Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Home Blog Page 201

Top scorers in the Global Muslim Travel Index

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 12 June 2024: Southeast Asia has once again emerged as the world’s leading Muslim tourist destination in the latest edition of the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), with Indonesia and Malaysia tied for the top spot among 145 destinations in the 2024 study. 

Meanwhile, Singapore has consistently led among non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destinations for the ninth consecutive year, underscoring its unwavering dedication to catering to Muslim travellers through the widespread availability of Halal food, prayer facilities, suitable airport amenities, and Muslim-friendly accommodation.

According to the report, the Muslim travel market is set for a significant uptick this year, with global international arrivals potentially reaching up to 168 million, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 5%. This volume growth highlights the segment’s rising prominence, driven by demographic and economic expansion, cultural and Halal tourism development, and technological advancements that enable more personalised travel experiences for Muslim travellers, such as apps that locate Halal food outlets, Qibla directions, and prayer timings. The impact of artificial intelligence is also helping further customise travel experiences to simplify travel logistics while adhering to faith traditions.

Retaining their joint top position as the leading OIC destinations for Muslim travellers for the 2nd consecutive year, Indonesia and Malaysia also scored favourably on ease of entry and quality of tourism infrastructure for both Muslim and non-Muslim travellers.

Thailand maintained its position in the top five non-OIC destinations owing to efforts to promote Halal tourism, such as increasing Halal food availability, integrating Muslim-friendly amenities at tourist spots, and enhancing accommodation and dining options for Muslim travellers. 

Meanwhile, the Philippines recorded an increase in its communication score compared to 2023. Among non-OIC destinations, the Philippines has steadily increased its appeal to Muslim tourists by strategically developing its Halal Tourism portfolio, enhancing halal accreditation of hotels and restaurants, and conducting Halal awareness orientations. This effort builds on their achievement of winning the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year award in last year’s Halal in Travel Global Summit, based on GMTI 2023 results. 

GMTI, now in its ninth year, analyses data across 145 destinations using the ACES framework, built around Access, Communication, Environment, and Services metrics. Over time, the criteria have evolved to keep pace with the changing needs of Muslim travellers. This year, new metrics on the availability of facilities and services for travellers with disabilities were added to the model.

“It is encouraging to see that the travel sectors in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore not only maintained their rankings in this year’s GMTI, but also improved their individual scores. This reflects a broader trend of increased consideration for Muslim travellers, with average scores across the Index rising by 10%,” said CrescentRating Founder & CEO Fazal Bahardeen.

He added: “It is also positive to see the Philippines continue to improve its score, which demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the Department of Tourism to bolstering Muslim-friendly tourism and advancing the destination’s appeal. As Muslim travel continues to gain momentum, the GMTI 2024 report provides invaluable insights for stakeholders across the travel and tourism sector to leverage the growing Muslim travel market.”

Mastercard Division President, Southeast Asia Safdar Khan said: “According to the latest report from the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI), travellers from and to Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly focused on getting the best value from their trips to ensure the most unforgettable experiences, a shift echoed in the rapidly growing global Halal tourism industry. At the same time, technology is helping this demographic travel in ways that meet their unique needs, from AI-powered hyper-personalised experiences to Mastercard’s enablement of easy and secure cross-border payments. Together, this heralds a new level of convenience for Muslim travellers and unlocks a new era of growth and profitability for travel operators. Mastercard’s long-running collaboration with CrescentRating is both a testament to the strength of the partnership and the ongoing importance of understanding and serving Muslim travellers.”

Download the GMTI 2024 report here: https://www.crescentrating.com/halal-muslim-travel-market-reports.htm

Cathay brings the last plane back from the desert

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

HONG KONG 12 June 2024: The Cathay Group reactivated the 85th and final aircraft last week, ending the long-term parking of aircraft in Australia and Spain’s arid regions.

After nearly four years in the Australian desert, Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A330 registration B-HLV returned to Hong Kong, where it will now undergo an extensive hangar maintenance check. B-HLV was the first of the Cathay Group’s aircraft to go into long-term parking overseas on 28 July 2020, as global air travel came to a near-standstill during the pandemic.

Cathay Pacific and HK Express had to park most of their passenger fleet at Hong Kong International Airport and overseas in Alice Springs, Australia and Ciudad Real, Spain at the height of the pandemic. As the pandemic began to subside, the Cathay Group commenced progressively reactivating these aircraft. 

Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer Alex McGowan said: “Parking and reactivating so many aircraft is a once-in-a-lifetime undertaking, the scale and complexity of which has never been seen before at Cathay. ​ An incredible amount of work goes into keeping an aircraft safe and protected when it isn’t flying and then reactivating it for entry back into regular service. To do this for more than 85 aircraft long-term parked overseas, as well as to manage the large number of aircraft that were parked in Hong Kong, is a phenomenal achievement.

“With our fleet now fully reunited, our focus is on investing for the future. The Cathay Group has more than 70 new aircraft on order, with the right to acquire an additional 52 aircraft. We are also exploring options for a new mid-size widebody aircraft. These investments reflect our ongoing confidence in the Hong Kong international aviation hub as we look ahead to the exciting opportunities presented by the Three-Runway System at Hong Kong International Airport when fully commissioned by the end of this year.”

When it first arrived, each long-term parked aircraft in Alice Springs underwent a 14-day preservation check, followed by a repeating series of periodic inspections and checks. Over the course of the parking programme in Alice Springs, more than 16,000 of these periodic checks were performed, and 800,000 labour hours were spent performing preservation, periodic, and reactivation maintenance.

Furthermore, over 40,000 parts and specialised equipment were also shipped from Hong Kong to support the Alice Springs operation. Meanwhile, the Cathay Group’s on-site Quality Assurance team conducted more than 2,000 audits.

Tourism Recovery: a Mixed Picture

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 12 June 2024: New consumer preferences and habits have emerged in the first half of 2024 in the Asia Pacific tourism sector, which is unevenly recovering from the pandemic years.

The post-Covid tourism surge from 2022 was initially powered by more affluent tourists seeking relaxation amid nature, user convenience, and sustainable and authentic local tourism experiences, all enabled by heightened travel digitalisation.

The latest Asia Pacific travel trends and insights from (l to r) Caroline Bremner, Euromonitor International, Noor Ahmad Hamid, PATA, and Dr Anyu Liu, Hong Kong PolyU.

Those trends have since evolved. Travel experts speaking at the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s “Navigating the Path to Tourism Recovery” webinar last week said megatrends such as value for money, seamless booking and payments, and travel that aligns more to consumer values are now the hallmarks of post-pandemic tourism in the region.

Euromonitor International Senior Head of Travel Research Caroline Bremner said destinations that deliver safety, relaxation, value, good quality food and drink and access to natural attractions would continue to do well. She noted that younger (Gen Z) travellers much preferred personalised, authentic local experiences, with price not so much of a consideration, relative to much older baby boomers who seek value.

Free cancellations, easy digital payments, reliable user reviews, free upgrades and personalised recommendations (especially from family or friends), turn lookers to bookers, said Ms Bremner.

Absent Chinese tourists

However, tourism experts addressing the webinar said that Chinese outbound tourism was still lagging, dampening tourism performance in destinations across the Asia Pacific. Indeed, China’s neighbouring destinations, such as Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Macau, may not fully recover until the end of 2026 due to Chinese travellers opting to stay home or travel domestically instead of abroad.

Destinations such as India and Thailand, which have all but recovered — or, in Singapore’s case, exceeded—their high point 2019 tourism arrival levels, did so by attracting tourists from markets such as Australia, Europe, and the USA to compensate for stay-away Chinese and Japanese.

China as a destination has its challenges, too. Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr Anyu Liu revealed that international tourist arrivals into China are currently only around 80% of 2019 levels and may only return to around 96% by the end of 2026. Liu said inflation, labour supply challenges and regional conflicts dampened recovery.

Addressing the issues raised by the webinar regarding the Asia Pacific region as a whole, PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid said that tourism in the Asia Pacific could be enhanced by improving air capacity, better land-based regional connectivity, improved training to attract and retain skilled personnel, and an easing of visa restrictions.

Artificial intelligence in travel

Looking at a rapidly arriving travel tech future, the webinar speakers said that AI was a big concern as it could be manipulated to perpetuate bias and misinformation, especially in travel marketing. Bremner said AI needs to be used responsibly and carefully as a travel enabler. 

It is necessary to keep destination information honest and up to date as AI bots perpetually scrape the internet for publicly available data.

The speakers also noted that AI was already being used to suggest travel itineraries and to train hospitality staff in educational settings. 

Could AI bots replace tourism forecasters in universities? “We did some internal tests to see if ChatGPT could generate more accurate forecasts than us,” said Liu. “So far, we’re safe,” he quipped.

PATA will release its mid-year tourism forecast reports on 39 Asia Pacific destinations on 25 June. Its Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2024-2026 are available in the research section of www.PATA.org. 

Korean Air ready to fly to Lisbon

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 11 June 2024: Korean Air will launch scheduled charter flights to Lisbon, Portugal, from 11 September to 25 October.

The airline confirms it will schedule three weekly flights between Seoul Incheon and Lisbon on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, offering 20 roundtrip flights during the two months, served by a Boeing 787-9.

Roundtrip fares in economy class start at USD1,403.

The scheduled charter flights will be the only nonstop flights between Northeast Asia and Lisbon. Previously, travellers had to transfer to neighbouring countries such as France and Spain or switch to land transport upon arrival in Europe to reach Lisbon.

Lisbon is nestled along the banks of the Tejo (Tagus) River on the Iberian Peninsula and offers a combination of historical and contemporary attractions. From the beautiful beaches to multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, the city is an appealing destination for both leisure seekers and cultural explorers. Lisbon is frequently portrayed in various media and remains a popular destination for backpackers and honeymooners.

Tickets are on sale through the Korean Air website, the airline’s mobile app, or online travel agencies. There’s a plan on the table to extend the flights during the winter season from 26 October 2024 to 26 March 2025.

Meanwhile, KAL confirms it will launch direct daily flights between Incheon, Seoul, and Macau as of 19 July using an A321-neo (business and economy class configuration, total 179 seats). The flight time is three hours and 40 minutes.

Flight KE169 departs Incheon at 2115 and arrives in Macau at 2355.
Flight KE170 departs Macau at 0110 and arrives in Incheon at 0600.

Google Flights quotes a roundtrip fare of USD190 on the new direct service. (KE quotes USD210). The arrival of KE on the route will intensify competition and possibly reduce fares in the long run. Jeju Air and Jin Air both fly the route daily and Air Macau twice daily quoting fares this week of between USD201 to USD271.

The average fare on the route is currently USD260.

Emirates to fly to Madagascar

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

DUBAI, 11 June 2024: Emirates will launch flights to Madagascar from 3 September 2024, offering more choice and connectivity for travellers and driving inbound leisure and business travel. 

The four-weekly flights between Dubai (DXB) and Antananarivo (TNR) will operate via a linked service with the Seychelles.

Boosting international travel to and from Madagascar, the flight times have been scheduled to optimise connections to and from key points in Europe, the Far East, West Asia and the Middle East/GCC. 

EK707 will depart from Dubai to Seychelles at 0855, arriving in Mahe at 1335, and will continue on to Antananarivo to land at 1650. The return flight EK708 departs Antananarivo at 1835, landing in Mahe at 2220. The flight takes off from Mahe at 2350 to Dubai, landing at 0420 the next day. Flights will operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Travellers wanting to combine two holidays in one can conveniently fly between the Seychelles and Madagascar in style and comfort.

Tourism is a critical pillar in Madagascar’s economy, creating thousands of employment opportunities that support the country’s goal to serve one million tourists by 2028. Emirates’ new route will provide connectivity from over 140 points in its global network, supporting the Ministry of Tourism’s strategy to diversify target markets and introduce international travellers to the island’s many natural attractions. Emirates is also discussing with Air Madagascar to offer further global connectivity to promote tourism and trade.

Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim said: “Madagascar has historically been underserved, despite growing appetite from travellers for authentic ecotourism experiences. Emirates understands the importance of offering customers efficient connectivity and premium travel experiences, and we’re confident that this new service will have a positive impact on boosting Madagascar’s connectivity, offering more opportunities for travellers to discover the hidden gem that is Madagascar, in addition to opening new international business opportunities.”

World Heritage sites

Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island, boasting stunning scenery from white sandy beaches and emerald waters to lush rainforests and national parks and the fossilised shells on limestone plateaus. Colloquially referred to as Treasure Island, it is home to three World Heritage UNESCO sites.

Adventurers can partake in several exciting activities, such as hiking, trekking or quad biking, or take to the seas with kite surfing, scuba diving or whale watching. Animal lovers can visit Lemur’s Park and discover nine types of lemurs, along with other wildlife and fauna, while food lovers can sample the traditional cuisine and delicious local produce.

Madagascar is also home to a wealth of precious biodiversity, with 5% of the planet’s plant and animal species found only on the island. To protect the intricacies of the natural world, Madagascar encourages ecotourism, enabling visitors to immerse themselves in the abundance of nature and embrace the local culture while respecting the environment.

The UAE and Madagascar have grown their bilateral relationship across several sectors, including commercial, logistics and other industries, to reinforce the growth of mutual trade. With the launch of the passenger flight, the airline’s cargo arm, Emirates SkyCargo, will support this by exporting goods via its state-of-the-art hub in Dubai into key markets such as the UAE, China, Indonesia, the US and France, among others.

Fuelled by the country’s entrepreneurial spirit, more Malagasy businesses target global audiences. Offering 22 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity in and out of Antananarivo every week, Emirates SkyCargo will uplift critical commodities such as fresh fruits and vegetables, vanilla, textiles and mining products, transporting them quickly, efficiently and reliably via the airline’s multi-vertical specialised product portfolio.

The Dubai- Antananarivo route will be served by the Boeing 777-300ER, with eight First Class suites, 42 Business Class suites and 310 seats in economy. Offering the best experience in the sky, passengers can dine on regionally inspired multi-course menus developed by a team of award-winning chefs complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages. Customers can tune in to over 6,500 channels of global entertainment in various languages on ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.

Tickets can be booked now on emirates.com or via travel agents.

Radisson Red debuts in Bangkok

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 11 June 2024: Radisson Hotel Group introduces the Thai capital’s first Radisson RED hotel: Radisson RED Bangkok Sukhumvit 18. 

The art-inspired lifestyle hotel will debut in the fourth quarter of 2025, following a reimagining and rebranding of the popular Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18.

Upon opening in Q4 2025, Radisson RED Bangkok Sukhumvit 18 will feature 125 redesigned rooms, all equipped with ‘RED Beds’, power showers, and cutting-edge tech, including high-speed Wi-Fi and smart solutions. 

Guests can chill out, check in on Instagram, and mingle with their fellow travellers at the hotel’s public spaces, all of which are fully connected. The fitness centre is ideal for workouts, and the rooftop pool and bar to kickback and relax. 

The hotel has a prime location just a short distance from Asok BTS Skytrain and Sukhumvit MRT subway stations, putting the entire city within easy reach. Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre and Benchakitti Park are also close by (a short taxi ride).

As a testament to its strategic vision, Thailand remains one of Radisson Hotel Group’s key markets, with a robust portfolio of 14 hotels currently operating and under development.

The 2024 Pandaw photo contest

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 11 June 2024: The 2024 Pandaw photo competition will close for entries on 30 June, so do not miss the chance to showcase your photos and win travel vouchers for your future trips with Pandaw. 

Submit your favourite photos that capture the essence of an expedition with Pandaw before the deadline. Details on how to enter and the prizes available can be found below.

How to enter

Simply email your high-resolution photographs, which must have been taken on any Pandaw Expedition, to [email protected] together with a caption summing up what the moment meant to you. Photos taken during the most recent 2023/24 season would be preferred, but there is no specific theme. 

Prizes

1st Prize – USD1000 Pandaw Travel voucher 
2nd Prize – USD500 Pandaw Travel voucher 
3rd Prize – USD250 Pandaw Travel voucher

All entries will be presented in the Pandaw photo gallery, and a selection will be featured in the next edition of the Flotilla News.

Click here to view the 2024 photo competition entries received so far. 

Rules

  • All entrants are deemed to have accepted these rules and agreed to be bound by them.
  • You may enter up to three photos in TOTAL. One submission per individual; multiple entries will be discounted.
  • The photo should be jpeg, tiff, or PDF format.
  • By entering our competition, you give Pandaw permission to use your photo in any promotional literature, social media, or online media.
  • Pandaw’s Founder, Paul Strachan, will select the three best pictures, and his decision will be final.
  • The closing date for the competition is 30 June 2024.
  • The winners will be notified by email and their photographs showcased on www.pandaw.com.
  • The Pandaw Travel voucher prizes 
  • – have no cash value. 
  • – can be applied to any new booking made within the next two years.
  • – can be used by any friend or family of the winner.

Minor names Europe and Americas CEO

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 11 June 2024: Minor Hotels, a global hotel owner and operator, has announced the appointment of Gonzalo Aguilar as Minor Hotels Europe & Americas CEO from 1 January 2025. 

Aguilar will replace current CEO Ramón Aragonés, who will retire and leave his chief executive role at the end of this year. Aragonés will remain a member of its Board of Directors and serve as Non-Executive Vice Chairman. Aguilar joins Minor Hotels Europe & Americas on 1 October to begin a three-month handover period with Aragonés.

Minor Hotels CEO and President of Minor Hotels Europe & Americas, Dillip Rajakarier, said in response to Aragonés’ retirement, “Ramón has dedicated his entire career to the hotel sector. Since joining the group, then known as NH Hotel Group, in 2009, he has been instrumental in transforming it into one of the leading hospitality groups in Europe and the Americas.”

Aguilar brings more than 30 years of industry experience to Minor Hotels. He will join Minor Hotels from Marriott, where he was Chief Operating Officer for EMEA.

Qatar sponsors ‘Art for Tomorrow’ event

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

DOHA, 11 June 2024: Qatar Airways joined Qatar Museums as a Headline Sponsor of the ‘Art for Tomorrow’ conference, which was hosted in Venice last week at the Palazzo Diedo, ahead of resuming flights to the floating city on 12 June 2024.

From the airline’s gateway, Hamad International Airport in Doha, travellers can fly directly to Venice to sample the city’s world-famous canals, squares, and palazzos.

Photo credit: Qatar.

The 2024 ‘Art for Tomorrow’ conference, organised by The Democracy & Culture Foundation, was themed ‘Imperfect Beauty.’ Multiple sessions moderated by New York Times journalists discussed how the arts can unite and heal, and prominent speakers included creator Philippe Starck, artists Giulia Andreani, Sean Scully, and John Akomfrah.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “I am honoured to join Qatar Museums as a proud Headline Sponsor of Art for Tomorrow, which celebrates our cultural heritage while protecting it for our future generations.”

He added: “We are also excited to resume daily services to Venice on 12 June, one of the world’s most iconic and popular destinations. This strategic expansion underlines our commitment to the European market.”

Qatar Airways currently flies to over 170 global destinations, and with the addition of Venice, will operate to three cities in Italy, including Milan and Rome.

Trip.com and Tourism Malaysia sign MoC

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUALA LUMPUR, 11 June 2024: Trip.com Group has recently signed a Memorandum of Collaboration with Tourism Malaysia during the recent ITB China trade show to leverage Trip.com Group’s global resources to draw more Chinese and international visitors to Malaysia

The collaboration agreement was signed by Trip.com Group’s Vice President of Destination Marketing & Strategic Alliances, Edison Chen and Harley Travel CEO Eric Choy on behalf of Tourism Malaysia and witnessed by Director General Tourism Malaysia, Manoharan Periasamy and Trip.com Malaysia General Manager Stephane Thong.

From left to right: Manoharan Periasamy, Director General, Tourism Malaysia; Eric Choy, CEO, Harley Travel; Edison Chen, Vice President of Destination Marketing & Strategic Alliances, Trip.com Group; Stephane Thong, General Manager, Trip.com Malaysia.

Under this three-year Memorandum of Collaboration, both parties will expand their existing collaboration beyond China’s outbound travel market to the wider Asia Pacific region covered by the online travel agency. 

The cooperation will focus on marketing and key product promotions, especially for hotels and attractions in Malaysia.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia, Harley Travel will work with Trip.com and the Ministry of Tourism to promote tourism between Malaysia and China, taking advantage of the visa-free travel arrangement between both countries.

Trip.com Group vice president Edison Chan said: “Based on our data, Kota Kinabalu, Penang, Langkawi, and Semporna are among the most popular Malaysian cities for travellers globally, exemplifying Malaysia as a destination offering diverse tourism options. Tourism to Malaysia has picked up since the start of visa-free travel arrangements with China, but we believe there is still more we can do to enhance Malaysia’s profile as a key tourist destination. Trip.com Group is committed to helping Malaysia’s tourism industry grow in absolute numbers and in attracting quality tourists.”

Tourism Malaysia Director General Manoharan Periasamy said: “The signing of this partnership signifies another milestone in our close partnership with Trip.com Group. This expansion of our agreement to cover the whole of Asia Pacific shows how successful it has been, and we are excited to work together to enhance our tourism promotion efforts to other regional markets and show travellers what Malaysia has to offer.”

Tourism Malaysia recently unveiled its strategic roadmap for ‘Visit Malaysia 2026,’ which aims to attract 35.6 million international tourist arrivals and MYR147.1 billion in tourist expenditures. Key initiatives detailed include branding and marketing, strategic partnerships for joint promotions or tactical campaigns, and market segmentation.

According to Trip.com Group’s data, Malaysia is one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists. During the Labour Day holiday, Tawau — home to the world’s third largest cocoa-producing area and offering both land and sea experiences — was among the top five most popular Malaysian cities for Chinese travellers.

1...200201202...593Page 201 of 593

Stay ahead with the
latest travel news
on Southeast Asia.

Subscribe now


Contact Us
TTR Weekly (TTRW) is published in Bangkok, Thailand, registered since 1978.
/ month
placeholder text
/ month
placeholder text
Press releases, announcements, events for calendar should be sent to: [email protected]
/ month
placeholder text

Copyright © 2023 TTR Weekly, all rights reserved.