SINGAPORE 5 August 2022: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, announced earlier this week that Norwegian Viva, the second of six vessels in its groundbreaking Prima Class, floated out from her dry dock at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera (Venice), Italy, marking a major construction milestone and the first time the new vessel touches water.
To celebrate the occasion, a commemorative coin was welded into Norwegian Viva in a traditional maritime ceremony, presided over by Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line and Antonio Quintano, shipyard director of Fincantieri.
The float out signifies the completion of Norwegian Viva’s external work and painting decoration, including the striking hull artwork designed by Italian graffiti artist Manuel Di Rita, commonly known as “Peeta.” Construction continues on Norwegian Viva’s interior fittings and guest accommodations before she is officially delivered to the cruise line and commences sailing in 2023.
“The float out of Norwegian Viva has been much anticipated, and it’s an incredibly proud day for us all,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of NCL. “As our nineteenth ship and the second in our innovative Prima Class, Norwegian Viva continues to represent our ongoing commitment to giving guests the best holiday experience imaginable. With Norwegian Viva’s name meaning ‘to be alive,’ and her motto being ‘Live it Up,’ we simply cannot wait to put this into practice and welcome guests on board soon for the vacation of a lifetime.”
For more information about NCL’s award-winning 17-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call Hong Kong on +852 2165 6000 and Southeast Asia on +65 3165 1680 or visit www.ncl.com
SINGAPORE, 5 August 2022: Trafalgar celebrates 75 years of curating tours for over 5 million travellers and is introducing new travel experiences.
New active and hiking tours in the USA offer guests a higher level of physical activity as they explore the culture and heritage of indigenous and African American history, past and present.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
TTC Tour Brands managing director Asia Mae Cheah explains: “We’re seeing a rise in interest from Asia-based travellers who want to plan in-depth tours of the USA and Europe. After being deprived of exploration for several years, travellers are looking to fully immerse in the culture of each destination they visit. A nice hotel does not cut it anymore. Our guests are looking to be challenged and excited.”
Active & Hiking tours
Trafalgar’s Active & Hiking itineraries combine adventure and fitness for the ultimate adrenaline-fueled trip. Guests can embrace the wonders of the great outdoors, with endless hiking trails and opportunities for rock climbing, rafting, and mountain climbing through some of the USA’s most iconic locations.
Trafalgar’s 11-day Colorado Active Adventure is a key highlight, offering access to some of America’s most epic natural landscapes. The spectacular trip incorporates hiking at Mesa Verde, a UNESCO-listed site, and cider tasting at Talbott’s Cider Company.
Culture & Heritage trips
Connecting travellers with Indigenous experiences and African American history, Trafalgar’s Culture & Heritage trips use food, art and stories as vehicles to immerse guests in the history of the USA.
On a nine-day excursion from Memphis to Atlanta, the Journey Along the Civil Rights Trail incorporates moving, first-hand accounts of the Civil Rights Movement, with musicality a key component of the stories told. An afternoon with the Carlton Reese Choir will shed light on the importance of song in the African American community.
Commenting on the anniversary CEO Gavin Tollman said: “As we mark 75 years delivering exceptional travel experiences has been in Trafalgar’s DNA since the beginning; with each of more than 300 worldwide itineraries planned by a team of experts with the connections and knowledge to ensure guests unlock the best of every destination.
From now until 15 September, Trafalgar is offering a 10% discount on all year-end holidays to Europe and the USA booked through www.trafalgar.com/en-sg.
CHIANG MAI, Thailand, 5 August 2022: Thailand-based tour operator Tripseed has launched ‘accessible travel’ programmes to make visiting the country more inclusive for elderly and disabled travellers.
In a media statement, the company says it will help those with disabilities overcome barriers to travel and forms a part of Tripseed’s mission to grow travel back better.
“We are committed to growing travel in a direction that is open and welcoming for everyone,” says Tripseed founder Ewan Cluckie. “Tripseed has always been about breaking down barriers and creating new opportunities.”
Tripseed goes far beyond the basics of just labelling what accommodation is wheelchair friendly. Extensive accessibility audits have been conducted across properties, tour locations and transportation – to evaluate everything from ramp inclinations, availability of grab bars, manoeuvrability clearance and many other important aspects to advise agents and partners on the most suitable travel options based on the level of assistance required.
Tripseed is also offering specialised guides that are trained in American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL) and Thai Sign Language (TSL & MSTSL), as well as guides trained to assist with any other audio-visual impairments.
In addition to accessibility audits of existing travel products, the company announced brand-new experiences designed from the ground up to deliver daytime city tours of Bangkok or evening street food experiences in a fully electric Tuk-Tuk, specially outfitted with a built-in wheelchair ramp and unique wheelchair restraint system.
Travellers can book a snorkelling or diving experience alongside a dive master fully certified by Disabled Divers International. Or they can opt for a private tour through 200 acres of botanical gardens in a vehicle fully equipped for accessibility, alongside many more specially designed accessible touring options.
Tripseed is a ground operator and tailor-made holiday specialist based in Thailand. Founded in 2021 by three veterans of destination management in Asia, with over two decades of combined experience designing and operating travel for some of the world’s leading travel agents and tour operators.
SINGAPORE, 5 August 2022: CapitaLand Investment Limited’s (CLI) wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is acquiring a freehold asset in Tokyo, Japan, via the Ascott Serviced Residence Global Fund (ASRGF), Ascott’s private equity fund with Qatar Investment Authority.
The asset will be refurbished to introduce Ascott’s first lyf-branded coliving property in the city. The acquisition follows Ascott’s signing of over 7,500 units in 1H 2022, a 32% increase compared to last year.
Ascott opened 20 properties with more than 4,500 units in the first half of 2022, a 56% year-on-year increase in units. In addition, Ascott has recently completed its acquisition of Oakwood Worldwide (Oakwood) in July 2022, expanding its portfolio by about 15,000 units to over 153,000 units across over 900 properties. The newly signed and opened properties and the addition of Oakwood will further boost Ascott’s recurring fee income.
The 140-unit co-living property to be named lyf Ginza Tokyo is ASRGF’s fourth acquisition in 2022, deploying close to SGD400 million across four countries in under five months. Slated to open in June 2023, lyf Ginza Tokyo is set to meet the lodging demand of conglomerates and start-ups located nearby and cater to leisure travellers visiting the capital city. With the acquisition of lyf Ginza Tokyo, ASRGF will hold 12 properties with over 2,300 units across 91 countries.
SINGAPORE, 5 August 2022: Jetstar Asia is increasing flights to Bangkok and Manila this month from its Singapore home base to provide passengers with more options when visiting two of Southeast Asia’s most popular metropolitan cities.
Jetstar Asia will operate two additional morning services on Sunday and Monday as demand for travel to Manila continues to increase. The additional flights started on 1 August. Jetstar Asia will now operate 13 services a week to the Philippines’ capital with one-way low fares starting from just SGD138.
Starting 6 August, Jetstar Asia will operate an additional Saturday morning service between Singapore and Bangkok, increasing its services to eight weekly return services. The additional service will help accommodate transiting customers from codeshare partners, Qantas, Emirates, Srilankan Air and Finnair. One-way low fares start from just SGD96.
Jetstar Asia’s regional sales manager for Southeast Asia, Woo Wai Keong, said it was encouraging to see air travel demand recover as consumer confidence is restored.
“In July, Jetstar Asia’s load factor averaged over 90%, meaning we welcome more passengers on board our flights and make the world more accessible for our customers again,” Woo commented.
Starting from 19 August, Jetstar Asia will reschedule two services between Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City to depart on Friday and Sunday evenings instead of Wednesday and Sunday mornings. The service also helps customers connect from Qantas, Emirates, Srilankan Air, Finnair and KLM flights.
The turnaround return flight from Ho Chi Minh will depart at 2200 and arrive in Singapore at 0100 with one-way low fares starting from SGD73.
Jetstar Asia currently operates more than 200 flights a week from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal I to 12 key destinations across Southeast Asia.
SINGAPORE, 5 August 2022: World Rugby and Emirates have announced an extension of the Dubai-based airline’s long-standing relationship as a Rugby World Cup Worldwide Partner.
Under the agreement, the leading airline will continue as a Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2023 in France and Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
Underscoring its commitment to the sport, Emirates is also extending its official sponsorship of the Emirates World Rugby Match Officials through to 2027, a relationship that has proven pivotal in the development and performance of elite match officials since 2013.
In joining the global family of Worldwide Partners for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France, Emirates will return to where the hugely successful relationship between the airline and the international federation began in 2007. Since then, the airline has become one of the sport’s most prominent and active supporters as a committed partner of every men’s Rugby World Cup since 2007 and a proud sponsor of the Dubai and Cape Town rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
As the Official Airline of Rugby World Cup France 2023 and Australia 2027, Emirates will fly rugby to new frontiers and bring its leading expertise in customer experience to help deliver a truly world-class tournament for fans travelling to the host nations. Its investment in the sport as a Worldwide Partner will help support rugby’s development in both emerging and established markets. At the same time, fans can watch every moment of two unforgettable Rugby World Cups live and on-demand from their flight seats, making the sport more accessible.
Emirates Airline President, Sir Tim Clark, said: “Rugby is a sport with great values and proud heritage in many countries. It is also a sport attracting more participation and interest across communities each year, as we are seeing in the UAE, where rugby just made it into school programmes nationwide. We see rugby as a great platform to bring people together under a shared passion for the sport.
“Emirates has been a proud sponsor of Rugby World Cup since 2007. France 2023 also coincides with Emirates’ 30 years of flight operations to Paris, Charles de Gaulle and considering we now have 31 weekly flights to France; Emirates is looking forward to flying in fans to watch the world’s best teams competing for the Webb Ellis Cup.”
By renewing as a Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup, Emirates joins Societe Generale, Mastercard, Asahi, Capgemini and Jaguar Land Rover in the global family of Worldwide Partners for Rugby World Cup 2023. Emirates also becomes the fourth Global Partner of World Rugby, joining Capgemini, Macron and HSBC.
World Rugby is an international federation and a global movement comprising more than 500 million fans and 7.69 million players within 129 national member federations affiliated through six regional associations.
BANGKOK, 5 August 2022: Nepal’s first post-pandemic tourism promotion overseas fielded a delegation of 20 tourism professionals hosted in Bangkok earlier this week.
The Nepal Sales Mission 2022, organised by PATA Nepal Chapter, concluded on a high note with travel and hotel exhibitors from Nepal holding B2B meetings with more than 45 tour operators from Thailand.
The event was supported by the Embassy of Nepal in Thailand, Nepal Airlines, PATA HQ and PATA Thailand Chapter, Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), SS Group Thailand, Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), Jawalakhel Group of Industries (JGI)
Thai Travel Agents Association vice president Shivek Sachdev pointed to Nepal’s sustainable and environment-friendly initiatives urging the Thai tourism fraternity to extend support to boost tourism promotions.
KOTA KINABALU, 4 August 2022: A group of 52 tourism officials and local district officers recently spent a night on Sabah’s Sulug island to experience and learn what dark tourism is all about.
The group was part of a two-day dark tourism workshop, during which their presence brought life to the tiny hill island. The Sabah Tourism Board, Dark Tourism Sabah and Sabah Parks co-organised the workshop. Officials from the state Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, Kota Kinabalu City Hall, and Federation of Rural Tourism Association Sabah also attended the workshop.
Datuk Joniston Bangkuai speaking to participants, including district officers and assistant district officers, at the dark tourism workshop on Pulau Sulug, off Kota Kinabalu.
Situated at the northernmost tip of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park and devoid of development, Sulug Island has earned the title “Kota Kinabalu’s darkest island.” Its connection to World War II events further adds to the allure surrounding the 20-acre uninhabited island.
During the dark tourism workshop, participants learned about the island’s harrowing World War II history, when the Japanese occupying military executed and tortured the island’s residents.
State Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai was also present to meet the participants and observe their activities. He was accompanied by Sabah Tourism Board (STB) deputy chief executive officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit.
Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, STB Board member Roslinah Abd Hamid, and STB deputy chief executive officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit sample meal prepared by participants.Datuk Joniston Bangkuai observing participants negotiate food to share.Tongod assistant district officer Cleophas John Gordon (left) and team members building fire pit.Participants prepared their own meals.
As part of their engaging experience, participants also acted out the lives of kampung people, putting their survival and negotiating skills to the test. They set up their camp, built their table or chair out of driftwood, hiked a trail searching for hidden food baskets, bargained for food sharing, and cooked their meals.
Joniston said a tourism workshop with the participation of district officials and tourism players is essential for deepening one’s understanding, particularly of the dark tourism concept and offerings.
“While Sabah has a lot of potential for dark tourism, we also need to look into ways to package it so that we’re not just presenting visitors a story but also activities they can do to add value to the experience.
“I hope the workshop participants will learn something from the programme, exchange their ideas, and be motivated to uncover potential dark tourism sites in their respective districts,” he said.
In addition, Joniston urged the District Tourism Action Committees to work with STB to develop dark tourism products that could appeal to both locals and international visitors in the long term.
“The Sabah Tourism product team is always committed to helping the community identify new product attractions and ready to impart knowledge and train kampung folks to gain necessary skills,” he added.
The participating districts were Ranau; Telupid; Kinabatangan; Tenom; Beluran; Pitas; Nabawan; Tongod; Nabawan; Lahad Datu; Putatan; Kuala Penyu; Beaufort; Kalabakan; Kota Belud; Papar; Kota Marudu; Penampang; Tuaran; and Sandakan.
Tongod assistant district officer Cleophas John Gordon remarked that the workshop was a productive programme and that dark tourism is a niche product.
“There will be people who would want to experience dark tourism. Since this is a new product, there is always room for improvement down the road. In general, the activities that were planned were enjoyable.
“In Tongod, there is a cave called Agop Sarupi in Kampung Tulang-Tulang, an ancient burial cave where people are buried in timber coffins. In addition, there is a helicopter crash site in Gunung Tinkar,” he said about the potential dark tourism attraction that Tongod could offer.
Meanwhile, STB Board member Roslinah Abd Hamid, who is spearheading the promotion of ‘dark tourism, said the workshop was held to dispel misunderstandings that it is somehow connected to paranormal activity.
Roslinah’s research on historical places in Sabah began in 2010 after she recognised the potential for dark tourism. However, she said not many people were enthusiastic about it.
She said such a niche product has the potential to succeed, and sites like Sulug Island, being close to the city, could be transformed into a dark tourist hotspot due to the presence of historical artefacts like graveyards and old well.
Sulug is one of five islands in the protected Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, managed by the Sabah Parks. Its waters are well-known for snorkelling and scuba diving.
DUBAI, UAE: 4 August 2022: Emirates has resumed passenger services to London Stansted (STN), serving its third London gateway with a daily flight.
With the return of services to Stansted, Emirates ramped up its operations to London with nine daily flights, including six daily flights to Heathrow and a double daily flight to Gatwick.* The added services will meet market demand and offer customers more travel choices and enhanced connectivity this summer.
London Stansted is served by Emirates’ wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with its renowned ‘Game Changer’ First Class product. Emirates flight EK65 will depart Dubai at 0850 and arrive in London Stansted at 1330 local time. The return EK68 flight will depart London Stansted at 2110 and arrive in Dubai at 0710 the following day.
Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Office, via travel agents or through online travel agents.
London Stansted remains a key hub for the airline’s passenger and cargo operations. The daily service will offer customers in East and Southeast UK more travel options, flexibility, and convenience when travelling with Emirates to more than 130 destinations via Dubai.
Emirates currently serves seven gateways in the UK. By October 2022, the airline will be serving the country with 110 weekly flights, including six times daily to London Heathrow; daily service to London Stansted; 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; and a daily service to Glasgow.
The airline is also currently serving London Gatwick with three daily flights until 3 August 2022. The added frequency is serving customer demand and accommodating passengers affected by capacity adjustments on flights from London Heathrow.
Fly better with Emirates to and through Dubai
Emirates continues to place top priority on safe travel with the implementation of comprehensive measures in the air and on-ground. Customers travelling from Dubai can also take advantage of state-of-the-art contactless technology to ease their journey through the airport.
The airline also offers its customers an unmatched culinary experience in the skies with regionally inspired meals and a wide selection of premium beverages. Customers can sit back and relax with more than 5,000 channels of carefully curated global entertainment content featuring movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, games, audiobooks and more with ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
Emirates’ home and hub, Dubai, remains a very popular holiday and stopover destination. Visitors from the UK can take advantage of the recently launched Dubai Experience platform that enables customers to easily browse, create and book their own customised itineraries, including flights, hotel stay, visits to key attractions, and other dining and leisure experiences in Dubai and the UAE.
SINGAPORE, 4 August 2022: Oakwood announced Wednesday the opening of Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh in Cambodia.
Centrally located in the Cambodian capital’s business and entertainment district, the new property features 207 rooms and serviced apartments.
The debut of Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh extends the Oakwood Premier brand presence to 10 destinations in some of the world’s favourite gateway cities such as Melbourne, Seoul, Tokyo, Guangzhou, Bangalore, Incheon, Tonglu and Jakarta.
“With Cambodia’s increasing appeal as a growing economy and tourism hotspot, we recognise the need for elevated residential lifestyles as more travellers visit the kingdom. We are delighted to debut our distinctive style of tailored luxury in the Cambodian capital so that guests can indulge in a tranquil and comfortable haven that evokes a feeling of home, whether for short or extended stays,” said Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh general manager Sylvester Fong.
As part of the brand’s hallmark experience, Oakwood Premier Mobile Bar, a mixologist will deliver creative seasonal cocktails and classic tipples to each apartment every evening. Slated to launch in November 2022, this bespoke “mobile club lounge” service is a first of its kind in Cambodia.
Attractions in the vicinity include the Royal Palace, National Museum of Cambodia, heritage buildings and art galleries, and the lively Central Market and Night Market.
Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh’s opening in Cambodia follows the debut of Oakwood Premier Melbourne in Australia last December. The brand’s expansion plan will continue with the opening of Oakwood Premier Jakarta in October 2022 and Oakwood Premier Kuala Lumpur at the world’s second tallest building, Merdeka 118, in 2024.
