JAPAN National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) will sign a MoU in Yokohama tomorrow to promote cooperation and exchange of tourism ideas between the two countries.

The signing of the MoU is held in conjunction with MATTA’s technical visit to Japan, which is hosted by JNTO from January 29 to February 3. The delegation of 30, including media members, will visit Tokyo, Yokohama and Sendai.

Mohd Khalid Harun, president of MATTA and leader of the Malaysian delegation, will be addressing more than 100 Japanese suppliers on tourism trends in Malaysia and the growing interest of Malaysian travellers to Japan during B2B meetings in Yokohama and Sendai.

“Muslim travel has huge potential, and it is good to know that JNTO is seriously looking into it,” said Khalid, who added that a major focus of the visit is to build up interest on Muslim travel and tours to Japan.

Adachi Motonari, JNTO Singapore executive director, said: “Having this opportunity to collaborate with MATTA through this technical visit to Japan is very timely as 2013 marks the 40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. With the signing of MoU between JNTO and MATTA, we hope to increase the number of visitors from Malaysia as Japan expects to receive one million tourists from ASEAN countries in 2013.”

Japan has recorded steady growth in Malaysian visitor arrivals, especially with the implementation of the multiple-entry visa for Malaysians in September last year. Visitor arrivals from Malaysia to Japan set a new record high of 130,300 in 2012, a 13.8 per cent jump from 2010 when arrivals totalled 114,519.

LE Méridien Hotels & Resorts is expected to launch nine new hotels over the next 12 months, with the majority located in Asia-Pacific. Two openings are planned for China, and one each for Indonesia, Vietnam, India and Bangladesh.

Brian Povinelli, global brand leader, Le Méridien and Westin Hotels, said: “After significant investment and consolidation, Le Méridien boasts its best portfolio ever, and this will be a milestone year for us as we welcome an unprecedented number of new hotels into our ever-growing family.”

Opening on January 31 is the 118-key Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran, which will feature a large-scale lagoon, several signature bar and restaurant experiences, an ice cream shop, a fitness centre and a glass chapel with views of the island.

In May 2013, the 350-key Le Méridien Zhengzhou will roll out in the capital of China’s Henan province with restaurants serving Chinese, Japanese and European specialties, a designated wine room, a cocktail bar and a coffee hub.

Come June, Ho Chi Minh City will welcome the 350-key Le Méridien Saigon beside the Saigon River. A month later in July, the 300-key Le Méridien Dhaka will debut in the capital city, marking the brand’s entry into Bangladesh.

In October, China will receive another Le Méridien property with the launch of the Le Méridien Jiaonan Resort in Qingdao while Le Méridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa will open in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Beyond Asia, other Le Méridien properties will be rolled out in Cairo, Chicago and Atlanta.

HOTELIERS, resort and golf course owners, and travel operators have come together to establish the Central Coast Vietnam Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO), in a push to promote the region as a competitor to established beach destinations such as Bali, Phuket and Koh Samui.

“Our region represents a single destination with tremendous potential,” said DMO chairman, John Blanco.

“Vietnam has seen healthy growth in tourism arrivals over the past decade, however, most only visit either Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and we believe that now is the time to ensure that this stunning part of the country receives its due share of international attention and media exposure as one of the region’s most beautiful and desirable travel destinations with so much to offer,” he said.

The marketing campaign also coincides with Dragonair’s launch of thrice-weekly Hong Kong-Danang flights on March 28, which will complement the carrier’s existing services to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Hong Kong has been identified by the DMO as a key target market, with flights less than an hour and a half away.

Last year, Danang received 630,000 of 6.9 million international visitor arrivals to Vietnam. Since 2007, domestic and international arrivals to Danang have grown by 130 per cent, an average year-on-year increase of around 20 per cent, according to statistics from the Danang Tourism Office.

Founding partners in the DMO include The Nam Hai, Crowne Plaza Danang, Hyatt Regency Danang, Fusion Maia Danang, Furama Resort Danang, Grand Mercure Danang, The Ocean Villas, Angsana Lang Co, La Residence Hue, as well as Montgomerie Links and Danang Golf Club.

AMADEUS today released the findings of a commissioned study of travel within the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, highlighting four major travel trends for the period until 2030.

They are the fragmentation of travel market into niches; tearing down of travel restrictions; quicker adoption of technology and infrastructure developments in APAC; and growth on both ends of the spectrum in high-end and budget travel.

Shaping the future of travel in Asia Pacific: The big four travel effects surveyed 1,531 business and leisure travellers across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, as well as conducted 13 in-depth interviews with industry leaders in the region.

The increasingly fragmented travel market will require the industry to provide more customised itineraries and put in place suitable infrastructure, said David Brett, president, Amadeus Asia-Pacific.

Citing the example of the silver market, which is predicted to grow from nine million in 2011 to 30 million travellers by 2030, he pointed out that airports and hotels had to be equipped with buggies or wheelchairs. Also mentioned were female travellers, who would be drawn by women-only floors and peer-recommended products, as well as cost-conscious small business travellers, who are self-employed or work for SMEs.

Meanwhile, the liberalisation of trade and visa policies in APAC, such as the ASEAN open skies agreement in 2015, is likely to unleash new streams of travellers from emerging countries such as India, China and Indonesia.

Brett said intra-Asian travel would benefit the most from it, especially destinations within a three- to four-hour journey from point of origin. “This is what we’ve seen in the European Union and also between Japan and South Korea. Right now propensity to travel is strong, but restricted.” Travel suppliers would do well to cater to the diversity of these tourists, in terms of dietary options and language programmes, he added.

The rapid development of mobile technology and infrastructure within APAC will also compel travel providers to alter the way they serve travellers. The high uptake of mobile technology means travel consultants must embrace this new means of communication and find out what their customers want. Airlines and travel consultants must simultaneously respond to the development of high-speed rail infrastructure in the region by evolving their business models.

In addition, growth will take place at both ends of the travel market. While Asia’s rising middle class will stimulate rapid growth for economy hotels and budget airlines, the super rich in emerging economies will push up demand for luxury travel.

BASED on a Supreme Court order issued on January 23, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has banned all airlines from charging passengers any transaction fees, a move that has been lambasted by airline ticketing companies in the country.

SpiceJet and IndiGo have since removed their transaction fees following the order. Transaction fees were introduced when airlines stopped paying commission to IATA-affiliated ticketing companies.

Subhash Goyal, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators, said: “We will discuss the issue with various travel (consultant) associations. I think we will have to go to court. If there are no airline commissions and no transaction fees, how will we survive?”

Rajendra Churiwala, director – eastern region, IATA Agents Association of India, agreed: “We have to charge a transaction fee since airline commissions to (airline ticketing companies) have been abolished. We cannot be expected to run a business without any profit.”

Added Rakesh Lamba, director of New Delhi-based Prakriti Holidays: “With no margins on flight ticketing and constantly reducing profits in the offline travel space, the smaller companies will fold up and go bankrupt. The DGCA must accept that there are many more small- and medium-sized travel companies than large-sized ones. It is a question of survival for us now.”

The airlines have approached the Delhi High Court to appeal against the DGCA order but have been directed to air their grievances with the Ministry of Civil Aviation instead.

DRIVING air and ground savings continues to be the most important consideration for travel buyers in 2013, according to Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s (CWT) Travel Management Priorities report based on an international survey of nearly 800 travel managers. Their other top concerns were improving traveller compliance and optimising hotel spend.

Similar to survey results in 2012, travel managers prefer to focus on areas representing the greatest savings opportunities rather than those associated with the traveller experience.

“The challenging economic climate means that there is continued pressure on buyers to both reduce costs and manage travel in a more cost-effective way,” said Christophe Renard, CWT vice president marketing, communications and business intelligence.

“As air and ground travel represents the majority of spend within a travel programme, it is not surprising that it is the number one priority for most travel buyers, even though it is an area that is already well advanced in terms of optimisation.”

However, cost-saving measures vary from region to region, with travel managers in Asia-Pacific intending to concentrate on communicating and providing training on the travel policy and empowering travel counsellors to enforce rules; tightening air and ground travel policy while finding the right balance between negotiated and restricted fares, and exploring the use of LCCs; mandating preferred booking channels and consolidating hotel spend on fewer properties to leverage larger volumes in negotiations; and increasing the scope of online booking tools.

The report also highlighted the changes and challenges that travel buyers are likely to see in the year ahead. CWT also predicted that global inflation will hit travel prices modestly with increases of less than five per cent, while travel managers will also need to monitor programmes and suppliers closely, paying particular attention to areas such as rising ancillary fees and fuel surcharges.

Meanwhile, changes in technology will affect the travel process with consumer-influenced technology increasingly finding its way into corporate travel through services such as travel review sites and mobile apps specifically designed for business travellers.

Risk management will also play a key role as companies send travellers to increasingly high risk areas, and duty of care during business travel becomes an integral part of a company’s legal responsibility to its employees.

FOLLOWING the launch of its first hotel residence, the 313-key Capri by Fraser, Changi City/Singapore, Frasers Hospitality will take the brand to Vietnam and Malaysia.

The 126-apartment Capri by Fraser, Ho Chi Minh City will open in March 2013, while the 240-apartment Capri by Fraser, Kuala Lumpur will be launched in November 2013. The group is also in the process of finalising plans for more Capri by Fraser properties in Asia-Pacific and Europe.

Said Choe Peng Sum, CEO, Frasers Hospitality: “The positive international response that Capri by Fraser has generated within a relatively short span of time is a strong indication that there is a demand for a hotel residence brand that is well positioned to meet the 24×7 work-life balance needs of the rapidly growing e-generation market sector.”

Part of the Changi City integrated development, Capri by Fraser, Changi City/Singapore is located near the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre. The hotel residence has been attracting strong corporate and MICE bookings, with occupancy averaging more than 80 per cent since its soft opening in September 2012.

Capri by Fraser, Changi City/Singapore offers high-tech amenities such as iPad-activated check-ins, e-concierge and e-print services, as well as complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi Internet connectivity throughout the property.

Meeting and conference facilities feature interactive touchscreen panels and integrated whiteboard projector capabilities, while other facilities include a swimming pool, a gym, an all-day deli, in-room kitchenettes and launderettes equipped with Xbox Kinect and Wii on each floor.

LUXURY cruise line Silversea has launched a round-trip seven-day cruise from Singapore aboard the 382-guest Silver Shadow.

Sailing from March 15-22, 2013, Silver Shadow’s ports of include Phuket, Penang, Port Klang, Malacca and Belawan near Medan in Sumatra.

A range of tours are available throughout the voyage, from visiting a tea plantation in Malacca to exploring Phuket’s Phang Nga Bay by speedboat.

All-inclusive fares start from US$3,050 per person, double occupancy, and include butler service; gourmet meals; complimentary wines, champagne and spirits; and all gratuities.

AIR China will commence four weekly Beijing-Geneva services using the Airbus A330-200 from May 7, 2013, becoming the first carrier to offer direct connections between the two cities.

The route will become East Asia’s first direct route to Geneva, offering an additional flight option to travellers to and from Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Manila.

Air China’s president, Cai Jianjiang, said: “The new Beijing-Geneva service is a worthy addition to Air China’s extensive network serving Europe.”

Using the flight numbers of CA861/862, the flight will leave Beijing at 13.30 and arrive at 18.25 in Geneva on the same day. The return flight will take off from Geneva at 20.25 and arrive at Beijing at 12.55 the following day.