SINGAPORE, 5 August 2022: Jetstar Asia is increasing flights to Bangkok and Manila this month from its Singapore home base to provide passengers with more options when visiting two of Southeast Asia’s most popular metropolitan cities.
Jetstar Asia will operate two additional morning services on Sunday and Monday as demand for travel to Manila continues to increase. The additional flights started on 1 August. Jetstar Asia will now operate 13 services a week to the Philippines’ capital with one-way low fares starting from just SGD138.
Starting 6 August, Jetstar Asia will operate an additional Saturday morning service between Singapore and Bangkok, increasing its services to eight weekly return services. The additional service will help accommodate transiting customers from codeshare partners, Qantas, Emirates, Srilankan Air and Finnair. One-way low fares start from just SGD96.
Jetstar Asia’s regional sales manager for Southeast Asia, Woo Wai Keong, said it was encouraging to see air travel demand recover as consumer confidence is restored.
“In July, Jetstar Asia’s load factor averaged over 90%, meaning we welcome more passengers on board our flights and make the world more accessible for our customers again,” Woo commented.
Starting from 19 August, Jetstar Asia will reschedule two services between Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City to depart on Friday and Sunday evenings instead of Wednesday and Sunday mornings. The service also helps customers connect from Qantas, Emirates, Srilankan Air, Finnair and KLM flights.
The turnaround return flight from Ho Chi Minh will depart at 2200 and arrive in Singapore at 0100 with one-way low fares starting from SGD73.
Jetstar Asia currently operates more than 200 flights a week from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal I to 12 key destinations across Southeast Asia.
SINGAPORE, 5 August 2022: World Rugby and Emirates have announced an extension of the Dubai-based airline’s long-standing relationship as a Rugby World Cup Worldwide Partner.
Under the agreement, the leading airline will continue as a Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2023 in France and Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
Underscoring its commitment to the sport, Emirates is also extending its official sponsorship of the Emirates World Rugby Match Officials through to 2027, a relationship that has proven pivotal in the development and performance of elite match officials since 2013.
In joining the global family of Worldwide Partners for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France, Emirates will return to where the hugely successful relationship between the airline and the international federation began in 2007. Since then, the airline has become one of the sport’s most prominent and active supporters as a committed partner of every men’s Rugby World Cup since 2007 and a proud sponsor of the Dubai and Cape Town rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
As the Official Airline of Rugby World Cup France 2023 and Australia 2027, Emirates will fly rugby to new frontiers and bring its leading expertise in customer experience to help deliver a truly world-class tournament for fans travelling to the host nations. Its investment in the sport as a Worldwide Partner will help support rugby’s development in both emerging and established markets. At the same time, fans can watch every moment of two unforgettable Rugby World Cups live and on-demand from their flight seats, making the sport more accessible.
Emirates Airline President, Sir Tim Clark, said: “Rugby is a sport with great values and proud heritage in many countries. It is also a sport attracting more participation and interest across communities each year, as we are seeing in the UAE, where rugby just made it into school programmes nationwide. We see rugby as a great platform to bring people together under a shared passion for the sport.
“Emirates has been a proud sponsor of Rugby World Cup since 2007. France 2023 also coincides with Emirates’ 30 years of flight operations to Paris, Charles de Gaulle and considering we now have 31 weekly flights to France; Emirates is looking forward to flying in fans to watch the world’s best teams competing for the Webb Ellis Cup.”
By renewing as a Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup, Emirates joins Societe Generale, Mastercard, Asahi, Capgemini and Jaguar Land Rover in the global family of Worldwide Partners for Rugby World Cup 2023. Emirates also becomes the fourth Global Partner of World Rugby, joining Capgemini, Macron and HSBC.
World Rugby is an international federation and a global movement comprising more than 500 million fans and 7.69 million players within 129 national member federations affiliated through six regional associations.
BANGKOK, 5 August 2022: Nepal’s first post-pandemic tourism promotion overseas fielded a delegation of 20 tourism professionals hosted in Bangkok earlier this week.
The Nepal Sales Mission 2022, organised by PATA Nepal Chapter, concluded on a high note with travel and hotel exhibitors from Nepal holding B2B meetings with more than 45 tour operators from Thailand.
The event was supported by the Embassy of Nepal in Thailand, Nepal Airlines, PATA HQ and PATA Thailand Chapter, Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), SS Group Thailand, Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), Jawalakhel Group of Industries (JGI)
Thai Travel Agents Association vice president Shivek Sachdev pointed to Nepal’s sustainable and environment-friendly initiatives urging the Thai tourism fraternity to extend support to boost tourism promotions.
KOTA KINABALU, 4 August 2022: A group of 52 tourism officials and local district officers recently spent a night on Sabah’s Sulug island to experience and learn what dark tourism is all about.
The group was part of a two-day dark tourism workshop, during which their presence brought life to the tiny hill island. The Sabah Tourism Board, Dark Tourism Sabah and Sabah Parks co-organised the workshop. Officials from the state Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, Kota Kinabalu City Hall, and Federation of Rural Tourism Association Sabah also attended the workshop.
Datuk Joniston Bangkuai speaking to participants, including district officers and assistant district officers, at the dark tourism workshop on Pulau Sulug, off Kota Kinabalu.
Situated at the northernmost tip of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park and devoid of development, Sulug Island has earned the title “Kota Kinabalu’s darkest island.” Its connection to World War II events further adds to the allure surrounding the 20-acre uninhabited island.
During the dark tourism workshop, participants learned about the island’s harrowing World War II history, when the Japanese occupying military executed and tortured the island’s residents.
State Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai was also present to meet the participants and observe their activities. He was accompanied by Sabah Tourism Board (STB) deputy chief executive officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit.
Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, STB Board member Roslinah Abd Hamid, and STB deputy chief executive officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit sample meal prepared by participants.Datuk Joniston Bangkuai observing participants negotiate food to share.Tongod assistant district officer Cleophas John Gordon (left) and team members building fire pit.Participants prepared their own meals.
As part of their engaging experience, participants also acted out the lives of kampung people, putting their survival and negotiating skills to the test. They set up their camp, built their table or chair out of driftwood, hiked a trail searching for hidden food baskets, bargained for food sharing, and cooked their meals.
Joniston said a tourism workshop with the participation of district officials and tourism players is essential for deepening one’s understanding, particularly of the dark tourism concept and offerings.
“While Sabah has a lot of potential for dark tourism, we also need to look into ways to package it so that we’re not just presenting visitors a story but also activities they can do to add value to the experience.
“I hope the workshop participants will learn something from the programme, exchange their ideas, and be motivated to uncover potential dark tourism sites in their respective districts,” he said.
In addition, Joniston urged the District Tourism Action Committees to work with STB to develop dark tourism products that could appeal to both locals and international visitors in the long term.
“The Sabah Tourism product team is always committed to helping the community identify new product attractions and ready to impart knowledge and train kampung folks to gain necessary skills,” he added.
The participating districts were Ranau; Telupid; Kinabatangan; Tenom; Beluran; Pitas; Nabawan; Tongod; Nabawan; Lahad Datu; Putatan; Kuala Penyu; Beaufort; Kalabakan; Kota Belud; Papar; Kota Marudu; Penampang; Tuaran; and Sandakan.
Tongod assistant district officer Cleophas John Gordon remarked that the workshop was a productive programme and that dark tourism is a niche product.
“There will be people who would want to experience dark tourism. Since this is a new product, there is always room for improvement down the road. In general, the activities that were planned were enjoyable.
“In Tongod, there is a cave called Agop Sarupi in Kampung Tulang-Tulang, an ancient burial cave where people are buried in timber coffins. In addition, there is a helicopter crash site in Gunung Tinkar,” he said about the potential dark tourism attraction that Tongod could offer.
Meanwhile, STB Board member Roslinah Abd Hamid, who is spearheading the promotion of ‘dark tourism, said the workshop was held to dispel misunderstandings that it is somehow connected to paranormal activity.
Roslinah’s research on historical places in Sabah began in 2010 after she recognised the potential for dark tourism. However, she said not many people were enthusiastic about it.
She said such a niche product has the potential to succeed, and sites like Sulug Island, being close to the city, could be transformed into a dark tourist hotspot due to the presence of historical artefacts like graveyards and old well.
Sulug is one of five islands in the protected Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, managed by the Sabah Parks. Its waters are well-known for snorkelling and scuba diving.
DUBAI, UAE: 4 August 2022: Emirates has resumed passenger services to London Stansted (STN), serving its third London gateway with a daily flight.
With the return of services to Stansted, Emirates ramped up its operations to London with nine daily flights, including six daily flights to Heathrow and a double daily flight to Gatwick.* The added services will meet market demand and offer customers more travel choices and enhanced connectivity this summer.
London Stansted is served by Emirates’ wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with its renowned ‘Game Changer’ First Class product. Emirates flight EK65 will depart Dubai at 0850 and arrive in London Stansted at 1330 local time. The return EK68 flight will depart London Stansted at 2110 and arrive in Dubai at 0710 the following day.
Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Office, via travel agents or through online travel agents.
London Stansted remains a key hub for the airline’s passenger and cargo operations. The daily service will offer customers in East and Southeast UK more travel options, flexibility, and convenience when travelling with Emirates to more than 130 destinations via Dubai.
Emirates currently serves seven gateways in the UK. By October 2022, the airline will be serving the country with 110 weekly flights, including six times daily to London Heathrow; daily service to London Stansted; double daily A380 service to Gatwick; three times daily to Manchester, including a double daily A380 service (starting 1 October 2022); double daily service to Birmingham; five weekly flights to Newcastle; and a daily service to Glasgow.
The airline is also currently serving London Gatwick with three daily flights until 3 August 2022. The added frequency is serving customer demand and accommodating passengers affected by capacity adjustments on flights from London Heathrow.
Fly better with Emirates to and through Dubai
Emirates continues to place top priority on safe travel with the implementation of comprehensive measures in the air and on-ground. Customers travelling from Dubai can also take advantage of state-of-the-art contactless technology to ease their journey through the airport.
The airline also offers its customers an unmatched culinary experience in the skies with regionally inspired meals and a wide selection of premium beverages. Customers can sit back and relax with more than 5,000 channels of carefully curated global entertainment content featuring movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, games, audiobooks and more with ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
Emirates’ home and hub, Dubai, remains a very popular holiday and stopover destination. Visitors from the UK can take advantage of the recently launched Dubai Experience platform that enables customers to easily browse, create and book their own customised itineraries, including flights, hotel stay, visits to key attractions, and other dining and leisure experiences in Dubai and the UAE.
SINGAPORE, 4 August 2022: Oakwood announced Wednesday the opening of Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh in Cambodia.
Centrally located in the Cambodian capital’s business and entertainment district, the new property features 207 rooms and serviced apartments.
The debut of Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh extends the Oakwood Premier brand presence to 10 destinations in some of the world’s favourite gateway cities such as Melbourne, Seoul, Tokyo, Guangzhou, Bangalore, Incheon, Tonglu and Jakarta.
“With Cambodia’s increasing appeal as a growing economy and tourism hotspot, we recognise the need for elevated residential lifestyles as more travellers visit the kingdom. We are delighted to debut our distinctive style of tailored luxury in the Cambodian capital so that guests can indulge in a tranquil and comfortable haven that evokes a feeling of home, whether for short or extended stays,” said Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh general manager Sylvester Fong.
As part of the brand’s hallmark experience, Oakwood Premier Mobile Bar, a mixologist will deliver creative seasonal cocktails and classic tipples to each apartment every evening. Slated to launch in November 2022, this bespoke “mobile club lounge” service is a first of its kind in Cambodia.
Attractions in the vicinity include the Royal Palace, National Museum of Cambodia, heritage buildings and art galleries, and the lively Central Market and Night Market.
Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh’s opening in Cambodia follows the debut of Oakwood Premier Melbourne in Australia last December. The brand’s expansion plan will continue with the opening of Oakwood Premier Jakarta in October 2022 and Oakwood Premier Kuala Lumpur at the world’s second tallest building, Merdeka 118, in 2024.
GEORGE TOWN, Malaysia, 4 August 2022: Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) recruited Penang as its inaugural official partner for its MATTA online platform designed to boost domestic travel bookings.
Following a press conference hosted jointly with MATTA, Penang Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE) Yeoh Soon Hin said the collaboration with MATTA would help to develop promotional activities for Penang’s tourism industry through the e-commerce platform.
Even though Malaysia reopened its borders to international tourists last April, Penang’s tourism still relies heavily on domestic tourism. Teaming up with MATTA Online is a significant tool to boost bookings through to the end of the year.
MATTA president Datuk Tan Kok Liang, who joined the launch ceremony, said the new online platform had received a positive response that would support small-time travel agents in marketing.
“This is a timely shot in the arm for the Malaysian travel and tourism industry”, he told the Bernama news online.
Last month, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri launched MATTA Online.
MATTA Online integrates technology to give its members an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered travel platform. Technology partner Fusionex Group collaborated to create the platform, which uses the latter’s technology to bring users into a seamless online travel booking space.
It connects tourists with Matta members comprising travel agents and tour operators for hotels, airlines, attractions, theme parks and other tourism providers. According to MATTA, the platform enables members to reach 16.29 million Malaysians and target a global consumer audience.
At the launch of the new platform last month, the system had more than 300-holiday packages, and over 150 travel agents and tour operators registered. By the end of the year, the platform will have signed up 300 agents and display 3,000 packages on sale.
SINGAPORE, 4 August 2022: Singapore Airlines Group will increase services to gateway cities in Japan, restore its Indian network to pre-pandemic levels, and add more flights to Los Angeles and Paris, starting in October.
Responding to strong air travel demand, SIA and Scoot will restore networks during the northern winter operating season (30 October 2022 to 25 March 2023).
Scoot will launch non-stop services to Tokyo (Narita) and Osaka, as well as increase flights to Bangkok, Cebu, Manila, Seoul and Surabaya.
Overall capacity will go up to around 68% of pre-pandemic levels in the second quarter of FY2022/23 (July to September 2022) and around 76% by the third quarter of FY2022/2023 (October to December 2022), the group reported last week.
During the first quarter, April to June 2022, SIA and Scoot reinstated services to several destinations in Southeast Asia (Cebu, Davao, Hat Yai, Kota Kinabalu, and Medan), as well as Nanjing, China.
Scoot launched new services to Jeju, South Korea.
As of 30 June 2022, the group’s passenger network covered 98 destinations6 in 36 countries and territories and is getting closer to the pre-pandemic network. SIA served 72 destinations and Scoot 47. Flights to India will recover quicker than other destinations. The group says it will restore its Indian network to pre-pandemic levels by October (the start of the third quarter of the group’s fiscal year 2022/2023).
Singapore Airlines plans to operate 17 weekly services to Chennai, up from the current 10 flights per week, by October. Kochi services will increase to 14 weekly flights, up from seven flights per week. Bengaluru services will increase to16 weekly, up from seven weekly.
HO CHI MINH CITY, 4 August 2022: As domestic and international travel demand recovers robustly, Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company (HoSE: VJC) has reported a positive business performance in the second quarter and the first half of 2022.
In the year’s second quarter, Vietjet’s total air transport revenue reached VND11,355 billion (USD488 million), increasing by 15% against the pre-pandemic level in 2019, with its after-tax profit standing at VND36 billion (USD1.54 million). Significantly, its domestic revenue in 2Q jumped by over 30% compared to 2019’s same period, with 53 domestic services.
Vietjet’s consolidated revenue stood at VND11,590 billion (USD499 million), and consolidated after-tax profit in Q2 was reported at VND181 billion (USD7.8 million).
As for the first-six-month results, the airline’s air transport revenue and consolidated revenue reached VND14,696 billion (USD632 million) and VND16,112 billion (USD693 million), respectively, higher than the pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Overall, Vietjet’s after-tax profit for H1 reached VND76 billion (USD3.26 million), while its consolidated profit was VND426 billion (USD18.3 million).
Vietjet, for the last six months, has increased the flight frequency of numerous routes to meet the post-pandemic pent-up in travel demand, supporting the recovery of local tourism and economy. It has operated a total of 52,500 flights with 9 million passengers onboard, respectively increasing by 54% and 92% year on year. The number of flights has particularly increased by 8% against the pre-pandemic 2019’s level.
In Q2, the airline operated nearly 33,000 flights and served 6 million passengers; both were remarkably higher than the pre-pandemic level.
To promote and take the lead in the reopening between Vietnam and international skies right after the pandemic, Vietjet has rapidly expanded new international routes. It was the pioneering airline to develop an extensive network of 17 direct routes between Vietnam and India – a market of 1.4 billion people, specifically to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Vietjet has also inaugurated new routes from Ho Chi Minh City and Danang to Busan in South Korea, from Hanoi to Nagoya and Fukuoka, Japan.
In addition to the advanced fleet of A320s and A321s, Vietjet, for the first time, has brought the new generation of modern wide-body aircraft of A330 into operation. Equipped with noise control technology, they have delivered safer and more comfortable flight experiences to the passengers while reducing the take-off and landing frequency in operating airports.
Despite revenue breakthrough in Q2 and H1-2022, the consolidated after-tax profit reached VND426 billion, about 85.2% of the airline’s H1 target, due to surging oil prices.
SINGAPORE, 4 August 2022: Bhutan’s ancient pilgrimage trail, re-opening for the first time in 60 years this September, has been named in TIME’s annual list of 50 extraordinary travel destinations.
Trans Bhutan Trail (TBT) founder Sam Blyth, who heads the not-for-profit sustainable tourism enterprise behind the launch of the trail, said: “We are truly honoured to receive this recognition and so proud that the Trans Bhutan Trail will be highlighted on the world’s stage.
In September, the trail will officially launch, welcoming Bhutanese and international travellers to walk or cycle part of the trail or take on the incredible challenge of an end-to-end hike.”
On Wednesday, 28 September 2022, the restored historic 250-mile pilgrimage trail traversing Bhutan will be officially re-opened for the first time in six decades in a formal ceremony hosted by His Majesty The Fifth King. The Trail launch will take place within days of Bhutan’s borders fully re-opening to travellers on 23 September.
Eighteen major bridges, more than 10,000 steps and 250 miles of trail have been built or restored over the last three years, involving thousands of Bhutanese workers and villagers in a unique private/public partnership between the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Tourism Council of Bhutan and the Bhutan Canada Foundation (BCF), which has worked for many years to further the development of Bhutan and its people through programmes that support the country’s educational ambitions.
BCF was founded by Sam Blyth, an educator, global business executive, innovator and philanthropist, and the visionary behind the Trail restoration project. He has always held a deep admiration for Bhutan and a wholehearted belief in its commitment to prioritising quality of life through the four pillars of the country’s guiding Gross National Happiness philosophy. It was this belief which drove the initiative to create TBT, transbhutantrail.org.
“The Royal Government of Bhutan, Tourism Council of Bhutan, and Bhutan Canada Foundation combined forces to oversee the restoration of hundreds of miles of pathways. Intrepid travellers can hike, bike, and camp through the meadows and dense forests of nine dzongkhags (districts), 28 gewogs (local governments), two municipalities, and parts of Phrumsengla National Park, and more than 400 historic sites. The route is peppered with museums and ancient fortresses, like Jakar Dzong and the Fortress of the White Bird, perched on a ridge above the historic Bumthang Valley.”
All aspects of guided walking and biking on the trail can be arranged directly via TBT (transbhutantrail.org) on a not-for-profit basis, with all proceeds flowing back into creating a sustainable future for The Trail and the communities along it.
With its sustainability fund to ensure that the trail will be properly maintained for generations to come, visitors booking a journey directly with TBT will play a vital role in the trail’s future.
Along with attracting hikers and bikers, the trail presents a rich experience for birdwatchers and botanists, photographers, rafters and runners, and those seeking a spiritual, wellness, or religious journey. See the new itineraries here.
About the Trans Bhutan Trail
For thousands of years, the trail was used by pilgrims, armies and traders. The trail spans 250 miles from the east to the west of Bhutan. Until the 1960s, it was the only way to travel. It will re-open to visitors in 2022 for the first time in over 60 years. The trail will maintain the principles across the Bhutanese tourism industry, ensuring all tours are run sustainably. The trail is also a member of the World Trails Network Sustainability Committee. The Trans Bhutan Trail is committed to enhancing the route out of respect for Bhutan’s ancestors and as a gift to future generations. Its Trail Code can be found here.
