Starfish Travel Corporation Team

The last “voyages” of the immersive experience, which immerses visitors in Star Wars-themed chambers aboard the Starcruiser, will take place in September. The much-publicized Disney Star Wars hotel, which costs $2,400 a night, is scheduled to close in September. The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was first billed as an immersive experience when it opened on March 1, 2022, at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. A stay was offered as a two-day package that includes housing in a cabin or suite, immersive entertainment including learning how to use a light sabre and joining the Resistance on missions against Kylo Ren and the First Order, food and beverages, and entry to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Although the experience received high praise from Star Wars fans and the entertainment industry, even earning a Thea Award for exceptional achievement in a themed entertainment environment, some people found the high price point to be unaffordable. (Excluding taxes and fees) The cost of a cabin that sleeps two people is $4,809; a cabin that sleeps three people is $5,299; and a room that sleeps three adults and one kid is $5,999. $2,405 per person for a one-night, two-day stay is the cost for a couple sharing a room. While the Grand Captain suite, which sleeps eight and has a kitchenette, living room, and numerous bathrooms, is said to have cost $20,000 for the most luxurious experience, it also has multiple bathrooms. According to earlier rumours, Disney has lowered availability and ticket costs since it was difficult to fill rooms in the autumn. The last “voyages” of the event are now scheduled to end in September 2023. In a statement about the shutdown, Disney said: “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most innovative ventures ever. It has received accolades from visitors and recognition for raising the bar for innovation and immersive entertainment. As we prepare for its final journey, we will use what we’ve learned to build future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans. “This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms.” Source: independent

The famed Phinda Forest Lodge in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal area is undergoing a thorough renovation by the luxury tourism business AndBeyond, which has a strong emphasis on conservation. Renovations and major structural additions will be part of the drastic change. A new family suite, a library, a lounge, a walkway with a fire pit in the middle, a remodelled tiered pool and improved dining and bar spaces are all included in the lodge’s amenities. AndBeyond has engaged the help of interior designers Fox Browne Creative and architectural designer Jack Alexander to update the lodge. Their goal is to redesign the lodge while preserving its valued charm and causing the least amount of disturbance to the fragile sand forest ecosystem. They must optimise room flow and functioning. The nearby sand woodland served as the basis for the new interior design, which also incorporates aspects of Japanese minimalism and pays respect to Zulu culture. The resort was built in the early 1990s, according to AndBeyond’s managing director for South Africa, Kevin Pretorius. “Back then, the lodge’s innovative and progressive design made a huge statement on sustainability, as it was sensitively constructed within the ancient sand forest with minimum impact at the heart of the project,” the author added. On December 1st, Phinda Forest Lodge will reopen its doors. Tourists may anticipate that the new resort will provide distinctive and engaging encounters focused on wildlife protection and regional culture. Activities will concentrate on protecting endangered animals like rhinoceroses and pangolins, as well as providing a tour of a Zulu village for a true cultural immersion. Source: travelweekly

On a flight, a young woman allegedly experienced a “terrifying” acute allergic reaction to nuts, and the pilots allegedly declined to make an emergency landing. A Delta Air Lines customer who had a serious reaction to nuts served after she informed the crew of her allergy and said the pilots refused to make an emergency landing has sworn never to fly with the airline again. In April, Sara Metzger was returning from Sarasota, Florida, to Portland, Oregon, when she changed aircraft in Atlanta. While there, she told the flight attendants about her allergy. But as the flight attendants started passing out refreshments, she informed the news source that they also had nuts. When Ms. Metzger reminded them of her sensitivity, they inquired if she would like a safety zone surrounding her or if the staff should stop serving nuts entirely. She asked that no nuts be provided, but when she saw that other people were munching on almonds, her neck started to ache and swell. Both signs and symptoms are those of anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can happen shortly after being exposed to an allergen. If it is not treated right away, it may cause unconsciousness or even death. In order to address the response, Ms Metzger hurried to the toilet and used an EpiPen, a hypodermic tool that delivers an epinephrine dosage. A fellow passenger who claimed to be a cardiologist examined her and advised that she wait to see if her health improved, despite the fact that she had urged the crew to notify the captain that an emergency landing was required. When her symptoms continued, Ms. Metzger administered a second dosage from an EpiPen. No one on the staff is actually speaking to me at this time. They’re all speaking via one doctor, she told Insider, noting that his counsel went against that of ground-based medical personnel who advocated for a fast landing. “I’m just sitting there dealing with the aftereffects of this anaphylactic response and praying that it won’t return so that I don’t pass away on this flight. Simply put, it was a scary scenario to be in, said Ms. Metzger. Before arriving in Portland, first responders allegedly had to wait for the other passengers to exit before they were permitted to board, she said she was informed the pilots tried to find an airfield for an emergency landing. The Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings of the US Department of Transportation has received a complaint from Ms Metzger. She claims that the airline ignored her life-threatening illness when it occurred and neglected to make accommodations for her impairment. The lawsuit claims that the pilot disregarded Ms. Metzger’s medical risks and the advice of medical services on the ground in favour of the cardiologist/passenger’s wishes and not her clear medical requirements or the advice of medical services on the ground. “The pilot refused to land,” it continues. Ms. Metzger requests a penalty against the airline for its handicap discrimination. She told Insider that the flight staff’s decision to risk my life and accept her impairment as it is “totally depends on their whim.” I want to avoid passing away on a Delta aircraft. So I won’t be taking that chance again,” she continued. “While we regrettably cannot respond to this specific event, passenger safety is Delta’s top priority and our crew is trained and prepared to respond to on-board events as they occur,” a Delta representative told Insider. After a similar instance involving a New Jersey lady who complained to United Airlines, the incident happened. Livingston resident Linda Mandelbaum, a proponent of food allergies, said flight attendants on a March 13 journey from Texas back to the Garden State declined to alert adjacent passengers to her son’s potentially fatal peanut allergy. She said that the supervisory flight attendant treated the request impolitely. On United’s website, it notes that travellers with severe food allergies are recommended to ask for a “allergy buffer zone” by informing other travellers nearby, but that it cannot prevent individuals from ingesting goods that contain allergens. According to Delta’s website, “We’re devoted to making your flying experience comfortable. While we cannot guarantee a flight free of nuts or other allergens, we will do our best to accommodate any passenger’s needs. The airline did not comment right away to The Post. Source: news.com.au

It’s not just you; learning how to effectively collect and use airline miles might be difficult. Not sure where to begin when it comes to changing your travel habits? These pointers will assist you in taking the initial step:Obtain important points Take some time to consider the routes you anticipate travelling over the next several years before enrolling in any old airline’s points programme. The last thing you want is to have your points dispersed around many airlines. The sole distinction? If the involved airlines are a part of an alliance like Oneworld that enables the transfer of miles or points between airlines. In spite of this, you may enrol in as many frequent flyer programmes as you wish as most of them are free to join. Signing up for a Frequent Flyer credit card may help you earn respectable points rapidly, provided you are excellent at paying off the amount of your credit card each month and are aware of any fees your card may generate. Search for cards that give reliable sign-up points by comparing them on a website like finder.com.au. Make sure the points you accumulate with that card may be used for tickets on your preferred airline. Aside from using credit cards and flying, you may also earn points by paying for regular costs like groceries, dining out, lodging, getting food delivered, and Uber rides. To turn them into miles, all you have to do is connect your account to the loyalty programme. Again, as long as you pay off the debt each month, using your credit card as much as possible—from making purchases to setting up direct debits for your energy bills—will get you the most points the fastest. Several loyalty programmes, like Hilton Honours, let users to combine their points or miles with those of their family members and friends who also have those same points or miles. Searching for a new health insurance company? A lot of providers, including NIB, HCF, and Bupa, give points for joining up, and some additionally give points for being active.The most effective method to use points Keep away from the temptation to use your points for online shopping, rental cars, or lodging since you’ll earn more for your money if you use them for flights. Interestingly, evidence shows that choosing a Premium Economy or Business Class ticket would actually save you money compared to a plain Economy seat. It will cost you far more than you anticipate to redeem points for those seemingly little items, like a movie ticket or a gift box of perfume. Planning ahead is crucial; the majority of points experts advise travellers to look for and book their flights roughly a year in advance and to concentrate on going off-peak times when reward tickets are more likely to be available. You may search for them on each airline’s rewards calendar, but some are more clear and user-friendly than others. It’s also advised that you look at less direct flights with stopovers because they can make redemption simpler. You could also want to use your points to pay for a flight upgrade, and RateCity has looked at how many points are needed on average across different airlines to move up to a business class seat. Still having trouble understanding the world of points and incentive travel? If you want help booking flights using frequent flyer and credit card points, you might want to employ the services of a points specialist like The Points Whisperer Steve Hui. You can even enrol in his online course. Although Steve’s advise isn’t inexpensive, it could end up saving you money, time, and worry in the long term. Source: nine

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