SINGAPORE, 16 April 2024: Air Astana will resume flights from Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, to Seoul in South Korea, boost domestic and international flights, and increase frequencies across its network during the summer flight schedule that began last week.
The airline will resume direct international flights from Astana to Seoul and domestic flights from Astana to Kostanai. Seasonal flights from Astana and Almaty to Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica, will operate three times a week, together with flights at the same frequency from Astana to Georgia’s capital Tbilisi and from Almaty to Heraklion in Crete.
The summer flight schedule also includes flight increases on routes from Almaty to Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, up to 14 times a week; to Kyrgystan’s capital, Bishkek, up to eight times a week and Tbilisi, up to nine times a week; to Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe up to four times a week; to Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku up to three times a week and to Urumqi in western China up to five times a week. Flights from Almaty to Seoul will now operate daily. Flights from Astana to Tashkent increase to three times a week.
About Air Astana Group Air Astana Group is the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus regions in terms of revenue and fleet size. The group operates a fleet of 50 aircraft split between Air Astana, its full-service airline established in 2002, and FlyArystan, its low-cost airline established in 2019.
SINGAPORE, 16 April 2024: Finnair has updated its traffic programme for summer 2025 by adding more flights to Tokyo and Nagoya in Japan.
In Japan, Finnair will add frequencies to make it double daily to Tokyo — daily flights to Tokyo Haneda and daily to Tokyo Narita in the summer of 2025. Additionally, Nagoya will get a third weekly service.
Photo credit: Finnair. Finnair plans flights to Kirkenes, Northern Norway, in the summer of 2025. Hurtigruten Cruises sails to and from Kirkenes.
Finnair will also introduce a new destination in Northern Norway, Kirkenes, starting in the summer of 2025*. Finnair will fly to Kirkenes from Helsinki via Ivalo three times a week, using a 68-seater ATR aircraft. The new route serves Finnish and international travellers looking to explore Finnish Lapland and Northern Norway and experience, for example, the famous Hurtigruten cruise that sails to and from Kirkenes.
In the Baltics, Finnair will add frequencies to Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius for the summer of 2025. Finnair has also updated its winter 2024 traffic programme on the Helsinki-Dallas route to offer year-round daily flights.
*Winter season 2024: 27/10/2024 to 29/3/2025; summer season 2025: 30/3/2025 to 25/10/2025.
BANGKOK, 16 April 2024: Vietjet released its 2023 audit report last week, indicating a robust expansion of its international flight network and a revenue generation of USD2.16 billion from its transportation business.
Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company (HOSE: VJC) reported that its separate air transport revenue and consolidated revenue reached VND53.7 trillion (USD2.16 billion) and VND58.3 trillion (USD2.35 billion), respectively, increasing by 62% and 45% YoY in the order given.
Vietjet launched the Brisbane – Ho Chi Minh City route.
Pre-tax profit
Notably, the company recorded a turnaround of pre-tax air transport profit and consolidated profit at VND471 billion (USD18.98 million) and VND606 billion (USD24.42 million), respectively.
As of 31 December 2023, Vietjet’s total assets totalled more than VND86.9 trillion (USD3.5 billion). The company’s debt-to-equity ratio was at 2, well below the typical global range of between 3 and 5. Vietjet’s liquidity ratio stood at 1.3, which was within good range of the aviation industry. The cash and cash equivalents balance, as of 31 December 2023, was reported at VND5.051 trillion (USD203.62 million), ensuring the airline’s financial capacity.
In 2023, Vietjet paid approximately VND5.2 trillion (USD209.63 million) of direct and indirect taxes and fees.
Network expansion
Vietjet operated 133,000 flights with 25.3 million passengers onboard – a surge of 183% YoY, of whom more than 7.6 million were flying internationally during 2023.
Vietjet launched 33 new domestic and international routes, bringing the total number of routes to 125, including 80 international and 45 domestic routes.
Notable routes included Ho Chi Minh City – Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City – Vientiane, Hanoi – Siem Reap, Hanoi – Hong Kong, Phu Quoc – Taipei, Phu Quoc – and Ho Chi Minh City/ Hanoi – Jakarta, etc.
Vietjet is also now the largest operator of flights connecting Vietnam to India and Australia, helping promote trade and tourism.
Since early 2024, the airline has further opened a direct route between Hanoi and Sydney, lifting the total number of Vietnam-Australia routes to seven.
It has also commenced flights from Hanoi to Hiroshima (Japan) and Ho Chi Minh City to Chengdu (China), bringing about opportunities to strengthen bilateral tourism and trade. Domestically, Vietjet has inaugurated the new route Hanoi – Dien Bien to take travellers to the historic destination of Dien Bien Phu.
The airline’s average load factor rate reached 87%, and the technical reliability rate was 99.72%. As of 31 December 2023, Vietjet’s fleet consisted of 105 aircraft, including the wide-body A330s.
SINGAPORE, 11 April 2024: If you are planning a wellness trip that breaks the routine with activities that cleanse the body and mind and connect you with nature, Spain offers boundless opportunities.
Take a deep breath and find your retreat to achieve the total relaxation you deserve. You can find options inviting you to enjoy a holiday that puts personal care and health first in mountain and inland destinations and by the sea. Unplug in idyllic landscapes with special yoga and pilates retreats, meditation retreats, or mindfulness retreats. There are also more rounded experiences that combine the above with body treatments, massages, spa circuits, coaching, or even healthy eating workshops.
Anti-stress treatments in Mallorca and Menorca
Prioritise taking care of your mind and achieving a state of zen, and choose from the programmes offered by hotels in Mallorca and Menorca, in the Balearic Islands. At establishments focused on agrotourism and promoting habits that improve quality of life, you will find plans that combine anti-stress, detox or slimming treatments with spa, fitness and yoga.
Listen to yourself in the silence of the Pyrenees
Suppose you must incorporate something more specific, including physiotherapy, injury recovery or nutritional advice, then target your search in the Catalan provinces of Girona and Lleida. In the Alto Ampurdán region, programmes for relaxing exercise, healthy eating, massage, and other rehabilitative experiences tailored to your circumstances or injuries. In the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees, activities on offer include workshops on healthy eating and cooking, yoga and Pilates, emotional intelligence and mindfulness, excursions, spa circuits, physiotherapy and even individual coaching sessions.
In Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park, in the province of Huesca, Aragon, you can discover projects that have converted old abandoned houses into sustainable ecological spaces for yoga retreats.
Meditation and hiking in the Sierra de Gredos
Another option for meditation retreats in Spain, paired with hiking, is the Sierra de Gredos Regional Park. It is easy to find rural hotels and personal development centres that offer this type of experience, both in the province of Ávila and in the towns and villages of this amazing natural setting in Cáceres, Extremadura. In addition to hatha or vinyasa yoga, you will learn breathing techniques such as pranayama or yoga nidra or conscious sleep.
Relax among waterfalls at the Monasterio de Piedra
If you are one of those people who still isn’t quite sure how meditation fits your lifestyle, check out the Monasterio de Piedra, in Nuévalos, just an hour from Zaragoza, you’ll find many answers. More than 800 years of art, architecture and nature to revel in, with endless walks among its breathtaking waterfalls. The spa hotel, located in a part of the old 13th-century Cistercian monastery from which the complex takes its name, has been declared a historical monument.
Redes Natural Park, ecotourism wellness
In the heart of Redes Natural Park, which is declared a biosphere reserve, you have a range of eco-tourism options that combine relaxation, leisure, and gastronomy. A plan of therapies and treatments in the mountains with a spa, a sauna and panoramic views.
SAMUI ISLAND, Thailand, 11 April 2024: Nestled on the shores of Lamai Beach, OUTRIGGER Koh Samui Beach Resort unveils its newest offering: a world-class indoor laser tag venue, setting a new benchmark for upscale family entertainment in this captivating tropical paradise.
As the premier and sole indoor laser tag facility on Koh Samui, OUTRIGGER’s laser tag centre promises an unparalleled experience for guests of all ages. Armed with cutting-edge technology, such as infrared-emitting light guns and infrared-sensitive signalling vests, players engage in thrilling battles that test their agility, strategy and marksmanship skills against the backdrop of the resort’s glorious natural surroundings.
“Our goal is to elevate the vacation experience for families visiting Koh Samui,” said OUTRIGGER Koh Samui Beach Resort General Manager Leah Matters. “Our exclusive indoor laser tag venue and many family-friendly amenities ensure that guests can create unforgettable memories together, regardless of the weather.”
OUTRIGGER Koh Samui’s renowned barefoot luxury amenities complement the laser tag’s appeal. The resort caters to every aspect of a beachfront family vacation, from the Coral Kids’ Club to the Edgewater Family Beach Club, four pristine beachfront pools, an exhilarating water slide, and spacious connecting family rooms.
Young guests can also indulge in a dynamic children’s activities programme featuring engaging arts and crafts sessions, lively dance activities and a well-equipped games room with pool tables, air hockey and movies in a state-of-the-art insulated movie room.
The laser tag facility at OUTRIGGER Koh Samui Beach Resort operates from 1000 2200, offering exceptional value at THB350 (USD10) for a five-hour session or THB500 (USD14) per person for a day pass.
Discover the epitome of barefoot luxury, excitement and unforgettable family adventures at OUTRIGGER Koh Samui Beach Resort. Book your stay today at OUTRIGGER.com and immerse yourself in the splendour of this tropical oasis.
ABOUT OUTRIGGER KOH SAMUI BEACH RESORT OUTRIGGER Koh Samui Beach Resort is an elegant, colonial-style resort featuring 146 spacious rooms and suites, all with a private balcony or garden terrace. The resort, located on the shores of Lamai Bay, offers an abundance of recreational activities, such as beachfront swimming pools and waterslides, Muay Thai boxing, yoga, beachfront massage salas, a fitness centre, Coral Kids Club, and a games room.
ABOUT OUTRIGGER RESORTS & HOTELS For over 75 years, OUTRIGGER has charted a journey of discovery – expanding from Hawaii to premier resort destinations, including Fiji, Mauritius, Thailand and the Maldives.
SINGAPORE, 11 April 2024: Minor Hotels will debut its NH Collection brand in Africa this July after signing an agreement with The Cavaleros Group to manage a hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa.
From 1 July 2024, the group will manage the hotel in Sandton, the financial district of South Africa’s largest city. The 329-key property will first operate as NH Sandton and, following extensive refurbishment, will be rebranded to NH Collection Sandton.
Photo credit: Minor Hotels. (Left) Minor International Chairman William Heinecke and (right) Cavaleros Group CEO Penny Cavaleros.
The property is located approximately 20 km from OR Tambo International Airport.
Minor International Chairman William Heinecke commented: “We are thrilled to sign this strategic partnership with the Cavaleros Group to launch NH and, soon, NH Collection in South Africa. With it, we will launch our first property in the country. This property will join our growing portfolio of African hotels, where our Anantara, Avani, and Elewana brands are already present. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with Penny and the Cavaleros team.”
Minor Hotels currently operates 27 hotels and resorts in eight African countries under its Anantara, Avani, and Elewana Collection brands, and it has a pipeline of future properties.
NH Collection has an existing portfolio of over 90 properties worldwide and can be found in top city locations across Europe and the Americas, with the first properties launched last year in the Middle East, on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, and in the Maldives.
The brand will debut in Asia later this year with the opening of NH Collection Chiang Mai in Thailand. Further properties will launch this year, including in Finland and Qatar.
SINGAPORE, 11 April 2024: Six Taylor Swift concerts hosted in Singapore delivered the highest March average daily rate (ADR) for hotels and pushed revenue per available room (RevPAR) to a new record, according to preliminary data from CoStar.
CoStar, a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics in the property markets, released details yesterday measuring Singapore’s hotel performance during March.
March 2024 (year-over-year % change):
Occupancy: 79.1% (+5.1%) Average daily rate (ADR): SGD358.91 (+12.7%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): SGD284.03 (+18.5%)
Historically, Q1 and Q2 daily occupancy levels are lower post-Chinese New Year and before events pick up in Q3. The Taylor Swift Eras Tour boosted Singapore hotel occupancy, with the highest daily levels seen during the six-concert dates (2 to 4 and 7 to 9 March). Saturday, 2 March, and Sunday, 3 March, led to Singapore’s hotels reporting occupancy at 92.7% and 92.5%, respectively.
Overall, the market’s daily occupancy levels were above 70% on all but three days. Swift’s performances also pushed ADR levels as high as SGD438.36 on Saturday, 2 March.
The Eras Tour in Singapore was described as a resounding success, evidenced by several factors outlined in post-tour evaluations.
Standout performance
Sold-out shows: All six nights at the National Stadium were completely sold out, indicating high demand and enthusiastic fan response. Ticket sales alone were estimated to generate around SGD75.2 million (USD54.9 million).
Critical acclaim: Reviews highlighted the tour’s impressive production value, masterful setlists spanning her career, and energetic performances.
Social media buzz: The concerts generated significant online discussions, with fans sharing their experiences and praising the show on platforms such as YouTube and popular social media channels.
Economic impact: The tour likely brought a significant economic boost to Singapore through tourism, merchandise sales, and increased activity in hospitality sectors such as the Marina Bay Sands. Increased spending occurred across various sectors, such as food and beverage establishments, retail stores (concert merchandise, souvenirs) and transportation services (taxis, rideshares). Economists projected additional revenue of around SGD300 million (USD225 million) to SGD400 million (USD296 million). Some estimates reached as high as SGD500 million (USD371.9 million).
A full APAC Eras Tour analysis can be found here For more information about the company and its products and services, visit www.costargroup.com.
KUALA LUMPUR, 11 April 2024: AirAsia X will resume services between Kuala Lumpur and Changsha, in China, to expand its presence in the Chinese market following the inaugural flight to Xi’an last week.
Starting on 5 July, travellers can fly directly from Kuala Lumpur to Changsha, the provincial capital and largest city of Hunan Province, with four weekly flights (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday).
Changsha is recognised as the home of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Wu Ling Yuan (Zhangjiajie), where the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar was filmed. The site draws thousands of movie fans annually.
Changsha marks AAX’s sixth direct route to China, complementing AirAsia Malaysia’s (AK) extensive network of 12 destinations within Greater China, comprising Guangzhou, Kunming, Guilin, Nanning, Quanzhou, Shantou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Macao, and Hong Kong.
AirAsia X CEO, Benyamin Ismail commented: “China has always been one of our most popular markets and continues to be amongst our fastest growing markets. Our announcement means we are further strengthening our foothold in China, where we have historically maintained a robust presence as the largest low-cost foreign carrier in the region. In 2019, we carried over 140,000 guests to and from Changsha, highlighting the robust demand for our services. Now, with strong pent-up demand, we are fully dedicated to propelling the industry forward to achieve the government’s international tourist arrival target of 27 million this year.”
AAX is support the return of flights to Changsha with discounted fares starting at MYR388 all-in* one way. All flights are available for booking from now until 21 April 2024, for travel between 5 July 2024 and 26 October 2024 on airasia.com or AirAsia MOVE app (previously known as airasia Superapp).
Malaysians are eligible for visa-free entry to China for tourist visits of up to 15 days until 30 November 2024.
Flight Schedule between Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and Changsha (CSX):
BANGKOK, 11 April 2024: Thai Vietjet launches ‘Songkran’s Splash Deals’ offering special fares starting at THB67 (excluding taxes and fees) on all of its domestic and international routes,
Bookings opened 10 April and remain open until midnight 13 April. The annual Songkran Festival runs from 12 to 16 April and one week later in Pattaya and surrounding districtions.
The fares are valid for travel from 16 May to 31 December 2024 (excluding Thai public holidays). Booking should be made at www.vietjetair.com.
The special promotional tickets starting at THB67 apply on Thai Vietjet’s entire domestic flight network from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Hat Yai, Surat Thani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, and Ubon Ratchathani. It also valid on direct cross-country routes between Phuket and two northern cities; Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
In addition, the THB67 is on offer for Thai Vietjet’s international flights from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Vietnam, China, Fukuoka, Phnom Penh, Singapore, and Taipei. It also applies to flights on the Chiang Mai – Osaka route.
Book flights via the airline’s website or mobile app, Vietjet Air. Another option is via Facebook (www.facebook.com/VietJetThailand) by clicking the “Booking” tab or by visiting the airline’s booking offices located at airports. Payment can be made with ‘True Money Wallet’ and international debit/credit cards.
Currently, Thai Vietjet operates 11 Thailand domestic routes, including flights from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, and Surat Thani plus direct cross-country flights linking Phuket with Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
SINGAPORE, 11 April 2024: Qantas Frequent Flyers will have access to over 20 million more reward seats with the launch of Classic Plus Flight Rewards.
A new way for members to use their Qantas Points to book flights, the change is described as “one of the biggest ever expansions of the Qantas Frequent Flyer programme in its 35-year history.”
It should make it easier to book flights to places like London, Tokyo, New York and Singapore with Qantas Points, even during peak times.
While usually requiring more points than the existing Classic reward seats, Classic Plus will represent some of the best value across the frequent flyer programme with much wider availability. Classic Plus reward seats are also eligible for upgrades.
The points required to book Classic Plus reward seats will vary like normal airfares, which means they’ll be lower during off-peak periods or when booking early and higher during peak periods.
Classic Plus reward seats may drop below a Classic reward seat on the same route during sales and promotions.
Bookings opened on Monday for Classic Plus reward seats on Qantas international flights departing Australia for travel from 1 July 2024 exclusively via qantas.com. By the end of the year, the program will roll out across the rest of the airline’s international and domestic network on Qantas-operated flights.
By the end of the calendar year 2024, when Classic Plus has fully launched across the international and domestic networks, members will have access to 20 million new reward seats for travel across the rolling 12-month booking window. There will be a similar level of availability on an ongoing basis.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said frequent flyers have more ways than ever to earn points, and a new flight reward option would offer more value for those who want to use their growing points balances on travel.
“The Qantas Frequent Flyer program is an integral part of Qantas and has always been about recognising our customers for their loyalty. We’ve spent a lot of time listening to members about how we can better reward them,” Hudson said.
“The growth and success of Qantas Loyalty are driven by engaged members who earn and redeem points across the frequent flyer program, including with our partners. That’s why we’re investing in making more seats available to book with points.”
Qantas will continue to offer more than 5 million existing Classic rewards seats across Qantas, Jetstar and 45 partner airlines, with no change to the points required to book these seats since 2019.
This financial year, Qantas will invest AUD60 million in more flight rewards for frequent flyers, which included adding 6,000 new premium Classic reward seats to Europe during peak travel times last October.
