Global travellers looking for intra-regional summer getaways: Trip.com

May 30, 2023

Data from Trip.com reveals that global travel bookings for the summer (June 1 to August 31) have already surpassed 2019 levels, with intra-regional travel leading the way.

Overall, bookings on the Trip.com platform this summer have increased by 170% compared to the same period in 2022 – with the relaxation of travel restrictions in Asia-Pacific, summer bookings have skyrocketed by 356% year-on-year (YoY) in Asia, with European markets recording a 72% YoY increase this summer.

Music fans welcome back their favourite bands and musicians to the region

Travellers “wait-and-see” for longhaul tours
Shorthaul regional tours are the preferred trip this summer, with short-distance flight bookings accounting for 44% of all bookings in Asia and more than half in Europe (67%). On the other hand, the percentage of longhaul summer travel in Europe dropped significantly from 48% in 2019 to 13% this year, while the percentage is up slightly from 22% in 2019 to 27% in Asia.

Asian travellers are focusing on travel closer to home, with the top 10 most-booked cities in Asia being Bangkok, Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Taipei.

Likewise, in Europe, nine out of 10 destinations booked this summer are European cities, such as London, Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris; Bangkok is the only destination on the list outside Europe.

Even though European users are in the “wait-and-see” mode for long-distance travel, search demand is still prominent – Trip.com search data shows that European users are looking for hotels in Asian and Middle East destinations, with Bali, Dubai, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Marrakech listed on the top 10 most searched hotel destinations.

Ray Chen, CEO, hotel business unit, Trip.com Group, said: “As flights and hotel capacity continue to increase, and the global industry is better prepared for welcoming back international travellers, we can expect a faster return of long-distance travel in the near future.”

Tours to coastal cities and islands are trending in Europe
This summer, Trip.com users are booking more coastal or island destinations, such as the Fuerteventura Island, Lanzarote and Santander in Spain, and Kefalonia in Greece.

More travellers are also going to remote or rural areas for unusual travel experiences, and destinations with unique cultures and landscapes are gaining popularity, like Lijiang in China and Shimukappu Mura in Japan.

The new engine of Asian summer travel
After three years of waiting, music fans in Asia finally welcome back their favourite bands and musicians to the region. Significant music events, such as concerts and music festivals, are in full swing across major cities in Asia, becoming a new engine to attract more visitors to the area.

According to data from Trip.com’s UGC platform Trip Moments, discussions on “going to music events” while travelling are trending in Hong Kong and South Korean sites, especially music fans from the Chinese mainland looking to flock to Hong Kong for concerts and performances in 2023.

Theme parks and water parks are also drawing traveller’s attention this summer – an upcoming new opening is the Making of Harry Potter in Tokyo, which will be the first Warner Bros. Studio Tour to open in Asia.

Vietjet launches direct flights to Jakarta

By TTG Asia

May 30, 2023

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Vietjet will launch its third direct service to Indonesia, linking Ho Chi Minh City with Jakarta from August 5.

The new service will operate return flights daily.

Vietjet will launch daily flights to Jakarta from August 5

The airline currently serves two routes from Vietnam to Indonesia – the thrice daily Ho Chi Minh City-Bali service and the daily Hanoi-Bali service.

The Wizarding World arrives at The Londoner Macao

By TTG Asia

May 30, 2023

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Harry Potter: The Exhibition will premiere at The Londoner Macao this December and will take visitors of all ages on a magical journey through the entire Wizarding World when it opens.

Celebrating some of the most iconic moments from the books and films of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, visitors can practice their Quidditch skills, brew a potion, pot a Mandrake, earn points for their Hogwarts house and more, all while learning behind-the-scenes filmmaking magic.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition will open at The Londoner Macao this December

Upon entry, everyone is given an exhibition RFID wristband to enhance their personalised experience, capturing their interactions as they explore each gallery, then delivering their experiences to their visitor profile.

Exhibition Gallery will comprise the Page to Screen Gallery, Hogwarts Castle Gallery, The Great Hall Gallery, Hogwarts Houses Gallery, Hogwarts Classrooms, Hagrid’s Hut, and The Forbidden Forest.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition merchandise will also be available onsite, featuring a range of products such as apparel, jewellery, and edible treats, as well as merchandise not available at any other Wizarding World experience.

For more information, visit Harry Potter: The Exhibition.

New helicopter tours at Bintan Resorts

By TTG Asia

May 30, 2023

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Bintan Resort has launched Fly Bintan, a new tourist attraction for visitors featuring helicopter rides around Lagoi and other areas of Bintan.

Flying on the five-seater Robinson 66, the helicopter offers passengers air-conditioned comfort on its three tours.

Fly Bintan features helicopter rides around Lagoi and other areas of Bintan

The Crystal Beach Tour is a 12-minute flight that costs 7,600,000 rupiah (US$507) per flight and flies over the Lagoi area of Bintan. The 30-minute Bintan Historical Tour soars over five historical sights and costs 17,500,000 rupiah, while the Paradise Island Tour brings visitors on a 60-minute tour to sights like Fish Head Island, Nikoi Island and Berakit Island, for 35,000,000 rupiah.

Fly Bintan operates daily during daylight hours only, and only eligible for passengers six years old and up.

For more information, visit Helicopter Tour in Bintan.

Malaysia Hotels urged to undergo upgrading

By S Puvaneswary

May 29, 2023

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Concerned about the poor maintenance and service standards of the hospitality industry, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia called on hotels to upgrade their assets, raise the assessment level of environmental cleanliness and sanitation, as well as to improve their service quality.

Its minister, Tiong King Siong, shared that from January to April, the ministry had received many more hotel-related complaints from tourists, as compared to only three complaints last year, all related to hotel service standards.

Tiong shared that the ministry had received many complaints from tourists regarding hotel service standards in 1Q2023

Complaints received included guests being disillusioned by advertising which do not reflect the reality of the premises, poor maintenance of the hotel properties, and poor services rendered by hotel staff.

Tiong said this in his speech to hoteliers prior to launching the inaugural Hospitality Leadership Conference organised by Malaysian Association of Hotels on May 25.

He shared that he will propose to prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the finance minister, to inject funds into commercial banks so that hoteliers can get low interest loans to carry out their hotel upgrades.

To address the issue of hoteliers being unable to secure loans, he has also urged commercial banks to relax their loan terms.

Tiong stressed that the ministry was taking all complaints related to the hospitality industry seriously and stated that the ministry will even go as far as to downgrade the hotel rating for hotels that fail to meet expectations.

Editor’s note: In the original post, the headline stated the upgrading was mandatory. This is not the case – hotels in Malaysia are highly recommended by the government to undergo upgrading. The headline has been corrected.

TAT to boost gastronomy tourism with culinary project during TTM+

By TTG Asia

May 29, 2023

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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched the Amazing Thailand Culinary City project to further develop and promote Thailand as a world-class gastronomy tourism destination.

Held alongside the Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) 2023 from May 31 to June 2 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, the project aims to offer innovations and experiences to spur development under a creative economy in line with the Thai government ’s BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) Economy Model.

The Amazing Thailand Culinary City project will be held alongside the Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) 2023

Conceptualised under the BCG Economy Model, the project will encompass the AGFEC components – Agriculture, Gastronomy, Food Safety, Experience, and Creative Entrepreneur.

“Activities are designed to stimulate a circular economy and underline the country’s vision for national development to achieve prosperity in terms of economic, social and environmental sustainability,” said Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, deputy governor, marketing communications, TAT.

Bringing together entrepreneurs in the food tourism sector to create business matching opportunities, the project will see the participation of 30 Gastronomy Tourism sellers, under the categories of City Dining Experience, Farm To Table, and Culinary Cooking Activity.

In addition, visitors will be able to try food from the various participating restaurants, and even try their hand at making Thai desserts and get a traditional Thai massage. There will also be an exhibition on Thai dishes such as Tom Yam Kung, Phat Thai and Green Curry, and lesser known ‘hidden dishes’ from across Thailand.

During the event, international food blogger Mark Wiens and Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn, chef of Bangkok restaurant Le Du, will lead a panel discussion on the topic of food to stimulate the tourism economy, readiness for gastronomy tourism expansion, and relating trends.

Under the project’s B2C strategy 4 Locations: 4 Styles, culinary events are scheduled to be held across Thailand’s four regions in May and June, including Chiang Mai (North) from May 19 to 21; Khon Kaen (North-east) from June 9 to 11; Phuket (South) from June 16 to 18; and Chanthaburi (East) from June 23 to 25.

Each of these four events will feature food entrepreneurs, other entrepreneurs and local operators from across the respective region, and will include workshops on preparing local snacks from the respective region, cooking shows, an exhibition on the potential and distinctiveness of Thai cuisine, and local food to enjoy.

Trip.com Group, Cambodia Angkor Air team up to build a smart airport

By TTG Asia

May 29, 2023

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Trip.com Group and Cambodia Angkor Air have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on May 24 to collaborate on the construction of a smart airport, develop tourism talent training programmes, and further promote Cambodia as a key global destination.

Cambodia Angkor Air will leverage on Trip.com Group’s global user network and leading product capacity to increase its global market reach, while Trip.com Group will improve Angkor International Airport’s digital and intelligent services, and help the airport become an essential smart airport in the region.

Both companies will work together to get the new Angkor International Airport in Cambodia ready for its opening in October

Both parties will further embark on marketing campaigns and cooperation in hotel development, travel visa services, and tourism talent training programmes in both countries.

Tekreth Samrach, minister attached to the prime minister, and chairman of Cambodia Angkor Air, said: “We hope to grasp the opportunity of global tourism revival, and closely work with Trip.com Group to carry out comprehensive cooperation, from constructing smart airports to enhancing our services for more travellers”.

“We’re excited to collaborate with Cambodia Angkor Air to support Cambodia in achieving its full global market potential and linking it with the international tourism industry,” shared Xing Xiong, COO of Trip.com Group.

The new Angkor International Airport in Cambodia will be put into operation later in October, with projected passenger numbers of seven million people per year, and expected to increase to 10 million people per year by 2030.

Batik Air adds Kuala Lumpur-Auckland services

By TTG Asia

May 29, 2023

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Jakarta,,Indonesia,-,October,6,,2020,:,A,Batik,Air — JAKARTA, INDONESIA - OCTOBER 6, 2020 : A Batik Air A320-200 arriving at Soekarno Hatta Intl Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Batik Air will launch six weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and Auckland, New Zealand from August 24.

Operating via Perth, Australia in both directions, the flights will depart Kuala Lumpur at 10.55 and arrive in Auckland at 04.55 the next morning, while return flights will depart Auckland at 07.00 and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 15.30.

Batik Air will fly six times a week between Kuala Lumpur and Auckland

Due to daylight saving time changes in Auckland from September 24, the flights will arrive and depart one hour later.

teamLab SuperNature Macao opens at The Venetian Macao

By TTG Asia

May 29, 2023

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teamLab SuperNature Macao, a permanent interactive art experience at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo, has officially opened on May 26, marking the launch of the landmark project presented by The Venetian Macao and Tokyo-based international art collective teamLab.

Located at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo, teamLab SuperNature Macao is an extremely complex, three-dimensional interactive space with varying elevations that spans over 5,000m² and is comprised of eight-metre-tall works by art collective teamLab.

Visitor can draw fish that come to life at Sketch Ocean (Photo: teamLab SuperNature Macao)

Visitors can change the nature of the works in real time, directly affecting artwork spaces through synergistic interaction that can never reoccur or be replicated – making no two visits the same.

From June 1, three new artwork spaces – Floating Flower Garden: Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One, and Massless Clouds Between Sculpture and Life – and En Tea House, will be opened to elevate the visitor experience.

In addition, the Light Sculpture series will reveal its major renewal, and Autonomous Abstraction, Continuous Phenomena from the Universe to the Self will replace the existing Life is the Light that Resonates in the Dark.

For more information, visit teamLab SuperNature Macao.

The Music Run returns to Singapore

By TTG Asia

May 29, 2023

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The Music Run will make a much-anticipated return to Singapore after five years, in collaboration with the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) Asian Open weekend on August 19 to 20.

Held at the Marina Bay area, The Music Run will feature its signature five-kilometre fun run as one of the events staged alongside the PTO Tour’s women’s and men’s race events.

Held at the Marina Bay area, The Music Run returns to Singapore after five years

Adding to the open-to-all five-kilometre fun run format will be a pumping soundtrack featuring everyone’s favourite hits to ensure that everyone has a place at the PTO Asian Open weekend.

With a strong following across Asia, The Music Run has previously staged events in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Taiwan, and most recently, Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur.

Registration for The Music Run will open officially on June 1.

For more information, visit The Music Run.

Global travellers looking for intra-regional summer getaways: Trip.com

Vietjet launches direct flights to Jakarta

The Wizarding World arrives at The Londoner Macao

New helicopter tours at Bintan Resorts

Malaysia Hotels urged to undergo upgrading

TAT to boost gastronomy tourism with culinary project during TTM+

Trip.com Group, Cambodia Angkor Air team up to build a smart airport

Batik Air adds Kuala Lumpur-Auckland services

teamLab SuperNature Macao opens at The Venetian Macao

The Music Run returns to Singapore

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