BANGKOK, 26 January 2023: The Pacific Asia Travel Association will host its annual Destination Experience Forum and Mart, in Kuching, Sarawak, from 21 to 23 June.
More than 200 travel professionals from around the Asia Pacific region will attend to gain first-hand destination management and marketing experience responsibly and sustainably.
Photo credit: PATA. Bird’s eye view of Kuching, Sarawak.
Sarawak is also home to the popular Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), and PDFM delegates will gain complimentary access to the world-renowned festival.
The PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023 (PDFM 2023) will adopt the theme ‘Responsible Tourism, Gastronomy Tourism and Ecotourism’ for the three-day event.
The three-day programme consists of a one-day destination experience hosted by the Sarawak Tourism Board, a one-day conference rounding off with tabletop sales and networking sessions on the final day.
SINGAPORE, 26 January 2023: Hyatt Hotels Corporation declares a record pipeline of approximately 117,000 rooms worldwide in its 2022 year-end report released earlier this week.
Notably, nearly one in four pipeline properties are classified as lifestyle hotels, representing 10% of the existing portfolio, further strengthening Hyatt’s position in the luxury, lifestyle and leisure segments.
A notable driver of this growth is the announced asset-light acquisition of Dream Hotel Group’s lifestyle hotel brand and management platform, which is expected to bring established lifestyle hotel brands – including Dream Hotels, Unscripted Hotels and The Chatwal – into the Hyatt portfolio. The acquisition will welcome more than 600 new properties into the Hyatt family.
Hyatt anticipates additional organic growth across its luxury, lifestyle and leisure offerings in the Asia-Pacific.
Park Hyatt
The Park Hyatt brand will expand in the Asia Pacific region with Park Hyatt Taipei (Taiwan), Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Park Hyatt Phu Quoc (Vietnam) in 2024.
Andaz
In 2023 the group will add Andaz Doha in Qatar plus the Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach in Thailand.
Andaz Macau is set to become one of Asia’s iconic event destinations with the Galaxy International Convention Centre (GICC) opening within the largest Andaz hotel, worldwide, which will have more than 700 rooms and suites.
Andaz Nanjing Hexi in Greater China will open in Nanjing.
Centric
Expansion of the Hyatt Centric brand will see the opening of the Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai and Hyatt Centric Xi’an Gaoxin.
Destination by Hyatt
The anticipated debut of the Destination by Hyatt brand in Asia Pacific starts with the Grand Resort in Qingchengshan, China, later this year.
DELHI, 26 January 2023: Air India will launch 12 weekly flights to London Gatwick Airport and five additional services to London Heathrow Airport, effective 23 March 2023.
To Gatwick, Air India will operate a thrice-weekly service from cities such as Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Goa, and Kochi. It is the only scheduled airline to offer direct services to UK’s second-largest airport.
On the route to Heathrow, Air India will add five weekly frequencies, with Delhi increasing from 14 to 17 times a week and Mumbai from 12 to 14 times a week.
SINGAPORE, 26 January 2023: Middle East & Africa was the only world region to show an increase in overall hotel pipeline activity at the end of the fourth quarter, according to December 2022 data from STR released last week.
STR data compares the hotel pipeline in December 2022 with percentage changes compared to December 2021.
Middle East & Africa
In Construction: 122,686 rooms (-5.8%) Final Planning: 41,086 rooms (+6.0%) Planning: 74,863 rooms (+11.5%) Total Under Contract: 238,635 (+1.1%) Saudi Arabia (40,742) and the United Arab Emirates (27,456) lead in construction activity.
Asia Pacific
In Construction: 476,942 rooms (+0.6%) Final Planning: 108,955 rooms (-36.0%) Planning: 305,339 rooms (+2.6%) Total Under Contract: 891,236 rooms (-5.4%) Among countries in the region, China has the most rooms in construction (300,163), followed by Vietnam (31,570).
Europe
In Construction: 189,698 rooms (-14.5%) Final Planning: 140,663 rooms (-14.1%) Planning: 153,587 rooms (-3.6%) Total Under Contract: 483,948 (-11.2%) Germany (36,162) and the UK (28,426) lead Europe in total rooms in construction.
Americas
In Construction: 207,112 (-2.1%) Final Planning: 244,982 (+11.3%) Planning: 284,829 (-13.6%) Total Under Contract: 736,823 (-3.2) The US held the majority of rooms in construction (159,344) in the region and showed its first year-over-year increase in the phase since late 2020. After the US, Mexico (11,398) and Canada (6,752) have the highest number of rooms in construction in the region.
SINGAPORE, 25 January 2023: Come to Spain and enjoy the carnival, an exhilarating festival celebrated in many places all over the country. Carnival is celebrated between February and March; the dates differ each year. The festival is noted for humour, parodies and costumes in the streets of Spanish towns and cities, which all have their traditions. Below, we recommend several different carnivals which stand out for being original, beautiful and spectacular. Start thinking about your costume and book a flight to Spain.
Cadiz, in Andalusia, is the carnival of “comparsas”, “coros” and “chirigotas”: songs full of irony and criticism that are written by the different groups who participate in the fiesta. They parade through the city centre, spreading freedom and fun in a carnival officially declared of International Tourist Interest.
One of the world’s biggest carnivals awaits you in the capital of the island of Tenerife and has also been declared of International Tourist Interest. Join in the parades and be amazed by the imaginative, fancy and eye-catching costumes of the Carnival Queen hopefuls. Lose yourself in the music, rhythm and joy of this celebration with people from all over the world.
Another of the most famous carnivals, also of International Tourist Interest, is in Águilas (Murcia). This colourful event features numerous parades and competitions for the most spectacular costumes. Two of its traditions are particularly famous. One is the tossing of eggshells (eggs filled mostly with confetti), and the other is drinking “cuerva”, a drink described by many as the “magic potion” that awakens the spirit of carnival.
This Galician festival of International Tourist Interest has the longest carnival programme in Spain. It begins on Fareleiro Sunday (three weeks before Carnival Sunday) and ends on Piñata Sunday. The parade of floats and troupes is led by a group of traditional masked characters called “pantallas” who wear belts with bells on them. They are responsible for making sure people dress up and they are the top stars of this celebration. Carnival Tuesday is the most important day.
All over Spain
Also in the Canary Islands, you can enjoy the carnival in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with its “Gala de la Reina” (Queen’s Gala) to crown the Carnival Queen and the main “Gran Cabalgata” parade, which attracts thousands of people every year. At Verín Carnival (Galicia) highlights include the “fariñadas” (flour fights) and the strange masked figure of Cigarrón. We can also recommend several carnivals of National Tourist Interest such as Badajoz, Villarrobledo, La Bañeza, Toro, Miguelturra, Herencia and La Vijanera in Cantabria… Which one will you choose?
DUBAI, UAE: 25 January 2023: Emirates Skywards has hit a new record with more than 30 million members enrolled worldwide. The award-winning loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai is celebrating big with incredible offers, including a chance to win one million Skywards Miles.
Over the past two decades, the loyalty programme has evolved and grown to become one of the world’s most recognised and valued loyalty programmes. With industry-leading initiatives, innovative product offerings, and more than 150 brand partners – Emirates Skywards continues to redefine the loyalty experience for customers, in the air and on-ground.
Emirates Skywards divisional senior vice president Nejib Ben Khedher said: “This is a major milestone for us, and we are very happy to be giving back to our loyal members who have played an invaluable role in our success. Stay tuned for some of the most amazing offers this month – from a chance to win 1 million Miles, upgrades to Business Class, and complimentary Tier upgrades – we have something in store for everyone.”
A gift that keeps giving
From 30 January to 1 February 2023, Emirates will offer passengers travelling on select flights specially branded cupcakes on board. To celebrate the loyalty programme’s milestone, it will also be rolling out fantastic surprises until 4 February 2023.
More surprises
One million Miles: Win the Skywards Miles jackpot! Join the competition until 4 February 2023 for a chance to a grand one million Miles – enough to redeem more than 10 one-way Emirates Business Class tickets from Dubai to London. Emirates Skywards co-branded credit card holders who join the competition can also double their chances of winning.*
Emirates Skywards members travelling to and through Dubai between 30 January and 1 February 2023 will also have a chance to win even more rewards. Look for a red “30 million” sticker on your luggage upon arrival at Dubai Airports to see if you’re among the many lucky winners.*
30,000 bonus Miles: The loyalty programme is giving away even more Miles, with 300,000 Miles up for grabs. Over the next three days, 10 members will have a chance to win 30,000 Miles each.
10 Skywards+ packages: Enjoy complimentary access to some of the best offers available on Skywards+, including bonus Miles, flight rewards, lounge access and more.
30 Silver Tier upgrades: Become an Emirates Skywards Silver Tier member this month with a complimentary Tier upgrade and unlock fantastic benefits and rewards.
30 flight upgrades: Fly better on your next flight and enjoy a surprise upgrade to Business Class.
30 complimentary Chauffer Drive Service vouchers: Discover the vibrant city of Dubai this month and enjoy a free premium ride to and from Dubai Airports.
Customers travelling with flydubai on 7 February 2023 can also look forward to some surprising giveaways, including:
Four Silver Tier upgrades.
75,000 Bonus Skywards Miles.
One Skywards+ package.
Two complimentary upgrades to Business Class.
Seven access passes to the flydubai Business Lounge at Terminal 2.
More than 180 countries across six continents
Emirates Skywards members come from more than 180 countries, including 3.7 million members in the United Kingdom, 3 million in the United States, 2.2 million in the United Arab Emirates, 2.1 million in Australia and 2.1 million in India.
On average, the loyalty programme attracts more than 120,000 members per month. In the last year alone, Emirates Skywards welcomed more than 1.4 million members between April 2021 and March 2022.
From flight rewards to global sporting events
Since its inception in 2000, Emirates Skywards has expanded and diversified its brand partnerships to offer its members more innovative ways to earn and redeem Miles. The loyalty programme currently has more than 150 partners, including 16 airline partners; more than 100 hotel partners; 33 financial partners, 22 retail and lifestyle partners and seven car rental partners.
From 2018 to 2022, members redeemed more than 140 billion Miles on flight rewards; more than 1.8 billion Miles on hotel stays; more than 10 billion on retail outlets; and more than 150 million Miles on money-can’t-buy experiences at world-renowned sporting events, including US Open, Roland Garros, Grand Prix Miami, and more.
Five years of partnership with flydubai
Dubai-based airlines Emirates and flydubai recently celebrated five years of strategic partnership. Since 2017, more than 11 million passengers have enjoyed seamless connectivity across the joint network to more than 211 destinations across 100 countries. Over the past five years, more than 8.5 million Emirates Skywards members have earned 150 billion Skywards Miles through the Emirates and flydubai partnership.
The world’s largest international airline has also recently activated a codeshare agreement with Air Canada and expanded the partnership to offer frequent flyer members joint loyalty programme benefits. Skywards members can now earn and redeem Miles across Air Canada’s network. Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members travelling in Economy Class with Air Canada or Emirates can also enjoy airport lounge access in Toronto.
Emirates Skywards membership is complimentary. Customers can join via emirates.com, flydubai.com, the Emirates app, or the flydubai app. Join today using the invite code “FLYBETTER“ and enjoy 2,500 bonus Miles after your first flight on Emirates or flydubai.
MADRID, 25 January 2023: Malaysia presented a sustainable tourism message to tour operators attending the Spanish trade show Fitur 2023, 18 to 22 January, with Sabah flying the flag on behalf of ecotourism in the Asian country.
The Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board delegation was accompanied by Dato’ Akmal Che Mustafa, Ambassador of Malaysia in Spain, and Noredah Othman, CEO of Sabah Tourism.
In addition, Lotus Asia, Malai Adventure, EXO Travel and Asia Exotica presented at the show. During the fair, Malaysia highlighted various themes focusing on nature tourism and the growing trend identified as “slow travel” for travellers who pace themselves so they can appreciate authenticity.
Located in the far north of Borneo, Sabah is one of the most authentic regions of Malaysia, known for its lush tropical forests, spectacular coral reefs, and the famous Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in the country at 4095 metres.
This year, Malaysia will highlight its natural and sustainable side, offering visitors authentic ecotourism experiences. This is demonstrated by the launch of the National Ecotourism Plan 2016-2025 under the slogan “tourism protects, preserves and conserves nature, culture and heritage”.
In this way, Malaysia aims to create synergies between local communities, the economy and tourism to encourage respectful interaction between locals and visitors, where visitors can discover Malaysian culture through locals and with a positive impact on the community.
In Malaysia, there are several regions where travellers can experience a real ecotourism adventure, for example, Sabah’s Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary. Other nature destinations include Sarawak (Borneo Island), known for its Mulu National Park, with its caves and karst formations within a vast mountain jungle and also Belum Rainforest Resort in Perak state in northern Peninsular Malaysia).
The Rantau Abang Turtle Hatchery in eastern Peninsular Malaysia is a popular destination for nature tourists.
Malaysia is one of the 12 most biologically diverse countries in the world, with at least 15 000 species of flowering plants, 1500 species of terrestrial vertebrates and some 150 000 species of invertebrates, as well as countless micro-organisms.
SINGAPORE, 25 January 2023: Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal – China joint venture airline, resumed direct scheduled flights from Kathmandu to Beijing last week, according to a report in AviationNepal.
Nepal suspended all international flights in March 2020. It ended the suspension later that year, but as of August 2022, only a few airlines flew to Kathmandu, mainly cargo and medical aid flights.
Himalaya Airlines’ inaugural flight from Kathmandu to Beijing restarted just a week after China ended travel restrictions on 8 January 2023. The new service could also gain package tour traffic following China’s decision to reopen the door for outbound tour groups starting 6 February.
Himalaya Airlines has pencilled in a weekly service every Saturday to Beijing Daxing International Airport effective 11 February 2023 following the 17 January official inaugural flight.
H9 665 will depart from Tribhuvan International Airport at 1041 (local time) and arrive at Beijing Daxing International Airport at 1704 (local time).
The return flight H9 666, will depart from Beijing at 1805 (local time) and arrive in Kathmandu at 2156 (local time). The flight time is three hours and 48 minutes.
Himalaya Airlines is also the first Nepal-based airline to connect Nepal with Northern China via Lhasa with direct flights. The Trans-Himalayan route reduces the flight time by nearly one hour each way.
(Source: AviationNepal.com, a media agency under the Department of Information & Broadcasting, Government of Nepal.)
BANGKOK, 25 January 2023: Thai Vietjet launched the ‘Fly for Love Challenge’ earlier this week, inviting passengers to participate in the campaign and get a chance to win up to four roundtrips of complimentary air tickets.
Passengers can participate in the campaign by filming a video clip of themselves dancing to Thai Vietjet’s official song ‘Fly for Love’ and posting it on TikTok with hashtags as specified.
The top three video clips with the highest likes will receive up to four international roundtrip tickets on Thai Vietjet.
Thai Vietjet commercial head Pinyot Pibulsonggram said: “We have taken another step forward with the ‘Fly for Love Challenge’ campaign, allowing passengers to participate in fun and creative activities with Thai Vietjet and get a chance to win prizes as a gift for the New Year.”
The ‘Fly For Love Challenge’ campaign is open for participants until 31 January 2023.
SINGAPORE, 25 January 2023: Japan was the most sought-after destination for travellers across Asia during the week-long Lunar New Year holiday peak, Agoda reveals.
According to search data from the global digital travel platform, Japan was the most searched destination overall, followed by Malaysia and Thailand.
This year, Agoda insights also show that many travellers opted for short hops to neighbouring destinations during the holiday week. Notable exceptions included travellers from China and Japan who sought the tropical sun, with Thailand bookings taking the top spot. Meanwhile, Thai travellers headed for a winter experience in Japan.
Agoda’s search data also reveals the top choices within the three most popular markets by volume, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. Cosmopolitan cities remained a significant draw in Japan, with Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka being the three most searched destinations.
Reflective of its appealing cultural heritage and its bustling city vibes, Agoda’s search data showed Kuala Lumpur taking the top spot in Malaysia, followed by Malacca and Penang in second and third place, respectively. Bangkok took the number one slot in Thailand, followed by the coastal party town Pattaya and the northern city of Chiang Mai.
Top five ranked destinations by markets for the Lunar New Year 2023
