ITB ASIA NEWS 2023 - DAY 1 EDITION

I SPECIAL FEATURE I

I SPECIAL FEATURE I NATURE & ADVENTURE TOURISM I Japan's National Parks offer travellers the chance to explore nature throughout all four seasons Japan is exhibiting at ITB Asia this year, and while the country is known for its urban and cultural tourism, the destination is also growing increasingly popular with adventure and nature enthusiasts Japan's national parks showcase the country's impressive range of wild landscapes and preserved habitats throughout the year. These parks, the first three of which were designated in 1934, provide travellers with the opportunity to appreciate the natural beauty of Japan through different activities such as hiking and kayaking. HIKING ACROSS THE PRIMEVAL FORESTS OF CHUBUSANGAKU NATIONAL PARK Situated amidst a towering 3,000-metre mountain range, Chubusangaku National Park is a testament to nature's grandeur. Come hiking season, from May to October, adventurers can explore the protected area of Kamikochi and walk along the Azusa River. As they proceed up the mountain, the panoramic landscape comes into perspective with its unique geological features. Early risers can take in a dramatic sunrise at the spearheaded summit of Mt. Yarigatake as the sun appears over a sea of clouds. Further south, a guided nature walk suitable for families explores the unspoiled nature reserve of Goshikigahara Forest in the foothills of Mt. Norikura. As one of Japan's rarest and most valuable old-growth forests, restrictions in place to protect the natural habitat require visitors to be accompanied by a certified guide. SOAKING IN THE VOLCANIC STEAM OF KIRISHIMA-KINKOWAN NATIONAL PARK Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park, formerly known as Kirishima National Park, was one of Japan's first three national parks designated in 1934. Its unique combination of the Kirishima mountains, the active Sakurajima volcano and the Kinkowan Bay is a botanist's dream, housing an array of plants like the Miyamakirishima (Kyushu Azalea) and Kirishimamizuki. On the extreme southern tip of Kyushu's Satsuma Peninsula, Ibusuki Onsen is known for its unique openair sand baths heated by volcanic steam. Visitors can lie down facing the bay in a cotton Yukata, buried up to the neck in hot sand listening to the waves. Afterwards, they can cook seasonal vegetables and eggs using the volcanic steam from natural geothermal cauldrons at Unagi Onsen by Lake Unagi. DISCOVERING WILDLIFE AND CRATER LAKES IN SHIKOTSU-TOYA NATIONAL PARK Visitors hiking in Shikotsu-Toya National Park can discover a wide range of wildlife including Ezo red foxes, alpine hares, and Hokkaido squirrels. The park is also home to a number of crater lakes including the circular Lake Toya which was formed on a caldera from a volcanic eruption 110,000 years ago. In the eastern part of the park, also formed on a caldera, Lake Shikotsu is Japan's second-deepest and one of its most transparent lakes. Visitors can stay at camping sites by the lake and enjoy diving and kayaking activities or explore the unique aquatic habitat with a glassbottomed kayak STAND J 041 © Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) © Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) 10 ITB ASIA NEWS • WEDNESDAY 25 OCTOBER 2023 itb-asia-news.com

I SPECIAL FEATURE I TRANSPORT I Air India launches non-stop flights between Kolkata and Bangkok © Air India AIRCALIN ADDS A SIXTH WEEKLY FREQUENCY BETWEEN NOUMEA AND SINGAPORE © Nico Smit - Unsplash Present at ITB Asia 2023, Air India has introduced a nonstop service between Kolkata and Bangkok starting on 23 rd October. Launched during the festive season in Kolkata, this new flight provides a convenient direct connection between the two cities. The flight, operated with a narrowbody Airbus family aircraft, has a two-class configuration of Economy and Business Class and operates six days a week from Monday to Saturday. In addition to helping boost tourism and trade in both cities, the direct service to Bangkok offers Air India passengers the opportunity for convenient connections via Bangkok to and from 10 popular destinations in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia on the network of Bangkok Airways, with whom Air India enjoys an interline partnership with connections beyond Bangkok. Prior to this launch, Air India already operated a total of 14 flights to Bangkok per week with daily nonstop flights from Delhi and Mumbai connecting the destination. Building a more robust network is a key part of Air India’s growth strategy and the new launch highlights the airline’s commitment to expanding connectivity and enhancing frequency on its domestic and international sectors as it keeps augmenting the fleet with new aircraft. Air India is moving through a fiveyear transformation roadmap with the goal of becoming a world class airline with an Indian heart. The airline has completed the first phase of this transformation, the taxi phase, which focused on fixing the basics including bringing many long grounded aircraft back in service, adding talent across flying and ground functions, upgrading technology, and strengthening customer care initiatives STAND Q 033 A year ago, AirCalin (short for Air Caledonie International) inaugurated the only connection between New Caledonia and Southeast Asia with Noumea-Singapore. The flight, which connects the cities in just 9 hours, has proven to be very popular: Singapore- Noumea is now served five times a week. AirCalin has a Special Prorate Agreement (SPA) with Singapore Airlines for connections to the rest of Southeast Asia as well as Europe -particularly to Paris. AirCalin will add a sixth frequency from January, boosting further capacities between Noumea and Singapore STAND L 025 ITB ASIA NEWS • WEDNESDAY 25 OCTOBER 2023 11