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Sapa’s cable car berths for maintenance checks

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TTR WEEKLY
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HANOI, 8 August 2023: A cable car that climbs to the cloud-shrouded summit of Fransipan Peak in Sapa Vietnam will suspend operation for maintenance from 11 to 15 September, its owner Sun World Fanispan Legend, announced last week.

In a statement posted on its website, the company it would suspend operations of the cable car system and mountain train at the famous resort to perform periodic system maintenance. The train and cable car can accommodate up to 2,000 tourists per hour.

Fansipan cable car. Sapa, Vietnam. Photo credit: Tad Malone.

Named the world’s leading cultural attraction by World Travel Awards, the cable car takes 20 minutes to climb to the station just short of the summit, a difference of 1,410 metres in height measured from the base station (Sapa village elevation: 1,500m).

Fansipan is the highest mountain in Indochina at 3,147 metres above sea level, and the cable car is acknowledged by two Guinness World Records for having the longest nonstop three-rope cable car in the world, spanning 6.3 km and the greatest elevation difference for a nonstop three-roped cable car of 1,410 m elevation between terminals.

Opened in February 2016, the summit cable car and mountain train that takes travellers beyond the steep steps for trail walks attracts thousands of tourists who pay VND850,000 to enjoy the spectacular views as the cable car gently soars to the summit across valleys and ridges.

It suffered recent bursts of negative publicity, the latest posted by the New Zealand Herald on 4 August. The newspaper reported a cable car carrying Tik Kok influencer Haris Minhaj, who hails from Australia, and 15 other passengers got stuck for three hours 300 metres above the Sapa Valley.

The incident occurred on 17 June 2023 and was first reported in the UK’s Daily Mail and Express. Minhaj, who goes by the tag Fully Fledged, is seen in the Tik Tok video saying: “We are in [one of] the highest cable cars in the world, and we are now stuck.”

Due to an electrical fault, moving the cable car at a snail’s pace using backup generators took two and a half hours. Passengers applauded as they slowly descended to the gondola base station that emerged visible as the cloud cover dissipated. Minhaj said passengers weren’t offered a refund, but there were profuse apologies and cups of tea.

The Sun World Fansipan Legend cable car system was designed by European operators Doppelmayr, and the company states the entire cable car system and train are tested rigorously for passengers’ safety and peace of mind.

Tik Tok video: Dangling over Sapa in a cable car

@fully.fledged

Stuck in a cable car for 3 hours in a Vietnam, I don’t think I’m getting into a cable car ever again 🇻🇳 ffypfforyouv#vietnam

♬ original sound – fully.fledged

Trip.com Group partners with Penang

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TTR WEEKLY
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GEORGETOWN Penang, 8 August 2023: Trip.com Group and Penang Global Tourism have signed a new MoU that enhances their marketing partnership.

The deal raises Penang’s profile on the Trip.com Group’s platforms – such as Trip.com and Ctrip building awareness to boost inbound tourism to Penang and accelerating bookings over the next three years.

Photo credit: Trip.com Group.

The new MoU identifies priority markets such as mainland China, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Australia, where Trip.com Group can generate more bookings for the island destination.

Trip.com Group chief marketing officer Bo Sun explained: “Trip.com Group and Penang Global Tourism are longstanding partners… (But) with new travel consumption behaviours and emerging trends after the pandemic, we hope to leverage our strengthened collaboration to guide the destination’s tourism industry towards a rapid recovery and achieve sustainable growth through innovation.”

Penang’s caretaker chief minister, YAB Chow Kon Yeow, added: “As we forge this historic bond with Trip.com Group, the first global partnership after the pandemic and the first in Malaysia, spanning up to 10 markets, we fortify our commitment to embracing the world with open arms.”

Changi introduces pay hot desking zones

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 8 August 2023: JustCo, a flexible workspace provider, announced on Monday its new partnership with Changi Airport Group (CAG) to launch and manage Asia’s first pay-per-minute co-working centre in an airport at Changi Airport Terminal 3 (T3).

JustCo Changi Airport T3, the first JustCo centre to offer round-the-clock co-working access, is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2023.

It offers 24/7 on-demand access to co-working spaces, nap zone, and various food options to business travellers and modern workers at one of the world’s busiest airports.

The centre will house one of JustCo’s largest hot-desking facilities to date, offering close to 50 hot-desk workstations. JustCo Changi Airport T3’s pay-per-minute pricing model is designed to be flexible and convenient for travellers or individuals who need a place to work for a few hours or even just a few minutes. Aside from the hot-desk workstations, the centre will also be well-equipped with private office suites, a work lounge, meeting rooms with video conferencing tools, quiet nooks, and collaboration areas to support the different work modalities of modern workers.

In addition to its 24/7 access, large hot-desking facility, and purpose-built workspaces, JustCo Changi Airport T3 will also feature a nap zone fitted with partitions and a pantry with food vending machines. The nap zone will provide individuals with a comfortable and quiet space to rest in between long working hours or flight transits.

Vietjet resumes Phuket-Chiang Rai flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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PHUKET, 8 August 2023: Thai Vietjet will resume direct flights on 29 October from Phuket in South Thailand to Chiang Rai, a town in far north Thailand.

PhuketOK News first reported the news last week, which was picked up by Facebook netizens residents in Chiang Rai, overjoyed by the news that they will once more have a direct airline service to the popular holiday island on the Andaman Sea coast.

So far, the airline has not officially announced it will resume the direct flight from the southern island beach resort to Chiang Rai’s hill country, but there is plenty of evidence that it is on the table and ready to launch. It reintroduced the route in April 2022 after a three-year Covid pandemic pause and shut it down almost immediately without warning or explanation. Pre-Covid, the airline served the Phuket-Chiang Rai route daily using an A320 with two hours and a 10-minute flight duration. When it dropped the route post-Covid, local tourism and hotel executives in Chiang Rai criticised the airline, saying it had shut down the route just a few months before the peak season was due to start in late October 2022. A year later, it looks like the airline will be back flying initially four times a week on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Last week you would have been hard-pressed to find any details of the service on any of the travel or aviation-related websites, including the airport websites of both Phuket and Chiang Rai airports. But it did surface on the travel booking site Trip.com showing a departure time from Phuket of 0815 and an arrival time of 1025 in Chiang Rai. The flight number is VZ400.

A search of the Trip.com booking site for a direct flight on 15 November flagged a one-way fare as low as THB400 if you booked it immediately (last Friday). A fare alert from Trip.com pinged a below THB500 one-way a day later, but as the days tick by, the fare will rise to around THB1,817 if you believe the travel platform’s forward estimates for one-way fares on this new route.

Checking Thai Vietjet’s booking website late Monday before this post goes live confirms the flight details and departure time for the four weekly services effective 29 October are confirmed, but the fare is rising fast. The airline pegs a one-way economy fare at USD70 (THB2,438.10), including all taxes and fees for travel on 8 November. A check of Trip.com indicates the fare for 8 November has now risen to THB1,335 one-way in economy.

Lotte’s L7 flies the flag in Hanoi

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TTR WEEKLY
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HANOI, 7 August 2023: South Korea’s largest hotel group, Lotte Hotels & Resorts Soft, opened its L7 Hotels by Lotte West Lake Hanoi last week, the first overseas hotel under the brand.

Located in the heart of the Tay Ho district in Hanoi, the property is part of the Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi, the largest mall complex in Vietnam, totalling 353,700 sqm in area.

Photo credit: Lotte Hotels & Resorts.

Part of a two 23-story tower complex, L7 Hotels by Lotte West Lake features 264 hotel rooms and 192 serviced residence rooms overlooking West Lake and the Red River.

Overlooking Hanoi’s famous West Lake, a popular district attracting wealthy foreign residents and tourists, the property is branded as a full-service five-star lifestyle hotel. During the soft opening phase, facilities open include Lake Salon, a lounge for guests staying in premium rooms, a rooftop infinity pool on the 23rd floor, a buffet restaurant and a dim sum franchise from Hong Kong.

(Source: Lotte Hotels & Resorts)

Dusit opens its second hotel in Japan

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 7 August 2023: Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, continues its expansion in Japan this September with the opening of Dusit Thani Kyoto.

The new luxury hotel in the city’s Hanganji Monzen-machi district is only 850 metres from the major transportation hub Kyoto Station, offering seamless travel connections throughout Kyoto and to the rest of Japan.

Building and expanding on the foundation set by Dusit’s first hotel in the country, the lifestyle-oriented ASAI Kyoto Shijo, which opened in June, Dusit Thani Kyoto has been thoughtfully crafted to deliver distinctive and remarkable stay experiences for luxury travellers seeking authenticity, exclusivity, and enrichment in the utmost of comfort and convenience.

Located in a peaceful residential area, the hotel has been specially designed to reflect Kyoto’s rich cultural heritage and stunning architecture. Inside, the seamless design direction continues and references another ancient capital – Ayutthaya, Thailand – with subtle nods to the magnificent chedis for which the city is renowned. This unique meeting of cultures further informs the interior design of the 147 meticulously appointed guest rooms, delivering a harmonious blend of timeless elegance and contemporary charm.

Set around a serene and beautiful courtyard, the hotel offers a wide range of facilities for business and leisure, including elegant event spaces for up to 240 guests, a well-equipped fitness centre, an indoor swimming pool, and a signature Devarana Wellness Centre. Here, guests will find a unique fusion of ancient Thai massage therapies and traditional Japanese rituals, personalised wellness treatments, and bespoke well-being journeys specially created to help guests de-stress, detoxify, and enjoy deep restorative sleep.

Dining at Dusit Thani Kyoto also promises to be an exceptional experience, with a range of enticing options, including a speciality Teppanyaki restaurant, a luxurious tea shop, a stylish basement bar, Den Kyoto, and extraordinary dining experiences crafted by acclaimed chefs Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava and Dylan Jones from Thailand.

Renowned for their commitment to authentic Thai cuisine created with seasonal and sustainable ingredients, Bo and Dylan earned global recognition, including a Michelin Star, at their former Bangkok restaurant, Bo.Ian. Their latest gastronomic concept, Ayatana, at Dusit Thani Kyoto, offers a one-of-a-kind, multi-sensory fine dining experience where the authentic flavours of Thai cuisine meet the finest Japanese traditions, creating unforgettable moments to savour. To complement this distinctive culinary journey, the couple has also created Kati, a unique dessert atelier that offers an innovative take on traditional Thai desserts.

To help guests connect with the culture and spirituality of Kyoto, Dusit’s team is on hand to help arrange memorable excursions to nearby attractions such as Nishi Honganji and Toji temples (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites), as well as other popular destinations and hidden gems throughout the city. Swift and efficient travel from Kyoto Station ensures guests can maximise their time and easily explore everything this remarkable destination offers.

“With our commitment to impeccable service, exceptional wellness and dining experiences, and unique fusion of Thai and Japanese hospitality, Dusit Thani Kyoto is primed to be a haven for luxury travellers seeking a harmonious blend of cultural appreciation, culinary indulgence, and ultimate relaxation,” said Dusit International COO Gilles Cretallaz. “Our prime location near Kyoto Station ensures our guests can effortlessly navigate and discover the rich cultural heritage, iconic landmarks, and hidden gems that Kyoto offers. Whether it’s visiting the revered Nishi Honganji Temple or venturing further to explore the serene bamboo groves of Arashiyama or the historic charm of the Gion district, we’re delighted to provide a luxurious base for a memorable exploration of Kyoto’s treasures, ensuring guests can make the most of their visit –and enjoy a total Kyoto experience.”

To celebrate its opening, Dusit Thani Kyoto offers exclusive room rates for members of Dusit’s guest recognition programme, Dusit Gold, starting at JPY56,925 (USD 400) per night, including JPY5,000 hotel credit per person per stay.

This offer is valid for booking until 30 November 2023 for stay dates between 1 September to 28 December 2023. Complimentary enrollment to Dusit Gold is available at dusit.com/signup. For more information and reservations, visit www.dusit.com/thanikyoto.

Emirates marks 20 years serving New Zealand

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI, 7 August 2023: Emirates celebrated 20 years of flying to New Zealand last week, marking the introduction of flights from Dubai with transit stops in either Sydney or Melbourne.

On 2 August 2003, Emirates launched its first service from New Zealand, marked by two inaugural flights – the first via Sydney on a Boeing 777-300ER and the second on an A330 from Melbourne.

Photo credit: Emirates

Over the past two decades, Emirates has flown over 16 million passengers between Dubai and New Zealand across 49,000 flights to Auckland and Christchurch. Emirates offers 14 weekly flights to New Zealand from Dubai, with direct daily services to Auckland. It also flies to Christchurch via Sydney, offering passengers the only opportunity to travel across the Trans-Tasman on an A380.

Emirates’ Dubai to Auckland service remains the longest route on the airline’s network, taking passengers on a 14,000km journey to their destination. Christchurch remains the smallest city on the network to be serviced by the flagship A380.

In March 2023, New Zealand became the first country to exclusively operate Emirates’ new four-class A380 on all its services. The aircraft is equipped with 56 Premium Economy seats, with the new cabin class introduced by Emirates as part of the airline’s multi-billion dollar aircraft retrofit programme – the first project of its kind in scale and size and one of the largest investments ever made in the industry.

The airline’s cargo arm, Emirates SkyCargo, has been a critical contributor to the local economy, exporting meat, fruits, seafood and medical equipment out of New Zealand. As many other international airlines suspended services to New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic, Emirates continued its services with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft flying from Auckland to Dubai via Kuala Lumpur. During the pandemic, Emirates carried almost 17,700 tonnes of vaccines and essential medical equipment into New Zealand.

Emirates divisional vice president for Australasia Barry Brown said the milestone highlights the airline’s ongoing commitment to the New Zealand market.

“During the last 20 years, New Zealand has continued to be an important market for Emirates, and this is clear today as the country sits firmly at the forefront of our latest onboard product. By offering Premium Economy seats on all our A380 services to New Zealand, we can offer travellers our best product yet, providing greater choice and flexibility.

The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers, with customers travelling to New Zealand able to enjoy its spacious and comfortable cabins and award-winning inflight entertainment system that includes more than 6,500 channels of on-demand entertainment.

Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.

Bangkok Air fills Mae Hong Son gap

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 7 August 2023: Bangkok Airways commenced flights from Lampang to Mae Hong Son on 2 August, offering three weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between the two northern tourist destinations with the one-way fare pegged at THB1,560.

The flight originates in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and stops in Lampang for 40 minutes before continuing to Mae Hong Son.

Photo credit: Bangkok Airways Facebook post.

Passengers depart Bangkok at 1155, arriving in Mae Hong Son at 1500. The one-way fare is around THB3,310 one-way. Or they can buy sector tickets Bangkok – Lampang and Lampang – Mae Hong Son to allow them to explore Lampang for a couple of days before rejoining the flight to Mae Hong Son, a province on the far northwest border with Myanmar. Most visitors to Mae Hong Son will ultimately journey overland to Pai, a picturesque village nestled next to a river in a valley surrounded by mountain ridges. It is halfway along the meandering mountain road between Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai famed for hundreds of hairpin bends. Getting there is an adventure, especially if you opt for a rental motorbike. Travellers can conclude a fascinating off-the-beaten-track tour of North Thailand by exploring Chiang Mai, the second largest city in Thailand, before rejoining a Bangkok Airways flight to Bangkok.

Bangkok Airways confirmed the following schedule using an ATR72 with 70 seats on the Lampang – Mae Hong Son route.

Lampang to Mae Hong Son
PG205 departs Lampang at 1410  and arrives in Mae Hong Son at 1500 hrs. (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)

Mae Hong Son to Lampang
PG206 departs Mae Hong Son at 1530 and arrives in Lampang at 1620.

Airfares start at THB1,560 one way.

SIA Group reports record QT profit

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 7 August 2023: The SIA Group posted a net profit of $734 million in the first three months of FY2023/24, the highest quarterly performance in its history, as the airline reports travel demand driving record load factors.

Near-term forward passenger bookings remained robust on the back of solid demand for air travel through the mid-year school holidays and the start of the summer travel season.

Group passenger capacity expanded by 32.4% year-on-year as restrictions on international air travel eased globally. SIA and Scoot carried 8.4 million passengers during the quarter, 65.5% higher than a year before, with strong demand across all route regions and market segments.

Passenger traffic and load factors improved across all markets, with the year-on-year traffic growth of 49% outpacing the capacity expansion.

The Group achieved a record quarterly passenger load factor (PLF) of 88.9%, with SIA’s PLF at a record 88.1% and Scoot’s at a record 91.7%

Revenue

As a result, the SQ Group’s revenue rose SGD551 million (+14.0%) year-on-year to SGD4,479 million, with the higher passenger flown revenue of SGD1,001 million (+37.4%), partially offset by SGD555 million (-50.6%) decline in cargo flown revenue.

Expenditures

Expenditure increased SGD353 million (+10.5%) year-on-year to SGD3,725 million, with the rise in nonfuel expenditure of SGD572 million (+27.3%) partly offset by an SGD220 million decrease (-17.3%) in net fuel cost. Net fuel cost fell to SGD1,053 million mainly

due to a 33.4% decrease in fuel prices (-SGD599 million), despite higher volumes uplifted (+SGD305 million) and lower fuel hedging gains (+SGD101 million). The 27.3% increase in nonfuel expenditure was within the 32.4% increase in passenger capacity.

Operating and net profit

The Group posted an operating profit of SGD755 million, SGD199 million (+35.8%) better than the SGD556 million operating profit a year before. SIA generated a record operating profit of SGD738 million, an improvement of SGD113 million.

Operating profit for Scoot was SGD24 million, up SGD76 million compared to the prior year.

Group quarterly net profit was up SGD364 million, or 98.4% higher than last year at SGD734 million. The profit was mainly attributable to the better operating performance (+SGD199 million), a net interest income versus a net finance charge last year (+SGD144 million), and a share of profits versus a share of losses of associated companies last year.

SQ expands flight network

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 7 August 2023: Singapore Airlines will resume services to Busan this month and add flights to popular destinations across the Asia-Pacific during its winter timetable starting 29 October 2023.

Reporting on its network changes last week, SQ said it would resume four-times-weekly services to Busan from 28 August 2023, ahead of a slew of additional flights scheduled for its northern winter operating season (29 October 2023 to 30 March 2024).

It will increase frequencies to Hong Kong SAR, Japan (Fukuoka, Haneda, Nagoya, and Osaka), and Thailand (Bangkok and Phuket) in response to the strong bookings and demand during the year-end peak travel season.

SIA will operate supplementary services to Adelaide, Brisbane, Christchurch, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney from 22 November 2023. From 31 January 2024, additional frequencies will be mounted to Frankfurt until the end of the Northern Winter operating season on 30 March 2024.

Scoot to boost flights

SIA Group’s low-cost airline Scoot resumed flights to Jinan and Shenzhen in China in July 2023 and has confirmed it will resume services to Nanchang later this month. From 29 October 2023, Scoot will inject additional frequencies to Chiang Mai, Davao, and Jeddah. The low-cost carrier will also restructure its direct flights to Athens and Berlin and operate three times weekly SingaporeAthens-Berlin services during the northern winter season.

Changes in Indian services

SIA and Scoot will restructure Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad services from 29 October 2023. SIA will offer Bengaluru daily morning and evening services as part of this move. The SIA Group will also increase its services between Singapore and Chennai from 17 times weekly to 21 times weekly, with Scoot commencing daily operations to the city after SIA transfers some of its Chennai services to the low-cost carrier from 5 November 2023. In addition, SIA will progressively increase its weekly service between Singapore and Hyderabad from seven to 12 times weekly, taking over Scoot’s daily services between the two cities.

Commenting on the adjustments, the airline said in its financial report for QT1 2023/24 that the changes “are part of the continuous review of the SIA Group’s network, and reflect its ability and flexibility to adjust operations between SIA and Scoot to meet evolving customer demand.”

The airline group is optimistic that its “capacity remains on track to reach an average of around 90% of pre-Covid* levels by March 2024.”

Services added during QT1

During the first quarter, Scoot expanded its footprint in China by resuming services to seven destinations (Changsha, Haikou, Nanning, Ningbo, Shenyang, Wuhan, and Xi’an). With these additions, SIA and Scoot collectively serve 17 destinations in China, with Scoot serving 14 points and SIA serving four.

As of 30 June 2023, the Group’s passenger network covered 116 destinations in 36 countries and territories. SIA served 74 destinations, while Scoot served 65 destinations.

*pre-Covid: January 2020

(Source: SIA)

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