FORTY-FIVE incentive and meeting travel consultants from 12 Asian countries will ‘Discover Switzerland’ on a tour led by Kuoni Group Travel Experts and hosted by Switzerland Tourism from April 24 to 27 this week.
Consultants come from countries including China, India, Indonesia, Japan and Singapore.
Kuoni Group Travel Experts and Switzerland Tourism’s inaugural Asia Trophy tour will take guests to Appenzell, Bern, St Gallen and Zurich, as well as other areas in the eastern part of Switzerland.
The Kuoni Group said in its press release that it has established a strong reputation for MICE in South-east Asian markets and is using the Asia Trophy to build this business further.
Reto Kaufmann, Kuoni Group Travel Experts’ head of MICE sales for South Asia said: “China’s powerhouse economy continues to drive international travel for business and leisure, while Japanese businesses have always seen the value in incentive trips for their employees.
“Increasingly we are seeing countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand invest in incentive trips as their business and economic fortunes prosper and in meetings overseas as they rise to meet the demands of international markets,” he said.
The Asia Trophy is based on a concept developed by Switzerland Tourism: different teams rally across parts of the country, getting to know the history, traditions and culture of Eastern Switzerland that remains largely undiscovered by many Asian travellers, as well as its role as a meeting and incentive venue.
Teams uncover the answers to questions and complete tasks to earn points, which are totalled at the end of the day to reveal a winner.
The press release stated that organisers of incentive tours and large-scale meetings are increasingly looking for ‘sensory destination experiences’ and that team building, treasure hunts and events with corporate social responsibility elements are important.
Urs Eberhard, vice president of Switzerland Tourism, said: “Switzerland is already a popular destination for Asian incentive trips with Lucerne and Zurich particularly.
“On this trip, however, we want to give them an insider’s tour of Eastern Switzerland. For guests on the Asia Trophy tour, this will be a real eye-opener and an authentic Swiss experience,” he added.
