SINGAPORE, 2 February 2024: Etihad Airways is adding more flights to key destinations across the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent in March and June following an earlier announcement on new destinations and flight increases.
The latest increase means the airline offers almost 27% more weekly departures than last summer.
The airline is increasing flights to Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Amman in Jordan, Beirut in Lebanon, Colombo in Sri Lanka, and Kolkata and Bangalore in India.
The enhancements boost Abu Dhabi’s global reach, offering more flexible travel options.
Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De commented: “These latest flight increases aligned with our seamless and practical connections at Abu Dhabi, and our growing global network offers our guests more opportunities to fly where they want to at a time that suits them.”
The latest announcement in increases: Middle East and South Asia
Flights from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh and Jeddah will increase on 15 March, followed by additional flights to Amman and Beirut on 15 June. Additional flights to Colombo, Sri Lanka and two destinations in India; Kolkata and Bangalore, are also scheduled for 15 June.
Earlier announcement
Flights to Bangkok from Abu Dhabi will increase from 14 to 17 per week, effective 22 February 2024.
SINGAPORE, 2 February 2024: Air travel recovery continued last December, ensuring 2023’s air traffic performance edged even closer to matching pre-pandemic demand, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported earlier this week.
Total traffic in 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 36.9% compared to 2022. Globally, in the full year 2023, traffic was at 94.1% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels.
December 2023 total traffic rose 25.3% compared to December 2022, reaching 97.5% of the December 2019 level. Fourth quarter traffic was at 98.2% of 2019, reflecting the strong recovery towards the end of the year.
International traffic in 2023 climbed 41.6% versus 2022 and reached 88.6% of 2019 levels. December 2023 international traffic climbed 24.2% over December 2022, reaching 94.7% of the level in December 2019. Fourth quarter traffic was at 94.5% of 2019.
Domestic traffic for 2023 rose 30.4% to close the year 3.9% above the full-year 2019 level. December 2023 domestic traffic was up 27.0% over the year-earlier period and 2.3% above December 2019 traffic. Fourth-quarter traffic was 4.4% higher than the same quarter in 2019.
“The strong post-pandemic rebound continued in 2023. December traffic stood just 2.5% below 2019 levels, with a strong performance in Q4, teeing up airlines for a return to normal growth patterns in 2024,” said IATA’s director general Willie Walsh.
“The recovery in travel is good news. The restoration of connectivity is powering the global economy as people travel to do business, further their educations, take hard-earned vacations and much more.”
Walsh cautioned governments that to “maximise the benefits of air travel in the post-pandemic world, governments must incentivise Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production to meet net zero carbon emission goal by 2050 and adopt regulations that deliver a clear cost-benefit.
“Completing the recovery must not be an excuse for governments to forget the critical role of aviation in increasing the prosperity and well-being of people and businesses worldwide.”
International Passenger Markets
Asia-Pacific airlines posted a126.1% rise infull-year international 2023 traffic compared to 2022, maintaining the strongest year-over-year rate among the regions. Capacity rose 101.8%, and the load factor climbed 9.0 percentage points to 83.1%. In December 2023, traffic rose 56.9% compared to December 2022.
European carriers’ full-year traffic climbed 22.0% versus 2022. Capacity increased 17.5%, and load factor rose 3.1 percentage points to 83.8%. Demand climbed 13.6% in December compared to the same month in 2022. December traffic was higher than the corresponding month in 2019 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
Middle Eastern airlines saw a 33.3% traffic rise in 2023 compared to 2022. Capacity increased by 26%, and load factor climbed by 4.4 percentage points to 80.1%. December demand climbed 16.6% compared to the same month in 2022.
North American carriers reporteda 28.3% annual traffic rise in 2023 compared to 2022. Capacity increased 22.4%, and load factor climbed 3.9 percentage points to 84.6%. In December 2023, traffic rose 13.5% compared to the year-ago period.
Latin American airlines posted a 28.6% traffic rise in 2023 over 2022. Annual capacity climbed 25.4%, and the load factor increased 2.1 percentage points to 84.7% — the region’s highest. December demand climbed 26.5% compared to December 2022.
African airlines’ annual traffic rose38.7% in 2023 versus the prior year. The full-year 2023 capacity was up 38.3%, and the load factor climbed 0.2 percentage points to 71.9%, the lowest among regions. December 2023, traffic for African airlines rose 9.5% over December 2022.
SINGAPORE, 2 February 2024: Singapore’s tourism sector recovered strongly and demonstrated resilience with a solid performance in 2023, the Singapore Tourist Board reported in its annual review.
International visitor arrivals (IVA) reached 13.6 million in 2023 (~71% of 2019 IVA), meeting STB’s forecast of between 12 and 14 million visitors. Tourism receipts (TR) are estimated to reach SGD24.5 to SGD26.0 billion (~88-94% of 2019 TR), surpassing STB’s forecast of SGD18 to SGD21 billion set out in 2023.
Singapore Tourism Board chief executive Melissa Ow said: “The robust performance in 2023 signals a promising recovery for tourism, in line with increasing flight capacity and growth in international travel demand.
“Our strategy to attract a healthy and diverse visitor portfolio, comprising long and short haul markets, has significantly contributed to our overall visitor arrivals, longer length of stay and growth in tourism receipts.”
2023 Tourism Performance
Visitor arrivals were driven by strong demand from a mix of Singapore’s key markets, led by Indonesia (2.3 million), China (1.4 million) and Malaysia (1.1 million). Other key markets that posted buoyant recovery included Australia, South Korea and the US.
Tourism receipts
Tourism receipts (TR) reached SGD20.1 billion between January and September 2023. Full-year tourism receipts are expected to register between SGD24.5 and SGD26 billion. From January to September 2023, tourism receipts across all spending categories exceeded or recovered close to pre-pandemic levels compared with the same period in 2019.
For the first nine months of 2023, the top TR-generating markets were China, Indonesia and Australia. They contributed SGD2.3 billion, SGD2.2 billion, and SGD1.5 billion (excluding sightseeing, entertainment and gaming revenue).
Length of stay
Visitors also spent more time in Singapore compared to before the pandemic. The average length of stay in 2023 was approximately 3.8 days compared to 3.4 days for the same period in 2019.
Hotel Industry Performance
Singapore’s hotel industry performance in 2023 was encouraging, driven by stronger demand for leisure and business travel. In 2023, the Average Room Rate (ARR) and Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) surpassed 2019 levels, reaching SGD282 (~128% of 2019 ARR) and SGD226 (~118% of 2019 RevPAR), respectively. Average
Occupancy Rate (AOR) was 80.1% in 2023, compared to 86.9% in the same period in 2019.
An addition of 3,210 new hotel rooms entered the hotel market with the unveiling of new establishments such as Pan Pacific Orchard, Mondrian Singapore Duxton, Artyzen Singapore, and The Singapore EDITION.
Cruise Industry Performance
Singapore’s position as a regional cruise hub strengthened in 2023 with a record 2 million passenger throughput received from more than 340 ship calls since the opening of the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore.
In 2023, Royal Caribbean International’s Spectrum of the Seas and Resorts World Cruises’ Genting Dream continued its year-round homeport at Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore. TUI Cruises, Marella Cruises and Silversea Cruises continued their seasonal homeport while Virgin Voyages, Resilient Lady and Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge made several maiden port calls. The healthy number of ship calls demonstrates the industry’s commitment to realise the strong potential of cruising in Singapore and the region.
In addition, STB and Disney Cruise Line signed a MOU to collaborate on the exclusive five-year year-round homeporting of Disney Adventure in Singapore from 2025.
BANGKOK, 1 February 2024: Four tourism specialist organisations, Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), Green Destinations (GD), and the Trade Association of Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN), signed a MOU earlier this week to promote sustainable tourism certification for destinations in the six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion.
The MOU was signed by Athikun Kongmee, director-general of DASTA (Thailand), Suvimol Thanasarakij, executive director of MTCO, Susan Santos de Cardenas, Southeast Asia partner and representative of Green Destinations and Masaru Takayama, president of the Trade Association of Asia Ecotourism Network (AEN).
The MOU outlines a collaborative framework that enhances sustainable tourism practices, particularly in destination management and certification in the Mekong Region, but possibly extending to other Asian countries.
It calls for the four partners to share knowledge and resources, support the development and testing of sustainable tourism initiatives, and exchange ideas to formulate operational guidelines.
LONDON, 1 February 2024: Emirates has become the first international airline to join The Solent Cluster, a UK initiative focused on low carbon investments established to reduce CO2 emissions from industry, transport and households in the South Coast of England.
The Solent Cluster is a cross-sector collaboration of international organisations, including manufacturers and engineering companies, regional businesses and industries, leading logistics and infrastructure operators and academic institutions.
Emirates joins over 100 members as part of the Cluster, alongside founding members the Solent Partners (previously the Solent LEP), global energy provider ExxonMobil and the University of Southampton. The founding members have each shared details of their vision for the Solent and how it could secure existing jobs and produce low-carbon fuels for various sectors, including aviation.
Sustainable aviation fuel potential
The Solent Cluster has the potential to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant with an estimated fuel production capacity of 200,000 tonnes (200 kt) per year. If approved, the plant could start operating in 2032. Jet fuel produced by the SAF plant could avoid emissions of 563 kilotons of CO2 per year by producing fuel with 70% less emissions than fossil kerosene. Existing pipeline networks can supply the SAF from the plant to major airports served by Emirates, such as Heathrow and Gatwick.
Emirates’ long-term aspiration to secure UK-produced SAF with The Solent Cluster is in addition to several SAF initiatives the airline has announced over the last year. It follows Emirates’ A380 and Boeing 777 demonstration flights using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel in 2023. Emirates has expanded its partnership with Neste for the supply of SAF in 2024 and 2025 for its operations in Amsterdam and Singapore. The airline also uplifted SAF for the first time at its hub in Dubai for commercial flights in October 2023. Emirates Airline president Sir Tim Clark said:“Emirates is proud to join like-minded organisations as part of The Solent Cluster Initiative. The Cluster has strong potential to power clean energy innovation and production and is another step forward in our journey towards long-term SAF adoption within our network. Alongside our fellow members, we look forward to contributing towards these efforts while also seeing The Solent Cluster’s positive impact on the local economy, Southeast region, and wider industries.”
PATTAYA, 1 February 2024: Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with a delicious buffet for an unforgettable evening on Chinese New Year, 10 February.
Enjoy a variety of famous Chinese dishes such as roasted duck, red BBQ pork, crackling pork belly, dim sum, and Baked Red Snapper, along with an array of desserts and homemade ice cream.
Venue: Panorama Restaurant, Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya Date: 10 February, 2024 Time: 1800 – 2100 Price: THB999++ per person
LONDON, 1 February 2024: Tourism Malaysia is reaching out to travellers to discover the wonders of Malaysia during London’s Destinations Show 2024, open until 4 February at the Olympia London Exhibition Centre.
Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show, in association with The Times and The Sunday Times, is the UK’s largest and longest-running event for travel consumers. Hosted at Olympia from 1 to 4 February, it features more than 600 travel brands and a diversity of sights, cultures, landscapes, wildlife and cultural experiences worldwide with more than 600 travel brands.
Tourism Malaysia presents an immersive experience showcasing the rich tapestry of Malay culture and providing invaluable insights for future travel adventures at its stand AP64.
Visitors to the booth can indulge in a taste of Malay culture by experiencing the art of henna. Mehndi Creations is a renowned UK-based centre for Malay henna artistry that uses all-natural ingredients.
In addition to the cultural experience, visitors have the opportunity to enter a prize draw for a chance to win an unforgettable trip to Malaysia. The grand prize includes a pair of Malaysia Airlines return economy class tickets from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur flying the newest Airbus A350 and a two-night stay at the Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR, 1 February 2024: AirAsia will resume flights to Visakhapatnam this April from its Kuala Lumpur home base, making it the only airline in Malaysia to fly direct to the Indian city.
Commencing 26 April 2024, AirAsia will deploy an A320 to offer three weekly flights to Visakhapatnam, on the Bay of Benga coast. Visakhapatnam, sometimes known as ‘Vizag’, has plenty to offer, from its lush landscapes to its historical landmarks, such as the popular tourist attraction of Dolphin Hill, its traditional festivals and Andhra cuisine.
Photo credit: AirAsia
To mark the return of direct flights to Visakhapatnam, the airline is offering a discount until 14 February with a starting fare of MYR199* all-in-one-way and INR4,999* from Visakhapatnam to Kuala Lumpur. The travel period runs from 26 April to 19 March 2025 for the special fares.
A check of the AirAsia booking website and other independent booking sites indicates bookings are not yet open as of 31 January 2024.
AirAsia Aviation Group CEO Bo Lingam commented: “A direct route to Visakhapatnam is a core part of our expansion plans, and we’re delighted that it is taking off at an opportune time for AirAsia, marking our fourth new route to India this year.
The airline recently announced three other new routes to India that will begin operating this year ‒ Thiruvananthapuram in February, serving as AirAsia’s second route to the state of Kerala, following Kochi, Jaipur in April and Ahmedabad in May. In addition, AirAsia and sister airline AirAsia X fly to six cities in south India ‒ Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Kochi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Kolkata, as well as to two cities in the north ‒ New Delhi and Amritsar.
KUALA LUMPUR, 1 February 2024: the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines’ preliminary traffic figures for 2023 released on Tuesday showed robust growth in international passenger demand, underpinned by a strong appetite for travel following the removal of the region’s remaining pandemic-related travel restrictions.
For the year, the region’s airlines recorded a 161.0% increase in the number of international passengers carried to a combined total of 278.5 million. In revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) terms, demand rose by 131.0%, reflecting strength in short-haul markets. The increase in demand was supported by a 106.2% expansion in available seat capacity for the year as airlines restored flights within and across regions. The international passenger load factor returned to pre-pandemic levels with an average of 80.9% in 2023, an 8.7 percentage point increase compared to 2022.
Meanwhile, air cargo markets entered 2023, weighed by multiple headwinds, including inflation, a strong US dollar, government policy dampening trade activity, and household spending power. Nevertheless, the year’s final months saw demand grow strongly, led by increased e-commerce shipments. In December, international air cargo demand as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK) recorded a 13.2% year-on-year growth, further reducing the decline recorded for 2023 to 2.8%. Offered freight capacity rose by 6.4%, resulting in a 5.8 percentage point decline in the average international freight load factor to 60.7% for the year.
Commenting on the results, AAPA director-general Subhas Menon said: “International passenger traffic carried by Asian airlines grew solidly by 161% in 2023. Passenger numbers averaged 72% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels, up significantly from 28% in 2022.
“Whilst international air cargo demand declined by 2.8% for the full year, the last quarter of 2023 saw an 8.2% increase compared to the previous corresponding period.”
Overall, 2023 was a good year for the region’s carriers due to a gradual restoration of flights and city-pair connections for the year, which provided more options for travellers, further stimulating demand.
“However, as operations were progressively restored, airlines faced capacity constraints and increased cost pressures driven by volatile fuel prices, a strong US Dollar and inflationary impacts on operations,” Menon explained.
“2024 promises to be another good year for Asian airlines. International passenger traffic is poised to return to pre-pandemic levels in the coming months, buoyed by the return of tourism and resilient expansion of the region’s economies.”
He concluded that “uncertainties remain, including the potential erosion of business and consumer sentiment amid rising geopolitical risks. Against this background, the region’s airlines remain vigilant to market influences while investing for future growth.”
SINGAPORE, 1 February 2024: US-headquartered Carnival Corporation is rerouting cruise ships scheduled to transit the Red Sea until the end of May this year.
In a press statement released Tuesday, Carnival Corporation confirmed it has rerouted itineraries for 12 ships across seven brands for the “safety and well-being of crew and guests following consultations with security experts and the government.”
Photo credit: Cunard’s Queen Victoria visits Singapore on a world cruise.
Carnival Corporation is the largest global cruise company and among the largest leisure travel companies, with a portfolio of cruise lines — AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess Cruises, and Seabourn.
Carnival Corporation reports the Red Sea rerouting is expected to have an adjusted earnings per share impact of USD0.07 to USD0.08 for the full year 2024, with the vast majority of the impact in the second quarter. The company has not seen an impact on booking trends due to the Red Sea situation and has no other Red Sea transits until November 2024.
Carnival is not the only cruise line adjusting itineraries due to the risk of attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, though to varying degrees depending on their scheduled itineraries over the next three to four months,
MSC Cruises has cancelled some Red Sea sailings, especially its “Grand Voyages” from South Africa. Due to security, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Line have cancelled or modified Red Sea itineraries. Italy’s Costa Cruises ( a brand under Carnival) announced earlier in January it was cancelling Red Sea transits.
Travel warnings
There are several travel advisories issued by governments regarding cruise ships passing through the Red Sea. The US Department of State, the UK and Australia warn of heightened risk of piracy and maritime attacks in the southern Red Sea, particularly off the coast of Yemen and Somalia. They advise cruise ships to exercise extreme caution and implement heightened security measures.
Avoiding the Red Sea
Rerouting to avoid the Red Sea means longer voyages detouring around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope adds seven to 10 days to itineraries. It also inflicts considerable costs on the cruise line. In addition to disrupting cruise schedules, it impacts passenger satisfaction and could lead to cancellations or postponement of trips going into summer if the security risks remain unresolved.
Cancelled Suez Canal transits
While not a major draw for most cruise lines, some world cruises use the Suez Canal to reduce sailing time from ports in the Mediterranean and destinations in the Indian Ocean. These itineraries could suffer major revisions to avoid the canal until safety can be assured. They cannot pass on the cost of extra sailing days around the Cape of Good Hope to passengers.
Lost revenue
Cancellations and altered itineraries lead to lost bookings and revenue for cruise lines. Longer voyages mean greater fuel consumption, pushing up operational costs.
