PG plans Lampang service

Bangkok Airways plans to launch a new service to Lampang following PB Air decision to close its business, last November.

Bangkok Airways CEO, Puthipong Prasatthong – Osot, said the airline would launch a  daily flight to Lampang via Sukhothai this February. He also expects that the new Lampang service will boost travel to Sukhothai, where the airline has its own airport.

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Vietnam targets 4.5 million visitors

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has set a target of 4.5 million international visitor arrivals this year.

The target was outlined in a statement by VNAT director general, Nguyen Van Tuan, yesterday, who noted it represented a 15% increase over 3.9 million visitors expected in 2009.

VNAT will coordinate with relevant agencies to implement tourism programmes, including a US$1.35 million project to develop tourism products, human resources and a national tourism promotion programme.

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Tune Hotels appoint master franchiser

Tune Hotels.com, has appointed Evolution Capital Public Company Limited as a master franchiser, in a deal that requires it to roll out 44 Tune Hotels in Thailand, China, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Evolution Capital, listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, is a real estate investment advisory and management firm with ownership interests in resorts currently under development in Thailand.

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TG pulls three domestic services

Thai Airways International will transfer to Nok Air three loss-ridden domestic services – Phitsanulok, Ubon Ratchathani and Mae Hong Son – effective 1 March, 2010. THAI estimates it lost Bt211 million a year flying to these three northern towns.

Passenger tickets pre-sold on these three services will be transferred to Nok Air ‘s booking system. THAI’s overseas offices will continue to sell travel to the three cities through a passenger sales agreement with Nok Air.

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Vietnam arrivals slide

Visitor arrivals to Vietnam dropped by 12.3% during 11 months of this year, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism reported, last week.

However, November arrivals stood at 387,871, an increase of 38.6% when compared to the same month last year, but over the 11-month period arrivals were down 12.3% on 3,400,088 arrivals.

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Atout France names SEA boss

Atout France, Southeast Asia office director, Frédéric Meyer, completed his assignment in Singapore, 7 December. He has since been appointed director in Japan.

Mr Meyer was based in Singapore, promoting France to Southeast Asian markets for the last four years.

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Insights on Korean market

Tourism Authority of Thailand and ASEAN-Korea Centre will organise a seminar to improve marketing skills for travel staff focusing on the inbound Korean travel market.

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Monaco woos wealth

Monaco sends a clear message to Asia’s travel trade that is only interested in wealthy tourists with money to burn.

Despite the impact of the global economic recession, which seen a drop in travel to Europe, Monaco Government Tourist Office and Convention Authority presented its expensive wares to 30 Thai travel agencies in Bangkok last week. The road show continued to Malaysia and Singapore with the same message exclusive message.

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BW hotel gets airport hotel

Best Western has tagged its franchise brand to a hotel near Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport that it hopes will compete with the Novotel, the only hotel located inside the airport complex.

The property has 278 rooms and suites  and is located on Kingkeaw Road, 12 km from the airport terminal.

Best Western properties are generally in the three-star category in Thailand, a star up on the group’s portfolio elsewhere. But the so called airport hotel will have a tough time competing for business against the on-site Novotel and  a cluster of small budget class hotels, and apartments in districts close to the airport.

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Dip in visits to Vietnam

International visitors to Vietnam in October reached an estimated 227.859, while over the first 10 months of the year tourist arrivals stood at 3,012,217 arrivals, 16.3% lower than recorded in the same period last year.

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