MACAO, 1 April 2024: Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) recently introduced travel offers tailored for international cruise passengers to encourage them to book an excursion trip to Macao during their ship’s port of call in Hong Kong.
The offer encourages international cruise visitors to join group tours to Macao during their stopover in Hong Kong when their cruise ships dock at the Hong Kong Cruise Terminal.
Photo credit: MGTO. Deputy Director of MGTO, Cheng Wai Tong.
Twelve international cruise lines offer Macao group tour products that will help boost twin-destination tourism. These products combine cruise visits to Hong Kong with side trips to Macao.
MGTO hosted a welcome ceremony earlier this month at Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal for a group of cruise visitors. The Deputy Director of MGTO, Cheng Wai Tong, welcomed them.
Since their introduction in March, nearly 90 international cruise passengers from the US, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Turkey have joined Macao group tours.
They arrived in Hong Kong on cruise ships. Then, they extended their trip to Macao on various local tours focusing on heritage, such as “The Historic Centre of Macao” and the Macao Museum, plus visits to the Macau Tower and integrated resorts.
During their cruise, or on arrival at the harbour in Hong Kong, passengers can purchase Macao tour products on the cruise lines’ websites or at tour counters on board.
KUALA LUMPUR, 1 April 2024: Sichuan Airlines and China Southern Airlines started new routes from Chengdu and Shenzhen in China to Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, over the Easter holiday.
Tourism Malaysia and VIPs from Malaysia’s travel industry welcomed Sichuan Airlines on 31 March for its inaugural flight from Chengdu. The airline will fly an A320 from its Chengdu (TFU) hub to Kuala Lumpur daily.
Photo credit: China Southern Airlines.
Flight 3U3994 departs Chengdu (TFU) at 1725, arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 2230. Flight 3U3994 departs Kuala Lumpur (KUL) at 2330, arriving in Chengdu (TFU) at 0500.
The daily flight will compete head-on with AirAsia X, which flies the same route daily, Batik Air four times weekly, and Air China daily. The average roundtrip fare on the route is USD330.
China Southern Airlines started daily flights from Shenzhen (SZX) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) today, Monday, 1 April, deploying an A321neo on the route.
Flight CZ5079 departs Shenzhen (SZX) at 2020, arriving in Kuala Lumpur (KUL) at 0300. Flight CZ5080 departs Kuala Lumpur (KUL) at 0130, arriving in Shenzhen (SZX) at 0545.
Other airlines serving the same route are AirAsia, with 17 weekly flights, and Shenzhen Airlines, with 14 weekly flights. Once you add the daily China Southern Airlines flights, the KUL-SZX route musters 38 weekly flights, making it one of the busiest routes between China and Malaysia. The average roundtrip fare is USD300.
SINGAPORE, 29 March 2024: Celebrating the occasions of both Catholic Easter in March and Orthodox Easter in May, Emirates will serve traditional lamb and an array of chocolate desserts in the lounges, hot cross buns and Easter bread onboard, sweet surprises for kids, and all the latest and greatest new family-friendly movies on ice.
Easter treats are served onboard
From 29 to 31 March, Emirates customers flying in every class to Australia, USA, Canada, Europe, UK, Brazil, Philippines, South Africa, Mauritius and Ghana will enjoy a sumptuous selection of Easter treats onboard. Economy Class customers will be offered a hot cross bun or Easter bread with their meal or a delicious Easter dessert of carrot cake with an indulgent très leches sauce. Customers in First, Business, and Premium Economy class will also be served a chocolate cake garnished with creamy ganache and red currants or a strawberry cheesecake dotted with an elegant mini-Easter egg. Kids in all classes will receive a brightly coloured ‘Happy Easter’ biscuit shaped like an Easter egg. In the A380 Onboard Lounge, customers can relish traditional Easter simnel fruitcake with marzipan.
Orthodox Easter Celebrations
From 5-7 May, on routes from Dubai to Russia, Cyprus and Greece, First and Business Class customers can tuck into traditional herb-crusted lamb for Easter, served with crispy roasted potatoes, baby carrots and tzatziki sauce, followed by Easter cake, also known as Kulich bread.
Easter in Emirates Lounges
Across Emirates’ global network of lounges between 29 March and 1 April, customers will enjoy classic Easter fare in most locations. In the First Class lounges of Dubai, customers can look forward to tender lamb chops, roasted potatoes and vegetables, or a rich lamb stew with potatoes, carrots, and dried fruits in the Business Class lounge. Both lounges will feature an assortment of Easter-themed cookies and an abundance of Easter chocolate, from chocolate pots to homemade milk chocolate ice cream to chocolate gateaux.
Entertainment for Easter on ice
Emirates passengers flying over Easter can access a world-class entertainment library on ice with over 6,500 channels, including up to 2,000 movies and many 2024 Academy Award-winning movies like Oppenheimer, Zone of Interest, American Fiction and Anatomy of a Fall. New releases onboard in April include The Color Purple, The Lesson, Napoleon, Freud’s Last Session, The Taste of Things and May December. There is also a huge movie collection for kids and kids at heart, including Disney Classics, Marvel Studios and Wizarding World, featuring the complete Harry Potter film series and Harry Potter TV specials, as well as preschool kids TV shows from CBeebies, Cartoon Network and more. In April, there will be several family-friendly new release movie highlights, including Wish, Migration, Wonka, and Trolls Band Together, for kids to enjoy on their Easter travels.
SINGAPORE, 29 Mar 2024: Digital travel platform Agoda has expanded its partner marketing portfolio, providing a new way for hotel and accommodation partners to reach consumers through dedicated landing pages matching travellers’ top-themed searches.
Using data insights, Agoda has launched the ‘Top Stays Anywhere’ initiative in Thailand with 16 distinct themes that resonate with travellers’ preferences.
These themes include various options across travel budgets and traveller interests, including private islands, seaside villas, beach cabanas, and family-friendly and pet-friendly accommodations. Each dedicated page offers a list of accommodations by Agoda’s specialist teams.
Agoda senior country director for Thailand Pierre Honne said: “Often travellers are looking for very specific types of holiday experiences, so we curated these landing pages to quickly allow travellers with high intent to travel to connect with properties that excel in delivering those experiences, whether that’s pet-friendly spots or rooftop hotels in Bangkok. For partners, it’s another way Agoda supports their ambitions to grow their business and optimise their inventory.”
Agoda’s initiative typifies the company’s data-driven approach to supporting its partners to attract more business, harnessing the intel from today’s customer travel search behaviours.
“The initiative not only aligns with travellers’ specific preferences but also opens up new avenues for hotels and accommodation providers to increase their visibility among potential customers. The thematic landing pages act as a bridge, connecting properties with consumers with a demonstrated interest in particular experiences. With Agoda at the forefront, leveraging robust search analytics, hotels are well-positioned to capitalise on up-to-the-minute travel trends and stay competitive in a dynamic market landscape”, Honne added.
Agoda launching thematic pages with the following URLs.
KUALA LUMPUR, 29 March 2024: Malaysia Airlines has inked a deal to streamline flight connections for travellers who book cruise itineraries worldwide.
The airline confirmed earlier this week that it had signed a strategic cruise partnership with Malaysia’s tour provider, Apple Vacations, while the tour operator collaborates closely with global cruise lines such as Peace Boat, Princess Cruises, Resorts World, and Uniworld River Cruises to sell fly-cruise packages to travellers.
The partnership with Malaysia Airlines enables travellers to fly Malaysia Airlines to a cruise line’s home ports. When booking through Apple Vacations, travellers can buy fares on Malaysia Airlines and pay for cruises in one easy step.
The deal comes as more cruise ships are being based at seasonal home ports in Asia, particularly Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan.
SINGAPORE, 29 March 2024: In response to strong travel demand and an anticipated uptick in bookings during the summer season, Vistara will deploy its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on the Delhi – Bali route, effective 31 March 2024.
Vistara launched daily, direct flights on the route in December 2023 using an A321LR aircraft. It’s the only airline offering direct flights between Delhi and Denpasar, Bali.
The upgrade to Vistara’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner delivers a spacious, three-class cabin configuration with the latest in-flight entertainment system featuring live TV and Wi-Fi connectivity onboard. It also features lie-flat business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration that gives direct aisle access to each customer.
Vistara’s chief commercial officer, Deepak Rajawat, said: “We are delighted to announce the deployment of our state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for flights between Delhi and Bali. This strategic decision to increase capacity underscores Vistara’s commitment to optimising operations in response to the remarkable performance of the Delhi – Bali route and the constant surge in demand for direct connectivity between India and Indonesia. With top-notch amenities, enhanced comfort complemented with sumptuous inflight meals and exceptional service, we are confident that our customers will appreciate the choice of experiencing Vistara’s Dreamliner when flying on this route.”
TATA SIA Airlines Limited, known by the brand name Vistara, is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA).
SINGAPORE, 29 March 2024: Carnival Corporation announced earlier this week an agreement with Meyer Werft shipyard for a fifth Excel-class cruise ship that will sail under the Carnival Cruise Line brand, following its delivery set for 2028.
In mid-February Carnival Corporation had announced the first newbuild order placed in five years with news that a fourth Excel-class ship would join the Carnival Cruise Line fleet in Spring 2027.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Excel Class Ships.
This announcement confirms the corporation’s 11th Excel-class ship across four brands and the fifth under the Carnival Cruise Line flag.
This fifth Excel-class ship will be built on the same platform as its sisters, with the 180,000-ton ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and designed to carry over 6,400 guests and 1,800 crew.
“Carnival Cruise Line continues to perform at an outstanding level, and we are focused on adding capacity across the company where it aligns with demand and our position in the marketplace,” said Carnival Corporation CEO Josh Weinstein. “This measured capacity growth strategy will result in our adding one to two ships per year beginning in 2027, and we will be identifying additional fleet plans over the coming months for our cruise lines to meet capacity demand and improve execution across all aspects of our operation, with the benefit of yielding a higher return on invested capital,” Weinstein concluded.
The latest order is contingent upon financing, which is expected to be completed later this year.
BANGKOK, 29 March 2024: Airbnb launched its first-ever Creative Guide to Bangkok earlier this week, spotlighting Bangkok’s creative landscapes, vibrant neighbourhoods, and local tastemakers.
In line with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) goals to support creative tourism, the guide is curated with local insights from prominent Thai tastemakers and Airbnb Superhosts. It showcases the four neighbourhoods of Talat Noi, Wang Doem, Talat Phlu and Kudi Chin.
Photo credit: ARBNB. Airbnb general manager for Southeast Asia, India Hong Kong and Taiwan, Amanpreet Bajaj.
From street art and local markets to architecture and food, Airbnb’s Creative Guide to Bangkok features the latest creative hangouts, local eats, authentic stays and must-see places. Published in English, Chinese and Thai, the guide will be distributed across Asia-Pacific, including in Thailand’s key travel corridors of China and India, to drum up travel excitement ahead of Songkran.
New data from Airbnb reveals that Thailand was the most visited destination in Southeast Asia by Airbnb guests worldwide in 2023*. Nights booked grew by approximately 60% year-on-year, with the US ranked as the top country of origin for guests worldwide, followed by China, Germany, the UK, and South Korea.*
The capital city remains Thailand’s top destination for Airbnb bookings in 2023 for both international and domestic guests*. Group travel amongst Airbnb guests in Thailand in 2023 increased by almost 80% year-on-year, while solo travel increased by 52% in the same period*.
Airbnb is also seeing a spike in travellers from China and India — two of Thailand’s largest travel markets. Thailand ranked #1 in the top outbound search destinations for Airbnb guests from China during the recent winter season.** Searches by Indian guests on Airbnb for the upcoming Holi and Easter long weekends increased over 200% year-on-year.***
Speaking at the launch, Bangkok’s Deputy Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon said: “On behalf of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), we’re excited to see Airbnb shining a light on Bangkok’s lesser-known creative neighbourhoods to travellers around the world, especially ahead of Thailand’s biggest festival Songkran.
“Bangkok offers a rich tapestry of cultural and historical attractions, many of which remain undiscovered. In 2022, we launched the 20 Creative Neighborhoods initiative to increase awareness of these diverse communities, each with their local hawkers, shops, galleries, canals and temples. We hope Airbnb’s Creative Guide to Bangkok will inspire more visitors to these unique neighbourhoods, connect with locals and discover what makes each one so special.”
Airbnb general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Amanpreet Bajaj added: “Airbnb guests differ from the traditional traveller; they want to explore new places and are keen to immerse themselves in the communities they stay and visit. From the historic area of Wang Doem to the vibrant local markets of Talat Phlu and Kudi Chin and the cultural heritage sites in Talat Noi, Airbnb’s Creative Guide to Bangkok will introduce our guests to the wonders of these unique, lesser-known neighbourhoods. Aligned with the government’s vision, we aim to continue driving a more local, creative and immersive form of travel that will help Thailand become the world’s top homestay destination.”
*Based on internal Airbnb data for 2023. **Based on Airbnb mainland China users’ search data from 1 January 2023 to 30 September 2023 for winter outbound stays with check-in dates between 22 December 2023 and 29 February 2024. ***Based on India users’ search data for the Holi and Easter long weekend with check-in dates between 23 March – 31 March 2024, compared with the same period last year.
SINGAPORE, 29 March 2024: Jetstar Asia (3K) has announced a new route, offering seasonal direct flights between Singapore and Broome, Western Australia, It’s the first airline to fly to Western Australia’s world-renowned Kimberley region from Singapore.
Launching on 25 June 2024, the Singapore low-cost carrier will operate two return flights weekly during Broome’s dry season, offering direct access to the Kimberley region with its unrivalled natural beauty, stunning beaches and incredible wildlife, making it a sought–after destination for travellers.
Photo credit: Jetstar Asia.
Travellers flying to Broome can immerse themselves in its iconic attractions, from the renowned Cable Beach to the rugged Kimberley wilderness.
Jetstar’s low fares will provide customers from Australia’s North West a direct link to Singapore, the multi-cultural city known for its famous landmarks, food and shopping, as well as seamless connectivity to Jetstar’s extensive network out of Changi International Airport to Bangkok, Bali, and Okinawa.
Jetstar Asia CEO John Simeone noted that as Jetstar Asia prepares to celebrate its 20th birthday later this year, he is delighted to announce flights to Broome.
“Just over four hours away from Singapore, Broome is an amazing destination for those looking for a holiday of a lifetime,” Simeone said. “This new route, combined with our low fares, underscores our commitment to providing customers with a diverse range of destinations and incredible travel experiences.”
Western Australian Deputy Premier and Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said Thursday’s announcement marked a significant leap forward in expanding WA’s aviation capacity through an entirely new gateway into the state.
“We are very excited to provide international visitors with direct access to Western Australia’s stunning Kimberley region,” Saffioti said.
To celebrate the launch, Jetstar Asia is offering special one-way fares from Singapore to Broome from SGD125, and from Broome to Singapore for just AUD145, available on jetstar.com Thursday 1000 (SGT).
Club Jetstar members can enjoy exclusive access to even lower fares from just SGD115 (Singapore to Broome) or AUD135 (Broome to Singapore) one-way.
MUMBAI, 29 March 2024: Air India will deploy its third A350 to fly the busy Mumbai-Delhi route starting 1 April 2024.
Air India took delivery of its first A350-900 aircraft in December 2023, followed by the second in January 2024 and the third on 16 March. These aircraft will boost services on the Mumbai-Delh corridor to double daily flights.
Photo credit: Air India.
Flight schedule 10 April 2024
AI864 departs BOM at 0700 and arrives DEL at 0915. Daily A350-900. AI865 departs DEL at 1045 and arrives BOM at 1250. Daily A350-900.
AI687 departs BOM at 1600 and arrives DEL at 1830. Daily flights A350-900. AI805 departs DEL at 2000 and arrives BOM at 2225. Daily flights A350-900.
The three aircraft also fly between Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
Meanwhile, local media reports say Air India will begin flights from Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam as early as this May. The proposed route is not detailed on the airline’s website or social media channels, but it does appear on advance schedules posted by independent flight information sources. According to an advance schedule posted online last week, Air India intends to fly a daily Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City service using an A320neo starting 1 May.
Provisional timetable DEL-SGN
AI388 will depart DEL at 1415 and arrive SGN at 2055. AI389 will depart SGN at 2250 and arrive DEL at 0140.
However, reservations have yet to open on the Air India website or on independent booking websites such as Trip.com and Skyscanner.
A check of Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City flights during May on Skyscanner shows that only Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines offer direct flights. Vietjet flies four weekly flights on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday using an A321. Vietnam Airlines flies the route three times weekly on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday using an A330. The average roundtrip fare on the route is USD350.
