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FCM Travel expands in the Greater Bay Area

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SINGAPORE, 6 September 2023: FCM Travel, one of the world’s largest travel management companies, has expanded its footprint in China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA) with a new office and has doubled the size of its team to support its operations in Guangzhou.

FCM first opened an office in Guangzhou in 2004 and will be marking 20 years in China next year.

“GBA is economically and strategically important for our business in China as we have seen a growth of more than 200% in the region, which reflects the market’s potential. This expansion serves as an extension to support our customers in Hong Kong as well as to achieve further synergy within GBA,” said FCM China general manager Calvin Xie

The demand for business travel, meetings, and events remains strong even though airfares and hotel room rates remain high, according to FCM Consulting’s Q2-2023 report.

“We have witnessed recovery in domestic business travel, which shows opportunities within the country. Today’s demand for domestic air travel is just 1% lower than in 2019. A key reason for international travel is business, and the reopening of China has been the catalyst for global travel resurgence,” he explained.

FCM has made several strategic investments in China to deepen the brand’s presence in the Chinese market, including the launch of a proprietary travel management system, FCM Platform, built specifically for China to give its customers access to advanced technology.

Flight Centre Travel Group (ASX: FLT) recorded a profit turnaround during FY23. The global travel company delivered AUD301.6 million in underlying EBITDA for the 12 months to 30 June 2023 – an almost AUD485 million turnaround from FY22’s AUD183.1 million underlying loss.

FLT’s corporate travel business continues to out-pace broader industry recovery and delivers record TTV* during FY 23. The AUD11 billion FY23 result represented 96% YOY growth (FY22: AUD$5.6 billion) and an almost 25% increase on the previous TTV record (FY19: AUD$8.9 billion).

*Time to value, or TTV, is a critical metric that estimates the time taken for a company’s new customers to derive value from the product or service. Any new users would expect to get ‘on-time’ value delivery from a product/service they have purchased.

Travel DMC acquires transport firm

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SINGAPORE, 6 September 2023: Travel DMC Group has bolstered its presence in Singapore by acquiring KP Transport Pte Ltd, a well-established transport company based in Singapore.

This acquisition signals Travel DMC Group’s intent to enhance services, strengthen its capabilities, and offer its clients a broader range of transportation solutions.

Photo credit Travel DMC.

In a press statement announcing the acquisition of KP Transport Travel DMC Group said it was poised to become a major player in the Singaporean travel and transport sector, having acquired an expanded fleet and gained the diverse expertise of a seasoned KP Transport team that delivers a wealth of experience and local knowledge to the Travel DMC Group.

“With the merger, Travel DMC Group is now better positioned to serve clients across various locations within Singapore, ensuring that reliable and comfortable transportation is accessible wherever required.”

Travel DMC Group, established in 2011, is a subsidiary of Travel DMC Group and has offices in Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius and India.

For more information about Travel DMC Group, visit Travel DMC.

SQ and PG sign codeshare pact

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BANGKOK, 6 September 2023: Bangkok Airways (PG) and Singapore Airlines (SQ) have signed a new codeshare partnership, which will provide passengers with convenient travel connections between Singapore and destinations in Thailand and Southeast Asia as well as cities in Australia and New Zealand served by SQ.

Effective 4 September, Bangkok Airways’ codeshare on Singapore Airlines flights took effect between Singapore and the following destinations: Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, Adelaide and Sydney in Australia, and Auckland in New Zealand. 

Singapore Airlines will codeshare on Bangkok Airways flights on the following routes: Singapore – Samui; Phuket – Samui; Bangkok – Chiang Mai; Bangkok – Samui; Bangkok – Phuket; Bangkok – Luang Prabang (Laos); Bangkok – Phnom Penh (Cambodia)  and Bangkok – Siem Reap (Cambodia).

The codeshares will enhance connectivity to destinations across both airlines’ networks, providing customers with more travel options. SQ travellers can book flights to popular destinations in Thailand by flying Singapore Airlines to gateway airports – Bangkok and Phuket – and connecting seamlessly with flights on Bangkok Airways to popular tourist destinations. The codeshare agreement extends to destinations in neighbouring Laos and Cambodia served by PG flights from Bangkok.

Customers will also enjoy greater convenience as they will be able to make their flight reservations in a single booking and enjoy through check-in of their cabin baggage. For more information about Bangkok Airways, visit www.bangkokair.com. For more information and to make reservations with Singapore Airlines, visit www.singaporeair.com. 

Travelling for sport gains popularity

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SINGAPORE, 6 September 2023: According to the latest Booking.com travel index findings for the Asia Pacific, nearly a quarter of all tourism searches are related to sports.

As one of the fastest growing tourism sectors, sports tourism and mega sporting events, such as the Formula 1 (F1) Singapore Grand Prix coming up on 15 to 17 September, have become prominent tourism attractions. Attracting record crowds from around the world and APAC, these events catalyse tourism development in host destinations.  

In its recent APAC Travel Confidence Index, Booking.com unveiled a striking paradox – despite financial concerns ranking highest among their worries for almost half (42%) of APAC travellers, an astounding 73% maintain unwavering optimism for their future travel plans over the next 12 months. 

As the F1’s summer break approached, Booking.com zeroed in on recent search data to reveal if there has been a surge in inbound travel and the ranking of APAC market travellers heading to Singapore. Interestingly, overall, there has been a decrease in inbound travel searches to Singapore by 3.67%* when compared to 2022. 

Top 20 markets that searched for Singapore as a destination in September 2023 (in order)**

Furthermore, last year’s top 20 markets remain the same for 2023, indicating that these markets continue to show high travel intent to head to Singapore during the F1 period.

Methodology:  

*For comparison figures: Search sessions between 2022-07-01 and 2022-08-14, with check-in dates between 2022-09-01 and 2022-09-30, with Singapore as Destination. 

**Search sessions between 2023-07-01 and 2023-08-14, with check-in dates between 2023-09-01 and 2023-09-30, with Singapore as Destination.

Qantas CEO opts for early retirement

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SINGAPORE 6 September 2023: Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce has advised the Qantas board of directors he will bring forward his retirement by two months “to help the company accelerate its renewal,” according to a board statement released on 5 September.

CEO Designate Vanessa Hudson takes over as managing director and group CEO effective 6 September 2023.

Photo credit AAP. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. Joyce to step down as Qantas CEO two months early – Australian Associated Press

In the official airline statement, Joyce advised: “In the last few weeks, the focus on Qantas and past events make it clear to me that the company needs to move ahead with its renewal as a priority.

“The best thing I can do under these circumstances is to bring forward my retirement and hand over to Vanessa and the new management team now, knowing they will do an excellent job.

“There is a lot I am proud of over my 22 years at Qantas, including the past 15 years as CEO. There have been many ups and downs, and much work is still to be done, especially to ensure we always deliver for our customers. But I leave knowing that the company is fundamentally strong and has a bright future,” Joyce concluded.

Qantas chairman Richard Goyder said: “Alan has always had the best interests of Qantas front and centre, and today shows that. On behalf of the Board, we sincerely thank him for his leadership through some enormous challenges and for thinking well ahead on opportunities like ultra-long-haul travel.

“This transition comes at a challenging time for Qantas and its people. We have an important job to do in restoring the public’s confidence in the kind of company we are, and that’s what the Board is focused on and what the management under Vanessa’s leadership will do,” added Goyder.

As planned, shareholders will formally vote on the appointment of Vanessa Hudson as managing director at Qantas’ Annual General Meeting in November.

Today’s announcement means one of the executive changes announced in June this year will also be accelerated, namely the appointment of Rob Marcolina as the group’s chief financial officer in line with current CFO Vanessa Hudson’s transition to the Group CEO role.

Response from the travel trade

Commenting on the announcement, Australian Travel Industry Association CEO Dean Long said: “The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) looks forward to working with new CEO Vanessa Hudson and her team. It’s important we have a positive, collaborative relationship to support travelling Australians.

“In the current year, one-third of our clients flew with Qantas domestically and internationally, representing nearly AUD3 billion of Australians’ money spent on air travel. We look forward to collaborating to support these travellers and our businesses for mutual success.”

New Qantas structure takes shape 

In a 28 June 2023 news release, the Qantas Group Management Committee confirmed a transition to the following structure by November 2023.

  • Group CEO – Vanessa Hudson*
  • General Counsel and Group Executive, Office of the CEO – Andrew Finch
  • Chief Customer and Digital Officer – Catriona Larritt*
  • Chief Financial Officer – Rob Marcolina*
  • Chief Corporate Affairs Officer – Andrew McGinnes
  • Chief Risk Officer – Andrew Monaghan*
  • Chief Sustainability Officer – Andrew Parker
  • Qantas Domestic CEO – Markus Svensson*
  • Jetstar CEO – Stephanie Tully
  • Qantas International CEO – Cam Wallace
  • Qantas Loyalty CEO – Olivia Wirth
  • Chief People Officer* – (Recruitment underway)
  • QantasLink CEO – (Recruitment underway)

(Source: Qantas)

Emirates sponsors America’s Cup defending champions

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI UAE, 6 September 2023: Emirates has renewed its longstanding partnership with reigning America’s Cup champions Emirates Team New Zealand for the 37th America’s Cup and all preliminary regattas.

The 19-year partnership has been highly successful for both parties, including memorable victories in the 35th America’s Cup and its cup defence in front of a home Auckland crowd in the 36th America’s Cup event.

Emirates will continue to be the Lead Sponsor of Emirates Team New Zealand, with naming rights for the team, as well as the designation of Official Airline and Carrier of Emirates Team New Zealand.

Emirates joined the team as naming sponsor in 2004 when it began its quest to bring the America’s Cup back to New Zealand. The airline remained a stoic supporter through two close Challenges in 2007 in Valencia and 2013 in San Francisco before Emirates Team New Zealand proudly lifted the ‘Auld Mug’ again in Bermuda in 2017.

A victorious defence in the 36th edition of the America’s Cup in Auckland 2021 saw Emirates Team New Zealand achieve a sensational victory on its home turf. Emirates is proud to sponsor a further defence of the 37th edition of the America’s Cup, this time in Barcelona, Spain, in 2024.

The renewal of sponsorship signals a continued commitment to New Zealand sailing and reflects the deep-rooted connection Emirates has built with New Zealand, having recently celebrated its 20th anniversary of operations in the country. Emirates operates daily A380 services directly out of Auckland and Christchurch via Sydney, offering passengers the only opportunity to travel across the Trans-Tasman on the iconic double-decker aircraft.

Emirates divisional senior vice president, corporate communications, marketing & brand Boutros Boutros said: “Since 2004, we have been on a memorable voyage with Emirates Team New Zealand, and we are delighted to announce our continued support as they defend their reigning championship at the 37th America’s Cup.”

“Emirates Team New Zealand shares DNA with the airline in its ambitious pursuit of innovation and self-improvement, and it’s a relationship that’s endured challenges and delivered results, so extending it was an easy decision for us. As we move closer to the America’s Cup, the incredible talent, ground-breaking sailing technology, and historical rivalries among the different teams will broaden the sport’s appeal to more audiences worldwide,” he continued.

Emirates Team New Zealand Chief Executive Grant Dalton added: “We are delighted to have Emirates continue to support Emirates Team New Zealand as the naming sponsor. Emirates has been a staunch sponsor of Team New Zealand through our highs and lows since 2004. We greatly value Emirates’ commitment to stand by the team in solidarity going into our 2024 defence in Barcelona. We’re ready to take on the massive task ahead of us next year, with a laser focus to compete at our best,” Dalton added.

The Emirates sponsorship of Emirates Team New Zealand will include a major brand presence on the mainsail of each Emirates Team New Zealand yacht, defence chase boats, defence tenders, team bases in Auckland and Barcelona, and crew uniforms. The branding will also now include placement on the hull of the Emirates Team New Zealand yachts, an updated design from the 2021 Defence.

The airline will also have sponsorship visibility across Emirates Team New Zealand channels, including social, digital, media, live events and other official materials.

The 37th America’s Cup in 2024 will see all participating teams, including Emirates Team New Zealand, race their AC75 America’s Cup class yachts. The first AC Challenger Selection series regatta will take place from August to September 2024, and the main America’s Cup Match will begin on 12 October 2024. All matches will take place in Barcelona, Spain.

The Challenger Selection Series is a series of matches determining the winning team whose yacht will take on the Defender of the America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand, in the 37th America’s Cup Match.

Emirates offers flights to more than 140 destinations worldwide, including Auckland, Christchurch, and Barcelona, where the 37th America’s Cup events will be held.

Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents. Those keen to get ahead on their travel arrangements and learn more about the latest Emirates A380 serving New Zealand with seats offered in First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy class can check out https://www.emirates.com/english/experience/our-fleet/the-new-emirates-a380/.

Explore the Mekong on a Pandaw cruise

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 5 September 2023: Pandaw promotes short Mekong River cruises of three and four nights for travellers with less time on their hands.

For the winter season, October 2023 to March 2024, there are options to book and join mini-cruises on one of Pandaw’s Mekong ships, making sailing with Pandaw even more accessible.

Guests booking the short cruise segments can look forward to full Pandaw service with daily excursions, expert local guides and delicious meals but with the added flexibility of joining or leaving in Phnom Penh.

With air travel between Vietnam and Cambodia expensive and sometimes unreliable and driving between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City an arduously long journey, connecting a Vietnam and Cambodia trip by river cruise is an alternative option for those looking to relax and enjoy the thrill of exploring remoter spot on the Mekong River.
In addition to accepting bookings for shorter segments of the Mekong River cruise itinerary, there are options for groups with special rates and discounts.

Pandaw Cruise’s latest newsletter notes: “There can be no tapestry of river life as fascinating and varied as the Mekong River… with its striking cultural contrasts between the bustling Vietnam Delta and the tranquillity of Cambodia.

“This three-night cruise passes from the vibrant French colonial port of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) through the vast delta rich in human endeavour to explore the main channel into the rich countryside of Cambodia with the journey ending in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh.”

For more details on the Saigon and Phnom Penh short cruises visit
https://www.pandaw.com/expeditions/saigon-phnom-penh-short-cruise?utm_source=pandaw&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mekong-short-cruise-23

Check out available dates and book a crruise
https://www.pandaw.com/expeditions/saigon-phnom-penh-short-cruise/cruise-dates

Saigon and Phnom Penh
Short Cruises
3 or 4 nights
From USD1,288.00
No single supplement on selected dates

For more information visit pandaw.com or contact [email protected]

Neighbours support Bangladesh’s tourism drive

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 5 September 2023: Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter participated in a ‘Cross-Border Tourism with Neighbours’ event last week, organised by the PATA Bangladesh Chapter in collaboration with the Bangladesh Tourism Board, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, and all tourism-related associations in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

The event aimed to promote tourism in Bangladesh and foster cross-border tourism between neighbouring countries. Around 250 tourism stakeholders from both the public and private sectors from Nepal, India and Bangladesh attended the event.

Thirteen Nepalese tourism executives joined the Nepal delegation led by Bibhu Thakur, chairman of the PATA Nepal Chapter. Sixteen Indian tourism entrepreneurs, led by Samrat Sanyal, General Secretary of Siliguri-India-based Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network (HHTDN), also participated invited by Shahid Hamid FIH, chairman of PATA Bangladesh Chapter.

The five-day-long event was officially opened by M Mahbub Ali, Bangladesh’s Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism. The organisers facilitated FAM trips for foreign delegates to explore the country’s tourist destinations and then attend a B2B exchange between foreign delegates and local tourism entrepreneurs and stakeholders in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

This event, organised by the PATA Bangladesh Chapter, gained the support of the following organisations:
Visa, Bangladesh Tourism Board; Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation; Tourist Police Bangladesh; PATA Nepal Chapter; HHTDN; Novo Air; US Bangla Airlines, Dhaka Regency Hotel & Resort; Best Western Plus Maya; DBC News; Convoy Service; Silver Wave Tours Ltd; Intercontinental Dhaka; Riverain Tours; Saint Martin Travels; Green Holidays; Hotel Kollol; Bengal Inn; Securex; PATA Bangladesh Dhaka University Student Chapter; and Cox’s Bazar City College.

The perfect Kuching Halal food crawl

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KUCHING, 4 September 2023: Kuching gained the status as Malaysia’s first-ever Creative City of Gastronomy back in November 2021 and lived up to the title with its abundance of traditional food bazaars and indigenous ethnic cuisines. 

As the most populous city in the state, our food heritage is extremely diverse, with multi-cultural influences originating from the 31 

Sarawakian ethnic groups. This means that we have food that caters to people from all backgrounds and religions, including our Muslim friends. Enjoy these eateries, which have Halal certifications as recommended by the Sarawakian Islamic Board.

Photo credit: STB. Laksa Sarawak

Serapi Corner

Start your journey by enriching your taste buds with iconic Sarawak cuisine by visiting Serapi Corner, located at the Rich Commercial Centre at Batu 7. At this restaurant, you will have the chance to order all the Sarawakian must-try dishes. That includes Sarawak Laksa (rice noodles drowned in a spicy broth), Mee Kolok (savoury egg noodles with sliced meat served with a bowl of soup on the side), Crispy Tomato Mee (Crispy egg noodles, fish cakes, vegetables and meat slices coated in an appetising tomato sauce), and Midin Belacan (wild Sarawakian fern stir-fried with an authentic Malaysian shrimp paste). Serapi Corner also serves other Peninsular Malaysian cuisines in their extensive range.

Topspot Food Court

Arguably, Topspot Food Court, located in Jalan Padungan, is the most popular hub for seafood fanatics in Kuching. Customers can enjoy a vast seafood selection at affordable prices. Some unique Sarawakian seafood dishes are buttered fish fillets, salted egg crab, cheese-baked prawns and steamed fish. Alongside that, you may enjoy refreshments such as whole coconuts and sugarcane that is freshly squeezed. Two stalls are recommended. They are Ling Loong Seafood and No. 25 Bukit Mata Seafood Centre.

Pending Kuching

Next, Babaganoush in Pending Kuching is a perfect option for those who would like to share a feast with friends and family. This restaurant offers Malay and Halal Chinese cuisine, but they are famous for their seafood dishes such as crispy oyster pancake, obor-obor (jellyfish leg umai), fried fish roe and salted fish fried rice. 

Bumbu Cabe

You can find Bumbu Cabe a short drive away if you have a craving for some Indonesian Sundanese cuisine instead. Their sambal is so well-loved that you might have previously spotted some of their homemade sambal products sold elsewhere. If you are not a fan of spicy food, you can leave a remark for the kitchen or have a pick at their non-spicy options. Some of their most popular dishes would be their crispy fried whole tilapia fish, nasi liwet ayam taliwang (Spicy Grilled Chicken with coconut milk infused rice) and Crispy Bayam.

Lepau Restaurant

For the native flavours of Sarawak, it is highly recommended for travellers to eat at Lepau Restaurant at Jalan Ban Hock as they brand themselves as a Sarawak Ethnic restaurant. Their menu consists of dishes inherited from the Orang Ulu and Dayak ancestries. Most customers favour their variety of dishes, which include their Manok Pansuh. This chicken dish is infused with a palette of flavours stuffed into a bamboo tube and roasted over an open fire. Aside from that, customers should also order their Sup Terung Asam Ikan Salai, Dried Chilli Fish and Fish Umai. 

Kuching Raintree Restaurant

Complement your meal with a view at one of the best-reviewed restaurants in Kuching, Raintree Restaurant. Diners can admire the scenery by overlooking the Sarawak River from the Borneo Convention Center Kuching. Suppose you are travelling with others and cannot seem to decide on a single type of cuisine. In that case, the Raintree Restaurant covers local, international, European and fusion dishes.

For the full foodie report, visit Hornbill Trail Newsletter: https://sarawakgo.com/the-perfect-kuching-halal-food-crawl/

For travel information visit: www.sarawaktourism.com 

(Source: Sarawak Tourism Board)

MATTA Fair helps to speed up travel recovery

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 5 September 2023: In a written statement to mark the opening of the 53 MATTA Fair last Friday, Minster of Tourism Arts and Culture YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing praised the show for its role in driving progress in Malaysia’s domestic and international travel markets.

His congratulatory statement was released at the opening MATTA Fair ceremony on 1 September, praising the role of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) in organising the premier show,

(From left to right) Opening Ceremony: Dato’ Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar, Director General of Tourism Malaysia; Dato’ Roslan Tan Sri Abdul Rahman, Secretary General of Ministry Of Tourism, Arts And Culture Malaysia; Nigel Wong, President of MATTA; Azrul Shah Bin Mohamad, Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Selangor.

The 52nd MATTA Fair hosted in March this year attracted over 180,000 visitors, travel enthusiasts and industry professionals, with over MYR300 million in sales. Even domestic sales alone accounted for MYR 34 million.
Attendance and sales should be much higher during the September MATTA Fair due to the school holidays and the upcoming travel peaks.

“MATTA Fair has become a signature hub for Malaysia’s tourism industry promotions and well-known international brands,” the minister’s statement read.
He noted that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Tourism Malaysia supported the efforts of MATTA that “constantly strived to enhance and strengthen the country’s tourism, and related industries to develop their business and increase revenue.”

MOTAC has allocated MYR 25 million through the Tourism Sector Support Grant to fuel and reinvigorate the tourism sector. To date, MOTAC has already received 300 applications from industry players.

In a statement read on his behalf, the minister assured travel industry leaders attending the opening that Malaysia was making a fast tourism recovery.

“Thanks to the efforts of all of us, during the second week of August this year, we welcomed 817,460 foreign tourists. In July, 1,821,521 foreign tourists visited Malaysia, an increase of 69.3% compared to 1,076,218 in the same period in 2022.

While the MATTA Fair mainly focuses on the outbound market, the show also promotes domestic tourism growth. MATTA is a key player working closely with MOTAC and Tourism Malaysia through the MATTA Fair platform to create new tourism trends and attract more tourists to visit Malaysia.

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