In The News

Vivendi Set to Agree Shanghai Theme Park

Richard McGregor December 6, 2002
In a surprise turnaround for Disney, Shanghai has decided to favor Universal Parks and Resorts, a subsidiary of Vivendi Universal, with plans to open a theme park outside the city. Disney had originally negotiated with Shanghai to open its own theme park outside of the city. However, the slow process of the deal, the competition with Disney’s proposed theme park in Hong Kong, and the exorbitant...

Government Spends Rupiah 3.5 Billion to Revive Bali Tourism

December 3, 2002
In the aftermath of the Bali bombing incident, the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism has set up a program to revitalize the nation’s ailing tourism. As part of the program, the Ministry has invested rupiah 3.5 billion on the production of video clips on Bali’s attractions. These clips are to be both locally and globally broadcasted during December. - YaleGlobal

Spotlight Falls on a Heavily Globalised Industry

Daniel Dombey November 20, 2002
After the oil tanker, the Prestige, broke in half off the Spanish coast and began gushing forth its slick contents, thousands of fishing families and businesses who depend on the ocean and pristine beaches began asking who should be held liable. As this Financial Times article notes, "the Prestige, registered in the Bahamas, owned by a Liberian company, managed by a Greek company and...

Occupancy Rates Plunge to Only 11 Percent in Bali

A’an Suryana October 25, 2002
Recent terrorist bombings in Bali have pushed the island to the brink of an economic crisis. With an occupancy rate of 11 percent in the 1,400 hotels, tourism is almost non-existent. Bali derives about 40% of its income from tourism and side services that cater to tourists. But there seems to be little the island can do. Most of the countries from which the victims of the bombing hailed have...

Dark Clouds Hang over Indonesian Tourism after Bali Bomb Blasts

Fitri Wulandari October 14, 2002
Successful, large-scale tourism requires both great attractiveness and a basic guarantee of safety for visitors. Often billed as an island paradise, Bali's economy is now almost completely dependent upon international tourism. But according to Indonesian tourism officials, Saturday's terrorist bombing of a crowded Bali nightclub threatens to destroy the industry. Vacationers from...

Malaysia Lures Sick and Wealthy Foreigners

Reme Ahmad September 19, 2002
With hospital costs 14 times less than in the US and 65% less than in neighboring Singapore, Malaysia is promoting a new type of tourism – one where a hospital stay is included. Health tourism, as it is known, is becoming increasingly popular among the wealthy, who may travel to foreign countries to have surgeries performed at a fraction of the cost of their home country. Malaysian hospitals...