Thailand has once again been a victim of a disaster that has damaged their tourism industry. On July 27, an estimated 50,000 L of crude oil leaked into the Gulf of Thailand according to oil giant PTT Global Chemical. The oil drifted to popular tourist destinations, causing tourists to flee. Last year, Bangkok, Thailand became the most visited city with 15.98 millions visitors spending one night or more. This is not the first time Thailand has been hit in the tourism industry however, who could forget the tsunami of 2004 that killed nearly 230,000 people in 14 countries. The military coup in 2006, the 2010 political protests and the floods of 2011 are just a few examples of many more.

 Agreeing with the article and being from Thailand myself, i would predict that the tourism industry will most likely recover. Thailand has had the most experience of any country in maintaining a flourishing tourism industry while dealing with a disaster.  This is mainly because we have a strong reputation or “image” set in the mind of tourists. The beautiful sights and attractions outweigh the negative impacts and visitors recognize that as well.  We are known as “The Land of Smiles” and it shall be known for all time.

Articles:

http://world.time.com/2013/08/08/the-koh-samet-oil-spill-is-just-the-latest-tourism-disaster-to-hit-thailand/

Images:

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/thaioil073113/t01_RTX125JS.jpg

Valve’s “Steam Box” Console

This past summer, Valve, the maker of countless hit games and owner of steam a digital distribution platform announced that it will be releasing a new console known as the “Steam Box”. So how will this compete with the current market holders PlayStation and Microsoft XBOX? Their main objective is to bring the perks of PC gaming into the comfort of the living room. In a sense, bridging the gap between PC and Console gaming.

I think this is a bold move by Valve and an unexpected one in many ways. The barriers to entry of the gaming console market are extreme to say the least. PlayStation and Microsoft make up somewhat of an oligopoly with the exception of Nintendo. It will be difficult for the Steam Box to compete. I believe they have done a fine job in differentiating their product. One example is advertising the connection between PC and Consoles. However, they have also released a new design controller, with the most obvious change being no joysticks. This could drive away consumers who prefer the old controller design and would rather not waste time learning how to use a new controller.

New Steam Box Controller

Articles:

http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2013/10/2/4793728/gearbox-pitchford-says-steam-box-wont-challenge-consoles

http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/valve-steam-box-release-date-news-and-features-1127072

Images:

Figure 1                                                 http://knightvision.farmington.k12.mo.us/knightlife2/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/steamboxmockup.jpg

Figure 2  http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/games_consoles/Valve/Steam%20Controller/controller_bindings-580-90.jpg

Qatar wins bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup

As the hosts for the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament, Qatar has recently come under fire for its inability to deal with problems concerning extreme heat conditions, and worker’s rights. International soccer officials have discussed the possibility of moving the dates for the tournament from summer to winter in order to cope with the heat. They will also address the working conditions or laborers associated with construction of stadiums and other structures that will be used during the tournament. There have been reports that hundreds of workers have already died and casualties expect reach 4,000 before the tournament even begins.

From a business point of view, moving the date of a competition that has always been held during summers is not the best idea. As stated in the articles, there will be an overlapping of soccer/football competitions causing problems in the marketing sector. This in turn also lowers the amount of revenue the World Cup would have with no overlap. The reported deaths of workers is a troubling matter. Accidental deaths are understandable, but consistent casualties due to the extreme heat? That is unacceptable. Qatar must improve conditions if it wants to keep its title as hosts.

Articles:

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/03/sport/football/qatar-world-cup/

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/04/world-cup-2022-fifa-sepp-blatter-qatar-worker-deaths

Images:

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.aolnews.com/media/2010/12/switzerland-2022-socckim.jpg