Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia’s leading automotive brand, Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua (Perodua), have recently forged a three-year memorandum of collaboration (MoC) with a shared objective – to promote tourism in Malaysia.
Set to take effect from 2024 to 2026, this collaboration is founded on a mutual commitment to advancing Malaysia’s tourism sector, enhancing accessibility, and elevating the overall tourist experience.
The collaboration aims to ensure that visitors can seamlessly explore the attractions in Malaysia
Ammar Abd Ghapar, director-general of Tourism Malaysia, has expressed enthusiasm for this transformative journey with Perodua, underscoring the united commitment to making Malaysia even more appealing to tourists.
Zainal Abidin Ahmad, president and CEO of Perodua, expressed that this collaboration aligns seamlessly with their “mobility as a lifestyle” initiative.
Through the MoC, Perodua seeks to expand its new business model, particularly in vehicle subscription, while gaining real-time feedback from foreign travellers on their perception of Perodua.
This collaborative effort promises substantial benefits for the nation, its tourists, and the environment, with Perodua playing a pivotal role in enhancing accessibility for both domestic and international tourists, strategically addressing transportation challenges. This is to ensure that visitors can seamlessly explore the diverse attractions Malaysia has to offer, creating a more inclusive and enjoyable travel experience.
Furthermore, this collaboration will leverage joint resources to market and promote Malaysia as a premier tourist destination. It will also facilitate cultural exchange programmes, enriching the experience for tourists and fostering a deeper connection with Malaysia’s diverse cultures.
Tourism stakeholders in Japan and overseas are accelerating efforts to encourage Japanese travellers to go abroad amid sluggish recovery of the country’s outbound market.
Just over one million Japanese travelled overseas in September, representing a 215 per cent increase year-on-year but only 58 per cent of the total recorded in September 2019. Most went to South Korea (250,102) and the US (173,117), followed by Taiwan (94,697), Thailand (80,010) and Spain (76,487), departing from Narita, Haneda and Kansai airports.
Thailand is one of the markets eager to attract Japanese travellers (Photo: Kathryn Wortley)
“We hope outbound travel will rebound to the 2019 level by early next year,” said Hiroyuki Takahashi, chairperson of the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA).
However, that may be optimistic according to a recent study of 3,000 people by Mitsubishi Research Institute, which shows Japanese consumers are being deterred from outbound travel by its increasing cost, exacerbated by the weak yen and stagnant domestic wages. Other barriers include lack of knowledge on planning a trip, the difficulty or cost of getting to an international airport, and concerns about the ability to communicate after arrival.
Respondents show less interest in travelling for sightseeing and shopping, and are more likely to go abroad for outdoor activities such as hiking. Among those travelling in 2023, most are men, aged 20 to 40, and travelling alone or in small groups. Longhaul destinations are showing the slowest rebound, according to Toshiya Miyazaki of Mitsubishi Research Institute Inc’s tourism policy team.
“Based on the survey, the potential market for outbound travel is 38 million (of a population of 125.7 million), of which 23 million could be travellers in the short-term, with five million open to travel immediately,” said Miyazaki.
Spain, Malaysia and Thailand are among the markets eager to attract these consumers due to the importance of the Japan market.
“The Japanese market is high-quality for Spain; they spend a lot, and outbound travel to Spain had been increasing pre-pandemic,” said Hiromi Kazama, promotion manager of the National Tourist Office of Spain. Her office is targeting people in their twenties for study, sports and business events.
Tourism Malaysia is working with Japan-based agents to attract 200,000 Japanese visitors by the end of 2023, well below the 424,694 Japanese visitors they welcomed in 2019. They are aiming for 50 to 70 per cent recovery of the market in 2024 and complete recovery in 2025.
“Our promotion keyword is diversity” because of the country’s multi-ethnicity, said the organisation’s marketing manager Kimiko Shimizu.
Thailand is unlikely to reach its target of 850,000 Japanese visitors in 2023, 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, according to Yoshiaki Fujimura, Tokyo office marketing manager for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Fujimura said growth plans include promoting parts of Thailand other than Bangkok to stimulate greater interest in the range of the country’s offerings.
Boosting the sluggish rebound is possible, opined Yoshinori Ochi, visiting professor at the department of international tourism management at Toyo University, pointing to the effectiveness of Japan’s recent domestic travel subsidy campaigns.
Ochi said local governments should support outbound tourism recovery by helping establish more charter and international flights, while promoting how and why Japanese consumers should organise a trip overseas.
The recent upsurge of multiple infectious respiratory illnesses in China may dampen the desire to travel to China, but inbound operators in Macau and Hong Kong have played down its impact on inbound traffic over upcoming peak Christmas season.
In Macau, the Health Bureau issued a notice on November 26 citing a slight increase in Mycoplasma pneumonia infections but at a low level. Citizens have been advised to stay vigilant in winter, a traditional peak flu season.
The festive ambience in Macau, pictured, is an attraction for the younger generation in China
Pun Cheng Man, travel department sales and marketing manager, China Travel Service (Macao), told TTG Asia: “We specialise in MICE and student exchange tours – so far, there is no cancellation of booking and we don’t see any major impact to our business. In fact, we expect a peak in the upcoming Christmas holidays after a three-year hiatus due to Covid-19.
“Christmas is not a public holiday in China, but the younger generation is keen to experience festive ambience in Macau. Winter is typically our usual flu season and our staff have a choice of wearing mask for self-protection.”
CTSHK Metropole International Travel Service’s deputy general manager, George Kai had similar sentiments: “We still predict incremental growth of Chinese visitors due to territory-wide festive marketing and promotions like seasonal discounts to draw visitation. In fact, the respiratory illness attacks children mostly and is confined to Northern China. People are less vulnerable after living through Covid-19. As usual, we advise our staff to (take) preventive measures (such as) wearing masks or (getting) seasonal influenza vaccination.”
With the upcoming Chinese New Year next year, Kam Wai Travel’s director, Frankie Lam noted that the period would be the peak season for Chinese travellers visiting Hong Kong. He added that FITs from China only come to Hong Kong during the Christmas season for shopping, thanks to the various big sales in Hong Kong during that period.
In mid-October, the Centre for Health Protection in Hong Kong had already urged members of the public to heighten their vigilance against respiratory tract infection, including Covid-19, seasonal influenza and Mycoplasma pneumonia infection.
In view of high flu infection rate in China, Taiwan has also stepped up measures, including voluntary screenings for respiratory illnesses for people presently arriving from China, including Macau and Hong Kong.
Australia’s first airport resort launches following the complete re-imagination and integration of two existing airport hotels at Darwin Airport.
The unveiling of the Novotel & Mercure Darwin Airport Resort follows a A$30 million (US$19.75 million) investment by the Airport Development Group, which also owns the adjacent Darwin Airport.
Novotel & Mercure Darwin Airport Resort features a new pool, aquatic playground, and poolside dining
Located on the lands of the Larrakia Nation, the two hotels had separate receptions previously but will now have a combined reception area, along with a new 60m swimming pool, poolside cabanas, children’s aquatic playground, and poolside dining.
Featuring 423 rooms, the resort offers other accommodation choices such as family suites, bungalows (with kitchenette facilities), and new five-star tropical villas with their own plunge pools, which are named after a leading Territorian to show their connection to Larrakia country.
The resort now offers two poolside dining options – the new Splash Café joins the laid-back Cossie’s Poolside Bar & Bistro, which showcases the Territory’s famous barramundi as well as grills, salads, pizzas and burgers, as well as tropical cocktails and mocktails.
Situated a short walk from the resort is Gurambai, which is the Larrakia name for the area known as the Rapid Creek Conservation Reserve featuring Darwin’s only natural freshwater creek. The hotels plan to introduce the Gurambai Cultural Experience to give guests an appreciation of Larrakia culture. Curated by Larrakia guides, it will comprise a one-hour guided walking tour with information about the area’s cultural and historical significance, their connection to the land and freshwater, and information about some of the Reserve’s seasonal bush tucker.
Tourism attractions such as Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks are just 80 minutes and two and a half hours drive, respectively, from the resort.
Darwin Airport Resort general manager, Chris Chaffe, said: “Integrating and recognising Larrakia Indigenous culture and heritage has been an integral component of the project.
“The new resort is enriched with Aboriginal art and themes, inside and out, providing an appropriate reminder that this pioneering world-class resort is on the lands of the world’s longest-surviving culture.”
In addition, Darwin Airport is a feeder airport to a number of international destinations and local Territory destinations such as the Tiwi Islands, Katherine and Arnhem Land, thus the new resort will provide an ideal base for visitors travelling elsewhere in the Top End of Australia’s Northern Territory.
BWH Hotels has signed The Sailing Quy Nhon, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Vietnam.
Located in the heart of Quy Nhon, the upscale hotel will comprise one tower of a new mixed-use development overlooking the ocean. The Sailing Quy Nhon, BW Premier Collection will feature a full range of premium accommodations and amenities.
The Sailing Quy Nhon, BW Premier Collection will join BWH Hotel’s expanding portfolio of properties in Vietnam
At the hotel’s doorstep are the city’s downtown offices and attractions, as well as easy access to Binh Dinh’s natural and cultural wonders, including Hon Kho Island, Ky Co Beach, Ong Nui Temple, Thap Doi Towers and more. Phu Cat Airport, which is just 30km away, offers regular flights to and from major cities in Vietnam, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The new hotel joins BWH Hotel’s expanding portfolio of hotels and resorts in Vietnam, which currently comprises of five operating properties – Best Western Premier Sapphire Ha Long, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc, Best Western Premier Sonasea Villas Phu Quoc, Best Western Premier Marvella Nha Trang, and Caravelle Saigon, a member of the WorldHotels Elite.
In view of the uncertainty related to the on-going situation in Israel, all Cathay Pacific flights to and from Tel Aviv from today up to and including March 28, 2024 will be cancelled.
Affected customers should receive a message from Cathay Pacific – those who have not are advised to check the current status of their booking via Manage Booking or contact the airline’s Customer Care teams.
Cathay Pacific temporarily suspends services between Tel Aviv and Hong Kong
Customers who are booked to travel on Cathay Pacific flights between Hong Kong and Tel Aviv up to March 31, 2024 can rebook, reroute or refund their travel without the usual fees.
International tourism is on track to recover almost 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year, according to the latest data from UNWTO.
The newest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer revealed that an estimated 975 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September 2023, an increase of 38 per cent on the same months of 2022.
UNWTO predicts that international tourism will recover almost 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by end-2023
The data showed world destinations welcomed 22 per cent more international tourists in 3Q2023 compared to the same period last year, reflecting a strong Northern Hemisphere summer season; international tourist arrivals hit 91 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter, reaching 92 per cent in July; and overall, tourism recovered 87 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in January-September 2023.
That puts the sector on course to recover almost 90 per cent by the end of the year, and international tourism receipts could reach US$1.4 trillion in 2023, about 93 per cent of the US$1.5 trillion earned by destinations in 2019.
Leading the recovery are the Middle East, Europe and Africa. The Middle East saw arrivals 20 per cent above pre-pandemic levels in the nine months through September 2023, and remains the only world region to surpass 2019 levels this period. Visa facilitation measures, the development of new destinations, investments in new tourism-related projects and the hosting of large events, help underpin this recovery.
Europe welcomed 550 million international tourists over the period, 56 per cent of the global total. That represents 94 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. The rebound was supported by robust intra-regional demand as well as strong demand from the US.
Africa recovered 92 per cent of pre-pandemic visitors this nine-month period, and arrivals in the Americas reached 88 per cent of 2019 numbers this period.
Asia and the Pacific reached 62 per cent of pre-pandemic levels this period due to slower reopening to international travel. However, performance among sub-regions is mixed, with South Asia recovering 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels but North-east Asia only about 50 per cent.
UNWTO’s World Tourism Barometer includes more focused data on regions, sub-regions and individual destinations
Strong demand for outbound travel was reported by several large source markets this period, with many exceeding 2019 levels. Germany and the US spent 13 per cent and 11 per cent more respectively on outbound travel than in the same nine months of 2019, while Italy spent 16 per cent more through August.
The sustained recovery is also reflected in the performance of industry indicators. Drawing on data from IATA and STR, the UNWTO Tourism Recovery Tracker details a strong recovery in air passenger numbers and tourist accommodation occupancy levels.
Against this backdrop, international tourism is well on track to fully recover pre-pandemic levels in 2024 despite economic challenges such as high inflation and weaker global output, as well as important geopolitical tensions and conflicts.
UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili shared: “The latest UNWTO data shows that international tourism has almost completely recovered from the unprecedented crisis of Covid-19 with many destinations reaching or even exceeding pre-pandemic arrivals and receipts. This is critical for destinations, businesses, and communities where the sector is a major lifeline.”
Asia is “bouncing back at an impressive rate” and is expected to recover to nearly 80 per cent of 2019 levels by year-end, down by only 22 per cent – this is fuelled by the rise of the live music industry to attract tourism where the average length of stay is three nights.
This and other insights were discussed during the November 28 PATA-ForwardKeys webinar, Charting the course for 2024: Unveiling APAC Travel Trends, with participation from the NTOs of Thailand, Guam and Seoul.
Asia is expected to recover to nearly 80 per cent of 2019 levels by year-end, as discussed during the PATA-ForwardKeys webinar on November 28
Nancy Dai, insights expert, ForwardKeys, attributed the region’s recovery to the implementation of enhanced safety and health measures during the pandemic, high demand for VFR (visiting friends and relatives) travel, the impact of effective marketing campaigns and incentives, and a shift towards unique experiences and sustainable travel.
In 2024, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will be targeting premium, quality travellers, expected to spend more and stay longer, according to Titiporn Manenate, executive director, Americas Region Department.
Mark Manglona, senior marketing manager, North America, Pacific and New Markets, Guam Visitor Bureau (GVB), shared that South Korea and Japan were the destination’s main source markets.
GVB would be cooperating with its airline partners to address capacity needs, working with key opinion leaders to attract visitors from new markets such as Singapore and Malaysia, and are also looking at secondary travellers in segments such as schools, sports, and long-stay seniors.
For Seoul Tourism Organization, Jamie Lee, assistant manager, Global Team 1, said there was growing emphasis on sustainable and responsible tourism, and best practices were discussed and shared at the November 16 and 17 Seoul Sustainable Tourism Conference 2023.
On Asia-Pacific destinations likely to see a surge in 2024, Dai named India, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan due to enhanced air capacity and fleet expansion, various incentives, family appeal and weak currency.
Challenges include connectivity and staffing still not back to pre-pandemic levels as well as ongoing conflict in Europe and the Middle East, but the traveller profile that was emerging – longer stay, booking in advance and booking premium – presented an “exciting opportunity”, she commented.
Dai also said that Chinese New Year 2024 would be the first year after China’s reopening, and that the eight-day public holiday bodes well for Seoul, the leading destination based on available seats.
In addition, with easier visa access and application times cut from two months to one week, Italy, France and Germany have emerged as popular destinations among the Chinese.
Tourism players, including the biggest operator of hotels in Sri Lanka, have urged the government to fast-track a much-delayed global marketing campaign to adequately compete with rival markets and boost arrivals.
Tourism, one of Sri Lanka’s biggest foreign exchange earners, was affected badly by terrorist attacks on three top Colombo hotels in 2019 followed by the closure of the airport during the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis in 2022. Arrivals in 2018 was a record 2.3 million, dropping drastically in the next few years, with this year’s target at 1.5 million.
Tourism players in Sri Lanka are urging the government to fast-track a much-delayed global marketing campaign in order to boost inbound tourism to the country; Colombo, Sri Lanka, pictured
There is a need for a well-executed global marketing blitz to woo tourists and elevate Sri Lanka’s position in the global tourism market, said Krishan Balendra, chairman of John Keells Holdings which has a string of hotels under the Cinnamon brand in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Speaking last week at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’s Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2023, Balendra expressed regret over Sri Lanka’s failure to launch a comprehensive global tourism campaign in the aftermath of the war, identifying it as a substantial missed opportunity to invigorate the industry.
“The industry has been requesting a global campaign since the end of the war (Sri Lanka’s internal ethnic conflict which ended in 2009) akin to those executed by Malaysia and India. Unfortunately, we haven’t managed to implement one in over 10 years,” he told the meeting, stressing the importance of more promotions in India, Sri Lanka’s biggest source market.
Balendra referred to the active promotion of tourism destinations by countries like Thailand, Malaysia and China, with Indian citizens, adding that there was a lack of visibility for Sri Lanka in comparison.
Local authorities have been painfully trying to launch the 1.45 billion rupee-worth (US$5 million) global marketing campaign over the next 12 months, targeting markets such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy, India, Ukraine, Russia, West Asia, Scandinavia, South Korea, Japan and Australia since July this year. However, it has been delayed due to procurement procedures, call for tenders and other bureaucratic issues. A tourism tagline titled You will come back for more was launched at trade shows in France and the UK in the past few months.
At the same chamber event last week, president Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed the need to attract high-spending tourists who would spend a minimum of US$500 per day, compared to little over US$100 now, adding that the target for arrivals should reach five million in the next few years.
Victoria’s High Country in Australia has launched a new campaign where visitors ‘sign’ a secret pact online to get access to the wonders of High Country, which have been a well-kept secret among locals, up till now.
The new You Didn’t Hear It From Me campaign invites visitors to ‘sign’ the High Country Secret Pact and unlock the best of what the High Country has to offer, with exclusive insights, responsible exploration, and an unmatched connection with local providers – yet helping to preserve the secrets of the region.
The latest campaign introduces local favourites such as the Tasting Pod experience at Swiftcrest Distillery, pictured
To showcase the region’s best kept secrets, Tourism North East (TNE) scoured the High Country for locals to share their favourite hidden gems. Drawing inspiration from local insights, TNE created their inaugural short film that offers viewers a glimpse into its hidden wonders while emphasising the unique opportunity offered to those who wish to explore the road less travelled.
Bess Nolan-Cook, CEO of TNE said: “We know the High Country locals enjoy connecting with new people and showcasing the beauty of the region. However, they’re concerned their favourite spots will be overrun with tourists who are just there for (Instagram-shots).
“We chose to craft the short film You Didn’t Hear It From Me because some things, especially the breath-taking allure of the Victorian High Country, defy description – they demand to be seen, felt, and experienced.”
Steve Dimopoulos, minister for tourism, sport and major events, remarked: “Our beautiful High Country is a must-see tourist destination in Victoria, and we want to bring more visitors to the region which gives a boost to the local economy. This campaign will help bring more visitors to venture off the beaten track and explore the hidden gems of the High Country region.’’
