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Payment solution Voxel joins Amadeus

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 13 March 2024: Amadeus announced on Tuesday the acquisition of Voxel, a leading provider of electronic invoice and B2B payment solutions for travel sellers, hotels, and other travel players. 

The acquisition will support Amadeus’ vision to deliver a smooth travel payment experience. It will also complement Amadeus’ payments business, ‘Outpayce’, by enhancing its existing travel sellers’ product suite while expanding in the hospitality segment.

It will also help Amadeus better serve its corporate customers by automating the business travel experience, from reservation and payment to expense management. 

Amadeus president travel Decius Valmorbida comments: “The acquisition of Voxel brings a complementary portfolio of solutions to enrich Amadeus’ end-to-end offering, leveraging smart technology to benefit the wider travel ecosystem and industry. Payments are present at every stage of the travel experience. To improve the travel experience, we must ensure smooth, integrated and even invisible payments. We now have a combined team of experts passionate about payments and a breadth of customers who can now leverage the power of Voxel and Amadeus together.”

Voxel is an e-invoicing and B2B electronic payments specialist. Its Bavel Platform orchestrates an end-to-end electronic payment process. The platform currently benefits 50,000 plus hotels, 1,000+ tour operators and travel companies, and 3,000+ restaurants and franchises across 100 countries. It is made up of Bavel Pay, Bavel Billing, and Bavel Procurement and handles more than 100 million transactions per year.

Voxel, a privately owned company founded in 1998, is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. The acquisition, which is now closed, saw over 200 Voxel employees join Amadeus.

Hilton Saigon opens its doors

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 13 March 2024: Leading global hospitality company Hilton announced this week the opening of Hilton Saigon in the financial and residential hub of Ho Chi Minh City. 

This marks the debut of the hotel group’s award-winning flagship brand and the first hotel in the city. A centrepiece in the heart of the metropolis with impressive views, Hilton Saigon embodies the essence of the locality, powered by a passion for service and hospitality.

“Hilton’s entry into Ho Chi Minh City underscores our commitment to bringing Hilton’s brands to where our guests want to be, as we fulfil our ambition of exceeding 1,000 hotels by 2025,” said Hilton Asia Pacific president Alan Watts. “As a gateway city to Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is a prime destination for business and leisure travellers alike.” 

Located just a 30-minute car transfer from the Tan Son Nhat Airport, the hotel is surrounded by famous cultural sites and historical landmarks. Guests can explore the city’s charming heritage buildings, such as the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, the Saigon Central Post Office, and the Saigon Opera House, all within walking distance from the hotel. 

Beyond the neighbourhood, travellers can embark on authentic local excursions such as a picturesque tour of the Mekong Delta, an exciting exploration of the 200-kilometer Cu Chi Tunnel, or a scenic sunset cruise along the Saigon River.

“We are thrilled to partner with Hilton to introduce Hilton Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City. With our deep understanding of the local market and Hilton’s long-standing expertise and legacy, we are confident that Hilton Saigon will set a new precedent in Vietnam’s hospitality landscape,” said Unity Investment Corporation chairman Phan Quang Chat.

The hotel’s 228 guest rooms and suites have stunning views of the Saigon River, enabling guests to take in the essence of Ho Chi Minh City.

The hotel also boasts one of the largest convention facilities in the city, featuring 1,054 square metres of event space. This includes an expansive contemporary pillar-less grand ballroom, accommodating up to 320 wedding guests and 550 for conferences and other large-scale events.

Hilton Saigon joins a portfolio of 14 trading and pipeline Hilton hotels in Vietnam. In December 2023, Hilton also welcomed La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton, which marked the lifestyle brand’s entry into Vietnam.

Hilton Saigon is located at 11 Me Linh Square, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Etihad Airways adds two new destinations

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TTR WEEKLY
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ABU DHABI, UAE, 13 March 2024: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced substantial updates to its summer schedule.

The expansion focuses on introducing two new destinations and increasing frequencies on existing routes to reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a global connector.

Photo credit: Etihad.

The airline will broaden its reach by launching flights to two new destinations. Beginning 15 June, Etihad will operate three seasonal weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Antalya (AYT), Turkey. Operations will start a day later, on 16 June, with four weekly flights to Jaipur (JAI), India.

“As we move forward, our enhanced summer schedule marks an important step in our growth strategy, offering our guests additional flexibility and choice,” said Etihad Airways chief revenue and commercial officer Arik De. “With the flight expansion and the extension of our network, we are elevating Abu Dhabi’s global links and warmly welcoming more travellers to immerse themselves in our emirate’s rich history and dynamic culture. This includes the exceptional experience awaiting them at Zayed International Airport – Terminal A, our new home, which redefines the benchmarks for travel comfort and service excellence.”

Antalya, situated on the Turkish Riviera, captivates visitors with its amazing blend of history, natural beauty, and modern allure.

Meanwhile, Jaipur, the vibrant capital of Rajasthan in India, blends tradition and modernity. Known as the “Pink City” for its distinctive rose-hued architecture, Jaipur exudes a rich cultural heritage and boasts amazing palaces, such as the Hawa Mahal and City Palace.

More flights 

Etihad will increase its flights to several key destinations starting 15 June. Three more weekly flights will serve Thiruvananthapuram (India) and Amman (Jordan), giving the cities 10 and 14 weekly flights, respectively. Additional services include three more flights to Cairo, giving the route 24 flights, Karachi increasing to 17, and Colombo increasing to 20 weekly flights.

The latest expansion contributes to an overall 33% increase in Etihad’s weekly flights, growing from 635 last summer to 847 in 2024. It also extends Etihad’s reach from 65 to 75 destinations, significantly enhancing worldwide connectivity.

Significantly, adding Jaipur increases Etihad’s Indian gateway cities to 11. This expansion underscores Etihad’s commitment to the Indian market and further strengthens the cultural and economic ties between India and the UAE.

The updated schedule and the new routes will ensure passengers benefit from greater connectivity, a broader range of travel options, and the opportunity to experience customer-focused services at the newly inaugurated Terminal A at Zayed International Airport Abu Dhabi.

AirAsia restarts Pattaya flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 13 March 2024: AirAsia Malaysia (AK) has announced it will resume services between Kuala Lumpur and Pattaya, Thailand, offering three weekly flights commencing 17 June 2024.

The reinstatement of the route to Pattaya (U-Tapao) marks the airline’s ninth direct route to Thailand from Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Penang post-pandemic, after Bangkok (Don Mueang International Airport), Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport), Krabi, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai.

As Thailand’s eighth largest city, Pattaya is a popular tourism destination for both domestic and international travellers. In 2019, AirAsia flew over 60,000 travellers between Kuala Lumpur and Pattaya. 

AirAsia Aviation Group CEO Bo Lingam said: “We are pleased to announce the resumption of services to the East Coast of the Gulf of Thailand, providing the only direct connectivity from Kuala Lumpur to the city. This addition to our vast network in Thailand underscores our continued commitment to making travel more accessible to second-tier cities such as Pattaya. With approximately 2.7 million guests flying from Malaysia to Thailand throughout 2023, we firmly believe that the return of this popular route will  boost the number of travellers to and from Thailand this year.”

To celebrate the restart of flights to Pattaya (U-Tapao), the airline sells a one-way fare at MYR99 from Kuala Lumpur and THB990* all-in one-way from Pattaya to Kuala Lumpur until 24 March for the travel from 17 June 2024 to 16 June 2025. 

The promotional fares are available for booking on airasia.com and the AirAsia MOVE (formerly airasia Superapp).

Flight schedules from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Pattaya – U-Tapao (UTP):

Emirates teams up with Tourism Ireland

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI, 12 March 2024: Emirates has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tourism Ireland to boost inbound tourism to Ireland through the airline’s global network of more than 140 destinations.

The MoU was signed by Emirates senior vice president of commercial operations, Europe Thierry Aucoc and Tourism Ireland head of emerging markets David Boyce.

Photo credit: Emirates. Tourism Ireland David Boyce and Emirates’ Thierry Aucoc sign the MoU.

Under the collaboration, Emirates and Tourism Ireland will seek to explore joint advertising campaigns to boost visitor traffic to Ireland from key strategic markets across the Emirates network, including Australia, the UAE and New Zealand.

“Through our new partnership with Tourism Ireland, we aim to promote tourism growth to Ireland actively. With our strong network and track record of working with partners through trade and consumer initiatives, we’re well-placed to support Ireland’s tourism ambitions. Ireland is one of the most attractive gateways in our European network due to its cultural highlights and world-renowned heritage sites, and we will continue to offer seamless connectivity for travellers from across our network to visit the popular destination,” said  Emirates deputy president and chief commercial officer Adnan Kazim.

Since the inaugural Dublin-Dubai flight in January 2012, Emirates has carried more than 3 million passengers on what has grown to become one of the airline’s most successful routes. The airline currently serves the Irish capital with a double daily flight, utilising its wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft – carrying up to 1,440 customers daily on the Dublin-Dubai route.For more information on flights and to make bookings, visit www.emirates.com.

Port to Port Mekong cruise with Pandaw

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 12 March 2024: Pandaw has updated the itinerary for its 10-night Mekong expedition, pushing even further than before by sailing port to port between central Saigon and Siem Reap across the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. 

This groundbreaking itinerary removes the need for lengthy transfers to each city. For the first time, it explores the upper reaches of the Mekong to Kratie, the dolphin grounds, and a crossing of the Tonle Sap Lake.

On the first day of the cruise, passengers meet directly at RV Mekong Pandaw, docked centrally in Ho Chi Minh City at the Saigon Port, 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, in the city’s District 4.

On reaching Siem Reap in Cambodia (Day 11), passengers disembark the Mekong Pandaw at the Siem Reap inland port and transfer to FCC Angkor Hotel, next to the Royal Residence, Pokambor Avenue, Krong Siem Reap.

No river ship is more appropriate for this expedition than the popular Mekong Pandaw. It was the first ship to pioneer the river in 2002 and historically opened the river border between Vietnam and Cambodia. Mekong Pandaw has the clear advantage of a shallow draft, enabling it to go further upriver. Its low air draft allows it to navigate passage under recently constructed bridges. Thanks to improvements in inland water navigation in these two countries, Pandaw can deploy the ship from Saigon to Siem Reap with no long road transfers required for arrival or departure.

This pioneering route targets Pandaw club members who are seeking a more immersive experience in the countries served by Pandaw ships and wish to spend more days enjoying the comfort of beautifully crafted ships, originally built in Myanmar from golden teak

With 24 staterooms, the Mekong Pandaw has been refitted with a spa, library and gym. It’s the most spacious of all Pandaw’s 19 ships, with broad promenades running around each deck and a spacious sun deck of over 600 square metres.

Bookings are still open for a few cabins on 2024 sailing dates and for advance dates in 2025.

To book, visit pandaw.com or contact us at [email protected]. 

Ten Nights Deeper and Further on the Mekong
SAIGON TO SIEM REAP
10 nights
FROM USD4,800 PP

For more information visit.

Flights link Turkmenistan and Vietnam

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TTR WEEKLY
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HO CHI MINH CITY, 12 March 2024: Turkmenistan Airlines introduced a weekly flight from Turkmenistan’s capital, Ashgabat, to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam last Wednesday.

The direct service uses a Boeing 777 with 368 seats for the eight-hour, 20-minute flight to Vietnam, which departs Ashgabat every Wednesday and returns to its home base on Thursday.

A water cannon ceremony welcomes Turkmenistan Airlines at Tan Son Nhat. Photo: Turkmenistan Airlines.

Flight T5655 departs Ashgabat Airport at 1530 on Wednesday and lands at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City at 0130 on Thursday morning. 
Flight T5658 departs Ho Chi Minh City at 1920 on Thursday and arrives in Ashgabat at 0105 on the following morning (Friday).

TransViet, a travel agency based in Ho Chi Minh City, sells tour packages to Europe using Turkmenistan Airlines flights. It is flagged on the airline’s website as the sole agency selling tickets and tours on the weekly flight between Ashgabat and Ho Chi Minh City. Tours to Europe using the airline’s weekly service to Ashgabat with a change of plane for the flight to Europe, sell at VND60 million.

(Source: Tourism Information Technology Center)

FCM expands meetings team

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 12 March 2024: FCM Meetings & Events, a Flight Centre Travel Group division, recently announced a global business expansion with Manpreet Bindra leading FCM Meetings & Events in Asia.

He named Jing Wen Wong the new meetings & events leader in Southeast Asia and Greater China. Wong has been in the travel industry for the last seven years with notable companies, such as Singapore Airlines, before moving to FCM Travel Asia.  

Photo credit: FCM. Jing Wen Wong–

“FCM Meetings & Events has a proven track record in curating and delivering memorable experiences for our customers globally. With the combination of more than a decade of experience and technology, we are continuously challenging ourselves and elevating our partnerships with our clients and the travel industry,” said Wong. 

“At FCM, every team member is encouraged to develop their career and explore all available opportunities. We call it ‘Brightness of Future’, and Jing Wen is poised to deliver the long-term vision of FCM Meetings & Events while bringing fresh ideas and perspectives. She has a great track record throughout her career and has established good relationships with clients, suppliers, and the wider team,” said FCM Meetings & Events leader in Asia Manpreet Bindra.

“With the China-Singapore 30-day mutual visa exemption in effect and flights between the two markets having almost recovered to the pre-pandemic level, we are getting multiple enquiries from our clients interested in visiting Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong. With local teams established in Singapore and China, I am confident we can revive meetings and reimagine corporate event management in these markets,” said Wong. 

Avani arrives in Amsterdam

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 12 March 2024: Minor Hotels, a global hospitality group operating more than 540 hotels in 56 countries, is introducing Avani Hotels & Resorts to the Netherlands in Q2 of this year. 

The rebranded 163-key Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam will provide a contemporary canal-side experience, blending Dutch art and history for business and leisure travellers.

Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam is centrally located in Amsterdam’s cultural hub, near landmarks like the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. Drawing inspiration from the Stedelijk Museum, the hotel’s design blends avant-garde aesthetics with rationalist architecture. Its sleek glass façade will be balanced by vibrant, playful interiors and complemented by high gloss finishes that pay homage to Amsterdam’s iconic canals. The bustling PC Hooftstraat shopping district and the De Pijp neighbourhood are within a five-minute stroll. Amsterdam Central Station is a 10-minute drive away.  

The upcoming launch of Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam follows the recent expansion of the brand in Europe. Properties were added in Madrid, Milan and Venice last year, followed by the opening of Avani Frankfurt City Hotel at the start of 2024, in addition to the upcoming debut of the Avani brand in China. With a strong presence in Asia, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa, Avani’s expansion into new destinations continues in 2024, with plans to more than double its property count to almost 100 by the end of 2026.

IndiGo expands domestic routes

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 12 March 2024: IndiGo has announced new direct flights between Chandigarh and Dharamshala, effective 2 April  2024. 

The airline schedules three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The new domestic route will serve both leisure and business travellers. 

Photo credit: IndiGo. Welcome to Dharamshala.

IndiGo head of global sales Vinay Malhotra said: “We are pleased to announce the launch of direct flights between Chandigarh and Dharamshala, which will significantly reduce the travel time between the two cities with added convenience. These new flights would also offer customers from Dharamshala easy accessibility to key national and international destinations via Chandigarh.”

Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab and Haryana, is a beautiful city known for its modern architecture and urban planning. The city has several tourist attractions, such as the Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, and the Capitol Complex.

Dharamshala, located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, is a serene hill station known for its breathtaking views of the Himalayas. It is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile,

making it a popular destination for spiritual seekers. With its pleasant weather, lush greenery, and rich cultural heritage, Dharamshala offers a distinct travel experience.

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