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AirAsia adds Hari Raya flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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SEPANG, 13 March 2023: AirAsia has announced additional flights with fixed fares to help connect families this upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive period.

Fixed at MYR199 and MYR249 one way from Peninsular Malaysia to Sarawak and Sabah, respectively, the fares will be available for booking until 30 April 2023 for travel between 19 to 21 April 2023 and 28 to 30 April 2023.

From Right: Yang Berhormat Anthony Loke, Minister of Transport Malaysia, Datuk Haji Hasbi Bin Haji Habibollah, Deputy Minister of Transport Malaysia, Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Group Limited and AirAsia’s cabin crew.

The fares apply on flights to Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri in Sarawak and to Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau in Sabah.

Travellers can also book special fares to fly direct from Johor Bahru to Miri, Sibu, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. As part of BigPay and AirAsia’s strengthened partnership, BigPay users can enjoy  5% off all AirAsia flights with flight code ‘AK’ for a year by using the promo code “BIGPAY5”.

Malaysia’s Minister of Transport YB Anthony Loke commented: “This is the second time this year I’m officiating AirAsia’s special ‘fixed fares’ for the festive season, and I’m deeply pleased that AirAsia is staying true to its commitment to support the government’s initiative to lower fares during these peak travel periods. I implore other industry players to follow suit and bring down the cost of travel.”

Special extra flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak

Special extra flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sabah

Big cruise discounts at MATTA Fair

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KUALA LUMPUR, 13 March 2023: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents has recruited Royal Caribbean International as its cruise partner for the upcoming MATTA Fair, 17 to 19 March 2023, at Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur.

Royal Caribbean International has booked 12 booths at the fair located in MITEC’s International Hall – Level 3, where the sales team will sell itineraries discounted 50% on Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas for sailings from now until 28 March 2024.

Travellers can buy short three and four-night getaways to Penang and Thailand’s Phuket island. A longer nine-night cruise will explore Bangkok, Thailand; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and Manila, Philippines.

In its press statement, MATTA said it believes the demand for international cruise tourism is extraordinary as more people realise its advantages over air or land travel.

“We trust that the partnership with Royal Caribbean International will be a pull factor to grow Malaysia’s cruise segment and to promote demand for cruise holidays in the region,” MATTA  concluded.

The fair is admission free and open from 1000 to 2100, Friday to Sunday, 17 to 19 March.

Cruise line says Hello Hong Kong

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 13 March 2023:  Resorts World One commenced her maiden voyage, sailing from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Friday, 10 March, for a weekend high-seas cruise.

The 13-deck Resorts World One is the first cruise ship to restart cruises in Hong Kong with a year-round homeport deployment.

With three sailings a week, cruise enthusiasts staying in Hong Kong can book two and three-night high-seas cruises until 31 March.

Resorts World One’s destination cruises from Hong Kong get underway on 2 April 2023.

Friday’s welcome celebration event and maiden sailing of the Resorts World One was held on the cruise ship with over 400 attendees, comprising local travel and business partners, the media, and key influencers.

Resorts World Cruises representatives, comprising president Michael Goh – president and COO Raymond Lim, officiated at the inaugural sailing of the Resorts World One from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

“Resorts World One’s maiden voyage signifies an important step forward in reigniting Hong Kong’s cruise tourism. We want to express our sincere gratitude to the Tourism Commission of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong Tourism Board and the relevant authorities for their support as we pioneer the restart of the Hong Kong year-round cruise deployment,” said Goh.

“Resorts World One will open up new opportunities for the inbound and outbound travel in Hong Kong for cruising and Fly-Cruise guests, which will have a positive spillover effect beyond the cruise tourism sector in Hong Kong.”

LADA unveils Geopark Packages

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TTR WEEKLY
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LANGKAWI, 10 March 2023: Langkawi Development Authority is back positioning the beautiful island of Langkawi on the world map at ITB Berlin 2023.

Held from 7 to 9 March 2023 at the Berlin ExpoCenter City (Messe Berlin), the B2B travel fair covers 190,000 m² of exhibition space comprising 27 halls.

LADA’s top priority, along with Cable Car Langkawi, was to launch the Geopark Green Packages available for tourists visiting Langkawi.

Commenting on their participation, LADA’s deputy chief executive officer Wan Kamarul Faisal Wan Kamardin said: “It is truly an honour to be given a platform to share the beauty of Langkawi with the world.

“We are excited to reveal a variety of new packages for the UNESCO Global Geopark in Langkawi. We take pride in being the home to the first Global Geopark in Southeast Asia to be awarded UNESCO status. Tourists planning to step foot in Langkawi will not be disappointed. The combination of geological features, breathtaking views and exciting activities are not to be missed”.

The Langkawi Geopark Green Package provides a unique and fascinating glimpse into the island’s geological formation.

One way to do it is to ride a jet ski and witness the unique limestones and marble structures. The thrill of jet skiing is an added incentive as you enjoy the stunning views of the Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park and Malaysia’s second-largest island freshwater lake. An alternative method of admiring Langkawi would be to do so aerially. The Sky Cab Panoramic View provides just that. As the cable car elevates to the peak of Mount Machinchang, visitors will be treated to a breathtaking view overlooking the Andaman Sea.

Nature lovers, too, can look forward to the newly unveiled package with the Mangrove Safari Tour of the Kilim Geoforest Park or Kubang Badak Bio Geo Trail. The Kilim Karst Geoforest is a karstic formation mangrove forest with an environment suitable for hosting several rare species of flora and fauna. Besides revelling in the unique environment, this package also comprises tourists planting one mangrove or native tree, allowing them to leave their mark in Langkawi. Meanwhile, the unique tidal river estuary of Kubang Badak BioGeo Trail is home to 13 interesting sites. Hop on a boat and get the chance to explore the mangrove or embark on a bird-watching trip to be on the lookout for shorebirds and mangrove birds.

Completing the package, learn to appreciate the tradition of rice ecosystems with the Laman Padi package. The massive 8.6-acre area presents a rustic and serene view of the paddy fields. Upon exploring the paddy field and gallery, tourists can relax at the pavilion, resting sheds or balconies at the complex, soaking in an overview of the open field. The package includes a Paddy Gallery Tour, Rice Field Tour, Herbs Garden Tour, Traditional Paddy Planting, Rice Grinder, Rice Trashing, Rice Winnowing, Coconut Grating, Food Demonstration, Catching Fish and Scarecrow Making.

“Statistics show that Germans are big fans of our beloved island. As of September 2022, Germany was listed as one of the top markets for Langkawi. We strongly believe we can reinforce and perhaps even strengthen that statistic in the coming years. We will continue developing our package deals to keep up with current demands and ensure all visitors feel satisfied when they step out of Langkawi,” added Haji Ahmad Fuad.

For more information on LADA, please visit https://www.lada.gov.my/en/, https://naturallylangkawi.my or https://langkawigeopark.com.my/

(Your Stories: LADA)

Sarawak rekindles networks at ITB 2023

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BERLIN, 10 March 2023: Sarawak returned with a strong delegation to ITB Berlin 2023 from 7 to 9 March 2023, focusing on its inaugural stand-alone pavilion to strengthen Sarawak’s presence in the European market.

Sarawak’s marketing campaign to trade and consumers visiting the world’s largest travel show positioned the Malaysian state as the leading and preferred eco-tourism destination in the ASEAN region.

Visitors to ITB Berlin learned more about Sarawak’s tourism offerings at the Sarawak Pavilion in Hall A, Stand 220A and experienced insights into a destination blessed with a plethora of culture, adventure, nature, food and festivals.

Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP), Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said the Sarawak Pavilion reflects the state’s passion for driving tourism as one of the key contributors to the region of Sarawak.

“We are proud that our strategic partners stand with us in making Sarawak stand out in the world at this year’s ITB Berlin. We are very fortunate to have the support of Authentic Borneo Tours, Borneo Adventure, Business Events Sarawak (Sarawak Convention Bureau), CPH Travel Agencies (Sarawak), Greatown Travel, Happy Trails Borneo Tours, Hemisphere Hospitality, Paradesa Borneo, Smart Leisure & Travels and Tropical Adventure to work together to enhance Sarawak’s visibility on the global pedestal”, he added.

Sarawak’s Day 1 participation at the fair highlighted the unveiling of its new destination video, “Sarawak…Now More Than Ever”, and video presentations on Sarawak’s adventure products such as cycling, trekking and caving activities and promotion of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2023.

Another significant event on Day 1 was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Tischler Reisen AG as a collaborative effort to boost Sarawak’s visibility towards becoming a preferred destination in Germany and surrounding European markets, both offline and online involving some 600 travel agencies in Germany.

As the biggest state in Malaysia with a low-density population of 2.9 million people (as of 2020), Sarawak is very proud of its natural inheritance of pristine rainforests, endemic flora and fauna, and its diverse peoples. Located in Borneo, the third largest island in the world, the rich land of Sarawak is host to a kaleidoscope of cultures made up of 31 ethnic groups, with a rich and diverse ecosystem for adventurers to explore.

Today, many tourist destinations have adopted the principles of responsible tourism in their management and tourism practices, and Sarawak is no exception. Taking environmental issues seriously, Sarawak tourism players incorporate elements of sustainable waste management, energy conservation and environmental education into their tours to ensure travellers are sight-seeing and contribute to the conservation of Sarawak’s attractions for generations to come. Visitors to Sarawak can have the choice of experiencing the local authentic Sarawak lifestyle by staying in community-based homestays or enjoying the modern and scenic landscapes of its cities.

Sarawak tourism players adopt eco-friendly practices in their tourism products, such as encouraging bicycle rides in rural areas or enjoying bird-watching in Sarawak’s lush rainforests. Tourism players promote homestays, encourage local food consumption, and highlight local handicrafts and arts in their effort to sustain the local way of life for generations to come. Such community-based tourism can be found in areas such as Nanga Sumpa in Batang Ai where travellers can gain an insight into the lifestyle of the various tribes of Sarawak. These efforts can generate earnings for residents, especially those from lower-income groups.

Sarawak’s renowned orangutan rehabilitation centre, Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, only 20 km from Kuching City, is the biggest orangutan rehabilitation centre in Sarawak. It was established as a sanctuary for orangutans injured, orphaned, or held captive as illegal pets. Currently, the centre serves as a habitat for the orangutans and also a place for visitors to learn about this rare endangered species. This wildlife centre has a thriving population of healthy adolescent and young adult semi-wild orangutans.

For more information about Sarawak, visit https://www.sarawaktourism.com/

(Your Stories: Sarawak Tourism Board)

Dusit expands villa rentals

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 10 March 2023: Elite Havens, a vacation rental provider in Asia owned by Dusit International, expands its portfolio of more than 300 luxury villa rentals by adding four new properties in Thailand and Indonesia.

Two rentals Indonesia

Permata Ayung Private Estate Ubud, Bali, offers 12 bedrooms in individual pavilions across five hectares. 
Tirtha Bayu Estate Bali is an oceanfront estate overlooking Cemagi Beach featuring two villas – a  six-bedroom Villa I and a five-bedroom Villa II.

Two rentals Thailand

Infinity View is a four-bedroom villa near Phuket’s Kata Noi Beach.
Located on Samui Island, Inasia is situated next to Lipa Noi beach with eight guestrooms.

“We expect the confidence of travellers to continue the upward trend seen in 2022, and we look forward to welcoming guests to make lasting memories at our exquisite new additions in Bali, Phuket, and Koh Samui,” said Elite Havens CEO Maya Rigg.

Malaysia back at ITB Berlin promoting tourism

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TTR WEEKLY
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BERLIN, 10 March 2023: Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and its agency Tourism Malaysia participated once again in the World’s leading travel trade show, Internationale Tourismus-Borse (ITB) Berlin, hosted 7 to 9 March 2023.

The three-day event held at Berlin ExpoCentre City (Messe Berlin) attracted tour content providers and tour operators from 125 countries. This year marked the 50th participation of Tourism Malaysia since it first joined the B2B travel show in 1972.

This year’s Malaysia delegation to ITB Berlin comprised seven state tourism boards, 15 tour operators, 15 hotels and resorts, and three tourism-related services. Sixty-eight participants representing 40 organisations joined the Tourism Malaysia Pavillion.

The Malaysia delegation was led by Datuk Mohd Zamri Mat Zain, Deputy Secretary General (Tourism), MOTAC who was accompanied by Dato’ Zainuddin Abd Wahab, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, and Dato’ Dr. Ammar Abd Ghapar, Senior Director of Tourism Malaysia’s International Promotion Division (Americas/Europe/Oceania).

Datuk Mohd Zamri Mat Zain commented: “ITB continues to be one of the best platforms for Malaysian tourism players to meet up with German and European outbound agents and airlines, where we get to share the latest information on Malaysia’s tourism products and new tourist attractions in our effort to revive the tourism industry further.”

He also emphasised Malaysia’s unique ecotourism destinations and community-based tourism to be highly interesting to the European market.

In conjunction with ITB Berlin 2023, Tourism Malaysia introduced a new video part of its latest campaign, “Soul of Malaysia.” It was launched together with its new release of three main brochures, namely Malaysia Travel Guide, Nature & Adventure, and Island & Beaches in the German language. Three state tourism boards attending ITB Berlin also launched their new products and campaign, namely Gombak Hulu Langat Geopark by Tourism Selangor, Langkawi Green Geopark Package by Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Sabah.

Tourism Board ́s new destination branding, Feel Sabah, North Borneo and Visit Melaka Year 2024 introduced by Melaka Tourism.

Since its full reopening of international borders, Malaysia has recorded 10.07 million tourist arrivals and earned MYR28.2 billion (EUR6.1 billion) in tourist receipts in 2022, surpassing its initial target of 9.2 million international tourist arrivals. In 2023, Malaysia is targeting 16.1 million international tourist arrivals and earnings of MYR49.2 billion (EUR10.5 billion) in tourist receipts.

Particularly in December 2022, Malaysia recorded 10,764 German tourist arrivals, which translates to a significant growth of 31.3% compared to 8,197 arrivals in December 2019.

Malaysia welcomed 57,780 German tourist arrivals in 2022, compared to 130,221 arrivals in 2019. With enhanced air connectivity and promotional efforts in 2023, Tourism Malaysia looks forward to achieving exponential growth in the German outbound travel market.

MATTA strengthens links with Europe

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TTR WEEKLY
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BERLIN, 10 March 2023: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) signed Memorandums of Understanding with three European Tour and Travel Agency Associations during ITB Berlin, 7 to 10 March.

It achieves a new level of cooperation between Malaysian tourism stakeholders and their European counterparts.

MATTA President Tan Kok Liang and the presidents of the following European travel trade associations signed memorandums:

• Anne-Marjut Väänänen, president of the Association of Finnish Travel Industry (SMAL)
• Pawel Niewiadomski, president of the Polish Chamber of Tourism (PIT)
• Kulli Karing, president of the Estonian Travel and Tourism Association (ETFL)

The signing was witnessed by:
• HE Dr Adina Kamarudin (Ambassador of Malaysia to the German Republic);
• The Honorable Christina Liew (Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah);
• The Honorable Loh Tze Yee (Perak State Executive Council of Tourism, Industry, Investment and Corridor Development);
• The Honorable Hee Loy Sian (Selangor State Executive Council of Tourism & Environment)

The memorandums place sustainable tourism as the centre of future growth and also focus on enhancing consumer awareness of Malaysia as a safe and attractive holiday destination in Polish, Finnish and Estonian outbound travel markets.

This agreement with the global travel agency associations builds on existing collaboration between the organisations to keep geared towards restoring consumer travel confidence.

“I am excited to work very closely with our European counterparts to further develop inbound travel potential into Malaysia. We will be developing new marketing and communication strategies to meet the demands for high-value tourism products,” said MATTA president Tan Kok Liang.

“Southeast Asia is inexpensive for European travellers, but costly airfares and limited connectivity hinder travel. They are the biggest obstacles for those looking to travel to our region. We hope this renewed interest in Malaysia and the region will encourage airlines to establish more direct routes”.

MATTA has participated independently at ITB Berlin since 2018 and has negotiated several Memorandums of Understanding with counterparts from high-potential source markets. It is also a member of the European Travel Agents and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA)

“Our participation in ITB Berlin and our commitment to the European market strongly underlines our sustainable tourism strategy, which we believe will be key to the future of our nation, its people and our economy in the long term,” the MATTA president added.

TG releases summer flight schedule

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BANGKOK, 10 March 2023:Thai Airways International released details of its summer flight schedule effective from 26 March to 28 October on Thursday.

The good news is more flights are scheduled to five cities in China which should boost leisure travel arrivals out of Kunming, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai and Beijing.

Mekong region tourism operators will be disappointed with THAI’s decision to hand over all its flights to four neighbouring countries to its loss-ridden subsidiary airline Thai Smile. It provides flights to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar. Last month the national airline’s board said it would merge Thai Smile into the parent company to stem heavy losses.

The airline will operate flights to 39 destinations worldwide with increased frequencies on selected routes.

Intercontinental routes (return flights):

1. Bangkok – London: Twice daily.

2. Bangkok – Paris: Daily.

3. Bangkok – Zurich: Daily.

4. Bangkok – Frankfurt: Twice daily.

5. Bangkok – Munich: Daily.

6. Bangkok – Copenhagen: Daily.

7. Bangkok – Stockholm: Daily.

8. Bangkok – Sydney: Daily.

9. Bangkok – Melbourne: Twice daily.

Regional routes (return flights):

1. Bangkok – Tokyo (Narita): Twice daily (increases to triple daily from July 2023).

2. Bangkok – Tokyo (Haneda): Twice daily.

3. Bangkok – Nagoya: Daily.

4. Bangkok – Osaka: Daily. (increases to twice daily from 1 July 2023)

5. Bangkok – Fukuoka: Daily.

6. Bangkok – Sapporo: Daily. (until 30 April 2023)

7. Bangkok – Manila: Twice daily.

8. Bangkok – Seoul: Triple daily.

9. Bangkok – Taipei: Daily. (increases to twice daily from 1 July 2023).

10. Bangkok – Hong Kong: Twice daily (increases to triple daily from 1 July 2023).

11. Bangkok – Singapore: 25 flights per week. (Flight TG403/413/409 depart from Bangkok every day and TG407 every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday).

12. Bangkok – Jakarta: Twice daily.

13. Bangkok – Denpasar: Daily.

14. Bangkok – Kuala Lumpur: Twice daily.

15. Bangkok – Mumbai: 11 flights per week. (Flight TG317 departs from Bangkok daily and TG351 every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday).

16. Bangkok – Delhi: 22 flights per week (Flight TG323/315/331 depart from Bangkok every day and TG335 every Friday).

17. Bangkok – Bengaluru: Daily.

18. Bangkok – Hyderabad: Daily.

19. Bangkok – Chennai: Daily.

20. Bangkok – Kolkata: Daily.

21. Bangkok – Dhaka: 10 flights per week (Flight TG321 departs from Bangkok every day and TG339 every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday)

22. Bangkok – Lahore: Five weekly flights every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

23. Bangkok – Islamabad: Four flights per week every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

24. Bangkok – Karachi: Five weekly flights every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

25. Bangkok – Jeddah: Five flights per week every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Flight operations to destinations in the People’s Republic of China starting 1 March 2023 (round trip):

1. Bangkok – Kunming: Twice weekly flights every Friday and Sunday.

2. Bangkok – Guangzhou: Triple weekly flights every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

3. Bangkok – Chengdu: Twice weekly flights every Tuesday and Thursday.

4. Bangkok – Shanghai: Four weekly flights every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

5. Bangkok – Beijing: Triple weekly flights every Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

Ex-PATA CEO claims colonialism thrives

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SINGAPORE, 10 March 2023: Thriving colonialism in Asia in the form of preferential treatment of western, usually white male executives, is a commonly accepted practice in Asia, says former Pacific Asia Travel Association CEO Liz Ortiguera in a hard-hitting opinion column in Wednesday’s Skift news edition. 

Claiming colonialism has had a complex impact on Asian women’s career progression, Ortiguera lists it as one of the biggest obstacles the Asian continent presents for women working in travel and tourism.

Liz Ortiguera.

She made the comments just weeks after resigning from the PATA CEO post after completing just one year and 10 months of her three-year contract. She was the first female PATA CEO in the association’s 72 years.

Featured in Skift’s edition for International Women’s Day, she asserted: “On one hand, colonial powers introduced Western education and corporate opportunities that allowed some women to pursue careers outside of traditional gender roles. Unfortunately, colonialism also reinforced patriarchal business cultures and created multi-layered, deep socio-economic power disparities.”

Her guest column claimed colonialism contributed to white male executives favouring their own for promotions and assignments and the discrimination toward Asian female job seekers.

“This sense of entitlement can also enable the pursuit of corrupt self-interests. It also makes Asian women feel that leadership roles are not attainable.”

She highlighted the plight of articulate Asian women who can suffer backlash and the label “disrespectful” when just voicing their opinion, asking a question and speaking as an equal.

Her column changes tack, honing in on the bias against short people. A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that taller individuals were perceived as having greater leadership potential than shorter individuals.

“In reality, aspects such as communication skills, experience and track record should factor more strongly. Look at the following leaders shorter than 5’5”: Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Corazon Aquino, Angela Merkel, Jack Welch and Desmond Tutu.

“How many other great leaders might we have if this caveman-era bias weren’t prevalent? The world needs more petite, rational leaders and less of the tall, angry, shouting version.”

She rounds off her viewpoint by urging the tourism and travel industry to enact a zero-tolerance policy against sexual harassment and overt bias.

As for helping women in Asia overcome the challenges they face in landing executive roles in the travel industry,” she leads off with a list of solutions; among them, “avoid man-els — all-male panels — and all-white panels in Asia.” 

For the full viewpoint, visit: https://skift.com/2023/03/08/asia-presents-even-steeper-challenges-for-female-travel-leaders-today/

Liz Ortiguera is the founder of Bridge Experiences, a marketing consultancy company. A veteran travel and corporate business executive, she’s held roles at Merck and American Express Global Business Travel before joining PATA in May 2021 as its first female CEO.

(Source: Skift)

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