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STARLUX deploys its first A350

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 2 November 2022: Taiwanese airline STARLUX has taken delivery of its first A350, becoming the latest operator of the world’s newest widebody.

The aircraft is the first of 18 A350-900s to join the carrier, flying alongside the A330neo and A321neo that make up an all-Airbus fleet.

STARLUX specifies a four-class layout for its A350s, featuring four suites in first class, 26 in business class, 36 in premium economy and 240 in economy. The Airspace cabin onboard the A350 features the latest developments in cabin configuration resulting in extra space to offer more comfort and personal room in every class. In addition, the aircraft features the latest in-flight entertainment systems and full connectivity. STARLUX will benefit from the highest operational efficiency offered by the A350, with a reduction of fuel consumption and carbon emissions of 25% compared with older generation aircraft in the same size category.

“This delivery is a milestone for STARLUX Airlines. The A350-900 is our first large widebody aircraft, which will allow STARLUX to open markets for longer routes, and this also marks the next step for our partnership with Airbus, as there will be 17 more A350 deliveries in the future. With the addition of the A350-900, the STARLUX fleet now can cover short, mid, and long-range flights, providing service to passengers outside of Asia,” said STARLUX Airlines CEO Glenn Chai.

STARLUX’s A350 fleet will begin operations within the Asia-Pacific region before moving to trans-pacific routes. The international airline company is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. It operated its first flight from Taipei to Macau on 23 January 2020. The carrier’s A330neo resumed flights to Thailand on 1 June, followed by services to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Services are back on routes to Japan and Singapore.

World Cup: More than footie matches

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 2 November 2022: With the countdown to hosting the world’s largest football event advancing, Qatar Airways Group and Qatar Tourism unveil major events to provide football fans with world-class entertainment during their stay.

Events on the sidelines of the World Cup games are underpinned by Qatar Live – which hosts more than 60 international artists throughout the competition. The 2022 FIFA World Cup gets underway on 20 November and closes on 18 December.

Qatar Airways announced this week that over 10 projects had been developed with partners, including Qatar Tourism, Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and the Qatari Diar.

The entertainment list focuses on the development of beach clubs, fan zones and theme parks, in addition to hosting Qatar Live, Daydream Music Festival, Lusail Boulevard brand activation, Qatar Airways Sky House, Winter Wonderland and the naming ceremony for the MSC World Europa cruise ship.

Beach Clubs

Fans visiting the peninsula can visit newly developed beaches. Qatar Airways and Qatar Tourism recently inaugurated the family-friendly B12 Beach Club with Ayla Oasis Development, which offers a range of activities, exceptional dining options, premium services, and live family entertainment.

Doha Sands is one of Qatar’s newest beaches, where live music, dancing and dining come together for an unforgettable experience. Locals and tourists can enjoy Doha’s classic food kiosks for various culinary options.

Named after Doha’s prominent district, West Bay Beach is a public beach shoreline that is set to offer families a range of water sports activities and accommodate up to 1,500 guests.

Sports fans can also enjoy the first-of-its-kind Fuwairit Kite Beach, built on Qatar’s northern coast. The resort offers thrill seekers spaces to relax and unwind after a day’s activities.

Fuwairit Kite Beach Resort

The resort offers kite surfers an ideal setting to practice their sport. With a total of 50 rooms, the resort offers 40 beach-front rooms, where guests can enjoy various facilities, including a pool, yoga pavilion, Padel courts, an outdoor cinema, and a state-of-the-art gym.

Qatar Live

Qatar Live, a series of concerts, will engage audiences with performances from Enrique Iglesias, Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, Post Malone, J Balvin and Robbie Williams. Alongside these world-renowned artists, Qatar Live will bring back the Daydream festival with this year’s new stage, the Magic Lantern. Daydream Qatar 2022 will be headlining the biggest DJ lineup in the Middle East, with Alesso, Alok, Armin Van Buren, DVLM, John Newman, Major Lazer, Tiesto, & Tinny Trumpet, with many more global artists to be announced ahead of the tournament. Additionally, the airline and its partners will schedule family theatre circus musical performances, including The Enchanted Prince and Pinocchio. The Qatar Live series has been organised by the international event management company Alchemy Project.

MSC

On 13 November, Qatar Airways welcomes guests to the naming ceremony for MSC Cruises’ largest ship, the MSC World Europa. The ship, which has 2626 cabins, will be docked at the Grand Terminal in the Doha Port throughout the FIFA World Cup, acting as a floating hotel. The MSC World Europa ship includes six pools and 14 whirlpool baths with ocean views, a Balinese-style wellness centre and spa, a beauty salon, a fully equipped gym and 13 dining venues.

JetBlue and Qatar expand codeshare

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 1 November 2022: JetBlue and Qatar Airway are expanding their codeshare agreement to expand flight options between the US and 11 new markets, in eight countries, across Africa and Asia using Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) hub.

The JetBlue codeshare is available on Qatar flights between Doha and:

  • Accra, Ghana (ACC)
  • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ADD)
  • Alexandria, Egypt (HBE)
  • Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)
  • Cairo, Egypt (CAI)
  • Denpasar-Bali, Indonesia (DPS)
  • Harare, Zimbabwe (HRE)
  • Jakarta, Indonesia (CGK)
  • Khartoum, Sudan (KRT)
  • Phuket, Thailand (HKT)
  • Windhoek, Namibia (WDH)

These 11 new markets will be added to the 13 existing codeshare destinations already available to JetBlue customers within the Qatar Airways Network of Excellence in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

“Together with Qatar Airways, we’re connecting more customers to more outstanding destinations, all while providing them with industry-leading experiences onboard our two airlines,” said JetBlue chief executive officer Robin Hayes. “Qatar Airways is already our top internationally-based partner for connecting customers across the Americas to its worldwide network, and as we continue to strengthen our relationship, we’re giving travellers various fresh choices for flying to new corners of the globe.”

This expanded codeshare agreement builds on the airlines’ partnership in 2011. Qatar Airways passengers already benefit from access to more than 50 destinations across the JetBlue network, including the ability to book travels on JetBlue’s extensive options between the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America regions.

(Source: Business Wire)

Pandaw sells mega India river cruise

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 1 November 2022: Pandaw Cruises sailings on India’s rivers are back on the books, with the company launching sales for what it calls a grand tour of India.

The new cruise combines a 14-night adventure on the Upper Ganges with the newest itinerary, a seven-night Mighty Brahmaputra cruise segment. The Upper Ganges and Brahmaputra River cruise route features Varanasi, Kolkata, Guwahati, and Silghat before returning to disembark in Guwahati.

Photo credit: Pandaw Cruises.

Pandaw covers the cost of the transfers between the two sailings ports that require a domestic flight transfer within India. The 21-night combo cruise’s rates start from USD10,249 per person.

The river cruise explores Varanasi, India’s spiritual capital, and then sails downstream on the  Ganges River towards Kolkata before transferring to Guwahati in the north-eastern Assam region. Once in Guwahati, passengers embark on the RV Kindat Pandaw for a cruise along the Brahmaputra River, stopping at two national parks where they join a safari in search of rhinoceros, elephant and even tiger sightings.

Pandaw Cruises introduces new dates for the 14-night Upper Ganges cruise and the 21-night combo cruise, with bookings open for sailings during the 2023/24 season.

Book online at www.pandaw.com or with a travel agency.

Air Astana revives Asian flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 1 November 2022: Air Astana will increase flights during its winter schedule that kicks off today and runs until 25 March 2023, featuring 27 international and 15 domestic routes.

The winter schedule sees frequencies increase to popular year-round destinations from Atyrau to Istanbul (three per week), Almaty to Phuket (daily), Almaty to Delhi (double daily) and Almaty to the Maldives (five per week).

Flights from Almaty to Istanbul will remain unchanged at 10 per week, while frequencies from Astana to Istanbul will increase to seven per week.

After a long break due to the pandemic, Air Astana resumed services between Almaty and Bangkok using the Airbus A321LR on 30 October 2022. Air Astana plans to launch twice-weekly services between Almaty and Medina (Saudi Arabia) in January 2023.

Seasonal flights will be suspended during the winter,  including those to Bodrum, Batumi, Heraklion and Podgorica, but these services will be resumed in spring 2023. Flights from Astana to Tblisi will also be suspended during the winter timetable, while flights from Almaty to Tbilisi will be gradually reduced to three times a week.

In addition to schedule changes that match passenger demand during the winter, Air Astana continues to work on improving inflight services. This month, Air Astana will introduce additional IFE capabilities dedicated to passengers with impaired hearing and vision. This special selection will include movie releases from around the world and Kazakhstan with sound descriptions and subtitles. The IFE system will also offer a wide range of popular podcasts.

About Air Astana Group

Air Astana, a joint venture between Kazakhstan’s national wealth fund, Samruk Kazyna, and BAE Systems, is a full-service international and domestic carrier, with its low-cost division, FlyArystan. Established in 2002, the Air Astana Group operates 40 aircraft, comprising 32 Airbus A320/A321 family aircraft, three Boeing 767 and five Embraer E2.

PG doubles daily to Siem Reap

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 1 November 2022: Bangkok Airways increased flights, 30 October, from its home base at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Siem Reap in Cambodia and to Trat on the eastern seaboard of Thailand.

The airline posted details on its Facebook page showing it increased its flights to Siem Reap from once to twice daily.

 Flight Schedule from Bangkok

– Flight PG905 1120 – 1235. (Daily)

– Flight PG907 1730 – 1845  (Daily)

Flight Schedule from Siem Reap 

– Flight PG906 1325 – 1445. (Daily)

– Flight PG908 1935 – 2055. (Daily)

The airline has also doubled frequencies on the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Trat route to twice daily starting 30 October 2022. The flight is popular with tourists heading for Chang Island. Travellers fly to Trat and transfer to the ferry port to catch the boat service to the island from dawn to dusk.

Flight Schedule from Bangkok

– Flight PG305 1140 – 1240. (Daily)

– Flight PG307 16:55 – 1755. (Daily)

Flight Schedule from Trat 

– Flight PG306 1310 – 1410. (Daily)

– Flight PG308 1830 – 1930. (Daily)

Emirates revives boarding pass deals

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 1 November 2022: Emirates announced Monday the return of its popular My Emirates Pass, effective 1 November 2022 to 31 March 2023.

My Emirates Winter Pass enables customers from Thailand to get more from their trip with exclusive offers at over 500 locations in the UAE.

Emirates customers flying to or through Dubai can show their boarding pass and a valid form of identification to hundreds of retail, leisure and dining outlets, famous attractions and luxury spas, to enjoy fantastic discounts throughout Dubai and the UAE.

To see all My Emirates Pass offers, visit www.emirates.com/myemiratespass.

In addition, Emirates passengers can also enjoy a complimentary ticket* to Tour Dubai’s one-hour Creek Sightseeing Cruise, which gives unrivalled panoramic views of Dubai’s historic district from a traditional dhow boat.

Explore more of Dubai 

Whether catching up on major sports events such as the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens and DP World Tour golf events or enjoying sun-soaked beaches and world-class hospitality, Dubai offers a variety of world-class experiences.

Skywards partners: Members of Emirates’ award-winning loyalty programme, Skywards, can earn Miles on everyday spending at retail outlets in the UAE and redeem these Miles for reward tickets, upgrades, as well as tickets for concerts and sports events.

Learn more about Emirates Skywards here: https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/skywards/.

Customers can now browse, create and book their own customised itineraries, including flights, hotel stay, visits to key attractions, and other dining and leisure experiences in Dubai and the UAE, through Emirates’ Dubai Experience platform, and enjoy even more unique benefits.

Emirates has safely restarted operations to more than 130 destinations across six continents and currently operates 21 flights per week from Bangkok to Dubai and 14 flights per week from the resort island of Phuket in southern Thailand to Dubai. 

For more information, visit emirates.com/th. Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Office, via travel agents or online travel agents.

(Your Stories: Emirates)

Grand Hyatt opens in Hainan

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 1 November 2022: Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced Monday the opening of Grand Hyatt Shenzhou Peninsula in Wanning, Hainan, China.

The oceanfront resort is set on Shenzhou Peninsula, a natural treasure located off the east coast of Hainan Island, a 10-minute drive from world-class golfing at The Dunes.

The lobby inside Grand Hyatt Shenzhou Peninsula (Photo: Business Wire)

Grand Hyatt Shenzhou Peninsula named Terence Ng as its general manager for the opening of the 262-room resort.

World of Hyatt Elite members can enjoy access to the Grand Club lounge, which provides personalised check-in and check-out service, continental breakfast, all-day refreshments, evening cocktails and exclusive use of the club’s outdoor pool.

Shenzhou Peninsula’s warm tropical climate is perfect for year-round swimming. The resort features three swimming pools, including an indoor pool, the Grand Club pool, and an oceanfront pool with recreational activities for kids.

(Source: Business Wire)

Sabah green flags off-road challenge

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TTR WEEKLY
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KOTA KINABALU: The highly anticipated Borneo Safari International Off-Road Challenge returns to Sabah this week after a two-year break, bringing 470 modified off-road vehicles to the starting line.

The 30th Borneo Safari edition sees over 1,000 participants driving through Tuaran and navigating the terrains of Kota Belud using old logging roads. The participants come from all over Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei.

Flagging off the event last Sunday, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment and concurrently Sabah Tourism Board (STB) chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the positive response, particularly from neighbouring countries, shows that outdoor adventure activity in Sabah is growing in popularity.

“We at the Sabah Tourism see this as part of a concerted push to attract more tourists. We hope all participants will take this opportunity to explore Sabah’s beauty and share their experiences with the world.

“I am sure through everyone’s reports and publicity. It will help propel the state’s tourism industry,” he said.

Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman and Sabah Four Wheel Drive Association president Faez Nordin were also present at the flagging-off ceremony, which took place in front of the STB office on Gaya Street.

Organised by the Sabah Four Wheel Drive Association, Faez said participants in the eight-day off-road challenge would journey through nine remote villages.

They will connect with the rural communities through corporate social responsibility activities such as a medical camp.

For more information, visit www.sabahtourism.com.  

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)

Ant Group grows partnership with STB

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 31 October 2022: Ant Group and Singapore Tourism Board (STB have expanded their cooperation to promote cross-border travel to Singapore.

The partnership builds on a collaboration forged in 2019 and is focused on driving tourism growth in Singapore through a series of digital and marketing initiatives over the next two years.

Left to Right: Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board and Angel Zhao, President of International Business, Ant Group (Photo: Business Wire)

“Amid the fast recovery of the tourism industry, we are excited to play a part in promoting Singapore as a top destination of choice for travellers and making travel safe, seamless and efficient through digital solutions like Alipay+”

To strengthen Singapore’s destination appeal among travellers from Asia, including key markets like Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand, Ant Group launched the SingapoReimagine with Alipay+ campaign with STB.

As part of SingapoReimagine, STB’s international recovery campaign, it offers fresh and innovative experiences to travellers from these markets while allowing transactions in Singapore through mobile wallets.

The joint campaign will also highlight exclusive offers to users of the six Alipay+ partner mobile wallets when they travel to Singapore. In addition, Ant Group will progressively expand the Passion Made Possible Privileges (PMPP)1, a mini programme co-branded with STB to serve tourists to Singapore – previously available only on Alipay – to other Alipay+ mobile wallets. These initiatives will help Singapore businesses reach and engage a new pool of customers, increasing the visibility and awareness of Singapore’s tourism offerings for visitors before and during their trips to Singapore.

As part of the partnership, STB and Alipay+ will also explore piloting digital solutions with local businesses in areas such as the digitalisation of service operations, digital marketing efficiency and enhancing customer experience.

The new mobile wallets accepted in Singapore are GCash from the Philippines, TrueMoney from Thailand, and AlipayHK from Hong Kong SAR, China, adding to existing partners Kakao Pay from South Korea, Touch ’n Go eWallet from Malaysia and Alipay from China. There are now six mobile wallets accepted via Alipay+ in Singapore. Travellers can easily transact with local businesses across tourism and lifestyle industries that accept Alipay+, including retail shops2 at Changi Airport, ComfortDelgro taxis, hotels, and attractions such as Gardens by the Bay.

Ant Group president of international business Angel Zhao said: “We deeply believe that the benefits of digital innovations can be amplified through open collaborations in the ecosystem. Ant Group is always open to joining hands with partners such as STB to provide businesses, especially small and micro enterprises, the best digital services, including payments and marketing solutions. We are committed to contributing to the digital transformation of industries and creating greater value for societies.”

STB Chief Executive, Mr Keith Tan said, “Singapore has seen strong travel demand from Asia since our reopening, and we hope our joint initiatives can grow and sustain that demand. The next phase of our exciting partnership with Ant Group will also offer a seamless experience when travellers visit Singapore, build affinity for our destination, and drive the digitalisation of our tourism sector.”

Hong Kong SAR, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and China were among Singapore’s top 15 markets from January to August 20223. Before the pandemic, approximately a third of Singapore’s visitors were from Southeast Asia, another third from the Chinese Mainland and the rest of Northeast Asia, and the final third from the rest of the world.

Ant Group is the owner and operator of Alipay, the leading digital payment platform in China, serving hundreds of millions of users, and connecting them with merchants and partner financial institutions that offer inclusive financial services and digital daily life services such as food delivery, transport, entertainment, and healthcare.

(Source: Business Wire).

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