KUCHING, 9 October 2024: Borneo Jazz Festival (BJF), one of Southeast Asia’s longest-running international jazz festivals, returns from 29 November to 1 December after a long pause and rebranding exercise (previously known as the Miri International Jazz Festival).
The 18th edition, themed “Jazzy Miri”, will take place at Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club in Miri, Sarawak. Organised by the Miri City Council and curated by Sarawak’s Deckworks Events & Entertainment, the festival will feature a blend of jazz, reggae, pop, tribal, and world beats. It brings musicians of diverse cultural backgrounds together to celebrate jazz music and empower the local community.
Watch out for an eclectic mix of jazz, reggae, and pop musicians, a renowned local emcee from Malaysia, and more lighting up the Borneo Jazz stage to celebrate cultural diversity, tradition, and innovation.
Announcing the return Yang Berhormat Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the Minister for Tourism Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, said: “With the theme ‘Jazzy Miri’, this year’s Borneo Jazz is about rejuvenating the jazz scene, especially after the recent pandemic while being surrounded by the wonders of nature that is in abundance in Miri, the gateway to Northern Sarawak.
Borneo Jazz Festival 2024 lineup: Day 1 (29 November 2024) – 6:00pm to 12:00am
1. Sheila Majid (Malaysia) 2. Rio Sidik (Indonesia) 3. The Clarinet Trio (Germany) 4. The Shang Sisters (Malaysia) 5. Ta’Dan (Sarawak) 6. Prem Shanker (Malaysia) – Emcee
Jazz music lovers can purchase tickets for the Borneo Jazz Festival 2024 at www.jazzborneo.com, miricouncil.gov.my and deckworksevents.com. For the early bird category, a Day Pass costs MYR80 per ticket, a Two Day Pass MYR150 per ticket, and a third-day entry is free.
The Early bird discount ends on 31 October 2024. For tickets sold from 1 November 2024 onwards, a Day Pass is MYR100, a Two-Day Pass is MYR180, and a third-day entry is free.
DUBAI, UAE, 9 October 2024: Emirates has resumed passenger services to Lagos, Nigeria, with a daily flight scheduled to optimise connections to and from key points in Europe, the US and Asia.
The official delegation was led by Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Central Asia; David Broz, Senior Vice President of Aeropolitical and Airline Industry Affairs; and Sami Aqil Abdullah, Senior Vice President of Emirates Airport Services Outstation and Business Support. The official delegation from Nigeria onboard the flight included His Excellency, Festus Keyamo, Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of Nigeria; His Excellency, Zayyan Ibrahim, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Dubai and the Northern Emirates and Adewale Babtunde Awolesi, Head of Chancery, Consulate General of Nigeria.
Soon after landing, the airline hosted an exclusive event for VIPs, government officials, key representatives from Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority, Customs, Police and the Airforce, trade and industry partners and corporate clients.
Commenting on the return of services, Emirates Airline Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim said: “This has been a long-awaited moment, and we are excited to resume operations to Lagos, helping reconnect travellers seamlessly to and through Dubai, coupled with a consistent, world-class experience onboard.
“We would like to thank the Nigerian authorities, including the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, as well as the UAE authorities, including His Excellency Salem Saeed Al Shamsi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, and His Excellency Dr Abdulla Almandoos, Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates in Lagos, for their support. We are committed to making this route a success and look forward to contributing to the Nigerian aviation industry’s growth and offering travellers and businesses more choice and connectivity to key destinations across our network.”
EK783 departs Dubai at 0945, arriving in Lagos at 1520; the return flight EK784 takes off from Lagos at 1730 and lands in Dubai at 0510 the following day. The daily service has been scheduled to optimise connections to and from key points in Europe, the US, Asia and the wider Middle East and GCC, streamlining business and leisure travel to and from Nigeria.
Strengthening business between UAE and Nigeria
With the resumption of operations to Lagos, Emirates provides connectivity to one of Africa’s major economic hubs, facilitating global trade and strengthening business ties, in line with the UAE and Nigeria’s strong bilateral trade relations.
Emirates SkyCargo will support Nigerian businesses by offering more than 300 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity in and out of Lagos every week into key markets such as UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Bahrain, among others. Anticipated commodities such as Kola Nuts, food and beverages, and urgent courier material will be transported via the airline’s state-of-the-art hub in Dubai quickly, efficiently, and reliably via the airline’s multi-vertical specialised product portfolio. Imports into Nigeria are anticipated from key markets such as UAE, India and Hong Kong, with key commodities including a mix of general cargo, pharmaceuticals and electronics.
Premium products and amenities across every class
The Dubai-Lagos service is operated with a Boeing 777-300ER, offering eight first-class suites, 42 business-class seats, and 304 economy-class seats, with added comforts and perks in each cabin class. Emirates is one of only two airlines offering a first class in and out of Lagos and an unrivalled experience with luxurious touches, a premium gastronomic selection of dishes and fine beverages, and one of the biggest screens in the sky, all amid comfort and privacy.
Offering the best experience across every class, passengers will dine on regionally inspired multi-course menus complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages. Customers can tune in to over 6,500 channels of global entertainment, including 23 Nigerian movies, series and other content on ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
To support travel to Dubai or onwards, Emirates will also facilitate 48-hour and 96-hour Dubai visa applications for travellers from Nigeria, an offer that is exclusive to the airline.
Celebrating the resumption of services, Emirates award-winning loyalty programme, Skywards, reinstated previous tier status levels for Skywards members to ensure the continuation of earned benefits and recognition. Tickets can be booked now on emirates.com or via travel agents.
SHANGHAI, 9 October 2024: Trip.com Group and Zhoushan Municipal Development and Reform Commission have jointly launched the “Hello Zhoushan” x Trip.com Group YOYO-themed series to support the economic and cultural enrichment of China’s islands while elevating Zhoushan’s tourism profile on the global stage.
As part of the broader “Hello Zhoushan” initiative launched in 2023, Zhoushan, a picturesque archipelago in China, has adopted the strategy of “one island, one product, one policy.”
This approach aims to boost living standards and enhance community well-being through high-quality tourism development. By blending natural beauty with sustainable practices, Zhoushan seeks to create a distinct cultural tourism experience unique to the islands.
In 2024, Zhoushan marks the second anniversary of this ambitious project. To strengthen international collaboration and expand its circle of “island friends,” it has launched the “Hello Zhoushan” x Trip.com Group YOYO cartoon series on the Trip.com app and social platforms.
The colourful logos symbolise the distinct beauty of each island in Zhoushan and YOYO’s adventurous spirit and love for discovering new destinations.
Inspired by various travel themes and scenarios, YOYO is depicted in a playful array of cartoon images. As the first official “Friend of the Island,” YOYO leads global partners on a journey to explore the depths of the East China Sea, greeting each island and unveiling various activities — from local cuisine and sports to sea fishing and camping.
The collaboration between Trip.com Group and Zhoushan will focus on three key objectives: increasing brand visibility, driving customer traffic, and boosting consumer spending.
The goal is to enhance the visibility of Zhoushan’s island tourism by launching the joint “Hello Zhoushan” x Trip.com Group YOYO brand globally, along with a series of creative online marketing campaigns and offline events like an island food search. International travellers can also further discover its offerings through innovative ads on the Trip.com app.
This partnership also aims to expand Zhongshan’s reach and popularity among young people, professionals, and tourists through targeted promotions to the Gen Z market and community activities across all four seasons of the year.
Looking ahead, Trip.com Group plans to leverage resources from the Tourism Industry Alliance and its global partners to bring more corporate brands on board with the “Hello Zhoushan” initiative. By expanding its network and infusing fresh momentum into Zhoushan’s island tourism, Trip.com Group aims to drive transformative growth and elevate the region’s tourism landscape.
BEIJING, 9 October 2024: China’s National Day holidays, widely referred to as the “Golden Week”, has seen a significant tourism boom, with a notable growth in passenger trips across the country and a remarkable surge in inbound and outbound travel, according to official data and reports from major Chinese tourism booking platforms on Monday.
The bustling scenes at many tourist attractions across the country, reflected by the strong data, further highlight the robust growth in China’s tourism and consumption market, two major drivers of China’s economic growth and vitality, experts said.
Photo: VCG
Chinese authorities recently rolled out a series of policy measures to boost economic growth, significantly lifting expectations for continued growth in the world’s second-largest economy. With continuous and intensifying policy support, the Chinese economy is expected to see stable growth for the rest of the year, experts noted.
Strong growth
On Monday, the last day of the weeklong National Day holidays, cross-regional passenger trips reached more than 278.76 million, up 5.2% from the same period in 2023, according to data released by the Ministry of Transport (MOT).
Notably, the number represented a 24.8% growth from that of the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic. In terms of mode of transportation, China’s railway network saw more than 18.52 million trips, up 8.6% ent from 2023 and 26.6% from 2019, the MOT data showed.
The MOT previously predicted that cross-regional travel could reach 1.94 billion trips during the seven-day Golden Week, with daily trips expected to reach 277 million trips, up 0.7% from 2023 and 19.4% from 2019.
While a final tally on total tourism trips and consumption was not yet available as of press time on Monday, multiple indicators from Chinese travel and tourism booking platforms showed strong growth.
Significantly, cross-border travel saw remarkable growth. On Ctrip, one of China’s largest online travel agencies, daily order volume for outbound and inbound travel exceeded that of 2019, reaching a record high, according to a report the company sent to the Global Times on Monday.
“During the National Day holidays, average daily orders for hotels and B&Bs increased significantly year-on-year, demonstrating the resilience of China’s tourism consumption. The spillover effect of this consumption resilience has also injected new momentum into the global tourism industry,” Ctrip’s report said.
Another report from Tongcheng Travel, a leading travel platform in China, also showed sustained growth in the domestic travel and consumption market during the National Day holidays, with significant growth in travel consumption among residents from smaller cities.
According to the report sent to the Global Times on Monday, bookings for car hire in third-tier or smaller cities increased by more than 50% on Tongcheng’s travel platform, and hotel bookings in nearly 100 counties jumped more than 50% year-on-year.
Another online travel agency, Qunar, also said there was remarkable growth in trips made by residents in smaller Chinese cities. Bookings for outbound travel made by residents from third-tier or smaller cities jumped 300% year-on-year, while those made by second-tier cities jumped by 70%, Qunar said in a report sent to the Global Times on Monday.
Overall, the National Day holidays continued the sustained tourism boom that started at the beginning of the year. In the first three quarters of 2024, the number of domestic tourism trips is expected to reach 4.29 billion, up 16.8% year-on-year, and tourism expenditure is expected to hit 4.32 trillion yuan, jumping 17.1% year-on-year, close to the peak level in 2019.
Positive momentum
Experts said that stable growth in the tourism and consumption markets offers solid impetus for the overall stable growth of the Chinese economy, as consumption is the biggest economic growth driver.
“The strong growth momentum in the tourism sector reflects a positive shift in consumption momentum. It reflects a major issue: improving consumer expectations for the economy,” said Li Chang’an, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.
Li said that policy measures to boost the economy have significantly boosted expectations for stable growth, which will continue encouraging consumers to spend on travel and other areas. “This is the result of various policy packages, and it is a very positive signal,” Li said.
Since the start of the year, China has released several policy measures to boost consumption as well as overall economic growth, including a wide-ranging program to promote trade-ins of consumer goods. In August, ultra-long special treasury bonds worth 150 billion yuan dedicated to trade-ins of consumer goods were issued to Chinese localities.
“Consumption is undoubtedly the main driver for economic growth,” Cong Yi, a professor at the Tianjin School of Administration, told the Global Times on Monday, noting that the policy measures have played a critical role in ensuring stable consumption growth. “As policy support intensifies, tourism and cultural consumption will continue to see stable growth.”
In addition, Chinese authorities recently rolled out a huge package of monetary and other policies to boost the economy. On 27 September, the People’s Bank of China (PBC), the central bank, announced a 50-basis points cut to the reserve requirement ratio, the amount of cash banks are required to hold as reserves. The move is expected to inject approximately 1 trillion-yuan worth of long-term liquidity into the financial market.
“The policy support is not limited to boosting consumption during the holidays, but it will be a continuous process,” Li said, noting that new policies have focused on various critical aspects. “The package of coordinated policies will help sustain the positive momentum during the National Day holidays and will play a key role in ensuring long-term economic growth.”
SINGAPORE, 9 October 2024: Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, and the Macao Government Tourism Office organized a promotional event in Jakarta, Indonesia, last week, to introduce the Greater Bay Area (GBA) tourism brand “Greater Bay Area” — Connecting Great Experiences” to Indonesia’s travel trade.
The event showcased the rich tourism resources of China’s Greater Bay Area to the Indonesian travel trade market. The HKTB also reached a strategic agreement to launch tourism products and promotions exclusive to Indonesian travellers, encouraging them to visit Hong Kong and explore the broader GBA through multi-destination journeys.
HKTB Deputy Executive Director Becky Ip said: “Southeast Asian markets, particularly Indonesia, which is one of ASEAN’s largest economies, present significant tourism potential.
“The Hong Kong Tourism Board is partnering with Guangdong Province and Macao tourism departments to promote the Greater Bay Area tourism brand in Indonesia. We’re collaborating with trade partners in the market to introduce new tourism products. At the same time, we continue to promote Hong Kong’s increasingly Muslim-friendly facilities and services with a view to attracting more inbound visitors from Indonesia, especially the Millennials and the Gen Z, and encouraging them to explore Hong Kong and embark on multi-destination journeys across the GBA.”
A delegation of about 30 tourism representatives from the HKTB and various cities in Guangdong Province, including Macao, visited the Indonesian capital of Jakarta for the “Greater Bay Area – Connecting Great Experiences” event. The delegation introduced the rich and diverse tourism resources and the latest tourism developments in the GBA to about 130 local trade and media representatives. The HKTB also reached a strategic agreement with the Southeast Asian travel trade to launch various offers and promotions of GBA tourism in the market to deepen Indonesian travellers’ understanding and interests towards the GBA, to inspire them to visit in person.
Expanding GBA tourism products
The HKTB has secured a collaboration with Indonesia’s leading association of travel agents, ASTINDO. ASTINDO will lead in encouraging and facilitating travel agents in the market to roll out tailored GBA tourism products and packages. It will also assist trade partners with requests for flight reservations, hotel accommodation, admission tickets to attractions in the GBA, or intercity transportation. ASTINDO has also launched a quick access link to the HKTB’s one-stop GBA tourism website on the homepage of its official website for the convenience of trade partners.
GBA offers exclusively for Indonesian travellers
To motivate Indonesian travellers to visit the GBA through Hong Kong, the HKTB and Southeast Asia’s premier travel platform, Traveloka, jointly present a promotional activity, offering discounts to Indonesian travellers who book air tickets, hotel accommodations or tourism activities through the platform.
Traveloka will also assist in planning itineraries in the GBA for Indonesian influencers to allow them to better enjoy the excitement of GBA tourism. Itineraries include city walks in Central and Sheung Wan, theme park experiences, and nightlife culture. The influencers will upload clips of their travel experiences to their own social media platforms to encourage interest in visiting the GBA among their fans and create positive media exposure.
New-generation stars introduced GBA attractions in a travel show
Targeting the young consumer segment, the HKTB previously invited Gen-Z Indonesian stars Bastian Steel and Sitha Marino to visit cultural heritage and trending attractions in Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen to produce a new travel show titled Celebrity on Vacation. The show aired on Indonesian broadcasters, YouTube and online media platforms.
SINGAPORE, 9 October 2024: South Korea’s low-cost airline Eastar Jet has confirmed in advance timetables it will resume daily flights to Chiang Mai, Thailand.
The airline confirmed it intends to resume flights to Chiang Mai, which stopped in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. It will start flying the Busan- Chiang Mai route daily, effective 19 December, using a Boeing 737-800 with 189 seats.
Flights will connect Busan, a popular events city in South Korea, with Thailand’s second-largest city located in North Thailand. Both cities rely heavily on tourism, incentive travel and hosting conventions.
Flight ZE947 will depart Busan (PUS) at 1800 and arrive in Chiang Mai (CNX) at 2100. Flight ZE948 will depart Chiang Mai at 2220 and arrive in Busan at 0605 (plus a day).
Eastar Jet is a South Korean low-cost airline headquartered in Banghwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. On 7 January 2009, Eastar Jet flew its maiden flight from Gimpo International Airport to Jeju International Airport. Now, the airline operates a scheduled passenger network to 14 destinations in eight countries.
HONG KONG, 9 October 2024: HK Express Airways will launch direct flights between Hong Kong and Hualien (HUN) Taiwan from 12 December 2024, with four weekly flights.
Hualien is HK Express’ fourth destination in Taiwan, China, followed by Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. There are 144 weekly flights between Hong Kong and Taiwan, China.
Flight time is just two hours to a city famed for its natural beauty and culture.
To celebrate the launch, HK Express offers a limited-time offer as low as HKD38* (“Ultra Lite” fares – including one small personal item with a maximum weight of 7kg), for round trips scheduled anytime from 12 December 2024 to 29 March 2025.
The promotion opened at 1130 on 8 October 2024 and closes at 2359 on 9 October 2024.
Hualien, nestled between the vast Pacific Ocean and towering Central Mountain Range, boasts stunning natural beauty along with a rich tapestry of indigenous culture, traditions, and history. Taroko Gorge, renowned for its grand marble gorges and striking coastal cliffs, is a must-visit destination. Tucked away among the cliffs, the Changchun Shrine (Eternal Spring Shrine), a traditional Chinese architecture, morphs into an ethereal landscape as it stands next to a year-round flowing spring.
Travellers can also cycle along Qixingtan beach, one of Hualien’s most stunning seashores, where people can enjoy the pristine waters and fine sands. Moreover, a trip to Dongdamen Night Market brings visitors to a feast of local delicacies, such as the famous scallion pancake, spicy stinky tofu, and refreshing fruit ice, offering a delightful culinary experience. Hualien is also home to several well-known hot spring areas, including the Ruisui Hot Springs, renowned for its high-quality iron sulfide springwater. It provides travellers a perfect opportunity to relax and rejuvenate.
*Limited availability, terms and conditions apply. Fares exclude taxes and surcharges. The final settlement amount may be subject to exchange rate fluctuations; please refer to the system display
** Subject to regulatory approval; final flight details are subjected to the official ticketing page on the website
To mark the occasion, guests are invited to experience this newly renovated resort with an exclusive offer, available for stays from 1 December 2024 to 30 April 2025.
Travellers who book before 30 November 2024 will be treated to an array of curated privileges, including complimentary accommodation, meals and activities for up to two children, and THB500 daily resort credit to enjoy at the resort’s exceptional restaurants and bars or rejuvenating spa. Early check-in and late check-out, plus a complimentary minibar refresh each day, ensure every detail is tailored to enhance every guest’s experience.
To further elevate the offer, CentaraThe1 members will receive an additional 15% discount on room rates and earn triple points for stays during the promotional period. To make the most of these perks, members can sign in to their online accounts before booking, while non-members are encouraged to sign up for free via centara1card.com
The redesigned Centara Karon Resort Phuket presents a perfect blend of contemporary comfort and island charm, inviting guests to explore its revitalised spaces and well-appointed accommodation catering to every need, from The Terrace’s sea-view rooms and The Lagoon’s family-friendly options to the spacious layouts of Tropical and the romantic Private Pool Villas. With an eclectic mix of dining experiences, vibrant activities, and splash-worthy swimming pools, this tropical oasis ensures an unforgettable escape for all ages.
BANGKOK, 8 October 2024: BWH℠ Hotels, the global network comprising WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, and SureStay Hotels, has been honoured with a ‘Travel Hall of Fame’ award in the TTG Travel Awards 2024, which celebrates the best of the best in the Asia Pacific travel industry.
This year’s success marks the latest in a series of victories for BWH Hotels. TTG’s Travel Hall of Fame awards are only given to tourism and hospitality operators who won their individual category 10 consecutive times. The iconic Best Western brand has been voted the “Best Mid-Range Hotel Brand” in Asia for over a decade and has been a Travel Hall of Fame luminary since 2019.
The TTG Travel Awards winners are voted for by the readers of TTG Asia, the region’s leading travel trade magazine, and its six sister publications: TTGmice, TTG China, TTG India, TTG-BTmice China, TTG Associations, and TTG Asia Luxury. This means that BWH Hotels has been given another resounding vote of confidence by the region’s most respected travel industry personnel.
The Travel Hall of Fame title was presented to BWH Hotels, in late September at a glittering gala ceremony in Bangkok. This year marked the 33rd edition of the TTG Travel Awards, which was first launched in 1989.
“It is a great honour for BWH Hotels to be awarded in TTG Asia’s prestigious Travel Hall of Fame 2024. With over 75 years of history in the industry, BWH Hotels remains committed to being recognised in this competitive landscape. I would like to extend my gratitude to our esteemed travel trade partners for their continued support and to our passionate and dedicated team for upholding our standards of excellence,” said BWH Hotels Vice President – APAC Olivier Berrivin.
“With 18 brands and innovative new concepts ranging from economy to luxury, BWH Hotels is delighting guests and developers in every market segment.”
SINGAPORE, 8 October 2024: The International Air Transport Association released a statement earlier this week to remind governments of the importance of protecting civil aviation, including airport and air navigation infrastructure, during times of conflict.
“Civil aviation fulfils a purpose that transcends politics to ‘create and preserve friendship and understanding among the nations and peoples of the world’, said IATA Director General Willie Walsh. “The Chicago Convention, signed 80 years ago, is a timeless reminder of civil aviation’s essential role in connecting people and delivering goods over vast distances. In the turbulent world of 2024, the truth of the Chicago Convention’s preamble rings loudly.”
Walsh said: We all want to live in a world at peace. Sadly, today, that is far from reality for many people. That is why it is necessary to remind all involved in the conflict to ensure that flights are safe and that critical airport and air navigation infrastructure is not targeted in any hostilities.”
He emphasised that civil aviation does not take sides in political conflicts. As an industry that requires the effective implementation of global standards to operate, aviation upholds global standards and the international rules-based order on which they rely.
“As the name implies, civil aviation serves the civilian population. All actors in a conflict must keep it out of harm’s way. This is the firm belief of IATA. More importantly, it is the unquestionable obligation of governments under international law.”
Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights protects the freedom of movement domestically and internationally. Article 48 of the Fourth Geneva Convention holds that combatants in conflict must not target civilian objects.
Basic norms of customary international law require that all parties to a conflict allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need and ensure the freedom of movement of authorised humanitarian relief personnel.
These international legal obligations will be unfulfillable should the line between military and civil aviation blur, even in the slightest. That would bring deeply troubling consequences for innocent populations trying to survive through conflict, especially those needing humanitarian aid.
Moreover, the Chicago Convention explicitly obliges states to protect civil aircraft and passengers in flight, refrain from using force against civil aircraft, and, by corollary, coordinate and communicate any activities potentially hazardous to civil aviation.
“These are essential to keeping flying safe. Aviation will support the effort by connecting people and goods as the world works towards more peaceful days. In the meantime, combatants must know and abide by the rules of conflict and humanitarian assistance as stated in international law, Walsh stated.
“To simplify: Do no harm to civilian aircraft, airports or air navigation services. This is non-negotiable and must be respected, even at the height of hostility,” Walsh concluded.
