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Important first step in securing Air New Zealand’s future

Thailand will join China in tourist promotion

Emirates - new official event partner of FIFA World Youth Championship and UAE Football Association

Robatherm Co. Ltd.- the air handling company celebrates grand opening ceremony

Rolls-Royce and Lufthansa sign $215m Trent 500 care agreement

Important first step in securing Air New Zealand’s future

John Palmer, chairman of Air New Zealand Limited recently issued a statement saying, “The board and management of Air New Zealand welcome the conditional decision by the Kiwi Shareholder which agrees to Qantas eventually owning up to 22.5% of Air New Zealand. This decision is an important first step to ensure Air New Zealand has a robust future as a New Zealand owned and managed, globally-operating airline.”

Air New Zealand is encouraged that the Kiwi Shareholder has recognized the importance of ensuring the long-term future of Air New Zealand as a strong international airline with a wide domestic network. The company’s focus will now move to that regulatory process.

Palmer went on to say, “We must demonstrate to the competition regulators that the alliance is the only course which can adequately ensure the future of Air New Zealand as part of a viable and globally competitive airline industry supporting the specific needs of this region.”

The regulatory process will give the public the opportunity to examine the joint Air New Zealand-Qantas submission in detail, and either support or disagree with the proposal.

The duration of the regulatory process is in the hands of the regulators, but it is expected that they will make a decision before mid-2003. If favorable decisions are received, Air New Zealand will put the transaction to its shareholders for final approval.

Until the regulatory process is complete it will be a case of business as usual for Air New Zealand.


Thailand will join China in tourist promotion

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor, Juthamas Siriwan announced that Thailand and China will hold a joint press conference at the world’s largest travel exposition, the International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin, to promote themselves as a package destination. The tourism trade fair will be held from March 7 to 11 in Germany.

“This year we have to reposition ourselves by linking our destination with big countries like China,” Juthamas said.

The joint press conference with China will be part of TAT’s “Tourism Capital of Asia” campaign, which is aimed at lifting the country’s image and boosting the tourism industry over the next three years.

TAT and China’s National Tourist Administration (CNTA) will jointly promote the historical “Silk Route” to attract tourists to both countries.

In the first 10 months of 2002 tourist arrivals to Thailand totaled 8.75 million, an increase of 7.2 percent over the same period in 2001. The figure was higher than the targeted growth of 4 percent, or 10.5 million arrivals for the whole year. It is estimated the total figure for 12 months of 2002 is 10.7 million.

TAT expects tourist arrivals in 2003 will continue to grow by 6 percent to 11.3 million. “If there is a war between the US and Iraq, the number of tourist arrivals in 2003 should be the same as 2002,” Juthamas said.

The Thai tourism industry has done better than competitors in the region because of better public relations activities, promotional efforts and strong marketing activities in all overseas markets.

During the last two months of 2002, visitor arrivals continued to rise in spite of disturbances in Bali and the Philippines, which affected travel to the region in the short term.

The markets most affected by the downturn were the Middle East, Oceania and Africa. However, overall growth remained positive, with New Year celebrations boosting arrivals. (TNA)


Emirates - new official event partner of FIFA World Youth Championship and UAE Football Association

Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline has signed an agreement with the UAE Football Association to become an event partner for the FIFA World Youth Championship (WYC) which will be held in the UAE March 25 to April 16 2003.

Emirates Airline will enjoy sponsorship benefits at FIFA’s (WYC) tournament, the world’s premier youth event for under 20’s, and rated as the second major event of FIFA, after the FIFA World Cup.

Emirates will feature on all FIFA (WYC) publicity material including perimeter boards in 6 stadiums throughout the UAE, and a ticketing and hospitality facility for all matches in the WYC tournament.

A total of 15 countries qualified for the finals, 6 from Europe: Spain, Germany, England, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Ireland; 5 from Asia: Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and hosts UAE; 4 from North America: United States, Canada, Mexico and Panama. The other 9 countries will qualify from South America, Africa (4 from each continent) and 1 from Oceania.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, commercial operations director said, “We are delighted to make our commitment to FIFA and the UAE Football Association. It can help us gain media awareness in key markets throughout the world. In addition, being part of the FIFA commercial family, we can play a crucial role in the ever-developing importance of youth football on the world stage. This agreement will help cement our growing reputation and create global awareness.”


Robatherm Co. Ltd.- the air handling company celebrates grand opening ceremony

With a long history as a leading manufacturer of air handling units in Germany, Robatherm made its first step outside of Germany into Thailand in 1996. For six years now Robatherm has been in the Thai market with a representative office in Bangkok. And now, the second manufacturing plant for air handling units has been established and opened its doors in Amata City Industrial Estate, Rayong Province.

The factory has been built on a plot of approximately 11 rai of land; the factory covers around 5 rai. Robatherm has been operating for the past 2 months, producing air handling units, much diversified parts in traditional German quality.

That is one of the reasons that Robatherm invited its very loyal partners and buyers from as far as the US to witness the grand opening of the second, state-of-the-art manufacturing plant. The new plant reflects the owners and managers’ dedication, with modern, neat infrastructure and a sophisticated, elegant look.

Robatherm was established in the 19th century by the Baumeister family, still now firmly and carefully managed by the third generation, Robert Baumeister, as specialist for technology in the function of managing partner, and his brother, Albert Baumeister, as managing partner and chairman in charge of the new expansion into the international market.

The present moment of expansion and growth is both exciting and challenging, demanding even more efforts to convince buyers of the high-quality manufactured in both plants, Germany and Thailand, and to stimulate with growth of customers the capacity and output.

However, Robatherm is convinced that Thailand will prove to be successful. At front, the business is led by Mrs. Poonsok Chandravithun, who is both shareholder and executive director. This lady has played a great role in enabling Robatherm to successfully open its new factory here in Thailand. She has convinced the Baumeister family to invest in Thailand, and supported every step with dedication and hard work.

The new plant will produce air handling units for export and the domestic market. The company has employed 15 workers to manufacture the parts; they are guided and trained by Robatherm’s technicians from Germany.2: Albert Baumeister, Chairman, Robatherm Co. Ltd., at the grand opening ceremony.


Rolls-Royce and Lufthansa sign $215m Trent 500 care agreement

Rolls-Royce announced that it had signed a ten-year Total Care agreement worth $215 million with Lufthansa to provide in-service support for the Trent 500 engines powering the airline’s new fleet of Airbus A340-600s.

Lufthansa becomes the third customer for growth versions of the A340 to place long-term engine support agreements with Rolls Royce in 2002, worth a total of more than $600 million and bringing civil aerospace aftermarket services business in 2002 to around $1.5 billion.

Well over 40 percent of all Trent engines for the A340-500 and -600, Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 are covered by Total Care agreements. Customers select from a menu of services to produce tailor-made solutions which match individual fleet requirements based on agreed rates per flying hour.

Deliveries of the ten A340-600s for which Lufthansa has placed firm orders begin in the third quarter of 2003, with the aircraft scheduled for use on routes to Asia and the Americas. The airline also has options for a further ten of the four-engined, long-range jets.

Charles Cuddington, managing director - Airlines, Rolls-Royce said, “We continue to see increasing demand for these comprehensive aftercare packages which deliver a range benefits, including predictable budgeting for our customers. This agreement also marks an extension of the strong relationship already forged between Lufthansa and Rolls-Royce.”

Lufthansa has also ordered a second member of the Trent family, the Trent 900, for its 15 firm Airbus A380s scheduled to enter service in 2007. Rolls-Royce is a senior partner in International Aero Engines whose V2500 powerplant has been used by Lufthansa on its A321 twinjets since 1994.

The Trent 500 is the sole engine offered on growth versions of the A340. Thirteen customers and operators have placed firm and option orders for a total of over 400 engines. The 53,000lb thrust Trent 553 is paired with the ultra long-range A340-500 while the 56,000lb thrust version, the Trent 556, powers the higher capacity A340-600.

Rolls Royce plc operates in four growth markets - civil aerospace, defense aerospace, marine and energy. It is a global company investing in technology and capability that can be exploited in each of these sectors to create a competitive range of products.

The success of these products is demonstrated by the company’s rapid and substantial gains in market share over recent years. As a result, engine deliveries have grown to a total of 54,000 gas turbines in service worldwide. The investments in product, capability and infrastructure to gain the market position create high barriers to entry.

Rolls Royce has a broad customer base consisting of more than 500 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces and more than 2,000 marine customers, including 50 navies. The company has energy customers in nearly 120 countries. Rolls Royce employs around 39,000 people worldwide, including 23,500 in the UK, 5,000 in the rest of Europe and 8,000 in North America.

Most of the engines in service will have operational lives of 25 years or more, generating an assured aftermarket demand for the provision of spare parts and services. The company’s strategy is to maximize aftermarket revenues through the development of a comprehensive services capability.

Annual sales total around 6 billion Pounds of which over 40 percent currently comes from aftermarket services. The order book stands at more than 19 billion Pounds, which, together with aftermarket demand, provides visibility as to future activity levels.