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Air Astana wins APEX award

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 27 September 2023: The Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) has honoured Air Astana with a five-star rating in the major airline category, with the ceremony being held in Los Angeles last week.

This is the ninth time that Air Astana has received an APEX award.

The APEX award was based on third-party passenger reviews undertaken in partnership with TripIt, the highest-rated travel app in the world. For the 2024 Award, passengers reviewed nearly one million flights on more than 600 airlines on a five-star scale covering five categories: seat comfort, in-flight service, food and beverages, entertainment system and Wi-Fi service.

“The APEX Award is a measure of the outstanding quality of Air Astana’s in-flight service, as well as a confirmation of continuous improvement of the customer experience,” said Air Astana, vice president of in-flight service Yelena Obukhova. “We are grateful to our colleagues for their professionalism and commitment to high service standards, as well as to our passengers for their positive feedback.”

Booking.com recruits Eric Nam

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 27 September 2023: Booking.com has appointed global star Eric Nam as the campaign ambassador for its 2023 Explorers campaign. 

As travel continues to show no signs of abating in Asia, with nearly three quarters (73%) of Asia-Pacific travellers unwavering in their future travel plans even amidst global crises – this year’s Explorers campaign seeks to empower every traveller by showing them the endless possibilities travel can bring, encouraging them to go forth to do just that. 

Eric on a fishing trip.

Inspired by Eric Nam’s innate sense of curiosity, the 2023 Explorers campaign takes him to the heart of Asia as he embraces this very spirit – traversing the culturally rich cities of Hoi An, Vietnam and Bangkok, Thailand.

“Exploring the world is an incredibly important source of inspiration for my life and personal growth. Learning about other cultures fuels my creativity and curiosity and helps me take on fresh perspectives,” said Nam. “I’m honoured to be a part of Booking.com’s 2023 Explorers campaign, and I hope to inspire more people to fearlessly embrace different ways of seeing the world.” 

The collaboration with Eric Nam reinforces Booking.com’s commitment to making it easier for everyone to experience the world, highlighting how effortless it is for them to embark on these journeys in their own way via the Booking.com platform. With a diverse range of offerings across accommodations, flights and rental cars, Booking.com ensures a seamless and connected travel experience, empowering travellers to curate their travels personally. As travellers reflect on their cherished memories and travel experiences alongside Eric Nam, the campaign hopes to encourage them to stay open to fresh and creative ways of travel in a world renewed to unlock their sense of adventure. 

“The 2023 Explorers campaign is a timely reminder of the incomparable joy and empowerment that travel can bring us,” said 

Booking.com managing director for Asia Pacific Laura Houldsworth. “Our goal at Booking.com is to make it easier for travellers to shape their own extraordinary travel experiences – by offering personalisation and providing our users with the widest choice of accommodation options and unique experiences.” 

Booking.com claims “responsible travel is also at the forefront of the campaign, as it shows travellers how to access accommodation and experiences that encourage more sustainable choices, whilst reducing their environmental impact in the destinations they visit.” 

AirAsia welcomes Chinese tourists

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 27 September 2023: AirAsia is supporting the Thai government’s visa-exemption policy for Chinese visitors with a flight promotion starting from only CNY199* per trip.

Bookings are open until 1 October 2023 for travel from 1 October 2023 to 31 March 2024 in the hopes of boosting tourism from China during National Day in October and Chinese New Year in February.

The visa-exemption policy allows Chinese tourists to enter Thailand without the need to request a visa in advance and will be in effect from 25 September 2023 to 29 February 2024, a total of five months. 

An AP report claimed that the government proposed the visa exemption measure due to concerns that Chinese tourists might be lower than expected this year because of strict visa requirements.  AP said the “target arrivals from China had been revised from 5 million to 3 million after a report from the state Tourism Authority of Thailand that around 1.4 million Chinese tourists came in the first six months.”

Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said the authorities were confident Chinese arrivals could hit 4 million to 5 million once the visa-exemption programme kicked in.

Thailand’s economy slumped during the pandemic as its colossal tourism industry virtually collapsed. The country received about 40 million visitors in 2019, and the government estimated they spent 1.9 trillion baht ($53.2 billion), which plummeted by more than 99% by 2021, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Srettha Thavisin, accompanied by Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool welcomed around 300 passengers on Thai AirAsia X flight XJ761 that arrived at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) from Shanghai, China, on Monday. 

At Don Mueang Airport, Chinese passengers on flight FD583 from Kunming to Bangkok Don Mueang Airport (DMK) received a warm welcome.

Thai AirAsia chief executive officer Santisuk Klongchaiya noted expectations were high that Chinese visitors would increase significantly, especially during the year-end travel season, the National Day celebrations and during Chinese New Year in 2024, the latter two occasions that spur travel in the Chinese market to destinations in Southeast Asia.

AirAsia is already offering a variety of promotions on routes between China and Thailand. Thai AirAsia (FD) is presenting flights starting from only CNY199 per trip, available for booking up to 1 October 2023 for travel from 1 October 2023 to 31 March 2024. 

In addition, Thai AirAsia X (XJ) offers a fare of CNY299 on the Shanghai – Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) route.

Thai AirAsia currently operates 12 direct flights to 11 cities in China: Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Wuhan, Changsha, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Shantou and Beijing. Thai AirAsia X serves one route, Shanghai – Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi). 

 *Starting fares do not include tax, fees and auxiliary service charges

Resort World Cruises sails to Sanya

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 26 September 2023: Resorts World Cruises commenced its maiden voyage on Sunday from Hong Kong to Sanya onboard the Resorts World One cruise ship. 

It marked the start of the two and three-night Sanya cruises from Hong Kong, which depart twice weekly on Wednesdays and Sundays, respectively, every fortnight. With cruise fares starting at HKD1,200 per guest based on twin sharing, vacationers can hop on a Resorts World One cruise with ease to one of Hainan’s best go-to destinations. Sanya is renowned for its spectacular stretches of coastlines, picturesque sceneries, unique seafood delicacies, and rich culture that keep travellers coming back.

The Resorts World One homeports in Hong Kong.

In conjunction with the Resorts World One inaugural sailing to Sanya, a special celebratory event was held on the ship before she departed from Hong Kong last Sunday. Signalling the start of her cruises to Sanya, the official ceremony was attended and officiated by Li Zhongguang, deputy director-general department of tourism, culture, radio, television and sports of Hainan, together with Hong Kong’s secretary for culture, sports and tourism (Acting) bureau, Lau Chun JP. They were joined by Michael Goh, president of Resorts World Cruises. 

 “Today’s inaugural sailing from Hong Kong to Sanya marks a new chapter for our company and our ship as we continue to innovate new itineraries with popular destinations that will boost the regional tourism sector and provide exciting choices for travellers. On behalf of Resorts World Cruises, we thank the Governor of Hainan, Sanya Tourism Board and Hong Kong Culture, Sports and Tourism for their presence and support today,” said Mr. Michael Goh, President of Resorts World Cruises.

With Hong Kong’s highly connected network of flights, land and high-speed transportation, sea and ferry links with Mainland China and internationally, overseas travellers and mainland Chinese residents, especially from the Greater Bay Area, will have easy access to board the Resorts World One. International travellers from countries that are listed under Hainan’s “59 Visa Free Entry Eligible Countries” do not need to apply for a Chinese visa when cruising from Hong Kong to Sanya, subject to terms and conditions. Besides that, vacationers can also expand their holiday experience to stay and explore Hong Kong pre and post-cruise, enjoying the best of both worlds in Hong Kong and Sanya, famous duty-free hubs.

Arival names Spotlight winners

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 26 September 2023: Arival, a global leader in the tours and activities industry, and TourReview, an online reputation management platform for operators of tours, activities and attractions, have announced the finalists for their first ever Arival and TourReview Spotlight Awards. 

The launch comes ahead of the Arival 360 event in Orlando from 9 to 12 October, which will see hundreds of leaders from the industry gather to address the emerging trends shaping the experiences sector.

The Arival and TourReview Spotlight Awards spotlight the in-destination companies that are going above and beyond for their customers. Powered by TourReview’s Business Intelligence and AI  platform, finalists are selected based on data aggregated from millions of customer reviews across seven major online travel agencies (OTAs) and websites, including Expedia, GetYourGuide, Google, Klook, Tiqets, Tripadvisor (excluding duplicate reviews also on Viator), and Viator. The platform then produces an independent and impartial data analysis highlighting top-rated companies.

“It’s fantastic to see so many companies across the industry consistently wowing their customers,” said Arival CEO and co-founder Douglas Quinby. “Tours and experience companies have a unique opportunity to get close to their customers, giving them experiences that they’ll remember for years to come; it’s clear that so many brands are investing the time and care in understanding what their customers really want. I’m proud that we can give these companies a new platform that recognises their outstanding contribution to the industry.”

The awards are split into the following five categories, which are each further broken down into small, medium and large-sized operators:

  • Sightseeing Tours
  • Culinary Tours & Experiences (all food and drink experiences)
  • Adventure Tours & Activities
  • Visitor Attractions (amusement parks, museums, observation decks, landmarks and monuments, zoos and aquariums) 
  • Day Tours & Excursions

The winners will be announced during a special Happy Hour event at the Arival TourReview Spotlight Awards Ceremony at Arival 360 | Orlando, on 10 October 2023.

Langkawi wins ACI airport award

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TTR WEEKLY
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LANGKAWI, 26 September 2023: Malaysia’s Langkawi International Airport (LGK) won the Best Airport in Asia-Pacific Award for the 2 to 5 million passengers per annum category at the ACI Global Customer Experience Summit 2023 in Incheon, Korea, earlier this month. 

This is the airport’s second win in a row in the ACI Awards, which are sponsored by Amadeus, a global distribution system and software specialist for airlines and travel companies.

Photo credit: LADA.

The Airports Council International (ACI) annual Customer Experience Global Summit successfully concluded in Incheon, Republic of Korea, attracting 500 delegates, including government officials, airport and aviation executives, and customer experience experts.

During the summit’s gala dinner, 144 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards were presented to 75 airports recognising airport excellence in customer experience worldwide based on data from ASQ’s renowned departures and arrivals surveys.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been confirmed as the host of the ACI Customer Experience Global Summit from 24 to 26 September 2024 in Atlanta, USA.

The ASQ is cited as one of the world’s leading airport customer experience measurement and benchmarking programmes. Compared to other programs in the aviation industry, it is based on live research via surveys gathered at the airport—direct from the traveller—rating their satisfaction on the day of travel.

From over 465,000 surveys collected in 2022, 144 awards have been won by 75 airports worldwide, breaking down into various awards categories, including the perennial Best Airports by Size (passengers per year) and region.

For more information visit https://www.lada.gov.my/en/

https://naturallylangkawi.my/

About ACI

Airports Council International (ACI), is the trade association of the world’s airports. ACI serves 712 members, operating 1925 airports in 171 countries.

Discover Sarawak’s national parks

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUCHING, 26 September 2023: Sarawak is blessed with more than 124,450 square kilometres of mountainous scapes and forestry, offering amazing opportunities to explore national parks for travellers who would like to enjoy a relaxed retreat and make the most of their time with nature during their time in Sarawak.

The land of hornbills hosts one of the four Malaysian UNESCO heritage sites, Gunung Mulu National Park in Miri. One highly recommended activity is the boat ride through the Clearwater Cave and the Deer Cave of the approximately 60-million-year-old park. 

As the most studied tropical area in the world, which is incredibly wealthy in biodiversity, visitors encounter Sarawak’s iconic bat exodus and other incredible flora and fauna around the area. This park also houses The Sarawak Chamber, the largest known cave chamber in the world. With the hot weather, we suggest travellers consider dividing their exploration over two to three days. The various accommodations available within the vicinity make it extremely convenient for guests to make reservations, with options ranging from a five-star hotel to authentic longhouse experiences offered by the locals.

Niah National Park

Another park you can trek through in Miri is Niah National Park, which has been labelled as one of the world’s most significant archaeological sites. This national park was nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site on 30 January 2023, with the results expected to be announced in 2024. This park has the backstory of being the regional birthplace of civilisation and the discovery site for the most dated human remains in Southeast Asia. When you visit this treasured heritage, be sure to allocate some time for the Niah Cave Complex to see ancient artefacts preserved for over 50,000 years and the evolution of the relationship between humans and its lush rainforest. You would also get close-up views of cave paintings and the archaic wooden boat-shaped coffins Niah’s prehistoric inhabitants left behind.

Sarawak Delta Geo Park

If you are touring through the southwest regions of Sarawak, take a chance to roam through the Sarawak Delta Geo Park, the sixth national Geopark under the National Geopark Development Programme. The alluring nature of this Geopark sees it under consideration to receive a nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for 2025. You will surely be entertained as the park has attractions spanning Kuching, Siburan, Bau and Padawan. There is no need to rush as you observe the various architectural heritage, musical instruments, weapons and food that Sarawak’s current multicultural society has nurtured. Have a small road trip around the grounds of the Geopark to attractions such as gushing waterfalls, wildlife centres, mountains, caves and beaches. Visitors can also anticipate the sightings of Bornean endemic creatures such as orangutans, proboscis monkeys and fairy rock geckos at some of these stops.

You will find countless destinations around the Geopark, but here is a list we believe you should include in your route. For locations such as beaches, waterfalls and chances of encountering the seasonal bloom of the Rafflesia, you should visit Santubong National Park, Kubah National Park and Gunung Gading National Park. If you have the intention to have animals as your main focus, there are several wildlife centres spread out around the Geopark, such as Matang Wildlife Centre, Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, Talang Satang National Park, and Borneo Happy Farm. You can also visit educational centres such as the museums of Sarawak Cultural Village and Borneo Tribe Village or Borneo Cultures Museum, the second largest museum in Southeast Asia. However, if you are looking for a one-stop for all of these features, our best recommendation would be the Bako National Park.

Sarawak has much to offer, especially for those who find comfort amongst serene nature. The state consistently preserves and sustains natural habitats of national importance and value. You can lend a hand now in the mission to protect the unique flora and fauna of Sarawak by helping Niah National Park reach its petition goal at https://campaign.niahnationalpark.my/ or discover other national parks around the state at https://sarawaktourism.com/. 

(Source: Sarawak Tourism Board)

Holiday Inn leads IHG brands

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 26 September 2023: Half of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ hotel signings in Southeast Asia this year have been with the Holiday Inn brand family, comprising Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts and Holiday Inn Express, highlighting its enduring appeal for owners and guests across the region.

Announcements in 2023 focused on Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Karon Beach, Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Surin Beach, Holiday Inn Resort Pattaya, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bangkok Asoke and Holiday Inn Express Bali Sunset Road, while the opening of the first Holiday Inn Express & Suites property in Singapore – situated in Novena – has grown its estate to 95 open and pipeline hotels.

The Holiday Inn brand family continues to grow, generating around half of its global openings in 2022. It accounts for nearly 70% of its total estate. 

The group is developing more Holiday Inn & Suites and Holiday Inn Express & Suites properties. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Singapore Novena, which opened in May 2023, is the first in Singapore, while the first Holiday Inn Express & Suites hotel will open in Thailand at Bangkok Central Pier soon ahead of the Holiday Inn & Suites in Vientiane Laos due to open in 2024.

Across Southeast Asia, 28 Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts properties have opened, and 26 are in the pipeline. Also, in the region, IHG has 22 Holiday Inn Express properties and 14 in the pipeline. 

Agents call for broader Covid inquiry

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TTR WEEKLY
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SYDNEY, 26 September 2023: Considered one of the hardest hit sectors in Australia’s economy, the travel sector supports the Australian Human Rights Commission’s call for a broadening of the inquiry’s terms to include the impact of Covid lockdowns, international travel bans and border closures.

In a media statement released last week, the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) said it was including a call in submissions for the review to look at the substantial issues in Austrade’s handling of the distribution of Consumer Travel Support Grant funds of AUD270 Million.

Australia’s travel agents and businesses experienced massive revenue falls of 95% plus on the closure of Australia’s international border on 20 March 2020

Travel businesses suffered with no income due to the international travel shutdown, chasing AUD10 Billion in credits and refunds on behalf of their customers

A third of the workforce, 15,000 jobs, were lost while the complexity of chasing refunds was massively increased

The constant opening and shutting of state borders further added a significant burden, the ATIA statement concluded.

Travel is still recovering. ATIA’s submission to the Senate Committee Inquiry into Bilateral Air Service Agreements noted that international fares are still massively elevated. Flights from Sydney, for example, are still up to 99% higher than pre-Covid, due to a lack of competition and capacity.

ATIA CEO Dean Long commented: “The terms of the inquiry are a good starting point, but we ask that the government expand the terms of reference to consider the biggest source of impact on our sector – border closures and lockdowns.”

“Australia deserves a unified national approach, and the review, in looking at what worked and what didn’t, needs to look at those decisions that had the most significant impact on people’s lives, which was the restriction of movement. That needs to be front and centre of any review.

“Speak to any travel agent or business still operating today. They have a war story about the multiple complex problems in Austrade’s management of the Consumer Travel Support Grant funds from design to implementation. The process for so many of our members was frustrating, and the approach was unsuitable and not fit for purpose. Austrade has done a review but hasn’t released it. That needs to be considered by this review as there’s no doubt that there are lessons to be learnt from the processes and approach adopted by the government of the day and the department at the time.”

The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) is the peak body representing Australia’s $69 billion travel industry. ATIA represents the majority of Australian travel agents, corporate agents, tour operators, wholesalers and ITOs. 92% of ATIA members are small businesses, with women making up 72% of the workforce.

More flights start on the BKK – CAN route

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BANGKOK, 26 September 2023: China Eastern Airline resumes flights from Guangzhou (CAN) to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport starting 27 September, following a one-year pause since 10 October 2022.

The airline scheduled daily flights using a Boeing 737 with eight first-class seats and 159 in the economy-class cabin. Flight MU2077 will depart Guangzhou at 2305 and arrive at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) at 0115. The return flight MU2078 will depart Bangkok at 0340 and arrive in Guangzhou at 0740.

Photo credit: China Eastern Facebook post.

Kenya Airlines schedules three weekly flights from Bangkok to Guangzhou starting 27 November using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Flights are scheduled to depart on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. KQ886 will depart Bangkok at 1440 and arrive in Guangzhou at 1835. The return flight KQ887 will depart Guangzhou at 2140 and arrive in Bangkok at 2335.

Airlines serving the Bangkok -Guangzhou route ( 27 September)

Chart credit FlightFrom.

The average roundtrip fare on the route is USD460, but fares will reduce to around USD161 by November, down from the peak USD1,221 recorded in July, a peak travel month.

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