Slow global economy still hurting Hawaii tourism as hotel occupancy drops to worst ever May

October 12th, 2009 China's Hainan Airlines to begin service to HawaiiHONOLULU — China's Hainan Airlines has received approval to begin service from Beijing to Hawaii. The U.S. Department of Transportation approved the flights, which initially will be once-a-week.

September 8th, 2009 Mexico cuts 3 Cabinet posts in austerity planMEXICO CITY — Mexican President Felipe Calderon wants to eliminate the government departments of Tourism, Agrarian Reform and Public Administration to cut costs. Calderon says the move may save the government as much as 80 billion pesos ($6 billion).

September 8th, 2009 Ahead of the Bell: Hotel REITS upgradedNEW YORK — An analyst upgraded shares of several hotel real estate investment trusts on Tuesday on factors including stabilizing occupancy, improving liquidity and strong balance sheets. Stifel Nicolaus analyst Rod Petrik raised his ratings on DiamondRock Hospitality Co., Host Hotels & Resorts Inc.

August 11th, 2009 Morgans Hotel Group reports bigger 2Q lossNEW YORK — Boutique hotel operator Morgans Hotel Group Co. said that its second-quarter loss widened as the recession continued to prompt consumers to pull back on their spending, but the results managed to surpass analysts' estimates.

July 29th, 2009 Mexico City gives medical insurance to touristsMEXICO CITY — The Mexico City government has launched a program to provide medical insurance to cover tourists who face health problems while visiting the capital. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard says the program was proposed during the April swine flu outbreak that battered the tourism industry in the city, which is visited by about 7 million tourists each year.

July 11th, 2009 Iconic Hawaii hotel to reopen under new union dealHONOLULU — Despite a dour economy and a Hawaii tourism industry that is in its roughest patch ever, four dozen employees of the iconic Ilikai hotel won their jobs back Friday when their labor union and the property's new owner inked a surprise deal. The Y-shaped, 30-story Ilikai was considered Hawaii's first luxury high-rise when it opened in 1964, and it gained more prominence when it was featured in the opening sequence of the hit TV series "Hawaii Five-0." The pact will lead to the hotel's reopening sometime soon — though neither the local UNITE HERE union nor the Waikiki hotel's owner, New York City-based iStar Financial Inc., are saying when.

July 9th, 2009 Iconic Waikiki hotel closesHONOLULU — The Y-shaped Ilikai hotel that has graced the Waikiki skyline for nearly five decades and hosted everyone from U.S. presidents to Elvis Presley is closing.

June 30th, 2009 Discounts abound as tourism to Thailand dropsBANGKOK — Thai Airways is trying to lure passengers from outside Asia with free domestic flights. Hotels on the resort island of Phuket are offering a fourth night free.

June 26th, 2009 Singapore manufacturing rises for second monthSINGAPORE — Singapore's manufacturing rose for a second month in May as pharmaceutical production more than doubled amid signs a severe recession is loosening its grip on the Southeast Asian city-state. Industrial production rose 2 percent from a year earlier and fell a seasonally adjusted 1.6 percent from April, the Trade and Industry Ministry said Friday.

May 21st, 2009 PANAJI - The Taj group of hotels Thursday unveiled Goa's first five-star business property, the 170-room Vivanta, to 'fill the gap between leisure and business tourism' in the state. 'Until now, Goa did not have a single business hotel catering to the upper segment,' said Taj Premium Hotels chief operating officer Jamshed Daboo, who has overseen the Rs.110-crore project.

May 1st, 2009 Swine flu reshapes Mexican tourismACAPULCO, Mexico — Acapulco's mayor is telling tourists from Mexico City to go home, and residents are stoning their cars. Cancun's hotels are pleading for visitors to fill their empty rooms.

April 23rd, 2009 Singapore tourism drops 13 percent in MarchSINGAPORE — Singapore tourism fell 13 percent in March as a global recession undermined travel, another blow to the Southeast Asian city-state which is reeling from its worst economic downturn on record. Tourist arrivals dropped to 790,000 in March from 911,000 in the same month a year earlier, the Singapore Tourism Board said Thursday.

April 23rd, 2009 Caribbean islands report major drops in tourismSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Five Caribbean countries are reporting double-digit drops in tourist visits as the global economic slowdown wreaks havoc on the region's top industry. Statistics released this week by the Caribbean Tourism Organization show Anguilla taking the worst hit with a decline of 18.8 percent.

January 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Sri Lanka Wednesday sought India's help in strengthening tourism to meet the challenges posed by the global meltdown. The issue was discussed in a meeting between Tourism Minister Ambika Soni and her Sri Lankan counterpart Milinda Moragoda, who also expressed keenness to participate in the travel marts organised by India, including the Great Indian Travel Bazar to be held in April.

December 30th, 2008 SHIMLA - Thousands of tourists, mainly from northern states, thronged popular tourist spots across Himachal Pradesh to celebrate the New Year, and several hotels in the state have reported full occupancy, tourism industry members said Wednesday. 'More than 300 hotels in Shimla are packed to capacity,' Harnam Kukreja, president of Shimla Hoteliers and Restaurants Association, told IANS.