Travelweekly magazine 09-09-2010

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09 Sep, 2010

03
American golfer Bryan Saltus
promotes Vietnam’s Sea Links golf course

36
How to Save Money When Travelling
Sale-off Party...

37-41
The Mid-Autumn Festival - Past and Present

www.travelweekly.com.vn

Off
icia
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ed
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09 Sep, 2010
03
promotes Vietnam’s Sea Links golf course

Dear Travel Weekly readers!
36
How to Save Money When Travelling
Sale-off Party...

37-41
The Mid-Autumn Festival - Past and Present

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Thursday 09.09.2010

VIETNAM NEWS 02 FEATURES
02. Festival to honour Vietnam’s handicraft
03
03
villages American golfer Bryan Saltus
04. Eco-tourism route linking Thailand, promotes Vietnam’s Sea Links
Laos and Vietnam 04 golf course
05. Vietnamese ethnic culture-tourism “Golf in Vietnam is in good development trend with
village to open 05 many international-standard golf courses and I hope
to open a golf course in the future here,” according
06 - 07. Four Vietnam hotels win recogni- to an American golfing pro., Bryan Saltus, at the press
tion in Smart Travel Asia Poll 06 conference to promote the beach town as a leading golf
destination in Vietnam.
09. U.S. Companies Consider Vietnam the
Most Attractive Destination in ASEAN 07
10. Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang
Nam to join tourism festival in Hanoi 08
11. Cat Tien National Park to be soon for
submission UNESCO 09
1,000 YEARS OF
THANG LONG - HANOI 10

12. Hanoi’s streets to be banned during
11
the capital’s great festival
14. Concert marks 1,000th years of
Thang Long-Hanoi
12 36 How to Save Money When
Travelling
For most of us, one of the most important considerations
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 14 when planning a vacation is the cost. If going to Europe
or taking a cruise, it is critical to book your trip during
17. Youth Olympics boosts Singapore the off-season--generally fall through early spring--to
spending - Visa 16 save on airfare, cruise and hotel costs. But once you
reach your destination, no matter the season, there are
18 - 19. Condé Nast Traveler World ways to minimize spending without sacrificing any of
Savers Congress to be held in Singapore 18 the fun.
20. InterCon Fiji opens
Club InterContinental 19
21. Thailand gets Grand Sale spending
boost 20
22 - 23. Greener Future for Costa Cruises
23
AVIATION NEWS
26. Malaysia scraps visa on arrival policy 24
27. Northwest fixes price of US$38m for
price-fixing 25
28. Vietnam Airlines Cuts Domestic Fares
by 50 Percent 26
37 - 41 The Mid-Autumn Festi-
val - Past and Present
29. Air France breaks new territory in Asia The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon
Festival, Zhongqiu Festival, or in Chinese, Zhongqiujie ,
30. Singapore Airlines joins Tourism WA 29 or in Vietnamese “Tet Trung Thu”, is a popular harvest
to boost visitors festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people,
dating back over 3,000 years to moon worship in China’s
31. South Korea launches stringent secu- 30 Shang Dynasty. Below is more information of The Mid-
rity screening Autumn Festival in the Past and Present in Vietnam.

MEDICAL TOURISM 32

32 - 35. Quality Medical Holidays in 33
Romania

BUSINESS ADVICE 36
DESTINATIONS
37

41

2 VIETNAM NEWS

Foreign tourist arrivals in
Vietnam likely to hit target
Vietnam is likely to achieve its target of attracting 4 million
international tourists this year since the number has already
topped 3,5 million, according to the General Statistics Office.
Vehicles of air, sea, and land saw increases in the number of
foreign tourists. They are mainly from China, the Republic of
Korea, Japan, France, Taiwan (China), Cambodia, Thailand,
and Malaysia. China still led in the number of foreign tourists
to Vietnam, with between 65,000 and 90,000 arrivals to the
country a month.
Several major events during the rest of the year, like the
1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and the International
Yacht Festival in Mui Ne in the south, are expected to attract
flocks of visitors.
Most visitors coming to the country so far this year – 2,7 mil-
lion - chose to arrive by air, while 628,600 came by road and
32,500 by sea.
An upward trend is seen in all the categories of trips. The
number of people visiting for tourism is up 44,8 percent year
on year at 2,1 million while the figures for business and visit-
ing relatives are up 44 percent and 4,2 percent at 667,000 and
403,300.
Ho Chi Minh City alone received almost 1,93 million foreign
visitors, a rise of 14 percent.
The city hopes to welcome 3 million this year, slightly more
than the targeted number, on the back of a tourism stimulus
program in November that will include a shopping campaign
offering discounts of 10-50 percent.

Grassroots arts festi- Hoan Kiem trade
val opens in city centre to open
The Ho Chi Minh City 2010 Grass- The VND250 billion (US$12.82 mil-
roots Arts took place at the Youth lion) Hang Da Trade Centre project
Cutural House. More than 1,000 art- will open in Hoan Kiem District later
ists from different districts through- this year. The project, covering
out the city joined music and dance 9,312sq.m and including five floors
performances during the event. and two basements, will provide a
Activities include a music show retail area of nearly 7,000sq.m leas-
organized at the 126 Theater in ing at $6,000-10,000 per sq.m.
District 3. The festival closing and
award ceremony will take place on Five-star hotel to Festival to honour Vietnam’s
15 September at the Youth Cutural
House. start operations in handicraft villages
mid Oct According to the information at a press conference in Ho Chi
Park Diamond hotel The five-star Sea Links Beach Hotel Minh City on 31st August released a festival to honour Vietnam’s
opens in Phan Thiet, is expected to be officially put into handicraft villages will be held in Hanoi from 16-21 September.
operation in mid October, with an The festival, jointly held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Vietnam area of an area of 170 hectares.
Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and
The Park Diamond hotel has Apart from the hotel, the Sea Links
Tourism, is aimed at preserving the nation’s traditional cultural
opened in the city of Phan Thiet, City Complex also includes a 18-
characteristics and helping handicraft villages and streets to
in southeast Vietnam’s Binh Thuan hole golf course, Sea Links Golf &
Country Club and 320 high-class expand their business.
province. The 14-storey seafront
property features 168 rooms, includ- villas, meeting the standards for There will be a variety of activities during the festival including
ing seven Executive Suites with resort, investment, and leasing a display of special handicraft products from 10 villages and
built-in Jacuzzis, an outdoor swim- purposes. Rang Dong Group is the streets in Hanoi and an incense ceremony to honour the founder
ming pool and Jacuzzi, tennis court, main investor for the project. of the traditional trades.
gymnasium and business centre. More than 200 organisations and businesses from 50 provinces
A spa will be added to the hotel across the country have registered for the festival, said the orga-
shortly. nising committee.

Thursday 09.09.2010 www.travelweekly.com.vn

VIETNAM NEWS 3

promotes Sea Links golf course
European and Asian Tour golfer Bryan “I’ll be returning here to work or play.”
Saltus has arrived in Vietnam’s Phan Thiet “I might live here, might have a home
City for a six-week working trip to promote here,” the colorful Californian said, adding
Sea Links Golf & Country Club, dubbed that he came to Phan Thiet for the first time.
as ‘The Most Challenging Links Style Golf
Course in Asia.’ The beach city of Phan Thiet in Binh Thuan
Province is 200 kilometers north of Ho
Speaking at a press briefing at the 18-hole Chi Minh City and houses a great deal of
golf course on 30 August, the 2007 Cam- resorts and hospitality properties.
bodian Open champion said his three
most favorite golf clubs in Vietnam are ‘Golf is for Everyone’ is the class Saltus
Sea Links, Ocean Dunes, which is also in will be guiding during his six weeks at the
the central coastal city, and Chi Linh Star, golf course, said Sea Links Golf general
which is outside Hanoi. manager Stephen Banks.

Asked about his feeling of Sea Links, the The PGA member said Saltus would be
39-year-old Californian with salt and pep- inviting children of the owners of the villas
per hair said, “I’m really impressed by the in Sea Links and Binh Thuan Province’s
location.” business people to participate in the class.
He would then conclude his visit by hold-
“In America, the idea is location, location, ing the inaugural Bryan Saltus Golf Classic
location.” Tournament on September 24-25.

Sea Links is located by the ocean and the Sea Links has been voted by Vietnam Golf
winds blow all the time around the sand Magazine readers as the country’s Most
dunes. Inspired and designed by the Home Challenging Golf Course. It opened in
of Golf, St.Andrews in Scotland, this par-72 2008 as part of Sea Links City, a property
golf course enjoys the warm and sunny complex that includes the five-star Sea
weather all year round. Links Beach Hotel, which will be launched
in mid-October.
“Playing golf here, you have to estimate
the strength of the winds. This requires The complex spans 58 acres on a long
experience and that’s why playing here is stretch of sand dunes overlooking the
challenging,” he told. ocean.

4 VIETNAM NEWS
Goods transported via Route 9 are treated different-
ly as it is mentioned in the Cross Border Transport
Agreement under the Greater Mekong Sub-region
framework and thus eligible for lower duties.

This has made transport costs higher and inspec-
tions more strict when the goods were transported
via Routes 8 and 12, said the source.

Route 8 links Nakhon Phanom in Thailand with
Tha Khak of Khammouane in Laos before linking
to Route 12 in Laos to Dong Hoi in Vietnam and on
to China. Route 9 links Mukdahan in Thailand via
Savannakhet of Laos to Danang of Vietnam.

Mr Vitavas said he hoped that when the third Thai-
Lao Bridge across the Mekong River linking Nak-
hon Phanom and Khammouane opens in Novem-
ber next year, it will help facilitate more tourism
and trade on this route.

“Laos doesn’t want to be treated as a passageway
[but this will require it to] develop its potential for
tourism on Routes 8 and 12,” he said.

The weakness of Vietnam on the two routes is that
its tourist spots are not connected to each other,
he said.

However, Vietnam is discussing with France a pro-
posal to build a bullet train line from Hanoi to Ho
Chi Minh City which would result in lower volumes
of air passengers and freight, said Mr Vitavas.

He said he would like to utilise the economic cor-
ridor as a tourism corridor as Laos is the best loca-
tion for creating a link with four countries: Thailand,
Burma, China, and Vietnam.

“Travelling through Laos will be the shortest way. If
the roads in Laos can be connected, we can easily
travel to all five countries in this region,” said Mr
Vitavas.

Eco-tourism route He also urged the GMS members - Thailand, Laos,
Vietnam, Cambodia and southern China - to co-
operate on tourism more seriously.

linking Thailand, Laos He said better joint promotion of tourism was a
good way to help alleviate poverty as foreign tour-
ists like to visit many Asian countries at one time to

and Vietnam save costs and time.

“There are few countries in the world that jointly
promote regional tourism, such as those in Europe,
“Three-country links using Routes 8 and 12 instead of the transport-focused the Caribbean countries and Pacific island coun-
Route 9 could open up huge opportunities,” suggests the Thai ambassador to tries,” said Mr Vitavas.
Vientiane. Thailand, Laos and Vietnam should jointly develop Routes 8 and 12 as
eco-tourism routes linking the three countries rather than focusing on the high- He said that of the total 2 million visitors to Laos last
ways as a trade route competing with Route 9. year, 1.3 million were Thais.

Vitavas Srivihok, the Thai ambassador to Vientiane, said Thailand would raise To promote tourism in the region, there should be a
the issue with Laos and Vietnam to co-operate on eco-tourism as the two routes single visa and shared infrastructure, he added.
have good potential for eco-tourism, given the number of caves, waterfalls and
other attractive features along the way. Mr Vitavas said the strategy for tourism promotion
should include a common market with three to five
Good transported to Vietnam via Laos on Routes 8 and 12 currently face prob- countries treated as one destination. As well, it will
lems because the Laotian Customs Department treats them as imported goods be important to develop the human resources, en-
destined for re-export, thereby having to pay higher duties, said a transport in- courage cross-border facilitation, private-sector
dustry source. participation and tourism-related infrastructure.

VIETNAM NEWS 5

Vietnamese
ethnic culture-tourism
village to open
The Culture-Tourism Village of Vietnamese ethnic
groups are scheduled to open on September 19 as
a project in celebration of Thang Long-Hanoi mil-
lennium anniversary.

Located on a 1,544-ha area in Dong Mo , Son Tay of
Hanoi, the site is a complex of traditional Vietnam-
ese architectures, highlighting unique characteris-
tics of the nation’s culture.

Apart from typical architectural work of each ethnic
group, like houses, communal houses, pagodas,
many production tools, fine arts and craft, rice culti-
vation techniques will be introduced.

There are also functional and service quarters with
malls, restaurants, hotels, sports, parks, and resorts.

A series of activities will held on the opening day
such as ethnic groups’ specialty fair, food festi-
val, cultural and art performance, folk games and
sports.

With its construction starting in 2003, the village that
features values of the distinctive cultures of each
of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups, is expected to be an
attractive destination for local and foreign tourists.


6 VIETNAM NEWS

Four Vietnam hotels
win recognition in
Smart Travel Asia Poll

VIETNAM NEWS 7

O ne of Southeast Asia’s most widely read travel-trade media outlets, Smart Travel
Asia, hailed four properties in Vietnam in its 2010 ‘Best in Travel Poll.’

In the ‘Top 25 Leisure Hotels and Resorts,’ The Nam Hai, Sofitel Legend Metropole
Hanoi, Sofitel Dalat Palace and the Princess d’Annam Resort & Spa each won a spot on
the coveted list.

The Nam Hai and Metropole have each won a spot on this list in the past. But the Prin-
cess and the Palace are first time winners.

“To be open less than two years, and to be ranked on a list that includes the Metropole,
Nam Hai and the Aman Resorts, is gratifying indeed,” said Jean-Philippe Beghin, gen-
eral manager of the Princess d’Annam.

This year’s poll by Smart Travel Asia, which claims one million online readers, is a
“distillation of our readers’ perceptions and favourite travel brands,” according to in-
formation at SmartTravelAsia.com.

Voting in this, the sixth annual poll, ran from May to July 2010. Smart Travel Asia said
its voters, on average, took 14 air trips in the past 12 months and earned US$165,000
in household income. Approximately 60 percent of the voters were based in Asia; 20
percent from the UK/Europe; and 20 percent from North America.


8 VIETNAM NEWS


VIETNAM NEWS 9

U.S. Companies Consider
Vietnam the Most Attractive
Destination in ASEAN
Vietnam is considered the most attractive investment destination
in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by American com-
panies, according to survey results announced by the American
Chamber of Commerce last month.

Out of those surveyed, 57 percent of the companies were already
based in Vietnam. An estimated 71 percent of those companies
plan on investing more to expand operations as well as 30 percent
of U.S. firms in the region.

The results were taken from answers given by 328 U.S. companies
with businesses in ASEAN member countries in Cambodia, Indo-
nesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

Steven R. Okun, the Amcham chairman for the ASEAN region said
that American companies are keen to invest in services, logistics
and manufacturing in the country.

American companies have become the second largest source of
foreign direct investment from January to August this year, pour-
ing in US$1.79 billion. This is in comparison with 2009, when the
United States was at the top spot as the largest foreign investor in
Vietnam with US$9.8 billion.


10 VIETNAM NEWS
three localities can introduce, popularize,
Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam and propagandize their images, tourism
potentialities, and available services,
to join tourism festival in Hanoi especially their strengths in sea tourism,
cultural heritages to domestic and inter-
national tourists. Moreover, travel compa-
nies from Thua Thien - Hue, Da Nang and
Quang Nam will have chance to talk and
seek business opportunities with other
domestic and international partners.

From the 2nd to the 5th of October, the memorate the Thang Long - Ha Noi 1000th
three localities: Thua Thien - Hue, Da anniversary and 50 years of Vietnam
Nang, and Quang Nam will together join Tourism. The three localities plan to host
in “Thang Long - Hanoi International Tour- one 54m2 exhibition store where activi-
ism Festival 2010” in Bao Son Paradise ties to cheer up and attract tourists will
Theme Park. take place. Besides, tourists will be given
The Festival is the most significant Tour- provinces’ specialties as souvenirs like
ism - Culture - Art - Media Festival in lanterns, conical hats, and stone-made
the National Tourism Year 2010 to com- stuffs... Participating in the Festival, the


VIETNAM NEWS 11

Nam Hai sets up
sales office in Hanoi
Four weeks after being hailed one of the Hollywood, Ireland and Four Seasons Re-
top international business destinations by sort Maldives were among the other desti-
the world’s largest travel guide book, The nations to make the prestigious list.
Nam Hai is taking further care of its own
business by opening a sales office in Viet- Situated on 35 hectares of landscaped
nam’s capital. tropical gardens overlooking the East Sea,
The Nam Hai is an exclusive, all-villa prop-
The acclaimed Central Coast resort put erty featuring 60 one-bedroom villas and
down stakes yesterday in Hanoi at 60 Ly 40 pool villas ranging from one to five bed-
Thai To Street, where Senior Sales Manag- rooms, each with its own infinity pool.
er Ms. Nguyen Thu Hang aims to increase
the visibility of the property in the north Signature features of The Nam Hai include
by establishing relationships with govern- two gourmet restaurants; a tropical spa
ment officials and community and corpo- beside a lagoon; three beachfront swim-
rate leaders. ming pools; four lighted hard court tennis
courts; and a state-of-the-art boardroom
The move comes 28 days after Lonely that accommodate up to 50 people.
Planet guide book revealed its top 10
dream business destinations — an elite For more information about The Nam Hai,
collection that includes The Nam Hai for visit www.thenamhai.com. To contact Ms.
its “stunning villas” and proximity to the Hang, call +84 4 3930 6399 or email hanoi.
“Casuarina-brushed Montgomerie Links sales@thenamhai.com.
golf course.”

Cat Tien National Park to be
soon for submission UNESCO

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has asked three provinces of Dong Nai, Binh
Phuoc and Lam Dong and scientists to soon complete the dossier on Cat Tien National
Park to submit UNESCO for recognition as one of the world’s natural heritage sites in
September.

Cat Tien National Park is renowned as the reserve of natural resources in Vietnam with
an abundance of rare, specious and endemic genes of fauna and flora, as plentiful site
for scientists, domestic and foreign tourists.

It is part of the wet tropical forest complex and one of the specious natural forests re-
maining in Vietnam.

The diversity of the Park has been recognized by the WWF when this international orga-
nization selected the Park as one of 200 global ecological zones including the land and
its water area with its well known biological diversity. Cat Tien National Park has been
listed by UNESCO as the 411th biosphere Reserve Zone in the world.

days to come 1,000 years of Thang Long - Hanoi

Hanoi’s streets to be banned during
the capital’s great festival
A iming to avoid jams during the great festival of the 1,000th an-
niversary of Thang Long - Hanoi, traffic on streets around
Hoan Kiem Lake and Ba Dinh Square will be banned on October
October 10th, only vehicles for the parade and representatives are
allowed on the streets: Nguyen Thai Hoc, Le Hong Phong, Hoang
Hoa Tham, Thuy Khue, Quan Thanh, Phan Dinh Phung, Nguyen
1st and 10th. Tri Phuong, Dien Bein Phu, Tran Phu, and Hoang Dieu.
Under the direction of Mr. Nguyen Van Khoi, Deputy Chairman of During the closing ceremony in the My Dinh National Stadium on
the Hanoi People’s Committee, the city’s Department of Transport the evening of October 10th, traffic on streets around the stadium
will set up plans for the circulation of vehicles during the three will be banned.
important ceremonies to welcome the great festival. The Hanoi People’s Committee said that autos and motorbikes
Accordingly, at the opening ceremony of the festival at the Statue from the outskirts will have to stop at car parks and move to the
of Ly Thai To on October 1st, traffic will be banned on streets: city by public vehicles.
Hang Gai, Hang Hanh, Hang Trong, Hang Khay, Ba Trieu, Hang The Hanoi Department of External Affairs said more than 200 autos
Bai, Hai Ba Trung, Ngo Quyen, Tran Nguyen Han, Lo Su, Cau Go, will be mobilized to receive heads of state and 41 foreign delega-
and Hang Dao. Private vehicles of representatives and people will tions to the great festival of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long
be kept outside the banned region. – Hanoi. Moreover, the city will also welcome 62 delegations from
During the parade ceremony at Ba Dinh Square in the morning of other provinces and cities.



1000 Thang Long Dragons showcased
towards 1000th anniversary of Hanoi

A ll 1,000 Thang Long dragons showcased on August 29 in the
Thang Long Royal Citadel.
These dragons are cast by pure bronze, with two ruby-made eyes,
The TV program, Rong Thieng Ngan Nam (Holy Dragons of a
Thousand Years), will be broadcast from Quoc Tu Giam (Temple
of Literature) in Hanoi.
based on the dragon symbolizing the Ly Dynasty. Each dragon The numbers 0001 and 1,000 attached to the two dragons are
is 3-3.5kg in weight and numbered 1 to 1000, with a certificate of linked to two historic events, the year King Ly Thai To issued a
origin. royal proclamation to move the capital from Hoa Lu in present day
They are specially produced for the capital city’s 1000th anniver- Ninh Binh Province to Thang Long, now Hanoi, and the 1,000th an-
sary. The Italian Ambassador Andrea Perugini became the first niversary of Thang Long.
person to receive a Thang Long dragon. General Vo Nguyen Giap The other 998 items are being auctioned off via email rongthang-
is the second. long@gmail.com or on www.rongthanglong.vn until August 30,
The two dragons, numbered 0001 and 1,000, will be auctioned off while others will be given as gifts during the anniversary events.
during a television program to raise funds for the Vietnam Asso-
ciation of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin on September 26.


VIETNAM NEWS

Concert marks 1,000th years of Thang
Long-Hanoi
A concert took place in the Hanoi Opera House on Septem-
ber 2 to mark 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi with
the aim at helping the audience learn more about Hanoi’s
history and honour the people who contributed to national
development in the new era.
During the concert, domestic and overseas Vietnamese
singers performed a number of well-known pieces on Hanoi
by famous musicians such as Van Cao, Nguyen Dinh Thi, Do
Nhuan, Dam Linh, Nguyen Van Quy and Tran Manh Hung.

History of Thang Long – Hanoi
“Thousand best wishes for Hanoi”

to be taught in Hanoi
The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank-
A period about the history of Thang Long - Hanoi will be taught at ing Corporation in Vietnam (HSBC)
all schools in Hanoi right after the opening ceremony of the new launched a programme to collect a
school year 2010-2011. thousand best wishes on 30 August to
According to Hanoi Department of Education and Training, this pe- mark the 1000th anniversary of Thang
riod aims to help students grasp the most basic knowledge about Long-Hanoi.
the development and tradition of Thang Long - Hanoi’s history and For each chosen wish, HSBC will do-
culture; improve the awareness of building a civilized capital to-
HSBC launches

nate 500,000 VND to a scholarship
wards the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi. fund of Tuoi Tre Newspaper. By the
The Hanoi Department of Education and Training asked schools end of the project, a total of 500 mil-
and educational centers to give instructions to teachers and educa- lion VND will be granted to 100 dis-
tional workers and create conditions for them to collect documents advantaged students to cover their
and photos for the lesson. living and study expenses.
Ton That Anh Vu, a senior officer of
HSBC, said that HSBC would like to
convey Vietnamese citizens’ best
wishes for prosperity and develop-
ment on the millennial birthday of the
capital city, and the program would
bring about practical benefits in train-
ing young generations.
The event will last until 24 September.
All Vietnamese citizens who wish to
join the program can visit the web-
site http://www.ngandieuuoc.com/ or
send email to hsbc@ngandieuuoc.
com for registration.


16 INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Indian
online travel
market grows
The online travel market in India has gone through “tremen-
dous growth”, evolving such that it has attracted new players
and investors both nationally and overseas.

A recent Netscribes report on the online travel industry,
found that India’s online travel market has grown in line with
people’s ability to access the internet, the rising prosperity
of India’s growing middle class and the availability of secure
payment mechanisms.

“Online travel contributes 70 per cent of all e-commerce
activities globally,” Netscribes said.

The report revealed that while online railway bookings have
become the preferred segment in online travel, a key role for
online travel agents (OTAs) was still as a “preferred search
tool for checking fares and ticket availability”.

Pointing to travel trends which show a growing emergence
of corporate travel packages, new travel information portals
backed by OTAs, booming religious tourism and medical
tourism, the report found that new players were entering the
market, growing the online travel industry further.

Singapore arrivals ex- Expo green buses to be
ceed one million mark used in HK
Visitor arrivals to Singapore Eco-friendly buses which have
increased 24.1% to reach 1,095,000 been used to transport visitors to
in July 2010, the highest total ever and from the World Expo in Shang-
recorded in the month of July. It hai will soon be deployed in Hong
marks the first time that visitor ar- Kong. The Shanghai Daily reported
rivals have exceeded one million yesterday that the zero emission ve-
in a single month. The growth was hicles are undergoing tests in Kow-
led by visitors from mainland China loon, and are likely to be integrated
(+62.8%), Malaysia (+52.6%), and into the city’s transport system.
Hong Kong (+39.9%) and driven by
the attractions of the new Integrated Thailand tourism
Resorts & the Great Singapore Sale. arrivals rise 13.8%
Tourist arrivals increased 13.8% in
LHW welcomes new ho- the first seven months of this year,
tels in Australia, China despite the political protests that
The Leading Hotels of the World blighted the country earlier this
(LHW) has announced the addition year. According to official data,
of two new hotels in the Asia Pacific 8.76 million visited Thailand in the
region. In Australia, The Observa- seven months, compared to 7.7
tory Hotel (pictured) is located near million in the same period last year.
Sydney’s harbour area, some with The performance was driven by
views of Observatory Hill, the inner regional markets including China,
harbour of Walsh Bay or Darling which saw a 48% surge in arrivals
Harbour. In China meanwhile, LHW to just over 561,000. Korean arrivals
has welcomed the Fuchun Resort, grew 26% to 445,000. Thailand is
Hangzhou. The 106-room property targeting 15 million tourist arrivals
is divided between the main lake- for full-year 2010, compared to 14
side buildings and the more remote million in 2009.
villas and a golf course.


INTERNATIONAL NEWS 17

Youth Olympics boosts Singapore
spending - Visa
Spending on foreign Visa-branded pay- top-ups during the Games. cards on the Opening Day of the inaugural
ment cards in Singapore jumped 38 per- Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. The
cent to S$154 million (US$113.6 million) Visa spending data indicates the top amount spent by visitors on their Visa
during the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic spenders by country during the Games Credit, Debit and Prepaid cards on 14
Games, according to data from Visa. were: August 2010, showed an increase of nearly
50 percent over the same day in 2009.
Meranda Chan, Country Manager, Sin- 1. USA
gapore and Brunei, Visa, said: Singapore 2. Indonesia For the first time at an Olympic Games,
proved to be a wonderful host of the 3. Australia Visa Prepaid cards were issued with all
inaugural Youth Olympic Games. Not only 4. Malaysia Games tickets. In addition to providing
did young athletes from around the world 5. UK access to public transport, the Visa Pre-
benefit from this world-class competition 6. Japan paid card offered young fans, athletes and
– Singapore saw a number of benefits as 7. China accredited officials a convenient cashless
well. The IOC estimates that more than 8. Hong Kong, China way to make purchases.
two billion people saw Singapore dur- 9. India
ing the Games telecasts, and our local 10. Thailand Visa has been a worldwide sponsor of
economy received a major boost as well. the Olympic Games for 24 years and was
We’ve also seen a strong showing for our More than S$11 million (US$8.3 mil- the only card accepted at Singapore 2010
Visa Prepaid cards, with nearly 50,000 ac- lion) was spent by international visitors Youth Olympic Games comp.
tive cards and close to S$1 million in card to Singapore on Visa-branded payment



“Condé Nast Traveler World
Savers Congress” to be held
in Singapore



G
lobal leaders from the travel industry and non-profit organisations will meet in
Singapore in October, when the Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Congress is
held outside the United States for the first time.

The event, will be held at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition
Centre on 20 October, and will discuss initiatives to limit the environmental impact of
tourism, and to improve the health, education and economic well-being of communities
worldwide.

Driven by the belief that the travel industry has tremendous power to create positive
change, the first three events were held in New York and featured a range of high profile
speakers including Queen Rania of Jordan, actors Matt Damon and Ed Norton, musician
Wyclef Jean and actress and activist Ashley Judd.

This year’s World Savers Congress will also feature a powerful international speaker line-
up and is expected to attract an audience of more than 250 CEOs and senior executives
across the global and regional travel industry. Some of the confirmed panelists include:

- Greg Dogan – President & CEO, Shangri-la Hotels & Resorts
- Ho Kwon Ping – Executive Chairman, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts
- Hubert Joly – President, CEO and Director, Carlson
- Lee Tabler, CEO, Abu Dhabi Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC)
- Sonu Shivdasani – Chairman & CEO, Six Senses Spas & Resorts
- William Heinecke – Chairman & CEO, Minor International

Winners of the 2010 Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Awards will also be honored at
the congress. These are travel companies from around the world hailed for their leader-
ship in social responsibility in five key areas: education, environmental and/or cultural
preservation, health, poverty relief, and wildlife conservation.

“There is nothing fringe any longer about corporate social responsibility in the travel
industry - more and more companies are engaged in truly creative, deep thinking about
how they can make a difference in the communities and environments in which they
operate,” said Klara Glowczewska, Editor in Chief, Condé Nast Traveler. “Real visionar-
ies have emerged among the travel industry leaders - especially in Asia, Latin America,
and Africa, but elsewhere as well. It’s exciting to see this level of commitment and action.
Yes, with these awards we recognize forward-thinking members of the travel industry; but
the biggest winners are travel consumers - never before have we had so many at once
fabulous and sustainable travel options to choose from. It’s very exciting to see this hap-
pening.”

This year’s congress will also include five feature panel sessions. Examples include a
CEO Travel Industry Panel, a panel exploring Success Stories of NGOs and others focus-
ing on initiatives by global travel industry leaders, Poverty Relief & Education, Health, and
Preservation & Conservation. The panelists for these sessions feature executives from
Anantara, Banyan Tree, Carlson, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Royal Caribbean, Shangri-La, Six
Senses Resorts & Spas, and more.


InterCon Fiji opens
Club InterContinental
InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa has taken luxury to a
new level in Fiji with the official opening of the resort’s new
Club InterContinental – the only offering of its kind in the
region.

Set apart from the rest of the resort, atop a hill overlooking
Natadola Bay, Club InterContinental offers seasoned travel-
lers the exclusivity of a resort within a resort. Surrounding
its private infinity pool and lounge area are 55 hilltop suites
all with luxurious Cleopatra baths and many featuring private
plunge pools.

“There is no place like Club InterContinental anywhere on
the main island of Fiji,” said InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort
& Spa general manager, Scott Williams.

“We have created an elevated standard of luxury and service
that visitors to our shores will not have experienced before.
The opening of Club InterContinental marks a first for Fiji
and offers a luxury hideaway to those seeking discretion
while holidaying.”

Access to Club InterContinental also includes a 24-hour
personalised butler service, complimentary internet access,
luxurious Pure Fiji products, breakfast in a choice of three
stunning venues, afternoon tea and evening cocktails with
canapés each evening.


Thailand gets
Grand Sale spending boost
The Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2010 con- out Thailand to enhance the shopping experi-
cluded on a positive note with a total spend ence at this year’s Sale, and Visa cardholders
of US$624 million by foreign Visa cardholders enjoyed attractive promotions, special prizes
during the two month Grand Sale, a four per- and a host of other special benefits.
cent increase on the same period in 2009.
Suraphon Svetasreni, Governor, Tourism
The US$624 million total spend came from Authority of Thailand (TAT), said, “We have
more than 2.6 million transactions on foreign worked closely with Visa for this year’s cam-
Visa-branded cards. The spending figures paign and the results are very encouraging.
show shoppers have increased the amount We are delighted to see that tourist arrivals
spent per transaction compared to last year, numbers are picking up again and we are
signaling strong signs of recovery in the tour- confident Thailand will soon regain its attrac-
ism and retail industries following the political tiveness as a top tourist destination.”
upheaval earlier this year.
The collaboration marked Visa’s 12th year as
Visa cardholders from the United Kingdom, the preferred partner for the Amazing Thai-
US and Australia were the top three spenders land Grand Sale, and demonstrated Visa’s
and the top three spend categories were lodg- commitment to helping retailers and busi-
ing, retail and remaining merchants, which in- nesses get back on track, stimulating inbound
cludes lifestyle and services businesses. tourism traffic and encouraging commerce
throughout the country. The Amazing Thai-
Somboon Krobteeranon, Country Manager, land Grand Sale 2010 ran from 15 June until 15
Thailand, Visa said: “As the preferred partner August 2010.
for the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2010,
we are delighted to see strong results from Top 10 contributors to visitor spending in
the Grand Sale which has helped the tourism Thailand during the Grand Sale, as measured
industry in Thailand. This year is more impor- by spending on Visa-branded payment cards
tant than ever as the country’s tourism indus- were:
try aims to restore international confidence. 1. United Kingdom
Visa is committed to putting Thailand back at 2. USA
the top of the list of premier shopping destina- 3. Australia
tions in Asia and the Amazing Thailand Grand 4. Japan
Sale was a tremendous opportunity to demon- 5. Norway
strate that.” 6. France
7. United Arab Emirates
In support of Thailand’s tourism and retail in- 8. Sweden
dustries, Visa worked with merchants through- 9. Singapore

C
unard Line has announced that Her
Majesty the Queen Elizabeth will
name their new Cunard, Queen Eliz-
abeth, in a ceremony on 11 October 2010.
According to the company, the naming of
the cruise liner is “a milestone in British
maritime history” and “a major event of
worldwide interest”.
“The naming of a Cunard Queen is a very
special occasion and this will be an historic
event in the true sense of the word,” Cunard
President and Managing Director Peter
Shanks said.
“The Queen launched Cunard’s Queen
Elizabeth 2 in 1967 and named our current
flagship, Queen Mary 2, in 2004.
“We are both honoured and proud that Her
Majesty will name our new liner Queen
Elizabeth.”
The Queen Elizabeth (the ocean liner, not
the person) will be the second largest ever
built and will be the third Cunard Queen to
Queen to name new
bear the name Elizabeth.
The newly names ship will set sail on her
maiden voyage on 12 October 2010.
Cunard ship after herself


Greener Future
for Costa Cruises



C
osta Cruises is taking part in the Shipboard Waste Management the nearest land for the discharge of treat-
REPCET (Real Time Plotting of Ce- ed sewage.
taceans) project to help conserve Shipboard waste management is one of
the marine environment and demonstrate Costa Cruises’ top environmental pri- Energy and Fuel Consumption
its devotion to sustainable tourism. orities. Sorting for recycling is applied to
100% of solid waste on board Costa Cruis- Costa Cruises achieved a 5% reduction in
Last month, Costa Pacifica became one of es ships, and a ban is in place to control fuel consumption per mile traveled; a 5%
the first cruise ships in the world to take overboard discharge of any solid waste reduction in consumption of potable water
part in the REPCET project, a reporting except food waste. When it comes to daily per person; 30% of special waste recycled,
system promoted by WWF Italy that aims amenities prepared for onboard guests, a and an 8.5% reduction in the quantity of
to reduce collisions between ship and number of practices have been deployed garbage.
whales while tracking their movements. such as using plates and cups made of bio-
By collaborating with JRC (Joint Research degradable material. Costa Deliziosa is equipped for “cold iron-
Centre of the European Commission), ing”, namely a system whereby the ship is
Costa Pacifica will be the location of a new Water Discharge plugged into shoreside electrical power,
series of important atmospheric measure- enabling generators to be shut down dur-
ments for monitoring climate change in the In terms of waste water, Costa’s policy is ing stopovers in port. This is a way of fur-
Mediterranean. considerably more restrictive than the rel- ther reducing the environmental impact of
evant legislative regulations in force. For in- liners when they call at ports. Joining Costa
While operating in accordance with the stance, Costa Cruises does not permit dis- Deliziosa in the “cold ironing” green at-
prevailing laws, Costa Cruises also seeks posal of untreated sewage at sea and only tempts are Costa Luminosa and the brand
to preempt new legislation in various allows treated sewage to be discharged at new Costa Favolosa scheduled for launch
terms, including management of ship- a distance greater than 12 miles from the in July 2011.
board waste, water discharge, energy and nearest land whilst international maritime
fuel consumption. legislation requires only three miles from


INTERNATIONAL NEWS


26 AVIATION NEWS

Malaysia scraps visa on arrival policy
Malaysia has scrapped its visa-on-arrival (VOA) policy, Im-
migration Department of Malaysia officials announced.

Visitors will now have to apply for visas at a Malaysian High
Commission, embassy or consulate nearest them.

Nationals of Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka are
still allowed to enter visa free but only up to five days and
under certain terms and conditions. They must show a con-
firmed air ticket and possess valid visit visas to any of these
countries: Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Ko-
rea, Taiwan or the US.
They must arrive on Malaysia Airlines or AirAsia and only
on confirmed group tour packages to any of the countries
mentioned twinned with Malaysia. The point of entry and
exit was restricted to Kuala Lumpur International Airport or
the nearby Low-Cost Carrier Terminal.
Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Muhyiddin bin Mohd Yassin, Malaysia’s
Deputy Prime Minister, said that previously they had offered
the service to several nations but had increasingly noticed
“that this VOA was being abused”.

Myanmar has also made it known that from September 1,
2010, it would likewise suspend issuing visas on arrival, a
move, which political observers believed, was aimed at re-
stricting the entry of the foreign press during the upcoming
general elections.


AVIATION NEWS 27

Northwest fixes price
of US$38m for price-fixing
Northwest Airlines’ plea agreement over price-fixing in the air-car-
go market was approved by a federal judge late last week, requir-
ing the airline to pay a US$38 million fine.
Prosecutors charged that Northwest Airlines Cargo had conspired
to fix air-cargo rates in the US and overseas from July 2004 to Feb-
ruary 2006, Bloomberg reported.
Northwest Airlines Cargo earned more than US$80 million from air
cargo services between the U.S. and Japan during the time cov-
ered by the plea agreement, the Justice Department said.
The plea agreement is part of a Justice Department investigation
of price-fixing in global air-cargo shipments that has netted more
than $1.6 billion in fines.
“The company has accepted responsibility fully,” US judge John D.
Bates said during the sentencing in Washington, adding that it “has
shown a great deal of responsibility.”
Northwest Airlines is now part of Delta Air Lines, with its cargo
division no longer operational.

Singapore Airlines to raise fares on October 1

Passengers flying Singapore Airlines (SIA) from Singapore can ex- Local travel agents have noticed that traffic is picking up both ways,
pect to pay more for their tickets from October 1, 2010. with residents leaving the country and visitors arriving, eager to see
An Economy class seat could cost S$200 (US$148) more, while pre- Singapore’s new slew of attractions such as the Marina Bay Sands
mium seats could cost up to S$1,000 (US$743) more. and Resorts World Sentosa complex. In July, foreign arrivals to the
An airline spokesperson said that global demand for air travel neces- Lion City were recorded at over a million.
sitated SIA’s third hike since April. Prices vary from route to route, The overall travel picture looks bright. The International Air Transport
depending on the market, and a range of prices offered in different Association (Iata), representing about 230 carriers, noted that in July,
booking classes is available, he said. It is expected that other car- Asia-Pacific carriers outperformed the industry average with a 10.9
riers operating in Singapore will follow suit in raising fares to pre- per cent growth in passenger traffic against that of a year earlier.
recession levels.


34 AVIATION NEWS

Cuts Domestic Fares by 50 Percent

The country’s flag carrier, Vietnam Air-
lines, has announced it will slash fares
on domestic flights by 50 percent from
September 15 to October 30.
The heavily discounted rates will in-
clude routes coming from the capital,
Hanoi and the financial center, Ho Chi
Minh City. The discounted prices will
range from VND400,000 to VND860,000
per flight following the routes below:
• Hanoi to Vinh
• Ho Chi Minh City/Phu Quoc to
Can Tho/Rach Gia
• Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang/
Dalat
• Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City to Da
Nagn/Hue/Tam Ky
• Danang to Dalat
• Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City/
Buon Me Thuot/Dalat/Nha Trang/Quy
Nhon/Tuy Hoa, Can Tho
• Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh/
Haiphong/Dong Hoi
The airline is currently state owned al-
though there are pending plans to open
the company to private investment
eventually. The company was estab-
lished in 1989 with hubs located at Noi
Bai International Airport and Tan Son
Nhat International Airport.


AVIATION NEWS 29
Air France breaks new territory in Asia
Air France is landing on new grounds launch-
ing the first ever Air France A380 aircraft on
route to Asia.
The European airline have kick started their
expansion into the Asian market with the Airbus
A380 departing from Paris Charles de Gaulle at
13:30 and expected to arrive in Tokyo Narita at
8:10 local time, tomorrow morning.
The Paris-Tokyo route will be Air France’s third
route served by the A380 after Paris-New York
and Paris- Johannesburg. The airline will fly
three times weekly to Tokyo and is expected to
commence daily flights from 5 October 2010.
The A380’s are equipped with 538 seats in
three cabin classes as well as changing light-
ing moods to match various stages of the flight
as well as new in flight wider screen entertain-
ment systems. Air France have ordered 12 Air-
bus A380’s with four already in service.
Air France will operate 52 weekly return flights
between Paris, Amsterdam and Japan from
Winter 2010.


30 AVIATION NEWS

Singapore Airlines joins Tourism WA to boost visitors
Singapore Airlines and ecutive Vice President,
Tourism Western Austra- Marketing and the Re-
lia (TWA) have signed a gions, Goh Choon Phong
Memorandum of Under- said.
standing (MOU) to jointly The focus in the first year
promote tourism to West- would be on three key
ern Australia. international markets for
The three-year partner- Western Australia - Ger-
ship sees a joint funding many, Singapore and
of marketing campaigns China, TWA’s acting CEO
and the active promo- Stephanie Buckland said.
tion of inbound tourism “Our Experience Extraor-
to Western Australia off dinary campaign ties
the back of the carrier’s perfectly in with these
Singapore-Perth services, markets because visitors
the airline announced in a from these countries seek
release on Wednesday, 1 something a little differ-
September. ent,” Ms Buckland said.
“We are privileged to “Nowhere else in Austra-
work with TWA and the lia can you find a city with
forming of this strategic 3,000 hours of sunshine
partnership is testament per year or visit one of
to our strong commitment Lonely Planet’s top ten
to the Australian market. regions of the world -
With Singapore Airlines’ Australia’s South West.”
extensive network, I am Currently, Singapore Air-
confident that we will en- lines operates a total of 93
courage more visitors to weekly flights to five ma-
see the beautiful sights jor cities across Australia,
and attractions Western including 18 weekly ser-
Australia has to offer,” vices to Perth.
Singapore Airlines’ Ex-


AVIATION NEWS 31

South Korea
launches stringent security screening
South Korea introduced ad- compared with a Justice Min-
ditional security in 22 airports istry database, containing fin-
and ports nationwide to pre- gerprints of 230,000 foreigners
vent suspected criminals and with criminal records. Those
those with fake documents with criminal histories or fig-
from entering. ure on the Interpol criminal
watch list will be deported.
The new measure is being im-
plemented ahead of the G-20 South Korea has been beefing
Seoul Summit in November. up border security with full-
body scanners also expected
Fingerprint scan and a facial to go online in four of its inter-
recognition programme will national airports in October
be used on visitors, who have
similar profiles with global The heightened security will
terrorists, carry stolen or sus- remain in place even after the
picious passports, or show an G-20 conference. All foreign
unusual travel itinerary such as visitors, except for diplomats,
those who have transited from are expected to undergo fin-
other cities before landing in gerprint scan and facial image
Korea or those who carry one- capture from June next year.
way tickets that are paid for in
cash.
The collected data will be


38 MEDICAL TOURISM

Quality Medical Holidays in Romania
By Andrei Radomir

Wherever you’re from, you’re bound to love it here! Romania is a
country like no other, always surprising. It’s a country of contrasts,
with vast culture and amazing history. The place where new meets
old, history meets modern, yet the people are the same for thou-
sands of years – sincere and welcoming. Quality ‘medical holidays’
is a concept that the Romanian Medical Tourism market has been
developing for quite some time. Read on to understand why Roma-
nia is showing so much potential in the Medical Tourism industry.

Country Overview
Romania is a country with a reputation for its scenery and land-
scapes, its Medieval fortified villages and castles, its painted mon-
asteries and the Danube Delta – the third largest biodiversity in
the world – to list just a few of its attractions on the UNESCO World
Heritage sites.
The country has been under a communist regime for half a cen-
tury, since World War II, until 1989 – so private development only
started around 20 years ago. As expected, the country has seen a
slow start, and most of the businesses only really developed in the
late 90s and the beginning of the new millennia. The capital city,
Bucharest, regarded as “little Paris” in the 1920s, is still expanding
rapidly and while most people will say it gets too crowded, the
traffic is too loud and the people are always in a rush; it’s only fair
to say it resembles any large metropolis in Europe (around 3 mil-
lion people call Bucharest home).
However, the country’s real treasures lie further up north, in Tran-
sylvania, one of the three historical provinces in Romania. In be-
tween myth (Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula) and reality (the Roma-
nian Medieval ruler Vlad Tepes) lies southern Transylvania and
the area around Brasov, the biggest city in southern Transylvania.
Being an area dominated by mountains and forests, the fresh clean
air, the quietness of the surroundings and the relaxing view of tall
peaks surrounding Brasov make this the perfect spot for rest and
relaxation – just what the medical tourist needs after any sort of
intervention.

Quick Country Facts
• Member of the EU since 2007 – EU citizens do not require
a Visa.
• US citizens do not require a Visa if they’re staying for less
than 90 days.
• Currency used is called Lei (RON)
• You’ll get about 410 Lei for 100 Euro and 330 Lei for 100 US
dollars
• Full fancy dinner for two including drinks and tips will set
you back around 200 Lei (50 Euro/70 US dollars).
• Warm summers / cold - snowy winters
• Romania has many airports, but the most used for medi-
cal tourists are Bucharest Otopeni (OTP) and Bucharest Baneasa
(BBU) due to their close proximity to Brasov and Bucharest.


MEDICAL TOURISM 33

Treatment in Romania
Romanian doctors are renowned worldwide for their
professionalism. The schools of medicine in Bucha-
rest, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Targu Mures and Iasi
carry-on the prestige and tradition of teaching Roma-
nian and foreign students for over 150 years of suc-
cessful graduates, proof of the level of education and
thoroughness of medical professionals in Romania.
While the public health sector in Romania is lacking in
some areas, the private sector is already on the level
expected in an EU-member state. Since the end of the
‘90s private hospitals have been opening up around
the country, clinics have been growing and modern-
izing, while the professionalism of the medical act
has been certified according to the EU’s standards
of practice and ISO quality standards in most private
clinics.
Romania is an upcoming destination for medical tour-
ism. Even though the country has relatively few years
of experience in running medical services for tourists,
the professionalism of the doctors, the high-quality
treatments and the last-generation equipped private
clinics place Romanian Medical Tourism in the top
destinations of Eastern Europe. The Medical Tourism
market in Romania has rapidly grown over the last two
years. It is now estimated that around 100,000 foreign
patients travel into Romania every year to receive
medical treatment. Granted, some of the patients in
the estimate are Romanian expats returning on holi-
day – the increase in foreign patients has been a large
factor in the developing of concepts such as “medical
holidays”. While most of the patients come over to Ro-
mania for dentistry or plastic surgery, the spa sector
is close behind with world renowned thermal springs
and salty baths.
Romanian dentists, and generally speaking all doctors,
adhere to very high standards of work and this is due
to the prestige of the Romanian School of Medicine,
which has given valuable graduates over the years.
That is why dental and eye care clinics in Romania can
easily rival many of the western standard clinics.
While Bucharest may boast the largest number of clin-
ics offering services to foreign patients, some other
places in the country will focus on the overall medical
tourist experience, or the “medical holiday”. Facilita-
tors in places like Brasov, Cluj-Napoca or Timisoara
can easily help the tourist book an entire experience.
On average, a treatment can begin within two weeks
of booking, while treatment visits can take place ev-
ery day, especially when speaking of dentistry.


34 MEDICAL TOURISM

Turning a Visit to the Doctor’s Into a Holiday
Medical treatment is key to any travelling patient, and the tourism cated Medical Tourism agency, patients will be able to keep up to
part cannot be ignored especially in a destination famous for tour- date with the latest news on treatment types (be it dentistry, laser
ist landmarks. While Romania won’t boast the same sort of attrac- eye surgery, cosmetic or orthopedic surgery), and get acquainted
tions that France or Italy would, the history along with the natural with the procedures and prices from a variety of certified private
environment in Romania will make this destination a great pick for clinics. The main benefit of using a facilitator is the opportunity for
any medical tourist. The novelty of a concept such as a “medical the patient to browse through various clincs’ offers before choosing
holiday” is in the fact that apart from booking a hotel and an ap- the one that perfectly suits their needs. A Medical Tourism facilita-
pointment with a clinic, the patient can have an entire “all inclusive” tor will always know that distance (even if it is a short one) is an
package of trips and sightseeing which is tailor made to suit their issue for any traveling patient. Therefore the concept of extended
treatment. While an esthetic surgery patient may need a lot of rest guarantee arose successfully, (apart from regular insurance that
and relaxation, a dental patient may sometimes embrace a more ac- brokers now sell to medical tourists) some facilitators offering it as
tive holiday – after the treatment sessions one can book anything a bonus – covering flights and accommodation if there is a need in
from private sightseeing tours to spa or beauty treatments in one of returning for remedial work. So this comes up to strengthen the fact
the many salons and parlors. that the Romanian Medical Tourism market offers professional ser-
vices, embracing and promoting quality and guaranteed work.
Moreover, once the right facilitator is found, which is usually a dedi-


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Travelweekly magazine 09-09-2010

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