TTG Asia is taking a break on Wednesday, April 10, for the Hari Raya Puasa public holiday.
The online news bulletin will resume on Thursday, April 11.
From all of us at TTG Asia Media, here’s wishing all our Muslim readers a Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!
SITA’s Biometrics White Paper, Face the Future, acknowledged that the global demand for travel is rising, and biometrics is at the forefront of this transformation.
The white paper also discussed how the surge in air traveller numbers places extraordinary pressure on existing and new airports, national borders, and airline resources.
According to the CAPA-Centre for Aviation, 425 major construction projects (worth around US$450 billion) have already been put underway at existing global airports, along with 225 new airport investment projects in 2022.
However, SITA stated that “existing paper-based and manual travel infrastructure and legacy processes simply won’t be able to cope”, and that brick and mortar infrastructure is only part of the solution. Airlines and airports will struggle to manage passenger numbers, affecting the quality of the travel experience they are able to deliver.
The solution, explained SITA, is in harnessing the power of facial and fingerprint biometrics to create a safer and seamless air transport experience. By applying advanced technological solutions, SITA will also solve other industry challenges, like space constraints, specialist staff shortages, and evolving passenger wants and needs.
The white paper outlined more solutions using advanced biometrics technology, including SITA Flex, a common-use passenger processing platform, and SITA Border Management, which covers border control, risk intelligence, and travel authorisation. Both solutions are well recognised in the industry and used by more than 40 airports globally.
It also breaks down SITA’s Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) solution, a verifiable digital identity shared before arrival (with the passenger’s consent) for seamless border crossing.
Additionally, Face the Future also showcased successful case studies like the Star Alliance Biometric initiative and the Indian government’s DigiYatra programme – both cases use the end-to-end biometric passenger processing solution, SITA Smart Path.
“SITA Smart Path biometrically enables every step of the passenger journey, from mobile enrolment to aircraft boarding and every point in between and beyond,” shared Stefan Schaffner, vice president of airports at SITA.
“With facial recognition across as many airport touch points as you need, it lets passengers manage their identity across their whole journey, in a unique and touchless way. The final result is a radically improved travel experience.”
Addu City and its nearby atolls in the southern-most part of the Maldives have strong potential for tourism development, with access aided by Gan International Airport. Efforts to position Addu City will include promotion of local tourism through unique marketing approaches.
Fathmath Thaufeeq, CEO & MD of Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) shared this opinion at the preliminary meetings for the South Symposium 2024 last week, an event that will take place later this year to foster productive exchanges on the region’s tourism industry.
Fathmath added that Addu City could leverage the Maldives’ experience in tourism development, and called on all industry stakeholders to assist and be involved in boosting tourism to the South of Maldives.
Malaysia Airlines has signed a one-year strategic cruise partnership with Apple Vacations – complemented by collaborations with global cruise lines such as Peace Boat, Princess Cruises, Resorts World Cruises, and Uniworld River Cruises – to promote a seamless air-cruise product.
This collaboration allows Malaysia Airlines to promote a seamless travel experience through MHcruise packages, complementing Apple Vacations’ fly-cruise offerings. These packages provide vacationers with the convenience of air travel and the allure of cruising at attractive and competitive fares, tailored to meet diverse preferences, from luxurious to budget-friendly options.
Koh Yock Heng, co-founder and group managing director of Apple Vacations, said: “The emerging trend of fly-cruise packages is appealing to holiday-goers looking for seamless connectivity and convenient booking options.”
“Through our collaboration, we’re not only expanding our offerings but also fuelling a positive ripple effect throughout Malaysia’s tourism industry. By curating unparalleled travel experiences, we’re not only attracting visitors, but also fostering sustainable economic growth and development,” commented Dersenish Aresandiran, chief commercial officer of airlines, Malaysia Aviation Group.
“Together, we are pioneering new standards, revitalising the travel landscape, and positioning Malaysia as a premier destination for global travellers as well as anchoring Malaysia as a gateway to Asia and beyond.”
Members of the Asia Pacific Spa and Wellness Coalition (APSWC) convened at the end of March for their annual Round Table event in Bangkok, Thailand for discussions dedicated to the ethical considerations and potential benefits of integrating AI into spa and wellness services, along with other issues of weight such as sustainability, an aging workforce and how wellness can combat digital pollutants in modern life.
Amid the dialogue, it became evident that while wellness providers approach AI integration with caution, they also recognise its potential for improving various aspects of their businesses.
“Managing AI integration within the spa and wellness industry requires a balanced approach prioritising human values, ethics, and sustainable practices while accepting that AI can provide the ‘what’ and ‘how’ but not the ‘why’ of business,” stated Cybille Barcebal, corporate wellness manager for Araw Hospitality Group.
Victoria Kruse, brand consultant wellness and spa at JA Resorts & Hotels – whose consultancy is currently exploring the use of AI to enhance screening solutions and create more tailored programmes for well-being – encouraged the evaluation of both marketing and operational needs during integration.
“AI has the potential to address many specific pain points. We must differentiate between back-end efficiency improvements and front-end customer experiences. There should also be an expert checking (results) on both ends, because AI is not always 100 per cent accurate,” she advised.
Regarding concerns about job displacement, Faheem Ebrahim, founder and managing director of Xin Performance and head of technology on the APSWC board, reassured attendees that AI should augment rather than replace human roles. He emphasised the importance of engaging with AI at different levels, and suggested hiring a data analyst as a springboard if unsure where to begin.
The APSWC 2024 white paper summarising all discussion results will be uploaded to the association’s website later this week.
“The paper is (created) to be a catalyst for action once the key issues and the steps to be taken are identified. Some issues can be resolved with a bit of hard work and commitment by individual operators or business owners, while others require the input or assistance of third parties. It is, naturally, up to us as stakeholders to proactively request that assistance,” said APSWC chairman Andrew Jacka.
He also shared that the association is in touch with the Department of Tourism Thailand about reviewing the ASEAN Spa Services Standard, which has not been updated since its release in 2016.
Journify, the travel experience and lifestyle platform of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), has launched its latest product – Journify Fly & Stay – in partnership with Clarity TTS, a travel software as service provider.
This new platform simplifies the travel process, allowing travellers to efficiently plan and book their flights and hotels on a single, user-friendly platform, with packages starting from just 399 ringgit (US$84) for a three-day-two-night stay.
This new offering also marks an expansion of Journify’s suite of travel services, encompassing travel passes, attraction tickets, tour packages, airport transfers and more.
In addition, Journify has been named as the official travel partner of the Trifecta Spartan events in Johor (April 27-28), Jakarta (May 25) and Singapore (June 22), allowing participants to benefit from extra savings on Journify for these three destinations.
For participants looking for flight and hotel packages, the Journify Fly & Stay package offers a 10 per cent discount on the total booking price when staying a minimum of two nights. Participants can also enjoy a 10 per cent discount on hotel stays for Journify Hotels bookings by purchasing an ASEAN Zone 2 or 3 MHflypass during the promo period from now until June 22.
Philip See, CEO of loyalty & travel services at MAG, shared: “Journify not only allows travellers to craft personalised itineraries and collaborate with friends, but also facilitates shopping with the added perk of getting their items delivered to their boarding gate, and earn points that can be redeemed later, making Journify a comprehensive travel companion for the modern explorer.”
Vietjet will operate a direct service connecting Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City to China’s Xi’an from April 29, with four return flights per week.
This new route follows the recent launch of direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai and Chengdu.
The Ho Chi Minh City-Xi’an service departs every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday while the return flights from Xi’an to Ho Chi Minh City take off on every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The rise in extreme weather conditions over the years is a cause for concern for the travel and tourism industry, as business can be impacted by scorching heat, flooding, loss of habitat, and disruptions to living conditions in affected destinations, reflects Nick Lim, CEO for Asia with The Travel Corporation.
In this episode of TTG Conversations: Five Questions, Lim discusses what travel and tourism industry players can do to reduce environmental strains even as they cannot control the weather, how tour operations have to be very nimble to cope with increasingly unexpected changes in weather conditions, and how The Travel Corporation’s very own How We Tread Right sustainable tourism strategy is responding to the urgency for more responsible travel behaviour.
Traveloka is teaming up with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to draw more visitors from across South-east Asia to Hong Kong by showcasing the destination’s highlights.
This collaboration is expected to boost tourism growth in Hong Kong further and position the city as a premier destination for South-east Asian travellers.
According to HKTB, Hong Kong’s tourism sector has steadily climbed since the reopening of international borders, with data showing a surge of 33 million international visitor arrivals from January to December 2023, a 60-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022.
Traveloka president Caesar Indra enthused: “Establishing a partnership between Traveloka and HKTB will further reinforce our dedication to promote global destinations on our platform, and encourage travellers to explore new experiences.”
Liew Chian Jia, regional director, Southeast Asia of HKTB, said: “Partnering with Traveloka is pivotal for us as it unlocks the tourism potential in Hong Kong and helps us understand consumers better. Therefore, we aspire to this collaboration not only to attract more travellers from South-east Asia to explore the charms of Hong Kong but also to contribute positively to the aviation and hospitality industries in the region.”
SAS Scandinavian Airlines will exit Star Alliance on August 31, 2024, and the airline grouping will take steps to ensure the change is seamless for customers, particularly with respect to previously booked flights.
Members of frequent flyer programmes are asked to consult their individual airline programmes directly with specific questions related to mileage accrual and redemption for travel within the Star Alliance network.
Going forward, 17 Star Alliance member airlines will continue to offer direct flights to and from Scandinavia, including Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, TAP Air Portugal, Thai, Turkish Airlines, and United.
From September 1, there will be 25 member airlines in the network.