Starfish Travel Corporation Team

The scorching summer itinerary for TAP Air Portugal in 2024 has been published, providing passengers with even more connections to the hottest locations. Customers will have the chance to plan their vacation for next year early thanks to the expanded timetable, which follows the summer season of this year. Beginning on March 31, 2024, the national airline of Portugal will increase the number of weekly flights between Portugal and Brazil by 11 and continue to invest in this important route. With the super schedule, TAP will be able to connect 11 Brazilian towns with Lisbon and Porto on 91 flights weekly during the busiest summer months, bolstering its industry-leading service between Brazil and Europe. As part of the revised schedule, Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro will receive two more weekly flights, taking the total to 12, while the well-traveled route between Lisbon and Recife will receive three more weekly flights, increasing it to ten times weekly. In order to provide consumers more options when traveling to South America, the European airline will also be introducing an additional weekly trip to So Paulo, Belém, Braslia, Natal, Maceio, Porto Alegre, and Salvador. In response to escalating customer demand, TAP will also be expanding its timetable across the pond. Lisbon will add 13 weekly flights, and San Francisco will add six weekly flights during the busiest summer months, up from five in 2023. The airline will also increase service from Lisbon to Maputo in Africa from three to four times weekly, providing unmatched connectivity to Mozambique from Europe. Locally, TAP has added nine new weekly flights to Florence and Rome as part of its expanded European schedule. The network expansion comes as TAP continues on its path to a long-term, sustainable recovery, concentrating on expanding its core routes and providing an exceptional customer experience to travelers from abroad. Currently, the Portuguese airline provides 71 weekly flights from the UK to Lisbon and 14 weekly flights to Porto. Customers traveling between Dublin and Lisbon can also take advantage of an extra 15 weekly services. In order to facilitate quick connections from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, and Dublin onto the airline’s large network, services have been deliberately timed. Because all flights depart from the same terminal in Lisbon, TAP provides seamless and simple connections between aircraft, making long-haul connections simple. Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/tap-springs-into-summer-2024-with-super-schedule/

Thai Vietjet’s “9.9 Flash Deals” promotion offers special fares starting from THB 699 (approximately USD 109.75 (inclusive of taxes and fees), available for booking from September 4 to 9, 2023 for domestic travel with the travel period from September 16, 2023 to April 30, 2024 (not including public holidays, and with terms and conditions applied), and from THB 1,099 (approximately USD 109.75 (inclusive of taxes and fees), with the travel The special promotional tickets are applied to Thai Vietjet’s entire domestic flight network from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Hat Yai, Surat Thani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, and Ubon Ratchathani and cross-country routes connecting Phuket to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, as well as Thai Vietjet’s international network from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Vietnam, Fukuoka, Phnom Penh, Singapore, and Taipei, and from Chiang Mai to Osaka. All other distribution channels, such as www.vietjetair.com, the “Vietjet Air” mobile app, Facebook at www.facebook.com/VietJetThailand by selecting the “Booking” tab, as well as travel agencies and booking offices, also offer the promotional pricing. ‘True Money Wallet’ and foreign debit/credit cards make payment simple. The top 10 domestic routes in Thailand are currently served by Thai Vietjet. These routes connect Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) with Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, and Surat Thani. Additionally, the airline is rapidly growing its international flight network to numerous locations throughout Asia-Pacific, linking Thailand with Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Japan, Taiwan, and other popular locations in the region. Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/9-9-flash-deals-with-thai-vietjet/

In an effort to further demonstrate its dedication to upholding the highest levels of customer service across all of its brands in Thailand and abroad, Centara Hotels & Resorts has announced key leadership changes within the company. For the past 40 years, Centara’s success has been rooted in its strong family values, and the company thinks internal mobility is essential to achieving corporate success. Centara has established itself as The Place to Be for both its visitors and its staff by fostering the abilities of its staff and providing abundant opportunity for growth within the company. Centara has undertaken the following internal personnel changes as part of its objective to rank among the top 100 worldwide hotel operators by 2027: 1. Robert Maurer-Loeffler has been promoted to Vice President of Operations for Centara Grand properties in Thailand from General Manager of Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Center at Central World.2. In addition to taking over as Centara Karon Resort Phuket’s general manager, David Martens has been elevated to Senior Director of Operations for Centara properties.3. Director of Operations for all Central Pattana hotel properties in Thailand is Wuthisak Pichayagan, general manager of Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao in Bangkok.4. Sebastien Scheeg, the general manager of the Centara Mirage Beach Resort in Dubai, broadens his responsibilities by being appointed director of operations for all locations in the Middle East and the Maldives.5. Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya’s new general manager is Chaiphun Thongsuthum.Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket’s new general manager is Bernd Rudigier. “Congratulations to every member of our team for their outstanding achievements. According to Siriwan Wangthamrong, Executive Vice President – Human Resources of Centara Hotels & Resorts, “At Centara, our success is driven by the passion of our people, and we take enormous satisfaction in establishing an atmosphere where individuals flourish and thrive within our organization. “We remain committed to providing the finest workplace for our employees as we move forward on our path to being a premier global hotel operator. This new organization underscores Centara’s commitment to internal mobility and building a vibrant workplace based on family values, allowing the business to offer a smooth and unified guest experience at each of its sites across the world.Source- Travel daily

One of India’s fastest-growing airlines, Akasa Air, has announced a special sale in collaboration with Paytm to provide customers the opportunity to book their flights at competitive rates over the holiday season. When making a reservation using Akasa Air’s website, www.akasaair.com, mobile app, or Paytm’s website, paytm.com, travelers can receive discounts of up to 10% off on “Saver” and “Flexi” rates to any of the airline’s 16 domestic destinations. From September 5 until September 9, 2023, the sale is valid. If a traveler chooses to take advantage of the deal, they must book their flights at least five days before the scheduled departure date (during the offer period). Simply enter the discount code “TRAVEL10” to take advantage of this offer on both one-way and round-trip tickets. The airline’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that air travel is both accessible and inexpensive for everyone is reflected in this short-term offer. To provide a welcoming, cozy, pleasant, and effective flying experience, Akasa Air has launched a number of best-in-class products and services. Ample legroom and USB outlets are found on most Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, allowing passengers to charge their devices while in flight. In order to provide a luxurious gourmet experience in the air, the all-new upgraded Café Akasa menu features over 60 meal options, including healthy meals, holiday favorites, gourmet meals, and fusion meals. Akasa Air, which debuted in August 2022, has successfully completed one year of commercial operations. During that time, it has connected 16 cities, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, Lucknow, Goa, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, and Kolkata, with over 4.3 million revenue passengers. Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/akasa-air-launches-an-exclusive-sale-in-partnership-with-paytm/

Loganair has unveiled its most extensive summer timetable ever for its 2024 route between Glasgow and Donegal. The sole airline providing a direct flight between the UK and Donegal is still the largest regional airline in the UK. Due to high demand from passengers, the airline has extended its summer schedule for 2019. Flights will grow from three per week in 2023 to four per week in 2024, operating from April to October. The change will virtually treble the season’s passenger volume and improve connection between the UK and Northwest Ireland. The Glasgow to Donegal summer 2024 itinerary for Loganair launches on April 5 of that year. Tickets can be purchased right away at loganair.co.uk and through all significant travel agencies. As part of the airline’s ground-breaking GreenSkies sustainability program, all flights come with a 15kg luggage allowance, in-flight beverages, savings for children under 11, and a required carbon offset fee. “The popularity of this route in summer 2023 has been good, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has visited Donegal,” said Luke Lovegrove, Chief Commercial Officer of Loganair. It is stunning, and we are happy that more people than ever will have the opportunity to explore this amazing region of Ireland thanks to the extended service next summer. “Equally, we hope that our Irish customers will appreciate the additional opportunities to visit Glasgow and take advantage of everything that our dynamic home city has to offer.” Loganair has been operating flights to Donegal Airport since the early 1990s, and the carrier’s recent reopening of the Glasgow route in July showed that the route is still in high demand. The service, which runs on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, will once more be handled by the cozier and quieter ATR-42 aircraft. “The passenger numbers in July and August 2023 confirm the continuing demand for this route, and we are delighted that Loganair will be increasing the duration and frequency of flights for 2024,” said Eils Docherty, Managing Director of Donegal Airport. We look forward to cooperating with Loganair beginning in early April of 2019 to maintain direct flights between Glasgow and Donegal. Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/loganair-announces-expanded-schedule-to-donegal-for-summer-2024/

With savings on flights and vacations for travel in both 2023 and 2024, British Airways and British Airways Holidays have started their end-of-summer sale. The deal, which runs until 3 October 2023, includes both short-haul and far-flung destinations. Highlights include European beach vacations starting at £219 per person, New York City getaways at £499 per person, and Caribbean resort stays at £599 per person. Vacation packages Customers who book their flight and hotel together can choose from a variety of alluring holiday packages offered by British Airways Holidays. Travelers to the Caribbean may take weeklong vacations to Tobago for £599 per person, Barbados for £749 per person, and Antigua for £719 per person. For those who enjoy European city holidays, two nights, including flights and lodging, start at £139 per person.Customers can book two-night trips to Nice and Prague for £139 per person, while a seven-night trip to the Algarve costs £219 per person. For those wishing to enjoy some winter sun close to home, all-inclusive seven-night stays in either Egypt or Mallorca are available for as little as £469 per person. British Airways Holidays’ managing director, Claire Bentley, stated: “We are thrilled to launch our holiday sale to well-liked travel locations. We have offers that will fit everyone, whether you want a quick holiday or a long-awaited journey to see family and friends. We are still committed to giving our clients lots of options, flexibility, and good deals. Book by September 12 to receive a discount of up to £300: When you book a flight + hotel or fly + car vacation during the promotion, you can additionally save the following amounts: With a minimum spend of £10,000 per booking and an additional £300 discount (F+H only), With a minimum purchase of £5,000 per booking and an additional £200 discount (F+H only), a further £100 off with a minimum booking expenditure of £2,50 a further £50 off with a minimum booking expenditure of £1,250 a further £25 off with a minimum booking expenditure of £650 (F+C only) These discounts are in addition to the current sale pricing aircraft only For those searching exclusively for transatlantic flights, return tickets to New York start at £333, Orlando at £373, Boston at £370, San Diego at $428, and Chicago at $419. The option to upgrade to World Traveller Plus (premium economy) for an additional £249 return is also available to clients who book World Traveller (long-haul economy). The benefits of upgrading include bigger seats, greater legroom, priority boarding, two meals, complimentary bar service, additional luggage space, and a chic amenity kit made from recycled plastic bottles.Avios can also be used to pay for travel by Executive Club members, with examples including return flights to New York for £173 + 36,000 Avios and Dubai for £179 + 62,500 Avios. Return tickets to Dubai start at £1,599. Return tickets to New York start at £1,762. Return tickets to Tel Aviv start at £1,100.Source- Travel daily

The low-cost airline from Kazakhstan, FlyArystan, will begin additional flights to India and Central Asia in the next two months as part of its ongoing international network expansion. In order to support its ambitious plan to expand its worldwide network, FlyArystan, a member of the Air Astana Group, currently operates a fleet of 16 Airbus A320s and will add two more A320neo aircraft to its fleet by the end of 2023. The second route to India offered by FlyArystan will begin in late September with flights from Almaty to New Delhi, with flights from Shymkent to New Delhi beginning in May 2023. The airline currently provides services from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, China, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan in addition to India. In addition, FlyArystan will start service in October between Astana and Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. The airline is also considering adding new services to Abu Dhabi (UAE), Oman, and Saudi Arabia as part of the next phase of its network expansion. According to Peter Foster, president and CEO of Air Astana Group, “the launch of FlyArystan in May 2019 has proven to be a tremendous success for Air Astana Group in pioneering the rapid development of low-cost markets in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.” In these markets, there has been a “dramatic growth in demand from a completely new segment of passengers, and is being followed by an exciting new phase of international network expansion, with the launch of services to cities in dynamic India and Central Asia markets, plus others in the Middle East on the horizon.” Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/flyarystan-expands-international-network/

On September 1, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) made public Lim Kean Bon’s appointment as Area Director for Africa, South Asia, and India. In Raymond Lim’s place, he would head STB’s promotion efforts and initiatives to engage the travel industry in Northern and Eastern India to maintain and expand leisure travelers’ affinity for Singapore. He will be located in New Delhi. In addition, Kean Bon will be in charge of business development initiatives to attract cruise and meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) visitors from throughout India to Singapore. Additionally, he will guide his group in interacting with customers in other local marketplaces, such as Bangladesh and South Africa. We extend a warm welcome to Kean Bon as he joins our vibrant team, said GB Srithar, Regional Director, India, Middle East, South Asia & Africa (IMESA), in response to this appointment for Singapore Tourism Board (STB). In my opinion, Kean Bon is well-suited to fill this position at STB New Delhi given his experience leading experience development for a leisure precinct and his previous employment with the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau (SECB), especially at this crucial time when Singapore is firmly established as the top leisure and business destination for Indian tourists. As an urban planner with Singapore’s city planning body, Kean Bon began his career in the public sector there. In order to advance the planning of MICE infrastructure, he joined the STB infrastructure planning and management division in 2015. After moving on to the SECB team in 2017, where he managed destination bids and account servicing activities for sizable business meetings and conventions organized by international associations. From 2020 to 2023, Kean Bon served as the team head of STB’s Lifestyle zone Development, where he established the direction for numerous initiatives to maintain the attraction of Orchard Road, Singapore’s premier lifestyle zone. Kean Bon remarked, “I am eager to join the STB IMESA team and look forward to building on the excellent work and solid relationships built by my predecessor Raymond. The sheer variety of colorful experiences the city has to offer for tourists and business travelers will continue to inspire the Indian audience as my team and I work together in New Delhi to promote Singapore. Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/singapore-tourism-board-appoints-lim-kean-bon-as-the-area-director-india-south-asia-and-africa/

The Cross-Border Tourism with Neighbors event was held in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, from August 26 to 30, 2023. It was organized by the Bangladesh Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in cooperation with the Bangladesh Tourism Board, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, and all tourism-related associations. Over 250 public and commercial sector participants from Nepal, India, and Bangladesh attended the event, which aimed to promote tourism in Bangladesh and encourage cross-border travel between neighboring nations. On the invitation of Mr. Shahid Hamid FIH, Chairman of PATA Bangladesh Chapter, thirteen Nepalese delegates, led by Mr. Bibhu Thakur, Chairman of PATA Nepal Chapter, and sixteen Indian tourism entrepreneurs, led by Mr. Samrat Sanyal, General Secretary of Siliguri, India-based Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network (HHTDN), took part as foreign delegates. M. Mahbub Ali, Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism, graciously opened the five-day event at the Dhaka Regency Hotel & Resort in Nikunja, Dhaka, on August 26, 2023. The event included B2B interaction sessions between foreign delegates and local tourism entrepreneurs and stakeholders in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, and facilitated FAM tours for foreign participants, showcasing promising tourist delights of Bangladesh. In order to promote cross-border travel, the organizing team from Bangladesh and representatives from Nepal and India have mutually decided to step up their engagement and advocacy efforts by streamlining travel procedures and incorporating travel-related products and services into their individual businesses. The Bangladesh Tourism Board, Visa, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, Tourist Police Bangladesh, PATA Nepal Chapter, HHTDN, Novo Air, US Bangla Airlines, Dhaka Regency Hotel & Resort, Best Western Plus Maya, DBC News, Convoy Service, Silver Wave Tours Ltd., Intercontinental Dhaka, Riverain Tours, Saint Martin Travels, Green Holidays, Hotel Kollol, Bengal Inn, Securex, PAT, and PAT Bangladesh Chapter all provided support Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/pata-chapters-of-nepal-and-bangladesh-along-with-hhtdn-collaborate-to-boost-regional-tourism/