INDIAN low-cost carrier IndiGo has temporarily suspended sales of its Delhi and Mumbai flights to Singapore even as it prepares to launch a daily Chennai-Singapore service on March 1.

IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh revealed that new flights from Hyderabad and Bengaluru were also possibilities.

“Singapore Airlines, Air India and Jet Airways operate multiple daily flights on these two sectors, which may cause IndiGo to rethink the continuation of these flights and deploy aircraft on the Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad to Singapore routes instead, where there would be more profit and less competition,” opined Rajesh Sethi, managing director, Carnation Travel Services New Delhi.

Meanwhile, travel consultants welcomed the new Chennai-Singapore service.

Padmini Narayanan, managing director of Akshaya India Tours & Travels, said: “(The new flight) will boost both business and leisure travel to Singapore. Chennai has traditionally had good business ties with Singapore, and with investments from Singapore-based firms in Tamil Nadu increasing, the flight will see high demand.”

C Nagendra Prasad, chairman of Travelexpress, added that IndiGo had a positive market reputation for on-time flights.

The airline is currently offering introductory roundtrip Chennai-Singapore fares starting from Rs15,998 (US$290).

THE Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will focus on targeting special interest tourists as well as step up its collaboration with the private sector and usage of social media in order to meet its goal of nine million arrivals in 2013.

Esthy Reko Astuty, the ministry’s new director general of tourism marketing, said: “It is quite a challenge to increase arrivals by 12.5 per cent while our marketing budget remains the same as last year’s (around US$63 million).

“Therefore, we are going to increase our social media activities and form more partnerships with the private sector. Besides that, we will continue to target niche communities and special interest tourists.”

The country is likely to achieve its targeted eight million arrivals for 2012, with figures for January-November showing a 5.1 per cent year-on-year increase to reach 7.3 million (TTG Asia e-Daily, January 4, 2013).

Astuty predicted that 2013’s calendar of high-profile events such as the APEC Summit, Miss World pageant and sporting highlights such as Tour de Singkarak and the Musi Triboatton would help the country meet its target.

Other events expected to draw visitors include international rafting along the Alas River, Tour de Aceh, a surfing festival and numerous regional cultural festivals.

Furthermore, Indonesia is also the official partner country at ITB Berlin this year. “Being a partner country, we get the opportunity to promote more (before and during) the event. Apart from the big news opportunity, we expect participants will get inbound business to Indonesia, which means increased arrivals here,” said Astuty.

Astuty was appointed director general of tourism marketing last December. She was formerly director of Indonesia tourism branding.

NEPAL secured steady 10 per cent growth in inbound tourism numbers last year even without any substantial investments in the sector, helped in part by demand from India and China.

The mountainous country recorded 598,000 inbound tourists last year, up from 2011’s 544,981 arrivals, according to Nepal Tourism Board data.

While China displayed 17.6 per cent growth, sending a total of 53,373 visitors, India still comprised the largest segment and accounted for 164,689 arrivals, an increase from 145,338 in 2011. The US sent 41,908 tourists.

Anurag Agarwal, managing director of SA Southend Travels India, said: “Nepal has been a consistently attractive and affordable holiday option for Indians in metro cities as well as first- and second-tier city dwellers.

“The hills, casinos and the cooler climate offer several itinerary options. Many corporations organise incentive tours and annual meetings in Nepal.”

Added Rajesh Arya, director of India International Tours and Travel: “Religious pilgrimages to Hindu and Buddhist sites are an added attraction. So are the soft adventure options in Nepal.”

Kashiraj Bhandari, a Nepal Tourism Board official, said: “We are trying to develop more tourist attractions apart from the natural beauty and inherent attractions of Nepal. Golfing, spa and wellness and mountain biking are becoming extremely popular and we expect our inbound tourist flow to increase substantially.”

PHILIPPINE property developer Ayala Land will raise the curtain on its first four Seda boutique hotels in the Philippines, starting with Seda Bonifacio Global City (BGC). Its urban lifestyle brand was formerly called Kukun.

The 179-room Seda BGC soft opened last month across from the Makati CBD, while the 150-key Seda Centrio in Cagayan de Oro also soft opened last month. Both are expected to be fully operational by end-January.

Two more Seda properties – Seda Abreeza in Davao and Seda Nuvali in Santa Rosa, Laguna – will begin welcoming guests by the first quarter and end-2013 respectively, bringing the total number of Seda rooms to 665.

Junie Jalandoni, senior vice president, Ayala Land, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “(Seda BGC’s) amenities and rooms are even better than some of the more established hotels on the market. We’re trying to be the best in our class in every location we’re at.”

He said there would be more Seda hotels where Ayala Land developments are, to be unveiled over the next few years. “Before, we offered a shopping mall and office development package. We’re now complementing that with Seda hotels,” Jalandoni explained.

The name Seda means ‘silk’ in Spanish. Ayala Land had originally preferred the name Cocoon, but settled for the stylised Kukun, as the former had already been taken by another Manila boutique hotel.

THAILAND-based ONYX Hospitality Group scored its first Amari in the Middle East on January 1 with the opening of Amari Doha.

The 13-storey property is owned by Sharaka Holdings and features 120 rooms including six suites.

Located 15 minutes from Doha International Airport, facilities include a Jacuzzi, Vichy shower room, a Turkish bath, F&B outlets, swimming pools, fitness centre, and a rooftop pool lounge with panoramic views of Doha’s skyline and the Corniche.

For MICE planners, Amari Doha also boasts a business centre, and conferencing and banqueting facilities.

To mark its opening, the hotel is offering a range of discounts such as special rates starting from 400 Qatari riyals (US$110), a complimentary upgrade to a deluxe room, early check in from 12.00 and late check out at 16.00, as well as 25 per cent discount on F&B and at Breeze Spa. The offer is valid until February 28 and is available for the superior room category.

PENANG has unveiled the formation of its first-ever CVB, as part of the city’s ongoing efforts to position itself as a MICE destination in South-east Asia (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 5, 2012).

At the recently concluded 3^rd Penang International MICE Conference held at Hard Rock Hotel Penang last Saturday, Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng announced the launch of the Penang International Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PICEB).

Spearheading the project is Abdul Malik Kassim, State Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman and Danny Law, Penang Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman.

A pro tem committee with its own elected chairman and members would be established within the first quarter of 2013, according to Abdul Malik, but no date was given on when PICEB would be operational.

He said: “PICEB would be run by the private sector, and we (the state government) will support it in whatever means we can except financial (assistance).”

Mike Williams, consultant to Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, said: “PICEB can support us on product development in Penang and work with us on bids to bring business events to Malaysia. With its local knowledge (on Penang), we will need its help to handle fam trips to Penang.”

While acknowledging PICEB as a potential competitor, Sarawak Convention Bureau’s managing director Mike Cannon said: “What counts here is Malaysia, and we need more products, services and destination marketing organisations. PICEB will add robustness to the destination and get people talking about Malaysia.

“We will share with PICEB our trade secrets, and set up meetings with government agencies, academia and associations in Sarawak so that PICEB will be able to network with them.”

IN A bid to counter South Korea’s successful export of K-pop and drama, Japan will kick-start efforts to promote Japanese culture overseas with the launch of dedicated TV channels in South-east Asia, according to a report in The Daily Yomiuri.

Tentatively named Japan Channel, the first station will be launched in Singapore in February, followed by Indonesia, the Philippines and other South-east Asian countries. Japanese dramas, anime, food shows as well as informative programmes on products such as toys, cosmetic and fashion will be broadcasted.

The government is positive that Japanese culture and lifestyle will be promoted more effectively through these channels, which will help to spur exports and attract more tourists to Japan.

A tentatively named Cool Japan Fund will be set up later this year with 80 billion yen (US$907 million), with contributions from both the the public and private sectors. The government will also provide indirect aid to the project by subsidising the cost of dubbing and subtitling to localise content.

KUALA LUMPUR-based inbound tour operator Asian Overland Services (AOS) Tours & Travel has ventured into the outbound travel segment with the launch of its first tour itinerary to Rwanda.

Named Meeting Gorillas in Rwanda, the five- and seven-day programme highlights gorilla spotting in the wild and starts from US$3200 for an all-inclusive package (excluding airfare).

Said AOS’ managing director Yap Sook Ling: “We are targeting matured travellers looking for a meaningful holiday beyond the standard tour programmes. These are travellers who have been to popular destinations, taken pictures of iconic structures and are now looking for something different.

“This tour also supports Rwanda’s efforts at gorilla conservation, for without tourism, these animals will be poached.”

AOS has plans to roll out more outbound programmes, including tours to see the Northern Lights in Norway and Finland, according to Yap.

STRENGTHENING its regional network ahead of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, Bangkok Airways will introduce new services to Mandalay and Krabi in 2013.

The twice-daily Bangkok-Krabi flight will take off on March 31, while the Bangkok-Mandalay sector will be operated four times a week from September 16. Tickets to both destinations are already open for booking.

Services will also be ramped up for the Bangkok-Trat (three daily flights) and Bangkok-Male (five weekly flights) segments, starting March 31.

Moreover, all flights serving Bangkok-Phnom Penh will now be operated by Airbus A319 and additional frequencies will be added to flights between Koh Samui and Phuket during summer.

The airline also recently launched Bangkok-Vientiane daily flights as well as an additional service between Hong Kong and Koh Samui.