DESPITE the plunge in travel between China and Japan as a result of an ongoing diplomatic spat, Japan’s Tokyu Group is confident that Chinese tourists will return to Japan and continues to woo the market.

Yang Ziming, deputy general manager sales planning division from Tokyu Business Consulting Shanghai, said there had been a “definite decrease” in bookings from China since the start of the diplomatic disagreement, although he was unable to provide exact figures to illustrate the impact.

“We want to bring the Chinese back so we have been participating in many travel shows and events in China to establish our brand and build relationships with local travel consultants,” Yang explained.

He said that China was one of the group’s focus markets because of its “lucrative potential”.

Chinese travellers are among the highest spenders in Japan, blowing an estimated 196.4 billion yen (US$2.4 billion) in 2011, or almost a quarter of total expenditure by foreign visitors. This places the Chinese as the largest spenders by country, according to data from the Japan Tourism Agency.

Tokyu Business Consulting Shanghai – a subsidiary of the Tokyu Group – was set up in Shanghai last August to solicit Chinese travellers to Japan. The group manages 54 hotels in Japan under Tokyu Hotels.

Said Yang: “We believe there will always be strong demand from the Chinese to visit Japan. Timing-wise, (Chinese demand for Japan) may not be good now, but we are looking forward to the future when the relationship between China and Japan improves.”

MEETING planners in Singapore will benefit from a new incentive scheme jointly developed by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Thai Airways (THAI).

Unveiled at a launch party in Singapore yesterday evening, the new OptiMICE Pass offers a host of perks to meeting groups that fly out of Singapore to Thailand.

The Silver package for groups with 10 to 30 delegates offers fast track clearance, Thai souvenirs, special airfares, one complimentary air ticket, advance group check-in and pre-assigned group seating.

Groups with 31 to 99 delegates can enjoy the Gold package which comes with all the benefits offered by the Silver package, as well as two complimentary air tickets, a special on-board announcement, additional 10kg baggage allowance and a cultural welcome performance.

The Platinum package, available to groups with at least 100 delegates, will dish out all the perks above, as well as four complimentary air tickets and BTS Skypass.

Kittiphong Sansomboon, general manager of Thai Airways Singapore Office, told TTGmice e-Weekly that the OptiMICE Pass was developed to offer greater value and convenience to meeting planners in Singapore.

“Meeting planners will shop around before determining the destination, and they will ask the convention bureau and airlines for offers and support. We (TCEB and THAI) figured we could simplify the process by offering combined support right from the start,” said Kittiphong.

“We chose to debut this programme – the first collaboration of this nature between TCEB and THAI – in Singapore because of the large pool of small and medium-size enterprises here, and this community will be a strong source of meetings. Moreover, Singapore is a market with very strong purchasing power,” he added.

Noting that Singapore is Thailand’s fifth largest MICE source market, generating 35,783 visitors in 2012, Vichaya Soonthornsaratoon, director of meetings industry department, TCEB, said: “We hope to further stimulate growth through OptiMICE Pass and encourage even more corporates in Singapore to take their events to Thailand.”

Although some OptiMICE Pass perks, such as souvenirs and cultural welcome performances, are also provided by TCEB’s regular MICE support programme, Vichaya said “unique tweaks” were made for the new deal.

“For instance, the souvenirs will be different. Also, OptiMICE Pass makes cultural welcome performances available to groups with at least 31 pax, whereas a minimum of 100 pax is required under TCEB’s support programme. It is a good deal for Singapore meeting planners,” she explained.

To qualify for the OptiMICE Pass, bookings must be made between April 1 and July 31 for travel by October 31 this year. TCEB and THAI may extend the validity period should the programme prove successful.

LEVERAGING on its role as sponsor of Dancing with the Stars Thailand, Amari has rolled out a series of event packages themed after the popular TV show at its properties in Bangkok and Pattaya.

The four-day/three-night Dancing with the Stars conference package, suitable for 100 to 600 delegates, promises a glamorous experience. Guests will be welcomed by professional salsa dancers and presented with branded room keys; conference rooms will come with a judging panel desk for meeting presenters, and delegates will be supplied with mirror ball pens and a judge’s notepad; meeting breaks and meals will be themed around dance, with opportunities for dance lessons; and the gala dinner will see delegates dressing up according to the theme.

Planners can choose to extend the package or shorten it to a minimum of two nights.

Amari hotels can also create a gala dinner bearing the Dancing with the Stars theme, complete with professional dance performances. The dinner can be held in a variety of locations, including the TV studio where the show was filmed or the hotel’s ballroom.

David Barrett, executive director of events for Amari Watergate Bangkok and Amari Orchid Pattaya, said: “Many corporate meeting planners and DMCs are asking for new and creative themed dinners. The launch of our Dancing with the Stars themed dinner is timely, meets a clear demand in the market and is guaranteed to engage delegates while injecting plenty of glitz, glamour and rhythm into a conference.

“We have received a number of requests for this theme, simply through our association with the show, so we are expecting both the conference and gala dinner options to be very popular.”

HILTON Worldwide has launched its Book More and Get More promotion, which dishes out value-added incentives to event planners who book at least 20 room nights between April 1 and June 30 at any of the group’s 100 properties in Asia-Pacific.

The number of incentives available to event planners will rise along with the number of room nights booked, with two incentives being offered for 20-49 room nights, up to a maximum six for 160 rooms nights or more. Options include welcome cocktail drinks, complimentary Internet in the meeting rooms and two complimentary upgrades to the next room category along with executive floor benefits.

Event planners who are Hilton HHonors members will receive Double Event Planner Bonus Points for bookings made during this promotion. They will also be rewarded with an additional 125,000 HHonors Event Planner Points for bookings made during the Group Value Date Incentive period, which is defined on respective hotel websites and at www.HiltonWorldwideMeetingsAPAC.com.

The Book More and Get More promotion is valid for stays until December 31.

THE Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) has upgraded its forecast for the year, encouraged by an improving economic outlook with business and consumer confidence on the rise.

According to the GBTA BTI Outlook – United States 2013 Q1, a report sponsored by Visa, Inc and which aggregates business travel trends over the next eight quarters, American business travel is now expected to rise 5.1 per cent in 2013 to US$$268.5 billion. This is an upward revision from the 4.6 per cent growth to US$266.7 billion that GBTA had predicted last quarter and a substantial increase from 2012’s 1.8 per cent growth.

Group spend is also expected to rise six per cent to US$115.9 billion, up from the 5.2 per cent growth forecasted in 4Q2012.

GBTA’s outlook for trip volume remains the same from last quarter – a slight decline of 1.1 per cent to 431.7 million person-trips.

The GBTA BTI, a proprietary index of business travel activity, is also estimated to reach 121 in 1Q2013, a figure that will exceed the pre-recession high of 120 and mark a comeback from the low 97 seen in 4Q2009. The BTI is expected to continue rising for the rest of the year, reaching 126 by end-2013.

GBTA executive director and COO, Michael W McCormick, said: “Business confidence is up and the need to compete in the global economy is driving companies to invest in business travel. Despite continued political uncertainty in the US and around the world, businesses are beginning to break out of their holding pattern and seek growth more aggressively. While there are still many factors that could hamper the economy again, from the impact of sequestration to rising energy prices, business travel spending is heading in the right direction so far in 2013.”

The GBTA BTI Outlook – United States 2013 Q1 also uncovered a strong correlation between stock prices and business travel spend, revealing that improving stock prices historically lead to better trip performance. With the market hitting record highs in the first quarter of this year, GBTA expects business travel to pick up additional momentum throughout the second half of 2013.

THE political exchanges between South and North Korea, as well as the H7N9 bird flu strain discovered in China have spooked clients into rethinking travel plans, according to some business event organisers in Singapore and Malaysia.

Selangor-based MICE Hubs Travel and Tours’ managing director, Konrad Ong, said a number of incentive clients had recently asked to cancel or postpone their programmes to China.

“As for South Korea, it has become a rather difficult destination to sell ever since North Korea started making nuclear threats. The decline in interest in South Korea is matched by a rise in demand for Japan, which I believe is also caused by the weakening Japanese yen,” Ong said, adding that a 12-pax incentive group has been secured for Kyoto this August.

Clients behind a 5,000-pax event, which would take place in Shanghai late-September, were also in a “state of panic over risk management”, said Felicia Teng, general manager of The Meeting Lab Singapore, who noted that insurance coverage of the event and attendees was one area of concern.

“Because of the scale of the event, many commitments have already been made and it is too late to make changes to the programme now. We are holding an international meeting in April and May to get everyone’s feedback on the extent of risk we should take,” Teng said.

Daniel Chua, owner of Aonia Singapore pointed out that business event clients were especially sensitive to security issues and would “generally avoid sources of potential conflict”.

“I’ve just been called to a meeting over a business event that is supposed to take place in Seoul on June 8 and 9. Clients are rethinking it now and they must decide soon,” Chua said.

Meanwhile, International SOS has issued a statement on the bird flu outbreak in China, declaring that “there is little risk to people residing in or travelling to China” and that there is “no need to alter travel plans if appropriate precautions are taken”.

Mick Sharp, regional security director, Asia Pacific for Travel Security Services, a joint venture between International SOS and Control Risks, also told TTGmice e-Weekly: “As of now, travel to South Korea can continue, and there is no requirement for those in the country to evacuate. However, travellers should closely monitor developments and seek itinerary-specific advice prior to their visit, and register with their embassy during their stay. Companies should continue to ensure that their crisis management plans remain up-to-date and effective.”