Travel News

One of the purest pleasures known to humankind is the rejuvenating, joyful combination of the sun, sea, and sand found in nature. The Beach Clubs at Aman resorts showcase every facet of this combination while offering the best dining and leisure options along some of the world’s most stunning stretches of coastline. Aman Beach Clubs provide a relaxed and secluded environment with the sensation of the sun on the skin and sand underfoot, acting as a tranquil cure to the hectic pace of modern living. Whether on the idyllic beaches of the Peloponnese at Amanzoe, the protected coves of the Turks and Caicos at Amanyara, or the tropical coastlines of Pamalican Island at Amanpulo, each Aman Beach Club is a distinctive representation of its surroundings. Each of these exquisitely crafted buildings serves as more than just a venue for restaurants, lounging decks, and watersports; rather, it serves as a platform for the coastal way of life of the place it represents. Many have large swimming pools that are only a few steps from the sand, while others feature hidden beachfront bungalows, chic bars, or sea view spas. Some offer surfing instruction at the best breakers in the area, while others provide guided snorkeling excursions and turtle-tagging programs on world-class reefs. In addition to magnificent views and sunset spots for romantic private meals, cool sundowners, or joyful beach barbecues, Aman is always available. Aman Wellness also contributes, with a number of Beach Clubs conducting early morning yoga classes and other movement programs on the sand. Aman Boutiques provide exclusive Aman Essentials swim and beachwear. Beach in Amanyara, Turks and Caicos Turks & Caicos Islands: AmanyaraProvidenciales Island in Turks and Caicos is a favourite destination for beach lovers due to its famed powder white sand and clear blue ocean. Amanyara, located on the calm northwest coast, has a Beach Club and a Nature Discovery Center that allow guests to fully experience the resort’s pristine coastal and marine environment. The 1,000-meter-long beach of the resort is visible from the restaurant and cocktail bar of the Beach Club, which also offers expansive ocean views. Long lunches in the sun are made possible by the restaurant’s extensive menu, which includes everything from fresh sushi and salads to Latin American and Mediterranean dishes. The Beach Club frequently hosts cooking workshops, huge private events, beach barbecues, and a famed New Year’s party with international stars as the entertainment. Along with a daily guided snorkeling tour to a nearby coral head, a variety of free water sports equipment is also available, including Hobie Cats, SUPs, ocean kayaks, and Seabobs. Amanyara’s Nature Discovery Center explains the island’s varied ecosystems to younger visitors. Daily programs are held here, including activities like GoPro photography, mangrove safaris, scavenger hunts, birding, and more focusing on the discovery and preservation of indigenous animals. Vietnam’s Amanoi Amanoi, a beachfront city on Vietnam’s isolated southern coast, embraces nature from its location between Nui Chua National Park and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The Beach Club is situated on Vinh Hy Bay’s sandy white beach, which is regarded as one of the most scenic in the nation, and is surrounded by stunning granite cliffs. A location built to take advantage of the sea views, a roomy restaurant that specializes in superb Vietnamese cuisine and seafood feasts. Enjoy sunrise yoga sessions on the neighboring deck or strenuous beach bootcamp sessions in the sand while you lie on one of the sun loungers that border the stunning swimming pool, its curves echoing the seaside just meters away. Private dining on the beach in Amanwella, Sri Lanka. The bay’s clear waters are perfect for exploring, both on the rocky shore and underwater, where colorful coral and schools of tropical fish may be found. Hobie Cats give sea adventure to experienced sailors and amateurs alike, while guided kayaking tours and snorkeling cruises explore surrounding rock formations and species of coral. Hobie Cats provide a comprehensive range of watersports equipment. Boat travelers wishing a more private getaway can make their way to the Twilight Cliff Lounge to watch the sun set over Amanoi’s sloping roofs. Greece’s Amanzoe Amanzoe’s private beach, which is a short drive or leisurely bike ride from the resort and is backed by a stunning Beach Club open from dawn to sunset, stretches over a protected cove with sparkling blue waves. A network of broad marble decks flows between the four swimming pools, two of which are 25-meter lap pools and the other is a heated children’s pool, all of which are surrounded by sun loungers. Eat in the restaurant serving regional seafood, pizzas, and salads, or take a break in the bar for a freshly squeezed juice or unique cocktail. A variety of family-friendly beach activities keep kids of all ages busy, and adults may engage in watersports like windsurfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and sailing. Beach Club Amanera Amanzoe’s four Beach Cabanas have direct access to the beach in addition to a spa area and a small gym. This large room type offers all the conveniences of a Pavilion with a bedroom, bathroom, and dressing area, as well as indoor-outdoor living with a terrace, a 200-square-meter garden, and a private pool overlooking the sea. It is located right on the beach. Source- Travel daily

One of the biggest travel management businesses in the world, FCM Travel, has quadrupled the size of its team to support its operations in Guangzhou and opened a new office in China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA). FCM began operations in Guangzhou in 2004 and will celebrate 20 years in China the following year. “GBA is economically and strategically significant for our business in China since the region has seen growth of more than 200%, which demonstrates the market’s potential. According to Calvin Xie, General Manager of FCM China, “this expansion serves as an extension to support our customers in Hong Kong as well as to achieve further synergy within GBA.” According to the Q2-2023 study from FCM Consulting, “the demand for business travel, meetings, and events remains strong despite high airfares and hotel room rates.” “We’ve seen a rebound in domestic business travel, which indicates prospects in the nation. Today’s demand for domestic air travel is only 1% less than it was in 2019. Business travel is a major factor, and China’s reopening has sparked an increase in international travel. “To strengthen the brand’s position in the Chinese market, FCM has made a number of key investments in China. This includes the debut of an exclusive travel management system, FCM Platform, developed especially for China and providing our clients with access to cutting-edge technology. Our seasoned travel advisers speak both Mandarin and Cantonese, which helps them interact with consumers effectively and maintains our top service, noted Xie. During FY23, Flight Centre Travel Group (ASX:FLT) saw a significant profit turnaround. The diversified international travel company produced underlying EBITDA of AUD$301.6 million for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2023, a nearly AUD$485 million improvement over the underlying loss of AUD$183.1 million in FY22. The corporate travel segment of FLT continued to outperform, handily outpacing the recovery of the larger market and generating record TTV in FY 23. The AUD$11 billion FY23 result reflected a 96% year-over-year gain (FY22: AUD$5.6 billion) and an increase of about 25% over the previous TTV record (FY19: AUD$8.9 billion). Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/fcm-travel-expands-presence-in-chinas-greater-bay-area/

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/