ED NOTE: I'll be there to Photograph the event.
Camera Cinemas |: "Festivals
S.F. International Asian-American Film Festival 2010
The acclaimed San Francisco Asian-American Film Festival screens March 19-21 at Camera 12 Cinema in downtown San Jose. The premiere showcase for Asian American and Asian Films in North America, the festival will present more than 100 films and videos in March at venues in San Francisco and Berkeley, as well as San Jose. The festival schedule at Camera 12 is as follows:
FRIDAY, MARCH 19
7:00pm -- Au Revoir Taipei, dir. Arvin Chen (USA), 80 mins.
A lovesick boy and a passive-aggressive bookstore clerk navigate Taipei’s night-markets, seedy alleyways and karaoke bars in search of love and more in this campy, colorful adventure-caper-comedy.
SATURDAY, MARCH 20
12 noon -- Dear Doctor, dir. Miwa Nishikawa (Japan), 135 mins.
A rural village doctor vanishes one day without a word, leaving the townsfolk to sort through his past, and their town’s, in this poignant drama from one of Japan’s most acclaimed female directors.
1:30pm -- Voices, special live event, 60 mins. (plus Q&A)
Presented by Asian Americans For Community Involvement (AACI), this documentary follows the stories -- the successes, hardships, and hopes -- of three Asian American immigrants in Silicon Valley. Followed by a presentation by AACI.
2:45pm -- 3rd I South Asian International Shorts 2009, video shorts, 81 mins. (plus Q&A)
A richly layered compilation of dark yet hopeful South Asian short films from India, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
3:00pm -- Aoki, dir. Mike Cheng and Ben Wang (USA), 95 mins. (plus Q&A)
This eye-opening documentary highlights the life of Bay Area Japanese American activist Richard Aoki (1938–2009), a founding member of the Black Panther Party.
4:45pm -- The People I've Slept With, dir. Quentin Lee (USA), 90 mins. (plus Q&A)
Angela Yang knows what she wants -- sex! -- and doesn’t care who provides it: Asian, Caucasian, Latino or Black, male or female. When she discovers she’s pregnant, though, it’s time to find the daddy.
5:30pm -- A Village Called Versailles, dir. S. Leo Chiang (USA), 68 mins. (plus Q&A)
A moving portrait of a marginalized population that found its voice in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, this documentary depicts how New Orleans’ Vietnamese community united and battled for their democratic rights.
7:15pm -- Make Yourself At Home, dir. Soopum Sohn (USA), 93 mins.
An immigrant bride from Korea is brought into a cold Korean American home, one dominated by her frightful mother-in-law, in this deliciously terrifying horror film about remembering your roots -- or dismembering something else.
7:45pm -- Like You Know It All, dir. Hong Sang-soo (South Korea), 127 mins.
An arthouse director (“famous in East Asia�) blunders his way through a series of uncomfortable encounters, most involving women, alcohol, and his own petty insecurities.
9:15pm -- Prince of Tears, dir. Yonfan (Taiwan/Hong Kong/China), 120 mins. (plus Q&A)
Two young sisters come of age during Taiwan’s brutal anti-communist crackdowns of the ‘50s. This examination of how living under terror can turn even the most hopeful dreams into nightmares was Hong Kong’s entry to the Academy Awards.
SUNDAY, MARCH 21
12 noon -- Wandering, Wondering, video shorts, 91 mins (plus Q&A).
This set of films floats through the city like seeds from dandelions. On a bus, on a bike, these tales of love hide in alleys, hotel rooms, or in the anonymity of large groups.
2:00pm -- Talentime, dir. Yasmin Ahmad (Malaysia), 110 mins.
Three high school students sing, strum, and sign their way into each other’s hearts while gearing up for a school-wide talent competition.
2:15pm -- State of Aloha, dir. Anne Misawa (USA), 77 mins (plus Q&A).
This insightful documentary explores the explosive controversies surrounding Hawaiian statehood: sovereignty, imperialism, politics, racial hierarchies, and environmental sustainability.
4:30pm -- Cooking With Stella, dir. Dillip Mehta (Canada), 103 mins.
Two Canadian diplomats in New Delhi discover their cook is skimming off more than just the milk in this deliciously wry battle between the servants and the served, co-scripted by FIRE’s Deepa Mehta.
4:45pm -- Fog, dir. Kit Hui (USA/Hong Kong), 89 mins. (plus Q&A)
A young man grappling with amnesia wanders the streets of Hong Kong, looking for clues to his past, all while the city busily prepares for the tenth anniversary of its reunification with China.
6:45pm -- In The Matter of Cha Jung Hee, dir. Deann Borshay Liem and Ramsay Liem (USA), 75 mins. (plus Q&A)
In 1966, an American couple adopted a Korean girl named “Cha Jung Hee,� and renamed her Deann. There was just one important discrepancy -- she was not Cha Jung Hee. A remarkable journey through an individual’s past and a nation’s scarred history. Preceded by Memory of Forgotten War.
7:00pm -- The Forbidden Door, dir. Joko Anwar (Indonesia), 110 mins.
A successful but mysterious Jakarta sculptor finds his days becoming nightmares, thanks to his involvement in a voyeuristic reality show, in this Indonesian horror film.
9:00pm -- The Message, dir. Chen Kuo-fu and Gao Qunshu (China), 115 mins.
In Japanese-occupied Nanjing, “the Phantom� is leaking Japanese secrets to the resistance. Five suspects are rounded up: will they destroy one another -- and the resistance -- to save themselves?"
Showing posts with label 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Why 2010 Will Be the Year of the Travel Deal
If you thought the travel bargains were unbelievable this year, just wait until 2010.
I'm fully aware that this prediction flies in the face of conventional wisdom. I mean, how many travel experts have you seen on TV lately, warning that the deals are going, going, gone?
They're everywhere. But they're probably wrong.
Consider:
A recent forecast by Mintel, an international market and consumer research firm, predicts travel sales will basically remain flat in 2010 (they fell a projected 2.2 percent, to $123 billion, this year). However, air travel and hotel sales will drop by roughly 2 percent each, it says.
Research by Deloitte & Touche paints an equally bright outlook for bargain-hunters. "Leisure travelers will continue to seek out specials in 2010," says analyst Adam Weissenberg. "With hotels fighting to hold their rates as much as possible, they may offer an additional free night, complimentary spa treatment or discounted meals. For its part, the airline industry is also boosting incentives for leisure travelers by offering such things as a monthly pass."
In case you're wondering why the deals will probably continue through next year, industry guru Peter Yesawich of Y Partnership has an answer: According to his research, just over half of all active travelers say they plan to "stay fewer nights" on an upcoming vacation than they did this year. The implications are of "considerable concern" to the travel industry, he says, because they could push prices lower.
I realize nobody knows the future, and predicting travel prices is a fool's game. Still, it seems to me the real question isn't whether there will be more deals, but where they'll be.
Here are 10 places to find them during the Year of the Deal.
1. Bargains Are (Almost) Everywhere
If you come across a hotel or cruise line that insists it "never" discounts, don't believe it. In 2010, everyone will discount. It's just a question of how much. Amanda Sundt, the chief marketing officer at the adventure travel site iExplore (www.iexplore.com), says upscale resorts will continue to offer spa and dining credit credits and two-for-ones. Worse, hotel capacity is expected to grow as major chains like Hyatt and Four Seasons open new properties. "Look for good introductory deals as the hoteliers want to start seeing an immediate return and build buzz about the new properties," she says.
2. Yes, Even Airlines
The travel industry's soothsayers want you to believe that airfares are on the verge of taking off again. They may be right. But they probably aren't. Chris Lopinto, the president and co-founder of ExpertFlyer.com (www.expertflyer.com), says lackluster demand from leisure travelers will continue to keep fares low. In fact, he predicts fares will stay depressed until business travelers jump back into the game. "I think once business and business travel picks up again, we'll see air prices go significantly higher," he says. When? Maybe by the fall of 2010. Then again, maybe not.
3. Forget Blackout Dates
Resorts offer so-called "value" season during off-peak times to lure guests. Guess what? Those value prices could last all of 2010, according to hoteliers like Steve Heydt, president of Elite Island Resorts, one of the largest independent Caribbean hotel groups. "Resort business is not showing any measurable increase," he told me.
"We've responded to this trend by ensuring that we allow our current value pricing to roll over and be available next spring, summer and fall. This is the only way we believe we can stimulate advance vacation bookings."
4. Catch the Wave
"Wave" period, which happens early in the year, is the time when most cruises are booked. In 2010, they'll be giving them away, from the sounds of it. "Cruise lines are putting the brakes on new ship builds, and those under construction are still being built, but most of those on the drawing board are on hold," says Danny Borg, a partner for the discount travel site Undercover Tourist. "The cruise lines will continue to lower prices until their ships sail at capacity." He and other experts recommend booking early in 2010, which is when all the sales are likely to happen.
5. Get Social
Here's a tip from an airline insider: If you're looking for deals in 2010, it pays to participate in social media, like Twitter or Facebook.
"Social media has quickly become a new sales and loyalty channel for airlines," says Lufthansa spokeswoman Jennifer Urbaniak. Her airline sees social media as a way to offer special Internet-only discounts on tickets next year -- and she expects other airlines to do the same.
6. Go Where the Crowds Don't
"The problem we are battling now is perception," says Robert Tuchman, an executive vice president at New York-based event planner Premiere Corporate. "Companies don't want to seem like they are being extravagant, so they are making employees fly coach and not business or first." That's translating into bargains just where you wouldn't expect them: in business- and first-class fares and at upscale resorts.
7. Log on For Deeper Discounts
How much deeper? A lot. I asked Clem Bason, president of Hotwire, and he's looking for "sharply discounted deals" -- both on the kind of opaque deals his site offers (those are ones where the name of the resort isn't revealed until you book) and vacation packages. Archrival Priceline.com also offers opaque deals, but most of the major online agencies, including Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity, have aggressively discounted packages that promise to be even more aggressively discounted in coming months.
8. Look for an All-Inclusive Rate
Many travel companies plan to make up for lost revenue by "unbundling" their rates -- meaning they'll separate the base fares and rates from "extras" like the ability to make a confirmed seat reservation or get a newspaper delivered to your room in the morning. "The trend towards a la carte pricing will definitely continue in 2010," says Todd Dirks, a vice president at WNS, a business process outsourcing company. "Airlines have found this to be a material and sustainable source of revenue."
Just one problem: The reservations systems can't handle these fees, so customers don't find out about them until it's too late. Lesson? Look for a rate that includes everything (Southwest Airlines is one of the few carriers that doesn't nickel and dime customers).
9. Zig When Everyone Else Zags
A bargain-hunter's natural instinct is to look for a deal where the deals are known to be. In 2010, they'll be there -- and elsewhere, predicts Elie Seidman, the chief executive of Oyster Hotel Reviews. Take New York City, for example. "Rooms at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas would cost $500 a night if it were in Midtown Manhattan, but these days, they're often going for less than $100 a night," he says. "Prices in Las Vegas will go even lower when City Centre opens at the end of the year. And if the Fontainebleau in Vegas is able to get out of its current problems, Las Vegas will get even cheaper for tourists." People don't normally associate these destinations with bargain rooms. But that's the thing about 2010 -- whether you follow the crowd or not, you can't lose.
10. You Don't Even Need to Spend Real Money for these Deals
Some of the most attractive offers in 2010 may be related to your award miles, according to Chris Barnard, president of Points.com. That's because travel companies are trying to unload as many miles as possible. "In order to increase their value to travelers, program operators are adding new and different redemption options -- everything from restaurant and retail gift cards to program-sanctioned mileage trades," he says.
Next time someone tells you to hurry up and book now, ask yourself: Why are they pressuring you to make a purchase this second? What do they have to gain from it?
Remember, next year will be filled with travel bargains, if these industry-watchers are right.
And I think they are.
Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the host of "What You Get For The Money: Vacations" on the Fine Living Network. E-mail him at celliott@ngs.org.
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/articles/6378.html#ixzz0UVBglgK7
I'm fully aware that this prediction flies in the face of conventional wisdom. I mean, how many travel experts have you seen on TV lately, warning that the deals are going, going, gone?
They're everywhere. But they're probably wrong.
Consider:
A recent forecast by Mintel, an international market and consumer research firm, predicts travel sales will basically remain flat in 2010 (they fell a projected 2.2 percent, to $123 billion, this year). However, air travel and hotel sales will drop by roughly 2 percent each, it says.
Research by Deloitte & Touche paints an equally bright outlook for bargain-hunters. "Leisure travelers will continue to seek out specials in 2010," says analyst Adam Weissenberg. "With hotels fighting to hold their rates as much as possible, they may offer an additional free night, complimentary spa treatment or discounted meals. For its part, the airline industry is also boosting incentives for leisure travelers by offering such things as a monthly pass."
In case you're wondering why the deals will probably continue through next year, industry guru Peter Yesawich of Y Partnership has an answer: According to his research, just over half of all active travelers say they plan to "stay fewer nights" on an upcoming vacation than they did this year. The implications are of "considerable concern" to the travel industry, he says, because they could push prices lower.
I realize nobody knows the future, and predicting travel prices is a fool's game. Still, it seems to me the real question isn't whether there will be more deals, but where they'll be.
Here are 10 places to find them during the Year of the Deal.
1. Bargains Are (Almost) Everywhere
If you come across a hotel or cruise line that insists it "never" discounts, don't believe it. In 2010, everyone will discount. It's just a question of how much. Amanda Sundt, the chief marketing officer at the adventure travel site iExplore (www.iexplore.com), says upscale resorts will continue to offer spa and dining credit credits and two-for-ones. Worse, hotel capacity is expected to grow as major chains like Hyatt and Four Seasons open new properties. "Look for good introductory deals as the hoteliers want to start seeing an immediate return and build buzz about the new properties," she says.
2. Yes, Even Airlines
The travel industry's soothsayers want you to believe that airfares are on the verge of taking off again. They may be right. But they probably aren't. Chris Lopinto, the president and co-founder of ExpertFlyer.com (www.expertflyer.com), says lackluster demand from leisure travelers will continue to keep fares low. In fact, he predicts fares will stay depressed until business travelers jump back into the game. "I think once business and business travel picks up again, we'll see air prices go significantly higher," he says. When? Maybe by the fall of 2010. Then again, maybe not.
3. Forget Blackout Dates
Resorts offer so-called "value" season during off-peak times to lure guests. Guess what? Those value prices could last all of 2010, according to hoteliers like Steve Heydt, president of Elite Island Resorts, one of the largest independent Caribbean hotel groups. "Resort business is not showing any measurable increase," he told me.
"We've responded to this trend by ensuring that we allow our current value pricing to roll over and be available next spring, summer and fall. This is the only way we believe we can stimulate advance vacation bookings."
4. Catch the Wave
"Wave" period, which happens early in the year, is the time when most cruises are booked. In 2010, they'll be giving them away, from the sounds of it. "Cruise lines are putting the brakes on new ship builds, and those under construction are still being built, but most of those on the drawing board are on hold," says Danny Borg, a partner for the discount travel site Undercover Tourist. "The cruise lines will continue to lower prices until their ships sail at capacity." He and other experts recommend booking early in 2010, which is when all the sales are likely to happen.
5. Get Social
Here's a tip from an airline insider: If you're looking for deals in 2010, it pays to participate in social media, like Twitter or Facebook.
"Social media has quickly become a new sales and loyalty channel for airlines," says Lufthansa spokeswoman Jennifer Urbaniak. Her airline sees social media as a way to offer special Internet-only discounts on tickets next year -- and she expects other airlines to do the same.
6. Go Where the Crowds Don't
"The problem we are battling now is perception," says Robert Tuchman, an executive vice president at New York-based event planner Premiere Corporate. "Companies don't want to seem like they are being extravagant, so they are making employees fly coach and not business or first." That's translating into bargains just where you wouldn't expect them: in business- and first-class fares and at upscale resorts.
7. Log on For Deeper Discounts
How much deeper? A lot. I asked Clem Bason, president of Hotwire, and he's looking for "sharply discounted deals" -- both on the kind of opaque deals his site offers (those are ones where the name of the resort isn't revealed until you book) and vacation packages. Archrival Priceline.com also offers opaque deals, but most of the major online agencies, including Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity, have aggressively discounted packages that promise to be even more aggressively discounted in coming months.
8. Look for an All-Inclusive Rate
Many travel companies plan to make up for lost revenue by "unbundling" their rates -- meaning they'll separate the base fares and rates from "extras" like the ability to make a confirmed seat reservation or get a newspaper delivered to your room in the morning. "The trend towards a la carte pricing will definitely continue in 2010," says Todd Dirks, a vice president at WNS, a business process outsourcing company. "Airlines have found this to be a material and sustainable source of revenue."
Just one problem: The reservations systems can't handle these fees, so customers don't find out about them until it's too late. Lesson? Look for a rate that includes everything (Southwest Airlines is one of the few carriers that doesn't nickel and dime customers).
9. Zig When Everyone Else Zags
A bargain-hunter's natural instinct is to look for a deal where the deals are known to be. In 2010, they'll be there -- and elsewhere, predicts Elie Seidman, the chief executive of Oyster Hotel Reviews. Take New York City, for example. "Rooms at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas would cost $500 a night if it were in Midtown Manhattan, but these days, they're often going for less than $100 a night," he says. "Prices in Las Vegas will go even lower when City Centre opens at the end of the year. And if the Fontainebleau in Vegas is able to get out of its current problems, Las Vegas will get even cheaper for tourists." People don't normally associate these destinations with bargain rooms. But that's the thing about 2010 -- whether you follow the crowd or not, you can't lose.
10. You Don't Even Need to Spend Real Money for these Deals
Some of the most attractive offers in 2010 may be related to your award miles, according to Chris Barnard, president of Points.com. That's because travel companies are trying to unload as many miles as possible. "In order to increase their value to travelers, program operators are adding new and different redemption options -- everything from restaurant and retail gift cards to program-sanctioned mileage trades," he says.
Next time someone tells you to hurry up and book now, ask yourself: Why are they pressuring you to make a purchase this second? What do they have to gain from it?
Remember, next year will be filled with travel bargains, if these industry-watchers are right.
And I think they are.
Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the host of "What You Get For The Money: Vacations" on the Fine Living Network. E-mail him at celliott@ngs.org.
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/articles/6378.html#ixzz0UVBglgK7
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Travel firms impatient for 2010 Tourism Year scheme
Tourism companies are impatiently waiting for the tourism administration’s scheme for the National Tourism Year 2010, hosted by Hanoi, which will be combined with the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi. They have just six months left to prepare for this great event.
 |
| Van Mieu - an attractive destination in Hanoi. |
Travelling and discovering history
There are around 500 days left from now to the great celebration of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi as Vietnam’s capital. However, travel firms have only six months to prepare for the Hanoi National Tourism Year, which explains why they are anxious.
All tourism companies in Vietnam are urgently developing tours and advertising plans to attract visitors to Hanoi. Discovering the city’s 1,000 years of history is the focus of almost all tours.
“Hanoi will be the foremost destination on tours for local and foreign visitors coming to the north. Tours in 2010 will be connected to historic events, such as King Ly Cong Uan and the Edict on the Transfer of the Capital from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh province at present) to Dai La (Hanoi at present), the Ly, Tran, Le dynasties, Phat Tich Pagoda (Bac Ninh), and combined with tours to Yen Tu and Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh,” said Hanoi Redtours Deputy Director Nguyen Cong Hoan.
“Cultural, historical and folk game tours will encourage visitors to take initiative in discovering the culture and people of Hanoi,” added historian Le Van Lan.
Anxious for event scripts
 |
| Foreign visitors discover Hanoi's cuisines. |
Many travel firms say that they are confused and cannot begin compiling their tours for next year because the plans for the Hanoi – National Tourism Year and for the 1,000th great anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi are not available.
Hanoi Redtours’ Nguyen Cong Hoan said his company needs information about events and festivals in 2010 to prepare its plan. Travel firms also want the culture-tourism administration to hold training courses on the history and culture of Hanoi for tour guides.
Saigontourist’s Pham Duc Hoa said Hanoi should inform tourist firms at least one year before it organises such a massive event so travel firms have time to prepare and to inform their foreign partners.
The National Tourism Year, an initiative of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, made its debut in 2003. Each year a province or city is chosen to host the programme promoting the tourism potential of a specific region to international visitors.
Ha Yen
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Vietnam Airlines to open direct flight to the U.S in 2010
The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced a new plan to open direct flights to the U.S in 2010 if conditions are right, three years later than its earlier plan which was delayed for three years.
Vietnam Airlines confirmed that it would open direct flights to the U.S once the carrier is again economical strong enough.
At the moment, the airlines is preparing the market and planes to reach the goal of direct flights to the US by 2010.
According to the Vietnam Aviation Department, the US is a difficult market, and that aviation authorities in the country impose many conditions on airlines wanting to open direct flights to the country.
Besides making the airlines follow the US’ tight security and safety regulations, US aviation authorities also require airlines to supply a passenger list with personal information on all passengers on-board the planes four hours before take-off. This is an unprecedented condition, not require by most other countries. However, the US remains the number one aviation market, so most airlines in the world want enter it. That is why Vietnam Airlines is trying to open direct flights to the country, even in this time of worldwide economic crisis.
Like other airlines around the world, Vietnam Airlines’ number of passengers and cargo flights are decreasing.
In the first quarter of 2009, the number of international passengers traveling with the airline fell 5%, and the airline has set a target to carry only around 9.4 million passengers in this challenging year of 2009.
Last year, Vietnam Airlines carried nine million passengers.
Source: VN Express
Translated by Ngoc
Vietnam Airlines confirmed that it would open direct flights to the U.S once the carrier is again economical strong enough.
At the moment, the airlines is preparing the market and planes to reach the goal of direct flights to the US by 2010.
According to the Vietnam Aviation Department, the US is a difficult market, and that aviation authorities in the country impose many conditions on airlines wanting to open direct flights to the country.
Besides making the airlines follow the US’ tight security and safety regulations, US aviation authorities also require airlines to supply a passenger list with personal information on all passengers on-board the planes four hours before take-off. This is an unprecedented condition, not require by most other countries. However, the US remains the number one aviation market, so most airlines in the world want enter it. That is why Vietnam Airlines is trying to open direct flights to the country, even in this time of worldwide economic crisis.
Like other airlines around the world, Vietnam Airlines’ number of passengers and cargo flights are decreasing.
In the first quarter of 2009, the number of international passengers traveling with the airline fell 5%, and the airline has set a target to carry only around 9.4 million passengers in this challenging year of 2009.
Last year, Vietnam Airlines carried nine million passengers.
Source: VN Express
Translated by Ngoc
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)