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HK reports positive passenger traffic

HONG KONG, 23 February 2024: Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) released air traffic figures for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for January 2024, recording a robust increase in passenger traffic with the highest growth from Southeast Asia, Taiwan and China.

During the month, HKIA handled 4.1 million passengers and 28,755 flight movements, representing year-on-year increases of 100.0% and 77.3%, respectively.

HKIA was named “International Airport of the Year” at the 2023 Sky Choice Travel Awards.

The growth in passenger traffic continued a steady recovery trend, with significant increases in all passenger segments compared to January 2023. The highest growth in passenger traffic was recorded on flights from Southeast Asia, Mainland China and Taiwan.

Cargo throughput maintained its solid momentum in January 2024, registering a year-on-year increase of 31.1% to 377,000 tonnes. The month also saw a substantial year-on-year increase in exports of 44.5%. In January, traffic to and from key trading regions in North America, Europe and the Middle East posted the highest increases.

On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger volume recorded 41 million, 443.1% higher than the previous comparable period. Flight movements and cargo throughput saw year-on-year surges of 101.9% and 7.9% to 288,620 and 4.4 million tonnes, respectively.

HKIA continues to expand its extensive air network. The airport recently welcomed two new airlines: Ruili Airlines, connecting with Nanning in Mainland China, and Cambodia Angkor Air, connecting with Phnom Penh respectively.

Meanwhile, HKIA was named “International Airport of the Year” at the 2023 Sky Choice Travel Awards organised by CAAC Inflight Magazine, the official inflight publication of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The awards celebrate achievements in the aviation, hotel and travel sectors, commending leaders and forward-thinkers steering post-pandemic economies in industry development, innovation, quality service and customer experience. Winners are determined by online voting, with evaluations by an expert jury panel and the magazine’s editorial team.

AAHK chief operating officer Vivian Cheung said: “We are delighted that HKIA has been named ‘International Airport of the Year’ at the 2023 Sky Choice Travel Awards. As an international aviation hub, we are committed to offering and continuously enhancing the airport facilities and services through innovation and technology.”

(Source: AAHK)

Vietjet signs MOU to buy A330neo widebodies

SINGAPORE, 23 February 2024: Vietjet Air has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to purchase 20 A330-900 wide-body aircraft. 

The aircraft will serve the carrier’s growing long-range network and high-capacity regional services. They will replace the current fleet of leased A330-300s and support network expansion. 

Vietjet chief executive officer Dinh Viet Phuong said: “The new A330neo aircraft is a strategic addition to comprehensively modernise Vietjet’s fleet, enhancing operational capabilities to support our global flight network expansion plan. Its fuel-efficient new-generation design aligns with our sustainable development strategy and ESG goals, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050. With the introduction of the A330neo, passengers can look forward to longer-range, well-equipped flights with excellent services at more competitive fares.”

Powered by the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330-900 can fly 7,200 nm/13,300 km nonstop. At the end of January 2024, the A330 Family had accumulated 1,771 firm orders from more than 130 customers worldwide.

US Airlines return to Stockholm Arlanda

SINGAPORE, 23 February 2024: Flight connectivity between Sweden and North America will substantially increase in mid-April when two new long-haul routes will be added to the existing supply from Stockholm Arlanda airport. 

Both United Airlines and Delta Air Lines are returning and will operate routes from Stockholm Arlanda to Newark and JFK during the summer season of 2024.

The return of the two airlines will raise departures from Stockholm to North America by five flights per day or close to 30 per week. 

The news that United Airlines and Delta Air Lines business and leisure travellers, particularly families, during the summer holiday season. 

During the summer season, Stockholm Arlanda Airport will have direct routes to several hubs in North America. Air Canada, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines will operate routes to Toronto, Montreal and New York several times a week starting on 10 April (Delta Air Lines), 6 June (United Airlines) and 13 June (Air Canada), respectively, in addition to the routes already served by SAS (Toronto and New York).

India’s Vistara launches Points Fest

GURUGRAMม India, 23 February 2024: Vistara’s loyalty programme announced one of its biggest annual campaigns this week – Points Fest 2024 across its bank/hotel point transfer partners. 

The Club Vistara campaign is open through 31 March 2024, offering members and Vistara flyers (post-enrolment) the chance to earn a bonus of up to 100,000 CV points (per transaction per eligible points transfer partner) when transferring bank/hotel reward points to CV points. 

The campaign allows members to earn up to 40% bonus CV points (up to 100,000 CV points per partner and 11,00,000 CV points with all points transfer partners) on eligible bank/hotel reward programmes with a minimum transfer of 5000 CV points. The eligible points transfer partners include American Express, AU Bank, Club ITC, FAB, FI Money, HDFC Bank, HSBC, IndusInd Bank, SBI AURUM, SCB UAE, and Yes Bank.

Vistara’s chief commercial officer, Deepak Rajawat, said: “In the last three years, our annual Points Fest has become a much-anticipated campaign amongst the members of Club Vistara. This year, we are delighted to launch yet another edition of this campaign with bigger customer benefits and rewards. This is our way of expressing gratitude to our loyal customers for their continued support and love over the last nine years.”

With the accumulated CV points, members can enjoy various redemption options, such as award flights and upgrade awards across all Vistara destinations. 

Additionally, participants can win prizes, including a weekly raffle where two lucky winners will receive a Vistara Purple Ticket Gift Card worth INR 5000 each. The top five Club Vistara members with the highest CV points transferred across eligible partners until 31 March 2024 will each receive a Vistara Purple Ticket Gift Card worth INR 10000.

(Source: Vistara)

ITC leads Muslim-friendly sales mission

LONDON, 23 February 2024: The Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) and Tourism Malaysia are leading a special Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) Sales Mission to Paris, France and London, UK, this week.

The mission enables Malaysian tourism industry players to reach out to travel agents and Muslim community associations in the two European capital cities to share information on the best Muslim-friendly Malaysia offerings.

The mission highlights the importance of booking Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR)-approved services, such as accommodation and Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guides (MFTGs).

In London, ITC and Tourism Malaysia will lead Malaysia’s delegation to the Muslim Travel Show at Excel London from 24 February to 25, which will be the final stop of the two-country sales mission. The event will attract around 40,000 visitors over two days. The sales mission will present Malaysia’s varied attractions and services from ITC, Tourism Malaysia and other partners showcasing their MFTH products and services, namely Andalusia Travel and Tours, Kurma Getaways Travel Management and Nasyrul Quran.

ITC and Tourism Malaysia will also introduce the newly launched MY Ramadan Experience packages to the European market, where tourists can find an impressive selection of four-day, three-night or three-day, two-night programmes, offering an opportunity to immerse themselves in the festivities of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month, in Malaysia.

ITC director-general Nizran Noordin said: “ITC organised this sales mission following the success of the China Imam familiarisation trip we organised last January, where some 35 Imams from the East Asian country were introduced to Malaysia’s diverse culture, heritage, nature and modern attractions in a tour package tailored to suit the Muslim tourists’ interests and needs. By working with Imams and collaborating with our partner, Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA), we hope to see a cascading impact that leads to 18,000 Muslim tourists from China visiting Malaysia from this effort alone.”

He added: “We see the same opportunity in the European market that we want to tap. In France, there is a Muslim population of 5.7 million. In the UK, a study revealed that 68% of British Muslims prioritise halal food availability and Muslim-friendly environments when they choose their travel destinations. Traditionally considered in the tourism industry to have substantial purchasing power, the market shows a high demand for outbound travel, a combination that Malaysia’s tourism businesses can benefit from, especially in preparing for the much-anticipated Visit Malaysia Year 2026.”

A Muslim-majority nation, Malaysia provides a mature and established Muslim-friendly ecosystem that allows Muslim travellers to enjoy the widely available Halal food ranging from local delicacies to international fast-food chains, visit tourist attraction sites with on-site Musollahs, spend their nights at Muslim-friendly hotels, and enjoy many other value-added services that make travelling a hassle-free experience for them. 

These have earned Malaysia the top position in the CrescentRating and Mastercard Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) report on Muslim-Friendly Destination Ranking for eight consecutive times from 2015 to 2023 (no report was released in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic). On top of that, the recently announced plans for Malaysia’s visa liberalisation and connectivity expansion will make the destination even more accessible to global Muslim travellers.

About Islamic Tourism Centre:
Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) is an entity under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia, tasked to develop the Islamic Tourism segment for Malaysia. It advocates for Muslim-friendly tourism (MFT) by offering research and market intelligence, training, industry development consultation, Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) services standards and recognition, and information exchange.

Centara achieves four ESG milestones

BANGKOK, 22 February 2024: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, celebrates four remarkable sustainability achievements that underscore its commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) excellence. 

In 2023, Centara Hotels & Resorts achieved an ‘A’ rating in the MSCI ESG Ratings, secured its sixth consecutive recognition on the SET ESG Ratings list (formerly THSI), including its first ‘A’ ranking, earned the Sustainability Disclosure Recognition from the Thaipat Institute for the fourth consecutive year, and will be included in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2024.

As part of the TRT Hotels, Resorts & Cruise Lines Industry, Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited [CENTEL], Centara’s parent company, has been recognised as an ‘Industry Mover’ in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2024 for its exceptional sustainability practices. 

This prestigious recognition spotlights companies that have achieved at least a 5% increase in their S&P Global 2023 Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA Score) and demonstrated the biggest improvement within their industry. CENTEL achieved a CSA Score of 60/100, marking a 12-point rise from the previous year and positioning the company in the top 15% of its industry. This score was part of the S&P Global 2023 CSA assessment, which covered 62 industries and 9,400 companies and analysed 174,000 documents and 16.5 million data points.

Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited [CENTEL], Centara’s parent company, achieved an outstanding ‘A’ rating in the MSCI ESG Ratings assessment, a testament to its robust ESG practices. MSCI ESG Research, a globally recognised authority, provides in-depth research, ratings and analysis of the ESG-related business practices of thousands of companies worldwide. It evaluates companies on a scale from AAA to CCC based on their exposure to industry-specific risks and their ability to manage them relative to peers. This rating reinforces Centara’s position as a leader in the hospitality industry, where sustainability is a core focus and a driving force in its operations, ensuring a positive impact on communities and guests worldwide.

For the sixth consecutive year, Centara made the Thailand Sustainability Investment (THSI) list, now known as the SET ESG Ratings, with 2023 marking the first year the company received an ‘A’ ranking for this accolade. These high-profile ratings are an esteemed recognition presented by The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), highlighting the ongoing efforts of businesses to integrate sustainability into their business strategy, fostering long-term value for stakeholders and contributing to environmental and societal well-being. Centara is one of 193 companies out of 262 participants to receive this honour.

Centara Hotels & Resorts has also been awarded the Sustainability Disclosure Recognition from the Thaipat Institute for the fourth consecutive year, standing among the 54 recipients of this prestigious honour. The award emphasises the importance of transparency and reporting operational data regarding ESG issues, aligning with sustainable development goals (SDGs), and ensuring stakeholders are well-informed about sustainability initiatives.

Centara Hotels & Resorts CEO Thirayuth Chirathivat stated, “These esteemed accolades are a testament to our commitment and passion for sustainability. Responsible business practices contribute to our success and a better future for all. We will continue to prioritise environmental sustainability and responsibility in our operations, striving for excellence and innovation in every aspect of our business.”

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

ABOUT CENTARA

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 96 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, China, Japan, Oman, Qatar, Cambodia, Turkey and the UAE. 

Sabah welcomes Shanghai flights

KOTA KINABALU, 22 February 2024: In conjunction with the Lunar New Year, AirAsia celebrated its inaugural flight from Kota Kinabalu to Shanghai with a 100% passenger load, continuing to soar high in the prosperous Year of the Dragon.

The inaugural flight AK1516 departed from Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 0930 on Tuesday, 20 February and landed at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 0200 (local time) on the following morning, 21 February. 

On the return flight, the airline also welcomed the inaugural flight AK1517 from Shanghai to Kota Kinabalu with more than 90%  load. Together with Sabah Tourism Board CEO Jeffrey Jimit, the aircraft was greeted with a water cannon salute. 

Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew said: “We are thrilled to welcome AirAsia’s inaugural flight from Shanghai. It is heartening to know that this is the 11th international route the airline operates to Sabah, with three weekly flights.  

“We truly appreciate AirAsia’s efforts in continuously boosting tourism opportunities in the state, especially from the fast-growing Chinese market. As the airline with the most routes flying in and out of Sabah, AirAsia has provided affordable travel for all and a welcome boost to our economy with many spin-off effects, including job creation.  

“Sabah Tourism Board (STB)  saw an incredible increase of 1,119% in tourist arrivals from China between 2022 and 2023. The continuous commitment by AirAsia to launch new routes and grow its services delivers significant tourism and economic opportunities between Malaysia and China. This is a great start to the auspicious Year of the Dragon in the Chinese Lunar New Year.”

AirAsia Aviation Group CEO Bo Lingam said: “As China’s largest foreign low-cost carrier, we recognise this route’s immense potential. It comes at a perfect time, coinciding with a surge in tourism during the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival and following the ongoing visa-free initiative between both nations. Our services to China are continuing to grow in line with strong demand. This additional new route serves as a significant opportunity for us to support the Malaysian government’s ambition of attracting five million tourists from China. 

“We are confident this new route will prove popular and are encouraged to share that our inaugural flight recorded full passenger occupancy, demonstrating the strong early demand and enthusiasm for this new service. We look forward to continuing to facilitate even more affordable connectivity between the two popular destinations in the future.”

Operated by AirAsia Malaysia (AK), Shanghai is the sixth destination in Mainland China accessible from Kota Kinabalu, following Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, and Wuhan.

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

(Source: AirAsia)

Japan’s top tourist attractions

TOKYO, 22 February 2024: Mov Inc, an inbound tourism media group that runs the travel platform ‘Honichi Lab’ (Visit Japan Lab), has released its latest Ranking of Popular Tourist Destinations in Japan for international visitors” based on the latest reviews gathered from Japan’s tourist attractions.

The survey timeline started on 18 November and concluded on 3 December, based on reviews by foreign visitors on Google Maps, reflecting the actual experiences of those who visited the destinations.

Photo credit: TeamLab Planets TOKYO DMM. The exhibition opened in July 2018 and will close in 2027. https://www.teamlab.art/e/planets/ 

TeamLab Planets TOKYO DMM topped the ranking as the most popular tourist attraction reviewed by international visitors to Japan.

Topped ranked TeamLab Planets TOKO DMM is an immersive museum in Toyosu, Tokyo, open to the public until 2027. In this year’s ranking, attractions in Tokyo and the Kansai region feature prominently in the top 10.

TeamLab Planets TOKYO DMM is an art facility driven by digital technology and was established by project partners TeamLab and DMM.com. It is located in 6-chome, Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo.

The top 10  popular tourist destinations 

1: TeamLab Planets TOKYO DMM
2: Kiyomizu-dera Temple
3: Samurai & Ninja Museum Kyoto
4: Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
5: Tokyo Skytree
6: Dotonbori District
7: Senso-ji Temple
8: Nara Park
9: Nishiki Market
10: Tokyo Tower

According to the Japan Tourism Agency, the estimated annual inbound spending for 2023 reached JPY5,292.3 billion, approximately JPY478.8 billion more than the JPY4,813.5 billion recorded in 2019 and 5.9 times the amount in 2022. 

(Source: Mov inc).

Myanmar tourism to host virtual mart

SINGAPORE, 22 February 2024: The Myanmar Tourism Marketing (MTM) association invites travel companies to join its second edition of the annual Myanmar Tourism Mart, which will be held virtually from 14 to 16 May 2024. 

The first edition was hosted in February 2023 and is once more being organised by the Myanmar Tourism Marketing association, supported by sponsors and exhibitors from Myanmar’s tourism industry.

It’s a difficult sell for the tourism association as the country is virtually closed to tourism apart from organised tour groups sanctioned by the military government’s Hotels and Tourism Ministry. 

There will be no shortage of questions for the virtual tourism mart hosts to answer from media and travel companies, with most attendees hoping military rule, now in its third year, will end soon and democracy will be restored. However, UN experts warned recently that the military coup in Myanmar had caused a human rights crisis and was also increasing the climate vulnerability for the people of Myanmar. An estimated 600,00 people have been killed since the 1 February 2021 coup, and around 1 million have been displaced.

 However, the travel mart’s hosts remain optimistic despite current challenges. 
“This year’s Myanmar Tourism Mart is an active expression of that confidence”, said the show organisers in their invite to buyers and media. They affirm that the virtual event will feature exhibiting companies from every travel industry sector, including destinations, airlines, hotels, travel agencies and cruise operators in Myanmar.

Registration for the virtual event is free for buyers, trade visitors and media. Participant buyers must commit to pre-matched appointments with exhibitors.

 For more information visit: http://www.myanmartourismmart.com/

Register Here- https://myanmartourismmart.com/trade-visitor-media-registration/

(Source: MTM)

Khiri Reach funds reforestation

SINGAPORE, 22 February 2024: Khiri Reach, the charitable arm of Khiri Travel, has donated USD15,000 to the One Million Tree reforestation project in Koh Kong and Sihanoukville provinces in Cambodia. 

The charity has pledged to support the project for at least three years.

The Cardamom Mountains in southwest Cambodia; Suwanna Gauntlett, founder and CEO of Wildlife Alliance, receives the cheque on 15 February from Khiri Reach, represented by John Black, GM of Khiri Travel Cambodia & Laos and Dara Sum, Khiri Reach ambassador, Cambodia.

Run by Wildlife Alliance, the project is planting hundreds of thousands of tree saplings to restore forest areas burned or cleared by land grabbers and loggers.

The aim is to reforest the cleared areas so that biodiversity and habitat can recover. The Southern Cardamom mountains harbour the world’s last wild, unfragmented Asian elephant corridor. Like hundreds of other mammals, birds, insects, and plant species, its survival depends on adequate forest habitat.

Replanting indigenous species of trees maintains ground moisture, reduces local climate overheating in the dry season, and mitigates the problem of landslides and flash floods.

After initial cultivation in a nursery near Chi Phat village in Koh Kong province, the replanted saplings on the illegally cleared land are then protected and maintained by Wildlife Alliance for a minimum of five years.

The project has reforested 4.2 million square metres of cleared land in Koh Kong and Sihanoukville provinces.

The new donation from Khiri Reach is helping the nursery expand its capacity from 190,000 saplings to 265,000, all under shade nets with irrigation to help them grow.

“The Million Tree project is exactly the kind of initiative that Khiri Reach likes to contribute to,” said Khiri Reach chairman and founder of Khiri Travel Willem Niemeijer. “It is run with the local community, under professional supervision and with clear metrics and goals.”

Khiri Reach, in turn, raised its donation from Khiri Travel guests who wanted to contribute to a carbon offset and nature regeneration initiative.

Wildlife Alliance founder and CEO Suwanna Gauntlett noted: “We are very grateful for Khiri Reach’s donation and ongoing support. We also invite other potential donors to follow the Khiri example and support the project in any way possible.”

Wildlife Alliance, as the project owner, hires local community workers in both the nursery at Chi Phat and at the reforestation sites. Situated just outside the village of Chi Phat, the One Million Tree Nursery cultivates 18 species of native rainforest tree saplings.

Depending on the species, these are ready for field planting after six to 12 months. The areas are strategically chosen to regenerate the forest where it was burned and cleared by land grabbers. Maintenance is carried out over five years after the planting. This period is crucial to minimising losses and ensuring the establishment of enduring ecosystems. Maintenance activities include regular soil enrichment and the replacement of lost saplings.

Track record over two decades

“For over two decades, Wildlife Alliance has worked in partnership with local communities and the Government of Cambodia to preserve nearly four million acres of dense monsoon forest in the Cardamom Rainforest, maintain freshwater reserves of 22 major waterways, and – as a direct result – keep local temperatures stable at an average of 32 degrees centigrade all year round.”

She added: “The vast majority of indigenous peoples who live in the Southern Cardamom Rainforest agree that the REDD+ carbon offset program has been hugely beneficial. None of this would have been possible without the funding generated under the REDD+ carbon forest offset programme.”

Niemeijer said: “Khiri Reach will continue to work closely with responsible, professional organisations, such as Wildlife Alliance, that are implementing vital conservation and regeneration projects.” 

Khiri Reach also supports reforestation projects in Siem Reap in Cambodia and Chiang Rai, northern Thailand. It also contributes to a seagrass initiative in Sri Lanka.

“With the Khiri Reach regenerative travel fund, we invite Khiri Travel customers and partners to support these projects with each booking they make,” Niemeijer concluded.

(Source: Khiri Reach).
Further information: KhiriReach.org