During January to March, the country welcomed 846,564 international tourists, up11.34% over the same period last year.

ASEAN markets contributed 78.28% of all international tourists visiting the country, growing 10.92% on 662,713 visits. The largest source country, neighbouring Thailand, continued to grow at 11.04% with 479,323 trips.

Two-way tourism, between the two countries, has been boosted by improved roads and bridge links. The next bridge to open is the fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Chiang Rai province in late 2012. It should continue the positive tourism trends between the two countries. A fifth bridge has gained approval by the two countries, while more temporary checkpoints will also be upgraded to international status.

The second top source market, Vietnam, supplied 169,501 tourists, an increase of 9.6%. Contribution from the rest of ASEAN countries were very small, ranging from 110 to 4,400 trips.

Also European markets, once the lifeline of Lao tourism, are falling behind ASEAN markets indicating there has been a significant swing in  customer profiles. A decade ago French, Swiss, German and British tourists were the top visitors.

However, arrivals from countries in the Asia-Pacific region, except ASEAN, flourished overall at 26.08% trips (100,976) with China and Korea growing at a fast pace, 33.7% (60,146) and 42.66% (13,922) respectively. Australians were also an important source supplying 11,517 trips, increasing substantially by 18.84%.

As for Europe, arrivals from this region dropped marginally by 1.76% supplying 58,438 tourists. Several country markets reported declines including the important German market (-10.28%, 7,037). The rest supplied less than 2,000 a year.

Only two of the  European countries, identified in the report, achieved double digit growth: Russia, 11.19% (2,326) and Denmark, 14.34% (2,033).

American markets grew 5.34% supplying 22,334 tourists; of which, 67.81% came from the United States,( 15,144 arrivals increasing 3.45%). Canada showed an impressive improvement of 11.54% to 5,442.

The smallest markets, Africa and the Middle East dropped minimally, 0.24% to 2,103. The only identified source country was Israel. The numbers fell by 13.5% to 1,115.

Tourist arrivals to Laos January to March 2012

Traffic on Indian routes mostly comprises of traders, who shop by the sackful to resell items back home. Even families that are not visiting Bangkok to stock up their shops, buy electrical appliances including huge LCD screen TV sets that they have to smuggled into the country under the eyes of Indian customers officials.

The airline decided to extend its allowances for Indian travellers to reduce check-in hassles and give its services to and from Indian a market advantage.

However, the additional benefit applies only to fare categories starting at Web Delight and higher such as Web Saver and other promotional fares.

Although the fares are higher, it is worth it   for travellers who know they will be carrying more than 30 kg on the Mumbai route and 36 kg for Bangalore (based on Web Delight fares). Standard excess baggage allowances are high.

To Mumbai, the Web Saver fare is Bt14,775, while the Web Delight fare is Bt17,440. To Bangalore, the Web Saver fare is Bt14,670, while Web Delight, Bt19,385.

The excess baggage fee is calculated at 1.5% of the highest one-way fare per kilogramme. That is roughly Bt300 per kilogramme.

None of the airlines  are stingy on routes to India, but they usually limit it to the free allowance to 20 kg for economy class passengers with the exception of Air India that gives 25 kg. If you fly business class, the allowance will increase to 30 kg in general cases, but Air India offers 35 kg.

If it is not essential to have 50 kg, Jet Airways and Air India are alternatives as their fares are cheaper. Even if you have to pay for excess baggage the net cost is still lower than PG’s Delight fares.

Jet Airways quotes an economy class fare to Mumbai from around Bt11,200 and Bangalore, Bt14,000, while Air India pitches Bt10,600 to Mumbai and Bt15,400 to Bangalore.

All fares are inclusive of taxes and surcharges and are subject to availability and to change due to currency fluctuation.

The STR report covers expansion up until March indicating India led the field for room growth, up 35%, if all 60,845 rooms under construction open on time. Vietnam was second with a room growth of 27.2% representing 10,830 rooms due to open.

Hotel de la Paix Siem Reap

Other countries that showed significant growth were: the Philippines (+23.9% with 8,805 rooms); Indonesia (+22.4% with 25,156 rooms) and China (+14.8% with 203,216 rooms).

India is now the spotlight for major hotel chains like Accor that have accelerated expansion in the country. It should give the French-owned group 90 hotels by the end of 2015,  which will present the opportunity to overtake Carlson as the market’s leader in India, Carlson.

Currently, Accor has 15 hotels in India, where it has been expanding mostly through joint ventures with local partners.

Highlighted key transaction specifically in Southeast Asia include Hyatt Hotels Corporation, which will opens its first Hyatt brand in Cambodia, next year, through an affiliation with Hotel de la Paix Siem Reap.

But it will require the hotel to undergo a complete renovation to become the Park Hyatt Siem Reap. The hotel will close for renovations this June and should reopen in the first quarter of 2013 with a much higher rate structure. The Hotel de la Paix Siem Reap opened in 1957 and features 107 rooms.

Another key opening is linked to Hilton Worldwide, which announced an agreement with property owners, Hoan Kiem Tourism & Trading Company Limited, to brand and manage a 86-room hotel currently under construction. It will become the first Hilton Garden Inn in Hanoi, once it opens in the second half of this year, the hotel will be the second Hilton branded property in Vietnam.

The national warning centre said a high pressure front from China is now covering the upper part of Thailand’s northeastern region, while the southwest monsoon remains active in both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand causing heavy storms, strong winds and even hail stone showers in the far north.

Travellers are warned they will face rainy days across the country at least until the weekend.

It poses no real danger for visitors but tour company bus drivers need to be cautious when driving across mountain ranges in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai province.

The centre warns that heavy rain could bring flash floods and make driving conditions dangerous. In the far north province of Chiang Rai, hail storms followed by strong winds ripped off roof tops and uprooted trees in districts east of the town stretching to Chiang Kong.

Tourists joining boat cruises at southern resorts on the Andaman Coast should be aware that waves could be as high as 2 metres, while there are risks of flash floods at cave and waterfall located in national parks.

The Thai Metrological Department also warned residents in the north, central plain, eastern seaboard and the southwest coastal resorts there was a risk of flooding 17 to 19 May.

The department said a ridge of high pressure remains over the upper northeast of Thailand and a moderate southwest monsoon prevails over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

There will be strong waves in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand of around 2 metres high making it dangerous for tourist leisure and small boats.

The department deputy general director, Jirut Wisarnjit, said the postponement was in line with an Energy Policy Administration Committee (EPAC) decision.

“Taxi operators will keep the Bt35 flag down for the time being,” he said.

However, a study will be conducted by the Energy Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, to gauge the impact of fuel increases on transport operators.

“Based on the study we will decide whether a flag down increase is needed,” he explained.

There are around 100,000 cabs, and of that 80,000 are not registered with the Ministry.

The Cabinet on Tuesday agreed to delay the increase of NGV and LPG retail prices from 16 May to 15 August. NGV costs Bt10.50 per kg and LPG Bt21.13. Very few taxis use gasoline.

Late September, the Cabinet approved staggered increases of NGV retail prices at Bt 0.50 per kg,per month and LPG at Bt 0.75 per kg a month from 16 January to December 2012.

The Thai owned hotel company, Kata Group, is expanding with a new five-star brand “Beyond” starting with the Beyond Resort in Khao Lak (153 rooms) that opened last March.  Another Beyond Resort in Krabi (170 rooms), is due to open by mid-June.

Phuket’s home-grown hotel company, Kata Group has six properties with 1,203 rooms including two new properties that should open later this year.

Pamuk Achariyachai

However, Kata Group chairman, Pamuk Achariyachai told TTR Weekly that the group will now look for expansion opportunities outside of Phuket.

“The focus right now is building our brand Beyond Resort and to create awareness  and reputation for our group,” he said.

The group has three beach resorts: Kata Beach Resort & Spa (275 rooms); Karon Beach Resort & Spa (80 rooms) and Kandaburi Resort & Spa (183 rooms) in Phuket alone. All will undergo renovations to turn them into “Beyond Resorts.”

“Despite competition that drives rates down there is still customer demand for a high quality resort experience and we can deliver that.”

The group will focus mainly on Phuket; Phang Nga and Krabi, while looking for opportunities in other destinations in the long-term.

A low-key international brand, Nikki Beach, is scheduled to open in 2013 after its first property, Nikki Beach Bungalow Resort opened in Samui.

The expansion plan was announced earlier this month by the Castlewood Group Singapore, a commercial real estate developer linked to the group.

The new property is set to open in Bang Tao, Phuket island and will be called Nikki Beach Hotel & Spa with151 suites and 23 villas. The group claims it will expand across Asia and Phuket adding properties in Singapore, Samui Island (hotel property) in Thailand; Bali in Indonesia; Langawi in Malaysia and Hai Nan in China.

So far, the Nikki Beach brand can be found in 12 cities in nine countries: United States; France; French West Indies under France; Spain; Mexico; Morocco; Thailand; Canada and United Kingdom.

“We found the black box at around 10 this morning (0300 GMT),” Ketut Parwa, head of the search operation, told reporters late Tuesday near the crash site at Mount Salak in western Java.

“It was found around 100 metres (328 feet) from where we located the tail.”

The team of Indonesian searchers and Russian experts had combed the densely forested mountain for days looking for the black box as questions mounted about whether technical failure or human error caused the Sukhoi jet to crash.

The plane lost radio contact and disappeared from radar screens, last Wednesday, shortly after taking off from Jakarta on what was supposed to be a 40-minute exhibition flight to showcase the Sukhoi Superjet 100.

Analysts have said the mountainous terrain in western Java was difficult even for the most experienced pilots if they were unfamiliar with the area.

The black box, coloured bright orange for visibility, appeared charred in the crash and will be handed over to the National Committee for Transportation Safety, which is leading the investigation with the help of more than 70 Russian experts.

Officials did not say whether the black box was damaged or if that would hinder the probe.

The twin-engine jet is Russia’s first post-Soviet civilian aircraft and was to be the new mascot for the nation’s aviation industry, tarnished by ageing planes that even the country’s own airline Aeroflot no longer uses.

The aircraft is a joint venture between Sukhoi and Italy’s Alenia Aeronautica, which made its first commercial flight last year.

Questions are swirling over why the plane crashed with an experienced pilot at the helm.

A Russian fact-finding committee has said there were indications that safety standards were violated.

Key to the mystery is why the pilot requested permission to descend from 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) to 6,000 feet before the plane disappeared from radar screens and slammed into Mount Salak, which rises to 7,200 feet.

The transport ministry confirmed last week that a control tower in Jakarta gave the pilot permission to descend as the plane approached a military base, where mountains reach around 3,000 feet.

Photos of the plane’s earlier demonstration flight posted online by a Russian blogger show relaxed passengers smiling on board, being treated to champagne, as well as Russian and Indonesian crew posing outside the jet.

French and US nationals were also on board the flight.

Russian officials said that a full investigation into the cause of the crash could take up to a year.

© 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse

“There’s still something with my leg. Probably a bruise,” Andreas Rasch, 30, told the tabloid Ekstra Bladet.

He and his girlfriend Emilie Joergensen, 29, were among six people who survived when their plane crashed into a mountain in the Himalayan country on Monday, killing 15 people.

Andrees Rosch and Emily Jorcensen

Ms Joergensen, who spoke to the paper on Monday, had described how the plane was “flying low” when “the wing suddenly hit the mountain.”

“All the seats were scattered and we were stuck at the back” of the cabin, she said.

“There were feet and legs all over the place. There wasn’t a lot of panic but you could hear passengers crying,” she recalled.

They were released from a Katmandu hospital, shortly after the accident.

The aircraft belonging to local airline, Agni Air, ploughed into the ground just outside Jomsom airport, a gateway to the Annapurna mountain range, shortly after the pilot reported a problem.

The route is popular with tourists who want to trek in the Annapurna region the site of some of the most magnificent peaks in the country.

© 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse

The last flights to the two cities will depart Singapore 26 October, the carrier said in a statement.

“Singapore Airlines will be suspending services to Abu Dhabi in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Athens in Greece as a result of the sustained weak performance of both routes,” it said.

“The decision to suspend services is a difficult one, as Athens has been served since 1972 and Abu Dhabi since 2006. The suspensions are in line with Singapore Airlines’ policy to match capacity to prevailing market demand.”

Greece is again at the centre of the Eurozone debt crisis after an election 6 May in which Greeks voted for parties opposing austerity measures. The government had agreed to the measures in return for a massive EU-IMF bailout late last year.

The head of the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday raised the possibility that Greece could leave the Eurozone in an orderly fashion.

SIA said it will continue to serve Dubai, which is also in the UAE, while connections to and from Athens are possible on its partner carriers in the Star Alliance.

SIA’s net profit for the financial year ended in March tumbled 69% to S$336 million (US$268 million), weighed down by a rare loss in the fourth quarter.

Asia’s premium airlines such as SIA — which get a bulk of their revenues from first and business-class passengers — are among the hardest hit by persistent high oil prices and global economic uncertainty sparked by the Eurozone debt woes and patchy US economic recovery.

In addition, they are also under pressure in the premium segment due to fiercer competition from Middle Eastern carriers which have vastly improved their services and at the lower end of the market by budget airlines.

Abu Dhabi is the home-base of Etihad Airlines one of the region’s most aggressive airlines that recently acquired control of Air Berlin to build a stronger foothold in Europe.

© 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse

But luxury doesn’t please everyone as there is a growing demand for something more authentic and eco-friendly. That is in touch with reality.

How does going off the beaten track sound? Or a stay in a simple room, eating home-cooked seafood, while giving back something to nature and the environment that mass tourism so methodically destroys?

One possibility is the Bo Hin Farm Stay, located on the banks of the Sikao canal, around 45 km from Trang provincial town.

Starting as a community enterprise for fish farming to reduce costs and increase their negotiating power with middlemen, a group of locals established an ecotourism project in 2008.

Members have grown from just a handful to as many as 24. Each member earns a living by providing a component in a eco-friendly experience. They might provide a guesthouse, cook, catch seafood or guide boat trips.

Whatever they do is sustainable and it puts cash back directly into the community rather than in big corporations or hotel companies.

For visitors the experience involves interaction with locals, learning about their lives and work while appreciating their sincere genuine services. This is the real charm of the place. Their participation in conservation includes cultivating sea grass for endangered dugong and the maintenance of a crab nursery.

The only significant drawback is the standard of accommodation, which is not comfortable enough to meet western standards as set out by tour companies.

Bo Hin Farm Stay stands on the banks of a brackish Sikao Canal surrounded by leafy mangrove forests. Some metres inland, there are verdant Para rubber and oil palm plantations.

So, besides sea-based activities, guests can tour plantations learning about rubber and oil palm cultivation, usually conducted in the early morning to catch a glimpse of farmers collecting latex from the trees.

The boat tour focuses on what locals call the hidden treasures of Trang, mostly sights that are ignored by group tourism. There are several interesting nature spots that are only visible during a low tide.

Hot salted springs are one such attraction located at the edge of a mangrove forest on a branch of the canal. Without the assistance of a local guide, it would be a mission impossible to locate the site as there are no sign posts or trails. When the tide is low, you can see a small mud pond with water bubbling at the surface and it is indeed hot and salty.

Local elders, suffering aches and pains, soak in the pond claiming it has medicinal properties. On the way to the hot spring, Brahminy kites can be spotted especially in the morning and late afternoon when they hunt their prey.

Sunset beach near the estuary will also appear only during a low tide. It reveals a small flat sandy island, facing west with limestone islets as a backdrop.

This is a perfect spot to watch the orange sun sink into the sea; hence, its name. After the afternoon boat tour, it is possible to swim and enjoy the calm and quiet of the evening, a refreshing end to the day before returning to the farm for a shower and dinner.

Further south, between Pak Meng and Rajamangala beach, is Boonkong bay, rarely visited by tourists, but it has a history of providing a shelter from storms. Fishermen have taken refuge here for generations. Now it is also an important refuge for the endangered dugong and a site for an important conservation centre and a marine life nursery.

In association with marine professors and students from the Faculty of Science and Fisheries Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya, Trang Campus, farm-stay members are working on sea grass propagation by collecting seeds and growing them in plastic buckets. They replant the seedlings at Boonkong bay to increase sea grass fields for dugongs and as a nursery for new born dugongs. Visitors can take part in planting sea grass, but they need to notify their intent well in advance because the sea grass seedlings must be 90-days old before they are replanted. Participants needs to help pay for the costs of fuel and the degradable cups used to put the soil and seedlings.

The farm community also asked for cooperation from their fellow fishermen to give them crabs with eggs so that they can nurse them and return the hatched crabs to their natural habitat. However, because of a lack of budget for crab food, they have to return the baby crabs to the sea at Boonkong bay at a very early stage and this reduces the survival percentage to under 10%.

On the educational side, the tour will take guests for a walk on a mangrove forest trail under the supervision of Rajamangala University to understand its ecology.

Other activities include a visit to a small aquarium in Rajamangala University where the highlight is a seal show. The farm stay provides a boat and guide for snorkeling trips as well as lunch, snorkeling gear for a group of 15 persons. Smaller groups can take a join-in tour or pay an extra charter tour rate.

At the farm, you can watch local fishermen at work feeding and catching grouper and Barramundi.

It is both fun and educational to talk with them, but for international visitors they will need a guide to translate. Some of the members at the farm-stay can speak English, but to really understand the fishing techniques and other things, it requires a guide familiar with the community.

Accommodation is in guesthouses built on stilts with kitchen, recreational and exhibition area.

Currently there are just four guesthouses – three dormitory style that accommodate around 50 persons and one divided into smaller private double rooms with their own bathrooms. The rooms are simple with a mattress, a fan, cold shower and a small bathroom with a Thai style toilet attached.

Bigger seminar groups, can take the guesthouses and mattresses are brought in. Even in mid-summer, it is cool at nights. During the day, guest houses are hot. but as most of the activities are outside this is not a problem. The only cool spot in the daytime is on the terrace sheltered by trees.

Meals are cooked on-site by member villagers and some dishes are from the market that the locals think are tasty and guests should try them at least once. Breakfast can be boiled rice or assorted local dishes from the market such as dim sum, fermented rice noodles with curry. Lunch and dinners are always seafood. American breakfast is not featured on the menu.

Of course this product appeals mainly to domestic tourists who can cope with the accommodation and food options, but there are also international visitors who seek more from a holiday in Thailand than a five-star resort that could be anywhere in the world.

To promote the experience to the international market is not easy, but Nutty Adventures works with the community. It offers a three-day/ two night tour programme combined with a farm stay, island hopping and another community-based tourism project in Trang at Na Muensri village famous for its hand-woven fabrics just 12 km out of Trang town. Visitors will agree this a most unusual holiday option.