Travel Calendar

PARSIPPANY, N.J. and DALLAS, Mar 21, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) –
A new multi-year agreement between Avis Budget Group and Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workplaces, will help make business travel easier by providing Regus customers with valuable savings on Avis and Budget car rentals at locations around the world and providing Avis and Budget customers with access to Regus’ 1,200 professional business lounges in 550 cities and 95 countries.

This new alliance brings together two organizations that can satisfy the needs of business travelers. A recent survey by Deloitte predicts business travel will pick up in 2012, with 85 percent of respondents indicating that they plan to take the same number of trips or more this year compared to 2011. As business travel increases, so does the demand for a high-quality, flexible work environment as road warriors are looking for ways to stay productive while on the go.

“The majority of our customers travel for business,” said Michael Haas, director of partnerships at Regus. “Regus’ rapidly expanding network of locations helps businesses and individuals work more efficiently, anywhere at any time. By teaming up with Avis Budget Group, we immediately reduce major challenges that professionals face when on the road, by providing easy and quick access to transportation as well a professional place to conduct business.”

Under the agreement, Avis Budget Group will promote its products and services, including Avis Corporate Awards and the Budget Business Program, the Company’s car rental programs for small and mid-sized businesses, to Regus’ customer base. Members of these programs and travelers enrolled in Avis Preferred and Budget Fastbreak, the Company’s express rental programs, will receive complimentary Regus Businessworld Gold membership to gain unlimited access to Regus’ global network of 1,200 business lounges. The business lounges provide business travelers with a convenient and professional place to work while on the road. Members will also receive discounts on meeting rooms, virtual office programs and fully-equipped offices.

“The new agreement with Regus illustrates our commitment to expand travel partnerships to attract car rental demand on a global basis,” said Stephen Wright, vice president of global travel and partnerships for Avis Budget Group. “The partnership will enhance customer loyalty for our respective businesses while making business travel easier for Avis, Budget and Regus customers.”

About Avis Budget Group

Avis Budget Group, Inc.


/quotes/zigman/2380077/quotes/nls/car CAR
+0.84%



is a leading global provider of vehicle rental services through its Avis and Budget brands, with 10,000 rental locations in approximately 175 countries around the world. Avis Budget Group operates most of its car rental offices in North America, Europe and Australia directly, and operates primarily through licensees in other parts of the world. Avis Budget Group has approximately 28,000 employees and is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J. For more information, visit
www.avisbudgetgroup.com .

The Avis Budget Group, Inc. logo is available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8891

About Regus

Regus is the world’s largest provider of flexible workplaces, with products and services ranging from fully equipped offices to professional meeting rooms, business lounges and the world’s largest network of video communication studios. Regus enables people to work their way, whether it’s from home, on the road or from an office. Customers such as Google, GlaxoSmithKline, and Nokia join hundreds of thousands of growing small and medium businesses that benefit from outsourcing their office and workplace needs to Regus, allowing them to focus on their core activities.

Over 1 million customers a day benefit from Regus facilities spread across a global footprint of 1,200 locations in 550 cities and 95 countries, which allow individuals and companies to work wherever, however and whenever they want to. Regus was founded in Brussels, Belgium in 1989, is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information please visit:
www.regus.com .

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire,
www.globenewswire.com

SOURCE: Avis Budget Group, Inc.; Regus

        CONTACT: Alice Pereira
        Avis Budget Group
        973-496-6113
        PR@avisbudget.com
        Grant Greenberg
        Regus
        212-209-7348
        grant.greenberg@regus.com

(C) Copyright 2010 GlobeNewswire, Inc. All rights reserved.

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The first WhiteKnightTwo/SpaceShipTwo launch system has undergone extensive tests. Next to come are critical rocket-powered flights of the two-pilot, six-passenger spaceship.
CREDIT: TSC

The risks of space tourism and other private spaceflight missions must be clearly understood and addressed if the burgeoning commercial space industry is to succeed, House lawmakers told the Federal Aviation Administration Tuesday (March 20).

The comments came as George Nield, the FAA’s associate administrator for commercial space transportation, and Wilbur Trafton, chairman of the FAA’s commercial space transportation advisory committee, testified before the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics Tuesday (March 20) in Washington, D.C.

“The public needs a clear understanding of the risks involved with commercial space transportation, and it will need to be convinced those risks are being effectively managed,” said Acting Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerry Costello (D-Il). “[The Office of Commercial Space Transportation] will be at the center of establishing those expectations, as it will have a critical role in ensuring the safety of would-be space tourists, and potentially even of NASA astronauts or other spaceflight participants.”

Some new private space vehicles are expected to begin operational flights by 2013, Nield said in his testimony. But the FAA will hold off on imposing safety regulations for space tourist passengers until October 2015, after sufficient time working alongside spacecraft developers to better understand the risks involved, he added.

This item was written by Johanna Jainchill, who covers the travel industry for Travel Weekly. Jainchill is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.

Despite a temporary slowdown in mass-market cruise sales, travel agents are warning their clients not to wait for cruise deals.

“If you’re thinking of traveling this year, book now,” said Dave Spinelli, a vice president at Travel Leaders Group, a travel agency network. “We would advise clients to book early to get the best deals, especially on pre- a d post-cruise airfare. Given that airline capacity is limited and airfare costs are expected to increase in the coming months, we would advise consumers not to wait to book their cruise.”

READ MORE:  Fares expected to soar through summer
RELATED:  Carnival CEO: Deeper than normal discounts not on the way

Executives from Travel Leaders Group’s Vacation.com subsidiary said last week that mass-market cruise sales (mass-market lines include Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean) are lagging behind the more upscale lines so far this year, particularly during the usually busy summer months.

However, Vacation.com president John Lovell cautioned cruisers not to wait for deals, because he believes “a tremendous amount of pent-up demand” is fueling a bookings comeback.

Spinelli said this was especially true with cruises that are in high demand, such as river cruises.

ALSO ONLINE:  Viking River Cruises plans even more ships

“It is especially important for consumers to book these cruises well in advance in order to get the best value,” he said. “If a consumer waits until the last minute to book a river cruise, they’re likely to find their preferred itineraries are sold out.”

The curator of long-form writing has a new section — and a new business model.

Paul Keller/Flickr

So you’re settling into a plane for a long-haul flight. You are in the middle seat. Of a five-seat row. It is going to be a long trip.

Very few things at this point (save a miraculous bump up to first class or the discovery that your seatmate is George Clooney) will make your trip more pleasurable. One of those things, though, is a good, long story to read — with bonus points if the good, long story is about the place you’ll be exploring once you land. From that perspective, today brings good news: Longreads, one of the web’s most prominent curators of long-form writing, just launched Travelreads, a new channel meant to help lovers of long-form writing “find and share the best stories about the best places in the world.”

In a blog post, Longreads founder Mark Armstrong explains the logic of Travelreads:

One of the coolest things about Longreads is when someone tweets:

“I’m at the airport about to fly to San Francisco / New York / London / India / Argentina. I need some #Longreads for the trip.”

This got us thinking: What if we started gathering the best #longreads for every destination in the world?

The project wants to harness that particular collision of awesome that is traveling to a great place and actually having the time to read about that place. “We wanted to think about curating for the moments when you’re thinking about planning a trip, boarding a flight, or arriving in a new destination,” Armstrong told me — moments when you’re extra-interested in reading about, say, Hemingway’s Spain, or Sherlock Holmes’s London, or Walt Disney’s World. The curated content itself “might be a classic ‘travel’ story,” Armstrong says, “or it might be a short story or magazine piece that’s set in a particular city or destination” — so, “geolocated Longreads, basically.”

Longreads staff will do the curating of the channel’s stories, but — true to the service’s Web 2.0 form — “community will play a big part,” as well, Armstrong says. “Readers can share stories via #travelreads, and we’ll also be interacting with the main #longreads community.”

With the new channel — the first dedicated channel for the service — Longreads is also launching a new business model: Travelreads is sponsored by Virgin Atlantic. It’s an approach, Armstrong says, “that serves both the Longreads community and Virgin Atlantic’s community, by doing what we do best — providing a service that finds the best stuff on the web and links directly to the original publishers’ work, on Twitter, on Facebook, and on Longreads.com.”

It’s also an approach that could signal a (financial) way forward for a service that sprang up, three years ago, as the personal hobby of a guy who wanted a place that would celebrate and aggregate long-form journalism. For a site that exists pretty much entirely to send its users to other sites, a sponsorship scheme makes a lot of sense. And the deal with Virgin could be just the beginning. The telling last line of Armstrong’s Travelreads announcement? “If you’re a brand and would like to work with Longreads, here’s more information on the services we provide.”

DENVER, Mar 21, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
Auctioning vacations to raise money for charitable causes is not a new
concept. But Inspirato,
a luxury destination club that offers multimillion-dollar vacation
properties in the world’s finest destinations, today announced a new
initiative to help nonprofits raise funds year round by allowing
supporters access to Inspirato’s exclusive portfolio of luxury vacations
through a new online platform: InspiredGiving.com.

Inspirato’s Inspired
Giving program makes it easy for people to donate to a nonprofit
organization and enjoy a luxury travel experience — at a
discount. After making a $2,000 tax-deductible donation via the website
to the Inspired Giving cause of their choice, donors can book a
7-night luxury vacation at nightly rates up to 50 percent less than
market rates, and enjoy personalized service from an Inspirato vacation
advisor and on-site concierge.

“Inspired Giving is a unique way for people to donate to a
charitable cause using money they’ve already set aside for a vacation,”
says Jackie
Benton, the executive director of Inspirato’s new program. “You
could spend $6,000 on your next trip, or you could make a $2,000
donation to an important cause and spend the remaining $4,000 — or less
— enjoying a luxury vacation at members-only rates.

“By traveling with Inspired Giving, your vacation will be
more, and it will do more.”

To launch Inspired Giving, Inspirato has partnered with more than
30 charitable organizations, including the Andre
Agassi Foundation, American
Diabetes Association, Crohn’s
Colitis Foundation, Lance
Armstrong Foundation, and Malaria
No More. A complete list of charitable partners you can donate to
through the Inspired Giving website is available online.

The inspiration for Inspired Giving grew out of the success
Inspirato has had to date raising funds for nonprofit organizations.
Since January 2011, when Inspirato first opened its doors, the club has
raised more than $750,000 for various charitable groups — ranging from
small, local causes to larger, multi-national nonprofits.

“Our vacation offerings really strike a chord with high-end donors,”
says Benton. “They are looking for luxury experiences and don’t want to
play ‘vacation roulette’ with their precious free time. Many auctions
feature rental homes that are really unknown entities, with no one to
lend a hand once you arrive. Or you have hotel rooms that can’t even
begin to offer the space and comfort that a family needs. The Inspirato
homes in the Inspired Giving program average about 2,500
square feet, are meticulously managed and maintained, and have on-site
concierge services. Plus, with our new online platform, anyone can give
and travel year round — not just the winner at a yearly auction.”

The Inspired Giving program currently offers about 1,000 vacation
options at 50 different Inspirato properties across 14 destinations —
Aspen, Colo.; Deer Valley, Utah; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Kohala Coast,
Hawaii; Los Cabos, Mexico; Maui, Hawaii; Naples, Fla.; Newport Coast,
Calif.; Punta de Mita, Mexico; South Walton, Fla.; Steamboat Springs,
Colo.; Tahoe, Calif.; Tuscany, Italy; and Vail, Colo.

For nonprofits, Inspired Giving “opens the doors to a sustainable
way of raising money because it can be done year round and is not tied
to one event, such as a gala or a walk-a-thon,” explains Benton. “It’s
also a great way to offer something special to donors, and an
opportunity to gain exposure with new audiences.”

Every charitable organization that participates in Inspirato’s Inspired
Giving program also receives one 7-night luxury vacation to use for
its own fundraising efforts, and receives an additional $2,000 from
Inspirato for every donor who later becomes a club member.

“With Inspired Giving, donors can enjoy Inspirato’s luxurious
accommodations and supreme service, and enjoy the satisfaction of
knowing their vacation also helped raise money for a cause that’s close
to their heart,” says Benton.

About Inspirato

Designed specifically for a new generation of luxury consumers,
Inspirato offers the best of destination club consistency and service,
together with unmatched value, flexibility and low-cost membership. Our
members have access to an ever-growing portfolio of luxury homes in the
world’s top destinations, including California, the Caribbean, Colorado,
France, Hawaii, Italy, London, Mexico, New York City and more. By
leasing vacation properties (rather than owning), Inspirato is able to
keep membership fees low, offer up to 50 percent off market rates, and
easily add homes and destinations as demand increases. Our innovative
business model has led to rapid growth since our January 2011 launch,
placing Inspirato at the forefront of the “luxury for less” movement.
For more information about Inspirato, visit
www.inspirato.com .

SOURCE: Inspirato

        Inspirato
        Katherine Davis Strauss, 303-884-6261
        VP, Public Relations
        kstrauss@inspirato.com

Copyright Business Wire 2012

Between the time you book a trip and the time you take it, there’s a good chance that the hotel, rental car company, or airline lowered the price. These websites (one of them just launched) watch your purchase and rebook you at a lower rate automatically, or alert you that you’re entitled to an airline price drop voucher. 

Hotels: Tingo.com

Surprisingly, once you book a hotel room there’s a good chance that the same room and dates will go down in price between reservation and arrival, as I discovered quite by accident last year when booking a hotel stay in London. Needing to book an additional night’s stay, I rechecked my reservation (made on Expedia.com) a week before my arrival and discovered that the daily rate had decreased by $75, saving me $750 on a 10-night booking. 

Just launched, there’s now a website that will do the price-check-and-refund work for you automatically, rebooking you at the lower rate, and checking for further drops up until the day of your arrival or until the rate becomes non-refundable (usually a day or two before arrival). 

There’s no work on your part. Each time the rate goes down, Tingo.com sends you an email with a new booking number at the lower price. 

Key here is that another consumer doesn’t have to book the same room category and dates at a lower rate for the refund to kick in (unlike Orbitz’ “Price Assurance” program, which also refunds hotel price drops but requires another Orbitz customer to book the same room type, check in/out dates, number of guests, and restrictions in order to trigger a refund). 

I recently booked a one-night stay in Washington using Tingo during beta and exactly a day later received an email that the price had gone down $22. Although the site is new, beta testing has shown that rate drops occur about 33 percent of the time with average savings of $36 on a two-night stay, although savings of over $500 per stay aren’t unheard of. 

Unlike rental car site Autoslash, car rental and airfare refund site Yapta, which work only with certain vendors (below), Tingo works with virtually every hotel group and thousands of independent properties, unless the consumer is booking a non-refundable rate (which, admittedly, are sometimes lower but can leave you stuck with a room you can’t use when the meeting or wedding is canceled). 

There’s no limit to the amount of the refund using Tingo, there are no claim forms to submit and the refund is made directly to your credit card. 

Airlines: Yapta.com 

Since its founding in 2006, Yapta.com has allowed consumers to enter their flight details on several airlines and receive an alert that the fare has gone down, making them eligible for a partial or full price drop refund voucher. 

The site only works with Alaska, American, AirTran (until it’s fully merged with Southwest, which doesn’t participate), Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, United, US Airways, and Virgin America (no foreign-based carriers). 

And, of course, only Alaska and JetBlue (and for a few more months, Airtran) will give you back the entire amount of a fare drop refund, in the form of a voucher good for future travel up to a year from the original booking, with no fee (Southwest, which is merging with Southwest, doesn’t participate). 

The other airlines, if they refund at all, usually deduct $150 from the value of any voucher issued for a domestic fare, and up to $250 on an international fare, which often wipes out any savings. 

Even so, Yapta has helped saved consumers millions of dollars since its founding, although whether or not these flyers ever ended up applying their voucher savings on a future flight is anyone’s guess, and it’s always possible that revenue-hungry airlines will increase the “refund fee” at a future date, or eliminate price drop refunds entirely (after all, Saks Fifth Avenue doesn’t refund the difference if you buy a suit in May and it goes on sale in June).  

Orbitz’ Price Assurance program issues cash refunds, not vouchers, if an airfare you booked goes down after you buy it, but again, another Orbitz customer needs to have booked the exact same flight numbers, flight times, and dates for the refund (up to a maximum of $250) to kick in (read full terms here). 

Rental cars: Autoslash.com 

Rental car rates fluctuate, too, and Autoslash.com will track your booking and rebook you automatically if the price goes down before you pick up the car. Not only that, but the site will apply any discount coupon codes you might be eligible for, further lowering the cost. There’s no need to issue a refund since you usually haven’t paid for the rental in the first place (although some companies now offer discounts for prepaid rentals). 

Caveat: the site only works with Hertz, Thrifty, SIXT, Dollar, Advantage, Europcar, Payless, E-Z, and Fox, so it’s possible that one of these non-participants would have a lower rate even with a price drop on a car booked with the companies that play ball; so far, other companies (Avis, Enterprise, Budget, National, Alamo) have refused to participate. The company claims it has an 85 percent success rate in reducing the cost of its customers’ rentals.

Spring break is here and lots of people will be hitting the road. But before you put the pedal to the metal, take a look at these top travel gadgets that will make your travels easier, more fun and most importantly keep you charged up on the road.

POWERBAG SLING $139

If you’re one of those people who’s devices are constantly running out of juice, and looking for a quick way to charge up your phone or your tablet, look no further than the bag on your back. The Powerbag has an internal battery that can charge up your gadgets on the go. It will charge a variety of devices, because it comes with different connecters with micro and mini USB tips, as well as an Apple connecter. There’s also a separate USB slot available for charging an extra device, provided you have the cable. Powerbag says the battery can charge the average smartphone twice.
Charging the bag is simple. It comes with an AC plug that goes directly into a water-resistant port in the front of the bag. When the bag is charging, you’ll see a light indicator on the front of the bag. You can also take out the battery and plug the cable directly into it.

The best part of the sling model, aside from the roomy inside, is the ability to move the strap from side to side, depending on whether you’re a leftie or a rightie. The Powerbag Sling comes in six different colors with a 3000mAh battery. You can buy additional batteries or upgrade to a more powerful battery on their website. Powerbag is also available in other styles.

INNERGIE POCKETCELL $79.99
Running out of power for your portable devices is almost a bigger issue these days than getting lost on the road. Where are you going to be able to stop and plug in your devices to charge them up? And what if you only have a mini USB cable with you but your blinking GPS needs a micro connecter. Innergie has solved that problem, and then some.

The PocketCell rechargeable battery pack can add hours to your devices, whether it’s an iPhone, Android phone, e-reader, tablet, portable game console. If it takes a USB cable, chances are, you can charge it. Included with the battery pack is Innergie’s Magic Cable Trio which has integrated smart-tip Apple, Micro, and Mini USB connectors, which means it’s likely you’ll have the right cable. And they’re all connected so they won’t get lost.
You can recharge the PocketCell from either a laptop or computer, or an AC plug using a standard USB power adapter.

You can purchase the additional mini DC adapter with dual USB ports for $20

BELKIN MINI SURGE PROTECTOR $20
The hotel room never seems to have outlets. Or is it just that we have more things to charge at the end of the day? Either way, be safe and pack the Belkin Mini Surge Protector along with all your gadgets. It’s a compact power strip with three AC outlets and two USB ports that also acts as a surge protector. The 360-degree rotating plug makes it easy to fit into hard-to-reach outlets. Never worry about stacked up waiting-to-be-charged phones again; just don’t forget to pack it when you check out.

By Justyna Pawlak

BRUSSELS |
Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:45pm EDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union states are set to ban Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s wife Asma from travel to and shopping in the EU, diplomats said, cranking up pressure on his government to end a bloody crackdown on popular unrest.

A British-born former investment banker who had once cultivated an image of a woman inspired by Western values, Asma al-Assad has become a hate figure for many Syrians. She has stood by her husband during a year-long crackdown on popular unrest in which the U.N. says at least 8,000 people have died.

In recent weeks she became the focus of media attention when a trove of emails between her and her husband obtained by Britain’s Guardian newspaper appeared to show them shopping for pop music and luxury items while Syria descended into bloodshed.

The EU has responded to Syria’s violence with a broad range of sanctions, which include a ban on Syrian oil imports to Europe and measures against the Syrian central bank and other companies and state institutions.

On Friday, it is expected to take new steps. For Asma, they will mean she will no longer be able to travel to the EU or buy products from EU-based companies, in her own name.

Foreign ministers of EU member states are set to agree on a new round of measures, the bloc’s 13th, and impose asset freezes and bans on travel to the EU against 12 people, include Asma.

A prohibition for European companies to do business with two more Syrian entities is also planned.

“The text (of sanctions) has gone through,” said one EU diplomat, referring to an agreement reached by EU envoys in Brussels to a list of new sanctions. Another diplomat confirmed Assad’s wife is included in the list of sanctioned individuals.

The list still needs formal approval from ministers. It will become public on Saturday when new sanctions are due to go into effect.

Assad himself has been a target since May last year, but sanctions have had little impact on his policies so far.

Violence has intensified in recent weeks as pro-government forces bombard rebel towns and villages, looking to sweep their lightly armed opponents out of their strongholds.

The international community has struggled to formulate a joint approach in the face of opposition from Russia and China to any resolution by the U.N. Security Council.

Assad absorbed a major diplomatic blow on Wednesday, however, when Russia and China joined the Security Council in voicing support for U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s bid to end violence that has brought Syria to the brink of civil war.

(Additional reporting by Sebastian Moffett; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Telegraph Herald

Time-travel genre moves forward at warp speed

Telegraph Herald

Time-travel genre moves forward at warp speed

Telegraph Herald

Time-travel genre moves forward at warp speed

Posted: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 12:00 am
|


Updated: 7:17 am, Wed Mar 21, 2012.

Time-travel genre moves forward at warp speed

BY JULIA KELLER CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Telegraph Herald

|
0 comments

Take a minute, if you will, to consider the prominence of time travel as a theme in the arts. You don’t have to be a brilliant but evil scientist huddled in a secret mountaintop laboratory, rubbing your hands together and cackling with glee as you contemplate flipping the switch on a time machine fueled by lightning bolts and filched uranium, to understand this essential truth:

Time travel captivates the imagination.

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Wednesday, March 21, 2012 12:00 am.

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GENEVA, Switzerland, Mar 21, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
Over 24 million jobs and $470 billion in GDP in the Asia-Pacific region
are supported by aviation, according to a new report released today at
the Aviation and Environment Summit in Geneva. The report, Aviation:
benefits beyond borders, was produced by the Air Transport Action
Group (ATAG) and Oxford Economics. It outlines an industry that plays a
larger role in both the Asia-Pacific and global economy than many would
expect.

“In the Asia-Pacific region alone aviation directly employs over two
million people,” says Paul Steele, Executive Director of ATAG, the
global association that represents air transport. “If we include
indirect employment at suppliers to the industry, induced employment
from spending by aviation industry employees and the jobs in tourism
that air transport makes possible, this increases the regional figure to
24.1 million jobs. In addition, Asia Pacific economies derive
substantial benefits from the spending of tourists travelling by air.

“Of course, aviation’s economic benefits spread far beyond the monetary
aspects outlined here. When you take into account the further benefits
gained through the speed and reliability of air travel, the businesses
that exist because air freight makes them possible and the intrinsic
value to the economy of improved connectivity, the economic impact would
be several times larger,” adds Steele.

For Asia-Pacific forecasts indicate that passenger numbers are expected
to almost triple from 779.6 million in 2010 to over 2.2 billion in 2030.
Meanwhile, cargo volumes are projected to rise at a similar rate of 6.3%
per annum. The report, available at
www.aviationbenefitsbeyondborders.org ,
also outlined the role aviation plays at a global level, supporting 56.6
million jobs worldwide and $2.2 trillion of the world’s GDP. There are
some 1,500 commercial airlines using nearly 24,000 aircraft to serve
3,800 airports around the globe.

Andrew Herdman, Director General of the Association of Asia Pacific
Airlines (AAPA) adds: “Aviation plays a critically important role in
fostering successful economic and social development, particularly here
in Asia. This report highlights the fact that the Asia-Pacific region
already accounts for 34% of passenger traffic worldwide, ahead of both
Europe and North America (27% each), led by dynamic growth in the major
emerging economies. Looking ahead, the Oxford Economics analysis
suggests further growth can provide an additional 1.4 million jobs in
aviation across the region by 2030 — and if you include the tourism
benefits, up to 4.6 million jobs.”

“While we are now the largest region in the world for passengers, the
existing and projected growth in demand for air transport services will
require a renewed focus on infrastructure development,” says Patti Chau,
Regional Director of Airports Council International Asia-Pacific. “Any
development needs to happen in a strategic and sustainable way that
benefits the communities we serve, the economy and also ensures limited
impact on our precious environment.”

more

Martin Craigs, CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) reflects
his membership’s view: “Travel and Tourism is already the largest
employer in the world’s fastest-growing region, Asia- Pacific. As this
report demonstrates air transport is THE key enabler. Governments in our
region recognise that and intelligently nurture air transport. In other
parts of the world attempts are being made to restrain air travel. If
they succeed, even a single percentage point reduction in demand between
2010-2030 could lead to 6.5 million fewer tourism related jobs being
created in Asia-Pacific. That is an impact worth getting exercised
about.”

ends

Media contacts:

–
Haldane Dodd, ATAG Head of Communications, doddh@atag.org,
+41 79 429 8710

–
The Summit Press Office will be available between 0800 CET Wednesday
21 March and 1600 CET Thursday 22 March on +41 22 906 66 30

Notes and further information:

–
Copies of Aviation: benefits beyond borders can be downloaded
from
www.aviationbenefitsbeyondborders.org

–
Photographs from the launch are available through the regular Getty
Images website:
www.gettyimages.com

–
The Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) is a coalition of organisations
and companies throughout the air transport industry committed to
bringing about environmental and infrastructure improvements through
cross-industry cooperation. It is the only organisation that
represents all sectors of the aviation industry at a global level. For
additional information, log on to
www.atag.org

SOURCE: ATAG

        Haldane Dodd
        ATAG Head of Communications
        +41-79-429-8710
        doddh@atag.org

Copyright Business Wire 2012