National carrier SriLankan Airlines is planning a 22 per cent increase in weekly flights to meet demand during the next winter season.
CEO Richard Nuttall said in a statement that the increases will be seen across its wide network of destinations in India, West Asia, Far East and Europe.
SriLankan Airlines plans to increase flight frequencies across its network of destinations to meet demand during the next winter season
“Our current 122 weekly flights to 15 destinations across the Indian Subcontinent is targeted for a 16 per cent increase; the 41 weekly flights to seven West Asian destinations by seven per cent; the 52 weekly flights to the Far East by over 50 per cent; and the 13 weekly flights to Europe is expected to go up by 15 per cent,” he added.
Prior to the pandemic, the airline had a fleet of 27 aircraft of which 23 are currently in operation. There are plans to lease more aircraft.
In line with increasing passenger capacity, the airline hopes the increased frequencies will help to bring in more tourists.
Arrivals between January and May 2023 rose sharply to 524,486 compared to 378,521 in the same 2023 period, as Sri Lanka continues to recover after a devastating economic crisis last year compounded by the pandemic.
India was the top source market followed by Russia, Germany, the UK and Australia.
Meanwhile, the Travel Agents Association of India is holding its 2023 Convention in Colombo from July 6 to 9, on the invitation of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. The event is expected to attract 500 delegates from India.
Non-operational staff at the headquarters of Hong Kong-based Metrojet can now adopt a four-day office/one-day remote work arrangement under the company’s new Flexible Work Arrangement policy, put in place to prioritise employees’ well-being and productivity.
The new initiative reflects the voices shared in the company’s latest employee survey.
Metrojet’s new Flexible Work Arrangement policy prioritises employees’ well-being and productivity
Aside from the remote work measures, the new policy also encourages employees to work any eight hours on a business day between 07.00 and 19.00, providing staff with increased flexibility and reduced commuting stress during peak office travel hours.
The policy will be extended to the other Metrojet operational sites in the future.
Metrojet’s director, human resources, Mabel Yiu, said: “Our employees are our most valuable asset. We strongly believe that investment in our employees’ well-being leads to better work productivity, professional staff growth and job satisfaction. We are happy with the successful outcome over the past half year trial period and will continue to cultivate a healthy work environment.”
Saudi Arabia’s Almosafer and Klook have joined forces to launch the Almosafer Activities platform to offer holistic tours and activities for the Kingdom’s market.
Almosafer Activities is a one-stop digital platform with end-to-end content and inventory management solutions that support tourism and leisure activity merchants in Saudi Arabia, as well as distributors across the globe, to provide products for travellers to, from, and within the Kingdom.
From left: Klook’s CS Soong and Almosafer’s Muzzammil Ahussain
The platform, which will go live for distributors in 3Q2023, will leverage Klook’s position as a leading global distributor of experiences and services, and enable domestic and international tourists to book activities seamlessly.
The launch of Almosafer Activities supports the tourism agenda of Saudi Vision 2030 by boosting inbound and domestic tourism – the platform will also support small and medium-sized merchants by providing them with a platform and exposure to more distribution channels.
Merchants can take advantage of enhanced exposure to the wide customer base of Almosafer’s consumer segment, as well as through leading DMC Discover Saudi.
Muzzammil Ahussain, CEO of Almosafer, said: “Almosafer Activities will empower the travel and tourism ecosystem as a whole while further supporting the Kingdom’s strategy to continuously enhance the domestic tourism offering and increase its inbound tourism footprint.”
“We are confident that this strategic collaboration will inspire and attract a larger influx of international visitors to the Kingdom, amplified by our extensive global network,” added C S Soong, vice president, corporate development, Klook.
Sunway Healthcare has created Sunway Sanctuary, a serviced residence that caters to guests aged 55 years and above and stands out with easy access to quality healthcare services, and wellness and lifestyle facilities.
The serviced residence is annexed to Sunway Medical Centre in Sunway City. Facilities include 235 studios, as well as one- and two-bedroom serviced suites; and over 9,290m² of wellness and lifestyle facilities such as a heated, saltwater infinity swimming pool, gym, outdoor terrace for yoga and meditation, library with co-working spaces, game rooms, movie theatre, karaoke lounges, an all-day dining restaurant, and function rooms.
Sunway Sanctuary offers wellness and lifestyle facilities such as a heated, saltwater infinity swimming pool, pictured
Health-conscious guests can rely on the property’s wellness centre, where qualified personnel will provide standard health checks, blood tests, regular vitals monitoring, and nutrition and dietary advice.
Leonard Theng Boon Liang, general manager, Sunway Sanctuary, shared that guests can access trained professionals who will provide fitness workout sessions and assistance with daily needs and errands, as well as event planning services for residents’ special occasions.
Besides targeting active retirees and semi-retirees, Sunway Sanctuary is also eyeing the senior expatriate community in Malaysia as well as medical tourists from abroad.
Three-day, monthly and annual packages are offered, along with customisable retirement staycation packages to allow interested applicants the opportunity to experience the Sunway Sanctuary lifestyle before making a long-term commitment. These packages comprise room upgrade, daily meals, housekeeping services, access to wellness facilities, and recreational and leisure activities.
For the first time in decades, Japan’s nine-home village of Suganuma in Gokayama is opening its doors to overnight guests, giving visitors the opportunity to experience this World Heritage Site on the shores of Sho River.
The village’s Gassho-zukuri-style farmhouses are particular to the region, with their pitched, thatched roof structures. For two nights only, the Nakashima family – fifth generation locals – are hosting guests under the 170-year-old thatched roof of their family home for an authentic stay immersed in the rich traditions of the area.
Visitors now have the opportunity to experience the World Heritage Site of Suganuma in Gokayamaon
During their stay, guests will enjoy a traditional welcome tea and local dishes including Gokayama tofu, mountain vegetables and freshly-caught river fish. They will learn about local traditions such as the making of washi, a paper made of local fibre, and the creation of sasara, a traditional instrument featured in one of the region’s oldest folk songs. At night, guests will be treated to a magical evening light show and folk song experience.
Other activities include a hands-on workshop crafting thatched roofs using local Gassho-zukuri building techniques, and exploring the village’s surroundings with a guided bike ride.
In addition, guests will receive a Disconnect to Connect kit that includes a stationery set made of traditional washi paper, an instant camera and local aromatherapy kit.
Martin Schnider has been named the new general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur.
With over 25 years of experience with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group encompassing six Mandarin Oriental Hotels, Schnider brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role.
Prior to his appointment at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, Schnider served as the general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Doha.
Japan’s travel and tourism sector is nearing pre-pandemic recovery, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2023 Economic Impact Research. However, rebound is being hampered by staff shortages.
The study predicts international visitor spend in Japan will reach US$16.8 billion in 2023, marking a 553.4 per cent increase year-on-year. The sector’s GDP contribution, meanwhile, is predicted to reach US$285.5 billion this year, just 6.8 per cent shy of the record high of US$306.5 billion in 2019.
Japan’s government aims to ease overcrowding in popular cities and highlight tourism in rural areas; Dotonbori in Osaka, pictured (Photo: beeboys)
However, the travel and tourism industry is currently 300,000 jobs short of pre-pandemic levels, according to the June report. Even if the sector creates around 470,000 jobs in 2023, the number predicted by WTTC, employment in the sector will still be 5.2 per cent below that of 2019.
Japan’s Tourism White Paper 2023, released in June, said structural challenges facing the country’s travel industry include labour shortage, high turnover (particularly in hospitality at 25.6 per cent) and low productivity.
The Japan Tourism Agency, meanwhile, noted that the number of overnight stays in hotels by international travellers exceeded 10 million in April, the first time since January 2020, but labour shortages and increased staff workloads remain a concern.
Heather Hopkins Clement, CEO of travel agency Cruise Port Navigation, said many parts of Japan’s tourism industry are “struggling with labour shortages” and “cannot keep up with demand”.
“Workers who left the accommodation and eating/drinking service sectors due to Covid have not returned,” said Mitsuo Fujiyama of the Japan Research Institute, adding that the pandemic “heightened concerns about the stability” of roles that already had tough working conditions and low wages in 2019.
Popular areas such as Kyoto are feeling the crunch more than others. Inbound visitors at the city’s hotels totalled 313,203 in April, 22.9 per cent more than in April 2019, according to DMO Kyoto.
The Japan Spot Work Association reports that requests for “spot workers” (gig workers who sign up for shifts by smartphone app) from hotels increased tenfold year-on-year in April.
Atsushi Nosaka of the harbour and airport promotions division at Wakayama Prefectural Government, said local companies are working to overcome a shortage of hospitality and tourism staff to support excursions for international cruise ships.
Meanwhile, the national government aims to ease overcrowding and stimulate greater tourism consumption in rural areas by attracting overseas visitors with new and improved offerings nationwide. Its 2023–25 tourism plan includes support for the promotion of remote islands, snow sports, farm stays, national parks, “tourism towns” with significant history and cycle tourism.
Hiroyuki Takahashi, chair of JTB Corporation, said JTB is “working together with the public and private sectors in developing new tourism attractions to expand capacity in rural areas” in the face of “extremely high and growing” global demand to visit Japan.
Japan welcomed 1.95 million international travellers in April 2023, a 1,297 per cent increase year-on-year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization, and JTB projects 21 million international arrivals by the end of 2023.
Sri Lanka’s economic unrest has tapered down in recent months and the destination is safe for travellers to visit despite more conservative global perceptions, stated several hoteliers in attendance at ILTM Asia Pacific.
Padmi Fernando, director of business development, Cinnamon Life Integrated Resort, told TTG Asia: “Sri Lanka has been safe for the last six months or so. What we had in Sri Lanka was a local challenge, where the civilians were going through a difficult time, but it was never unsafe for travellers.”
Hoteliers are trying to attract travellers to Sri Lanka; Colombo, pictured
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts currently operates 11 properties throughout Sri Lanka, across several of its brands.
Elisa Grimaldi, director of public relations and communications at Minor Hotels, agreed: “The safety of our guests come first, and we will never promote a destination unless it’s safe. Earlier this year, when the situation was calmer, we sent out a press release to share that it was time to visit Sri Lanka.”
Grimaldi commented that the company, which has three properties in Sri Lanka, is working on special offers to entice travellers back to Sri Lanka, which will be rolled out soon.
“As a hospitality company, we recognise the impact tourism has. It didn’t help that Covid devastated the tourism economy. We are trying to get travellers to return because this way, we can support our local staff as they rely on the hotel for their income,” added Grimladi.
The media also has a very important part to play in helping to shift perceptions of a destination.
“We are open for business. Sri Lanka is very safe tor tourists, and the major crisis (fuel and power) is over for the short- to medium-term. In the long term, the government would have to (find ways to) solve it. Sri Lanka has actually obtained support from the IMF (International Monetary Fund), but unfortunately, that message has not gone out to the mainstream media,” opined Jan van Twest, director of The Fortress Resort & Spa.
For his property, the majority of his guests currently hail from the UK and India, as the various Asian markets are “more conservative”, and “more sensitive to economic issues”, and are seen in lesser numbers at the moment.
“It always starts with the media. If they go first and start writing about what’s new and what’s happening, it’ll help to lure travellers back,” noted Grimaldi.
Fernando pointed out: “The world today is a global village. Everybody sees what is happening. We did face challenges in basic facilities such as power cuts, but the unsafe notion is a wrong perception (of Sri Lanka) that was created from the media (fuss). Sri Lanka is the place to visit again, and we are more than ready to welcome tourists.”
Travel trade operatives at Japan’s regional ports are set to get a boost under a new tourism plan to increase the number of ports that accept foreign-registered cruise ships to 100 by 2025, up from 67 in 2019.
Interest in Japan is high since the country lifted its three-year docking ban on overseas-registered cruise vessels in March and is set to rebound quickly according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, which estimates port calls by such ships in 2023 could reach 60 per cent of the 2,000 recorded in 2019.
Silversea’s Silver Muse returns for sailings to Kagoshima
The national government’s new Tourism Nation Promotion Plan, which was approved at the end of March, will encourage ports in Japan’s rural areas to welcome international cruises in a bid to curb over-tourism and spread tourism spending nationwide, including to remote islands.
In 2019, the ports of Naha in Okinawa, Hakata in Fukuoka, and Yokohama in Kanagawa, were most visited by foreign-operated cruise ships, according to government data, but now lesser well-known areas will have opportunities to contend with larger ports.
In Kagoshima Prefecture, which stretches from the southern tip of Kyushu to Okinawa Prefecture, mainland and island ports are scheduled to receive 149 calls by international cruise ships in 2023.
In northern Japan, Yamagata Prefecture has listed welcoming international cruises as “one of the pillars in its efforts to attract inbound tourists” in its new tourism plan, said Yuta Endo, chief officer of the prefecture’s inbound promotion section.
The resumption of China’s cruise sector this month is adding confidence to the market as Chinese visitors accounted for about 80 per cent of all international arrivals at Japan ports in 2019.
On June 19, Blue Dream Star operated by Blue Dream Cruises departed from Shanghai for Japanese ports and, in July, the CSSC Carnival will begin sailings from Shanghai to Okinawa.
Merlin Entertainments (ME), which operates Legoland and resort theme parks, is on a “mandate to grow” and its new CEO has identified opportunities in the region for its indoor Midway attractions.
Calling himself a “growth CEO”, Scott O’Neil, who was appointed six months ago, has been visiting team members in the region to spread his message, assess existing assets and explore business development opportunities with leaders of other attractions.
O’Neil: excited about growth for Midway in 24 gateway cities, including Singapore, Shanghai, Osaka and Seoul
O’Neil predicted that Asia would be ME’s fastest region of growth in 2024.
ME was privatised in 2019, in a reported US$7.5 billion deal, and he shared that more Midway attractions, which are located in city centres, shopping malls or resorts and include brands such as Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE, the Dungeons, and others, would be added.
Visitors, he explained, typically spend between two to three hours at these attractions.
O’Neil said “merger and acquisition (M&A) activity was buying better value than before” and he was “most excited about growth for Midway in 24 gateway cities, including Singapore, Shanghai, Osaka and Seoul”.
This expansion, he continued, would be based on “London as the model, our most successful business where 25 per cent of tourists goes to one of our attractions”.
ME was studying “what of that model works, how to acquire management contracts and add value to M&As with its know-how to cross-sell and upsell,” he noted.
During a 24-hour visit to Singapore, and Legoland Malaysia Johor Bahru last week, O’Neil told TTG Asia there were plans to “cluster” and expand Sentosa’s Madame Tussauds by adding an attraction or acquiring one nearby.
Visiting Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macau on a North Asia tour in April, O’Neil commented that ME was opening its biggest Legoland in Shenzhen in 2024 and the park in Shanghai, expected to open next year as well, would become its global flagship.
Prior to his appointment at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, Schnider served as the general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Doha.
