Saturday, April 26, 2025
Home Blog Page 381

NCLH will offer onboard high-speed internet

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 12 April 2023: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCL), a leading global cruise company which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, has announced plans to improve connectivity at sea by offering SpaceX’s Starlink high-speed internet on its ships.

Using advanced low earth orbit satellites, Starlink delivers industry-leading broadband internet connectivity, which will improve the capacity, speed and reliability of the internet on board. The company is currently testing Starlink, beginning with Norwegian Breakaway, intending to roll out this game-changing technology across its entire world-class fleet in a phased manner.   

“We are thrilled to offer Starlink on board our ships to improve internet connectivity at sea. This initiative is a testament to our continuous quest to find new and innovative ways to enhance the experience for guests and crew while sailing on our award-winning brands,” said Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings president and CEO-elect Harry Sommer.

“Ensuring that this technology meets our high standards of excellence for our guests is incredibly important to us, which is why we are introducing this cutting-edge technology across our fleet in a phased manner. Once deployed, guests and crew will have a faster and more reliable method to stay connected with friends and family by sharing the incredible memories they create at sea in real-time.”

If trials are successful, the company will equip seven additional vessels with Starlink by year-end, including all three of the company’s new additions this year, Oceania Cruises’ Vista, Norwegian Viva and Regent’s Seven Seas Grandeur.

A comprehensive rollout plan is under development, and details regarding the timeline and availability of specific ships will be communicated once finalised. In addition to enhancing the guest and crew experience, the extra bandwidth will allow for more flexibility for onboard services and improve the ship-to-shore connection for operational needs.

(Your Stories: NCL)

Pandaw revamps Mekong River trip

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 12 April 2023: Pandaw introduces a new 10-night cruise on the Mekong River sailing between Chiang Khong in Thailand and Pak Lay, a large town just upstream of Vientiane in Laos.

In a blurb introducing the new itinerary, Pandaw notes that pioneering expedition cruises on the fast-flowing and rocky Upper Mekong River in Laos will become more challenging as more dams are constructed that will dramatically change the river and the communities who really on it for a livelihood.

Photo credit: Pandaw Cruises

“This changeable river has proven to be a constant navigational challenge… The continued construction of several planned dams along the Mekong in Laos is already impacting water levels in the region… we have updated our itinerary to futureproof our expeditions,” the company statement explained.

The new itinerary still includes transfers between Chaing Mai or Chiang Rai in Thailand and Vientiane in Laos but with a “shorter and more in-depth sailing experience along the Mekong.”

Touring in Vientiane will no longer be included in the 10-night itinerary. Instead, the cruise company will sell the sightseeing tour of the city as a pre or post-cruise extension.

The change offers extra time in the UNESCO city of Luang Prabang. It also introduces a new excursion to the Mekong Elephant Park in Pak Beng, a sanctuary dedicated to rehabilitating and protecting elephants while providing alternate employment for the mahouts who would traditionally use the elephants for logging or entertainment.

AirAsia continues China route expansion

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 April 2023: AirAsia Malaysia’s (AK) China expansion continues, with direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Shantou starting 16 June and a new direct flight from Kota Kinabalu to Beijing (Daxing) on 1 July this year.

AirAsia will reconnect Kuala Lumpur to Shantou, starting with two weekly flights in June and increasing to four in July. With seven weekly flights, the airline will fly from Kota Kinabalu to Beijing (Daxing) for the first time.

The new connections allow AirAsia to strengthen its position as the largest foreign low-cost carrier in China with a 45% market share, following the recent resumption of flights to/from Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Nanning, Wuhan, Kunming, Macao and Hong Kong served by AirAsia Malaysia (AK).

The rapid short-haul expansion is part of the airline’s strategy to align its international network, complementing the medium-haul connectivity to Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Beijing (Daxing) served by AirAsia X Malaysia (D7).

AirAsia Malaysia CEO Riad Asmat said: “We are pleased to restart our service to Shantou, which was first introduced in 2016. Shantou is one of our most popular destinations, where we flew about 340,000 guests to/from the coastal city until the end of 2019. In addition, we are also thrilled to announce the commencement of the new route from Kota Kinabalu to Beijing (Daxing), of which we will be the only airline connecting Sabah state capital directly to the capital of China.

“China has always been one of our most important key markets. The two routes will contribute about 10% additional capacity to our China network. We remain committed to further expanding the connectivity to Malaysia, a popular destination for Chinese tourists.

“Our expansion strategy is excellent news for Malaysian tourism. Having most of China’s routes back on our network will help the growth of the tourism sector, an important asset for the nation’s economy. We hope that our vast network will contribute to the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture’s target of 16.1 million international tourist arrivals this year.”

In celebration of the route resumption and the new route launch, AirAsia is offering promotional all-in one-way fares from MYR369 from Kuala Lumpur to Shantou and from MYR459 from Kota Kinabalu to Beijing (Daxing).

 Promotional fares are available for booking until 16 April 2023, for the travel period from 17 April to 28 October 2023, on AirAsia Super App and airasia.com.

As a group, AirAsia currently flies to 35 routes in China with a total of 287 weekly flights from Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines in May, with plans to increase the number of weekly flights to 317 with the addition of Kuala Lumpur to Shantou, Kota Kinabalu to Beijing (Daxing), Bangkok (Don Mueang) to Xi’an and Cebu to Shenzhen between June and July.

AirAsia Malaysia (AK) currently flies 11 routes from Kuala Lumpur to Guangzhou, Kunming, Shenzhen, Nanning, Macao, and Hong Kong; from Kota Kinabalu to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, and Hong Kong; and from Johor Bahru to Guangzhou. AirAsia X Malaysia (D7) flies three routes from Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Beijing (Daxing).

AirAsia Thailand (FD) currently flies 16 routes from Bangkok (Don Mueang) to Chongqing, Chengdu, Changsha, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Kunming, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Nanjing, Macao, and Hong Kong; from Chiang Mai to Beijing (Daxing), Changsha, Hangzhou, and Hong Kong; and from Phuket to Hong Kong. AirAsia X Thailand (XJ) flies one route from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Shanghai. AirAsia Philippines (Z2) flies four routes from Manila to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Macao, and Hong Kong.

Flight Schedule between Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and Shantou (SWA):

Flight Schedule between Kota Kinabalu (BKI) and Beijing (Daxing) (PKX):

Chinese car caravan arrives in Chiang Rai

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

CHIANG RAI, 12 April 2023: Thailand welcomed the first post-Covid-19 overland caravan tour from China earlier this week when 231 cars with 778 occupants crossed the border at the Thailand – Laos Friendship Bridge at Chiang Khong in this far northern province.

It marks the first official car caravan to travel from Kunming in China to Thailand via Laos since 2019.

Officials from Chiang Rai province and the Tourism Authority of Thailand director for Chiang Rai and Phayao provinces, Wisut Buachum, welcomed the group that arrived in two separate batches on the 10 and 11 April.

Photo credit: Sompol Sawanprom.

The caravan trip was organised by Chinese travel agents and Kunming tourism officials following China’s lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions on 8 January 2023.

According to the TAT, the most recent statistics for Chinese tourists entering Thailand from January to March 2023 via the Chiang Khong border checkpoint stood at 1,561 tourists (all nationalities) using 84 vehicles (mostly buses). No details were given, but officials noted it was far below the  2019 figure for overland trips crossing the bridge.

Thailand tightened its car self-drive tour rules following negative media reports claiming Chinese overlanders were using campervans and parking on streets near tourist attractions. The argument hovered around low revenue earned from Chinese car tours while suggesting Chinese drivers caused accidents due to being unfamiliar with Thai driving habits.

But technically, caravan tours using private cars can still be organised if using a registered travel agency and complying with strict rules relating to cars and drivers introduced in 2016.

The TAT Kunming office claims overland caravans are back for northern Thailand destinations such as Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, extending even to Sukhothai in central Thailand. But the long-term plan is to open caravan tour routes to Sukhothai, Bangkok, Chonburi (Pattaya), Khon Kaen and Udon Thani.

The return of car caravan tourism to North Thailand focused on the 15-day trip that started last week on an overland R3A route from Kunming City with stops at the Bohan Checkpoint (China) – Bo Ten (Laos) – Huai Sai Checkpoint (Laos) – Chiang Khong Border Checkpoint (4th Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge) and then heading south to Sukhothai for the Songkran Festival later this week.

Photo credit Sompol Sawanprom. Ready for the drive to Chiang Rai town and south to Sukhothai.

Participants in the caravan tour came mainly from cities in Yunnan plus  Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Some years back, the potential of self-drive car tours from China to the Mekong Region gained an airing on the sidelines of the ASEAN Tourism Forum in 2019, held at Halong Bay, Vietnam, just one year before Covid-19 locked down regional tourism.

During the government meetings held at the ATF 2019, leading tourism officials from Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam discussed ways to promote self-drive holidays between the four countries. They formed a think tank covering the CLTV countries to take a closer look at self-drive tours. The subject is again on the table now that the Covid-19 pandemic is in full retreat.

For years travel leaders in the Mekong Region tourism industry have been arguing the case for two-way, self-drive holidays that cross international borders. However, the snags include strict national legislation banning right-hand-drive cars, restrictive police escort rules and driving licence regulations.

Thailand also tightened rules for cars crossing the border with Laos in 2016. Strict rules virtually ended the self-drive option for Chinese holidaymakers, who travelled through Laos to visit Chiang Rai province in North Thailand in the hundreds during the cool season months.

In response to recommendations to revisit overland self-drive holidays in the four countries back in 2019, Thai tourism expert Pasit Poomchusri posted on Facebook: “I was a joint draftsman of the ASEAN vision on this and was the first person to talk about promoting single car travel…not caravans in the four countries.”

Self-drive holidays in the region are part of the ASEAN 2025 vision, but he warned that the experience had to be convenient and safe, as in Europe…It could be a 20-year wait.”

Another tourism expert, Mana Chobthum, added in a Facebook post: “The grouping of CLVT tourists markets is OK, but we should look at the bigger picture and consider travel from ASEAN neighbours, not just China.

Thai Vietjet shares Songkran fun

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 12 April 2023: Thai Vietjet, in collaboration with Airports of Thailand (AOT), surprises passengers with special activities at the check-in counters this week to celebrate the return of the annual Songkran Festival.

Thai Vietjet staff, dressed in traditional Thai costumes, welcome passengers at the airline’s check-in counters of row C, Suvarnabhumi Airport, with a Thai dessert called ‘Allure’ presented as a sweet souvenir to all passengers.

In addition, the airline splashes fiscal happiness on passengers during the Songkran Festival week ending on 15 April. The ‘Songkran Splash Deals’ promotion sells a one-way fare for THB99 (excluding taxes and fees) for travel to destinations in the domestic network. Flights to international destinations sell at THB1,890 and are available for bookings until midnight on 15 April. Both deals are for travel from 16 May to 31 October 2023 (excluding public holidays).

Riyadh Air sets ambitious goals

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

SINGAPORE, 11 April 2023: A new start-up airline Riyadh Air based in Saudi Arabia, will not make its maiden flight until 2025, but it is already being tipped as a disrupter that could disturb the comfort zone of the Middle East super league of trans-continental airlines.

Owned entirely by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, aviation experts say the new airline will seek to develop a new super aviation hub in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh. 

Riyadh Air, launched by the Public Investment Fund announced an order of up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in a multi-billion dollar deal last month.

At its 20 March official launch, the airline introduced its CEO Tony Douglas, a former CEO of Etihad Airways, tasked with establishing the first flights in 2025. Experts say the airline will challenge the dominance of Emirates and Etihad, home-based in the UAE, and Qatar Airways in Doha in the long run. Still, it could also extend the possibility of a price war to other global players such as Turkish Airways and Singapore Airlines.

The ultimate goal is to serve 100 destinations out of the Riyadh hub by 2030, an ambitious target that, if successful, could spark a price war with competitors. About 80% of all the passengers flying to hubs in the Middle East are booked on connecting flights to other destinations.

The airline’s recently appointed CEO Tony Douglas said: “Riyadh Air will be a digitally native airline, driven by a pioneering spirit with an obsessive focus on attention to detail and innovation at its heart. We aim to permanently transcend our guests’ perceptions and experiences of flying in the modern world.

“The new airline comes at a pivotal moment for Saudi Arabia, as it realises the ambitious goals of Vision 2030. We are privileged to actively showcase Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural heritage and stunning natural attractions to tourists worldwide.”

The new airline company is part of a wider plan to establish the Saudi Arabian capital as a transportation hub and increase tourism to reduce the country’s dependence on oil and diversify its economy.

Last month Riyadh Air signed an order for 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets; 39 confirmed with an option to acquire 33 additional 787-9s. The first deliveries will inaugurate the flight network in 2025.

On the ground, there are plans for a significant renovation at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. It’s all part of the  Saudi Vision 2030 and a National Tourism strategy that seeks to attract 100 million annual visits to Saudi Arabia by 2030 and raise the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP by more than 10%.

Trip.com award goes to Royal Cliff

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

PATTAYA, 11 April 2023: Royal Cliff Beach Terrace and Royal Cliff Grand Hotel are recognised as the “Best Scenic Hotels Near Bangkok” by travel brand Trip.com.

The hotels’ ideal locations, blessed with panoramic sunset views and best-in-class services, are the key features that help to earn them prestigious recognition.

The Royal Cliff Hotel Group found itself in the travel website’s “Trip.Best” list for Best Scenic Hotels near Bangkok, with the Royal Cliff Beach Terrace standing in 4th place and the luxury Royal Cliff Grand Hotel (11th).

This recognition is another testament to the group’s achievement as an excellent choice to stay near Bangkok for business and leisure travellers. With a rare location that offers breathtaking views of the Gulf of Thailand and outlying islands, the group’s hotels have stood the test of time and competition to become the top-of-mind destinations in Pattaya; the most convenient location to enjoy a seaside break near the capital city.

Royal Cliff Beach Terrace and Royal Cliff Grand Hotel have been reviewed against the criteria considering the number of rooms with ocean views and service. With 100% of the rooms having sea views, the two properties scored 4.5 and 4.4 out of 5, respectively. Trip.com reviews hotels for their Trip.Best lists quarterly to make sure that the criteria are always up-to-date. For hotels near Bangkok, Trip.Best offers rankings in the following categories; Best Scenic Hotels, Best Family Hotels, Best Villas, Best Cultural Styles and Best Upscale Hotels.

Perched on a coastal hill overlooking secluded beaches, the hotels are only a short distance from the bustling Pattaya Beach Road, Royal Cliff Beach Terrace boasts magnificent sea views as far as the eye can see. The hotel features rooms of two types — Honeymoon Deluxe and Family Suite with two bedrooms. The first type offers exotic Thai-style accommodation with a separate raised living area where couples can relax and enjoy their romantic getaway. Family Suite offers plenty of space on the balcony and a living room that fits the whole family. Both bedrooms have large comfortable beds to guarantee a great night’s sleep.

Situated adjacent to the Royal Cliff Beach Terrace, Royal Cliff Grand Hotel is an opulent resort where guests can relax and soak up the beautiful sunset. All rooms, recently renovated in an elegant contemporary style, are sea-facing, so guests can enjoy a million-dollar view with the sea breeze. A large infinity pool and adjacent sun deck are ideal for watching the sunset while enjoying formal dining that serves delicious flavours from Thai to international.

Apart from the two hotels, the Royal Cliff is home to two other properties, namely the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel and the luxury Royal Wing Suites and Spa. The infinity-edged “Sky Aquarium Pool” in the middle of the premises is one of Thailand’s biggest and most spectacular swimming pools. In addition to the Trip.Best award, Royal Cliff Hotels Group has won many accolades, awards and accreditations, spanning different categories and standards, from prestigious organisations throughout the years, with the total awards exceeding 250.

With summer vacations already underway, the Royal Cliff Hotels can accommodate everyone with multiple options of rooms, suites, dining experiences and state-of-the-art facilities. The hotels offer packages with special perks and rates, such as a weekday stay package, an extended stay package and a family package to entice summer travellers.

Check the hotel website, www.royalcliff.com, to secure the best rates and packages.

(Your Stories: Royal Cliff Hotel Group)

LIMA’23 hits 600 exhibitor target

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

LANGKAWI, 11 APRIL 2023: The Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023 (LIMA’23) bounces back from a four-year hiatus and has already achieved its targetted 600 exhibitors, Bernama news channel reports.

The 16th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023 (LIMA’23) will convene in two locations on Langkawi Island next to the airport and near the cruise terminal at the Resorts World complex, from 23 to 27 May.

Photo Credit: LIMA’23. The media launch for LIMA’23.

Highlights of the show include a pavilion featuring the latest in drone technology, an exhibition zone for electric aircraft, an international space forum, and a career fair focusing on maritime and aviation job opportunities.

Reported first by Bernama, Alpine Integrated Solution executive director Muhammad Aqlan Pacleb, the appointed co-organiser of LIMA’23, said the area of ​​the exhibition hall has also been increased by 28% and was now fully booked.

“Our target of 600 exhibiting companies has been achieved, even though only 480 companies were involved previously,” he said when appearing as a guest on TV Al Hijrah’s, ‘Assalamualaikum’ programme last week.

LIMA’23 was officially declared back in business at a media launch earlier in the year. Media accreditation was officially open until 15 March.

Check out LIMA 2023 website at https://limamalaysia.com.my/

The main events and exhibition will convene at Langkawi’s Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC) and Resorts World Langkawi (RWL).

Limited to trade visitors from 23 to 25 May, the exhibition extends for two more days, 26 to 27 May and will be open to the general public.

On the sidelines of LIMA 2023: The Lab for Food and Fun Garden

Visit https://limamalaysia.com.my/visitor/visit-lima to register and purchase tickets.

For more information visit www.langkawi.bdb.com.my

Langkawi Development Authority

LIMA 2023

(Your Stories: LADA)

Red Elephant Reps strengthens sales

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

BANGKOK, 11 April 2023: Red Elephant Reps, a hotel and travel representation company, is strengthening its global sales team by appointing Nic Scaramuzzino as director of sales for France.

He will be responsible for executing sales and marketing strategies throughout France that will drive growth and provide brand awareness for clients of Red Elephant Reps.

Commenting on the new appointment, Red Elephant Reps chief executive officer Ian Paul Woods said: “Nic’s broad travel and hospitality experience combined with his strong network of connections will be crucial in helping us to grow within the region.”

He comes to the Red Elephant Reps team with over 25 years of tourism and hospitality experience, having held various positions in Southeast Asia in hotels and travel agencies.

MAG adds seats for Hari Raya Travels

By
TTR WEEKLY
-

KUALA LUMPUR, 11 April 2023: Malaysia Aviation Group’s airlines will allocate over 18,000 additional seats during the upcoming Hari Raya peak travel period to accommodate the expected domestic travel surge from 18 April to 1 May 2023.

The group’s airlines – Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, and MASwings – will collectively supply 18,000 seats on top of the 20,000 seats launched on 29 March 2023 that are almost entirely sold out.

Malaysia Airlines will upgrade services using the Airbus A330 to Kota Kinabalu on 20 and 30 April, as well as 1 May, and adding another 54 extra flights to Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Sandakan, Kota Bahru, Alor Setar, Terengganu, Kuantan, Labuan, Bintulu, Sibu and Miri to ensure convenience for passengers.

With the additional seats, the fares will be dynamically adjusted downwards, making it affordable for passengers to travel back to their hometown for the Hari Raya celebrations.

Malaysia Airlines’ sister airline, Firefly, has also increased its flight frequency to Kota Bharu and Kota Kinabalu to support the travel demand.

Malaysia Aviation Group chief executive officer (airlines) Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi said: “We are currently seeing positive demands during this period and encourage passengers to plan their travels ahead of time to enjoy the best deals on airfares. As of February 2023, our capacity reached 85% of 2019, and we are expecting a positive increase, especially with the upcoming festive season and school holidays.”

For more information on booking flights, planning the perfect getaway, or looking for fun things to do during your trip, visit the official Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, and MASwings websites.

The additional flights are as follows:

 

Service

 

 

Destinations

 

Flight Number​​​​

Dates

Boeing B738​

Kuala Lumpur – Alor Setar

MH7312/7313

18, 19 & 20 Apr​

MH1252/1253

 29 Apr & 1 May

Kuala Lumpur – Kota Bharu

MH7324/7325​

18, 19, 20 & 21 Apr​

MH7328/7329

 29, 30 April & 1 May

Kuala Lumpur – K. Terengganu

MH7330/7331

18, 19, 20 & 21 Apr

MH7332/7333

29 &30 Apr​

Kuala Lumpur – Kuantan

MH7350/7351

20 Apr

Kuala Lumpur – Kota Kinabalu

MH7402/7403

20 Apr

MH7408/7409

18 April

MH7408/7411

21 & 29 Apr

Kuala Lumpur – Labuan

MH7416/7417

20, 21, 29, 30 Apr & 1 May

Kuala Lumpur – Tawau

MH7420/7421​

18 Apr

MH7422/7423​

28 April

MH7434/7435

19, 20, 21, 29, 30 Apr & 1 May

Kuala Lumpur – Sandakan​

MH7426/7427​

18 Apr​

MH7432/7433

 19 & 20 Apr

MH7428/7429

 21 April​

Kuala Lumpur – Kuching

MH7452/7453

 19, 20, 21 & 29 Apr​

MH7454/7455​

30 Apr & 1 May​

Kuala Lumpur – Bintulu

MH7472/7473​

 20 Apr​

Kuala Lumpur – Sibu

MH7482/7483​

 19, 20, 21 & 30 Apr​

MH7484/7485

 29 April

Kuala Lumpur – Miri

MH7486/7487​

19 & 20 Apr

Airbus A330

Kuala Lumpur – Kota Kinabalu

MH2614/2607

20 Apr

MH2646/2641

30 Apr & 1 May
1...380381382...596Page 381 of 596

Stay ahead with the
latest travel news
on Southeast Asia.

Subscribe now


Contact Us
TTR Weekly (TTRW) is published in Bangkok, Thailand, registered since 1978.
/ month
placeholder text
/ month
placeholder text
Press releases, announcements, events for calendar should be sent to: [email protected]
/ month
placeholder text

Copyright © 2023 TTR Weekly, all rights reserved.