SUTRA Technology has rolled out its new online reservation system on the trade marketplace, which it says will “especially benefit small and medium-sized” travel agencies.

The new system costs more than RM1 million (US$331,290) to develop and will support the day-to-day operations of Sutra’s subsidiary, Sri Sutra Travel, a B2B and B2C travel service provider. Products sold in the system include air tickets, accommodation, tours and transfers worldwide.

Sutra’s group managing director, Sutra Utama, Syed Mohd Razif Al Yahya, said: “It was completed early this year and we are now marketing the online reservation system to the travel industry in Malaysia.

“For an annual subscription fee, travel agency owners will have access to more than 200,000 products in our travel solution system and they can take advantage of our dynamic, competitive rates and earn commissions on online B2B and B2C sales.

“Our system will especially benefit small and medium-sized agencies as they will be able to access the same competitive rates that Sri Sutra Travel enjoys,” he added. “By this year end, we hope to market the reservation system globally.”

The platform also allows multiple payment modes. Customers may also perform cancellations, amendments or send special requests to suppliers via the system.

THE absence of a structured policy to guide India’s aviation sector has kept investors at bay and hurt the country’s airports and airlines, said CAPA India.

In its scathing CAPA India Avition Outlook 2013/14 report, CAPA India stated that the lack of a transparent, Cabinet-approved national aviation policy has “prevented the corporatisation of the sector and has kept many serious investors away from the market”.

CAPA India thus called on the Indian government to introduce an aviation policy within the next six months. Furthermore, the report also urged the Indian government to develop a framework for the allocation of seats and to clarify criteria for the issuing of new airline licences.

Looking ahead, the CAPA India report predicted that the government’s move last year to allow foreign airlines to own up to 49 per cent of Indian carriers has opened the gate to even more foreign interest.

Etihad Airways is set to take a 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways (TTG Asia e-Daily, December 4, 2012), while AirAsia will hold 49 per cent of AirAsia India (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 21, 2013). CAPA India expects more to follow and forecast that foreign airlines would invest in SpiceJet and GoAir within the next half a year.

However, it warned that India’s current aviation policy and regulatory framework might not be “sufficiently robust to absorb the potential impact of foreign airline transactions, alliances and codeshares”.

CAPA India also said that India needed to recognise that ancillaries were part of the airline business model and that airlines should be allowed to innovate and charge fees where appropriate.

The aviation body stated that India’s airlines could derive some US$500 million more a year simply through ancillary charges. CAPA India noted that there would be “sensitivities around unbundling (services)” but that airlines would have to communicate such changes clearly to passengers.

JETSTAR Asia is bumping up frequencies on its Singapore-Bangkok route with eight more weekly flights in response to strong demand from travellers on the sector.

“Last year alone we welcomed 30 per cent more people on this route than in 2011, with more than two million passengers,” said Barathan Pasupathi, CEO, Jetstar Asia.

Beginning July 8, Jetstar will fly up to five times daily to Bangkok, adding more than 2,800 seats weekly on the route.

From Singapore, Monday and Wednesday flights depart at 15.20 and land in Bangkok at 16.50. Return flights on the same days leave Bangkok at 17.30 and reach Singapore at 21.05.

Departing Singapore on Tuesdays and Thursdays, flights leave for Bangkok at 08.55 and touch down at 10.40. Singapore-bound flights on the same days take off at 11.40 and land in Singapore at 15.00.

HOTELS G will open six properties under its lifestyle brand Hotel G within the next three years, part of the Hong Kong-based hospitality management group’s expansion and development plans.

This year, the company will open Hotel G San Francisco in October and the high-end serviced apartment Residence G in Hong Kong, towards year-end.

Residence G Shenzhen and Hotel G Suzhou will debut in 2014, while Hotel G Guangzhou and Residence G Pattaya in Thailand will open in 2015. Hotels G has a further three more projects in the pipeline, located in Shanghai, Seoul and Taipei.

“We are targeting a gap in the market for young, savvy travellers and guests who are keen on design and looking for cutting-edge experiences…There are many standardised international hotel brands and local brands, but nothing like us in between,” Christophe Vielle, CEO, Hotels G, said.

“Our guests are mainly aged between 25 and 60, working in the media, design, architecture, fashion and entertainment industries, looking for different atmospheres, concepts, services and experiences that match their lifestyles,” he added.

According to Vielle, while Asia is a major point of interest, the group intends to grow the Hotel G brand internationally in destinations such as Europe and the US, which has seen demand for lifestyle properties continue to climb.

TRAVEL demand for China and South Korea, two traditionally popular destinations for the Malaysian school holiday period that begins today, has fared poorly this year, according to outbound tour operators.

Malaysian Harmony Tours & Travel CEO, Cooper Huang, has seen a 30 per cent year-on-year drop for China, with some clients who had booked packages before the H7N9 avian flu reports changing destinations. Bookings for South Korea were also down by 20 per cent due to tensions between North and South Korea.

On the other hand, tours to Europe grew 30 per cent as airlines dangled competitive fares.

Likewise, Abdul Rahman Mohamed, deputy general manager, channel management, Mayflower Acme Tours, said outbound travel to China and South Korea had fallen 20 per cent.

“We’ve had cancellations or deferments for China. With South Korea, I think the hype is over. Malaysians are no longer romanticising about South Korea. I think this is the main reason, rather than tensions between North and South Korea.”

Sedunia Travel Services’ business development manager, Gary Oh, also saw slow pick up for the two countries, but noted increased demand for neighbouring destinations such as Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.

However, Malacca-based Bel Travel & Tours managing director, Goh Hock Gin, said the H7N9 bird flu reports in the media had not affected demand and noted that growth in bookings for Greater China tour packages had climbed by 10 per cent year-on-year on promotional airfares. Bookings for customised tours, especially from repeat travellers, were also rising.

Furthermore, demand to South Korea increased “easily by 20 per cent”. Goh attributed strong sales of 4D/3N family packages to AirAsia X’s affordable airfares, saying North-South Korean tensions had not affected his sales.