Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

The first virtual ‘Korea Travel Expo’ will see buyers from West and South India indulging in B2B meetings with over 15 exhibitors from South Korea. In fact, 1/3rd of the delegation from South Korea is looking to explore the India market for the very first time or after many years. Register at www.koreatravelexpo.com, email jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91 9650196532.

Tourism New Zealand has unveiled the winners of its inaugural Kaihāpai Awards which celebrate the achievements and commitment of Indian travel agents towards destination New Zealand. Tourism New Zealand’s objective over the past 14 months has been growing brand love for New Zealand with its trade partners by focusing on engagement and education. This has been achieved via webinars, wherein 10 Virtual Road Trips were conducted with overall attendance of 9000 travel agents across India, paid campaigns (New Zealand Specialist programme) and the launch of a members only/private Facebook group (Tourism New Zealand Travel Agents Facebook group). The awards were a community celebration for members of Tourism New Zealand’s Indian Travel Agents group on Facebook. The group has drawn significant interest and membership since its launch in June 2020 and recently achieved a milestone of 1000 Indian travel agent members. The first Kaihāpai Awards were a spectacular success and saw participation from 232 travel agents and 3 Tourism New Zealand representatives. The awards are imbued with New Zealand’s culture and values – Kaihāpai translates into being an advocate and the award’s logo represents Whānau (family). Whānau is one of the core Maori beliefs instilled in New Zealanders as they care for their guests as if they were their very own family, a concept which bears a striking similarity to Indian culture. New Zealand is a place where everyone is welcomed and accepted, a tradition passed down by ancestors who taught them to value love, friendship and camaraderie. When visitors (manuhiri) travel to New Zealand, they are sure to leave the country as family (whānau).  The agents are an important part of the extended Whānau (family), working together to make the …

The 1st virtual ‘Korea Travel Expo’ is all set to begin soon. The 3-day event will see a host of exhibitors including top Regional Tourism Boards, attractions and DMCs of Korea. Get ready to meet representatives from Seoul & Busan tourism boards, Jeju Convention & Visitor Bureau and Lotte World. Register at www.koreatravelexpo.com, email jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91 9650196532.

Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), New Delhi office is set to welcome buyers to the 1st virtual ‘Korea Travel Expo’ B2B event that starts tomorrow. Scheduled from 22-24 June, the event will commence with Day-1 dedicated to invite-only buyers, and will be open for all after that. Register at www.koreatravelexpo.com, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91 9650196532.

This summer, Hong Kong’s great outdoors will be very much within reach to those who reside abroad — thanks to a series of uniquely soothing sensory videos created under the 360 Hong Kong Moments initiative by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), which have managed to capture and bottle the city’s auditory essence into highly immersive and pleasurable viewing experiences. A highlight of the Great Outdoors Hong Kong (GOHK) 2021-2022 summer campaign, four distinctly themed Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos will each feature 30-second snapshots of dreamy environmental acoustics heard in far-flung corners of the city. The videos are designed to stimulate the senses and heighten one’s sensitivity to the harmonic countryside symphonies just like a stone’s throw from the city. ASMR in Peng Chau invokes a ship’s horn, a temple’s chimes and the hypnotic kau cim (shaking of fortune sticks). Swaying leaves, dripping waterfalls, chirping birds and flapping wings angle for attention in ASMR in Shing Mun Reservoir. ASMR in Stanley spans splashing in the ocean and swooshing open a paper fan, to biting into a piece of deliciously warm French toast at a local cha chaan teng diner. Finally, ASMR in Sai Kung delves into the myriad tones and timbres of the open sea, which can be encountered during a lone stand-up paddle-boarding session. Both calming and provoking, the video series stars curious individuals exploring the outskirts of Hong Kong through a hyper-focused lens and culminates in a three-minute magnum opus, which brings all the contrasting elements together into one beautifully euphoric whole. The ASMR videos form part of the broader GOHK summer campaign, which will also showcase 13 seasonal routes, covering hiking and sightseeing destinations, island-hopping …

The Korea Travel Expo, from 23rd-24th June, will have the famous tourist attraction in S. Korea— Lotte World. “They will have a 3-people team and showcase their array of Theme-Park, Aquariums and Observatory. They are exhibiting in India for the first time,” revealed Young-Geul Choi, Director, KTO, New Delhi. Register at www.koreatravelexpo.com, email Jaspreet at jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +91 9650196532.

In anticipation of the opening of international borders, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) invites the global conventions industry to collaborate on activating an initiative called Regenerating Legacies Recovery Roadmap. The industry is now more attuned to new realities through its relentless efforts in adapting to change. TCEB Conventions Department leans itself into this shift in mindset and behaviour to embark on this collaborative journey. “TCEB’s advocacy for industry collaboration is one of the campaign cornerstones when we launched Thailand: REDEFINE Your Business Events in 2018. Now, the Regenerating Legacies Recovery Roadmap begins with a series of conversations that call upon that collaborative spirit to revive the business of global conventions with a future-shaping attitude,” said Nichapa Yoswee, Senior Vice President at TCEB. Covid-19 aggravated Associations’ concerns around succession planning, evolutions that honour legacies and profitable innovations. The Regenerating Legacies conversations explore fundamental beliefs with association experts and industry partners to identify growth accelerators that cultivate valid advancements for the convention business ecosystems. Yoswee explains, “We seek to understand Associations’ pain points, but we cannot resolve them in isolation. We have to move beyond rumination and spearhead effective changes that reinforce the value perception of our industry.” “Redefining the future is not just an outcome. It is a journey with unexpected changes. The road to recovery challenges our resilience, but the way we respond is what matters most. Our team at TCEB is here to support association professionals in making informed decisions. What we can spearhead are robust conversations that attract agents for change and spark new approach for future generations.” A series of activities are in the pipeline to engage the convention industry on this collaborative recovery journey. Join …

With its nationwide vaccination campaign in full swing, South Korea will allow group tours for fully vaccinated people under travel bubble agreement with countries like Singapore and Taiwan to start with, revealed the transport and culture ministries. It is believed that an air bubble with India and Korea is on the cards too. Apart from Singapore and Taiwan, the Government is planning to sign travel bubble agreements with  Thailand, Guam and Saipan for the exclusive travel partnership that have been relatively successful in containing and combating the pandemic within their respective borders, according to the transport ministry. To know more, register for Korea Travel Expo, scheduled on 23-24 June. For registrations, contact Jaspreet Kaur at jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com

Research is the very cornerstone of Phillip Island Nature Parks (Melbourne) operations, informing wildlife management and environmental programs within the Parks and helping us to understand and respond to threats to Phillip Island’s wildlife.   Phillip Island Nature Parks’ research program is diverse in scope, covering both terrestrial and marine domains. Its functions include producing evidence-based information to guide the development of policy and wildlife management programs specific for Phillip Island, and with application regionally and internationally.   Our research team is an authority on little penguins, seals and other seabirds. Little penguin research on Phillip Island has been ongoing for over 50 years – one of the longest continuous seabird studies in the world.   In the 1980s, the future of the penguin population was uncertain. A housing estate on the peninsula was presenting many dangers to the colony; Little Penguins were being killed by cars, foxes, dogs and feral cats. Their habitat was being destroyed by houses, fire and weed invasion.   A scientific paper prepared by Phillip Island Nature Parks’ research staff predicted that, if nothing were done, the world’s most famous colony of Little penguins at the Penguin Parade could be extinct on Summerland Peninsula by the year 2000. This colony was the last remaining of the original 10 penguin colonies on Phillip Island prior to European settlement, and the findings set off alarm bells across the community and Government.   A major program of revegetation and regeneration commenced, and still continues today. The penguin colony began to rebuild and grew from 12,000 to 30,000 breeding birds. More and more of the Peninsula is being used for nesting as the penguin habitat is progressively re-established and …

Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) has appointed Deveekaa Nijhawan to lead the International PR and Communications team, to assist in marketing the destination in key markets as part of the country’s strategy to become a world-leading tourism destination.   Her remit covers key markets including India, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and United Arab Emirates with a focus on engaging and penetrating travel trade and consumer media. Nijhawan is a senior PR professional with over 10 years’ experience in PR & Communications in the hospitality sector. Nijhawan says, “I am very excited to join QNTC and embrace this new challenge. I am looking forward to developing and implementing a holistic integrated PR and Communications strategy to position Qatar as a popular tourist destination, while promoting the country’s rich cultural heritage and diverse offerings.”   As part of the national strategy, Qatar National Vision 2030, QNTC is on a journey to welcome six million visitors a year by 2030, by improving and expanding the country’s tourism proposition with visitor experience at its core. Nijhawan will support the international marketing strategy, while Qatar continues to grow and improve tourism assets, enhance the end-to-end customer experience and invest in service excellence across every touchpoint.   She will execute QNTC’s tailored global communications campaigns, with a focus in key markets. Chief Operating Officer of Qatar National Tourism Council, Berthold Trenkel, says, “We are thrilled to welcome Deveekaa to the team. She will play a pivotal role in delivering our ambitious tourism development strategy. Her extensive PR and Communications experience and knowledge of global markets will help us engage with travellers as we prepare to welcome tourists back to Qatar.”   QNTC’s commitment to developing bespoke …