KUALA LUMPUR, 1 February 2023: Preliminary traffic results for the entire calendar year 2022 released Tuesday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed robust recovery in international passenger markets after more than two years of prolonged lockdowns and strict border control measures that severely crippled demand.
In 2022, Asia Pacific airlines carried a combined total of 105.4 million international passengers, compared to the 17.4 million passengers recorded in 2021. By December, international passengers climbed to 47.5% of pre-pandemic levels, a significant improvement from the 7.0% recorded in January.
Measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) terms, international passenger demand rose by 439.0% for the year. After accounting for a 144.0% expansion in available seat capacity, the average international passenger load factor jumped 39.9 percentage points higher to an average of 72.8% in 2022.
In contrast to the recovery in passenger markets, international air cargo demand weakened in 2022 and faced multiple challenges. A steep increase in inflation, a strong US dollar and tightening monetary policy across economies led to a slowdown in global economic activity. Pandemic-related lockdowns in China and the Russia-Ukraine war also aggravated prevailing supply chain disruptions.
Against this background, international air cargo demand recorded an 8.2% decline in 2022, following a robust 20.3% annual increase in 2021. Offered freight capacity expanded by 2.2%, as robust recovery in commercial passenger operations led to a gradual increase in available belly-hold space. As a result, the international freight load factor declined by 7.5 percentage points to an average of 66.6% for the year.
AAPA director general Subhas Menon said: “2022 marked the start of a long-awaited recovery in international travel markets as governments across the region eased travel restrictions for the year to welcome back visitors. The release of pent-up travel demand drove a 507% annual increase in the number of passengers carried for the year. However, demand in 2022 averaged just 27% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels, underscoring the significant progress still required towards full recovery.”
“Reflecting falling export orders alongside worsening business and consumer sentiment, international air cargo markets weakened after a relatively steady start to the year. Demand fell by a steep 20.7% year-on-year in December, bringing the decline for the full year 2022 to 8.2%.”
Looking ahead, Menon noted: “The outlook for 2023 is broadly positive, notably for passenger travel. The recovery of passenger demand is expected to progress further in the coming months, driven by a strong appetite for travel. In particular, China’s recent easing of travel restrictions will further fuel demand. However, some governments’ re-imposition of testing requirements for inbound travellers may somewhat slow down recovery in the shorter term. Asian airlines continue to work closely with regulators, airports and other stakeholders to serve the travelling public and deliver a seamless, safe and sustainable experience.”
KUCHING, 31 January 2023: Singapore’s Ageless Bicyclist, a non-profit social enterprise that organises Sports For Good Cause Tours, recently pedalled Kuching’s streets, leading an inclusive cycling and art tour as part of its Sports for Good Causes initiative.
Founder of Ageless Bicyclists, Malcolm Chen, now in his late 70s, organises specialised cycle tours across Malaysia from his home in Singapore, focusing on Johor Bahru, Langkawi and most recently, Sarawak.
Each tour generates financial contributions towards a charity organisation and enhances a healthy lifestyle for individuals with different abilities and challenges.
Chen’s latest venture involved an Eco Cycling Adventure with a team of 20 cycling enthusiasts who donated to the Kuching Autistic Association Resource and Education Centre (KAA). The cycling holiday experience supported KAA’s education and training programmes for children and young persons with autism through intervention programmes that support parents and caregivers of autistic individuals with coping and training skills. The Ageless Bicyclist recruited people from all walks of life, comprising four deaf cyclists, several parents of autistic children and enthusiastic cyclists all from Singapore, including an 85-year-old who pedalled through the four-day, three-night tour focusing on Kuching and its surrounding districts and riverside destinations as well as visits to Bau’s Wind Cave and Mount Singgai.
Photo credit: Borneo Talk.Ageless Bicyclist founder Malcolm Chen (seated right of centre) presents a memento to STB Event Manager Anderson Harry (seated left).
Sarawak Tourism Board noted that Sports for Good Tours brings inclusive cycling to Sarawak for the first time.
“Sports for Good Tours evolves from just cycling tours to integrating sports, tourism and charity,” said Chen, who resides in Singapore. What we are doing right now is packaging a programme that will support a charitable organisation. For Ageless Bicyclist, we put our priority first on supporting the Autism communities.”
Chen promises to create more programmes in Sarawak’s main gateways – Kuching, Sibu and Miri.
Sarawak Society for the Deaf general manager Ernest Ting told Borneo Talk that cycling was a “source of happiness”, especially when cycling in groups… “Cycling is an inclusive sport where being deaf does not matter.”
Ageless Bicyclists is a non-profit social enterprise established in 2015 and is a member of raiSE, ARAIBA (ASEAN Responsible and Inclusive Business Alliance), an associate member of Asean Autism Network and recognised as Honouree Brands For Good. It is Singapore’s first non-profit social enterprise with an experiential inclusive recreation cycling programme for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
LANGKAWI, 31 January 2023: Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) will host a Langkawi Invest Day to unlock investment opportunities for sustainable tourism projects in the archipelago.
LADA announced the project last week on its Facebook and Twitter accounts, inviting tourism investors to attend the half-day event from 0930 to 1300 on 12 February 2023 at the Grand Ballroom of Aloft Hotel Langkawi.
LADA is targeting potential investors, business associations, senior management from tourism enterprises and government officials linked to promoting Langkawi’s economic development
SINGAPORE, 31 January 2023: Balcony Media Group is repping Ambassador Cruise, which homeports in the UNESCO World Heritage Halong Bay, and Viet Deli, a leading F&B group in Vietnam with restaurants in Hanoi, Hoi An and Nha Trang.
Since launching its first vessel in 2021, Ambassador Cruise has offered Halong Bay cruises visiting Sung Sot Cave, Titov Island and Luon Cave.
The multi-deck boat features cabins, sun decks, restaurants, bars, outdoor jacuzzis and entertainment areas. The 1200-ton steel craft measures 96 metres long, 13.9 metres wide, and 13 metres high, making it the largest overnight cruise vessel to ply Halong Bay’s waters. It has 46 cabins in five categories, including three suite options – standard, captain and presidential. Day cruises have a capacity of 500 guests.
A three-day/two-night cruise in a standard cabin has a starting price of USD 365 per person. A popular day trip (out at 0700 and back at 1600) has a price tag of USD 112. The Ambassador Cruise II celebrates its official grand opening on 10 February 2023.
A round-trip shuttle bus links Hanoi with Halong Bay via an expressway that opened in 2018, cutting the transfer time between the destinations in half to two hours.
Viet Deli’s famed restaurants offer traditional Vietnamese cuisine and fusion cuisine, including ‘Home Moc’ in Hanoi, ‘Home Hoi An’ in Hoi An, and ‘Ngon Gallery’ in Nha Trang.
SINGAPORE, 31 January 2023: Asia Pacific’s barefoot travel show, Further East, will return to Seminyak, Bali, from 6 to 9 November 2023 for its fourth edition.
Retaining the theme “New Horizons”, the four-day festival unites APAC- focused brands, global buyers and media to reimagine the future of luxury travel.
Organised by This is Beyond, curators of travel events such as PURE Life Experiences, LE Miami, and We Are Africa, the Further East 2023 event is now open for bookings.
For its reboot last year, Further East was staged successfully with 450 delegates comprising 150 brand representations, around 140 buyers and 20 media despite challenges in air connectivity and travel costs.
The geographic composition of buyers was 30% from APAC and 70% from North America (including Canada), Latin America and Europe, all of whom are specialists in designing Asian Pacific travel experiences.
“Our theme for Further East, New Horizons, signals our hope to create an inspired community of innovators with a conscience, who will bring a new dawn for the luxury travel industry,” said This is Beyond CEO and founder Serge Dive. “Bali remains our home for Further East because it is the perfect venue for barefoot business and pool-side networking.
After a year of tourism recovery and stabilised flights, the guest list for Further East 2023 has grown to 200 exhibitors.
For more details about Further East 2023, visit www.furthereast.com or email: [email protected].
SINGAPORE, 31 January 2023: SITA is innovating with cutting-edge technology to strengthen its airline, airport, and border solutions in partnership with travel identity company Zamna Technologies.
Zamna’s solution uses a decentralised blockchain-based model to transform how passenger data, such as passport, visa, and health information, is verified and handled, bringing security, ease, and efficiency benefits for travellers, airlines, airports and governments.
Jeremy Springall, Senior VP at SITA Borders, Abdul Wahab Teffaha, Secretary General of AACO, Irra Ariella Khi, CEO, Zamna Technologies.
SITA and Zamna finalised the partnership deal during an Arab Airlines Carriers’ Organisation (ACCO) meeting in Jordan last week. The first deployment will be focused on AACO’s more than 30 airline members.
Instead of passengers presenting travel documents repeatedly to every touch point each time they fly, Zamna’s ability to verify and securely persist such data will provide SITA customers with ongoing automation enhancements. It supports SITA’s vision of a completely digital travel experience.
Airlines and airports will benefit from a tested and verified technology for reduced processing times and less infrastructure needed to process passengers.
At the same time, border agencies will experience fewer exception cases and fewer passengers requiring on-site processing as the border checks are completed pre-departure. Across the journey, the passenger will enjoy peace of mind that the data is being handled even more securely and that they have satisfied all regulatory requirements to travel. The solution also enhances security for SITA’s clients, whose data is managed safely, privately, and in a decentralised manner.
This approach is a paradigm shift to fundamentally change data management within the aviation industry, elegantly ensuring that the individual traveller has minimal impact and that their documents are read and verified once and put to work many times. SITA’s scale and expert work with 1000+ airports and 70+ governments uniquely position the company to lead this industry-wide commitment to transformation.
SITA CEO David Lavorel said: “The partnership with Zamna Technologies powers the next step in the journey to SITA’s vision of enabling a truly connected and digital travel experience along with all the benefits. It will deliver efficiency, improved passenger experience, and increased security.”
BANGKOK, 31 January 2023: AirAsia expands its domestic network this week to include a service from Don Mueang to Mae Sot on the western border of Thailand facing Myanmar.
The low-cost airline offers three weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Bookings opened on 28 January for travel from 1 March 2023.
The Don Mueang-Mae Sot one-way promotional fare starts at THB 1,900 for bookings up until 25 March 2023 for travel from 1 to 25 March 2023 via the AirAsia Super app.
AirAsia Thailand chief executive officer Santisuk Klongchaiya explained: “AirAsia is expanding its domestic network to benefit the economy, tourism and trade… studying new destinations to make travel more convenient and to create new opportunities for provinces and regions.”
Mae Sot in Tak province is an important, rapidly growing trade town where a road bridge spans the river between Thailand and Myanmar.
The one-hour flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport will be served by a 180-seat A320 Airbus aircraft.
Flight Schedule for Bangkok Don Mueang – Mae Sot (Tak) commencing 1 March 2023.
YOGYAKARTA, 31 January 2023: Batik Air, a member of Lion Air Group, launches a new direct flight from Yogyakarta to Kuala Lumpur, starting 31 January 31, 2023.
Flight ID7187 departs Yogyakarta at 0700 and arrives in Kuala Lumpur at 1020. The return flight ID7186 departs Kuala Lumpur at 1105 and arrives in Yogyakarta at 1220. Flights operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The one-way fare on the Yogyakarta – Kuala Lumpur route during February starts at IDR 1,725,000 in economy class and IDR 7,425,000 in business class.
Flight Schedule
Route
Flight No
Schedule Time Departure
Schedule Time Arrival
Frequency
Yogyakarta Kulonprogo (YIA) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
ID-7187
07.00
10.20
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – Yogyakarta Kulonprogo (YIA)
ID-7186
11.05
12.20
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Time difference:
• Yogyakarta: Western Indonesia Time (GMT+ 07)
• Kuala Lumpur: GMT+08
The Kuala Lumpur – Yogyakarta route will support the return of foreign tourists to Indonesia. Within days of the launch, the region’s top travel show, the ASEAN Tourism Forum, will be hosted in Yogyakarta from 2 to 5 February 2023. The official ceremony for the show will be hosted at the Prambanan Temple venue, introducing the theme “ASEAN: A Journey to Wonderful Destinations”.
Batik Air’s first direct international flight from YIA provides a new option for tourists from Malaysia in addition to the flights from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Batik Air deploy a Boeing 737-800NG aircraft (12 business class and 150 economy class seats) to the Yogyakarta – Kuala Lumpur route.
KUCHING, 30 January 2023: Travel is back in Southeast Asia, and more direct flights are connecting Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Sarawak for families planning a vacation.
The latest count names seven airlines flying direct services from capital cities in Southeast Asia to Kuching in Sarawak; AirAsia, Bek Air, Firefly, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines and Scoot.
Here are 10 things to do in Sarawak, starting with Kuching’s famous street food that will bolster energy levels to explore the state’s national parks, natural attractions and adventure options.
EAT LAKSA SARAWAK & KOLO MEE
The two favourite signature breakfast meals of Kuching are, without a doubt, Laksa Sarawak and Kolok Mee.
A visitor to Sarawak cannot leave without having a taste of these two iconic dishes.
Ranked the No. 1 Food in Asia by TasteAtlas and dubbed as ‘The Breakfast of the Gods’ by the late Anthony Bourdain, Sarawak Laksa consists of vermicelli rice noodles soaked in a spicy-sour shrimp-based broth made from over 30 different herbs and spices, thickened with coconut milk, topped with crunchy beansprouts, boiled prawns, shredded chicken, thin slices of omelette, a sprinkling of fresh coriander, served with spicy sambal made from pounded chillies and belacan (shrimp paste) and a freshly cut calamansi (golden lime).
Kolok Mee is a bowl of fresh noodles cooked perfectly al-dente, swirled vigorously in lard and vinegar until each strand is evenly coated, topped with slices of char siew (barbequed pork) and minced pork, dressed with chopped spring onions and sliced chillies. Kolok Mee can also be enriched with fishballs, wontons and vegetables such as choy sum. Halal versions of Kolok Mee can be found at Muslim outlets.
Sarawak Laksa
FEED THE ORANGUTANS AT SEMENGGOH
Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, located 20 kilometres south of Kuching, is a renowned sanctuary for the conservation of the orangutans in their natural habitat. For over 20 years, the wardens at Semenggoh Nature Reserve have been training young orangutans, who had been orphaned or rescued from captivity how to survive in the wild.
They spend most of their time roaming the forest but frequently come back to the Centre for a free meal. During feeding time, visitors will gain the golden opportunity to interact with the orangutans as they will swing down from trees for a free handout of fruits.
KAYAKING AT SEMADANG RIVER
Adrenaline junkies will love the wide variety of all-inclusive day-trip adventure tours along Semadang River, ranging from river kayaking, bamboo-rafting, caving and jungle trekking. The Semadang Kayaking experience includes all kayaking, rafting and caving activities. Also, after a massive workout from kayaking, visitor can further enrich their local culinary experience with some traditional, home-cooked food using locally-sourced ingredients by the river.
EAT GULA APONG ICE CREAM
Good news for dessert lovers – you will love Sarawak’s Gula Apong Ice-cream. Gula Apong is a type of palm sugar made from nipah palm, which grows abundantly in the coastal lowlands in Sarawak.
It has a subtly different, nuttier flavour compared to the gula melaka in West Malaysia.
Vanilla ice cream really tastes best when gula apong syrup is sprayed over it, or you can also enjoy gula apong flavoured ice cream.
EXPLORE MULU NATIONAL PARK
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, a trip to Mulu National Park is a must when you are in Sarawak. Located in Miri, Mulu is well known for its rich biodiversity and its karst features. The varied topography of Gunung Mulu National Park includes swampy lowland rainforests, towering limestone cliffs, and lofty sandstone mountains – these provide a great diversity of habitats and are one of the reasons behind the astounding biodiversity of this reserve.
Mulu’s most remarkable feature is the world’s finest karst collapse and the 50metre-tall razor-sharp limestone Pinnacles on the northern end of Gunung Api.
DEEP SEA DIVING AT MIRI-SIBUTI CORAL REEFS NATIONAL PARK
The Miri-Sibuti Coral Reefs National Park is a protected area, and the thriving marine life is a testament to this. There are over 40 dive sites throughout the park suitable for divers of all levels. Among the popular dive spots in the national park include Belais Reef, Anemone Garden and the exciting Barracuda Point, where a school of the large predator can be seen swirling in a never-ending circle.
TREKKING AT GUNUNG GADING NATIONAL PARK
To all hikers, nature, wildlife and jungle enthusiasts – are you looking for a challenging jungle trekking adventure in a tranquil, lush, natural and timeless environment? Then Gunung Gading National Park is the place to be. Gunung Gading is home to the rare Rafflesia, which is also known as the corpse flower because of the stench it gives off while it is blooming. There are a number of treks at the park, and not all of them will feature the Rafflesia, so be sure to tell your guide beforehand if you want to see it in all its glory, and he will take you where you will be able to spot it. Some jungle trails here will also lead you to scenic waterfalls and jungle streams. Have a refreshing swim in these ice-cool waters before you leave.
MORNING BIRDWATCHING AT KUBAH NATIONAL PARK
Kubah National Park is situated on a sandstone plateau, mostly covered by mixed dipterocarp forest, which is interspersed with patches of scrub and an unusually rich area of Kerangas forest, is the home of mammals, birds & many species of reptiles and amphibians. Upon arrival, bird watchers can aim to spot some endemic species like Blue-banded pitta, Bornean blue-flycatcher, Yellow-rumped flowerpecker, Bornean Black-magpie, Chestnut-crested yuhina, Dusky munia & etc.
EXPERIENCE THE SERENITY OF BARIO
Lying at an altitude of about 3,500 feet above sea level in the northeastern corner of Sarawak is the famous Bario Highlands, a Kelabit territory, one of the minority Orang Ulu tribes of Sarawak.
Bario means ‘Wind’ in Kelabit language. It is the gateway to the Kelabit highlands, with about thirteen villages located in & around Bario area, with Kampung Bario Asal being the first.
This is a must-visit longhouse where one can see the ancient timbers of the unique kitchen darkened by the constant smoke of generations of cooking fires.
Bario’s most enchanting attraction is its’ calmness, the serenity and the natural splendour
of its surroundings against a breathtakingly beautiful backdrop of paddy fields at the base of mist-covered hills standing tall as far as the eye.
VISIT SIBU’S TUA PEK KONG
The Eng Ann Tua Peng Kong was founded more than 100 years ago, making it the oldest and best-preserved Chinese Temple in Sibu. From the original wooden structure, it was rebuilt in 1897 with an adjacent 7-storey Goddes of Mercy (Kuan Yin) Pagoda, considered one of the most perfectly proportioned pagodas outside of Mainland China. Tourists not only visit the temple for religious purposes but also climb its steps to enjoy the magnificent sunset view overlooking the Rajang Rivers and the Sibu Waterfront.
DUBAI, UAE, 30 January 2023: The Emirates Group and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) have launched a training programme for the airline’s Emirati country managers.
The programme builds and hones the diplomatic skills of managers worldwide and forms part of the aviation group’s new Commercial Ambassador Leadership Programme.
A ceremony to celebrate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was held at the Emirates Group headquarters, attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum,
Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE, Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, and Member of the Board of Trustees at AGDA, along with senior executives and representatives of both organisations.
The MoU was signed by Amira Al Falasi, Emirates Group’s Vice president, Human Resources, Learning and Talent, and Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri, AGDA’s Deputy Director General.
The AGDA’s five-day programme will provide Emirati country managers with a comprehensive understanding of the diplomatic skills needed to effectively represent the Emirates Group abroad and achieve their business and commercial objectives. The series of tailored and practical training courses will also serve as a platform for knowledge exchange to enrich Emirati managers’ capabilities in the aviation sector.
The innovative Commercial Ambassador Leadership Programme underlines Emirates Group’s steadfast commitment to its Emirati talent. It has been developed in collaboration between the Group’s in-house teams and several UAE organisations. It focuses on the development of UAE National Country Managers’ leadership skills and their effectiveness in four vital areas: International protocol and global trends; media skills; people engagement; and management diplomacy.
The programme supports Emiratis who have joined Emirates Group’s National Commercial Outstation Programme. This places ambitious and talented Emiratis in strategic roles across the Group’s global markets so that they gain broader exposure, expand their network connections, and become accomplished leaders. In these roles, they drive commercial objectives and enrich relationships with key local partners and regulators. They engage with communities, the public sector, and businesses to facilitate strategic ties that build trade, tourism, and commerce activities between the UAE and their local markets.
The Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) is a globally recognised diplomatic centre of excellence in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The Academy is a producer of leading resources, including indices and publications. Learn more at: http://agda.ac.ae/.
