Cambodia will debut its inaugural travel mart this November, an event backed by the tourism ministry.

At a press conference on Monday, tourism minister Thong Khon explained that it was time to launch Cambodia Travel Mart (CTM) 2017 as the country has started to “integrate itself in the region” and should demonstrate its “abilities to compete with neighbouring countries and attract tourist growth”.

CTM 2017 is a project two years in the making. It will be organised by SlickBooth Holding Event & Public Relations, with TTG Events – a business unit of TTG Asia Media – taking on media and buyer attendee acquisition.

To date, more than 400 companies have registered as attendees, but only 150 to 200 will be qualified finally – 80 per cent of which will be from Asia-Pacific and the rest from Europe.

Ooi Peng Ee, general manager of TTG Events, said efforts will be made to ensure all attending buyers are of quality.

More than 200 national and international sellers are also expected, alongside more than 50 media outlets.

Running from November 17 to 19, the event boasts a varied programme that takes in online business matching, trade seminars, pre- and post-show tours, exhibitions, friendly golf tournaments, workshops and a hosted dinner at one of Angkor’s temples.

Previously lagging in popularity, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is now witnessing a boom in Chinese visitors, according to a recent report by The Luxury Conversation.

Growth is driven by local travel incentives introduced into the region, including visas on arrival for Chinese nationals visiting the UAE, and the rising sophistication of Chinese travellers seeking new destinations. Additionally, China’s One Belt One Road initiative, which cuts through the region, has the potential to put MENA on the map for travel-savvy Chinese.

Rabat, Morocco

In Dubai, 540,000 tourists arrived from China in 2016, up from 450,000 a year earlier and cementing the country as a top 10 source market for the emirate.

Meanwhile, even before Morocco’s decision to drop visa requirements for Chinese visitors in July 2016, Ctrip predicted a 3,500 per cent increase in visa applications to the country. With 42,000 Chinese tourists in 2016 – a 300 per cent year-on-year increase from 2015 – Morocco has announced a goal of 100,000 visitors from the Middle Kingdom this year.

And while Chinese retail dollars continue pouring into the Middle East malls – accounting for 25 per cent of luxury goods sold in Mall of the Emirates according the Majid Al Futtaim Group – Chinese tourists are displaying a shift away from the material to the experiential.

In conjunction with an interest in cultural tourism is Chinese travellers’ eagerness to one-up their friends with photos from far-flung destinations posted to their WeChat Moments newsfeed.

MENA countries such as Saudi Arabia have made culture a pillar of their tourism strategy, with plans to increase the number of museums from 155 to 241, increase the number of UNESCO listed world heritage sites from four to 10, and up the number of archaeological sites suitable to visit from 75 to 155 – all by 2030.

“The MENA region is becoming a hot spot for China’s growing group of luxury travellers. Many have already gone to Asia, Europe and America and are seeking more unique getaways that blend great hospitality, unique culture and experiences, shopping and local cuisine,” said Nick Cakebread, managing partner, Reuter Communications, a luxury marketing agency that commissioned the report.

Ascott has clinched seven contracts to manage over 1,300 apartment units across six cities in China, including new destinations Kunming and Yichang.

The Singapore-based serviced residence operator, wholly owned by CapitaLand, has added more than 2,700 units across 15 properties in China this year, a 56 per cent increase compared with some 1,700 units and 10 properties secured in 1H2016.

Citadines Dianchi Time Plaza Kunming

The 92-unit Tujia Somerset Garden City Chongqing, located in the Jiefangbei CBC, is already operational and features one- to four-bedroom apartments.

Opening in 2018 are the 161-unit Ascott Yulian Plaza Dalian in the heart of Jinpu New District; Citadines Gaoke Liangjiang Chongqing with 198 units ranging from studio to three-bedroom located within the Gaoke Fortune Park industrial park.

As well, the 192-unit Citadines Three Gorges Yichang will open in Yichang city centre with the Yangtze River at its doorstep. It is part of an 80,000m² integrated development that also comprises an office tower.

Also part of a mixed-use development is the 244-unit Somerset Q Plex Shenzhen – located near the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, attractions such as the Windows of the World, Happy Valley and Chinese Folk Village, and a science park housing technology companies including Tencent, ZTE and Huawei.

Scheduled to open in 2019 are Citadines Dianchi Time Plaza Kunming and Tujia Somerset Yunlong Lake Xuzhou. The former will feature 150 units in an integrated development comprising retail and office components, while the latter will open alongside the Citadines Yunlong Lake Xuzhou and an 80,000m² shopping mall, all part of an integrated development.

The seven signings follow six secured in China earlier this year (for properties in Changsha, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wuhan and two new cities Handan and Xuzhou) and puts Ascott on track to exceed its target of 80,000 units globally by 2020.

Delta Air Lines and Korean Air last week entered into a trans-Pacific joint venture to create a combined network serving more than 290 destinations in the Americas and more than 80 in Asia.

This agreement will augment the two airlines’ capabilities in the trans-Pacific market, and provide the necessary scale and scope to compete in this market, the airlines said in a joint statement.

Other aspects of the joint venture – subject to regulatory approvals – include expanded codesharing in the trans-Pacific market; joint sales and marketing initiatives in Asia and the US; co-location at key hubs; and enhanced frequent flyer benefits for customers of both airlines.

Under the agreement, the airlines will also share costs and revenues on flights within the scope of the joint venture as they work to expand service options.

This agreement is the latest expansion of the longstanding partnership between the two airlines which began in 2000 when both carriers became co-founders of the SkyTeam global airline alliance.

Delta recently launched a new service between Atlanta and Seoul on June 3, 2017. In summer this year, Korean Air will introduce a third flight between Los Angeles and Seoul, as well as a second flight between San Francisco and Seoul.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) are currently seeking feedback on the proposed amendments to the Travel Agents Act and Regulations, as part of a public consultation exercise running from now until July 12, 2017.

The review of the Travel Agents Act and Regulations is part of the Singapore government’s continual efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework and facilitate a pro-business environment in the travel agents industry as well as enhance consumer protection.

Among the key amendments to Singapore’s Travel Agents Act and Regulations proposed by the MTI and STB include licence exemption for entities providing walking or bicycle tours, expansion of consumer safeguards, and removal of the Banker’s Guarantee option in lieu of meeting the net worth requirement to be licensed.

As part of a tiered licensing regime, entities that sell or arrange tours within Singapore without passenger-carrying conveyance, such as walking or bicycle tours, would be exempted from a travel agent licence. As well, entities selling or arranging tours without accommodation can apply for a restricted licence with a lower paid-up capital and net worth requirement.

Travel agents would no longer be required to purchase fidelity insurance, and there will be an added provision allowing pro-rated refunds in cases where some products have been consumed.

Another proposed change is the reduction of “show cause” period – i.e. time given to agents to explain why they should be allowed to retain their licence when issued with notice of suspension or revocation – from 21 days to 14 days.

Moreover, to ensure consumers are aware of precautions against sudden closures, there would be the legislation of the additional licensing condition requirement for agents to seek the decision of consumers to consider purchasing travel insurance covering for insolvency.

Consumer safeguards – including on changes to tour, inaccurate advertisements, booking cancellations and dispute settlements – would also be expanded beyond just sightseeing and shopping tours.

Moreover, the maximum fine for unlicensed travel agent activities would be raised to S$25,000 (US$18,011) from S$10,000 while the maximum composition sum for compoundable offences would be raised to $5,000, or half the maximum fine prescribed, whichever is the lower. Administrative financial penalties would also be introduced and set at a maximum of S$2,000. These proposed amendments aim to serve a stronger deterrent effect.

The option to provide a Banker’s Guarantee in lieu of meeting the minimum S$100,000 net worth requirement to be licensed would be removed, as STB deems it neither provides assurance of financially sustainability nor direct recourse in the event of insolvency.

Comments and feedback on the proposed amendments to the Travel Agents Act and Regulation can be sent to mti_feedback@mti.gov.sg.