DESTINATION Asia has picked up World Marketing Group (WMG) to represent it in North America after rival Pacific World dropped its 32-year relationship with the group last month and appointed Destination Asia’s North America representative, Ruby Serra, effective January 1.

With the US incentives market in its strongest position since the Lehman crisis, according to SITE International, Destination Asia aims to increase its piece of the market through a “shared legacy of market knowledge and customer service in incentive travel and event management” between the two companies. Veteran Jane Schuldt leads WMG as its president.

The North American leisure market is also expected to surge in 2015 and 2016 with the recent appreciation of the US dollar and a stable North American retail outbound travel business, said James Reed, CEO, group MD of Destination Asia, who alluded to the tie-up recently.

In an email interview with TTG Asia e-Daily, he said Destination Asia is now forecasting a 50 per cent increase in US and Canadian incentives this year and 2016, compared with 25 per cent prior to this appointment.

The US/Canada market comprises 20 per cent of its current business.

“With Asia’s economies tipped to boom for the foreseeable future, we are very excited about this new marketing co-operation in North America as most international corporations will be sending incentives and organising meetings on behalf of their overseas manufacturing and services divisions in the Far East,” said Reed.

“Most Fortune 600 corporations in the US have a factory, regional HQ, or service/research centre somewhere in China, for example.”

The partnership with WMG will be effective February 1.

Asked about the two rivals trading places, Reed said: “Several of our friends in the travel industry have contacted me this morning saying it looks like two baseball or soccer or NBA teams ‘trading players’, which it is actually not. It was compatibility, Asia MICE expertise and on-the-ground professionalism – so we’ll see which team comes out the winner at the end of 2015!”

AS ONE option to ease traffic congestion on the popular tourist destination of Phuket, the island’s authorities are planning a light rail system.

Development will cost some 24 billion baht (US$736.2 million), Phuket’s governor Nisit Chansomwong was quoted as saying.

The project has already been green-lighted in three public hearings, and should the budget for the light rail system’s development be approved, will be completed in 2021.

MORE golfers are teeing off on Myanmar’s greens as the country continues to report strong growth in tourism.

“Since the country began opening up, we have seen a great increase in golf tourism. I’d say 15 per cent a year,” said Jeff Craig, club manager of Pun Hlaing Golf Club, one of the top golf clubs in the country.

“The main countries are Japan and South Korea, but English and Australian tourists are becoming more frequent,” he added. “The issue is a limited amount of hotel rooms in the area. We are building a lodge with 48 rooms which should help our numbers greatly.”

According to the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, golfers spend 120 per cent more than the average tourist during a golf vacation, and tour operators in Myanmar are beginning to recognise the potential on offer.

“Compared to other countries, golfing in Myanmar is very cheap and although (golf tourism) packages are not regular at the moment, there has definitely been an increase in this area over the last three years,” said Myatt Khaint, owner of MT & K Travel who runs golf package tours.

According to him, the most popular golf tourism destinations in Myanmar are Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Taunggyi.

“There will definitely be an increase in the industry over the coming years as people are always looking for new places to play, and many courses in Myanmar are undergoing renovations to bring them up to international standards,” he added.

Pun Hlaing Golf Club says that it is currently spending more than US$1 million to upgrade its courses and infrastructure and plans to become one of South-east Asia’s premier golf clubs.

There are 127 golf courses in Myanmar, according to global golfing body Royal and Ancient.

IN A move to bolsters its position in the real-time flight status information market, OAG has acquired Boston-based solutions provider FlightView.

Mark Clarkson, business development director Asia-Pacific of OAG, said: “Real-time flight status information is increasingly important to a wide range of customers. From airlines, airports and online travel businesses to fuelling companies, this data is key to enhancing passenger experience, driving operational efficiencies and traveller-centric services these companies now are eager to pursue.”

“The acquisition of FlightView, with its highly complementary customer base and strengths in the US market, propels us to a leadership position internationally, with unquestionably the most comprehensive combination of flight status and schedules data. The strengthening of our capabilities further consolidates OAG’s role as the trusted single source for high-quality aviation intelligence products and services,” he said in a statement.

FlightView is a real-time flight information solutions provider that aims to aid aviation and travel professionals offer better customer service and operational efficiencies, and has a portfolio of over 600 B2B customers.

OAG holds a schedules database of over 900 airlines, including 113 LCCs and 4,000 airports, and processes more than 21 million flight status updates every month.

SEEKING to heighten awareness of Israel’s offerings as a travel destination for Indians, the Middle Eastern nation earlier this month launched an online training programme for travel consultants.

The five-module education programme aims to educate the Indian trade about Israel’s leisure, adventure and MICE features, and runs for one year. Those who complete the course will receive a certified status.

“So far, about 336 Indian travel consultants have participated in the training programme. We have received a good response not only from metro cities of New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai but also from non-metro cities like Nagpur, Bhopal and Ahmedabad,” said Hassan Madah, director – India, Ministry of Tourism Israel, adding that the Ministry hopes to reach at least 2,000 Indian travel consultants through the programmee.

It is looking to organise three-city roadshows in New Delhi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad later this year, besides planning campaigns with tour operators to promote packages to Israel.

Israel will also host the 600-pax annual convention of the Travel Agents Federation of India from February 22-25.

“Israel is known as a Holy Land. But now through our trade and consumer marketing initiatives we want to showcase our diverse products from the green north of Israel to the desert of the south, wineries and the unique resorts near the Dead Sea and the Red Sea along with Tel Aviv, the capital of culture and night life,” said Madah.

Israel recorded about 36,000 Indian tourist arrivals in 2014 and is expecting 50,000 by end-2015.

FALLING aviation fuel prices have prompted Japan’s two main airlines to revise their fuel surcharges, a move that could boost inbound traffic at a time when outbound travel is cooling due to the weaker yen.

From February 1, All Nippon Airways (ANA) will cut its surcharge per seat on flights to Thailand, Singapore and Myanmar from 10,500 yen (US$89) to 6,550 yen, and the surcharge on flights to Vietnam, the Philippines, Guam and Saipan from 6,500 yen to 4,000 yen.

Similar reductions will be available on flights to Japan from across Asia.

“We hedge fuel prices so we have already bought 70-80 per cent of our fuel for this fiscal year,” Maho Ito, spokeswoman for ANA, told TTG Asia e-Daily.

The airline revises its fuel surcharge every two months, she said, with the next examination of fuel costs to be carried out in mid-February and affecting tickets available from early April.

Japan Airlines (JAL) similarly trimmed surcharges thanks to a drop in the two-month average price of a barrel of Singapore kerosene-type jet fuel.

Charges for travel from Japan to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan tumbled from 5,500 yen to 3,500 yen, and are down from 13,500 yen to 8,500 yen for Hawaii, India and Indonesia.

According to analysts, if the price of a barrel of oil falls below US$60, airlines will be able to scrap surcharges entirely.

Lower ticket prices may appeal to foreigners considering a vacation in Japan as domestic travellers opt to stay home, primarily due to the weakness of the yen.

Over the New Year holidays, traditionally a time when many Japanese opt for a few days in the sun, less then 70,000 flew abroad, a year-on-year decline of 17.8 per cent.

THE party continues at sea for Carnival Cruises in spring 2016 when it will debut Carnival Vista, hailed as its “most innovative” ship ever.

Carnival’s largest ship yet, Carnival Vista is 133,500 tons, 1,055 feet long and capable of fitting up to 3,936 guests, based on a two-per-cabin allocation.

The vessel is home to a number of firsts for Carnival, starting with SkyRide, an open-air cycling feature where riders pedal a recumbent-like bicycle to traverse the 244m track suspended 46m above the sea, and also the Kaleid-O-Slide, which is Carnival’s first raft-riding water tube slide.

Carnival Cruises has also partnered entertainment company Imax for the Imax Theatre, where passengers can view Hollywood movies or documentaries on a three-deck high screen.

The RedFrog Pub is one of over 10 F&B options on board Carnival Vista and the first brewery at sea for the cruise company, offering ales and lagers on tap. Indoor and outdoor seating, live music, and brewing tours and tastings are options here.

Two new accommodation options have been introduced for Carnival Vista – the Havana Cabanas feature private outdoor patios furnished with lounge chairs and a hammock, and the Family Harbor can accommodate up to five guests.

Carnival Vista also marks the cruise operator’s return to Europe, as the ship’s maiden voyage on May 1, 2016, departing from Trieste, Italy on a 13-day European itinerary, the first for the cruise line in three years.

It will cross the Atlantic later that year to arrive in New York, from where it will run a series of sailings.