Tag Archives: Southeast Asia

Air India starts non-stop Delhi-Kuala Lumpur flights

Air India has inaugurated its daily, non-stop flights between Delhi and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). The inaugural flight, operated by Airbus A320neo aircraft, landed at Kuala Lumpur at 2043 Hrs local time on September 15, 2024.

Kuala Lumpur makes Air India’s sixth destination in Southeast Asia, further strengthening its presence in the region and a steadily expanding global route network. Air India’s service to Kuala Lumpur offers a new flight option to an increasing number of travellers between India and Malaysia, and it opens new connections for Malaysian travellers to access Air India’s worldwide network that spans five continents.

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said, “As we inaugurate our Delhi-Kuala Lumpur route, we are not just connecting two cities; we are contributing to the growing exchange between two rich cultures and supporting bilateral trade and tourism. We look forward to welcoming guests aboard from India and Malaysia, as well as from North America and Europe who will now find a convenient way to connect to and from Kuala Lumpur via our hub in Delhi.”

Air India’s new flights to Kuala Lumpur enable seamless, same-terminal, one-stop connections for travellers from North America and Europe via Delhi.

SCHEDULE OF FLIGHTS BETWEEN DELHI AND KUALA LUMPUR

All times local 
Flight # Sector Departure Arrival Days of Operation

AI384

 Delhi-Kuala Lumpur 1300 Hrs 2100 Hrs

Daily
AI385 Kuala Lumpur-Delhi 0830 Hrs 1125 Hrs

Daily

Departure and arrival times are displayed in local times. The schedule of AI385 Kuala Lumpur-Delhi is effective 16 September 2024.

In addition to Kuala Lumpur, Air India flies non-stop between India and five points in Southeast Asia, namely Singapore, Bangkok and Phuket (Thailand), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), and Yangon (Myanmar).

 

Flight Centre Travel records PBT of AUD 320mn for FY24

Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has issued its full year results for FY24 to the Australian Securities Exchange.

Flight Centre Travel Group has delivered an AUD 320 million underlying PBT for 2024 fiscal year (FY24) – the result is a 131 per cent increase on the AUD 139 million FY23, and is at the mid-point of FLT’s guidance range.

Total Transaction Value (TTV) reached a record AUD 23.74 billion, slightly above the AUD 23.7 billion FY19 result and a circa AUD 1.8 billion year on year increase, with both corporate and leisure businesses delivering more than AUD 1 billion year on year growth, and corporate achieving another record.

FLT’s global corporate business delivered a 44 per cent underlying PBT increase to AUD 211 million, with Corporate Traveller contributing a record profit.

Corporate TTV increased by 10 per cent to a record AUD 12.1 billion, as the business finished the year about 35 per cent larger than FY19 in a sector that has only recovered to circa 80 per cent of the pre-pandemic activity levels (Source: MIDT).

Bertrand Saillet, Asia Managing Director, FCM Travel, said, “FY24 was a record-breaking year for FCM Travel in Asia, in both TTV and profit levels, driven by strong performance across Southeast Asia and India. Southeast Asia’s consolidated partnerships with our airline partners have yielded greater productivity”.

“FCM Meetings & Events India experienced significant double-digit growth, marked by consistent market share and profitability increases.

“They were also awarded India’s Top 100 Great Mid-size Workplaces 2024 and the Best in Professional Services by Great Places to Work. We believe that our employees are our greatest asset, and this recognition reaffirms our commitment to creating a strong ecosystem for everyone to thrive.

Our “glocal” capabilities have continued to ensure our success in North Asia. Investing in the corporate-specific AI Centre of Excellence for productive operations has led to substantial growth in profitability through digital transformation in Greater China.

“Corporate travel continues to be a critical facet for businesses as they look to survive, thrive, and grow at home and abroad. There’s no question that businesses see travel as a non-discretionary spend.

“FY25 looks encouraging with strong customer wins and a high customer retention rate. As business travel is projected to increase, we’re strategically expanding into new markets. We’ve invested in having the best-in-class technology and people to serve the business travel and MICE industry.”

Chris Galanty, Global Corporate CEO, Flight Centre Travel Group, added, “It’s been a robust year for the corporate pillar of the Flight Centre Travel Group with our flagship brands of Corporate Traveller and FCM Travel delivering record Total Transaction Value in a sector that has only recovered to circa 80 per cent of pre-COVID transaction volumes.

“This result has been driven by high customer retention rates and a large pipeline of new account wins, some of which have yet to be fully implemented, so we’ll see the benefits of these flow over the coming months once they begin trading.

“FCM Travel transaction volumes rose by 10 per cent year on year as the business continues to win and service large multi-national and enterprise-level accounts, while Corporate Traveller delivered a record profit globally, alongside winning managed and unmanaged SME and start-up accounts.

“Our blend of exceptional people and innovative technology continues to set us apart with both dedicated travel consultants and managers joining forces with the mass adoption of Corporate Traveller’s Melon online booking tool in the Northern Hemisphere and FCM Platform globally.

“We’ve continued to invest, and this year saw us launch our global corporate-specific AI Centre of Excellence that’s revolutionising customer service, empowering our agents through smart automation, and is a key driver as we remain on track to deliver our Productive Operations project.

“We’ve also spent a lot of time in understanding the pain points of our customers and we’ve made significant investments to solve these problems – this has since allowed us to generate new revenue streams – meaning that we ultimately stay ahead of the curve.

“We’ve done an excellent job in building a solid foundation of stability, and as recent global industry-wide issues have proved, it always pays to have a travel management company on your side.

“The corporate arm of the Flight Centre Travel Group is a materially larger business than pre-COVID and we’re energised by the progress we’ve made in the Grow to Win space – and will continue to make – in productive operations in Flight Centre Travel Group’s journey to becoming a two per cent margin business.”

South Korea to launch K-Culture Training Visa amid interest for K-pop

South Korea is launching a new visa aimed at foreign nationals who aspire to train in K-pop dancing, choreography, and modelling.

Dubbed the “K-Culture Training Visa,” this initiative by South Korea’s Finance Ministry does not require applicants to have prior auditions or callback offers from talent agencies, with more details expected later this year.

The move comes in response to the global surge of interest in Korean culture, which has led many international fans to travel to South Korea and immerse themselves in the country’s pop culture, including visiting filming locations for K-pop music videos and K-dramas. By capitalising on the popularity of K-culture, Seoul aims to attract more tourists, particularly from Southeast Asia, by easing travel barriers.

Despite the growing diversity of tourists, South Korea’s tourism sector has been slow to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels. In 2022, around 11 million people visited the country, a modest increase from the previous year but still significantly lower than the 17.5 million tourists in 2019.

Additionally, South Korea has introduced a “workation” visa to facilitate stays for digital nomads, allowing them to work remotely while enjoying the country’s tourism offerings. The government is considering expanding this scheme to further promote tourism among remote workers.

 

SAT to host over 40 trade partners from India at INDABA 2024

South African Tourism is set to host its annual ‘Africa’s Travel INDABA’, set to take place in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. This year, the event will host over 40 Indian trade partners.

In a significant, strategic shift in South African Tourism’s play in the Indian market, nearly 95% of the contingent will consist of buyers from Tier-II and III cities. This move aims to spotlight the immense potential and opportunities these new source regions of India present.

Africa’s Travel INDABA, preceded by a dedicated Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay), the event scheduled on 13th May sets the stage for knowledge sharing and thought leadership exchange. Attendees will be able to engage with over 950 exhibitors, including opinion leaders, tourism board decision-makers, and representatives from African countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, and Swaziland.

The highlight of this year’s event will be the showcase of new and untapped regions within South Africa, including KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and the Free State. These regions offer unique experiences, ranging from stunning coastlines and safari parks to historical landmarks and cultural attractions.

“India stands as a strategic market for South African Tourism” envisioning even greater possibilities Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia for South African Tourism adds, “Africa’s Travel Indaba isn’t just about showcasing South Africa – it’s about forging deeper connections and we see a massive opportunity in India’s tier 2 and tier 3 cities. These territories hold ample promise— a new generation of eager travellers seeking unique experiences.”

“In collaboration with Indian travel agents in these emerging markets, we aim to explore South Africa’s lesser-known regions and create worthwhile experiences for our Indian trade partners to promote,” she continues, “This strategic alliance builds upon the momentum generated by a remarkable 43% surge in inbound travellers from India in 2023, solidifying South Africa’s stature as one of the top three focus markets for the nation. With this targeted approach, we anticipate even more substantial growth in the years to come.”

The delegation reflects South Africa’s recognition of India’s growing appetite for outbound tourism and its potential as a key source market. Including buyers from cities such as Chandigarh, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Surat underscores South Africa’s focus on expanding its reach beyond traditional metropolitan hubs.

India is becoming a convenient hub for travel between SE Asia & Middle East: IndiGo

India is slowly becoming a convenient hub for travel between Southeast Asia and the Middle East as airlines prefer to transfer people by connecting through Indian cities, a top industry official said.

There is huge growth in India and many domestic routes are used by airlines for connectivity, V Sumantran, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd (IndiGo Airlines) said in Chennai.

Delivering his address at the 65th Institute Day of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, he said that IndiGo started off as a low-cost airline in 2006 and has made the largest single order in the aviation industry by ordering 500 aircraft in France.

“India needed an airline that will provide affordable travel for many of us and the net result we can see. Even now we see India really moving forward with a lot more speed on infrastructure development. We have about 140 operating airports now and that would become 220 by 2030. We are seeing a huge increase in regional travel,” Sumantran, an IIT-Madras alumni, said.

IndiGo is a very young airline by global airline standards. But the entire platform of IndiGo has been affordable fares, courteous service, on-time performance, and a “very well networked” route system which India needed, he said.

Citing an example that a lot of airlines were transferring people from places like Bangkok via India to reach Jeddah or Dubai in the Middle East by connecting through Indian cities, he said, “India is slowly becoming a convenient hub for travel between South East Asia and the Middle East.”

“So, there is huge growth that we can see coming out of this which has boldly allowed us to place an order of 500 aircraft that is the single largest aircraft order ever made in aviation history,” he said.

Maintaining that IndiGo has the largest network of women pilots in the world, he said the amount of carbon dioxide emission per-seat-per-kilometer was also the lowest in the world by the airline.

“We (IndiGo) now find ourselves as the third most valuable airline in the world, after Ryan Air and Delta (Air Lines). We were able to earn our place among the biggest and most valuable airlines in the world. The message here is India can offer lessons on how to grow with responsibility — achieve more with less and secondly, well before 2047, many of our enterprises can be globally successful,” he said. (PTI)

Thailand leads effort for six-country visa to aid regional tourism

In a bid to enhance regional tourism and economic cooperation, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has initiated discussions among leaders from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam to establish a Schengen-style visa programme in Southeast Asia.

This ambitious move aims to streamline travel procedures and provide unrestricted access for citizens of these six countries within the region.

With tourism serving as a vital economic engine, contributing approximately 20 per cent of total employment and 12 per cent to Thailand’s USD 500 billion economy, the proposed visa programme holds significant promise. In 2023, the collective efforts of these nations welcomed an estimated 70 million visitors, with Thailand and Malaysia contributing more than half of this figure, generating around USD 48 billion in tourism revenue.

Recognising the resilience of the tourism sector against economic downturns, particularly evident during the pandemic years, Thai leadership views the Schengen-style visa programme as a strategic tool to further propel regional tourism growth. This initiative is expected to foster increased travel flows, benefiting not only the participating countries, but also stimulating economic activity across Southeast Asia.

As discussions progress, stakeholders anticipate the implementation of the visa programme to pave the way for a more interconnected and prosperous tourism landscape in the region, positioning Southeast Asia as a premier destination for travellers worldwide.