Kuching ready to welcome cycle enthusiasts - TCEB's virtual expo adds up - TTR Weekly
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VOL 44 • ISSUE 08 • 22-28 March 2021 NEWS FOR ASIA’S TRAVEL PLANNERS NEWS UPDATES at www.ttrweekly.com Kuching ready to welcome cycle enthusiasts TCEB’s virtual expo Airbnb tracks Thai India Tourism adds up travels during Covid reconnects in Asean
22-28 March 2021
TCEB’s virtual expo
adds up
TCEB’s first ‘MICE virtual noted: “Exhibitors at time of uncertainty that Thailand remains an
expo gained the registra- TCEB’s Thailand MICE and separation. It was attractive and promising
tions and fielded high- Virtual Expo appreciated important for all of us destination in our client’s
content webinars to live the opportunity to in MICE to continue consciousness.”
up to its billing connect with international building relationships with
buyers during this prospective clients so Watch on Youtube
If numbers measure
success, then Thailand
Convention and Exhibition
Bureau foray into virtual
events was spot on target,
having logged more
than 7,700 registered
participants at the
inaugural Thailand MICE
Virtual Expo held 24 to 25
February.
TCEB claimed an
attendance of 178 buyers
who networked online
with 30 Thai exhibitors
accounting for 580
business-matching
sessions in a post-event
assessment. The event
held eight industry
webinars and eight
cultural workshops on
the sidelines. Overall
registration reached
7,755 from 33 countries
participated.
TCEB president, Chiruit
Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya,
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22-28 March 2021
Airbnb tracks Thai
travels during Covid
Meaningful vacations with family majority of respondents are willing travel as the pandemic continues
and friends to define Thai domestic to spend THB5,000 to 15,000 on to limit mass travel. We believe
travel in 2021: Airbnb. travel this year, with respondents that Thais’ strong desire to connect
aged 55+ comprising the largest with their loved ones in affordable,
Thais want to reconnect with family group willing to spend more than family-friendly destinations will
and friends, enjoy short getaways, THB50,000. serve as a driving force for domestic
and seek affordable and safe travel Quick getaways and nature tourism recovery, especially with
in places close to nature this 2021, retreats are likely to gain traction key travel moments like Songkran
according to Airbnb’s Meaningful this year. When polled about on the horizon. Travel is resilient
Travel Trends Survey 2021. the ideal duration for their next and will bounce back, and we are
Compiled in cooperation with the dedicated to supporting Thailand’s
global data analytics firm YouGov, domestic and international tourism
the survey explores the travel recovery in the long term,” said
preferences and behaviours of Thais Airbnb general manager Southeast
during 2021 during the ongoing Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan,
COVID-19 pandemic.* Amanpreet Bajaj.
Travel with immediate family Last year, an Oxford Economics
emerged as the top reason for report, titled The Economic Impact of
domestic travel amongst Thais. Airbnb in Thailand, found that Airbnb
The pandemic appears to have
strengthened the ties of families,
with 68% of all respondents saying
they felt more connected with their
families while staying at home and
less connected to their friends.
This was reflected in their choice of
travel companions, with almost half
(47%) saying they plan to travel with
immediate family for their first trip,
followed by couple vacations, solo
vacations and then group vacations
with friends.
Thais are also seeking affordable
and safe travel options that make
them feel at home. Respondents
ranked affordability as the top
consideration that will shape domestic trip, 74% of respondents remained a valuable pillar of the
their choice of travel destinations indicated they were keen to travel local economy in 2019, contributing
and accommodations this year. between one to three nights. They THB43.7 billion to Thailand’s gross
Promotions and discounts on also sought domestic destinations domestic product (GDP) and
accommodation were vital factors that were close to nature and supporting over 113,300 local
along with reasonable travel fares. with good weather. Sustainable jobs in Thailand alone. The report
Accommodation options that travel is another priority, with 73% highlighted how Airbnb could play a
provide personal touches and a saying they often consider the key role to rejuvenate Thai tourism,
sense of feeling at home came in environment and sustainability support local communities and create
a close second, followed by health when choosing destinations and tens of thousands of local jobs.
and safety considerations (Covid-19 accommodations. *Airbnb and YouGov surveyed
situation on the ground, local health “2021 will see a shift toward a total of 2037 Thais between 4-8
and safety protocols etc.). The more meaningful and purposeful February 2021.
22-28 March 2021
Kuching gets ready to
welcome cyclists
As we prepare for travel to reopen, up close. Beaches
Sarawak ticks all the boxes for the For newcomers to the cycling • Jay Blakeney, a Retired Canadian
post-Covid era with trending green holiday craze, Kuching is the perfect Forest Engineer and avid
tours, nature and family travel. outdoors-man, shares seven
unique routes on Sarawak’s back
Travel to Kuching, the capital of roads and beaches.
Sarawak State, Malaysia, is closed • Ah Pek Biker – Old Dog Rides
to international travellers, but Again
educated guesses suggest it only • Check out this blog to read about
his exciting cycling adventures
around the world, including
Kuching. It also has a lot of useful
information about taking bikes
starting point to introduce a family on planes (which airlines charge
to easy and pain-free cycling and which ones don’t) and tips
routes and tours. You can explore such as tools not to be carried in
scenic routes at your own pace or hand luggage.
in a group led by an experienced
guide. Both options are available For a finely tuned cycle holiday
in Kuching. If you are feeling a little led by a professional cycle tour
apprehensive at the thought of company, check out the companies
riding a bike in a Malaysian city, below.
fret not because Sarawakians are - Paradesa Borneo, Wayang Street,
the most considerate drivers in 93000 Kuching, Sarawak.
Malaysia. Start on the riverside Phone: 082-238801
boulevard and then explore the Email: info@paradesaborneo.com
lanes leading from the river to Paradesa Borneo offers various
months away from reopening as Chinatown or cross the river to local cycling day tours as well as
vaccination programmes around the explore Malay villages. multi-day tours, which can be
world begin to make an impact. Here is a list of tour operators between three to 15 days
Surveys that monitor the latest offering a range of guided tours.
trends in trip bookings favour Check them out and start early - Semadang Adventure
green experiences, nature and preparing for the day when family 1st Floor, Batu Kawah New
family adventure in the post-Covid holidays to Malaysia and particularly Township, Jalan Batu Kawah, 93250
era. That could be good news for Sarawak are back on track. Kuching, Sarawak
Kuching’s cycle tour companies that Phone: 010-63096899; 013-
are suffering almost zero business Cycling resources penned 8042118
at present. Email: info@semadangkayak.com
Cycling tours of the ‘Land of by fellow cyclists
the Hornbills’ are promoted on In addition to mountain biking,
the state’s tourism website www. • Bikemap, Bikemap is an online Semadang Adventure also features
sarawaktourism.com highlighting platform where cyclists from kayaking, caving and bamboo
curated rides to heritage sites, all around the world share rafting adventures while also
quaint, rural villages alongside their cycling routes. Currently, offering mixed packages such as the
dense jungles, mighty rivers and there are more than 60 routes Semadang Kayaking & Mountain
mountains often shrouded in mist. in Kuching, with another 17 in Biking expedition.
A cycling tour’s slow pace is ideal places like Miri and Sibu. For the full report visit https://
for visitors to witness Sarawak’s • 7 Routes to Ride on Western sarawaktourism.com/story/a-
unique wildlife, nature and culture Sarawak’s Back Roads and bicycle-travellers-guide-to-kuching/
22-28 March 2021
22-28 March 2021
India Tourism
reconnects in Asean
India Tourism Reconnects webinars Kumaran, Ambassador of India industry will bounce back, she
and networking sessions build con- to the Philippines, presented the noted.
fidence among stakeholders as they opening remarks, identifying the The final event in the series, 18
prepare to reopen travel. huge fascination and admiration for March, focused on tourism to India
from Singapore,
The India Tourism office, Singapore, reaching out to travel
organised a series of Webinars, trade stakeholders.
India Tourism Reconnects for a B2B H.E. Shri P. Kumaran,
audience in the key ASEAN markets High Commissioner
of The Philippines, Malaysia and of India to Singapore,
Singapore. elaborated on
The events reached out to the potential and
stakeholders in key markets opportunities that
and initiating conversations and could be tapped to
discussions once the reopening attract discerning
of markets gets underway. Singaporean
travellers once the tourism traffic
resumes.
During each of the webinars,
India Tourism Singapore recognised
that while normal international
travel had still to resume, there had
been an upswing in the confidence
of domestic travellers in India over
the last few months and several
destinations had once more seen a
high volume of domestic tourists.
Presentations were also given
by representatives of Indian luxury
hotel groups such as The Taj and
the Oberoi, as well as the Indian
Association of Tour Operators on
Participation involved the respective Indian culture, food as well as the the various steps taken by the
Indian Missions, India Tourism holistic Indian way of healthcare, tourism industry in India during the
and the private stakeholders including Ayurveda and Yoga. pandemic and their preparations for
representing specific tourism More than 60 members of the receiving foreign tourists once the
products. Malaysian travel trade interacted borders reopen.
Following the webinars, 17 with around 17 sellers from India Over 300 virtual meetings
seller-participants from India, during the second virtual B2B and convened between Indian
which included state tourism webinar session on 16 March 2021. and foreign tour operators
departments, leading Indian hotels The Deputy High Commissioner and stakeholders during the
and destination management of India to Malaysia, Archana Nair series prompting participating
companies, interacted with the local stated that the timely initiative of organisations to express confidence
trade in one-to-one B2B sessions. the webinar would serve to attract that the webinars had successfully
The series kick-started with the Malaysian visitors to India as and reconnected stakeholders and taken
first webinar cum B2B session for when travel resumes. As the world business relationships forward.
the Philippines travel industry, emerges from the pandemic, there
11 March. H.E. Shri Shambhu S. is a definite optimism that the travel http://www.incredibleindia.org/
22-28 March 2021
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