Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Home Blog Page 553

Emirates ramps up services

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

DUBAI, UAE, 8 April 2022: Emirates has announced it will ramp up global operations with the restart of services to four destinations; Bali (1 May), London Stansted (1 August), Rio de Janeiro (2 November), and Buenos Aires (2 November).

The airline has also announced it will boost services to Nigeria, Mauritius and Singapore to serve market demand. In line with the easing of travel restrictions worldwide, Emirates continues to rebuild and expand its global network to meet travel demand.

Emirates returns to Bali, London Stansted, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires

Starting from 1 May, Emirates will operate five weekly flights to Bali, utilising a two-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The airline will also scale up its operations from 1 July 2022 to serve the island destination with a daily service. With its spectacular mountains, picturesque beaches and cultural appeal, Bali is considered to be a world-leading tourist destination.

Starting from 1 August 2022, Emirates will resume flight operations to London Stansted with five weekly flights, utilising Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with the ‘Game Changer’ First Class product. From 1 September, the airline will increase its services to offer a daily flight. By October 2022, the airline will be serving the UK with 110 weekly flights, including six times daily to London Heathrow; a double daily A380 service to Gatwick; three times daily to Manchester, including a double daily A380 service (starting 1 October 2022); double daily service to Birmingham; five weekly flights to Newcastle (with the fifth weekly flight starting from 1 July 2022); and a daily service to Glasgow.

Emirates will operate four weekly flights to Buenos Aires via Rio de Janeiro on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from 2 November 2022 – offering customers from Argentina and Brazil direct connectivity to popular business and leisure destinations across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. From 1 February 2023, Emirates will scale up its operations to a daily service, offering customers greater convenience, choice and flexibility while planning their travel.

Boosting operations to Nigeria, Mauritius and Singapore

Emirates is ramping up its services to Lagos with 11 weekly flights, starting from 1 July 2022. The airline will ramp up its operations to the Nigerian city to offer a double daily service starting from 1 September 2022 – taking the airline’s services to pre-pandemic levels. Emirates will also increase its services to Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, to offer five weekly flights starting 1 May 2022 and then a daily service from 1 September 2022.

In line with rising demand, the airline will be scaling up flights to Mauritius from daily to nine weekly flights between 9 April 2022 and the end of June 2022 and then moving up to double daily flights from July 2022. Emirates’ second daily flight will provide an important boost to tourism to the Indian Ocean destination, which has now relaxed entry restrictions for travellers. Under the codeshare agreement with Air Mauritius, customers of both airlines can enjoy greater access and seamless connectivity to and from the island nation.

The airline will also increase passenger services to Singapore from seven weekly flights to 14 weekly flights, starting on 23 June 2022. The added service will meet the increased demand for travel since the country safely reopened to international tourists and eased travel restrictions.

For more information, visit emirates.com. Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Office, via travel agents or through online travel agents.

(Your Stories: Emirates)

BWH names new chief for international ops

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE 8 April 2022: BWH Hotel Group has promoted Ron Pohl to serve as the company’s president of international operations BWH Hotel Group and president of WorldHotels.

Pohl joined the organisation in 2007 and previously served as senior vice president and chief operations officer. In his new role, Pohl will be responsible for strengthening the organisation’s presence worldwide.

“I am honoured to have the opportunity to take on this new and expanded role aimed at further growing and strengthening our brand across the globe,” said Pohl. “We have made tremendous progress in recent years, diversifying our portfolio and offering new and exciting brands that exceed developer and guest expectations. I look forward to working collaboratively with our hoteliers, global partners, company leadership and corporate staff to build upon our track record of success.”

NCL releases hull art

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 8 April 2022: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) confirms this week it will sail into the Metaverse with the launch of the cruise industry’s first collection of NFTs, adding to the cruise line’s legacy of pioneering firsts.

NCL will open for auction and sale a collection of six NFTs to celebrate the launch of the Company’s cutting-edge Norwegian Prima Class on Wednesday, 13 April 2022, at 0900  ET / 2100 SGT on NCL’s soon to launch online NFT marketplace. The NFT art pieces were created by Manuel Di Rita, widely known as “Peeta,” the Italian artist who designed the hull art on the record-breaking Norwegian Prima and her sister vessel Norwegian Viva. 

The first of the six art pieces will be auctioned at the starting rate of USD$2,500, with the remaining NFTs sold for prices beginning at USD250. The winner of the auction will also be awarded a balcony stateroom on one of Norwegian Prima’s inaugural voyages in the United States, setting sail from NCL’s beautiful new PortMiami terminal located in Miami, the Cruise Capital of the World.

“We are so excited to partner with Peeta on this first for our brand and for the industry,” said NCL President and CEO Harry Sommer. “Peeta is a talented artist who has brought the magic and beauty of the ocean to our ships, so we are happy to share this with our guests and to donate the proceeds of this new venture to Teach For America, an organisation and a cause very near and dear to our hearts.”

The first piece in the NFT collection resembles the captivating hull art of Norwegian Prima and provides the buyer with an opportunity to own a piece of the beautiful Norwegian Prima for years to come. The additional five NFT pieces showcase some of the innovative 3-D designs often depicted in Peeta’s works and will be featured aboard Norwegian Prima, including the ship’s three-level Penrose Atrium.

All proceeds from the NFT auction and sales will be donated to Teach For America. Teach For America finds, develops, and supports a network of leaders who expand opportunities for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that shapes the broader systems in which schools operate.

Launching in August 2022, Norwegian Prima’s Christening voyage will depart from Reykjavík, Iceland and will feature a performance from the newly announced godmother, global pop star Katy Perry. Norwegian Prima will offer voyages to Northern Europe from Amsterdam and Copenhagen, Denmark, beginning 3 September, and Caribbean itineraries from Galveston, Texas, Miami and Orlando, Florida, starting 27 October.

For more information about the Company’s award-winning 17-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call NCL Hong Kong on +852 2165 6000 / Southeast Asia on +65 3165 1680 or visit www.ncl.com.

(Your Stories: NCL)

Double the deals sell out success

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUCHING, 8 April 2022: The Sarawak Tourism Board tourism and staycation homegrown brand’s campaigns – the Sia Sitok Sarawak (SSS) 3.0 and the Sia Sitok Sarawak Accommodation (SSSA) 2.0 – gained an overwhelming response from local travellers with both campaigns sold out before their 30 April 2022 end date.

Both the homegrown campaigns have accumulated MYR3.6 million in total sales – with the SSS 3.0 generating more than MYR1.8 million in sales with 467 tour packages sold, while for SSSA 2.0, more than MYR1.8 million sales were recorded with 8,295 room night booked under 47 participating hotels across Sarawak.

STB CEO Sharzede Datu Hj Salleh Askor said the latest homegrown campaigns have been well-received by Sarawakians and permanent residents because it was launched at the right timing, with an interest to uncover and re-discover the vast travel gems that exist in their own backyards skyrocketing since SSS and SSSA were first introduced in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

“With SSS 3.0 and SSSA 2.0, we have expanded the number of packages available, giving Sarawakians even more opportunities to discover the uniqueness of the state and simultaneously contribute to the recovery of the state’s tourism economy,” she said.  

“Ultimately, Sarawakians can explore and experience the beautiful culture, adventure and nature within their own state and become tourism ambassadors for other travellers around the world,” Sharzede concluded.

Launched on 1 March, the SSS 3.0 campaign offers more than 88 packages for tours and activities throughout Sarawak, which includes day trips and multi-day trips, while the SSSA 2.0 campaign offers attractive staycation packages at local hotels and resorts, both at discounted prices up to 50% off.

The booking period for both deals starts from 1 March, while the travelling period is from 1 March until 31 May 2022.

Among the popular destinations were Teluk Melano & Tanjung Datu National Park, Bung Jagoi, Wind Cave, Bako National Park and the countryside of Bintangor and Sarikei.

For more information, check out Sarawak Tourism Board’s website at https://sarawaktourism.com

(Your Stories: Sarawak Tourism Board)

F1 boosts Adelaide hotel bookings

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

ADELAIDE 8 April 2022: This weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, 9 to 10 April, is lifting Melbourne’s hotel occupancy on the books to its highest level since November 2019, according to STR’s Forward STAR.

As of 4 April, the Thursday-Sunday (7 to 10 April) average in the market was 89%, with a peak of 94% on Saturday night. Should that Saturday level actualize, it would be the market’s highest daily occupancy since 30 November 2019, as well as the highest occupancy for any major Australian capital since New Year’s Eve 2019.

“Ever since the calendar dates were announced, Melbourne’s bookings have been progressively building for the race weekend,” said  STR’s regional director – Pacific, Japan & Central South Asia Matthew Burke. “At the beginning of 2022, occupancy on the books was trending at an average of 35%, so it is clear that growing confidence around the event and ‘F1 fever’ has captivated the travelling public.”

(Source: STR)

Hilton extends Kyoto footprint

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 8 April 2022: Hilton has signed a management agreement with Tokyo Tatemono Co Ltd to open Hilton Kyoto in 2024, the first flagship-branded hotel in Japan’s cultural capital.

“This is the third hotel development inked by Hilton in Kyoto, following the opening of Roku Kyoto, LXR Hotels & Resorts last year, and Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma, which is scheduled to open later this year,” said Hilton senior vice president, development, Asia Pacific Clarence Tan.

Hilton Kyoto will open in Sanjo-Kawaramachi, the heart of downtown Kyoto, near the central business and shopping districts, surrounded by classical Buddhist temples, Zen gardens, Shinto shrines, and museums.

The 313-room hotel will feature four dining outlets, including an all-day dining restaurant, a speciality restaurant, a bar and a café. Guests can also enjoy a range of facilities such as a fitness centre, spa, indoor pool, executive lounge, and banquet and meeting rooms.

Sabre settles on eRoam

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 8 April 2022: Sabre Corporation, a software and technology provider for the global travel industry, has partnered with B2B leisure sales platform eRoam Travel Technology to deliver connectivity to a new online B2B and B2C leisure travel solution for agencies.

eRoam Travel Technology has become the latest Gold-Level Developer Partner as part of Sabre’s Developer Partner Network, which allows Sabre-connected agencies, tour operators and destination management companies to find and utilize partner solutions to support their specific business needs and requirements. Through the partnership, eRoam is broadening Sabre’s partner ecosystem by providing an AI-enabled leisure travel platform to Sabre’s network.

The platform offers a comprehensive leisure travel solution that enables agencies to create their own tailor-made packages quickly and efficiently whilst identifying additional tours and activities to diversify and help generate more revenue. Using the latest AI technologies, travellers are provided with personalized offers and recommendations and the tools to easily create their own flights and packages and book tours and activities online.

Sabre Developer Partner Network is an open network that enables the intersection of supply and demand between Sabre Developer Partners and Sabre connected agencies. Through it, agencies can easily find Developer Partners who support their specific business needs and requirements.

Qatar kicks off World Cup packages

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

DOHA, Qatar, 8 April 2022: With the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final Draw completed and the 32-team tournament set to kick off on 21 November, Qatar Airways is offering fans worldwide all-inclusive travel packages.

Travel packages, including tickets to cheer on their favourite team, are available at qatarairways.com/FIFA2022.

Photo Credit: Qatar Airways. Al Bayt Stadium

Qatar estimates it will host more than 1.5 million fans for the most popular sporting event.

From now until 30 April, eligible members of the Qatar Airways Privilege Club who book an individual flight or a travel package during the FIFA World Cup period (15 November – 18 December 2022) will earn 5,000 bonus Avios upon completion of their journey.

Fans can choose from seven-tiered travel packages, which include return flights, match tickets and accommodation options. Customers can reserve their seats for their preferred matches and follow their favourite team. Qatar Airways’ travel packages start from USD3,400* per person.

The travel packages are currently accessible in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Sudan, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Vietnam. Additional markets will be added soon (subject to licensing agreements).

The tournament will be held across eight world-class stadiums. The Al Bayt Stadium will host the opening game with a capacity of 60,000 seats, while Lusail Stadium is set to host the final match of the tournament, with a capacity of 80,000 seats. The remaining stadiums will house 40,000 spectators. These include Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Education City Stadium, Stadium 974 and Al Thumama Stadium.

*Starting price per person in a double room for comparison purposes only. This is subject to change depending on the city of departure and exchange rate.

Vietnam ready to issue vaccine passports

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

HANOI, 7 April 2022: Vietnam’s health ministry confirmed this week that it will start issuing vaccine passports as of 15 April, claiming the country is now the sixth-highest for vaccine cover worldwide.

Whether it is the sixth or the 10th highest depends on the data source. World in Data statistics placed the country 10th in its latest chart this week, clearly confirming Vietnam is a top performer in the bid to vaccinate an entire population.

According to the Vietnam Government Portal, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said as of 1 April, the country had administered over 206 million vaccine doses ensuring  99% of adults received two jabs and 50% the third. This month, children under 12 to 5 years old will be vaccinated against Covid-19.

So far, 17 countries accept Vietnam’s vaccine passports, which will be used in conjunction with other personal identification documents such as ID cards to facilitate smooth travels. 

The passport will be accessible on two apps PC Covid-19 or Digital Health. If people don’t have the apps, they can obtain vaccine passports through the health ministry website once they have imputed ID information.

Adoption of the vaccine passports has been piloted since late March for around 1,000 residents of Hanoi who received their jabs at one of the city’s three major hospitals. In Ho Chi Minh City, vaccine passports have already been trialled for those vaccinated at Gia An 115 General Hospital.

Last month the country reached an agreement on the mutual recognition of “vaccine passports” with 17 countries, namely the US, the UK, Japan, Australia, Belarus, India, Cambodia, the Philippines, Maldives, Palestine, Turkey, Egypt, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Singapore, Saint Lucia, and the Republic of Korea.

Last February, YouGov attempted to identify which countries had the highest levels of support for vaccine passports.

Out of 26 countries surveyed, Australia had the highest average support for vaccine passports across nine scenarios where vaccine passports might be required. Australian support for making it compulsory to show a vaccination certificate ranged from half (50%) who would support vaccine passports for clothes shops to 75% who support vaccine passports for travelling to or from Australia. Australia is only just about to open up its borders to fully vaccinated travellers after implementing strict travel restrictions for two years of Covid-19.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Mexico and Brazil all also had high average support for vaccine passports across the nine settings.

At the other end of the scale, Poland, Hungary and Russia all had less than 40% average support for vaccine passports.

In terms of other places where vaccine passports could conceivably be introduced (or are already being used in some countries), there is high average support (56%) across the countries surveyed for requiring people to show a vaccination passport to attend large public events, like sporting matches or concerts.

The UK introduced this policy in England in December last year, requiring attendees of large events to show their Covid pass in order to enter, but lifted it soon afterwards.

The introduction of vaccine passports for doing indoor exercise at a gym (50% average support across 26 countries), eating in restaurants (47% average), going to bars or cafes (47% average) or travelling on public transport (46% average) had middling support while shopping in supermarkets and in clothes shops were at the bottom of our list, both with 41% average support.

(Source: VGP, YouGov research, World in Data)

Sarawak attends virtual ITB India

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUCHING, 8 April 2022: Keen to rebuild travel bookings from India, Sarawak Tourism Board participated in the virtual ITB India, a three-day business-to-business trade show, earlier this week.

STB, along with local travel and tour operators from the southern, central and northern regions of Sarawak, networked with traders virtually at the Sarawak stand housed in Imperial Hotel, Kuching, from 5 to 7 April 2022 for the duration of the virtual trade show.

STB’s chief executive officer Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor said, “The Indian tourists’ arrivals to Malaysia showed a positive trend with a 15% growth rate pre-pandemic in 2019. India scored 5th place in terms of visitor arrivals to Sarawak, which marks the significance of tapping into the Indian market. In addition, with projections showing that among the 21 million Indians going abroad, more than 25% of these travellers are going out of the country for a holiday.”

“Furthermore, the profiling of the Indian travel market has also indicated that the younger generations are looking for a destination that offers exciting adventures, unique culture and less crowded tourism sites. Sarawak is an ideal eco-escape destination with its vast geographical landscape that spans over 120,000 sq km, and low population density seems to have fulfilled their requirements of an ideal holiday destination,” she added.

ITB India Virtual brings together key travel industry leaders and international exhibitors from various segments of MICE, Leisure, Corporate and TravelTechnology. The B2B virtual event connects the Indian and South Asian travel markets, offering three full days of virtual business appointments and a digital conference programme.

Effective 1 April 2022, international travellers to Sarawak face minimal travel procedures and may no longer need to apply through EnterSarawak or fill in the e-health declaration form but simply download the MySejahtera app and fill in the pre-departure form under the ‘Traveller Icon’ and meet all other requirements set.

More information on the latest Standard Operating Procedure can be downloaded at SDMC’s official website at https://sdmc.sarawak.gov.my/.

(Your Stories: Sarawak Tourism Board)

1...552553554...600Page 553 of 600

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.