FEATURE: Indochinese countries promote overland tourism
May 16, 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
May 16, 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
May 16, 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
May 16, 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
May 16, 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.
Matsui calls on more Japanese tourists to visit U.S., Yankee Stadium
May 16, 2006New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui called on more Japanese tourists to visit the United States, and in particular his club's home stadium, in a ceremony Thursday at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Matsui, who was appointed as a tourism goodwill ambassador by New York City in 2004, recommended that Japanese visit such major tourist spots in the city as Central Park and said in Japanese, ''Above all, Yankee Stadium.''
APEC eyes direct flights to members' World Heritage sites
May 16, 2006The 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum will consider opening direct flight routes to their cultural World Heritage sites from major APEC cities during a meeting of tourism ministers slated for October in Vietnam, APEC sources said Monday. During the first meeting of senior officials of APEC economies held in March in Hanoi, Vietnam, this year's host country, suggested tourism cooperation measures such as simplifying travel procedures, facilitating connecting tours and the direct flights to the cultural heritage sites.
Record number of Japanese to go abroad during Golden Week: JTB
May 16, 2006A record number of Japanese are expected to go abroad during this year's Golden Week holiday season from late April to early May, JTB Corp. said Thursday. An estimated 565,000 people are likely to leave Japan for overseas tours between April 26 and May 6, up 3.9 percent from a year earlier for an all-time high since JTB began the survey in 1969, the biggest Japanese travel agency said.
Keidanren calls for updating tourism law
May 16, 2006Japan should update its tourism law, which was established more than 40 years ago, to increase the number of foreign tourists and stimulate domestic travel as well, the Japan Business Federation said in a report Wednesday. Japan's biggest business lobby, better known as Nippon Keidanren, said the nation needs to introduce a new law promoting tourism with unified goals and measures to be implemented across a broader area than at present. Training more experts on tourism at national and local government levels is also necessary, it said.
EU poised to promote tourism in the region
May 16, 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.