Fuji wins heritage label

TOKYO, 2 May 2013: Japan’s Mount Fuji will likely be added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites next month after an influential advisory panel to the UN cultural body made a recommendation, officials said Wednesday.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a consultative body to UNESCO, told the Japanese government that the almost perfectly conical Fuji is appropriate for registering as a World Heritage site, the agency for cultural affairs said in a statement.

Mt. Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 metres (12,460 feet), is expected to be formally listed in June when the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO meets in Cambodia, said an official at the foreign ministry.

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Tokyo Disney celebrates 30

TOKYO, 18 April 2013: Thousands of fans packed Tokyo Disneyland on Monday to celebrate its 30 years anniversary.

Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and dozens of other familiar faces from the annals of Disney history paraded through the 51-hectare (126-acre) park, cheered on by 15,000 people who had turned out to see them.

The resort comprises the Disneyland and DisneySea theme parks as well as three hotels, shopping malls and a monorail line that connects the facilities. It was the first international theme park to open in Asia.

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Japan adds visa category

BANGKOK, 23 May 2012: Thai travellers can apply for multiple entry visas for Japan from 1 June, a move that will boost tourism to one of the most popular destinations for Thai outbound travel.

A multiple entry visa was discussed with the Japanese Prime Minister during an official visit of the Thai Prime Minister, who visited Japan last March. It is understood the Japanese PM supported the move in order to boost two-way tourism between the two countries.

China and Japan are now the two top destinations for Thai travellers, but Japan is popular for its food, cleanliness as well as cultural and natural attractions.

The multiple entry visa valid for tourism and frequent business trips applies only for Thai nationals resident in Thailand and not expatriate Thais.

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Vietnam plans tourism office in Japan

HANOI, 14 March 2012: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism will open a representative office in Tokyo, Japan, by early next year to support tourism marketing activities and step up cooperation between travel firms in the two nations.

VNAT deputy head, Hoang Thi Diep, said this would be the first overseas representative office financed by the Vietnam’s tourism authority.

“The plan is to ratchet up Japanese tourist arrivals to Vietnam from nearly half a million last year to 1 million visits by 2015.”

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Japan says thanks

BANGKOK, 27 February 2012: Japan National Tourism Organisation will introduce a “thank-you” campaign for support given during the 11 March, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that devastated Northeast Japan.

JNTO said the campaign would welcome back tourists and thank nations that supported the country through the crisis.

“Japan. Thank You,” will be seen mostly on signs at major airports in Japan, immigration counters and in airline promotional literature handed to passengers flying to the country. Read more

Japan talks up its sky tree

BANGKOK, 27 February 2012: Japan National Tourist Organisation updated its new tourism products and services at a networking session held on the sidelines of  Thailand’s international tourism fair 10th last Sunday.

The event attracted 34 tourism business sellers from Japan who showcased their products to  100 Thai travel agents.

Here are presentation highlights: Read more

Associations join hands

BANGKOK, 19 December 2011: The Thai Travel Agents Association has reached a three-year agreement with the Japan Association of Travel Agents to collaborate on joint promotions, data exchange and crisis management, following natural disasters in both countries, TTAA president Charoen Wangananont, reported last Friday.

Signed last week, it was the first long-term agreement between the two associations. The agreement was a response to natural disasters; the tsunami in Japan last March and massive floods that hit Thailand’s central plains October through to November.

“The agreement between the two associations will support two-way tourist traffic,” said Mr Charoen. “We expect to see an improvement in tourists, both ways over the next three years through joint activities,” he added.

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Japan offers travel incentive

BANGKOK, 23 November 2011: Japan National Tourism Organisation has waived visa fees for visitors travelling to East Japan or Tohoku regions that were hit by a earthquake and a tsunami last March.

JNTO released details of the visa waiver, Tuesday, saying it focused on three provinces — Miyagi, Fukushima and Iwate.

The move is part of a wider plan to restore tourism to the two regions. Read more

Media scolded over losses

BANGKOK, 21 November 2011: Japanese travel to Thailand started to decline in August and is now down by over 50% according to Thai – Japanese Tourism Business Association president, Anake Srishevachart.

Contrary to the positive reports given by the Tourist Authority of Thailand, Mr Anake said tourism from Japan had been floored and blames the international media for the losses.

“We are looking at a situation in November that will see us lose 80% of all bookings from Japan,” he said. Read more

Japan offer free trips

TOKYO, 10 October, 2011 – Japan will offer 10,000 foreigners free airfares to visit the country next year, in an attempt to boost the tourism industry which has been hit by the ongoing nuclear disaster, a report said Monday.

The Japan Tourism Agency plans to ask would-be travellers to submit online applications for the free flights, detailing which areas of the country they would like to visit, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said.

The agency will select the successful entrants and ask them to write a report about their trip which will be published on the Internet. Read more

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