BANGKOK, 17 May 2022: Khiri Travel, a leading destination
management company headquartered in Bangkok, has hired Tim Russell as its group
marketing manager.
Russell confirmed the appointment last week, saying in a social media post: “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Group Marketing Manager at Khiri Travel.
Photo credit: Twitter
He leaves eRoam, where he worked as its commercial director
(Southeast Asia) and global marketing during the Covid-19 crisis. eRoam is an
Australia-based provider of travel technology solutions to tour operators, DMCs
and travel agents.
He is best known for founding and developing TineriTineri,
which allowed tour operators and travel agents to provide their clients with a
user-friendly mobile itinerary app. He enthusiastically promoted the mobile app
to inbound travel companies at international trade shows, including the annual
ITB Asia up until the Covid-19 lockdown travel worldwide.
He officially joined Khiri Travel on 1 May. He is expected
to take over the duties of Richard Brouwer, who held the chief commercial
officer post from January 2016 to December 2019.
KUALA LUMPUR, 17 MAY 2022: All Nippon Airways has become the
latest global airline to authorise the sale of their flights on the AirAsia
Super App OTA platform, enabling all app users to explore the best of Japan and
more.
As a Star Alliance member, ANA has partnerships with more
than 35 airlines, flying to 50 destinations within Japan and 32 international
destinations across Asia, Europe and America.
AirAsia Super App CEO Amanda Woo said: “We are thrilled to
welcome another world-renowned airline, ANA, to our AirAsia Super App OTA
platform… The addition of ANA into our list of notable airlines on the AirAsia
Super App OTA platform is also very timely, in line with Japan’s recent
announcement on its plan to reopen its borders to international tourists from
June.”
“With this collaboration with AirAsia Super App,
travellers can easily book their ANA experience to Japan or any other
international destination effortlessly. ANA and AirAsia Super App will continue
to work together as international travel resumes, improving customer experience
and ensuring travel planning is as convenient as possible,” said ANA Kuala
Lumpur branch office general manager Minoru Kusakabe
Aside from ANA, the AirAsia Super App OTA platform includes
over 700 other airline partners with other notable names such as Turkish
Airlines, Emirates, Air New Zealand and KLM.
Aside from other airlines’ flights, the AirAsia Super App
OTA platform also includes more than 700,000 hotels worldwide through its
partnership with notable names such as Trip.com, MG Group and WebBeds.
BANGKOK, 17 May 2022: The Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai AirAsia are partnering in a new marketing campaign targeting millennials and young couples from Singapore.
The Amazing New Chapter: Rediscover Thailand was launched in
Singapore last week by TAT deputy governor for international marketing – Asia
and South Pacific, Tanes Petsuwan and Thai AirAsia Chief Executive Officer
Santisuk Klongchaiya at an event presided over by Thailand’s ambassador to
Singapore Chutintorn Gongsakdi.
Singapore is a key visitor source market for Thailand, and the “Amazing New Chapter: Rediscover Thailand” leverages various joint promotion marketing activities rolled out by the TAT Singapore Office.
The campaign should sell around 3,000 seats on Thai
AirAsia’s flights from Singapore to Bangkok and Phuket to millennials and young
couples up until the close of the deals at the end of July.
Thai AirAsia operates a daily flight on the Singapore-Don
Mueang Bangkok route and two weekly flights on the Singapore-Phuket route
(Tuesday and Saturday).
TAT estimates 2022 could close with 10 million foreign
tourist arrivals, generating THB625.8 billion in tourism revenue. It claims
arrivals from short-haul markets could reach 1.1 million arrivals from ASEAN
markets, 200,000 arrivals from Australia and 450,000 arrivals from South Asia
(India).
BANGKOK, 17 May 2022: EXO Travel promoted two of its key managers, recently naming them general managers for Thailand and Cambodia as travel restrictions are shelved in the two countries.
The regional inbound travel company named Marcel Van Der Zwaag as general manager of EXO Travel Cambodia. He was formerly the regional adventure manager for the group.
Photo Credit: Exo Travel. Marcel Van Der Zwaag
He initially joined EXO Travel in 2016 as manager for the
adventure division supervised by EXO Travel’s Thailand office; a role subsequently
expanded to cover adventure activities in Cambodia and Laos. Now he heads the
operations in Cambodia.
Exo Travel has also promoted Kim Martin Rasmussen as the general manager of Thailand. In 2014 he joined EXO as product manager of EXO Thailand. In 2016, Kim also handled contracting in Thailand and then, in 2018, he became Thailand product manager and regional contracting manager.
SINGAPORE 17 May 2022: Star Alliance and its 26-member carriers celebrated its 25th-anniversary last week, saying it will continue to deliver seamless connectivity with new digital and mobile innovations.
“We reflect on the successes of Star Alliance in uniting the
leading global airlines, with an eye firmly focused on a future where the
customer continues to be at the heart of our work and our global network,” said
Star Alliance CEO Jeffrey Goh,
In recognising the 1997 anniversary milestone, member
carriers will release campaigns under the new brand tagline ‘Together. Better.
Connected.’
Campaign touchpoints
The latest innovations will focus on a new partnership model
that cements network leadership. One of them involves launching an
industry-first co-branded credit card in a regional market that will offer
loyal customers of member airlines the opportunity to earn miles and points on
their spending.
The alliance members have also jointly adopted a
sustainability statement to commit to the industry goal of net-zero carbon
emissions and consequent joint efforts on decarbonisation.
Star Alliance Biometrics, launched in 2020, is now available
across four major airports – Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna – with Hamburg added
in April 2022.
Another development expands the alliance’s Digital
Connection Service to augment the Star Alliance Connection Centres that assist
in connecting passengers at major airports. This service is currently available
at London Heathrow and will expand to a key European hub soon.
Award-winning Star Alliance lounge in Los Angeles and other
premium lounges in Amsterdam, Rome, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Paris
will rollout options for paid access.
The alliance plans to enhance the collection and online
redemption of points and miles for award flights and upgrades across the 26
member carriers.
HONG KONG, 17 May 2022: Adjustments to the government’s travel restrictions and quarantine requirements should encourage the gradual resumption of travel activities and strengthen network connectivity to and from the Hong Kong aviation hub, the airline said in its marketing outlook attached to its traffic figures for April 2022.
“We will actively resume more flights to more destinations in the coming months. Our flight arrangements from early June notably include daily flights to and from London Heathrow (LHR). We will also be resuming or increasing passenger flights for a number of important markets, including the US, Australia, New Zealand and India,” the airline said in the media statement.
According to the airline’s April 2022 traffic figures
released last Friday, Cathay Pacific carried 40,823 passengers last month, an
increase of 82.2% compared to April 2021 but a 98.7% decrease compared to the
pre-pandemic level in April 2019.
The month’s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased
60.7% year-on-year but were down 98.5% versus April 2019. Passenger load factor
increased by 31.5 percentage points to 55.6%, while capacity, measured in
available seat kilometres (ASKs), decreased by 30.2% year-on-year and decreased
by 97.7% compared with April 2019 levels. In the first four months of 2022,
passengers increased by 37.8% against a 60.1% decrease in capacity and a 15.8%
increase in RPKs, as compared to the same period for 2021.
The airline’s chief customer and commercial officer, Ronald
Lam said: “April saw some positive developments for our travel business
with improved demand across our network. Following the lifting of the ban on
inbound flights from nine countries on 1 April, in addition to the adjustment
of the quarantine period from 14 to seven days for travellers arriving in Hong
Kong, we saw increased demand among residents wishing to return home to the
city, in particular from the UK. In view of this stronger demand, we increased
our passenger flight capacity by about 25% compared with March, although we
still only operated about 2% of our pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity last
month.
“We launched additional frequencies, providing more and
better connections for our transit passengers. In addition to ongoing demand
from the Chinese Mainland, transit traffic going to and from other destinations
in Asia also picked up. On 29 April, we carried 2,805 passengers in total,
which was the highest since 4 August 2021. Conversely, we further reduced our
frequencies to the Chinese Mainland in view of the Covid-19 situation in
Shanghai.
Outlook
The airline said it would continue to look for opportunities to add back capacity and rebuild its Hong Kong hub and network. It expects additional capacity to positively impact Cathay Pacific’s business, benefit operations and improve its cost base.
“According to preliminary assessment, we are targeting to reduce operating cash burn to less than HKD0.5 billion per month for the next few months,” Lam concluded.
SINGAPORE, 13 May 2022: From the world’s largest theme and waterparks and a museum that transports visitors to the future to an authentic desert safari adventure, a summer in Dubai promises to delight all senses for travellers looking forward to a refreshing vacation.
For a limited time only, travellers from Singapore can enjoy special promotional fares to Dubai when flying with Emirates, with all-inclusive economy class fares from Singapore to Dubai starting at SGD579, business class fares starting at SGD2,529, and first-class fares starting at SGD8,949. Bookings open until 22 May 2022 for travel from 5 May to 31 December 2022, both dates inclusive.
Following the return of “My Emirates Pass Summer Edition”,
Emirates’ customers arriving in or stopping over in Dubai can also unlock
special deals and discover the best of the city’s attractions, retail
experience, and culinary highlights.
From 1 May to 30 September 2022, Emirates customers can show
their boarding pass and a valid form of identification to enjoy exclusive deals
at hundreds of retail, leisure, and dining outlets in Dubai and the United Arab
Emirates.
Here are some of the attractions travellers should not miss
when they set foot in Dubai.
Atlantis Aquaventure
Photo from Atlantis.
Among the world’s largest waterparks with over 105 slides,
activities, and entertainment, the Atlantis Aquaventure is home to the world’s
tallest waterslide, aptly named the ‘Odyssey of Terror’, as well as the famed
‘Leap of Faith’ open-air ride, which promises riders a euphoric experience with
its speedy near-vertical plummet. Besides the thrills of the rides and slides,
visitors can also get up close and personal with hundreds of marine animals
inside the underwater world of the Shark Lagoon or suit up for an exhilarating
afternoon of watersports at the private beach located within the waterpark.
Visitors can take a stroll through the Lost Chamber Aquarium and discover the
depths of the sea and the wonders of marine life. With more than 65,000 creatures
within the 11-million-litre aquarium and 21 unique exhibits, it is the perfect
learning journey for children and adults alike.
With the return of “My Emirates Pass Summer
Edition”, Emirates customers can simply show their boarding pass and a valid
form of identification at the ticket counter to enjoy a 20% discount on general
admission to Aquaventure Waterpark and a 40% discount on general admission to
the Lost Chambers Aquarium.
IMG Worlds of Adventure
Photo from IMG Worlds of Adventure’s Facebook Page.
Among the world’s largest indoor theme parks and Dubai’s
first mega themed entertainment destination, the IMG Worlds of Adventures
brings together the best-loved cartoon and superhero themes with
state-of-the-art roller coaster rides and adventure zones. Fans of The Avengers
can bask in the Marvel Universe at the dedicated Marvel zone and walk in the
shoes of their favourite superheroes for a day. Rides include the
gravity-defying ‘Thor Thunder Spin’ and the hyper-realistic ‘Hulk Epsilon Base’
3D ride. Meanwhile, visitors can catch characters from the Power Puff Girls and
soar high on an adventure with Finn and Jake from Adventure Time at the Cartoon
Network zone, which also houses the world’s largest Ben 10 retail store. To conclude
the day, visitors can wind down by catching a film at the theme park’s massive
IMAX theatre, which boasts three VIP screens and a seven-star service
experience.
Emirates’ customers can enjoy a 30% discount on general
admission to IMG Worlds of Adventure with “My Emirates Pass Summer
Edition”.
Desert Safari with Arabian Adventures
Picture from Arabian Adventures’ Facebook Page.
A holiday to Dubai will not be complete without an escapade
to the deserts. For those who thrive on adrenaline, buckle up, hold on tight,
and be whisked off into the endless dunes on a trusty four-wheel drive. For
those who prefer to savour the tranquillity of the desert, a plethora of other
activities awaits – catch the sunset, ride a camel, enjoy a barbeque dinner, or
try out glamping within the pristine dunes.
From 1 May to 30 September 2022, Emirates’ customers can
enjoy a 15% discount when they book with Arabian Adventures for Exclusive
Desert Experience – Private Vehicle, Shared Evening Safari with Premium
Beverages, Dune Buggy Driver Experience, and VIP Desert Safari – Sharing.
Marina Sightseeing Cruise
Photo from Emirates.
For unrivalled panoramic views of the city’s most iconic
skylines from the Arabian Gulf, travellers can hop onto the Marina Sightseeing
Cruise, travelling through Dubai in a handcrafted wooden dhow. They can sit
back, relax, and enjoy the hour-long tour offering a unique perspective of the
city’s architecture, culture, and history.
Emirates’ customers landing in Dubai from 1 to 31 May can
enjoy a complimentary Tour Dubai Marine Sightseeing Cruise.
Museum of the Future
Photo from Museum of the Future’s Facebook Page.
Touted as ‘the most beautiful building in the world, Dubai’s
Museum of the Future welcomed its first visitors in February this year.
Bringing together the best of science, technology, and innovation, the museum
explores the endless possibilities and visions for the future of humanity.
Visitors can expect cutting-edge multi-sensorial exhibits across seven floors
as they journey to the year 2071. The pillarless architectural and engineering
marvel stands at 77 meters and invites visitors to an inspiring and immersive
experience they can never forget.
Shopping spree at The Dubai Summer Surprises
Photo from Pexels.
In addition to an exciting calendar of world-class culture,
shopping, and dining, The Dubai Summer Surprises, one of the city’s major
shopping and entertainment events, will also be running from 1 July to 4
September, with a packed line-up of events and family activities, exclusive
shopping deals, fun competitions, and shop and win promotions.
With “My Emirates Pass Summer Edition”, Emirates’ customers can receive up to a 20% discount on full-price merchandise when they shop at Aldo, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.
Emirates flies to over 130
destinations across six continents. Emirates will be increasing passenger
services from Dubai to Singapore from seven weekly flights to 14 weekly
flights, starting from 23 June 2022. Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Office, via travel agents or
through online travel agents.
KUCHING, 13 May 2022: One of the longest-running jazz
festivals in the region, the Borneo Jazz festival is returning to Coco Cabana,
Miri, Sarawak, from 24 to 26 June 2022.
Themed “Jazz in The Jungle”, the 17th edition, will be held in a hybrid format for the first time to reach out to the greater jazz-loving community worldwide. It will be joined by performers from over countries, namely Singapore, Japan, France, Switzerland, USA, and Hungary, not to mention the best names in Malaysian jazz.
Curated by No Black Tie and in keeping with the festival’s
objectives to bring musicians from cultural backgrounds together in Borneo,
this year’s edition will highlight cross-cultural musical collaborations from
jazz, soul and bossa nova to hip hop in celebration of Jungle Jazz.
Among those featured is renowned percussionist Steve
Thornton from Brooklyn, New York, with his band AFRO ASIA.
Jazz and Afro-Caribbean rhythms come together with AFRO ASIA
playing Rumba, Guaguanco, Samba, Calypso and Salsa, featuring sounds of
percussion instruments from Latin America, Africa and Asia. Adding a unique
Asian flavour to the sounds of AFRO ASIA will be Kamrul Hussin on Malay
percussions and Sesatre Bansuri on Indian and traditional flutes, teaming up
with one of Asia’s brightest jazz trios featuring pianist from Shanghai, Eric
Li, Malaysian bassist Rozhan Razman and drummer John Thomas.
Another top bill is ASIABEAT featuring celebrated Asian
drummer Lewis Pragasam, the founder and moving spirit of the pioneering
ASIABEAT project, whose recordings and performances are now legendary in the
merging of Asian and contemporary music styles. Since its inception in 1979,
ASIABEAT has toured and performed more than 500 performances at concerts and
festivals such as Edinburgh Arts Festival, Java Jazz and ASEAN Music Festival.
For the Borneo Jazz Festival edition, ASIABEAT will feature
Helga Violin from Hungary, Grace Leong on Keyboards, Luke Joseph on Guitar and
Zailan Razak on Bass. Sarawakian musician Clinton Chua will also feature as a
guest singer. This will be the first large scale performance for ASIABEAT after
a two-year hiatus.
In addition, Gecko & Tokage Parade from Tokyo, Japan,
will be on stage. The Japanese
new-generation instrumental jazz band is led by the composer and pianist Wataru
/ Gecko, with their band motto “Pursuit of new-generation sound”.
This four-piece band, with its attractive technique and ensemble playing pop
and classical melodies, will appeal to the young generation of the audience
seeking a new sonic experience from attending Borneo Jazz.
From Singapore and the US, Alemay Fernandez & Richard
Jackson will woo the Borneo Jazz audiences with their refreshing style and
unmistakable chemistry.
Bringing Jazz, R&B and hip hop vibes to Borneo Jazz
Stage is QSOUND, a graduate of the prestigious Juilliard School in New York
City.
Next, MASIA ONE from Singapore. Born in Singapore, she grew
up in Canada, where she earned her stripes in America and became inspired by her
time in the Caribbean. Now this artist is reconnecting with her roots in Asia.
More names will be revealed in the coming weeks leading to
the festival.
Tickets
Jazz music lovers can start purchasing tickets for BJ
starting 22 April 2022 from the website jazzborneo.com. For the public
category, a one-day pass costs MYR128 per ticket, a two-day pass MYR228 per
ticket and a three-day pass MYR338.
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.
List of Confirmed Artists
AFRO ASIA FEAT STEVE THORNTON (USA/Malaysia)
ASIABEAT FEAT LEWIS PRAGASAM & HELGA VIOLIN (Malaysia / Hungary)
GECKO & TOKAGE PARADE (Japan)
ALEMAY FERNANDEZ & RICHARD JACKSON (Singapore / USA)
MASIA ONE (Singapore)
QSOUND (USA / Malaysia)
DJ ESTEPHE FEAT CHRIS STALK & JULES VULZOR (France / Switzerland)
SINGAPORE, 13 May 2022: Carnival Corporation has announced
that effective 1 August, Arnold Donald, currently president and chief executive
officer, will be appointed vice-chair and member of the Boards of Directors.
Josh Weinstein, currently chief operations officer, will
assume the role of president and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc.
Left: Arnold Donald. Right: Josh Weinstein.
“Josh is a proven executive who is well-respected
throughout the company, serving in key leadership roles, driving strong
business results during his tenure and playing an integral part in stewarding
the company through the global pandemic,” Donald said.
A 20-year veteran of Carnival Corporation & plc,
Weinstein has a long history of success in critical senior-level roles for the
company. In his most recent assignment for the past two years as Carnival
Corporation & plc’s Chief Operations Officer, Weinstein oversaw all major
operational functions, including global maritime, global ports and
destinations, global sourcing, global IT and global auditing. He also led Carnival
UK, the operating company for P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard, which he
previously managed directly for three years as president.
Donald was named President and CEO of Carnival Corporation
& plc in 2013. During his nine-year tenure as CEO, he led the company to
record results, pre-pandemic — including achieving the company’s highest
profits in its history.
Recently, Donald has helped the company and its brands
successfully navigate the global pandemic, well positioning the company for the
future. The company expects each of its nine leading cruise line brand’s full
fleets to operate guest cruises in 2022, following what has been an extended
pause. Carnival Corporation & plc also anticipates that monthly adjusted
EBITDA will turn positive at the beginning of the summer season.
Carnival Corporation is one of the world’s largest leisure
travel companies with a portfolio of nine of the world’s leading cruise lines
sailing to all seven continents. With operations in North America, Australia,
Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises,
Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises,
AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.
DUBAI, 13 May 2022: Tourism Malaysia returned to the Arabian
Travel Market this week to restart promotions in the Middle East and network
with tourism trade partners after a two-year pause due to the Covid-19
pandemic.
The prestigious annual event was held at Dubai World Trade Centre from 9 to 12 May. This year, the Malaysian delegation was led by the Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri. The Malaysia Pavilion consisted of 64 delegates representing 32 organisations, mainly hotels, travel agencies and state tourism boards.
Malaysia reopened its borders to international tourists on 1
April 2022. Commenting on the decision, Dato’ Sri Nancy said: “It was
indeed a significant milestone for our tourism industry as we welcome more
international first time and returning visitors to boost our economy further.
Now that our borders are fully open again, we are confident that we will
witness a strong rebound in tourism numbers to bolster the recovery of our
economy. This year, we estimate 2 million international tourist arrivals
generating more than MYR8.6 billion in tourism receipts.”
Pre-pandemic, in 2019, Malaysia received 397,726 tourists
from the MENA region. Saudi Arabia was Malaysia’s top market, accounting for
121,444 tourists, more than 30% of arrivals, from the West Asia and North
African regions, an 8.2% increase over the previous year.
The minister scheduled meetings with senior executives from
key Middle Eastern airlines to discuss future collaboration during the event.
She also attended the signing of a Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) between
Tourism Malaysia and Emirates hosted at the airline’s pavilion.
“We will continue to place a strong emphasis and focus
on attracting Middle Eastern tourists to Malaysia, so naturally, we will be
stepping up our promotional efforts here,” said Dato’ Sri Nancy during the
signing ceremony.
