DANANG 23 March 2023: Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa has named Adrian Pulido its general manager of the 360-room oceanfront resort.
The property stands on Non Nuoc Beach, between Danang town and the UNESCO-listed Hoi An.
Adrian Pulido, General Manager, Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa
Having commenced his career with Hyatt, he moved to JW Marriott in Mexico City and Banyan Tree in the UAE and Shanghai before returning to Hyatt in 2016. Following spells at Park Hyatt St. Kitts and Park Hyatt Seoul, he achieved his first general manager’s role with Hyatt Regency Koh Samui in 2020.
Nestled on Vietnam’s central coast, Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa the resort, is undergoing upgrades that will extend a beachside venue, introduce a rebranded Italian restaurant and a brand-new Camp Hyatt kids’ club with five play zones.
VIENTIANE, 23 March 2023: Lao Airlines will resume flights from Vientiane to Guangzhou in China effective 15 April.
Releasing details on its Facebook page, the airline will introduce three weekly flights on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, using an Airbus A320 with 158 seats.
The flight time is two hours. Google Flights quotes a one-way fare of THB9,170, while the roundtrip fare is THB17,939. Fare information and bookings were inactive on the Lao Airlines website on 22 March. The drop-down menu does not show Guangzhou. It displays Kunming as the sole active Chinese destination for bookings.
Flight schedule
Vientiane – Guangzhou
QV881 (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday)
Departs Vientiane at 1310 and arrives in Guangzhou at 1610
Guangzhou – Vientiane
QV882 (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday)
Departs Guangzhou at 1710 and arrives in Vientiane at 1840
BANGKOK, 23 March 2023: Founding CEO of Nok Air, Patee Sarasin returns to Thailand’s aviation business to found his second airline project, Really Cool Airlines, the country’s latest airline startup.
“We are thrilled to introduce Really Cool Airlines and look forward to providing travellers with an exceptional flying experience,” said the full-service airline’s founder and CEO during the 22 March press launch.
“Our team of experts has worked tirelessly to create a new standard for the aviation industry, and we’re excited to unveil what we have in store in the coming months.”
Patee said Really Cool Airlines would announce aircraft types, destinations and its route network in the coming months, with operations expected to commence by the end of 2023.
Success will depend on how fast Thailand’s tourism industry recovers. On the optimistic side, the messaging from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) forecasts 30 million tourist arrivals in 2023 or approximately 80% of the 39 million tourist arrivals recorded in 2019.
To achieve this ambitious target, the TAT has also gone on record saying the country needs to increase the number of airlines and flights serving its popular tourist destinations. But it’s a risky business, and the country’s domestic airlines are still suffering from losses incurred during the Covid-19 lockdown that lasted two years.
YANGON, 23 March 2023: US-headquartered Airbnb has suspended hosting of all lodgings in Myanmar, possibly the first international accommodation booking site to do so since the 1 February 2021 military coup.
Last week, Airbnb sent out email notices to hosts in Myanmar informing them their listings and reservations are no longer available. It told hosts that their listing would no longer show up on Airbnb.
Airbnb’s accommodation options in Myanmar go offline to guests visiting the booking site.
However, hosts would still have listing details of “past reservations and payment transaction history.”
Airbnb is not a significant player in Myanmar’s hospitality booking scene due to strict laws that prohibit foreigners from staying in lodgings that are not registered as hotels and guests houses under the Myanmar Hotel and Tourism Law
TTRW asked Airbnb for comment. The global booking service responded: “Airbnb has suspended hosting in Myanmar. Guests will not be able to make any reservations for stays in Myanmar until further notice. Airbnb’s local business in Myanmar most recently consisted of a very small number of active listings.”
Due to the strict laws on where foreigners can stay, Airbnb’s pool of potential hosts is limited to registered hotels or guesthouses. Under Myanmar’s strict laws, hotels and guesthouses must present every evening a list of foreign guests with passport details to the local police or immigration offices.
Myanmar is one of just a few countries with laws prohibiting short-term letting. There are by-laws written in the country’s 1947 Immigration Act that stipulate foreign visitors on a tourist visa must stay in a hotel or registered guest houses.
Other booking services such as Agoda, Expedia and Booking.com continue to feature Myanmar hotels with online payments possible using international credit cards such as Visa or Mastercard.
KUALA LUMPUR, 22 March 2023: The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) won the award for being the most outstanding tourism board in 2022 at the inaugural Asian Tourism and Hospitality Awards held last week.
The award was presented during the ATHA 2022-2023 event co-organised by TIN MEDIA (Malaysia’s First Independent Travel Trade Media) and Asia Hospitality Human Resource Association (AHHRA) in Kuala Lumpur on 17 March 17.
Sabah Tourism Board received the accolade Leading State Tourism Board of the Year 2022 at the first-ever Asian Tourism and Hospitality Awards in Kuala Lumpur on 17 March.
STB chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and chief executive officer Noredah Othman attended the event to receive the award.
“This is a boost for a state government agency recognised as the best among the many contenders, including those from other nations.
“The state government has emphasised tourism, the importance of having exceptional management and team players within STB,” said Joniston, who is also the state’s Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment.
“This will not only assist in achieving the state’s development goal, but it will also ensure that the government has the best agency working towards targeted objectives,” he added.
Meanwhile, Noredah said winning the award would motivate the STB team to continue doing their best in pushing state tourism to new heights.
“This demonstrates STB’s commitment to the industry, as well as the dedication of the staff to their work in it. To further establish Sabah as a preferred travel destination, Sabah Tourism will continue to explore new avenues for promotion and cooperation,” she said.
The event also saw four travel and tour companies from Sabah receiving awards. They comprised Amazing Borneo Tours and Events (Leading Tour Operator – Inbound Borneo); Borneo Calling Tour and Travel (Leading Adventure Tour Operator); D’Seven Travel and Tours (Leading Travel Agency – Outbound Religious Pilgrimage); and Nadi Borneo Tours (Leading Tourism Transport Company – Land).
SINGAPORE, 22 March 2023: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced the appointment of David J Herrera as NCL’S new president effective 1 April 2023, as Harry J Sommer transitions to be the next president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH) effective 1 July 2023.
NCLH is the parent company for Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, effective 1 July 2023.
David J Herrera.
Herrera, who currently serves as NCL’s chief consumer sales and marketing officer, has been with the company since 2015, after first joining as a senior advisor to the chief executive officer and chairman of Prestige Holdings in 2012.
Throughout his tenure, Herrera has successfully held various senior leadership roles within the organisation, including SVP brand finance, strategy and consumer research; SVP corporate development for NCLH; and president of NCLH China. As part of the company’s senior leadership, he has played an integral role in positioning NCL as one of the world’s leading cruise lines.
“David and I have worked closely together for almost a decade expanding NCL’s global presence and shaping its future,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer elect of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
Harry J Sommer.
“With over 25 years of robust business experience and strong financial, sales, marketing and business development background, David is a key contributor to NCL’s success. He will continue to guide the NCL brand on an accelerated path forward.”
In this new role, Herrera will be responsible for the overall strategic vision and business plan execution for NCL, as well as expand his reporting line to now include revenue management, guest services, brand finance, international sales, and the recently formed Experiences at Sea division which provides one of a kind, immersive events at sea for a range of passionate affinity communities.
“I am honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the passionate and incredible team at NCL, as well as to continue to work alongside Harry and our stellar leadership team to build on our strong momentum,” said David Herrera, the next President of Norwegian Cruise Line. “It will be another milestone year for us as we continue the Prima Class rollout, and I look forward to leading our team and guests along this exciting journey.”
Herrera has led the sales and marketing teams to record results in his current role. In November 2022, NCL succeeded in having its best-booked month ever and ended 2022 at record booking levels for 2023, starting this year in a better-booked position than ever before.
With Herrera’s appointment as NCL President, Adam Malone, who currently oversees consumer and integrated marketing, will assume the role of chief marketing officer, and 15-year NCL veteran Michael Tomoleoni, who currently manages the consumer sales division, will now serve as the chief consumer sales officer. Jason Krimmel will assume the newly created role of chief international sales and marketing officer, working closely with Herrera to further expand the Brand’s international footprint.
For more information about NCL’s award-winning 18-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call Hong Kong on +852 800 901 951 and Southeast Asia on +65 3165 1680 or visit www.ncl.com.
SINGAPORE, 22 March 2023: Klook, a leading travel experience platform, wins recognition as Asia’s top booking experience platform brand by Influential Brands.
“We’re thrilled to be able to receive this award, which is a testament to our commitment to providing travellers with unforgettable experiences,” said Klook’s vice president of global marketing, Marcus Yong. “Travel is certainly back, and we’re excited to see millennials and Gen Zs driving this tremendous demand as they seek out new adventures and create meaningful memories.”
Outbound travel bookings tripled in Q4 2022 compared to the previous quarter, indicating strong recovery and even growth in Asia’s travel sector. A survey by Klook showed that over 80% of travellers in Asia are eager to travel in 2023 despite economic uncertainties, driving this growth. Experiences are also increasingly sought out, with 58% of travellers open to booking new adventures to discover and create more meaningful moments whenever they travel.
About Klook
Founded in 2014, Klook is a leading travel and experiences platform in Asia that sells travel experiences ranging from attractions and tours to local transport and accommodation worldwide.
KUALA LUMPUR, 22 March 2023: Malaysia Aviation Group has extended its 45% off travel deal on the group’s airlines and tour arm until 24 March.
Sales of the discounted fares and tours started during the MATTA Travel Fair from 17 to 19 March and extended until midnight on Friday. The deals are valid on Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, MASwings, and the tour operating arm MHholidays,
Malaysia Airlines offers discounts of up to 45% on economy and business class fares to all domestic and selected international destinations.
It covers popular destinations such as Medan, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Delhi and Bangkok, with fares starting at MYR249. Fares within Malaysia to popular destinations such as Penang, Langkawi, Terengganu, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching start at MYR79.
Members of Enrich, the airline’s travel and lifestyle loyalty programme, will receive 50% extra Enrich Points on Economy and Business Class tickets on all destinations.
In addition to these attractive discounts, passengers who purchase Economy Class tickets through the Malaysia Airlines website during the promotion period can win an upgrade to business class.
Firefly also offers deals starting from MYR69 all-in one-way on all domestic flights and from MYR99 all-in one-way to international destinations within their network. This includes new routes from Firefly’s Penang hub connecting travellers across Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia between the regions, which includes direct flights from Penang to Medan and Singapore.
The regional community airline MASwings is offering deals on selected destinations within and across Sabah and Sarawak, with fares starting from MYR131 all-in-one-way to destinations connecting Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and Miri to major towns and cities in East Malaysia, such as Mulu, Lahad Datu, Sibu, Tawau, Labuan, Bintulu and Limbang.
Travel packages with MH Holidays that include flights plus hotel deals start from MYR389 for a three-day, two-night stay at destinations in Malaysia. Package prices for trips to international destinations start from MYR1,299 per person for a three-night stay in Bangkok, Bali, Phuket, Jakarta, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. A further discount of MYR100 is offered when presenting the promo code MATTA100, for travel until 30 September 2023.
BANGKOK, 22 March 2023: Thai Lion Air is cutting domestic and international fares to boost family travel as the long school holiday break begins.
State schools close for their summer break in March and reopen in mid-May. April is a peak travel month for Thai families.
Promoting fare deals on its Facebook page to families in Thailand, the airline’s domestic fares start at THB855 on all of its routes from its Don Mueang International Airport home base. The domestic fare deal includes a free 10 kg of luggage (maximum one ticket).
Fares on International flights from Bangkok start at THB 2,055 on the following routes from Don Mueang airport to: Jakarta; Mumbai; Singapore; Kathmandu, and Taipei. The airline includes a free bag weight 20 kg (maximum two bags). Bookings must be made by midnight on 26 March for travel until 31 August 2023.
MANILA, 22 March 2023: China is reopening to foreign tourists, including Filipinos, as it resumes accepting applications for all types of visas, the Chinese Embassy in Manila reported at the weekend.
“The long wait is over as China finally resumes issuing all types of visas for foreigners, including the tourism visa, port visa, and multiple visa-exemption policies starting from 15 March 2023,” Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said in a Facebook post, quoted by the Philippines News Agency.
China will resume the visa-exemption policy for Hainan, the visa-exemption cruise policy for Shanghai, the visa-exemption policy for foreigners to visit Guangdong from Hong Kong and Macau, and the visa-exemption policy for ASEAN tour groups to Guilin and Guangxi, PNA reported.
China started the reopening phase for leisure travellers on 8 January 2023, three years after the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic struck and triggered the country to impose one of the world’s most severe lockdowns.
Last month, it allowed outbound group travel for Chinese citizens to more than a dozen countries, including the Philippines, reviving hopes for the pandemic-hit tourism sector.
Before the pandemic, China was the second-largest source of visitors to the Philippines, accounting for 1.7 million travellers in 2019.
