BANGKOK, 23 July 2024: Minor Hotels (China) has signed a management deal for a Tivoli and NH dual-branded property in Yining, Xinjiang, in Northwest China.
It marks the debut of the luxury Tivoli Hotels & Resorts and upscale NH Hotels & Resorts brands in Northwest China, which are due to open in 2026.
The project, covering 1.6 million square metres, will offer 200 rooms for each of the Tivoli and NH brands.
Yining, a bustling city on China’s western border, historically served as an essential trade hub on the Silk Road and now plays a crucial role in connecting Central Asia with Europe.
Known for its picturesque natural landscapes and rich ethnic cultures, Yining boasts numerous attractions, such as the Kazak Folk Tourism Area and Six Star Street, making it a popular destination for domestic and international tourists.
The Tivoli and NH hotels are near local tourist attractions and the central business district. The ease of access via highways, high-speed trains, and flights enhances its appeal.
The project, covering 1.6 million square metres, will include 200 guest rooms for each Tivoli and NH brand, a commercial zone, a cultural performance centre, and residential areas.
“We are excited to announce our first dual-branded property of Tivoli and NH Hotels in Northwest China,” said Minor Hotels Group CEO Dillip Rajakarier. “With such high profiles and strong reputations throughout Europe, we are confident that the Tivoli and NH brand offerings will appeal to Chinese and international travellers.”
Founded in Portugal in 1933, Tivoli Hotels & Resorts has expanded to countries like Brazil, Qatar, China, The Netherlands, Italy and Spain. Originally from Spain, NH Hotels & Resorts opened its first property in 1978. It operates over 230 hotels and resorts in destinations across Europe and the Americas and is expanding its footprint into other regions.
SINGAPORE, 23 July 2024: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced its latest round of high-profile speakers for its upcoming Global Summit, featuring top leaders from the world’s leading Travel & Tourism businesses.
Hosted by Tourism Western Australia (TWA), the event will take place in Perth (Boorloo), Western Australia, from 8 to 10 October. Under the theme “Ancient Land: New Perspectives,” the Global Summit will spotlight Australia’s rich cultural heritage and natural wonders, emphasising innovation and sustainable growth. Industry trailblazers and international government officials from across the globe will converge in Perth to advance efforts for a safer, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future in Travel & Tourism.
Speaker line up
Top business leaders set to speak include Greg O’Hara, Certares founder and senior Managing Director and WTTC Chair; Matt Goldberg, TripAdvisor CEO; Audrey Hendley, American Express Travel President; Jerry Inzerillo, Diriyah Company Group CEO; Hiroyuki Takahashi, JTB Corp Chair of the Board; and James Thornton, Intrepid Travel CEO.
Adding star power, renowned wildlife conservationist and TV presenter Robert Irwin will also take the stage. Known for his dedication to wildlife conservation and inspiring positive change, Irwin follows in the footsteps of his legendary father, Steve Irwin.
WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson said: “The leading industrialists in Travel & Tourism who are shaping our sector and countries’ economies will be at WTTC’s Summit in Perth. Their insights and leadership are crucial as we shape the future of Travel & Tourism.
“Western Australia, with its stunning natural beauty and deep commitment to sustainability and cultural diversity, is the perfect backdrop for this event. Hosting the Global Summit in Perth enables us to pioneer new ideas for tourism while honouring the land’s rich traditions and ancient heritage.”
The event will bring together government representatives worldwide, offering a platform for industry leaders and officials to exchange insights, discuss best practices, and explore innovative strategies to drive the resilience and growth of the Travel & Tourism industry.
WTTC’s 24th Global Summit aims to be a game-changer, setting the course for a dynamic and sustainable future in Travel & Tourism.
DOHA, 23 JULY 2024: Qatar Airways will unveil its latest business class offering, the ‘Qsuite Next Gen’, at the upcoming Farnborough International Air show 2024 (FIA) from 22 to 26 July 2024.
The Qsuite Next Gen will form the centrepiece of the airline’s presence at the prestigious international air show, which gathers aviation leaders worldwide to showcase innovations at the famous annual air show hosted in the UK.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “We are confident that the reveal of our latest business class offering will be a huge draw for the global aviation community. We also look forward to welcoming visitors to our installations and onboard our aircraft which will be on display, to experience what we offer.”
Visitors to the air show can also check out the airline’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and discover Qatar Airways’ private jet product and service onboard Qatar Executive’s Gulfstream G700. The airline is the first commercial carrier in the world to operate this aircraft.
MANILA, 23 July 2024: The Philippines has launched a cruise visa waiver programme (CVW) to strengthen the country’s status as a premier cruise destination in Asia.
The initiative will streamline visa processes and attract more international cruise ships to the country, which has more than 7,600 islands and historic cities steeped in heritage and culture.
Photo credit: DOT. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and team celebrate winning the Best Port of Calls 2024 Award.
The Department of Tourism, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) finalised details of the programme following a series of “listening tour convergence meetings” with tourism stakeholders, including the private sector.
During the launch of the visa waiver for cruise visitors, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco highlighted the importance of the CVW programme in promoting convenience and accessibility for cruise tourists.
“It is imperative for us to fully harness the potential of our destinations and open up opportunities to all of our region’s provinces, cities, and municipalities. Therefore, the cruise visa waiver programme allowing the Philippines to become more accessible, welcoming, and attractive to the world is a welcome initiative,” the Tourism Chief explained.
The scheme provides a fast means for visa-required cruise tourists to visit the Philippines under the waiver process. Eligible tourists must arrive and depart via cruise ship, be handled by a Bureau of ImmigrationI-accredited cruise tour operator, and hold a passport valid for at least six months from their arrival date.
The programme should increase cruise ship arrivals, contributing to the DOT’s goal of boosting foreign tourist arrivals and enhancing the overall tourism experience, which is aligned with the National Cruise Tourism Development Strategy and Action Plan.
Secretary Frasco highlighted the country’s tourism growth and appeal as a cruise destination. This year, cruise ships will make 117 port calls, during which guests can go ashore to join sightseeing tours.
In 2023, 101,000 cruise passengers visited the Philippines during 123 port calls, while the DOT forecasts 117 port calls in 2024 with 118,000 cruise visitors.
Challenges for cruises visiting the Philippines
While the Philippines is working to attract more cruises, there are still challenges.
Limited port infrastructure: Some popular tourist destinations lack proper cruise terminals to handle larger ships.
Environmental concerns: There are worries about the impact of large cruise ships anchoring near coral reefs.
Balancing economic benefits: Cruise passengers can generate revenue through shore excursions, but they typically don’t stay long and spend less than mainstream tourists.
Philippines picks up cruise award
Meanwhile, the Philippines received the prestigious Best Ports of Call 2024 award at the 10th Asia Cruise Awards, held earlier this month during the Asia Cruise Forum in Jeju Island, Korea.
In a ceremonial awarding of the cruise citation held during the launch of the Cruise Visa Waiver (CVW) Programme on 16 July, Secretary Frasco added: “These accolades reaffirm our vision and validate our efforts in positioning our country as a must-visit destination for cruise enthusiasts.”
The annual Asia Cruise Forum in Jeju provides a platform for cruise industry stakeholders to collaborate on creating a competitive advantage for Asia in the cruise tourism landscape. The Asia Cruise Awards celebrated during the forum, honour excellence across various sectors of the cruise industry.
HONG KONG, 23 July 2024: Cathay Pacific and HK Express carried about 92,000 passengers combined on 30 June, the highest daily number since the pandemic.
Cathay Pacific released its traffic figures for June 2024 last week, showing the group’s airlines carried 1,837,706 passengers, an increase of 18.7% compared with June 2023.
June’s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 23.7% year-on-year. Passenger load factor decreased by 4.2 percentage points to 83.5%, while available seat kilometres (ASKs) increased by 30% year-on-year.
During the first six months of 2024, passengers carried increased by 36.4% to 10,659,601, against a 42.7% increase in ASKs and a 34.9% increase in RPKs, as compared with the same period in 2023.
Travel peak
Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau commented: “Following a slightly quieter month in May, travel sentiment rebounded in June with leisure travel on both long-haul and short-haul routes performing well. Demand for long-haul travel was driven by the peak season for returning student traffic, and load factors for the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Europe were each close to 90%. The resumption of our summer seasonal Barcelona service was also popular with customers, particularly those originating from Hong Kong, Spain and Australia.
“In terms of short-haul leisure travel, the Dragon Boat Festival and Hong Kong SAR Establishment Day long-holiday weekends drove strong demand from our home market, with Japan remaining a popular destination for our customers.”
Summer outlook
“The outlook for the summer travel peak remains robust across our network. Looking ahead, we will continue to introduce new destinations for our customers to explore,” said Lau. We were delighted to announce earlier this month that we will be launching a four-times-weekly service to Ningbo in August and a three-times-weekly seasonal service to Cairns between December and March next year, both of which we expect to be popular with customers. As a group, we have already announced 10 new destinations so far this year, seven of which have commenced services.”
SINGAPORE, 23 July 2024: Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary, has confirmed it will launch a new route from its home base at Singapore Chang to Subang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, effective 1 September 2024.
The low-cost airline will use an A320 to serve the route daily, marking a milestone by establishing an international service between Singapore Changi and Subang.
Six domestic routes* operate from Subang to destinations in Malaysia, and Firefly serves just one international route from Subang to Seletar Singapore (XSP). Malaysia Airlines’ subsidiary musters six flights daily on the XSP-SZB route using an ATR72, with the first flight departing XSP at 0635 and the last at 1830. Flight time is one hour and 25 minutes.
Last week, TransNusa, an Indonesian low-cost airline, confirmed it plans to start daily flights between Jakarta and Subang in Malaysia on 1 August. Scoot’s announcement followed just days later, on 18 July, confirming it was introducing its daily flights on the Changi-Subang route, effective 1 September.
With the addition of Subang, Scoot’s route network will increase to 70 destinations, including Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur International Airport), Kuantan, Kuching, Langkawi, Miri, Penang and Sibu in Malaysia. By September 2024, Scoot will operate 110 weekly flights to Malaysia.
Booking for flights to and from Subang opened 18 July via Scoot’s website and mobile app and gradually through other channels. For the short one-hour flight between Singapore and Subang, all-in economy class fares start at SGD83 and MYR108, inclusive of taxes.
Subang Airport (SZB) is 21.5 km from the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. The commute time is around 32 minutes by car. In contrast, Kuala Lumpur International Airport is 55.6 km from Kuala Lumpur, and it has a commute time of 32 minutes.
Boost for business travel
Commenting on the news, business travel specialists FCM Travel Asia noted that business travellers who frequently fly between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur now have an alternative to travel between these two cities.
“We have also seen a 17% uplift in business travellers flying from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, a popular business route within Asia, said FCM Travel’s General Manager Southeast Asia Kenji Soh.
“Subang Airport is easily accessible with shorter waiting times, allowing business travellers to reach their destinations quickly, which makes it an alternative worth considering. With investments in Subang Airport, roads, and infrastructure expansion, business travellers will most certainly welcome the option of travelling in narrow-body jets from Changi Airport.”
Data from FCM Travel shows a 38% increase in customers travelling from Singapore to Malaysia from January to June 2024 compared to last year. The economic partnership between Singapore and Malaysia has thrived with significant bilateral investment flows between both countries with plans to foster new areas of cooperation in trade and investments, renewable energy and connectivity.
* Alor Setar, Johor Bharu, Kota Bharu, Langkawi, Penang and Trengganu.
HONG KONG, 19 July 2024: Emirates has officially opened its Travel store in Hong Kong, representing a significant milestone in its expansion in the city.
It also marks the first Emirates Travel Store in the East Asia region as part of a retail blueprint that will roll out in phases across the wider Asian region and the airline’s global network.
Emirates’ travel store was officially inaugurated by Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Far East Orhan Abbas, in the presence of Shaikh Saoud Al Mualla, UAE Consul General and Sultan Alriyami, Emirates Area Manager for Hong Kong. The opening ceremony was also attended by distinguished guests, as well as trade and media partners.
The opening of the Emirates travel store in Hong Kong reinforces the airline’s commitment to providing a reimagined retail travel experience by bringing its world-renowned products, services and signature hospitality even closer to customers in the city.
Located in the Nexxus Building, the latest concept store offers a comprehensive range of premium services, including flight reservations, ticketing, and personalised customer assistance.
“We are delighted to inaugurate the first Emirates travel store in the Far East region, in Hong Kong, to deliver an enhanced and exceptional service to our valued customers. The city has always been strategically important for us. By launching our first travel store in Central Hong Kong, we aim to offer our valued customers an elevated travel retail experience and better deliver Emirates’ hospitality at every step of the customer journey. In line with our ‘Fly Better’ promise, Emirates travel store combines advanced technology with personalised service provided by our well-versed travel consultants to ensure a seamless and enriching experience for our customers,” said Orhan.
Discover a World of Travel Possibilities at the Emirates Travel Store
The 1500 sqft retail space exudes a relaxing, lounge-like environment with its light and modern furniture. Customers can comfortably book their travel arrangements at the four dedicated customer service counters, which cater to flight reservations, ticketing, and general enquiries. Knowledgeable travel consultants accord customers with the renowned Emirates hospitality and personalised assistance from the moment tickets are purchased, enabling them to enjoy a seamless and enriching experience in planning travel itineraries tailored to their needs.
Sizeable interactive screens throughout the store encourage customers to capture amusing selfies with friends against iconic Emirates backgrounds. Smart technology-powered self-service screens minimise wait times and facilitate faster service, while LED screens showcase the latest Emirates products and promotional offers.
Another highlight of the new retail store is a limited-time Premium Economy Class seat display, which gives customers a firsthand preview of the exceptional comfort they will be treated to when flying in this sought-after cabin class. Customers visiting the store can also peruse a curated selection of Emirates official merchandise and travel accessories.
Emirates Soars to New Heights in Hong Kong
Emirates currently operates 21 flights per week between Hong Kong and Dubai. Underscoring its commitment to the Hong Kong market, the airline recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to boost inbound tourism to the city from various key areas across Europe and the Middle East. In addition, the revamped Emirates Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport has been re-opened to passengers. At the same time, coverage of its complimentary Chauffeur-drive service has been extended to include Business Class passengers in Hong Kong, further enhancing their travel experience.
Unlock Bonus Miles by Joining Emirates Skywards In-Store
To make the Emirates retail travel experience even more rewarding, customers who sign up for the award-winning loyalty programme Emirates Skywards using the in-store self-service kiosk between now and 31 July 2024 are entitled to a bonus of 2,000 Skywards Miles. Meanwhile, existing members can earn Skywards Miles at Emirates’ worldwide partners, such as hotels, airlines, car rentals, retail stores and banks, which they can then use to redeem reward tickets, upgrades or access to concerts and sports events. While visiting Dubai, members can accrue Miles with the airline’s partners throughout the city, including Dubai Mall, Arabian Adventures and Emirates Holiday.
KOTA KINABALU, 19 July 2024: Sabah’s booth at the recently concluded Rutland Global BirdFair, United Kingdom, was a hive of activity, yielding 44 prospects.
The bird fair, which ran from 12 to 14 July saw Sabah Wildlife Resorts securing 19 leads, followed by 1 StopBorneo Wildlife with 14 leads, and Borneo Nature Tours with 11 leads.
Assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (right) sharing views with Dr John Cordor of the World Pheasant Association. Also in the photo is Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Julinus Jimit (left).
The Sabah delegation, led by Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, also engaged with the event’s organiser, the World Pheasant Association, and wildlife writers and travel influencers.
Joniston, who chairs Sabah Tourism Board (STB), said the overwhelming interest garnered at the bird fair affirms Sabah’s rising reputation as a premier birding destination.
“Each prospect garnered is not only a business opportunity but a reflection of STB’s strategic global market positioning, which stresses our commitment to diversifying tourism offerings while conserving our natural heritage.
“Sabah involvement in the Global BirdFair is more than just a milestone in the birdwatching scene, and I am confident Sabah has the capacity to lead the way in responsible birding tourism with its participation.
“This reflects our commitment to the Sabah Maju Jaya development blueprint, where we promote sustainable economic growth and environmental stewardship that boost birdwatching tourism through habitat preservation and enhancing visitor experiences,” he added.
Sabah delegation included STB Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jimit and Sabah Birdwatchers Association President Rod Pudin.
Julinus emphasised Sabah’s consistent presence at the birding event since 2009, ensuring the visibility of Sabah, North Borneo, as a brand and instilling market confidence.
“We are committed to positioning Sabah, North Borneo, as a preferred birding destination globally, offering value for money complemented by the other tourism attractions such as Sabah’s unique wildlife, culture and islands.
“STB will continue to participate in this global event and hope not only to solidify Sabah’s position as a premier birding destination but also to empower Sabah’s rural community via this niche tourism,” he said.
Tourism stakeholders from Sabah who attended the fair under the STB reported that they also received repeat visitors to the state in addition to new visitors.
One StopBorneo Wildlife’ Shavez Cheema commented: “I have attended other travel fairs in New York, Brunei and Germany in the recent past independently, but this event was by far the most productive and effective.
“We gained more prospective buyers from this single event for our grassroots group than all other events combined”, he added, thanking the Sabah Tourism Board for the opportunity.
Meanwhile, one UK bird enthusiast, Nina Morris, who has booked a tour to Sabah in August 2024, commented: “I’m very excited to visit Sabah again after 30 years. I can’t wait to experience the amazing birds and wildlife in Sabah.”
According to the Future Marketing Insight report published in March 2024, the Ornithology Tourism market is valued at USD659.7 billion in 2024.
The top five countries forecasted to have a compound annual growth rate between 5% and 9% are the US, Australia, China, Japan and India towards 2034.For more information on wildlife and birding tourism in Sabah, head to the website www.sabahtourism.com.
GURUGRAM, 19 JULY 2024: Air India has announced an exclusive new partnership with The Bicester Collection, a family of luxury shopping villages, for the airline’s recently redesigned Flying Returns loyalty programme.
The partnership offers Flying Returns reward points on shopping and dining experiences at The Bicester Collection’s open-air luxury shopping villages in Western Europe.
Flying Returns members can collect five points for every GBP4 or EUR4 spent at any of The Bicester Collection’s Villages in Europe. The villages are located a one-hour or less commute from the major cities — London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, Munich, Brussels, Dublin, Madrid, and Barcelona.
To earn Reward Points, members need to present their Air India Flying Returns digital membership card along with their receipts at Concierge Services in the villages.
The Bicester Collection’s villages are home to iconic global and European fashion and lifestyle brands offering exceptional savings all year round alongside five-star hospitality and services.
Air India Head of Marketing, Loyalty & E-commerce Sunil Suresh said: “This partnership aligns perfectly with our ongoing efforts to make the ‘reimagined’ Flying Returns a more robust and faster rewarding programme.
“Adding The Bicester Collection to our rapidly growing network of ‘earn’ partners, we’re offering our loyal guests even more opportunities to accumulate points for the experiences they value.”
“The demand for luxury shopping among Indians continues to boom at a record pace, with Indians now being counted amongst the highest spenders during their travels across the world. We’re also equally excited to offer the benefits of this collaboration to our growing base of loyal guests across Europe, to whom we now offer many new ways of collecting Flying Returns points beyond just taking flights to and within India”, Suresh added
This announcement marks the latest step in the airline’s continuing effort to transform Flying Returns. It comes as the airline enters a new phase of its ongoing five-year transformation journey.
In April this year, Air India overhauled Flying Returns, introducing a simplified new structure, more customer-friendly features, renamed tiers, and an updated identity for the programme.
The revamped Flying Returns moves away from the legacy model of miles-based collection of points to a more equitable spend-based approach.
Over the last 18 months, Air India has added over 50 partners for Flying Returns to offer greater ease, more rewards, and recognition for its members.
Air India serves Europe with 94 weekly nonstop flights to India from 10 points, namely Amsterdam Schiphol, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Milan Malpensa, Paris CDG, Vienna, and Zurich.
As it continues to grow its global footprint, Air India has been scaling up its European operations, having inaugurated flights to Zurich last week and with additional flights to Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Milan taking off this month.
SINGAPORE, 19 July 2024: Digital travel platform Agoda reports an increase in searches for Thailand’s Samui Island during June 2024, with international searches rising by 26% and domestic searches up by 8% compared to last year.
The growing number of accommodation searches coincides with the buzz surrounding the third season of the popular TV show The White Lotus, which will feature the island.
Agoda’s data shows that the five top source markets driving searches are Israel, India, Germany, South Korea, and Malaysia, with Singapore, Japan, the UK, France, and the USA completing the top 10.
Samui Island attracts more non-Asian accommodation searches than are registered for Thailand, with five out of the top 10 markets being non-Asian. In contrast, the US is the only non-Asian source market appearing in the top 10 Thailand searches.
Agoda Senior Vice President Supply Andrew Smith shared: “Samui Island’s growing appeal is evident from the increased search activity on our platform. The island’s distinctive charm, combined with the buzz around The White Lotus, draws more international and domestic travellers.”
Samui’s popularity is expected to gain a further boost thanks to the popular HBO TV show The White Lotus. The show, which was filmed on the island earlier this year, is expected to be released in 2025. The cast includes stars like Patrick Schwarzenegger and Thailand’s BLACKPINK’s megastar LaLisa Manobal.
