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Travelport welcomes GBA on board

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 28 AUGUST  2024: Travelport, a technology company that powers bookings for travel suppliers worldwide, confirms its travel agency customers can access content from Greater Bay Airlines (GBA), Hong Kong’s newest carrier, using the Travelport+ platform.

The new agreement will support GBA’s expansion plans as Travelport+ connects the Hong Kong-based airline to Travelport’s global network of travel retailers. 

Travelport’s travel agency customers can search, compare and book GBA’s fares and ancillary services. The agreement also includes GBA’s use of Travelport’s rich content and branding merchandising solutions for ease of use and driving incremental sales.

“We have partnered with Travelport to support our growth strategy and connect with more travel retailers so that we can make it easy for agents and travellers to shop and book with GBA,” said Greater Bay Airlines Chief Operating Officer Stephen Loh. 

“We’ve enhanced the multi-source content that our agency customers can search, sell and service in Travelport+ with this new partner agreement that will support GBA to reach more travel retailers and customers as it expands into additional markets,” said Travelport Global Head of Travel Partners Damian Hickey.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, GBA operates flights to seven destinations in China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia (Bangkok and Manila).

GBA makes it three destinations in Japan

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 28 August 2024: Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) will launch a scheduled service to Yonago in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, starting 27 October 2024. This will make Yonago the airline’s third destination in Japan after Tokyo and Osaka. 

GBA will operate three weekly flights between Hong Kong and Yonago (Yonago Kitaro Airport) using a Boeing 737-800. Currently, the airline flies charters on the route due to demand for summer holidays.

Mizuki Shigeru Road features 170 bronze statues of manga characters, such as the one-eyed ghost-boy Kitaro.

Yonago is a major city in the western part of Tottori. It is a well-preserved historical town featuring many natural attractions, including Mount Daisen and Tottori Sand Dune. 

A hot spring resort is a popular overnight option. GBA recommends Kaike Onsen for its rejuvenating experience and stunning sunrise views of the Sea of Japan. 

Mizuki Shigeru Road is also a popular attraction for children and adults alike. The 800-metre arcade features some 170 bronze statues of manga characters, such as the one-eyed ghost-boy Kitaro, created by the legendary manga artist Shigeru Mizuki.

Flight schedule Hong Kong – Yonago route

GBA commenced scheduled service in July 2022 from its home base in Hong Kong and currently flies to Bangkok, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Manila, and Haikou with a fleet of eight Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Bali tops beach search ranking

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 28 August 2024: If searches are the criteria, Thailand’s Pattaya Beach is ahead of Phuket by just one place, according to Agoda’s latest reckoning. 

Pattaya was ranked fourth among the top 10 most searched beach destinations in Asia, while Phuket was one place behind in fifth place.

There were no surprises when Bali took the top spot, followed by Okinawa, Japan, in second place. The ever-popular Danang in central Vietnam came in third, and Nha Trang logged sixth place. Malaysia’s Penang took the eighth spot. The Philippines’ stalwarts of popular beach rankings saw Boracay Island in the ninth spot and Cebu rounding off the chart in 10th place.  

Digital travel platform Agoda unveiled the top beach destinations in Asia based on accommodation searches ahead of International Beach Day, celebrated on 1 September. 

The top 10 most searched beach destinations in Asia, according to Agoda 

  • Bali, Indonesia
  • Okinawa, Japan
  • Da Nang, Vietnam
  • Pattaya, Thailand
  • Phuket, Thailand
  • Nha Trang, Vietnam
  • Jeju, South Korea
  • Penang, Malaysia
  • Boracay Island, Philippines
  • Cebu, Philippines

The list, based on accommodation searches made on Agoda for September and October, highlights the most sought-after coastal getaways. 

Agoda’s platform provides travellers access to over 4.5 million holiday properties, more than 130,000 flight routes, and over 300,000 activities.

Air Astana and JAL ink codeshare pact

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 28 August 2024: Air Astana and Japan Airlines have signed a codeshare agreement allowing both airlines to place their respective codes on a new Almaty to Tokyo service scheduled to be launched in the spring of 2026.

This agreement enhances connectivity between Kazakhstan and Japan for business and leisure travellers and more widely fosters the movement of people and goods between the two countries. Diplomatic relations between Japan and Kazakhstan were established in 1992.

Air Astana Group CEO Peter Foster remarked: “Our collaboration with Japan Airlines is an exciting development that will enrich our international network and offer more travel options for our customers. We look forward to delivering a seamless travel experience between Kazakhstan and Japan passengers.”

Japan Airlines Group CEO Mitsuko Tottori stated: “We are delighted to cooperate with such a distinguished partner as Air Astana. Through developing passenger and cargo traffic, we will contribute to further enhancing the over 30 years of diplomatic relationship between Japan and Kazakhstan.”

JAL lounge goes live at Liverpool FC

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 28 August 2024: Japan Airlines (JAL) and Liverpool Football Club (LFC) have opened the Japan Airlines Lounge at Anfield Stadium, marking a key milestone in their new multi-year partnership announced earlier this year. 

The Japan Airlines Lounge is accessible through purchased hospitality packages with a three-course menu and additional matchday services.

The lounge opened a few hours before LFC’s first home match on 25 August and offers a fresh experience that blends Japanese hospitality with the excitement of English football. 

Reflecting JAL’s renowned service culture, the lounge design was inspired by Japanese nature and architectural elements. This is seen in timbers, soft lighting, clean lines, and modern contemporary furnishings. The Japan Airlines Lounge, occupying the former 1892 hospitality space, will be open during Liverpool FC home matches. 

Japan Airlines Deputy Vice President Customer Experience Junko Sakihara noted: “We are thrilled to launch the Japan Airlines Lounge at Anfield, marking an initial key step in our multi-year partnership with Liverpool FC. This lounge uniquely blends Japanese hospitality with football, uniting two cultures that value tradition, excellence, and community. We look forward to building a strong connection between our brands.”

The lounge unveiling is part of a broader partnership between Japan Airlines and Liverpool FC, united by a shared commitment to caring for people and communities. Additional collaborations will include joint efforts through the LFC Foundation, which started with a youth soccer clinic in Philadelphia during LFC’s US pre-season tour. Additional programmes are planned for Thailand and other countries to strengthen ties between the two global brands.

Trip.com CMO Bo Sun wins award

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 27 August 2024: Trip.com Group Chief Marketing Officer Bo Sun has been named ‘Marketing Professional of the Year’ at the 2024 CMO Asia Awards for Excellence in Branding & Marketing. 

The award, which highlights pioneering individuals and best practices in marketing, was presented to Sun in recognition of his crucial role in conceptualising and realising Trip.com Group’s industry-leading innovations in marketing.

Trip.com chief marketing officer Bo Sun.

The selection committee noted Sun’s role during the pandemic in spearheading the leading online travel services provider’s pivot to content marketing and consumption. This strategy has brought together partners from across the industry to revitalise, revamp, and rethink the travel experience.

In accepting the award, Sun expressed his appreciation for the selection committee’s nomination: “At Trip.com Group, our guiding mission is ‘to pursue the perfect trip for a better world’, and we are always working towards that goal, concerning all aspects and stages of the travel experience. Having our work recognised alongside such an esteemed company is an honour. We hope our peers will continue to join us on our journey towards the perfect trip, and we look forward to celebrating those shared achievements together.”

(SOURCE Trip.com Group)

2025 signals strong cruise demand

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 27 August 2024: Cruiseline.com and Shipmate have released the results of the 2024 Member Survey, which studies participants’ intent to cruise in the coming year and their travel booking preferences. 

Over 7,000 travellers responded to the survey, and 96.1% reported having a cruise booked for 2024 or 2025.

Just 3.1% reported being undecided about cruising in the coming year, and 0.8% said they did not intend to take a cruise vacation.

Number of Cruises Booked

57.1% report multiple cruises booked for 2024-2025, while 42.9% report only one booked.

Which Cruise Line(s) Are You Sailing? 35.1% of travellers intend to sail with Royal Caribbean, 28.9% with Carnival Cruise Line, 18% with Norwegian Cruise Line or Celebrity Cruises, and 16.6% with Princess Cruises. MSC Cruises, Holland America Line, Viking Cruises, Virgin Voyages, and Oceania Cruises came in just behind these lines for top lines booked to sail.

Where Will You Cruise? 

63.9% plan to cruise in the Caribbean, 15.8% in Europe (Mediterranean), 11.9% in Alaska, 10% in Mexico (Pacific Coast), 8.7% to cruise in Northern Europe, and 8.6% will take a Transatlantic cruise.

Length of Cruises Booked? 

46.7% of travellers will cruise on a seven-night voyage, 31.4% indicated booking 10 to 14-day cruises, 30.1% will take five to seven-night cruises, and 16.5% intend to take 15+ night cruises. Short cruises of three days or less accounted for 12.6% of future cruises booked.

“Cruise demand continues to be strong, with travellers overwhelmingly reporting that they have one or more cruises booked for 2024 or 2025. Many also report they intend to make even more bookings for the coming year,” said Cruiseline.com and Shipmate general manager Jamie Cash. “This strong demand reflects the adventure, relaxation, and freedom that cruise vacations offer. While many of our community members intend to take longer cruises, the interest in shorter sailings is gaining traction as travellers seek quick getaways with lower costs. The Caribbean remains the top destination choice for travellers, with rising interest in European cruises for the upcoming year as well.”

More information about the 2024 Cruiseline.com and Shipmate Member Survey can be found here.

PAL and STB promote Singapore attractions

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TTR WEEKLY
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MANILA, 27 August 2024: Philippine Airlines has signed a year-long partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to promote travel to Singapore. 

The partnership will line up activities highlighting PAL’s flying experience and experiences travellers can explore in Singapore. 

A team effort by PAL and STB presents Singapore to Filipino travellers.

Activities include a campaign featuring content creators Laureen Uy and husband Miggy Cruz, lifestyle blogger, and fashion designer Camille Co, complemented by a limited-time seat sale. With special deals on airfare bundled with accommodation and experiences, travellers are in for a treat. 

In 2023, the Philippines ranked Singapore’s 6th largest source market for tourism, with nearly 700,000 visitor arrivals, marking an 84% recovery from 2019 visitor arrival numbers. As of June 2024, Singapore has welcomed close to 390,000 Filipino visitors. 

New Attractions in Singapore 

• Bird Paradise, a wildlife park with over 400 species of birds

• illumi, the world’s largest multimedia illumination event (September 2024)

• Harry Potter: Visions of Magic, an interactive art experience (Q4 2024)

• Minion Land in Universal Studios Singapore (Q1 2025)

• Disney Adventure by Disney Cruise Line (2025)

Sri Lanka waives tourist visa fee

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 27 August 2024: Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has green-lighted a free visa concession for 35 nationalities effective 1 October 2024 for six months ending 31 March 2025.

The deal waives the fee for visitors who enter the country on a 30-day visa-on-arrival. It will help reduce queues at the airport following the suspension of the eVisa authorisation online service that VFS Global offered until earlier this month.

The concession makes the visa gratis, but it should not be confused with visa-free entry, as immigration officials still issue a visa on arrival stamped in passports. Fees remain in place for other visa categories issued at embassies or through the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo.

Thirty-five countries on the list  

India, China, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Nepal, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, France, the US, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Israel, Belarus, Iran, Sweden, South Korea, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and New Zealand.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the concession last Wednesday following the recommendation of an expert committee that studied free visa schemes in Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The latest decision to suspend the visa fee follows a pilot project that offered a visa fee waiver to visitors from  India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand since late last year.

Cebu Pacific revives Kaohsiung flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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MANILA, 27 August 2024: Cebu Pacific relaunched flights from Manila to Kaohsiung in Taiwan last week with a festive ceremony at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. 

CEB flies three weekly flights on the Manila-Kaohsiung route every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday using a 179-seat A320. It competes head-on with China Airlines and AirAsia on the route. 

China Airlines flies the route four weekly and AirAsia three weekly, deploying Boeing 737-800 and an A320, respectively, with a similar seating capacity to CEB. The average fare on the route is USD220.

In his speech during the launch ceremony, CEB Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Michael Ivan Shau said the Manila-Kaohsiung route marks an exciting chapter in the airline’s journey as it expands its network and enhances connectivity across Asia.

“The relaunch of this route is more than just restoring a connection between two cities. It is a reaffirmation of our commitment to bringing people together, fostering closer ties, and promoting mutual growth and development,” Shau added.

Initially, from 16 to 25 August, the airline offered fares as low as PHP1,288 one-way, exclusive of fees and surcharges, with a travel period open until 31 January 2025

Flight 5J344  departs Manila (MNL) at 1715 and arrives in Kaohsiung (KHN) at 1915
Flight 5J345 departs Kaohsiung at 2000 and arrives in Manila at 2005.

CEB operates in 35 domestic and 26 international destinations across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.

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