GARUDA Indonesia posted revenue of 6.9 trillion rupiah (US$775 million) for the third quarter, a 40 per cent jump over the same period in 2010.

The airline’s heightened earnings resulted in correspondingly healthier profits of 437 billion rupiah during the interval, a massive 472 per cent jump over last year’s 127.6 billion rupiah loss.

Growth in Garuda’s domestic and international flight frequencies—boosted in the third quarter by 24.8 per cent to 33,613 flights, as well as a healthier average load factor—up by 1.81 per cent to 78.25 per cent, contributed to the gains.

Between January and July, domestic air traffic in Indonesia saw a 15 per cent increase, while international air traffic was up by 14 per cent. Garuda’s domestic and international passenger numbers saw a 39 per cent and 32 per cent hike during the same period, respectively.

Garuda spokesperson Pujobroto noted: “These achievements mean a lot (to the airline) as it took place amid the global economic situation, the political situation in the Middle East, the earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, and increasing fuel prices.

Meanwhile, Garuda will continue to boost its aircraft numbers through the five-year Quantum Leap expansion programme first announced in 2009.

The flag carrier will grow its fleet from the current 89 aircraft to 154 aircraft by 2015. The new planes will consist of B737-800NG aircraft for domestic and regional services, A330-300 and 200 planes for mediumhaul routes, and B777-300ERs for longhaul flights.

INDIA has started cracking down on excessive baggage charges being imposed by international airlines on its US- and Europe-bound travellers.

The country’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked international carriers operating services between the US/Europe and India to halt the practice of charging economy-class passengers for the second bag – an extra US$75-150 for a one-way trip – and revert to the original allowance of two pieces of luggage, within the weight limit of 23 kilos each.

The international carriers adopted the ancillary fees to increase revenue during the start of the global economic slowdown in 2008-2009. In comparison, Indian carriers still allow two free checked-in bags of 23 kilos each for flights between the US/Europe and India.

“Most Indian tourists go to the US for two to four weeks and carry heavy warm clothes for themselves. They also shop for themselves and their families, which necessitates carrying of a second bag,” said Anil Punjabi, chairman – east India, Travel Agents Federation of India.

“Reverting to a free second bag will positively impact tourist traffic to North America and Canada.”

The DGCA has requested an affirmation of compliance within one month.

THE MALDIVES has adopted a new tourism branding, Maldives – Always Natural, replacing The Sunny Side of Life, which it has used for the past 11 years.

The state-owned Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) launched the environmentally themed slogan and logo after a year-long consultation, research and design process involving industry and government representatives.

MMPRC chairperson Thoyyib Mohamed said in a statement: “The slogan and logo are designed to underscore the outstanding natural beauty of the Maldives, which tourists from all segments of the market consistently rate as one of their main reasons for visiting the country.”

Shafraz Fazley, managing director of Male-based Viluxur Holidays, said the new branding would draw extra attention to the conservational efforts of the Maldives over the next 10 years, especially with travellers showing growing interest in eco-friendly destinations.

Michelle Flake, contracting & marketing manager at Scaevola Travel, agreed there was a need to protect the Maldives and its natural beauty.

“I hope with this new slogan, Always Natural, we can bring more awareness to the tourists and show them how committed we are to protecting something so special,” she said.

MYANMAR Airways International (MAI) will expand its services to Cambodia from today, with its twice-weekly Yangon-Siem Reap flights launched on February 23 (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 15) being extended to serve Phnom Penh.

The adjusted Yangon-Siem Reap-Phnom Penh service will be operated using MAI’s new 220-seat Airbus A321 aircraft, which was delivered on October 25.

Foreigners arriving on MAI’s flights from Cambodia to Yangon will be eligible for a visa-on-arrival (VOA).

MAI marketing and commercial executive, Aye Mra Tha, said the airline was expecting to attract more passengers on the extended route, since Phnom Penh was the business centre of Cambodia.

According to Aye, the flag carrier is also trying to persuade authorities to extend the VOA to arrivals from other destinations, including Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. “We are still waiting for an approval,” she said.

Meanwhile, MAI is planning to operate five charter flights to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj pilgrimage this month, as well as an additional flight, up from two-weekly, to Gaya in India during the Bodhgaya pilgrimage season.

The airline will also operate five charter flights to Palembang in Indonesia during the upcoming South-east Asian Games, and 14 flights from Guangzhou to Yangon during the gem emporium in Nay Pyi Taw.

TRAFALGAR is looking to set itself apart from the competition through a new range of guided holidays promising ‘unique experiences, moments and insights that (guests) would never be able to discover on their own’.

The group’s new The Insider range of products comprises three key elements: Be My Guest dining experiences where customers are taken to family-run or unique establishments, using Local Experts to conduct tours, and a Hidden Treasures programme—where customers are led off the beaten track to places only locals know.

One of the new products to be introduced under The Insider banner is At Leisure, a collection of flexible trips targeted at customers who desire more time and freedom to explore destinations. First started in North America and Australia this year, At Leisure will be rolled out worldwide in 2012.

Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily at the launch of Trafalgar’s regional headquarters in Singapore, Trafalgar CEO Gavin Tollman said: “We developed a brand preposition which is not just a marketing message, and have restructured how we deliver our products, giving clients more immersive experiences, and offering individuals the opportunity to discover a lot more about a destination than what they can gain travelling on their own.”

With the establishment of its Singapore office, Trafalgar intends to nurture direct relationships with new travel agents and tour operators in Asia, while strengthening existing ties.

Singapore and Malaysia are its strongest source markets, but there is “huge potential throughout Asia”, according to Tollman.

“I am optimistic about Asia,” he said. “Growth in Asia, even though this is still a small market for us, has been exponential. It has been greater than that in Europe and the US, where growth has stabilised.”

Italy, France and the UK are the three-top selling destinations for Trafalgar’s Asian clientele, said Tollman, who hinted that Trafalgar was looking to add other Asian destinations in the future.

“I’ve just visited Japan and Hong Kong. But you will have to wait until May or June next year to find out exactly what’s on the cards in 2013,” he said.

HONG KONG agents have finally reached a consensus with airlines over IATA’s plan to increase the remittance and reporting frequency of the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) (TTG Asia e-Daily, December 14, 2010).

Originally scheduled to start from 2012, the new agreement, which will boost the BSP frequency from bi-weekly to weekly, will now be introduced in two phases from mid-2013 onwards.

Starting July 2013, the reporting frequency will be hiked from bi-weekly to weekly. Remittance will follow suit beginning January 2015.

The new measures were adopted by agent representatives to the Agency Programme Joint Council (APJC) in August, and were approved at the IATA Passenger Agency Conference in Geneva last month.

Newly elected APJC chairman, Tommy Tam, said: “It was the best result we could get…what we have negotiated is the ultimate deadline and agents have to prepare for it.”

LUXURY Travel Vietnam (LTV) and The Cape Club (TCC), a division of Australia’s More Collection, have established a joint venture, Cape Lux Travels, to provide fully escorted travel concierge services across Indochina, Thailand and Myanmar.

LTV will function as the tour operator while TCC will operate as the tour manager in this relationship.

LTV founder and CEO Pham Ha said the joint venture would not only allow LTV to expand its services in South-east Asia, but also widen its market coverage in Australia, on top of heightened exposure through sales offices in California, Paris and Melbourne.

Some tour products already on the drawing board include: Revive, Restore – Re-awaken Escapes, Golfing, Meet the Photographer Tours, Cookery and Wine Tasting Across South-east Asia, Art and Antique Appreciation Tours, High-end Rail Journeys, The Makeover & Pamper Girls-only Trip, A Concierge for the Connoisseur, and Retracing French Colonial Charms, among others.

Jean Wethmar, TCC co-founder, said Cape Lux Travels would kick off its first tour series with a 15-day Reawaken Senses Tour in Vietnam from March 1-15, covering top-notch products in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi and Halong Bay.

By Sirima Eamtako

A RECENT TTG Asia Online poll asking our readers whether Thailand’s move to raise visa fees for Indian nationals (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 6) would benefit its tourism industry returned a majority ‘No’ verdict.

As of 15.00 today, out of 68 respondents to the poll, 65 per cent said ‘No’, 25 per cent said ‘Yes’, and 10 per cent said ‘Don’t Know’.

Comments criticising the visa fee hike ranged from “Why single out Indians for such treatment” and “This is a retrograde step and will affect MICE & leisure movement to Thailand, especially at a time when Thailand is plagued by floods”, to “…many first-time (Indian) travellers will seek other destinations as they are cost-conscious” and Hong Kong & Macau will gain at Thailand’s expense”.

Mumbai-based Kesari Tours director, Sudhir Patil, said it would have been better if the visa fee hike were introduced after the current high season had ended.

“This came at a wrong time as many of our clients had already bought packages for Diwali and Christmas season,” he said. “We’ll have to re-collect the fee difference from clients. This would have been avoidable if the announcement could wait till December.”

Patil said the increase in visa fee would impact Indian families in particular, as “their tour budget will go up in totality”.

However, he added that Thailand was “still highly affordable compared to other competitive countries in Asia”.

New Delhi-based Inter Skylinks India managing director, Jagdeep Rikhy, agreed that Thailand was still an attractive destination for Indians.

“The hike in fee will not affect as Thailand is a great value-for-money destination that offers everything that an Indian traveller is looking for,” he said. “The demand is constantly growing as Thailand NTO has been keeping the destination alive through regular promotions and marketing initiatives.”

SILKAIR started on Monday direct scheduled air services between Singapore and Changsha, the capital city of Hunan province in China.

The service operates thrice-weekly out of Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

SilkAir’s chief executive, Marvin Tan, said the new route would strengthen the airline’s presence in China.

“Changsha is a major port as well as commercial and industrial centre, and is known as one of China’s top 20 economically advanced cities,” he said. “It is also rich in historical and cultural attractions, being the place where Mao Zedong grew up in.”

Changsha is the sixth destination served by SilkAir in China, after Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Shenzhen and Xiamen, and the 38th in the airline’s network.

ALREADY reeling from a spate of travel advisories and cancelled events (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 25) brought on by massive floods, Bangkok is now facing flight cancellations by a number of international carriers from North and South-east Asia.

Air China has halted one of two daily Beijing-Bangkok services till November 10, while China Southern has reduced its Guangzhou-Bangkok frequency from four- to three-daily over the same period.

Hainan Airlines has shut down its thrice-weekly Hangzhou-Bangkok services till November 22, while China Eastern Airlines cancelled its Shanghai-Bangkok flight on November 2, and its Kunming-Bangkok flight on November 4.

Other North Asian carriers cutting air services include Cathay Pacific Airways, which will operate four-daily instead of five-daily Hong Kong-Bangkok services till November 2, and China Airlines, which will operate two instead of three daily Taipei-Bangkok services till November 3.

China Airlines had also dropped its Kaohsiung-Bangkok flight on November 2, while Asiana Airlines cancelled a Seoul-Bangkok flight scheduled for yesterday.

In South-east Asia, Singapore Airlines will operate four instead of five daily Bangkok-Singapore flights till November 3. Vietnam Airlines will drop a daily Hanoi-Bangkok service till November 2, as well as one daily Ho Chi Minh City-Bangkok service till November 3.

Meanwhile, a TAT statement warned that the rising water level in the Chao Phraya River had caused some flooding at nearby tourist attractions, including some parts of Chinatown. Water-related tourist activities on the river have also been suspended.