This Week's Herman Trend Alert Navigating the Next Year

The Herman Trend Alert April 23, 2008 US Losing its Tourism Lead to China For years, the United States has held the number one position as the world's most popular travel destination. However, according to the World Tourism Organization, by 2015 China will be number one. Some hotel chains, including Wyndham Worldwide, are already making moves to capitalize on this trend. The chain opened its first hotel in Beijing in 2004. Since then, it has grown to have 67 properties in China, including Howard Johnson and Days Inn locations. The chain Super 8 intends to double its mainland locations by the end of the year. According to Mitchell Presnick, Super 8 China's chief executive, "When economies experience this kind of growth, one of the first things that happens is people want to travel". (from BusinessWeek) Overseas tourists are flocking into China to see the Great Wall and the Terracotta Soldiers in Xian. Interestingly, tourists seem to be unconcerned about the current unrest in Tibet. As the fourth most popular destination country, behind France, Spain, and the US, China enjoyed visits from 132 million tourists who spent USD$42 billion in calendar 2007. One of the factors in China's tourism growth is the August Olympics, expected to attract 820,000 visitors from overseas. This year, China expects to have 150 million foreign tourists, an increase of 14 percent over 2007. In addition, the Chinese are increasing their domestic travel. This uptick is expected to spur tourism revenues to grow by some 18 percent, to reach $183 billion. This increasing competition for the US travel industry, which employs more than 17 million people and generates $740 billion annually in economic activity, is why Tim Schneider of Schneider Publishing is backing a grassroots initiative for the National Tour Association to create an executive branch Office of Travel & Tourism. The NTA will also push for the adoption of the Travel Promotion Act, which would provide funding to promote the United States as a travel destination in the international marketplace. Other countries have been strongly supporting tourism for years. Look for the US, in anticipation of the Boomer retirees' desire and resources for travel, to put some promotional dollars behind this long-overdue effort. © Copyright 1998-2008 by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." RESOLVE TO ADDRESS EMPLOYEE TURNOVER IN 2009 If you knew just how much money turnover is costing your company, you would have handled it ages ago! Turnover costs A LOT and it comes right off the bottom line. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 800-227-3566; international, call 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call. EMPLOYEE RETENTION BEGINS WITH GOOD SELECTION If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! GET INSIDE THE MINDS OF YOUR EMPLOYEES Find out what's really going on inside the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-648-1918 or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. To read this Herman Trend Alert on the web: http://www.hermangroup.com/alert/archive_9-24-2008.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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