Vietjet is celebrating its major milestone of 200 million passengers with a special one-month promotion from now to September 15.
Travellers can enjoy a 20 per cent discount on all flights across Vietjet’s network by using the promo code VJ200 when booking online or via the Vietjet Air mobile app. This offer applies to Eco tickets and is valid for travel from now to November 15.
Vietjet celebrates 200 million passengers with a special one-month promotion
The airline is also offering two million tickets starting at just US$0 (exclusive of tax and fee) on all routes, which are available for booking during ‘golden hours’ every day until August 31, for travel from September 4, 2024 to May 22, 2025.
The Sri Lankan Government has approved 30-day free visas for nationals from 35 countries from October 1 this year. Beneficiaries are passport-holders from countries such as the US, the UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and New Zealand.
Nationals from India, China, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, who have been entitled to free visas since late last year, will also be able to obtain a 30-day visa-free entry.
Sri Lanka has approved 30-day free visas for nationals from 35 countries
Harin Fernando, tourism advisor to president Ranil Wickremesinghe, confirmed the new scheme on August 21.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has signed a full-year partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to promote travel to Singapore by offering discounts and special bundles for Filipino travellers.
The partnership launched a year-long line-up of activities including a campaign featuring content creators Laureen Uy with husband Miggy Cruz and lifestyle blogger and fashion designer Camille Co, complemented by a limited time seat sale.
The partnership comprises a year-long line-up of activities to attract Filipino travellers to Singapore
In addition, travellers to Singapore have much to look forward to, such as upcoming attractions and experiences including Bird Paradise, illumi, Harry Potter: Visions of Magic, Minion Land in Universal Studios Singapore, and Disney Adventure by Disney Cruise Line.
Stanley Ng, president and COO of PAL, said: “Building on our shared success, we look forward to working together to create more opportunities for more Filipinos to experience how Singapore continues to be a world-class leisure destination.”
STB chief executive Melissa Ow shared: “The Philippines is one of Singapore’s key markets and has recovered strongly with the support of longstanding partners like Philippine Airlines. They have been instrumental in reinforcing Singapore’s position as a vibrant lifestyle destination… we are excited to bring our partnership with Philippine Airlines to the next level, and to welcome more Filipino travellers to Singapore soon.”
As the travel industry rebounds post-lockdown, Imperva, a Thales company specialising in cybersecurity has cautioned travellers against automated threats.
With the travel sector experiencing more than a fifth (21 per cent) of all attack traffic requests monitored last year, the Imperva 2024 Bad Bot Report found that bad bots accounted for 45 per cent of the global industry’s web traffic in 2023 – a significant jump from 37 per cent in 2022.
Cybercriminals steal personal information, stored payment methods, and loyalty points within user accounts for fraudulent transactions
As travel continues to ramp up towards year-end, the industry will likely see a surge in bot activity. These bots target travel companies through seat spinning, unauthorised web scraping, account takeover, and fraud.
Seat spinning is particularly rife in Asia, as bots hold airline seats – often for up to a day – without making payment. This enables operators like unauthorised OTAs to resell these seats without risking upfront payment. If these operators fail to offload these seats, airlines can suddenly find seemingly fully booked flights set to depart far below their capacity – the result is significant financial and reputational damage.
In unauthorised web scraping, bots run by OTAs, aggregators and competitors access airlines’ web properties without permission to harvest data, which damage critical business insights and metrics like look-to-book ratios, and increase the fees airlines must pay their partners. One airline last year ended up paying US$500,000 per month for API requests due to the surge in bad bot traffic scraping its search API.
In terms of account takeovers (ATOs) and fraud, the travel industry experienced the second-highest volume of ATO attempts in 2023, with 11 per cent of all ATO attacks globally targeting the industry.
Cybercriminals zero in on the travel sector due to the valuable personal information, stored payment methods, and loyalty points within user accounts. Once they gain access to customer accounts, cybercriminals can steal loyalty points and fraudulently “buy” flights or hotel rooms for onward sale.
Imperva recommends that travel companies deploy a multi-layered defence strategy to mitigate these threats across all digital touchpoints, including APIs and mobile applications. Organisations must identify risks through advanced traffic analysis and real-time bot detection. Understanding exposure, particularly around login functionalities, is crucial as these are prime targets for credential stuffing and brute force attacks.
“Quick wins for security teams would include blocking outdated browser versions, restricting access from bulk IP data centres, and implementing detection strategies for signs of automation, like unusually fast interactions,” said Daniel Toh, chief solutions architect, Asia Pacific and Japan, Imperva. “Analysing suspicious traffic sources – like single IP addresses – can provide valuable insights, as can regularly watching for traffic anomalies like high bounce rates and sudden spikes.”
He advised: “Monitor the news and stay abreast of new data breaches which threat actors can use to fuel automated account takeover attacks.”
The Imperva2024 Bad Bot Report can be viewed here.
Grand Prix Season Singapore (GPSS) returns from September 13 to 22 with a series of race-themed lifestyle experiences across the city to appeal to individuals of all ages and diverse interests.
GPSS complements the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2024 experience and encourages visitors and locals to discover the myriad offerings across different parts of the city.
A Race Through Time – The Singapore Grand Prix Through The Years exhibition will be held from September 14 to 22 where visitors can journey through the rich history of the Singapore Grand Prix (Photo: Ferrari Experience)
This year’s GPSS features large-scale activations through four GPSS Headliners at different precincts across Singapore: Groovedriver Festival 2024 at the Singapore Sports Hub in Kallang; Jam Off 2024 at Orchard Road; The Glam Circuit Festival at Kampong Gelam; and CQ @ Clarke Quay x Culture Cartel Presents: Street Style Speedway at Clarke Quay.
These will take place alongside offerings by GPSS partners, including new players like Dragonfly Singapore, The Southern Depot, and Trifecta.
Groovedriver Festival marks the first time that there will be a 10-day live music and entertainment programming for GPSS taking place at the Singapore Sports Hub. To enliven the experience further, there will also be a pop-up beach club, automobile showcases, and simulator racing within the iconic venue.
Also making its debut is the cross-culture extravaganza, Jam Off 2024 on Singapore’s shopping belt, Orchard Road, with activities ranging from street dance battles at the main stage to racing and street culture at the fusion F&B stands, merchandise pop-ups, and artistes’ fan meets.
Over at Kampong Gelam, the Glam Circuit Festival will transform into a race-themed wonderland, with mini motorcycles rides, simulator racing, a music festival programme and food pitstops.
A fusion of street culture and racing awaits visitors at CQ @ Clarke Quay x Culture Cartel Presents: Street Style Speedway featuring art installations with local artists transforming car wraps into works of art, a futuristic Speed Tunnel on Read Bridge, the Limited Edt x Culture Cartel pop-up stores, and a Drone Show over Clarke Quay and the Singapore River to end the night.
This year’s GPSS welcomes new programme partners, such as the Dragonfly Singapore bar, Off The Grid by The Southern Depot, and Trifecta Race Club’s rooftop takeover with pop-up party series GrooveTop, featuring a diverse DJ lineup and music genres, alongside surf and snow challenges and test drives.
Other highlights include tours, art shows, cocktails, gaming and electric karting across the island, from Gillman Barracks and the Civic District, to Sentosa, Dempsey and the Marina precinct.
Ong Ling Lee, executive director, sports and wellness, Singapore Tourism Board, said: “In its 15th edition, Grand Prix Season Singapore continues to captivate our visitors and locals with 10 days of race-themed festivities, heightening the buzz of the race season across Singapore. As a key highlight in Singapore’s events calendar, GPSS 2024 showcases the diversity of our attractions, dining, entertainment and retail offerings, all of which our visitors and locals can relish.”
Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and Fliggy, an online travel platform in China, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen and amplify the Maldives’ destination presence in the Chinese market.
The MoU was signed in collaboration with Villa Resorts, between MMPRC’s CEO and managing director, Ibrahim Shiuree, and Fliggy vice president, Tong Teng during the ceremony held at Villa Nautica on August 18.
The collaboration aims to amplify the Maldives’ destination presence in the Chinese market
Through the collaboration with Villa Resorts, MMPRC aims to underscore the Maldives’ appeal as an ideal location for MICE travel, events, and conferences.
Shiuree said: “I have no doubt that our combined efforts will lead to another successful year for the Maldives Tourism Industry.”
“We deeply value the strong relationship between our two countries and appreciate the love the Chinese people have for the Maldives,” said Maldives’ minister of tourism, Ibrahim Faisal.
“This partnership is a wonderful opportunity to build on that connection.”
Laguna Lakeside Residences, Thailand
Laguna Lakeside Residences joins the iconic Laguna Phuket integrated resort community at Bang Tao beach on Phuket’s Central West Coast, just 30 minutes from Phuket International Airport.
The new residences are conveniently situated at the gateway to Laguna Phuket, overlooking a lagoon and right on the doorstep of the popular Boat Avenue entertainment district at Bang Tao area.
Set in landscaped gardens, each one-, two- and three-bedroom residences boasts its own expansive rooftop infinity pool.
Travelodge Suites Busan Centum
Travelodge Suites Busan Centum, South Korea
Travelodge Suites Busan Centum offers panoramic views of either Haeundae Beach, the Marine City, or the Olympic Park from all its guestrooms, some of which comes with in-room washing machines, and kitchens. Facilities include a rooftop pool, fitness centre, Italian restaurant, and a meeting room.
Located in Centum City, nearby the property are Haeundae and Gwangalli Beaches, major shopping, museums, Busan Cinema Center, X-the Sky, Luge, Lotte World, and the Hub MICE, BEXCO.
HIIVE by fusion Binh Duong New City
HIIVE by fusion Binh Duong New City, Vietnam
Situated in Binh Duong in southern Vietnam, HIIVE by fusion Binh Duong New City is just 38km north of Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, and is near Hikari Complex, Binh Duong New City Park and the Binh Duong World Trade Center Association.
All guestrooms and suites include a workspace, high-speed Wi-Fi, individually controlled air-conditioning units, kitchenette, and other modern amenities.
The hotel also offers 24-hour laundry services, a fitness centre and golf simulator, restaurant, bar, and two meeting rooms.
La Vie D’or Hotel and Resort, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
La Vie D’or Hotel and Resort, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, South Korea
La Vie D’or Hotel and Resort offers 190 rooms, a nine-hole golf course, fitness centre, saunas, swimming pools and dining options, as well as event venues.
Nestled in the city of Hwaseong-si, South Korea, just a 30-minute drive from Seoul, guests can visit attractions like the Yungneung and Geolleung Royal Tombs and Yongjusa Temple or take a short drive to Seoul and Suwon.
Thailand’s wellness resort Trisara in Phuket is introducing its wellness retreat programme to help guests move towards better cognitive wellness.
Led by renowned neuroscientist, Hanna Poikonen, the five-day WiseMotion Retreat will be held between November 24 and 28, and is designed to enhance brain health and well-being through a combination of improvisation, scientific knowledge, and interactive discussions.
Guests will get to go on an excursion to the 16,000m² Pru Jampa organic farm at Trisara
Participants on the retreat will benefit from exercises and scientific knowledge designed to balance emotional well-being, calm the nervous system, and improve cognitive function.
The programme includes daily movement meditation sessions, WiseMotion masterclasses, and opportunities for creative movement and inspirational discussion.
Priced from US$3,200 per person per package (double occupancy) and US$5,350 per person per package (single occupancy), it includes four nights in an Ocean View Pool Junior Suite, return airport transfers to/from Phuket International Airport, daily breakfast, communal lunch, and dinner hosted by Poikonen.
Other inclusions encompass a 60-minute Jara Spa treatment per person at Trisara’s Jara Wellness, daily morning movement meditation and afternoon WiseMotion masterclass with Poikonen, access to Trisara’s group fitness activities and fitness centre, and an excursion to the 16,000m² Pru Jampa organic farm which supplies fresh produce for PRU and JAMPA, Montara Hospitality Group’s Michelin-accoladed Phuket restaurants.
Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has revealed all-new details about Disney Imagination Garden, one of the seven themed areas aboard the Disney Adventure, which will set sail from Singapore in 2025.
Disney Imagination Garden, the central hub of the ship, will transport guests into the pages of well-loved Disney stories alongside their favourite characters with its colourful landscapes.
Disney Cruise Line has unveiled details on Disney Imagination Garden, the heart of the Disney Adventure
At the centre of the courtyard is the Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey Mouse topiary that stands with his wand held high as if conjuring this magical garden to life.
The open-air garden will be set against a three-deck-tall, storybook castle art piece, a first-of-its-kind onboard a DCL ship. The space will also include a theatrical Garden Stage that will bring beloved Disney stories to life, an open area leading to a large staircase that will double as amphitheatre-style seating, and a selection of garden-view staterooms.
Here, guests will also find two eateries – Mowgli’s Eatery serving Indian, vegetarian and regional dishes, and Gramma Tala’s Kitchen, inspired by the scenery and island flair of Moana.
One signature entertainment experience performed on the Garden Stage will be Avengers Assemble!, an action-packed stage show with stunts and special effects where Deadpool makes his DCL debut to lend his signature irreverence and comedy to the spectacle.
“Disney Imagination Garden is the heart and soul of the Disney Adventure, where our guests will interact with our Disney, Pixar and Marvel stories in a whole new way,” said Laura Cabo, portfolio executive creative director, Walt Disney Imagineering. “Rooted in the rich legacy of Disney storytelling, we’re creating an area that will open doors to new adventures and encourage guests to create magic of their own.”
The other themed areas on the Disney Adventure include Disney Discovery Reef, San Fransokyo Street, Wayfinder Bay, Town Square, Marvel Landing and Toy Story Place.
More details about these themed areas will be released at a later date.
A “gap” between institutes of higher learning (IHL), students and industry was raised during a recent PATA Youth Symposium and has resulted in a call for curriculum to be developed by academics with practical experience, to be updated on a regular basis to close it.
Ex-hotelier and Innovative Internship Coaching founder, David Jones, who has worked in the US and Asia, commented faculty with “real-world industry experience are essential in bridging the gap between academic learning and practical demands”.
IHLs should tap on those with real-world industry experience to develop the course curriculum
First-hand knowledge provides students with a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed, he added.
Nisha Abu Bakar, co-founder World Women Tourism and founder of Elevated Consultancy and Training, suggested more guest lecturers from industry be incorporated into the curriculum.
She pointed out: “This is not given priority now. Also required are more industry-based projects that are closely monitored and assessed to ensure that student learning happens effectively.
“Soft skills such as resilience and agility, critical thinking, networking, very relevant to the industry are not taught in IHLs adequately.”
Retired tourism professor and former research and strategic information head at PATA, John Koldowski, observed a lack of talent training in critical thinking, design thinking and other similar approaches to enable new talent to develop “real flair in problem-solving”.
He proposed that “IHLs systematically and routinely meet with and hear, not just listen, to a cross-section of industry executives”.
He continued: “Just hearing C-suite views, far removed from the actual workers to fully understand what is needed and required of trainees at the practical level, could give a distorted view in some cases.”
Senior public sector industry executives, he said, also need to be part of the discussions with IHLs and industry.
“Failure must be seen as ‘trying’, not as failure per se. If you are not failing, then you are not trying, is perhaps a more appropriate mantra, to a point,” Koldowski opined, while Jones added mistakes are learning opportunities and not to be feared.
Koldowski quipped: “One idea that has been floated is funding for IHLs be linked to their job placement proportions for recent graduates and the satisfaction the employer has with those placed graduates. Get that right and employers will be coming to the IHLs.”
As for Abu Bakar, she urged employers to view training and talent development as an investment, not an expense.
As the travel industry rebounds post-lockdown, Imperva, a Thales company specialising in cybersecurity has cautioned travellers against automated threats.
With the travel sector experiencing more than a fifth (21 per cent) of all attack traffic requests monitored last year, the Imperva 2024 Bad Bot Report found that bad bots accounted for 45 per cent of the global industry’s web traffic in 2023 – a significant jump from 37 per cent in 2022.
As travel continues to ramp up towards year-end, the industry will likely see a surge in bot activity. These bots target travel companies through seat spinning, unauthorised web scraping, account takeover, and fraud.
Seat spinning is particularly rife in Asia, as bots hold airline seats – often for up to a day – without making payment. This enables operators like unauthorised OTAs to resell these seats without risking upfront payment. If these operators fail to offload these seats, airlines can suddenly find seemingly fully booked flights set to depart far below their capacity – the result is significant financial and reputational damage.
In unauthorised web scraping, bots run by OTAs, aggregators and competitors access airlines’ web properties without permission to harvest data, which damage critical business insights and metrics like look-to-book ratios, and increase the fees airlines must pay their partners. One airline last year ended up paying US$500,000 per month for API requests due to the surge in bad bot traffic scraping its search API.
In terms of account takeovers (ATOs) and fraud, the travel industry experienced the second-highest volume of ATO attempts in 2023, with 11 per cent of all ATO attacks globally targeting the industry.
Cybercriminals zero in on the travel sector due to the valuable personal information, stored payment methods, and loyalty points within user accounts. Once they gain access to customer accounts, cybercriminals can steal loyalty points and fraudulently “buy” flights or hotel rooms for onward sale.
Imperva recommends that travel companies deploy a multi-layered defence strategy to mitigate these threats across all digital touchpoints, including APIs and mobile applications. Organisations must identify risks through advanced traffic analysis and real-time bot detection. Understanding exposure, particularly around login functionalities, is crucial as these are prime targets for credential stuffing and brute force attacks.
“Quick wins for security teams would include blocking outdated browser versions, restricting access from bulk IP data centres, and implementing detection strategies for signs of automation, like unusually fast interactions,” said Daniel Toh, chief solutions architect, Asia Pacific and Japan, Imperva. “Analysing suspicious traffic sources – like single IP addresses – can provide valuable insights, as can regularly watching for traffic anomalies like high bounce rates and sudden spikes.”
He advised: “Monitor the news and stay abreast of new data breaches which threat actors can use to fuel automated account takeover attacks.”
The Imperva 2024 Bad Bot Report can be viewed here.