Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Home Blog Page 550

Thailand tones down Songkran festivities

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 12 April 2022: The Tourism Authority of Thailand is hosting the ‘Amazing Songkran 2022 Celebrations’ at 10 temples in Bangkok and the ‘Songkran Music Heritage Festival 2022’ in Ayutthaya and Songkhla, as well as supporting Songkran festivities elsewhere in Chiang Mai and Samut Prakan.

The Songkran Festival,  a nationwide holiday that runs from 13 to 15 April, will convene under Covid-19 guidelines that highlight the traditional and cultural aspects of the festival and ban rowdy parties.

TAT confirmed it would focus on the centuries-old origins and traditions of the Thai New Year, a time when family comes first, respect is paid to seniors, and people visit the temples to take part in ceremonies.

Marking the end of a 12-month cycle when the sun moves into April and there was traditionally a gap between rice harvesting and planting, Songkran in Thailand is officially observed as a three-day national holiday from 13-15 April, although celebrations can go on for longer – up to a week in some places.

Songkran 2022 festivities hosted by TAT

Amazing Songkran 2022 Celebrations at 10 temples in Bangkok namely, Wat Arun, Wat Pho, Wat Rakang, Wat Suthat, Wat Kalayanamit, Wat Prayun, Wat Ratchanatdaram, Wat Mahathat, Wat Saket (Phu Khao Thong), and Wat Ratchabophit. 

From 13 to 15 April, TAT has arranged special festivities at Wat Saket and Wat Ratchabophit, including traditional culture and performances, such as, Khon masked dance, Thai-style antiphon singing, and Thai puppet show, as well as demonstrations of authentic Thai dessert making and fruit carving.

Songkran Music Heritage Festival 2022 from 12-21 April, in Ayutthaya and Songkhla.

TAT has selected Ayutthaya’s Wat Phra Ram and Songkhla’s old town as venues for the ‘Songkran Music Heritage 2022’ to enhance local and international awareness of both locations’ historical and cultural significance.

Water Festival by Thai Beverage Plc (ThaiBev) in six Thai cities

13-15 April 2022, at nine historic piers along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, namely Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Prayun, Wat Kalayanamit, Wat Rakang, Maharaj Pier, Lhong 1919, SookSiam at ICONSIAM, and Asiatique the Riverfront.

13-15 April 2022, at Lanna Ancient House, Charoen Prathet Road, Chiang Mai.

13 April, 2022, at Inthayongyos Road, Mueang Lamphun.

13-14 April 2022, at Ban Chiang Archaeological Site, Udon Thani.

13-14 April 2022, at Wat Chaisi, Mueang Khon Kaen.

11-12 April 2022, at Phuket’s old town.

During the Songkran Festival, 13 to 15 April, the government announced a ban on water splashing, powder smearing, and foam parties at Songkran locations and in public areas. The sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages are also prohibited at the event locations.

(Source: TAT)

Singapore joins sustainability index

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 12 April 2022: Singapore joins the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) with the support of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), to consolidate the country’s current sustainability efforts under the Singapore Green Plan 2030 (SGP2030).

The move sees Singapore cementing its position as a sustainability performance improver and changemaker, alongside destinations in the region such as Bangkok and Sarawak. Other cities participating in the GDS-Index include Gothenburg, Copenhagen, and Glasgow.

The GDS-Index is a sustainability benchmarking and improvement programme for destinations around the world. It is used to assess the current social and environmental performance of a destination annually and, in turn, drive improved performance. The GDS-Index is a collaborative partnership between ICCA, ICCA’s Scandinavian Chapter, IMEX, ECM, and MCI Group.

Building on Singapore’s identity as a City in Nature, Singapore’s participation in the GDS-Index is aligned with the vision and targets of SGP2030, which has charted Singapore’s ambitions and targets over the next 10 years, strengthening Singapore’s commitments under the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Paris Agreement. The commitment supports Singapore to be a more sustainable urban destination and positions it to achieve its long-term net-zero emissions aspiration as soon as viable.

STB became a Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) member in October 2021 and strongly supported local tourism businesses in their sustainability journey.

“Sustainability is a key priority for Singapore tourism because it is vital to our future, and travellers have become increasingly aware of the impact of their consumption,” said  STB chief executive Keith Tan. “Becoming a leading sustainable urban destination requires a long-term commitment from both the government and industry. That is why Singapore’s participation in the GDS-Index is important. It focuses our collective efforts and helps us track our progress as a City in Nature, where large experiences come with small footprints.”

Travellers grab Sarawak tour bargains

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUCHING, 12 April 2022: Sarawak’s tourism industry is on its way to recovery, with more and more Malaysians starting to travel again, evident in the sharp rise in the sale of Sarawak packages during last week’s MATTA Fair.

Held at the World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur from 9 to 10 April, the MATTA Fair showcased 20 of Sarawak’s industry partners under the promotional banner of the Sarawak Tourism Board. Popular tour packages booked at the fair included stays in traditional longhouses, diving, kayaking and mountain climbing.

Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Puan Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor said: “Sarawak’s presence in MATTA Fair 2022 was timely with the reopening of Malaysia’s border. We are all geared up to welcome tourists to experience Sarawak’s distinctive blend, whether it is experiencing the culture of Sarawak’s many indigenous communities or exploring gigantic caves in the Gunung Mulu National Park.”

Sarawak was the featured destination for MATTA Fair 2022 for the third time before the national travel fair paused for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are excited to be once again receiving travellers to Sarawak from all around the world. It is important for the recovery of the industry and signals a return to some form of normalcy in travel, which is an exciting step forward. The industry needs to recover and get back to business, and MATTA Fair was a great opportunity to showcase the best of what Sarawak and Malaysia have to offer.”

Packages sold at bargain prices to fairgoers focused on the most popular activities such as night cycling rides around Kuching City as listed by the Lonely Planet, discovering Bung Jagoi Heritage, an old Bidayuh village established more than 150 years ago, exploring Sarawak’s coastal villages in Bruit, Daro and Matu, and trips to Mulu National Park, a UNESCO Heritage site famed for its caves and the Pinnacles.

Currently, visitors from West Malaysia can take direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Langkawi, Kota Bahru to Kuching, while they can direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Penang to Sibu and take direct flights from Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru to Miri.

For more information, visit https://sarawaktourism.com/

(Your Stories: Sarawak Tourism Board)

Phuket’s PHIST returns in September

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

PHUKET, 11 April 2022: PHIST (Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism) is back for an in-person event this September following a two-year lull due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The event is a leading sustainability forum that rallies the hotel industry and its stakeholders to discuss governance, environmental sustainability, and social impact.

PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Poole (Southeast Asia) Co Ltd.

PHIST 2019 was attended by more than 1,000 delegates from all over Southeast Asia, convening to discuss ways in which the hotel and tourism industry can foster best practices when it comes to governance, environmental sustainability and social impact.

This year’s event will include workshops, expert panels and thematic discussions where experts and stakeholders can come together to discuss topics including destination development, hotel sustainability governance, sustainability marketing, and global trends on sustainability.

Speakers will be a mix of industry experts from both local and international organisations. Delegates will also be able to attend an expo with exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services being offered in sustainable tourism development.

PHIST is organised by The Phuket Hotels Association in collaboration with C9 Hotelworks and Greenview. The 2019 event was supported by the Thailand Convention Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) and Thai Hotels Association (THA), AMCHAM and Austcham.

Sponsorship Experts Paul Poole (Southeast Asia) will be managing sponsorship and partnership marketing for PHIST 2022. The independent marketing consultancy is based in Bangkok, Thailand.

(This article was first published in PP(SEA)CL’s April 2022 newsletter.)

Art shines during Ramadan

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

DUBAI, UAE, 11 April 2022: Baker Khalid Yousuf Baker is an Emirati artist of many talents and loves exploring the use of bold colours and shapes when painting. His latest piece, ‘New Journey’, combines rhythmic waves and energetic visual textures, drawing on inspiration from his surrounding environment.

Baker, along with other talented artists from Mawaheb, a Dubai based art studio dedicated to People of Determination, continues to show the world that disability does not define your limits, and with the help of Emirates,  they will proudly be exhibiting their art for sale at the Emirates Official Store.

Emirates began its relationship with Mawaheb two years ago by collaborating to create a special edition, bespoke designs for the airline’s Ramadan boxes served onboard to passengers during the holy month. This year, The airline is honouring the spirit of Ramadan and supporting the positive impact art has on culture and society, and has partnered with Mawaheb, which means ‘talent’ in Arabic, to help sell pieces from its artists on the airline’s global Emirates Official Store platform, increasing their visibility, showcasing their brilliance, creativity and hard work and ultimately connecting them to art lovers all over the world. The artists, based in Dubai, have disabilities and are known as People of Determination in the UAE; in recognition of their achievements in different fields and productive contributions to society will directly support its operations and help keep its diverse programmes for People of Determination running. The studio helps to provide the tools, mediums, the space and the inspiration needed for People of Determination to nurture their talents and grow their abilities.

For Emirates’ bespoke Ramadan meal boxes, the Mawaheb artists closely worked with the airline’s in-house team, using the holy month as the inspiration for the art they would be creating. After a productive local community activity, the design was born and was later produced in two colour schemes. The boxes helped to showcase their talent and creativity from Dubai to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the studio had to close its doors due to the impact of the pandemic on creative communities but has since reopened with a brand new warehouse-style studio in Al Quoz, a vibrant cultural neighbourhood in Dubai, to continue its mission of helping People of Determination realise their full artistic and creative potential.

A glimpse of the art from the collection on sale includes ‘Flowers’ and ‘Connecting the Dots’ by Rekha Kriplani, a talented artist with an impressive series of paintings> She had her first solo exhibition in 2019; ‘Eye by AliOk’ by Iraqi artist Ali Al Salhi, whose art is characterised by precise, neat lines accentuated by bright and cheerful colours. Ali enjoys painting while listening to iconic classical Arabic singer Umm Kulthum; ‘The Warm Flowers of the Summer Spring’ by Mariam Ismail. Mariam is a gifted artist with many talents: story writing and painting, and is an experienced motivational speaker. She has a broad interest in gaming, pop culture and anime. Her dream is to become a voice actor;  ‘Dots Dots Dots’ by British artist Namrata Pagarani explores her love of colour; and ‘Landscape With Dots’ by German artist Leila Murgian, incorporates stippling techniques using lively colour schemes, inspired by her love of butterflies and hugs.

Emirates is an avid supporter of culture and arts in the UAE and around the world and has been connecting with communities and helping feed their creative spirit by sponsoring and promoting diverse events and platforms across literature, music and art for more than 20 years. 

Customers can visit https://www.emirates.com/af/english/experience/seasonal-occasions/ramadan/  for more information on the full Emirates Ramadan experience and how to travel in comfort during the Holy Month.

(Your Stories: Emirates)

Swiss-Belhotel chairman wins award

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

JAKARTA, 11 April 2022: Swiss-Belhotel International chairman and president Gavin M. Faull has won Indonesia’s Tourism Business Leader in Global Hotel Chain 2022/2023 award.

Executive director and senior vice president Matthew Faull picked up the award at the Indonesia Leading Tourism Business Leader Awards ceremony organised by the Indonesia Travel and Tourism Foundation last week in Surabaya.

“Receiving this award is an honour for Swiss-Belhotel International and me. We started operations in Indonesia 34 years ago, and today, Swiss-Belhotel International has its largest portfolio, with 75 hotels, within Indonesia, from a total of 125 hotels in 19 countries globally. ,” said Gavin Faull.

Sabre sights first recovery signs

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

MUMBAI, 11 April 2022: Corporate travel is showing strong signs of recovery, according to Thomas Cook (India) Group managing director Madhavan Menon.

He was the first speaker in Sabre’s new virtual insights series. Speaking as part of the Sabre Ascent series, Menon said that for March 2022, Thomas Cook (India) is seeing a domestic corporate travel recovery of around 70% of pre-pandemic levels, with international corporate travel starting to follow the same trajectory. 

His comments mirror the latest figures released by Sabre in its filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which provides updated recovery figures for 1 to 28 March compared to the same period in 2019.

The Sabre filing said: “While domestic and leisure bookings have continued to lead the recovery, international and corporate bookings have improved at an accelerating rate since January 2022. We expect the March 2022 recovery versus the same period for both international and corporate bookings to be at their highest levels since the pandemic started.”

During the first-ever Sabre Ascent session, Menon also told Sabre’a Bengaluru GCC vice president and managing director Jaya Kumar K,

that he expects technology to play a “far greater role” in corporate travel as business travellers expect increased, targeted information to help them navigate travel in a Covid-19 world as well as a much more personalized approach. 

Menon said that Sabre is “leading this crusade of evolving technology in the travel industry, and that is not something which should be underestimated” because his company would not have made so much progress without global distribution technology. 

The webinar also addressed the challenges and opportunities brought about by the pandemic and the evolution of domestic tourism, new trends in personalization, whether sustainability is top of mind moving through the pandemic and the evolving demands of travellers in this new age of travel. 

Looking back at the pandemic,  Menon noted: “What was initially seen as a challenge turned out to be an opportunity. I don’t think any of us had faced a challenge of this kind, but there was a realization you’re not alone, and everybody is facing the same problem. The last two years have given us the opportunity to re-set.”

He said that Thomas Cook (India) had re-sized out of necessity, carried out back-end integration, and upgraded its technology to create a more customer-centric focus. “This journey we are taking at Thomas Cook is moving from telling the customer what he or she should do on his holiday to the point where the customer chooses how he or she wants to go on holiday and how they want to interact with us,” he added. “The experience and access to information should be the same no matter how a customer comes to us.”

You can watch the Sabre Ascent series webinar here to find out more from Thomas Cook and Sabre about: How can the travel ecosystem use personalized travel and customer-centricity more effectively to enable travel 5.0

Centara Grand Hotel Osaka sets opening date

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 11 April 2022: Centara Hotels & Resorts has confirmed a July 2023 opening date for Centara Grand Hotel Osaka.

The group’s Chief Executive Officer, Thirayuth Chirathivat, was recently in Japan for the project’s topping-off event alongside his business partner counterparts in Taisei Corporation and Kanden Realty & Development and made time to visit the hotel site on Namba street.

Construction is well underway, with the 35-storey structure completed and overall progress nearing its halfway milestone.

When complete, Centara’s debut property in Japan will feature 515 premium accommodations, including rooms with bunk beds and connecting rooms, making it an ideal destination for families, leisure, and business travellers. The hotel will also be home to a unique rooftop dining destination crowning the architectural masterpiece, as well as the first SPA Cenvaree in the country, fitness centre, co-working space, and sophisticated events spaces.

Centara’s foray into Japan highlights the group’s strategic goal of becoming a top 100 global hotel operator within five years with a portfolio of approximately 200 hotels and resorts, up from 89 properties at present.

To learn more about Centara Hotels & Resorts, visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com

Ritz Carlton to open in Goa

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

MUMBAI, India, 11 April 2022: Marriott International has signed an agreement with Ceres Hotels Private Limited to bring its St Regis brand to Mobor Beach in Goa.

Slated to open in October 2022, the St Regis Goa Resort will be the ninth Marriott International hotel in Goa, following a strategic conversion of The Leela Goa.

The resort will undergo a complete transformation in phases, starting this year, according to Ceres Hotels Private Limited, the owner of the resort and a subsidiary of Metrod Holdings Berhad listed on the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange.

“We are delighted to work with Ceres Hotels Private Limited to introduce the St Regis brand to Goa, bringing bespoke experiences curated for discerning travellers to one of the most beautiful and fascinating coastal destinations in India,” said Marriott International. President Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), Rajeev Menon.

The 206 room St Regis Goa Resort with five restaurants is located on Mobor Beach, a prime beachfront location in South Goa surrounded by water on three sides and known for dolphin spotting and bird watching.

The resort is located approximately 28 km south of Goa International Airport.

Marriott International currently operates 129 hotels and resorts in India, spanning 16 brands that include St Regis Hotels & Resorts, Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, W Hotels, Luxury Collection, Westin, Marriott Hotels,  Sheraton, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments, Le Méridien, Aloft, Tribute Portfolio, Courtyard by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton, and Fairfield by Marriott.

(Source: Marriott International)

Sabah vidoes a reel success

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KOTA KINABALU, 11 April 2022: The Sabah Tourism Board applauds local filmmakers for their efforts to promote the state and its rural destinations in their work.

Last week, a group led by film producer Chester Pang met with Sabah Tourism chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai to discuss the state’s film tourism potential.

Datuk Joniston Bangkuai receiving ‘Craze Below The Wind’ promotional merchandise from Chester Pang.

They also discussed their plans to showcase Sabah’s charms through movies and the making of a promotional video that would spark the public’s interest in the state.

A video clip ‘Discover Kiulu’ and a feature-length Mandarin comedy film ‘Craze Below The Wind’ are among the works.

“This is a good effort to raise awareness of Sabah’s numerous attractions and stimulate people’s curiosity about them,” said Joniston, who is also Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment.

“Kiulu, for example, has been chosen by the state government as a model for rural tourism, alongside Kadamaian. Kiulu will soon have a tourism information centre, where a video clip like this one can be displayed to showcase what Kiulu has to offer.

“We also hope to see other places featured in film production works. While most rural products are identical, local film producers must also find new attractions to focus on,” he added.

As a part of Borneo, Joniston said Sabah needs to distinguish itself from Sarawak and Kalimantan, where construction of the country’s future capital Nusantara is ongoing.

He added that Sabah Tourism is delighted to work with film producers to promote the distinctive features and aspects of Sabah.

Present at the meeting were Froggy Planet producer and director Katak Chua, Kiulu Tourism Association deputy president Lasmen Lopog, Pro-Merge Vision representative, and local film director Ramli Carlo.

The filming for ‘Discover Kiulu’ should be done by the end of the month, said Chester, who is a producer from Can Bah Production.

He said the 90-second promotional video would also be displayed at the Sabah International Convention Center.

As for the 90-minute ‘Craze Below The Wind’, it will be released in May.

Produced by Can Bah Production, the ‘Craze Below The Wind’ tells a story of two siblings who get into mischief and are forced to journey across Sabah with a mysterious suitcase.

Chester stated that the film, which release had been postponed since 2020 due to the pandemic, will be screened in 53 cinemas, including in Brunei.

Meanwhile, Katak said the film garnered a positive response during its test showing, with seven out of 10 respondents expressing an interest in visiting Sabah.

“We have engaged 52 crew, and 80 per cent of them are Sabahans. We want to promote tourism through the filming industry as it can provide job opportunities to the locals.

“We hope the Sabah Tourism can work with filmmakers to make the film tourism industry in the state a success,” said the film director.

 For more information visit: www.sabahtourism.com

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)

1...549550551...599Page 550 of 599

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.