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talking shop DESTINATION DIALOGUE: FAR EAST GUIDE LAUNCH PARTY Far out, Far East


Over 250 agents attended the fi rst annual Far East Party to launch the second Far East Travel Trade Guide 2012, showing the Far East is still a favourite with the travel trade


“Asian people


really know good hospitality and customer service”


EVENT DETAILS WHO: SELLING LONG HAUL & FAR EAST FRIENDS WHAT: GUIDE LAUNCH WHERE: LONDON WHEN: JULY 10 WHY: LEARN ABOUT THE FAR EAST HOW: WITH A FUN QUIZ


Carbon Nightclub, of the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, London. The party kicked off with a few mojitos


T


and cheesy tunes before our four sponsors, The Macau Government Tourist Office, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Funway Holidays and Korean Air made presentations packed with clues for the quiz. Agents competed hard and snacked on tasty Asian curries, soups and snacks. Congratulations go to the 'Macau


Monkeys', whose Far East knowledge got them first place in the seven-round quiz. The team was comprised of agents from Kuoni, Hays Travel, American Express, Indus Tours and Escape Worldwide. Hotel Chocolat gift boxes went to Eric


Carr, Thomas Cook, and to Tony Osborne and Branislava Paulova, Reed & Makay. Sarita Walles, Portman Holidays, won a hotel stay at Mia Resort Mui Ne, in Vietnam; Luis Rosa, BCD Travel won meal for two at @Siam in Soho. Samantha


62 July/August 2012 • www.sellinglonghaul.com


he first annual Far East Party to launch the Far East Travel Trade Guide 2012 was held at the


Payne, Flight Centre, and Jason Callanan, Thomas Cook, won places on a Funway fam trip to Thailand's Bangkok and Hua Hin; and Holly Hyde, Flight Centre, won a fam place to Macau. Shangri-La hotel nights went to Travel Counsellor Jack Leaf (nine nights in Kuala Lumpur and Borneo); Clare Sparks, Indus Tours, (three nights in Kuala Lumpur, six in Penang) and Barbara Goodman from Gadabouts Travel (two nights each in Bangkok and Chiang Mai and four nights in Hong Kong or Singapore).


Far East in context Somehow the Far East manages to be both exotic and reassuring at the same time. There are many contrasts from the sprawling cities of huge China to tiny Brunei and its quiet capital on the edge of the jungle. Destinations like Thailand and Malaysia


are well-established for tourism with globally recognised hotels and resorts, and modern infrastructure. World-class cities like Tokyo, Hong Kong or Singapore


have a compelling buzz and make an easy sell. But the Far East is still


developing, which makes it exciting to sell.


If your clients


think they’ve ‘done it all’ tell them to think again! Vietnam, for example, a backpacker's favourite has now seen an explosion in interest across markets lately, with new luxury hotels opening and new direct flights from London Gatwick.


There are some new rising stars too


like mysterious Papua New Guinea, with its barely touched tribal culture and rare wildlife, or Burma, currently seeing resurgence in tourism as its political fabric shifts towards what appears to be a more democratic future.


THE CHALLENGES • It’s called the Far East for a reason – it’s a long way! That means high air fares and a potentially harder sell.


• Some clients may think it’s not a suitable destination in terms of safety,


THE OPPORTUNITIES


• High air fares are balanced out by incredible value on arrival. A five-star hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam, for example will compare favourably to one in New York City.


• The Far East varies hugely. There are many places where you can find yourself off the beaten track and test your adventurous spirit – the jungles of Laos, isolated islands in the Philippines or Chinese cities where no one speaks English – this is a selling point for some! However, if not, point your client to a top-quality resort in somewhere more developed like Bali, Hong Kong or Thailand where they can soak up the culture in a cocooned environment. Or recommend an escorted tour or cruise where their hand will be held if needed.


health and comfort. • It’s big! Therefore


difficult to know where to recommend.


Selling Tip Target people flying Down Under with a cosmopolitan city stop in the Far East


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