Merlion stars in a virtual adventure

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November 23, 2022

SINGAPORE, 23 November 2022: Singapore Tourism Board and homegrown hospitality group Millennium Hotels and Resorts have jointly launched Merlion on Vacation, a virtual adventure that enables players to explore Singapore in the metaverse, win prizes and enjoy a Merlion 50^th Birthday-themed room package at M Social Singapore.

Players will search for clues to locate the Merlion as he is teleported to Decentraland, a 3D virtual world platform, for a vacation to mark his 50th birthday. Singapore’s Merlion, located at Merlion Park, turned 50 on 15 September this year.

*The Merlion (centre) stands at the entrance of M Social Decentraland with his friends, familiar Singapore icons (L-R), the hawker assistant, the bird watcher, and the otter.*

Apart from discovering M Social Decentraland – a virtual hotel with glass exteriors and neon pink accents – players can engage in mini-games featuring Singapore landmarks such as Orchard Road, Sungei Buloh, Gardens by the Bay, and Maxwell Food Centre. Those who complete the games will enter a raffle for the grand prize of a one-night-stay at M Social Singapore, hotel and F&B vouchers and other merchandise.

M Social Singapore has also launched a Merlion 50th Birthday Package to mark the Singapore icon’s jubilee, allowing guests to experience Merlion-themed cocktail-mixing and perfume-making workshops.

The virtual adventure Merlion on Vacation builds on the opening of M Social Decentraland in May this year, which marked MHR as the world’s first hotel group to operate a hotel in the metaverse. M Social Decentraland occupies prime real estate in Decentraland as it is one tram stop from Genesis Plaza, the starting point for all visitors to the virtual platform.

“M Social Decentraland may be in the virtual world, but the campaign is grounded in real-time reaching new customers and generating new revenue sources with the metaverse as the platform. Our partnership with STB on Merlion’s virtual vacation is an example. By getting local and international guests to participate in this campaign, we are promoting destination Singapore and the M Social brand while sweetening the pot with rewards for stays and dining that can be used at our physical hotel, M Social Singapore,” said Millennium Hotels and Resorts group senior vice president, commercial, Saurabh Prakash.

“Stepping into the metaverse creates opportunities for STB to engage new audiences and connect with travellers in a novel and creative way. The tourism landscape is evolving, and to remain relevant, we must embrace emerging technologies to inspire travel to Singapore and push the boundaries of marketing innovation.

“STB is excited to collaborate with hospitality stalwart Millennium Hotels and Resorts on this metaverse pilot to reimagine our tourism offerings, and we welcome everyone to join us in exploring Singapore virtually,” said Singapore Tourism Board assistant chief executive, marketing group Chang Chee Pey.

Access to M Social Decentraland is free of charge. Players can engage in M Social Decentraland activities from https://www.msocial.com/merlion-in-metaverse.

An open call to “cover” for Merlion while he is on vacation is ongoing until 12 December 2022. You can stand in for the beloved icon through filters available on VisitSingapore and MHR Instagram accounts by using the hashtag #MerlionOnVacation.

The world was introduced to the M Social brand in 2016, starting with M Social Singapore, and has since expanded with other physical outposts in Paris, New York and Auckland. M Social Decentraland marks the first virtual location in the metaverse. MHR plans to grow the brand in more physical locations, including Suzhou, Phuket, London, Sunnyvale and key cities in the Middle East, with strong characters to capture diverse stories in vibrant and creative communities.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) is the global brand of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Limited (M&C), a hotel company which owns, manages and operates over 145 hotels across some 80 locations.

Maldives approves tax hikes

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November 23, 2022

MALE, 23 November 2023: Leaders in the Maldives travel and hospitality sectors lost their battle to prevent an increase in the country’s Tourism Goods and Service Tax earlier this week as the parliament approved an amendment bill that raises the tax effective January 2023.

The government had earlier proposed an increase in the Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST) from 12% to 16%, along with an increase in the GST from 6% to 8%.

The Tourism Goods and Service Tax will go up from 12% to 16% effective 1 January 2023 and applies to all goods and services sold at a resort.

On Tuesday, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified the amendment bill to increase the tax rates. Travel firms quoting holiday package prices worldwide will need to revise prices effective from 1 January.

In a report by the Maldives news channel PSM, Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer claimed the country’s inflation rate would remain low compared to other countries despite the tax hikes.

He estimated the tax increase would be just one of many factors raising inflation from around 3% this year to 5.4% in 2023, noting it was still well below the 11% inflation rate in the EU and the 10.4% rate in the UK.

The government expects to generate USD63 million from GST and USD136 million from TGST by next year. Therefore, the tax changes are expected to generate revenue of USD195 million.

(Source: PSM Public Service Media)

AirAsia launches Sibu flights

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November 23, 2022

SINGAPORE, 21 November 2022: AirAsia unveiled its latest route from Singapore direct to Sibu in Sarawak, Malaysia, during the inaugural Sarawak Fair, organised by the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS) at Suntec City earlier this week.

Starting initially with four weekly flights, this is the third route by AirAsia connecting Singapore and Sarawak after successfully launching Singapore-Kuching and Singapore-Miri earlier last April.

*The Sarawak Fair, organised by the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS) at Suntec City opened on 21 November.*

The Singapore to Sibu direct flight will start on 16 December, just in time for the year-end holiday and the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.

Promotional fares from as low as SGD74 all-in for a one-way Singapore-Sibu trip are available for booking on the AirAsia Super App and website from now until 27 November 2022. Meanwhile, the return Sibu to Singapore promo fares start from only MYR99 all-in. The travel period for the promo is from 16 December 2022 up until 28 March 2023.

AirAsia Malaysia CEO Riad Asmat commented on the new route: ” This is a much-awaited route for the business people, and we are very glad to be working closely with STATOS as well as the Ministry of Transport Sarawak, Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak, Sarawak Tourism Board and all other stakeholders and tourism partners in Sarawak and Singapore to make this route a success.

The airline also confirmed it would increase Singapore-Kuching flights to 11 weekly and Singapore-Miri to five weekly from December.

“Together with the four weekly Singapore-Sibu flights, we are the airline with the largest connectivity between Singapore and Sarawak. We are very happy to further to facilitate trade and commerce, travel and tourism, and reconnect families between the two regions.”

STATOS CEO Chew Chang Guan added: “We are extremely excited that AirAsia has come aboard to work closely with STATOS in realising our vision to be the main gateway for Sarawak trade, investment and tourism with Singapore and beyond, linking the State to the global market. The introduction of the Singapore-Sibu route by AirAsia cannot be at a better time as we are working hard with all stakeholders to strategise in making Sarawak the preferred destination for tourism and business. I am sure AirAsia’s presence by unveiling its Singapore-Sibu flights at our maiden Sarawak Fair here at Suntec City marks the beginning of more strategic collaborations between us in the future.”

The largest port and commercial centre in Sarawak’s Rejang basin, Sibu is a thriving modern town rich in historical and cultural heritage, vibrant food scenes and beautiful waterfront life. Sibu is the main gateway to the Central Region of Sarawak, with convenient land and river transport access to many surrounding towns and commercial centres like Sarikei, Bintangor, Kapit and Mukah. Adventurers can explore the many nature and riverine activities up the Rejang river and experience the unique longhouse living culture.

Known as Swan City, Sibu is famous for its authentic Foochow dishes such as Kampua noodles, Mee Sua or Longevity noodles, and many other varieties of noodle dishes unique to Sibu. Its Kompia buns are much sought after, as well as its “pulut panggang” (grilled glutinous rice rolls in banana leaf) have become among the must-buy items for visitors to Sibu.

Sibu can also satisfy your craving for fresh, scrumptious seafood without burning a hole in your pocket. Sibu’s Central Market is the largest of its kind in Malaysia and is a wonderland of fresh produce and exotic foodstuffs, including the sago worms that can be eaten alive or cooked – definitely not for the faint-hearted! The ’empurau’ fish, touted to be the most expensive and ‘unforgettable’ fish, is also readily available at restaurants in and around Sibu.

The seven-day Sarawak Fair by STATOS started on 21 November and runs until 27 November 2022, featuring 31 exhibitors from Sarawak’s tourism and business sectors, aimed at promoting the State as an investment and tourism destination generating sustained interest in its products and services amongst Singaporeans.

Visitors purchasing a tour package to Sarawak during the event can ‘Spin the Wheel’ for sponsored prizes worth around SGD40,000, including 16 return air tickets with AirAsia to Sibu, Kuching and Miri. Also up for grabs are resort and hotel vouchers, discount vouchers for holiday packages and sample products, including Sarawak’s world-famous bird’s nest and black pepper.

Singapore-Sibu Flight Schedule

(Source: AirAsia)

GHM opens Doha resort

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November 22, 2022

SINGAPORE, 22 November 2022: The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort, Doha, Qatar, managed by General Hotel Management Ltd, opened its doors on 12 November to guests ahead of the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2022.

Developed in partnership with Katara Cultural Village by Qatari real estate consortium Triple A Holdings, the property will strengthen GHM’s portfolio.

“With The Chedi Katara, we hope to reinforce GHM’s reputation for exceptional service and showcase A Style to Remember to discerning guests with its unrivalled lifestyle experiences,” said GHM’s Chief Executive Officer, Tommy Lai. “We aim to introduce a new experience in ultra-luxury hospitality, reflective of the charms and dynamism of each property’s locale.”

Located in the heart of Katara Cultural Village, a 30-minute drive from Hamad International Airport, The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort is close to theatres, concert halls, exhibition galleries, mosques, restaurants, shops, a park, and an open amphitheatre.

Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort named Morton Johnston as the general manager of the 91-key resort that features 59 rooms and suites and 32 villas. Located along a dramatic 300-metre shoreline, The Chedi Katara offers guests a fully serviced private beach.

The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort is the latest addition to GHM’s portfolio of 11 properties and a pipeline of five projects in the Middle East and Asia Pacific. The Chedi El Gouna, Red Sea, Egypt, an upcoming beachfront resort, is scheduled to open next month.

Exploring Spain’s postcard villages

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November 22, 2022

SINGAPORE, 22 November 2022:Spain is full of charming villages, especially in rural areas. These postcard places encourage you to get lost in their small streets, discover their architectural treasures and enjoy their people’s welcoming atmosphere and traditions. With more than 8,000 towns, it would be impossible to name them all,

Here is a selection. For the full list of 17 destinations visit:

Capileira, Andalusia

In the heart of La Alpujarra and within the Sierra Nevada National Park, this small village in Granada province is 1,500 metres above sea level, with spectacular views of the Poqueira gorge and the peaks of Cerro Mulhacén and Pichacho Veleta from its viewpoints. The town is notable for its traditional whitewashed Andalusian houses and several heritage buildings, such as the church of Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza and the Pedro Antonio de Alarcón museum house.

Albarracín, Aragon

This unique place, nominated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, is 1,182 metres high. The typically reddish houses in the old part of this town create narrow streets that frequently open up to improvised viewpoints where you can see the landscape. The village of Albarracín has been built on the side of a mountain, and its peculiar hanging houses look out over the Gualaviar river, which almost completely surrounds the town. The protected landscape of the Pinares de Rodeno and several areas of cave paintings surround the town.

Views of the Roque Nublo from Tejeda, Gran Canaria © Pedro Giráldez Sotelo

Tejeda, Canary Islands

This town is situated inside one of the largest volcanic craters in the Canary Islands. It is notable for its spectacular scenery, including Roque Nublo, one of the symbols of Gran Canaria. This is a monolith that was created during the volcanic processes that took place on the island. Just a few kilometres from here is Roque Bentayga, a larger natural monument that was once a sacred place for the native people of the Canary Islands. Its natural beauty combines the historical aesthetics of its white buildings and traditional roofs to make Tejeda one of the places where the aesthetics of the Canary Island villages are preserved.

Liérganes, Cantabria

This village contains valuable classicist architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries and is located at the foot of two small hills: Marimón and Cotillamón, commonly known as “Las Tetas de Liérganes”. Its old town, known as “El mercadillo”, has vernacular mansions, palaces and churches. It also has a famous spa, which uses water from the Miera river.

Almagro, Castilla – La Mancha

The history of this city, whose Arabic name alludes to the red clay used to construct some of the buildings, is tied to the theatre. The Corral de Comedias is the only theatrical courtyard that has remained intact and active, providing interesting dramatised tours since the early 17th century. It is worth visiting the National Theatre Museum and attending the International Classical Theatre Festival, which attracts hundreds of tourists every year. The Plaza Mayor is also exceptional and is one of the most beautiful squares in Spain, with its columns and green-painted windows.

Frías, Castilla y León

Situated on a rock on the edge of the Ebro river, Frías is the smallest village in Spain. The village is outlined by the Humión peak, the tallest in the Montes Obarenes Nature Reserve. Its architecture mixes Roman and Medieval elements, most notably on Los Velasco castle and the church of San Vicente Martír. In between these buildings, hanging houses crowd together.

Plaza in Chinchón, Madrid © Turismo de Chinchón

Chinchón, Region of Madrid

Despite being only 50 kilometres from the capital city, Chinchón is one of the most picturesque villages in the region. Its Plaza Mayor, with its irregular shape and medieval style, with its urban landscape of intricate alleyways and clusters of houses grouped on hills, makes it an essential trip. Its most notable tourist attractions include the church of Nuestra Señora de La Asunción, with a Goya canvas in pride of place over the main altar, the Clock Tower, the Lope de Vega Theatre, and the castle of Los Condes. The monastery of San Agustín and the convent of Las Clarisas.

Did you like these villages? Click here to see many more beautiful villages all over Spain.
(Your Stories: Turespaña)

Princess: All ships at sea

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November 22, 2022

SINGAPORE, 22 November, 2022: The newly-refurbished Diamond Princess welcomed guests onboard on 20 November for its inaugural sailing from its new homeport, San Diego in California, USA. This sailing milestone completes the Princess Cruises’ 15-ship fleet’s return to service.

For its first sailing, Diamond Princess offers a seven-night cruise to Mexico that includes visits to Cabo San Lucas, La Paz and Loreto before returning to San Diego on 27 November, after which the ship sails a unique 20-day cruise to Central America, roundtrip from San Diego. This cruise features visits to several ports in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala, including Manzanillo, Puntarenas, Panama City and Puerto Quetzal.

Diamond Princessis offering a series of new cruise itineraries ranging from five- to 16-days and calling at ports along the Mexican Riviera, California Coast, and the Hawaiian Islands through February 2023.

“Whether you’re looking for four-, five- or seven-day convenient West Coast (USA) vacations, or vacations that extend to Hawaiian or South Pacific, Princess Cruises has you covered at incredible values,” said Princess Cruises president John Padgett.

Diamond Princess delivers the ultimate in effortless, personalised cruising featuring the world-class dining and entertainment the cruise line is renowned for, all elevated with the Princess MedallionClass Experience. All Princess ships feature the Princess Medallion that enables everything from expedited contactless boarding to locating loved ones anywhere on the ship, as well as enhanced service like having whatever guests need delivered directly to them, wherever they are on the ship. In addition, guests can share their favourite cruise moments using MedallionNet, stay connected with friends and family back home, work remotely anywhere on the ship, quickly post content and stream favourite movies and shows.

Diamond Princess features the largest open-air Japanese bath at sea – an 8,800 sq. ft bath and garden complex offering indoor and outdoor Japanese bathing experiences, including steam rooms, saunas and hot tubs with spectacular ocean vistas. Guests can experience Diamond’s distinctly Japanese offerings, such as Kai Sushi, an authentic sushi bar, and various other dining options while enjoying the warm, welcoming service synonymous with Princess.

https://www.princess.com/

(Your Stories: Princess Cruises)

AirAsia flies Chiang Mai – Singapore

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November 22, 2022

CHIANG MAI, 22 November 2022: AirAsia will add a new route, ‘Chiang Mai-Singapore’, effective 1 February 2023, flying every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The latest route brings even more options to the already popular city of Chiang Mai, where both domestic and international routes are resuming. AirAsia will deploy four aircraft to its Chiang Mai hub to meet strong travel demand growth during December and into the first quarter of 2023.

AirAsia Thailand chief executive officer Santisuk Klongchaiya confirmed in the airline’s announcement, “travel demand is increasing, and AirAsia is introducing a variety of new routes, focusing on international journeys to help boost the economy. Our latest addition, Chiang Mai-Singapore, will make AirAsia the provider of convenient travel to Singapore as it will be flying Don Mueang-Singapore three times daily, Phuket-Singapore once daily, and Chiang Mai-Singapore four times a week.”

Marking the introduction of Chiang Mai-Singapore, AirAsia is offering the “Endless Colors of Singapore” promotion. AirAsia members can fly the route for only THB3,390 one-way, while non-members will pay THB 3,430. Bookings for the special fare are open until 4 December 2022 for travel from 1 February 2023 only through the AirAsia Super App.

AirAsia’s Chiang Mai flight base will see its fleet grow to four aircraft this December, nearing its size before the Covid-19 pandemic. The base currently serves eight domestic routes from Chiang Mai to Bangkok (Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi), Phuket, Krabi, Hat Yai, Surat Thani, Khon Kaen and Hua Hin, and five international routes from Chiang Mai to Hanoi and Danang, in Vietnam, Taipei, Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the latest addition Singapore.

Expedia reveals 2023 travel trends

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November 22, 2022

SINGAPORE, 22 November 2022: Expedia has unveiled 2023 travel trends across Expedia and the broader travel industry sourced from the company’s first-party data and research of thousands of travellers and industry professionals across 17 countries.

The trends prove there will be no “one-size-fits-all” travel in 2023. Instead, these trends point to a year defined by the “no-normal.”

“When we look at Expedia data, we see a detailed and robust picture of travel into 2023,” said Expedia Brands president Jon Gieselman

“We’re seeing a surge in trips to culture capitals and TV shows playing a role in tourism — not a new normal but people branching out to unexpected trends in what we’re calling the ‘no normal.”

Unexpected Travel Trends in 2023

Set-Jetters

Booking a trip after binging a popular new series will become serious business in 2023. Expedia research confirms that streaming movies and TV shows have influenced Singaporeans’ travel decision-making, with 35% admitting that the influence had increased in the last 12 months.

Nearly one in four (23%) say that watching a series or movie is most likely to pique their interest in travelling to that destination – more than social media influencers (16%).

In Singapore, more than three-quarters (76%) of travellers considered visiting a destination after seeing it on a show or movie on a streaming platform, and one in two made a booking.

Shows or movies set in outdoor destinations with mind-blowing landscapes (41%) and beach destinations (40%) were found to impact Singaporeans’ travel destination decisions the most.

Japan (40%) and South Korea (39%) are the top two destinations Singaporeans consider visiting with the influence of popular Asian series and movies featured in the scenic destinations.

Culture Capitals

National parks and rural retreats had big moments in the past two years. Now, it’s time for cities to see a comeback. Based on traveller demand, most destinations seeing the largest increases are all culture-rich cities where art and culture festivities are getting back to full swing.

Top city choices

Edinburgh, Scotland

Lisbon, Portugal

Tokyo, Japan

Dublin, Ireland

New York, USA

Sydney, Australia

Dubai, UAE

Montreal, Canada

Munich, Germany

Bangkok, Thailand

With Singapore travellers drawing inspiration from their favourite streamed content, culture capitals that feature the backdrop of popular streamed TV shows and movies top the list of popular destinations Singaporeans are looking towards for travel in 2023.

Top 10 Popular Destinations for Travel in 2023

Bangkok, Thailand

Tokyo, Japan

Seoul, South Korea

Bali, Indonesia

Maldives

Hokkaido, Japan

Phuket, Thailand

London, United Kingdom

Paris, France

Johor, Malaysia

For travellers looking beyond the small screens for inspiration, consider the following trending destinations for travel in 2023:

Top 10 Trending Destinations for Singapore Travellers

Danang, Vietnam

Pahang, Malaysia

Lucerne, Switzerland

Langkawi, Malaysia

Brisbane, Australia

Perth, Australia

Hanoi, Vietnam

Krabi, Thailand

Busan, South Korea

Jeju Island, South Korea

For the full industry report on insights and actions for travel partners, download the Traveller Value Index 2023.

For the full consumer report on The No-Normal; Unexpected Travel Trends in 2023, visit here.

New flight links Mumbai and Gwalior

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November 22, 2022

DELHI, 22 November 2022: India’s Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia inaugurated the Gwalior-Mumbai-Gwalior flights last week

He said the direct route from Mumbai to Gwalior would “enhance connectivity and promote trade, commerce, and tourism between the two cities.”

He described Gwalior as a “storehouse of history and culture”, noting the inauguration of direct flights from the commercial capital of Mumbai would support the Prime Minister’s vision of connecting every corner of the country through air services.

In addition to its historical and cultural attractions, Gwalior can develop into an industrial hub in its own right. The minister explained that the new air route will provide a time-saving travel option to citizens and promote new employment opportunities.

IndiGo and SpiceJet provide nonstop flights from Mumbai with a flight time of two hours and five minutes.

In addition, there are flights to Gwalior from Bengaluru on SpiceJet with a flight time of three hours and from Delhi on IndiGo with a flight time of one hour.

Gwalior is a city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It’s known for its palaces and temples, including the Sas Bahu Ka Mandir intricately carved Hindu temple. Ancient Gwalior Fort occupies a sandstone plateau overlooking the city and is accessed via a winding road lined with sacred Jain statues. Within the fort’s high walls is the 15th-century Gujari Mahal Palace, now an archaeological museum.

The best time to visit the city is from October to March, when the temperature ranges from a maximum of 21 degrees Celsius to a minimum of 4 degrees Celsius.

The flights will operate under the following schedule:

Flt No.	From	To	Freq.	Dep. time	Arr. time	Aircraft	Effective from
6E 276	Mumbai	Gwalior	1246	12:10	14:10	Airbus	15 to 30 November 2022
6E 265	Gwalior	Mumbai	1246	14.45	16:45	Airbus	15 to 30 November 2022
6E 276	Mumbai	Gwalior	2346	12:10	14:10	Airbus	01 December 2022
6E 265	Gwalior	Mumbai	2346	14.45	16:45	Airbus	01 December 2022

(Source Press Bureau of India and Wikipedia)

Cathay Pacific’s October traffic rises

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November 22, 2022

HONG KONG, 22 November 2022: Following the Hong Kong SAR Government’s lifting of quarantine requirements for arrivals entering Hong Kong at the end of September, travel sentiment out of Hong Kong improved significantly in October, according to Cathay Pacific’s traffic figures for October 2022.

The airline’s chief customer and commercial officer, Ronald Lam said: “Demand for the first half of October mainly stemmed from flights to Bangkok, Singapore and Seoul. We then saw a surge in demand for travel to Japan when its quarantine requirements for arrivals were relaxed on 11 October.

Looking ahead at the remainder of 2022, Lam noted that the airline group has already announced the addition of about 3,000 passenger flight sectors from October until the end of December this year and is on track to achieve its target of operating up to one-third of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels by the end of 2022. Travel demand for the rest of 2022 continues to improve and is promising for the Christmas holiday season.

Cathay Pacific released its traffic figures for October 2022 at the end of last week. The airline carried 400,909 passengers last month, an increase of 424.5% compared with October 2021 but an 85.4% decrease compared with the pre-pandemic level in October 2019. The month’s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 416.6% year-on-year but were down 80.1% versus October 2019. Passenger load factor increased by 44 percentage points to 73.6%, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs), increased by 108% year-on-year but decreased by 79% compared with October 2019 levels. In the first 10 months of 2022, passengers carried increased by 166% against a 20.4% increase in capacity and a 167.8% increase in RPKs, compared with the same period for 2021.

Travel trends

Lam noted that demand during the first half of October was driven mainly by flights to Bangkok, Singapore and Seoul, followed by a surge in demand for travel to Japan when its quarantine requirements for arrivals relaxed on 11 October.

“We increased our regional flight frequencies, particularly to Japan destinations, in October. Last month, we also resumed services to Madrid, Milan, Bengaluru, Dubai and Kathmandu. More destinations and increased flight frequencies meant more choices and better connectivity for our customers at the Hong Kong aviation hub.

“Overall, in October, passenger flight capacity increased 32% compared with September, and we operated 21% of our pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels. Passenger numbers increased to nearly 13,000 per day, up from over 8,800 in September, and the load factor reached about 74%.

“Earlier this year, we said that we were targeting to be operating cash generative from August onwards. Since then, Hong Kong has made further adjustments to travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. As such, our expectation is that the second half of 2022 will be operating cash generative overall.

“At the same time, our second-half 2022 results for our airlines and subsidiaries are expected to see a marked improvement over our first-half 2022 results, although still a loss overall for the full year of 2022. “

Looking further ahead, Lam said: “Earlier this week, the group – comprising passenger airlines Cathay Pacific and HK Express – announced that it anticipates it will be operating around 70% of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity by the end of 2023, to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, ahead of the Asia-Pacific traffic forecast issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).”

Merlion stars in a virtual adventure

Maldives approves tax hikes

AirAsia launches Sibu flights

GHM opens Doha resort

Exploring Spain’s postcard villages

Capileira, Andalusia

Albarracín, Aragon

Tejeda, Canary Islands

Liérganes, Cantabria

Almagro, Castilla – La Mancha

Frías, Castilla y León

Chinchón, Region of Madrid

Princess: All ships at sea

AirAsia flies Chiang Mai – Singapore

Expedia reveals 2023 travel trends

New flight links Mumbai and Gwalior

Cathay Pacific’s October traffic rises

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Capileira, Andalusia

Albarracín, Aragon

Tejeda, Canary Islands

Liérganes, Cantabria

Almagro, Castilla – La Mancha

Frías, Castilla y León

Chinchón, Region of Madrid

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