Retail News CRM

Tag: Singapore

  • First mobile tax refund system by Tourego

    First mobile tax refund system by Tourego

    Singapore has introduced the world’s first mobile tourist tax refund system, Tourego.

    Approved by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), Tourego migrates the paper-based tax refund process on to an app, allowing users to receive and store their refund tickets in an e-wallet.

    As well as that, Tourego provides shopping, food and travel tips about Singapore, plus users can compile a shopping list recommending retail partners. Already the network covers 100 businesses, with more expected to be announced soon.

    Tourego aims to solve the worldwide problem of tourists spending too much time at airports trying to obtain their tax refunds, says founder/CEO Tan Tie Wee.

    As well as enhancing the shopping experience for tourists, the app helps retail partners improve their efficiency as well as gain big-data insights into consumer behaviour,” he says.

    “We are grateful to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), IMDA, Spring Singapore and IE Singapore for their support as Tourego contributes to Singapore’s vision to be a smart nation.”

    With Singapore as its first market, the Tourego app is free to download but is currently available only to non-Singaporeans to register for an account.

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  • Optimized communication processes in Holiday Season

    Optimized communication processes in Holiday Season

    Every year retailers are faced with the challenge of ensuring a positive customer experience when stretched to full capacity. A task made all the more difficult by the fact that a lot of shoppers have already had their nerves worn thin by the stressful search for gifts in a crowded city center. Retarus has revealed the following communication processes to help retailers maintain the highest levels of customer experience:

    1. More targeted controlling of customer flows

    In the lead-up to Christmas, the stream of customers entering shops increases dramatically. The load is especially high in the evenings, on Saturdays and directly before Christmas. Increasingly, online buyers just pop in to shops to pick up their purchases ordered via “Click & Collect”, rather than having to wait for overloaded delivery services. In Southeast Asia, 93 percent of consumers in the region have made online purchases – many of them at regular frequencies. The same study highlighted that 40 percent of consumers are willing to pay extra to collect orders at a convenient 3rd party location, indicating that Southeast Asian consumers prioritise speed of delivery. In light of this retailers in the region have been turning to Click & Collect services to provide customers with the option to collect their puchases without the need of waiting. Cloud Messaging Services enables better management of visitor frequency and an improved service experience for customers. For instance, SMS or email could be used to communicate a clear time window for collecting orders, during which the shop is not so busy or staff numbers have been optimised to meet demand. Special service offers or discounts can also provide customers with an additional incentive to fetch their orders within a given time period. This prevents shops from becoming overcrowded and long queues developing, leading to a much improved customer experience.

    1. Coordinating staff flexibly

    To keep checkout queues as short as possible, while still offering satisfactory levels of expert advice and other services such as a gift wrapping, retailers generally hire temporary, seasonal staff. At the same time, short-term staffing shortages due to illness have to be covered without delay. Cloud-based communication platforms provide valuable support for the coordination of human resources. Using Retarus’ Enterprise SMS Services, retailers only need a couple of clicks to send out an SMS that includes a reply option when they need additional staff. The staffing coordinator then only has to contact those members of staff who gave a positive response to clarify the details of the assignment.

    1. Addressing customers individually

    Once a shopper has entered a store, there is a good chance that they may buy additional goods that were not on their original shopping list. Thanks to cloud messaging services this can be used to good advantage by retailers – especially with Click-&-Collect customers. In combination with the order confirmation or pick-up notification the customer receives, personalised offers by means of SMS or email enables customers to order recommended products or services seamlessly through the reply function. Reminders about an extended period for returns or a personalised holiday greeting can also be achieved without much effort and sustainably strengthen customer loyalty.

  • Singapore Airlines And SilkAir To Codeshare On Scoot Flights

    Singapore Airlines And SilkAir To Codeshare On Scoot Flights

    Singapore Airlines (SIA) and SilkAir customers can now enjoy more choice and convenience when travelling to more than 130 destinations across the SIA Group network as a result of new codeshare agreement with the Group’s low-cost subsidiary Scoot.

    Under the agreement, SIA will progressively add its ‘SQ’ designator code while SilkAir will add its ‘MI’ code to Scoot-operated flights between Singapore and more than 30 destinations1 served only by Scoot within the SIA Group. The codeshare arrangements will begin with Scoot flights serving Athens, Clark, Gold Coast, Hat Yai, Ipoh, Krabi, Kuching and Palembang. The new agreement will enable SIA and SilkAir customers to travel on single-ticket itineraries to these codeshare destinations, which means that their boarding passes and baggage tags will be issued up to their final destination at the first point of check-in, according to Singapore Airlines.

    In addition to through check-in service, SIA and SilkAir customers will be offered Scoot’s FlyBagEat privileges – which include checked baggage allowance, complimentary meal and beverage as well as blanket for flights above four hours. SIA and SilkAir customers will also be offered the flexibility to select seats on Scoot flights online through the SIA and SilkAir websites when booking their tickets, for a fee, in accordance with Scoot’s terms and conditions.

    The codeshare flights are subject to regulatory approvals. Tickets will be progressively made available through the various booking channels.

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  • Singapore Airlines warns of scams touting free First Class tickets

    Singapore Airlines warns of scams touting free First Class tickets

    Singapore Airlines has warned of contests, emails and calls claiming to be from the company, informing recipients of free air tickets before proceeding to request for their personal data.

    “To appear more authentic, such callers are also able to modify their caller ID to imitate our official telephone numbers,” it added on an advisory posted on the Singapore Airlines website.

    Over the weekend, one such scam has been circulating on messaging app WhatsApp.

    The message read: “Hello, Singapore Airline is giving away 2 Free FirstClass Tickets to celebrate it’s 45th anniversary, Now you can get your tickets too !” followed by a link that closely resembled the airline’s official website.

    Upon clicking on the link, people were directed to a website asking them to share the promotion with 20 friends or groups via WhatsApp and enter their address details to claim their tickets.

    As of Monday, the website appeared to have been taken down.

    The scam comes days after Singapore Airlines unveiled its new first class suites, among other cabin offerings on its revamped Airbus 380s.

    To verify websites, emails and calls claiming to be from Singapore Airlines, customers can send the airline details via its website, the carrier said in the Facebook post.

    “Singapore Airlines also wishes to advise customers to be cautious of social media posts and phishing websites that appear similar to our official website singaporeair.com,” it added.

  • AirAsia resumes Singapore expansion following move to Terminal 4

    AirAsia resumes Singapore expansion following move to Terminal 4

    The AirAsia Group is resuming expansion in Singapore over the next few months, with the launch of three routes and capacity increases on two of its 15 existing routes. AirAsia’s virtual hub in Singapore will increase from 261 to 289 weekly departures, resulting in the highest level of capacity since 2015.

    However, AirAsia’s Singapore capacity will still be lower than in 2013 and 2014, when it peaked at more than 300 weekly departures. At one point AirAsia had as much capacity in Singapore as the rival LCC groups Jetstar and Tigerair – despite not having a local affiliate.

    AirAsia is keen to regain market share in Singapore and drive a new phase of LCC growth at Changi, which has experienced faster FSC growth over the last three years. AirAsia’s recent move to Terminal 4, which has self-service technologies embraced by AirAsia in its digitalisation push, provides a potential platform for faster growth.

    However, T4 alone is not a panacea, and AirAsia needs a further reduction in its Singapore cost base in order to really accelerate its rate of growth at Changi Airport.

  • WatchBox starts digging into luxury market

    WatchBox starts digging into luxury market

    WatchBox has launched as the first global e-commerce platform specialising in buying, selling and trading pre-owned luxury watches.

    It is the result of a partnership between Govberg Jewelers CEO Danny Govberg, former Sincere Watch owner Liam Wee Tay and investor-entrepreneur Justin Reis. Singapore private equity firm CMIA Capital Partners has led an initial investment round in WatchBox, earmarking more than $100 million of capital to be deployed over the next 18 months for building out the startup’s multi-platform strategy.

    “We are backing a proven leadership team of industry veterans who offer a fresh perspective on the global luxury-watch industry,” says CMIA managing partner Lee Chong Min. “WatchBox’s annualised revenue run-rate is set in the near term to exceed US$200 million. We believe WatchBox will transform the multi-billion-dollar luxury-watch industry.”

    He says CMIA is ready to back further funding rounds to capitalise on “certain business opportunities”.

    Evolving from the business practices of 101-year-old watch retailer Govberg Jewelers, WatchBox has already established a profitable business model for pre-owned watches in the US, with the founders realising the need for a physical location also in Hong Kong, where it has opened an office in the CBD. WatchBox now has dual headquarters, showrooms and “trading floors” (e-commerce centres) in the world’s two largest watch markets.

    Asia’s leadership team includes Tay as chairman and Reis as co-CEO. Tay transformed Sincere Watch from a traditional family-owned company into a pan-Asian luxury-watch institution, taking it public in both Singapore and Hong Kong before selling in 2012.

    “WatchBox capitalises on the estimated $400 billion global pre-owned watch market by embracing advanced technology to offer consumers a scalable platform to buy, sell and trade pre-owned timepieces through a trusted partner,” says Tay.

    As it moves to increase visibility through its e-commerce and digital services – specifically its website, mobile application and social-media presence – Watchbox regards offline integration in key markets as essential.

    “The watch industry is going through a period of consolidation, and the timing is right to build a robust and trusted global trading platform in the pre-owned category,” says Reis, who has had more than 20 years of experience in private-equity investing in Asia.

    Steering WatchBox from the company’s tech hub in the US is co-CEO Govberg, who says Watchbox offers a balance of technology, data systems and 24/7 connectedness, along with personalised service and guaranteed authenticity.

    WatchBox has 130 global associates, showrooms and private offices in Hong Kong and North America, and plans to further expand into other regions across Asia and Europe within the next year.

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  • Shopee giant leaps on its second year

    Shopee giant leaps on its second year

    Fast-growing e-commerce platform Shopee has released impressive statistics in marking just its second birthday.

    Combined annualised GMV from Taiwan and the six Southeast Asian markets where it operates has reached US$5 billion. It has more than 180 million active listings by more than 4 millions sellers, including 5000 leading brands and distributors. Its app has been downloaded more than 80 million time.

    In Singapore alone, where it has its own mall portal, the app has had more than 1 million downloads and features more than 70,000 sellers and brands.

    “Shopee has undergone tremendous transformation since we first launched, and while we are proud of all that we have achieved, this is only the beginning,” said Zhou Junjie, chief commercial officer of Shopee.

    “Shopee has always been committed to listening to the needs and preferences of our users, and has worked to create a platform that is tailored to exactly that. Whether it is providing a fuss-free and convenient shopping experience for buyers, or offering a reliable and secure platform for brands and budding entrepreneurs to expand their online presence, Shopee strives to continue improving the lives of the region’s consumers and businesses with technology,” said Zhou.

    “This year has been a great one for Shopee and we would like to thank our customers, sellers, and partners for their continuous support. Moving forward, we will continue to focus on improving our platform and diversifying our product assortment. We remain committed to helping brands and local entrepreneurs grow and continuously strive to push the boundaries of e-commerce to become the leading online shopping destination of choice in the region.”

    As part of its birthday celebration, Shopee Singapore will be holding a 10-day birthday sale until December 13, featuring promotions across over 10,000 items.

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  • Mamonde flagship to open at Takashimaya

    Mamonde flagship to open at Takashimaya

    After launching into Singapore via e-commerce this year, Korean beauty brand Mamonde has opened its first-ever global flagship store at Takashimaya Shopping Centre.

    It is decorated with blooms (both real and illustrated) giving it the air of a sensorial floral studio, as reported. The design inspiration comes from the Mamonde Garden in Korea where the brand harvests its organic ingredients.

    As well as wooden shelves and counters stocked with makeup and skincare products, there is a corner Mask Bar complete with a sink where customers can try out Mamonde’s specialty clay packs or sleeping masks. There is also a Korean eyebrow makeover service.

     

    Owned by AmorePacific, the skincare and cosmetics brand was launched in 1991.

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  • JD Sports Fashion moves to influence marketing as strategy

    JD Sports Fashion moves to influence marketing as strategy

    UK company JD Sports Fashion has engaged influencer marketing firm Rocketfuel Entertainment to help develop digital content for its brand in Malaysia.

    JD carries brands such as Adidas, New Balance and Nike as well as in-house labels Brookhaven, Pink Soda, Sonneti, and Supply and Demand.

    A JD spokesperson says it is eyeing growth in markets such as Singapore and Thailand, and aims to open 25 outlets by end of next year.

    Its senior brand marketing manager Jaclyn Tan says the biggest draw for its customers is the “extensive range of sneakers from multiple brands, including Western Europe exclusives available only in our stores”.

    CEO Justin Lim says the content will enable JD Sports Fashion to engage with its audience on its social platforms.

    Rocketfuel claims to have a social-media reach of more than 36 million in the region with influential personalities in beauty, fashion, lifestyle, automotive and parenting.

    The sports lifestyle retailer launched a flagship store for Asia last year at Pavilion Elite Kuala Lumpur, and this week opened a store at Putrajaya’s IOI City Mall. It also has outlets at Aeon Mall Tebrau City (Johor Bahru), Mid Valley Megamall, Sunway Pyramid and Sunway Velocity Mall, with another five stores to follow “very soon”.

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  • Duchess & Co Pop-Up Store Opens in Singapore

    Duchess & Co Pop-Up Store Opens in Singapore

    Duchess & Co, one of Asia’s fastest-growing ecommerce
    and retail fashion womenswear label, is proud to announce their foray into the
    Singapore market with a new showroom boutique at 313@Somerset Mall, located along the
    prestigious Orchard shopping belt. Following the 4-year-old label’s immense success and
    popularity in Peninsula Malaysia, the opening of the Singapore showroom boutique marks a
    new milestone for the brand’s expanding footprint in the South East Asia region.

    The 900 square feet new showroom boosts the brand’s signature modern contemporary
    interior and a cozy shopping ambience. It offers an extensive range of women’s apparel,
    shoes, and accessories. Each Duchess & Co creation is meticulously designed in-house and
    carefully crafted with curated fabrics.

    “We started out as an online fashion portal but quickly opened our first retail store within 4
    months of the Duchess & Co launch, and subsequently opened another store north of
    Malaysia. We then spent the following 2 years building & developing the brand identity as
    well as constantly improving both our in-store and online shopping experience. We are
    proud to have built a strong foundation in Malaysia. Singapore is an important fashion hub
    and gateway to the rest of South East Asia. Opening a pop-up showroom boutique in
    Singapore is a significant achievement as it marks our first overseas venture and elevates us
    to the ranks of many international fashion brands in the vibrant local fashion scene. We also
    wish to pay homage to our Singaporean fans and hope to offer them a unique experience at
    their doorstep,“ said Wendy Tai, Co-founder, who overlooks the business operations and
    international expansion.

    “Opening a pop-up showroom boutique in Singapore will allow us to connect and share our
    brand’s ethos and designs better with our VIPS and new customers. We believe it also helps
    us showcase the quality and cut of our designs,” adds Phang Ju Nn, Co-founder and
    Creative Director of Duchess & Co.

    To celebrate this new milestone, Duchess & Co will be presenting two (2) new lead ready-towear
    collections for the upcoming festive season: DAWN collection as well as ‘Made of
    Stars’. Key limited edition pieces from the Feather series in the ‘Made of Stars’ collection
    will premiere first at the Singapore pop-up showroom boutique for a week, commencing on
    8 December 2017.

    A private celebratory cocktail featuring a star-studded guest list will be held at the showroom
    on Friday, 8 December 2017.

    The pop-up showroom boutique is open now until the end of September 2018.Prices range from SGD59 to SGD399 and new collections will be introduced every 2 months
    in the showroom boutique.

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  • More discount from Don Don Donki for Singaporean

    More discount from Don Don Donki for Singaporean

    Japanese discount store Don Don Donki opens its first Southeast Asian outlet at Orchard Central today, to be followed by a second outlet at the 100 AM mall in Tanjong Pagar in June.

    The aim is to have at least 10 stores in Singapore within the next four or five years.

    Over two storeys, the Orchard Central megastore will be open 24/7 and also feature a “night market” concept featuring eight dining outlets in partnership with food manufacturer Hokkaido Marche. This section will launch next month and be open only during dinner hours.

    Don Don Donki’s product range of about 30,000 items was curated for Singapore and spans fresh and processed foods, vegetables, meat, sushi, groceries, beverages, costumes, clothing, cosmetics, novelty goods and household items. A third of the product selection is from Hokkaido.

    Covering 1400sqm, Don Don Donki will also offer products from its in-house brand Jonetsu Kakaku as well as a Hokkaido-themed retail space.

    The brand is known for its wide range of made-and-designed-in-Japan products – from toilet paper to second-hand Rolex watches.

    Better known as Donki, the store was founded by Japanese businessman Takao Yasuda in 1978 and is owned by the Don Quijote Group. Its stores in Singapore will be run by Pan Pacific International Holdings, its holding company for overseas business.

    Name change

    While the stores in Japan are called Don Quijote, its Singapore branch name has been changed to avoid confusion with a local Spanish restaurant of the same name. The term “Don Don Donki” was taken from the store’s theme song.

    “The idea to have Don Don Donki in Singapore was suggested by Hokkaido Marche,” said Yasuda, 68, who “semi-retired” a couple of years ago and moved to Singapore. “When I came here, I realised products in Singapore are very expensive, and in Japan I’m known as the king of discounts.

    “What costs one dollar in Japan is sometimes two or three dollars here.”

    So when he was approached by Hokkaido Marche to partner and open its concepts in Singapore, he agreed immediately.

    Pan Pacific International Holdings director Hideki Okada says the Singapore store is a pioneer for the rest of Southeast Asia. It will be followed by a branch in Thailand next November.

    With 368 stores in Japan, Hawaii and the US, the brand earned nearly ¥828.8 billion (US$7.3 billion) in annual sales for the fiscal year to June 30.

  • Luk Fook Holdings gets back up to grow

    Luk Fook Holdings gets back up to grow

    In a golden first half, jewellery group Luk Fook Holdings (International) saw revenues and profits rise as it continued to expand its retail outlets.

    As well as a return to growth for same-store sales and a doubling of e-commerce sales, its interim results show a 14.9 per cent rise in revenue to HK$6.2 billion (US$794 million) for the six months to the end of September.

    A relatively stable gold price resulted in the group’s overall gross margin dropping to 26.2 per cent from 28 per cent a year earlier, but gross profit rose by 7.5 per cent to $1.6 billion. Profit attributable to equity holders grew by 21.3 per cent to $520.3 million.

    During the six months, the group added 46 Lukfook shops worldwide – 47 (29 licensed) in Mainland China and one in San Francisco, with two closures in Hong Kong. This took its global network to 1542 Lukfook shops (up from 1455 shops a year earlier), spanning Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore and the US. It also had 10 3D-Gold shops in China (an addition of one).

    Retail was the group’s primary source of revenue, which grew by 17.1 per cent to $4.7 billion, accounting for 75.1 per cent (up from 73.7 per cent) of total revenue.

    Slide reversed

    Back on track after three years of decline, first-half overall same-store sales growth was 11.2 per cent (minus 31.5 per cent a year earlier). There was double-digit growth in both Hong and Macau and Mainland China at 10.5 per cent (-32.3 per cent last year) and 16.7 per cent (-23.7 per cent) respectively.

    Hong Kong was the key market for the Group with the recovery of both retail sentiment and visitor arrivals. In terms of tourist spending, sales of jewellery, watches, clocks and gifts rose about 4.3 per cent, according to the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong. This was reflected in an 8.4 per cent lift in the group’s retail revenue in Hong Kong to $2.8 billion.

    Similarly, official figures in Macau show a 17.5 increase in tourist spending while the group’s revenue grew by 18.8 per cent to $790 million for the half-year.

    Meanwhile, retail revenue from the Mainland China market grew by 43.6 per cent to $924 million, attributed to an improved retail environment and more self-run shops. It accounted for 14.7 per cent of the group’s total revenue, up from 11.8 per cent a year earlier.

    Revenue from e-commerce in China jumped by 104.7 per cent to $136.6 million, accounting for 14.8 per cent of retail revenue, up from 10.4 per cent.

    Overall, first-half revenue from China grew by 25.5 per cent to $2.1 billion, accounting for 34.4 per cent of total revenue (31.5 per cent a year earlier).

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  • More Dickson Concepts stores in Taiwan

    More Dickson Concepts stores in Taiwan

    Hong Kong fashion and watch retailer Dickson Concepts has opened three new stores in Taiwan this year as it continues its regional expansion.

    Dickson Concepts operates retail stores under brands including Tommy Hilfiger, JT Dupont, Bertolucci, Roger Vivier, Tod’s and Harvey Nichols.

    At the end of September, the retailer had 111 stores: 25 in Hong Kong, 58 in Taiwan, 15 in Mainland China, five in each of Singapore and Malaysia and three in Macau. However, Hong Kong accounted for 75.6 per cent of its sales in the first half of this financial year, with Taiwan’s share just 18.4 per cent, despite the higher store count. Mainland China and the rest of Asia accounted for just 6 per cent of sales.

    Dickson Concepts reported total sales of HK$1.576 billion for the first half, an increase of 11.7 per cent. Same-store sales increased by 12.4 per cent. It posted a net profit attributable to shareholders of HK$8.1 million.

    The company said it expects the retail climate in Hong Kong, China and Southeast Asia to “remain volatile” in the foreseeable future.

    “The performance of the group in the Hong Kong retail market has improved slightly, but remains inconsistent,” said the company in its half-year profit announcement.

    “The Taiwan retail market has remained weak due to continued reduction in tourist arrivals from China, primarily caused by poor political relationship between Mainland China and Taiwan. In China, consumer demand continues to be affected by reduced spending on gift-giving.

    “Given these difficult conditions, the group will continue to rigorously control costs and expenses at all levels of operation and adopt a very cautious approach to its further expansion and development strategies.”

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  • Foreign Investment Hotspots In Asia Pacific

    Foreign Investment Hotspots In Asia Pacific

    Cross-border real estate investment in the Asia Pacific region could achieve a record high this year as foreign investors shore up interest and seek assets in greener pastures beyond borders.

    As it stands, year-to-date intra-regional cross-border transaction volumes have already exceeded the previous 10-year record high in 2015 (1Q15-3Q15) by 30 per cent, and is currently a 21.8 per cent step up from its 10-year average (2007-2016).

    Singapore the main source of intra-regional capital

    Chinese would be the largest group of foreign investors if inter-regional flows were part of the picture. But in the context of intra-regional capital flows (which only considers deployment within Asia Pacific), Singapore continues to dominate with year-to-date foreign investments currently standing at US$5.6 billion.

    China (US$2.1 billion) and Hong Kong (US$2.9 billion) were ranked second and third respectively given a significant portion of capital are recycled between the two closely-integrated countries.

    These three countries make up 85 per cent of total source of foreign capital within the region.

    Much of the capital from these countries is allocated to office assets. From the standpoint of Singapore investors, most are seeking to plough capital in gateway cities such as Melbourne and Sydney, which offer steady and attractive income streams.

    79 per cent of Singapore capital has been allocated into outbound office assets, with 11 out of 18 of the office assets acquired based in Australia.  One such cross-border deal is the acquisition of 206 million Telstra Plaza building by Singapore’s ARA Asset Management and co-investment vehicle Straits Real Estate.

    While 45 per cent of China capital is allocated to office assets, most are flowing into Hong Kong strata-titled opportunistic assets, with a focus on capital growth.

    Figure 1: Allocation of intra-regional cross border capital outflow by asset classSource: JLL

    Australia and China most popular for foreign investors

    Australia and China draw the most foreign investments given assets in those markets generally offer more attractive yields. But relative to domestic purchasers, (Figure 3) India stands out with 65 per cent of its total transactions coming from foreign investors (all of which were Singapore based institutional funds investors).

    One notable example was Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC’s US$1.4 billion joint venture with DLF Cyber City Developers, which also happened to be the largest cross border deal year-to-date.

    These investors are looking to ride the investment wave via debt deals and joint ventures with local partners, as the market continues to grow in depth and demonstrates their willingness to shift from traditional markets if the opportunity presents itself.

     

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  • Singapore’s Changi Airport Retains The Megahub Title In Asia

    Singapore’s Changi Airport Retains The Megahub Title In Asia

    Based on connections and destinations served, Singapore’s Changi gains the megahub title in Asia, according to the latest OAG Megahubs International Index 2017.

    If you are looking for an airport that offers the maximum connections and destinations, then of all the 16 airports in Asia that figured in the OAG top-50 annual index, Singapore led the way.

    Singapore was the top ranked Asian airport and in the global-50 list it was placed 6th with a connectivity index of 257.

    In the global rankings, London Heathrow (LHR) was the single most connected international megahub in the world by a clear margin. On a single day in July, there were over 72,000 possible international connections between flights arriving at LHR and flights departing within a six-hour window.

    Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Amsterdam Airport (AMS) were ranked second and third, ensuring that the top three places went to European hub airports.

    There were some surprises in Asia.  Despite claims that Bangkok is the major aviation hub in the region, the rankings showed it trailed behind three other airports when connections and destinations were considered. Singapore ranked first in Asia, Jakarta second and Kuala Lumpur third.

    Bangkok was the fifth highest in Asia, with a connectivity index of 226, while globally it stood at 13th, trailing Hong Kong that came in at fourth regionally  ( 12th on the global list) with a connectivity index of 233.

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