Travel Roundup: Las Vegas Sands Layoffs, International Travel Down, Delta's Emergency Landing and More
Las Vegas Sands Corp. lays off 200 -- Las Vegas Sands Corp. is dropping 200 workers from its Las Vegas Strip casino hotels in an effort to save the company $100 million. The cuts, which will come from its Venetian and Palazzo properties, will be about 2 percent of its 10,000 employees. This comes on the heels of a previous 50-employee layoff and a spokesman didn't rule out more layoffs in the future. More than 11,000 mostly Chinese workers were laid off in the company's Macao development last month. The 200 Las Vegas job cuts are expected to be announced today. [Source: Associated Press]
International air travel down -- The Travel Industry Association reported a projected 3 percent drop this year in overseas visitors to the United States. Although the weakened dollar beckoned previously to international travelers, the dollar may gain strength as a global recession takes hold. The International Air Transport Association, a Geneva-based trade group, also reported earlier this week it expected global passengers to drop to 3 percent in 2009, the first year-over-year decline since 9-11. [Source: Washington Post]
Delta makes emergency landing in South Carolina -- A Delta Air Lines plane made an emergency landing in South Carolina after smoke billowed from the cockpit. A spokesman said the MD88 landed at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport around 5 p.m. Thursday. The plane, which had been flying from Dulles International Airport to Atlanta, was diverted after employees noticed the smoke. The plane blew several tires as it landed but its 145 passengers and crew were reportedly unhurt. The airline is investigating the incident. [Source: Associated Press]
MGM Mirage's new international gaming unit -- MGM Mirage Hospitality formed MGM Mirage Global Gaming Development, a branch of the company which will oversee its international casino and resorts. The unit's first venture is MGM Ho Tram, an 1,100-room beachfront casino resort in Vietnam scheduled for 2011. The new company arm will be headed by Lloyd Nathan, former executive vice president and managing director of MGM Mirage International in Hong Kong. The deal is being financed by owner Asian Coast Development Ltd., a Toronto company. [Source: GlobeSt]