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Tag: Holiday

  • Vietnam aviation faces safety rating challenge

    Vietnam aviation faces safety rating challenge

    Vietnam might find it difficult to maintain its aviation safety rating due to a lack of qualified personnel, experts caution. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Friday gave Vietnam a Category 1 safety rating, allowing local airlines to operate direct flights to the U.S. “Acquiring this rating is hard, keeping it is going to be even harder,” Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) said.

    He said that the CAAV currently has only 30 aviation safety officers, meeting only 30 percent of the demand. They hire the rest from other airlines.

    The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has required that the CAAV has enough aviation safety officers on its own in upcoming years so that it doesn’t need to hire people from outside, and CAAV plans to meet this goal by 2025.

    However, training these officers is costly, with an individual bill costing over VND5 billion ($216,000).

    One of the biggest hiring difficulties is that aviation safety officers are attracted by the higher salaries offered by airlines compared to state-owned companies, Thang said.

    An aviation safety officer at CAAV earns only VND10 million ($432) a month, while local airlines pay them about VND300 million ($12,960).

    “The government gives us VND20-30 billion ($864,000-1.29 million) each year to hire aviation safety officers and VND10 billion ($432,000) to train new ones, but we really need more investment from the government to develop this team,” he noted.

    Another challenge is meeting FAA safety requirements as they conduct unannounced safety examinations. If Vietnam doesn’t meet these requirements, FAA will downgrade the rating to Category 2, meaning no direct flight to the U.S. is allowed.

    This has happened before in Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and most recently India, he said.

    Local airlines, including state-owned Vietnam Airlines, budget airline Vietjet and new private airline Bamboo Airways, have previously expressed interest in operating direct flights to the U.S.

    Vietnam’s aviation industry has been growing rapidly in recent years. There were 12.5 million air passengers last year, up 14.4 percent from 2017.

    The number of flights in the country grew by 16 percent on average between 2010 and 2017, according to official data.

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  • Smaller duty-free alcohol allowance and GST relief for overseas shopping

    Smaller duty-free alcohol allowance and GST relief for overseas shopping

    From midnight tonight, Singapore duty-free allowances will be cut by about a third for returning travellers. Other allowances have also been reduced. Travellers staying outside of Singapore for fewer than 48 hours will be liable for 7 per cent GST on items bought overseas worth more than SG$100 – down from the previous threshold of $150. For travellers outside the country for a period longer than 48 hours, the $600 threshold will similarly be lowered, to $500.

    The changes were announced yesterday by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat as part of the nation’s new Budget. From April 1, the alcohol concession will also be lowered from three litres of wine or beer to two litres. The spirits cap remains at one litre.

    According to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and Singapore Customs, the cuts to Singapore duty-free allowances are designed to support the city state’s existing tax intake in the face of increasing international travel.

    Returning travellers are required to declare taxable items on arrival, and have been advised to keep purchase receipts to assist in calculating any taxes due. Advance declaration and payment is available via the Customs @ SG mobile app or web portal. Failure to declare or a false declaration can incur a fine of $10,000 as well as up to a year in prison.

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  • Hotels in rural Vietnam struggle to recruit staff

    Hotels in rural Vietnam struggle to recruit staff

    Vietnam’s Con Dao Islands businesses are unable to hire staff despite flourishing tourism, with people preferring to work on the mainland. Almost a week after Tet, Vietnam’s longest holiday of the year, resorts and hotels in Con Dao, a 16-island archipelago off the country’s southern coast, are looking to hire hundreds of employees for various positions including managers, waitresses and tour guides.

    The Poulo Condor Resort on the island is looking for 33 new employees for 14 positions, while the Saigon Con Dao Resort and the Six Senses Con Dao Resort are looking for seven new staff each.

    Phuong Ly, head of recruitment at Saigon Con Dao Resort, said that more resorts and hotels are being built on the island but there are few experienced staff available to work in them.

    “The local authority does provide training courses, but not many participate. Most staff are young people, so they jump between jobs very often.”

    Smaller businesses are also looking for people. A café on Pham Van Dong Street is looking for 32 staff, offering bonuses, meals, accommodation, social insurance and annual travel to the mainland.

    Thuy, owner of a local seafood restaurant, said businesses start looking for staff in March when tourists start arriving in large number.

    “But this year, many businesses are already short-staffed so we are already searching for people as the number of tourists has been rising. Last year, a tour guide could earn up to VND30 million ($1,296) a month during peak season.”

    Con Dao is 180 kilometers away from the shores of southern Ba Ria- Vung Tau Province, and accessible by air and boat.

    Industry insiders said that attracting people from mainland to Con Dao to work is a challenging task given the long distance from the shores while most people don’t want lower income jobs like serving in restaurants, driving taxis or guiding tours.

    The high cost of living on the island is another reason that people prefer to work on the mainland, they said.

    Con Dao served as prison islands for political prisoners during the French colonial era, and in later years the Saigon regime imprisoned opponents of the regime in the infamous cells known as the “tiger cages”.

    The old prison buildings are still standing and are open to the public as is a small museum tracing Con Dao’s history.

    Con Dao also boasts pristine natural beauty with forested hills, sandy beaches and extensive coral reefs.

    Last year, Con Dao welcomed over 286,000 tourists, up 17.31 percent from 2017.

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  • Agoda’s top Chinese New Year 2019 travel rankings

    Agoda’s top Chinese New Year 2019 travel rankings

    Bangkok, Tokyo, and Taipei are the top three most popular destinations for Asia-Pacific travellers over the Lunar New Year period in 2019, according to booking data from Agoda. This year, Osaka, slips from the third spot in 2018 to sixth, while Taiwan scoops three of the top ten destinations, with Taipei in third, and Kaohsiung and Taichung in fifth and seventh respectively. Overall, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand will benefit the most from travellers celebrating the Lunar New Year.

    Travels during the Spring Festival tend to be reserved for family bonding and indulging in food and leisure activities that the whole family can enjoy. It is thus not surprising that most travellers in the region have chosen gourmet and retail paradise in Bangkok, Tokyo, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore among their top ten destinations.

    The Lunar New Year is celebrated in many cities across Asia, but Chinese travellers enjoy the longest holiday. With a week to spare, Chinese tourists are spending the new year in cities such as Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Bangkok.

    This year, HongKongers chose to change things up, travelling to Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan over the previously favoured Korea. In fact, Korea dropped out of the top three destinations altogether to settle at the fifth spot. Staycations have also risen in popularity, and Hong Kong has made its way into the top ten this year as well.

    Singaporeans prefer to travel to neighbouring countries for their relatively short Lunar New Year public holidays. For the first time, staycations have emerged as a popular choice for those who prefer staying behind to celebrate the festival.

    Taiwanese are travelling within the region for Chinese New Year, with Kaohsiung rising up to clinch the top position. For the first time in three years, Kyoto has slipped out of the top ten rankings.

    Malaysians continue to favour travelling within the region to celebrate Lunar New Year. In 2019, domestic destinations take up eight out of the top ten destinations. Thailand remains the only overseas destination in the top ten list for Malaysian travellers over the period.

    Indonesians are venturing further afield this year to celebrate the Lunar New Year, with Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo taking up two out of three of its top travel destinations. Japan is rising in popularity, as the region adds Sapporo – with its winter wonderland – into Indonesia’s top ten destinations.

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  • Mobile phone ads gain greater purchase during Tet in Vietnam

    Mobile phone ads gain greater purchase during Tet in Vietnam

    Vietnam recorded the fourth highest mobile in-app ad revenues (eCPM) in the Asia-Pacific region during Tet 2018. It ranked behind China, Singapore and the Philippines, according to a report recently released by Vietnamese digital advertising service company Adsota.

    The report also showed that app downloads were the highest 10 days prior to Tet in 2017, while downloads peaked on the first day of the 2018 Tet, showing that the Lunar New Year holiday was a highly effective period to execute user acquisition campaigns for app developers.

    The number of mobile app ad requests (the number of ads displayed in apps) rose by 32 percent in Vietnam during this holiday compared to other days in January and February, said the report.

    Many Vietnamese mobile app developers have gone global and succeeded in the U.S. or Australia by targeting foreign holidays like Black Friday and Christmas. Overall, the highest downloads of Vietnamese-developed apps came from India and the U.S. at 13 and 11 percent respectively, followed by Brazil and Indonesia at 8 percent and 6 percent respectively.

    In terms of revenue, profits from the U.S. market contribute around 20 percent of overseas revenue generated by Vietnamese applications, followed by other developed markets like Australia at five percent; and Germany, Japan and Korea at three percent each.

    Of some 95 million people in Vietnam, 73 percent use mobile phones, 42 percent use smartphones and 50 million people use mobile social media, according to the report.

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  • China retail earnings up 8.5% during new year holiday – ministry

    China retail earnings up 8.5% during new year holiday – ministry

    China’s retailer and catering enterprises earned over 1 trillion yuan ($148.3 billion) during the Lunar New Year holiday, defying an economic slump to rise 8.5% from last year, the country’s commerce ministry said late on Sunday. The increase was down to the rapid growth in sales of new-year gifts, traditional foods, electronic products and local speciality products over a six-day holiday period ending on Saturday, the Ministry of Commerce said in a notice on its website.

    Domestic tourism during the new year break generated total revenues of 513.9 billion yuan, up 8.2% on the year, with the number of trips rising 7.6% to 415 million, the official Xinhua news agency said on Sunday, citing official data. ($1 = 6.7426 yuan)

  • Chinese tourists prefer Australia, Japan and Singapore: Survey

    Chinese tourists prefer Australia, Japan and Singapore: Survey

    Mainland Chinese tourists prefer visiting Australia, Japan and Singapore over Hong Kong, a survey has found, citing a preference for outdoor and nature activities in these places. Consultancy firm Kantar, which polled 300 people from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, found that 52 per cent of respondents were interested in Australia as a holiday destination, followed by 40 per cent for Japan, 38 per cent for Singapore, and 35 per cent for Hong Kong.

    Some 22 per cent said they were keen to visit Taiwan, compared to 21 per cent who favoured South Korea, 15 per cent for Indonesia and 9 per cent for India.

    “Urban Chinese holidaymakers are looking for a diversity of experiences – nearly nine in 10 say that having lots to do is either important or very important to them,” stated the report, released last month.

    “The dominance of nature in the minds of urban Chinese leisure travellers may, at face value, present a challenge for retailers, malls, theme parks and other places.”

    The report stated that the trend could be an indication for businesses on potential growth directions.

    Despite Hong Kong not being the top destination for Chinese tourists in the poll, official figures showed visitor arrivals in the city – driven mainly by mainlanders – soared to a record high of 65.1 million last year, up 11.4 per cent from 2017.

    About 51 million tourists from across the border visited the city in 2018, a rise of 14.8 per cent from the previous year.

    But the Tourism Board has admitted that 2019 could be a “bumpy and unpredictable” year. Chinese tourists now see the city as a short-term destination, and they prefer Southeast Asia or Europe for long holidays.

    The board said Chinese tourists also craved “in-depth” travel in Hong Kong rather than the usual hotspots. One of the board’s strategies this year will be to attract mainland and overseas visitors to places such as the Geopark, the Ha Pak Nai mudflat in Yuen Long and Lau Fau Shan.

    The Kantar report also stated: “Hong Kong outperforms Singapore on most factors, but when it comes to perceptions of safety and cleanliness, Singapore dominates all [Asia-Pacific] markets, though it is held back by its lack of nature and outdoor [activities].”

    It acknowledged that Hong Kong had a “relative abundance of natural attractions” compared to the Lion City.

    On preferences for nature and outdoor activities in the eight destinations listed in the survey however, only 22 per cent of respondents indicated an interest in what Hong Kong had to offer, compared to 62 per cent for Australia, 42 per cent for Japan, 32 per cent for Indonesia, 31 per cent for Taiwan and 29 per cent for Singapore.

    In the category of sporting events, only 27 per cent said they were interested in those held in Hong Kong, with 47 per cent for Japan, 43 per cent for Australia, 30 per cent for Singapore, and 28 per cent for South Korea.

    Kantar’s group director, Mike Underhill, suggested that to boost Hong Kong’s attractiveness as a tourism haven, unique sporting events could be held, such as a mountain marathon.

    “I’m not saying it’s an easy thing to do, but if such an event is created, it will [capitalise on] an emerging trend among Chinese tourists to help grow a niche sector, thereby raising the perceived uniqueness of Hong Kong.”

    Jenny Zhang, 29, an accountant from Beijing, is among those for whom Hong Kong does not rate highly as a destination.

    “I would choose other places because I have visited Hong Kong several times already. But if I am in transit here to somewhere else, I would visit the city,” she said. “The world is huge and there are many places I have not been to. I love to see natural attractions and take in the culture of other places.”

    Asked to rank the eight destinations in the survey, Zhang placed Hong Kong in last place. Her top choices were Australia, Japan and Indonesia.

    But Chen Peng, 36, from Tianjin is among those who still enjoy coming to Hong Kong after visiting the city six times. This month, he took his daughter to Disneyland for the first time.

    “My wife loves Japan and so I would choose Japan as my top choice. For me though, Hong Kong is my No 1 choice,” he said.

    “When I come, I mostly go shopping with my wife and meet friends. I would go to Harbour City and Central.”

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  • MAHB turned down our offer for mediation, says AirAsia

    MAHB turned down our offer for mediation, says AirAsia

    Air Asia has claimed that Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) has turned down their offer of mediation, in a letter sent by the airport operator’s lawyers. The airline said that in an attempt to resolve the parties’ ongoing dispute over passenger service charges at  Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2), they had proposed mediation to MAHB.

    “We regret that MAHB has refused AirAsia’s olive branch to resolve outstanding issues between us through mediation, particularly in light of MAHB’s recent statement that it is ‘optimistic that these matters can and will be resolved’,” said AirAsia Malaysia CEO Riad Asmat in a statement on Wednesday (Feb 6).

    “We will seek guidance from Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) on the next steps to address this situation. However, we reserve our rights to take all necessary actions to protect the interests of our guests and shareholders,” added Riad.

    Under the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) Act 2015, MAHB and airline operators have an obligation to mediate any dispute, and legal action may only be used as a last resort when other efforts have failed.

    Last month, the budget airline sought more than RM400mil in counterclaims against MAHB in response to a suit filed by the airport operator last month over airport taxes.

    The counterclaims were for losses and damages experienced by AirAsia and its long-haul sister airline, Air Asia X Bhd, due to alleged operational disruptions at klia2, the airline had said.

    AirAsia claims that it agreed to move to klia2 after the government scrapped the initially approved plans for its own low-cost terminal in Labu, Negri Sembilan in 2008 following MAHB’s claim that it could build a similar terminal closer to KLIA with the same facilities and charges at the former Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT).

    The airport tax in klia2 was increased to RM73 from RM50 for non-Asean international passengers.

    Domestic passengers were not spared from the increase and now have to pay RM11, up from the previous RM6.

     

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  • Indonesia Prepares New Strategy to Meet 2019 Tourist Arrival Target

    Indonesia Prepares New Strategy to Meet 2019 Tourist Arrival Target

    When President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo set out to double Indonesia’s foreign tourist arrivals within the five years of his presidency, many were skeptical. Now, the target seems to be within reach. Combined government efforts that included the massive development of airports and tourist destinations, aggressive digital promotions and a visa-free policy have, along with the weakening rupiah, attracted 16,2 million foreign tourists to Indonesia last year, which is 71 percent more than four years ago.

    Still, some setbacks were unavoidable. A series of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis over the past 12 months, as well as the tragic crash of Lion Air flight JT-610 into the Java Sea near Jakarta, resulted in the government missing its target to woo 17 million foreign tourists last year.

    Industry players worry that the bad image created by these disasters would take long to erase and thus undermine the country’s ability to attract 20 million foreign tourists this year.

    “Indonesia is situated on the Ring of Fire; we could not predict or prevent any disaster. What we need now, is to work extra hard to ensure that the world knows that when disaster strikes here, all tourists and local residents are well cared for,” said Elly Hutabarat, chairwoman of the Indonesian Travel Agent’s Association (Astindo).

    She cited Mexico as an example of a country that had just been hit by an earthquake, but still managed to quickly revive its tourism industry.

    “We see Mexico, which had just experienced an earthquake, is responsive and is able to give up-to-date information to the world. Such efforts are able to quickly revive their tourism industry,” Elly said.

    Border Tourism, Low-Cost Terminals

    The government has not given up, as the tourism industry could potentially generate $20 billion in foreign exchange revenue this year, which is crucial to plugging the country’s persistent current-account deficit.

    Guntur Sakti, head of communications at the Ministry of Tourism, said the government has implemented a strategy to meet this year’s tourist arrival target by developing border tourism, hub tourism and the renovation of airport terminals to cater to low-cost carriers.

    The government’s border tourism plan is aimed at making it easier, faster and cheaper for tourists to visit Indonesia from neighboring countries.

    Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines also have a similar cultural heritage and history as Indonesia.

    “The potential from border tourism is massive, especially from neighboring countries,” Guntur said.

    Through the hub tourism strategy, the government expects to attract a larger number of foreign tourists that travel to the capitals of neighboring countries, specifically Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

    The government estimates that more than 11 million foreign travelers – excluding Indonesians – transit at Singapore’s Changi Airport annually before continuing their travels to other countries for business or leisure. Guntur said this represents a massive potential for Indonesia.

    He added that tourists frequently transit in Singapore or other cities in the region because of limited direct flights to Indonesia from Europe, the United States and even parts of East Asia.

    For instance, about half of all Chinese tourists heading to Indonesia must transit in Singapore or Malaysia before reaching the archipelago, while 80 percent of tourists from Thailand and Malaysia are able to reach the country via direct flights.

    The government also plans to renovate several terminals at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport outside Jakarta to exclusively accommodate low-cost carriers.

    Terminal 1 at the airport will soon only cater to passengers of low-cost airlines traveling to domestic destinations, while Terminal 2 will cater to passengers of low-cost airlines on both domestic and international flights.

    Many countries have built terminals or even whole airports to specifically accommodate low-cost airlines. This lowers the airport’s operating budget, which in turn helps to reduce airport taxes and airline ticket prices, which ultimately attract more foreign tourists.

    Guntur said at least 70 percent of foreign tourists use low-cost carriers to travel to Indonesia.

    “To realize our strategy and attract more tourists, we are working with state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura to renovate Terminal 1 and 2 at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. We’ve noticed many countries operate several terminals that cater to full-service carriers and low-cost carriers separately,” he added.

    The number of passengers traveling to Indonesia on low-cost carriers grows by about 55 percent annually, while the number of passengers arriving on full-service airlines only increases by about 7 percent per year, according to tourism ministry data.

    Ten New Balis

    The government also actively promoted its “10 New Balis” program last year to develop and promote several destinations beyond Bali, Indonesia’s most popular destination.

    The 10 New Balis include Mandalika in Nusa Tenggara, Thousand Islands in Jakarta, Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Tanjung Kelayang in Bangka Belitung, Borobudur Temple in Central Java, the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi and Morotai in North Maluku.

    The project, spearheaded by the tourism ministry, has also established programs to develop each of the destinations by building 5,000 homestays, improving infrastructure, increasing financing for tourism to around Rp 2.5 trillion ($177 million), implementing sustainable tourism in 16 destinations, developing 10 special economic zones and developing nomadic tourism.

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  • New integrated resort in China by Fosun

    New integrated resort in China by Fosun

    Fosun bets on integrated resorts to address the needs of Chinese travelers, who are showing interest in these types of experiences. Fresh from its Hong Kong initial public offering last month, Fosun Tourism Group is making good on its intention to use the proceeds to develop two new integrated resorts in China, announcing properties under the Thomas Cook Group brands Casa Cook and Sunwing.

    The two projects are in Lijiang, Yunnan province, famous for its UNESCO World Heritage old town, and Taicang, Jiangsu province, 30 minutes from Shanghai.

    Fosun Tourism chairman and CEO Jim Qian told Skift he is seeing different segments emerging in China’s domestic travel market. While this is already the norm in mature western markets, it’s just starting in China, and there’s a need to offer local travelers a choice of hotel brands and a variety of experiences, said Qian.

    In so doing, Fosun is turning to what’s in the family, its own Club Med and its Thomas Cook China joint venture. The Lijiang Albion International Resort will also have a Club Med, which has “a different positioning” from the boutique, design-led Casa Cook, he said.

    The whole development in Lijiang is spread over at 350,000 square meters (382,765 square yards). It is located near the Baisha old town, which lies closest to the majestic Yulong Snow Mountain, and is the only land permitted for massive development.

    How it will be sensitive to the tranquil and preserved ancient surroundings remains to be seen. For now, its website says it aims to attract mid- to high-profile guests by offering the total package, including a Club Med snow-themed resort, a guesthouses town, riverside shows, heritage towns, outdoor activities, health and wellness.

    “We will deliver a lot,” said Qian. “I believe in the future when a family goes on a holiday, they don’t just want to stay in the room.

    “Nowadays in China, we have more resort hotels in destinations such as Sanya, but most are actually business hotel brands moving from the city to the beach. I don’t think that kind of hotel is suitable for a family holiday. We will introduce the real beach or holiday resort to a destination.”

    Not much is known of Fosun’s other resort project in Taicang except that it is smaller at 145,000 square meters (158,570 square yards).

    Both are expected to be completed in stages from late 2020.

    Fosun Tourism, whose slogan is Everyday is Foliday (short for Fosun holiday), having tested destination development and management with its fully owned Atlantis Sanya, is keen to bring the experience to bear on the projects.

    “We have the experience in the construction of resort destinations, and we know how to make foreign brands suitable for the Chinese market,” said Qian.

    Fosun Tourism also believes the timing is good. It pointed out the per capita tourism expenditure in China in 2017 was about $575, which was below the global average of $741. “This implies the great potential for the growth of China’s tourism market,” it said.

    Besides, it claimed to be in a stronger position now, announcing ahead of its annual results to be released in March that it expects a net profit of at least 350 million yuan ($52 million) in 2018, compared with a net loss of 295 million yuan ($44 million) in 2017.

  • Vietjet to open Phu Quoc-Hong Kong route in April

    Vietjet to open Phu Quoc-Hong Kong route in April

    Budget airline Vietjet said Saturday it will launch direct flights between Phu Quoc Island and Hong Kong in April. The new route will operate four flights per week starting from April 19, Vietjet said. Each flight will take 2 hours and 45 minutes per leg. Dubbed “the Pearl Island”, Phu Quoc, located in the southern province of Kien Giang, has attracted strong investments in hotels and resorts in recent years.

    Vietjet said it wants to create traveling opportunities for locals and tourists, thereby contributing to trade growth between the two destinations. The largest private airline in Vietnam currently operates 40 domestic routes and 66 international routes.

    Vietnamese airlines have been launching new international flights in recent years, with the domestic market showing signs of saturation.

    The country’s aviation industry has seen increasing demand each year. It welcomed 12.5 million air passengers last year, up 14.4 percent from 2017, according to the General Statistics Office.

    Vietnam’s aviation traffic increased 16 percent on average each year from 2010 to 2017, data from the civil aviation regulator shows.

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  • Vietnamese travel agency intends to invest in sixth airline: CEO

    Vietnamese travel agency intends to invest in sixth airline: CEO

    Vietravel is nurturing a plan to launch its own airline to meet the demand that it predicts will keep rising in the future. The company’s CEO Nguyen Quoc Ky said the domestic aviation market is still “full of potential.” With a population of more than 100 million and the number of foreign visitors rising steadily year after year, hitting the highest ever at 15.5 million last year, it is still modest for Vietnam to have only five airlines, he said recently.

    Vietravel wants to have its airline headquartered in the central town of Hue, he added.

    “The plan of Vietravel will help create more new flight routes to and from Hue, and thus connect the city with more tourists,” said Nguyen Van Phuc, deputy director of Thua Thien – Hue Province, home to the imperial town of Hue.

    This will also get along with a plan to upgrade Phu Bai International Airport in Hue to raise its annual capacity from 1.5 million passengers to 5 million.

    Vietravel has taken the first steps into the airline industry through organizing charter flights with its partners.

    For the past two years, it has operated around 300 charter flights both domestically and internationally each year.

    Vietnam’s newest airline, Bamboo Airway, recently completed its maiden flight.

    The four other carriers currently in Vietnam are Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Jetstar Pacific, and VASCO.

    Together, the four of them transport more than 50 million passengers last year, up 14 percent against 2017, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

    The number of passengers through Vietnam airports during the year increased 12.9 percent to 106 million passengers.

    is nurturing a plan to launch its own airline to meet the demand that it predicts will keep rising in the future. The company’s CEO Nguyen Quoc Ky said the domestic aviation market is still “full of potential.” With a population of more than 100 million and the number of foreign visitors rising steadily year after year, hitting the highest ever at 15.5 million last year, it is still modest for Vietnam to have only five airlines, he said recently.

    Vietravel wants to have its airline headquartered in the central town of Hue, he added.

    “The plan of Vietravel will help create more new flight routes to and from Hue, and thus connect the city with more tourists,” said Nguyen Van Phuc, deputy director of Thua Thien – Hue Province, home to the imperial town of Hue.

    This will also get along with a plan to upgrade Phu Bai International Airport in Hue to raise its annual capacity from 1.5 million passengers to 5 million.

    Vietravel has taken the first steps into the airline industry through organizing charter flights with its partners.

    For the past two years, it has operated around 300 charter flights both domestically and internationally each year.

    Vietnam’s newest airline, Bamboo Airway, recently completed its maiden flight.

    The four other carriers currently in Vietnam are Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Jetstar Pacific, and VASCO.

    Together, the four of them transport more than 50 million passengers last year, up 14 percent against 2017, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

    The number of passengers through Vietnam airports during the year increased 12.9 percent to 106 million passengers.

  • Chinese outbound tourists powering mobile payment growth

    Chinese outbound tourists powering mobile payment growth

    Chinese outbound tourists are taking China’s mobile payment industry to foreign markets, according to Nielsen. The research company’s report, 2018 Trends for Mobile Payment in Chinese Outbound Tourism, shows that mobile payment transactions by surveyed Chinese tourists surpassed the percentage paid with cash for the first time. Nearly 70 per cent of Chinese tourists paid with their mobile phones while abroad.

    Several factors encourage Chinese tourists to use mobile payment abroad, with the most important being that they have already become accustomed to this fast and convenient payment method in their home country.

    Merchants around the world have gradually recognised the importance of mobile payment for Chinese tourists and are witnessing benefits from better understanding of Chinese tourists’ habits and preference. Among the merchants surveyed at popular tourist areas in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand that adopted Alipay, nearly 60 per cent saw growth in foot traffic and revenue.

    Many merchants surveyed said mobile payment is a safe, reliable and effective payment method that resonates with Chinese shoppers. Of the merchants that adopted Alipay, 71 per cent said they would recommend the mobile payment platform to peers.

    “Our store is located in an area frequented by Chinese tourists and they are our main customers. If we didn’t have mobile payment as an option, we would lose a lot of customers”,  said a Malaysian merchant cited in the white paper.

    “The outbound travel craze among Chinese tourists offers an important opportunity to expand mobile payment globally, while mobile payment outside of our home market has a broad space for development,” observed Gao Zilong, COO of self-service QR-code payment firm Inspiry International.

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  • US set to green-light direct flights from Vietnam

    US set to green-light direct flights from Vietnam

    U.S. aviation authorities are expected to grant a Category 1 rating to Vietnam soon, allowing direct flights between the two countries. Two U.S. officials who asked not be named said that the permission should be issued in the coming weeks. Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), said that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed safety assessments in December and was supposed to provide the results this month.

    “But as the U.S. government was closed, we couldn’t receive the results. We expect to have it soon,” he said.

    Local airlines including state-owned Vietnam Airlines, budget airline Vietjet and new private airline Bamboo Airways have already expressed interest in opening direct flights between Vietnam and the U.S.

    The direct route is expected to cater to the large demand for travel between both countries.

    Passengers travelling between Vietnam and the U.S. now have to transit through different countries and territories like China, Hong Kong and Japan.

    Vietnam has never held an FAA rating, unlike Thailand, which once had a Category 1 rating and is seeking to regain it after a downgrade to Category 2. The FAA determines whether a country has a 1 or 2 rating depending on its safety assessment of the country’s airlines.

    The Vietnamese government had early last year approved plans to expand the network of national carriers to major markets including Australia, China, Europe and the U.S.

    Under plan, Vietnam Airlines will go through with its proposal to open non-stop services to the U.S., starting with direct flights to San Francisco or Los Angeles.

    Vietnam and the U.S. signed an air transport agreement in 2003 to allow airlines to operate direct flights between the two countries.

    In 2004, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines sought permission from the U.S. to provide direct services. However, the request was denied because the CAAV did not meet safety supervision requirements set by the FAA.

    Vietnam’s aviation industry has seen increasing demand in recent years. The country welcomed 12.5 million air passengers last year, up 14.4 percent from 2017, according to the General Statistics Office.

    The country’s aviation traffic increased 16 percent on average each year from 2010 to 2017, data from its civil aviation regulator shows.

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  • Retail meets art in HK for Chinese New Year

    Retail meets art in HK for Chinese New Year

    Next week it Chinese New Year. It officially begins on February 5th, 2019, and ends on February 19th. This year will be the year of the Pig. It is the most important festival for Chinese people, so the city is fully decorated with festive installations. The retail world celebrates it with decorations and promotions. In Hong Kong, all shopping malls have already unveiled their gigantic installations.

    In the financial heart of the city,  the floral pinwheels have turned IFC into the Garden of Fortune.

    Dedicated to providing memorable and engaging experiences for guests beyond shopping and dining, the Chinese New Year is no exception for IFC mall as it presents The Garden of Fortune, a splendid installation featuring pinwheels to welcome good fortune and embrace new changes along with incorporating floral elements for a contemporary spin.

    From 26 January to 17 February 2019, shoppers can visit the interactive display and enjoy music performances to ring into an auspicious new year.

    Pinwheels have long been a symbol of luck with fascinating roots in Chinese culture. Traditionally associated with welcoming wealth, pinwheels are constructed using a variety of bright colors to greet the god of fortune, which are believed to bring prosperity and blessings to both homes and businesses. Playing on the Chinese tradition that pinwheels attract good luck, The Garden of Fortune is embellished with this auspicious symbol.

    The pinwheels are designed in the shape of peach blossoms, peonies and begonias – flowers that represent prosperity and fortune in Chinese culture – to empower guests with positive vibes as they walk through the Garden of Fortune.

    Upon entering the installation, guests are invited to play an interactive pinwheel game to start the new year with blessings to share and bestow upon friends and loved ones. ifc mall has collaborated with young local calligrapher, Rita Lee, to create downloadable “fai chuns” to share with family and friends after completing the game.

    Lee started learning Chinese calligraphy at the age of 6 and has nurtured her talent with over 20 years of experience. She is known for blending different styles to create art that balances the tradition of Chinese calligraphy with contemporary flair. “I’m excited about this partnership with ifc mall as it allows me to use my craft to extend blessings to all Hong Kongers who visit the Garden of Fortune,” says Lee. “The installation’s fusion of traditional pinwheels with modern floral elements also reflects the same juxtaposition in my style of calligraphy.”

    Pacific Place has built “Where Fortune Takes Flight” to welcome the Chinese New Year 2019. Queenie said that her design ideas come from the traditional Chinese New Year Candy box and chocolate from her childhood. Thus, they became the patterns of the kites, flying in the shopping mall. Queenie used vibrant colors and energetic brush strokes to draw on the kites, symbolizing a colorful and fruitful new year.An exquisite spring garden filled with blossoming flowers and over 60 flying kites, symbolising “Where Fortune Takes Flight”. Exclusively designed by Queenie Law, the kites soar to the highest heights and spread Chinese blessings throughout the mall and into the new year ahead.

    In Tsim Sha Tsui, Harbour City will welcome the Year of the Pig with the “HAPPIG New Year” celebration, featuring a seven-metre tall gigantic “Wishing Treasure Bowl” at Ocean Terminal Forecourt from 25 Jan to 19 Feb 2019.

    The treasure bowl is structured with multiple frames, on which colorful ropes were tied delicately to create geometrical festive patterns from cherry blossoms to gold coins.

    The contemporary design is a stylish take on the Chinese New Year classic, wishing everyone joy and fortune for the Year of the Pig.

    Newly introduced this year is an interactive wishing experience, inviting visitors to win a lucky pouch by taking part in a mini game and donating HK$20 near the“Wishing Treasure Bowl” installation.

    Each lucky pouch contains a Good Fortune Card with predictions for the coming year, and a “Wishing Gold Coin” which can be deposited into “Make a Wish Piggy Bank” for making a wish. The coin will roll through a lucky tunnel connecting the piggy bank to the gigantic “Wishing Treasure Bowl”, bringing fortunate blessings to everyone for the New Year.

     

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