Vietnamese agency takes wellness programme to Myanmar

October 3, 2014

BOUTIQUE travel agency Wellness Vietnam Holidays is organising a cultural and wellness tour programme to Myanmar for the first time, with the opportunity for guests to practice tai chi and meditation.

Programme director for the Ho Chi Minh City-based company, Thuy M Do, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “We have organised a variety of wellness programmes mainly to Vietnam. I had mulled organising one in Myanmar for some time since having personally visited the country twice. The country and its people, beautiful temples and landscapes are deeply spiritual, making it an ideal wellness destination for such programmes as yoga, tai chi and meditation.”

The 12-day Tai Chi in Mystical Myanmar programme from March 1-12, 2015 will comprise tai chi, meditation and qi-boosting sessions and will coincide with Myanmar’s largest pagoda festival taking place at the sacred Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

The itinerary will include the Shan region, with a three-night stay at Inle Lake offering insights into hill tribe culture and the local life surrounding the lake; the former royal capital of Mandalay, with visits to the Royal Palace and a leading teaching monastery; and Bagan, with its many temples.

“Depending on the feedback for this tour, we may organise additional trips to Myanmar in the future. However, hotel availability and services are limited there. The cost is higher than that of neighbouring countries, which makes it a challenge to promote (the tour) even though people are interested,” Thuy added.

She said the company’s clients are from Europe, America, New Zealand and Australia.

Open to all, including beginners of tai chi, prices start from US$4,850 (sharing) for an all-inclusive, in-country programme. Travellers can save US$600 on early bookings by December 15.

Japan to further relax visa regulations for more Asian markets

By Mimi Hudoyo

October 3, 2014

JAPAN National Tourism Organization (JNTO) is maximising new visa regulations, airline routes and the devaluation of the yen to boost traffic from South-east Asia and India.

Kiyonori Ogawa, director, marketing & promotion department, who is in charge of South-east and India for the NTO, said: “We have seen high growth rate in arrivals from the Philippines (63.7 per cent) and Vietnam (49.8 per cent) in the first eight months of the year (compared to the same period last year) thanks to the introduction of multiple-entry visas last year and the devaluation of the yen that makes Japan more affordable to travellers.”

This year, tourists from both countries arranging trips through designated travel companies are eligible for a single-entry visa-free facility and more relaxed multiple-entry visa requirements.

In India, multiple-entry visas will be implemented this year.

“Accessibility between India and Japan is actually not an issue. There are direct flights from Mumbai and New Delhi to Tokyo (Narita), and there are also flights via Singapore and Bangkok,” said Ogawa. “The issue with India is the visa requirements and the need for more promotional activities in the market.”

And by March 2015, Japan will also begin allowing Indonesian passport holders to enter without a visa.

JNTO data shows that the relaxation of visa requirements for the country’s key South-east Asian countries last year resulted in over 50 per cent growth in arrivals between January and August, compared to the same period last year.

The exemptions of visa requirements for Malaysia and Thailand have managed to boost arrivals by 54 per cent and 57 per cent respectively.

Japan wins hearts

By S Puvaneswary

October 3, 2014

Malaysian arrivals to Japan have shot up by over 60 per cent, and are predicted to continue growing for the rest of year. S Puvaneswary finds out why

Malaysian travellers are flocking in droves to Japan this year, registering record high arrivals from January to July (16,200) and growing 63 per cent over the same period in 2013.

What’s fuelling such figures? Besides the visa exemptions for Malaysians with biometric passports introduced last year, other reasons include the aggressive marketing efforts by Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), a weakened yen against the ringgit and growing flight connections between the two countries, pointed out the trade.

With this surge in arrivals to Japan, Malaysia has moved up in source market rank to claim second spot, while Singapore has dropped to third. Among South-east Asian countries, Thailand leads.

Susan Ong, deputy director, JNTO Singapore, which oversees Malaysia as well, said the market is an important one as Malaysians tend to buy full-board packages and are long-staying visitors, chalking up an average of six nights.

In 2014, JNTO Singapore increased its marketing fund for Malaysia by some 20 per cent, supporting joint activities with airlines and outbound travel agencies.

At the recent MATTA consumer fair in Kuala Lumpur, for example, JNTO Singapore roped in 150 delegates from across the travel and tourism industry to exhibit, occupying the largest booth space among all NTOs. At the upcoming B2B Visit Japan Travel Mart in Tokyo, JNTO Singapore will also host a large delegation from Malaysia.

Said Ong: “This will be an opportunity for participating travel (consultants) from Malaysia to network and familiarise themselves with new destinations.”

The NTO also recently partnered Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport to offer promotional airfares to Japan as well as airport shopping vouchers worth S$40 (US$32). Exclusive to Malaysians, this one-month campaign started on August 25.

Desmond Lee, group managing director of Apple Vacations & Conventions, said the deal is especially enticing for Johor residents who prefer to depart out of Singapore because of the southern state’s close proximity to the border. He added: “This promotion will help us sell packages through our company in Singapore known as Apple Singapore, as Johoreans are always price sensitive and looking for good value.”

Meanwhile, Ong said that JNTO Singapore will, in the second half of the year, reach out to more Malaysian travel consultants based outside of Kuala Lumpur, particularly those in Penang and Johor Bahru, through seminars and product briefings.

Seeking to address concerns of Muslim travellers, JNTO Singapore also sponsored a 13-episode travelogue starring local actor, Zizan Razak, who will be sharing his travel experiences traversing Hokkaido to Kyushu. This series commenced this month.

Ong explained: “We hope this series will create a desire for Malaysians to travel to Japan, and that the Muslim community in Malaysia will be aware of how Muslim friendly the destination is.”

Exhibitors at the recent MATTA fair were also eager to show how Muslim friendly they were. Among them was Yumi Takahashi, manager, aviation marketing, aviation sales division at Central Japan International Airport. She said the airport opened two prayer rooms and a pork-free Muslim-friendly restaurant when AirAsia X commenced Kuala Lumpur-Nagoya flights in March. AirAsia X is the only Malaysian airline flying to Nagoya, connecting the Japanese city to its first major Muslim market.

AirAsia X’s expansion into Japan has been a boon to Malaysian outbound agencies, as they anticipate that the LCC’s new direct service between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo Narita beginning November will further stimulate the market, complementing the services of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Japan Airlines (JAL). The four-weekly flights will be increased to daily in May 2015.

Shen Nordin, senior manager, outbound division, Japan Travel Bureau (Malaysia), described the flights as a “refreshing alternative” to AirAsia X’s Tokyo Haneda service, which arrives late at night. He commented: “By the time one clears customs, it is past midnight. Travellers have no alternative but to take taxis that impose a midnight surcharge as buses and trains stop operations at midnight.

“The Narita flights arrive in the morning, leaving travellers with plenty of time in the day for sightseeing and shopping.”

Besides providing the needed competition to MAS and JAL, Apple Vacations’ Lee added that AirAsia X’s entry will help pump up capacity on these routes that are popular with Malaysians but unfortunately suffer from a seat crunch during the Malaysian peak travel season (March to May) and the year-end school holiday period.

Even after ringing in double-digit year-on-year increases in the first half of the year for Japan sales, outbound travel consultants in Malaysia are optimistic that this same rate of growth can be achieved in the second half.

According to Lee, Apple Vacations saw 30 per cent year-on-year growth in the first half, and he anticipates the second half will be equally good with external factors driving the market. The Ebola epidemic in Africa is causing travellers to look at other holiday destinations, while the downing of MAS’ flight MH17 has also made Malaysians fearful of flying over areas where war is raging, he observed.

Lee said his company will organise six, five-day charter services to Hokkaido this December and January using MAS’ A330-300. He said: “Flights are almost full as demand is very good. Charter services are the best option because it saves time. There are no direct flights from Malaysia to Hokkaido, thus if we go via Bangkok, Narita or Osaka, it will take approximately 15 hours. With our charter service, it takes approximately eight hours.”

Similarly, Shen said growth in the second half of 2014 “could be double” that of the corresponding period in 2013. He foresees Universal Studios Japan’s latest Harry Potter themed attraction would generate interest during the year-end school holidays. The company is also promoting new destinations such as Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as Nagoya, since there are now direct flights on AirAsia X.

From October 1, Japan’s appeal as a shopping haven will also receive a boost as its list of tax-free items will expand to include food, beverages, cosmetics and chemicals. Previously, tax-free items included non-consumables such as home appliances, clothing and bags. In addition, non-residents will be exempted from the consumption tax if the total amount of consumables purchased in a single shop in a day is between ¥5,001-¥50,000 (US$47-US$469), making this a lower criterion than the previous exemption of a minimum spend of ¥10,001 in a single shop in a day.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, September 26, 2014 issue, on page 6. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe

New Zealand throws open contest for 2015 fam

By TTG Asia

October 2, 2014

TOURISM New Zealand is inviting South-east Asia’s travel consultants to compete for one of the 40 spots available on a familiarisation trip in March 2015.

To be eligible, travel consultants from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia will have to complete the 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist online training modules. They will also have to attend one of the trade training sessions held in Jakarta, Surabaya and Bangkok this week, Kiwi Link South East Asia, or one of the other eligible training events held in the region throughout the year.

Travel consultants selected will join one of four itineraries across New Zealand.

Tourism New Zealand’s trade training event Kiwi Link South East Asia 2014 held in Singapore this week attracted the highest-ever number of New Zealand representatives, with 38 attending.

Nick Mudge, acting regional manager of South and South-east Asia at Tourism New Zealand, said that in addition to focusing on PR and advertising, New Zealand continues to see huge benefit in developing relationships with trade partners.

“Allowing (agencies) to experience New Zealand first-hand and really developing them as specialists in the market is hugely motivating for them. We see much greater enthusiasm and confidence in the (travel consultants) we take the time to get to know, and those we take to New Zealand with us.”

For more information, visit www.traveltrade.newzealand.com

TCEB expands Connect marketing campaign

By Greg Lowe

October 2, 2014

THAILAND Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) yesterday launched at IT&CMA its US$3 million Thailand Connect the World Campaign for 2015.

The campaign, which leverages last year’s Thailand Connect campaign, is now global. However, the bureau will first focus on Asian markets, which currently account for about 70 per cent of MICE visitors to the country, followed by Europe and the US, said Vichaya Soonthornsaratoon, director of meetings, incentives and conventions.

“We are continuing with our incentives for MICE planners (until end-2015),” she said. “These include Meetings Bonus, which provides VIP treatment for delegates and financial incentives on top of our other incentives for group sizes of more than 200, 500 and 1,000 delegates.”

The Mega Events…Sustainable Challenge incentive also provides additional support of one million baht (US$30,800) for groups of 1,000 pax up.
“We are also providing PR and marketing support for mega events, but this will be decided on a case-by-case basis,” she said.

The bureau is targeting more than one million MICE visitors next year, up 17 per cent on the forecast for fiscal year 2014. These would hopefully generate spending of US$3.6 billion, up 22 per cent from this year’s target of US$2.9 billion. TCEB’s fiscal year runs from October to September.

Watch our IT&CMA Video Daily and read more print stories in IT&CMA Show Daily

New travel tradeshow for India in 2015

By S Puvaneswary

October 2, 2014

FORMED just slightly more than a year ago, the Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) has managed to garner the support of the government to launch a new B2B MICE and leisure show in India from April 23 to 25, 2015.

Sarab Jit Singh, vice chairman of FAITH, said the federation would be jointly organising the inaugural event with two key ministries, namely the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Commerce.

While the name and location of the tradeshow has yet to be determined, Sarab added FAITH will be responsible for the sourcing of buyers for the show.

The federation is also trying to bring together all foreign airlines that fly to India to look at marketing India collectively as a tourism destination, and to see how best it can partner with the airlines for the show.

In addition, Sarab said the federation has been providing support to local associations bringing international events to the country, by liaising with the relevant authorities for cargo clearance, airport facilitation, and other needs they may have.

It has also helped to reduce the bureaucracy that foreign companies would otherwise face in attracting exhibitions and corporate events to India, acting as a facilitator to ensure the smooth running of their events.

FAITH comprises 10 associations throughout India. They are: Travel Agents Association of India; Indian Association of Tour Operators; Travel Agents Federation of India; Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India; Adventure Tour Operators Association of India; Indian Tourist Transporters Association; Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India; India Convention Promotion Bureau; Indian Heritage Hotels Association; and Hotel Association of India.

Watch our IT&CMA Video Daily and read more print stories in IT&CMA Show Daily

Visit Philippines Year to bring more domestic, inbound MICE

By Greg Lowe

October 2, 2014

INTERNATIONAL and domestic buyers are organising more MICE activities in the Philippines, especially incentives, as the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) gears up for a major destination marketing campaign next year.

A major MICE campaign will be launched as part of Visit Philippines Year 2015, which has seen increased investment in tourism infrastructure and meetings facilities in the run-up to it.

Unable to disclose more details, Karem Miranda, senior project office for the NTO’s MICE and business development unit, said: “We will be doing more to capture the local corporate market and have more groups holding their events within the country.”

Buyers said the destination already has high-standard meetings facilities, though more properties and integrated resorts, including Aseana City in Manila, are due to come online between now and 2017, enabling the conferences and exhibitions segment to develop further.

The country is getting increasingly popular in some longhaul markets where clients are seeking new experiences in South-east Asia beyond more established destinations.

“Our incentive and corporate clients are looking for something new,” said Joanna Jablonska, sales and marketing manager, Active Zone Poland. “Many have already been to Thailand, Vietnam or Cambodia, and they are now looking at the Philippines.”

She added that the country’s abundance of natural attractions and beachfront resorts is a big draw for incentive groups. “Typically our longhaul groups only want a half-day meeting during the whole incentive, and they seek something non-traditional, like having a meeting on a beach.”

Leszek Narowski, sales director, ATP Activity Poland, also said the company is keen on incentives at Puerto Princesa in Palawan. “The Philippines is new for us, but in Poland there is currently very little competition for the destination compared with other regional destinations.”

DMCs are also reporting an upsurge in forward bookings for the Philippines.

The bulk is inbound incentive groups, said Roel Privado, sales and marketing director, Sharp Travel Service, adding that the NTO’s aggressive marketing campaigns are already producing results. “We are winning back market share for international MICE business, having already confirmed conventions and congresses for the next two years, both in Manila and Cebu,” he shared.

Watch our IT&CMA Video Daily and read more print stories in IT&CMA Show Daily

Egypt makes a comeback

By S Puvaneswary

October 2, 2014

EGYPT is on a mission to convince Asian markets that the destination is safe to visit, with emphasis on attracting MICE from India, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan and the Philippines.

Adel El Masry, director of Egyptian Tourism Office (ETO), said there would be a 25 per cent growth in marketing budget for key Asian markets in 2014, followed by a further 20-25 per cent increase in 2015.

According to Adel, in 2010, Egypt attracted 14.7 million tourists worldwide but numbers dropped substantially after the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. Last year, the destination attracted 11.7 million tourists.

He said: “(In September), we started a campaign in India targeted at tour operators specialising in MICE, corporates in India, and business magazines and newspapers to look at MICE facilities in Cairo, Luxor, Alexandria and Sharm El-Sheikh. Besides showcasing the facilities, we also wish to show invited guests that the destination is safe.”

A similar campaign will be launched in Malaysia in November, then extended to Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore in 2015.

In addition, ETO will work with travel agency associations in Malaysia, India and Thailand to invite their members to visit the destination over the next year or so.

In early 2015, ETO will organise B2B roadshows in Bangkok, Singapore, India (Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmadabad and Hyderabad) and Kuala Lumpur for leisure and MICE. The roadshows will incorporate workshops.

However, despite the roll-out of Egypt’s new campaign, several buyers at IT&CMA said they are still apprehensive about sending groups to the destination.

Augustine Barretto, business associate of Mumbai-based Mercury Travels, said: “Indians are generally very scared to tread into any country that may have conflict potential, and safety is our number one priority. A lot is at stake here because we are talking about endangering the life of the whole company.

“Egypt used to be one of the top destinations but over the past five years, interest to go there has dropped to a complete zero. Since the political tension, Egypt has completely fell off the map for our corporates.”

Likewise, Shravan Bhalla, propreitor of High Flyer in New Delhi, which specialises in luxury corporate travel, said: “It will still take some time for us to warm up to the idea of going back to Egypt.”

Watch our IT&CMA Video Daily and read more print stories in IT&CMA Show Daily

Additional reports from Paige Lee Pei Qi.

MICE groups unfazed by protests in Hong Kong

By Greg Lowe

October 2, 2014

HONG Kong’s MICE sector has not been significantly affected by the on-going pro-democracy protests that have paralysed parts of the city over the past week, travel specialists and hoteliers at IT&CMA say.

The Occupy Central demonstrations, which include the occupation of key commercial districts such as Tsim Sha Tsui, Wan Chai and Mong Kok by protestors, spurred a surge in enquires about safety and security but have so far resulted in only a few cancellations, trade sources said.

Anvy Wang, marketing executive at Silvermine Beach Resort, said the property had “one or two cancellations,” adding that the demonstrations had not yet led to properties discounting their room rates.

“We are receiving enquiries, some groups are worried about the situation but they’re generally not cancelling,” said Wang.

One hotelier, speaking on condition of anonymity, said she did not think the demonstrations would last too long. “I don’t think they will have much of an impact on trade. We have had some cancellations on both the MICE and leisure front, but we’re just coming into peak exhibition season, so I don’t think those groups will cancel,” she opined.

Agents bringing groups into the destination said the protests had raised concerns about safety and security.

“Corporate clients want safe destinations,” said Robert Szulc, managing director of Boomerang in Poland. “When they see problems they tend to move. That said we haven’t had any cancellations (for Hong Kong) yet.

“Some clients are calling us wanting to know more about what’s happening. We collect information from official sources, such as the government and the police, and report back to them, so that helps,” he added.

Mario Corrado, associate partner of Offbeat Venues in Belgium which focuses on the Benelux market, said he is still planning to bring a group to Hong Kong in the near future. “I don’t think it will get to the level of serious cancellations,” he said. “My clients haven’t even asked about the situation.”

Quicker immigration clearance, access to unique venues among Japan’s new lures for MICE visitors

By Mimi Hudoyo

October 2, 2014

JAPAN Convention Bureau (JCB) is rolling out a number of measures to boost MICE footfalls as part of the country’s efforts to become a tourism-oriented destination with a targeted arrival of 20 million visitors by 2020.

Among the initiatives is the introduction of fast lanes for VIPs and international travellers attending business events in Japan next year, with Narita International Airport and Kansai International Airport being the first gateways to offer this perk.

The country will also allow “trusted” travellers – frequent visitors to Japan who have been identified by the immigration authorities as posing “low risk” – to use automated gates at the immigration checkpoints.

Akira Ninagawa, executive director of JCB, who spoke to TTGmice e-Weekly during Visit Japan Travel Mart 2014 last week, also revealed that the bureau would identify unique venues and cultural programmes to attract more MICE groups.

Ninagawa said: “Places such as Tokyo National Museum, where we conducted the Japan Night (the opening dinner of Visit Japan Travel Mart 2014), Nijo Castle in Kyoto and Atakemaru (a Samurai ship) cruise round Tokyo Bay are unique venues we would like to introduce to international MICE visitors.”

Meanwhile, traditional art and craft sessions, tea ceremonies and geisha performances are some of the programmes proposed for incentive itineraries.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, Asia contributed 90 per cent of incentive business to Japan last year. Ninagawa shared that Taiwan, South Korea and China are main markets.

Japan has also witnessed an immediate boost in incentive arrivals from Malaysia and Thailand after visa-free facility was granted to citizens of both countries last year. This has encouraged Ninagawa to expect similar growth in MICE arrivals from Indonesia and India which were offered simplified visa procedures at the start of this year.

Incentive footfalls are, however, not tracked in official data and are included as part of business travel arrivals. According to Ninagawa, 79,228 business travellers received support from JNTO in 2013, a 34 per cent rise over 2012.

Visitors for meetings and conventions totalled 250,000 last year.

“Moving forward, we are focusing on conferences and congresses that rotate in Asia-Pacific. We are also introducing new destinations such as Hokkaido and Kyushu,” he added.