Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives) and the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration and amplify destination marketing efforts.
Under the terms of this agreement, MATI will play an advisory role to MMPRC to aid in the conceptualisation and formulation of destination marketing strategies, campaigns, and tactics for the Maldives.
MMPRC and MATI will collaborate on destination marketing strategies, campaigns, and tactics for the Maldives
Moreover, both parties will cooperate in sharing tourism-related data compilations, analytical findings and insights.
“We are delighted to formalise this important collaboration with MATI, (whose) extensive industry knowledge and experience will undoubtedly be an indispensable asset in strengthening our destination marketing efforts, and their insights and support will be invaluable as we work towards achieving our strategic objectives,” commented Ibrahim Shiuree, CEO and managing director of MMPRC.
Ahmed Nazeer, secretary general of MATI, echoed this sentiment: “We have always maintained a close working relationship with MMPRC and we hope that our understanding today will serve to further solidify and enhance that relationship. Furthermore, it is our wish that this collaboration can help to bolster MMPRC’s Destination Marketing efforts, which are undoubtedly crucial for increasing our destination’s brand appeal and achieving our overall performance targets.”
Singapore Flyer has launched the Skyline Lunch Experience, a revolving dining experience that takes guests up to 165m high aboard one of the world’s largest observation wheels. Featuring a refined five-course Cantonese-style set menu, the Skyline Lunch Experience menu is crafted by the culinary team from Sky View Pavilion.
Starting off the culinary adventure is a dim sum trio platter, followed by double-boiled chicken soup and osmanthus-smoked cod. The highlight of the meal is the lotus leaf rice with 10-head South African abalone, before ending with lemongrass jelly adorned with assorted fruits.
Book the Private Skyline Lunch Experience to indulge in a truly intimate lunch in a private capsule
Throughout the 60-minute experience across two rotations on the Singapore Flyer, guests can enjoy the attentive service of a dedicated in-capsule host.
Available from July 26 to November 25, every Friday through Monday, the Skyline Lunch Experience is priced at S$300 (US$223) for two persons in a shared capsule. With just one seating at 12.30, it accommodates only 20 guests each day.
Guests will be treated to a seamless experience with escorted priority boarding from the VIP Lounge and complimentary admission to the immersive Time Capsule, where they can take a stroll through Singapore’s rich history after the meal.
For guests seeking a more private setting, the Private Skyline Lunch Experience offers an exclusive dining experience, comfortably seating up to 10 persons for S$1,500++.
Tickets can be purchased through Singapore Flyer’s website and the WeChat Mini Programme.
Australia’s favourite food festival Taste Port Douglas – presented by Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas – has chosen its first airline partner Singapore Airlines (SIA) as well as received financial support from the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements following ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Taste Port Douglas’ eighth edition will see the festival hosting international talent for the first time with Michelin-star chef, Michael Wilson from Singapore in the fan-favourite Chef Takeover Dinners, which is now the Taste Port Douglas Takeover Series presented by Singapore Airlines.
Taste Port Douglas returns for its eighth year, celebrating the best of food and drink experiences in Queensland
From August 7-10, Wilson from Singapore’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Marguerite, located in the Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Dome will join the all-star brigade of top Australian culinary talent, participating in one of the eight exclusive events, spanning across picturesque venues in Port Douglas, Palm Cove, and Cairns.
On August 11, Laughing Heart Comedy’s Palate Cleansers will be popping up during the day’s activities, hosted by Melbourne-based comedian Bron Lewis.
There will also be two competitions will give Australians and Singaporeans the chance to win an ultimate foodie weekend – the first being at Taste Port Douglas and the second in Singapore.
The first offers one lucky Singaporean resident the chance to win two Economy Class return flights from Singapore to Cairns for a foodie weekend at the Taste Port Douglas festival. The offer includes five nights’ accommodation at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, two Weekend Season Foodie Passes and a Great Barrier Reef and Mossman Gorge experience.
The second offers an Australian resident two Economy Class return flights from any SIA-operated city in Australia to Singapore, for a Singapore foodie weekend, including three-nights’ accommodation with daily breakfast at The Westin Singapore and a Seven-Course Dinner Experience with Wine and Temperance Pairing at Marguerite.
With more than 10,000 guests expected to attend Taste Port Douglas from across Australia and the Asia-Pacific, the new partnership with SIA highlights the ease of access to the region with direct flights four times a week between Singapore and Cairns on board their Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
“We’re delighted to be shining a light on Far North Queensland and the incredible food and drink experiences it has to offer. Increased government funding and our first international brand partnership are massive milestones and have enabled us to bring fans our best festival yet,” shared co-founder and culinary director of Taste Port Douglas Spencer Patrick.
Tourism minister Michael Healy added: “Taste Port Douglas is the perfect way to experience everything this incredible region has to offer and it’s terrific that the Australian and Queensland Governments are supporting the event to help attract even more visitors this year. What an opportunity for visitors to enjoy a magnificent four-day, warm winter escape, while drinking in Port Douglas’ spectacular landscapes and envied lifestyle.”
Korean Air has launched its inaugural flight from Seoul Incheon to Tokyo Narita today on its first Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, an advanced aircraft that boasts the latest technology, superior fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions.
The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner also introduces Korean Air’s new Prestige Class cabin for business class passengers. The Prestige Class seats, Prestige Suites 2.0, are designed to offer passengers a luxurious experience through its design and functionality.
The new Prestige Class seats on Korean Air’s Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner are designed to offer passengers a luxurious experience
Prioritising passenger privacy, each seat is a virtually independent space, with an open top that enhances a sense of openness while maintaining a level of privacy. The seats fully recline to a flat 180 degrees, transforming into a bed. The seat length has been extended to about 198cm, with a seat pitch of 117cm and a seat width of 53cm, ensuring a generous amount of personal space.
Additional convenience is provided by expanded personal space next to the armrest, featuring a table for cups and small personal items, a personal storage compartment, a wireless phone charger, dual 220V/110V outlets, and two high-speed USB-C ports.
Meanwhile, the economy class offers seats in a 3-3-3 configuration – the seats recline up to 120 degrees with headrests adjustable in multiple directions.
High-resolution monitors supporting 4K resolution offer an enhanced inflight entertainment experience in both classes. Inflight Wi-Fi service is also available.
Hotel and ryokan operators in Japan are expecting record revenues in fiscal 2024 (April 2024 to March 2025), buoyed by the almost full rebound of revenue in fiscal 2023 to pre-pandemic levels and the ongoing strong growth in inbound tourism.
Accommodation revenue for the year ending March 2024 totalled 4.9 trillion yen (US$31.3 billion), according to a survey by financial research firm Teikoku Databank, which found that the record high annual revenue of five trillion yen (reached in 2019) could have been reached if not for the damage caused to hotels and ryokans by the Noto Peninsula earthquake in January.
Japan is expecting revenues for accommodation and ryokans to continue to soar this year
Overall, 52 per cent of accommodation surveyed said their revenue is set to increase this year, although there were regional disparities. Respondents in Hiroshima Prefecture were most optimistic, at 84 per cent.
Overnight stays in Japan totalled 600 million in 2023. Of that, international visitors accounted for 20 per cent, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels, according to a lodging and travel statistics survey conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
By prefecture, Tokyo saw the highest increase in domestic and international hotel guests in 2023 compared to 2019 (23 per cent), followed by Kochi (18 per cent), Tochigi (10 per cent), Osaka (four per cent) and Kyoto (four per cent), according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
The Teikoku Databank study predicts fiscal 2024 will generate at least five trillion yen in revenue for hotel and ryokan operators, although it noted that ongoing labour shortages pose a threat to income growth.
With the ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh, medical tourism from the country to India has taken a hit. Many of such travellers are either cancelling or postponing their trips, according to stakeholders of the industry.
“There are about 30 to 40 hospitals in Kolkata (capital of West Bengal) for whom Bangladesh is one of the major source markets. The current situation has led to setbacks for them. Kolkata is also a weekend destination for many Bangladeshis who visit the city for shopping. So, the impact is on the overall local economy as well,” shared Kolkata-based Debjit Dutta, director and CEO of Impression Tourism Services.
Due to the situation in Bangladesh, many travellers are either cancelling or postponing their trips to India; Dhaka City in Bangladesh, pictured
Besides the bordering Indian state of West Bengal, a large number of medical tourists from Bangladesh visit different Indian cities for medical reasons.
“About 85 per cent of Bangladesh inbound tourist arrivals to India are for medical reasons. The volatile situation in Bangladesh is impacting the medical tourism business in the country,” said Zia Siddiqui, managing director, Alliance Hotels & Resorts.
For over 10 days, protests have continued against a government job quota system in Bangladesh. The country has witnessed clashes between the protestors and law enforcement agencies over the issue.
“We have been exploring the Bangladesh market for some time now and have seen a slight increase in people coming from there for treatments. We were talking to a few Bangladeshi clients who were planning a trip next month but have now postponed their trips for later this year,” said Abhilash K Ramesh, executive director of Kairali Ayurvedic Group.
However, Dutta sees the current unrest in Bangladesh as a matter of concern for overall inbound tourism to India and regional tourism too.
“There are two things involved in this issue: one is regional business and the other one is bilateral business. Bangladesh is the largest inbound source market for India. Post-pandemic, 23 per cent of the total inbound tourism business to India has been from Bangladesh. Unlike natural calamities, the impact of social or political unrest on tourism is for a longer period,” he said.
Dutta further elaborated on the destinations favoured by Bangladeshi leisure tourists, including Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Ajmer. Some also visit north-eastern Indian states like Meghalaya via the Dawki border crossing and Agartala through the Akhaura border.
“We, as a company, had a couple of cross-country tours lined up, combining Bangladesh and India. If the situation persists, we are going to lose that business. This is a bad time for unrest as foreign tour operators start to work on their brochures for 2025. If the situation lingers, they might be sceptical about working on a regional tour product that might not materialise,” Dutta added.
PATA member Airbnb is taking the lead in bridging the digital divide, tackling barriers in rural and underserved regions to foster economic growth, promote inclusive development, and provide exposure to a global community with sustainability and a long-term impact in mind.
According to Asmita Joshi, Airbnb head of public policy, India and South Asia, the hospitality company is addressing issues such as infrastructure challenges, digital literacy and socio-economic and cultural barriers.
Airbnb is pushing digitalisation to rural and underserved regions for long-term growth
The online marketplace best known for connecting people with unique stays, experiences and adventures, has organised capacity building workshops, provided digital skilling and platform training and facilitating hosts communities, she added.
Joshi continued: “We have been engaging and partnering with governments at the central and state level, strengthened by on-the-ground support, and enabling ongoing training programmes and virtual resources.”
Initiatives include partnerships with Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board and Global Himalayan Expeditions (GHE) Impact Ventures; Goa Tourism Department and Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA); the Internet Society Foundation (ISF); the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy in the Philippines (AEAP); and Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board.
Joshi and partners from SEWA, ISF and AEAP were speaking at a recent PATA webinar titled Unlocking economic outlook through community intervention and digital skills: A new approach for tourism capacity building in Asia.
Joyce Dogniez, vice president, empowerment and outreach, ISF, pointed out that “connectivity is taken for granted and one-third of people on the planet do not have it”.
In 2023 in Indonesia, Airbnb launched an Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy to develop local tourism entrepreneurship through training and support.
The programme, conducted in partnership with Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, has reached 27 villages and continues to expand and disperse the benefits of tourism to more communities. According to Joshi, 197 homestay owners have participated in the programme, of which 46 per cent are women.
This year, ISF and Airbnb partnered to provide technical training and Internet connectivity to Sherpa communities in Nepal, providing access to more than 1,000 sherpas, boosting local income through Wi-Fi services and opening up new career pathways.
Joshi related how one beneficiary of the SEWA and Airbnb initiative earns more from hosting on the platform in a month than from a year of harvesting crops, and her success has inspired others in her community to start hosting.
Beyond homestays and strengthening local culture, GHE lead for community tours Simarpreet Kaur said communities have been transformed with electrification – such as solar-powered homestays and water heating – and understand the concept of being a super host, using social media and digital payments.
Over in the Philippines, Airbnb Philippines also launched a US$100,000 grant programme to empower women entrepreneurs this year.
Maica Neves, executive director, Spark Philippines, said confidence and economic independence of women entrepreneurs, problem-solving and interpersonal skills have been boosted through the Airbnb academy.
“We ensure continuity of participants after the training and have implemented job-matching employment with the industry to reinforce their skills with practical experience in a real-world setting,” shared Neves.
Airports Council International (ACI) World and Airbus have signed a cooperation agreement to support the industry’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of aviation.
This partnership leverages the strengths of the aircraft manufacturer and the largest and most important international association of airports to make significant progress in both decarbonising aviation and mitigating aircraft noise impact.
From left: ACI World’s Luis Felipe de Oliveira and Airbus’ Julie Kitcher signing the cooperation agreement
This alliance will address key areas including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), hydrogen technologies, advanced air mobility, operations efficiency, and aircraft noise management practices. It will foster the exchange of information and perspectives on low carbon operations, communicate industry progress, jointly develop guidance materials, and potentially formulate unified positions on policies and standards to achieve the industry targets.
This collaboration builds on the successful partnership between Airbus and ACI Europe that began two years ago and which has significantly strengthened the relationship by working together on the deployment of alternative energies including hydrogen and SAF within European alliances, sharing technical data with European airports and communicating progress at key industry events.
ACI World director general and CEO Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: “This strategic alliance underscores the unwavering commitment of airports worldwide to sustainable aviation, ensuring that we not only reduce our environmental impact but also maximise the socio-economic benefits of air travel… we are setting new benchmarks for sustainability in aviation, and paving the way for a greener future.”
“By combining our technological expertise with ACI World’s vast network and operational insights, we aim to influence policies and standards that support sustainable aviation and drive industry-wide innovation. Together, we can create a cohesive and aligned approach to achieving our decarbonisation targets and enhancing the sustainability of the global aviation sector,” added Julie Kitcher, chief sustainability officer, Airbus.
Singapore is once again the world’s most powerful passport, according to latest Henley Passport Index ranking, breaking away from the shared top spot with five other countries earlier this year.
The city-state also sets a new record score, with its citizens now enjoying access to 195 travel destinations out of 227 around the world visa-free.
Singapore is back on top of the Henley Passport Index
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain drop to joint-second place, each with visa-free access to 192 destinations, and an unprecedented seven-nation cohort, each with access to 191 destinations without a prior visa.
Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden now sit in third place on the ranking, which is based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association.
Meanwhile, the UK is in fourth place along with Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland, despite its visa-free destination score falling to 190. The US drops down to the eighth spot, with access to just 186 destinations visa-free.
Former passport powerhouses, the UK and the US jointly held first place on the index 10 years ago in 2014.
The UAE makes it into the Top 10 for the first time, having added 152 destinations since the index’s inception in 2006 to achieve its current visa-free score of 185, and rising 53 places in the ranking from 62nd to ninth position in the process.
China is also among the Top 10 countries, jumping up 24 places from 83rd to 59th (with access to 85 destinations visa-free) since 2014.
Afghanistan remains as the world’s weakest passport, losing access to yet another destination over the past six months, leaving its citizens with access to only 26 countries visa-free — the lowest score ever recorded in history of the 19-year-old index.
According to the latest index published, the Top 20 ‘most open’ countries are all small island nations or African states, with the exception of Cambodia. There are 13 completely open countries in the world that offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to all 198 passports in the world (not counting their own).
The top five countries with the biggest (negative) difference between their own visa-free access and their openness to other nations are Somalia, Sri Lanka, Djibouti, Burundi, and Nepal, and the top five with the least discrepancy between their access and their openness are Singapore, Bahamas, Malaysia, Hong Kong (SAR China), and Barbados.
Commenting in the July 2024 edition of the Henley Global Mobility Report, Christian H Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, said: “The general trend over the past two decades has been towards greater travel freedom, with the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free nearly doubling from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024.
“However, the global mobility gap between those at the top and bottom of the index is now wider than it has ever been, with top-ranked Singapore able to access a record-breaking 169 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan.”
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor in Cambodia has introduced a new fleet of electric tuk-tuks, providing an innovative and eco-friendly transportation option for guests.
The sleek ONiON T1 vehicles feature a white exterior shell that shields passengers from the hot tropical sun and rainy downpours, while their sturdy suspension and ample legroom ensure a smooth ride for those exploring the city of Siem Reap and its surroundings, including the UNESCO World Heritage wonder of Angkor Wat.
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor’s new fleet of electric tuk-tuks allow guests to explore the area in comfort
The new tuk-tuks are manufactured by ONiON Mobility, a green transport company headquartered in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.
Earlier this year, the hotel also launched a series of exclusive Curated Journeys offering guests new ways to experience Siem Reap’s rich culture and history.
Several of these excursions will be available via the new electric tuk-tuks.
“Sustainability is top of mind in everything we do at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor – from sourcing local ingredients in our restaurants and eliminating single-use plastics to other initiatives aimed at reducing our carbon footprint – and we are thrilled to be able to offer our guests these eco-friendly tuk-tuk passenger vehicles,” said Joseph Colina, general manager, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor.
Hotel and ryokan operators in Japan are expecting record revenues in fiscal 2024 (April 2024 to March 2025), buoyed by the almost full rebound of revenue in fiscal 2023 to pre-pandemic levels and the ongoing strong growth in inbound tourism.
Accommodation revenue for the year ending March 2024 totalled 4.9 trillion yen (US$31.3 billion), according to a survey by financial research firm Teikoku Databank, which found that the record high annual revenue of five trillion yen (reached in 2019) could have been reached if not for the damage caused to hotels and ryokans by the Noto Peninsula earthquake in January.
Overall, 52 per cent of accommodation surveyed said their revenue is set to increase this year, although there were regional disparities. Respondents in Hiroshima Prefecture were most optimistic, at 84 per cent.
Overnight stays in Japan totalled 600 million in 2023. Of that, international visitors accounted for 20 per cent, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels, according to a lodging and travel statistics survey conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
By prefecture, Tokyo saw the highest increase in domestic and international hotel guests in 2023 compared to 2019 (23 per cent), followed by Kochi (18 per cent), Tochigi (10 per cent), Osaka (four per cent) and Kyoto (four per cent), according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
The Teikoku Databank study predicts fiscal 2024 will generate at least five trillion yen in revenue for hotel and ryokan operators, although it noted that ongoing labour shortages pose a threat to income growth.