- David J Marks
DATELINE MONDAY 10TH AUGUST 2020
Happy Scorching Monday morning, I hope you are well and not too overcome by the heat, oh btw I LOVE the heat. Did you swelter on Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Are you sweltering now or as they say in Yiddish Schvitzing? Bring it on, I am also looking forward to the thunderstorms forecast to be with us on Wednesday, you just cannot beat a huge thunderstorm, the power of Mother Nature at her most awesome. Although once the thunderstorms arrive it clears the air and the temperature plummets, I am not looking forward to that.
The BEST thunderstorm I ever experienced was whilst in South Africa, I had been to dinner with Shaun Blake Chairman of The Inside Edge DMC Southern Africa DMC in Durban, I was driving back to the hotel at night and the heavens opened up the storm was of biblical proportions, the thunder was earth shaking and when the lighting struck it lit up the night as if it was day time.
Talking of biblical proportions OMG Beirut, what a TRADEGY the explosion in the port was indeed of biblical proportions, still people are missing, well if they were in the wrong place at the wrong time close to the epicentre of the blast for sure the missing people will have probably been vaporised.
It is 75 years since the Atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it is testament to the inhumane result and aftermath of the tragic decision to deploy these horrific devises that Atomic weapons have never been used since.
MM and Company news update
Costa Rica
Arno, Natalie, Hocine and the team from Quetzal Motivo DMC the DMC we represent in Central America that have told us of some great news coming out of Costa Rica! It is now more COST EFFECTIVE than ever to travel to Costa Rica.
Tourist services in Costa Rica are now exempt from VAT for one year The project to extend the exemption from Value Added Tax to tourist services was approved by the Cost Rican Congress on July 29, 2020. The adjustment to the Sales Tax Law allows all types of tourist services, by individuals or companies with the Tourism Declaration granted by the Costa Rica Tourism Board, to be exempt from VAT for one more year. In addition the gradual implementation of the tax is postponed. These services will begin to be taxed with 4% from July 2021, 8% from July 2022, until reaching the 13% VAT in July 2023. Now that is what I call an INCENTIVE
Japan
James, Geraint and the crew at The J Team DMC are disappointed that the Olympic Games were postponed till next year they had planned to be up to their eyes in events and clients these past few weeks. This decision by the powers in Japan have given them time to come up with an amazing idea they simply will not be beaten by a microscopic invader. So, this summer, The J Team DMC have decided to hold an event of our own. The four reasons for holding this event are –
- To raise money for to three charitable organisations whose needs are greater than their own
- To highlight “Destination Tokyo” so as borders open and planes are flying, Tokyo is where #Best Business Events happen
- To engage with The J Team DMC’s business partners in person not via Zoom, Skype, Facetime or Microsoft Teams
- To allow the Teammates of The J Team to practise what we do best – planning, organising and operating a #BusinessEvent
The plan is to run/jog/walk/wheelchair a very carefully social-distanced 63.4 km* around Tokyo by relaying a virtual baton between participating Teams each responsible for around 2kms. Through this The J Team DMC on their own aim to raise 500,000 JPY (£3,600 in real money) and hopefully a lot more for charity. The collected money will be distributed to Second Harvest Japan, Nihon Hidankyo, and Hokkaido Ainu Association. The event is due to take place on Sunday 6th September, which would have been the date of the closing ceremony of Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
The J Team DMC have a total of seventeen awesome business partners committed to joining them in the Charity Event. Park Hyatt (Niseko); Hilton Tokyo; Hilton Tokyo Bay; Hilton Worldwide; Westin Tokyo; Strings Intercontinental; Kimpton; Capitol Tokyu; Hotel Gajoen; DMO Roppongi; DMO Marunouchi (Aman, Congress, Peninsula); Coronet; Team Samurai; Jidaiya; TEAM TJT; Tokyo International Forum; Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau; plus a legion of individual runners.
PLEASE give them a shout out on
Japan
James and The J Team DMC crew tell me that today Monday 10th August is a bank holiday in Japan, it is in celebration of Mountain Day.
Mountain Day is a natural fit because of Japan's hilly and mountainous terrain. This fairly new holiday which takes place annually on August 11, reminds the Citizens of Japan to see mountains as natural sanctuaries of peace.
The J Team DMC offices will be closed today back fully rested on Tuesday.
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