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Trip.com wins spot on Fortune Asia list

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 2 April 2024: Trip.com Group has been named among the Fortune Asia Future 30, a list of 30 companies headquartered in Asia that have demonstrated remarkable innovation, paving the way for robust growth over the next five years.

“We are honoured to be recognised by Fortune Asia Future 30 as we continue to strive to be a leading player in the Asian and global markets,” said Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun. Through innovations in technology and business strategy, we prioritise unlocking new value for our partners and providing our users with the best and most seamless travel experience possible.”

Fortune Asia Future 30 Award Ceremony at the Fortune Innovation Forum 2024 in Hong Kong: Clay Chandler, Chair, Fortune Innovation Forum and Executive Editor, Asia, Fortune; Eddy Yip, Product & Marketing Director, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Territory Manager, Hong Kong, Trip.com; Fang Ruan, Managing Director & Senior Partner, BCG.

To identify the Asia Future 30, Fortune and the BCG Henderson Institute examined around 700 publicly traded companies across the Asia-Pacific region with at least $10 billion in market value at the end of 2022 or $10 billion in revenue through 2022.

Companies were assessed on their market potential and capacity to deliver, weighted by a machine learning algorithm for their ability to predict growth over the following five years. The four categories were strategy, technology and investment, people, and structure.

Now approaching its 25th anniversary, Trip.com Group reported an impressive performance in 2023, with a 122% increase in full-year net revenue compared to the previous year and a 25% increase compared to 2019, showing its adaptability amidst challenges posed by the pandemic.

As today’s travellers are increasingly drawn to unique experiences rather than mere sightseeing, Trip.com Group has diversified its offerings to meet the rising demand. The sought-after “Hotel Rooms Plus X” offering combines hotel stays with experiences such as afternoon tea and spa treatments, among others, to elevate the entire experience. Moreover, the company continues to redefine travel experiences through innovative formats and exclusive events, from popular live stream shows such as “Super World Trip BOSS Live” in Phuket ahead of Songkran to a sunrise experience at the Empire State Observatory in New York City during the Chinese New Year.

Sustainability has been part of Trip.com Group’s strategy as industry players and travellers grow more conscious of how travel impacts the environment. Since introducing the low-carbon hotel standard initiative in China in 2023, more than 2,000 hotels have been recognised as low-carbon hotels, and more than 3 million guests have made reservations, reducing about 2,750 tons of carbon emissions. 

AirAsia revives Penang-East Malaysia routes

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SINGAPORE, 2 April 2024: AirAsia resumed services between Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu on Sunday, saying the revived air links highlighted the airline’s strong commitment to the East Malaysia market.

The airline and Tourism Malaysia Sarawak director, Nurul Ain Mohammed Yunus, welcomed flight AK5432 from Penang to Kuching with more than 80% load, signifying a promising potential for future growth between these routes. The aircraft was also greeted with a celebratory water salute upon its arrival.

The airline is scheduling daily flights from Penang to Kuching in Sarawak and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, East Malaysia.

Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Group Bo Lingam said: “We are proud to strengthen our connectivity in Malaysia and boost our East Malaysian hubs. As a homegrown airline, resuming links to Penang reflects our commitment to catering to the increasing demand for travel between Penang and East Malaysia while further supporting economic growth and tourism development. We look forward to welcoming more guests on board as we continue to expand our domestic network.”

Tourism Malaysia Sarawak director Nurul Ain Mohammed Yunus said: “By bolstering connectivity between these routes, we anticipate a substantial positive impact on Sarawak’s tourism growth. Leveraging on the diverse travellers from Penang, we aim to showcase Sarawak’s rich cultural heritage, stunning natural landscapes, and unique experiences. This renewed connectivity opens up exciting opportunities to attract more visitors and further enhance Sarawak’s position as a premier tourism destination in Malaysia.”

Vietnam’s bloggers check out Sabah attractions

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KOTA KINABALU, 1 April 2024: Tourism Malaysia Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Sabah Tourism Board and Malaysia Aviation Group welcomeed media representatives and travel bloggers from Vietnam to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, for the ‘Feel Sabah’ Media Familiarisation Trip, 25 to 30 March 2024.

The six-day, five-night itinerary introduced the Malaysian state’s iconic destinations, such as the luxurious Gayana Marine Resort, the pristine Sepanggar Island and the majestic Kiulu River. They also experienced the Our Land Eco Farm, Ranau Highlands, Desa Cattle Dairy Farm, the Sabah Tea Cottage, Mari-Mari Cultural Village, and the Klias Wetlands in Beaufort.

The “Feel Sabah” FAM Trip served as a gateway to introduce unique tourist destinations and showcase Malaysia’s captivating diversity and cultural richness while fostering a deeper connection between Tourism Malaysia, esteemed Vietnamese media outlets, and influential travel bloggers such as Tran Dang Dang Khoa and Tran Viet Phuong.

The collaboration fostered opportunities for further cooperation and strengthened the connection between the two nations. It aimed to significantly increase Vietnamese tourists’ arrivals in Malaysia, thus solidifying its position as a premier travel destination for Vietnamese travellers.

Tourism Malaysia Vietnam director Nor Hayati Zainuddin stated: “We are delighted to partner with Vietnamese media and travel bloggers to unveil Sabah’s remarkable biodiversity, natural wonders, and rich cultural tapestry as we gear up for Visit Malaysia 2026.”

She noted: “This trip aligns perfectly with the growing Vietnamese travel trend towards sustainable, nature-focused, and culturally immersive destinations. We hope this unforgettable experience inspires countless Vietnamese travellers to visit Malaysia in the future as Sabah welcomed over 1,600 Vietnamese arrivals in 2023.”

For more information on Sabah, visit www.sabahtourism.com. 

www.tourism.gov.my

Emirates tanks up with SAF

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI UAE, 1 April 2024: Emirates has activated its fuel agreement with Neste at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport that will deliver over 2 million gallons of blended SAF into the fuelling system at Schiphol Airport over the course of 2024.

The airline will track the delivery of SAF into the fuelling systems and environmental benefits using standard industry accounting methodologies. Emirates’ partnership with Neste, announced late last year, represents one of the largest volumes of SAF that the airline has purchased to date.

Once fully supplied into Amsterdam Schiphol’s fuelling system, the blended SAF will have over 700,000 gallons of neat SAF. The airline is also working with Neste to supply SAF into the fuelling systems at Singapore Changi Airport in the next few months.

Emirates deputy president and chief operations officer Adel Al Redha, said: “Collaborating with committed partners like Neste is one of the practical steps we are taking to reduce our emissions, and it’s an all-important milestone in our own sustainability journey as an airline. Strong partnerships like this, especially at major air transport hubs such as Amsterdam, lay the foundation for working with partners and airports to increase SAF access and availability across our network.”

SAF used in this agreement can be safely dropped into existing jet engines and airport fuelling infrastructure. In neat form, it reduces lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80%* compared to conventional jet fuel.  

Emirates’ first flight powered by SAF blended with jet fuel took place in 2017 from Chicago. The airline currently operates flights from Paris, Lyon and Oslo with SAF. In October of last year, Emirates, with the support of partners, also integrated SAF into Dubai Airport fuelling systems, allocating the SAF to several flights, including a flight to Sydney.

Earlier this year, the airline became the first international carrier to join the Solent Cluster in the UK, an initiative focused on low-carbon investments with the potential to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant that can produce up to 200,000 tonnes (200 kt) per year if operational by 2032.

Emirates also actively contributes to industry and UAE government working groups and continuously discusses with various stakeholders to help scale the production and supply of SAF. The airline, along with the UAE GCAA has actively played a part in developing the UAE’s power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels roadmap, driven by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the World Economic Forum, in addition to contributing to the UAE’s National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap which aims to transform the UAE into a regional hub for alternative aviation fuels with the ambition to produce 700 million litres of SAF by 2030.

Joining entities across aviation, government, regulatory, academic, fuel production, and the manufacturer value chain, Emirates is a founding participant of the UAE research consortium Air-CRAFT, which is focused on developing, producing, and scaling sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technologies for the industry.

For more information on flights and to make bookings visit www.emirates.com. 

*When used in neat form (i.e. unblended) and calculated with established life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, such as CORSIA methodology

Vistara adds flights to Paris

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TTR WEEKLY
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GURUGRAM, India, 1 April 2024: Vistara launched five weekly flights between Mumbai and Paris using Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 last week. 

The inaugural flight departed from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 1350 on 28 March and arrived at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at 1855. 

With this new route, Vistara connects Paris to two Indian airports — Delhi and Mumbai. This is also Vistara’s sixth long-haul direct route between India and Europe.

Vistara Chief Executive Officer Vinod Kannan said: “We are delighted to commence direct connectivity between Mumbai and Paris. This new route, in addition to our non-stop flights connecting Delhi and Paris, reflects the increasing preference of our customers to fly Vistara for seamless travel between India and France. This strategic expansion also enables us to aid the growing traffic between the two countries, given the burgeoning cooperation across sectors, including trade, investment, science, technology, and academia. We are confident that customers will appreciate flying India’s best airline on this additional route, further solidifying our presence in Europe.”

Banyan Living arrives in South Thailand

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 1 April 2024: Banyan Group has announced the signing of the Banyan Tree Residences Sichon, located on a beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, southern Thailand, and owned by Urasaya Property Co Ltd, a real estate developer.

The recent opening of a new international terminal at Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport will open up the beach resorts in the southern province to a wider audience of lifestyle-seeking travellers.

Brand partnership signing: Urasaya Property Managing Director Gary Bowen (fourth left) and Banyan Group Property Development Managing Director Stuart Reading (fourth right) with the teams from Urasaya and Banyan.

The residences will be built on 2.5 hectares of beachfront land,  a 35-minute drive from the newly expanded Nakhon Si Thammarat International Airport. Banyan Group will develop a new rental programme and branding for private residences under its Banyan Living brand, which will partner with the management team of the Nakhon Si Thammarat project. Banyan Tree Residences Sichon will feature four-bedroom pool villas with open-plan interiors that showcase contemporary design and state-of-the-art amenities.

Turkish plans more Colombo flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, 1 April 2024: Turkish Airlines confirms it will start increasing flights on its Istanbul to Colombo route effective 1 April, adding a flight on Thursday.

Until 1 April, the airline served the IST-CMB route with four weekly flights, using its A330-300 aircraft, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. 

Photo credit: Bandaranaike Interntional Airport.

In an announcement posted by Colombo’s  Bandaranaike International Airport, featuring a graphic of the planned flight increases, the airline confirmed it is increasing flights from four to five a week starting today, 1 April and then increasing to six flights a week on 14 May and again increasing on 28 October to daily flights.

Flight TK730 departs Istanbul (IST) at 1835, arriving in Colombo (CMB) at 0520.
Flight TK731 departs Colombo (CMB) at 0740, arriving in Istanbul (IST) at 1415.

The airline introduced four direct flights weekly to Colombo in October 2023 after it closed a service that made a stop first in the Maldives before landing in Colombo.

Meanwhile, the airline reports it has resumed flying to Tripoli, the capital of Libya, effective 28 March. Turkish Airlines operates 62 destinations across the African continent. The airline will operate flights to Tripoli three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

Trip.com and Capital A tie the knot

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TTR WEEKLY
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SHANGHAI, 1 April 2024: Capital A announced on Sunday that it has signed a comprehensive partnership with China’s leading global travel service provider, Trip.com Group, to enhance its travel offerings and market reach across Asia. 

The collaboration encompasses multiple business lines, including AirAsia and AirAsia MOVE, for key areas of cooperation on innovative solutions spanning flights, accommodations, attractions and tickets, car-hailing, and payments.

Photo credit: Capital A.

Building upon a successful strategic partnership, first announced in 2020, this extension underscores the commitment to expanding the ongoing relationship between the two entities. Together, they will continue to broaden AirAsia and AirAsia MOVE’s reach and portfolio of offerings by leveraging Trip.com Group’s innovative solutions, such as merchandising and Virtual Interline products. Additionally, the collaboration will focus on developing technological solutions to increase revenue and optimise cost efficiencies. 

The two sides will strengthen information sharing on customer trends and market intelligence while committing to improving customer service through collaborations between AirAsia and Trip.com Group’s customer service teams. 

Meanwhile, TripLink – Trip.com Group’s financial technology arm – will provide AirAsia Aviation Group with payment solutions. These synergies will create further value for both entities while enabling them to drive innovation and provide better customer value.

Trip.com Group Chief Executive Officer Jane Sun said: “This expansion of the strategic partnership between both companies is an affirmation of the positive outcomes we have seen since we signed our initial agreement in 2020. Trip.com Group has continually invested in technology to improve our processes and customer experiences, and we are excited to leverage the power of technology as we continue working with Capital A.”

“Our collaboration extends beyond promoting AirAsia flights and ancillary on Trip.com Group’s platforms,” said Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes. “AirAsia’s inventory and growth plans are focused on China and then getting Trip.com Group’s customer base into ASEAN. AirAsia MOVE will collaborate on Trip.com Group hotel inventory and offer MOVE activities, tickets, and ride collaborations for Trip.com Group users. Together, we will leverage each other’s extensive network and resources to offer enhanced travel experiences to our customers, delivering mutual growth and success for our two organisations.”

The latest partnership comes as global flights show healthy growth during Q1 2024, with bookings on Trip.com Group’s platforms increasing by 82% compared to the same period last year. In 2023, the Group’s transportation business saw revenue increase by 123% year-on-year. In the same period, Capital A’s revenue increased by 25% compared with 2019 levels despite operating with just 80% of 2019’s aircraft numbers on the back of a strong 88% load factor.

Macao promotes trips for HK cruise visitors

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TTR WEEKLY
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MACAO, 1 April 2024: Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) recently introduced travel offers tailored for international cruise passengers to encourage them to book an excursion trip to Macao during their ship’s port of call in Hong Kong. 

The offer encourages international cruise visitors to join group tours to Macao during their stopover in Hong Kong when their cruise ships dock at the Hong Kong Cruise Terminal. 

Photo credit: MGTO. Deputy Director of MGTO, Cheng Wai Tong.

Twelve international cruise lines offer Macao group tour products that will help boost twin-destination tourism. These products combine cruise visits to Hong Kong with side trips to Macao.

MGTO hosted a welcome ceremony earlier this month at Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal for a group of cruise visitors. The Deputy Director of MGTO, Cheng Wai Tong, welcomed them.

Since their introduction in March, nearly 90 international cruise passengers from the US, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Turkey have joined Macao group tours.

They arrived in Hong Kong on cruise ships. Then, they extended their trip to Macao on various local tours focusing on heritage, such as “The Historic Centre of Macao” and the Macao Museum, plus visits to the Macau Tower and integrated resorts. 

During their cruise, or on arrival at the harbour in Hong Kong, passengers can purchase Macao tour products on the cruise lines’ websites or at tour counters on board.

Chinese airlines increase flights to KL

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KUALA LUMPUR, 1 April 2024: Sichuan Airlines and  China Southern Airlines started new routes from Chengdu and Shenzhen in China to Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, over the Easter holiday.

Tourism Malaysia and VIPs from Malaysia’s travel industry welcomed Sichuan Airlines on 31 March for its inaugural flight from Chengdu. The airline will fly an A320 from its Chengdu (TFU) hub to Kuala Lumpur daily. 

Photo credit: China Southern Airlines.

Flight 3U3994 departs Chengdu (TFU) at 1725, arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 2230.
Flight 3U3994 departs Kuala Lumpur (KUL) at 2330, arriving in Chengdu (TFU) at 0500.

The daily flight will compete head-on with AirAsia X, which flies the same route daily, Batik Air four times weekly, and Air China daily. The average roundtrip fare on the route is USD330.

China Southern Airlines started daily flights from Shenzhen (SZX) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) today, Monday, 1 April, deploying an A321neo on the route.

Flight CZ5079 departs Shenzhen (SZX) at 2020, arriving in Kuala Lumpur (KUL) at 0300.
Flight CZ5080 departs Kuala Lumpur (KUL) at 0130, arriving in Shenzhen (SZX) at 0545.

Other airlines serving the same route are AirAsia, with 17 weekly flights, and Shenzhen Airlines, with 14 weekly flights. Once you add the daily China Southern Airlines flights, the KUL-SZX route musters 38 weekly flights, making it one of the busiest routes between China and Malaysia. The average roundtrip fare is USD300.

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