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Philippines and China ink tourism deal

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TTR WEEKLY
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MANILA, 11 January 2023: The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) and its counterpart Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China signed an Implementation Programme for bilateral tourism cooperation last week, just days before China removed travel restrictions

Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco signed the Implementation Program (IP) on Tourism Cooperation with People’s Republic of China Culture and Tourism Minister Hu Heping in the presence of Philippine President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr and PRC President Xi Jinping.

Photo Credit: DOT Philippines.

The ceremonial signing was one of the highlights of the three-day state visit of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. in the Chinese capital Beijing, where Frasco is one of the Cabinet officials who joined the President.

“We are grateful for China’s commitment and interest in partnering with the Philippines as we usher in this new era of tourism focused on building the industry into a stronger, more sustainable, and more resilient economic pillar for the country’s transformation into a tourism powerhouse in Asia,” Frasco said.

“This Implementation Programme with China will generate massive employment opportunities and investments across all tourism sectors throughout the Philippines. Our governments will work together on increasing tourist arrivals, resuming and adding direct flights to key and emerging destinations, joint promotional activities, and inviting tourism investments in infrastructure, among others,” explained Secretary Frasco.

Under the five-year cooperation, both countries agreed to encourage and support the exchange of their respective administrators and tourism professionals to strengthen the mutual development in the field of hotels, resorts, cruise, port, tourism products, and other related industries and competency standards.

It also covered cooperation on tourism safety, where both parties will make joint measures to guarantee the rights, interests, and safety of tourists visiting each other’s country.

Local tour operators and travel agencies will also participate in the IP by jointly advertising both countries through promotional materials by highlighting significant attractions and destinations and enhancing public information exchange.

Collaborative workshops and training sessions will be conducted, covering topics including cruise/port development, tourism products and lake development, understanding the tourism market and industry, search and rescue operations for first-aid measures, and security measures.

Both the Philippines and China are expected to support each other’s tourism departments and enterprises in holding travel fairs, tourism exhibitions and other promotion initiatives, to inform the travelling public about their products and services.

“Also among the salient points of this Implementation Programme is to advocate the best practices and knowledge in sustainable tourism, including promoting eco-friendly products and services. We will also encourage investments in tourism infrastructure and support tourism enterprises of both countries to cooperate in developing tourism projects in accordance with the current laws and regulations in each other’s countries,” explained Secretary Frasco.

A technical working group composed of officials from the DOT and China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China will meet at least once a year or whenever necessary to further discuss the implementation covered in the agreement.

In 2019, the Philippines recorded 8.26 million international visitor arrivals. China was the second top tourist market, with 1.74 million arrivals. In 2022, just 30,002 Chinese tourists entered the country.

Last week the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration reported visitor arrivals in 2022 had more than quadrupled to tally 6,125,841 arrivals, up 337% from the 1.4 million arrivals reported by the bureau for 2021. In 2020 the country totalled 3.6 million arrivals.

China ended its anti-Covid-19 controls and resumed issuing passports for tourism on 8 January 2023.

(Source: Philippines Department of Tourism)

Pandaw Cruises explores the Sunderbans

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 11 January 2023: Pandaw is offering its loyalty programme members a special one-off repositioning cruise in October 2023 on the RV Kindat Pandaw.

The cruise explores river travel from West Bengal to Assam crossing the Sunderbans and Bangladesh.

Pandaw, in an email post, said the members-only expedition offers an epic 21-night journey from Kolkata, sailing through the heart of Bangladesh and back into India’s North-Eastern Assam region.

It promises to unlock a wealth of cultural, ecological and historical sites on daily excursions during this two-country adventure, including the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, national parks, grand Mosques, and two nights in Dhaka with its exquisite colonial architecture.

Pandaw Cruises adds a postscript: “As always with our reconnaissance cruises, itineraries, timings and excursions are subject to change at short notice, and a sense of adventure is required for those eager to partake.”

A Pandaw membership ID is required to book the cruise directly on the company’s website or through a travel agent.

Prices for the 21-night trip start at USD10,350 per person.

A 21-night reconnaissance expedition on the Kindat Pandaw through India and Bangladesh, from Kolkata to Guwhati via Dhaka

The 18-cabin Kindat Pandaw will reposition from West Bengal to Assam. Departing from the former capital of Kolkata (Calcutta), the ship crosses Bangladesh in a two-country reconnaissance expedition that explores the Sunderbans, one of the most ecologically diverse regions on the planet and known for its swimming tigers. Here, the Ganges and Brahmaputra outflow into the Bay of Bengal and has 10,000 square miles of mangrove, the world’s largest mangrove forest.

Visits will be made to national parks with trips by tender deep into the backwaters. The expedition will also explore the wealth of Islamic art and architecture in Bangladesh’s delta towns and the rich traditions of weaving and other crafts in the riverine communities of this vast delta.

Dhaka, with its colonial buildings and excellent museums, will be a highlight. Then leaving the delta, the expedition will continue up the great Brahmaputra to re-enter India and continue through Assam to the city of Guwhati with its Hindu temples, the countryside around filled with tea gardens and plantation houses.

Expedition map

Vietnam boosts China flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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HANOI, 11 January 2023: Vietnamese airlines are resuming flights to China this week after the Civil Aviation Administration of China lifted all restrictions on scheduled international flights.

Vietnam’s aviation authorities confirmed that airlines could resume scheduled flights as specified in bilateral agreements signed between the two countries. Limits on passengers carried have also been removed.

Vietnam Airlines will serve routes from Hanoi to Nanjing and Shanghai. From Ho Chi Minh City, it flies to Beijing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Sichuan and Guangzhou. Starting in March, it will increase flights from three to five per week to Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou.

Vietjet Air serves routes between Ho Chi Minh City to Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Sichuan and Wuhan. As of 23 January, the airline will reinstate routes from Cam Ranh to Chengdu and Han Fei. In the summer timetable, Vietjet Air plans to operate 85 routes, with 60 already given slots.

Pacific Airlines serves routes from Hanoi to Hangzhou and Nanning, offering two weekly flights. It plans to start routes from Hanoi to Guangzhou and Fuzhou during the summer timetable.

Bamboo Airways is fielding just a few flights to China. It serves the Hanoi-Tian Tan route with a weekly flight.

The relatively new player, Vietravel Airlines, has no China flights scheduled but may run charter flights from Cam Ranh and Danang to Hangzhou in the future.

All passengers entering China must undergo a negative PCR test result within 48 hours before their flight departure.

(Source: VOV)

Top accolade for Outrigger executive

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TTR WEEKLY
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PHUKET, 10 January 2023: The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) has selected Brent Shiratori – Vice President, Global Brand Group at Outrigger Hospitality Group, as one of its “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds“ for 2022.

This is the 20th year HSMAI has compiled the list, which annually recognises exemplary achievement and leadership in hospitality sales, marketing, revenue optimisation, and distribution.

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) has selected Brent Shiratori – Vice President of Global Brand Group at Outrigger Hospitality Group, as one of its “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds“ for 2022.

This is the 20th year HSMAI has compiled the list, which annually recognises exemplary achievement and leadership in hospitality sales, marketing, revenue optimisation, and distribution.

Shiratori will join an exclusive list when he is honoured by HSMAI at a reception in Los Angeles on 23 February 2023.

“The ‘Top 25’ is our annual hot list that celebrates the sales, marketing, revenue optimisation and distribution leaders and innovators in our industry,” said Robert A. Gilbert, President and CEO of HSMAI. “Throughout the pandemic and recovery, these extraordinary professionals have risen to each challenge and met unprecedented circumstances with creativity, strength, and ingenuity. These leaders are empowering recovery.”

The 2022 “Top 25” honourees were judged by a panel of senior industry executives for their recent work based on the following criteria: creativity and innovation, cutting-edge sales or marketing campaigns, triumph in challenging situations, and/or sales efforts that resulted in dramatic gains.

Shiratori champions Outrigger’s brand strategy through creative development and content strategy for the web, social, email and paid media, campaigns, communications programmes, brand resources, including tools and systems, and oversight of the brand intranet environment and media asset management. A model of The Outrigger Way, he consistently goes above and beyond to elevate the guest experience, how the brand is expressed on the property, and the training of hosts to exemplify the company’s positioning as The Premier Beach Resort Company in the World.

Find out more at Outrigger.com or visit @OutriggerResorts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

(Your Stories: Outrigger Hospitality Group)

MH resumes Sabah-Japan flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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KOTA KINABALU, 10 January 2023: Malaysia Airlines’ flight MH81 made its comeback to Kota Kinabalu from Narita, Japan, recently reviving a vital route to bring Japanese tourists to Sabah after a two-year pause

Malaysia Airlines flies from Narita, Japan, to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, twice weekly, every Monday and Thursday.

Malaysia Airlines’ Group Chief Executive Officer, Captain Izham Ismail, commented: “The reinstatement of the service between BKI and NRT adds on to the airline’s existing connectivity to Japanese cities with direct flights available from our main hub in KL International Airport (KLIA) to NRT, Kansai International Airport (KIX), and Haneda International Airport (HND).

“With this resumption, travellers now have the option to travel to Japan via Sabah, which remains a key tourist destination and valuable connectivity hub for us together with its’ sister airlines Firefly and MASwings.

“With the reopening of borders in 2022, we have significantly ramped up capacity; increased frequencies to key markets, including India, Australia, and our London flagship route; and introduced new direct flights to HND and Doha to stimulate tourism and ease connectivity for travellers be it in Malaysia or abroad.”

YB Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, the Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah, who is also the Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board, added: “We applaud Malaysia Airlines’ effort and for acknowledging Sabah as an important key market. We are looking forward to more direct connectivity being restored and added by the National Airlines”.   

Present at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport to welcome the passengers were YB Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah and Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board), Puan Noredah Othman (CEO of Sabah Tourism Board) with Malaysia Airlines officials, Aero Darat Services officials (MAS official ground handler) and Malaysia Airport Berhad officials.

For more information, visit www.sabahtourism.com.

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)

Accor expands brands Bali

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TTR WEEKLY
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BALI, 9 January 2023: Accor group has opened its first Grand Mercure property on Bali, located 100 metres from the beach in Bali’s Seminyak district.

Surrounded by boutiques, cafés, contemporary galleries, bars and stylish restaurants, guests at the 269-room property can wind down on Mesari Beach, also known as Double Six Beach, or they can visit Seminyak Street to soak up the upbeat vibe of the entertainment and shopping district.

Grand Mercure Bali Seminyak is easily accessible, just a 25-minute drive from Bali’s main gateway, Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Accor named Alessandro Migliore as the general manager of Grand Mercure Bali Seminyak.

Visitors can discover Bali with a special offer of IDR1.679.480, net per night, in a deluxe room inclusive of daily breakfast for two, for stays now until 31 March 2023.

Rebranding of Mae Ping takes shape

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 10 January 2023: InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping hotel has named Peter Pottinga its general manager for the soon-to-be-opened property.

He will oversee all aspects of the hotel’s pre-opening and opening phases following an extensive remake of the property located in the centre of Chiang Mai.

A native of Holland, Pottinga began his career in hospitality in 1997 with Des Indes InterContinental. Before taking the helm of InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping, he held general manager positions with Holiday Inn London Heathrow Ariel, Crowne Plaza Bratislava, Crowne Plaza Hotel & Suites Landmark Shenzhen, Harbour Grand Kowloon, and InterContinental Budapest.

AirAsia lops 23% off fares

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TTR WEEKLY
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SEPANG, 9 January 2023: AirAsia welcomed the new year with a 23% off sale for all flights on bookings made by 15 January 2023.

While the booking period runs from 9 to 15 January, the travel dates are open from 1 February to 27 September 2023.

Destinations

The deal is valid on flights to all destinations in the group network (airline codes AK, FD, D7 and XJ). It excludes flights with the airline code QZ.

It includes trips to Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu, Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo, New Delhi, Gold Coast Auckland and more.

To secure the discount, click on the ‘flights’ icon on the homepage of the AirAsia Super App or via the airline group’s booking website.

China Mainland flights double

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 10 January 2023: Cathay Pacific will more than double its flights to mainland China following the 8 January reopening of borders to tourism.

In a media statement, Cathay Pacific said it welcomed the Hong Kong SAR Government’s latest measures to facilitate quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, as well as lifting transit restrictions, effective 8 January 2023.

The airline will operate 61 return flights per week between Hong Kong and 13 Mainland China cities starting 14 January.

It compares to the 27 flights per week from Hong Kong to the Mainland and 50 flights per week from Mainland China to Hong Kong that the airline is currently operating.

Cathay Pacific is working actively to resume and add more flights progressively between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland in the coming weeks, intending to operate over 100 return flights per week by March 2023.

From 8 January 2023, Cathay Pacific increased its flights between Hong Kong and Beijing to 10 pairs per week and between Hong Kong and Shanghai (Pudong) to 21 pairs per week. The airline is also resuming flights to Guangzhou with five return flights per week.

Meanwhile, from 14 January 2023, the airline will increase its flights between Hong Kong and Xiamen to four pairs per week and between Hong Kong and Chengdu to six pairs per week.

The Group remains fully committed to rebuilding the connectivity of the Hong Kong international aviation hub. It will operate around 70% of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity by the end of 2023, to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024.

Thailand backflips on vaccine rule

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 9 January 2023: Thailand engaged in a trademark backflip late Monday that reversed Covid-19 entry rules introduced just a day earlier.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand started the ball rolling on a bizarre backflip that introduced new rules for airline travellers entering the country effective 9 January and, within a day, rescinded every one of the changes to take us all back to square one.

Photo credit Richard Barrow.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul, corrects the chaos.

Better late than never, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) got into the act during the afternoon of 9 January with its statement that attempted to regain confidence saying, “Thailand continues to welcome all international tourists under the fully-reopen-to-tourism policy that was introduced on 1 October 2022.”

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul, just hours earlier on Monday, ditched the none starter rule change noting, “International travellers arriving in Thailand are not required to show proof of vaccination.”

In addition, foreign tourists are not required to show ATK or RT-PCR test results.

TAT assures travellers that Thailand continues to offer longer stays for visitors. Through 31 March 2023, stays can extend to 45 days (up from 30 days) for tourists from countries entitled to visa exemption and 30 days (up from 15 days) for those eligible for a visa on arrival.

Backflip in motion

The bizarre backflip began when the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand issued a Notice to Airmen at the weekend that identified new entry requirements. Bloomberg news first reported the change on 8 January, saying the new rules would come into play on the following day (9 January) and remain until at least 31 January.

Bloomberg said details of the reintroduced Covid-19 entry requirements for foreigners flying into the country had been posted on the transport minister’s website. Other media referred to a CAAT Notice to Airmen sent to all airlines serving Thailand.

According to the CAAT rule changes, airline travellers arriving in Thailand had to show certification for at least two vaccinations or a recent Covid-19 recovery note from a doctor not older than July 2022.

CAAT’s website and the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s online newsroom, as of midday 9 January, did not refer to any of the changes. The only source appeared to be the Note to Airmen.

Health insurance rule survives

Local media reported the new rule required tourists from countries that currently demand visitors from Thailand to undergo a Covid test to enter needed to show Thai authorities they had health insurance to cover their stay in Thailand. That survives the backflip.

For example, India has reintroduced mandatory Covid-19 tests for travellers arriving from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand. Based on the new CAAT rule, visitors from India arriving in Thailand will need proof that they have health insurance to cover their stay in Thailand, just in case they test positive before they depart for home. China applies the same test requirement for arriving passengers. The health insurance requirement remains after the backflip, but it only applies to travellers returning to countries that require a test-on-arrival. (However, it makes sense to buy travel insurance whenever booking flights to Thailand.)

Consumers and travel industry associations spent Monday pushing back against the changes logging complaints on Facebook pages. The PR Thai Government Facebook post is packed with objections from tourists planning to visit Thailand who said they had cancelled their trips. In addition, travel industry leaders told TTR Weekly the change would be very damaging for inbound tourism to Thailand from around the world and “may have been based on a misunderstanding of some sort.”

The main travel trade associations in Thailand that lobbied for the return to the fully open policy welcoming all tourists included the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), the Thai Hotels Association (THA) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

(Source: Bloomberg, PR Thai Government Facebook, Richard Barrow Facebook, TAT)

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