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DOT still fancies ‘Love the Philippines’

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TTR WEEKLY
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MANILA, 14 July 2023: Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) will continue to use the “Love the Philippines” slogan to inspire foreign and local tourists to travel around the country despite the recent termination of its contract with the advertising agency that created the campaign.

The enhanced Love the Philippines campaign launched on 27 June and abruptly pulled on 3 July.

Employees and officials of the Department of Tourism (DOT) gathered Tuesday morning to show support for Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco voiced her commitment earlier this week to the campaign’s message and collateral a week after the tourism campaign video was scrapped and the contract cancelled with the creative agency pending a full investigation.

The Philippines News Agency reported that the DOT had announced Monday it would terminate its contract with DDB Philippines after it was discovered that the agency used stock footage shots sourced from foreign destinations in the new tourism campaign video.

The advertising firm last Sunday publicly apologised, saying it was taking full responsibility for the non-original materials used in the now-deleted video.

Citing initial meetings before the launch, the DOT said DDB, the agency responsible for the campaign, had repeatedly assured them “that the originality and ownership of all materials are in order.”

Supporters of the Secretary of Tourism praised her for deciding to terminate the department’s contract with the advertising agency pending investigation, saying it  “demonstrates a steadfast commitment to uphold excellence in the DOT.

Half-year tourism performance

Halfway through 2023, the DOT has recorded 2.67 million international visitor arrivals as of 29 June 2023, which stood at 2.44 million, suggesting the annual target of 4.8 million international tourist arrivals by yearend is achievable. 

South Koreans remain the top source of foreign visitors logging 665,757 trips to the Philippines, followed by the US(509,526), Australia (128,232), Japan (127,139), and Canada (123,439).  In 2022, the industry contributed 6.2% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating PHP1.87 trillion in tourism revenue.

Khiri Campus makes up for lost Ground

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 14 July 2023: A new specialist ground handler and programme creator for young people worldwide travelling with educational institutions has been launched in Asia.

Effective Thursday, Khiri Campus took over from its predecessor, GROUND Asia, which effectively ceased operations in 2021 as the full impact of the pandemic took effect.

“Rebranded and relaunched, the new entity of Khiri Campus has the competitive advantage of retaining and building upon the expertise, knowledge, itineraries, reputation and contacts of GROUND Asia,” said Khiri Group director Simon Drayton.

Over the last five years, GROUND Asia and its new successor, Khiri Campus, have been responsible for implementing 237 projects for 4036 students in six Asian countries.

With the educational travel sector for young people growing strongly again, Drayton said that the timing for the rebrand and relaunch was right.

“The new Khiri Campus starts with fully enhanced and updated itineraries and field learning options,” he said. “Post-Covid Khiri Campus journeys have been designed for global students seeking to strengthen leadership skills and learn first-hand about different cultural, educational training experiences and MBA study tours,” he said.

In June, Khiri Campus took 12 students from Australia on a 15-day culture-focused trip to Sri Lanka. They also facilitated and led a visit of 19 Australian college students on a 15-day trip to Java, Indonesia, where the focus was on biotech, pharmacy and public healthcare.

Khiri Campus now offers business, health care, social science and natural science learning trips for universities and colleges. Schools have programmes for service learning, outdoor adventures, cultural explorations and environmental work.

Khiri Campus offers Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Laos programmes.

Before covid, Future Market Insights (FMI) estimated that the educational tourism market was worth USD400 billion a year, with a growth rate of over 17% expected in the decade to 2031. FMI estimated that around 73% of the global educational tourism sector was generated by the 19-25 age group.

“While the pandemic halted growth temporarily, early indications are that educational travel is picking up very strongly again,” said Drayton.

“Due to pricing and the quality of cultural and field experiences, Khiri Campus expects Asia to be at the forefront of a renewed demand for educational travel for young people,” he said.

Further information is available at: www.khiricampus.com.

CAL to fly to Kumamoto in Japan

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 14 July 2023: China Airlines responds to increased tourism and business travel to Japan by launching a Taipei-Kumamoto route on 18 September.

Starting with two roundtrip flights weekly, CAL says the new route will complement the existing 14 flights weekly on the Taipei-Fukuoka route giving travellers more options for getting to and from Kyushu.

Photo credit: CAL.

China Airlines offers special booking promotions on the first three flights with economy class roundtrip fares starting at TWD6,840 (USD218 before tax). For Dynasty members, the fare can go as low as TWD 4,780 (USD152 before tax) if bookings are made through the China Airlines website and use frequent flyer miles.

The new twice-weekly Monday and Friday flights on the  Taipei-Kumamoto route will use A321neo.

The outbound flight CI194 will take off at 1430 from Taoyuan Airport and arrive at 1735  at Kumamoto Airport. The return flight CI195 will take off from Kumamoto at 1835 local time and arrive at Taoyuan Airport at 1950.

Kumamoto is located in the heart of Kyushu and is a region renowned for its history, culture, and beautiful landscape. Kumamoto Castle is one of the three great castles of Japan and remains a majestic sight despite being rebuilt several times. Visiting the Aso volcano, travellers can admire the largest caldera in the world. The grandeur of the surrounding scenery gives the caldera its distinctive charm, and the area is known as the “Land of Water”, named for the sweet-tasting spring water that wells up from below. This water source from Shirakawa Springs is acclaimed as the best-tasting water in Japan. The nearby hot springs are great for relaxing the mind and body. The “Higo Zogan” inlay technique is a centuries-old craft passed down through the generations.

The Taiwan-Japan routes have long been a part of China Airlines’ network, and services between the two countries were restored to more than 100 roundtrip flights per week after the pandemic. Travellers can use the Taipei-Kumamoto route as an alternative to flying to and from Fukuoka, allowing the two distinctive Japanese cities to be part of a single itinerary. They can experience the different sides of Kyushu, taking in Kumamoto’s historic city and natural wonders while enjoying Fukuoka’s modern metropolitan charm and renowned cuisine.

Qatar introduces flights to Lyon

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TTR WEEKLY
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DOHA Qatar, 14 July 2023: Qatar Airways has launched four weekly flights to the French city of Lyon, with the new direct service operated by a Boeing 787-8 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

This new route expands Qatar Airways’ presence in France, growing its global network to more than 160 destinations. Lyon is Qatar Airways’ third destination in France in addition to its Paris and Nice services. The inaugural flight to Nice took place on 3 July.

Photo credit: Qatar Airways. Qatar Airways touches down for the first time in Lyon, France.

The airline’s Boeing 787-8 serves the new route configured with 22 business class seats and 232 economy class seats. The airline’s booking website flags a roundtrip fare of QAR3,130 (USD859) on the route for travel in August.

The direct airline connection between the capital of Qatar and Lyon should strengthen travel to the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region by offering more options to and from the Middle East and Asia while making it more convenient for travellers from Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.

Double daily Doha to Copenhagen

Meanwhile, advance timetables indicate Qatar Airways will increase services from Doha to Copenhagen from an initial five weekly roundtrip flights to 14 effective 29 October, which marks the start of the six-month northern hemisphere winter schedule.

Using a  Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the airline will offer twice daily flights between Doha and Copenhagen, departing Doha early morning and mid-afternoon.

The airline filed the following flight details.

Outbound

QR161 will depart DOH daily at 0140 and arrive at CPH at 0625
QR162 will depart CPH daily at 0835 and arrive in DOH at 1635

Inbound

QR163 will depart DOH daily at 1545 and arrive in CPH at 2030
QR164 will depart CPH daily at 2155 and arrive in DOH at 0555 + one day.

E&O train resumes trips to Malaysia

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 13 July 2023: After a long hiatus, The Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train Southeast Asia, will return to the rails in February 2024.

The train will launch two new seasonal journeys departing from Singapore’s Woodlands Train station, located close to the causeway border checkpoint with Malaysia. The train takes just five minutes to merge with Malaysia’s rail track, where the journey begins in earnest.

The iconic train’s 15 dark green carriages travel north from the causeway to destinations on two distinct journeys; the Essence of Malaysia (November to February) and Wild Malaysia (March to October). Scheduled months for both trips are determined by the prevailing monsoon seasons.

The Essence of Malaysia: Gateway to Malay Culture

The Essence of Malaysia is a three-night journey on the western side of Malaysia that visits Penang and Langkawi before returning to the Woodlands Train Station in North Singapore. The inaugural trip is scheduled for February 2024 with a lead-in price of USD3,750 per person, according to the E&O website. There are just two departures in February 2024. (Then it’s the end of the season for this particular train journey. It returns on 4 November 2024 for a full season up to February 2025).

The train travels north via Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi and finally to Penang. Guests disembark in Alor Setar and join a private cruise to Langkawi. For the first time, the Eastern & Oriental Express will offer guests the chance to explore the marine life that populates the Pulau Payar Marine Park, Langkawi’s prime snorkelling spot.

The third day is dedicated to discovering Penang, a multicultural island whose capital, George Town, boasts century-old UNESCO World Heritage sites, lively street art and street food markets.

Guests can visit cultural highlights such as local art galleries and ancient temples in George Town’s Old Quarter, shop in the local markets and partake in an authentic Peranakan cooking class in a private hillside residence before rejoining the train and travelling south towards Singapore. Trips begin on a Monday and end on a Thursday.

Wild Malaysia: Exploring sights unseen

A brand new destination for the Eastern & Oriental Express, the Wild Malaysia itinerary covers the untouched areas surrounding the ‘Jungle Railway’ towards the eastern side of the Malay peninsula. The trips power up in early March 2024 and end in October 2024. The first departure is 4 March and flags a lead-in fare of USD3,758. Other departures in March are priced at USD3,410. There are four Monday departures scheduled per month.

The signature experience is the visit to the Taman Negara National Park. Devised in collaboration with a global tiger conservation organisation, Save Wild Tigers, explore one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world, home to hundreds of species such as tigers, leopards, and Sumatran rhinos. Here, guests can embark on various excursions: from learning about safeguarding the Malayan Tiger to a one-of-a-kind photography masterclass and a foraging experience in the jungle.

On day three, guests travel to the west side to visit Penang to explore the island’s artistic, culinary and historical heritage before returning on the train for their last night, travelling south to Woodlands Singapore. Trips begin on a Monday and end on a Thursday.

Restyling an icon

The Eastern & Oriental will return to the rails with 15 restyled carriages, including eight sleeping cars, two restaurant cars, a Piano Bar Car and the iconic open-air Observation Car. Three different cabin categories – Pullman, State and Presidential- are all air-conditioned with private bathrooms.

SITA signs landmark deal with Airports of India

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TTR WEEKLY
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MUMBAI, 13 July 2023: SITA, a technology provider for the travel and transport industry, secured a landmark deal with the Airports Authority of India to support one of the biggest growth markets globally, providing technology to 43 of India’s biggest airports.

India’s Civil Aviation is among the fastest-growing aviation markets globally and will be a major growth engine to make India a USD5 trillion economy by 2024.

The deal will see improvements in over 2,700 passenger touchpoints, paving the way for adopting new-age solutions to meet modern passengers’ expectations. Initially deployed across 43 airports, the technologies are scalable to an additional 40 airports over the next seven years. Over 500 million passengers are expected to be processed during this period.

The rollout of new cloud technology will enable Indian airports to shift to common-use passenger experiences where multiple airlines can leverage the same infrastructure, such as check-in counters, self-service kiosks, and boarding gates.

Cloud solutions also bring new agility and flexibility to scale airport operations efficiently as passenger numbers grow. The cloud-first approach enforces better security and offers airlines a platform to host new progressive technologies and move away from native applications. Centralised cloud hosting of all servers reduces on-premise infrastructure costs and results in centralised control, enabling proactive monitoring and control of services.

The solutions will give passengers more control over their journey, offering a low-touch, efficient check-in, bag drop, and collection process through assisted and self-service mechanisms. The airports will benefit from a reduced infrastructure footprint and increased operational efficiency. At the same time, airlines will see service charges drop and can use an agile technology platform to build bespoke passenger experiences.

Under the agreement, SITA will deploy its state-of-the-art solutions, including SITA Flex, CUPPS, SITA CUSS, and SITA Bag Manager. These IATA-certified platforms offer airlines and ground handlers the benefits of common-use technologies, enabling scalable operations to meet their specific operational requirements.

The Baggage Reconciliation System ensures a high level of baggage accountability, preventing losses and security concerns, which is critical to industry recovery amidst a spiralling baggage mishandling rate.

This project represents a significant shift towards adopting cutting-edge technological platforms, enhancing operational efficiencies, and paving the way for the future adoption of biometric passenger processing. Additionally, real-time dashboard-based information will be available to governing agencies, promoting transparency and informed decision-making.

SOTC takes home MICE award

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TTR WEEKLY
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MUMBAI, 13 July 2023: SOTC Travel won the ‘MICE Travel Agency of the Year – International Travel’ award at The Economic Times MICE & Wedding Tourism Awards earlier this week.

The first edition of The Economic Times MICE & Wedding Tourism Awards brought together leaders from corporations, industry experts, professionals, and enthusiasts with links to MICE and wedding sectors. (MICE: Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions.)

SOTC Travel president and country head of corporate tours, S D Nandakumar, receives the award.

SOTC’s MICE Team was recognised for innovative product development that reassured and inspired corporates to travel again. The company built & leveraged strong partnerships & alliances to deliver distinctive experiences to its MICE corporates.

SOTC has successfully managed multiple large MICE groups ranging from 500 to over 1300 each to Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and Phuket in 2022.

According to the citation, the company’s MICE team successfully demonstrated innovation, agility and digital astuteness in consistently leveraging technology – ensuring seamless delivery of contactless, scalable, secure solutions to its corporate customer.

SOTC Travel president and country head of corporate tours, S D Nandakumar commented: “At SOTC Travel, we aim to deliver superior experiences to our corporate MICE customers. This prestigious award acknowledges our leadership in the sector and recognises our efforts towards revival and growth post the challenges of the pandemic.

“With more corporates displaying increased interest to organise incentive trips for their key growth contributors, we witnessed high demand among India Inc. and seized the opportunity to successfully manage multiple mega groups ranging from 500 to over 1300 people visiting various destinations.”

About SOTC Travel

SOTC Travel Limited is a step-down subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings held through its Indian-listed subsidiary, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL). SOTC India has been active across various travel segments, including leisure, incentives, and business travel, since 1949.

HAL recruits experts for solar eclipse sailings

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 13 July 2023; Holland America Line has recruited astronomy experts to its 2024 Solar Eclipse cruise programming.

Guests sailing on Koningsdam and Zaandam to experience the total eclipse in spring 2024 will have exclusive access to lectures, demonstrations and firsthand tips on making the most of their eclipse viewing.

Photo credit: The 2017 eclipse as captured by Chasing the Eclipse I project.
Credits: SwRI/NASA/Daniel B. Seaton

“It’s the first total solar eclipse in North America in seven years, something astronomers — amateur and professional — are all excited to observe, and there’s no better place to observe it than at sea off the coast of Mexico,” the HAL announcement stated.

Koningsdam will embark on 23 March on a 22-day Solar Eclipse Cruise, which positions the ship along the coast of Mexico for a total view before crossing the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. The San Diego, California, to Vancouver, Canada, itinerary departs on 5 April and heads south to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, before spending the day at sea on 8 April for the eclipse.

Zaandam will depart on 30 March on a 14-day Solar Eclipse Cruise roundtrip from San Diego and will be positioned for a total view of the eclipse as it tracks over Mexico. The ship will be in Mazatlán, Mexico, on eclipse day.

“The Monday, 8 April 2024, total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the US and Canada. The total solar eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean. Weather permitting, the first location in continental North America to experience totality is Mexico’s Pacific coast at around 1107 PDT.” (NASA)

Cunard launches 2024 event voyages

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 13 July 2023: Cunard invites foodies and art enthusiasts to set sail with gastronomy, art and entertainment talents as Cunard announces its latest event voyages for 2024.

Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 will host newly launched themed voyages on its transatlantic crossings. Queen Elizabeth will feature event voyages on sailings in Asia-Pacific – Australia and Japan in early 2024.

2024 Event Voyages schedule:

Queen Mary 2

  • London Theatre at Sea, eastbound transatlantic, 15-23 June 2024
  • Queen Mary 2’s 400th Transatlantic Crossing, eastbound transatlantic, 23-30 August 2024
  • National Symphony Orchestra’s 15th Anniversary, eastbound transatlantic, 4-13 October 2024
  • Literature Festival at Sea, westbound transatlantic, 13-20 November 2024

Queen Elizabeth

  • Great Australian Culinary Voyage, Southern Australia, 5-12 January 2024
  • Sporting Greats & Wellness Voyage, Southern Australia, 13-30 February 2024
  • Big Band Ball, Japan, 5-14 May 2024

Queen Mary 2 standout events

“London Theatre at Sea” is an eight-night eastbound transatlantic crossing hosting musical theatre in partnership with the Olivier Awards.

“Literature Festival at Sea” appeals to book lovers featuring seven days of inspiring literary events on the westbound transatlantic crossing, curated by the programming team of The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival.

2024 marks the 15th Anniversary of Cunard’s National Symphony Orchestra voyages. Guests can rehearse with the choir during the day and enjoy classical concerts in the Royal Court Theatre at night on this nine-night eastbound transatlantic crossing in October.

Travel tech giants squeeze travel advisors

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 13 July 2023: US travel agents feel squeezed out by travel tech giants, and their counterparts in the Asia Pacific should take it as a warning that they need to recognise the potential of merging human capabilities with technology.

Released earlier this week, a new study by Voyagu, an AI-powered travel management platform and marketplace, surveyed US-based travel advisors to gain insights into the state of the travel industry and its challenges.

Photo credit: Voyagu

Titled “Travel in a Post-Pandemic World: The State of the Industry According to Travel Advisors”, the most relevant findings suggested 60% of travel advisors do not feel confident that their incomes will rise, with 65% seeing competition from direct-to-consumer online platforms – such as Expedia and Booking.com – as an obstacle to revenue growth.

However, on a positive note, 53% of advisors surveyed believe technology will be a key driver to increase revenues and grow business.

For this report, Voyagu interacted with 1000 US-based travel advisors and travel agency owners, randomly selecting and interviewing 150 of them to understand the challenges they face, their perceptions of income prospects, the impact of technology on their business, and their strategies for growth and adaptation in a post-pandemic world.

Business trends and travel technology advances in the US usually precede what plays out in Asia’s travel agency markets.

Report takeaways

 • 60% of travel advisors don’t believe it is possible to boost their income, with 65% seeing competition from direct-to-consumer online platforms as an obstacle to revenue growth.

 • 53% of travel agents believe that technology will be a key driver for increased revenues and business growth, with only 16% believing that technology is squeezing them out of the industry.

 • 84% of travel agents consider referrals the best way to grow their business.

 • 79% of travel agents experience high demand for personalised services, but only 46%  highlighted that clients prioritise expertise and personalised services over lower prices. In contrast, the majority demand personalised travel services for the same price as online bookings, posing a challenge for travel agents to make a profit.

 • 23% of agents disagree that the travel industry offers more opportunities to earn money now than before Covid.

 • 54% of agents reported earning less than USD60,000 annually, with only 6% earning over USD120,000.

 • 66% of agents are expanding their offering with customised products such as travel insurance, private transfers, and transit, while only 24% offer services such as booking villas, retreats, airport transits, city tours, and entertainment activities.

“Despite their value, travel advisors face significant challenges competing with the affordable and convenient technology companies offer,” said Voyagu founder and CEO Ivan Saprov. “However, there are signs of a gradual acceptance of this transformative shift, as agents are starting to recognise the potential of merging human capabilities with technology. Implementing technological tools can help travel advisors enhance the human touch where it matters the most.”

Voyagu connects premium travellers with travel advisors and suppliers, helps them to get personalised offerings up to 35% cheaper than online prices, simplifies their trip booking process and management and provides quick access to human support.

For the full report, check out: https://voyagu.com/report/

Visit the website: https://voyagu.com/

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