Tag Archives: South Korea

Routes Asia 2025 to be held in Perth, Australia from March 25-27

At the CAPA World Aviation Summit yesterday it was announced that Routes Asia 2025 will take place in Perth, Australia from March 25-27. The event will be hosted by Perth Airport and Tourism Western Australia with the support of Business Events Perth and Business Events Australia.

Routes Asia unites decision-makers from airlines, airports and the destinations they serve from across Asia Pacific. Negotiations that take place at the event define future air connectivity for the region. VPs and heads of network planning from over 80 of the region’s leading and fastest-growing airlines are expected to attend the event in Perth.

Tourism is an important part of Western Australia’s economy, supporting nearly 30,000 tourism businesses and generating 89,100 tourism-filled jobs in 2021-21, while in 2022-23 the sector contributed USD 16.8 billion in visitor spend. Increased air connectivity is essential to the region’s strategy to continue this economic growth.

Having seen international traffic recover to 90% of pre-pandemic levels, Western Australia’s capital city is focused on developing direct aviation access from key priority markets including China, India, South Korea, Taiwan and other unserved markets. By hosting Routes Asia, Perth will demonstrate to the region’s leading airlines the viability and profitability of these routes.

The airport recently welcomed the announcement that Qantas will commence operating a non-stop service between Perth and Paris in July 2024. Other recent route successes for Perth include two new non-stop services to Ho Chi Minh City by VietJet Air and Vietnam Airlines and the resumptions of the ANA Perth to -Tokyo service.

Speaking at the announcement, Steven Small, Director, Routes, said, “Increased air connectivity is proven to bring massive economic benefits and prosperity to a destination. By hosting the 21st edition of Routes Asia, Perth will be at the heart of conversations driving growth for the region’s air route networks.”

Small added, “Hosting major events is a key priority for the Western Australian Government. We are confident that this event will be a catalyst for the destination in achieving this aim.”

Carolyn Turnbull, MD, Tourism Western Australia, said the agency was passionate about expanding WA’s aviation connections to grow Perth’s reputation as the Western Gateway to Australia.

“Hosting Routes Asia 2025 is an amazing opportunity for WA as it allows us to build on our work to secure even more direct flight connections between Perth and Asia,” Turnbull said.

“I’d like to thank Perth Airport, Business Events Perth and Business Events Australia for their support in securing this premier event in WA.

“I look forward to welcoming aviation travel and trade leaders to our state and vibrant capital city in a little over 18 months’ time.”

 

Vietjet runs Black Friday Deals for one-way tickets at INR 5,555

Vietjet has announced its exclusive Black Friday promotion, offering deals from India to Vietnam. With this limited time offer, travellers can secure all-in one-way tickets for just INR 5,555*.

The Black Friday promotion runs from November 22 to November 28, the travel period for these discounted tickets extends from January 1 to October 31, 2024. In addition to the slashed ticket prices, travellers booking international flights will also receive an e-voucher worth VND 200,000 (approx. INR 686) by visiting the airline website. Furthermore, Vietjet is extending a 30% discount on duty-free shopping for passengers.

The airline is now also offering the most flights on the largest network connecting India with Vietnam. It operates a total of 35 weekly round-trip flights, establishing a direct connection between five key Indian cities – New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Kochi, and Tiruchirappalli – and the Vietnamese cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietjet has been operating for over a decade with around 450 flights daily across 125 routes connecting Vietnam with other countries across Asia and Australia. The airline’s international network includes destinations in India, Australia, Northeast Asia (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China), Southeast Asia and Kazakhstan.

 

Travel & tourism sector deal activity down globally by 33% YoY in Q1-Q3: GlobalData

A total of 558 deals were announced in the travel and tourism sector globally during the first three quarters of 2023, which was a decline of 33% compared to the announcement of 833 deals during the same period in 2022, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

An analysis of GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database also revealed all the deal types under coverage, and most of the key markets recorded a considerable year-on-year decline in the announcement of deals during Q1-Q3 2023 compared to Q1-Q3 2022.

For instance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals volume for the travel and tourism sector declined by 34.6% during Q1-Q3 2023 compared to Q1-Q3 2022, while the total number of private equity deals and venture financing deals were down by 29.2% and 28.4%, respectively.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, said, “Geo-political tensions, Russia-Ukraine war, inflation, recession fears, and interest rate hikes seem to have been taking a toll on deal-making sentiments in the travel and tourism sector. Resultantly, we have been seeing subdued activity being experienced across several key markets across regions.”

North America witnessed a decline in deals volume by 43.9% during Q1-Q3 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year, while Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America regions experienced a decline of 39.7%, 12.7%, 16.7%, and 25%, respectively.

Similarly, key markets such as the US, the UK, South Korea, France, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, and Canada recorded year-on-year decline in deals volume by 44.4%, 40%, 12.5%, 12.5%, 25.9%, 53.5%, 23.5%, and 35.3% during Q1-Q3 2023, respectively, compared to Q1-Q3 2022.

Meanwhile, China emerged as a notable exception and experienced growth in deals volume by 21.9% during Q1-Q3 2023 compared to Q1-Q3 2022, whereas deals volume for India remained at the same level.

APAC’s tourism recovery strong post pandemic: PATA

The recovery in tourism in the Asia-Pacific region after the COVID-19 pandemic has been “strong and robust” and the numbers have reached about 80 per cent of 2019’s figures, the chief of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) said on Thursday.

Peter Semone was interacting with reporters during the second day of the 46th edition of the PATA Travel Mart, being hosted here from October 4-6.

Rakesh Kumar Verma, additional secretary in the Union Ministry of Tourism, in response to a query on India’s tourism recovery after the pandemic, said, “The performance this year is around 80 per cent of our pre-pandemic level”.

During the press conference, he also reiterated India’s target on the tourism sector in the long run.
“By 2047, we are looking at 100 million international tourist arrivals and 20 billion domestic visits. And, USD 1 trillion tourism economy. But that is a conservative figure, our industry is striving for USD 3 trillion,” Verma said.
The physical version of the PATA Travel Mart is being held after a gap of three years due to the pandemic.

“Recovery from 2019 numbers … in the Asia-Pacific region, we are running at about 80 per cent. So there is a recovery and I have to say it’s a strong and robust recovery,” Semone said when asked about the recovery made in tourism sector in the Asia-Pacific region.

“The quality of tourism, in terms of lengths of stays, is better. It seems, when people are travelling, they are travelling a little bit more seriously and in a bit more committed way,” he added.

Later, on the sidelines, he also shared some of the factors that have led to this “good recovery”.

“Pent-up demand for travel is one of the main factors, I think, as people have been wanting to travel since the pandemic, when restrictions were imposed,” he told PTI.

Exhibitors from South Korea, Nepal, Malaysia, Taiwan and some of the states from India are also participating in the event.

A lot of travel incentive deals were offered by agencies once borders began to be opened again and people were also yearning to travel to meet their family members in other countries, so these factors also contributed to the recovery in tourism in the region, another senior official of PATA told PTI.

Union Tourism Secretary V Vidyavathi and other senior officials of the Ministry also were present on the occasion.

Vidyavathi said besides promoting the ‘Travel for LiFE’ initiative, the ministry is also focusing on shining light on lesser-known tourism sites, the “hidden gems” of India, to urge tourists to try out new destinations while the lessening burden on existing ones.

The PATA Travel Mart – 2023 is being held at the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan. The complex was also the venue for the G20 Summit held from September 9-10.

The G20 theme under India’s presidency has been ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — One Earth. One Family. One Future’.

Verma, when asked about India’s plan to reach its 2047 target, told reporters, “We have the variety and diversity of Indian (tourism) products … and, I think, we will be able to make inroads in all important markets”.

He said the kind of “transformation in supply side” that is there, it will help in attracting tourists.

Bangkok-based PATA, founded in 1951, is a renowned not-for-profit association recognised internationally for its role as a catalyst in the responsible development of travel and tourism in the Asia-Pacific region.

The event in Delhi brings together tourism professionals and business stakeholders from across the world, offering a unique platform for networking, learning and collaboration, officials said.

Supported and sponsored by the Macao Government Tourism Office since 1995, this year’s awards recognise the achievements of 23 separate organisations and individuals in various categories, including Kerala Tourism, Korea Tourism Organisation, MGM China, Tourism Fiji and SriLankan Airlines, according to the official website of PATA. (Source: PTI)

Need to study why high-spending Russian tourists have stopped coming to Goa: Tourism Minister

Raising concerns about Russian tourists preferring other destinations over the state, Goa’s Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte recently stated that in the past few years, there has been a shift in preferences of international tourists who are now opting for visiting emerging markets like UAE, South Korea, Japan, etc. instead of Goa.

“Rich tourists from Russia have stopped coming to Goa. They are now found in Dubai and we need to study the reason behind it to know what went wrong with Goa due to which the tourists have to look for alternative destinations instead,” said Khatune in his statement.
Giving the example of Saudi Arabia, the Minister added that Goa too should take Saudi-like measures for attracting international investments and work on various kinds of projects to help the state regain its lost tourism.

stat
He added that the development of the state’s second international airport (Mopa) will provide them with a perfect opportunity to increase footfall and boost tourism once again.

The rise of India as Medical Tourism hub

Farhat Jamal, Chairman, IMC Travel Tourism and Hospitality Committee

Today, India aims to become the world’s top medical tourism destination, tripling its revenue to USD 13 billion in four years.

NITI Aayog estimates that the Indian economy could earn an additional USD 9 billion by 2026 from MVT and wellness tourism. Currently, India, ranked tenth with a score of 69.80 on the Medical Tourism Index, offers over 200 types of medical services ranging from fertility treatments to skincare. The most sought-after treatments are cardiovascular surgeries, cancer treatment and organ transplant surgeries, as these are 65-90% cheaper rates when compared to US, Europe, Australia or even Singapore. India has 40 healthcare facilities accredited to the Joint Commission International (JCI) and 1400 National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH)-accredited hospitals.

At the 68th Regional Commission for Europe on June 5th UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Health tourism helps destinations diversify, creating jobs, supporting businesses and extending these benefits to rural communities. However, this part of our broad sector is especially reliant on skilled workers. As tourists’ expectations rise, so too must the level of service that destinations can provide.”

Also, at the UNWTO “Medical and Wellness Tourism” conference, held in the Dead Sea area on June 8th Health Minister of Jordan Firas Al Hawari pointed out that investing in healthcare and medical tourism is key to increasing economic growth, according to their Economic Modernisation Vision (2023-2025).

Jordon Tourism Board’s Director General Abdulrazak Arabiyat noted the board’s commitment to promoting Jordan as a top medical tourism destination, with 45 marketing packages and new tourism products designed specifically for this purpose.

India has also been rankled 10th in the Medical Tourism Index (MTI) for 2020-21 out of 46 destinations in the world by the Medical Tourism Association. It also accounts for 6% of the global MVT (Medical Value Travel) market. An estimated 1.4 million medical tourists visited India in the past one year. According to the Ministry of Tourism website, India has 1000 recognised nurses-training centres with 10,000 nurses graduating annually. India also has Ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy and other traditional systems of medicine for the treatment of various ailments, promoting wellness tourism. The country witnesses an influx of patients from Bangladesh, Iraq, Maldives, Afghanistan, Oman, Yemen, Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania. These countries account for about 88 per cent of the total international patients visiting India and the stats are witnessing continuous growth even for patients from developed countries. The sector is projected to clock exponential growth by 2026. Undoubtedly, our strength lies in the infrastructure and diagnostic facilities, which are some of the best in the world while being cost-effective which puts us at the centre of the global healthcare industry.

Millennials make the way for health & wellness
Millennials are already driving the hotel and health industries in varied ways. For them, discovery of the outer world is intertwined with the discovery of the self. While revenge travel is driving occupancies at hotels, the average-spend by millennials on health — be it gears, gadgets or nutritional supplements – has increased significantly. The Deloitte Global 2021 Millennial and Gen Z Survey, which tapped the pulse of more than 14,600 Millennials in 45 countries, asked respondents to identify their top three personal concerns. Twenty-eight percent of Millennials cited health care and disease prevention as a top concern in 2021, as compared with 21% in 2020. The pandemic altered the way we perceive our health, especially for millennials for whom health is no more restricted to the boundaries of a ‘holiday’ or a break from daily monotony. Even companies are including it in their employee-care programs. As employee well-being grows in importance, employer sponsored medical travel is making more sense than ever. Budgets are being earmarked and health policies are being redefined.

The rising demand for wellness resorts among travellers and an increasing interest in luxury senior living projects offering state-of-the-art medical facilities serves as a positive affirmation for opportunities in medical tourism sector. People are constantly looking for places that offer the best of both the worlds – health and hospitality. Experiential and immersive travel experiences such as Yoga, workouts, meditation coupled with carefully curated food menu and local community practices, also giving fillip to the local economy are going to be a newer area of wellness resort development in the coming years.

Holistic wellness – the India way

Since time immemorial, India has been the epicentre of wellness tourism boasting of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Sidha and Unani systems of health & wellness. When it comes to holistic health, India offers a 360-degree that combines science as well as ancient knowledge. Thanks to a robust medical and healthcare system supported by strong infra, talented doctors and skilled healthcare staff, it has the potential to attract patients from developed countries as well. Today, medical travelers are trusting India for niche treatment areas include cardiology, oncology, fertility, orthopaedics, neurology, and aesthetics such as bariatric treatments – as well as dental services. Competing with the front runners in Medical Tourism such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, India is leaving no stone unturned to become the world’s top medical tourism hotspot.

This year, in the month of April, India hosted the ‘One Earth One Health – Advantage Healthcare India 2023 – programme in New Delhi in a bid to promote India as a hub for medical tourism. With 500 foreign participants from over 70 countries, the two-day summit aimed to promote the export of medical services from India and provide networking opportunities for Medical Value Travel (MVT) experts, industry stakeholders and professionals. At the inaugural event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi touted India’s traditional healthcare systems as holding a lot of answers to stress and lifestyle diseases. While policies will provide the framework and direction, creating infra and supporting facilities for a seamless experience from the airport to the hospital and back is vital. This means all the stakeholders such airlines, hospitals, wellness centres, tour operators, transport providers, insurance companies and hotels need to put in a collaborative effort.

Exploring the new realms of PPP

To market the nation as a wellness and medical tourism destination, the government has launched a ‘Heal in India’ campaign. Targeting the global demand for holistic healing for lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, the government is pitching Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy — falling under the ambit of the Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) Ministry — as an alternative to modern medicine. India has launched e-visas for MVT travellers from 156 nations and has also accredited AYUSH centres, formalising their status in the Indian medical industry. In future, the government plans to launch a one-stop online MVT portal, which will include mapping of all medical facilitators including government and private hospitals, booking of services, payments and post-operative services. An ideal example of Public-Private Partnership (PPP), the private sector with its capital and experience must support the progressive policy framework to achieve India’s medical prowess. We still need to work towards building our credibility through best global medical accreditations, provide transparent and effective communication, reduce huge price anomalies for similar treatments across hospitals and most importantly implementation of a robust medical tourism policy at the centre and state level.

According to India Hospitality Industry Overview 2022 report by HVS Anarock, developing dedicated hospital-hotel mixed-use projects and patient hotels designed to meet the needs of medical travelers, as is common in Scandinavian countries and even in Asia countries like Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, etc., could be a profitable business model in the future. It will also help the country realize its true wellness & medical tourism potential. Indeed, the two sectors – health and hospitality – should now build on this success to provide medical travelers with a seamless tourism experience. Medical Tourism has the potential to improve the quality of life of many – by providing the best medical treatment/preventive care or job opportunities to the youth of the country or simply teaching the science of healthy living – the next big story of healthcare & hospitality has just begun. A blend of cost-effective medical treatments with our incredible centuries’ old heritage & topography of the country and the quintessential ‘India experience’ I have little doubt about travelers making a beeline to avail the best of both the worlds – health & hospitality!