why he's good at what he does.

``He really knows every aspect of the job. No matter if it's the kitchen, room service, engineering, this guy's been involved in many aspects of the business,'' says Denis.

Life in the United States got a lot happier when he met Nui, who is now his wife. She worked at the hotel with Gurtner and had moved from China to Seattle at a young age.

``She's my soulmate,'' he says. ``If you look on the globe, we're at opposite ends of the world and we both met in Seattle.''

Since his desk clerk days, Gurtner has moved up the ranks, zig-zagging across the map.

``In my case, I guess I got the reputation that I could get things done,'' says Gurtner, who has overseen the openings of Four Seasons Hotels in New York, Hawaii and Washington, D.C., and managed many others.

``He's had an extraordinary record at high visibility assignments,'' says Pat Moscaritolo, president of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau.

``When you look at the top Four Seasons properties, that's where he's had the opportunity to be the GM,'' Moscaritolo says.

Gurtner's current responsiblities as the regional vice president include managing not only the Four Seasons Boston hotel, but two others in Texas. While he spends most of his days in the Hub, he makes trips to the Southwest every few months.

An effective general manager has to be available not just across the map, but around the clock, says Gurtner. ``You can't work in this business if you look at it as a job,'' he says. ``It's a lifestyle . . . it's like a religion.''

The neatly dressed Gurtner says he always makes time to work out and listens to ``oldies but goodies'' when he's not in the office. He also takes time out to talk to his three daughters. His youngest works as a human resources manager at a luxury hotel in San Francisco.

Gurtner describes his role as a general manager as almost parental.

``I tend to forget the bad days and remember the good ones,'' he says. ``I remember the opening days. I distinctly remember those days. It was kind of like giving birth.''

The challenge in his current position, says Gurtner, is to find ways to improve on an operation that is already running smoothly. For the Boston hotel, that means a renovation that will begin this spring and span three years. It will begin with the addition of a new spa this summer and then the rooms, suites and restaurant will be updated in stages.

``It is what we have to do with this locale, in this marketplace if we want to be competitive over the next 10, 15 years,'' Gurtner says.

At a time when the industry is struggling, Gurtner's the right man for the job, says Moscaritolo. The decline in U.S. and international tourism has been a blow to the city, he says. But Gurtner has proven that if there is a challenge, ``he'll figure out a way to deal with it,'' says Moscaritolo.