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Talent search shapes up for jazz festival

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUCHING, 4 April 2022: Borneo Jazz Festival 2022, now in its 16th year, announces a Nationwide Borneo Jazz Talent Search, providing an opportunity for aspiring musicians between 15 to 30 years from all over Malaysia, Brunei and Kalimantan to participate, with categories for Jazz and DJs.

Winners of Borneo Jazz Talent Search 2022 will not only win cash prizes but will also have the opportunity to attend a MasterClass by an international band on 24 June in Miri, Sarawak, and to perform at the Borneo Jazz Festival Stage on 25 June 2022.

The Borneo Jazz Talent Search Call For Entry closes for submissions on 30 April 2022.

There will be four prizes awarded – “1st Prize”, “2nd Prize”, “3rd Prize” and “Best Original Composition”, with cash prizes worth more than MYR10,000 to be given away.

A jury panel comprising renowned international and Malaysian artists will evaluate participants based on originality, creativity, musicality, stage presence and interactivity.

Interested groups must submit a high-quality performance video of the required repertoire and duration, a written solo artist/band profile and a high-resolution photo on or before 30 April. Successful participants will be informed via email.

Email information no later than 1700 30 April 2022 to: [email protected].

For more information on Sarawak’s attractions visit: https://sarawaktourism.com/

Tourism Malaysia rolls out promotions

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TTR WEEKLY
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PUTRAJAYA, 4 April 2022: After Malaysia’s borders reopened on 1 April to international travellers, Tourism Malaysia said it was ready to re-embark on a global advertising campaign by leveraging the ‘Malaysia, Truly Asia’ branding to boost inbound tourism while domestic tourism would continue to drive recovery in the short-term.

With more than 100 promotional activities lined up to increase visibility, the online and offline promotional strategies will be conducted via smart partnerships, networking sessions, seminars, webinars, roadshows, joint promotions, and familiarisation trips through a global network of 30 Tourism Malaysia offices worldwide as well as six marketing representatives abroad.

Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri said: “The full reopening of borders is indeed a huge relief for the tourism industry as we welcome more international tourists, newcomers and regulars alike, to further boost our economy.

“Therefore, we hope for a strong rebound in our market as the border reopening will open doors for the tourism revival to bolster recovery. We are targeting to attract 2 million international tourist arrivals this year with more than MYR8.6 billion in tourism receipts.”

She made the comments after greeting international passengers of Etihad Airways at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Friday.

More than 110 international flights landed in Malaysia on the reopening day at both KLIA and KLIA 2.

Malaysia set up Langkawi International Travel Bubble (LITB) to kick-start international travel on 15 November 2021. This pilot scheme drew 5,800 visitors from abroad and generated more than MYR28 million during the first three-month.

As of 18 March 2022, LITB has successfully registered 9,196 international arrivals, with the top 10 tourist generating markets coming from the UK (948), USA (692), Australia (639), Germany (433), Yemen (421), Indonesia (371), South Korea (347), Thailand (343), Sweden (286), and Saudi Arabia (221).

Before the pandemic, Malaysia registered 26.1 million tourist arrivals and MYR86.14 billion tourist receipts, placing it among the major tourism destinations of the world.

About Tourism Malaysia

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia. It focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination.

(SOURCE: Tourism Malaysia)

Qantas says thanks a million

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK 4 April 2022: Qantas is offering discounted economy and business fares for travellers from Thailand to Australia as part of its ‘Thanks a Million’ campaign that expires one minute to midnight on 6 April.

The deal was introduced on 31 March, giving travellers just a week to sort, make up their minds and buy before the sales window shuts.

Economy fares are valid for travel to Australia (Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne) from 3 to 16 April, 2 May to 29 June, 15 August to 21 September and 24 October to 30 November 2022.

Travellers gain a baggage allowance of 30 kg with no limit on the number of pieces.

Destination All-in economy fares from:
Sydney THB 20,130
Adelaide (via Sydney) THB 21,275
Brisbane (via Sydney) THB 21,375
Melbourne (via Sydney) THB 21,065

Business fares are valid for travel to Australia (Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne) from 22 April 2022 to 28 February 2023. The baggage allowance is 40kg with no limit on the number of pieces.

Destination All-in business fares from:
Sydney THB 80,130
Adelaide (via Sydney) THB 81,275
Brisbane (via Sydney) THB 81,375
Melbourne (via Sydney) THB 81,065

Duration of stay cannot exceed 12 months after departure date from Thailand. Economy and business fares are inclusive of airport taxes, service fees and other surcharges. Fares can be purchased online at the airline office, via qantas.com or from preferred travel agents.

As of 0001 (AEST) on Monday, 18 April 2022, travellers will no longer need to present pre-departure test results to enter Australia. However, they will still be required to provide proof of double vaccination against Covid-19 as per Australian Government Department of Health regulations.

Currently, Qantas operates flights between Bangkok and Sydney on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday using an Airbus A330 aircraft.

TripAdmit wins Jazeera Airways contract

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUWAIT, 4 April 2022: Jazeera Airways adopts a TripAdmit white-label solution to sell tours to more than 30 destinations served by the Middle East airline.

Jazeera Airways is the latest airline to join TripAdmit’s portfolio of airline and travel partnerships worldwide. Once customers have made a flight booking, they will be sent a link on their flight confirmation to allow them to view tours and experiences available for their destination and make a booking.

With countries now opening their borders and welcoming travellers, the demand for tours and experiences is growing. Using TripAdmit’s booking software, the Kuwaiti airline plans to increase ancillary revenue by providing customers with tours and activities when booking their flights.

TripAdmit’s technology connects activity providers with travellers and distribution partners, which include airlines, online travel agents, hotels, campsites and more. The TripAdmit distribution network connects distribution partners with 50,000 experiences in more than 100 countries globally.

About Jazeera Airways

Jazeera Airways operates commercial and cargo flights out of its Jazeera Terminal T5 at Kuwait International Airport. It flies to over 45 popular destinations across the Middle East, Central & South Asia, Africa and Europe, comprising high-demand business, leisure and weekend destinations.

Marriott’s top brands expand in Vietnam

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 1 April 2022: With the recent reopening of Vietnam’s borders, Marriott International confirms an additional pipeline of 30 hotels that will add nearly 9,000 rooms in key brands across the Southeast Asian country.

“Vietnam experienced impressive pre-pandemic economic growth driven in part by coordinated development policies and the strong investment in infrastructure,” said Marriott International Asia Pacific president (excluding Greater China) Rajeev Menon.

“Our growth in Vietnam reflects the trust our local owners and franchisees continue to have in Marriott International, and we look forward to presenting them with opportunities to leverage our comprehensive portfolio of 30 brands, as well as our strong distribution network.”

No timelines were announced for the properties in the Vietnam pipeline.

Key Marriott brands flag properties 

Marriott’s Sheraton Hotels & Resorts brand anticipates opening properties in several destinations across Vietnam, including Phu Quoc Island, Halong Bay, Dalat and Binh Chau.

Renaissance Hotels will open in Danang along with Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts planning openings in both Danang and Cam Ranh. The flagship Marriott Hotels brand is expected to debut in Hanoi, and Hoi An, while Westin will open in Hanoi and Cam Ranh.

Marriott International currently operates 10 properties in Vietnam, comprising 3,294 rooms and spanning six of the company’s brands. These hotels and resorts are located across six key business and leisure destinations, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Binh Duong.

Changi embarks on a path to full recovery

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE: The reopening of Singapore’s borders to fully-vaccinated travellers on Friday (1 April) signals recovery for Changi Airport, but travellers should be prepared for some hassles as some health measures will remain in place.

Friday 1 April marks the gradual easing of Covid-19 protocols at Southeast Asia’s leading aviation hub as fully vaccinated international travellers can visit Singapore without quarantine and on-arrival tests.

Airport officials say they are confident they can bring back the renowned “Changi experience” for passengers, but they warned some administrative hassles might remain in the short term.

For example, departing passengers should reach the airport two and half hours before their flights to allow enough time for checks on documents such as vaccination and pre-departure test certificates.

Yahoo News quoted Singapore’s Minister of Transport S Iswaran urging Singaporeans “to take such inconveniences in their stride as the city-state tries to resume normal air travelling and revive its aviation industry amid the pandemic.”

In the meantime, arrival procedures at Changi Airport will be eased significantly for the first time in two years. Passengers can roam freely through terminals 1 and 3, as well as the Changi Jewel entertainment and retail complex.

As there is no need for arriving passengers to do on-arrival testing starting today (Friday), fully-vaccinated passengers can now meet their family and friends at the arrival halls after collecting their luggage.

Passengers can also take public buses or the MRT from the airport, in addition to taxis, private-hire cars and personal transport.

Fully-vaccinated passengers can start to shop or dine again at outlets in the terminals and Changi Jewel. The airport authorities said 65% of the shops at the transit areas of Terminals 1 and 3 are open.

As passenger capacity is gradually ramping up, Iswaran suggested Terminal 2 would “progressively open” this year, while Terminal 4 could be activated on short notice if needed.

Passenger arrivals

For the first two months of 2022, Changi registered 1.42 million passenger movements, 13% of pre-Covid levels for the same period.

Changi reported Just 3 million passenger movements in 2021, compared to 68 million in 2019, before the pandemic.

As of March 2022, 81 airlines operate over 2,800 weekly flights – including passenger and cargo services – with connections from Changi Airport to 116 cities across 46 countries/regions. It compares to 91 airlines operating 7,480 weekly flights in March 2019 to 164 cities across 48 countries/regions.

The Maldives trains travel agency specialists

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 1 April 2022: Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation, branded Visit Maldives, teams up with Pacific World Travel to launch an e-learning programme for Southeast Asian travel agents.

The programme runs through to 28 March 2023 and uses Pacific World Travel’s sales and marketing network across Southeast Asia.

The joint e-learning programme will promote the Maldives as a preferred and safe tourist destination targeting the Southeast Asian outbound travel market.

A dedicated website provides the e-learning sessions featuring the latest information about the Maldives for travel trade professionals recruited from Pacific World Travel’s tour operators and travel agents network.

Over 600 travel partners linked to Pacific World Travel will participate in the initial programme, with the reach extending to more than 3000 travel partners over one year.

The e-learning programme covers three modules, with the first module covering basic destination information, followed by module two focusing on identifying and presenting the selling points of the destination. In contrast, the last module covers the latest travel guidelines, Covid-19 measures and updates.

The Maldives has also eased travel restrictions to allow visitors to enter the country without presenting a Covid-19 PCR negative result on arrival as long as travellers are fully vaccinated.

Ascott: Go direct earn more points

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 1 April 2022: Travellers booking stays at Ascott properties through direct channels earn more loyalty points rising through the loyalty ranks to platinum status.

Now in its third year, Ascott Star Rewards’ offers 35% more points and fast tracks membership upgrades to the platinum tier when bookings are made through various direct channels. They include Ascott’s reservation offices via email, phone calls and WeChat, and authorised travel agents.

Members can also earn points for walk-in bookings at more than 400 ASR participating properties in over 130 cities across more than 30 countries. These channels are in addition to Ascott’s booking website and mobile app.

Ascott’s managing director for Brand and Marketing, Tan Bee Leng said: “There is no cap to ASR points earned, no minimum points redemption and no blackout dates for redemption. Our ASR members enjoy maximum flexibility and convenience when using their points. Since its launch in 2019, ASR members contribute about 90% of Ascott’s direct bookings online, and about 50% of ASR members are repeat guests.”

Princess opens sales for South America cruises

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 1 April 2022: From the origin of the tango to the home of coffee and the rugged landscape of the most isolated continent on earth, Princess Cruises has announced its diverse programme offerings for the 2023-2024 South America and Antarctica season.

On sale April 6 2022, Sapphire Princess returns to this exotic region to visit 19 destinations in 10 countries on five unique itineraries.

With 10 departures, ranging in length from 14- to 34-days, Sapphire Princess cruises offer guests the experience of sailing to Cape Horn – where the Pacific meets the Atlantic – to the Chilean Fjords, stunning mountains of Patagonia, the Falkland Islands’ famous penguins and the mystic waters of remote Antarctica. Cruise options include:

Cape Horn & Strait of Magellan – 14 Days – 3 Voyages

  • Overnight in Buenos Aires, including scenic cruising of the spectacular Amalia Glacier
  • Depart from Buenos Aires (overnight), Montevideo, Puerto Madryn, Falkland Islands (Stanley), Cape Horn scenic cruising, Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), Punta Arenas, Amalia Glacier scenic cruising, Puerto Montt and arrive in Santiago
  • February 5 and March 4, 2024; reverse itinerary on February 19 2024

Antarctica & Cape Horn – 16 Days – 3 Voyages

  • Featuring four days of cruising the Antarctica region with views of Elephant Island, Antarctic Sound and Gerlache Strait
  • Sail from Santiago to Punta Arenas, Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), Cape Horn scenic cruising, Antarctic Peninsula scenic cruising (Elephant Island, Antarctic Sound, Deception Island, Gerlache Strait, Neumayer Channel, South Shetland Islands and Admiralty Bay), Falkland Islands (Stanley), Montevideo and arrive in Buenos Aires.
  • December 19, 2023, January 20, 2024; reverse itinerary on January 4 2024

Andes & South America – 18 Days – 2 Voyages

  • Overnight in Lima (Callao), Peru, with an optional overland land tour to UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu
  • Depart Los Angeles and sail to Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Manta, Lima (overnight), Pisco (General San Martin), La Serena (Coquimbo), and arrive in Santiago – on December 1 2023
  • Depart Santiago, La Serena, Pisco, Lima (overnight), Manta, Costa Rica, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Los Angeles – 18 March, 2024

Grand Adventures – 32 or 34 Days – 2 Voyages

  • Overnight in Bueno Aires and Lima
  • Antarctica, Andes & Cape Horn Grand Adventure (34 days): Sail from Los Angeles, Costa Rica, Manta, Lima (overnight), Pisco, La Serena, Santiago, Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Cape Horn scenic cruising, Antarctic Peninsula scenic cruising (Elephant Island, Antarctic Sound, Deception Island, Gerlache Strait, Neumayer Channel, South Shetland Islands and Admiralty Bay), Falkland Islands, Montevideo and arrive Buenos Aires – departs December 1, 2023
  • Andes & Cape Horn Grand Adventure (32 Days): Depart Bueno Aires (overnight) to Montevideo, Puerto Madryn, Falkland Islands, Cape Horn scenic cruising, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Amalia Glacier scenic cruising, Puerto Montt, Santiago, La Serena, Pisco, Lima (overnight), Manta, Costa Rica, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Los Angeles – departs 4 March, 2024

For guests wishing to combine a land tour before or after their cruise, Princess offers two cruise tours for South America:

  • Iguazú Falls Adventure – features the thundering Iguazú Falls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a visit to Rio de Janeiro.
  • Machu Picchu Explorer – visits the ancient Inca compound, Machu Picchu, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, plus a tour of the historic city of Cusco.

Guests can enjoy the local sites, wines and cuisines in port, while Princess keeps the destinations alive on board with passionate Argentine folkloric musicians, sumptuous regional dishes and even celebrations of the famed Carnival festival with local dancers and samba classes.

In addition, the 2,670-guest Sapphire Princess offers 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 WiFi at sea, as well as stay connected with friends and family back home, work remotely anywhere on the ship, quickly post content and stream favourite movies and shows.

Sapphire Princess was previously based in Singapore from 2014 to 2020.

https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/south-america-cruises/

(Your Stories: Princess Cruises)

Frommer’s names top booking sites

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 1 April 2022: Frommer’s, a guidebook company celebrating its 65th this year, offers insights on the best hotel booking sites when planning summer vacation travel.

Earlier this week, it released the latest edition of its Best Hotel Booking Sites, saying the top 10 has been shaken considerably since the previous ranking in 2020.

Photo: https://www.frommers.com

Using a complex, weighted system involving 60 different room reservation scenarios, travel expert and analyst Reid Bramblett put booking engines through the wringer to determine which sites deliver the lowest rates, the most options, and the easiest user experience.

Frommer’s explained it involved tallying the number of choices each contender could rustle up in seven major tourist cities: Orlando, New Orleans, San Francisco, Rome, London, Bangkok, and Buenos Aires.

Then, for each city, it searched for the lowest rates each site could find at four specific downtown hotels in varying price ranges for a mid-week, shoulder-season stays three months out.

For the first time, Google tops the best list, but the search giant only narrowly edged out previous winner HotelsCombined, showing a keen ability to find the most affordable rooms.

Other heavy hitters, including Tripadvisor and Kayak, only managed middling scores when put to the Frommer’s test, ranking 5th and 7th, respectively. After falling out of the top 10 five years ago, Hotels.com clawed its way to the 10th slot, displacing Hotwire from the list entirely.

The complete top 10, along with detailed analysis, a rundown of each site’s pros and cons, and money-saving warnings about sneaky tactics and outright rip-offs, can be found at Frommers.com/BestHotelSites.

The top 10 booking sites

  1. Google.com/travel/hotels
  2. Hotelscombined.com
  3. Trivago.com
  4. Agoda.com
  5. Tripadvisor.com
  6. Booking.com
  7. Kayak.com
  8. Expedia.com
  9. Priceline.com
  10. Hotels.com

Frommer’s latest ranking of the top sites for finding affordable airfare will be updated later this year.

About Frommer’s:

One of the most venerable brands in travel, Frommer’s has been in continuous publication since the 1957 debut of Arthur Frommer’s Europe on Five Dollars a Day, which changed the way the world travelled. The Frommer’s collection of travel products has expanded to include nearly 100 award-winning guidebooks, a popular podcast.

(Source: Frommer’s)

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