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news to use ASIA Korea enjoys the numbers gain


BY LAURA GELDER Korea is proving increasingly popular


with UK visitors with numbers growing by six per cent, to 97,500, in 2010. The growth continued in the first five months of this year, with an 11% increase over the same period last year. “All indications point to breaking the 100,000 mark by the year-end, which is a fantastic achievement given that UK visits abroad by UK residents have been falling since 2008,” said Hongki Kim, director of the Korea Tourism Organization’s London office. “Ten UNESCO heritage sites across


the peninsula have boosted the appeal of historical sites in Korea, added to which the country has been positioned


Hong Kong’s reality apps


Tourism Update PATA UK


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ANITA SACH PATA UK Chapter Editor ukchapternews@pata.org.uk www.pata.org.uk


as a new cruise destination with the key ports of Busan & Incheon the major gateways to the country,” he said. Other factors boosting Korea's profile


are the growing number of cultural events, the ‘Asia Song Festival and the ‘F1 Korea Grand Prix’, now in its second year. www.gokorea.co.uk


Swissotel revs up for F1 bookings Three Swissôtel properties are


The Hong Kong Tourism Board


and Cathay Pacific have jointly launched two new iPhone apps. 'DiscoverHongKong: AR’ features attractions, shopping, dining and events while ‘DiscoverHongKong: City Walks’ guides visitors through four themed city walks. Both apps make use of the latest Augmented Reality (AR) technology, which allows visitors to use their phone’s camera to scan its surroundings. The apps recognise what is seen and then provide information and directions. www.discoverhongkong.com


ASIA IN BRIEF


TransIndus to the Land of Kings TransIndus has a new 17-day tour


of Rajasthan to the desert state's main cultural sites and some off-the-beaten track experiences. Highlights include the forts and palaces of Delhi, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Jaipur and Agra, Thar Desert camping and a jeep safari. From £1,995pp, with flights and sightseeing. www.transindus.co.uk


10 July/August 2011 • www.sellinglonghaul.com


Taitung's first five-star hotel Taitung, the third largest city in


Taiwan, located in the centre of the island, has its first five-star property. The 217-room Formosan Naruwan Hotel combines modern design with traditional Aboriginal culture. Rates start from £162pn, based on two sharing on a B&B basis. www.naruwan-hotel.com.tw


Centara's second Krabi property Centara Hotels & Resorts’


second property at Ao Nang in Krabi will soft-open in September. The 135- room/suite Centara Anda Dhevi Resort & Spa Krabi is a newly-built four-star property spread across five low-rise buildings close to the sands of Nopparat Thara Beach and Ao Nang. www.centarahotelsresorts.com


India's first Grand Prix with C&K Cox & Kings is offering a six-day/


four-night trip to see India’s inaugural Grand Prix. From £2,395pp it includes international flights with Kingfisher, four nights' accommodation at the Oberoi Gurgaon with breakfast, airport and circuit transfers and tickets in the Classic Stands. www.coxandkings.co.uk


offering frontage views and/or early bird discounts as they gear up for the F1 motor races in Singapore (September 23-25) and Japan (October 7-9). Situated at Turn 9 of the race circuit, Swissôtel The Stamford – part of the Raffles City Complex – offers views of the night race from one of Southeast Asia’s tallest hotels. Rates are from S$3,450 for three nights’ stay with breakfast for two, from September 22-25 2011, and some of the best views from the private guest room balconies. An alternative base is the 476-room


deluxe Swissôtel Merchant Court on the banks of the Singapore River, located close to entertainment and dining hotspots such as Clarke Quay and Boat Quay and tourist attractions like Chinatown. In Japan, the Swissôtel Nankai, Osaka is just 100 minutes away from the Suzuka circuit by the Shiroko


station. Ten per cent off the hotel's Best Available Rates is available for bookings made right up until October 9 for stays between September 25 and October 9. The offer includes a complimentary


glass of champagne per person at the Swissotel Nankai's Sky Bar, with great views of the city skyline. www.swissotel.com


Following the earthquake and tsunami in March, tourism arrivals to Japan are, unsurprisingly, down dramatically. That’s why PATA UK is keen to point out that only one small area of the country was affected and it is safe to visit all areas of Japan, bar the region in the northeast of Honshu, Japan's main island. Tokyo is around 200km from the


affected area and Osaka is 580km away. There are no restrictions on international flights into and out of Japan's major airports. Many parts of Japan, including popular holiday destinations such as Hokkaido, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Okinawa, are outside the area hit by the earthquake and tsunami and received no disruption to infrastructure. Railways (including the bullet train) are operating as normal away from the disaster zone and train services in and around Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are also running as usual. To make sure you are up-to-date


with developments in Japan check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk) and Japan National Tourism Organization (www.jnto.gojp) websites.


SWISSOTELEQUINOX


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