Destinations
Record Results For Japan
The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) is reporting that over 30 million overseas travellers visited Japan in 2018 – an all-time record and an 8.7% increase over 2017 (the previous record year). Naohito Ise, executive director of the JNTO in New York, said: “Tourism to Japan from the United States -- about 5% of the total - soared 11%, with more and more Americans seeking beyond the classic tourism destinations of Tokyo and Kyoto to discover lesser-known parts of the country.” Ise continued: “American tourism to Japan is expected to continue to rise in 2019 as the...
Exploring Hong Kong Like A Local
One of the most photographed vantage points of Hong Kong comes from the top of Victoria Peak. As the highest point on Hong Kong Island, the panoramic views of the seemingly endless slew of high-rises jetting out from the green hills below and across Victoria Harbour is a must-see for many visitors. In this week's digital edition of Travel Courier, assistant editor, Ann Ruppenstein writes that the scene feels a world apart from the serene lookout atop the nearby hills of Ngong Ping, where 38 wooden pillars displaying verses of the centuries-old Heart Sutra prayer are arranged in an...
Tokyo: Where Old Meets New
Agents are invited to attend a free informative webinar next Tuesday (Jan. 29) at 1 p.m. (EST). Agents who attend the full duration of the webinar will be given a chance to win one of two $50 prepaid Visa cards. Learning or reviewing how to sell Tokyo is a labour of love for many travel consultants. The new Tokyo Brand of Old Meets New is a perfect foundation on which to tweak the interest of your clients and build enthusiasm for an amazing vacation. This energetic, fast-paced webinar will break down the huge city of 13.8 million, into neighbourhoods where events, attractions,...
Quite A Celebration
For the first time in history, the New Year's Eve celebration held at Copacabana Beach, in the Southern Zone of Rio de Janeiro, had more tourists than residents in the metropolitan area. The celebration -- over 10 hours of concerts and 14 minutes of a firework display – gathered 2.8 million people, with 1.4 million tourists. The data are part of a survey conducted by Riotur -- a company linked to the city hall, responsible for promoting tourism -- on the night of Dec. 31. Of the total number of visitors, 155,000 were foreigners and 1,245 from other parts of Brazil. The survey, which...
Vietnam Leads At ASEAN Tourism Forum
Three days of intense destination selling and information gathering wound up last week in Vietnam at the 38th annual ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), reports Press Today's Ted Davis, who was in attendance at the show. The ATF was held in Ha Long City – the gateway to scenic Ha Long Bay. About 1,500 delegates descended on the new Quang Ninh Exhibition of Planning and Expo Center (QNEPEC), most of whom participated in the Travex travel trade mart as destination seller reps and B-to-B travel product buyers. The sellers set up shop from the 10 member countries of ASEAN, including Brunei,...
Kung Hei Fat Choy
The Chinese New Year is the highlight of the Hong Kong Cultural calendar. It's a time of lavish fireworks, a world-famous night street parade, elaborate banquets and glittering illuminations. Symbolizing prosperity and unity, while invoking good fortune for the year ahead, this festival is cherished and celebrated across the city. In the weeks leading up to the event (which takes place Feb. 5-8 this year, ushering in the Year of the Pig) Hong Kong is abuzz with activity as people prepare for the holiday and visitors can catch the atmosphere. Visitors do not have to look hard (or...
JTB Appoints Rose To New Post
Philip Rose has been named as the regional director of tourism, Northeast USA for The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB). Rose is a leader in sales and marketing in the tourism sector with over 20 years experience and brings to the new post a wealth of industry knowledge. He served recently as the JTB's Canadian regional director for seven years and prior to that district sales manager for the Western and South Western USA. Donnie Dawson, deputy director of tourism, The Americas, commented: “We wish to thank Philip for his role in helping to grow the Canadian market and look forward to...
Travel On The Itinerary For Canadians
In its Travel Markets Outlook report, the Conference Board of Canada is projecting that the number of overnight visits from both within Canada and international markets will increase by 2.0% in 2019. While Canadian households are expected to face growing economic and financial challenges heading into 2019, domestic travel volumes are still projected to increase. According to the Conference Board's travel intentions survey, a growing share of Canadian households plan to take a winter vacation, and among those, a slightly higher share plan to stay in Canada for their longest-duration...