SINGAPORE, 26 January 2023: Middle East & Africa was the only world region to show an increase in overall hotel pipeline activity at the end of the fourth quarter, according to December 2022 data from STR released last week.
STR data compares the hotel pipeline in December 2022 with percentage changes compared to December 2021.
Middle East & Africa
In Construction: 122,686 rooms (-5.8%) Final Planning: 41,086 rooms (+6.0%) Planning: 74,863 rooms (+11.5%) Total Under Contract: 238,635 (+1.1%) Saudi Arabia (40,742) and the United Arab Emirates (27,456) lead in construction activity.
Asia Pacific
In Construction: 476,942 rooms (+0.6%) Final Planning: 108,955 rooms (-36.0%) Planning: 305,339 rooms (+2.6%) Total Under Contract: 891,236 rooms (-5.4%) Among countries in the region, China has the most rooms in construction (300,163), followed by Vietnam (31,570).
Europe
In Construction: 189,698 rooms (-14.5%) Final Planning: 140,663 rooms (-14.1%) Planning: 153,587 rooms (-3.6%) Total Under Contract: 483,948 (-11.2%) Germany (36,162) and the UK (28,426) lead Europe in total rooms in construction.
Americas
In Construction: 207,112 (-2.1%) Final Planning: 244,982 (+11.3%) Planning: 284,829 (-13.6%) Total Under Contract: 736,823 (-3.2) The US held the majority of rooms in construction (159,344) in the region and showed its first year-over-year increase in the phase since late 2020. After the US, Mexico (11,398) and Canada (6,752) have the highest number of rooms in construction in the region.
SINGAPORE, 25 January 2023: Come to Spain and enjoy the carnival, an exhilarating festival celebrated in many places all over the country. Carnival is celebrated between February and March; the dates differ each year. The festival is noted for humour, parodies and costumes in the streets of Spanish towns and cities, which all have their traditions. Below, we recommend several different carnivals which stand out for being original, beautiful and spectacular. Start thinking about your costume and book a flight to Spain.
Cadiz, in Andalusia, is the carnival of “comparsas”, “coros” and “chirigotas”: songs full of irony and criticism that are written by the different groups who participate in the fiesta. They parade through the city centre, spreading freedom and fun in a carnival officially declared of International Tourist Interest.
One of the world’s biggest carnivals awaits you in the capital of the island of Tenerife and has also been declared of International Tourist Interest. Join in the parades and be amazed by the imaginative, fancy and eye-catching costumes of the Carnival Queen hopefuls. Lose yourself in the music, rhythm and joy of this celebration with people from all over the world.
Another of the most famous carnivals, also of International Tourist Interest, is in Águilas (Murcia). This colourful event features numerous parades and competitions for the most spectacular costumes. Two of its traditions are particularly famous. One is the tossing of eggshells (eggs filled mostly with confetti), and the other is drinking “cuerva”, a drink described by many as the “magic potion” that awakens the spirit of carnival.
This Galician festival of International Tourist Interest has the longest carnival programme in Spain. It begins on Fareleiro Sunday (three weeks before Carnival Sunday) and ends on Piñata Sunday. The parade of floats and troupes is led by a group of traditional masked characters called “pantallas” who wear belts with bells on them. They are responsible for making sure people dress up and they are the top stars of this celebration. Carnival Tuesday is the most important day.
All over Spain
Also in the Canary Islands, you can enjoy the carnival in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with its “Gala de la Reina” (Queen’s Gala) to crown the Carnival Queen and the main “Gran Cabalgata” parade, which attracts thousands of people every year. At Verín Carnival (Galicia) highlights include the “fariñadas” (flour fights) and the strange masked figure of Cigarrón. We can also recommend several carnivals of National Tourist Interest such as Badajoz, Villarrobledo, La Bañeza, Toro, Miguelturra, Herencia and La Vijanera in Cantabria… Which one will you choose?
DUBAI, UAE: 25 January 2023: Emirates Skywards has hit a new record with more than 30 million members enrolled worldwide. The award-winning loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai is celebrating big with incredible offers, including a chance to win one million Skywards Miles.
Over the past two decades, the loyalty programme has evolved and grown to become one of the world’s most recognised and valued loyalty programmes. With industry-leading initiatives, innovative product offerings, and more than 150 brand partners – Emirates Skywards continues to redefine the loyalty experience for customers, in the air and on-ground.
Emirates Skywards divisional senior vice president Nejib Ben Khedher said: “This is a major milestone for us, and we are very happy to be giving back to our loyal members who have played an invaluable role in our success. Stay tuned for some of the most amazing offers this month – from a chance to win 1 million Miles, upgrades to Business Class, and complimentary Tier upgrades – we have something in store for everyone.”
A gift that keeps giving
From 30 January to 1 February 2023, Emirates will offer passengers travelling on select flights specially branded cupcakes on board. To celebrate the loyalty programme’s milestone, it will also be rolling out fantastic surprises until 4 February 2023.
More surprises
One million Miles: Win the Skywards Miles jackpot! Join the competition until 4 February 2023 for a chance to a grand one million Miles – enough to redeem more than 10 one-way Emirates Business Class tickets from Dubai to London. Emirates Skywards co-branded credit card holders who join the competition can also double their chances of winning.*
Emirates Skywards members travelling to and through Dubai between 30 January and 1 February 2023 will also have a chance to win even more rewards. Look for a red “30 million” sticker on your luggage upon arrival at Dubai Airports to see if you’re among the many lucky winners.*
30,000 bonus Miles: The loyalty programme is giving away even more Miles, with 300,000 Miles up for grabs. Over the next three days, 10 members will have a chance to win 30,000 Miles each.
10 Skywards+ packages: Enjoy complimentary access to some of the best offers available on Skywards+, including bonus Miles, flight rewards, lounge access and more.
30 Silver Tier upgrades: Become an Emirates Skywards Silver Tier member this month with a complimentary Tier upgrade and unlock fantastic benefits and rewards.
30 flight upgrades: Fly better on your next flight and enjoy a surprise upgrade to Business Class.
30 complimentary Chauffer Drive Service vouchers: Discover the vibrant city of Dubai this month and enjoy a free premium ride to and from Dubai Airports.
Customers travelling with flydubai on 7 February 2023 can also look forward to some surprising giveaways, including:
Four Silver Tier upgrades.
75,000 Bonus Skywards Miles.
One Skywards+ package.
Two complimentary upgrades to Business Class.
Seven access passes to the flydubai Business Lounge at Terminal 2.
More than 180 countries across six continents
Emirates Skywards members come from more than 180 countries, including 3.7 million members in the United Kingdom, 3 million in the United States, 2.2 million in the United Arab Emirates, 2.1 million in Australia and 2.1 million in India.
On average, the loyalty programme attracts more than 120,000 members per month. In the last year alone, Emirates Skywards welcomed more than 1.4 million members between April 2021 and March 2022.
From flight rewards to global sporting events
Since its inception in 2000, Emirates Skywards has expanded and diversified its brand partnerships to offer its members more innovative ways to earn and redeem Miles. The loyalty programme currently has more than 150 partners, including 16 airline partners; more than 100 hotel partners; 33 financial partners, 22 retail and lifestyle partners and seven car rental partners.
From 2018 to 2022, members redeemed more than 140 billion Miles on flight rewards; more than 1.8 billion Miles on hotel stays; more than 10 billion on retail outlets; and more than 150 million Miles on money-can’t-buy experiences at world-renowned sporting events, including US Open, Roland Garros, Grand Prix Miami, and more.
Five years of partnership with flydubai
Dubai-based airlines Emirates and flydubai recently celebrated five years of strategic partnership. Since 2017, more than 11 million passengers have enjoyed seamless connectivity across the joint network to more than 211 destinations across 100 countries. Over the past five years, more than 8.5 million Emirates Skywards members have earned 150 billion Skywards Miles through the Emirates and flydubai partnership.
The world’s largest international airline has also recently activated a codeshare agreement with Air Canada and expanded the partnership to offer frequent flyer members joint loyalty programme benefits. Skywards members can now earn and redeem Miles across Air Canada’s network. Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members travelling in Economy Class with Air Canada or Emirates can also enjoy airport lounge access in Toronto.
Emirates Skywards membership is complimentary. Customers can join via emirates.com, flydubai.com, the Emirates app, or the flydubai app. Join today using the invite code “FLYBETTER“ and enjoy 2,500 bonus Miles after your first flight on Emirates or flydubai.
MADRID, 25 January 2023: Malaysia presented a sustainable tourism message to tour operators attending the Spanish trade show Fitur 2023, 18 to 22 January, with Sabah flying the flag on behalf of ecotourism in the Asian country.
The Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board delegation was accompanied by Dato’ Akmal Che Mustafa, Ambassador of Malaysia in Spain, and Noredah Othman, CEO of Sabah Tourism.
In addition, Lotus Asia, Malai Adventure, EXO Travel and Asia Exotica presented at the show. During the fair, Malaysia highlighted various themes focusing on nature tourism and the growing trend identified as “slow travel” for travellers who pace themselves so they can appreciate authenticity.
Located in the far north of Borneo, Sabah is one of the most authentic regions of Malaysia, known for its lush tropical forests, spectacular coral reefs, and the famous Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in the country at 4095 metres.
This year, Malaysia will highlight its natural and sustainable side, offering visitors authentic ecotourism experiences. This is demonstrated by the launch of the National Ecotourism Plan 2016-2025 under the slogan “tourism protects, preserves and conserves nature, culture and heritage”.
In this way, Malaysia aims to create synergies between local communities, the economy and tourism to encourage respectful interaction between locals and visitors, where visitors can discover Malaysian culture through locals and with a positive impact on the community.
In Malaysia, there are several regions where travellers can experience a real ecotourism adventure, for example, Sabah’s Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary. Other nature destinations include Sarawak (Borneo Island), known for its Mulu National Park, with its caves and karst formations within a vast mountain jungle and also Belum Rainforest Resort in Perak state in northern Peninsular Malaysia).
The Rantau Abang Turtle Hatchery in eastern Peninsular Malaysia is a popular destination for nature tourists.
Malaysia is one of the 12 most biologically diverse countries in the world, with at least 15 000 species of flowering plants, 1500 species of terrestrial vertebrates and some 150 000 species of invertebrates, as well as countless micro-organisms.
SINGAPORE, 25 January 2023: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal – China joint venture airline, resumed direct scheduled flights from Kathmandu to Beijing last week, according to a report in AviationNepal.
Nepal suspended all international flights in March 2020. It ended the suspension later that year, but as of August 2022, only a few airlines flew to Kathmandu, mainly cargo and medical aid flights.
Himalaya Airlines’ inaugural flight from Kathmandu to Beijing restarted just a week after China ended travel restrictions on 8 January 2023. The new service could also gain package tour traffic following China’s decision to reopen the door for outbound tour groups starting 6 February.
Himalaya Airlines has pencilled in a weekly service every Saturday to Beijing Daxing International Airport effective 11 February 2023 following the 17 January official inaugural flight.
H9 665 will depart from Tribhuvan International Airport at 1041 (local time) and arrive at Beijing Daxing International Airport at 1704 (local time).
The return flight H9 666, will depart from Beijing at 1805 (local time) and arrive in Kathmandu at 2156 (local time). The flight time is three hours and 48 minutes.
Himalaya Airlines is also the first Nepal-based airline to connect Nepal with Northern China via Lhasa with direct flights. The Trans-Himalayan route reduces the flight time by nearly one hour each way.
(Source: AviationNepal.com, a media agency under the Department of Information & Broadcasting, Government of Nepal.)
BANGKOK, 25 January 2023: Thai Vietjet launched the ‘Fly for Love Challenge’ earlier this week, inviting passengers to participate in the campaign and get a chance to win up to four roundtrips of complimentary air tickets.
Passengers can participate in the campaign by filming a video clip of themselves dancing to Thai Vietjet’s official song ‘Fly for Love’ and posting it on TikTok with hashtags as specified.
The top three video clips with the highest likes will receive up to four international roundtrip tickets on Thai Vietjet.
Thai Vietjet commercial head Pinyot Pibulsonggram said: “We have taken another step forward with the ‘Fly for Love Challenge’ campaign, allowing passengers to participate in fun and creative activities with Thai Vietjet and get a chance to win prizes as a gift for the New Year.”
The ‘Fly For Love Challenge’ campaign is open for participants until 31 January 2023.
SINGAPORE, 25 January 2023: Japan was the most sought-after destination for travellers across Asia during the week-long Lunar New Year holiday peak, Agoda reveals.
According to search data from the global digital travel platform, Japan was the most searched destination overall, followed by Malaysia and Thailand.
This year, Agoda insights also show that many travellers opted for short hops to neighbouring destinations during the holiday week. Notable exceptions included travellers from China and Japan who sought the tropical sun, with Thailand bookings taking the top spot. Meanwhile, Thai travellers headed for a winter experience in Japan.
Agoda’s search data also reveals the top choices within the three most popular markets by volume, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. Cosmopolitan cities remained a significant draw in Japan, with Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka being the three most searched destinations.
Reflective of its appealing cultural heritage and its bustling city vibes, Agoda’s search data showed Kuala Lumpur taking the top spot in Malaysia, followed by Malacca and Penang in second and third place, respectively. Bangkok took the number one slot in Thailand, followed by the coastal party town Pattaya and the northern city of Chiang Mai.
Top five ranked destinations by markets for the Lunar New Year 2023
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, 25 January 2023: Batik Air, a member of the Lion Air Group, will launch a direct flight from Yogyakarta Kulonprogo International Airport to Changi International Airport in Singapore, starting 30 January 2023.
The airline will schedule four weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday using a Boeing 737-800NG configured with 12 business class and 150 economy class seats.
The new international route is timed to offer connections with flights to and from Surabaya, Bandung, Bali, Lombok, Pontianak, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Makassar and Pekanbaru.
The new service comes just days before the ATF TRAVEX trade show convenes at the Jogja Expo Centre from 2 to 5 February 2023. Yogyakarta to Singapore is airline’s fifth route after Jakarta, Medan Kualanamu, Surabaya and Makassar. The airline plans more international routes to Singapore from other cities in Indonesia based on the domestic and international passenger market demand.
DUBAI, UAE, 24 January 2023: Emirates has taken yet another significant step to reinstate its Australian capacity by increasing service to two major cities – Sydney and Melbourne.
The airline will also restart services to Christchurch, New Zealand, via Sydney, offering a new path for Australians across the trans-Tasman route.
From 26 March, Melbourne will increase from two to three daily services between Emirates’ Dubai hub via Singapore, with a third direct service beginning in Sydney from 1 May. The service increase follows the airline’s recent announcement around double daily flights to Brisbane, starting from 1 June. The huge boost comes amidst another busy period for air travel and as the airline continues to reaffirm its ongoing commitment to growing its services to and from Australia. The two services will operate on a three-class Boeing-777 300ER offering passengers economy, business and first-class seats.
By mid-year, Emirates will operate 63 weekly services to Australia with the capacity to transport more than 55,000 passengers per week to and from its major cities. Melbourne and Sydney flights will be restored to pre-pandemic levels, a significant milestone in the airline’s reinstatement of Australian services. The uplift in capacity supports the revival of tourism by providing travellers with even more access to and from Australia and bolstering trade and business opportunities with the large 22-tonne freight capacity offered by the Boeing 777-300ER.
The newly restored third Dubai-Melbourne service means Emirates is providing a new connectivity option between Singapore and Melbourne to serve strong demand between both cities and offer customers its signature, differentiated product and service experience. The Christchurch service via Sydney, beginning 26 March, will provide the only opportunity for passengers between the two cities to fly on an A380, Emirates’ flagship aircraft.
Emirates Airline chief commercial officer Adnan Kazim said: “Adding a third daily service to Sydney and Melbourne will offer over 500,000 additional seats to and from Australia in a year. To have the two cities operating back at pre-pandemic frequencies is a remarkable milestone and a testament to our longstanding commitment to flying down under.
“For over 25 years, we have provided services for Australia since our first flight to Melbourne in 1996. During this time, we have proudly transported over 40 million passengers and continued flying to Australia during the pandemic. We continue to record significant demand for our services, so we’re dedicated to offering Australians and travellers more options to travel, including our new Premium Economy cabin, with Australia being one of the first markets to be offered this class.”
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus added: “We’re thrilled that Emirates is enhancing its commitment to Melbourne. The resumption of the Melbourne to Singapore route means Emirates will operate three daily flights from Melbourne, returning to pre-Covid levels of capacity.
“It’s great news for customers as it provides extra capacity for the strong demand we see for travel from Melbourne to Europe and Asia. It’s also great news for Victorian exporters, with the Boeing 777-300 aircraft providing additional freight opportunities into Asia and the Middle East.”
Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert noted: “We welcome this additional capacity on the Sydney to Dubai route, which will also give passengers access to Emirates’ extensive global network.
“These extra flights are another important step towards Australia’s international aviation recovery, providing much-needed additional capacity to meet the high demand for travel. It is great to see that both visitors and Australians will have more choices available in time for the start of the European summer and the NSW winter school holidays.
“We are also pleased to see the A380 return on the trans-Tasman after a three-year hiatus, adding extra seats to meet the strong appetite for travel between Sydney and New Zealand.”
Back in business
Sydney – Dubai: third daily nonstop service
From 1 May 2023, Emirates will add a third daily flight between Dubai and Sydney, served by a Boeing 777-300ER. Emirates flight EK416 will depart Dubai at 2130, arriving in Sydney at 1720 the next day. The return flight EK417 will depart Sydney at 2010, arriving in Dubai at 0430. The airline currently serves Sydney with double daily A380 flights, and both services offer the airline’s highly acclaimed Premium Economy experience for customers.
Melbourne – Dubai: third daily service via Singapore
Emirates continues to build on its long-term commitment to stimulating tourism and trade in Victoria with the addition of a third daily flight to Melbourne via Singapore, starting 26 March 2023. The third flight will operate as EK404 using a Boeing 777-300ER and depart Dubai at 2115, arriving in Singapore at 0850. The flight will continue to Melbourne, taking off at 1025 from Singapore, arriving at 2035 local time. The return service to Dubai EK405 takes off from Melbourne at 0325, arriving in Singapore at 0815. The flight will then take off for Dubai at 0940, arriving at 1300 local time.
A restart of Christchurch via Sydney
Emirates will restart services to Christchurch via Sydney from 26 March 2023, and the A380 flight will operate as EK412 and EK413. Emirates flight EK412 departs Dubai at 1015, arriving in Sydney at 0700. The flight will then continue, taking off from Sydney at 0845 and arriving in Christchurch at 1350. EK413 will then depart Christchurch at 1820, arriving in Sydney at 1940. The final leg of EK413 will depart to Dubai at 2145, arriving at 0515 local time. Customers in Christchurch will not only be able to enjoy the airline’s flagship aircraft. Still, they will also have double the opportunity to experience the debut of the highly sought-after Premium Economy cabin and the latest products across every class of travel.
Bookings can be made on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.
BANGKOK, THAILAND: The Chinese government has announced tour groups can be organised to 19 destinations, including Thailand starting 6 February 2023.
It follows the withdrawal of Covid-19-related travel restrictions for individual Chinese travellers allowing them to travel freely to destinations worldwide as of 8 January 2023.
Centara Karon Resort Phuket
Thailand is on the list of 19 destinations that can now welcome back tour groups.
Thailand welcomed 11 million Chinese travellers in 2019, more than a quarter of its total arrivals. But what does the return of Chinese visitors mean for hotel operators in the “Land of Smiles”?
Centara Hotels & Resorts, corporate vice president of sales Jurairat Mongkolwongsiri noted that the Thai-owned hotel group has already started receiving inquiries for FIT and group bookings in major destinations such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai.
Initially, the priority period was Chinese New Year and our Phuket properties, for example, are already full. We have started to receive inquiries for inspections of our Bangkok properties, and Chinese airline crews are confirmed to stay at our hotel in Chiang Mai.”
Airlift is a key issue. Before 2020, Chinese travellers could choose from 28 airlines operating on multiple routes between Thailand and China, covering 44 airports and offering 17 million seats. But airline services ended for two years during the pandemic and are only starting to resume. Earlier this month, Spring Airlines said it would resume flights from Shanghai to Phuket and from Guangzhou to Chiang Mai in January while increasing frequencies from Shanghai to Bangkok. Juneyao Air is also resuming its service between Shanghai and Chiang Mai.
Once flights are reinstated, Thailand will likely be one of the main beneficiaries of the great Chinese reopening that will get underway when tour groups return to Thailand next month.
Centara’s Jurairat urges a coordinated approach between all the relevant parties to ensure a smooth and stable recovery.
“The outlook for the tourism sector indeed remains uncertain, but we are optimistic about it. It requires global cooperation and evidence-based solutions to lift travel restrictions safely. With the opening of China’s borders, we can see that coordinated action across governments at all levels and the private sector is essential to help international tourism resume,” she concluded.
