SINGAPORE, 8 September 2022: As Asia Pacific nations reopen borders, Hotelbeds announce the appointment of Pippa Williamson as its new VP commercial for APAC.
Based in Hong Kong and reporting to Hotelbeds’ SVP commercial, León Herce, Williamson will lead all core commercial activities across the region while growing the relationships with Hotelbeds’ suppliers and clients across APAC.
Pippa Williamson
She holds an impressive track record gained from her extensive career in the APAC hospitality sector, having worked with some of the world’s leading hotel companies like Marriot, Starwood Hotels and, most recently, Shangri-la.
Announcing the appointment, SVP Commercial for Hotelbeds, León Herce said: “Her strong background working in leadership positions across major hotel companies, her impressive experience in the China market, as well as her almost 15 years working in APAC will undoubtedly boost our activities in the region”.
Williamson added: “After the years of uncertainty we have experienced, I believe we have tremendous opportunities ahead of us and now is the time to seize them.”
KUALA LUMPUR, 8 September 2022: Malaysia Airlines and its tour operating arm, MHholidays have extended their MATTA Fair 2022 deals bookable online until 11 September 2022, after the travel fair closed last Sunday.
The travel period remains unchanged, closing at midnight on 12 April 2023.
Malaysia Airlines’ customers can continue to enjoy MATTA Fair discount of up to 45% off airfares to all domestic and selected international destinations. In Asia, the discount applies for bookings to Singapore, Bali, Bangkok, and Phuket, South Asia, specifically Kochi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Dhaka, Colombo, and Kathmandu, as well as East Asia, specifically Seoul. Beyond Asia, they apply on flights to Auckland, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney.
MHholidays offers up to 40% off flights and hotel packages for three-day and two-night stays, starting from MYR369 per person to Langkawi, or explore further from MYR3,969 for a seven-day/six- nights package per person to London. All MHholidays packages include a 35kg baggage allowance, complimentary onboard meals, and free seat selection.
Customers gain access to Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge in KL International Airport. Enrich members of the airline’s travel, and lifestyle loyalty programme will receive a 10% bonus points on economy and business class tickets.
BANGKOK 7 September 2022: Commemorating six years of flying Thailand’s skies since 2016, Thai Vietjet launched its ‘6th Anniversary’ promotion, with fares starting from THB 666.
The latest deal applies for travel on the airline’s entire domestic flight network and includes taxes and fees. Bookings opened on 5 September and are due to close at midnight on 10 September. The travel period runs from 10 September 2022 to 31 December 2022.
For international flight networks, a higher starting fare applies, pegged at THB1,666, including taxes and fees for the same booking window. However, the travel period extends to 25 March 2023. The promotional travel periods for both domestic and international. Travel is not allowed on public holidays.
The promotional tickets are applied to Thai Vietjet’s entire domestic flight network in Thailand from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Hat Yai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, and Ubon Ratchathani, cross-country routes connecting Phuket to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, together with the flight from Hat Yai to Chiang Rai, as well as the airline’s international flight network to Vietnam, Phnom Penh, Singapore, Fukuoka, Ahmedabad, and Taipei.
Thai Vietjet commenced its first commercial flight services in September 2016, with only three aircraft in the fleet. Within six years, the airline’s fleet serves 30 domestic and international routes carrying over 10 million passengers.
SINGAPORE, 7 September 2022: Travelport and American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) have renewed a multi-year agreement which includes using Travelport’s next-generation selling platform, Travelport+.
Enhancements in Travelport+ are targeted to improve access to content, providing more retailing capabilities and enhancing productivity for travel counsellors.
“We value our relationship with Amex GBT, which has lasted more than 40 years. Deepening our collaboration using Travelport+ will benefit both Amex GBT and its business customers,” said Travelport commercial officer – agency Jason Toothman.
“Combining Amex GBT’s expertise with our modern travel retailing tools will ultimately improve how corporate travel is managed. The introduction of Travelport+ servicing capabilities and retailing improvements will ensure continued focus on delivering customer, traveller and supplier value to Amex GBT’s marketplace.”
BANGKOK, 7 September 2022: Samui Island’s monkeys trained to harvest coconuts could be heading for early retirement, according to PETA Asia’s campaign that prompted Thailand’s Department of Agriculture to design and build a coconut harvester tool.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Asia’s senior vice president Jason Baker released a media statement on Tuesday saying the non-government organisation is hopeful that a tool developed by the Department of Agriculture will make the monkeys redundant.
“PETA is hopeful that the machine developed by the Department of Agriculture will lead to the retirement of the monkeys. They are captured, chained, and forced to pick coconuts in Thailand’s coconut industry.
“Workers in India and Sri Lanka have been using similar contraptions to climb tall coconut trees even before PETA started our campaign, but anything that the Thai government and the coconut industry can do to replace monkeys is a welcome step in the right direction.
“Suffering monkeys remain an inherent part of Thailand’s coconut industry, and a lot more work needs to be done if the country doesn’t want to see its coconuts shunned in favour of animal-friendly alternatives, as happened with Indonesian palm oil.”
According to a recent Nation Online news, PETA released a report two years ago that pointed the finger at coconut farmers in Thailand, alleging the monkeys were ill-treated.
The Agriculture Department has been designing and building a machine tool to end the practice, and three factories are manufacturing the devices.
SINGAPORE, 7 September 2022: Emirates announced Monday plans to debut its newly retrofitted A380s featuring its latest Premium Economy cabins to Singapore on 1 March 2023.
Travellers flying to and from Singapore can now look forward to the luxurious and meticulously customised experience that Premium Economy offers. On a four-class Emirates A380, the Premium Economy cabin is located at the front of the main deck with 56 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. Emirates’ enhanced A380 with Premium Economy will operate as EK354 and EK355.
Emirates, Country Manager for Singapore & Brunei Rashid Al Ardha said: “Emirates is thrilled to bring Premium Economy to Singapore skies. The premium travel experience that these cabins offer has received a hugely positive response since they were introduced in other markets. Customers loved the quality, comfort, and thoughtful touches we made to enhance their in-flight experience. We are committed to offering our passengers the distinct Emirates experience whenever they fly with us and will continue innovating to provide customer-centric, future-forward inflight experiences.”
SINGAPORE, 7 September 2022: Effective 12 September, Taiwan will reinstate visa-exempt entry for nationals of the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, countries in Europe, and what it describes as “diplomatic allies”.
Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center issued the new visa ruling on 5 September, saying it was in line with “international trends that balance the needs of disease prevention and the promotion of economic and social activities.”
Unlike most Asian countries, Taiwan maintained entry restrictions, but it cut quarantine for arriving travellers from seven to three days in June.
On Tuesday, the Central Epidemic Command Center announced 36,707 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Taiwan. Of the 36,707 new cases, 36,393 were domestic and 314 imported. CECC confirmed 21 deaths. Taiwan has reported more than 5.3 million domestic cases since the beginning of the year, mostly the Omicron variant.
Command centre chief Victor Wang told reporters the three days of quarantine and need for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival would remain for the time being, as well as the current cap on 50,000 arrivals a week. Since 15 August, Taiwan has not required inbound passengers to provide Covid-19 PCR test results within two days of flight schedule time.
Visitors from more than 50 of these countries can stay in Taiwan for up to 90 days, while nationals from ASEAN countries can stay for up to 30 days (currently on the Bureau of Consular Affairs suspended list (see below).
Bureau of Consular Affairs list for visa-exempt entry
Type
Visa-Exempt Entry
Applicable foreign nationals starting from 12 September, 2022
Nationals of the following countries are eligible for the visa exemption program, with a duration of stay of up to 90 days: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini*, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras*, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Island*, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia*(effective till 31 March, 2025), Norway, Palau, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tuvalu*, the United Kingdom, the United States of America*,and Vatican City State. Nationals of the following countries are eligible for the visa exemption program, with a duration of stay of up to 30 days: Belize*, Nauru, St. Kitts and Nevis*, Saint Lucia*, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Temporarily Suspending
Chile, Dominican Republic, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Philippines, and Russia.
BANGKOK, 7 September 2022: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is inviting Thai guests to unlock savings with its “Unbeatable 9.9 Sale”.
Under this five-day flash sale, travellers who book their vacation between 8 and 12 September 2022 for stays before 31 October 2022 will gain 35% off their chosen hotel’s best available rate, including breakfast for two people and free stays for up to two children (terms & conditions apply).
Centara’s “Unbeatable 9.9 Sale” comes at the ideal time. All local travel restrictions have now been lifted, and international entry requirements have been eased for Thai nationals visiting Vietnam, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
This means that guests can book sensational stays at Centara’s collection of world-class properties across Asia, safe in the knowledge that they will experience a dream holiday without disruption.
Hot destinations include Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui, Krabi, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai in Thailand, Mui Ne in Vietnam and the paradise atolls and islands of the Maldives. Six brands range from five-star hotels and stylish urban boutiques to blissful beach resorts, adventure-themed family destinations and elegant upcountry retreats.
The “Unbeatable 9.9 Sale” runs from 8 to 12 September 2022.
BANGKOK, 7 September 2022: A presentation at Penn State University-Berks will focus on two of Thailand’s eco-friendly lodges in the far north of the country and how responsible tourism contributes to the well-being of village communities by avoiding the pitfalls of overtourism.
Dr Scott Michael Smith, PhD-TRM, from the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, MSME Business School, Assumption University, Thailand, will deliver the presentation on 11 October on the US campus as part of an interactive lecture for undergraduates studying strategic hospitality management, based on two of his research papers.
Research papers
The Communication of Corporate Social Responsibility: Asian Oasis—Mythical journeys in the Hill Tribe Villages of Northern Thailand.
Planet Happiness: a Proposition to Address Overtourism and Guide Responsible Tourism, Happiness, Well-being and Sustainability in World Heritage Sites and Beyond.
Asian Oasis’ eco-friendly Lisu Lodge in Chiang Mai and Lan Jia Lodge in Chiang Rai provinces are billed as community-based tourism trailblazers in Thailand, having won numerous accolades and national and international awards.
Asian Oasis built its first eco-friendly lodge, Lisu Lodge, in 1995 in a remote Lisu hill tribe village. The aim was for Lisu Lodge to become a place where visitors could learn about local culture directly from their hosts, the Lisu villagers. Asian Oasis also wanted the village to benefit from tourism, so part of the income earned at the lodge goes towards the village fund to support educational, cultural and economic projects to improve the quality of life of hundreds of villagers.
This same development model was adopted a few years later when they built Lanjia Lodge in a Hmong and Lahu hill tribe village in Chiang Rai province overlooking the Mekong River and close to Chiang Khong.
But like so many other community-based projects across Asia, the Covid-19 pandemic forced both lodges to close in 2020, with catastrophic consequences for the communities involved. Lisu Lodge in Chiang Mai reopened recently, but Lanjia Lodged remains a casualty, with Asia Oasis confirming the lodge is “still closed until further notice. And there is no fixed plan to reopen the lodge so far.”
It underscores the predicament facing eco-lodges and community-based tourism projects. They need a rescue package to get them back in the mix, providing alternative tourism experiences.
Smith’s observations from the Planet Happiness research paper will touch on how to create well-being and sustainability in heritage sites worldwide and tackle ‘overtourism’ using the Happiness Index. It seeks to measure levels of happiness and well-being to discover solutions that promote happiness and quality of life, preserve the heritage of local communities, and protect the environment.
The Happiness Index, available in 20 languages, is a comprehensive survey instrument that assesses happiness, well-being, and aspects of sustainability and resilience. The Happiness Index measures life satisfaction, the feeling of happiness, and other happiness domains: psychological well-being, health, time balance, community, social support, education, arts and culture, environment, governance, material well-being, and work.
Happiness is closely related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the core elements in a mission to promote stability, well-being and happiness, leaving no one behind. It is one piece of the puzzle that completes a picture conveying the importance of the happiness movement as a new environmental, social, and economic paradigm to enhance the quality of life and sustainability for all beings.
“It is essential to start measuring happiness on macro (communities) and micro (personal) levels,” said Smith. “Summarised data and recommendations can be shared with policymakers and used to begin public conversations regarding community happiness and mental well-being. In these trying times, the happiness survey is an excellent tool to start the discussion with students about the importance of assessing and taking steps to improve their mental health. The strategy is for students worldwide to take the survey in the hopes that it will spark a discussion about happiness and well-being while they consider their mental health.”
SINGAPORE, 6 September 2022: Regent Seven Seas Cruises topped its single-day booking record with the launch of its 2024-2025 Voyage Collection.
Sales commenced on 24 August, and bookings beat its previous largest booking record day, 18 August 2021, when it launched its 2023-2024 Voyage Collection.
Travel trends identified that guests were keen to book exotic destinations and desire to travel longer, with sailings including destinations in Africa and South America making up approximately 70% of the top 10 itineraries.
Booking data also revealed an increase in travel partner reservations compared to the previous year’s 2023-2024 Voyage Collection launch.
With seven of the 10 most popular itineraries booked on the 2024-2025 Voyage Collection launch day, including ports in Africa and South America, it indicated travellers are keen to enjoy new experiences in unfamiliar and exotic locales for extended periods.
Seven Seas Grandeur, the most highly anticipated ship to be launched in 2023, had a strong launch day with three sailings in the top 10, which includes a 2024 Barcelona to New York 16-night transatlantic as the third most booked sailing.
Of the top 10 voyages booked on the day, no single voyage had a duration lower than 16 nights, with the longest being 25 nights and entry-level prices for the line’s spacious veranda and deluxe veranda suites ranged from USD9,999 per guest and UD$21,199 per guest.
Other notable destinations featured in the top 10 sailings booked on the record launch day were the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South America sailings featuring the Amazon River.
The most spent on a single reservation (inside or outside of the top 10 voyages) was close to USD275,000 for a Grand Suite on board Seven Seas Mariner.
Regent’s new 2024-2025 Voyage Collection introduces itineraries and new ports of call in the world’s most beautiful destinations, showcasing 160 sailings with 130 overnight stays, 18 maiden ports of call, four Grand Voyages and a 150-night World Cruise.
Voyages encompass every corner of the world, from Africa & Arabia to Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and New England, Alaska, and Bermuda, plus favourites such as the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
