As the flagship event promoting the country’s tourism
industry, TTM+ 2022 will showcase travel products, services and experiences
from around Thailand under the theme of ‘Visit Thailand Year 2022, Amazing New
Chapters.
The programme for the TTM+ 2022 features two full days of
buyer/seller appointments on Thursday, 9 June and Friday, 10 June, which follow
the registration, opening ceremony, TTM Talk, Thailand Product Update, and
welcome reception, all scheduled for the first day on Wednesday, 8 June. There
will also be a networking dinner for buyers and media, hosted by the Phuket
Tourist Association, on the evening of 9 June.
ON Saturday, 11 June, post tours for buyers and media will
give them a chance to experience the scenic beauty, welcoming charm, and famous
tropical island atmosphere of Phuket.
This year’s edition is expected to attract 700 participants,
including buyers from 50 countries, sellers from across all five regions of
Thailand, as well as members of domestic and international media.
The TTM+ 2022 will be held at the Angsana Laguna Phuket
beachfront resort, which is part of the Laguna Phuket integrated resort
complex.
About the TTM+
First held in 2001, the TTM+ has gained a well-earned reputation in visitor source markets the world over, and within Thailand’s tourism industry itself, as a ‘must-attend’ event. This year, the TTM+ 2022 is all set to continue the tradition of providing a valuable platform for sellers and buyers to meet with current and potential business partners and to reinforce relationships with global travel specialists and decision-makers.
Held Bangkok since its launch in 2001, the TTM+ relocated to Chiang Mai in 2016 and 2017. Pattaya hosted the event in 2018 and again in 2019.
BANGKOK, 8 March 2022: Thai AirAsia has been recognised for punctuality, becoming the only Thai airline to be recognised among the Top Three “Most On-Time Low-Cost Carriers.”
Cirium, a leading aviation and travel data analyst, gave the airline an on-time performance average of 97.47%.
AirAsia Thailand CEO Santisuk Klongchaiya pointed out that in Cirium’s evaluation, even amid obstacles brought about by the Covid-19 situation, which included a temporary suspension of flights due to government policies and a scale-back of services, AirAsia continued to maintain high standards, especially in terms of safety, hygiene and on-time performance.
SINGAPORE, 8 March 2022: Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of
Singapore Airlines, expanded its Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) services to 11
more cities to support more quarantine-free travel across its network.
The airline has added VTL flights to Singapore from
Amritsar, Athens, Coimbatore, Hanoi, Hat Yai, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Penang*,
Tiruchirappalli, Trivandrum, and Visakhapatnam.
Scoot vice president network planning, e-commerce and
distribution, Rachel Tan said: “Scoot has seen positive demand for travel
since the launch of the VTLs. We look forward to operating more flights that
support safe and seamless quarantine-free travels and remains committed to
providing travellers with customisable travel options to suit varied
needs.”
*However, Scoot’s Singapore-Penang VTL services are still pending regulatory approvals. This means flights TR428 (Singapore-Penang) and TR429 (Penang-Singapore), as well as TR498 (Singapore-Penang) and TR499 (Penang-Singapore), will not be designated as Vaccinated Travel Lane flights on 17 March and 28 March, as earlier reported. These flights will continue to operate three times weekly as non-VTL services until they gain VTL approval.
SINGAPORE, 8 March 2022: Limited air space options and the
cancellations of ticketing distribution systems has forced Aeroflot to cancel
most of its international flights starting today, 8
March.
According to a report in Simple Flying, Aeroflot confirmed
it would serve just one international destination Minsk in Belarus, with
four daily flights.
In addition to flying to the US (Washington, New York,
Miami, Los Angeles), Aeroflot serves destinations in the Middle East, Asia, and
Europe. All of the services halted today. The airline’s ticket sales have been
suspended by three global distribution systems – Amadeus, Travelport and Sabre.
KUALA LUMPUR, 8 March 2022: One of Malaysia’s top tour firms, Mayflower Holidays, has strengthened its online hotel direct booking services, focusing on agents, wholesalers and corporates through a collaboration with Trip Affiliates Network.
Trip Affiliates Network is a high-performance distribution system that brings together Asia Pacific’s leading travel wholesalers, operators and destination management companies to share a single open travel ecosystem.
Established in 1960, Mayflower Holidays is a leading travel
service specialist in Malaysia, catering to both individuals and corporate
clients and mustering a global network of over 57 client nations. MFH will use the TA Network to expand its wholesale travel
business.
TA Network’s managing partner Ho Siang Twang commented, “We are excited that MFH has chosen to adopt TA Network Hotel B2B Direct Booking services, and we look forward to working closely with MFH to broaden and deepen their direct booking partnerships with their preferred hotels and enhance their product offering to their agents and corporates”.
Head of Business, Mayflower Holidays, Jean Tung added: “We are pleased to expand our partnership with TA Network which will enable MFH to increase direct booking of dynamic rates with our hotel partners, as well as give us easy and quick access to hotels who have engaged TA Network for their B2B direct booking services and completed their relevant system mapping with TA Network.”
BANGKOK, 8 March 2022: Following the approval of the Air Travel Bubble between Thailand and India, Thai Airways International is operating direct flights to and from four cities in India.
Flights are now in place to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and
Bengaluru.
• Bangkok – Delhi: five flights per week every Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
• Bangkok – Mumbai: three flights per week every Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Bangkok – Chennai: three flights per week every Monday,
Wednesday and Thursday.
• Bangkok – Bengaluru: twice-weekly flights every Wednesday
and Saturday.
THAI also strictly complies with the COVID-19 preventive
measures issued by the Ministry of Public Health, the Centre for COVID- 19
Situation Administration (CCSA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand
(CAAT) for flight operations.
SINGAPORE, 7 March 2022: Three of the world’s leading fare
distribution systems – Sabre, Travelport and Amadeus – have removed Aeroflot’s
fares and booking content, a step that isolates the Russian government-owned
airline from the online travel agency market worldwide.
Sabre Corporation was the first to announce it was
terminating its distribution agreement with Aeroflot. In the press statement,
it said it had taken “immediate steps to remove Aeroflot flight content
from its global distribution system (GDS), a marketplace used by travel
agencies, travel websites and corporations around the world to shop, book and
service flight reservations.”
Sabre’s CEO Sean Menke said: “Sabre has been monitoring
the evolving situation in Ukraine…We are taking a stand against this military
conflict complying, and will continue to comply, with sanctions imposed against
Russia.”
The termination means Aeroflot flights no longer appear on Global Distribution System screens in travel agencies, online travel agencies, travel management companies and other wholesale and retail ticket sales outlets worldwide.
To help support the humanitarian programme in the region,
Sabre, which has approximately 1,500 team members in Poland, has donated USD1
million to the Polish Red Cross to purchase food, hygiene products and sleeping
bags and will support the provision of medical assistance to those seeking
shelter in Poland.
In a press statement posted on its website newsroom,
Amadeus, a Spanish headquartered GDS, confirmed effective 3 March it ended any
new planned commercial projects in Russia.
“We will not sign any new contracts in Russia, and we
continue to evaluate our existing portfolio of work in Russia in parallel, the
statement read.
“We can confirm that we have begun suspending the
distribution of Aeroflot fares in our systems. At the same time, we continue to
assess and evaluate the potential impact of international sanctions imposed on
Russia and any counter-measures by Russia.”
Phocuswire.com reported at the weekend that Travelport, a global distribution system headquartered in the UK, had also suspended Aeroflot’s fare and bookings content. A Travelport released an official statement on 7 March.
It read: “Like most companies and the world at large, Travelport has been closely monitoring the developing situation in Ukraine. We have been shocked and saddened by the events taking place, and our first priority continues to be the safety and security of our employees and our partners in the region. We have been diligently working alongside global governments to continue to uphold the sanctions imposed against Russia. Additionally, we have taken the decision to immediately suspend Aeroflot sales from the platform.”
BANGKOK, 7 March 2022: Hotel property value held up in
Bangkok during 2021 while Phuket registered heftier discounts in hotel property
sales.
JLL Hotels & Hospitality GroupExecutive Vice President, Chakkrit Chakrabandhu Na Ayudhya, made the assessment and offered key statistics during the Thailand Tourism Forum 2022, attended by 500 delegates last week.
Speaking on ‘Thailand’s Hotel Transactions – How to Make A
Deal Work’, Chakkrit said JLL saw 17 transactions, with 23 hotel properties
sold in 2021. The combined transaction value reached 13.2 billion baht.
“When looking at the 17 transactions last year, it was
almost seven times more than the previous year. Compared to the 10-year
average, which spans from 2010-to 2019, it was above the 10-year average by
10%.”
The three main markets for hotels sales remained Bangkok, Phuket, and Samui, representing 80% of the overall volume.
Findings from JLL show that 76% of Bangkok hotels up for
sale managed to find buyers last year, with prices discounted no more than 5%
from the pre-Covid-19 level.
In Samui, 57% of hotels are sold at a 15 to 20% discount.
For the rest, 25% of the deals had an up to 5% discount tag, and 13% were sold
at a 30% or more discount.
The total value of hotel sale transactions in Samui last
year reached THB5.8 billion, while Phuket witnessed only THB1.5 billion in
volume transacted last year, as up to 78% of the deals were made at a 30% or
more discount.
Outside of these three destinations, 63% of the deals were
closed at a more than 30% discount, 20% had a medium discount of 15 to 20%,
while 17% of the deals were sold at up to a 5% discount.
Meanwhile, according to a survey conducted by JLL, out of
175 APAC respondents, Thailand ranks second after Japan in terms of preferred
choice for hotel investment in APAC.
The
research also found that Thai investors are still keen on investing
domestically and 75% of them hope to complete a purchase this year.
KOTA KINABALU, 7 March 2022: Sabah invites airline companies to make the state their operational base as Malaysia anticipates reopening its border soon.
Tourism, Culture, and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk
Joniston Bangkuai said that given Sabah’s past success and prospects, all
stakeholders should collaborate to identify and seize new possibilities to
revitalise the international tourism industry.
“Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Sabah was accessible via
direct flights from 20 major international cities with over 220 flights weekly,
especially from the North Asia region.
“On top of that, there are more than 400 domestic flights
connecting 10 destinations in Malaysia. As many nations are opening their
borders starting March, we believe Malaysia will soon follow suit.
“In this respect, I invite all airlines to consider Sabah
to be your next hub of the operation,” he said during a dinner with
Airline Operators Committee hosted by the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) here on
Friday.
Joniston, who chairs STB, expressed optimism that the
international travel business would recover, albeit not in the same way as it
had been previously.
He added airlines’ participation and support are essential
to help promote the state and to re-establish collaboration on new access into
Sabah.
Present at the dinner were representatives from both local
and international airline companies.
Meanwhile, Airline Operators Committee chairman Mohamad Azri
Mohammad Rashad stated that the Air Asia, Malindo Air, and MAS flights for the
Kuala Lumpur-Kota Kinabalu route recorded high loads.
“For the past few weeks, most of the flights from Kuala
Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu have 70-80% loads. It’s quite a high number.
“In fact, there are three to four flights for Sabah in a day
as compared to Johor Bahru, Alor Setar, Kota Bharu, and Terengganu. So, I feel honoured
to be here, and at the same time, we want to continue stimulating the economy,”
he said.
Mohamad further stated that the border is expected to open
soon, noting that the committee team was involved in planning and implementing
standard operating procedures with the assistance of Malaysia Airports, the
Ministry of Health, and Tourism Malaysia on 26 February.
This is Airline Operators Committee’s second visit to Sabah, which was initially scheduled for 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic.
SINGAPORE
7 March 2022: The 2022 season of the Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) Meet the Winemaker series is back by
popular demand, with an exciting line-up scheduled for its sixth year.
The company once again teamed up with renowned wineries to create this seasonal programme designed for wine enthusiasts and foodies at all skill levels. The cruise provides exclusive opportunities to engage with winemakers and other experts through a variety of enriching seminars and activities, which include intimate wine tastings and wine-paired dinners, interactive culinary demonstrations and meet-and-greets on board.
The
experience will be available on select cruises aboard Norwegian Encore,
Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Bliss. And, for the first time
ever in its history, the Meet the
Winemaker series will be making its way to Europe as Norwegian Escape sails
around the Greek Isles and Italy on 17 July and 12 October. The host of the
event in July will be notable winemaker Antonio Hidalgo of the globally
recognized and family-owned Spanish Sherry house Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana. The
October edition will be hosted by Sandro Bottega. Under his careful guidance,
Bottega S.p.A. has diversified to produce grappa, Prosecco, a wide range of
sparkling wines, the great reds of Valpolicella and Tuscany, Italy as well as
Limoncino and creamy-based sweet liqueurs. In 2018, Sandro received the
prestigious Riedel Winemaker of the Year award in Toronto.
Guests
have the chance to meet world-renowned winemakers and distillers including
Gérard Bertrand, “The Drinks Business” Green Awards 2020 recipient; Rob
Mondavi, Jr., fourth-generation Napa Valley winemaker; Diane Flamand, winemaker
at Bordeaux Collection Wines, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and
Michael Mondavi of the Michael Mondavi Family Estate.
This
year, on select cruises, participants will also have the opportunity to savour
unique culinary experiences sponsored by the Certified Angus Beef® brand. With
wine paired to each course, they will learn from a master sommelier, while enjoying
some of the best beef available. Trusted by the best 5-star chefs, including
Certified Angus Beef culinary arts director Chef Tony Biggs and Certified Angus
Beef’s 2021 Chef of the Year, Carla DiLorenzo, the Certified Angus Beef® brand
is the best available and proudly served onboard the NCL fleet.
NCL president and CEO Harry Sommer said: “Our Guest First policy compels us to put guests at the heart of every development, and the Meet the Winemaker series showcases this commitment to bringing high quality, one-of-a-kind offerings to our guests. We hope that our guests will enjoy the new edition of the popular series and are left with an unforgettable experience from today’s most innovative beverage and culinary leaders. We are very proud of this season’s line-up and excited to bring the event to Europe for the first time ever.”
Each of the cruises features vintage wines chosen by the expert and brought on board for the exclusive events. Wine packages range from USD22 to USD100 per person plus tax and gratuity and may be reserved once onboard.
The complete line-up of the 2022 Meet the Winemaker series includes: • 6 March 2022 – 7-day roundtrip Caribbean: Great Stirrup Cay & Dominican Republic cruise from Miami on Norwegian Encore featuring Rob Mondavi Jr., son of Isabel and Michael Mondavi and a fourth-generation Napa Valley winemaker; • 2 April 2022 – 7-day roundtrip Caribbean: Great Stirrup Cay & Dominican Republic cruise from Miami on Norwegian Escape featuring Chateau Lafite Rothschild (Lafite) Wine Dinner hosted by Diane Flamand, winemaker, Bordeaux Collection Wines, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite); • 2 July 2022 – 7-day roundtrip Alaska: Dawes Glacier, Juneau & Ketchikan cruise from Seattle on Norwegian Bliss featuring Salvatore Ferragamo. Since 1993, together with his father Ferruccio, have been responsible for conserving The Il Borro estate in Tuscany, Italy producing world-class wines; • 17 July 2022 – 7-day roundtrip Greek Isles & Italy: Italy, Greece & Croatia cruise from Rome (Civitavecchia) on Norwegian Escape featuring Antonio Hildago, of the globally recognized, family-owned Spanish Sherry house – Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana; • 24 July 2022 – 7-day roundtrip Alaska: Glacier Bay, Skagway & Juneau cruise from Seattle on Norwegian Encore featuring Opus One Wine Dinner hosted by Greg Miller, Opus One Sales & Marketing Manager; • 13 August 2022 – 7-day roundtrip Alaska: Dawes Glacier, Juneaeu & Ketchikan cruise from Seattle on Norwegian Bliss featuring Michael Mondavi of the Michael Mondavi Family Estate; • 12 October 2022 – 9-day roundtrip Greek Isles & Italy: Santorini, Athens & Florence cruise from Rome (Civitavecchia) on Norwegian Escape, featuring Sandro Bottega of Bottega SpA; • 22 October 2022 – 7-day roundtrip Bermuda cruise on Norwegian Joy departing New York, featuring Gérard Bertrand, “The Drinks Business” Green Awards 2020 recipient; • 11 December 2022 – 7-day roundtrip Caribbean: Great Stirrup Cay & Dominican Republic cruise from Miami on Norwegian Encore, featuring Randy Ullom from the Kendall-Jackson family.
For more information or to book a cruise, contact a travel professional, call NCL Hong Kong +8522165 6000 / Southeast Asia +65 3165 1680 or visit: www.ncl.com
About Norwegian Cruise Line
As the innovator in global cruise travel, Norwegian Cruise Line has been breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising for 55 years. Most notably, the cruise line revolutionized the industry by offering guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal vacation on their preferred schedule with no assigned dining and entertainment times and no formal dress codes. Today, its fleet of 17 contemporary ships sail to over 300 of the world’s most desirable destinations, including Great Stirrup Cay, the company’s private island in the Bahamas and its resort destination Harvest Caye in Belize.
