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More direct flights feed MICE business

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 18 December 2024: Eight international airlines launched direct flights to Thailand’s four main tourism gateway destinations — Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai in 2024 — and three more are lining up direct flights in 2025. That’s an impressive 11 airlines adding direct flights in 2024/2025.

Thailand Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau says it is “heartened by the increased flight connectivity between our MICE* cities and diverse overseas markets”.

Photo credit: TCEB.

The four major cities that have gained direct flights welcome more visitors from  Europe, Central Asia, Sub-Continent, East Asia, and the Middle East. In the long run, they will draw more meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibition delegates to convene in Thailand.

On 28 October, British Airways resumed direct flights between London and Bangkok, starting with three flights weekly and increasing to five in January and February 2025 and then reducing to four in March for the remainder of the year.

Italy’s ITA Airways started direct flights between Rome and Bangkok on 17 November with five weekly flights. On 1 December, Thai Airways International resumed direct flights between Bangkok and Brussels. 

Norse Atlantic Airways schedules direct flights between Stockholm and Bangkok starting 29 October 2 2025.

Phuket welcomed new flights in 2024. Air India launched a second daily flight (except Wednesday) from Delhi to Phuket on 1 June, while Air India Express will start four flights a week direct from Surat to Phuket on 24 December. 

On 26 October, Air Astana started direct flights from Astana to Phuket. Likewise, Saudia Airlines began its inaugural Riyadh-Phuket flight on 2 December and Jeddah-Phuket flight on 4 December.

In northern Thailand,  Chiang Mai welcomed direct flights launched by Hong Kong Airlines on 27 October, making it the third airline operating direct flights between Chiang Mai and Hong Kong. The other two are Thai Air Asia and Hong Kong Express. 

On 4 November 2025, Etihad Airways will introduce four weekly direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai.

Pattaya welcomes S7 Airlines, which will fly five weekly direct flights starting 30 March 2025. Landing at U-Tapao Airport 32 km south of the resort city, flights from Irkutsk in Russia will operate from March to May.

While most of the new services cater to leisure travellers, the message is clear to business events organisers: Booking flights to Thailand’s MICE destinations is easier than ever. 

“It is proof of Thailand’s status as a preferred destination for travellers from around the globe,” said TCEB president Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya. “The four MICE cities are prime destinations in Thailand, where TCEB is working with stakeholders to develop and craft new products for  MICE planners and travellers.”

*MICE: Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions.

New air link between Changchun and KL

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 17 December 2024: Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Airports welcomed Shanghai Airlines’ inaugural flight from Changchun, the capital of Northeast China’s Jilin province, last week.

Tourism Malaysia’s Deputy Director General (Promotion II), Lee Thai Hung and representatives from Malaysia Airports Holdings greeted 150 passengers on flight FM813 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on 13 December.

Photo credit: Shanghai Airlines.

Shanghai Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Eastern Air, operates daily flights to Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu and three-weekly flights to Penang.

Its latest service operates three times weekly from Changchun, routed via Yuncheng in Shanxi province. It arrives in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday using a Boeing 737-800.

Flight schedule 

Changchun-Yuncheng-Kuala Lumpur
Flight FM813 departs Changchun at 1425 and arrives in Yuncheng at 1705. (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays).
Flight FM813 departs Yuncheng at 1825 and arrives in Kuala Lumpur at 0015. (plus a day) 

Kuala Lumpur-Yuncheng-Changchun
Flight FM814 departs Kuala Lumpur at 0115 and arrives in Yuncheng at 0710. (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday).
Flight FM814 departs Yuncheng at 0930 and arrives in Changchun at 1245.

The new flight will provide passengers in Jilin and Shanxi provinces with a more convenient air travel experience to Malaysia.

As of October 2024, Malaysia welcomed 2,822,247 arrivals from China, an exponential growth of 139% compared to 1,180,980 arrivals during the same period in 2023. Malaysia is targeting 27.3 million international tourist arrivals with MYR102.7 billion in tourism receipts in 2024.

Jetstar celebrates 20th anniversary

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 17 December 2024: Jetstar Asia (3K) celebrated its 20th birthday last Friday, marking two decades of connecting places across the region and offering passengers low fares.

As one of Asia’s first budget airlines, the Singapore low-cost carrier took to the skies on 13 December 2004, helping revolutionise air travel for Singaporeans and travellers across Southeast Asia.

Jetstar Asia recognised its most frequent flyer, Ban Poon Huat, who has travelled with the airline more than 860 times over 20 years.

Jetstar Asia has flown more than 50 million customers across its expanding network to key metropolitan cities and leisure destinations, with more than two-thirds of fares sold for less than SGD100 last year.

Jetstar Asia launched its 20 Years of Adventure Sale to mark the milestone, with one-way fares starting from just SGD70 for flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. Running until midnight on 16

December, the sale included deals to popular destinations such as Okinawa, Japan, Colombo, Sri Lanka and Medan, Indonesia.

Jetstar Asia’s Most Frequent Flyer

As part of the 20th birthday celebrations, Jetstar Asia also recognised its most frequent flyer, Ban Poon Huat, who has travelled with the airline more than 860 times over the past 20 years.

To thank him for his loyalty, Jetstar Asia’s Chief Operating Officer, Geof Lui, recently welcomed Ban at Changi Airport as he returned from his latest trip and presented him with a special Jetstar A320 aircraft model and a pair of return tickets to a destination of his choice as a token of appreciation.

Jetstar Asia’s Chief Operating Officer Geof Lui said: “Customers like Ban have been instrumental to Jetstar Asia’s journey, and so we wanted to find a way to show how grateful we are for their continued support”.

Aircalin confirms A350 order

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 17 December 2024: Aircalin, the international airline of the South Pacific French territory of New Caledonia, has confirmed an order with Airbus for two long-range A350-900 aircraft. 

Currently, the airline’s widebody fleet comprises two A330neo aircraft. The airline plans to configure its A350s in a three-class premium layout offering accommodation for more than 320 passengers. This would include an enlarged business class and represent an increase in capacity of 15% compared with the A330neo. 

Photo credit: Airbus. Aircalin orders two A350-900s.

“As a continuation of our long-standing partnership with Airbus, we have selected the A350-900 to join our fleet in the coming years. These aircraft are essential for operating our recently inaugurated Nouméa-Paris via Bangkok route. They will open the doors to very long-haul flights and enable Aircalin to pursue its development strategy,” said Aircalin CEO Georges Selefen

The A350’s clean sheet design includes new generation engines and the use of lightweight materials, bringing a 25% advantage in fuel burn, operating costs and carbon dioxide (CO ₂) emissions compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. 

As with all Airbus aircraft, the A350 can operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Airbus aims to have its aircraft up to 100% SAF capable by 2030.

Amadeus: Festive season’s hot destinations

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 17 December 2024: As the holiday season approaches, hoteliers are preparing for a surge of travellers seeking warmer climates this year. 

Amadeus’ forward-looking business intelligence data reveals the destinations currently recording the top hotel occupancy rates for Christmas and New Year’s (22 December to 4 January), showing year-on-year growth in some major markets worldwide.

Photo credit: Amadeus. Amadeus Demand360 data

According to Amadeus Demand360 data as of 2 December 2024, global hotel occupancy is up 4% from 2023. The top destinations for holiday travel are:

1. Lihue, Hawaii 93%

2. Montego Bay, Jamaica 91%

3. Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam 88%

4. Aruba 86%

5. Queenstown, New Zealand 86%

6. Macau, China 86%

7. La Romana, Dominican Republic 85%

8. Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 85%

9. Bridgetown, Barbados 84%

10. Cebu, Philippines 84%

While the popularity of the Caribbean and Asia Pacific (APAC) remains consistent, the top 10 list of countries is very different to last year’s. China is a new addition to the list, and most of these top destinations have individually seen substantial growth from last year. For example, Lihue in Hawaii has seen a 13% increase from 2023 in hotel occupancy, from 82% to 93%. Cebu, a waterfront city in the Philippines, has seen a 20% increase from 70% to 84% from last year.

The data also highlights significant growth in hotel occupancy at a regional level across Europe (13%), China (10%), Latin America (8%), Asia (9%) and the Caribbean (5%) from last year. Comparatively, growth in hotel average daily rate (ADR) is also seen across these markets, with the Caribbean up 15% and Latin America 9% on 2023 prices.

“The growth we are seeing this year in hotel occupancy in the international markets is positive news for hoteliers worldwide. Warm weather climates are very popular during the holiday season, and it’s interesting to see the shift towards exploring new destinations. The data highlights the continued, growing enthusiasm for travel and presents a real opportunity for hoteliers to understand what is going on in their markets and launch marketing campaigns to tap into this demand. By having access to these forward-looking insights, hoteliers can also better prepare their staff for peaks in occupancy and optimise their revenue strategies,” says Amadeus Vice President of Data Partnerships Hospitality, Katie Moro.

About Amadeus
Amadeus technology powers the travel and tourism industry. An IBEX 35 company listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange (under AMS.MC), the Dow Jones Sustainability Index has recognised Amadeus for the last 11 years.

Qatar to fly to Canberra in December 2025

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TTR WEEKLY
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DOHA, 17 December 2024: Qatar Airways will relaunch daily flights to Canberra, the capital city of Australia, via Melbourne, effective December 2025.

Flying from its home base, Hamad International Airport, in Doha, the airline will deploy a Boeing 777 aircraft featuring a Q-suite business class cabin and complimentary high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi for all passengers. Flights for the new service are already on sale.

Photo credit: Qatar Airways.

Qatar Airways ceased flights to Canberra during the global Covid-19 pandemic.

ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr said the announcement that Qatar will resume international flights out of Canberra (via Melbourne) is great news going into a big five years for tourism.

He said: “It’s a timely boost to our local tourism industry with aviation access being the biggest driver to growth in the sector and it’s great news for Canberrans wanting to travel overseas, particularly to Europe, the UK and the Middle East.

“Qatar Airways’ return will benefit the whole Canberra region, providing tourism, trade, investment and a range of business opportunities. It will also make an important contribution towards the Government’s goal of growing our tourism economy to AUD5 billion in visitor expenditure by 2030.”

The announcement, made on 15 December 2024 comes on top of the launch of sales of Virgin Australia’s new services from Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne** to over 100 destinations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, operated on Qatar Airways aircraft.

The Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia partnership, pending final regulatory approval, positions Virgin Australia to strongly compete in the international travel market, delivering increased competition, improved connectivity, and enhanced customer choice.

More gongs for Emirates display case 

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 17 December 2024: Emirates has taken home multiple gongs at the World Travel Awards 2024, including ‘World’s Leading Airline – First Class,’ ‘World’s Leading Airline – Brand,’ ‘World’s Leading Airline – Inflight Entertainment’ and ‘World’s Leading Airline – Rewards Programme.’ 

The airline was also recognised as ‘Best Airline App Worldwide’ and ‘Best Airline App in the Middle East’ at the World Travel Tech Awards 2024.

The world’s largest international airline is on a roll this year, recently winning top honours at the ‘ULTRAs 2024,’ ‘Telegraph Travel,’ ‘Forbes Travel Guide’s Air Travel Awards;’ and has also ranked as a 2025 APEX World Class Airline.

The ceremony was held at the Savoy Palace in Madeira, Portugal. 

Emirates’ Country Manager in Portugal, David Quinto, accepted the awards for the airline. The World Travel Awards (WTA) is one of the industry’s most prestigious events – acknowledging, rewarding and celebrating excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. The World Travel Tech Awards recognises and celebrates excellence in travel technology.

Emirates is focused on consistently delivering the best service, continually investing to elevate the onboard experience, and launching industry-first concepts to expand the ecosystem of loyalty, including:

  • Rolling out 36 fully refurbished aircraft (26 A380s and 10 Boeing 777s) with new interiors that include highly lauded Premium Economy as part of its multi-billion dollar retrofit programme.
  • Emirates’ First-Class experience continues to set the industry benchmark for excellence with fully enclosed private suites, ‘dine on demand’ service, and A380 Shower Spa. The airline recently enhanced its wine in the sky experience with the launch of ‘L’art du vin’ – a bespoke wine course for cabin crew to serve customers even better with acclaimed wines and rare vintages.
  • Emirates recently expanded its already vast inflight entertainment catalogue, collaborating with Spotify – the world’s most popular audio-streaming subscription service – to offer customers a wide array of podcasts and playlists in the sky.
  • Emirates Skywards’ 33 million members worldwide ‘earn better’ and ‘spend better’ with more than 200 brand partnerships, ranging from airlines, hotels, and car rentals to financial, leisure and lifestyle brands. Skywards attracts more than 120,000 new members every month who redeem Miles on a range of fantastic rewards, including flight tickets and upgrades on Emirates, flights with partner airlines, hotel stays, gift cards, hospitality at sporting and cultural events, tours, and money can’t buy experiences.
  • Emirates continues to enhance its digital experiences and integrate new technologies to make the travel experience even more seamless for customers. Recognised for offering the best functionality, user experience and a range of features – the Emirates app offers customers real-time flight updates, baggage tracking, an airport map guide, a chance to explore all fleet cabins in 3D, and the option to create bespoke playlists ahead of the flight. Earlier this year, Emirates was ranked in the top three in an independent benchmarking report of airline websites by Catchpoint, where Emirates.com was recognised as the only website to fall within the recommended page load time (total time for a page to fully display to a visitor) of under 5 seconds.

For more information or to book tickets, visit emirates.com. Tickets can also be booked on Emirates App, Emirates Retail stores, Emirates contact centre, or via travel agents.

Air India Express adds Mangalore – Singapore route

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TTR WEEKLY
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DELHI, 17 December 2024: Air India Express confirms it will launch a twice-weekly service between Mangalore, India and Singapore in mid-January 2025, making it the first flight from Mangalore to a Southeast Asian destination.

Online timetable information schedules a twice-weekly flight on Tuesday and Friday using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The first flight will take off on 21 January 2025, departing Mangalow for Singapore.

Photo credit: Air India Express.

Bookings on the airline’s website opened this week. 

Flight schedule

Flight IX862 departs Mangalore (IXE) at 0555 and arrives in Singapore (SIN) at 1325. (Tuesday and Friday).
Flight IX861 departs Singapore (SIN) at 1425  and arrives in Mangalore (IXE) at 1655.

Flight time between Mangalore and Singapore is five hours.

Mangalore, a coastal city in Karnataka, India, offers tourist attractions catering to various interests — temples, heritage and beaches. There is a growing demand for air travel between Mangalore and Singapore, driven by business, tourism, and the large Indian diaspora in Singapore. Airlines have previously attempted to operate this route but discontinued services due to low passenger demand, which will remain a challenge for Air India Express. 

Three Indian airlines serve Mangalore Airport — Air India, IndiGo and Air India Express. They serve domestic routes and flights to gateway cities in the Middle East, such as Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Muscat. Singapore is the first destination in Asia to be served out of Mangalore Airport.

Centara Issues billion baht bond

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, Thailand, 16 December 2024: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has announced the issuance of its first Sustainability-Linked Bond (SLB), marking a major milestone in the company’s commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) excellence.

The THB1 billion five-year bond, arranged by UOB, links financing costs directly to Centara’s performance on two key sustainability performance targets (SPTs):

  • Reducing water consumption intensity across its properties;
  • Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity in its hotel operations. 

This innovative bond issuance reflects Centara’s dedication to integrating sustainability into its business practices while actively contributing to the global push toward a low-carbon future.

“Our first sustainability-linked bond reinforces our commitment to a more sustainable hospitality industry,” said Centara Hotels & Resorts Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Administration, Gun Srisompong. “By embedding ESG principles into our financing framework, we’re not only accelerating our efforts to reduce our environmental impact but also setting measurable goals that drive accountability and progress.”

Centara’s SLB aligns with the company’s broader sustainability strategy, which includes eliminating single-use plastics across all properties, achieving Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification for every property by 2025, reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions by 40% by 2029, with a long-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

The bond, which will be issued on 11 December 2024, is offered to institutional investors (II) and high-net-worth individuals (HNW), reflecting strong market confidence in Centara’s sustainability-driven vision. Aligned with the Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles (SLBP) set by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA), this issuance ensures adherence to global standards for sustainable finance.

Centara’s commitment to sustainability underscores its goals of becoming a leader in sustainable hospitality and a Top 100 Global Hotel Operator by 2027. 

For more information about Centara Hotels & Resorts sustainability initiatives, visit https://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/sustainability

Sarawak and Indonesia scale up tourism ties

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUCHING, Sarawak, Malaysia, 16 December 2024: In a significant step toward strengthening cross-border tourism, the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) partnered with AirAsia to host the Sarawak Gateway to Borneo Roadshow in Jakarta and Balikpapan last week. 

The initiative strengthened ties with Indonesia, reflecting a shared commitment to creating seamless travel experiences for visitors from both destinations.

Sarawak Tourism Board delegates with local media during the Media Gathering Dinner at Penang Bistro, Central Park Mall, Jakarta.

The roadshow underscores Sarawak’s strategic positioning as the Gateway to Borneo — a launch pad for travellers to explore the entire Borneo Island, including Kalimantan, Sabah, and Brunei. 

As the main entryway to Borneo, Sarawak offers a blend of travel experiences, from cultural heritage and natural wonders to adventure and business tourism. This collaboration highlights the importance of enhancing connectivity and tourism partnerships to boost regional travel.

Participants during the Sarawak Gateway to Borneo Roadshow in Balikpapan, Indonesia.

Indonesia consistently ranks among Sarawak’s top three source markets for visitor arrivals, making it a vital tourism partner. With the increased frequency of AirAsia flights from Jakarta to Kuching — from three times weekly to daily — travel between the two destinations has become more accessible and convenient. 

Additionally, cross-border connectivity from Kalimantan Barat via land checkpoints further strengthens Sarawak’s accessibility, enabling Indonesian travellers from neighbouring provinces to explore Sarawak by road and vice versa. This expanded connectivity cements Sarawak’s role as a central hub for Indonesian travellers eager to experience Borneo’s diverse cultural and ecological landscapes.

The roadshow highlighted Sarawak’s appeal as a multi-faceted destination offering authentic cultural experiences, breathtaking nature, and meaningful community interactions.

Representatives from AirAsia, the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA), Tourism Malaysia Jakarta, and the Indonesian Travel Agents Association (ASTINDO) collaborated with Sarawak’s tourism, hospitality, and event stakeholders to spotlight its diverse travel offerings.

Key Sarawak partners participating in the roadshow included travel agents and tour operators such as Cat City Holidays, Ping Sing Travel & Tours, and Great Leap Tours. Hotel representatives from Hemisphere Corporation and Imperial Hotel showcased premium accommodations with thoughtful services tailored to travellers’ comfort and convenience.

Business Events Sarawak also participated in, presenting Sarawak’s rising profile as a sought-after destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE).

Sarawak’s travel ecosystem offers personalised itineraries that balance cultural discovery, adventure, and relaxation. Visitors can explore iconic attractions such as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Mulu National Park and the newly designated Niah National Park. Additionally, the Sarawak Delta Geopark, recognised as Malaysia’s sixth national geopark in 2022, is on track to achieving UNESCO Global Geopark status by 2026, offering immersive nature-based experiences close to home for Indonesian travellers.

Emerging Muslim-friendly attractions further enhance Sarawak’s appeal with thoughtfully designed amenities, prayer facilities, and culturally enriching experiences tailored for Muslim travellers.

As close neighbours, Indonesia and Sarawak share a deep cultural bond that transcends borders,” said STB’s ASEAN and Domestic Marketing Director Barbara Benjamin Atan. “With daily direct flights, cross-border connectivity, and a shared heritage, Indonesian travellers can easily explore Sarawak’s breathtaking landscapes, unique culture, and warm hospitality in a familiar travel environment yet offers something new and exciting. We look forward to building stronger partnerships that create rewarding travel experiences for both destinations.”

For more information on Sarawak Tourism visit: https://www.sarawaktourism.com/web/home/index/

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