The year 2017 will soon come to its end and the entire Tourism Insider team would like to take this opportunity to thank all readers and partners for the past 12 months. We want to say goodbye to the last issue of the year and therefore wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
We look forward to seeing you again on our website next year and hope to be able to accompany you again with exciting news and stories from the tourism industry.
The Tourism Insider team wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2018.

Elke Backert, Udo Rößling, Robert Raback, Max Beier,
Joachim Fischer

PS. We will start in the new year on the 2nd of January 2018.

In Ras al Khaimah, the German travel association (DRV) opened this year’s annual convention with the film “Ras Al Khaimah” which won the “First Star Award” in the category “Region” at the international Tourism Film Print & Multimedia Competition “The Golden City Gate” during ITB Berlin 2017. During the event, the DRV attendees had the great honor of being greeted by His Highness, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.

The Biennial Bon Odori Festival this year marked 130 years of Thai-Japanese diplomatic relations, and joined in the celebrations under the action-packed Amazing Thailand Tourism Year 2018 with two impressive rounds of famous Japanese traditional dance circle, held at Bangkok’s Thep Hatsadin Stadium.

In summer 2018, the independent airline Germania is expanding its route network between Berlin and Turkey. Five new Turkish destinations will then be served by the green and white aircraft every week: Dalaman, Samsun, Kayseri, Adana and Gaziantep.

Qatar Airways Touches Down for the First Time at Chiang Mai International Airport in Thailand. Chiang Mai marks the airline’s fourth service to Thailand and is one of a host of new routes to start this year. Award-winning airline continues rapid expansion of its global route network, adding new destinations through 2017 and into 2018

The Korea MICE Bureau has greatly expanded its online resources for international event planners with the launch of its fully-updated official website, www.koreaconvention.org. Designed to cater to the ever-widening variety of meetings, incentive programs, and other events hosted in Korea today, the site’s content has been expanded to go beyond conventions to cover all kinds of business events programs.