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.”

INTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group (IHG) and international investment company Pro Invest Group have signed a franchise agreement for a 245-room Holiday Inn Express in Adelaide’s CBD.
Coming up in 2018, the new build hotel will be situated on Hindley Street, close to North Terrace, the Adelaide Convention Centre and the upcoming Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Holiday Inn Express Adelaide provides free Wi-Fi, a fitness centre, self-service business centre and laundry room, and two meeting rooms for small functions and events.

Karin Sheppard, COO, Australasia, Japan, Korea and Asia, Middle East and Africa franchising, IHG, said in a press release: “The development of the new Holiday Inn Express Adelaide is the latest in a series of milestones for IHG and our partners Pro Invest. The site is exactly the right location for the Holiday Inn Express guest and hits our strategy of bringing the brand to key Australian cities.

“We know the domestic market will respond extremely well to this fresh and exciting brand and having a Holiday Inn Express in the CBD will be key as the increase in air connectivity between Adelaide and other key Asian cities continues. The hotel will open in 2018 following the launch of the brand in Sydney due to take place early next year.”

The hotel is the third to be signed under the master development agreement between IHG and Pro Invest, which will see the investment firm develop 15 Holiday Inn Express hotels across Australia by 2025.

The first two hotels will open in Sydney’s Macquarie Park, North Ryde in 1Q2016, and Brisbane’s Spring Hill in 3Q2016.

A NEW hotel to be operated by Frasers Hospitality has been proposed for the China Square Central site in Singapore.

According to local broadsheet The Straits Times, Frasers Commercial Trust (FCOT) struck a conditional deal for the hotel, which will be operated under the Capri by Fraser brand and located at the current site of Fountain Square.

FCOT will send a circular to unit-holders on the proposed transaction next month and convene an extraordinary general meeting to obtain unit-holder approval.

The hotel will be developed by Frasers Hospitality China Square Trustee, which will pay FCOT S$44.8 million (US$33.7 million) upon entering the building agreement, set for this October at the latest.

Construction of the hotel, which will have a gross floor area of 16,000m², should take another three to four years. FCOT will grant a long lease of the hotel to the trustee when the hotel and commercial works are completed, reported The Straits Times.

Development of the hotel will affect retail tenants in the basement. However, this retail space will be relocated to the first floor to give it better visibility.

THE monster 7.8-magnitude earthquake that shook the Kathmandu valley on Saturday has now claimed 4,310 lives and injured almost 8,000, according to official figures.

All expeditions and tourism-related activities have ground to a halt, said the consulate general of Nepal, Kolkata office, and prominent heritage sites have been destroyed or affected.

At least 17 mountain climbers were killed on the slopes of Mount Everest after an avalanche was triggered by Saturday’s quake, and many more remain stranded at Camp 1 and Camp 2 awaiting evacuation to base camp, say international news agencies.

However, Singapore’s The Straits Times reported that local travel agencies including CTC Travel and Dynasty Travel have no plans to change tours to Kathmandu or Tibet, the latter having also been affected by the tremors.

Sheryl Lim, regional director of Insight Vacations Asia, told TTG Asia e-Daily that the tour operator is saddened by the earthquake. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the affected.”

“Insight Vacations runs a four-day Mini Stay in Kathmandu as part of the India Specialist Program. We did not have any clients in Kathmandu at the time of the earthquake,” she said. “We will be guided by the advisory of the relevant authorities in Nepal when they are available to update our clients on their future travel plans.”

Insight’s tour season and programme start only in August and the tour operator will advise adjustments as more information becomes clear.

Meanwhile, regional carrier SilkAir has announced that flights to and from Kathmandu will continue to operate as per its schedule, but will waive all administrative charges and penalties for customers holding confirmed tickets issued on or before April 25 who would like to rebook travel to and from Kathmandu between now and October 31, 2015.

In response to TTG Asia e-Daily’s query, a PATA spokesperson said in an email: “On Saturday, we held the PATA Foundation Charity Gala Dinner (in Leshan, China), where the chairman of the PATA Foundation publicly pledged to help Nepal.” Further details are pending.

The UN is also said to be readying a flash appeal for funding from the international community tomorrow.

For those who would like to donate towards relief efforts, Facebook is facilitating donations to International Medical Corps and has pledged to match all gifts dollar for dollar, up to US$2 million.

The Singapore Red Cross is also accepting contributions online atwww.sggives.org/nepalsrcs.