Take That to tour Singapore this October
British pop group Take That is set to take its This Life On Tour to Singapore this year, playing at The Star Theatre on October 28.
The trio of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald will first tour across Australia and New Zealand before heading to Singapore.
Formed as a five-piece in 1989, Take That has released its ninth studio album, This Life, last year, which became the UK’s biggest-selling album of 2023.
Tickets for Take That’s This Life On Tour are now on sale.
For more information, visit SISTIC.
What lies ahead for the giants?
Experts are certain that China will continue to be the world’s top source market while recognising that the country’s inbound tourism is getting more official attention for the role it can play to boost the national economy.
Their outlook is based on factors such as unilateral and bilateral visa-free travel in 2024 announced since China exited its pandemic lockdown; a China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) report stating that at least 15 cities are providing incentives to boost business events; and the upgrading of travel infrastructure, and in lower-tier cities during the pandemic, fuelled by domestic demand.
According to Alexander Glos, CEO, China i2i Group, China’s rapid economic growth is the result of China’s emerging middle-class.
He said: “Less than 14 per cent of Chinese citizens have passports and even with this relatively low penetration rate, more than 150 million Chinese travelled globally in 2000.
“Envision the potential if 30 per cent of Chinese citizens possess passports in the next decade. This could result in 300 million people travelling worldwide annually.”
For Glos, one of the most significant milestones of the past decade has been the open skies between Europe and China, facilitating affordable flights between these two major economic and cultural hubs, and catalysing international travel for both Chinese and European travellers. This continues to be the primary driver behind the sustained economic growth and ongoing travel between these regions.
Wolfgang Arlt CEO of China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI) and CEO of Meaningful Tourism Center, observed: “In China, everything happens later, but faster. Tourism is no exception.”
He recalled the absence of outbound travel, missionaries or adventurers in Imperial China and tourism development delays in the 20th century due to revolution, wars and politics.
“Only after the start of reform and opening policies did China start to develop domestic tourism slowly, followed by inbound tourism and finally (after in 1997 when new regulations were issued) outbound tourism,” he said.
“Within 15 years, China (became the top) outbound tourism source market as well as the biggest domestic tourism market by far.”
To boost inbound tourism, Arlt said new efforts and policies are needed.
“China is still concentrating on first-time visitors, marketing the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and pandas. It has much more to offer and needs to develop sustainable tourism for different interest groups, including visits to national parks and other nature-based activities, cooking classes, and special interest trips,” remarked Arlt.
Confident in the lasting appeal of China’s “diverse natural features and historical landmarks, alongside modern cities and vibrant cultural landmarks”, Wong Hong, Delta’s president of China, said crucial steps toward boosting inbound and outbound tourism must include simplifying the visa application process and reducing processing times.
He said: “While China leads the way in mobile payment, it must fully address the barriers foreign tourists face in using popular platforms to make it a more attractive destination.”
On the business front, Julien Delerue, founding and managing partner, 1000meetings, said the rapid development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) – encompassing China, Hong Kong and Macau – bodes well. Enhanced access in this region has created a host of opportunities for business travellers and economic activities.
Waikin Wong, regional director, ICCA Asia Pacific, added that China has stayed strong in the annual ICCA Country – and City – Rankings for Association Meetings even though it was the last country to lift all pandemic barriers in 2023. China has hosted more than 100 association meetings, indicating business activities are active and organisers are confident with local services and solutions.
“ICCA Asia Pacific believes China is recognising that events and business travel can play a significant role to drive the multi-disciplinary/cross-sector synergy approach to connect international business opportunities and diversification of its economy base.
“Moreover, many cities in China are welcoming international collaboration, and the establishment of the ICCA China office in Beijing is a great example.” – Caroline Boey
Tourism stakeholders in India are confident that the country will continue to rise as a major contributor to global tourism as well as a tourism destination in the years to come. The tourism landscape has witnessed great transformation, from a time in the early 70s when obtaining a passport and foreign exchange was a challenge for locals to last year, when Indian carriers, Air India and IndiGo, set a record for the most aircraft placed in a single order – 470 and 500 aircraft respectively.
Subhash Goyal, chairman – STIC Travel & Air Charter Group, recalled how travel was heavily regulated in the beginning, with people made to go through a complex web of bureaucracy and fill “never-ending forms”.
The growth of India’s outbound industry has been immense over the last decades, turning the country into a desirable market for many NTOs.
Harish Mathur, president, Concord Travels & Tours, recalled how the presence of these NTO offices and their activities since the early 2000s had played a part in raising the awareness of destinations overseas, ultimately triggering demand for outbound travel.
The international student segment was also instrumental in growing India’s outbound travel potential.
Madhavan Menon – executive chairman, Thomas Cook (India), said: “The segment has been witnessing an approximately 25 per cent growth year-on-year, with almost 1.5 million students studying overseas this year.”
On the other hand, India’s inbound potential sparked off with the liberalisation of the Indian economy in the 1990s, which led to an influx of foreign investment, benefitting business and leisure travellers.
“With the decade seeing the opening up of the Indian market, states like Kerala took an active interest in supporting tourism related businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as marketing/promotions,” said Menon.
Arun Anand, managing director, Midtown Travels, recalled the privatisation of airports and infrastructure improvements that followed.
A real gamechanger for the sector was the introduction of an e-tourist visa facility for international tourists in 2014.
“At the time I was the president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), and the association worked relentlessly with the government to introduce an e-tourist visa facility in India which turned out to be a very positive decision for the industry,” said Goyal.
Menon also highlighted the launch of the Incredible India campaign in 2002 playing a critical role in showcasing the rich cultural heritage and diverse attractions of India to the world. Goyal beamed with pride when asked to project India’s tourism industry in the next 50 years.
He said: “By 2047, India is expected to be a US$35 trillion economy and a fully transformed developed nation. Indian carriers will have more than 2,500 planes, and India will have more than 250 airports, out of which 50 to 60 will (serve) international (flights). In the next 50 years, about 100 million people will be travelling overseas from India annually.”
Anand sees many more tourism development opportunities across India – particularly in the country’s 7,500km-long coastline that the government is eyeing for cruise tourism development.
“India will emerge as a leading player in the cruise segment,” he stated, adding that smaller cities will get their own international airports in the next 50 years, facilitating both inbound and outbound travel.
However, industry players urge the government to be more proactive in tourism development.
“India needs tourism marketing representatives in all the major source markets of the world,” noted Goyal, adding that the Indian Ministry of Tourism had closed down all of its offices abroad.
“We also need an open skies policy to become an aviation hub, just like Dubai and Singapore,” he added. – Rohit Kaul
The impact of bad weather on tourism
- Rising extreme weather events are disrupting travel patterns, impacting operators, destinations, and travellers globally
- While regions like Europe and Australia are already experiencing significant effects, Asia is starting to catch up
- Operators are adapting tours and schedules, highlighting the need for education and innovation in sustainable tourism
At the beginning of 2024, the UN published research that climate change may affect tourism and agricultural output. The world is predicted to experience increasing climate disasters, high food prices and more extreme weather. This, coupled with the effects of El Niño – even more emphasised this year from climate change – is predicted to lower the global GDP.
Indeed, the tourism industry in Asia is increasingly feeling the heat as climate change and extreme weather conditions disrupt traditional travel patterns and operations. While the effects are more pronounced in regions like Europe, the US, and Australia, Asia is catching up, with significant implications for travel operators, destinations, and travellers.
Bruce Poon Tip, founder of global small adventure tours operator G Adventures, highlighted the unpredictability of seasons, which is causing widespread disruption. “We’re seeing more unpredictability around the seasons which is causing disruption everywhere from the southern hemisphere where wet and dry seasons are becoming more extreme – we are constantly monitoring where we can and cannot run,” he commented, adding that the critical incident management side of the business is challenging.
He further explained: “Along with political instability, climate and environmental change is becoming the biggest influence on where we can safely visit. Although G Adventures has the resources to adapt to this more than others, for smaller operators, the negative impact of climate change and natural disasters will unfortunately cause many more problems.”
Impact on operators
Earth marked World Environment Day this year by recording the 12th consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures. The Copernicus Climate Change report, released on June 5, noted that May’s global temperatures were 1.52 degrees Celsius above historical averages, making it the hottest May on record.
In Thailand, scorching temperatures are impacting tourist behaviour and operations. Ewan Cluckie of Tripseed noted they’ve seen travellers struggling, especially during the peak heat of March and April: “We have seen some travellers arrive in Thailand and decide it is too hot for them (to go on the tour or to continue part way into the tour), especially during March and April when the dryness and heat can be at its worst.”
Cluckie said the Tripseed team is trained to advise on these factors during the booking process to ensure clients have the right expectations prior to travel – however, the level of heat can come as a nasty surprise once travellers are actually exposed to it.
“Some travellers can (overestimate their heat tolerance). While we haven’t seen a decline in bookings – even the hottest months of March and April saw 5-7x growth respectively year on year for Tripseed when compared with 2023 – what has been impacted is where our team is recommending people to travel, and the activities people are choosing to embark on. This is moving more bookings towards the southern provinces of Thailand and towards less strenuous or active itineraries,” he explained, adding that in the worst cases, for those who struggle with planned tours – such as having second thoughts an hour or two into a cycling or trekking tour – Tripseed helps adjust itineraries, recommending clients to enjoy a less vigorous activity outdoors, or something indoors away from the heat altogether.
Thiam Wei Toh of Indie Singapore Tours echoed this, with erratic weather affecting its walking tours and leading to frequent no-shows.
Travel companies are adapting. Local Alike in Thailand is developing night tours to cater to tourists overwhelmed by the heat. Its founder Somsak Boonkam said: “Our customers, Thai and foreign alike, are very sensitive to heat – we’ve noticed they can’t take more than one to two hours in the sun. We’re developing night tours that will be launched later this month as an alternative option.”
In Malaysia, Universal Holidays Travel & Tourism has adjusted its tour schedules to avoid the intense afternoon heat. Founder and CEO Zahira Tahir explained: “Malaysia is experiencing hotter weather this year compared to previous years. We now start our half-day city tours of Kuala Lumpur around 8.00 or 9.00, finishing by lunchtime to avoid the intense midday heat – in previous years, these tours started at 10.00.”
Extreme weather in Thailand this April also disrupted the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) plans to host a 21-day Songkran festival in celebration of the holiday’s declaration as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
The extended festival, aimed at stimulating longer trips during Thai New Year, faced challenges as travellers were adverse to the extreme temperatures. In response, TAT campaigned to promote morning and evening tourism activities during that period instead.
Looking to the future
Kevin Phun, director of The Centre for Responsible Tourism in Singapore, suggested that these changes faced due to a shifting climate are not all doom and gloom, but rather an opportunity for travel companies to package this as education and shift their messaging.
“Quite soon we may see some of these travel experiences becoming what the tourism industry calls ‘last chance tourism’ – but it is not necessarily a negative thing. It just places the onus more on travel companies to think more about education, the messaging (that needs to) change,” he commented, adding that the travel companies may need to “rethink how they have been doing things” and that it “has to be different from how they have done so in the last few decades”.
Phun also highlighted the changing demographics in travel, with millennials and Gen Z increasingly becoming the main consumer segments. “These are people who were born in the generation where in their conversations, they are often talking about such things – sustainability, responsibility, and the SDGs. So, it’s a different ball game now for tour companies, but it’s also a little bit easier because the audience that you’re going to serve in the next few years are people who are familiar and conversant with this topic.”
Witsanu Attavanich, an environmental economist and climate researcher at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, noted that as climate change effects become more pronounced, costs will rise for the industry, necessitating investment and innovation to counteract global warming.
Poon Tip commented: “Adventure travellers are resilient and will continue to travel regardless of the conditions as it’s so important to their being. We’ll see changes in which destinations they can visit, however, and the time of year they travel.”
“I think we are still a little way from seeing a change of trends due to weather, but it will inevitably come to that if global temperatures continue to rise,” Cluckie stated. – Additional reporting by Karen Yue and S Puvaneswary
Thailand turns focus to sustainability, plans to host Tourism Cares Summit in 2025
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has unveiled plans to enhance sustainable and meaningful tourism in the country during the Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) 2024, held from June 5 to 7 in Phang Nga, Thailand.
Key to these plans is hosting Asia’s second Tourism Cares summit in 2025, partnering with the US-based NGO to bolster regenerative tourism in Thailand – the summit will be accompanied by a “meaningful travel” mart showcasing high-yield tourism products.
Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT’s deputy governor for international marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East, Americas), highlighted Thailand’s existing efforts in responsible tourism.
These include established domestic programmes like the Thailand Tourism Awards, the STAR-rated Sustainable Tourism Goals certification, and the CF-Hotels (carbon-friendly hotels) initiative.
However, he also emphasised the importance of international collaboration to further elevate Thailand’s sustainability measures.
“We need international standards, and more international bodies to stand with us. So that’s why, from our side, and in the local market, we’re going to work with more and more international standards,” he quantified.
In March 2024, Tourism Cares, an organisation dedicated to advancing sustainability in travel, hosted its first Meaningful Familiarization Tour in partnership with TAT. The nine-day Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel FAM with Thailand tour introduced 14 Thai industry representatives to meaningful experiences with local businesses and communities in Bangkok and Krabi.
The two organisations have also created a Meaningful Travel Map of Thailand, highlighting their first 15 impact partners, with plans for expansion, available on the Tourism Cares website.
At this year’s travel mart, TAT laid the foundation for meaningful travel alongside its new marketing campaign, Amazing Thailand: Your Stories Never End. This campaign emphasises delivering experiences that create lasting memories, along with the 2024 product update which showcased a range of meaningful travel options, inspiring visitors to create and share lasting memories – from luxury and wellness retreats to soft adventure and sustainable tourism initiatives.
In line with TAT’s zero-waste-to-landfills initiative, TTM+ 2024 prioritised sustainability by minimising single-use plastics and implementing a zero-waste programme. Sorting stations at side events ensured proper waste disposal, and TTM+ collaborated with the JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort to divert surplus food to local students at Racha Prachanukroh 35 School.
Cheawsamoot emphasised that many foreign visitors come from countries where sustainability is a daily practice today. He noted: “For Europeans or Americans, sustainability is no longer a trend; it’s a way of life. To appeal to these markets, we must adopt and promote sustainable practices.”
Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, TAT’s deputy governor for international marketing Asia and South Pacific, also commented: “My understanding is that there is a gap between the two. How do you evolve from being a mass traveller to a high yield one? That’s why we need a high yield travel mart.”
Malaysia steps up promotional efforts in Taiwan
Tourism Malaysia recently participated in the Taipei Tourism Expo (TTE), a four-day travel expo that took place from May 31 to June 4 at the Taipei World Trade Centre, in a bid to continue marketing activities in Taiwan.
During the expo, Malaysia unveiled six new special interest packages to captivate the Taiwanese and stimulate demand from this market. The packages included Sarawak Delta Geopark and Gawai, Dive into the Unimaginable, Houseboat, Unimaginable Golf, Coffee Experience, and Malaysia Birdwatching Paradise.
Under the wing of Malaysia’s booth were industry partners such as Richmond Travel & Tours, Lion Travel Service, and Come Best Tour, alongside Malaysia’s low-cost carrier Air Asia, that promoted and sold packages to Malaysia.
There were also cultural performances by Selendang Perak, a group of creative cultural arts in dance and music of various cultures and genres representing Malaysian society and culture.
To maximise the impact of this promotional effort, Tourism Malaysia also engaged with local universities, right after TTE, to share its wealth of cultural offerings with the public, particularly Taiwanese students, as part of experiential learning and cultural exchange opportunities.
To top it all off, a special consumer event called Malaysia Truly Asia Travel Carnival, which will highlight many aspects of Malaysia’s uniqueness, will be held at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park from June 7 to 9, where visitors will be able to sample Malaysian cuisine, participate in cultural events, and grab special discounts on tourism packages to Malaysia.
Malaysia is targeting to woo 27.3 million international tourist arrivals with a contribution of 102.7 billion ringgit (US$22.82 billion) in tourism receipts in 2024. Currently, there are 73 direct flights from Taiwan to Malaysia, and Tourism Malaysia is expecting exponential growth from the Taiwan market, including the North Asian region.
Manoharan Periasamy, director-general of Tourism Malaysia, stated: “Taiwan has been Malaysia’s important source market, and Malaysia received a total of 283,380 tourists from Taiwan last year alone. Robust promotional initiatives would be an excellent way for Malaysia to attract more tourists from Taiwan.”
Accor, Amadeus expand partnership to empower hotels
Amadeus and Accor have expanded their strategic partnership, with Accor implementing Amadeus’ Central Reservation System (ACRS) for its extensive portfolio of properties globally.
With Amadeus’ market-leading Central Reservation System, this partnership will empower hotels to deliver inspiring and customised experiences across Accor’s global portfolio.
Amadeus’ cloud-based technology will help the hospitality group in boosting revenues, maximising distribution strategies, and building deeper and more personalised connections with guests.
“Today’s dynamically changing market demonstrates the need for transformative technology to keep pace with guest expectations and drive growth in the context of evolving business needs,” said Francisco Pérez-Lozao Rüter, president, hospitality, Amadeus.
Alix Boulnois, chief digital officer, Accor, added: “By deepening our collaboration with Amadeus, we will leverage the advanced capabilities of the ACRS and equip our hotels and owners with a modern distribution management tool, offering a wider range of services, new revenue-generating capabilities and personalised guest experiences.”
Etihad Airways, China Eastern Airlines sign joint venture
Etihad Airways and China Eastern Airlines have signed a Joint Venture (JV) to cement the strategic partnership between the two airlines, making it the first commercial JV between a Middle Eastern airline and a Chinese airline.
The JV will allow both airlines to jointly develop and grow the routes between the UAE and China, offering expanded travel options and seamless travel experiences for passengers travelling between major Chinese cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Xi’an, and Kunming, and key cities in the UAE and across the Middle East and Africa regions.
Etihad and China Eastern Airlines will implement the JV cooperation in early 2025 when both teams secure all necessary regulatory clearances. Additionally, both airlines will introduce full reciprocity to their existing frequent flyer programmes in 4Q2024, allowing passengers to seamlessly earn points and redeem rewards when flying with either airline.
Etihad Aviation Group chairman Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa stated: “This partnership is more than the expansion of routes; it is about creating lasting and meaningful connections between our two nations which will stand for decades to come.”
“This year marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the UAE. Both countries continue to develop and strengthen the high-value, strategic collaboration on the Belt and Road Initiative, and this momentum creates opportunities and motivation for deepening cooperation between China Eastern Airlines and Etihad Airways,” said Wang Zhiqing, chairman of China Eastern Airlines.
“Both China Eastern Airlines and Etihad Airways have strong global hubs, and our cooperation is highly complementary, covers a broad scope, and has great potential. We look forward to our collaboration creating more synergies, not only in facilitating passenger travel but also in building deeper economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between China and the UAE.”
Emirates joins hands with Icelandair
Emirates and Icelandair have signed a codeshare agreement that will allow customers to seamlessly travel across the two airlines’ networks.
The flights will be available for sale on September 1 this year, subject to securing regulatory approvals.
The agreement will increase both airlines’ offerings for convenient connections where customers can travel on a single ticket and have their luggage checked through all the way to the final destination. Icelandair passengers in North America and Iceland can connect eastbound via Emirates’ network to Dubai; and Emirates worldwide passengers can connect westbound via Icelandair’s network to Iceland.
Emirates and Icelandair expect to further develop and expand the partnership in the future.
Korean Air to launch new route to Macau
Korean Air is starting a new daily service between Seoul (Incheon) and Macau from July 1.
The new Macau service provides Greater Bay Area travellers with more flight options, allowing those from cities such as Jiangmen, Zhongshan, and Taishan to reach the airport in as little as two hours.
Travellers from the region will also have the option to connect to Korean Air’s extensive North America and Japan destinations via Seoul Incheon International Airport.
From July 15, the route will be served by the airline’s fleet of Airbus A321neos, which is equipped with fully lie-flat seats in Prestige Class.
Banyan Group will soon launch its first property in Japan with Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto, slated to open 3Q2024.
Located in the historic Higashiyama Ward of Kyoto City, Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto will offer 52 guestrooms, a spa and two dining experiences.
Each room features traditional Japanese materials, including large cypress wood bathtubs, tatami mats, and natural wood elements.
Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto has also constructed the only Noh stage in a Kyoto hotel, reflecting the traditional Japanese performing art, Nohgaku, which features supernatural themes such as ghosts and gods. Nohgaku has been around for 650 years and was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008. The stage serves as a venue for traditional Nohgaku, contemporary art performances, and musical events.
The hotel’s sustainable practices include preserving and reinforcing the historic stone walls from Hotel Ryozen, cultivating moss for the stone walls during construction, and maintaining existing symbolic trees and the bamboo grove.
Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto stands on the former site of Hotel Ryozen, nestled in Kyoto’s renowned Higashiyama district, home to attractions such as Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Kodai-ji Temple. The site also boasts the rare Higashiyama Onsen hot spring.