MALAYSIA Airlines (MAS) is stepping up expansion, having announced a codeshare deal with Xiamen Airlines and plans to increase flight frequencies to Yangon and Auckland.

The Malaysian carrier will increase flight frequencies on its Kuala Lumpur-Yangon route from 10 times weekly to 14 times weekly, or twice daily, effective August 1. The carrier will also increase Kuala Lumpur-Auckland services from six-weekly flights to daily on November 24.

Meanwhile, MAS has also announced a codeshare with Xiamen Airlines on two routes – Xiamen-Kuala Lumpur, currently operated by MAS and Xiamen Airlines, and the Fuzhou-Kuala Lumpur route, which is run solely by Xiamen Airlines.

Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, CEO, MAS, said: “The codeshare with Xiamen Airlines is part of our strategy to develop commercial cooperation with key airlines of the world to expand our network offering.

“With 55 destinations, Xiamen Airlines is an established airline that holds a major market share of travellers travelling between Fuzhou and Kuala Lumpur. MAS can leverage this codeshare to give our guests more options between Xiamen and Kuala Lumpur.

“The codeshare is also part of MAS’ initiatives towards enhancing air connectivity with key priority markets overseas to increase tourist arrivals into Malaysia to support the Government’s Economic Transformation Programme.”

TWO years after the opening of Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa (TTG Asia e-Daily, May 26, 2011), more international-brand hotels are expected to launch in the province of Rayong, an industrial hub located on Thailand’s eastern seaboard.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Felicity Asset have signed an agreement to build Holiday Inn & Suites Rayong City Centre, the first IHG hotel in Rayong, adding to the 16 existing IHG hotels in Thailand.

The 300-room property will be situated in Rayong’s city centre adjacent to the Laemtong Shopping Mall, located within close proximity to 10 of Thailand’s major industrial parks, including the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Park and Map Ta Phut Industrial Park.

The hotel offers a combination of 240 guestrooms and 60 suites tailored to guests staying for longer periods. Other facilities include an all-day dining restaurant, a rooftop signature restaurant and bar, meeting facilities, a swimming pool, pool bar and fitness centre.

Pattamaporn Nokhong, managing director, Felicity Asset, said: “Rayong attracts a large number of business travellers due to its close proximity to some of Thailand’s major industrial parks. The hotel, situated in the middle of the city centre, is a perfect location for those staying overnight or longer.”

SOUTH East Asian Airlines (SEAir) today kicked off the first service under its new identity, Tigerair Philippines.

The Kalibo-Singapore flight departs Kalibo daily at 08.00 and leaves Singapore at 12.25, until September when Singapore-bound flights take off from Kalibo at 10.00.

The service targets Singapore’s beachgoing travellers, according to Olive Ramos, general manager, Tigerair Philippines. The aircraft also has fewer seats to increase legroom space, ideal for European passengers flying into Singapore.

Ramos also disclosed: “We want to start a Manila-Phuket (flight), and now we’re also applying for Manila-Macau.”

Tigerair continues to operate SEAir’s previous routes.

Tigerair completed its 40 per cent acquisition of SEAir last August, the maximum allowable share of foreign ownership in any Philippine joint venture company.

“The purpose of that was to transform SEAir Inc into an LCC,” said Ramos. The newly-branded carrier follows the LCC model of quick turnaround, single-model aircraft efficiency and no-frills operations, and the carrier would benefit from Tigerair’s strong brand equity in the region, she noted.

Meanwhile, SEAir International operates independently from Tigerair Philippines, running only charter flights. Its president and CEO, Avelino Zapanta, said a detailed operating plan was still in the works.

RIDING the growing wave of road cycling in Thailand, SpiceRoads Cycle Tours has rolled out a new tour led by a champion cyclist to entice biking enthusiasts.

Starting from Bangkok on January 31 and ending in Phuket on February 7 next year, the eight-day programme will be led by Sean Kelly, one of the most successful professional cyclists for over 18 years until his retirement in 1994.

The Ride with Sean Kelly tour is designed for cyclists who want to push themselves hard each day, as riders joining this programme “need to be fit and be able to sustain a minimum speed of 30kph”, according to Patricia Weismantel, product manager of SpiceRoads.

On the other hand, participants will experience riding alongside a former professional cyclist, with opportunities to get training tips and first-hand account of tales on the cycling circuit.

Participants will cover 700km across six cycling days, with overnight stays at resorts and afternoons free to spend at their leisure.

Priced at US$2,750, the programme will be fully supported by air-conditioned vehicles, with water, sports drinks and snacks provided along the way. Riders can bring their own bikes or rent a Trek 2.1C from SpiceRoads for US$200. The programme is limited to 20 participants.

Depending on the turnout for the inaugural tour, the Bangkok-based bicycle tour operator might roll out similar programmes with other professional riders in future, Weismantel revealed.

Bike tourism has been identified as an emerging segment by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, which hosted the inaugural Bangkok Bike Expo 2013 (TTG Asia e-Daily, April 1, 2013) in May and has recently piloted new cycling routes in central Thailand under the Pedal Around Thailand initiative as part of its ‘7 Greens’ concept.

VACATION rentals website HomeAway has entered an agreement to take over the majority control of Travelmob, in a continued push to go deeper into the Asia-Pacific market.

The Singapore-based Travelmob is an online start-up for vacation rentals in Asia-Pacific, with an inventory of over 14,000 properties. The site supports 13 different currencies and operates in Bahasa, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Thai, Vietnamese and English.

Following the closure of the all-cash transaction in a few weeks, Travelmob will retain 37 per cent of the business.

HomeAway and Travelmob first started dealing through a distribution partnership announced in March this year, and HomeAway expects to spend US$2 million in further growing its acquisition.

The move is the latest push by HomeAway to ramp up its presence in the region, which has seen it invest in China-based vacation rental company, Tujia.com, in partnership with Ctrip.com International; launch an Australia site in HomeAway.com.au; and seal distribution partnerships with Wego.com and Tripvillas.com. It also opened a sales office in Bangkok in April this year.

“Economists note over 100 million people will enter the Asian middle class each of the next several years, and Asia will have an increasing influence over the world’s economic growth. We believe this will have significant implications for not only travel but also for the purchase of homes, both of which drive HomeAway’s growth,” said Brian Sharples, CEO, HomeAway, in a media statement.

“We view Asia as a region where we can build tremendous incremental value for our shareholders and existing customers over the next several years. Given this opportunity, we’re excited to work with the experienced Travelmob team to address today’s market needs in Asia ­– where vacation rentals are mostly new, but alternative accommodations are not – to build scale and accelerate the development of the vacation rental industry.”

KOREAN Air and Etihad Airways have inked a pact that will see the two carriers codeshare on the latter’s Seoul (Incheon)-Abu Dhabi route, the first of more codeshare flights to come.

Should regulatory authorities from both countries approve, codesharing will begin on July 22 for the Etihad-operated flights on the route.

Under the agreement, Korean Air passengers will benefit from lounge access, priority check-in and excess allowances for top-tier programme members, valid on all Etihad flights. They will also be able to earn and redeem frequent flyer points.

Korean Air currently operates five-times-weekly flights between Seoul (Incheon) and Dubai, as well as thrice-weekly flights linking Seoul and Riyadh/Jeddah.

US CHAIN SLS Hotels has revealed that it will be making inroads into the massive Chinese market, beginning with the opening of a property in Shanghai next year.

According to a statement on parent company sbe’s website, the first SLS Hotel will debut in Palm Beach, Shanghai, to offer guests “an all-encompassing oceanfront resort experience”. Besides a full-service spa and fitness centre, there will also be a residential component.

More hotels are also under development in Beijing, Kunming and Wuxi, in collaboration with partner Palace Hospitality. The hotels are slated for 2015 openings.

“China is home to one of the fastest-growing tourism markets worldwide, and Shanghai, Beijing, Wuxi and Kunming attract a global community of business and leisure travellers whose sensibilities align very well with the SLS Hotels experience,” said Sam Nazarian , founder, chairman and CEO, sbe.

“After growing the brand successfully across the US, we’re honoured to share the SLS Hotels approach to hospitality with China, which is rooted in a humble commitment to uncompromising service, innovative design and captivating food and beverage offerings.”