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Port to Port Mekong cruise with Pandaw

SINGAPORE, 12 March 2024: Pandaw has updated the itinerary for its 10-night Mekong expedition, pushing even further than before by sailing port to port between central Saigon and Siem Reap across the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. 

This groundbreaking itinerary removes the need for lengthy transfers to each city. For the first time, it explores the upper reaches of the Mekong to Kratie, the dolphin grounds, and a crossing of the Tonle Sap Lake.

On the first day of the cruise, passengers meet directly at RV Mekong Pandaw, docked centrally in Ho Chi Minh City at the Saigon Port, 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, in the city’s District 4.

On reaching Siem Reap in Cambodia (Day 11), passengers disembark the Mekong Pandaw at the Siem Reap inland port and transfer to FCC Angkor Hotel, next to the Royal Residence, Pokambor Avenue, Krong Siem Reap.

No river ship is more appropriate for this expedition than the popular Mekong Pandaw. It was the first ship to pioneer the river in 2002 and historically opened the river border between Vietnam and Cambodia. Mekong Pandaw has the clear advantage of a shallow draft, enabling it to go further upriver. Its low air draft allows it to navigate passage under recently constructed bridges. Thanks to improvements in inland water navigation in these two countries, Pandaw can deploy the ship from Saigon to Siem Reap with no long road transfers required for arrival or departure.

This pioneering route targets Pandaw club members who are seeking a more immersive experience in the countries served by Pandaw ships and wish to spend more days enjoying the comfort of beautifully crafted ships, originally built in Myanmar from golden teak

With 24 staterooms, the Mekong Pandaw has been refitted with a spa, library and gym. It’s the most spacious of all Pandaw’s 19 ships, with broad promenades running around each deck and a spacious sun deck of over 600 square metres.

Bookings are still open for a few cabins on 2024 sailing dates and for advance dates in 2025.

To book, visit pandaw.com or contact us at [email protected]

Ten Nights Deeper and Further on the Mekong
SAIGON TO SIEM REAP
10 nights
FROM USD4,800 PP

For more information visit.

Flights link Turkmenistan and Vietnam

HO CHI MINH CITY, 12 March 2024: Turkmenistan Airlines introduced a weekly flight from Turkmenistan’s capital, Ashgabat, to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam last Wednesday.

The direct service uses a Boeing 777 with 368 seats for the eight-hour, 20-minute flight to Vietnam, which departs Ashgabat every Wednesday and returns to its home base on Thursday.

A water cannon ceremony welcomes Turkmenistan Airlines at Tan Son Nhat. Photo: Turkmenistan Airlines.

Flight T5655 departs Ashgabat Airport at 1530 on Wednesday and lands at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City at 0130 on Thursday morning. 
Flight T5658 departs Ho Chi Minh City at 1920 on Thursday and arrives in Ashgabat at 0105 on the following morning (Friday).

TransViet, a travel agency based in Ho Chi Minh City, sells tour packages to Europe using Turkmenistan Airlines flights. It is flagged on the airline’s website as the sole agency selling tickets and tours on the weekly flight between Ashgabat and Ho Chi Minh City. Tours to Europe using the airline’s weekly service to Ashgabat with a change of plane for the flight to Europe, sell at VND60 million.

(Source: Tourism Information Technology Center)

FCM expands meetings team

SINGAPORE, 12 March 2024: FCM Meetings & Events, a Flight Centre Travel Group division, recently announced a global business expansion with Manpreet Bindra leading FCM Meetings & Events in Asia.

He named Jing Wen Wong the new meetings & events leader in Southeast Asia and Greater China. Wong has been in the travel industry for the last seven years with notable companies, such as Singapore Airlines, before moving to FCM Travel Asia.  

Photo credit: FCM. Jing Wen Wong

“FCM Meetings & Events has a proven track record in curating and delivering memorable experiences for our customers globally. With the combination of more than a decade of experience and technology, we are continuously challenging ourselves and elevating our partnerships with our clients and the travel industry,” said Wong. 

“At FCM, every team member is encouraged to develop their career and explore all available opportunities. We call it ‘Brightness of Future’, and Jing Wen is poised to deliver the long-term vision of FCM Meetings & Events while bringing fresh ideas and perspectives. She has a great track record throughout her career and has established good relationships with clients, suppliers, and the wider team,” said FCM Meetings & Events leader in Asia Manpreet Bindra.

“With the China-Singapore 30-day mutual visa exemption in effect and flights between the two markets having almost recovered to the pre-pandemic level, we are getting multiple enquiries from our clients interested in visiting Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong. With local teams established in Singapore and China, I am confident we can revive meetings and reimagine corporate event management in these markets,” said Wong. 

Avani arrives in Amsterdam

BANGKOK, 12 March 2024: Minor Hotels, a global hospitality group operating more than 540 hotels in 56 countries, is introducing Avani Hotels & Resorts to the Netherlands in Q2 of this year. 

The rebranded 163-key Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam will provide a contemporary canal-side experience, blending Dutch art and history for business and leisure travellers.

Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam is centrally located in Amsterdam’s cultural hub, near landmarks like the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. Drawing inspiration from the Stedelijk Museum, the hotel’s design blends avant-garde aesthetics with rationalist architecture. Its sleek glass façade will be balanced by vibrant, playful interiors and complemented by high gloss finishes that pay homage to Amsterdam’s iconic canals. The bustling PC Hooftstraat shopping district and the De Pijp neighbourhood are within a five-minute stroll. Amsterdam Central Station is a 10-minute drive away.  

The upcoming launch of Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam follows the recent expansion of the brand in Europe. Properties were added in Madrid, Milan and Venice last year, followed by the opening of Avani Frankfurt City Hotel at the start of 2024, in addition to the upcoming debut of the Avani brand in China. With a strong presence in Asia, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa, Avani’s expansion into new destinations continues in 2024, with plans to more than double its property count to almost 100 by the end of 2026.

IndiGo expands domestic routes

SINGAPORE, 12 March 2024: IndiGo has announced new direct flights between Chandigarh and Dharamshala, effective 2 April  2024. 

The airline schedules three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The new domestic route will serve both leisure and business travellers. 

Photo credit: IndiGo. Welcome to Dharamshala.

IndiGo head of global sales Vinay Malhotra said: “We are pleased to announce the launch of direct flights between Chandigarh and Dharamshala, which will significantly reduce the travel time between the two cities with added convenience. These new flights would also offer customers from Dharamshala easy accessibility to key national and international destinations via Chandigarh.”

Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab and Haryana, is a beautiful city known for its modern architecture and urban planning. The city has several tourist attractions, such as the Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, and the Capitol Complex.

Dharamshala, located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, is a serene hill station known for its breathtaking views of the Himalayas. It is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile,

making it a popular destination for spiritual seekers. With its pleasant weather, lush greenery, and rich cultural heritage, Dharamshala offers a distinct travel experience.

GBA starts HKG-SIN flights

SINGAPORE, 12 March 2024: Greater Bay Airlines will launch a new service linking Hong Kong and Singapore on 26 April. 

The new scheduled service will operate daily between Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Photo credit: GBA.

Hong Kong is a popular destination for shopping and dining, attending large-scale events ranging from arts to entertainment, and visiting various tourist attractions such as the M+, Palace Museum collections, and exhibitions at the West Kowloon Cultural District. 

With the recent announcement of the mutual 30-day visa-exemption arrangement between Singapore and China, visits to Mainland China, including the Greater Bay Area, from Singapore are on the rise.

Positioned as an international aviation hub, Hong Kong is the most important gateway to major cities in Mainland China, either by air, high-speed ferry, or high-speed train. Hong Kong International Airport is also well connected with Greater Bay Area cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Macao by high-speed ferry services or by ground transportation via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

GBA launched its first flights in Asia in July 2022 and operates flights between Hong Kong and Bangkok, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Ho Chi Minh City and Manila using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. 

AirAsia flies daily to Perth

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 March 2024: AirAsia Malaysia celebrated another milestone in its expansion strategy this week with the launch of direct flights to Perth, Australia.   

The inaugural flight using AirAsia’s Airbus A321neo aircraft departed on Monday from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 2) at 1410 and landed at Perth International Airport at 1950 local time. AirAsia will initially fly the route daily and plans to double flights to twice daily as passenger traffic grows.

Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Group, Bo Lingam said: “Thanks to the addition of the new model A321neo aircraft with longer range capabilities spanning over five hours and numerous operational efficiency, we can make these new services a reality on a narrowbody aircraft from Kuala Lumpur so that more of our guests can travel to Australia affordably.”

Perth is a fan-favourite destination for many Malaysians, attracting travellers from all over the country and beyond for leisure, tourism, education, and visiting family and friends due to its close proximity to Southeast Asia. Malaysia is also Western Australia’s fourth biggest international visitor market, injecting AUD99 million into the WA economy in visitor expenditure for the year ending in September 2023. Conversely, Asia is a top destination for Australians seeking an affordable and culturally diverse experience.

In celebration of its new milestone, AirAsia offers all-in fares from Kuala Lumpur to Perth from only MYR299*, and from Perth to Kuala Lumpur from just AUD166* all-in-one-way. The fare is available for booking starting today until 17 March 2024 for the travel period between now and 30 November 2024.


Flight schedules from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Perth (PER) with AirAsia Malaysia 

Emirates inks MoU with Icelandair

SINGAPORE, 11 March 2024: Emirates has signed MoUs with Icelandair and travel technology and ticketing specialist W2 and AirBlackBox (ABB) by GO7 to develop deeper commercial cooperation. 

The move comes as the airlines look to leverage each other’s networks and use modern tools for more efficient combined air and rail ticket connections.

Both MoUs will set the framework for establishing potential codeshare cooperations across the networks of each respective airline and expanding intermodal programmes offered by virtual interlines across the Emirates network.

Emirates Airline deputy president and chief commercial officer Adnan Kazim said: “We are pleased to deepen our partnerships with Icelandair and GO7. Their networks and intermodal capabilities complement our European presence, providing an array of connections for our customers to simplify their journeys. Together, we will open up new travel opportunities and more choices for customers travelling across Europe. We believe these partnerships will bring real benefits to our customers and business, and we’re taking positive steps towards further strengthening our relationships.”

GO7

Emirates has partnered with travel technology and ticketing specialist GO7 to work on a holistic airline distribution approach, enabling Emirates to offer combined interline and rail tickets to worldwide destinations through Emirates’ direct and indirect channels outside of the traditional booking ecosystem. 

Icelandair

Emirates and Icelandair are working towards expanding their existing interline partnership into a reciprocal codeshare agreement. The planned codeshare will provide travellers connecting to Emirates gateways in Europe with convenient access to Reykjavik (REK). Emirates will initially place its “EK” marketed code on best connecting Icelandair flights. Icelandair will place its code on flights operated between various gateways in Europe, Dubai, and beyond to the airline’s extensive network. A full roster of destinations will be communicated at a later stage. Once the codeshare is fully activated, customers will benefit from single-ticket travel with competitive fares and one-stop baggage check-in to various destinations.

Once the necessary government and regulatory approvals are obtained, the codeshare flights will progressively be made available to customers across online and travel agency platforms.

For more information and to make bookings visit: www.emirates.com.

LADA signs MoU for charter flights

LANGKAWI, 11 March 2024: In a move to boost travel to Langkawi from emerging European markets, Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) and ITAKA Poland concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at ITB Berlin last week.

It will lead to Poland’s leading tour operator introducing competitive holiday packages using charter flights for the first time later this year. Direct flights will be introduced from Warsaw to Langkawi Island, winging in hundreds of Polish holidaymakers on weekly departures. 

MoU signing between LADA and ITAKA Poland.

‘We have leased a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 294 seats, which can fly directly from Warsaw to Langkawi. It will be a new and exotic destination for us,” commented Jaralow, head of charter operations at ITAKA.

The visionary collaboration between LADA and tourism players on the island, leading to charter holiday flights from Poland, will propel Langkawi’s tourism to a new level and spur expansion from other emerging European markets.

The strategic MOU signing between LADA and ITAKA is the centrepiece of a significant expansion that will introduce direct charter flights from Poland to Langkawi. 

The agreement is supported by collaborating with Malaysia Airport Holding Berhad (MAHB). It leverages Malaysia’s Airlines X-Celeration Programme (AXP), whereby LADA offers charter flight Incentives that will set the stage for an unprecedented surge in tourism to the island,

Nepal confirms travel mart dates

SINGAPORE, 11 March 2024: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter confirmed during last week’s ITB Berlin that Nepal will host the 5th Himalayan Travel Mart (HTM) from 4 to 7 June 2024 in the country’s capital, Kathmandu. 

The trade show delegation from  Nepal rustled up interest in the show during ITB, encouraging travel buyers in Europe to attend the annual trade event managed by the PATA Nepal Chapter.

The show is hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and supported by the Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Airlines, PATA International, other prominent tourism associations, and private-sector tourism businesses in Nepal. 

Each year, HTM draws a strong turnout of global travel buyers, exhibitors in Nepal, travel bloggers, influencers, and international media.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter led 40 tourism and hospitality business companies from the private sector’s tourism industry in Nepal at last week’s ITB Berlin. 

PATA Nepal Chapter chairman Bibhuti Chad Thakur affirmed PATA Nepal’s commitment to ongoing tourism marketing and promotion, expressing joy in maintaining and promoting Nepal’s image at one of the world’s premier travel shows.