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MATTA fair beats all records

KUALA LUMPUR, 9 September 2024: The 55th edition of the MATTA Fair, hosted at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur, from 6 to 8 September, fielded 1,590 exhibition booths across eight halls and gained recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records as the “Largest International Travel Fair” for the second time in the show’s history. 

The previous record was set with 1,416 booths in 2023, underscoring MATTA Fair’s continuous growth and MATTA’s important role in promoting tourism in the country and beyond.

Discover Borneo campaign 

MATTA Fair designated Sabah and Sarawak as the featured destinations under the campaign “Discover Borneo: Malaysia’s Favourite Destination.”  Sabah and Sarawak united to present the essence of Borneo to MATTA Fair attendees in a single voice. The sense of cooperation was evident in the opening ceremony, graced by the attendance of YB Datuk Christina Liew, Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Sabah and YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak. 

Speech Highlights: YB Datuk Christina Liew, Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Sabah:

“I am delighted to be at MATTA Fair in September 2024 to proudly showcase Borneo as Malaysia’s favourite destination, represented by the captivating states of Sabah and Sarawak. The Sabah Tourism Board is happy to lead this effort alongside 33 travel agents and hotels, our local artisans, and industry partners, with a strong presence of 60 booths under the Sabah Zone.” 

Speech Highlights: YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak.

“Today, I stand before you with immense pride and excitement as we unite with our esteemed partner from Sabah Tourism Board to present Borneo as Malaysia’s Favourite Destination. This collaboration is more than just a strategic effort—it is a celebration of Borneo’s rich cultural heritage, its awe-inspiring landscapes, and its unrivalled biodiversity,” said YB Datuk Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He highlighted Sarawak’s efforts to boost tourism through innovative campaigns and emphasised Sarawak’s recent achievements, such as the inscription of the Niah Caves as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the state’s upcoming launch of its airline to improve connectivity and accessibility.

The Minister invited visitors to engage with the ‘Gateway to Borneo’ experiences at the fair and to explore Sarawak’s diverse offerings of beautiful environment and landscape, diverse cultural performances, food and exciting adventure experiences.

Welcome from MATTA president Nigel Wong

“We are very fortunate to be in one of the best industries in the world – tourism. It is an industry where we accentuate the positive, transcending cultural, racial, religious, and political boundaries. Every day, we celebrate life’s richness, excitement, and diversity. The MATTA Fair is more than just an exhibition; it is an immersive experience into the world of travel and tourism, and it took every one of us here in this room to make it happen.”  

“As times change rapidly, so must we (the industry). To ensure our tourism industry remains competitive, robust, and sustainable, we must focus on the bigger picture and nurture long-term strategies that will help us reclaim our position as a global tourism powerhouse,” he added.

“Recently, MATTA signed a virtual Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Through this partnership, we aim to encourage our members to adopt the GSTC Criteria and pursue accreditation certification to support sustainable tourism practices”.

Acknowledging Sponsors and Partners

Discover Borneo: Sabah & Sarawak – Malaysia’s Favourite Destination.
Taiwan – International Favourite Destination.
Malaysia Aviation Group – Official Airline Partner & Premier Sponsor.
RHB Bank – Exclusive Platinum Sponsor.
Amadeus – Official Travel Tech Partner.

KAL boosts flights to China and Japan

SINGAPORE, 6 September 2024: Korean Air is resuming flights to China and Japan or increasing frequencies on popular routes in the regional network to meet recovering travel demand. 

The airline will resume its Seoul Incheon-Mudanjiang and Busan-Qingdao services on 22 October and 1 December, respectively, following a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The Seoul Incheon-Mudanjiang route will operate five times weekly on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and the Busan-Qingdao route will schedule daily services.

Korean Air is also increasing frequencies on several routes to China. Since 12 August, the airline has increased flights on its Seoul Incheon-Zhengzhou route from four weekly to daily. On the Seoul Incheon-Xiamen route, it will increase flights from four weekly to daily effective 1 October.

The Seoul Incheon-Taichung route will undergo a two-phased expansion. From 10 September to 26 October, the route will be serviced four times weekly on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. From 27 October, it will increase flights to daily to strengthen Korean Air’s presence in Taiwan.

Routes to Japan

Starting on 27 October, the airline will relaunch its Seoul Incheon-Nagasaki (Japan) route for the winter season after a break of more than 11 years. This route will operate four times weekly on Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The Seoul Incheon-Osaka route will also see a temporary increase in service. From 2 September to 26 October, the airline will operate four daily flights, up from the existing three daily flights. This enhancement will accommodate the anticipated surge in autumn travel to this popular Japanese destination.

As of December 2024, services to China will reach 95% of December 2019 capacity, and services to Japan will achieve 106% of pre-pandemic capacity.

Flights resume or expand

MATTA Fair opens in Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR, 6 September 2024: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) rolls out its 55th edition of the MATTA Fair today, 6 September 2024, convening at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur. 

Welcoming travel consumers for three days, 6 to 8 September, this edition of the MATTA Fair is billed as the largest ever in the number of exhibitors’ booths that will deliver travel bargains and holiday promotions for thousands of consumers planning to visit the fair this weekend.

This MATTA Fair will cover an impressive 37,000 square meters across eight halls throughout the venue. It will feature 1,590 exhibition booths with 284 participating organisations. These include 183 travel and tour agencies, 15 National Tourism Organisations, nine State Tourism Offices, 44 hotels and resorts, 11 theme parks, one airline, and 21 other travel-related service providers.

Key partners and sponsors include:

1.      Discover Borneo: Sabah & Sarawak – Malaysia’s Favourite Destination
2.      Taiwan – International Favourite Destination
3.      Malaysia Aviation Group – Official Airline Partner & Premier Sponsor
4.      RHB Bank – Exclusive Platinum Sponsor
5.      Amadeus – Official Travel Tech Partner
6.      AmLeisure Media – Media Partner
7.      Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre -Strategic Partner

Visitors can explore a variety of bargains and packages at the Domestic Hall in Level 1 and participate in the Discover Borneo: Explore, Win, and Fly campaign to win a roundtrip ticket to Borneo and a MYR1,000 travel package. The campaign features a variety of tours — from adventure trips to cultural explorations — to inspire visitors to discover Borneo’s rich diversity and stunning natural beauty.

To make this MATTA Fair even more exciting, the organisers have introduced three more engaging campaigns designed to elevate the Fair with fantastic prizes:

1. MATTA Fair Ride & Reels: Capture Your Journey. Enjoy free shuttle service from KL Sentral or Sunway Putra Mall to MITEC and back, capture your journey, and share it for a chance to win amazing prizes.

2. Buyers’ Contest: Spend MYR100 or more at the Fair to join the Buyers’ Contest and stand a chance to win exciting prizes like flight tickets – business and economy class tickets, hotel stays, and the grand prize of a return business class flight from Kuala Lumpur to London, courtesy of Malaysia Airlines.

3. Destination Discovery: Find, Snap, and Win! Join the treasure hunt at Level 3, find MATTA’s Instagram Frame Standees, and take creative photos to win prizes worth up to MYR80,000.

The MATTA Fair offers free admission and is open from 1000 to 2100 from Friday to Sunday. Parking is available at the South Entrance Basement in MITEC, MITI Basement, and MATRADE Open parking. Visitors are encouraged to use our complimentary shuttle services from KL Sentral and Sunway Putra Mall to MITEC and back.

Beauty queens lead Sabah Purpose Tour

KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia, 6 September 2024: The recent Miss World Beauty With A Purpose Tour concluded an impactful visit to Sabah, leaving an indelible mark on the community and significantly promoting Sabah tourism. 

The initiative, led by Julia Morley CBE, CEO and Chairman of the Miss World Organisation, and Sean Wong, CEO of HyperLive Entertainment, featured the reigning Miss World 2024 Krystyna Pyszkova from the Czech Republic and Miss World Malaysia 2023 Saroop Roshi. They successfully highlighted the mission of Beauty With A Purpose while showcasing Sabah’s natural beauty and cultural richness.

The initiative, led by Julia Morley CBE, CEO and Chairman of the Miss World Organisation, and Sean Wong, CEO of HyperLive Entertainment, featured the reigning Miss World 2024 Krystyna Pyszkova from the Czech Republic and Miss World Malaysia 2023 Saroop Roshi.

During its stay in Sabah, the Miss World team engaged in activities to make a positive difference in the lives of Sabah’s residents by raising global awareness about the region’s unique attractions.

One of the key highlights of the tour was the ‘Sail Malaysia Tuaran Beach Cleaning’ event, which Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Sabah and Chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board, attended. 

Volunteers led by Tuaran Rally of Sail Malaysia and teams from Shangri-la Rasa Ria Resort, MOEA, and Discover Sabah Digital collected 402 kg of rubbish, showcasing a solid commitment to preserving Sabah’s pristine coastline.

The Miss World team, alongside the 2024 Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan (UNK) winners and the UNK national committees led by Tindarama Joanna Datuk Kitingan, provided crucial disaster relief packages and assisted with home clean-up efforts for flood-affected homes in Kg. Pogunon. This initiative was supported by generous contributions from Discover Sabah Digital, Media Works Solutions, Everrise Supermarket, and Bataras Sdn Bhd, with the H3ROS 4×4 Club Sabah ensuring timely aid delivery. The Miss World Malaysia Organization has also pledged to raise MYR30,000 to support the affected families.

In their ongoing efforts to promote environmental sustainability, the Miss World team planted trees in collaboration with Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK). 

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Sabah, under the leadership of Minister YB Datuk Christina Liew, supported the Miss World team’s five-day visit, acknowledging its importance in promoting Sabah and advancing meaningful social causes. The Miss World team’s activities and efforts will be featured in the ‘Beauty With A Purpose’ documentary, highlighting the region’s warm-hearted residents, stunning landscapes, and rich cultural heritage.

https://sabahtourism.com

IATA and Outpayce sign up PAL

SINGAPORE, 6 September 2024: Philippine Airlines becomes the first carrier to implement IATA Pay through Outpayce’s Xchange Payment Platform.

Recent market regulations allow merchants to accept consumer payments using direct, account-to-account transfers. 

As airlines seek to meet travellers’ needs best and reduce the overall cost of payments, account-to-account payments are becoming more popular. They represent a new option for travellers to pay for air tickets.

That’s why IATA and Outpayce are partnering so airlines can now accept payments made with IATA Pay through Outpayce’s Xchange Payments Platform (XPP).

IATA Pay is an alternative account-to-account form of payment for travellers to pay for air tickets purchased online by directly debiting their bank account.

 It leverages the new account-to-account rails and regulations developed by countries around the world, such as India (UPI), the Netherlands (Ideal), Brazil (PIX) or the Philippines (QR Ph). 

Currently available in over 30 countries, IATA Pay improves the speed and security of payments while reducing payment acceptance costs.

When a traveller reaches checkout on an airline’s website, the new account-to-account payment service allows them to select their bank or scan a QR code depending on the country. IATA uses the payment and bank details or the QR code’s approval to request a transfer from the passenger’s account, and the funds are transferred using the banking rails. IATA settles the funds with the airline the following day.

IATA Director Financial Settlement Operations Juan Antonio Rodriguez said: “The trend towards account-to-account payments is gaining more momentum. It provides a seamless experience for passengers and provides an attractive option for airlines to lower the cost of payment acceptance. Through Outpayce, airlines using XPP can begin to accept IATA Pay while still benefiting from XPP’s powerful orchestration, analytics and reporting capabilities.”

Philippine Airlines Chief Financial Officer Anna Isabel Bengzon said: “We are pleased to accept IATA Pay in the Philippines. It will provide our passengers with a more convenient and secure way of paying via QR code using their digital wallets, which is highly prevalent in the country, or through their bank accounts. 

“Outpayce’s XPP system helps us to intelligently accept a wide range of payment methods used by travellers across the international markets we serve. Moreover, we can access various payment methods and partners through XPP, with detailed analytics on the performance of payment flows and back-end reconciliation support.”

Emirates Airline Foundation images adorn A380s

DUBAI, UAE, 6 September 2024: Emirates has rolled out a new A380 livery dedicated to raising awareness of the Emirates Airline Foundation’s humanitarian work, which has transformed the lives of thousands of children worldwide.

The A380 livery’s design is inspired by the playful elements of the Emirates Airline Foundation’s logo, incorporating the theme of children’s artwork with pastel stars in light green, warm orange, baby blue and soft pink across the fuselage, rounded off with a bold message that encapsulates the Foundation’s mission — ‘Help to support children in need’. All four engine cowls of the Emirates A380 have also been adorned in the warm orange hue, symbolising a better future for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children that the Foundation supports. Watch the livery come to life here

The new livery takes the airline’s philanthropic message to the skies. The colourful design premiered to the public on an A380 flight last week to Johannesburg, South Africa, where the Foundation supports two important projects.

Operating under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman & Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, the Emirates Airline Foundation is a non-profit charity organisation that provides humanitarian, philanthropic aid and essential services for children. Its aim is to create meaningful, sustainable, and lasting impact in the communities that it serves.

Over the last twenty years, The Emirates Airline Foundation has supported over 50 projects, partnering with numerous community-based organisations and NGOs to deepen their work and serve the critical developmental needs of children for safe housing, food and medical care, and empowerment through education and capacity development, irrespective of geography, background, political associations or religion. Funding for projects is made possible by the generous donations made onboard or online by Emirates customers, donors, and employees.

The projects supported by the Foundation have mainly been focused on Emirates’ destinations, where the airline’s employee volunteers can actively donate their time and oversee their management.

The Foundation currently supports 14 NGOs in 9 countries, which includes Emirates-CHES Home, a safe haven for 100 abandoned HIV-positive children who regularly receive medical support and care; IMMPACT Girls Education Project in rural India which provides education through community-based learning centres to 5,000 girls last year and face-to-face training sessions for almost 1,500 teachers; Prithipura Communities in Sri Lanka supporting 240 infants, children and young adults with disabilities through specialist care, education, vocational training and employment opportunities; Virlanie Foundation in the Philippines where funding from the Emirates Airline Foundation helps reach out to abandoned, abused, exploited, neglected and orphaned children. The Foundation also helped to bring the Emirates Friendship Hospital in Bangladesh to life for over a decade, and healthcare has been made available to over 650,000 people living in poverty.

In Kenya, the Foundation supports three organisations:  The Little Prince Nursery and Primary School, providing holistic education and rehabilitation for children, and the Foundation has supported its meal programme since 2014; Alfajiri Street Kids, which offers a safe space and a range of programmes focusing on art therapy for more than 200 children; Starehe Boys’ Centre which delivers academic support for underprivileged boys and includes a high school and multiple tertiary programmes. The Foundation sponsors four-year scholarships for 10 boys studying at the school.  

In South Africa and Zimbabwe, the Foundation’s focus on holistic education and medical care includes Fikelela Children’s Centre, which is committed to serving children afflicted with HIV/AIDS. The Foundation supports the running costs of the centre. It has also funded new facilities to help care for and house 40 young children, including infants who have been neglected or abandoned because of the virus. Singakwenza aims to support early childhood education for low-income communities in South Africa, and the Foundation has provided training for 71 practitioners to create learning opportunities for 970 young children. St Marcellin’s Children’s Village cares for orphaned and homeless children in Zimbabwe, many with physical disabilities, blindness and HIV, and over 70 children are currently under the care of the organisation with the Foundation’s support.

In Brazil, the Saint Rita de Cassia Orphanage houses 96 orphaned and abandoned girls in Rio de Janeiro and provides shelter, education and care from 4 to 14 years. Externato Sao Francisco de Assis is a non-profit that cares for underprivileged children, often from single-parent families and operates a school with more than 70 pre-school students.

In its home base of Dubai, the Foundation supports SAFE Centre for Autism, a facility that offers a safe and inclusive environment for children struggling with complex learning difficulties.

In the last financial year, 20 other NGOs have also benefited from the Foundation, with over 500 flight tickets issued on Emirates to volunteers conducting global medical, engineering and education missions. Missions include Virginia Children’s Connection to perform plastic surgery, cleft lip repair, and burn care for more than 275 patients in India; World Wide Smiles (FWWS) travelled to Uganda to offer dental healthcare; Global Smile Foundation journeyed to Lebanon to perform surgery on children born with cleft palate and lip; Operation of Hope Worldwide sent 46 medical professionals from various countries to perform transformative surgeries in Zimbabwe for conditions such as cleft lips and severe burn injuries; and Australian Doctors for Africa went to Ethiopia to conduct intensive training in orthopaedics and wound management.

The Emirates Airline Foundation is regulated by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai (IACAD) and is licensed by the Government of Dubai.To find out more about the Foundation’s active projects, or if you would like to make a donation of cash or Emirates Skywards Miles, visit: www.emiratesairlinefoundation.org

Melbourne wins bid to host WSBE 2026

SINGAPORE, 6 September 2024: Melbourne is set to host the prestigious World Sustainable Built Environment Conference (WSBE) in 2026, one of the longest-running global scientific and technical conference series on sustainable development in the built environment. 

The conference will provide a premier interdisciplinary platform for leading academic scientists, researchers, practitioners, and educators to present on all aspects of sustainable built environment and discuss the latest innovations, trends, and practical challenges in the field.

The successful bid, spearheaded by the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) in collaboration with RMIT University and supported by the Victorian Government and Tourism Australia’s Business Events Bid Fund Programme, will see more than 1,000 delegates gather at Australia’s largest convention and exhibition space and indisputable leader in environmentally sustainable design—the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).

It marks a return to an in-person event for the World Sustainable Built Environment Conference following a virtual WSBE hosted in June 2024, via the Pheedloop platform.

MCB Chief Executive Julia Swanson said the collaborative effort in securing this event showcases Melbourne’s commitment to sustainability and excellence in the built environment sector.

“We are delighted to bring the World Sustainable Built Environment Conference back to Melbourne. Our city has a rich history of hosting successful sustainability-focused conferences, leaving a lasting legacy.

“Melbourne remains at the forefront of addressing sustainability challenges in the built environment and the Victorian Government is dedicated to enhancing the environmental performance and resilience of buildings in response to urban growth and climate change.”

Air India adopts NDC to expand retail offers

GURUGRAM, 6 September 2024: Air India has successfully integrated New Distribution Capability (NDC), becoming the first Indian airline to go live with the latest technology in airline distribution.

Air India has adopted the latest 21.3 schema of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), transforming how its products are retailed to travel agents, travel corporations, leisure and business travellers, and other travel resellers. 

The adoption of NDC allows for more personalised and efficient interactions between Air India and its travel partners, enhancing the overall booking and travel experience.

NDC is a travel industry-supported programme launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new XML-based data transmission standard. NDC enhances the way airline products are retailed in various channels. For Air India’s travel partners, this means access to a wider variety of offers and services, such as tailored flight packages and ancillary products, available in real time. Customers can expect a more streamlined booking process with greater transparency and access to the best deals across all sales channels.

“Implementing NDC is a significant milestone for Air India as we continue to innovate and enhance our distribution strategy. Our goal is to provide a seamless and efficient booking experience for our travel partners and customers,” said Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal.

NDC enhances the capability of communications between Air India and travel agents and enables Air India to present tailored offers, ancillary products and services, and pricing options in real time to travel sellers worldwide. 

Travel agents worldwide can connect directly to Air India’s NDC and access a richer and more diverse set of content, including NDC exclusive offers, ancillary services, and fare families, which were previously not available through traditional distribution channels. This will enhance their clients’ overall booking and travel experience.

Air India’s customers will benefit from a more seamless, transparent booking process — both online and offline. This ensures that customers also get the best possible deals and options available.

Travel agents can visit ndc.airindia.com for more information on how to connect with Air India’s NDC or contact Air India’s NDC support team at [email protected]

PATA travels to a far border to hold 2025 summit

BANGKOK, 6 September 5, 2024: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will migrate its annual summit to Turkey, where an invisible line marks its Asia Pacific membership border.

PATA has been pushing its “Asia-Pacific” membership zone west and east over the years to attract new members, and now it will take its annual summit to the land where Asia and Europe meet.

The Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) will host the PATA Annual Summit 2025, which will take place in the capital, İstanbul, in March 2025. The announcement was initially made at the recent PATA board meeting held in Bangkok on Friday, 30 August 2024, and released this week following the PTM also hosted in Bangkok.

Perched on the Bosphorus Strait, İstanbul is a city renowned for its historical sites with incredible architectural design, including the Hagia Sophia, the Dolmabahçe Palace, and the Grand Bazaar—one of the world’s most iconic markets. As a key location within Türkiye, which welcomed 56.7 million international visitors in 2023 [TGA, 2024], İstanbul plays a vital role in one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations globally. 

PATA CEO expressed his confidence in the annual gathering by stating, “I am humbled to take the PATA Annual Summit 2025 to a city that stands on two continents – Asia and Europe, as PATA strives to grow within the Asia Pacific region and globally.”

Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency General Manager İsmail Bütün said, “As the Turkish Tourism Board, we are excited to be hosting PATA’s 2025 Annual Summit in İstanbul. The Asia-Pacific region is amongst our key growth markets. The Pacific Asia Travel Association embodies a great membership base of hospitality, aviation, and travel industry partners in this territory. We can’t wait to host the esteemed members of PATA in İstanbul soon and show them the best of Turkish hospitality.”

Turkish Airlines has been confirmed as the Official Airline Partner for the event.

We can easily recognise why the association is taking its 2025 events to Istanbul. It needs to broaden membership recruitment urgently to survive financially, and it has made some gains by hosting events in the Middle East. However, many PATA stalwarts would have preferred seeing the annual summit move to a Pacific Ocean destination rather than the gateway to Europe. They will view the bold endeavour with a degree of caution. PATA was founded in Hawaii, and its heritage is intertwined with that of the Pacific Islands, especially as climate change challenges their future and very existence, with tourism likely to suffer the most significant impact.

Hong Kong Airline expands network

HONG KONG, 6 September 2024: Hong Kong Airlines will add its third destination in Thailand with daily flights to Chiang Mai starting 27 October. The airline already flies to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand from its base in Hong Kong.

The new service is included in the airline’s upcoming northern winter 2024/25 season deploying a 180-seat A320 on the direct daily route from Hong Kong to Chiang Mai. However, a search of the airline’s booking website to make a booking failed for dates in early November.  

Flight schedule

Flight HX749 departs Hong Kong (HKG) at 1530 and arrives in Chiang Mai (CNX) at 1735.
Flight HK750 departs Chiang Mai at 1835 and arrives in Hong Kong at 2220.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong Airlines has announced that it will resume nonstop service between Hong Kong and Coolangatta Gold Coast from 17 January 2025. Operating seasonally from 17 January to 15 February 2025, the four-times-a-week service will run for five weeks over the Chinese Lunar New Year period, offering approximately 6,000 seats on A330 wide-body aircraft. Flights are scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Hong Kong Airlines Chairman Jeff Sun stated: “We are delighted to be the first Hong Kong carrier to bring back this highly anticipated Australian route for our passengers. The route launch will mark our first step back into the long-haul market as we are gradually introducing more aircraft to support the expansion of our route network. This includes actively exploring a return to the North American market, with routes to Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles and Seattle under consideration, to provide passengers with more international and diverse travel options.”

“We expect Coolangatta Gold Coast to become a popular destination for our travellers, not only from Hong Kong but also from our extensive network in Greater China. They will be able to enjoy the beautiful weather, stunning coastline and exciting activities Queensland offers, further strengthening the cultural, tourism and business ties between these regions.”

Hong Kong Airlines flight schedule between Hong Kong and Gold Coast is as follows (All times local):