SINGAPORE, 11 May 2023: Philippine Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus to purchase nine A350-1000s.
Under the Philippine carrier’s Ultra Long Haul Fleet project, the A350-1000 will serve nonstop routes from Manila to the US East Coast and Canada.
The new aircraft will join two A350-900s already flying to North America, Asia and Australia destinations. As with the A350-900, the PAL A350-1000s will be configured in a premium layout with separate business class, premium economy and economy class cabins.
Philippine Airlines president and COO Stanley K Ng said that the range of the A350-1000 would enable the airline to fly nonstop transpacific and transpolar routes in both directions all year. These will include some of the longest commercial flights in the world, such as those linking the Philippines with New York and Toronto. With an expanded A350 fleet, PAL can once again provide a direct link from the Philippines to Europe.
“The A350-1000 combines greater range capability with the higher capacity we need to serve future demand. It’s the perfect aircraft to enable PAL to meet its expansion plans sustainably while offering passengers the highest levels of onboard comfort. We are committed to offering our passengers the best possible travel experience, and these state-of-the-art aircraft will enable us to do just that as we carry out our mission to connect the world and grow trade and tourism.”
Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer added: “Flying passengers farther and in greater comfort, the A350 brings a step-change in fuel efficiency and an immediate significant contribution to reduced emissions. We look forward to working closely with our long-standing customer Philippine Airlines as it moves forward with its long-haul fleet modernisation programme.”
The A350 offers the longest range capability of any commercial airliner in production today and can fly 8,700 nautical miles or 16,100 kilometres nonstop.
Philippine Airlines operates various Airbus types on its full-service network. In addition to the A350 on long-haul intercontinental routes, PAL flies A330-300s on services to the Middle East, Australia and various points in Asia. The Philippine flag carrier also operates a fleet of A320 and A321 single-aisle aircraft on its extensive domestic and regional network out of hubs in Manila and Cebu.
BANGKOK, 11 May 2023: Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne has introduced a new special room class, Premier Pool Access, that delivers more space and an impressive design that connects guests directly to the resort’s jewel-blue lazy river.
The romantic coast of the Mediterranean inspires the spacious bedrooms (40m2), a harmonious combination of blue from the sea, rich earthly terracotta of tile roofs and warm yellow of sunshine.
Premier Pool Access delivers a private and comfortable living experience. Designed with open space, a balcony filled with sunshine, a tropical garden, and colourful bougainvillaea – the unique charms of Mui Ne land. The room class features the choice of a king or twin bed, providing an unforgettable experience in a peaceful tropical oasis. The tranquil lazy river flowing along 144 villas will be an ideal place to indulge in the cool water and connect with beautiful natural surroundings to recharge for the fun journey ahead.
Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne general manager Tom Van Tuijl shared: “Premier Pool Access with special lazy river design is a unique highlight of the resort, bringing an exceptional experience for our guests. We are delighted with our effort to launch a new room type just before the long holidays to satisfy an increasing demand for accommodation in Mui Ne.
“Besides, we also offer various dining options, ranging from traditional local flavours of Mui Ne fishing village to international tastes, spa to other leisure activities for guests of all ages to fulfil their experience as a destination of fun, entertainment and joy.”
“Explorer’s Playground” theme, Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne offers a series of endless fun activities and high-class amenities, creating a true sense of belonging for each generation of families and group of friends. With the desire to create beautiful memories for little explorers, Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne is the perfect destination for children to enjoy their voyages of discovery and excitement at E-Zone, indoor & outdoor playgrounds, bowling, karaoke room and entertainment activities designed for all ages.
ABOUT CENTARA MIRAGE RESORT MUI NE
Located 200 km from Ho Chi Minh City, this is a family-friendly integrated resort with the ‘Explorer’s’ playground’ theme, consisting of 984 rooms and villas with various options. Inspired by Binh Thuan and the rich maritime heritage of the Mediterranean, guests will enjoy a sunbathing area with a wide range of leisure activities and facilities, including restaurants, bars, conference rooms, a water park, indoor and outdoor playgrounds and a lazy river.
Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 92 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, China, Japan, Oman, Qatar, Cambodia, Turkey, Indonesia and the UAE. Centara’s portfolio comprises six brands – Centara Reserve, Centara Grand Hotels & Resorts, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Centara Boutique Collection, Centra by Centara and COSI Hotels – ranging from luxurious island retreats to family resorts and affordable lifestyle concepts supported by innovative technology.
DUBAI, UAE, 11 May 2023: Emirates signed two MoUs during last week’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which initiated partnerships with the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority and Zambia Tourism to boost tourist arrivals to each country.
Emirates will support Bahrain’s new four-year strategy (2022-2026) for the tourism sector, which aims to attract 14.1 million tourists by 2026.
Emirates currently serves Bahrain with 21 weekly flights on its Boeing 777, providing convenient schedules for travellers looking to connect to Bahrain via Dubai.
Emirates and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority will explore opportunities to broaden the Kingdom’s appeal in key markets like Japan, Korea, Spain, Hungary, and Poland, as well as grow mindshare around it as a short weekend getaway with exciting attractions for travellers coming from Israel and the UAE.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer and HE Fatima Bint Jaffer Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. Also present at the signing was Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President, International Affairs for Emirates; Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Central Asia and Reema al Marzooqi, Emirates’ Area Manager for Bahrain.
Bahrain offers a diverse range of attractions that cater to the varying interests of tourists. The country is known for its wide selection of accommodation options, ranging from luxurious five-star hotels to affordable boutique hotels and resorts. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy the thrill of watching high-speed cars at the Bahrain International Circuit or relax on one of the many picturesque beaches in the Kingdom. Meanwhile, history buffs can explore Bahrain’s rich heritage, including traces of ancient civilisations dating back 5,000 years.
Emirates and Zambia Tourism will jointly explore opportunities to boost visitor arrivals to Zambia by leveraging Emirates’ extensive global network of 140 destinations.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Badr Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for Africa, and Matongo Matamwandi, Chief Executive Officer of Zambia Tourism Authority (ZTA).
Through this partnership, the two parties will explore ways to collaborate on key initiatives to promote experiences in Zambia and increase the destination’s visibility within the Emirates network. Both parties will also consider various advertising and marketing campaigns to drive inbound visitors to Zambia.
Emirates launched operations in Zambia in 2012 and has grown the route to offer daily services.
HONG KONG, 11 May 2023: The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) Southeast Asia Office confirmed Wednesday the reappointment of Perceptions Inc and Ogilvy as its public relations agency in the Philippines and Malaysia for the next two years.
The two agencies have been collaborating with HKTB for several years now, keeping the city as one of the top-of-mind destinations among its target market.
“At the height of the pandemic, their PR expertise shone brightly, helping us cut through the clutter and maintain global visibility,” said HKTB regional director of Southeast Asia Raymond Chan.
In the last three years, Hong Kong has seen many new tourism developments, including establishing the West Kowloon Cultural District, which showcases M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum. “We are delighted to see an influx of Filipino and Malaysian tourists back to Hong Kong. With the support of our PR partners, I am confident that they will have a one-of-a-kind travel experience that Asia’s World City has to offer,” Chan added.
With the successful launch of “Hello Hong Kong” and the free ticket giveaway campaign, Hong Kong made a comeback as a major destination in Southeast Asia, even bagging the Gold award for Best Regional PR in SEA and acquiring Bronze for Best PR-led Integrated Communications and Best Use of Social Media in the recently concluded PR Asia 2023 Awards; all this with the support of Perceptions and Ogilvy.
Perceptions is renewing its contract with HKTB for the third time, will continue to provide support in effectively bringing Hong Kong closer to the public consciousness in the Philippines, as well as building good relationships with media outlets that will eventually lead to a broader reach for the stories Hong Kong has to tell.
Riding the momentum of the successful launch of “Hello Hong Kong”, Ogilvy, on the other hand, will focus on supporting HKTB by showcasing the city’s readiness and excitement to welcome Malaysians back to one of their favourite neighbouring destinations.
SINGAPORE, 11 May 2023: P&O Cruises ‘Holiday with Shine’ offer will double the value of Shine points when travel agents book their own holiday with P&O Cruises through Shine Rewards Club.
The offer is available on new bookings until 30 June 2023, up to a value of 3,000 Shine points.
Photo Credit: P&O
Points can be redeemed against any P&O Cruises holiday, including its newest ship Arvia. Agents travelling on Arvia can enjoy the many activities, entertainment and dining experiences exclusive to the ship.
Mediterranean 14 nights cruise
The Mediterranean 14-night cruise on Arvia (K510) starts at UKP1,858 based on two people sharing an inside cabin.
Departing Southampton on 11 May 2025, the cruise price includes full board meals, entertainment and children’s clubs. It will depart and return to Southampton with port of calls at La Coruna, Mallorca, La Spezia, Toulon, Barcelona and Cadiz.
P&O Cruises director of sales, Ruth Venn said: “We’re so excited to bring back our Holiday with Shine offer and give agents even more of a reason to book their holiday with P&O Cruises. This is the perfect opportunity for agents to book their cabin on Arvia and experience everything a holiday on board offers.”
The example itinerary would typically require just over 9,000 Shine points. However, during the offer period, the same cruise requires just over 6,000 Shine points.
Visit Shine Rewards Club to find out more and calculate what points are worth on the new cruise calculator https://www.shinerewardsclub.com
Arvia joined the P&O Cruises fleet in December 2022 as the second LNG-powered, Excel-class ship embodying the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment. Arvia offers a Caribbean/winter season of fly-cruise holidays from homeport Barbados and Mediterranean holidays from Southampton during the summer.
SINGAPORE, 11 May 2023: Travel with Rewards powered by Expedia empowers Mastercard cardholders to book travel using credit card loyalty points.
Expedia Group and Mastercard expanded their partnership to include Travel with Rewards, a modern loyalty points redemption solution that enables consumers to redeem credit card loyalty points for travel bookings powered by Expedia.
A complete redemption system leveraging Mastercard’s trusted loyalty solutions and Expedia’s extensive travel supply, Travel with Rewards will make exciting experiences more accessible globally.
Through a participating issuer’s website, US cardholders can access Travel with Rewards, powered by Expedia, using a seamless single sign-on. From there, the cardholder can see the points to dollars conversion as they search for travel, and will have the option to book using only points, their Mastercard credit card, or a combination of both.
With Expedia Group’s substantial reach, cardholders will have access to 700,000 properties, 500 airlines, 100 car rental companies and thousands of activities worldwide.
Travellers making bookings will also gain access to Expedia Group’s end-to-end customer service – whether speaking to live agents or leveraging the company’s self-serve capabilities, such as the Virtual Agent tool – allowing them to make changes or ask questions about their trip.
Expedia Group’s White Label Template allows issuing banks and merchants to seamlessly integrate the solution into their existing customer interface, providing a frictionless experience for cardholders and issuers.
The solution is first available to issuers working with Mastercard’s proprietary loyalty technology capabilities in North America, with additional technology, builds, markets, and merchant programme usage planned as fast follows.
About Expedia Group
The Expedia Group family of brands includes Expedia, Hotels.com, Expedia Partner Solutions, Vrbo, trivago, Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotwire, Wotif, ebookers, CheapTickets, Expedia Group Media Solutions, CarRentals.com, and Expedia Cruises.
SINGAPORE, 10 May 2023: Tripadvisor released its latest Seasonal Travel Index on Wednesday, providing an outlook for global travel patterns and demand over the next three months that show early planning and booking are vital to secure bargains
The Index includes top takeaways for the upcoming season, country-specific Tripadvisor demand data and insights from its latest traveller sentiment survey.
Romantic couple traveler joy look beautiful scenic landscape sunset beach, Outdoor lifestyle attraction travel Trang Thailand exotic beach, Tourist on summer holiday vacation, Tourism destination Asia
Seasonal Travel Takeaways
1. The majority of travellers are planning summer trips
With summer around the corner in Singapore, the next three months look set to be a hectic period for travel, with over three-quarters of those surveyed (84%) planning leisure trips between June and August. The vast majority of these travellers (97%) plan to travel the same amount (31%) or more (66%) compared to last year.
2. Most will spend more than they did last year
Over half of those surveyed (68%) will spend more on travel in the next few months compared to last year, while around a quarter (26%) expect to spend about the same amount — just 6% plan to spend less, despite a challenging economic outlook for many markets.Indeed, 1 in 2 travellers surveyed (50%) said macroeconomic factors would change how they travel over the next three months, with two-thirds of these (62%) citing higher living costs, due to inflation, as the reason. Around two-fifths (43%) will travel for shorter periods, while a third (39%) will take fewer trips.
3. City breaks remain popular
While beach destinations usually feature prominently in the list of top leisure trip destinations for Summer, the world’s major cities will continue to dominate travel demand between June and August. According to Tripadvisor’s site behavioural data, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Seoul are the top three international destinations for travel over the next three months. Even in Australia, where travellers typically look to Southeast Asia for winter sun, the data shows London will be the most in-demand destination, with Singapore coming in second and Paris third on the list.
4. Younger travellers eager to explore this season
Millennials, in particular, seem eager to get back out there, with the Index revealing that this group is more likely to travel this upcoming season than other age groups. However, younger respondents (Gen Z and millennials) are also more likely to alter upcoming travel plans due to macroeconomic factors than older groups (49% vs 31%, on average).
5. Vacation planners looking for new experiences
Over two-thirds of respondents (69%) have booked or plan to book on-trip activities ahead of their upcoming trip, highlighting a trend for more experiential trip elements. Gen Z and Millennial travellers are more likely to make bookings for experiences and activities than older age groups (68% vs 41%, on average).
Tripadvisor research and insights senior analyst media Alice Jong commented: “With so many eager to get away this summer, early planning and booking are vital to secure preferred accommodations, flights, and experiences. With many consumers conscious of cost in the current climate, a little flexibility during the planning process can help drive down their trip prices. For example, when we look at the top international destinations over the next three months, Bangkok hotel prices are lowest during 24 to 30 July, while 19 to 25 June is the most affordable week to visit Hong Kong.”
Traveller Sentiment Survey Data
Of those surveyed, two-thirds (78%) of respondents plan to travel for leisure this upcoming season.
US: 82%
UK: 81%
AUS: 66%
JP: 65%
SG: 84%
Over half of respondents (53%) are planning to travel more this upcoming season than last year.
US: travel more (55%), about the same (39%), less (6%)
UK: travel more (42%), about the same (48%), less (10%)
AUS: travel more (43%), about the same (49%), less (8%)
JP: travel more (50%), about the same (48%), less (2%)
SG: travel more (66%), about the same (31%), less (3%)
Of those, over three-quarters (77%) plan to take between 1 to 2 trips, while more than one-in-five (22%) plan to take three or more trips.
Almost half (46%) plan to travel domestically, while around a quarter will travel either internationally (27%) or both domestically and internationally (28%)
US: Domestic (70%), International (6%), both (25%)
UK: Domestic (31%), International (32%), both (37%)
AUS: Domestic (57%), International (16%), both (27%)
JP: Domestic (80%), International (5%), both (15%)
SG: Domestic (4%), International (68%), both (28%)
Over half of travellers globally (55%) plan to spend more on travel this upcoming season than last year.
US: 60%
UK: 46%
AUS: 50%
JP: 57%
SG: 68%
Only two in five respondents (41%) said macroeconomic factors would change how they travel over the next three months.
US: 41% (41% will take shorter trips, 37% will take fewer trips)
UK: 32% (48% will take shorter trips, 40% will take fewer trips)
AUS: 29% (38% will take shorter trips, 32% will take fewer trips)
JP: 47% (36% will take shorter trips, 18% will take fewer trips)
SG: 50% (43% will take shorter trips, 39% will take fewer trips)
Cost/affordability (65%) is nearly twice as important to respondents as other factors, such as trip length (38%) and trip type (35%), when planning a vacation.
US: Cost/affordability (62%), trip length (41%), trip type (36%)
UK: Cost/affordability (71%), trip length (45%), trip type (45%)
AUS: Cost/affordability (72%), trip length (45%), trip type (32%)
JP: Cost/affordability (71%), trip length (27%), trip type (35%)
SG: Cost/affordability (63%), trip length (38%), trip type (21%)
The data cited in this release was gathered and analysed from two key sources:
A Tripadvisor Consumer Sentiment Survey, based on data drawn from an online survey of over 2,400 consumers, in partnership with Qualtrics, conducted between March 17-27, 2023, across six countries – Australia, Italy, Japan, Singapore, the UK and the US.
Site behavioural data sourced from first-party traffic data on the Tripadvisor platform, gathered between 10 January 2023- 10 April 2023, for searches made by travellers in the US, UK, Australia, Japan and Singapore for travel between 01 June through 31 August 2023.
MANILA, 11 May 2023: The Department of Tourism welcomes the return of charter flights between China and the Philippines, saying it sends a positive signal speeding up recovery from the country’s top tourism supply market.
Before the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, China was the Philippines’ largest source market for tourist visits recording 1.7 million visitors from China in 2019.
Photo credit: DOT. Welcome party for the first charter flight from China.
“We are very happy to welcome the resumption of charter flights from China to Kalibo. This only demonstrates that Boracay remains a popular destination for Chinese tourists,” said DOT Secretary Christina Frasco in a statement Monday quoted by the Philippines News Agency.
On 18 April, 180 Chinese tourists on an OK Airlines charter flight from Changsha, China, landed at Kalibo airport for a holiday on Boracay Island. It was the first charter flight from China since the market reopened for international travel on 8 January 2023.
“Together with the local government and our very active private stakeholders, we shall aggressively promote sustainable and responsible tourism in Boracay so that more will come to enjoy its beauty in the long run,” Frasco said.
In 2019, 434,175 Chinese visitors arrived at Boracay Island. They were the number one source of foreign visitors in Boracay, numbering 434,175 in 2019, before the global tourism lockdown in 2020.
The Philippines embassy in China resumed issuing visas to Chinese tour groups on 11 April.
“The DOT looks forward to equaling, if not surpassing, the Chinese visitors we received before the pandemic. We thank our partner agencies, especially the Department of Foreign Affairs, for heeding our appeal to resume the processing and issuance of Philippine visas to Chinese tour groups shortly after we underscored the necessity of regaining China as our largest source of inbound travellers,” Secretary Frasco said.
”We look forward to other interventions, such as implementing an electronic visa system to facilitate the ease of entry into the country,” the DOT Chief added.
She confirmed the DOT’s intention to maintain strong ties with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MOCT) in China and ensure the Philippines is one of the 20 nations that are part of the pilot project to relaunch China’s outbound tourism group tours to overseas destinations.
DOT has two offices in mainland China, one in Beijing and the other in Shanghai, promoting and marketing Philippine tourism to the Chinese market.
SINGAPORE, 10 May 2023: Radisson Hotel Group and La Vie Hotels & Resorts have signed a Master Collaboration Agreement to add over 30 hotels to the group’s portfolio over the next 10 years by expanding its franchise business model.
The Master Collaboration Agreement enables La Vie to develop, manage and operate properties under five industry-leading brands: Radisson Blu, Radisson RED, Radisson, Park Inn by Radisson, and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, under a non-exclusive brand collaboration agreement.
Photo caption: The Radisson Blu Resort Galle lobby in Sri Lanka, one of the three hotels that opened in 2022.
The partnership will drive La Vie’s expansion in Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Fiji and Vanuatu.
La Vie Hotels & Resorts is an owner-centric hospitality management company and is a subsidiary of La Vie Hospitality Group, which provides end-to-end innovative hospitality solutions across multiple disciplines.
Radisson Hotel Group and La Vie’s cooperation started in 2022 through the successful rebranding and conversion of three hotels in Sri Lanka. These hotels under the Radisson Blu and Radisson brands are located in the prime tourist destinations of Galle, Colombo and Kandy, managed and operated by La Vie Hotels & Resorts.
Radisson Hotel Group executive vice president and global chief development officer Elie Younes commented: “This latest news marks the next step on our journey together and the expansion of our partnership across key regional markets.”
The arrangement with La Vie is just one example of Radisson Hotel Group adopting flexible and innovative business models that meet the needs of the owners and developers through partnerships with leading third-party management operators.
With the group’s portfolio growth across the region, a centralised franchising service will soon be extended into Australasia*, enabling independent and small-scale hotel companies to plug into Radisson Hotel Group’s global network.
*Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean.
BANGKOK, 10 May 2023:Centara Korat Hotel, an all-in-one leisure and lifestyle destination in the Northeast of Thailand, invites guests to experience the fusion of Eastern and Western culinary delights in the new premium “ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT” a la carte buffet style at House of Kin KORAT restaurant.
Located in the heart of Korat, House of Kin KORAT restaurant is a perfect destination for family and friends to indulge in various Japanese, European, Thai, and dessert dishes curated by the award-winning chef, “Chef Gur-Angkur Rodcharoen”. His exceptional skills have won him numerous culinary awards and made him a master in the art of cooking.
House of Kin KORAT restaurant was designed under the Three Generation Restaurant or Family Dining concept, with a unique minimalist design that emphasises natural colours to create a relaxing and comfortable atmosphere. Indulge in various dishes from the ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT buffet, including the highlights such as Spaghetti with Mentaiko Fish Egg, Grilled Steak served with butter sauce and truffle mashed potatoes, and a fresh and delicious selection of sashimi. Don’t miss the opportunity to savour these delectable dishes that will please your taste buds.
For those who love an international buffet, House of Kin KORAT offers an “ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT” a la carte buffet priced at THB699 ++ per person. Customers can reserve their seats in advance through online channels at https://www.facebook.com/centarakorat and Line: @centarakorat.
House of Kin KORAT restaurant is open daily on the 1st floor of Centara Hotel Korat in three-time slots: from 0600 to 1000 for breakfast, 1130 to 1400 for lunch, and 1800 to 2300 for dinner.
For more information about Centara Hotel Korat, visit:
