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It doesn’t get more exclusive than this

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 27 May 2024: ÀNI Private Resorts, the world’s first private resort collection offering exclusive retreats for a single group of guests, has appointed Lena Wantjer as Vice President of Sales.

The group has resorts in Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Dominican Republic, and Anguilla. ÀNI offers exclusive retreats in the earth’s most beautiful and far-flung corners, from the Caribbean to Southeast Asia. Each ÀNI destination is designed exclusively for a single group of guests, accommodating up to 20 or 30 guests across 10 to 15 suites.

Wantjer’s pivotal role in developing strategic sales plans and overseeing the global sales teams will help further solidify ÀNI’s position as a leading luxury resort operator.

She joins ÀNI Private Resorts, having held management positions in renowned hospitality organisations, such as Ennismore, Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts, Emirates Palace, The Arch London, One&Only Resorts and Kempinski Hotels.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lena Wantjer to the ÀNI Private Resorts team as our new Vice President of Sales,” said ÀNI Private Resorts CEO Yeshi Phuntsho. 

Founded in 2010, the group currently offers four resorts located in Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Dominican Republic, and Anguilla boasting panoramic ocean views and pristine natural settings.

Two properties in Asia

ÀNI Thailand Koh Yao Noi in Phang Nga Bay is an all-inclusive private resort on the east coast of Koh Yao Noi Island that accommodates groups of 12 to 20 guests who have the resort to themselves for their stay.  

ÀNI Sri Lanka is a 15-suite property at the southern tip of Sri Lanka, a 30-minute drive from Mawella Lagoon, where seaplanes land after a 35-minute flight from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo.

Steam trains clickety-clack for tourism

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TTR WEEKLY
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DANANG, Vietnam, 27 May 2024: Indochina Rail Tourist Service and Wafaifo Optimisers have signed a management agreement for Wafaifo Optimisers to manage the Revolution Express steam train, a new tourist experience in central Vietnam. 

The trains will chug along the track from Danang to Hue starting during the last quarter of 2024 or early 2025.

The Revolution Express will traverse the train line along coastal mountains [pictured] adjacent to the Hai Van Pass in central Vietnam twice a day.

Two original steam locomotives from the 1960s have been restored to working condition. The locomotives will pull two fully appointed retro-styled carriages that can seat up to 57 passengers each, a custom-made kitchen carriage, and a baggage carriage.

The locomotives date from the pre-independence era and were built locally in Vietnam based on the French Mikado design. Vietnam Railways’ few remaining steam engineers have painstakingly restored them using original parts.

The Revolution Express will make a daily return trip between Danang City and the former royal capital of Hue. Each journey will traverse the scenically remarkable Hai Van coastal mountain range and stop at Lang Co, adjacent to a beautiful lagoon and beach.

Indochina Rail and Wafaifo Optimisers signed the partnership agreement on 20 May in Danang in central Vietnam. Indochina Rail’s Chairman Michael Gebbie and Wafaifo Optimisers’ Managing Director, Pieter van der Hoeven, and Commercial Director, Mikkel Krantz, represented the two parties. 

Highlights of the trip will include themed dining at the three railway stations on the route: Kim Lien (Danang), Lang Co, and Hue. Each station will have its own menus and entertainment schedules for guests arriving on the Revolution Express.

The train stations will feature restaurants and retail outlets and are designed to attract other VNR (Vietnam National Rail) passengers travelling between Danang, Lang Co, and Hue.

In Hue, the original train maintenance building is being refurbished as the Station Restaurant. The venue will have an imperial-era ambience that reflects the history of Hue, the last bastion of the dynastic era in Vietnam.

In Lang Co, the restaurant will be themed to mark the independence that Vietnam enjoys today. In addition to a full restaurant, food carts will be on the station platform, offering homemade ice cream, freshly squeezed fruit juices, Vietnamese coffee, and newly pressed sugar cane. Regular VNR-run trains all stop at Lang Co station for passenger refreshments. 

Plans for the third restaurant at the station on the outskirts of Danang have yet to be developed. One option is to adopt a design theme, which could have a colonial connotation.

Wafaifo Optimisers will market, book, and cater for the Revolution Express and its stations. In the third quarter of this year, the company will also open its urban resort in the heritage city of Hoi An.

The provisional schedule for the Revolution Express is:
0900 depart Kim Lien Station Danang going north via the Hai Van pass.
1015 arrive at Lang Co station. (Guests can disembark or board the Revolution Express here).
1130 depart Lang Co for Hue Station.
1300 arrive Hue Station.
1400 depart Hue Station.
1530 arrive Lang Co Station.
1630 depart Lang Co Station.
1745 arrive Kim Lien Station in Danang.

Doha sightseeing flights take off

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TTR WEEKLY
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DOHA Qatar, 27 May 2024: Qatar Airways’ destination management company, Discover Qatar, is launching ‘Discover Doha by Air’, using a light aircraft.

Each air tour can accommodate up to eight passengers in a Cessna 208 Caravan, a single-engine light turboprop utility aircraft designed with large windows for aerial viewing. 

Discover Qatar Senior Vice President Steven Reynolds, said: “Guests are invited to embark on an unforgettable journey around Doha’s skies, soaring above remarkable landscapes and cultural treasures, in the Cessna 208 Caravan. At Discover Qatar, we continuously work to curate our offerings to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.”

With a flight duration of 45 minutes, the aircraft will take off from Doha International Airport Premium Terminal, first flying over Al Thumama Stadium, Aspire Zone and Education City and then move towards Lusail Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium and Thakira Mangrove Forest. The journey will continue with flybys over Pearl Island, Al Safliya Island, Katara Cultural Village and West Bay. Before reaching the airport, the aircraft will fly over the Corniche, National Museum of Qatar, Museum of Islamic Art and Stadium 974 for a grand finish.

Bookings are now available for the first tour, scheduled for Thursday, 27 June 2024. Prices start at QAR710 for adults and children over two years of age and are free of charge for children under two years of age. 

Seats can be reserved for morning and afternoon tours from Thursday to Monday. Guests can also conveniently pair their air tour with Discover Qatar return airport transfers to and from Doha International Airport Premium.

The scenic flights are also available for passengers transiting for six or more hours at Hamad International Airport with a starting price of QAR 850, including private return transfers between Hamad International Airport and Doha International Airport Premium Terminal.

About Discover Qatar
Discover Qatar is the Destination Management Company (DMC) for the Qatar Airways Group.

Firefly starts flights to Nanjing

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TTR WEEKLY
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KOTA KINABALU, 27 May 2024: Firefly, a subsidiary of Malaysia Aviation Group, recently re-introduced twice-weekly flights between Sabah’s state capital, Kota Kinabalu and Miri in Sarawak and plans to expand to Nanjing in China this June from its Kuala Lumpur hub.

Photo credit: Firefly.

Flights from KK to Miri

Flight FY2500 departs Sabah’s state capital at 1120 and arrives in Miri at 1215.
Flight 2501 departs Miri in Sarawak at 1255 and arrives in Kota Kinabalu at 1340.

The revived domestic service aims to improve air links between Sabah and Sarawak, focusing mainly on business travellers on the BKI-MYY-BKI route. The airline operates flights twice weekly, on Wednesday and Friday, using a retrofitted Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which has 189 seats in a single economy class cabin configuration. 

Flight schedule for KK-Miri flight

Flights to China

Meanwhile, Firefly has confirmed it will open a new direct route between Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Nanjing, China, starting this June.

Using a Boeing 737-800, the airline will fly the route twice weekly starting 20 June and increase to three weekly flights one week later. Flights are scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, effective 29 June.

Flight FY3842 will depart Kuala Lumpur at 1740 and arrive in Nanjing at 2315.
Flight FY3843 will depart Nanjing at 0015 and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 0545 plus days.

Emirates and Avianca sign codeshares

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI UAE, 24 May 2024: Emirates and Latin Americas’ Avianca have launched a new codeshare partnership. The new partnership allows Emirates and Avianca customers to enjoy seamless connectivity on select routes.

Emirates customers flying from Emirates’ network via Madrid, Barcelona, or London Heathrow can fly direct to three points in Colombia and enjoy seamless connectivity, in addition to other travel benefits that introduce more convenience. Codeshare flights include Madrid to Bogotá, Medellin or Cali; Barcelona to Bogotá; and London Heathrow to Bogotá.  

Tickets can be booked immediately on emirates.com, avianca.com, the Emirates and Avianca Apps, contact centres, or via both online and offline travel agents. Codeshare flights start on 4 June.

Avianca will place its code on routes operated by Emirates between Barcelona, Madrid, London Heathrow, and Dubai. The Colombian carrier’s customers will fly on Emirates-operated widebody aircraft while enjoying premium dining and lie-flat seats in premium cabins. In addition, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system, featuring more than 6,500 channels of movies, shows, music, and more, including in Spanish, will provide abundant content.

Customers of both airlines will enjoy the convenience of seamless connectivity and hassle-free booking of itineraries on both airlines on a single ticket while reaping the benefits of securing competitive fares and a single baggage policy checked through to the final destination.

Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim said: “We are delighted to establish a codeshare partnership with Colombia’s largest carrier, Avianca, to provide seamless connections on select routes to customers of both airlines. The codeshare agreement will enable us to expand our reach, allow our customers to use our services, and fly to additional popular points in Colombia.”

We are also pleased to offer Avianca’s customers connections through points in Spain and London Heathrow to and from our hub in Dubai, along with other benefits such as a single baggage policy and seamless connectivity. We look forward to developing the relationship further and introducing more added-value benefits in the future that will be felt by customers of both airlines.”

Emirates currently has commercial cooperation agreements in place with 161 interline, codeshare and intermodal partners.

For flight information and to make bookings, visit www.emirates.com

The Highlights of India Tour with Pandaw

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 24 May 2024: Pandaw has released new dates for its popular River & Land Tour taking intrepid travellers on an adventure to discover the true Highlignts of India.

It combines the 14-night expedition along the River Ganges with a visit to the Taj Mahal, plus overnight stays in the ‘pink city’ of Jaipur, Delhi and Varanasi, making the trip a real bucket list experience.

This 22-night tour is the perfect way to experience the best that India has to offer whilst also discovering more off-the-beaten-path destinations thanks to our low-draft river vessels. With high demand for India adventures, Pandaw advises early bookings to secure your preferred stateroom and your journey through India with Pandaw. 

Highlights of India include Pandaw’s 14-night expedition along the Ganges and guided tours of the famous Taj Mahal in Agra, Kolkata, Delhi, and Jaipur. 

Stay over and explore Jaipur 

Jaipur, also known as the Pink City, is a featured destination on the tour, giving guests more time to explore the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It’s a popular tourist destination known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and stunning forts and palaces.

Here are some of the top must-see attractions to visit in Jaipur:

  • Amer Fort: A majestic hilltop fort overlooking Maota Lake. Amer Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and showcases a beautiful fusion of Mughal and Rajput architecture. You can even ride an elephant up to the fort for an unforgettable experience.
  • This iconic landmark is a five-story-high structure with a unique honeycomb design. It was built to allow the royal women to observe street life below while remaining unseen.
  • City Palace: The former residence of the Jaipur royal family, the City Palace is a sprawling complex of courtyards, gardens, and buildings. Here, you can see a dazzling array of Rajput art and artefacts.
  • Jantar Mantar: Jantar Mantar is the largest stone astronomical observatory in the world. It was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in the 18th century and consists of a collection of strange and wonderful astronomical instruments.
  • Nahargarh Fort: Nahargarh Fort is one of the three forts that overlook Jaipur. It offers stunning city views and was used as a retreat by the royal family.

The once-in-a-lifetime 22-night Highlights of India, now available for all departure dates, is the epitome of comfort and style, offering the perfect way to experience the best that India has to offer.

To book, visit pandaw.com or contact Pandaw’s sales team at [email protected].

From September 2024, Pandaw has announced that its India expeditions will be all-inclusive, with complimentary local beers, spirits, mixers, and soft drinks for all guests. Select house wines are also included free of charge during lunch and dinner only. 

There is an exception to free-flow drinks during cruises. The Upper Ganges segment of this itinerary passes through the state of Bihar, where it is illegal to serve any drinks containing alcohol. 

Highlights of India
NEW DELHI TO VARANASI
22 nights
FROM USD6,627 PP

Find out more about the Highlights of India Tour

Sun and Star Princess unveil Sanctuary Collection

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 24 May 2024: Princess Cruises is introducing the next-level Sanctuary Collection aboard Sun Princess and Star Princess as the newest ships debut with the select, all-inclusive experience in October 2024.

Aboard Sun Princess, the Sanctuary Club is now reserved exclusively for Sanctuary Collection guests who access the private entry via their Princess Medallion. 

As the name suggests, guests in the Sanctuary Collection enjoy exclusive access to the ship’s top deck retreat area and a host of additional and high-end amenities designed to enhance their voyage. These indulgences include exclusive private dining and relaxation areas, a luxurious stateroom experience, and the Princess Premier bundle to round out the all-inclusive allure of the Sanctuary experience. Princess Premier offerings include:

Premier Beverage Package (covering drinks up to USD20, champagne by the glass, speciality coffees, smoothies and bottled water, as well as 25% off bottles of wine).
Unlimited MedallionNet 2.0 with Fleetwide Starlink and 5G for up to four devices.
Daily crew appreciation (gratuities).
Two nights of speciality dining.

The new Sanctuary Collection aboard Sun Princess includes three levels of stateroom types – Signature Collection Suites (80), Mini-Suites (123), and Premium Deluxe Balconies (12).

Sanctuary Collection staterooms are available starting with the 14 October 2024 voyage on Sun Princess and the 4 October 2025 voyage on Star Princess. 

Norwegian expands Asia Pacific sailings

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 24 MAY 2024: Norwegian Cruise Line launches over 24 new port-intensive cruises across Asia for 85 Asia Pacific voyages from September 2024 through March 2026 on new-to-the-region ships – Norwegian Spirit, Sun and Sky.

For the first time, NCL will deploy more ships for an extended season of bucket-list-worthy voyages from 15 departure ports, including Auckland, New Zealand; Bali, (Benoa), Indonesia; Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand; Manila, Phillippines; Papeete (Tahiti), French Polynesia; Seoul (Incheon), South Korea; Singapore; Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan; Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan; Vancouver, Canada; Sydney, Melbourne and for the first time, Cairns, Australia, and Lautoka, Fiji. 

Asia destinations are among the top holiday choices for Southeast Asian travellers, with Japan being the most popular travel destination. Thailand is the top destination in Southeast Asia, followed by Indonesia and Malaysia. 

This 18-month season will also feature 36 overnight port stays in Asia Pacific to 11 places. Some of the highlights include Osaka, Japan, where guests can explore over 1,600 temples and fascinating heritage; Himeji, Japan, home to Himeji Castle, the iconic UNESCO World Heritage site; and Tokushima, Japan.

Other overnight calls include Hong Kong and Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand. Additionally, NCL will overnight in Bali and the island of Lembark (Lombok), Indonesia, for the first time.

Norwegian Spirit

Norwegian Spirit will debut in Asia on 26 May 2024 for a 10-day Japan cruise departing from Tokyo. Then, in the spring, she will return for a season of nine-to-15-day voyages to Japan and Southeast Asia, from 22 September 2024 through 17 November 2025. Cruises will visit Himeji, Osaka, Tokyo and Tokushima, Japan; Hong Kong, Incheon, South Korea; Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan; and Bangkok (Laem Chabang) in Thailand. 

From December 2025 to March 2026, she will return to offer a series of 11 to 14-day journeys between Australia and New Zealand.

Norwegian Sun 

From November 2025 to March 2026, Norwegian Sun will offer 11 to 15-day itineraries exploring Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and other highly sought-after destinations in Southeast Asia.

Norwegian Sky

In addition, Norwegian Sky will debut in Asia in January 2025 and offer select Japan and Southeast Asia cruises lasting 10 to 17 days through March 2025.

SITA acquires top self-drop bag provider

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 24 May 2024: SITA, a global leader in technology solutions for the air transport industry, announced its acquisition of Materna IPS, a passenger handling specialist for airports and airlines, earlier this week. 

Materna IPS’s portfolio allows airports to process more passengers and optimise resources to give travellers a better experience. They are market leaders in self-bag drop services with a customer base spanning North America, India, Europe, and Japan. Materna IPS offers best-in-class secure solutions for all passenger touchpoints, from check-in to baggage claim and boarding.

The move will strengthen SITA’s position in the aviation industry, creating a robust passenger portfolio for airports and digital travel. 

With air traffic set to double by 2040, airports and airlines are grappling with the need to deliver smoother passenger experiences. SITA’s latest acquisition will allow the industry to transform airports from transit hubs to digital, personalised experiences for travellers worldwide.

“This is an exciting new era of travel! SITA’s biggest acquisition ever is about to change the landscape of the whole aviation industry,” said  SITA CEO David Lavorel. “By combining our solutions and expertise, we’ll take the passenger journey and its operations to a dimension of efficiency never seen before. Airports and airlines will get the most innovative passenger handling solutions available.”

The integration will build on Materna IPS’s common-use check-in solutions at kiosks, counters, or online—multiple options for user-friendly self-bag drop and more. It will make a powerful combination with SITA’s portfolio of solutions, including biometrics, computer vision, digital travel, and airport operations management.

About SITA
SITA is the air transport industry’s IT provider, delivering solutions for airlines, airports, aircraft and governments. With around 2,500 customers, SITA’s solutions drive operational efficiencies at more than 1,000 airports while delivering the promise of connected aircraft to customers of over 18,000 aircraft globally. SITA also provides technology solutions that help more than 70 governments strike the balance of secure borders and seamless travel. 

About Materna IPS
Materna IPS, is an international service provider for automated passenger handling for airlines and airports. Delivering kiosk check-in and self-bag drop hardware to software implementations as well as service delivery and maintenance, Materna IPS has huge expertise in this sector and a well-proven software portfolio that includes Common Use-based applications for kiosk, online check-in, self-bag drop and solutions for secure access and self-boarding. With over 150,000 daily bag drops and a leading number of installations, Materna IPS is the No 1 self-bag drop company.

IndiGo doubles flights to Phuket

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TTR WEEKLY
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DELHI, 24 May 2024: IndiGo will boost flights on the Delhi-Phuket route effective this June in response to Thailand’s extension of visa-free stays for Indian citizens until 11 November. 

Starting 1 June, the low-cost airline will double the number of flights from seven to 14 per week on the popular route from the Indian capital to Phuket, Thailand’s best-known tourist island. Doubling the flight frequency with morning and evening departures offers Indian travellers more flexibility and convenience when planning a trip to Phuket.

Thailand recently extended the visa-free entry concession for both Indian and Taiwanese citizens, which allows for a 30-day stay until 11 May.

IndiGo Head of Global Sales Vinay Malhotra said: “We are pleased to add new flights on the Delhi-Phuket route, taking our frequencies from the current seven to 14 a week. These are in addition to our daily flights from Delhi to Bangkok.

Airfares on the Delhi-Phuket route are very competitive. Air India, a full-service airline, offers daily flights on an A320 with 161 seats. IndiGo matches Air India with daily flights using an A320 with 181 seats. It increases to 14 flights a week starting 1 June.

Here’s a general idea of what you can expect to pay for a round-trip flight from Delhi to Phuket:

Fares on budget airlines start around INR8,981 (THB3,580).
Full-service airlines quote fares starting around INR13,989 (THB5,590).

You can find the cheapest fares by searching for weekday flights, flying during the off-season ( from May to October), and booking your tickets well in advance. Check out Skyscanner, MakeMyTrip or Expedia.

Online travel agency fares average USD454 between January and May, but the average fare drops from May to October. The lowest average fare is USD269 in August, rising steadily to USD308 by early November.

Thailand is one of the most popular Asian destinations for Indian travellers, mainly because of its spectacular beaches, shopping, and entertainment. Bangkok and Phuket are the top drawcards, followed by Pattaya, 120 km southeast of Bangkok, and Krabi, on the mainland, around 90 km from Phuket Island. 

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