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Another New Zealand cinema exhibitor is headed for the exit door.New Zealand cinema exhibitor Barrie Everard is selling the Berkeley Cinema chain to the Hoyts Corporation.The sale of the 21 screens at four multiplexes boosts...

ESTORIL - Tonnes of debt, but great beaches and warm weather. Can tourism help rescue Europe's financially troubled Mediterranean countries?The economies of Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece all depend heavily on tourism, and...

A Queensland MP has called for a website to be set up to educate backpackers on their work rights before they enter the country.  

Member for Bundaberg Jack Dempsey told the News-Mail there should be an information website for travellers to consult at home, then booklets made available on arrival.

He said: “What we need is a system where people are educated on their rights and the responsibilities of hostels and farm operators while in the country. It should start before they even get here. If people are given this information right from the start, then the industry will have to accommodate these rights and responsibilities. It’s the lack of knowledge that is making these people accept the treatment they are getting. They don’t know any better.”

The comments follow allegations of ill-treatment of backpackers by unscrupulous harvest work contractors and Dempsey called for a co-ordinated, nationwide approach to the problem.

“We need to work together to stop the treatment of travellers in not only Bundaberg, but all of Australia,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is supporting a national campaign to educate the horticulture industry about its obligations to employees.

A DIAC spokesman told the ABC visa holders represent a significant proportion of the harvest workforce and it is vital the industry complies with immigration requirements. He added the Fair Work Ombudsman’s campaign will highlight the consequences for workers and employers of breaching immigration laws.

The campaign involves the National Farmers Federation, Australian Workers Union, Horticulture Australia Council and the Australian Industry Group, as well as government agencies, but the ABC says Riverina Citrus is concerned the crackdown will only work if labour hire contractors are also targeted.

Next year's Rugby World Cup and the prospect of a higher GST are set to have a major impact on the tourism sector.

Approximately 36% of air travellers would complain to a flight attendant if there were noisy children on-board, according to a poll on Close Up ... COMMENT

Cover of the same travel journal I’ve had since 5/9/08. Address on front: Rauli 596 entre argomedo y santa isabela, my friend Gustavo’s old apartment in Santiago, and the first place we stayed after coming to South America almost 2 years later.

David Miller has used several travel journals since 2008 but still keeps coming back to this one. Here are a few excerpts and notes.

I DON’T KNOW how much of an audience there is for this, but if I could I’d just publish excerpts and pages from people’s travel notebooks here every day. On certain levels that would be my ultimate vision for the Traveler’s Notebook. I have several reasons for this, but really they’re all just extensions of a need for transparency in writing about travel and place. I feel like people’s raw journals reveal perceptions and truths that oftentimes get obscured or diluted when they go to “flesh them out” into an article. I think this has to do both with people’s expectations as far as what seems “publishable,” as well as fear about letting people know what they really think.

The Longest Running Travel Notebook I’ve Ever Had

Below are various excerpts from a journal that has particular meaning for me. I started it in May of 2008 when we lived in Seattle. The very first entry was written at Elwha River campground after the first night of camping with my daughter Layla. I later remixed it into a blog at Matador.

Since then I’ve filled other journals, but for some reason keep coming back to this one, using it for everything: cut lists for carpentry projects, telephone numbers, directions to surf spots, maps of rivers, little notes of what people say, sketches of ideas for cabins, Layla’s crayon scribbles. I let it all mix together and don’t really worry about it. This is how I work:

Colorado (War, 9,200 ft.) by the numbers

# of days spent – 30
# of days snowboraded (in July) – 3
# of hitchhikers picked up along peak to peak Hwy – 4
# of times picked up while hitchiking – 2
# of feet of elevation – 9,200
# of miles you have to hike from there to go snowboarding – 4
# of times bear got into people’s cooler’s, trucks, food – 6
# of times bear ripped lock of trailer door – 1
# of times bear ripped entire door and frame off trailer – 1
# of lag screws used to fix / reinforce -4

Notes taken in Marietta, Georgia on 8/5/09 [with Layla's crayon scribble at bottom]:

“When he was a kid his daddy and preacher just sat him down and explained things to him, and he swallowed the worm and just pulled the whole bobber underwater.”

–Will on a kid’s Christianity

“Flow Chart of Distracted [originally "Divergent" but struck through] Thinking. A chart with three columns designed to represent textually how my mom and I communicate sometimes:

[(a) dialogue, (b) internal thought, (c) internal reaction to internal thought] and the text: “We’re going to a 50th wedding anniversary tonight. This couple’s kids live all over ¹ but they’re all in town this weekend…1. they probably couldn’t stand their parents → 2. no, don’t think like that.

Map of “La Confluencia,” drawn by Omar the day before I paddled the Rio Azul for the first time.

Notes written on 10/26/09 in Florida in a moment of total depression.

A deadness now. In the words mainly. Waiting for them to come back. Flipping back through this journal and realizing how much travel makes the words flow. Something about movement, leaving and arriving. None of this sounds right though. None of it expresses exactly where ‘we’re at’ right now. Someone just commented on my last blog if i’d read the “summer of black widows.” What summer has this been? Summer of bears. Summer of Japhy’s 13th birthday. Summer of the old crews getting back together in Colorado. Now it’s fall. It’s all flowed together like always. It’s been the worst fall of my life so far. The worst fall of Lau’s life. Fall of ultrasounds with no heartbeat. Fall of miscarriages. Fall of swollen knuckles. Fall of Vodka and Cranberry. Fall of getting Mom’s Infiniti up to 50 miles an hour around a curve in the neighborhood while wife and child are screaming in the car. Fall. Fall. Fall. Fall. Fall. Fall. The other night it was bad but then we had nothing left and so just walked around Siesta Key all empty. The sun had gone down and for a while we lay on the beach looking at clouds in the moonlight. When you see what speed they’re moving across the sky and feel like maybe you’re moving that speed too, it brings back that travel feeling like everything is alright again for a little while.

Sketch of cabin idea when it occurred to me to have two different lofts interconnected by a bridge. Drawn in Jan 2010.

Final note: my latest entry in this journal is a cut-list of fence boards for our land in El Bolson, Patagonia.

community connection

Please check out more of Matador’s journal pages.

If you’re interested in submitting, please email scans of photos resized to 930 pixels wide to david at matadornetwork dot com.

A friend recently sent me a link to Project 365 — a photography community and challenge to take one photo a day for a year. In this way, you improve your photography while simultaneously documenting each day of your life.

So I began documenting my life with photos this past Saturday. Since then, I’ve had some really lovely, relaxing days, but I can’t say anything of huge import and significance happened. We didn’t hike the Incan trials of Peru. There were no death defying adventure treks. The best moment of my weekend involved a little yoga and a really excellent cup of coffee while swinging in the hammock.

But isn’t that what so much of our lives tend to be? We have our highs and lows, but in between, there are what I like to call the ordinary everyday joys.

I’ll Show You A Couple of Mine

I bought this pepper plant at the Salta municipal market about two months ago. Until recently, I’d always lived in apartments and small spaces, so the idea of growing a plant and actually watch it sprout something edible amazes me.

The bushy plant behind the pepper is thyme. I plucked some leaves from it to use in a pinto I made for lunch.

Silly little finger puppet. We had Couchsurfers from Portugal staying with us this weekend. They made these puppets with Lila — my five year old — while I chopped the garlic and thyme. The puppet was a decoration for a birthday present. We went to three, yes, three little girls’ birthday parties this weekend.

Now Show Us Yours

We here at Matador Life want to know more about what happens day-to-day in the lives of our readers and our community, so we’re calling for Matadorians to send in photos and share with us the things — big or small — that are important to you. We’ll post our favorites here on Matador Life.

How To Submit: Choose a photo and email your image to leigh@matadornetwork. Your photo should be at least 1000 pixels at its largest dimension. Tell us a little about the day it was taken. Please use This Is What I Did Today! in your subject line.

Also include: Your Matador ID name and personal website.

Due Date: Ongoing project. Keep ‘em coming.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:
Did you know Matador has it’s own Flickr Pool? Join us there to share thoughts, tips and images from your travels then head over to check out Matador photo essays for further inspiration.

Want to be a successful travel photographer?

Grab Matador’s Free Report 15 Publications That Pay For Travel Photography and kickstart your new career!

Editor Christine Garvin sends out a little gratitude to the readers for her first year at BNT.

It’s been a hell of a ride so far / Photo: Bhaskar Banerji

Exactly one year ago today, I (with the help of founding Editor Ian MacKenzie, of course) posted my first article on BNT as co-editor.

That article, Yoga As Blasphemy? Muslim Clerics Ban Practice, kicked off a writing frenzy for the next 365 days that I could never have previously imagined possible. One that would never have had a chance to be complete without your insightful, supportive, challenging, and even sometimes painful commentary.

Each and every comment you’ve made has not only created a powerful dialogue that inched us forward as a human race, but also has, without a doubt, made me a stronger writer. So I can say nothing more than “thank you”, truly from the bottom of my heart. Since I can’t come to your house and shake your hand (or can I?), here’s a little video to show you my gratitude:

Don’t worry – I’m not leaving, just trying to commemorate the moment, and look ahead to the coming year. For that, I ask for your help. Ian and I are always looking for ways to improve BNT, make each of you feel like a valued member of this community, and to bring you stories that matter.

What areas most intrigue you? What would you like to see less of? More prizes? Less junk? You get the drift. Drop us a line in the comments below.

Adrenaline seekers will be able to freefall into the darkness of a century-old mine shaft in an adventure attraction being set up on the South Island's West Coast.The Wild West Adventure Company has bought Australasian rights...

Photo: Inayat Ali (Shimshal), courtesy of the Pamir Times blog

Heather Carreiro reports on a disaster event that has left the KKH impassable.

NORTHERN PAKISTAN’S KARAKORAM HIGHWAY, one of the highest roads in the world, is often blocked by landslides.

In most cases, the national Frontier Works Organization is able to clear affected areas and open the road within a matter of days, but the landslide that took place on January 4, 2010, covered the village of Attabad, blocked the flow of the Hunza River, and created a lake over 7 miles long and 200-feet deep.

Below is video coverage from Al Jazeera:

Reports from local news sources have put the death toll from the initial slide at 20. Originally only 26 houses were taken out, but with waters rising between one and three feet per day due to blockage and heavy rains, several villages have now been washed away. Camps have been set up in neighboring villages for the 1,500+ displaced persons.

The Karakoram Highway is effectively blocked at Karimabad, the Hunza Valley’s main town and central base for tourism and trekking. The slide took place 15 miles north of Karimabad, and now the only way to reach Upper Hunza and Gojal is by helicopter. Stranded villages have been evacuated by boat.

Three miles of the Karakoram Highway are completely submerged, including a vital bridge between Shiskit and Gulmit.

Aid workers and journalists working in the area have not come to a consensus as to how long it will take to drain the lake and restore the road. Some estimates are as optimistic as April, while others predict the road will remain blocked through the summer months. Others fear the warm season’s glacial runoff will continue to enlarge the lake and make the situation worse.

Photo: mariachily

For travelers

All areas in Upper Hunza and Gojal will be off limits until waters have subsided and the road is clear. Hikes and tours out of Karimabad into Lower Hunza may still be possible, although with the trade route to China shut off there are likely to be shortages of goods.

The Khunjerab Pass leading to China is usually blocked by snow from September through May, which means right now all villages between the landslide area and the Chinese border are cut off from transportation and trade. Village traders have started ferrying essential goods to these villages by boat.

If you are planning a trip to northern Pakistan for summer 2010, you can still head to Chitral and the Kalash Valleys, Skardu and Baltistan, and the Gilgit-Diamer region.

Learn more

The blogs of the Pamir Times and Hunza Times are the best online sources for updates on the situation in Hunza.

Community Connection

Read about how disaster struck on the other side of the world in Machu Picchu after the Floods: Update and Outlook.

Marie Szamborski

Once a week, we introduce you to a Matador member worth keeping your eye on… they’re doing great things.

Meet Marie Szamborski.

Marie, or @Shantiwallah on Twitter, is a recently enrolled student in MatadorU’s travel writing program and a teacher who has just taken the leap out of working in the classroom full-time to pursue her goal of becoming a full-time writer.

I’m totally inspired by Marie and enjoy her kind, gentle presence on Twitter, as well as the “I love” series on her blog, which pairs her evocative photos with simple observations about objects and experiences she loves.

I asked her a few questions via email:

Where are you from?

I was born in the US, but do not have a hometown as I moved… every two years or so growing up. The hospital near Miami I was born in was blown away by a hurricane so I really do feel rootless in that way. My parents are from Michigan and I went to high school in Atlanta, GA. My family now live in California, which is fun to visit, but I’ve never lived there so I’m a complete tourist.

I lived in the UK for 10 years where I did my undergraduate degree and met my husband. We later immigrated to New Zealand and have both become dual nationals. We’ve also done stints in Vietnam and Japan and have been very lucky to have traveled a lot in between.

“I want to keep writing about identity, place, and experience because I really believe that honest exchange of information is the only real way things are going to progress….” Tell us about leaving teaching to write.

I’ve just left my 10 year teaching career (although I don’t believe you ever really leave teaching) to write full time. I know I sound like a complete suck-up to say so, but Matador was pivotal in this decision. Well, actually, the people I’ve met through Matador are the ones who have convinced me.

I’ve always been a writer, but I just didn’t know it. I’ve always kept journals and blogs and have even tortured my students by making them write journals and blogs. Which, might I add, they come to love in the end! It’s only recently that I’ve started thinking that I might be able to do this for a living.

I think the timing was right, because I started ‘meeting’ other people, who were writing on the internet, and exchanging dialogue about writing. Whereas in the past, my writing was really for me or my close friends and family, I realized that maybe I did have something to say to the wider world.

The thing about social networking is that it is not, as I once thought, just a venue for self-promotion but a link to the thousands of other people who think like you do. This ‘community’ is empowering.

“The thing about social networking is that it is not, as I once thought, just a venue for self-promotion but a link to the thousands of other people who think like you do. This ‘community’ is empowering.” What are you working on right now?

I’m currently serving as the regional contributor for New Zealand at Pocketcultures.com. It’s a fantastic site aimed at getting the facts out about countries as seen from the perspective of locals who are living there.

I’m also using my applied linguistics background to do write some EFL [English as a Foreign Language] exams and textbooks for the Taiwanese market.

I currently keep a personal blog about writing, travel, and everything else, and also a food blog about the multicultural aspect of food in New Zealand. Oh, and of course, I pitch to Matador now and then!

But, for the future, I want to keep writing about identity, place, and experience because I really believe that honest exchange of information is the only real way things are going to progress in this world. The more I travel and learn about other people, the more I internalize that we all need the same things. I hope that by passing on stories and observations about how people live their lives in the places that I visit I can make a positive contribution.

Community Connection:

Would you like to introduce yourself to the Matador community? Don’t be shy- send me an email at julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com and tell me a little about yourself. Be sure to include the link to your MatadorTravel profile.

As the summer tourism season gets nearer, and marketing campaigns move into high gear, we’re investing in online multimedia to carry our message to our ideal guests.  Maybe your DMO should be too!

This month, we’ve been purchasing studio equipment to put polish on our video and audio and produce our own in-house video. Not only that, but because we know how important it is to tourism industry, we’re helping tourism businesses in our region get the media they need to sell tourism on the Social, Mobile, Media Rich, Here and Now Internet before another Internet buying season moves into full swing.

Getting Great Media

Great Video, audio and photography doesn’t just happen, it takes planning and execution with the tools (hardware and software) and investment (time and money) to get it right.

Sadly, most tourism operators don’t have the money, knowledge or time to create top notch audio and video to promote their business. For those in the CVB, DMO or Meetings and Convention partnership business, now is the time to invest in media production capacity to help your members make the most of the Web.

Don’t have the knowledge to be able to pull it off yourselves, grow relationships with professional production organizations and help make it cost effective for operators to get the photography, videography and audio they need to make the most of the media opportunities they have on the Web.

A Membership Boost

Small businesses are counting on their membership organizations to help them make an impact with their marketing.  By investing in a social media studio and associated services you could help your regional members get a leg up and in the process make your organization more relevant and boost membership.

Note to DMO’s. CVB’s, and other associations. Keep an eye out for new media projects to be streaming forth from South River, Ontario, Canada real soon.  We’ll explain our whole crazy idea and the components necessary to make such a project come to life!

We’re+thinking+VERY!&srcURL=http://www.tourismkeys.ca/blog" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">

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Photo by Newhaircut

“Croquet is not for sissies.”

When I think of croquet, I imagine elderly men ambling around a level green field, swinging rainbow-colored mallets and engaging in polite conversation with competitors. Extreme croquet is like that, but for people who take life less seriously.

While croquet-like games are thought to have been played in France about 600 years ago, the first example of extreme croquet didn’t appear until the 1920s. Newspaper editor and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Herbert Swope played a jazzed-up version of the game at his Long Island estate, with no boundaries and few rules.

According to mystery writer Rex Stout, who had a ball thrown at his head during a game in 1937, croquet with Swope could get rough.

“Croquet is not for sissies,” Stout said.

Photo by wharman

Today, extreme croquet usually takes place in one of three environments: woodland areas, stream beds, and railroad tracks. All fields must be irregular and at least 50 yards long, though they are often much longer.

The aim of the sport seems to be to play in the silliest fashion possible. Some players go by nicknames like Dr. Punish and Steak Boy. The most amusing part of the game, is the house rules. Here are a few of the best ones:

Hit the Beer – Hitting another player’s drink will give you two extra turns. Hitting your own drink will result in “a berating from the other players for wasting precious resources i.e., beer or brain cells.”

Dogs and Children are Permitted on the Course – Regardless of distractions or interferences, the ball must be hit from wherever it lies, even if moved from its original position. The rules note that “the training of dogs/small children for this purpose is legal but frowned upon.”

 No Show Tunes – Singing show tunes or songs in the style of show tunes on the course will result in physical violence.

Be Quick – Anyone moving about the course with exaggerated slowness “will be tackled enroute and beaten with mallets.”
 
Balls Must Be At Least 52% Through the Wicket – Otherwise, you forfeit your turn. If a ball passes all the way through and then backwards through the wicket again it can be considered a made wicket, but the event “must be witnessed by a fair and impartial judge in a bunny suit, who will certify that their findings are without bias or malice.”

In summary, it doesn’t really matter if you can bench press 200 pounds or run a five-minute mile. If you have a sense of humor and a case of beer, you could be the next extreme croquet superstar.

Community Connection

What defines a sport, anyway?

I heard an unsubstantiated rumour today. Someone told me something they heard from someone else that may know something. The rumour is that Google will be launching a travel meta-search product in the US next month (April). Now, let me say up front that this is nothing but rumour and I have not vetted it to anywhere near the levels of confirmation that a journalist would (may Kevin forgive me). Thought this would be a good chance to test out the power of the blog audience. Have any of you out there in blog land heard anything about Google going into travel meta-search in the coming weeks? Bing's doing it, maybe everybody should.

thanks to "This is a wake up call" for the great photo via flickr

Air New Zealand will lift domestic capacity by more than 10% next year to meet expected increased demand, in part due to the Rugby World Cup

UPDATE and reminder: The BOOT will be presenting today (March 17) at ad:tech Sydney (Convention centre in Darling Harbour). Details of the session are below. Will be tweeting via #ATSYD. It is the last session of the day but promises to be a good one. See you there.

ad:tech Sydney is on this year March 16 & 17. The BOOT will be presenting on March 17 at a session titled.

What Is The Impact Of Social Content On e-Commerce?

Bullets are:

• What role do social objects and search play in the online purchasing decision?
• How can you harness social content to benefit e-commerce outcomes?
• What impact does social media have in powering conversion rates and increasing sales?

Other panellists include

• Tim O'Neill, Joint Managing Director, Reactive
• Mike Hickinbotham, Social Media Senior Advisor, Telstra
• Michael Gorman, Vice President for Strategy, Acxiom Global Multichannel Marketing Services
• Dan Ferguson, Online Channel Manager, General Pants

Here is the rest of the schedule.

Let me know if you are attending and

I've just put through Linda's story about new PhoCusWright research into how consumers prefer to share their holiday experiences.

It looks a lot like a win for The Traditional, with face-to-face taking 38%. But there are a couple of questions I think are worth pondering:

 

1. Can the logic of market share tell us much here?

'Prefer' has clear implications if you're talking about something close to a win-lose scenario (e.g. Coke vs Pepsi).

But what does it mean to say you 'prefer' to sit down and talk about a holiday than, say, pop some photos on flickr? I prefer it too, but I still do both.

There are broad implications to be drawn about the volume of people who engage in each activity, but they're obvious - face-to-face is so firmly baked into everyday life as to be virtually unavoidable.

 

2. Are the categories themselves airtight?

What if - as I did last week - I post photos on Facebook, then talk my parents through the gallery next time I visit them? Face-to-face or social networking?

Samoa is a beautiful place, a land of golden sand, towering coconut palms and wide, open smiles. But it is also a country in pain. Beneath its idyllic tropical veneer lies a nation intent on rebuilding its infrastructure and its people.

Photo: maniacak

Green beer is not everyone’s thing. Here are seven high-powered recipes for those looking for cocktails of a certain color this St. Patrick’s Day. Green Apple Martini

Cinnamon and sugar for rimming glass
5 tablespoons vodka
5 tablespoons sour-apple schnapps
5 tablespoons lemonade
5 tablespoons lemon-lime soda (such as 7-Up or Sprite)

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, schnapps, lemonade and lemon-lime soda. Cover and shake vigorously. Dip rim edge of martini glasses in a shallow dish with 1/4-inch water, then in a shallow dish with 1/4-inch of equal parts sugar and cinnamon mixture. Strain shaken mixture into prepared glasses and serve.

(Note: Martini lovers, be sure to check out our suggestions for ten alternative martinis!)

Courtesy of Food Network

Green Tea Mint Julep

Photo by Taea Thale. ackook

1 1/2 oz of Charbay Green Tea vodka
1 oz of simple syrup
sprite
3 lemon wedges
8 mint leaves

Muddle 3 lemon wedges with mint leaves. Pour green tea vodka, simple syrup and shake. Strain into highball glass over ice. Top with sprite. Garnish with mint leaves.

Courtesy of Cocktail Times

Green Flash Cocktail

1 oz vodka
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
1/2 oz Blue Curacao
3 oz orange juice
3 0z sprite
ice

Mix ingredients together, serve over ice. Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry.

Courtesy of White On Rice Couple

Photo bylorika

Midori Melon Bomb

½ part Midori
¾ part golden rum
½ part fresh orange juice

Pour into a tall glass over ice.

Courtesy of The Nibble

Midori Margarita

6 ounces Tequila
3 ounces Midori
5 ounces Sour Mix
ice

Pour the ingredients except the ice into your blender and blend for about 10 seconds. Then, throw in a handful of ice and blend for another 30 seconds.

Courtesy of Blender King

Green Lizard Shot

1 oz. Chartreuse, green
1/2 oz. Rum, overproof/151 proof

Mix ingredients and pour into a shot glass.

Photo by Taea Thale. samsmith

Courtesy of Drink Nation

Green Daiquiri Punch

2 (12 ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
2 cups Gatorade sports drink, Lemon-Lime flaor, chilled
1 cup light rum
2 (12 ounce) cans lemon-lime soda pop, chilled

Mix limeade concentrate, sports drink and rum in large pitcher. Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, pour punch into punch bowl. Add soda pop.

Courtesy of Recipezaar

Community Connection

Drink Crazy? Check out how to make your own flavored vodka or investigate Spain’s most spirited drink, Queimada.

Website Travel has announced the purchase of Base Tourism Group retail arm Backpackers World Travel for an undisclosed sum (BWT).  

Under the agreement, Website Travel will acquire the BWT brand along with all 18 retail branches and five ‘implants’, while Base will retain all of its hostel travel desks which will continue to trade as Base Travel.

All Base Travel branches in Australia and New Zealand will be configured with and supported by the Website Travel computer system. Website Travel will be extending offers of employment to BWT branch staff to ensure the continuity of the business.

Website Travel CEO Matt McCourt, who also owns travel agents Peter Pan and Travel Bugs, said: “We are delighted to be acquiring a great brand in BWT and believe we can re-establish the business as a market leader. We are also pleased to offer ongoing support to Base Travel and Base hostels. BWT will continue to operate separately from our other retail brands, Peter Pan and Travel Bugs.”

Base Tourism Group CEO Nick Thomas said: “BWT has struggled in the retail space for several years and recent attempts to turn it around have not been successful. The arrangement with Website Travel allows us to remain actively engaged in travel retailing through the hostels, while focusing on our core business of developing the hostel network.”

The agreement is expected to be fully concluded by April 29 2010.