HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, 24 August 2022: ITE HCMC 2022 – the largest international tourism event in Vietnam and Greater Mekong Sub-region, will take place from 8 to 10 September at Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in Ho Chi Minh City.
After a two-year pause, ITE HCMC 2022 has high expectations that it can reconnect and promote inbound tourism to Vietnam and the Mekong sub-region.
ITE HCMC 2022 – the largest international tourism event in Vietnam and the Mekong sub-region, will happen from 08 – 10 September at Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Domestic tourism has almost fully recovered in recent months, but international travel to Vietnam still lags far behind the country’s 2019 performance.
The show will attract thousands of domestic and international delegates representing national tourism offices, travel agencies, airlines, hotels, resorts and industry experts from 41 provinces and cities in Vietnam and 10 countries and territories.
ITE HCMC is the only international tourism event in Vietnam that organises a hosted buyer programme which guarantees that at least 150 international travel buyers from major tour operators from 18 countries will attend.
The 16th ITE HCMC promises to deliver more than 6,000 B2B meetings between buyers and exhibitors. Over the three days, the show will attract more than 22,000 visitors, including 10,000 trade visitors and 12,000 travel consumers who will visit the event on the last day.
Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism director Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa commented: “As the leading international tourism event, ITE HCMC 2022 is constantly improving in terms of scale and quality to promote domestic and international tourism. Ho Chi Minh City is privileged to be the host city for the Asia and Oceania Gala Ceremony of World Travel Award 2022. This reinforces the position of Ho Chi Minh City on the world map of tourism.”
GEORGE TOWN, Penang, 24 August 2022: Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) organised a networking event, ‘Siren Night’, for the medical associations in Penang earlier this week.
State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy, Yeoh Soon Hin, opened the networking event attended by various medical association members, professional conference organisers (PCO), and destination management companies based in Penang.
The event aimed to present PCEB’s latest initiatives to draw international medical conferences to Penang and provide information to medical associations on their role in winning conference bids.
“Penang is one of Southeast Asia’s leading medical tourism destinations due to its stellar infrastructure, facilities, and skilled healthcare providers. This positions Penang as a highly regarded venue for international medical conferences. To date, we have supported close to 57 medical conferences in Penang. And moving forward, we are shifting up a gear to full throttle to bring more medical conferences to Penang,” said PCEB CEO Ashwin Gunasekeran.
“While medical tourists seek to improve their health, they also have the opportunity to relax and explore places they have never been before,” said Yeoh Soon Hin in his welcoming speech. “Penang always strives to offer the best hospitality for travellers in terms of culture, heritage, nature, and not to forget, the amazing gastronomic experience.”
The state is also giving extra incentives and support to accelerate the growth of medical in Penang and, through PCEB, is collaborating with medical associations and industry partners to position Penang as the preferred destination for medical conferences.
BANGKOK, 24 August 2022: Absolute Hotel Services promotes Karan Kaul to the post of deputy CEO & head of business development, starting 1 September 2022.
Kaul joined Absolute Hotel Services in 2020 as vice president of business development directing the group’s growth worldwide. In this new role, he will oversee the business development and technical services team’s activities and productivity in all locations.
Photo Credit: AHS. Karan Kaul shifts to the deputy CEO role.
“We are delighted to promote Karan to this new role. We are confident he will significantly contribute to the Absolute Hotel Services Group’s growth strategy and performance,” said AHS founder and CEO Jonathan Wigley.
Absolute Hotel Services confirmed the senior management appointment in a social media post on Facebook and Linkedin.
Last week, Absolute Hotel Services confirmed the launch of Absolute Hotel Services’ white label management portfolio branded Absolute Collection starting with the signing of Paasha Atelier Bali in Indonesia. The inaugural project focuses on the redevelopment of an existing resort in Kuta which will be relaunched as Paasha Atelier Bali following a renovation targetted for completion by the end of the year.
HONG KONG 24 August 2022: With the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival starting next month, the world’s leading business jet aircraft operator VistaJet is partnering with some of the world’s leading hotels and tour operators to create five distinctive travel experiences to celebrate the full-moon festival.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a traditional festival celebrated in Chinese culture. Similar holidays are celebrated in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and other East and Southeast Asia countries. This year the full moon festival falls on 10 September.
In Pursuit of the Moon Queen
In Southeast Asia, VistaJet curates a tour, “In Pursuit of the Moon Queen”, where you will fly from Kuala Lumpur – on board one of VistaJet’s super-premium business jets to the far eastern Indonesian city of Ambon: the gateway to some of the most amazing, secluded and beautiful parts of Indonesia.
From Ambon, guests will board a superyacht and explore the Spice Islands in search of Yoisi, the Moon Queen in Javanese mythology, and then explore Raja Ampat, an archipelago of tiny jungle islands within a beautiful and diverse marine ecosystem. The trip ends in Sumatra, where guests can participate in a project to protect the last majestic tigers of Sumatra in a private conservation area in the Sumatran rain forest.
VistaJet claims to be the first and only global business aviation company to present five distinctive full moon experiences in 2022. The other four highlight China, Greece, the Lost City of the Incas and the Tsukimi cultural experience in Japan.
Moonlight Staycations in China: The House Collective
To celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, VistaJet offers a series of luxurious staycations with The House Collective, a group of refined, highly individual properties (The Opposite House in Beijing, The Upper House in Hong Kong, The Temple House in Chengdu and The Middle House in Shanghai).
Mooncakes are a signature delicacy of the annual festival. The House Collective will curate mooncake pairing experiences tailored to the preferences of VistaJet members. It will include a cocktail masterclass experience with the mixologist from Salisterra at The Upper House. Other highlights of the tour include the Michelin-starred restaurant at The Opposite House in Beijing, Chengdu Panda Base and culture tours with The Temple House, along with an intimate sanctuary at The Middle House in the heart of Shanghai.
Full Moon Adventures with Ariodante The Oracles in Greece
Billed a “magical and thrilling adventure under the auspice of Selena, the goddess of the moon,” history blends with Greek mythology.
This two-week trip, by land and sea across the Greek regions of Epirus, Peloponnese and Attica, enables VistaJet members to walk in the footsteps of the Greek gods, heroes and historical figures like Homer Pythia, the priestess of Delphi, Aristotle. Alongside archaeologists, historians and artists, visit places not accessible to the public, museums, historical sites, and even see the gates to the underworld.
Through exclusive visits and private gastronomic experiences, guests share an incredible journey ending with a private artistic performance in a UNESCO site where ancient Greek and Chinese poetry and divination come together under the full moon. Key destinations include Athens, Ioannina, Corfu, Nafplion, Porto-Heli and Epidaurus.
Lost City of the Incas
It’s an invitation to embark on an awe-inspiring adventure to discover the Inca civilisation, the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, from the origins of their empire to their annihilation by the Spanish conquistadors in 1572. During this three-week journey in search of the Lost City of the Incas, VistaJet members will discover the civilisation from which the Incas descended, the remains of the empire and other incredible sites, including the rainbow mountain, the mummies of Arequipa, the condors of Colca Valley and the mysterious Nazca lines. Other exciting activities include flying over the Sacred Valley of the Incas in a hot air balloon, diving into Lake Titicaca, accessing secretive historical places, and sharing an extraordinary display of Chinese lanterns in Machu Pichu under the full moon with your family.
Key destinations include La Paz, Tiwanaku, Lake Titicaca (island of the sun and island of the moon), Raqchi Archaeological Park, Vinicuna, Sacred Valley (Aguas Calientes, Moray, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu, Cusco), Arequipa, Colca Valley, Nazca, Vilcabamba and Lima.
A Refined Tsukimi in Japan
During Tsukimi in Japan, family and friends gather under the full moon with seasonal food and sake as offerings to the moon, traditionally as a prayer for a good harvest. VistaJet’s version of Tsukimi brings members to Japan, following the moon’s phases to create refined Kaisekis (traditional Japanese multi-course dinner) at every step. The trip will culminate in an extraordinary private ceremony to the full moon held in one of Japan’s most beautiful temples with an unseen dance and taiko performance.
Along the journey, guests will discover the three classical Japanese arts of refinement (kadō — the way of flowers, kōdō — the way of fragrance, and chadō — the way of tea) in iconic private locations such as Imperial Villa, an ancient temple, and the home of a distinguished art collector. Discover Japanese calligraphy on the floor elevated into pure art with one of the most renowned Japanese calligraphy artists and enjoy a refined saké tasting with the Geishas in Kyoto.
This is a sophisticated 10-day-long voyage through Japan’s ancient traditions, history, philosophy and arts. A one-of-a-kind voyage links the origins of Japan by meeting with the country’s oldest tribe, the Ainu people. Guests explore the ruins of Asuka (the Imperial capital from 538 to 710 AD) and sites such as Engaku-Ji, Eikando and Toshogu.
BANGKOK, 24 August 2022: AirAsia Super App introduces its ‘Super Travel Fest’, promising price deals from more than 700 partner airlines worldwide and more than 700,000 hotels.
Flight bookings are open for just three days, on 23 to 25 August for the latest promotions that focuses on hotel deals in destinations across Southeast Asia.
AirAsia Super App chief commercial officer Tan Mai Yin
The AirAsia Super App provides top-rated hotel deals for travellers across Southeast Asia, such as Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Bali, Phuket and Boracay. Prices start at THB799 per night throughout the promotion, available for bookings for just one hour daily (1100 to 1200) from 23 to 25 August.
AirAsia Super App chief commercial officer Tan Mai Yin said: ” As a leading provider of hotel reservations and travel services, We are ready to make every promotion of SUPER Travel Fest unique for customers. And this time, the highlight is a special hotel booking deal on hotels in ASEAN such as Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Bali, Phuket and Boracay. We also have more than 700,000 hotels worldwide that you can book through the AirAsia Super App. We work closely with airline and hotel partners to drive tourism back on track. “
BANGKOK, 24 August 2022: Bangkok Airways doubles flights to twice daily on the Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Krabi route effective 1 September.
Going double daily on the route to Krabi, a popular beach destination in South Thailand, is a response to the increase in international bookings for travel to Thailand’s beach resorts, mainly from Southeast Asia and India. Still, the airline reports bookings are also improving from the UK and the Middle East.
The new timetable shows the airline has added a later afternoon flight to Krabi, returning to Bangkok late evening in time to connect with flights to the Middle East and Europe.
Bangkok to Krabi
Flight PG261 departs Bangkok at 0815 and arrives in Krabi at 0940. Flight PG263 departs Bangkok at 1745 and arrives in Krabi at 1910.
Krabi to Bangkok
Flight PG262 departs Krabi at 1040 and arrives in Bangkok at 1210. Flight PG264 departs Krabi at 2000 and arrives in Bangkok at 2130.
Bangkok Airways is quoting a roundtrip fare of THB3,010 or THB1,360 one-way. Flights use an Airbus A329.
In its latest passenger advisory posted on 19 August, the airline warns passengers travelling with only one-way tickets they could be denied entry at the destination without further explanation. Check-in counters for all PG flights open one hour and 30 minutes before departure. The airline says it must verify necessary documents to comply with the control measures that remain in place for Covid-19 at each entry point.
SINGAPORE, 24 August 2022: Business travel and the travel manager’s role changed significantly during the pandemic due to uncertainties and travel disruptions, according to the latest research released by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), supported by FCM.
“The Evolution of Travel Programme Technology” survey explores how technology has impacted the travel manager’s role, the traveller experience, and the travel management company (TMC) business.
During the pandemic, digitalisation and the use of technology accelerated as travellers were driven online, experiencing contactless and touchless travel. But surprisingly, this research now shows that two in five travel managers cite technology as one of their top pain points, highlighting that there is still work to be done in achieving the right balance. As companies return to travel and update their travel policies, many use this opportunity to reassess supplier relationships and technology requirements for the post-Covid environment.
“The corporate travel manager’s role changed significantly due to the pandemic, elevating the position as companies navigated unprecedented challenges. Given the fast pace of change, technology has played a vital role in ensuring the efficiency of travel programmes,” said GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang. “Keeping updated and communicating with travellers has renewed urgency for companies and travel managers looking to their TMCs to advise on innovative ways to manage travel programmes effectively while keeping travellers safe.”
“The rapid pace of technological innovation presents tremendous opportunities for travel managers and managed travel programs as we return to business travel. Travel managers cite technology as the most important factor when selecting a TMC,” said Marcus Eklund, Global Managing Director, FCM.
“The study also showed that on average, nine in 10 global travel managers say a consistent technology experience is of utmost importance. It’s essential TMCs be at the forefront of technological advancements to advise travel managers and help solve corporate global travel challenges.”
Surveyhighlights
Technology is the most critical factor when travel managers select a TMC, ahead of costs/fees and account management quality and support. Three in five (59%) travel managers include technology as one of the most important factors when selecting a TMC. However, two in five respondents (42%) include technology as one of the top pain points of their primary TMC.
Online booking tools have a dominant role. Almost all travel programmes (96%) use an online booking tool (OBT), the most popular technology component. However, other technology solutions are less frequent, including reporting dashboards, TMC mobile apps, re-shopping tools and single-use virtual payments, to name a few. This suggests many travel managers might primarily associate travel technology almost exclusively with OBTs and thus, might be unaware of other solutions that can create efficiencies and streamline travel programme components.
Sustainability and OBT tools. Few travel programmes use their online booking tool to promote sustainability. Fewer than half say their OBT shows carbon emissions in search results (44%) or displays lower emission flights higher in search results (10%). The score for sustainability messaging was just 4%, excluding less sustainable options from search results 2%. However, many travel managers are interested in configuring their OBT to do these things.
Widespread interest in chatbots. Seven in 10 travel managers are interested in artificial intelligence-enabled chat. These chatbots can answer travellers’ questions or help them make bookings. Despite the strong interest, chatbots are largely not a reality for most travel programs. Fewer than half say their TMC app includes a chatbot that can answer traveller questions (44%) or help travellers make bookings (29%).
Artificial intelligence (AI) transforms reporting. Travel Managers are widely interested in using AI to enhance reporting (87%), data cleansing (82%), personalisation of search results (78%), and auditing of expense reports (62%).
Mixed NDC understanding. Travel managers’ understanding of the New Distribution Capability (NDC)is mixed, with many being largely uninitiated with the XML-based data transmission standard. One-third (30 per cent) say they know “some but have more to learn,” while one in five say they know “virtually nothing” or only “a little” about NDC (20% each). While one in five (21%) travel managers report their programme offers NDC content through their TMC/OBT, a third (34%) are unaware if their TMC/OBT offers NDC content – suggesting NDC is not top of mind among many travel managers.
GBTA surveyed from 14 February to 21 March 2022 with responses from 309 travel managers based in the US, Canada, Europe, and the Asia Pacific.
SINGAPORE, 23 August 2022: Aman Group has secured investments totalling USD900 million from two strategic partners: The Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Cain International, a privately held investment firm specialising in real estate.
Through this investment, the company will strengthen its existing portfolio, build its pipeline of Aman and Janu destinations, and acquire and develop additional properties.
From left to right: Aman New York; Vlad Doronin, CEO of Aman Group and Aman Tokyo.
Aman has 34 properties in 20 countries, including 12 Aman Branded Residences, nine more hotels and residences under construction and a pipeline of new destinations in countries such as the United States, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, Aman Real Estate Holdings owns or partly owns 16 of the 34 Aman hotels.
Speaking on the PIF and Cain investments, Aman Group owner, chairman and CEO Vlad Doronin said: “My long-term strategic vision has been to continue to grow the Aman brand in key markets, all with Aman Branded Residences, as well as creating an ultra-luxury ecosystem. The investment from PIF and Cain International is a vote of confidence in my vision and the work the team has done over the last eight years, cementing the brand’s evolution and ability to deliver this vision at pace.”
SINGAPORE, 23 August 2022: Scoot will start flying to Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan (gateway to Sapporo) on 2 November from Singapore, offering six flights weekly; three direct and three via Taipei.
Chitose is home to the largest airport in Hokkaido, New Chitose Airport, which is the closest airport to Sapporo.
The airline will offer three direct flights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with an outbound flight time from Singapore of seven hours and 30 minutes using a Boeing Dreamliner 787-800. The starting one-way fare of USD412.
Direct flights depart Singapore at 0240 and arrive in Chitose at 1110. The direct return flight departs Chitose at 1240 and arrives in Singapore at 2013. Flight time is eight hours and 40 minutes.
In addition, Scoot will offer three flights a week to Chitose with a stop in Taipei (Taiwan) on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Flight time is 10 hours and 30 minutes.
GEORGE TOWN, Penang 23 August 2022: Sabah and Penang are embarking on a cross-promotion of their tourism attractions through a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) signed last Saturday.
Sabah Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer Noredah Othman and Penang Global Tourism (PGT) CEO Ooi Chok Yan led the signing ceremony.
(From R-L) Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Noredah Othman, Yeoh Soon Hin, and Ooi Chok Yan exchanging ideas after the signing of Memorandum of Collaboration between Sabah Tourism Board and Penang Global Tourism.
STB chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, and his PGT counterpart Yeoh Soon Hin, witnessed the signing ceremony, which came after the two chairmen discussed cooperation during a meeting held in December last year.
Both Joniston and Yeoh described the MoC as momentous, noting that the two states share a similar commitment to the positive impact that tourism might have on the people and the economies of their respective states and the nation.
The goals of the MoC between Sabah and Penang include, among other things, improving flight connectivity between the two states and facilitating the engagement of key parties concerning the development of products and tourism.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Yeoh in Penang last year, and we explored the possibility of establishing a Friendship city relationship between our two cities. We met again in Sabah and discussed how important it was to collaborate.
“I do think that this MoC is the first step to help us realise our friendship initiatives through tourism, and hopefully, it will lead to a similar collaboration with other states,” said Joniston, who is also Sabah’s Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment.
He also suggested that the Sabah Tourism Board and Penang Tourism Global establish a key performance indicator to assess the efficacy of their partnership and make adjustments as needed to realise their goals.
Yeoh, who is also Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy (Petace), expressed optimism that the partnership with the Sabah Tourism Board would help to boost the economies of both states and make them more resilient in the face of future challenges.
“We anticipate increasing the number of visitors to Malaysia by sharing tourism ideas and creating dual destination packages for domestic and international markets.
“The key to tourism success is breaking down siloed approaches. To succeed, we must work together, and this important partnership is a step to achieve our common goals,” Yeoh explained.
