Asia Pacific

Preliminary figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) provide further evidence of a modest recovery in air traffic demand. A total of 11.1 million international passengers were carried by AAPA member airlines in November, 4.5% more than in the same month last year.

International passenger traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) terms, grew 3.5%. With available seat capacity having been cut by 3.1%, the average AAPA international passenger load factor for the month reached 76.3%, 4.9 percentage points up on the same month last year. AAPA international air cargo demand, measured in freight tonne kilometre terms (FTK), registered growth of 12% compared to the depressed levels of a year ago, and marking a continuation of the slow but steady recovery witnessed in 2009. The AAPA average international air cargo load factor was 8.2 percentage points higher at 71.1% for the month.

Commenting on the results, AAPA Director General Mr. Andrew Herdman, notes that’s given the difficult year in which AAPA international passenger traffic fell 8%, and international air cargo traffic registering a 14% decline, the November traffic figures are mildly encouraging, in line with the broader economic recovery underway being led by the Asia Pacific region. In absolute terms however, demand remains well below pre-recession levels. In addition, the aviation industry is still wrestling with the problem of low yields and continuing oil price volatility, so a recovery in airline profitability is still some way off making the overall, market conditions remain extremely challenging.

According to recent surveys conducted at Amadeus the key concerns faced by travel agents across Asia Pacific are notably competition from online travel agents, the general travel downturn, and ways to generate more revenue in 2010.

The majority of respondents from Hong Kong and the Philippines felt that the competition from online travel agents was the most pressing issue, while respondents from Japan see the general downturn in travel as their key challenge. Travel agents from Hong Kong and the Philippines had different views from Japanese travel agents on the strategies that would be most effective to overcome these challenges in their respective markets. The majority of respondents from Hong Kong and the Philippines indicated that widening their target groups to generate business and adopting new technology would be critical in revenue and profit generation. Whereas most travel agents in Japan are exploring ways to implement cost cutting measures such as streamlining resources, work processes and operational expenses to best maximize profits.

The two tactics cited by travel agents in Japan in comparison scored lowly amongst agents in Hong Kong and the Philippines. According to the Vice President of the Business Solutions Group, Amadeus Asia Pacific, Peter Smith, the survey highlights how different markets have their own unique challenges for their customers and equally so their responses and strategies to counter such challenges. The survey in addition identified customer loyalty as a critical factor in reviving business in the travel industry. In this regard, the industry players have been advised to harness the power of technology to differentiate themselves from competitors and keep a high level of customer satisfaction and loyalty given the challenges confronting the travel industry.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has questioned the effectiveness of the latest airport security measures introduced following the Christmas Day attempt to blow up an aircraft in the United States.

The AAPA has in effect said that treating each of the six million passengers who fly daily as potential terrorists and subjecting them to virtual strip searches and pat-downs, borders on the absurd particularly when compared to the approach the Association has adopted to ensure public security in other aspects of people’s daily lives. The regional association acknowledges that whilst new screening technologies are constantly under evaluation, including full body scanners and automatic explosive detection systems, there is however insufficient evidence regarding their effectiveness to justify their immediate deployment, not to mention unresolved health and privacy issues.

This limitation in the use of technology further exacerbated by ongoing debate on the merits or otherwise of passenger profiling raises a number of other important issues of fairness and preservation of human dignity, given the fact that 99.99% of passengers, even from supposedly higher risk categories, are entirely innocent. The AAPA on its part contends that rather than laying much focus on more intrusive passenger screening, the key lesson from the recent and all previous terrorist threats and or incidents, is the critical importance of effective intelligence gathering and analysis suggesting for reinforcement of both inter-agency and inter-governmental cooperation.

Commenting on the current state of affairs, the Director General of the AAPA, Andrew Herdman, asserts that despite recent events over terrorist threats in the air, public confidence in the safety of air travel remains high. The Director however cautioned over the undermining of traveler confidence by ill-judged reactionary measures being taken by those entrusted with maintaining public safety noting that the sudden introduction by national governments of uncoordinated new security requirements, without prior consultation, makes practical implementation difficult. Far from reassuring passengers, such unprecedented counter measures are likely to result in further confusion and unnecessary inconvenience.

Figures released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) show that the numbers of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region grew by 2.2% year-on-year in October 2009, improving the overall position for the year (over 10 months), just 4% down when compared with the same period in 2008.

Within Asia, Southeast Asia recorded a strong gain, standing at 7% growth in international visitor arrivals, boosted by another impressive month for Malaysia (+14%) coupled by better outcomes from Indonesia (+3%) and for Thailand (+11%). In Northeast Asia, arrivals to Chinese Taipei (+13%) and Korea (ROK) (+13%) maintained stable growth momentum, while arrivals to Hong Kong SAR (+9%) and Macau SAR (+5%) continued to improve. However, weak arrivals were reported for China (PRC) (+1%) and sharp declines experienced by Japan (–11%); factors that limited the overall growth rate for the sub-region to 3%. In South Asia, Maldives (+11%), Nepal (+11%) and Sri Lanka (+7%) reported robust growth in visitor numbers for the month of October but where India’s tourist numbers were down by 1%.

As a result, the overall growth for the sub-region was reportedly a modest 2%, reflecting the dominance of the India’s inbound travel market in the region. The Pacific, on their part, recorded a 3% growth, with Australia (+6%) and New Zealand (+8%) leading the rebound. However, trends in visitor arrivals remained depressed for Guam (–9%) and Hawaii (–0.3%). According to the Associate Director of PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC), Kris Lim, the month of October marked the third straight month of above the line gains for international visitor arrivals to the Asia Pacific region. The growth rate of 2.2% achieved in October was acknowledged as being by far the best year-on-year improvement in a very depressed year.

Despite these intermittent growth recorded for the region, the first 10 months of the year was however 4% off the pace in terms of arrivals growth compared to 2008 levels, and about 3% off vis-à-vis 2007 levels. PATA however expressed its confidence for stronger gains expected for the remaining two months of the year, given that preliminary estimates for November from a number of destinations support those expectations given that growth in arrivals is in the double-digit range for Chinese Taipei, Korea (ROK), Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in November.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has warned that the past year shaped itself at becoming one of the worst for many years for international arrivals into Asia Pacific destinations.

Indeed the full-year contraction in arrival numbers is estimated to be as much as 5%, meaning that the region ended up with close to 17 million fewer visitors as compared to the 377 million recorded in 2008. According to the associate director of PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC), Kris Lim, the dismal performance is equivalent to a loss of two years in growth. Figures released by PATA show that the numbers of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region grew by 0.7% year-on-year in September 2009. However, growth in arrivals for the region is still down by 5% year-on-year for the first nine months of 2009. Prospects for 2010 however look promising given that the global economy is expected to expand by 3% in this New Year, with the Asia Pacific region expected to grow at double the global estimate.

This growth, PATA’s associate director warns requires all stakeholders continuing to work together to lead the industry out of its current stalemate. PATA acknowledges the single bright spot case example of Sri Lanka’s tourism sector where visitor numbers continue to improve, recording a 29% increase in arrivals for September 2009.

Key trends highlighted by ITB Berlin’s report on ‘World Travel Trends’ shows that Asian travel demand will close 5% down for 2009 in part due to sharp declines in travelers from South Korea while long-haul destinations such as Europe are being hit hardest as Japanese, Chinese, Indians and Thais also choose to stay home or travel within Asia. The latest ITB World Travel Trends Report further notes that travel demand for 2010 is likely to pick up, but spending is likely to lag at around 2005-2006 levels. Prospects for 2010 will however be greatly determined by any return of consumer confidence in Japan and China.

The ITB World Travel Trends Report findings show that Asian travel demand averaged a more than a 10% decline January-June, but where on the other hand, some market recovery has been recorded since July 2009, indicating that the Asian travel industry is over the worst. While intra-Asian trip volume fell by only 5% from January through August 2009, travel to Europe (14% of total trips) was down 10%. Asian travel to the Americas (9% of all Asian trips) slumped by a more damaging 15%. The report notes that Chinese travelers may be more recession-proof than the Japanese, but they don’t spend as much. In Europe, for example, the total spend by Chinese tourists on transport, accommodation, food and beverages and incidentals (i.e. excluding shopping) was €240 per night, as against €320 for Japanese, €185 for Koreans and €180 for Taiwanese.

In 2009, the report notes, destinations dependent on Chinese travelers were also disappointed for different reasons. The Chinese government for instance issued an edict earlier in the year stating that no Chinese government employee could travel abroad in 2009. The biggest decline so far in 2009, in terms of outbound travel, has come from South Korea, down more than 10% over the same period in 2008 – a decline due in large part to exchange rates. In the six months from September 2008, the won went through a period of great volatility, involving massive depreciations. The report notes that South Korea was already weak as an outbound travel market in 2008 following several years of consistently strong growth. Even within Asia, the once high-flying low cost airline sector suffered in 2009.

Despite rock-bottom airfares, the sector has experienced capacity cuts, which resulted in lower seat availability and, inevitably, rising airfares. Analysts remain divided on signs of full recovery in Asia with some seeing a second dip into recession while others suggest that government stimulus packages have got anyone through the worst of it. The price of oil and the threat of H1N1 remain the unknown factors. According to the Vice President CompetenceCenter Travel & Logistics, at Messe Berlin,Dr Martin Buck, the ITB report predicts a modest increase in outbound trip volume for Asia, but expenditure and yield levels will still be at pre-2008 levels. Within Asia one can still expect to see shorter, cheaper trips, closer to home and at off-peak times.

The report concludes that there are currently too many uncertainties to be able to make certain predictions in terms of travel and tourism demand from the world’s leading source regions. The best guess suggest that neither Europe nor North America will do better than achieve a flat year in terms of growth, unless the economic recovery is much stronger in the USA than currently expected. But Asia Pacific should see at least a modest increase in outbound trip volume – mainly for intra-regional destinations – a trend also forecast for South America and the Middle East.

Figures released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) show that the numbers of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region grew by 0.7% year-on-year in September 2009. The region is this year expected to welcome 360 million travelers for the full year of 2009, a drop however of 5% when compared to last year’s figures.Only two sub-regions experienced positive growth that of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, where international visitor arrivals to the former region grew by 14% while arrivals to the Pacific were up 9%.

The boost in arrivals for Southeast Asia comes against the strong 25% growth in arrivals to Malaysia and the rebound in arrivals to Thailand (from a low base in September 2008). Arrivals to most destinations in the Pacific also increased compared to September 2008. Notable gains were equally recorded for Australia (+9%), New Zealand (+9%) and Hawaii (+8%) which all showed positive trends. In comparison, international visitor arrivals to Northeast Asia, the largest sub-region by number of arrivals, were down by 2% in September 2009 and, together with the Americas (–3%) and South Asia (–1%), offset the positive growth seen in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Falling foreign inbound numbers for China (PRC) (–4%) and Japan (–16%) depressed growth in the Northeast Asia region in spite of positive results from Hong Kong SAR (+3%), Macau SAR (+4%), Chinese Taipei (+11%) and Korea (ROK) (+16%).

The 1% decline in arrivals to South Asia was largely driven by the 4% fall in international arrivals into India. Tourism demand in Sri Lanka, on the other hand, continued to improve, recording a 29% increase in arrivals for September 2009. With these forecast findings, PATA finds that while figures are becoming healthier, with September actually showing growth of 0.7%, strong contractions earlier in the year is likely to cause a full year decline in tourist numbers. According to PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre Associate Director, Kris Lim, the year is shaping up to be one of the worst for many years for international arrivals into Asia Pacific destinations where the full-year contraction in arrival numbers could be as much as 5%, equating to a growth in loss of two years. PATA is however optimistic that the prospects for 2010 appear promising.

Hotels in the Asia Pacific region experienced decreases (in U.S. dollars terms) for all three key performance metrics for October 2009. This is according to data compiled by STR Global, year-on-year measurements of the Asia Pacific region’s occupancy rates which show a fall of 0.6% to 67.1%, and where ADR declined 2.5% to USD 128.09 and RevPAR fell 3.1% to USD 85.89.

The star performers in terms of monthly RevPAR growth across the region are Australia, Guam, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand and South Korea, which benefited partly due to a weak U.S. Dollar exchange rate. Among the key markets in the region, New Delhi, India, reported the largest occupancy increase, up 14.7% to 77.5%, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (+12.4% to 74.1%), and Sydney, Australia (+11.9% to 88%). Two markets posted double-digit occupancy decreases those in Manila, Philippines (-11.3% to 63.4%), and Bali, Indonesia (-10.8% to 77.1%).

Melbourne, Australia (+28.5% to US$160.78), and Sydney (+28.5% to US$161.24) reported the largest ADR increases. Two other markets also reported ADR increases of more than 20% namely Brisbane, Australia (+23.2% to USD 153.32), and Seoul, South Korea (+22.7% to USD 170.59). On the other hand, largest ADR decreases were reported for Phuket, Thailand (-22.8% to USD 72.72), Shanghai, China (-22.2% to USD 117.22), and Beijing, China (-22.1% to USD 95.68). Sydney, Australia experienced the largest RevPAR increase, jumping 43.8% to USD 141.84. Three markets reported RevPAR decreases of more than 20% those of Phuket (-28.2% to USD 42.47); Shanghai (-25.2% to USD 66.82); and Beijing (-20.5% to USD 60.56).

According to the managing director of STR Global, Elizabeth Randall, all sub-regions across Asia/Pacific saw occupancy stabilizing in the month of October, helping to soften RevPAR decline by only 3.1% overall and where monthly improvements saw hotels across the region losing just USD 22.04 in RevPAR value year-to-date compared to year-to-October 2008.

Boeing has predicted that the Asia-Pacific will dominate the world in terms of airline activity within the next two decades with airlines in Southeast Asia requiring more than 2,100 new aircraft valued at approximately USD 330 billion in this regard.
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The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has been urged to woo major airlines in China to strengthen the clout of the association on the global stage. Singapore Airlines CEO, Chew Choon Seng, affirms this need as the association acknowledges China’s present status and ability at taking a leading position on the world stage.
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According to the UNWTO, a moderate growth is expected for 2010 based on forecasted estimates given that the decline in international tourism may have started to bottom out. According to the latest edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals at a global level declined by 7% between January and August 2009, with the rate of decline easing further in the past few months.
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Euromonitor International launched the 2009 World Travel Market Global Trends report revealing seven trends of the future in an effort to provide insight into how the travel and tourism industry can entice the next generation of travelers, despite the economic uncertainty.
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Travelers both young and old are increasingly using mobile devices for flight notification, check in, and seat selection, and are also willing to accept advertising with free travel applications. These findings were revealed in a global mobile survey of travelers, conducted by Sabre Travel Network, a provider of high-performance solutions for the travel industry, among 800 corporate and leisure travelers from Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America, covered topics ranging from preferred features to fees travelers might pay for travel applications.
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Landmark sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games will influence the travel calendar in 2010. In addition, a growing trend towards eco-tourism puts Stockholm on the map, while Istanbul is expected to be one of the most visited European destinations in recognition of its recent accolade as the ‘European City Of Culture’.
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Emirates, the International airline of the United Arab Emirates, announced plans to expand its footprint in the Asia Pacific by increasing its capacity to Bangkok, Sydney, Manila and Jakarta. As per this plan, the carrier will over a period of two months, starting December 2009 introduce 17 more flights per week, representing a 13% growth in seat capacity.
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The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) recently released figures showing improvement of the numbers of international visitors to the region was by a marginal 0.5% during the month of August 2009 compared to August 2008.
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A recent consumer market study reveals that fashion lovers across Asia Pacific are expanding their wardrobes with outfits from overseas online malls and boutiques in order to keep pace with the latest trends. The Visa e-Commerce Consumer Monitor for Q1 2009 survey reveals that the most popular online purchases on overseas websites in the past 12 months were clothes/shoes, followed by airline tickets and travel accommodation.
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According to data compiled by STR Global, hotels in Asia Pacific recorded a year-on-year occupancy rise of 1.4% to reach 62.3%; while ADR declined 7.7% to USD 123.72, and RevPAR fell 6.3% to USD 77.12.
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The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has reportedly launched the ‘PATA Sustainability Index’ with UK’s Sustainability Intelligence, an organization that operates the Green Globe Index program worldwide.
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Preliminary figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) show that member airlines carried a total of 10.8 million international passengers in September 2009, effectively matching the numbers carried in the same month last year for the first time in over twelve months. International passenger traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was 0.9% lower in September, but this marked a significant improvement compared to the steep monthly declines recorded over the past year.
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The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has dismissed renewed suggestions that it is an expensive destination compared to its South East Asian neighbors. The agency notes that it puts emphasis on value rather than price. STB’s director of destination marketing, Chew Tiong Heng, notes that consumers are indeed ready to a premium to visit Singapore because of the enhanced value.
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Demand for international education, backpacking adventures and cultural exchange is reported to have remained high throughout the recession period as more young people continue to travel, study and develop new skills. This trend is expected to continue until the economy recovers.
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Online travel agency, Expedia, recently released insights on consumer travel demand that indicate consumer response to value-driven offers from Asia hotels is spurring an increasing interest in regional travel. To spur demand, airlines and hotels in the past year significantly reduced rates into and across the region.
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The number of international passengers carried by Japan Airlines (JL) during the month of August declined by 4.3% to 1,039,603 compared with the same period last year. On the other hand of this decline however, Japan’s national carrier’s average seat load factor in the month of August had for the first time registered a decrease of less that 5% since April 2008, showing possible signs of recovery from the sluggish travel demand.
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ITB Asia and partners are scheduled to hold a responsible tourism networking event on October 22 in Singapore and whose objective is to share experiences and strengthen contacts and business opportunities between environmentally and socially responsible travel operators.
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According to the American Express Global Business Travel Forecast released at the end of September, pent up trip demand coupled with supply base changes are likely to cause rates to slightly increase in most travel categories by the end of 2010. Business class airfares in particular are expected to increase in line with reduced capacity and on-going business demand for international travel.
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Figures released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) show that the numbers of international visitors to 41 key destinations in the Asia Pacific region fell by an estimated 6% in July 2009 compared to the same period last year. This figure was however an improvement over the months of May and June which recorded year-on-year reductions of 10% and 8% respectively.
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The UNWTO recently announced that conditions of the tourism market are starting to indicate stronger prospects for a recovery in 2010 based on macroeconomic upward revisions from the IMF together with preliminary international tourism figures until August this year. According to the UNWTO Panel of Experts Confidence Index, these trends indeed reflect stronger confidence in market conditions.
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With the global airline capacity stabilizing in August, analyst can now confirm that capacity growth is once again possible in September showing a slight lift of 1.4% or 4,130,744 seats, compared to September 2008.
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Airlines in the Asia Pacific region can adopt strategies around ancillary services and onboard sales to strengthen their position and leverage opportunities as the Asian economy starts to turn around. According to John Devins, regional director for Asia Pacific at GuestLogix, airlines in the region need to choose whether to perform short-sighted triage on current expenses, or to take a cue from US airlines and consider onboard retail solutions that translate to improved long term business performance.
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According to data compiled by STR Global, occupancy rates in the Asia Pacific region’s hotel industry dropped 3.3% year-on-year to 63.3% in August 2009; ADR declined 24.7% to US 117.22; and RevPAR fell 27.1% to USD 74.18. China reported the largest decreases of the region ever since the country hosted the Summer Olympics from 8-24 August 2008, dropping 50.5% in ADR and 47.5% in RevPAR for the month.
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Airbus’ latest Global Market Forecast reports that some 25,000 new passenger and freighter aircraft valued at USD3.1 trillion will be delivered from 2009 to 2028. This demand is attributed to factors related to emerging economies, evolving airline networks, expansion of low cost carriers and the increasing number of mega-cities as well as traffic growth and the replacement of older less efficient aircraft with more eco-efficient airliners.
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Global airline losses could total USD 11bn for the year, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) latest prediction; a loss that is USD 2bn more than the forecast of USD 9bn announced by the association in June, the latter estimate which was almost double the forecast in March of a USD 4.7bn deficit. This revised prediction was based on rising fuel prices and what the airlines’ Association dubs as “exceptionally weak yields.”
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Estimates released by the Department of Tourism and the Bureau of Immigration note that despite the global crisis, the Philippines has recorded a 4% increase in the number of foreigners arriving in the country in August compared to the same month last year. This increase has been attributed to aggressive marketing approach taken by tourism secretary in marketing the Philippines as world-class tourist destination in addition to innovative schemes being implemented by the immigration bureau.
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Alongside other regional winners- Athens (Europe), Dallas Fort Worth (Americas) and Jomo Kenyatta, Mombasa (Africa), New Zealand’s Christchurch International Airport has taken out the 2009 World Routes Airport Marketing Award in the Asia Pacific region.
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As Finnair celebrates its 10th year with oneworld alliance, its seeks, through its membership, to bring significant additional passengers to its Asia route network by enabling onward connections on the flights of oneworld’s Asian members namely that of Qantas, Japan Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.
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In an effort to create new demand, and uplift the level of professionalism in the overseas travel industry, Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) intends to organize several overseas study tours over the year. These trips will forms part of the human resource development program toward the “next step for growth” outlined in its business plan for the fiscal 2009.
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Airline industry association International Air Transport Association (IATA) notes that more than 50 global airlines lost USD 2.021 billion during the second quarter, bringing industry losses for the first half to over USD 6.0 billion. The airline association reports that while European and Asian-Pacific carriers were worse off than a year ago, North American airlines managed to trim their losses while Latin American and Middle Eastern carriers reported a rise in profits.
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The Asia Pacific region is acknowledged to be the world’s largest market in the forecast for new airplanes in terms of both units required and market value. Boeing forecasts that the Asia Pacific region will rank as the world’s largest aviation market over the next 20 years, requiring 8,960 new commercial jets valued at approximately USD 1.1 trillion.
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Latest figures released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) indicate that the numbers of international visitor arrivals to 41 destinations in Asia Pacific fell by an estimated 6% in Jan-June 2009 compared to the same period last year. All five sub-regions of Asia Pacific posted declines in visitor numbers for the first half year of 2009, with South Asia recording the largest fall at 8.1%.
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Global airline capacity is showing marginal growth for August 2009, the first month of positive growth for a year. This has been revealed by OAG, a leading business in aviation data, based on its monthly report on trends in the supply of airline flights and seats.
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Destinations across the Asia Pacific are indeed highly dependent upon cruise ship arrivals to boost tourism revenues and provide much-needed income to local economies and communities. The industry has however of late been striving to adapt to the changing market conditions brought on by the global economic downturn and H1N1 pandemic.
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When is it best for North Americans to visit Asia amidst the global economic downturn? US based travel agencies propose that this is the right time noting that countries such as China and the Philippines are leading the pack offering once-in-a-lifetime journeys that are fast becoming extremely value oriented and spurring strong completion with short-haul destinations for North American visitors.
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A recently released report entitled ‘Travel Sentiment 2009’ by the travel company, Abacus, reveals better than expected results in travel segments such as online bookings, low cost carrier airlines, emergence of high performing markets, a new trend for early booking lead times, and a growing focus on intra-Asian and domestic travel.
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As a follow up to a major shareholder restructuring process undertaken in June 2006, a number of airlines in the Asia Pacific region have made significant changes in their collective shareholdings.
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Japan Tourist Board (JTB), Kinki Nippon Tourist (KNT), Nippon Travel Agency (NTA), and JALPAK Travel have announced their optimism in recording favorable customer estimates during the current spring/summer season. These optimistic estimates, the aforementioned travel industry players note, will be comparable to or exceeding that of last year after suffering from setbacks in customer numbers in May and June due to impacts related to the H1N1 Swine Flu outbreak.
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A notable outcome from the recently held Asia Luxury Travel Market (ALTM) in June in Shanghai is the optimism expressed by Indian outbound agents that the luxury segment is still holding up well despite pressures from the global economy.
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A recent announcement by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) shows international passenger demand for May declining by 9.3% compared to the same month last year, and freight demand equally down by 17.4%. International passenger demand weakened from the -3.1% recorded in April to -9.3% in May. But both of the past two months have been slightly stronger than the 11.1% decline in March. IATA notes that a capacity adjustment of -5.0% in May did not however keep pace with the fall in demand during the same month. Although the impact of the recession appears to be stabilizing, strong headwinds from debt and low asset prices are expected to further weaken and delay any significant recovery.
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Reports indicate that Southeast Asia will this year suffer a fall of around 4% in international arrivals compared to 2008. This was revealed by PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre which notes that there is every chance that the continuing spread of the Type A (H1N1) influenza virus will further undermine the confidence of business and leisure travelers and prompt drastic preventative measures by national governments and other public and private sector organizations that will also hinder cross-border traffic.
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Is Macau back in business? This seems to be the case as the tiny former Portuguese colony on the coast of southeast China attempts to reel out of the effects of the current global financial crisis that affected employment conditions in recent times coupled with restrictions imposed on Chinese travels to the country that severely affected its economy.
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According to a new survey by MasterCard, dining and entertainment will be the top spending priority among consumers in Asia Pacific over the next six months showing remarkable resilience in the face of recession. The Consumer Purchasing Priorities survey, released twice yearly, provides valuable insights into consumers’ discretionary spending priorities for the six months ahead.
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Latest trend data compiled by Smith Travel Research (STR) Global indicates that hotel occupancy in the Asia Pacific region in May 2009 dropped 14.9% to 55.4% when compared to the same period last year, while the average daily rate declined 15.2% to USD 117.86. Revenue per available room fell 27.9% to USD 65.26. Occupancy levels dropped the most within the region for the month of May and in the year-to-date numbers of any region.
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Early indications in the months of April and May showed that businesses in the Asia Pacific region were beginning to resume long-haul travels after a long slump. In effect, the demand on key corporate routes to long-haul destinations in the US and Europe were on the rise.
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According to the June edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, Asia Pacific has recorded a 6% decline in demand, a severe dip- when compared to results from recent years. This decline appears less grim when compared to the 8% drop in general international tourism between January and April compared to the same period last year.
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International airline routes are generally much more complex, and involve more choices of airlines and connection points, than domestic flights within any single country. Airlines claim code sharing and alliances enable them to offer better services through ticketing, baggage transfers, and frequent flyer mileage credits between alliance partners.
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Hotels in the Asia Pacific region are reporting double-digit decreases for all three key performance metrics for April 2009. Based on data compiled by STR Global, the region’s occupancy dropped 14.3% to 59.2% with the average daily rate declining 20.1% to USD 117.10 and revenue per available room sliding 31.5% to USD 69.36. Read the rest of the article…

There is an impressive line-up of buyers and sellers attending the PATA Travel Mart 2009 in Hangzhou China (PRC). The travel and tourism industry is recognizing the value of participating in the region’s premier contracting and business networking event, with the numbers of buyers now registered for PTM up by an impressive 70% compared to the same period in 2008. Read the rest of the article…

Predictions made at the recently held Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) in Singapore indicate an emerging trend with Asian family money filling in the vacuum left by the flight of international funds from the region’s hospitality market. Most hotel transactions are to be rewritten across the region with this source coming in the wake of a mountain of debt accrued from massive development in 2008, and with most of these debts expiring between 2009 and 2012. 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 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Rising oil prices, the spread of the sub-prime credit issue in international markets and the slow down in the US economy, are all taking their toll on world consumer confidence.

According to the latest Global Consumer Confidence Study conducted by The Nielsen Company, more than a quarter of global consumers expect a global recession in 2008, resulting in a dip in confidence in 21 of the 48 markets surveyed. Read the rest of the article…