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STRENGTHENED their commitment to promote Japan as a world-class business events destination to Australia and with last year’s tsunami and nuclear safety issues a concern, the Japan National Tourism Organiszation (JNTO) held a MICE lunch seminar on Friday, at Sydney’s Ocean Room. The event saw suppliers and incentive and conference planners interact during informative networking sessions. Emphasising Japan’s nuclear safety, the JNTOs Stephanie SNG said, “Japan’s natural radiation level is at a safer point than the natural radiation in Sydney,” advising that only in the country’s north around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant that a ‘Do not travel,’ 30 to 80 kilometre precautionary zone exists. One on the best barometers for travel according to JTB, the largest travel company in Japan, is that school travel has returned. “Schools were the first groups to leave after the tsunami said, Kathy Papadimitriou, mice division supervisor, groups and incentive travel. “We now have 30 schools going over in September and many corporates who postponed trips last year are back with enquiries,” she said. Terry Carter, general manager procurement & facilities at Fujitsu in Australia who visits Japan on a regular basis and who is full of admiration for the country, said he is once again taking customers and staff to their head office in Tokyo and to other cities in Japan. “I always like to showcase the rest of this incredible country,” he said. Cathy Favaloro, regional director of sales, Four Seasons Sydney, said they are getting a lot of enquiries from Japanese companies in support of the ‘mothership’. “We have done a lot of work with incentives but groups need to book well ahead if they want to stay at our new 57-room boutique property, Four Seasons Tokyo at Marunouchi. The JNTO will be at AIME this month showcasing Japan. |
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