SINGAPORE, 15 August 2023: Qantas welcomes China’s latest move to lift restrictions on outbound group tours by extending the list of countries to include Australia, Japan, South Korea, India and the US.
Commenting on the news that China has lifted restrictions on group tours to Australia, Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said: “The easing of travel restrictions for Chinese group tours visiting Australia is great news for Australian tourism, and we welcome the announcement as we gear up to recommence Qantas flights between Shanghai and Sydney in October.
“Pre-COVID, Australia was a top destination for Chinese visitors, and we look forward to helping bring more travellers from China to Australia on our flights again soon.”
QF relaunches Shanghai flights
On 29 October 2023, Qantas will relaunch flights between Shanghai and Sydney for the first time in over three and a half years. Flights will operate daily with Qantas’ Airbus A330 aircraft, offering more than 4,000 weekly seats on the route.
First reported by Reuters on 10 August, China confirmed it lifted pandemic-era restrictions on group tours for more countries, including key markets such as the US, Japan, South Korea and Australia. The decision was announced by China’s Culture and Tourism Ministry last Thursday with immediate effect.
Before the pandemic, mainland Chinese tourists spent more than any other country’s tourists abroad, clocking up a combined USD255 billion in 2019, with group tours estimated to account for roughly 60% of that, according to the Reuters report.
China’s latest update adds most of the EU, including Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK. India is also on the latest list of additions. Reuters said it was “China’s third list of countries to receive approvals. The first batch approved in January included 20 countries such as Thailand, Russia, Cuba and Argentina. The second batch in March included 40 countries, including Nepal, France, Portugal and Brazil.”
International flights in and out of China have recovered to only 53% of 2019 levels as of July.
“That is largely due to staffing issues for many global airlines that have limited the flying of more routes, slow visa issuance for Chinese travellers amid backlogs in many Western countries, and a sputtering domestic economy that is discouraging many holidaying Chinese from spending big,” Reuters reported.
Trip.com, China’s largest travel agency, noted that the news had led to a spike in searches for destinations including Australia and Japan. Those countries, along with several other Asian nations and the US, are among the most visited by Chinese travellers.
HONG KONG, 15 August 2023: The first half of 2023 delivered positive results for the Cathay Group, which reported an attributable profit of HKG4,268 million in the first half of 2023, compared with a first-half loss of HKD4,999 million during the same period in 2022.
Reporting on the results, the Cathay Group chair Peter Healy said rebuilding connectivity at the Hong Kong international aviation hub after the full reopening of the borders in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland was underway.
Photo credit: Cathay Group.
“As Hong Kong’s home carrier, our focus has been on adding more flights and destinations to cater to the growing demand for travel. We reached 50% of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels covering 70 destinations in March and have continued to increase our passenger capacity since.
The declared profit included a one-off non-cash gain of HKD1.9 billion. The earnings per ordinary share in the first half of 2023 were HK61.5 cents (2022 first half: loss per ordinary share of HKD82.3 cents).
The airlines and subsidiaries, excluding exceptional items, reported an attributable profit of HKD4,763 million in the first half of 2023. It compared with a loss of HKD2,516 million during the first half of 2202.
The results from associates, the majority of which are recognised as three months in arrears, reflected an attributable loss of HKD2,632 million (2022 first half: loss of HKD2,483 million), according to the chair’s statement.
Business performance
In the first half of 2023, Cathay Pacific’s passenger revenue increased by 1,109.5% to HKD25,013 million compared with the same period in 2022. Passenger flight capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs), increased by 1,111.3%, while traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), increased by 1,685.0%.
The airline carried 7.8 million passengers in the first half of 2023, an average of 43,184 per day, which was 2,233.1% more than in the first half of 2022. The load factor was 87.2% compared with 59.2% in the first half of 2022.
Costs increased from operating more flights. Non-fuel costs for the first half of 2023 increased by 53.5% to HKD24,639 million compared to 2022. Total fuel costs for Cathay Pacific (before the effect of fuel hedging) increased by HKD6,085 million (or 147.8%) compared with the first half of 2022.
Financial position
The group has been operating cash generative in 2023, and its available unrestricted liquidity balance stood at HKD28.9 billion as of 30 June 2023. On 6 June, the group announced that it would not need to use the HKD7.8 billion bridge loan facility extended by the Hong Kong SAR (HKSAR) Government before it expired on 8 June 2023. The group paid the deferred dividend of HKD1,524 million on the preference shares held by Hong Kong SAR (HKSAR) Government on 30 June 2023, bringing our dividend payments up to date.
Prospects
“While we are still only part way along our rebuilding journey, our results for the first six months of 2023 demonstrate that we are on the right track,” said Healy. “Building back connectivity at the Hong Kong international aviation hub remains our primary focus. We are on
track to achieve our target of 70% pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels covering 80 destinations by the end of 2023, and we are confident of reaching 100% by the end of 2024.”
“Our confidence in the long-term future of the Hong Kong international aviation hub with Cathay at its centre remains resolute. The Hong Kong hub has an important role to play in the country’s overall development under the National 14th Five-Year Plan. The Three-Runway System will be fully operational at Hong Kong International Airport by the end of 2024, and the huge potential of the Greater Bay Area as our extended home market gives us great optimism for the future. We will also continue to support promotional campaigns and mega events that put Hong Kong on the world stage and attract visitors to discover our home city.”
SINGAPORE, 15 August 2023: Pelago, a travel experiences platform owned by Singapore Airlines, unveiled a new website feature that presents a promotion for travel activities with a time-limited 30% discount.
Starting 14 August, Pelago users who have booked flight tickets with SIA will enjoy a limited-time 30% discount on any of the travel activities on Pelago and valid for all bookings made on Pelago from now to 31 December 2023.
To tap the discount offer, customers must input their six-alphanumeric SQ Booking Reference code (PNR) and last name on Pelago’s checkout page. Customers will be eligible for the discount from the day they book their SIA flight and receive a PNR until the last day of their final flight in their SIA itinerary.
In addition to the discount, Pelago takes things up a notch with a ‘Finders Keepers’ activity, where travellers stand a chance to win free Singapore Airlines flights, KrisFlyer miles, and other prizes. From 1 January 2024 onwards, SIA customers will continue to enjoy a one-time 15% discount on all travel activities booked through Pelago.
About Pelago
Launched in 2021, Pelago is a travel experience platform by Singapore Airlines that connects flying passengers to more than 1,800 destinations. Through the platform, Singapore Airlines can influence and sell ground services such as tours, sightseeing attractions and hotels direct to customers. As a part of the Singapore Airlines Group, travellers can earn three miles per SGD1 spent on every booking or use their miles on every booking with the airline on Pelago’s travel experiences.
HONG KONG, 11 August 2023: Mandarin Oriental is developing a new luxury resort in Sardinia, northeast of the island in the heart of Costa Smeralda.
Mandarin Oriental, Porto Cervo, will be developed in partnership with Gruppo Statuto, one of Italy’s leading real estate groups involved in the Mandarin Oriental, Milan.
Set to open its doors in mid-2026, the Mandarin Oriental Porto Cervo will comprise 83 rooms and suites, five restaurants and bars, a spa and a beach club.
Close to Porto Cervo with its luxury boutiques, galleries and restaurants and a 30-minute journey from Olbia airport, Mandarin Oriental, Porto Cervo is located in one of the most sought-after parts of Costa Smeralda near the Porto Cervo Marina, with its distinguished Yacht Club, renowned for hosting international regattas.
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group chief development officer Francesco Cefalú commented: “We are excited to introduce Mandarin Oriental, Porto Cervo to our guests and to expand our portfolio of leisure destinations in this region. Costa Smeralda’s unique allure, combined with the expertise of Gruppo Statuto, promises to create an extraordinary retreat.”
Gruppo Statuto owns several renowned luxury five-star hotels in Italy, including the Mandarin Oriental Milan, Four Seasons Hotel Milan, Hotel Danieli in Venice, San Domenico Palace Taormina a Four Seasons Hotel, Edition Rome, Rosewood Milan, W Hotel Milan, Hotel Six Senses Milan.
A member of the Jardine Matheson Group, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group operates 36 hotels and nine residences in 24 countries and territories.
DUBAI, UAE, 11 August 2023: They say the journey is just as important as the destination, and Emirates couldn’t agree more. At the heart of its customer journey are exceptional cabin crew who deliver the airline’s signature inflight experience at 38,000 feet.
Emirates’ cabin crew team recently crossed a milestone and is now 20,000 strong as the airline continues to recruit cabin crew globally to meet its planned growth trajectory.
Since 2022, the airline has hosted recruitment events in 340 cities across six continents – truly reflecting the diversity of its cabin crew team and the destinations it serves.
The instantly recognisable Emirates cabin crew uniform has undergone four transformations in three decades, including a design by the legendary Spanish designer Paco Rabanne in 1997. The airline has consistently kept the iconic beige, and the subtle modern tweaks have stayed true to the elegant and classic style the uniform has echoed over the years.
Loving the flying – Emirates’ long-serving crew
Two cabin crew who’ve worn most of these uniform variations include the airline’s longest-serving cabin crew – a male Emirati purser who joined in 1987 and the longest-serving female cabin crew, who joined the airline in 1994.
Moosa Mubarak, Emirati Purser and Emirates’ longest serving cabin crew said: ‘I’ve flown as Emirates’ cabin crew for 36 years on over 3,500 flights. Even now, after all these years, I’m always keen and excited to start my duty onboard. I am most proud of mentoring my crew colleagues and serving as an ambassador for Emirates and my country. I have had a long and successful career, incredible experiences and have made mind-blowing memories doing what I love.’
Diverse cabin crew team, now 20,000 strong
In a diverse team representing over 140 nationalities with 130 languages spoken, and an office with views from 38,000 feet and different cities each week, the allure and ever-changing nature of the job continues to nurture and challenge Emirates’ cabin crew to reach their full potential.
Many crew have long been a part of Emirates’ growth story, with over 4,000 crew serving between five to nine years; close to 3,000 serving between 10–14 years; over 1,500 crew serving 15–19 years; and some 400 crew members having crossed the milestone of 20 years of service. Three crew members have been with the airline for more than 30 years.
Career progression opportunities for cabin crew include upgrading to a higher cabin and becoming a cabin supervisor, trainer or purser. Today the airline has over 1,100 pursers who have moved through the ranks from junior cabin crew after completing rigorous training and assessments.
Cabin crew also have access to the latest training programmes, LinkedIn courses and the opportunity to apply for internal vacancies throughout the Emirates Group.
Seeking global talent
Revving up for its next growth phase, the airline will host global recruitment events covering hundreds of cities all year round.
Emirates’ cabin crew truly embody a cosmopolitan lifestyle as they’re based in Dubai, a vibrant city home to 200 nationalities, and renowned for its hotels, restaurants, food scene, leisure activities and for being one of the safest cities in the world.
Emirates offers cabin crew a competitive, tax-free salary and flying pay, eligibility for profit share, hotel stay, layover expenses, concessional travel and cargo, annual leave, annual leave ticket, furnished accommodation, transportation to and from work, excellent medical, life and dental insurance coverage, laundry services and other benefits. Emirates cabin crew can also benefit from the airline’s deeply discounted tickets for friends and family. With Dubai’s unique geographical position and the airline’s network of over 130 destinations, creating memories with loved ones is simply a plane ride away.
All new cabin crew undergo an intense eight weeks of training in the highest hospitality, safety and service delivery standards in Emirates’ state-of-the-art facility in Dubai.
For aspiring cabin crew, the opportunity to join Emirates is one recruitment event away. To learn more about the requirements, benefits, training programme, and global recruitment events calendar and to apply, visit the Emirates cabin crew careers page here.
KUCHING, 11 August 2023: The Association of Sarawak Inbound Agencies (ASIA) is promoting a Sarawak Road Trip: Self Drive Travel Guide, which takes travellers on a trip to explore three regions of Sarawak; Kuching, Sibu and Miri.
You go at your own pace and choose your transport, but the travel guide steps in to maximise your time and the value of your experience in Sarawak with recommendations to popular must-visit sites.
Here, the association’s Self Drive Travel Guice introduces an adventure-filled three-day/two-night trip circling Kuching and Bau with stops presenting the must-see and experience attractions of southern Sarawak.
Day 1
For the convenience of navigation, ASIA has prepared a QR code for each travel route, which road-trippers can refer to and download a Google map version of the itinerary. This journey will start off at one of the best-preserved colonial buildings in Sarawak, The Kuching Old Courthouse.
You can explore the historic building, which has been standing since Brooke’s era in 1871, made up of ironwood roofs, surrounding gardens and cultural art exhibitions before making a short drive to Batu Kawa town district.
For every stop, a background summary and their respective key activities and opening hours have been included to ensure that you don’t miss out. Alongside that, the distance between each stop is listed as a part of the guide so travellers can decide the mode of transport.
Upon arriving at Batu Kawa, it is advisable to park your car near the Guang Loong Temple. It is commonly known as the centre of faith where locals pay their respect and express their gratitude, as it is their religious belief that the temple brings peace and prosperity. With a short walk to the Batu Kawa Sky Window, visitors can see a refreshing view of Batu Kawa and the Sarawak River from the observation deck, which stands 30 meters above the ground. You can dine at the Rainbow Bridge, which offers a menu ranging from local favourites to Western cuisines. You will have the chance to unwind and appreciate their picturesque display of rare Sarawakian antiques and Belian Wood structures while waiting to be served.
Continuing the journey towards Bau, get your camera roll ready for a plethora of agriculture, land and aquatic animals from the Borneo Happy Farm. You can visit the link in the travel guide for details on their other services, such as the fruit farm, hiking trail, handicraft gallery, animal show times and the first-ever dual zipline in Borneo. As one of the recommendations by ASIA, Borneo Happy Farm is a great choice for families.
Sumiran Eco Park and Resort is another recreational area with countless agendas perfectly designed for team and family bonding. Their facilities are well integrated with its surrounding greenery, making it ideal for those who crave to experience the jungle, mountain biking, boot camps and adventure trails. Join in on the water games if you don’t mind getting wet and have a dip in the lake or canoe through their property river. Rest assured that their waters are croc-free, but keep your phones on land or use a waterproof phone cover as they may not survive the splash. Visitors can also enjoy the flying fox, which is available at Sumiran Eco Park and Resort.
Day 2
As you approach the town of Bau, snap a few pictures of the beautiful mountainous scenery. The town has a past reputation for being a gold mining industry and the primal settlement for Sarawakian Chinese. Famous for its vibrant turquoise water is the Blue Lake, the English translation for “Tasik Biru”.
Guests who want to admire the artificial lake up close but prefer to have their feet securely on the ground can stroll along the floating boardwalk after they purchase a ticket at MYR10 per person. On the other hand, the heart of Bau has calm water optimal for visitors to drive motorboats, paddle kayaks or swan boats.
Continue your journey and head to another famous attraction of Bau, the Fairy Cave, one of the more popular rock climbing bases in Sarawak. The cave is home to about 14 species of bats, 12 types of snails, swiftlets, and even squirrels other than the stalagmites and stalactites. If you’re in no rush, visit the neighbouring cave, The Wind Cave.
Once the adventure activity has been completed, travellers can swing by Siniawan, a century-old Hakka Chinese town. This place has been among the top must-visit places in Kuching, Sarawak, due to the pictographic backdrop featuring parallel rustic shophouses, decorative red lanterns and luminous food stalls.
A vintage-style gallery awaits you in Siniawan town. The Ayak Gallery is a rare find in Sarawak as the Siniawan people set it up to showcase and promote any form of art produced by local artists, whether in the form of paintings, carvings, sculptures or crafts. The Ayak Gallery also houses a kopitiam where you can satisfy your hunger with local cuisines after the viewing.
End your day at the Serembu Eco Park, placed at the foothills of Mount Serembu. Stay the night at their unique villa accommodation and dine in at their floating restaurant while embracing your time away from city life. Camping enthusiasts can also rent out their sites and facilities, including barbecue pits, swimming pools, jungle pools and hiking trails. Guests also participate in team-building events, mountain biking and canopy walks.
Day 3 (Final Day)
Wake up early to end your trip with one last mini adventure up Mount Serembu. Hikers can climb to the 500m summit, enjoying dramatic views of the surrounding jungle and beyond the towns of Bau and Kuching. Carefully descend and freshen up before ending your road trip with a drive back to Kuching Old Courthouse.
The Sarawak Road Trip: Self Drive Travel Guide provides the basic routes and suggestions for accommodation, restaurants and attractions for the selected trips helping visitors plan and research their trips.
For more details and information on the association, visit the ASIA website, https://asia.org.my/.
BANGKOK, 11 August 2023: Thai Airways International and Turkish Airlines signed an MOU earlier this week, leading to a “joint venture operations agreement” in the future between the two airlines.
It takes cooperation between the flag carriers of Thailand and Türkiye to the next level to exploit the advantages of the Instanbul and Bangkok aviation gateways, positioning them as hubs for flights in Europe and Asia connected by the two airlines’ long-haul flights.
Left to right: Bilal Ekşi, CEO of Turkish Airlines and Chai Eamsiri, THAI CEO.
Istanbul strategically acts as a hub between Asia, Europe and Africa, and THAI will introduce daily service to Istanbul from its Bangkok hub this December.
The first step will be to create codeshare agreements to allow THAI passengers to connect in Istanbul with Turkish Airlines flights in Europe and North Africa. The two airlines will also cooperate on the intercontinental route between Istanbul and Bangkok, while Turkish will conclude more codeshare agreements with THAI for flights in Asia.
In the joint press statement, THAI and Turkish Airlines said they would work towards joint venture operations to maximise the synergies between the two airlines.
Both companies’ CEOs and executive teams confirmed their commitment to an enhanced partnership during meetings held in Istanbul on 2 August.
DUBAI UAE, 11 August 2023: Dubai recorded more than 8.5 million international visitors during the first half of 2023, according to Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism consolidated a half-year economic update released this week.
Key report findings
The Region’s Wealthiest City – Dubai leads as the wealthiest city in the Middle East and North Africa, regarding the number of billionaires currently residing in Dubai.
Best Performing Financial Market Regionally – The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) crossed the 3,986 level on 13 July, the highest since August 2015, and is up nearly 20% this year, ahead of the MSCI World Index.
Busiest International Airport – Dubai International (DXB) retained its title as the busiest airport for international flights in July 2023.
Figures from the report demonstrate the significant strides Dubai has already made towards achieving the objectives of the D33 Economic Agenda. Launched early this year, the ‘D33’ economic transformation plan aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy over the next decade and consolidate its position among the top three global cities. The strategy reinforces Dubai’s position as a global destination for digital economy investments and entrepreneurial ventures, the Department of Tourism reported.
MANILA, 11 August 2023: AirAsia Philippines will strengthen its Cebu hub with more connectivity to other destinations in the country and ASEAN.
Currently, AirAsia Philippines flies seven daily flights from Manila to Cebu. Flights to Caticlan and Davao via Cebu meanwhile remain at three times weekly. Similarly, flights to international destinations such as Narita (Tokyo and Seoul (Incheon) remain daily, while flights to Taipei are pegged four times weekly.
AirAsia Philippines is making Cebu a major hub for leisure and business travellers, with Japan, South Korea, and China flights opening.
During his recent visit to the Queen City of the South, Capital A President and CEO Tony Fernandes commented on the expansion: “Our main growth will be in Cebu. Our team is now working on plans to grow flights to and from Cebu. As we speak, we now have Japan, South Korea, and China. We will do more flights to Bangkok and Bali connecting to Cebu,” he stressed.
Recently nominated in the World Travel Awards 2023, Cebu’s beautiful white sand beaches, spectacular diving spots, and cultural heritage sites have placed the province on top of the must-visit destinations in the country. Its also known for its bustling business districts, and combining leisure and business makes Cebu a major hub for local and foreign travellers. Its proximity to the provinces of Negros, Bohol, and Leyte, among other destinations in Central Visayas, also makes it a convenient hub for travellers who intend to explore other destinations in the Philippines.
Fernandes stressed the importance of improving hubs such as Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Manila International Airport to attract more tourists and help rebuild the tourism industry.
“I encourage the private enterprise to not just look at full-service but also at low-cost airports, which are cheaper to build and affordable for the public. It’s about building facilities that fit the public. People think about Bali and Phuket, but there are equally beautiful places here, and the service quality is great,” he added.
HO CHI MINH CITY, 11 August 2023: Vietjet will become the first airline to operate direct flights from Ho Chi Minh to Perth (Australia) on 21 November 2023.
Vietjet confirmed the new service earlier this week, saying it would raise flights between Vietnam and Australia to 38 flights per week.
Photo credit: Vietjet
Initially, the airline will fly from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat Airport to Perth twice weekly, every Tuesday and Saturday.
Flights will depart SGN at 1355 and arrive in Perth at 2120. The return flights will depart Perth International Airport at 2320 and land at Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City at 0505 on the following morning.
Vietjet launches the flights with its standard promotion of zero-cost fare (excluding taxes and fees) for the new Perth service and has similar deals for some flights to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, bookable at www.vietjetair.com or the Vietjet mobile app.
