Credit: Bangkok Airways

BANGKOK Airways has launched a new service between Phuket and Hat Yai, Thailand. The daily flight will be operated on an ATR72-500/600 with 70 economy class seats.

The plane from Phuket will leave at 07.25 and arrive at Hat Yai at 08.30, while the return flight will depart Hat Yai at 09.10 and arrive in Phuket at 10.15.

The airline currently operates several other routes from Phuket to other destinations in Thailand such as Bangkok (eight flights daily), Chiang Mai (one flight daily), Samui (four flights daily) and U-tapao, Pattaya (one flight daily).

Screenshot of Ctrip’s website featuring a cycling tour. Credit: Ctrip

CTRIP has partnered Singapore-based BeMyGuest to integrate the latter’s application programming interface (API) for Asian activities and tours, making it the first API to be fully integrated into the Chinese OTA’s website and mobile app.

Ctrip’s customers will be able to access BeMyGuest’s more than 10,000-strong inventory in over 600 destinations across Asia inclusive of attractions, day tours, activities, private tours and local experiences.

Pan Fei, CEO, integrated business of things to do (TTD) and activities, said: “The API integration is in line with Ctrip’s expansion into activities and tours. TTD has seen peaks of 10,000 bookings per day since its launch in mid-2014.”

Over 60 per cent of all Ctrip’s bookings last year were made on a mobile devices. The company introduced WeChat payments and mobile Wi-Fi access with global coverage to outbound Chinese tourists in the same year, which currently commands over 30 per cent market share.

Clement Wong, CEO at BeMyGuest, said: “Our API is multi-platform enabled and offers dynamic pricing as well as geolocation targeting. It is available in English and Mandarin, with other Asian languages to be rolled out in 2016. Customer service support is available 365 days a year.”

Credit: Carnival Corporation

HOT on the heels of Norwegian Cruise Line announcing its first-ever ship for Chinese cruisers, Miami-based Carnival Corporation has also revealed plans to deploy two additional brands – Carnival Cruise Lines and Aida Cruises – in China in 2017, joining sisters Costa Cruises and Princess Cruises in the Chinese market.

Announcing the move at the 10th Annual China Cruise Shipping and International Cruise Expo (CCS10) in Shanghai, Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival, said: “As we execute our multi-brand growth strategy in China, we are emphasising choice and variety in our offerings to match the different tastes and preferences of Chinese travellers.”

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, added: “With cruise demand rapidly increasing in China and our ability to work in partnership with other Carnival Corporation brands to leverage our collective experience and scale, it provides an outstanding opportunity for Carnival Cruise Line to enter the Chinese market.”

This announcement comes in the wake of recent news of expansion into the Chinese market in 2016 and 2017 by the company.

With the addition of Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises brands, Carnival Corporation will be operating four cruise brands in the Chinese market. Further details on plans for each respective brand to enter the Chinese market in 2017 will be announced.

Carnival is also exploring potential joint ventures with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and China Merchants Group (CMG) to accelerate the growth of the overall cruise industry in China, including the possibility of building new ships, launching a domestic cruise brand, and supporting port and infrastructure development.

Credit: W Singapore – Sentosa Cove

STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts yesterday celebrated the first year anniversary of SPG Pro, its loyalty programme for meeting and travel professionals, with the launch of the SPG Pro Double Double promotion.

The offer enables members to earn double Starpoints and double eligible nights towards elite status on meetings and events booked through December 31, 2015, for arrivals by December 31, 2016.

The promotion also sees the roll-out of a US$2 million global media campaign designed to recognise and excite existing members as well as attract new ones.

During the promotional period, registered members can earn two Starpoints for every US$3 of eligible revenue spent on qualifying meetings or events, and reach elite status faster by earning two eligible nights for every 20 consumed group room nights.

Tubbataha Reef. Credit: 123rf

KIRSCHNER Travel Manila has launched customised tours for those interested in marine wildlife such as dugongs, whale sharks, rays and giant turtles that abound in various parts of the Philippines.

What sets these tours apart from other packages is the uncompromising respect for the animals and their environment. “My main concern is ensuring the tours do not harm these threatened species and their habitat,” AA Yaptinchay, general manager, Kirschner Travel told TTG Asia e-Daily.

One of the few marine wildlife experts in the country, Yaptinchay has been involved in tourism development and marine conservation for over 20 years. He chose Donsol in Sorsogon and Tubbataha Reef and Busuanga in Palawan to launch the initial tours.

“I’m connected to those sites personally through my conservation work, so I am quite familiar with the operators, guides and how the sites are being managed. These are sites which value conservation of the marine environment,” he explained.

Yaptinchay believes that marine tourism is now ripe for development, as the Philippine Department of Tourism “has taken solid steps in wildlife to regulate interaction with marine wildlife”.

As well, an increasingly mature visitor profile seeking quality over quantity will make such tours feasible. He added: “These days, people are seeking better, more unique experiences, with costs being secondary.”

Computer-generated image of the A350-900ULR in Singapore Airlines’ livery. Credit: Singapore Airlines

SINGAPORE Airlines, in partnership with Airbus, will be the first to launch a new ultra-long-range variant of the Airbus A350 aircraft, allowing the resumption of non-stop flights between Singapore and the US.

The national carrier currently has 67 A350-900s on firm order plus 16 purchase options. With the new agreement, seven of the planes will be upgraded to the A350-900ULR, which has a range of 8,700 nautical miles.

Deliveries of the A350-900ULR are scheduled to take place in 2018, enabling the re-launch of the world’s longest commercial passenger route, with an expected flight time of 19 hours, between Singapore and both Los Angeles and New York. The service stopped in 2013 when the A340-500s being used on the route were retired.

The aircraft will be fitted with all-new cabin products which are currently under development, while non-stop flights between Singapore and other cities in the US are also under consideration.

“Our customers have been asking us to restart non-stop Singapore-US flights and we are pleased that Airbus was able to offer the right aircraft to do so in a commercially viable manner,” said Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines.