The airline business will jump ahead next year after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) removed Thailand's red-flag status on safety concerns, according to the Kasikorn Research Centre.
Since ICAO issued the red-flag status in June 2015, the Thai airline business has experienced a loss of 11.3 billion baht.
After the removal, Kasikorn Research Centre expects that earnings of the Thai aviation industry may jump from 1.3 billion baht from the previous forecast to 278.9 billion baht in 2017, and will increase to 294.5 billion baht next year.
"The ICAO decision to lift Thailand's red-flag status will certainly help enhance the confidence of the international community toward the Thai aviation industry. The ICAO will no doubt officially reaffirm the Thai government's good governance on aviation safety soon, which is necessary for our country's endeavour to become a regional aviation hub," according to Kasikorn Research Centre's statement.
Recognition for Airbnb
Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) has registered room booking service Airbnb as its latest member.
"With more than 4 million Airbnb listings worldwide, it is impossible to ignore the impact that the sharing economy is having upon the travel and tourism industry," said Pata CEO Mario Hardy, adding that it would be important to add this voice to Pata's discussions in the development of a responsible travel and tourism industry, especially when examining the role of the sharing economy in the dispersal of tourists to lesser-known and emerging destinations.
Founded in 2008, Airbnb offers an opportunity for travellers to have unique travel experiences by staying in accommodation of locals in 65,000 cities of 191 countries.
Pata, on the other hand, was founded in 1951 as a not-for-profit membership association. The aim is to promote the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.
The association provides aligned advocacy, research and innovative events to its member organisations, comprising 95 government, state and city tourism bodies, 25 international airlines and airports, 108 hospitality organisations, 72 educational institutions and hundreds of travel-industry companies in the Asia Pacific.
Airlines update
Philippine Airlines will launch its first direct flight between Cebu and Bangkok on Dec 2.
The airline will fly three flights a week with Airbus A321 aircraft. It can serve up to 199 passengers in Business, Premium Economy and Economy seats.
The flight will depart from Cebu at 9.25pm and arrive at Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 12.10am the following day. The return flight from Bangkok will be 1.30am and will arrive in Cebu at 6.15am. Travel time will be three hours and 45 minutes.
Visit www.philippineairlines.com/en.
China Airlines has celebrated the 50th anniversary of its direct Bangkok-Taipei route by launching the refurbished lounge at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
According to the airline, it started its first flight from Bangkok to Taipei in 1967 when King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit travelled to Taipei with the airline. Shortly after the event, the airline launched its commercial service.
Today, China Airlines has 28 weekly flights between Bangkok and Taipei. It expects to serve 670,000 passengers from Taipei to Bangkok, and 330,000 people from Bangkok to Taipei this year.
The airline's lounge is located on the third floor of Concourse D. It was closed for four months for renovation and just opened this month. The lounge can serve about 54 passengers.
The airline also plans to introduce a new Airbus A350 aircraft next year to serve passengers between the two cities.
Visit www.china-airlines.com/us/en.
Hotels update
Bangkok-based Onyx Hospitality Group has signed a contract with UK-based Yoo Hotels & Resorts to launch Yoo Collection and Yoo2 hotels across Asia.
The first hotel in Thailand will be Yoo Collection Lakeside Phuket. It will feature a standard room of up to three bedrooms, apartment-style. Room sizes range from 45-162m². Other facilities are a restaurant, rooftop swimming pool with pool bar, fitness, spa and meeting and function rooms.
The hotel is scheduled to open in 2019.
Other properties in the pipeline for development in Asia are Yoo Collection Zalakka Bali in Indonesia and Yoo Collection Aqua Boracay in the Philippines.
Visit www.yoocollection.com.
Anantara Angkor Resort has opened new one- and two-bedroom suites.
The Henri Mouhot Suite features two bedrooms with a space usage of 235m². It can accommodate up to six people. The room is named after the French naturalist and explorer who alerted the West to the ruins of Angkor, capital of the ancient Khmer civilisation of Cambodia, in 1860.
The Anantara Explorer Suite, on the other hand, offers one bedroom, which can accommodate up to three guests. The room size is 178m². According to the hotel, the room design is inspired by Jim Thompson, the founder of the renowned Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company.
Both suites feature a lounge and bar area, two dining areas, a private spa room with a jacuzzi, plunge pool and private garden.
Visit www.gha.com/Anantara/Anantara-Angkor-Resort.
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