complete magazine

Transcription

complete magazine

Dear readers,
the time of summer holiday is slowly coming to its end. However, there is
always enough time to go for a short trip. Industrial landmarks of UNESCO
seem always a good choice – both for an individual traveler as well as for the
whole adventure seeking family. Our September issue presents few of these
treasures of the human modern history. Interested in the oldest iron bridge,
preserved board mill, ironworks or even Japanese silver mine? Go for the
Heritage part of our magazine.
Luxury car clubs seem spreading all over the US and Europe as well. Read
about the way the clubs are organized, about the advantages, as well as about
the members. The topic of means of transport continues in the section Transport dedicated to small airports and the challenges they need to overcome.
Last but not least, our magazine introduces two quite distinct destinations
– Antarctica and the environmental impact of tourism, and Montenegro
– the not well known beauty in the southeastern Europe.
Yours sincerely,
Milada Sovadinova
Editor Tourism-Review.com
CONTENTS
Industrial Landmarks
(UNESCO)
H e r i tag e
H e r i t a g e : Industrial Landmarks (UNESCO).......................................... 4
IRONBRIDGE GORGE – BIRTHPLACE OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.................................................5
ENGELSBERG IRONWORKS – HISTORY PRESERVED.........................................................................................6
VERLA’S JOURNEY FROM BOARD MILL TO TOURIST ATTRACTION.............................................................7
THE IWAMI-GINZAN SILVER MINE RUINS..........................................................................................................9
VÖLKLINGEN IRONWORKS – TESTIMONY TO THE PAST..............................................................................10
The World Heritage List comprises of 851 properties considered the highlights of the cultural and
natural treasures of the world. Among these 660 cultural, 166 natural and 25 mixed properties we can
also find various sites that might be simply called industrial. Some of them stand as true milestones
in the history of the human technical skills and possibilities. Some serve to the community even today.
Let us pick few of them and get familiar with their history and the meaning they have nowadays.
Watch and Roll: auto clubs
P rof e s s i o na l
P rof e s s i o n a l : Watch and Roll: auto clubs........................................ 12
DRIVE LIKE A MILLION BUCKS............................................................................................................................13
SUPERCAR TIMESHARES: HOW TO RATIONALIZE DRIVING A FERRARI..................................................15
FINE LIVING TOP 5: LUXURY CAR CLUBS..........................................................................................................18
EXPERIENCE VERSUS OWNERSHIP.....................................................................................................................21
Ferrari, Lotus, Porsche, or Rolls-Royce – who would not wish to drive these babies at least now and
then. Exotic or luxury cars bring not only the highest pleasure; they can be very costly with respect to
their maintenance and insurance. A popular alternative nowadays are car clubs offering a wide range
of beautiful cars for your choice. How do these clubs work? Can anyone join? And ... not that it is of
much interest but ... what is the price?
Antarctica – growing destination
Act i v e /
Adventure
Act i v e / A d v e n t u r e : Antarctica – growing destination...... 22
Amazing Antarctica........................................................................................................................................23
Tourism in the Antarctic Booming.........................................................................................................25
TRENDS AND THE YACHTING EXPERIENCE....................................................................................................27
Is Rise in Tourism Helping Antarctica or Hurting It?...................................................................29
The Necessity of Regulations.....................................................................................................................31
Antarctica – a beautiful, ice-covered land at the southernmost tip of the Earth. Over the years it has
been of great importance to the scientists and polar researchers. For more than two decades now Antarctica has become a growing destination. What do the tourists seek? What do they have to face there?
The rise in visitor numbers has recently called the attention of global authorities concerned about the
future of the continent because of the environmental impacts of the tourism industry. Let us get familiar with the important issues connected with the icy tourism.
Small airports - big business
T r a n s port :
T R ANS P O R T : Small airports – big business........................................... 33
BIG AND SMALL AIRPORTS FACE THE SAME CHALLENGES.........................................................................34
SMALL AIRPORTS AND LOW COST CARRIERS: A LOVE AND HATE RELATIONSHIP................................35
AIRPORTS DRIVING TOURISM DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPE........................................................................37
THE CASE OF POLAND – REGIONAL AIRPORTS TO SHAPE THE FUTURE..................................................38
CANADIAN SMALL AIRPORT CHALLENGES......................................................................................................40
Airports, small or large, the tourism industry definitely needs them all. Although they need to face
similar problems, small airports have some specific challenges to overcome. What is the relationship
of the low cost carriers to these smaller and regional airports? What are the roles and the importance
of the governmental subsidies? What kind of connection if any appears between the small and the
national airports in Europe and elsewhere? Get familiar with all of these issues solved by the airports
on everyday basis.
Montenegro – small country
and grand opportunity
D e s t i nat i o n :
Montenegro – the beautiful country of the southeastern Europe – still does not belong to the list of
European must-sees of the main stream travelers. Gaining its independence more than a year ago the
country however starts to call the attention of the more demanding tourists – those who seek amazing
and unspoilt nature, mountains, beaches ... Montenegro offers all of it. Let us get familiar not only
with the beauties of the land but with the nations strategies used for destination branding as well.
Travel/Tourism
Fairs & Exhibitions
in SEPTEMBER 2007
by regions
DES T INA T I O N : Montenegro – small country and grand opportunity.... 43
MONTENEGRO – A PEARL OF THE ADRIATIC..................................................................................................44
TOURISM AND DESTINATIONS............................................................................................................................45
NATIONAL PARKS....................................................................................................................................................46
BUILDING A EUROPEAN BRAND.........................................................................................................................48
MOVING UP MARKET.............................................................................................................................................49
SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES............................................................................................................................50
MOUNTAIN TOURISM IN MONTENEGRO..........................................................................................................52
T r a v e l / T o u r i s m F a i r s & Exh i b i t i o n s
i n SE P T EM B E R 2 0 0 7 by r e g i o n s . ................................................... 54
Western Europe..................................................................................................................................................55
Central & Eastern Europe............................................................................................................................57
North America & Caribbean........................................................................................................................59
Asia & Pacific........................................................................................................................................................61
Industrial Landmarks
(UNESCO)
H e r i tag e
The World Heritage List comprises of 851 properties considered the highlights of the cultural and
natural treasures of the world. Among these 660 cultural, 166 natural and 25 mixed properties we can
also find various sites that might be simply called industrial. Some of them stand as true milestones
in the history of the human technical skills and possibilities. Some serve to the community even today.
Let us pick few of them and get familiar with their history and the meaning they have nowadays.
S eptember, 2007
H e r i tag e : Indu str i al L andmarks ( UN ESC O)
IRONBRIDGE GORGE – BIRTHPLACE OF THE INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
quality iron was available in quantities undreamt of using the
traditional charcoal smelting. It was this process that formed the
basis of the industrial revolution that would transform Britain in
the 18th and 19th centuries.
The greatest memorial to Darby’s achievements is the iron
bridge itself, perhaps the best known industrial monument in Britain. The initial idea for the iron bridge came about in 1775, when
a group of local businessmen met to discuss how communication
between both sides of the river could be improved. The number of
trading vessels using the river as a means of transportation at the
time meant that a bridge with a single arch was paramount. It was
Thomas Farnolls Pritchard, an architect from the nearby town,
who proposed a revolutionary iron structure that would span 120ft
and cost 33200, a huge amount in those days.
During Abraham Darby’s III’s lifetime, Coalbrookdale was
the most famous and successful industrial area in Great Britian. Engineers and investors of renown came to visit and stand
and wonder. Since 1986 the whole area is now a prize-winning
The
Ironbridge Gorge is a deep gorge formed by the river
Severn in Shropshire, England. Originally called the
Severn Gorge, the gorge now takes its name from its famous
Ironbridge, the first iron bridge of its kind in the world, and a
monument to the industry that began there. Ironbridge is known
throughout the world as the symbol of the Industrial Revolution. It contains all the elements of progress that contributed
to the rapid development of this industrial region in the 18th
century, from the mines themselves to the railway lines. Nearby,
the blast furnace of Coalbrookdale, built in 1708, is a reminder
of the discovery of coke. Ironbridge, the world’s first iron bridge
was constructed here between 1777 and 1781 and spans the
river Severn – testament to his industry.
Although the nature has now softened the landscape and reclaimed her riverbanks, it still seems faintly shocking that so
beautiful – so quiet – a county should have given birth to all
things industrial in the world. But it was here, within the dramatic
gorge of the River Severn, that the great Ironmaster Abraham
Darby perfected the secret of smelting iron with cheap and plentiful coke, instead of expensive and less efficient charcoal. Britain, and the world, would never be the same again.
During the 18th century, Shropshire was rich with raw materials including coal, iron ore, water (which was used for both
the generation of power and transportation), sand (for moulding
cast iron), limestone to flux the slag in the blast-furnaces, and
clay to make tiles and bricks.
Darby’s idea proved to be one of the most important technological breakthroughs ever discovered. At the time, there was
a significant fuel crisis in Britain. The process meant that high-
World Heritage Site and attracts visitors from the New World
to the Far East. As you can see, the Ironbridge Gorge today is
beautiful, and breathes an air of quiet, life-giving spirit. Here,
nature has fought back and won.
http://www.ironbridge.info
http://whc.unesco.org/
S eptember, 2007
ENGELSBERG
IRONWORKS –
HISTORY
PRESERVED
E
ngelsberg Ironworks is a well-preserved ironworks with
intact buildings and industrial equipment dating from the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is an ironworks in Engelsberg, a village in Fagersta Municipality in Västmanland,
Sweden. It was constructed in 1681 and developed into one
of the world’s most modern ironworks in the period 1700-1800.
The site comprises the mansion and park, works offices, workers’ homes, and industrial buildings. Engelsberg is the only ironworks in Sweden that still preserves the buildings and most of
the technical equipment.
Iron production at Engelsberg goes back to the Middle Ages,
when mine-owning farmers achieved efficiency in the use of the
natural riches of the Bergslagen area. It was in the eighteenth
century, however, that Engelsberg could definitely be ranked
among the most important ironworks in Sweden and Europe.
The works, which was ultramodern for its time, extracted and
worked iron. The ore came from the Bergslagen mines, while
the charcoal, which was crucial for heating the material, came
from nearby forests.
Engelsberg Ironworks eventually consisted of about fifty different buildings. Besides the log-insulated smelting house and
the hammer forge there is also a weighing house where the
charcoal and ore were weighed. In the day workers’ building,
or the «inn» as it was also called, those who worked by the day
could buy spirits and find accommodation. In 1917 a Lancashire
forge with a rolling mill was built. The site also comprises two
works offices, the gardener’s house, slagstone towers, the grain
store, workers’ housing, and the byre. Engelsberg Ironworks is
largely preserved as it looked after the last rebuilding in 1870.
Particularly unique features are the blast furnace and the forge
where the waterwheel, crusher, blower, and hammer still work.
For most of the eighteenth century Engelsberg Ironworks
was owned by the Söderhielm family and in the nineteenth century by the Timm family. The works was sold in 1916 to Consul
General Axel Axson Johnson, who put it under the administration of Avesta Ironworks. Three years later operations ceased.
Engelsberg Ironworks is now owned by Nordstjernan AB, who
restored the site in the 1970s with the aid of the National Heritage Board.
In summer Engelsberg Ironworks is open to the public. In
1993 the ironworks were inscribed on the World Heritage List
and the justification of the World Heritage Committee was:
«Engelsberg is an outstanding example of an important European industry from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries, with important technical remains and with both offices and
homes preserved.»
The National Heritage Board – (www.raa.se)
S eptember, 2007
VERLA’S JOURNEY FROM
BOARD MILL TO TOURIST
ATTRACTION
to the greater rapids of the Kymijoki river, he chose a site by the
lesser rapids.
Neuman bought a flour mill next to the Verla rapids from a
farm owner, extended it to accommodate a grinder and in 1872
began the manufacture of groundwood pulp from spruce raw
material. Wood-based pulp was at that time replacing rags as
the raw material for paper and board. Neuman’s career in Verla
was nevertheless brought to an abrupt end when the groundwood plant burnt down in 1876, after which the young entrepreneur moved on.
Groundwood and board
After a few years of inactivity, Verla’s groundwood plant was
rebuilt in 1882 and was enlarged to include a board mill. The
business was run by the Austrian-born master papermaker Gottlieb Kreidl, who had moved from Kuusankoski to the remote
village of Verla. He became the famous patriarch of Verla for
almost three decades. He took a particular interest in developing the health care and social well-being of the mill workers, and
was also keen on technological advances; the first electric lamp
was lit in Verla as early as in 1899, and in the same year the mill
was connected to a telephone line.
The new groundwood plant and board mill were initially built
entirely of wood, but the board drying loft burnt down in 1892
and the following year a modern red-brick drying loft was put
up in its place. Due to the risk of fire, the groundwood mill and
board mill were also reconstructed in brick in 1895. The buildings were designed by the architect Eduard Dippell.
Aside from the actual Verla mill, the protected buildings
also include the Owner’s Residence, built in 1885. A wing
with a small tower was later added to the building. National
heritage status also covers the circular bowling pavilion,
the firefighting equipment shed, the warehouse and the mill
magazine. The latter, built in 1902, houses among other
things a flour mill.
V
erla is a well preserved 19th century mill village and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The first groundwood
mill at Verla was founded in 1872 and continued to operate until
1964. The small mill village of Verla, located near Kuusankoski,
south-eastern Finland, has in the last ten years gained public
recognition as a splendid visitor site. The site which has gone
from board mill to tourist attraction is drawing interest from visitors near and far. Visitors to the museum, formerly a groundwood plant and board mill, get a clear impression of the work
practices and working conditions of a bygone era. The whole
mill is preserved in its original condition and can be viewed in
the summer months under the guidance of expert tour guides.
The old board mill, Finland’s first mill museum, was opened
to the public in 1972, on the centenary of its establishment. Due
to its uniqueness and excellent condition, Verla was added to
the prestigious World Heritage List.. The museum is owned and
maintained by Finnish paper company UPM. In 2004 the museum received a record number of visitors: 22,000 people from
49 countries.
Humble beginnings
At the time the greater Kymenlaakso rapids were first harnessed for industrial use at the beginning of the 1870s, a young
engineer by the name of Hugo Neuman, who was born in the
northern city of Oulu, came to Verla. He had studied engineering in Zurich, where he became familiar with an invention which
revolutionised the papermaking process, the grinder for making
wood pulp. Since he was unable to start up an enterprise next
Annual production of 2,000 tonnes
In 1922 the ownership of the Verla mill moved to the Kymi
company, one of the companies which later formed UPM. The
small and already outdated mill did not have prerequisites for
growth. There was, however, demand for good quality millboard, which the mill continued to make by the old-fashioned
methods until the summer of 1964. The mill’s average annual
S eptember, 2007
production was 2,000 tonnes of board, about the same amount
as can be manufactured by a large modern paper mill in just
over 24 hours.
Verla’s millboard was called käsipahvi (handboard) in Finnish,
in spite of the fact that it was made by machine. There were
many stages in the production of the board, where manual labour was required. Before packaging, the sheets were weighed
manually one at a time. The mill had at most 160 people working there.
educational charts used in schools before the advent of whiteboards.
Initially the board was exported chiefly to Russia, and later to
Central Europe. Small orders were even delivered to markets
as far away as Argentina. All in all Verla’s board was exported
to 30 different countries. The fact that it still received an order
from the Far East as late as 1991 says something of the board’s
good reputation.
by Eero Niinikoski
Millboard a desired product
Verla’s naturally light coloured wood board was used mainly
by box manufacturers and bookbinders. It was used to manufacture various boxes, containers and packets, as well as book
covers, insoles for shoes, poster mounts, archery butts, and the
Verla Mill Museum (www.verla.fi)
S eptember, 2007
THE IWAMI-GINZAN SILVER
MINE RUINS
On
27th July 2007 the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee decided to register the remains of a silver mine
in western Japan on the World Heritage List. It is the nation’s
first industrial site to receive the honor although Japan already
has 13 other sites on the List. The site involves the ruins of a
silver mine dug between the 16th and 20th centuries, and covers 442.5 hectares. About one third of silver circulating in the
world in the early 17th century was reportedly from Japan. At
that time, most of Japan-dug silver was from the Iwami mine.
The Iwami-Ginzan Silver Mine Ruins are located around the
center of Shimane prefecture, which stretches far into the east
and west, covering a wide area including Ohda City, Yunotsu
Town and Nima Town in Suma County, Japan. Large volume of
silver was mined from the sixteenth to the seventeenth centuries here, and was used to fund the military reserves of the warring daimyo leaders and the economy of the Shogunate government. Because the Iwami-Ginzan Silver Mine was located in the
village of Sama, the silver became known as «Soma silver.»
Large volumes of silver were exported abroad, helping to join
through trade the Asian countries of China and Korea with European countries of Portugal and Spain. The annual production
rate at the first half of the seventeenth century was estimated
to be approximately 38 tons. This comprised a major portion of
Japan’s silver production, which amounted to nearly one-third
of the world’s silver production at the time.
An old record says that the Iwami-Ginzan Silver Mine was discovered by Ouchi Hiroyuki in 1309, in the late Kamakura Period.
However, the full-scale development of the Mine started by Kamiya Jutei in 1526, and it was in the prime between the middle
of the 16th century and the 17th century. After the production
of Iwami-Ginzan Silver Mine dropped, the mine was operated
as copper mine in modern times, only to close again in 1923.
Because large scale mining and development have not taken
place since then, numerous ruins from the 16th century to the
beginning of the 20th century have been preserved in extremely
sound condition. In 1969, a portion of the ruin was designated
as a National Historic Site for its significance as one of Japan’s
representing mine sites.
Even today, throughout the mine area called «Sakunouchi»
are temples, shrines and houses, showing traces of the area’s
prosperous past. The buildings remain much unchanged, offering a glimpse of what the area must have looked like at the
end of the Edo Period. In the Iwami-Ginzan Silver Mine there
are over 500 mine shafts and galleries called «Mabu», among
which Ryugenji Mabu is the only Mabu open to the public at
present. However, the part where you can go in is only a small
portion of the whole, behind which galleries are dug deep into
the dark like inside anthills and are inaccessible.
www2.pref. shimane. jp
http://mdn. mainichi-msn. co. jp/
S eptember, 2007
VÖLKLINGEN IRONWORKS –
TESTIMONY TO THE PAST
The
Völklinger Hütte («Völklingen Ironworks») is located
in the German town of Völklingen, Saarland. In 1994,
it was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and it
is also an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial
Heritage. The ironworks, which cover some 6 ha, dominate the
whole city of Völklingen. Although they have recently gone out
of production, they are the only intact example, in the whole of
western Europe and North America, of an integrated ironworks
that was built and equipped in the 19th and 20th centuries and
has remained intact. It is the only surviving ironworks in the
world from the heyday of iron and steel production and a unique
testimony to an industrial epoch of the past.
A visit to the World Cultural Heritage Site at the Völklingen
Ironworks is an adventure even today: the visitor can go down
deep into the dark corridors of the burden shed and climb up to
the lofty heights of the blast furnace viewing-platform.
The multi-media introduction to the sintering-plant takes the
visitor on a journey through time, from the beginnings of the
Völklingen Ironworks in 1873 right up to the present day. From
the roof of the ore shed, a view opens up over the town of
Völklingen and the active works of Saarstahl AG. An impressive
panorama at any time of the year, both by night and by day!
The History of Völklingen Ironworks:
1873 The iron and steel industry engineer Julius Bruch, builds an ironworks near
Völklingen. Six years later, he has ceased operation and the works is closed.
1881 The Saarbrücken businessman Carl Röchling buys the closed works in
Völklingen. He prefers the production of pig iron and in 1883 the first
blast furnace goes into operation.
1897 The first coke oven battery was erected directly adjacent to the blast
furnace in Völklingen. The Coal silo, made of sheet steel, which rises up
above the coking-plant, dates from the same year and is one of the oldest
constructions still preserved at the Völklingen Ironworks.
1917 The Water tower was erected and it was one of the first manifestations of
a new industrial architectural form.
1944 During the Second World War thousands of men and women are employed at the Völklinger Works - especially from Russia, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg. Many are victims of the excessively hard
labor and the bad conditions at the ironworks. At the end of the war the
ironworks goes back into operation under the French management.
1975 The Völklingen Ironworks was affected by the worldwide steel crisis. In
1982 the iron and steelworks in Völklingen and Burbach were amalgamated to become ARBED-Saarstahl.
1986 The Völklinger Hütte blast furnaces are shut down. The Saarland Council
of Ministers agrees to preserve parts of the closed works that are significant as historic monuments.
1994 With the listing of the Völklinger Hütte as the first industrial monument
on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites list a new phase begins in
the history of the ironworks.
2000 For the first time, more than 104,000 people visit the Voelklinger Huette
World Cultural Heritage.
2007 The World Cultural Heritage Site at the Völklingen Ironworks is one of
the principal projects of Luxembourg and its Greater Region - Cultural
Capital of Europe 2007. The Science Center Ferrodrome® has been
extended to include over 100 hands-on exhibits both indoors and out.
10
S eptember, 2007
H e r i tag e : Indu str i al L andmarks (UNESC O)
At the granulating-plant, the newly laid out picnic area invites
the visitor to sit down and have a rest: relaxing between colorful
aquatic plants and defiant steel.
Then there is the ascent to the top platform 27 meters above
the ground: that is where the raw materials were tipped into the
blast furnaces. If anyone feels like going up a little further, he
or she can climb up to the viewing-platform of the blast furnace
group. From there, there is an incomparable panorama.
In 2007, for the first time, the top platform is open to visitors
over the whole of its length, 200 meters. Via the coal track, with
the new 20-metre-long spiral chute, and the blower shed footbridge, the visitor reaches the blower shed. The blowers, giants
of iron and steel, generated the blast which was channeled into
the blast furnaces.
A tour of the World Cultural Heritage Site consists of more
than 5000 meters of interesting and well signposted walkways
and generally takes between two and three hours. An impressive experience.
www.voelklinger-huette.org
http://whc.unesco.org/
11
Watch and Roll: auto clubs
P rof e s s i o na l
Ferrari, Lotus, Porsche, or Rolls-Royce – who would not wish to drive these babies at least now and
then. Exotic or luxury cars bring not only the highest pleasure; they can be very costly with respect to
their maintenance and insurance. A popular alternative nowadays are car clubs offering a wide range
of beautiful cars for your choice. How do these clubs work? Can anyone join? And ... not that it is of
much interest but ... what is the price?
S eptember, 2007
P rof e s siona l : Watch and R oll: auto club s
DRIVE LIKE
A MILLION
BUCKS
A
number of factors were diminishing Gianluca Baldo’s desire to drive the latest luxury car.
As the owner of two vintage Alfa Romeo Spiders, Baldo knew
he wouldn’t have to shoulder just the cost of the new ride, but
also endless repair bills, time spent ferrying the car to the dealership for tune-ups and oil changes, and concerns about where
to keep it. In no time, the model would be out of style and he’d
be back at the starting line.
More than a year later, Baldo is driving covetable vehicles
such as the Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430, and Maserati
Spyder. And he doesn’t worry about dents or annual inspections. «It’s great to walk into someone else’s garage and they
throw you the keys,» says the 49-year-old owner of New Marble
Co., a high-end stone supplier in San Francisco. «There’s no
way I can provide that to myself. It’s way too much money.»
As a member of Club Sportiva, a «fractional car club» that
serves the Bay Area, Baldo has his pick of a collection of rare
and expensive cars, without the hassles of ownership. He started out with a basic annual membership costing around $3,200–
the price of a couple of repairs on his Alfa Romeos–and recently
upgraded to the elite level. For the additional $25,000, he drives
whatever he wants, whenever he wants.
Such operations aren’t like traditional clubs that bring together devotees of Mustangs or Minis; neither do they usually offer
part ownership in the cars, as fractional jet programs do with
planes. Instead, they are businesses that assemble collections
of automobiles and lend the vehicles to members for short periods of time.
Fractional car clubs began to appear in the U. S. around 2000
(the first, Classic Car Club, started in London in 1995), and
since then have been thriving on Americans’ growing desire for
affordable luxury. At last count, there were 17 such clubs, with
more cropping up every month, says Jamie Cheng, cofounder
of Helium Report, a San Francisco-based online consumer
guide for the wealthy.
Torbin Fuller treated himself to a 1982 Ferrari 308 when he
was working in finance for Ford Motor, but quickly realized he
was spending more time servicing the car at the dealership than
actually driving it. Maintenance was costing $1,000 a month.
«When I netted it out, it just didn’t make sense,» said Fuller,
who started Club Sportiva after selling the Ferrari two years
later. «Why not just share it? Part of the psyche right now is,
I want everything and I don’t want to be limited.»
There are, of course, some limitations. Car club members
pay an initial fee, plus annual dues that range anywhere from
around $3,500 to $30,000, all for the right to choose from a
selection of automobiles that they can drive for a certain number of days. Some operate on a point system–the nicer the car,
the more points required. However, shares often work out to
be less expensive than luxury rentals, which start around $600
per day for a Range Rover to upwards of $2,000 for the latest
Lamborghini. Plus, clubs throw in extras like home delivery and
detailing.
While members don’t experience the thrill of owning the cars,
they do get perks in addition to the driving. The initial focus in
the U. S. was on the vehicles themselves, but car clubs have
now morphed into country clubs with wheels. Most have large
clubhouses with bars, cigar rooms, and lounges. (Donna Karan
staged a fashion show and Sen. Barack Obama had a fundraiser at Classic Car Club Manhattan.) There are organized
road trips in the Bavarian Alps and overnight road rallies. For
the most part, members aren’t newly minted investment bankers; most drivers are middle-aged executives who already own
several automobiles. There are also celebrities: driver Mario
Andretti and Apollo 12 astronaut Dick Gordon are Club Sportiva
members. They tend to be cash-rich but time poor, Fuller says.
Why join an exotic car club?
Most members of an exotic car club are someone who:
...would rather have access to a fleet of exotic cars than owning one.
...doesn’t want to pay for an exotic car.
...doesn’t want to lose money on depreciation.
...doesn’t want to be bothered with maintenance and repairs.
...doesn’t want to pay extremely high rental prices.
...travels a lot and doesn’t want to see their car sit in a garage.
...doesn’t have time to use an exotic car for most of the year.
...wants to be a part of an exotic car club culture with added concierge services, programs, events, and other offerings.
13
S eptember, 2007
ing sold or sent to other branches, so there’s always something
new to drive, and members have a reason to renew. «Variety
is important. Cars go out of style; new models come in,» says
Milton Pedraza, chief executive officer of the Luxury Institute,
a New York-based research group. «It’s all about the experience.»
It’s also about money. The vehicles can cost upwards of
$250,000 (a 2006 Lamborghini Murcielago sells for $350,000),
and repairs, maintenance, and a garage can eat up more than
$12,000 annually per car. Then there’s depreciation: Some models can lose as much as $75,000 per year. Between buying cars
and creating a nice clubhouse, starting a car club requires at
least a $3 million investment, according to Michael Prichinello,
director of Classic Car Club Manhattan. «It’s a sexy business,»
Prichinello says. «But it’s not an easy business.»
«You get to play with fun toys and hang out with nice people
in a great space,» said Sean Kavanagh-Dowsett, 40, the owner
of three English restaurants and stores in Manhattan. His favorite lender: the 1965 AC Shelby Cobra. «We can’t all be Ralph
Lauren and own a stable of cars, but you can get a taste of that
world.»
Most collections include at least one Bentley, Lamborghini,
and Ferrari; the cars are rotated every few months by either be-
http://www.portfolio.com/
14
S eptember, 2007
SUPERCAR TIMESHARES:
HOW TO RATIONALIZE DRIVING
A FERRARI
if they wanted to allocate resources that way. All understand the
downside of keeping a Ferrari F355 happy and screaming.
Troubles with Exotic Cars
«Fixing them is not fun. Have it break and shuttling it to the
shop isn’t fun,» says car buff Keith Wolters, who founded the
Premier Car Club in Salem, N. H.«The fun part is when you hop
in and turn the key and it goes like it’s supposed to.»
«I have seen a lot of the headaches that exotic car owners go
through,» says Collin Smith, a Bay Area resident who works in
finance. And that’s the rational explanation of why Smith joined
San Francisco’s Club Sportiva, which also operates in Silicon
Valley, Calif. The other reason was the first sight of the club’s
1969 Jaguar convertible XKE, a classic racing green two-seater
with a long louvered hood.
Soon after joining Club Sportiva, whose annual fees range between $3,500 and more than $18,000, he booked the club’s 1982
Morgan Plus 8 for the week of his Napa wedding. He takes one
of the two Bentleys to the opera and up to wine country when he
wants room for another couple. «We try and find what’s appropriate,» Smith says. Some outings, that’s the orange 2005 Lotus
Elise. Other times it’s the red 2003 Maserati Spyder.
An unexpected result is that Smith realized he didn’t need
anything fancy or extravagant in his own garage. In fact, he
commutes in a Honda Civic that he can mile-up and not worry about. «I have the club, and it satisfies that desire,» Smith
says.
That’s what keeps these clubs multiplying. Most operate on
a point system and have varying deductions for each type of
car, day of the week and length of time used. Some have a
pay-perride scale.
As
of early 2007, there are nearly a dozen sports-car clubs
in the country that use a fractional or timeshare ownership model popularized with yachts, jets and vacation homes.
All offer members the chance to drive some of the world’s most
lusted-after automobiles without squelching that passion with
the worries of ownership. Many of the people who join the clubs
have owned an exotic car in the past. Or, they could afford one
15
S eptember, 2007
Scott Hoover, president of the Atlanta Driving Club, did some
research nationwide and found that people who owned what
he called «weekend cars» drove them an average of 40 days
a year. That makes the Atlanta club, which has three levels of
membership from $6,000 to $16,000 annually, a solid value for
drivers looking to take weekend jaunts in exotic cars.
Exotic yet Economical
Curvy Road, an offshoot of Exotic Car Share near Chicago,
offers fractional ownership, which means owners get a share
of the selling price. Among the clubs are the Classic Car Club
of Manhattan, the Otto Club in the Boston area, Privatus, in
Charlotte, N. C., the Van Horssen Group in Scottsdale, Ariz.,
and Velocity, which opened on April 4 in Greenwich, Conn., a
town synonymous with wealth long before hedge-fund managers settled there. Such was the demand that Chris Maybury,
one of Velocity’s founding partners, signed up potential members at the opening party. Among the 15 cars on display was a
rare Aston Martin DB9.
To drive that car or the club’s Porsche Carrera GT and Mercedes SLR McLaren, applicants must provide character references and pay a $3,500 initiation fee, then a $28,500 annual
fee. The club figures that two years of membership would cost
$69,260 and save $150,700, compared to buying that Porsche
for $455,000, only to pay taxes, maintenance and interest while
watching it depreciate in value $320,000.
Numbers like that are a huge selling point and a key reason
for the burgeoning numbers of clubs nationwide. «The economics work out well,» says John Caron, founder of the Otto Club.
This includes insurance that varies from state to state, but most
often uses the member’s policy as the primary protection.
Welcome to the Club
Jamie Cheng, founder of the Helium Report luxury market
research firm, suggests that anyone considering a club membership go beyond getting info on the number and models of
cars. He says prospective members should ask about availability, so they’ll know how likely it is they’ll get the car they prefer
at the time they want it. He also recommends getting a clear
understanding of exactly what comes with membership. What
are the extra charges? Is the club more about the cars or the
club program? «Some are places to hang out, like cigar clubs
were 10 years ago,» he says.
Joining one of these clubs isn’t necessarily easy. Most rely
on word of mouth to find new members. All the clubs put prospective members through an extensive application process. At
Club Sportiva, not only does the club check driving records, but
staff members interview applicants to determine their expectations and predict whether they’ll fit in with the group, says Torbin
Fuller, the club’s founder.
Picking the right people keeps everyone happy. «You want
like-mindedness,» says Otto’s Caron. Give them what they
want, and more enthusiasts join. He didn’t plan on having a
cigar room in the clubhouse, but members thought it would be
great, so now there is one.
When the group clicks, «it’s great,» says Stephen Doherty, a
Premier Car Club member who lives in Andover, Mass. He says
he enjoys the camaraderie of the club almost as much as driving the Hummer or the Lamborghini.
Club Sportiva coordinates wine tasting, scotch and cigar
nights, go-carting expeditions, quarterly road rallies, poker
nights and events like a private tour of the Tesla headquarters.
At all the clubs, concierge services are the norm: Tickets to
sporting events, travel arrangements, car services and even
dry cleaning pick-ups are offered. Sportiva also operates an
auto brokerage, buying cars for members for about 1 percent
above cost, then handling all the paperwork and delivery arrangements.
Almost all the clubs solicit member opinions before buying
new cars. In Atlanta, the debate is between a late 1960s Pontiac GTO or Chevrolet Camaro convertible. «I think the GTO
is in the lead right now,» Atlanta’s Hoover says. In Greenwich,
there are discussions about a chauffer-driven Bentley.
Training, Training…
Another universal feature is driver training. A trip to driving
school, if not required as part of joining, is strongly encouraged.
«A Lexus is not a Lamborghini,» Sportiva’s Fuller says. Before
each drive, Club Sportiva members receive a 45-minute tutorial
on the nuances of their ride. «The goal is comfort and safety,»
16
S eptember, 2007
are instructed to roll down their windows so they can hear the
Ferrari’s V8 or V12 engine echo through the canyons. The route
twists by the mountaintop fortress that was the villain’s stronghold in the 1969 James Bond movie «On Her Majesty’s Secret
Service.» Keep driving down the same Alpine road to track the
chase scene involving the Aston Martin and Ford Mustang from
the 1964 Bond classic «Goldfinger.»
Some Sportiva members spend as long as a month driving
through Europe, says founder Torbin Fuller, but the average is a
week to 10 days. The club makes route recommendations and
handles all arrangements.
Take the winding roads of Italy’s Amalfi Coast or detour off
the Strada Chiantigiana as it dips and twists through Tuscany
between Florence and Siena. If top speed in a straight line is
on your to-do list, then Germany’s Autobahn beacons between
Audi, BMW and Porsche factory tours.
In September, Boston’s Otto Club is planning a six-day tour
for up to 20 members and guests. The program starts in Stuttgart, with a private tour of the Porsche factory. While the exact
itinerary has yet to be finalized, a Porsche factory driver is selecting the route and leading the way. In addition to driving, club
members said they wanted to learn more about fine watches
while in Switzerland. Private tours and presentations will be
held at three houses.
European group tours are in the planning stages for members
of Exotic Car Share, located in Palatine, Ill. Until then, founder
George Kiebala helps members plan a trip. He also encourages
local tours, such as a jaunt to the historic town of Galina, Ill.
While Austria, France, Germany and Italy are top destinations
when club members vote, individual drivers also roam through
France and occasionally north to Scandinavia. Insurance and
red tape keeps the clubs out of scenic spots elsewhere in Europe, like Croatia, Greece and Turkey.
Of course the car share clubs offer stateside trips, too. This
May, Classic Car Club will lead 20 of its members on a rally from
their Manhattan home base to New Orleans in the club’s elite
vehicles, taking southern back roads along the way. Classic Car
Club bills the second annual trip as the «Rally to Hell» and «the
ride of a lifetime.»
Renting Exotic Cars vs. Joining a Fractional Car Club:
Renting an exotic car is usually impractical, since exotic car rental companies
charge extremely high rental rates. For example, a 2006 Ferrari F430 Spider
is rented for $3,000 per day or $18,000 per week, on average. Compare those
prices to the average prices of $300-$450 per day to use a Ferrari as a member
of a fractional car club. Also, exotic car rental companies usually have limited
options, that are often booked during busy periods, and so exotics aren’t always
available with rental companies as they are with clubs.
Fuller says. If they’re comfortable with the car, they’re safer.»
In four years of operation, the club has yet to have one of its
vehicles in even a minor fender-bender.
Driver training is perhaps even more important for the clubs
that operate in areas where winter brings snow and ice. None
of the clubs close down, but they do bundle up. The Hummer
gets a workout at the Premiere Car Club. The Otto Club gives
members credit for days when it snows and they must keep the
car in the garage.
Suzanne Garner, a Silicon Valley software engineer, tends to
wait until Northern California’s rainy winters end before exercising her Club Sportiva membership. An «Elite» member, she has
access to every car in the club, and uses them. «I love cars and
I love driving… I put a lot of miles on the Sportiva cars.» An
enthusiastic participant in club events, Garner became the first
female amateur to drive a Formula One car on a U. S. track, an
opportunity that the club organized. On more ordinary weekends she takes driving trips by herself – it’s «a chance to get
completely away,» she says.
Garner admits that without the club taking on the burdens of
maintenance, storage and repair, driving such exotic vehicles
would be less appealing. «I couldn’t manage all the work,» she
says «The cars are always beautifully detailed. You just get in
them, drive and have fun.»
Tours in Europe
Another way exotic car share clubs seek to optimize the enjoyment and minimize the hassles of driving supercars is by
arranging tours of Western Europe in sports cars comparable to
those in the home stable.
While any Ferrari owner can arrange a tour of the Maranello
factory through his or her local dealer, the clubs’ forte is handling
all the coordination before and during travel, thus buying time
for members while assuring them of peak experiences. Befitting
the level of exclusivity of the cars these clubs offer, all hotels
are world-class, all meals gourmet and all problems solved, if
humanly possible. Clubs will even handle all of the paperwork
(purchasing, licensing and shipping) involved with carmakers’
own European delivery programs.
But true enthusiasts will most appreciate the car club staffers’ inside knowledge: On an Alpine route, Sportiva members
by Elizabeth Blish Hughes
http://finance.yahoo.com/
17
S eptember, 2007
FINE LIVING TOP 5:
LUXURY CAR CLUBS
The price for such a fabulous life? It will take a joining fee of
$1,500 and an annual membership fee of $7,000 or $10,500,
depending on your intended level of participation. The best option may simply be the lifetime membership for $55,000.
With a goal of 80 cars, there are already over two dozen on
hand. Next to Jerry Seinfeld’s collection, the fleet is one of the
nicest in New York, reading like an enthusiast’s wish list: Ferrari,
Lotus, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, and so on. One of the cool things
about Classic Car Club is the lineup that can’t be found with
other clubs. Love mechanical Italian opera? A pair of fine Alfa
Romeos await. Forget the replicas; you can drive an authentic AC Shelby Cobra or Porsche Speedster. Feeling patriotic?
Jump in the ’65 Mustang convertible or the ’67 Chevelle. And for
the gangster in all of us, a pimped-out ’68 Lincoln Continental is
ready to roll through your neighborhood.
Classic Car Share, Illinois
The oldest and largest luxury car club in the U. S. and an international race resort…
While some of these clubs are new to the game, greater Chicago’s Classic Car Share identifies itself as the oldest and largest of its kind in the U. S., as it was established in 2000. To think
of a pioneer in a field less than 10 years old is a little unusual,
but remember that the luxury car club market is still emerging.
Classic Car Share fees are some of the most reasonable you
will encounter; it just takes $250 for a five-year membership.
Then, the price you pay depends on whether you have a car out
for a three-day weekend ($330 per day) or a week ($214 per
D
riving classic and exotic cars is sybaritic. When they are
in proper tune, a synergy is created between man and
machine. All feels right in the world. Nothing could possibly ruin
that feeling of… clunk. Well… except for the dissolution of that
synergy vis-à-vis the sudden resignation of essential bits and
pieces, punctuated by a cloud of smoke or a trail of fluid. We
may hold skilled auto technicians in high regard, but we still
don’t enjoy the presentation of the repair bills – especially when
they involve multiple pages and the inclusion of a comma in the
total figure.
«Never fight an inanimate object,» P. J. O’Rourke wisely advised. Fair enough. But how does one enjoy the otherworldly
experience of a great automobile without the weeping and
gnashing of teeth, whether your own or the car’s?
For a growing number of enthusiasts, the answer is membership in a luxury car club. Whether structured as time-sharing,
fractional ownership or glorified rental, these clubs afford members the privilege of experiencing fine cars without the requisite
downfalls of ownership. Although most members could easily
afford such vehicles, they would rather have someone else
shoulder the depreciation, insurance, maintenance, and storage.
Let us took a look at some of the best luxury car clubs:
Terminology:
Car Share Club
generic term for any club where membership enables
members to use cars.
Sign-Out Period
the amount of time a member can use a car per usage,
usually measured in days. Minimum sign-out periods
range from 1-7 days, while maximum sign-out periods
range from 1-2 weeks (depending on the club and plan).
Member-to-Car Ratio the number of members per car. Understand how a
club uses this ratio, as this ratio does not tell you much
about how available cars will be. Some clubs have
large percentage of inactive or less active members,
whereas other clubs have a higher percentage of active
or very active members. A better ratio to use is the
availability ratio.
Reservation Rate
the percentage of time that a member can reserve his or
her first-choice car. Some clubs do not track this rate.
Pay-per-Use
members pay each time they use cars, as opposed to
using pre-paid points or days to use cars. Clubs usually
have a minimum sign-out period (e. g. 3-day minimum).
Points-per-Use
members use pre-paid points for each use.
Fractional Ownership members own rights to usage and, in some cases, equity
in cars as well. Note: Most «fractional ownership»
clubs do not offer equity in cars.
Classic Car Club Manhattan, New York
«All the fun, none of the hassle» is the assertion of Classic
Car Club Manhattan. Born in London in 1995, the Classic Car
Club idea was a smash. Having parlayed its UK success into
the New York venture in 2005, the club is definitely in the passing lane; it even landed on VH1’s Fabulous 40 for 2006.
18
S eptember, 2007
Exotic Car Country Club, Florida
If you want to experience all the splendor of an automotive
buffet, your best bet is to head for Florida. However, if you simply want to sample the menu of cars from Florida’s Exotic Car
Country Club, you only need to be within the continental U. S.;
they deliver and pick up the cars themselves.
One of my favorites on this list, Exotic Car Country Club is
ideal for the enthusiast who has plenty of cash flow, and loves
to sample from new and classic luxury and exotic cars. Hardly the lowest-priced in our group, its refundable membership
fees range from $100,000 to $250,000 depending on the level.
Monthly – yes, monthly – membership dues run between $1,600
and $1,800. There is no minimum length of time to keep a car,
though the club’s patience wears thin if you keep a car for three
months (the limit for most models). While you pay for delivery,
Exotic Car Country Club pays the return shipping.
Platinum, the most inclusive membership level, allows access
to the cars you would expect in this price range, and like Classic
Car Club Manhattan, Exotic Car Country Club also has several
cool twists on the «typical» high-end car selection. Lamborghini
lovers can dust off their gold chains and fire up a Countach,
turn heads in an obscure Jalpa or head for the hills in a LM002
SUV. There are actually two Vectors on hand, which quite possibly represent a sizable fraction of the models still in existence.
Special edition 288 GTO, F40, F50, and 550 Barchetta Ferraris
are also on the menu. It is a tad more expensive than food from
a trough, but this all-you-can-drive buffet satisfies any automotive appetite.
day). Eyeing the Ferraris? To drive off in the red Mondial, 348
Spider or 355 Spider, it will take $480 per day for the three-day
scenario and $314 per day for the weeklong plan.
The rest of the stable is desirable, too. In contrast to some
clubs, Classic Car Share’s youngest cars may not be brand
new (save for the 2006 Corvette convertible), but they are all
in great shape and will not disappoint. Just keep in mind the
company name. The aforementioned Vette is in good company;
it shares space with a ’64 convertible and a ‘69 coupe. Other
classic muscle car options are a ’68 Pontiac GTO and ’69 Ford
Mustang Mach I. Contemporary road rockets include a Dodge
Viper Coupe and a Porsche Boxster S. LuxShare Auto Club, Indiana
Sometimes, you need to go off the beaten path. Evansville, Indiana is home to one of the newest clubs, LuxShare Auto Club.
Yes, Evansville, Indiana. Before you dismiss the idea, keep in
mind that the city already has an established Panoz dealership
in Buxton Motorsports. In fact, owner Brian Buxton is also the
man behind LuxShare.
To get on board, it takes $250 to enroll and annual fees of
$7,250 for a standard membership or $9,000 for premium status. A point system is also attached to each membership level.
Race Resort Ascari, Spain
If Race Resort Ascari’s location stands out among these other
hotspots, you will have to excuse me. Quite simply, it is an outstanding club. So while I made an exception and ventured outside the States for this one, you’ll see it is well worth the journey.
Inspired by and named after racing legend Alberto Ascari, this
members-only track and onsite resort began development in
2000. Today, its valley location in southern Spain is as great to
behold as it is to drive. The circuit consists of three configurable
subsections totaling a little over three miles. I hope you like G’s,
because the track has 26 corners in all, making up roughly 42 %
of the ride.
But to experience these lateral G’s, it will take a few G’s from
your wallet. Individual memberships require a one-time joining
fee of about $160,000 U. S. and about $6,400 U. S. annually.
You are then welcome to bring your own car to the track for 50
days per year.
If you would rather not put your own car through its paces on
Ascari’s track, the club has several track cars to choose from at
extra cost. Finally, if you’re worn from too much driving or celebrating at the clubhouse after your laps, you will take comfort
in knowing a hotel and spa are being planned.
Questions to Ask
Is insurance included in the usage fees?
What is the club’s rental guarantee policy?
What is the average price per day?
What is the reservation rate?
What is the member to car ratio?
How many members are in the club?
What is the club’s total member goal?
Are there any additional fees?
Can I let my friends, family, and/or colleagues use my membership?
Is car delivery provided?
Can I store my car at the club?
What kind of concierge or additional services, if any, does the club provide?
What is the nature of the club culture?
Does the club have plans to raise prices and policies in the future?
How safe is my membership fee and annual due?
19
S eptember, 2007
Nothing too complicated – just a bit of anticipation as LuxShare
builds its membership and fleet to target levels.
On the horizon, Buxton envisions members choosing from
Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce keys. At the
moment, the roster is filled by Porsche Cayman S’s. And by that
we mean one. Obviously, this is the dicey part of establishing
a luxury car club: To gain members, you need cars. To gain
cars, you need members. Buxton has demonstrated solid per-
formance as a dealer, so we suspect he’ll gain momentum with
LuxShare as well.
http://www. askmen.com/
20
S eptember, 2007
EXPERIENCE
VERSUS
OWNERSHIP
For
the rich, ownership used to be everything. Ten years
ago, no self-respecting multi-millionaire or billionaire
would have been caught dead in a rented car, rented house or
rented boat. What was the point of being rich if you couldn’t own
your own status symbols?
Now, a sea change is sweeping through the luxury world in
the form of fractional ownership. It started with jets, then moved
to plush vacation homes (rented by destination clubs) and automobiles available from exotic-car clubs.
The next wave in fractional ownership? Yachts. YachtPlus,
the U. K. based company, is building a fleet of ten yachts to be
sold off in fractional pieces. Each of the 132-foot long boats will
be divided into eight shares sold for $2 million each. (For those
about to get out their calculators, that works out to $121,212.12 a
foot.) In an article, Han Verstraete, chief executive of YachtPlus,
says that the rich no longer prize ownership. They prize experiences.
«My typical customer will have three real-estate assets and
perhaps also do some sharing of jets,» he says. «The yacht
experience is the experience these people are seeking next.»
The article also quotes James Lawson, senior research director at Ledbury Research, saying that «many wealthy people are
looking for driving lessons organized by Ferrari, cooking lessons
by celebrity chefs, and exclusive travel and holiday experiences.
Experience is becoming more important than ownership.»
This is the common sales pitch from all fractional companies.
Why own when you can co-own? Why deal with the hassles of
finding a plumber for your house in Cabo, repairing the transmission on the Ferrari, and hiring your own pilots when you can
let someone else do it and still enjoy the ride?
It’s a reasonable argument – up to a point. Today’s wealthy do
indeed value experiences as much as things. But that doesn’t
necessarily mean they want to share the cost of their things.
Fractional ownership is likely to keep growing as the ranks of
wealthy and affluent explode. But the industry will have to overcome three major hurdles:
The Christmas-Vacation Effect
Tanner & Haley, the first destination club, went bankrupt in
part because all of its members wanted to be in the same vacation spots at the same times. So the company had to rent
homes to accommodate the unexpected demand. Fractional
ownership is based on the premise that all owners will want to
use the asset at different times. But, inevitably, they all want to
use their toys during peak holiday times – Christmas and New
Year, Easter break, and August. When all eight owners of the
YachtPlus yacht want to use the boat for the first two weeks in
August, what happens? (Even rigorous scheduling and point
systems leave people disappointed.)
The Wealthy Don’t Like to Share
These are people who have worked hard for their fortunes
and are used to getting top treatment. They like things their way.
Fractional yacht-ownership has run into trouble in the past because owners typically want their own kind of boat, crew service
and trip itineraries. Can you imagine eight multi-millionaires trying to agree on flatware?
Economics
In the end, fractional ownership is only as strong as the partners. What if you buy a boat with eight people and two end
up bankrupt? What if the company selling the shares suddenly
finds itself in dire straits? While fractional ownership may spread
the costs of ownership, it also expands the pool of risks.
And as renting and chartering becomes increasingly popular
for top cars, yachts, planes and mansions, co-owning starts to
look less attractive. Fractional ownership looks like it has the
potential to combine the worst of both worlds – the price of ownership combined with the personal costs of sharing.
http://www.exoticcarclubs.com/
21
Antarctica – growing destination
Act i v e /
Adventure
Antarctica – a beautiful, ice-covered land at the southernmost tip of the Earth. Over the years it has
been of great importance to the scientists and polar researchers. For more than two decades now Antarctica has become a growing destination. What do the tourists seek? What do they have to face there?
The rise in visitor numbers has recently called the attention of global authorities concerned about the
future of the continent because of the environmental impacts of the tourism industry. Let us get familiar with the important issues connected with the icy tourism.
S eptember, 2007
Act i v e / A dv e n t u r e : Antarc ti ca – g row ing d e stinati on
Amazing Antarctica
be around + 30 degrees F. This year a record was set for warm
weather, + 51 degrees. This may have something to do with
Global Warming.
The Darkest
The sun sets on April 20th every year and it stays dark until «sunrise», August 20th. From then until October 1st there
is a period where there are normal sunrises and sunsets.
Then, the sun begins to stay up all 24 hours. This continues
till about the 20th of February. At this time another period
begins where there are normal sunrises and sunsets. This
continues till «sunset» on the 20th of April. So it is dark as
the inside of a closet with the door shut till the next «sunrise», August 20th.
The Driest
All the moisture in the air freezes, so the humidity in Antarctica is almost zero. The amount of moisture received by the
polar plateau is actually comparable to that falling on the world’s
hot deserts.
The Highest
The ice on Antarctica varies from 1600 meters thick on the
edges to 3000 meters thick at the South Pole. As for size, Antarctica is larger than the lower United States and Mexico combined. So, that is a lot of ice. It is enough ice to be 70 percent of
the world’s fresh water, and 90 percent of the world’s ice. There
are huge mountains in the Transantarctic Mountain range that
go as high as 4115 meters. There is an active volcano just 32
km from McMurdo and it is 3962 meters tall (Mount Erebus).
The average elevation of Antarctica is 2500 meters. The height
of the South Pole is 2835 meters. The highest point on the icecap is in Australian Antarctic Territory, at 4100 meters, at 82
20’S, 56 30’E. Vinson Massif is the highest mountain in Antarctica, at 4897 meters.
The
Antarctic is a remarkable continent – remote, hostile
and uninhabited. Yet it is of key importance to our
understanding of how the world works. For the early explorers
Antarctica was the ultimate survival contest. For scientists it remains a place of intellectual challenge whilst for the modern
tourist it is simply a wilderness of great beauty.
It is a place of extremes. Antarctica is the coldest, darkest,
driest, highest, and windiest continent on earth. With a very low
snowfall most of the continent is technically a desert, with the
icecap containing almost 70 % of the world’s freshwater and
90 % of the world’s ice. Huge icebergs break off each year from
the floating ice shelves and half of the surrounding ocean freezes over in winter, more than doubling the size of the continent.
The Windiest
Winds are formed at the earth’s equator and go straight up
coming back to earth at the South Pole. Here they head for the
sea in all northbound directions. The winds (called Katabatic
winds) are cooled and begin to pick up velocity, sometimes
reaching 327 kilometers per hour by the time they reach the
sea headed back north where they came from. Another wind
is generated that blows on-shore around Antarctica headed
south. These winds collide and go upwards to form an upper
atmosphere wind. The wind seldom stops because there are no
trees or plants to slow it down.
The Coldest
The lowest temperature ever recorded on earth was a little
more than – 128 degrees Fahrenheit (-89.2°C) recorded at a
Russian site, Vostok, Antarctica (about 200 miles from the South
Pole towards Australia) in 1983. People are stationed there all
year round as well as at the South Pole and McMurdo Station,
which is about 1287 km north of the South Pole on longitude,
166 east. The temperature at McMurdo Station varies by the
season. In the winter the temperature may be as low as – 65
degrees F. In the summer, the temperature around Christmas
(don’t forget, our summer is the same time as your winter) will
Science
The national Antarctic programs of many nations have been
active in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions for many years.
23
S eptember, 2007
These programs conduct research and other activities which
are the key to protecting this region, and understanding its influence on the way our planet operates. Antarctica is not a scientific curiosity but a key part of the fabric of the Earth system. The
processes taking place now in the Antarctic affect the world’s
climate and its oceans, linking the continent inextricably to what
we experience thousands of kilometers away. In understanding
global change the Antarctic has a crucial role to play. Locked
up in its 4 km thick ice sheet is a record of past climate for the
last 500,000 years. Trapped bubbles in the ice hold an archive
of atmospheric gases, and evidence for levels of global pollution by industry, agriculture and atomic bombs is frozen into the
ice. Equally important is the evidence for ozone depletion in the
upper atmosphere. Studies on the ice sheet and its contribution
to world sea level rise are vital to our understanding of global
change.
ous animals here are the Orcas, seals, Skuas, and of course
everybody’s favorite, a million penguins. But… no polar bears
as many think. That’s it, all the other animals are krill (a shrimp
like delicacy the penguins love), Antarctic Cod (a big real slow
fish that all the animals love), and numerous other marine animals that live under the sea. One of the most outstanding things
about Antarctica is the Orcas, or Killer Whale. These guys come
in every year after the Coast Guard plows a channel from the
open sea to McMurdo to look for seals. These guys weigh about
4500 kilograms and a seal weighs only 450kilograms. On the
ice a seal cannot move very fast, more like a big snail.
http://www.pcs.k12.va.us
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk
Polar Bears and Other Animals
Less than 1 % of the continent is free of ice and snow and the
plants and other organisms living there need to be adapted to
survive prolonged freezing and desiccation. The four most obvi-
24
S eptember, 2007
Tourism in the Antarctic
Booming
A
ntarctica is not usually thought of as a tourist destination
but over 15,000 people per year now visit the continent
during the Antarctic summer (December-February). Tourism
began in 1958 but only became a serious activity in 1969. In
that year Lars-Eric Linblad took his purpose built Antarctic tour
ship – Linblad Explorer – to the Antarctic for the first time. Since
then the industry has grown considerably both in numbers and
diversity.
It was not until the 1980s that tour ships began to visit the
south in bigger numbers (47 % coming from the USA, 33 %
from Germany, Australia, Japan and the UK). The dominant age
group of visitors is retired people.
In 1991, the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) was formed to co-ordinate tours in the south. Most
tours are to the Antarctic Peninsula and usually last from seven
to 14 days. Passengers are flown to Ushuaia on the south coast
of Tierra del Fuego, then board specially strengthened ships for
the Antarctic. Icebergs, glaciers, penguins, seals, whales, the
clear atmosphere all make the Antarctic a place people enjoy,
and many wish to return to the south although the weather can
be very wild. IAATO rules limit the number of passengers per
ship to 400 due to very limited rescue facilities. Prices for a
cruise vary between £3,000 and £5,000.
Whilst most tourists still visit on ship-borne cruises, some now
take overflights from Australia or South America, others fly in
to a blue ice airfield and climb mountains or ski to the South
Pole.
Flights to the Antarctic began in 1977 from Christchurch
with Air New Zealand. In 1979, there was a disastrous crash
when an Air New Zealand DC10 crashed into Mount Erebus killing 257 people. Air flights have subsequently begun
again, and Qantas operate flights over the Antarctic in a
Boeing 747. In summer of 1997-98, a total of 3,146 people
were carried.
25
S eptember, 2007
Around 200 sites including 20 research stations have been visited in the Antarctic Peninsula region since 1989
About 50 of these sites have received more than 100 visitors in any one season
and about the same number have been visited just once.
Visits are concentrated at less than 35 sites.
Less than 10 sites receive around 10,000 visitors each season.
Most tourists visit the Antarctic Peninsula and offshore islands
to see the scenery, the wildlife and some of the historical sites
of the early explorers. A small but increasing minority are now
looking for other activities in Antarctica – sky diving, climbing,
surfing, diving, ski walking, scuba diving holidays will be available next year. – which may pose difficult safety issues in the
future.
The debate over the merits of Antarctic tourism echoes debates over other wilderness regions. Tourism has allowed many
people who might not otherwise have the opportunity, to experience the wonders, and understand the importance, of Antarctica. Their experiences have led to a greater recognition in the
wider community of the region’s importance to the world. On
the other hand, as more and more people visit the southern
regions, the risks of environmental damage increase: wildlife
disturbance, vegetation trampling, diseases and pollution are
amongst the concerns.
According to current information, Antarctica is likely to remain a specialized and relatively expensive niche destination
offered by a limited number of experienced operators focusing on educational voyages to areas of natural and wilderness
value. The benefits derived from responsible tourism, such as
better knowledge and appreciation of the region are substantial.
The wildlife-rich coastline, snow-covered mountains, glaciated
landscapes, and extreme weather of this physically remote and
magical part of the world lend this region remarkable wilderness
and aesthetic value for the adventurous traveler.
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk
http://www.aad.gov.au/
26
S eptember, 2007
TRENDS AND THE YACHTING
EXPERIENCE
all stand to benefit from such a situation. For example, they
maintain contact in order to limit the number of ships in a certain
area at a given time. Tourism is currently limited to a relatively
easily accessible area of Antarctica. The emptiness and inaccessibility of the continent is therefore not going to be lost with
the arrival of 30,000 tourists. However, if this number increases
further, and more different types of tourists and visitors come
to Antarctica with varying and sometimes conflicting interests,
that attraction could eventually be lost. More importantly still,
the pressure will increase on the limited number of areas suitable for tourist activities.
But what about a million tourists? What’s the limit?
It is difficult to say whether a million tourists a year are likely
to come to Antarctica in the future. It depends on several different factors. One important factor is that there are currently no
clear limits to growth. Since the development of international
legislation concerning Antarctica takes place at a slower rate
than the rapidly developing tourism industry, it is important to
adopt a pro-active stance. Thinking about various possible scenarios — including one with a million visitors a year — is a practicable method for starting up this process now. An absolute
limit to the number of tourists allowed visiting Antarctica each
year will not in itself ensure a reduction in the risks posed to
Antarctica’s fragile ecosystem. The question also arises of how
such an agreement could be managed in practice.
You noted that some countries support developments such as
an airport in Antarctica, while other countries are against this.
This relates to the development of permanent facilities and
infrastructures for tourism in Antarctica. Antarctica is governed
by the Antarctic Treaty System. Signatories to this treaty are
countries with an interest in Antarctica based on historic claims
and scientific activities. Of the 45 countries that are current signatories, 29 have a consultative status. These countries have
the right to take part in the making of decisions on the basis of
consensus on policy issues concerning Antarctica. This slows
down the process of policy-making.
A number of parties, including New Zealand, Australia and
Germany, have spoken out against the development of permanent tourist facilities and infrastructures, for example because
these would increase pressure on the scarce areas of ice-free
land. Tourists are accommodated in some South American research stations in order to reduce the high costs of the national
research programmes. These parties therefore seem to have
an economic reason to oppose a ban on permanent tourist facilities. It is currently unclear how this policy discussion is likely
to develop further within the Antarctic Treaty System.
R
esearch into the future trends and the impact of tourism
in Antarctica is done by developing scenarios. The past
and present situations of the development of tourism there
are mapped out and combined with possible future developments, such as new air routes and the potential construction
of infrastructure and facilities for tourists. And where better to
map out the future of tourism in Antarctica than in Antarctica
itself? Machiel Lamers, an expert on Antarctica tourism, made a
two-week trip to a research station in Antarctica and talks about
several important issues:
Would you recommend a trip to Antarctica to others, or would
you rather fewer people went there?
A visit to Antarctica is always an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. I wouldn’t want to deny anyone such an experience, as long as we do not lose sight of the consequences,
both in the short term and the long term. Tourism in Antarctica is
currently still limited compared with other regions of the world.
The unique natural and political conditions and the rapid growth
of the last fifteen years are reasons to think about possible limits
to tourism and to prepare suitable and effective international
policy before it is too late.
Doesn’t the attraction of Antarctica for tourists lie largely in
the inaccessibility and emptiness of the continent? Won’t that
be lost if the tourism industry gets going there?
Most tourists do indeed come to Antarctica to experience that
emptiness. Tour operators in Antarctica actually work together to
continue to make that experience possible. Together, they have
formed the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators
(IAATO). Through this organisation, they can impose effective
self-regulatory guidelines to allow tourist activities to take place
in a safe, environmentally-friendly and appealing manner. They
27
S eptember, 2007
of course always room for improvement. In recent years, for example, people have become more aware of the risks involved in
Bio-safety, or in other words the incursions of foreign plants and
animal species. Partly due to climate change, this could have
disastrous consequences for the fragile ecosystems in Antarctica. Many management interventions are possible to minimise
the risks of such biological introductions in Antarctica. A lot of
thought is currently being devoted to this.
Amongst other people, you have talked to environmental
managers from New Zealand and Great Britain about what they
are doing to keep environmental damage to a minimum. Were
you impressed, or do you think they could be doing better?
A lot has changed since the late 1980s with regard to the way
in which the various national scientific research programmes
operate in Antarctica. You could even argue that part of the
improvement in the environmental situation around research
stations is due to increased tourism and the campaigns carried out by organisations like Greenpeace. The Antarctic Treaty
System has been extended by an Environmental Protocol that
oversees the protection of the continent. Environmental Impact
Assessments must be formulated for all activities, and justification must be given for all major interventions. People have also
begun work on rectifying the damage done in the past. There is
http://www.unimaas.nl/
28
S eptember, 2007
Is Rise in Tourism Helping
Antarctica or Hurting It?
later capsized, spreading an oil slick that fouled nearby penguin, cormorant, and seal colonies.
Incidents like that worry environmentalists, as do soaring visitation rates. «The sheer number of people can disrupt wildlife
breeding and reduce populations,» warns Beth Clark, director
of the conservationist Antarctica Project.
One problem is that most tours land at the same points along
the 800-mile-long (1,300-kilometer-long) Antarctic Peninsula,
the continent’s partly ice-free «banana belt.» Cruise-ship passengers take in vistas of glaciated mountains and lichen-covered islands, stopping to visit penguin colonies, seal beaches,
and abandoned whaling stations. Most tour operators try to
ensure their passengers leave no garbage and don’t walk on
fragile areas, like moss beds that take a century to grow just a
few inches.
«There can be ten ships down here at a time,» says Mike
Messick, an expedition leader on the Clipper Adventurer, a 330foot (100-meter) converted Russian vessel. He recalls when
only two cruise ships visited. «We have nightly radio contact
with other ships to work around each other’s schedules. There’s
a lot of room down here, so we don’t need to be crowded.»
Ice-hardened Russian vessels like Messick’s now make up
about half the tourist fleet. One, a former troopship called Marco
Polo, carries more than 400 passengers and has to spend up to
12 hours shuttling visitors to and from breeding sites, exposing
the animals to humans far longer than do smaller ships.
Even larger luxury liners sail along the peninsula. The 936passenger Rotterdam started the trend in 2000 with a threeday «drive-by». Three other 1000-plus passenger ships made
similar voyages from 2002 to 2003. More cruise ships regularly
consider adding the route to their offered itineraries, and some
of these big vessels send their passengers ashore. The danger:
A large-ship accident in rough southern seas could be too isolated for rescue or environmental cleanup.
So far, though, much of the Antarctic tourism has remained
environmentally benign, say scientists at Palmer Station. While
some damage has occurred, an eight-year study by the National Science Foundation found no effect on the Adélie penguin population. The International Association of Antarctic Tour
Operators (IAATO) has adopted voluntary standards to keep
visitors from disturbing wildlife–by staying at least 15 feet
(5 meters) from penguins and by not allowing their members
with over 500 passengers to land, for instance. But enforcement
depends on guides, and not all ships belong to IAATO.
A dozen tours a year visit Palmer Station to learn about marine biology, ozone depletion, and the effect of global warming
A
délie penguins have been breeding on Antarctica’s Torgersen Island for thousands of years, but today the clacking
and squawking of 20,000 birds hides a relatively new sound:
camera shutters. A dozen tourists wander through the colony,
having arrived by Zodiac rubber raft from their cruise ship.
«For me the noise of the penguin colonies is the real surprise,» says Peter Vutz, stepping away from the wildlife paparazzi. «And the smell,» adds his wife, Doris, swaddled in a
bright parka.
These two 71-year-old Californians add to a surge in shipbased adventurers here that’s doubled and redoubled in less
than a decade: over 14,000 in the 1999-2000 season, up from
2,500 only ten years earlier. Is this jump in tourism hurting Antarctica, or helping it?
In 1989 the Argentine navy resupply ship Bahia Paraiso
stopped at the U. S. research base Palmer Station, near Torgersen, to allow tourists to visit. On departure the vessel struck
an underwater rock. No one was seriously injured, but the ship
29
S eptember, 2007
on Antarctic ice and fauna. The hope, says environmental officer Joyce Jatko, is that «tourists will become ambassadors
for Antarctica.» Though the international community is not
yet considering a limit on tourist numbers, she adds, «both
the Antarctic Treaty nations and the tour operators agree that
adopting some site specific guidelines is a good and necessary thing to do.»
John Splettstoesser has been coming to Antarctica as a scientist and guide since 1960. «For now,» he says, «this is still
one of the few places where people can visit a pristine area of
the globe without mucking things up.» He looks out over the inlet toward a blue and white iceberg. Out past a cruising leopard
seal, the distant Marr Glacier calves another berg, the boom
echoing across the water. «Even for me, the glamour has never
worn off.»
By David Helvarg
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/
30
S eptember, 2007
The Necessity
of Regulations
Impact of Tourism
Although remoteness and lack of development make Antarctica a difficult and expensive place to visit, there is no shortage of
people wanting to make the trip – tourist numbers now exceed
the number of scientists and support staff who work there, and
are increasing steadily The majority of tourists come from the
USA, then Germany and Britain.
Some consider tourists an environmental pressure Antarctica
could do without. Others note that the tourists are generally well
informed and concerned about the Antarctic environment and
usually become very good advocates for the protection of Antarctica when they return home.
In the past tourist visits have caused damage to slow growing moss beds, disturbed penguins and taken historic items or
geological souvenirs. Rubbish and wastes from ships have also
been a problem, as has uninvited visits to scientific bases.
Nowadays groups are much better regulated and impact has
reduced in some areas. Nevertheless, accidents can occur with
major consequences for the environment, such as the oil spill
after the grounding of the tourist and supply ship Bahai Paraiso
on the Antarctic Peninsula. Other large cruise ships have also
run aground requiring expensive rescue and repair operations.
Some tourist ventures and private expeditions have got into
trouble and been assisted by staff from scientific bases. This
can be a disruption to research activity as well as placing demands on staff whose responsibilities do not include managing
tourists.
T
here is no doubt Antarctica is an incredible tourist destination. It is a magnificent and largely uninhabited wilderness
with majestic mountains, glaciers, icebergs and abundant wildlife. Its remoteness, inaccessibility and severe climate add an
element of adventure to a visit to Antarctica. Visitor numbers
have increased rapidly over the last few decades. During the
1998-99 summer season, over 10000 tourists visited Antarctica
compared with less than 2000 19 years ago. The number of
ship borne visitors has increased by four-fold between 1995 and
2005. The 2006/07 season saw the largest tourist vessel ever
to operate in Antarctic waters. Tours are organised by private
companies and people from all over the world make the journey
to see the icy continent. The trend of increasing visitor numbers
has led the Antarctic Treaty countries to establish guidelines
and regulations to minimise the impact of these visitors on this
remarkable environment.
Regulations
The Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty does not
specifically address tourism, but its provisions go some way to
minimising the adverse impacts of tourists because, once ratified, the protocol is legally binding over all visitors to the Antarctic, whether on government or private trips.
The document concerns the protection of Antarctic wildlife
and protected areas, the respecting of scientific research, personal safety and impact on the environment. Guidelines have
also been written for the organisers of tourist and private ventures – these require prior notification of the trip to the organiser’s national authority, assessment of potential environmental
Apart from protecting the environment, Antarctica has not officially been
declared a tourist destination and as such it is not really set up for tourism
and no guarantees for safety and legitimate rights of tourists can be given.
http://www.70south.com
Up to now, Antarctic tourism is not regulated. There are some reporting
obligations, voluntary guidelines relating to particular sites, and generic
environmental impact assessment obligations for all who go to Antarctica.
But there’s nothing to say what you can and cannot do by way of tourism, and
nothing to stop numbers increasing.
http://www.ipy.org/
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S eptember, 2007
Tourist operators in Antarctica have organised an association (the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators)
to promote safety and environmental responsibility amongst
cruise operators. The members of this association carry the
majority of tourists to Antarctica.
Individual countries have also introduced measures to
minimise effects of tourists. Chile requires all captains of
ships that go to Antarctica to attend a month-long school
in Antarctic navigation. New Zealand sends a government
representative on all ships visiting the Ross Dependency to
supervise visits to the historic huts and Scott Base and to
observe how well the provisions of the treaty and protocol
are adhered to.
Even with reduced impact per visitor, the increasing number
of visitors could still have a considerable effect on the environment. Monitoring of impacts at specific sites can be used to
determine whether tourists should be allowed to continue to
visit a particular area. Although visits are usually short, they are
concentrated into a small number of landing sites and have the
potential to destroy parts of a unique environment and to jeopardise scientific research.
http://www.anta.canterbury.ac.nz
impacts, the ability to cope with environmental emergencies
such as oil spills, self-sufficiency, the proper disposal of wastes
and respect for the Antarctic environment and research activities. The guidelines outline detailed procedures to be followed
during the planning of the trip, when in the Antarctic Treaty area
and on completion of the trip.
32
Small airports - big business
T r a n s port :
Airports, small or large, the tourism industry definitely needs them all. Although they need to face
similar problems, small airports have some specific challenges to overcome. What is the relationship
of the low cost carriers to these smaller and regional airports? What are the roles and the importance
of the governmental subsidies? What kind of connection if any appears between the small and the
national airports in Europe and elsewhere? Get familiar with all of these issues solved by the airports
on everyday basis.
S eptember, 2007
T r a n sport: Small air por ts – big bu sine ss
BIG AND SMALL AIRPORTS FACE
THE SAME CHALLENGES
Regional airports face very similar tasks to those of their
larger counterparts, but have different needs. Space is of even
more critical importance and systems have to be as compact as
possible. But they are still expected to run trouble-free, and be
easy to use and install. Nevertheless a decision-support system
for a small airport has to feature comparable functions and adhere to the same guidelines as systems for larger applications
in terms of safety, reliability and scalability.
The question remains: Who is ready to take on the challenges
of regional airports and airfields? This market is not very appealing to the industry as the sales returns are rather small and
profit margins are slim. Thus most of the big players in the field
are not interested in outfitting small and medium-sized airports.
New concepts have to be devised to satisfy the special needs of
this market segment and resources have to be optimized. Also
the tasks that complex systems carry out at big hubs have to be
transposed to fit the needs of small and medium-sized airports.
This remains one of the biggest challenges for most companies
even today.
Small airports are often under pressure to explain their
contribution to the community
or justify their very existence.
Yet these same airports are
under pressure to keep expenses down. These conflicting demands require efficient and effective marketing
practices and do not allow for
the «trial-and-error» method
when resources are scarce.
Airports currently use a variety of marketing practices
to retain and build business,
strengthen relationships with their target audiences, and develop air service. There is a need to educate airport decision-makers as to the factors that influence the airport marketing effort
and to identify, assess, and share the most successful practices
with the rest of the airport industry.
B
ig hubs and small airports alike face a series of various
challenges. However, small and medium-sized airports
are struggling more due to lack of support.
Airports are the nodes in air transport logistics. Regardless of
whether we talk about freight or passengers, the airport is the
point in the transport flow where ground meets air. This brings
about a number of interesting time management and logistics
challenges. The main goal is to optimize all the resources of
an airport, and that means making decisions that optimize the
whole system. There are a lot of buzzwords in the world of airports and air transport. CDM (collaborative decision making),
A-SMGCS (advanced surface movement guidance and control
system) and AAA (airline, airport, air traffic control) are just a
few of the terms that hover about air traffic management today.
The big hubs are already aware of some of the major programs
that aim at harmonizing resources, and many large airports already apply decision-support systems. However hubs depend
on regional airports for a large portion of passenger as well as
freight traffic.
Attributes of Airports:
• The definition of small airports varies considerably. In the US they are usually airports with less than 10 million passengers a year; in Europe less than
1 million a year.
• Airports vary in size, with smaller or less-developed airports often having
only a single runway shorter than 1,000 m (3,300 ft). Larger airports for
international flights generally have paved runways 2,000 m (6,600 ft) or
longer. Many small airports have dirt, grass, or gravel runways, rather than
asphalt or concrete.
• The longest public-use runway in the world is at Ulyanovsk Vostochny
Airport, in Ulyanovsk, Russia. It has a length of 5,000 m (16,404ft). At 105 m
(344ft), it should also be the world’s widest paved runway.
• As of 2006, there were approximately 49,000 airports around the world,
including 14,858 in the United States alone
http://www.frequentis.com/
http://www.trb.org/
34
S eptember, 2007
SMALL AIRPORTS AND LOW
COST CARRIERS: A LOVE AND
HATE RELATIONSHIP
lounges, high level of service at check in, or preferences for air
bridges, and baggage transfer services. Low cost carriers are
efficient users of apron and gate space with short turnaround
times and typically do not demand high levels of service within
the terminal. Low cost carriers have forced airport revenue
down by negotiating with airport management for reductions in
charges. The airlines have a strong bargaining position because
they can threaten to fly elsewhere unless reductions in charges
or commercial incentives are granted by the airport.
Underutilized airports approach LCCs in order to operate
services to or from their airports. There are many examples of
this practice, especially in ex-Eastern European countries, like
Poland and East German lands. On the other hand, many regions which happen to have an underutilized airport approach
LCCs in order to start operating in their regions and renovate
or update their airport facilities according to the demands of
the LCC to operate. There is
a combination of the utilization
of the airport and the economic
development of the region
which is primarily tourism related. There are many regions
in Europe which are prepared
even to subsidize or share the
risk of the operation of a new
service to their region with the
carrier.
On January 1st 2007 European Union enlarged even further,
with the accession of Romania
and Bulgaria. Bulgaria is currently looking into selling some
of its military airports in order to
expand its airport operations.
Similar measures took place
in Poland after its accession
and similar suggestions were
made at the World Low Cost
Carriers Conference in London
last year. It was stated that the
vast number of underutilized
airports in Europe, especially
in the new member states, can
T
here are approximately 200 airports in Europe that can
be classed as underutilized with less than 1 million passengers per annum and the majority is loss-making, publicly
owned and subsidized by central or regional government. Identifying ways to increase passenger numbers, such as attracting
low cost carriers is an appealing way for airport managers to
improve their financial performance. Airports have large fixed
infrastructure costs and studies have demonstrated that unit
costs decline significantly as traffic increases up to 1.5 million
Work Load Units (WLU defined as a passenger or 100kg of
freight) per annum.
For airport facilities of small scale, the fixed costs of providing
airport capacity and providing staff are high. Low cost carriers
have begun to offer life to smaller airports and tourist destinations since they have searched for locations away from major
congested hub airports in the main and the low fares offered
have stimulated traffic from regional points.
Low cost carriers place different demands on airport facilities
than do the main scheduled network carriers. For example, low
cost carriers do not have the same requirement for business
Low cost carrier:
• A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline (also known as a no-frills or discount
carrier / airline) is an airline that offers generally low fares in exchange for
eliminating many traditional passenger services. The concept originated in
the United States before spreading to Europe in the early 1990s and subsequently to much of the rest of the world. The term originated within the
airline industry referring to airlines with a low – or lower – operating cost
structure than their competitors.
35
S eptember, 2007
be the perfect opportunity for the enlargement of the LCCs market share in Europe and the economic-tourism development of
those regions and countries in general.
The marginal cost of accommodating low cost services at
underutilized airports is often perceived to be very low due to
the availability of spare airport capacity and the fact that additional passengers add little to terminal costs. The marginal
cost of airport capacity might be higher than initially thought if
airport management needs to add retail outlets or alter the mix
in order to maximize revenue from low cost passengers passing through the terminal. Depending upon the aeronautical revenue generated then, the airport may still be willing to sanction
a price below marginal cost if it is secure in the knowledge that
the additional passengers would bring with them retail expenditure, which would offset the losses made on the sale of airport
capacity. Clearly, the airport needs to establish the likely nonaeronautical revenue generated by passengers in order to be
able to calculate exactly what it can charge airlines for the use
of runway capacity and still make a return.
During the expansion and development years of the LCCs
airports were eager to attract carriers and were prepared to pay
premiums or subsidies and make alterations in order to meet
the demands of the LCCs. Time has shown that many if not all
LCCs are prepared to abandon flying to a destination, therefore
the airport serving it, as easy and quick as they established the
route. There are airports today which are faced with this situation, which inevitably lead themselves into a vicious circle from
which they want to escape. Guidance and consultancy is one
tool which will assist them in order to make the right decisions
and lead to profitability and expansion again!
Typical low-cost carrier business model practices include:
• a single passenger class
• a single type of aeroplane (commonly the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737), reducing training and servicing costs.
• a simple fare scheme, such as charging one-way tickets half that of roundtrips (typically fares increase as the plane fills up, which rewards early
reservations)
• unreserved seating (encouraging passengers to board early and quickly)
• flying to cheaper, less congested secondary airports and flying early in the
morning or late in the evening to avoid air traffic delays and take advantage
of lower landing fees
• fast turnaround times (allowing maximum utilization of aircraft)
• simplified routes, emphasizing point-to-point transit instead of transfers at
hubs (again enhancing aircraft utilization and eliminating disruption due to
delayed passengers or luggage missing connecting flights)
• emphasis on direct sales of tickets, especially over the Internet (avoiding fees
and commissions paid to travel agents and computer reservations systems)
• encouraged use and issuance of the electronic ticket or ticketless travel
• employees working in multiple roles, for instance flight attendants also cleaning the aircraft or working as gate agents (limiting personnel costs)
• «Free» in-flight catering and other «complimentary» services are eliminated, and replaced by optional paid-for in-flight food and drink (which
represent an additional profit source for the airline).
• aggressive fuel hedging programs.
• «unbundling» of ancillary charges (showing airport fees, taxes as separate
charges rather than as part of the advertised fare) to make the «headline
fare» appear lower.
By Pavlos Arvanitis
http://www.airconsulting.aero/
36
S eptember, 2007
AIRPORTS DRIVING TOURISM
DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPE
tourism, and the benefits it brings, would not have been possible without the development of direct air service connections.
The advent of no frills carriers is particularly stimulating the development of new tourism markets based around short breaks
and flexible low-cost travel arrangements. Such developments
are often strongly supported by the communities in the vicinity
of these smaller airports because of the overall benefit to the
local economy.
The Case of Ireland
More specific evidence about the impact of low-cost carriers
on the tourism market can be gained by examining the pattern
of tourism development in Ireland. Air transport is crucial to the
Irish tourism industry as it accounts for three quarters of tourist
visits to Ireland. International tourism to Ireland is also a rapidly growing sector. Although there are other economic factors
which have led to a growth in tourist visits, virtually all industry
commentators identify low-cost access as one of the key driving
forces behind Ireland’s recent tourism growth.
Growth in tourism from all markets has been particularly strong.
This growth has been mainly in short, secondary breaks rather
than the main annual holiday. This strong growth in inbound tourism has coincided with the rapid development of low-cost airline
services, specifically Ryanair although given the stronger growth
in traffic on Ireland-Europe routes where there is little low cost
carrier involvement, a clear causal link has not been established.
A significant proportion of this growth in tourism was in outbound
traffic as the proportion of outbound travellers using Dublin Airport
increased from 40 % to 50 % over the last 10 years.
In other parts of Ireland, air access is equally important to
the development of the tourism industry. A survey of inbound
passengers at Cork Airport revealed that 40 % of passengers
would not have visited the area in the absence of air service
connections. It is estimated that expenditure by these visitors
sustained 3,889 jobs.
Tourism is a growth industry in Europe and accounts for 30 %
of the EU’s external trade in services. A high proportion of tourist visits to and between member states use air travel. The advent of low cost carrier services is accelerating the development
of tourism in many places.
Tourism can generate substantial income and employment in
Europe’s regions. Whilst it is not possible to attribute this income and employment to directly or indirectly to the existence
of an airport, it represents another powerful catalytic impact.
A
irports play a major role in facilitating the development of
inbound tourism. This is particularly the case for more remote or island destinations. For example, 70 % of foreign tourists to the United Kingdom arrive by air, 55 21 % of all foreign
tourist arrivals in Greece travel through Athens Airport and 32 %
of foreign tourists to the Lisbon area arrive through Lisbon Airport. Vienna Airport plays a key role in tourism to Austria. Approximately 37 % of visitors to Vienna travel by air, remaining for
an average of 4.7 days and spending around €130 per day for
leisure travellers and €426 per day for business travellers.
Impact on Tourism
Unlike broader catalytic impact, tourism impacts are relatively
easier to quantify and, hence, are included in some airport economic impact studies through detailed investigations into the
nature and contribution of tourism.
One example where a detailed quantification of tourism impact has been carried out is Nice Airport, which treated tourism
impact as an indirect impact of the airport. This showed that, at
a regional level, tourism expenditure from visitors arriving by
air can be significant. This research focused on identifying the
specific regional impact of visitors using the airport.
Tourism is a growth industry. Traditionally much inbound
tourism has been driven by charter flights, particularly from the
Northern European countries to the Mediterranean rim. In 2000,
UK-Spain was the largest country to country air passenger flow
in Europe, accounting for 11.5 % of all passengers carried. In
2002, Europe’s charter airlines flew almost a million flights in
European airspace. They employ over 50,000 people and carry
118 million passengers to their destinations, using a 650-strong
fleet of aircraft.
Tourism arrivals by air are vital to island economies. For example, over 80 % of the tourists arriving at Greek islands such
as Crete, Rhodes and Corfu arrive by air. The development of
http://www.eraa.org/
37
S eptember, 2007
THE CASE OF POLAND –
REGIONAL AIRPORTS
TO SHAPE THE FUTURE
A
cess each year, Poland’s regional airports are catching up with
the country’s main airport in Warsaw. In 2006 regional airports
checked in nearly two-thirds more passengers than in 2005; at
the same time, passenger traffic in the Warsaw airport rose by
less than 15 %. Thus, the share of the country’s central airport
in the total civil air transport market has decreased to just above
50 % and will shrink further to reach some 40 % by 2020. This
confirms the theory that soon the future of the Polish airport
industry will be shaped foremost by the regional ports and not,
as has been the case to date, by the central airport.
Nowadays, Poland’s airport network is six times less dense
than in more developed European countries. On average in
Poland there is one civilian airport per almost 3.2 million inhab-
irports in Poland are currently experiencing very rapid
growth, as a result of the fastest increase in air traffic anywhere in the world. However, Polish airports still suffer from underinvestment, inadequate infrastructure and limited capacity.
The sector is expecting investments worth an estimated €1.2bn
between 2007 and 2013, with credible plans to establish several
new civil airports in Poland. The Polish airport industry enjoys
the very good prospects. In 2006 more than 15.3 million travellers visited Polish airports, over one third more than in 2005. In
the same period, average airport passenger traffic in Europe
grew by some 7 %.
The structure of air travel in Poland has changed visibly in the
last two years. Considering the number of passengers they pro-
38
S eptember, 2007
itants; while in the former EU15 this ratio stands at around
460,000 citizens per airport. This means that in some regions
of Poland, people must travel more than 200 km to get to the
nearest civil airport. Given these statistics, there is no doubt
that Poland needs several new airports handling passenger
traffic.
«Based on what we know today, as many as nine new airports may well be established, necessitating estimated investments of at least €425m within the next five years,» asserts
Bartlomiej Sosna, construction market analyst at PMR (analytical and consulting company). «Considering the investments planned on new airports, between 2007 and 2013 as
much as €1.2bn will be spent on civil airports in Poland,» adds
Mr. Sosna.
Afterwards, between 2013 and 2020, further large investments are also expected. Though these are not exact figures,
according to preliminary calculations, only seven out of twelve
existing airports have estimated their investment needs for that
period at nearly €500m. To this sum, one should also add large
capital expenditure on part of new civil airports which will become operational within the next few years.
By Bartlomiej Sosna
http://www.pmrpublications.com/
39
S eptember, 2007
CANADIAN SMALL AIRPORT
CHALLENGES
area. Some even say that the federal government has walked
away from its responsibilities over small airports.
Governments have provided programs to assist airports to
meet their financial needs. The federal government provides
funding through its Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP)
which helps eligible airports to finance capital projects related to
safety, asset protection and operating cost reductions. Provincial and territorial governments also have funding programs for
small airports. Many provincial and territorial governments own
and operate airports within their jurisdiction as well as provide
funding for non-ACAP eligible airports.
«All airports have the same issues – the only difference is the
number of passengers impacted,» says Bill Restall, Saskatoon
Airport Authority
S
mall airports are vital to the economic vitality of the provinces and to communities across Canada. A healthy system of small airports increases the mobility of people and goods
outside major centres, gives business opportunities to smaller
air carriers and plays a key role in providing strong transportation infrastructure. With this in mind government has a critical
role to play providing support of the infrastructure critical to small
airports along with support for the delivery of public safety.
With over 55 % of the traffic at small airports being business
related and almost half of all aircraft movements being cargo
flights small airports are the lifeblood of communities. Small
airports are also integral to the well being of their local communities by supporting programs such as fire-fighting and many
essential health services such as organ transportation. Small
airports also play a vital role for the larger air network as essential feeder routes, particularly to international links.
Beginning in 1994, the federal government started transferring the airports to local airport authorities and to communities.
This massive undertaking has resulted in small airports which
are more competitive and efficient – operating with lower costs
and fewer employees and working closely with their partners –
communities, air carriers, and employees.
Dr. David Gillen, an expert in the Canadian airline industry,
stresses the need for airports to be aware of the pressures air
carriers are under. He notes the rise of low cost carriers and
their dramatic increase in capacity which he argues is not sustainable. The large carriers are redesigning their networks to
have fewer hubs and more direct connection points.
Small airports typically face significant financial difficulties.
Airport operators speak of the difficulty generating sufficient
revenue to cover their operating costs and to finance capital
projects. Often they have small populations in their catchment
Opportunities to cut costs – Looking under every stone
Despite these financial challenges, many airport managers
are entrepreneurial and have found creative ways to operate – they have ‘looked under every stone’ for opportunities. A
key component of a successful airport is people. Staffing levels
have been ‘right-sized’, ensuring that staff are deployed in an
efficient fashion without compromising safety. Because of their
small size (some airports have a staff of 3), small airports need
people who are flexible and able to multi-task. The same person may be responsible for snow and ice removal, carpentry,
plumbing and tire changes. One speaker said that he would
have had to cancel his participation at the conference if snow
had been forecast as his duties as Executive Director include
snow removal.
Small airports today require the active support of their local
community. At a minimum, everyone should know where the
airport is and there should be appropriate signs directing outof-towners to the city and to the airport. In Kelowna, a volunteer
ambassador program was established – the program is so successful that there is now a waiting list of volunteers. Some small
airports have found creative ways to sustain air service – in
Dryden, the city provided loan guarantees to a charter operator.
Some airports have taken the opportunity to work more closely with air carriers. Air carriers usually support the small airports’
efforts to minimize fee increases and recognize that their main
competitor is the highway. They suggest that airports ‘re-engineer’ terminal and landing fees to charge a fee per passenger
rather than fees based on size of aircraft. This means that when
a carrier tries to better match aircraft size with passenger demand, the airport does not lose fees.
40
S eptember, 2007
Small airports are seeking to recover more of their operatAll airports regardless of size must comply with numerous
ing costs from non-aviation sources. Land at the airport may
regulations. Many participants said that one size should not fit
all when it comes to regulations – small airports shouldn’t be
be available for commercial development, abandoned runways
may be rented out to vehicle manufacturers as test tracks, and
burdened with the extensive regulations as larger airports. Airorganizations that rely on the airport (such as forest fire support operators say it is difficult to meet the level of regulatory
pression companies and charter operators) can be encouraged
burden and are apprehensive about the federal government
to locate their offices at the airport.
imposing additional regulations. The operators encourage the
federal government to conduct a risk assessment to ensure
Partnering with others creates opportunities to grow passenthat unnecessary regulations do not exist. Tom Fudakowski of
ger traffic. Small airports are working with tourism operators to
Transport Canada says that his department would be withdrawjointly promote their airport. Some airports have joint marketing
ing from the process of audits and inspections and will monitor
programs with local resorts or with neighboring communities
the outcomes.
to promote their area. Other airports have worked with nearby
communities that lack an airport
Airports can do more
to provide bus service from the • 90 % of regional and small airports that are still experiencing operating defiDespite past successes, small
cits are in better shape now than they were shortly after they were privatized.
outlying community to the airport.
airports can do more. They were
• 52 % of airports studied have an operational surplus (subsidies excluded).
The majority generated over $1 million in revenues, and costs such as insurStill have challenges to
encouraged to ‘right size’ their
ance, property taxes, utilities and security do not seem to have had a signifirunways and facilities – every
overcome
cant impact on their bottom line.
airport authority should question
Despite the tremendous in- • Airports currently experiencing operating deficits almost all have the same
obstacle. They lack a sufficient potential passenger base to attract or support
whether their operation is overnovation that has taken place at
significant air carrier service. There is a lack of users to support the level of
built. Rationalizing infrastructure
small airports, many continue to
airport facilities and services maintained. The demography of each catchment
area,
such
as
population,
income
and
industry
has
a
direct
bearing
on
must be carefully considered:
experience challenges. Studies
the operational and financial opportunities available to airport operators.
will it be more costly or less
have concluded that about half • In cases where airports are continuing to experience difficulty in covering
costly to shorten a runway than
of Canada’s small airports are
their costs, a number of options are possible. Airport operators could further
rationalize
airport
infrastructure
and
services
to
match
demand,
increase
maintain the existing runway
unable to cover their operating
user fees, or implement a combination of these measures. Additionally, other
(air field lighting, ground-based
costs or costs of capital.
jurisdictions which benefit from these airports may choose to offer financial
navigational aids and instrument
support. An air carrier suggested that
Transport Canada Study (2006)
landing systems may need to be
communities should not expect
relocated). A shorter runway may
their airport to be self-sufficient –
save money in the short term but
«an airport is as important to quality of life as skating rinks and
restrict
the
size
of
aircraft
and,
therefore, limit future economic
libraries». The implication is that small airports should have
opportunities. Airports were encouraged to be realistic about
outside financial help. Small airports play a vital role in commugrowth opportunities and the need for additional capacity. We
nities, not only in terms of economic benefits such as promotare past the time where ‘build it and they will come’ is an approing tourism and moving employees in and out of remote areas
priate strategy. Air carriers must be more efficient and competibut also in terms of health and safety. Without small airports,
tive to survive today. They are working to more closely match
people’s lives and livelihoods are at risk. For example, medeservice with demand.
vac flights and forest fire fighting depend on the local airport.
The airport community should work together more closely,
Industries such as mining and forestry which depend on small
when
dealing with governments. Since the airport community
airports also significantly benefit provincial, territorial and nahas
been
fractious in the past, there are now a number of astional economies.
41
S eptember, 2007
sociations at the national, regional and provincial level which
can assist airports in developing common messages. It is important for airports to provide input to government – whether it
concerns security, regulatory or financing issues.
from higher levels of government for their local airport – not just
for roads, transit and other public infrastructure. Local communities can also help small airports. Some communities, such as
Comox, levy a fee (approved in a referendum) on property owners to help finance the airport. Other communities help airports
by dedicating a portion of property taxes paid by the airport to
help fund the airport.
Businesses that depend on the airport for service – to get
their employees, investors, and others in and out – should provide financial assistance to their local airport. Many resource
based businesses depend on small airports for their operation
and should be prepared to provide some funding (much like
some industries build schools or hospitals for resource communities).
Larger airports can help by sharing their expertise in areas
such as marketing and air service development. They should
recognize the important role small airports play ingenerating
traffic to their airport. For example, the Winnipeg Airport Authority granted fee concessions to an air carrier to enable service
from Dryden to Winnipeg.
Others to help
Small airports have demonstrated their ability to replace and
upgrade badly neglected facilities in a responsible and often
innovative way. Small airports are especially sensitive to issues
of affordability and as such require adequate and predictable
funding for essential, safety related capital investment. In many
ways small airports are unable to raise the necessary funding
through capital markets due to less stable traffic, fewer, les
valuable assets and less favorable balance sheets. As a result
many airports are reliant on the Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) as their primary, and in many cases only, source
of capital funding.
Small airports have worked hard to make themselves as efficient as possible. They are now ‘running out of stones to look
under’. Small airports need help from others – governments, air
carriers, larger airports, communities and local businesses and
industry to survive. Many stakeholders suggest that the federal
government should contribute additional funds to small airports
to more closely match the rent paid by the large airports. Some
suggest that provincial governments should help by providing
marketing support to small airports.
Small airports are of tremendous benefit to northern communities. Local governments should consider requesting funds
http://westac.com/
http://www.chamber.ca/
42
Montenegro – small country
and grand opportunity
D e s t i nat i o n :
Montenegro – the beautiful country of the southeastern Europe – still does not belong to the list of
European must-sees of the main stream travelers. Gaining its independence more than a year ago the
country however starts to call the attention of the more demanding tourists – those who seek amazing
and unspoilt nature, mountains, beaches ... Montenegro offers all of it. Let us get familiar not only
with the beauties of the land but with the nations strategies used for destination branding as well.
S eptember, 2007
De st i nat ion : Monte neg ro – small countr y and g rand oppor tunit y
MONTENEGRO – A PEARL OF
THE ADRIATIC
The
sea, the lakes, the canyons or the mountains enable
everyone to decide on the best way to enjoy a quality
vacation. In one day, the curious traveller can have a coffee on
one of the numerous beaches of the Budva Riviera, eat lunch
with the song of the birds on Skardar Lake and dine next to a
fireplace on the slopes of the Durmitor mountain. These are all
characteristics of Montenegro as a tourist destination with a lot
to offer.
The turbulent history of this small country has left behind an
invaluable treasure in numerous historic monuments throughout this proud country. The blue sea with endless beaches, restless waters of the clear rivers and beautiful mountain massifs,
mixed with the spirit of the old times, have given Montenegro
everything one needs for an unforgettable vacation.
Montenegro is an ecological state. This fact grants it one
of the primary posts on the tourist maps. A large number of
sunny days in summer and a large quantity of snow in winter
determine the two most developed forms of tourism in Montenegro: the coastal one – in summer and the recreational
one – in winter.
Montenegrin towns are rich in architecture, from various periods that take the breath away and bring one back to the time
when the structures were created. Through the numerous manifestations, the tourists get the possibility to learn more about the
tradition and customs of this country.
In recent times, following the global trends, Montenegro is
developing extreme sports that the tourists can enjoy, as well.
http://www.visit-montenegro.com/
44
S eptember, 2007
TOURISM AND
DESTINATIONS
T
ourism in Montenegro is in a rapid expansion. The location
of this small Mediterranean country, rich architectural and
cultural heritage, and the diversity of landscapes and climates
makes Montenegro a desirable tourist destination.
Archeological remains of Duklja (Doclea) from Roman times
outside Podgorica.
Skadar lake, a popular wildlife reserve.
Cetinje, historical capital of Montenegro.
Coastal region
This region is of main interest to tourists. Montenegrin Adriatic
coast is 295 km long, with 72 km of beaches, and with many
well-preserved ancient old towns. The main attractions are:
Old town of Kotor, listed with UNESCO world heritage sites.
Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor), some say most beautiful bay in
Europe, with ancient small town of Perast and its islets.
Old town of Budva, very well preserved old town.
Sveti Stefan, a small hamlet on an island turned into a luxury
hotel. Most picturesque resort on the coast.
Besides these, every other coastal town, sepecially south
of Budva, is very popular among tourists, primarily because of
sandy beaches and vibrant nightlife.
Northern region
Northern region is centre of Montenegrin mountain tourism. It
has ski resorts, and is popular for its untouched nature.
Town of Žabljak on mountain Durmitor, the most popular
mountain tourism destination in Montenegro.
Town of Kolašin, also popular destination, near national park
Biogradska Gora, mountain Bjelasica and ski-resort Bjelasica
Tara River Gorge, second-longest canyon in the world. Tara
river is a popular rafting destination.
Biogradska Gora, with Biogradsko Lake, a national park and
untouched virgin forest.
The entire area of Durmitor mountain and Tara river canyon
is protected as a national park, and listed with UNESCO world
heritage sites.
Central region
Although it is most densely populated area of Montenegro, it
has fewer tourist attractions.
Ostrog monastery, a famous pilgrimage site,
http://en.wikipedia.org/
45
S eptember, 2007
NATIONAL PARKS
In Montenegro there are, at a small space, four great National Parks: Scadar Lake, Lovcen, Biogradska Gora, and Durmitor.
Each of them offers in its own way unforgettable natural beauties..
Lovcen
Lake of Scadar (Skadarsko Lake)
Lovcen and its surrounding, are the biggest historical monument of Montenegro. On some 6.400 ha of surface lie cragged
sides of Montenegrin karst which keeps the town of Cetinje in its
heart. Diversity of climate and geographic characteristics of this
area is an invitation to every traveler to stop for a moment and
The richness which is shared between Montenegro and Albania, which is called Skadar Lake, is invaluable. On about
400 km2 spreads the paradise in which swimmers, sports
fisherman, biologists, ornithologists, and lovers of bird watching can enjoy in. It is the biggest crypto depression on the
Balkans, the lake richest with fish kinds in the surrounding, it
is the space on which dozen of lakes is situated, and about
10 monasteries and monuments of culture which last for centuries and testifies about a small but proud Balkan culture.
Skadar Lake, on its 40.000 ha of water surface is divided by
Rumija from the sea for some 7 km. Today its on half way between Podgorica which is growing along the Zeta valley, and
the shore, which, by opening of the modern tunnel Sozina,
is just 15 minutes away by ride from the National park. The
richness of the lake is flora and fauna. On this area there are
40 fish and 270 bird kinds, of which some of them exist only
on this locality in the entire world. Pelican, the trademark of
the lake, today is a kind which can only be found on hidden
localities on Skadar Lake. Periodically rare plant kinds create
a carpet on the surface of the lake and make it seem as if it
was a field, so some of the landscapes which you can come
across in spring months are most picturesque in this area. On
the other hand, cruising over the lake and meeting of the islands, capes, and the shore will reveal you fortifications more
than 500 years old, monasteries, and legacies of important
personalities of medieval Montenegro. The visit to Lesendro,
Zabljak, or Grmozur is equally attractive entertainment, especially with a guide who will bring closer to you the life of the
people who left their mark on the lake.
perpetuate, at least with his look, the space which on all world
maps, during its history, was marked as independent and free.
From Jezerski vrh (Lake Peak) on which lies the mausoleum
of Petar II Petrovic Njegos, the view goes to Durmitor on the
north, Prokletije on the east, and the blueness of the south Adriatic brings the scents of Mediterranean. The trip down the route
Kotor – Njegusi – Cetinje – Budva, will reveal you the beauty
of Kotor bay, mystic cradle of Petrovici – Njegusi, the eternal
Montenegrin capital – Cetinje, and when you go down to the
most beautiful Riviera on this side of the Adriatic sea, and when
you reach Budva – you will feel as if you have been traveling
through time and space. Lovcen, because of its climate structure, will always bring you back freshness. During the mountain
and walking excursions you will come across numerous smaller
lakes which sometimes during the year dry out, but with the first
rains they appear again. The feeling of renewal of life and continuity of one tradition and culture, on this space is unique.
46
S eptember, 2007
Biogradska Gora
Durmitor
Those who have studied the territory of Biogradska gora claim
that not a single tree in it was ever cut. To those who haven’t
visited it, after this information, can only imagine the picture of
the last European jungle area, and to surrender in their minds
to the sight in which a man and nature rarely live in harmony,
such as to the one from the Garden of Eden. This area has
been under protection of the every ruler, at all times. So, today,
the Republic of Montenegro preserves this 5.400 ha of natural
wealth as an example and as their pride. 80 different kinds of
trees and conifers which reach the height of 50 meters, stags
and small game which freely drink water on Biogradsko jezero
(Biogradsko Lake), and the acknowledgment for the most beautiful lake of Balkan Peninsula, are just some in the wide range of
characteristics of this national park. Near Kolasin, exquisite air
spas and winter center will make your staying in this area even
richer. From Podgorica it is only 60 minutes away bay car, so
the easy accessibility to lake makes hundreds, mostly foreign,
tourists to regularly come here for a picnic.
Beside the massif of the mountain Durmitor, a part of the
national park are also Jezerska visoravan (Lake Valley), Piva
Mountains, canyon of River Susica, and a part of the canyon
of the River Tara. Since 1980 a part of the park is found under
the protection of UNESCO, so with the care of all ecological
strengths National Park Durmitor is an oasis which is intersected by several hundred years old forests, transparent and
cold rivers, beautiful ski and mountain paths… By the number
of smaller mountain lakes Durmitor is one of the leading mountains in this part of Europe; «mountain eyes», as these lakes
are usually called cover the entire plateau which spreads over
the north of Montenegro. The biggest settlement of this area,
Zabljak, is most famous Montenegrin winter tourist center, so
it can serve you as a start point towards numerous other spots
which are worth visiting and which are located on Durmitor.
Crno jezero (Black Lake), on just a few kilometers from the settlement, is surrounded by the conifer forest which hides it until
the last moment. The feeling of intimacy and romance in this
place is unique. Numerous camping places, marked mountain
paths, caves with the most beautiful cave jewelry which you can
imagine, are just some of the qualities which are characteristic
for this natural area, and which make it worth of your visit.
http://www.destination-montenegro.com/
47
S eptember, 2007
BUILDING A EUROPEAN BRAND
«National tourist organization is dedicated to creation of quality tourist product and creation of tourist brand Montenegro, because only that can bring the increase of incomes from tourism
and rising up of the standard of citizens,» said director of NTO
Sasa Radovic.
He said that the priority goals of NTO are quality and quantity
development of tourist product, reappearance of guests from
the most emissive markets, as well as extension of season and
regional development.
«We think that tourist destinations are found in tourist brochures, and that brands are found in the heads of our tourists
and our potential guests. Only a recognized brand can lead us
to a long-term goal – increase of incomes from tourism and
increase of the standard of all citizens» said Radovic, adding
that high number of employees in tourism and loyal guests are
indicators of development of tourism in one area.
He said that the development of tourism has to be followed by
the strict dedication to ecological principles, because Montenegro has been proclaimed an ecological state.
He said that the campaigns «May it do you good», and «Hot
winter in the hills» have given great results and that NTO will
continue promotional campaigns, first of all in the countries in
the region.
Radovic said that in the past five months NTO has presented
the tourist offer of Montenegro on about 10 fairs, and that about
half a million of people and over 400 journalists have visited
Montenegrin stand.
On a recently held press conference it has been said that in
the period from January to March 2007, according to the records of Monstat, 52.349 tourists have visited Montenegro, that
is 30 % more than last year in the same period.
http://www. visit-montenegro. com/
48
S eptember, 2007
MOVING UP MARKET
As
the wealth of CEE countries grows, so too does that of
its visitors. To cater to this new breed of traveler, many
countries in the region are moving their tourism industries up
market.
Tourism is also booming in the Balkan countries of former Yugoslavia. In particular, the tourist industry of newly independent
Montenegro looks set to take off. According to statistics from the
World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Montenegrin tourism is the fastest growing in the world, ahead of even China in
second position.
Richard Miller, executive vice-president of WTTC, says much
of the success of Montenegro and others comes down to the
governments. «Their leaders have made travel and tourism
growth a key priority and have put in place new policies that
encourage growth. Investment in new infrastructure, privatization of state owned enterprises and marketing and promotion
are key elements of travel and tourism policy that are important
for growth of the industry.»
The Montenegrin government in particular is aiming to develop tourism at the upper end of the market. Tourism Minister
Predrag Nenezic recently said, «Mass tourism is not what we
are aiming at, we’ve already defined our target group, the middle and upper classes.» Currently, tourism revenue accounts
for almost 20 % of Montenegro’s GDP, although the government wants to increase this to 22.5 %. «We established that
we should have 100,000 beds at the most. Right now we have
35,000,» said Mr. Nenezic. The government’s plan is to double
the number of high quality beds by 2010, at the same time decreasing the amount of cheaper accommodation.
During the 1980s Montenegro was one of the most popular
regions of former Yugoslavia, bringing in up to EUR 79 million
per year, but today’s figures have left the 80s in the dust. In
2005 the country generated EUR 250 million through tourism.
Infrastructure improvements are also underway with the modernization of airports and the construction of a six-kilometer tunnel giving the country better access to the coast. Nevertheless,
there is a lot more work to do, as the country still has a high
level of old communist-style accommodation, and widespread
abuse of planning legislation is threatening the beauty and history of the city. The announced construction of two hotels next
to the medieval walls of the town of Kotor may result in it losing
its UNESCO status.
By Dominic Swire
http://www.czech-transport.com/
49
S eptember, 2007
SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES
the fourth consecutive year, Montenegro has been
ranked by WTTC among the world’s top three destination in terms of forecast travel & tourism growth over the coming
decade. To be ranked alongside the Asian powerhouses, China
and India, is no mean feat for a country whose tourism industry
ground to a complete halt during the 1990s as a result o the
Balkan conflict.
Yet the WTTC forecasts, developed with Oxford Economics,
are in no way surprising, given the spectacular Travel & Tourism
growth already achieved since the beginning of this decade.
This, in turn, owes much to measures taken by the Government
of Montenegro to ensure the necessary conditions to stimulate
Travel & Tourism demand and to instil confidence among Travel
& Tourism industry professionals and the investor community as
to the destination’s future growth potential.
The importance of Travel & Tourism to Montenegro as a strategic economic development tool is clearly evident from the decisions taken at the highest levels of government to prioritize
the industry’s development and to factor Travel & Tourism into
mainstream policy – and decision-making. Indeed, the government has adopted most of the recommendations put forward by
WTTC in its 2004 Country Report for Montenegro – exceeding
both the forecasts and goals that were set.
Following the adoption of the Tourism Master Plan in 2001,
developed by the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Pro-
tection in conjunction with the German Investment and Development Company (DEG) and German tourism experts, the Montenegrin Government lost no time in implementing measures
designed to stimulate and facilitate tourism development and to
attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country.
Measures taken to date have included the privatization of
former state-owned hotels and other tourism assets – this exercise is now 95 per cent completed – adoption of an open
skies policy, and the establishment of a competitive business environment. As an example, corporate tax has been
reduced – with investors enjoying the right to repatriate all
tourism earnings – a special VAT rate for tourism has been
introduced, and there are attractive terms available to tourism
investors for borrowing. In addition, efforts are now underway
to diversify Montenegro’s tourism products and markets, to
assess human resource needs over the foreseeable future,
and to work more closely with local/municipal authorities, educators and the private sector.
Inter-ministerial dialogue and consultation have been stepped
up significantly, and all stakeholders take part in regular meetings to address issues of interest and concern to Travel &
Tourism, such as discussions to prepare the upcoming tourism
season. The last one was even chaired by Montenegro’s Prime
Minister, reflecting a hands-on approach from the highest levels of government. The Ministry of Tourism and Environmental
Protection also enjoys strong support from donor agencies and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which have contributed significantly over the past four years to the development of
Montenegro’s sustainable tourism strategy, as well as advising
on sectoral and regional development and undertaking practical
and technical projects.
The result of all these positive efforts is that, over the last
three to four years, some €350 million has been invested by
new Montenegrin and foreign owners in extensive hotel modernization and upgrading, including the addition of state-of-the
art wellness and conference facilities. Not surprisingly, given the
dominant share of sun & beach resorts in terms of the existing
hotel stock, this has focused almost exclusively on the coastal
zone. Government and industry recognize that this has now
created an unhealthy imbalance with the north and are making
plans to redress the situation as soon as possible.
INFRASTRUCTURE DRAWBACKS
The sharp increase in international tourist arrivals in the country means that
tourism infrastructure has been overly stretched and has created problems in
the coastal zone during the peak summer season. Not only the road network,
but also electricity and water supply are affected, and there are inadequate
solutions to deal with both liquid and solid waste disposal. Some of these
issues are finally being addressed – the planned Skadar Lake pipeline now
appears to be going ahead and different hydro-energy solutions are being
explored. But progress is alarmingly slow.
http://www. wttc. travel/
ECONOMIC IMPACT
In 2007, Montenegro’s travel & tourism is expected to generate €644 million
of economic activity (total demand). The industry’s direct impact includes:
– € 212 mn of GDP equivalent to 10.7 % of total GDP
– a real growth of 17 % in the industry GDP for the industry directly and 22 %
for the travel & tourism economy overall.
– a real growth of 13.5 % in travel & tourism industry employment to 14,900
jobs representing 9.6 % of total employment
http://www. wttc. travel/
For
50
S eptember, 2007
all stakeholders must assume their share of responsibility for
the sustainable development of the country’s Travel & Tourism.
Montenegro now needs to focus on a Travel & Tourism vision
and strategy involving public-private sector partnership – between all levels and sectors of national and local governments,
as well as between government and the Travel & Tourism industry, academia and other stakeholders. Only in this way can the
remaining challenges be turned into opportunities.
In order to address these challenges and achieve the vision,
three fundamental conditions are required, as stated in the
Blueprint for Tourism:
• The Government of Montenegro must recognize Travel &
Tourism as a top priority, ensuring adequate funding for the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Protection;
• Business must balance economics with people, culture and
the environment; and
• All stakeholders must share in the pursuit of long-term
growth and prosperity.
At the same time, the Montenegrin Government has invested
more than €250 million in the modernization and upgrading of
airports, roads, border crossings and utilities – all of which has
helped boost business and consumer confidence levels. The
latter is reflected in the 21 per cent average annual rise in tourism earnings over the past four years, coupled with a 31 per
cent increase in international tourist arrivals every year since
2000. This growth means that demand from international markets is almost back to its pre-Balkan conflict level – a record
expected to be broken in 2007.
Business confidence has also been boosted by the country’s
strong macro-economic indicators and the appreciation of realestate values in Montenegro since the country’s independence
from Serbia less than a year ago. It is hardly surprising that the
country is now rated as one of the most attractive destinations
in the world, not just in Europe, in terms of return on foreign
direct investment (FDI). In fact, although it is the youngest sovereign nation in the world, Montenegro is among the top three
countries in Europe in FDI per capita (€1,000), and many now
see it as the next Monaco.
Nevertheless, while the baseline forecasts developed by
WTTC/Oxford Economics for Montenegro are generally very
positive, there is no room for complacency. The last few years
have demonstrated some of the potential benefits of Travel &
Tourism. But if it is to make its full contribution across the country in the coming years to job creation and wealth generation –
particularly within the smaller communities in the more remote
mountain regions – government must take the lead in unlocking
the industry’s full potential. Montenegro is a small country and
it cannot afford to make the mistakes that other destinations
in Europe, including some of its neighbours, have made. It is
important that Travel & Tourism growth is sustainable – environmentally, socially and economically. The responsibility does
not lie only with government, either. In line with the recommendations drawn up in WTTC’s Blueprint for New Tourism,
http://www.wttc.travel/
51
S eptember, 2007
MOUNTAIN TOURISM
IN MONTENEGRO
–openness and hospitality of the population
–high expectations from tourism
WEAKNESSES
–underdeveloped and partially still bad treatment of the environment
–bad and unbalanced economic development
–movement of the labor force to cities, weak demographic
structure
–high unemployment rate
–relatively uneducated staff
–non-existence of spatial and urban plans, especially at the
local level
–bad transportation, communal (energy deficit) and general
infrastructure
–bad transportation accessibility of the ski centers
–unfinished privatization processes
–slow process of restructuring of economy in some municipalities and reorganization of industrial zones
–gradual development of the tourist laws, legal regulations
and organizational structures in the public sector
–non-existence of TIC’s n most of the municipalities in the
northern region
Strengths and Weaknesses
The political situation, with the disintegration of former Yugoslavia and the wars in the Balkan region, had significant negative consequences on the Montenegrin tourism, especially in
the mountain and central regions. These effects from the region
represent the cause of most of the shortcomings, which affect
the development of tourism, whereas one should bear in mind
that there is a bad transportation and other infrastructure, a low
purchase power of the local population, as well as the loss of
the foreign market. The Government of the Republic of Montenegro is legally, organizationally, project-wise and financially
supporting the development of tourism, appreciating primarily
the natural potentials.
Macro Environment and Natural Resources
STRENGTHS
–rich and various natural resources: nature, mountains, rivers and lakes, fauna, flora, snow coverage, climate conditions, etc.
–undiscovered natural attractions
–high concentration of natural attractions in a small area
–big labor force potential
52
S eptember, 2007
Tourist Offer
STRENGTHS
–Some well-known tourist centers in the wider region
–natural and native food and beverages
–hospitality of the employees
WEAKNESSES
–undeveloped and badly maintained tourist accommodation
facilities
–old skiing equipment and its bad maintenance
–lack of order and control in the ski slopes
–badly developed basic tourist programs
–general focus on the winter offer and winter period
–lack of financial resources for investments into maintenance
of facilities and improvement of services
Demand
STRENGTHS
–the ones who remained are a smaller number of loyal tourists
–connoisseurs of the natural attractions of Montenegro
WEAKNESSES
–loss of the real international market
–small local tourist market
–low purchasing power of the local population
–promotionally undefined tourism-promotional materials in
marketing terms
–lack of financial assets for promotion and marketing
Additional Tourist Activities
STRENGTHS
–inclusion of the local specialties of each of the tourist destinations into the tourist offer
WEAKNESSES
–badly developed additional offer of trading goods, agricultural products, etc.
–bad connections and complementary offer of the mountain
tourist centers
–bad connections and complementary offer of the mountain
and coastal tourist centers
http://www2.undp.org.yu/
53
Travel/Tourism
Fairs & Exhibitions
in SEPTEMBER 2007
by regions
S eptember, 2007
Fa i r s & Exh i b i t ion s
Western Europe
Speciality and Fine Food Fairs
Location
London / UK
Start / End
02 September 2007 / 04 September 2007
Provider
Fresh RM
Contact
[email protected]
Extraordinary Experiences
Location
Bournemouth / UK
Start / End
Provider
Bournemouth University
Contact
[email protected]
Destinations revisited :
Perspectives on developing and managing tourist areas
Location
Viana do Castelo / Portugal
Start / End
Provider
[email protected]
Contact
[email protected]
Business Travel Show-Germany
Location
Dusseldorf / Germany
Start / End
Provider
Centaur Holdings plc
Contact
[email protected]
Norvei Caravan & Fritid
Location
Lillestrom / Norway
Start / End
Provider
Norges Varemesse
Contact
[email protected]
More events related to Travel/Tourism can be found here
If you are an event provider you may consider to place your event in the above category, please click here
If your event already is in the list you may consider using the enhanced listing. For replacement just click here
55
S eptember, 2007
World Heritage Site status – Does it make a difference?
Location
London / UK
Start / End
Provider
Tourism Society
Contact
[email protected]
Southampton International Boat Show
Location
Hampshire / UK
Start / End
Provider
National Boat Shows Ltd
Contact
[email protected]
Universite dete du Tourisme Rural
Location
/ France
Start / End
Provider
Source
Contact
[email protected]
International Group Leisure & Travel Show
Location
London / UK
Start / End
Provider
YPL Exhibitions
Contact
Véhicules et Loisirs Plein Air
Location
Lyon / France
Start / End
Provider
SepelCom Reed Exhibitions Companies
Contact
[email protected]
56
S eptember, 2007
Central & Eastern Europe
ITBA 2007
Location
Kiev / Ukraine
Start / End
Provider
Centre of Exhibition Projects
Contact
[email protected]
Hotels & Restaurants
Location
Novosibirsk / Russia
Start / End
Provider
The Siberian Fair
Contact
[email protected]
Moscow International Travel Workshops
Location
Moscow / Russia
Start / End
Provider
Ai Group Moscow
Contact
[email protected]
Sports & Tourism
Location
Sofia / Bulgaria
Start / End
Provider
Bulgarreklama Agency
Contact
[email protected]
Slovenska Zima
Location
Banska Bystrica / Slovakia
Start / End
Provider
BB EXPO s.r.o.
Contact
[email protected]
57
S eptember, 2007
Hotel- Exhibition for Hotels, Restaurants and Catering
Location
Banska Bystrica / Slovakia
Start / End
Provider
BB EXPO s.r.o.
Contact
[email protected]
Researching Destination Management, Policy and Planning
Location
Riga / Latvia
Start / End
Provider
Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change
Contact
[email protected]
Luxury Leisure Moscow
Location
Moscow / Russia
Start / End
Provider
MSI Fairs & Exhibitions
Contact
[email protected]
MICE Russia
Location
Moscow / Russia
Start / End
Provider
Rata-Expo
Contact
[email protected]
Otdykh Leisure Moscow
Location
Moscow / Russia
Start / End
Provider
MSI Vertriebs GmbH
Contact
[email protected]
Moscow Golf & Luxury Travel Receptions
Location
Moscow / Russia
Start / End
Provider
Ai Group Moscow
Contact
[email protected]
58
S eptember, 2007
North America & Caribbean
HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings National
Location
Washington, D.C. / United States of America
Start / End
Provider
HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings
Contact
[email protected]
ASR Trade Expo-San Diego
Location
San Diego, CA / United States of America
Start / End
Provider
ASR
Contact
[email protected]
Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show
Location
Orlando, FL / United States of America
Start / End
Provider
Reed Exhibitions USA
Contact
[email protected]
Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show
Location
Orlando, FL / United States of America
Start / End
Provider
Reed Exhibitions USA
Contact
[email protected]
The TRADE Show
Location
Las Vegas, NV / United States of America
Start / End
Provider
American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)
Contact
[email protected]
59
S eptember, 2007
2007 North American Ecotourism Conference
Location
Madison, WI / United States of America
Start / End
Provider
The International Ecotourism Society
Contact
[email protected]
NBC Travel Expo
Location
San Diego, CA / United States of America
Start / End
Provider
Business Expo International
Contact
[email protected]
60
S eptember, 2007
Asia & Pacific
Hospitality New Zealand
Location
Auckland / New Zealand
Start / End
Provider
D. M. G. World Media
Contact
[email protected].
IFHS 2007
Location
Bangkok / Thailand
Start / End
Provider
Bangkok Exhibition Services Ltd
Contact
[email protected]
Food & Hospitality Indonesia
Location
Jakarta / Indonesia
Start / End
Provider
Krista Media Pratama PT.
Contact
[email protected]
India Travel Mart - Ahmedabad
Location
Ahmedabad / India
Start / End
Provider
India Travel Mart - ITM
Contact
[email protected]
MATTA Fair-Kuala Lumpur
Location
Kuala Lumpur / Malaysia
Start / End
Provider
Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA)
Contact
[email protected]
61
S eptember, 2007
India International Travel Mart - Mumbai
Location
Mumbai, Maharashtra / India
Start / End
Provider
Travel Media Networks
Contact
[email protected]
JATA World Tourism Congress and Travel Fair 2007
Location
Koto-ku / Japan
Start / End
Provider
Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA)
Contact
[email protected]
Travel & Tourism Fair - Ahmedabad
Location
Ahmedabad, Gujarat / India
Start / End
Provider
Fairfest Media Limited
Contact
[email protected]
Responsible Tourism in Destinations
Location
Kerala / India
Start / End
Provider
Kerala Tourism
Contact
[email protected]
Hotel Australia
Location
Sydney / Australia
Start / End
Provider
Diversified Business Communications
Contact
[email protected]
PATA Travel Mart 2007
Location
Bali / Indonesia
Start / End
Provider
PATA
Contact
[email protected]
62
S eptember, 2007
Food & Hotel Vietnam 2007
Location
Ho Chi Minh City / Vietnam
Start / End
Provider
Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd
Contact
[email protected]
Astana Leisure
Location
Astana / Kazakhstan
Start / End
Provider
Iteca ITE Group Plc
Contact
[email protected]
63
iсons
Sunshine
Sightseeng
Adventure
Business
SPA
Budget
Luxury
Expertise
Destination
General
Figures Economy
Security
New service
Problems
Transport
Transport
Ecology
People
Events
Special
TR Partner
Media Partner
Alarm
Advice
Polls Awards
For advertising in the magazine please click here
(http://www.tourism-review.com/advertising-banner.php?type=magazine)
or contact as at: [email protected]
Rates and technical specification can be seen or downloaded here
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contact as at: [email protected]
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For contributing your text materials for the magazine please contact our editor at:
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complete magazine

Transcription

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