$452 million to be invested in Disneyland Hong Kong

by Stephen Greenwood on

The Walt Disney Co. said on Tuesday that it will be investing US$452 million in park expansions, seen as necessary to compete with a planned rival park in Shanghai.

The expansion will include three new “lands,” and thirty new attractions. A source familiar with the plan stated that two of the new lands will be exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland for five years after opening. The park will have exclusive rights in Asia to the third new land for five years, the source said.

The first area will take three years to complete and the next two will begin over the following two years with the entire expansion set for completion in 2014.The much larger Disneyland rival in Shanghai is also expected to be complete in 2014, assuming that it receives approval from the Chinese government.

So Disney fans, start making plans – and for the ultra-dedicated you might have to reschedule that ultimate park-hopper pass.

How do you stop Nepalese airport workers from taking bribes?

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Nepal’s government thinks it’s found a way: Issue them pants with no pockets.

The unusual move is an attempt to combat rampant bribe-taking among airport staff at Tribhuvan International Airport, located in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu. A spokesperson for Nepal’s anti-corruption body said that pocketless pants would help “curb the irregularities” reported by so many airport visitors.

Nepal’s new Prime Minister Madhav Mumar Nepal recently expressed concern about corruption at the Kathmandu airport, and said that he was worried about the airport’s negative reputation. The day after those comments, the Nepalese government decided that airport workers would wear pants without pockets, which are already worn by many casino dealers and fast-food workers to prevent theft.

[HT: Marginal Revolution]

Spring Airlines considers standing-room tickets

by Stephen Greenwood on

Remember a few years ago when Airbus was considering standing-room only economy class tickets? Well it looks like the aircraft manufacturer might have its first taker.

China’s Spring Airlines says it has been considering the concept since the beginning of the year to accommodate a surge in passenger volume. While a representative for the airline claims that the new method is “just like bar stools,” it could allow for 40% more passengers and cut costs by 20%, while lowering airfare for consumers.

Spring Airlines could submit the idea for approval within the year.

I guess this will bring up entirely new issues of when it’s appropriate to be out of your “seat.”

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[Thanks, Howard!]

Gadling quiz – can you guess the nationality?

by Scott Carmichael on

Have you traveled enough to recognize 10 different nationalities? In today’s quiz, you’ll have to pick the right nationality for each of the photos.

There is a twist though – you only have 10 seconds to answer each question, and the longer you wait, the fewer points you’ll earn.

If you know your stuff, you should be able to score over 650 points. If you score under 300 points, then you should try cheating, or traveling more.

So, click the “read more” link to start the quiz, and don’t forget to leave your score in the comments!

UNESCO adds sites to World Heritage list, and drops one too

by Sean McLachlan on

The UNESCO World Heritage List has just gotten a lot longer. Officials meeting for the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee have added more than two dozen sites of great cultural, historical, or natural value to the list, and they’re considering more.

Among the new entries are an aqueduct in Britain, a stately home in Belgium, and a sacred Buddhist mountain dotted with monasteries in China.

Two lesser-visited countries got sites onto the list. The ruins of Loropéni in Burkina Faso, a massive thousand-year-old fort that guarded the Saharan gold trade, was added, as well as Cape Verde’s Cidade Velha, a 15th century Portuguese colony that was the first major station for the transatlantic slave trade. Cidade Velha includes a fort, ruins of houses, and a grand cathedral, the slave traders being devout Christians.

There have been some losers too. Several sites have been moved to the endangered list, and the Germany’s Dresden Elbe river valley was dropped from the list entirely after “developers” put a four-lane highway through it. Ironically, the old city of Dresden was Germany’s most historic city, but was leveled by Allied bombing during World War Two. The nearby historic landscape dotted with castles and palaces escaped damage, but now the Germans have destroyed that themselves. Nice going, guys.

UNESCO’s website is posting up-to-date information on new additions and changes.

Trivia questions: What does UNESCO stand for? And what World Heritage site is pictured above? Click “Read More” to find out.

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1. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

2. That Chomsi Stupa, Mount Phu Shi, Luang Prabang, Laos. This center for Buddhist learning contains a giant gold statue of the Buddha and was a religious center for the first capital of Laos when it was built in 1804. It was designated a World Heritage Site in 1995.