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Airline traffic rebounds in August

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 4 October 2022: Preliminary August 2022 traffic figures released today by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed robust recovery in international air passenger markets as pent-up travel demand continued to drive growth, despite increasingly challenging global economic conditions.

In August, the region’s airlines carried 13.1 million international passengers, compared to just 1.4 million recorded in the same month last year. Overall, this amounted to 39% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels. As measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), demand grew by 501.3%, while available seat capacity was up by 174.5% compared to a year ago. As a result, the international passenger load factor jumped by 42.3 percentage points to an average of 77.9% for the month.

Meanwhile, demand for exports waned, further dampening air cargo markets. As a result, August saw international air cargo demand, in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), decline by 7.9% year-on-year. On the other hand, offered freight capacity expanded by 5.2%, with the ongoing recovery in commercial passenger operations adding available bellyhold space. This led to a sharp 9.5 percentage point fall in the average international freight load factor to 66.4% in August.

AAPA director general Subhas Menon commented on the results: “The healthy growth in international passenger traffic in the first eight months of the year shows strong travel demand from business and leisure sectors, even as persistently high inflation curtailed spending elsewhere.”

Menon added, “After more than two painful years into the pandemic, the region’s carriers are finally beginning to see some relief with the continuing upswing in passenger revenue, even as the cargo business remains weakened. Although cost pressures driven by high jet fuel prices and currency weakness have not abated, the rebound in travel markets will help improve regional airline earnings performance.”

Looking ahead, Menon concluded: “Amid an increasingly gloomy macroeconomic outlook, the lifting of travel restrictions in the major North Asian markets of Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong will hasten the pace of the industry’s return to health while full recovery is not expected until China is also open. The cooperation of all stakeholders is key to facilitating a smooth recovery in air travel.”

Fam trip for Medan agents

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 3 October 2022: Tourism Malaysia Medan Office hosted travel agents and media from Indonesia for a six-day/five-night familiarisation trip to Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor last month.

Adopting the theme of “Exciting Vacation in Malaysia – Nature to City Experience”, the fam trip allowed participants to experience both the colourful city and the serene nature, which are strong takeaways to promote Malaysia in  Indonesia’s outbound travel market.

Fourteen participants consisted of seven travel agents and six media and bloggers based in Medan for the Kuala Lumpur trip sponsored by Batik Air. They visited Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park, 360 Atmosphere Restaurant KL Tower, Saloma Link, Sunway Lagoon, Sky Mirror, Tasik Putrajaya Cruise, Nasrul Quran, and Dragon Fruit Eco Farm.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Dato Hj Zainuddin Wahab expressed his hope that Medan travel agents would continue to be active in selling tour packages to Malaysia.

“The ease of travel taken by the governments of the two countries, Indonesia and Malaysia, will revive the tourism of the two countries and recover even more in the next few years,” said Dato Hj Zainuddin.

The participants also met with Malaysian travel players and exchanged ideas about reviving tourism in both countries through the unique attractions of Malaysia and Indonesia, especially North Sumatra.

Other areas in Malaysia, such as the East Coast of Malaysia – Kelantan, Pahang, and Terengganu have the potential to be visited by tourists from Sumatra, according to  Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Tourism Actors (ASPPI) North Sumatra chairman Erwin Lopolisa. He also heads up Fantasy Holidays Medan.

He believes Redang Island, with its white sand and clear water, makes for one of the best tourist attractions in Malaysia and has considerable potential for visitors from Medan.

AAHK extends relief package

By
TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 3 October 2022: Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) extends its airport community relief package for two months to the end of November 2022 as an ongoing response to the prolonged impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Hong Kong’s economy.

Various fee waivers or concession policies supporting the industry will continue from October to November 2022. They include a full waiver of parking charges for idle passenger aircraft and airbridge fees.

AAHK reduces fees for passenger aircraft landing charges, ramp handling, maintenance and airside vehicles; rents for terminal tenants (lounges and offices); terminal licensees, including commercial services counters and cross-border transport operators and aviation support services such as into-plane fuelling, aircraft maintenance and inflight catering services.

Base rent for tenants in the terminal open for business continues to be waived as part of the relief package. Meanwhile, rental is waived for retail, and catering tenants suspended business.

As the Government eases quarantine requirements for inbound travellers, AAHK said it would review the relief measures considering the business environment.

Currently, about 40 shops and restaurants in the terminal are now providing service. More are expected to re-open to meet the demand from the increase in passenger traffic after a further relaxation of quarantine requirements.

Latest entry rules

Last week, the Hong Kong government introduced its “0+3” programme. Travellers can enter the territory without undergoing a pre-flight PCR test or a three-night hotel quarantine.

However, all inbound passengers must undergo a PCR test on arrival in Hong Kong to receive an amber health pass, followed by medical surveillance at the hotel they booked for three days.

On day one and day two of their hotel stay, they can leave the hotel but cannot enter places such as restaurants, bars, fitness centres, nightclubs, swimming pools, barber shops or “high risk” venues that require a vaccine pass.

On day two, travellers take a PCR test, and if a negative, a blue health pass is issued that allows them full access to Hong Kong as of day three.

It’s far from perfect and costly as it requires travellers to book a hotel for two nights before they can embark on serious travel activities.

Dusit opens third hotel in Qatar

By
TTR WEEKLY
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DOHA, Qatar, 3 October 2022: Dusit International is expanding its brand with the opening of Dusit Hotel & Suites – Doha, the third Dusit-branded hotel in Qatar.

The 50-storey property, comprising 192 serviced apartments, opened in Doha’s West Bay district on 1 October, close to popular tourist attractions such as Souq Waqif and Doha Corniche and a 20-minute drive from the airport.

Overlooking Doha’s cityscape, the property’s three-bedroom duplex penthouses span two floors and offer between 338 to 370 sq m of space. The largest accommodation, covering 1,104 sq m, boasts six bedrooms, living and dining areas, a private swimming pool and a sauna. The property also features six food & beverage outlets, including Indian and Japanese restaurants.

Dusit International named Raghu Menon cluster general manager of the Dusit Hotel & Suites – Doha.

Centara Korat Hotel celebrates opening

By
TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK 3 October 2022: Central Pattana and Centara Hotels & Resorts celebrated the grand opening of Centara Korat Hotel, its all-in-one leisure and lifestyle destination in the heart of the Northeast, continuing in its commitment to strengthening the local economy and setting new standards in Thailand’s hotel industry.

Photo caption (from left to right)1. Phoom Chirathivat – Head of Hotels and Alternative Investments, Central Pattana Public Company Limited
2. Nitsinee Chirathivat, Board of Directors, Central Pattana Public Company Limited
3. Sudhitham Chirathivat, Chairman of the Board, Central Pattana Public Company Limited
4. Suwat Liptapanlop, Former Deputy Prime Minister
5. Wichian Chantranothai, Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima Province
6. Nattineeporn Chantranothai, Prime Minister of the Red Cross Nakhon Ratchasima Province
7. Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer of Centara Hotels & Resorts
8. Surang Jiratitikanchot, Head of Hotel Development, Central Pattana Public Company Limited

Centara Korat is a multi-faceted hotel offering 217 rooms and suites designed to cater to the needs of every kind of traveller. From its convenient urban location to its contemporary rooftop pool, bar and Sky Garden, state-of-the-art fitness centre, signature restaurants – House of Kin, and wide range of meeting facilities, this stunning new landmark is ideal for families of all sizes and ages, business travellers, long-stay guests and MICE.

The grand opening event featured a spectacular show, including a live concert from a famous singer, Puifai Natapat, a light illumination and a fireworks show on the hotel’s rooftop. Guests at the event included former deputy prime minister – Suwat Liptapanlop, the governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, top management from both Central Pattana and Centara Hotels & Resorts, top authorities and VIPs from the province.

For more information about Centara Korat and to book your stay, please visit https://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centara/cko.

To learn more about Centara, please visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com

 (Your Stories: Centara Hotels & Resorts).

Emirates and Huawei reaffirm cooperation

By
TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI, UAE, 3 October 2022: Emirates welcomed Eric Tan, Vice President, Consumer BG Global Ecosystem Development and Operations Department, Huawei, at the group’s headquarters, received by Boutros Boutros, Divisional Senior Vice President Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand, and Orhan Abbas, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations (Far East) at Emirates.

During the meeting last week, both global brands explored ways to develop their partnership and initiatives further to improve customer experiences in the ever-evolving tech sector. Emirates and Huawei also discussed the latest innovations and future trends in travel and technology, reaffirming their commitment to mutually beneficial projects in the MENA region and mainland China.

The Emirates App is currently available on Appgallery in all Huawei smart devices, including Huawei’s smartwatches. Earlier this year, Emirates and Huawei enhanced their partnership by signing another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai to establish further mutual activities that increase user reach and brand awareness. The airline has also been able to provide customer-centric initiatives that elevate the user experience of the Emirates app for Huawei smart device users through this partnership.

For more information, visit www.emirates.com.

(Your Stories: Emirates)

Klook doubles down on inspiring travel

By
TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 3 October 2022: Travel and experiences platform, Klook reports accelerated 300% quarter-on-quarter cross-border travel growth in the Asia Pacific as it celebrates its eighth anniversary.

Claiming the pandemic is now in the rearview mirror, Klook records a more than 140% yearly increase in searches on the platform. Destinations such as Singapore, Korea, Australia, and Malaysia are recovering strongly, with Klook exceeding its pre-Covid-19 cross-border revenue by 40% for its best-performing markets.

Klook has seen a surge in interest since Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan reopened their doors to tourists, indicating high travel demand. Since Japan’s reopening announcement, the company has seen a 10-fold increase in searches for Japan, with Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore travellers driving this demand.

Rail passes and car rentals are in high demand as travellers plan their main travel routes and transportation options. Revenge travel is in full swing in Japan, with Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Hokkaido and Okinawa being popular searches for cities.

“Aside from exceeding pre-pandemic revenue in many of our markets, our strong 2Q demonstrates the strength of the brand and the industry in which we operate,” said Klook co-founder and chief executive officer Ethan Lin.

Klook is collaborating with tourism boards on multi-faceted partnerships to rebuild travel confidence and accelerate tourism recovery. These collaborations include creating engaging content to rekindle wanderlust, co-curating new experiences to cater to changing consumer behaviours, and creative regional marketing campaigns to encourage consumers to travel again. It has announced partnerships with the Singapore Tourism Board, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Korea Tourism Organization, and Tourism Australia.

“After more than two years of the pandemic, the future of travel looks promising as we seize this opportunity to empower the next generation of travellers and bookable experiences,” said Kook co-founder & chief operating officer Eric Gnock Fah.

To cater to evolving consumer habits and make discovering and booking experiences more seamless, Klook will introduce several platform upgrades.

One is re-engineering the destination discovery feed powered by user-generated content (UGC) from Klook’s repository of over 7 million verified user reviews. Klook will also introduce a new trip feature, which allows users to automatically generate personalised trip itineraries that they can share easily with friends and family.

Klook is partnering with its merchants to introduce prizes and the best travel deals for consumers. The first round of deals came into play on 30 September and remain open for bookings until 14 October. Consumers can participate in activities such as the Klook Joy Roulette, 8 pm Flash Deals and Daily Destination Deals. The Klook Travel Fest is also back in full force, and travellers can expect an extended week of deals and offline events across Southeast Asia featuring fun games, special deals, entertainment and destination booths to inspire consumers to re-discover the joy of travel.

One keystroke taps cheap fares

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 3 October 2022: Flightsfinder.com has launched a new global flight search platform that enables consumers to search the world’s best flight aggregators from one dashboard, promising to save up to 20% on airfares.

FlightFinder.com’s CEO Shahab Siddiqui explains: “Not many people know you can have vastly different prices between the flight aggregators for the same flight route. To ensure the best deal, you must compare multiple flight aggregators, which the new FlightsFinder platform allows consumers to do effortlessly.”

The new site (previously cheapflightsfinder.com) now ‘flashes’ the cheapest options in the upgraded dashboard, making it convenient to see the cheapest flight prices sourced from more than 10 leading metasearch engines.

Vast price differences can exist on a single flight route – For example, a week’s return flight from London to Doha, Qatar leaving on 20 November and returning on 27 November 2022 (Fifa World Cup), garnered the following different flight results:

KAYAK – cheapest: UKP772 – direct/nonstop: UKP833
Skyscanner – cheapest: UKP854 – direct/nonstop: UKP854
Kiwi.com – cheapest: UKP638 – direct/nonstop: UKP1031
Jetradar – cheapest UKP854: direct/nonstop: UKP854
Google flights – cheapest: UKP850, direct/nonstop: UKP850
Skiplagged – cheapest: UKP608 – direct/nonstop: UKP750

As you can see, there are vast differences in price for the cheapest and direct/nonstop flight options, which exist on almost every different flight route.

It is unpredictable which search engine will deliver the best value for a particular route. That is why searching multiple aggregator sites is imperative to know the best deal.

About FlightsFinder

FlightsFinder’s Meta-Meta Flight Search allows consumers to compare prices from top online aggregators, including KAYAK, Skyscanner, Kiwi.com, Jetradar, momondo, Skiplagged, Google Flights and others.

FlightsFinder (previously CheapFlightsFinder) was established in 2008 by web developer Shahab Siddiqui who has been featured in numerous news outlets, offering expert advice on how consumers can save money on their trips. He has appeared in The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The Mirror, Tnooz, Travolution, The Huffington Post and This is Money.

(Source: FlightsFinder)

Cathay coaches chatbots

By
TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 3 October 2022: Cathay is improving its customers’ digital experience by launching an advanced conversational artificial intelligence (AI) in partnership with Fano Labs, a Hong Kong-based language AI company.

The new conversational AI developed in partnership with Fano Labs will improve the efficiency and productivity of the airline’s AI chatbots, enabling them to provide more accurate responses to customers’ queries.

Photo Credit: Cathay Pacific.

As demand for travel returns, Cathay is anticipating an increase in call and chat traffic volume, with post-Covid travel enquiries growing rapidly in the past few months. The airline has also seen a shift in customer behaviours, turning from traditional hotlines to digital channels such as WhatsApp and WeChat for more instant responses. Digital channel usage has experienced monthly growth of 10-20% over recent months as Cathay continues to add back more flight capacity.

The most challenging task is to find large volumes of high-quality data to train the chatbot to understand what people are asking and why to provide proper responses. Such chatbot training is often time-consuming and expensive, requiring human “AI Trainers” to look at historical data to see how customers interacted with the chatbot, manually extract, clean, and annotate useful portions of this historical data, and then feed it back into the chatbot for learning.

To address these challenges, Cathay and Fano Labs have become one of the first in the market to have successfully developed and launched the Conversational AI Training Excellence platform that uses AI technologies to train AI chatbots. The “Trainer AI” leverages Fano Labs’ Callinter product to analyse interactions with customers, including voice calls, live chats, WeChat messages, and WhatsApp messages, and automatically group these data into different categories for further processing before presenting the results to a human supervisor for review and approval. The AI chatbot then learns from the data extracted by the trainer AI.

With this system in place, Cathay expects to reduce the time needed to train chatbots by 50%, meaning a regular four to six-week learning cycle will be shortened to just one or two weeks.

Cathay Director Digital and IT Lawrence Fong said: “As a company with more than seven decades in Hong Kong, we are committed to supporting local tech startups such as Fano Labs and innovating together to build our digital leadership – a pillar for achieving our vision of becoming one of the world’s greatest service brands. This collaborative effort in Conversational AI technology is the latest example of how we can collaborate with startups to develop mutually beneficial partnerships and ultimately bring benefits and enhanced service to our customers.”

Hong Kong Sevens tickets on sale

By
Don Ross
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HONG KONG, 30 September 2022: Ticket sales opened Thursday for the Hong Kong Sevens that resumes 4 to 6 November in the Hong Kong Stadium after a pause of over three years.

Early bird tickets were available through digital and online channels on Wednesday, with sales going public a day later. Tickets to the event sell at HKD1,195 (Games Friday to Sunday 4 to 6 November)

Last July, The Hong Kong Rugby Union confirmed it had gained approval from the Hong Kong Government to proceed with the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens scheduling the event for 4 to 6 November 2022.

Since then, the government has eased entry rules step by step, with the latest allowing travellers to enter Hong Kong without having to quarantine in a hotel for three days.

HKRU Chairman Patrick Donovan said: “After 3 ½ years without a Sevens, I am confident this will be a very special event, albeit there lies plenty of hard work ahead for our dedicated events team.”

Teams from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Fiji, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Samoa, South Africa, Spain, USA, Uruguay and Hong Kong have confirmed their participation.

Latest entry rules

Last week, the Hong Kong government introduced its “0+3” programme. Travellers can enter the territory without undergoing a pre-flight PCR test or a three-night hotel quarantine.

However, all inbound passengers must undergo a PCR test on arrival in Hong Kong to receive an amber health pass, followed by medical surveillance at the hotel they booked for three days.

On day 1 and day 2 of their hotel stay, they can leave the hotel but cannot enter places such as restaurants, bars, fitness centres, nightclubs, swimming pools, barber shops or “high risk” venues that require a vaccine pass.

On day 2, travellers take a PCR test, and if a negative, a blue health pass is issued that allows them full access to Hong Kong as of day 3.

It’s far from perfect and costly as it requires travellers to book a hotel for two nights before they can embark on serious travel activities. In the case of the Hong Kong Sevens, the event requires a three-night stay for the duration of the games. However, travellers will have to book a hotel for two additional nights to cover the two days of medical surveillance before being free to attend the opening games on Friday.

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