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MTF heads for Luang Prabang

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 1 April 2025: Luang Prabang in northern Laos will host the annual Mekong Tourism Forum from 23 to 27 June 2025 side-by-side with the 55th Meeting of the GMS Tourism Working Group attended by government representatives from the six Mekong Region countries.

Lijiang City in Yunang Province, China, hosted the 2024 Mekong Tourism Forum last April when an announcement confirmed that Laos would host the Mekong Tourism Forum 2025 in Luang Prabang.

Dee Suvimol Thanasarakij

When asked for more information, Mekong Tourism Coordination Office executive director Dee Suvimol Thanasarakij said details would be posted on the MTCO website next week when “we will start promoting the event.”

The office has around 12 weeks to plot the profile and muster a more substantial turnout of travel executives from the six member countries than was evident in Lijiang in China. First established in the late 1990s, the event’s popularity peaked at around 300 delegates. Due to Southeast Asia’s crowded travel show calendar, attendance has dropped dramatically in recent years.

However, Suvimol noted that MTF 2025 would be the platform to launch the “new GMS Tourism Strategy, which serves as a roadmap for GMS tourism until 2030… MTCO’s work priorities follow the recommendations outlined in the strategy.”

In the meantime, MTCO is preparing capacity-building programmes to foster inclusive tourism with some development partners. 

Details will be confirmed during the second half of the year.

Since the last MTF in Lijiang, the MTCO has led capacity-building programmes(training for trainers) to improve digital skills for women in tourism communities in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, working with the ASEAN Japan Centre (AJC), the Ministry of Tourism Laos and the Asian Development Bank. The participants have recently run their own training in their communities to use digital skills to promote their tourism products online. AJC provided financial support, while MTCO initiated and acted as the coordinating agency. 

The Mekong Region comprises Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The six countries fund the MTCO with equal contributions.

If the MTCO is quiet regarding its plans for the next annual Mekong Tourism Forum, Destination Mekong, the high-flying agency responsible for marketing the Mekong Region through partnerships with the private sector, is even quieter. The most recent mention of activity was recorded on its website in May 2024, when it announced a collaboration with Netblitz. Since then, a digital slowdown of communications has been apparent after it recorded details of its Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2023. The Cambodian-based marketing organisation (registered in Singapore) heads towards its next AGM scheduled for July 2025, when it is due to appoint members to its board. Destination Mekong is led by its CEO, Catherine Germier-Hamel, and its Chief Marketing Officer, Gerrit Kruger. TTRW messaged questions to both executives and awaits a response. Destination Mekong’s CEO did respond. She confirmed: “My three-year contract with DM ended on 31 October 2024. Your valid questions should be asked to Dr Jens Thraenhart and Gerrit Kruger.”

Edelweiss welcomes its first Airbus A350

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TTR WEEKLY
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ZURICH, 1 April 2025: Edelweiss, Switzerland’s leisure travel airline, has officially presented its first Airbus A350 at a ceremony held in an aircraft hangar at Zurich Airport on Thursday 27 March 2025. 

The first of six long-haul aircraft was welcomed and named ‘Piz Bernina’. Guests, including all past and present CEOs, attended the event, which included a viewing of the interior of the new Airbus A350 for the first time.

Photo credit: Edelweiss. Unveiling of Switzerland’s first A350. 

The A350 has 246 seats in economy class, 63 in economy Max and 30 in business class.

First passengers to fly in April

The first commercial flight of the Airbus A350 is scheduled for 1 April 2025. Initially, the aircraft will be deployed on short- and medium-haul routes to enable crew members to familiarise themselves with the new aircraft type. The first flight will be from Zurich to Tenerife. Other destinations in the first few months include Faro, Ibiza, Heraklion, Palma de Mallorca and Antalya

The Airbus A350 is scheduled to be deployed on long-haul flights starting in mid-May 2025, with flights to Las Vegas.

Edelweiss is a sister company of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and a member of the Lufthansa Group.

SWISS A350 orders

SWISS will receive five new Airbus A350-900 aircraft from 2027 onwards, in addition to the five already on order. The new SWISS Airbus A350 fleet will be gradually delivered—complete with the new ‘SWISS Senses’ cabin interior—between summer 2025 and the end of 2031.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is to take delivery of more new long-haul aircraft. In addition to the five Airbus A350-900s which are already on order, the airline is to receive five more of the advanced long-haul twinjet, as part of an overall investment by the Lufthansa Group.

“Our new Airbus A350s will make our fleet even more modern,” said SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger. “This is a major investment and a vital one to ensure we continue meeting our customers’ high expectations. With these advanced twinjets and their innovative cabins, we’re bringing our long-haul aircraft fleet up to a new level of modernity, sustainability and inflight comfort for our guests.”

SWISS’s first Airbus A350-900 will be delivered in the summer of 2025, with nine more aircraft following gradually between then and the end of 2031. Over the next few months, SWISS will finalise which routes its new Airbus A350s will serve.

AirAsia wings its way to Hai Phong

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 1 April 2025: Thai AirAsia continues expanding its network in Vietnam by launching a new direct route from Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK) to the city of Hai Phong, the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay. 

The service will commence on 16 July 2025, with four weekly flights every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. The airline uses an A320 with 180 seats on the route.

Flight schedule

FD670 departs Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK) at 1030 and arrives at Hai Phong (HPH) at 1230.
FD671 departs Hai Phong (HPH) at 1300 and arrives at Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK) at 1455. 

Promotional fares start from only THB1,790 one-way, bookable  6 April 2025, for travel between 16 July and 24 October 2025. Tickets are available exclusively via AirAsia MOVE and airasia.com.

Thai AirAsia CEO Santisuk Klongchaiya said: “Thai AirAsia will be the only airline offering direct flights between Bangkok and Hai Phong, further solidifying our position as the airline with the most direct routes to Vietnam. With this addition, we now connect Bangkok to six Vietnamese cities. Based on the strong demand for our existing Vietnam routes, which saw an average load factor of 90% in the first two months of 2025, we expect a fantastic response from travellers for this new route as well,” Santisuk added.

Located in northern Vietnam, Hai Phong is a dynamic coastal city known for its cool climate, local food scene, and easy access to the world-famous Halong Bay — just a 50-minute drive from the airport.

Thai AirAsia currently operates direct flights from Bangkok to six cities in Vietnam, comprising Hanoi (21 flights per week), Ho Chi Minh City (21 flights per week), Danang (21 flights per week), Nha Trang (seven flights pe week), Phu Quoc (seven flights per week), and Hai Phong (four flights per week).

Flying Kangaroo starts Darwin – Singapore hop

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 1 April 2025: Qantas introduced a new direct service on Sunday connecting Australia’s Northern Territory capital Darwin with Singapore four times weekly.

The new service adds 70,000 seats between Darwin and Singapore providing business and leisure travellers with direct flights between Australia’s Top End and Singapore, a leading aviation gateway for travel to India and Southeast Asia.

Photo credit: Qantas. Left-to-right: Oliver Craven-McLeay, Manager Communications and Government Affairs Asia, Qantas;
The Hon Robyn Cahill OAM,  Minister Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations, Northern Territory Government; 
Florence Liau, Associate General Manager – Air Hub Market & Passenger Development, Changi Airport.

Return fares from Singapore to Darwin start at SGD434 in economy. All Qantas fares include checked baggage, meals, beverages and entertainment. Fares are on sale at Qantas.com or via travel agents. 

Qantas CEO International, Cam Wallace, commented: “We’re delighted to offer another option for Singaporeans to experience the magic of Australia’s Top End and strengthen the important trade and business links between the Lion City and Australia. By adding over 70,000 new seats from our hub in Singapore, this new route will open up more options for travellers to make Darwin the first stop on their Australian itinerary.”

Singapore Tourism Board’s Executive Director, International Group HQ & Oceania, Oliver Chong, added: “It’s fantastic that Qantas is creating more access for Aussies to visit Singapore from the top end. With Singapore just under a five-hour flight from Darwin, the city is a perfect choice for a quick break, whether it be a whirlwind tour of our food, shopping and attraction offerings or a chill-out time indulging in wellness and bar options.”

Flights operate four times weekly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, operated by Qantas Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 12 business and 162 economy seats. Flight time is four hours and 50 minutes.

Flight schedule

QF113 departs Darwin at 1455 and arrives in Singapore at 1815.
QF114 departs Singapore at 1920 and arrives in Darwin at 0140, plus a day.

Qantas will compete head-on with Singapore Airlines, which has been flying the route five times weekly and increased to daily on 31 March. It uses a Boeing 737-9 with 154 seats. The average roundtrip fare on the route is USD650. Both airlines offer business class.

BWH Hotels brings international hospitality to Quetta Pakistan

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 31 March 2025: BWH Hotels, the leading global hospitality network comprising WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, and SureStay Hotels, has expanded its presence in Pakistan with the launch of a brand new hotel in Quetta, the capital and largest city in the province of Balochistan.

Now open and welcoming guests, Best Western DHA Hanna Mall Quetta forms part of a major new mixed-use development. Travelers can stay in complete comfort with a choice of 25 spacious rooms and suites, all fully equipped with modern and comfortable amenities.

This contemporary hotel also features extensive facilities for business and leisure, including an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby lounge, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, a yoga studio, and a business centre. The five meeting rooms will enable companies to conduct professional conferences, and all guests will enjoy the convenience of direct access to the Hanna Mall retail complex.

The hotel is conveniently situated on the city’s outskirts and easily accessible via National Highway 25. It is approximately 20km from Quetta’s historic centre and 10km from Quetta International Airport, which offers direct connections to and from major cities including Dubai, Jeddah, Karachi and Lahore.

Best Western DHA Hanna Mall Quetta becomes BWH Hotels’ fifth property in Pakistan, following the group’s popular Best Western Premier® hotels in Lahore and Islamabad and two new Best Western® properties in Rawalpindi and Gujranwala. It also marks the first internationally-branded hotel in Quetta, a vibrant regional commercial hub home to more than one million people. 

“We are delighted to start welcoming guests to Best Western DHA Hanna Mall Quetta, which marks the start of an exciting new era of world-class hospitality in this major city. An integral part of the new DHA Hanna Mall complex, I am confident this outstanding property will become one of the most popular places to stay, meet, shop and dine in Quetta,” said BWH Hotels Vice President – APAC Olivier Berrivin.

With five hotels now operating and several more in the pipeline, BWH Hotels is one of the leading hotel operators in Pakistan.

To book your stay with BWH Hotels in Asia, please visit bestwesternasia.com and worldhotels.com. 

About BWH Hotels

BWH Hotels is a leading global hospitality enterprise comprising three hotel companies: WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotels. The global enterprise boasts approximately 4,300 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide*. With 18 brands across every chain scale segment, from economy to luxury, BWH Hotels suits the needs of developers and guests in every market.

Emirates flies double daily to Beirut

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI UAE, 31 March 2025: Emirates will reinstate its second daily flight between Dubai and Beirut starting 1 April 2025 operated with a Boeing 777-300ER.

The additional flight will boost weekly passenger capacity by more than 5,000 seats (roundtrip), offering customers flexibility and catering to the growing demand.

Emirates’ flight EK957 will take off from Dubai at 0730 and arrive in Beirut at 1035. The return flight EK958 will depart from Beirut at 1205 and arrive in Dubai at 1655. 

The additional daily flight will offer travellers from Beirut a second option to visit friends and family in Dubai. This service is also a convenient, seamless layover for those connecting and travelling beyond Dubai to Emirates destinations such as Sydney, Melbourne, Montreal, Toronto, New York, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Mauritius, and other key points across Asia and the Indian Ocean.

For more information or to book tickets, visit emirates.com. Tickets can also be booked through the Emirates’ app, retail stores, the contact centre, or via travel agents.

Carnival: More ships homeport in Australia

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 31 March 2025: Carnival Cruise Line confirmed that Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter embarked on their maiden voyages from Australia, departing from their respective homeports in Sydney and Brisbane at the weekend. 

With the addition of these two ships, Carnival Cruise Line now has the largest fleet in its 53-year history, totalling 29 ships worldwide.

Photo credit: Carnival. Carnival Encounter.

In Sydney, Carnival Adventure was officially welcomed into the Carnival fleet during a special celebration led by Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy on Friday. A second celebratory event took place on Saturday in Brisbane, the homeport of Carnival Encounter. Once the celebrations ended, the ships welcomed guests onboard for their maiden voyages from both homeports.

Completing the integration of P&O Australia into the Carnival brand, the ships previously known as Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter have been reimagined to deliver Carnival’s signature features while retaining some of P&O’s most-loved elements. They will join Carnival’s Splendor and Carnival Luminosa, with the cruise line forecasting more than 500,000 guests will sail on its four ships from Australian homeports this year.

Carnival’s HubApp is now available for guests sailing on Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter. Guests can use the app on personal devices to easily make dining and excursion reservations, chat with other guests and explore onboard activities.

Hong Kong hikes Passenger Departure Tax

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 31 March 2025: Hong Kong will increase its Air Passenger Departure Tax on 1 October 2025 from HKD120 to HKD200, 20 years after it last increased the tax.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said the new tax rate will apply to air tickets purchased on or after 1 October, generating an estimated annual increase of HKD1.6 billion.

“Under the Air Passenger Departure Tax Ordinance (Cap 140) (APDT Ordinance), certain classes of people are exempted from payment of the APDT, including passengers under 12 years of age, direct transit passengers, connecting flight passengers, passengers who arrive at and depart from Hong Kong by aircraft on the same day, and passengers who arrive at Hong Kong International Airport by vehicle via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge or by ship and subsequently depart from Hong Kong by aircraft while remaining within the restricted area at all times before departure.”

Under the APDT Ordinance, airlines and helicopter companies collect the APDT from air passengers on behalf of the government and process applications for exemptions and refunds in return for an administration fee. The bill also proposes amending the APDT Ordinance to streamline the government’s financial arrangements for handling administration fees. 

Malaysia Airlines resumes Paris flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 31 March 2025: Malaysia Airlines marked its return to Paris last week with daily direct flights between its home base at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).

Flight MH22 departs from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 at 2345 local time (MYT) and arrives in Paris at 0640. It’s Malaysia Airlines’ 68th destination.

The inaugural flights received an overwhelming response, with flight loads for MH22 and the return sector MH21 reaching 95% and 98%,, respectively. 

Malaysia Airlines scheduled four weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and Paris before increasing to daily flights on 29 March.

As part of this resumption, Malaysia Airlines also introduced the Time for Memorable Journeys Pocketbook for all passengers flying on this new route. The Paris edition, the first in an ongoing series, is designed to enhance the travel experience by providing valuable tips to navigate the city. 

Malaysia Airlines expands travel options for passengers flying beyond Paris through its long-standing partnership with American Airlines. Passengers can connect with flights to four additional US destinations from Paris: New York (JFK), Dallas (DFW), Miami (MIA), and Orlando (ORD).

AAPA: Passenger traffic strong in February

By
TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 31 March 2025: International passenger traffic and cargo uplift continued to grow, supported by positive business and consumer demand across the region, according to preliminary data for February released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). 

An aggregate total of 30.8 million international passengers flew on the region’s airlines in February, representing a 5.9% increase over the number recorded in the same month last year on the back of the Lunar New Year holiday period.

 In revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) terms, demand grew by 9.2% year-on-year, reflecting relative strength in long-haul markets. When considering an 8.6% expansion in available seat capacity, the average international passenger load factor edged 0.4 percentage points higher to 82.2% for the month.

Meanwhile, as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), international air cargo demand grew by a more modest 2.8% year-on-year in February, as export activity slowed across the major manufacturing hubs, notably China, during the festive celebrations. 

Offered freight capacity increased by 6.0%, outpacing the growth in demand to result in a 1.7 percentage point decline in the average international freight load factor to 56.5% for the month.

Commenting on the results, AAPA Director General Subhas Menon,said: “In the first two months of the year, combined international passenger traffic for the region’s carriers rose by a robust 13%, reaching a total of 66 million passengers. During the same period, international air cargo demand increased by 4% year-on-year, supported by higher consumer and intermediate goods demand.”

Looking Menon noted: “Overall, airlines are expected to continue to benefit from sustained travel demand and growth in air shipments due to ongoing expansion in e-commerce activity. However, the region’s carriers are facing headwinds, particularly as rising costs, driven partly by fleet capacity constraints, continue to exert pressure on revenue.”

He concluded: “The recent rise in protectionist sentiment also presents potential trade and broader business activity challenges. In response, Asian airlines are maintaining a cautious stance, closely monitoring evolving operating conditions while actively exploring opportunities in high-potential growth markets.”

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