Giant Pandas land in AUS - anyone off to ADL?

[BlueAU]

I think it's time for me to visit ADL, can't wait to see this exhibit! Last ones I saw were in Hong Kong a few years ago

Adelaide Zoo - Australia's Giant Pandas - Australia's Giant Pandas

Wang Wang

Funi

Let's hope fares to ADL don't go up :shock:

 

[zig]

I'll be making the trip to see them next year. I have seen pandas in Dublin and HK, but this will be a first for Australia

 

[straitman]

I think it's time for me to visit ADL, can't wait to see this exhibit! Last ones I saw were in Hong Kong a few years ago

A possible agenda item for Oz Fest #7 next year.

 

[Moody]

I'll be making the trip to see them next year. I have seen pandas in Dublin and HK, but this will be a first for Australia

Maybe I'm showing my age but I saw pandas at Taronga Zoo (Sydney), and to tell you the truth I wouldn't get on a plane just to see them.

Of course there are many other reasons to visit Adelaide and I'm sure the government sees it as an investment in tourism, so good luck to them. Certainly better than blowing money on car-racing.

 

[BlueAU]

Maybe I'm showing my age but I saw pandas at Taronga Zoo (Sydney), and to tell you the truth I wouldn't get on a plane just to see them.

One trip, I flew to HKG once just to see the pandas in Ocean Park !! I wasn't old enough to see the pandas at Taronga Zoo, I don't think I was born :shock:

 

[Hvr]

They were also at MEL zoo in 1988 for the bicentennial celebrations. I remember them well. Might be a good thing to to at ADL Oz Fest #7.

 

[serfty]

I remember the Melbourne Zoo one's too.

I had an auto camera with a 3x optical zoom and was able to get some decent 'photos from the 30 meters distance we we were permitted to approach.

 

[BlueAU]

I remember the Melbourne Zoo one's too.

I had an auto camera with a 3x optical zoom and was able to get some decent 'photos from the 30 meters distance we we were permitted to approach.

Any chance you could send some please serfty? Love looking at them. Can't wait till the day I get to hand feed them ! (Need to save up alot of money!!!)

 

[Mr Ed]

They should be let to die out like the Dodo bird.....
Competing for habitat with a billion +++++ people is not good and the bears will lose
and why have the Chinese lent them?????

It wouldn't have anything to do with greasing our palms for a little Uranium?
and our souls

 

[samh004]

When I heard I was a little surprised, sending pandas to one of the hottest cities, when their natural habitat is much colder seemed rather odd. But I guess Adelaide must really want a large power bill in A/C running costs for 10 years.

A possible agenda item for Oz Fest #7 next year.

Could be something to do.

Maybe I'm showing my age but I saw pandas at Taronga Zoo (Sydney), and to tell you the truth I wouldn't get on a plane just to see them.

Saw them in Hong Kong on a few occasions, pretty boring. Now the Tigers at Dreamworld… or the Polar Bears at Sea World...

and why have the Chinese lent them?????

It wouldn't have anything to do with greasing our palms for a little Uranium?
and our souls

They’re trying to breed them, so far all the places they have lent them to have to give back any babies they have when the lease runs out on the parents. I guess international cooperation helps in this case.

As for lending them, that’s not exactly correct. Wikipedia states that American zoos generally pay the Chinese government $1 million a year in fees, as part of a typical ten-year contract.

 

[ANstar]

:shock: On the news they mentioned it is expected to bring $600M to the SA region.... seriosuly would it be that much????

 

[oz_mark]

:shock: On the news they mentioned it is expected to bring $600M to the SA region.... seriosuly would it be that much????

According to a report in the SMH, that is what they calculate

Zoos South Australia chief executive Chris Woods said based on the formula used by the tourism industry the pandas were expected to generate $632 million over the next decade.

That would include an estimated $437 million spent on accommodation and hospitality by 1.5 million visitors, $30 million from increased Adelaide Zoo revenues and $165 million generated through the creation of 330 new jobs.

Pandas to provide huge economic boost to SA

 

[drron]

:shock: On the news they mentioned it is expected to bring $600M to the SA region.... seriosuly would it be that much????

Exactly my thoughts.Do they seriously think that even the majority of visitors that go and see the pandas are going to SA only because of the pandas?I mean we already are planning a visit towards the end of next year and may well go and see the pandas but we would have gone anyway.The extra money the zoo makes means less money spent by us at another business we would have gone to at that time.Extra revenue to SA=zip.

 

[straitman]

It sounds like a PR spin as a part justification :!:

 

[BlueAU]

Exactly my thoughts.Do they seriously think that even the majority of visitors that go and see the pandas are going to SA only because of the pandas?I mean we already are planning a visit towards the end of next year and may well go and see the pandas but we would have gone anyway.The extra money the zoo makes means less money spent by us at another business we would have gone to at that time.Extra revenue to SA=zip.

Hands up to be minority, but since I'm going mainly for the pandas, I'll go to the Barossa and other things too! So it's a win for ADL on tourism for some people ..

 

[medhead]

They should be let to die out like the Dodo bird.....
Competing for habitat with a billion +++++ people is not good and the bears will lose
and why have the Chinese lent them?????

It wouldn't have anything to do with greasing our palms for a little Uranium?
and our souls

Clearly you know nothing about the uranium industry. the chinese don't need to send out pandas to get uranium, instead they just invest in the uranium mining companies, which they have done heavierly, or they buy the uranium from uranium producers. No greasing needed.

now if it was the indians it be a different story.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Just saw the Pandas at the Simthsonian in Washington DC..so that will do me for a bit...

 

[ejb]

They should be let to die out like the Dodo bird.....
....

Perhaps they should be given a chance and left to live their lives.

Pandas are possible the only thing the Chinese Govt are good at looking after.:shock:

As to the economics of the Pandas mrs ejb and I just booked a trip to Ade to see them and we will fly in and out on the same day.

I can see no other reason to visit Ade so they got our money.

ejb