AIR India last Friday started daily flights to Rome and Milan with its Boeing 787 aircraft in a two-class arrangement.

The flight will operate four days a week on the triangular New Delhi-Rome-Milan-New Delhi route, and the New Delhi-Milan-Rome-New Delhi route for the other three days.

Ankur Khanna, managing director of the New Delhi-based Tristar Holidays, said that the direct flights are “huge accelerators”, given Italy’s popularity among Indian travellers.

“Arrivals in Rome cover excursions to southern Italy, and Milan is the gateway for Lake Como and northern Italy. The region has excellent shopping and gastronomic offerings that Indians are attracted to. This direct flight will increase arrivals from India to Italy and southern Switzerland,” said Khanna.

Rajendra Churiwala, director-eastern region, IATA Agents Association of India, said: “If the fares are kept at competitive levels then this flight will be a success and increase outbound travel to southern Europe, as it cuts down the transit time wasted when travellers fly other carriers to Italy.

“It is possible that outbound travellers from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh going to Europe may transit at New Delhi to use this flight.”

KUALA Lumpur will host the inaugural Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 and Global Cruise Tourism Conference 2014 this August.

Organised by WiTMevents, both events are endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia and Tourism Malaysia. They will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, with the Global Cruise Tourism Conference slated to run from August 7 to 8, followed by the Malaysia Premium Travel Fair from August 8 to 10.

Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 and a Global Cruise Tourism Conference 2014 are set to become annual events in Malaysia.

Mohd Khalid Harun, organising chairman and on WiTMevents’ board of directors, said: “There is a great demand for premium packages and products as well as cruise and river tourism. Premium travel and cruise tourism are two niche, high-ROI sectors that we believe will be the leading market earners for the travel and tourism industry in the near future and as such it is the right time now to venture into premium tourism and cruise tourism.”

Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 is the first travel fair in Malaysia targeted at the luxury segment, and will feature B2B and B2C components.

Fair exhibitors are both local and international players, and include premium and boutique airlines, cruise liners and yacht clubs, helicopter tour service providers, luxury hotels and resorts, NTOs and MICE event organisers, among others.

Khalid is targeting 220 booths and between 500 to 1,000 trade buyers. Booth sales will start today.

Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 and a Global Cruise Tourism Conference 2014 will be held a month prior to the MATTA consumer travel fair in Kuala Lumpur, to run from September 5-7.

MATTA president, Hamzah Rahmat, does not believe the new challenger will affect exhibitor interest and booth take-up for the MATTA Fair. He said: “MATTA Fair in Kuala Lumpur is almost 30 years old. On average we get about 30,000 visitors per day. For exhibitors, where do you think their ROI will be?”

Khalid, who is also immediate past president of MATTA, highlighted the differences between the events, saying Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 and Global Cruise Tourism Conference 2014 will benefit luxury travel players while MATTA Fair is organised for members to promote and sell their products and services to the public.

VISA-free travel to the US may become a reality for Malaysian citizens in 18 months’ time or less.

Malaysian daily The Star today reported home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi saying he was confident that the immigration department will be able to meet the conditions necessary for Malaysia to qualify for the US visa waiver programme (VWP) “sooner than expected”.

Travellers from countries under the VWP can enter and remain in the US for up to 90 days for tours or business.

Desmond Lee, group managing director of Apple Vacations & Conventions, said: “Getting a US visa currently takes four to five working days. But waiting for one’s turn at the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur to get called for a face-to-face interview can take between two to three hours. This part is a hassle for many.”

He added that applicants have to pay close to RM580 (US$180) for a visa, which is non-refundable even for a rejected application.

Anticipating stronger interest among Malaysians for holidays in the US once visa-free travel is introduced, Lee said his company will create more awareness of destinations on US coast at the upcoming MATTA Fair in Kuala Lumpur this September.

This is a new destination for the company, which has always promoted west coast cities s such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Separately, Brand USA is gearing up to launch an all-new culinary campaign in Asia. The NTO will bank on the US’ gastronomic offerings to entice Asian travellers to visit (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 5, 2014).

BANYAN Tree Hotels & Resorts yesterday raised the curtain on Cassia, a new brand of extended stay accommodation with properties already in development in five destinations.

Cassia signals the hospitality group’s foray into the serviced apartments sector, where the brand is meant to straddle the niche sector in between hotel and apartment.

Ho Kwon Ping, executive chairman of Banyan Tree Group, said: “Cassia merges three of the group’s strengths – hospitality, design and real estate – to set the stage for hotel residences of the future.”

“The extended stay segment has been overlooked in recent years so we took the opportunity to innovate and create a hospitality product that meets the demands and needs of today’s travellers.”

Banyan Tree’s new brand of serviced apartments are already in development in Phuket, Bintan, Beruwala (Sri Lanka), Gold Coast and Lijiang. Another seven are slated to come up in Brisbane, New York, Japan, the Seychelles, Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Lang Co (Vietnam).

Cassia will offer one- and two-bedroom units that come with flexible living and dining areas, ranging in size from 35m2 to 55m2. Public spaces will encourage interaction through activities, games and a daily social hour while the residents can unwind at the Chill Chill Spa.

Other facilities include a pool, gym, activity room, bar, convenience mart, laundry and home delivery options.

Units are also open for purchase with prices starting at S$180,000 (US$143,668) for a 35m2 one-bedroom apartment.

Cassia is the third brand under the Group after Banyan Tree and Angsana.