TAIWAN Tourism Bureau (TTB) has unveiled a series of non-compulsory guidelines for Taiwanese tour operators running tours for visitors from China, who now form the destination’s largest source market.

According to Singapore daily The Straits Times, the new regulations will come into effect in May. Chinese tour groups can only travel 12 hours and 250km in a day, while a minimum of NT$500 (US$17) in total must be spent on lunch and dinner every day. Groups must put up at starred hotels for at least one-third of the trip’s accommodation.

Furthermore, to address a major complaint that there is too much shopping, the number of shopping stops cannot exceed the number of nights stayed. Tour groups are only allowed to make two stops at shops selling expensive wares such as jade.

To encourage tour operators to adhere to the new rules, the tourism bureau will give compliant agencies priority in obtaining exit-and-entry permits for mainland visitors.

The distribution of permits is governed by a daily quota, which currently stands at 4,000 per day though it is expected to increase to 5,000 this year, reported the paper.

According to TTB, almost two million or one-third of Taiwan’s total visitors hailed from China in 2011, adding US$3.8 billion to the territory’s coffers.

SRI Lanka’s second international airport, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, will open in Hambantota on March 18, with a number of airlines already firming up plans for flights.

Air Arabia is set to operate twice weekly services between Sharjah and Mattala, and will increase frequency to four times weekly on May 19. National carrier SriLankan Airlines as well as LCCs Fly Dubai and Mihin Lanka have also confirmed flights.

The government is also offering an open skies policy and concessions, such as a 50 per cent discount on groundhandling charges for five years, in a bid to attract international carriers.

According to Priyankara Jayaratne, minister for civil aviation, there are ongoing discussions with Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Sichuan Airlines and Korean Air.

Located in the south of Sri Lanka, the airport will open with a capacity of one million passengers, lowering the curtains on the first phase of development. Unlike Colombo’s international airport, Mattala can accommodate Airbus A380 landings.

Jayaratne said construction for the second phase would begin in a few years, which would increase capacity to five million passengers annually.

Separately, British Airways will resume flights to Colombo via the Maldives on April 14 after a 10-year absence in the country (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 14, 2012).

INDIA may soon grant travellers from 16 more countries visas on arrival (VoAs) if the Ministry of Tourism’s request to the Ministry of Home Affairs gains approval.

The countries recommended are Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Brazil, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, while South Korea will also be considered at a later date.

In addition, the tourism ministry wants six more airports at Bengaluru, Goa, Kochi, Hyderabad, Trivandrum and Bodhgaya to be allowed to issue VoAs. Currently, India offers 30-day VoAs to citizens of Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines, Japan, Finland, New Zealand and Luxembourg arriving at New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.

Khadidiatou Thiam Galant, chief of agency, Voyages en Direct France, said: “VoAs open up India as a destination that our clients can travel to at short notice, as French tourists are used to flying without visas to many countries and prefer such freedom.”

Vasco Noronha, head – inbound operations, Akbar Holidays India, said: “We can expect to see a deluge from Europe, (former Soviet) countries and ASEAN. Making VoAs available at 10 Indian airports will be a huge boon for inbound tourism.”

INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group’s (IHG) Hotel Indigo will roar to life in Hong Kong in May, set in a building that is said to be at the forefront of environmental design.

Offering 138 guestrooms and suites with sizes ranging 30-63m², Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island is located in the historical neighbourhood of Wan Chai. Wrapping around its exterior is a striking “gold dragon”, which functions as an ecoscreen.

Boasting a glass-bottomed, cantilevered infinity pool on its rooftop and a Skybar on the same level, other amenities include an all-day dining eatery, a 24-hour gym, a library and an eight-seat boardroom for business meetings.

FAMILY-owned Thai hotel group Sukosol Hotels will open the doors of its fifth property, Wave, on Pattaya Bay in April.

The Art Deco boutique hotel is decked out in Miami-inspired décor and offers 21 rooms.

Last year was a busy year for the group, which saw it rebranding to Sukosol Hotels, opening the 39-suite resort The Siam, Bangkok and refurbishing its grande dame, The Sukosol, Bangkok.

With the opening of Wave, Sukosol Hotels now comprises five properties: The Sukosol Bangkok (470 rooms), Siam Bayshore, Pattaya (270 rooms), The Bayview, Pattaya (260 rooms), The Siam, Bangkok (39 suites) and Wave.