WTM2009 – TOURISM FRONTIERS3030
Thursday 12th November 2009 14.00 to 15.30 – North Gallery 6/7
World Travel Market, ExCeL, London,
Forum Director: Professor Dimitrios Buhalis

To celebrate 30 years of the World Travel Market, the International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research, Bournemouth University is organising its annual WTM forum with the theme Vision 3030 – to reflect the past 30 years and to project tourism in the next 30 years. The market volatility globally demonstrates the key challenges and also opportunities emerging for both tourism destinations and suppliers around the world. Tourism destinations and organisations need to learn from the history of tourism developments in the last 30 years and adapt to the realities, technologies, and globalisation for the next 30 years. Clearly understanding the Economics of Tourism and ensuring the sustainability of resources will be two key challenges for the future. The Tourism Futures Forum will provide an insight into the future dimensions of the tourism industry. It examines major trends in tourism demand and supply and explores the strategic changes that lead to the international tourism industry restructuring. The University of Bournemouth in partnership with the World Travel Market and the TravelDailyNews are organising this annual forum to facilitate debate about the key strategic changes and to engage in a discussion about the successful response of the industry. The forum brings together leading academic and professional tourism experts to identify new trends as well as opportunities and challenges. The event will involve two cutting edge research-based presentations to stimulate discussion. The Chair of the panel Dr Keith Wilkes Dean of the Services Management School will encourage all participants to contribute to the debate and discussion.

Thursday 12th November2009 14.00 to 15.30 –
World Travel Market, ExCeL, London, North Gallery 6/7

Provisional Programme – © indicates confirmed
Chair: ©Dr Keith Wilkes

Opening Professor Dimitrios Buhalis Forum Director and Dr Keith Wilkes, Chair
14:00-14:45 Introductions LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE
© Dr Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of UNWTO: View from the top: Designing a better future in tourism
© Professor John Fletcher: The economic impacts of Tourism
© Dr Jonathan Edwards, Tourism and Sustainability

14:45-15:30 INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION & LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE–INVITED PANELISTS
© Ufi Ibrahim, World Travel & Tourism Council
© Philippe Rossiter CEO, Chief Executive – Institute of Hospitality
© Martin Brackenbury is President of the International Federation of Tour Operators
© Eulogio Bordas, THR and Affiliate Members UNWTO
© George Drakopoulos SETE, Greece
© Kevin May Editor Tnooz.com
© Graham Cook Vice President Expedia EMEA
© Steve Endacott (onholidaygroup.com)

For more information contact the Forum Director:
Professor Dimitrios Buhalis,
Deputy Director, International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research (ICTHR), School of Services Management, Bournemouth University , Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK
Tel: +44 1202 961517 Email: dbuhalis@bournemouth.ac.uk

The event is free of charge but there is very limited capacity. Arrive early to secure a seat

You must have a ticket for the World Travel Market to attend.
For information about the World Travel Market and the ExCel venue please see http://www.wtmlondon.com/
Tourism Programmes at Bournemouth Universityhttp://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/services-management/Tourism Research at Bournemouth University http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/icthr

Location: ExCel London, Great Britain
Website: http://www.wtmlondon.com/

I want to tell you that this summer Bulgaria is the real deal if you want first-class service and bargain prices.
I myself was a bit sceptic at first, but having heard so many things about the Bulgarian sea-side, and particularly the Sunny Beach resort, I just had to give them a try. After some research and asking left and right my friends that travel, I stumbled across Hotel “Planet” and I felt right away it was the perfect place to spend my holidays this summer with my wife. I was so delighted about my discovery that I shared it with my brother. Unfortunately, he was so kind to auto-invite himself to our trip with his wife.
Anyway, he is my brother so I couldn’t tell him to gtfo
We booked a double room with sea-side view via a local travel agency a few weeks before going there.

PLANETA HOTEL

When we got there, we could only find that all such rooms were occupied but the staff was very helpful and promptly gave us an apartment with sea-side view instead. Also during my stay, the staff was very friendly and they were quick to solve every issue. I only had one problem actually with the access to their wireless network via laptop, and they resolved this problem in 2-3 hours. All the people there are very professional and they really exceeded my expectations – I give Hotel Planet 7 stars for their staff. And not to forget the pools that are just amazing (I’ll return with more pictures in a few hours)! Here is the complete list of facilities offered by Hotel Planet

Beach

Parasols Sandy Sun loungers

Distances (in meters)

Bar / Pub 100 meter Beach 5 min. walk, Beach access Disco / Club 200 meter Public transport 300 meter Restaurants 100 meter Shopping facilities 100 meter Tourist centre 5 min. walk Town centre 10 min. walk

Facilities

24h check-in 24h. Reception Air-conditioned in common areas Bars Bed and breakfast Café Children’s pool Conference room Disco / Club (their nightclub is also well worth a visit) Fresh water pool Gym Hairdresser Half board Lift-s Massage Medical Service Money Exchange Outdoor pool Playground Pub Reception area Restaurant – Air-conditioned Restaurant – non-smoking area Room service Restaurant -smoking area Sauna Safe Snack / pool bar Shops Steam bath Special SPA packages Supermarket Sun loungers Whirlpool

Hotel type

Beach hotel Design hotel

Points of interest

1 2500 meter,30 min. walk,10 Ride,5 min. Drive

Room facilities (Standard room)

Balcony Bath Bathroom Carpeted Central air-conditioned Central heating Direct dial telephone Fridge Hairdryer Individual air-conditioned Individual heating Internet access Iron and board Kitchenette Lounge Microwave Minibar Radio Satellite / cable TV Shower Tea / Coffee

Rates 2009

The price includes: breakfast, use of swimming pool, sauna, steam bath, resort fee and hotel insurance. Discounts: Child up to 2 years old: free of charge  1^st child up to 12 years old on extra bed: free of charge.  1^st child up to 12 years old on extra bed: 50% discount of the price of regular bed.  Child up to 12 years old on regular bed: 50% discount of the price of regular bed.  2^nd child up to 12 years old on extra bed: 50% discount of the price of regular bed.  Adult on extra bed on extra bed: 25 % discount of the price of regular bed. Supplements: Supplement per HB: 8 euro Supplement per AI per adult: 18 euro Supplement per AI per child: 9 euro Contact: +359 (554) 28 200 +359 (554) 28 201 hotelplaneta@gmail.com You can book a room directly on their site as well, www.hotelplaneta.com I’m definitely returning to Hotel Planeta next year, perhaps I’ll see some of you there.

The Latitude 2100 comes with a 10.1 inch LCD display and is powered with an Intel Atom N270 processor. In addition to that it features an optical webcam and fortunately runs on almost all the major operating systems that includes Windows XP Home, Windows Vista Home or Ubuntu Linux.

Looking at the features the Latitude 2100 offers an integrated graphics card, traditional hard drive or SSD storage, 3-in-1 card reader and Ethernet port. It is a custom-built Mobile Computing Station equips classrooms with a cart to store, manage and network up to 24 netbooks with one Ethernet and power cord.

Furthermore, it offers wireless connectivity that can be monitored by the teacher with a Network Activity Light on the netbook lid. The Latitude 2100 seems like a perfect choice for enhanced student interaction, assessment, and for special education teaching.

Key features include

• Choice of XP Home, Vista Home Basic and Linux Ubuntu
• Intel Atom processor N270
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity coupled with a full suite of wireless communication options
• 2.91lb (1.32kg) starting at weight with 3-cell battery
• Hard or solid state drives for increased durability
• Three-cell or six-cell battery
• Three-in-one Media Card Reader
• Optional External DVD+/-RW via USB
• VGA port
• Clean bottom is vent-free to avoid any intrusion from spills
• Options: webcam and a keyboard featuring antimicrobial protection (U.S. only)

The Dell Latitude is priced at $369 and is available in 5 different colors including School Bus Gold, Chalkboard Black, Ball Field Green, Blue Ribbon and Schoolhouse Red.

Dell Latitude

The new Aspire One 751 is the first netbook with 11.6 inch screen from the company and offers tons of unique features. It is powered by Intel’s Atom Z520 running at 1.33GHz, SCH USW15S Chipset, GMA500 graphics, and a multipurpose track pad with multi-touch capabilities.

It comes with a 11.6 inch WXGA 16:9 ratio Acer CyystalBrite high definition LED back-lit TFT LCD (1364 x 768 resolution) and a genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home. It is equipped with an Intel Atom Z520 processor and features up to 2GB of Ram. In addition to that it offers Bluetooth connectivity, 3 Usb ports, Crystal Eye web camera, 3G options, Dolby Pro Logic sound, multi-card reader, and WXGA backlit LED display.

Acer Aspire One 751 key features include

• Intel Atom Processor Z520 (1.33GHz, 490MHz FSB, 512KB L2 Cache)
• Up to 2GB of RAM
• 11.6-inch WXGA 16:9 ratio Acer CrystalBrite High Definition LED back-lit TFT LCD (1364 x 768 resolution)
• Mobile Intel US15W Express Chipset
• 1024MB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM Single Channel Memory
• Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• 160GB SATA 5400RPM Hard Drive
• Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader and Dedicated SD Card
• Acer InviLink 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, UMTS/HSPA 3G network compatibility, and Bluetooth 2.0 capabilities
• Acer Crystal Eye Web Camera
• Two Built-in Stereo Speakers
• Three USB 2.0 Ports and multiple card reader
• Battery 6-cell Li-ion (5200mAh) for run time up to 9 hours
• Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home
• One-Year Standard Warranty

The new Acer Aspire available in 2 version including a £399 version which will ship with Windows XP, 1GB of memory and 160GB of hard drive. For £499 version, it will ship with 2GB of RAM, Vista Home Basic and 250GB of storage. It will be available in several colors including Black Diamond colour, Sapphire Blue, Ruby, Mussel White color.

Golden Sand Hotel Apartments

Golden Sand Hotel Apartments are located in the central Dubai. The Golden Sands Hotel Apartments are claimed  to be Dubai’s largest and premier serviced Apartments offering you the comforts of home and the conveniences  of a hotel. It’s hardly 10 minutes drive to the beach. It offers good leisure facilities combined with the  location make this a great choice for family holidays or business travellers.

Room 1  ( 2 Adults )

• Standard 1 Room Studio – Room Only – £98
• Standard 1 Room Studio – Bed And Breakfast- £117
• Standard 2 Room Studio – Room Only- £129
• Standard 2 Bedroom Apartment and Balcony – Room Only – £162

Al Sharq Hotel

Al Sharq Hotel is ideal for budget travelers, located in City Centre. It’s just 13 km away from Dubai Airport. The Al Sharq Hotel provides easy access to shopping centres, museums, heritage sites, playgrounds and the beach. The interior design of this hotel is dominated by Arabic style, with spacious rooms, high quality furniture and modern space management technology. All rooms have a separate living area and a renovated interior.

Room 1  ( 2 Adults )

• Executive One Bedroom Apartment including English Breakfast – £97

Arabian Courtyard Hotel

Located at a walking distance to the historic bastakiya, Dubai Creek, abra , meena bazaar and the textile market, the Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa offers an unbeatable location in old Dubai opposite the Dubai Museum.

The Arabian Courtyard Hotel is award-winning hotel with flavours of vibrant Arabic tradition, top notch facilities plus a quality service, makes an ideal base to set off each day on your Arabian adventures. Only a short drive to Sheikh Zayed Road, the business hub of Dubai and DWTC exhibition halls.

• Room 1  ( 2 Adults )

£104 to £193 per room

K Porte Inn

A few minutes away from Dubai Airport and in the middle of the business and shopping centers of Deira lies K Porte Inn. It’s a 3 star hotel that provides you with a service that is synonymous with Arabian Hospitality, offering a selection of restaurants and cafes, plus a lively nightclub for evening entertainment.

In addition to that it include facilities such as swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi and massage rooms. Close by is the Gold Souk, Dowtown Burj Dubai and the World Trade Centre Exhibition Halls.

• Room 1  ( 2 Adults )

£83 per room

Ramada Dubai

Ramada Dubai is located adjacent to the Bur Juman Shopping Center which is less than a mile from the World Trade Center and approximately seven miles from Dubai International Airport. Ramada Dubai also comes within a mile of the Dubai Museum, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, and Dubai Zoo.

All rooms feature high-speed Internet access, split-level interiors, complimentary tea/coffee facilities, private bathrooms, international direct-dial telephones, minibars, safes, satellite TV, and separate work and living areas. If you must know the hotel will be going under maintenence is April and there will be no access to swimming pool until end of April 2009.

• Room 1  ( 2 Adults )

£94 to £116 per room

Uruguay was long time overshadowed by its powerful neighbors Argentina and Brazil. The same thing happened to the city of Montevideo comparing with the megacities of Buenos Aires , Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paolo. This is outrageous, unfair and unjust. Uruguay is in my opinion the jewel of South America, and Montevideo is nowadays the best South American city to live in.

Montevideo lies in the middle of a plain, on the estuary of Rio de la Plata (La Plata river). On the other side of the estuary lies Buenos Aires, and 140 km away is the renowned resort Punta del Este. Not far from Montevideo Montevideo there are some hills, which gave the name of the city at its beginnings. The city was founded in the XVIIth century by the Spanish through the administrator of Buenos Aires. In 1776 received from the Spanish crown the exclusive right to administrate the slave trade, and this made the neighbors over La Plata very angry. This intense slave trade is an originating motive for the carnival: the slave should have a period of their own when they could dance, celebrate life and sing. Ever since the carnival has been regularly held in every year and nowadays is lasting 55 days.

Imagine 55 days of  dancing and partying on the streets. Apparently, these people have nothing else to do than celebrating! It is the paradise on Earth for tourists and locals ( no one complains that he can’t sleep!). The Carnival from Montevideo is very similar to the Rio Carnival, keeping the right proportions (Montevideo only counts 1600000 inhabitants). This thing doesn’t mean that the Montevideo carnival is less spectacular. On the contrary: it is more genuine, keeping the joy of life as the more important thing.

During these 55 days of Carnival in Montevideo wou will have no time to get bored! Montevideo is such a nice city, still keeping an european colonial flavor. There are exquisite hotels and fine restaurants in the city and large spectacular avenues, there are theaters, there are beaches. There are so many tourists flocking the city every year during the Carnival, that you might need to book your stay in advance.

San Fermin is a festival that is held each year in Pamplona, a small city in Navarre. Beginning on the 6th of July, the afternoon Opening Ceremony draws a huge crowd around Town Hall, where the Pamplona party kicks off with the firing of a small rocket called the “chupinazo”, then leads into a huge celebration with live music, champagne, and plenty of dancing. But that is only the first day of the festival, and from then until the Closing Ceremony (14th July) there are a number of activities and events for you to enjoy.

Probably the most well known and exciting events of the San Fermin festival is the Encierro, or Bull Run. This is a daily spectacle, and every morning a collection of bulls are run through the streets to the local arena, where they will be pitted against one another (as well as a few brave men) in a bullfight. But the real excitement of this morning stampede comes from the many people who choose to run alongside them.

If you would prefer to skip the early morning jog and want to settle down to watch the bull fight itself, the Matador’s take the arena each night at 6:30 PM, where they will boldly stand up against the threat of two large, angry bulls. It’s a heart pounding, gut wrenching sight, but luckily this is one fight where the hero’s nearly always seem to win.
Another local favorite is the Parade of the Giants (also affectionately known as the ‘Bigheads‘), where each morning the streets are overtaken by large, paper mache characters carried by San Fermin’s dancers. But if you would rather see the city come alive with the night entertainments of the festival, you will love the Pena’s, local social clubs that march through the streets playing music for the other night owls. Theres always plenty of singing, dancing, and drinking during these times, and you are sure to enjoy yourself, even if the next morning you find yourself regretting it.
But sadly the Pamplona party much eventually come to an end, and so on the last night you can experience the wonders of the Closing Ceremony. It begins with a candlelight march through the main area to the local church to say goodbye to the season, and to another happy festival passed. Then you can end the night with a huge fireworks show, and singsong, as you and the other guests lament the end with the words “Pobre de mí, pobre de mi, que se han acabado las fiestas de San Fermín“.

These events, as well as the easy going accommodations, guest orientation, and welcome party will make this one experience you will never forget. So head to Pamplona for the San Fermin festival, and have the time of your life at one of the world’s most famous celebrations.

These are my picks for the top 10 biggest parties around the world.

The San Diego Street Scene

What? – A two day party held on several blocked off streets, featuring a ton of live bands, and even more booze.

When? – Annually, on the 19th and 20th of September
Where? – In San Diego’s Gas Lamp District, spanning across several a seven mile radius.

Spain’s La Tomatina

What? – The most epic food fight of all time, where tens of thousands of people flock to the streets to hit strangers with rotten tomatoes, an activity that is great for releasing stress.

When? – Every August, on the last Wednesday of the month.
Where – In the Valencia town of Buñol, Spain,

The New Orleans Jazz Fest

What? – One of the biggest music festivals in the world, that features hundreds of bands over a week long period. You can see some of the most famous bands on the market, as well as many lesser known jazz bands. The 2009 line up includes such names as Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, and the Dave Mathew’s Band.

When? – Week 1 runs from April 25th to the 27th. Week two begins on May 1st and runs to the 4th.
Where? – New Orleans, Louisiana. There are a number of cubes that hold the bands, and you can find out more about then at http://www.satchmo.com.
Glastonbury Music Festival

What? – Another huge music festival, running the span of three days. The number of guests every years easily exceed 150,000, and there are hundreds of musical acts. Be sure to bring your camping gear, and anything else you would like to help keep you comfortable.

When? – June, on the last weekend of the month.

Where? - Pilton, England.

Ko Pang Ngan’s Full Moon Party

What? – Drawing tens of thousands of people a year, this has long been considered the ‘backpackers party‘. Unlike the other parties on the list, this one is monthly, and if you are looking for an all night drink fest, you will love it. Especially if you are a beach lover.
When? – Every month, on the night of the full moon.

Where? – Ko Pha Ngan, an island in Thailand.

The San Fransisco Bay to Breakers

What? – Technically, this is a foot race that was traditionally run over a mile course. Now, it’s just an excuse to get together a lot of alcohol, dress up in costumes (the more revealing the better), and storm the streets for a huge party.

When? – Every May, on the third Sunday of the month.

Where? – The streets of San Fransisco, California.

Nevada’s Burning Man

What? – The ultimate hippy party, the Burning Man is a festival centered around setting the 72 foot ‘burning man’ alight….and then spend the rest of the time drinking and smoking a lot of weed. It boasts tens of thousands of people annuals, and it one of the most popular parties in the US.
When? – Eight days before Labor Day (which is the first Monday of September).
Where? -Blackroot Desert, Nevada

Germany’s Oktoberfest

What? – A two week drinking binge, no party list in complete without Oktoberfest. Music, women in cleavage revealing dresses, and a whole lot of beer, this is one of the all time greatest festivals in the world.

When? – September 20th – October 10th.
Where? – Munich, Germany.

2). Pamplona’s San Fermin Festival

What? – A festival filled with parades, dancing, and the legendary Encierro, or Bull Run, this is one huge party, and one that you won’t want to miss, proving once again that Spain had the party scene down to an art.
When? – Annually, from July 6th – July 14th.
Where? – Pamplona, Spain.

Brazil’s Carnaval

What? – Probably the most famous party of all, Carnaval is a huge street festival, filled with parades, music, dancing, and plenty of drinking. The costumes are amazing, and the local clubs hold some of the most elaborate (and outrageous) balls and parties you will ever attend.
When? – February 22nd – 28th.

Where? – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Sinulog festival is a nine day celebration beginning on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. Held in honor of the baby Jesus (or Santo Niño), there is great religion significance to the festival, and people flock from all over the world to participate.

But it isn’t just a homage paid to Cebu’s patron saint, the Santo Niño, it’s also a recognition of the pagan roots of the people, and their eventual choice to convert to the Christianity brought to them by the foreigners who passed through their great land. It’s a beautiful festival of past and present traditions, or pride in the original beliefs of the people, as well as the ones they adopted as their own.

Think of it as something beyond a mere religious event, as it’s also a huge party dedicated to the rich culture of the Philippines, and an experience you will never forget.

Sinulog 2009

The many festivities, rituals, and parades are always a treat, and Sinulog 2009 doesn’t look as though it will be any different. The schedule for the event has already been set, and there are any number of wonderful things to see and do, and whether you are there to celebrate your own Christianity, or you are there for the less religiously motivated reasons, you are sure to have the time of your life.

During the nine days of Sinulog, there are any number of activities you can participate in, from the spiritual experience of the Solemn Mass, to many parades, live shows filled with dancers and singing children, and some of the greatest street parties you will ever see.

Probably the most anticipated event of Sinulog 2009 is the annual Sinulog Grand Parade. Filled with costumed dancers, sung prayers, and fast paced traditional movements that will leave you breathless to witness, this is the highlight of the festival, and reason enough to go, just to be there to see one of the greatest street parades in the world.

What You Need To Know

So many people come to Sinulog every year, with more set for Sinulog 2009 then ever before, that it’s important to start planning your trip as early as possible. While flights are not a huge concern, booking accommodations can be difficult if you wait until the end, and so you are encouraged to begin searching for everything you will need for your trip to Cebu as early as you can, to avoid missing out on this incredible experience.

Luckily, there are any number of hotels in Cebu that begin preparing for the festival early, so they can take on as many visitors as possible, and there are additional accommodations that can be found through your local travel agent.

You will also want to book your flight ahead of time, and search for flights with fewer stopovers. You will not want to miss a single day of Sinulog 2009, and canceled flights or long waits at the airport may cause you to miss some of the beginning events that you are sure to want to see, especially the beginning exhibits and the launching program.

Events Schedule – (according to http://www.cebudaily.com/)

January 9, 2009 (Friday) – Sinulog 2009 Kick off / Launching (Sinulog Through the Years photo exhibit at Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport)

*

2pm – Solemn Mass (Basilica del Sto. Niño)
*

3pm – Launching Parade (from the Basilica del Sto. Niño to the Cebu City Sports Center a.k.a. Abellana)
*

7pm – Opening and Launching Program featuring the Mandaue City Children’s Choir, Dancesports Team Cebu, and Dance Troupes from participating schools and universities in Cebu (Fuente Osmeña)

January 10, 2009 (Saturday) – Sinulog sa Kabataan – Lalawigan (Sinulog of the children of Cebu Province)

*

1pm – Parade of Participants (from the Cebu Provincial Capitol to the Cebu City Sports Center a.k.a. Abellana)
*

2pm – Event Proper: Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan (Cebu City Sports Center a.k.a. Abellana)
*

4:30pm – Awarding of Winners (Cebu City Sports Center a.k.a. Abellana)
*

7pm – Cultural Show by the Department of Education, Cebu Province (Fuente Osmeña)
*

9:30pm – Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)

January 11, 2009 (Sunday) – Sinulog sa Kabataan – Dakbayan (Sinulog of the children of Cebu City)

*

1pm – Parade of Participants (from the Plaza Independencia to the Cebu City Sports Center a.k.a. Abellana)
*

2pm – Event Proper: Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan (Cebu City Sports Center a.k.a. Abellana)
*

4:30pm – Awarding of Winners (Cebu City Sports Center a.k.a. Abellana)
*

7pm – Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña)
*

9:30pm – Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)

January 12, 2009 (Monday)

*

7:30pm – Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña)
*

9:30pm – Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)

January 13, 2009 (Tuesday)

*

7:30pm – Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña)
*

9:30pm – Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)

January 14, 2009 (Wednesday)

*

9am – Airport Welcome for Balikbayan Flights (Mactan-Cebu International Airport)
*

7:30pm – Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña)
*

9:30pm – Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)

January 15, 2009 (Thursday)

*

9am – Airport Welcome for Balikbayan Flights (Mactan-Cebu International Airport)
*

7pm – Miss Cebu Coronation Night (Cebu City Waterfront Hotel and Casino)
*

7:30pm – Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña)
*

9pm – Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)

January 16, 2009 (Friday) – Visual Merchandising Contest (Department Stores and Malls in Cebu)

*

7:30pm – Cultural Shows by the Department of Education, Cebu City (Fuente Osmeña)
*

7:30pm – Handumanan “The Concert” (SM City Cebu)
*

8pm – Balik Cebu Welcome Party for Balikbayans and Guests (Ayala Center Cebu)
*

9pm – Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)

January 17, 2009 (Saturday)

*

6am – Fluvial Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño together with Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mactan Channel; starting point: Ouano Wharf, Mandaue City)
*

9am – Re-enactment of the Baptism of Queen Juana and Rajah Humabon (Basilica del Sto. Niño)
*

2pm – Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño)
*

6:30pm – Sinulog Festival Queen 2009 (Cebu City Sports Center)
*

7pm – Street Party (Fuente Osmeña and Plaza Independencia)
*

8pm – Kasadya Nite Mardi Gras (Ayala Center Cebu hallways; culmination at the South Surface Parking Area)

January 18, 2009 (Sunday) – Sinulog 2009 Grand Parade

*

9am – Sinulog 2009 Grand Parade Carousel Kick Off
*

7pm – Grand Fireworks Display (Cebu City Sports Center a.k.a. Abellana and Plaza Independencia)
*

7:30pm – Concert by Street Party Bands (Fuente Osmeña)
*

8pm – Grand Fireworks Display sponsored by the Mitsumi Group of Companies (Ayala Football Grounds)

January 19, 2009 (Monday)

*

1pm – Awarding Ceremonies (Cebu City Sports Center a.k.a. Abellana)

January 31, 2009 (Saturday)

*

1pm – Awarding Ceremonies for the winners of the Sinulog 2009 Photo Contest and Sinulog 2009 Video Documentary Contest

Febuary 1-10, 2009 (Sunday to Tuesday)

*

Photo Exhibits: “The Winning Photos taken during Sinulog 2009? (SM City Cebu)

When you think of Dubai, you might think of the desert. Which would be normal and fair as that’s what you see in the middle eastern region. Sand…and lots of it. But you probably don’t think about all the things that are home to Dubai. Some of the most fun things to do revolve around the Dubai events that are put on each year.

Sure, going to Dubai any time of year can be fun. You can take the tours, see the area, enjoy the people and be impressed by the camels. But have you thought about going and enjoying one of the many Dubai events that occur year after year?

You might be wondering about the Dubai events that might be so fun and different that someone might actually be inclined to schedule a holiday around it. Well, there’s the UAE Desert Challenge. What’s that you say? It’s a five day rally where vehicles of all kinds travel across some of the most difficult desert terrain. And it all ends in Dubai. So if you plan it just right, you can be there to see who finishes first…and last.

Of course, if you’re not really interested in that, there are plenty more Dubai events that might catch your eye. Such as Dubai Summer Surprises. This is ten weeks of fun entertainment. This is a big deal in Dubai when the shops offer major discounts and you have the opportunity to attend all kinds of festivals, events and entertainment. And there’s plenty for the kids to enjoy so by all means, bring them along. Of course, if you can’t get away in the summer time, and you love to shop, then remember that the beginning of the year brings the Dubai Shopping Festival with what? More wonderful discounts. So that’s always a wonderful alternative event.

Other fun Dubai events include the Dubai International Film Festival, the Legends Rock, the Dubai International Jazz Festival, Dubai World Cup and the Dubai Tennis Championships. Each of the Dubai events is held at different times of the year. Some may overlap while others don’t. If you’re interested in learning more about a particular event, all you have to do is look at some review websites. You could also check with friends or relatives that may have visited while the event was taking place.

The Dubai events that interest you will depend on your interests. If you like racing and outdoors then those Dubai events are going to be the ones you like the most. If you like shopping, fashion and theater, then you will like the Dubai events that center on those types of things. You may have trouble deciding which of the Dubai events to try first, since there are so many to choose from. But don’t despair. If you can’t make it to your first choice the first time around the good news is that it will come around again next year.