FEATURE: Indochinese countries promote overland tourism
March 30, 2006(EDS: ONE PHOTO ACCOMPANYING THIS STORY IS AVAILABLE VIA E-MAIL. THE PHOTO ADVISORY IS TO FOLLOW) In 1989, following the end of the Cold War and civil wars in Indochina, then Thai Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan advocated transforming Indochina ''from a battlefield into a marketplace.''
FEATURE: Tottori private company attempts public tourism facility management
March 30, 2006Furusato Shikano Co. in the city of Tottori on the Sea of Japan coast is expected to earn a profit during the current fiscal year ending this month after coming into being as a private company in October 2004 to look after five tourism facilities formerly under management of the local municipality. The facilities include a hot spring inn and a place where tourists can gain firsthand experience in kneading flour into ''soba'' noodles.
LDP lawmakers to draft bill promoting ecotourism
March 30, 2006The Liberal Democratic Party on Friday began work to introduce legislation promoting ecotourism that aims to promote the economy of an area rich in natural heritage while preserving its environment. The move was initiated by about 10 LDP lawmakers, including Masahito Moriyama, who were newly elected in last year's House of Representatives election as the so-called ''Koizumi children.''
FEATURE: Japan trying to entice Chinese tourists
March 30, 2006With Japan's population starting to dwindle, the nation's tourism industry as well as the central and local governments are turning their eyes to the world's most populous country -- China -- hoping that a large number of travelers from the market with 1.3 billion people will rejuvenate Japanese regional economies. The government of Shizuoka prefecture, the home of Mt. Fuji, is no exception. As part of a state-funded project to invite foreign travel agencies to Japan, the prefecture recently had five Chinese officials tour the area.
FEATURE: 'Guest is God' is new motto to boost tourism in India
March 30, 2006A surprise awaits foreign tourists planning to visit India as the government gears up to welcome them as guests and send them home as friends. Based on the age-old Indian philosophy ''Atithi Devo Bhavah'' or ''Guest is God,'' the Tourism Ministry has initiated a new campaign to improve the touristic experience for travelers.
Annual snow festival begins in Sapporo
March 30, 2006A seven-day snow festival began Monday in the Hokkaido capital of Sapporo featuring some 300 snow and ice sculptures in three locations, including one that replaces a previous Ground Self-Defense Force site. For the 57th Sapporo Snow Festival, the new Satoland site replaces the previous festival site in the GSDF's Makomanai garrison, with troops offering technical support for the building of statues and a giant snow slope, which had been a popular attraction for children at the previous site.
Chubu airport trying to draw more transit passengers
March 30, 2006About one year after opening as Japan's third major international gateway, Centrair International Airport near Nagoya will try to draw more transit passengers from Japanese cities as well as abroad, its operator said Wednesday. Yukihisa Hirano, president of the airport operator Central Japan International Airport Co., said at a press conference in Tokyo, ''We will devise a strategy to lure more tourists from the countryside, for example, by creating package tours together with local travel agencies.''
EU poised to promote tourism in the region
March 30, 2006The European Union on Tuesday presented a plan to promote further tourism in Europe and make it more visible to the world, a spokesman told reporters. ''The main aim of the renewed European tourism policy is to improve the competitiveness of the European tourism industry and create more and better jobs through the sustainable growth of tourism in Europe and globally,'' Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry Guenter Verheugen said.