TRAVEL search engine Skyscanner has analysed flight data from the last three years to find out the best times to book flights for the top 10 most-searched destinations by Singapore travellers.

It was found that the cheapest fares will be available, on average, 20 weeks in advance, with the fourth and second week of February being the cheapest and most expensive time to travel respectively. Meanwhile, September and December are the cheapest and most expensive months to travel respectively.

According to Skyscanner’s data, January would be the cheapest month to travel to Hong Kong and Indonesia, with roughly 12 and 10 per cent savings each, when booked 20 and 18 weeks in advance respectively. Travel to Australia and South Korea would be the cheapest in May, with around 15 and 9 per cent savings each, when booked 17 and 19 weeks in advance respectively.

September would then be the cheapest month to travel to the Philippines and Thailand, with estimated 5 and 9 per cent savings each, when booked four and 14 weeks in advance respectively.

For travel to Malaysia, November would be the cheapest month with 7.5 per cent savings when booking only a week in advance. July would be the cheapest month to travel to Taiwan with around 12 per cent savings when booked 20 weeks in advance.

March will be the cheapest month to travel to the UK with 11 per cent savings while October would be the cheapest for travel to Vietnam with around 12 per cent savings, both when booked 19 weeks in advance.

See the full data on Skyscanner’s website here.

AIRLINES operating in the Asia-Pacific recorded a 7.9 per cent increase in international passenger traffic to 276.3 million people in 2015, according to preliminary figures by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). This is an increase from the 4.9 per cent rise recorded in 2014.

Longhaul markets prospered on the back of improved economic conditions in selected advanced economies, while travel demand within Asia also grew solidly despite slowing economic growth and regional currency weaknesses.

Boosted by lower oil prices which resulted in more competitive fares, the average international passenger load factor jumped 1.4 percentage points to 78.4 per cent for the year.

“The outlook for air travel markets in 2016 remains broadly positive, although there are some significant risk factors to consider, including increased uncertainty over the regional economic outlook. Asian airlines are closely monitoring market developments, whilst continuing to invest in future growth opportunities,” said Andrew Herdman, director general, AAPA.

SINGAPORE’S Chinatown Heritage Centre has reopened following a revitalisation of its three three-story shophouse premises located at 48 Pagoda Street.

The reopening sees new features including a gallery on post-1960s Chinatown; more in-depth collection of personal stories from the Chinatown community; deeper exploration of the area’s multi-ethnic clan associations, nightlife, festivals, and heritage businesses; multimedia soundscapes; interactive story panels; olfactory experiences of opium, traditional Chinese medicine and spices; and new tours.

“In the refurbished centre, visitors will be able to walk through a recreated 1950s shophouse and a bustling 1960s Chinatown street market scene. The learning experience will be enhanced with multi-sensory features such as sounds, scents and mood lighting,” said S Iswaran, minister for trade and industry, who graced the relaunch.

Kenneth Lim, director of cultural precincts development, Singapore Tourism Board, said: “As Chinatown evolves and increasingly discerning visitors seek more authentic and in-depth experiences, we saw the need to rejuvenate the Chinatown Heritage Centre to reflect the dynamic nature of the precinct, including that of a new generation that is continuing the legacy of their forefathers.

“We hope that the centre will be a living interpretive centre that will inspire visitors to explore the precinct at a deeper level, and for the locals to gain a deeper appreciation of their heritage.”

Admission is free for Singaporeans and permanent residents aged 60 and above until July 31, after which, a concession rate of S$11 (US$7.7), or S$16 for tours, will be charged. Standard admission costs S$15 for adults and S$11 for children while tours cost S$20 for adults and S$16 for children.

By Nadra Iwani

TRAVEL giant JTB Corporation has drawn up a new programme designed to take visitors to Japan further off the beaten track.

Launched this month, it offers travellers the opportunity to stay with a farming family in one of Japan’s more rural districts. Travellers will get the opportunity to stay in a traditional farmhouse, try the local onsen, sleep in a futon on a tatami mat floor, and pick vegetables for dinner.

Marketed through JTB’s Authentic Visit Japan website, this programme was drawn up in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the tourism authority in the town of Ohtawara, in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo.

“Many people who come to Japan want to do something different from the Golden Route of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. They told us that they want to see the authentic, traditional Japan, which is why we have come up with this package,” said Yoko Kageyama, who devised the programme for JTB.

Around 100 families in Ohtawara are taking part, with two homes allocated specifically for overseas tourists. In the first two weeks of the project, a family of five from Spain and an educational group from South-east Asia have sampled the delights of rural Japan.

“We have had a lot of enquiries from Asia, North America and Europe, and we are confident these sort of holidays will appeal to a wide range of tourists looking to experience a very different side of Japan,” said Kageyama.

JTB plans to expand the project to communities nationwide if demand increases.

UNITED Airlines will be launching daily direct return flights from Singapore to San Francisco starting June.

The inaugural flight will take off on June 1 from San Francisco International Airport and the return flight will depart from Singapore Changi Airport on June 3.

Utilising a 252-seat Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner with two-class configuration, flights leave Singapore at 08.45 and land in San Francisco at 09.15. Return flights will depart from San Francisco at 23.25 and arrive in Singapore at 06.45.

Flight times now total to 16 hours and 20 minutes westbound, and 15 hours and 30 minutes eastbound, roughly four hours less travel time required compared to United Airlines’ existing service which requires a transfer at Japan’s Narita Airport.

Following the launch, United Airlines will cease its service between Singapore and Tokyo from June 2.

JAPAN is the fastest growing market in the world for Airbnb, but operators of hotels and inns there said they are not concerned about the inroads made by the online home rental marketplace.

The number of people using Airbnb’s service in Japan soared 529 per cent, while listings of properties have increased 373 per cent to 21,000 in 2015 compared to the year before.

But 2015 also saw an influx of 19.7 million foreign visitors, up 47 per cent on the previous year, thus worsening the existing shortage of accommodations, particularly in the most popular destinations of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.

“Japan is seeing an increase in number of tourists and there are not enough hotel rooms, especially during the busy Golden Week and Obon seasons,” said Nana Nakajima, head of sales and marketing, Mystays Hotel Management.

“We don’t see Airbnb as much of a threat to what we do at the moment, although there is concern about what will happen after the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, if visitor numbers will drop off dramatically.”

Takashi Hasegawa, owner of Yagyu-no-Sho ryokan in Shizuoka prefecture, similarly played down the competition that Airbnb poses. “We offer something that is completely different to their service,” he said.

“We are small, we only have 15 traditional rooms, and people want to stay with us because we are authentic and we provide a genuine Japanese experience. Anyone considering Airbnb wants accommodation that is cheap, but that’s not our business model,” he explained.

Airbnb is also facing scrutiny from the Japanese authorities after questions were raised over property owners failing to pay taxes, as hotels are required to do. There are also concerns over hygiene and safety at properties not registered as providing accommodation.

The Japanese government announced in December that it was setting up a panel to make amendments to the Hotel Business Law, specifically concerning individuals renting private accommodation to tourists. The changes are expected to be passed into law in Autumn.

THE upmarket Amari Galle Sri Lanka, to be operated by Onyx Hospitality Group, is set to open in late-2016 and will mark the introduction of the Amari brand in Sri Lanka.

Amari Galle will be located at the southwestern coastal region of Sri Lanka, on a beachfront approximately 90 minutes by car from Colombo.

The 172-key property offers rooms and suites all with direct sea views, an extensive multi-tiered pool deck with direct beach access, Amari’s signature Breeze Spa, two restaurants, banquet facilities and a fitness centre.

Peter Henley, president and CEO, Onyx Hospitality Group, said: “We are strategically expanding our presence beyond Thailand across the Asia-Pacific region, and excited to introduce our flagship Amari brand to Sri Lanka. Tourism in this country is thriving, and there is growing interest amongst international travellers to Galle.”

Onyx currently operates Ozo Colombo and Ozo Kandy in Sri Lanka.