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Anantara wins Michelin keys

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 30 September 2024: Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort won the Michelin Two Key distinction, one of only 19 hotels in the country to achieve this accolade. 

In addition, Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, and Anantara Hua Hin Resort joined the 31 hotels and resorts awarded the MICHELIN One Key distinction, making Anantara the most recognised luxury hotel brand in this year’s Michelin Guide Thailand.

Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort.

Michelin’s hotel selection includes over 5,000 hotels worldwide.

Coined “an exceptional stay,” Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort is located in the heart of the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar converge.

The Michelin Guide describes the resort as “ageless and unspoiled.” It sits amidst 160 acres of bamboo forest, rice paddies, countryside, and indigenous gardens and is home to Asia’s premier elephant camp and sanctuary. 

Float-out fit for a Princess

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 30 September 2024: Princess Cruises celebrated a major construction milestone last week as its second Sphere-Class vessel, Star Princess, completed its traditional maritime float-out ceremony at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

The new ship will now transfer to the outfitting quay, where construction will continue in anticipation of her autumn 2025 debut.

L-R: Gennaro Arma, Star Princess Captain; Cristiano Bazzara, Fincantieri Shipyard Director; Chiara Del Vecchio, Sun Princess Madrina; John Padgett, Princess Cruises President; Remco Buis, Princess Cruises Senior Vice President, Marine Operations; Nick Nash, Princess Cruises Commodore and Star Princess Captain.

Star Princess’ inaugural sailing is set for 4 October 2025 when the ship will depart from Barcelona on an 11-day Mediterranean roundtrip cruise, visiting six ports such as Marseille, Rome, Naples, Sicily, Gibraltar and Cartegna (Spain).  

The ship will then sail a seven-day cruise in the Mediterranean on 15 October before embarking on a 14-day transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale (Florida, USA) on 22 October where she will commence her inaugural season in the Caribbean. Voyages for the inaugural season of Star Princess are on sale now.

Star Princess joins her sister, Sun Princess, as the largest ship ever built for Princess at 178,000 tons and carrying 4,300 guests in more than 2,000 staterooms across 21 decks. It is also the second in the new Sphere-class of ships for Princess and will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Honouring the hundreds-year-old seafaring custom, the float out celebrates the first time the superstructure of a new ship meets water for the first time. Third Engineer Chiara del Vecchio, who currently works aboard Sun Princess, served as the brand’s madrina and became the first member of the Princess technical team to hold this time-honoured role.

AI upgrades London flights to A350s

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TTR WEEKLY
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DELHI, 30 September 2024: Air India has enhanced its service on the Delhi-London route by introducing the Airbus A350s-900s that serve the route twice daily. 

Air India flies 17 weekly services on the Delhi-London (LNR) route using A350s for 14 flights and Boeing 787-8 for the remaining three flights weekly.

The airline plans to expand its A350 services to the US and other international destinations. This marks a significant step in the airline’s ongoing transformation under the ‘Vihaan.Ai’ initiative, which aims to elevate the passenger experience on all long-haul routes.

Air India’s flagship carrier, the A350, includes a fresh three-class configuration: 28 private suites with full-flat beds in business, 24 seats in a dedicated Premium Economy cabin offering extra legroom and other enhancements, and 264 latest-generation seats in economy. 

All seats on the A350 come with the latest-generation Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system and HD screens that offer more than 3000 hours of entertainment content from around the world in 13 international and 8 Indian regional languages with a specific category for 100+ hours of content for kids, which will shortly be complemented by onboard Wi-Fi*.

Guests in business and premium economy will also enjoy updated amenity kits exclusively designed by Ferragamo and TUMI, as well as Air India’s new soft product – Vista Verve – with new chinaware, tableware, glassware and bedding.

Air India has initiated its refit programme, starting with its A320neo, which will be upgraded to a three-cabin configuration. The refit will introduce eight business class seats, 24 extra-legroom seats in premium economy, and 132 economy class seats on the A320neo. 

Enhanced features would include new seats, carpets, curtains, and upholstery, as well as cabin lighting, spacious legroom, increased seat pitch, portable electronic device (PED) holders, and USB ports. 

The airline will also enhance the travel experience with exclusive lounges at major international hubs, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, London, New York, and San Francisco.

Scoot boosts Northern Winter Season flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 30 September 2024: Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary, has announced adjustments to its network in anticipation of stronger demand during the northern winter season.

From November 2024, extra weekly flights will be mounted to Chiang Mai (up from 10 to 11) and Hanoi (up from five to six).

Scoot will increase flights to destinations operated by the Embraer E190-E2 aircraft.

From December 2024, services to Perth will increase from 13 to 14 weekly. Services to Melbourne will also increase from 12 to 13 weekly and twice daily from January 2025. 

In addition, three more weekly flights will serve Seoul (Incheon) via Taipei, making it a daily service. Similarly, services to Tokyo (Narita) via Taipei will also increase from 12 to 14 weekly.

Within Southeast Asia, Scoot will increase flights to destinations operated by the Embraer E190-E2 aircraft. These include Davao, which will increase from seven to nine times weekly, and Balikpapan and Makassar, which will each increase from three to four weekly.

More recently, Scoot started operating daily services to Subang in Malaysia on 1 September 2024 and launched operations to Kertajati (Greater Bandung) in Indonesia on 28 September 2024. It will start flights to Malacca in Malaysia on 23 October 2024. Scoot confirms it will suspend flights to Ningbo effective 26 October 2024.

Scoot Chief Commercial Officer Calvin Chan said, “We are happy to announce more flights to popular destinations such as Australia, Japan, and South Korea in the northern winter season to cater to higher demand, especially during the holidays and festive season.”

Thai AirAsia X back at DMK hub

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 30 September 2024: Thai AirAsia X (XJ) will switch all of its flights to Don Mueang Airport (DMK) effective 1 October, ending split operations between DMK and Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). 

The airline says the move will make it more more convenient for passengers with “faster immigration clearance through Thai AirAsia and Thai AirAsia X’s main hub in Bangkok-Don Mueang (DMK). It will smooth connecting flight transfers between domestic flights and the medium-haull flights on Thai AirAsia X that serves Asia-Pacific destinations.

Thai AirAsia X guests travelling on Monday (30 September) and Tuesday (1 October 2024) to Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Nagoya, Seoul, Shanghai and Sydney are recommended to review their flight schedules to avoid issues during the transition.

Flight Schedule 30 September – 1 October 2024

Thai AirAsia X (XJ)

LH names new Asia Pacific VP

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 30 September 2024: Lufthansa Group confirms Felipe Bonifatti’s appointment as Vice President of Asia Pacific and joint Ventures East. 

Based in Singapore’s Lufthansa Group regional headquarters, Bonifatti will lead all commercial activities, including joint venture sales, in the Asia Pacific region, effective 1 November  2024.

Photo credit: Lufthhansa Group. Felipe Bonifatti.

He is currently the Senior Director of South America & Caribbean, based in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

His aviation career began in 1992, and he has held various senior positions with Lufthansa Group across Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean. 

Appointed General Manager of Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe, Bonifatti was subsequently promoted to General Manager of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Subsequently, he was appointed General Manager of Central America & the Caribbean, where he successfully opened Lufthansa Group’s first operation in Central America. Further promotions led to Bonifatti assuming the positions of Senior Director and Head of Sales Mexico, Central America & Caribbean.  

Emirates boosts flights to South Africa

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI, 27 September 2024: Emirates is adding a fourth daily flight on the in-demand route to bring even more choice, connectivity, and premium travel options to Johannesburg. 

This follows the announcement of the second daily A380 between Dubai and Johannesburg, launched on 1 September. This reaffirms South Africa’s importance to the airline’s extensive global network. 

The fourth daily service will begin on 1 March 2025 and will be operated on a three-class Boeing 777-300ER. It will offer an additional 708 seats in and out of South Africa’s largest and busiest international airport every day, broadening options for leisure and business travellers alike. 

Flight EK767 will depart Dubai at 0010, arriving in Johannesburg at 0620. 
Flight EK768 will depart Johannesburg at 1015, arriving in Dubai at 2015.

It expands the airline’s schedule to introduce a morning departure from Johannesburg. 

Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim, said: “South Africa has long been a highly popular destination for leisure and business travellers connecting to and through Dubai, and the fourth daily flight enables us to serve better the growing demand for travel to and from the market. We want to thank the South African authorities for their partnership and support in securing this new service, which reinstates the capacity we offered South Africa pre-pandemic, with 49 weekly flights across three gateways. As we reflect on nearly three decades of operations in the market, we remain committed to driving inbound travel to South Africa, supporting the government as they aim to make tourism the leading economic contributor and vehicle for transformation, and encouraging more inwards investment to the country.” 

The fourth daily flight further supports connectivity across Emirates’ global network of over 140 destinations, optimising schedules to key destinations including Dubai, Thailand, and India, as well as European hotspots such as the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Germany. 

Customers taking advantage of the expanded Emirates schedule to Johannesburg can reach a further 60 regional points in Africa via codeshare and interline agreements with four key partners. 

Emirates and South African Airways first established a codeshare arrangement in 1997, and it remains one of the oldest partnerships in the airline’s history, enabling frictionless, single-ticket travel to and from all three South African gateways, including 12 destinations via Johannesburg. Unlocking greater connectivity, 

Emirates’ codeshare with Airlink opens up 44 regional cities, while its interline agreement with Cemair provides access to exclusive leisure points such as Margate and Plettenberg Bay. Similarly, the agreement with FlySafair enables travel to domestic points such as Port Elizabeth, East London and George. 

These partnerships provide greater connectivity for passengers across Africa to access Emirates’ world-class products and services while also enabling international travellers to explore more of Africa seamlessly. 

In addition to enhancing passenger travel, the new flight increases cargo capacity in and out of South Africa, offering 300 tonnes via the belly of the Boeing 777 weekly. Emirates SkyCargo, the airline’s freight division, uplifts key commodities, including fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled meat, dairy, seafood and fresh cut flowers, further stimulating the economy and connecting South African businesses with their global customers quickly, reliably and efficiently. The new flight provides additional opportunities to move goods to key destinations, such as London, Madrid, Kuwait, Hong Kong and, of course, Dubai, via the airline’s multi-vertical specialised product portfolio.  

In the last 29 years, Emirates has established itself as a long-term partner of South African aviation, tourism and trade since the inaugural flight to Johannesburg in June 1995. Since then, the airline has scaled operations, increased frequencies and gateways to Cape Town and Durban and served over 20 million passengers to and from the market. In October 2011, Emirates first deployed its flagship A380 to Johannesburg, bringing the airline’s world-class products and services to South Africa, and now offers two daily flights from Johannesburg on the iconic double-decker aircraft. 

For airline information and to book a flight, visit www.emirates.com. 

WTD: Call for Tourism and Peace

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TTR WEEKLY
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MADRID, 27 September 2024: The World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE), an impartial body reporting directly to the World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) General Assembly, welcomes the decision to designate “Tourism and Peace” as the theme for World Tourism Day 2024, which will be celebrated today 27 September.

Following deliberations, the World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE) released a statement earlier this week saying the World Tourism Day theme is “particularly timely in light of the current global climate of conflict and division.”

World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

Recognising tourism’s significant influence in fostering cross-cultural understanding as a foundation for peace and sustainable development, the Committee reaffirms the “vital role of tourism as a catalyst for peace, mutual understanding, and friendship among people worldwide.”

The statement supports the World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, who said on the eve of World Tourism Day, “Building peace is a conscious, bold, and even radical act.” 

Guided by Article 1 of the UN Tourism Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, the Secretary-General calls “for all efforts to support peace negotiations in conflict-affected destinations, adhering to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.”

The World Committee on Tourism Ethics interprets, implements, and evaluates the provisions of the UN Tourism Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, promotes its ethical principles, and monitors the private sector’s practical application.

“Tourism should always serve as a reminder of the importance of dialogue, peace, tolerance and mutually beneficial interactions between people and countries.”

Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as an international observance on 27 September. This date was chosen as, on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted. 

See the UN Tourism Secretary General’s video to mark WTD 2024:

Here are some of the most prominent security hotspots worldwide that threaten global peace and the secure environment mandatory for international tourism to prosper and grow economies. 

The Middle East: This region has been plagued by conflict for decades, with ongoing wars in Syria, Yemen, and Libya, as well as tensions between Israel and Palestine leading to the disastrous military escalation in the Gaza Strip and neighbouring Lebanon.

Africa: Many African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Somalia, are grappling with conflict.   

South Asia: The region faces several challenges, including the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan and tensions in Afghanistan.

Eastern Europe: The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and tensions between Russia and Western countries have made Eastern Europe a major security hotspot.

AirAsia expands Malaysia flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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SEPANG Malaysia, 27 September 2024: AirAsia will boost Malaysia’s domestic travel network by adding 2,000 weekly flights and 150,000 seats across 40 key routes by the end of the year. 

Timed to meet the growing demand for year-end travel, the expansion will provide more flight options and flexibility for local and regional guests, connecting them to diverse and vibrant destinations across Malaysia. This move emphasises AirAsia’s commitment to improving connectivity and ensuring travel remains accessible and affordable for Malaysians.

Photo Caption: (From Left): Amanda Woo, Group Head of Commercial at AirAsia, and Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra, Managing Director of AirAsia Malaysia, during the press conference for the AirAsia Domestic Domination launch at the Atrium, RedQ.

As a result of this expansion, AirAsia’s market share is expected to increase to 64 per cent, reinforcing its leading position in the Malaysian aviation sector. By balancing its market leadership with a dedication to maintaining high customer experience standards, the airline aims to continue delivering exceptional service while navigating broader industry dynamics.

AirAsia Malaysia Managing Director, Dato Captain Fareh Mazputra said: “As the people’s airline, our commitment has always been to serve Malaysians by offering great value, choice, and convenient travel options, and this domestic boost reflects that mission. As we expand our domestic operations with a total of 1.7 million seats available for booking by December 2024, we are not just meeting the travel needs of Malaysians – we are also opening doors for regional travellers to explore and experience Malaysia’s unique destinations, cultural heartlands, and world-famous cuisines.”

AirAsia is also introducing AirAsia Plus, which offers added value to guests flying to and from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB). The AirAsia Plus fare includes 7kg cabin baggage, 20kg checked baggage, seat selection, inflight meal/snack, and Baggage and On-Time Guarantee (OTG) insurance, providing a comprehensive and convenient travel solution available for booking starting 8 October 2024 for the travel period from 9 October 2024.

“This is part of our broader effort to offer more to our guests without compromising on affordability. AirAsia Plus is designed with our guests’ needs in mind, ensuring they get the most out of their journey with us. It is not just about extra services, it is about delivering a better travel experience that our guests can rely on,” added Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra.

AirAsia offers promotional fares from MYR49 all-in* one way for all domestic flights available for booking until 29 September 2024 exclusively on the app or website for the travel period between 28 October 2024 and 15 February 2025.

**All-in fares are quoted for one-way travel only, including airport taxes, MAVCOM fees, fuel surcharges, and other applicable fees. Other terms and conditions apply.

Chinese tourists explore beyond capitals

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TTR WEEKLY
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SHANGHAI, 27 September 2024: As millions of Chinese travellers prepare for the upcoming Golden Week holiday, 1 to 7 October, Trip.com Group’s latest data reveals notable travel flows for the last major travel period of 2024. 

Already, Trip.com is witnessing hotel bookings peak in arrivals on 1 October — the day the holiday commences — with the average length of stays over seven days, as workers enjoy a 10-day break by taking just two days off. Total booking growth for stays has also grown year-on-year.

High-quality, mid-tier stays thrive

Regarding travel costs, the top outbound destinations (Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, the UK, and the US) have all seen a significant drop in average air ticket prices (including taxes). Travellers increasingly seek high-quality, mid-tier accommodation types. However, in Europe, year-on-year growth of five-star hotel bookings was almost three times higher than in Asia-Pacific.

Long-haul travel on the rise

A significant shift towards long-haul destinations can be seen this year, with Australia, the United States, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain topping the list of most sought-after long-haul destinations by Chinese travellers. Long-haul flights have seen an increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

European destinations like the UK, Spain, Germany, and Italy are seeing significantly more extended stays, surpassing 10 to 14 days.

Trip.com says more than 30% of Chinese travellers heading for Europe choose multi-destination itineraries, while nearly 80% of Chinese travellers in Asia Pacific opt for single-destination trips.

Additionally, travellers plan further in advance, with visa applications submitted an average of 68 days before the holiday — 29 days earlier than last year. The top countries for National Day visa applications include Japan, South Korea, Australia, the US, Vietnam, New Zealand, the UK, France, and Spain.

Lesser known destinations spark travel flows

With overtourism being one of the challenges for key destinations worldwide, Chinese travellers have increasingly been drawn to quieter, off-the-beaten-path locations this Golden Week, particularly in the Asia-Pacific and Europe regions. 

Japanese cities off the main circuit of Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto, like Yokohama, Takayama and Ito, showed three-digit booking growth, underscoring this trend. Additionally, nature and wellness tourism saw a rise, with Phu Quoc Islands in Vietnam and the hot spring town of Higashiizu in Japan becoming popular for their scenic landscapes and wellness experiences.

European destinations such as Granada and Seville also captured significant attention, with bookings rising 260% and 144%, respectively, reflecting a desire for greater cultural and historical immersion beyond key capitals.

Live entertainment fuels bookings

Live entertainment is pivotal in travel trends this season, with key concerts and events in the Asia-Pacific region happening during the October holiday. Moreover, over 75% of tourists visiting the APAC region are millennials, who have shown strong interest in events and concerts.

Around the holiday period, popular K-pop artists such as Taemin and Taeyang will captivate audiences in Hong Kong, alongside international acts such as John Legend and Ne-Yo. In Bangkok, the girl group Aespa is a draw, while in South Korea, Busan’s Festival Shiwol blends entertainment, culture, and business in a massive event that is expected to draw 450,000 visitors.

In Singapore, hotels within 3km of concert venues have experienced a 214% increase in unique views compared to those farther away, as tourists seek proximity to venues such as Singapore Indoor Stadium, Gateway Theatre, and Capitol Theatre, where major concerts are scheduled.

Cross-border surge in inbound tourism

The growth rate of inbound tourism has also been encouraging, with an increase in bookings. Nine out of 10 of the top outbound destinations were also the top inbound source markets, highlighting the two-way nature between outbound and inbound tourism for China.

This year, Thailand and Singapore, both offering mutual visa exemptions with China, ranked third and fifth respectively in inbound tourism.

About Trip.com Group
Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world. Its mission is “to pursue the perfect trip for a better world.” 

Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com

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