Japanese business etiquette video: Exchanging meishi kokan or business cards

If you are planning a business trip to Japan, this short video from JapanTravelTV about giving and receiving business cards or meishi kokan in Japan is well worth watching. As the narrator explains, there are some subtle manners and etiquette to follow.

The video begins by showing the proper angle of bowing and the proper angle of the feet while doing so. The narrator then describes the proper procedure for exchanging business cards. This includes holding the corners of the business card and not covering up the company name or logo as this is considered bad manners. When giving the business card, hold the corner of it and when receiving one, be sure to hold it in both hands over your business cards or meishi kokan case and display respect by carefully reading over it rather than quickly putting it away.

Keeping these tips in mind will greatly aide you in making a good first impression on your next business trip to Japan or when dealing with your Japanese business counterparts.

Chinese business etiquette video: Giving and receiving business cards

If you are planning a business trip to China, this short video about giving and receiving business cards in China featuring Mark Kemsley, who has worked as a business consultant in China for 20 years and speaks both Cantonese and Mandarin, is well worth watching. As Mark explains, not having a business card is the equivalent of not having a name as the Chinese place great importance on both greetings and titles. In fact, the Chinese prefer to deal with someone who is of equal importance to them and preferably has a high sounding title – hence, the importance of having a business card that clearly shows your rank.

In addition and when giving a business card, Mark explains that you should always be standing and use both hands while if you accept a business card with only one hand, it is considered extremely disrespectful. Moreover, it's very important that you don't just ignore the business card and stick it in your pocket. Instead, carefully read over it for about three or four seconds before putting it in your pocket.

Useful video to learn some basic Bahasa Indonesian survival phrases

Should you be visiting Indonesia soon, you may want to visit the Travel Linguist site on YouTube as it contains numerous resources to help you learn some Bahasa Indonesian words or phrases. In this video, you will learn the following useful Bahasa Indonesian survival words:

Hello - Halo

Goodbye - Selamat tinggal

How are you? - Apa kabar?

Very well, and you? - Baik sekali dan bagaimana dengan anda?

Thank you - Terima kasih

You're welcome - Terima kasih kembali

Do you speak English? - Apakah anda berbicara bahasa inggeris?

What is your name? - Siapakah nama anda?

Excuse me - Permisi

Where is the bathroom? - Dimanakah kamar kecil?

Knowing the above Bahasa Indonesian words or phrases will make even a short trip to Indonesia much more easier!

Chinese business etiquette videos

Relationships and proper etiquette are extremely important considerations when doing business with the Chinese as they are renowned for being skilled and patient negotiators. Hence, its always important to put your best foot forward and to know what to expect when you meet with potential Chinese business partners for the first time.

In this first short video, the proper way to greet someone at the beginning of a business meeting is addressed:

In this second short video, viewers are walked through an entire business meeting between a Westerner and her potential Chinese business partners:

How to use chopsticks videos

For westerners who are accustomed to eating with silverware, using chopsticks for the first few times can be intimidating and tricky. Luckily, learning how to use chopsticks is not that difficult with a little bit of practice.

In this first video, Hiu Yau, a home chef and caterer, first explains the different types of chopsticks and what they are used for:

In this second video, the basic Chinese method for using chopsticks is explained:

Finally, this last video explains how to pick up rice with chopsticks:

Useful video to learn some basic Japanese survival phrases

Should you be visiting Japan soon, you may want to visit the Travel Linguist site on YouTube as it contains numerous resources to help you learn some Japanese. In this video, you will learn the following useful Japanese survival words:

Hello - Konnichiwa

Goodbye - Sayonara

How are you? - Ogenki desu ka

Very well, and you? - Genki desu anata wa?

Thank you - Arigato

You're welcome - Do itashimashite

Do you speak English? - Eigo ga hanasemasu ka?

What is your name? - O namae wa nan desu ka?

Excuse me - Sumimasen

Where is the bathroom? - Ote arai wa dochira desu ka

Knowing the above Japanese phrases will make even a short trip to Japan much more easier!

Useful video to learn some basic Mandarin survival phrases

Should you be visiting China soon, you may want to visit the Travel Linguist site on YouTube as it contains numerous resources to help you learn some Mandarin. In this video, you will learn the following useful Mandarin survival words:

1. Hello - Nin hao
2. Goodbye - Zai jian
3. How are you? - Nin hao ma?
4. Thank you - Xie xie
5. You're welcome - Bu ke qi
6. What is your name? - Zen me cheng hu nin?
7. Do you speak English? - nin hui shuo ying yu ma?
8. Excuse me - Dui bu qi
9. Where is the bathroom? - Xi shou jian zen me zou?

Knowing the above Mandarin phrases will make even a short trip to China much more easier!

Beijing travel videos from Lonely Planet

As the capital of the most populous country in the world that is also one of the world’s oldest civilizations, Beijing has plenty of sites to offer both tourists and business travelers with extra time on their hands. In this Lonely Planet video made just before the Olympics, Eilis Quinn explores both the modern and traditional side of Beijing:

In this second video produced for Lonely Planet, the sites around Beijing are explored. This includes the Summer Palace, the Great Wall and the Lao Shan Mountain Biking Area:

In this final but very short video from Lonely Planet, Michael Kohn offers a quick snapshot of Beijing’s nightlife – including a visit to the night markets for some deep fried scorpion:

Air New Zealand unveils its economy lie-flat seats for the 787-9

Here is a great idea that we hope will be adopted by more airlines. As recently noted on Flight Blogger and starting in November of 2010 when Boeing delivers its first 777-300ER to Air New Zealand, the first 11 rows in economy will feature a new "Skycouch" that will provide a lie-flat experience. To take advantage of this, two adults must purchase two seats and a third seat at roughly half the price and the target market for the offering are couples or a small families. The airline intends to offer the service on selected Auckland to Los Angeles flights and eventually Auckland to London (Via Los Angeles) starting in April 2011.

However, there are still questions about how they will manage the revenue on this unique offering. Nevertheless and if such an experiment does end up working, the “Skycouch” will definitely provide the best long-haul flight experience on the market for economy class passengers.

Transportation options in Mumbai videos

Mumbai is a huge and sprawling city but luckily there are various transportation options available to both visitors and residents alike to consider. This first Geobeats video gives an overview of the various public transportation options available in Mumbai:

However and as with cities everywhere, its easy to be taken for a ride by a taxi driver in Mumbai. Hence, this second Geobeats video will give you some useful tips for dealing with local cabbies:

Mumbai travel related videos

Mumbai is one of the most progressive and modern of India’s city but it is also a place filled with contradictions such as ultra-hip restaurants and clubs sitting along side some of the largest slums in the world. Hence and should you be visiting Mumbai soon, this Geobeats video provides a good overview of what Mumbai is all about:

Some of the finest Victorian architecture in the world can be found in Mumbai and this second Geobeats video gives a good overview of it:

Finally, this last Geobeats video will help visitors and would-be residents a good overview of Mumbai’s different neighborhoods:

Interesting Tokyo videos

Tokyo can easily be described as one of the most fascinating cities in the world and this Lonely Planet video entitled “Tokyo Moods” does a great job of capturing the essence of the city:

However, and before you think of relocating to Tokyo, this Cost of Living in Tokyo video is a must watch. In it, a westerner residing in Tokyo goes through his monthly bills and will give you a good idea of just what you are in for!

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Beautiful All Nippon Airways anime commercials

The Japanese are the true masters of animation or anime. In fact, they have used anime to produce some beautiful commercials. One such commercial was produced by All Nippon Airways and was showed at the recent New York Anime Festival. It shows "the art of arrival" on ANA:

In this second ANA commercial, ANA 747-400Ds celebrate the opening of the new Terminal 2 at the Haneda Airport in Tokyo a few years ago:

ANA is also a member of Star Alliance and hence, the aircraft formation in this third commercial is the Star Alliance’s trade mark:

Useful travel videos about Japan

Should you be planning a trip to Japan in the near future, GeoBeat Productions has produced two short and very useful videos about Japan that are well worth watching. The first video gives important local etiquette tips such as not blowing your nose in public and not counting your change in public (its not even necessary as the Japanese are very honest!):

The second video covers important Japanese phrases that would be useful for first time foreign visitors to Japan to learn in order to make their stay in the country an easier and more pleasant experience:

Bangkok and Thailand travel videos

In case you are visiting Bangkok or Thailand in general soon, you may want to check out some of the short Thailand specific videos created by GeoBeats Productions. The first video covers local etiquette and contains important tips such as what to wear or not to wear in temples: 

Another short GeoBeats video covers useful Thai phrases that will go a long way towards making your stay in Thailand easier:

And of course, no trip to Bangkok would be complete without sampling some of the exotic local cuisine and street food in particular:

And finally, it would probably be a good idea to get familiar with the SkyTrain, Tuk-tuks and other forms of public transportation in Bangkok as the city is notorious for traffic:

Garuda Indonesia to open service to Europe

Effective from June 1, 2010, Garuda Indonesia will re-open its Jakarta-Amsterdam service as improved business and economic relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands is leading to rising numbers of tourists and business travelers between Europe and Indonesia. However, the flights will not be non-stop as the planned route will also service Dubai. Hence, flights will depart from Jakarta at 21:00 and arrive in Dubai at 02:09 and then depart again at 03.15 to arrive in Amsterdam at 08:00.

Garuda Indonesia will also utilize an A330-200 with a seating capacity of 222 seats with 36 seats in Business Class and 186 seats in Economy Class. The A330-200 is capable of flying distances of up to 12,500 km and is fitted with 180° reclining seats for passenger comfort on long haul flights.

However and in case you are not familiar with Garuda Indonesia or perhaps its poor reputation in the past for safety is still fresh in your mind, a recent New York Times article entitled Indonesia's Flag Carrier Defying the Odds should set your mind at ease. According to the article, Garuda is bucking the industry trend by adding routes, planes and passengers. In other words, the airline has turned itself around.

Moreover, the following Garuda Indonesia promotional videos or ads posted on Youtube.com will give you a sneak peak at what it is like to now fly the airline as well as give you a glimpse of what Indonesia has to offer both tourists and business travelers alike.

 

Mandarin and Cantonese Lessons in one minute

Should you be visiting China or Hong Kong, Pierre-Francois Metayer of PFMproductionz has produced two amusing videos – one entitled “Mandarin in One Minute – To Sing” and “Cantonese in One Minute – Electricity”. I am not sure how useful these videos are but the first one (“to sing”) is definitely entertaining and will leave you looking forward to seeing more language lessons from Pierre!

In this second video, Pierre-Francois explains the various components of the Chinese character for “electricity” in Cantonese:

Travel videos about the Philippines

Should you be looking for a new and often overlooked destination in Asia for a vacation, the Philippines has much to offer – from beautiful beaches for swimming to some of the best shopping and diving sites in Asia. This Visit Philippines video created as part of the Philippines Department of Tourism’s WOW Philippines campaign will highlight the best of what the country has to offer:

In this second video also created by WOW Philippines, various destinations around the Philippines are highlighted while a Filipino song is sung by various popular Filipino artists:

And finally in this last video, the islands of Palawan (considered on of Asia’s last unspoiled frontiers) and its El Nido resort are highlighted:

Lonely Planet Travel Vietnam videos

Should you be visiting Vietnam either for business or for pleasure, Lonely Planet has created a couple of short travel videos worth watching before you go. In the first travel video appropriately entitled “Adventures in Eating in Ho Chi Minh City,” Anton Seim visits a few Vietnamese restaurants and eating spots that could easily be fit into your itinerary on your next business trip to Vietnam. This includes a Pho 24 outlet (a well known local noodle chain), the Ben Thanh market (the city’s main market place), Fanny (a luxurious ice cream parlor) and Sesame (a French boulangerie and patisserie).

Should you be visiting Hanoi instead, Lonely Planet Travel has also produced a travel video highlighting the city’s French legacy and of course, the city’s crazy traffic jams created by more than one million mopeds and motorcycles. 

 

Singaporean Singlish Kills The English Language Funny Talk

For anyone who has visited Singapore, you may have noticed that many Singaporeans have a unique way of pronouncing English. So on your next trip to Singapore, don’t be surprised if you are asked “wat u wan ar” to eat – whether “fly rice,” “beef fly rice,” or “chicken kali”; and “wat u wan ar” drink – whether some “flu jus” or some “c***” (either medium or big….)

Travel tips and advice for business travelers

Frequent road warriors may want to check out this short 2 minute Lonely Planet video narrated by Asha Gill, which offers some helpful advice on how to plan a business trip that limits travel stress and will allow you to get the most out of your time. Travel tips cover planning your trip, choosing your airline seat, contacting your concierge, unwinding while in transit, relaxing in flight, and connecting with colleagues and contacts via social networking sites.

In addition, another short Lonely Planet video narrated by Lonely Planet author Damien Simonis offers practical luggage selection and packing tips for globe-trotters and business travelers alike. Travel tips cover getting the right piece of luggage, planning your wardrobe, using space saving gear, avoiding liquids and be permanently packed. However his key piece of travel advice: Travel light and always be ready to go.

Jakarta tourism and travel videos

Should you find yourself in Jakarta on a business trip and have some extra time (but not that much extra time) to explore the city, Lonelyplanet.tv has created a short 3 minute video (Jakarta in 12 Hours!) that highlights six cultural attractions that can be visited in 12 hours or half a day.

In addition, two other short videos featuring the concierge of the Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, Travel Smart in Jakarta and Jakarta MidPlaza Shopping Experiences (shopping for antiques, traditional Indonesian arts and crafts along with designer clothes), are also well worth checking out.

 

And finally, more adventurous travelers to Jakarta may want to watch another short video entitled Perfect Day in Jakarta – which also includes some shopping tips as well.

“What a shame!” Swine Flu comes from America video

In case you have not flown to or around China lately, you may find this Civil Aviation Administration of China's swine flu warning video both helpful and absolutely hilarious! The cutesy jingle with the cartoon reminds passengers that:

Swine influenza comes from America… spreads around the world… its true name is A(H1N1)… what a shame!

Actually and according to the Wall Street Journal’s China Journal blog, the Chinese lyrics make a broad reference to the American continents and uses the word “mei zhou” rather than the word “mei guo” (for the USA itself) but the the English subtitles simply say America. Either way, passengers are sure to get the picture!

 

Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport arrival videos

Should you be planning a visit to Jakarta or passing through Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (often called Cengkareng by Indonesians), you will find that the official website for the airport is largely in Bahasa Indonesian. Moreover, the airport actually consists of three terminals which could confuse first time visitors. Hence, travelers should keep in mind the following terminal information:

• Terminal 1 is divided into 3 sub-terminals. Terminal 1A, 1B and 1C are used for domestic flights by various Indonesian airlines.
• Terminal 2 is also divided into 3 sub-terminals. Terminal 2D and 2E are for international flights while Terminal 2F is for domestic flights of Garuda Indonesia and Merpati Nusantara Airlines.
• Terminal 2D is for all international airlines serviced by PT Jasa Angkasa Semesta (one of the ground handlers for the airport).
• Terminal 2E and 2F are for all international airlines serviced by PT Gapura Angkasa (another ground handler for the airport).
• Terminal 3 Pier 1 was opened in 2009 and current flights operated by AirAsia and Mandala Airlines operate from the terminal. Eventually, Terminal 3 will include five piers.

In addition, Japan Airlines has created two videos that are posted on Youtube that show the international arrivals area to help assist passengers upon arrival. The videos includes subtitles in both Japanese and English and will further help to orientate first time visitors.

 

Beijing Capital International Airport: Finding your way around the dragon

The new US$3.5 billion Terminal 3 at the Beijing Capital International Airport is not only the second largest airport building in the world, it also has an unusual design. Unlike other airports which generally follow similar and fairly straight forward designs, Terminal 3 is shaped like a dragon with domestic flights located in the dragon’s “head” and international flights located in the dragon’s “tail.” Hence, visitors may find navigating around the airport a daunting task while official English language resources available online still remains limited (For example: Airport maps on the official airport site are in Chinese).

However, Air China has posted a 10 minute video guide on Youtube.com that visitors to terminal 3 may find helpful. The video itself has no voice narration but it does contain plenty of English subtitles along with images to help visitors at least familiarize themselves with the airport layout.

Obtaining a Short Validity Business ETA (visa) for Australia

Business travelers planning to visit Australia for a short business trip will need a visa and may want to apply for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority). An ETA will allow business travelers to stay up to three months in Australia provided that the applicant has an ETA Visa-eligible passport. Applicants will need to be overseas at the time they apply and passport-holders from certain countries (Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and the USA) can apply online through the Australian Electronic Travel Authority System.

Normally, business travelers should obtain a Short Validity Business ETA which will allow multiple visits as many times as necessary for up to 3 months per visit and is valid for a 12 month period. However, employment is strictly prohibited. Applications by eligible applicants may be made online via the Australian Electronic Travel Authority System and these applications will cost A$20.

For further information about ETA visas or Australian visas in general, the Department of Immigration & Citizenship contains comprehensive information and all necessary forms and applications. In addition, eVisas to Australia Pty Ltd. has posted a helpful video with additional tips on Youtube.com while their service accepts ETA applications from applicants who hold passports from a longer list of countries than the service offered by the Australian Electronic Travel Authority System.

Tokyo Narita Airport Terminal 2 video

Should you find yourself passing through Terminal 2 at the Tokyo Narita Airport, this helpful (although somewhat dated) video posted on Youtube would be worth watching. Just in case you are not familiar with the Narita Airport, Terminal 2 is home to Japan Airlines, several Oneworld carriers plus Air New Zealand, EgyptAir and China Southern Airlines. It consists of a main building plus a satellite building that are connected by concourses and a shuttle (people moving) system. Check-in, departures and Immigration are on the second floor while the baggage claim and customs are on the first floor.

Finding your way around the terminal should not be much of a problem but just in case you think that you might be in a hurry, watching this helpful video before you arrive might save you some time and from getting lost.

Flying to the Shanghai Pudong International Airport

Travelers planning to fly to China will find a relative lack of information available to them in English and online about Chinese airports and the Shanghai Pudong International Airport is no exception to this. The official website has some information plus there is an online airport guide with further information that includes a diagram of the facilities and services while Japan Airlines has also created and uploaded an arrivals video onto Youtube.

In addition, travelers to Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport will find that taking the Maglev high speed train into the city (Pudong) will definitely save them time (the ride lasts roughly 7 minutes and 20 seconds) and probably money as well since airport taxis will tend to be expensive (travelers should also be careful when using taxis from the airport as some cab drivers have been known to take advantage of travelers new to China). A single trip ticket can be purchased for 40 Yuan by presenting an air-ticket from the same day while a round trip ticket that is valid for seven days can be purchased for 80 Yuan. Further information about the Maglev train is available on their website plus a promotional video about the train is posted on Youtube that some travelers may find helpful.

Thai Airways promotional video

If you want to know why Thai Airways calls itself “the world’s friendliest airline,” check out this promotional video about the airline and its plans to upgrade both their business and economy classes. Moreover, Thai Airways serves more than 70 destinations on 4 continents plus every corner of Thailand and is also a member of the Star Alliance – the world’s largest airline partnership which gives passengers on member airlines access to all corners of the globe. So if you want to know what it is like to fly on an airline that is based in the heart of Asia and calls itself the world’s “friendliest,” this promotional video will give you a quick peek.      

Cathay Pacific Business Class video

In case you are wondering what it is like to fly Business Class on Cathay Pacific for a flight within the region, a passenger has made a short video which was then posted on Youtube.com. In the video, the passenger shows not only the menu but close-up shots of each item on it along with pictures of the seat and the inside the cabin. Definitely a change from the traditional airline promotional video!

Terminal guide for the Hong Kong International Airport

Youtube has a short video guide uploaded about arriving at Terminal 1 at the Hong Kong International Airport. The video uses an airport diagram to show where arriving passengers need to go if they have another flight to catch or if Hong Kong is their ultimate destination and hence, will be needing to clear immigration and customs. Since the layout of Terminal 1 is fairly straight forward, arriving passengers should not have any problems finding out where they need to go. Nevertheless, watching this video prior to arrival will certainly be a help to any traveler who expects to be in a hurry when passing through the airport. 

Singapore Airlines Economy Class promotional video

Singapore Airlines has a well earned reputation for comfort in the air – especially its business, first or suites classes. However, given the state of the global economy and corporate cost cutting, some business travelers may find it hard to justify flying business or first class these days. Nevertheless, a short Singapore Airlines promotional video uploaded onto Youtube shows that flying new economy class on Singapore Airlines is NOT the equivalent of taking coach (aka steerage) on another airline. According to the video, passengers have “your own space created around you” as all new economy class seats are equipped with USB data ports so that passengers can do work as they fly or they can choose from a variety of 3D games and movies from their own personal entertainment systems that are equipped with 10 inch screens.

So don’t worry if you cannot justify flying business or first class on your next Singapore Airlines flight as their new economy class will still get you to and from your destination in comfort and style.

Video guide to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Youtube has an excellent video guide uploaded about the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The guide was created by Malaysian Airlines and naturally contains plenty of positive spin for the airline (not that Malaysian Airlines needs any spin!) while commentary is provided by Asha Gill - a well known Malaysian TV host, model and film director/producer. In the video, Asha takes you through the entire airport from arrival in the satellite terminal to a visit to the Malaysian Airlines business class lounge, duty free shopping, a ride on the skytrain to the main terminal, baggage collection and finally getting a train into the city. The last two minutes of the video shows some of the sights to be seen around Malaysia and of course the shopping opportunities that await visitors to KL.

So if you plan on visiting Malaysia any time soon and will pass through Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the video is well worth a quick viewing.

Singapore Airlines business class video

For anyone thinking of flying Singapore Airlines to Singapore and who still needs a reason (or just an excuse!) to justify flying business class, check out the Singapore Airlines business class promotional video that is posted on Youtube.com. Highlights include the “most spacious business class seat in the world” that supports a variety reclining positions and has the capability of being turned into a “productive office” with “built in business software” and the “biggest fully flat bed in business class” supporting a wide range of sleeping positions. So go ahead – book that business class seat!

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport video

Business travelers who will soon be visiting Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport may want to check out a promotional video posted on Youtube.com that was made in 2005 around the time the airport opened. Although not so useful in aiding travelers to find their way around the airport, the video does give first time travelers to Thailand an idea of what to expect at the airport and in the country in general.