Search｜Photos & Images & Videos｜KYODO NEWS IMAGES INC

Lufthansa CEO: rising demand highlights strong China-Germany connection

STORY: Lufthansa CEO: rising demand highlights strong China-Germany connection SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage DATELINE: June 22, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:56 LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Shanghai 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JENS RITTER, Member of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa Airlines 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): CHEN QIAN, Senior Director Sales, Greater China, Lufthansa Group Airlines STORYLINE: Lufthansa was the first European airline to launch the route between Shanghai and Frankfurt. With the further increase of travel demand, the German airline doubled its daily Frankfurt-Shanghai flights starting from the end of March by one additional flight -- which is now back to pre-pandemic level. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JENS RITTER, Member of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa Airlines "We see the increasing demand and our continuous increase of capacity to China demonstrates our strong belief in the China market and the strong connection between China and Germany."

E

Italy hosts record-breaking number of tourists in 2023

STORY: Italy hosts record-breaking number of tourists in 2023 SHOOTING TIME: June 4, 2024 DATELINE: June 5, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:47 LOCATION: Rome CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of tourists in Rome STORYLINE: Italy set an all-time record for tourist arrivals last year, with numbers surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time, the government's statistics entity reported Tuesday. ISTAT, the Italian Statistics Institute, said the country hosted more than 134 million tourists in 2023, amounting to a total of more than 450 million overnight stays. This represents 3 million more arrivals and 14.5 million more overnight stays than in 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for increases of 2.3 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively. Compared to 2022, the tourism figures rose by 13.4 percent and 9.5 percent, respectively. According to the data, the most popular Italian region for tourism last year was Veneto, famous for the canal city of Venice. Veneto attracted 21.1 mil

E

Global tourism revenue to total 5.8 tln USD in 2024: report

STORY: Global tourism revenue to total 5.8 tln USD in 2024: report SHOOTING TIME: April 23, 2024 DATELINE: April 24, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:30 LOCATION: Wellington CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the conference 2. various of cultural performances STORYLINE: Global tourism revenue is estimated to total 5.8 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024, marking an increase of 139.6 percent over the pre-pandemic level in 2019. The Report on World Tourism Economy Trends (2024) predicted that international tourist arrivals would amount to 13.579 billion in number this year, recovering to 103.9 percent of 2019. The report was released at an international tourism summit held in Wellington, New Zealand. At the same time, the report called for efforts by the global tourism industry to turn challenges into growth opportunities. Factors such as technological advancement and climate change should be proactively incorporated into the reshaping of the industry. The World Tourism Cities Federation Wellington Fragrant H

E

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-WORLD TOURISM CITIES FEDERATION-SUMMIT

(240423) -- WELLINGTON, April 23, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Guests attend the World Tourism Cities Federation Wellington Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit 2024 in Wellington, New Zealand, April 23, 2024. TO GO WITH "Global tourism revenue to total 5.8 trillion USD this year, surpassing pre-pandemic level: report" (Xinhua/Lu Huaiqian)

E

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-WORLD TOURISM CITIES FEDERATION-SUMMIT

(240423) -- WELLINGTON, April 23, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau speaks during the World Tourism Cities Federation Wellington Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit 2024 in Wellington, New Zealand, April 23, 2024. TO GO WITH "Global tourism revenue to total 5.8 trillion USD this year, surpassing pre-pandemic level: report" (Xinhua/Lu Huaiqian)

E

NEW ZEALAND-WELLINGTON-WORLD TOURISM CITIES FEDERATION-SUMMIT

(240423) -- WELLINGTON, April 23, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Sima Hong, executive vice chair of the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) Council and deputy mayor of Beijing, speaks during the WTCF Wellington Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit 2024 in Wellington, New Zealand, April 23, 2024. TO GO WITH "Global tourism revenue to total 5.8 trillion USD this year, surpassing pre-pandemic level: report" (Xinhua/Lu Huaiqian)

E

Lufthansa's increase of capacity to China shows strong belief in Chinese market: CEO

STORY: Lufthansa's increase of capacity to China shows strong belief in Chinese market: CEO SHOOTING TIME: April 18/19, 2024 DATELINE: April 20, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:28 LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of a Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 landing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport 2. various of the ceremony 3. SOUNDBITE (English): JENS RITTER, Member of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa Airlines STORYLINE: A Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 landed at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Thursday, marking the 30th anniversary of the launch of the Shanghai-Frankfurt route. The German flagship airline's capacity to Shanghai has returned to the pre-pandemic level. Lufthansa CEO says the airline's continuous increase of capacity to China demonstrates its confidence in the Chinese market. SOUNDBITE (English): JENS RITTER, Member of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa Airlines "We operate 35 nonstop flights from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai to Frankfurt and Munich. We

E

Lake Biwa fireworks in western Japan

Fireworks are launched over Lake Biwa on Aug. 8, 2023, as the annual grand fireworks festival returns to Otsu in Shiga Prefecture, western Japan, for the first time since pre-pandemic 2019.

E

Lake Biwa fireworks in western Japan

Fireworks are launched over Lake Biwa on Aug. 8, 2023, as the annual grand fireworks festival returns to Otsu in Shiga Prefecture, western Japan, for the first time since pre-pandemic 2019.

E

Participants from 154 countries, regions, int'l organizations to join 6th CIIE: vice commerce minister

STORY: Participants from 154 countries, regions, int'l organizations to join 6th CIIE: vice commerce minister DATELINE: Oct. 23, 2023 LENGTH: 0:00:34 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the press conference 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): SHENG QIUPING, China's Vice Minister of Commerce STORYLINE: The 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) will be held in Shanghai from November 5-10. According to the vice commerce minister of China, participants from 154 countries, regions and international organizations are expected to join this year's expo. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): SHENG QIUPING, China's Vice Minister of Commerce "The 6th CIIE is expected to welcome guests from 154 countries, regions and international organizations, with more than 3,400 exhibitors and 394,000 professional visitors already registered, back to the pre-pandemic level." Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing. (XHTV)

E

Higher interest rates "important driver" of global debt growth: IMF fiscal chief

STORY: Higher interest rates "important driver" of global debt growth: IMF fiscal chief DATELINE: Oct. 14, 2023 LENGTH: 0:03:04 LOCATION: Washington D.C. CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE (English): VITOR GASPAR, Director of IMF's fiscal affairs department STORYLINE: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) senior official has said that with global public debt projected to grow faster, higher interest rates have been pushing up borrowing costs, becoming an important driver of public debt dynamics. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): VITOR GASPAR, Director of IMF's fiscal affairs department "Global public debt went up quite a lot in the year of the pandemic 2020. Then given very strong catch-up growth from the contraction in the pandemic plus inflation surprises, it came sharply down in 2021 and 2022. But as you said, public debt ratios are now higher and they're projected to grow faster than under pre-pandemic projections." According to the newly released IMF's Fiscal Monitor, total debt liabilities of governments

E

U.S. unemployment remains 3.8 pct in September

STORY: U.S. unemployment remains 3.8 pct in September DATELINE: Oct. 7, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:38 LOCATION: Washington D.C. CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of street view of the United States STORYLINE: U.S. employers added 336,000 jobs in September in sign of economic resilience, with unemployment rate unchanged at 3.8 percent, the U.S. Labor Department reported on Friday. Job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, government, health care, professional, scientific, and technical services, and social assistance, the report indicated. Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for Whites (3.4 percent), Blacks (5.7 percent), Asians (2.8 percent), and Hispanics (4.6 percent) showed little or no change in September. The latest employment report showed that the labor force participation rate was unchanged at 62.8 percent, still slightly below the pre-pandemic level of 63.4 percent. Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 7 cents, or 0.2 per

E

Croatia's tourism industry returns to pre-pandemic levels

STORY: Croatia's tourism industry returns to pre-pandemic levels DATELINE: Aug. 9, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:56 LOCATION: Zagreb CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the center of Croatia's capital Zagreb and tourists 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ELARIA SAULINO, Italian tourist 3. various of tourists and an organized bike tour in the city 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): IAN BOHRER, French tourist 5. Zagreb funicular 6. various of tourists 7. SOUNDBITE 3 (Enlgish): HELENA WOHLFAHRT, German tourist 8. a crowd of tourists STORYLINE: According to Croatian Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac, Croatia's tourism industry has returned to pre-pandemic levels as the country had recorded about 12.5 million arrivals and 63 million overnight stays as of Sunday. Most visitors spend their holidays in tourist hotspots like Dubrovnik, Zadar, Split, and Rovinj. Meanwhile, Croatia's capital Zagreb is also attracting more and more tourists. Statistics show that in the past seven months of this year, Zagreb recorded 25 perc

E

Direct flights between China, Spain rebound to 60 pct of pre-pandemic levels

STORY: Direct flights between China, Spain rebound to 60 pct of pre-pandemic levels DATELINE: Aug. 1, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:27 LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Chinese planes taking off and landing at Madrid and Barcelona airports 2. various of passengers 3. various of Chinese tourists (file) STORYLINE: Chinese airlines are leading the way in restoring direct flights between China and Spain, with 60 precent of the pre-pandemic connections between the two countries already restored, according to the Spanish Tourism Institute (Turespana). There are 16 weekly flights to Madrid and Barcelona from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Chongqing, says Turespana. The Director General of Turespana Miguel Sanz said they hope to further close the gap next year. Before the pandemic, there used to be 30 direct flights every week between China and Spain, a number that fell to merely three in 2022. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Barcelona, Spain. (XHTV)

E

Leading Turkish quick-service restaurant operator to expand business in China

STORY: Leading Turkish quick-service restaurant operator to expand business in China DATELINE: July 19, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:13 LOCATION: ISTANBUL, Türkiye CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Istanbul 2. SOUNDBITE (Turkish): ATAKAN BOZKURT, CEO of Burger King China 3. various of China STORYLINE: A senior executive of TAB Food Investment (TFI) says his company plans to expand its business in China in the coming years as the company is confident in China's future growth prospects. TFI is a leading quick-service restaurant operator in Türkiye. It started to invest in China in 2012 and holds the master franchise rights of Burger King restaurants in China. SOUNDBITE (Turkish): ATAKAN BOZKURT, CEO of Burger King China "After the hard days of the pandemic, we have full faith in the policies taken by the Chinese government to revive the economy, boost investment, and support businesses in the post-pandemic era. As these policies get implemented, Chinese consumption will return to pre-pandemic levels or even

E

Malaysia to see stable consumer growth across H2 and 2024: research house

STORY: Malaysia to see stable consumer growth across H2 and 2024: research house DATELINE: July 13, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:30 LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Malaysia's national flag and Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers 2. various of crowds at an exhibition hall 3. various of crowds doing their grocery shopping at a supermarket 4. various of customers paying at the counter STORYLINE: BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, said Wednesday that it holds a positive outlook for consumer spending in Malaysia over the rest of 2023, as the economic recovery feeds into strong real consumer spending growth over the full year. The research house said in a note that it expects the Southeast Asian country's household spending to grow 5 percent in 2023. It opined that easing inflation will feed into the consumer spending outlook over the second half of this year. It noted that real household spending in 2023 will improve to 866.6 billion ringgit (186.29 billion U.S. dollars), beyond pre-pandemic levels

E

UK economy grows 0.1 pct in Q1

STORY: UK economy grows 0.1 pct in Q1 DATELINE: May 13, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:33 LOCATION: London CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Bank of England 2. various of streets in London 3. various of a supermarket in London STORYLINE: The United Kingdom's (UK) economy grew by 0.1 percent in the first quarter (Q1) of this year, official figures showed on Friday. In output terms, the services sector grew by 0.1 percent between January and March, driven by increases in information and communication, and administrative and support service activities, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The construction sector grew by 0.7 percent, the production sector by 0.1 percent, and manufacturing by 0.5 percent. Despite the expansion, the country's quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) is still 0.5 percent below its pre-COVID-19 level (fourth quarter of 2019). The UK remains the only G7 (Group of Seven) country in which the main quarterly measure of GDP has not recovered to its pre-pandemic peak yet, Samuel

E

India's passenger vehicle retail sales increase by 14 pct in March

STORY: India's passenger vehicle retail sales increase by 14 pct in March DATELINE: April 5, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:28 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the India gate 2. various of a two-wheeler showroom 3. various of a four-wheeler showroom 4. various of traffic STORYLINE: Passenger vehicle retail sales in India increased by 14 percent year-on-year in March, said the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA), India's top body of the automotive retail industry. According to the latest data released by the FADA on Tuesday, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger vehicles, and commercial vehicles grew by 12 percent, 69 percent, 14 percent, and 10 percent, respectively, while tractors grew by 4 percent. Although the two-wheeler segment demonstrated growth over the same period last year, it remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels, indicating that rural India is still bearing the burden of high inflationary costs. "The three-wheeler segment achieved record-high reta

E

Int'l arrivals to Vietnam back to 60 pct of pre-pandemic level

STORY: Int'l arrivals to Vietnam back to 60 pct of pre-pandemic level DATELINE: March 31, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:30 LOCATION: Hanoi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1 various of Beijing international airport 2 various of Chinese tourists at the Mong Cai International Border Gate 3 various of tourists STORYLINE: Vietnam saw 2.69 million international arrivals in the first three months, surging almost 30 times compared to the same period in 2022 with the country's full reopening to foreign visitors since the middle of March last year, Vietnam News reported on Thursday. During the period, foreign arrivals to Vietnam by air accounted for 89.8 percent of the total, followed by road with 9 percent and sea routes with 1.2 percent, respectively, the General Statistics Office said. Most of the arrivals were from Asia with around 72 percent. Vietnam's tourism industry continued to show signs of recovery in the first quarter with arrivals reaching 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels. The country received 4.5 million fo

E

EGYPT-ASWAN-TOURISM-BOOMING

(230310) -- ASWAN (EGYPT), March 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- A tourist buys souvenirs during a visit to the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) TO GO WITH Feature: Tourism booms in Upper Egypt's Aswan after pandemic-related recession

E

EGYPT-ASWAN-TOURISM-BOOMING

(230310) -- ASWAN (EGYPT), March 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Tourists take boats at a dock after visiting the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) TO GO WITH Feature: Tourism booms in Upper Egypt's Aswan after pandemic-related recession

E

EGYPT-ASWAN-TOURISM-BOOMING

(230310) -- ASWAN (EGYPT), March 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Tourists visit the Philae temple complex in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) TO GO WITH Feature: Tourism booms in Upper Egypt's Aswan after pandemic-related recession

E

EGYPT-ASWAN-TOURISM-BOOMING

(230310) -- ASWAN (EGYPT), March 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Tourists visit the Philae temple complex in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) TO GO WITH Feature: Tourism booms in Upper Egypt's Aswan after pandemic-related recession

E

EGYPT-ASWAN-TOURISM-BOOMING

(230310) -- ASWAN (EGYPT), March 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Tourists visit the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) TO GO WITH Feature: Tourism booms in Upper Egypt's Aswan after pandemic-related recession

E

EGYPT-ASWAN-TOURISM-BOOMING

(230310) -- ASWAN (EGYPT), March 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Tourists visit the Philae temple complex in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) TO GO WITH Feature: Tourism booms in Upper Egypt's Aswan after pandemic-related recession

E

EGYPT-ASWAN-TOURISM-BOOMING

(230310) -- ASWAN (EGYPT), March 10, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Tourists walk from a dock to the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) TO GO WITH Feature: Tourism booms in Upper Egypt's Aswan after pandemic-related recession

E

Cobra Gold 2023 multinational exercise launched in Thailand

STORY: Cobra Gold 2023 multinational exercise launched in Thailand DATELINE: March 1, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:59 LOCATION: RAYONG, Thailand CATEGORY: MILITARY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Cobra Gold 2023 STORYLINE: The multinational exercise Cobra Gold 2023 was launched in U-Tapao Thai navy airfield in Thailand's eastern Rayong Province on Tuesday, marking the return to its pre-pandemic scale after three years. Thai Armed Force chief General Chalermpol Srisawat said at the opening ceremony that more than 7,000 personnel from 30 countries participated in the drill this year. "Please take this time to get to know each other, to learn from each other and to share each other's experiences," he said. According to the Thai Armed Forces, the Cobra Gold 2023 exercise will take place from Feb. 27 to March 10, with the core exercises including command post exercise, humanitarian civic assistance, and field training exercise. The drill is also back to full-scale with the return to normalcy after the pandemic. The Chine

E

Traffic in Spanish ports returns to pre-pandemic levels

STORY: Traffic in Spanish ports returns to pre-pandemic levels DATELINE: Feb. 21, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:06 LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Spanish ports 2. SOUNDBITE (Catalan): LLUIS SALVADO, President of Port of Barcelona 3. various of Spanish ports STORYLINE: Activity in Spanish ports grew by some 3.5 percent last year, almost matching the record levels of traffic before the pandemic began. According to Spain's national port authority, Puertos del Estado, the country's 46 ports registered 563.3 million tons of goods traffic in 2022. This was just under the record of 564.5 million tons seen in 2019. Puertos del Estado reported that the Port of Algeciras in southern Spain saw its traffic increased to 108 million tons, a 3-percent hike compared to 2021, while the Port of Barcelona registered 70 million tons, a 6.9 percent increase year-on-year. It was a record recovery for Barcelona, which announced on Feb.14 a historic turnover of 181 million euros (193 million do

E

Malaysia's wholesale, retail trade rise 19.6 pct, services revenue rises 20.3 pct in 2022

STORY: Malaysia's wholesale, retail trade rise 19.6 pct, services revenue rises 20.3 pct in 2022 DATELINE: Feb. 9, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:35 LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Malaysia's national flag with street views 2. various of customers shopping in stores 3. various of crowds 4. various of street views of Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur 5. various of visuals at food court 6. various of crowds doing their grocery shopping in supermarket STORYLINE: Malaysia's wholesale and retail trade rose 19.6 percent year on year to 1.6 trillion ringgit (about 0.37 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2022, official data showed Wednesday. The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that the growth was underpinned by retail trade, which increased by 23.9 percent to settle at 661.1 billion ringgit. This was followed by wholesale trade which expanded 10.7 percent to 710.3 billion ringgit. As for pre-pandemic comparison, sales of wholesale and retail trade in 2022 surpassed th

E

Malaysia's construction sector rebounds 8.8 pct in 2022 after 2-year decline

STORY: Malaysia's construction sector rebounds 8.8 pct in 2022 after 2-year decline DATELINE: Feb. 9, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:09 LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of construction sites in Malaysia STORYLINE: Malaysia's construction sector rebounded by 8.8 percent in 2022 after a two-year fall, official data showed Wednesday. The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that all sub-sectors picked up during the year with a double-digit growth recorded in special trade activities (19.6 percent) and non-residential buildings (18.7 percent). In the meantime, the civil engineering and residential buildings sub-sectors turned around to positive growth of 2.7 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively. While the total value of work done in construction in 2022 amounted to 121.9 billion ringgit (28.35 billion U.S. dollars), it remained lower than the pre-pandemic period, which was 146.4 billion ringgit (34.06 billion dollars) in 2019. According to the DOSM, the value of wo

E

Festive hustle and bustle returns to ancient town in China's Shanghai

STORY: Festive hustle and bustle returns to ancient town in China's Shanghai DATELINE: Jan. 29, 2023 LENGTH: 0:00:34 LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Qibao ancient street STORYLINE: Festive hustle and bustle resumes at an ancient town during the Spring Festival holiday in China's Shanghai, with tourist numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Shanghai, China. (XHTV)

E

China's economy rapidly rebounding from pandemic shock

STORY: China's economy rapidly rebounding from pandemic shock DATELINE: Jan. 15, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:25 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various views in China 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): OKTAY F. TANRISEVER, Professor of International Relations, Middle East Technical University 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): BILAL AHMAD, Pakistani public health specialist 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): ZHANG XIQIANG, Executive Vice President, Nestle S.A. STORYLINE: China's economy is shaking off the shadow of COVID-19. The country's continuously optimized anti-virus response has promoted work and production resumption. Sectors ranging from tourism to services and catering are trickling back to their pre-pandemic level. During the 40-day-long Spring Festival travel rush that is underway, the number of passenger trips is expected to surge 99.5 percent year on year to nearly 2.1 billion, resuming 70.3 percent of that in 2019. Major projects nationwide have started construction again, and many factories are running at

E

Spain's hotel occupancy rates to exceed pre-pandemic level: report

STORY: Spain's hotel occupancy rates to exceed pre-pandemic level: report DATELINE: Jan. 3, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:11 LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of hotels in Spain 2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): JORGE MARICHAL, President of CEHAT 3. various of hotels in Spain STORYLINE: According to a report released by the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (CEHAT) in December, Spain's hotel occupancy rates from December 2022 to the end of February 2023 are expected to be at least 0.6 percent higher than that in the winter season of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic began. The survey, carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for CEHAT, focused on international tourists' intention to travel to Spain. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): JORGE MARICHAL, President of CEHAT "International tourists continue to look to Spain and when they go on holiday abroad, one of the countries they have in mind is Spain, and that means hotel occupancy and revenue will be high this winter." The SiteMi

E

ZIMBABWE-HOLIDAY TRAVEL-RESUMPTION

(221226) -- HARARE, Dec. 26, 2022 (Xinhua) -- People load luggage on top of a rural bus to go for Christmas in Mbare, Harare, Zimbabwe, Dec. 19, 2022. TO GO WITH "Feature: Holiday travel resumes as Zimbabweans return to pre-pandemic habits" (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

E

ZIMBABWE-HOLIDAY TRAVEL-RESUMPTION

(221226) -- HARARE, Dec. 26, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A woman sits inside a loaded rural bus going for Christmas in Mbare, Harare, Zimbabwe, Dec. 19, 2022. TO GO WITH "Feature: Holiday travel resumes as Zimbabweans return to pre-pandemic habits" (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

E

Türkiye's weak lira boosts tourists, revenues

STORY: Türkiye's weak lira boosts tourists, revenues DATELINE: Dec. 24, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:39 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of hot air balloons and Cappadocia 2. tourists at the beaches of Türkiye 3. tourists at the old city center of Amasra, Türkiye 4. SOUNDBITE (Turkish): KAAN SAHINALP, Türkiye representative of German tourism giant TUI STORYLINE: Helped by a weakening currency, Türkiye's crucial tourism industry is recording a robust post-pandemic rebound. Tourism revenues are vital to the economy as the government's economic program focuses on flipping the current account deficits to a surplus, prioritizing exports, production and investments, and aiming to curb inflation. The number of foreign visitors arriving in Türkiye climbed 88 percent year on year from January through October this year to 39.1 million, on pace to match the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. The rebound has also been driven by a major leap in demand from Europe as the European continent grapples with an ene

E

Black Friday shopping season falls in Malta

STORY: Black Friday shopping season falls in Malta DATELINE: Nov. 26, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:02 LOCATION: Valletta CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people walking on the streets STORYLINE: Posters written with "Black Friday" are seen on main shopping streets in Malta during the weekend. Shop owners provide different discounts to attract consumers at a time when high-level inflation has hampered the purchasing power of consumers across Europe. The Malta Chamber of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) was quoted by Maltese media as saying that they hoped the turnout from this year's Black Friday sales would reach pre-pandemic levels. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Valletta. (XHTV)

E

Türkiye targets 5 pct growth in 2023: minister

STORY: Türkiye targets 5 pct growth in 2023: minister DATELINE: Nov. 11, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:25 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of people and vehicles on the street 2. various of farming 3. various of industry 4. various of Turkish lira 5. various of ports STORYLINE: Türkiye foresees economic growth of 5 percent in 2022 and targets the same growth rate in 2023 as the government expects to "maintain its balanced outlook" next year, Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati said on Thursday. Preliminary indicators for the second half of 2022 point to moderate growth with the impact of the global slowdown, Nebati said during the budget talks of the parliament. The total employment capacity of the country has risen above the pre-pandemic period and reached historically high levels, Nebati said, adding "total employment reached 31.4 million people as of September, while as of August, the unemployment rate decreased to the lowest level of the last 8 years with 9.9 percen

E

BOTSWANA-AFRICA-TOURISM-FORUM

(221026) -- BABORONE, Oct. 26, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi (C) and other delegates pose for a group photo at the opening of the fifth Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards in Gaborone, Botswana, on Oct. 25, 2022. In an effort to regain its pre-pandemic tourism status by 2024, Botswana is hosting the fifth Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards, and is committed to hosting the event for the next 3 years. (Photo by Sharon Tshipa/Xinhua)

E

New Zealand housing supply skyrockets by 76 pct in 12 months

STORY: New Zealand housing supply skyrockets by 76 pct in 12 months DATELINE: Sept. 24, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:01 LOCATION: Wellington CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of houses in New Zealand STORYLINE: The number of properties for sale across New Zealand continued to soar last month, jumping a record 76 percent when compared with August last year, according to the latest Trade Me Property Price Index released on Thursday. Trade Me Property Sales Director Gavin Lloyd said nationwide property supply had now seen a year-on-year jump for nine months straight. "While last month's spike is partly due to the nationwide lockdown in August 2021, these increases have been on an upward trajectory all year and currently supply is well above pre-pandemic levels." "Last month marked the third month in a row where we saw listing numbers spike by more than 50 percent year-on-year," he said. While every region saw supply up by at least a third in August when compared with the same month last year, Lloyd

E

Greek tourism revenues to hit new records this year

STORY: Greek tourism revenues to hit new records this year DATELINE: Sept. 11, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:19 LOCATION: Athens CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of tourist attractions, markets, restaurants and beaches in Greece 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): VASSILIS KIKILIAS, Greek Tourism Minister 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ALEXANDROS VASSILIKOS, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ALEXANDROS VASSILIKOS, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) STORYLINE: Tourism in Greece, a vital pillar of the country's economy, is on track to yield record-high revenues this year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to local officials, industry experts and analysts. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): VASSILIS KIKILIAS, Greek Tourism Minister "2022 was an amazing year for Greek tourism. I'm very happy to announce that branded destinations, alternative destinations, islands, mainland were full of travelers and tourists this year and that it looks like we are going to surpass revenues and

E

GREECE-ATHENS-TOURISM

(220910) -- ATHENS, Sept. 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Tourists visit the Roman Agora in Athens, Greece, Sept. 10, 2022. Tourism in Greece, a vital pillar of the country's economy, is on track to yield record high revenues this year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to local officials, industry experts and analysts. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

E

GREECE-ATHENS-TOURISM

(220910) -- ATHENS, Sept. 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Tourists visit the Roman Agora in Athens, Greece, Sept. 10, 2022. Tourism in Greece, a vital pillar of the country's economy, is on track to yield record high revenues this year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to local officials, industry experts and analysts. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

E

GREECE-ATHENS-TOURISM

(220910) -- ATHENS, Sept. 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Tourists take photos with the sacred rock of Acropolis, in Athens, Greece, Sept. 10, 2022. Tourism in Greece, a vital pillar of the country's economy, is on track to yield record high revenues this year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to local officials, industry experts and analysts. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

E

GREECE-ATHENS-TOURISM

(220910) -- ATHENS, Sept. 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Tourists visit the Roman Agora in Athens, Greece, Sept. 10, 2022. Tourism in Greece, a vital pillar of the country's economy, is on track to yield record high revenues this year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to local officials, industry experts and analysts. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

E

GREECE-ATHENS-TOURISM

(220910) -- ATHENS, Sept. 10, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Tourists take photos with the sacred rock of Acropolis, in Athens, Greece, Sept. 10, 2022. Tourism in Greece, a vital pillar of the country's economy, is on track to yield record high revenues this year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to local officials, industry experts and analysts. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

E

SPAIN-MADRID-AIR TRAFFIC-DISRUPT

(220830) -- MADRID, Aug. 30, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A man takes photos of flight information at Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain, Aug. 29, 2022. At least seven flights had to be diverted from Madrid's Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport on Monday due to the presence of drones in the area. Monday was another difficult day for air travelers in Spain, due to strikes by the cabin crew of low-cost airlines Ryanair and Iberia Express, and the pilots of EasyJet. The ongoing actions calling for better working conditions (in the case of Ryanair and Iberia Express) and a return to pre-pandemic conditions (Easyjet pilots), led to the cancellation of 14 flights (10 from Madrid) on Monday. A further 28 were delayed. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

E

SPAIN-MADRID-AIR TRAFFIC-DISRUPT

(220830) -- MADRID, Aug. 30, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Passengers wait for departure at Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain, Aug. 29, 2022. At least seven flights had to be diverted from Madrid's Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport on Monday due to the presence of drones in the area. Monday was another difficult day for air travelers in Spain, due to strikes by the cabin crew of low-cost airlines Ryanair and Iberia Express, and the pilots of EasyJet. The ongoing actions calling for better working conditions (in the case of Ryanair and Iberia Express) and a return to pre-pandemic conditions (Easyjet pilots), led to the cancellation of 14 flights (10 from Madrid) on Monday. A further 28 were delayed. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

E

SPAIN-MADRID-AIR TRAFFIC-DISRUPT

(220830) -- MADRID, Aug. 30, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on Aug. 29, 2022 shows a flight of Iberia Express at Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain. At least seven flights had to be diverted from Madrid's Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport on Monday due to the presence of drones in the area. Monday was another difficult day for air travelers in Spain, due to strikes by the cabin crew of low-cost airlines Ryanair and Iberia Express, and the pilots of EasyJet. The ongoing actions calling for better working conditions (in the case of Ryanair and Iberia Express) and a return to pre-pandemic conditions (Easyjet pilots), led to the cancellation of 14 flights (10 from Madrid) on Monday. A further 28 were delayed. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

E

CHILE-SANTIAGO-LATAM-ECONOMY

(220824) -- SANTIAGO, Aug. 24, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Mario Cimoli (R), acting executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and Daniel Titelman, director of ECLAC's Development Studies, attend a press conference in Santiago, Chile, Aug. 23, 2022. The Latin America and the Caribbean region is likely to see average economic expansion of 2.7 percent in 2022, reverting to pre-pandemic sluggish growth amid strong external and domestic macroeconomic restrictions, the Santiago-based ECLAC said on Tuesday. (Photo by Jorge Villegas/Xinhua)