SINGAPORE, 6 September 2024: Melbourne is set to host the prestigious World Sustainable Built Environment Conference (WSBE) in 2026, one of the longest-running global scientific and technical conference series on sustainable development in the built environment.
The conference will provide a premier interdisciplinary platform for leading academic scientists, researchers, practitioners, and educators to present on all aspects of sustainable built environment and discuss the latest innovations, trends, and practical challenges in the field.
The successful bid, spearheaded by the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) in collaboration with RMIT University and supported by the Victorian Government and Tourism Australia’s Business Events Bid Fund Programme, will see more than 1,000 delegates gather at Australia’s largest convention and exhibition space and indisputable leader in environmentally sustainable design—the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).
It marks a return to an in-person event for the World Sustainable Built Environment Conference following a virtual WSBE hosted in June 2024, via the Pheedloop platform.
MCB Chief Executive Julia Swanson said the collaborative effort in securing this event showcases Melbourne’s commitment to sustainability and excellence in the built environment sector.
“We are delighted to bring the World Sustainable Built Environment Conference back to Melbourne. Our city has a rich history of hosting successful sustainability-focused conferences, leaving a lasting legacy.
“Melbourne remains at the forefront of addressing sustainability challenges in the built environment and the Victorian Government is dedicated to enhancing the environmental performance and resilience of buildings in response to urban growth and climate change.”
GURUGRAM, 6 September 2024: Air India has successfully integrated New Distribution Capability (NDC), becoming the first Indian airline to go live with the latest technology in airline distribution.
Air India has adopted the latest 21.3 schema of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), transforming how its products are retailed to travel agents, travel corporations, leisure and business travellers, and other travel resellers.
The adoption of NDC allows for more personalised and efficient interactions between Air India and its travel partners, enhancing the overall booking and travel experience.
NDC is a travel industry-supported programme launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new XML-based data transmission standard. NDC enhances the way airline products are retailed in various channels. For Air India’s travel partners, this means access to a wider variety of offers and services, such as tailored flight packages and ancillary products, available in real time. Customers can expect a more streamlined booking process with greater transparency and access to the best deals across all sales channels.
“Implementing NDC is a significant milestone for Air India as we continue to innovate and enhance our distribution strategy. Our goal is to provide a seamless and efficient booking experience for our travel partners and customers,” said Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal.
NDC enhances the capability of communications between Air India and travel agents and enables Air India to present tailored offers, ancillary products and services, and pricing options in real time to travel sellers worldwide.
Travel agents worldwide can connect directly to Air India’s NDC and access a richer and more diverse set of content, including NDC exclusive offers, ancillary services, and fare families, which were previously not available through traditional distribution channels. This will enhance their clients’ overall booking and travel experience.
Air India’s customers will benefit from a more seamless, transparent booking process — both online and offline. This ensures that customers also get the best possible deals and options available.
Travel agents can visit ndc.airindia.com for more information on how to connect with Air India’s NDC or contact Air India’s NDC support team at [email protected]
BANGKOK, 6 September 5, 2024: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will migrate its annual summit to Turkey, where an invisible line marks its Asia Pacific membership border.
PATA has been pushing its “Asia-Pacific” membership zone west and east over the years to attract new members, and now it will take its annual summit to the land where Asia and Europe meet.
The Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) will host the PATA Annual Summit 2025, which will take place in the capital, İstanbul, in March 2025. The announcement was initially made at the recent PATA board meeting held in Bangkok on Friday, 30 August 2024, and released this week following the PTM also hosted in Bangkok.
Perched on the Bosphorus Strait, İstanbul is a city renowned for its historical sites with incredible architectural design, including the Hagia Sophia, the Dolmabahçe Palace, and the Grand Bazaar—one of the world’s most iconic markets. As a key location within Türkiye, which welcomed 56.7 million international visitors in 2023 [TGA, 2024], İstanbul plays a vital role in one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations globally.
PATA CEO expressed his confidence in the annual gathering by stating, “I am humbled to take the PATA Annual Summit 2025 to a city that stands on two continents – Asia and Europe, as PATA strives to grow within the Asia Pacific region and globally.”
Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency General Manager İsmail Bütün said, “As the Turkish Tourism Board, we are excited to be hosting PATA’s 2025 Annual Summit in İstanbul. The Asia-Pacific region is amongst our key growth markets. The Pacific Asia Travel Association embodies a great membership base of hospitality, aviation, and travel industry partners in this territory. We can’t wait to host the esteemed members of PATA in İstanbul soon and show them the best of Turkish hospitality.”
Turkish Airlines has been confirmed as the Official Airline Partner for the event.
We can easily recognise why the association is taking its 2025 events to Istanbul. It needs to broaden membership recruitment urgently to survive financially, and it has made some gains by hosting events in the Middle East. However, many PATA stalwarts would have preferred seeing the annual summit move to a Pacific Ocean destination rather than the gateway to Europe. They will view the bold endeavour with a degree of caution. PATA was founded in Hawaii, and its heritage is intertwined with that of the Pacific Islands, especially as climate change challenges their future and very existence, with tourism likely to suffer the most significant impact.
HONG KONG, 6 September 2024: Hong Kong Airlines will add its third destination in Thailand with daily flights to Chiang Mai starting 27 October. The airline already flies to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand from its base in Hong Kong.
The new service is included in the airline’s upcoming northern winter 2024/25 season deploying a 180-seat A320 on the direct daily route from Hong Kong to Chiang Mai. However, a search of the airline’s booking website to make a booking failed for dates in early November.
Flight schedule
Flight HX749 departs Hong Kong (HKG) at 1530 and arrives in Chiang Mai (CNX) at 1735. Flight HK750 departs Chiang Mai at 1835 and arrives in Hong Kong at 2220.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong Airlines has announced that it will resume nonstop service between Hong Kong and Coolangatta Gold Coast from 17 January 2025. Operating seasonally from 17 January to 15 February 2025, the four-times-a-week service will run for five weeks over the Chinese Lunar New Year period, offering approximately 6,000 seats on A330 wide-body aircraft. Flights are scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Hong Kong Airlines Chairman Jeff Sun stated: “We are delighted to be the first Hong Kong carrier to bring back this highly anticipated Australian route for our passengers. The route launch will mark our first step back into the long-haul market as we are gradually introducing more aircraft to support the expansion of our route network. This includes actively exploring a return to the North American market, with routes to Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles and Seattle under consideration, to provide passengers with more international and diverse travel options.”
“We expect Coolangatta Gold Coast to become a popular destination for our travellers, not only from Hong Kong but also from our extensive network in Greater China. They will be able to enjoy the beautiful weather, stunning coastline and exciting activities Queensland offers, further strengthening the cultural, tourism and business ties between these regions.”
Hong Kong Airlines flight schedule between Hong Kong and Gold Coast is as follows (All times local):
KUCHING, Sarawak, 5 September 2024: In its latest social media update, BESarawak reports progress on the BCCT 2 project, which will allow the state to host events with up to 10,000 delegates.
BESarawak, which represents Sarawak’s business events community, quoted the Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts YB Karim Hamzah on its socials saying: “BCCK 2 will be completed by 2027, ahead of the International Water Association’s World Water Congress and Exhibition hosted by Sarawak in 2028.”
The international water congress in 2028 should attract 10,000 delegates,” double the present BCCT 1 capacity of 5,000 delegates, the minister explained.
He was commenting on the sidelines of a recent press conference to mark the signing of a memorandum of agreement exchange between BESarawak and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
According to Kirk Architects’ website, “the next stage of the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching expansion, BCCK 2, will be a landmark project for Sarawak. Set to be one of the world’s most significant single-floor timber structures, at 15,500 m² under-roof with a clear span of 42 metres, BCCK 2 has the potential to propel Sarawak’s engineered timber industry and significant economic growth for the region.”
Meanwhile, BESarawak and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) signed an economic and legacy impact study agreement that will eventually develop Malaysia’s first legacy impact measurement system.
The agreement involves three components to improve the state’s assessments and KPIs of its expanding business events community.
MEconomic Study: Using the new Sarawak-level economic measurements, the study will now have an accurate overview of how much business events contribute to the economy.
Legacy Impact Study: The analysis considers the wider impact of conferences and exhibitions, such as community development, social responsibility, policy influence, and investment opportunities.
Legacy Impact Measurement System: Establishes a portal enabling business event planners to track and measure their event impact in a user-friendly system.
Sarawak is powering up its business events to become a major player in Southeast Asia but faces challenges in measuring success accurately and ensuring that the hosting of events benefits the economy while minimising impacts on sensitive environments and communities.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 5 September 2024: Emirates took to the skies last week to celebrate its longstanding and ongoing commitment to South Africa with the country’s first-ever A380 flypast.
The flying display celebrated the return of the second daily A380 service on the Dubai-Johannesburg route from 1 September.
To add to the score, the remarkable low-level aerial showcase also marked Emirates’ first flypast in Africa and the first international airline to execute such a feat in South Africa.
Honouring its shared love for rugby with over 62,000 enthusiastic spectators, Emirates flew the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft over Emirates Airline Park just before kick-off of the much-anticipated Springboks vs All Blacks test match.
Flying just 500 feet above the ground, the iconic Emirates double-decker aircraft saluted rugby and aviation fans in its latest signature livery.
The Emirates A380 took off from O.R. Tambo International Airport at 1600, travelling at 140 kts, reaching the stadium at 1658, perfectly timed to follow South Africa and New Zealand’s national anthems.
The impressive aerial feat follows months of thorough and cross-functional planning between stakeholders, including multiple teams at Emirates, the South African Civil Aviation Authority, Airports Company South Africa, Emirates pilots, Flight Operation Managers, and Air Traffic Controllers working together with the Emirates Lions team. The teams worked together across every element of the aerial display, considering air traffic patterns at different times of the day with different weather and wind conditions.
UAE National Captain Mubarak Al Mheiri, A380 Deputy Chief Pilot commanded the flight, joined by Captain Khalid Binsultan and Captain Abdalla Al Hammadi, both Technical Pilots for the Airbus A380 and Captain Richard Fiess, A380 Captain. Captain Mubarak has flown with Emirates for 19 years and has completed over 7,200 hours in the cockpit of the iconic A380.
He has commanded similar flypasts for Emirates, including UAE NationalDay celebrations for the past four years and headlining the commercial aircraft flypast formation at the 2023 Dubai Air Show. He also participated in the iconic flight promoting Expo 2020, which saw an A380 fly around an Emirates Cabin Crew at the very top of the Burj Khalifa; the unprecedented formation flight with the Jetman team back in 2015; and with the Red Arrows in 2022.
The flypast also marked the return of Emirates’ second A380 service on the Dubai-Johannesburg route, enhancing customer choice and travel options with Emirates’ iconic onboard products and world-class service.
EK761 departs Dubai at 0405 and lands in Johannesburg at 1015. The return flight, EK762, departs Johannesburg at 1325 and touches down in Dubai at 2345, perfectly timed for onward connections to key destinations in the Far East, Europe, and the Middle East.
Emirates is one of the world’s biggest supporters of rugby. In South Africa, Emirates’ investment in the sport is headlined by its steadfast title sponsorship of the Emirates Lions, including naming rights of the team’s home stadium, Emirates Airline Park. The airline also sponsors the action-packed Cape Town Sevens, a regular fixture on the Sevens World Series calendar and one of the most popular live sporting events in South Africa, regularly drawing over 100,000 spectators.
Globally, Emirates has been at the centre of the action from grassroots to professional leagues as the sponsor of the Rugby World Cup since 2007, and it plans to have a prominent presence at the upcoming 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Firmly established as a long-term partner of South African aviation, tourism, and trade, Emirates has served the market for 29 years, connecting over 20 million travellers to/from South Africa with more than 140 destinations on its vast global network via Dubai. The airline serves customers travelling to and from South Africa with 42 weekly flights to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, with additional connectivity to regional points across the country offered by its codeshare and interline partners South African Airways, Airlink, Cemair, and FlySafair.
NANJING, China, 5 September 2024: Tuniu Corporation, an online leisure travel company in China, has inked a letter of Intent with Thailand’s Tourism Authority of Thailand.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool and Tuniu’s founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Donald Yu, signed the agreement on 30 August, witnessed by China’s embassy in Thailand, Counsellor for Cultural Affairs, Chang Yumeng.
Thailand is one of the top destinations for Chinese tourists, with annual visits peaking at almost 12 million in 2019 and estimated to reach 7.3 million this year. From January to July of this year, Tuniu sold more than 160% more Thailand tour packages.
The LOI marks a significant step forward for TAT and Tuniu in strengthening their partnership. It includes collaborating in promotions and communications to build awareness and improve the overall travel experience for Chinese tourists in Thailand.
The TAT said the agreement with Tuniu would contribute to TAT’s direction in driving the sustainable growth of Thailand’s digital economy while enhancing the convenience of travelling for tourists from China.
“Thailand is one of Tuniu’s top overseas destinations where we have been committed to providing high-quality products and services,” said Yu, “Going forward, Tuniu will leverage its advantages in product innovation and new media channel promotion to further enhance our collaboration with TAT on more activities and initiatives to offer Chinese tourists comfortable, enjoyable and safe journeys to Thailand.”
About Tuniu Tuniu (Nasdaq: TOUR) is a leading online leisure travel company in China that offers integrated travel services, including a large selection of packaged tours, organised and self-guided tours, and travel-related services for leisure travellers through its website tuniu.com and mobile platform.
SINGAPORE, 5 September 2024: The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection introduces Ilma, its second-built luxury superyacht, to its fleet.
The yacht embarked on its maiden voyage, a seven-night journey from Monte Carlo to Rome, on 2 September. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection advances its position at the forefront of the industry with a second yacht now sailing, illustrating a future-focused vision that keeps pushing the boundaries of luxury travel at sea.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection introduces Ilma.
“It is with immense pride that we welcome Ilma to our growing fleet,” said Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Executive Chairman and CEO Jim Murren. “The addition of Ilma signifies a continuation of our mission to deliver legendary service and unparalleled enjoyment to our guests.”
Ilma measures 790 feet from bow to stern, offering 224 suites with private terraces with sea views. Ilma’s inaugural season in the Mediterranean includes ports of call visiting the blue waters of Santorini, the iconic yachting playgrounds of Porto Cervo, and the historical sites of Valletta before departing for the Caribbean, where experiences in the natural wonders of Virgin Gorda, the vibrant harbour of Gustavia, and the pristine beauty of St. John await. Ilma will additionally sail the North and Baltic Seas of Northern Europe — a first for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection — during the 2025 summer season, offering immersive itineraries in culturally rich destinations like Amsterdam, Stockholm, and Reykjavík.
The yacht accommodates up to 448 guests and offers among the highest space-to-guest and guest-to-staff ratios at sea. Ilma has five dining venues, a refreshed in-suite dining programme, seven bars, and a signature wine vault. Highlights include two dining venues conceptualised by MICHELIN-starred restaurant chefs Fabio Trabocchi and Michael Mina.
Seta su Ilma by Chef Fabio Trabocchi is a modern Italian fine-dining restaurant reflecting his Italian heritage and culinary expertise.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers bespoke voyages in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and Central America.
Its inaugural yacht, Evrima, embarked on its maiden voyage in October 2022. Measuring 624 feet in length, Evrima features 149 airy suites across various categories, each with a private terrace, creating a relaxed and intimate ambience for up to 298 guests. Continuing the fleet’s expansion, two new superyachts boasting among the highest space ratios per guest at sea, Ilma and Luminara, are slated to set sail in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Ilma will offer 224 spacious, light-filled suites of varying categories, accommodating up to 448 guests. Slated to make its 2025 debut, Luminara will join Ilma and Evrima on voyages to secluded harbours and iconic cities.
SINGAPORE, 5 September 2024: Jewel Changi Airport and Trip.com, a leading online travel agency, have announced a three-year partnership to promote travel through the Changi aviation hub.
Bringing together best-in-class leisure experiences and travel services, Jewel will leverage Trip.com’s extensive global network to reach a wider international audience, encouraging travel to Singapore and more visitors to Jewel.
This partnership is inked against the backdrop of Jewel’s strong growth trajectory. From January to June 2024, overall footfall increased by almost 15% and the number of foreign visitors by more than 20% compared with the previous year.
In August, Jewel saw record visitorship over the National Day weekend, registering more than 1 million in footfall traffic.
Consumer travel event to inspire wanderlust
Until 7 October, Trip.com presents an interactive travel-themed pop-up event titled Traveller’s Wonderland, nestled in Jewel’s indoor greenery environment. This first-of-its-kind experiential display will take visitors on a trip worldwide right at Jewel. Four displays showcase iconic attractions of China, Japan, the UK, and Thailand, which are consistently popular travel choices for Singaporean and international travellers.
New Co-marketing initiatives
As part of the partnership, Jewel Changi Airport will run special campaigns on Trip.com to attract more visitors to Canopy Park and spur spending at Jewel’s best-in-class retail offering.
Jewel and Trip.com will also jointly launch a brand-new Trip.com Light & Music Showcase in October, designed by prolific Los Angeles-based water feature designer WET. The show draws inspiration from Trip.com’s mission “to pursue the perfect trip for a better world” — by weaving a captivating narrative around the theme of travel, it will connect people from all corners of the world through a mesmerising visual and auditory experience.
Jewel Changi Airport Development CEO James Fong said: “We are pleased to partner Trip.com in our efforts to drive tourism in Singapore and promote Jewel as a must-visit destination to international travellers through Trip.com’s global reach. The synergy between our two brands presents opportunities for strategic collaboration, and we are confident we can solidify Jewel’s position as a premier destination for travellers through various co-marketing initiatives.”
LABUAN BAJO, 5 September 2024: AirAsia becomes the first international airline to offer direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Labuan Bajo, creating new opportunities for tourism and trade between Malaysia and Indonesia.
Operated by AirAsia Malaysia (AK), the inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur landed in Labuan Bajo on Tuesday morning, 3 September. It marked the start of three weekly flights between the two destinations and raised AirAsia’s network to 28 direct routes between Malaysia and Indonesia.
The addition of this route aligns with AirAsia’s commitment to expanding regional connectivity, catering to the growing demand for travel to emerging destinations like Labuan Bajo. With over 4,000 seats weekly on sale, the route will significantly increase visitor arrivals and generate substantial economic impact for local communities in both Malaysia and Indonesia.
The airline deploys an Airbus A320 on the route with 180 seats, and it flies three weekly services on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The average fare is USD160 roundtrip (since 3 September).
Flight schedule
Flight AK336 departs Kuala Lumpur (KUL) at 1110 and arrives in Labuan Bajo (LBJ) at 1425. Flight AK337 departs Labuan Bajo at 1455 and arrives in Kuala Lumpur at 1835.
AirAsia’s Fly-Thru service further enhances accessibility. It allows travellers from across the region to reach Labuan Bajo — a gateway to the world-famous Komodo National Park and the picturesque island of Flores — with just one stopover in Kuala Lumpur, making the journey more convenient for international tourists from Asia and Australia.
AirAsia Malaysia Managing Director Dato Fareh Mazputra commented: “Launching our direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Labuan Bajo marks a significant step in supporting Indonesia’s ambitious tourism targets. Labuan Bajo is one of Indonesia’s top five super-priority tourism destinations, and the government aims to attract more travellers with the hope of surpassing 500,000 visitors in 2024.
“We are committed to contributing to Labuan Bajo’s continued development as a world-class destination by making it more accessible to travellers from around the globe. This collaboration between governments, airlines, and other stakeholders is key to achieving the ambitious targets set for Labuan Bajo and ensuring its status as a premier tourism hub.
“Indonesia remains one of our most important markets, and we will continue to work closely with AirAsia Indonesia to boost tourism and trade between our two nations. Our 28 direct routes connecting Malaysia and Indonesia have flown over 7 million guests, crucial in driving economic growth, enhancing regional connectivity, and supporting the local tourism sectors. We look forward to expanding our network and exploring more direct routes between Malaysia and Indonesia.”
AirAsia Malaysia flies to 15 destinations across Indonesia, from Kuala Lumpur to Kertajati, Banda Aceh, Jakarta, Bali (Denpasar), Medan, Padang, Pekanbaru, Makassar, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Balikpapan, Lombok; Penang to Jakarta and Medan; and Kota Kinabalu to Manado.
