Asia-Pacific Newsletter I 2016, Issue 43

Transcription

1 UNWTO/GTERC Annual Report on Asia Tourism Trends 2016 Edition ISBN The UNWTO/GTERC Asia Tourism Trends 2016 Edition, the third annual report in the series, highlights the rapidly growing tourism sector of Asia and the Pacific. Tourism is a reflection of the socio-economic conditions of the region whose GDP has been growing much faster than the world s average. This has led to the emergence of a robust middle-class who possess the disposable income to travel. Allied to the ICT revolution, a new group of travelers, the consumer class and the technology savvy millennials with their own characteristics has emerged. These form the essence of the second chapter of the study. Tourism calls for the reciprocal investment in infrastructure and human capital development to sustain this growth that is elaborated in the third section. The final chapter gives a summary of the agenda of activities of the Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific for the year. UNWTO Conference: Tourism A Catalyst for Development, Peace and Reconciliation Passikudah Asia-Pacific Newsletter I 2016, Issue 43 ISBN The report of the UNWTO/SLTDA Conference: Tourism A Catalyst for Tourism Development, Peace and Reconciliation, held in Passikudah, Sri Lanka, July 2016, summarizes the four major themes discussed during the event: the close links between tourism, peace and reconciliation; the position and contribution of local communities in the development of peace sensitive tourism ; the potential of public-private partnerships with small and medium-sized enterprises in the development of tourism in areas recovering from conflict; and marketing and re-branding of post-conflict destinations. Tourism and Culture Partnership in Peru Models for Collaboration between Tourism, Culture and Community ISBN The publication Tourism and Culture Partnership in Peru: Models for Collaboration among Tourism, Culture and Community analyses the importance of collaboration among three essential elements for the sustainable development of tourism destinations: tourism, culture and the community. Starting with a general framework, this book explores the subject by studying the case of Peru, as a country that has distinguished itself in its links to cultural tourism and in the tourism management of its heritage. Mekong River based Tourism Product Development ISBN The report is divided into four sections. The introduction outlines the approach to the study and defines river-based tourism. This is followed by the situational analysis, which explores the current product, market and policy dynamics of the Mekong River region and highlights opportunities and challenges for the development of river-based tourism. Section three of the report provides a strategic framework and action plan for improving the quality, quantity and breadth of river-based tourism along the Mekong River. In section four of the report, river-based tourism development zones are mapped with complementary itineraries. And finally, the appendices provide a detailed implementation plan, summary of existing cruise products, and an indicative monitoring framework. Sustainable Cruise Tourism Development Strategies Tackling the Challenges in Itinerary Design in South-East Asia ISBN The impact, challenges and implications of cruise tourism development are representative of our planet s overall challenges in approaching economic development. This report presents a call to action at a critical juncture in South-East Asian development and seeks to spread awareness of sustainable development in cruise tourism, catalyze collaboration across the region and stimulate the strategic implementation of best practices and innovations. 1 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter The 10th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook Sustainable Report Rural Tourism for the Rural Area Revitalization Destination Report Passikudah, Sri Lanka Special Issue Philippines Tourism Stories Publications

2 Contents UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue Interview Mr. Xu Jing, Executive-Secretary and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific of UNWTO UNWTO World Tourism Barometer 08 First World Conference on Tourism for Development: Tourism for Peace and Development th UNWTO Joint Commission Meeting CAP and CSA & UNWTO Conference on Tourism and Technology 14 UNWTO Conference on Tourism: a Catalyst for Development, Peace and Reconciliation 17 UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and Sports 19 World Tourism Day th World Tourism Conference 25 Global Tourism Economy Forum th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook Publishers lnwon Choue, Ph.D President of Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea Editor-in-Chief Chulwon Kim, Ph.D Senior Editor Brett Bouchard Assistant Editors Eunhee Kim I Ling Yu I Seungmin Lee I Hyunsu Kim I Miso Kim Designing/Printing Co. M&C Communications & Nanum Printing Special Report Mountain Tourism / National Tourism Slogan Policy 38 Destination Report Yaeyama Islands Okinawa Prefecture, Japan / Passikudah, Sri Lanka 45 Sustainable Tourism Development Rural Tourism for Rural Area Revitalization 48 Special Analysis The History of UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter Supporting the Region s Tourism Sector for 12 Years and Counting 52 Export column Fair Tourism / YMCA Promoting Responsible and Sustainable Tourism / MICE Infrastructure in Thiland Local Tourism in Pilgrimage Routes: The Case of Japan s Kumano Kodo The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Future of Tourism 74 Special Issue A Tourism Stories Publication for the Philippines 80 News from UNWTO states Affiliate Members DISCOVERYMICE / Guilin Tourism University - An Overview / Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao, China 88 News from Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific JATA Tourism EXPO Japan 2016 / UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and Technology 94 Conferences & Meetings The publication of this Newsletter is specially funded by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea 99 Asia Pacific News Briefs

3 Interview Message from Mr. Xu Jing, UNWTO Executive Secretary and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific UNWTO World Tourism Barometer Destinations around the world welcomed 956 million international tourists between January and September 2016, according to the data analyzed in this issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. This is 34million more than in the same period of 2015, a 4% increase. The Newsletter also brings attention to the important work of UNWTO member states and affiliate members, such as landmark events, international travel fairs, and training sessions. Additionally, the destination reports provide destinations the opportunity to present new strategies in tourism promotion and development. The Newsletter has truly become the go to resource for information on recent and upcoming activities on tourism in Asia and the Pacific. Close to one billion international tourists in the first nine months of 2016 Demand for international tourism remained robust in the first nine months of 2016, though growing at a somewhat more moderate pace. After a strong start of the year, growth was slower in the second quarter of 2016 to pick up again in the third quarter of the year. While most destinations report encouraging results, others continue to No destination is immune to risks. We need to increase cooperation in addressing these global threats, namely those related to safety and security. And we need to make tourism an integral part of emergency planning and response, added Dr. Rifai ahead of the Ministerial Meeting on Safe, Secure and Seamless Travel held at the World Travel Market in London on 9 November. Dr. Rifai also recalled: Real crises are often magnified or Mr. Xu Jing The UNWTO Asia -Pacific Newsletter has had a substantial impact since its inception in In the past 10 years, there have been significant accomplishments in the tourism sector, especially in Asia and Pacific. Between 2005 and 2015, Asia and the Pacific outperformed all world regions in This is a dynamic time for the tourism sector, and there are strong prospects for its future. Currently, Asia and the Pacific accounts for nearly one-quarter of the global share of tourist arrivals. In 2015, international tourist arrivals to Asia and the Pacific reached 279 million, up from 110 million in The UNWTO forecasts that, by 2030, there will be 535 million international arrivals to countries in the region. With this great growth comes a responsibility. The tourism sector must seek to strike a balance between growth and struggle with the impact of negative events, either in their country or in their region. Tourism is one of the most resilient and fastest-growing economic sectors but it is also very sensitive to risks, both actual and perceived. As such, the sector must continue to work together with governments and stakeholders to minimize risks, respond effectively and build confidence among travelers, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. distorted by misperception and affected destinations are facing important challenges, although at the global level demand remains strong. We need to support these countries in restoring confidence, as doing so will benefit the entire tourism sector and society as a whole. Results for the Asia and the Pacific Region Asia and the Pacific enjoyed the highest growth in international arrivals across world regions in January-September 2016, terms of growth, with arrivals increasing an average of 6% per year. The UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter has told the stories of these achievements throughout the region. It has sustainability. In 2017, UNWTO will proudly partner with the United Nations in the implementation of the United Nations International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Table.1 International Tourist Arrivals, Monthly evolution Asia and the Pacific Table.2 International Tourist Arrivals, Asia and the Pacific brought to the forefront major tourism events and provided The next year will be a global celebration that explores and interviews with thought leaders in tourism. The special highlights tourism s potential to transform our world into a reports on important issues, such as managing seasonality, place of prosperity and wellbeing for all. tourism statistics, and enhancing transportation services, continue to drive the tourism sector forward. Next year presents an ideal opportunity for the Newsletter to showcase the activities throughout Asia and Pacific that are The UNWTO is proud to partner with the Ministry of Culture, a part of the International Year. As a regional tourism sector, Sports, and Tourism of the Republic of Korea and with there are opportunities to work towards and challenges to Kyung Hee University on the UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter. overcome in achieving the UN Sustainable Development The five sections in the Newsletter cover a wide variety of Goals. The UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter can serve as a issues that are pertinent for tourism policy makers and has forum to exchange success stories and to drive towards a become an excellent platform to share best practices in tourism. more sustainable tourism sector. 64 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 5

4 a 9% increase over the same period last year. Growth was strong in all four sub regions. Oceania led results with a 10% increase, followed closely by North-East Asia and South-East Asia (both +9%) and South Asia (+8%). last year. The Philippines (+13%) and Singapore (+10%) also reported double-digit growth, while arrivals increased 9% in Indonesia and 4% in Malaysia, Cambodia and Myanmar. Table.5 International Tourist Arrivals by (Sub)region The largest sub region, North-East Asia recorded 9% growth in international arrivals this nine-month period, driven by remarkable results in the Republic of Korea (+36%) and Japan (+24%). Korea rebounded strongly from weaker results last year, following the MERS outbreak in mid In Japan arrivals are growing at double-digit rates for the fifth year in a row, fueled by strong demand from South-East Asian markets and China, and supported by simpler visa procedures and the weaker yen. Macao (China) recorded 9% growth, due to increased air connectivity and product diversification, while arrivals in Taiwan (Pr. of China) grew by 5%. China, the sub region s largest destination, reported an increase of 4% (through June) with particularly good results in February, due to the Chinese Lunar New Year falling in that month. In Hong Kong (China) arrivals declined slightly, partly due to competition from destinations with relatively weaker currencies. In Oceania (+10%), major destinations Australia, New Zealand (both +12%) and Guam (+10%) all grew in double digits. Fiji posted an increase of 4% this period, while results were mixed across smaller Pacific island destinations. South Asia recorded 8% more international tourist arrivals in January September Results were led by Sri Lanka (+15%), which is boasting its seventh consecutive year of double digit growth. South Asia s top destination India (+11%) led growth in absolute terms, thanks to improved visa facilitation measures, among other reasons, while Maldives reported an increase of 3%. In South-East Asia (+9%), results were driven by top destination Thailand (+12%), which is enjoying its second straight year of double-digit growth. Demand was strong in particular from China, the Russian Federation and the United States. Vietnam (+26%) boasted the highest percentage increase in the sub region, rebounding from modest results Table.3 International Tourist Arrivals, Monthly Evolution Asia and the Pacific Table.4 International Tourist Arrivals, Monthly evolution World Table.6 Outlook for International Tourist Arrivals 6 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 7

5 First World Conference on Tourism for Development: Tourism for Peace and Development Beijing, China, May 2016 During the Session UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai Introduction The First World Conference on Tourism for Development was held in Beijing, China May to discuss the role of tourism in fighting poverty and building peace. The conference was organized by UNWTO and the Government of the People s Republic of China and welcomed more than 1000 participants from over 100 countries who congregated in Beijing. Opening Session In the Opening Session of the conference, Premier Li Keqiang emphasized the role and contribution of tourism in raising people from poverty and the importance of boosting international cooperation in tourism. Premier Li also highlighted tourism s capacity to encourage creating jobs, economic growth and foster comprehensive development. He said, As we look for new drivers of growth, tourism has a very important role to play not only for its direct impact but also for the value it adds to other sectors. At the event, Premier Li offered the following three suggestions on how the tourism sector can promote peace and development: Boost world economic recovery by implementing international tourism cooperation plans. Strengthen south-north and south-south dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation in tourism and push for the implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development. Highlight tourism's role as a bridge for peace in promoting the harmonious co-existence of people from all countrie The President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyussi, emphasized that inclusion through tourism requires investment in education and capacity building. UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai underpinned the connection between development and peace. He said that There can be no development without peace and no peace without development. He also highlighted the following four key areas in which tourism can contribute to more sustainable and inclusive societies: Tourism creates jobs and new opportunities. Tourism boosts economic growth and fosters development. Tourism builds peace and understanding. Tourism can be a leader in protecting our planet. In a message delivered to the conference by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr Wu Hongbo, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: When tourism is well-managed, it has tremendous capacity to create jobs, provide opportunities for inclusion and education, and contribute to preserving cultural heritage and the environment. Main Sessions The conference included three main panel sessions devoted to the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to poverty reduction and to peace. Summit session The Summit session was moderated by CNN s Richard Quest where participants expressed the need for an integrated approach to tourism development that can contribute effectively to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 8 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 9

6 28 th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and the UNWTO Commission for South Asia During the Session Topics discussed contained effective resource management, the role of the private sector and the need for the SDGs to be understood by all - citizens, policy makers, and the business community. Session on tourism and poverty Members of the session on tourism and poverty stressed that there is a shortage of comprehension and research on the impact of the sector on poverty levels. They highlighted better measuring, monitoring and communication. Third session In the third session of the event, dedicated to tourism and peace-participants emphasized how people-to-people diplomacy is inherent to tourism while calling for investment in education and youth to build more secure societies. Official Mesage by Li Jinzao Nowadays, Tourism is no longer luxurious item for the few, it has become a part of people s lives. It is also a kind of lifestyle, and one of people s fundamental rights. Following the footsteps of 1.2 billion travelers around the globe, the world s tourism era has come inadvertently. In recent years, the world s tourism industry has grown steadily, and in a faster pace than the growth of global economy, it has become one of the fastest growth areas of the world s economy. Authorized by the State Council, co-hosted by Chinese Government and UNWTO, The First World Conference on Tourism for Development will be held in Beijing, China on May 19, The theme of the conference is Tourism for Peace and Development. Centered on the three topics of Tourism for development, Tourism for Poverty Alleviation and Tourism for Peace, all participates will exchange views equally and further discuss the world tourism development plan, and explore a new way for world tourism development jointly. We look forward to seeing you in Beijing! Overview 28 th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific (CAP) and Commission for South Asia (CSA) & UNWTO Conference on Tourism and Technology Nara, Japan, 1-4 June 2016 The CAP/CSA Joint Meeting is one of UNWTO s principal annual events held in the Asia Pacific Region. The 28 th Meeting was attended by over 60 representatives from UNWTO Member States and more than 30 UNWTO Affiliate Members and numerous international and regional organizations. Key topics included: UNWTO s Programme of Work for the Region Tourism and Ethics International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 ST-EP International Organization Tourism and Security Other statutory issues related to the UNWTO Asia-Pacific Member States This year, the Joint Commission Meeting was held in conjunction with a one-day, international conference on Tourism and Technology, which examined the current emerging technologies that are of primary relevance to the tourism sector. The conference also sought to raise awareness in other sectors of the economy of the need and opportunities for new technological applications in different sectors of tourism. UNWTO Conference on Tourism & Technology Presentation on Tourism and Technology by Dr. Roger Carter, UNWTO Consultant and Managing Director, TEAM Tourism Consulting discussed how both engineering and digital technologies are enhancing the processes of travel nationally and internationally and increasing visitors enjoyment of destinations. The presentation also elaborated on the ways in which tourism markets have changed as a result of access to new technologies and the business ventures that they have enabled. Session 1: Challenges and opportunities of new technology for the travel and tourism industries 10 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 11

7 28 th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and the UNWTO Commission for South Asia Mr. Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA Presentations were by made by key leaders in the travel and tourism industries overviewing the way in which new technologies have impacted the tourism sector over the past 5-10 years. In addition, the speakers shared their perspectives on the changes that they anticipate in the years to come. Moderator: Mr. Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA Participants: Mr. Jackson Pek, Vice-President of Amadeus, Legal Counsel and responsible for Industry Affairs in Asia Pacific Mr. Erick Stephens, Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft, Public Sector Asia-Pacific Mr. Patee Sarasin, Chief Executive Officer, Nok Airlines Co. Mr. Akihiro Horisaka, Director, Senior Executive Officer, Senior General Manager of Marketing Department, West Japan Railway Company Mr. Tatsuya (Tony) Hamada, Senior Executive Officer, Deputy Executive Divisional Director, Corporate Planning Division in charge of Tourism, Olympic & Paralympic Games Coordination, Narita International Airport Corporation Session 2: Challenges and opportunities of new technology for tourism destinations Moderator: Dr. Roger Carter, Managing Director, TEAM Tourism Consulting Presentations and discussions were shared by destination organisations that have been at the forefront in the use of new technologies, with a review of the impacts that new technologies and applications have had on their markets, strategies and operations over the past. In addition, participants also shared their views on the changes that they anticipate over the next 5-10 years in the use of new technologies and in market demand in their destination. A technology showcase was held by the Japan Tourism Agency to supplement and enhance the three sessions of the conference by providing hands-on demonstrations of the technological advancements that are improving the visitor s experience and that are ultimately expected to change the travel and tourism industry in Japan. Session 3: Tourism and travel innovations and new business models Moderator: Mr. Ryoichi MATSUYAMA, President of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) The final session featured presentations and discussions by key tourism and travel innovators about the ways in which their businesses have developed and introduced new business models; and the impacts that they have had on the travel and tourism industries, including enhanced sustainability and greater access to travel for large segments of the population regardless of their age and/or physical limitations. 28 th CAP CSA Joint Regional Meeting In the Joint Regional Meeting, 13 agendas were tabled and discussed. The Report of the Secretary-General, highlighted the following: International Tourism in 2015 and 2016, Mainstreaming Tourism in the Global Agenda, Key UNWTO activities in Asia and the Pacific, Administrative and Financial Matters. The Report on Regional Activities included some of the activities that fall under the strategic objectives of sustainability and competitiveness as well as priority issues carried out upon individual requests received from member states and in collaboration with other partners. In the report on Tourism and Ethics, the following topics were overviewed: the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism; the UNWTO draft Convention on Tourism Ethics; and the Global Study on the Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism. The section of Tourism and Security stressed on the framework for safe, secure and seamless travel where the background for this agenda were explained. In addition, the members of the Joint Commission concurred on the importance of knowledge sharing and integration of the tourism and security sectors which is of fundamental importance to ensure safety and security. The final agenda item for the meeting was to finalize agreement on which country would host the 29 th Joint Commission Meeting of UNWTO CSA-CAP. It was agreed that next year`s meeting will be held in Bangladesh in the first half of UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 13

8 Signing ceremony of the private sector commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for tourism Session 1 Introduction UNWTO Conference on Tourism: a Catalyst for Development, Peace and Reconciliation Passikudah, Sri Lanka, July 2016 The joint conference of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) that was celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year, on Tourism: a Catalyst for Development Peace and Reconciliation was held in Passikudah, Sri Lanka from July. The conference attracted more than 150 participants comprising 70 international delegates from 26 countries. Objectives of the Conference The main objectives of the conference were outlined as follows with particular attention being paid to the local context: Assess the close links between tourism, peace and reconciliation as inter-dependent components in their overall political, economic and socio-cultural dimensions on a global, regional and national scale in post-conflict development agendas involving the public and private sectors. Examine the position and contribution of local communities in the development of peace sensitive tourism in the provision of goods and services and in decision making. Gauge the potential of public -private partnerships with SMEs in the development of tourism in areas recovering from conflict that lack infrastructure, especially in the accommodation sector. Evaluate marketing and re-branding of post-conflict destinations through the international, national and social media. Opening session Hon. John Amaratunga, Minister of Tourism Development, Christian Religious Affairs and Lands stated in his opening remarks stated The message that we want to tell the world, is that Sri Lanka is one of the safest places to travel to today and this is the best time to explore the hidden treasures of this land, one such being this very beach in Passikudah. The keynote speech was made by HRH Dana Firas, Chair, Petra National Trust, Jordan, on the role of local community interaction in sustainable tourism development. Mr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General, UNWTO, welcomed the spirit of unity and dignity that was visible throughout Sri Lanka and emphasized the role of tolerance and understanding as an integral part of tourism development. Mr. Austin Fernando, Governor, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, delivered the message of His Excellency, Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka, where he stressed that The path to peace and reconciliation has been paved in the change of the landscape of Sri Lanka in 2015, last year, with the establishment of a unity government which comprises the mainstream political parties. The main aim of the national government is to bring about reconciliation and achieve sustainable peace. Peace through tourism is not only about fostering understanding but is also related to poverty alleviation, preservation of heritage, protection of the environment and thus sustainability. The conference was composed of four major sessions that included the following themes: Session 1: The contribution of tourism development to peace and reconciliation The session was moderated by Mr. Xu Jing, UNWTO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific with contributions from Hon. Mr. Chantha Tith, Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia, and Hon. Mr. Istvan Ujhelyi Vice-Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament, spoke of their national and regional experiences respectively on the contribution of tourism development and its impact on peace and reconciliation. Others from the public and private sectors highlighted the opportunities and challenges faced in this process Session 2: Local community involvement and peace sensitive tourism Session 2 was moderated by Mr. Martin Brackenbury, UNWTO expert and former president of the International Federation of Tour Operators (IFTO), United Kingdom. Session 3: Public private partnerships and peace tourism In Session 3, Ms. Anita Mendiratta, Special Advisor to the UNWTO Secretary-General moderated the session. On the panel was Dr. Mario Hardy, Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Mr. Peter Wong, Executive Chairman, China Chamber of Tourism (CCT), Mr. Hiroshi Sawabe, Executive Director, Japan Association Travel Agents (JATA) and Hon. Z.A. Nazeer Ahamed, Chief Minister, Eastern Provincial Council. They dealt with partnerships and peace tourism as a level of private sector that is beneficial in the conflict areas that lack the infrastructure and the means to develop tourism. 14 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 15

9 Mr. Janaka Sugathadasa, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, S HRH Dana Firas, Chair, Petra National Trust, Jordan UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and Sports UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai Session 4: Marketing and rebranding of post-conflict destinations Session 2 UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and Sports Da Nang, Viet Nam, September 2016 Session 4 dealt with marketing and rebranding of post-conflict destinations and moderated by Ms. Sandra Carvao, Chief of Communications and Publications, UNWTO. Panels discussed how best to promote the destination in the aftermath of conflict through the The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and Da Nang City People's Committee organized the UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and Sports on Opinions, approaches and experiences in developing sports tourism products; Marketing and promoting sports - tourism products including the golf tourism, adventure tourism, hiking, international media and particularly social media which plays such an important role in tourism today. Session 3 24 September 2016 in Da Nang City. cruises; sharing experiences from Spain, Japan, Republic of Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam. Technical Tour The Conference welcomed the distinguished presence of the Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Vu Duc Dam, the Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, H.E Mr. Vu Duc Dam, UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai, the Minister of Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, spoke of the potential for A technical tour to Trincomalee, Jaffna and surrounding area Culture, Sports and Tourism H.E. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thien, blending together tourism and sports activities as both was organized for 13 and 14 July as a means to share with the Chairman of Da Nang City People s Committee H.E. Mr. improve people's physical and mental health. The tourism delegates a first-hand view of the two main cities that were Huynh Duc Tho and 300 delegates from National Tourism and sports industries have contributed revenue, created now accessible to tourists after more than two decades of Organizations, Tourism and Sports Associations, tourism jobs, and strengthened exchanges and friendships between being on the fringe of tourism. enterprises, airlines, institutions and international investors. peoples. Press Meeting In addition, invited speakers from the UK, Spain, Japan, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam were all In order to take advantage of the benefits created in attendance. by sport-related tourism, tourism products should be A press meeting in Colombo on 15 July gave the opportunity The thrree main issues of the conference were: developed that foster the positive interaction between for local media to hear from the Honourable Minister, the Secretary-General and HRH Princess Dana Firas on the outcome of the Conference on Tourism: a Catalyst for The mutual relationship between tourism and sports as well as the contribution of sports and people and nature. It is therefore important that tourism development plans carefully consider the concerns of related stakeholders and the required infrastructure, Development, Peace and Reconciliation. tourism for sustainable development; when organizing international sports mega events. 16 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 17

10 Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam UNWTO Secretary-General Rifai added that both sports and tourism inspire us to explore, to improve ourselves, and go beyond our limitations. Both bring people closer together by fostering multicultural understanding, respect and peace. Mega sports events can transform a host city or country into a more attractive, efficient and inclusive destination. They can be a profound source of national pride because they bestow goodwill, a greater sense of identity and community, and transform the international image of a destination. In this regard, the Secretary-General proposed three ways to maximize the positive impact of sports tourism and sports mega-events: (1) Cater to a changing tourist demographic; (2) Ensure environmental protection and respect for host communities and; (3) Build a sustainable legacy. According to Professor Dr. Terry Stevens, sport-related tourism is now presenting major opportunities for both emerging and mature destinations (be it the nations, regions, cities, coastal, countryside, mountains, deserts). Combining tourism and sport provides offers many synergies and creates the opportunities for many destinations as a way to achieve goals of economic and social development as well as sustainable development. H.E Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thien, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam affirmed that Asia is increasingly becoming a destination for global sport events thanks to the investment of governments and the private sector. Together they have brought awareness of tourism and sports potential benefits for the economy and society in general. Our talented athletes who have competed and achieved high performances not only bring the victory for the country but also become ambassadors to promote the image of our destination, our people to the world. The UNWTO Secretary-General praised the activities in the framework of the 5th ABG in Da Nang City. The Conference concluded with the Da Nang Declaration on Promoting Tourism and Sports for Sustainable Development, which calls for the increased involvement of governments, destinations and the business sector to devise policies and investments to further inspire collaboration between sports and tourism. Contributed by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam Overview World Tourism Day 2016 World Tourism Day 2016 Bangkok, Thailand, September 2016 For over 20 years, World Tourism Day is celebrated annually on the 27 th September. In continuation of the aim to foster awareness of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic impact, this year`s World Tourism Day was celebrated in Bangkok, Thailand under the theme of Tourism for All Promoting Universal Accessibility. Located at the heart of mainland Southeast Asia, with coasts on the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea, Thailand has a reputation as the Land of Smiles. The country boasts thick jungle, crystal clear blue waters and an ancient culture stretching back to its time as the Kingdom of Siam. This year's theme, Tourism for All Promoting Universal Accessibility, emphasizes a challenge for Thailand and the world to recognize the necessity of accessibility in tourism and to accommodate everyone anywhere. As the world of tourism continues to witness a steady increase of travel year on year, we have to ensure that travelling the world has is a safe and seamless as possible, explained Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand. Reaching universal accessibility in tourism is a shared responsibility of all parties involved in the tourism value chain, and also a business opportunity for companies and destinations. About 500 delegates from 60 countries have convened in Bangkok, Thailand, to take part in the Official Celebrations of the World Tourism Day this year dedicated to the theme Tourism for all: Promoting Universal Accessibility. Everyone has the right to access leisure and tourism services on an equal basis. This year's theme, Tourism for All Promoting Universal Accessibility, is a challenge for Thailand and the world to recognize the necessity of accessibility in tourism and to accommodate everyone anywhere...accessibility is both an important market opportunity and central to responsible and sustainable tourism policies and business development strategies. said United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, in his official message. He also encouraged policy makers, destination planners and companies working with people with special needs to work together to remove all barriers, mental and physical, to travel. Looking back on the past 50 years on the evolution of tourism, UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai outlined the key role of accessibility: Accessibility for all should be at the center of tourism policies and business strategies not only as 18 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 19

11 World Tourism Day 2016 World Tourism Day 2016 World Tourism Day 2016 a human right, but also as a great market opportunity. With the world s population ageing, all of us will benefit sooner or later from universal accessibility in tourism. He thus urged all countries and destinations, as well as the industry, to promote accessibility for all in the physical environment, in transport systems, in public facilities and services and in information and communications channels. Accessible Tourism Accessible tourism is Universally designed Tourism for All. It provides inclusive experiences by applying the principles of Universal Design to: Customer service, positive attitude Managerial and staff training Making environments, venues and services suitable for the widest range of customers, including people with disabilities, seniors, families with small children, etc Access, Comfort, Safety, Sustainability. Overall, accessible tourism is growing into a global, multi-dimensional phenomenon. Tourism in the media: The role of media in advocating Universal Accessibility Held on 26 September, the first session of the week on Tourism and the Media was hosted in cooperation with Chulalongkorn University, and served as a platform to discuss the role of the media in supporting Accessible Tourism. Journalists, editors, photographers, and documentary producers can do a lot in sensitizing the general public about accessibility and by pushing their respective governments towards the necessary regulatory frameworks towards Universal Design in the tourism sector, explained Xu Jing, Regional Director of Asia and the Pacific of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Anita Mendiratta, CNN Tourism Advertising Solutions and Knowledge(TASK) Group, explained that the media, like no other industry, has a unique ability to reach the world with critical messages from thought leaders and decision makers. With its reach and credibility, it has the ability to highlight the need for the tourism sector, such as products, service and experience offerings, She added that, the media has a critical role to play in enabling psychological accessibility, saying The investment into information and infrastructure is the output of the presence of what is at the heart of accessible travel-respect and appreciation of travellers with needs. Key areas where the media has a profound, invaluable role to play are: to build understanding, appreciation, and respect of the global tourism industry, and global community at large; to sensitise the global community at large; and to inspire action to do more, to be more. In conclusion, the media is an essential stakeholder in the global tourism community, and a vital advocate of the need for Accessible Tourism for Inclusive Tourism. Tourism for all: a right and a business opportunity Together with the commitment of governments and the need to develop regulatory frameworks linked to accessibility-related measures, World Tourism Day celebrations have served to emphasize the immense business opportunities that Universal Design can bring to the tourism sector. Ivor Ambrose, Director of ENAT, the European Network of Accessible Tourism, said that by 2050, as much as 22% of the world population will be over 60 years old and thus have specific access needs. The second day of the celebration focused on exchanging best practices and experiences on accessible tourism and committing to advance universal accessibility in all components of the tourism value chain to ensure that all citizens enjoy the benefits of travel, whatever their abilities may be. The day s first session discussed different approaches in developing an adequate policy and regulatory framework aimed at making Tourism for All a reality and paving the way for concrete business development strategies. The challenges to target efficient awareness-raising programmes and training schemes for decision makers and tourism professionals were also raised. The second session of the day; was moderated by Anita Mendiratta. During the session, The Secretary-General discussed innovative strategies in the development of accessible tourism infrastructure, products and services which adds value to destinations and enhances their competitiveness on the global tourism market. Conclusion The Kingdom of Thailand is affectionately recognized worldwide as the Land of Smiles. Thailand was honoured to be the host nation for the official celebrations of the World Tourism Day During the two-day event innovative strategies in the development of accessible tourism infrastructure, products and services and how they add value to destinations and enhance their competitiveness on the global tourism market were addressed. In addition, several best practices were featured to emphasize the value of investing in accessibility so that all citizens of the world can share the same dream to travel. 20 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 21

12 World Tourism Conference 2016 World Tourism Conference 2016 Overview 4 th World Tourism Conference Penang, Malaysia, October 2016 The 4 th Edition of the World Tourism Conference (WTC) was organised by Malaysia in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) from 17 to 19 October Under the theme Tourism Delights: Delivering the Unexpected, the Conference focused on strategies to enhance the visitor experience under the principle of tourists first. The round tables titled Tourism a Sunrise Industry? and Tourism Experiences: Breaking New Grounds debated tourism trends beyond 2030 as well as how to reinvent the sector with a customer-oriented focus. It is the first conference of its kind which is dedicated to the Tourists First mantra. This conference brought together world leaders in tourism, high-level policy-makers, specialists and experts from the public and private sectors, academics and representatives from the media to exchange ideas and experiences, and to expand the existing network for future tourism growth and development. The theme and topics were specially designed to provide insights that are practical and more importantly to capture the hearts and minds of tourists. In the aim of making tourism business a sustainable and vibrant industry, it is imperative to walk the extra mile to provide exceptional services. Along with the increasing demand for travel also comes elevated expectations; therefore, the industry must always be ready to embrace and to respond to the rapidly changing tourism landscape. International tourism has increased tremendously over the past 60 years and shows no sign of slowing down. Twenty five million international tourist arrivals in 1950, 674 million in 2000, and over 1.1 billion in In 2015, international tourism once again exceeded expectations, rising by 4.4% and hitting a new record of 1.18 billion tourists travelling the world in one single year. This remarkable activity undeniably generates invaluable impact on economies and societies worldwide. It provides countries with investment, foreign earnings, jobs and opportunities for social inclusion and regional development. At present, tourism accounts for 9% of global GDP, generates more than USD 1.4 trillion in trade income or 30% of the world's services exports, and provides one in 11 jobs worldwide. The evolving trends in globalization of goods and services, more leisure time and financial means, the technological and transport revolutions and rising middle classes all contributes to this fast growing sector. It is timely to analyse and discuss the evolution that has taken place for the past years which will contribute to the future needs and demand of the tourists. In line with the fascinating and delightful charms of this industry, Tourism Delights focuses on the various offerings and wonderful products of this vibrant and dynamic sector to cater to tourists needs. While accommodating to the rising expectations of market demand, tourists are increasingly seeking new experiences and platforms to satisfy their imagination and needs based on the latest trends. Therefore, "Delivering the Unexpected" tried to answer how the successful industry players in their own market fields be it hospitality, accommodation, aviation or even theme parks, have fulfilled their customer's expectations. Objectives of the conference Session 1: Tourism A Sunrise Industry? Now and Beyond Tourism is one of the world s first industries. It is always evolving to satisfy the voracious appetite of a growing population of international tourists. At the same time tourism has the capacity to create jobs in urban areas and micro enterprises in rural areas. This session analysed and discussed critical issues and challenges faced by the tourism industry from the global perspective. The focus was looking back at past track records, current trends and the predictions about the future of the industry, beyond Session 2: Tourism Experience, Breaking New Grounds The tourism industry is constantly expanding to new frontiers. With the latest ideas, innovations and products expectation of tourists today, tourism is one of the most competitive economic sectors. Tapping on the ever changing market demands, it is imperative to push beyond boundaries and break new grounds. It is indeed pertinent to know how the sector can remain competitive. The unique selling points which have pushed organisations to offer tourism experiences that are unconventional and how they experiences are delivered was discussed. This session discussed and featured innovative approaches to increase the competitiveness of the tourism industry and 22 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 23

13 During the sessions World Tourism Conference 2016 to discover new territories. Session 3: Tourism: Prospering Communities, Endless Opportunities The tourism industry is increasingly becoming an important economic source for rural communities around the world. It has widely accepted as a regional and rural development change agent. This session highlighted the importance and potential of tourism for communities around the world through stimulating business entrepreneurship and creative approaches in the local communities. During the session, participants spoke of the role of community engagement to advance sustainable tourism development and the immense opportunities for wealth creation and employment generation. Session 4: Tourists First: Maximizing the Power of Marketing Future growth of the tourism industry depends on the ability to develop new ways to inspire potential travelers to actually travel to a particular destination. As a traveler, the perception of a country's brand is a major influencer when choosing a travel destination. In order to achieve effective results it is crucial to understand the expectations, preferences and needs for tourism and to leverage creative and innovative marketing campaigns. This session focused on winning the attention of potential tourists through delivering products and services that exceed all expectations. Future of Malaysia tourism During the opening of the conference Secretary-General Rifai stated that We have witnessed two revolutions: on technology and on travel. The confluence of these has resulted in a new traveller who is technology-savvy, connected and informed who increasingly desires authentic, unique and valuable travel experiences and who is also more responsible and conscientious. Our sector needs to harness the emerging desire for positive-impact tourism to contribute to a better world. Indeed, innovation is now the key to advancing tourism industry. Malaysia, a country with fascinating people and a range of attractions, has enhanced its tourism products in a creative way. Malaysia has enhanced its tourism products by packaging local community s daily life into a touristic offer - the homestay experience - providing travelers the opportunity to immerse in the traditional village lifestyle and to interact with local hosts, as well as other initiatives such as Villagestay, Visit MyFelda and Visit MyLonghouse, explained the Minister of Tourism of Malaysia, YB Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Abdul Aziz. Malaysia also has recently presented the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) which has prioritized tourism as a catalyst for economic prosperity. Ecotourism, family-friendly destination, business tourism, events, entertainment and sports have been emphasized within this strategy. In 2015, Malaysia received 27.5 million international tourist arrivals. With this Programme, Malaysia hopes to reach 36 million tourist arrivals by the year Overview Global Tourism Economy Forum, Macao 2016 kicked off its 5 th Anniversary Edition at Studio City Macau on 15 October 2016 Global Tourism Economy Forum Macao, China, October 2016 The fifth edition of the Global Tourism Economy Forum ( GTEF or the Forum ), an annual international event and an interactive exchange platform for the tourism industry, was held at Studio City Macau from 15 to 16 October, 2016 under the theme The Growing Consumer Class Rethinking and Reshaping the Future Tourism Landscape. Launched by the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC) in Macao in 2012, GTEF is a high-level tourism event hosted by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government. The Forum is intended to be a platform where global views spanning the entire tourism economic value chain are exchanged. Sustainability is the collective conscience of these discussions with the long-term objectives to bridge people and nations, effectuate changes to create positive social and economic impact, and to generate synergies through collaboration and private-public-partnership. Co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism and GTERC, and in collaboration with the UNWTO, GTEF has continued to receive support from the Chinese government and international tourism organizations, including the China National Tourism Administration, the World Tourism Organization, the World Travel & Tourism Council, the Pacific Asia Travel Association World Tourism Cities Federation and European Travel Commission. The Forum has successfully established itself at a global position alongside prestigious world tourism organizations, as well as a key fixture in the global tourism calendar. It has earned the respect and recognition of government and industry leaders alike for its remarkable achievements in fostering and broadening cross-region and cross-sector cooperation. GTEF has leveraged Macao s role to provide its Partner Countries and Partner Chinese Provinces/ Municipality a distinctive platform for tourism promotion, business-matching engagements and privately-scheduled meetings that create new partnerships and business leads. Over the years, GTEF has showcased Portugal and Spain (2013), Kazakhstan (2014), the Pacific Alliance Countries (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) (2015) and France (2016) 24 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 25

14 as its Partner Countries; in addition to 11 Partner Chinese Provinces/ Municipality that were featured. melting pot for cultures and traditions of East and West, fused into a dynamic and forward-thinking city. The Global Tourism Economy Forum and UNWTO are strong partners Addressing the Emerging Consumer Power in Tourism In addition, the Forum s thought-provoking exchanges which spearheaded dialogues in unison with China s strategic policies such as the 21st century Maritime Silk Road and the Belt and Road Initiative, have not only brought emerging tourism opportunities in China and Asia to the forefront, but also gathered global policymakers, industry leaders and academia together to share their insights in the immense potential that would catalyze the sustainable growth of the global economy. GTEF 2016 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang s endorsement of GTEF was a remarkable gift on the occasion of the Forum s fifth anniversary. During his visit to Macao in October 2016, Premier Li pledged the government s support for the city to host the annual GTEF. This gesture demonstrated the Central Government s recognition of GTEF as an effective global tourism facilitator, an invaluable brand that redefines the city s strategic position and international image, a contributing force to Macao s effort in becoming a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, and a collaborator in Macao s full implementation of moderate economic diversification to be driven by the tourism industry. As a gateway of China with abundant tourism resources comprising of heritage and modern development, and the convergence of Eastern traditions and Western cultures, Macao is evolving from a gaming oasis to a dynamic tourist destination with distinctive, diversified and innovative offerings. The completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will offer more than a new growth impetus to uplift Macao as a top-tier tourism destination in the regional multi-destination itinerary, but also a golden opportunity to deepen its cooperation with members across the Pearl River Delta to create a super destination with aggregated efforts. Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of UNWTO and Honorary Chairman of GTEF, stated in his congratulatory message, Macao never ceases to astonish me. It is a wonderful and I am delighted to be with you all again. This annual forum is an opportunity to look into the opportunities, challenges and economic benefits facing tourism development in Asia and the Pacific. I always praise this forum for its unique ability to bring Asia to the world and the world to Asia. The two-day event gathered over 120 ministerial officials, leaders of globally leading corporations, as well as experts and scholars to zero in on how the rising resourceful and tech-savvy consumer class is more than ever the increasingly influential force in the tourism industry. This edition was attended by over 1,000 delegates from many countries and cities around the world, including delegations from the Forum s Partner Country France and Partner City Beijing Municipality. The highly anticipated Face to Face, Ministers and Private Sector CEOs session, in collaboration with UNWTO, began the Forum s discussion. Under the topic Harnessing the 1 Billion+ Opportunities, ministers from Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Myanmar, member of the European Parliament, and global private-sector CEOs addressed the subject from the consumers perspective, analyzing the new challenges and opportunities associated with the dramatic change from a provider-driven to a consumer-driven economy, along with the benefits for the entire tourism value chain. Also discussed in this public-private dialogue was the influence technological development has on tourism and consumer protection. During the session, Dr. Rifai addressed travel as an important and powerful movement in the world of today, and identified three major challenges and priorities in the travel and tourism industry: Safety and security for friendly and seamless travel; changing technological models that have changed the business milieu in an unrecognizable way; and sustainability. Emphasizing that the world cannot afford to be left behind, he underscored the three pillars of sustainability, namely environmental, social and economic sustainability. In-depth analysis of the characteristics and trends of growing consumer class was presented in the UNWTO/GTERC Asia Tourism Trends For the third year, UNWTO and GTERC joined forces in the research to identify the latest tourism trends in Asia, providing valuable reference to tourism decision-makers. This year, the annual report was specially designed to align with the theme of GTEF 2016, featuring special chapters that focused on travel trends driven by the growing consumer class and the millennial travelers. Receiving nearly one-fourth of the world s total international tourists in 2015, Asia and the Pacific is the second most visited region that continues to outpace the rest of the world. Also, as one of the fastest growing regions in recent years, the region has become a booming source market, with China being the largest outbound source market. Attributed to the significant population size and rapid economic growth, the emerging China s middle class is especially influential in the region s tourism trend. In his presentation, Mr. Xu Jing, Executive Secretary and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO, differentiated two new groups of travelers that tourism industry should aware of: the growing consumer class; and the young, tech-savvy millenniums. Extending their trendsetting impact from regional tourism to global tourism, these millennial travelers are not only visiting the usual classic destinations, they are also venturing into secondary and tertiary cities and regions, resulting in a fundamental change that inspires major diversification of destinations. According to UNWTO/GTERC Asia Tourism Trends 2016, changes in travel trends are further boosted by technological revolution, the rise of sharing economy, and the explosive usage of social media that significantly drive self-expression and self-actualization of the consumers including the millennials. The report also shows that Chinese and Asian consumers Face to Face, Ministers and Private Sector CEOs session (In collaboration with UNWTO) tend to travel intra-regionally before traveling to far off destinations, thus shaping a unique traveler profile in Asian consumers, and posing both opportunities and challenges to the region in the areas of transportation, infrastructure and accommodation. Future Prospectus In an era when innovative changes continue are almost always beyond expectations, a stronger bond and a deeper understanding between stakeholders is necessary to reshape the future tourism landscape. Having attracted over 6,800 participants from 63 countries and regions across the globe, and welcomed 56 provincial and municipal delegations from China in its first five editions, GTEF has enriched its content and fine-tuned its format with continuous infusion of new ideas in its established high-level, pioneering cooperation platform. Dedicated to fostering global tourism growth with a specific focus on China, GTEF will continue to showcase Macao s potential as a worldclass MICE destination and how Macao can channel tourism benefits to its economy, thus exemplifying the city as a win-win strategy for the global tourism community. At GTEF, we are your business! 26 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 27

15 ZHOU Jiabin, Mayor of Guilin The 10 th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook 10 th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook Guilin, China, October 2016 UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai Mr. Zhao Leqin, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the local People's Congress The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the People s Government of Guilin of China celebrated from October the 10 th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook. The theme of this special 10th anniversary edition was Tourism 10:10 - Looking back to look forward. Participants discussed tourism trends and solutions to current challenges. With the collaboration of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a UNWTO Affiliate Member, the Forum has evolved over the last 10 years to be a global platform on global and regional tourism trends. Parallel to the 10th Edition of the Forum, the 5th Annual Conference of UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Observatories in China took place also in Guilin on 20 and 21 October. The Forum attracted a full house of over 200 participants from 28 countries and was a resounding success. The feedback from the participants, speakers and panelists was extremely positive with many looking forward to a follow-up on the various issues highlighted and discussed during the seven sessions. The Anniversary Forum aimed to summarize the outcomes of the past nine forums and indicate the future development of the travel industry. Great importance was attached to this special anniversary edition of the Forum. Tourism trends, changes in travel behavior and booking patterns, as well as sustainable practices applied to the sector were some of the themes addressed through the discussions. Following the tradition of the Forum, the session about tourism development in Guilin addressed issues related to poverty alleviation in the region through discussions and advice from government officers, traveling experts and professionals in the Forum. As a result of building a more global destination, new travel routes have been introduced in Guilin. Moreover, this Forum also served as a professional network for participants to develop new partnerships and/or renew friendships. UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai said, Tourism is a strong contributor to poverty alleviation as recognized by the Sustainable Development Goals and to be here in Guilin is the perfect occasion to remind us that the Government of the People s Republic of China has prioritized this sector as a tool to lift 17% of the country s impoverished population out of poverty by 2020, Tourism trends, changes in travel behavior and booking patterns and sustainable-related practices applied to the sector were some of the themes addressed throughout the Forum. The inclusive angle of tourism, a topic widely advocated by UNWTO, was also part of the discussions that addressed the participation of women in rural community tourism. Dr. Jiang, Vice Chairman of China National Tourism Administration, said that amid global economic downturn, tourism had become the strategic choice of countries to compete. He hoped that China and other countries could share ideas and experiences at the forum, boost investment, meet the demand of tourists and enhance international communication. Dr. Zhang Xiaoqin, Vice Governor of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where Guilin is located, stated that during the past ten years, the forum had become an important business card for Guangxi and Guilin. It is also a platform for Guangxi to communicate with its global partners. He hoped that the forum would have a new starting point it turns 10 years old. He also expected Guangxi to build the forum into an international cooperation and communication platform and to contribute to regional prosperity and people-topeople exchanges. Having successfully hosted nine editions, the Forum has become an important platform for global tourism professionals to interact and exchange with each other, launch pragmatic cooperation and seek common prosperity. 28 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 29

16 Mr. Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA Vice Chairman and Secretary General, Global Tourism Economic Forum, Pansy HO Chairman of Crewe Associates, Jean Claude Bumgarten Founder of Loevely Planet, Tony Wheeler UNWTO AsiaPacific Newsletter Chief Editor & Profeesor, Chulwon Kim Professor, University of Waterloo, Geoffrey Wall, Director of International Relations, Tripadvisor, Helena Egan(From the Right) Mr. Xu Jing of UNWTO Dean and Chair Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kaye Chon Special Analysis The History of UNWTO Asia Pacific-Supporting the Region's Tourism Sector for 12 years and Counting. The UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter introduces and promotes Asia-Pacific Newsletter the tourism I 2014, Issue sectors 36 role as a driver of economic growth, environmental sustainability and inclusive development in the Asia Pacific Region. Since its inception, the letter has addressed issues impacting more than 28 countries and covered 157 plus topics from policy measures to marketing strategies. 30 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43

17 Special Report Mountain Tourism Mountain Tourism Mountain Tourism Introduction Mountains: an endowed opportunity for tourism Mountains areas have been regarded as locations of high potential for leisure tourism since the dawn of travel. Mountain destinations and sites such as Mount Olympus, the European Alps, Machu Picchu, Mount Athos, and the four Holy Buddhist Mountains, to name a few, and are great examples of destinations that made full use of their natural resources to establish an environmentally-friendly system to reach a balance between their communities and nature. Mountain tourism: a trendy industry Owing to the rapid population growth and urbanization which has taken place in recent decades, mountain areas have increasingly become desired getaway locations to enjoy an abundance of different activities such as trekking, skiing, biking, etc., as well as for rest and rejuvenation. The outlook for mountain tourism is indeed promising. Mountain tourism plays an important role in national economies and accounts for approximately 15 20% of the tourist industry, or USD billion per year. Long recognized as places of sanctuary and spiritual renewal, mountains will become even more attractive as places of escape in a rapidly urbanizing world. There are some world-wide acknowledged elements consisting of mountain tourism: snow and sports; traditional culture; mineral and hot springs; the sacred meaning; biological and geological species and so on. All of these assets make mountains stand out as unique and abundant tourism destinations. The strong and lasting vitality of mountain tourism ensures its environmental, social and economic impact to keep expanding in the coming years. Challenges and Threats Considering the biodiversity and environmental sensitivity of different mountain regions, the relationship between tourism and the ecological environment of those areas is of great concern in recent years. In terms of the development of mountain areas, mountain tourism undoubtedly facilitates the local economy by bringing new jobs and businesses to the place and displays the beauty of it to the globe. There are already many successful examples around the world, not only developed regions such as Alps and Rockies, but also developing areas like Pamirs and Tien Shan. However, the development of mountain tourism cannot rely exclusively on natural landscape and attractiveness. Other elements like safety, hospitality and accommodation, service quality and even cultural conflicts also affect visitors destination choices. To improve the infrastructure, more economic investment along with carefully planning to balance positive economic impact with protection of the environment is required. Even though some governments take actions to solve this problem, they find it difficult to reach a balance between the economy and the environment which has resulted in many projects boost the economy by sacrificing the environment. According to Nikhat Sattar, Programme Director of IUCN (The World Conservation Union) Asia, the IUCN Asia Coordinator for the International Year of Mountains (IYM) 2002, and Wendy Brewer Lama, cultural identities and diversity in mountain regions are also under threat by the economic, social and environmental forces associated with mountain tourism. Mountain people begin to lose their value when confronting the more technological world beyond the mountains packed with exciting sports and adventure as well as luxurious facilities. A loss of cultural identity leads to an increase of social problems of crime, drugs, and the degradation of community values and religious practices that once held the society together. Due to isolation and limited access, many people living in mountain areas lack sufficient skills and the resources to invest in and benefit from tourism. During the interview, they expressed their concern for the future of mountain tourism. Under the discrimination and lure of the outside world, more and more mountain young people tend to move to urban areas for better education and job opportunities, which adds extra burden to the over-loaded city population. To solve this problem, a specific assessment of the range and local 32 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 33

18 populations concerning their cultures, social structures and collective identities is required. Therefore it is recommended that respective governments carefully conduct a sustainable development plans for mountain tourism as a mechanism to meet sustainability standards and to minimize negative effects on biological resources and ecosystems diversity, while maximizing the uniqueness of mountain cultures and improving the life quality for mountain people. Sustainable mountain tourism The rising of sustainability In the context of tourism development, natural resources alone cannot guarantee the growth of tourism. In the long term, the diversity and attractiveness of mountains are subject to efficient sustainable management of their resources. Therefore, it is clearly necessary to monitor, regulate and control activities that may jeopardize the resource-base on which mountain tourism depends. Ecotourism strategies should not only focus on resource conservation but should also pay attention to human equity, community development and social harmony. If the mountain regions can follow the principles, tourism can provide them with significant opportunities to maintain the diversity of the mountains and their role as a living space. The United Nations University (UNU) Mountain Project played a crucial role in arising public s attention to sustainable mountain development. After that, the UN General Assembly named the year 2002 as the International Year of Mountains. Apparently, the last two decades have seen a steady increase in global attention to mountain regions. The World Congress on Snow and Mountain Tourism Jointly organized by the Government of Andorra and the UNWTO, the World Congress on Snow and Mountain was founded in Since 2011, the Congress has been an annually hosted event and held in Andorra every two years and outside of Andorra every other year. Focusing on current trends in the snow and mountain tourism market, the congress invited many professionals to discuss about present situation and future challenges. The Congress provides mountain tourism destinations a good opportunity to do cross-cultural communication. Creativity and innovation are always the important topics of time. Sustainability is considered as the key factor to confront the challenge of the industry. UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai pointed out the significance and implications of sustainable tourism experience in the 8th Congress. Faced with global warming issues, he stated that Visitors are increasingly interested in mountains in search of new experiences linked to nature and sports. Combined with the need for mountain destinations to adapt their tourism offer to the impacts of climate change and to expand the tourism season, now is the perfect time for destinations and operators to look into new products that will expand and adapt the tourism season while creating sustainable tourism experiences. The Congress concluded that the development of sustainability will help overcome seasonality to strengthen the competiveness of mountain region. Sustainable practices continue to become one of the main objectives of the 9th World Congress on Snow and Mountain Tourism held during 2-4 March 2016 in Andorra. Under the theme Mountainlikers, Sport and Adventure: A Promising Combination, mountain regions keep identifying new marketing strategies to sharpen their competitiveness throughout the whole year. Sport and adventure have become a promising combination for mountain destinations in recent years for their potential to yield a breakthrough for mountain tourism. These and other development initiatives, however, must follow sustainable management practices in order that all stakeholders to benefit in the long-term. Source: 9 th World Congress on Snow and Mountain Tourism Special Report National Tourism Slogan Policy Introduction An essential priority in developing a tourism slogan is that it represents the distinctive and unique qualities of the country or region. Slogans play a role as an important communication tool in shaping a destination s image. Consequently, a number of national governments have integrated tourism slogan strategies as a means to promote a desirable image of a respective region, city or the country as a whole and for the purpose of gaining more awareness and potential new and returning visitors. Two countries, in particular, Malaysia and the Philippines, offer effective case examples for how slogan strategies can introduce their unique cultural and ultimately historical characteristics attract visitors. Malaysia Tourism Malaysia launched Truly Asia as a sustainable national tourism slogan in 1999 for the purpose of positioning Malaysia as a favorable tourism destination. Malaysia, Truly Asia defines the originality of the country s distinctive diversity. Its core message is only one place where all the colors, flavors, sounds of Asia come together Malaysia. In addition, it hopes that Malaysia will be a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural place. Tourism Malaysia owes its origin to the Tourist Development Corporation (TDC) which was established in 1972 as a governmental tourism agency. The mission of Tourism Malaysia is to promote Malaysia as a destination of excellence and to make the tourism industry a major booster to the multi-sectors. Other objectives include the introduction of Malaysia s unique venues, attractions and cultures and enhancement of Malaysia s share market for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE). To meet these objectives, Tourism Malaysia has implemented several tourism-related campaigns. CUIT-Cuti 1Malaysia Dekat Je In 2015, Tourism Malaysia launched a special domestic travel campaign called Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Dekat Je with the intention of encouraging more domestic Malaysians to travel on nearby places. The Malay colloquial phrase dekat je which means so near aims to remind Malaysians that the next exciting holiday destination is just right on their doorstep. This new tourism domestic campaign of Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Dekat Je was initiated to facilitate Malaysians to prioritize domestic holiday destinations and to travel during the break season in The goal of this tourism policy was to generate greater attention for local tourism products and to promote alliances between relevant groups. In addition to promoting domestic integration within multi-ethical communities, with the beginning of CC1M Dekat Je, Tourism Malaysia gives Malaysia greater focus as an overnight leisure market. Ultimately, the length of stay and expenditure will increase to support national tourism development. 34 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 35

19 Visit Malaysia Year Visit Malaysia Year is one of the best examples of a successful strategy of attracting visitors. From an annual It s more Fun in the Philppines average of around 25 million foreign visitors. in 2014, the numbers increased to 28 million visitors. Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) was first launched in 1990 with the theme of Fascinating Malaysia. Year of Festivals. Following the launch the numbers increased to 7.4 million to help ensure that the country s tourism industry will remain agency BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines for the Philip- for tourists to visit. Although many of the natural attractions tourists compared to the previous year of 4.8 million. The healthy following the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 Campaign. In pines Department of Tourism which occupies the following are splendid in many ways, in general, they were not strong third VMY was in 2007 coinciding with Malaysia s 50th the year of festivals, Malaysia showcases a variety of cultural, National Tourism Strategy, and Destination Strategy. enough on their own to sufficiently attract the numbers Independence Anniversary. Hence, the theme "Celebrating 50 years of Nationhood" was to reflect this important historical heritages and celebrates Malaysia s diverse, plentiful festivals. Tourism strategy required to support a significant tourism sector. Therefore, additional support with infrastructure and services were anniversary celebration. With the 50th independence required to improve supply conditions and balance out Anniversary, over 200 events across the countries were With the efforts of developing the Visit Malaysia Year The 2006 State of the Nation Address envisaged the Central demand throughout the country. promoted to highlight the country diversity of tourism 2014, MyFEST 2015 was designed to make Malaysia the Philippines to be the country s premium tourist destination products. The total amount of visitors in this third VMY was top-of-the-mind tourist destination, promoting tourists to on account of its range of natural attractions and cultural The Central Philippines is not alone in this regard. All over million in tourist arrivals and RM 46.1 billion in stay longer in order for tourists to enjoy the period of heritage. destinations hosting core products that are nature and tourist receipts. In the recent campaign, Malaysia celebrated festival seasons. The theme of MyFEST 2015 was culture based, but which lack recognition as being world the fourth VMY with the concept of "Celebrating 1Malaysia branded as Endless Celebration to represent a year-long In support of this objective and as a means to bolster class face this problem. A common strategy for many of Truly Asia" in 2014 showing the diversity and distinctiveness itinerary that is full of events including cultural, eco-tourism, sustainable tourism development in Central Philippines a these types of destinations is to invest heavily in related in unity of all Malaysians: the mascot of this campaign was music, food, and other various theme events. comprehensive development plan was drafted. products - golf, health and wellness, cruise, yachting, the Proboscis Monkey. From one year before the event in 2013, the multi promotional campaign ended up bringing a Having formed effective partnerships amongst government Destination strategy marinas, conference and incentives etc. These destinations have seen their tourism sectors prosper and grow. huge success and exposure to Malaysia. and non-government stakeholders and the private sector, Year of Festivals MyFEST exceeded forecasts and was an all-out successful campaign. To achieve the projected growth in tourist numbers and expenditures over the next decade, the Central Philippines To successfully advance to the next stage of development requires an investment driven strategy, with sustained The Malaysia Year of Festival (MyFEST) 2015 was one of The Philippines had to move to an investment-driven strategy. investment in infrastructure, utilities, new products, destination marketing, human resource development, the Year of Festivals. The MyFEST 2015 campaign developed With the exception of Cebu and Boracay, little investment in among other important areas. the tourism-related sectors such as transportation, restaurants, The Philippines government launched its tourism promotional tourism development had transpired in other areas of the and accommodations thanks to the influx of massive arrivals. theme It s more Fun in the Philppines in The country in recent years. As a result, these regions were Source: And by introducing MyFEST, Tourism Malaysia has worked slogan was developed for a campaign by advertising completely reliant on their natural attractions as the motivation philippines.co.uk/ 36 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 37

20 Destination Report Yaeyama Islands Okinawa Prefecture, Japan Observatory Ishigaki Trek Iriomote Beach Iriomote Starlight Tour and Milky Way Hateruma Yaeyama Islands Fire Flies but each one offers unique natural landscapes, culture, and underwater explorers who often encounter marine turtles, lifestyle. dolphins and mantas. Mangroves in Ishigaki, Iriomote, and How to get there Kohama islands, also nurture a wide range of marine biology where nature enthusiasts can enjoy various outdoor and aquatic activities. Visitors from major cities in Japan such as Tokyo, Nagoya, Moon and Stars Iriomote Milky Way from Resort Hotel Ishigaki Osaka, Fukuoka can reach the main island of Ishigaki by air in less than three hours. International flights are also available Additionally, Iriomote Island is home to the Iriomote-cat, an endemic, protected species of the island, and considered a from Taiwan and Hong Kong. national treasure. They are rarely seen and are considered to Overview fascination whenever you visit iconic places like Once arriving on the islands, it is easy to hop on a boat or be at the top of the ecological pyramid there, even above human beings. Kyoto, Tokyo, and Mt. Fuji, but we would also like charter flight to experience the archipelago. In addition to `Visitors get a different impression of Japan to introduce another remarkable place: Okinawa s conventional travel methods, Yubu Island can be reached by Visitors may also experience the local cultural heritage of the depending on the season of their visit. The seasons Yaeyama Islands. water buffalo from Iriomote Island. islands. For example, the picturesque Ryukyu village on in Japan are so colorful and unique - from north to south - that they generate differences within Consisting of 11 small islands located in most Natural and cultural offerings Taketomi Island with its red-tiled roofed community or the Mushama Festival in Hateruma Island which includes a Japanese tradition, culture, faith, cuisine, and southwest point of Japan, the Yaeyama Islands harvest celebration and a service to honor ancestors. lifestyle. Japanese people have evolved by learning to adapt to seasonal changes and are part of Okinawa Prefecture. They offer subtropical climate year round with an average Various kinds of extraordinary living species inhabit the islands. For instance, the largest coral-reef in Japan, Stargazing environmental events, and as a visitor you will temperature of 23.4 degrees and humidity levels Sekiseishoko National Park, lies between Ishigaki and be able to feel the Japanese identity with deep of 60-90%. The islands may resemble each other, Iriomote islands, offering spectacular diving sites for the avid Visitors going to the Yeayama Islands often report feeling 38 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 39

21 Destination Report Passikudah, Sri Lanka Minsa Fabric Coral Reef and Fish Map of Yaeyama Islands Mangrove Iriomote SunRise Kayak Tour Iriomote rejuvenated as a result of interacting with the many nature offerings, not only with the beautiful ocean and tropical Prior to the recent boom in interest for stargazing experiences by visitors, locals from the region acknowledge overlooking Beach of Sri Lanka forest, but by especially experiencing the starry sky. the natural beauty of the island s nightscape and how it The region, due to its unique and remote location, boasts could become a resource for a tourism development. Now, as a result of increasing interaction with visitors, the locals Passikudah 10 Year Tourism Master Plan drawn up in Passikudah some of the some of the world s most spectacular natural have become increasingly aware of the importance and the very soon became popular amongst a select set of tourists, skylight. Owing to this, efforts are underway to achieve value of preserving the area s natural sky while at the same Passikudah (or Passikuda), literally meaning Green-Algae- who were quick to appreciate it as an iconic beach resort, international recognition as a Dark-Sky Park, under the night time harnessing this vital resource as a means to strengthen Bay is a coastal resort located between Batticaloa and but regrettably the ethnic conflict in the country that flared in sky conservation program by the International Dark-Sky the areas vitality though tourism. Trincomalee, the two major towns on Sri Lanka`s East coast. the early 1980s compounded by the tsunami of 2004 affected Association (IDA). Earlier this year, regional tourism organizers invited an IDA representative to appraise and experience the Conclusion Passikudah is known to have one of the longest stretches of shallow coastline in the world; the gentle gradient of the the area and curtailed further development. However, with the conclusion of the conflict in 2009 and the renewed island s near-pristine night sky and the location was said to slope stretches long into the sea where one can wade and efforts of the SLTDA to integrate the Eastern province into be a promising candidate for Japan s first designated Over the years, Yaeyama locals have adapted to the environment stand with head above water a mile away from the coast. mainstream tourism, Passikudah has once again found its dark-sky site. surrounding them and have learned to live harmoniously with Devoid of currents and waves, the Passikudah bay is a feet and is fast becoming a major tourist centre of not only nature. As a result, locals describe themselves as sensitive, haven for those who want to relax in the warm waters of the the East coast but also of the country. When asked about their visit to the islands, many visitors often reply: "just having a relaxing time!". Staying up late at creative, tolerant and courteous. Domestic and international visitors will be able to experience the Yaeyama Islands Indian Ocean in complete safety. Consequently Passikudah is increasingly sought by families, both foreign and local, Climate night, surrounded by the sounds of nature, under the moon unique identity whenever they interact with the locals and the where the elderly and the young can enjoy the tranquility and and star light provides that backdrop for a captivating natural environment; and in doing so, receive a truly authentic benefits of a secluded sea resort that offers sun, sea and Passikudah is blessed with warm sunshine throughout the experience. For this reason, an increasing number of and wondrous visitor experience. sand for all ages and all walks of life. year where the temperature averages between 28 and 30 visitors are participating in a number of stargazing tour degrees Celsius. Even during the short monsoon season options that are available such as the night jungle tour, star Contributed by Okinawa Prefecture, Japan The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) (November to January) the sheltered bay offers opportunities cruise tour, astro photography tour, and sunset or sunrise realized the uniqueness of the area in the initial stages of its for swimming and aquatic sports. Being situated in the kayak tour amongst others. tourism development strategies and integrated the twin tropics the water temperatures never fall to a level of fledgling resorts of Passikudah and Kalkudah in the first discomfort hence sea-bathing becomes a healthy pastime 40 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 41

22 Traditional dance of Sri Lanka Sea of Sri Lanka Tea plantation in Sri Lanka Traditional patterns of Sri Lanka Sea of Sri Lanka Sea of Sri Lanka Tea plantation in Sri Lanka while the pristine sandy beaches are as beautiful to behold or on which to walk, jog, or simply to lie down and get a golden sun tan. The greatest asset of Passikudah is indeed its long seasonality coupled with cultural and bio-diversity attractions in close proximity to the resort which makes it an exceptional year-long destination. Tourist attractions Cultural sites Sri Lanka s rich Buddhist heritage sites encompassed in the cultural triangle of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy along with archeological and architectural remains that span a period of over two thousand years, duly recognized by the UNESCO, are all accessible as day excursions from Passikudah. Other renowned places of interest within the complex include Mihintale, Sigiriya, and Dambulla to mention a few. Another cultural site of interest is the Koneswaram Temple in Trincomalee, of Hindu tradition and origin, that has a long and continuous history dating to many centuries. The cultural enthusiast may combine tours to the area with an overnight stay in one of these sites which boast of an array of eco-friendly accommodation units, unique in their concept and construction, that is worth an experience. Natural and eco-tourism sites The access to Passikudah by road takes one through lush tropical jungles where a chance encounter with wild elephants adds to the adventure! However, the pachyderms, sometimes as many as 200 can be observed in serenity at the Minneriya National Park which is less than a two hour drive from Passikudah. The Park adjoins the main highway and borders the Minneriya tank (reservoir) where the elephants gather to quench their thirst and socialize. Trincomalee, a renowned beach resort, located less than a three hour drive from Passikudah, offers a fascinating escapade to observe yet another of the larger species but this time of mammals: the Blue Whales. Whale watching excursions are confined to the period May to October and tours are available on special boats where one can approach the mammals at a close distance. These excursions have become extremely popular for research specialists, nature lovers and general tourists. On the way to Trincomalee one can do a detour to immerse oneself in the hot water springs of Kanniya (the only such feature in Sri Lanka). These springs have been known from ancient times with the hot water having therapeutic value in curing aches and pains associated with rheumatism and for general wellbeing and relaxation. Batticaloa, located 35 km to the South of Passikudah is famous for the singing fish of Kallady lagoon. Between April and September musical notes reverberate, especially on moonlit nights, from the lagoon and this has been attributed to the singing fish. An unusual phenomenon that has been a part of the lure and lore of Batticaloa! The fauna and flora of Passikudah and its surrounding area, not forgetting the rich coral reefs and marine life, offer tourists and the soft adventure seeker a hoard of interests and activities to add more variety to a pure beach holiday. Connectivity Passikudah is situated at the other extremity of Colombo, the Capital and hub of Sri Lanka. However, the resort is well connected by road and rail and is in close proximity to Batticaloa which has a domestic airport. Regular domestic flights from the international airport in Katunayake to Batticaloa have just begun which makes Passikudah easily accessible. Chartered flights by helicopter are also another option. The distance from Colombo to Passikudah on the main trunk road is 260 km and the journey takes approximately six to seven hours by car. On route to Passikudah, visitors may opt to take a short detour (adding only 45 km) through Kandy, the spiritual capital of Sri Lanka. The journey will also 42 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 43

23 Sustainable Tourism Development Rural Tourism for Rural Area Revitalization Wild elephants in Sri Lanka give a glimpse of the luscious hill country with its changing found a new source of revenue by supplying the hotels with landscape and famous tea plantations. their fresh catch. Passikudah is therefore rich in fresh sea-food ranging from jumbo prawns, crabs, langoustines Daily train services from the main Colombo Fort Railway and reputed Sri Lankan fish such as the Seer (Wahoo) Station to Valaichchenai (3 km from Passikudah) on the main Thora, Balaya and Kelawalla ( all belonging to the tuna Colombo/Batticaloa line, provide visitors the luxury of an family) and paraw (trevally) which are deliciously prepared adventurous rail journey where one can seep in the beautiful using the spices of Sri Lanka for which the island has been and serene countryside of paddy fields, coconut groves and famous from times immemorial. In Passikudah one cannot tropical vegetation. escape the aroma of sea food cuisine and barbeques that Accommodation pervades the air around the hotels and restaurants! During the last two decades, Sri Lanka has been one of the Rural Tourism With the revival of the region`s tourism, a variety of accommodation units including luxury hotels, motels and fastest growing destinations in the Asia Pacific region. International tourists in 2015 registered a total of almost Overview as it is a labor-intensive sector providing a wide range of job and guest houses have sprung up within the 1.8 million arrivals which is expected to increase to 2.2 entrepreneurship opportunities in areas where other economic Passikudah/Kalkudah area. In keeping with the sustainable million in Passikudah is one of the beacons of Sri Maximizing tourism s contribution to poverty reduction is a activities are often limited or in decay. Furthermore, tourism tourism development policy of the SLTDA the establishments Lankan tourism guaranteed to leave visitors with many key priority and area of work for the UNWTO. In recent years, provides these opportunities locally, helping to curb rural are modest in size and never beyond two stories in height compelling and precious memories. the UNWTO has called for better financing of tourism migration, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. The which gives the opportunity for most units to have beach development projects to help impoverished areas. Rural UNWTO Sustainable Tourism - Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) front ocean view. While the Indian Ocean beckons for a Source: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority tourism includes a wide range of activities and services of Initiative is working on tourism activities that specifically warm dip those who wish to relax by the swimming pools of farmers and villagers to attract and make additional revenue promote development and create jobs for people living on less the hotels are free to do so while enjoying a Tambili (King from visitors. It is deemed as an appropriate tool for the than a dollar a day. Coconut) drink. Food and beverage sustainability and revitalization of rural areas by increasing the diversity of professions, and preserving nature and landscape. Sustainable rural tourism example: China Passikudah in days gone-by was essentially a fishing port By all accounts, last year was a success for rural tourism as a China has achieved steady progress in fighting poverty where local fishermen brought their catch for personal greater number of contributions to this cause were achieved. through tourism as a result of several projects implemented consumption. With the growth of tourism the fishermen have Tourism is well positioned to contribute to rural development in recent years. Initiatives take by the Chinese Government s 44 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 45

24 Rural Tourism in recent years provide a good example of the roles that governments can play in promoting tourism for poverty reduction and rural area revitalization. Chinese authorities has put forward a nationwide tourism development plan to lift 17% of the country s impoverished population out of poverty by 2020 in its 13th Five-Year Plan. According to this plan, The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development of China expect that three million rural tourism businesses will be receiving two billion annual visitors, lifting two million of China s rural population out of poverty every year by The total income generated is estimated to reach over one trillion RMB Yuan benefiting 50 million rural residents. The decision of the China National Tourism Administration and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development of China to promote rural tourism as an effective means to fight poverty was highly supported by UNWTO. Held from May 2016, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Government of the People s Republic of China organized the First World Conference on Tourism for Development in Beijing. Under the theme Tourism for Peace and Development, 1000 participants from over 100 countries gathered in Beijing. The event aims to launch a high level debate on the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The First World Conference on Tourism for Development in China comes after the decision of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development of China to promote rural tourism as an effective means to fight poverty. The high level segment of the Conference on Sustainable Development through Tourism analyzed and looked at steps on how to how to accelerate the contribution of tourism to the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), including the sector s ability to create jobs, promote local culture and be an agent of change towards more sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices. This year presents an unprecedented opportunity to bring the countries and citizens of the world together to embark on a new path to improve the lives of people everywhere. On 25 September 2015, countries adopted a new sustainable development agenda outlined by a set of goals at aiming to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. At the event, UNWTO Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai pointed out that Tourism is one of the most dynamic economic sectors, with significant global reach, and as such can make an important contribution to the achievement of the SDGs, particularly in the areas of job creation, sustainable consumption and production and the preservation of natural resources, as stated in Goal 8, Goal 12 and Goal 14 of the SDGs, Tourism for Poverty Reduction and Tourism for Peace were the key focus of the First World Conference on Tourism for Development. Dr. Rifai explained the link between development and peace as There can be no development without peace and no peace without development. Opening the conference, Premier Li Keqiang underlined the role of tourism inlifting people out of poverty and the importance of stepping up international cooperation in tourism. He emphasized tourism s capacity to stimulate economic growth, create jobs and foster inclusive development. As we look for new drivers of growth, tourism has a very important role to play not only for its direct impact but also for the value it adds to other sectors, he said. In addition, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent an encouraging message to the conference: When tourism is well-managed, it has tremendous capacity to create decent jobs, provide opportunities for inclusion and education, and contribute to preserving cultural heritage and the environment. Tourism also has an important role in building cross-cultural understanding and fostering peace between highly diverse communities. Earlier this year, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva said Tourism can contribute to rural development by creating employment opportunities in areas where other economic activities are often limited. At the opening of a photo exhibition organized by the Permanent Representation of the People s Republic of China to FAO, he stressed that rural tourism can offer off-farm employment opportunities, noting the need to diversify the rural economy to achieve sustainable development and poverty alleviation. He also added FAO is now working on providing decent rural employment to young people. The Chinese government has adopted several measures to improve the level of rural tourism, including: Design training programs Training programs are directed towards rural tourism village chiefs, owners of farm-stay houses. Especially for women who are staying in the villages to improve their skills in tourism services. Raise awareness of sustainable development Deliver the message of Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. Relocate the local residents and reorganize houses based on development plans Promote rural preservation to prevent cultural heritage from declining Rural Tourism Problems and challenges in sustainable rural tourism development Although rural tourism is developing fast on a global scale, a number of problems threaten the development of rural tourism. Some key challenges are: First, preserve resources by setting limits on their usage. Integrating rural tourism into existing rural setting is a big challenge for the government and developers. For them, environmental resources cannot be sacrificed in the process of making economic benefits. Second, develop a balanced tourism activity between the government, investors and local residents. For example, develop diverse types of tour packages to enhance the local industry and infrastructure. Third, equitable sharing of local revenue derived from tourism is needed. More and more privileged commercial and political groups try to earn profits from the industry that rural population lose their sovereignty in the development of tourism. The United Nations has declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, thereby advocating the tourism sectors potential as effective mechanism to build a safer, more inclusive, more prosperous and sustainable world. Source: Rural Tourism in Europe: Experiences, Development and Perspectives 46 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 47

25 Special Analysis The History of UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter Supporting the Region s Tourism Sector for 12 Years and Counting First published in 2005, the UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter introduces and promotes the tourism sectors role as a driver of economic growth, environmental sustainability and inclusive development in the Asia Pacific Region. Since its inception, the letter has addressed issues impacting more than 28 countries and covered more than 157 topics from policy measures to marketing strategies. Our Newsletter assists destinations as they seek to advance their sustainable positioning in an ever more complex national and international marketplace. In total, the Newsletter covers five unique sections (as overviewed below) to introduce tourism-related contents in the Asia Pacific. Special Report UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter Issue 36 The Special Report highlights emerging trends and issues in tourism and includes examples to help readers better understand the industry at large. Tourism has experienced continuous growth alongside many neighboring sectors such as aviation, technology, service and entertainment. In such a dynamically changing world, the general population has become increasingly aware of the variety of economic and social phenomenon that have occurred in the tourism industry. Up until now, the UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter has presented 25 articles specific to this topic. Some examples include, for instance an article in Issue of 36 on Sustainable Tourism Management at Heritage Sites in Myanmar in the 36th Issue, the priority and importance for education, global planning and protective measures, effective monitoring systems, and conservation works by local people was stressed for the development of tourism in Myanmar. And discussed in Issue 38 on was an article titled Revitalization of Community through Sustainable Tourism in Mongolia which overviewed how to promote Mongolia s rich cultural and natural resources and facilitate partnerships for sustainable development. Destination Report UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter Issue 26 The Destination Report deals with forms of tourism, cultural experiences, major tourism attractions, shared at the country, region, and city level among Asia and the Pacific Region member countries. Their respective features play a tremendous role in conveying experiences to effectively target tourists. The UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter has published a total of 45 issues on this topic. For instance, the article in Issues 26 titled Thailand Welcome You to the Rose of the North featured Chiang Mai as a cultural and natural wonderland of ethnic diversity, a multitude of attractions, and warm hospitality. In addition, Issue 37 discussed the festivals in the Land of the Thunder Dragon as being rich and happy expressions of ancient Buddhist culture as well as Tour of Dragon, an annual mountain biking race across five districts and three mountain passes that has gained popularity with an increasing number of international participants competing in the race. Sustainable Tourism Development Success Stories Sustainable Tourism Development Success Stories aims at understanding the major sustainability issues in the region. This section presents practical examples and comprehensive case studies to provide a wide range of experience at the organization, destination, national and regional levels rather than theoretical or prescriptive discussion. There have been 28 issues on this topic. In particular in Issues 33, in an article of the Mekong Discovery Trail in Cambodia there was an overview on Mekong Discovery Trail Project s focus on sustainable tourism development and its ability to generate jobs and alleviate poverty in the provinces of Kratie and Stung Treng, and how it aims to help protect and raise awareness of the Mekong River s importance for the well-being of the region. In addition, in 28, Responsible Tourism Partnership in Sri Lanka explained how Responsible Tourism Partnership Organization in collaboration with the UNWTO Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific merged in promoting sustainable ecotourism solutions for Sri Lanka. There are several projects such as Greening Sri Lanka Hotels Project that stands for enhancing the environmental performance of the hotels through improvement of Energy, Water and Waste Management System. Another one is Tress for Life Project that is taking initiatives to restore the rainforest, revegetate coastal conservation areas and provide tress with food, medicine and economic value. Asia-Pacific Newsletter I 2012, Issue 28 UNWTO Asia Pacific Executive Training on Tourism Policy and Strategy Special Report Silk Road Tourism Destination Report Cambodia UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter Issue UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 49

26 Focus on Tourism Policy Focus on Tourism Policy introduces information on tourism policy issues and case studies on the current status of respective polices in the Asia and the Pacific Region. Countries throughout the world have become increasingly susceptible to economic social, political, and environmental threats potentially impacting the sector. Therefore, each nation adopts and conducts policies in many different ways. Up to now, the Newsletter has published 25 issues of this topic. In particular, the article in Issue 32 on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in Hong Kong proceeds with recreational facilities for the general public and to contribute to the development of the Hong Kong economy. In the process of recovery from Asia Financial crisis in the late 1990s, the Walt Disney Company (WDC) aligned with the Hong Kong Government in This project generated many thousands of new jobs and is an economic driver for the Region. And in the article titled Tourism Promotion through Social Media a case example on how to effectively leverage social media to assist in revitalizing tourism demand was covered. 20th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly 6th UNWTO International Meeting on Silk Road Tourism UNWTO Initiatives Global Code of Ethics for Tourism Destination Report Lao People's Democratic Republic Asia-Pacific Newsletter I 2013, Issue 32 UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter Issue 32 UNWTO Initiatives Asia-Pacific Newsletter I 2013, Issue : A Year in Retrospect Message from Regional Director, Mr. Xu Jing ASEAN Tourism Forum UNWTO Initiatives Visa Facilitaion UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter Issue 30 Destination Report India UNWTO Initiatives is committed to supporting the achievement of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals that aim to, inter alia, - end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. The UNWTO operates numerous programs, projects and activities in over 100 countries, including: education and training; ethics and social dimensions of tourism; information and communications; institutional and corporate relations; knowledge network, market trends; risk and crisis management; the Silk Road Project; and related technical cooperation initiatives. In this section, existing UNWTO worldwide programs, projects and activities are highlighted; and in addition, an overview of specific case studies in the Asia and the Pacific region are shared. The UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter has featured 12 issues of this topic. Specifically, an article in Issue 30 on Visa Facilitation overviewed the function of Visa Issuance in the perspective of security, immigration control, revenue generation. The article also illustrated the expected impact of Visa Facilitation and impact on international tourism arrivals and job creation. Moreover, in an article in Issue 31 on Hotel Energy Solution, the objectives such as development and dissemination tools or materials to change SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) hotels in their use of energy, and promotion to exchange know-how and experience between Hotels as energy users, suppliers and manufactures were discussed. Interview UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter Issue 23 UNWTO Interview showcases UNWTO conference participants or organizers of events as well as the member of a certain institution. The UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter has featured 23 issues of this topic. One example is the interview in Issue 33 with Dr. Kaye Chon, Co-organizer of the UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook where he emphasized the need for effective collaboration among all parties for the success of the conference. In addition, Dr. Chon said that the forum should always be forward-looking to explore global and regional tourism trends and challenges for not only the coming years but the coming decades. Also, in the recently published Issue 42, Neela Lad, Deputy Director General Ministry of Tourism of the Government of India answered our questions in the position of participants of the 10th UNWTO Asia/Pacific Executive Training Program on Tourism Policy and Strategy. In the topic Human Resources Development, she emphasized the importance of both the public and private sector. In addition, Ms. Lad provided examples of case studies from South Korea s Jeju Island, and the school of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to highlight her topic. Conclusion Since its inception, the UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter has covered a multitude of tourism issues and topics of importance for the Asia Pacific Region. Looking towards the future, the Newsletter will continue to generate market knowledge, promote competitive and sustainable tourism polices and instruments, foster tourism education and training, and endeavor to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects amongst other pursuits in support of the tourism sector s continued advancement in the region and beyond. Mr. Xu Jing Mentioned that the Newsletter brings attention to the important work of UNWTO member states and affiliate members, such as landmark events, international travel fairs, and training sessions. Additionally, the destination reports provide destinations the opportunity to present new strategies in tourism promotion and development. The Newsletter has truly become the go to resource for information on recent and upcoming activities on tourism in Asia and the Pacific. 50 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 51

27 Expert Column Fair Tourism in the Perspective of Sustainable Tourism Seoul International Fair & Sustainable Tourism Forum 2016 Mr. Xu Jing of UNWTO and Mr. Byung Tae Kim of STO Fair & Sustainable Mega City, Seoul out of their neighborhood due how high visitor volume that President & CEO, Seoul Tourism Organization, Byungtae Kim has impacted the local community. The United Nation declared the year 2017 as the International Seoul International Fair & Sustainable Tourism Forum 2016 The forum s scheduling of sessions for the two-day event The essence of travel is for enjoyment but if one s vacation Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development". In collabora- were as follows: Session 1 on the first day featured Sustainable causes harm to someone else, should it proceed? Seoul The number of global tourists reached 1.2 billion last year tion with governments, relevant organizations, and interna- Tourism in Megacities. On the second day, Community stands at a turning point as it has now become essential to and is expected to exceed 1.8 billion by In Korea, the tional and regional organizations will facilitate the organiza- Tourism in Megacities was the focus. The speakers also had examine and ensure that our mega city embraces respectful capital city, Seoul welcomes more than ten million visitors a tion and implementation of the Year. Seoul, expecting 20 a chance to have an on-site visit to Bukchon on a technical and considerate visitors and that our citizens behave as such year which exceeds the city s number of residents. million incoming tourists by 2018, hosted the first Seoul tour, with a round-table discussion with representatives of in other places around the world as well. International Fair & Sustainable Tourism Forum last the area. Although tourism grows rapidly in quantity, rapid tourism September in order to present the importance of the topic of Sustainable tourism in not tourism for only a few, but it is a growth can also present challenges. An increasing number sustainable tourism in mega cities. Seoul is one of the first Following each of the sessions, the UNWTO and Seoul matter of justice for all to practice. Seoul is now confronting of major cities around the world are experiencing a series of mega cities to raise its voice on sustainable tourism aiming to Tourism Organization signed an MOU to further research the challenge to show that sustainable tourism is not only for conflicts and problems caused by soaring tourist volume. implement policies towards qualitative growth in tourism. sustainable tourism in mega cities together. At the closing of a select group of people with consciousness for the planet. the forum, the speakers, the organizing committee, Seoul A broad number of strategies are being considered by major Hosted in November 2016 in collaboration with the UNWTO, Metropolitan Government and Seoul Tourism Organization As part of the expectations and commitment of the participants, urban destinations to mitigate overcrowding and other Seoul International Fair & Sustainable Tourism Forum was announced the Seoul Declaration on Fair & Sustainable the forum aimed to be a historical turning point for the future impacts. A couple examples, to list a few include Venice, put together by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Tourism, a declaration which aims to initiate practical mid- of sustainable tourism through the solidarity of the tourism Italy which is considering a cap on tourist numbers to stop Seoul Tourism Organization, experts from international to-long-term solutions and policies for implementation. industry, academia, NGOs and international organizations overcrowding, and Barcelona, Spain which introduced a organizations and the academia to discuss ways to promote working together. tourist tax in In Seoul, the districts of Bukchon and sustainable co-existing tourism in mega cities. The speakers Sustainable tourism s core values are based on respect and Ihwa Village provide additional examples of overcrowding and participants included experts from Hong Kong, consideration, and they do not apply only for government Contributed by Seoul Tourism Organization, CEO Byung Tae which has resulted in local shops and residents being driven Germany, Japan, Thailand, India and Korea. organizations and tourism industry but individuals as well. Kim 52 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 53

28 Expert Column YMCA Promoting Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Tanah Lot Temple is on every tour brochure in Bali a must-have photo for anyone visiting Bali Sustainable Tourism CHAN Beng Seng, Global Alternative Tourism Network The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reported that the number of international tourist arrivals grew by 4.4% in 2015 to reach a total of billion. The Asia and the Pacific region recorded around 5% growth in 2015, receiving 277 million international arrivals. According to the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Visitor Arrivals Forecasts for the period 2015 to 2019, international visitor arrivals to Asia Pacific destinations will continue their growth momentum over the next five years. Preliminary estimates indicate that the rate of growth over the period will average between five and six percent per annum to generate an aggregate inbound count of more than 670 million by the end of Such growth trends in mass tourism also raise serious concerns about the issue of sustainability of our environment. It has been estimated that emissions from international aviation and shipping are each responsible for 5% of Global Warming with between 70%-80% of the carbon footprint in overseas tourism being derived from air and cruise travel. Globally, mass leisure tourism accounts for the largest travel segment. And this form of travel is increasing due to increasing spending power in developing nations, and also due to improvements to travel connectivity and convenience. This sector of the industry tends to focus its activities towards homogeneous travel packages featuring hurried visits to only the most popular destinations. This phenomenon leads to overcrowding in some areas; especially during high season, leaving visitation to other lesser popularized sites rather vacant. One example is the Great Wall of China whereby, even though it is overcrowded, the majority of tour operators choose the Baidaling section. This demand pattern leaves the Mutianyu section to be one of the best-preserved sections of the great wall, although receiving far fewer visitors. The huge volume of visitors often places a lot of stress on local sites. Local residents can often be overwhelmed by tourists as a result of having to cope with the intrusion into their lives. One example is that of residents living near Bukcheon Hanook Village in Seoul, Korea. And huge volume of visitors to heritage and cultural sites such as Angkor Wat and Borobudur also complicate and can impede preservation and conservation initiatives. CHANGE Tourism It is not possible to stop the rising trend of mass tourism. But we can try to change the nature of mass tourism by introducing the concept of responsible and sustainable travel such as: Introducing better motivations for travel Promoting carbon footprint awareness in tourism Practicing sustainable consumption habits Supporting the local economies Designing sustainable travel activities and itineraries The Global Alternative Tourism Network is a project of the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs to promote responsible and sustainable tourism that empowers youth to help restore the environment and ecology, uphold local cultures and heritage, and promote a better quality of life for the local community. Each year about 4,500-5,000 YMCA youth from the Asia Pacific embark on alternative forms of tourism for such activities as work camps, service learning trips, meetings and workshops. To promote more responsible and sustainable forms of travel, GATN works with both sending as well as hosting YMCAs to develop alternative tourism programmes according to the CHANGE principles. We try to change tourism with CHANGE : Community centered Holistic in development Advocating global citizenship among youth Nature and heritage conserving Gender and child sensitive Economically viable for both visitors and local hosting communities Using the CHANGE principles, the hosts work together with the visitors to design and plan a trip that has low carbon footprint. In this way, both the host and the visitors can benefit mutually from the programme. 54 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 55

29 A well planned homestay offers opportunities to interact with local communities and to involve in the family activiies, celebrations, cultural activities and sporting events Many young people today like to travel with a purpose. They find fulfillment in giving back to local communities that they visit Components of Responsible and Sustainable Tourism The motivation for tourism should go beyond leisure and pleasure. Tourism should stimulate learning, sharing and transformational experience. Tourism should be used as a tool for enhancing indigenous cultural values, local economy, conservation of environment and building global solidarity of people. YMCA encourages young people to travel responsibly. Modes of transportation - consider walking or cycling during your trip or using public transportation, Economy - buy local products and support the local economy Respect for local culture - immerse yourself in and accept the differences of - other cultures. Environmental conservation - choose a trip that strengthens the conservation efforts Natural resource use - consider the efficient use of water and energy, reduce wastage of food and dispose waste properly Responsible and Sustainable Tourism have the following components: Educational - To be able to learn more about the history, the culture, the social, economic and political realities of other people who are oftentimes different your own. Encounters - There should be opportunities to encounter and interact with the local community. Such encounters would allow the visitors to have an intimate knowledge and understanding of the lives of their hosts. Solidarity - Travel should help build Solidarity between the visitors and the host communities Commitment - The learning and experiences and encounters from the trip should also strengthen one s commitment towards issues like justice, peace, sustainable development, etc. Transformation - Finally, tourism should have a Transforming effect on both the visitor and the host transforming to a global citizen. Transformation Commitment Educational YMCA Alternative Tourism Solidarity Encounters Essential components of Alternative Tourism Since air travel occupies 70-80% of the carbon footprint of a tour activity, it is utmost important to minimize further harm to the environment. Although tourism has the potential to offer a large number of important benefits to host destinations, the positive impact from tourism is often not being fully maximized. In responsible and sustainable tourism, the local communities are not the objects but important stakeholders. GATN promotes Community Based Tourism and see it as an effective tool for sustainable community development, empowering local community and supporting the local economy. Some activities offered by YMCA responsible and sustainable tourism include: Homestay - Experiencing a homestay in a traditional village is perhaps one of the fastest and easiest ways to get to know the country you are visiting Interaction and cultural exchanges with local communities Learning about local ecology and participating in activities to mitigate carbon footprint such as tree planting and mangrove replanting projects Participating in community development projects and volunteering in community services Contributed by Global Alternative Tourism Network, Coordinator Chan Beng Seng 56 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 57

30 Expert Column MICE Infrastructure in Thailand Transportation hours. The trip offers a great travel experience as one can Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport enjoy natural scenery on both sides of the mighty Mekong River. Situated approximately 10km from the city centre, the airport Attractions serves several airlines with some 16 domestic flights per day arriving from Bangkok s Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi Natural Attractions IMFT 2016 Airports. These airlines include Thai Airways International, Thai Smile Airways, Nok Air, Thai Air Asia, Bangkok Airways, Phu Chi Fa - At 1,628 metres above sea level, this scenic Chiang Rai Family, including the Late Princess Mother, with the aim of and Thai Lion Air. Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines operates three direct flights per week from Kunming, China. mountain offers stunning views of the hills and a look out over the Mekong River that marks the border between Thailand Thailand s Northernmost, Origin of Lanna Culture, and Gateway improving life for the local hill tribes. Some of these Royal Projects are the perfect venues for MICE and incentive activities Asian Highway and Lao PDR. to Greater Mekong Sub-region and they give a unique insight into grassroots Thai communities. Kok River This charming river flows through the town of Strategically linked with Myanmar and Lao PDR, Chiang Rai Chiang Rai and is 130 kilometres long. The gentle waters Chiang Rai, the most northerly of Thailand s 77 provinces is With the coming of the ASEAN Economic Community or is an essential part of Asian Highway Network which is being offer rafting and cruising to visitors looking for soft adventure. fast becoming a vital emerging MICE destination. Scenically AEC, Chiang Rai is being promoted alongside Chiang Mai, developed to connect the travel routes throughout Asian situated in the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Laos and which is a part of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). These are region. The 7,331-km AH3 Route (from Russia through Doi Nang Non This is an unusual range of hills that evoke Myanmar meet, the region is an important gateway and being established by the Royal Thai Government under China, Myanmar, Lao PDR, to Thailand) runs through Chiang the shape of a reclining woman when seen from certain logistics hub for Southern China and the Greater Mekong its foresight policy of increasing local commerce and Khong Chiang Rai for 105 km in distance. angles. It is found in the Mae Chan district on the west side of Sub-region. communication with neighbouring countries as a way of Chiang Rai shares land border with Myanmar via Mae Sai - Ta the highway between Chiang Rai and Mae Sai. The silhouette boosting economic growth. Chi Lek checkpoint. It connects to Huay Xai of Lao PDR at of the mountain range is famous throughout Chiang Rai. Founded some 50 years before its more famous neighbour Chiang Khong border, and travellers have the options either Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai has a long history and was once the The implementation of SEZs across the ASEAN Economic to cross the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge or take a boat trip Doi Mae Salong - Set in picturesque and serene hills, Doi capital of the Lanna Kingdom. This rich heritage means Community will enhance the attractiveness of Chiang Rai for through the Mekong River. Mae Salong was once the community of the Chinese 93rd Chiang Rai is a province with a wealth of arts, customs, culture and traditions to explore. MICE events by increasing trade, via an improvement in infrastructure and logistics networks all of which benefit Mekong River Division who escaped from the political tension in Myanmar in Today, it is one of province s main tourist attractions, venues hosting MICE events as well as improve facilities for boasting tasty Chinese cuisine, lovely houses and gardens as As well as its fascinating history, Chiang Rai boasts a wide meeting attendees. As ASEAN integration gathers pace and The longest river in Southeast Asia that borders Thailand at well as fruits, coffee and tea plantations. range of natural wonders and activities to enjoy. The province is home to many of the most important Royal Projects, many ever-closer links are forged with neighbouring countries, the MICE industry will benefit Chiang Rai as more and more Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai and Huay Xai in Lao PDR, thus the province serves as a gateway to the Greater Mekong The Royal Projects of which have been initiated by His Majesty King Bhumibol overseas investors and organisations come to launch and Sub-region. From Chiang Khong, travellers can take an Adulyadej of Thailand and other members of the Thai Royal promote their products and services. overnight cruise trip to Luang Prabang which takes about 9.5 Doi Tung Royal Development Project & Mae Fah Luang 58 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 59

31 IMFT 2016 Bankgkok Market Garden an integrated sustainable development initiative of the Late Princess Mother that shows her true dedication to development work. Attractions include the Doi Tung Royal Villa which once was the Late Princess Mother s residence and the Mae Fah Luang Garden - a beautiful garden of temperate flowers spread over on over 10 acres of land. Wat Phra Sing Built in 1385, this is one of Chiang Rai s oldest temples and once housed one of Thailand s most revered Buddha images the Phra Buddha Sihing. The temple s buildings such as the ubosot, viharn and chedi are striking examples of Lanna architecture. real insight into the region s history. Singha Park Owned by Boon Rawd Brewery, well-known Asian brewery, the Park which spans over 3,000 acres of land is currently a leading agro-tourism destination. The venue provides recreational and soft adventure activities such as Boomerang Rock Climbing & Adventure Park - Situated 3 kilometres from downtown Chiang Rai, the park offers a range of soft adventure activities perfect for teambuilding and incentives, including zip-lining, bouldering, slack lining, bouldering, caving and trekking. farm tours, mountain-biking, rock-climbing and zip- lining as Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park (Rai Mae Fah Luang) Situated about 5 kilometres from the city centre, the venue houses the largest collection of art objects from the ancient Lanna Kingdom. There is also the Haw Kham, an outstanding Wat Phra Kaew The temple is famous throughout Thailand as the original home of the most important Buddha image in Thailand, the Emerald Buddha which is now kept in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha at Bangkok s Grand Palace. well as features panoramic 360 degree views of the tea plantations and a small zoo. Akha Hill House - About 23 kilometres from Chiang Rai, the Art Bridge Chiang Rai - the venue consists of an art gallery that provides a platform for up and coming artists to exhibit their work. There is also an art school, a restaurant and café, a library, and a souvenir shop selling local handmade textiles example of Lanna architecture, and the Haw Kaew teakwood exhibition one of many shown throughout the year. History, Art & Cultural Attractions Wat Rong Khun Also known as the White Temple, it is one Baan Dam (Black House) Museum This was the home of another Thailand s artist Thawan Duchanee. Now a unique attraction, it houses the artist s private collection of around 40 buildings with that represent a range of architectural styles. They are displayed in a charming and serene garden. Akha Hill House is 15,000 metres above sea level and overlooks a misty valley with views of the picturesque lush tea plantation, rice fields and waterfalls. Choui Fong Tea Plantation Mae Chan The largest tea producers in Thailand known for producing high quality and herbal products. Local Lifestyle Attractions Chiang Saen - The charming old town on the banks of the mighty Mekong River boasts stunning views into neighbouring of the most popular attractions in Chiang Rai. The temple is the brainchild of Thailand s famous artist Chalermchai Themed & Lifestyle Attractions traditional teas, Choui Fong grows several distinctive types of tea such as Assum, Green, Oolong and Black Tea in the Lao PDR. There are lots of little locally-owned shops and visitors can buy artwork and handicrafts that have been Kositpipat, who designed it and has been working on the project since The temple s striking white exterior and intricate, highly detailed architectural style makes it one of the many unique and must-visit attractions in Thailand. The Hall of Opium An interactive museum features intriguing exhibition about the history of opium in the Golden Triangle. It s unique place in Chiang Rai and allows visitor to enjoy a highlands at around 1,200 metres above sea level in a vast estate that covers approximately 395 acres in the Mae Chan district. Tourists are welcome to visit and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the plantations. influenced by the local cultures and Buddhist traditions. Golden Triangle This is the area where the Mekong River meets the Ruak River and also where the borders of Thailand, 60 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 61

32 Bankgkok Market IMFT 2016 Lao PDR, and Myanmar converge. Locally the area is known as Sop Ruak, and it used to be an area notorious for opium production. Thanks the success of the Royal Projects this is no longer the case but visitors can still tour the area and enjoy the local scenery and fruit orchards. Chiang Rai Night Market Held in the town centre, this is a good place to shop for local handicrafts, souvenirs, hill-tribe fabrics, silver, beads and needlework at bargain prices. Mae Sai There is a huge market at Tachilek which borders Thailand and Myanmar, joined by the Mae Sai River Bridge, it is a great shopping place for local products and souvenirs at bargain prices. Accommodation and MICE Facilities Le Méridien Chiang Rai Resort This chic five-star Thai style resort in the city centre features 159 modern guest rooms and over 1,250 sq.m. of contemporary meeting and function space. The main function room can host up to 1,230 delegates and can be divided into nine breakout meeting rooms, each equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a built-in LCD projector and presentation with communication technology perfect for meetings and seminar, while the modern light-and-sound technology allows it to convert the space into sophisticated evening functions. Dusit Island Resort Chiang Rai Located near Chiang Rai city centre and boasting spectacular views of the Mae Kok River, the 269-room hotel is home to Doi Tung Hall which can cater for up to 700 delegates. There are also three breakout meeting rooms. Wiang Inn Hotel Chiang Rai Located in the heart of the city near Chiang Rai night market, the 260-room hotel features Chiang Roong Ballroom that can accommodate up to 550 delegates and three breakout meeting rooms. Phowadol Resort & Spa Chiang Rai The Lanna style resort is about 10 minutes from city centre, and features 154 well-appointed guestrooms with suites and cottage villas. For functions, its Champalao Room can host up to 500 people while the Dook-Beeb Room is suitable for groups of up to 60 delegates. Rimkok Resort Chiang Rai This 256-room riverside resort is situated 4 kilometres from city centre and 8 kilometres from the airport. It provides Hiran Nakorn function room that can serve up to 350 delegates and three breakout meeting rooms. Highlighted MICE Events held in Chiang Rai ( ) TCEB has earmarked Chiang Rai as a vital emerging MICE destination that has increasingly becoming more popular among international and local organisations and corporations in search for unique venue for important conferences and exclusive meetings. In February 2016, Chiang Rai was chosen by the esteemed Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) to be the host venue for its annual PATA Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart (AT&RTCM). The province hosted several ASEAN-level gatherings, including the ASEAN Tourism Working Group in March 2015 and AEC Tourism Connectivity Seminar on in March Other highlighted events have included the 1st International Conference on Digital Arts, Media and Technology in February 2016, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in March 2014, and the Thailand International Conference on Tea in November In addition, Chiang Rai is also the venue for many sporting events and colourful festivals, including the Chiang Rai International Balloon Fiesta 2016 in February, the Colours of Doi Tung Festival held from late November to early January, the Candlelight Museum held from December to January, the Chiang Rai Criterium in February, and the Chiang Rai ASEAN Flowers Fair from December to January. Contributed by Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau 62 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 63

33 Expert Column Local Tourism Development in Pilgrimage Routes: The Case of Japan s Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage in Japanese History the mountainous peninsula is covered in lush forests that receive around of 4000 milliliters of rain per year. Many Religious travel has a long tradition in Japan in the form of rivers such as the Kumano-gawa, the Hiki-gawa and the pilgrimage to various sacred sites of the country. Starting Tomita-gawa run through the peninsula, craving deep in the Heian period ( ), retired Emperors and valleys inside the mountains and creating numerous aristocrats would travel from the capital city of Kyoto to the waterfalls, including the Nachi waterfall, which is considered a mountain ranges of the Kumano area. The pilgrimage to holy site. Kumano Kodo had its heyday during the Muromachi period ( ), when large segments of the population started Kumano Kodo itself is a multi-site pilgrimage route structured to take the journey. In the Edo period ( ), the around three grand shrines as its final destination: the Tokugawa shogunate imposed rigid travel restrictions that Kumano Hongu Taisha (in Tanabe city), the Kumano prevented the general population from freely traveling Hayatama Taisha (in Shingu city) and the Kumano Nachi around the country. However, authorities did make allowances Taisha (in Nachikatsura town). Each of these grand shrines is Kumano Kodo for travel under special conditions such as for pilgrimages. Improved travel conditions led to the popularization of travel dedicated to one of the three deities of Kumano (Kumano Kongen), which are also associated with three particular among the population, creating a pre-modern tourism activity Buddhas themselves. These main pilgrimage sites are linked that combined pilgrimage and sightseeing. The most visited through three main routes. The Kiiji route comprises three Introduction Travelling to sacred sites has been a central practice in many religious traditions across the globe. While these trips would usually take a large amount of time and involve facing unknown circumstances, advancements in modern transportation have made pilgrimage travel safer as well as more accessible, while the process of travelling itself is regarded by contemporary visitors as valuable as reaching the destination. At the same time, the relationship between International Congress on Tourism and Pilgrimages, which was carried out in Santiago de Compostela, Spain from September With this background, and the designation of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage routes as a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1993, pilgrimage routes have occupied an increasingly important role in tourism. In Japan, the most known example of tourism development in a pilgrimage route is the Shikoku Henro, but there are other cases such as the Chris- pilgrimage destinations were the Ise Grand Shrine and the Shikoku Henro, which replaced Kumano in popularity. In contemporary Japan, pilgrimage sites such as Ise Grand Shrine, Shikoku Henro and Kumano Kodo remain popular destinations today. Local authorities have realized the importance of their pilgrimage routes and sites, and enthusiastically promote them to revitalize regional economies, as the population decline and economic stagnation was noticed especially in rural areas since the 30s and especially after the 90s. sub-routes: the Nakahechi route (connecting the west coast to the three shrines), the Kohechi route (which links Kumano Hongu Taisha with the Buddhist complex of Koyasan) and the Ohechi route (which goes along the southern coastline). The Iseji route connects the Kumano region with the Ise Grand Shrine located in Mie prefecture. Finally the Omine Okugake route connects the Kumano Hongu Taisha with the Yoshino region, in Nara prefecture. In this way, Kumano Kodo forms a circuit of pilgrimage routes along the Kii peninsula that not only links to its own sites, but also connects with other important sacred sites. spirituality and travel has been increasingly addressed in modern tourism. In this regard, the two recent conferences organized by the UNWTO are significant: the First UNWTO International Conference on Spiritual Tourism for Sustainable Development, which took place on September 2013 in Ninh Binh province, Vietnam, and the First UNWTO tian sites of Nagasaki, the Ise pilgrimage in Mie prefecture and the Kumano Kodo in Wakayama. This article focuses on the tourism development of Kumano Kodo or ancient route of Kumano, a pilgrimage site related to revival and healing, situated in the lush natural scenery of the Kii peninsula. Overview of Kumano Kodo The Kumano Kodo routes cover large sections of the Kii peninsula, situated in the central east coast of Honshu, the main island of Japan. Because of its relatively warm weather, The journey to Kumano Kodo took origin in the Nara period as a site for ascetic practices of the Shugendo religious sect. The pilgrimage route was also followed by Emperors from the Heian period. During the Muromachi period, the popularity of Kumano Kodo began to flourish in all sectors of society. 64 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 65

34 Kumano Kodo Kumano Kodo However, during the Edo period, the location started to lose popularity as other sites such as the Ise Grand Shrine began to prosper. During the 1930s, the Kumano area experienced population decrease as a result of economic downturn in the forestry sector. In the following decades, plans were initiated to revitalize the area by boosting tourism through the promotion of the area s scenic beauty and hot springs. After negotiations with the local forestry and mining industries, the pilgrimage routes became designated as part of the Yoshino-Kumano National Park in However, the local industries continued to face difficulties and further prompted the local population to migrate to urban centers. However, over the ensuing decades, as the needs of tourists throughout Japan would become more diversified, the local administrations began to realize Kumano Kodo s full potential as a tourism destination and plans were made to promote the location s awareness. In 1978, Kumano Kodo was the first road system to be designated as a Historical Route by the Japanese Agency of Cultural Affairs. Local Tourism Development of Kumano Kodo s Tanabe City Overview of Tanabe City Located on the west side of the Wakayama prefecture, Tanabe city occupies a central role in the regional economy, culture and transportation. As gateway to the Kumano area, the city encompasses numerous tourism resources such as 60 kilometers of pilgrimage routes comprised of the Nakahechi and the Kohechi routes, the Kumano Hongu Taisha and Oyunohara, the former location of Kumano Hongu Taisha. The area is also filled with important Onsen that have been visited for several centuries, with the most famous being Yu no Mine, located just south of the Hongu Shrine in the old Hongu town. Hiking, regional cuisine, handcrafts and local festivals constitute some of the attractive points of the city. Three Central Points of Tanabe City s Tourism Development Tanabe city has undertaken a number of important initiatives in developing its tourism resources. First, in 2004, touristic development reached a milestone when numerous routes and temples of Kumano Kodo were designated as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range, under the category of Cultural Landscape. This provided the regional communities with a new way to strengthen the tourism industry in order to revitalize the regional economy, as well as an opportunity to attract visitors from overseas. The second point was the establishment in 2006 of the Tanabe City Tourism Action Plan. Its main points are: Efficient utilization of the tourism brands of the region: - Strengthening the identification of the Kumano Kodo brand with Tanabe city. - Attract tourists by utilizing hot springs, cuisine and walk themes. - Upgrade the region s reception level and information sharing. Considerations for future course of action: - Develop new ways of tourism such as Health Tourism, Ecotourism, Sport Tourism and Green Tourism. - Build regional alliances. - Continue to promote inbound tourism through soft hard initiatives. - Educate the local community on hospitality. Finally, in 2006, the city established the Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau to coordinate sustainable tourism policies effectively in the newly-merged city. The Bureau acts as a joint public-private tourism promotion agency, and includes the five old towns administrations as well as the present Tanabe city administration. The tourism associations of each of the former five towns are still in function, and the Bureau collaborates with them to further develop the tourism sector in a sustainable way. Promotion Towards International Visitors The Bureau has been also playing a key role in devising and implementing promotional campaigns and services aimed at international tourists. In order to increase their number, the Bureau has made it easier to travel around the area by setting English road signs, restaurant menus and bus timetables. It has also conducted workshops with the local community in order to improve English conversation skills. The Bureau also provides attention to visitors in English. Lastly, it has distributed 66 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 67

35 performing low-intensity exercise and relaxation techniques, the high ratio of visitors doing day trips (out of the 3,810,087 as well as bathing in the hot springs. Along the way, they visitors to Tanabe city in 2015, day-trippers were 3,366,555 learn about the cultural and natural characteristics of the area and only 443,532 lodged). However, Tanabe city s tourism while sampling local cuisine. initiatives demonstrate that strategic planning coupled with Forming Partnerships with Fellow Pilgrimage Routes an effective use of the Internet and media can provide regional communities with sustainable ways to develop tourism resources. Lastly, it should be addressed that Tanabe has the potential to further expand its offer through Finally, Tanabe city formed a partnership with the local the development of wellness, walking and spirituality-related authorities of Galicia, where Santiago de Compostela is tourism, which is increasingly important for today s society located, to promote cultural exchanges and joint tourism globally. promotion. As part of this initiative, the World Heritage Center located nearby the Kumano Hongu Taisha illustrates Contributed by Wakayama University Professor Kato Kumi, Kumano Kodo not only the local history and culture, but also contains a PhD Student Nicolas Progano section showing information about Santiago de Compostela. This partnership has led to the creation of the Dual Pilgrim, bilingual (English/Japanese) lists of simple phrases which of Hongu, where the Kumano Hongu Taisha is located, the a certificate awarded to visitors who have travelled both have made communication easier for both visitors and number of overnight foreign visitors rose from 492 in 2004 to Kumano Kodo and Santiago de Compostela. locals. Another important improvement was the establishment of an English-Japanese Internet reservation system where visitors 6,881 in Development New Types of Pilgrimage Tourism through Wellness Conclusion Japan s pilgrimage routes constitute important tourism can book lodging facilities, tours and other services. The resources that include multiple regional features such as reservation system is aimed particularly at small groups In order to diversify its tourism offer, and by acknowledging history, natural beauty, local culture, wellness and regional and individual tourists. This has simplified and sped up the the potential between wellness and pilgrimage, Tanabe has cuisine. In hopes of revitalizing regional economies and reservation process for visitors, as they found previously established the Kumano Health Lab, which promotes stabilizing falling populations, local administrations have difficult to plan and make reservations. At the same time, wellness-related walking tours and activities that are carried been strengthening the promotion of their pilgrimage sites as it has benefited the local establishments by processing out utilizing the cultural and geographic features of Kumano tourism destinations. The importance of Tanabe s example reservations with no intermediaries and thus ensuring that Kodo. The development of a wellness tourism-related relies on the value it placed on the strategic planning of its Kumano Kodo earnings stay in the region, as well as creating employment. program is in line with the guidelines that the Japanese diverse tourism resources centered on pilgrimage routes The use of English in the reservation system has facilitated government laid out in its Tourism Nation Promotion Basic and its deliberate approach to international visitors through the process for both parties. Finally, payment has also been Plan, approved on June The Plan calls for the development international partnerships and multi-language promotion simplified as some establishments do not have credit card of new types of tourism which differ from traditional tourism, campaigns, which prompted them to visit a destination payment available, which complicated reservations for some which emphasizes sightseeing excursions, by focusing on outside of the main Japanese tourism spots. These points tourists. thematic travelling, experience and exchange with others. should be taken into consideration by other communities These themes, when commoditized as touristic products, who wish to promote its pilgrimage routes, especially by These initiatives have substantially increased the number of are expected to help invigorate regional communities. In those that are not well-established tourism destinations and foreign tourists who visit Tanabe city, particularly from Western Kumano Health Lab programs, visitors are led by trained are considering the first steps of their development planning. countries. According to official data collected in the old town guides along different sections of the pilgrimage routes while Tourism activity still has to face some challenges, such as 68 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 69

36 Expert Column The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Future of Tourism make online enquiries at any time of the day and from you consider the revolutionary innovation that has changed anywhere in the world. the history of mankind, it started from the emergence of new energy and the changes in means of production. Since the Travel and tourism companies have started to offer mobile 18th century, there have been three industrial revolutions in services making it possible for customers to make reservations the world. for vacations and even government agencies are also providing tourist information through mobile. The First Industrial Revolution grew from the invention of the steam engine. The steam engine enabled the From the individual to the national level, mobile service is machinery-produced goods and, in 1784, the era of increasingly utilized for tourism marketing. Governmental mechanization came into play making the era of agencies are creating mobile application to promote tourist handicrafts fade away. Great Britain sparked the industrial destinations and providing tourist brochures through apps. revolution with steam and waterpower and became the world s largest industrial country. The Fourth Industrial Revolution Especially, some tourist attractions have QR codes to provide information about certain places or help tourist Coal mining proved to be a major source of energy for purchase tickets. Map services including Google Maps are society. With the development of printing technology, books allowing people to drive anywhere they would like to go. This and newspapers became the major means of communication has opened a new era of individual tourism or small- sized and knowledge transmission mediums. The advent of Smartphones Changes the World Apple s 2007 launching of the iphone revolutionized the way we Starting from smartphones, the IT revolution has altered the landscape of the global communications, allowing wireless connection and remote business controls. tourism without tour guides. In addition, with GPS, bus drivers, residents of tourist areas, as well as tourists are able to travel more easily. Later, oil and electricity started to emerge as energy sources. The Second Industrial Revolution emerged with the advent of the mass production system and the assembly line. This communicate. People lined up for 2 or 3 days in front of the store to purchase the product. Smartphone technology has triggered a communication transformation by giving users a new way for users to connect to world. Also known as a handheld computer the smartphone, the smartphone has become a necessity for anyone to use that can provide all kinds of information anytime and anywhere. Transformation of Tourism with Smartphones Additionally, the invention of the smartphone has enabled new possibilities in various markets bringing search engine sites such as Google, Baidu, and Naver and social network sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, KaKaoTalk, and Blogs. It has also allowed the rise of e-commerce sites such Amazon and Alibaba and expanded the mobile game industry along with mobile advertising industry. The tourism industry has been heavily influenced by smartphone technology which allows users the ability to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and restaurants as well as post real-time comments on service experiences and to Occurring less than 10 years ago, all of these capabilities became possible with smartphones. Smartphones are not just means of communication, but means to access news and information and to connect. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, however, is approaching and it is considered to be more powerful than ever before. The Evolution Process from the First to Third Industrial Revolution So, what does the Fourth Industrial Revolution mean? When conveyer belt began in the United States, in 1870, in a Cincinnati slaughter house. With the division of labor and with the power of electricity, the United States and its industries were able to increase their production efficiencies and establish its position as the world s most powerful country. Then, television, radio, and landline phones emerged as tools for information and knowledge communication. The next change came in with the advent of semiconductor and resulted in the information revolution with computers and the Internet leading to the Third Industrial Revolution, or digital revolution. 70 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 71

37 Challenges to the development of renewable energy have been achieved and energy efficiency has become an important topic. What exactly the Fourth Industrial Revolution will change the Future of Tourism? traffic information is shared via GPS, allows an user to see the traffic situation at the desired place in real time when the smartphone is turned on. New energy sources such as fuel cells and hydrogen energy are developed and existing fossil fuels are converted. Energy So, the next question will be how exactly the 4th Industrial Revolution changes the future of the tourism industry. A lot of information such as airline schedules or information for tourist attractions, restaurants, and travel agents will be development utilizing sunlight (sunlight, solar heat), biological organisms (bio), wind (wind), water (hydro), and geothermal power and also being developed. The biggest change will be the appearance of 'Interpretation Secretary'. Until now, when traveling abroad, the major issues and inconveniences came from language problems. automatically managed and stored. This is because the 4th Industrial Revolution will convert the information of tourists into data and manages it in the virtual world. The Fourth Industrial Revolution In 1969, Program Logic Controller (PLC), which enabled program control using semiconductor devices, opened the What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution that will Change the Future of Tourism? What kind of revolution will happen next? The Davos Forum asserts that it is the "Fourth Industrial Revolution." There will be a 'technology convergence' in which the boundary between the digital world, the biological realm and the physical However, there will be an era of "interpreters" who can freely translate desired foreign languages. Naturally, people from all over the world will be able to use the 'automatic translation' function to understand various tourist information that is made just for the domestic tourists or written down in different languages such as Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic. The Fourth Industrial Revolution changes the dimension of tourism by opening the space age. By 2030, it is expected you can travel to Mars. The Fourth Industry Revolution will yield a breakthrough in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, nanotechnology, big automation era. As the machine can produce products with preloaded program values, a remarkable leap in productivity has been achieved. Electronics and information technology, which have realm is broken down. Cyber-physical system is at the core of this technology convergence that will lead to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. A single network connected by the Physical System, which Currently, Google and Microsoft 'translation apps' provide translation services. Smartphones cameras are used to read a signboard or restaurant menu in a foreign language and translate it into a desired language. data, cloud, biotechnology, materials science and quantum computer engineering (quantum computing) which will eventually trigger an evolution. As a result, the integration and convergence of the online emerged as key technologies for automation, have opened the era of home appliances such as televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and video. Then, with the advent of the Internet, the whole world was connected to one network, and the IT revolution took place. Companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Alibaba have appeared as major companies. The global market is enthusiastic about the emergence of smartphones and social network services such as Facebook, refers to the real-world goods such as such as robots, medical devices, and industrial equipment, and Cyber System, which refers to the Internet virtual space, is to analyze and utilize the integrated data and do automatic control. This means the integration of the on-line and off-line world where all things become intelligent. In this way, almost all real-world objects can evolve into Intelligent Internet (IoT), and these objects are connected to One day it will be possible to travel without a tourist guide or to ask for assistance at tourist kiosks. The era of autonomous vehicle become became a possibility; the artificial intelligent robot mounted on the car will guide you to the desired sightseeing spot. When you go on a trip with the 'voice secretary, the secretary will provide you tourist information by voice. A voice secretary, similar to Apple s Siri, will act as a 'tourist guide' because it can tell you information you would like to know and Baidu are developing 'voice secretaries. and offline worlds will be fully achieved resulting in new and exciting opportunities for the tourism sector in the decades to come. Contributed by MBN News, Editor of Business News Eun Su Choi Twitter, and Instagram. The smartphone became a window of information communication. Combined with a variety of applications (apps), the smartphone has made the era of mobile versatility to solve any problems of our lives. a new industrial age in which product production and service are fully automated. Tourism is no exception. It can be used to establish tourism policies and to establish tourism-marketing strategies by converting information on all tourists visiting a country or a specific tourist destination into 'Big Data'. Human travel by drones technology may one day be a reality by simple entry of GPS coordinates. One of the inconveniences you would experience while traveling abroad is that you may find difficult to understand traffic information of the country but, with the tools of the 4th Industrial Revolution, you can identify it at a glance. The revolution in which 5G networks is built and the global 72 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 73

38 Special Issue A Tourism Stories Publication for the Philippines The book includes four chapters that invoke the Philippines' culture, community, environment and spirit. The stories told speak of industry, creativity, resilience and persistence to succeed. Some are about growing micro to small scale tourism enterprises such as weaving, chocolate making, catering, tour operations, guiding, organic farming, souvenir making, serving as boatmen and special interest tour guides and others. Another story pertains to tenacity and perseverance in mentoring children to become a world-acclaimed choir. Two are about resilience, faith, fraternity and sheer creativity in surmounting crises. And some are about proud overseers of their ancestral domains, serving to perpetuate traditions and customs while still being able to have productive parts in the tourism value chain. caterer Laida Escoltura (Surigao del Norte), tour/souvenir and food business manager Imelda Tero (Cebu), Butanding interaction officer Bobby Adrao (Sorsogon), tour operator Angelo Cayabo (Palawan), organic farmers Josie and Ronald Costales (Laguna), Philippine eagle conservationists Edan Colin Santander and Marion Puroy Entrolizo (Davao City), cave guide Gerry Bie Dalimag (Cagayan Valley), offroad racing adventure operator Joseph Buduan (Ilocos Norte), adventure tourism operator Rupert Domingo (Misamis Oriental), hostel managers Jake and Trixie Palami (Leyte), surf guide George Plaza (Davao Oriental), boat operator Jenny Warren (Zamboanga del Sur), event organizer Ernesto Guarino (Leyte) and trainer, community developer and event organizer Antonio Cinco (Leyte). The Tourism Stories Creating Community Possibility One Meal at a Time The story of Imelda Tero and the Olango Island Tour Association from Olango Island, Cebu Introduction The Department of Tourism of the Philippines (DOT), with support from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), published the first Tourism Stories: Philippine earlier this year. The publication comprises a total of twenty stories of men and women whose lives have been changed by tourism, and whose lives have touched hundreds and thousands of foreign and local tourists. Regarded as the tourism frontliners, the storybook tellers have spent years making meaningful and memorable experiences for many visitors in the Philippines. They are the Filipinos who open doors for the guests, carry luggage, ensure clean rooms, cook and serve food, drive tourist vehicles, paddle boats, and produce handicrafts, among many others. The book is the Department of Tourism's way to celebrate the pride, optimism, resiliency, and fortitude of spirit of the country s tourism providers who occupy a direct role in changing the lives of the tourists they encounter. Through these shared stories, the Department endeavors to continue to promote and uphold the best of the country, its culture and its people. The Philippine Edition of Tourism Stories was launched on the occasion of the 2016 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum in Manila in January. The UNWTO greatly acknowledges the effort of the Philippines, as this book serves as a testimony to the transformative power of tourism in rebuilding livelihoods through job creation, in renewing people s hope for a better tomorrow, and in celebrating the cultural and spiritual essence of a nation. The launch of the publication marks the beginning of a journey to unravel the immense involvement by many people in the business called tourism. The storytellers include weaving enterprise owner Eva Valledor (Palawan), chocolatier Dalareich Polot (Bohol), music teacher Alma Fernando Taldo (Bohol), nature tourism enterprise worker Dominador Liwanag (Zambales), cultural tourism actor Alonzo Saclag (Kalinga), rest area manager Gloria Neron (Aklan), food The Tourism Stories 74 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 75

39 The Tourism Stories: Philippine Edition features twenty moving stories which has taken inspiration from the UNWTO Tourism Stories launch in The book showacases all that the Philippines stand for: as a Culture, as a Community, as an Environment and as a Spirit. It is a collection of stories of Filipinos across the country working in, for, and with Tourism. Alonzo Saclag was awarded by the Philippine Government the National Living Treasure (Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan) Award for sharing and showing his province s culture through his performances in the villages. He and his family now manage their dream project: The Kalinga Center for Culture and the Arts. Philippine Edition features twenty moving stories which has taken inspiration from the UNWTO Tourism Stories launched in The book showacases all that the Philippines stand for: as a Culture, as a Community, as an Environment and as a Spirit. It is a collection of stories of Filipinos across the country working in, for, and with Tourism. From Dishwasher to Tour Operator The story of Angelo Cayabo from Puerto Princesa City, Palawan The Stories in this book and partners who were also part of the hobby group. construction of his home. He was also able to purchase two jeeps and another service vehicle and most importantly Mountains to Climb and Conquer The story of Rupert Domingo from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Gerry Bie Andoy Dalimag started his career as a student tour guide of the Philippine Department of Tourism, one of the provide for all the needs of his family. Preserving the Kalinga Culture The story of Alonzo Saclag from Kalinga Province Angelo Toto Cayabo is the real deal for tourism success story, he started as a dishwasher and is now a proud tour operator. He entered the tourism industry as a resort driver and transferred guests between the airport and port, he worked as a bellman driver and airport reception staff, and then trained and became a tour guide. Through his determination and humility, Toto became the first dolphin watching tour operator in Palawan. Rupert Domingo has been an adventure enthusiast since his childhood. To pay for the equipment he needed, Rupert sold fries and bananas and ran a very small eatery just to finance his mountaineering hobby and support his growing family. He and his friends formed another hobby group and named it Cagayan de Oro White Water Rafting Adventure after being introduced to the sport. Because of their grit and the increasing demand for white water rafting experience, the area now has six white water rafting companies that provide outdoor activities which include Rupert s 1st Rafting Adventure while most are owned by friends initiatives of the regional office of the PDOT to prevent issues on child labor cropping up. Andoy was one of 23 students trained as tour guides, as a rule they cannot guide during school days, should have very few number of hours in tour guiding, be designated in a safe limited site and most especially should have fun. The Callao Caves has become Andoy s playground and path to secure his future. Today, he is considered an expert guide of the Callao caves and was awarded as a Tourism Star in Joseph Buduan was formerly an electronic shop owner and has never thought of being a service provider to tourists. It was when a friend from the U.S introduced him to off-road racing and he slowly turned into an off-road hobbyist. He bought a second-hand jeep and retrofitted it to tackle the loose sand of the desert. Due to increasing requests from tourists for off-road adventures, he was able to put up the Suba Paoay Offroaders Organization which sets up standards for their new found service and to finish the Josephine Costales and her husband, Ronald, live the retirement dream after purchasing a small piece of land and an equally modest vacation house in Majayjay, Laguna. They decided, at only age 39, to quit the hussle and bussle of city life and retire to the country. With their courage and commitment, they have embarked on their agricultural journey. They started producing using organic farming and produce yields for high-end restaurants and hotels in Metro Manila. In 2012, they became a farm tourism destination and was accredited by the Philippine Department of Tourism. Three years later, high calibre restaurants and hotels started ordering their organic produce. They finally got what the dreamt - retirement and a beautiful garden. Imelda Tero is a member of the Olango Island Eco Tour Association (OIETA) which established mangrove nursery to educate the community about migratory birds in Olango Wildlife Sanctuary and learn skills in tourism services. One way of giving their guests an authentic Olango Island experience is by sharing their local 76 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 77

40 DISCOVERYMICE Philippines Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. as he delivers his message during the launch of the Tourism Stories Publication in Manila on 21 January, delicacies with them. Currently, OIETA offers tour packages as their means of livelihood. The Department of Tourism assisted the organization through conducting Culinary Training to further develop the cooking skills and knowledge of its members. Members of the Association commit to continue in protecting the environment and imparting their knowledge to the people, many years from now. The Tourism Stories: Philippine Edition was launched during the Philippines hosting of the annual and biggest tourism activity in ASEAN, the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF). The ATF was held from 18 to 25 January 2016 in the country s capital of fun, Manila. USAID Deputy Mission Director Clay Williams Epperson, Philippine Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. and UNWTO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Xu Jing holding the copies of the book which will be handed over to the three storytellers. Contributed by the Department of Tourism of the Philippines Guilin Tourism University 78 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 Institute for Tourism Studies

41 Human Tourism Golden Triangle News from UNWTO Affiliate Members DISCOVERYMICE, Malaysia DISCOVERYMICE (DM), an Affiliate Member of World In 2009, DISCOVERYMICE became an Affiliate Member of Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) was established in 2004 as the UNWTO. Inspired by the work of the UNWTO to push a group of companies with diverse interests in Tourism forth the tourism sector into the global economic agenda, Technology, Marketing Communications, and Tourism DM embraced new visions to support the development of Consultancy vibrant tourism destinations and nations through the innovative and transformative actions that have not been done before. Over the last 12 years it has transformed to become a leading global tourism conference convenor and producer, In 2009, DM produced the 1st World Ecotourism Conference with several tourism-related world conferences being in Vientiane, in collaboration with the Government of Lao successfully held in the Asia-Pacific region. Embracing PDR which was another success. More importantly the the values of public-private-partnerships, the Group Vientiane Declaration on Ecotourism for Developing partners with Governments in staging the high level strategic Countries was produced and endorsed by the World conferences that would enable the transfer of tourism Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The Declaration helped knowledge to local tourism players and ultimately attribute to formulate strategic tourism policies and charted the to the socio-economic transformation of the tourism industry. development of ecotourism in Lao PDR, a least developed land-locked (but land-linked) nation. Today, Lao PDR has In 2007, DM supported the Malaysian Government in transformed into a preferred ecotourism destination offering hosting the 1st UNWTO World Tourism Conference under pristine landscapes and community based ecotourism the theme Tourism Success Stories and Rising Stars. The showcasing their rich cultural heritage and traditions. event was met with great success attracting 900 delegates Encouraged by the positive outcomes and driven to spur from 85 countries. more transformations, DM, in collaboration with the UNWTO ASEAN ECOTOURISM FORUM helped stage a series of not-for-profit World Ecotourism Conferences from 2009 to 2016: In 2011 and 2015, DM was elected into the UNWTO Board of Affiliates Members as Regional Vice-President (Asia and the Pacific). Some of the duties as Regional Vice President included: Officiating the Opening Ceremony of the China(Hunan) International Travel Agents Conference and Hunan Tourism Festival at Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China and Conference Keynote Speaker. Keynote Speaker at the UNWTO High Level Regional Conference on Green Tourism Attendance at the UNWTO Regional Commission Meetings at South Korea, Zimbabwe, Maldives, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. DM s Tourism Technology Division ventured into : Development of dynamic booking engine software for flight and hotel reservations. As an application service provider, DM s clients included hotel chains, airlines and public listed companies. Technical services for Queensland Australia, E-Promotion Campaign Technical and support services for MICE industry DM`s Market Development & Communications Division was established to help secondary tourism destinations develop effective international market systems: 80 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 81

42 Vice President Lee Choon Loong Human Tourism Golden Triangle The Horse on the Flying Swallow is served as the symbol of GTU in the main gate Market development collaboration with joint cities Changde, Zhangjiajie and Fenhuang under the Hunan Tourism Triangle is association with international tour operators, TUI Germany and Hanna Tour Korea. MICECON Philippines Workshop on Love at First Site: How To Win Over Prospective Clients Hosted Buyer at World Travel Mart London, World Travel Mart Africa, Meetings Africa, China Incentive Business Travel Mart and others. As for the Group s Tourism Consultancy services, DM provided consultancy for tourism projects such as: The Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMTGT), Indonesia- Malaysia- Singpaore Growth Triangle (IMSGT), Greater Mekong Sub Region (GMS), Brunei-Indone sia-malaysia-philippines East Asia Growth Area (BIMP -EAGA) initiatives The Malaysia Rail Explorer and Homestay Programme, Malaysia to spur tourism in rural areas The East Coast Economic Region on Tourism Development Programme, Malaysia to elevate the socio-economic status of communities in impoverished region through tourism The Asia Pacific Ecotourism Conferences 2006 and 2007 in Pahang and Trengganu, Malaysia to motivate and empower ecotourism players with knowledge of impact assessement and best practices. UNWTO High Level Regional Conference on Green Tourism 2012, Chiangmai, Thailand 3rd World Tourism Conference 2013, Melaka, Malaysia and Ecotourism Leadership Awards The ASEAN Ecotourism Forum 2016, Pakse, Lao PDR to produce the ASEAN Declaration on Roadmap for Strategic Development of Ecotourism Clusters and Tourism Corridors. Over the years, DM`s socio-economic empowerment initiatives have spread across the Asia Pacific region and is poised to expand into Africa and Latin America in the near future. Contributed by DISCOVERYMICE in Malaysia News from UNWTO Members Guilin Tourism University, China Guilin Tourism University (GTU) is located in the world-famous tourist destination--guilin. The university hosts two campuses (Canluan and Yanshan) which occupy a total land area of nearly 125 hectares. GTU is an affiliate member of the UNWTO and PATA. In addition, GTU is also a National Training Center for ASEAN tourism professionals designated by the China National Tourism Administration. On 29 March 2015, during an official visit to GTU, Madam Liu Yandong, the Chinese State Councilor and Vice Premier gave high recognition to the great educational accomplishment of the school and showed her ambition that the School be further upgraded so as to achieve status and global recognition as a top school for tourism studies. Guilin Tourism University was borne with the slogan of Characteristic Tourism University, Cultivate Tourism Talents, a phrase that reflects its core value. The symbol of the China Tourism, Horse on the Flying Swallow is also served as the symbol of GTU with one big statue on the entrance of Guilin Tourism University. As the party secretary Madam Lin Na explained, As we can derive from our abundant history over 30 years and thousands of alumni in all lines of tourism sector in China and all over the world, forging a of tourism university with special characteristics has been served as a core value that penetrates both the past and the future of Guilin Tourism University. The University s 13 academic divisions include the School of Tourism and Leisure Management, School of Hotel Management, School of Tourism Foreign Language, School of International Business, School of Artistic Design, School of Culture and Communication, School of Transportation Operation and Service, General Education Department, TESOL Department, School of Continued Education, School of International Education and Exchange and the GL School of International Hospitality Management. In total, 42 programs with 58 professional orientations in line with the main aspects of tourism are offered to 10,000 plus strong full-time students hailing from the different parts of China and all over the world 82 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 83

43 The campus of GTU has unique look under the blue sky and white cloud Front desk of GL School of International Hospitality Management with its modern look Faculties of GL School of International Hospitality Management are proud to be part of the GTU endeavor Jean-Jacques de Dardel, Ambassador of Switzerland met with GL students in Guilin Tourism University Faculty members at GTU are incredibly proud of the or west, Guilin s scenery is the best, and Guilin Tourism follow. of the trainees has surpassed 50,000. community ethos and strong reputation for supporting University is listed as No. 1 as the most popular university GTU has not confined itself to China but tried every means to In addition, on-campus extra-curricular activities are diverse. students and graduates from all over the world, both personally amongst tourism and hotelier employers. Apart from these extend and broaden its horizon. It has established links with A variety of different student clubs organize events and activities and academically. We prepare our students for the future, reasons, Guilin Tourism University has invested large sum of more than 30 universities and institutions in the United such as foreign language play carnivals, tour guide contests, not only equipping them with the tourism subject-related money to state-of-the-arts facilities to support learning, like States, Canada, Switzerland, France, Australia, New etiquette shows and GTU forums, among others. The baseball competences. Since 2011, GTU received UNWTO TedQual well-equipped library, which create an excellent learning Zealand, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, etc. As many and softball clubs, in particular, are noteworthy having over Certification, with 6 degree programs being certified by the environment. as 170 world-class leisure and hotel businesses like the the years won 13 championship trophies from the national system, namely Events Planning, Tourism Management, Burj Al-Arab Hotel in Dubai and Emirates Palace Hotel in baseball and softball tournaments. The clubs are most popularly Tourism English, Artistic Design of Decoration, Outbound Guilin Tourism University is now working closely with Abu Dhabi have gone into partnership with GTU. GTU s known for their participation in the 12th National Games on Tour Leader and Hotel Management. In 2015, Guilin Tourism Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne on establishing the GL School international character has grown strong and has attracted behalf of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. University submitted a new phase of TedQual certification, of International Hospitality Management, with the the attention of dignitaries like the Russian Vice-Prime and two new programs have passed the recognition, including academic certification by EHL, enrolling talented-oriented Minister and the UNWTO Secretary-General, who have Whatever GTU has been working hard at is for the purpose the Flight Attendance Service, and Tourism Performance and hospitality-targeted potential hotel managers and future visited the university and addressed its faculty and students. of building itself into a leading school and providing and Planning. In total, GTU has the largest number of leaders since The core value of this joint effort is to GTU is committed to assisting the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (more) knowledgeable, (more) skillful and (more) competent programs to obtain UNWTO TedQual certification in mainland ensure to provide best merge of practical competences with as well as ASEAN member countries in various tourism professionals for the tourism industry. In doing so, GTU China. theoretical learning, especially focusing on hotel industry. development projects and initiatives. Under the auspices of can strive towards its vision of being a culture-distinctive, the Asia Development Bank, GTU has designed a series of industry-predominant, nation-leading and world-renowned GTU has long been endeavored to cultivate numerous GTU graduates are highly sought in the job market. Over the short-term courses. They have been delivered largely by school of tourism. international students from as far as Zimbabwe, Estonia, last five years more than 300 GTU students have been GTU teachers to 21 batches of senior tourism professionals Panama, Indonesia, Cambodia and Thailand, amongst accepted as interns or directly employed by the tourism from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. GTU is designated by Contributed by School of International Education and many other countries, most of who have studied with us and businesses in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the China National Tourism Administration as the first Exchange, Guilin Tourism University graduated with excellent qualifications. This is truly in line Canada, Japan, and France. Most of GTU graduates are tourism education and training base in south-western China. with the belief deeply rooted in the heart of each GTU working in the domestic or foreign tourism businesses, their On campus there are national vocational skills assessment faculties----endeavored to foster a global excellence of performance meeting the requirements of different positions; centers. The centers are authorized to issue as many as 54 tourism education and makes our graduates truly appreciate GTU has, by all standards, led its counterparts in graduate categories of certificates to those who have passed the their time at GTU. employment rates and job suitability. This explains why, for assessment tests. Given the circumstances, GTU is 10 consecutive years, GTU has been singled out by the responsible for training department managers and general There are loads of reasons to study in GTU, as Guilin was Department for Education in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous managers from hotels and travel agencies as well as other listed as the top tourism city with a reputation of east Region as a role model in this respect for other schools to tourism professionals from different parts of China. The total 84 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 85

44 hospitality or education and human resource development. In addition, the Institute has been entrusted by local authorities to conduct policy level research related to tourism planning and development. In addition, the Institute builds strong links with 500 leading tourism and hospitality corporations to offer internship opportunities to its students. Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) attended IFT s Tourism 20:20 International Symposium on 12 October, 2015 News from UNWTO Affiliate Members Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao, China Established in 1995, the Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao (IFT) is a public institution of higher education in Macao. IFT offers the most extensive selection of tourism and hospitality related bachelor degree programmes in the region. The mission of IFT is to become an international tertiary institution of choice for tourism and service industry studies. Not only for the benefits of Macao, but also for the Asia Pacific region, it will equip students with professional knowledge and technical competence in preparation for their future leadership responsibilities in the tourism sector. IFT offers six four-year daytime bachelor degree programmes and 3 evening bachelor degree programmes, namely: Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts Management (English) Bachelor of Science in Heritage Management (English) Bachelor of Science in Hotel Management (English; Chinese) Bachelor of Science in Tourism Business Management (English) Bachelor of Science in Tourism Event Management (English;Chinese) Bachelor of Science in Tourism Retail and Marketing Management (English; Chinese) In 2000, IFT was the first institution accredited by the UNWTO. TedQual Certification System for tourism education, and it has now eight bachelor degree programmes with the Certification, namely Tourism Business Management (Daytime Programme), Heritage Management (Daytime Programme), Hotel Management (Daytime and Evening Programme), Tourism Event Management (Daytime and Evening Programme) and Tourism Retail and Marketing Management (Daytime Programme). Currently, the Institute has the most number of bachelor degree programmes certified under the System of any tertiary education establishment worldwide. Moreover, the Institute has established links with 101 institutions and organisations in 30 countries and regions. With these partnerships, IFT actively promotes and develops Educational Restaurant of IFT student exchange programmes with our partner institutions. In addition, IFT has been maintaining a long-term partnership with the UNWTO and is a Knowledge Network Member of the Knowledge Network Member of UNWTO. Partnership between IFT and the UNWTO provides opportunities for selected IFT graduates such as Ms. Mandy Ho Pui Ian to undertake in 1-year internships at the international body s headquarters in Madrid, Spain. Earlier in 2015, the Macao SAR Government and the UNWTO signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Macao with the objective to enhance cooperation between the two parties by improving the quality of human capital, and thereby, increasing the competitiveness of tourism destinations (particularly in the Asia Pacific Region) in order to achieve sustainable tourism development. Bridged by the UNWTO, IFT organised a special training at IFT for two faculty members from Tourism College in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which is also a member state of the UNWTO, from August to November In June 2016, a professional training programme was also organised at IFT for Officials from APSARA National Authority and heritage tour guides of Cambodia. IFT has been appointed to sit on government committees including Tourism Development Committee, Committee of Cultural Industries and Committee for the Development of Conventions and Exhibitions that are related to tourism and Every year, close to 20,000 participants attend IFT`s vocational and professional training programmes. The courses of instruction are available at foundation, intermediate and advanced levels. The School offers programmes in partnership with 20 international organisations, leading to certifications/ diplomas recognised by the global tourism and hospitality industry. In 2001, the Tourism and Hotel School launched the Macao Occupational Skills Recognition System (MORS) with the support of the European Union. The System offers vocational skills standard certification and training for both new and experienced tourism and hospitality professionals. Workers can have their skills assessed and earn the appropriate MORS certificate which is fully recognized by the entire tourism industry in Macao. The following year, the programme was awarded the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award in Education and Training. To enhance cooperation between Macao and Zhuhai, Guangdong province, IFT and the Zhuhai No. 1 Vocational School signed an agreement extending MORS to Guangdong province. The school has now used MORS to certify students in 8 occupations. More than 1,900 students at the Zhuhai No. 1 Vocational School have benefitted from MORS training. IFT has also signed cooperation protocols on professional training with Guangzhou s Nansha District Education Department and the Guangzhou Vocational School of Tourism and Business. Continuing in this pursuit, IFT and Ling Dong Vocational and Technical School in Nansha worked together to introduce MORS to train up local talents for the tourism and hospitality industry. So far, 30 students have been trained and assessed by our school. Contributed by Institute for Tourism Studies, Macao, China 86 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 87

45 and Tokyo Institute of Technology, featured speakers such as Mr. Vijay Poonoosamy, Vice President of Ethihad and Mr. Christian Mantei, General Manager of Atout France, joined the keynote speakers in a discussion on the latest challenges faced by the tourism sector. Japan Tourism Award Exhibition Hall News from Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific JATA Tourism EXPO Japan 2016 BelleSalle Tokyo Nihonbashi and Tokyo Big Sight, Japan, September 2016 Asia s largest and one of the world s most substantial travel and tourism trade events, JATA Tourism EXPO Japan 2016, was held from September at the Tokyo Big Sight, and organized by Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and Japan Travel and Tourism Association (JTTA). A total of 185,800 visitors and participants from the travel industry, private sector, government entities and general public attended this year s Expo under the theme Be part of the world. Travel. The event welcomed exhibitors from 140 countries and 47 Japanese prefectures and regions. Attendees of all ages had the opportunity to experience hands-on activities, dance and music performances, food and libations tastings, art exhibitions and more. This year s program included flagship events such as the Japan Tourism Award Ceremony, JAPAN NIGHT, the Asian Tourism Leaders Forum, seminars, business meetings and symposiums. It also included business events such as the Visit Japan Travel & MICE Mart. Opening Ceremony and the Global Tourism Forum The Opening Ceremony took place at the Global Tourism Forum at BelleSalle in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, and was attended by over 700 guests. Mr. Hiromi Tagawa, JATA Chairman welcomed all guests and noted how the Tourism EXPO Japan has grown to become one of the most comprehensive travel trade events in the world, promoting inbound, outbound and domestic travel. Through stronger cooperation between government and travel sectors, Japan will work to further expand travel exchange in Asia and strengthen the role of DMOs in order to promote local areas as travel destinations. Following Mr. Tagawa s opening remarks, Mr. Keiichi Ishii, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, congratulated guests and expo organizers, while making references to the tremendous growth of inbound tourism to Japan and the new government objectives. To conclude, 32 ministers, vice ministers and government officials from all over the world participated in the official tape-cutting ceremony. Global Tourism Forum UNWTO Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai, began his keynote speech by emphasizing the theme of this year s World Tourism Day: Tourism for All. Dr. Rifai stated that every person in the world has the right to access leisure and tourism services and that reaching universal accessibility is a shared responsibility of all parties within the tourism value chain as well as a business opportunity for companies and destinations. Mr. David Scowsill, President & CEO of World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) spoke about the economic impact of tourism and how the sector now supports 1 in 11 jobs in the planet. Mr. Scowsill also mentioned that visitors from emerging economies now represent nearly half of the global international arrivals. While the sector continues to face challenges, travel and tourism expansion is forecast to continue at a strong rate with new destinations and opportunities continuing to emerge as tourism becomes increasingly affordable across developing markets. With growth comes responsibility and thus countries will need to adopt strategic approaches to address capacity building, collaboration between the sector, government and academia, and identify ways for all to contribute to sustainable development. The last part of the Opening Ceremony included a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Yoshiaki Hompo, Chief, UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific, Specially-appointed Professor, Tokyo Metropolitan University The Japan Tourism Award Presentation Ceremony was held on 22 September and commended tourism and travel organizations as well as private companies for their contribution to development of the sector. Last year, JATA in collaboration with the UNWTO, presented the first Japan Tourism Award for Responsible Tourism. This year, UNWTO Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai, presented the award to KNT-CT Holdings for its extraordinary commitment to universal tourism. In his message, Dr. Rifai expressed how the awardee as an example of how a private business organization can use new business opportunities to enhance the quality of life and support each and every member of society. WTTC Networking Reception Mr. David Scowsill, President & CEO, WTTC and Mr. Hiromi Tagawa, Vice-Chairman, WTTC hosted a Networking Reception attended by over 250 travel and tourism executives from the public and private sectors. JAPAN NIGHT The first day concluded with one of the most iconic events of the event: JAPAN NIGHT. This celebration was inaugurated by Mr. Yamaguchi, Chairman, JTTA, Mr. Akihiro Tamura, Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency, and Mr. Yoshihide Suga, Chief Cabinet Secretary. A total of 15,200 guests enjoyed this popular event which included a barrel-breaking ceremony of traditional Japanese sake; music and live performances by kabuki actors, shamisen musicians, and even a presentation of traditional firefighting techniques from the Edo period. The entertainment continued with a paper lantern performance of the Akita Kanto Festival, Japanese Taiko and a special appearance of the carved floats of the world heritage candidate Kanuma Fall Festival of Tochigi Prefecture. 88 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 89

46 Japan Night The Asian Tourism Leader s Forum In preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the second Asian Tourism Leaders Forum focused on MICE and Sports to highlight these industries interconnectivity and their role as tools for sustainable tourism growth. The Forum highlighted the fact that now is the time for governments and the sector to collaborate in order to create long-term, strategic plans with a particular emphasis in the MICE and Sports industries. Furthermore, MICE and Sports have an enormous impact on the tourism value chain in the host destinations and thus it is also crucial for stakeholders to approach the growth of these industries from the locals and customers perspectives to assure sustainable development. Understanding the need for sustainable tourism development and in collaboration of key tourism entities, Mr. Yoshiaki Hompo, Chief, UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia, Mr. Hiromi Tawaga, Chairman, Japan Tourism EXPO Japan, and Dr. Mario Hardy, Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Asia Travel Association, Forum participants identified Sustainable Tourism Development ~ Asia leads the world as the theme for the next three years, and also commonly agreed and signed the Asian Tourism Leaders Forum Tokyo Declaration Visit Japan Travel & MICE Mart The Visit Japan Travel & MICE Mart (VJTMM) was inaugurated Barrel-Breaking Ceremony on 21 September. Together with Tourism EXPO Japan, the VJTMM set the beginning of the Japan Travel Month, supported by Japan Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Sports Agency and JTA. Over 450 Japanese suppliers and 364 overseas buyers from 28 countries met to discuss new business opportunities and explore new business ventures. Additionally, the VJTMM provided a place for organizers and Japanese sellers to offer local products from the Tohoku and Kyushu regions, in an effort to support their recovery efforts after the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit those regions. Business Meeting and Tourism Professional Seminars The Business Meetings provided a venue for overseas suppliers and Japanese buyers to find new partners and identify future business opportunities. In addition, this year s event offered over 30 seminars and themed symposiums focusing on key topics such as sustainable tourism development and growth, Japanese outbound market, and growing travel trends such as gastronomy tourism. Tourism EXPO Japan Showcase JATA Tourism EXPO Japan continues to grow in popularity year by year, and 2016 was no exception. Exhibitors welcomed a record number of visitors during the two general public days. Visitors had the opportunity to visit 1,662 domestic and international exhibition stands, taste local foods, and participate in live demonstrations. Overview Session - Challenges and Opportunities of New Technology for Tourism Destinations News from Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and Technology The UNWTO International Conference on Tourism & Technology in conjunction with the 28th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific & the UNWTO Commission for South Asia took place in Nara, Japan from 2-4 June The conference, co-hosted by the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and supported by the Nara Prefectural Government, had over 400 participants representing 26 countries. Objectives Nara, Japan, 2 June 2016 The conference was designed to help tourism destination organizations and businesses to understand current and emerging technologies relevant to tourism, in particular: Effective use of new technology in marketing, including the attraction of new markets and customer relationship management (as well as the role of social media); and content acquisition and distribution. Technologies that will enhance industry performance, through new business models, increased access to knowledge and skills, business networking and partnerships, strengthened sustainability and new applications, including robotics. Enhancing the experience of visitors travelling to and within destinations and increasing access to travel opportunities, through more efficient transportation, automated processes and the use of techniques such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality). Program Mr. Akihiko Tamura, Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism welcomed all attendees and reiterated the focus of the meeting: the evolution of technology and its influence in tourism. UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, followed Mr. Tamura s welcome remarks by encouraging attendees to effectively utilize new technologies in ways to create a better sector and a better 90 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 91

47 world, and suggested the following priorities for the conference: making travel safer and more seamless improving the quality and competitiveness of destinations and business creating jobs and sustaining cultures and communities. Mr. Shogo Arai, Governor of Nara Prefecture, greeted attendees and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to host such a relevant conference in Nara City. Lastly, Mr. Hiromi Tagawa, Chairman of Japan Association of Travel Agents closed the Opening Ceremony by providing his congratulatory remarks to the conference organizers. Presentation on Tourism and Technology Dr. Roger Carter, UNWTO Expert and Managing Director, TEAM Tourism Consulting, presented on key technological innovations that have shaped tourism today such as the highly-efficient Japanese s bullet train, hi-tech airports and smart cities. Dr. Carter also explained the influence that Information & Communication Technology (ICT) has on tourists when making travel decisions. Today, tourists expect quick and easily-accessible information via different channels; therefore, it is essential for destinations and businesses to have one consistent message across all platforms. Session 1: Challenges and opportunities of new technology for the travel and tourism industries Mr. Mario Hardy, Chief Executive Officer, PATA, moderated the first session which began with an overview of the role of innovation in tourism. Mr. Erick Stephens, Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft Public Sector Asia-Pacific opened up the discussion by stating how the world has more data available than ever before and how important it is to utilize this data effectively to reach and engage with travelers. Mr. Stephens also pointed out that technology has made travel more accessible by providing more information on smart hotels, translation applications, attractions, among other services. Mr. Jack Pek, Vice-President and Legal Counsel, Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters of Amadeus, spoke of Amadeus use of Gala Dinner at Nara Hotel technology to emphasize tourist behavior over demographics in order to create more personalized experiences. Mr. Akihiro Horisaka, Director, Senior Executive Office, Senior General Manager of Marketing Department, West Japan Railway Company, highlighted the development of the Sanyo bullet train which connects Osaka and Fukuoka Prefectures. Mr. Patee Sarasin, Chief Executive Officer, Nok Airlines Co. provided examples of how Nok s airlines have utilized social media, WI-FI, and tablet programs to expand their marketing efforts and enhance their passenger experience. To conclude the first session, Mr. Tatsuya Hamada, Senior Executive Officer, Deputy Executive Divisional Director, Corporate Planning Division in charge of Tourism, Olympic & Paralympic Games Coordination, Narita International Airport Corporation mentioned the technological implementations adopted throughout Narita Airport to improve the facility s efficiency and the overall traveler experience. Session 2: Challenges and opportunities of new technologies for tourism destinations The second session, led by Dr. Roger Carter, provided case studies of businesses in the Asia-Pacific Region that have incorporated new technologies into their tourism-related practices allowing them to have innovative ways to market to the digital traveler. For example, Mr. Anthony Lau, Executive Director of Hong Kong Tourism Board, explained how Hong Kong has taken full advantage of social media platforms, website and mobile applications to reach its 5.7 million users. Furthermore, Hong Kong has concentrated on user-generated content to reach a wider audience. Mr. Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, India, spoke about India s ways of implementing new technological tools on e-visas, virtual check-ins and registrations, and even e-classifications for hotels. Dr. Junaida Lee Abdullah, Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia, noted that technological advancements also present challenges, particularly for SMEs who may lack resources to implement such new methods. Other challenges mentioned include lack of a trained workforce, lack of a digital marketing strategy and the need to measure marketing effectiveness. Mr. Seyed Ali Saleh Pour, Deputy Director General for Tourism Marketing and Promotion, Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, mentioned that new technologies can be also be implemented as a way to measure impacts in cultural and heritage sites as it is the case of Iran. Finally, Mr. Yoshinori Ochi, Director of the Board and Secretary General of Japan Association of Travel Agents, concluded the first session by noting the difference between OTAs and legacy travel agents whose competitive advantage is to offer personalized experience face to face. Technology showcase by Japan Tourism Authority The Technology Showcase provided demonstrations of the technological advancements that are improving the traveler s experience and that are ultimately expected to change the travel and tourism industry in Japan. Presentations included: Mr. Seiichiro Kubo, President of Gurunavi, Inc, a digital translation service guide; Mr. Kiyoshi Takagi, Executive Director of Huis Ten Bosch, co., LTD, on the use of robots as service agents; and Mr. Takuya Nakagawa, Deputy Director, R&D Office, Global ICT Strategy Bureau and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications who presented on translation systems. Session 3: Tourism and travel innovations and new business models The final session was moderated by Mr. Ryoichi Matsuyama, President, Japan National Tourism Organization. Ms. Sarah Mathews, Head, Destination Marketing Asia Pacific, TripAdvisor, began the conversation by telling the audience about TripAdvisor s use and creation of traveler diagnostics and sharing their experiences via social media. Mr. Katsuhida Shiote, Director, Service Team Promotion Department, Hoshino Resort Inc. followed the discussion by stating how the resort has implemented technology to maximize multi-tasking and to manage human resources. Mr. Edmund Bartlett, Minister, Ministry of Tourism Jamaica, Chairman and Co-Founder, Consolidated Tourism and Investment Consultants Ltd, Chairman, the Board of Affiliate Members of UNWTO, positioned the following question to the audience: what kind of innovations are there to drive jobs and to improve the well-being of people? The last speaker was Mr. Hiroyuki Fukushima, Vice President of Service Strategy, Strategic Business Development Division, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, who concluded the session by highlighting that NTT has installed WI-FI spots throughout Japan to empower the offering of tourism experiences. Conclusion This conference presented invaluable discussions on the influence of technology in the tourism sector. Technology has made travel cheaper, faster and more comfortable. Technology has also allowed for tourism information to become more accessible and available through multiple channels thus the need to have a cohesive message across all platforms. Speakers highlighted the importance of not only the implementation of new technologies to enhance business practices and visitor experiences, but also making sure there are strategic digital marketing plans and methods to measure their effectiveness. 92 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 93

48 Conferences and Meetings Month Date Conferences and Meetings Location February TBC Ambassador s Luncheon for Asia and the Pacific Madrid, Spain March TBD 11 th UNWTO Asia Executive Training Programme on Tourism Policy and Strategy Papa New Guinea May UNWTO 105 th Executive Council Madrid, Spain May th UNWTO Joint Commission Meeting CAP and CSA & UNWTO Conference on Crisis Communication Bangladesh June th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics: Measuring Sustainable Tourism Manila, Philippines July TBD Conferences and Meetings: International Conference on Rural Tourism Huzhou China July TBD UNWTO Regional Workshop on Evaluation of NTA Marketing Activities Changshu, China September nd Session of UNWTO General Assembly Chengdu, China October TBD UNWTO-WTCF Workshop "City Tourism Performance Research" 11 th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlooks Tianjin, China Guilin, China 22 nd Session of UNWTO General Assembly The 11 th UNWTOPATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook TBD 6 th Annual Conference of UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Observatories in China Changshu, China December th Global Summit on City Tourism Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 29 th UNWTO Joint Commission Meeting CAP and CSA & UNWTO Conference on Crisis Communication 29 th UNWTO Joint Commission Meeting CAP and CSA & UNWTO Conference on Crisis Communication will be held in Bangladesh, from May. 6 th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics 29 th UNWTO Joint Commission Meeting CAP and CSA & UNWTO Conference on Crisis Communication 22 nd Session of UNWTO General Assembly The 22 nd Session of the Assembly, the most important global meeting of senior tourism officials and high-level representatives of the private tourism sector, will take place in Chengdu, China, in China s importance as a driver of tourism development cannot be understated. It is not only the world s fourth most visited country, but the number one source market in the world, as well as a prominent leader in domestic tourism. These numbers, alongside the Chinese authorities continued recognition of tourism as a strategic pillar of the national economy and an effective development tool, make China a fitting host for the next UNWTO General Assembly, said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. 6 th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics 6 th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics will be held from June in Manila, Philippines. Under the title Measuring Sustainable Tourism, the objective is to address the issue of the measurement of sustainable tourism in the framework of the 2017 UN International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The last UNWTO conference on tourism statistics was held in 2009 in Bali, Indonesia. The 11 th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) are organizing the 11th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook scheduled to be held in Guilin, China in October 6-8. * Source: -measuring-sustainable-tourism 94 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 95

49 Asia Pacific News Brief A fast-growing region, both in terms of population and economic output Asia Tourism Trends 2016 Asia and the Pacific is the world s largest region in terms of population, with 4.1 billion inhabitants as of 2015, about 56% of the world total. Its combined gross domestic product (USD 24.3 trillion) is the world s second largest in US dollar terms, close to that of the Americas (USD 24.7 trillion) and representing one-third of global GDP. Between 2000 and 2015, Asia and the Pacific experienced the fastest economic growth across world regions, largely driven by China and India. The region s GDP grew above 5.0% almost every year in that period, over 7.0% in 2005 and 2006, and over 8.0% in 2007 and The region is home to both advanced and developing economies of varying sizes and income levels. Japan, Australia and the Republic of Korea are industrialised countries with high GDP per capita and typically lower growth rates, while China and India are large emerging economies with huge populations and a recent history of strong economic growth. Rapid growth has been fuelled by rising middle classes, large infrastructure development and increasing market liberalisation. With a GDP of USD 11.0 trillion, China is the region s largest economy and the world s second largest, growing 7% in 2014 and Japan (USD 4.1 trillion) is Asia and the Pacific s second largest economy and the world s third largest, while India (USD 2.1 trillion) is number 3 in the region and 7th globally * Source: UNWTO/ GTERC Asia Tourism Trends 3rd Edition passengers, a 39 percent compound annual growth rate. China is a main driver of passenger growth in Asia, adding 770,000 more cruise travelers since 2012 a 66 percent compound annual growth rate. Four of the five other major markets also saw double-digit 3-year compound growth: Taiwan (29 percent), Japan (30 percent), Hong Kong (69 percent) and India (37 percent). Among the nearly 2.1 million cruise passengers from Asia, China accounted for almost half of the regional passenger volume in ,000 passengers came from mainland China compared to 1.1M sourced from the rest of Asia Other leading source markets include Taiwan (228,700), Singapore (182,700), and Japan (179,900). Hong Kong (126,800) and India (125,900) are the other two markets with over 100,000 passengers in * Source: Cruise Lines International Association(CLIA), Asia Cruise Trends 2016 Edition ** For more information on cruise tourism in Asia and the Pacific: Sustainable Cruise Development Strategies Tackling the Challenges in Itinerary Design in South-East Asia Asia Cruise Trends 2016 Asia Cruise Trends 2016 Cruise tourism in Asia is still growing at double-digit rates both in capacity deployed in the region and as a series of 12 passenger source markets. Between 2013 and 2016, cruise capacity has increased across all metrics. The number of ships deployed in Asia grew at a 12 percent compound annual growth rate Similarly, the number of cruises and voyages within and through Asia increased at a 22 percent CAGR Operating days expanded 13.6 percent annually Passenger capacity in Asia increased 29.3 percent annually. The cruise industry is bringing more cruise visits to destinations in Asia. There will be 5,570 Asian cruise calls in 2016, an increase of 43 percent in absolute volume from 2015 s 3,896 calls. The number of port calls in 2016 is almost double that of Destinations with the greatest growth in total port calls this year are Japan, China and South Korea with 880, 550 and 368 additional calls, respectively. Other destinations with any port call growth are Vietnam (150), Taiwan (59) and Singapore (17). MICE Trends in 2016 The MICE sector has been growing in recent years worldwide and it is expected to continue growing in different regions, particularly to the Asia Pacific Region in For the meeting sector, the positive feedback to hotels and airlines from suppliers, they attribute to the expected 2.1% rise in the Asia Pacific region and 1.9% increase in North America. For incentive travel, the strong growth in the previous year is very likely to continue in This is evident as 18% additional travel industry professionals are expected to spend more than $4000 per person. This is a notable growth in comparison to last year's 14% expenditure. For the conference and trade show sector, it is expected to remain its growth steadily at the average rate of 3.6%. Lastly, for the exhibition sector, 2.4% growth rate is expected this present year and to be led by the building, construction & home-repair shows sub-sector, which recorded a positive increase in second quarter of Advances in Technology have supported the continued popularity positive growth trend of the MICE industry. In particular, QR codes, event applications, video conferencing and live feeding have enhanced the staging of MICE events in recent years. As a source market for cruise tourism worldwide, the absolute volume of cruise travelers sourced from Asia has nearly tripled since Between 2012 and 2015, passenger volume grew from 775,000 to nearly 2.1 million * Source: ** `For more information on the Meetings Industry in Asia and the Pacific : MICE Industry- An Asia Pacific Perspective 96 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2016, Issue 43 97

50 UNWTO Member States in Asia and the Pacific South Asia Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan India Iran, Islamic Republic of Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka East Asia & the Pacific Brunei Darussalam Cambodia China Democratic People s Republic of Korea Fiji Indonesia Japan Lao People s Democratic Republic Malaysia Mongolia Myanmar Papua New Guinea Philippines Republic of Korea Samoa Thailand Timor-Leste Vanuatu Viet Nam Associate Members Hong Kong, China Macao, China UNWTO Affiliate Members in Asia and the Pacific South Asia Grdeshgaran Tour Operator (GATO) Institute of Training, Research and Operational Consultancy for Tourism (INSTROCT) Iran Cultural Heritage and Tourism Investment Company Semega Marcopolo Tourism Development Company (PSJ) Tourism & Recreational Centers Co. (TRCO) Alisadr Tourism Co Gangnameh Hamadan Tourism Recreation and Sports Company Ghoghnos Tour and Travel Agency Iranian Tourism Scientific Association (ITSA) Tourism Bank Tourism and Automobile Club 66 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter East Asia & the Pacific Australian Tourism Export Council James Cook University School of Business TTF Australia Tourism and Transport Forum University of Queensland University of Technology Sydney Leisure, Sport and Tourism Victoria University Center for Tourism and Services Research Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) Griffith University New Solution Holdings Pty Ltd Gaining Edge CQ University Australia Apsara National Authority China International Travel Service CITS Gulin Institute of Tourism Macao University of Science and Technology Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management Shanghai Institute of Tourism Shanghai Normal University The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Management (HTM) Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) The Chinese University of Hong Kong, School of Hotel and Tourism management, Faculty of Business administration Instituto de Formacao Turistica (IFT) Institute for Tourism Studies Indian Hotels Co. Ltd. The Taj Group of Hotels Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies Pacific Area Travel Writers Association PATWA Stark Communications Private Ltd. Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Japan Travel Bureau Foundation Center for Advanced Tourism Studies, Hokkaido University H.I.S Co., Ltd. Japan Travel and Tourism Association JTB Corp. Shoin University Wakayama University DISCOVERYMICE Taylor's University SDN BHD Jeju Tourism Organization (JTO) Korea Tourism Organization Kyung Hee University Tourism Promotion Organization for Asian-Pacific Cities (TPO) Seoul Tourism Organization Chamaleon Strategies, Inc Dragon Trail Issue 42 June Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau Iran Touring & Tourism Investment Company (ITTIC) GURUNAVI INC., Japan Kyoto University - Department of Applied Mathematics and Physics - Graduate School of Informatics Toyo University Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (GTO) All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd City University Of Macau College Of Tourism, Rikkyo University Macao Polytechnic Institute Guangdong Chimelong Group Co., Ltd