Vistara fares inspire summer travel

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April 20, 2022

NEW DELHI, 20 April 2022: India’s full-service airline Vistara launched its ‘Summertime Sale’ across its domestic and international network on Tuesday with fares across all three classes – economy, premium economy and business.

Domestic bookings up for grabs until 2359 on 21 April come with one-way all-inclusive fares starting at INR2,499 for economy class, INR3,459 for premium economy and INR9,999 for business.

Fares on international routes are open for purchase until 2359, 25 April. All-inclusive return fares start at INR12,999 for economy class, INR17,249 for premium economy and INR35,549 for business. All fares are inclusive of taxes, for travel between 20 June and 30 September 2022.

DOMESTIC: SAMPLE ONE-WAY ALL-IN PROMOTIONAL FARES (IN INR)
FROM	TO	Economy	Premium Economy	Business Class
Delhi	Dehradun	2,499	N/A	N/A
Delhi	Chandigarh	2,519	3,459	14,439
Delhi	Lucknow	2,939	3,939	9,999
Mumbai	Chandigarh	4,149	5,449	16,159
Udaipur	Delhi	2,969	3,959	14,839
Delhi	Amritsar	3,089	4,179	12,409
Delhi	Leh	3,089	3,929	12,849
Delhi	Srinagar	3,089	4,169	14,429
Mumbai	Varanasi	3,939	4,799	23,419
Delhi	Varanasi	3,529	4,609	12,369
Mumbai	Goa	2,929	3,929	15,669
Delhi	Kochi	5,059	6,029	27,249
Delhi	Goa	4,609	5,559	25,819
Mumbai	Bengaluru	3,519	4,879	16,659
Delhi	Kolkata	4,159	5,079	25,239
** Above fares are exclusive of convenience fees

** To view the exhaustive list of domestic discounted fares, click here

INTERNATIONAL: SAMPLE ALL-IN RETURN PROMOTIONAL FARES (IN INR)
FROM	TO	Economy	Premium Economy	Business Class
Delhi	Kathmandu	12,999	17,249	43,099
Mumbai	Colombo	22,649	30,099	35,549
Delhi	Dhaka	14,399	24,299	68,799
Delhi	Singapore	18,449	27,599	70,349
Mumbai	Dubai	20,849	28,549	60,149

** To view the full list of international discounted fares, click here

Bookings are now open on Vistara’s website, iOS and Android mobile apps, at Vistara’s Airport Ticket Offices (ATOs), through the airline’s call centre, and online travel agencies (OTAs).

Myanmar starts reopening phase

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TTR WEEKLY

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April 20, 2022

YANGON, 20 April 2022: Myanmar makes the first moves to reopen international commercial flights at Yangon Internation Airport this week, according to a press statement released by Myanmar Tourism Marketing, a privately funded not-for-profit organization.

The country has been closed for more than two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a military coup that overthrew the elected government on 1 February 2021. Reopening Yangon’s airport to international flights will enable overseas Myanmar people to connect with their families.

The Myanmar Tourism Marketing statement said it is now possible for international business and leisure travellers to visit the country if they are full vaccinated and meet the criteria to secure an online e-visa.

International business travellers and tourists will be able to apply online for a business e-visa or tourist e-visa through the website www.evisa.moip.gov.mm.

Fully vaccinated travellers will be required to show a negative PCR test before arrival, pre-arrange a private transfer on arrival and stay for one night in hotel quarantine while waiting for the results of their in-country PCR test.

International travellers are also required to purchase Myanmar health insurance that covers Covid-19 (starting price USD50 for insurance valid for 15 days). If the in-country test is positive, the health insurance covers the additional cost of hotel quarantine and hospital fees according to requirements by the health authorities for a maximum of USD4,500

Travel downsides

MTM confirms cash withdrawals from ATMs in Myanmar are not possible at the moment, and businesses do not accept international credit cards. Travellers must pre-arrange their trip to Myanmar through a travel agency and bring lots of cash to cover the entire holiday costs.

There are also very few airlines ready to risk resuming services to Yangon. Travel demand in and out of the country has hit ground zero mainly due to security risks, the Covid-19 threat and negative travel sentiments shared by international travellers on social media.

Air Asia is the first international airline to announce a new flight schedule to Yangon International Airport. Starting from 13 May 2022, Air Asia will fly weekly from Kuala Lumpur.

Despite military junta efforts to present a rosy tourism picture that suggests airlines are eager to resume flights, international travellers will have doubts about their safety. They will also fear that their tourism dollars will help prop up a military junta that has arrested and imprisoned thousands of innocent people without trial. If the military junta released those detained without trial, it might send a conciliatory message to travellers who have vowed to give the country a wide berth. Until there is a return to full democracy and a scaling back of the military-led violence, Myanmar will remain off the travel radar, particularly for travellers who follow their conscience and adopt responsible travel principles as benchmarks.

About Myanmar Tourism Marketing

Myanmar Tourism Marketing (MTM) is a privately funded, not-for-profit organization that aims to promote Myanmar as a sustainable tourism destination that can be visited the whole year-round.

Tourism Malaysia banks on Indians to rescue tourism

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TTR WEEKLY

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April 20, 2022

NEW DELHI, 20 April 2022: Tourism Malaysia embarks this week on its first overseas roadshow to six major cities in India after a two-year break in international promotions due to strict Covid-19 sanctions that were lifted earlier this month.

The roadshow kicks off in Delhi, followed by Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Chennai. The sales mission is headed by Tourism Malaysia’s senior director of international promotions (Asia & Africa), Manoharan Periasamy. The delegation includes three Malaysia-based airlines, 22 travel agents, four hoteliers, and four product owners, according to the media statement.

India remains and has been one of the top market sources for Malaysia and has contributed 735,309 arrivals (+22%) in 2019.

Since Malaysia reopened its borders 1 April, for quarantine-free travel, fully-vaccinated international travellers need to provide a negative RT-PCR test two days before departure and travellers must undergo professionally administered RTK-Ag within 24 hours upon arrival in Malaysia.

Currently, Malaysia eVISA can be applied online, and more than 14,000 seats are offered weekly between India and Malaysia through Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, AirAsia, IndiGo, and Air India Express.

Bamboo names sales rep

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TTR WEEKLY

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April 19, 2022

SINGAPORE, 19 April 2022: Bamboo Airways has appointed TAL Aviation Group as its sales representative in France and the Benelux countries as the airline plans a new service to Paris.

The TAL Aviation France and Benelux teams will provide Bamboo Airways with distribution, sales, reservations and marketing for the upcoming launch of roundtrip flights from Vietnam to France.

The airline will use a Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 to serve Paris later this year. It launched its first flights to the UK in March, serving the Hanoi -London Heathrow route. It also started flights from Hanoi to Frankfurt in Germany in late February with a twice-weekly service and has flown “special flights” to Poland to repatriate Vietnamese citizens who had visited or were residents in Ukraine.

“We are pleased to be a part of Bamboo Airways’ plans of expansion. Our new partner is in good stead, led by our French team who has hands-on experience in developing a new product in the market,” commented Nissim Sagis, TAL Aviation’s Chief Commercial Officer.

Bamboo Airways, a member of the FLC Group, was officially established in 2017. The airline signed an agreement to purchase 24 A321NEO aircraft valued at USD3.1 billion a year later, followed by a contract to purchase 20 new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft worth USD5.6 billion.

TAL Aviation is a global airline, travel & tourism representation organisation with 35 offices covering 50 countries throughout Europe, Asia, the Pacific and the Americas.

It has representation, distribution and sales agreements with 30 international airlines.

Thai AirAsia flies to Bali

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TTR WEEKLY

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April 19, 2022

BANGKOK, 19 April 2022: Thai AirAsia revived flights to Bali Ngurah Rai Airport, last week carrying 128 passengers on the inaugural after a two-year pause.

The four-hour direct flight departs Bangkok at 0615 on Tuesday and Saturday arrives in Bali at 1130.

*Caption: Thai AirAsia resumes flights to Bali twice weekly.*

Thailand is now the third Southeast Asia country with a direct air link with Bali, after Singapore and Malaysia. Flights will start soon between Ho Chi Minh City and Bali on VietJet Airways.

Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport is now directly connected to nine destinations: Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Doha, Istanbul, Perth, and Bangkok. The Bali flights to these cities are flown by Garuda Indonesia, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Jetstar Asia, Scoot, KLM, Jetstar, AirAsia, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Thailand AirAsia.

(Source: Bali Update)

International flights return to Sabah

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TTR WEEKLY

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April 19, 2022

KOTA KINABALU, 19 April 2022: Singapore will continue to be a key market and an important hub for Sabah following the return of direct international flights between the city-state and Kota Kinabalu.

Sabah’s Kinabalu International Airport welcomed its first international flight with a water cannon salute after an absence of two years. The AirAsia aircraft (Flight AK1794) landed from Singapore on Saturday carrying 119 passengers, of which 30% were Singaporeans.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai was on hand to greet them upon their arrival.

“I would like to commend AirAsia for being the first airline to reopen international flights for Sabah…this is a momentous occasion for all involved.

“Singapore is a very important market to Sabah as it has been our focus market for many years now, and it is also a highly important hub for Sabah as it connects out other focus markets around the world into Sabah,” he said.

Noting Singaporeans’ love of nature, diving, and adventure, Joniston said Singaporeans can now look forward to travelling to Sabah and indulging in their passions once more with the reinstatement of the Singapore – Kota Kinabalu route.

Joniston said his ministry, through the Sabah Tourism Board, planned several promotional initiatives to entice Singaporeans to return to Sabah.

From 22 to 28 April, Sabah Tourism Board and Sabah’s tourism industry players will join the Travel Malaysia Digital Fair to kick-start promotions.

“Through this Fair, the Singaporean consumers will be presented with a selection of tourism products and stays. We received strong support from the Sabah industry players as well, whereby they highlight their popular packages such as wildlife, nature, and adventure.

“Looking back to a pre-pandemic time, the fair has managed to attract many Singaporeans to Sabah, and we are confident this trend will return as currently, enquiries from Singapore regarding Sabah tourism packages have already started to pour in,” said Joniston.

The Smart Locals, one of Singapore’s leading online publishers, will link the event’s platform to a Sabah digital campaign to help the state’s tourism players succeed at the Travel Malaysia Digital Fair, he added.

According to Joniston, the low-cost carrier AirAsia has been an important contributor to Sabah’s economy through tourism and hospitality since its presence in 2001.

“I am pleased to learn that AirAsia has expanded its offerings beyond flights and is now home to several thriving e-commerce ventures, namely its one-stop platform, the AirAsia Super App.

“In line with the transition to an endemic phase, I believe that this resumption of international flights comes at the right time for both tourists and locals in Sabah, who have been excitedly anticipating and planning their travels,” he said.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Sabah received 126,000 passengers through Singapore, with 34,000 Singaporean travellers.

Meanwhile, AirAsia (airlines) chief commercial officer Tan Mai Yin stated that the airline is currently operating thrice-weekly flights between Singapore and Kota Kinabalu, with daily flights beginning on 29 April.

“We are also reviewing direct flights from Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia to Kota Kinabalu. We are excited about this, and we will announce a further update,” she said.

Tan added that they expected the direct route from Thailand and the Philippines to begin in the first half of this year, with the rest following in the second half.

Present at the event were the state’s tourism ministry Permanent Secretary Datuk Mohd Yusrie Abdullah; Tourism Malaysia Deputy Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Anil Jeet Singh Sandhu; Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman; and Tourism Malaysia Sabah director Ednie Rahma Ab Rahim, among others.

For more information visit https://www.sabahtourism.com/?locale=en

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)

Tourism players support Ukraine

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TTR WEEKLY

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April 19, 2022

LONDON, 19 April 2022: Travel & tourism businesses worldwide are coming together to support Ukraine with millions of hotel rooms for refugees escaping the conflict, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

WTTC members such as Accor, Airbnb, Carnival Corporation, the European Travel Commission, Expedia, Hilton, InterContinental Hotels Group, Internova Travel Group, Marriott International, MSC Cruises, Radisson, and Uber, to name just a few, have opened their doors to refugees in neighbouring countries donating rooms, transport, clothing, food, shelter, urgent supplies and financial contributions.

In Ukraine, hotels that remain open are centres for charities and those stranded by the conflict.

Businesses across the global travel & tourism sector, including airports, airlines, cruise lines, and tour operators, are going to extraordinary lengths to help alleviate the suffering of those affected.

This invasion has caused the biggest displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War.

In addition to providing urgently needed accommodation, businesses large and small have made multi-million-pound donations to disaster relief funds which have been supplemented by individual fund-raising initiatives.

WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson said: “There has been an outpouring of support from Travel & Tourism companies across the globe. Hotels have opened their doors to receive refugees, and in Ukraine, teams on the ground are keeping hotels open for aid agencies and those stranded and desperate.

“Cruise lines and airlines have transported supplies, and across the board, the response has been incredible, and I salute the courage of teams on the ground.

“WTTC and our Members stand for peace and respecting the national sovereignty of every nation, and our hearts go out to all those who are suffering from this brutal invasion.”

Many companies around the world have generously matched their employees’ contributions to support charities providing help through emergency aid and essential supplies.

Temporary accommodation has been arranged thanks to generous travel & tourism employees opening their homes to provide emergency shelter. And Airbnb came up with creative solutions to get money into the hands of local people.

Much needed medical, and hospital supplies have also been provided by businesses’ donations through various charities around the world.

WTTC and the Global travel & tourism sector are united to help those affected by this crisis.

Train to Lao Cai makes a comeback

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TTR WEEKLY

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April 19, 2022

HANOI, 19 April 2022: Train travel reopens for tourists this week on the route from Hanoi to Lao Cai, the gateway town to Sapa, one of the top attractions in northern Vietnam for adventure travellers.

According to a recent Vietnam News Agency report, Hanoi Railway Transport JSC will resume trains between Hanoi and Lao Cai to support travel during the national holidays from 30 April to 1 May. It will reopen the hilltop resort town of Sapa for domestic travellers after more than a year-long pause.

From Hanoi, train SP3 will depart at 2200 on 29 and 30 April, arriving at Lao Cai station at 0605 on the following morning. Visitors can then travel to the high-country resort town of Sapa by bus or taxi.

The return train trip SP4 will depart Lao Cai station at 0940 on 2 and 3 May 2, arriving in Hanoi at 1730.

Train service between Hanoi and Lao Cai has been suspended since 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sapa resort is located on a mountain ridge overlooking Lao Cai, which is on the border with China. It is noted for its adventure tourism, treks, and ethnic minority market.

(Source: VNAT and VNA)

Emirates ramps up global operations

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TTR WEEKLY

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April 19, 2022

SINGAPORE, 19 April 2022: Emirates will ramp up its global operations with the restart of services to four destinations, including Bali (1 May), London Stansted (1 August), Rio de Janeiro (2 November), and Buenos Aires (2 November).

The airline has also announced it will boost services to Nigeria, Mauritius and Singapore to serve market demand. In line with the easing of travel restrictions worldwide, Emirates continues to rebuild and expand its global network to meet travel demand.

Returning to Bali, London Stansted, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires

Starting from 1 May 2022 Emirates will operate five weekly flights to Bali, using a two-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The airline will also scale up its operations from 1 July 2022 to serve the island destination with a daily service. With its spectacular mountains, picturesque beaches and cultural appeal, Bali is considered to be a world-leading tourist destination.

Starting from 1 August 2022, Emirates will resume flight operations to London Stansted with five weekly flights, using Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with the ‘Game Changer’ first-class product. From 1 September, the airline will introduce a daily flight, and by October 2022, the airline will serve the UK with 110 weekly flights, including six times daily to London Heathrow; 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 (with the fifth weekly flight starting from 1 July 2022); and a daily service to Glasgow.

Emirates will operate four weekly flights to Buenos Aires via Rio de Janeiro on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from 2 November 2022 – offering customers from Argentina and Brazil direct connectivity to popular business and leisure destinations across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. From 1 February 2023, Emirates will scale up its operations to a daily service, offering customers greater convenience, choice and flexibility while planning their travel.

Boosting operations to Nigeria, Mauritius and Singapore

The airline will also ramp up its services to Lagos, Nigeria, with 11 weekly flights starting from 1 July 2022 and double daily service starting from 1 September 2022 – taking the airline’s services to pre-pandemic levels. Emirates will also increase its services to Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, to offer five weekly flights starting 1 May 2022 and then a daily service from 1 September 2022.

In line with rising demand, the airline will be scaling up flights to Mauritius from daily to nine weekly flights between 9 April 2022 and the end of June 2022 and then moving up to double daily flights from July 2022. Emirates’ second daily flight will provide an important boost to tourism to the Indian Ocean destination, which has now relaxed entry restrictions for travellers. Under the codeshare agreement with Air Mauritius, customers of both airlines can enjoy greater access and seamless connectivity to and from the island nation.

The airline will also increase passenger services to Singapore from seven weekly flights to 14 weekly flights, starting on 23 June 2022. The added service will meet the increased demand for travel since the country safely reopened to international tourists and eased travel restrictions.

Fly better to more than 130 destinations with Emirates

With the resumption of services to four more destinations, Emirates’ network will span more than 130 destinations across six continents. The airline continues to place top priority on safe travel with the implementation of a comprehensive set of measures on the ground throughout all touchpoints and onboard to provide its passengers with the highest safety and hygiene standards at every step of the journey. Customers travelling from Dubai can also take advantage of state of the art contactless technology to ease their journey through the airport.

Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Office, via travel agents or through online travel agents.

Easy entry rules boost Philippine arrivals

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TTR WEEKLY

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April 19, 2022

MANILA, 19 April 2022: Tourist arrivals to the Philippines reached 202,700 as of last week, according to the Department of Tourism’s latest count.

Based on the data generated from the One Health Pass that contains passenger and flight details, foreign arrivals from the US topped the list with 43,744 visitors since the country reopened its borders to foreign leisure tourists in February.

Canada followed with 9,618; the UK with 9,315; South Korea with 8,440; and Australia with 8,212 tourists.

DOT Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said the latest figures, following the sustained reopening of borders and loosening of travel restrictions, are a good measure of the industry’s success in its preparations under the new normal.

“Our high vaccination rate among tourism workers and low reported cases around the country have helped restore the confidence of travellers to visit the Philippines during the summer season,” Puyat said in a media statement released last Friday.

“This continued growth shall aid our stakeholders, as well as the economy, in recovering from the effects caused by the pandemic,” she added.

The Philippines still has one of the simplest and most relaxed travel restrictions, according to Puyat, following the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) move to allow the use of rapid antigen tests as entry requirements for travellers on the condition that this should be administered and certified by a health care professional in a health care facility, laboratory, clinic, pharmacy, or other similar establishments for purposes of entry, testing, and quarantine protocols.

Puyat likewise lauded the IATF-EID’s decision to expand the list of accepted and recognized national Covid-19 vaccination certificates, which now includes Bangladesh, Mexico, Pakistan, and the Slovak Republic.

(Source: Philippines News Agency)

Vistara fares inspire summer travel

Myanmar starts reopening phase

Tourism Malaysia banks on Indians to rescue tourism

Bamboo names sales rep

Thai AirAsia flies to Bali

International flights return to Sabah

Tourism players support Ukraine

Train to Lao Cai makes a comeback

Emirates ramps up global operations

Easy entry rules boost Philippine arrivals

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