DESPITE the push for high-yield visitors at this year’s Thailand Travel Mart Plus, the backpacker and student travel markets are still a top priority for the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

TAT trade marketing manager, Chris Lee, insisted that backpackers and students were integral to industry growth. “Quality tourism does not only mean luxury tourism. It is about how much money the tourists are going to spend, and their average length of stay,” he said.

“The average spend per day of the student and backpacker markets may not be a lot, but if you look at the (total) amount of money they spend while they are (in Thailand), it is pretty good, because they are here for so long,” he added.

According to Lee, students and backpackers helped drive up the average length of stay by UK travellers in Thailand to 17.5 days last year, an increase of 1.5 days compared to the year before.

“The average length of stay for the normal tourist is two weeks, so what’s making (up) the difference from 14 days to 17.5 days are the backpackers, who are obviously staying a lot longer,” he explained.

This increase in average length of stay has contributed to the growing value of the mature UK market, which is seeing limited growth in absolute terms, but significant growth in revenues generated. The market registered a 1.5-per cent year-on-year increase in arrivals in 2011, with receipts up by 17 per cent over the same period.

Lee attributes some of Thailand’s success in tapping the student and backpacker markets to a campaign launched last year in conjunction with STA Travel Singapore. TAT invested 22,000 pounds (US$34,000) in the Thai for Two campaign, which incentivised student travellers to return to Thailand with a friend.

Run from end-May to mid-June 2011, the campaign achieved a 3,690-pax jump in student arrivals compared to the previous year.

“This was the most successful campaign we’d ever run, and the most successful campaign they (STA Travel) had ever run,” said Lee, who is overseeing a similar promotion this year.

Reporting by Timothy France

CHINESE authorities have banned foreigners from travelling to Tibet after two Tibetans set themselves on fire at a festival, according to local travel consultants.

A spokesperson from Tibet China International Tour Service confirmed the travel ban for foreign visitors to the region.

“We received the notice from the local tourism authority around five days ago, so it is impossible for us to obtain the Tibet Travel Permit for foreigners. We have no idea when we can resume business again,” the spokesperson said.

However, China International Travel Service (CITS) Integrated Management Department general manager, He Shengkang, said his company had not received any such notice.

“At present, foreigners can still sign up for tours to Tibet, but there must be more than five people of the same nationality,” said another CITS employee.

An estimated 38 Tibetans have self-immolated since February 2009 to protest against Chinese rule.

CHINA Southern Airlines started thrice-weekly flights from Guangzhou (Baiyun) to London (Heathrow) on June 6, 2012.

Operated using an Airbus A330-300 aircraft, this is the first-ever direct connection between Guangzhou and London, and China Southern’s third non-stop European service after Paris and Amsterdam.

The new route is expected to foster greater economic and cultural exchange between the two cities, and provide a convenient flight option for Chinese sports fans wanting to watch the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Last October, China Southern doubled its Guangzhou-Melbourne services to twice-daily.

Si Xianming, president of China Southern Air Holding Company, said: “When flying between Europe and Australia or New Zealand, Guangzhou is as good a transit point as Hong Kong or Singapore.”

“Launching the Guangzhou-London route enables us to transfer more (European) passengers (onward via Guangzhou) to Australia and New Zealand. It is an important part of China Southern’s global expansion strategy.”

Si added that China Southern was planning to establish additional routes to Australia and New Zealand, such as Guangzhou-Cairns and Guangzhou-Adelaide, as well as flights to South America, Africa and other emerging markets.

Reporting by Hong Xu

FRESH from a US$7-million investment by Singapore’s Tiger Airways, Philippine carrier Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAir) is embarking on a domestic expansion spree with the launch of seven new routes from Manila.

Starting July 1, SEAir will operate thrice-daily flights on the Manila-Cebu route. On August 1, the carrier will start daily services between Manila and Tacloban. Daily flights between Manila and Iloilo will commence on August 2, followed by daily services between Manila and Puerto Princesa on August 3.

On August 4, daily services will begin on the Manila-Kalibo route. Two more routes linking Manila to Davao (twice-daily) and Bacolod (daily) will be launched on August 18 and 20, respectively.

To facilitate its growth, SEAir will add one new Airbus A320 aircraft to its fleet within the next fortnight, with another two planes expected to join the fleet in July.

HONG Kong will welcome a new travel industry body, the Hong Kong Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (HKAAPA), in mid-July.

Paul Pei, sales & marketing executive director of Ocean Park Hong Kong, will head the association as founding president, while Lo Bing-chung, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort VP of public affairs, will take on the role of vice president.

Nine founding members have been confirmed so far, including Ocean Park Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Ngong Ping 360, Noah’s Ark Hong Kong, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, Peak Tramway, AsiaWorld-Expo, sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck, and DHL Hong Kong Balloon.

Other attractions will be invited to join the association’s ranks once it is formally established, while Hong Kong Tourism Board will be invited to sit in during meetings to facilitate discussions on marketing and promotions.

HKAAPA is expected to provide an avenue for greater collboration with academic and vocational institutions in nurturing manpower, as well as to jointly promote Hong Kong’s attractions in overseas markets.

In the long term, the new association will also study the feasibility of a “super annual pass” allowing entry to multiple attractions.

Josephine Lam, sky100 managing director, said: “We are glad to see Hong Kong attractions join forces to establish HKAPPA. Each founding member has its own uniqueness that complements one another, and together we can make contributions to Hong Kong tourism.”

HOTELS along Myanmar’s Chaung Tha Beach, a popular weekend getaway situated about five hours’ drive from Yangon, are offering discounted rates to attract visitors during the monsoon season from June to September.

According to U Min Kyaw Oo, secretary of the Chaungtha Zone Hoteliers Association, the hotels are offering discounts ranging from 10 – 40 per cent. Visitors will be able to secure a two nights’ stay during the monsoon season, for the price of one night in the summer.

U Min Kyaw Oo added that the 43-km highway connecting Yangon to Chaung Tha had recently been repaired.

IATA has deferred the implementation of its weekly remittance system in India until November 1, 2012.

The association had earlier scheduled the change in the remittance frequency in the Indian billing and settlement plan for June 1.

Biji Eapen, IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) president, said: “After careful discussions and deliberations, IATA Geneva concluded that the weekly remittance cannot be administered at this time without exposing IATA and its members to unacceptable risks.”

Guldeep Singh Sahni, managing director of Weldon Tours & Travels New Delhi, welcomed the deferment as it would bring “temporary relief” for small- and medium-sized travel agencies. “The delay in the implementation provides an opportunity for us to sort out this mess,” he said.

Reporting by Divya Kaul

CHINESE budget carrier Spring Airlines will launch flights from Shanghai to Thailand in July, and to South Korea in August.

Spring will mount daily Shanghai (Pudong)-Bangkok flights starting July 20. The carrier will also commence operations to South Korea in August, with four-weekly Shanghai-Cheongju and thrice-weekly Shanghai-Jeju services.

Currently operating to Ibaraki, Takamatsu and Saga in Japan, Spring will position fares for its Thailand and South Korea services in the same range as its Japanese flights – around ¥4,000 (US$51) one-way when the Shanghai-Ibaraki route was first introduced.

The carrier is also considering starting flights to other South Korean destinations to facilitate growing business traffic to and from China. New routes to Malaysia are also in the pipeline.

THE SKY100 Hong Kong Observation Deck, a 360-degree indoor observation facility on the 100th floor of the International Commerce Centre in West Kowloon, is stepping up its marketing efforts targeted at the travel trade.

Josephine Lam, sky100 managing director, said: “There was no clear brand positioning for sky100 (before), unlike (similar) iconic decks in Taiwan, Dubai, Toronto and Guangzhou, so we introduced a series of promotions to boost awareness of the attraction.”

From now till June 30, sky100 is offering free entry for travel trade members – including travel consultants, airline and hotel staff – who are entitled to bring along up to four friends at HK$60 (US$7.70) per pax.

For MICE groups, a flexible package allows event planners to book a section of sky100 for private gatherings of up to 200 pax. A new café will also be launched in the coming months.

Meanwhile, sky100 has appointed Paula Lau as director of sales & travel trade marketing – a new position – to develop additional packages and sales channels for the attraction. Over the past five months, the number of contract agents which sky100 has dealings with has risen from 77 to 99.

Last month, sky100 held its inaugural roadshow in Beijing and Shanghai, while Guangzhou, Taiwan and South-east Asia are next on the agenda. Going forward, Lam expects to organise regular roadshows at least two to three times a year.

Over a three-month period from February 19 to May 20, about 350 tour groups and more than 6,800 guests visited sky100. Local visitors currently constitute half of the traffic, while Chinese and international visitors make up 30 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively.