Sunday, July 20, 2025
Home Blog Page 555

MH and JAL expand codeshare

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUALA LUMPUR 27 June 2022: Malaysia Airlines and Japan Airlines are expanding their codeshare agreement following Malaysia Airlines’ decision to launch direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo, Haneda beginning 14 August 2022.

The codeshare between the two Oneworld airlines will expand to the Kuala Lumpur – Haneda route with a seat allotment for JAL passengers on flights operated by Malaysia Airlines.

Customers from Malaysia, ASEAN, Australasia, and South Asia flying with Malaysia Airlines to Haneda will be able to book and connect to Japanese domestic destinations served by JAL, including Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Okinawa, and international destinations in North America served by JAL.

Flight MH36 (JL7097) will depart KUL at 1445, and the return flight MH37 (JL7096) will depart HND at 1225. The twice-weekly service will be operated by A330-300 aircraft, equipped with 290 seats, comprising 27 seats in Business Class, 16 Economy with extra legroom, and 247 seats in Economy Class.

Group Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Airlines, Captain Izham Ismail, said, “This new critical step in our Joint Business partnership with Japan Airlines will allow us to provide seamless connections to our customers, enhanced products and offerings while establishing KUL as a prominent hub in Southeast Asia region for travel into Malaysia and beyond.”

The expanded codeshare will further enhance the customer experience on flights, offering more convenient and flexible itineraries. Customers departing from Haneda to Kuala Lumpur can drop off their baggage five hours before departure at the dedicated ‘Early Check-In’ counter in Haneda Airport after performing kiosk check-in or Web Check-In on JAL or Malaysia Airlines’ website.

AirAsia plans KK flight from Bangkok

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KOTA KINABALU: Thai AirAsia will launch a direct flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah state in Malaysia, according to a report in The Star.

The online edition of The Star quoted the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister during a briefing with local journalists on the state’s efforts to attract more international flights to connect the state capital in due time.

The media statement on Friday, 24 June, confirmed the minister held talks with AirAsia Malaysia chief executive officer Riad Asmat at the airline’s Kuala Lumpur headquarters earlier last week.

AirAsia Malaysia already offers direct international flights to Kota Kinabalu from Singapore and Manila in the Philippines. Thai AirAsia flew the Bangkok-Kota Kinabalu route in 2019 before the initial Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in early March 2020 caused a two-year tourism pause across Southeast Asia.

AirAsia Thailand (FD)  became the first low-fare airline to fly direct from both airports in Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang Airport (DMK) to  Kuala Lumpur earlier this month.  With two flights daily, the new service signals a robust recovery for international tourism and travel.

But so far, no official confirmation from Thai AirAsia on flight details for the launch of direct flights to Kota Kinabalu from its DMK hub scheduled for July. A check of the AirAsia booking site offers July flights without specifying the frequencies. It’s a hit-and-miss mission to find the days when the airline will fly during the launch month. But it is probably worth it as the service via Kuala Lumpur takes more than nine hours compared with the direct flight clocked at just three hours with a fare of around THB2,950 (one way). Sky Scanner offers more information on the actual days identifying AirAsia direct flights to Kota Kinabalu on Fridays starting 1 July, with additional flights scheduled on Sunday 10 July, Wednesday 13 July and Wednesday 27 July.

(Source: The Star)

Emirates deploys extra Hajj flights

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

DUBAI, 24 June 2022: With the robust demand for air travel during Hajj, Emirates is deploying extra flights to ensure connectivity for pilgrims making their way to the Holy City of Makkah.

Emirates will deploy 31 additional flights to Jeddah and double daily flights to Medina from 23 June to 20 July to help transport pilgrims to carry out one of the key pillars of Islam. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has dramatically expanded its Hajj participation to nearly a million pilgrims this year. Emirates has seen strong demand for Hajj travel from Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Turkey, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malaysia, the UK, US, UAE and Algeria.

The special services are available to travellers holding a valid Hajj visa. Pilgrims must also be 65 or under, have a valid vaccination certificate with a vaccine authorised by the Saudi Ministry of Health, and must also carry a negative PCR test done within 72 hours of departure.

A pilgrim-centric experience with Emirates

Given the significance of the once-in-a-lifetime Hajj experience, the airline’s teams have been working hard to ensure that every detail of the pilgrim’s experience is aligned with the tenets of their faith.

On the ground in Dubai, Emirates has a special Hajj airport team to help manage check-in, and transfers, to help facilitate a seamless and convenient on-ground experience for Hajj pilgrims. Emirates has also set up dedicated check-in and transfer counters for Hajj passengers transiting in Dubai. For Hajj travellers having a long layover in Dubai before continuing to Jeddah or Medina, dedicated teams are on hand to escort those groups and support them on all of their arrival formalities.

From the moment pilgrims step onto the aircraft, a range of initiatives have been planned in keeping with the values and traditions of the Hajj journey.

Extra provisions to accommodate Hajj traveller needs such as ablution cleansing rituals, unperfumed towels, and advising passengers. At the same time, en route to Jeddah about, when they have entered Al Miqat zones (state of sanctity) and changing of Ihram robes through special PAs, other arrangements have been planned to ease their journey and ready them for the rest of their pilgrimage. Emirates’ award-winning ice system will also feature a special Hajj video that covers safety, general formalities and information about performing the Hajj pilgrimage. Pilgrims will also be able to tune into the Holy Quran channel and other religious content.

On flights from Jeddah, passengers can check in up to 5 litres of holy water (Zamzam), which will be placed in special areas in the cargo hold.

For more information visit: www.emirates.com

(Your Stories: Emirates)

Uzbeks love Sabah’s sea and landscapes

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUALA LUMPUR: Uzbekistan is keen on working with tourism players in Sabah to learn more about the travel market and make it more likely for people from both sides to visit each other.

Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Malaysia Ravshan Usmanov believed Sabah’s stunning natural environment and ocean would stimulate the interest of Uzbek citizens, who are currently considering Langkawi as their preferred destination in Malaysia to visit.

“Uzbeks rely on Langkawi, but it’s time for Sabah to promote itself. The sea and landscape in Sabah are unique. The seafood is some of the best I’ve had in the country.

“We are a land country, which is why our people love the sea. That is what we need,” he told delegates from the Sabah Tourism Board and Malaysia Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), here.

On Monday, Sabah Tourism, led by its chairman and Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, and MATTA, led by its president Datuk Tan Kok Liang, paid a courtesy call to Usmanov at the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Malaysia.

The discussion was on the prospects for bilateral tourism cooperation. Also present were Sabah Tourism’s Chief Marketing Officer Tay Shu Lan and Marketing Manager Zarinah Amiludin.

“I believe that our products complement one another. We sell tourism centred on history, architecture, and religion. We should consider a familiarisation tour to share our knowledge.

“I’m also of the opinion that we should hold online B2B sessions with MATTA tour companies and Sabah travel operators soon,” Usmanov added, inviting Malaysian tourism players to the Tashkent International Tourism Fair in November.

As for Sabah’s interest in fostering closer ties with Uzbekistan, Joniston stated the state is eager to assist in bringing Uzbek citizens to the state and vice versa.

“We recently met with Uzbekistan-based tour operator Osmon Aero and were delighted to learn that they are keen on introducing charter flights connecting Tashkent and Kota Kinabalu. We want to collaborate more closely on this.

“Aside from tourism, Sabah’s most important economic pillars are agriculture and manufacturing. This might be a wonderful investment opportunity for Uzbekistan as well,” he said.

Osmon Aero and Malaysia Airlines have inked an agreement to launch Kuala Lumpur-Tashkent-Kuala Lumpur charter flights in July.

In the meeting, Tan invited Uzbekistan tourism players to participate in the forthcoming national MATTA Fair from Sept 2-4 to tap into the direct consumer market and create more awareness for Malaysian holidaymakers to visit Uzbekistan.

“This destination has a wealth of cultural products tied to the historic Silk Road and Muslim travel. We will undoubtedly encourage tour operators to participate in the Tashkent travel fair to tap into this potential market.

“We are thrilled to observe that the first charter flight from Uzbekistan to Malaysia is already fully booked. We need to reciprocate by offering an efficient marketing platform to promote Uzbekistan as an emerging tourism destination,” he said.

For more information visit: www.sabahtourism.com

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)

Win a free trip To the Maldives with Goxperience

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 24 June 2022: Smoove Xperience, a travel tech company that operates the one-stop travel portal Goxperience is collaborating with partners such as PAssion Card and HomeTeamNS to help Singaporeans to resume their travels.

Both PAssion Card members and HomeTeamNS members gain discounts when booking their holidays on Goxperience, by using the assigned promo codes distributed through PAssion Card and HomeTeamNS’s communication channels.

As a follow-up Goxperience.it is launching a promotion campaign until 31 August 2022. Users will get SGD20 off when they book any tour packages on Goxperience by activating the promotion code GOXPMDS22. They also stand a chance of winning a pair of return flight tickets to the Maldives.

Cancelling border restrictions in major cities in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and America led to a significant increase in travel enquiries from Singaporeans planning a trip.

“We understand the hassle of trip planning. On the Goxperience.it platform, you can browse through recommended itineraries, then proceed to simply book and go. It saves you plenty of time on research, and if you do not like a particular suggested activity, simply swap it out for something else. We make travel easy and seamless, the way it should be,” said Smoove Xperience chairman Francis Ong.

The lucky draw campaign commenced on 1 June. It ends on 31 August 2022.

Huber returns to his Cam Ranh haunt

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

HO CHI MINH CITY, 24 June 2022: One of Asia’s veteran hoteliers, Bruno Huber returned to Vietnam earlier this month as general manager of Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh.

Up until December 2021, he resided in Bangkok and led the Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort team as general manager. He was with the Mövenpick-affiliated property for three years, launching the rebranding of the luxury wellness resort.

Photo Credit: The Big Chilli

Huber is no stranger to Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh, having served as its general manager and the hotel group’s operations director for Vietnam from September 2017 to December 2019. He held the post of vice president of operations Asia for the global hotel group for five years through to December 2018. He started his long and successful career with Mövenpick in 2003.

Wink twice in Danang’s hotel market

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

HO CHI MINH CITY, 24 June 2022: Wink Hotels, Vietnam’s homegrown hotel group, is set to open two new hotels in Vietnam’s coastal city of Danang.

The two hotels will mark the next steps in the group’s plans to expand to 20 hotels in Vietnam in seven years. It opened its first property in Ho Chi Minh City in March 2021.

Wink Hotel Danang Centre is slated to open by the end of 2022, while the 25-floor Wink Hotel Danang Riverside hotel is due to open in early 2023.

Wink Hotel Danang Centre is a 244-room hotel located at 178 Tran Phu in the heart of Danang’s buzzing downtown district. The hotel features a 19th-floor sky lobby and includes 30 family rooms and a one-bedroom apartment.

Wink Hotel Danang Riverside is a hotel and suites complex with a 60m long lobby on the fifth floor, which faces the Han River, three floors of restaurants, bars and entertainment facilities, and a coworking space. The other floors feature 287 hotel rooms and 70 Wink Suites.

Both Wink Hotel Danang Centre and Wink Hotel Danang Riverside were designed by international design and architecture studio AW2, which was responsible for the design of Four Seasons The Nam Hai and Six Senses Con Dao.

With the two Danang projects facing each other across the Han River, Wink Hotels says it intends to change the tourism landscape in the beach city. In 2019, Danang welcomed 8.6 million visitors, which included around 3.5 million foreign travellers.

This year, during Vietnam’s national holidays at the end of April and the beginning of May, Danang welcomed back more than 254,000 primarily domestic visitors, a figure 3.4 times higher than the same period in 2021.

Finnair extends its SAF commitment

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 24 June 2022: Finnair has signed a new fuel sales agreement for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with Colorado-based renewable fuels producer Gevo Inc.

The agreement confirms the airline will purchase  7 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) annually for five years starting from 2027.

Photo Credit: Finnair. Airline buys more sustainable fuel. Helsinki airport’s brand new eco-friendly terminal opens.
 

The expected value for the agreement is USD192 million over the five-year period, including associated environmental benefits. The agreement is part of the Oneworld alliance’s plan to purchase up to 200 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually from Gevo for its member airlines.

Finnair uses an extensive toolkit to achieve emission reductions – using sustainable aviation fuels,  reducing aircraft weight, developing fuel-efficient flight methods, offsetting, and engaging customers in reducing aviation emissions. Finnair is also actively exploring the possibilities of introducing new technologies into its operations.

“Finnair has ambitious emissions reduction targets: by the end of 2025, we intend to halve the net emissions from 2019 and achieve carbon neutrality by the end of 2045. SAF plays an important role in reaching these targets,” says Finnair’s SVP for sustainability at Eveliina Huurre.

Gevo’s sustainable aviation fuel is produced using inedible corn products that are processed to create ethanol that is then converted into sustainable aviation fuel. The fuel is used with the book and claim principle on Finnair’s flights from Los Angeles.

Finnair has also made a purchase agreement with Aemetis for 17.5 million gallons of blended sustainable aviation fuel delivered during 2025-2032. Finnair has earlier partnered with Neste in Finland to increase the use of SAF and hence reduce carbon emissions.

Photo Credit: Finnair. Terminal remake ends T1 and T2 era.

Meanwhile, the airline announced Thursday that all flights at Helsinki Airport depart from one single terminal, as T1 and T2 become part of the airport’s history following a massive remake of the terminal facilities. The new spacious arrival and departure halls in the brand-new single terminal opened to passengers earlier this week, promising to make flight connections smoother.

Radisson plans APAC expansion

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 24 June 2022: Radisson Hotel Group has announced a massive expansion in the Asia Pacific that promises to drive a 400% growth in the property tally by 2025.

The APAC Expansion Plan will enable Radisson Hotel Group to significantly increase its regional footprint by 2025 by adding up to 1,700 hotels and resorts. Its current portfolio stands at 400 properties.

In a media statement, the group said it aims to achieve unprecedented expansion through organic growth, mergers and acquisitions, master license agreements, and leases in crucial locations.

Focused on five strategic growth markets, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand, the plan builds on existing initiatives to harness the potential of China with Jin Jiang and its subsidiaries, both as a destination and an essential source of outbound business.

In India, Radisson Hotel Group is one of the most recognised hospitality companies, with a portfolio of 100+ properties in operation across more than 60 locations nationwide. To further propel its holding in the Indian market, the group will leverage its existing relationships and seek new strategic partnerships to strengthen its status as the hotel provider of choice in the country.

In Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Australasia, the expansion will be driven by new dedicated business units in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, and Sydney.

As a result of bolstering its on-the-ground presence in these markets, owners will have access to an expanded collection of brands. The group has a portfolio of nine brands and a recently announced brand extension, Radisson Individuals Retreats, for the Indian market.

Targeting its upscale and mid-scale growth segments in Australasia and select markets in Southeast Asia, the group has also retained exclusive license rights to develop and manage the Golden Tulip brand from Louvre Hotels Group. In addition, it has (non-exclusive) rights to the Kyriad and Campanile brands. India, Indonesia and Korea remain under the direct management of Louvre Hotels Group.

Borneo Jazz exhibition revives boat lute

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUCHING, 23 June 2022: Borneo Jazz festival-goers will experience rare musical instruments and talk to the practitioners behind the uncommonly practised boat lutes at the upcoming Borneo Boat Lute Revival Exhibition.

It is part of the themed “Jazz in The Jungle”, the 17th edition will be held in a hybrid format for the first time from 24 to 26 June 2022 at Coco Cabana, Miri, and will be joined by performers from countries namely Singapore, Japan, France, Switzerland, USA, Hungary and India.

The first-ever exhibition of its kind, fans of the Sarawak sape’ will get to learn more about its lesser-known cousins from diverse communities such as the Sundatang (Dusun), Belikan (Iban), Tapi (Lun Bawang), as well as the predecessor to the sape’ as it is currently recognised, the two-string Sampe’ Bali (Kenyah). The exhibit will also feature demonstrations by its practitioners, McFeddy Simon, Hayree Hashim, Rining Peter and Salomon Gau.

Initiated by Catama Borneo, Tuyang Initiative and CtrlD Studio, with illustrations commissioned to Zariq Hanif of KertasPapel, the Borneo Boat Lute Revival Project is a collaborative project made out of a collective of researchers, cultural practitioners and creatives telling the stories of boat lutes and its traditional custodians from across Borneo island.

These ancient instruments used for celebrations, spirituality and cultural performances, the boat lutes of Borneo, can help to tell the stories of the various heritage of Borneo island communities whilst also finding a place for it in contemporary music. The exploration and reimagining of these instruments from local indigenous perspectives become a tool for dialogue on lost knowledge and ways of life, helping to trace paths between the past, present, and future of some of these endangered instruments.

Evelyn Hii, Artistic Director for Borneo Jazz 2022, says that the familiarity of Borneo indigenous oral traditions to that of jazz and blues is uncanny.

“Ways of expression which are so similar, for example, such as lamenting and celebration, just goes to show that our practices and music – is truly universal. I commend this collaborative team for their passion for this project, having started the hard work on it since pre-pandemic. Then later, for the duration of this exhibition, more people can experience the beauty of the various boat lutes in person.”

Exhibition curator Catriona Maddocks, added: “The exhibition is the culmination of research, field trips, and skill-sharing carried out throughout Sarawak, Sabah and Kalimantan by our collaborators. It will be the first time some people will learn about some of these endangered instruments. We hope that in the long run, this exhibition will play a small role in reviving these instruments and bringing them the global fame and recognition that the Sape has received over the past 20 years.”

The Borneo Boat Lute Revival Exhibition opens from 1100 until 1900 on 25 and 26 June 2022 at Coco Cabana as part of this year’s Borneo Jazz Festival in Miri, Sarawak. Those interested in visiting the exhibition are encouraged to book their time slots to avoid long wait times at https://borneoboatlute.com

Borneo Jazz will also be providing fun and educating fringe activities from 24  to 26 June 2022, open to the public, such as Eco-Art Project, Borneo Boat Lute Exhibition, Miri Sape Movement – ‘Evolution of the Sape’, Wellness Programme and Artisanal Craft Bazaar.

Jazz music lovers can start purchasing tickets for BJ starting now from the official website at jazzborneo.com or directly from authorised ticket resellers, Miri City Council at [email protected] and Transworld Travel Services Sdn Bhd at [email protected].

For the general category, 1 Day Pass is priced at MYR128 per ticket, 2 Day Pass is MYR228 per ticket and 3 Day Pass is MYR338 per ticket. As for students and senior citizens, 1 Day Pass is priced at RM88 per ticket, 2 Day Pass is MYR128 per ticket and 3 Day Pass is MYR188 per ticket.

For those who want to enjoy BJ virtually, tickets are priced at MYR25 per one-hour block. For more information on the Borneo Jazz festival 2022, log on to BJ’s official website at www.jazzborneo.com.

1...554555556...595Page 555 of 595

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.