THE RISING transportation cost in Vietnam is a bigger concern for the ICS Travel Group compared to the increase in Vietnam Airlines’ (VNA) domestic airfares.

The DMC’s chief sales officer Sabine Widmaan said she doubted the increase on domestic airfares would have an impact on foreign tourists to Vietnam, as the country has always been considered as pricey.

“But the biggest challenge will be the increase of transportation rates. A higher transportation rate makes everything so much more expensive, from packages to sightseeing and transfers.”

However, some Vietnam-based tour operators, including Phoenix Voyages and Exotissimo Travel, have expressed concern over VNA’s plan to increase airfares on all its domestic flights by about 20 per cent, and have informed their clients to buy tickets in advance to avoid the rate hike.

The flag carrier was said to bring the hike into effect on March 15 and then May 2, but it has yet to issue a formal notice, according to the tour operators. The airline has not yet responded to an email inquiry by TTG Asia e-Daily on whether it has already increased airfares on domestic flights.

– Read more in TTG Asia, May 13

By Sirima Eamtako

HANS Haensel, Emirates Group’s senior vice president, destination & leisure management division, passed away in Dubai on Monday.

A sad note from Arabian Adventures, Congress Solutions International, Emirates Holidays and Timeless Spa said: “As you would imagine, he remained standing and braving Mother Nature up to the last minute, but the odds were just not fair.

“Hans was an exceptional man in many ways, as demanding as he was humane, as loyal to his staff as he was dedicated to his employers. In the words of Emirates’ President Tim Clark, ‘his contribution both to the development of tourism in Dubai and to the company’s leisure division over the last 20 years was immeasurable’.”

A memorial service will be held in Dubai, the date and details of which will be published at a later stage.

SRI LANKAN travel agents have expressed reservations about the country’s planned switch to an online visa scheme, a change from present practice where visitors, particularly those from the West, get a visa-on-arrival (VOA).

While agents are worried the new system will hurt tourism compared to the convenience of a hassle-free VOA, they have agreed to the change provided the online application process is simplified.

Currently, visitors from some 80 countries including Britain, France, Germany, India, the US, Japan, Australia, Sweden, Russia, Germany, China, Pakistan, India and other EU nations, get a 30-day visa at no charge upon arrival.

Once the new system kicks in, these nationals would have to apply for an online visa and pay fees equivalent to what Sri Lankans are charged when travelling to the West.

No visa fee will be charged from Singapore or Maldivian travellers in a reciprocal measure, as these are the only two countries where Sri Lankan nationals are accorded a free VOA.

Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration chief, Chulananda Perera, said visitors to the country would soon be able to apply for their visas through the website www.immigration.gov.lk.

Perera said the cabinet had only approved the initiative last week and implementation date has yet to be set.

THE MALACCA state government’s plan to impose a five per cent heritage fee on hotel guests from September 1 has drawn flak from the local travel trade.

“The heritage tax is unreasonable and irrelevant,” said Stadhuys Tours and Travel managing director William Chan. “It makes no sense to impose a tax, especially with the current economic situation. The state had already raised the water tariff recently, so an additional tax is a burden for the industry.”

Malacca Budget Hotels Association chairman Hendon Puteh said that as many members were already charging six per cent government tax, with some charging an additional 10 per cent service charge on hotel bills, the total 21 per cent fee imposed on guests would be too much of a disincentive for overnight stays.

Chan said that representatives from tour operators, hotels and the Malaysian Association of Hotels and Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents were planning to present a memorandum to the Chief Minister to hold a discussion to review the tax.

According to Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, the estimated RM12.0 million (US$4.04 million) generated annually from the new tax will enable the state government to conduct maintenance and conservation of heritage sites and beautification programmes.

By Ellen Chen

THAILAND’s largest MICE event of the year, the Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2011, to be held at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center from May 6 to 8, will attract more than 25,000 delegates from 13 countries.

This is the fifth time that the Herbalife group has chosen to host the annual event in Thailand. Last year’s edition was in South Korea.

Bangkok is also slated to host another mega MICE event next year. The 103rd Convention of Rotary International, from May 6 to 9, is expected to attract 25,000 delegates worldwide.

AIR BERLIN will increase direct services between Germany and Thailand this coming winter, from nine to 12 flights weekly.

The airline will introduce a new weekly flight between Berlin and Phuket from November 1, boosting its frequency there to three per week. It normally operates two weekly flights between Munich and Phuket during winter.

Air Berlin will also increase its Düsseldorf-Bangkok flights from four to five weekly, and Berlin-Bangkok from three to four weekly.

BEST WESTERN International has launched the BEST WESTERN Hotel Kyoto, the chain’s 15th hotel in Japan and first in Kyoto.

The 84-room hotel is located next to the fashion centre of Shinkyogoku and the Gion nightlife, entertainment and shopping area.