government

Image by Getty Images via Daylife The TSA really can’t win a shot. From acknowledging that print-at-home boarding passes are a huge airport risk to missing 20 out of 22 hidden weapons at the metal detectors during a Newark security drill – they just can’t win. Now its apparently happened again when the TSA was […]

A few months ago, Oakland Mall in Michegan announced they would be offering small startups & minipreneurs access to low cost/no cost kiosks as a way of creating a sense of excitement in the mall. The 12 72ft square kiosks are provided for the tenant and include display cases, counters & shelves. All the tenant […]

In mid April the weekly Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is at 103.4 (up 0.8 points). This is 3.3 points higher than it was in April 2008 (100.1). Interviewing for this Consumer Confidence Rating was conducted on the weekend of April 11/12, 2009. Improvements in confidence about the future have driven the Roy Morgan Consumer […]

After closing the doors to Tibet as the Chinese government feared uprisings around the Dalai Lama’s anniversary of exile, the doors have been reopened. Apparently the anniversary passed uneventfully after the Dalai Lama requested everyone to approach it peacefully. But it didn’t stop foreigners and media being banned from the area for the whole of […]

Everyone knows Dubai has been having real problems with falling real estate prices, but now it appears to have reached crisis point. Much of Dubai’s exponential growth has been funded by international borrowing and a large chunk of that is due this year. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that the Dubai government is […]

The ban on Absinthe ended last year which introduced a purchasing frenzy amongst people who wanted to know what the fuss was all about with this supposedly dangerous spirit. Much of that frenzy has now died down with the economic downturn but Pernod, the original Absinthe maker, has finally reintroduced their famous product. Pernod Absinthe […]

Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is thought to be among bidders for Australia’s Cairns and Mackay airports and an interest in Brisbane airport, which are to be sold off to pay for three new hospitals, say reports. Queensland premier Anna Bligh said that the airports will be privatised and will generate more […]

The Greek government is hoping to sell some of its shares in Athens international Airport and they’re also looking at the potential privatisation of their regional airports. A consultant is expected to be appointed shortly to advise on the privatisation of the country’s regional airports. That consultant will be asked to examine a range of […]

Vietnam is apparently considering the possibility of legalising different forms of gambling.  The ministries of Finance, and Planning & Investment, are drafting legal documents to submit to the government for consideration. Prior to 2003, all forms of gambling except the state-run lottery service were illegal in Vietnam.  Since then the government has allowed some 4-5 […]

The term “Made in China” has been considered by many to be a liability to brands, and certainly the 2007 Interbrand survey of 569 marketing & business professionals confirmed this. It found that 69% of respondents said “made in China” damages a brand. However, some Chinese manufacturers are breaking this image and appear to have […]

Wednesday 5 December 2007 | The Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) and the School of Hotel and Tourism Management of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) recently introduced the Hong Kong Tourism Demand Forecasting System to our industry partners at a forum held in PolyU. Developed by PPRI and the School, the Hong Kong Tourism […]

Giorgio Armani S.p.A. is awarding a long term license to EMAAR Hotel & Resorts for the operation of a collection of luxury hotels and resorts. The agreement foresees the opening of at least seven luxury hotels and three vacation resorts within the next ten years. Following the signing of a Letter of Intent in 2004, […]

NEW: Colin Benjamin Thursday, 29 November 2007 The future is now A friend has directed a venomous response to what he describes as this column’s gross inaccuracies. He disagreed with my call that the election result could have been closer if there had been another week of Costello fear-mongering. That Bennelong could have been saved […]