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AirAsia X flies direct Kuala Lumpur – Busan

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TTR WEEKLY
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SEPANG, 25 November 2022: AirAsia X will be the first airline from Malaysia to reconnect direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Busan, South Korea, in early 2023.

The three weekly flights will be the second AAX route to South Korea after launching flights to Seoul in April this year.

AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail (left) and President of BTO Jung-Sil Lee (right) at the MoU signing ceremony between AAX and BTO at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

In addition to relaunching the route, AAX signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Busan Tourism Organisation (BTO) to develop joint sales and marketing campaigns, leverage travel agents’ support, strengthen flight connectivity, and foster both countries’ economies through tourism.

The MoU was signed by AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail and President of BTO Jung-Sil Lee.

AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail commented: “We are excited to be the first airline from Malaysia to return to Busan. South Korea is an incredibly important market, and we have seen tremendous growth from our existing route to Seoul with around 80% average load factor. Starting with three weekly services and based on strong forecast demand, we expect the flight frequency to Busan to return to daily services by year-end.

“We believe the relaunch of the Busan route will provide a significant boost to strengthen business and tourism ties between Malaysia and South Korea, and we wish to thank the governments and relevant authorities for their tremendous support.

“In 2019, we flew about 200,000 guests to and from Busan. As we look to increase the connectivity to South Korea further, we trust that our direct flights to Busan will provide a welcome boost for tourism and the economy in both countries. The new route also reflects our commitment to offer our guests great value mid-range air travel continuously and we look forward to seeing a surge in tourist arrivals into/from Busan in the near future.”

President of Busan Tourism Organisation Jung-Sil Lee added: “We are pleased to collaborate with AAX to strengthen the tourism opportunities for Busan, a city with a unique heritage, natural attractions, and leading infrastructure. The last two and half years greatly impacted our tourism industry, but we managed to surpass these challenges and could not be more pleased that AAX will be part of this effort.

“The relaunch of AAX direct flights to Busan will mark a major milestone in the resumption of services to the city. We believe travellers will appreciate the direct and affordable connection, making Busan a top holiday destination  once again.”

Malaysia hosts Iranian agents

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 25 November 2022: Tourism Malaysia hosted travel trade partners from Iran last week on a familiarisation trip that presented Malaysia as the preferred tourist destination following its international border reopening.

A total of eight travel agents and representatives from Emirates were travelled from Tehran for an eight-day, seven-night (8D7N) stay in Penang, Genting Highlands, Sunway and Kuala Lumpur from 16 to 23 November 2022.

The fam trip was also co-hosted by Emirates, Park Royal Penang Resort, Penang Global Tourism, Sunway Lagoon Hotels, and Toranj Tours & Travel.

Participants toured the most-visited states in Malaysia, including Penang, to discover the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Georgetown, exciting rides and games in a natural environment at the Escape Theme Park, as well as explore the most authentic, diverse and educational Malaysian rainforest experience at Penang Hill and The Habitat.

The Pearl of the Orient trip continued with a visit to the Pinang Peranakan Mansion – famously known for its green Straits Eclectic style, a stroll on the wooden piers of a floating village at Clan Jetties, and an experience on rare and exotic fruits at Penang Tropical Fruit Farm.

Participants also had the opportunity to visit Resorts World Genting, a premier leisure and entertainment resort in Malaysia, and Sunway Resort in Kuala Lumpur, which has just reopened after a once-in-a-generation transformation.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Dato’ Haji Zainuddin Abdul Wahab said he was confident the curated experiences would encourage Iranian travel agents to experience our tourism products firsthand and actively sell tour packages to Malaysia, especially in promoting the latest attractions effectively.

“Iran remains one of Malaysia’s top international tourists generating markets in the Middle East before the pandemic. In 2019, Malaysia welcomed 46,559 arrivals from Iran, and we will continue to promote Malaysia as a safe holiday destination.”

There are currently 14 weekly Emirates direct flights from Dubai to Kuala Lumpur, with a seating capacity of 4,998 seats.

(Source: Tourism Malaysia)

Amex GBT partners with dnata

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI, UAE, 25 November 2022: dnata announced a partnership with American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) this week.

The agreement sees Dubai-based dnata Travel Management, the region’s leading corporate travel provider, become Amex GBT’s preferred travel partner in the Middle East. dnata will provide complete end-to-end travel and meetings management services to Amex GBT’s customers in the region.

dnata Travel Group, Middle East & India senior vice president Rashid Al Awadhi commented:  “Our team’s extensive regional experience goes back to dnata’s GSA and travel agency roots in 1959. Through the years, dnata has continued to build its expertise and network to earn its position as the largest travel management company in the UAE and one of the largest and most successful in the Middle East. With our broad expertise and 24-hour support function, we will work hard to ensure Amex GBT customers enjoy a quality experience throughout their journey.”

Amex GBT Senior vice president & general manager for the EMEA region Jason Geall said: “We believe our current and future customers will benefit from best-in-class services with dnata as our preferred travel partner. dnata has a proven reputation for trust and transparency that supports Amex GBT’s commitment to service, governance and compliance.”

THAI adds flights to Singapore

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 25 November 2022: Thai Airways International will increase its Bangkok-Singapore roundtrip flights from 21 to 28 per week starting 12 December 2022 to serve travel demand going into the festive holiday season.

THAI is adding services on routes to destinations in Asia that introduced easy entry rules and no Covid-19 restrictions. Japan has also reinstated visa exemption for Thai travellers, boosting bookings since October. 

Singapore flight details are as follows:

1) TG403 from Bangkok at 08.00 hours to Singapore at 1115 (local time) and TG404 from Singapore at 1225 (local time) to Bangkok at 1345.

2) TG413 from Bangkok at 1130 to Singapore at 1450 (local time) and TG414 from Singapore at 1555 (local time) to Bangkok at 1715.

3) TG407 from Bangkok at 1250 to Singapore at 1610 (local time) and TG408 from Singapore at 1815 (local time) to Bangkok at 1935.

4) TG409 from Bangkok at 1635 to Singapore at 1955 (local time) and TG410 from Singapore at 2100 (local time) to Bangkok at 2220.

Earlier the airline confirmed its winter schedule from 30 October 2022 to 31 March 2023.

Intercontinental routes

Bangkok – London: twice daily.

Bangkok – Paris: daily.

Bangkok – Zurich: daily.

Bangkok – Frankfurt: twice daily.

Bangkok – Munich: daily.

Bangkok – Copenhagen: daily.

Bangkok – Stockholm: Five times weekly and increasing daily from 1 December 2022.

Bangkok-Melbourne: daily.

Regional routes

Bangkok-Tokyo (Narita): twice daily.

Bangkok-Tokyo (Haneda): daily.

Bangkok-Nagoya: daily.

Bangkok-Osaka: daily.

Bangkok-Fukuoka: daily.

Bangkok-Sapporo: daily, starting 1 December 2022.

Bangkok-Manila: twice daily.

Bangkok-Seoul: triple daily.

Bangkok – Taipei: daily. (Increases to twice daily starting 14 January 2023.

Bangkok – Hong Kong: twice daily.

Bangkok – Singapore: three daily. (Four daily from 12 December).

Bangkok – Jakarta: twice daily.

Bangkok – Denpasar: daily.

Bangkok – Kuala Lumpur: twice daily.

Bangkok – Kolkata: daily. (Starts 1 January 2023).

Bangkok – Chennai: daily.

Bangkok – Hyderabad: daily.

Bangkok – Bengaluru: daily.

Bangkok – Delhi: 22 flights weekly – three daily plus an extra flight on Friday.

Bangkok-Mumbai: daily. (Increases to 11 flights weekly starting 1 January 2023).

Bangkok-Dhaka: 10 flights weekly.

Bangkok-Lahore: five flights weekly on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Bangkok-Islamabad: four flights weekly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Bangkok-Karachi: daily.

Bangkok-Jeddah: four flights weekly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. (Daily from 1 January 2023).

Centara extends contract at Krabi resort

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TTR WEEKLY
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Centara Karon Resort Phuket

BANGKOK, 24 November 2022: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has confirmed the signing of a new contract agreement with Dr Pornsak Thantapakul, CEO and Managing Director of Anda Beach Resort Co Ltd and owner of  Centara Anda Dhevi Resort & Spa Krabi, to continue managing the property for 10 more years.

Centara Karon Resort Phuket

To mark the hotel management agreement extension, which comes into effect starting in 2023, Centara hosted a ceremony at its head office in Bangkok. The special occasion marked the continuation of a meaningful partnership between Centara and Dr Pornsak and Centara’s ongoing commitment to providing unforgettable guest experiences and an international standard of hospitality.

Located steps away from sandy Nopparat Thara and Ao Nang beaches, Centara Anda Dhevi Krabi offers the ideal base to discover the beauty of Krabi’s tropical wonders, including world-class rock climbing, diving, and cruises to nearby karst islands.

At the resort, guests have access to an expansive 43-metre swimming pool complete with a swim-up bar, waterslide and direct pool access rooms. Kids can enjoy the children’s pool, while adults indulge in quiet time at the resort’s award-winning SPA Cenvaree or the fully-equipped fitness centre and steam room. Three delectable dining venues offer culinary experiences every guest will remember.

Centara Anda Dhevi Resort & Spa Krabi is conveniently situated about 20 minutes from Krabi Town and a 45-minute drive from Krabi International Airport.

For more information on Centara Anda Dhevi Resort & Spa Krabi, please visit https://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centara/cak

(Your Stories: Centara Hotels & Resorts)

Sabah to host 12th Asian Bird Fair

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TTR WEEKLY
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KOTA KINABALU, 24 November 2022: Sabah will host the 12th Asian Bird Fair (ABF) in Kota Kinabalu during October 2023, the organisers announced on Monday.

Attending the ‘handover dinner’ of the 11th ABF held in Suncheon, Korea, earlier this week:Tay Shu Lan, deputy chief executive officer of marketing Sabah Tourism Board and Roger Rajah of the Sabah Birdwatchers Association.

Seen here left to right:

Jang Hong Sang
Chief Director, The Center of Suncheonman Bay Management

Park Sung Bong
CEO, Eco-Tourism Suncheon

Tay Shu Lan
Deputy CEO marketing Sabah Tourism Board

Roger Rajah
Sabah Birdwatchers Association

Asian Bird Fair Executive Committee members:  Andrew Sebastian,  Victor Yu and Michael Lu

The Asian Bird Fair (ABF) protects birds and their habitats and encourages birdwatching and other ecotourism activities. It was initiated by three passionate birdwatchers, Michael Lu (Philippines), Victor Yu (Taiwan) and Andrew Sebastian (Malaysia). They are the executive committee and founders of the ABF Network. The network is supported and endorsed by six founding organisations: Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, Malaysian Nature Society, Nature Society (Singapore), Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Wild Bird Society of Taipei and the Chinese Wild Bird Federation.

The Asian Bird Fair Network (ABF) was formed at Malaysia’s Raptor Watch 2010, with signatories committing to jointly promote each other’s bird events. Up until the Covid-19 disruptions, the six founding organisations took turns hosting the ABF, starting with the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (Davao, 2010), Chinese Wild Bird Federation (Tainan, 2011), Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (Bangpoo, 2012), The Wild Bird Society of Taipei (Taipei, 2013), Malaysian Nature Society (Langkawi, 2014), and Nature Society Singapore (Singapore, 2015.) ABF 2016 returned to China hosted by CunCaoXin Rural Environment Protection Promotion Association, Jingshan County, Hubei Province. ABF 2017 was hosted by Taehwa River Ecotourism in Ulsan, Korea and in 2018, the event was hosted by Ecotourism Taiwan in Chiayi, Taiwan. ABF 2019 was hosted by the Ecotourism and Conservation Society Malaysia (ECOMY) in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Visit: www.sabahtourism.com.

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)

JW Marriott opens Khao Lak Suites

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TTR WEEKLY
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KHAO LAK, Thailand, 24 November 2022: JW Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 hotel brands, will open the JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites on 6 December 2022, at a beachside setting on southern Thailand’s Andaman coast 110 km north of Phuket island.

The  52 stylish two-bedroom suites range from 89 to 111 square metres. On the ground floor, pool access suites allow guests to step straight into the 2.4 km lagoon swimming pool, which claims to be the longest in Southeast Asia. The all-suites property shares the facilities of JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa, which includes a collection of 11 restaurants and bars.

The hotel group named Abhimanyu Singh, general manager of JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites.

Tourism Malaysia hosts media race

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TTR WEEKLY
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PUTRAJAYA, 24 November 2022: Eighty-eight media practitioners, including 11 international entries from Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei, participated in the organisation of the Tourism Malaysia Media Explore Race (TOMER) 2022, held in conjunction with Tourism Malaysia’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, starting today.

Lasting three days and two nights, TOMER 2022 was organised in collaboration with Perodua as the main sponsor in addition to Montanic Adventure Store, BoraOmbak Marina Putrajaya, Selangor Fruit Valley, STEG Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Bagas Zakariah, Wonda Coffee and Pepsi.

The challenged required participants will go on a mission of travel and treasure exploration, covering a distance of more than 300 km as a group by riding a Perodua-sponsored car.

Along the way, the participants stopped at several checkpoints, including Selangor Fruit Valley, the remains of the Tanjung Tualang Tin Dredge No. 5 (TT5), Kellie’s Castle in Batu Gajah and Bagas Zakariah in Gopeng with activities such as witnessing a demonstration of ice blended ‘cempedak’ preparation by Dato’ Chef Ismail Ahmad, Tourism, Art and Culture Ambassador for the gastronomic market.

In addition, participants experienced an overnight camping experience at Riverside Camp Gopeng, enjoying a barbecue dinner while watching the performance of fire boys and local bands and followed by the highlight event; whitewater rafting in Sungai Kampar.

The travelling mission ended at the Kuala Lumpur Tourism Information Center (MaTiC), with a prize-giving ceremony to the winners held at Magica Hall, Quill City Mall.

TOMER 2022 aimed to establish close relations with local and international media and promote tourism products around Putrajaya, Selangor, Perak and Kuala Lumpur.

WTCC summit lines up top speakers

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 24 November 2022: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) confirms former UK Prime Minister Theresa May as the keynote speaker at its upcoming 22nd Global Summit in Saudi Arabia, alongside former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

The summit takes place from 28 November to 1 December 2022 under the theme “Travel for a Better Future”.

Theresa May served as Prime Minister from 2016 to 2019 and the second longest-serving post-war Home Secretary, serving for six years from 2010 to 2016.

Last year, May was appointed chair of the Aldersgate Group, an alliance that drives action for a sustainable economy.

During the Global Summit, industry leaders from a sector worth over 10% of global GDP (before the pandemic) will meet government officials from across the globe in the Saudi capital to continue aligning efforts to support the Travel & Tourism sector’s recovery and address the challenges ahead, to ensure a safer, more resilient, inclusive and sustainable sector.

WTTC president and CEO Julia Simpson said: “Theresa May has a long-standing interest in the environment. As Prime Minister, she launched the ‘25 Year Environmental Plan’ to tackle issues such as plastic waste. In 2019 she formally committed the UK to achieve ‘net zero’ emissions by 2050, making Britain the first major economy to do so.

“Our event will bring together many of the world’s most powerful leaders in our sector to discuss and secure its long-term future, which is critical to economies and jobs worldwide.”

South Korean diplomat Ban Ki-Moon, who served as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016, will also address delegates in person.

(Source: WTTC)

China in no hurry to reopen tourism

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TTR WEEKLY
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VALENCIA, 24 November 2022: As one of the last major hurdles to full global travel recovery, China’s continued absence from the international travel market has left many destinations facing a huge shortfall in tourist arrivals.

ForwardKeys’ China Market Expert, Nan Dai, shares insights on the opportunities with emerging markets in APAC.

Despite international travel to and from China having been restricted since the emergence of Covid-19, domestic travel has been permitted for some time. However, continuous lockdowns on major population centres, like Shanghai and Chengdu, following new coronavirus outbreaks have created a volatile domestic travel landscape. Recovery is fast when restrictions are lifted, but changes are frequent and sudden, and each lockdown has a significant effect on demand.

Given the problems facing China’s domestic travel market and the government’s recent affirmation that it would maintain its cautious approach to Covid-19, the chances of the country reopening to international tourism in the short term appear slim. However, similar policies, including travel bans, were widespread throughout the Asia Pacific until earlier this year. Now that much of the region has reopened, it will be interesting to see whether local markets can keep Covid-19 rates under control. If they can, it may encourage China to reopen gradually in 2023 – as it will become increasingly difficult for the country to keep its borders closed when the rest of the region has returned to normality.

Yet even if China were to reopen next year, the economic challenges currently facing the country – including a property market crisis and issues relating to the pandemic – would result in a slow travel recovery, particularly in the long-haul segment.

Top Outbound APAC Markets to Consider

Until China’s outbound travel market fully reactivates, regional destinations that had developed a dependency on Chinese tourists in the years preceding the pandemic must shift their attention to other important markets.

India shows particular promise among the top five outbound markets in the Asia Pacific before the global health crisis. Although India’s size as an international outbound market is largely attributable to its significant global diaspora, its middle-class population is growing, and the number of outbound leisure travellers from the country is increasing.

Moreover, while India’s intraregional outbound travel market is relatively small, it had experienced more growth (+10.4%) than any of the other major Asia Pacific outbound markets – both international and intraregional – over the five years before the pandemic. Now that the country has fully reopened, ForwardKeys expects its development as an interregional outbound market to accelerate.

The economic situation is also improving in Thailand, allowing more of its residents to travel abroad and thereby making the country an increasingly valuable source market for regional destinations.

Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea, the top-performing outbound markets in the Asia Pacific (excluding China) before Covid-19, have recently reopened to travel and are expected to re-establish themselves as important source markets.

With China’s reopening seemingly still some time off, regional destinations need to adapt to the new environment, identifying markets and travel audiences to fill the gap left by China and contribute towards a long-term, sustainable tourism model.

Download the full Most Visited Destinations report.

(Source: ForwardKeys)

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