SINGAPORE, 1 June 2023: Three Holland America Line ships are set to explore Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific in the cruise season 2024-2025.
The cruise ship Westerdam will spend the season sailing around Australia, while Koningsdam and Zaandam each offer longer cruises to the South Pacific and Hawaii.
Photo credit: Holland America Line. Westerdam in Sydney.
Itineraries up to 58 days include explorations of South Pacific islands and a circumnavigation of Australia.
In October 2024, Westerdam sails a westwardly South Pacific crossing, followed by the iconic Australia Circumnavigation. From December 2024 through March 2025, the ship will offer 14-day departures roundtrip from Sydney, Australia, or between Auckland, New Zealand, and Sydney.
Zaandam’s “Tales of the South Pacific” in September 2024 is from Vancouver, Canada, to San Diego, California, or roundtrip to San Diego, while Koningsdam’s “Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas” in February 2025 is roundtrip from San Diego.
Beginning fares for 2025 Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific cruises range from USD2,449 to USD10,999 per person, double occupancy, depending on the length of the trips. Taxes, fees and port expenses are additional.
LANGKAWI, 1 June 2023: Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) led a team of specialist water sports providers to present the island’s marine attractions and leisure activities at the Malaysia International Dive Expo held in Kuala Lumpur last week.
The show, hosted at the city’s premier venue, the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre, attracted more than 70 specialised dive companies and government agencies representing state tourism activities. Over the three days, 26 to 28 May, more than 15,000 travel consumers visited the event.
Langkawi’s dive tour team welcome visitors to the LADA pavilion.
LADA recruited a team of representatives from the island dive community and providers of other sea-based tourism products. At the close of the event, the government agency reported companies participating at the Langkawi pavilion generated an estimated MYR74,847.00 in sales over the three days. LADA said it was the first time the island had fielded a team and presented its dive packages at the annual show.
During the expo, His Majesty the Sultan of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin and his son visited the LADA booth at MIDE 2023.
Langkawi joins Tioman, Perhentian, and Sabah as a top dive destination making an impact with both dive tour operators in the domestic market and dive enthusiasts who book scuba diving activities directly through online channels and social media.
DUBAI UAE, 31 May 2023: The Emirates Group is embarking on a futuristic, immersive digital journey to transform its employee experiences – a first for the industry – by collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Both organisations have agreed to develop an immersive Extended Reality (iXR) platform and capability for the Emirates Group’s cabin crew, new joiners, and the wider industry partner community. 3D virtual hubs, virtual training, gamified environments, simulated experiences – all this and infinitely more are in the offing as the Group adds ground-breaking features and technology to the platform.
iXR, powered by AWS spatial computing and artificial intelligence, will deliver technical capabilities with photorealistic experiences. iXR experiences will be available across next-gen wearables and hand-held devices, including tablets and mobiles, with a consistent, high-fidelity experience streamed from the cloud.
In the first phase, iXR will have three distinct capabilities – a collaborative hub and social space, cabin crew training, and employee onboarding. An Emirates Virtual Hub will welcome employees to engaging and interactive brand experiences. iXR will introduce an unparalleled 3D interactive experience to the airline’s award-winning cabin crew by leveraging advanced technology to create a truly immersive environment. Here, the crew will be transported into a meticulously constructed digital universe with virtual classrooms, engage with and learn from seasoned facilitators and peers, and navigate the intricate interiors of the airline’s flagship A380s and Boeing 777s. The environment will feature cabin service trainers, photorealistic avatars, and spatial audio for an authentic sensory experience that enhances Emirates’ hospitality ethos.
The hyperreal virtual world will enable the Emirates Group’s recruits to quickly and visually learn more about the organisation and its extensive business, people and culture, roles, and living in Dubai. Embedded support services will create a seamless onboarding experience for successful candidates.
Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer Adel Al Redha said: “The Emirates Group is synonymous with innovation and for always setting the bar high in the aviation industry. We aim to build a meaningful, practical, rewarding XR capability that utilises AI’s evolution.
“We are using scalable XR capability that spans the breadth of our Group’s brands and businesses. In the first phase, iXR will help cabin crew interact and familiarise themselves with the platform in an interactive, high-fidelity 3D environment which they can explore at their convenience, leading to greater knowledge transfer and employee satisfaction. During this phase, we will develop our employee experience using iXR to seamlessly assimilate our people within the Group’s business, community and culture.
“iXR, which is on track for launch later in the year, will establish us as the first and only airline with an embedded extended reality platform connecting its operations. It reflects our commitment to spearhead and entrench innovation and cutting-edge technologies in aviation to benefit our customers, communities and the industry.”
AWS vice president of professional services Al Opher said: “Extended Reality (XR) is a rapidly emerging technology that will propel the aviation industry into the future. It will profoundly impact training, design, and innovative service propositions in safe environments that are immersive, performance-oriented, and efficient. This collaboration will further equip Emirates employees to deliver unique, consistent end-customer experiences.”
iXR will feature advanced technologies, including Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, the world’s most open and advanced 3D tool, offering developers flexible, scalable, secure, and reliable real-time capabilities on AWS’ cloud.
Dubai and the UAE are blazing the way in the digital economy with a clear vision supported by practical policies and regulatory frameworks across virtual assets, AI, and data protection.
The Emirates Pavilion at Expo 2020 is being repurposed as a hub to develop cutting-edge future experiences aligned with the UAE’s vision for the digital economy. The Emirates Group continues to engage with industry partners on its Web3 strategy and recruit talent for projects in its pipeline.
Emirates pioneered web virtual reality (VR) technology on emirates.com and its app more than six years ago, offering an immersive 3D, 360-degree view of its aircraft cabin interiors. Emirates also has its own VR app on the Oculus store, offering users accurate, life-size and interactive cabin interior experiences onboard Emirates’ flagship A380s and Boeing 777-300ER Gamechanger aircraft.
For more information on the airline and bookings, visit www.emirates.com.
HO CHI MINH CITY, 1 June 2023: Vietjet Air will open a new route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta (Indonesia) with daily flights starting 5 August.
Flight VT855 will depart from Ho Chi Minh City at 0935 am and land at 1230 at Jakarta’sSoekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK).
Photo credit: Vietjet
The return flight VT854 will depart Jakarta at 1330 and arrive in Ho Chi Minh City at 1640. The flight time using an A320 is around three hours.
The airline already flies daily direct services to Bali, Indonesia, from both Hanoi (daily) and Ho Chi Minh City (three daily).
On the Ho Chi Minh City – Jakarta route Viejet quoting a low fare of USD150 will compete head-on with AirAsia Indonesia (return fare around USD292) and Vietnam Airlines (USD422).
Checking Vietjet’s booking website during August, there are very few days when a customer can grab the lowest fare. They will probably have to settle for USD252 to get a seat.
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia 1 June 2023: Tourism Malaysia is heading Malaysia’s participation at the Asia Pacific’s premier thought leadership event, which for the first time, combines a travel mart component under the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit and Adventure Mart 2023 hosted in Pokhara, Nepal this week.
Chairman of the PATA Malaysia Chapter since 2019, Datuk Musa Hj Yusof, who is also deputy director-general (promotion) of Tourism Malaysia and a PATA board member, is representing Malaysia at PATA Board Meeting and Government Meeting and joining 32 other country members in PATA Chapter Congress today.
Datuk Musa is one of the panellists to address the topic of “Managing Crises and Challenges in the Post-Pandemic World” by sharing the best practices for tourism businesses and destinations in responding to the effective crisis management and communication for a safe reopening and the recovery of tourism.
Held alongside the summit’s conference themed “Sustainability through Tourism”, PATA Youth Symposium, on the other hand, provides opportunities for young people to engage with current industry leaders under the Mentorship Session, and Tourism Malaysia is represented by Mr Zaidi Kassim, Senior Assistant Director from Corporate Communications Division.
PATA has been actively promoting travel and tourism in the Asia and Pacific region by supporting the growth of its members’ businesses in both the public and private sectors to expand their networks regionally and globally. Besides being the targeted channel for brand exposure, PATA also helps to strengthen the tourism industry through trade events, industry research and professional development programmes.
Datuk Musa said: “Tourism Malaysia’s active participation in PATA augurs well to strengthening its primary role as the leading agency for promoting national tourism at both international and domestic levels. Meanwhile, the added value from
strategic collaborations and the sharing of the latest trends by experts in the tourism industry is also driving preparations towards the success of Visit Malaysia Year 2025.”
Tourism Malaysia has been a PATA Government Member for 64 years since 1959 and hosted the PATA Adventure Travel Conference and Mart (ATCM) in 2020 at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
The upcoming PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart (PDFM) 2023 will be held in Kuching, Sarawak, from 21 to 23 June and hosted by Sarawak Tourism Board.
BANGKOK, 1 June 2023: Updated forecasts for 39 Asia Pacific destinations, released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Wednesday, show a robust increase in aggregate international visitor arrivals (IVAs) under each of three scenarios in 2023, with strong annual growth continuing to the end of 2025.
Sponsored by Visa and with data and insights from Euromonitor International, this suite of reports builds on the current forecasts by delving deeper into the changing dynamics of travel and tourism into and across the Asia Pacific region at the single destination level facilitating the development of appropriate strategies over the next three years.
Predicted international arrivals in 2023 range from 705 million under the mild scenario to 516 million under the medium scenario, and almost 390 million under the severe scenario, equating to visitor numbers in 2023 that exceed that of pre-pandemic 2019 by 3.3% under the mild scenario, but still nearly 25% short of it under the medium scenario, and some 43% behind it under the severe scenario.
By the end of 2024, the 2019 benchmark level of international visitor arrivals (IVAs) will be exceeded even further under the mild scenario and by 6.7% under the medium scenario, with both positions increasing in strength to 2025. Under the severe scenario, however, IVAs in 2025 is still predicted to fall short of the 2019 level by some 10%.
In this just-released series of the ‘Asia Pacific Destination Forecasts 2023-2025’, PATA covers each of 39 destinations in much greater detail, focusing on source markets and air capacity changes in each case. One source market of particular interest, of course, is mainland China. These most recent forecasts indicate strong annual growth rates are expected in 2023 under each of the three scenarios but not passing the 2019 volumes until 2024 under the mild and medium scenarios.
Despite strong annual increases in arrivals from mainland China to Asia Pacific destinations, under the severe scenario, that number is still expected to lag the 2019 peak by around 6% by the end of 2025.
Pacific Asia Travel Association chair Peter Semone points out: “While these forecasts are extremely encouraging, hurdles remain, and the travel and tourism sector will require ongoing vigilance and operational flexibility as these issues present themselves over the coming years. Even though Covid-19 outbreaks are no longer at the global pandemic stage, for example, it has not disappeared entirely, and we must come to grips with living with it for some time.”
He adds: “In addition, the conflict in Ukraine, a softening global economic outlook with rising inflation and the increased costs of international travel will all have to be dealt with in ways that satisfy the increasingly diverse demands of the traveller of both today and tomorrow.”
Visa head of cross-border & sales excellence, Asia Pacific David Fowler said: “Many headwinds lie ahead as traveller habits and preferences have changed substantially in a post-pandemic and hyper-digitalised world. Building data capabilities will continue to be a key investment area for the travel ecosystem as it navigates the shifts in travel patterns through data insights and, in turn, respond with data-backed customer engagement strategies.”
The PATA Asia Pacific Destination Forecasts 2023-2025 are now available on the PATA website at www.PATA.org/catalog.
BANGKOK, 1 June 2023: Arival, a global leader in the tour and activities industry, launched a new guide this week aimed at helping tour operators choose a booking system.
This new report comes ahead of the Arival Activate event in Bangkok from 12 to 14 June. The report will be presented to delegates with educational sessions about the importance of tech and connectivity to grow their business.
The report follows a recent study by Arival, which found that nearly half of the surveyed tour operators were not using a booking system to secure customers. And 57% of these operators were small companies versus large companies (7%). However, 71% of small agencies wanted to grow their online bookings.
Arival CEO Douglas Quinby said: “Every tour, activity and attraction operator, no matter how small or large, should use an online booking system. The right technology saves companies time and money by helping them automate the routine tasks of running a tour or experiences business, so they can focus on what makes their operation special. Small agencies and tour operators are disadvantaged by not using booking systems because they can’t capture reservations online or manage their capacity in real-time as effectively as larger players. Our research shows that many smaller companies want to grow their online bookings but don’t know where to start when choosing a booking system. This guide provides an actionable roadmap and advice on making informed decisions about which system is right for them.”
The ‘How To Choose A Booking System’ report includes why every operator needs a booking system and what factors should be considered when evaluating different systems. It also details how to start the evaluation process and outlines key questions businesses should ask themselves before selecting a solution.
HANOI, 1 June 2023: Vietravel Airlines has expanded its international flight network by connecting Cam Ranh and Danang with Macau through daily charter flights supported by local tour operators in Macau.
Last week, Vietravel Airlines flight VU1337 departed from Macau International Airport (MFM) at 1340 and arrived at Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR) at 1445 with 220 passengers on board. It marked the start of daily charter flights after almost a three-year flight pause between the two countries due to Covid-19 restrictions.
It represents the second series of charter flights by Vietravel Airlines after successfully launching Cam Ranh – Daegu (South Korea) charter flights. The airline currently operates six domestic and two international routes, a mix of scheduled services on domestic routes and international charter flights.
Vietravel Airlines is the first tourist airline working with tour agencies and partners in Northeast Asia to operate charter flights from Taiwan, China, Korea and Japan. Vietravel Airlines will operate daily “scheduled charter flights” on the Cam Ranh/Danang – Macau route for the summer timetable months up to October. All seats are allocated to partner travel agencies in Macau that handle package sales, including flights, hotels and land arrangements.
“As we spread our wings further, we are excited to introduce two new domestic routes: Hanoi to Cam Ranh and Danang, starting 26 May. These flights will offer a wider range of travel options and bolster Vietnam’s air transport capacity,” the airline said in a press statement.
Meanwhile, Vietravel Airlines added two new domestic routes on 26 May, Hanoi – Cam Ranh and Hanoi – Danang, starting with a daily flight on each route.
According to Vietnam’s General Statistics Office, the first quarter of 2023 showed a strong aviation and tourism market recovery, recording 2,699,500 international visitors. Of that total, 89.8% were airline passengers. The uplift by airlines increased by 29.4% when compared to 2022.
About Vietravel Airlines
Vietravel Airlines is a member of the Tourism and Aviation Group – Vietravel Corporation (Stock Code: VTR). The airline officially operated its first commercial flight on 25 January 2021, connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. It flies Airbus A321 and Boeing 737 aircraft.
SINGAPORE, 31 May 2023: General Hotel Management Ltd has appointed Hani Akkari as the new general manager of The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort in Doha, Qatar.
He has garnered over 17 years of experience in some of the world’s most renowned luxury hotels in Europe and the Middle East, starting in France in 2007 at Four Seasons Luxury Hotels and Resorts and Hilton Arc De Triomphe in Paris.
Most recently, he was appointed general manager of Fairmont Doha in Katara Towers, where his recent achievements include leading a dedicated team of hospitality leaders for the hotel’s iconic opening, which led to commercial success from hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Chedi Katara is located in the Katara Cultural Village in Doha, Qatar.
BANGKOK, 31 May 2023: ASAI Bangkok Sathorn, the second ASAI-branded hotel in Bangkok, celebrated its arrival on the hotel scene with The Hamlet Block Party: ASAI x Aperol Neighbour-Fest – a two-day art, music, and dining festival designed to showcase the property’s vibrant neighbourhood and demonstrate ASAI’s commitment to collaborating with, and bringing value to, its broader communities.
Held over the weekend of 27 to 28 May 2023, the event brought together various hip venues along Sathorn Sois 10 and 12 near Bangkok’s central business district. It featured a wide range of pop-up drinking, dining, entertainment, and arts and crafts experiences at the hotel and throughout the neighbourhood.
Especially for the occasion, renowned local restaurants and bars such as Le Café des Stagiaires, ModKaew Wine Bar, Kai New Zealand, XII Mediterranean, Bardo, Mezcal, and Cetara offered special promotions on their respective F&B menus. Some venues also hosted live performances by local bands and DJs – including a mesmerising drag performance at Mezcal.
Reflecting ASAI Bangkok Sathorn’s intent to become a vibrant community hub, the hotel presented a pop-up burger stall by Little Market, a unique Burmese lunch experience by guest chef Lady GooGoo, an evening cocktail and DJ party with Aperol, an art exhibition featuring the works of local artists, and a series of interactive workshops, including a latte art workshop by Rocket Coffeebar, a sustainable ‘BioPlastic’ product workshop by Hutsama, and a creative photography workshop led by Bangkok’s renowned ex-motorcycle taxi rider-turned-pro photographer Phichai Kaewvichit.
An exclusive dinner experience by guest chefs Bo Songvisava and Dylan Jones, the masterminds behind ASAI Bangkok Sathorn’s exciting restaurant concept, ERR Urban Rustic Thai, also wowed diners with authentic Thai cuisine crafted from seasonal and sustainable ingredients. The duo’s former restaurant, Bo.Ian earned a Michelin Star for a similar approach.
Food lovers also indulged in an exclusive Trattoria Sunday Brunch, created at the hotel by guest chefs Manuelo from Giglio and Miro from Cetara.
“Bringing the community together in events like this embodies the essence of the ASAI experience,” said Siradej Donavanik, Vice President – Development Global, Dusit International and Head of Culture for ASAI Hotels. “At ASAI, our commitment lies in enabling our guests to ‘Live Local’ and forging meaningful connections with our neighbours to craft extraordinary experiences for visitors and locals alike. The resounding success of the Hamlet Block Party is a testament to this community-focused approach, and we are delighted to have provided an unforgettable gathering for all who joined us.”
Created by Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, ASAI Hotels is a distinctive lifestyle brand designed to link curious, millennial-minded travellers with authentic local experiences in the world’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. Its operations are built on four key pillars: Thoughtful Essentials, Common Areas, Locally Inspired, and Connected Community.
The first ASAI-branded property, ASAI Bangkok Chinatown, opened in September 2020 in the heart of the city’s renowned Chinatown district. It is now one of the top-rated hotels on TripAdvisor.
ASAI Bangkok Sathorn aims to build on this success by linking guests with another vibrant neighbourhood – this one renowned for its cluster of hip bars and restaurants – just a five-minute walk from Saint Louis BTS (Skytrain) Station, and a few blocks away from the buzzing Silom Road, on Sathorn Soi 12.
Alongside 106 thoughtfully compact rooms that focus on the essentials, such as highly comfortable beds, powerful showers, high-quality amenities, and work desks with USB charging stations, the new property boasts a spacious and welcoming communal space that features a cosy neighbourhood bar, a comfortable co-working area, and ERR Rustic Thai Dining, as mentioned above.
Guests also benefit from ASAI’s team of ‘community ambassadors,’ who are on hand to share their in-depth knowledge of the neighbourhood and guide guests towards hidden gems and local treasures, with itineraries tailored to suit individual preferences.
To celebrate its grand opening, ASAI Bangkok Sathorn offers a special room package starting at THB2,500 net per night for a Cosy King or Twin Room, including breakfast. The offer is available for booking until 30 June 2023 for stay dates through 30 September 2023.
