Fires may impact 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games

The wildfires currently ravaging Los Angeles and surrounds have raised doubts about the Californian city’s ability to host the Olympic Games in 2028.

The cost of rebuilding and insurance are casting a cloud over preparations, says Dr Tom Heenan, who lectures in sport, global and Australian studies at the Monash Intercultural Lab in Australia.

“LA 2028 will be the Olympic version of the Hunger Games," Heenan said in a media statement.

“Even without the wildfires, the Games will cost Angelenos dearly, especially the poor and homeless, and prove to be another IOC-orchestrated budgetary blowout, if not a Montreal-type black hole.

“The additional infrastructure requirements will strain an already stretched public purse and shift labour from the much needed rebuild in the hills.

“For a city built on property speculation, 2028 could be a repeat of the 1932 Games, which was a real estate agent’s dream.

“The winners will be property developers and the head of LA's organising committee, Casey Wasserman, and his sport-entertainment empire.

“The losers may well be LA residents who will bear the expense of the Olympics and a costly yet questionable rebuild in fire-prone hills.”

Thailand poised to give go ahead to casinos

Thailand is set to give the go-ahead to gambling and introduce casinos.

The Asian nation's cabinet this week approved a bill to legalise casino gambling.

The draft bill will now be assessed by the Council of State before debating it the lower house of parliament, said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

The bill allows for gambling only within Las Vegas-style integrated resorts which feature various non-gaming facilities such as hotels, convention centres, shopping and theme park attractions, news portal Travel Mole reported.

Melco, Galaxy Entertainment and MGM Resorts are among the companies said to be showing interest in operating casino resorts.

The business community has lauded the decision as a boon for domestic tourism growth and the economy in general.

Casinos and most forms of gambling are currently illegal in Thailand, but soccer betting and underground gaming activities and lotteries are rife, with huge sums of money changing hands.

Well-regulated integrated gambling facilities already operate in Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

Japan has approved a similar bill to establish integrated casino resorts.

Image: Calanda McIester, Scop.io

Summer, tennis and Champagne - with sweeping views

Summer, tennis and Champagne. Sounds like a pretty nifty combo.

The Sheraton Melbourne Hotel is celebrating summer, and the Australian Open, at its rooftop Terrace Bar in Melbourne's CBD in a partnership with Champagne house Piper-Heidsieck.

So think bubbles. chef-crafted bites (I think they mean snacks), and tennis live on TV.

Running until February 28 from 3-10pm daily (tough if if the match you are watching goes late) guests can watch the Australian Open live while enjoying views of the city.

There is a daily $20 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut special, or a daily 'AO' happy hour from 4-6pm with an “Australian Open Cocktail” featuring Piper-Heidsieck.

This spritz combines elderflower, gin and Piper-Heidsieck Champagne for $20.

The Terrace Bar features a table tennis set-up (they are different sports, people), inviting guests to challenge friends or enjoy a casual game between sips of bubbly.

The Grand Slam Special is a $30 package that includes a glass of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne and s dish from a special menu (a small charcuterie board, perhaps, torched Hervey Bay ccallops:with corn pico de gallo and baby coriander; or sliced Prosciutto and stracciatella accompanied by fresh basil, olive oil, and focaccia.

The Sheraton is part of Marriott Bonvoy, the official hotel partner of the 2025 Australian Open, and is also offering special accommodation packages.

See https://www.marriott.com/offers/ace-escape-off-134135/melsi-sheraton-melbourne-hotel 

Tasmania wants more flights - launches stunt fund

Tasmania's flailing minority Liberal government has completely stuffed up the introdution of its much-vaunted new Spirit of Tasmania ferries, so is desperate to create some positive energy around tourism.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff, who is so short of talent in his team that he has to also take on the role of Tourism Minister, this week announced a "$5 million Aviation Attraction Fund".

Rockliff claims this drop in the ocean will "increase domestic flights to and from Tasmania and enhance the potential for new international routes for locals and visitors alike".

He added the fund would "help to secure new routes from domestic and international destinations or extend existing seasonal services".

Given that Hobart Airport is currently a building site - as has been the case for much of the past decade - and does not have adequate bagging handling services and requires passengers to walk across the tarmac to their planes in mid-winter, I think he is being optimistic.

“This investment will drive visitation - boosting our local economy, supporting jobs and creating more opportunities for Tasmanians,” Rockliff said. He rarely makes any statement with mentioning the word "jobs" several times.

“For Tasmanians, it will mean more choices when they travel interstate or overseas, and support for our trade and export markets."

Quite what this taxpayer-funded fund will actually do is a little bit hazy. And the press release did not say who will run it, oversee it, or what its annual budget will be. Details!

But Hobart Airport CEO Norris Carter is firmly on board,. saying the Aviation Attraction Fund would help to unlock huge benefits for Tasmania.

“Aviation is a competitive business, and these funds will give Tasmania a competitive edge to secure new and extra domestic and international flights,” Carter said.

“Importantly, this fund will go a long way to helping to secure direct international flights to Asia, once we complete our $130 million runway upgrade in the middle of this year.”

Launceston Airport CEO Shane O’Hare also welcomed the announcement.

"Today's announcement will ensure Launceston Airport can competitively engage with domestic airlines to attract more vital connections for our passengers in what is a very competitive domestic market,” O’Hare said.

He believes the fund is "vital for Tasmania to compete with other states to attract aviation investment.”

The Aviation Attraction Fund will support "both Tasmania’s 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy and the Tasmanian Trade Strategy 2019-2025". 

If only we knew the nitty gritty. Will it be spent on advertising, or inducements?  Who knows? 

Busy Kyoto plans to hoist tourism tax

Kyoto is one of the Japanese cities overwhelmed by tourists: much like Venice in Italy.

The ancient city, the former capital, plans to hike hotel tax rates in a bid to reduce the number of visitors it receives.

From next year guests at hotels and other accommodations could pay as much as 10,000 yen (just over $100 Aus) per person per night, news portal Travel Mole reports.

Kyoto city implemented a tax five years ago and it is charged on a sliding scale based on the nightly room rates.

Currently, guests pay 200 yen per night for a room costing less than 20,000 yen; 500 yen for one priced up to 49,999 yen; and 1,000 yen for a stay of 50,000 yen or more.

Kyoto city officials are planning to implement the new hotel tax rates - which will then be based on five pricing tiers - in 2026.

Guests will pay 200 yen per night for a stay costing less 6,000 yen up to a maximum of 10,000 yen for accommodation costing 100,000 yen or more.

The city’s government expects the new fees to double revenue to tackle over-tourism issues.

Kyoto is a small city, but is one of the top tourist destinations in Japan. It has multi-lingual signage to aid visitors to navigate around the main points of interest.

Kyoto’s proposed 10,000 yen tax would be the highest flat-rate hotel tax in the country.

Queensland's highest-profile wine producer for sale

The highest-profile wine producer in Queensland has just hit the market - and will cost you a cool $8 million.

Family-owned and -operated Ballandean Estate was a wine pioneer in the Granite Belt region, and its success has been driven by Angelo and Mary Puglisi.

Brisbane-based Baton Advisory is the selling agent.

It describes Ballandean as "the opportunity to own a flourishing vineyard winery nestled in the scenic landscapes of the Granite Belt.

"Situated in one of Australia’s booming wine regions, this well-established business is perfectly positioned to reap the benefits of the area’s burgeoning tourism industry, which attracts over 400,000 annual visitors.

"With major investments pouring into the local area from both government bodies and high-net-worth individuals, the region is poised for unprecedented growth, making this an ideal time to invest in this thriving business."

The news was broken by Wine Business Magazine.

Established in 1932, Ballandean Estate produces around 10,000 cases annually and has around 35 hectares of vineyards.