Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents (HATA) returned to an in-person AGM this week, with several past chairmen joining in as a show of support for the industry.
Hong Kong travel agents relished the opportunity to meet in person on May 29 (photo by Prudence Lui)
Notable industry leaders present included (from left) Jason Shum, Paul Leung, Richard Willis, Edmund Tsang, Alan Wong, Freddy Pong, Lily Agonoy, Andy Lau (current chairman) and Ronald Wu.
The association also took the chance to announce the resumption of its annual convention this year, with the gathering set for Bangkok, Thailand this November. The last time HATA members gathered for an overseas convention was three years ago.
This year’s theme for Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) is Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters. Can you explain the objective behind it? We wanted to invite friends from around the world to our wonderful country and to write their own impressive chapters, which they can then share with their friends and family.
Focusing on experience-based tourism, we wish to deliver fresh travel experiences and aim to create a meaningful travel experience for travellers, as well as to benefit the local communities and the environment.
How will this theme be executed throughout the programme at TTM+? Can you share more about the planned showcases? Throughout the three days at TTM+ 2023, the ‘Amazing New Chapters’ experience will be portrayed through the many showcases – such as the Araksa Tea Garden, an organic tea garden in Chiang Mai; the Ruk-Khon, a group of shadow puppet-making artists in Nakhon Si Thammarat; the Luk Wa Group, a group of young volunteers promoting the unique handicrafts of Phetchaburi; and the Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, a centre of alternative medicine and herbal medicine treatment.
Other activities include an exhibition and tasting session of seasonal fruits from the Eastern region, as well as an organic coffee brewing demonstration, where the drink will be served and paired with Thai desserts.
How will the specially-curated tours complement the showcases to enrich the delegate experience? In addition to the showcases at the event, we also have pre- and post-tours for buyers and the media to get first-hand experiences of Thailand’s many new chapters.
The pre-tours feature customised routes that highlight Bangkok’s responsible and sustainable tourism. The ‘New Chapter of Bangkok Food Tour’ features a food walk in the Bang Rak area and a Michelin bus food tour.
The ‘Scootdy Tour in Bangkok Multi- cultural community’ involves a scooter ride to the charming Kudichin community, while the ‘Bangkok and Beyond Tour’ takes participants on an eco-friendly electric boat and trishaw ride to nearby Nonthaburi province.
The post-tours for buyers and media are designed to showcase meaningful travel experiences in various aspects, such as gastronomy, the local way of life, and local wisdom across all five regions of Thailand.
What are some of the event highlights at the TTM+ 2023? Are these also new to the trade show? Apart from the trade session, event highlights at the TTM+ 2023 include the Thailand product updates, which will inform buyers, sellers, and media on the latest situation and newest tourism products and services.
The TTM Talk will focus on the Future of Thai Tourism, and the GMS Media Briefing, where Greater Mekong Subregion countries will provide updates on their tourism situation and trends.
New to the trade show is the Amazing Thailand Culinary City, a trade and consumer event. This will expand the prospect of gastronomy tourism in Thailand to the international level and become an on-site B2B stage between buyers and 30 Thai entrepreneurs offering culinary experiences ranging from a food tour, dinner cruise to Thai cooking class. The event will also feature a panel discussion along with a showcase and tasting session of Thai food.
How will TTM+ uphold TAT’s sustainability commitment? At TTM+2023, TAT’s efforts on sustainability are portrayed through our criteria for selecting the sellers.
Qualified sellers must have sustainability projects and campaigns, such as CSR projects about the environment, reducing the use of electricity, conserving water, supporting the local communities, or providing guests with insights into the history, culture, or background of the community.
In addition, there is also the Sustainable Tourism Goals (STGs) standard exhibition at the Thailand Pavilion to promote our effort to actively implement the STGs in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. This drive will be a national drive that will encompass the entire Thai tourism industry.
Keen to find out more about Thailand’s leading annual travel trade event? For more information on the TTM+ 2023, visit here.
For the latest news and updates in Thai tourism industry, visit here.
General Hotel Management has named Hani Akkari as the new general manager of The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort in Doha, Qatar.
Having amassed over 17 years of experience in some of the world’s most renowned luxury hotels, Akkari will oversee the hotel’s day-to-day operations and lead its commercial and strategic initiatives in his new role.
He was previously the general manager of Fairmont Doha in Katara Towers, where he led the team for the hotel’s opening which went on to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Scott Schaefer has been appointed as general manager of Holiday Inn Dandenong and will lead the team for the launch of the hotel.
He has 15 years of experience in management roles within IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Australasian properties, and most recently supported three Holiday Inn hotels and the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort.
In its efforts to regulate short-term rental accommodation (STRA), Penang in Malaysia has banned all forms of short-term rental at residential units on the island effective May 26, with the exception of mainland Penang.
Penang Island City Council’s mayor, Rajendran Anthony, said the ban covered all private residential properties, online news portal FMT reported on Thursday.
Michiel: the move will directly help to restore the hospitality and tourism industry in Penang
However, the ruling excludes six types of commercial categories – serviced apartments, small office home offices, small office flexible offices, small office virtual offices, office suites and duplex offices.
Those intending to offer STRA in these commercial categories must get the approval from at least 75 per cent of the residents at an annual general meeting, in addition to obtaining the approval of their respective joint management bodies, or management corporations.
STRAs will have to pay an annual fee ranging from 250 ringgit (US$54) to 500 ringgit per unit to joint management bodies or management corporations, and must be registered with the Penang City Council and the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
Each STRA unit is only allowed to be rented out for a maximum of 180 days a year with a limit of three times a week.
Sri Ganesh Michiel, national president, Malaysia Budget & Business Hotel Association, said he was fully supportive of the efforts of the Penang State Government to introduce a regulation to regulate STRA and that the move would directly help to restore the hospitality and tourism industry in Penang, as well as increase the government’s taxable income.
He said: “The Penang State Government has become the first state Government to take a firm initiative in ensuring that the STRA business is regulated and this action has given a positive impression to the operators of the hospitality industry.”
He also urged all state governments to take the same initiative in regulating STRA in their respective states.
Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines will enter into a joint venture to deepen their cooperation in increasing passenger capacity between Singapore and Indonesia.
Expanding on the Memorandum of Understanding that the two airlines signed in November 2021, and subject to regulatory approvals, the proposed joint venture will cover routes between Singapore and Denpasar, Jakarta, and Surabaya.
The joint venture will help strengthen tourist flows between Indonesia and Singapore
In addition, both carriers will explore the implementation of new initiatives, including joint fare products and an alignment of corporate programmes to enhance the value proposition to customers.
Irfan Setiaputra, president and CEO, Garuda Indonesia, commented: “This joint venture agreement, as a further milestone of the partnership expansion initiative, will certainly strengthen the commitment between the two carriers simultaneously, delivering a seamless and valuable flying experience to both our customers across the globe.”
He added that the collaboration will also help strengthen tourist flows between Indonesia and Singapore, making it easier for international tourists to explore South-east Asia.
Singapore Airlines’ CEO, Goh Choon Phong, said: “(This joint venture) reflects our firm commitment to grow the aviation markets in Indonesia and Singapore, facilitating a greater level of business and people connections and promoting both countries as regional tourism destinations. Our customers will also enjoy even more benefits, including an improved level of network connectivity, enhanced travel convenience, and additional fare options.”
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.
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.
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.
He was previously the general manager of Fairmont Doha in Katara Towers, where he led the team for the hotel’s opening which went on to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
He has 15 years of experience in management roles within IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Australasian properties, and most recently supported three Holiday Inn hotels and the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort.
