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Despite China not performing well for it currently, DERTour will take its academy to Beijing in November, the first time ever the multimillion dollar project is heading for an Asian destination in the 30 years the academy has been around.

DERTour¡¯s academy is coveted because it could launchpad a destination in Germany, as proven when DERTour did it in South Africa in 2000. The concept involves taking 700 of the ¡°best¡± retail agents to the destination in order to familiarise them with the country¡¯s products. In the following year, the country becomes DERTour¡¯s ¡°destination of the year¡±, with the tour operator investing a ¡°significant¡± amount of money to market it.

Retail agents have to qualify for the academy through knowledge tests and sales performances. They are split into two groups of 350 and spend about 10 days in the destination, four days for the academy and the rest for pre- and post-trips. America is DERTour¡¯s destination of the year this year, with the academy held in Las Vegas in November 2003.

DERTour, Meier¡¯s Weltreisen and ADAC Reisen managing director, Mr Michael Frese, said: ¡°We believe the awareness among travel agencies about China generally is not good enough - they do not really know what China offers, what it looks like, what is the feeling of being there.

¡°We also know China has the product, that there is demand for it and that the prices are okay. Once we raise the awareness among agencies, we will accompany that with huge promotions.¡±

However, China is now a dark spot, with forward bookings behind by 30 per cent for DERTour and Meier¡¯s combined.

Other Far East destinations in contrast are showing healthy growth. Meier¡¯s alone is seeing figures to Indonesia doubling: between a 40 and 50 per cent increase to Vietnam; 15 per cent to Thailand. China is behind by 50 per cent.