Friday, September 13, 2013
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Second National Tour Guides' Convention - Puerto Princesa City, June 19, 2011
Michael tagged you in a video on Facebook.
To see the video, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?video%2Fvideo.php&v=10150216454428907&mid=46c7e61G5af32100005eGd3edf1G1d&bcode=SdXdnI2E&n_m=bienclaravall%40yahoo.com
Thanks,
The Facebook Team
To see the video, follow the link below:
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Thanks,
The Facebook Team
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Land, Air and Sea Transportation Industry
The Land, Air and Sea Transportation Industry
The transportation industry specifically passenger transportation or passage, plays the most important role in the tourism industry, since without travel, there is no tourism. This sector comprises all entities involved in the transportation of people and goods, from a point of origin to a destination point, or number of destination points, and back to the point of origin.
Land Transportation
This sub-sector includes all land transportation entities, namely, by rail and by road. The inclusions here range from the smallest units, such as tricycle associations, to the large bus companies such as JAM, and Victory Liner and the railroad systems, including the bullet trains. Train terminals, bus depot, gasoline stations, highways, railroads, roads, bridges, and the maintenance of these are essential to this sub sector.
Local car rental companies and the local branches of international car rentals that provide limousine services for departing and arriving passengers, as well as providing similar services for bus, rail, shipping lines and cruise companies and the ever present shuttle service are integral sub-sectors of this sector.
Air Transportation
The air transportation sub-sector, perhaps the most glamorous, involves companies providing scheduled services - Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air, SEA Air and Airphil Express - and air-taxis operators, plus all air charter companies. Airports, airfields and airstrips are an integral part of this sector.
The air transportation industry is incredibly efficient. An individual may book a flight to a desire destination, pay for the ticket in the local currency, check-in at the airport and fly to the destination – regardless of the stops – in one go without any hassle. Nowadays the reservation, payment and issuance of the air ticket are even possible on-line at home.
• The largest passenger airliner in the world today is the Airbus A380 , a double-deck, wide-bodied, four-engine airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus. It made its maiden flight on 27 April 2005 from Toulouse, France, and made its first commercial flight on 25 October 2007 from Singapore to Sydney with Singapore Airlines. The A380's upper deck extends along the entire length of the fuselage, and its width is equivalent to that of a wide body aircraft. This allows for a cabin with 50% more floor space than the next-largest airliner, the Boeing 747-400, and provides seating for 525 people in a typical three-class configuration or up to 853 people in all-economy class configurations.
• Another all-new plane made by Boeing will soon hit the commercial skies. Named the Boeing 787 Dreamliner this aircraft is made of carbon composite materials and 15 percent titanium. This combination makes it much lighter than other similar aircraft and with engines made by General Electric and Rolls-Royce of the lightweight category, this jet will consume less fuel and will create less pollution than other planes. The Boeing 787 has space from 290 up to 330 passengers depending of the aircraft’s model. It is due for commercial operations towards the middle of 2011 with the Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) as its launch customer. The use of fatigue-resistant and rust-free composite materials means air in the cabin can be more humid, leaving passengers less dried out and jetlagged after a long flight.
Sea (water) Transportation
This sub-sector includes all water (sea and fresh) transportation operators, such as Aboitiz Transportation Systems operators of Super Ferry and Super Cat and the land-based facilities required for these, such as ports, piers and wharves. The categories of sea travel are – domestic shipping and international cruising,
Shown below are the basic differences:
Domestic Shipping International Cruising
Caters to Passengers and Cargo Exclusively for Passengers only
Fixed point-to-point routes Flexible grid or circle itineraries
Limited facilities and amenities Full amenities and facilities
Limited Port Facilities Excellent Port Facilities
Domestic in Nature International in Scope
The largest cruise ship in the world today is the Genesis-class “Oasis of the Seas” of the Royal Caribbean Lines. The 225,282 gross registered ton vessel, with a displacement of 100,000-ton, equal to a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier . The cruise liner has a length of 360m (an Airbus 380 is 73m long, while the Titanic was 296m) and spans sixteen (16) decks or 72m high, as high as a 23-storey building. She can accommodate up to 6,296 guests in 2,700 staterooms plus a 2,165 crew. A cruiseliner was said to be a ship with a hotel built inside it; this cruise ship is a hotel with a ship built around it.
Oil Companies
Oil companies and the gas stations situated through out the archipelago have a very important stake in the automobile tourism, and are in many ways built to service the needs of the motoring public and travelers in general. Some oil companies publish road maps as a touring aid.
Transportation Modes of the Future
Hyper Sonic Travel
After the phase-out of the super sonic Anglo-French aircraft Concorde, the Instituto de Estudios Avancados of Brazilian (IEAV) is in the process of developing a hypersonic aircraft. This type of aircraft is equipped with a scramjet engine where air is compressed by geometry and speed of the craft. The compressed air is the injected with hydrogen gas that causes the mixture to bursts into flames, driving the craft at hypersonic speeds. This mechanism is an integral part of the fuselage. The aircraft should be active by 2012 to deliver satellites in orbit and for other commercial applications.
Space Travel
The “Space Ship Two” model is the first commercial space-liner owned and to be operated by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Lines. The “VSS Enterprise” is to hitch a ride to the edge of space on its mother ship the “VMS Eve” before flying into sub space on its own power. This spacecraft will provide the groundbreaking opportunity to be one of the first ever non-professional astronauts – an unforgettable experience unlike any other available to humankind. The space ship will allow affordable sub-orbital space tourism for the first time in the history of the universe. Space tourism industry is in its infancy but has developed an interest and investments worldwide.
The transportation industry involves the movement of people and goods from point to point, or points beyond, within a specific area by air, sea or land, including all required and necessary infrastructure.
The transportation industry specifically passenger transportation or passage, plays the most important role in the tourism industry, since without travel, there is no tourism. This sector comprises all entities involved in the transportation of people and goods, from a point of origin to a destination point, or number of destination points, and back to the point of origin.
Land Transportation
This sub-sector includes all land transportation entities, namely, by rail and by road. The inclusions here range from the smallest units, such as tricycle associations, to the large bus companies such as JAM, and Victory Liner and the railroad systems, including the bullet trains. Train terminals, bus depot, gasoline stations, highways, railroads, roads, bridges, and the maintenance of these are essential to this sub sector.
Local car rental companies and the local branches of international car rentals that provide limousine services for departing and arriving passengers, as well as providing similar services for bus, rail, shipping lines and cruise companies and the ever present shuttle service are integral sub-sectors of this sector.
Air Transportation
The air transportation sub-sector, perhaps the most glamorous, involves companies providing scheduled services - Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air, SEA Air and Airphil Express - and air-taxis operators, plus all air charter companies. Airports, airfields and airstrips are an integral part of this sector.
The air transportation industry is incredibly efficient. An individual may book a flight to a desire destination, pay for the ticket in the local currency, check-in at the airport and fly to the destination – regardless of the stops – in one go without any hassle. Nowadays the reservation, payment and issuance of the air ticket are even possible on-line at home.
• The largest passenger airliner in the world today is the Airbus A380 , a double-deck, wide-bodied, four-engine airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus. It made its maiden flight on 27 April 2005 from Toulouse, France, and made its first commercial flight on 25 October 2007 from Singapore to Sydney with Singapore Airlines. The A380's upper deck extends along the entire length of the fuselage, and its width is equivalent to that of a wide body aircraft. This allows for a cabin with 50% more floor space than the next-largest airliner, the Boeing 747-400, and provides seating for 525 people in a typical three-class configuration or up to 853 people in all-economy class configurations.
• Another all-new plane made by Boeing will soon hit the commercial skies. Named the Boeing 787 Dreamliner this aircraft is made of carbon composite materials and 15 percent titanium. This combination makes it much lighter than other similar aircraft and with engines made by General Electric and Rolls-Royce of the lightweight category, this jet will consume less fuel and will create less pollution than other planes. The Boeing 787 has space from 290 up to 330 passengers depending of the aircraft’s model. It is due for commercial operations towards the middle of 2011 with the Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) as its launch customer. The use of fatigue-resistant and rust-free composite materials means air in the cabin can be more humid, leaving passengers less dried out and jetlagged after a long flight.
Sea (water) Transportation
This sub-sector includes all water (sea and fresh) transportation operators, such as Aboitiz Transportation Systems operators of Super Ferry and Super Cat and the land-based facilities required for these, such as ports, piers and wharves. The categories of sea travel are – domestic shipping and international cruising,
Shown below are the basic differences:
Domestic Shipping International Cruising
Caters to Passengers and Cargo Exclusively for Passengers only
Fixed point-to-point routes Flexible grid or circle itineraries
Limited facilities and amenities Full amenities and facilities
Limited Port Facilities Excellent Port Facilities
Domestic in Nature International in Scope
The largest cruise ship in the world today is the Genesis-class “Oasis of the Seas” of the Royal Caribbean Lines. The 225,282 gross registered ton vessel, with a displacement of 100,000-ton, equal to a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier . The cruise liner has a length of 360m (an Airbus 380 is 73m long, while the Titanic was 296m) and spans sixteen (16) decks or 72m high, as high as a 23-storey building. She can accommodate up to 6,296 guests in 2,700 staterooms plus a 2,165 crew. A cruiseliner was said to be a ship with a hotel built inside it; this cruise ship is a hotel with a ship built around it.
Oil Companies
Oil companies and the gas stations situated through out the archipelago have a very important stake in the automobile tourism, and are in many ways built to service the needs of the motoring public and travelers in general. Some oil companies publish road maps as a touring aid.
Transportation Modes of the Future
Hyper Sonic Travel
After the phase-out of the super sonic Anglo-French aircraft Concorde, the Instituto de Estudios Avancados of Brazilian (IEAV) is in the process of developing a hypersonic aircraft. This type of aircraft is equipped with a scramjet engine where air is compressed by geometry and speed of the craft. The compressed air is the injected with hydrogen gas that causes the mixture to bursts into flames, driving the craft at hypersonic speeds. This mechanism is an integral part of the fuselage. The aircraft should be active by 2012 to deliver satellites in orbit and for other commercial applications.
Space Travel
The “Space Ship Two” model is the first commercial space-liner owned and to be operated by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Lines. The “VSS Enterprise” is to hitch a ride to the edge of space on its mother ship the “VMS Eve” before flying into sub space on its own power. This spacecraft will provide the groundbreaking opportunity to be one of the first ever non-professional astronauts – an unforgettable experience unlike any other available to humankind. The space ship will allow affordable sub-orbital space tourism for the first time in the history of the universe. Space tourism industry is in its infancy but has developed an interest and investments worldwide.
The transportation industry involves the movement of people and goods from point to point, or points beyond, within a specific area by air, sea or land, including all required and necessary infrastructure.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
2010 Trends in the Cruise Industry
2010 Trends in Cruise Industry
Source: Cruise & Vacation Agents
There are ten trends in the international cruise industry influencing both the supply-side in terms of product improvement and development and the demand-side in terms of market profiles and expectations.
Mega Ships Mania
The introduction of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class twin ships the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas (220,000-ton, 5,400-passenger or 40% larges than the next biggest cruise ships the Freedom-class ships, also of Royal Caribbean) are attention gathering mega ships due to their size.
Oasis-class innovations include delightfully surprises - the outdoor Central Park, complete with live plants; the Boardwalk, an exterior promenade, complete with an antique carousel; and the Aqua Theater, a pool area and amphitheater at the ship's bow that features high-dive and other aqua-acrobatics.
Focus on Improved Refurbishments
Some of the most popular features on new-built cruise ships - such as balconies and verandas, children facilities, outdoor sports, expanded shopping areas and expansive spas - are part of the refurbishments of the older model cruise ships.
Carnival's "Evolutions of Fun" initiatives upgrades in the children's water parks with 300 ft. water slides and adults-only sun decks. Refurbishing also includes enhancements to cabins, pool decks, soft goods, and entertainment options, including new resort-style retreat aft and spa-centric staterooms.
On the luxury end, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is undertaking a program to enhance its trio of all-suite vessels. The US$40 million project includes the addition of a steakhouse; redesign of lounges, public rooms, and suites; and the addition of pizza ovens and ice cream bars.
Luxury Boutique New-Builds
New-built boutique ships are the first brand new luxury ship designed, like the Seabourn Odyssey a luxury ship with roomier accommodations (the vessel is three times larger than its fleet mates but carry only double the passengers) and course-by-course, in-room dining; and more. Silver Spirit will be similar in style and design to the line's existing trio of upscale ships, but with a few firsts—including a supper club and an Asian-themed restaurant—and a larger spa.
The Dining Room Revolution
Cruise lines continue to implement freestyle dining - being able to eat when and where you want, rather than committing to a set table at a set time. Pioneered by Norwegian Lines, this concept is now the norm in all big-ship lines. Royal Caribbean introduced and successfully tested "My Time Dining" a program that offers flexible evening dining options - on the Freedom of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, and Serenade of the Seas.
Resurgence of Homeports
Traditional embarkation cities, like Miami Ft. Lauderdale Gulf Coasts
Last year Carnival's announcement that it would base Carnival Pride in Baltimore on a year-round basis; while other U.S. coastal cities, ranging from Charleston to San Francisco and from Boston to San Diego, also have varied options - often newer, more amenity-filled cruise ships - than ever before. Norfolk , Virginia Boston , Massachusetts
Close to Home Cruises
Interest in exotic (and world) cruising to far-flung places like Australia/New Zealand, South America , and Asia - which, in the economy's boom time, were hugely popular - has slowed way down. Not only are these trips pricey, but they also generally last longer than the average seven-night cruise and require long and expensive air flights.
As a result, closer-to-home destinations are experiencing a renaissance: Bermuda , the Caribbean , and the Mexican Riviera for North Americans and the Mediterranean and Baltic for U.K.-based travelers.
Last year cruise line cutbacks on world voyages and exotic cruises meant less choice and higher prices. However because lines have moved ships out of the traditional embarkation ports to the more accessible “homeports” there are more choices to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean - and the additional competition will result in lower fares.
One exception is the Middle East - a region that most would consider "exotic." The Middle East rising in popularity has prompted both Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruises to base ships in Dubai
Short Cruises Better Than No Cruises
Taking a less-than-a-weeklong cruise is one way to cut vacation costs, and cruise lines have responded by upping the appeal of short cruises. In the past, ships deployed on shorter cruises were usually older models with far fewer amenities. Today's travelers now have the chance to sail on newer, more amenity-laden trips.
Carnival Cruises serves the short cruise markets but has embarked on a new series of four - and five - night voyages alternating between the Western and Eastern Caribbean. On the West Coast, Royal Caribbean offers four - and five - night Mexican Riviera cruises.
New Perks for Solo Travelers
On the marketing side, cruise lines are now reaching out to every potential traveler by introducing the “Solo cruisers” who use to pay double the cruise fare to occupy a cabin alone or waiving the single supplements. A limited percentage of cabins are designated for solo occupancy, however and these are decorated for single occupant – no second bed, for instance, to make room for a couch. The most interesting development is P&O’s announcement that the vessel, the Azura, launched this year has solo cabins design and built purposely for solo travelers.
Last-Minute Cruising
Fabulous last-minute cruise deals are back, due to a soft economy. And although a last-minute cruise is defined roughly as a sailing that departs 15 days to 3 months in the future, there are now super-cheap sailings just a few days prior.
This trend appeals to those who are not to choosy about leftovers and have flexible travel dates. It also takes advantage of homeport cruising that do not require flight components or find that flights to and from major a cruise sailing ports are too expensive.
Beware of a la Carte Charges
Be warned that there are some “a la Carte” charges:
Dreaded fuel surcharges - the extra fees, ranging from US$5 per person, per day to the most expensive £19 per person (about US$27 per day) that were a result of a 2008 oil price spike.
Alternative restaurant charges - on some cruise lines there are service fees at alternative restaurants and some a la carte menu charges for some onboard venues; and speaking of specialty restaurants, service fees - which used to hover in the US$5 to US$15 range - have risen fairly dramatically to about US$30.
In-dining-room charge - Royal Caribbean's US$15 charge for a special “in-dining-room” (room service) steak is particularly controversial. While most passengers accept paying extra fees to dine in specialty restaurants, the ships' main restaurants are still off-limits for picking the guest’s wallet.
Admittance fees - as cruise ships get bigger, cruise lines will charge extra fees for admittance to venues since these can only accommodate so many passengers. Also as cruise fares continue to drop and cruise line profits suffer, it is unavoidable that companies will investigate new areas for revenue enhancement.
Fitness class charges - at US$10 to US$15 per session and these can add up on weeklong trip.
Still, while cruise travel has never been a truly all-inclusive experience – there are always extras for spa treatments, Internet and phone access, casino gambling, shore excursions, and the like – so every additional bit is welcome.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
“Ethics of Tour Guiding”
By Bienvenido Claravall
Work Values and Professional Ethics – for tour guides words and action are are indicative of the individual’s total personality and those that are related to the individual’s work-related attitudes and behaviour.
Personality
· Dress properly and be properly attired - wear outdoor clothes for outdoor activities and indoor clothing for indoor activities;
· Never trade appearance for comfort;
· Be properly groomed – manage your hair and nails and use make-up to enhance and not to hide;
· Always maintain your dignity and always observe proper decorum
Sensitivity
· Be attuned to the interest of the travelers and sure of the quality of information you provide;
· Be sensitive to the operating environment – natural or social - in particular in matters concerning safety and security;
· Use social skills to elicit cooperation with other staff they are your partners too;
· Encourage responsive and responsible behavior from your clients - lead by example - seek grounds of concern and work for the common good;
Honesty
· Do not cheat – be honest, there is more to honesty than money;
· Do not lie – if you do not know, say so - guess work is easily detected;
· Do not steal other people’s time – be punctual;
· Do not pretend - be prepared (emotionally, physically and mentally);
Sincerity
· Handle money responsibly – and never insinuate or ask for tips;
· Show genuine interest in people – be natural and avoidtheatre;
· Let love of country shown thru your thoughts, words and deeds
· And most of all “smile” and be enthusiastic about your profession
Managing Industry Relations – a component of a whole must also learn new ways to establish better rapport with the suppliers’ staff and be ingenious in establishing harmonious linkages with the local communities.
- Avoid being bossy, laud or ill-mannered- remember, this is only a job
- Never argue - resolve conflict situations in private
- When things go wrong, protect the suppliers but do not take sides
- You are a member of a team, aim to work as a team, when one fails, all fail
Sharing and Learning and Sharing
- Learn to distinguish up-land, low land and coastal environments, their attributes and concerns
- Reach out and net-work with others – individuals, groups and associations
- Share experiences – there is always something new to learn
- And most of all seek cooperation rather than confrontation
In Search of Excellence - “Hindi na Pwede and Pwede na”
I will practice professional conduct by:
· Reporting for duty prepared, ready and able and on time, all the time
· Following the tour guide’s norms of conduct: being friendly but respectful, showing leadership without being bossy and being understanding but firm
· Adhering to the appropriate dress code at all times
· Performing my duties and responsibilities to the best of my ability
· Looking after the well-being of the visitors at all times
I will practice professional ethics by:
· Protecting the interests of the my principal, the operator of the tour package
· Endeavoring to promote the interest of my principal by generating additional revenues
· Objectively overseeing the performance of other suppliers and rectifying problem situations objectively, humanely and diplomatically
· Practicing situational awareness at all times – in particular in situations concerning safety and security
I will be morally up-right by:
· Refraining from participating, promoting, aiding or abetting “sex-tourism” or similar illegal and immoral activities, such as gun-running and use of prohibited drugs;
· Strictly following established accounting rules and regulations, specifically those pertaining to the management of money – cash advance liquidations, collections and remittances
I will be sensitive to the natural and social environment by:
· Promoting conservation of the natural environment and practicing the principle to “reduce, re-use and re-cycle” in every day life
· Promoting the preservation of the Filipino heritage
· Respecting the sensitivities, customs, culture and traditions of all local communities and indigenous peoples
I will demonstrate love of Country in word, thought and deed by:
· Providing factual, appropriate and objective commentaries and spiels – when negative comments are necessary, I will present these tactfully and diplomatically
· Showing proper respect to the national flag and the national anthem
· Obeying rules and regulations, in particular those related to traffic and littering
· Paying the appropriate government taxes when due
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