SINGAPORE, 16 February 2023: Jetstar’s newest and most fuel-efficient aircraft, the A321neo LR, will start flying between Adelaide and Bali from 21 July.
The aircraft has up to 46 more seats on each flight compared to the Airbus A320, which is currently flying the route, boosting capacity by 25% and adding around 58,000 more low fares on the popular international route.
Two of Jetstar’s state-of-the-art, longer-range NEOs will be permanently based in Adelaide from mid-year, flying to Bali and domestic destinations to support Jetstar’s ongoing commitment to offering incredible low fares.
One-way fares between Adelaide and Bali (Denpasar) currently start from AUD280 for select travel dates from 24 July to 14 September 2023.
Jetstar Group CEO, Stephanie Tully, said flying the NEO will see Jetstar welcome onboard over 250,000 customers a year between Adelaide and Denpasar.
“We’re proud to be flying the newest aircraft in our fleet – the A321neo LR – between Adelaide and Denpasar from mid-July, opening up more seats so that more customers can access our low fares each year.”
“We greatly appreciate the ongoing support of Adelaide Airport as we continue to grow our presence in the South Australian aviation market.”
Adelaide Airport Managing Director, Brenton Cox, said Bali demand had bounced back strongly and continued to be the go-to overseas destination for South Australians.
“South Australians’ love affair with Bali continues, with Indonesia again our biggest international destination,” Cox said.
BANGKOK, 16 February 2023: WebBeds, a global B2B hotel booking channel, presented its sales and marketing pitch at its inaugural IMPACT Summit in Bangkok, led by commercial presidents from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Americas, and Asia Pacific.
Hosted at Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld on 8 February 2023, senior executives from WebBeds and guest speakers from the Tourism Authority of Thailand presented industry updates to an audience of more than 500 hoteliers who attended in person and another 400 WebBed partners who live-streamed the IMPACT Summit from around the world.
TAT was represented by the deputy governor of international marketing for Europe, Africa, the Middle East & Americas, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot and the executive director for East Asia, Chuwit Sirivajjakul, who advised delegates on understanding the tourism environment and how to align their business plans with the actions of the TAT.
Siripakorn shared the TAT’s vision for its long-haul markets by outlining an action plan, labelled “A-B-C-D”, which prioritises four key areas.
Airline Focus (attracting more flights and greater capacity with airlines).
Big Cities & Beyond (expanding Thailand’s source markets to more major urban centres worldwide).
Collaboration is Key (working with new strategic partners, including airlines, airports, tour operators and travel agencies).
Destination for All (making Thailand an all-year-round destination for a wider variety of market segments).
Chuwit elaborated on TAT’s 2023 marketing campaigns and activations for East Asia, focusing on reopening Mainland China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. He also revealed how consumer behaviour has changed over the years and what opportunities lie ahead for hoteliers targeting these important markets.
The IMPACT Summit marked the second WebBeds initiative to stimulate travel and tourism to Thailand, following last year’s “Excel and Upsell” forum in Bangkok. Both initiatives are part of TAT’s partnership with commercial online travel booking systems to boost arrivals to Thailand in the post-Covid-19 era.
WebBeds CEO Daryl Lee commented: “We are delighted to collaborate with the TAT once again, as WebBeds continues to support the growth of travel and hospitality in Thailand and worldwide.
“This event marked our first IMPACT Summit… At WebBeds, we firmly believe that our industry is always stronger when it works together, so we truly appreciate the support from the TAT. This was the first of many IMPACT Summits, and we look forward to collaborating with our esteemed partners in the months and years to come to help forge a strong and sustainable future for the entire industry.”
TAT claims Thailand welcomed 11.15 million international visitors in 2022, with Malaysia, India, Singapore and South Korea as the top-performing source markets. An initial target of 25 million arrivals has been set for 2023. While this remains lower than the 40 million visitors achieved in 2019, it represents a sharp improvement on the dramatic slump in visitors in 2020 and 2021 during the height of Covid-19 lockdowns.
HONG KONG, 16 February 2203: Cathay Pacific carried 1,031,893 passengers last month, an increase of 4,077.9% compared with January 2022, according to the airline’s traffic figures for January 2023 released on Wednesday.
Demonstrating positive signs, the airline continues to rebuild and restore connectivity at the Hong Kong international aviation hub.
The month’s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased by 3,807.3% year-on-year. Passenger load factor increased by 46.4 percentage points to 86.8%, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs), increased by 1,717.1% year-on-year.
Looking at February and beyond, the airline will concentrate on increasing flights in the lead-up to the Easter holiday during the first week of April. Demand for flights to and from the Chinese Mainland, both for point-to-point and connecting traffic via Hong Kong, should continue to grow, and the airline claims it is now on track to operate more than 100 return flights per week to 14 cities in the Chinese Mainland by the end of February.
The airline carried 95,139 tonnes of cargo last month, an increase of 28.1% compared with January 2022, when we had to suspend our long-haul schedule for seven days due to stricter quarantine measures. The month’s cargo revenue tonne kilometres (RFTKs) increased 140.9% year-on-year. The cargo load factor decreased by 14.4 percentage points to 62.2%, while capacity, measured in available cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs), increased by 196.8% year-on-year.
Travel
Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau commented: “The new year got off to a positive start in January as Cathay Pacific carried more than 1 million passengers for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
“We carried on average more than 33,000 passengers per day, up from about 26,000 per day in December 2022, and operated at 18% more capacity than we did in December. We added more destinations in January, with our Phuket and Xi’an flights resuming.
“With the return of quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland on 8 January, we saw increased demand for travel into the Chinese Mainland, both from and through Hong Kong. We have been increasing our flights accordingly, and by the end of the month, we were operating up to three return flights per day to Shanghai and 11 return flights per week to Beijing.
“Leisure travel demand over the Lunar New Year holiday was also strong, particularly from Hong Kong, with Japan, Bangkok and Singapore being the most popular destinations. Unfortunately, despite the high demand for Japan, we had to cancel some of our flights due to restrictions imposed by the Japanese authorities on the number of flights airlines are permitted to operate from Hong Kong.
LANGKAWI, Malaysia, 15 February 2023: Langkawi is promoting three attractions this month; hidden gems on an island famous for its natural heritage and UNESCO Global Geopark.
MAHA Tower
One of the popular tourist attractions in Langkawi is the MAHA Tower or Menara MAHA, a towering 138-metre-tall steel structure located in Kuah town, according to Langsura Geopark Facebook account. The Facebook page introduces the unique tower initially opened by Tun Dr Mahathir, noting “there are no prizes for guessing the origin of the tower’s name.”
Sandbar Walk
From 21 to 22 February, travellers who wake up at dawn can experience an amazing natural phenomenon as the sea splits at Tanjung Rhu Beach, allowing visitors to walk with the sea lapping at their feet on both sides of a spectacular sandbar.
LADA, in partnership with Tanjung Rhu Resort Langkawi, will hold the Sand Bar Walk 2023 @ Pantai Tanjung Rhu Langkawi. You can witness the ‘split sea’ phenomenon and enjoy walking on the sandbank through the middle of the sea at a low tide. For more information, visit https://www.lada.gov.my/acara/sand-bar-walk-2023/
Langkawi’s tallest waterfall
ASEAN Skyline promotes the Jurassic Hidden Gem of Langkawi Island: Temurun Waterfall.
Located in the Datai Bay area, Temurun, a three-tier waterfall, features an awesome, cumulative 200-metre drop from the top ledge to the pool below. This is the tallest waterfall in Langkawi. During the rainy season, fresh mountain water cascades down the northern slope of Mount Mat Cincang, carving out a gorge from 500-million-year-old sandstone and shale cliff and rocks.
From the car park on the main road, the first tier is only a short five-minute stroll along a paved walkway through the rainforest of Mount Mat Cincang. The ascent to the waterfall’s base is gradual, with a railing on one side.
One visitor posted on the ASEAN Skyway Facebook page, “check the weather when visiting the waterfall. During the dry season, the water is just a trickle to what you see in the video”.
Check out the ASEAN Skyway video of 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗮𝘄𝗶’s 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝘂𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹.
For more information on the Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark, visit
BANGKOK, 9 February 2023: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is set to make its debut in Japan with the launch of Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, a gleaming 33-storey tower that will become a new landmark in this vibrant metropolis.
Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is set to make its debut in Japan with the launch of Centara Grand Hotel Osaka. This gleaming 33-storey tower will become a new landmark in this vibrant metropolis.
Scheduled to open its doors in July 2023, this contemporary five-star hotel is an architectural masterpiece that soars above the city near Namba, Osaka’s most vibrant entertainment and retail district. With its prime location, diverse dining venues, exceptional amenities and first-class event space, this will become the ultimate destination for business and leisure travellers alike.
Centara Grand Hotel Osaka features 515 rooms and suites, ranging from 28-60 sqm and comprising Standard, Superior, Deluxe, Deluxe with Bunk Beds, and Suite options – perfect for every guest, from solo explorers to couples and families. Every room is adorned with sleek, modern décor, king or twin beds, floor-to-ceiling windows and in-room amenities such as Nespresso machines, Smart TVs, rain showers and high-speed Wi-Fi. Those staying on the executive floors (26-31) will receive exclusive services at the Club Lounge.
Osaka is Japan’s culinary capital, and this new hotel will further enhance the city’s gastronomic reputation with an eclectic collection of restaurants and bars. Kunsei Kitchen is a dramatic top-floor smokehouse where innovative cuisine is paired with fine wines and panoramic views. At the same time, Whiskey Nova is a stylish 32nd-floor steakhouse with an extensive collection of whiskeys and wines accompanying prime meats. Embassy of Crab showcases succulent seafood, including its signature crab dishes, and Suan Bua reflects Centara’s proud Thai heritage with highly authentic Southeast Asian street food.
Guests can enjoy light daytime bites and homemade pastries at Platform 2 Café, Automata is a futuristic self-service cocktail bar on the 32nd floor where guests can create their perfect drinks, and for genuinely unforgettable occasions, Crudo Deck is an alfresco rooftop venue where revellers can sip sunset cocktails and savour world-class cuisine as a resident DJ spins upbeat tunes. This 90 sqm rooftop venue doubles as a spectacular setting for uplifting events.
Corporate travellers and meeting planners can also take advantage of a glittering 351 sqm Grand Ballroom, which can be flexibly divided into two smaller spaces and three other meeting rooms ranging from 26 to 30 sqm. When guests are not working or exploring this compelling city, they can work out in the fitness centre or enjoy soothing therapies at the Thai-inspired SPA Cenvaree, which features four treatment rooms, a foot massage area and a Thai massage room.
With Japan’s borders having reopened in late 2022, visitors can now rediscover the many wonders of the “Land of the Rising Sun”. In Osaka, Japan’s second-largest city, an amazing array of attractions awaits, from historical landmarks like Osaka Castle and Shitennoji Temple to modern marvels such as Universal Studios and Osaka Aquarium. Namba, the downtown district that surrounds the hotel, is filled with retail malls, restaurants and bars.
To celebrate the launch of Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, explorers can take advantage of the exclusive “Osaka Opening Offer” with 25% off standard room rates, plus a complimentary room upgrade, late 1400 check-out, exclusive dining privileges and a Centara branded giveaway. This enticing offer runs until 30 June 2023 for stays taken between 1 July and 21 December 2023. Rates start from USD228 or EUR212, or JPY 30,000*Click here to book.
BANGKOK, 15 February 2023: AirAsia launched a promotion offering flights to various domestic destinations in Thailand and international destinations from its Bangkok Don Mueang airport hub.
The following fares are up for grabs from now until 19 February 2023 for travel from 1 March to 10 December 2023, exclusively via the AirAsia Super App and its website.
One-way fares on domestic flights (FD) start from THB399 THB and International flights (FD) start from THB1,390.
Long-haul flights on Thai AirAsia X (XJ) start from THB4,590 THB, from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Melbourne and Sydney.
Guests who book a flight with AirAsia via www.airasia.com or AirAsia Super App from now until 19 February 2023 will receive free flight delay insurance cover of up to THB1,500* for delays over two hours with the travelling period from 1 May to 10 December 2023.
*Review promotion terms and conditions before booking.
SINGAPORE, 15 February 2023: British Airways has completed a codeshare partnership with Airlink, improving connectivity between the UK, Europe, North America and more than 15 destinations in Southern Africa.
With bases in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban in South Africa, Airlink is a premium regional airline with a network of cities in 14 countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia.
The agreement means British Airways’ customers travelling from or transiting through London can connect to their final destination via Cape Town or Johannesburg on a single ticket. This will offer more choice and flexibility for those travelling on to one of 18 towns and cities, such as Windhoek in Namibia and Durban in South Africa.
British Airways currently flies twice daily between London Heathrow and Johannesburg with A380 aircraft, twice daily between London Heathrow and Cape Town with B777 and A350 aircraft and three times per week between London Gatwick and Cape Town with B777 aircraft.
Members of British Airways’ loyalty programme, the Executive Club, can earn Avios when flying on Airlink flights on a British Airways codeshare journey. Avios is the programme’s currency, which can be used as part-payment towards Reward Flights or upgrades, hotel stays, car hire and more.
British Airways director of network and alliances, Neil Chernoff said: “Our flights to Cape Town and Johannesburg continue to be as popular as ever with our customers, so we’re pleased to be able to open up more options in the Southern African region. Our partnership with Airlink means customers can book a full journey on one ticket, allowing seamless travel from London to their final destination.”
In total, 18 destinations are available as codeshare options when travelling from Heathrow via Johannesburg and Cape Town.
They include:
London Heathrow to Durban via Johannesburg or London Heathrow to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, via Cape Town or Johannesburg; London Heathrow to Skukuza, South Africa, via Cape Town or Johannesburg; London Heathrow to Windhoek, Namibia, via Cape Town or Johannesburg; London Heathrow to Walvis Bay, Namibia, via Cape Town or Johannesburg; Codeshare tickets are available to book for travel from 15 February 2023 onwards.
SINGAPORE, 15 February 2023: Bedsonline, a leading global provider of online accommodation, has appointed Worldrep Inc as its general sales agent (GSA) in the Philippines.
Worldrep Inc will now represent Bedsonline in all sales and commercial activities, helping to grow the accommodation provider’s business in the Philippines. Bedsonline will also benefit from extensive marketing support from its new partner while expanding Worldrep Inc’s footprint thanks to its network of more than 300,000 hotels worldwide.
“Working with Worldrep Inc will strengthen our position in the Philippines at this critical time for tourism growth in the region,” said, Bedsonline’s regional director for Asia-Pacific, Peter Jones.
“We’re looking forward to building our presence here to serve our customers better and introducing our network of 320,000 hotels and ancillary products to more customers around the country.”
Worldrep Inc president Teresa “Tisha” Escalona said: “We are confident that Worldrep, Inc. will upgrade the service provided to Bedsonline customers across the Philippines with high professionalism. Its extensive success in the industry and established experience and expertise will help us better serve this market thanks to the global knowledge of our local talent.”
Philippine travel agencies already working with Bedsonline will continue to book all their accommodation, activities, transfers and car hire via www.bedsonline.com.
About Bedsonline
Bedsonline is a global provider of accommodation and complementary travel products exclusively catering to travel agents. Its online platform distributes accommodation, excursions, tickets and transfers to more than 60,000 travel agencies backed by local sales teams in over 30 countries covering over 100 markets.
PENANG, Malaysia, 15 February 2023: The Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) is once again hosting the Penang Roadshow to India 2023 in four different cities this week through to 20 February.
Now in its sixth edition, the roadshow kicked off in Mumbai on 13 February, followed by New Delhi (15 February), Chennai (17 February) and Hyderabad (20 February). The roadshow will engage in a networking session in each city to connect with Indian buyers from the MICE industry.
Penang’s second virtual roadshow to India early last year attracted 24 buyers and trade visitors from various travel trade sectors in India.
By resuming an in-person format, the sixth edition recruited 14 registered exhibitors, together with Team PCEB. They will network with an estimated 800 buyers and trade visitors during the four-city roadshow in India.
During the Penang Roadshow to India, PCEB will launch its very own campaign, ‘Chalo Penang’ in all four cities to position Penang as the preferred meeting & leisure destination for Indian travellers.
The Penang State Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy Yeoh Soon Hin said: “PCEB will launch the latest meeting and incentive packages to re-establish connections with the Indian business events market.”
Around 2500 events with 260,000 delegates should take place in Penang this year, with an estimated economic impact of MYR1 billion.
This conveys a message of confidence that Penang is ready and reflects its capability to host large and world-class events.
For example, V-Convention, one of the largest events hosted bi-annually in Penang, attracts around 15,000 delegates, mainly from India.
“PCEB is strategising comprehensive blueprints to position Penang higher in the Indian market. The growth and advancements of the tourism industry in Penang are rapidly moving forward now,” said Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau CEO Ashwin Gunasekeran.
Penang is working closely to improve airline connectivity with India. Malaysia Airlines has identified Penang as a key player in attracting business events from India, the UK, China, Australia, North Asia and ASEAN countries.
CHIANG MAI, 15 February 2023: After twice rescheduling in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic restrictions, Routes Asia finally arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Tuesday for its 2023 edition, 14 to 16 February.
Routes is a UK-based company that hosts worldwide aviation and airline events. The 19th edition of Routes Asia welcomes 100 airlines, mainly top executives responsible for network planning, who will hold meetings and network with airport and destination partners from around the region.
Thailand won the bid to host Routes Asia in 2020 following the 2019 host Cebu Philippines, but the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 forced the host Airports of Thailand to reschedule twice. Routes Asia 2022 successfully resumed in the region in 2022, hosted by Danang in central Vietnam, when AOT confirmed new dates for Thailand to host the event in 2023.
The Routes Asia 2023 meetings platform features virtual meeting opportunities, enabling airport and tourism delegates to undertake meetings with 13 of China’s leading carriers which, due to travel restrictions, will take part virtually in meetings hosted during the event in Chiang Mai. Virtual meetings will be available with Chinese airlines such as Air China, China Eastern, China Southern Airlines, and more.
Airline decision-makers worldwide will attend networking sessions, while Routes Asia 2023 features over 40 speakers from trade associations, airline boards of directors, airports and government ministries, who will deliver more than 15 hours of actionable insight for delegates across the three days of the event.
Aaron McGarvey, Director of Business Development, Finnair
Jay L Lingeswara, Director Commercial, VietJet Air
Thiti Arayakhun, Director of Network Planning and Business Development, Thai Smile Airways
Dinh Xuan Thuy, Director of Corporate Planning Division, Bamboo Airways
Neil Hathi, Marketing Regional Director for Southeast Asia, Boeing
Ignacio Bosch Nacenta, Head of Networking and Scheduling, AirAsia Group
Pinyot Pibulsonggram, Head of Commercial, Thai Vietjet
Krislen Keri, Senior Commercial Manager, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi
Anthony Chan, Head of Network Planning, HK Express
Routes director Steven Small said: “Asia-Pacific carriers enjoyed a strong and welcome international travel recovery in 2022. The picture for Asia-Pacific’s airlines, airports and destinations is one of real optimism heading into 2023. Routes Asia 2023 comes at the ideal time for the route development community to negotiate new and existing air services that will continue to build on this momentum.”
