Hilton Group sells 10 UK hotels for £335.7 million, enters 27 year leaseback

Hilton Group PLC said it has completed the sale of 10 UK hotels with 2,043 rooms to a Limited Partnership for £335.7 million cash and entered into 27 year turnover based operating leases on the properties.

The net proceeds from the sale will be used to reduce net borrowings within Hilton, it said.

Hilton added it has retained a 40% interest in the Limited Partnership for an equity investment of £25 million while the remaining 60% is owned by a separate limited partnership between Rotch Group, Farnsworth Group and Bank of Scotland PLC.

Under the agreement, the rentals are based on an average of 28.8% of hotel turnover, plus £3.1 million per annum, with a guaranteed minimum rent of 17.5 million per annum, which will be subject to an annual RPI adjustment capped at 5%.

Additionally, Hilton has provided a turnover rent warranty on the portfolio to Dec 31 2004, it said.

The budgeted revenues for these hotels for the 12 months ending Dec 31 2002 would result in a rental obligation of £23.6 million. The hotels had a net book value of £297.4 million at Dec 31 2001 and made an EBITDA contribution of £33.0 million for the year then ended, Hilton said.

AFX News

Shangri-La banks on China's future growth  

The growth potential of China's markets is well known, but if there is any concern, it's that growth may come too fast, according to Al Wymann, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts group director of operations in China.

The Hong Kong-based hotel chain operator, which runs 38 properties in the Asia-Pacific region, plans to grab as many opportunities as possible, shifting growing resources to mainland China, where five new hotels are scheduled to open in the next three years, in addition to 16 existing ones.

Wymann, chief of Shangri-La's operation in China, who was in Japan for four-day annual promotional meetings with travel agents and business representatives here, said the chain sees only positive prospects in mainland China, especially in light of its entry into World Trade Organization and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The former has brought "a steady traffic of business travelers" from the United States and other countries, which has contributed to lessening the potentially devastating impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S., he said.

The firm actually saw sales at the Chinese operation grow during the first half of this year to Dollars 89.3 million from Dollars 88.5 million in the same period last year.

Also, helping ease the fallout of Sept. 11 is the growing portion of intraregional travelers, especially from Japan.

While Japanese tourists on average account for only about 10 percent of all guests at the firm's hotels in China, the figure reaches 30 percent at some popular destinations such as Dalian, according to hotel chain officials.

An especially promising group of clients is the senior populace, for whom China should be a less daunting travel experience than other destinations, given its geographical and cultural proximity, Wymann said.

As part of its efforts to court customers in this age group, the hotels installed barrier-free facilities, tuned in Japanese TV programming and hired Japanese-speaking staff.

Wymann said the firm hopes the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will catapult the country's status as a tourism destination.

"The sales might drop after the event, but it will climb back eventually," he said.

The only trouble now is keeping up with all the opportunities.

Wymann said one downside of the rapid growth is the shortage of qualified workers, as a growing number of foreign firms are trying to secure capable local hands.

While he said Shangri-La invests heavily in training local staff, even opening the way to managerial positions for them, it is often left frustrated when other foreign employers snatch them away.

Source:  Japan Times

Study Finds Mississippi, Nevada Lead Nation in Hotel Job Growth

(BUSINESS WIRE) - Hotel employment, which rose by 16 percent nationwide during the 1990s, more than tripled in Mississippi during the same period, making Mississippi the nation's leader in the rate of new hotel job growth, according to a new study released today by the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute. The complete study is available online at http://www.workingforamerica.org

Nevada was the only state to surpass Mississippi in the total number of new hotel jobs created during the 1990s, according to the study. In Nevada, 88,350 new hotel jobs were created, representing an increase of nearly 69 percent between 1989 and 2000.

    During the same period the study found that hotel employment in Mississippi increased from 7,900 to more than 35,500 jobs -- a 350 percent increase. Many of the new jobs are the result of new casinos built along the Mississippi Gulf Coast as well as in Tunica County in northwestern Mississippi, south of Memphis.

The study found Mississippi with more hotel employees than 33 other states including Mississippi's four bordering states -- Tennessee (34,800), Louisiana (24,971), Alabama (14,769), and Arkansas (10,635).

Unlike Mississippi, Nevada has experienced rapid growth in hotel jobs for more than two decades and currently employs 216,500 hotel workers-the most of any state. Both states have seen a decline in hotel jobs since March of last year as a result of the recession and the September 11 attacks.

The hotel study, called U.S. Hotels and Their Workers: Room for Improvement, examines changes in the U.S. hotel industry with a special focus on jobs, wages, union representation, geographic composition, business organization and competition since 1979. The study also offers policy recommendations on ways to improve the industry.

While Nevada and Mississippi accounted for nearly 45 percent of the 260,000 new hotel jobs created during the 1990s, the report found a huge difference in hotel wages in the two states.

Hotel workers received an average wage of more than $28,000 a year in Nevada compared to about $20,000 a year in Mississippi-a 40 percent difference.

The report pointed to union representation in Nevada as one factor likely contributing to the wage difference. Nevada accounts for nearly a third of all union hotel workers nationwide while few, if any, hotel workers belong to unions in Mississippi.

The report found that union workers nationwide fare much better than non-union workers in the hotel industry. In 2000, hotel workers represented by unions earned a median hourly wage of $10, $1.50 more than non-union workers' median wage of $8.50 per hour. Union hotel workers also are more likely to work a standard full-time workweek, the report found.

Unions represent close to 12 percent of all U.S. hotel workers. Besides Nevada, states with the highest percentages of union hotel workers are Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, California, Rhode Island, Alaska and Washington.

"The study demonstrates the real difference unions can make in the lives of workers," said John W. Wilhelm, president of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE), which represents approximately 265,000 hospitality industry workers. "Unions can help raise hotel workers' wages and reduce wage gaps between high- and low-wage workers. Even more importantly, the study shows that the hotel workers who benefit most by participating in a union are those who traditionally make the lowest wages."

"This report offers an in-depth look at the quality of jobs being created in the hotel industry and the disparities that exist between high and low-wage jobs as well as between union and non-union jobs," said Nancy Mills, executive director of the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute. "This kind of research is critically important as we undertake the task of creating more good jobs-jobs that can sustain families and help build stronger communities."

In looking at wages, the report found that the gap between high and low wages in the hotel industry has widened over the past two decades. High-wage hotel workers earned 325 percent of what low-wage hotel workers earned in 2000 compared to 240 percent in 1979.

The report also found an increasing number of hotel jobs going to immigrants and Hispanics. In many hotel job categories -- including cooks, janitors, laundry workers, maids and housemen, and waiters and waitresses -- the percentage of Hispanics holding these jobs grew substantially during the 1990s. In the late 1980s, for example, one in ten hotel waiters and waitresses was Hispanic, but by the late 1990s over one in four was Hispanic, the report found.

    The study is available on the Internet at  http://www.workingforamerica.org
For a printed copy of the study contact Mike Kiernan at the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute at 202-974-8121 or send your request to info@workingforamerica.org .

Marriott, Hilton top customer satisfactions survey

(Reuters) - Marriott International (MAR) and Hilton Hotels Corp. (HLT) have earned their gold stars, at least when it comes to customer satisfaction, according to an industry survey released on Thursday.

The two hotel chain operators came out on top for most satisfied customers while at the other end of the hospitality mat, low-end hoteliers Choice Hotels (CHH), Accor SA (ACCP) and Cendant Corp. (CD) finished consistently below average among their peers. The survey was conducted by J.D. Power and Associates.

Many travelers fail to notice, but most of the nation's best known hotel chains are either owned, operated or franchised by only a handful of hoteliers.

Not surprisingly, the brands operated by an individual company are either consistently ahead of their peers or behind, depending on the company.

In the survey, Marriott finished on top, with five of its six biggest brands finishing above the average for its peers in various price and service segments.

Among its major brands, Marriott, Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, Residence Inn and Courtyard all finished above the industry averages for satisfaction in their segments, J.D. Power said. Its only brand to finish at or below average was its Fairfield Inns.

Hilton, meanwhile, finished above average for four of its chains, Embassy Suites, Homewood Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn. Ironically, its own brand of upscale Hilton hotels finished at or below average, as did its Doubletree brand.

At the other end of the spectrum, Choice Hotels finished at or below average for all six of its major brands, Comfort Suites, Comfort Inns, Clarion, Quality Inns, Sleep Inn and Econo Lodge, according to J.D. Power.

Cendant didn't fare much better, with four of its five major chains -- Howard Johnson, Days Inn, Knights Inn and Travelodge -- all finishing at or below average. Its only brand to buck the trend was its Super 8 Motels.

Despite the perception that overall service suffered after hotels slashed costs after Sept. 11, the truth is actually the opposite, said Linda Hirneise, executive director of J.D. Power's hotel practice.

Among the six price and service segments in the survey, overall satisfaction ratings improved in five from last year, she said.

Now in its sixth year, the J.D. Power hotel survey is based on responses from nearly 13,000 business and leisure hotel guests who stayed at 52 different hotel chains or resorts in the United States and Canada.

U.S. tourism to Canada back to pre-Sept. 11 numbers

National Post  -  Travel from the United States to Canada rose between January and March, the first such increase since Sept. 11, new travel figures revealed yesterday.

In all, 2.3 million tourists arrived in Canada from the United States in the year's first quarter, up 3.3% from the same period in 2001, according to a Statistics Canada report released yesterday.

"The message seems to be a little bit positive," ?laine Fournier, the study's author, said. "Travel from the United States is finally up a little."

Travel industry officials agreed yesterday's Statistics Canada numbers contain some positive messages.

"We're finally back to where we were pre-Sept. 11," Louise Crandall, an Association of Canadian Travel Agencies spokeswoman, said.

She credited several recent developments for convincing more Americans to travel to Canada. Federal spending on tourism ads, Americans' sense that Canada is a safe place to travel to, and their realization when they arrive here that Canada's cheap dollar goes a long way, all played a part, Ms. Crandall said.

So, she said, did a surge in demand for vacations that many people put on hold in the aftermath of Sept. 11.

"We were expecting pent-up demand to happen a lot this year," Ms. Crandall said.

Still, industry experts said yesterday's numbers should not be taken as a sign travellers are getting over their post-9/11 reservations about boarding a plane.

The recovery in U.S. travel to Canada came despite a drop in the volume of air travel from the U.S. to Canada. The number of air travellers in the first quarter actually fell to 657,000, a 6.1% drop from last year. The recovery was instead driven by an 11.4% increase in the number of Americans travelling to Canada by car.

The drop in travel to Canada was even more dramatic in the case of overseas travellers, who have no choice but to take a plane. The number of holiday-related trips to Canada from overseas fell nearly 11% from the first quarter, while the number of overseas business travellers to Canada fell nearly 20%, Statistics Canada reported.

The drop was also dramatic in the case of U.S. business travellers. The volume of American business travel to Canada dropped nearly 14% .

RCI eyes expansion in Asia, China

Resorts Condominium International (RCI) is keen to expand in Asia by working with hotel brands and mixed-use resorts in the region.

Chief executive Kenneth May said it would do this by offering solutions for owners and hotel management companies.

“Providing a mixed use solution of partial ownership alongside traditional hotel operations is certainly our focus going forward,” he said.

“For example, in the US, we have the Abercrombie & Kent Registry (A&K) which is a lifestyle club with very high-end members drawing together a portfolio of top-end properties and products.

A&K is the No 1 tour package operator to the wealthy. It provides a very differentiated product to this high-end clientele.”

May, who was visiting Asia with RCI Asia/Pacific managing director Michael Flynn, said the company was in talks with Hotel Dynamics to deliver the solutions.

Hotel Dynamics is a provider of membership and database marketing services generating food and beverage and rooms transactions from the local market to the hotel.

“The hospitality industry has gone through challenges last year especially in the resort environment. Our message is that there’s another way for hospitality owners and management of mixed-use properties to operate at different tiers, with A&K at the top. There are also opportunities in the four-star range,” said Flynn.

“In the US, there are many smaller resorts that are being built essentially as a second home, not timeshare. We tell them why buy 100 percent when you can buy it at 1/12 and share the time without having to worry about utilisation in the other 11 months.”

He said RCI has 165 such affiliated resorts and 20-30 will come on line this year. It has 80 affiliates in Australia.

In particular, RCI is eyeing China where it began negotiations with the CNTA three years before timeshare became part of the national tourism plan, said Flynn.

“We’re having a staggered process in China. We have 16 affiliate resorts in a short space of time. With the increase in focus on leisure, China presents terrific opportunities.

“There are some 4,000-5000 registered hotels in China. What we want to ensure is the quality the Chinese consumer expects is delivered. Resorts in China today are not all yet of a quality that the well informed Chinese consumer expects.”

Flynn said the timeshare industry weathered the aftermath of September 11 pretty well with occupancies of timeshare-affiliated resorts in Asia running in the high 80s. “In Australia our inventory was in the high 90s,” he said.

RCI is also looking at organising a resale market to help owners offload their property at better prices than they can command today.

“Right now, the timeshare industry is an inefficient marketplace.

“Should you decide you want to get out, there is no organised resale market. It’s not a product you buy for investment. There won’t necessarily be capital appreciation.”

As such, RCI has entered into an agreement with ebay to have a marketplace for timeshare resale. “If people want to get out after four to five years, I feel RCI has to be responsible to provide legitimate alternative channels.”

Singapore Visitor Arrivals in January - June 2002 dropped by 17%

AsiaTravelTips.com  - Visitor arrivals to Singapore in January - June 2002 dropped by 1.7% over the same period in 2001, to a total of 3,680,504 visitors.

The 12 largest visitor-generating markets were:

Total Arrivals: 3,680,504 (-1.7%)

1.   Indonesia 624,513 (0.0%) 7. South Korea 195,795 (+6.5%) 
2. P R China 336,226 (+43.5%) 8. India 192,963 (+6.6%) 
3. Japan 320,119 (-21.0%) 9. USA 166,942 (-11.5%) 
4. Malaysia 268,801 (-6.0%) 10. Hong Kong 135,599 (-4.9%) 
5. Australia 263,672 (-0.7%) 11. Thailand 135,380 (+0.9%) 
6. UK 234,393 (-0.7%) 12. Taiwan 107,847 (-4.1%)

The stable political environment and stronger Indonesian Rupiah assisted in sustaining arrivals from Indonesia. Holiday and business-related arrivals grew by 1.3% and 2.3% respectively.

- China's healthy performance (+43.5%) is largely due to the increase in land arrivals (+89.0%) and the aggressive tactical promotions on events such as Singapore Food Festival (SFF), Fashion Festival (FF) and the Great Singapore Sale (GSS) that led to a double-digit growth in holiday traffic (50.6%). Business-related traffic grew by 12.2%.

- The uncertain employment and economic outlook continued to dampen arrivals from Japan (-21.0%). Holiday and business-related traffic declined by 26.6% and 11.2% respectively.

- Malaysia registered a fall of 6.0% in arrivals, largely attributed to the uncertain economic outlook and the weaker Malaysian Ringgit. This led to a drop in holiday (-6.9%) and business-related (-12.2%) traffic. 

- Visitor arrivals from South Korea registered a cumulative growth of 6.5% in the first half of 2002, contributed by an increase in corporate incentive travel and tactical promotions on SFF. Holiday and business-related traffic grew by 4.9% and 3.1% respectively.

- Visitor arrivals from India grew by 6.6%. The temporary suspension of flights by European and American airlines led to more Indian visitors diverting to the Far East. Holiday traffic from India grew by 24.8% while business-related traffic dropped by 3.6%.

- Holiday arrivals from the top 12 markets declined marginally by 0.1%. Holiday travel from China (+50.6%) and India (+24.8%) posted significant increases. Other markets that registered increases in this segment were South Korea (+4.9%), Thailand (+1.4%) and Indonesia (+1.3%). Conversely, markets which declined were Japan (-26.6%), USA (-23.1%), Malaysia (-6.9%), Taiwan (-4.5%).

- For the first half of 2002, business-related traffic from the top 12 markets fell by 5.3%. With the exception of China (+12.2%), South Korea (+3.1%) and Indonesia (+2.3%), all major markets registered declines in this segment. Business-related travel from Hong Kong (-13.6%), Malaysia (-12.2%), Japan (-11.2%) and Taiwan (-10.9%) decreased.

*Hotel Sector Performance in January - June 2002

- Maximum room-nights: 5,557,860 (+1.2%); Available room-nights: 5,204,537 (+0.5%) 

- Gross lettings: 3,876,929 (-4.4%); Paid lettings: 3,814,855 (-4.6%)

- Standard AOR: 74.49% (down 3.8 percentage points over January - June 2001)

- Standard ARR: $128.82 (-5.7%)

AOR = Average Occupancy Rate

ARR = Average Room Rate

*Figures for the Hotel Sector Performance is updated as at 15 July 2002 

Source:   ASIA Travel Tips .com

Hong Kong visitor arrivals jump 16.5% in July 2002

AsiaTravelTips.com - Visitor arrivals in Hong Kong in July 2002 jumped 16.5% year-on-year to 1,368,693, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced today (28 August). This is easily the highest July total on record and the second highest figure recorded in any single month, after the 1.40 million achieved in April this year.
Once again, Mainland China was the star performer, setting another record by contributing 565,322 visitors, a 41.3% increase compared with July 2001. But there were also very encouraging results from South & Southeast Asia, with total arrivals growing 16.2% to 153,047 - the first time this year that arrivals from this region have shown double-digit growth. Individually, Indonesia (+31.9%), India (+22.1%), Malaysia (+17.7%), Thailand (+14.0%) and the Philippines (+12.9%) all performed well, while Singapore (+10.0%) recorded positive growth for the first time since January.

More modest, but equally encouraging, growth of 1.3% was seen in arrivals from Japan, where difficult economic conditions have dampened outbound travel figures all year. In total, arrivals from North Asia grew 0.1% to 145,331. Taiwan, on the other hand, recorded a small decrease of 0.1% to 220,867 arrivals.

HKTB Executive Director Clara Chong said the strong performance from most of Hong Kong's key Asian markets was highly encouraging, and could be attributed at least in part to the HKTB's extensive regional promotion of the HSBC Mega Hong Kong Sale shopping festival. "Early indications are that August arrivals will also be much higher than usual," she added. "Although we have yet to see final figures, we are very confident that this event will have brought a much-needed boost to Hong Kong's retail and restaurant industries."

Hong Kong's long-haul markets, too, produced encouraging performances in July. Arrivals from Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific grew 4.9% to 31,429, while those from Europe, Africa & the Middle East recorded a 4.5% increase to 92,508. Only The Americas remained flat, with a 1.5% increase in arrivals from Canada being balanced out by a 1.1% decrease from the United States, where troubles in the stock markets have further eroded consumer confidence and desire for international travel.

For the first seven months of 2002 to date, total arrivals have now reached 8,871,796, a 13.4% increase compared with the same period in 2001.

Mainland China is leading the way with a 42.9% increase for the year to date, followed by South & Southeast Asia (+4.1%), Europe, Africa & the Middle East (+3.2%), Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific (+1.3%) and The Americas (+0.1%). Only North Asia (-1.5%) and Taiwan (-3.3%) remain in negative overall growth, although both markets are showing signs of gentle recovery.
"We believe that it should be possible to sustain this level of growth or better in the remaining months of 2002," Ms Chong added. "It is good to see that both our short-haul and long-haul markets are maintaining steady improvements in growth as the year progresses."

Same-Day Visitors

During July, 64.0% of all visitors stayed for one night or longer, close to the 64.2% recorded in July 2001. The remaining 36.0% continued to other destinations on the same day. Visitors from The Americas (82.8%), Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific (78.9%) and South & Southeast Asia (78.6%) were the most likely to extend their stays, while at the other end of the scale, only 24.4% of visitors from Taiwan did so. (Note: These figures only include travellers who passed through Hong Kong Immigration, not those who were solely transit passengers)

For the first seven months of the year to date, 64.2% of all visitors have stayed for one night or longer, compared with 64.6% in the same period in 2001. 

Hotel Occupancy

Average hotel room occupancy across all categories was 82% in July, compared with 79% in the same month in 2001. The improvement was reflected across all different categories of hotels and tourist guest houses, with top tariff (High Tariff A) hotels achieving 73% occupancy (2001: 70%) and medium tariff hotels 86% (2001: 82%). Hotels on Hong Kong Island outside the main Central to Causeway Bay corridor averaged 89% occupancy.

For the first seven months of the year to date, average occupancy stands at 82%, compared with 78% in the same period of 2001. Nevertheless, average achieved room rates continue to decline, showing an 11.3% fall compared with the first seven months of last year. 

Source:   ASIA Travel Tips .com

Japanese Hotel Operator Chisan Goes Bust  

Jiji Press  -  Hotel chain operator Chisan Corp. Monday filed for court protection from creditors, marking the second-largest Japanese corporate failure this year in terms of debts, Teikoku Data Bank Ltd. said.

Tokyo-based Chisan, which operates the Chisan Hotel Chain and is saddled with debts of 320.7 billion yen, filed the application with Tokyo District Court under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law.

The debts left by Chisan were the second highest among Japanese companies that have collapsed this year, only after 449.9 billion yen left by general contractor Sato Kogyo Co., which collapsed in March.

Chisan, set up in 1951, had served as a core company among some 30 group firms, engaging in golf course and real estate businesses in addition to the hotel operation.

It rapidly expanded through corporate acquisitions in the 1980s at the height of Japan's asset inflation-backed "bubble" economy.

Chisan began to head south following the collapse of the bubble economy in the early 1990s as well as a tax evasion scandal involving a senior company official.

Though Chisan managed to get creditor banks' support, including partial and total cuts in interest rates on debts, it was unable to stop its net debts from ballooning.

With excess debts totaling about 200 billion yen, Chisan has given up its own business rehabilitation efforts and filed for the court-administered rehabilitation process.

Daiwa Bank Holdings Inc.  said it may fail to recover loans to Chisan totaling 46 billion yen, though there will be no impact on Daiwa's earnings for the year ending in March 2003.

Generas Corp. , a Chisan affiliate renamed from Chisan-Tokan Co. earlier this month, said Chisan's failure will have no impact on its earnings.

Generas said it will change the name of the five hotels it directly manages to Hotel Generas from Chisan Hotel in October, winding up its hotel chain contract with Chisan.

BSL Corp., which used to be a Chisan affiliate, said the company has no outstanding claims on Chisan.

BSL, previously called Hirabo Corp., said it will consider how to deal with its shareholdings in Chisan units worth 50 million yen in book value after monitoring further developments.

Sanctuary Resorts expands in Asia

Bangkok, 24 August 2002 - Sanctuary Resorts, the Hong Kong based resort management company of holistic resorts, has signed a management contract with recently opened Layan Beach Resort & Spa Village, in Phuket, Thailand.

The boutique resort, which opened less then two years ago, is located on Layan Beach, in the north of Phuket. The 52 rooms and villas are complemented by an extensive spa village; which will form the site of the body, mind and spirit programs, Sanctuary Resorts’ intends to implement.

Sanctuary Resorts will initially focus on establishing the resort, which will soon be re-branded “The Layan – A Sanctuary Resort”, as an exclusive place where guests can balance body, mind and spirit in an environmentally friendly space.

Explaining the concepts, Michel van der Hoeven, who heads the regional office of Sanctuary Resorts, states “We will use the existing excellent infrastructure and standards of the resort and streamline its services, programs and facilities as well as its ability to cater to the demands and requirements of today’s discerning traveller; seeking a resort to continue the life style they have created back home. We feel that The Layan has all key ingredients of a Sanctuary and synergies between the vision of the resort owner and our own company’s vision and mission make it a perfect match”.

In commenting on his choice for Sanctuary Resorts, Mr. Noharaj Ruktae-Ngam the owner of the resort, felt that besides the ample expertise and dedication as a resort management company, Sanctuary Resorts’ vision & mission of managing boutique resorts where guests can balance their body, mind and spirit in a environmentally sustainable place, will complement his own philosophy and concepts.

Andrew Jones, guardian and founder of Sanctuary Resorts added that despite the Phuket market becoming overwhelmed, the resort’s spirituality and Sanctuary Resorts’ programs such as meditation, personal awareness and other mind stimulating programs, would ensure the resort develops its own niche and will be able to maintain its share of the market.

Sanctuary Resorts currently manages The Bale, in Bali and has started construction on Hotel de la Paix, in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Additional projects are planned for Kao Lak, Phang Nga, Bali and Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

For more information visit:  http://www.sanctuaryresorts.com

Hello, is anyone at home?

STOCKHOLM - The pilot of a passenger flight who tried to land at an airport in a southern Swedish town found no one at the control tower to give him clearance.

The controller had failed to return from holiday, and no one had noticed that the tower was not staffed until the pilot called in.

The Scandinavian Airlines System's flight carrying 30 passengers from Stockholm was left to circle the airport at the Kristianstad while central traffic authorities called in another controller.

"There was never any danger to the passengers or crew. There were plenty of alternative airports and the aircraft had fuel enough to divert to many of them had it been necessary," said an SAS spokeswoman.

No truth in the rumour that the airport is to get a new call sign: AWOL. 

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