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Discover Shanghai in less than 24 hours

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 9 APRIL 2024: International passengers with layovers at Shanghai Pudong International Airport for over eight hours can join Trip.Com Group’s free layover city tours, which will launch on 15 April.

Introduced by Trip.com Group, the ‘Shanghai Express’ tours will be offered to international travellers eligible for China’s 72/144-hour visa-free transit policy and those holding a 24-hour temporary entry permit issued by the airport border inspection.

“As visa-free transit policies open up new avenues for international travellers to explore China, Trip.com Group is excited to unveil this innovative programme for those with just a short stopover,” said Trip.com Head of Marketing Han Feng. 

Explore Shanghai between flights

Upon passing customs at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, travellers join the tours at the Trip.com Group currency exchange counter on Island A in the Departure Hall of Terminal 2 for in-person registration. 

A professional guide will be available at the counter one hour before the start of each tour to assist with the registration process. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Travellers will be able to choose from several tour timings. Each free tour accommodates a maximum of 10 travellers and lasts five to six hours, including transportation from and back to the airport.

Free tour options

Shanghai Highlights City Tour (0900-1400): A tour of classic Shanghai highlights, including exploring traditional Chinese architecture in the Yu Garden and viewing Shanghai’s iconic and futuristic skyline at the Bund.

Strolling Under the Trees Citywalk Tour (1600-2200): This tour is for romantics and urban history lovers. It includes a city walk through the old villas and charming cafes along the beautiful Wukang Road, an immersive visit to the Yu Garden, and a stroll along the historic Bund.

Huangpu River Cruise Sightseeing Night Tour (1800-2300): Experience the city that never sleeps, including a breathtaking night view of the Bund aboard the Huangpu River Cruise and a deep dive into the bustling Yu Garden at night.

Each tour, led by English-speaking guides, includes transportation, tickets, e-sim cards, and team insurance. If space permits, those seeking to travel light may store their luggage at the airport or on the shuttle bus.

The International Air Transport Association reveals that transit numbers have increased, with over 330,000 travellers experiencing layovers in mainland China last December alone. This represents a monthly growth of 47%. International airports in mainland China, particularly in Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou, have been hubs for international flights to and from the Asia Pacific.

Currently, nationals from 54 countries are eligible for the 72/144-hour transit visa-free policies in 23 cities across mainland China. They can apply for visa-free transit at border inspection in designated city ports as long as they hold valid international travel documents and interline tickets to countries or regions with confirmed dates and seats.

Additionally, foreign nationals with international connecting flights within 24 hours can transit through nine designated airports in mainland China without immigration procedures. Those interested in exploring the local city within this timeframe may obtain a 24-hour temporary entry permit by presenting their passports and connecting ticket flights, and filling out the Temporary Entry Card.

The Shanghai Express Tours are set against the backdrop of Trip.com Group’s various initiatives to support international travellers in discovering the beauty of China with ease as the country relaxes visa requirements.

With visa-free entry extended to Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg on 14 March, China is now visa-free for eligible travellers from 15 countries.

Trip.com Group witnessed a triple-digit year-on-year rise in international travel bookings to China in the first two months of 2024. Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Chengdu drew the most attention from global travellers, with theme parks like the Shanghai Disney Resort and historic sites like the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum capturing significant interest.

IATA reports strong travel demand

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 9 April 2024: Passenger demand rises 21.5% in February, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports its latest data released at the weekend.

Total demand*, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), was up 21.5% compared to February 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), was up 18.7% year-on-year. 

The February load factor was 80.6% (+1.9 percentage points compared to February 2023).

International demand rose 26.3% compared to February 2023. Capacity increased 25.5% year-on-year, and the load factor improved to 79.3% (+0.5ppt on February 2023).

Domestic demand rose 15.0% compared to February 2023; capacity was up 9.4% year-on-year, and the load factor was 82.6% (+4.0ppt compared to February 2023).

(*Note: February 2024 was a leap year with one extra day compared to February 2023. This slightly exaggerates growth in both demand and capacity to the positive.)

“The strong start to 2024 continued in February, with all markets except North America reporting double-digit growth in passenger traffic,” said IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh. “There is good reason to be optimistic about the industry’s prospects in 2024 as airlines accelerate investments in decarbonisation and passenger demand shows resilience in the face of geopolitical and economic uncertainties. Politicians must resist the temptation of cash grabs with new taxes that could destabilise this positive trajectory and make travel more expensive. In particular, Europe is a worry as it seems determined to lock in its sluggish economic recovery with uncompetitive tax proposals.” 

Regional Breakdown – International Passenger Markets

All regions showed double-digit growth for international passenger markets in February 2024 compared to February 2023. For the first time, demand for international services exceeded pre-pandemic levels (+0.9% compared to February 2019). However, this is skewed by February 2024 being a leap year with an extra day compared to February 2023.

Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 53.2% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased by 52.1% year-on-year, and the load factor rose to 84.9% (+0.6ppt compared to February 2023), the highest among all regions. 

European carriers saw a 15.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 16.0% year-on-year, and the load factor was 74.7% (flat compared to February 2023).

Middle Eastern airlines saw a 19.7% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 19.1% year-on-year, and the load factor rose to 80.8% (+0.4ppt compared to February 2023).

North American carriers saw a 16.0% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity increased 17.6% year-on-year, and the load factor fell to 77.7% (-1.1ppt compared to February 2023).

Latin American airlines saw a 21.0% year-on-year increase in demand, an 18.6% increase in capacity, and a load factor of 84.2% (+1.7ppt compared to February 2023).

African airlines saw a 20.7% year-on-year increase in demand, and capacity was up 22.1% year-on-year. The load factor fell to 74.0% (-0.8ppt compared to February 2023).

THA flies five daily to Tokyo

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 9 April 2024: Thai Airways International added its third direct roundtrip flight on the Bangkok – Tokyo Narita route last week.

Flight TG640 departs Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport at 2210 and arrives at Tokyo Narita International Airport at 0620 plus a day.
Flight TG621 departs Tokyo Narita at 1050 and arrives in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi at 1520.

Celebrating the return of TG641 on the Tokyo Narita – Bangkok route.

The airline schedules three flights daily from Narita International Airport to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

TG641 departs Narita at 1050  (A330-300 aircraft).
TG643 departs Narita at 1200 (Boeing 777-300ER)
TG 677 departs Narita at 1725 (Boeing 778-300ER)

In addition to the three flights daily on the Tokyo Narita-Bangkok route, the airline also flies the Tokyo Haneda (HND) – Bangkok route twice daily. It gives the airline five daily frequencies between Bangkok and Tokyo.

TG600 departs HND at 1300 (A350-900)
TG682 departs HND at 2245 (A350-900)

With five roundtrip flights daily, the Bangkok-Tokyo route is now a major source of passenger and cargo uploads. The average fare on the Bangkok – Tokyo route is USD620 (roundtrip fare, economy).

Competition is tough, with JAL, ANA, THAI, Thai AirAsia X, and Viva Macau all flying nonstop from Tokyo to Bangkok.

AirAsia X flies to Xi’an from KL base

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 9 April 2024: AirAsia celebrated another milestone as the only airline connecting Kuala Lumpur to Xi’an with the inaugural flight D7 346 departing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport last Friday.

The flight departed KLIA (Terminal 2) at 1905 on 4 April and landed at Xi’an Xianyang International Airport at 0030 (local time) on 5 April.

Xi’an is AAX’s fifth destination in China, following Beijing (Daxing), Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Chengdu (Tianfu), further reinforcing the airline’s commitment to expanding its presence in the Chinese market.

AirAsia X CEO, Benyamin Ismail said: “We are pleased to announce the resumption of services to this iconic city in China, making AAX the sole airline providing direct connectivity between Kuala Lumpur and Xi’an. As Malaysia-China’s economic cooperation is growing significantly and strengthening with visa-free initiatives, this route will be popular for leisure and significantly enhance tourism and trade opportunities between both nations.

“We eagerly anticipate further expansion of our footprint in China and look forward to supporting the government’s vision of welcoming five to seven million tourists from the country this year and bolstering tourism efforts for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.”

In celebration of this milestone, AAX will offer special promotional fares from 15 to 21 April 2024, starting at MYR488, valid for travel until 31 March 2025. The promotional flights are available for booking via airasia.com and the AirAsia MOVE app (formerly known as airasia Superapp).

MATTA: Monopoly hurts tourism busienss

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 5 April 2024: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) hails the ending of the Puspakom* monopoly as a vital step in transforming the tourism sector and congratulates YB Anthony Loke, Minister of Transport, for the “decisive move”.

The industry has long been plagued by inefficiencies related to the licensing of tourism vehicles, which has greatly impacted the industry and caused hardship and frustration amongst tourism vehicle operators.

This significant development marks a new era in the transportation industry, promising numerous benefits for stakeholders and consumers. MATTA recommended the following actions.

Improved Services and Benefits: The entry of various enterprises into the inspection services market marks a paradigm change that promotes healthy competition. More competition will result in a wider variety of service options, increased service quality and shorter wait times.

Improved Efficiency: The availability of multiple inspection providers will encourage service providers to streamline operations and provide timely, efficient service.

Innovation: New entrants to the market may bring greater innovation and technologies that will transform the inspection process, making it faster, more accurate, and more user-friendly. Embracing cutting-edge technologies would speed up inspections and increase overall customer satisfaction.

However, strict regulatory monitoring is essential to maintaining compliance with industry standards and safety regulations. With the expansion of inspection service providers, modernised regulatory frameworks are required to ensure the integrity and dependability of inspections. Government oversight will be critical in ensuring a level playing field and sustaining industry best practices.

“By liberalising such essential services, the Minister has taken the right step in helping transform the tourism industry and perhaps many others for the better. MATTA has also submitted many proposals over the years to the Ministry designed to ensure our tourism industry remains competitive, and we hope that the Minister will be able to address some of these very shortly,” said MATTA President Nigel Wong.

“In light of this bold move, we are also hoping that the Ministry of Finance and the Royal Malaysian Customs will look into the issue of the high insurance premiums for tourism vehicle operators and the lack of luxury vehicle permits for tourism, which puts us at a disadvantage when positioning Malaysia as a luxury tourism destination,” he added.

*Puspakom, appointed by the government in 1994, undertakes all mandatory inspections of commercial and private vehicles.
Puspakom’s monopoly on commercial vehicle inspection services expires on 31 August 2025. It will continue to offer inspections for 15 years from 1 September 2024 but bids will be opened to allow competing services ending the monopoly.

Norwegian summer flights to Spain

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TTR WEEKLY
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MUNICH Germany, 9 April 2024: The Scandinavian low-cost airline Norwegian is expanding its flights from Munich effective this week. 

In addition to its three Scandinavian destinations of Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen served from Munich it has resumed flights to Alicante and Malaga in Spain effective 1 April. 

The airline suspended the flights during the Covid pandemic.

Under the airline code D8, Norwegian Air Sweden – one of several subsidiaries of the Norwegian Group – will offer a late-morning flight every Monday and Friday to the Spanish port city of Alicante, known for its beautiful beaches, nightlife, narrow streets and colourful houses.

Picasso’s birthplace, Malaga, is famed for its miles of beaches and warm climate—two reasons why it is very popular with German vacationers. Flights to the city in Andalusia depart Munich at 1040 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

In addition to these Spanish destinations, Norwegian serves Oslo five times a week, Copenhagen three times a week, and Stockholm twice a week from Munich.

Emirates readies for Eid al Fitr celebrations

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI UAE, 5 April 2024: Marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, Eid al Fitr is expected to begin on 10 April, and Emirates will honour the occasion with an array of regional flavours onboard, traditional Eid dishes in the lounges, and new Arabic movies and TV series on ice.

Eid flavours onboard Emirates

From 10 to 13 April, economy-class customers departing Dubai will be treated to the flavoursome favourites of Eid, including chicken biryani with crunchy fried onions, raisins, and cashew nuts or tender lamb kibbeh labanieh with vermicelli rice and rich laban sauce. Eid-themed desserts include a halwa brownie with cardamom sauce and chocolate mousse topped with batheeth crumble.

Premium economy and business class customers can sample traditional chicken mashwi el jeder, with a spiced sauce, chickpea hashwa and ghee rice tossed with potatoes, or savour a fish matfy in a spiced tomato sauce and indulgent butter rice. Desserts include a fragrant pistachio and hibiscus namoura with raspberry curd or a luscious vanilla and rose mousse cake.

First-class customers can experience crafted dishes like hammour matfy, in Emirati style spiced tomato sauce with basmati rice, or braised beef short ribs machbouse with fragrant rice and a local spice blend, or succulent lamb kebabs marinating in spicy tomato butter. Eid desserts include vanilla and rose mousse cake with pistachio anglaise and fresh berries or a warm orange blondie served with white chocolate and vanilla cream tart drizzled in caramel sauce. All passengers will also receive a mini treat with their meal wishing them ‘Eid Mubarak,’ a sweet pumpkin Asseda, with an additional almond apricot tart for premium economy, business and first-class customers.   

In the A380 onboard lounge, a selection of Emirati pastries and Arabic coffee awaits. Customers can also help themselves to a decadent slice of pistachio cake with cream cheese or aromatic saffron and cardamom cake.

Emirates Lounges serve Eid favourites

In the Emirates, Lounges of Dubai on 10 April, first-class customers can explore a wide selection of options, including Arabic coffee, jallab and kamarruddin juice, hot and cold Arabic mezzeh, lamb ouzi or Arabic mixed grill followed by sweet treats of kunafa, kathayef and bassbousa. In business class lounges, there will be classic chicken khabsa and a range of tempting desserts available throughout the day like date mammoul, baklava pecan rolls and saffron bassbousa. Emirates first and business class guests are invited to the old-fashioned ice cream cart in the lounge to enjoy homemade Baklava and Arabic coffee ice cream, made especially for Eid celebrations.

Entertainment for Eid on Emirates ice

Various entertaining content will be available on the award-winning ice for those travelling over Eid al Fitr, from up to 6,500 channels of on-demand entertainment and more than 2000 movies worldwide. This includes more than 100 Arabic films, including new releases – Amakor, El Saf El Akheer and Al Masafa Sefr, and up to 285 Hollywood movies with Arabic subtitles, including new releases Napoleon, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Wish, Ferrari and Killers of the Flower Moon. There are 46 channels of Arabic TV series, including Chef Bel Beit, Lo’bat Al Hayah and series from  Shahid including Batn El Hout, Seeb Wa Ana Aseeb and El Ghareeb. Emirates customers can also enjoy 15 Arabic podcasts and audiobooks, The Holy Qur’an, and more than 500 channels of Arabic music, including pop, classics, Khaleeji, Maghrebi and Arabic fusion.
For flight information and to make a booking visit www.emirates.com.

Paying bills in China just got easier

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TTR WEEKLY
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BEIJING, 5 April 2024: CWT has introduced a new end-to-end central payment solution for hotel bookings in China.

Developed in partnership with corporate payments specialist AirPlus, the solution is integrated into the myCWT platform. It works for both self-service bookings made using the myCWT web and mobile apps and for travel counsellor-assisted bookings. 

It also covers all types of hotel content, including CWT business rates and client-negotiated rates, non-GDS content sourced via aggregators, and CWT’s direct API connections with hotels.

When a traveller books a hotel, their company’s payment information is captured when booking to cover the room rate and deposit. The traveller doesn’t need to provide a credit card at check-in, make any payment at check-out, or keep track of invoices from their stay to get reimbursed by their company. The company receives a consolidated monthly statement for all their travellers’ bookings, with a single, itemised invoice that facilitates easy VAT reclaim and expense management. 

“This new solution will address several major pain points for our customers,” said CWT General Manager China Albert Zhong. “The adoption of corporate credit cards and virtual cards in China is relatively low compared to many other markets worldwide. Business travellers here usually first pay for travel expenses out of pocket and then submit tax invoices for all these expenses to get reimbursed. A central payments solution not only creates a much better experience for travellers, it can also help companies gain greater control over their spending, increase policy compliance, improve hotel attachment rates, reduce the risk of fraudulent transactions, and streamline invoice reconciliation.”

CWT already offers central payments for air and rail bookings in China. An energy company and another company from the life sciences sector are the first customers that have signed up to use central payments for their hotel bookings. In the three months since making the switch, they have already seen their hotel attachment rates improve by 50 to 60%, while the use of their corporate negotiated hotel rates has climbed by around 20%

How do airlines cut back on inflight SUPS?

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 5 April 2024: Have you ever wondered what airlines are doing to reduce single-use plastics handed out to passengers on flights? 

Cathay counts SUPs, saying it distributed 7.7 items per passenger per flight in 2019 and targets reducing SUP rubbish to 1.5 items by 2025.

That is just one of Cathay’s practical targets in its 2023 Sustainability Report released this week.

Introducing the report’s key highlights, the airline says it is taking important strides towards establishing itself as a sustainability leader. 

Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam comments: “Sustainability is inherent in Cathay’s purpose — to move people forward in life. We understand that achieving this purpose sustainably and responsibly for current and future generations requires collective efforts… We aim to lead by example and reach new heights in building a more sustainable future.

“As a pioneer of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), we continue to lead the charge in accelerating collaboration and deployment of SAF within Asia. We are also dedicated to transitioning towards circular solutions by setting a clear roadmap for reducing single-use plastics (SUP) and waste. Meanwhile, in line with our longstanding commitment to positively contributing to Hong Kong society, we are proud to engage in many community initiatives with our primary focus on youth development.”

Highlights from the 2023 report

Committing to near-term climate improvements: Building upon its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Cathay set a new near-term target to improve its carbon intensity by 12% from the 2019 level by 2030. Cathay’s focus remains on accelerating SAF use, modernising its fleet and driving operational improvements to achieve this goal.

Accelerating SAF: SAF remains the most important lever for achieving Cathay’s new carbon intensity target and net-zero operations in the long run. In addition to driving further development of the SAF supply chain in the region and conducting its first overseas SAF uplift on commercial flights, Cathay has expanded its Corporate SAF Programme by establishing partnerships with new corporate clients and a non-governmental organisation.

A more sustainable use of resources: Cathay Pacific sets a new target to decrease passenger-facing single-use plastic products (SUPS) from an average of 7.7 items per passenger in 2019 to 1.5 pieces by 2025. Additionally, Cathay Pacific aims to reduce cabin waste by 30% from the 2019 baseline by 2030. 

These will be achieved by incorporating circular economy principles into its product and service design, selecting more sustainable or recycled materials upstream, and channelling used items back for recycling or repurposing.

Revitalising the Hong Kong community: Cathay successfully rejuvenated the Cathay Volunteer Team and engaged in various youth-centric programmes aligned with the Hong Kong SAR Government’s Strive and Rise Programme, including the popular Cathay Community Flight and Aviation Exploration Days.

Full details of Cathay’s performance and commitments to sustainable development are available in its 2023 Sustainability Report, available here.

Avalon Alegria sets sail in Portugal

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 5 April 2024: Surrounded by beautiful hillside vineyards in Pinhão, Portugal, Avalon Waterways christened its 15th Suite Ship during the Easter week. 

Avalon Alegria, one of Europe’s most sustainable vessels afloat, will sail Portugal’s Douro River. 

The new 262-foot, 102-passenger Avalon Alegria has 14 Deluxe Staterooms and 37 Panorama Suites. It is the first ‘suite ship’ from Avalon Waterways to set sail in Portugal, designed to sail the Douro River. 

The Avalon Alegria joins a fleet of Suite Ships sailing iconic rivers in Europe and Southeast Asia. Her first guests embarked on a themed cruise titled “Vida Portugal Cruise; Vineyards & Villages.” sailing the River Douro earlier this week.

Waterways president Pam Hoffee points to Avalon’s signature features: “its boutique-hotel-inspired Panorama Suites and the industry’s only Open-Air Balconies with the widest-opening windows in cruising.

“A Panorama Suite is the highlight on all of the Suite Ships of Avalon, along with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows open 11 feet wide in Europe and 14 feet wide in Southeast Asia … wider than any other balconies in the industry.

“We’ve waited a long time for the perfect opportunity to add Portugal to our robust holiday portfolio, and that day has finally arrived,” said Hoffee at the start of the Easter week’s launch cruise.

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