Press Room

Hosted by Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the Visit Japan Tourism Mart is considered the largest international inbound travel and tourism industry show in the country. The event is held annually in Tokyo the capital city, and this year for three days beginning September 21, whereby buyers and attendees had the opportunity to meet a wide range of suppliers of travel products from Japan under one roof. Exhibitors range from tour operators, hotel and resorts, destination attractions, as well as local tourism boards and tourism related business owners.

The show attracts buyers from all over the world to Tokyo, who are keen in doing tourism business with Japan. This as well as, to discover new tourism and MICE product offerings from the country. Buyers also had the opportunity to schedule their appointments online prior to the show through the web-based matching system provided by VJTM.

Aside from the business meetings, exhibitors, buyers and the media had the option of participating in a familiarisation tour of one of the nine different courses offered by VJTM: Hokkaido; Golden Route; Hokuriku Setouchi; Hokadate and Tohoku; North Kanto;Tohoku Kyushu South; Kyushu North; Okinawa and Tokyo and Sendai and Matsushima.

Through this show, JNTO aims to stimulate the local economies through the promotion of the tourism industry in Japan. At the same time, develop new tourism products and MICE in Japan.

Business Talk Session during VJTM 2016 at Tokyo Big Sight

Media Familiarisation Tour  of Kyushu North

Media representatives and buyers from Malaysia and Singapore.

Visit to Toto Museum – Display of tableware, sanitary ware, fittings and plumbing equipment of toilets and faucets. Showcase is on the Morimura Brothers who started the first factory in the late 19th century, to make porcelain ware from Japan.

Kitakyushu Musuem of Natural History & Human History – Exhibits of Dinosaurs.

Retro Building: Old Moji Mitsui Club is now a restaurant and was formerly a guesthouse, where Albert Einstein and his second wife stayed in 1922 when they visited Kyushu.

Retro Building: The Industry Club House of West Japan – An important national cultural property, has Western and Japanese style influence. Once home to the founder of a vocational school, who is a distinguished Japanese leader of industry, is now the Kyushu Institute of Technology.

Moji Port – An International trading port of the late 19th century is now a tourist destination.

Kokura Castle – Built in 1602 and was the property of the Ogasawara Clan. The castle was destroyed by fire in 1866 in a clan war. It was reconstructed in 1959, and fully restored in 1990. Today, the grounds of the castle known as Katsuyama Park, is a popular spot where cherry blossoms bloom in early April.

The third edition of the show saw more than 600 international and local exhibitors participating in an area spanning over 28,000 square metres of space. During the three days, the Expo attracted 4,000 trade visitors and some 400 local and international hosted buyers. The promise of amazing travel deals witnessed 56,000 public visitors flocking to the exhibition.

In total, 42 countries and 26 local provinces were represented at the show – the highest international representation since the exhibition’s inauguration in 2014.

Also for the first time, Sri Lanka was made the partner country for the XSRITE 2016, while the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism was the gold sponsor for the event. Both countries received widespread publicity through their collaborative efforts with the organisers, the Conference & Exhibition Management Services (CEMS) Group of Companies in China, Malaysia and Singapore.

The Kuala Lumpur Tourism Bureau leveraging on the city’s existing heritage zone, has introduced free guided walk of the city.  Fifteen licenced guides have been engaged by the bureau,  to walk with the visitors and on each trail tell a story of the history of Kuala Lumpur, about the colonial buildings found in the city, as well as tidbits and annecdotes of early denizons of the city, who have helped built the city. Visitors can choose four heritage trails for the free guided walk:

• Kuala Lumpur Guided Herita Trail Walk 
• The Old KL & Nature Guided Walk
• Jalan-Jalan at Kampong Bharu Culture Walk
• Kuala Lumpur Heritage Guided Nigh Walk

According to KLTB, the guides were selected based on their ability to convince and engage tourists both intelectually and emotionally of Kuala Lumpur’s history and heritage.  From these walks, tourists will be able to gain a meaningful insight of the city, as well as leave with a memorable experience of the sights and sounds of the city.

Available now is the Kuala Lumpur Heritage Guided Night Walk trail which is offered to visitors every Saturday at 7.00 pm with the starting point at Arch Cafe, covering historical Old Market Square at Jalan Lebuh Pasar, Jamek Mosque, Indian Mosque Bazaar, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman Bazaar, Coliseum Cafe, Panggung Bandaraya and Merdeka Square.  This night walk will shocase old Kuala Lumpur and its heritage buildings with lights and the vibrant local night markets which comes alive bustling with activites in the evening.

To book the free guided walk, email enquiries@kltourismbureau.com.my

The Labuan International Business and Financial Centre, known as Labuan IBFC was established more than 25 years ago to complement the activities of the domestic financial market in Kuala Lumpur and the development of economic activities in Labuan, an island off Sabah (Malaysian Borneo), which is under the jurisdiction of the federal territory in Malaysia.

What Labuan IBFC offers is a wide range of business and financial services such as: company incorporations (holding, trading, banking, leasing and shipping companies); fund management; special purpose vehicles; insurance (covers also reinsurance captive protected cell companies, Takaful and re-Takaful); and private wealth management.

At the same time in 2011, to remain competitive the Labuan IBFC introduced the global incentives for trading (GIFT) programme, a scheme set up to attract international commodity traders to take advantage of Malaysia, as their operational and trading base. Among the highlights of the GIFT programme are: three percent flat corporate tax rate; tax exemption; operate anywhere in Malaysia; 100 percent exemption on director fees paid to non-Malaysian directors; stamp duty exemption; and 50 percent exemption on gross employment income for non-Malaysian professionals.

Labuan IBFC has begun a roadshow to promote its business and financial services throughout Asia. The Centre recently collaborated with the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry to launch its roadshow in Kuala Lumpur.

To find out more about Labuan IBFC, please visit www.libfc.com

Networking Session with the Labuan IBFC Organised by the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce

President of MICCI, Datuk Wira Jalilah Baba presenting a momento to the Chief Executive Officer of Labuan IBFC, Danial Mah Abdullah.

Located in the northernmost province of Thailand, Chiang Rai has the potential, as well as the readiness to facilitate MICE business. A tour of the city was organised for the international media by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) to showcase the modern facilities and time-honoured heritage of Chiang Rai.

TCEB revealed that the success of Thailand’s business events industry in the first half of the 2016 fiscal year (from October 2015 to March 2016), the country welcomed 493,384 business events travellers – earning the country’s economy more than 39,671 billion baht (approximately USD1,116 million). According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), it was reported that Thailand’s world ranking has improved from 33rd place in 2014, to 27th place in 2015 in the number of international meetings held.

Press Conference on TCEB International Media Faliliarisation Trip 2016 – Hosted by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of TCEB, Weerasak Kowsurat

Venue: Exhibition Gallery, Nai Lert Park Heritage Home in Bangkok

Visit to Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park

Is a museum located in a landscaped garden that houses one of Thailand’s biggest collections of artefacts from the Lanna region.  It also has antiques, art works, statues of Buddha and structures of Buddhist temples.

Choui Fong Tea Plantation in Chiang Rai

Doi Tung Royal Development Project – CSR and Team Building Activities

Golden Triangle View Point

Lunch at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort

Tour of Singha Park Farm and Adventure Activities

Shopping at Night Market in Chiang Rai

Visit to the Wat Rong Khun (White Temple) of Chiang Rai

Welcome speech by the President of SACEOS Janet Tan-Collis.

Discussion on the development of the MICE industry

Panelist of speakers consisting of professional MICE practitioners from around the world.

MICE in Asia is a media partner of Singapore MICE Forum (SMF) 2016.

Hosted by HVS and co-hosted by Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia and Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), THINC Indonesia provides a unique platform to deliberate on the development and direction of the hotel and tourism industry in the region.

Dedicated to the tourism and hospitality sector, the conference brings to the fore relevant subject matter, key issues and latest industry trends that shape and transform the future of hospitality businesses in Indonesia, as well as in South East Asia. Having rightfully created a niche for itself as the premier hospitality event in the region, THINC Indonesia also brings together an impressive conglomeration of business leaders, think tanks and industry top brass.

Undoubtedly, THINC Indonesia has become one of the most coveted forums for all industry players in the region. The conference offers all delegates and participants immense opportunities to network, learn and share knowledge and best practices with their regional and international counterparts.

This year, THINC Indonesia will be held on the island of Bali from August 31 to September 1.

For more information, please visit www.thincindonesia.com

MICE in Asia is a media partner of THINC Indonesia 2016.

THINC Indonesia brings together business leaders, think tanks and top industry leaders.

The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) has announced that the third iteration of its annual business contest to promote Taiwan as a top-of-mind destination for incentive travel in Asia is now on. The Asia Super Team returns with a new gamification design in which, the first phase, will be presented in a Monopoly-styled online quiz game. It is open to contestants from Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia,Thailand and for the first time, Hong Kong and Macau.

The champion company will walk away with an attractive MICE tourism packages to Taiwan that is worth approximately USD 50,000.

This year’s edition of Asia Super Team has gamification mechanism in its online and offline contests. The theme selected is:The Almighty Player which is aimed at motivating and challenging contestants, as well as engaging more Asian businesses to experience Taiwan’s MICE attractions.

Now open for registration at asiasuperteam.meettaiwan.com which will run through August 28, 2016.

Once again the Asia Super Team will be organised by Taiwan’s MICE promotion program, MEET Taiwan which is implemented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).

Please visit asiasuperteam.meettaiwan.com and for video instruction with live demo at AST 2016 promotional video.

This is the seventh installment and the organisers promised some very exciting programmes beginning from July 29. The festival is all about discovering local talents and bringing in world class shows at affordable prices for the people.

This year, the organisers have put forward an effort a project Arts for Humanity requesting members of the community to support the arts by contributing a minimum of USD1. The project aims to self-fund initiatives that the festival runs for the community, like arranging community tickets for the underprivileged, organising educational workshops with schools like the LASALLE School of the Arts as well as funding regional artists’ projects that are to be premiered at George Town Festival in the next few years.

Festival director Joe Sidek envisages, a harmonious community brought together by the arts. The talk Stories, Humanity and What About The Arts to be held on July 30 during the opening weekend of this year’s festival will feature co-founder of the legendary Burning Man Festival, Larry Harvey, as well as renowned Cambodian film director, Rithy Panh. Both the stalwarts will share their personal artistic experiences before being part of a moderated panel discussion.

Among the programmes scheduled to be released are:

• Smashed by Gandini Juggling – a UK-based juggling group that has performed over 5000 shows in 50 countries. Coming to Asia for the first time is Pan Pan Theatre with All That Fall, a different theatrical experience that has travelled to the Edinburgh International Festival, Sydney International Festival, New York and around Ireland.

• To tickle your funny bone, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival will be bringing along a troupe including some of the best stand-up comedians from the country. For an intellectual discussion about the history of notable figures in Penang and its sister city Adelaide, the talk is entitled: Connecting the Lights: Francis Light, William Light and Who Was Martina Rozells.

• ASEAN Film Talks and showcase where award-winning Cambodian film director Rithy Panh will be discussing creative rights and the viability of ASEAN films in the international market together with other prominent personalities from the film- making industry. There will also be a screening of Panh’s critically acclaimed documentary The Missing Picture at the showcase. Entrance tickets to this hottest regional music showcase, the A+SEAN Showcase are now available at RM35 (one-day entry) and RM60 (two-day entry).

• Popular Malaysian singer Sheila Majid will be performing her first public show in the northern region in over ten years. Joining her will be breakout hip-hop artist Joe Flizzow, as well as the multi-talented SonaOne.

The George Town Festival is held annually on the island of Penang, Malaysia. The full lineup is available at www.georgetownfestival.com.