BANGKOK 17 May 2023: Thai Vietjet has opened lounge services at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport using the facilities of the Coral Executive Lounge.
Passengers travelling on Thai Vietjet’s international flights from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Singapore, Fukuoka, Danang, Phu Quoc, and Taipei can enjoy premium services at the Coral Executive Lounge, Concourse D, Departure Terminal, Suvarnabhumi Airport for a fee of THB1,200, paid for on the airline’s website or through the airline’s call centre.
The premium lounge service at the Coral Executive Lounge includes food and refreshments, snacks and beverages, Wi-Fi service, flight information service, private room, neck and shoulder massage service, newspapers and magazines, television entertainment, and disabled access.
Coral Executive Lounge is open to members and travellers using credit cards that have brokered a lounge visit as an incentive for their premium card members.
Passengers holding Thai Vietjet’s Eco and Deluxe tickets can enjoy the premium lounge service by adding the lounge pass to their booking number while booking the air ticket. Or they contact the call centre at (+66)-2-089-1909 at least 24 hours before departure. Passengers must present their flight itinerary and boarding pass at the lounge reception counter.
MANILA, 17 May 2023: Visitor arrivals to the Philippines passed 2 million for the first five months of 2023, surpassing targets the country’s Department of Tourism set.
The Philippines News Agency reported that data released by the Department of Tourism showed the country welcomed 2,002,304 international visitors from 1 January to 12 May, which exceeded the 1.7 million foreign visitors in 2022.
“Notwithstanding the challenges and difficulties that our country faced, a pandemic and the various calamities that come into our shores, the good news is that these have done nothing to break the Filipino spirit or to diminish the beauty of the Philippines,” DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said in a news release quoted by PNA.
“We’re very optimistic for the prospects in our country in terms of being a tourism powerhouse in Asia, anchored on the strength of our Filipino culture as well as the values of sustainability, resilience and global competitiveness.”
South Koreans made up almost a quarter of the visitors, with 487,502 (24.35%), followed by US citizens at 352,894 (17.62%), Australians, 102,494 (5.12%), Canadians, 98,593 (4.92%) and Japanese, 97,329 (4.86%).
DOT reported tourism receipts stood at PHP168.52 billion from January to April, 782.59% higher than in 2022.
BANGKOK, 17 May 2023: Asia Aviation Plc (AAV), the sole shareholder of Thai AirAsia (TAA), announces its operational results for the first quarter of 2023 (“1Q2023”) with total revenue of THB9,814.8 million, up 369% year-on-year,
TAA generated a net profit of THB359.4 million on the back of THB1,765.4 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (“EBITDA”).
The positive figures for the second consecutive quarter reflect strongly on the recovery in the domestic market, where TAA achieved a record-setting market share of 37%. Similarly, demand in the international market is also rebounding, especially in China, where growth has significantly improved since March 2023 and is expected to continue until the end of the year. Based on these positive developments, the company is confident of recording its first post-pandemic net profit this year.
Throughout 1Q2023, TAA served 4.58 million passengers, up 13% from the previous quarter and 216% year-on-year. The quarterly load factor hit a new high of 92%, while on-time performance remained strong at 87%. The airline completed the quarter with a fleet of 54 aircraft (one aircraft pending redelivery), with 45 active in service. The utilisation rate averaged 11.8 hours per day per aircraft.
Looking forward, TAA will add domestic and international routes from its Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai and Phuket flight bases. From the start of the year to the end of April, over 845,000 Chinese travellers visited Thailand, second only to the 1.29 million travellers from Malaysia. As of the end of the first quarter, Thai AirAsia is operating 67 flights to China each week and is looking to increase frequency to 114 per week in the second quarter before returning to its pre-pandemic peak of 140 flights per week later this year.
For 2023, TAA is maintaining a target of 20 million passengers served, up from the 9.95 million served last year. The load factor has been forecast at 87%, and the airline is confident of maintaining its on-time performance industry leadership while having the largest operating fleet of 53 aircraft. If the travel sector recovers faster than predicted, TAA plans to bring in more aircraft to capitalise on the opportunity for growth.
SINGAPORE, 17 May 2023: 25 individuals and organisations were recognised at the Singapore Tourism Awards 2023 for delivering exceptional experiences and displaying enterprise excellence as tourism resumed fully last year.
Conferred by the Singapore Tourism Board the Singapore Tourism Awards seeks to raise the sector’s competitiveness by motivating individuals and organisations to create compelling experiences and adopt best practices.
Recipients were selected from 90 finalists nominated for Experience Excellence (Leisure/MICE), Enterprise Excellence and Customer Service Excellence.
STB Chief Executive Keith Tan said: “I congratulate all our award recipients and finalists for their outstanding achievements. Their efforts have strengthened Singapore’s tourism sector and enhanced the experiences of visitors to Singapore. I hope their achievements will inspire others in the tourism sector to step up and perform even better in the future.”
Lifetime Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism
Mr George Tanasijevich, former President and CEO/Managing Director of Marina Bay Sands, was conferred the Awards’ highest accolade – Lifetime Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism. He spearheaded Las Vegas Sands Corporation’s successful bid in 2006 to develop the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort. It is now one of the world’s most iconic tourist destinations, creating quality jobs for locals and significant economic benefits for Singapore.
Recognising the best in tourism
24 individuals and organisations were also honoured for their outstanding achievements in Experience Excellence (Leisure/MICE), Enterprise Excellence and Customer Service Excellence.
In particular, Avatar: The Experience was awarded Outstanding Attraction Experience under the Experience Excellence (Leisure) award category. It immersed visitors in the world of “Pandora” while offering an “eco-smart tourable experience” that can be transported and reused, reducing its overall carbon footprint.
Kayak Fishing Fever’s Kayak Sailing in Singapore, Mangrove and Culinary Adventure received the Outstanding Tour Experience for bringing guests up close to the natural ecosystem and habitats while offering a rare glimpse into life on Pulau Ubin.
Blue Smoke was named Outstanding Casual Dining Experience for its unique concept of an open wood and charcoal fire smokehouse and grill while creating uniquely Asian flavours with Nanyang Teochew cuisine at the core.
Informa’s Food & Hotel Asia (FHA) received the Outstanding Business Event award under the Experience Excellence (MICE) award category for restructuring FHA 2022 into two tradeshows. It achieved strong attendance to become the best-attended food and hospitality event in Asia.
Sands Expo and Convention Centre (Marina Bay Sands) was awarded Outstanding Event Venue Experience for repositioning Marina Bay Sands from a one-venue destination to a vibrant and integrated precinct. It has also been conferred the Exceptional Achievement[3] award for achieving Outstanding Event Venue Experience three years in a row.
Mandai Wildlife Group was awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Sustainability under the Enterprise Excellence award category for displaying leadership in conservation and sustainability. To protect biodiversity, the organisation focused on enhancing local habitats and ecological connectivity at Mandai Wildlife Reserve. It also achieved an 80% reduction in single-use plastics across parks and converted its in-park trams and buggies to run on electricity.
Sentosa Development Corporation’s (SDC) Discovery Neverending NFTs was named Outstanding Marketing Idea as it successfully drove brand awareness and engagement by leveraging the popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFT) among their target segments. The innovative marketing plan – which had a clear analysis and mapping of audience behaviour – increased sign-ups for SDC’s loyalty programme and garnered high participation, receiving 1.96 million impressions on their social channels.
Resorts World Sentosa was recognised as Outstanding Employer (formerly the Exemplary Employer award) for its structured approach in talent management and development. The organisation achieved close to 300,000 training hours in 2022 and implemented a tiered skill allowance framework. It also has a dedicated Innovation Department to assist and work with departments on innovation and work processes.
New award for Outstanding Wellness Experience
In line with STB’s ambition for Singapore to become an urban wellness haven and to grow our tourism offerings in this area, the Outstanding Wellness Experience Award was introduced this year. Xiu Nature Connections clinched the inaugural award. Through its unique forest bathing experience that taps into pockets of green spaces in Singapore, Xiu Nature Connections created a distinctive way for visitors to explore Singapore. It also collaborated with stakeholders such as Far East Hospitality, Seek Sophie and ClassPass to drive global outreach for its forest bathing programmes.
SINGAPORE, 17 May 2023: Travelport, a technology company that powers travel bookings for travel suppliers worldwide, and Jamie McDonald, a British adventurer better known as “Adventureman”, announced a new world record Wednesday – the fastest time to visit the new Seven Wonders of the World, achieved in less than seven days.
Confirmed by Guinness World Records, the journey was achieved in six days, 16 hours, and 14 minutes, using only public transportation.
The challenge was set to Adventureman by Travelport to put the company’s modern retail platform, Travelport+, to the test, proving that the company’s technology allows its travel agency partners to simply plan, book and manage even the world’s most complex trip.
“When we began upgrading our agency partners to Travelport+ in 2021, it was with the intent of making the complicated travel industry easier and faster to navigate,” said Travelport chief executive officer Greg Webb.
“This epic adventure was the ultimate test for our platform – could we take the world’s most complex trip and make it simple? Could we ensure it was easy to service? Would the platform be agile enough to accommodate whatever unforeseen bumps the trip encountered? Six days, sixteen hours and fourteen minutes later, we had our answer: yes, yes and yes. This trip also proves that, after a few challenging years for the industry, travel is back and better than ever.”
Travelbag, a travel agency that has been a longtime partner of Travelport, booked all aspects of Adventureman’s trip via Travelport+, and they were able to search, filter, find, compare and build the most complex itinerary with ease using Smartpoint Cloud.
Adventureman had round-the-clock access to a dedicated Travelbag Travel Specialist who, on his request, tracked evolving travel restrictions, identified schedule changes, and made necessary tweaks to his itinerary in real-time.
He also accessed the Travelport Trip Manager feature on the go to add ancillaries and extras (such as meals and seats) to his itinerary.
For travellers who want to visit one, or all, of the seven modern wonders themselves, Travelbag has a range of packages available, allowing travellers to visit all seven wonders of the world themselves (packages starting from UKP31,000) or visit an individual wonder (packages starting at UKP1,300 per person).
Adventureman began the trip at the Great Wall of China, the world’s longest human-made structure, and the world-record clock started ticking when he left the first wonder via toboggan. Second, he visited India’s Taj Mahal – the country’s top tourist destination, widely considered a symbol of eternal love. From there, he travelled to Jordan and then by bus to the ancient city of Petra, whose carved rose-red sandstone rock facades, tombs, and temples became even more famous from their role in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. Departing Jordan, Adventureman flew to Rome to see its legendary Colosseum, envisioning ancient gladiator battles before he made time for a quick pizza pit stop (the only non-aeroplane food he consumed during the trip). Christ the Redeemer, the world’s largest art deco statue, brought Adventureman to Brazil, where he was equally in awe of the view from its platform as he was of the statue itself. The sixth wonder, Machu Pichu (an Incan citadel nearly 8,000 feet above sea level), was Adventureman’s favourite: he plans to go back one day and buy a stuffed llama toy there to bring back for his daughter. Finally, after only six days, 16 hours and 14 minutes, he reached Chichén Itzá, an archaeological site that was a hallowed place of ceremony in the Mayan culture.
For the trip to be endorsed by Guinness World Records, Adventureman had to abide by several rules:
Use only scheduled public transportation, with licensed taxi rides unable to exceed 50 kilometres;
Keep a logbook with clearly indexed evidence (receipts, tickets, etc.) supporting each step;
Use accurate professional equipment (i.e. GPS tracking equipment);
Take videos and photos showing the applicant, the location and the date at each site visited;
Get a written or recorded statement from an official member of staff, local dignitary and/or police officer at each site;
Understand that the ‘clock’ starts the moment the challenger leaves the first wonder site, and it does not stop for any reason until the challenger sets foot in the final site.
For Adventureman, the main focus of the record-breaking trip was raising funds for his charity, the Superhero Foundation. As a child, Jamie was diagnosed with a rare spinal condition called syringomyelia, and doctors warned his parents that he might lose the ability to walk. Through the help of many doctors, hospitals and his family, his health improved, starting him on his lifelong mission of giving back to sick kids around the world. To kick start fundraising efforts, Travelport has donated UKP22,856, a dollar for every mile that Jamie, a Pride of Britain winner, travelled for this challenge. The money will be utilised to continue the charity’s mission: helping families in need fund treatments, therapies and equipment that aren’t freely available to them through their traditional or local healthcare support system.
“In my previous adventures, I’ve run solo across America (the equivalent of 210 marathons) and have cycled 22,000 kilometres from Thailand to the UK, and yet, this was certainly my most complex, complicated trip yet,” said McDonald, better known as Adventureman. “With travel, there are just so many variables – weather, restrictions, delays, customs, traffic, cancellations, you name it. When you’re attempting to set a world record, speed and agility are key. There was no other partner besides Travelport that could’ve made this all possible.”
Travelport calculated the carbon emissions from Adventureman’s trip using the Travel Impact Model, a shared framework for calculating air travel emissions maintained by Google. It developed as part of Travalyst, an independent not-for-profit organisation of which Travelport is a member. Travalyst is working to unify industry tools and information to bring sustainable travel to the mainstream. As such, the total CO2 emissions of the world record trip was 2,523 kg. Travelport will remove these emissions with high-quality carbon dioxide removal services from Climeworks. To learn more about the Seven Wonders Challenge, to book a trip to the Seven Modern Wonders, or to make a donation to the Superhero Foundation, visit Travelport.com/7wonders
DUBAI, UAE, 16 May 2023: Taking a step forward in its drive to offer customers the convenience and assurance of digitally enabled travel journeys, Emirates will require most passengers departing Dubai to use a mobile boarding pass instead of a printed paper version from 15 May onwards.
Passengers checking in at Terminal 3 will receive their mobile boarding pass via email or SMS. Passengers who check in online can load their boarding pass into their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet or retrieve their boarding pass on the user-friendly Emirates App. The checked-in baggage receipt is emailed to passengers or available in the Emirates App.
This initiative will significantly reduce paper waste while offering a convenient and speedy digitised check-in experience for passengers departing Dubai. It reduces the risk of lost or misplaced boarding passes, giving passengers peace of mind when travelling.
The mobile boarding pass can be used throughout the travel journey – in Dubai Duty-Free, at security and for boarding, simply by showing the boarding pass on the phone. Emirates agents and airport staff will simply scan the QR code on the mobile boarding pass as passengers move through the airport and onto the aircraft.
Some passengers may still require a physical boarding pass to be printed – for instance, when travelling with infants, unaccompanied minors, passengers requiring special assistance, passengers with onward flights on other airlines, and all passengers travelling on flights to the US.
The option to print a boarding pass is available by request to Emirates agents at check-in counters if passengers do not have a mobile device or if they are unable to access the information on their devices for reasons such as running out of battery power, a system breakdown or glitch, message delivery delay, or inability to access WIFI, network or a data package.
Millions of Emirates passengers have already enjoyed the convenience of digitally enabled journeys. In addition to convenient check-in and itinerary management, those who use the Emirates app can also access digital menus in advance and spend time curating a playlist of favourite movies, TV shows and music playlists available on ice, which they can synchronise from their app the moment they board to save time.
Smooth biometric journeys in Dubai
Registered passengers can now enjoy a seamless travel experience at Dubai International Airport, using biometric machines or smart gates to go through various airport stations.
UAE Residents can register to use the Smart Gates at Emirates Terminal 3 and speed through Immigration every time they return to Dubai. UAE citizens and residents can use their passports, boarding pass, or valid UAE ID. Meanwhile, GCC nationals or visitors eligible for visas on arrival can pass through the Smart Gates with a biometric passport.
SINGAPORE, 16 May 2023: Air Astana celebrated its 21st anniversary on Monday, years of operations out of its Almaty home base in Kazakhstan.
The carrier has grown dramatically since the first service was operated between Almaty and Astana in 2002. Its long-term record of success culminated in 2022, the airline’s best-ever year. The group reported a profit after tax of USD78.4 million on revenue of USD1.03 billion. For the full year 2022, Air Astana and its LCC jointly carried 7.35 million passengers.
The group currently serves over 90 destinations in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, China, Germany, Greece, India, Korea, Montenegro, Netherlands, Thailand, Turkey, UAE and the United Kingdom, with a fleet of 43 modern Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft.
Innovation has always been at the heart of the airline’s development strategy, with initiatives ranging from the very successful “Extended Home Market” initiative that started drawing traffic into Almaty and Astana from surrounding countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus region from 2010 onwards to the launch in May 2019 of FlyArystan, the low-cost division, that carried more than 3.2 million passengers to domestic and International destinations in 2022.
Other notable achievements over the years have included the launch in 2008 of the Ab-initio pilot training scheme, which has delivered 300 qualified pilots to the airline; the Introduction in 2007 of the Nomad frequent flyer scheme; the opening in 2018 of a completely new Engineering Centre in Astana, with capabilities up to C-check and most recently, the development of a Lifestyle destination network that has generated substantial new business to offset the impact of the global health crisis and difficulties in other markets.
Starting in 2010, Air Astana has repeatedly received service excellence awards from Skytrax, APEX and Tripadvisor, and a Global Market Leadership Award from Air Transport World in 2015.
“Air Astana’s 21st Anniversary gives true cause for celebration, with the successful strategies and innovative solutions of the past now providing a firm foundation for an exciting new era of sustainable growth in the future,“ said Air Astana president and CEO Peter Foster.
Since the beginning of 2022, the group has received eight new aircraft, with seven more aircraft scheduled for delivery by the end of 2023. There are additional contracts for the delivery of another 13 aircraft from 2024 to 2026. In addition to expanding the Airbus A320neo / A321LR fleet in service, the airline will take delivery of the first of three Boeing 787s beginning in 2025. These new widebody aircraft will enable the airline to launch services to several long-range destinations, including those in North America. More immediately, Air Astana will launch new services to Tel Aviv in Israel and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia later this year and continue to boost frequencies on existing routes. In line with these fleet and network development plans, passenger traffic will grow to 8.5 million in 2023.
BANGKOK, 16 May 2023: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is inviting guests to enjoy a holiday in a choice of dream destinations with “The Ultimate Free Night Giveaway” – an exclusive offer for three-, five- and seven-night getaways or longer, all across Asia.
For a limited time, travellers can enjoy free nights at 49 hotels and resorts in Thailand, Vietnam, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Oman and Japan. With “Stay 3 Pay 2,” “Stay 4 Pay 3,” and “Stay 7 Pay 5” options all available, this enticing offer lets couples, families and friends stay for as long as they like, for less.
From stylish city breaks in Bangkok, Osaka, or Doha to fun-filled family vacations in Pattaya, Phuket and Vietnam’s Mui Ne, blissful beachfront escapes in the Maldives, Koh Samui or Krabi, or captivating cultural retreats in Sri Lanka, Oman and Chiang Mai, Centara sets the stage for the ultimate holiday.
And with six outstanding brands, which feature landmark downtown hotels, fun-filled family resorts, personalised luxury sanctuaries and intimate boutique hotels, Centara has the perfect option for every occasion.
“The Ultimate Free Night Giveaway” is valid for bookings made to 15 July 2023 for stays until 30 September 2023. Promotions vary by hotel; average nightly rates start from only THB735++ per room per night. Up to two children can stay for free!
CentaraThe1 members enjoy even more benefits. If you’re not yet a member, click here to sign up for free today.
SINGAPORE, 16 May 2023: Business travel is back, which means packing a suitcase, 0500 rides to the airport, back-to-back meetings and jet lag.
Global Business Travel Association (GNTA) predicts that global business travel spending will be just under USD1.2 trillion in 2023, a 24.2% increase year-on-year for 2023. That suggests business travel recovery is well underway. And while this is exciting for business travellers, it can be stressful.
Some things haven’t changed. For example, planning the trip carefully helps. Travel restrictions, vaccine requirements, and arrival and exit forms requirements might differ from the last time you travelled, and they still get updated all the time. And investing in refundable and flexible flight and hotel bookings is always a good idea.
If your work brings you to Southeast Asia soon, here’s how to make the travel experience more seamless and hassle-free. Grab identifies some tips and tricks to look out for when travelling for work.
1. Keep track of your expenses seamlessly: A major pain point while travelling on business is often keeping track of and then filing reimbursement claims for the expenses you undertake during your business trip. Don’t forget to download apps that can help you. Particularly, if your work brings you to Southeast Asia, you can use the super app Grab to keep track of your car/taxi rides by switching your ‘personal’ profile to a ‘business’ profile. Moreover, all your business travel invoices are consolidated and sent to your work email, so you no longer have to hold on to those tedious receipts. You can also check your business profile with expense systems like Concur, Expensify, and Chrome River for an even more seamless experience. And if you are curious, yes, this feature also works even if your company is not a Grab business client.
2. Enjoy food like a local, even if you are travelling on business: Yes, the work will probably keep you mostly occupied. Don’t forget to try the local cuisine and dishes, even if it means ordering them to your hotel room. By the second half of this year, Grab will also provide translated merchant menus into English in key cities across Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.
3. Navigate the airports like a pro. If you travel on business, you probably need to find the quickest way to the taxi stand. Book your car through Grab; the app will also give you turn-by-turn directions to help you find your way through the busy, unfamiliar airport to get to the right pick-up point for your ride. And don’t forget to try the GrabUnlimited subscription that gives subscribers access to discounted airport rides at more than 90 airports across Southeast Asia.
AMSTERDAM, 16 May 2023: WYSE Travel Confederation, the global not-for-profit membership organisation promoting opportunities for the youth, student and educational travel industry, has announced that the budget allocated to the hosted buyer programme of its flagship event, WYSTC, has been doubled.
The World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, from 12 to 15 September 2023, marking 32 years of bringing together over 600 international sellers, buyers and service providers operating within the youth and student travel industry.
Following a challenging two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw the global travel and tourism industry face ever-changing travel restrictions, border closures and visa backlogs, WYSE Travel Confederation is redoubling its efforts to support the attendance of new buyers looking to build new connections and establish themselves within the industry.
The expanded budget allocated to the hosted buyer programme will also allow suppliers to create business partnerships with new buyers.
“The hosted buyer programme is an integral part of WYSTC,” said WYSE Travel Confederation director general David Chapman. “Although we are seeing clear signs of recovery in the travel and tourism industry, the hangover of the pandemic still lingers. By doubling the budget of the 2023 hosted buyer programme, we can offer opportunities to new buyers entering the market, startups or underrepresented small businesses that need a global platform to establish and nurture partnerships.”
Over three days, WYSTC delegates can schedule up to 48 one-to-one business appointments with C-suite executives, engage in an educational programme of keynotes, seminars and workshops led by more than 30 top speakers, and attend multiple networking and social events.
The World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) is the leading trade event for the global youth, student and educational travel industry. Since its inception in 1992 as the annual event of WYSE Travel Confederation, youth and student travel professionals have been gathering annually to trade, network and participate in seminars and workshops. The 2023 edition will be held in Lisbon on 12 to 15 September. For more information, click here.
About WYSE Travel Confederation
The World Youth Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation is a global not-for-profit membership organisation dedicated to promoting and developing opportunities for the youth, student and educational travel industry. WYSTC is an annual event of WYSE Travel Confederation.
