SINGAPORE, 22 May 2023: London has been named the best city brand in the world, followed by New York and Paris, by the inaugural Brand Finance City Index released at the Weekend.
Presented by brand evaluation consultancy Brand Finance, the ranking is based on a global survey conducted in April 2023 in 20 countries on all continents to measure perceptions of the world’s top 100 cities.
With a score of 84.6 out of 100, driven by its high familiarity among respondents worldwide, London has recorded stronger brand perceptions than any other city in the study.
Brand Finance chairman and CEO David Haigh commented: “London’s exceptional performance in the Index can be attributed to its global familiarity. Coming first on this particular measure, London has a huge advantage over its peers, leading to its success in ranking overall as the world’s best city. Knowing a city allows the public to form positive perceptions about it – to recognise its reputation and consider it the preferred place to live, work, study, retire, visit, or invest. High familiarity means a deeper understanding of its qualities and a broader reach of its appeal, allowing the city to draw significant economic benefits from inbound migration, investment, and tourism.”
New York City secured the second spot, behind London, with a Brand Finance City Index score of 83.0 out of 100.
Paris rounds off the podium, ranking third with a Brand Finance City Index score of 79.7 out of 100.
Dubai proves its reputation as the top city brand in the Middle East & Africa, and ninth; overall, Dubai comfortably makes the top 10 of the world’s best-perceived cities, with a Brand Finance City Index score of 75.8/100.
More cities from outside Europe and North America performed well in the Brand Finance City Ranking too. Sydney, Australia, ranked fifth overall, Singapore sixth and Tokyo seventh.
Singapore boasts the strongest perceptions globally as great for startups and innovations and clean and sustainable. It is also second for easy business and third for both a strong and stable economy and future growth potential.
BEIJING, 22 May 2023: China is easing rules to allow travel agencies to resume the sale of group tours for Taiwan residents to visit the mainland, according to a Reuters report quoting China’s Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.
The easing of regulations governing tour group movements between China and Taiwan was effective last Friday.
Global Times, an official news channel of the PRC, confirmed that starting last Friday, travel agencies could resume the business of group tours for Taiwan residents coming to the mainland quoting Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, who in response to a media inquiry said: “We warmly welcome Taiwan compatriots to visit the mainland.”
Also on Friday, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a notice, saying that travel agencies and online travel companies will resume inbound group tours and “air ticket + hotel” business for Taiwan residents.
The ministry asked all localities to steadily promote the resumption of travel agencies’ tourism business for Taiwan residents’ inbound group tours while upholding the conviction that people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are of the same family. The ministry said they should guide local travel agencies to better design routes and related products, and implement group travel management systems.
Global Times noted that Spring Airlines currently operates a Shanghai-Taipei flight every Friday.
SINGAPORE, 22 May 2023: SalamAir based in Muscat, Oman, will launch three new destinations Almaty, Kazakhstan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the Turkish city of Rize, during June and July.
SalamAir CEO Captain Mohamed Ahmed commented on the expansion:
“We are thrilled to introduce these new destinations to our growing network. Almaty, one of Kazakhstan’s prominent cities, offers great tourism potential. We aim to establish year-round connections to cater to the demand and not limit it to seasonal periods.”
In addition to these developments, SalamAir is currently an economic study of 20 new tourist destinations in Europe and Eastern Europe. The objective is to attract tourists to the Sultanate of Oman and invigorate the tourism industry. This initiative aims to enhance the movement of tourists through Muscat and Salalah international airports.
Regarding seasonal destinations during the upcoming summer, the following routes will be reopened: Muscat-Sarajevo, Muscat-Baku, Muscat-Bursa, Suhar-Trabzon, and Muscat-Beirut.
SalamAir currently operates flights to 38 domestic and international destinations, including Suhar, Salalah, Duqm, Masirah, the GCC countries, and several Arab, Asian, and European destinations.
The airline also confirmed the addition of new aircraft to its fleet over the next six months when it will take delivery of three new Airbus A321neo, increasing the fleet to 17.
BANGKOK, 22 May 2023: Bangkok Airways will restart its direct flights from Samui Island in South Thailand to Hong Kong effective 1 July, after almost a three-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to a promotion aimed at the airline’s frequent flyers, the airline will offer flights to Hong Kong every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday flying an A320.
PG805 will depart Samui at 1055 and arrive in Hong Kong at 1515. The return flight PG806 will depart Hong Kong at 1615 and arrive in Samui at 1835. The flight time is three hours and 20 minutes.
One-way fares on the route start at around THB10,945 for travel in July and drop to around THB8,900 one way in July through to December.
HANOI, 22 May 2023: Vietjet Air will launch a new route connecting Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, with Hiroshima in Japan starting 19 July.
According to the airline’s schedule, flights will operate twice weekly on Wednesday and Sunday. The flight time is approximately four hours and 30 minutes.
Photo credit: Vietjet Air. Airline announces Hiroshima launch on sidelines of G7 Summit.
The flight using an A320 will depart Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport at 0215 and arrive at Hiroshima Airport at 0845 (local time). The return flight will depart Hiroshima at 0945 (local time) and land in Hanoi at 1235. Once the new route is established, the airline will offer 58 round-trip flights between the two countries weekly.
Last year Vietnam welcomed over 128,000 Japanese tourists, around 10% of pre-pandemic levels. Japan attracted more than 284,000 Vietnamese tourists last year, accounting for 7.4% of its international visitors.
Phuket flight
Meanwhile, the airline introduced its first direct service from Hanoi to the Thai holiday island of Phuket on 19 May, with 94 passengers on board the inaugural flight. Flight time on the daily service using an A320 is around three hours.
Vietjet is the first airline to operate a direct service between Hanoi and Phuket following the successful launch of direct services from Ho Chi Minh City to Phuket earlier this year.
The inaugural flight took off from Hanoi at 1135 and landed in Phuket at 1440. The return flights departed Phuket at 1545 and arrived in Hanoi at 1835.
MANILA, 19 May 2023: AirAsia Philippines has recorded a surge in summer bookings for 2023 achieving 75% of its pre-pandemic (2019) levels, encompassing domestic and international travel.
The top five most booked destinations for Filipinos this summer include Cebu, Boracay, Tacloban, Iloilo, and Bohol. The top international destinations for summer holidays included Taipei, Incheon, Bangkok, Narita, and Osaka,
AirAsia Philippines communications and public affairs country head Steve Dailisan said: “The surge in bookings this summer reflects a strong rebound in travel demand. We are thrilled to witness such enthusiasm from travellers, with reservations reaching unprecedented levels.”
Airasia Super App and the airline’s website generated the highest volume of seat bookings showing Filipinos’ high preference for online platforms rather than traditional booking channels.
Group bookings have also started to pick up after recording a more than 140% increase in bookings from March to May.
AirAsia Philippines is capitalising on Cebu as one of the alternatives to the Manila International Airport, especially with more international flights to Narita, Osaka, Narita, Seoul, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur, and Shenzhen.
KUCHING, 19 May 2023: The word Gawai’originated from the Iban language and means ritual or festival, while Dayak refers to the native ethnic groups of Sarawak – the Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Murut, Lun Bawang – and many more.
Gawai Dayak is celebrated to mark the end of the padi (rice) harvesting season. It’s a time of togetherness, gratitude for a productive harvest, and a prayer for a peaceful and prosperous future. Common events during the celebration are Kumang (Queen) and Keling (King) Gawai contests, Ngirup Ai Pengayu (Long Life Drink), traditional dancing and overall merrymaking.
Preparations for the Gawai festival start very early, with the brewing of tuak (traditional rice wine) and the making of traditional delicacies such as the kuihpenganan (Mexican hat shaped cake), kuih sarang semut (fishnet-like crispy snack), kuih chuan (crispy flower snack), pulut lulun (glutinous rice steamed in bamboo), manuk daun ubi lulun (chicken and tapioca shoot steamed in bamboo), and many more. After the general cleaning of the longhouse, new mats will be laid out on the ruai (the open area which runs through the entire longhouse), with the walls are adorned with the pua kumbu (traditional handwoven fabric) displayed on the wall and placed on the table as a table cloth.
Gawai celebrations at the longhouse offer celebrants a great time to wear traditional costumes. The women would wear the ngepan, a traditional costume for welcoming guests to the longhouse, wearing the sugu tinggi (Iban maiden headgear) as a hair accessory. The men would wear cawat or sirat (loin cloth) with necklaces, armlets and anklets and a headgear made of peacock feathers.
The celebration typically starts on the evening of 31 May with the Muai Antu Rua (casting away the spirit of greed), signifying the chasing away of the spirit of bad luck. Traditionally each family at the longhouse would throw unwanted articles into a chapan (winnowing basket) dragged by two men as they passed each room along the longhouse. The unwanted articles will then be tossed to the ground from the end of the longhouse.
As the sun sets, a miring (offering ceremony) will take place, starting with the beating of the gendang rayah (ritual music). The Tuai Rumah (Longhouse Chief) thanks the gods for the good harvest and asks for blessings, guidance and long life as he waves a cockerel over the offerings before ending the miring ceremony. Dinner is then served and just before midnight, a procession of young maidens and warriors in traditional garb go up and down the ruai seven times, known as the Ngalu Petara (welcoming the spirit of the gods).
At midnight, the gong is sounded, and the Tuai Rumah leads everyone in the longhouse in a toast with Ai Pengayu (a special kind of tuak) wishing each other “Gayu Guru, Gerai Nyamai” which translates to “Long Life, Health and Prosperity”.
The celebration turns merrier as some will dance to traditional music being played. Some will sing and recite their traditional poems (pantun or ramban), while some will perform the traditional dance called Ngajat to symbolise the joy of a good harvest.
The male ngajat copies the mannerisms of a hornbill – considered the king of the birds – to show courage, heroism and strength. The ngajat of the ladies is the opposite, as it consists of soft, graceful movements with precise body turns. A traditional band joins the dance troop giving life to the dance with their vibrant beats and tunes, playing the traditional folklore. There will also be blowpipe competitions as participants will take the opportunity to demonstrate their blowpiping skills.
On 1 June, the homes of the Dayaks open to visitors, a custom known as Ngabang. Traditionally, when guests arrive at the longhouse, they are served with ai tiki as a symbol of welcoming them to their home. From time to time, guests are served with tuak, which is called “nyibur temuai”, which literally means “watering the guests”.
For the Christian Dayaks, Gawai would also mean attending a church mass service to thank God for the good harvest. The Gawai celebrations usually last for several days, and it is also considered an auspicious time for wedding ceremonies and baptisms.
COME AND EXPERIENCE GAWAI IN SARAWAK
In conjunction with the 2023 Gawai festival, everyone is invited to experience the festivity first-hand with the local community at the Sarawak Gawai Festival Open House, to be held at Rumah Matop longhouse in Betong, about 246km from Kuching, on 9 June 2023.
The open house aims to promote the rich cultural diversity of Sarawak and highlight the unique traditions and customs of the Gawai celebrations. Visitors will have the chance to experience the warm hospitality and rich cultural heritage of the various ethnic groups in Sarawak. Not only will they get to taste traditional ethnic cuisines, visitors can also participate in cultural performances at the historic longhouse, which was built in 1941 from belian (ironwood) pillars.
Those interested in participating in the Gawai Dayak Open House can go to the websitehttps://sarawak.travel/openhouse/ for more information.
KOTA KINABALU, 19 May 2023: Indian golf tour experts visited Sabah earlier this week to check out courses and explore the state’s tourist destinations and natural beauty.
Tourism Malaysia hosted the golf tour experts for a four-day familiarisation tour, which included a dinner hosted by Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai on the first day of the itinerary.
During the dinner event, the group shared their perspective on how Sabah could capitalise on its diverse offering for vacationers while allowing golfers to play on world-class golf courses.
India’s leading golf educator Romit Bose remarked that Sabah’s opportunity is readily apparent, emphasising the availability of golf courses within a resort, hotel facilities, and the fantastic weather to play golf all year round.
“I run an academy in New Delhi, where I train golfers and nurture junior golfers who aspire to become pros so they can compete in tournaments. I can see Sabah as a tournament destination.
“Taking advantage of everything that Sabah offers, you should be able to attract between 300 and 500 junior golfers with their family members. To me, Sabah should be a destination for kids and their families,” said the managing director of The Golfing Hub.
The managing director of Diplomatic Travels, Mahender Pal Khanna, acknowledged that the stunning natural beauty of Sabah’s state capital alone is a draw, and good wellness spas are an added plus for Indian tourists.
“From what I have experienced, Sabah is a fantastic destination with much more than just golf. The wedding industry is also significant to us, which you can tap into. I believe having direct flights from India will help bring multiple guests to Sabah,” he added.
Group members also spoke about the potential of mounting direct chartered flights from India to Sabah shortly.
The group’s trip occurred after a successful meeting between golf operators and the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia, YB Khairul Firdaus bin Akbar Khan, at the South Asia Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE) 2023 in India last February.
“We are thrilled to showcase Sabah’s beautiful golf courses and attractions as a significant step in positioning Sabah as a premier golf destination for Indian travellers.
Through collaborations with industry players and enhanced connectivity, we are confident that Sabah will captivate Indian golfers and contribute to Malaysia’s tourism growth,” said Khairul, who met the golfers at a luncheon earlier.
Meanwhile, Joniston, also the state Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment, said Sabah hopes to offer a genuinely exotic golfing experience different from other golfing destinations.
“We have some 20 golf courses surrounded by lush rainforests, mountains, and pristine beaches, providing a unique backdrop for golfers to enjoy while playing.
“We have been welcoming golfers to Sabah, but India is a new market for us. We do hope to see more Indian golfers and their families in Sabah enjoy not only golfing but our rich cultural heritage.
“This cultural immersion adds another dimension to the golfing trip, making it a well-rounded experience that combines sport, nature, and cultural exploration,” he said.
During their familiarisation trip, the group played golf at the Sutera Habour and Country Club and the Dalit Bay Golf and Country Club. They also inspected the Nexus Golf Karambunai Resort.
Present at the dinner were the Permanent Secretary of Sabah’s Tourism, Culture, and Environment Ministry, Datuk Sr Mohd. Yusrie Abdullah; Tourism Malaysia Senior Director International Promotion Division (ASAF), Manoharan Periasamy; Tourism Malaysia Deputy Director (North and East India) Muhammad Akmal Hafiz Abdul Aziz; and Sabah Tourism Board Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Tay Shu Lan.
BANGKOK, 19 May 2023: Minor Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and investor with a portfolio of 530 hotels worldwide, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Development Fund to develop and operate hospitality and lifestyle projects jointly.
The projects will focus on mountain resorts, wellness resorts and urban hotels in Saudi Arabia. The first project under this partnership is expected to be announced during the second half of this year, with multiple projects over the next couple of years.
Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara – Aerial View Resort Twilight.
Minor Hotels will act as an operator and partner in each project linked to its flagship brands; Anantara, Avani, Tivoli and Oaks.
Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Development Fund supports tourism investment, linking private-sector investors with public funding opportunities. It was set up in 2020 to harness opportunities and fund development in the tourism ecosystem and destinations across Saudi Arabia.
The luxury brand Anantara will constitute at least one of the agreed projects, a brand already well-known in the GCC region. Minor Hotels has more than 10 properties in the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar.
The Avani Hotels & Resorts brand will debut in the Kingdom with multiple properties. The contemporary hotel brand can be found in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, with a property currently under development in Bahrain to launch in 2024.
“The signing of this memorandum of understanding with Saudi’s Tourism Development Fund represents a significant step for Minor Hotels, enabling the group to offer a wide variety of products ranging from experiential luxury to serviced apartments,” commented Minor International Group CEO and Minor Hotels CEO Dillip Rajakarier.
HONG KONG, 19 May 2023: Cathay Pacific carried 1,381,073 passengers in April, an increase of 3,283% compared with April 2022, according to the latest traffic figures released this week.
Cathay Pacific Group, comprising passenger airlines Cathay Pacific and HK Express, carried almost six million passengers during the year’s first four months.
The airline group said traffic figures for April 2023 reflected strong demand for travel during the holiday period and confirmed travel sentiment has remained positive since the beginning of the year.
The month’s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 3,139% year-on-year. Passenger load factor increased by 31.3 percentage points to 86.9%, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs), increased by 1,973% year-on-year. In the first four months of 2023, the number of passengers carried increased by 3,707% against a 2,116% increase in capacity and a 3,989% increase in RPKs, as compared with the same period for 2022.
Travel
The airline’s chief customer and commercial officer, Lavinia Lau said: “April was a busy month for our travel business as many of our customers looked to enjoy a getaway during the holiday period. Passenger demand was robust over the Easter holiday in the early part of the month. On 9 April, we recorded our highest number of passengers on a single day since the start of the pandemic, carrying 53,233 in total. Meanwhile, we continued to increase our passenger flight capacity and add more frequencies to destinations in Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia and Japan. Demand for premium class seats has also been buoyant, driven by corporate and leisure travel.
“We experienced a surge in demand from Indonesia in mid-April, coinciding with the end of Ramadan, and we added more flights from Jakarta and Surabaya for our customers accordingly. Towards the end of April, we also saw increased traffic ahead of Labour Day and the Golden Week holiday from the Chinese Mainland.
Outlook
Looking ahead to the rest of May and beyond, Lau said the priority was to continue efforts to reconnect with customers.
“We are progressively increasing flight capacity as we approach the peak summer travel season. Regarding destinations, we look forward to resuming our Johannesburg service from 1 August with three weekly flights, again connecting our home city with Africa. On top of that, from 3 October, we will resume our Chicago service with three weekly flights, giving us seven destinations in North America and further expanding our connectivity with the region.”
