World’s first fully vaccinated flight takes off from Qatar
Qatar Airways operated the world’s first fully Covid-19 vaccinated flight on Tuesday (April 6), carrying only vaccinated crew and passengers on board, with passengers also serviced by fully vaccinated staff at check-in.
QR6421 departed Hamad International Airport at 11.00 local time, and returned to Doha at 14.00.
The special service implemented a raft of safety and hygiene measures, including the world’s first “Zero-Touch” in-flight entertainment, enabling passengers to access movies and shows on their personal devices.
Operated by the airline’s sustainable aircraft, Airbus A350-1000, the flight was fully carbon offset, in line with the carrier’s environmental responsibilities.
Qatar Airways Group CEO, Akbar Al Baker, said in a press release: “(This) special flight demonstrates the next stage in the recovery of international travel is not far away. We are thankful for the support we have received from our government and local health authorities to vaccinate our staff, with over 1,000 vaccinations being administered per day.”
Earlier this year, Qatar Airways became the first global airline to achieve the Skytrax 5-Star Covid-19 Airline Safety Rating. This came on the back of its hub, Hamad International Airport, becoming the first and only airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a Skytrax 5-Star Covid-19 Airport Safety Rating.
The airline was also the first in the Middle East to trial the IATA Travel Pass Digital Passport mobile app. IATA Travel Pass provides travellers with information on Covid-19 health regulations at their destination country, and allows them to share their Covid-19 test results with airlines to verify their eligibility for travel, while complying with global data privacy regulations.
Singapore to roll out fresh tourism picks this year and next
At least three new tourism products will hit the market this year and the next, as Singapore continues to push out fresh attractions in preparation for international travel recovery.
Among those scheduled to launch this year is the Museum of Ice Cream, a popular US-based attraction that will have its first international outpost here in Singapore, revealed Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) chief executive Keith Tan on April 7 at the Tourism Industry Conference.
Imaginative, multi-sensory installations are expected at the Museum of Ice Cream Singapore. While the attraction will only open in 2H2021, registration for early ticket access is now open.
A new thrill ride – Slingshot – will also debut later this year at Clarke Quay. This is said to be the tallest ride of its kind in Asia, with the capability to catapult riders almost 70m into the air at high speed.
Come 2022, Sentosa will welcome the SkyHelix, Singapore’s first open-air panoramic attraction to offer scenic views of the resort island and Southern Waterfront.
Singapore’s accommodation inventory will also continue to expand this year, with four upcoming openings – the 169-unit Citadines Connect City Centre Singapore, the 168-unit Orchard Hills Residences Singapore MGallery, the 240-key lyf Farrer Park Singapore, and the lyf One-North.
These join the ongoing expansion work at Singapore’s two integrated resorts, noted Tan.
Tan said these new products are “meant to help us get ready for recovery” and emphasised that Singapore is not in “hibernation mode”.
In addition to new draws, work is also underway to update existing attractions and tourism precincts. A new event space is set to emerge on the Orchard Road shopping belt in 2022, and a tender will soon be launched by STB, the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Singapore Land Authority for a new attraction concept at a vacant site in the same prime district.
While Tan said STB does not get to choose the type of attractions that are keen to open in Singapore, the organisation does take into consideration the bid attraction’s ability to strengthen the overall attractiveness of Singapore, complement the existing suite of attractions, and introduce a new angle to the destination.
To further strengthen the lifestyle appeal of the Orchard Road district, STB is working with the Orchard Road Business Association to scale up the programming of the annual Christmas on a Great Street and Orchard Road Black Friday events later this year.
Tan described these projects as “a welcome breath of fresh air among the Covid-19 negativity in the past year”.
Thailand takes steps to fully reopen to international tourists
Following Thailand’s move to reduce the mandatory quarantine period for foreign travellers since April 1, things in the kingdom are moving along, including the first batch of visitors availing themselves of the shorter quarantine scheme, vaccinations for tourism industry workers, and the government’s approval of a roadmap for reopening.
Shorter quarantines
On Saturday (April 3), the first flight of 130 travellers eligible for the shorter quarantine period of seven days (from 14 days) arrived at Phuket International Airport, via a Thai Airways direct flight from Frankfurt, Germany. Thirteen Germans and three Thais got off the plane in Phuket, while the rest of the travellers flew to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok and entered the state quarantine process.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), shorter quarantines for 11 groups of people currently permitted to enter Thailand were approved by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on the evening of March 31, and details published in a Royal Gazette.
A seven-day quarantine has also been approved for travellers from non-high-risk countries, defined as those free of Covid-19 variants or mutations, who have been fully inoculated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or authorised by the Thai Public Health Ministry, at least 14 days prior to departure.
A 10-day quarantine period has been instigated for travellers who do not carry a vaccination certificate but hail from countries free of Covid-19 mutations, while all travellers from 11 countries with SAR-CoV-2 virus mutations and variants as announced by the Ministry of Public Health must still undergo the 14-day quarantine period.
Thailand has approved seven vaccines including Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna.
The actual length of the traveller’s stay at the quarantine hotel is dependent on their landing time in Bangkok, with those who arrive after 18.00 local time being subject to eight, 10 and 15 night stays, respectively.
A supporting website called Entry Thailand which helps travellers assess which quarantine period they are eligible for, and which can be used to browse quarantine stays available throughout Thailand, has been created by the Thai government.
Quarantine hotels have hustled to release shorter quarantine packages in the wake of the approval, including Movenpick BDMS, Thailand’s first alternative state quarantine (ASQ) hotel, which has already rolled out new seven and 10 day quarantine packages.
Vaccinations underway
In July, Phuket is expected to be the first province to waive the quarantine requirement for foreign visitors who have been vaccinated.
One of the criteria for the planned reopening is inoculation of a minimum 70 per cent of the island’s population, or 460,000 individuals, to create herd immunity. Phumkit Raktaengam, president of the Phuket Tourist Association, estimates that 920,000 to 930,000 doses would be needed to achieve this goal.
The province intends to vaccinate up to 100,000 people by the end of April. Increased doses were allocated to Phuket, up from 16,000 doses, for the July 1 reopening plan.
Already, the province has kicked off its vaccination drive. As of April 4, some 20,000 hotel workers have been vaccinated through mass vaccinations at five different centres across the island.
The relaunch will target tourists from 28 countries, with 150,000 tourists expected to arrive between the period of July and September, for an estimated income of 30 billion baht (US$955 million).
Reopening in stages
The TAT also announced that the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA), chaired by prime minister general Prayut Chan-o-cha, has approved its three-stage roadmap to reopen six major tourist provinces to vaccinated foreign tourists.
Stage one, from April to June, includes vaccinated foreign tourists being allowed to undergo shorter quarantines.
During stage two, from July to September, the Phuket Sandbox programme will make Phuket the first province to waive quarantine requirements for vaccinated foreign tourists. They will be limited to travel activities within designated areas in Phuket for seven days, before being allowed to travel elsewhere in Thailand.
In stage three, from October to December, five other major tourist destinations – Krabi, Phang Nga, Surat Thani (Koh Samui), Chonburi (Pattaya) and Chiang Mai – will join Phuket in lifting quarantine requirements for vaccinated foreign tourists.
The Thai government has also hinted at the possibility of a fourth stage to be implemented starting January 1, 2022, whereby any foreign tourist who has been vaccinated against Covid-19 and holds a vaccine passport will be able to enter Thailand without having to serve quarantine.
STB introduces Tcube platform to accelerate digital transformation
The Singapore Tourism Board has unveiled Tcube, an innovative space at Tourism Court that aims to help tourism stakeholders better their digital capabilities to reimagine visitor experiences and achieve sustainable operations.
On the reason for launching Tcube, or the Tourism Technology Transformation Cube, Ong Huey Hong, executive director industry technology transformation, shared: “We want to grow tourism companies into transformative leaders to compete better. We want to cultivate a community of innovators to chart new courses. And we want to facilitate partnerships between like-minded stakeholders to spur innovation through pilots and experimentation.”
Support will be provided through a three-step framework: learn, test, and build.
The Learn phase will be facilitated by STB’s Tourism Transformation Index, a self-assessment tool with recommendations on relevant programmes to support digital transformation. Stakeholders will be able to gain insights into cross industry trends and applications through leadership conferences and case studies to help them develop new capabilities and implement digital practices for their businesses.
After learning, the Test phase will be facilitated by STB’s Singapore Tourism Accelerator programme, launched in 2019 to help tourism businesses source for innovative solutions to address business challenges. There, stakeholders will be able to bring their ideas to life through experimentation.
There will also be programmes with consultancy services for high-level digital transformation roadmaps, as well as design-thinking workshops to prototype user-centric solutions. Additionally, tourism stakeholders will have the opportunity to engage in innovative projects such as running proof-of-concepts and pilots. These initiatives will help businesses to de-risk while testing new concepts and ideas.
From there, stakeholders will be guided to the final step. The Build phase will be supported by a suite of smart services, including the Tourism Information and Services Hub – a resource platform allowing tourism businesses globally to connect, access and share Singapore tourism information – and the Singapore Tourism Analytics Network which provides actionable insights on visitor data. Tourism stakeholders will also have access to a library of ready-to-use 3D assets, as well as AR standards.
Wong Ming Fai, STB’s chief technology officer, said: “Technology and transformation are no longer nice to have, but imperative to survive and thrive now, and also, in the new post-Covid environment. With Tcube, we brought together existing resources to make it easier for (tourism stakeholders) to access (them), (as well as) provide a physical space for people to meet, be inspired, and to collaborate.”
Sri Lanka eases quarantine rules for vaccinated tourists
Sri Lanka is relaxing quarantine rules for inoculated tourists arriving into the country, in a move which tourism operators hope will provide a much-needed boost to the industry.
Since the reopening of the international airport on January 21, 2021 after a 10-month pandemic closure, some 9,630 tourists have visited Sri Lanka in that period ending March. Industry officials estimate there should be at least 160,000 visitors a month for hotels to break even.
According to Sri Lanka Tourism chairperson Kirmali Fernando, tourists who have received both doses of the vaccine two weeks before arriving in the country, will be required to take a PCR test on arrival, and another on the seventh day. Following after, they will be allowed to travel freely across the country. Officials say discussions are underway to allow vaccinated tourists to undergo just one PCR test during their stay.
For non-vaccinated tourists, a PCR test is required on arrival, and another on the seventh day of their stay. Guests must also be confined to one hotel for the first 14 days of their stay, if they are not departing before that.
Health officials say the daily number of Covid-19 cases are decreasing in Sri Lanka. As of Tuesday (April 6), 93,595 cases have been reported, with 581 deaths.
On Monday, all schools across the country reopened; while shops, offices, restaurants and hotels resumed operations, with capacity limits for public functions in hotels.
“With Covid-19 cases coming down, hopefully, quarantine regulations will be further relaxed. There is an expectation that lockdowns in Europe will also be lifted and we are hopeful of more arrivals after July,” said Hiran Cooray, chairman of the Jetwing Symphony group of hotels.
In the absence of foreign tourists, hotels have been dependent on local travellers who have been filling rooms during weekends, lured largely by the attractive discounts of between 60-70 per cent.
Cooray said that locals frequenting hotels during weekends have helped keep hotels afloat in terms of paying staff salaries and other amenities. Hotels are also gearing up for a staycation boom this upcoming weekend due to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays.
Tourist Hotels Association president Sanath Ukwatte is also hopeful that European tourists will return in substantial numbers by July. “One of our concerns is that Indians (Sri Lanka’s largest source market) are still not travelling to Sri Lanka (while they are going to the Maldives),” he said.
Visitors from Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Germany, the UK and China formed the bulk of foreign arrivals in Sri Lanka up to March 2021.
Cebu Pacific deploys strategies to future-proof business
While the Covid-19 pandemic has posed the greatest challenge to the world’s airlines, Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) has taken steps to beef up its balance sheet and restore the airline back to post-pandemic health.
In March, the airline signed a 16 billion pesos (US$330.6 million) 10-year term loan facility with a syndicate of Philippine domestic banks. The money will be used to strengthen CEB’s balance sheet, and provide the airline with the “long runway” it needs for gradual recovery, its vice president for marketing & customer experience, Candice Iyog, told TTG Asia.
On top of this, CEB is also in the midst of “executing a business transformation plan, that involves acceleration of various digital solutions” to ensure the airline can emerge from Covid-19 in a stronger position, shared lyog.
Plans include rightsizing the network to capitalise on domestic-driven recovery, as well as optimising its fleet through the use of NEO aircraft which have better fuel efficiency and range capability. The airline’s cargo operations also continue to grow, and existing aircraft will be utilised to respond to the increased demand.
When asked if fares will rise once travel returns, owing to capacity limits to allow for social distancing, lyog said: “Our low fares are here to stay. We still hold seat sales regularly during this period, as we believe leisure trips are something we can all look forward to once the situation improves.”
The airline has also permanently removed change fees, giving passengers the “much-needed flexibility” during this time due to the “fluidity of the situation”, added Iyog. Aside from unlimited rebookings, CEB also offers a travel fund option with a two-year validity, should passengers prefer to have a further date out.
In January, CEB joined a growing list of airlines worldwide to push out Covid-19 insurance for its passengers across all its flights. For 270 pesos, CEB Travelsure provides coverage for hospitalisation and medical expenses up to US$20,600 for passengers who test positive for Covid-19.
Additionally, Iyog pointed out that as Philippines’ largest carrier, CEB’s role is “critical in ensuring the recovery of the industry”.
The airline is working with the Department of Tourism to boost local tourism with the Juan Love campaign, which spotlights scenic spots, thrilling activities and native delicacies, alongside local businesses. As well, CEB is coordinating with the government to transport vaccines, provide passenger flights for stranded individuals, and offer humanitarian aid.
But Iyog, along with CEB’s president and CEO Lance Gokongwei, strongly believes that the Covid-19 vaccine passport is “an absolute necessity” to rebuild traveller confidence post-pandemic.
Iyog concluded: “The number one priority for governments around the world is to vaccinate as many of their population as possible, and work together to create a single vaccine passport, that is recognised in every country.”
Thailand seeks travel bubble with Singapore
Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports is exploring plans to open up a travel bubble with Singapore.
Tourism and sports minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn was quoted by a Nation Thailand report as saying that the discussions would take place within this week with the Embassy of Singapore.
“We have acknowledged that Singapore has previously run the travel bubble with Australia and New Zealand. If Singapore agrees to run the scheme with Thailand as well, we would probably be able to receive tourists from Australia and New Zealand, in addition to Singaporeans,” the minister said. The travel bubble is expected to kick off on October 1.
Phiphat added that plans were also underway to establish travel bubbles with other low-risk South-east Asian countries, such as Vietnam and Laos. In addition, he also said that his ministry is looking at courting back Chinese tourists, once China lifts travel restrictions on outbound travel.
Singapore moves tourism recovery and reinvention forward with more initiatives
Singapore’s tourism industry will receive further training and business development funding, as well as digital transformation support from the government, as it continues on its road to recovery.
The Tourism Development Fund (TDF) will get a S$68.5 million (US$51.1 million) injection and extended support levels for the Business Improvement Fund and the Training Industry Professionals in Tourism grant until end-March 2022. The total value of TDF is now at S$848.5 million.
In addition, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will kick off next week the second season of the SG Stories Content Fund to encourage tourism firms, content creators and individuals to craft authentic Singapore stories to inspire tourist visitation.
Further, in line with Singapore’s push for digital transformation among local businesses, STB will launch the Tourism Technology Transformation Cube – known as Tcube – this afternoon. Tcube is said to be a go-to resource for tourism businesses desiring a digital transformation, where they will get to meet like-minded tourism stakeholders to facilitate knowledge exchange, test innovative ideas through proofs-of-concept and pilots, and access tools to build and scale sustainable business models.
These initiatives were revealed at this morning’s Tourism Industry Conference, an event held once every two years to bring the local travel and tourism community together to review past achievements and deliberate on the way forward.
In his welcome address, Singapore minister for trade and industry, Chan Chun Sing, noted that the country’s tourism sector was “still in the thick” of its gravest challenge since the 2003 SARS pandemic, and that “recovery remains uncertain”.
“In the near term, there will still be headwinds. But we remain committed to supporting our tourism sector, to help businesses and workers build new capabilities, and break new ground,” said Chan.
He added that the challenge for Singapore’s tourism sector lies not in recovery this year or the next, but in how it will prepare for long-term success and reinvent global travel.
“We are not waiting for a full reopening. Singapore is prepared to disrupt the status quo, transform our products and services, and harness our capabilities to capture the next lap of growth ahead,” he remarked.
Taking stock of how Singapore’s tourism businesses have redefined tourism during the global travel disruption, STB chief executive Keith Tan said Singapore has been successful in establishing travel lanes and resuming some high-profile public and business events such as the ONE Championship events in 2020 and recent Geo Connect Asia 2021. He also commended tourism stakeholders for being proactive in pivoting quickly to new ways of securing revenue, such as through the domestic tourism market.
“This period may well be one of the most fertile periods in the Singapore tourism sector, with new products, experiences and bundled packages being launched weekly,” Tan said.
Moving forward, Tan bid tourism players to maintain their creativity while building up resilience and preparedness for inevitable future crises.
One of the ways to be ready for the future is through digital transformation, said Tan, who went on to explain that Tcube will support tourism businesses through a three-step Learn-Test-Build approach.
The Learn phase will be facilitated by STB’s Tourism Transformation Index, a self-assessment tool that will lead to recommendations on relevant programmes to support digital transformation.
The Test phase is facilitated by STB’s Singapore Tourism Accelerator programme, launched in 2019 to help tourism businesses source for innovative solutions to address business challenges. The Singapore Tourism Accelerator programme may be extended until September 2023.
The Build phase is supported by a suite of smart services, including the Tourism Information and Services Hub, and Singapore Tourism Analytics Network.
Tourism stakeholders can also expect continued support in their move towards Augmented Reality content, through STB’s efforts to build up a library of free 3D assets over the next three to four years.
Mapping out even more support from STB, Tan revealed that the organisation is working with the National Trades Union Congress to draw up a Tourism Sector Capability Development Roadmap; establishing more partnerships with overseas entities to maintain Singapore as a top-of-mind destination among international travellers; and extending the Marketing Partnership Programme to support domestic and international marketing efforts.
Pandemic accelerates technology adoption in end-destination industry
The Covid-19 pandemic brought with it massive job and revenue losses for the tourism industry, but it has also helped to accelerate the adoption of technology in touring businesses.
Arival’s CEO, Douglas Quinby, shared during a session titled What’s Next in Experiences: The Outlook for Tours, Activities & Attractions at ITB Berlin NOW: “In 2019, tourism activity was a small percentage of business booked online, as opposed to other portions such as flights and hotels. In comparison, it’s well over 50 per cent for flights, but this industry is catching up.”
The end-destination industry – tours, activities, attractions, events, and experiences – is a US$254 billion dollar industry, and the third largest in travel and tourism. This industry was profoundly affected in 2020, and represented only a quarter of total sales in 2019.
“This acceleration from offline to online has never been seen before. There was a large attraction in Europe which in 2019, only had an online share of one per cent (one in a 100 tickets were booked online). But in 2020, with the imposition of government restrictions, it had to switch to 100 per cent online bookings,” said Lukas C C Hempel, founder and CEO of Bookingkit.
“What couldn’t be changed in 10 years, changed in 10 weeks,” he remarked.
This shift in technology has also benefited consumers. Quinby elaborated: “Travellers now want to make sure the tour is running or the attraction is open (as we are still in the midst of the pandemic) before booking, and that health and safety measures are being followed.”
Indoor attractions had to shift their model from an open ticket to a timed entry, and implement capacity limits. These days, most indoor attractions possess an advanced booking model where there’s a time entry and limit, to manage visitor numbers and keep to social distancing requirements.
Dominique Sidley, global trade strategy director at Merlin Entertainments, revealed: “Some of our attractions like the London Eye were already challenged by capacity. So we had to offer ticketed times, where the model was extended to our major cities. We don’t insist on the time ticketing for our outdoor attractions like theme parks as the capacity is broader.”
“We also used the lockdown to accelerate our digital integration programme. So most of our regions now are pretty much voucher-free.”
Aside from the acceleration of adopting technology for online bookings, Quinby predicted that self-guided tours via a mobile app will gain more ground in the future. While this is not a new phenomenon, as startups and platforms with city discovery apps have been around for the past decade, it will be in line with the increased demand for small groups or self-guided travel.
On the point of small groups, Brad Weber, president & CEO at Gray Line Worldwide, added: “There’s been a lot of interest in private groups, and we’ve partnered with a lot of our local attractions, as well as restaurants to offer options such as private dining experiences. We’ve got a lot of such product development initiatives (in this regard) that are underway.”
Capella Hanoi, Vietnam
Capella Hanoi has opened its doors in the heart of Vietnam’s vibrant capital city. Nestled in the Old Quarter, just steps from the iconic Hanoi Opera House, the Bill Bensley-designed hotel features 47 themed rooms and suites, ranging from 35m2 to 194m2. Crowning the hotel, four Opera Suites open out onto alfresco terraces overlooking the tree-lined avenues below. The hotel’s signature restaurant, Backstage, offers vegan dishes and northern Vietnamese-inspired specialties. Diva’s Lounge, meanwhile, serves up bohemian cocktails and Opera Punches, accompanied by Diva’s Bar bites. Guests can unwind at Auriga Spa featuring couples’ treatment suites, saunas, steam baths, a fitness centre and La Grotta, an indoor pool that resembles a haven for opera singers to rest their voices.
Quincy Hotel Melbourne, Australia
TFE Hotels has unveiled Australia’s inaugural Quincy-branded property, with the opening of Quincy Hotel Melbourne on Flinders Lane. The 241-room property – complete with lively laneways and rooftop bars – boasts spatial design, playful interiors, tactile artwork, and a focus on ‘out-of-the-ordinary’ foodie adventures. Think hawker-inspired grazing at SingSong eatery, flowing through the Lobby to outdoor laneway dining; rooftop bites and cocktails at The Q on Level 28 (shared by a lap pool); and Salted Egg, a satellite restaurant, complete with a bespoke bar and communal areas.
Wink Hotel Saigon Centre, Vietnam
Wink Hotels, Vietnam’s new hospitality brand, has debuted its first hotel and flagship Wink Hotel Saigon Centre. The property is the first in a pipeline of 20 hotels to be opened in Vietnam within the next five years. Centrally located in Ho Chi Minh City’s vibrant Da Kao ward within District One, the hotel features 237 rooms. Wink Hotels brings Vietnamese street food culture to the comfort of a hotel environment with signature Wink Carts for easy, quick breakfasts and lunches; while the team of Wink Guides give guests the best intel on the neighbourhood and the city.
Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street, Australia
Situated on the corner of Little Queen Street and Bourke Street, the 244-room Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street is owned by M&L Hospitality and managed by Hilton. Luci restaurant, accessible via the hotel’s Bourke Street entrance, serves contemporary Australian cuisine. The restaurant is accompanied by The Douglas Club, a lounge bar offering cocktails, cognacs, a wine and champagne selection, and snacks. Other amenities include a 24-hour gym, as well as seven meeting and event spaces, ranging from 24m2 to 143m2. A large open-air balcony on level five offers city skyline views and a large wall mural by Kitt Bennett.