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Sheraton grows brand in China and Japan

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 7 August  2023: Sheraton Hotels & Resorts continues to expand in the Asia Pacific with five new properties; four in China (Rizhao, Ninghai, Beihai and Chengdu and one in Kagoshima in Japan.

There are now 13 new builds and refurbishments in the region.

“We’re excited to welcome these five new hotels and resorts in the Asia Pacific embracing Sheraton’s new design approach, following the first eight hotels in the region spearheading the new era of the brand,” said Marriott International vice president of brand marketing & management Asia Pacific Jennie Toh.

Sheraton’s new design philosophy focuses on creating experiences with spaces to gather, relax, and work, welcoming guests to enjoy all the familiar comforts of the brand but with fresh, contemporary updates.

Sheraton Beihai Resort
Sheraton Beihai Resort is located on the coastline with sea and mountain views in the south of Guangxi, China. Once a departure port on the Maritime Silk Road, Beihai boasts a natural seaside setting, the culture of the Tanka fishing villages, and rich maritime trading history.

Sheraton Ninghai
Boasting a central location in one of the emerging destinations in the Yangtze Delta, China, Sheraton Ninghai connects travellers to the rich culture and bountiful nature of Ninghai.

Sheraton Rizhao Hotel
Situated along the coastline of Rizhao, a famous coastal city located southeast of the Shandong Peninsula, China, Sheraton Rizhao boasts a 36-metre tall lobby where guests can work, eat, and drink at the Community Table.

Sheraton Chengdu Pidu
Pidu, China, is an increasingly popular destination among travellers looking to experience enriched history, humanities, the farming civilisation of Ancient Shu, and Sichuan cuisines.

Sheraton Kagoshima, Japan
Located on Kyushu Island, Japan’s “the Naples of the East”, Sheraton Kagoshima offers a spectacular bird’s-eye view of the city, Kagoshima Bay, and Mount Sakurajima.

BA adds more short-haul destinations

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 7 August 2023: British Airways will expand its route network from London Heathrow to include new destinations, Riga in Latvia and Belgrade in Serbia, offering customers a choice of 120 short-haul destinations from its London Heathrow hub.

Riga, Latvia (RIX)

British Airways will launch a three-times weekly service from London Heathrow from 29 October 2023. Flights will use A320 and A321 aircraft, with return fares starting at UKP73.

Riga is the largest city in both Latvia and the Baltic states. Home to the world’s largest food market, it is renowned for its foodie scene, eclectic architecture and lush green spaces.

Belgrade, Serbia (BEG)
British Airways will launch a three-times weekly service from London Heathrow from 31 October 2023. Flights will operate using A320 and A321 aircraft, with return fares starting from UKP105.

Cologne, Germany (CGN)
British Airways will launch a 12-times weekly service from London Heathrow from 30 October 2023. Flights will use a mix of A320 and A321 aircraft, with return fares starting at £92.

More network additions
BA Cityflyer, British Airways’ subsidiary based at London City Airport, will launch a weekly service to Milan Linate Airport (LIN) to complement the existing flights from London Heathrow. The flight will operate on the Embraer 190 aircraft on Sundays from 5 November 2023, with fares starting at UKP112.

Weekly winter flights from Heathrow to Turin, Italy (TRN) will also be available on Sundays from 10 December 2023. It will complement the current daily service from London Gatwick with BA Euroflyer, British Airways’ Gatwick-based subsidiary. Return fares start at UKP120.

Winter extensions
BA Cityflyer’s route to San Sebastian, Spain (EAS) has been extended into the winter season, offering direct flights on Thursdays and Sundays to the Basque Country, making it for the first time a year-round route.

The airline has also confirmed that it will continue Heathrow operations for Ljubljana, Slovenia (LJU) into winter. The service will operate four times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

BA services to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) will become a year-round feature with four weekly flights. The route was launched in June 2023 to complement the service to Istanbul Airport (IST).

ONYX manages Amari Raaya Maldives

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 4 August 2023: ONYX Hospitality Group has confirmed it is now managing ‘Amari Raaya Maldives, effective 1 August. The resort is on a private island in the Raa Atoll, Maldives.

The resort features 187 villas, offering guests private beachfront villas, overwater pool villas, and eight food and beverage outlets.

“We are thrilled to manage the prestigious ‘Amari Raaya Maldives’ on behalf of the esteemed Panchshil Group,” said ONYX Hospitality Group CEO Yuthachai Charanachitta. “The Maldives has become a sought-after destination for global travellers, and we are strategically positioned to cater to discerning tourists from key markets, including Russia, Germany, India, United Kingdom, USA, Korea, and Saudi Arabia.”

To celebrate the grand opening, ONYX Hospitality Group offers a 40% discount on villa rates, complimentary transfers for two, a 30-minute private photo shoot, and a memorable group sunset cruise. The offer is valid for bookings up to 23 December 2023.

Centara hires CRM specialist

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 4 August 2023: Centara Hotels & Resorts has confirmed the appointment of Pannarat Tantrativud as assistant vice president – CRM & customer service.

In her new role, Pannarat will lead Centara’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and loyalty strategies and the Customer Contact Centre, ensuring optimal customer service, relationship management, retention and commercial returns.

Before joining Centara, Pannarat graduated with a Master of Marketing degree from Monash University in Australia and held several leadership positions across a diverse, multi-industry background such as finance & insurance, entertainment, retail and digital banking & online marketplace. Most recently, Pannarat held the general manager post at Scale 360 Co Ltd, overseeing the digital banking & online marketplace business, focusing on high-quality customer offerings and global online business expansion opportunities.

Pannarat will report directly to Centara Hotels & Resorts vice president of brand marketing and digital Tom Thrussell, who said: “We are delighted to welcome Pannarat to the Centara family. We are confident that her diverse background and experience will make her a valuable asset to our team and greatly contribute to the success of Centara Hotels & Resorts as we continue to provide truly exceptional and personalised experiences for our guests.”

“It is an honour to join Centara Hotels & Resorts as Assistant Vice President – CRM & Customer Service. I look forward to sharing my years of experience, expertise and multi-industry knowledge with our team and working together to ensure our customers always receive the highest service and hospitality,” commented Pannarat.

Centara continues introducing its distinctive Thai-style hospitality and world-class service to new destinations worldwide. The appointment of Pannarat aligns with the company’s vision of providing world-class service and personalised experiences to every customer and its goal of becoming a top 100 global hotel operator.

Find out more about Centara at www.CentaraHotelsResorts.com

Kuching Food Festival 2023

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUCHING, 4 August 2023: Kuching Food Festival is live, attracting foodies until 20 August, organised by the Kuching South City Council.

The event opened on 28 July, marking the return of a famous food festival that suffered a long pause during Covid.

The annual event promotes the state’s tourism and food industry and reflects Kuching’s title as the ‘UNESCO City of Gastronomy’.

Every evening starting at 1600, the gates open to a multitude of enthusiastic foodies who have queued to get the first crack at the lineup of food stalls crammed with local and international dishes. By 1800, the festival space is packed with visitors greeted with a maze of food stalls that serve a plethora of cosmopolitan food displayed at 285 booths. The nighttime entertainment extends to music concerts and dance.

Visitors can admire the greenery and capture aesthetic photos under the lights at the Garden Show before proceeding to the indoor trade fair, where various merchandise, exhibitions and galleries are open to shoppers.

Pick a couple of evenings from your holiday stay in Kuching to attend the festival, as one night would not be enough to experience the Kuching Festival 2023 fully. The show ends on 20 August.

For more information on highlighted events happening in Sarawak, visit https://sarawaktourism.com/ 

(Source: STB’s Hornbill Trail Newsletter August)

Air India ramps up Dehli-Dhaka flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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GURUGRAM, India, 4 August 2023: Air India will introduce nonstop flights between Delhi and Dhaka to improve connectivity between the capital cities of India and Bangladesh.

Starting 15 September 2023, Air India will fly four times weekly between the two cities using an Airbus A320 aircraft.

Air India currently schedules three weekly flights between Kolkata and Dhaka. However, adding the new route between the two capitals will help meet the demand for business travel to and from Dhaka on the back of Bangladesh’s rapid economic growth and overall development.

Air India’s flight AI237 will depart Delhi at 1755, arriving in Dhaka at 2045. The return flight AI238 will leave Dhaka at 2145, arriving in Delhi at 2350. Bookings for the Delhi – Dhaka flights opened on Air India’s website earlier this week.

With four additional weekly flights from Delhi, Air India offers enhanced frequency to Dhaka, enabling connections via Delhi from 14 destinations in India and its Star Alliance partner airlines 14 destinations in North America, the UK, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia.

Etihad says hello to Boston

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TTR WEEKLY
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ABU DHABI, 4 August 2023: Etihad Airways will add a new destination in the US to its network by introducing four weekly flights to Boston starting 31 March 2024.

“We are delighted to introduce flights to Boston, which opens up Abu Dhabi to visitors from the American Northeast and across the United States,” said Etihad Airways chief executive officer Antonoaldo Neves.

Photo credit: Etihad. Boston on the airline’s 2024 schedule.

Expanding US Gateways

This will be Etihad’s fourth US gateway city, complementing Chicago, New York, and Washington services. There are also flights to Toronto in Canada. The addition of Boston further solidifies Etihad’s commitment to providing passengers with enhanced connectivity between North America and Abu Dhabi.

In addition to providing nonstop access to the Boston market, Etihad will offer convenient connections to cities throughout North America through its partnership with JetBlue.

The new Boston route presents exciting opportunities for American travellers to explore Abu Dhabi’s cultural treasures and experience its renowned hospitality.

Etihad will operate flights to Boston four times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, fitted out with Business Studios and Economy Smart seats.

Bookings and ticket sales are open for the new route on the airline’s website.

Tourism Malaysia on a mission in Indonesia

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TTR WEEKLY
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JAKARTA, 4 August 2023: Tourism Malaysia embarked on a sales mission to Indonesia this week, visiting three major cities, Jakarta, Medan and Balikpapan, to present the latest tourism products and packages.

From 30 July to 5 August, Malaysian and Indonesian tourism industry players met for a series of business-to-business sessions in collaboration with the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA). Key players in the sales mission included the Sarawak Tourism Board, Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), Sepang International Circuit (SIC), representatives of the Malaysian company My Second Home (MM2H), the Malaysian Homestay Entrepreneurs Association, 15 tourism companies, three product operators, six hotel operators and the Batik Air airline.

Photo credit: MotoGP Premier. https://motogppremier.com/about-us

The sales mission to Jakarta saw the launch of the Sepang MotoGP campaign that presented travel packages focusing on motorsport action at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) to specialised outbound travel agents in the Indonesian capital.

Sepang MotoGP package prices start at MYR1,717 (IDR5,900,000) for a two-day, one-night trip or MYR2,328 (IDR7,200,000) for four nights. Last year, TX Travel, a partner of Tourism Malaysia since 2018, successfully sold 1,500 motorsports tour packages to Indonesian fans. The Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia will be hosted at the Sepang circuit from 10 to 12 November.

In addition to B2B sessions, the sales mission hosted a dinner party attended by representatives of Indonesia’s travel associations, such as the Association of Indonesian Travel Agents (ASTINDO), the Association of Indonesian Travel Companies (ASITA) and the Association of Indonesian Tourism Actors (ASPPI).

The tourism sales mission to Indonesia began in Balikpapan before the Malaysian delegation left for Jakarta and was followed by a meeting with industry players in Medan.

Tourism Malaysia director genera Dato Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar described the sales mission as very significant as Indonesia remains one of the most important markets for the tourism sector in Malaysia.

“In 2022, Malaysia recorded 1.481 million tourists from Indonesia, the second highest after Singapore. This position is consistent with present arrival trends for 2023, as we have welcomed 704,147 Indonesian tourists during the first quarter of this year,” he concluded.

ASEAN flavour for 34th Philippine Travel Mart

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TTR WEEKLY
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MANILA, 4 August 2023: The 2023 Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) is set to take place from 1 to 3 September at the SMX Convention Centre in Pasay City.

With ASEAN integration on the agenda, the travel mart will also present tour packages focusing on Southeast Asian countries that enjoy easy airline access from the Philippines, such as Bali, Siem Reap, and Ho Chi Minh.

In a press launch on Thursday, Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) President Fe Abling-Yu was quoted by the Philippines News Agency saying: “This year’s travel fair would focus on promoting popular and emerging tourist destinations in the country.”

The annual event, now in its 34th edition, attracts around 300 exhibitors from 17 regions of the Philippines, including hotels, resorts, travel agencies, tour operators, and tourism offices.

PHILTOA is optimistic that footfall at the travel show will exceed last year’s count of 60,000 visitors.

Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Nograles, in the same event, recognised the role of events such as PTM in boosting economic growth, according to the PNA report.

“The PTM has unlocked the potential of our globally acclaimed and emerging destinations, providing greater investment and business opportunities for our tourism stakeholders,” she said.

“The TPB is fully committed to innovating and expanding our tourism portfolio, making travelling more exciting, inclusive and sustainable for both locals and tourists alike,” she added.

PTM has strong backing from the  Department of Tourism and the TPB. 

(Source: PNA)

Hue welcomes Korean tourists

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TTR WEEKLY
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HANOI, 4 August 2023: The first direct charter flight linking Seoul, Korea and Hue in central Vietnam landed last week, welcomed by tourism and local government leaders at a ceremony hosted by Hue’s Phu Bai International Airport.

Vietjet operated the first-ever charter between the two cities, using an A321 aircraft that arrived on 1 August with 151 passengers, according to the Tourism Information Technology Center (TITC) report.

Representatives of the Hue Department of Tourism welcome Korean visitors (Photo credit: baothuathienhue.vn).

Passengers had purchased a three-night stay in Hue, including hotel stay, sightseeing and airfare from selected Seoul-based tour operators collaborating with Vietjet’s charter sales department.

Some members of the first tour group booked a round of golf at the Laguna Lang Co Resort and participated in an exchange tournament with members from the local Thua Thien Hue Golf Club.

Based on the outcome of the first charter flight, Vietjet is considering follow-up charters from Korea to Thua Thien Hue. Vietjet’s Seoul-Hue charter is the second international route operated by Vietjet to Terminal T2, Phu Bai International Airport, the other being a similar flight operated from Kunming (China) and Hue that took place earlier in the year.

Vietjet executives said the airline would coordinate with the province and Phu Bai International Airport to organise more flights to push tourism to Hue.

(Source: Tourism Information Technology Centre)

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