The ASEAN-Japan Centre’s ASEAN Tourism Awards Japan 2019 were given to 11 tour products to destinations in the ASEAN Member States out of 78 entries. These products, awarded in 6 categories, are as follows:
■ New Destination Award ■
Nature Escapade in Udon Thani and Vang Vieng (6 Days)
Travel agency: Club Tourism International Inc.
Land operator: Apex International Inc.
Airline: Thai Airways International
A unique tour that includes visits to Udon Thani, Thailand and Vang Vieng, Lao PDR in one package. The tour provides trips to places with photogenic spectacular views such as the Red Lotus Lake (Nong Han Kumphawapi Lake) in Udon Thani and the Blue Lagoon in Vang Vieng. It introduces the new attraction of ASEAN travel, such as crossing the border of Thailand and Lao PDR by train.
■ Luxury Travel Award ■
Discover Viet Nam in Style with Vietnam Airlines’ Business Class (7 Days)
Travel agency: Royal Road Ginza Division, JTB Corp.
Land operator: SAI Travel Service Co., Ltd.
Airline: Vietnam Airlines
Experience a stylish and luxury getaway across Viet Nam in 7 days while appreciating Viet Nam’s UNESCO World Heritage sites including Ha Long Bay, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary and Complex of Hue Monuments. The tour also enables customers to enjoy the French-influenced Vietnamese cuisine. Successfully packaged high-end tour to Viet Nam.
■ Unique Tour Award ■
Stay in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, where the animated film “Detective Conan: The Fist of Blue Sapphire” was staged (4/5 Days)
Travel agency: H.I.S. Co., Ltd.
Land operator: H.I.S. International Travel Pte. Ltd.
Airline: Singapore Airlines
Enjoy Singapore attractions that were set as the stage for the Japanese animated film “Detective Conan: The Fist of Blue Sapphire”, the first Conan film set in a foreign country. Stay at Marina Bay Sands, where many of the action scenes took place, get on the Detective Conan-themed bus and visit Singapore Flyer, Suntec City Mall and Fountain of Wealth, Merlion, Gardens by the Bay and three secret spots that won’t be revealed until the day. A unique tour combining Japanese anime and local attractions.
■ Sustainable Tour Award ■ (2 products)
Short Summer Programme “Global Human Development” @ UTAR Malaysia (10 Days)
Travel agency: TABi‘Z Inc.
Land operator: IDCJ Inc.
Airline: Malaysia Airlines
A study tour for younger generation interested to experience a foreign culture, exchange experiences and learn about global human development while improving English proficiency. IDCJ collaborated with Universiti Tuanku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), a private leading university in Malaysia to develop this program to produce a knowledgeable generation that promotes sustainability.
Adventure Crossing over the Wallace Line to Discover Endangered/Endemic Wild Flora and Fauna in Sumatra and Sulawesi (10 Days)
Travel agency: Nihonbashi Travellers’ Club Co., Ltd.
Land operator: Adventure Indonesia
Airline: Garuda Indonesia
The tour provides the opportunity to encounter endangered/endemic species in Sumatra and Sulawesi, Indonesia while learning the differences of fauna divided by the Wallace Line. This tour is viewed as one of the unique sustainable tourism approaches to protect exotic nature in Sumatra and Sulawesi, Indonesia, by centering on the special significance of the Wallace Line.
■ Mekong Award ■ (4 products)
Incentive Tour for Power Tools Manufacturer
Travel agency: Tabikobo Co. Ltd.
Land operator: World Compass Co., Ltd.
Airline: Vietnam Airlines
A unique tour that encourages the untapped market of MICE incentive tour to Cambodia. The tour set a milestone for the development of MICE in Cambodia by exploring five star hotels that can host large MICE, convention facility, tournament golf course, luxury restaurant, and others.
Embracing Coffee and Sign Lifestyle @ “Minna no Café” in Vientiane, Lao PDR (5 Days)
Travel agency: H.I.S. Co., Ltd.
Land operator: H.I.S. Lao Co., Ltd.
Airline: Vietnam Airlines
Minna no Café is the first-ever café in Lao PDR ran by persons with intellectual disability and deaf. This tour provides opportunities to understand the special needs of the community by experiencing an internship at Minna no Café, taking up sign language lessons and volunteering at a deaf school.
Medical Internship in Myanmar, Gain medical experience via interaction with global background medical practitioners (6 Days)
Travel agency: H.I.S. Co., Ltd.
Land operator: H.I.S. Myanmar Travels Co., Ltd.
Airline: All Nippon Airways
A tour for nurses, midwives, university and high school students aiming to challenge themselves in a wide variety of ways to enhance their skills and deepen their knowledge in medical science and public health. The takeaways from this tour are the bittersweet memories with patients and the locals, and a life-changing experience while volunteering to work with local doctors and nurses.
<For Female Solo Travelers> Panoramic Experience in Viet Nam (5 Days)
Travel agency: Club Tourism International Inc.
Land operator: Apex International Inc.
Airline: Japan Airlines
A tour designed for young, vibrant and active Japanese ladies. Besides the usual tourist attractions, the tour will introduce 20 photogenic spots in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. The package includes the conveniently located accommodations.
■ Jury’s Special Award ■ (2 products)
Colorful City Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (4 Days)
Travel agency: Media Travel Center, Nippon Travel Agency Co., Ltd.
Land operator: S.M.I. Travel Japan Co., Ltd.
Airline: Malaysia Airlines
The tour outlines a series of adventure in the colorful and exuberant city of Kuala Lumpur, visiting famous landmark such as KLCC, Blue Mosque and Batu Caves with a magnificent view, in addition to new popular tourist spot “Sky Mirror.” The tour was also featured in a Japanese TV program.
【Trapics 30th Anniversary Special Tour】Waisak Festival in Bali and Java (6 Days)
Travel agency: Hankyu Travel International Co., Ltd.
Land operator: S・Planner Co., Ltd.
Airline: Garuda Indonesia
A tour to experience the religious event “Waisak festival” in Borobudur Temple in Java Indonesia, one of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. The tour successfully introduced Indonesian culture by highlighting the festival, which is not well known among the Japanese and hardly seen in other agent-organized tours.
*English tour names were translated by ASEAN-Japan Centre and are for reference only.