BANGKOK, 11 August 2023: Thai Airways International and Turkish Airlines signed an MOU earlier this week, leading to a “joint venture operations agreement” in the future between the two airlines.
It takes cooperation between the flag carriers of Thailand and Türkiye to the next level to exploit the advantages of the Instanbul and Bangkok aviation gateways, positioning them as hubs for flights in Europe and Asia connected by the two airlines’ long-haul flights.
Left to right: Bilal Ekşi, CEO of Turkish Airlines and Chai Eamsiri, THAI CEO.
Istanbul strategically acts as a hub between Asia, Europe and Africa, and THAI will introduce daily service to Istanbul from its Bangkok hub this December.
The first step will be to create codeshare agreements to allow THAI passengers to connect in Istanbul with Turkish Airlines flights in Europe and North Africa. The two airlines will also cooperate on the intercontinental route between Istanbul and Bangkok, while Turkish will conclude more codeshare agreements with THAI for flights in Asia.
In the joint press statement, THAI and Turkish Airlines said they would work towards joint venture operations to maximise the synergies between the two airlines.
Both companies’ CEOs and executive teams confirmed their commitment to an enhanced partnership during meetings held in Istanbul on 2 August.
DUBAI UAE, 11 August 2023: Dubai recorded more than 8.5 million international visitors during the first half of 2023, according to Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism consolidated a half-year economic update released this week.
Key report findings
The Region’s Wealthiest City – Dubai leads as the wealthiest city in the Middle East and North Africa, regarding the number of billionaires currently residing in Dubai.
Best Performing Financial Market Regionally – The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) crossed the 3,986 level on 13 July, the highest since August 2015, and is up nearly 20% this year, ahead of the MSCI World Index.
Busiest International Airport – Dubai International (DXB) retained its title as the busiest airport for international flights in July 2023.
Figures from the report demonstrate the significant strides Dubai has already made towards achieving the objectives of the D33 Economic Agenda. Launched early this year, the ‘D33’ economic transformation plan aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy over the next decade and consolidate its position among the top three global cities. The strategy reinforces Dubai’s position as a global destination for digital economy investments and entrepreneurial ventures, the Department of Tourism reported.
MANILA, 11 August 2023: AirAsia Philippines will strengthen its Cebu hub with more connectivity to other destinations in the country and ASEAN.
Currently, AirAsia Philippines flies seven daily flights from Manila to Cebu. Flights to Caticlan and Davao via Cebu meanwhile remain at three times weekly. Similarly, flights to international destinations such as Narita (Tokyo and Seoul (Incheon) remain daily, while flights to Taipei are pegged four times weekly.
AirAsia Philippines is making Cebu a major hub for leisure and business travellers, with Japan, South Korea, and China flights opening.
During his recent visit to the Queen City of the South, Capital A President and CEO Tony Fernandes commented on the expansion: “Our main growth will be in Cebu. Our team is now working on plans to grow flights to and from Cebu. As we speak, we now have Japan, South Korea, and China. We will do more flights to Bangkok and Bali connecting to Cebu,” he stressed.
Recently nominated in the World Travel Awards 2023, Cebu’s beautiful white sand beaches, spectacular diving spots, and cultural heritage sites have placed the province on top of the must-visit destinations in the country. Its also known for its bustling business districts, and combining leisure and business makes Cebu a major hub for local and foreign travellers. Its proximity to the provinces of Negros, Bohol, and Leyte, among other destinations in Central Visayas, also makes it a convenient hub for travellers who intend to explore other destinations in the Philippines.
Fernandes stressed the importance of improving hubs such as Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Manila International Airport to attract more tourists and help rebuild the tourism industry.
“I encourage the private enterprise to not just look at full-service but also at low-cost airports, which are cheaper to build and affordable for the public. It’s about building facilities that fit the public. People think about Bali and Phuket, but there are equally beautiful places here, and the service quality is great,” he added.
HO CHI MINH CITY, 11 August 2023: Vietjet will become the first airline to operate direct flights from Ho Chi Minh to Perth (Australia) on 21 November 2023.
Vietjet confirmed the new service earlier this week, saying it would raise flights between Vietnam and Australia to 38 flights per week.
Photo credit: Vietjet
Initially, the airline will fly from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat Airport to Perth twice weekly, every Tuesday and Saturday.
Flights will depart SGN at 1355 and arrive in Perth at 2120. The return flights will depart Perth International Airport at 2320 and land at Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City at 0505 on the following morning.
Vietjet launches the flights with its standard promotion of zero-cost fare (excluding taxes and fees) for the new Perth service and has similar deals for some flights to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, bookable at www.vietjetair.com or the Vietjet mobile app.
BANGKOK, 11 August 2023: Thai Airways International will resume twice daily flights on the Bangkok-Vientiane route on 15 August, taking over the route from its low-cost subsidiary Thai Smile.
THAI quotes a roundtrip fare on the route during late August at THB8,585 (including THB4,265 in taxes and fees.) Thai Smile, which continues to offer direct flights Bangkok-Vientaine until the evening of 14 August, quotes a roundtrip fare of THB7,680.
THAI will use a recently delivered A320 aircraft with 174 seats on the route for the double daily services. THAI is gradually taking back routes to major cities in Southeast Asia and India that were handed over to Thai Smile. The national airline said it would merge Thai Smile operations into its network, claiming it would reduce operating losses attributed to the parent airline’s balance sheet.
Bangkok – Vientiane
TG570 departs Bangkok at 1125 and arrives in Vientiane at 1240. TG574 departs Bangkok at 1825 and arrives in Vientiane at 1945.
Vientiane – Bangkok
TG571 departs Vientiane at 13.30 and arrives in Bangkok at 1450. TG575 departs Vientiane at 2030 and arrives in Bangkok at 2155.
Meanwhile, according to HiFlight Net, THAI will also take over the Bangkok-Ahmedabad route from Thai Smile on 2 September using the new 174-seat A320 for the daily flight. The aircraft is configured with 12 business class and 162 economy class seats.
The Bangkok-Ahmedabad flight TG343 will depart Bangkok at 2030 and arrive in Ahmedabad at 2355. The return flight TG344 departs at Ahmedabad at 0.55 and arrives in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport at 0655.
HONG KONG, 10 August 2023: Langham Hospitality Group has appointed Lo Young as senior vice president of operations China, based in the group’s Shanghai corporate office, reporting directly to the chief executive officer.
He will also serve on the group’s executive committee, underlining the region’s importance to the company’s growth.
In his new role, Young will oversee the China portfolio of hotels and resorts, leading all operational aspects, including sales, revenue, marketing, food and beverage, human resources, finance, design, and technical service.
With over 40 years of hospitality experience in international hotel groups across Southeast Asia, Young is a familiar face at Langham Hospitality Group, having previously served as regional vice president of China, Macau, and Taiwan from 2011 to 2016, opening 11 hotels in the region.
BANGKOK, 10 August 2023: Centara Hotels & Resorts understands that the world’s beauty lies in its people’s diversity. Everybody is different, and travellers have an almost endless choice of attractions to spark their senses and ignite their imaginations.
This is why Centara has created a diverse portfolio of hotels and resorts that cater to the needs of a wide range of guests and interests, from culture-hungry couples and fun-loving families to experience-seeking solo travellers.
Underpinned by heartfelt Thai service and world-class facilities, Centara’s extensive collection of hotels and resorts can help every guest create memories that last a lifetime.
Culture seeking in Osaka
Osaka is a historical city with a rich backstory and a unique personality, which makes it a haven for culture seekers. Having emerged as a small fishing village in the 5th Century, it flourished during the Edo period and has become a cosmopolitan global metropolis. Travellers can discover Osaka’s heritage at the dramatic Osaka Castle and elegant temples and shrines, such as Sumiyoshi Taisha and Shitennoji. The city’s contemporary vibe comes alive in Namba, the high-energy entertainment district home to Dotonbori, the waterside dining street. For a truly immersive cultural experience, the National Bunraku Theatre showcases the ancient art of Japanese puppetry.
Centara Grand Hotel Osaka is a brand-new five-star hotel that puts travellers in the heart of the city’s Namba district.
Set in a gleaming 33-storey tower, the property features rooms and suites suitable for every guest, such as solo visitors, couples and families, plus an eclectic collection of restaurants, a fitness centre and SPA Cenvaree. At the end of a day of discovery, the alfresco rooftop lounge is the perfect place to sip sunset cocktails and listen to live DJs. Rates start from USD 62++/ night.
Underwater Adventures in the Maldives
The Maldives is a dream destination for nature lovers, with vibrant underwater ecosystems that teem with exotic marine life. In the South Ari Atoll, guests can swim, snorkel in crystal-clear seas, and come face-to-face with an amazing array of tropical fish. For more intrepid excursions, visitors can head out into the cerulean sea to enjoy close-up encounters with oceanic giants such as whale sharks, green sea turtles and manta rays. It is no wonder that Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives won second place in the “House Reefs” category in the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2023! PADI-certified dive courses are available for explorers as young as eight years old.
A selection of beautiful beachfront and elegant overwater villas offer direct access to the lagoon, and all ages can swim, snorkel and enjoy world-class water sports throughout their stay. Six restaurants, bars and lounges provide the perfect settings to unwind and reflect on a day of adventure. Maldives rates start from USD 222++/ night.
Family fun in Dubai
Dubai is a dazzling destination that excites and delights in equal measure. With so many unparalleled attractions and a choice of thrilling theme parks, Dubai is a paradise for fun-seeking friends and families. Guests can fly through the sky on the world’s longest zipline, the 170-metre-long XLine, which offers a bird’s eye view of the city, and kids can bounce on JumpX, the planet’s biggest bouncy castle! Branded theme parks include Legoland Resort Dubai, with over 40 child-friendly rides, Motiongate Dubai, a Hollywood-themed park; and Bollywood Park Dubai, which showcases the art of Indian movie-making. Alternatively, the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf set the stage for exhilarating water sports.
Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai, which received Tripadvisor’s “Travellers’ Choice: Best of the Best” award, is a haven of family fun. Kids can plunge into a sparkling water park with lagoon pools, waterslides, a lazy river and more.
Three kids’ clubs, an outdoor playground and Candy Spa – the colourful, sweet-themed wellness zone – offer endless entertainment for youngsters. Rates start from USD 166++/ night.
With an extensive collection of 93 hotels and resorts in diverse destinations across Asia, Centara can create the perfect vacation for every type of traveller.
BANGKOK, 10 August 2023: This year sees Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, celebrating 15 years of operating the Airbus A380.
Operating to 50 destinations worldwide, Emirates is the largest carrier of this iconic aircraft, with 116 aircraft in the fleet.
To celebrate 15 years of the Emirates A380, here are 15 fun facts about the remarkable aircraft that you may not know:
Making History: When the A380 began flying in 2008, many airports had to overhaul their runways and air bridge to accommodate, as the aircraft can weigh up to 575 tonnes – equivalent to two and a half times the weight of New York’s Statue of Liberty.
Largest Ever Capacity: With space for as many as 615 passengers in a two-class configuration, the A380 is the largest passenger aircraft ever made, with over 550 square meters of usable floor space across two full-length decks. There are up to 24 Emirates crew on every A380 flight, which means every day in the UK, over 300 crew fly on A380s to serve guests.
Widebody Wings: The A380’s wingspan is a whopping 79.8 metres – which is as wide as 32 double-decker buses or an Olympic size swimming pool.
First Class Luxury: The A380 also offers some of the world’s best in-flight experiences, with signature amenities in First Class, such as the Shower Spa, which features Emirates Private Collection Bvlgari amenity kits.
Suite Deal: There are 14 fully-enclosed Private Suites available in the A380’s First Class, where guests can enjoy an experience that gets as close as it comes to having their own private jet. You can select your own meal and bedtimes, with fine dining at any time. A short walk away is the on-board Shower Spa, as well as the ultimate Onboard Lounge.
High-End Gastronomy: 1,800 chefs create more than 12,000 recipes a year to cater for Emirates’ fleet, including the A380, catering for more than 43 million dine-in guests travelling on flights every year.
Tasting the Stars: Emirates is the only commercial airline in the world officially serving Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon onboard, with exclusive agreements in place until 2024. Moët Hennessy Champagnes have been available for Emirates passengers onboard for over 30 years, with First Class guests enjoying unlimited champagne and caviar during their flight.
Shortest and Longest: With a flight duration of under 2 hours and 50 mins each way, the shortest route on the Emirates A380 is Dubai to Jeddah. The longest Emirates A380 route, meanwhile, is Dubai-Auckland, with an estimated flight time of over 17 hours.
A Whole Lot of Luggage: The Emirates A380 can carry up to 20,000 kilograms in baggage allowance. The A380’s vast cargo capacity also means the aircraft carry a host of items for export, including flowers, fresh meat and fish, luxury goods, and pharmaceuticals.
Entertainment for Hours: Emirates’ award-winning ice inflight entertainment system allows passengers to choose from 6,500 channels of movies, TV shows, live sports and breaking news, alongside in-flight Wi-Fi. Films available on ice that was released when Emirates first launched the A380 in 2008 include The Dark Knight, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Mamma Mia.
In It For The Long Haul: The A380 is one of the longest-range aircraft in the world, capable of flying distances of up to 15,000 kilometres between take-off and landing.
Towering Above: With a cruising altitude of 43,100 feet, the A380 flies at over 15 times the height of the world’s tallest freestanding building, the Burj Khalifa and over 42,000ft above The Shard. The vertical tail fin stands at an impressive 24m tall, capturing attention wherever it goes.
Superpowered: The Emirates A380 is typically powered by four Engine Alliance GP72000 engines, with over 290,000 lb of take-off thrust across the wing, providing the horsepower equivalent of around 2,600 cars at 110hp each.
Soft landing: Each wheel from the 22 that make up the A380’s full landing gear supports around 26 tonnes of weight, equivalent to just over one and a half fully loaded articulated trucks. These allow it to complete a 180-degree turn within a width of 56.6m.
Overhauling: Emirates is carrying out a USD2 billion retrofit program, fully refreshing cabins across 67 A380s to include the latest products and interiors across all cabins, including new Premium Economy seats. There is also a new livery, which was unveiled on the first A380 in March 2023. It takes over 4,000 litres of paint to cover the entire 38,000sq ft surface of the aircraft.
SINGAPORE, 10 August 2023: Chinese tourism recovery is still in progress, but it is advancing swiftly compared to neighbouring Japan, according to the latest air ticketing data by ForwardKeys.
Reporting on the latest travel data and insights ForwardKeys shows that four weeks after the initial lifting of travel restrictions in 2022, both countries showed similar levels of outbound travel recovery, measured at approximately 15% of pre-pandemic levels.
Photo: https://www.intrepidtravel.com
However, in the subsequent months, a disparity emerged. After restrictions continue to ease, China’s outbound travel nearly reached 49% of its 2019 figures after the 21 to 28-week milestone.
In contrast, Japan recovered to around 27% of the previous year’s numbers during the equivalent period in 2022.
During Q3 2023, among the top 10 most resilient destinations for China outbound travel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stands out by claiming the top spot with an impressive 6% growth compared to the levels seen in 2019.
“The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an approved group tour destination. It maintains a robust relationship with China by actively participating in the ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative. In the context of post-pandemic recovery, Chinese airlines have played a pivotal role by significantly restoring flight capacity to the UAE, with seat availability almost matching the levels observed before the pandemic,” says ForwardKeys’ China Market Analyst Nan Dai.
Additionally, the UAE extends the convenience of visa-on-arrival options for Chinese travellers, a feature of considerable value, particularly given the extended visa application process during the ongoing pandemic. These factors collectively reinforce the UAE’s appeal as a resilient and accommodating destination for Chinese tourists, offering a seamless and accessible travel experience.
“Chinese travellers prefer Southeast Asia as a favoured destination region, primarily due to its increased accessibility through numerous flights and relatively relaxed visa restrictions”, adds Dai.
The UK and Australia are emerging as prominent long-haul markets, showcasing notable recovery trends. This resurgence can be attributed to a substantial rise in bookings from international students who typically plan their trips to return to school in August and September.
KUALA LUMPUR, 10 August 2023: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) confirmed that Tourism Selangor will be Malaysia’s Featured Destination at this year’s MATTA Fair 1 to 3 September 2023.
The country’s top travel fair will be hosted at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre Malaysia (MITEC).
From left to right:Datuk Hamzah Rahmat, MATTA Fair Organising Committee, Nigel Wong, President of MATTA, Azrul Shah bin Mohamad, CEO of Tourism Selangor, Puan Khuzaimah binti Jamaluddin, Manager of Promotion Department.
This year MATTA Fair will witness a remarkable display of Malaysia’s tourism potential, with Tourism Selangor at the forefront. Covering an impressive area of 34 booths, and over 306 square metres of space, the Tourism Selangor pavilion will consist of thoughtfully designed and curated booths. These booths will showcase the diverse attractions, historic sites, and vibrant local culture that make Selangor and Malaysia a must-visit destination for travellers from all around the globe.
“Our vision is to catalyse the growth of domestic tourism in Malaysia by creating an environment where different facets of the industry can synergise effectively. By segmenting the domestic hall, we are providing a platform for our members to forge meaningful connections, share insights, and enhance our buyers’ overall experience to be more productive and fruitful,” said MATTA president Nigel Wong.
Tourism Selangor’s participation enables the fair’s management to introduce a revolutionary approach to domestic tourism. By strategically segmenting the domestic hall into distinct categories, including states, hoteliers, and free zones, Tourism Selangor sets the stage for a dynamic networking platform that enables enhanced stakeholder collaboration. This innovative framework facilitates streamlined engagement and paves the way for new and exciting business ventures within the domestic tourism landscape.
“As part of our commitment to drive the domestic tourism sector forward, MATTA has set an ambitious domestic target sales turnover of MYR70 Million. This target underscores the organisation’s dedication to supporting economic growth, fostering job creation, and showcasing the immense potential that Malaysia’s domestic tourism market holds,” Wong explained.
Admission is free at the fair, which will be open to the public from 1000 to 2100 from Friday to Sunday, 1 to 3 September. A shuttle bus service to MITEC will be provided from KL Sentral and Sunway Putra Mall to MITEC for fair-goers.
Visit MATTA Fair’s website, and social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or subscribe to the MATTA Telegram channels @MATTAHQ to obtain information updates.Visit https://www.mattafair.org.my/index.php/en/.
