After a difficult year for tourism in 2009, particularly in terms of foreign visitor arrivals, the recovery in the sector in the latter part of the year has continued into 2010. In Abu Dhabi in the first four months of 2010, there was a 16 percent year-on-year (y-o-y) increase in tourist numbers to over 620,000 (including strong domestic tourism).
The two licensed helicopter operations on the main island of Mahe, Helicopter Seychelles and Zil Air, have recently commenced discussions of a joint venture operation, which would make better use of resources and streamline administration and operation of both companies, aimed to improve bottom line performance for the shareholders of the two companies.
Brazil’s Tourism Ministry launched a campaign in Johannesburg, South Africa to promote Brazil as a tourist destination in preparation for Brazil’s hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The campaign is called “O Brasil te chama, celebre a vida aqui” (Brazil calls you, celebrate life here). During the launching ceremony of the campaign, two short films directed by Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles were shown, reports China’s Xinhua news agency.
Mexico’s Tourism Ministry launched an advertising campaign this week as part of a roughly 700-million-peso ($55 million) investment aimed at broadening U.S. and Canadian tourists’ knowledge of the country’s destinations.
With a remarkable growth at a steady rate, tourism has been rated Tanzania’s leading economic sector during the past five years.
This summer Turkey is making a major push for tourism in New York City with two months of video images of Turkey from July 8 to Sept. 1, 2010, as well as New Year’s Eve in Times Square. Turkey’s videos are the first to appear on the new Sony/News Corporation 30-by-40-foot screen with the latest in big screen technology located at 43rd Street facing north.