The Travel Corporation has introduced the Insight Vacations Specialist certification onto its Agent Academy e-learning platform launched earlier this year.

Agents can access a suite of 20-minute online courses divided into modules that provide information on Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold products. Via Agent Academy, agents can explore Insight’s travel styles and how to present trip highlights to customers.

Upon the completion of each course, agents will receive their accreditation in the form of Insight Tour Specialist certificates.

A member of TTC’s family of brands, Insight Vacations provides escorted journeys to over 50 countries in Europe and North America including smaller-group touring styles with an average of 32 guests. Its Luxury Gold brand offers concierge services.

For more information, visit www.ttc.com/agentacademy.

Strong investor optimism underlined the recent Lombok Tourism Development Forum, fuelled by upscale resort demand outstripping supply in 2016 and a 61 per cent increase in international air arrivals to 30,000 in 1Q2017, following flat arrivals growth in 2015.

Just under 100,000 international arrivals were reported by the Statistics Indonesia Bureau at Lombok International Airport in 2016, up 29 per cent, but the upscale resort segment saw 10 per cent supply growth outpaced by an 18 per cent increase in demand. The increase in upscale demand (23 per cent) continued to exceed supply growth in 1Q2017.

Tanjung Ringgit in eastern Lombok

Current projections estimate competitive supply in Lombok would grow at double-digit rates over the next five years, largely spearheaded by the development in South Lombok and surrounding Gili Islands, in addition to the continued growth of North Lombok.

Ricky Baheramsjah, head of investment and marketing – Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation, said: “We are hoping to have over 1,500 room keys open and ready by 2020. We have so far secured or booked over 350ha of development projects for our partners which equates to over 60 per cent of our total inventory or buildable landbank available.”

Developments such as the Mandalika project in South Lombok are gaining traction, as Baheramsjah revealed that the Vinci Construction Grands Projects, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, has committed to bringing in a dual-branded hotel from the Middle East, Shaza and Mysk by Shaza.

Forum participants cite international airlift as the key laggard in bringing international arrivals to the island, but the overall sentiment was that increased air connectivity would follow imminent increases in rooms supply.

Soepit Bharata, head Lombok & Surabaya – Silkair, is optimistic, having seen interest from international carriers in launching direct routes to the island and an increase in load factor on direct flights from Singapore.

However, infrastructural issues at Lombok International Airport, in terms of its ability to handle wide-bodied aircraft, are still a constraint, he added.

About 170 travel agents in China have signed up for the China Travel Academy WeChat-based training and certification programme to become Peru destination experts.

Developed by Dragon Trail Interactive (DTI) for the Peruvian Commission for the Promotion of Exports and Tourism (PromPeru), the focus is on reaching affluent Chinese consumers online, said Michaela Mentasti, marketing director of DTI.

Machu Picchu, Peru

DTI’s China outbound travel expert, Roy Graff, added PromPeru – which took part in ILTM Asia in Shanghai for the first time this year – is focusing its China marketing strategy on the luxury segment, as the South American country tends to attract higher-end Chinese travellers due to the lengthy flight distance from Asia.

For Helen Zhang, founder and CEO of Farers International, who started promoting South America in 2013, Peru is a “new destination” with diversified products. “We work with the banks to promote to their high net worth retiree and older clients,” she commented.

Chen Yang, deputy general manager, Tumei International Travel, whose company markets Peru under the Mitour LATAM brand, noted high-end Chinese travellers budget around US$1,000 a day for hotel accommodation and ground handling alone.

“Our numbers are not that big, around 20,000 travellers a year. But from 2014 to last year, we have been seeing numbers increase by around 33 per cent annually. We often receive requests for a minimum two travellers to go,” Chen commented.

For Chinese citizens, Peru has taken major steps to simplify its visa processes. Beginning this year, Chinese citizens who already hold a valid US, Australia, Schengen or the UK visa do not need to apply for a Peru visa.

Airline and tourism representation company Aviareps has launched a new Hong Kong office in Causeway Bay, becoming its sixth office in Greater China after Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Taipei.

According to Aviareps’ CEO Edgar Lacker, Greater China continues to provide “unparalleled opportunities” for airline, tourism, hospitality and trade promotion.

The Hong Kong office will specialise in sales, marketing, PR and trade promotion representation of over 100 airlines and some 150 tourism, hospitality, retail and trade promotion clients in its portfolio.

India’s Jet Airways and Aeromexico, the flag carrier of Mexico, have signed an MoU outlining cooperation on codeshare flights and frequent flyer programmes.

Both carriers will codeshare on each other’s services between India and Mexico via common gateways in Europe, e.g. London Heathrow, Paris Charles De Gaulle and Amsterdam.

Jet Airways’ Naresh Goyal and Aeromexico’s Andrés Conesa

To begin with, Jet Airways will place its 9W marketing code on Aeromexico flights from London Heathrow to Mexico City. In turn, Aeromexico will place its marketing code on Jet Airways’ services from London Heathrow to Mumbai and Delhi.

The agreement also includes reciprocal frequent flyer benefits for members.

Majestic Fast Ferry has launched its 11^th and newest vessel, Majestic Dream, which can accommodate 317 passengers, including eight in business class.

It will serve passengers travelling to and from Singapore Cruise Centre’s (SCC) HarbourFront and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore, Batam Center and Sekupang terminals in Batam as well as Tanjung Pinang in Bintan.

According to Max Tan, director of Majestic Fast Ferry, the new ferry can accommodate 1.5 times more passengers, and the company plans to launch three more such vessels.

The Majestic Dream is the second series of ships built by Majestic Fast Ferry at its shipyard on Batam Island, following its first series comprising Majestic 7, 8 and 9.

It is powered by two fuel-efficient high speed diesel engines that use 30 per cent less fuel compared to the regular three engines found on other ferries.