HE Ministry of Hotels and Tourism is promoting Naypyidaw as an ideal destination for MICE, partnering with neighbours like Thailand to stimulate more business traffic to its capital.

Htay Aung, Myanmar’s minister of hotel and tourism, said: “Myanmar tourism is mainly based on natural and cultural attractions. But now the market has turned and Myanmar is a destination not only for holidays but also for business.”

In a likely boost to Naypyidaw’s MICE scene, Myanmar’s largest private business federation, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, signed an agreement with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) in August.

Both sides agreed to collaborate on improving and expanding tourism, trade promotion and the development of the MICE industry.

“More business traders and tourists are travelling to cities in Myanmar using Thailand as a gateway. This is an opportunity for us to support Myanmar’s booming tourism sector, and to leverage the trade and travel between the two countries,” said Puripan Bunnag, director, domestic MICE department, TCEB.

Htay Aung said that the ministry intends to promote MICE especially in Naypyidaw, where there is “strong infrastructure” such as international standard convention centres and hotels.

“Another factor is that Myanmar is the current chair of ASEAN and many meetings are being held in Naypyidaw. (We are preparing for the) ASEAN Tourism Forum in January 2015 and expecting 2,000 participants,” Htay Aung added.

He said that his ministry is also in talks with the relevant authorities to relax regulations at Naypyidaw airport to support arrivals growth.

Currently, the only two international airlines flying to Naypyidaw are China Eastern Airlines and Bangkok Airways.

Naypyidaw received 10,565 air arrivals in 2013, and 12,272 between January and August this year, growing 25 per cent year-on-year.

A LEADING airline caterer in Tokyo, TFK Corporation, has received halal certification for its halal kitchen, becoming another example of how the travel industry is paying more attention to the growing Muslim market.

Subsidiary of Singapore-based ground handler and inflight caterer SATS, TFK spent two months renovating and equipping its halal kitchen, and a further four months to complete the certification process.

Renovations cost some 60 million yen (US$549,820) and have increased kitchen capacity from 3,000 meals to 6,000 meals a day.

Warees Halal was engaged in the certification, a division of Warees Investments which is wholly owned by Singapore statutory board Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS).

The MUIS and Warees Halal logo will now adorn TFK food products to give Muslim travellers the assurance the food conforms with the Singapore halal standard.

TFK president, Makoto Fukada, commented: “A survey showed that 66.8 per cent of Muslims travelling overseas for leisure viewed the availability of halal food as most important to them. As Muslim visitors to Japan are expected to reach one million a year by 2020, tripling the 2013 level, the availability of certified halal food will be of great importance to meet the needs of these travellers.”

Halal certification is a boost to TFK, the first airline caterer in Japan to set up a dedicated halal kitchen. It has been serving halal meals since 2001.

TWO hot air ballooning companies are preparing for first flights over Inle Lake before the end of the year, giving travellers another way to experience one of Myanmar’s tourist hotspots.

Oriental Ballooning, which runs hot air balloon flights in Mandalay and Bagan, and Balloons over Bagan, confirmed with TTG Asia e-Daily that they both plan to launch Inle flights in November.

“We did a test flight in Inle and Pindaya in February, and a lot of people called our office (to enquire about it). These days, we are getting enquiries for Inle, but of course not much (yet), as this is a new destination and it will take time to increase awareness of our presence there,” said Ni Ni Khaing, operations manager of Oriental Ballooning.

Brett Melzer, co-founder of Balloons over Bagan, who has been operating in Bagan for 15 years, said that he expects the Inle filghts to attract a smaller, niche market.

“A flight over Inle and Pindaya is more of an adventure, and will be popular with people who have visited Myanmar before and want a more exclusive and intimate experience,” he said.

Both companies plan to offer one flight a day initially, with each flight hosting a maximum of either four or eight people.

FREQUENT flyers with Singapore Airlines (SIA) or Virgin Australia can opt to convert Miles and Points between both programmes and receive new benefits in a conversion scheme exclusive to the two airlines.

From this November, SIA’s KrisFlyer members can access non-flight benefits offered by Virgin’s Velocity Frequent Flyer.

They are also able to redeem flights across all classes of travel on Virgin Australia including premium economy, and earn Status Credits on domestic, Trans-Tasman and Pacific Islands codeshare flights operated by Virgin.

Velocity passengers will also have access to an improved online booking capability for SIA and SilkAir flights. Less Velocity points will be required for seats on SIA services, and they can earn Points on all fare classes with SIA and SilkAir flights.

A NEWLY created marketing body has been set up to bring Japan’s national tourism agencies together in order for the country to meet its ambitious target of 20 million international arrivals by 2020.

Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), for the first time, engaged external marketing experts to create the Marketing Strategy Headquarters.

Speaking to the media at Visit Japan Travel Mart yesterday, Yasuhito Iijima, senior director Inbound Tourism Branding and Promotion, JTA, said it took Japan 10 years to double international arrivals from five to 10 million last year. “Now, we aim to double the number in only seven years. Therefore, we have formed the Marketing Strategy Headquarters to carry out market research and shortlist targets on which to carry out promotional programmes.”

Marketing Strategy Headquarters will also measure the effectiveness of the promotions through the travel cycle to make sure Japan is reaching out to travellers at all points.

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), which comes under the JTA, will join the new body in the coming fiscal year for a more integrated approach to programme execution.

Visitor arrivals to Japan last year totalled 10.4 million, according to preliminary figures, with Asia contributing 76.7 per cent or eight million visitors. Tentative figures for January-August 2014 show 8.6 million arrivals, a year-on-year increase of 25.8 per cent.

Meanwhile JTA is also encouraging visitors to travel beyond the Golden Route to more regional destinations, he added, saying that there is a need for itineraries that combine travel through international and domestic hubs.

Iijima elaborated: “We would like to encourage tours where travellers arrive in Tokyo, tour regional sightseeing areas and depart from a regional airport, or arrive at a regional airport, visit regional destinations and depart from regional airports.

“To enable this, we will develop and disseminate information about regional destinations with diverse appeal.”

HAWAII-BASED Outrigger Enterprises Group has bought over the Konotta Island Resort in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll in the Maldives.

The transaction, which was brokered by JLL’s Hotels and Hospitality Group, was finalised just yesterday for an undisclosed amount.

Konotta Maldives Resort will undergo a property renovation and reopen in July as the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort. Konotta island is situated 340km to the south of Malé, accessible via a 55-minute flight from Malé to Kaadedhdhoo Airport, followed by a 20-minute speedboat ride.

Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort will offer 27 beachfront pool villas in one- and two-room configurations and 21 overwater pool villas. The renovation will add four more beachfront pool villas and one overwater presidential villa.

Facilities available to guests after renovation include new dining concepts, a marine education centre, a Navasana Spa, and retail outlets.

“This latest acquisition marks the continued successful expansion of Outrigger in the Indian Ocean and fits perfectly with Outrigger’s aim to be the world’s premier beachfront resort brand,” said David Carey, president and CEO at Outrigger Enterprises Group. “The Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort will be operated and marketed as a high-end premium property located in a magnificent atoll setting.”

The new purchase is Outrigger’s second resort in the Indian Ocean following the purchase of Outrigger Mauritius Resort and Spa in April this year.

FAIRMONT Hotels & Resorts has been appointed to manage an all-suite beachfront resort in Bali, which will shed its current name as the Regent Bali and operate as the Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali.

The rebranding of the resort, owned by Pancaran Kreasi Adiprima, will be effective from December this year and marks Fairmont’s first resort in Indonesia.

Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali is located along a 200m stretch of beach on Sanur in southern Bali, 25 minutes away from Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Guests can choose between one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts of the 94 suites and 26 pool villas. F&B options available on-site include two restaurants, a lobby lounge with views of the resort and ocean, a 55m infinity pool, a fitness centre, an expansive spa, and a kids’ club.

“Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali is our first resort to open in Indonesia and it promises to be a slice of paradise on an island that is already highly acclaimed for its picturesque ambiance and dazzling beaches,” said Jennifer Fox, president, FRHI International and Fairmont Brand.

“Bali remains one of South-east Asia’s leading tourist destinations and we are very pleased that our portfolio in this part of the world continues to grow at a steady and strategic pace. This announcement follows recently signed agreements to open new hotels in Kuala Lumpur and across China – Nanning, Suzhou and Zhengzhou – and we are targeting additional expansion in top cities and resort locations throughout Asia in the future.”

The company is slated to open the Fairmont Jakarta in early 2015 and the Fairmont Bali in 2016.

OPENING in the second quarter of 2015 on Luzon Island, Best Western Bendix Hotel is Best Western International’s latest property to join its Philippine portfolio.

The hotel management company signed an agreement with Hilcres Consolidated Corporation to operate the 60-key hotel, which is located in Angeles City, the tourism and economic hub of Luzon.

“Angeles City is growing fast and we are delighted to be able to move into this exciting region,” said Glenn de Souza, Best Western International’s vice president of international operations for Asia & Middle East.

“Our existing properties in Manila, Makati City, Cebu, and Boracay have been extremely popular with domestic and international visitors alike. And I am confident that Best Western Bendix Hotel, with its comfortable rooms, excellent connectivity, and modern amenities, will be equally well-received.”

Guests can expect large bathrooms with separate shower units, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi.

Best Western currently operates six hotels in four destinations in the Philippines – Boracay, Cebu City, Makati City, and Manila. By the end of 2016, the company plans to expand this collection to 14 hotels, adding more than 750 modern rooms to its nation-wide inventory.