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Phuket’s PHIST returns in September

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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

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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

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TTR WEEKLY
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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

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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

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TTR WEEKLY
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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

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TTR WEEKLY
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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

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TTR WEEKLY
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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)

THAI invests in three-class 777s

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 11 April 2022: Thai Airways International confirmed the delivery of two new Boeing 777-300ERs aircraft fitted out with first-class cabins.

A third aircraft also featuring the return of a Royal First Class cabin will complete the lease transaction later this month. The contract for the three Boeing 777-300ERs was signed in 2018 with the lease fee being calculated by what THAI calls a “Power-by-the-Hour” approach for the first term of the contract. A lease fee agreement is due to kick in later according to the contract terms negotiated to comply with the company’s rehabilitation plan framework.

The leased Boeing 777-300ER can accommodate 303 passengers. There are eight seats in Royal First Class, 40 seats in Royal Silk Class, and 255 seats in economy class. 

The airline noted that introducing the latest version of the  B777-300ER aircraft meets the requirement to reduce aircraft types to just fou in accordance with the rehabilitation plan to ensure maintenance, spare parts and support are streamlined to reduce operational costs.

THAI plans to use the three Boeing 777-300ERs for operations on the high-yield Bangkok-London route starting at the end of this month.

Jetstar and IndiGo ink partnership

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE: 11 April 2022: Jetstar Group and IndiGo last week confirmed a new Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) interline partnership to enable Jetstar customers to book connections and flights on IndiGo services through its Jetstar Connect platform.

Launching at the end of this April, the virtual interline partnership between the two LCCs is made possible by a technology company and flight search engine, Dohop.

The integrated booking engine allows customers to select flights and purchase both bundled and unbundled ancillary products, with customers connecting between international flights provided with seamless passenger and baggage transfer.

Jetstar’s Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, Alan McIntyre, welcomed the partnership and said as the world reopens, it was great to offer Jetstar customers in Asia and Australia opportunities to travel to exciting new destinations in India through its partnership with IndiGo.

“The ability to partner with other LCCs through Dohop has opened a new world of possibilities, helping customers enjoy more seamless connectivity throughout the region,” McIntyre said.

“This new partnership enables Jetstar to offer our customers more destinations, more frequency and better connectivity, by combining our expanding network with IndiGo’s, all at the click of a button, fulfilling our vision to make more travel affordable.

“Jetstar Connect on jetstar.com provides more options for customers to access Jetstar’s great value fares and an expanded number of low-cost connections.

“This partnership opens up new services to Jetstar customers to incredible destinations such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi through Jetstar’s hub in Singapore.”

 Changi Airport Group’s managing director for Air Hub Development Lim Ching Kiat said India was a key market for Changi Airport.

“In 2019, Singapore attracted over 1.4 million visitors from India to Singapore, and with the relaxation of border policies, India has ranked among the top three countries at Changi in recent months.”

“Jetstar and Indigo are strategic partners of Changi Airport Group, and we welcome this new interline partnership as it will offer travellers more flight options at Changi Airport.”

This is the second virtual interline partnership for the Jetstar Group, following the Jetstar Group’s interline with Tiger Taiwan in December 2019

Passenger recovery accelerates in February

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GENEVA, 8 April 2022: Air travel posted a strong rebound in February 2022 compared to January 2022, as Omicron-related impacts moderated outside of Asia, the International Air Transport Association reported this week.

IATA claimed the war in Ukraine, which began on 24 February, did not significantly impact traffic levels during the remaining days of the month.

  • Total traffic in February 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) was 115.9% compared to February 2021. That is an improvement from January 2022, up 83.1% compared to January 2021. Compared to February 2019, however, traffic was down 45.5%. 
  • February 2022 domestic traffic was up 60.7% compared to the year-ago period, building on a 42.6% increase in January 2022 compared to January 2021. There was wide variation in markets tracked by IATA. Domestic traffic in February was 21.8% below the volumes of February 2019.
  • International RPKs rose 256.8% versus February 2021, improving from a 165.5% year-over-year increase in January 2022 versus the year-earlier period. All regions improved their performance compared to the prior month. In February 2022, international RPKs were down 59.6% compared to the same month in 2019.

“The recovery in air travel is gathering steam as governments in many parts of the world lift travel restrictions. States that persist in attempting to lock out the disease, rather than managing it, as we do with other diseases, risk missing out on the enormous economic and societal benefits that restoration of international connectivity will bring,” said IATA’s director-general Willie Walsh.

International Passenger Markets

European carriers saw theirFebruarytraffic rise 380.6% versus February 2021, improved over the 224.3% increase in January 2022 versus the same month in 2021. Capacity rose 174.8%, and load factor climbed 30.3 percentage points to 70.9%.

Asia-Pacific airlines had a 144.4% rise in February traffic compared to February 2021, up somewhat over the 125.8% gain registered in January 2022 versus January 2021. Capacity rose 60.8%, and the load factor was up 16.1 percentage points to 47.0%, the lowest among regions.

Middle Eastern airlines’ traffic rose215.3% in February compared to February 2021, well up compared to the 145.0% increase in January 2022 versus the same month in 2021. February capacity rose 89.5% versus the year-ago period, and load factor climbed 25.8 percentage points to 64.7%.

North American carriers experienced a 236.7% traffic rise in February versus the 2021 period, significantly increased compared to the 149.0% rise in January 2022 over January 2021. Capacity rose 91.7%, and load factor climbed 27.4 percentage points to 63.6%.

Latin American airlines’ February traffic rose 242.7% compared to the same month in 2021, well up over the 155.2% rise in January 2022 compared to January 2021. February capacity rose 146.3%, and the load factor increased 21.7 percentage points to 77.0%, which was the highest load factor among the regions for the 17th consecutive month.

African airlines had a 69.5% rise in February RPKs versus a year ago, a large improvement compared to the 20.5% year-over-year increase recorded in January 2022 compared to the same month in 2021. February 2022 capacity was up 34.7%, and load factor climbed 12.9 percentage points to 63.0%.

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