The touring travel mart that focuses on two major urban areas in Malaysia (Penang and Kuala Lumpur) to rustle up domestic tour bookings launched the revived series of fairs in Penang earlier this month,

For the  MITM round in Kuala Lumpur, a team of seven tour agencies that are also members of the MTCA Sabah Chapter and the Sabah Tourism Board presented the state’s tourism message and travel experience tapping the vast potential for holiday bookings from West Malaysia and beyond. Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association organises the travel fair series claiming each venue generates around MYR70 million in booking turnover. At the latest count, Malaysia’s domestic tourism market stands at around 16.9 million potential travellers.

Sabah’s Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said: “We are really happy to see travellers returning to Sabah either as first-timers or returning visitors. In addition, there is the positive support received by the public in our attendance at consumer shows such as MITM.

“We hope with the participation in current and future travel fairs by tourism associations, agencies and support from the state’s tourism board we will boost Sabah to be the first choice destination for both domestic and international travellers.”

This year’s MITM Fair in Kuala Lumpur attracted 58 exhibitors with 250 exhibition booths. Earlier this month, Sabah Tourism Board, led by its Marketing Manager Puan Zarinah Amiludin along with four travel agents, participated in the recently concluded Penang MITM Fair from 2 to 3 July 2022.

For more information on Sabah visit: www.sabahtourism.com.

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)

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Eid meals are being served on more than 60 routes departing Dubai; to the Gulf and Middle East region, Africa, UK and Europe, the Far East, and India.

The economy class selection includes Chicken Biryani or Lamb Gabuli for the main course, followed by the iconic Aseeda Eid pudding or classic date cake for dessert.

First and Business Class passengers enjoy Hamour Machbous, Chicken Biryani, or Lamb Gabuli, followed by decadent Baklava cheesecake or a fragrant cardamom cake.

A380 onboard lounges are also serving a selection of special Emirati-style pastries.

Eid al-Adha translates as the ‘Holiday of the Sacrifice’ and is the second and biggest of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam. It is just one of the many multicultural occasions celebrated onboard Emirates with cosmopolitan customers, including Diwali, Christmas, Easter and Orthodox festivals.

Passengers travelling over the busy Eid period are reminded to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight departure. They can streamline their boarding by using online and remote check-in options, self-check-in kiosks and ‘smart’ gates.

Visit: www.emirates.com.

(Your Stories: Emirates)

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Through a partnership with Wealth Management Group, Dhawa Yura and Garrya Nijo Castle launched in June, while Banyan Tree Higashiyama and Banyan Tree Ashinoko Hakone are set to open by 2026.

Separately, Banyan Tree Group has just signed a new partnership with Terraform Capital that will lead to a newly built Cassia in the beautiful ski resort of Niseko.

Banyan Tree takes root in Japan

Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto: Located in the Gion and Higashiyama district, Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto will open in spring 2024 as a 52-key luxury, hilltop urban resort boasting spectacular views of Kyoto city. It will also be the first and only hotel in Kyoto city to have a Noh stage.

Banyan Tree Ashinoko Hakone: Renowned for its hot spring, historical destination and views of Mount Fuji, Banyan Tree Ashinoko Hakone will be a new luxury resort development slated to open in 2026 in an area adjacent to Lake Ashino.

Cassia Hirafu: A newly built resort is set to open in 2025 in the most popular ski resort destination in Japan. Cassia in Niseko will be just minutes away from Hirafu ski slope. It will have 50 keys for the resort and 113 keys for residential accommodation – ranging from 1-bedroom to villas that will be available for sale.

Dhawa Yura Kyoto: Honouring the city’s deeply rooted history, Dhawa Yura Kyoto opened its doors on 17 June beside the iconic Sanjo Ohashi – a bridge that was once the final station of the ancient Tokaido Road from Tokyo. The road served as a route for long-distance voyagers during the Edo period in Japan. The 138-room hotel’s historical ties are reflected in the interior design and artwork, and an 8lement Spa will nurture guests on their journey to wellbeing.

Garrya Nijo Castle Kyoto: As the first opening under the group’s newest concept, Garrya Nijo Castle Kyoto presents a new and distinct approach to wellbeing through simplistic design and amenities that recharge and rejuvenate. The 25-room hotel opened last month and is located right in front of Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site built in 1603 during the Tokugawa Shogunate. It offers a meditative view of lush greenery from the lobby, seasonal cuisine at its innovative French restaurant, Singular, and a Wellbeing Room for restorative exercises and yoga.

In addition, Banyan Tree Group announces a strategic partnership with Intrance Hotels & Resorts Inc., focusing on conversion projects that will further propel the group’s growth in Japan.

“We are pleased with our strategic entry into Japan, in line with the government’s recent decision to ease international tourism into the country. Just in time to announce the openings of Dhawa and Garrya, in addition to the new partnerships that will expand our multi-branded portfolio. Kyoto is an unmistakable great start for Banyan Tree Group’s foray into Japan, with its natural healing springs, vast history, and abundant culture,” said Banyan Tree Group’s president and chief executive officer, Eddy See.

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In the first five months of the year (January to May), travel to Southeast Asia reached just 18% of pre-pandemic levels, whereas travel to Europe reached 55%, to the Americas 66% and the Middle East & Africa 64%.

Looking ahead to the summer months (June to August), flight bookings for Southeast Asia are at just 43% of pre-pandemic levels, whereas bookings for Europe are at 70%, for the Americas are at 78% and for the Middle East & Africa are at 85%

This summer’s analysis of long-haul flight bookings reveals that travel from the USA is set to reach 75% of where it was in 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak. Australia is the next healthiest source market in which bookings are far behind, at 60% of 2019 levels. It is followed by the UK, at 47%, Germany, at 58%, and France, at 57%.

The most popular destinations for US visitors are the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia. Helpfully, as US tourists are known for high spending, average trip durations appear to be significantly longer than before the pandemic. This visitor profile is also more affluent, with 17% flying in the front of the plane, compared to 9% in the equivalent months in 2019.

The destinations which are recovering most strongly are the Philippines and Singapore. Summer flight bookings for the Philippines are currently at 70% of pre-pandemic levels, for Singapore, 58%, for Thailand, 35%, Indonesia at 41% and Vietnam, 32%. Travel to the Philippines is dominated by people returning to visit friends and relatives, whereas travel to other destinations is more for work and leisure.

Throughout the pandemic, airlines flying to Southeast Asia have provided enough seat capacity to accommodate passenger demand. However, in May 2022, the acceleration in demand started to outstrip capacity, which has been creating upward pressure on airfares.

Government-imposed travel restrictions provide the best explanation of the observed recovery trends, as the destinations that relaxed restrictions earlier, such as the Philippines and Singapore, have recovered more strongly.

Some of the most significant dates and changes to travel regulations include:

10 February Philippines – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine, but a pre-departure test is required

27 March India – opens to all travellers without quarantine

1 April Singapore – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests

18 April Australia – opens to vaccinated passengers without quarantine, but a pre-departure test is required

1 May Malaysia – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests

1 May Thailand – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests, but pre-travel registration, with details of vaccination and insurance, is needed

15 May Vietnam – opens to all travellers with no Covid-related entry rules

18 May Cambodia – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests

18 May Indonesia – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine and tests

8 June South Korea – opens to vaccinated travellers without quarantine, but a pre-departure test is required

10 June Japan – opens to tourists in tour groups from 98 countries

31 July New Zealand – will reopen two months earlier than originally planned

 ForwardKeys VP Insights Olivier Ponti commented: “Travel during the pandemic has been a function of pent-up demand pushing in one direction and pandemic protection rules pushing back in the opposite direction. The recovery of air travel in Southeast Asia is lagging because travel restrictions there have been tougher. China, which used to be Southeast Asia’s largest source market, is still closed. Japan, another major travel market, is reopening very cautiously, and seat capacity, which is constrained, is leading to higher airfares, which in turn dampens demand.”

(Source: ForwardKeys).

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CCSA rulings will still need to be published in the Royal Gazette before they become law, but that is expected soon.

According to the CCSA announcement, travellers heading for Thailand will no longer need to register on the Thailand Pass App starting 1 July. If they have been vaccinated against Covid-19, they can enter Thailand freely without needing health insurance. Up until now, the minimum insurance stood at USD10,000. That goes out of the window on 1 July along with the Thailand Pass requirement. The Thailand Pass and insurance requirement ended for Thai citizens on 1 June.

From 1 July 2022, foreign nationals are only required to show proof of either a certificate of vaccination or a negative RT-PCR or professional ATK test result within 72 hours of travel. Travellers can present evidence of the tests in print or digital format. Random checks will be made on arrivals at Thailand’s international airports or land border checkpoints.

Mask-wearing rules will also be eased, making them mandatory in just crowded indoor areas or for mass gatherings. They will not be required outdoors or in public places that are well ventilated. Clarification is still required on whether domestic airline passengers will still be required to wear masks during flights or whether commuters will be required to wear masks when boarding MRT and Skytrain services in Bangkok.

The CCSA also reassessed the Covid-19 risks in Bangkok and 76 provinces, designating them to the surveillance only or green zone, which allows normal businesses and activities nationwide, including the return to a 2400 closing hour rule for nightclubs and bars. The ban on serving alcoholic drinks from 1400 to 1700 daily, a pre-Covid-19 rule, will no longer apply to hotels serving tourists. However, provincial governors have the power to include restaurants outside of hotels in the new drinking hours if they believe it benefits the province’s economy.

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According to the PTTA’s media statement, the biggest discounts will be tagged on holidays to South Korea and Japan, two destinations that are hugely popular with Filipino travellers.

Both South Korea and Japan have recently opened their borders, with Japan linking entry to buying a tour package from a recognised travel firm.

At least 142 exhibitors will participate in the 29th Travel Tour Expo and the business-to-business travel trade mart 7th International Travel Trade Expo (iTTE), which will be held at the SMX Convention Centre, the Philippines News Agency reported.

“We’re offering or promoting all the destinations, locally and internationally, especially those that relaxed their protocols,” PTAA president Michelle Taylan told the press briefing last Thursday.

Cebu Pacific, one of the exhibitors, also promised flights to South Korea and Japan at markdown fares.

Cebu Pacific passenger sales & distribution director Arlene Tena confirmed Japan opened the country for tourists starting 10 June, but they must book their trips through Japan-accredited tour operators.

Korea is more relaxed, allowing travellers to visit the country without pre-purchasing an accredited tour package.

PTAA’s expo should attract 30,000 to 45,000 visitors over the three days of sales sessions.

(Source: Philippines News Agency)

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A media statement from Changi Airport said it was “another significant milestone as part of post-pandemic recovery initiatives”.

FY3124 departed from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport to Seletar Airport with 59 passengers on board, including Firefly’s chief executive officer, Philip See. They were welcomed by Changi Airport Group executive vice president, Airport Management Tan Lye Teck.

Firefly started flights to Seletar in April 2019 and suspended them in March 2020 due to the pandemic.

With the resumption of scheduled flights, the airline will operate twice-daily Kuala Lumpur-Singapore services from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport to Seletar Airport.

“This recommencement has become one of the highlights for Firefly this year, especially after the last flight in March 2020. Singapore has become one of the important destinations for us, connecting leisure and business passengers. Hence, this recommencement will be able to connect passengers from both countries whilst enhancing the economy via the tourism industry”, said Firefly CEO Philip See.

To prepare for the resumption of scheduled flights, Changi Airport Group, which manages Seletar Airport, has conducted multiple operational trials and system tests with Seletar’s airport partners. Airport staff also participated in refresher training sessions and briefings on operational and safety requirements to prepare them to serve passengers. CAG has engaged taxi companies to raise awareness of Firefly’s resumption of flights. Taxi drivers that make the trip to Seletar Airport to pick up passengers will also enjoy complimentary coffee and tea in June.

All Firefly passengers travelling to and from Seletar gain a 20kg complimentary baggage allowance, fast check-in and boarding and complimentary in-flight refreshments onboard.

Passengers travelling must be fully vaccinated and comply with all standard operating procedures (SOP) set by both countries before booking. International flights are subject to local government and regulatory approval.

Since the reopening of Malaysia’s borders and relaxation of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP), Firefly has increased flights to several destinations in the country and will reinstate more international flights.

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Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn commented on the opening day of the Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+), saying he was “pushing for the country’s tourism recovery with plans referred to as a ‘booster shot’ to stimulate international markets. The key focus is to bring back airlines’ seats and reach out to target markets by conducting roadshows.”

The Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) 2022, hosted in Phuket, closes Friday, 10 June, after a conference and networking trade show that lasted three days.

Yuthasak said he had different plans to propose to the government, but the core element requires a THB100 million budget to help speed up the tourism recovery.

Following the easing of travel restrictions, TAT targets tourism to climb to around 25% of pre-Covid levels by the end of the year and 80% by next year. According to the recent estimates, the agency expects the industry will fully recover no later than 2024. It’s an ambitious undertaking as the country welcomed 39 million visitors during the 2019 pre-Covid era.

But he is confident that TAT’s ‘booster shot’ will stimulate the travel market – pushing tourist arrivals to as high as 10 million by 2022.

“For the booster shot, we are looking at several plans that we will propose to the government, such as bringing back numbers of airlines seats as air capacity is still limited, which raises the cost of travel. TAT offices in overseas countries will discuss and convince international airlines that there’s enough demand for their flights to Thailand. Also, we are looking to conduct roadshows or trade missions, especially in the target markets such as India, the Middle East and Indonesia,” said Yuthasak.

As for increasing air seat capacity, he said efforts would not be limited to just scheduled flights. TAT will work with airlines to promote charter flights or conduct co-marketing to help airlines fill the gap between their expected organic growth and the target.

There is also a  plan to conduct roadshows in priority source market countries. Yuthasak said the Chinese market is showing positive signs as some provinces start to ease travel restrictions and some local authorities are approaching TAT to discuss the possibility of working on the sandbox model with Thailand.

But independent observers who have an ear to the ground in China’s travel market say the reopening date for outbound travel is far from decided as China still adheres to a zero-tolerance policy for Covid-19. It is likely to remain the dominant policy for the remainder of the year so the best-case scenario suggests outbound travel may revive during the Chinese New Year 2023 celebrations (22 January). The worst-case scenario could see outbound travel returning at full throttle in time for the annual golden week holiday in October 2023.

Yuthasak adopts the optimistic forecast, saying that if the situation and related restrictions improve by October 2022, TAT hopes to welcome Chinese tourists by early next year around the Chinese New Year holiday break.

As for the TTM+, he recommends the show expand for the 2023 edition to include a B2C sales session to help sellers capture business directly from the domestic travel market.

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The new cabin class, which offers luxurious seats, more legroom, and service delivery to rival many airlines’ business offerings, will be available to Emirates customers travelling on popular A380 routes to London, Paris, and Sydney from 1 August and Christchurch from December.

This means travellers from Thailand via connecting flights in Dubai will also have a chance to book and secure seats for the new Premium Economy experience. Currently, Emirates is the only airline in the region to offer a Premium Economy cabin.

Emirates president Sir Tim Clark said: “As with everything we do, Emirates Premium Economy will be exceptional in its class, with minute attention given to every aspect of the customer experience. Customers trading up from the economy will be getting excellent value.

“Since we first introduced our Premium Economy seats in January 2021, the positive response and demand have been tremendous. We currently have six A380s equipped with this cabin class, which limits our initial deployment, but our intention is to offer this experience to many more markets across our network. This November, we will begin our retrofit programme to install Premium Economy on 67 A380s and 53 Boeing 777s. At the end of the programme, Emirates will have 126 aircraft fitted out with Premium Economy cabins, as well as our latest interiors across other cabins. It is a major investment to ensure our customers continue to have the best experience in the sky.”

Emirates Premium Economy is in a class of its own, offering a signature experience unmatched in the industry.

Dedicated airport experience: Customers can look forward to a dedicated check-in area for Premium Economy at Dubai International airport or utilise one of the many convenient self-service check-in kiosks in the hall to avoid queues.

Luxurious seats: Once onboard, customers will immediately notice the quiet luxury in Emirates’ Premium Economy cabin. A wood panel finishing similar to Business Class sets the cabin’s mood, and each seat is designed to provide optimal comfort and support with 6-way adjustable headrests.

The cream-coloured leather seats have a generous pitch of up to 40 inches, are 19.5 inches wide, and recline 8 inches into a comfortable cradle position with ample room to stretch out. It also offers calf rests and footrests for additional comfort, in addition to many other thoughtful touches such as easily accessible in-seat charging points and a side cocktail table.

Comfort: Customers can get comfortable under soft, sustainable blankets made from recycled plastic bottles and snuggle into the generously sized pillow, both designed uniquely for Premium Economy. They can also refresh themselves with the complimentary amenity kits, which come in reusable, sustainable bags and contain items which are all made with some element of recycled or sustainable materials.

Dining experience: Incorporating elements inspired by Business Class, customers will be welcomed on board with a welcome drink in fine glassware. A selection of generous meals made with seasonal ingredients and regional influences will be served on chinaware, accompanied by stainless steel cutlery wrapped in a linen napkin during meal service. The drinks menu will include a selection of beverages, including premium wines and a sparkling Chandon wine. There are also liqueurs available after meals, with chocolates.

Unmatched entertainment at 40,000 feet: Each seat has a 13.3” screen, one of the largest in its class, to enjoy the unmatched array of up to 5,000 channels of music, movies, TV, news and other content on Emirates’ award-winning ice.

On a four-class Emirates A380, the Premium Economy cabin is located at the front of the main deck with 56 seats laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration. On the Emirates Boeing 777, up to 24 Premium Economy seats will be installed in a dedicated cabin section between Business and Economy.

For more information on Emirates Premium Economy, visit:

https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/experience/cabin-features/premium-economy-class/

(Your Stories: Emirates)

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