Like the Chicago Cubs who endured decades of “wait until next year,” credibly both Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic should be positioned to fly paying passengers in late 2018. How will a successful commercial flight impact the economics of space tourism? What is the demand for such flights?
One key question for the space tourism industry is will there be repeat flyers? That is, until space tourism is a destination-based business (e.g. flights to a private space station or to the moon) will flyers pay to fly more than once after they have earned their astronaut wings? The answer to this is likely very dependent on the experience itself. If it can be enjoyed as a group experience with friends, families, coworkers, etc., it is more likely that there will be repeat flyers. This would bode well for capsule-oriented travel such as Blue Origin is offering and the high-altitude balloon vehicle offered by WorldView (in which I am an investor), but might be less conducive to Virgin Galactic. Without repeat flyers, however, the demand could rapidly wane after the initial early adopters have flown and the novelty has worn off.
Sponsorships
The case for sponsorships in commercial spaceflight is compelling and could dramatically impact the economics of space tourism. Global brands are looking for fresh, new ways to position themselves on the leading edge of their categories. Heineken and Red Bull have been the most prominent space backers to date, but once space tourism is more frequent, safe and mainstream, I would expect dramatically more sponsorships dollars to flow into the category, both to the operators and to a limited number of celebrity astronauts. With an average Fortune 500 marketing budget in the $50 million range, sponsorships could be a needle mover for the economics of the category and could ultimately be more lucrative than the ticket sales themselves.
Destination-based travel
The primary economic driver of space tourism in the long term, however, will be destination-based tourism. This remains a chicken-and-egg problem; the viability of a private space station, for example, is greatly enhanced by space tourism, but a private space station isn’t viable without reliable and economical passenger transport. And reliable and economical transport requires tourist demand predicated on viable destinations. Consequently, I would expect 2018 and 2019 to be almost exclusively suborbital travel until either new vehicles come on line that are more economical, destinations such as Axiom’s private space station materialize, or a combination of both. Certainly, SpaceX’s announced circumlunar trip could be the most significant space tourism mission to date, but at rumored $100 million-plus price tag, the demand for such missions remains very limited.
On the horizon
In addition to the vehicles currently known, the holy grail of commercial spaceflight remains a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) reusable spaceplane. While many believe that this is a practical impossibility given the laws of physics, others claim advances in materials, propulsion and design allow this to be at least theoretically possible. If a vehicle were to emerge that could provide SSTO reusability, it would transform space tourism as we know it.
The bottom line is 2018 should finally be the year where we see the early stages of broad-based commercial space tourism appear. Demand will certainly be driven by the early successes or failures of those missions, the marketing of those missions, as well as the propensity for tourists to become repeat flyers. I would expect the early success to lead to a broader flow of investment into space tourism as a category with a directional push towards sustainable, destination-based space tourism in the early 2020s.
New Zealand is trumpeting a new trade and development deal for the Pacific - but will it boost the economies of the smaller countries, or undercut their development writes Sam Sachdeva Newsroom Pro's Foreign Affairs and Trade Editor.
After eight long years of negotiations, it’s finally time to put pen to paper.
New Zealand, Australia and 11 other Pacific nations are gathering in Tonga on Wednesday to sign the PACER Plus trade and development agreement.
Speaking ahead of the signing, Trade Minister Todd McClay hailed the deal as “a new era for closer economic relations in the Pacific”, saying it will cut red tape for Kiwi exporters while making the region more attractive for trade and investment.
The 2017 Fine Wines of New Zealand reveiled
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Five Question for UK vicar in British Industrial Heartland .........
Reverend Graham Sawyer (pictured) is well known in New Zealand as a BBC commentator, educator, and cleric. He is now a vicar currently based in the north of England. He now answers our Five Questions ....
1. You have been a Parliamentary candidate -and now you are a man of the cloth. Is the approach to religious extremism by the various authorities the correct one?
No. The response has been to create a climate of fear and to suggest that the "government" is protecting us. In fact, the cause of extremism is flawed foreign policy and economic colonialism e.g. the meddling in the Middle East by Blair and Bush. Rather than seeking to look at the causes of extremism the response by governments is to fuel the fear caused by extremists and thereby seek to give pseudo-legitimacy to the Western governments' failed foreign policies.
2. There is this constant call from leaders of all stripe to separate the terrorism from the underpinning religion?
The vast majority of people of faith are peace-loving and have peace at the centre of their religion. Terrorists of any kind will always take refuge in a book to justify their behaviours e.g. a religious or political text. Modern day fascists in Germany revert to Hitler's writings as much as some revolutionary Communists will revert to Marx. Those with a religious background will use a religious book for similar although dishonest purposes.
3. It is said that the three religions of the book at various historical times endure the throes of some kind of extremism or such zealotry. Are we witnessing this kind of surge now?
We are but it is always present. Think of the Crusades and also Christian biblical justifications from St Paul's writings for resisting the abolition of slavery. Christians have killed far more Muslims than the other way round in the name of Christianity. All religions of the book have parts of their scriptures that can easily be turned to give false legitimacy to extremist behaviour.
4. Do you go along with the theory that the present convulsions, now so evident on the streets of Western cities, represent in effect a striving for religious purity, pretty much regardless of where the victims originated, or, indeed, of their religion?
No. The real problem is the resurgence of nationalism as a result of frustrations with globalisation and austerity concomitant with the failure of capitalism. Think of the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War and the huge reparations inflicted upon Germany - these were the seeds of the Nazi rise to power. See today with the resurgence of fascism in Greece. So-called religious purity comes and goes but is often used by political opportunists.
5. Do you go along with the notion that Western governments are hampered in this matter, whatever its cause, by their need to appease their own doctrinal left wings?
No. Capitalism is the driving force. The un-elected European Union bureaucrats and economists dictate everything and it is the same in other developed countries (New Zealand is a very extreme example). The failure of their policies is causing the potential disintegration of the EU and the resurgence of nationalism and hence fascism in the West e.g. Greece, Hungary etc.
| From the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. || Tuesday 13 June 2017 |||
Auckland Airport will this evening welcome the first Sichuan Airlines flight direct from Chengdu, China. The new 13-hour direct service provides a seventh direct connection from Auckland Airport to a major Chinese city, and is the first to connect New Zealand directly to south west China.
While the Sichuan Province is traditionally famed for its dramatic landscape, spicy cuisine and for being home to the Giant Panda, its capital, Chengdu, is very much its modern face. Scott Tasker, Auckland Airport’s acting general manager – aeronautical commercial, says this first service to one of China’s major western centres is significant for both trade and tourism.
“Home to some 14.5 million people, Chengdu is one of western China’s most important economic centres and a key transportation hub. Therefore in addition to providing a unique cultural tourism opportunity for New Zealanders, this new route will open New Zealand to a broad new audience of Chinese travellers and support trade links between the two countries.”
“New Zealand now exports over $12 billion worth of goods and services to China a year, making it our second largest trading partner after Australia. The increased cargo capacity that Sichuan Airlines will provide between Chengdu and Auckland will enable further growth in the trade of high value goods between New Zealand and China,” says Mr Tasker.
In terms of tourism, the new service will add 81,000 seats a year to and from China, worth an estimated $102 million to the New Zealand economy.
Founded in 1986, Sichuan Airlines currently operates more than 240 routes, including long-haul services to Australia, Europe, Canada and the United States. This new Auckland route will be its longest direct flight yet, with the A330-200 featuring 24 business class flat-bed seats.
Whatever class of travel passengers choose, Sichuan’s General Manager for New Zealand, JC Shi, says they can expect to be thrilled by the authentic in-flight service.
“Sichuan cuisine is one of China’s four big cuisines, therefore we are delighted to bring the Sichuan flavour into the cabin. Authentic dishes such as hot pot, firewood chicken and barrel fish will be sure to delight and awaken the senses of first time visitors on board,” says Mr Shi.
The new direct service will operate year-round three times a week between Auckland Airport and China’s fifth busiest airport, Chengdu Shuangliu, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Tonight’s inaugural flight is scheduled to arrive at 6.45pm.
| An Auckland Airport release || June 13, 2017 |||
Auckland is set to welcome Sichuan Airlines’ inaugural flight from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in southwest China later today, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.
Sichuan Airlines will operate three direct flights per week between Auckland and Chengdu.
"New Zealand is in a strong position to attract airlines, with a liberal international air transport policy that allows most major airlines to operate services to New Zealand without restriction," Mr Bridges says.
"We have negotiated 60 new or amended air services agreements since 2012, and in that time period, the number of services Chinese airlines can offer each week under arrangements between our countries has risen from 7 to 59.
"New Zealand is an increasingly popular tourist destination for Chinese visitors. In the year ended March 2017, 404,384 Chinese visitors came here an increase of seven percent on the year before. Visitors from China spent NZ$1.45 billion, second only to the spending by visitors from Australia.
"This new Sichuan Airlines service is a reflection of the growing trade and tourism links between China and New Zealand, and it raises the number of airlines now operating from China to New Zealand from five to six.
"It’s great to see New Zealand further expanding its international connectivity, allowing people to get to and from Chinese provinces with greater ease. It is also a testament to the success of our International Air Transport Policy, which provides additional opportunities for these airlines," Mr Bridges says.
New Zealand based travel sellers can now promote their specialist country knowledge in the same way as their international counterparts, thanks to changes Tourism New Zealand has made to its trade training programme.
The 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme improves travel sellers' knowledge of New Zealand through a series of training opportunities.
As a result, specialists have the knowledge needed to build 'must do' holiday itineraries.
To become a 100 % Pure New Zealand Specialist (New Zealand Based) travel sellers only need to complete 10 of the programme's online learning modules.
'Becoming a 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist gives travel sellers credibility with clients,' says René de Monchy, Director of Trade, PR and Major Events at Tourism New Zealand.
'Specialists are able to use and display the programme's logo which is recognised by overseas visitors due to Tourism New Zealand's offshore marketing activity.'
The introduction of the New Zealand based status is just one of the programme's new improvements that aim to increase the number of specialists globally.
The other main improvement is the introduction of a Gold, Silver and Bronze tier structure for international travel sellers, with different criteria, incentives and benefits for each tier. The tier structure is not applicable to New Zealand based travel sellers.
'We've made these changes based on feedback from current specialists and I am excited to extend the programme to New Zealand travel sellers,' says René.
More information about the 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme can be found on http://www.traveltrade.newzealand.com/.
| A Tourism New Zealand release || June 13, 2017 |||
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242