TALKS are underway between the operator of Narita International Airport, the Japanese government, the prefectural authority and local residents over the construction of a new 3.5km runway to meet soaring demand to Japan.

A committee has drawn up a proposal for a third runway at Narita that would increase takeoff and landing slots from 300,000 a year at present to around 500,000.

Narita’s operator also hopes that adding a third runway will make the facility more attractive in comparison with other regional hub airports in Hong Kong, Singapore and Seoul.

More than 11.4 million foreign nationals arrived in Japan in the first six months of calendar 2016, a record high and the first time the figure has surpassed the 10 million mark. The surge has placed a strain on infrastructure.

Koh Takagi, of the airport’s international department, said the project is at the “start line” and that it would be difficult to predict a completion date – although he confirmed that work should begin by 2020.

“We have to negotiate with the local authorities and local residents to win their understanding for the proposal and that might take a long time if there is resistance,” he said.

Geoffrey Tudor, senior analyst for Japan Aviation Management Research, agrees that Narita needs a third runway.

“Increasing landing and takeoff slots to 500,000 a year will be a great benefit to the airport and they are clearly banking on growth in the air transport sector, including the budget carrier segment,” he said.

“For many years, Narita has been losing out to other regional airports and the authorities now appear to want to turn Narita into a hub.”

THE It’s More Fun in the Philippines campaign will be dropped and replaced in time for the Philippines’ hosting of the Miss Universe pageant in January 2017, said tourism secretary Wanda Teo in a press briefing earlier this week.

The decision comes as a Nielsen Media study showed that the campaign had not been successful enough in terms of arrivals.

While Teo did not mention the direction nor agency handling the new campaign, she previously mentioned that it will reflect the changes in the new Philippines under current president Rodrigo Duterte.

Citing the Nielsen study, tourism undersecretary Catherine de Castro said that while 65 per cent of respondents in Europe liked the It’s More Fun in the Philippines campaign, only 26 per cent of them would visit the Philippines. Meanwhile, 72 per cent in North America liked it but only 45 per cent indicated they would actually visit.

The news had drawn mixed reactions from the travel trade. Rajah Tours president Jojo Clemente is not in favour, saying that the campaign “has been the best one I have come across…I would be hard pressed to find a better slogan”.

“It encapsulates what the Philippines has to offer. It is something very easy to explain to our clients and to people who haven’t been here,” he added.

Clemente suggested keeping It’s More Fun but changing the latter portion of the slogan, pointing out that the Amazing Thailand campaign has been there for many years and has remained effective.

On the other hand, Great Sights Travel and Tours managing director Paul So said that the new campaign should have “good impact” and that it should fulfill the old campaign’s promise.

Offering a balanced view, TravelExperts consultant Arnie Bayag said: “It depends on what they will come up with. It will be good if they can find a good replacement.”

GERMANY’s Steigenberger Hotel Group has revealed a new name, logo and brand strategy yesterday on the opening day of property trade fair Expo Real being held in Munich.

Now known as Deutsche Hospitality, the company is hoping to position itself as a global player with the rebrand while maintaining its affiliation to qualities of German hospitality and precision.

“Combining the German word ‘Deutsche’ with the English word ‘Hospitality’, the company’s new name was chosen to make it more accessible in foreign-language markets while retaining the company’s pride in its rich history,” stated newly-formed Deutsche in a release.

The rebrand further separates the management company from that of its flagship hotel brand, Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts, allowing it greater flexibility to introduce new brands to its portfolio and to expand.

“Deutsche Hospitality embodies a culmination of German precision and global vision. To give up the name that a company has carried for over 85 years, and transition into something different, is a very big change,” said Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of Steigenberger Hotels.

“But change is the only constant, and I’m very proud to be a part of this journey, because I believe that the new name is far more powerful, far more global and far more attractive to investors, owners, stakeholders, shareholders, employees and everybody else in the company. The new brand is a vital lever that will unleash dynamism, help us to expand internationally and drive innovation.”

Besides Steigenberger, Deutsche’s collection of hotel brands currently includes IntercityHotel and Jaz in the City.

Tourists at Yakcheonsa Temple, the biggest temple in Jeju

SOUTH Korea is considering inviting Chinese police to take part in patrols on Jeju island after a series of incidents involving tourists from China ignited calls from locals for more stringent controls.

On Tuesday, South Korean prosecutors indicted seven Chinese tourists on charges of assaulting a local restaurant owner on September 9.

The 53-year-old victim, who was only identified by her surname, Ahn, had asked the Chinese tourists to leave after they brought their own alcohol into her restaurant and further refused to pay for their food.

The group – five men and two women – then allegedly attacked the woman and three other people who attempted to intervene.

The incident happened one week after a Chinese tourist entered a church on the island and stabbed a 61-year-old local woman to death. In his defence, the man claimed he lost control because the woman reminded him of his former wife.

As a result, the South Korean government has been asked to intervene, with the foreign ministry announcing that stationing Chinese police on Jeju “will be actively discussed”.

The two cases have also triggered backlash from South Korean residents, with some calling for tougher border controls to be introduced and for existing visa waivers to be reviewed.

More than 2,000 locals have reportedly signed a petition calling for visas to be required for visitors from China once again.

South Korea abolished visas for Chinese visitors in 2008, leading to a surge in visitor numbers.

JAPAN’s indefinite plan to open casinos has come under the spotlight again after a group of politicians from across party boundaries unveiled a bill to legalise gambling.

The bill calls for the ban on casinos to be lifted and to support local authorities who wish to develop integrated resorts.

Tokyo Bay

The government has stated in the past that such resorts can further boost the nation’s economic growth and provide another reason for international tourists to visit Japan.

There had been hopes that the first integrated resorts could open by the start of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games when the idea was first proposed in 2014, although that is considered an unrealistic target now.

Concerns regarding a possible rise in habitual gambling and the potential involvement of organised crime groups in the lucrative casino industry halted plans back then.

But the government now intends to overcome these concerns and forge ahead.

Said Koichi Haguida, Japan’s deputy chief cabinet secretary: “Integrated resorts are an extremely effective tool when soliciting private investment for constructing exhibition venues and other such facilities.”

Haguida, who is from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, hopes the economic prospects of the project will help push the bill through.

Currently, the Odaiba waterfront district of Tokyo has been rumored as the planned location for an integrated resort, while cities in Kyushu and Osaka have both been mooted as possible sites as well.

Operator Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which in 2014 came up with a mock-up of their planned vision for an integrated resort on Tokyo Bay, is a likely contender for the project.

Credit: Geckos Adventures

FROM 2017, all tours by Geckos Adventures will only be open to those aged 18-29, down from the previous age cap of 39.

According to Geckos, which is part of the Intrepid Group, this makes them the first tour operator catered solely to this age group of young millennials.

“This move is not about big bus tours and party trips in Europe; it’s about transforming Geckos into a brand that provides the next generation of travellers with a responsible small group alternative,” said James Thornton, managing director of Intrepid Group.

“While there are other travel brands with age limits, there is nobody offering a dedicated youth product to travellers who want an authentic experience that gives back to the places they visit and people they meet.”

On Geckos’ website, it is also stated that the change to only allow under 30s is meant to cluster together like-minded individuals of similar age. In doing so, their trips will also change to better cater to those in their 20s.

It states: “Nothing personal against the over 30s (we still love you guys) – we just realised that there wasn’t a product that catered 100 per cent for the youth market: something that offered both fun and cultural experiences, going beyond pub crawls and booze cruises (we’re not into that).

Along with the age change, Geckos will also introduce 20 new trips in 2017. These include treks to Everest Base Camp and tours throughout North America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.