KOTA KINABALU, 19 July 2022: Sabah now receives 17 direct scheduled flight frequencies from South Korea, following the resumption of the Busan-Kota Kinabalu route.
Last week, Air Busan relaunched its previously suspended direct flight from Busan, bringing 220 passengers to the state on the inaugural flight. For the time being, Air Busan will operate two weekly flights between Busan and Kota Kinabalu.
State Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai was on hand to welcome passengers. Also present were Sabah Tourism Board deputy chief executive officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit and chief marketing officer Tay Shu Lan.
Joniston said with the latest route, Sabah hoped to increase the number of international flights from major foreign cities, making the state more accessible. “We are considering expanding direct flights and possibly resuming previously suspended direct routes from Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, and China. For this reason, we must keep in touch with airline companies and keep abreast of their objectives to come to a mutual understanding and devise a workable strategy,” he said.
There are 40 weekly direct International flights to Sabah, with South Korea having the highest frequencies. The other direct flights are from Singapore (14), Brunei Darussalam (4), Thailand (3), and the Philippines (2).
Since the reopening of the International border on 1 April, five foreign carriers have returned to Sabah. Three of them are Korean low-cost airlines. They are Jeju Air (via Incheon), Jin Air (via Incheon), and Air Busan (via Incheon and Busan). Others are Scoot (via Singapore) and Royal Brunei Airlines (via Bandar Seri Begawan). Malaysia’s budget airline AirAsia also offers direct flights to Kota Kinabalu from Singapore, Manila, and Bangkok.
As for domestic flights, there are currently 372 weekly services to Sabah. The direct routes are from Kuala Lumpur, Johore Bharu, Penang, Kota Bharu, Terengganu, Sarawak, and Labuan.
SINGAPORE, 19 July 2022: Travellers from Singapore can book special seasonal fares to Dubai and Europe when flying with Emirates.
All-inclusive economy class fares start at SGD679, business class fares at SGD2,969, and first class fares at SGD10,109. Fares are bookable until 31 July 2022 and are valid for travel from 1 September 2022 to 31 May 2023. Families can plan for the upcoming September and December school holidays and score these flights at promotional prices.
Featured destinations and starting fares include:
Destinations
Economy Class Fares From (SGD)
Business Class Fares From (SGD)
First Class Fares From (SGD)
Dubai
679
2,969
10,109
Paris
1,349
4,709
11,649
Frankfurt
1,469
4,859
14,479
Munich
1,509
4,789
12,189
Rome
1,409
6,669
17,789
Amsterdam
1,379
5,159
15,519
Barcelona
1,299
5,139
16,629
Zurich
1,529
5,079
13,809
Istanbul
1,259
4,459
15,489
London
1,279
4,959
11,909
In addition, travellers from Singapore can also enjoy enhanced connectivity through Emirates’ Dubai hub to over 130 global destinations worldwide, with 14 flights a week from Singapore to Dubai. Emirates’ daily flights between Singapore and Dubai – EK354 and EK355 – are served by the Airbus A380 superjumbo, featuring extra room and custom lighting in economy class, flat-bed seats in business class, and private suites and shower spas in first class, offering travellers a distinctive Emirates experience aboard.
Fly Better with Emirates
With the resurgence of travel, Emirates has worked hard to ensure that it provides an incredible inflight experience and a seamless journey on the ground, offering award-winning services to customers in all travel classes. From check-in to boarding, travelling with family is now much more convenient with Emirates’ priority boarding and over 100 channels of content for children on ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
With comprehensive health and safety measures at every step of the journey, Emirates continues to offer stellar and safe travel experiences to Dubai and the rest of its global network. Keeping the health and wellbeing of its passengers a top priority, Emirates has also been building on its contactless technology offerings to provide even more convenient options to fast-track through airport formalities.
Besides the assurance of safety and convenience when flying with Emirates, passengers can also get the best value from their holidays in Dubai and across the UAE with My Emirates Pass. From 1 May to 30 September 2022, passengers can enjoy exclusive offers at over 500 locations, including restaurants, big-name retail outlets, spas, and attractions across the city, by simply showing their Emirates boarding pass.
Click here for more information on My Emirates Pass.
BALI, 19 July 2022: Bali Hotels Association advises its member hotels to alert Australian guests to the BIO security checks upon returning from their Bali holidays and launch a CSR programme called “ Leave your shoes with us”.
The move is in response to the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Bali and across Indonesia. Travellers heading for Australia need to take steps to help prevent the accidental introduction of the disease on their return home. Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment was alerted to the outbreak of the FMD in Indonesia with an initial calculation of more than 2000 head of cattle infected in provinces across North Sumatra and East Java.
FMD is not considered a human health risk, but humans can carry the virus on their clothing, shoes, body (particularly the throat and nasal passages) and personal items. Foot and Mouth Disease is not a food safety or public health concern. Commercially produced meat, milk, and dairy products would be safe to consume.
In response, the Australian Federal Minister of Agriculture Murry Watt, that Australian BIO Security Offices is checking all flights returning from Indonesia.
However, the Bali Hotels Association noted that the agriculture minister ruled out a travel ban between Bali and Australia. “We’ve got to keep our relationship with Indonesia strong, for trade, national security and other reasons,” he concluded.
Leave your shoes in Bali
Bali Hotels Association member hotels have been advised to let their guests know of the bio-security checks they may face upon their return to Australia.
In a media statement on Monday, the association said guests who do not wish to take home their shoes or any clothes are welcome to leave them with the hotel, which will then have them cleaned and made available for those communities in need through the Bali Hotels Association CSR Programme. In response to the FMD outbreak, the government in Bali temporarily closed the animal market to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease in Bali. At least 128 head of cattle in four districts in Bali tested positive for foot and mouth disease. Bali has now received around 110,000 doses of the FMD vaccine.
SEPANG, 19 July 2022: AirAsia X confirms its latest services to Melbourne (Tullamarine), and Perth in Australia and Auckland in New Zealand will launch on 1 November 2022.
The three new services boost the airline’s routes to 13. It is already serving Sydney, New Delhi, Seoul, Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka and Honolulu, as well as London, Dubai and Istanbul.
AAX will recommence its services to Melbourne (Tullamarine), Perth and Auckland (via Sydney) with three weekly flights starting in November and gradually increasing to daily flights by the first quarter of 2023.
On the AirAsia Super App and website, the starting fare to Perth is MYR 499, to Melbourne MYR699 and Auckland MYR999 (inclusive one-way economy). Premium Flatbed fares start from MYR1,999 to Perth, MYR2,999 to Melbourne and MYR5,999 to Auckland.
Guests flying to Kuala Lumpur can also enjoy all-in value fares one way from AUD209 from Perth, AUD359 from Melbourne, and NZD499 from Auckland in economy class.
AAX also flies from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney with all-in fares from MYR899 (economy) and MYR2,799 (Premium Flatbed) one-way.
SINGAPORE, 18 July 2022: Princess Cruises offers a brand-new summer season of cruises roundtrip from Los Angeles in 2023.
This will mark the line’s first-ever summer season to Mexico, Hawaii, and the California Coast, with Emerald Princess sailing on a series of voyages ranging from five- to 16-days between May and August 2023.
The summer sailings are perfect for those looking for convenient cruise vacations for the whole family. The 3,080-guest Princess MedallionClass cruise ship features nearly 700 balconies, world-class dining, and dazzling entertainment. Plus, guests can choose from a variety of curated shore excursions in every port to soak up the local sights, culture, and cuisine.
Emerald Princess itineraries include:
Mexican Riviera with La Paz – seven-day cruises with stops in Cabo San Lucas, La Paz and Ensenada. Departure dates: 24 June 2023 and 29 July 2023
Hawaiian Islands – 16-day cruises with stops in Hilo, Honolulu, Maui (Lahaina), Kauai (Nawiliwili), and Ensenada. Departure dates: 4 May 2023, 1 June 2023, 6 July 2023, and 5 August 2023.
Classic California Coast – seven-day cruises including an overnight in San Francisco with San Diego and Ensenada. Departure dates: 20 May 2023, 17 June 2023, and 22 July 2023.
Cabo San Lucas Getaway – five-day cruise with an overnight in Cabo San Lucas. Departure date: 27 May 2023.
West Coast Getaway with San Francisco – a five-day cruise that features San Francisco and Ensenada. Departure date: 1 July 2023.
Video: Your perfect getaway along the California Coast | Princess Cruises
Emerald Princess offers an abundance of fresh restaurant choices and dining options onboard. From revitalised top deck venues like Salty Dog Grill, Slice Pizzeria and Coffee & Cones to brand new casual restaurants Steamers Seafood and Planks BBQ, there’s something for every palate. Let the kids play, explore, huddle and create at the newly re-imagined Camp Discovery Youth & Teen Centers and unwind at the refreshed Sanctuary, a tranquil haven reserved for adults.
Princess delivers Princess MedallionClass Vacations which begins with the Medallion wearable, a quarter-sized device 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 to be delivered directly to them, wherever they are on the ship. In addition, guests can share their favourite cruise moments using MedallionNet, the best Wi-Fi at sea, stay connected with friends and family back home, work remotely anywhere on the ship, quickly post content and stream favourite movies and shows.
Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor by calling 65-6922 6788 or visiting the company’s website at http://www.princess.com/.
DELHI, India, 18 July 2022: The Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart (RDTM) returns this week, convening from 22 to 24 July at Hotel Clarks Amer.
The event will be officially opened by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot supported by Rajasthan Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh. RDTM is being jointly organised by the Department of Tourism and the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism in Rajasthan (FHTR).
The mart agenda includes structured B2B meetings between 200 exhibitors promoting travel content in Rajasthan and 300 domestic travel buyers across India. Exhibitors represent destination management companies, hotels, resorts and amusement parks in Rajasthan.
Rajasthan’s travel industry is counting on the event to accelerate tourism recovery post-Covid. Five pre-event roadshows were hosted in Jaipur, Mandawa, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Udaipur to promote the mart.
RDTM is in its second edition after the show was inaugurated in 2018. It was supposed to return 2022, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced organisers to suspend the second edition to 2022.
KUALA LUMPUR, 18 July 2022: AirAsia X says it has successfully compensated over 270,000 cancelled bookings caused by the pandemic over the past two years, including all MYR499 Unlimited Pass holders, with a five-year travel voucher to the full value of the outstanding bookings.
The travel voucher can be used to book any AAX flights (airline code D7) immediately and for future travel to international destinations currently on sale. Many more routes will be added to AAX’s network in the future, starting with Japan, Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, London, Dubai and Istanbul in 2022.
Guests who have yet to receive the travel voucher are required to register for AirAsia rewards members here using the same email used for the booking, as the travel voucher will be linked to the account. AAX will continue to prioritise processing all remaining compensation entitlements, including for bookings made by travel agents in the coming weeks. All guests will be contacted via their registered email address. AAX Acting Group CEO Tony Fernandes said: “We have delivered on our commitment to AAX guests and given back more than USD92 million worth of travel vouchers for over a quarter million bookings. That is about 80% of the total booking, and we are reaching out to the final groups of guests until everyone gets back what they are owed.
BUSAN, 18 July 2022: Located at the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula, the coastal city of Busan features diverse elements ranging from a world-class MICE infrastructure to mountains, rivers, and the sea, making it an optimal location to enjoy both business and pleasure.
As a result, the number of bleisure and workcation visitors is on the rise, and Busan is making vigorous marketing efforts as Korea’s only maritime bleisure city. As a part of such efforts, in June, the Busan Tourism Organization selected “Best Bleisure City Busan” as the new slogan to represent the MICE city of Busan. The plan is to promote Busan’s singular charms to the world, as a place where visitors can both enjoy a first-rate MICE infrastructure and diverse marine experiences.
In particular, HAEVENUE, an international conference complex located in Haeundae-gu, is a place where you can enjoy all the meris of Busan. It is the perfect area for attending a large-scale international event, while enjoying the diverse attractions and tourist sites the maritime city has to offer.
The World’s Only Global Bleisure MICE Complex
HAEVENUE is located in a concentrated area with numerous international conference facilities and tourism resources. In 2020 it was specially designated by the Korean government to foster the country’s MICE industry. As the optimal district for bleisure activities, HAVENUE not only features Haeundae Beach but also offers facilities such as BEXCO, Busan Cinema Center, 5-star hotels, and shopping malls.
Busan’s convention center, BEXCO, has grown to become Asia’s premier exhibition and convention hub by hosting international events on diverse scales. Now that the pandemic is finally receding, numerous large-scale events are being held or scheduled consecutively, such as the 2022 Busan International Motor Show and the 74th World Foundry Congress, both of which are taking place for the first time in four years. The Busan Cinema Center is another famous major visual and cultural complex that has been the venue for countless international events and performances, including the opening ceremony of the Busan International Film Festival, Asia’s most prestigious cinema event. It has also hosted the welcome banquet for the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference and an annual meeting of the African Development Bank.
Haeundae Beach is lined with luxury hotel chains including The Westin Josun, Paradise Hotel, Grand Josun, and Park Hyatt, making it the perfect destination for leisure activities and relaxation. In addition, there are large-scale shopping and cultural facilities nearby such as Shinsegae Department Store and Lotte Department Store, allowing for easy and enjoyable shopping excursions.
A Special Maritime Experience Found Only in the MICE City of Busan
Bleisure visitors can enjoy many leisure activities available at Busan’s seafront. A popular activity is the yacht experience available at The Bay 101. Holding a seminar on board, with Busan’s beautiful sea as the background, is guaranteed to be a memorable event. Visitors can also try kayaking and riding “dragon boats” for free on the Suyeong River. Since these activities require multiple people to collaborate and work together, they are becoming increasingly popular as team-building programs.
Songjeong is known as a surfing mecca because the water is not too deep while the waves and the wind are perfect for surfing. There are several surfing companies operating at Songjeong Beach, so it is easy to receive systematic and professional training. Lastly, at Gwangalli Beach, you can try the “Gwangalli SUP” experience in full view of Gwangan Bridge, where you practice yoga by the sea during the day and then watch the sunset on a paddle boat at night. Through these and other ways it is possible to experience a variety of leisure activities in Busan, the world’s only maritime bleisure city.
Busan is currently offering diverse forms of support such as general maintenance expenses, venue rentals, souvenirs, and tour programs for companies that are interested in hosting corporate meetings and incentive trips in the area. Event organizers have every reason to consider Busan, Korea’s foremost maritime bleisure city.
SINGAPORE, 15 July 2022: Recovery in Asia Pacific’s hotel sector continued to accelerate in 2022, with investment volumes for the first half of the year totalling USD6.8 billion.
According to JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group’s data and analysis, investments in the first half of 2022 represent 33.0% growth year-on-year and an 11.9% increase when compared with 2019, demonstrating a return to pre-pandemic levels of capital deployment into the Asia Pacific hotels sector.
In total, there were 75 transactions in the first half of 2022, down 20.2% year-on-year and 33.0% on the first half of 2019 numbers. However, the total number of rooms transacted during the first six months of 2022 was 19,822, representing an increase of 29.9% versus the first half of 2021 and 9.4% during the pre-pandemic period in 2019. The increase in deal activity was influenced by a spike in portfolio transactions as institutional investors sitting on dry powder seek to deploy their capital more efficiently. However, according to JLL, ongoing momentum will likely be challenged by growing macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds in the second half of 2022.
“The resilience of Asia Pacific’s hospitality sector and reopening of borders have accelerated further in 2022, with pandemic-induced pent-up corporate and leisure demand ensuring that travel demand will soon be on par with pre-Covid levels. As a result, the two-year lull in investment activity has largely subsided, demonstrated by record levels of capital raised for deals across the Asia Pacific gateway markets and resort destinations,” said JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group senior managing director, head of investment sales, Asia Pacific Nihat Ercan
Investment activity was spread across various Asia Pacific markets as the opening of borders ensured that many markets transitioned from reliance on domestic demand towards inbound leisure and corporate business. However, the conflux of current favourable travel market conditions and the longer-term economic outlook is creating a disconnect between buyers’ and sellers’ expectations around pricing.
From an investment volume standpoint, Japan (USD1.8 billion), Korea (USD1.7 billion), and Greater China, including Hong Kong (USD1.6 billion), received the most capital in the first half of 2022. Singapore (USD899.7 million), Maldives (USD205.5 million), and Indonesia (USD159.6 million) continued to recover strongly. Activity in Australia (USD145.5 million) and Thailand (USD37.7 million) was more subdued but will likely be bolstered in the second half due to numerous marque deals closing.
“A more sustainable recovery in travel will intensify the largest challenge faced by many investors of successfully deploying capital into investment grade products across the region. We remain steadfast in our conviction that total Asia Pacific hotel investment volume will cross the USD10 billion mark despite the scarcity of assets coupled with macro and geopolitical headwinds that will continue to influence capital activity,” commented JLL’s CEO, Asia Pacific, Mike Batchelor.
Country highlights, based on JLL analysis and research, include:
Australia: Transaction volumes in Australia were relatively muted over the first half of 2022 and down 66.0% on the first half of 2021 volumes. According to JLL, approximately USD700 million of deals have been exchanged but not yet settled, which will drive transaction volumes over the remainder of the year. Investors also remain eager to deploy capital into hotel assets in Australia and New Zealand with a ‘flight-to-quality’ strategy or in mid-market properties where active asset management or conversion of use can drive notable returns.
China: Year-on-year hotel transaction volume decreased by 43.8% due to strict lockdown measures in many cities due to a resurgence of Covid cases in China, with many hotel transaction activities likely delayed to the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023. JLL expects the combined impact of China’s “Three Red Lines” and “zero-Covid” policies to result in further price reductions of hotel assets and forecasts China’s hotel transaction volume to total approximately $2 billion in 2022.
Japan: The market has seen a remarkable recovery in the first half of 2022, with the key Japan metros tracked by JLL up 91% for the year-to-date 2022 versus the same time last year. Investors remain steadfast in acquiring hotel assets in Japan due to an expectation of strong domestic and international tourism demand due to the recent devaluation of the Japanese Yen. Against the backdrop of global rate hikes, Japan’s debt financing environment remains attractive to investors. As such, JLL expects the country’s transaction volumes to remain strong for the remainder of the year.
Singapore: As one of the first countries to lift most travel restrictions in Asia, Singapore has bounced back the quickest, with year-to-date transaction volumes close to $900 million crossing pre-pandemic levels. Transactions have been most active in the mid-market space, where investors identified opportunities to convert properties into co-living products to boost performance.
Thailand: According to JLL, more hotels are entering the market as sellers are under increasing pressure to sell. While buyers are actively looking, they are opportunistic in their pricing and more conservative when making offers on properties. Numerous private equity funds and family offices are currently active in the Thailand hotel market, and JLL is seeing an increase in foreign interest with the lifting of travel restrictions. JLL forecasts transaction volumes to reach nearly $300 million for full-year 2022.
Maldives: The market demonstrated its resilience in 2021 as a global gateway resort destination, with hotels generally performing better than in 2019, despite the notable absence of Asian demand for much of the year. That momentum has carried over to 2022, and in turn, the market has continued to attract the interest of investors from Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Overall, we are forecasting higher investment volumes this year on the back of marquee sales such as the W Maldives and Sheraton Full Moon Resort, with more sales currently underway for the second half of the year.
JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm specialising in real estate and investment management.
GENEVA, 18 July 2022: A premature return to pre-pandemic slot use rules in the EU this winter (October to March timetable) will risk continued passenger disruptions, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warns in a recent media statement.
The European Commission has announced it intends to return to the longstanding 80-20 slot use rule, which requires airlines to operate at least 80% of every planned slot sequence.
Global slot rules are an effective system for managing access to and using scarce capacity at airports. The system has stood the test of time. While airlines are keen to restart services, the failure of several key airports to accommodate demand and increasing air traffic control delays means a premature return to the 80-20 rule could lead to further passenger disruption.
The evidence this summer has not been encouraging, says IATA in the statement. Airports had the 2022 summer season schedules and final slot holdings in January and didn’t evaluate how to manage this in time. Airports declaring that full capacity is available and requiring airlines to make cuts this summer show the system is not ready for reviving “normal” slot use this winter season (which begins at the end of October). “The chaos we have seen at certain airports this summer has occurred with a slot use threshold of 64%. We are worried that airports will not be ready in time to service an 80% threshold by the end of October. The Member States and Parliament must adjust the Commission’s proposal to a realistic level and permit flexibility to the slot use rules. Airports are equal partners in the slot process. Let them demonstrate their ability to declare and manage their capacity accurately and competently and then restore the slot use next summer,” said IATA’s director general, Willie Walsh.
