The Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reports that specific measures include making changes to the annual income limits and issuing multiple-entry visas to Chinese tourists.

From March 2008, Japan began to issue visas to Chinese tourists in the form of “family tour group” for two or three people. In July 2009, Japan made personal tourist visas available to Chinese citizens. However, because of restrictions such as a minimum annual income CNY250,000, only 6,000 personal tourist visas had been issued by the end of November 2009, while 179,000 visas had been issued to tour groups.

In late 2009 the airline has announced that it was suspending this route between November 23, 2009, and January 30, 2010. According to Wang Bin, the public relations manager of AirAsia China, flights will leave Tianjin at around 14:00, which will be more convenient for passengers from nearby cities. AirAsia will also add more airport buses and intercity buses to make it easier for passengers outside Tianjin to catch the flight.

The average occupancy rate of all AirAsia’s China routes has reached 75%; occupancy rates on the Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Guilin, Hangzhou, and Chengdu routes have even reached an average of 85%.

The Tianjin route is AirAsia’s first in northern China. The airline is currently planning promotional activities in cities around Tianjin to improve the visibility of this route.

IHG’s first lifestyle boutique hotel brand in the region, Hotel Indigo is intended to offer guests a less formal and more individual hotel experience than the other upscale brands in IHG’s portfolio — while retaining the overall IHG brand image. IHG says the brand is a new concept for the Group, and targets upscale travelers who seek an experience that incorporates local historic, cultural and natural elements. feel at home.

Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund is located directly on the Huangpu River front, and its design reflects the proximity of the river and dock.

According to Keith Barr, the managing director of IHG Greater China, boutique properties are becoming increasingly popular within the region. However there is an inconsistency in the standards of the ’boutique’ offerings available and so IHG see a huge opportunity for Hotel Indigo with the reassurance and consistent quality that comes from staying at a property that is managed by an international group.  Barr added that it provides property owners with an attractive proposition to co-create a distinct property that benefits from a high returns model.

Bruce Ryde, the general manager of the hotel, commented that with its unique location on the river front and focus on local creativity and bespoke design, Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund would offer visitors to Shanghai something quite different, creating a more varied environment that represents the diversity and very best of old and new Shanghai.

The hotel features 182 rooms, including 21 River View Suites and two Garden Terrace Suites with private terraces. All rooms feature complimentary Wi-Fi, Internet telephone, a 42-inch flat screen TV with DVD, a Bose music sound system, an iron and ironing board, and a ‘laptop’ safe.

For impromptu meetings the hotel offers the Sanctuary with dedicated relaxation areas, work spaces and social corners, refreshments and a cafe menu, with complimentary Internet access available throughout the area and wider hotel, while dedicated work stations and seating areas provide more comfortable business spaces.

For the active, the hotel also features a gym using the latest equipment, with private tai-chi and yoga classes available on request and a glass fronted infinity swimming pool situated on the seventh floor overlooking the Huangpu river.

This new institution combines the former Tourist Information Service Center and Tourism Internet Information Center. It is reported to be the first tourist public service management body in China.

An official of the administration said that it will devise a plan for Guilin to build a public tourist system, establish tourist service centers and tourist distribution centers in downtown areas, promote a self-drive service system and the hire of recreational vehicles, and build a first class tourist public information service platform.

Guilin claims several “firsts” in tourist public service management systems, including setting up the first tourist information center, setting up the first self drive information service station, distributing free promotional materials to tourists directly, and drafting tourist information service standards.

Stanley Wang, the managing director of Hotel Reservation Service Asia Pacific, told local media that HRS.cn would expand China’s online travel market by speeding up its roll-out in China. The five offices are intended to offer better services to HRS’s hotel partners and travelers in these cities and their neighborhood.

HRS has a high opinion of the scope for development of online travel in China. Statistics show only 5% of Chinese netizens would book hotels online via Internet while the number in the US is 55%. Wang believes that online hotel reservation services will have a huge potential in China along with the development of China’s Internet industry.

As well as five offices in China, HRS will also establish offices in Tokyo, Singapore, and Bangkok to expand the online travel market in Asia Pacific region.

Shanda Tourism is now just a project under Shanda’s project investment center, but it will certainly be operated independently, according to media reports. Analysts figure that Shanda Tourism will be different from Ctrip.com, which means it will focus more on online community but not tickets or travel information.

Shanda Interactive has already launched its experiments in the tourism industry. For example, it has invested CNY1 billion to set up a theme park in Wuxi, and it is also planning to set up a real scenic area in Long Chuan Gorge in Zhejiang featuring one of its online games Aion. Shanda Tourism is considered a way to serve the theme parks and scenic areas that Shanda Interactive has invested in.

By codesharing, the two airlines are extending their network at little cost and travelers will be able to book on either route with either airline and accumulate frequent flier miles with their preferred scheme.

Previously China Southern and China Eastern had launched codesharing on many domestic routes but this is the first time that the two have launched codesharing on international routes.

As a member of SkyTeam, China Southern already codeshares with Korean Air on the Beijing to Seoul and Shanghai to Seoul routes.

Thomas Guan, the general manager of Grand Metropark Resort Sanya, told around 300 celebrities, dignitaries, society guests and members of media that as the largest tourism group in China, innovation and development are very important for the group. He continued that the group was taking the first step forward together with Hainan International Tourism Island.

The resort is located in the center of Yalong Bay International PGA Golf Course and has 108 villas and 110 rooms. For meetings and banquets the property boasts a 500-square ballroom and meeting area equipped with modern conference equipment and sophisticated audio-visual equipment, which can accommodate groups of different sizes.

The resort has three different styles of restaurant, a British pub, a spa center, fitness center, kid’s club, as well as a range of water sports.

Lin said that currently the Xiamen Annual Travel Card is only available directly to Taiwan residents. Next, Xiamen will advertise the card in Taiwan via the media and travel agencies. Taiwan residents will then be able to use Xiamen’s travel agencies to apply for the cards.

It is also understood that Xiamen Tourism Association Taipei Office will get support from Xiamen Airlines Taipei Branch.

According to the plan, Tianjin Binhai New Zone Tourism Area, whose construction is expected to be completed in 2013, will be built into an integrated area and international tourism destination comprising of world class theme parks and yachting bases.

Located in the north of Tianjin Binhai New Zone, the Binhai Tourism Area will encompass a total area of 99 square kilometers. At present, the construction of the first phase of 10 square kilometers has started with many projects, including the national maritime museum, scheduled to be started in 2010.