HAI Au Aviation will kick off its seaplane service with the launch of a Hanoi-Ha Long Bay route on August 1 this year, targeted at high-end travellers.

A second Ho Chi Minh City-Phan Thiet-Nha Trang will commence in December when it takes delivery of its third seaplane.

Flights can be booked from a selection of 25-, 30- or 40-minute flights, with prices varying accordingly between US$250-$350 per person. Private charter flights are US$2,200 to US$3,300 per pax for the same times.

Hai Au will begin operations with two seaplanes but expects to have six in three years’ time. The planes will be flown by pilots of American, Canadian and Australian nationalities, and can seat 12 passenger each flight.

Do Quang Hai, commercial director of Hai Au Aviation, said: “Our main market will be inbound, high-end tourists, golfers, corporate groups, Vietnamese and local expats. The feedback we have gathered from our market research is very good and shows high-end travellers have been waiting for seaplane flights in Vietnam for a long time.”

However, Robert Tan, director of business development for Lac Hong Voyages, felt the prices were “quite high”.

“Is there a market for it? I don’t think so,” he commented.

Thien Minh Tourism JSC (TMG) whose portfolio include Victoria Hotels & Resorts and Buffalo Tours, has an 89 per cent share in Hai Au Aviation, with the remaining 11 per cent going to Vietnam-based Focus Travel.

OVER half of Asia-Pacific travel industry professionals received a pay increase in the last 12 months, indicating tourism businesses see good prospects, according to a newly released report.

This is according to ACI HR Solutions’ 2014 Asia Pacific Travel and Hospitality Industry Salary Survey that was officially launched at the Singapore Tourism Board’s office this week.

Average salaries in Singapore grew 16.1 per cent, followed by Thailand with 11.5 per cent and China with 9.8 per cent. However, actual highest average salaries still went to Macau (US$106,800) and Australia (US$81,939), while Malaysia took the lowest average salary again (US$37,418). The report also noted that male respondents’ salaries were 12 per cent higher than females’.

The growing importance of career progression in employee satisfaction was also highlighted. Some 71 per cent said that career progression was either “extremely important” or “very important”. On the other end of the spectrum, only three per cent said career progression was unimportant.

Currently, 34 per cent of employees feel that their jobs provided “excellent” or “good” opportunities for career progression, compared to 28 per cent in 2013. Respondents who felt their jobs offered “poor” or “zero” career progression opportunities fell to 22 per cent from 35 per cent in 2013.

Andrew Chan, founder and CEO of ACI, said: “2013 proved to be an excellent year for international tourism, which showed a remarkable capacity to adjust to changing market conditions, fuelling growth and job creation across the region, despite the lingering economic and geopolitical changes.”

On the improved statistics reported in the study, Chan said that the improved economic outlook had likely allowed companies to expand and give existing staff new opportunities.

The 2014 Asia Pacific Travel and Hospitality Industry Salary Survey collated responses from more than 800 respondents in nine countries across the Asia-Pacific region, with answers coming from all ranks in the industry.

Singapore-based professionals made up the largest proportion of  respondents (37 per cent), followed by China (31 per cent), Hong Kong (17 per cent) and Thailand (four per cent).

RAS Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority has appointed Heavens Portfolio as its representative in Hong Kong, China & India to promote the emirate in these markets.

The appointment was effective March 1, 2014.

Steven Rice, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “Ras Al Khaimah is going from strength to strength as a tourism destination. We are in a fantastic position to attract investment which capitalises on Ras Al Khaimah’s accessibility to Dubai International Airport, its natural attractions of a temperate climate, rugged terrains and mountains, clean beaches and archaeological sites, coastal areas and desert to build the emirate’s tourism sector.

“Looking forward to 2014, Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism sector has a huge potential for continued growth, building on these strengths and the achievements of 2013.”

An emergent tourism destination in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah’s natural landscape features deserts, mountains and 64km of coastline, allowing tourists to participate in a diverse range of activities from swimming, fishing and golfing to experiencing a traditional Bedouin desert camp or enjoying the water slides at Iceland Water Park.

THOMAS Cook India has rolled out a Fusion Holidays product that combines the price advantage of group rates for fixed departure tours with the freedom for travellers to customise their itineraries.

The aim is to cater to the new market segment of value-conscious customers who demand more choice in travel.

Fusion Holidays itineraries offer a combination of airfare, accommodation in three-star hotels and essential sightseeing. While departure dates and air travel options are fixed, customers can pick all other components from upgraded accommodation and extended stays to add-on sightseeing tours.

Shibani Phadkar, senior vice president & head – leisure travel outbound, products, contracting, operations & tour management, Thomas Cook India, said: “Fusion Holidays brings a unique two-pronged benefit to a new Indian market segment – great value to cater to increasing price sensitivity while respecting the client’s individuality with the flexibility and freedom of personalised options.”

Sajan K Gupta, managing director, Vayu Seva Tours, said: “Indian travellers have always been price-conscious, but since a large number have already travelled once or twice and gained confidence, they now want to be more independent in their choice of activity. Fusion Holidays… (is) a win-win situation.”

Yupha Moonsarn, managing director, Bangkok-based Virgo Virgin Tours, said: “Indian visitors to Thailand are beginning to break the mould by buying flights and hotel nights from tour operators and then shopping for travel add-ons on their own and as per their individual preferences, often diverse, even within a family travelling together.

“Such a new product is meaningful as it would follow a demand pattern set by the customers that the trade has been required to react and adapt to.”

TOURISM New Zealand is devoting its energies to three main markets of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand to grow South-east Asian arrivals, which represent a large section of travellers to New Zealand.

Year-on-year arrivals from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand for the year between February 2013 and 2014 has seen positive growth, with Thailand showing the largest improvement of 22.9 per cent (21,008 arrivals), followed by Singapore at 16.6 per cent (42,800) and Malaysia at 4.8 per cent (29,408).

The NTO wants to further expand arrivals and is aiming to do so by targeting solo/couple travellers and affluent independent travellers, as well as high net worth local and expat residents in Singapore.

MICE is likewise on the agenda, and Tourism New Zealand is gunning for more incentives and conferences from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

In an interview with TTG Asia e-Daily, Mischa Mannix-Opie, regional manager South & South-east Asia for Tourism New Zealand, said: “For Singapore, New Zealand remains a popular destination for those wanting to get away from their cosmopolitan lifestyle and looking to experience nature and amazing landscapes. Furthermore, Singaporeans have the financial means to enjoy premium travel, making them a valuable market for New Zealand over the long-term.

“Malaysian tourists to New Zealand, in general, enjoy the self-drive opportunities offered by New Zealand as a holiday destination. Around half of Malaysian visitors (50.3 per cent) travel outside the main regions. It is also a strong market for incentive travel during peak and off-peak seasons in New Zealand.

“Interest in self-drive holidays has always been strong from Thailand, and Tourism New Zealand is seeing increased preference for campervan holidays.”

Mannix-Opie said lack of capacity during New Zealand’s peak summer period was one of the challenges faced by the destination. Another is strong competition from other longhaul destinations popular with Asian travellers, such as the US and Europe.

SOFITEL Luxury Hotels has signed a hotel management agreement with real estate company Farpoint, subsidiary of Gunung Sewu Group, to operate the first Sofitel So in Indonesia.

Sofitel So Jakarta will come up within The Hundred, an integrated mixed-used development which includes residential apartments, offices and a public green urban plaza, in the heart of Mega Kuningan.

Work on The Hundred is anticipated to commence this year and finish in 2018.

Gerard Guillouet, COO for Accor Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, said: “It’s a pleasure for us to announce this collaboration with Farpoint, a company that will bring its three decades of real estate experience into making the future of Sofitel So Jakarta a great success. We are excited about this project and look forward to working with Farpoint in making this chic, contemporary hotel a flagship for the Sofitel So label in the region.”

The Hundred comprises a 50-storey residential and hotel tower as well as a 24-storey office tower straddled by a seven-storey podium with a grand arched gateway which leads into Mega Kuningan.

The podium consists of a grand ballroom, hotel amenities and a sky pool bar and lounge on the upper levels as well as a range of gastronomic venues on the ground level leading into the green plaza.

Sofitel Luxury Hotels will open Sofitel So Singapore in May this year (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 18, 2014), while Accor has said it will be taking over management of Sentosa Resort & Spa (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 28, 2014) and TTG Asia e-Daily understands this is likely to become a Sofitel eventually.

THE Russian deluge continues unabated in Goa, with the soon-to-be-implemented visa on arrival (VoA) for the market hailed as a big advantage for the beach destination.

The destination received 119,447 arrivals between October 2013 and January 2014 alone, putting it on track to surpass last year’s 157,605 visitors between October 2012 and March 2013.

According to Goa Tourism, which promoted the destination at Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition, international tourist arrivals rose by 9.3 per cent in 2013. Russians took the lion’s share of arrivals, with 30 per cent being repeat visitors.

Konstantin Gorin, tourism director, Moscow-based Labirint Travel Company, pointed out that Goa currently loses out to Thailand because the latter allows for visa-free entry. “India has recently included Russia for the VoA scheme, but the mechanism will be implemented later this year. If it works smoothly, it will be a big advantage for Goa as a destination.”

Ekaterina Belyakova, head, Russian Information Centre, Goa, said: “The new (VoA regulations) will be an important factor in the growth of Goa’s potential as one of the key destinations for Russian tourists in Asia. The efforts by Goa Tourism to develop infrastructure will have a positive effect on the growth of tourist flow and increase the percentage of tourists returning to Goa next year. Russian (arrivals) will be one million in five years.”

Rita Dhanwatay, director, Ritz Safari Pune also commented that Goa has to improve service standards to compete successfully against Thailand and Singapore. “Tourists flying longhaul want quality and seamless entry. They will go wherever it is easier and more comfortable to go to. Goa is beautiful but must add value to its intrinsic attractiveness.”

Meanwhile, Francisco de Braganca, president, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, said Goa should look eastward to East Asian and South-east Asian countries as prime source markets for marketing. “Travel from the West is shrinking.

INDIA has announced it will throw open a total of seven islands for tourism development in the next few years to increase the country’s beach tourism offerings.

AK Singh, lieutenant governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, said: “We have identified (four) islands for development. A large number of tourist attractions exists across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but we are planning to do more to attract tourists.”

Tourist-friendly infrastructure offering guests scuba diving and water sports options should be completed by 2016.

Singh added that night landing facilities would also be developed at Andaman and Nicobar’s Port Blair airport by 3Q2014 to allow international flights to stop over. While 96 flights pass the airport every day, none land there.

The archipelago comprises 556 islands of which 37 are inhabited. In 2013, 250,000 tourists visited this area.

The government will also build beach resorts and water sports facilities on three uninhabited Lakshadweep islands located in the Arabian Sea.

“Thinnakkara, Suheli Par and Cherium are the three islands in Lakshadweep where we are planning to build tourism infrastructure at a cost of Rs6 billion (US$99.8 million),” said AM Hussain, assistant director, Lakshadweep Tourism.

Other islands in the cluster offer activities such as scuba diving, snorkelling and windsurfing, making use of the silver sand beaches and abundant marine life.

The islands are connected by sea and air from Kochi and Calicut. Lakshadweep Tourism will procure two new ships to cater to the increasing tourist traffic.

In 2013, 17,000 tourists visited the Lakshadweep Islands.

BEST Western Australasia today takes Sea Breeze Resort in Exmouth, Western Australia under its wing to provide guests with one more option in this destination known for its natural attractions.

Converted from the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters 4 of the former Chief Petty Officers’ Quarters in the historic Naval Communication Station Harold E Holdt, guests at this property can enjoy the novelty of staying on an active naval base.

Best Western Sea Breeze Resort offers 28 four-star executive and three-and-a-half-star studios. Each comes with a kitchenette, free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs.

Other facilities within the property include a full-equipped outdoor kitchen, lagoon-style pool and barbecue area.

Axel Passeck, owner of the resort, said that the resort had been upgraded to meet Best Western’s standards.

Exmouth is the gateway to the Ningaloo Marine Park and Cape Range National Park, part of the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef, and situated 2.5 hours by plane or 15 hours by car from Perth.

The area is particularly popular for tourists who want to swim with whale sharks, humpback whales and giant mantas.