PHNOM PENH, 2 May 2024: AirAsia announced Wednesday the inception of its seventh airline, AirAsia Cambodia (flight code KT), marking a significant step forward in the country’s aviation landscape and strengthening aviation links in ASEAN. AirAsia Cambodia will start operations on Thursday, 2 May 2024, following its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) handover on Wednesday. It will first serve domestic destinations and then expand to fly various international routes during Q3 2024. From left to right: Vissoth Nam, CEO of AirAsia Cambodia; His Excellency Dr Mao Havannall, the Minister in Charge of ..read more

BANGKOK, 2 May 2024: IHG Hotels & Resorts expands its Hotel Indigo brand in Thailand through an agreement with international property developer Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited (MQDC). The 274-room Hotel Indigo The Forestias Bangkok will open in 2026 at The Forestias, a new integrated 64-hectare mixed-used development on the eastern fringe of Bangkok, a 15-minute drive from Suvarnabhumi Airport. The hotel will feature a café, lounge, and pool bar, a gym, a swimming pool, and over 6,500 sqm of meeting space for up to 400 people. Rendering photo – Hotel Indigo The Forestias B ..read more

BANGKOK, 2 May 2024: Vietjet targets 27 million passengers and a 25% dividend payout for 2024, fueled by USD701 million Q1/2024 air transport revenue, the management of Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company confirmed at the Annual General Shareholders Meeting 2024. In addition to approving the annual business plan for 2024, the shareholders’ meeting endorsed the airline’s objectives, such as sustaining its domestic market share lead and expanding its international flight network. Vietjet’s board of directors presents good news: A 25% dividend in 2024. Vietjet has also reported robust business r ..read more

SINGAPORE, 2 May 2024: Asia is home to the hottest travel destinations for travellers during the Labour Day week, with cities such as Tokyo, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Seoul and Taipei leading the pack in holiday momentum, according to Trip.com Group’s latest data. Labour Day travel for the global workforce can extend for a week or more surrounding the official 1 May holiday. It offers an opportunity for working families to unwind and enjoy an extended break spanning several days.  Alongside celebrations for the Chinese New Year and National Day Golden Week in October, China’s Labour Day holida ..read more

BANGKOK, 2 May 2024: Dusit Hotels & Resorts, the hotel arm of Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, will present new hotel properties and an innovative sustainability initiative during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, 6 to 9 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The much-anticipated 1 September reopening of its iconic flagship, Dusit Thani Bangkok, leads the ATM presentations, but the spotlight will also shine on the group’s first hotel in Saudi Arabia – Dusit Princess Al Majma’ah, Riyadh. Dusit International Chief Operating Officer G ..read more

KUCHING Sarawak, Malaysia, 2 May 2024: Sarawak is about to make pickleball history with the #BorneoPickleball International Tournament, Malaysia and Borneo’s largest pickleball competition with a prize pool of MYR20,000.  The tournament will be held in Kuching from 9 to 12 October, and approximately 500 players and 2,000 visitors from the region are expected to participate. Kuching Pickleball Association is the main Tournament organiser, while BESarawak is the Exclusive Strategic Advisor and provides in-kind support to the Association in creating a sustainable and gold-standard internati ..read more

KUCHING, 1 May 2024: The Pacific Asia Travel Association expands its Tourism Destination Resilience (TDR) Programme with Sarawak, Malaysia, hosting the four-day training sessions in Sarawak, Malaysia, from 20 to 25 May.  The TDR Programme, launched in 2021, assists destinations in the region to recover from the Covid-19 crisis and proactively prepare for future challenges.  “Tourism holds immense significance for Malaysia, particularly for culturally and environmentally diverse destinations like Sarawak. Adherence to sustainable tourism practices is no longer enough to safeguard thi ..read more

SINGAPORE, 1 May 2024: Singapore Changi Airport registered 16.5 million passenger movements from January to March 2024, surpassing what was registered for the first quarter of 2019 (Q1 2019) by 0.5%.  The airport handled 5.43 million, 5.35 million and 5.73 million passenger movements in January, February and March 2024, respectively. These were 96%, 104.3% and 101.7% compared with the same month in 2019. First quarter passenger traffic exceeds pre-Covid levels. China resumes pole position among Changi’s key country markets. For Q1, aircraft movements totalled 89,400 (94% of the movements ..read more

KUALA LUMPUR, 1 May 2024: AirAsia announced another historic milestone in its expansion journey to India, launching two new routes to the famed cities of Kozhikode and Guwahati.  This marks the airline’s 14th and 15th routes to the country, adding to its rapidly growing network in West Asia. The new flight services are set to take off on 1 August 2024 with a thrice-weekly frequency.   Kozhikode and Guwahati, each with their own unique charm, are waiting to be explored. From the bustling spice markets and exquisite Malabar cuisine of Kozhikode to the breathtaking Brahmaputra Riv ..read more

KUALA LUMPUR, 1 May 2024: Preliminary March 2024 traffic figures released Tuesday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed the continuation of robust growth in both international air passenger and air cargo demand, which is in line with a steady expansion in global economic activity. The region’s carriers carried 28.2 million international passengers in March, a 37.5% increase from the 20.5 million recorded in the same month last year. Traffic averaged 86.8% of 2019 volumes. As measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), demand rose by 38.6% year-on-year, with available se ..read more