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Emirates completes SAF demo flight

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DUBAI, UAE, 1 February 2023: Emirates has completed its first milestone demonstration flight on a Boeing 777-300ER, powering one of its engines with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

The flight took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and was commanded by Captain Fali Vajifdar and Captain Khalid Nasser Akram, flying for more than one hour over the Dubai coastline.

The demonstration flight powered by SAF holds particular significance as the UAE declares 2023 the ‘Year of Sustainability’. The year will showcase the UAE’s commitment to seeking innovative solutions to challenges such as energy, climate change and other sustainability-related issues. The flight supports collective industry efforts to enable a future of 100% SAF flying and help advance the UAE’s sustainability objectives.

Emirates’ demonstration flight, the first in the Middle East and North Africa to be powered by 100% SAF, supports broader efforts to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions as the industry looks to scale up its use of SAF. The flights will also help to refine the playbook for future SAF demonstrations and support future certification where 100% drop-in SAF fuel is approved for aircraft. Currently, SAF is approved for use in all aircraft but only in blends of up to 50% with conventional jet fuel.

Emirates worked alongside partners GE Aerospace, Boeing, Honeywell, Neste and Virent to procure and develop a blend of SAF that closely replicates the properties of conventional jet fuel. A host of chemical and physical fuel property measurements was carried out at each blend ratio. After multiple lab tests and rigorous trials, they arrived at a blending ratio that mirrored the qualities of jet fuel. Eighteen tonnes of SAF were blended, comprised of HEFA-SPK provided by Neste (hydro-processed esters and fatty acids and synthetic paraffinic kerosene) and HDO-SAK from Virent (hydro deoxygenated synthetic aromatic kerosene). The 100% SAF supplied one GE90 engine, with conventional jet fuel supplying the other engine.

The test flight further demonstrates the compatibility of the specially blended SAF as a safe and reliable fuel source. The promising outcome of this initiative also adds to the body of industry data and research around SAF blends in higher proportions, paving the way for standardisation and future approval of 100% drop-in SAF as a replacement for jet fuel, well above the current 50% blend limit.

Emirates Airline chief operating officer Adel Al Redha said: “This flight is a milestone moment for Emirates and a positive step for our industry as we work collectively to address one of our biggest challenges – reducing our carbon footprint. It has been a long journey to see this demonstration 100% SAF flight finally take off. Emirates is the first passenger airline in the world to operate a Boeing 777 powering a GE engine with 100% SAF. Such initiatives are critical contributors to industry knowledge on SAF and provide data to demonstrate the use of higher blends of SAF for future regulatory approvals. We hope that landmark demonstration flights like this one will help open the door to scale up the SAF supply chain and make it more available and accessible across geographies and, most importantly, affordable for broader industry adoption in the future.”

Emirates’ first flight powered by SAF blended with jet fuel was in 2017, operating from Chicago O’Hare airport on a Boeing 777. It received its first SAF-powered A380 delivery in 2020 and also uplifted 32 tonnes of SAF for its flights from Stockholm that same year.

For more information, visit www.emirates.com.

(Your Stories: Emirates)

Fairfield by Marriott expands in Japan

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 1 February 2023: Fairfield by Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 brands, announced Tuesday seven anticipated openings of 2023, adding to the portfolio of 22 Fairfield by Marriott hotels in Japan.

The new hotels will be located along national roadside rest areas in the prefectures of Hyogo, Kagoshima, Okayama, Saga, Kumamoto, and Fukuoka in the southern region of Japan. The Fairfield by Marriott ‘Michi-no-Eki’ project aims to facilitate access to many of Japan’s off-the-beaten-path attractions, offering a comforting hotel experience along the country’s expressways.

Seven new Fairfield by Marriott hotels in Japan are scheduled to open in 2023.

Fairfield by Marriott Hyogo Tajima Yabu (88 rooms, opened 24 January 2023).

The property stands next to Michi-no-Eki Yoka Tajimanokura in Yabu city, in Japan’s southwestern Hyogo Prefecture.

Fairfield by Marriott Hyogo Awaji Higashiura (87 rooms, opening summer 2023).

The property is located on Awaji Island, connected to the main island of Honshu by the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world.

KAGOSHIMA

Fairfield by Marriott Kagoshima Tarumizu (95 rooms, opening spring 2023).

The new hotel will be located at Tarumizu city in Kagoshima, the southernmost part of Kyushu Island. Kagoshima city is known as the “Naples of the East” for its location on a bay facing the famous Sakurajima volcano.

OKAYAMA

Fairfield by Marriott Okayama Tsuyama (78 rooms, opening spring 2023).

Located in Okayama, Tsuyama is a town of history and culture known for the 17th-century Tsuyama Castle, one of Japan’s three historic hilltop-style castles.

SAGA

Fairfield by Marriott Saga Ureshino Onsen (84 rooms, opening summer 2023).

Fairfield by Marriott Saga Ureshino Onsen will welcome guests to Ureshino Onsen, a hot spring town in the southwestern Saga Prefecture. The hotel is close to the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen bullet train station.

FUKUOKA

Fairfield by Marriott Fukuoka Ukiha (51 rooms, opening summer 2023).

Fairfield by Marriott Fukuoka Ukiha is located close to Chikugo Plain, an important farming region in Japan.

KUMAMOTO

Fairfield by Marriott Kumamoto Aso (93 rooms, opening in autumn 2023.

The hotel will be located at Kumamoto in Aso city, nestled within one of the world’s largest volcanic calderas.

Tourism Malaysia roadshow visits India

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TTR WEEKLY
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CHENNAI, India, 1 February 2023: Tourism Malaysia kicks off its first roadshow in India this year in collaboration with the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA).

The roadshow covers visits to five cities from 30 January to 7 February 2023, starting in  Chennai, followed by Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

Tourism Malaysia senior deputy director of international promotion (Asia & Africa) Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim leads the mission together with the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) supported by 30 organisations. They comprise a state tourism body, an airline, six hotel/resort operators, 20 travel agents and two product owners.

The Malaysian sellers and Indian buyers participate in business matching sessions and a networking dinner in each city. There are also seminars scheduled focusing on leisure and niche tourism markets, such as meeting and incentives groups (MICE), weddings, golfing, and family travel.

India is one of the top market sources for Malaysia and has contributed 735,309 (+22.5%) arrivals and MYR 3.6 billion (+33.4%) tourism expenditure in 2019. Apart from its objective to ensure Malaysia remains to stand out on top of the minds among Indians, the roadshow aims to provide a platform for the industry community to steer the tourism sector to greater heights.

“The pandemic has been tremendously challenging for us, but ever since the reopening of our international border in April 2022, I am glad to let you know that we have welcomed more than 7 million international tourist arrivals in 2022. Hence, we are optimistic about achieving higher numbers in 2023, where we target to welcome 15.6 million international tourist arrivals with MYR 47.6 billion in tourism receipts.”, said Tourism Malaysia director-general Dato’ Zainuddin Abdul Wahab. “Tourism Malaysia is ramping up its marketing efforts globally, including raising Malaysia’s profile in the Indian market. We do hope this market will continue to play an important role in getting this number”.

“MATTA has successfully organised sales missions to India since 2016 to collaborate with our counterparts and promote Malaysia following our recent tourist developments; we believed that this determination, accompanied by an effective promotional message, will improve the cross-promotional connection and create a stronger awareness of the India travel markets,” said MATTA President, Datuk Tan Kok Liang.

“MATTA embarks on this continuous effort as an ideal venue for showcasing and promoting Malaysia’s new destinations and our multi-racial cultures. This will boost tourist arrivals from India while creating more business opportunities for travel agent members.”

India remains an important market for Malaysia. Regarding connectivity, there are currently 169 flights per week from India to Malaysia via Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air (formerly known as Malindo Air), AirAsia, and IndiGo.

Malaysia has recently launched a new eVISA Multiple Entry Visa (MEV) for Indian visitors. It specifically targets Fly & Cruise, wedding, medical and business travel. The visa comes with a six-month validity, a 30-day length of stay, and costs just INR1,000.00.

The visa is available online at https://malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my/evisa/evisa.jsp.

AirAsia teams up with Archipelago International

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JAKARTA, 1 February 2023: AirAsia Super App announced Tuesday a partnership with Archipelago International, one of Southeast Asia’s largest hotel management groups.

This partnership has expanded the AirAsia Super App hotel booking platform’s portfolio by more than 40,000 rooms and residences in over 200 locations across Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Oceania.

AirAsia Super App users can now access many leading properties under Archipelago International brands including  ASTON, The Alana, Kamuela, Harper, Quest, NEO, fave, and Powered by Archipelago.

The MOU signing was attended by the Head of Emerging Markets AirAsia Super App, Lim Ben-Jie, President & CEO of Archipelago International, John M Flood, and Vice President of Commercial Archipelago International, Chris Legaspi.

This partnership also stands as one of AirAsia Super App’s efforts as an OTA and hotel booking platform to support Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy’s target of 7.4 million foreign tourist visits to Indonesia in 2023, especially since the reopening of Indonesia’s borders for international tourists from China in post-pandemic.

Head of Emerging Markets AirAsia Super App, Lim Ben-Jie, commented, “We gladly welcome the collaboration between AirAsia Super App and Archipelago International. By uniting our strong brand presence and extensive network, we believe this partnership will be a symbiosis of mutualism that benefits all stakeholders, as well as our real contribution to supporting the growth of the Indonesian tourism industry.”

“As an OTA with over 700 carriers on our platform, complemented by the wide connectivity of AirAsia airline and the robust travel ecosystem that we have, this partnership reemphasises the strength of AirAsia Super App for hotel partners to optimise our database of up to 51 million users and the 1.25 million daily active users who are looking for travel deals. Our unique end-to-end travel booking experience for users allows the AirAsia Super App to present more cross-sell marketing opportunities and increase visibility for direct hotel partners in reaching the right target market,” he continued.

Currently, the AirAsia Super App has inventories of more than 700,000 hotels worldwide. As an integrated travel platform, the AirAsia Super App offers more value to users with ‘Best Price Guaranteed’ for AirAsia hotel reservations, the AirAsia points system that applies to transactions across products and services within the application and combines AirAsia flight tickets with the best hotel reservation prices in AirAsia SNAP package.

AAPA data maps recovery trend

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 1 February 2023: Preliminary traffic results for the entire calendar year 2022 released Tuesday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed robust recovery in international passenger markets after more than two years of prolonged lockdowns and strict border control measures that severely crippled demand.

In 2022, Asia Pacific airlines carried a combined total of 105.4 million international passengers, compared to the 17.4 million passengers recorded in 2021. By December, international passengers climbed to 47.5% of pre-pandemic levels, a significant improvement from the 7.0% recorded in January.

Measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) terms, international passenger demand rose by 439.0% for the year. After accounting for a 144.0% expansion in available seat capacity, the average international passenger load factor jumped 39.9 percentage points higher to an average of 72.8% in 2022.

In contrast to the recovery in passenger markets, international air cargo demand weakened in 2022 and faced multiple challenges. A steep increase in inflation, a strong US dollar and tightening monetary policy across economies led to a slowdown in global economic activity. Pandemic-related lockdowns in China and the Russia-Ukraine war also aggravated prevailing supply chain disruptions.

Against this background, international air cargo demand recorded an 8.2% decline in 2022, following a robust 20.3% annual increase in 2021. Offered freight capacity expanded by 2.2%, as robust recovery in commercial passenger operations led to a gradual increase in available belly-hold space. As a result, the international freight load factor declined by 7.5 percentage points to an average of 66.6% for the year.

AAPA director general Subhas Menon said: “2022 marked the start of a long-awaited recovery in international travel markets as governments across the region eased travel restrictions for the year to welcome back visitors. The release of pent-up travel demand drove a 507% annual increase in the number of passengers carried for the year. However, demand in 2022 averaged just 27% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels, underscoring the significant progress still required towards full recovery.”

“Reflecting falling export orders alongside worsening business and consumer sentiment, international air cargo markets weakened after a relatively steady start to the year. Demand fell by a steep 20.7% year-on-year in December, bringing the decline for the full year 2022 to 8.2%.”

Looking ahead, Menon noted: “The outlook for 2023 is broadly positive, notably for passenger travel. The recovery of passenger demand is expected to progress further in the coming months, driven by a strong appetite for travel. In particular, China’s recent easing of travel restrictions will further fuel demand. However, some governments’ re-imposition of testing requirements for inbound travellers may somewhat slow down recovery in the shorter term. Asian airlines continue to work closely with regulators, airports and other stakeholders to serve the travelling public and deliver a seamless, safe and sustainable experience.”

(Source: AAPA)

Ageless Bicyclist pedals around Kuching

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUCHING, 31 January 2023: Singapore’s Ageless Bicyclist, a non-profit social enterprise that organises Sports For Good Cause Tours, recently pedalled Kuching’s streets, leading an inclusive cycling and art tour as part of its Sports for Good Causes initiative. 

Founder of Ageless Bicyclists, Malcolm Chen, now in his late 70s, organises specialised cycle tours across Malaysia from his home in Singapore, focusing on Johor Bahru, Langkawi and most recently, Sarawak.

Each tour generates financial contributions towards a charity organisation and enhances a healthy lifestyle for individuals with different abilities and challenges.

Chen’s latest venture involved an Eco Cycling Adventure with a team of 20 cycling enthusiasts who donated to the Kuching Autistic Association Resource and Education Centre (KAA). The cycling holiday experience supported KAA’s education and training programmes for children and young persons with autism through intervention programmes that support parents and caregivers of autistic individuals with coping and training skills. The Ageless Bicyclist recruited people from all walks of life, comprising four deaf cyclists, several parents of autistic children and enthusiastic cyclists all from Singapore, including an 85-year-old who pedalled through the four-day, three-night tour focusing on Kuching and its surrounding districts and riverside destinations as well as visits to Bau’s Wind Cave and Mount Singgai.

Photo credit: Borneo Talk.
Ageless Bicyclist founder Malcolm Chen (seated right of centre) presents a memento to STB Event Manager Anderson Harry (seated left).

Sarawak Tourism Board noted that Sports for Good Tours brings inclusive cycling to Sarawak for the first time.

 “Sports for Good Tours evolves from just cycling tours to integrating sports, tourism and charity,” said Chen, who resides in Singapore. What we are doing right now is packaging a programme that will support a charitable organisation. For Ageless Bicyclist, we put our priority first on supporting the Autism communities.”

Chen promises to create more programmes in Sarawak’s main gateways – Kuching, Sibu and Miri.

Sarawak Society for the Deaf general manager Ernest Ting told Borneo Talk that cycling was a “source of happiness”, especially when cycling in groups… “Cycling is an inclusive sport where being deaf does not matter.”

Ageless Bicyclists is a non-profit social enterprise established in 2015 and is a member of raiSE, ARAIBA (ASEAN Responsible and Inclusive Business Alliance), an associate member of Asean Autism Network and recognised as Honouree Brands For Good. It is Singapore’s first non-profit social enterprise with an experiential inclusive recreation cycling programme for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

For more information, visit https://agelessbicyclists.org/.

For more information on Sarawak, visit www.sarawaktourism.com.

Source: Additional reporting Borneo Talk.

(Your Stories: Sarawak Tourism Board).

LADA reaches out to investors

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TTR WEEKLY
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LANGKAWI, 31 January 2023: Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) will host a Langkawi Invest Day to unlock investment opportunities for sustainable tourism projects in the archipelago.

LADA announced the project last week on its Facebook and Twitter accounts, inviting tourism investors to attend the half-day event from 0930 to 1300 on 12 February 2023 at the Grand Ballroom of Aloft Hotel Langkawi.

LADA is targeting potential investors, business associations, senior management from tourism enterprises and government officials linked to promoting Langkawi’s economic development

For programme details, refer to https://goevent.lada.gov.my/assets/lada/Tentative.pdf

(Your Stories: LADA)

 

Balcony reps Ambassador Cruise

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 31 January 2023: Balcony Media Group is repping Ambassador Cruise, which homeports in the UNESCO World Heritage  Halong Bay, and Viet Deli, a leading F&B group in Vietnam with restaurants in Hanoi, Hoi An and Nha Trang.

Since launching its first vessel in 2021, Ambassador Cruise has offered Halong Bay cruises visiting Sung Sot Cave, Titov Island and Luon Cave.

The multi-deck boat features cabins, sun decks, restaurants, bars, outdoor jacuzzis and entertainment areas. The 1200-ton steel craft measures 96 metres long, 13.9 metres wide, and 13 metres high, making it the largest overnight cruise vessel to ply Halong Bay’s waters. It has 46 cabins in five categories, including three suite options – standard, captain and presidential. Day cruises have a capacity of 500 guests.

A three-day/two-night cruise in a standard cabin has a starting price of USD 365 per person. A popular day trip (out at 0700 and back at 1600) has a price tag of USD 112. The Ambassador Cruise II celebrates its official grand opening on 10 February 2023.

A round-trip shuttle bus links Hanoi with Halong Bay via an expressway that opened in 2018, cutting the transfer time between the destinations in half to two hours.

Viet Deli’s famed restaurants offer traditional Vietnamese cuisine and fusion cuisine, including ‘Home Moc’ in Hanoi, ‘Home Hoi An’ in Hoi An, and ‘Ngon Gallery’ in Nha Trang.

Further East 2023 open for bookings

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 31 January 2023: Asia Pacific’s barefoot travel show, Further East, will return to Seminyak, Bali, from 6 to 9 November 2023 for its fourth edition.

Retaining the theme “New Horizons”, the four-day festival unites APAC- focused brands, global buyers and media to reimagine the future of luxury travel.

Organised by This is Beyond, curators of travel events such as PURE Life Experiences, LE Miami, and We Are Africa, the Further East 2023 event is now open for bookings.

For its reboot last year, Further East was staged successfully with 450 delegates comprising 150 brand representations, around 140 buyers and 20 media despite challenges in air connectivity and travel costs.

The geographic composition of buyers was 30% from APAC and 70% from North America (including Canada), Latin America and Europe, all of whom are specialists in designing Asian Pacific travel experiences.

“Our theme for Further East, New Horizons, signals our hope to create an inspired community of innovators with a conscience, who will bring a new dawn for the luxury travel industry,” said This is Beyond CEO and founder Serge Dive. “Bali remains our home for Further East because it is the perfect venue for barefoot business and pool-side networking.

After a year of tourism recovery and stabilised flights, the guest list for Further East 2023 has grown to 200 exhibitors.

For more details about Further East 2023, visit www.furthereast.com or email: [email protected]. 

SITA strengthens travel ID processes

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 31 January 2023: SITA is innovating with cutting-edge technology to strengthen its airline, airport, and border solutions in partnership with travel identity company Zamna Technologies.

Zamna’s solution uses a decentralised blockchain-based model to transform how passenger data, such as passport, visa, and health information, is verified and handled, bringing security, ease, and efficiency benefits for travellers, airlines, airports and governments.

Jeremy Springall, Senior VP at SITA Borders, Abdul Wahab Teffaha, Secretary General of AACO, Irra Ariella Khi, CEO, Zamna Technologies.

SITA and Zamna finalised the partnership deal during an Arab Airlines Carriers’ Organisation (ACCO) meeting in Jordan last week. The first deployment will be focused on AACO’s more than 30 airline members.

Instead of passengers presenting travel documents repeatedly to every touch point each time they fly, Zamna’s ability to verify and securely persist such data will provide SITA customers with ongoing automation enhancements. It supports SITA’s vision of a completely digital travel experience.

Airlines and airports will benefit from a tested and verified technology for reduced processing times and less infrastructure needed to process passengers.

 At the same time, border agencies will experience fewer exception cases and fewer passengers requiring on-site processing as the border checks are completed pre-departure. Across the journey, the passenger will enjoy peace of mind that the data is being handled even more securely and that they have satisfied all regulatory requirements to travel. The solution also enhances security for SITA’s clients, whose data is managed safely, privately, and in a decentralised manner.

This approach is a paradigm shift to fundamentally change data management within the aviation industry, elegantly ensuring that the individual traveller has minimal impact and that their documents are read and verified once and put to work many times. SITA’s scale and expert work with 1000+ airports and 70+ governments uniquely position the company to lead this industry-wide commitment to transformation.

SITA CEO David Lavorel said: “The partnership with Zamna Technologies powers the next step in the journey to SITA’s vision of enabling a truly connected and digital travel experience along with all the benefits. It will deliver efficiency, improved passenger experience, and increased security.”

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