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SAS returns to Bangkok

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 21 August 2023: SAS will resume flights from Copenhagen to Bangkok but only during the northern hemisphere winter timetable from October to March.

The seasonal flights will commence on 30 October 2023 and end on 31 March 2024. SAS schedules three flights weekly on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday using an Airbus A350 departing Copenhagen. 

The Airbus A350 has 300 seats and offers three classes – SAS Business, SAS Plus and SAS Go.

SAS ended flights to Thailand nine years ago after decades of serving Bangkok. Its links to Thai aviation go back to 1960 when it played a pivotal role in the founding of Thai Airways International in 1960 and held a 30% stake in the airline until 1977. 

As part of the Winter 2023/2024 programme, SAS will also continue its three-times-weekly services to Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Shanghai (PVG).

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

Adventure travel appeals to Indians

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TTR WEEKLY
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Photo: JAL

SINGAPORE, 18 August 2023: The 2023 Adventure Travel Industry Snapshot report recently released by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) saw APAC countries gaining more consumer recognition. 

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) will host its first-ever Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) in Asia, convening in Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido in Japan, from 11 to 14 September 2023.

The report noted Japan was the third most popular destination for adventure travel clients globally, and Indian travellers were the fifth largest source market of adventure travellers, the first time either country has made it into the top five markets.

The Adventure Travel Industry Snapshot report, now in its 17th year, tracks the current state of the adventure travel industry, using data from ATTA’s community of tour operators, who are invited to share information about their business operations as well as trends they are experiencing with respect to traveller demographics, destinations, and activities.

Demonstrating the value of adventure travel, the report shows that the respondents’ most popular itinerary is priced at a median of USD3,000 (for eight nights), 76% of which is spent with local suppliers (USD2,280 on average). These are the highest numbers the survey has seen to date, highlighting the importance and value of community engagement and forward-looking environmental practices in travel experiences.

The most popular adventure trip activities worldwide were hiking, wildlife viewing, and cycling. The top trending activities for Asia, in particular, are cultural activities, hiking, culinary, cycling (specifically mountain and/or non-paved surfaces), and photography (wildlife and nature). Cultural activities scored highest for Asia, signalling a strong preference from travellers to experience the diversity of Asian cultures whilst visiting the region.

Going into 2023, Oceania is one of the hottest regions to show a positive change of interest for bookings, with the India/South Asia and Southeast Asia regions also seeing a growth in interest.

“It’s exciting to see an explosion of interest around Japan as an adventure travel destination, particularly ahead of our Adventure Travel World Summit, which will be held in Sapporo, Japan, from 11 to 14 September,” said ATTA director of research & sustainability Heather Kelly.

“It’s also a wake-up call for those outside of the region to see that Indian travellers reach the top five in source markets, challenging the stereotype that Asian travellers aren’t adventure travellers.”

A limited number of tickets are still available for the Adventure Travel World Summit 2023. Those interested in attending can register here: https://events.adventuretravel.biz/summit/hokkaido-2023/register

Standouts from the report

  • Globally, 74% of respondents expect their 2023 net profit to be equal to or better than 2022, and 63% even expect it to be higher than 2019
  • 43% of respondents are seeing an improvement in domestic travel demand for 2023, down from 73% in 2022, showing a stabilisation in demand
  • 87% of respondents see an improvement in international travel demand for 2023
  • Top trending activities are hiking/trekking/walking, cultural, culinary/gastronomy, mountain biking, and safaris/wildlife viewing
  • 68% have or are working toward a sustainability certification
  • The average number of travellers served by respondents was 4,243, a 213% increase from 1,355 in 2021 and up 658% from 2020
  • Most departments have seen an increase in staffing over the previous year, especially the guides, sales, and operations teams

To download the full report: https://learn.adventuretravel.biz/research/2023-adventure-travel-industry-snapshot 

Oceania lines up 2024 to 2025 sailings

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 18 August 2023: Oceania Cruises, a culinary and destination-focused cruise line, is offering 100 sailings in Tahiti and the Caribbean in 2024 and 2025, charting lesser-known coastlines and taking travellers to boutique ports and off-the-beaten-track islands. 

Must-sees in French Polynesia include vibrant Papeete, the paradise island of Nuku Hiva, and Bora Bora, the most romantic island in the world. Meanwhile, Caribbean season highlights include Castries on the island of St. Lucia; Puerto Limon in Costa Rica; Gatun Lake in Panama; and Colombia’s colonial city of Cartagena.

Sailing from Miami, Cartagena, New York, Los Angeles, Bridgetown, Panama and Papeete, the voyages are the cruise line’s ships Marina, Nautica, Sirena and the latest addition Vista. 

Voyages range from seven to 16 days, sailing to iconic Caribbean destinations, including Bridgetown, Cartagena, Gustavia, Puntarenas, San Juan and St. John’s. Many voyages feature daylight passages through the Panama Canal, linking sought-after Caribbean destinations with Pacific Riviera ports such as Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Quetzal.

Oceania Cruises will offer travellers free shore excursion credit and a free beverage package for all new reservations for sailings departing 1 October 2023 or later. On offer is a generous shore excursion credit of up to USD1,600 per stateroom.

Resort World Cruises launches Japan sailings

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 18 August 2023: Resorts World Cruises launches its six-day/five-night Naha-Miyakojima cruise aboard the Resorts World One, which will depart every two weeks from Hong Kong, starting 1 October 2023. 

The cruise departing from Hong Kong heads for the islands of Naha and Miyakojima in the Okinawa prefecture, renowned for having some of Japan’s best beaches and tropical coastlines, natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and delicious seafood cuisines. 

With alternate weekly departures from Hong Kong, vacationers can also choose between the five-night Naha-Miyakojima cruise itinerary and the two or three-night Sanya cruise itinerary.

Resorts World One departs from Hong Kong every alternate Sunday to Okinawa, where passengers can explore both Naha and Miyakojima. 

The city of Naha is Okinawa’s cosmopolitan capital and gateway to the island, showcasing many hallmark attractions with seaside pleasures. A visit to Naha is not complete without a trip to the energetic Kokusai Street, which is also central to some of the city’s largest festivals. 

The cruise also visits Miyakojima, an island many consider one of Japan’s most beautiful spots. With a sub-tropical climate all year round, Miyakojima offers some of the country’s best beaches, perfect for snorkelling, diving and thrilling water sports. 

Cruise fares for the six-day/five-night Naha-Miyakojima cruise start from HKD4,400 per person based on twin-sharing with bookings opened from 21 August 2023 onwards. 

About Resorts World Cruises

Resorts World Cruises is a newly established luxury and dynamic lifestyle cruise brand that is rich in Asian heritage, offer- ing a personalized cruising lifestyle with diverse international experiences. Resorts World Cruises – ‘Resorts Cruising at Sea’ aims to redefine the cruising experience altogether by providing exciting and unique offerings, a variety of accommo- dations, including the world-class luxury accommodation, “The Palace” – a luxury ship-within-a ship private enclave with butler and its own service exclusive restaurant, sundeck, gym, spa and other facilities.

Resorts World Cruises is a brand extension of “Resorts World”, a global brand with over 46 properties in 8 countries and 4 continents. Resorts World properties attract over 80 million visitors a year and has over 30,000 employees. The latest property to open is US$ 4.3 billion Resorts World Las Vegas in 2021.

Resorts World Cruises debut on 15 June 2022 in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) with the operations of the luxurious 3,352 passenger and 150,695 gross ton Genting Dream. Staring 10 March 2023, the 1,856 passenger and 75,338 gross ton Resorts World One commenced her first homeport deployment in Hong Kong. With the inception of Resorts World Cruises, the brand aims to position itself as the leading cruise line in the region for Asian sourced markets, providing the highest standards in cruise experience, safety and precautionary measures.

Website: www.rwcruises.com

CX wins back passengers in July

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 18 August 2023: Cathay Pacific released its traffic figures for July 2023 this week, showing that together with HK Express, the Cathay Group as a whole surpassed the milestone of having carried more than two million passengers in a month for the first time since the pandemic.

Cathay Pacific carried 1,744,374 passengers last month, an increase of 693.8% compared with July 2022. The month’s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 421.6% year-on-year. Passenger load factor increased by 16 percentage points to 89.3%, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs), increased by 328.2% year on year. In the first seven months of 2023, the number of passengers carried increased by 1,622% against an 818.9% increase in capacity and a 1,149% increase in RPKs, compared with the same period for 2022.

Travel
Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau noted: “July marks the beginning of the traditional summer peak for passenger travel, and we are very pleased to see that demand has been strong. We continued to add more capacity for our customers – 11% more compared with June – primarily on our North America, Europe, Japan and Southeast Asia services catering to the rising demand for visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and leisure travel.

“Long-haul flights to and from Hong Kong were especially popular among VFR travellers in the first half of the month. Subsequently, with the start of the school holidays in mid-July, there was a substantial increase in demand for popular short-haul destinations around Asia. All this resulted in July having a nearly 90% load factor.

Outlook
“Looking ahead, the strong travel demand seen in July will continue through the rest of the summer, peaking in August said Lau. “We continue to make good progress in our journey to rebuild the Cathay Group and connectivity at our home hub and, as a group comprising Cathay Pacific and HK Express, we are now close to 60% of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels.”

The airline group is on track to reach 70% of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity covering 80 destinations by the end of this year and forecasts it will reach 100% by the end of 2024.

On the customer experience side, the airline group welcomed guests back to its lounge in Taipei and previewed its all-new Business class experience, Aria Suite, which will arrive on long-haul Boeing 777-300ER flights in the second quarter of next year.

As an additional update following the group’s payment of the HKD1.5 billion deferred dividend on the HKD19.5 billion preference shares held by the Hong Kong SAR Government in June and announcement of its intention to pay all future preference shares dividends as they fall due, the group has paid the latest dividend of HKD292.5 million due on the preference shares on 14 August 2023.

Kenya Airways returns to Bangkok

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 18 August 2023: Kenya Airways confirms it will resume flights from Nairobi to Bangkok on 21 November, flying three times a week.

The airline halted its Nairobi – Bangkok – Guangzhou service on 13 February 2023, replacing it with a direct three-weekly service from Nairobi to Guangzhou. Now it has been confirmed direct flights on the Nairobi – Bangkok route will resume on 21 November, with departures on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday using a Boeing 787-8 aircraft configured with 204 seats in economy and 30 in business class. Flight time is nine hours on the Nairobi to Bangkok sector.

The airline will extend the Bangkok service beyond the Thai capital to Guangzhou in China while discontinuing the nonstop Nairobi-Guangzhou service.

Flight KQ886 will leave NBO at 2345 and arrive at BKK at 1330 local time. The return flight KQ887 will depart BKK at 0100 local time, arriving at NBO at 0605 on the following morning

Kenya Airways will extend the Bangkok service to Guangzhou. Flight KQ886 will depart from BKK at 1440 and arrive at CAN at 1835. The return Flight KQ887 will depart CAN at 2140 and arrive in BKK at 2335.

Meanwhile, Kenya Airways’ unveiled its new website earlier this week to provide visitors with a more user-friendly experience and improved navigation. 

Commenting on the website, the airline’s CEO Allan Kilavuka said: “The new website is in line with our commitment to continuously improving the Kenya Airways product offering and customer

experience. The most important thing customers need when booking is information to ensure they make an informed decision, which has been aptly provided for in the new website.”

THAI’s Q2 operating profit breaks record

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 18 August 2023: During the second quarter of 2023, Thai Airways International and its subsidiaries reported revenue, excluding one-time transactions, of THB37,381 million for Q2 2023, representing an improvement when compared with THB21,526 million earned in Q2 2022.

But the improved performance in the Q2 2023 was still 9.9% lower than Q1 2023, mainly caused by the traditional decline in travel to Thailand during Q2.

On a positive note, THAI increased flights to Japan and China and reported a total of 3.35 million passengers and an average cabin factor of 79.2%, higher than the 60.3% recorded in Q2 2023.

THAI and its subsidiaries reported expenses, excluding one-time transactions, reached THB 28,805 million, higher than the previous year, which stood at THB 22,825 million, blamed on an increase in variable costs.

However, THAI reported an operating profit, before financial costs and excluding one-time transactions, of THB8,576 million representing a substantial improvement on the Q2 2022 performance that recorded an operating loss of THB1,299 million. The operating profit of Q2 2023 is the highest that THAI has recorded in 20 years.

Financial costs during Q2 2023 stood at THB3,967 million. THAI and its subsidiaries had one-time items mainly due to loss on foreign exchange rates resulting in total expenses of THB2,643 million.
Consequently, THAI and its subsidiaries reported a net profit of THB 2,273 million, while in the same period last year, it reported a net loss of 3,213 million. Profit attributable to the parent company was THB2,262 million. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) after cash paid for aircraft lease payment, including power-by-the-hour, amounted to THB9,307 million.

Six-month performance
During the first six months of 2023, THAI and its subsidiaries reported a total revenue, excluding one-time transactions, of THB78,889 million when compared with the half-year result last year, which stood at THB 32,706 million.
Total expenses, excluding one-time transactions, stood at THB57,280 million, higher than THB37,175 million for the half-year 2022 results.

THAI and its subsidiaries reported an operating profit, before financial costs and excluding one-time transactions, of THB21,609 million, an improvement over the half-year 2022, which reported an operating loss of THB4,469 million.

Financial costs stood at THB7,515 million. THAI and its subsidiaries had one-time items mainly due to profit from debt restructuring resulting in revenue of THB344 million.

Consequently, THAI and its subsidiaries reported a net profit of THB14,795 million, while in the same period last year, it reported a net loss of THB6,457 million. Profit attributable to the parent company was THB14,776 million. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) after cash paid for aircraft lease payment, including power-by-the-hour, amounted to THB23,361 million.

The airline group has a fleet of 67 aircraft consisting of 20 narrow-bodied aircraft and 47 wide-bodied aircraft.
Traffic production (ASK) increased by 76.9%, while passenger traffic (RPK) increased by 192.8%, with an average cabin factor of 81.4%, higher than the previous year’s 49.2%. The total number of passengers carried was 6.87 million, an increase of 126.7%.

Ethiopian flies to London Gatwick

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TTR WEEKLY
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Photo: hotel.com

SINGAPORE, 18 August 2023: Ethiopian Airlines will commence three weekly flights every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday to London Gatwick starting 21 November.

Commenting on the new flights, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said: “We have a 50-year relationship with the UK (flying) to London Heathrow. Now we are excited to add Gatwick to our vast global network.” 

The airline is returning to Gatwick, having served London’s second international airport in 2005 and 2006 using a Boeing 757. This time round the route will be served by  Airbus A350-900 aircraft. 

The new service by Ethiopian will offer a direct flight between London-Gatwick and Addis Ababa using an Airbus A350-900 configured with business and economy class cabins. The flights will connect with Ethiopian Airlines’ networks serving Africa and Asia.

The airline’s area manager UK & Ireland Henock Woubishet noted: “Adding London-Gatwick to our UK schedule will enable us to provide not only for our passengers but also for our cargo services. Ethiopian will now serve London Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester Airports.”

Flight schedule London Gatwick

The service will complement the airline’s daily nonstop A350 flights from T2 London Heathrow to Addis Ababa and five weekly A350 services from T2 Manchester to Addis Ababa.

MATTA recruits MAG as official airline partner

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 18 August 2023: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has renewed its collaboration with Malaysia Aviation Group, naming it the Official Airline Partner for the upcoming MATTA Fair, scheduled to take place from 1 to 3 September 2023 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).

The long-standing partnership with the airline group comprising Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, and MASwings, will elevate the MATTA Fair experience offering visitors unparalleled access to Malaysia’s premier airlines, as well as other enticing offerings to complete the travel experience through MAG’s range of products aimed at enhancing travellers’ journey.

Caption from left to right: Rocky Kho, MATTA Fair Organising Committee; Nigel Wong, President of MATTA; Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer, Airline Business; Syazwan Ahmad Sabri, Head of Airlines Global Sales.

The dedicated Malaysia Aviation Group pavilion, strategically positioned at foyer Level 1, boasts a total space of 156 sqm, creating an inviting hub for visitors to explore and engage with the national airlines’ activities.

“We are delighted to join forces again with Malaysia Aviation Group’s airlines for the MATTA Fair. Their participation not only adds significant value to the fair but also underscores our commitment to meet the evolving demands of our valued consumers,” said MATTA president Nigel Wong.

“As the national flag bearer, we are proud to take part in MATTA Fair once again, reinforcing our commitment in working hand in hand with our stakeholders to reinvigorate the tourism sector back to its glory days,” said MAG chief commercial officer of airlines Dersenish Aresandiran.

The airlines will offer up to 40% off on fares to selected domestic and international destinations. This exclusive offer is valid for travel from 31 August to 9 September 2023, at the MATTA Fair and the airlines’ online platforms, from 31 August 2023 to 31 March 2024. Members of Malaysia Airlines’ travel and lifestyle loyalty programme, Enrich, will also earn 50% Bonus Enrich Points during this period.

The airlines will also offer 37 return tickets, including Business Class tickets to London and Sydney, through the MATTA Fair Buyers’ Contest.
On top of the great discounts offered on fares, customers will also get to enjoy other deals beyond air travel, including discounts on holiday packages and travel experiences through MHholidays and Journify; ensuring customers have a fuss-free journey.

Admission to the fair is free. The show is open from 1000 to 2100 for three days, Friday to Sunday. MATTA provides a free shuttle service to MITEC from KL Sentral and Sunway Putra Mall.

Visit MATTA Fair’s website and social media platforms on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or subscribe to the new Telegram channel @MATTA_Fair to obtain the most recent information updates.

Spectrum of the Sea returns to Japan

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 17 August 2023: Royal Caribbean International’s Spectrum of the Seas arrived in Yokohama, Japan, late last week with over 4,000 guests following a 12-night sailing, its longest itinerary yet. 

Cruise guests visited Nha Trang in Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan, followed by Japan’s  Kobe and Mt Fuji before arriving in Yokohama.

Caption: (L-to-R), Executive Director Miyata Ayako, Port Promotion Dept, Port and Harbor Bureau, Yokohama City, Director Sashida Toru, Director of Maritime Bureau from Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Director General Nakano Hiroya from the Port and Harbour Bureau, Yokohama City, Angie Stephen, Vice president and Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, Royal Caribbean International, Director Naruaki Hisada, Director of Ports and Habour Bureau from Ministry of Land, infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Spectrum of the Seas’ Captain Wu Huimin at the welcome ceremony on 12 August in Yokohama.

In recognition of Spectrum of the Seas’ return to Japan and its new 12-night sailings, celebratory events were held onboard as the ship called at Kobe on 10 August and Yokohama, Japan, on 12 August.

The 12-night sailings visit popular destinations in Japan, including Tokyo, Kobe, Okinawa, Ishigaki, Mt Fuji, Kyoto and Kagoshima, and various destinations in Asia.

From April 2024, Spectrum of the Seas will set sail from Shanghai, China, offering guests a combination of four and five-night cruises visiting Fukuoka, Okinawa, Nagasaki, Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. 

Spectrum will also offer eight sailings from Hong Kong starting in December 2024, bringing guests to places such as Ishigaki and Miyazaki in Japan, China, and Vietnam.

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