BANGKOK, 3 March 2022: Skål International Bangkok, a networking club of tourism professionals, will hold an Annual General Meeting to elect a new club president during a networking lunch for members on 8 March at Arnoma Grand Bangkok.
During the AGM, club members will elect a new president to replace Andrew Wood, who was elected last year as president of Skal International Asian Area representing clubs in more than 15 countries.
James Thurlby assumed the role of acting president following Wood’s appointment. The new club president and executive committee will be announced at the AGM immediately after the election.
Skål International has over 12,000 members worldwide in more
than 300 clubs in 98 countries. The Skål International Bangkok club was formed
in 1956 comprises more than 60 members in Thailand’s tourism industry.
Skål International Asia announced its committee lineup on its Facebook page on 16 February. President SIAA –Andrew J Wood VP West Asia –Keethi Jayaweera VP SEA –Kevin Rautenbach VP EA – Hiro Liao Director Membership Development – Dushy Jayaweera Director Young Skal –Shalini Khanna Charles Director PR & Communication – Windy Yang International Skal Councillor –Michelle Sandhu Secretary SIAA – Shekhar Divadkar Treasurer –Stuart Bolwell Secretariat -Joan Béchard
SINGAPORE, 3 March 2022: Fam trips are making a comeback as Tourism Malaysia and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) host seven travel agents, three media and content creators based in Singapore this week.
Following close to two years of Covid-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions that suspended all fam trips and promotions, Malaysia Airlines provided flights for the fam trip from 27 February to 3 March 2022 that focused on Langkawi island.
During the Langkawi fam trip, participants had the opportunity to ride the Langkawi Skycab – the world’s steepest cable car. They explored the largest interactive 3D museum in Malaysia at 3D Art Langkawi, discovered an eco-friendly private island at Paradise 101 and visited the Underwater World Langkawi as well as participated in the Kubang Badak Mangrove Tour.
The mangrove tour is part of Kubang Badak Bio Geo Trail – Langkawi’s newest eco-tourism destination, which has been awarded the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards 2021 under the Heritage Category. The delegation also embarked on a day cruise, city tour and shopping in Langkawi.
Tourism Malaysia director-general Dato’ Hj Zainuddin Abdul Wahab said: “Singapore continues to be the key source market for Malaysia, especially when the international travel gradually resumes. Since November, the Langkawi International Travel Bubble (LITB), as well as land and air Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between Malaysia and Singapore opened doors for international travel with 171,583 travellers from Singapore visiting by both air and land options up to 14 February 2022.”
LADA chief executive Nasaruddin Abdul Muttalib hosted a welcome dinner at Kunang-Kunang Heritage Villas, and participants attended a tourism networking event with presentations and tourism product briefings by Langkawi industry players at The Danna Langkawi.
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. In 2019, Malaysia registered 26.1 million tourist arrivals and MYR86.14 billion tourist receipts, placing it among the major tourism destinations of the world.
BANGKOK, 3 March 2022: Thai Airways International and its subsidiaries
reduced operating losses by 44% or THB15,712 million to declare a loss of
THB19,702 million, according to its operational performance results for the
year ended 31 December 2021. The result excluded one-time transactions.
When one-time transactions are taken into account, THAI and
its subsidiaries reported a net profit totalling THB81,525 million. It
consisted of profits following the Rehabilitation Plan, such as profit from
debt restructuring, sale of unused properties and organisational restructuring.
Consequently, THAI and its subsidiaries reported a THB55,113 million net profit
for the year ending 31 December 2021.
The total revenue was THB23,747 million, lower than last
year by THB24,684 million or 51%, mainly due to a decline in both passenger and
cargo revenue recorded at THB24,599 million baht or 59.9% and a decrease of
THB1,545 million from other services.
However, THAI reports an increase in other incomes of
THB1,460 million due to revenue from offsets for maintenance and refurbishment
of engines.
Total expenses amounted to THB43,449 million, which was
THB40,396 million or 48.2% lower than the previous year, mainly due to variable
operating expenses and cost reduction programme implemented under the airline’s
rehabilitation plan and business reorganisation. However, this was insufficient
to offset decreasing revenue.
As of 31 December 2021, the total assets of THAI and its
subsidiaries were THB161,219 million, which decreased by THB48,078 million or
23% compared to the figure as of 31 December 2020. The total liabilities were
THB232,470 million, a decrease of THB105,492 million or 31.2% from 31 December
2020. Shareholders’ equity amounted to -THB71,251 million, which is a negative
decrease of THB57,414 million compared to the figure as of 31 December 2020,
due to THAI and its subsidiaries’ net profit in 2021.
THAI is seeking a THB25 billion loan from financial
institutions for the implementation of its rehabilitation plan in 2022. The
loan contract signing should occur this month, March 2022.
BANGKOK, 3 March 2022: Thailand’s tourism industry presented a united front that sent a strong message to the Thai government to scrap the Test & Go programme during Monday’s Thailand Tourism Forum 2022.
The country’s private sector tourism
leaders said the error-prone Test & Go app and travel restrictions ensure
the country is losing a competitive edge compared to regional competitors.
Thailand Tourism Leadership Summit: (from left) Bill Barnett, MD, C9 Hotelworks; Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, President, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau; Bill Heinecke, Chairman/Founder Minor International; Stephan Vanden Auweele, Chief Hospitality Officer, Asset World Corporation; Proudputh Liptapanlop, Executive Director, Proud Group; Boon Kwee Lim, Chief Operating Officer, Dusit International; Dirk De Cuyper, CEO of S Hotels & Resorts; Clarence Tan, Senior Vice President of Development, Hilton Asia Pacific; and Marisa Sukosol, President of the Thailand Hotel Association.
Company CEOs and key industry leaders set
out their joint vision for the future and jointly signed the Thailand Tourism
Pledge during the Thailand Tourism Leadership Summit, part of the 1 March
Thailand Tourism Forum 2022.
They said the aim was to chart a strong and
sustainable path out of the global pandemic.
Thailand Hotels Association president
Marisa Sukoso said: “There’s no choice anymore. Thailand must open up and
stop Test & Go. We need to move from a pandemic to an endemic.”
Minor International, chairman and founder
Bill Heinecke, who authors numerous open letters to Thailand’s Prime Minister,
reiterated his mantra, “if we don’t open up, we can’t be
competitive.”
He told the forum’s 500 odd delegates:
“Currently, the rules are just too complicated. We are not even 10% of
where we were pre-Covid, and Thailand will not reach its target of 10 million
arrivals in 2022. We are falling behind. We are not even keeping up with our
neighbours.”
But Heinecke did concede the second quarter
presented a better outlook, just a few rungs up from ground zero.
“The second quarter will be better
than the first. That’s not thanks to the government, but people have pent-up
demand, and the government doesn’t make it easy.”
He said that travel costs have escalated as
airlines reduced flights and hotels have to keep up with the health and safety
standards. When adding up the expenses attached to the Test & Go programme
and health insurance makes it even more expensive for tourists, especially for
family travel.
On the same day as the forum, the government
introduced easier rules under the Test & Go programme with the required
prepaid accommodation reduced to just one night and the Covid-19 tests revised
to one RT-PCR and a self-administered ATK.
The health insurance coverage has also been
reduced to no less than USD20,000.
Covid-19 new cases on 1 March stood at
20,420 cases. Of these figures, 171 cases were detected among inbound visitors.
When reopening the country’s hospitality
leaders, recognising the challenges of balancing health and economic factors,
argued it was all about achieving a proper assessment and identifying the
acceptable risks.
Asset World Corporation chief hospitality officer, Stephan Vanden Auweele said: “Thailand was the first country in Southeast Asia to successfully open the Sandbox. I do believe that it is very difficult balancing to preserve the wellbeing of people, at the same time, reopening tourism.
“However, the industry is now at the
crossroad and needs to rethink what is essential to tourism: sustainability,
local community, educating people. The industry needs to sit together and come
up with strategies and plans.
Representing the public sector at the TTF
2022 Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau president Chiruit Isarangkun
Na Ayuthaya said:
“We have been reporting problems faced
by the business sector to the government and also collaborating with the Center
for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to negotiate and work together to
find solutions to help the private sector revive business through activities
such as exhibitions.
“Following the success of the Phuket
Sandbox, we can say that the government is being more open… and we will report
issues raised at the TTF 2022 to the government for the best outcome.”
The concerns over the tourism situation raised
by the tourism leadership summit at the TTF 2022 echo the latest research
conducted by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council
(NESDC) and the Research Centre for Social and Business Development (SAB).
It showed that only one out of three SMEs
in the tourism sector are fully confident that they can survive this crisis and
restore their business in post-Covid-19.
Meanwhile, 70% of the survey participants
said they do not have a rehabilitation plan.
One out of three SMEs participants in the
survey said they are facing financial liquidity issues. In 2021, the number of
SMEs that went into debt increased by 10% from 2019. Meanwhile, the solvency
ratio was decreased from 93% to 63.3% in 2021.
The survey was conducted from June to
September 2021 among 1,534 SME entrepreneurs in the five businesses, including
hotels, restaurants, transports, travel operators, and souvenir shops in six
provinces, namely Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phuket, Chonburi and
Prachuap Khiri Khan.
SINGAPORE, 3 March 2022: Oceania Cruises, a culinary and
destination-focused cruise line, marked the float-out of its new 67,000 ton,
1,200 guest Vista last week at the Fincantieri shipyard in Sestri Ponente,
Italy.
Vista will sail her maiden voyage from Rome to Barcelona on
14 April 2023, followed by 12 additional European voyages before commencing
sailings from the US to the Canadian Maritimes and New England, the Panama
Canal, and the Caribbean.
Vista Highlights 12 dining options, four of them brand new. 1,200 guests served by 800 crew members = two crew members for every three guests. Eight bars, lounges, and entertainment venues. Aquamar Spa + Vitality Centre and Aquamar Spa Terrace. Staffed Concierge and Executive Lounges for Concierge Staterooms and Suites, respectively.
About Oceania Cruises
Oceania Cruises is a culinary- and destination-focused cruise line with a fleet of seven ships that carry no more than 1,250 guests.
Ships call on more than 450 boutique ports across Europe,
Alaska, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, New England-Canada, Bermuda, the
Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Tahiti and the South Pacific in addition to the
epic 180-day Around the World Voyages. With headquarters in Miami, Oceania
Cruises is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., a diversified cruise
operator of leading global cruise brands which include Norwegian Cruise Line,
Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
SINGAPORE, 2 March 2022: Travelport and Qatar Airways have
signed off on a long-term distribution agreement that will underpin the
airline’s omnichannel, advanced retailing strategy.
The expanded agreement will include, for the first time, NDC
content and advanced travel merchandising solutions – delivered via the
next-generation Travelport+ platform.
In addition to extending a longstanding distribution
agreement that delivers Qatar Airways content to Travelport-connected travel
agencies globally, the agreement will also see Travelport distributing Qatar
Airways’ NDC content. By enabling agencies to shop and book dynamic and
personalized offers, the airline will offer differentiated value propositions
closely tailored to micro customer segments.
About Travelport
Travelport is a global technology company that powers bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide. Headquartered in London, UK it operates in more than 180 countries worldwide.
BANGKOK, 2 March 2022: Thai Smile, the
low-cost subsidiary of Thai Airways International, resumes flights to Siem Reap
in Cambodia on 3 March.
Fares went live on the airline’s website
last week for the twice-weekly flights to Siem Reap, the town closest to
Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat historical park.
Flight WE 588 will depart Bangkok’s
Suvarnabhumi airport at 0735 on Thursday and 1840 on Saturday.
The regional airline will take over most of
the destinations in Southeast Asia that were previously served by its parent
airline THAI before the Covid-19 pandemic. Thai Smile operates a fleet of
A320s.
Thai Smile has already resumed domestic
flights from Bangkok to Phuket, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai but reduced
frequency.
Bookings for the new Siem Reap service opened late last week for the 3 March launch. The cheapest Saver fare one-way is THB2,690. The Flexi fare one-way costs THB3,030 and the Plus fare one-way THB5600. A website check quotes a fare of THB5,455 for a roundtrip in the Saver fare category.
SINGAPORE, 2 March 2022: Singapore Airlines suspended
flights 28 February between Singapore and Moscow, the capital of Russia, until
further notice citing operational reasons
The “temporary suspension” impacts flights SQ362 and SQ361, according to the airline’s statement posted on its website.
SIA customers impacted by the suspension will be offered a
full refund of the unused portion of their ticket. SIA customers who booked
directly with the airline can file for refunds by completing an Assistance
Request Form.
For bookings made through travel agents or partner airlines,
customers contact their travel agent or purchasing airline for assistance.
Singapore Airlines is the only Southeast Asian airline
offering flights to Moscow. Other airlines in ASEAN had not resumed services to
Moscow when the Russian invasion of Ukraine got underway,
SINGAPORE, 2 March 2022: Luxury travel designer, Intriq Journey, announced Tuesday its debut in the Asia Pacific region along with its brands Intriq Finesse and Intriq Keys.
Managed by its three founders who are recognised for pioneering expedition travel, Intriq Journey sells travel itineraries to remote and difficult to access destinations in Asia-Pacific.
“With over six decades of combined experience in
successfully crafting bespoke travel journeys, we have leveraged our expertise
with a comprehensive understanding of travellers’ evolving preferences,” said
co-founder Jess Yap, who is based in Singapore.
“Our aspiration for Intriq Journey is for guests to travel
with a total peace of mind in each journey, to places they otherwise wouldn’t
pick and leave all the research and planning to us.”
Co-founder Lim Kok Yong, who lives in Hong Kong, added:
“Intriq Journey has received prestigious appointments with travel networks
such as Virtuoso, which allows us to offer guests unmatched travel privileges
and hotel benefits.”
The third founding partner of the team, Stella Fan, a
resident in Shanghai, noted: “In our planning, we combine close-knit local
connections we have forged with communities over many years that support
responsible, sustainable travel for journeys that truly intrigue.”
The company recently launched Intriq Finesse, a collection of luxury for small group journeys limited to no more than 16 guests. Ir frees guests from the hassles of tipping in overseas countries as the Intriq Journey team handles all tips to local guides, drivers and porterage.
About Intriq Journey
Established in 2020, Intriq Journey has bases in Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing, where a team of Asian specialists combine tailor-made luxury journeys with innovation and an underpinned focus on sustainability.
Intriq Finesse: Intriq Finesse is Intriq Journey’s collection of luxury small group journeys capped at 16 guests.
Intriq Keys: Launching this year, Intriq Keys is a luxury hotel reservations platform powered by Intriq Journey with a base of over 3000 luxury hotels worldwide.
MALE, The Maldives, 2 March 2022: The Maldives has always been rated as one of the top destinations in the world. With clear turquoise blue waters surrounding you and the idea of being “isolated” on an island resort, it does create a wonderful setting for couples for a getaway and to embark on a journey to rekindling romance.
Gili Lankanfushi Maldives’ Crusoe Residence
Find yourself completely secluded at Gili Lankanfushi Maldives’ stand-alone Crusoe Residence which is a short boat ride away from the main island of this eco-luxury resort. Soak in the picturesque view at the overwater sundeck, or take a swim to your private water hammock.
Have breakfast delivered to
you as you nourish your body and soul with views of the blue, in the comforts
and privacy of your own villa.
Spend the rest of your morning
exploring the main island together on foot or on your designated bamboo bike.
Enjoy a stroll around the island’s white sand beach.
Cycle together on eco-friendly bamboo bikes.
Try something new together as
you tour the organic garden with the chef, learning about the herbs, plants and
flowers that grow for culinary use at the resort, and end the tour by indulging
your palettes in a vegan experience.
Take a tour of the organic
garden and be introduced to a refreshing vegan experience right in the garden.
You can choose to pamper yourselves with a spa session for couples at the award-winning Meera Spa and let the professional spa therapists kneed your stresses away.
Enjoy a couple’s spa treatment
and end it off with a relaxing soak with unending views of the Indian Ocean.
If you’re both wine enthusiasts and keen to learn more about it, spend time together at the Underground Wine Cellar and let Gili Lankanfushi’s resident sommeliers take you through a wine tasting journey. It’s also a great start to selecting the wines that will pair with your meals during your stay at the resort.
Indulge and learn about wines
from the world with the in-house sommelier.
As dusk approaches, the myriad of colours at sunset will leave you both mesmerised and in awe. Take a romantic stroll along the beach or hang out at one of the overwater hammocks at the Overwater Bar for a pre-dinner drink.
Feast your eyes on majestic
sunsets like this at Gili Lankanfushi Maldives.
No one else but the two of you, a cocktail and a beautiful sunset.
For an amplified dining experience that gives you privacy outside of the
comforts of the restaurant, opt for Gili Lankanfushi’s popular Destination
Dining that lets you indulge in a bespoke dinner under the stars – just the two
of you. With different locations around the island to choose from, these
romantic dinners don’t need to only happen for one night but can be for your
entire stay!
Private dining experiences to elevate your stay at Gili Lankanfushi Maldives.
Finally, end your day sleeping
under the stars at your villa’s rooftop terrace. Gaze at the night sky as you
share with each other your hopes and dreams and fall asleep to the warm ocean
breeze and the sounds of the lapping waves.
Be as close to nature as you can and sleep under the stars (weather permitting).
Throughout your stay at Gili
Lankanfushi Maldives, you will have your trusted host – your Mr Friday
– to assist you and to make your stay as memorable as possible.
WHERE TO STAY
Gili Lankanfushi Maldives
Book direct exclusive – Enjoy up to 25% savings on villa rates when you book direct. Valid for stays till 26 December 2022. Click here to find out more.
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