Princess expands Americas cruises

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August 1, 2022

SINGAPORE, 1 August 2022: Princess Cruises has announced its most expansive Americas schedule, with 47 itineraries across 214 departures from seven convenient North American homeports, highlighted by new voyages to the South Pacific and Hawaii.

New for the 2023-24 season are Sapphire Princess’ two South Pacific Islands & Hawaii cruises roundtrip from Los Angeles featuring “More Ashore” late-night stays in Honolulu and Tahiti, and for the first time ever visiting Fiji, along with a pair of Hawaii cruises with overnight stays in Honolulu on Discovery Princess – the ship’s first-ever sailings to the Aloha State. Princess will also sail again from Galveston with a series of voyages on Regal Princess, providing consumers with the hassle-free drive or fly options for enjoying the sun-splashed islands of the Western Caribbean.

In addition to sailing from Galveston, the 2023-24 Americas program will offer consumers a broad spectrum of departure points for roundtrip cruises, including Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver, as well as one open-jaw departure from New York, making it easier than ever to create memorable cruise vacations to sought-after destinations with just a short drive or domestic flight.

With the new programme, vacationers have even more opportunities to visit iconic destinations along the California Coast, the flavourful cruising of Mexico, the laid-back vibe of Hawaii and Tahiti, tropical Caribbean shores, and the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, which complement the line’s vast array of itinerary choices featuring two- to 111-day voyages to Alaska, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, Asia, Canada/New England, and all around the globe on World Cruises.

“No one can match our unique combination of unparalleled itinerary choices with the authentic, personalised MedallionClass experience that makes a Princess cruise so special and memorable. So whether you’re looking for a quick Caribbean getaway or a bucket list trip to the South Pacific – or anything in between – Princess has got you covered,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.

Princess’ 2023-24 destination highlights and deployments include:

Hawaii & Tahiti (Crown Princess, Diamond Princess, Discovery Princess, Emerald Princess, Ruby Princess and Sapphire Princess)

17 destinations, including four Hawaiian Islands and six South Pacific Islands
18 departures on five itineraries, ranging in length from 15 to 32 days, sailing from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver:
- NEW – Discovery Princess sails two 15-day Hawaii cruises – her first ever to the Aloha State – featuring overnight stays in Honolulu.
- NEW – Sapphire Princess offers a new 32-day South Pacific Islands & Hawaii itinerary on two voyages roundtrip from Los Angeles, including Fiji for the first time ever, and “More Ashore” late-night stays in Honolulu and Tahiti.

The Caribbean (Caribbean Princess, Emerald Princess, Enchanted Princess, Island Princess, Regal Princess, Ruby Princess, and Sky Princess)

126 departures on 18 itineraries, ranging in length from five to 21 days, sailing roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale and Galveston
25 Caribbean islands, including Cozumel, Grand Cayman, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Grand Turk and Princess Cays, the cruise line’s private island resort
“More Ashore” late-night stays in Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Thomas on select itineraries

Mexico (Crown Princess, Diamond Princess and Discovery Princess)

8 destinations, including Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, La Paz, and Loreto
24 departures on five unique itineraries, from five to 10 days, sailing from Los Angeles and San Francisco:
- Discovery Princess also returns to the west coast offering five- to seven-day Mexico cruises from Los Angeles and a special 10-day Mexican Riviera with Total Solar Eclipse, roundtrip from Los Angeles, including a port call in Mazatlán on the day of the eclipse (8 April 2024).
- Crown Princess sails 10-day Mexican Riviera cruises from San Francisco.
- Diamond Princess sails a 10-day Baja Peninsula & Sea of Cortez cruise from Los Angeles.
“More Ashore” overnight stays in Cabo San Lucas are featured on every five-day Cabo San Lucas Getaway cruise.

California Coast (Crown Princess, Discovery Princess (newest ship), Grand Princess, Ruby Princess and Sapphire Princess)

11 destinations in three countries, including six destinations in California: Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Monterey, Catalina Island, San Diego, and Ensenada
25 total departures on 13 unique itineraries from three to 11 days, sailing from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver:
- Discovery Princess returns for her west coast season sailing roundtrip California Coast voyages from Los Angeles.
- Crown Princess returns, sailing the California and Pacific Northwest coasts with five-day and seven-day sailings roundtrip from San Francisco.
- Sapphire Princess also offers one roundtrip 11-day California Coast cruise from Vancouver.
Select itineraries feature “More Ashore” late-night stays in San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver.

Panama Canal (Emerald Princess, Island Princess and Ruby Princess)

Two ways to see the Panama Canal: Roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale (partial transit) or ocean-to-ocean (full transit) between Ft. Lauderdale and Los Angeles or San Francisco
18 destinations, including Falmouth, Fuerte Amador (Panama), Cartagena and Puntarenas (Costa Rica)
23 departures on six itineraries, ranging from 10- to 15-days

Princess MedallionClass Vacations

Princess delivers Princess MedallionClass Vacations which begins with the Medallion^® wearable, a quarter-sized device that enables everything from expedited contactless boarding to locating loved ones anywhere on the ship, as well as enhanced service like having whatever guests need to be delivered directly to them, wherever they are on the ship. In addition, guests can share their favourite cruise moments using MedallionNet, the best Wi-Fi at sea, stay connected with friends and family back home, work remotely anywhere on the ship, quickly post content and stream favourite movies and shows.

For more information visit: www.princess.com.

(Your Stories: Princess Cruises)

Sabah turns on classroom mode

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August 1, 2022

KOTA KINABALU 1 August 2022: Sabah is the “classroom” for 34 international students who are spending two months learning about the state’s diversity and acquiring fresh experiences that they may incorporate into their lives back home.

The students, aged between 15 and 17, are from the New York-based Think Global School – the world’s first travelling high school.

They live and study in a different country every semester, engaging in place-based and project-based learning pertinent to the nations they visit.

The school’s principal Adnan Mackovic said the goal of their visit to Sabah is to help the students and teachers better comprehend Sabah culture in particular and the biodiversity that exists here.

“I’ve personally been to Sabah twice for a conference. That’s how I became aware of Sabah and prepared to travel here with a group of students just before the pandemic struck.

“We wanted our students to experience what we have learned and know about the cultural and natural diversity in this state. We believed that Sabah would be the ideal location for some of them to encounter cultures that were different from their own and to understand how such a diverse culture could coexist,” he said.

The students arrived in the state on 5 July accompanied by 11 Think Global teachers. They come from a variety of places, including the Middle East, the United States, Canada, South Africa, Northern Europe, and Asia.

During their stay, the group visited Mari-Mari Cultural Village for cultural immersion and hiked Mount Trus Madi, the second highest mountain in Sabah.

They also participated in activities with the local villagers to learn about rice field cultivation. In addition to this, they learned how to cook using traditional bamboo and jungle survival skills, such as identifying edible wild plants.

Mackovic also said the students would get to visit the forest reserve, wildlife rehabilitation centres, and an opportunity to go diving, among other things.

Last week, the Sabah Tourism Board hosted a dinner for the Think Global School group. Present were Sabah Tourism chief executive officer Noredah Othman; Sabah Tourism chief marketing officer Tay Shu Lan; and Partner of Jungle Lore India chief executive officer Gaurav Athalye.

In welcoming the group, Noredah encouraged students to gain as much experience as they could and to share what they had learnt with their families as well as peers once they returned home.

“Think Global School’s presence in Sabah means a great deal to us since it promotes our state by allowing students to learn about local places, local history, the many ethnic groups and their way of life.

“While we continue to promote Sabah as an eco-tourism hotspot, we also want visitors to see it as a place where they may expand their horizons via education,” she said, adding the Sabah Tourism Board supports activities that teach young travellers useful lessons.

The students’ schedules will include a learning session on blog and content writing with the Sabah Tourism Board Communications and Digital Unit.

For more information visit: www.sabahtourism.com

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)

Accor reports first-half gains

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August 1, 2022

PARIS, 1 August 2022: Global hotel group Accor reported a strong rebound in its half-year 2022 performance last week that presented a significant improvement in profitability and cash flow generation.

Revenue gains clocked a 109% improvement to reach EUR1,725 million, and EBITDA was positive at EUR205 million, giving the group a net profit group share positive at EUR32 million.

Accor chairman and chief executive officer Sébastien Bazin commented on the turnaround in performance: “Once again this quarter, Accor reported very strong business growth, exceeding pre-crisis levels for the first time. This marked rebound in all regions and for all of our brands.

“The summer will confirm these trends, and the fall promises to be strong with the recovery of major seminars and conventions. Nevertheless, the group remains attentive to the evolution of the geopolitical and economic environment. At this stage, the group should report strong growth in EBITDA, with a target of more than €550 million for the full-year 2022”.

The group’s business rebounded significantly in H1 2022 after two years of major pandemic-related disruptions in the tourism and hospitality industry. In Q2 2022, activity recovered to levels close to, if not above, the 2019 levels in almost all of our geographies. China was one of the exceptions due to travel restrictions as part of its strict enforcement of a “zero-Covid” policy. This, in turn, impacted Southeast Asia, which is highly dependent on Chinese leisure visitors prevented from travelling overseas following the suspension of non-essential outbound travel.

During the first half of 2022, Accor opened 85 hotels, representing 11,700 rooms, i.e., net system growth of 1.8% in the last 12 months. By June 2022, the group had a hotel portfolio of 777,945 (5,300 hotels) and a pipeline of 212,000 rooms (1,215 hotels) pipeline.

For 2022, the group forecasts a net unit growth in the network of around 3.5%.

Consolidated revenue

The group reported H1 2022 revenue of EUR 725 million, up 97% like-for-like compared with H1 2021. By activity, this growth breaks down into a 119% increase for HotelServices and 57% for Hotel Assets & Other. Compared with RevPAR (change presented versus 2019 throughout this release), the like-for-like decline in revenue versus H1 2019 is 10%.

Changes in the consolidation scope, mainly due to the consolidation of Ennismore, and the reopening of Pullman Montparnasse contributed positively by EUR31 million. Currency effects had a positive impact of EUR69 million, mainly due to the US dollar ((9)%).

Hotel Services revenue

Hotel Services, which includes fees from management & franchise (M&F) and services to owners, reported EUR1,276 million in revenue, up 119% like-for-like versus H1 2021 (down 12% like-for-like versus H1 2019). This increase reflects the significant recovery in the year’s first half.

Revenue in Management & Franchise (M&F) stood at EUR434 million, up 153% like-for-like versus H1 2021 (down 15% like-for-like versus H1 2019), with regional performances correlated to the business recovery in the considered countries. In general, the slightly sharper decline in M&F revenue compared with RevPAR (down 11% in H1 2022 versus H1 2019) can be attributed to the decrease in incentive fees based on the hotel operating margin generated from management contracts.

Consolidated RevPAR was down 11% overall in H1 2022 versus H1 2019 and up 1% in Q2 2022 versus Q2 2019. These figures reflect a month-after-month sequential improvement in business with a sharp price increase, driven by demand and inflation. Therefore, activity reached levels close to or even higher than 2019 in almost all regions in the second quarter.

Asia Pacific

RevPAR continued to improve sequentially in Asia-Pacific (+25 percentage points between Q1 2022 and Q2 2022). It was down 18% in Q2 2022 versus Q2 2019.

Pacific confirmed the recovery already seen in Q1 2022 and ended the second quarter up 9% versus Q2 2019. Reopening internal and external borders by the end of 2021 accelerated this recovery.

China saw a slight month-after-month pick-up in business in Q2 2022. However, the restrictions implemented as part of the strict enforcement of its “zero-Covid” policy adversely affected its performance and resulted in a 38% decline in RevPAR versus Q2 2019.

In Southeast Asia, RevPAR was down 31% in Q2 2022 versus Q2 2019. Although the main travel restrictions have been lifted, the region’s dependence on Chinese visitors harmed the recovery speed.

In the India, Middle East, Africa & Turkey region, the rebound in RevPAR, which exceeded the 2019 level (+32% in Q2 2022), was confirmed for a third consecutive quarter.

The United Arab Emirates continued to outperform after a strong Q1 boosted by the world Expo 2020.

In Saudi Arabia, the broader reopening of the holy cities for pilgrimages has led to a sharp rebound in activity, particularly during April Ramadan. This recovery is also expected to continue with the Hajj in July.

(Source: Accor)

The full press release on Accor’s first half-year 2022 report visit:

https://press.accor.com/half-year-2022-very-strong-rebound-of-the-activity-with-q2-above-2019-level/?lang=en

Cathay opens sales for Kathmandu flight

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August 1, 2022

HONG KONG, 1 August 2022: Cathay Pacific will resume direct flights from Hong Kong to Kathmandu on 1 October; welcoming news for Hong Kong’s adventure travel seekers after almost three years without a direct flight.

First reported by the Himalayan online news last week, it quoted Cathay Pacific’s head of sales and country lead, Junu Maleku saying the service would connect to flights bound for the USA, Canada, Australia and Japan.

The weekly flight scheduled to start on 1 October is now bookable on Cathay Pacific’s website. The flight departs Hong Kong at 1910 and arrives in Kathmandu at 2210. On the return sector, the flight departs Kathmandu at 2325 and arrives in Hong Kong at 0600.

The airline will use an Airbus A330-300 on the Hong Kong – Kathmandu route configured with a two-class cabin that features business and economy. According to the airline’s website, the cheapest roundtrip fare in economy class starts at HKD6,955.

Passengers resident in Nepal booking a flight to Hong Kong must upload their Covid-19 test results and other required health documents 48 to 12 hours before their flights to Hong Kong.

The airline has also launched its Fly (worry) Free programme, allowing travellers greater flexibility in their bookings with the option to make unlimited ticket changes, including travel dates and the destination, until 31 December 2022. The airline said no fees would be charged for changes.

Etihad soars to first-half profit

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TTR WEEKLY

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August 1, 2022

ABU DHABI, UAE, 1 August 2022: Etihad Airways announced its financial and operating results for the first half of 2022 last week, posting a record-breaking core operating profit of USD296 million (H1 2021: USD392 million loss).

This result was achieved despite fuel costs increasing by almost 60% compared to the same period last year.

Etihad carried 4.02 million passengers in H1 2022, over 3 million more than last year (H1 2021: 980,000), with an average seat load factor of 75%. Passenger loads increased consistently over the first six months, rising by 21.9 percentage points as travel demand recovered. The airline saw a strong boost in passenger volumes in February as Abu Dhabi further relaxed pandemic-related restrictions.

Network capacity came in at 24 billion ASKs for H1 2022, growing by 46% compared to last year (H1 2021: 16.4 billion), as the airline connected Abu Dhabi to 71 passenger and cargo destinations across 45 countries. The first half of the year saw Etihad launch five summer services, including new seasonal routes to Heraklion on the island of Crete and the French city of Nice.

Financial and loyalty highlights

Etihad’s passenger revenues tripled in the first six months, climbing to USD1.25 billion (H1 2021: USD320 million) as more business and leisure travellers returned to the air. This was supported by more countries across Etihad’s network relaxing their Covid-related travel restrictions.

As a result of a constant focus on cost containment, fixed overhead and finance costs decreased in H1 2022, falling by 9% (or USD29 million) and 13% (or USD22 million), respectively.

Etihad Guest, the airline’s award-winning loyalty programme, delivered a record of new member acquisitions in June 2022, increasing to 7.95 million members globally. Flight redemptions increased 15% in H1 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with over 737,000 flights taken and member engagement levels translated into record card spends across the programme’s portfolio of UAE banks, supported by a new partnership with Emirates NBD. 

Key figures

	H1 2022	H1 2021
Passenger revenue (US$ billion)	1.25	0.32
Cargo revenue (US$ billion)	0.80	0.76
Operating revenue (US$ billion)	2.29	1.23
EBITDA (US$ billion)	0.69	0.06
Core operating result (US$ billion)	0.30	(0.39)
Total passengers (million)	4.02	0.98
Available seat kilometres (billion)	24.00	16.43
Seat load factor (%)	74.98%	24.89%
Number of operating aircraft	71	64
Cargo tonnage (leg tonnes ‘000)	295.02	365.48

Changi claws back passenger traffic

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TTR WEEKLY

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August 1, 2022

SINGAPORE, 1 August 2022: Singapore Changi Airport handled 2.93 million passenger movements in June 2022, reaching 50.3% of its pre-Covid traffic in June 2019.

Aircraft movements, including landings and takeoffs, totalled 18,400 (58.6% compared to June 2019), while airfreight throughput registered 163,000 tonnes for the month, a 1.4% increase year-on-year.

Quarterly, registered passenger traffic reached 7.33 million from April to June 2022, which is 43.6% of pre-Covid levels and 14 times compared to the same period last year.

Aircraft movements clocked 50,500 in the same period, reaching 53.5% of pre-Covid levels (96.8% year-on-year). Passenger traffic to and from the Americas rebounded strongly to exceed pre-pandemic levels by 7.13%, supported by the addition of flights to Canada since December 2021. Europe, Oceania and South Asia also saw a strong recovery during the quarter, with passenger movements crossing 60% of levels registered during the April-June 2019 quarter.

For the second quarter of the year, airfreight movements totalled 469,000 tonnes, a slight year-on-year decline of 1.4%. Supply chain disruptions arising from Covid-19 lockdowns in China and geopolitical tensions impacted air cargo traffic, particularly during April and May. The quarter’s top five air cargo markets were China, Hong Kong, Australia, the US and Japan.

Changi Airport Group’s managing director for Air Hub Development Lim Ching Kiat said: “We are encouraged by the steady increase in passenger traffic as it is a sign that we are getting back on the trajectory of growth towards pre-pandemic levels. The reopening of Terminal 4 and partial opening of Terminal 2 will give us the capacity to support our airline partners’ efforts in restarting services and launching new routes, which are critical for us to capture post-pandemic air travel demand.”

As of 1 July 2022, 85 airlines operate over 4,400 weekly flights at Changi Airport, connecting Singapore to 130 cities in 46 countries and territories worldwide.

Other highlights

New and Reinstated Services: In the second quarter of 2022, Indonesia AirAsia resumed passenger flights to Bali and Jakarta, while Scoot and AirAsia Berhad reinstated passenger flights to Hat Yai and Kota Kinabalu, respectively. Connectivity with South Korea was also strengthened, with Jeju Air resuming passenger services to Busan and Scoot launching a new service to Jeju.

Changi Airport also welcomed three new passenger airlines –Thai Vietjet (to Bangkok) and Bamboo Airways (to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) in April, as well as T’way Air (to Seoul) in May.

Earlier this month, Aircalin launched twice-weekly services to Nouméa, the capital of the French Pacific Territory of New Caledonia. Air Premia, which started its Seoul-Singapore Passenger Aircraft for Cargo Conveyance (PACC) operations in December last year, also launched a four-weekly passenger service in mid-July. In the same month, Changi also welcomed a new freighter operator Atlas Air, which operates a weekly Singapore-Narita-Dallas service.

New Restaurants & Stores: Almost all shops in the public areas in Terminals 1 (T1) and 3 (T3) have reopened, and four new F&B brands have commenced operations since April. They are Terrace Chinese Kitchen in T1, Flash Coffee, Husk Nasi Lemak and Matchaya in T3. Krispy Kreme and TP Tea, which used to operate in Terminal 2, started operations in T3 in June. Service provider Coat and Fly, which helps spray passengers’ luggage with self-disinfecting anti-viral coating, has also commenced operations in T3’s Arrival Hall. Two new flower vending machines exist, Cool Petals, in T3’s Departure Hall and Seven Stop at Basement 2.

In the transit areas, more than nine in 10 shops have reopened. Hang Heung has opened a new kiosk at T1 offering premier and traditional Chinese pastries.

At Jewel Changi Airport, F&B outlets that opened in the year’s second quarter include Arteastiq DePatio, Coucou Hotpot‧Brew Tea, Jollibean, Sukiya and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Nine retail outlets have also commenced operations at Jewel – AWHSOME by Hyggerium, Fun Claw, Hush Puppies, kcuts, Lenskart, Sauce Legend, Table Matters, The Digital Gadgets and Oysho.

Nature retreat reopens on 1 August

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July 27, 2022

BANGKOK, 27 JULY 2022: Anurak Community Lodge, an award-winning ecotourism experience at Khao Sok National Park, Surat Thani, has reopened after two years of Covid-related uncertainty.

The 19-unit nature retreat, which won the PATA Grand Award for Sustainability in 2020 and is Travelife Gold certified, officially reopens on 1 August with room enhancements, a refreshed food and beverage menu – including southern ‘jungle’ dinners – and new guest activities, such as hiking the Anurak Trail, cycling, and guest participation in the ecolodge’s ‘Rainforest Rising’ reforestation project.

Guests can pay THB300 (USD8) to plant indigenous tree saplings as part of Anurak’s Rainforest Rising project, which was created by Chiang Mai University’s Forest Restoration and Research Unit. Khao Sok National Park authorities support the project. The aim is to foster plantlife diversity to encourage pollination and feeding by insects, birds and mammals such as civets and badgers.

For its reopening, Anurak has also signposted the Anurak Trail, a one-kilometre circular hike starting and finishing at the lodge. It takes around 45 minutes to complete and passes massive fig trees, bamboo and vine groves. The path enters a small cave and finishes with a walk through coffee and rubber plantations.

AAPA: Robust growth in air passengers

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July 27, 2022

KUALA LUMPUR, 27 July 2022: Asia Pacific airlines report robust growth in international passenger demand, as an increased willingness to fly continues to drive leisure and corporate travel recovery, according to June traffic figures released Tuesday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA).

International passengers rose more than six-fold year-on-year to a combined 9 million in June, bringing demand to 28.3% of the corresponding pre-pandemic month in 2019. As measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), demand rose by a robust 509.3%, significantly outpacing the 139.5% expansion in available seat capacity. As a result, the average international passenger load factor jumped by 46.7 percentage points to reach a new pandemic high of 76.9%.

By contrast, the slowing of international trade flows, amid a globally worsening inflationary environment, further dampened demand for air shipments. Consequently, international air cargo demand, measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), fell by 4.1% year-on-year in June. With the recovery in passenger services, increased bellyhold space contributed to a 5.7% growth in offered freight capacity. This led to a 6.9 percentage point decline in the international freight load factor to an average of 67.2% for the month.

AAPA director general Subhas Menon commented on the results: “The recovery of international air travel is well underway, only dampened by the weakening of air cargo demand due to declining exports and continuing supply chain constraints.”

He noted that “the region’s airlines are resuming flights to more destinations, as economies reopen for business and international travel. This is a welcome change that was a long time coming. Although the number of international passengers carried by the airlines in the first half of 2022 is 330% higher than that of 2021, it is still well below pre-Covid levels. Meanwhile, escalating fuel prices and cost inflation are risks to the nascent recovery and return to profitability just as the industry emerges from its worst crisis.”

“Airlines are also confronting operational challenges that can slow the recovery as travel demand accelerates. While the region has not experienced the widespread chaos observed in other parts of the world, there are signs of strain in the aviation ecosystem due to workforce shortages. In the short term, hiring and retention incentives are being offered, but more needs to be done to rebuild the industry’s resilience for the future.”

Menon concluded, “To sustain the growth in air travel, cooperation among industry stakeholders and supportive government policies remains crucial in addressing operational constraints as demand picks up speed. Reasonable and durable measures are vital in the event of a deterioration in the public health situation or a new crisis.”

Summer showtime on Norwegian Prima

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July 27, 2022

SINGAPORE, 27 July 2022: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 55-year history of breaking boundaries, pulled back the curtain today to announce the cast of its highly-anticipated headlining show, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,” premiering aboard the all-new Norwegian Prima this August.

The Tony Award®-nominated musical narrates the story of Donna Summer’s prolific rise to fame, showing the Queen of Disco at three of the most pivotal stages of her career: Diva Donna, Disco Donna and Duckling Donna. The Brand has announced the cast who will take on the mantle of Donna Summer through her most memorable moments in life:

Beloved “American Idol” season two finalist, Kimberly Locke, takes on her first theatre project at sea and will star in the breakout role of Diva Donna, playing Summer as she reaches the height of her career. Fans will be able to see the same charisma that got Locke to the final three contestants on her season of “American Idol” in this role. Locke is also well known for her work on television and Broadway, where she most recently performed in Kristin Chenoweth’s one-woman show, “For The Girls.”

Taking on the role of Disco Donna is Valerie Curlingford, an extraordinary talent from the Netherlands. Curlingford will play Summer in her late teens and early twenties as she first finds success in the iconic 1970s disco era.

Duckling Donna will show Summer as she grows up in Boston in the 1960s. The role will be played by D’Nasya Jordan, who most recently starred as Little Inez in “Hairspray.”

“It is an incredible honour to play Donna Summer along with a very talented cast in this highly-rated musical,” said Locke. “Donna Summer’s inspirational story and pioneering talent led the way for many of today’s brightest vocalists. She has left an immeasurable impact on music and culture, and I am excited to bring her story to guests worldwide aboard the beautiful Norwegian Prima.”

The show-stopping production will feature more than 20 of Summer’s mega-hits, including “Bad Girls,” “Last Dance,” and “Hot Stuff.” It will also give viewers a deeper understanding of the inspiration behind some of Summer’s most memorable songs. The 85-minute musical will be a first at sea, where the Prima Theatre itself transforms into a full disco, allowing guests to become part of the show and live out their on-stage dreams as they dance to Summer’s greatest melodies.

“The legendary Donna Summer is an inspiration to many, and we cast performers who would honour her and match the same level of star power and talent,” said Richard Ambrose, senior vice president of Entertainment and Cruise Programs for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “We continue to bring Broadway-level entertainment and world-class talent to our fleet, and we are excited for guests to be able to watch a musical they actually get to be part of. The new Prima Theater allows for a truly exciting show, and we know guests will find themselves enthralled with Donna Summer’s moving life story and timeless music.”

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for its unwavering commitment to bringing Broadway-caliber entertainment to the high seas, having previously debuted “Kinky Boots,” “Six,” “Jersey Boys,” “Footloose”, and more across its current 17-ship fleet, and this latest addition to the Company’s lineup is another first for the cruise industry.

“Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” is just one of the captivating shows available aboard Norwegian Prima. Also sharing a residency at the Prima Theater will be “Noise Boys!” an original, award-winning beatboxing experience produced by Nic Doodson, creator of “Choir of Man,” NCL’s best-rated entertainment show currently residing on Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Escape.

As part of the additional entertainment offerings on Norwegian Prima, the Brand will also debut live game show experiences that allow the audience to be part of the show and have an opportunity to win incredible grand prizes. These immersive productions take the Prima Theatre and Nightclub and transform it into a larger-than-life production set where guests can be participants in some of the world’s most iconic game shows, including “The Price is Right LIVE,” “Supermarket Sweep LIVE”, and “Press Your Luck LIVE.” The ship also features “Sensoria” — a Vegas-style nightclub party presenting a journey through Coachella, Woodstock and Burning Man, all in one. Plus, guests will be able to experience the first “Improv @ Sea” Comedy Club, the guest-popular “Syd Norman’s Pour House”, and so much more.

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.

Follow Norwegian Cruise Line on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube @NorwegianCruiseLine; and Twitter @CruiseNorwegian.

(Your Stories: NCL)

Outrigger backs marine conservation

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July 27, 2022

MALE, MALDIVES, 27 July 2022: Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort plays a key role in gathering and sharing information on whale sharks, manta rays and sea turtles with conservation groups in the Maldives.

The tracking and reporting process, led by the resort’s marine biologist, Lynn Jula Kessler, shows that populations of whale sharks and manta rays in the South Ari Atoll around Outrigger Maldives are stable or doing well. However, there is more concern about critically endangered sea turtles, which often get ensnared in fishing nets travelling between their nesting grounds in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

On whale sharks, Outrigger Maldives is cooperating with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme. Kessler and accompanying resort snorkelling guests collect data on whale shark sightings, noting any injuries, some of which are caused by collisions with boats.

This September, Kessler and Outrigger will join the #GentleToGiants initiative run by the whale shark research team. The campaign aims to secure commitments from tourism businesses to adhere to whale shark encounter guidelines.

“Many of the whale sharks spotted in South Ari Atoll are juvenile males five to eight metres in length,” says Kessler. “The waters around here are like a boys’ high school for whale sharks,” she says.

Kessler also sends information on manta ray sightings to the Manta Trust; an NGO founded to protect manta rays globally. Conservationists can track new pregnancies, injuries and overall population trends by sending underwater images of mantas to the trust. Manta rays are classified as endangered. They are protected by law in the Maldives, which has the world’s biggest recorded population of manta rays.

“No matter how often I encounter manta rays, they always amaze me,” says Kessler. “Besides being unbelievably graceful, they are also very curious and intelligent. They can often interact with snorkelers and divers, making the encounters even more magical.”

Kessler gives presentations twice a week to Outrigger guests on manta rays, whale sharks, turtles, marine life and coral reef preservation in the South Ari Atoll.

In July, she conducted coral planting, assisted by guests, adding frames of new coral beneath a jetty at the resort to encourage the breeding of young corals and fish species.

Marine conservation and awareness building are a key part of Outrigger Maldives resort operations, all of which align with Outrigger’s ZONE (OZONE), the company’s long-established global marine conservation and environmental care initiative.

ABOUT OUTRIGGER MALDIVES MAAFUSHIVARU RESORT

Discover a unique Island Experience in the Indian Ocean, offering small island charm with contemporary architecture and bespoke finishing touches. In the pristine South Ari Atoll, the 5-star Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort is a 25-minute seaplane journey from Male. It offers 81 villas in five distinct styles plus four restaurants, bars and cafes, a spa, a library lounge, a boutique, an airport lounge and transfers. The resort features a fully equipped PADI and SSI dive centre, island excursions, movie and documentary nights and vow renewals for couples. It has its own in-house marine biologist. She leads marine discovery trips and a coral regeneration project and gives presentations in the evening. More at Outrigger.com.

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