Dusit Hotels and Resorts opens three hotels

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May 10, 2023

BANGKOK, 10 May 2023: Dusit Hotels and Resorts under Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, is set to expand its global and domestic footprint by opening three hotels within the next 30 days – including two new properties in Bangkok and its first hotel in Japan.

Hot on the heels of opening its first hotel in Europe, in Greece, and returning to Nairobi, Kenya, in March, with the opening of Dusit Suites Athens and Dusit Princess Hotel Residences Nairobi, respectively, Dusit is now gearing up to welcome its first dusitD2 branded hotel in Bangkok – dusitD2 Samyan Bangkok – which will soft open on 12 May 2023.

Located on Si Phraya Road, a vibrant street parallel to Silom and Sathorn roads in Bangkok’s central business district, the new hotel comprises 179 well-appointed guest rooms. It boasts a sleek, modern design that reflects Thai culture and embodies the upscale nature of the dusitD2 brand.

The hotel’s wide range of facilities includes a stylish lobby, a fully equipped fitness centre, a versatile meeting space with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, an outdoor swimming pool with a panoramic city view, and a multi-level food and beverage concept featuring a grab-and-go gourmet outlet, an all-day dining restaurant with an open kitchen, and a Miami-inspired rooftop bar called Mimi serving burgers, shakes, craft beers, and cocktails.

Up next, on 15 May 2023, Dusit will mark the official expansion of its distinctive lifestyle brand, ASAI Hotels, by opening ASAI Bangkok Sathorn on Sathorn Soi 12 near Bangkok’s central business district, just a five-minute walk from Saint Louis BTS (Skytrain) Station.

Building on the success of ASAI Bangkok Chinatown, one of the top-rated hotels in Bangkok on TripAdvisor, the new hotel will continue the brand’s promise to uniquely link visitors with authentic local experiences in the world’s most vibrant neighbourhoods – this one renowned for its impressive cluster of hip bars and Thai and international restaurants.

Alongside 106 thoughtfully compact rooms that focus on the essentials, such as highly comfortable beds and powerful showers, the new property boasts a spacious and welcoming communal space that features a cosy neighbourhood bar, a comfortable co-working area, and a unique dining experience created by award-winning chefs Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava and Dylan Jones, who specialise in authentic Thai cuisine crafted from seasonal and sustainable ingredients.

On 1 June 2023, Dusit will take the ASAI brand outside of Thailand with the opening of ASAI Kyoto Shijo – Dusit’s first hotel in Japan – which puts guests in the heart of the Shijo-Karasuma neighbourhood, near the famous Nishiki Market in the city’s renowned Downtown area.

Alongside 114 thoughtfully compact rooms designed to offer the utmost comfort and convenience, the hotel will feature a large communal hub for work, rest, and play and a cosy dining room inspired by the rich street-food culture of Bangkok. Regular collaborations with local restaurateurs and artisans and sustainable sourcing of produce will further set the distinctive lifestyle hotel apart.

“As we continue to execute our plan for domestic and global expansion, we are delighted to welcome three new hotels to our portfolio, including our first dusitD2 branded hotel in Bangkok, our second ASAI hotel in Bangkok, and our first hotel in Japan,” said Dusit International Chief Operating Officer Gilles Cretallaz: “These openings represent significant milestones for our company, and we are confident that their unique positioning and distinctive lifestyle and food and beverage experiences will resonate with travellers from around the world. As we gear up for these launches, we are excited about the future and look forward to making our mark in more key international markets.”

With an additional nine hotels set to open globally before the end of the year, including Dusit’s first entry into Nepal, a second hotel in Japan, and a strategic return to India, Dusit is set to add approximately 1,700 keys to its hotel portfolio, resulting in 62 hotels (13,700 keys) operating across 18 countries worldwide by year-end.

More details about dusitD2 Samyan Bangkok, ASAI Bangkok Sathorn, and ASAI Kyoto Shijo and their respective opening offers can be found at the following links:

▪ dusit.com/dusitd2-samyanbangkok

▪ asaihotels.com/locations/bangkok-sathorn

▪ dusit.com/asai-kyoto

About Dusit International

Established in 1948, Dusit International or Dusit Thani Public Company Limited (DUSIT) is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Its operations comprise five distinct yet complementary business units: hotels and resorts, hospitality education, food, property development, and hospitality-related services.

The group’s portfolio of hotels, resorts and luxury villas includes more than 300 properties operating under seven brands (Dusit Thani, Dusit Devarana, Dusit Suites, dusitD2, Dusit Princess, ASAI Hotels, and Elite Havens) across 17 countries worldwide. The group also operates culinary schools and hospitality colleges in Thailand, plus catering companies for the education sector in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

For more information, visit dusit-international.com

(Source: Dusit International)

Oneworld chief plots exit path

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TTR WEEKLY

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May 10, 2023

SINGAPORE, 10 May 2023: Oneworld, a global airline alliance, announced last week that its chief executive officer Rob Gurney has elected to leave the alliance’s central management team.

“We are grateful to Rob for his leadership in navigating oneworld through the challenges of the past six years,” said oneworld Chairman and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Akbar Al Baker. “Rob has played a critical role in establishing oneworld as the most preferred alliance by global travellers with a best-in-class travel experience.”

Gurney joined oneworld in 2016 and grew the alliance by adding Royal Air Maroc, Alaska Airlines and future member Oman Air.

He has also championed oneworld’s sustainability efforts as member airlines committed to a 10% sustainable aviation fuel target across the alliance by 2030. During his tenure, oneworld launched oneworld connect to offer airlines a new way to link to the alliance and provide more travellers the benefits of being part of oneworld.

Gurney will remain in his role until 1 July 2023. American Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Vasu Raja will lead the search for Gurney’s replacement on behalf of oneworld. Gurney and the oneworld management team will report to Raja until a successor is named. Recently, oneworld relocated its global headquarters to Fort Worth to further grow and strengthen its partnerships with its member airlines.

AirAsia Philippines in steep recovery climb

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TTR WEEKLY

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May 10, 2023

MANILA, Philippines, 10 May 2023: AirAsia Philippines is on the path to recovery after posting a 92% load factor in Q1 2023, among the highest in all AirAsia airline operations across the region.

AirAsia Philippines’ flight frequency, seat capacity, and the number of passengers carried from January to March 2023 increased to almost 84% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The airline also sold 1.4 million seats in Q1 2023, 8% higher than the previous, while sales on international seats increased by 70%.

The biggest contributing factor to this milestone was the full recovery of the Philippine domestic market and stronger demand for international destinations.

AirAsia Philippines communications and public affairs country head Steve Dailisan said: “AirAsia Philippines intends to sustain the momentum by opening more international destinations this Q2 and Q3. We expect these developments to encourage more guests to fulfil their travel plans as we impact the speedy recovery of the travel and tourism industry. To sustain our momentum, the airline continues pushing to return to service more aircraft, which will be assigned to our Cebu, Clark, and Kalibo hubs.”

With the complete restoration of AirAsia’s domestic and international routes, destinations such as Puerto Princesa, Tagbilaran, Boracay, Narita, Osaka, and Macao have become the top-performing routes coming from the Manila Hub. AirAsia’s Cebu Hub also performed well in Puerto Princesa and Boracay routes.

Saudia increases flights to Singapore

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TTR WEEKLY

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May 10, 2023

SINGAPORE, 10 May 2023: Saudia continues its network expansion in Asia with news it will add its fourth direct weekly flight from Jeddah to Singapore at the start of the winter timetable in November.

The new flight will operate every Friday starting 3 November.

Effective last March, the summer timetable shows the airline currently offers three direct flights from Jeddah to Singapore on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday using a Boeing Dreamliner 787-900.

Flight SV836 departs Jeddah at 0125 and arrives in Singapore at 1530. The return flight (SV837) departs Singapore at 1700 and arrives in Jeddah at 2150.

Wego, an online booking site for hotels and airlines based in Singapore, reports that the most popular flight routes from Saudi Arabia to Singapore are Riyadh to Singapore, Dammam to Singapore and Jeddah to Singapore.
The cheapest flight from Saudi Arabia to Singapore is from Jeddah to Singapore, with airfares starting at SAR1998.97.
The fastest flight from Saudi Arabia to Singapore is from Jeddah to Singapore, with an average flight time of 9 hours and 35 minutes.
The most popular airlines are Malaysia Airlines, Saudia, and Qatar Airways.

Saudia has added more than 50 flights worldwide to its summer schedule that came into effect at the end of March 2023. It added flights to six destinations in Asia.

Bangkok

The airline added three weekly flights from Jeddah, giving it 10 weekly flights to Bangkok; daily from Jeddah and three from Riyadh.

Seoul

Saudia introduced direct flights to Seoul from both Jeddah and Riyadh; two from Jeddah and two from Riyadh.

Guangzhou

Saudia introduced three flights weekly to Guangzhou from Jeddah and two weekly flights from Riyadh.

Kuala Lumpur

Three new weekly flights from Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur increase Saudia’s presence in Kuala Lumpur to 24 weekly flights, with 21 from Jeddah and three from Riyadh.

Singapore

The start of the summer timetable saw the airline serve Singapore with three weekly flights from Jeddah. Previously, it offered flights with a stop in Male.

Jakarta

Three weekly flights from Riyadh to Jakarta have been added to the schedule, along with three more from Jeddah, giving the airline 24 weekly flights to Jakarta.

The airline operates over 50 Boeing aircraft on its long-haul network, including the 777-300ER (Extended Range) and the 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliner.

New flight links Vientiane and Siem Reap

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TTR WEEKLY

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May 10, 2023

VIENTIANE, 10 May 2023: Cambodia Angkor Air has introduced a new flight between Siem Reap, Cambodia and Vientiane, Laos starting 1 May.

To mark the inaugural flight, the airline introduced a promotional fare tagged at USD79 on the Vientiane to Siem Reap sector and USD89 on the return.

AeroLaos reported the inaugural flight took place on 1 May. The airline schedules a single weekly roundtrip flight every Monday.
The flight departs Siem Reap at 0600 and arrives in Vientiane at 0705. On the return leg, the flight departs Vientiane at 0750 and arrives in Siem Reap at 0900.

Cambodia Angkor Air’s flight K6 908 uses an A321 for the weekly service, and if it attracts enough leisure travellers touring the Mekong Region, it plans to increase frequencies.

The airline’s domestic flights serve Siem Reap and Sihanoukville from its Phnom Penh hub.
International flights serve Vietnam: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang.
It also flies to China: Guangzhou, Chengzhou, Shanghai, Haiku and Macau.

Pandaw sails through stormy waters

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TTR WEEKLY

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May 10, 2023

SINGAPORE, 10 May 2023: Pandaw survived a rough voyage through Covid-19 to report “good earnings” despite having to mothball six ships in Myanmar and cope with a spike in international airfares, the riverboat cruise line’s founder Paul Strachan reported in his annual report released Monday.

Strachan commented on the season from October 2022 to March 2023: “It was a surprise to see that we had finished the season with good earnings. We had not anticipated any earnings at all in our year of recovery after Covid.”

Pandaw operated eight ships: two in India, three in Laos and Thailand, two between Vietnam and Cambodia, and one on the Red River in North Vietnam from October to March. That followed two and a half years of lay-up due to Covid when all eight ships had to be refitted and refurbished.

“If Covid were not punishment enough, following the 2021 military coup, we suspended operations in Myanmar,” Strachan explained. “Myanmar had been an important destination for Pandaw and provided about a quarter of annual revenue. The six ships remaining in Myanmar have been mothballed in the hope that the country will one day be safe for travel.”

But he identified “airline behaviour” as the most formidable bar to recovery. He claims airlines were slow to reopen routes, and travel confidence was low due to uncertain schedules.

“They were charging double or even treble what they had pre-Covid. As a result of this, many European tour operators were reluctant to promote Asian destinations. Visitor numbers to the region through the season were very low, as was seen in city hotels, resorts and river ships.”

India’s decision to no longer offer an eVisa to UK nationals, a key leisure travel market, was described as a massive blow to the tourism sector along with Covid restrictions.

Despite negative regional factors, high restart costs and the loss of Myanmar, the Pandaw founder noted that nearly 50% of bookings came from the Pandaw Members Club. Members must have previously sailed with the company, and a top Legacy tier caters to members who have sailed five times. Club member bookings are direct without commission.

Pandaw estimates it will achieve 60% of pre-Covid revenue during the next season and the year after, matching the pre-Covid annual average.

“That is without Myanmar. Already for 2023/24, we are close to target, so we feel very positive about our recovery.”

Routes in Laos and Red River occupancy and yields were higher this season than pre-Covid, reflecting a preference for smaller ships on remote river routings.

On the Classic Mekong route between Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and Siem Reap in Cambodia, a larger ship offered scheduled cruises with an average of 50% occupancy. Next season the company will deploy two larger ships for the Classic Mekong cruises.

“India proved far more challenging for Pandaw’s cruises with lower occupancy caused by the visa issue that resulted in a small loss. We also experienced incessant management dramas,” Strachan noted.

Pandaw has now appointed a senior person to head up the India operations, with an office in Kolkata and has invested in hiring competent ship managers with a team from Myanmar conducting training sessions for the crews.

Pandaw has also opened a new office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and hired local staff for customer services and finance.

After reviewing the corporate structure, the company trades as a UK-incorporated company, while regional companies have been established in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam to streamline operations.

(Source: Pandaw)

https://www.pandaw.com/

Thai Vietjet smooths fly-through travel

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TTR WEEKLY

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May 9, 2023

BANGKOK, 9 May 2023: Thai Vietjet has launched ‘Sky ConX’, a fly-through network that connects its passengers from and to various destinations via its Bangkok Suvarnabhumi base without multiple check-in procedures.

The Sky ConX offers the airline’s Thailand domestic and international connections, with a convenient transfer at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main operating hub of the airline.

It ends the need to collect their baggage and recheck themselves for the onward flight while transferring at Suvarnabhumi Airport, making their journey seamless.

In the early stage of the introduction of Sky ConX, the airline offers seamless international connections from Phuket, Krabi, and Chiang Mai to Fukuoka, Taipei, and Singapore. In addition, the airline offers a domestic connection between Chiang Rai – Hat Yai/Phuket/Krabi/Surat Thani, Chiang Mai – Hat Yai/Krabi/Surat Thani, and Udon Thani – Hat Yai/Phuket/Krabi.

Passengers check in their bags once the first departure airport and are given two boarding passes. Once in Bangkok, there is no need to recheck.

Thai Vietjet will cooperate with the parent Vietjet Group to further provide connections from Thailand to international destinations, including Australia, Japan, and Korea using the same check-through service.

Flights with the Sky ConX service are available for booking at www.vietjetair.com, after selecting the inclusive origins and destinations, the flights available for the service will be suggested automatically.

When arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport, passengers can follow the sign to their connecting flight and then proceed to the waiting room after passing through the ticket check and carry-on bag scan. Passengers must allow at least 20 minutes before departure at the gate, check for the gate number, and they will board the following flight without leaving the passenger area or rechecking their bags.

Langkawi breaks into top beach list

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TTR WEEKLY

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May 9, 2023

LANGKAWI, 9 May 2023: Cenang Beach – Langkawi, Malaysia, was named among Tripzilla’s “Most beautiful beaches in Asia” for travellers looking for a summer break at the beach.

Cenanag Beach took the second slot after White Beach – Boracay in the Philippines, the only Malaysia beach to make to the top 15 list according to Tripzilla’s travel experts.

15 Best Beaches in Asia for Summer Travel

Most beautiful beaches in Asia to visit this summer

1. White Beach – Boracay, Philippines

2. Cenang Beach – Langkawi, Malaysia

3. Pink beach – Komodo Island, Indonesia

4. Koh Poda Beach – Krabi, Thailand

5. Dalwella Beach – Southern Province, Sri Lanka

6. Bai Sao Beach – Phu Quoc, Vietnam

7. Saracen Bay – Koh Rong Samloem, Cambodia

8. Woljeongri Beach – Jeju Korea

9. Puka Beach – Boracay, Philippines

10. Weligama Beach – Southern Province, Sri Lanka

11. Bophut Beach – Koh Samui, Thailand

12. Miho and Matsubara – Shizuoka City, Japan

13. Mawun Beach – Lombok, Indonesia

14. Palolem Beach – Goa, India

15. Jeongdongjin Beach – Gangneung, South Korea

The Tripzilla citation praised Pantai Cenang – Langkawi “as a dreamy slice of tropical paradise in Langkawi, Malaysia. This two-kilometre stretch of white sand is dotted by coconut trees, lush rainforests, and a cliff on its south side. Pantai Cenang is one of the best beach destinations in Asia for those who can’t sit still.

“Kiosks along its shoreline offer all kinds of water sports such as sailing, surfing, boat rides, paragliding, and banana boating. If you want to unwind, you can rent a beach chair from one of the resorts on the beach and soak in the sun’s glorious rays all day.”

For more information on Langkawi visit https://naturallylangkawi.my/

For the full details of the 15 beaches, visit https://www.tripzilla.com/best-beaches-in-asia/141023

Sabah showcases travel at Seoul fair

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TTR WEEKLY

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May 9, 2023

SEOUL, 9 May 2023: Together with three travel operators and one hotel, Sabah Tourism Board presented the state’s top tourist attractions at the Seoul International Travel Fair 2023.

The travel fair convened from 4 to 7 May at COEX Seoul.

Participating industry members from Sabah were Times Holidays Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, I-World Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, Oh Yes Tour Sdn Bhd and Ming Garden Hotel & Residences.

For more information on Sabah Tourism Board visit

www.sabahtourism.com

(Source: Sabah Tourism Board)

Changi reports strong March traffic

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TTR WEEKLY

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May 9, 2023

SINGAPORE, 9 May 2023: Singapore Changi Airport handled 4.63 million passenger movements in March 2023, or over 82% of its pre-Covid traffic in March 2019, the first time since the pandemic that it has crossed 80%.

Aircraft movements, which include landings and takeoffs, totalled 26,000, about 81% of March 2019 levels. Airfreight throughput was 152,000 tonnes for the month, maintaining what was recorded for the same period last year.   

 During Q1, Changi Airport clocked 13 million passenger movements, with 74,000 aircraft movements registered for the same period. The top five traffic markets for the quarter comprised Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. 

Changi Airport continued to see strong performance across key source markets, with the strongest growth in North America, Southwest Pacific and Europe. In addition, passenger flows to and from Greater China (mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau) also showed a strong recovery, with traffic doubling compared to the previous quarter, driven by the progressive resumption of scheduled passenger services.

From January to March 2023, airfreight movements totalled 417,000 tonnes, a decline of 9% year-on-year. Air cargo demand remained soft, especially in the first two months of the year, amid global economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures. For the period, Changi’s top five air cargo markets comprised Australia, China, Hong Kong, India and the US.

Changi Airport Group’s executive vice president of air hub and cargo development Lim Ching Kiat said: “It is encouraging that passenger numbers at Changi Airport have crossed 80% of pre-Covid levels for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, representing a milestone in the recovery of Changi’s traffic. As the world continues to gear up on travel, we look forward to more airlines resuming their services to cater to the growing appetite for travel and bringing in new airlines to connect our passengers with more destinations in the coming months.”

As of 1 April 2023, 102 airlines provide over 6,000 weekly scheduled flights at Changi Airport, connecting Singapore to 145 cities in 49 countries and territories worldwide.

New and reinstated services

In the first quarter of 2023, Changi Airport welcomed two new airlines, Air Macau and Firefly1. Ethiopian Airlines resumed scheduled services as the sole operator from Singapore to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), while Scoot resumed services to Qingdao (China). Changi also welcomed the return of four Chinese airlines – Chongqing Airlines, Hebei Airlines, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Airlines, and Hainan Airlines.

New restaurants & stores

The first quarter saw more than 20 new stores and F&B outlets open at Changi’s four terminals. Among them are new concept stores such as WOKE Ramen (Terminal 1 public), Noyah La Maison (Terminal 3) and Crystal Jade Go (Terminal 4 transit), as well as familiar favourites like Penang Culture (T1 public) and Bee Cheng Hiang (T4 and transit).

Other highlights

At T1 Level 3, WOKE Ramen and Penang Culture expand halal food options alongside Andes by Astons, Burger King and Anjappar. T3 also welcomed a new bouldering play attraction at its basement levels, Climb@T3.

 In the transit areas, Balenciaga has opened a full-fledged outlet in Terminal 1, while Tiffany & Co has returned to Changi Airport at T1. Almost all the outlets in T4 are now open; they include passenger favourites such as Heavenly Wang, Bengawan Solo, Old Chang Kee and iStudio.

 At Jewel Changi Airport, new outlets opened in the quarter were ABC Cooking Studio, Amaris, Black by Blue Brave, Fossil, Guardian, Hurley, Maison Margiela, The Mineral Boutique, The Wonder Store and Watches of Switzerland.

Dusit Hotels and Resorts opens three hotels

Oneworld chief plots exit path

AirAsia Philippines in steep recovery climb

Saudia increases flights to Singapore

New flight links Vientiane and Siem Reap

Pandaw sails through stormy waters

Thai Vietjet smooths fly-through travel

Langkawi breaks into top beach list

Sabah showcases travel at Seoul fair

Changi reports strong March traffic

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