Starfish Travel Corporation Team

According to a cabinet decision on tourism development released Thursday, Vietnam will explore unilaterally granting visa-free stays to nationals of other nations in an effort to draw in visitors from across the world.To be presented to the government, paperwork on increasing unilateral visa waiver policy would need to be completed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The administration has asked the Ministry of Public Security to update them on whether or not more nations qualify for e-visas. The Ministry of Transport is in charge of making it simpler for foreign airlines to establish routes to Vietnam and loosening up flight schedule regulations. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is in charge of creating business networks to join the international tourism supply chain, while the Ministry of Industry and Trade is responsible for adding new tourist lodgings. According to the decision, the Ministry of Finance will put out preferential credit packages for the travel and tourist industry. Promoting discussions with other nations on visa waivers is the responsibility of other ministries. The government has been under Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s direction to examine the possibility of extending the list of nations that do not require visas for entry into Vietnam since March. In comparison, Malaysia and Singapore currently grant visa exemptions to 162 nations, the Philippines to 157, Thailand to 65, and Vietnam to 25. According to industry experts in the travel industry, Vietnam is less competitive than other nations in the area due to the smaller number of countries eligible for its visa waiver policy. The administration would also suggest to the National Assembly that the immigration regulations be changed to ease the issuing of visas for foreigners entering Vietnam and to lengthen their stay in the country. At a session beginning on May 22, the assembly is scheduled to vote on adjustments to visa duration. This year, Vietnam’s tourism industry hopes to draw 102 million domestic visitors and 8 million tourists from abroad, bringing in a total of VND650 trillion ($27.7 billion). Source: breakingtravelnews

Virtual “previews” of places are frequently utilised to introduce prospective travellers to previously unanticipated trip alternatives and unexpected locales while allaying their travel apprehensions. Virtual vacations are effective “teasers” for destinations and a great method to draw in new travellers. But what about visitors who are returning? A timely new study by Dr. Hyejo Hailey Shin of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a co-author provides an in-depth look at the most important aspects of virtual trips and how these can be used to influence the behavioural intentions of returning visitors through immersion and nostalgia. It’s interesting to note that arousing the emotions and nostalgia of returning visitors might increase their desire to visit a location again, another location that is similar, and share great travel experiences with others. As the industry regains its footing in the aftermath of COVID-19, these insightful results can be crucial for destination management groups. Virtual reality is regarded by many as one of the most intriguing technical developments, with a wide range of predicted applications in several fields. The tourist industry has taken a particular interest in this immersive technology because it enables consumers to engage vividly with computer-generated aspects in a simulated virtual world. In order to market themselves as a holiday destination of choice in the post-pandemic age, the researchers note that “many tourism organisations have launched virtual trips, a combination of virtual reality and tourism contents.” Virtual “previews” of places are frequently utilised to introduce prospective travellers to previously unanticipated trip alternatives and unexpected locales while allaying their travel apprehensions. Nevertheless, despite these benefits for drawing first-time tourists, returning visitors who have already visited the location in question are frequently the main goals of many tourism destinations. In order to improve visitors’ intents to return, it would be ideal, as the researchers highlight, if tourist places could foster visitors’ pleasant recollections of their prior experiences there. This is an opportunity for virtual reality to shine. Returning travellers will be drawn to virtual travels if they bring back pleasant memories of previous travel experiences. Returning visitors must have total immersion and involvement for this to happen. Based on prior study, the researchers proposed that improved usability, interaction, and sensory appeal would boost immersion. Additionally, they projected that immersion would be increased by more accurate depictions of a location. Returning tourists, who are sure to notice if a virtual journey does not line up with their genuine experiences, will value this “authenticity” all the more. Most importantly, full immersion in a virtual experience causes an emotional reaction. The researchers state that “travellers’ emotional responses become stronger when they are deeply immersed.” A person who is nostalgic has strong, pleasant sentiments regarding their personal recollections. Nostalgia naturally has a distinct position in tourism study given that travel is all about offering concrete experiences through which new memories are created. In the literature, there are three different sorts of tourist nostalgia: nostalgia for the place; nostalgia for previous lives and the desire to recreate bygone eras; and nostalgia for social activities, or the feeling associated with trip memories of moments spent with people. The researchers hypothesised that travellers’ absorption in a virtual journey would have a good impact on all three forms of nostalgia. Furthermore, “even though these three types of nostalgia are focused on various objects, they may occur simultaneously,” they add. The well-known “stimulus-organism-response paradigm” is a crucial idea to understand when thinking about the possible impacts of nostalgia. According to this theory, powerful emotions push people to act in particular ways, which influences how they react to their surroundings. If true, a virtual journey ought to have an impact on tourists’ behaviours as well. According to the writers, nostalgia has been recognised as a significant antecedent of tourists’ behaviour goals. In order to determine if nostalgia enhanced tourists’ intentions to visit a certain location again, another location that is similar, and to tell others about the location where they formerly vacationed. These three factors are crucial indications of how positively tourists feel about a location. In order to answer a final question, the scientists investigated if tourist personalities affected the associations between nostalgia and behaviour goals. Despite a strong sense of nostalgia, more self-assured and adventurous “allocentric” travellers can choose to go to undiscovered locations than return to a prior one. Even if they don’t feel particularly sentimental looking back, less adventurous “psychocentric” visitors who choose comfort and ease could be more likely to return to a familiar location. In order to better understand the link between nostalgia and future behavioural intention, the researchers “investigated the moderating effect of travel personality.” Theme park capital in the globe is the ideal location for research. The researchers located and contacted 303 people who had visited Orlando, Florida, since 2015 by sifting through travel information made accessible by the Orlando Destination Management Organisation. These participants were requested to complete a thorough survey developed from prior publications after participating in a virtual journey over an Internet link. Participants were asked to rate the virtual trip’s interactivity, usability, sensory appeal, authenticity, level of immersion, feelings of nostalgia for the setting, previous lives, and social activities, as well as their behavioural intentions. Using a pre-existing scale, the authors also evaluated the participants’ travel “personality”. The necessity of incorporating high-quality, representational information in virtual excursions to increase engagement and involvement is shown by the discovery that immersion in the virtual trip depends on authenticity and sensory appeal. Tourism locations should thus focus their efforts on authentically conveying a destination’s environment and incorporating rich sensory appeals in order to maximise the amount of repeat visitors. According to the researchers, “[destination marketing organisations] will be able to arouse nostalgia for the destination, generating travellers’ intention to revisit the destination,” by improving travellers’ immersion in virtual excursions. Indeed, all three types of nostalgia were markedly heightened by immersion in the virtual experience. Destination nostalgia enhanced traveller intentions to return to the destination

Compared to FY2021/22, which had an operating deficit of $610 million, the group operating profit was a record $2,692 million. A record $2,601 million in operating profit for SIA, up $2,713 million from the prior fiscal year. The passenger capacity of the Singapore carriers (SIA) Group exceeded the 58% level for international scheduled services of Asia-Pacific carriers in March 2023, rising to 79% of pre-Covid levels. 26.5 million passengers were carried by SIA and Scoot together, an increase of six times over the previous year. The highest ever recorded for the Group, the passenger load factor (PLF) increased by 55.3 percentage points to 85.4%. Scoot recorded a PLF of 83.9%, while SIA attained a record PLF of 85.8%. For the fiscal year FY2022/23, the group’s revenue climbed by $10,160 million (+133.4%) from year to year to a record $17,775 million. Revenue from passengers flown increased from $13,366 million to $10,560 million (+376.3%) as traffic increased by 449.9%, exceeding the capacity growth of 94.0%. Compared to FY2021/22, which had an operating deficit of $610 million, the group operating profit was a record $2,692 million. A record $2,601 million in operating profit for SIA, up $2,713 million from the prior fiscal year. A record operating profit of $148 million was made by Scoot, an increase of $602 million over FY2021/22. The Group reported a record net profit for the year of $2,157 million, up from a net loss of $962 million the year before (+$3,119 million). Better operating performance (+$3,302 million) and reduced net financing charges (+$338 million) were the key contributors to this, which was only somewhat offset by a tax expenditure as opposed to a tax credit last year (-$615 million). “The SIA Group’s record financial success for FY2022/23 is a credit to its proactive strategic efforts, preemptive planning done while borders were still closed, and the hard work, devotion, and sacrifices of its people. Takis Dimitriou, Head of Asian Aviation, GSA of Singapore Airlines, and Scoot for Greece and Cyprus, mentions the SIA Group’s strong financial position, commitment to providing customers with best-in-class products and services, as well as its improved agility and resilience emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, will allow it to retain its leadership position in the industry. The airline sector may face difficulties in the next months as a result of macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, excessive cost inflation, and other factors. Even though fuel costs have dropped recently, they are still very high. The Group will actively watch events and respond swiftly and nimbly in light of the anticipated increase in competition on international routes. Several strategic initiatives were implemented to get ready for the future, including the continuation of network expansion through closer cooperation with like-minded airlines, the proposed merger of Air India and Vistara to strengthen SIA’s presence in the rapidly expanding Indian aviation market, and Scoot’s decision to lease nine Embraer E190-E2 aircraft and broaden its footprint to secondary points in the region. Additionally, despite the epidemic, the Group stuck to its long-standing plan of acquiring and flying newer models of aircraft. This makes it possible to increase operational effectiveness and assist continuing initiatives to significantly reduce carbon emissions. To enhance its premium image, the Group kept making investments in goods and services that are leaders in their fields. This included an order for the brand-new Airbus A350F freighters as well as the retrofitting of its Airbus A380 and Boeing 737-8 aircraft. It also included a redesign of its flagship lounges at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3. Source: traveldailynews

Eight out of ten female passengers, who make up 64% of all travellers worldwide, believe that their firms do not prioritise their safety enough. The first five-star resort in the Maldives and only the second in the whole region to obtain this coveted designation is Cora Cora Maldives, which announces that they have been given the SHe Travel Club Label. The opulent island has gained recognition as a resort that is safe for women to visit, especially lone travellers, ladies travelling with companions, and families after receiving the Gold Status. Cora Cora Maldives has been recognised as a safe and welcoming environment for women to enjoy their stay, one of less than 200 hotels to gain this certification. The SHe Travel Club encourages classifying hotels according to the requirements and expectations of women and makes sure that each establishment is examined for safety, services, comfort, and meals. Eight out of ten female passengers, who make up 64% of all travellers worldwide, believe that their firms do not prioritise their safety enough. Women are empowered by travel in a variety of ways, such as via increased personal satisfaction, acceptance of financial independence, and pushing the boundaries of experience. The idea of empowering women via the hospitality industry is not new to Cora Cora Maldives, which is continually searching for fresh approaches to encourage women and young girls throughout the island. A remarkable accomplishment for a historically male-dominated business, Ginger Moon is the only resort in the Maldives to have an all-female airport team and an all-female culinary team. Additionally, 50% of the workforce in executive positions are held by women. “At Cora Cora Maldives, we place a high premium on providing a secure and welcoming atmosphere for both our visitors and employees, especially for female tourists travelling alone. Anna Karaseva, Sales & Marketing Manager, exults, “We could not be prouder that our devotion to improve the travel experience for women has been highlighted in this historic fashion and we look forward to continuing to ensuring our guests feel secure and comfortable during their visit. The SHe Travel Club, which works to advance gender equality in hospitality, conducts studies in a number of nations to learn what women need and expect when they travel in order to get the coveted accreditation. The independent, worldwide SHe hotel labelling organization’s commitment to all women is “SHe, Safe and Happy everywhere.” Their suggestions are based on private studies of 5,000 women in five different nations. The SHe Travel Club seal of certification provides security and guarantee of quality when travelling. Cora Cora Maldives provides its visitors with a singularly immersive cultural, experiential, and gastronomic experience of the Maldives. containing 100 villas, four restaurants, two bars, the Dutch Onion Museum, a water sports and diving facility, a gym, an overwater yoga pavilion, an outdoor movie theatre, and the MOKSHA Spa and Wellbeing facility. From Velana International Airport, Cora Cora Maldives may be reached in 45 minutes by seaplane or in 30 minutes by domestic aircraft, then 20 minutes by speedboat. The ideal peaceful island retreat is Cora Cora Maldives. Source: traveldailynews

Qantas has announced that it would increase from two to four daily flights to Tokyo. Qantas is expanding its global network by adding additional flights, aeroplanes, and locations. Along with this, travel is quite popular both domestically and internationally. Starting in October 2023, Qantas will level up its international network, adding almost one million extra seats over the course of a year compared to its existing timetable. Customers will have easier access to well-known locations around Asia, the United States, and the Pacific thanks to this boost in capacity. The additional capacity will be achieved by the restoration to service of more Qantas aircraft, the addition of new aircraft to the fleet, and a deal with oneworld partner Finnair to operate two Airbus A330 aircraft on two Qantas routes. By March 2024, Qantas’ international capacity—which is now at around 84% of pre-COVID level capacity—will have increased to meet pre-COVID levels thanks to the network improvement. Flying to Tokyo will become simpler as a result of this network expansion. According to Qantas, starting on November 26, there will be an option of four daily flights to Japan, doubling the number of weekly flights from Australia to Tokyo from 14 to 28. Melbourne to Tokyo will go from four times per week to daily, Brisbane to Tokyo will go from three times per week to daily, and Sydney will go from daily to twice daily. Additionally, services from Melbourne and Brisbane will relocate to Narita Airport, a major hub airport located 60 kilometres east of the heart of Tokyo. Additionally, Qantas is prepared to restart San Francisco flights the following week and to introduce its first service between Sydney and New York through Auckland the following month. Seasonal services to Rome and flights between Melbourne and Hong Kong will return in June, according to Qantas, as the European summer begins to heat up. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce commented on the developments, saying: “This boost to our network will add hundreds of thousands of seats in time for the busy Australian summer holiday period. The rebound in demand for international travel since borders reopened has been extremely strong.” We can release some of the planes we had in reserve since Qantas has been the most punctual major domestic airline for the past eight months in a row. That shows more of the aviation supply chain getting back to normal, which is a major testament to the dedication of our team members across the Group. Mr. Joyce also made a suggestion that the expanded network would aid in containing fare costs. There is still an imbalance between supply and demand for international travel, despite efforts by airlines throughout the world to increase capacity to meet demand, according to Mr. Joyce. However, as we increase our own flights, we have more seats for our passengers and more opportunities for Qantas crew thanks to more of our aircraft returning to service, new 787s joining our fleet, and our partnership with Finnair. “We know that our customers are looking for great value, and this additional capacity will also put downward pressure on fares.” In addition to Tokyo, Rome, San Francisco, and Hong Kong, Qantas will enhance capacity on a number of other destinations beginning on October 29, 2023. You can view the complete list here, but to give you an idea, daily A330 flights will resume on the Sydney to Shanghai route for the first time in more than three years, and the number of weekly flights on the Sydney to New York (via Auckland) route will increase from three to four. In addition, Qantas will increase its flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, Delhi, Wellington, Honiara, Christchurch, and Queenstown. Tickets for the expanded flights will begin to go on sale today at qantas.com and through travel brokers. Source: escape

More international flights and itineraries being offered by Q Antas will bring down rates, but the airline is also being accused of hiring foreign employees for infrastructure and positions. A million additional tickets will be available on flights to popular locations over the course of the next 12 months, the airline stated today. Increased frequency will be seen on a number of routes, including Australia to Los Angeles, Tokyo, Singapore, Dehli, and New Zealand. At the end of October, the revised flight schedule will go into effect.Additionally, Sydney-Shanghai flights will return after a hiatus of more than three years. “The rebound in demand for international travel since borders reopened has been incredibly strong, and this boost to our network will add hundreds of thousands of seats in time for the busy Australian summer holiday period,” CEO Alan Joyce said. The more flights, he continued, will force airfares lower. After Qantas agreed to lease two Airbus A330s from Finnair to be flown by the airline’s own pilots, the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) accused the company of outsourcing pilot employment to foreign employees. For the first two and a half years, the flights will be operated by Finnair pilots and cabin staff. The Finnar A330s will be flown by Qantas pilots and cabin staff for three years starting in 2025. The plane will be utilised for trips to Shanghai and Hong Kong. We have more seats for our passengers and more opportunities for Qantas crew as we boost our own flights, Joyce added, thanks to more of our aircraft returning to service, new 787s joining our fleet, and our deal with Finnair. Captain Tony Lucas, the president of AIPA, stated that they are “disappointed and frustrated” by Qantas’ choice to lease the foreign aircraft and use its own personnel. He claimed that with better management choices, “Qantas’ decision to wet lease two Finnair aircraft is shocking, bitterly disappointing, and could have been avoided.” The fact that Qantas is outsourcing the Spirit of Australia while also transforming two of our own A330 passenger planes into freighters is incomprehensible. In light of the decision to fire a number of employees during the epidemic, Lucas noted that the outcome is disheartening for Australian pilots. He declared, “This is a sad day for our fantastic airline.” Source: 9news

The band’s travels and songs are a reflection of their love for Thailand, with its plethora of natural resources, pleasant weather all year round, and variety of ecosystems and landscapes that are suitable for all types of travel in any season. Despite speaking various languages, music serves as a universal language that unites people. People from different cultures can get a valuable understanding of one another’s way of life by listening to music from the other culture. The Biggles Big Band’s music, which unites people and their journeys, reflects this reality. The band’s travels and songs are a reflection of their love for Thailand, with its plethora of natural resources, pleasant weather all year round, and variety of ecosystems and landscapes that are suitable for all types of travel in any season. The most notable characteristics of Thailand are its cultural wonders, hospitable people, mouthwatering cuisine, and distinctive way of life. The Dutch rock band has been drawn to Thailand by these elements. The band has often provided musical concerts for cross-cultural exchange in Thailand during the past 14 years. As part of the “BCG Tourism & Happy Model,” which embodies sustainable, carbon-neutral travel, compensation for lower travel-related greenhouse gas emissions, and ties to local community tourism, these ideas are central to their message. According to this model, every segment of Thailand’s tourism business focuses on modernising its tourism operations to better conform to the sustainability principle, in keeping with the growth of the global economy and the possible number of eco-tourists. Experience the ‘BCG tourist & Happy Model’, an original eco-friendly tourist strategy created to reduce harmful effects on the environment and society, which served as the inspiration for Thailand’s new tourism idea. Let’s learn about tourism that appeals to all types of travellers, whether they choose to unwind, sample local cuisine, go on adventures, explore history, or maintain good health. Source: traveldailynews

Australian travel insurance industry to be revolutionised by API-driven modular insurance solution. Melbourne, Australia – Battleface, a supplier of travel insurance, has announced the debut of its tech platform, which enables partners to create personalised solutions. Battleface offers embedded modular insurance for partners and their clients alike. The way that battleface unbundles travel insurance offers flexibility and customization while keeping it pertinent to the marketplaces of distribution partner companies and their clients. The quickly expanding business is recognised for creating travel insurance solutions and has amassed a sizable following in the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, and Canada. Battleface, which has partnerships with Wise & Silent, AWAI, and Mustard Underwriting in Australia, is available in more than 185 countries and uses an API-driven platform that allows partners to seamlessly integrate travel insurance products into their customer journeys. With set pricing and perks, partners may use the battleface platform to create their own products, giving clients total flexibility. Battleface and Awai Travel have teamed to offer pre-trip cancellation insurance as standard with every purchase. Awai Travel is a travel technology firm that specialises in leisure travel. On top of battleface’s API, the insurtech platform Wise & Silent created its own products. Additionally, battleface has teamed with Mustard Underwriting, a company that specialises in offering insurance services to the sharing economy sector. “When travel insurance is unbundled into individual benefits, partners can build their own products on top of APIs with precise benefits driving higher conversion and overall customer satisfaction,” explains Matt McLellan, battleface Managing Director for Australia. We are able to provide clients with access to items based on their real travel demands and itineraries by working with appropriate companies around Australia. Battleface’s standard coverage includes $40,000 per person in trip cancellation insurance, $2.5 million in personal liability insurance, and unlimited medical coverage. Customers will also have access to battleface’s customer support, claims, travel, and emergency medical teams around-the-clock. Source: traveldailynews

Elimination of single-use plastic is the focus of the Green Airports Recognition 2023 campaign. Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific released the findings of the Green Airports Recognition (GAR) Programme 2023, honouring 12 airports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East for exemplary achievements in their sustainability programmes. The sector has experienced exponential growth over the last few decades and is predicted to do so in the years to come. An enormous amount of rubbish is anticipated to be produced at airports as air travel expands. One such worry is the rising concern throughout the globe about the effects of single-use plastic pollution, particularly in the aviation sector. Therefore, the elimination of single-use plastic is the focus of the 2023 Green Airports Recognition. According to several airport size categories and predetermined criteria, the best airports are recognised in one of three categories: “Platinum”, “Gold”, or “Silver”. These airports are recognised: Annual passenger volume of above 35 million Platinum: Single Use Plastic Free Airport at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai Accelerating the airport’s decrease of single-use plastics is gold at Hong Kong International Airport. Silver: Single Use Plastic Free Delhi Airport at Indira Gandhi International Airport Between 15 and 35 million travellers annually: Platinum: KIAB’s Plastics Circularity Project at Kempegowda International Airport Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (Project: RGI Airport free of single-use plastic) Silver: Jeju International Airport (Project: Adding reusable water bottles to the airport) Between 8 and 15 million travellers annually: Platinum: Central Japan International Airport (Project: Sustainable Use of PET Bottles from Bottle to Bottle) Gold: Adelaide Airport (Project: Precinct with no single-use plastics). Silver: Bahrain International Airport (Project: Reducing the usage of single-use plastics at BIA) Fewer than 8 million travellers annually: Silver: SUP Free Airport at Mangaluru International Airport Airport in Christchurch, New Zealand, receives a gold rating (Project: Waste Strategy to Circular Solutions). Silver: Kaohsiung International Airport (Project: Plastic-Free Life at the Airport) At the 18th ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition in Kobe, Japan, the acknowledged airports received recognition. “Congratulations to all the recognised airports for demonstrating their leadership and commitment in implementing cutting-edge sustainability projects at airports,” stated Mr. Stefano Baronci, Director General of ACI Asia-Pacific. These are crucial actions in our sector’s efforts to safeguard the environment and reduce carbon emissions. We are pleased by the cutting-edge techniques used by airport administrators to reduce the plastic pollution. As we all strive towards the shared goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we hope that these innovative ideas will motivate other airports to put them into practise. Source: traveldailynews