YANGON, 8 February 2023: Myanmar Airways International increases frequencies on key routes in Asia during February and extends the validity of Chinese New Year fares to March.
The airline schedules 11 flights weekly on the Yangon to Kuala Lumpur route starting 20 February, with two new flights on Monday and Saturday using an A320 aircraft. The fare starts at USD130.25 one-way.
The airline also announced on its Facebook page that it would add a Sunday flight from Yangon to Guangzhou in China starting 19 February in addition to flights every Tuesday and Thursday. The one-way fare costs USD545.
MAI will increase flights on the Yangon to Hanoi route by adding a Wednesday departure from Yangon starting 15 February. Before, the airline served Hanoi with flights on Monday and Friday. The one-way fare is around USD95.
During February, the airline is scheduling three weekly services from Yangon to Seoul in South Korea and Dubai in the UAE. Flights depart Yangon every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. The airline quotes the Seoul fare at USD365.25 and Dubai at USD465.
Meanwhile, the airline extends the sales window for its Chinese New Year fares until 28 February, and the travel period extends to 25 March.
On the domestic route network, MAI’s Embraer E190 is flying the route from Yangon to Thandwe, the nearest airport to the beach resorts at Ngapali. The service started on 7 February, with departures from Yangon airport on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
BANGKOK, 7 February 2023: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, announces a partnership with Thai Airways to offer passengers exclusive benefits ahead of the grand opening of Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, Centara’s first-ever property in Japan in July 2023.
This partnership marks the latest addition to Centara’s expanding airline partnership network, which includes Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Thai Vietjet, Go First, Myanmar Airways International, and Vistara Airways.
“As we prepare for the highly anticipated launch of our debut property in Japan, we are thrilled to partner with Thai Airways to offer their network an array of exclusive benefits and to welcome travellers for the first time to this exciting new hotel, Centara Grand Hotel Osaka. Elegant, modern and conveniently located in the heart of downtown, our latest hotel is ideal for business travellers, families, couples, and solo explorers looking to discover breathtaking Osaka and enjoy Centara’s signature service and warm hospitality”, said Centara Hotels & Resorts vice president brand, marketing and digital Tom Thrussell.
The new marketing partnership offers Thai Airways passengers an exclusive introductory rate of 25% off the lowest publicly available online rates at the brand-new Centara Grand Hotel Osaka with bookings made from now – 30 June 2023 for stays between 1 July – 20 December 2023
Located in the vibrant shopping and entertainment district of Namba, Centara Osaka is a remarkable landmark soaring 33 floors above downtown. Guests will discover an eclectic selection of world-class bars and restaurants, including a rooftop dining destination with spectacular views, an assortment of accommodation choices designed for sophisticated comfort, Japan’s first-ever SPA Cenvaree, and modern event and meeting spaces, including MICE facilities, a rooftop Sky Event space and Grand Ballroom, for any occasion.
“With the reopening of Japan to international tourism, Thai Airways is excited to partner with Centara to welcome our passengers back to Osaka and to experience the brand-new Centara Grand Hotel Osaka with exclusive privileges and introductory rates. Japan is a phenomenal destination, and we look forward to sharing its beauty with our customers once again with this new Centara partnership”, said Thai Airways International director of salesWit Kitchathorn.
All passengers travelling with THAI to Osaka can enjoy this exclusive offer by simply filling out THAI’s ticket numbers in the booking link that the airline displays on all online sales channels.
Currently, THAI operates 54 weekly flights to six destinations in Japan which are Tokyo (Narita/Haneda), Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Sapporo.
For more information, reservation and ticketing, please visit thaiairways.com or call 0-2356-1111 for the THAI Contact Center (24 hours a day)
Under the Centara x Thai Airways promotion, guests will not only receive a special introductory offer of 25% off the best available room rate when logged in as a CentaraThe1 member. This is lower than any publicly available rate and exclusive to Thai Airways passengers. Other privileges also include complimentary room upgrades, early check-in, and late check-out, all subject to availability, as well as a 25% discount on food at Embassy of Crab or Suan Bua restaurants. In addition, guests who order two or more set menus at either of these restaurants will receive one complimentary bottle of wine.
Travellers not yet members of Centara’s loyalty programme can sign up for free in less than a minute and immediately start enjoying benefits and earning points. To take advantage of all CentaraThe1 membership privileges, sign-up or sign in now at www.CentaraThe1.com
To book or learn more about Centara and the THAI offer,
KOTA KINABALU, 7 February 2023: Three rural tourism operators have been awarded the prestigious 2023-2025 ASEAN Tourism Standard Award in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, further elevating the reputation of Sabah’s rural tourism products on the international stage.
The recipients are Padas Farmstay (ASEAN Community Based Tourism); Mari-Mari Cultural Village (ASEAN Community Based Tourism); and Homestay TaunGusi (ASEAN Homestay Standard).
Tham Kim Leng (Adventure tour manager of TYK Adventure Tours), Julinus Jeffery Jimit (Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Sabah Tourism Board), Jeremiah Jamson (Base Manager of Mari Mari Cultural Village), Ismail Muile (Coordinator of Taun Gusi Homestay), YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing (Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia), Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah and Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board), Tham Yau Kong (Director of TYK Adventure Tours), Tham Yau Siong, Director of Tenom Padas Farmstay), Duis Walter Kandayon (STB Board of Director and Chairman of Federation of Rural Tourism Association Sabah).
Padas Farmstay managing director ThamYau Kong, Mari-Mari Cultural Village base manager Jeremiah Jamson, and Homestay TaunGusicoordinator Ismail Muile @ Muele received the awards on 5 February, during the ASEAN Tourism Forum.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk JonistonBangkuai joined the award ceremony.
He was in Yogyakarta leading the Sabah Tourism Board delegation at the ASEAN Tourism Forum event held from 3 to 5 February.
“I’m delighted to be here to see Sabah’s incredible success story in rural tourism unfold. I congratulate our award recipients on their perseverance in maintaining the highest levels of product and service quality despite the challenges of the pandemic.
“The accreditation of three Sabah rural tourism products with the ASEAN Tourism Standard Award is a major boost to the international profile of Sabah’s rural tourism offerings.
“This success bodes well for Sabah Tourism’s mission to help rural areas and their communities thrive off of tourism. Hopefully, this inspires others to raise the bar and work together to make our rural area a world-class place to visit by 2030,” he remarked.
Additionally, the Sabah International Convention Centre won the ASEAN MICE Venue Award (Category Exhibition Venue), with the awarding ceremony set for next year.
Padas Farmstay in Tenom was officially established in 2017, but it has been open to the public since 2013 when an international student group expressed interest in educational and community programmes.
They have received between 10 and 20 school groups per year since then and have completed 60 community projects that have benefited 20 nearby villages.
Mari-Mari Cultural Village started operation in 2008, offering a glimpse into the lives of Sabah’s rich culture with its distinctive houses, costumes and traditional skills of Sabah’s five major ethnic groups.
Homestay TaunGusi in Kota Belud is a community-based homestay registered with the Ministry of Tourism, Art, and Culture in 2011. It has 18 certified homestay members, offering unique experiences to guests, including cultural performances, horse riding, traditional cooking lessons, river cruises, Bajau parang-making demonstrations, and village tours.
In 2014, the Sabah Tourism Board started the rural tourism initiative with two districts as pilot projects to test the viability of a tourism industry serving the state’s rural areas.
The initiative has since been expanded to 25 districts, with at least 30 registered and active associations benefiting from the rural tourism development programme.
“I hope the synergy between the government sector, private sector and the community in developing rural tourism will continue to grow as we face new challenges in the post-pandemic era. We hope to see more of our rural tourism products receiving international recognition,” added Joniston.
The ASEAN Tourism Standard Award is a prestigious recognition that helps support the goals of the ASEAN Tourism Standard and is in accordance with the ASEAN’s Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025 in providing high-quality and excellent service delivery to tourists.
This is designed with the objective of making ASEAN an excellent destination on a global scale.
In previous years, WalaiPenyu Conservation Park and Kadamaian Tourism Association obtained the ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Standard Award in 2022 and ASEAN Community Based Tourism Award in 2019, respectively.
Meanwhile, Sabah Tourism Board makes its presence at the 2023 ASEAN Tourism Forum, the major annual tourism event in the region, to expand prospects for ASEAN tourism marketing and potential connections between stakeholders with travel businesses in the region.
The event is attended by top industry policymakers, practitioners and suppliers of ASEAN-based tourism products and services.
JAKARTA, 7 February 2023: Vietravel participated in the ASEAN Tourism Forum last week, introducing its regional airline to international buyers planning tours to Southeast Asia.
Arguably Vietnam’s largest aviation and tourism corporation, the group received its third Airbus A321 last month as it plans to serve 15 destinations in Asia, up from seven routes in February.
In the initial phase, the airline serves the following routes; Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City – Danang, Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc, Ho Chi Minh City – Nha Trang, Hanoi – Danang, Hanoi – Phu Quoc and Hanoi – Hue.
Over the next two years, it will acquire six A321s and six B737s to establish flights to South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore. Its inaugural commercial service linked Hanoi to Bangkok on 16 December 2022.
The airline was registered in December 2021 in Hue, the former imperial city in central Vietnam, under the Vietravel group of companies established in 1992. Considered the largest travel group in the country it handled around 800,000 travel clients annually and had a workforce of 1,300 staff in 60 offices before the Covid-19 pandemic lock downs.
SINGAPORE, 7 February 2023: Oceania Cruises introduced Allura at a recent naming ceremony for the second 1,200-guest Allura Class ship to set sail in 2025. It will be the brand’s eighth vessel and the sister ship to Vista, which starts its first season in May.
“As we prepare to welcome Allura to the family, we have already started planning exciting new elements to be added across the fleet,” said Oceania Cruises president Frank A Del Rio. “We are thrilled with the incredible demand we have witnessed for Allura’s sister ship, Vista, with her 2023 maiden season already sold out, and we know Allura will be equally as popular with our guests.
Measuring approximately 67,000 tons, Allura will accommodate 1,200 guests and be staffed by 800 officers and crew. Under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the all-veranda vessel will sail her maiden voyage in spring 2025.
Details of Allura’s inaugural season, featuring a mix of marquee and boutique destinations across Europe and the Americas, will be revealed this spring before going on sale in the summer.
BANGKOK, 6 February 2023: Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group announces promotions and a new appointment following a restructuring that the CEO says makes the group more “agile to grow”.
Yuthachai Charanachitta, owner and CEO of ONYX, noted that the pandemic forced the group to evaluate its structure.
“The result is a new structure which puts us in a more agile position to grow, with reinforced resources in the areas essential for our development plans, like marketing, sales, operations and finance.”
For other specialist areas, such as regional sales and public relations, the group is now working with “in-market representatives.”
Team changes
The group promotes Chutima Fuangkham Kennedy to VP of Marketing after working for the group for 13 years. She joined ONYX as the e-marketing manager in 2010.
Hazel Chua has been named senior director of operations support. She has been with ONYX for six years.
Hathairat Naenkwaen has been named senior director of sales distribution, having worked for the group since 2017.
Siriyupa Prakobthong joins ONYX as director of sales – leisure. She worked for Asiankeys Co. for eight years before joining ONYX. Post-pandemic, travellers are returning to book via these channels as they seek out travel experts to endorse and provide peace of mind for their travel planning.
Nattaporn Ratanasingha returns to the group as director of business development & strategy. She took a year’s sabbatical. She first joined the ONYX team as the development manager in 2015.
HONG KONG, 7 February 2023: Cathay Pacific reopened The Deck lounge at Hong Kong International Airport on Monday, and as travel resumes, the airline says it will progressively reopen lounges elsewhere.
Later this month, Cathay Pacific lounges will reopen at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport.
During March and April, the airline’s lounges at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport will reopen to guests.
By the second and third quarters of 2023, lounges at San Francisco International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport will reopen.
Outside of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific’s First and Business class lounges at London Heathrow Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, and Tokyo (Haneda) International Airport are already open to eligible customers.
Cathay Pacific Lounge, Tokyo (Narita), is reopening and finding a new home. The lounge has relocated to a new space by Gate 71 that is more than two times larger than the previous lounge and offers almost double the number of seats, making for a more spacious environment.
HO CHI MINH CITY, 7 February 2023: Vietjet transported 20.5 million passengers on 116,000 flights in 2022, of which domestic transport grew by 20% over 2019, supporting the airline’s recovery momentum.
Domestic passengers transported in Q4/2022 increased sevenfold year-on-year, higher than the pre-pandemic growth rate of 24%.
To accommodate its expansion strategy, Vietjet deployed three A330 aircraft allowing it to open 20 new routes last year with a focus on the Indian market to connect economic-tourism hubs such as New Delhi and Mumbai in India to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
As of 31 December 2022, Vietjet operated 103 routes. New routes have been established to Astana, Almaty (Kazakhstan), Melbourne, and Sydney (Australia).
In Q4/2022, Vietjet’s parent company reported net revenue of approx. USD315.5 million, leaping by 175% YOY with a profit of USD38.7 million. (*Figures in USD are approximate.)
The total revenue for 2022 was USD1.39 billion, while the profit was USD9.23 million. Last year, the airline paid USD186.79 million in direct and indirect taxes and charges.
Vietjet reported consolidated revenue of USD1.68 billion in 2022, with a consolidated loss of VND2,171 billion (approx. US$93.1 million) mainly due to heavy capital investment in its core business. Vietjet has transferred more than approx. USD152.7 million of profit to the parent company for asset investment in acquiring one new A321 NEO aircraft from Airbus, two A321 aircraft from lessors and three aircraft engines.
By the end of 2022, Vietjet’s assets reached more than USD2.87 billion, increasing by 30% YOY owing to long-term assets growing by over USD200 million. The long-term debt-to-equity and liquidity ratios stayed at 0.7 and 1.3, respectively. As of 31 December 2022, the cash balance and cash equivalents remained at USD77.3 million.
In 2023, Vietjet continues to set a high revenue growth goal based on reopening the Chinese market while further promoting international markets of great potential, like India, South Korea, Japan and Australia. However, the airline called for the government to consider lifting the price cap on flights and allowing for fuel surcharge to strengthen the position of Vietnamese airlines as more international airlines start new routes to Vietnam.
YOGYAKARTA, 6 February 2023: Taking a cue from Yogyakarta’s award-winning Nglanggeran Tourism Village will help Sabah improve its sustainable community-based tourism initiatives.
Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Assistant Minister and Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said that this is paramount as the state is planning to have more of its tourism players achieve international recognition as part of the process of transforming Sabah into a world-class rural destination.
“We should not limit ourselves to our examples of success, but instead look to the achievements of others and draw ideas and motivation from them.
Joniston Bangkuai sharing successfull story of community-based tourism with Nglanggeran Tourism Village manager Sugeng Handoko (3rd left) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
“In this way, we will be able to raise the bar for rural tourism and make significant improvements. We want to see the high-end offering in our rural destination so we can lure quality tourists,” he said after touring the Nglanggeran Tourism Village on Friday.
Joniston was in Yogyakarta, along with the Sabah Tourism team attending last week’s ASEAN Tourism Forum. He also visited several attractions for products update.
Also present were Sabah Tourism Board deputy chief executive officer Julinus Jimit and Federation of Rural Tourism Association Sabah (FeRTAS) President Walter Kandayon, also a board member of Sabah Tourism.
Joniston Bangkuai leads the Sabah Tourism Board team to visit Nglanggeran Tourism Village in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Also in the photo are STB deputy chief executive offer Julinus Jimit (3rd left), STB assistant product manager Dexter Randy (left), FeRTAS president Walter Kandayon (right), and Nglanggeran Tourism Village manager Sugeng Handoko (2nd left).
Joniston also said Sabah rural tourism players could learn from Nglanggeran village’s effective marketing of itself as a unique and authentic tourism destination that draws visitors from around the world.
“I have informed the FeRTAS to get in touch with the Nglanggeran Tourism Village committee with the hope that we can make future engagements in Sabah,” he added.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has named Nglanggeran Tourism Village the World’s Best Tourism Village in 2021. It also won the 2017 ASEAN Community Based Tourism (CBT) Award.
Located within the Gunung Sewu Geopark, Nglanggeran offers a variety of tourism activities and services, such as cultural tours, homestays, and outdoor recreation, appealing to a wide range of tourists.
Joniston added that Sabah could also learn from the local experts here regarding how to manage geo-parks and apply them to its own Kinabalu National Geopark, which covers the districts of Ranau, Kota Belud, and Kota Marudu.
During the visit, Nglanggeran Tourism Village manager Sugeng Handoko shared with the Sabah Tourism delegates that the village’s efforts to promote community-based tourism bring in approximately RM2 million each year.
Following their tourism success, the village had to limit the number of visitors from 14,000 to 8,000 a month to focus on attracting quality tourists and ensuring sustainability.
Sugeng added that they are more than willing to share their experience and learn more about the unique offerings in Sabah through engagement with Sabah’s community-based tourism players.
BANGKOK, 6 February 2023: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has confirmed the signing of a new Hotel Management Agreement with Kanoknat Adhyanasakul, the owners of Centara Chaan Talay Resort & Villas Trat, to continue managing this successful property for a period of 10 more years.
This not only marks the continuation of a long-term partnership between Centara and Kanoknat, but also Centara’s ongoing commitment to delivering world-class guest experiences and Thai family-valued hospitality.
Surrounded by untouched jungle and a pristine 400-metre stretch of white sand beach, Centara Chaan Talay Resort & Villas Trat entices guests with its remote yet accessible tropical location, serene atmosphere and spacious suites and villas.
Designed for couples, families and holidaymakers, this pet-friendly resort welcomes dogs weighing less than 20 kg. During their stay, guests have access to a stunning beachfront infinity pool with a dedicated children’s swimming area, complimentary use of non-motorised water sports, including kayaking and snorkelling, and Chaan Talay Healthy Massage. The resort also features all-day beachside dining, a beachside bar and in-room dining options to suit the needs of every traveller.
Centara Chaan Talay Resort & Villas Trat is conveniently located 40 minutes from Trat town and a 60-minute drive from Trat Airport.
