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THAI restarts flights to Jeddah

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 19 July 2023: Bangkok-Jeddah flights are back after more than a three-month absence, with Thai Airways International confirming it will offer three weekly flights between the two cities starting 15 August.

In preparation for the flights, the airline recently opened a sales office in Jeddah at the Movenpick Hotel under the supervision of the general sales agency Al Maha United led by the GSA’s country manager Ishaque Zubair, AviationSource News reported last month.

THAI will deploy a Boeing 777-200 on the Bangkok-Jeddah route with a flight time of eight hours and 45 minutes.

Bangkok-Jeddah
Flight TG503 departs Bangkok at 1845 and arrives in Jeddah at 2240 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Jeddah-Bangkok
Flight TG504 departs Jeddah at 0040 and arrives in Bangkok at 1310 on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

THAI will compete for passengers head-on with Saudia, which offers daily flights – three departing Bangkok for Jeddah at 0300 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and four leaving Bangkok at 1720 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The average roundtrip fare between the two cities is USD1040, but forecasts suggest fares will drop to an average of USD700 to USD737 during the last quarter of the year.

THAI’s publicity for the route claims that its Jeddah-Bangkok flights arriving in the Thai capital’s Suvarnabhumi airport at 1310 will connect conveniently with flights leaving Bangkok for Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Korea and Japan.

Vietnam tracks recovery trends

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TTR WEEKLY
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HANOI, 19 July 2023: Vietnam estimates it welcomed 5,574,969 visitors for the first six months ending 30 June 2023, according to Vietnam’s General Statistics Office.

In June, the tally reached 975,010 visitors, an increase of 6.4% over May 2023 and 527% compared to June 2022. GSO figures indicated that the first six-month tally was up 1,347% compared to the first six months of 2022.

Source: GSO. Recovery trends half year 2023 compared with pre-Covid 2019. Red is still negative. Five markets in positive blue.

The country’s Tourism Information Technology Centre noted that Korea led the tourism source markets during the first six months of 2023 with 1.6 million arrivals. China followed with 557,000, and the US ranked third with 374,000.

Compared with January to June 2019 totals, the five most notable markets that delivered positive arrivals during the first six months of 2023 were Cambodia (338%), India (236%), Laos (117%), Thailand (108.4%), and Singapore (107.4%).

Two markets were close to passing the pre-Covid 2019 levels; the US (95%) and Australia (92%). In addition, South Korea (77%), the UK (78.5%), Germany (83.7%) and France (68.6%) gained ground, closing in on the pre-Covid benchmark.

But China’s outbound travel market only recovered 22.4% due to the late reopening of group tours to Vietnam that started on 15  March 2023. Pre-Covid pandemic, China was the country’s top tourism source market by a substantial margin pre-Covid era.

Source: GSO. Month-by-month arrivals first six months of 2023.

Melia stamps luxury on Nha Trang resort

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TTR WEEKLY
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NHA TRANG, Vietnam 18 July 2023: Gran Melia Nha Trang’s opening last week marks the introduction of the Gran Melia brand in Southeast Asia.

There are 11 Gran Melia branded hotels worldwide under the top-flight Melia brand located in capital cities and tourist destinations. Its arrival in Vietnam marks a breakthrough in establishing the brand in Southeast Asia.

Gran Meliá Nha Trang is the newest hospitality landmark in the renowned coastal city of Nha Trang, the capital of Khánh Hòa Province on the southern coast of Vietnam.

The resort offers 272 rooms with 20 distinct room types, including the Gran Ocean Junior Suite, offering views of Nha Trang Bay and the Oceanfront Pool Villa category featuring terraces and front-facing sea views, a private outdoor pool and a separate lounge area.

The property is located in the integrated resort complex of Vega City, tagged ‘City of Arts and Entertainment’ that spreads out on a 44-hectare site. Attractions include the Promenade of Stars, the dazzling Dance of Lights show, Van San Dao, Vietnam’s first coral reef park in the coastal bay, a tropical Beach Club, and artwork exhibitions.

Emirates celebrates 30 years in Oman

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TTR WEEKLY
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MUSCAT Oman, 18 July 2023: Emirates is celebrating 30 years of operations in Muscat, Oman, having carried 4.8 million passengers to and from the Sultanate since the inaugural flight in 1993.

Emirates began operations in Oman with a Boeing 777-200 aircraft with four weekly services. It has since provided to and from Oman 37,200 flights to and from Oman, connecting travellers to and from 140 global destinations.

In 2019, Emirates launched the world’s shortest scheduled A380 flight, flying a distance of 340 kilometres each way from Dubai to Muscat, offering travellers the chance to experience Emirates’ iconic products and services, defined by comfort, luxury and flexibility.

Over the years, Emirates SkyCargo has facilitated global trade, transporting over 155,000 tonnes of cargo to international markets. Emirates SkyCargo supports Omani businesses by exporting key local goods such as threads for garments to Amman, Nairobi and Pakistan and fresh produce such as fish, beans and vegetables to various destinations across Europe and US, in addition to the seasonal fresh beans to Japan.

Creating further career opportunities within Oman, the Emirates Group employs over 40 Omanis in multiple roles, including cabin crew, pilots and other parts of the business such as Emirates Engineering, Emirates Airport Services and Airport Operations. Half of these employees have been with the Emirates Group for over 10 years, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to nurturing talent and providing a wide range of development prospects enabling employees to gain world-class expertise.

Emirates country manager Oman Fahad Al Hassawi said: “Oman has been an important market for Emirates since the beginning of operations, providing flexible connections through Dubai to the wider world for passengers and air freight. Over the last three decades, we are proud to have brought more choice, comfort and luxury to over 4.8 million travellers to and from the Sultanate, headlined by the deployment of the world’s shortest A380 flight. We are committed to the country and look forward to the next 30 years.”

Emirates is renowned for providing a full-service offering onboard, including regionally inspired gourmet meals and over 6,500 channels of on-demand entertainment on the airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice.  

To book flights visit: www.emirates.com.

Centara accepts The1 Points

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 18 July 2023: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, confirms customers can now use The1 points at hotels and resorts across Thailand.

It allows guests to experience the finest dining options, indulge in rejuvenating spa treatments, and enjoy comfortable stays, all with the convenience of The1 points they have accumulated through The1 loyalty programme.

With no minimum redemption requirement, guests must present their QR code from The1 app or provide their mobile phone or Thai ID card number during payment at any participating Centara property. Each redemption of 1,000 points entitles guests to a remarkable discount of THB 100. Members also have the opportunity to transfer The1 points to CentaraThe1 points to book rooms online at Centarahotelsresorts.com using either points in full or part points, part cash, or enjoy a range of vouchers and offers at CentaraDeals.com. Additionally, guests can redeem their points to take advantage of benefits from a variety of Centara’s leading partner s, including Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines.

Centara Hotels & Resorts is committed to enhancing the guest experience and rewarding loyalty. By expanding The1 points to include various aspects of their stay, Centara ensures its valued customers can enjoy unforgettable moments and create cherished memories at their preferred destinations across Thailand.

For more information on The1 points and Centara Hotels & Resorts visit: https://centara1card.com/earn-burn-the1-point-at-centara

More MINT money invests in Maldives

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 18 July 2023: Minor International Public Company Limited (MINT) confirmed last week its acquisition of a luxury resort in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll in the southern region of the Maldives.

In a statement to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, MINT said the purchase was made by MINT and its partner, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (“ADFD”).

Photo credit: ONYX Hospitality Group website. Former Amari Havodda Maldives.

HVS Asia Pacific reported that the Thai-based hospitality and lifestyle conglomerate and partner ADFD acquired the former 120-room/villa Amari Havodda Maldives from the owners, Crystal Plaza Resorts. “The transaction, valued at USD60 million, marks the first hotel sale in the Maldives for 2023,” according to the online hotel investment news alert.

The Amari Havodda Maldives website posted a notice this week stating the resort “will no longer operate under ONYX Hospitality Group from 31 July 2023.”

According to the MINT press statement, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) will contribute 40% of the investment. MINT’s strong balance sheet will support its 60% investment portion (equivalent to USD36 million).

MINT will rebrand this newly acquired resort to the NH Collection, a brand with a strong presence in Europe and the Americas. The resort will be integrated into MINT’s portfolio of seven properties in the Maldives.

ADFD will contribute 40% of the investment. MINT’s strong balance sheet will support its 60% investment portion (equivalent to USD36 million).

About Minor International

Minor International (MINT) is a global company focused on three core businesses: hospitality, restaurants and lifestyle brands distribution.

MINT is a hotel owner, operator and investor with a portfolio of over 530 hotels under the Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection, NH, nhow, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis and Radisson Blu brands in 56 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe, South and North America.

MINT is also one of Asia’s largest restaurant companies with over 2,500 outlets system-wide in 24 countries under The Pizza Company, The Coffee Club, Riverside, Benihana, Thai Express, Bonchon, Swensen’s, Sizzler, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Coffee Journey and GAGA

brands.

Jakarta hotels post record performance

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 18 July 2023: Jakarta’s hotel industry recorded its highest average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) levels since October 2018, according to preliminary June 2023 data from STR.

June 2023 (year-over-year % change)

Occupancy: 66.7% (+1.2%)
Average daily rate (ADR): IDR996,926.80 (+19.4%)
Revenue per available room (RevPAR): IDR664,759.69 (+20.8%)
The market’s occupancy level was the highest for any month since December 2022.

The daily data shows that the highest occupancy (82.2%) and RevPAR (IDR820,272.66) levels were recorded on Thursday, 22 June. 

More of STR’s analysis can be found here.

Positive start for AirAsia’s KK to China flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 18 July 2023: AirAsia is confident its newly-launched routes from Kota Kinabalu to Beijing and Macau will generate strong travel demand.

Both the Kota Kinabalu-Beijing and Kota Kinabalu-Macau flights are registering impressive load factors (percentage of seats filled) in the 90% territory.

AirAsia flight, AK1302 from Macau, greeted by water cannon salute upon landing at Kota Kinabalu International Airport on Sunday afternoon.

The maiden flight from Beijing on 2 July recorded 172 guests (92% full), and the inaugural flight from Macau on Sunday welcomed 169 guests (93% full). Both new services demonstrate significant consumer demand for these routes, and the airline expects it to continue to pick up both ways.

AirAsia’s mid-haul airline, AirAsia X (AAX), also recorded a remarkable load factor for its first flight from Chengdu (Tianfu) to Kuala Lumpur on 1 July 2023 with 376 passengers (99% full). AAX has increased flights from two to three weekly based on increased forward bookings.

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah, YB Datuk Christina Liew said: “The tourism scene is moving fast towards recovery, especially from China since its border reopening this year, and we are pleased to continue working with AirAsia to welcome more travellers into the state.

“The impressive load factors from AirAsia will not only foster stronger international relations and open up new opportunities for economic growth and cultural exchanges for Sabah as a whole but also bring us a step closer to achieving our aim of registering more than 2.2 million tourist arrivals this year.

“AirAsia’s daily flights from Beijing (Daxing) and four weekly flights from Macao will add to the current 100 international flights weekly into Sabah. This signifies that we are on the right course for a steady tourism recovery, and we welcome AirAsia’s commitment to increasing its flight frequencies and launching more flight services in support of the government’s relentless efforts to boost the tourism industry in Sabah.”

AirAsia Malaysia CEO Riad Asmat added: “We are proud to contribute to the tourism industry in Sabah continuously. Kota Kinabalu has always been an important hub for us, and our Sabah network growth plays a significant role in our recovery strategy. Currently, we operate 21 domestic and international routes to the state, with 300 flights weekly to and from Sabah, with the addition of daily flights to and from Beijing and four weekly flights to and from Macau.

“From 1 January to the first week of July this year, we have flown 2.1 million travellers to Sabah, and with these additional direct flight connections, the numbers will continue to increase, contributing significantly to the number of tourist arrivals, boosting the economy in the state.

“Moreover, with the strong demand for more China flights from this hub, we look forward to increasing the frequency and adding more routes. This would not have been possible without the support from our industry partners, especially Sabah Tourism Board, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their support.”

AirAsia Malaysia (AK) currently flies 14 routes to China with over 104 flights weekly from Kuala Lumpur to Guilin, Quanzhou, Guangzhou, Kunming, Shenzhen, Nanning, Shantou and Macao; Kota Kinabalu to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Beijing and Macao; and Johor Bahru to Guangzhou.

AirAsia X Malaysia (D7) currently flies four routes from Kuala Lumpur to China, with over 22 flights weekly to Chengdu (Tianfu), Beijing (Daxing), Shanghai and Hangzhou.

Chinese searching for Airbnb stays in Southeast Asia

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 18 July 2023: Latest data from Airbnb reveals that Airbnb hosts and guests are emerging as key drivers of economic activity in destinations and communities across Southeast Asia.

While the pandemic caused unprecedented disruption to global tourism, Airbnb is seeing a strong rebound in international and domestic guest arrivals across the region.

Chinese travellers are once more flocking to Southeast Asia, and so far, Thailand ranks as the most searched summer destination for China guests on Airbnb.

This summer, Chinese guests on Airbnb searching for early summer outbound stays (between 1 to 15 July) surged nearly sixfold compared to last year. About half of their searches for summer travel were for medium to long-term stays, spanning seven days or longer.

Chinese travellers are also increasingly looking to visit a wider variety of destinations, including Malaysia and the Philippines, which have recorded more than 10x increases in guest searches on Airbnb year-on-year.

Airbnb’s general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Amanpreet Bajaj, opined that the challenges posed by mass tourism are clear, and across Southeast Asia, Airbnb is helping disperse guests, income and tourism benefits beyond the usual hotspots to new and trending destinations.

Airbnb guests stayed in over 100,000 different cities and towns globally last year, and since March 2020, more than 13,000 towns and cities globally have received their first Airbnb booking. Also, the communities where guests stayed increased by over 25% in 2022 compared with five years ago.

Bajaj added: “Distributed travel is affordable, boosts local economies and local jobs, and immerses people in these communities – whereas too much travel to popular places concentrates tourism economically and geographically.”

Asia Pacific hotel investment cools

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 18 July 2023: Asia Pacific hotel investment volumes declined by 51% year-on-year in the first half of 2023 as macroeconomic challenges and the rising cost of debt influenced capital deployment.

Coming off a high base in 2022 and despite supportive market fundamentals, hotel investments moderated to USD3.13 billion in the first half versus USD6.41 billion during the same period last year, according to data and analysis by JLL.

Activity during the first half was most robust in Japan (USD1.54 billion) and Australia/New Zealand (USD820 million), which grew by 56% and 189% year-on-year, respectively. Gateway markets such as Singapore (USD30 million) dropped by 95% year-on-year as the number of transactions declined. However, with the recent sale of PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road for USD388 million, the outlook for the second half of the year will be stronger. China (USD300 million) also saw activity moderate by 76% year-on-year. Despite strong performance metrics, activity in the resort sector was muted as assets remained tightly held.

“We have observed the impact of a continued disconnect between the robust tourism demand and macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges in the first half of 2023, resulting in a gap between sellers’ pricing expectations and buyers’ access to capital,” says JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group chief executive officer, Asia Pacific Nihat Ercan.

“However, trading performance of the sector remains strong, and other fundamentals, including tourism arrivals and high occupancy rates, provide us with full confidence that the current investment environment is externally-based, rather than industry-specific.”

Factors, including the recent reopening of China in January 2023, which was earlier than expected, fuelled existing travel demand strength. As a result, there has been a considerable improvement in trading performance, particularly in the upscale and luxury segments, supported by an increase in average daily rates (ADR) across the region’s hotels. Furthermore, according to JLL analysis, the rise in tourism arrivals since January 2022 has been predominantly driven by leisure demand, leading to continued growth in performance among hotels in the region, with occupancy rates leading to the recovery as more tourists return. Despite facing economic, health, and geopolitical challenges, the United Nations World Travel Organization (UNWTO) foresees the recovery in travel to continue throughout 2023.

Considering factors including the macroeconomic environment, project interest cycle, and broad investor interest in strong-performing assets, JLL has revised its full-year 2023 forecast to USD8.7 billion, down 24% from its initial 2023 estimate. 

“Approaching 2024, we expect to see more specific opportunities emerge in some destinations across the Asia Pacific, where prices have been adjusted downwards, enabling interested parties to reconsider. Investors remain very committed to the Asia Pacific hospitality sector, and we see ongoing buyer appetite to invest in key markets and strategic assets, with the ability to deploy capital,” says Ercan.

About JLL

For over 200 years, JLL (NYSE: JLL), a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company, has helped clients buy, build, occupy, manage and invest in various commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and retail properties. A Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of USD20.9 billion and operations in over 80 countries worldwide, our more than 103,000 employees bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise. For further information, visit

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