Tag Archives: Australia

SriLankan as the flag carrier of Sri Lanka has been connecting the capital city of Colombo.

SriLankan Airlines completes 7 years of service to Melbourne

SriLankan Airlines recently celebrated the seventh anniversary of its Melbourne-Colombo route, launched in 2017. Since then, the airline has successfully connected many Sri Lankan expatriates and students to Melbourne, while providing seamless travel options for tourists travelling between Melbourne, Sri Lanka and beyond, particularly destinations across India.

With steady growth in traffic, including tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka, the Melbourne-Colombo route has become popular among travellers visiting friends and relatives or vacationing between Australia and South Asia, strengthening cultural and economic ties between the two regions. The route is also one of SriLankan Airlines’ top performers, both as a direct flight and a convenient connection, especially for Indian passengers.

Dimuthu Tennakoon, Head of Worldwide Sales & Distribution of SriLankan Airlines, stated, “As we celebrate this milestone, SriLankan Airlines will continue exploring potential expansion opportunities across its network to support the envisioned growth of this important route. With a strong foundation built over the past seven years, the airline is well-positioned to enhance connectivity and promote tourism between Sri Lanka and Australia.”

V. Ravindran, Regional Manager Asia Pacific of SriLankan Airlines, added, “We are excited and overwhelmed by the success of our operations. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, and I extend my heartfelt appreciation to each member for their contributions. As we move forward, we look forward to continuing to provide exceptional service and to strengthening our connections between Australia and Sri Lanka. Our commitment to our passengers remains unwavering, and we are eager to explore new opportunities for growth and enhanced travel experiences.”

SriLankan Airlines operates Airbus A330-300 and 200 series aircraft on the Melbourne route, ensuring modern in-flight comforts for passengers. Flights UL604 and UL605 currently operate a daily service between Colombo and Melbourne. Passengers can expect the award-winning service for which the airline is renowned for when travelling with SriLankan Airlines.

Paul Shih

Taiwan Tourism appoints Paul Shih as Director for Singapore Office

Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA), the destination marketing organisation responsible for the promotion of Taiwan as a premier travel destination, has appointed Paul Shih as the Director of TTA, Singapore Office.

Shih brings a wealth of knowledge, significant experience and proven leadership roles from across sectors in key positions.

In his new role, Shih is responsible for India, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the Middle East tourism markets. He will oversee all of TTA’s operations in these markets to prepare Taiwan Tourism for its next phase of growth. He replaces Joseph Cheng who held this role earlier and was instrumental in relaunching Taiwan’s post-Covid tourism interests in several key markets, including emerging tourism markets like India.

Shih’s overall responsibility encompasses developing the markets he is responsible for to enhance Taiwan’s visibility and destination awareness and boost visitation. Shih will also be responsible to unfold Taiwan latest destination marketing and publicity campaign ‘Taiwan – Waves of Wonder’ in order to grow leisure and business travel from across India, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the Middle East markets.

“I am incredibly honoured and excited to lead Taiwan in some of the most dynamic international tourism source markets like India, Middle East amongst others. Taiwan is one of the world’s premier travel destinations and packs tremendous destination punch within its small geography that has never ceased to delight and entertain international visitors. It would be my utmost endeavor to take brand Taiwan, the marketing and promotion of the diverse destination, its offerings and experiences to newer heights and help create destination demand across sectors like business, leisure and MICE tourism in these markets,” Shih said while commenting on his appointment.

Shih will also strengthen TTA’s global network of outposts comprising  marketing and PR professionals in order to create robust destination marketing bases.

Also a travel professional, Shih comes with a diverse background. In his previous roles, Shih has served as the Section Chief of Taipei City’s Land Administration Department and as Associate Engineer of Rapid Transit Systems Department, Taoyuan City. In his last assignment, Shih has served as the Analyst at Taiwan Tourism Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communication.

Vietjet has on an expansion spree with new routes and aircraft inductions.

Vietjet expands fleet with new 111th Airbus A321neo ACF

Vietjet welcomed its 111th aircraft, an advanced Airbus A321neo ACF, to its modern fleet at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

With its innovative technology, the A321neo ACF reduces fuel consumption and emissions by up to 20% while reducing noise levels by 50%.

As part of its expansion strategy, Vietjet will receive three additional new aircraft in December and plans to wet-lease 6–10 aircraft to meet peak travel demand during the Lunar New Year holiday. These additions will enable Vietjet to enhance its services for both domestic and international travellers.

In 2024, Vietjet has achieved remarkable growth, expanding its vibrant, modern fleet to serve its global flight network connecting Vietnam to more destinations worldwide. These fleet upgrades reinforce Vietjet’s position as a leader in providing safe, comfortable, and eco-friendly travel experiences.

Further, the airline is offering an exciting one-day promotion on December 12, 2024, from 00:00 to 23:59 (GMT+7). Travelers from India to Vietnam can book tickets for as low as INR 11, plus taxes and fees, subject to availability. The travel period for this offer extends from January 1, 2025, to October 25, 2025. Customers can use the promo code VJ12 to take advantage of this incredible deal.

With continued fleet enhancements and a commitment to customer satisfaction, Vietjet is making global travel more accessible and enjoyable than ever. The airline expanded its global presence with a network of 155 routes, including 43 domestic and 112 international routes across Asia and Australia.

VFS Global has expanded its footprint across the world and is a name to reckon with in visa processing.

VFS Global processes its 300 millionth application

VFS Global has crossed the 300 million applications milestone. It is notable that the last 100 million applications have been achieved in the past 5 years despite the pandemic-driven travel slow-down of 2020-2022. In 2023 alone, the company processed 24.1 million applications, 35% more than 2022. (Source: ISR 2023), and between January to May 2024, it has processed approximately 100,000 applications a day.

Zubin Karkaria, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group, said, “We are very pleased and honoured with the achievement of this milestone, which is a testament to the trust 69 governments have in VFS Global, and a testament to the reliable, secure and innovative services we provide across 153 countries. We are also deeply grateful to all visa applicants using our services. Over the past year we are honoured to have won several important contracts, including becoming the exclusive overseas visa outsourcing partner for UK Visas and DHA Australia, and contracts with Germany, Finland, Portugal and Japan who have renewed their trust in us. We remain deeply committed to continuing investments in technology and human capital development to ensure continuous enhancement of our services.”

From managing 60 client governments in 2019, VFS Global is the trusted partner of 69 governments with comprising long term partnerships with 25 governments for over 15 years. Last year, VFS Global was honoured to have won a record seven global visa outsourcing contracts – for UK, Australia, Norway, Sweden, Latvia, Iceland, and Austria – further cementing client governments’ trust in the organisation’s highly secure, efficient, and innovative solutions and its overall value proposition.

Innovation and technology being a founding pillar for VFS Global, a company that conceptualised and created the business segment of outsourced visa services with its inception in 2001. For instance, the company has introduced 16 unique digital solutions and built robust end-to-end eVisa platforms for 12 sovereign governments. Likewise, it pioneered biometric capabilities another stellar example of innovation and adapting to changing market dynamics. VFS Global has efficiently processed more than 140 million biometric enrolments since 2007. Today as more governments look to integrating biometric enrollment in their visa application process, VFS Global has further developed its capabilities with Multi-Mission Model (MMM) biometric kits.

Polaris Tourism expands portfolio with new DMC partnerships in 4 countries

Polaris Tourism has joined hands with RedFox Event Company Limited, a destination management company in Southeast Asia with its head office in Thailand and offices at Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

RedFox offers is a member of TICA (Thailand Incentive and Conference Association) & TCEB (Thailand Conference and Exhibition Bureau), empowering travel partners to grow and distribute the products and services via online and offline channels for FIT, groups & MICE.

With its own booking platform XConnect, RedFox aims to provide real-time availability, multi-currency options, packages, standalone products like hotels, sightseeing, and transport.

This partnership aligns with a commitment to growth from India’s western region and delivering the best experiences to the customers.

This alliance further adds to Polaris’s portfolio, which already includes CHR Travel (UK & Europe), Take Me 2 The World (New Zealand & Latin America) and Turtle Down Under (Australia).

 

Perth Airport partners with Accor to launch first Pullman Hotel in 2027

Perth Airport has announced a partnership with Accor to develop the Pullman Perth Airport Hotel, set to open in 2027. This will be the first hotel located on the airport’s estate, featuring 240 rooms and suites along with a rooftop restaurant and bar.

The new hotel will also offer a range of amenities, including a gym, lobby lounge café, sauna, meeting facilities, and co-working spaces. This development is part of a larger initiative to enhance airport infrastructure, which includes new terminals and upgraded ground transport options.

The Pullman Perth Airport Hotel will be designed by DKO Architecture, aiming to reflect the stunning landscapes of Western Australia through its choice of materials and architectural styles.

Pullman, as Accor’s leading upscale brand in the Pacific, manages over 20 properties across Australia and New Zealand. The new Pullman Perth Airport will join other Pullman locations servicing major airports in Sydney, Brisbane, and Auckland, enhancing the brand’s presence in the region.

Dan Sweet, Chief Property Officer at Perth Airport, highlighted the airport’s ambitious USD 5 billion capital investment initiative, which represents the most substantial private infrastructure project in Perth’s history. This development plan includes constructing a new terminal, upgrading ground transport facilities, and adding the first hotel at the airport.

Accor Pacific’s Chief Operating Officer of PM&E, Adrian Williams, noted that this expansion is indicative of a broader trend where airport areas are evolving into key hubs of commerce and service, aligning with Accor’s strategic growth in these high-demand locations.