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Strong turnout for Phuket Triathlon

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TTR WEEKLY
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PHUKET, 21 November 2023: Now in its 29th edition, Southeast Asia’s longest-running competition, Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2023, concluded 19 November, attracting 1,000 Thai and international triathletes representing 30 countries.

Triathlon competitors faced challenging stages, conquering a 1.8-km swim in the Andaman Sea and lagoon, a rigorous 55-km cycling route navigating mountain trails, and a demanding 12-km run around the Laguna Phuket complex. 

In the men’s category, Max Stapley, a British triathlete, marking his debut in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, claimed the top spot by completing the race with an impressive time of two hours, 32 minutes, and 53 seconds. Securing the second position, Max Studer from Switzerland finished in two hours, 34 minutes, and 09 seconds, while the third-place finish went to Anthony Costes from France, recording a time of two hours, 35 minutes, and 32 seconds.

In the women’s division, the title was claimed by Kate Waugh” from the UK. She completed the challenging course in two hours, 46 minutes, and 04 seconds. The second position went to Julie Derron from Switzerland, finishing the race in two hours, 47 minutes, and 45 seconds, while the third spot was taken by Sophie Malowiecki from Australia, posting a time of two hours, 52 minutes and 12 seconds.

For additional details on the 29th Laguna Phuket Triathlon, visit the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LagunaPhuketTri  or www.lagunaphukettri.com.

(TTRW supports sports events that enhance a destination’s communities and tourism).

Emirates A380s to fly better

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI, 21 November 2023: Emirates, the world’s biggest A380 operator, is doubling down its investments to maintain and improve operational efficiency, as well as maximise fleet performance and reliability of its double-decker fleet well into the next decade.

The airline has signed agreements worth over USD1.5 billion at the sidelines of the recent Dubai Airshow, with an expanded network of providers and partners to deliver superior aviation aftermarket and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services. 

Emirates will leverage, at scale, the expertise and capabilities of partners, including Honeywell, Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Safran, Lufthansa Technik, OEM Services, Gameco, Haeco, and others to optimise its A380 fleet’s lifespan and unlock additional operational efficiency gains, all at its exacting standards. Emirates’ partners will provide various maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, parts provisioning, component repairs, and technical support.

The work, already underway, aligns with the airline’s commitment to quality and ensures customers can enjoy its signature onboard products and services for years to come. In parallel with the work carried out to maintain its A380 fleet, the airline continues to progress with the largest known retrofit programme in the industry, worth USD2 billion, poised to elevate the onboard experience even further.  

Emirates Airline President Sir Tim Clark said: “The A380 has been and will continue to be very much part of the Emirates story. Its size and capacity have allowed Emirates to unlock growth at some of the world’s busiest airports, opened new opportunities for travellers, and substantially raised standards for passenger comfort. Our continued commitment to and confidence in the A380 is why we’re investing heavily to keep the fleet in optimal shape and pristine condition. The A380 will remain core to our network and customer proposition for the next decade, and we want to ensure our fleet is in tip-top shape.”

Emirates and Collins Aerospace have signed a long-term agreement to support the airline’s A380 Main Landing gear overhaul programme. Collins has been a pivotal partner for Emirates and will provide local support in the UAE for a substantial part of the overhaul scope of the landing gear programme for A380 aircraft.

Safran Landing Systems will provide Emirates exclusive services for A380 Nose Landing gear. Safran’s broad network scope, which includes MRO facilities in Singapore and France, will provide Emirates with the expertise, capabilities and tailored support services covering the A380’s landing systems lifecycle. 

Honeywell will provide wheels and carbon brakes for 116 A380 aircraft. Honeywell’s advanced wheel and braking designs save weight, reduce maintenance costs and help extend overall brake life. The wheels and brakes will be maintained at Emirates maintenance shops, ensuring continued maintenance support in Dubai.

In a relationship that spans 15 years, Emirates has extended its agreement with OEMServices for ongoing component support for the airline’s A380, which includes the supply of spare parts, repair services and engineering support.

Pratt and Whitney and Emirates have signed a maintenance and support agreement for the airline’s PW980 Auxiliary Power Units, the most powerful APUs in commercial service. The agreement ensures that Emirates receives timely and effective maintenance planning and support.

Emirates has been building a select network of MRO partners to support nose-to-tail line base maintenance services, and the airline has been closely working with these providers to align with its commercial and technical performance requirements consistently.

Lufthansa Technik will provide Base Maintenance Services (BMS) for the airline’s A380s and will provide additional C Checks for the aircraft across the next three years. The C Checks will be performed by Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) in Manila. Since January this year, Lufthansa Technik’s competence centre for Base Maintenance Services in Manila has carried out several heavy checks for Emirates’ A380s. Emirates has also signed a main landing gear agreement with Lufthansa Technik for its future overhaul requirements.

The airline has also signed agreements with Gameco, based in Guangzhou, China, and Haeco in Xiamen, China, for A380 C Checks starting in January and February 2024, respectively.

Emirates operates around 90 A380s, with more to enter active service in the coming months. Last year, the airline kick-started its retrofit programme, with 67 A380s earmarked for a refresh across every cabin class and installing new Premium Economy Class cabins. So far, 16 aircraft have been upgraded and are now in full commercial service. The project, unprecedented in scale and size in the industry, is managed entirely by the Emirates Engineering team.

For flight information and bookings, visit www.emirates.com. 

(Source: Emirates)

Miri makes Country Music Fest free

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUCHING Sarawak, 21 November 2023: Miri Country Music Fest (MCMF) announced free entry to the 10th edition of the festival, scheduled for 1 to 2 December at Coco Cabana, Miri. 

Datu Sherrina Husaini, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak, announced the concession last Friday.

Photo credit: Ministry of Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak.

As MCMF celebrates its 10th anniversary, the festival has become a beacon of Country and Western music in Miri. The festival will feature a diverse lineup of nine country music bands from the USA, Vietnam, Malaysia, and various local bands from Sarawak.

As the first-ever country and western music festival in Malaysia, we make it not only a celebration of music but also a significant calendar event that boosts tourist arrivals and establishes Miri as a thriving resort city but also a hub to host international events,” the permanent secretary reported.

Among the bands performing at MCMF 2023 are the Johnny Kongo Trio from the US and Vietnam, Os Pombos from KL, Country Road Band, Sessionista and The Sape Movement from Miri. For the first time the festival will also organise a 5km Fun Run scheduled to take place along the Marina Park on the second day of MCMF, 2 December at 1700.

To register for free entry to the festival and the 5km fun run, visit www.miricountrymusic.com. 

MCMF is organised by Place Borneo Sdn Bhd and supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak, together with official venue Coco Cabana, official hotel Mega Hotel and official logistic partner Transworld Travel Services Sdn Bhd. Sponsors for the event include Malaysia Aviation Group and Heineken Malaysia Berhad.

Four Points opens in KL

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 21 November 2023: Debuting as the first Four Points by Sheraton hotel in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and the fourth in Malaysia, Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, City Centre celebrates its opening just in time for the year-end festivities. 

The 513-room hotel owned by Ventura International is located close to Kuala Lumpur’s business and shopping districts, such as Suria KLCC and the Bukit Bintang Golden Triangle. It is accessible to public transportation hubs, just a 230-metre walk away. 

The hotel highlights two speciality restaurants. Sichuan Kitchen introduces a lively dining scene, five private rooms and a bar that features China’s Sichuan cuisine with signatures like the cult-favourite ‘hot pot’ feast and hand-pulled ‘dan dan’ noodles. The Mesh, the all-day dining restaurant, delivers a homegrown concept featuring local Malay cuisine. Reservations are now open for Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, City Centre. 

SITA sets out carbon zero vision

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 21 November 2023: Global aviation IT company SITA announced Monday its near-term and long-term emission reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

The move is in line with efforts to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C and SITA’s own commitment, made in 2022, to cut emissions and actively work to achieve a net zero carbon balance.

The validation of SITA’s targets is a key step towards becoming carbon net zero by 2050. The stringent SBTi validation ensures that SITA’s climate action targets align with climate science and SBTi’s Net-Zero Standard, which affords companies a clear framework to develop and achieve their net-zero targets.

SITA’s commitment to achieving net zero focuses on three specific priorities.

Reduce emissions: SITA targets near-term greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 46.2% by 2030 and a minimum 90% long-term reduction across all scopes by 2050, working from a 2019 base. While scope 1 emissions are in SITA’s direct control, scope 2 and 3 emissions indirectly form part of the company’s emissions footprint across its value chain.

Responsible sourcing: SITA will ensure that 50% of its suppliers by spending covering purchased goods and services have science-based targets in place by FY2027 and that new suppliers are selected based on SITA’s required environmental criteria.

Renewable energy: SITA is committed to transitioning to 80% renewable energy usage by 2025, rising to 100% by 2030. This will be achieved through interventions such as optimising energy consumption at SITA offices and sourcing renewable energy wherever possible.

SITA says it will report annually and transparently on climate targets and the progress made to achieve them.

SITA CEO David Lavorel commented: “SITA’s sustainability position is clear: we regard climate change as the most pressing issue facing our planet. We stand firmly behind SBTi’s call for urgent action by businesses to set ambitious emissions reduction targets, in line with the latest climate science, to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”

He concluded: “We are keenly aware that climate change is a monumental, global challenge that requires countries, companies, and individuals to come together and act decisively. As a trusted partner in the aviation industry, we continue to play an active role in helping the industry measure and meet emission reduction targets. Limiting climate warming is a global task that can only be accomplished with transparency, commitment, and cooperation.”

SBTi defines and promotes best practices in target setting based on the latest climate science. It offers resources and guidance to reduce barriers to adoption and independently assesses and approves company targets.

(Source: SITA)

Turkish Airlines flies to Detroit

By
TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 21 November 2023: Turkish Airlines has expanded its network by introducing Detroit flights on 15 November from Istanbul Airport to Detroit’s Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

The airline will serve the route with three weekly flights and increase frequencies to four flights weekly on 25 December. With the addition of Detroit flights, Turkish Airlines has expanded its network to 345 destinations and now serves 13 destinations in the US. 

Turkish Airlines chairman of the Board and the executive committee, Ahmet Bolat commented at the inaugural ceremony: “Today is a special day as we gather here to celebrate the inaugural flight of Turkish Airlines to the city of Detroit. 

“We’re thrilled to connect Istanbul and Detroit, creating opportunities for travel, business, and cultural exploration. As the national flag carrier of Türkiye, our beautiful country, we reach more countries than any other airline in the world, and by adding new destinations to our ever-expanding network, such as Detroit, we continue to serve our primary mission of uniting people and cultures all around the globe.” 

Detroit, a city in Michigan, is the 10th largest city in the US, known primarily as the centre of the automotive industry.

Vistara starts Mumbai-Frankfurt flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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GURUGRAM, India, 21 November 2023: Vistara, a joint venture of the Tata group and Singapore Airlines, introduced last week six weekly direct flights between Mumbai and Frankfurt. 

The inaugural flight was served by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner that departed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, at 1300 on 15 November 2023 and arrived at Frankfurt International Airport at 1730 (GMT). Vistara is already serving the Delhi to Frankfurt route with six weekly flights.

Vistara chief executive officer Vinod Kannan commented: “Sensing a need for an Indian airline offering world-class experience and connecting to long-haul destinations in Europe from our hub in Mumbai, we started five direct flights to London Heathrow. We are now delighted to start six weekly flights to Frankfurt as our second European destination from India’s financial capital.”

* All timings shown are in local time zones. Exact timings may differ slightly for respective days of operations.
** (+1) indicates next-day arrival.
** Subject to regulatory approvals.

About Vistara: 

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).

Malaysians gain Singapore travel deals

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 20 November 2023: Singapore Tourism Board (STB), TNG Digital, and Alipay+ have signed a MoU to offer visitors from Malaysia curated deals for their next holiday in Singapore. 

The partnership will not only introduce more cashless payment options to travellers but also allow users access to a wide range of exciting promotions when in Singapore. There are about 10 in-destination promotions showcased in Singapore, and more will be added in the coming months.

(Clockwise from top left) Danny Chua, Chief Commercial Officer of TNG Digital;  Juliana Kua, Assistant Chief Executive of STB; Sophia Ng, Senior Marketing Manager of Ant Group; Douglas Feagin, Senior Vice President of Ant Group and Head of Alipay+, Ant International; Melissa Ow, Chief Executive of STB; and Alan Ni, Chief Executive Officer of TNG Digital at the MoU signing ceremony.

Malaysian users of Touch ‘n Go eWallet by TNG Digital can now enjoy the convenience of using the eWallet for booking flights or purchasing travel insurance before their trips. Soon, they can pay and redeem promotions via Touch ‘n Go eWallet by TNG Digital across more lifestyle merchants in Singapore, such as retail stores, attractions and restaurants. Users can also expect to enjoy up to an 80% discount for transport and daily items. As a payment partner of the Alipay+ ecosystem, TNG Digital allows users from Malaysia to tap on their Touch ‘n Go eWallet to transact in Singapore and enjoy additional benefits provided by Alipay+.

Singapore is seeing a steady rebound in international travel and tourism – between January and October 2023, the city-state recorded more than 11 million visitor arrivals globally. Malaysia is one of Singapore’s top three tourism source markets, with more than 891,000 visitor arrivals between January and October this year.

Singapore Tourism Board executive director, Southeast Asia Terrence Voon said: “Travellers in the post-pandemic world expect a seamless experience enabled by contactless payments. Our timely collaboration with TNG Digital and Alipay+ taps into this trend, leveraging our partners’ strengths to promote Singapore as a destination of choice and encouraging travellers to get more out of their visit to Singapore.”

The partnership, which will be made available to all verified Touch ‘n Go eWallet users by TNG Digital in Malaysia, will cover co-investment in joint marketing campaigns and entail collaborations to onboard more Singapore-based merchants to offer attractive tourist promotions. 

Alipay+ will work with TNG Digital to continue promoting its A+ Rewards programme, a rewards platform within the eWallet. The partnership enables more Singapore stakeholders to tap into both TNG Digital and Alipay+ platforms to showcase the destination’s myriad lifestyle offerings further.

Busan, the Zero Carbon MICE City

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TTR WEEKLY
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BUSAN, 20 November 2023: Since industrialisation, many business sectors, including manufacturing and transportation, have contributed to the acceleration of global warming, and the MICE industry is no exception. 

The Zero Carbon MICE City

Events such as exhibitions and conventions generate large amounts of waste, and carbon dioxide is emitted as visitors travel to event locations, further polluting the environment. Recognizing the harm of these and other human activities, movements to protect the environment have been gaining momentum worldwide.

In the UK in 2021, leaders from MICE industries worldwide met at the Conference of Parties (COP) 26 on climate change and declared their commitment to hosting net-zero events. A total of 137 countries, including Korea, pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. MICE industry leaders discussed developing a common method for measuring direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions and pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, to achieve net zero by 2050. The MICE city of Busan is taking environmental issues seriously and implementing eco-friendly policies to protect the environment.

Leading the Way for MICE Sustainability

Source: Busan Tourism Organization.

The MICE city of Busan has adopted a climate change response plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The plan covers seven sectors, including industry and waste, and includes 104 specific implementation tasks. The primary objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 47% from 2018 to 2030 and to ultimately achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. To raise awareness and support of these efforts towards carbon neutrality among MICE stakeholders and the general public, the city has launched a carbon neutrality policy website called “Net Zero Busan.” 

In addition, during last year’s COP27, representatives from Busan and the US discussed setting up a green shipping route between Busan and Seattle and linking key port cities along the US West Coast. Busan has also developed an eco-friendly app that allows travellers to enjoy their journeys and contribute to environmental preservation at the same time. The app not only provides tourism information but also helps people’s awareness of the values of urban ecology and the importance of carbon neutrality through the completion of “NFT Green Busan Travel” eco-friendly experiences and missions. 

Busan Tourism Organization (BTO) continues to operate a diverse range of eco-friendly campaigns. Last summer, the BTO organized an eco-friendly plogging (jogging while picking up litter) “Safe & Fun Busan” social contribution campaign, during which approximately 50 BTO staff members and residents carried out environmental activities in the Haeundae Beach area. After plogging, participants made social contributions by donating snacks and diapers to a temporary shelter for children and a welfare foundation. Also, in November, the BTO made upcycled dolls using marine waste resources and donated the finished toys to a social welfare centre.  

Heading Towards Net Zero

Through the establishment of a carbon neutrality policy website and an eco-friendly platform app, and through many other means, the MICE city of Busan strives to achieve net zero. Thanks to its concerted efforts, Busan is well on its way to transitioning into a fully carbon-zero city by 2050.

For more information on BTO.

Emirates and Condor activate interline pact

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI, UAE, 20 November 2023: Emirates and Condor have activated a reciprocal interline agreement which will boost connectivity for customers to 70 routes operated by both airlines across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia and the Middle East, with a single ticket fare and hassle-free baggage policy. 

The two carriers also signed a frequent flyer programme agreement enabling Emirates Skywards members to earn and redeem Miles on all Condor-operated flights.

The agreements were signed by Emirates chief commercial officer Adnan Kazim and Condor commercial director Jens Boyd during the Dubai Airshow.

Starting last week, Emirates passengers can enjoy seamless access to European and Caribbean destinations operated by Condor, including 24 regional points via Frankfurt, 12 regional points via Dusseldorf, nine regional points via Hamburg and 12 regional points via Munich. Some of the most popular cities available for Emirates’ customers include Malaga, Ibiza, Cancun and Havana, among others, all with a single ticket and convenient baggage check-through to the final destination.

The interline agreement will also provide Condor’s customers convenient additional access to Emirates-operated flights between Frankfurt and Dubai, as well as beyond Dubai to 12 points across Asia, Australasia, Africa and the Middle East, including Auckland, Bangkok, Male, Muscat and Mauritius, among others.

Tickets are now on sale for travel immediately. Itineraries can be booked on www.emirates.com, www.condor.com, with Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s) and all major GDSs’ via travel agents.

The new partnership will expand Emirates’ footprint in Europe by an additional 57 points via its existing four gateways in Germany, providing more options and connectivity for the airline’s customers to popular destinations in Europe and the Caribbean for both business and leisure travel.

Emirates has served Germany since 1987 and operates 63 weekly flights to Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Munich. The airline continues to expand its global footprint to meet customer demand, working with strategic partners to offer customers seamless access to many points beyond its network of 144 destinations. With the addition of Condor boosting its partner-airlines network to 30 codeshare and 121 interline partners, Emirates’ customers can seamlessly reach more than 1,500 cities across six continents.

Earn and redeem Miles on Condor’s network

Emirates Skywards members can now earn and redeem Miles on all Condor-operated flights. Members can earn up to one Skywards Mile per mile flown in economy class, 1.25 Skywards Miles per mile flown in economy premium class, and up to 2.15 Skywards Miles per mile flown in business class.

Members can also redeem Miles on Condor-operated flights starting from 8,000 miles for a one-way economy class ticket and starting from 16,000 miles for a one-way business class ticket.

More than 1.4 million German nationals and residents are enrolled in Emirates Skywards and benefit from privileges including flight rewards, upgrades, hotel stays, and money-can’t-buy-experiences.

For flight and booking information, visit www.emirates.com. 

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