SINGAPORE, 21 November 2023: Turkish Airlines has expanded its network by introducing Detroit flights on 15 November from Istanbul Airport to Detroit’s Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
The airline will serve the route with three weekly flights and increase frequencies to four flights weekly on 25 December. With the addition of Detroit flights, Turkish Airlines has expanded its network to 345 destinations and now serves 13 destinations in the US.
Turkish Airlines chairman of the Board and the executive committee, Ahmet Bolat commented at the inaugural ceremony: “Today is a special day as we gather here to celebrate the inaugural flight of Turkish Airlines to the city of Detroit.
“We’re thrilled to connect Istanbul and Detroit, creating opportunities for travel, business, and cultural exploration. As the national flag carrier of Türkiye, our beautiful country, we reach more countries than any other airline in the world, and by adding new destinations to our ever-expanding network, such as Detroit, we continue to serve our primary mission of uniting people and cultures all around the globe.”
Detroit, a city in Michigan, is the 10th largest city in the US, known primarily as the centre of the automotive industry.
GURUGRAM, India, 21 November 2023: Vistara, a joint venture of the Tata group and Singapore Airlines, introduced last week six weekly direct flights between Mumbai and Frankfurt.
The inaugural flight was served by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner that departed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, at 1300 on 15 November 2023 and arrived at Frankfurt International Airport at 1730 (GMT). Vistara is already serving the Delhi to Frankfurt route with six weekly flights.
Vistara chief executive officer Vinod Kannan commented: “Sensing a need for an Indian airline offering world-class experience and connecting to long-haul destinations in Europe from our hub in Mumbai, we started five direct flights to London Heathrow. We are now delighted to start six weekly flights to Frankfurt as our second European destination from India’s financial capital.”
* All timings shown are in local time zones. Exact timings may differ slightly for respective days of operations. ** (+1) indicates next-day arrival. ** Subject to regulatory approvals.
About Vistara:
TATA SIA Airlines Limited, known by the brand name Vistara, is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA).
KUALA LUMPUR, 20 November 2023: Singapore Tourism Board (STB), TNG Digital, and Alipay+ have signed a MoU to offer visitors from Malaysia curated deals for their next holiday in Singapore.
The partnership will not only introduce more cashless payment options to travellers but also allow users access to a wide range of exciting promotions when in Singapore. There are about 10 in-destination promotions showcased in Singapore, and more will be added in the coming months.
(Clockwise from top left) Danny Chua, Chief Commercial Officer of TNG Digital; Juliana Kua, Assistant Chief Executive of STB; Sophia Ng, Senior Marketing Manager of Ant Group; Douglas Feagin, Senior Vice President of Ant Group and Head of Alipay+, Ant International; Melissa Ow, Chief Executive of STB; and Alan Ni, Chief Executive Officer of TNG Digital at the MoU signing ceremony.
Malaysian users of Touch ‘n Go eWallet by TNG Digital can now enjoy the convenience of using the eWallet for booking flights or purchasing travel insurance before their trips. Soon, they can pay and redeem promotions via Touch ‘n Go eWallet by TNG Digital across more lifestyle merchants in Singapore, such as retail stores, attractions and restaurants. Users can also expect to enjoy up to an 80% discount for transport and daily items. As a payment partner of the Alipay+ ecosystem, TNG Digital allows users from Malaysia to tap on their Touch ‘n Go eWallet to transact in Singapore and enjoy additional benefits provided by Alipay+.
Singapore is seeing a steady rebound in international travel and tourism – between January and October 2023, the city-state recorded more than 11 million visitor arrivals globally. Malaysia is one of Singapore’s top three tourism source markets, with more than 891,000 visitor arrivals between January and October this year.
Singapore Tourism Board executive director, Southeast Asia Terrence Voon said: “Travellers in the post-pandemic world expect a seamless experience enabled by contactless payments. Our timely collaboration with TNG Digital and Alipay+ taps into this trend, leveraging our partners’ strengths to promote Singapore as a destination of choice and encouraging travellers to get more out of their visit to Singapore.”
The partnership, which will be made available to all verified Touch ‘n Go eWallet users by TNG Digital in Malaysia, will cover co-investment in joint marketing campaigns and entail collaborations to onboard more Singapore-based merchants to offer attractive tourist promotions.
Alipay+ will work with TNG Digital to continue promoting its A+ Rewards programme, a rewards platform within the eWallet. The partnership enables more Singapore stakeholders to tap into both TNG Digital and Alipay+ platforms to showcase the destination’s myriad lifestyle offerings further.
BUSAN, 20 November 2023: Since industrialisation, many business sectors, including manufacturing and transportation, have contributed to the acceleration of global warming, and the MICE industry is no exception.
Events such as exhibitions and conventions generate large amounts of waste, and carbon dioxide is emitted as visitors travel to event locations, further polluting the environment. Recognizing the harm of these and other human activities, movements to protect the environment have been gaining momentum worldwide.
In the UK in 2021, leaders from MICE industries worldwide met at the Conference of Parties (COP) 26 on climate change and declared their commitment to hosting net-zero events. A total of 137 countries, including Korea, pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. MICE industry leaders discussed developing a common method for measuring direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions and pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, to achieve net zero by 2050. The MICE city of Busan is taking environmental issues seriously and implementing eco-friendly policies to protect the environment.
Leading the Way for MICE Sustainability
Source: Busan Tourism Organization.
The MICE city of Busan has adopted a climate change response plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The plan covers seven sectors, including industry and waste, and includes 104 specific implementation tasks. The primary objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 47% from 2018 to 2030 and to ultimately achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. To raise awareness and support of these efforts towards carbon neutrality among MICE stakeholders and the general public, the city has launched a carbon neutrality policy website called “Net Zero Busan.”
In addition, during last year’s COP27, representatives from Busan and the US discussed setting up a green shipping route between Busan and Seattle and linking key port cities along the US West Coast. Busan has also developed an eco-friendly app that allows travellers to enjoy their journeys and contribute to environmental preservation at the same time. The app not only provides tourism information but also helps people’s awareness of the values of urban ecology and the importance of carbon neutrality through the completion of “NFT Green Busan Travel” eco-friendly experiences and missions.
Busan Tourism Organization (BTO) continues to operate a diverse range of eco-friendly campaigns. Last summer, the BTO organized an eco-friendly plogging (jogging while picking up litter) “Safe & Fun Busan” social contribution campaign, during which approximately 50 BTO staff members and residents carried out environmental activities in the Haeundae Beach area. After plogging, participants made social contributions by donating snacks and diapers to a temporary shelter for children and a welfare foundation. Also, in November, the BTO made upcycled dolls using marine waste resources and donated the finished toys to a social welfare centre.
Heading Towards Net Zero
Through the establishment of a carbon neutrality policy website and an eco-friendly platform app, and through many other means, the MICE city of Busan strives to achieve net zero. Thanks to its concerted efforts, Busan is well on its way to transitioning into a fully carbon-zero city by 2050.
DUBAI, UAE, 20 November 2023: Emirates and Condor have activated a reciprocal interline agreement which will boost connectivity for customers to 70 routes operated by both airlines across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia and the Middle East, with a single ticket fare and hassle-free baggage policy.
The two carriers also signed a frequent flyer programme agreement enabling Emirates Skywards members to earn and redeem Miles on all Condor-operated flights.
The agreements were signed by Emirates chief commercial officer Adnan Kazim and Condor commercial director Jens Boyd during the Dubai Airshow.
Starting last week, Emirates passengers can enjoy seamless access to European and Caribbean destinations operated by Condor, including 24 regional points via Frankfurt, 12 regional points via Dusseldorf, nine regional points via Hamburg and 12 regional points via Munich. Some of the most popular cities available for Emirates’ customers include Malaga, Ibiza, Cancun and Havana, among others, all with a single ticket and convenient baggage check-through to the final destination.
The interline agreement will also provide Condor’s customers convenient additional access to Emirates-operated flights between Frankfurt and Dubai, as well as beyond Dubai to 12 points across Asia, Australasia, Africa and the Middle East, including Auckland, Bangkok, Male, Muscat and Mauritius, among others.
Tickets are now on sale for travel immediately. Itineraries can be booked on www.emirates.com, www.condor.com, with Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s) and all major GDSs’ via travel agents.
The new partnership will expand Emirates’ footprint in Europe by an additional 57 points via its existing four gateways in Germany, providing more options and connectivity for the airline’s customers to popular destinations in Europe and the Caribbean for both business and leisure travel.
Emirates has served Germany since 1987 and operates 63 weekly flights to Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Munich. The airline continues to expand its global footprint to meet customer demand, working with strategic partners to offer customers seamless access to many points beyond its network of 144 destinations. With the addition of Condor boosting its partner-airlines network to 30 codeshare and 121 interline partners, Emirates’ customers can seamlessly reach more than 1,500 cities across six continents.
Earn and redeem Miles on Condor’s network
Emirates Skywards members can now earn and redeem Miles on all Condor-operated flights. Members can earn up to one Skywards Mile per mile flown in economy class, 1.25 Skywards Miles per mile flown in economy premium class, and up to 2.15 Skywards Miles per mile flown in business class.
Members can also redeem Miles on Condor-operated flights starting from 8,000 miles for a one-way economy class ticket and starting from 16,000 miles for a one-way business class ticket.
More than 1.4 million German nationals and residents are enrolled in Emirates Skywards and benefit from privileges including flight rewards, upgrades, hotel stays, and money-can’t-buy-experiences.
SYDNEY, 20 November 2023: Over 100 delegates visited Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to attend the recent CT Partners’ Annual Business Meeting.
Traditionally held each year at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, CT Partners relocated the event to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and introduced a revised meeting format that attracted a record number of CT Partners’ members and 33 preferred supplier partners. The event was also attended by Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) CEO Dean Long.
The theme of Transform was tackled during panel discussions, member breakout sessions and partner and keynote presentations, touching on a wide range of topics, including distribution changes, AI adoption, generational booking patterns and talent outsourcing.
A new speed dating format was introduced on the second day to allow one-on-one member and supplier meetings, allowing for an improved level of dialogue and engagement between businesses and resulting in a palpable buzz in the Park Hyatt Saigon.
Other highlights included the presentation of the Ian Edwards Award for the most supportive business supplier partner awarded to Singapore Airlines national agency sales manager Rosanna Piaggio.
Regarding post-event feedback, a senior airline executive commented: “The CT Partners annual business meeting is always a worthwhile investment of our time and resources. The number of members who attend and actively engage on a business and personal level makes it an industry standout… in fact, the industry standout! We feel like part of the CT Partners team, and that makes our partnership even more special and rewarding as it is true teamwork and results in the best business outcomes for all.”
CT Partners CEO Matt Masson noted: “We were excited to be able to host this meeting in Ho Chi Minh City and a special mention to Singapore Airlines, our major sponsor. We continue to cement our reputation as a trusted and respected partner of choice for our members and those valued industry partners we choose to work with.”
About CT Partners CT Partners was founded in 2004 by a small group of Australian-owned travel companies who aspired to create a partnership designed to serve their travellers’ needs and ensure the best possible commercial outcomes for their businesses.
Today, CT Partners’ membership has reached 30, with a combined turnover of more than AUD2 billion and expanding. The collective size enables CT Partners to negotiate mutually beneficial commercial agreements with air, hotel, cruise, land and technology supplier partners.
KUALA LUMPUR, 20 November 2023: Trip.com Group has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding with the China International Culture Association to promote inbound tourism.
Trip.com Group co-founder and chairman James Liang and chief marketing officer Bo Sun attended the signing ceremony.
Trip.com Group and other companies jointly released inbound tourism collaborative initiatives.
The Nihao! China campaign, launched by China International Culture Association, aims to foster and promote cultural exchanges and establish friendships between China and visitors from around the world.
China International Culture Association (CICA) and Trip.com Group have signed a strategic framework agreement to implement the “Nihao! China” programme, which includes filming and producing global promotional videos and the “Nihao! China” digital communication campaign. Additionally, the framework will look to build a service platform for inbound travel and organise activities agreed upon by both sides at the China International Tourism Fair, the Sino-French Tourism Year, the China-US Tourism High-Level Dialogue, and the World Conference on Tourism Development, among other events.
Several measures to boost tourism were recently announced by the Chinese State Council on 27 September, including optimising visa and customs clearance policies, increasing international flight capacity and routes to key destinations, and improving inbound tourism products and information services for foreign visitors.
Trip.com Group will promote China International Culture Association’s Nihao! China campaigns on its platforms across various markets. The Group will curate content to showcase specific offerings and services and position China as a welcoming destination rich in history and cultural heritage.
In addition, Trip.com Group will also collaborate with Chinese cultural centres, tourism boards and other organisations to promote and showcase China’s attractions and experiences.
Over the next three years, Trip.com Group plans to invest in platform technology, marketing and promotion, and product integration to accelerate the development of inbound tourism in China.
Liang said: “To boost inbound tourism, Trip.com Group will leverage its technological expertise to enhance the ease of access for incoming visitors. Additionally, we will consolidate resources to foster tourism promotion while highlighting the distinctive tourism attractions of China to draw in global visitors.”
According to Trip.com Group’s data, the top 10 sources of inbound travellers to mainland China are South Korea, the United States of America, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Canada, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Germany. The first 10 months of 2023 saw four-digit growth in visitor numbers compared to the same period in 2022. This equates to more than 60% of pre-pandemic levels.
Following the opening of China’s borders earlier this year, there has been a consistent increase in the number of China-related bookings made via Trip.com Group’s platforms across various markets. For instance, the number of Malaysia-China flight bookings during the first 10 months of the year surged by more than 125 times compared to last year, representing an increase of 47.6% over 2019. Meanwhile, Malaysian residents making China tourism bookings jumped by 82.8% compared to 2019. Based on the group’s data, the top five cities for Malaysian travellers during the first 10 months of this year were Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing and Xiamen. These were also the five most popular cities for Malaysia-based travellers before the pandemic in 2019.
The top 10 most popular cities for inbound travellers to mainland China saw Shenzhen and Shanghai toppling the list alongside other destinations such as Guangzhou, Beijing, Zhuhai, Hangzhou, Foshan, Xiamen, Zhongshan, and Chengdu. Interestingly, seven out of 10 hotel bookings made by inbound tourists are for Shenzhen, while two Shanghai hotels rank second and third in the most booked hotel list.
According to Trip.com, the demand for travel to China trips should rise shortly. This is credited to the efforts made by the government and the industry to facilitate travel. The government simplified the visa application for tourists from several countries, and since 1 November, it removed the requirement for inbound arrivals to fill in the Entry Health Declaration Card. The data collected by Trip.com shows that global search results for inbound travel to China have significantly improved in Q3 by nearly 40% compared to Q2.
About Trip.com Group Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar.
SINGAPORE, 20 November 2023: Royal Caribbean International appoints Diane Chiang as the new APAC sales director, marking the cruise line’s commitment to expanding its presence across Asia-Pacific by opening up distribution and welcoming more travel partners.
She joined Royal Caribbean in 2007 as a business analyst in the finance team and was then appointed revenue manager, where she focused on commercial business strategy.
Diane Chiang.
During the Covid pandemic, Diane played a pivotal role in collaborating with local government authorities and Royal Caribbean’s global operations team to plan and execute the safe resumption of cruise operations in Singapore.
In her new position, she will lead the sales team to drive the growth of Royal Caribbean’s business in Singapore and Asia Pacific.
“There is tremendous potential in the Asia Pacific region for the cruise industry, and Diane is well-placed to help Royal Caribbean expand our growth,” said Royal Caribbean International vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific Angie Stephen. “Already we are seeing the trend of our local fans exploring sailings in other regions from the history and culture of Europe, the wonders of Alaska and the charm of the Caribbean, and also eagerly awaiting adventures on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas which will set sail next year.”
CHIANG RAI, Thailand, 20 November 2023: IHG Hotels & Resorts and Thailand’s Asset World Corp Plc are extending their partnership with an agreement to manage two new hotels in Chiang Rai, a far north town bordering Myanmar and Laos.
Opening in 2025, InterContinental Chiang Rai Golden Triangle Resort will offer 68 one and two-bedroom pool and plunge pool villas.
Caption (from left to right: Rungruang Wirojcheewan, Head of Hotel Operations, AWC, Matthew John Knights, Chief Hospitality Group Officer, AWC, Saowarin Chanprakaisi, Senior Director, Development, South East Asia and Korea, IHG, Patrick Both, Area General Manager Luxury & Lifestyle Thailand, IHG)
Kimpton Chiang Rai Golden Triangle, which operates as the Imperial Golden Triangle Resort, will undergo an extensive renovation, upgrading it to Kimpton brand standards featuring 68 suites.
These luxury destination resorts will mark IHG’s entry into Thailand’s Golden Triangle. This area was once infamous for opium smuggling between the three countries (Laos, Myanmar and Thailand) where borders converge.
“On the back of the recent opening of InterContinental Chiang Mai The Mae Ping, this signing is another milestone in IHG’s and AWC’s more than 10-year relationship,” said IHG Hotels & Resorts managing director, Southeast Asia and Korea Rajit Sukumaran. “We remain on track to grow our luxury and lifestyle portfolio in Thailand by 50%.
“The Kimpton brand debuted in Thailand three years ago and now has six open or pipeline properties in the market.”
Globally, the IHG group continues to grow across six brands in the luxury and lifestyle space, and this segment represents 14% of the group’s system and 22% of its pipeline, he explained.
The two properties will command views of the Mekong River and, on the opposite riverbank in Laos, a colossal casino complex being developed by a Chinese property developer, including the soon-to-be-open airport around 3 km inland from the high-rise condominiums and entertainment complexes.
The Golden Triangle refers to the confluence of the Ruak and the Mekong Rivers in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai province, where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. It is a one-hour drive (60 km) north of Mae Fah Luang – Chiang Rai International Airport, located on the outskirts of Chiang Rai town.
Chiang Rai struggles to attract international tourists other than retirees and hardy backpackers. It has always played second fiddle to the more popular Chiang Mai, 190 km to the south, served by international flights from major cities across Asia.
However, by 2025, when the two IHG hotels open, Chiang Rai’s fortunes might take a turn for the better if Chinese airlines resume flights that were cancelled during the Covid-19 pandemic. Until more direct flights are established from cities in Asia to bring international tourists to the far north city, it will continue to rely on domestic travellers, estimated at around 85% of all visitor arrivals.
HONG KONG, 20 November 2023: Macao is back promoting events to international travellers, leading off with the successful hosting of the 70th Macao Grand Prix that concluded at the weekend.
The popular destination is refreshing its tourism landscapes with upgraded tour packages and captivating events, such as the highly anticipated Macao Food Festival and the awe-inspiring Light Up Macao 2023 scheduled to kick off the festive season.
The Macao Government Tourism Office also highlights the new intermodal bonded bus service between Macao and Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).
Street races
The highlight of this year’s events was the return of the Macao Grand Prix, which kicked off on 11 November and culminated with the final round of races from 16 to 19 November. It is credited with being the only street circuit racing event featuring both cars and motorcycles. During the Covid pandemic, the event was limited to a local audience, but this year, it returned to its full action-packed version featuring both F3 and GT internationals. Now in its 70th edition, the Grand Prix was established in 1929
Foodie and light festivals
The 23rd Macao Food Festival opened on 17 November and runs to 3 December, featuring 100 local and 25 international food stalls from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Taiwan.
Macau lights up for the festive season with impressive displays on streets and buildings during December and February, a spectacular attraction curated by skilled light artists to reflect stories of local history and culture through light displays.
Visitors can check out the light exhibits from 1900 onwards at landmarks and districts around Macao, including Taipa, NAPE, Central District, North District, Praia do Manduco District, Coloane, and the Nam Van District.
International Marathon
The 2023 Galaxy Entertainment Macao International Marathon, organised by the Sports Bureau, Galaxy Entertainment Group and the General Association of Athletics of Macao, will take place on 3 December (Sunday), starting and finishing at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium. The marathon and half-marathon will start at 0600, and the mini marathon at 0615.
Airport bus service
A new intermodal bonded bus service has been launched linking HKIA and Macao to make transferring from Hong Kong’s airport to Macao easier. Departing from the restricted area in HKIA, the service eliminates the nuisance of multiple transfers and provides hassle-free transfers to Macao and back.
Passengers can board a direct bus to Macao, where luggage check-in and security procedures are handled in one go.
Airline links
Macao is expanding its air links with a new direct flight route to and from Jakarta, starting late November 2023. Air Macau filed a flight schedule for the Macao – Jakarta route for four weekly flights using an Airbus A320 aircraft. Aeroroutes posted the submitted flight schedule as follows:
NX910 will depart MFM at 1640 and arrive 2040 at CGK on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; NX911 will depart CGK at 0940 and arrive 1540 at MFM on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
