GOA International Airport opened a new integrated 64,000m2 terminal last week, adding to high-season capacity with its handling of 1,000 international chartered flights.

Goa accounts for 90 per cent of all chartered flights into India. The terminal is expected to be fully operational in January 2014.

The terminal can handle both domestic and international operations, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. It can handle 2,750 peak-hour passengers at a time. Visa on arrival is expected to be issued from January next year.

Ajit Singh, India’s minister of civil aviation, said: “The expansion and upgrade of Goa airport are significant due to the expected high passenger traffic.”

From April 2012 to March 2013, Goa airport handled 1,208 charter flights, an increase of 45 per cent year-on-year. Trade sources expect similar growth this year.

Meanwhile, plans for a new airport at Mopa have been submitted for central government approval. The airport is likely to be operational only in 2020.

Arun Verma, managing director, Allways Marketing & Travel Services, lamented the slow development pace. He said: “Goa airport is saturated, and a new airport with capacity to accommodate projected arrivals in the next five years should be commissioned immediately.”

In a bid to catalyse aviation growth, the Goa government has reduced VAT on air turbine fuel from 22 to 12 per cent. According to the state’s chief minister, Manohar Parrikar, it will be further slashed to five per cent in 2014.

FOLLOWING a five-month renovation, Singapore’s luxury boutique hotel, The Scarlet, has reopened.

The 80-room four-storey heritage building property located in the heart of Chinatown features guestrooms and suites with substantial updates in design.

There are four different room types – Standard, Deluxe, Executive and Premium – and five suites – Passion, Swank, Opulent, Lavish and Splendour.

The all-day bistro and bar, Our Korner, has also reopened while rooftop bar, Breeze, will open by the end of the month.

THE five-star Centara Grand Modus Resort Pattaya soft-opened on December 1, 2013.

The resort, the third property under the premium Grand brand of Centara Hotels & Resorts, is located on the bay neighbouring the Sanctuary of Truth, one of Pattaya’s famous attractions.

There are 252 guestrooms, including one-, two-bedroom suites and penthouses as well as Deluxe Family Residences with a children’s bunk-bed area and a living room offering self-catering facilities and ocean views.

Facilities include three swimming pools with a children’s pool, Spa Cenvaree, a fitness centre and a Kids’ Club.

F&B options include Modus Bistro, serving Italian cuisine along with Asian and international favourites, and Breeze Beach Club, serving comfort food during the day and becoming a lively beach club in the evenings.

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has temporarily suspended the international brand campaign It’s More Fun in the Philippines, and unveiled a new one called Bangon Tours to spur domestic tourism and raise funds to rebuild destinations battered by super typhoon Haiyan and the earthquake that hobbled Bohol.

Domingo Enerio III, COO of TPB, said a more aggressive international campaign will return next year.

Many in the trade agree It’s More Fun in the Philippines does not jibe well with the disasters, including C9 Hotelworks managing director, Bill Barnett, who questioned whether the brand is still relevant and appropriate (TTG Asia e-Daily, November 25, 2013).

Enerio said Bangon Tours (bangon means ‘to rise’), which runs this month until February 28 next year, offers specially designed domestic tour packages to 16 destinations wherein participating hotels, resorts and travel agencies will share five per cent of their net income to help in the rehabilitation efforts.

“It’s a good call for the government to tie up with the private sector…a signal to tourists that the destinations are ready to accommodate them, that there’s nothing wrong with the destinations, and that tourism helps rebuild lives and businesses,” said John Paul Cabalza, president, Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA).

Cabalza shared that a PTAA check with the tourism sector in Coron, a popular tourist area in Palawan hit by Haiyan, yielded the feedback that it needs bookings rather than donations.

Under the tagline Bakasyon Mo, May Meaning (which means ‘Your Vacation has a Meaning’), Bangon Tours’ destinations proposed by PTAA and Philippine Tour Operators Association are Ilocos, Tuguegarao, Baguio, Batangas-Puerto Galera, Manila-Tagaytay, Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Baler, Bicol and Batanes (in Luzon area); and Cebu, Bohol, Iloilo and Boracay (in Visayas); and Davao, Siargao and Cagayan de Oro-Camiguin (in Mindanao).

Due to the disasters, DoT said the five million foreign arrivals targeted this year may not be met. Arrivals reached 3.5 million from January to September, 11.4 per cent higher than the year before.

However, brisk domestic tourism seems to fill the gap. DoT estimates the rising Filipino middle class and overseas Filipino workers will increase domestic tourists to more than 40 million this year. Their preferred destinations are Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Puerto Princesa and Davao.

AIRLINES can expect a 31 per cent rise in passenger numbers to 3.9 billion by 2017 – an increase of 930 million over 2012’s – with Asia-Pacific accounting for nearly one-third of new passengers, according to the IATA Airline Industry Forecast 2013-2017 released yesterday.

Demand is predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4 per cent for 2013-2017, higher than the 4.3 per cent for 2008-2012, largely reflecting the negative impact of 2008’s global financial crisis.

Of the new passengers, approximately 292 million will be carried on international routes and 638 million on domestic routes.

The emerging economies of the Middle East and Asia-Pacific will see the strongest growth with CAGR of 6.3 per cent and 5.7 per cent, followed by Africa (5.3 per cent) and Latin America (4.5 per cent).

“The fact that the Asia-Pacific region – led by China and the Middle East – will deliver the strongest growth over the forecast period is not surprising. Governments in both areas recognise the value of the connectivity provided by aviation to drive global trade and development,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO.

Routes within or connected to China will be the single largest driver of growth, accounting for 24 per cent of new passengers during the forecast period. Of the anticipated 227.4 million additional passengers, 195 million will be domestic and 32.4 million international.

Asia-Pacific is expected to add around 300 million passengers. Of these, around 225 million or 75 per cent are expected to be domestic passengers.

With 677.8 million domestic passengers in 2017, the US will continue to be the largest single market for domestic passengers, although it will add only 70 million passengers (2.2 per cent CAGR) over the forecast period, reflecting the market’s maturity.

China is firmly established in second place (487.9 million passengers in 2017, 10.2 per cent CAGR). The US also will reclaim the top spot from Germany for international passengers by the end of the forecast period. Germany will add 27.2 million passengers to the 149.4 million in 2012 (3.4 per cent CAGR), while the US will add 28.2 million, rising from 149.3 million in 2012 to 177.5 million (3.5 per cent CAGR) in 2017.

THE upcoming ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2014 will be held in Kuching, in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, from January 16 to 23.

Over 1,600 delegates are expected to attend, including some 150 ASEAN tourism ministers and officials, 500 ASEAN exhibitors, 500 international buyers, 100 international and local media as well as 100 tourism trade visitors.

Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, said in a press statement: “It is a timely platform to think and act on the implementation of innovative and sustainable energy initiatives that will ensure the preservation of our natural environment for future generations.”

Adopting the theme, ASEAN – Advancing Tourism Together, ATF will explore the sustainable development of tourism and look at how tourism initiatives and plans can further support this decade’s mantra of Tourism Conserves, Preserves and Protects.

Rashid Khan, CEO, Sarawak Tourism Board, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “Having the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Sarawak is like being handed a gift on a golden plate. This is our golden opportunity to showcase to the trade what the destination has to offer. The economic spin-offs from ATF will be seen for at least three years.”

Rashid said the board will leverage the presence of international buyers and wholesalers through post-event tours and networking with identified buyers.

He added: “We have also developed customised product brochures with a listing of 13 anchor events that will be held in Sarawak next year for international buyers who will attend ATF to showcase new and existing products.”

The board is also planning with Kuching City Councils to create a lively ambience and hive of activities at ATF.

Adam Kamal, deputy president of Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association, believes ATF is the best platform for inbound tour operators from Malaysia to sell packages designed for VMY 2014, as international buyers who come to this show are interested in selling packages to South-east Asia.