THAI AirAsia X has officially gotten off the ground with the announcement for its first service to Seoul that will begin on June 17, with flights to Tokyo-Narita and Osaka also in the offing.

Flights to Seoul-Incheon will be operated daily out of Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport with Thai AirAsia’s Airbus A330-300 aircraft. Flights depart Bangkok at 08.05 to touch down at 15.25, while return flights leave at 16.50 and arrive in Bangkok at 20.40.

Nadda Buranasiri, CEO of Thai AirAsia X, said he was “very confident that there is enormous demand for this route”.

“Last year, visitors from South Korea ranked in the top five nationalities of visitors to Thailand at 1.3 million people. This year, we look forward to positive growth for South Korean visitors and we are very proud to contribute to the increased number of available seats for visitor arrivals to Thailand,” Nadda said.

The visa exemption agreement for Thai passport holders would also boost Seoul’s appeal as an accessible and affordable destination for Thais, he said.

Flights to Tokyo and Osaka are in the pipeline and details will be announced in the near future, according to a Thai AirAsia X press release.

In the meantime, the LCC has launched special fares on the Bangkok-Seoul route. Fares begin at 1,990 baht (US$61.50) one-way, including taxes and fees.

Tickets must be booked on www.airasia.com between April 23 and May 3 and are valid for travel from June 17, 2014 to April 30, 2015.

US-LISTED Choice Hotels International has confirmed further expansion into China with the signing of a development agreement with Boli Hotel Management Company for Choice’s Quality Hotel and Clarion Hotel brands.

“With several Comfort Inn hotels already located in China and performing successfully, it is a natural step to introduce other brands within theChoice Hotels portfolio to the region,” said Mark Pearce, senior vice president of Choice Hotels’ international division.

“Our partnership with Boli Hotel Management Company is a significant milestone not only because it marks the launch of our development efforts for Clarion and Quality hotels in China, but because it represents the opportunity for local developers to partner with an international hotel company.”

The company has singled out Hangzhou as a launching pad for the two brands’ growth in the region.

Choice Hotels International franchises over 6,300 hotels and 500,000 rooms in the US and more than 35 destinations.

FORTY-FIVE incentive and meeting travel consultants from 12 Asian countries will ‘Discover Switzerland’ on a tour led by Kuoni Group Travel Experts and hosted by Switzerland Tourism from April 24 to 27 this week.

Consultants come from countries including China, India, Indonesia, Japan and Singapore.

Kuoni Group Travel Experts and Switzerland Tourism’s inaugural Asia Trophy tour will take guests to Appenzell, Bern, St Gallen and Zurich, as well as other areas in the eastern part of Switzerland.

The Kuoni Group said in its press release that it has established a strong reputation for MICE in South-east Asian markets and is using the Asia Trophy to build this business further.

Reto Kaufmann, Kuoni Group Travel Experts’ head of MICE sales for South Asia said: “China’s powerhouse economy continues to drive international travel for business and leisure, while Japanese businesses have always seen the value in incentive trips for their employees.

“Increasingly we are seeing countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand invest in incentive trips as their business and economic fortunes prosper and in meetings overseas as they rise to meet the demands of international markets,” he said.

The Asia Trophy is based on a concept developed by Switzerland Tourism: different teams rally across parts of the country, getting to know the history, traditions and culture of Eastern Switzerland that remains largely undiscovered by many Asian travellers, as well as its role as a meeting and incentive venue.

Teams uncover the answers to questions and complete tasks to earn points, which are totalled at the end of the day to reveal a winner.

The press release stated that organisers of incentive tours and large-scale meetings are increasingly looking for ‘sensory destination experiences’ and that team building, treasure hunts and events with corporate social responsibility elements are important.

Urs Eberhard, vice president of Switzerland Tourism, said: “Switzerland is already a popular destination for Asian incentive trips with Lucerne and Zurich particularly.

“On this trip, however, we want to give them an insider’s tour of Eastern Switzerland. For guests on the Asia Trophy tour, this will be a real eye-opener and an authentic Swiss experience,” he added.

THE Korea Tourism Organization has selected 10 scenic walking trails in the country for hiking enthusiasts.

The list includes two trails in Jeollabuk-do, two in Jeollanam-do, two in Seoul, and one each in Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gyeongsangnam-do and Gangwon-do.

There are three types of courses: easy, normal and metropolitan area.

The easy courses are available at Juwang Valley in Juwangsan National Park, Slow Path (Course 1) in Cheongsando Island and Gangneung Bau-gil Road (Course 5) in Gyeongsangnam-do.

Normal courses include Hadong Park Kyung-ni Road (Course 2) in Gyeongsangnam-do; Mudol-gil 11 of Mudeungsan Mountain (Hwasun) located in Hwasun-gun, Joellanam-do; Pilgrim’s Route 6 in Gimje-si, Jeollabuk-do; and Takryu-gil (starting from Gunsan Modern History of Museum) in Gunsan-si, Jeollabukdo.

Metropolitan area courses mostly cover the roads within the city and suburban areas such as Haesol-gil 1 in Daebudo Island, Dream Forest in Seoul’s Gangbuk-gu district, and Namsan Mountain Nadeul-gil in Seoul Forest.

More information can be obtained via 1330 Korea travel hotline at (82-2) 1330, available in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese.

ROTORUA’S Te Puia, New Zealand’s living Maori culture centre, is developing a site masterplan to add new facilities and expand its offering beyond culture.

CEO Tim Cossar said the arts, craft, culture and geothermal activity attraction will introduce ecotourism where visitors can participate in interactive activities around 500 volcanic pools and 65 geysers, including the world famous Pohutu geyser which erupts regularly and reaches 30m skywards.

To attract mid- and high-end Asian incentive groups, the centre is building a permanent marquee with kitchen and toilet facilities near the geyser that can cater for up to 200 guests for a sit-down dinner.

Apart from having its first Chinese-speaking Maori guide, footbaths and mini-spas will also be introduced.

“We are about 18 months away from introducing the new facilities,” said Cossar, adding that Asian incentives are becoming an increasingly important part of Te Puia’s business.

“We want incentive groups to hold functions here and gain a deeper experience,” he said.

Visitors can now go on a nightly tour of Te Puia’s weaving and carving schools before experiencing te po, a traditional Maori welcome and cultural performance, followed by a hangi (earth oven) dinner. The dining room seats 120 while an adjacent space can accommodate another 80.

The evening ends with a viewing of the lighted Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley.

Rotorua is about two hours’ drive from Auckland.