Hong Kong, China — Marriott International has signed an agreement with Weligama Hotel Properties, a fully owned subsidiary of East West Properties, to open a hotel in Sri Lanka, the Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa 2014 – this will be Marriott’s first property on the Indian Ocean Island.

The 200-room, 11-storey Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa, will be operated under Marriott’s flagship Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand.

“Marriott is delighted to be extending its portfolio and opening a world-class hotel in Sri Lanka,” commented Simon Cooper, president and managing director Marriott, Asia Pacific. “Sri Lanka is a destination that has great potential and opportunity and we hope to capitalise on that and establish a strong presence in the country.

We are confident that the reputation of Marriott Hotels and Resorts and the power of Marriott Rewards, our loyalty programme, will create great interest from both local and international travellers and be successful in promoting the beautiful area of Weligama Bay, as well as the country itself as this is our first hotel here.”

Commenting on the project Mr. Nahil Wijesuriya, Chairman, East West Properties PLC said: “We are among the first companies in Sri Lanka to sign up with an international branded hotel company and to open as early as 2014. The resort is being built according to Marriott International’s five star brand standards, with a beach frontage of 115 meters on the Galle-Matara road in the South-East of the country. The construction is being carried out in-house by East West Engineering Services (Pvt) Ltd. so we have direct control of every aspect of the construction of the resort and are confident that it will be of the highest standards and quality.”

Marriott International is a world renowned operator and franchiser of a broad portfolio of hotels and resorts which include Bulgari Hotels and Resorts and The Ritz Carlton. Marriott International currently operates over 3,700 hotels in over 73 countries and territories around the globe. Marriott Hotels and Resorts are Marriott International’s signature and most widely distributed brand and is also known for the world’s largest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards.

Weligama, located 144km from Colombo is a popular tourist destination renowned for its sandy beaches. Famous for its stilt-fishermen perched on a cross bar of a single pole planted into the sea bed, this attraction has been captured in every corner of the world depicting Sri Lanka as a preferred destination of choice for travellers from all over the world.

The Hotel will be located in Weligama, a part of Matara which is one of the largest cities on the south coast of Sri Lanka, where tourism and fishing are the two main businesses. Tourism is the mainstay of the south-western coast of Sri Lanka. The services sector is expected to be the primary engine of growth in coming years which is expected to be led by tourism.

2011 was declared as the “Visit Sri Lanka” year by the government. The country witnessed record levels of tourist arrivals in the early months of the year; a trend that is expected to continue for the remainder of the year.

“We see great opportunity in Sri Lanka with ever-increasing visitor numbers to the country,” continued Cooper. “While India, UK and Germany are the largest source markets for hotels in Sri Lanka; the Middle East and Russia are the emerging source markets and with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (“SLTDA”) aiming to achieve a target of 2.5 million tourist arrivals by 2016 we are confident of attracting great leisure and business guests to the property.”

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New York, U.S.A. — Asian institutional investors planning to increase investments in non-Asian companies express a preference for the equities of companies that draw revenue from Asia or have a secondary equity listing on a local exchange, according to a survey conducted by BNY Mellon, the global leader in investment management and investment services. The survey, titled Asia’s Evolving Investment Landscape, is BNY Mellon’s first-ever formal study of this category of investors.

Recognizing Asia’s potential as a source of investment, BNY Mellon undertook a survey to gain further insight into current investment practices in the region and conducted 40 in-depth interviews with investors in Hong Kong, Singapore and China, representing more than US$60 billion in equity assets under management.

The report focused on these locations as they are the primary destinations for companies considering secondary equity listings. Investors provided views on their need for portfolio diversification, their appetite for global equities, and the potential opportunities in these markets for global equity issuers.

“We’ve known for years that ‘home market bias’ to invest in domestic companies is more pronounced among Asian institutions, and that there’s a strong desire to correct that,” said Michael Cole-Fontayn, CEO of BNY Mellon’s Depositary Receipts business. “Now, we can see how ripe the opportunity is for global issuers and how they can increase their chances of cultivating ties to investors in Asia.”

The report focused on three types of investors: mainland Qualified Domestic Institutional Investors (QDIIs); Hong Kong– and Singapore–headquartered investment firms; and Hong Kong– and Singapore–based subsidiaries of global asset management firms.

The study uncovered a strong desire among institutional investors in these markets to diversify more globally their equity holdings. Nearly half (47%) plan to increase investments in companies domiciled outside their home market over the next one to five years. They cited client requests, portfolio diversification, and opportunities for growth as factors motivating them to look abroad. “We are moving in a direction to increase the rate of investment outside of Asia,” said a survey respondent from a Hong Kong-headquartered investment firm. “We are striving to increase our global mandate.”

BNY Mellon found that each additional percentage point in global allocations of Asia-based institutional portfolios potentially equates to $7.3 billion in equity assets. This figure underscores the substantial opportunity for global issuers as the portfolio allocations of Asian institutions fall in line with peers in North America and Europe that invest larger proportions in equities of non-domestic companies.

Several factors impact on a global issuers’ decision to raise equity capital in Asia, the study found. The investors surveyed were particularly open to investing in companies that derive revenue from Asia, with 54% saying that it was a key criterion. In addition, a listing on a regional exchange universally increases both the awareness of non-Asia-domiciled companies and the likelihood that institutions in Asia will invest in them. More than half of the investors surveyed (53%) said a secondary listing on an Asian exchange increases the chances they will invest in foreign-domiciled companies.

“I do not differentiate between the Hong Kong, Singapore and other Asian exchanges. The company simply has to be listed on one of the regional exchanges for us to invest in it,” said a respondent from a Hong Kong-based subsidiary of global asset management firm.”

“There’s a substantial overlap of interests between investors in Asia looking to diversify their portfolios and global companies looking to raise capital,” said Guy Gresham, New York head of the global IR advisory team in BNY Mellon’s DR group. “A secondary listing and open investor communications policy go a long way in helping these companies gain access to long-term equity capital in this part of the world.”

Additional findings of the survey include:

• Overall, 62% of institutions surveyed said a local exchange listing increases their awareness of a company.
• Hong Kong- and Singapore-based investment firms were the most definitive in stating that a local listing increasing their likelihood of investing in a foreign company, with 57% responding affirmatively and 62% saying that a listing in Asia increases their awareness of a company.
• Over half of the investment community surveyed (61%) does not definitively differentiate between the regional exchanges in Asia where foreign companies have secondary listings.
• More than half of investors (55%) are not required to meet with senior management of foreign companies before making an investment, and many report that as long as they can correspond with management throughout the year, a face-to-face meeting is not vital to their decision-making process when considering investment opportunities outside of Asia.
• Over two-thirds (70%) of investors surveyed would like to meet management teams at least semi-annually for meetings and informational updates, and 97% would like to correspond with management at least once a year.

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When many think of the continent of Africa, words such as famine, disease, poverty, short life spans and little to no healthcare and poor technological advancement come to mind. However, as of recently, Africa, and Uganda in particular has made great strides toward better living for its citizens as technology in Uganda is growing at a rapidly fast pace.

“Uganda has been ranked among the top three countries with advanced technological and innovation capabilities in Africa,” according to a study conducted by Martin Prosperity Institute of the U.S. And, as Uganda has been known for decades for its high infant and maternal mortality rates, an advanced ultrasound has finally made it’s way to the country in order to help pregnant women and their newborns survive in addition to a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery.

An expanding project known as ‘Imagining the World’ (ITV), based at the Kamuli Mission Hospital, is helping to get ultrasound technology into the country’s health centers.

Andrew Green, a reporter for the ‘Voice of Africa,’ stated, “Until two years ago, health workers at Kamuli Mission Hospital could not even tell a woman if she was carrying twins because there were no ultrasound machines. As a result, women and their families would not know they needed to be near health facilities that can handle complicated pregnancies when it came time to give birth.”

The project is providing ultrasound equipment to the hospital at low costs, so even those who are below the poverty level can still receive basic image scans. “Then the images are compressed and distributed via text message or e-mail to district-level health workers, who examine the images and identify potential problems.

Specialists in the United States provide backup opinions. Health workers are informed early enough that a woman facing a difficult birth can be directed to a higher-level health facility,” according to Dr. Alphonsus Matovu, the medical director of the Kamuli hospital. But before the women can come to Kamuli to receive an ultrasound, they must be screened for a series of health tests, including, HIV, malaria, and anemia, which could affect the outcome of a woman’s pregnancy.

As of last week, ITV has set up new ultrasound equipment in eight more health care facilities, which is estimated to cost 10,000 dollars per facility. Prior to Uganda having access to ultrasound technology equipment, the United Nations Children’s Fund reported that, “for every 1,000 live births, at least 63 infants die before their first birthday in Uganda.

Many of those deaths come from complications that could have been predicted by ultrasound technology. The situation also contributes to the country’s high infant mortality rate, with 310 out of every 100,000 women dying in childbirth.” Because of the great success of this project, ITV is looking into providing prenatal care in other impoverished areas of the world including South America and Asia.

Image Courtesy of  uusc4all

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Chicago, U.S.A - Aon Benfield, the global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor of Aon plc, has released the latest edition of its Global Catastrophe Recap report, which reviews the natural disaster perils that occurred worldwide during May.

Published by Impact Forecasting, the firm’s catastrophe model development center of excellence, the report reveals that two earthquakes and subsequent aftershocks struck northern Italy within a nine-day period, killing 25 people, injuring more than 400 others and causing extensive damage to the cultural heritage throughout the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, in addition to businesses and personal property.

An initial, combined economic loss estimate from both tremors stood at EUR5 billion (USD6.25 billion), following significant damage in the provinces of Modena, Ferrara, Reggio Emilia, Rovigo and Mantua.

In Asia, severe and prolonged periods of rain impacted China throughout the month, affecting at least 22 provinces and killing at least 102 people.

According to China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA), at least 143,000 homes were damaged or destroyed during one prolonged event. More than 949,400 hectares (2.34 million acres) of cropland were also affected, contributing to a total economic loss listed at CNY16.88 billion (USD2.68 billion).

Meanwhile, powerful thunderstorms struck eastern Japan, resulting in high winds and tornadoes that killed at least three people, injured 59 others, and damaged more than 1,845 buildings in six separate prefectures.

Steve Jakubowski, President of Impact Forecasting, said: “The Italian earthquakes resulted in the largest natural disaster loss for the country since the L’Aquila earthquake event in 2009. The seismic activity was not unexpected, as Italy has long been recognised as a region exposed to the possibility of significant earthquake activity. Given the level of insurance coverage in the region, it is anticipated that insured losses would reach minimally into the hundreds of millions of dollars (USD). However, it remains too early to determine how negligible re/insurance losses may be from this event.”

In the United States, two periods of severe weather impacted central and eastern sections of the country; the first causing widespread hail and wind damage from the Dakotas to Maryland, resulting in an economic loss estimated at USD275 million, and more than 30,000 insurance claims valued atUSD150 million. A secondary severe weather outbreak across the central and eastern U.S. at the end of the month spawned significant damage as well. According to a preliminary report from the South-western Insurance Information Service, insured losses in Oklahoma alone were estimated at USD400 million.

Tropical Storm Beryl made landfall near Jacksonville Beach, Florida at peak intensity with 70 mph (110 kph) winds but did not cause any significant damage, injuries or fatalities.

And wildfires burned in several U.S. states during the month, including the largest fire ever recorded in New Mexico.

Excessive rainfall affected areas of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec in May. In Thunder Bay, at least 1,100 homes were damaged as well as businesses and infrastructure, and flood damage with a 100-year return period was recorded in Montreal, where personal property and infrastructure were widely affected.

Additional flood events were recorded in Nepal, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Cuba, Georgia, Brazil and Venezuela.

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New York, U.S.A - Thirty years after its eponymous debut album, ASIA ascended to the top of the Billboard Top 100 chart (where it remained No.1 for nine consecutive weeks), the legendary British classic rock band (with all original members Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer & John Wetton) returns with a brand new studio album, a 30th Anniversary edition of their debut album, 2 DVDs, and a world tour.

ASIA will release their new studio album “XXX” (pronounced Triple X) on Frontiers Records on July 3, 2012.  The new record, produced by Mike Paxman, is being hailed as ASIA’s best album since its classic early 80s releases, and features original artwork by Roger Dean.

The first single taken from the highly anticipated new album is entitled “Face on The Bridge”, released worldwide on May 14, 2012. The video clip can be seen on YouTube.

“We’re very pleased with, and confident about XXX,” says John Wetton. “It encapsulates, lyrically and instrumentally, the essence of ASIA today.  However, it is the very same four people that gave you the original, iconic album 30 years ago.  If you loved it then, you will love it now.”

“We wanted to recapture the energy of the first album,” adds ASIA’s guitarist, Steve Howe. “ASIA has always been about great songs, and fantastic musicianship. I’m sure fans of the first album, will fall in love with XXX.” In addition ASIA has also completed “Resonance”, a DVD concert film of the group’s 2010/2011 Omega World Tour, captured live in Switzerland which will be released later in the fall.

To celebrate their 30th Anniversary, ASIA will release a collector’s edition box set based on their legendary 1982 eponymous debut album, including 2 audio CDs (a re-mastered edition of the debut album, plus a CD of live rare tracks), an expansive historical booklet, a limited edition ASIA T-shirt, items from ASIA’s 1982 tour, plus a DVD of the new band documentary: ASIA - 30 Years On.  A newly commissioned painting by Roger Dean updates the symbolic dragon and pearl from 1982 to 2012.

2012 North American tour dates so far:

Oct 17 - Red Bank, NJ, Count Basie
Oct 18 - Boston, MA, Wilbur Theater
Oct 19 - Westbury, NY, Westbury Theater
Oct 20 - Philadelphia, PA, Keswick
Oct 21 - Wilmington, DE, Opera House
Oct 23 - Verona, NY, Turning Stone Casino
Oct 25 - Ridgefield, CT, Ridgefield Playhouse
Oct 26 - Uncasville, CT, Mohegan Sun
Oct 27 – NY, NY, Best Buy Theater
Oct 28 - York, PA, Strand Capital
Oct 30 - Annapolis, MD, Rams Head On Stage
Nov 01 - Royal Oak, MI, Royal Oak
Nov 02 - St. Charles, IL, Arcada Theatre
Nov 03 - Sloan, IA, Winnavegas Casino Showroom
Nov 08 - Santa Ynez, CA, Chumash Casino
Nov 09 - Agoura Hills, CA, Canyon Club
Nov 10 - Las Vegas, NV, Green Valley Casino
Nov 11 - San Juan Capistrano, CA, Coach House
Nov 13 - Scottsdale, AZ, Talking Stick Casino
Nov 16 - Dallas, TX, Granada Theater
Nov 17 - Austin, TX, One World Theatre (2 shows)
Nov 20 - Clearwater, FL , Capitol Theatre
Nov 21 - Orlando, FL, Fl Plaza Theatre
Nov 23 - Manistee, MI, Little River Casino Resort

Image Courtesy of   Original Asia

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Beijing, China – PR Newswire issued a new white paper that provides essential information about the media landscape in China, as well as tips for building successful communications strategies and media outreach programs. Designed specifically for companies looking to learn more about China that may not currently have a presence here, the white paper, titled “Navigating China’s Complex Media Landscape,” is a must-read for marketing and communications experts interested in learning about what drives the world’s most populous nation.

Breaking down China’s complex media landscape into bite-size segments, the white paper provides useful and usable information about how to navigate both traditional and online media in China. Confusing and contradictory at times, Chinese media can also be summarized by their fast transformation, and while traditional media still play an important role, online media are becoming more and more influential.

The white paper includes: a detailed breakdown of both traditional and online media, with an emphasis on the power of traditional media and the growing impact of social media and new technologies; a comprehensive list of Do’s and Don’ts for marketers and communicators; tips for writing Chinese press releases, building media relationships and getting noticed online and a selection of case studies highlighting international companies that got it right.

“The goal of the white paper is simple. We want to provide companies with a clear and concise picture of China’s media landscape and how best to navigate it,” said Lee Green, Director of Operations (Asia) at PR Newswire. “We hope that the knowledge we’ve gained over the last decade, since PR Newswire first opened its Beijing office, will help guide companies as they look to crack what can be a very complex industry, and we’re also delighted to be conducting a three-part webinar series on ‘Understanding China’ that runs in connection with this white paper.”

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Osaka, Japan - Universal Studios Japan, in partnership with Warner Bros. and Universal Parks & Resorts, announced that they will be bringing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Japan, marking the global expansion of this wildly popular themed entertainment experience that started at Universal Orlando Resort nearly two years ago.

The announcement was made by Glenn Gumpel, President and CEO, Universal Studios Japan; Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products; and Michael Silver, President, Global Business Development, Universal Parks & Resorts; as well as James and Oliver Phelps, who played the roles of Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter film series.

Governor of Osaka Ichiro Matsui was the guest of honor at the announcement, which also hosted more than a hundred excited fans dressed in Harry Potter attire who screamed with delight when the announcement was made.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan is the result of the creative teamwork and efforts by Universal Studios Japan in conjunction with Warner Bros., which produced and distributed the Harry Potter films, and Universal Parks & Resorts, which oversees Universal Studios theme parks, hotels and resorts throughout the world.

It will be as magnificent and as impressive as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.  Just as in Orlando, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan will faithfully and authentically bring to life the stories created by J.K. Rowling in her books and captured on screen in Warner Bros’ films.

“I was delighted to experience and enjoy the attention to detail, creativity and superb craft that went into the first Wizarding World in Orlando.  I am equally delighted that the same level of expertise and enjoyment will translate to the new park in Japan,” said J.K. Rowling.

“Harry Potter, the most wonderful and amazing story of our time, is coming to Universal Studios Japan.  USJ is thrilled to be chosen to make the Harry Potter experience come alive for the people of Japan.  USJ is committed to being the world’s best Theme Park and by bringing this brilliant story to Japan and creating a fantastic experience is yet another validation of that commitment, “said Glenn Gumpel, President and CEO of USJ Co., Ltd

The themed area itself will be a fully immersive environment for the entire family that brings the stories of Harry Potter to life and is faithful to the visual landscape of the films, including a majestic Hogwarts castle which will serve as the centerpiece of the land.

“Harry Potter continues to captivate generations of fans around the world and we are delighted to announce this partnership with Universal Studios Japan that will allow us to bring the magic of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to Asia,” said Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

“Harry Potter allows fans to step into the magical world created in the books and witnessed in the films.  We think this is the perfectly timed next step in bringing the magical world of Harry Potter to life for even more fans. ”

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan will be similar to the spectacularly themed land at Universal Orlando Resort and will include Hogwarts castle, Hogsmeade and multiple themed attractions.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan will be created with the same commitment to authenticity and the same high level of talent and resources, including the creative leadership of Stuart Craig, Production Designer for the entire Harry Potter film series.

“The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an entirely new level of themed entertainment that brings the stories of Harry Potter to life in incredible ways.

It will forever change tourism, not only in Kansai but throughout Japan.  We are thrilled to be bringing one of the most powerful themed entertainment experiences of our time to Universal Studios Japan, marking the global expansion of this incredible phenomenon, and we are confident that guests will want to return again and again to fully experience all that this fantastic environment will have to offer, ” said Michael Silver, President, Global Business Development, Universal Parks & Resorts.

In June 2010, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort opened and became an instant, unprecedented hit.  Since then, Warner Bros. and Universal Parks & Resorts announced that the themed area would be coming to Universal Studios Hollywood, and also that the Orlando location would be significantly expanded.  No specific details on either of these plans have yet been announced.

Image Courtesy of   Harry Potter

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Echelon Corporation announced two micro grid deployments in India and South Africa that integrate distributed generation to compensate for disruptions in utility-supplied power. The first-of-its-kind in the two countries, the micro grid deployments involve dynamically managing demand and energy supply mix for a residential community and a retail mall to deliver reliable service cost-effectively.

The model micro grid deployments are at Palm Meadows in Hyderabad, India, and Clearwater Mall in Johannesburg, South Africa. Palm Meadows is an 86-acre integrated gated community with 335 homes and residential services. Clearwater Mall in Johannesburg is a retail building with more than 240 stores.

Such micro grids are likely to be a best practice in emerging countries grappling with intermittent power supply, and are also applicable in environmentally conscious countries that are aggressively incorporating renewable and intermittent energy sources into the distribution network.

“Smart micro grids are an ideal way to integrate local generation at the community level and allow for customer participation in the electricity enterprise,” said Michael Anderson, senior vice president of Worldwide Markets for Echelon. “Micro grids sit at the edge of the smart grid and provide real-time analysis, decision making and control.

The Palm Meadows and Clearwater Mall deployments are great examples of how Echelon’s commitment to leading the worldwide transformation of the electricity grid into an energy control network can foster market innovation. The concepts demonstrated in India and South Africa can be replicated worldwide to improve power reliability and to integrate energy efficiency solutions as well as renewable generation.”

The Palm Meadows community ties into the grid at a dedicated substation and sources energy in bulk from the utility. The community also runs diesel generators and will incorporate solar generation in the future. Residences within the community are equipped with Echelon smart meters that connect into data concentrators at distribution transformers and feed near real-time usage information to Echelon’s Networked Energy Systems (NES) system software.

Echelon partner Grene Robotics’ Skynet management application automatically turns on local generation if utility-delivered power is inadequate. The Skynet software interfaces with the NES system software and creates a bill for the customer that reflects the customers’ actual use of lower cost grid power and more expensive locally generated power.

Customers have the option of reducing usage at times when the more expensive energy is being supplied. The Palm Meadows micro grid is providing reliable service even during frequent utility grid outages and enabling the customer to make intelligent trade-offs between comfort and cost.

“When you flip that light switch, turn your television on, or boot up your computer, you expect power,” said Kiran Penmatcha, CEO of Grene Robotics. “Like a national power grid, the Palm Meadows micro grid manages generation, distribution, and the regulation of the flow of electricity to its households.

We are pleased to have helped implement a proven, open and multi-application energy control infrastructure that enables Palm Meadows to become distributors of energy within their community. Today, the community is evaluating the integration of solar generated electricity for the future. On March 29, the community may look to add other applications, such as outdoor lighting control on the same infrastructure.”

The frequency and length of blackouts in South Africa can have devastating effects on its commercial sector. For example, the local South African public utility had to institute a system of rolling blackouts over a period of four months to balance electricity demand, in which supply was interrupted at least once or twice a day on an average of four hours at a time.

The Clearwater Mall tenants, which consist of nine anchor stores, and more than two hundred other local and international fashion and quick serve food outlets, restaurants, banks, electronic goods and other specialty stores, require reliable electricity so they can continue to run their business.

The mall’s new retail micro grid solution based on Echelon partner PMT’s Meteringonline energy management application, employs Echelon smart meters, data concentrators, and NES system software to submeter individual tenant usage, so they can pay only for their actual energy usage rather than the industry norm of paying for energy on a square footage basis. Furthermore, tenants can opt-in to power supplied by local back-up generation when blackouts occur.

PMT’s Meteringonline application interfaces to Echelon’s system software and reconciles usage with energy source, allocating tariffs based on actual use. The on-demand energy services allow the store owners to manage their energy usage and associated costs and maximize revenues.

“South Africa experiences major power shortages with rolling blackouts on a regular basis, therefore implementing a rock solid energy control networking platform for Clearwater Mall and its tenants was of utmost importance,” said Graeme Mellis, director of PMT. “The Echelon solution with our Meteringonline system software created a perfect micro grid solution for Clearwater Mall to deliver multiple applications to its tenants, such as submetering, selective back up generation and consolidated billing.”

According to Pike Research, interest in implementing micro grids is spreading among educational, commercial, government, healthcare, industrial, and research campuses. A new report from Pike Research forecasts that total installed generation capacity for campus micro grids will increase by 164% between 2011 and 2017, rising from 620 megawatts (MW) to 1.6 gigawatts (GW).

By the end of the forecast period in 2017, the clean tech market intelligence firm anticipates that the campus micro grid market will reach $777 million in annual revenue.

“Micro grids are an aggregation and optimization platform that can squeeze the most value out of existing and new distributed energy assets, whether they are solar photovoltaic generation technology or smart meters enabling demand response.

Micro grids are the building blocks of a smart grid whose modularity can shrink energy consumption by 10 to 15% through more intelligent networking,” said Peter Asmus, senior analyst at Pike Research.

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In its new Travel Trends 2012 report, flight comparison site Skyscanner has revealed the increasing interest in Asia by British tourists, accompanied by a reciprocal increase in visitors to the UK from a number of Asian nations.

Skyscanner, which has over 15 million users a month and recently opened an office in Singapore, analysed its vast data on user flight searches to produce the report on global travel trends.

Despite flooding and civil unrest during 2011, Thailand remains immensely popular with British tourists; Bangkok was the most popular Asian destination for Brits, with the Thai capital climbing the ranks one position to eighth place compared to 2010, and the country as a whole rising one place to 13.

Of the 20 global destinations that Skyscanner identified as seeing the biggest growth in interest from UK visitors, eight of them were in Asia, with Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan topping the charts. Bangladesh and Pakistan have a long history with Britain which is home to many with Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage. For Indonesia, it’s Bali that is the big pull for travellers, with the island accounting for more than a third of all the country’s incoming tourists.

2011 also saw the 40thanniversary of Bangladeshi independence, which helped raise its profile and may have encouraged some of Britain’s 500,000 people of Bangladeshi origin to visit the country.

The Philippines and Vietnam continue to emerge as tourist destinations for British travellers, and the increased demand for Vietnam saw Vietnam Airlines launch its first direct flight from London Gatwick to Ho Chi Minh City in December, a move that will reduce travel time by up to seven hours and further increase Vietnam’s popularity in the UK.

Top 20 countries showing greatest rise in interest from UK tourists year on year

1. Estonia (+89.8%)

2. Iraq (+75.4%)

3. Cape Verde (+50.9%)

4. Bangladesh (+36.4%)

5. New Zealand (+35.4%)

6. Indonesia (+33.4%)

7. Tanzania (+32.9%)

8. Croatia (+32.7%)

9. Pakistan (+31.7%)

10. Russia (+31.6%)

11. Philippines (+31.2%)

12. Uganda (+30.5%)

13. Vietnam (+29.1%)

14. Thailand (+28.9%)

15. Ukraine (+28.8%)

16. United Arab Emirates (+28.6%)

17. Singapore (+28.3%)

18. Cambodia (+28.1%)

19. Colombia (+24.9%)

20. Australia (+23.3%)

Asians coming to the UK

Asia has seen increasing popularity from British tourists, but this popularity is reciprocated with many Asian nations now seeing an increase in travel to the UK. Indeed, of the countries seeing the biggest increase in travel to the UK, Asian countries feature as four of the top ten.

Pakistan and Indonesia are seeing the greatest rise with an increase of 93.2% in flight searches year on year, followed by Japan (+80.8%), and Singapore (+79.2%).

1. Russia (+103%)

2. Kuwait (+93.3%)

3. Pakistan (+93.2%)

3. Indonesia (+93.2%)

5. Tunisia (+92.8%)

6. Australia (+85.9%)

7. Ukraine (+81.3%)

8. Japan (+80.8%)

9. Singapore (+79.2%)

10. New Zealand (+79.1%)

While Japan is the eight biggest riser in searches to UK overall, it is the Japanese who are showing the most interest in London when it hosts the Olympics in the summer, with a 300% rise in flight searches to London during the games period. The Japanese are a keen sporting nation having hosted the summer games once and the winter games twice, and are amongst the top fifteen medal winners.

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The Ministry of Health and Welfare (Minister Rim Chemin) and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (President Ko Kyung-hwa) launched a project to improve the medical service system for foreign patients. They have designated 38 tasks, including seven major issues, to minimize inconveniences for foreign medical patients.

In particular, Korea’s seven major tasks for foreign patients are: adopting a compensation system for medical injuries; easing floor-area-ratio regulations for the building and remodeling of lodging facilities in medical institutions; allowing drug dispensing in hospitals; expanding training programs at the Medical Korea Academy and permissions granted to foreign medical professionals to participate in clinical studies; increasing the cultivation of professional medical workforces; assessing foreign patient accommodation in each medical institution; and improving the visa system.

Korea is considering establishing a credit union for hospitals that treat foreign patients and providing partial support for the funds with government subsidies.

Medical Korea is reviewing the plan to ease floor-area-ratio regulations when medical institutions build or remodel lodging facilities in hospitals for foreign medical tourists and provide them with financial support or loans through a tourism promotion fund.

In addition, Korea is seeking to offer one-stop medical services to foreign patients by allowing hospitals to dispense drugs to foreigners so that foreign patients do not have to suffer inconveniences resulting from the separation of drug prescription and dispensing. Korea is also planning to expand training programs for foreign doctors and actively cultivate professional medical workforces, such as medical interpreters.

An official with the Korea Health Industry Development Institute expects that improvements in medical policies for foreign patients will contribute to the establishment of Korean medical infrastructure with world-class services, and allow Medical Korea to lay the foundation for Korea to take a leap forward with global competitiveness in Asia.

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Live Nation Entertainment announced recently it has opened a concert promotion office in Seoul, South Korea.

This marks another important step in Live Nation’s international expansion into new markets. South Korea is the 13th largest economy in the world, and the 3rd largest in the Far East, with growth of 6% in 2010. It also ranks as the 12th largest music market in the world, which is largely attributable to K-Pop, whose popularity is now spreading rapidly to other markets outside of South Korea and the Far East.

“We see great opportunity for concerts around the world and our move into South Korea represents another step in the growth of this business,” stated Michael Rapino, President and Chief Executive Officer of Live Nation Entertainment. ”Our strategy is to continue our international expansion into under penetrated regions and identify new markets to deliver our unique live experience product.”

“With a growing interest from international artists to perform in South Korea, this is a natural step for us to be able to serve artists and fans better in Korea,” said Alan Ridgeway, President of Live Nation International and Emerging Markets. ”We also have plans to work with Korean artists both in Korea and internationally to meet the expanding demand around the world for the K-Pop phenomenon.”

“Live Nation Korea will further enhance the touring opportunity for both international and local artists in the Asia region,” says Mats Brandt, President of Live Nation Far East. “Live Nation Korea will, together with our existing offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Beijing, expand Live Nation’s network and capabilities in the region.”

Live Nation Korea will be a fully owned subsidiary of Live Nation, and will be led by Steven Kim and Yongbae Cho, who, together, have more than 20 years’ experience within both the Korean and international live music and promotion industry.

Chuwit Srisomwong / Shutterstock.com

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Glocation and Greentailing – these two terms are not directly related to each other but both are popular trends in retail that refer to understanding and satisfying society and customers’ needs. Glocation and Greentailing appear in business as answers to preserve local identity and customs and to promote an eco-life style.

Over the past quarter century, the notion of glocalism has had various connotations. In the 1980s, President Akio Morita of Sony, one of the world’s most successful multinational companies, used this term to de­scribe a corporate strategy and enclosed it in one phrase, “think global, act local.”

According to the Uri Savir and Walter Veltroni organizators of First Glocal Forum in Rome in May 2002, glocalism is said to be a solution for those seeking a balance between global forces and local needs, interests and identities.  

Representatives of CERFE, an Italian economic and social science research organization, where Savir and Veltroni provide as advisors, describe glocalism as: “a social process that is especially evident in cities where it consists of the concurrent drives toward globalization and localization.”

Glocalism is also seen as “diffused social action…that can be interpreted as a kind of ideal and cultural movement oriented towards linking the benefits of globalization to local situations, and toward governing globalization also through local situations.”

Next to glocalism, the “mega-city” syndrome is defined. According to Thomas Hoog, vice chair of Hill&Knowlton (international communications consultancy company), “by the year 2015 there will be twenty-five mega-cities, nineteen of them in developing countries, and fifteen of them in Asia.

In addition to these mega-cities, there will be fifty-nine cities with populations greater than five million. Those crowded, polluted, urban centers will by and large not have the well-developed infrastructures that have sustained today’s major cities.” Big cities are like magnets with high paying jobs and self-development opportunities.

But on the other hand, cities are subject to growing disproportionate income and harshly strained infrastructures. There is need for institutional change and social adaptation to preserve local identity and customs. Providing the opportunities to act locally around the world is a way to achieve greater efficiencies, to optimize supply chains and to tailor products to local needs.

Similar to glocalism, green retailing is also progressively more popular term. It is an answer for increasing societal awareness to environmental problems such as pollution.  In practice, it means that retailers sell eco-products and adopt a number of environmentally friendly actions to preserve resources and eliminate waste in order to protect the environment.

What is going follow that customer’s consciousness about eco-friendly shopping and green lifestyle increase as an answer for new trend. Greentailing philosophy has got great influence for consumer decision making who became an essential part of the threat of global warming and increasing concern about impact that business have on the environment.

From the moment of identifying customer own needs to the moment of making purchasing decision, customer is affected by green retailing in many ways starting from eco- friendly packaging, paper bags, catchwords and ending on the totally new approach to doing business where the products and entire supplier chain are adopted to eco-rules.

Big corporations like Wal-Mart, Tesco and eBay have adopted the greentailing strategy in order to develop their business practices. In April 2010, eBay ran a campaign encouraging customers to buy products made from eco-friendly materials, or products that require less energy. During the campaign they collaborated with Team Earth and Cooler Inc. to reduce their carbon footprint.

The profits generated from the campaign were given to environmental and nonprofit organizations such as the Make it Right Foundation. Authors Neil Z. Stern and Willard N. Ander in their book Winning at Retail: Developing a Sustained Model for Retail Success, Greentailing and Other Revolutions in Retail suggest that the increasing popularity of green retailing is just an answer for customer’s needs and their tastes change.

The same authors explain that retail is nothing more than seeking what consumers want and satisfying their needs in order to stay innovative and competitive on local and world markets. Glocalism and Greentailing are answers for these needs.

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Lately, American music can be described in one word: baroque. The simple eight notes Pachelbel’s melody can be found in many popular songs, such as Avril Lavigne’s “Skater Boy” or Aerosmith’s “Crying.”

Radios today play popular songs that include two main themes: a dancing rhythm and some guy trying to seduce a girl. Artists including Usher, Lil Wayne, Taio Cruz, and Flo-Rida have engaging songs with upbeat rhythms, perfect for dancing. However, when listening to the lyrics, the same songs are just like the rest, talking about sexual exploitations of women. There is no creativity or uniqueness. Enter Korean Wave.

Korean Wave, aka Hallyu, refers to the spread of Korean culture across the globe from Europe to Latin America, entertaining society through movies, music, and food. Though North American Hallyu is fairly recent, Koreans are no strangers in Hollywood. In fact, many Hollywood producers have been requesting Korean and Korean-Americans to star in their movies. In May 2009, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, starring Korean actor Daniel Henney, appeared in theaters. Later in the summer, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra was released in August, starring Byeong-Heon Lee. Finally in November, actor and singer Rain was the lead role in Ninja Assassin.

Aside from film entertainment, Hallyu has also impacted music. The three top entertainment agencies in Korea, SM, JYP, and YG have produced many popular artists. Artists such as Wonder Girls, Big Bang, Super Junior, and 2PM have made swept various music charts in the US. In fact, in 2009, Wonder Girls were the first Korean singers to place on US Billboard’s Hot 100 charts with their song “Nobody.” Hallyu has not gone unnoticed by US music producers. Korean artists are collaborating with many well-known producers including Kayne West, Teddy Riley, DJ Diplo, Rodney Jerkins, and Will.i.am.

Why exactly is K-pop so popular? For one thing, the music is addicting and fresh. Each artist has their own unique style of music, from girly to eye-catching, shirt ripping. The lyrics have more meaning than “getting the girl.” There are many genres from ballads to hip hop to rock. Korean artists sing with feelings, pouring into their music, about love, heartbreak, friendship, and happiness. However, there is more to just music that makes k-pop entertaining. There are variety shows that the artists appear as guests as well as dramas and movies. The entertainment companies select individuals who have raw talent and individuality that can be shaped to not only become singers but also radio show hosts, actors, dancers, and models.

With the Korean Wave hitting the US, one would think there would be more artists trying to make a break in the American music market and yet only a handful have attempted. The earliest artist to debut in US was Se7en, in March 2008 with his single “Girls” featuring Lil Kim. Shortly after, Queen of K-pop BoA debuted in October 2008 with her hit single “Eat You Up.” The summer of 2009 was a major moment in K-pop when Wonder Girls were chosen to be one of the opening acts for the Jonas Brothers World Tour. In 2011, the trio JYJ is headlining their second world tour hitting major cities including Los Angeles, New York City, and San Jose.

Besides touring the US, there have been several artists that have made a different splash: US iTunes Chart. Between 2010 and 2011 there have been four major artists to make a mark on iTunes Chart. In March 2010, music group Epik High became the first Korean to debut #1 in the Hip-hop album chart with their album Epilogue beating out performers such as Ludacris, Kayne West, Jay-Z, Beastie Boys, and Black Eyed Peas. Four months later, solo artist Taeyang placed #3, becoming the first Korean artist to place under R&B/Soul album category. Continuing to September, 2NE1’s new album To Anyone debuted #2, beating previous artist. The shocking news is that this group did not have any overseas promotions! Lastly, in February of 2011, Big Bang made a record in the top 10 based solely on their pre-orders. Not only that but they are the only non-English language album to ever chart in the top 100.

I guess what I am trying to say is the K-pop genre is vibrant and continue to make their way to the US market. With fans all over the world, the US is no exception. As Hallyu continues to spread across the globe, expect to see more Korean artists making indents in the US market. The music is fun, great workout songs, and is more relatable. For those who are interested in this genre, a few artists to look into are TVXQ, Super Junior, Big Bang, SNSD, and Epik High.

Image Courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/bokamokacoka/

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Eco tourism is a still growing market, with tourists gaining a growing awareness of the carbon footprints on the countries through which they are traveling.

China, a country still suffering a reputation as one of the most polluted countries in the world, has begun taking tentative steps towards promoting a cleaner, greener image for their tourism campaigns.

China’s Ministry for Environmental Protection (MEP) and the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) have released a survey on the current state of eco tourism in China.

The survey found the eco tourism market continues to expand, and a variety of destinations including nature reserves, forest and wetlands parks and scenic spots have been set up under the program.

China is still an emerging market in terms of the power of the green tourist, and the survey recognized a large number of areas where eco tourism strategies were undefined.

The importance of ensuring further eco tourism was highlighted in a statement from Conservation International China, Country Director Lu Zhi, reflecting positively on the future for eco tourism.

“There is a demand for more eco-tourism in China. Its popularity is not spurred by scientist or government, but is emerging in response to market demand. As the economy grows and more and more Chinese people have disposable income, people’s interest in tourism will ultimately become more diversified and high-end oriented.”

The survey highlighted problems in the current state of eco tourism in China: issues in management, regulation and policy and informational stages of development.

The survey revealed a lack of awareness and implementation of environmental regulations and protection of tourists.

Both the MEP and the CNTA have been responsible for developing China’s growing market in eco tourism, and conducted the eco tourism survey. The survey was conducted over eight months and polled 6556 tourists and 92 management staff.

In response to the problems found with China’s eco tourism, the Ministry for Environmental Protection and the China National Tourism Administration released a list of eight strategies.

The strategies aim to correct the problems found with China’s current implementation of policies.

-    The establishment of various laws and regulations enabling eco tourism to be certified, and to regulate the development of the industry
-    The set up of an inter-departmental way of providing services and guidance in relation to eco tourism
-    Strengthening environmental supervision over eco tourism. Including establishing ways to quickly ensure the environmental quality of tourist destinations
-    Encouraging environmental and low-carbon infrastructure with tailor made solutions for the best possible travel experience
-    Supporting and increasing scientific research in relation to eco tourism
-    Encouraging local government to develop policies in favor of eco tourism
-    Training and developing a professional eco tourism team with a full understanding of the concepts behind eco tourism and desirable management skills

On the positive side for further eco tourism Conservation International China, Country Director Lu Zhi mentioned the diverse landscapes of China and its natural beauty, a factor which will continue to draw tourist numbers.

“In Western China, there are abundant and unique eco-tourism resources, possibly unrivaled worldwide. The towering and majestic Himalayan mountains, glaciers, gorges, and pristine turquoise lakes and rivers all entice the imagination.

“These hot spots of global biodiversity contain unique temperate forest and endangered species like the giant panda, golden monkey, and Tibetan antelope. Broad grasslands, wetlands, and deserts present an endless horizon for the explorer.”

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The Philippine government passed a Biofuels Act in 2006, requiring ethanol-blended gasoline to make up at least 10% of the total gasoline sold worldwide by February 2012.

Platts, a global provider of energy and metal information and source of benchmark price assessments in the physical energy markets, has today launched the world’s first daily price assessments, capturing the value of ethanol delivered to the Philippines.

“The Philippines, like many governments around the world, is in the midst of implementing guidelines and proposals for reducing the use of fossil fuels, in favor of greener, more renewable fuels, such as E-10,” said Ihsan Rahim, managing editor of petrochemicals, Asia, for Platts.

“We believe these new assessments, which reflect a key biofuels trading hub and prices for one of the largest ethanol consumers in the Asia-Pacific region, will help bring greater transparency not only to the Philippine ethanol market, but to the developing ethanol market at large,” said Rahim.

Platts says that the four new prices will reflect trends in the market, with focus on the production of ‘green’ gasoline blends.

So-called green gasoline is blended with undenatured andhrous ethanol.

The assessments will be published daily, and will cover:

•    Three spot market price assessments of undenatured ethanol as delivered to Manila, Subic Bay and Batangas
•    Spot market price assessment of undenatured ethanol in Singapore loaded cargoes

Platt’s says that assessments are covered in the Phillippines Biofuels Act of 2006.

According to Platts, the Philippines imports 160,000 to 200,000 cubic metres of ethanol per year, with imports projected to double over the next few years, as the Biofuels Act comes closer to full implementation.

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