FOREIGNERS taking domestic flights by Golden Myanmar Airlines (GMA) should be prepared to pay over 50 per cent more than locals.

Since April 1, the airline has introduced a new price structure with one price category for foreigners and several categories for locals. For a flight between Yangon and Nyaung U, foreigners pay US$89, whereas the lowest advertised price for locals is US$59.

“(Due to) GMA’s trend towards a full flag carrier like other airlines, we have introduced a dual pricing system from now on,” Sabai Phyu Soe, PR and marketing executive for GMA, told TTG Asia e-Daily via email.

Dual pricing is common in Myanmar’s tourism industry. In Yangon, for example, People’s Park charges foreigners more than 16 times the local price for admission.

In March, Yangon’s Winner Inn Hotel advertised on an Internet forum a Standard Single room at US$50 for foreigners and 30,000 kyat (US$32) for locals.

Asked about the dual pricing, Aung Myo Myint, who does business development for the hotel, responded that the GDP in most countries around the world is 10 times that of Myanmar. “If we were to price our local rates to match foreigner rates, locals would not be able to afford the hotel rooms.”

According to Thi Ha, a lawyer from Germany law firm Luther Law Firm’s Yangon office, there is nothing in Myanmar’s law that prevents companies from implementing dual pricing.

But Andrea Valentin, director of Tourism Transparency, opined: “I think dual pricing for airlines is probably not a good idea if there is more competition in the future, but if the Myanmar law allows this then… investors need to be aware of this protectionism.”

“Other countries in the region have taken their time with removing the dual pricing system for foreigners, but eventually they remove it because of market forces,” she said, adding that removing dual pricing may not prove popular with locals.

STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts yesterday announced the signing of The Westin Manila Sonata Place and The Residences at The Westin Manila Sonata Place, slated to open in 2019.

The Westin brand’s first mixed-use development in South-east Asia, the new build property will be located in the Ortigas business district in downtown Manila and will be 11km from Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The Westin Manila Sonata Place will offer 300 guestrooms, three F&B venues, fitness centre, spa and swimming pool. For meetings and events, there is 1,400m² of function space, including two ballrooms and six meeting rooms.

Residents of The Residences at The Westin Manila Sonata Place will enjoy a separate pool, fitness centre and lounge, as well as access to the public areas of the hotel.

The property joins two other Philippines-based hotels in the Starwood pipeline, Sheraton Manila Hotel and The Westin Manila Bayshore, scheduled to open in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

THE Bureau of Immigration in India is providing gratis visas for all tourists stranded in Nepal after Saturday’s earthquake that caused widespread damage and over 4,000 deaths.

Usually granted to diplomats and officials or those travelling to India at the invitation of the government, India has now extended gratis visas to tourists who want to leave Nepal as quickly as possible via the country.

K S Dhatwalia, additional director general, Ministry of Home Affairs, said: “In view of recent events in Nepal, we have directed the Bureau of Immigration to provide gratis visas free of charge with minimum validity of 15 days.

“Any foreign national stranded in Nepal seeking to come to India can apply for gratis visa at Indian embassy or can also avail of services at airports (in Delhi and Mumbai which are connected to Kathmandu by flights). We have also made arrangements to grant visa at check posts (if a person is travelling by road).”

Travellers who enter India via Nepal must do so through one of six designated points: Siliguri, Raxaul, Sunauli, Rupadhiya, Gauriphanta, and Banbasa.

The secretariat at Consul General Office of Nepal in Kolkata told TTG Asia e-Daily that all Mount Everest expeditions have been suspended as over 15 climbers are reported dead after the avalanche.

Historical sites and structures in Nepal were razed by the quake including the Dharahara tower and Patan Durbar Square that were part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kathmandu valley.

The famous Basantpur Palace and ancient temples such as Kalmochan Temple have also been severely damaged.

SHORTLY after announcing that it had clinched a deal for a resort in Zaozhuang, Shandong province, Dusit Fudu Hotels and Resorts says it has secured two new projects in Shanghai.

The joint venture company, backed by Thailand’s Dusit International, will partner Mingyuan Group to open a Dusit Thani hotel and a Dusit Princess serviced residence.

 Dusit Thani Hotel, Shanghai Zhabei will offer guests 215 guestrooms and suites, a conference centre, two restaurants, a lobby lounge, rooftrop swimming pool and pool bar.

Slated to open in early 2019, the hotel will be located within Zhabei district, an up and coming commercial centre with easy access to the city’s international airports and high-speed train transport hub.

To launch before that in summer 2016, the Dusit Princess Serviced Residence, Shanghai Xuhui is situated in Xuhui district, close to the headquarters of MNCs.

The property will come with 112 units ranging in areas from 36 to 78m².  An all-day dining restaurant, indoor swimming pool will come as part of the residence.

INDIAN airline Jet Airways has announced a codeshare agreement with regional airline Bangkok Airways in a deal meant to reinforce both carriers’ international networks.

Under the terms of the arrangement, Bangkok Airways’ services between Mumbai and Bangkok will carry Jet Airways’ flight code, while Bangkok Airways will have its code tagged to Jet Airways’ flights between Bangkok and Mumbai.

Codeshare flights will be available for purchase starting tomorrow for travel from May 4.

“Established as the second largest economy in South-east Asia, Thailand has seen exponential growth in trade and tourism, attracting travellers from across the world including India,” said Raj Sivakumar, chief commercial officer, Jet Airways, in a press release.

“These codeshare flights will offer wider and convenient travel options to our esteemed guests travelling between India and Bangkok for business and leisure.”