Europeans are planning their summer vacations and Yeoh Siew Hoon fears Asia will be far from their minds this year.

Last week, hundreds of cyclists took to the streets, nude, in London and Madrid. They cycled their way through the city streets in their birthday suits to protest against pollution by cars and to campaign for friendlier road behaviour towards cyclists.

Now I am not sure I'd know how to behave if I met a nude cyclist (I noticed they were mostly men) but I am toying with the idea of bringing this one-day nude cycling event to Asia.

I believe traffic-choked cities in countries such as China, Vietnam and Thailand would surely benefit from such an exposure.

I tell this story because I admire the freedom people in Europe have to express themselves about things they take seriously – and there are many things they take seriously.

Their individual rights, for instance. Look at how the French and then, the Dutch rejected the EU Constitution, a clear triumph of individual rights over communal interests, in recent referendums.

Their religion. The Italians are also voting referendum on a fertility bill this week.

The environment. In Germany, garbage disposal is a serious issue. Everyone has to separate their garbage and dispose of it neatly, or risk a fine.

And, of course, their holidays. This is the time of year when people on the continent start talking about their summer breaks. You can almost feel the holiday fever in the air.

I think it's got to do with the change of season. After having spent so many months wrapped up in the cold and dark, late spring brings with it longer and warmer (sometimes) days and every little bit of sunshine is devoured as voraciously as Malaysians attack their durians.

Newspapers are full of advertisements, selling dream escapes for bargain prices. Travel agency windows are full of posters, selling sun, sand and sea packages, again for prices starting from 300 Euros.

As I scour the newspapers and posters, as well as buses, trains and supermarkets, I realise with a deep sense of resignation how much tougher it is now for destinations in Asia to woo the European traveler.

Thing is, there's been very little good news coming out of our region recently. As I was leaving Europe, I read a report from a scientist who was predicting another tsunami in Sumatra on the scale of December 26, 2004. He thinks it could happen, "maybe in a year".

This is a huge window of uncertainty and fear.

Then there was the news of the sentencing of Schapelle Corby, the Australian lass, of drug charges in Bali. The fact that "she's a young woman, she's pretty ..." – reasons given by talk show host Derryn Hinch as to why the case has whipped up such a frenzy in Australia including a threatened boycott of Bali – has also resonated on the continent.

On top of this are numerous terror alerts and threats which, while they are no longer taken as seriously as they were, must surely seep into the sub-consciousness of consumers when making decisions as to where to spend their hard-earned and well-deserved summer break.

And let's face it, there are so many choices out there for the holiday-maker in Europe. Eastern Europe is new and emerging, Mediterranean destinations are near and familiar, Northern Africa offers great value, the US is a lot more attractive, thanks to the strong Euro (which is coming down however), plus there's always the option of travelling at home with the multitude of domestic holiday spots.

If I were a supplier in Asia eyeing the European leisure market for the rest of this year, I'd be thinking up some smart tactics right now.



The SHY Report
A regular column on news, trends and issues in the hospitality industry by one of Asia's most respected travel editors and commentators, Yeoh Siew Hoon.

Siew Hoon, who has covered the tourism industry in Asia/Pacific for the past 20 years, runs SHY Ventures Pte Ltd. Her company's mission is "Content, Communication, Connection".

She is a writer, speaker, facilitator, trainer and events producer. She is also an author, having published "Around Asia In 1 Hr: Tales of Condoms, Chillies & Curries". Her motto is ‘free to do, and be'.

Contacts: Tel: 65-63424934, Mobile: 65-96801460

Check out Siew Hoon's new website, www.shy-connection.com, which features a newly-launched e-zine with a difference.