SINGAPORE, 22 February 2024: Thai Airways International confirmed Tuesday it has placed an order for 45 Boeing 787-9, the middle-size variant of the Dreamliner family, equipped with GEnx engines.
Negotiations on the order concluded last December, but the airline waited until the Singapore Airshow’s opening to officially announce the news.
Photo credit: PRNewswire. On Tuesday, Boeing and Thai Airways announced an order for 45 787 Dreamliners as the airline looks to modernise and grow its widebody fleet and international network.
The 45 new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners will be delivered and introduced to THAI’s fleet over a 10-year timeframe, with deliveries set to begin in 2027. Ultimately, the order could extend to up to 80 aircraft based on further negotiations.
Following weeks of insider reports, THAI provided details saying it had secured flexibility to convert between aircraft within the Boeing Dreamliner family of aircraft models, providing the airline with adaptability and versatility to meet evolving market demands.
THAI has also secured a pathway to acquiring the Boeing 777X as part of this arrangement, potentially enhancing its fleet with superior range, capacity, and performance. The seamless interchangeability between Dreamliner models and B777X offers THAI strategic advantages to optimise routes, capacity, and operational efficiency.
“To achieve the company’s carbon neutral goals by 2050, the 45 new Boeing 787 Dreamliners will be equipped with (GE Aerospace) GEnx engines known for their cutting-edge technology and reduced environmental impact,” said THAI CEO Chai Eamsiri.
The GEnx engine family has more than 50 million flight hours since entry into service in 2011 and is the fastest-selling, high-thrust engine in GE history, with nearly 3,000 engines in service.
“PATA recognises that addressing gender equality in the travel and tourism sector is important to the responsible and sustainable development of the travel and tourism industry,” said PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid. “Despite comprising almost 50% of the tourism workforce in the Asia Pacific region, women have not received the appreciation and support necessary for their own economic and social prosperity. The event aims to spark meaningful dialogues and creative solutions dedicated to women’s empowerment in the travel sector. It underscores that women’s prosperity is integral to the industry’s success, particularly as we navigate the challenges and opportunities in the post-pandemic travel and tourism landscape.”
The three-day conference, featuring industry leaders, will underscore the crucial role of women and the current state of gender diversity in the tourism industry. It will uncover initiatives and strategies towards progress and equality, such as breaking barriers for women’s empowerment in the industry, promoting sustainability with women as agents of change, and fostering women’s leadership development.
The event will not only celebrate women’s achievements and contributions to travel and tourism but also provide an opportunity to critically examine gender disparities in the industry, shedding light on various issues, such as the lack of women in managerial positions.
“I welcome the PATA International Conference on Women in Travel to the Philippines. This event aligns seamlessly with our commitment to promoting diversity and empowering women in the travel and tourism sector. The DOT believes in the transformative power of tourism, not just for the destination but for empowering our women. This conference aims to showcase the country’s dedication to women’s progress, from supporting local entrepreneurship to advocating for gender equality in education. Together, let us shape a future where women play an integral role in the sustainable development of travel and tourism,” said the Philippines’ Tourism Secretary, Christina Garcia Frasco.
“Bohol, with its breathtaking landscapes and vibrant communities, serves as an ideal backdrop for fostering meaningful dialogues on women’s contributions to the industry,” the tourism chief added.
Located in the heart of the Central Visayas region of the Philippines, Bohol is a captivating destination renowned for its stunning landscapes, such as the iconic Chocolate Hills and the Loboc River.
As visitors explore this island province, they encounter a myriad of attractions, from the geological wonders of the Chocolate Hills to the captivating wildlife at the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella. Beyond its natural allure, Bohol caters to marine enthusiasts with dolphin encounters near Pamilacan Island and coral garden exploration at Panglao, Balicasag, and Cabilao Islands. Adrenaline seekers can find their thrill at Danao’s Adventure Park, while history enthusiasts can delve into Bohol’s rich heritage, featuring old houses, centuries-old stone churches, and watchtowers.
Beyond its natural wonders, Bohol has made significant strides in promoting women’s empowerment through various initiatives. The province actively supports local women in entrepreneurship, providing opportunities for skill development and economic independence. Women-led cooperatives and businesses thrive in sectors like handicrafts and agritourism, showcasing the strength and resilience of Bohol’s female community. Additionally, educational programmes and advocacy efforts foster gender equality, making Bohol a picturesque travel destination and a beacon of progress in empowering women within its vibrant communities.
As the PATA International Conference on Women in Travel is hosted by the Department of Tourism, Philippines, with the full support of PATA, registration is being waived, except for the cost to Bohol and accommodation onsite.
SINGAPORE, 21 February 2024: Travellers planning their next holiday can look forward to Emirates’ exclusive fares starting this month.
For a limited time only, Emirates is offering special fares to more than 50 destinations across its extensive network, with all-inclusive economy class fares starting at SGD609, premium economy class fares starting at SGD1,649, and business class fares starting at SGD2,899. Fares are available for bookings from now until 11 March 2024 for travel from 22 February 2024 to 30 November 2024.
Special fares for featured destinations include:
The deals target families planning for the school holidays or travellers looking to maximise their annual leave with the upcoming public holidays. Everyone can Fly Better with Emirates’ special fares and extensive global network.
Travelling with Emirates
Emirates offers award-winning services to every Emirates flyer. From check-in to boarding, travelling with family is much more convenient with Emirates’ priority boarding and over 100 content channels for children and adults alike, on ice, and Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
Emirates continues to offer exceptional experiences to Dubai and the rest of its global network, offering flights to more than 140 destinations worldwide across six continents. It currently operates 21 flights per week from Singapore to Dubai, including a daily direct flight between Singapore and Melbourne.
For more information, including how to book flights and a complete list of terms and conditions, customers are advised to contact their travel agent or visit https://www.emirates.com/sg.
MUMBAI, India, 21 February 2024: Maharashtra state in India released details of an ambitious plan to boost travel and trade last week to unlock tourism potential through infrastructure, hospitality, and technology investments.
With its diverse landscapes, vibrant cities, and rich heritage, Maharashtra has long been a sought-after destination for travellers and explorers. The state boasts iconic landmarks and is home to the bustling metropolis of Mumbai.
The state’s Department of Tourism intends to position the state as a must-visit destination for tourists worldwide, according to Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra Girish Mahajan, who launched an
AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot on Monday that provides an informative way to explore the state’s rich cultural heritage and diverse attractions.
Making it easier for visitors to plan their trip in advance, the minister said it would unlock “seamless connectivity and assist travellers to explore our diverse landscapes.”
The App presents varied accommodation options, from luxury resorts to cosy homestays, streamlines services and provides leads and booking opportunities to explore cultural and heritage attractions.
“Our journey isn’t just economic – it’s about showcasing Maharashtra’s soul to the world, fostering understanding and appreciation. Let’s unite the government, private sector, communities, and citizens to craft a vibrant, sustainable tourism legacy for generations.”
Maharashtra’s government’s tourism secretary, Jayshree Bhoj, noted: “As we stride towards 2024-2025 with aspirations of UNESCO recognition for 11 forts, we affirm our commitment to diligently craft policies, amplify promotions and nurture diverse experiences in collaboration with stakeholders and private players championing niche tourism.”
Maharashtra aims to empower women entrepreneurs in tourism. Under this initiative, the Department of Tourism plans to register 10 women-owned and operated businesses in each district, spanning various sectors such as homestays, hotels/restaurants, and travel agencies. This policy is designed to foster entrepreneurship and economic empowerment among women in the tourism industry across Maharashtra.
The proposed tourism policy offers significant revenue and job opportunities, generating over 5 million jobs. To maximise tourist footfall and spending, the department will focus on strategic initiatives such as rebranding hidden gems, promoting local festivals, and streamlining policies.
“Through innovation and collaboration, we aim to unlock Maharashtra’s tourism potential, driving economic prosperity for all stakeholders,” said Bhoj. “The state can unlock new avenues for visitor engagement by leveraging niche sectors like agri-tourism, wellness, and adventure tourism.”
Maharashtra Tourism’s ambitious plan to boost travel and trade opportunities aligns with the state government’s vision to position Maharashtra as a global hub for tourism and commerce.
SINGAPORE, 21 February 2024: Accelya, a global leader in airline-centric software solutions, announced its partnership with Korean Air on Monday to upgrade the airline retailing technology.
The partnership will enable Korean Air to take control of how it sells and engages with its customers and further innovate its customer experience with the deployment of Accelya’s FLX Platform – a software as a service (SaaS) platform that supports open, flexible, and pro-airline retailing solutions for passenger and cargo systems.
Korean Air will integrate Accelya’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) and FLX-Merchandizing module, which runs on Accelya and Amazon Web Services (AWS) technologies, to deliver personalisation and relevant offers to customers.
This will help Korean Air modernise and improve how it communicates and shares information with travel agents, online travel agencies, and other distribution channels.
Accelya’s NDC offering, a core enabler of airline-retail agency connectivity, links airlines with over 50,000 travel agents, including the world’s largest online travel agents (OTA’s) and travel management companies (TMC’s).
Accelya currently serves over 60 leading Asia Pacific airlines, including Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air India and Thai Airways.
About Korean Air Serving the world for more than 50 years, Korean Air is one of the world’s top 20 airlines, carrying more than 27 million passengers in 2019, pre-Covid. With its global hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the airline serves 111 cities in 40 countries on five continents with a fleet of 159 aircraft.
HONG KONG, 21 February 2024: Resorts World Cruises deploys the Resorts World One cruise ship to seasonal home port in Jakarta, Indonesia from 16 June to 1 July 2024.
Targeting the local June to July school holidays, the cruise line offers four round-trip, six-day/five-night cruises from Jakarta to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (via Port Klang).
Fares start from IDR10 million per guest based on twin-sharing and, subject to availability, are free for the third and fourth passengers in the same cabin.
Vacationers can embark on Resorts World One cruise ship from the port of Tanjung Priok in Jakarta, with the maiden voyage on 16 June 2024 (Sunday) followed by departures on 21 June (Friday), 26 June (Wednesday) and 1 July (Monday).
The six-day/five-night itineraries departing Jakarta, Indonesia, visit Singapore and Malaysia.
SINGAPORE, 21 February 2024: The sales curve for SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) is pointing upwards, with an increase of more than 200% on KLM flights to and from Nordic destinations, the airline reports this week.
Saying the trend “cannot be ignored”, KLM cautions that it still accounts for an incredibly small part of sales.
The Nordic increase in SAF supplement payments is on par with what KLM sees in the rest of the world. SAF is the fuel alternative available to reduce aviation’s climate impact. Electric aircraft and hydrogen are waiting around the corner, but initially, these will primarily be an option for shorter distances. However, one of the challenges with SAF is that it is significantly more expensive than fossil fuel.
It will inevitably become more expensive to fly as the entire industry changes to a more sustainable one. Currently, each ticket sold by KLM contains a 1% SAF surcharge.
A Novus survey that KLM commissioned in 2023 shows that most Nordic travellers want to contribute to a more sustainable flight but also find it difficult to make sustainable choices when booking a trip.
SYDNEY, Australia, 21 February 2024: Globus family of brands (GFOB), comprising luxury river cruising operator Avalon Waterways and escorted coach touring companies Globus and Cosmos, has appointed Holiday Tours & Travel Group (HTT) as the distributor for Asia (excluding Hong Kong).
Effective 1 March 2024, the new distributor, headquartered in Singapore, will represent the GFOB portfolio in Singapore, Malaysia (via H Travel Sdn Bhd), Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines.
Globus family of brands managing director Asia Pacific, Gai Tyrrell (L) and Holiday Tours & Travel Group managing director Duncan Choo (R), celebrating the announcement in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this week.
The new appointment and subsequent consolidation of distribution aims to see the Globus family of brands enhance opportunities in Asia, drive increased brand awareness and amplify sales growth.
Globus family of brands managing director Asia Pacific, Gai Tyrrell said the GFOB has strong ambitions for growth, and the partnership with HTT is vital for the company’s expansion in Asia.
“We are excited to partner with Holiday Tours & Travel Group to enhance our distribution in five key Asian markets. This appointment sees us achieve efficiencies with one distributor across the region, which puts us in a strong position to drive significant sales growth,” said Tyrrell. “With our marketing activity driving record results and new product launches in 2024/5, we are focused on expanding our footprint and customer base in the Asia Pacific region.”
HTT’s managing director, Duncan Choo, commented: “We are delighted to represent the prestigious Globus family of brands portfolio across multiple Asian regions. We will raise brand awareness of the Avalon Waterways, Globus and Cosmos brands and support our trade partners in discovering the benefits of selling the Globus Family of Brands product.”
GFOB is seeking a new, dedicated marketing team member based in Singapore in the role of regional marketing manager, who will work directly with the Globus Australian-based marketing team – to bolster the group’s marketing activity and boost sales in the region. Additionally, HTT has appointed sales leaders in each region to drive sales activity.
SINGAPORE, 21 February 2024: Philippine Airlines will resume direct flights from Cebu in the Philippines to Osaka in Japan starting 1 July.
Independent timetable schedules show the airline will launch four weekly flights on the Cebu-Osaka route using a 199-seat A321 aircraft. Flights depart Cebu on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Flight time is four hours and 30 minutes. Roundtrip fares start at USD538.
Flight PR410 will depart Cebu (CEB) at 1310 and arrive in Osaka (KIX) at 1830. The return flight PR409 will depart Osaka (KIX) at 1920 and arrive in Cebu (CEB) at 2305.
Cebu Airport is fast becoming a significant gateway for leisure travellers with direct flights to Hong Kong, Taipei in Taiwan, Narita Tokyo in Japan, Seoul and Busan in Korea, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Singapore and Bangkok in Thailand.
ETR registration is a must
PAL is reminding passengers and visitors to the Philippines that since 8 January, they must register on the E-Travel portal before boarding the flight. This is mandatory for all arriving international passengers and departing Filipino passengers.
The Philippines’ Bureau of Customs’ Baggage Declaration Form and the Currency Declaration Form are now integrated into the E-Travel System, along with the Bureau of Quarantine’s Health Declaration Form and the Bureau of Immigration’s Departure and Arrival Cards.
It’s part of the Philippine government’s drive to digitise all CIQ (Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine) paper forms into one electronic platform to improve efficiency and make the process more convenient for passengers.
PAL on-time performance
Meanwhile, Philippine Airlines took home a citation for being the second most punctual Asian airline in December, scoring 83.08%. The flag carrier was also among the top 10 most punctual airlines in the Asia-Pacific region for 2023, according to London-based Cirium a leading international data analytics source for aviation.
Airlines from Japan, Thailand, India, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong rounded out the top 10 list for 2023.
LONDON, 20 February 2024: New research from the UK-based SpaSeekers.com reveals the most popular spa destinations of 2024, with Romania cited as the top trending spa destination based on searches for spa trips, but spa destinations in China, Nepal, and Vietnam figured in the top 10 list.
As part of their annual Spa Trends Report 2024, online booking site SpaSeekers.com has revealed the top trending spa destinations in the world based on increases in Google search data. The results reveal the most up-and-coming destinations for spa holidays for the year ahead, which should certainly be considered in any holiday planning – with locations ranging from those with mineral and thermal springs to far-flung jungle paradise retreats.
Photo credit: SpaSeekers Spa Trends Report 2024.
According to the research, Romania is the top trending destination for 2024, with a 233% increase in searches for spa trips globally. Home to many thermal and mineral springs, the country will provide the perfect backdrop for a relaxing getaway. France follows in second place, with a 120% increase in searches. Qatar and Vietnam tie in third place (85% increase) for those looking for a more exotic destination, while China and Montenegro tie in fifth spot (84% increase).
In Asia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand are popular favourites, but more unusual destinations, such as China and Nepal, are gaining the attention of spa lovers.
Top 20 Trending Spa Destinations For 2024
1. Romania: +233% searches Romania is predominantly known for its snow-covered mountains, green hills and forests, vineyards, and beautiful sandy beaches on the shores of the Black Sea, as opposed to its spas. Still, this landscape also lends itself perfectly to relaxing spa getaways. More than a third of Europe’s mineral and thermal springs are found in Romania.
2. France: +120% searches The French Riviera is home to beautiful spas for the rich and famous. The Alps are also home to spas and saunas aplenty – perfect for unwinding after a long day of skiing. Alternatively, Vichy, the ‘Queen of Spas’ and the most prestigious French spa town, could be worth visiting for those looking to step back in time.
=3. Qatar: +85% searches Qatar is home to many world-class facilities, and this is no different when it comes to spa breaks, with many high-end retreats to choose from, all designed to melt all your worries away. For those who enjoy trying out different treatments, the country’s vast range of spa facilities will provide plenty of opportunities to seek out new spa experiences.
=3. Vietnam: +85% searches Also crowned Asia’s Top Spa Destination in 2023, Vietnam tops the list of Asian countries based on search interest for 2024. With beautiful beaches and tropical jungles, the exotic backdrops of Vietnam will allow spa-goers can expect to find many experiences on offer – from meditation to thermal springs and Vietnamese massages to herbal baths.
=5. China: +84% searches Though countries such as Thailand and Vietnam may be the first to spring to mind when thinking of spa destinations in Asia, China also has an impressive array of wellness facilities. With many holistic traditions and ancient medicines ingrained in the country’s culture, these practices have fused with cutting-edge treatments and technologies to offer a unique treatment landscape.
=5. Montenegro: +84% searches An up-and-coming destination in Europe, Montenegro offers beaches with healing properties -such as in Herceg Novi and Ulcinj. Igalo in Herceg Novi is a prominent health tourism destination as a result, with the Mud Beach at the Dr. Simo Milošević Institute being a popular destination, with the mud said to possess healing properties that can relieve symptoms of rheumatic diseases, joint and muscle issues and neurological diseases.
7. Canada: +83% searches Canada’s beautiful landscapes are enough to make anyone feel relaxed, and a trip to this stunning country is sure to not disappoint. An ideal destination for wellness tourism, there are offerings for everyone – from outdoor activities to indulging in saunas tucked away in hidden bays.
8. Bulgaria: +82% searches One of the most affordable destinations in Europe, Bulgaria offers a more purse-friendly option for those wanting a relaxing break. With over 700 hot springs, the country is also a popular destination for spas dating back to the Roman era.
9. Nepal: +69% searches Often associated with yoga, Nepal and the Himalayas are closely tied to wellness and should be a destination that many lovers of self-care will have high on their travel bucket lists. Yoga retreats can be found here in abundance. Still, the country also has a history of Ayurvedic medicine, so Ayurvedic and hot stone massages, which can aid circulation and detoxify the body, are often found on offer too.
=10. Poland: +60% searches With strong natural mineral sources, visitors to Poland for a spa trip should certainly look out for their acidic springs, sulphur springs, salt springs and thermal waters. They all bring different wellness benefits and are also enjoyable natural wonders to be admired.
=10. Tunisia: +60% searches Another country with a long history of spas and bathing, again influenced by the Roman era, any fans of hammams are in for a treat in Tunisia. More recently, thalassotherapy has become another popular choice, with water and seaweed-based treatments designed to soothe and revitalise the skin and body.
