BANGKOK, 10 March 2022: To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, Thai Vietjet launched its latest promotion, ‘International Women’s Day Sale, offering special fares starting from just THB 449 (inclusive of taxes and fees).
It also handed out alcohol sprays and flowers to female passengers
on flights during Wednesday, but the fare is available to everyone regardless
of gender.
Valid for travel on the airline’s entire domestic flight
network in Thailand, the low one-way fare is available for booking from now
until 14 March, with the travel period from 15 March to 30 September 30, 2022.
The fare deal is not available for travel on public holidays.
The special promotional tickets are applied to Thai
Vietjet’s entire domestic flight network in Thailand from Bangkok
(Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Hat Yai, Nakhon Si
Thammarat, Surat Thani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, and Ubon Ratchathani,
cross-country routes connecting Phuket to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Udon Thani.
It also applies to flights from Chiang Rai to Hat Yai.
HELSINKI, 10 March 2022: Finnair continues serving Shanghai and Seoul, but flights to Osaka and Hong Kong remain grounded until the end of April, the airline reported earlier this week.
Finnair updated its traffic programme in response to the closure of Russian airspace, which impacted the cost of both cargo and passenger services adding at least one hour of flying time to destinations in Asia.
Starting this 10 March, Finnair flies to Shanghai once a week on Thursdays, and as of 12 March to Seoul three times a week on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The flight routes avoid Russian airspace, and the flight time for the Shanghai and Seoul routes will be 12 to 14 hours, depending on the direction. Both routes go around the Russian airspace from the south.
“We strive to offer our customers connections between Europe
and Asia to the extent it is possible in this challenging situation,” said
Finnair’s chief commercial officer, Ole Orvér.
Avoiding the Russian airspace on flights between Europe and
Asia has considerable impacts on flight times, thus impacting fuel, personnel,
and navigation costs.
Finnair also announced earlier this week that it would
continue to fly to Tokyo, going around the Russian airspace, with four weekly
flights that started on 9 March. Finnair continues to fly to Bangkok, Delhi,
Phuket, and Singapore, avoiding Russian airspace routes.
HUA HIN, Thailand, 9 March 2022: The Centara World Masters Golf Championship has officially been confirmed for 8 to 14 May,
with the hugely popular event slotting into the 2022 golf calendar as the
biggest and richest tournament for club golfers in all of Asia.
In just a short space of time, the Centara World Masters has
become one of Asia’s most anticipated golf events. Its 2022 return, following a
two-year Covid-enforced hiatus, will be welcome news for golfers both in the
region and worldwide.
Previous editions attracted golfers from both Asia and
Oceania, as well as Iceland, France, Switzerland, Dubai, Canada and South
Africa, to give the event a truly international flavour.
Open to golfers 35 years and over, the seventh instalment of
the Centara World Masters will see prizes totalling USD30,000 up for grabs,
played across a range of age and handicap divisions – a popular format that
sees men and women golfers pitted against peers of a similar age and standard.
Across the six-day event, golfers will play the world-class
Banyan Golf Club, Black Mountain Golf Club and Springfield Royal Country Club
courses.
One of Thailand’s premier beach resort getaways, Hua Hin,
has twice won the International Association of Golf Tour Operators Award for
Asia Golf Destination of the Year (most recently in 2019).
Centara Hotels & Resorts, the tournament’s title
sponsor, is Thailand’s leading hotel operator, with six brands, ranging from
luxury island retreats and upscale family resorts to affordable lifestyle
concepts supported by innovative technology. Its 88 properties span all major
Thai destinations, plus the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Oman, Qatar and the
UAE.
Most golfers participating in the tournament will stay at
the beachfront Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas.
Rated among Asia’s top heritage hotels, this colonial grande
dame, set in vast and tropical verdant gardens by the sea, is the perfect place
to relax and be pampered and an ideal base from which to stroll to sample the
local sights and delights and to enjoy the finest courses in Thailand’s home of
golf, Hua Hin.
As past instalments have shown, it is a stunning setting for
the opening night welcome dinner, after-play 19th Hole festivities, and closing
gala presentation dinner, complete with beer, wine, soft drinks and
entertainment.
The Centara World Masters is a collaboration between
Australian-based Go Golfing, which has been hosting World Masters Golf events
around the world for 27 years, and Thailand-based Golfasian, which looks after
more golfers travelling to Asia than any other golf tour operator.
“I am delighted to bring back the Centara World Masters
and phenomenal golfing experiences in Hua Hin, Thailand,” said Golfasian
Managing Director Mark Siegel, who is also the Centara World Masters Tournament
co-director.
Siegel went on to say, “The 2022 edition will see players
from over 30 countries participate in Asia’s largest amateur golf event,
including protocols to ensure a safe and fun event for all.”
Go Golfing Founder and Centara World Masters Tournament
Co-Director Peter McCarthy said, “Go Golfing is proud to again partner with
Golfasian and Centara Hotels & Resorts, the Tourism Authority of Thailand,
Chang, Coke and other partners to present the Centara Masters.
“Most golfers have lost two years of their travels, and
we’ll be bringing a big contingent from Australia and New Zealand to join
golfers from all over the globe. Our detailed Covid Zero Plans have delivered
zero Covid cases at our six events so far this year, and the protocols for the
Centara Masters are designed to ensure this event is Covid-free.
“Big on fun, we’ve added a Teams Championship to the
program. Recruit a minimum of 5 friends or members from your club, and you’re
in with a chance to win big prizes and bragging rights.
“The best five scores from your team members will count
each day. You’ll also be able to personally design the caddy bib with your
nickname, team name or country flag. Let your personality shine.”
Centara Hotels & Resorts chief executive officer
Thirayuth Chirathivat said: “More than ever, we are proud to support the
biggest club golf tournament in Asia, as we reintroduce Thailand to the world
as a safe destination with the same warm hospitality Centara has always been
known for.
“Our iconic Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua
Hin enjoys a long-standing reputation for the highest standards of service, and
we can’t wait for the players and their families to enjoy it this May when this
wonderful week of golf and entertainment returns.”
An extensive Covid Safe plan has been specifically developed
for the event, encompassing accommodation, golf courses, catering, transport
and all service suppliers, ensuring best-practice cleaning and sanitation.
MANILA, 9 March 2022: Landlocked Quirino province, located in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon 290 km north of Manila, updated entry requirements 3 March to ease entry for all travellers, Tourism Philippines reported.
Fully vaccinated travellers – The second dose must have been administered for at least two weeks before their trip. – Valid ID. – Vaccination card or certificate from VaxCertPH. – Confirmed booking with Department of Tourism-accredited tour operator or accommodation (for overnight travellers).
Partially vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers – Valid ID. – Negative antigen test result (valid within 48 hours of extraction). – Confirmed booking with Department of Tourism-accredited tour operator or accommodation (for overnight travellers).
Quirino signature attractions Ganano Falls, Governor’s Rapids, and wakeboarding in Cabarroguis. For more information, visit the website: https://quirino.gov.ph/
How to get there
AIR CEBU PACIFIC: Flies once or twice daily to Cauayan City, Isabela. Fares range from USD26 to USD150, depending on promotions. The flight time is just over one hour.
Cauayan City Airport to Cabarroguis, Quirino is
approximately one hour and 30 minutes by private transport or visitors can
board Bus/Van to Santiago City where there are vans bound for Maddela passing
through the Municipalities of Diffun, Cabarroguis and Aglipay.
LAND Private transport: From Metro Manila to Quirino Province Via Cordon, Isabela:
Follow NLEx and SCTEx then Take exit 122 SCTEx Tarlac City. Take Sto. Domingo Licab Rd to Pangasinan – Nueva Ecija Rd in Santo Domingo. Follow Pan-Philippine Hwy/AH26 to Cordon. Take Diffun – Maddela – Aurora Rd in Cordon to your destination in Quirino.
Taxis take almost six hours to cover the 290 km distance. Fares are around USD140. Buses take nine-hour and 30 minutes to complete the trip. Fares start at USD15.
From Metro Manila to Quirino Province Via Baler, Quezon Follow NLEx and SCTEx then Take exit 122 SCTEx Tarlac City. Take Guimba – Aliaga Rd to Cabanatuan City. Take Cabanatuan – Baler. Follow Baler – Dipaculao – Casiguran Road. Take Dipaculao – Nagtipunan, Quirino road to your destination in Quirino.
SINGAPORE, 9 March 2022: Carnival Corporation’s cruise lines, Holland American Line, Princess Cruises, AIDA, Seabourn, and other brands, will modify their itineraries in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Carnival Corporation brands will be modifying our
itineraries in the coming week once alternative ports can be confirmed.
“We stand for peace, and our thoughts are with those who are in harm’s
way,” Carnival Corp confirmed.
Princess Cruises is modifying itineraries on 24 cruises to avoid calling at St Petersburg. Replacement ports will vary by itinerary, including popular destinations such as Stockholm, Sweden (overnight call); Visby, Sweden and Gdansk (Gdynia), Poland. Princess will continue updating impacted guests and travel advisors as more information is available. Princess will protect travel agent commission on bookings that were paid in full in recognition of the critical role they play in the cruise line’s business and success.
Holland America Line is altering six cruise itineraries that were originally scheduled to visit Russian ports this year. Replacement ports vary by itinerary, and the five sailings that would have visited St Petersburg, Russia, will instead call on Baltic ports such as Riga, Latvia; Klaipeda, Lithuania; and Visby, Sweden, while also adding an overnight stay in Stockholm, Sweden. The cruise that was scheduled to visit Vladivostok, Russia, will instead visit Busan, South Korea.
Seabourn is modifying six cruise itineraries on Seabourn Ovation that were originally scheduled to visit St Petersburg, Russia this year. Booked guests and travel advisors on affected sailings will receive updates and specific details applicable to their booking.
AIDA Cruises will no longer call at St Petersburg and adjust the itineraries of four ships sailing in summer 2022. The port will be replaced by alternatives such as Riga, Latvia; Copenhagen, Denmark; Oslo, Norway; or Visby, Sweden.
Carnival Cruise Line has adjusted two of its Baltic sailings with the removal of St Petersburg. This summer, two sailings are impacted on Carnival Pride’s sailing in Northern Europe out of Dover, England.
P&O Cruises UK, which sails from Southampton, is still confirming new ports to replace St Petersburg and will be amending itineraries on Baltic cruises, which include Russia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland and Lithuania. Cunard has also announced that it will alter its itineraries. Guests will be advised of the changes to the sailings soon.
Costa Cruises said it is “following with great concern what is happening in the heart of Europe, and we hope that the pressure of the international community will soon restore peace.” The line said that it had taken actions to reassure and assist Ukrainian crew members and guests aboard. It continues to monitor the situation and “will amend itineraries as necessary following guidance from authorities.”
Cruise Critic editor-in-chief Colleen McDaniel told CNN
Travel that the recent shifts away from Russia reflect a humanitarian stance.
McDaniel said that’s in line with the underlying values of many cruise passengers. “This does reflect what we’ve seen on our boards and social media as well, with guests reporting that they will also speak with their dollars”.
TORONTO, Canada 9, March 2022: Founder of G Adventures, Bruce Poon Tip, thanked Sabre for removing Aeroflot from its fare and travel content distribution system, praising it for stepping up and doing the right thing.
But he calls for the travel industry to step up and support sanctions and prevent Russia from using booking sites and tour booking systems.
“The power to have the most dramatic impact in travel right now lies in the hands of one company, and last week it stepped up and did the right thing. Without Sabre, Aeroflot cannot issue tickets, which will cause mass disruption for domestic travel in Russia.”
He claimed that all across the travel
industry, businesses are uniting and cancelling tours to Russia and, in the
case of G Adventures, banning resident Russian nationals from trips to apply
internal pressure and invoke change.
“This is what we need to come together
in travel to embrace our ability to be a transformational industry. Just a few
hours before the announcement, I was set to click send on an appeal to Sabre,
asking them to stop their support of Aeroflot and realise their potential as a
key player in the travel industry’s fight against this unjust war.”
Noting Russia has a thriving domestic travel market, serving leisure and corporate travellers… Having already been cut off from the world of international travel, it is at home that the Russian people will feel the most pressure and become increasingly frustrated with this regime.”
Sabre led the charge and was quickly
followed by Amadeus and Travelport, the other two major global distribution
systems worldwide to shut down Aeroflot’s fares and booking channel.
The Russian government needs to know that
every industry, including travel and tourism, stands against its actions and
will support all sanctions that seek to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty, freedom
and independence.
SWIFT has banned Russian banks,
historically neutral Switzerland has frozen Russian assets, and even FIFA has
stepped up. Industries all around the world are fighting in their own way,
wielding their individual power and influence to denounce Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, he said.
“It is so important that travel plays its
part alongside these movements to drive transformative change.”
G Adventures has cancelled all trips to
Russia and are no longer allowing Russian nationals residing inside the country
on our tours, nor are we taking bookings from Russian travel agencies.
About G Adventures
Founded in 1990 by social entrepreneur Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures is a small group adventure travel operator offering more than 1,000 tours in 100 countries on all seven continents.
Its responsible approach to travel is demonstrated through social impact initiatives, including travel guidelines for children, wildlife and Indigenous people. Community-based social enterprise projects travellers can experience on a trip. It also pioneered an industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’ assessment that measures how many traveller dollars stay in the local economy. Visit www.gadventures.com
GUJARAT, India, 9 March 2022: Technoheaven, headquartered in Gujarat, India, has signed a strategic partnership with Emirates to enable the airline’s NDC (new distribution capability) content to be integrated into the Technoheaven platform.
Technoheaven recently achieved NDC Level 4 certification by
the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for its platform serving a
client community of travel agents buyers and travel suppliers.
Its suite of connection options has been built on new
technology and is designed to address the limitations of current legacy
distribution systems. Technoheaven will
provide access to Emirates content through IATA NDC APIs. Travel businesses
will have instant connectivity with Emirates for fast and direct access to customer-centric
rich content, enabling a more bespoke, innovative and transparent customer
experience.
Travellers can book tickets, select seats, purchase
ancillaries and much more. Travel brands will also be able to support changes
in travellers’ bookings and any flight disruptions.
Businesses that join Technoheaven will be able to access
availability, compare prices and make real-time bookings.
Technoheaven CEO Vinod Kelwani said: “Technoheaven has
achieved NDC Level 4 certification which is currently the highest level of
IATA’s NDC certification programme. It means that we can provide full offer and
order management for our partners and we are delighted to welcome Emirates into
our partnership programme. They are a
progressive airline that recognises the benefits of joining our expanding
global network.”
About Technoheaven
Technoheaven develops essential technology solutions to support travel agencies, tour operators, flight booking portals and other travel engines that enhance travel experiences around the world.
Solutions include a B2C/B2B travel portal, hotel and flight booking software, activity booking software, white label travel portal, XML/API Integration to OTA, payment gateway integration.
SINGAPORE, 9 March 2022: Start-up tech company utu partners with KrisFlyer to offer travellers upsized VAT refunds in 50 countries worldwide as Singapore’s outbound airline travel picks up.
With the virtual utu Tax-Free Card, users are rewarded with USD125 worth of utu miles for every USD100 of tax refunds claimed abroad, which can be automatically converted into KrisFlyer miles.
Travellers who have applied for VAT refunds
in the past know rebates are lower than the total tax amount stated on
receipts. VAT refund operators deduct a processing fee of 30 to 50% from the
final refund.
The utu Tax-Free Card users enjoy 25% more
on their tax refunds in 50 countries where VAT and GST refunds can be credited
to their frequent flyer account rather than taking a lower cash or credit card
refund. Singapore, France, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, Thailand, and the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) are some countries covered by utu.
KrisFlyer, the lifestyle membership
programme of the Singapore Airlines Group, offers a myriad of ways for members
to earn and redeem miles, both in the air and on the ground. With over 3,000
partners – including hotels, travel services, restaurants, retail brands and
more – in Singapore and worldwide, members can enjoy exclusive travel,
shopping, dining, and experience offers made miles better with KrisFlyer.
Utu co-founder Ameer Jumabhoy commented:
“Our partnership with KrisFlyer combines the best of both worlds of refunds and
rewards by turbocharging their VAT refunds through utu miles that can be
converted to KrisFlyer miles.”
About utu Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Singapore, utu’s services are available in over 50 countries.
SINGAPORE, 9 March 2022: The Civil Aviation Authority of
Singapore (CAAS) introduced at the annual Aviation Safety Forum held at the Pan
Pacific Hotel on Monday a safety charter designed to uphold standards as the
travel industry recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.
First reported by Channelnews Asia, the Charter for a Strong and Positive Safety Culture in Singapore breaks new ground for the aviation sector.
“Recognising various safety-related challenges posed by the
COVID-19 pandemic, the charter expresses the shared commitment by leaders in
the sector to jointly uphold safety standards and strengthen safety culture in
their respective organisations as air travel recovers,” said CAAS in its
newsroom statement.
So far, 80 aviation organisations have signed the charter;
more are expected to do so in the coming months, said CAAS. They include
airlines, training organisations, maintenance, repair and overhaul firms,
aircraft manufacturers, airport operators, ground handlers, industry
associations and unions.
The charter sets out to encourage voluntary reporting of
safety hazards, unsafe practices and safety errors and includes self-disclosure
of mistakes, slips and lapses.
CAAS director-general Han Kok Juan said: “Aviation safety
must be a non-negotiable and the top priority of the Singapore aviation sector
as air travel recovers and we ramp up operations.
“The safety charter is a statement of shared commitment, by
leaders of the Singapore aviation sector, to uphold the highest safety
standards as we work together to rebuild and reclaim Singapore’s position as a
global air hub this year.”
Signatories of the charter pledge to:
Uphold safety as a key priority and core value;
Foster a strong and positive safety culture;
Broaden and strengthen safety promotion, including in collaboration with other organisations;
Encourage voluntary reporting of safety hazards, unsafe practices, and safety errors, including self-disclosure of mistakes, slips, and lapses;
Promote confidentiality and protection from punitive action for self-disclosure of safety lapses and mistakes while not tolerating conduct that constitutes gross negligence, wilful misconduct or criminal activity;
Contribute towards strengthening the collective aviation safety culture in Singapore.
DUBAI, 8 March 2022: Emirates has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau at the Emirates Group Headquarters in Dubai.
The agreement reaffirms the airline’s
commitment to Sri Lanka and outlines mutually beneficial initiatives that will
help revive the country’s tourism industry and boost trade.
The MoU was signed by Ahmed Khoory,
Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial West Asia & the Indian Ocean,
and Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Hon Prasanna Ranatunga, Minister of
Tourism, Sri Lanka, H.E. Malraj De Silva, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the UAE,
H.E Nalinda Wijerathna, Consul General for Sri Lanka in Dubai and Sheikh Majid
Al Mualla, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, International Affairs.
Ahmed Khoory, SVP Commercial West Asia
& Indian Ocean at Emirates, said: “Sri Lanka remains a very key market
in Emirates’ global network and the agreement signed today underscores our
unwavering commitment to the country. We launched operations to Colombo more
than 35 years ago, and our partnership continues to grow from strength to
strength. We look forward to exploring mutually beneficial initiatives that
will help revive the nation’s trade and tourism sectors and provide Emirates
with an opportunity to serve market demand.”
Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson Sri Lanka
Tourism Promotion Bureau, stated: “Sri Lanka is a beautiful island
destination with esteemed strategic partners such as Emirates; this is a vital
aspect to steer Sri Lanka’s travel and tourism industry. Therefore, this
partnership is crucial for us to explore and capitalize on opportunities that
emerge and to open up many beautiful avenues to establish brand awareness and
perceived quality in the global tourism market. Thus, we are excited about this
partnership and also grateful for all the support Emirates has extended us
during the three decades of a long relationship and especially during the
pandemic time. We are hopeful that together we can effectively promote and
serve the market.”
Under the agreement, Emirates and Sri Lanka
Tourism will benefit from joint activities that will help enhance trade and
tourism, including trade shows, trade familiarisation trips, exhibitions, and
workshops.
Since the nation safely re-opened to
international tourists in February 2021, Emirates has carried more than 80,000
passengers to Colombo. The top inbound markets include UAE, Italy, UK. and
Germany. The airline currently operates 28 weekly flights to Colombo and is the
only international carrier to serve the country with First Class services –
offering passengers world-class products and superior comfort in air and
on-ground.
Emirates has safely restarted operations to more than 120 destinations within its global network via Dubai. The airline has led the industry with its innovative products and services, including a comprehensive set of health and safety measures at every step of the journey, contactless technology at Dubai Airport, generous and flexible booking policies, and COVID-19 medical insurance.
