LEISURE farms in Taiwan are drawing more MICE and leisure travellers due to their appeal as integrated recreational areas combining accommodation, authentic farming experience and scenic locations.

According to Shinny Chiu, chief operation officer of international marketing at the Taiwan Leisure Farming Development Association, more than 200,000 foreign visitors visited leisure farms last year, up from an approximate 160,000 in 2011.

There are close to 300 leisure farms in Taiwan, and visitors mainly come from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, who can try their hand at sheep shearing, fruit picking and making glutinous rice balls.

Another highlight in leisure farms is the availability of fresh local food.

“All farms depend on their own local production for consumption, so they will use chicken, duck, fish or vegetables produced in their farms to cook for visitors to enjoy the freshness,” Chiu said.

Chiu said the Association also aimed to promote social education and environmental protection through such tourism activities.

Leisure farms are also tapping the regional MICE market, with many offering standard meeting facilities like conference rooms and projector capabilities.

While Chiu does not have the figures for MICE visitors, she said the number has “definitely gone up”.

While leisure farms are predominantly filled by leisure travellers, Chiu said more companies were now realising they can combine meetings with incentives at these farms.

“Meetings held in the farms bring people out of the traditional air-conditioned hotel which is more boring…Many are now looking for places that can bring them away from the busy city and leisure farms are the perfect option because they combine agricultural production, country living and natural ecology altogether,” she said.

Alicia Seah, senior vice president of marketing and PR, CTC Travel Singapore, shared that CTC had been partners with the Taiwan Leisure Farming Development Association since 2010 and had observed a 20 to 25 per cent year-on-year increase in visitor traffic growth from Singapore to these leisure farms.

Incentive groups were posting annual growth of 10 per cent, she added.

SEOUL Tourism Organization (STO) has ended its joint partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in the management of the 14th Korea MICE Expo (KME), which opens today.

This year’s MICE tradeshow, held over three days at COEX in Seoul, is organised by KTO and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily, KTO president and CEO, Charm Lee, explained that budget cuts had resulted in STO’s withdrawal from the event sponsorship.

STO vice president, Maureen O’Crowley, said: “We are disappointed not being able to support KME. We have had it for the past three years, and had done such an exceptional job in turning it into an international business events show.

“While we are not able to support the event this year, we do try to maintain a strong presence at the show. We probably have the largest booth here, with 33 sellers in the Seoul pavilion.”

Min Hong Min, executive director of KTO’s MICE bureau, said considerations were being made to host KME in other South Korean cities, although he declined to name which ones.

“Plans are still being drawn so we can’t say which city will host KME next. We should move the event around to spread the tourism benefits to other destinations. Any city in South Korea has ready infrastructure to host KME.”

AS PART of its initiative to boost inbound tourism, Japan yesterday announced that the short-term visa waiver for Thai and Malaysian nationals would come into effect on July 1.

The Embassy of Japan in Thailand yesterday made the announcement through its website that the short-term visa waiver for Thai nationals would come into effect on July 1, while a spokesperson from the Japan National Tourism Organization Singapore Office, which oversees operations in Malaysia as well, confirmed the implementation of the scheme for Malaysians.

Visa requirements will be waived for nationals of Thailand who stay in Japan for not more than 15 days, while those seeking longer stays or visiting the country for business will still need to apply for a visa.

Thais entering Japan may be asked by immigration officers to prove their purpose of visit to the country with relevant documents such as return tickets and the like.

For Malaysians, there is no need to apply for a visa even if they stay for more than 15 days as the waiver is valid for three months, as long as the traveller holds an ordinary biometric passport with an embedded microchip, compliant with ICAO standards.

Last year, Thai arrivals to Japan reached 260,859, up from 214,881 in 2010, while Malaysia sent 130,300 visitors in 2012, up from 114,519 in 2010.

Read more in TTG Asia June 28, 2013 issue

*Our article had earlier reported that Malaysian nationals intending to visit Japan for longer than 15 days would require a visa. This is inaccurate and has since been amended.

AIRASIA and ANA Holdings have officially split over irreconcilable differences and are laying AirAsia Japan to rest, with AirAsia announcing today that a termination agreement had been signed.

The parting of ways will see AirAsia’s 49 per cent stake in AirAsia Japan acquired by ANA Holdings for 2.5 billion yen (US$25.6 million), the return of all AirAsia aircraft leased to AirAsia Japan by November 1, payment of all outstanding fees from the lease and operations, and the cessation of use of the AirAsia brand by AirAsia Japan, also by November 1.

However, AirAsia Japan flights up to October 31 will continue as planned. AirAsia X operations to both Tokyo-Haneda and Osaka will not be affected.

Tony Fernandes, CEO, AirAsia Group, said: “I have great respect for ANA as the leading legacy airline in Japan but it is time for us to part ways and focus our attention on what we do best, which is running a true LCC.

“Despite cost issues, the AirAsia brand has resonated with Japanese customers and the trend we see for July and August is very strong for all of Japan. I remain positive on the Japanese market and believe there is tremendous opportunity for an LCC to succeed, as proven by the tremendous success AirAsia X has seen.

“We have not given up on the dream of changing air travel in Japan and look forward to returning to the market,” he added.

In a statement released earlier this month, AirAsia had said it was mulling the dissolution of the two-year old joint venture (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 11, 2013).

The AirAsia press release issued today said the LCC had faced difficulties due to a “fundamental difference of opinion between its shareholders” over business management decisions.

DESPITE the worsening of the haze situation as the smog moves north in Malaysia, major inbound travel agencies in Kuala Lumpur said there had been no cancellations or postponements in bookings so far.

The Air Pollutant Index (API), Malaysia’s version of the Pollutant Standards Index, hit critical levels over the weekend, prompting Malaysia’s prime minister to declare a state of emergency in Muar and Ledang in Johor on Sunday after API readings crossed 750, according to local newspaper The Star.

Tina Travel & Agencies managing director, Adam Kamal, said tours to Resorts World Genting and city tours around Kuala Lumpur were going on as usual. “Forward bookings from the Indian market are still coming in for Diwali and the year-end winter holiday season.”

Mani Ponniah, manager at Explore The Wonders Wholesale Travel, a company strong in Middle East inbound to Malaysia, said: “There are no cancellations because of the haze. However, we are keeping our partner consultants informed of the situation. There are still bookings coming in until July 10,  after which movement is slow during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Post-Eid bookings are still coming in.

“We are running tours as normal and these are mainly to Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Lagoon Theme Park, Resorts World Genting, Langkawi and Penang.”

Similarly Manfred Kurz, managing director of Diethelm Travel Malaysia, which handles traffic from the European inbound market, revealed that tours were running as usual on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. “However, we are receiving fewer forward bookings from Europe for July and August,” he observed.

Malaysia Airlines yesterday issued a press statement warning passengers of possible last-minute cancellations and retimings due to the “current haze situation which had deteriorated in parts of Malaysia over the last few days”.

It further stated that specific stations were under close watch for possible closure or interruptions, namely Kuantan’s Sultan Ahmad Shah Airport, Kota Baru’s Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, Kuala Terengganu’s Sultan Mahmud Airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

When contacted today, Azmi Murad, senior general manager operation services at Malaysia Airports, said all Malaysian airports under its management were operating as usual.

VIETNAMESE travellers remain keen on visiting Thailand, with arrivals between January to May this year indicating that this source market will outdo its performance in 2012.

According to a Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) media release, 260,261 Vietnamese visited Thailand in the first five months of 2013, a 10.4 per cent year-on-year increase.

The rise in numbers flies in the face of Vietnam’s sluggish economy, which has instead encouraged the country’s travellers to seek out shorthaul holidays.

TAT said that Thailand was a popular destination for Vietnamese travellers due to its nearness, good value for money and variety of attractions.

Improved access options have also made getting to Thailand easier. Vietnamese LCC VietJet Air launched a Hanoi-Bangkok service in early June and Ho Chi Minh City-Bangkok service in February.

The opening of the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge spanning the Mekong River at Savannakhet in Laos and Mukdahan in northeastern Thailand has also brought more overland tourist traffic from Vietnam’s central region, which comprises Hue, Danang and Quang Tri.

Thanik Khachonkittisakul, managing director of Thai tour operator Thai2020, said: “Our company has been receiving many Vietnamese tour groups from early this year, and we have plenty of future bookings till year’s end.

“Many are opting for the big-city shopping opportunities of Bangkok and the seaside entertainment atmosphere of Pattaya.”

He also shared that his company was receiving large incentive groups from Vietnam.

MINOR Hotel Group (MHG) today announced that it would take over the management of Amari Atrium Bangkok in October and relaunch the property as Thailand’s first AVANI-branded hotel next year.

Ahead of the rebranding in 2014, the hotel will be subject to extensive renovation works to guestrooms and public areas.

The move is part of MHG’s plans to expand the reach of AVANI Hotels & Resorts, an upscale brand that was debuted in 2011 to go hand-in-hand with the group’s Anantara brand properties.

The AVANI portfolio presently consists of two AVANI resorts in Sri Lanka and two more to come – one in Quy Nhon, Vietnam and the other in Sepang, Malaysia. MHG also intends to take the brand across Asia, India, the Indian Ocean and the Middle East.

The 568-key Amari Atrium Bangkok is located in New Petchburi Road, a commercial and retail district in the Asoke-Sukhumvit area and currently offers two executive floors, as well as deluxe and superior guestrooms.

Facilities include restaurants and bars, a swimming pool, sun deck, fitness centre, ballroom, and meeting and event spaces.

THE owners and operators of Sydney’s The Star casino have submitted a US$1 billion proposal to link Pyrmont, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo as part of an integrated resort, encompassing the casino as well.

Echo Entertainment, in a press statement, said the ‘Aiming Higher For Sydney’ proposal would provide tourism and hotel facilities to complement the approved Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct.

The proposal suggests the development of meeting and event facilities, two new hotels to bring total room inventory at The Star to 1,150 rooms, 20 more restaurants and bars, architecturally designed parklands featuring public art, a new pedestrian and cycling bridge connecting Pyrmont to Barangaroo, and upgrades to The Star’s light rail station.

According to Echo, 93 per cent of The Star’s additional floorspace will go towards non-gaming tourism and entertainment infrastructure. The gaming company will also pay the New South Wales government A$250 million (US$231.4 million) to remain the sole casino operator in Sydney.

Echo expects the new development to attract 330,000 visitors to Sydney annually, increase its tax contribution to more than A$1 billion and create 5,750 permanent jobs.

ETHIOPIAN Airlines has made an about-turn in its previously announced expansion in Asia, ditching plans for Ho Chi Minh City and Manila services in favour of a Singapore one.

Ethiopian Airlines will inaugurate a thrice-weekly Addis Ababa-Singapore service via Bangkok on September 3, using Boeing 767-300ER aircraft.

With no traffic rights between Bangkok and Singapore, the airline will not accept bookings from passengers wishing to only travel from Bangkok to Singapore and vice versa.

Ethiopian’s GSA in Singapore is Maple Aviation.

Ethiopian currently has a codesharing agreement with fellow Star Alliance member Singapore Airlines, an arrangement that dates back to November 2011. Both jointly operate a service linking Addis Ababa and Singapore via Dubai.

The carrier was to launch thrice-weekly flights to Manila on July 1 as a tag-on to its Addis Ababa-Hong Kong flights, and a similar thrice-weekly tag-on service from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City scheduled to begin in September, but both plans have since been shelved.