Articles by Lynnette

Concerns regarding the effects of the global financial crisis on the travel industry have taken a back seat as news of the swine flu outbreak hit the headlines. And travelers’ fears are only heightened as governments around the world take extraordinary measures against a possible pandemic. Hence, the upcoming Global Travel & Tourism Summit of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has shifted the event’s focus to tackle the issue of the swine flu outbreak and its impact on the travel industry. At the same time, the Summit will gauge the travel industry’s capacity to deal with the possibility of a pandemic. Read the rest of the article…

The fifth China Outbound Travel Tourism Market (COTTM) welcomed a record number of visitors to the event held last April 22 to 24 at the China World Trade Center in Beijing. The event that received 3,258 visitors in three days is the only business-to-business (B2B) show devoted to the Chinese outbound travel and tourism industry. Major partners of the event include the National Tour Association, the Pacific Asia Travel Association, and the European Tour Operators Association, as well as media partners from China and across the world. Read the rest of the article…

The JAL Group has sought the approval of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) to lift the international fuel surcharge imposed on passenger tickets of Japan Airlines (JAL). The fuel surcharge on international tickets of the Japanese carrier was introduced in reply to the rise of jet fuel prices in 2005. Read the rest of the article…

By Order of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Premier Wen Jiabao announced key changes to regulations of the Chinese travel industry to ensure the well being of Chinese travelers and protect their rights versus illegal practices. The move is considered the first major effort of the Chinese government to rein in on the illicit business practices that have plagued both the outbound and domestic markets of the country’s travel industry in the last decade. Read the rest of the article…

The mold of traditional tourism marketing campaigns has been broken as the factors determining a traveler’s destination choice is no longer limited to history, natural beauty, or shopping. Visitor safety has emerged as a major factor in the travel decision-making process of travelers given the emergence of external threats that pose risks to their well-being. As defined by the UN World Tourism Organization, these external threats include terrorism, civil unrest, the outbreak of infectious diseases, and severe weather disturbances. Read the rest of the article…

According to the latest survey by Visa, travel remains the top personal passion of the Asia’s affluent consumers as personal interests continue to be driven by new sights, tastes, and sounds. As indicated by study, one-off big purchases are less vulnerable to economic fluctuations hence passions are long-term pursuits that will most likely outlast the current financial crisis. Read the rest of the article…

Companies throughout the Asia Pacific region are cutting back on business-class and first-class travels as businesses keep a tight lid on their finances. The downturn in demand for premium travel is the effect of the ongoing financial crisis worldwide. As a result, Asia Pacific carriers that have built up their premium traffic over the years are in for a difficult period in 2009, as the demand for premium traffic has dropped by an average of 15% to 30% (depending on the route) revealed Derek Sadubin, chief operating officer of the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). Read the rest of the article…

International and domestic air passenger traffic fell by 11% and 10%, respectively, for the month of February as the financial crisis worldwide continued to grip the aviation industry. Nearly all regions registered substantial setbacks with the exception of international passenger traffic in the Middle East and domestic traffic in Asia Pacific albeit by only 1%. Read the rest of the article…

The latest findings from the ITB World Travel Trends Report reveal the growing trend among Asian tourists to travel more within Asia as the global recession worsens in the coming months. As it is, travelers from the region’s traditional tourist-generating powerhouses, Japan and South Korea, have already reduced their number of trips and many more are expected to do so in 2009. And though the emerging markets of China and India will continue to offer hope for outbound travel from Asia Pacific, many travelers from these two countries have also cut back on their trips and plan to continue doing so should the economy deteriorate further. Read the rest of the article…

The Chinese government has decided to cut the overseas business travel budget of public sector employees in response to the ongoing economic crisis. Government regulators demand a 20% cut in the overseas travel budget of officials. As stated by China’s Premier Wen Jiabao, the government should take the lead in encouraging thriftiness and to guarantee that spending goes to where it is most needed particularly during these times of economic crisis. Read the rest of the article…

AirAsia X is going strong in the face of the global economic crisis. As reported by Reuters, revenues for pre-sold AirAsia X tickets for the remainder of 2009 have gone up by 20%. Load factor or the average proportion of seats on each plane is also up from last year by 4%. Read the rest of the article…

The initial forecast released by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) at the end of January points to the drop of international tourist arrivals by up to 2% in 2009. Though the projection may still change depending on the trends that arise as a result of the ongoing economic slump worldwide. As UNWTO Deputy Secretary General Taleb Rifai has explained the situation is not a tourism crisis but rather a financial crisis that extends into the industry because of its inextricable link to many economic sectors and in some cases being one of the main drivers for some economies. Read the rest of the article…

Japanese overnights in Vienna last January 2009 showed a substantial growth of 5.2% compared to the decline of 9.1% last year for the same period. According to Michael Duscher, Director of Overseas Markets for the Austrian National Tourist Office, the first two months of 2008 reflected the bleak market environment at the time with the high rate of the Euro and soaring fuel surcharges. In contrast, 2009 promises the resurgence of the Japanese market to Vienna as the value of the Japanese Yen grows stronger thus encouraging Japanese citizens to travel once again. Read the rest of the article…

AirAsia X, the low-cost long haul carrier of AirAsia, will give away 200 free seats for its inaugural flight to London scheduled for March 11, 2009. Beginning March 5, AirAsia will organize games at road shows to be hosted at strategic locations in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, and Jakarta where attendees have a chance to win the tickets by answering easy questions about the company.

Source: Daily Express Malaysia at www.dailyexpress.com.my

The “Economic Crisis Barometer” is a survey among UFI members in 44 countries, conducted at the start of 2009, to reveal the overall business climate of the exhibition industry worldwide. Based on the results of the UFI survey, 62% of respondents indicated a decline in business for the period leading up to the end of 2008 due to the economic slump. Although only 38% of this percentage said the decrease represented a drop of 10% or more in their gross revenue. 60% of survey participants anticipate the steady growth of turnover decreases over the next year. But confidence in the resilience of the exhibition industry is high as over 80% forecast its economic recovery after 2009 and that 2011 would be the real kick-off point for a more confident business environment. Read the rest of the article…

The 2009 Asian Aerospace Exhibition and Congress organized by Reeds Exhibition, the world’s leading organizer of trade and consumer events, will be held at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong in September. The Asian Aerospace event is the largest single-focused exhibition and congress for the commercial aerospace and civil aviation market worldwide highlighting the Asia Pacific region. Read the rest of the article…

The latest air travel figures for January 2009 from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reveal the continuous decline in international passenger demand. Compared to January 2008, passenger demand fell further by 5.6% following the drop in December 2008 of 4.6%. The decline marks the fifth consecutive month of contraction. Load factor also fell to 72.8%. According to IATA Director General and CEO, Giovanni Bisignani, the worst is yet to come as the industry is in a crisis worldwide with all regions, save for the Middle East, reporting declines in passenger demand. Read the rest of the article…

AirAsia X, the long haul budget carrier of Malaysia’s AirAsia Bhd, revealed its intention to lease up to five Airbus A340-300s to fly to new markets in Europe and New Zealand. At present the carrier flies to Hangzhou in China, and to the Gold Coast, Perth, and Melbourne in Australia. AirAsia X is scheduled to begin flights to London in March. Read the rest of the article…

China’s air industry is also reeling from the effects of the economic crisis as several Chinese carriers seek emergency capital injection from the government. Shanghai Airlines, China’s first commercial airline, is the latest Chinese carrier to ask for aid. Other Chinese carriers that have sought assistance are China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines. Read the rest of the article…

Although the global economic crisis is expected to affect overseas tourism worldwide the forecast for Philippine tourism in 2009 remains upbeat owing to the industry’s notable performance in 2008. According to the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), tourist arrivals in 2008 rose by a record 1.5% to 3.14 million. The Philippine tourism industry accounts for 6.2% of the gross domestic product. Read the rest of the article…

The major slump in Japanese outbound travel in the past five years has prompted several of the country’s international and domestic carriers to seek government financial aid. The request was made by the Scheduled Airlines Association of Japan, chaired by Haruka Nishimatsu, on behalf of Japan Airlines Corp, the biggest carrier in Japan, All Nippon Airways Co. along with other domestic airlines, and presented to the Japanese Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Kaneko. However, the request did not specify a figure for the financial aid. Read the rest of the article…

Japan’s second largest carrier, All Nippon Airways (ANA), posted a net loss of JPY 12.6 billion for the last quarter of 2008 of the fiscal year through March. As a result, ANA expects to lose money for 2009 given that the financial slowdown worldwide has hit the Japanese demand for international travel. Compared to the same quarter a year earlier, the Japanese carrier had a net profit of JPY 12.5 billion. Read the rest of the article…

Japan Airlines conducted a successful biofuel test flight last January 30 using a sustainable biofuel refined mainly from the energy crop, camelina. The demonstration flight from Tokyo used a JAL Boeing 747-300 aircraft with no passengers or freight and lasted for nearly one and a half hours. The biofuel test flight by Japan Airlines is the first of its kind among Asian airlines. Read the rest of the article…

The 16th edition of the Travel Tour Expo (TTE) of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) will be held this February from the 6th until the 8th of this month. The 2009 Travel Tour Expo is projected to be the biggest ever in PTAA’s history with over 200 travel and tourism companies from the Philippines and around the world participating this year. Read the rest of the article…

Chinese tourism is targeting 1.85 billion tourists for domestic travel, 50 million for outbound travel, and 132 million for inbound travel, along with a total tourism income of CNY 1.23 trillion for 2009. To realize these goals, the Chinese tourism industry must vigorously tackle the financial crisis by taking every opportunity to improve the tourism market. That includes putting the national leisure and travel plan into a trial operation in some areas while at the same time exploring middle and short travel routes near the big cities, according to Shao Qiwei, director of the China National Tourism Administration. Read the rest of the article…

The first jumbo hostel onboard a genuine Boeing 747-200 Jumbo Jet opened last January 15 next to the entrance of the Stockholm Arlanda Airport. According to Swedish entrepreneur, Oscar Diös, CEO and Mastermind of the Jumbo Hostel, the hotel will not only be an exciting alternative for overnight accommodations but will also be a great attraction. Dios added the Jumbo Hostel would help bring increased interest in Stockholm and the region. Read the rest of the article…

In a bid to promote tourism, Taiwan proposes to reopen the domestic Taipei Airport for international flights with the launch of two round-trip flights daily to and from Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Agencies from Taiwan and Japan will meet in February for the amendment of the aviation agreement between the two countries. According to a senior official with the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), the proposal will be raised at the meeting. Read the rest of the article…

Low-cost passenger traffic within Asia Pacific and even in the long haul segment is forecast to grow in 2009, according to Amartya De, Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific consultant of Aerospace & Defense Practice. Despite the liquidity crunch in the airline industry, Frost & Sullivan estimates an increase in passenger traffic from emerging economies in Asia Pacific at around 5% to 7%. And since the prices of air tickets had come down to their original levels by the end of 2008, De added, Asia Pacific players would not face any loss for 2009 and may even be left with a few cents in the pocket. Read the rest of the article…

Reports from 165 key airports that participated in the monthly advance reporting system revealed a major drop in passenger numbers last November 2008. The total number of passengers were 2% and 8% lower than in 2006 and 2007, respectively, for the same month. International traffic decreased by 5.8% while domestic traffic worldwide fell by 8.5% for November. Read the rest of the article…

Starting January 14, 2009 Japan Airlines will offer its passengers codeshare flights from London (Heathrow) to Lisbon and to four other destinations in the United Kingdom (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Newcastle) on board British Airways. The latest codeshare agreement will provide smooth connections with minimal transit time from Lisbon and the UK cities onto daily services operated by Japan Airlines between London (Heathrow) and Japan. The new codeshare flights between the two Oneworld alliance members will connect Japan to a total of 31 cities in Europe on 43 routes. Read the rest of the article…

Lufthansa will have to pay more for Austria’s state carrier as the Austrian’s Takeover commission has raised the price to EUR 4.49 per share for the 42% stake of the state holding company, OeIAG. In early December, the German airline was selected by the holding company as the most suitable bidder to purchase the stake. Other carriers that bid for the stake were Air France, KLM, and S7 Airlines, the Russian domestic carrier. Read the rest of the article…

Beginning March 11, AirAsia X, the long haul subsidiary of low-cost carrier AirAsia, will start flying five-times weekly between Kuala Lumpur and the London Stansted airport. Fares start for as low as GBP 99 (USD 149) for one-way travel. AirAsia CEO, Dato Tony Fernandes, predicts the new route may well become a shuttle service with a flight departing every four to five hours. If so, rates could eventually be reduced to GBP 49 (USD 72 for one way), adds Fernandes. Read the rest of the article…

For October 2008, the decline of passenger traffic eased slightly as international traffic growth was down by only 1.4% compared to the same period last year, according to the Airports Council International (ACI). But global traffic remained down at –3.4% owing to poor domestic results worldwide that were down on average by 5%. Growth for the first ten months of 2008 remained flat at –0.6%. Read the rest of the article…

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates air industry losses in 2009 would be half of that in 2008, as the drop in fuel prices would counterbalance the decline in passenger numbers. According to IATA, carriers may lose a total of USD 2.5 billion in 2009, half of the total losses incurred by the airline industry in 2008. Read the rest of the article…

A recent survey among 42 travel agents in North Asia at the recent Abacus Regional Conference revealed that 30% of respondents saw automation as the key to surviving the financial crisis affecting the travel industry today. Read the rest of the article…

Dear MIG Colleagues,

In anticipation of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in 2009, Royal Intel is inviting NTOs and tourism entities across Europe to take part in a new study project: Climate Solutions – Technical Visits. With Climate Solutions – Technical Visits, Royal Intel is offering an extensive – and as always very generously priced – study of Asian technical visits to Europe – or specifically technical visits from China, India, Japan, and Korea focused on climate solutions to the individual project member countries. Read the rest of the article…

AirAsia X will launch direct service flights from Kuala Lumpur to London in March 2009. The new route is scheduled to operate five times a week. According to AirAsia Group CEO, Tony Fernandes, the new London-KL route is the fulfillment of a long-standing dream to provide affordable access between Malaysia and Europe to both ASEAN and European communities without sacrificing comfort. Read the rest of the article…

Indochina Airlines, the first fully privately owned airline to operate domestic flights in Vietnam, flew its maiden flight last November 25th from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. The carrier utilizes the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which has a capacity of 170 passengers with 12 business class seats. The new airline is owned by a group of Vietnamese businessmen chaired by Ha Hung Dung, a well-known Vietnamese pop and music composer and businessman. Read the rest of the article…

Since the middle of 2008, international tourism growth has slowed down on account of rising oil prices and the weakening global economy along with failing consumer confidence in the last few months, according to the latest United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Barometer. But on the whole, growth projections for 2008 remain at 2% on account of the strong performance in the first five months of the year when international tourist arrivals worldwide averaged 5.7%. Read the rest of the article…

In these trying times, the value of tourism research comes to the fore as the industry faces numerous challenges on all fronts from rising oil prices, declining passenger demand, the global economic slowdown, and issues regarding climate change. Now more than ever, careful planning based on strategic and solid tourism research can spell the difference for any tourism provider looking to get ahead. This is the fundamental belief of Royal Intel. Read the rest of the article…

Not since 2003 SARS scare has global air traffic dropped at such an alarming rate, says Giovanni Bisignani, director general and CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In September, passenger traffic fell by 2.9% and cargo traffic declined by 7.7% as compared to the same period of the previous year. Bisignani adds that even the drop in oil prices to half of the July peak was not enough to counteract the slump in passenger demand. Read the rest of the article…

India’s crowded airline sector has been struck with heavy losses as mounting global fuel prices have raised airfares that in turn have led to a decline in passenger numbers. In the fiscal year to March 2008, the Indian aviation sector posted a collective loss of USD 938 million. And for the current fiscal year, analysts expect losses in the Indian aviation sector to reach nearly USD 2 billion. Read the rest of the article…

Bookings are up for the Singapore-based budget carrier Tiger Airways in spite of the crisis plaguing today’s global economy today. According to Tiger Airways spokesman, Matthew Hobbs, the carrier has not seen a decline in the number of travelers mainly because people still need to travel by air and as such are looking for cheaper alternatives. Travelers want the best price and are opting for budget carriers in lieu of premium carriers as it would enable them to continue to travel by air, adds Hobbs. Read the rest of the article…

A Horizontal Aviation Agreement was signed between the European Commission (EC) and the Government of the Republic of India last April 8 in Brussels that re-establishes the legal certainty of the bilateral air services agreement between the South Asian nation and 26 member states of the European Union (EU). According to Antonio Tajani, EC vice-president in charge of transport, the pact is a major step toward strengthening relations with India and in opening up new areas of cooperation with the country, which has become an important partner for Europe and also one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world. Read the rest of the article…

The worst is yet to come for the aviation industry as continuing global economic slowdown threatens to destroy travel demand. According to IATA Director General and CEO, Giovanni Bisignani, the state of the aviation industry remains grim as high oil prices and falling demand poisons profitability. Read the rest of the article…

Japan Airlines (JAL) and Air Nippon Airways (ANA), two of Japan’s largest airlines, plan to trim down their flight services in order to bring down operating costs as a consequence of rising fuel prices. JAL will close down 12 domestic and five international routes, at the same time, reduce frequencies on five other routes. ANA is expected to cut down services on 10 routes, which includes two international routes. The flight cuts are expected to generate savings of up to JPY 13 billion for JAL and about JPY 3 billion for ANA, annually. Read the rest of the article…

The economic slowdown is affecting travel demand according to the latest air traffic data from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). For July 2008, AAPA member airlines carried 12.6 million international passengers, 0.6% less than the same period last year, although traffic measured in RPK (revenue passenger kilometers) increased slightly by 0.8%. Overall capacity, measured in ASK (available seat kilometers) continued to outdo demand rising 2.5% year-on-year. Read the rest of the article…

The 2008 World Tourism Congress and Travel Fair of the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA-WTF) is set for September 18 to 21 at the Tokyo Big Sight. Held annually since 2003, the event is heralded as one of the largest travel fairs in Asia. The JATA-WTF is a must attend for travel trade professionals interested in the Asian and Japanese travel markets. Read the rest of the article…

Singapore outbound travel is on a roll despite rising costs of travel and economic slowdown. The second annual travel fair of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) entitled ‘NATAS Holidays 2008’ held last August 1 to 3 saw an increase in the number of Singaporeans booking autumn and winter holidays. Bookings made at the three-day travel fair are estimated at SGD 40 million (USD 28 million). But the final tally is expected to increase as more deals are closed in the coming weeks. Read the rest of the article…

Online travel sales in Asia is expected to grow by about 90% in the coming decade with China, India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Vietnam leading the way. Exhibitors at the first ITB Asia event to be held in Singapore on October 22-24 reveal the majority of online travel sales will come from existing customers aged up to 25 who are projected to gain more spending power in the next ten years. Read the rest of the article…

Citi, a leading financial services company worldwide, recently launched its latest effort in raising environmental awareness about climate change among its Philippine clients. From August 1 to October 31, 2008, Citi clients that open a Citi Time Deposit will get the chance to be part of the Great Arctic Eco Tour Promotion. The tour offers clients a taste of the Arctic Region, either with a tour of the Northern Lights in Norway or a trip to see the interesting wildlife of the Antarctic. The Ecological Tours are part of the Go Green Activities campaign launched by the company to help raise environmental awareness among its clients. Read the rest of the article…

After a six year wait, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) finally hosted its first international flights last August 1. This is a major step for NAIA-3 in becoming the premier gateway of the Philippines. The terminal initially opened for domestic commercial operations last July 22. Three domestic carriers namely Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines Express, and Air Philippines have moved their operations to terminal. Read the rest of the article…

New rules enforced by the European Union now provide for trouble-free air transport services for the disabled and elderly in EU airports. Starting July 26, elderly and disabled passengers will gain access to the same air transport services afforded other passengers flying to or from as well as passing in transit through airports in the European Union, at no extra cost. The new rules are intended to put a stop to discrimination and provide the disabled and elderly passengers the assistance they need when traveling, says Antonio Tajani, the European Commission Vice President responsible for transport. Read the rest of the article…

India’s online travel agents (OTAs) intend to charge their clients a Service Fee on sales in light of the looming zero commission policy to be adopted by domestic and international carriers starting October 1st. Big players in the Indian OTA industry like Arzoo.com, Cleartrip.com, Travelocity.com, and Yatra.com consider the implementation of a service fee model as the only feasible choice for them to gain from air bookings after October since the bulk of their revenue is from air bookings. Read the rest of the article…

The 2008 China Travel Distribution & Technology Summit (CTD&TS), the country’s most important travel distribution conference has formed a marketing alliance with Web in Travel (WIT), Asia’s leading travel distribution, marketing, and technology conference. Both events will kick off two of the largest trade shows in Asia, the inaugural ITB Asia event in Singapore and the China International Travel Mart (CITM) in Shanghai in November. WIT and CTD&TS are supported by PhoCusWright, the travel industry research authority on how travelers, suppliers, and intermediaries connect. Read the rest of the article…

In response to the intended scrapping of airline commissions starting October 1st, major Indian travel agencies warn they will stop selling domestic and international air tickets if a resolution to the intended zero-commission policy was not ironed out at the scheduled meeting of leading airlines and agents on July 24. The move to stop selling air tickets will affect air travelers that could face problems booking or canceling tickets through company-owned ticketing counters or through the internet, which is not a popular option for international travel. Read the rest of the article…

The second Asia Luxury Travel market (ALTM) was awarded the prestigious Five Star Diamond Award by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences following the event’s successful run last June in Shanghai. The award recognizes the event’s commitment to excellence in luxury and service as well as its determination to drive Asia’s luxury travel industry forward and serve as an intermediary between global sellers and regional buyers, says ALTM event director, Jay Martens. ALTM also won as Asia’s Leading Travel Exhibition at the inaugural Asia Pacific event of the World Travel Awards held also in Shanghai. Read the rest of the article…

As the value of the Australian Dollar strengthens, more and more destinations are becoming affordable for Australians eager to travel overseas. An annual list released by Expedia.com.au, together with foreign exchange specialist HiFX, lists the top ten destinations where the AUD has gotten stronger over the last year. Included in the listing are South Africa, Vietnam, and South Korea, along with the USA and the United Kingdom. Read the rest of the article…

Finnair opened direct flights to Seoul from Helsinki last June, making it the only airline flying non-stop from the South Korean capital to Northern Europe. The route flies five times a week aboard the new Airbus A340-300E long-haul aircraft on Finnair’s fleet. Flight time is 8 hours and 55 minutes from the Finnish capital and 9 hours 50 minutes from Seoul. Read the rest of the article…

Finnair will be increasing its connections between Asia and Europe for the 2008-2009 winter season, as it adjusts its Asia flight schedules providing additional flights between the two continents. In doing so, the Finnish carrier hopes to increase passenger sales and load factors to meet the growing pressure caused by fuel price hikes. Read the rest of the article…

The second package of legislation for a Single European Sky (SES II), intended to improve safety, cut costs, and reduce delays, has been adopted by the European Commission. This translates to lower fuel consumption saving airlines up to 16 million tons of CO2 emissions at the same time cut their annual cost by two or three billion Euros. The total reorganization of the European Air Traffic Management system will be instrumental in managing the expected doubling of air traffic by 2020. Read the rest of the article…

The completion of air service talks between India and Germany raises the number of weekly flights to 69 from 50. Consequently, the agreement allows Lufthansa to raise flight frequencies to both Mumbai and Kolkata. From Mumbai, the German carrier will launch daily connections to Munich, which currently flies only three times a week. Daily flights from Kolkata, from the existing five times a week connection, will also take place. Read the rest of the article…

After VisitBritain, the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions, the Tourist Office for Flanders and Brussels, and the Slovak Tourist Board, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is the fifth European NTO to become an allied partner of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the region’s leading travel trade association. Read the rest of the article…

Not everyone is ready to commit time to this yet,” says Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) president Peter de Jong, referring to the lack of Asian tourism industry players at the first PATA conference on climate change held in Bangkok last April. The event was dominated by westerners according to organizers and regional airlines were noticeably under-represented as invitations sent to Asian companies were met with disinterest. Read the rest of the article…

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) warns rising cost of fuel prices affecting airline operations worldwide would put global economies at risk. Airlines are an essential part of today’s society and also the lifeblood of global commerce and industry, according to PATA president and CEO Peter de Jong. Calling to mind the effects of the SARS outbreak five years ago when people stopped flying, de Jong noted that a drastic reduction in airline operations and the closure of important routes would surely put economies at risk. Read the rest of the article…

Two Chinese carriers, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines, intend to reduce their number of international flights within the region in light of the escalating cost of fuel. The cutback in the number of flights is only temporary, according to a spokesman for China Southern, adding that it was a better alternative to halting services permanently on these routes. Read the rest of the article…

The National Business Travel Association’s (NBTA) Fundamentals of Business Management/CTE Course will be offered for the first time in Asia Pacific at the 2008 IT&CMA & CTW Asia-Pacific event to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in October. The one-day workshop presented in partnership with TTG Asia Media has been structured and formatted to match the needs of Asia Pacific’s travel professional. TTG Asia is pleased to bring this opportunity to Asia Pacific and to play a significant role in helping further the corporate travel industry of the region, says Darren Ng, TTG Asia Media’s managing director. Read the rest of the article…

“Youth Travel Matters: Understanding the Global Phenomenon of Youth Travel” is a joint study of the United Nations-World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and its affiliate member, the World Youth, Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation that underscores the importance of Youth Travel to the continued growth of the tourism industry. The report reveals the latest trends in Youth Travel destinations, products, and innovations of the past five years. Read the rest of the article…

The Asian Attractions Expo 2008 has signed on more than 150 manufacturers and suppliers from nearly 30 countries to exhibit at this year’s event scheduled to take place in Macau S.A.R. on July 16 to 18. Since no other event in the region offers more knowledge, products, or connections, Charles Bray, president and CEO of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) forecasts the event will be the premier gathering of the attractions industry in Asia. Read the rest of the article…

Singapore Airlines will increase its A380 service on the Singapore-London route on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Starting July 16, customers flying on the SQ318 to London from Singapore and on the flight back, SQ321, will enjoy the highly acclaimed cabin products and flying experience of the world’s largest passenger aircraft. With the additional service, the number of Singapore Airlines’ flights between the two cities will step up from seven to eleven times a week. Read the rest of the article…

Industry insiders expect a boost in demand for outbound travel and overseas shopping with the continued appreciation of the Chinese Yuan against the American Dollar. Last April, the central parity rate of the Yuan versus the Dollar breached the psychological mark of 7 and has maintained its 6.98 standing for over a month. This translates to stronger purchasing power for Chinese travelers in the United States or in other countries and regions that peg their currency to the American Dollar. With the continual decline of the US dollar, analysts forecast the Chinese Yuan to appreciate further by at least 7% to 10%. Read the rest of the article…

Beginning June 3, the ‘JL’ code of Japan Airlines (JAL) will be placed on non-stop international flights operated by Finnair between Helsinki and three Japanese cities namely Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo. The expansion of the bilateral code share agreement of the two carriers will connect Japan to 25 cities in Europe. Read the rest of the article…

Travel bookings at Japan’s eight major wholesalers showed mixed results based on the latest monthly survey conducted by Weekly Travel Journal between March 29 to April 9. Only three of the eight major wholesalers posted year-on-year gains in May bookings owing mainly to the Golden Week travel demand. For June, only Club 21 and Mach/Best Tours’ show year-on-year growth in reservations. However, officials at both agencies reveal the gains only replicate the slow-moving performance of the same month for the previous year. Read the rest of the article…

Booking levels are expected to return to the same levels as last year in May with Hawaii, Guam-Saipan, and Asian destinations posting the highest gains while reservations for USA-Canada will remain the same. A survey conducted by the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) among the top six travel wholesalers reveal that consumer reservations will take off to nearly the same level from a year ago in May. The increase in bookings is fueled in part by the drop in tour prices and airfares during the post-Golden week season – a normal occurrence after the peak travel period. The combined sales of JTB Corp., Kinki Nippon Tourist (KNT), Nippon Travel Agency (NTA), Hankyu Express International (HEI), Jalpak, and ANA Sales make up about 40% of all sales of major travel agencies in the country. Read the rest of the article…

The upcoming golden week will see a 5.6% decrease in passenger traffic for Japanese carriers particularly to long haul destinations owing to the poor alignment of national holidays mixed with the weekdays during this period. For this season, the number of passengers booked with the JAL Group and the ANA Group for the period between April 25th and May 6th totals 252,951 with an average load factor reaching 63.3%, indicating a drop of 2.2 percentage points. The number of available seats also went down by 2.2% to 399,868 compared to the same period last year. Read the rest of the article…

Brunei intends to invest more into its tourism sector prompted by the industry’s rapid growth in recent years as well as by strong forecasts for the next decade. The initiative corresponds to the goals of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to promote tourism in and among its member countries. Read the rest of the article…

Asian consumers and businesses are becoming increasingly worried about the impacts of climate change according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) President, Peter de Jong. In 2007, a GlobeScan survey of 1,000 consumers from 20 countries in five continents revealed that people in Asia were generally more worried than Europeans that climate change would pose a threat to them and their family. But at the same time Asians felt less empowered to do something about it unlike their European counterparts, as revealed by the same survey. Read the rest of the article…

In the next five years, the total number of aircrafts in Asia Pacific will increase by 49%, net of disposals, according to the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) based on information contained in the latest Ascend Global Aircraft detailed global fleet forecast. Regional airlines are expected to take delivery of one new aircraft daily. By 2013, the report reveals a 35% increase of the wide body aircraft fleet to 1,585 units, a 51% increase in narrow bodies to 3,195 units, and a 113% increase of regional jets to 375 aircrafts owing largely to the anticipated growth in China. Read the rest of the article…

The US economic slowdown is affecting industry revenue according to the latest figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). For February 2008, the average global passenger load factor (PLF) fell to 73.3%, the most significant drop in four years. Compared to the same period in 2007, the industry recorded a growth of 7.4% worldwide. According to Giovanni Bisignani, CEO of IATA, passenger demands taking into account adjustments for the impact of the leap year increased by 4% to 5%, indicates that though demand is still growing it is also slowing down. Read the rest of the article…

The China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI) presented the winners of the fifth Chinese Tourists Welcoming (CTW) Award 2008 during the China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market last April 14 in Beijing. The awards are given to international companies and organizations that provide excellent services and products for the growing Chinese outbound tourism market. With the growing number of Chinese tourists willing to pay for better service, according to Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, the CTW Award helps them to identify the destinations and service providers that go the extra mile in catering to their specific needs and expectations. And with over 40 million departures in 2007, the Chinese market cannot be ignored, adds Arlt. Read the rest of the article…

RCI Cruise is the first cruise vacation exchange in Asia, launched by RCI in partnership with ICE Gallery Asia Pacific. The service offers RCI subscribing members in Asia a choice of 10,000 cruise itineraries from among the leading cruise liners in the world, including Royal Caribbean Internationa, Cunard, Holland-America Line, Princess, Norwegian, Celebrity, Disney Cruises, and Carnival. Kendall Oei, president and managing director of Group RCI, Asia Pacific, says the launch of RCI Cruise underlines the company’s vision to identify innovative vacation exchange options and explore opportunities to enhance the vacation experience of its members and their families. Read the rest of the article…

Raghu Menon recently assumed the post of Chairman and Managing Director of Air India succeeding V. Thulasidas who retired end of March. Mr. Menon will take on the responsibility of integrating Air India and Indian Airlines following its merger in 2007. At the same time, oversee the expansion and upgrade of the carrier’s fleet and product offers as well as its entry into the Star Alliance group of airlines. Read the rest of the article…

The Lonely Planet launched its own travel video Channel last April 10 on the leading online video community, YouTube. The new Channel showcases 20 videos from LonelyPlanet.tv, the travel company’s own online video-sharing website plus exclusive previews and behind-the-scenes footage from the brand’s upcoming television shows. New clips will also be uploaded weekly to the Channel. Read the rest of the article…

The second Asia Luxury Travel Market (ALTM), slated for June 16-19 in Shanghai, China, is growing faster than its sister event the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) according to Serge Dive, founder of both events, who attributes this growth to the excitement surrounding the potential of Asia’s luxury travel market. Read the rest of the article…

Kuoni enters the virtual world, via the Second Life internet platform, as the computer animated island, INUOK, that is KUONI spelled backwards. With the debut of the INUOK Island on April 10, Kuoni hopes to gain a better understanding of how virtual communities communicate and in the process, gather as much information as possible about the platform for application in future projects of the company, according to Bojan Jokic, CIO for the Kuoni group. Read the rest of the article…

Hong Kong-based long haul budget carrier, Oasis Airline applied for the appointment of a provisional liquidator with the Hong Kong Court last April 9, 2008 after only 18 months in operation. Effective immediately, all flight schedules of the airline have been canceled until further notice leaving an indefinite number of passengers stranded in Hong Kong as well as in London and Vancouver. Read the rest of the article…

Adam Air ceased operations last March 18 under orders from the Indonesian government due to shortcomings in its operational, training, and maintenance procedures. Although the airline may reapply for permission to operate again within three months, Adam Suherman, the airlines President Director, says the decision to fly again would be up to the shareholders. However, Suherman believes the closure was for the best since staff morale had already declined on account of the company’s financial troubles. Read the rest of the article…

Scandinavian Airlines Services (SAS) advances to the forefront of green aviation as it implements ‘Green Approach Flights’, using the Advanced Continuous Descent Approach (A-CDA) system, according to Lars Olofsson, General Manager SAS Australia and New Zealand. The new technology enables the pilot to calculate the aircraft’s landing time thereby making it possible to let the plane glide during the final stage of the flight. Consequently, fuel consumption and noise level are significantly reduced as the aircraft operates at a lower speed. Green approaches are one of many key initiatives the airline is taking to reach its environmental goal of lowering emissions, per unit, by 50% in 2020, adds Olofsson. Read the rest of the article…

Philippine tourism surpassed all expectations in 2007, as it welcomed three million international tourists. The achievement was lauded by no less than the United Nations World Tourism Organization, who also rated the country’s Department of Tourism’s (DOT) campaign as the most improved in Asia. According to DOT Secretary, Joseph Durano, the country is well on its way of achieving its goal of five million visitors by 2010 as a result of its current niche marketing campaign for Ecotourism. Read the rest of the article…

The continuous robust growth of emerging countries not only as tourism destinations but as source markets as well guarantee bright prospects for the travel industry in the medium term despite the challenges brought on by the US economy slowdown, higher fuel costs, and the impact of climate change, according to Jean-Claude Baumgarten, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) president. Read the rest of the article…

Vietnamese outbound travel is growing according to Euromonitor International (EI) as 2007 departures reached 1.2 million, an increase of 20% indicating a faster growth rate that that of its neighbors China and India. EI forecasts an annual growth rate of 22% between 2007 and 2012 as a result of rising consumer confidence and the wealth of developments happening in the country. Read the rest of the article…

For a third year in a row, Asian airports topped the list of the Airports Council International’s (ACI) global Airport Service Quality Survey (ASQ), with the top three spots going to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport in South Korea, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia, and the Changi International Airport in Singapore. Other airports in the region also recognized by ACI are Centrair (the Central Japan International Airport) and the Hong Kong International Airport in the five annual-passenger traffic size categories under which both KLIA and Incheon were also recognized. The Shanghai Airport Authority will also receive a special award to acknowledge its strong leadership in modernizing and expanding airports under its authority. Read the rest of the article…

The European Commission recently proposed the application of biometric screening and automated security checks, the same safety measures currently employed by the United States and Japan, for foreign travelers entering and leaving member states of the European Union (EU). The proposal, which requires foreigners to be fingerprinted, photographed, and their information stored in a Europe-wide database, is part of the growing trend on both sides of the Atlantic on behalf of national security and immigration control. Eventually, information gathered could be shared by friendly governments around the world. But before any sharing takes place, an official of the European Commission has pointed out that European data-protection laws will be strictly observed. Read the rest of the article…

Gambling tourism is on the rise in Asia and countries in the region are cashing in. From Macau to Nepal, a total of 12 countries have legalized gambling and receive visitors from around the world as well as from neighboring Southeast Asian countries where gaming is still illegal like in Thailand and China. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the regulated gaming industry in Asia is predicted to grow by 14% annually from 2005-2010, considered the fastest pace in the world. David Green of PricewaterhouseCoopers also reveals that Macau, the most popular destination for casinos and legalized gambling in Asia has already surpassed Las Vegas as the world’s largest gaming market. Read the rest of the article…

Korean Air will purchase three additional A380s aside from its initial order of five A380 aircrafts placed in 2003. The decision is part of the company’s vision of becoming a leading global carrier providing best quality service to its passengers, according to Korean Air CEO, Yang Ho Cho. The first five aircrafts are set to be delivered between 2010 and 2011 while the additional three are expected between 2012 and 2013. Beginning 2010, the A380 aircraft will be introduced on the high-traffic long-haul routes of the carrier like Los Angeles, New York, and Paris. Read the rest of the article…

Major Japanese wholesalers are set to launch travel campaigns that would counter the expected sluggish bookings for April as a result of the unfavorable combination and succession of holidays for the Golden Week holiday season between late April and May. Unlike in 2007, when people were able to take a nine-consecutive day holiday by taking the first two weekdays off in May, consumers will need to take an additional three or four days-off to enjoy the same length for the holiday this year. There is also no secondary departure peak period in April unlike a year ago, says Look JTB, which intends to introduce special products earlier to boost demand, while I’ll/AVA plans to launch price-oriented products to all destination areas. Read the rest of the article…

Tourist attractions overseas have started to celebrate the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year holiday with unique decorations and practices to help create festivity and win the hearts of Chinese travelers, one of Asia’s largest sources of tourists. According to Asia Tourism Relations’ (ATR) managing director, Glen Hingley, this auspicious occasion is considered the most important holiday of the country and is a peak season for outbound travel after the Christmas and New Year break. Part of the preparations implemented include the adoption of more Mandarin-speaking guest services staff members, more Chinese food, traditional decorations and activities, as well as increased and flexible services and gifts. Read the rest of the article…