TRAVELLERS and trade players are on a heightened state of alert in Myanmar in the wake of multiple bomb blasts throughout the country in the past two weeks, with DMCs reporting postponed bookings as a result.

Three bombs detonated overnight between Wednesday and Thursday this week in the north-eastern Shan state near the Chinese border, according to AFP, killing a municipal worker. This forms the latest incident in a string of blasts that saw an explosion at a guesthouse in Taunggu, 65km from Naypyidaw that killed two, and Traders Hotel, Yangon on Monday, which injured an American woman.

Two more devices were found at restaurants in Yangon and Mandalay on Monday but did not detonate.

“As the news spread of the bomb blast in a guestroom at Traders Hotel, many of our clients contacted us for more detailed information and reassurance,” said Pierre Leduc, key account manager at Diethelm Travel Myanmar.

While Diethelm has not received any cancellations, a few travel agencies have requested alternative accommodation, he added.

Stephen McEvoy, managing director of Asia World Enterprise, said a couple of bookings have been postponed following the incidents. “We had an incentive group travelling to Myanmar from Singapore that requested to delay its December (departure) until next year. Also, a European travel consultant from Scandinavia has postponed its group series from January.”

“Overall the mood is very much wait and see, so if the situation calms down tourists will still travel,” he remarked.

The US has condemned the latest bombings as “acts of terror”, while Western governments have warned travellers to exercise caution in Myanmar, said AFP.

Anne Cruickshanks, Myanmar country manager at Grasshopper Adventures, said: “These incidents are often aimed at causing a fuss more than actual carnage. Generally, following such incidents, there is an overall tightening of security. We would expect that this will be the case in the coming months and would not expect this to be a recurrent issue in the near term.”

In response to security concerns, Myanmar’s Ministry of Hotels & Tourism has issued a directive to reinforce security at all hotels.

Traders Hotel, Yangon now has a team of three security guards scanning guests and bags at the entrance, and requests all guests to double check their rooms upon check-in and be alert for any unattended luggage.

The incidents come at a crucial time for the South-east Asian country, which will host the SEA Games in December (TTG Asia e-Daily, November 8, 2012) and assume chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014.

A MERGER with sister airline Philippines AirAsia is “not on the table” for AirAsia Zest (AAZ), which is strengthening its position at new hub Cebu in the hope that its rebranding will turn the tide of recent misfortunes.

Dismissing the idea, the airline’s incoming executive vice president and COO, Joy Caneba, said: “There are other possibilities. It (would) make sense to combine them into one (airline), but it also makes sense that one might focus on shorthaul, one might focus on longhaul…but that’s something that hasn’t been formally decided.”

AAZ will roll out four services from Cebu, beginning with daily flights to Davao and Cagayan de Oro, and a four-times-weekly flight to Puerto Princesa from November 15, as well as a daily Kuala Lumpur connection on December 1.

“We’re currently the number three player (in Cebu) and we want to up the game,” said Caneba, who cited the importance of China and South Korea as reasons for picking Cebu as its next hub. “We will continue operating a hybrid schedule of chartered and scheduled flights.”

She said AAZ has no plans to fly out of Clark, but did not rule it out for the future. AAZ aims to grow business by 15 to 20 per cent by end-2013 and at a higher rate in 2014.

Caneba also shared that the rebranding from Zest Air had been fast-tracked “despite and because of” the losses the carrier had sustained recently during the surprise four-day suspension imposed by national aviation authorities in August (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 19, 2013).

Meanwhile, AirAsia is on an expansion warpath in Thailand, with Thai AirAsia yesterday announcing it would launch daily Singapore-Krabi flights and increase Bangkok-Krabi frequencies to eight times daily on November 25 as well as kick off a Krabi-Chiang Mai service on December 15.

AirAsia X also secured official approval from Thailand’s Ministry of Transport for an air operator licence, bringing it one step closer to setting up its first international hub outside Kuala Lumpur by 1Q2014 (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 22, 2013).

Thai AirAsia X will be based in Don Mueang Airport and receive feeder traffic from Thai AirAsia, besides focusing on routes to North Asia and Australia.

THE newly launched TripConnect will allow independent hotels and boutique properties to bid for traffic to TripAdvisor and drive bookings directly to their websites, an option that was previously only available to OTAs and large hotel chains.

TripConnect is a self-service platform that gives independent accommodation owners the ability to place bids, according to their budgets, for favourable positions in TripAdvisor’s metasearch function, Hotel Price Comparison.

Stand-alone hotels can now add their direct rates and availability to the site and so enable travellers to click directly through to the property’s website to make a booking.

TripConnect is a cost-per-click solution that charges hoteliers when a traveller clicks through to their website or reservation page.

To participate, hoteliers must have a valid Business Listings with TripAdvisor and work with an Internet booking engine that partners with TripAdvisor in providing TripConnect.

Other features offered on TripConnect include automated post-trip review collection through Review Express and revenue tracking services.

RED Planet Hotels has moved its Tune Hotels away from an add-on to an opt-out model, where guests can pick which amenities they do not want rather than choosing ones they do.

This is effective at all 14 Tune Hotels that Red Planet owns, develops and manages in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan. It is also in talks with Tune Group for online sales to mirror the new approach.

By doing so, Red Planet expects to enlarge its client base, capturing agency and corporate business as it expands in Asia.

Tune Hotels Indonesia’s corporate director of sales and marketing, Bina Sembiring, explained the rationale of the reworked approach: “During sales calls in Indonesia, we get clients asking if they needed to bring their own towels and pillows to Tune Hotel.

“Some also commented that after adding on (desired amenities) to the basic price, the rate was not economical anymore…We want to change that (mentality).”

She said that travellers could now choose from two “packaged” room rates, one with breakfast and one without, and guests who want the bare minimum could book online. Rates are higher than the room-only price, but still lower than if add-ons were made, such as air-conditioning, TV, use of the in-room safe, Wi-Fi and bathroom amenities.

Asked if the change was proof that the add-on model did not work, Mark Armsden, senior vice president sales and marketing, Red Planets Hotels, said: “I would not say so, as it did work in the beginning, but we got feedback that people do not want to spend extra time adding on and on, and just want the total package price.”

He added that Tune’s shift in model is “similar to how AirAsia (Tune is part of the AirAsia family) has evolved”. “When the airline was first launched, it was free seating and there were add-on (payments) to book a seat, meals, etc. Now, when you check in a seat is assigned to you.”

There are four Tune Hotels in Indonesia currently, a number set to double next year and projected to hit 40 in five years. Red Planet aims to grow its portfolio of Tune Hotels to 100 properties in the region within five years.

TAIWAN is widening its range of Muslim-friendly travel options as it locks on to the burgeoning markets of Malaysia and Indonesia.

Kathy Yuan, section chief of the internal affairs division of tourism bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Taiwan (MTCT), said: “We are focused on growing traffic from Malaysia and Indonesia. In order to push these markets, we collaborate closely with the travel trade and invite local media to cover Taiwan.”

In May 2012, Garuda Indonesia resumed Taipei-Jakarta flights, flying daily between both cities.

CT Su, chairman of Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF), pointed out the potential of the Muslim market, saying: “More and more Indonesians travel overseas and 98 per cent of the population is Muslim. That’s a huge market for us.”

Yuan said: “After certifying restaurants this year, we’ll target attractions in 2014 due to rising demand.”

Paul Hsieh, deputy general manager of Edison Tours, observed that more halal food outlets were needed.

Last September, MTCT appointed the Chinese Muslim Association to help with the halal certification of restaurants and hotels. The certificate is valid for one year, with the need for renewal, ensuring service and product quality.

“Currently, our bureau has designed two Muslim itineraries – Taipei-Hualien and Taipei-Kaohsiung. Travel consultants follow our concept and sell these to clients. In future, there will be themed travel concepts, e.g. family travel with theme park visits,” said Yuan.

She added that it was vital for tour guides to undergo training to overcome the language barrier and understand travellers’ needs.

“Taiwan has got lots to offer to our clients. Besides relying on one or two traditional Taiwanese groundhandlers, I am looking for more travel consultant contacts this time,” said Rudy Halim, president of Jakarta-based Istana Tour, who has been promoting Taiwan for the last 17 years.

NICHE travel is gaining traction in Taiwan as the market gains maturity, with over 10 million Taiwanese heading abroad annually and venturing into special interest tours.

Andy Yu, vice president of special interest travel at Lion Travel, shared: “We are pushing three themes namely, cruises, weddings and skiing due to growing consumer interest.”

“In 2013, more international cruise lines will enter the Taiwan market. While this segment is not big, the pie will grow bigger with more choices to come. For instance, Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises and Costa Cruises have deployed more new ships from Alaska, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean Sea to Taiwan.”

He added that there were chartered cruises sailing to Yalong Bay in January and February 2014 that would let passengers board at Geelong without flying to other ports.

Getting married overseas is a second trend. Yu said roughly 300 to 400 couples tie the knot overseas each year, but called the small market a lucrative one. “Clients find it efficient to combine the wedding ceremony and photoshoot in one trip. Popular destinations are islands like Bali, Guam and Hawaii. We also observe more traffic to Japan.”

Phoenix Tours, which organises gourmet tours around Europe and Australia for travellers to enjoy Michelin-star cuisine, is putting together tailor-made medical tours for the silver-haired market.

General manager, Anthony Liao, said: “I have a client who did kidney dialysis in South Korea.”

Longhaul travel is also seeing a similar upward trajectory. FlyUSA.com.tw’s project manager, Elaine Lin, said more Taiwanese were choosing to count down to the new year at New York’s Times Square or visit the Grand Canyon.

“We also rolled out a 10-day in-depth cultural tour to the east and west coasts of the US last year. Rather than using a coach bus, clients may travel by private jet within the US and this saves them a lot of time. Moreover, a security check is only required for the first stop,” she explained.

A PAKSE-bound Lao Airlines flight crashed into the Mekong River yesterday afternoon in a tragic accident that is believed to have killed all 49 on board.

According to the aircraft maker in a press release, an ATR 72-600 flying from Vientiane was involved in an accident at around 16.00 (local time) near Pakse, Champasak province.

The ATR 72-600 is a twin turboprop engine aircraft with capacity for 68 to 74 passengers.

Although circumstances surrounding the incident have yet to be determined, Lao Airlines sources said that “the aircraft ran into extreme bad weather conditions” and that “there were no news of survivors at this time”.

A passenger manifest the state-owned airline faxed AP listed 44 people: 17 Lao, seven French, five Australians, five Thais, three South Koreans, two Vietnamese and one person each from Canada, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and the US.

The five crew members on board are also believed dead.

The airline has pledged to provide full assistance into the investigation, which will be led by Lao authorities.

“The concern and sympathy of ATR go to the families, friends and loved ones affected by the accident,” said a statement from ATR.

INDIA is set to extend the validity of business visas and scrap its two-month re-entry prohibition for Chinese travellers, the first time the country is revising its visa laws for China in a decade.

The Indian cabinet is expected to clear these proposals before the week is out, clearing the way for prime minister Manmohan Singh’s signing of a memorandum of understanding with Chinese authorities during his trip to Beijing next week.

Notifications from the Ministry of Home Affairs say that the validity period of multiple-entry business visas will be extended to one year from the current six months. India will also remove the rule barring Chinese visitors from returning within two months of the last visit.

Furthermore, the cabinet is likely to mandate that all conference, project and employment visa applications must be processed within 30 days. Currently, India’s authorities are given an indefinite timeline as they have to seek approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs before issuing visas, a task that takes months.

Commenting on the need to ease visa rules, Niu Qingbao, consul general of China in Mumbai, said: “There are numerous avenues for collaboration. India is an established player in the IT arena. Besides, it has made rapid strides in medical education and healthcare sectors. So, both countries should find ways to join hands.”

Sonal Swamy, director of Mumbai-based Syrisa Travels, said: “China and India are the two biggest markets for business and tourism, and any move to complement each other’s interface is likely to benefit not just the two countries bilaterally but also have spillover benefits for neighbouring countries in Asia.

“We expect a surge in Chinese inbound to India and as more business is facilitated, the number of business travellers and tourists will automatically grow.”

News of India’s intentions follows announcements by the UK earlier this week that it would streamline visa processes for Chinese travellers to increase arrivals (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 16, 2013).

IATA director general Tony Tyler has come out to explain the factors behind the aviation association’s revised projection for the industry this year, attributing the downward adjustment to­ high oil prices, a weak global economy, poor cargo performance and consolidation.

Previously set at US$12.7 billion in June, IATA is now anticipating US$11.7 billion in profit for this year (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 24, 2013).

During a media roundtable held yesterday in Singapore, Tyler said: “Running an airline is tough. And it would not take much in terms of a new tax, increased charge or change in the economic environment to significantly impact the bottom line.

“We expect some (oil) price relief in 2014…with a slight decline to US$105 per barrel from US$109 this year. But let’s remember that in 2004, oil was US$38.20 per barrel.”

According to Tyler, airlines will make a loss as long as global GDP growth is under two per cent. However, he noted: “This year we will see a decoupling of that relationship with airlines delivering a small profit with gross domestic product growth expected to be exactly two per cent.”

Tyler highlighted that Asia-Pacific airlines – while stronger than their European counterparts – “are not having an easy time”. He forecasted Asia-Pacific would earn US$3.6 billion in 2014 due to the continued strength of the domestic Chinese market and benefits of restructuring in Japan, but cautioned that India remained plagued by “high operating costs and infrastructure issues”.

Earlier last week, IATA also welcomed the historic agreement by member states of the ICAO to establish a global framework to curb the industry’s carbon emissions (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 7, 2013).

However, the European Commission has since published new proposals to extend the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to all flights within EU airspace. This would apply from January 1, 2014 until the planned global market-based measure kicks in.

Andrew Herdman, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, said in response: “The inclusion of international airlines without the consent of their respective governments is likely to meet with strong opposition, particularly from major developing countries…We cannot afford to jeopardise the good progress that has been made in reaching a consensus on the development of a global market-based measure to be implemented by 2020. That’s where our collective efforts should be focused.”