Latest / GowayPro Travel Tales / All Things Asia with Moira Smith, V.P. Asia at Goway.

Transcript

All Things Asia with Moira Smith, V.P. Asia at Goway. · GowayPro Travel Tales

• 0:23
  Hello everyone, welcome to the Go Away Pro Travel Tales podcast.
• 0:27
  We're in a bit of an Asia theme this month.
• 0:30
  This is being recorded, when are we?
• 0:31
  The end of last day of June actually, isn't it?
• 0:33
  Yeah.
• 0:34
  Yeah.
• 0:35
  Last day of June and early June we did our roadshows.
• 0:38
  And us being Go Away and let me introduce our guest for those who don't know, Moira Smith, VP of our Asia Department, Asia Team.
• 0:46
  And we were on the road earlier this month.
• 0:47
  Where were we?
• 0:48
  So San Francisco uh was the last stop.
• 0:51
  We started off in Toronto, had about twenty of our suppliers or partners um with us and it was a pretty successful event.
• 1:00
  Yeah, it was.
• 1:01
  yeah, we had countries represented what what do we term it from the stands to I I can't I can't remember what a tagline was.
• 1:11
  Yeah, basically had everyone, or almost everyone in every representative Asian country there.
• 1:18
  So we thought we'd just wrap up the month, I guess.
• 1:21
  Well this will be aired in early July, but whatever.
• 1:23
  Um with a bit more of a talk on Asia and just before we came on air.
• 1:29
  You mentioned that the Chinese yuan is depreciated against the US dollars.
• 1:37
  Or Japanese yen.
• 1:37
  What I'd say.
• 1:38
  Yuan, yeah.
• 1:40
  no, it it has.
• 1:42
  You're gonna be able to edit some of the stuff out.
• 1:45
  Yes.
• 1:47
  yes, actually.
• 1:48
  what is really impressive is is that Japan still continues to to boom, honestly with no signs stopping, and and for all the reasons that you know about Japan, but the fact is
• 1:59
  when you get there, it's really, really good value.
• 2:02
  Yeah, but y did you also mention China is also becoming such a good um financial option because of
• 2:09
  sure.
• 2:09
  So China's actually our biggest growth uh country in over the last year, 149% increase.
• 2:17
  Um and I think it's because uh firstly pent up demand.
• 2:22
  China is has really um spent the last uh ten, fifteen years on infrastructure.
• 2:29
  They've got these incredible high s high speed uh train networks.
• 2:33
  So when I first went to China, which was about thirty years ago.
• 2:37
  um it was domestic air and it was it was cumbersome to get around.
• 2:42
  Whereas now it's so so much better.
• 2:45
  And what is fantastic about China is um you have these ancient cities that haven't changed s for millennia and then you have these incredibly modern um cities on the opposite
• 2:57
  spectrum.
• 2:57
  Yeah, I just finished actually in our studio here we're recording our podcast for those watching.
• 3:02
  Um I just finished recording the China LMS of the Travel Academy and it was a long one.
• 3:08
  It took me about three hours to record it because China's big.
• 3:13
  but yeah, I learnt some interesting things through the research for that.
• 3:16
  Particularly the infrastructure, which I think most people will see on the news that you know, when things happen in China they happen.
• 3:23
  Um a whole lot of varying reasons.
• 3:24
  They have the money, but it's also a communist state, so
• 3:27
  The government wants something done, it gets done.
• 3:30
  But all the politics aside, yeah, it's got more high-speed rail than anywhere else in the world.
• 3:36
  It's also now, I didn't realize famous for punctuality, which most people think instantly, and rightly so, to Japan for punctionality in particular.
• 3:45
  I always remember the story of my stepdad who I traveled to Japan with many years ago on the flight over there.
• 3:50
  He used to work for Qantas, as you know.
• 3:52
  he told me this story that on a previous trip he was reading the newspapers and it was front page news that a bullet train was two minutes late because they were are not were
• 4:02
  are so pride prideful on punctuality and things working properly.
• 4:07
  And now China has that and again through the LMS, which you can all see very shortly, that yeah, getting to your point, getting around now is easy because high and high speed train
• 4:16
  bullet trains are everywhere.
• 4:19
  So it's easier, faster to use the train than domestic air, but domestic air is everywhere, international airports everywhere, regional connections everywhere.
• 4:28
  So why was I we'll say past him, why was China not as popular as other Asian destinations, do you think?
• 4:37
  It's changed.
• 4:37
  Obviously, do you think it is the government sort of opening itself to the world at all levels?
• 4:42
  Is that part
• 4:42
  I think it's definitely part of it.
• 4:44
  Certainly from a a Canadian point of view, um, they've now made it very much easier for you to to to stay.
• 4:51
  It's a thirty day free visa.
• 4:53
  But also from the US side of things, provided you go to another territory or or destination, you get a ten day free visa.
• 5:01
  So it works perfectly if you combine it with something like Hong Kong as an example.
• 5:05
  Because you work or you being you personally, but you being Go Wei, we work very closely with tourist boards from all the countries, all the continents we deal with.
• 5:14
  Why has China, do you think, done that with the visa?
• 5:17
  Like are they proactively seeking uh globetrotters now?
• 5:22
  They really are That's an open statement they've sort of made or inferred at least.
• 5:26
  They really are um actively in b and particularly North America, both Canada and and US, they have very active tourist boards in in all those in both those areas and in fact on
• 5:36
  both coasts in the US.
• 5:38
  Now, is there any have they expressed a reason for that or is it just wanting more more visitors?
• 5:46
  I
• 5:47
  I guess that's the answer itself.
• 5:49
  I know that was a hard question.
• 5:50
  Like it wasn't a very well structured question.
• 5:52
  I'm just wondering what their motivation is.
• 5:55
  Is it again, is it and they might never even express this in your meetings with them.
• 5:59
  I'm just curious whether it is politically driven, i.e.
• 6:02
  they want to open the country, or is it there is a hard focus on because certain countries, as we know, they focus on tourism flow then they don't focus on it for well.
• 6:12
  Is this is this one of China's stated goals?
• 6:15
  I think so.
• 6:15
  Um but to be honest we we meeting with them in the next few few weeks.
• 6:19
  One of the things that we initiatives that we have in fact is our first China Agent FAM that's happening in November, which we haven't had uh well, we haven't had ever.
• 6:30
  Now we're gonna get emails saying how do I get on that China family, is there a way to get on it or is it an invite only?
• 6:35
  it's invite only, but if you're a c a member of our Club one hundred, then you are invited.
• 6:39
  okay, there we go.
• 6:40
  So our Club One Hundred members, you should probably get an invitation.
• 6:44
  And what is Club One Hundred, you may be asking?
• 6:46
  That is our top one hundred selling agents, so anyone can get into it if your sales get to a predetermined level and all that information's on Gateway Pro dot com.
• 6:55
  So something I learned about China yesterday which I thought was actually really, really interesting, because one of our experts, Leo, was being interviewed for just basically
• 7:07
  things that have changed over time.
• 7:09
  Leo again for those who know Leo very Western sound name, but he's actually Asian.
• 7:12
  Is he Chinese?
• 7:13
  is Chinese, yes.
• 7:14
  And one of these comments he made is things the the question was what would surprise people about China?
• 7:20
  And he said how clean the cities are.
• 7:22
  And he said that um in years gone past, China or certainly some of the bigger cities had the reputation of of being very smoggy and and and very polluted.
• 7:33
  But in actual fact the Chinese government has over the last mm number of years done an enormous amount in terms of of um the clean air
• 7:43
  I don't know what you'd call it, but a a clean air initiative.
• 7:46
  Yeah, and quite that's what I'm learning one doing the research for the uh Academy module, but just also being interested in it, that yeah, China has really taken positive steps
• 7:56
  forward.
• 7:57
  There's a lot of baggage that goes with it, we know that, but you know, when they build infrastructure they get it done and when they want to you know and they are doing a lot of
• 8:05
  positive things.
• 8:06
  They really are, like just from their own country's point of view, but obviously from a a travel point of view.
• 8:12
  So on the flip side, why has Japan
• 8:15
  Because in our roadshow Japan got a lot of the spotlight 'cause it is popular, which is obviously makes sense for us to focus on it, particularly for our travel trade partners,
• 8:24
  'cause that's where you'll get your bookings.
• 8:27
  So on the flip side, China's growing.
• 8:29
  Why is why has Japan remained unbelievably popular?
• 8:33
  John, I think anybody who's ever been to Japan would agree with me that it's not just a first time destination.
• 8:38
  It's a first, second and and third and more destination.
• 8:42
  It's got so much to offer and I think it's it's so unique in the world for its culture, for its cuisine, um, for the experiences that you can have in in Japan.
• 8:53
  And uh really it's it's it's a destination that I can not see any stoppage on in terms of its growth.
• 9:01
  Now, you mentioned as we started this podcast that it's becoming cheaper because of the uh the currency at the moment.
• 9:09
  And we did touch on this in depth during the roadshows we just did because it's something that I was unaware coming into the roadshows, which we explained.
• 9:18
  Japan had a history of being very, very expensive.
• 9:22
  Now that myth was dispelled during our roadshows when we had our partners off on stage, all the Japanese base and Japanese people.
• 9:29
  Um
• 9:30
  And what they did as a comparison, and you can expand on this in your answer if you don't mind, is the question what, you know, like you know, a a good fine dining meal would be
• 9:39
  the equivalent of a good fine dining meal here in Toronto and New York.
• 9:42
  So it's no more expensive than big sol big cosmopol big cosmopolitan city like here, being Toronto or New York.
• 9:50
  But in general, currency fluctuation aside, it is an affordable destination, correct?
• 9:58
  Absolutely.
• 9:59
  And I think what um we can offer is that we really can put together something that suits all budgets.
• 10:05
  So I think what we do so well is for example, if somebody wants a a traditional Japan experience at a a at a traditional Japanese inn, we can offer that.
• 10:15
  If they want to splurge with a a rear can or um maybe spend less money in the bigger cities because they're just going to be using it for accommodations, we can combine all
• 10:25
  sorts of
• 10:26
  of uh different styles of accommodations to suit everyone's budget.
• 10:30
  Yeah, and I think one of the attractions that people find for Japan is you mentioned before the you know, the deep culture, you know, old culture, which most of Asia has.
• 10:39
  So it's not unique in that respect, but it's a very different type of culture, which is really cool about Asia.
• 10:44
  There's a lot of cultural overlap, but then most countries are or have their
• 10:49
  um what's a percentage or portion, which is very, very unique to their country, which Japan is one.
• 10:55
  But it's so diverse.
• 10:56
  Like you have Disneyland there, all the way down to what you mentioned being being a Ryukan, which is a traditional Japanese inn.
• 11:03
  So you've got the crazy modern technology which Japan and China for that matter is known for, down to ancient samurai, uh geisha geisha, um, sumo wrestling.
• 11:13
  It's such that diverse
• 11:16
  And I think one of the reasons why we're doing exceptionally well is because we have we've realized that people are going to Japan for different things.
• 11:25
  Sometimes the same things and sometimes very, very different things.
• 11:28
  And we now have access to an enormous range of experiences to use your uh comments now from Studio Ghibli to Sumo Wrestling and and that is is pretty
• 11:39
  Um that's what people are wanting.
• 11:41
  They they very happy to go to a convenience store where you'll get the best egg sandwich according to Ian ever.
• 11:47
  Yeah, I th that's that's Ian Smyther, our our count manager, who waxed lyrical about egg salad sandwiches in Japan.
• 11:54
  But honestly the food even in the convenience stores is exceptional, right through to a fabulous tepanyaki meal or a a sushi feast.
• 12:03
  So speaking about cultural draws, which every country you know that's one of the main reasons people go to any country in the world, let alone Asia.
• 12:10
  Cultural things, we just mentioned ancient, you know, we didn't mention about China but Terracotta Warriors and Xi'an, Great War, China, some of the big big noticeable sites
• 12:19
  there.
• 12:19
  Japan, we mentioned sumo, etc., Recon.
• 12:23
  More modern cultural um trends.
• 12:26
  Don't like the word, but they are trans.
• 12:28
  Focus on South Korea.
• 12:29
  You have the anime, which is also in Japan.
• 12:32
  Anime.
• 12:33
  And what's the makeup thing for South Korea?
• 12:36
  K beauty.
• 12:37
  So K pop.
• 12:38
  Anything K.
• 12:39
  K I guess K is Korean.
• 12:42
  So K pop, anime, K beauty.
• 12:45
  So s to me, I was surprised that South Korea is such a like up and coming or standalone popular destination already?
• 12:54
  How would you how would you position?
• 12:55
  It it certainly is a standalone destination.
• 12:58
  Very easy to spend um a week or nine days uh and and longer in terms of exploring but it's also a perfect combination.
• 13:06
  For example, Seoul's a wonderful stopover city.
• 13:09
  So stop over in Seoul for say two, three nights of On your way to China.
• 13:13
  On your way to China, slash Japan, slash you know, anywhere sort of in in in western uh China, w western Asia.
• 13:19
  Yeah, but it's also interesting that not just go, I'm sure you everyone out there as well gets it, but we focus in on these diverse requests.
• 13:28
  That it's not just going to Asia or in this instance Korea for Korean culture, which is part of it, but I want to go for anime.
• 13:35
  I want to go for the K pop experience.
• 13:37
  People will go absolutely build an entire itinerary around K beauty, K pop.
• 13:43
  Can I come back to K Beauty?
• 13:44
  Yeah, please.
• 13:44
  Because that is a really, really big trend.
• 13:47
  And the other trend that that fits perfectly into, and we've just put together a a really, really great uh trip, um, is a solar woman's tour.
• 13:56
  Yes.
• 13:56
  We have an excellent solo women's tour um to Korea, which uh focuses on the whole wellness as aspect, the the K beauty aspect.
• 14:05
  And as it happens, it's in March and early next year, which means you'll get to see the cherry blossoms in Korea.
• 14:11
  Which a lot of people don't know or don't associate with.
• 14:14
  Obviously Japan is is really um well known for its cher cherry blossom season.
• 14:19
  So this is a fantastic tour and that's a trend we're seeing.
• 14:22
  It's one of three solar women itineraries that we put together, one's in Thailand and the other is in India.
• 14:28
  Okay.
• 14:30
  we're seeing I I think we've got something like eleven across Go way.
• 14:33
  So that is is definitely a demographic that's up and coming.
• 14:37
  And a and Asia's always been popular for um for for female travels as well.
• 14:42
  It was interesting because you because you mentioned cherry blossom and at our roadshow we had a a Japan panel and at the end of it we had our little yes and no signs like red, no,
• 14:52
  yes, green, yes.
• 14:53
  And one of the questions you put forward to our Japanese panel was, is the cherry blossom
• 15:00
  season worth it and the locals sort of went sort of red.
• 15:05
  They were sort of in between.
• 15:07
  So like I yeah it's short for one.
• 15:10
  I think it's stunningly beautiful.
• 15:11
  It's highly popular and therefore very difficult.
• 15:13
  I think if you want to cherry blossom, 'cause we have a we have an Odyssey, for those who don't know, which is a set departure small group trip based around cherry blossom.
• 15:22
  So if agents out there have clients who want cherry blossom, that's a good one 'cause it's all guarant guaranteed.
• 15:28
  How far ahead do they need to book though?
• 15:30
  Honestly, as as soon as they know that they want to really
• 15:33
  Six months, a year for I I'm I'm talking cherry boss.
• 15:36
  Cherry Blossom I'd book nine to nine months to a year out.
• 15:40
  Yeah.
• 15:40
  Really it it it's so popular.
• 15:41
  But I'm glad you mentioned that because it is spectacular for that short time, but it is immensely crowded.
• 15:47
  Yeah.
• 15:48
  and there's so many other wonderful destinations in Japan to see, and in actual fact, depending on the timing, um for example you could go to Okinawa and to uh earlier in the
• 16:01
  season, where you'll see the cherry blossoms then.
• 16:04
  But you also mentioned in Korea as well.
• 16:06
  Or in South Korea.
• 16:07
  Absolutely.
• 16:08
  So that's another 'cause again most of our agents, all their clients are asking, I want to go and see something of something being a famous site, but I don't want don't want the
• 16:16
  crowd.
• 16:16
  So what's the best time to do it off season, so to speak, or is there another alternative?
• 16:22
  So Cherry Blossom, they can look at South Korea.
• 16:24
  And then conversely, the fall season colours are also beautiful, really spectacular.
• 16:29
  Yeah.
• 16:30
  Again, a lot of the the touristy photos um are of the cherry blossoms in Japan, but I've seen equally stunning imagery of, as you say, fall or autumn.
• 16:41
  I've never asked you this question, be it officially or unofficially, and I only bring it up because I was talking to Ian Smythe, who was our MC at our roadshow, and we were
• 16:49
  talking because we were exposed to our suppliers and hearing a bit more in depth about the Asian destinations and we had South Korea there.
• 16:57
  Ian and I looked at each other and said
• 16:59
  Would you ever want to go to North Korea?
• 17:00
  We both said, yeah, we'd be fascinated.
• 17:04
  but we'd also be very, very nervous, again for lots of reasons, which I think are pretty obvious.
• 17:09
  Have we ever had requests for North Korea?
• 17:11
  We have.
• 17:12
  We have we don't do anything uh support it at the moment, but we certainly have had a few requests.
• 17:17
  Because
• 17:18
  people do travel there and I've seen on TikTok and stuff, you know, the secret videoing of it.
• 17:23
  So it is open to tourism, is that or it is but under very PC and thread tape and stuff.
• 17:34
  So we don't go there for those obvious reasons.
• 17:36
  Okay.
• 17:37
  So one thing we also learnt, and this is why it was good that should you have attended the roadshows, if you didn't, all the presentations are on our YouTube channel.
• 17:45
  We had everyone
• 17:46
  Well, pretty much everyone there representative, represented it.
• 17:50
  And what I found interesting was Philippines and Indonesia were going at each other friendly about diving about diving in general, but beaches all claiming the best beaches
• 18:00
  in the world.
• 18:01
  So let's just quickly touch on Indonesia.
• 18:04
  Most people and I find this surprising from North America as an Aussie, Indonesia and Bali is like our Caribbean.
• 18:11
  But it's just Bali, which is a very small island in a very large archipelago.
• 18:16
  But equally popular out of North America, and I find that amazing 'cause it's long flight from North America in particular, it's not a short flight from Australia either, is Bali.
• 18:24
  But there's more to Indonesia than Bali.
• 18:26
  So there is, but I just wanna touch on Bali um itself because I was chatting to an Australian yesterday and who has in fact joined our team.
• 18:35
  She's travelled quite extensively and we were talking about Bali and she said, you know, I use the fact that I went as an Australian and literally stayed in one part of of of Bali
• 18:48
  as how not to do it.
• 18:49
  Because she was talking about I mean ended even though it is a small island, to combine, say, beach with Ubud
• 18:56
  Because it it gets very congested and enjoy different sides of barley to see different things.
• 19:01
  Um and and that's one of the things I don't think people realise in terms of maybe combining two different areas and one stay in barley.
• 19:08
  oh
• 19:09
  yeah, I agree with that too, because just talking by itself I spent a lot of time there as a kid 'cause my mum lived there for a while and I had some very interesting experiences.
• 19:17
  My uncle was a surfer and he went down to the famous surf site which is now just completely forgotten the name.
• 19:23
  Um but we lived off in the
• 19:26
  the bush, literally.
• 19:27
  And it was a it's an amazing experience.
• 19:29
  Now I wouldn't not suggest that to everyone out there, but Bali itself there's more to explore than the famous sites, but then the the peninsula sorry, the archipelago itself.
• 19:37
  And it's also uh Komodo is part of Indonesia, correct?
• 19:40
  oh
• 19:43
  is is very unique and very special.
• 19:46
  To your earlier point about diving, the Raja Ampats are known world ra world renowned for the incredible diving that they have.
• 19:54
  But I think what people don't actually realise is that Borneo, there's an Indonesian Borneo side as as much as there is a Malaysian Borneo side.
• 20:02
  And it's a wonderful option to combine, say, barley with Borneo.
• 20:06
  Yeah.
• 20:07
  So yeah, that's what got me.
• 20:09
  There's just so much down there.
• 20:10
  And then obviously I'm staring at a map here as we talk.
• 20:13
  You got Singapore, which is world famous, more as a stopover stop, but um our Singapore partners were presenting naturally that it's more than should be more than just a
• 20:22
  stopover.
• 20:23
  You got Malaysia, you got Brunei, the Philippines.
• 20:26
  Um Goethe has a big office in the Philippines as well, so that's close to our heart.
• 20:30
  Another big archipelago.
• 20:31
  I think Philippines is I should remember this thirty two hundred islands.
• 20:36
  A lot of islands basically, so that's why Indonesia and Philippines are going at each other about the best diving spots and beach spots.
• 20:45
  so we don't find the Philippines probably as popular as other Asian destinations.
• 20:49
  But it is is an up and coming destination.
• 20:51
  Yeah, we definitely we've done a lot of work in terms of of reimagining our product there.
• 20:57
  And yes, I see it as a as an up and coming destination.
• 21:01
  What I just wanted to mention as well, another trend that we're seeing, mentioning some of the p the the destinations that you've just spoken about is our clients are going for
• 21:11
  longer and they're combining.
• 21:13
  So they'll they'll do uh an area more in depth.
• 21:17
  But they will also add on a different country perhaps.
• 21:20
  So the the best one of the best combinations as an example is um Southeast Asia combining Thailand with Vietnam and either Lao or Cambodia or both.
• 21:30
  Uh in fact we've just put a really, really great product together for that because people are wanting to have distinct experiences in different countries.
• 21:42
  Yeah, and I again with my map in front of me, the a very common combination as you mentioned is Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos because they literally are border countries.
• 21:52
  But, you know, looking you know, Philippines, Brunei, Philippines, Borneo, Indonesia, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, they're all
• 22:00
  Not as close, but still very, very near each other.
• 22:03
  Um and again, back to the point of people wanting to get away from the busy sites.
• 22:08
  Now Thailand's wonderful.
• 22:09
  It's one of those countries that will always be the big seller.
• 22:13
  And it's famous for its beaches in or southern part of Thailand is.
• 22:16
  But again, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia even have M Maldys, which is another one, yeah, off the tip of India.
• 22:23
  We haven't touched on India, which we will.
• 22:25
  But there are plenty of other beach options which may not be as
• 22:29
  heavily trafficked as Thailand beaches.
• 22:32
  Fair enough.
• 22:32
  Fair comment?
• 22:33
  Yeah.
• 22:34
  Okay, so looking at a map, we've also we touched on China.
• 22:38
  We look at Taiwan from a travel point of view as a separate destination.
• 22:41
  Again, we're not getting into the politics.
• 22:43
  So Taiwan is also becoming a popular standalone destination.
• 22:48
  you speak to that?
• 22:49
  Um yes, I I must agree with you.
• 22:52
  Uh historically it's it's typically been a stopover destination.
• 22:55
  Um but the Tower and Turin Board uh is is looking to promote.
• 23:00
  In fact, they've just invited one of our product people to go for a week.
• 23:03
  Um and that that's exactly what they they're looking to um develop more demand for not just a stopover destination.
• 23:12
  Yeah.
• 23:13
  So Vietnam w I won't spend a lot of time in Vietnam, Lao, and Cambodia because I think and Thailand, 'cause they're famous.
• 23:20
  It's like talking Peru and Ecuador.
• 23:22
  Most people just know, um, and they don't need any more publicity 'cause they are very, very uh popular.
• 23:28
  Let's talk on a country that you and I were at or in recently, which I visited years ago, which you did visit years ago or you
• 23:37
  Yeah, uh yeah.
• 23:40
  So we went back to Ind well yeah, I guess we both did go back to India, northern India, the Golden Triangle, which is Delhi, um, Agra and Jaipur.
• 23:51
  you can talk about India as a first time 'cause I was there as a tour guide, so I had previous experience, but how did it hit you as a first to true first time visitor?
• 24:00
  be honest, I absolutely loved it.
• 24:02
  And I I think India is one of those those countries that if you love it, you love it.
• 24:08
  It it's it's um I found it so colourful, so intense.
• 24:13
  I loved the history, I loved the people.
• 24:15
  There are a lot of people.
• 24:16
  A lot of people a place of one point four billion people.
• 24:21
  what it didn't surprise me because I knew this going in, but I was so impressed with the level of of accommodations and how reasonable
• 24:30
  They are we w if you're staying at a Taj or an Oberoy or a Leela Palace, uh they are incredible and definitely worth the splurge for the for the experience and and for the
• 24:42
  value.
• 24:42
  And but e even though it's expensive by Indian standards, like compared to other things, it's still very, very affordable for an staying in that five star that's your choice.
• 24:52
  Yeah, that's what I found.
• 24:53
  Um my first trip, as I mentioned, was as a tour guide and we did three star at best camping at times.
• 24:59
  Um, which was awesome, but experiencing the five star luxury, the service by our supplier down there um was amazing.
• 25:08
  Um it was very, very hot.
• 25:09
  Um
• 25:10
  As we record this today, it's gonna about 35 here in Toronto.
• 25:13
  Very similar.
• 25:14
  India when we were there, which was not prime season for travel.
• 25:19
  Which is why it wasn't prime season for travel.
• 25:21
  But the vehicles were s exceptional, obviously air conditioned and little treats and snacks and water were supplied all the time.
• 25:28
  Of course, all the hotels and stuff were air conditioned.
• 25:30
  So, um and and the pace of the trip, even though it was a fam, which are notoriously fast because they're trying to show as much as they can.
• 25:38
  We're still very well paced, allowing for the heat, allowing for the distances travelled.
• 25:42
  So when you slow that down for a like a customized itinerary, it was, yeah, very, very comfortable to travel in.
• 25:48
  And you saw the classic India, the old India, the the hustle bustle, the poverty, which is there, can't hide it.
• 25:55
  But then you saw the it's a my impression was it's the old India I remember, the craziness, but it's a new brand new India.
• 26:02
  Like it's so much more developed, organized.
• 26:05
  by Indian standards.
• 26:06
  Um but yeah, it was fa it was fascinating and wonderful familiar as well.
• 26:10
  And you know, Don, what one of the things that I think people miss the opportunity.
• 26:15
  So for example, in Agra, of course everybody is is is there to see the Taj Mahal and I you in fact um insisted, which we possibly wouldn't have done and we're now including it in
• 26:27
  most of our um itineraries is not just to do a morning visit of the Taj but then to go back at sunset across the river and get fantastic views.
• 26:35
  But talking of fantastic views, I really believe in in any destination, in any itinerary that you're planning, plan for that splurge.
• 26:44
  For example, I was lucky enough to stay at the Amar Villas in the Oberroy Amo Villas in in Agra and to wake up to that view of the Taj and sit drinking your coffee and just
• 26:56
  thinking, Oh my god, this is exactly where I want to be.
• 27:00
  So those kind of splurges I went on travelling through Rajasthan and
• 27:05
  Um another fantastic splurge was staying at the Taj Palace in Udapur in the lake, the Taj Lake Palace.
• 27:13
  So things like that.
• 27:15
  Um planned to have really uh different experiences.
• 27:19
  You know, we also stayed at some of the historic properties.
• 27:23
  For example, in Old Delhi we went to this place called Daranpura and we'd done this chaotic tour of Old Delhi and we then took
• 27:33
  uh bicycles through the streets and it was really, really invigorating, wonderful.
• 27:39
  And then we went down this old alley um and all of a sudden we it was almost like a a a riad in Morocco where you're and then you opened to this fantastic World Heritage property
• 27:54
  and we had the most incredible
• 27:56
  Into northern India.
• 27:57
  Now I know when I started this I said northern being Delhi and that, which it is technically, but maybe northeast India for your Zen.
• 28:06
  Now what was that like?
• 28:09
  Well that was pretty, pretty incredible.
• 28:11
  And again when I mentioned earlier suggest a splurge along the way.
• 28:16
  That's feeling into a destination such as India, which is so alive and it it's almost like an assault on your senses in a good way.
• 28:25
  You'd need some time to actually breathe out and just absorb what you just experienced.
• 28:31
  And I was really, really lucky to spend a week at the Six Census in
• 28:36
  in the Himalayas or the foothills of the Himalayas.
• 28:39
  It was called Six Senses in Vana.
• 28:41
  Um and it's a most incredible experience.
• 28:44
  It's all about wellness tailored to you.
• 28:47
  So that you they you you get assessed when you arrive and it's very much about Ayurveda cuisine and the principles of Ayurveda.
• 29:00
  so every day there's you wake up to yoga or sound healing or
• 29:06
  Different experiences, whether they're massages or uh other other other types of just the most incredible yeah, I'm I'm lost for words.
• 29:22
  Okay.
• 29:24
  That is a rarity.
• 29:25
  is also the area where the Beatles went back in the day, up in Rikikesh, I think it was.
• 29:29
  So not next door to each other, but that's sort of region for anyone who may want to look at it.
• 29:34
  So that's northwest.
• 29:35
  So up north of Bangladesh, off to the east a bit.
• 29:38
  And a lot of people don't realise India actually does sort of branch off that way.
• 29:42
  So you've got Bhutan above that.
• 29:43
  Do we sell Bhutan?
• 29:45
  We got Bhutan, okay.
• 29:46
  You've got Nepal above that as well, which is one of my favorites.
• 29:50
  And then something that
• 29:52
  your predecessor back in the day, Diane, was actually looking at what you're now expanding on are the stands as we generally call them.
• 29:59
  I think there are seven stands.
• 30:00
  Um the two we don't go to are Pakistan at the moment or Afghanistan.
• 30:05
  But the others which all sit on the Silk Route, which is the famous run, trading run from what is now modern day China into Europe, Marco Polo, all that type of thing, is
• 30:15
  Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan
• 30:20
  there's another one in here.
• 30:21
  What's the other one?
• 30:24
  Kazakhstan?
• 30:25
  Kurzakstan, Tajikstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan as well.
• 30:32
  now you you've not been to the stands, have you?
• 30:34
  I haven't, but it's definitely becoming more popular and we have a fantastic train trip called
• 30:39
  Yeah.
• 30:41
  And that's is Meg's doing that soon.
• 30:43
  One of our uh reservations managers.
• 30:47
  Yeah, and that covers all the stands and then she's actually extending into Zebeki stand to spend some more time there.
• 30:52
  Right.
• 30:53
  So again, um we do have a presentation from our stands representative.
• 30:58
  so that's um again, if you're looking for old school travel, I guess.
• 31:04
  So you know the accommodations are all there, infrastructure's there, but from popularity, not a lot of people go there.
• 31:10
  So clients looking for something different.
• 31:12
  Um it's amazingly diverse.
• 31:15
  I know people who've been through there
• 31:17
  The overlang company I used to work for, they're running trips.
• 31:20
  I mentioned this to you, they're running trips through the stands now.
• 31:23
  So it's perfectly safe.
• 31:24
  Um and that's definitely worth looking at.
• 31:27
  And then on to my
• 31:29
  Favourite.
• 31:30
  Let me guess Megalia.
• 31:31
  There you go.
• 31:32
  Um, because one uh the stand, Kazakhstan borders Mongolia.
• 31:37
  So that's another up and coming, relative up and coming.
• 31:41
  It's still very, very small for us and for a lot of people on their top ten.
• 31:47
  But we have a presentation by them, we did a webinar podcast with them as well, them being our supplier there, Tyrrell, the uh owner of the company in Mongolia.
• 31:57
  And I find it fascinating, absolutely amazing.
• 32:00
  Again
• 32:02
  Off the beaten track.
• 32:03
  Infrastructure's there in the big cities in Ulamba United Airlines who are also a guest of ours at the roadshow.
• 32:09
  They have a direct flight from Japan into Ulambatar as well.
• 32:13
  So access is there.
• 32:15
  So do you want to speak to Mongolia?
• 32:17
  At at least for me to make me happy?
• 32:19
  Do you know, Don, I'm going to throw that question right back at you because you've really, really immersed yourself in in Mongolia, but it's truly one of the last nomadic
• 32:28
  nations on on the earth and a again, wide open spaces, unique culture.
• 32:35
  Don, you've just done about sixteen hours worth of research.
• 32:38
  You talk about
• 32:39
  Well, again, we do have a a a a module on Mongolia and I did it more out of well, one, 'cause we wanted to bring it to more travel professionals' attention through the training.
• 32:50
  But I also have always found it fascinating and actually Adam Hodge, the son of the owner, he went to Mongolia quite a while ago now, but he's been and he he he and I tr have
• 33:00
  similar travel tastes and he You did absolutely love it.
• 33:03
  Yeah, so it's an amazing place that, you know, has the Gobi Desert.
• 33:06
  What I found more fascinating was that
• 33:09
  I most people may know about the Eagle Hunters, the famous horsebackmen or the Mongolian on horseback with their eagles which hunt, hence the name Eagle Hunters.
• 33:19
  So there's that.
• 33:19
  Then you have all the then you have the nomadic tribes, which you mentioned, nomadic peoples, I should say.
• 33:24
  Um and their yurts, and you can do a lot of home stays and stay with them.
• 33:28
  You can do it from Olumbatar or near Ulumbatar, or in the middle of nowhere.
• 33:33
  Right.
• 33:33
  And they're true nomads.
• 33:34
  It's not it is
• 33:36
  becoming more touristed, again all relative, but it's them.
• 33:39
  You are literally staying with the nomad in their yurt with all the social etiquette that goes with it.
• 33:44
  But I then learn about the reindeer people, which is to the north, bordering Russia.
• 33:49
  And these are people who live um with and around and utilize the reindeer.
• 33:54
  And you can visit them all year round.
• 33:56
  It's better in the wintertime apparently, because they're c closer to the edge of the forest, but Mongolian winters are brutal.
• 34:03
  And you can also visit them in the summertime, but it's harder to get to 'cause they re they retreat into the the forest.
• 34:09
  But I asked Tyrell, our operator, said, so if I wanted to visit the reindeer people, the eagle hunters and the nomadic people somewhere in the Gobi Desert, would the experiences
• 34:19
  be similar?
• 34:20
  Like she said, No, they're completely different cultures.
• 34:22
  Completely different within within one very, very large country.
• 34:25
  So for me that's what I find fascinating.
• 34:28
  So that's another good one.
• 34:31
  Myanmar or Burma.
• 34:33
  Yes, no?
• 34:34
  At the moment.
• 34:35
  Political reasons, I assume.
• 34:37
  Still.
• 34:37
  Right, okay, still.
• 34:41
  Hong Kong again like sells itself a another s well, I was gonna say country, it's now part of China officially.
• 34:49
  Um another destination that has always been a stopover, but is now trying to position itself beyond that.
• 34:56
  Both Hong Kong and Singapore know they're not really week long destinations.
• 35:00
  I accept that.
• 35:01
  But they definitely want to be viewed more than just literally the in and out stopovers, so two or three nights.
• 35:07
  Yeah, and honestly, you know, you're you're doing yourself a disservice if you do less than two nights.
• 35:11
  Uh well, certainly in in my opinion, three nights is a sweet spot because it allows you a a a chance to actually explore further than just the cities.
• 35:21
  Okay.
• 35:21
  So we've touched on all the countries, at least in mention, if nothing else Sri Lanka.
• 35:28
  So Sri Lanka is is um on our radar.
• 35:30
  We really want to to de redevelop we have great products already, but we think that there's um I think Sri Lanka is going to come into its own in the next year.
• 35:39
  Okay.
• 35:40
  Now we mentioned the Maldives.
• 35:41
  Um we can dive into it if you want, but they've always been continually popular.
• 35:46
  They were they actually kept selling again, I keep using the term relative, but it is, through COVID.
• 35:52
  We kept selling people to the Maldives during COVID and it has been the most popular academy module that we've had, the Maldives, and that's primarily a resort.
• 36:02
  group of islands south of India, um, accessible via India.
• 36:07
  So there's your country combo straight away.
• 36:09
  Which is what our fam people did.
• 36:10
  So you I did India, you did Rajasthan then up to your um wellness thing and three of our our group continued on to the Maldives to look at some of the resorts down there.
• 36:19
  Just on that, Don, um a very popular way has t typically been via Dubai or via Abu Dhabi.
• 36:25
  Um just because of the the current situation, people are a little bit anxious.
• 36:30
  So we're looking at ways, for example, Turkey.
• 36:33
  Turkey Islands is a fantastic option with a stop in Istanbul en route.
• 36:37
  You just mentioned India, it would be the perfect extension to do that breathe out in in the Maldives.
• 36:43
  But there are many other ways that you you can get there without having to go via the Middle East.
• 36:47
  Right.
• 36:48
  And again, on our trip down to the uh to India, I was gonna flow with Emirates in and out of uh Dubai.
• 36:55
  Even had a stopover built in.
• 36:57
  We changed that because at that point it's got a bit dicey again.
• 37:01
  But Emirates and all the other carriers, Qatari Airlines, no one stopped flying.
• 37:06
  Touchwood, nothing happened, which is good.
• 37:08
  Um so
• 37:10
  As we sit here today, it's still open.
• 37:13
  Yes.
• 37:13
  But we understand people may be reluctant for obvious reasons, so you have alternatives as well.
• 37:18
  Cadence you can fly directly into India.
• 37:20
  Um and again going from the west coast is another option.
• 37:23
  For those on the East Coast, get to the West Coast 'cause it's closer age you've got your direct flights in, avoiding any Middle East um
• 37:30
  That's a really good point because the connectivity out of North America is fantastic to anywhere in Asia.
• 37:36
  And um again, getting back to combin combinations of different destinations, there's such great connectivity airwise.
• 37:45
  There is.
• 37:46
  And really throwing, you know, you know, looking outside the box if goes known for it's down under product, South Pers well, down under Australia, New Zealand.
• 37:55
  But even coming home from Australia, if you want to come back the other way, you can come back via Asia.
• 38:00
  'Cause a Asia is the Australian playground 'cause it is relatively much closer than a lot of other places.
• 38:05
  So you'll see a lot of Aussies in Asia no matter where you go for that reason.
• 38:09
  I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.
• 38:11
  I'll leave that up to the audience to decide.
• 38:14
  We should probably wrap up.
• 38:15
  Is there any other area you would like to talk about that we haven't touched on or any new product, any new travel size?
• 38:24
  You mentioned the solo women's.
• 38:26
  You mentioned wellness, which we do.
• 38:28
  We have our odysseys.
• 38:30
  Let's go to that one.
• 38:30
  Odysseys again, small group set departures.
• 38:33
  We have them for Japan, cherry blossom in particular.
• 38:36
  Where else in Asia do we have?
• 38:38
  We have them in India and um the next one or the one that we're promoting very especially next year is the one that's over Diwali.
• 38:46
  Um so again, Festival of Lights.
• 38:49
  Um the second one that we're busy putting together is over Holi.
• 38:54
  And Holi is when they throw all the the coloured powder and it's a it's a great celebration.
• 38:59
  Just on that, sometimes to time your
• 39:02
  your travels over a specific period.
• 39:05
  So for example, in Thailand, Songcran is the new year, typically around about the third to the fifth of April.
• 39:11
  And um it's just so wonderfully festive and and people are spraying everybody with waters a water and it's all about cleansing and getting rid of the old and and being in the new.
• 39:22
  So Asia has some wonderful, wonderful festivals and and again, so to talk to our destination specialist about what is
• 39:29
  uh happening in and around the time that you're planning on going, there's typically something on.
• 39:34
  And that's key because, you know, our sort of taglines and it's the fact that a lot of our destination specialists, regardless of country, region, sorry, have lived i either from
• 39:44
  that country like Leo, Chinese by birth, and we have a lot of Asian destination specialists.
• 39:50
  Um but we also have lots of others, Westerners, but they live, eat and breathe.
• 39:55
  Like Steve Perkins is n who's no longer working for us, he like immersed himself in Japan, like he went back on.
• 40:02
  Yes, yeah.
• 40:03
  Or you what you lived there and went back and back.
• 40:05
  So yeah, you've definitely got that local knowledge and the training because the academy stuff that we build for you, they also do.
• 40:13
  So they're always up training themselves, fams, everything else like that.
• 40:17
  So a destination spells just really know.
• 40:19
  So if you ask for something different, something special, best time to travel, not the best time to travel, they sh they will have all that information for you.
• 40:27
  Um anything else that you want to touch on Asia wise?
• 40:30
  Do you have an odyssey for China?
• 40:33
  We have literally put one the first one goes in October.
• 40:36
  Um and in fact, if I'm not mistaken, I think we've only got two places left on that one.
• 40:41
  It was it really hit the it hit the road running, so to speak.
• 40:46
  Let ask you this question.
• 40:49
  riddle me this.
• 40:50
  Uh we did a promotion off the back of uh the White White Lotus show, based around Thailand.
• 40:58
  That was the last series, I believe, was in Thailand.
• 41:00
  And that was obviously there was the filming of it was in two or three different resorts around Thailand.
• 41:06
  I think most people know that Thailand has some luxurious options.
• 41:10
  Okay.
• 41:11
  We touched on luxurious options for India.
• 41:14
  general sweeping statement here.
• 41:16
  Luxury in Asia.
• 41:18
  Is it available everywhere?
• 41:20
  And I like again, I'm talking not just the accommodation, but all the accoutrements that go with it, i.e.
• 41:25
  black car service, and this is all in request of course, um, butler service in certain accommodations, concierge, in country, that type thing.
• 41:34
  If it's not there, can it be arranged by us for Asia?
• 41:37
  A hundred percent.
• 41:38
  And honestly, to the earlier point just about India, but it's not just India.
• 41:43
  Luxury in Asia is so much more affordable than the equivalent, say, in Europe as an example.
• 41:48
  So definitely it's it's it's everything anybody at the highest end could want is available in Asia.
• 41:56
  And again, just want to clarify that's not just the accommodation, which is obviously a cornerstone to a luxury environment.
• 42:02
  But we're talking the vehicles that would be used and if requested things like concierge services.
• 42:07
  Of course, GoAway built its reputa has built its reputation on private guidance, which is also can be viewed as a luxury service.
• 42:14
  It shouldn't be, because I think it's the best service for information and experiences.
• 42:19
  But if they've if your clients want like private everything and private access to things.
• 42:25
  Ask, we can probably make it happen.
• 42:27
  Were you gonna say add something like that?
• 42:29
  I was just when you were talking about transportation, I think um certain destinations, Japan being one of them, China being another, the use of the rail system is very, very
• 42:41
  important.
• 42:41
  And that's something where we we what we we go beyond arranging, for example, in Japan, we will make sure that the tickets are delivered to the um hotel before they even arrive
• 42:53
  there.
• 42:54
  Um so again the infrastructure that we have access to is pretty impressive.
• 42:59
  Yeah, that's a another thing too.
• 43:02
  and this is the good thing about GoA, even though we're we're d discussing luxury here and all that it entails, certain aspects of any type of itinerary, three star to five star,
• 43:11
  will have some of that sort of VIP service tickets delivered, etc.
• 43:15
  But if your clients uh are on a four star budget but they want that five star finish or um for it's on a special occasion, birthday, wedding, whatever it may be, we can customize
• 43:26
  that in.
• 43:26
  So it can be three, four star
• 43:28
  For most of the trip and then bang, there's this big literal literal pop.
• 43:33
  one other question.
• 43:34
  Um most Asian countries not all, most Asian countries are very LGBTQ plus friendly.
• 43:42
  Just doing the China module.
• 43:45
  Not so much friendly, but you can still travel there.
• 43:48
  So in general, um LGBTQ plus sorry, I'm stumbling over that, uh travel through Asia is as I say, normally
• 43:57
  Not an issue really, it's welcoming for the most part.
• 44:00
  certainly Thailand is probably the most welcoming um in in in that respect.
• 44:04
  But yes, they are welcoming.
• 44:06
  Um but again, be respectful.
• 44:09
  PDAs are are not appropriate, but then the then again perhaps it's not um this it's the same with any couple, really.
• 44:19
  Yeah, well that's it.
• 44:19
  I I can't remember I've I was Mongola actually is actually LGBTQ plus friendly, but they don't culturally, public displays of affection, be you straight, be you gay, be you
• 44:31
  whatever, is not their thing.
• 44:33
  So it doesn't matter what your sexual orientation is, you just don't do that.
• 44:37
  So i I yeah, a good rule of thumb I think as you say is just just be respectful.
• 44:42
  Now of course, somewhere like Indonesia, which is more Muslim um in its uh cultural and
• 44:49
  and structure may not be as welcoming, but I think generally speaking, Asia is welcoming to the gay community.
• 44:56
  Again, broad statement there in the gay community.
• 44:59
  So that's something if your clients approach about and as you say, Thailand I think is part of the openly welcoming.
• 45:05
  Yeah.
• 45:05
  Yeah.
• 45:06
  Um so again, yeah, before we sign off, um anything else you want to touch on?
• 45:09
  Be it cultural stuff, be it a country we might have missed or not focused on enough?
• 45:14
  Well I th I think maybe the only country we haven't spoken about is Brunei, which is a tiny little kingdom.
• 45:21
  That's uh and I think that that is what people come to go away for because we do have all the mainstream stuff, but we do the other things to your favorite Mongolia, to Brunei to
• 45:34
  all of those kind of things as well.
• 45:36
  And I think that that's um important
• 45:38
  to know the the depth and breadth of our our product and the range.
• 45:42
  If you can't find it anywhere, come to us, we most likely can help you.
• 45:46
  And then just again, our expertise in our our teams is really, really strong.
• 45:53
  Yeah, I think that's where Asia has a strength.
• 45:58
  Africa does as well, which I know is what for those who don't know it, Moira used to look after our Africa Department and you can tell from her accent.
• 46:05
  She's from South Africa.
• 46:07
  Too bad they lost in the World Cup against Canada.
• 46:09
  Um but yeah, but Asia has all the famous ones the Thailands, the Vietnam's, um the China, Japan.
• 46:19
  But it's got those other
• 46:21
  Smaller literal but also maybe not as famous country.
• 46:26
  So as more and more agents are hearing, 'cause we're hearing this, I want somewhere different.
• 46:31
  Yes.
• 46:31
  I want somewhere less touristed, I want something more authentic.
• 46:36
  You can still get your hit of Thailand, but then hit Bhutan or hit parts of India which are not crazy busy, off into Rajasthan as you did, up into the hills of the Himalaya.
• 46:46
  Which is a popular destination, but still not as crazy busy as, say, China or Japan.
• 46:51
  So your options for return visits to the region, country combos, getting away from the crowds, affordability, which is obviously very important always, but more so at the moment
• 47:03
  with affordability going crazy on all other aspects of life.
• 47:07
  Asia is a great destination.
• 47:11
  Connections, as you mentioned, East Coast, West Coast, are all there.
• 47:14
  So it's
• 47:15
  It's a region waiting to be discovered or rediscovered by anyone for that matter.
• 47:21
  Thank you.
• 47:23
  Okay, no worries.
• 47:24
  On that note we'd like to thank you again for listening in.
• 47:26
  we appreciate you carving out hour of your time, knowing how busy you are out there selling Asia and the world.
• 47:32
  And you can sell Asia and the world with Go A and until next time.
• 47:36
  Thank you, Don.
• 47:39
  Big