CENTEL claws back profits in 2022

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March 2, 2023

BANGKOK, 2 March 2023: Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited (CENTEL) declared its highest Q4/2022 net profit of THB498 million as a result of reopening countries, entering the high season, and the festive season.

Results were released earlier this week by Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited CFO & VP of Finance and Administration Gun Srisompong that showed the company’s Q4/2022 revenue peaked at THB5,502 million representing an increase of 47%.

The company’s portfolio includes 92 hotels and 1,580 quick-service restaurant outlets (QSR).

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was THB1,531 million, an increase of 57% for Q4/2022. An EBITDA margin of 28% represented an increase compared to last year, indicating a significant recovery of the hotel business year-on-year, particularly the outstanding performance of hotels in key tourist destinations. The company reported a Q42022 net profit of THB498 million, with a growth of 228% YoY.

During the financial year 2022 (Jan to Dec), the company achieved total revenues of THB18,216 million, an increase of 57%, and an earning before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation EBITDA of THB4,411 million, an increase of 120 YoY. The net profit was THB398 million, or a growth of 123% (compared to a net loss of 1,734 million in 2021).

2022: Hotel business

The occupancy rate (OCC) increased from 19% to 52%, and the average room rate (ARR) improved by 7% YoY to THB 4,791, which resulted in the RevPar being increased by 193% YoY to THB 2,486.

The company’s hotel business achieved total revenues of THB6,541 million, an increase of 180 YoY. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was THB1,796million (2021: loss of THB494 million), a growth of 464%, and %EBITDA margin was 27, an improvement compared to the same period last year (2021: -21.

The net loss for the company’s hotel business sector was THB161 million, representing a decrease in the 2021 net loss of THB1,945 million, or an improvement of 92%. The strong performance recovery in 2022 was due to the significant comeback of five-star and luxury hotels located in tourist attractions, particularly in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Samui.

2023 forecast

Although the recovery path in the hospitality industry became clearer, including the positive return of Chinese travellers, earlier than expected there are challenges facing the hotel industry in 2023. Monitoring and managing costs remain crucial, including food materials cost, energy and wages. Rises in commercial bank interest rates are a factor. Still, the company plans to “mitigate the impact of cost-push inflation”, such as continually negotiating with suppliers, finding alternative sources for raw materials, installation of solar panels and saving energy devices to decrease energy costs and principal prepayment of a USD loan to reduce the impact of the interest rate hike.

“The business growth for this year will drive by the hotel and food businesses. The hotels in Thailand will continue the recovery driven by an increase in international tourist arrivals and partial growth from a low base in the first half of 2022. The five-star and Centara Reserve brands in Bangkok and key tourist destinations will be key growth drivers.

“For hotels in the Maldives, the performance is expected to improve compared to the last year because of adjustment to marketing strategy in accordance with the current situation.

Additionally, in 2023, the revenue growth will come from the newly owned hotel (inorganic growth). The company recognises the operating performance of Centara Grand Hotel Osaka since 1 July 2023.”

Overall, the expected average occupancy rate (including joint ventures) is 65% – 72%, and RevPar improves by 30% – 37% YoY to THB 3,250 to 3,400. The growth of RevPar will come from increases in both occupancy and average room rate, particularly from the average room rate of the overseas hotels in Dubai and Japan, where the average room rate (ARR) is normally higher than the ARR of the Thailand portfolio.

Apart from driving business growth as targeted, the company also pays attention to environmental and social issues.

The company is committed to a 2050 net zero greenhouse gas emissions. For the first 10 years, the long-term plan for 2020-2029 is to reduce 20% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2029 through effective energy and water use and waste management.

For more information, visit https://investor.centarahotelsresorts.com/en

Company information

As of 31 December, 2022, the company had hotels under management in a total of 92 hotels (19,348 rooms); with 50 hotels (10,406 rooms) already in operation together with other 42 hotels (8,942 rooms) still under development. Of the 50 hotels already in operation, 19 hotels (5,051 rooms) are owned and operated by the company, with the other 31 hotels (5,355 rooms) being operated under the Company’s Hotel Management Agreements.

As for the Food Business, the company has 1,580 QSR outlets, as follows: 1. KFC (319 outlets), 2. Mister Donut (469), 3.Ootoya (47), 4. Auntie Anne’s (209), 5. Pepper Lunch (51), 6. Chabuton Ramen (17), 7. Cold Stone Creamery (16), 8. Yoshinoya (31), 9. The Terrace (7), 10. Tenya (12), 11. Katsuya (60), 12. Aroi Dee (30), 13. Arigato (185) 14. Kowlune (1), and 15. Grab Kitchen by Every Food (18) 16. Salad Factory (30) 17. Brown Café (11) 18. Café Amazon – Vietnam (18) 19. Som Tum Nua (5) 20. Shinkanzen Sushi (44)

https://www.centralgroup.com

Regent Hong Kong accepts bookings

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TTR WEEKLY

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March 2, 2023

HONG KONG, 2 March 2023: Following a total remake by the renowned architect Chi Wing Lo, Regent Hong Kong opens reservations, but there is no clarity on when the doors will open to the first paying guests when browsing IHG websites.

IHG hinted last month that Regent Hong Kong could reopen for guests this June, following extensive renovations that started two years ago, according to the website Upgrade Points. UP noted in its latest business travel update, “the exact number of rooms and suites the Regent will offer is unclear. However, we have some details about the room offerings, including a Classic Harbourview Room with views of the iconic Victoria Harbour.”

Room details for six categories are easy to source, and the IHG website already has a Regent Hong Kong booking page quoting rates. For example, a King Premium Daybed room stay costs HKD5,500, excluding the 10% service charge. However, popular online travel agencies are not fielding rates or booking dates for the property.

Regent Hotels publicity says reservations are open, but we need some customer reviews to indicate travellers have indeed crossed the threshold and enjoyed their stay at the hotel’s prime location in Tsim Sha Tsui on the edge of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour.

Commenting on the transformation and the return of an iconic brand, Ch Wing Lo explains: “My vision for the hotel was to provide a sanctuary rather than simply a place to stay. I wanted my design to embody the spirit of The Regent and provide a sense of peace, serenity, and balance amidst the bustling metropolis.”

Originally branded The Regent when it opened in Hong Kong in 1980, it rebranded to InterContinental Hong Kong on 1 June 2001 under a management contract. Later in 2018, IHG Hotels & Resorts bought a 51% majority stake in Regent Hotels for USD39 million. In 2020, IHG closed the 497-room Regent Hong Kong for extensive remodelling and scheduled a reopening to once more fly the Regent flag later this year.

Malaysia Airlines’ travel fair returns

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TTR WEEKLY

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March 2, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, 2 March 2023: Travellers can grab discounts of up to 45% off Malaysia Airlines’ fares on domestic and international routes as the airline brings back its annual travel fair (MATF) that runs up to midnight on 8 March.

Discounted fares of up to 45% off are valid for travel up to 30 November 2023. The fare discounts are not applicable for flights to Brisbane, Doha, and China.

In addition to discounted prices, customers can enjoy 15% off on add-ons such as seat selection, extra baggage, value bundles (standard seat and 10kg extra baggage), and premium bundles (extra legroom seat and Golden Lounge access). Enrich members can also earn 50% Bonus Enrich Points when they book during this promotion period.

Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) chief executive officer of airlines Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi said: “We want to make the passenger journey seamless with great deals and unique delivery of our Malaysian Hospitality service. The Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair is the perfect opportunity for customers to plan their next trip and take advantage of exclusive deals on our extensive global network.”

Sample deals include MYR99 one-way fare to destinations in Peninsular Malaysia and beyond to Sabah and Sarawak (MYR169 and MYR119) using the airline’s economy lite fare options. The fares include a seven kg cabin luggage allowance, complimentary snacks, meals, and in-flight entertainment.

During the travel fair, customers can take advantage of discounts and promotions on international flights such as Sydney, with fares starting at MYR2,999 roundtrip in economy class. Fares on the London route start at MYR3,299 roundtrip in economy class.

In Asia, the discounts extend to Seoul, with fares starting at MYR 2,199 all-in return flying economy class. Fares to Tokyo start at MYR2,849 roundtrip.

Destinations	All-in one-way Economy Lite from (MYR)	All-in one-way Business Class from (MYR)
Peninsular Malaysia	99	429
Within Sabah Sarawak	99	429
Sarawak	119	799
Sabah	169	899

Destinations	All-in one-way Economy Basic from (MYR)	All-in one-way Business Class from (MYR)
Medan	249	799
Singapore	279	1,199
Between Kuching and Singapore	299	1,199
Phuket	309	1,099
Ho Chi Minh City	339	1,109
Phnom Penh	359	1,129
Bangkok	369	1,119
Yangon	379	1,199
Surabaya	399	1,219
Jakarta	429	1,149
Hanoi	429	1,229
Bali	499	1,299
Manila	539	1,859

Destinations	All-in one-way Economy Basic from (MYR)	All-in one-way Business Class from (MYR)
Medan	249	799
Singapore	279	1,199
Between Kuching and Singapore	299	1,199
Phuket	309	1,099
Ho Chi Minh City	339	1,109
Phnom Penh	359	1,129
Bangkok	369	1,119
Yangon	379	1,199
Surabaya	399	1,219
Jakarta	429	1,149
Hanoi	429	1,229
Bali	499	1,299
Manila	539	1,859

Destinations	All-in Return Economy Basic from (MYR)	All-in Return Business Class from (MYR)
Kochi	1,109	2,909
Chennai	1,199	2,949
Colombo	1,199	4,259
Bengaluru	1,199	3,289
Taipei	1,299	3,199
Between Kota Kinabalu and Taipei	1,299	3,299
Between Kota Kinabalu and Narita	2,999	6,799
Hyderabad	1,359	3,839
Hong Kong	1,399	5,899
Guangzhou	1,599	17,999
Delhi	1,599	4,459
Mumbai	1,599	3,959
Kathmandu	1,699	3,859
Dhaka	1,899	4,259
Perth	2,099	7,299
Adelaide	2,799	9,899
Sydney	2,999	9,599
Melbourne	2,999	9,799
Narita/Haneda	2,849	7,099
Osaka	2,869	7,099
Seoul	2,199	6,259
London	3,299	12,459
Auckland	3,999	14,099

Cebu Pacific boosts Cebu flights

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TTR WEEKLY

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March 2, 2023

MANILA, 2 March 2023: Cebu Pacific embarks on expanding its Cebu hub by adding three routes from Mactan Cebu International Airport to Hong Kong and Narita Tokyo, plus a domestic flight to Naga.

“We are excited to operate new routes from our second largest base, Cebu, as we mark our 27th anniversary in March. This aligns with our commitment to make air travel more affordable and accessible to our customers,” said Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial Officer Xander Lao

The airline will resume daily flights from Cebu to Hong Kong beginning 26 March. CEB 5J 240 will depart from MCIA at 0605 and arrive in Hong Kong at 0855. The return flight, 5J 241, will fly from Hong Kong International Airport at 0940 and arrive in Cebu at 1235.

From 1 May, CEB will restart its daily flights from Cebu to Narita.
CEB 5J 5062 will depart from MCIA at 0220 and arrive in Narita, Tokyo, at 0810. The return flight 5J 5063 will depart Narita at 0855 and arrive in Cebu at 1320.

On the domestic front, starting 26 March 26, CEB will fly from Cebu to Naga four times weekly (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday), making it the only carrier to operate flights directly between the two destinations.
DG6316 will depart from MCIA at 1200 and arrive in Naga at 1345, while the return flight, DG 6137, will leave Naga Airport at 1405 and arrive in Cebu at 1550.

With three additional routes, CEB will have direct flights to 23 domestic and four international destinations from Cebu.

CEB is set to restore 100% of its pre-Covid network and capacity by the end of March. It flies to 34 domestic destinations and is set to reinstate all 25 international destinations in the year’s first quarter.

Singapore earns green credentials

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TTR WEEKLY

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March 2, 2023

SINGAPORE, 2 March 2023: Singapore has been certified as a sustainable destination based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)’s Destination Criteria after being the first to apply the certification process on a country level.

It reflects Singapore’s efforts and commitment to becoming a sustainable urban destination.

The GSTC Criteria are the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism. Singapore was certified based on performance in four categories: sustainable management; socio-economic sustainability; cultural sustainability; and environmental sustainability.

Singapore’s achievement reflects the commitment towards the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and aligns with the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) Tourism Sustainability Strategy. The Tourism Sustainability Strategy was launched in 2022 and set out actionable strategies for the tourism industry so that Singapore can become a sustainable urban destination.

Singapore’s certification follows similar achievements by key tourism partners such as Sentosa Development Corporation, Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands Singapore, which had also achieved certification based on the relevant GSTC Criteria.

Singapore Tourism Board chief executive Keith Tan said: “We are proud to receive this certification, which reflects Singapore’s commitment to the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and becoming a City in Nature, where large experiences come with a small footprint. Being certified is just the beginning of our journey. Tourism businesses must do more to internalise sustainability as part of their offerings to contribute to making Singapore greener and more liveable. Our vision is to become one of the world’s most sustainable urban destinations, and we now know we are on the right track.”

STB will continue to engage its partners, build on the destination’s existing strengths and ramp up efforts in areas of improvement. These are the highlights of Singapore’s sustainability performance across the four pillars:

Sustainable management

Singapore is implementing multi-year strategies and action plans on sustainable management, such as the Singapore Green Plan 2030. Announced in 2021, the Green Plan charts Singapore’s ambitions and targets over the next ten years, strengthens its commitments under the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Paris Agreement, and positions the country to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Socio-economic Sustainability

Singapore also demonstrated efforts to maximise tourism’s social and economic benefits for locals. These include supporting and spotlighting local entrepreneurs, providing a safe and secure working environment, a user-friendly built environment, supporting career opportunities and training in tourism.

Cultural Sustainability

Singapore has various initiatives to conserve and enhance its tangible and intangible heritage. For example, there are legislation and conservation guidelines to protect more than 7,200 conserved buildings, entire historic districts, and national monuments.

Environmental sustainability

Singapore has implemented various measures to enhance greenery, strengthen ecological connectivity between green spaces, and conserve biodiversity. For example, the OneMillionTrees movement, launched in 2020, aims to plant 1 million additional trees across Singapore by 2030.

The country also charts concrete targets and demonstrates real-world sustainability applications to manage its scarce resources. Singapore enhanced its international climate commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. It has committed to greening 80% of buildings by Gross Floor Area by 2030 and has already done so for over half of its buildings.

PATA chair keynotes MTF

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TTR WEEKLY

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March 1, 2023

PHNOM PENH, 1 March 2023: The 2023 Mekong Tourism Forum hosted by the Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia and co-organised by the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, will convene from 25 to 27 April in Sihanoukville city, the capital of Preah Sihanouk province on the southern coast of Cambodia.

The forum has adopted the theme “Rethinking for Resilience and Digitalisation”, encouraging tourism leaders and private sector representatives to rethink post-Covid tourism in the six member countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region. The six-member countries are China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

MTF venue, Sihanoukville, the gateway to Preah Sihanouk province, and H.E. Mr Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism for Cambodia.

The conference programme has been designed to address job creation, gender equality, food safety and hygiene, digital transformation and a more geographically dispersed tourism approach so that the benefits of the travel industry spread beyond over-touristed hotspots.

According to the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, the forum’s agenda on 26 April will focus on five discussion topics.

Rethinking tourism puts people and the planet first.
Developing local food production networks.
Using new digital technology to boost tourism startups.
Improving training so that tourism workers have the skills to adapt.
Advancing equality of opportunity and fair treatment for women in the tourism industry.

“The post-Covid-19 tourism landscape now provides clear opportunities for us to take stock and rethink tourism for the better,” said Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism for Cambodia Thong Khon.

Pacific Asia Travel Association chairman Peter Semone will lead an expert panel debate on advancing human capital. He will also keynote the forum at the opening session.

Asian Development Bank’s Veronica Mendizabal Jaffre will lead a panel session on women’s empowerment in tourism in the region that will focus on fair treatment for women in the private and public tourism sectors.

An estimated 150 international delegates are expected to attend the MTF 2023, free to join for travel industry leaders.

Registration is available through the new Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office website at www.mekongtourism.org. Registration will close on 18 April or when places are fully booked, whichever comes first.

Sabre adds Jin Air to its portfolio

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TTR WEEKLY

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March 1, 2023

SINGAPORE, 1 March 2023: Sabre Corporation, a software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, has concluded a new agreement with Korean low-cost carrier (LCC) Jin Air.

Under the multi-year agreement, Jin Air can offer fares to Sabre-connected travel agents globally. At the same time, agencies can book and ticket Jin Air content via Sabre’s Global Distribution System (GDS).

Launched in 2008, Jin Air has an extensive domestic route network and connections across Asia, including to destinations in Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

“As travel restrictions continue to ease in South Korea, we’re delighted to have signed this new agreement with Sabre, which will enable us to enhance our indirect distribution strategy, expand our geographic reach, and enable more leisure and corporate travellers to experience Jin Air, and our growing destination network,” said Jin Air.

PATA releases bullish forecast on tourist visits

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TTR WEEKLY

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March 1, 2023

BANGKOK, 1 March 2023: Pacific Asia Travel Association’s latest forecast predicts strong annual increases in inbound visitors for Asia Pacific under the mild, medium, and severe scenarios in 2023.

Growth rates range from 71% under the severe scenario conditions to as much as 104% under the mild scenario.

Released Tuesday, the full report gives a quantitative overview of the international visitor landscape to and across the Asia Pacific region at the regional, sub-regional and destination levels up to 2025.

The annual increase in international visitor arrivals (IVAs) in 2023 should range from 158.7 million to 437.5 million under the severe and mild scenarios, lifting the volume of visitor arrivals to between 382.9 million and 712.7 million under those same scenarios.

Substantial annual increases in IVAs are also forecast for 2024 and 2025 under all three scenarios. However, the volume of these gains will slowly reduce over the years as the absolute volume base of foreign arrivals increases.

The impact of these increases, even for the mild scenario, suggests a return in 2023 to better levels of IVAs compared to 2019. Under the medium scenario, bettering 2019 levels will take longer, possibly by 2024. Under the severe scenario, the full recovery to 2019 levels would occur in 2025.

As IVA growth builds between 2023 and 2025, it is worth noting that the source markets of Asia collectively generate the bulk of the additional annual increases in total arrivals across the Asia Pacific each year. Under the mild scenario, for example, the yearly rise in IVAs from Asia in 2023 is forecast to reach 330.7 million and account for three-quarters of the net increase in total IVAs between 2022 and 2023.

Across the years and under all scenarios, the visitor footprint of the Asian source markets, at the aggregate Asia Pacific level, is predicted to remain very strong, with significant differences at the destination regions and sub-regions. The Americas, for example, already demonstrate a strong intra-regional visitor flow. Unsurprisingly, it is forecast to receive more than half of its annual increase in IVAs in 2023 and 2025, under the mild scenario, from source markets within that same region. That proportion is predicted to reach as much as 68% under the medium scenario in 2024 and 78% under the severe scenario in that same year. Although the proportions may reduce by 2025, they are still predicted to favour the Americas very much as the main generator of annual IVA growth in absolute numbers into that same region.

PATA Chair Peter Semone said: “These current forecasts are easily the most positive since 2019, and while inbound numbers are predicted to increase each year to 2025, they will not do so evenly across the Asia Pacific destinations nor at the same rates.

“In addition, growth will not necessarily be by passive osmosis; work needs to be done for destinations to remain competitive and deliver experiences to these visitors that consistently exceed their expectations. A blatant profit-grab at this time will resonate badly with visitors now and will work against destinations and operators in the future.

“Now more than ever before, destinations need to work with host communities, operators, and visitors to deliver results and experiences that bring the best of the travel and tourism sector to the fore, across all involved parties and in a responsible, equitable, meaningful, and thereby sustainable manner. Such an approach will also create a certain resilience to future shocks as and when they appear, and rest assured that they will,” added Semone.

The PATA Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts Full Report 2023-2025 is now available at www.PATA.org/research-q1v63g6n2dw/p/asia-pacific-visitor-forecasts-2023-2025-x8tpc

AirAsia X reports net profit

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TTR WEEKLY

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March 1, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, 1 March 2023: AirAsia X Berhad (AirAsia X), the mid-range affiliate airline of AirAsia Aviation Group, reports its financial results for the Sixth Quarter of 2022 (6Q22) and the full financial year 2022 (FY2022) ending 31 December 2022.

The company recorded an improvement in revenue of MYR339.3 million in 6Q22 by carrying 337,638 passengers, boosted by the year-end peak travel season. In addition, the average base fare in 6Q22 was a record-high at MYR866 strengthened by the as-anticipated and continuing pent-up demand for international air travel within the region.

Ancillary revenue per passenger marked MYR196 during the quarter, up 17% compared to the same period in 2019. Passenger Load Factor (PLF) was healthy at 79%, up six percentage points from the previous quarter, and showed an over 97% recovery of the same period in 2019. These positive key metrics resulted in the company posting a net operating profit of MYR149.6 million and a net profit of MYR153.5 million. The company has also strengthened its cash position, which stood at MYR181.9 million as of December 2022.

On the cost side, the company showed a significant improvement. The cost per Available Seat Kilometre (CASK) in 6Q22 was recorded at 9.98 sen compared to 13.49 sen in 5Q22, while CASK ex-fuel dropped substantially to 1.42 sen from 6.95 sen in 5Q22. Compared to 4Q19, both CASK and CASK ex-fuel reduced substantially by 25% and 83%, respectively, on the back of a revised cost structure post-restructuring. Revenue per Available Seat Kilometres (RASK) for the quarter stood at 19.96 sen, an increase of 13% from 5Q22, and surged by 53% compared to RASK of 13 sen in 4Q19. In 6Q22, the company launched flights to Melbourne, Perth, Sydney-Auckland, Tokyo-Haneda, Sapporo, Taipei, Jeddah and Bali-Denpasar, ending the quarter with 14 routes within its network.

On a full financial year basis, the company reported a revenue of MYR878.2 million and a net profit of MYR33 billion, predominantly attributable to the return of scheduled passenger flight operations in the second half of 2022 as travel restrictions ease. Driven by the return of demand after a two-year lockdown period, the company carried 417,195 passengers, with a healthy PLF of 78%.

Discussing the outlook for the company, AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said: “For the year 2023, the company expects to relaunch more of its profitable destinations and looks forward to the return to China with the announcement of the reopening of the country’s border in January 2023, in addition to our planned inaugural flight to Turkey this year. Most recently, in February 2023, we resumed services to Busan, South Korea, and have added more flights to the existing routes in our network.

Regarding associate’s performance, the company is pleased to announce that AirAsia X Thailand (TAAX) posted a revenue of MYR264.2 million, with a net profit of RM357.3 million on the back of unrealised forex gain, TAAX’s core net profit would be MYR12.8 million. TAAX’s cash position for the period ended December 2022 stood at MYR199.3 million.

TAAX carried 279,707 passengers, with a very high PLF of 88%. Beginning in June 2022, TAAX launched flights to Seoul and ended the year with additions of Tokyo-Narita, Osaka, Sapporo, Sydney and Melbourne within its network.

As of the end of December 2022, AirAsia X’s fleet size stood at 14 A330s, with seven aircraft activated and operational. TAAX’s fleet size for the same period stood at eight A330s, with five aircraft activated and operational.

SalamAir expands network

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TTR WEEKLY

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March 1, 2023

SINGAPORE, 1 March 2023: SalamAir has launched direct flights to Mashhad in Iran and Almaty in Kazakhstan from its Muscat home base in Oman.

Mashhad is the third destination in Iran for the airline, with flights to Shiraz and Tehran already in its network. Almaty is the airline’s first destination in Kazakhstan. Weekly flights from Muscat to Mashhad and Almaty started last week.

The two routes serve a high medical, business, and leisure tourism demand. The new flights will also offer convenient connections to the SalamAir network.

SalamAir CEO Captain Mohamed Ahmed said: “Iran has been one of the key focus markets for us, and we are pleased to launch the third destination to the country… (As for) Kazakhstan; the city of Almaty, has promising passenger travel to Muscat, and we expect to carry both business travellers and holidaymakers… Oman and Kazakhstan recently agreed to have close bilateral cooperation in economy, renewable energy, tourism, and food security, so this route will be mutually beneficial.”

Mashhad

The holly city is the capital of Khorasan province in northeast Iran and the second largest city in the country, Mashhad is best known for the shrine of Imam Reza. Every year, millions of pilgrims visit the holy shrine, considered the largest and most magnificent of its kind. Mashhad is located 850 km northeast of Tehran.

Almaty

Located near the gigantic Tian Shan Mountain range, Almaty in Kazakhstan is the world’s ninth-largest country. It extends from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains east on its border with China and Russia. Almaty is the old capital city of Kazakhstan and remains the financial as well as the cultural hub. Tourism is a key industry in Almaty and is a major source of foreign exchange earnings.

SalamAir flies to domestic destinations, including Muscat, Salalah, Suhar, Duqm, and Masirah, and international destinations to Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah, Kuwait, Bahrain, BEY, Sarajevo, Istanbul, Trabzon, Bursa, Baku, Colombo, Kathmandu, Bangkok, Phuket, Prague, Shiraz, Tehran, Mashhad, Alexandria, Khartoum, Multan, Sialkot, Karachi, Dhaka, Chattogram, Jaipur, Trivandrum, Lucknow, Kuala Lumpur, and Almaty. SalamAir flies directly from Suhar to Shiraz, Salalah and Calicut, Trabzon, and Salalah to Calicut.

About SalamAir

SalamAir commenced its commercial operations in 2017 and, in six years, achieved growth in its operations and expanded its region’s reach, having the youngest fleet in Asia for 2021 and 2022, according to Ch-Aviation. It operates six A320neo, four A321neo, and one Airbus A321 freighter.

CENTEL claws back profits in 2022

Regent Hong Kong accepts bookings

Malaysia Airlines’ travel fair returns

Cebu Pacific boosts Cebu flights

Singapore earns green credentials

PATA chair keynotes MTF

Sabre adds Jin Air to its portfolio

PATA releases bullish forecast on tourist visits

AirAsia X reports net profit

SalamAir expands network

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