Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Home Blog Page 548

UNWTO: Tourism recovery gets underway

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

MADRID, Spain, 7 June 2022: Tourism continues to recover at a robust pace, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

Globally, destinations welcomed almost three times as many international arrivals in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021. Europe led the sector’s rebound.

UNWTO data indicates international tourism increased 182% year-on-year from January to March 2022, with destinations worldwide welcoming an estimated 117 million international arrivals compared to 41 million in Q1 2021. Of the extra 76 million international arrivals for the first three months, about 47 million were recorded in March, showing that the recovery is gathering pace.

Europe and the Americas lead recovery

UNWTO data shows that during the first quarter of 2022, Europe welcomed almost four times as many international arrivals (+280%) as in Q1 of 2021, with results-driven by strong intra-regional demand. In the Americas, arrivals more than doubled (+117%) in the same three months. However, arrivals in Europe and the Americas were still 43% and 46% below 2019 levels, respectively.

The Middle East (+132%) and Africa (+96%) also saw strong growth in Q1 2022 compared to 2021, but arrivals remained 59% and 61% below 2019 levels, respectively. Asia and the Pacific recorded a 64% increase over 2021, but levels were 93% below 2019 numbers as several destinations remained closed to non-essential travel.

By subregion, the Caribbean and Southern Mediterranean Europe continue to show the fastest recovery rates. In both, arrivals recovered to nearly 75% of 2019 levels, with some destinations reaching or exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

Destinations opening-up

Although international tourism remains 61% below 2019 levels, the gradual recovery is expected to continue throughout 2022, as more destinations ease or lift travel restrictions and pent-up demand is unleashed. As of 2 June, 45 destinations (of which 31 are in Europe) had no COVID-19 related restrictions. In Asia, many destinations have started to ease restrictions.

Despite these positive prospects, a challenging economic environment coupled with the military offensive of the Russian Federation in Ukraine poses a downside risk to the ongoing recovery of international tourism. The Russian offensive on Ukraine seems to have had a limited direct impact on overall results, although it disrupts travel in Eastern Europe. However, the conflict has major economic repercussions globally, exacerbating already high oil prices and general inflation and disrupting international supply chains, which results in higher transport and accommodation costs for the tourism sector.

Export revenues to recover faster as spending rises

The latest issue of the UNWTO Tourism Barometer also shows that US$ 1 billion were lost in export revenues from international tourism in 2021, adding to the USD1 billion lost in the first year of the pandemic. Total export revenues from tourism (including passenger transport receipts) reached an estimated USD713 billion in 2021, a 4% increase in real terms from 2020 but still 61% below 2019 levels. International tourism receipts reached USD602 billion, 4% higher in real terms than in 2020. Europe and the Middle East recorded the best results, with earnings climbing to about 50% of pre-pandemic levels in both regions.

However, the amount being spent per trip is on the rise – from an average of USD1,000 in 2019 to USD1,400 in 2021.

Stronger than expected recovery ahead

The latest UNWTO Confidence Index showed a marked uptick. For the first time since the pandemic, the index returned to levels of 2019, reflecting rising optimism among tourism experts worldwide, building on strong pent-up demand, particularly intra-European travel and US travel to Europe.

According to the latest UNWTO Panel of Experts survey, an overwhelming majority of tourism professionals (83%) see better prospects for 2022 than 2021, as long as the virus is contained and destinations continue to ease or lift travel restrictions. However, the ongoing closure of some major outbound markets, mainly in Asia and the Pacific, and the uncertainty derived from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, could delay the effective recovery of international tourism.

A higher number of experts (48%) now see a potential return of international arrivals to 2019 levels in 2023 (from 32% in the January survey), while the percentage indicating this could happen in 2024 or later (44%) has diminished compared to the January survey (64%). Meanwhile, by the end of April, international air capacity across the Americas, Africa, Europe, North Atlantic and the Middle East has reached or is close to 80% of pre-crisis levels, and demand is following.

UNWTO has revised its outlook for 2022 due to stronger-than-expected results in the first quarter of 2022, a significant increase in flight reservations, and the UNWTO Confidence Index prospects. International tourist arrivals are now expected to reach 55% to 70% of 2019 levels in 2022.

Go City reinvests in Thailand

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 7 June 2022: Go City, a multi-attraction pass, relaunches Go City Bangkok this week and confirms a renewed investment in Thailand.

The reimagined product now offers travellers to Bangkok access to more than 25 of the destination’s top attractions, experiences and tours. Additionally, Go City has expanded pass options in the most popular destinations for Thai travellers, including London, New York, Paris, Stockholm and Sydney.

Go City Bangkok soft-launched in February 2020, with 60% of sales coming from long haul markets such as the UK, US and Canada before travel restrictions ended inbound tourism. During the pandemic, Go City doubled down on tech and invested in long term improvements to the business, including rebranding the company around the customer.

Favourite destinations amongst Go City Thai customers

As the industry looks ahead to the full return of travel, Go City is betting big on APAC, both as a source market and destination. Thailand grew to be the company’s fifth-largest source market in APAC, and demand signals for Go City Bangkok are strong.

“We’re increasingly optimistic about APAC’s bounceback,” said Go City CEO Jon Owen. “As soon as restrictions began lifting earlier this year, we saw sales grow 10x. Go City Bangkok’s launch is the first step, but we’re equally excited to improve the experience for Thai travellers as they look to return to destinations including London, New York and Paris, which were the most popular cities in the Go City portfolio amongst Thai travellers in 2019.”

Attractions now available with the Bangkok pass include the King Power Mahanakhon Skywalk, Chinatown Food Tour and Bangkok Pub Tour. Popular staples include Ayutthaya Day Tour, Chao Phraya River Dinner Cruise, Tuk Tuk Tour, and authentic Thai massage experiences. Go City plans to add more lifestyle options into the mix, such as sky bars, F&B options and other lifestyle products.

There are two options for the Go City Bangkok pass.

An Adult Two-Day All-Inclusive Pass costs THB2,999 (approximately USD89).
An Adult Three-Choice Explorer Pass costs THB1,899 (approximately USD57).

Top bill performers head for RWMF stage

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUCHING, 7 June 2022: The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2022 will be hosting a slew of brilliant performers from over 15 countries representing the many unique sounds from parts of the world.

On the top bill of talents, bringing the different representations of Indian music to the forefront include BluGuru, best described as a twisted tale of Indian, Blues, Celtic, Swing, Jazz, Bluegrass, and adventure.

Comprising multi-instrumentalist and three-times Bluegrass National Guitar champion Andrew Clermont and Fringe Award nominee Josh Bennett, along with the extraordinary vocals and dance of Parvyn, who is the daughter of the renowned singer Dya Singh, expect a sound that resonates with Jeff Beck meets Ravi Shankar on the set of “O Brother, Where Art Thou’ while dancing in Rio.

Their shows are sure to keep you on your toes with soaring vocal harmonies, blistering guitar and fiddle, with regular appearances of traditional Indian, Australian, European and American instruments like the sitar, tabla, and dilruba, didgeridoo, mandolin, banjo and more.

Despite their extensive musical abilities and experiences as musicians individually, the trio only debuted their first album in 2010. “Ragas 2 Blu Riches” was hailed as a triumph for acoustic music and covers everything from Jazz and Bluegrass to Brazilian samba and meditative Indian pieces.

Also on the list of musicians set to perform a powerful show at the 25th RWMF is Indian slide guitar maestro Debashish Bhattacharya who will be accompanied by his daughter, rising vocal star Anandi Bhattacharya. Along with them will also be their Grammy-nominated family member Subhasis Bhattacharya on tabla.

A disciple of the legendary Brij Bushan Kabra, he is a constant innovator who takes the Indian slide guitar beyond its boundaries to the point where he designed several new styles of the instrument to realise his musical vision.

As a performer, Debashish gave his first guitar recital at the tender age of four on the All India Radio (the national public radio broadcaster of India), and in a public concert. It was inevitable that by the age of 21, he was awarded the President of India award in 1984. In his twenties, he evolved a unique style of playing the guitar and also synthesised selected features of various other instruments such as the veena, sitar, sarod and kannur.

A seasoned performer, Dehabshish has performed worldwide and recorded with some of the world’s top artists, including 12-times Grammy winner Jerry Douglas, African Kora legend Ballake Sissoko, jazz guitar legend John McLaughlin, Moroccan Oud legend Driss el Maloumi, American bluesman Bob Brozman, British singer Martin Simpson, Australian rocker John Butler, American rocker Henry Kaizer, Indian legends Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pt Ravi Shankar and many others. 

Rainforest World Music Festival 2022

The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), is back once again, celebrating its 25th anniversary as a hybrid event for the first time since the beginning of the music festival in 1998 from 17 to 19 June 2022 with the physical concert taking place at Sarawak Cultural Village while viewers can also live stream it from their homes via rwmf.net.

With the theme “25th Legendary Rainforest Celebration”, RWMF will feature a host of international performers from Canada, India, USA, Finland, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Madagascar, Ukraine, China, Bhutan and Seoul, among others while showcasing a string of Malaysia’s talents such as Alena Murang, At Adau from Sarawak, Bamboo Woods from Sabah and many more.

Activities at the Festival

The festival is back with its familiar format of daytime workshops and evening concerts with various activities planned throughout the festival. Festival-goers can enjoy craft fairs featuring the best of Borneo handicrafts or savour a diverse choice of traditional delicacies from the food bazaars.

The musical workshops bring together diverse musicians from many disciplines, drawing together these talents under unifying themes to showcase, jam and create unique music in the setting of the Sarawak Cultural Village. Among the activities to look out for are a Sape Gathering’ that brings together anyone who can strum a sape in Sarawak and a kiddie’s workshop to bring on the next generation where they can play with instruments create art, and enjoy the festival ground to their hearts’ contents.

Rainforest World Music Festival tickets

Festival-goers can choose from the different ticket categories at pre-sale prices – Adult 1-Day Pass (RM165), Adult 3-Day Pass (RM405), Child 1-Day Pass (RM85), Child 3-Day Pass (RM195) and 1-Day Family Package Pass- 2 Adult and 2 Children (RM440). The virtual tickets are priced at RM25 per one-hour block.

For more information visit: https://rwmf.net/

(Your Stories: Sarawak Tourism Board)

THAI wins deal to fly film crews

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 7 June 2022: Thai Airways International and Warner Bros. Discovery are partnering to deliver projects that will promote the filming industry in Thailand.

THAI director of sales Korakot Chatasingha and Warner Bros Discovery Inc executive producer E Bennett Walsh concluded an agreement that gives THAI the priority as the first-choice carrier for its international travel to Thailand linked to film productions.

Korakot noted that many foreign film production companies select Thailand as their destination to make movies, documentaries, TV programmes, commercials, and music videos.

“THAI, as the national flag carrier, is pleased to facilitate all air travel arrangements. We can offer direct flights from many destinations worldwide and cargo services that can accommodate various items that require special attention, such as video cameras, lenses, lighting and other filmmaking equipment.

“This and future cooperation with WBD will mark an important milestone in promoting Thailand as one of the top destinations for international film productions.”

THAI and THAI Smile gained their first assignment to fly the film crew members and transport equipment from Europe to destinations in Thailand to shoot ‘The Meg 2: the Trench’ at various locations across the country.

(Your Stories: Thai Airways International)

IATA: Airlines need to ramp up recruitment

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

PARIS, 7 June 2022: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for holistic reforms to manage the long-term need for a stable talent base for the ground handling sector.

Thousands of ground handling staff left the aviation industry during the pandemic. Now, as aviation ramps up, the severe shortage of skilled ground handlers is shedding light on the need for reform to stabilize the talent pool.

In the immediate term, the most pressing issue is the bottleneck for security clearances as the airline industry prepares for the peak northern summer season. IATA urges the ground handling sector to adopt a stronger talent acquisition strategy; streamline onboarding processes, and develop a more compelling retention proposition.

“The peak northern summer travel season is fast-approaching, and passengers are already experiencing the effects of bottlenecks in getting security clearances for staff at the airport. Additional resources are needed to accelerate the processing times for employment security clearances which can be six months in some markets. The shortages we are experiencing today are a symptom of the longer-term challenges to achieve a stable talent base in ground handling,” said  IATA’s senior vice president for operations, safety and security, Nick Careen.

At IATA’s recent Ground Handling Conference, the association proposed a comprehensive approach to recruitment, onboarding, and retention:

Recruitment

Attracting fresh talent is critical. This is made more challenging by perceptions created in the pandemic with the critical retrenchment of large numbers of staff, including those in ground handling.

More efficient onboarding processes

Training and security clearance for new staff can take more than six months. More efficient and expedited onboarding will allow the sector to adapt quickly to demand changes, including seasonal ones.

IATA recommends

A greater focus on competency-based training; moving to more online training and assessments will improve onboarding speed, flexibility, and efficiency.

Mutual recognition by authorities of security training and employee background records will expedite onboarding and reduce redundant processes.

TPB reasures Mindanao is safe for tourists

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

MANILA, 7 June 2022: The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) at the weekend reassured travellers saying measures are in place to ensure that destinations in the southern part of the country are safe for tourists.

Mindanao is recognised as a key tourism destination that has figured in TPB promotional activities during the past few years.

“The Mindanao region is a safe tourism destination with peace talks continually being done in the region, military, national and local law enforcement are doing its best to keep our destinations safe, and local government units are also working with NGOs (non-government organisations) and international organisations to make their destinations more sustainable and inclusive,” TPB chief operating Officer Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones told the Philippines News Agency.

Mindanao is host to equally-stunning destinations such as the beaches in Davao, the sand bars and waterfalls in Camiguin, and adventure hubs in Cagayan de Oro, to name a few, she added.

“We have other amazing destinations in Mindanao, in fact, we are supporting Philippine Airlines’ inaugural flight from Cotabato to Tawi-Tawi on 9 June,” she said.

“Other destinations are still being vetted for compliance with health and safety protocols as we grow towards a safer, more sustainable and more inclusive tourism destination.”

Local governments in Mindanao, their respective tourism officers, the Department of Tourism’s regional offices, and the military are “doing their best” to ensure tourists are given necessary logistical support when travelling to the region, Velasco-Allones said.

( Source: PNA)

Thai Vietjet adds insurance package

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 7 June 2022: Thai Vietjet is partnering with MSIG Insurance to launch ‘Sky Insurance’, the outbound international travel insurance add-on service with a starting rate of THB159 (including Covid-19 treatment cover.

The deal is exclusive to passengers booking the airline’s outbound air tickets at www.vietjetair.com.

The collaboration between Thai Vietjet and MSIG aims to offer convenient protection choices for those travelling abroad with the airline, covering medical expenses due to accidents and sickness (including Covid-19), damage or loss of baggage and personal belongings. 

There are three types of the insurance bundled with tickets: a one-way plan at THB159 (applies to all international routes), a roundtrip plan for other countries THB359 (applies to Vietnam and countries requiring medical expense cover of USD10,000), and a roundtrip Singapore plan at THB399 (Singapore requires the cover of USD 30,000).

All three packages include service from MSIG Assist and free 24-hour travel assistance worldwide. If the treatment requires hospital admission, no payment upfront is required.

Passengers can select ‘Sky Insurance’ while booking air tickets on the airline’s booking page, and the insurance will be added automatically after the passenger completes the payment information form.

Currently, the airline operates international flight services from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, and Danang (Vietnam).

A new international service from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Fukuoka (Japan) will start on 16 July.

Emirates cuts waste by the ton

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

DUBAI UAE, 6 June 2022: Emirates is on board with The World Environment Day 2022 theme – Only One Earth, celebrated on 5 June, with initiatives in the air and on the ground that make a big difference.

The airline’s environmental strategy focuses on reducing emissions, consuming responsibly, and preserving wildlife and habitats.

When it comes to inflight product and service development, an in-house team of sustainability experts give their input from the early stages. Following the waste management hierarchy, the team’s approach prioritizes waste prevention, and then products are assessed if they can be re-used. If not, it’s recycled, and the last option is its responsible disposal.

Under this direction, plastic straws and stirrers were replaced with responsibly sourced paper and wooden alternatives. A customer favourite, Emirates’ cosy sustainable blankets in economy class, are made from 28 recycled plastic bottles each. Emirates will have saved 150 million single-use plastic items from landfills by the end of the year from these initiatives.

Emirates’ new economy class amenity kits introduced this year were also put through sustainability reviews before they were launched on board. These reusable kits are made from washable kraft paper and contain durable travel essentials made from environmentally friendly materials. The packaging used for the dental kit, socks and eyeshades is made from 90% rice paper. The toothbrush is made from wheat straw and plastic, and the socks and eyeshades are made from rPET (recycled polyethene terephthalate).

For Emirates’ youngest customers, the airline’s complimentary toy bags, baby amenity kits and plush toys are also made from recycled plastic bottles. With the entire product life-cycle in mind, the swing tags for the bags, kits and toys are made from recycled cardboard, and non-toxic soy-based inks were selected for the print.

Emirates looks at every product on board to reduce resource consumption wherever possible. It works with a wide range of suppliers, sourcing locally or regionally where feasible, to minimize the environmental impact of its supply chain. Suppliers are also evaluated against the airline’s standards of sustainable sourcing, which is the integration of social, ethical and environmental performance factors.

Economy class paper menus were replaced in April 2020 with digital menus, which saves 44 tonnes of paper per month, reducing paper consumption and also supports Emirates’ overall efforts to remove excess weight and save fuel and emissions. Instead, passengers view the menu on their phones via the onboard wifi.

Where possible, Emirates explores every opportunity to upcycle and recycle. Glass and plastic bottles are sorted on board before being sent to a recycling plant in Dubai. As a result, each month, Emirates and Emirates Flight Catering divert about 150,000 plastic bottles and 120 tonnes of glass away from landfills.

Reducing emissions: Emirates has an ongoing focus on operating its fleet in the most efficient, responsible way possible, cutting fuel consumption. In addition to its own operational efficiency efforts, its partnerships with air navigation service providers have also been key to implementing fuel‑ and time‑saving routes.

On the Ground: Amongst other initiatives, Emirates is investing in solar power systems to generate clean electricity at its major facilities in Dubai, including the Emirates Engine Maintenance Centre, Emirates Flight Catering, and most recently, the Emirates Sevens Stadium. These installations produce savings of over 4 million kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

In addition, Emirates will trial an electric bus for six months starting next week to ferry passengers from remote stations and can run up to 100km on a single charge. These are entirely carbon-free and operate on an intelligent energy-saving system.

Preserving wildlife and habitats: Emirates has also continued its tradition of supporting biodiversity and conservation.

For over 20 years, Emirates has helped to support a sustainable and balanced ecosystem at the DDCR through an ongoing investment of over AED28 million. Representing close to 5 per cent of Dubai’s total land area, the DDCR protects the incredible wildlife and vegetation within the vibrant UAE ecosystem.

Emirates also supports the protection of Australia’s wilderness and bush through the conservation-based resort Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, located in the World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains region.

As a major international aviation business, Emirates is committed to combatting the illegal wildlife trade. It is a founding signatory of the 2016 Buckingham Palace Declaration and a United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce member. Emirates has zero tolerance for carrying banned species, hunting trophies or any products associated with illegal wildlife activities.

Visit: www.emirates.com

(Your Stories: Emirates)

Centara names corporate affairs chief

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 6 June 2022: Centara Hotels & Resorts recently promoted Thaschai Phattanagosai (Fiat) to the position of Senior Corporate Director of Corporate Affairs and Legal.

Thaschai first joined Centara in 2009 in the communications department and worked his way up to executive assistant to the Chairman’s Office in 2018.

Thaschai Phattanagosai.

In his new role, he continues to work closely with the Chairman’s Office overseeing risk management and sustainable development, as well as anti-corruption policies. He also reviews legal advisory services and drafts contracts, agreements and internal policies to ensure compliance with all statutory and legal requirements.

Thaschai is a PhD candidate in Tourism, Hotel and Event Management from Silapakorn University, Thailand. He also holds a master’s degree in International Business Administration from Bournemouth University, UK.

“I have had the pleasure of working closely with Thaschai for years. He has proved himself to be a dedicated member of the team with the capability to manage multiple projects and conduct himself in a discreet and professional manner. I congratulate him on his well-deserved promotion, and I have the highest confidence that he will thrive in his new role with expanded responsibilities,” said Centara Hotels & Resorts CEO Thirayuth Chirathivat

Over the past two years, Centara has introduced its distinctive brand of Thai-style hospitality to new destinations in Thailand and the Middle East. More expansion is planned as the company intends to double its properties with new hotels and resorts expected in Japan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, the Maldives, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

The latest executive appointment will help to ensure that Centara is well-positioned to meet its ambitious goal to become a top 100 global hotel operator within five years.

(Source: Centara Hotels & Resorts)

BA expands US route for summer

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

LONDON, 6 June 2022: British Airways is ramping up its US route network this summer, taking its direct US routes to London to 26. 

AT the weekend, Portland, Oregon, becomes the newest destination on the British Airways route map, providing the city’s only direct route to the UK.

WASHINGTON, USA: The inaugural British Airways’ A380 arrives at Washington Dulles International Airport, Virginia, USA on 02 October 2014 (Picture by: British Airways)

Flight BA0267 touches down at Portland International Airport (PDX) five times per week – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

British Airways also relaunched on Sunday its direct route from Pittsburgh to London. It remains the only airline to offer a direct flight from the Pennsylvanian city to London. The airline will resume a year-round four-per-week service – Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

On 6 June, the airline launched a new daytime flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to London Heathrow – its third daily flight from Newark to London, to support the return of business travel.

The daytime flight will depart at 0755 from Newark – a convenient option for travellers wishing to spend an extra night in the New York area before leaving or for those who want to arrive just in time for an evening in London. With this additional flight time, British Airways and its joint business partner, American Airlines, will offer an extensive network from the New York area to London with 15 daily departures this summer, including 11 daily flights from JFK to Heathrow one daily flight from JFK to Gatwick.

This summer also marks the return of daily direct flights from San Jose, California, to London on 13 June; and the return of A380 aircraft to more North American airports. Chicago and Vancouver were the latest cities to welcome home the Airbus earlier this week. Meanwhile, Dallas Fort Worth is preparing to welcome the A380 for the first time on 1 July. The aircraft offers a choice of First, Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins and has 469 seats. There are 12 A380s in the British Airways fleet.

1...547548549...621Page 548 of 621

Stay ahead with the
latest travel news
on Southeast Asia.

Subscribe now


Contact Us
TTR Weekly (TTRW) is published in Bangkok, Thailand, registered since 1978.
/ month
placeholder text
/ month
placeholder text
Press releases, announcements, events for calendar should be sent to: [email protected]
/ month
placeholder text

Copyright © 2023 TTR Weekly, all rights reserved.