TokyoTomo Travel Guide

JTB Global Marketing & Travel (JTBGMT) and Narita International Airport (NAA) have set up “Narita Airport Premium Concierge” counter for inbound tourists from 17 September to 16 November 2010. This is a proving test as part of the second phase of the Narita CS project. The experiment is jointly undertaken by the two corporate members of the “Premium Concierge Project of Tourism & Business Promotion Consortium” that Tokyo Chamber of Commerce presides.

This experimental service provides various arrangements such as express courier service, foreign currency exchange, and handover, with due explanation, of vouchers and coupons for accommodation, train, car rental, guide, sightseeing tour, and restaurant that the travelers booked in advance at the website. Through this experiment, JTB and NAA will study the needs of the travelers and feasibility of such business.

The counter is located at the Central Service Counter in the Arrival Lobby, 1st floor of the Terminal 2. Official website is posted in English and Chinese.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.

All Nippon Airways and JTB will jointly launch four charter flights to Canada from the end of September to the beginning of October, attracting travel demand for Canada’s autumn season. The airline is said to be finalizing the charter flight plan including take-off and landing slots at the respective airports. The charter flights are slated for departure and arrival from and to Chubu International Airport and Kansai International Airport. Those from and to Oita Airport and Nagasaki Airport will be routed via Narita International Airport.

Aircraft to be put into service is Boeing B747-400 configured with 10 First class, 75 Business class, 20 Premium Economy and 182 Economy class seats, totaling 287. ANA and JTB expect all four charter flights to be booked up. Departure dates are planned on September 20, 26, October 2 and 8 with an 8-day travel itinerary. Those departing from Oita and Kansai are scheduled to arrive in Toronto and return from Montreal, whilst those departing from Chubu and Nagasaki are scheduled to arrive in Montreal and return from Toronto.

Source: Travel Vision

Travel Vision Inc. provides information on the travel industry in Japan via "Daily Travel Vision", a Japanese-language e-mail newsletter, and the "Travel Vision" website. There are nearly 110,000 people working in the Japanese travel industry, and Travel Vision is proud to be bringing travel news to more than 30,000 people through Daily Travel Vision.

ISTANBUL – Temel Kotil, CEO, Turkish Airlines told the news media, invited from Japan, on April 6 (local time) that the airline aims to become the largest carrier in Europe by 2015. In efforts to reach the goal, the airline intends to address the strategy to capture transit traffic via Istanbul with three pillars in its core business, namely, “quality,” “price” and “branding.” Currently, the number of transit passengers carried by Turkish Airlines accounts for 34 percent of the airline’s total passenger production. It strives to increase its transit traffic to 50 percent in 2012 and up to 80 percent in 2015.

The price, in particular, among the three pillars, Turkish Airlines said, is competitive as its cost structure is more advantageous than its rival airlines, thanks to the geographical advantage enjoyed by Istanbul, the airline’s hub airport. When compared to the routes including Europe, Russia, North Africa, Middle East and elsewhere served out of its rival airlines’ hub airports, Turkish Airlines is able to reduce its operational cost per passenger carried over a distance of one kilometer by 50 percent from the view point of flight time and cost-effectiveness ratio.

Also, active utilization of short-haul aircraft including Boeing B737 helps to reduce operational costs and, as a result, Turkish Airlines is able to provide its high quality customer service with a competitive price, said Kotil. According to its fleet plan, the airline will take delivery of 105 new aircraft by 2023 in addition to 130 aircraft currently in operation. As the younger aircraft fleet will improve fuel-efficiency, the airline expects to further reduce its operational costs.

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