SOUTH Korea yesterday announced a new air defence zone, a move regarded as a counter to China’s unilateral declaration of its own last month.

The new zone, which will take effect on December 15, also partially overlaps with China’s, and covers a submerged rock disputed by the two countries, according to local broadsheet The Straits Times.

South Korea’s news agency Yonhap News reported the defence ministry as saying that the expanded zone was designed to have its southern boundary match the country’s broader flight information region, and includes airspace over the Seoul-controlled reef of Ieodo and other southern islands of Marado and Hongdo.

The ministry also said: “The air defence and identification zone adjustment is in line with international aviation order and regulations. It does not put restrictions on civilian flight operations or infringe upon the airspace and interests of neighbouring countries.

“Ahead of the announcement, we have offered sufficient explanations to related countries. The government will discuss with related countries measures necessary to prevent accidental military clashes with the newly adjusted zone.”

Yonhap News also quoted a transport ministry official as saying the ministry will in a few days be wrapping up discussions with related agencies about the issue of airlines giving notification to China.

China’s earlier self-declaration of its new defence zone, which overlaps those of Japan and South Korea, had sparked outrage from the two countries and concern from the US, with airlines defying its airspace ruling (TTG Asia e-Daily November 28, 2013).

MAURITIUS and Dubai are both stepping up their pursuit of the Indian market, with weddings among the segments being courted.

Vijaye Haulder, deputy director, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), said: “Every year around 10,000 weddings take place in Mauritius, out of which few are of Indians. Currently, 10 per cent of our overall arrivals from India comprise of MICE travellers and we are looking to increase these numbers significantly. Mauritius receives 50,000 golfers annually, out of which an insignificant number is from India.”

Last month, MTPA organised road shows in Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi, in which 15 suppliers from Mauritius participated to promote their offerings in the wedding and MICE domains.

“We are educating partners about the incentives we give to MICE organisers on group travel of minimum 100 people. We are also talking to Air Mauritius to increase flight frequencies and are focusing on non-metro Indian cities to increase wedding and MICE arrivals,” said Haulder.

Last year 46,000 Indians travelled to Mauritius and the NTO is expecting 60,000 Indian arrivals by end-2013. Mauritius recorded 45,000 Indian arrivals from January to October. The NTO is targeting 10 per cent growth in 2014.

Meanwhile, also courting the Indian wedding and honeymoon segment is Dubai, encouraged by 15.8 per cent year-on-year growth in 1H2013 from India, its second biggest source market.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has been conducting a series of road shows in major Indian cities. Mansoor Bawazir, head for Region, India, Middle East and Southern/Eastern Africa, overseas promotions and inward missions, DTCM, said: “India will be one of the important source markets to achieve our target of 20 million visitors by 2020.”

In November, a 22-member Dubai delegation interacted with over 1,000 travel consultants and wedding planners in Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi.

Carl Vaz, director – India, DTCM, said: “We are looking at penetrating deeper into tier two cities like Pune, Indore, Nagpur, Chandigarh and Jaipur and tier three cities such as Visakhapatnam, Coimbatore, Raipur and Bhubaneswar.

“Currently, we have 2,000 certified experts from metros, tier one and two cities under the Dubai Expert Training Programme and we are now looking at adding 1,000 operators from tier three cities as Dubai specialists.”

Anil Guptaa, managing director, Mumbai-based Anjali Travels and Tours, said: “Dubai has the right mix of attractions, F&B, hotels and flight connectivity in making it a very attractive destination for Indians. Shopping is an added plus. We anticipate 20 per cent growth in 2014.”

Additional reporting by Shekhar Niyogi

LONDON’S Maybourne Hotel Group, which owns and operates three of the city’s luxury hotels – Claridge’s, the Connaught and the Berkeley – has announced a partnership with British fashion house Burberry.

Suite guests across the three hotels are entitled complimentary use of a classic Burberry trench coat during their stay. Men’s and women’s versions are hung in the wardrobes prior to arrival. If alternative sizes are required, or if guests wish to purchase a trench coat, hotel staff can arrange for a new one to be brought to the suite.

Guests at Claridge’s will also be entitled to experience Burberry Private Clients services by a global team of relationship management and styling experts.

Commenting on the project, Maybourne Hotel Group CEO, Stephen Alden, said: “This is an iconic partnership of two great British brands. We take pride in looking after our visitors both within the hotel and on-the-go and now, with the provision of a weather-beating Burberry trench coat, each of them will be well equipped to brave the elements in style.”

VISTAJET Holding, a Zurich-based, non-scheduled business jet operator, is in talks with the Indian government to start domestic operations in the country.

VistaJet founder and chairman, Thomas Flohr, said in a statement: “VistaJet will continue to increase international flights to and from India, as there is strong demand for these services. Once the company gains critical mass, we will move forward, offering domestic flight services within India, as we did in Russia, Nigeria and China.”

VistaJet has been operating international flights to and from India for the last one year. In 2012, it operated 180 flights to and from the country.

Flohr added that VistaJet expects Indian clients worldwide to contribute to 10 per cent of the company’s revenue. In India, the company will start with three aircraft.

VistaJet CCO, Ian Moore, said: “No one else in the private business aviation sector is taking delivery of brand-new aircraft at the rate we are, nor is anyone more committed to maintaining the youngest fleet in the skies. VistaJet aircraft carried 21,000 passengers last year to 874 destinations.”

This initiative comes at a time when Indian business jet operators face scrutiny and possible penal action for non-compliance with safety practices. DGCA banned all non-scheduled international flights on August 21 as an outcome of an ongoing audit by International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), unless they adhered to a new certification manual that meets ICAO standards.

INDONESIA’S Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is encouraging the country’s regional destinations to develop new ideas and land excursions to attract more cruise calls.

Rizki Handayani, director of MICE and special interest marketing, said: “We are working with the regional tourism stakeholders to come up with new products and revitalise existing products to attract more cruise calls.”

As part of product development, Rizki said her office has been visiting destinations like Sabang, West Sumatra, Bali and Central Java to conduct some workshops.

“In Sabang, for example, the port is ready but not the excursions. The potential is there.”

She said the deployment of international cruise ships in line with the opening of Singapore’s new cruise terminal provided new opportunities to develop cruise tourism in Indonesia further.

Rizki said the cruise sector this year has experienced the highest growth so far, with over 40 per cent increase in the number of calls and passengers. The total number of calls this year is 309 calls, contributing 159,578 passengers.

“Promotion wise, we are participating in trade exhibitions such as Cruise Shipping Miami. We also have sales missions, fam trips and a website on cruises.

“Internally, we have been working together with related government agencies, and fostering the development and improvement of ports in Indonesia to gradually meet the requirement of international cruise lines,” she said.

The ministry is also member of Cruise Down Under Association, promoting Indonesia in Australia and New Zealand.

THE US is battling an ice storm which has hit much of the country since Saturday, resulting in flight cancellations, several deaths and power outages from Texas to Tennessee.

Just the Dallas-Fort worth area saw 3cm of sleet and freezing rain, which prompted the cancellation of the Dallas Marathon, among other events, yesterday.

Flight cancellations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport forced thousands of travellers to sleep on cots overnight, reported The Straits Times.

Virginia is bracing for the storm, which is predicted to spread eastwards to the state and up to New England till today, according to the Singapore broadsheet.

Across the country, flight-tracking company FlightStats reported more than 1,700 flights have been cancelled and another 2,115 delayed.

HAVING reopened in 2011 after a major revamp, heritage hotel Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta is now setting its sights farther, launching a Japanese language website, an Eat, Pray, Love in Jogjakarta promotional video and a new ballroom.

The hotel’s general manager, Sudarsana, said the launch of the Japanese version of www.royalambarrukmo.com is a means to reach out to the market, adding that efforts to generate business from overseas has materialised this year, with groups from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the US.

“For next year, we have bookings from at least 40 groups,” he revealed.

The promotional video highlights the hotel’s services based on Jogjakarta’s royal tradition, while the new Kasultanan Ballroom for up to 2,000 guests for a standing reception is the biggest hotel ballroom in the city.

The hotel’s director for sales and marketing, Bagus Dewa, said: “MICE is an important market for the hotel, contributing 30 per cent of the hotel’s business. The ballroom was built not only to meet the demand for this market, but also that of the city.

“There is actually a high demand for big meeting, convention and social function (venues) here in Jogjakarta. Since the new ballroom started operation in September, it has been utilised for around 20 days per month and we have four medical and pharmaceutical company conventions for next year in the book.”

On the leisure front, the hotel’s travel agency and FIT markets contribute to 18 and 20 per cent of the business respectively, while three per cent are inbound business.

The hotel’s other facilities include The Kraton Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 1,000 pax, and 17 meeting rooms for 30-150 pax in theatre style.