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Air Canada boosts flights to Asia

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 14 December 2023: Air Canada will deploy 11 weekly flights on the Vancouver-Hong Kong route beginning this week while capacity nearly doubles between Canada and Japan during the winter schedule ending April 2024.

Vancouver-Bangkok flights will operate daily during the winter peak season months, 8 January to 28 February 2024, and a new route to Singapore will launch in April 2024. Early seasonal resumption of Osaka service starts in May 2024

Photo credit: Air Canada.

Air Canada underscores its strategy to boost its Asia-Pacific network capacity starting 15 December and continuing until the end of next summer, 2024.

“Air Canada’s Asia services continue to reflect strong demand, and we are boosting capacity to this geographic area as we deploy our international diversification strategy,” said Air Canada executive vice president of revenue and network planning Mark Galardo.

“This winter, we offer up to 57 flights per week between Canada and Asia, and up to 64 flights per week next summer. Air Canada will have up to double daily flights to Hong Kong and larger aircraft operating to Shanghai during the December holiday and Lunar New Year travel periods.

“Capacity to Japan increases by 96% this winter compared to last year. Next spring, seasonal Osaka flights will resume earlier, and larger aircraft will operate to Narita and Seoul.

A successful launch of the Vancouver-Bangkok route underscores the airline’s continued commitment to investing in fast-growing markets in Southeast Asia. Starting 8 January, the airline will increase frequencies on the route to Bangkok from five weekly to daily for the duration of the peak holiday season ending 28 February.

The airline confirmed the following schedule for the daily Boeing 787-9 flights to Bangkok.

Flight AC065 departs Vancouver at 2245 and arrives in Bangkok at 0610+2 (Flight time: 16 hours and 25 minutes).

Flight AC066 departs Bangkok at 0835 and arrives in Vancouver at 0650 (Flight time 13 hours and 15 minutes).

(Source: Air Canada)

Qantas Group braces for summer travel boom

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 14 December 2023: Qantas and Jetstar are preparing for one of their busiest Christmas holiday travel periods in years.

More than 8.5 million people are expected to fly on Qantas and Jetstar services throughout December and January on nearly 70,000 flights. This is more than half a million more people than the same time last year and the most since 2019-20.

The single biggest day of travel across the group in the coming weeks is expected to be Friday, 15 December, with more than 150,000 customers flying throughout the day.

More international flights

In line with the continued strong demand for international travel, the Qantas Group is operating significantly more international capacity this summer than last year.

It has more than doubled its Australia-Japan flights, with thousands of Australians heading off on a skiing holiday in the coming months.

Flights to New York from Sydney (via Auckland, New Zealand) and the Shanghai-Sydney flights have resumed.

Jetstar will also start flying between Melbourne and Fiji this week.

As previously disclosed, the group’s international capacity is expected to return to pre-Covid levels by the middle of next year and is currently around 90%.

Popular destinations

Some of the most in-demand international destinations these holidays include Bali, Auckland, Singapore, Tokyo and London.

Across the domestic network, some of the most popular summer holiday spots are the Gold Coast, Cairns, Melbourne and Perth.

Throughout December and January, more than 1 million people will fly for under AUD100 on Jetstar, and frequent flyers will use hundreds of thousands of Classic Reward Seats across Qantas, Jetstar and partner airlines.

Jetstar still has one-way fares from AUD66 from Sydney to Gold Coast and AUD199 from Melbourne to Singapore in January and Qantas has one-way fares from AUD55 from Sydney to Melbourne and AUD169 from Adelaide to Hobart.

Cunard sets maiden voyage date for Queen Anne

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 13 December 2023: Cunard has announced the first event voyage on Queen Anne with a special British Isles Festival to coincide with her maiden voyage around the British Isles that sets sail on 24 May 2024.  

Signalled a new chapter for Cunard, Queen Anne will depart Southampton on 24 May 2024 for her maiden 14-night sailing around Great Britain and Ireland in a one-of-a-kind British Isles circumnavigation. Queen Anne is the newest addition to the Cunard fleet, with a 3,000-guest capacity across 14 decks.

Throughout her maiden season, starting May 2024, Queen Anne will sail from Southampton on itineraries to the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, the Canary Islands, and the Norwegian Fjords, visiting more than 60 destinations in 16 countries – taking in several of Europe’s most enchanting ancient cities.

There are currently three Cunard ships: Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria.

Centara opens hotel in Ayutthaya

By
TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 13 December 2023: Central Pattana, a global sustainable real estate company and developer of Central shopping centres, residential projects, office buildings and hotels across Thailand, together with Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, proudly unveil for the first time images of the fresh and contemporarily designed rooms at their newest property, Centara Ayutthaya. 

The new property opened its doors to guests on 8 December 2023, marking the fourth addition to Central Pattana’s esteemed portfolio under the renowned Centara brand.

Nestled in the heart of Thailand’s historic former capital, a short one-hour drive from Bangkok and less than 15 minutes from the city’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, Centara Ayutthaya delivers contemporary comfort and convenience. With a selection of restaurants and bars, including all-day dining and a stunning rooftop pool bar, a fully-equipped fitness centre, and state-of-the-art MICE facilities, Centara Ayutthaya is set to become a sought-after destination for independent travellers, leisure guests, business travellers, corporate and government organisations, group tours and more.

In addition to providing a comfortable base for guests to explore some of Ayutthaya’s most famous landmarks, including Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, Wat Maha That, and the adjacent Central Ayutthaya shopping centre, this 224-key property boasts a range of rooms and suites, each offering a harmonious blend of modernity and design details paying homage to Ayutthaya’s storied past.

“Centara Ayutthaya stands poised to offer an exceptional experience, blending international standards of hospitality with the rich tapestry of Ayutthaya’s heritage,” said Chen Thipvarodom, General Manager for Centara Ayutthaya. “We are thrilled to open our doors and welcome guests to immerse themselves in unparalleled comfort while creating lasting memories during their stay.”

To celebrate its grand opening, Centara Ayutthaya is offering introductory rates starting at THB2,520++ per night. CentaraThe1 members enjoy an extra 15% discount, while every room booking comes with a THB 500 hotel credit per stay, perfect for indulging in sumptuous dining and drinks. Plus, guests are invited to enjoy a leisurely departure with complimentary late check-out until 14.00 hrs. This special offer is available from now until 31 March 2024 for stays until 30 June 2024.
For more information and to make a reservation, visit https://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centara/cay

Masters tennis breaks records at Royal Cliff

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TTR WEEKLY
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PATTAYA, 13 December 2023: The 6th edition of the ITF MT700 Tennis Masters Championship was successfully hosted at Fitz Club – Racquets, Health and Fitness. 

Sponsored by AssetWise and Carabao Group, the tournament brought together an outstanding lineup of over 200 Tennis players from over 20 countries, exceeding all ITF Masters attendance records for events held in Thailand. The oldest competitor was 80 years old. New and returning athletes, lively spectators and great sportsmanship made the tournament another smashing blockbuster event!

The MT700 ITF tournament is considered the highest category in the Asia Pacific region and offers the highest level of elite international competition. The event, organised by Royal Cliff Hotels Group CEO Vitanart Vathanakul, allows more senior players the opportunity to stay active, improve their game, get more socially connected and help reinforce Pattaya and Thailand’s reputation as a premier sports and wellness destination, with a particular focus on tennis.

Highlights of the tournament included the Men’s 35+ Singles between Maxim Khamutov of Russia, a dark horse in the competition and Shrikant Kumawat, top seed in the category. Maxim exhibited amazing finesse to overpower the number-one seed and win the championship. 

The most thrilling match was between Vitanart Vathanakul and. Prakash Aswani. Despite sustaining an injury, Vitanart displayed remarkable resilience and determination, ultimately triumphing after a gruelling four-hour battle. 

In the Men’s Singles 60+ category, Rashid Ahmad Malik, a former Davis Cup Captain from Pakistan, boasting an undefeated record in over 70 matches, secured an effortless 6-1, 6-1 victory against the world’s former second-ranked ITF player,  Simon Arms. 

The award ceremony featured the esteemed Chief Human Resource Officer of AssetWise Public Company Limited as a distinguished guest. 

Participants were treated to complimentary massages, courtesy of AssetWise, enhancing their relaxation experience. Various food and drink choices were available alongside state-of-the-art sports amenities for exercise, relaxation, and socialising. One of the event’s highlights was the exceptional BBQ Buffet on the tournament’s second evening, where tennis players, their families, and friends convened to savour an array of exquisite dishes. This gathering was further enlivened by the live broadcast of the Cricket World Cup final 2023 between Australia and India.

Royal Cliff Hotels Group manages four luxury properties, offering domestic and international tourists a sublime holiday experience. The group consistently contributes positively to its communities and aims to enhance the recreational experiences of the senior demographic. This is achieved through fostering friendly competitions that bolster both physical and mental health via sports. In collaboration with AssetWise Public Company Limited and Carabao Group, Royal Cliff champions the cause of senior athletes, promoting healthy, active lifestyles and leveraging its top-tier facilities to advocate for physical fitness at various levels. Through these sporting endeavours, they consistently uplift many, offering them opportunities for enjoyment, building friendships, and fostering a lifelong passion for sports.

About Fitz Club- Racquets, Health & Fitness

Fitz Club – Racquets, Health & Fitness, an elite sports centre under the Royal Cliff banner, has been a preferred choice for renowned ATP players such as Nikolay Davydenko, Mikhail Youzhny, Dmitry Tursunov, Denis Istomin, among others. These players have previously conducted tennis camps at this facility. With tennis courts on par with those at the Australian Open, Fitz Club is a go-to for top-tier players aiming to acclimate themselves to grand slam tournament conditions. Besides tennis, the club boasts a rich history of hosting an array of sports events, encompassing both Junior and Senior Tennis contests, Squash championships, and Table Tennis duels.

Enchanting Bhutan: Happiness in the air

By
Andrew Wood
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BANGKOK, 13 December 2023: In the heart of the Himalayas lies a kingdom shrouded in mystical and enchanting clouds, with brightly painted temples and snow on the ground. 

In a courtyard, the only sounds are birdsongs and the chanting echos of monk’s prayers and occasional chimes that shatter the silence, the air heavy with incense; monks go about their daily rituals, dedicated yet resplendent in their dark red robes. This is Bhutan. 

With clean air, glacial streams of stunning purity, the world’s tallest mountains as a backdrop, wonderful treks and forest walks and a population of less than 1 million people, this small landlocked country is nestled deep in the mountains between India and China. 

Exploring Bhutan this week, I immediately recognised this tiny land-locked nation has not lost any of its magical charm. The trip is a 10-day  visit in December 2023 after a gap of nine years. 

The Iron Chain Bridge and Prayer flags at Tachog Dzong, Paro  Photo: A J Wood.
The lobby of Bhutan’s 5 star Zhiwa Ling Heritage Hotel Paro.

Being a mountainous region in the Himalayas, you should brace yourself for the purity of the air, but it is also thinner at an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 metres. Our tour includes walks and sightseeing, so it’s not a major issue, but you have to pace yourself and drink plenty of fluids. 

The guidebooks remind us that since Bhutan shifted to a democratic constitutional monarchy in 2008, the country has embarked on a development strategy founded on the principle of Gross National Happiness under the guidance of its much-loved royal family. 

Bhutan is not a rich country. Other than the capital, Thimphu, there are few roads, and traffic lights are rare. Economic growth in Bhutan has reduced poverty, helped by a rising GNP with the sale of excess hydropower to India and strong services performance, including tourism.

Along mountain passes, bridges, monasteries, stupas, temples, mountain peaks and homes, we are greeted everywhere with the sacred prayer flags and their blessings. These vivid flags not only add colour and energy with their flutterings but they are infused with important religious and cultural significance and should be treated with respect.

The prayer flags are made of block-printed fabric using traditional printing techniques from centuries ago. They are inscribed with auspicious and sacred emblems and mantras. You will receive good karma and will benefit from the blessings as they are carried from the flag via the wind to you and the heavens.

Bhutan is sometimes called the Land of the Thunder Dragon, a reference to the mixture of folklore and observations of the frequent mountain storms. 

Folklore tells us that one of the strongmen who came down from Tibet in the 17th century encountered a severe thunderbolt on the way to his new land – the sparking lights of the thunderbolts were made by red fire coming out of a dragon. It describes the Bhutan experience: a sparkling light of enlightenment as you experience genuine happiness and awe-inspiring natural wonders.  

(Source: Andrew Wood)

Collinson adds airport lounges in Narita

By
TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 13 December 2023: Collinson, owner and operator of Priority Pass, announced Monday it will add two new lounges in Narita Airport to Priority Pass’ network through a collaboration with Japanese airport service provider IASS Co Ltd.

The agreement comes as part of Collinson’s ongoing expansion of airport lounges and travel experiences within its Asia Pacific network. Between January and September 2023, 13 new airport lounges and travel experiences have been added to the Priority Pass network in Japan, giving the group 20 outlets. Additionally, in the first three quarters of this year (from January to October 2023), Collinson grew its Asia Pacific portfolio of airport lounges and travel experiences by over 30%.

Collinson’s network has 550 airport lounges in the Asia Pacific and over 1,500 worldwide.

Flight Centre names group’s AI guru

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 13 December 2023: Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has announced the establishment of an ‘AI Centre of Excellence,’ a new global division focusing on promoting, adopting, and integrating artificial intelligence technologies into the company’s corporate divisions. 

The ‘AI Centre of Excellence’ will harness the power of AI to revolutionise FCTG’s flagship business travel divisions, Corporate Traveller and FCM, by enriching customer experiences, boosting employee productivity and more. 

Adrian Lopez.

As part of the launch, Adrian Lopez will step into a newly created role as Head of AI for Corporate, where he will lead a dedicated team of technical experts responsible for laying out the shared corporate vision for AI within the organisation. He most recently served as Global Chief Technology Officer for FCM Digital.

Lopez and his team will overall AI strategy for FCTG’s corporate brands and ensure the company maximises the potential around generative AI, while doing so effectively, responsibly, and in alignment with its business objectives. 

The specialised team will implement best practices and provide research, support, and training around AI, with a focus on improving efficiency and driving value to new and existing clients. They will look to find ways to integrate the technology into the operations of the company’s business travel divisions, Corporate Traveller and FCM.

With the ‘AI Centre of Excellence debut,’ FCTG will aim to strengthen the relationship between the human workforce and hands-on AI applications. The incredible automation and machine learning that AI offers will prove to be a perfect complement to the personal touch and natural intuition of the human mind. 

Furthermore, FCTG will leverage AI to enhance productivity and improve workflow optimisation, allowing its teams to focus on priority initiatives and more creative-driven projects. 

A travel technology pioneer, Lopez has over a decade of industry experience. In 2014, he co-founded the corporate travel tool SAM, a mobile AI-powered app that operates as a 24/7 virtual travel assistant, helping business travellers easily manage their trips. 

FCTG made an initial investment in Sam in 2017, followed by a full acquisition in 2019. After the ownership transition, Lopez officially joined the FCTG team, where he helped oversee the integration of Sam’s capabilities while leading the development of the new FCM Platform. 

About Flight Centre Travel Group
The Flight Centre Travel Group is one of the world’s largest travel retailers and corporate travel managers. The company, headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, has a company-owned leisure and corporate travel business in dozens of countries, spanning Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Europe, the UK, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Asia.

Jakarta hotel occupancy soars

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 13 December 2023: Jakarta hotels recorded their highest occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPAR) since November 2011 and November 2013, respectively, according to preliminary data from CoStar. 

CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics in the property markets. 

Photo credit: CoStar.

November 2023 (year-over-year % change)

Occupancy: 79.8% (+10.9%)
Average daily rate (ADR): IDR1,030,269.24 (+10.4%)
Revenue per available room (RevPAR): IDR822,163.52 (+22.5%)

Jakarta hosted several events that helped performance last month, including a Coldplay concert and IndoBuildTech Expo. 

Daily data shows the highest occupancy levels occurred on Wednesday, 15 November (92.7%), the night of the Coldplay concert, closely followed by Thursday, 16 November (89.1%). Jakarta’s occupancy levels remained above 70% for all but three days during the month.

For more information about the company and its products and services, please visit www.costargroup.com

(Source: CoStar Group)

AirAsia monitors MOVE trends

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 December 2023: Wrapping up the year 2023, airasia MOVE reveals traveller trends across the region, with ‘value’ emerging as the most crucial factor determining its app users’ preferences and loyalty. 

“The traveller trends we have observed throughout the year is in line with airasia MOVE’s commitment to creating an inclusive and affordable travel ecosystem for everyone,” said airasia MOVE chief executive officer, Nadia Omer. “ By understanding user behaviours, we’re further motivated to continue innovating and enhancing AirAsia MOVE in the coming year and creating a community that elevates user travel experiences while simultaneously offering the best value accessible for everyone on one convenient platform.”

Photo credit: AirAsia.   Movers and shakers are trending.

The final week of each month marks the peak period for flight bookings.

Based on users’ transaction behaviours on Airasia MOVE, peak days for flight bookings for airlines of all categories available on the app are towards payday and the month’s final week. 

Among the top destinations booked throughout 2023 are Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia, Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Manila in the Philippines, with over 30% of app users searching for those destinations combined. 

Currently, airasia MOVE offers flights from AirAsia and 700 other carriers globally with notable names such as Turkish Airlines, Etihad, ANA, KLM, Air Arabia, Air New Zealand, Citilink, Bangkok Airways, Royal Brunei, Vietnam Airlines and Jeju Air.

Nadia added: “We always ensure that we provide the best value to our app users, and they are able to get that with our iconic monthly promos such as the Superapp Super Sale. Exclusively available until 17 December, the Super Sale offers international flight deals at 20% off and 30% off for hotels worldwide and airport rides from MYR54 one way.

Travellers prefer best-value accommodation

74% of airasia MOVE users chose hotels ranging from MYR250 to 400, with Resorts World Group, Ibis and Fave Hotel being some of the top selections of travellers regionally. Interestingly, most hotel bookings were made approximately 30 days before arrival, while flight bookings were made much earlier.

2.3 billion  points redeemed in 2023

Airasia MOVE users often take advantage of the benefits from the loyalty programme. Trends among airasia MOVE users indicate a 40% increase in membership in 2023 compared to 2022. Overall, members have redeemed up to 2.3 billion Airasia points to transact across the whole ecosystem across Airasia MOVE.

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