Travel Roundup: Las Vegas Sands Cuts 11,000, DHL Quits U.S. Shipping, Cessna Lays off 500 and More

(MoneyWatch)  Las Vegas Sands lays off 11,000 workers in Macau -- Las Vegas Sands Co. decides to suspend building in Macau, laying off about 11,000 workers. The Las Vegas-based company already said it would temporarily shut down two sites including two hotel towers and three casinos. Last week, the company reported that it needs to raise money or stop development to keep from defaulting on its $8.8 billion debt. Last year, the Las Vegas Sands opened the $2.4 billion, 5,000-room Venetian casino in Macau.[Source: BBC, BNET]

DHL halts U.S. domestic shipping, cuts 9,500 jobs -- Deutsche Post World Net, the German parent of DHL U.S. Express, announced this week it will cut U.S. domestic delivery and 9,500 U.S. jobs. The company intents to focus solely on international shipping and will close 309 hubs across the country. The company reported the cuts will reduce costs from $5.4 billion to less than $1 billion. DHL laid off 5,400 workers earlier this year. [Source: Jacksonville Business Journal]

Cessna lays off 500 in Kansas -- Cessna Aircraft will cut 500 jobs in their Wichita plant, only six months after accepting $43 million in state and municipal funds for a new Citation Columbus factory, scheduled for 2014. A company spokesman said that the layoffs were a short-term fiscal solution while the new plant was a long-term project. The company said the tough economy, credit crunch and rising costs were reasons for the layoffs. Cessna also plans to terminate 165 workers in Bend, Ore. [Source: Wichita Eagle]

Britain's national tourist office closes NYC visitor center -- The United Kingdom's national tourist office, VisitBritain, closed the doors of its New York City visitors center to focus on online traffic. According to the agency, about 98 percent of global business is done online and a storefront for tourists is unnecessary. Prospective visitors are asked to view their services online at www.visitbritain.us. Marketing and media inquiries will still be handled by offices in both New York and Los Angeles. [Source: VisitBritain]