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TG takes over more Thai Smile flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 17 July 2023: Thai Airways International is accelerating the restructuring of Thai Airways and Thai Smile’s business operations, which will see most of Thai Smile’s Asian routes returning to THAI by the end of the year.

Last week THAI’s leased Airbus A320 aircraft replaced THAI Smile on routes from Bangkok to Yangon, Myanmar and Dhaka in Bangladesh. 

Effective 16 July 2023, flight details are as follows: 

Roundtrip route Bangkok-Yangon is now served by a TG Airbus A320 aircraft twice daily (14 flights weekly), replacing Thai Smile aircraft used previously for a three-weekly service.

Bangkok – Yangon
Flight TG301 departs from Bangkok at 0935 and arrives in Yangon at 1035.
Flight TG303 departs from Bangkok at 1705 and arrives in Yangon at 180. 

Yangon – Bangkok  
Flight TG302 departs from Yangon at 1125 and arrives in Bangkok at 1325.
Flight TG304 departs from Yangon at 1900 and arrives in Bangkok at 2100. 

Round trip route Bangkok-Dhaka is served twice daily (14 weekly flights) using the Airbus A320 and Boeing B777-200ER for morning and late night departures from Bangkok. Previously Thai Smile served the route three times weekly.

Bangkok – Dhaka 
Flight TG321 departs from Bangkok at 1035 and arrives in Dhaka at 1210 (Boeing B777-200ER).
Flight TG339 departs from Bangkok at 2350 hours and arrives in Dhaka at 0125 (Airbus A320). 

Dhaka-Bangkok route
Flight TG340 departs Dhaka at 0245 and arrives in Bangkok at 0615 (Airbus A320).
Flight TG322 departs from Dhaka at 1335 and arrives in Bangkok at 1700 (Boeing B777-200ER). 

Thai Airways also operates flights to Delhi and Mumbai in India using Boeing 777-200ERs and Airbus A320s.

Qantas SVP Asia is back at the helm

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 17 July 2023: Qantas’ senior vice president for Asia, John Simeone, has returned to the region as the Australian national carrier continues to restore its international network.

Simeone has returned to Singapore, where he steered Qantas’s commercial, financial and operational performance across Asian markets before Covid-19. He returns with an expanded remit, including Japan, India and South Korea.

Photo credit: Qantas.

With nearly 30 years in the aviation industry, Simeone’s experience includes roles within commercial, sales, network planning, tourism development and operations.

He returns at a pivotal time as Qantas accelerates through its recovery from Covid-19. The airline has launched new routes in the past few months, including from Seoul to Sydney and Jakarta to Melbourne. 

Flights from Tokyo to Melbourne and Brisbane and from Hong Kong to Melbourne have resumed for the first time since before Covid, and Qantas continues to upgrade its cabins on Airbus A380 aircraft that fly through Singapore.

Qantas launched a Red Tail Sale last week for its A380 flights from Singapore to London, with return fares sold from SGD1,225*. The sale will run until Tuesday, 18 July, across Economy, Premium Economy and Business cabins for varying travel periods in 2023 in 2024. Customers can book at qantas.com/sg or through Travel Agents.

The airline is also adding more flights from Asia to Australia later this year as it restores capacity in line with strong travel demand and the broader recovery of the aviation industry.

 From late October 2023:

• Shanghai-Sydney will resume for the first time in more than three years with daily A330 flights.

• Hong Kong-Melbourne will increase from four per week to daily.

• Flights from Japan to Australia will double, increasing from 14 to 28 per week, offering the choice of four daily flights from Tokyo from late November.

• Delhi-Melbourne will increase from three to six per week over the peak Australian summer season.

• Singapore-Melbourne will increase from 10 to 14 per week from 31 March 2024.

• Singapore-Sydney will increase from 14 to 15 per week from 31 March 2024.

Simeone will also continue to work with trade partners on the rollout of its Qantas Distribution Platform in Asia. The platform is designed to enhance the service agents provide to customers with a wider range of products, including special offers for Qantas Frequent Flyers, ancillary products and dynamic commission opportunities.

In returning to the region, Simeone said he looked forward to further strengthening the Qantas brand and its relationships across Asia.

“Asia is an incredibly important region to Qantas, both geographically and commercially,” said Simeone.

“With international travel rebounding so strongly, our teams are focused on reconnecting with our key partners and customers across the region.”

The airline has recently started to roll out a multi-million-dollar investment in new menus, larger meals and premium produce across all cabins in its regional, domestic and international network, including on flights from Singapore.

*The London Red Tail Sale ends 2359 (SGT) on 18 July 2023.

Asia Cruise Awards honour Resort World Cruises

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 14 July 2023: Resorts World Cruises won a special achievement award at the 9th Asia Cruise Awards, held during the Asia Cruise Forum Jeju from 12 to 14 July 2023.

The award recognises Resorts World Cruises’ contributions towards revitalising the cruise industry in Asia during the post-pandemic landscape.

Raymond Lim, chief operating officer of Resorts World Cruises (Right), receives the Special Achievement Award from Seung Hwan Cho, the Minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of Korea (Left), at the 9th Asia Cruise Awards.

Resorts World Cruises’ chief operating officer, Raymond Lim, received the award at the ceremony from South Korea’s Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Seung Hwan Cho.

Resorts World Cruises celebrated its first anniversary in June 2023. It operates two ships, Genting Dream and the Resorts World One, that offer two, three and four-night itineraries with visits to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Penang, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Penghu and Sanya.

The Asia Cruise Leaders Network (ACLN) comprises 74 member organisations from nine different countries. Its awards include Asia Best Cruise Line, Asia Best Cruise Ship, Asia Best Cruise Homeport, Asia Best Cruise Ports of Calls, Asia Best Cruise Research Institute and Asia Best Cruise Tour Agency. This year, it introduced a new category Special Achievement Award to strengthen solidarity among various stakeholders.

Emirates launches on-demand jet services

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI UAE, 14 July 2023: Emirates has launched an on-demand regional charter service, offering flexibility, convenience, privacy and comfort for customers who want to make short trips in the GCC from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).

Operated by the airline’s Phenom 100 twin-engine aircraft, customers can fly to a wide range of GCC destinations within and outside the Emirates network, with quick turnarounds to points in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE*.

The aircraft seats up to four passengers*. Travellers on the short flights will be offered a well-stocked hamper of light bites and refreshments. Each passenger can check in one medium-sized bag weighing up to 15 kg, in addition to a carry-on handbag. Customers are encouraged to consult with their assigned booking representative or travel agent if they have any special requests.

The services offer travellers with busy schedules privacy and a high level of flexibility, with a hassle-free ground experience. In Dubai, customers can expect Emirates Chauffeur Drive Services to transport them to DWC and VIP treatment upon arrival with a dedicated representative who will support them throughout the airport journey, ensuring minimal pre-flight wait times. At their destination, customers benefit from fast on-ground escorted arrival and quick VIP clearance at customs and immigration provided by private terminal service partners. They will also have access to the private terminal lounge upon arrival. **

Customers wishing to book the regional charter services can contact [email protected] or their preferred travel agent.

Visit: www.emirates.com

*Subject to prevailing operating conditions
** If the VIP terminal is equipped with a lounge

Sabah package sales are on the rise

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TTR WEEKLY
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PENANG, 14 July 2023: Sabah Tourism Board (STB) and nine Sabah industry players presented Sabah travel experiences to travel consumers attending the Malaysia International Travel Mart (MITM) 2023, held recently at the Spice Arena Penang.

The Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association’s MITM Travel Fair 2023 core objective was to rekindle travel confidence and boost bookings after the three-year Covid-19 pandemic that stalled domestic travel.

STB officers at MITM 2023.

Sabah’s travel delegation promoted the state’s adventure and ecotourism content and offered special offers to support domestic tourism.

The Sabah delegation at the mart generated more than MYR200,000 in tour package sales, doubling last year’s sales at the same mart.

Sabah industry players selling packages at the mart:

1. Simply Borneo Tours Sdn Bhd
2. Vi Vacation & Travel Services Sdn Bhd
3. Romantic Holiday Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd
4. I-World Travel & ToursSdn Bhd
5. A-Fly Luxury Travel &Tours Sdn Bhd
6. AJ Best Travel Sdn Bhd
7. WB Tours & Travel SdnBhd
8. Borneo Sandakan Tours
9. Horizon Borneo Travel &Tours Sdn Bhd

AFTA strengthens public policy role

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TTR WEEKLY
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SYDNEY, 14 July 2023: The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA)  named Ingrid Fraser as its public policy and advocacy director earlier this week.

She brings extensive expertise in policy development, advocacy, government relations and stakeholder engagement at all levels of government.

Dean Long AFTA CEO (left) with Ingrid Fraser (right), incoming public policy and advocacy director.

Ingrid’s appointment aligns with AFTA’s key focus on supporting travel businesses and the wider sector in rebuilding the workforce post-pandemic.

In her previous role as associate director of workforce & tourism policy for the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), her portfolio covered tourism, migration, employment, and workforce participation.

Fraser’s multi-discipline background includes her lawyer experience and in industry associations. Her skills will expand AFTA’s strong track record in government relations to deliver better policy outcomes for members.

Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) CEO Dean Long said: “AFTA successfully lobbied the last NSW Government to reconsider unworkable changes to Terms and Conditions which would have broken the business model for every travel agent, travel business, and tour 0perator and left consumers stranded.

“But there’s still much to be done at a state and territory level, including securing funding to support the benefit of the Federal Government adding “travel consultants” to the Skills Priority List.”

“Commenting on her appointment, Fraser added: “AFTA’s work in positively shaping the landscape for the benefit of the entire travel sector has been impressive, and there’s a real opportunity to continue to advance understanding of the value of travel within government.”

DOT still fancies ‘Love the Philippines’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Half-year tourism performance

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

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

Khiri Campus makes up for lost Ground

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CAL to fly to Kumamoto in Japan

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

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

Photo credit: CAL.

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

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

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

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

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

Qatar introduces flights to Lyon

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

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

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

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

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

Double daily Doha to Copenhagen

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

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

The airline filed the following flight details.

Outbound

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

Inbound

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

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