TTR Weekly

TAT tops up travel insurance

BANGKOK, 28 July 2014: Tourists planning a visit to Thailand can now buy additional online insurance cover, known as Thailand Travel Shield from three leading Thai insurance companies. The scheme designed to restore confidence and fill a gap for visitors who cannot insure their trip to Thailand has been established by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in cooperation with four insurance compa...

TCEB identifies Pattaya MICE strategy

PATTAYA, 28 July 2014: Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau has hatched its latest strategy to turn Pattaya into an international meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions destination in Asia. Some veteran travel and hotel executives would raise an eyebrow as the resort pioneered the country’s MICE market expansion to resorts that had up to the 1980s been reserved entirely for...

Kuching by river boats and bikes

KUCHING, 28 July 2014: I reckon the two best ways to see Kuching town are by boat and bike. The alternatives are boring buses that bounce you around on their hard springs, or you slog around town on foot; not such a good idea in this humid equatorial town. River boats usually come loaded in local history and Kuching’s smart looking leisure craft, the Equatorial, is no exception. As you boa...

Events head Bangkok’s way

BANGKOK, 25 July 2014: Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau says the country MICE sector will still win some major international events despite the political setbacks and concerns over security. TCEB president, Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, confirmed that Thailand will host some major international MICE events during the second half of 2014 and 2015, including the 74th FIP World Congress o...

Vietnamese win visa concessions

HANOI, 25 July 2014: South Korea will fast track visa applications for Vietnamese tourists reducing the approval period from a week to around three days. New visa rules were announced by the Korea Tourism Organisation and the General Consulate of Republic of Korea in Ho Chi Minh City 11 July. The new rules reduce requirements on applications for group visas and multiple-entry visas. Bu...

< >

News

TAT tops up travel insurance

TCEB identifies Pattaya MICE strategy

Rent a pod at Hanoi airport

HANOI, 28 July 2014: Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport introduces sleep pods for sale to serve passengers who face extended delays, or cancelled flights. It has installed 14 sleep pods, consisting of three single rooms and 11 double rooms that are located at the departure terminal building. VATC’s Department of Business head, Pham Anh Tu, said... [Read full story]

ATTA: Visa fee exemption positive

BANGKOK, 28 July 2014: Association of Thai Travel Agents says the National Council for Peace and Order policy to cut the visa fee for Chinese and Taiwanese during 1 August to 31 October should benefit tourism. ATTA president, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, said the measure sends a positive message of welcome that is far more significant than the actual... [Read full story]

THAI Smile needs a new location

BANGKOK, 28 July 2014: Thai Airways International may move its Thai Smile Air subsidiary to Don Mueang International Airport according to a plan being mulled by the airline’s management. Acting THAI president Siwakiat Chayema said the idea was floated by the National Council for Peace and Order deputy leader, Prajin Juntong, at a board meeting late... [Read full story]

AirAsia takes on-board faster trade tools

BANGKOK, 28 July 2014: AirAsia is the first airline in Asia Pacific to implement light ticketing [1] technology from Amadeus, that cuts the work load and simplifies bookings made by travel agents. For the first time, traditional shopping, booking and back-office flows will be combined with real-time dynamic fares provided through AirAsia’s XML connection... [Read full story]

Hotels need to deal with negatives

LONDON, 28 July 2014: Hotel evaluations on the internet are gaining importance as a factor that will sway the final selection of a travel destination, website booking engine hotel.info says in a preamble to its latest survey. But a negative evaluation online often sends potential guests dashing to a competitive hotel. Hotels need to respond and have... [Read full story]

Outrigger expands APAC team

PHUKET, 28 July 2014: Outrigger Enterprises Group has named Barton Jackson as director of finance and analysis. Jackson joins the company’s Asia-Pacific (APAC) team based in Phuket, Thailand, and is responsible for financial operations oversight of the Outrigger Enterprises Group – APAC region of properties, working closely with resort executive... [Read full story]

Anger over TransAir accident

TAIPEI, 28 July 2014: International experts were examining the site of the fatal TransAsia Airways crash in Taiwan over the weekend, as new evidence surfaced that the plane may have collided with nearby trees before plunging to the ground. Seven French and one Canadian expert representing France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation... [Read full story]