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Thailand raises safety standards

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 15 January 2024: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in collaboration with the Tourist Police Bureau, Grab Taxi (Thailand), and Central Pattana (CPN), officially rolled out the latest “Thais Always Care” online communication campaign.

It presents a single message that visitors can feel safe and welcome in the country through TAT’s ‘Thais Always Care’ online communication campaign.

TAT governor, Thapanee Kiatphaibool, opens the ‘Thais Always Care’ campaign.

Commenting on the campaign, TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said: “The ‘Thais Always Care’ campaign is an open communication with Thais and foreign tourists, especially those from China, which has been a key source market for Thailand. She added: “We want to share Thailand’s ongoing efforts to raise safety standards in the travel and tourism industry.”

TAT initially unveiled the campaign in December 2023 during a local press conference curated by the  Ministry of Tourism and Sports that claimed 12 public agencies would step up security during the festive season.

Under the campaign, the country’s Tourist Police stepped up the safety and security measures by using a Tourist Police mobile truck to communicate with tourists and promoting its ‘POLICE I LERT U’ application, which offers a 24-hour emergency call centre 1155 staffed by officers and volunteers fluent in English, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Arabic.

CPN executive vice president of marketing, Nattakit Tangpoonsinthana, commented on security measures.

“CPN is poised to become a comprehensive Tourist Hub. Therefore, we have strengthened safety measures covering the entire department store by installing CCTV cameras and implementing a strict inspection of visitors and vehicles and bag checks at the entrance. Also, security guards have consistently been trained to tackle emergencies and unprecedented incidents.”

The ‘Thais Always Care’ campaign will involve recruiting leading international ‘key opinion leaders’ to enhance the positive image of Thailand’s tourism assets and soft powers and reinforce Thailand’s image as a safe destination. The targeted audiences are local and foreign tourists, including Chinese travellers. TAT expects the campaign to garner 100 million impressions.

(SOURCE: TAT)

Air travel almost hits 2019 mark

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 15 January 2024: Globally, airline traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometres is now at 99.1% of November 2019 levels, the  International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports in its latest data for November 2023.

Total traffic in November 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 29.7% compared to November 2022. That is 99.1% of November 2019 levels.

International traffic rose 26.4% versus November 2022. The Asia-Pacific region continued to report the strongest year-over-year results (+63.8%), with all regions showing improvement compared to the previous year. November 2023, international RPKs reached 94.5% of November 2019 levels.

Domestic traffic for November 2023 was up 34.8% compared to November 2022. Total November 2023 domestic traffic was 6.7% above the November 2019 level. Growth was particularly strong in China (+272%) as it recovered from the Covid travel restrictions that were still in place a year ago. US domestic travel, benefitting from strong Thanksgiving holiday demand, reached a new high, expanding +9.1% over November 2019.

“We are moving ever closer to surpassing the 2019 peak year for air travel. Economic headwinds are not deterring people from taking to the skies. International travel remains 5.5% below pre-pandemic levels, but that gap is rapidly closing. And domestic markets have been above their pre-pandemic levels continuously since April,” said IATA’s director general Willie Walsh.

International Passenger Markets

Asia-Pacific airlines had a 63.8% rise in November traffic compared to November 2022, the region’s strongest year-over-year rate. Capacity rose 58.0%, and the load factor was up 2.9 percentage points to 82.6%.

European carriers’ November traffic climbed 14.8% versus November 2022. Capacity increased by 15.2%, and load factor declined by 0.3 percentage points to 83.3%.

Middle Eastern airlines saw an 18.6% traffic rise in November compared to November 2022. November capacity increased 19.0% versus the year-ago period, and the load factor fell 0.2 percentage points to 77.4%.

North American carriers experienced a 14.3% traffic rise in November versus 2022. Capacity increased by 16.3%, and the load factor fell 1.4 percentage points to 80.0%.

Latin American airlines’ November traffic rose 20.0% compared to the same month in 2022. November capacity climbed 17.7%, and the load factor increased 1.7 percentage points to 84.9%, the highest of any region.

African airlines had a 22.1% rise in November RPKs versus a year ago. November 2023 capacity was up 29.6%, and the load factor fell 4.3 percentage points to 69.7%, the lowest among regions.

The Bottom Line

“Aviation’s rapid recovery from Covid demonstrates just how important flying is to people and to businesses. In parallel with aviation’s recovery, governments recognised the urgency of transitioning from jet fuel to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for aviation’s decarbonisation. In November, the Third Conference on Aviation Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) saw governments agree that we should see 5% carbon savings by 2030 from SAF. This was followed up at COP28 in December, where governments agreed that we need a broad transition from fossil fuels to avoid the worst effects of climate change.  

“Airlines don’t need convincing. They agreed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and every drop of SAF ever made in that effort has been bought and used. There simply is not enough SAF being produced. So we look to 2024 as the year when governments follow up on their declarations and finally deliver comprehensive policy measures to incentivise the rapid scaling-up of SAF production,” Walsh concluded.

The world’s top passports in 2024

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAP0RE, 15 January 2024: An unprecedented six countries share the top spot with visa-free access to a record-breaking number of destinations on the 2024 Henley Passport Index. 

Based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the passports of six countries provide visa-free travel to 194 destinations.

Four EU member states — France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — join Japan and Singapore in boasting the most powerful passports in the world, with their citizens able to visit an astonishing 194 destinations out of 227 around the globe visa-free. 

The two Asian nations (Japan and Singapore) have dominated first place on the index (which ranks all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa) for the past five years.

Henley & Partners chairman Christian Kaelin says that although the general trend over the 19-year-old ranking has been towards greater travel freedom, the global mobility gap at the top and bottom of the index is now more comprehensive than ever. 

“The average number of destinations travellers can access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024. However, as we enter the new year, the top-ranked countries can now travel to a staggering 166 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which sits at the bottom of the ranking with access to just 28 countries without a visa.”

South Korea in second place

Asian tiger South Korea joins Finland and Sweden in second place with visa-free travel to 193 destinations, and another four EU nations — Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands — share third place with access to 192. 

The rest of the Top 10 is largely dominated by European countries, with the UK climbing up two ranks to fourth place with visa-free access to 191 destinations compared to just 188 a year ago. Australia and New Zealand passport holders both improve their ranking to sit in sixth place with 189 visa-free destinations, while the US retains its seventh place with access to 188 destinations without requiring a visa in advance. It has been a decade since the UK and the US jointly held first place on the index in 2014.

Biggest climbers and fallers

The UAE remains the biggest climber on the Henley Passport Index over the past decade, adding an impressive 106 destinations to its visa-free score since 2014, resulting in a massive leap of 44 places in the ranking from 55th to 11th position.

Ukraine and China are also among the top five countries with the most improved rankings over the past 10 years (total gain of 21 places each), and both have climbed a further two ranks in the past year. Ukraine is now in 32nd place with 148 visa-free destinations, and China is 62nd on the ranking with access to 85 destinations without a prior visa (compared to just 44 in 2014). While Russia has seen a net gain of 24 destinations over the past decade, its visa-free score and ranking have barely shifted since 2017, and it now sits in 51st place with access to 119 destinations.

Vistara ramps up flights to Paris

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 15 January 2024: Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, will start five weekly flights between Mumbai and Paris (CDG), effective 28 March 2024. 

The new long-haul route is in addition to Vistara’s five weekly flights between Delhi and Paris, launched in November 2021. This will be Vistara’s third long-haul route to European destinations originating from its Mumbai hub. The other two routes serve London and Frankfurt. 

Vistara will deploy a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the Mumbai-Paris route, offering a three-class configuration. Bookings for the flights are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents.

Vistara chief executive officer Vinod Kannan said: “We are delighted to announce direct connectivity between Mumbai and Paris, our sixth route to Europe. The addition of this much-awaited connection is in line with our strategy to position Mumbai as a vital hub for international travel.”

The Paris direct flights launch with return fares starting at INR 49999 all-in.

About Vistara (TATA SIA Airlines Limited) 

TATA SIA Airlines Limited, known by the brand name Vistara, is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA). 

Accor confirms new signings in Asia

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 12 January 2024: Accor has confirmed adding several new properties to its Asia portfolio signed at the end of 2023, which continues the company’s commitment to growth and expansion. 

The new signings include additions to the Novotel, Mercure, and Ibis brands, reinforcing Accor’s position as a leader in the premium, midscale, and economy segments.  

Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre.

New signings 

Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre (Singapore) 

In collaboration with Worldwide Hotels Group, Singapore’s largest hotel operator, Accor is set to introduce the world’s largest Mercure hotel to Singapore – Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre, boasting an impressive 989 keys and scheduled to open in Q1 2024. Located at 8 Club Street, this locally-inspired hotel seamlessly blends the historical charm of Chinatown with the dynamic energy of the Central Business District (CBD). 

Ibis Styles Subic (Philippines) 

Ibis Styles Subic, set to become the first international branded hotel in Subic, boasts a strategic location across from the Ayala Malls’ Harbor Point, making it easily accessible. Due to open in 2026, the 175-room property is a 10-minute walk from the Subic Bay Yacht Club and a 3-minute drive to SBMA Beach. 

Mercure Subic (Philippines) 

The 250-room Mercure Subic, poised to become the second international branded hotel in Subic, is situated adjacent to Ibis Styles Subic, at the heart of the Subic area and due to open in 2026. 

Mercure Rajahmundy City Centre (India) 

In collaboration with Compass Enterprise Private Limited, the 120-room Mercure Rajahmundry City Centre is located on the city’s main 100 Feet Road in downtown Rajahmundry, known for its bullion markets and Hindu pilgrimage sites.

Ibis Styles Mysuru (India) 

Set to become the inaugural ibis Styles in Mysuru, the cultural capital of Karnataka, India, the 130-room property is set to open its doors in Q1 2025. 

Novotel Bengaluru Airport Varun and Ibis Styles Bengaluru Airport Varun (India) 

Located in the KIADB Aerospace SEZ, Hardware & IT Park, North Bangalore, the two properties are close to the Bengaluru International Airport. Each property has 180 rooms, and guests can use the facilities at both hotels.  

Centara names Cosi Vientiane GM

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 12 January 2024: Centara Hotels & Resorts, a global hotel operator headquartered in Bangkok, announced this week the appointment of Pasin Nopsuwan as the general manager of COSI Vientiane Nam Phu.

Located in the Lao PDR capital, the property marks a significant milestone for the group’s COSI brand as the fourth hotel and its first overseas venture. The property will open in February 2024. 

 Pasin Nopsuwan

“Appointing Pasin as the general manager for COSI Vientiane Nam Phu signifies a strategic move for Centara Hotels & Resorts,” said Centara Hotels & Resorts chief executive officer Thirayuth Chirathivat. “His exceptional track record in driving revenue growth and his commitment to fostering collaborative environments align perfectly with COSI’s vision to cater to modern travellers seeking simplicity and freedom. We look forward to seeing his innovative approach enhance the guest experience at our first overseas COSI property.”

A graduate of the Swiss Hotel Management School, Pasin’s career spans more than two decades in the hospitality industry, and his extensive expertise in sales, marketing, and revenue management has been honed through pivotal roles across esteemed brands, including Centara and Accor.

“It is an honour to be named general manager of COSI Vientiane Nam Phu, and I am thrilled to take on the role of opening COSI’s first overseas venture,” commented Pasin. “The COSI concept is all about facilitating the lifestyle of our free-spirited guests, who crave the ultimate in freedom, flexibility and connectivity. I cannot wait to bring this to life in Laos, where travellers will welcome this fresh hotel experience.”

Located in the heart of Vientiane, Laos PDR, COSI Vientiane Nam Phu will offer a new way to stay in the Laotian capital. It features 95 rooms and signature facilities, such as the hip grab-and-go Cafe247, a vibrant social hub and a rooftop pool & terrace. 

For more information on COSI Vientiane Nam Phu, visit https://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/cosihotels/czvl 

Banyan Tree Group rebrand chops the tree

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 12 January 2024: After three decades of high-flying hospitality success, Banyan Tree Group is evolving its corporate umbrella brand by dropping the ‘Tree’ to become ‘Banyan Group’. 

In a media statement, the group said the “brand shift reflects the group’s evolution into multi-brand hospitality powerhouse.”  

Since 2019, the Banyan Tree Group has doubled its brand portfolio with properties in new destinations such as  Banyan Tree AlUla in Saudi Arabia, Garrya in Kyoto and Folio in Osaka, Japan, Dhawa in Ho Tram, Vietnam, Homm in Huzhou, China and Banyan Tree Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. 

2023 also marked a year of strong and steady business performance that has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Expansion continues in 2024 

“As we celebrate the Group’s 30th anniversary and its evolution into Banyan Group, this milestone is not only a testament to the Group’s enduring success in the hospitality industry but also sets the stage for an exciting future,” said Banyan Group president and CEO Eddy See

“This brand evolution reflects our portfolio transformation from a single luxury brand to our diverse offering. With a keen eye on expansion, we are seizing new opportunities with our distinct brands, designed to meet evolving traveller preferences and needs in these dynamic markets.” 

Banyan Group manages 12 global brands, 75 hotels and resorts, over 60 spas and galleries and 14 branded residences across 22 countries. As part of a robust pipeline of properties, the Group’s expansion in 2024 will include 19 new properties and residences in Cambodia, China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Mexico. Here are the highlights:  
The Group’s first property in Cambodia will debut with Angsana Siem Reap.
The first Banyan Tree property in Japan, Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto. 
Further enhancing Banyan Group’s multi-brand presence, additional brands are set to debut in Vietnam – Angsana Quan Lan in Halong Bay and Garrya Mu Chang Chai, as well as in South Korea with Cassia and Homm Sokcho.
Suzhou, approximately 2 hours away from Shanghai by train or car, will feature two complexes – The first, in Shishan, will include Banyan Tree and Angsana, while the second, by Yangcheng Lake, will include Banyan Tree and Garrya. 
Angsana Tengchong marks the Group’s fifth property in the Yunnan province of China. 
In North America, Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe marks the debut of the first full-fledged Banyan Tree Veya in Mexico. 

30th anniversary year 

During its 30th anniversary in 2024, Banyan Group will launch Beyond, a new digital companion that offers a holistic experience across its codified wellbeing framework, and ‘withBanyan’, an experiential members programme that rewards engagement, interactions and actions. The celebration extends globally with 11 trade pop-ups, engaging global consumer campaigns, the launch of eight signature scents inspired by the Group’s eight pillars of wellbeing and limited edition artisanal anniversary gifts, all crafted in collaboration with the communities where the Group operates.  

For more information about Banyan Group, visit www.groupbanyan.com. 

(SOURCE: Banyan Group)

Carnival brings back commission incentives

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 12 January 2024: Carnival Cruise Line announced the return of its AMP Up Commission Challenge this week, empowering travel advisors to increase commission rates up to 15% throughout 2024 based on bookings made through 31 March 2024.

But the scheme that increases the commission rate for bookings made between 1 April and 31 August (based on meeting first-quarter performance targets) applies only to US, Canada and Puerto Rico travel agencies. 

“As we step into 2024, our travel agency partners are already on a trajectory of success. The AMP Up Challenge is designed as a catalyst to push that momentum even further, as it enables agents to harness their agency’s sales and proactively rise to higher commission tiers,” said Adolfo Perez, senior vice president of global sales and trade marketing for Carnival Cruise Line. “Since it’s Wave season, we encourage agents to seize the opportunity and enjoy the benefits for the rest of the year.”

Participating agencies must meet sales targets during the Wave booking period, January to March 2024, to qualify for higher commission levels between 11 and 15%. The higher commissions will be applied to bookings from 1 April 1 to 31 December 2024. 

To participate, travel advisors must register during the opt-in period until Wednesday, 31 January 2024. The program is open to US, Puerto Rico and Canada agencies that currently qualify for 11 to 15% commissions.

THAI boosts flights to Australia

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 12 January 2024: Thai Airways International has opened bookings for destinations that return to the Northern summer season timetable from 31 March to 31 October 2024.

Following an earlier announcement confirming the airline would resume flights to Milan and Oslo this July, the airline reports it will resume daily flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to Perth in Western Australia effective 31 March. It will deploy a Boeing 787-8 on the route. Departure times differ with a morning departure (0720) from Bangkok on four days and a midnight departure (0001) on three days.

Photo credit: THAI.

Flight schedule

Bangkok-Perth
TG481 BKK-PER 0720-1505 (Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sunday)
TG483 BKK-PER 0001-0745 (Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday)

Perth-Bangkok
TG482 PER-BKK 1620-2220 (Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sunday)
TG484 PER-BKK 0920-1520 (Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday)

In addition, the airline schedules twice-daily flights from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Sydney. Effective 31 March, a second daily flight will be scheduled on the route using a mix of A350-900s and Boeing 777-300s for the twice-daily service

Flights on the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – Taipei Taoyuan route will increase from twice to three daily, using a mix of A320s, a 777-300ER, and A330-300.

Chinese airline launches flights to Chiang Mai

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TTR WEEKLY
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CHIANG MAI, 12 January 2024: Juneyao Air will resume flights between Shanghai and Chiang Mai effective 20 January.

The airline schedules a daily flight using an A320neo departing Shanghai at 1835 and arriving in Chiang Mai at 2235. The return flight will depart Chiang Mai at 2335 and arrive in Shanghai at 0425 the following morning.

Photo credit: Juneyao Air

Flight schedule
HO1325 PVG 1835 – CNX 2235 32N Daily 
HO1326 CNX 2335 – PVG 0425+1 32N Daily

Juneyao Air will compete head-on with two other Chinese airlines on the Shanghai (PVG) – Chiang Mai (CNX) route. It serves the route with an A320neo configured with 158 seats.

China Eastern Airlines flies daily using an A320 configured with 158 seats ( eight first class). The flight departs Shanghai at 1010 and arrives in Chiang Mai at 1400.

Spring Airlines flies the route thrice weekly with an A320 configured with 180 all-economy seats. Flights depart Shanghai at 0805 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and arrive in Chiang Mai at 1135.

The average roundtrip fare on the route stood at USD450 during December, but it is likely to drop once the Juneyao flight is operational daily.

Airlines are hoping that the introduction of visa-exempt travel between China and Thailand for citizens of both countries will boost traffic on the direct routes between the two countries. Last year, provisional travel figures presented by Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports suggested around 3.5 million Chinese would travel to Thailand in 2023. The exact visitor arrival totals and accompanying data for the entire year have not been posted on the ministry’s website.

In related news, Juneyao Air confirmed it will increase flights to daily starting 18 January through to 25 March 25 on two routes to Thailand;  Shanghai-Phuket and Nanjing-Phuket.

The flight information is as follows:
HO1321 PVG-HKT: 1615 – 2050 (Shanghai-Phuket)
HO1322 HKT-PVG: 2200 – 0350 (Phuket-Shanghai)

HO1639 NKG-HKT: 1210 – 1625 (Nanjing-Phuket)
HO1640 HKT-NKG: 1730 – 2325 (Phuket – Nanjing)

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