BANGKOK, 23 April 2024: International hospitality management group Absolute Hotel Services Group (AHS), in partnership with UAE-based industry veterans Dex Squared Hotel Management, has established a joint venture to recruit and operate properties under AHS’ brands.
The expansion will focus on the brands Eastin Grand Hotels & Resorts, Eastin Hotels, Resorts & Residences, Eastin Estates, U Hotels & Resorts, and Absolute Collection in markets in the Middle East and Africa. AHS manages 40 hotels and golf clubs, with an additional 40 projects in various stages of development.
AHS Middle East & Africa (AHS MEA) will seek management opportunities across the Middle East and Africa from its base in Dubai, UAE. It will actively promote, sign and operate branded hotel management and golf course contracts under the platforms AHS has created in several regions. The company aims to sign 20 branded hotels and five golf/country clubs within three to five years.
Commenting on the joint venture launch, Jonathan Wigley, AHS founding CEO and President of AHS MEA, said: ” AHS has long sought the right timing to enter these exciting regions with a dedicated company and team. This aligns with our international expansion strategy built on a regionally focused development and operations platform. Our partners, Dex Squared, are an ideal fit for company culture and objectives, and we look forward to announcing many new deals soon.”
Adding to this, Kevork Deldelian, Founder & CEO of Dex Squared Hotel Management and Managing Director of AHS MEA, says: “Starting from the region’s largest and most active hospitality development market, Dubai, AHS MEA will carefully select investment partners to work with offering the flexibility and owner-centric approach that resonates with today’s property developers. We aim to sign a sustainable selection of hotels and golf/country clubs in key Middle East and African destinations, including high-potential ones.”
About Absolute Hotel Services AHS is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, with regional offices in Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, India and now Europe. With more expansions planned, AHS and its brands have resonated with investors and consumers, contributing value to all stakeholders.
Covering the luxury to economy segments through its brands U Hotels & Resorts, Eastin Grand Hotels & Resorts, Eastin Hotels, Resorts & Residences, Eastin Easy, Eastin Estates, and Absolute Collection. AHS is also involved in the golf industry through Absolute Golf Services and is the exclusive operator of the Travelodge brand in Thailand through Travelodge Thailand.
PHUKET, 23 April 2024: The Laguna Phuket Marathon, presented by Supersports, is set to welcome over 10,000 runners and visitors from more than 40 countries to compete in Phuket, billed as Southeast Asia’s favourite destination marathon.
Held from 8 to 9 June 2024 at Laguna Phuket, the award-winning marathon is one of the longest-running international sports events on the holiday island, driving its resurgence as a world-class sports tourism destination.
“Since its first edition 18 years ago, the Laguna Phuket Marathon has appealed to Thai and international runners, and this year, we are seeing a surge in international interest, especially from Asia-Pacific countries,” said GAA Events Race Director Raimund Wellenhofer, who organises the event. “Our top five international participating countries for 2024 are Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.”
The picture-postcard course passes the stunning beaches of Nai Yang, Layan, and Bang Tao and also takes runners through local villages and lush tropical landscapes. The popular two-day format sees the 2km kids’ run, 5km, and 10km take place on the morning of Saturday, 8 June and the Half Marathon (21.0975km), Marathon Relay (42.195km), and Marathon (42.195km) on the morning of Sunday, 9 June.
Having set the highest organisational standards for 18 years, the Laguna Phuket Marathon is organised by GAA Events. It is an internationally certified and measured run course by World Athletics (WA) and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and is also a qualifying event for the Boston Marathon.
SINGAPORE, 23 April 2024: Ethiopian Airlines will launch four weekly weekly flights from its home base of Addis Ababa to Warsaw, Poland via Athens.
Flights will start on 16 June 2024, expanding the airline’s European destinations to 24.
Flight ET764 from Addis Ababa to Warsaw via Athens will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Flight ET765 from Warsaw to Addis Ababa via Athens will operate on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew commented: “We are truly excited to grow our presence in the European market further with yet another new destination. This development is in harmony with our strategic intent to bridge Africa with the globe while fostering commerce and tourism within the continent.”
Ethiopian Airlines offers flights with seamless connections to more than 135 destinations. As the airline celebrates its 78th anniversary this year, the addition of Warsaw to the airline’s network further solidifies its position as a key player in the African aviation market.
ABU DHABI UAE, 23 April 2024: British Airways returned to Abu Dhabi to reinstate year-round flights on Sunday between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport.
British Airways will operate a daily flight from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi all year round, using Boeing 787-9 during the summer season. The new route adds to BA’s global network and strengthens connections between the UAE and the UK.
Flight BA073 to Abu Dhabi departs London Heathrow at 2225, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 0830 +1. Flight BA072 to London departs at Abu Dhabi at 1010, arriving at London Heathrow at 1520.
Abu Dhabi Airports Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Elena Sorlini said: “We warmly welcome British Airways as it starts operating to Zayed International Airport with a daily schedule that promises to enrich connectivity and invigorate business and tourism. Our new award-winning and cutting-edge terminal offers visitors an unparalleled introduction to the vibrant UAE capital, where they will be greeted with Emirati hospitality at its finest.”
British Airways Chief Customer Officer Calum Laming said: “The new daily flight connects Abu Dhabi with London Heathrow and beyond, providing our customers with another amazing destination within our expansive global network and further growing our connections with the UAE. With four cabins to choose from, including First, we are confident customers will enjoy our exceptional and original British Airways service brought to life by our incredible colleagues.”
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 April 2024: AirAsia Malaysia celebrated another major milestone on Monday, welcoming its maiden flight from Jaipur to Kuala Lumpur.
The inaugural flight departed from Jaipur International Airport at 2340 and landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 2) at 0705 local time.
This route is special for AirAsia Malaysia — marking its first venture to the stunning Pink City, world-renowned for its vintage forts dating back to the 16th century and the majestic Jal Mahal.
AirAsia Aviation Group CEO Bo Lingam said: “We’re thrilled that our first ever services for AirAsia Malaysia between Jaipur and Kuala Lumpur route took flight today and are honoured to be the only airline in Malaysia to offer direct connectivity. Jaipur ‒ often known as the ‘Jewel of Rajasthan’ ‒ is an exquisitely beautiful city with plenty to offer, as is Kuala Lumpur, thanks to our world-famous sky-scrappers and a cultural melting pot of local delights.
AirAsia is offering limited-time-only promotional fares to India with a 20% discount. Fly from Kuala Lumpur to many exciting destinations in the country, such as Bhubaneswar*, Visakhapatnam*, Ahmedabad*, Trivandrum and Amritsar from only MYR179 all-in-one-way.** Book flights until 28 April 2024 and travel from 6 May to 30 November 2024.
AirAsia currently flies directly from Kuala Lumpur to 13 cities in India with 78 flights weekly. The destinations are: Trivandrum, Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Kochi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, (flights commence on 28 May 2024), Visakhapatnam (flights commence on 26 April 2024) and Ahmedabad (flights commence on 1 May 2024). Medium haul affiliate AirAsia X Malaysia (flight code D7) also provides two direct routes from Kuala Lumpur to New Delhi and Amritsar with eight weekly flights.
*The travel period for Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam and Ahmedabad is 28 May 2024, 26 April 2024 & 1 May 2024 to 30 November 2024 respectively.
**Includes airport taxes, MAVCOM fee, fuel surcharges and other applicable fees.
SINGAPORE, 23 April 2024: If you travel for a cheap beer, then spend your holiday time in Vietnam’s famed World Heritage town of Hoi An for the cheapest glass of lager that will set you back GBP1.16 while sipping a local brew in Phuket Thailand, will cost GBP2.08.
Long-haul destinations top the 2024 UK Post Office’s World Holiday Costs Barometer leaderboard, with Vietnam delivering the lowest prices and five other Asian destinations in hot pursuit in the top 20 rankings.
The Post Office holiday costs research* surveyed 40 destinations worldwide, focusing on the price of eight items that UK tourists are likely to purchase during overseas holidays. The eight items: A three-course meal for two with a bottle of house wine, a cup of coffee, a bottle of local beer, a can of cola, a glass of wine, a bottle of still water, suncream and insect repellent.
Vietnam, using Hoi An for the price samplings, was declared the winner with the lowest costs for the eight items, totalling GBP51.18, ahead of South Africa in second place (GBP54.35) and Kenya in third place (GB54.93).
In addition to Vietnam, five Asian destinations figured in the holiday costs barometer’s top 20 list. Japan (Tokyo), in fourth place, tallied GBP59.05 for the eight items. Bali (Kuta) was in eighth place, totalling GBP63.31, and Malaysia (Penang) was in 11th place, totalling GBP74.57. Thailand (Phuket) took the 12th spot with a tally of GBP77.77, and India (Delhi) in the 13th spot with a total cost of GBP77.84
Portugal (Algarve), in fifth place with a tally of GBP59.60, was the best-ranked European destination for price bargains.
The Post Office research claims that over half of adult Britons will travel abroad this year – and 60% have already booked. More than half will dip into savings to fund the trip despite concerns about overspending.
Sterling looks set to play a pivotal part in holiday choice in the coming months, based on the findings of the 18th annual Holiday Money Report from Post Office Travel Money.
That report reveals that 90% of the Post Office’s 30 bestselling currencies are currently weaker against sterling than a year ago, resulting in price falls in many of the world’s most popular destinations—especially long-haul resorts and cities.
Research for the Post Office Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer (part of the Holiday Money Report) found that prices for meals, drinks and other tourist items have fallen since last year in 25 of the 40 resorts and cities surveyed. However, the strength of the sterling, rather than the prices charged in restaurants, bars, and shops abroad, will make many destinations cheaper for British visitors.
The barometer research reveals year-on-year local price rises for tourist commodities in four out of five destinations. However, once these prices are converted to sterling, holidaymakers can expect to pay less than a year ago when visiting 19 long-haul destinations and six European ones.
Vietnam a price paradise
For the first time, Vietnam tops the chart. In Hoi An, a 14.4% price fall has been achieved through lower restaurant and bar charges and a sizeable drop in the value of the Vietnamese dong.
At GBP51.18 for a barometer basket consisting of a range of drinks, a three-course meal for two with wine, sunscreen and insect repellent, Hoi An has leapfrogged last year’s leaders to rise from sixth to first place in the worldwide barometer. It has done so because it is one of only eight destinations to combine a reduction in local prices with falling currency values.
In common with Vietnam, Japan is another Asian destination benefiting from a significant rise in sterling’s value combined with a fall in local prices. Tokyo has moved up four places to fourth after seeing barometer costs plummet by 16.2% to £59.05.
In eighth place, prices in Bali (Kuta) are down 6.7% to GBP63.31.
Bottom of the table
At the bottom of the barometer table, Tamarindo in Costa Rica is the most expensive destination, based on the eight items. At GBP158, prices have risen significantly in recent years – up 13.2% year-on-year. The same applies to Cancun, Mexico, once in the best value top 10 but now down to 33rd place after a price rise of 16.7% to £127.10, primarily due to the strength of the Mexican peso.
Prices in resorts and cities are among the biggest concerns for holidaymakers planning trips abroad. In consumer research conducted for the Holiday Money Report, 84% of them – rising to 89% of family travellers said that costs for items like meals and drinks would be one of their biggest considerations when choosing their holiday destination. Even more, 90% of Britons planning overseas holidays were concerned about overspending their budget.
Post Office Travel Money head Laura Plunkett said: “The barometer results make it clear how important it will be this year to consider how sterling’s strength has impacted individual destinations. Holidaymakers intending to travel long haul can expect to get more for their money because the pound has gained ground in most destinations. By comparison, sterling’s gain against the euro has been more modest, so it will pay to compare eurozone destinations to see which offer the cheapest prices. Portugal and Cyprus look the best choices for bargain hunters.”
Despite concerns about holiday costs, half (51%) of Britons told Post Office researchers that they intend to travel abroad this year – rising to 58% of younger people aged between 16 and 34. More revealingly, three in five (60%) of them have already booked their holiday – although almost a quarter (23%) are waiting to book in the hope of bagging a discounted late package.
The research confirms that holidays abroad are a priority for many Britons. Half (51%) of those planning overseas travel admit that they will have to dip into savings to fund their trip abroad, while a quarter (25%) will reduce spending on other areas to afford the holiday – 12% delaying plans for home improvements or car purchases.
*40 destinations were surveyed for the Post Office Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer, compiled with the help of national and local tourist boards (Marmaris info for Marmaris, Turkey). Eight items — a three-course meal for two with a bottle of house wine, a cup of coffee, a bottle of local beer, a can of cola, a glass of wine, a bottle of still water, suncream and insect repellent — were selected as representative of the purchases UK tourists are likely to make and Post Office researchers cross-checked prices.
KUCHING, 22 April 2024: The Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia) in Vietnam and the Embassy of Malaysia in Hanoi participated in the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2024, which was held from 11 to 14 April 2024.
The Sarawak promotion, held at the International Center for Exhibition (ICE) in Hanoi, was supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts (MTCP) Sarawak, Malaysia Aviation Group, National Association of Private Educational Institutions of Malaysia (NAPEI), Resorts World Genting, Ibis Kuala Lumpur City Centre, and Columbia Leisure.
During the four-day event, the colours of Malaysia were unveiled through performances of Sarawak Cultural Dance and Sape Performance, fun quiz activities to learn more about the country, and Teh Tarik Tea Pulling Art by a Malaysian chef.
“VITM 2024 presented a valuable opportunity to promote Malaysia’s rich cultural and ecological tourism offerings,” said Tourism Malaysia in Vietnam director Nor Hayati Zainuddin.
Tourism Malaysia also shared updates on the latest tourism products and destinations, such as Sarawak, the largest state on the island of Borneo, also known as the “Land of the Hornbills,” a bird species listed in the Red Book. Sarawak, a treasure trove of unique experiences, harnesses pristine beauty like the Mulu cave, home to over 40 ethnic groups with distinct customs and practices awaiting to be discovered by Vietnamese tourists.
DUBAI, 22 April 2024: Emirates flights are back to normal following unprecedented chaos caused by flooding in Dubai, which brought one of the world’s busiest airports to its knees last week.
In the aftermath of the crisis, the airline’s president, Sir Tim Clark, posted an open letter to customers on Saturday: “This week has been one of the toughest for Emirates operationally, as record storms hit the United Arab Emirates. I want to offer our sincere apologies to every customer whose travel plans were disrupted during this time.”
On Tuesday, 16 April, the UAE experienced its highest rainfall in 75 years. Lashing storm winds and rain disrupted activity across Dubai. About 25cm (10in) of rain — roughly twice the UAE’s yearly average — fell in a single day, flooding much of Dubai’s outdoor infrastructure.
Clark said in the open letter: “Our 24/7 hub in Dubai remained open, with flight movements reduced for safety, but flooded roads impeded the ability of our customers, pilots, cabin crew, and airport employees to reach the airport, and also the movement of essential supplies like meals and other flight amenities.
“We diverted dozens of flights on Tuesday to avoid the worst of the weather, and over the next three days, we had to cancel nearly 400 flights and delay many more as our hub operations remained challenged by staffing and supply shortages.
“To free up resources and capacity to manage impacted customers as a priority, we had to suspend check-in for passengers departing Dubai, implement an embargo on ticket sales, and temporarily halt connecting passenger traffic from points across our network coming into Dubai.
“Over 12,000 hotel rooms were secured to accommodate disrupted customers in Dubai, 250,000 meal vouchers have been issued, and more drinking water, blankets, and other amenities.
“As of Saturday, 20 April, our regular flight schedules have been restored. Passengers previously stranded in the airport transit area have been rebooked and are en route to their destinations. We have assembled a task force to sort, reconcile, and deliver some 30,000 pieces of left-behind baggage to their owners.
“It will take us some more days to clear the backlog of rebooked passengers and bags, and we ask for our customers’ patience and understanding.”
He concluded: “We know our response could have been better. We acknowledge and understand our customers’ frustration due to the congestion, lack of information, and confusion in the terminals. We acknowledge that the long queues and wait times have been unacceptable.
“We take our commitment to our customers very seriously, and we have used the lessons of the last few days to make things right and improve our processes.
“I’d like to also acknowledge and thank our teams across the airline and our many suppliers and partners for their tireless efforts around the clock this week, despite the challenging conditions, to support customers, recover our network, and bring our operating schedule back to normal.”
HONG KONG, 22 April 2024: Strong demand for travel from Hong Kong driven by the Easter holiday, supported by a surge in visits to exhibitions and events held in the city delivered a 42.4% increase in passenger traffic in March Cathay Pacific reports.
Cathay Pacific carried 1,883,404 passengers in March 2024, an increase of 42.4% compared with March 2023. The month’s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 38.1% year-on-year. Passenger load factor decreased by 6.6 percentage points to 83.8%, while available seat kilometres (ASKs) increased by 48.9% year-on-year. In the first three months of 2024, the number of passengers carried increased by 55.7% to a total of 5,401,778, against a 56.4% increase in ASKs and a 47.7% increase in RPKs, as compared with the same period for 2023.
The airline carried 134,551 tonnes of cargo in March 2024, an increase of 10.5% compared with March 2023. The month’s cargo revenue tonne kilometres (RFTKs) increased 4.1% year-on-year. The cargo load factor decreased by 4.3 percentage points to 62.7%, while available cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 11.2% year-on-year. In the first three months of 2024, the tonnage increased by 11.1% to a total of 356,380 tonnes, against a 15.2% increase in AFTKs and a 6.2% increase in RFTKs, as compared with the same period for 2023.
Travel trends
Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau commented: “Our travel business performed well in March, with healthy demand across our services both leading up to and during the Easter holiday period. Student traffic from the United Kingdom was particularly strong ahead of Easter, and outbound and return traffic surged over the holidays.
“Demand for premium seats to and from Hong Kong also remained strong. This was driven by the various exhibitions and trade shows that took place in the city in March, most notably the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and Art Basel. We were also pleased to resume our direct flights between Bangkok and Singapore in March, which have been popular with customers.
Cargo
“Cargo demand was stronger in March, with our tonnage up by 26% compared with the previous month and up by 11% compared to March 2023. Cargo demand out of Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland picked up quickly after factories re-opened following the Chinese New Year holidays, and we observed an increase in e-commerce and express shipments due to the end-of-quarter rush.
Outlook
“Looking ahead to the Chinese Mainland’s forthcoming Labour Day ‘Golden Week’ holiday period, we are seeing a healthy increase in travel demand from the Chinese Mainland to Hong Kong and regional destinations via the Hong Kong hub. We will increase our Chinese Mainland frequencies to around 200 round-trip flights per week as a Group during the Golden Week to cater to this strong demand.
“In terms of cargo, we expect e-commerce demand to remain strong and for overall air cargo demand to be stable on long-haul routes. As the largest cargo operator at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), we congratulate HKIA on once again being named the world’s busiest cargo airport in 2023 – a status it has held for 13 of the past 14 years. We are extremely proud to be part of this incredible success story and remain committed to working with all stakeholders to further grow Hong Kong as the world’s leading air cargo hub.”
SINGAPORE, 22 April 2024: Edison Travel Services (ETS), a Taiwan tour operator, partners with Trip Affiliates Network, signifying a significant step to expand its business in the Taiwan travel market.
The partnership aims to empower tour and activity operators to thrive in the digital landscape by leveraging ETS’s years of hospitality expertise and TA Network’s cutting-edge travel technology solutions.
TA Network operates as an open ecosystem catering to traditional offline B2B channels such as travel agencies, wholesalers, and corporate intermediaries. Through dynamic live room rates and inventory management, TA Network enhances efficiency and expands its network of partners, ensuring seamless connectivity and enriched service offerings. ETS will collaborate closely with TA Network ecosystem partners on selected destinations, enhancing the travel buying experience for customers and driving conversions by automating business processes with TA Network’s in-house solutions.
Edison Tours General Manager Dennis Kuo expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting TA Network’s user-friendly interface and enterprise-level software suite. He believes this collaboration will significantly boost conversions and elevate their business not only in the Asian market but also beyond.
TA Network Regional Director for Ecosystem and Partnerships, Jean Hsieh, emphasised the strategic importance of the partnership in opening new service avenues and reaching a broader audience in the international travel space. She expressed excitement about automating the future of travel in Taiwan and beyond through collaboration with ETS and anticipates a successful partnership with promising opportunities ahead.
About Edison Tours Founded in 1988, Edison Travel Service Co Ltd has solidified its standing as a prominent inbound tour operator and DMC in Taiwan, explicitly targeting the English-speaking market.
About Trip Affiliates Network Headquartered in Singapore, with offices in Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, Trip Affiliates Network provides FIT/group inbound and outbound turnkey solutions and add-on direct supplier connectivity services for travel agents, wholesalers and hotels.
