Hotels

Dusit International opens new luxury wellness resort in the heart of Tianmu Mountain, Hangzhou

Kristin Mariano Oct 11, 2022

Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has continued its expansion in China with the opening of the highly anticipated Dusit Thani…

Dusit continues China expansion with third hotel in Changzhou

Megha Paul Oct 3, 2019

The highly anticipated Dusit Thani Wujin Changzhou hotel has opened to the public in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, offering 230 well-appointed guest rooms and suites. The third…

Radisson Blu debuts in Hangzhou

Megha Paul Sep 11, 2019

Radisson Blu has expanded its portfolio in China with the opening of its first hotel in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province. Radisson Blu Hangzhou Xintiandi is located in the…

Hotels

Hyatt rises high in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Nov 23, 2016

Hyatt has introduced a second hotel brand to Hangzhou with a new landmark development. The new Park Hyatt Hangzhou is a luxury hotel situated on the upper floors of a 49-storey…

Airlines and Aviation

Sydney expands Chinese links with new Hangzhou flights

Mark Elliott Sep 5, 2016

The connections between mainland China and Sydney continue to multiply. Just weeks after the announcements of new connections to the Australian city from Kunming, Chengdu and…

Hotels

Radisson to debut in Hangzhou with green hotel

Mark Elliott Aug 24, 2016

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has signed a management agreement for Radisson Hangzhou Qianjiang - the upscale brand's first property in the city. Owned by Zhejiang Wanxiang Real Estate,…

Airlines and Aviation

China Eastern links Hangzhou and Kolkata

Mark Elliott Jun 3, 2016

Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines will launch a daily flight from Hangzhou to the Indian city of Kolkata later this month. Commencing on 28 June, the new service will depart the…

Hotels

Shangri-La opens second hotel in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Mar 14, 2016

Shangri-La opened its second hotel in Hangzhou this month. The launch of the new Midtown Shangri-La Hangzhou on 12 March comes more than three decades after the Hong Kong-based hotel…

Airlines and Aviation

Hangzhou to get first direct link to US

Mark Elliott Mar 9, 2016

The Chinese city of Hangzhou will be connected to the US for the first time this summer, when United Airlines launches a new direct service from San Francisco. Continuing the US carrier's…

Airlines and Aviation

Scoot takes over SilkAir’s Hangzhou route

Mark Elliott Jul 31, 2015

Scoot will start operating the Singapore-Hangzhou route on 25 October 2015, in place of SilkAir. SilkAir currently operates the route four times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays…

Hotels

Cachet to launch hotel and club in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott May 11, 2015

Cachet Hotel Group (CHG), the Hong Kong-based hospitality company, has announced plans to open its first property in Hangzhou. The new Cachet Deluxe Hangzhou will be a 185-room…

Airlines and Aviation

Hangzhou’s new airline spread wings

Mark Elliott Nov 4, 2014

Chinese start-up carrier, Loong Air, has launched a series of new routes across the country. From its home base at Hangzhou’s Xiaoshan International Airport, Loong Air has commenced…

Hotels

Starwood adds new luxury hotel in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Sep 9, 2014

Starwood has continued its expansion in China with the launch of a new Luxury Collection property in Hangzhou. Situated on the banks of the Qiantang River, the Azure Qiantang hotel…

Airlines and Aviation

Sichuan Airlines sets up Hangzhou base

Mark Elliott Jul 8, 2014

Sichuan Airlines has set up a new base in Hangzhou, the capital of eastern China's Zhejiang province. The airline, which has its home base in Chengdu, plans to deploy up to six Airbus…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways boss meets Mayor of Hangzhou

Mark Elliott May 13, 2014

Following the launch of two routes from Doha to Chengdu and Hangzhou in the second half of 2013, the Qatar Airways chief met with the Mayor of Chengdu do discuss further growth…

Tourism Boards

Travelport to promote Hangzhou tourism

Mark Elliott May 13, 2014

Travelport has signed a landmark destination marketing agreement in China. The travel technology company has teamed up with the Hangzhou Tourism Commission to promote tourism to the…

Serviced Apartments

Onyx opens first serviced residence in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Apr 20, 2014

Onyx Hospitality Group has opened its first ever Shama serviced residence in Hangzhou. The new Shama Heda is located in the International Business Centre (IBC) - a major new office…

Hotels

Marriott brings Courtyard to Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Apr 16, 2014

Marriott International has continued its rapid expansion in China with the launch of a new Courtyard hotel in Hangzhou. Located in the centre of Hangzhou, the capital of eastern…

Airlines and Aviation

SilkAir to fly to Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Apr 9, 2014

SilkAir is launching flights to the city of Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province. The new service, direct from Singapore, will start operating on 27 June. The route will be…

Airlines and Aviation

New airline starts operating from Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Jan 6, 2014

A new airline has started operating from Hangzhou, eastern China. Zhejiang Loong Airlines, which is based at Hangzhou’s Xiaoshan International Airport, welcomed its first Airbus A320…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways flies to Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Dec 22, 2013

Qatar Airways has commenced its first flights to the Chinese city of Hangzhou. The capital of Zhejiang province becomes the airline’s seventh route in China, and comes just three…

Hotels

Hilton brings DoubleTree to Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Dec 16, 2013

Hilton has opened its first DoubleTree hotel in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. The new 20-storey DoubleTree by Hilton Hangzhou East is located in the Xiasha Economic &…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways to fly to Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Nov 5, 2013

Qatar Airways will launch flights to the Chinese city of Hangzhou next month. Commencing on 20 December 2013, the airline will fly four times a week to the capital of eastern China's…

Hotels

Swissôtel to launch in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Oct 22, 2013

Swissôtel has entered into an agreement to manage a new luxury hotel in Hangzhou. The 400-room Swissôtel Hangzhou is currently being developed in the capital of eastern China’s…

Hotels

Fairmont signs first Hangzhou hotel

Mark Elliott Sep 27, 2013

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has signed a new agreement that will see it manage a new luxury hotel in Hangzhou. Expected to open in 2017, the Fairmont Hangzhou will feature 300…

Airlines and Aviation

Hangzhou to get first Dreamliner flights

Mark Elliott Sep 23, 2013

The popular Chinese tourist destination of Hangzhou will welcome the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for the first time this week. Effective 27 September 2013, Hainan Airlines will deploy the…

Serviced Apartments

Ascott to launch Citadines brand in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Aug 26, 2013

Ascott has signed a contract to manage its first Citadines-branded serviced residence in Hangzhou, eastern China. Scheduled to open in late 2014, the 100-unit Citadines Intime City…

Hotels

Shangri-La debuts in Changzhou

Oct 18, 2012 13

Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts has continued its rapid growth in China with the opening of a new property in Changzhou, in the eastern province of Jiangsu. Located in the Wujin Hi-tech…

Hotels

Banyan Tree expands in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Nov 15, 2011 17

Following the debut of the Banyan Tree Hangzhou last year, the Singapore-based luxury hotel company has opened its second property in the city. Banyan Tree's sister brand, Angsana Hotels…

Hotels

Hilton opens in Hangzhou

Jul 27, 2011

Hilton Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of its newest property in Hangzhou. The Hilton Hangzhou Qiandao Lake Resort, set on the shores of Qiandao Lake, comprises seven towers…

Hotels

Banyan Tree to expand in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Jul 25, 2011

Following the debut the Banyan Tree Hangzhou in January 2010, the company's sister brand, Angsana Hotels & Resorts, is planning to open its first property in the eastern Chinese city…

Airlines and Aviation

Ethiopian Airlines launches flights to Hangzhou

Mark Elliott May 18, 2011

Ethiopian Airlines has launched a new direct service to Hangzhou. The city, located in eastern China's Zhejiang province, will be served direct from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, and…

UK

Hangzhou to sign travel deals in London

Mark Elliott Mar 30, 2011

UK-based luxury tour operator, Complete India & Asia, has announced that it will sign a cooperation agreement with Hangzhou Blue Ocean International Travel Service on 7 April 2011. A…

Airlines and Aviation

Jetstar launches Hangzhou flights

Mark Elliott Mar 23, 2011

Jetstar added Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province, to its expanding network of destinations in China yesterday. The low-cost carrier becomes the first airline to offer direct…

Face‑to‑Face

Runway crack delays flights at Hangzhou airport

Mark Elliott Feb 23, 2011

Flights have been delayed at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in eastern China's Zhejiang province after a crack was detected on the runway. Local media reported airport officials as…

Airlines and Aviation

Jetstar to launch Hangzhou flights

Mark Elliott Jan 18, 2011

Jetstar has announced its continued growth in China, with flights to Hangzhou taking-off for the first time on 22 March. Flights to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, in…

Global

KLM launches flights to Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Mar 21, 2010

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will launch a scheduled service between Amsterdam and Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport in China on 8 May 2010. KLM is the first airline to offer direct service between…

Global

Shanghai-Hangzhou ‘Maglev’ rail plan back on

Mark Elliott Mar 16, 2010

The plan to extend Shanghai's magnetic levitation (Maglev) rail line to Hangzhou is back on track, according to a Shanghai Daily report. The project, which was first approved four…

Global

Dragon Hotel Hangzhou added to VOIL

Mark Elliott Feb 17, 2010

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA - February 16, 2010 - VOIL

Global

AirAsia increases Hangzhou flights

Mark Elliott Feb 10, 2010

Sepang, 10th February 2010 - To cater to the increasing demands and encouraging load factor from its guests, AirAsia's long haul, low fare affiliate, AirAsia X will…

Global

Jumeirah to manage new Hangzhou hotel

Mark Elliott Dec 18, 2009

Hangzhou and Dubai, December 17, 2009 (TravMedia.com) - Jumeirah Group, the Dubai-based luxury hospitality company and a member of Dubai Holding, has been appointed to…

Serviced Apartments

Oakwood opens in Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Oct 14, 2009

HANGZHOU, CHINA (September 29, 2009) - Oakwood, a leading, global serviced apartment provider today announced the grand opening of Oakwood Residence Hangzhou. The serviced apartments are the…

Global

Hangzhou welcomes delegates to PATA Travel Mart

Mark Elliott Sep 23, 2009

September 23rd 2009: PATA Travel Mart 2009 is open for business - with morethan 1,000 Buyers, Sellers and media attending this year's event in Hangzhou, China (PRC).PATA…

Global

Tourism ministers head to Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Sep 16, 2009

Tourism ministers from Tonga and Vanuatu are amongst the one thousand delegates and VIP visitors heading to Hangzhou next week for PATA Travel Mart 2009. James Bule, Vanuatu's Minister…

Serviced Apartments

Oakwood expands into Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Mar 26, 2009

Part of the EuropeAmerica Center (EAC), the apartment block comprises 24 floors of 166 fullyfurnished residences for short and long-term guests. Each apartment is fitted with…

Features

Hangzhou Bay bridge development begins

Mark Elliott Dec 18, 2008

Construction has begun on a second bridge over Hangzhou Bay, Shanghai Daily has reported. The 69.5km bridge Jiashao Bridge between Jiaxing City and Shaoxing will be the second bridge…

Transport

Shanghai-Hangzhou rail link by 2010

Mar 14, 2008

The high-speed rail link connecting Shanghai and Hangzhou will be completed by 2010, railway officials were quoted saying by China Daily. The express link will allow travelling speeds of…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia X flies to Hangzhou

Mark Elliott Jan 16, 2008

AirAsia X, the Malaysian-based long-haul low-cost airline, is launching Kuala Lumpur-Hangzhou, its second long-haul flight. The five weekly flights start from February…

Events

Hangzhou to host PATA Mart 2009

Sep 26, 2007

The last time the Chinese mainland hosted PATA Travel Mart was in 1997 in Beijing . Next year's show is to be held in India's Hyderabad.

TD Syndicated Partner

New Hong Kong Airlines Flight to Beijing Daxing Airport

Harry Johnson Mar 15, 2023 0

by: Harry Johnson | Hong Kong Airlines first airline in Hong Kong to operate service to Daxing and both international airports in Beijing Full article: New Hong Kong Airlines Flight to…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia X resumes services to Shanghai with four weekly flights

Kanchan Nath Mar 3, 2023

 AirAsia X (AAX) has resumed its services to Shanghai, China with four weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur which commenced on 2 March 2023

Airlines and Aviation

Scootin’ Back to China

Kanchan Nath Feb 27, 2023

Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA), will steadily resume flights to and from China to accommodate strong travel demands in line with the further relaxation of border…

OTAs & Tour Operators

Trip.com Group sees surge in mainland China travel bookings ahead of Lunar New Year period

Kristin Mariano Jan 17, 2023

Trip.com Group, the leading global travel service provider, has seen mainland Chinese demand for travel continue to surge in the run-up to the Lunar New Year holiday season. This comes…

Travel Tech

Alipay+ promotes QR code connectivity, paving ways for a cash-free, mobile friendly travel experience in Chinese mainland for Asian consumers

Kristin Mariano Jan 9, 2023

Alipay+ is striving to provide cash-free and mobile-friendly travel experiences for Asian tourists in the Chinese mainland, as it seeks to partner with more merchants and enable greater QR…

OTAs & Tour Operators

Trip.com Group data shows outbound flight bookings surge from Mainland China

Kanchan Nath Dec 29, 2022

On the morning of 27 Dec , Trip.com Group, recorded a staggering 254% increase in mainland China's outbound flight bookings compared to a day earlier.

Airports

10 best global airports for an enjoyable layover

Kristin Mariano Nov 23, 2022

The study by ParkSleepFly analysed the busiest airports in the world, on their food & beverages, hygiene, service, customer satisfaction, shopping, and hotel availability, to reveal…

Airlines and Aviation

Chinese Airlines Set To Increase International Services

Joe Cusmano Oct 26, 2022

Chinese airlines have indicated they would expand the number of scheduled international flights very soon, generating widespread attention. China Eastern Airlines, one of China’s…

Appointments

CTG hotel appoints James Kim as chief operating officer

Kanchan Nath Sep 23, 2022

TG Hotel Holdings Corporation Limited (CTG Hotel) has recently appointed James Kim as the chief operating officer of CTG Hotel.

Attractions & Tours

World’s longest canal opens to tourism in China

Kanchan Nath Sep 3, 2022

The Cangzhou city downtown section of the world's oldest and longest man-made river, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, is open to navigation for tourism on 1 September. It will…

Airlines and Aviation

The Absence Of Chinese Carriers In Australia Raises Airfares To Europe

Joe Cusmano Aug 5, 2022

To experience Europe’s late summer beauties, consider flying to Paris in the middle of September for a three-week vacation. From Melbourne or Sydney, you may expect to pay between $3500…

Ascott acquires first lyf coliving property in Sydney

Kristin Mariano Jun 7, 2022

CapitaLand Investment Limited’s (CLI) wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is acquiring its first lyf-branded coliving property in Sydney, Australia.

Shanghai Disneyland shuts down with over 30K visitors locked inside after one tests COVID positive

Megha Paul Nov 3, 2021

China has locked 33863 visitors inside the Shanghai Disneyland park after one visitor tested positive

Global

Dragon Boat Festival’s booking data shows steady domestic recovery in China: Trip.com

Megha Paul Jun 16, 2021

Trip.com Group has released its 2021 Dragon Boat festival data highlights, which reveal a continuing stable recovery of China's domestic travel market

Tourism

Top 3 predictions for travel in Asian market

Kristin Mariano Feb 9, 2021

Here are the three predictions on the 'who', 'what', 'where', 'when', how' and 'why' of travel.

Qatar Airways Cargo returns to destinations in China

Megha Paul Apr 2, 2020

Qatar Airways Cargo announced it will resume scheduled belly-hold cargo operations to China with the utilisation of wide-body and passenger-configurated aircraft. The additional cargo…

COVID-19 cancels more than 200,000 flights to, from and within China

Kristin Mariano Feb 28, 2020

Over 200,000 flights have now been cancelled or proactively removed from schedules to, from and within China due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), according to Cirium. The figure – which…

Travel Tech

China turns to tech firms for apps to monitor health, travel

Kristin Mariano Feb 22, 2020

Chinese government are tapping tech giants to come up with an app to track the health and travel history of millions of citizens that are preparing to go back to work.

China sees sharp increase in National Day travel

Megha Paul Oct 14, 2019

Transportation company headquartered in Beijing, Didi Chuxing, has released a summary of the travel data for the 2019 National Day holiday that commemorated the 70th anniversary of the…

Korean Air launches new routes into China and the Philippines

Alastair Newport Oct 4, 2019

Korean Air has announced a tranche of new routes this week, including flights to Clark, in the Philippines; Nanjing, in China on 27 October. As well as, both, Zhangjiajie and Hangzhou,…

Myanmar Airways makes Seoul its 10th destination

Megha Paul Oct 4, 2019

Myanmar Airways International has confirmed it will introduce a new nonstop service from its Yangon base to Seoul in South Korea this December. The airline, which has strong links with…

Hunan tourism festival takes centre stage

Megha Paul Sep 25, 2019

The 2019 Hunan International Culture & Tourism Festival opened with the showcase of many diverse opportunities for tourism the Hunan Province is able to offer. This year also…

Air

Korean Air reduces flights to Japan in bid to develop APAC and Chinese services

Alastair Newport Aug 20, 2019

Korean Air has announced its plans to adjust the frequency of some routes, in consideration of decreasing demand of Japanese routes due to Korea-Japan tensions. At the same time, the…

Features

Hilton to open ‘most luxury hotels’ in company history

Christian Tolentino Jul 17, 2019

Hilton has announced the company is on track to open more luxury properties in 2019 than in any previous year of its 100-year history.

Hotels

OYO partners with Meituan Hotels to extend reach in China

Christian Tolentino Jun 28, 2019

OYO Hotels and Homes has announced a year-long strategic partnership with Meituan, one of China's leading e-commerce platforms.

Air

Lucky Air launches flights from Pulkovo St. Petersburg Airport to Kunming

Megha Paul Jun 19, 2019

Lucky Air, the Chinese airline, started direct scheduled service between St. Petersburg, Russia and Kunming, China. Both the destination and the carrier are a new addition to the…

Hotels

China’s hotel pipeline intensifies, up 15% by projects

Christian Tolentino Jun 13, 2019

Analysts at Lodging Econometrics (LE) have reported that China’s hotel pipeline continues to expand 15% by projects and 8% by rooms year-over-year (YOY).

Air

The fastest-growing operator in China according to Asian Sky Group

Christian Tolentino Apr 17, 2019

Business jet management company Sino Jet is now the fastest growing operator in China according to statistics released by Asian Sky Group at ABACE2019.

OTAs & Tour Operators

Top 5 regions best explored by rail

Kristin Mariano Apr 3, 2019

Travel activities and services booking platform Klook revealed that rail services bookings increased by more than 150% from 2018 to 2019.

Hotels

China’s hotel construction pipeline hits all-time high

Christian Tolentino Mar 21, 2019

According to analysts at industry consulting partner Lodging Econometrics, China's hotel construction pipeline remains strong with record-breaking figures.

Hotels

Hot hotel openings: A gem in the Parisian Opera District

Christian Tolentino Mar 15, 2019

As we cap off another week, we're featuring the latest properties — from a 'wild' hotel in Mykonos to an icon in London and a former bank in Paris.

Serviced Apartments

Ascott achieves “unprecedented growth” with 100,000 units globally

Christian Tolentino Jan 22, 2019

Serviced residence operator The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has secured contracts for another 26 properties, boosting its portfolio to 100,000 units globally.

Global

Guiyang city, China, sees outbound growth rate of 389%: Ctrip travel report

Mili Nov 25, 2018

According to the report on 2017 China's Outbound Tourism, jointly released by China Tourism Academy and Ctrip, Chinese citizens made over 130 million outbound trips in 2017, spending USD…

Hospitality

Alila to open in Wuzhen, China’s 1,300-year old water town

Christian Tolentino Oct 18, 2018

Alila Hotels has announced the opening of its third property in Wuzhen, China scheduled to open in November.

Hotels

Minor Hotels announces two new M Collection resorts in China

Christian Tolentino Oct 10, 2018

Minor Hotels has signed two new management contracts in China under the company’s M Collection brand of hotels and bespoke travel experiences.

Hotels

Performance-enhancing AI and data science in hospitality

Altexsoft Team Sep 20, 2018

One hotel provides facial recognition check-in and a chatbot that answers your questions in a couple of seconds, while the latter has only comfortable rooms to offer. What hotel would you…

Travel Tech

50 hotels in Hainan allow guests to pay with their face

Kristin Mariano Sep 14, 2018

Network solutions provider for hotels, Shiji, paired with Alibaba’s Fliggy to integrate facial recognition in 50 hotels in China's Hainan district that speeds up the process of check-in and…

Travel Tech

Alibaba and Marriott International introduce facial recognition check-ins in China

Christian Tolentino Jul 12, 2018

With the vision of redefining the future of travel, Alibaba Group and Marriott International have begun testing out facial recognition technology at two hotels in China.

Hospitality

Ascott celebrates 20th year in China with new properties

Christian Tolentino Jun 28, 2018

CapitaLand’s The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has opened its first property in Nantong and fourth property in Suzhou, increasing its operating portfolio to more than 33 cities across China.

Hotels

ONYX sign top Chinese developers to push Shama brand

Alastair Newport Jan 9, 2018

Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group and Sincere Holdings Group, the Chinese real estate company, have announced the formation of a strategic partnership, aiming to boost the serviced…

Airlines and Aviation

A step too far? How four new routes impacted Thai AirAsia profits

Alastair Newport Nov 13, 2017 0

Asia Aviation Plc. (AAV), majority shareholder of Thai AirAsia (TAA), has released its operating results for Quarter 3 of 2017 with AAV achieving revenues of Baht 8,734 Million and net…

Tourism

TripAdvisor reveals surging Chinese demand for Thailand travel

Mark Elliott Aug 22, 2017

A new report from TripAdvisor has revealed that Chinese interest in travel to Thailand continues to soar, building on already strong visitor arrivals. China was found to be the…

Airlines and Aviation

China gets first direct connection to Portugal

Mark Elliott Jul 14, 2017

Links between China and Europe's Iberian Peninsula will continue to grow this month, with the launch of the country's first non-stop scheduled flights to Portugal. On 25 July 2017,…

Airlines and Aviation

Asian air route updates from AirAsia, Fiji Airways, China Eastern and more

Mark Elliott Jul 6, 2017

Guiyang gets Italian charter flights Where? Milan (Italy) to Guiyang, pictured (China) When? Once a week, from 10 July to 2 October 2017 Who? Neos Why? Italian charter carrier creates…

Hotels

Marriott opens two hotels per week in Asia Pacific

Mark Elliott May 31, 2017

Marriott International is on track for a strong year in Asia Pacific, with nearly 80 hotels targeted to open, adding 19,000 new rooms to the region. In addition, the hotel group will…

Hotels

Langham unveils Asia Pacific growth plans for Cordis

Mark Elliott May 18, 2017

Langham Hospitality Group has unveiled plans for the expansion of its new upper-upscale brand, Cordis Hotels & Resorts, across Asia Pacific. Following Cordis' global debut in Hong…

Hotels

Where to Stay: our round-up of new hotels in Bangkok, Samui and more

Mark Elliott Mar 31, 2017

137 Pillars Suites Bangkok Location: From the 24th to 32nd floors of a tower on Sukhumvit Soi 39 in central Bangkok, close to the Emquartier and Emporium shopping malls Grade: Luxury…

MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions)

Thailand bids to bring more MICE from China

Mark Elliott Mar 31, 2017

Thailand is targeting mainland China in an effort to enhance its MICE sector in 2017. This week, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) kicked off the fourth edition of…

Airlines and Aviation

Asian air route updates: Virgin Australia, Thai Lion, Air India and more…

Mark Elliott Mar 20, 2017

Bangladesh gets low-cost Dubai link Where? Dubai (UAE) to Sylhet (Bangladesh) When? Four times a week, effective immediately (rising to six per week in May 2017) Who? Flydubai Why? New…

Airlines and Aviation

Asian air route updates: New flights to Bali, Okinawa, Barcelona and more

Mark Elliott Mar 13, 2017

Another direct Chinese connection between Bali and China Where? Fuzhou (China) to Denpasar (Indonesia) When? Daily, effective 26 March 2017 Who? Xiamen Airlines Why? Fujian province’s…

MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions)

IT&CM returns to China this month

Mark Elliott Mar 2, 2017

The Incentive Travel & Convention Meetings (IT&CM) event will return to China this month, to provide a platform for the country's booming MICE industry. The three-day event will…

Special Reports

IT&CM China 2017 unveils networking line-up

Mark Elliott Feb 22, 2017

Indulge in the sights and sounds of Shanghai with Pacific World With 2 pre-show, half-day city tours for selected buyers and media. Discover the city, and perhaps choose Shanghai for…

Travel Tech

Chinese expect virtual theme parks

Mark Elliott Jan 25, 2017

The majority of Chinese theme park visitors expect to be able to enjoy virtual or augmented reality rides and interact with robots in future, a new report has found. The survey by Omnico…

Hotels

Chinese hotel rates fall despite rising demand

Mark Elliott Dec 22, 2016

Mainland China's hotel industry posted a mixed set of results in November 2016, as performances varied across the country's different markets. According to the latest data from STR,…

United States

Sichuan Airlines launches new link to LA

Mark Elliott Dec 9, 2016

Sichuan Airlines has launched a new trans-Pacific service to Los Angeles. The new service, which commenced on 6 December 2016, will operate twice a week (Tuesdays and Saturdays) from…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways adds Chinese payment option

Mark Elliott Dec 9, 2016

Qatar Airways has started allowing Chinese passengers to pay for their flights using UnionPay credit and debit cards. With more than 5.8 billion cards issued globally, UnionPay is an…

Airlines and Aviation

Vancouver gets two more Chinese connections

Mark Elliott Nov 25, 2016

Two more air routes between China and Canada will commence next month, expanding the strong links between the Pacific Rim nations. China Eastern Airlines this week announced plans to…

Serviced Apartments

Ascott adds eight in China

Mark Elliott Nov 11, 2016

Ascott, the Singapore-based serviced apartment operator, has secured eight new properties in mainland China. The new signings will lead to the growth of its Ascott, Citadines and…

Hotels

Onyx sees “Airbnb” shift in serviced apartment sector

Mark Elliott Nov 11, 2016

The serviced apartment industry’s traditional long-stay model is changing, with more people now opting to use such properties for short breaks. This is according to Duncan Webb, Onyx…

United States

USA hosts mega fam trip for Chinese tour operators

Mark Elliott Nov 7, 2016

Brand USA has teamed up with United Airlines to host its first-ever mega fam trip for Chinese tour operators. The event, which took place from 19-27 October 2016, saw operators from…

Hotels

Marriott continues to grow Luxury Collection in China

Mark Elliott Oct 13, 2016

Following its recent acquisition of Starwood, Marriott has continued the expansion of The Luxury Collection across China, with the opening of a new hotel in Changsha. The Meixi Lake…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas spreads wings in China

Mark Elliott Oct 13, 2016

Qantas will expand its operations in China next year with the launch of a new service between Sydney and Beijing. Commencing on 25 January 2017, flights will operate daily using an…

Airlines and Aviation

China to get first direct link to Portugal

Mark Elliott Oct 11, 2016

Beijing’s Capital Airlines will create the first direct connection between China and Portugal next year. An agreement signed on 9 October 2016 between Capital Airlines and the…

Airlines and Aviation

Tianjin Airlines sets up base in Guiyang

Mark Elliott Sep 27, 2016

Tianjin Airlines has set up a new operating base in Guiyang, the capital of southwest China's Guizhou province. Initially, the carrier will operate a fleet of five aircraft from…

Airlines and Aviation

China’s Capital Airlines spreads wings to Russia

Mark Elliott Sep 12, 2016

Capital Airlines, the fast-expanding Chinese carrier, is planning to launch its first ever flight to Russia in 2017. The airline, which forms part of the HNA Group, has applied for…

China

Chinese airports penalised for flight delays

Mark Elliott Aug 29, 2016

Four major Chinese airports have been penalised by Chinese regulators for their poor punctuality records. The Shanghai Daily reports that Shanghai's two airports, Pudong and Hongqiao,…

Asia

Indian airports continue to drive Asian growth

Mark Elliott Aug 29, 2016

Airports in India continue to experience some of Asia's highest growth rates, in terms of passenger traffic. According to the latest data from Airports Council International (ACI),…

Hotels

Dramatic new Conrad rises on Chinese coast

Mark Elliott Aug 22, 2016

Hilton Worldwide has opened its first ever Conrad hotel in southeast China's Fujian province. The brand new Conrad Xiamen opened on 18 August 2016 as part of a dramatic 300-metre-tall…

Airlines and Aviation

BA adds five Chinese cities to route map

Mark Elliott Aug 19, 2016

British Airways has significantly expanded its operations in China, following the signing of new partnership with one of the country's biggest airlines. The new codeshare agreement…

Airlines and Aviation

China’s Capital Airlines to fly to North America

Mark Elliott Aug 18, 2016

Capital Airlines, HNA Group's Beijing-based carrier, has announced plans to start flying to North America for the first time. On 30 December 2016, the airline will commence services…

Airlines and Aviation

China Express goes international

Mark Elliott Jul 31, 2016

China Express Airlines will launch its first ever international flights later this year. The airline revealed several plans for several new routes including Guiyang-Hanoi,…

Airlines and Aviation

美联航开通旧金山－杭州直航

Mark Elliott Jul 15, 2016

7月13日，美联航波音787梦幻客机13日下午2时20分离开旧金山国际机场，飞往中国杭州，标志着美联航自北京、上海、成都及西安之后，直达中国内地的第五条航线正式开通。 当天下午，美联航在旧金山国际机场举行庆祝首航仪式。国际航班94号登机口前，数十把富有杭州特色的油纸伞夺人眼球，旧金山中国舞蹈学校的女学生表演了民族舞蹈，首航机组成员集体亮相。…

Airlines and Aviation

Sriwijaya Air adds four Chinese routes from Bali

Mark Elliott Jun 30, 2016

Indonesia's Sriwijaya Air will launch four new scheduled flights linking Bali with China by the end of 2016. The Antara news agency reported the carrier's senior manager of corporate…

Hotels

Onyx signs second serviced residence in Chengdu

Mark Elliott Jun 29, 2016

Thailand's Onyx Hospitality Group has signed a management agreement for a brand new serviced residence in Chengdu. The new Shama Xiangnanli Chengdu is on track to open in 2017, when it…

Airlines and Aviation

Tianjin Airlines launches UK-China route

Gemma Greenwood Jun 27, 2016

Chinese carrier Tianjin Airlines is celebrating the launch of its first flight from the UK to China which departed from Gatwick on Saturday. The service departs from London Gatwick and…

Hotels

常州都喜天丽富都青枫苑酒店开业

Mark Elliott Jun 24, 2016

6月23日，常州都喜天丽富都青枫苑酒店正式开业。 该酒店是位于常州城西，共拥有349间宽敞舒适的客房及套房，驱车前往常州高铁站及奔牛国际机场仅需15分钟，乘坐高铁前往上海和南京仅需40分钟。酒店曾经是常州富都青枫苑宾馆，经过全新装修后正式易牌为常州都喜天丽富都青枫苑酒店。…

Hotels

Dusit opens fourth hotel in China

Mark Elliott Jun 23, 2016

Thailand's Dusit International has continued to expand its presence in mainland China with the opening of a new upscale hotel in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. The new Dusit Thani Fudu…

United States

Sichuan Airlines applies for first US flights

Mark Elliott Jun 12, 2016

Sichuan Airlines is planning to launch flights to Los Angeles in the coming months, marking the Chinese airline's debut in the US mainland. At present, Chengdu-based Sichuan Airlines…

Hotels

Germany’s Maritim Hotels expands Chinese collection

Mark Elliott Jun 12, 2016

Maritim Hotels, the German chain that currently operates in eight countries, has added two more hotels in China. The company has signed new properties in the cities of Hangzhou and…

Airlines and Aviation

Chinese LCC adds multiple new flights to Thailand

Mark Elliott Jun 8, 2016

China's largest low-cost carrier will launch a series of new routes to Thailand this summer. Commencing on 1 July, Spring Airlines will launch four weekly flights to Bangkok from…

United States

Singapore gets reconnected to US

Mark Elliott Jun 2, 2016

Direct flights between Singapore and the US restarted today, following two-and-a-half-year hiatus. Late on Wednesday, United Airlines’ first non-stop flight departed San Francisco…

Airlines and Aviation

First direct flight to link China with Portugal

Mark Elliott May 30, 2016

Capital Airlines, the Chinese carrier owned by the HNA Group, is planning to expand its European operations with the launch of services to Lisbon. The airline has filed an application…

Airlines and Aviation

Hong Kong Airlines to launch first flights to New Zealand

Mark Elliott May 13, 2016

Following the recent launch of its first ever flights to Australia, Hong Kong Airlines has now revealed plans to commence services to New Zealand. On 10 November 2016, the airline…

Airlines and Aviation

United Airlines hits Silk Road with new route

Mark Elliott May 8, 2016

United Airlines has continued to expand its operations in China with the launch of its first direct service to Xi’an, the country's former capital and ancient Silk Road city. The first…

Airlines and Aviation

Tibet Airlines goes international with new jets

Mark Elliott Apr 25, 2016

Tibet Airlines will take delivery of its first ever twin-aisle aircraft this summer, in preparation for the launch of international flights. The Lhasa-based carrier, which is…

Airlines and Aviation

China Eastern to resume flights to Madrid

Mark Elliott Apr 8, 2016

China Eastern Airlines will start flying to Madrid again this summer, for the first time in 13 years. The Shanghai-based airline dropped its route to the Spanish capital in 2003, but…

Hotels

Conrad Hotels debuts in India

Mark Elliott Apr 7, 2016

Hilton's luxury brand, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, has opened its first ever property in India. The new Conrad Pune, which is located in the centre of the Maharashtra city, close to…

Airlines and Aviation

HNA to launch new airline in Ningbo

Mark Elliott Apr 4, 2016

China's HNA Group, which operates multiple aviation businesses including Hainan Airlines, is planning to set up a new carrier in Ningbo, a city in eastern China's Zhejiang province.…

Hotels

Spain’s NH launches new Chinese hotel brand

Mark Elliott Mar 31, 2016

NH Hotel Group, the Spanish hotel chain, has launched a new Chinese joint venture with HNA Group, the owner of Hainan Airlines. The company will now be known by the Chinese name ‘Nuo…

Airlines and Aviation

China’s Loong Air cleared for international flights

Mark Elliott Mar 30, 2016

Loong Air, a new Chinese passenger airline based in Hangzhou, has received permission to launch international flights. The former cargo carrier moved into the passenger sector in late…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia brings more Chinese visitors to Chiang Mai

Mark Elliott Mar 29, 2016

AirAsia is capitalising on the Chinese visitor boom in Chiang Mai with the launch of a new direct service to the northern Thai city from Changsha. The capital of central China's Hunan…

Airlines and Aviation

Tianjin Airlines adds 42 domestic routes

Mark Elliott Mar 28, 2016

Tianjin Airlines has significantly expanded its domestic route map with the launch of 42 new routes. In Inner Mongolia, the carrier will expand its operations from Hohhot, connecting…

United States

United, Air China join forces on trans-Pacific routes

Mark Elliott Mar 24, 2016

United Airlines and Air China have signed a new agreement aimed at coordinating their operations between the US and China. Building on an existing partnership, the new multi-year deal…

Airlines and Aviation

KLM flies Dreamliner to three Chinese cities

Mark Elliott Mar 23, 2016

KLM will start flying its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to three cities in China later this month. On 27 March 2016, the Dutch national carrier will deploy the new long-haul jet on its…

United States

Delta to fly daily from LA to Beijing

Mark Elliott Mar 15, 2016

Delta Air Lines will expand its Chinese operations later this year with the launch of a new direct daily flight between Los Angeles and Beijing. Commencing on 16 December 2016, the…

Hotels

杭州第二家香格里拉酒店开业

Mark Elliott Mar 15, 2016

3月12日，香格里拉酒店集团旗下位于杭州的第二家酒店—杭州城中香格里拉大酒店正式揭幕。 这是继30年前杭州首座香格里拉酒店开幕后，香格里拉再次回到这座历史名城。酒店落户杭州核心地带，将这座拥有417间客房、融汇古今之美的奢华酒店呈现在世人面前。…

Tourism Boards

Finland targets Chinese visitors with 13 new visa centres

Mark Elliott Mar 2, 2016

Finland has stepped up its campaign to attract more Chinese tourists with the announcement of plans to launch of 13 new visa application centres in the country. In spring 2016, the…

Hotels

Sheraton adds three more Grand hotels in Asia

Mark Elliott Feb 22, 2016

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has continued the expansion of its new 'Sheraton Grand' concept in Asia Pacific, with the rebranding of three more hotels. The new higher tier of Sheraton…

Hotels

Cachet Hotels to enter Asian resort market

Mark Elliott Jan 27, 2016

Hong Kong's Cachet Hotel Group (CHG) has unveiled plans to launch its first resorts in Asia. The company, which currently operates two hotels in Shanghai and has a large pipeline of urban…

Hotels

Hong Kong’s Cachet signs first US hotel

Mark Elliott Jan 26, 2016

Cachet Hotel Group (CHG), the Hong Kong-based hospitality company, has signed its first ever property in the US. The company has agreed a deal for the co-branding of the Westlake…

Airlines and Aviation

Scoot launches daily flights to Guangzhou

Mark Elliott Jan 19, 2016

Scoot has expanded its network in China with the launch of a new service to Guangzhou. The Singaporean low-cost carrier kicked off the new route on 16 January, in time for Chinese New…

Hotels

Sheraton Macao becomes ‘Grand’ hotel

Mark Elliott Jan 13, 2016

Starwood has revealed that its Sheraton hotel in Macau has become part of its new Sheraton Grand portfolio. The 3,896-room Sheraton Macao Hotel Cotai Central, which became the world's…

Airlines and Aviation

China Southern plans Guangzhou-Toronto flights‏

Mark Elliott Jan 6, 2016

China Southern Airlines has applied for permission to launch flights connecting Guangzhou with Toronto. The airline has submitted an application with the Civil Aviation Administration…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates to launch flights to China’s remote Ningxia region

Mark Elliott Dec 14, 2015

Emirates has revealed plans to launch flights to the remote Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of northwest China. On 3 May 2016, the airline will commence four weekly flights between…

度假村

喜达屋公布亚太第二批喜来登大酒店

Mark Elliott Dec 9, 2015

12月8日，喜来登酒店及度假村公布了亚太区另外5家成功晋升为喜来登大酒店（Sheraton Grand）的酒店名单。 喜达屋于今年早期公布了“喜来登2020”计划，推出了喜来登大酒店这一新品牌，旨在进一步发展扩大经典的喜来登酒店品牌。“喜来登2020”这一综合性计划旨在巩固喜来登作为全球领导酒店品牌的地位，并成为宾客在全球任何地方首选的酒店品牌。…

Hotels

Starwood unveils second wave of Sheraton Grand hotels in Asia Pacific

Mark Elliott Dec 8, 2015

Starwood has announced the addition of five Asia Pacific hotels to its new Sheraton Grand portfolio. The new sub-brand was launched earlier this year, as part of the 'Sheraton 2020'…

Hotels

Onyx signs two new hotels in China

Mark Elliott Dec 2, 2015

Thailand's Onyx Hospitality Group has added two hotels to its portfolio in China. The first of the new properties will be the Shama Daqing Heilongjiang, which is scheduled to open in…

UK

Beijing Capital Airlines targets UK, Australia

Mark Elliott Nov 4, 2015

Beijing Capital Airlines, the Chinese airline that recently entered the long-haul market, is planning to launch its first flights to the UK and Australia. According to a statement on…

Appointments

The latest industry appointments

Mark Elliott Oct 28, 2015

FILIP BOYEN has been named chief executive officer of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). Boyen was appointed as managing director of Hill, Goodridge & Associates, SLH’s…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia to connect Wuhan with Kota Kinabalu

Mark Elliott Oct 28, 2015

AirAsia will expand its Chinese operations next year with the launch of a new service connecting Kota Kinabalu with Wuhan. Commencing on 22 January 2016, the new route will operate…

Airlines and Aviation

Scoot to launch first flights to Middle East

Mark Elliott Oct 15, 2015

Scoot will embark on its first flights to the Middle East next year, when it takes over the Singapore-Jeddah route from Singapore Airlines.  Effective 1 May 2016, the low-cost carrier…

Airlines and Aviation

Capital Airlines to launch Madrid flights, and other Chinese aviation briefs

Mark Elliott Oct 15, 2015

Beijing Capital Airlines has applied for the permission to launch direct flights to Madrid. In a statement, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) revealed that the carrier…

Airlines and Aviation

New flight connects Bangkok with China’s ice capital

Mark Elliott Sep 30, 2015

A new air route will open later this year connecting Bangkok with Harbin, the city in northeast China that hosts the annual Ice Festival. Spring Airlines, the Shanghai-based low-cost…

Hotels

Swiss hotel group moves into Taiwan

Mark Elliott Sep 14, 2015

Swiss International Hotels Group, which operates properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, has taken its first steps into the Taiwanese hotel sector with the signing of a…

Airlines and Aviation

New flights connects China with Copenhagen

Mark Elliott Sep 7, 2015

Beijing Capital Airlines has embarked on its first ever long-haul flights, connecting two Chinese cities with Copenhagen. The airline, which is a subsidiary of HNA Group, commenced…

Hotels

Shangri-La continues Chinese expansion in Tangshan

Mark Elliott Aug 26, 2015

Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts has unveiled the latest member of its growing portfolio in mainland China, the Shangri-La Hotel Tangshan. Located in the city of Tangshan, which lies…

Airlines and Aviation

Spring spreads wings outside China

Mark Elliott Aug 19, 2015

China's largest low-cost carrier, Spring Airlines, has unveiled plans to launch a series of new international flights. This phase of expansion will commence on 26 August, when the…

Airlines and Aviation

Hong Kong Airlines to launch first Australian flights

Mark Elliott Jul 31, 2015

Hong Kong Airlines will launch its first ever flights to Australia next year. The carrier, which is a subsidiary of China's HNA Group, will commence flights to two Australian…

Hotels

Starwood adds first Luxury Collection hotel in Nanjing

Mark Elliott Jul 16, 2015

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has expanded its Luxury Collection in China, with the launch of the brand's first property in Nanjing. The Grand Mansion, a Luxury Collection Hotel…

Airlines and Aviation

Xiamen Airlines teams up with KLM for European flights

Mark Elliott Jul 13, 2015

Xiamen Airlines has signed a wide-ranging codeshare agreement with KLM, allowing it to expand its coverage in Europe. The Chinese airline will launch its first ever European flights…

Hotels

Swissôtel to debut in China’s Jinan

Mark Elliott Jul 2, 2015

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts has signed an agreement to manage a brand new luxury hotel in the Chinese city of Jinan. Scheduled to open in 2020, the new Swissôtel Jinan will become…

Airlines and Aviation

Beijing Capital Airlines flies to Europe

Mark Elliott Jun 4, 2015

Beijing Capital Airlines will launch its first long-haul international flights this year, with the launch of two new routes to Copenhagen. According to a recent announcement by the…

Hotels

JW Marriott opens Anji resort

Mark Elliott May 18, 2015

JW Marriott has opened a new luxury resort in Anji, a scenic area in eastern China's Zhejiang province. The new 228-room JW Marriott Hotel Zhejiang Anji is located within the Phoenix…

Hotels

The latest industry appointments

Mark Elliott May 13, 2015

NONG XIA has been announced as Starwood Hotels & Resorts' new senior vice president and head of acquisitions & development for Greater China. Prior to joining Starwood, Nong…

Hotels

Cachet accelerates Chinese growth with Wuhan hotel

Mark Elliott May 13, 2015

Cachet Hotel Group (CHG) has signed its second new Chinese hotel within a week, with the announcement of plans for its first property in Wuhan. Just two days after the Hong Kong-based…

Hotels

凯世（Cachet）将在杭州新开酒店

Mark Elliott May 12, 2015

凯世酒店集团（CHG），是一家总部位于香港的酒店集团，最近发布计划将在杭州新建当地首座凯世酒店。 新杭州凯世酒店将拥有185间客房，包括一系列凯世品牌名下的私有住宅。新酒店位于钱江中央商务区，一座双子塔发展区内。 “杭州拥有许多行业领先的公司，比如阿里巴巴、通用电气、思科公司以及全球知名的金融机构，杭州是我们发展凯世酒店不二的地点选择，”Alexander…

Airlines and Aviation

China Eastern streamlines Kunming transfers

Mark Elliott Apr 28, 2015

China Eastern Airlines will streamline the transit experience for its passengers in Kunming next month. From 1 May 2015, the airline will enable passengers transferring to…

Airlines and Aviation

VietJet Air to fly to China

Mark Elliott Apr 9, 2015

VietJet Air has announced plans to launch its first flights to mainland China. In a press conference on 8 April, the Vietnamese low-cost carrier revealed that it will commence…

Airlines and Aviation

Air France flies new cabins to Guangzhou

Mark Elliott Apr 4, 2015

Air France has started flying its revamped Boeing 777 aircraft to Guangzhou, featuring the airline's latest cabin products. The twin-aisle jet operating the direct Paris-Guangzhou…

Airlines and Aviation

Chinese start-up Longjiang Air to launch in December

Mark Elliott Mar 24, 2015

Longjiang Air, a new start-up carrier in northeastern China’s Heilongjiang province, is set to launch its first flights in December this year. The new carrier, which will be based at…

Hotels

Aman moves into UNESCO-listed Lijiang

Mark Elliott Feb 27, 2015

Aman has unveiled a new luxury resort in China's UNESCO-listed ancient town of Lijiang. The company’s third property in China, Amandayan is set on a hillside above the town and features a…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia connects KL with Chongqing

Mark Elliott Feb 15, 2015

AirAsia has launched its first direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and the western Chinese metropolis of Chongqing. Operated by the carrier's long-haul unit, AirAsia X, the new…

Hotels

Shangri-La debuts in Nanchang

Mark Elliott Feb 9, 2015

Shangri-La has opened its first hotel in Nanchang, the capital of southeast China's Jiangxi province. The new Shangri-La Hotel Nanchang opened its doors on 8 February in Honggutan,…

Hotels

Dusit moves into Myanmar with D2 brand

Mark Elliott Feb 5, 2015

Dusit International has unveiled plans for its first hotel in Myanmar. Scheduled to open in 2017, the dusitD2 Residence Yangon will form part of the Thai hotel group's contemporary D2…

Transport

常州机场：常州-台北航线二月一日启航

Mark Elliott Jan 19, 2015

2015年2月1日，常州机场将开通直飞台北桃园机场航线，首航航班由东航江苏公司空客A320执飞，航班号为MU2909/10，每周二、四、日执行。航班时刻为：08:00由常州出发，09:30到达台北，10:30由台北返回，12:50到达常州。…

Airlines and Aviation

China’s Okay Airways plans first flights to Thailand

Mark Elliott Jan 13, 2015

China's Okay Airways will launch its first ever flights to Thailand next month. The Tianjin-based carrier is setting up a new operating hub in Xi’an, the capital of northern China's…

Airlines and Aviation

Chinese aviation briefs

Mark Elliott Jan 5, 2015

Chinese airlines to carry 47.5m pax over New Year Chinese airlines are expected to carry 47.52 million passengers over the Lunar New Year holiday period. The forecast, which was made…

Airlines and Aviation

Qingdao Airlines to spread wings in 2015

Mark Elliott Dec 27, 2014

Chinese start-up carrier, Qingdao Airlines, is planning to significantly expand its operations in 2015, with the addition of 15 more routes. The airline, which began operating in…

Airlines and Aviation

Lucky Air sets up base in Chengdu

Mark Elliott Dec 23, 2014

Lucky Air, which is based in the Chinese city of Kunming, will launch operations from Chengdu next year. The carrier, which is partly owned by Hainan Airlines, will base several…

Hotels

JW Marriott moves into Chongqing

Mark Elliott Dec 16, 2014

Marriott International has launched a new luxury hotel in the western Chinese metropolis of Chongqing. The new 454-room JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing not only marks Marriott’s return to…

Hotels

Starwood to launch luxury ryokan in Japan

Mark Elliott Dec 10, 2014

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to launch its first Luxury Collection hotel in Japan. Opening in March 2015, Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto will be a…

Airlines and Aviation

Juneyao Airlines expands route map

Mark Elliott Dec 3, 2014

Juneyao Airlines has unveiled plans to launch a series of new domestic and international services in the early part of next year. Commencing on 15 January 2015, the Shanghai-based…

Airlines and Aviation

Tigerair Taiwan eyes mainland China

Mark Elliott Nov 27, 2014

Tigerair Taiwan could soon spread its wings to mainland China, having applied for permission to launch its first cross-Strait routes. The new low-cost carrier, which commenced…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways strengthens Sichuan ties

Mark Elliott Nov 25, 2014

In an effort to boost ties with China, Qatar Airways recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chengdu Culture and Tourism Development Group. The airline’s group…

Airlines and Aviation

China Eastern spreads wings to Japan, Korea

Mark Elliott Nov 25, 2014

China Eastern Airlines is expanding its operations in Northeast Asia, with the launch of new flights to Japan and Korea. This month, the airline will introduce a new direct route from…

Appointments

The latest industry appointments

Mark Elliott Nov 5, 2014

MARIO HARDY has been confirmed as the new chief executive officer of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). The move marks a promotion for Hardy, who has served as PATA's chief…

Appointments

杭州旅游推介会在新加坡举行

Mark Elliott Oct 29, 2014

  国际在线报道,10月28日，中国浙江省杭州市旅游推介会在新加坡举行，旨在推广宣传杭州的旅游资源和产品，促进杭州与新加坡的旅游交流与合作。…

Hotels

Shangri-La opens first Chinese resort

Mark Elliott Oct 25, 2014

Shangri-La has continued its rapid expansion in China, with the launch of its first resort-style property in the country. Shangri-La’s Sanya Resort & Spa is located at Haitang…

Hotels

FRHI plans significant growth

Mark Elliott Oct 23, 2014

FRHI Hotels & Resorts has revealed plans to significantly grow its hotel portfolio across five years in all three of its brands. The hotel company, which operates the Fairmont,…

Hotels

Hilton reaches milestone in China

Mark Elliott Oct 23, 2014

Hilton Worldwide has reached a milestone in its Chinese expansion, with the opening of its 50th hotel in the Greater China region. The Hilton Changzhou launched this week in eastern…

Airlines and Aviation

Boeing to turn Chinese gutter oil into fuel

Mark Elliott Oct 23, 2014

As part of its efforts to develop aviation biofuel, Boeing has launched a new facility that will lead to aircraft being powered by waste cooking oil from Chinese cities. In…

Airlines and Aviation

Xiamen Airlines to launch a host of new routes

Mark Elliott Oct 21, 2014

From 26 October, Xiamen Airlines will expand its network out of Xiamen, Fuzhou, and Tianjin. The carrier will launch scheduled services to key Chinese cities including Xi’an, Wuhan,…

Tourism

杭州今起实行72小时过境免签

Mark Elliott Oct 21, 2014

浙江在线讯,如果你有外国朋友途经杭州萧山国际机场，从今天起，你可以邀请他在浙江玩上3天，无需任何签证。 　　昨天，浙江省政府发布杭州航空口岸实行72小时过境免签政策，包括英国、德国、美国在内的51个国家的公民，只要具备相应的条件，可以免签入境，并在整个浙江行政区域内自由活动72小时。 符合条件 　　可在浙江停留72小时 　　…

Hotels

Ascott tightens grip on Asia’s serviced apartments market

Mark Elliott Oct 15, 2014

Ascott has opened new serviced residences in China and Indonesia, reinforcing its position as a major international owner-operator of serviced residences in Asia. The 104-unit…

Hotels

Jin Jiang adds resort at new Hello Kitty park

Mark Elliott Sep 30, 2014

Jin Jiang will manage a luxury hotel at a new Hello Kitty theme park in eastern China. The Yin Run Jin Jiang Resort Anji, in Zhejiang province, is scheduled to open in the fourth…

Hotels

Starwood opens luxury Castle in China

Mark Elliott Sep 21, 2014

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has opened The Castle Hotel in northeast China, which forms part of its Luxury Collection. This distinctive property is designed as a traditional…

Hotels

Fairmont expands in China

Mark Elliott Sep 10, 2014

Fairmont has signed an agreement to manage its first hotel in central China's Henan province. The new-build Fairmont Zhengzhou hotel will be located in the capital of Henan, as part…

Airlines and Aviation

Xiamen Airlines sets up Beijing base

Mark Elliott Sep 8, 2014

Xiamen Airlines has set up a new operating base in Beijing. The fast-expanding Chinese airline currently bases seven aircraft at Beijing Capital International Airport, providing 21…

Hotels

Wyndham adds upscale hotels in Xi’an and Kunming

Mark Elliott Sep 5, 2014

Wyndham Hotel & Resorts has continued to expand in China with the addition of new hotels in Xi'an and Kunming. The 565-room Wyndham Grand Xi’an South (pictured) opened its doors…

Airlines and Aviation

Hainan Airlines links regional Chinese cities with Paris

Mark Elliott Sep 5, 2014

Hainan Airlines has launched a new service connecting Paris with two regional Chinese cities - Hangzhou and Xi'an. The inaugural flight departed Hangzhou, the capital of eastern…

Tourism

Wego records growth from Middle East travel during Ramadan

Mark Elliott Aug 31, 2014

Wego recently reported a surge in site visits, searches and revenue during this year’s Ramadan. “Traditionally Ramadan is a slow period for business in general, and online travel in…

Hotels

Marco Polo opens new property in China

Mark Elliott Aug 29, 2014

The newest Marco Polo property opened in Changzhou Thursday, with 19 acres of lush gardens and extensive meeting facilities. Located in the city’s Xinbei District, Marco Polo…

Singapore

Northeast Asia drives Changi passenger growth

Mark Elliott Aug 25, 2014

Passenger movements increased at Changi International Airport through July, driven by growth on routes to North East Asia. Singapore Changi Airport handled some 4.58 million passenger…

Hotels

Fairmont signs additional property to China pipeline

Mark Elliott Aug 22, 2014

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Golden Land Real Estate today announced the development of a new hotel in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, Eastern China. Fairmont Suzhou, scheduled to open…

Face‑to‑Face

Face-to-Face: Eric Waldburger

Mark Elliott Aug 18, 2014

Travel Daily chats with Eric Waldburger, president of Marco Polo Hotels, about the company's new luxury brand, Niccolo, which will debut in Chengdu next year... Q)           You…

Tourism

杭州旅游局来厦推介旅游产品

Mark Elliott Aug 14, 2014

厦门日报讯，以“人间天堂·最忆杭州”为主题的杭州秋冬季旅游推介会在厦门市召开，杭州市旅游局在会上重点推广了杭州秋冬季的最新旅游产品。…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia X flies to Chongqing

Mark Elliott Aug 5, 2014

Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia X has unveiled its latest connection to China. Commencing on 13 February 2015, the airline will operate four weekly flights to the city of…

Airlines and Aviation

Asia to drive long-haul low-cost air travel

Mark Elliott Aug 3, 2014

Asia is setting new trends in long-haul low-cost air travel, and China is likely to become a key regional player in the coming years, according to a new report by aviation analysts OAG.…

Hotels

Angsana to arrive at home of Terracotta Warriors

Mark Elliott Jul 30, 2014

Banyan Tree has unveiled plans to launch a new Angsana property close to the home of the UNESCO-listed Terracotta Warriors, in northern China’s Shaanxi province. The new Angsana Xi'an…

Airlines and Aviation

Military drills impact Chinese flights

Mark Elliott Jul 23, 2014

Flight delays have been experienced across China this week, due to what is reported to be a series of military exercises. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has issued…

Hotels

Dusit Fudu makes good progress in China

Mark Elliott Jul 20, 2014

Dusit Fudu Hotels and Resorts has secured 15 management contracts within its first 12 months of operations. The Chinese joint venture hotel management company between leading Dusit…

Airlines and Aviation

Asian carriers start spending at Farnborough

Mark Elliott Jul 16, 2014

Asia's fast-growing airlines have been among the big spenders at this week’s Farnborough Air Show. AirAsia X, the Malaysian long-haul low-cost carrier, yesterday became the first…

Airlines and Aviation

Hainan Airlines to add Guangzhou flights

Mark Elliott Jul 15, 2014

Hainan Airlines has launched a series of new flights from Guangzhou's Baiyun International Airport. On Tuesday 15 July, the Chinese carrier commenced a new daily service from…

Airlines and Aviation

Chinese carriers spend big at Farnborough

Mark Elliott Jul 15, 2014

China's fast-growing airlines were among the big spenders on the first day of the Farnborough Air Show. Okay Airways, which is based in Beijing, placed an order on Monday for six…

Tourism Boards

Australia targets high-end Chinese with new trade strategy

Mark Elliott Jul 8, 2014

Tourism Australia is embarking upon a new distribution strategy in China, aimed at building a network of high-end, specialist travel agents. Under the plan, Tourism Australia will work…

Hotels

Marco Polo Hotels unveils new luxury brand

Mark Elliott Jul 7, 2014

Marco Polo Hotels has announced the launch of its ever luxury brand, Niccolo by Marco Polo. Becoming the first new brand since the Hong Kong-based hotel group’s inception in 1986, the…

Airlines and Aviation

Lucky Air to create Chengdu base

Mark Elliott Jul 3, 2014

Lucky Air, the Kunming-based subsidiary of Hainan Airlines, has announced plans to launch a base at Chengdu’s Shuangliu International Airport. Currently, the airline offers flights to…

Airlines and Aviation

Sichuan Air sets up base in Harbin

Mark Elliott Jul 2, 2014

Sichuan Airlines has set up a new operating base in the northeast Chinese city of Harbin. The airline, which is part-owned by China Southern Airlines, will now base up to eight of its…

Airlines and Aviation

SilkAir expands links to China

Mark Elliott Jun 27, 2014

SilkAir has added another new route to China, with the launch of flights to Hangzhou. The new service to the capital of Zhejiang province becomes the Singaporean carrier's eighth…

Hotels

Wanda unveils luxury hotel in Inner Mongolia

Mark Elliott Jun 25, 2014

China's Wanda Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a new luxury property in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia. The Wanda Realm Chifeng opened on 20 June 2014, marking Wanda's 14th hotel in China…

Airlines and Aviation

Xiamen Airlines sets up West China base

Mark Elliott Jun 24, 2014

Xiamen Airlines has set up a new operating base in western China. The airline, which is traditionally based in southeast China's Fujian province, has penned a new deal with the…

United States

Hainan Airlines flies Dreamliner to Boston

Mark Elliott Jun 22, 2014

Hainan Airlines launched a brand new route from Beijing to Boston, using its latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The new flights commenced on 20 June 2014 marking the first ever direct…

Hotels

Starwood boosts luxury portfolio in China

Mark Elliott Jun 20, 2014

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has revealed plans to open four more luxury hotels in China this year. The company is planning new additions to its St Regis, Luxury Collection and W…

Asia

Asian airport traffic keeps climbing

Mark Elliott Jun 13, 2014

Passenger traffic at airports in the Asia Pacific region continued to climb in April 2014. According to the latest data from Airports Council International (ACI), the region…

Airlines and Aviation

Hainan Airlines to fly to Paris

Mark Elliott Jun 12, 2014

Hainan Airlines will launch a new service to Paris from Hangzhou, the capital of eastern China's Zhejiang province. The launch of the new route comes amid the celebrations of the 50th…

Hotels

Shangri-La Tianjin opens for bookings

Mark Elliott May 29, 2014

Shangri-La’s new hotel in Tianjin has opened for reservations. The 304-room Shangri-La Tianjin is located in the Hedong district of the city, next to the Haihe River.  All rooms and…

Airlines and Aviation

Ruili Airlines to launch on Sunday

Mark Elliott May 15, 2014

Another new Chinese airline will take to the skies on Sunday (18 May 2014). Ruili Airlines will launch flights from Kunming’s Changshui International Airport on 18 May 2014, flying…

Airlines and Aviation

Hainan Airlines to fly Dreamliner to Paris

Mark Elliott Apr 30, 2014

Hainan Airlines will launch its first ever Dreamliner flights to Europe later this year, with the start of services between Hangzhou and Paris. The carrier will take delivery of…

Hotels

Onyx开放杭州第一家酒店式服务公寓

Simon Willmore Apr 29, 2014

Onyx酒店集团已经开放了其在杭州的第一家莎玛酒店式服务公寓。 该公寓位于杭州国际商业中心-一个大的全新办公综合设施，提供102个单卧室和双卧室，带有厨房、Wi-Fi,液晶电视和浴室地暖。同时每日还提供女管家服务，早餐，一个健身中心，DVD图书馆，接驳车服务和一个商业中心。…

Tourism

‘Festival of India’ to be held in China

Mark Elliott Apr 25, 2014

The Ministry of Culture will organise ‘Festival of India’ in China from May 2014 to March 2015. A 75 member delegation led by Secretary Culture would be visiting China in the first…

Hotels

Choice Hotels to bring new brands to China

Mark Elliott Apr 23, 2014

Choice Hotels International has signed a major new agreement that will lead to the roll-out of its Clarion and Quality Hotels brands in China. The hotel franchiser, which is world's…

Airlines and Aviation

Another start-up airline joins China’s aviation boom

Mark Elliott Apr 21, 2014

China's rapidly expanding collection of airlines will see yet another new addition this week, with the launch of Yingan Airlines. The regional start-up carrier, which is based in the…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia flies to Xi’an

Mark Elliott Apr 21, 2014

AirAsia is planning to launch flights to Xi'an, the home of the Terracotta Warriors. Commencing on 2 July 2014, the new service will be operated by the airline's long-haul arm,…

Airlines and Aviation

Hawaiian Airlines launches Beijing flights

Mark Elliott Apr 20, 2014

Hawaiian Airlines has launched its first ever flight to mainland China, with the start of a new service to Beijing. The new route commenced last week, and Hawaiian will now operate…

Hotels

Fairmont debuts in Nanjing

Mark Elliott Apr 15, 2014

Fairmont will open its first luxury hotel in the Chinese city of Nanjing this week. Located in the Hexi New Town area of the city, the 359-room Fairmont Nanjing will celebrate its…

Hotels

Wanda unveils new luxury hotel brand

Mark Elliott Mar 31, 2014

China's Wanda Hotels & Resorts has unveiled the first hotel in its new luxury hotel brand, Wanda Reign. The Wanda Reign Wuhan opened its doors on 29 March 2014, marking the launch…

Hotels

Fairmont launches Chengdu residences

Mark Elliott Mar 26, 2014

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has opened a new residential property in Chengdu. The Fairmont Chengdu Residences forms part of a new mixed-use development that will also include the…

Face‑to‑Face

Face-to-Face: Anthony Ross

Mark Elliott Mar 24, 2014

Travel Daily chats with Anthony Ross, Preferred Hotel Group's new executive vice president of Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, about the company's regional growth plans... 1)    …

Hotels

Amanresorts, Remote Lands unveil ultra-luxury Asian adventure

Mark Elliott Mar 19, 2014

Amanresorts has teamed up with Remote Lands of offer a new ultra-luxury trip across Asia, which includes private jet travel, stays in eight luxury resorts and a series of lavish dinners and…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways to fly Dreamliner to Tokyo

Mark Elliott Mar 6, 2014

Qatar Airways will start flying its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Tokyo this summer. Commencing on 18 June 2014, the airline will launch a brand new route from Doha to Haneda International…

Airlines and Aviation

Hainan Air adds domestic Dreamliner destination

Mark Elliott Mar 5, 2014

Hainan Airlines has introduced its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to another domestic Chinese destination - Dalian. The aircraft made its debut on the route on Monday, and it will now operate…

Hotels

Onyx to reach portfolio milestone in 2014

Mark Elliott Mar 4, 2014

Onyx Hospitality Group has said it plans to open six more Asian hotels in 2014, as it moves towards a portfolio milestone of 40 properties. Following the recent launch of the Grand…

Airlines and Aviation

Spring Airlines builds network at Shenzhen

Mark Elliott Feb 20, 2014

Chinese low-cost carrier Spring Airlines is increasing its capacity at Shenzhen's Bao'an International Airport. Commencing on 21 February 2014, the airline will launch new scheduled…

Hotels

Marriott to open one hotel per week in Asia

Mark Elliott Jan 28, 2014

Marriott International will open an average of one hotel every week in the Asia Pacific region over the next three years. The US hotel company revealed that its regional portfolio will…

Airlines and Aviation

Ethiopian to fly to Dreamliner to Shanghai

Mark Elliott Jan 23, 2014

Ethiopian Airlines will launch flights to Shanghai this year, using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Commencing on 29 March 2014, the national carrier will operate daily direct…

Hotels

Fairmont to debut in Malaysia

Mark Elliott Jan 16, 2014

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has unveiled plans to launch its first hotel in Malaysia. The luxury hotel company has penned a management contract with Cititower Sdn Bhd for the…

Hotels

Dusit brings D2 brand to Phuket

Mark Elliott Jan 14, 2014

Dusit International has signed an agreement that will see the launch of its contemporary D2 brand in Phuket. Located in the main resort area of Patong, the dusitD2 Phuket Resort will…

Hotels

Starwood looks to expand Middle East footprint in 2014

Mark Elliott Jan 13, 2014

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc announced it opened 74 new hotels in 2013, resulting in approximately 16,200 rooms in 22 countries. The company is looking at expanding its…

United States

Hainan Air flies Dreamliner to Seattle

Mark Elliott Jan 12, 2014

Hainan Airlines has started operating its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the route between Beijing and Seattle. The new deployment commenced on 10 January 2014, and will initially operate…

Airlines and Aviation

Thai AirAsia adds international flights

Mark Elliott Jan 2, 2014

Thai AirAsia has unveiled a new service to China, plus additional flights on two other international routes. Commencing on 21 February 2014, the low-cost carrier will launch the first…

Airlines and Aviation

Zhejiang Loong Air receives first aircraft

Mark Elliott Dec 18, 2013

New Chinese passenger carrier, Zhejiang Loong Airlines, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320 aircraft. The new single-aisle jet touched down at Hangzhou's Xiaoshan…

Hotels

DoubleTree continues rapid China expansion

Mark Elliott Dec 18, 2013

Hilton Worldwide has continued the rapid expansion of its DoubleTree brand in China, with the opening of a new hotel in Suzhou, Anhui province. The 23-storey DoubleTree by Hilton…

Airlines and Aviation

Hainan Airlines’ Dreamliner to fly to Xiamen

Mark Elliott Dec 18, 2013

Hainan Airlines took delivery of its fifth Boeing 787 Dreamliner this week, and will deploy the aircraft to Xiamen, in southeast China's Fujian province. Commencing on 23 December…

China

Fairmont opens in Nanjing

Mark Elliott Dec 12, 2013

Fairmont has opened a new hotel in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing. The 359-room Fairmont Nanjing is located on the upper floors of the 62-storey Jin Ao Tower, overlooking the…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways to connect to Larnaca

Mark Elliott Dec 10, 2013

Qatar Airways is on an expansion spree with plans for flights to Larnaca International Airport in Cyprus. The new service will commence from 29 April 2014. The new route, which will…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways launch services to DFW

Mark Elliott Dec 5, 2013

Qatar Airways has extended its footprint in the USA by connecting to its seventh gateway - Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW). The new service will commence on 1 July 2014. The airline currently…

Hotels

Marco Polo plans major Asian growth

Mark Elliott Dec 2, 2013

Marco Polo Hotels has unveiled plans to significantly increase its portfolio over the next five years, with new hotels in mainland China driving the company's growth. The Hong…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways celebrates Moscow route

Mark Elliott Nov 28, 2013

Qatar Airways recently celebrated a decade of service to Moscow. The airline currently operates 12 weekly flights to Russia’s Domodedovo Airport. The Moscow – Doha route is operated with…

Airlines and Aviation

Hainan Air flies Dreamliner to US

Mark Elliott Nov 28, 2013

Hainan Airlines has launched its first ever international services using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner. On 26 November 2013, the airline flew the new fuel-efficient aircraft to the US…

Face‑to‑Face

Face-to-Face: Paul Kerr

Mark Elliott Nov 25, 2013

Travel Daily chats with Paul Kerr, CEO of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), about the company's expansion plans in Asia Pacific, and specifically China... 1)    What is SLH…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways connects Edinburgh

Mark Elliott Nov 21, 2013

Qatar Airways announced that it will connect Edinburgh effective 28 May 2014, operating five flights weekly. The new route will be served by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in a two-cabin…

Hotels

ONYX Hospitality Group goes full steam on new developments

Mark Elliott Nov 19, 2013

The Onyx Hospitality Group has a line up of new openings scheduled in the coming months. The first quarter of 2014 will witness the opening two Ozo properties – Koh Samui and…

Airlines and Aviation

Hainan Air expands domestic Dreamliner routes

Mark Elliott Nov 18, 2013

Hainan Airlines has expanded its Boeing 787 Dreamliner services across China. The southwestern city of Kunming has become the eighth Chinese city served using the new fuel-efficient…

Appointments

The latest industry appointments

Mark Elliott Nov 6, 2013

MARTIN FLUCK has been named as Oakwood Worldwide's new director of operations for North Asia. With more than 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Fluck moves into the new…

Hotels

Hilton launches DoubleTree in Wuhu

Mark Elliott Nov 5, 2013

Hilton has opened its first DoubleTree-branded hotel in the Chinese city of Wuhu. The new DoubleTree by Hilton Wuhu is a 26-storey hotel located in the centre of the city, featuring…

Hotels

Hilton expands DoubleTree brand in China

Mark Elliott Oct 22, 2013

Hilton has opened another DoubleTree property in China. The DoubleTree by Hilton Jiaxing is located in the centre of Jiaxing - a city in eastern China's Zhejiang province. The…

Airlines and Aviation

Air France to fly to Jakarta

Mark Elliott Oct 10, 2013

Air France will launch a new daily service to Jakarta next year. Effective 30 March 2014, the national carrier will add a Jakarta leg to its existing Paris-Singapore service. Flights…

Appointments

The latest industry appointments

Mark Elliott Oct 9, 2013

KELVIN TAN has been appointed as Celebrity Cruises' new commercial director for Asia Pacific. Tan moves to Celebrity from the brand's parent company, Royal Caribbean, where he served as…

Airlines and Aviation

Ethiopian expands to Niamey

Mark Elliott Oct 7, 2013

Ethiopian Airlines announced the start of four weekly services to Niamey in the Republic of Niger. The new service will commence from 20 November 2013 with a Boeing 757-200 aircraft. The…

Face‑to‑Face

Face-to-Face: David Kong

Mark Elliott Oct 7, 2013

Ahead of the launch of Travel Daily China, we chats with David Kong, president & CEO of Best Western International, about the company's development plans in China...

Airlines and Aviation

Hainan Airlines flies third Dreamliner to Changsha

Mark Elliott Oct 4, 2013

Hainan Airlines took delivery of its third Boeing 787 Dreamliner this week, and will deploy it to the city of Changsha. The new twin-aisle aircraft touched down at Beijing Capital…

Airlines and Aviation

Dreamliner comes to Sanya

Mark Elliott Sep 30, 2013

The Chinese resort town of Sanya will welcome its first ever Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights today (30 September 2013). Hainan Airlines will deploy its new Dreamliner on the…

Hotels

Four Seasons opens in Shenzhen

Mark Elliott Sep 29, 2013

Four Seasons has opened its first ever hotel in Shenzhen. Located in the centre of the Pearl River Delta city, the Four Seasons Hotel Shenzhen offers 266 rooms and suites, most of…

Airlines and Aviation

China braces for Golden Week travel rush

Mark Elliott Sep 29, 2013

Roads, railways and airports in China are bracing for a surge in traffic this week, as the country’s week-long National Day holiday period gets underway. Airlines in China will…

Airlines and Aviation

New Chinese airlines take off with A320

Mark Elliott Sep 25, 2013

Two new Chinese airlines have taken a major step forward in their development, with the signing of major aircraft deals with Airbus. Qingdao Airlines, based in Shandong province, and…

Hotels

Shangri-La expands in Yangtze Delta

Mark Elliott Sep 18, 2013

Shangri-La has signed a management agreement to operate a new 336-room hotel in the Yangtze River Delta region of China. Shangri-La Hotel Shaoxing will be located in the city of…

Airlines and Aviation

Juneyao Airlines to add eight A321s

Mark Elliott Sep 13, 2013

Shanghai carrier Juneyao Airlines, is to continue its fleet expansion with an order for eight Airbus A321s, which will be delivered in 2014. The order will take the company’s fleet size…

Airlines and Aviation

Jetstar Asia adds 17,200 seats

Mark Elliott Sep 5, 2013

Jetstar Asia has continued the growth of its fleet by adding 18 weekly services, or 17,200 seats, on flights from Singapore to airports in Indonesia, Cambodia and China.  The new…

Appointments

The latest industry appointments

Mark Elliott Aug 21, 2013

JOHN SLOSAR has been named as the new Chairman of Cathay Pacific Airways, John Swire & Sons, Swire Pacific, Swire Properties and Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering. Currently the Chief…

Appointments

The latest industry appointments

Mark Elliott Aug 15, 2013

JULIA ALVARO has been appointed director of sales and marketing at Dusit Thani Dubai. She brings with her 20 years of experience in the industry. Alvaro has played an instrumental role…

Hotels

Dusit debuts in China

Mark Elliott Jul 24, 2013

Dusit International has opened its first ever hotel in China. Under its new Chinese joint venture company, Dusit Fudu Hotels & Resorts, the Thai hotelier has now soft-opened the…

Hotels

Onyx to expand Shama brand in China

Mark Elliott Jun 26, 2013

Onyx Hospitality Group has announced a major expansion of its Shama serviced residence brand in China. The Bangkok-based hotel management company recently secured three more new…

Hotels

Langham adds Yangtze Delta hotel

Mark Elliott Jun 18, 2013

Langham Hospitality Group has signed a new hotel in eastern China's Zhejiang province. Located in the city of Hainang, the new Langham Place property will form part of an integrated…

Hotels

Hilton brings luxury brands to Asia Pacific

Mark Elliott Jun 5, 2013

Hilton Worldwide has unveiled a major expansion of its luxury brands in Asia Pacific. The company is planning a significant roll-out of its Waldorf Astoria and Conrad brands in the…

Tourism

France still tops Chinese travellers’ wishlist

Mark Elliott Jun 4, 2013

France is still the preferred travel destination for wealthy Chinese travellers, a new report has found. The latest edition of the 'Chinese Luxury Traveler' study by Hurun Report,…

Global

GHM develops historic Chinese portfolio

Apr 24, 2013 14

Luxury hotel management company, GHM, has signed a new deal to expand its portfolio in China. The company's new Chinese subsidiary, Ahn Luh Resorts & Residences, has penned…

Global

Asian aviation briefs

Apr 11, 2013 9

Garuda profits surge Garuda Indonesia achieved a strong set of financial results in 2012, with a sharp rise in net profits compared with the previous year. The national carrier…

Hotels

Banyan Tree to open hot spring resort in China

Mar 27, 2013 0

Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts has signed a new hot spring resort close to the Chinese city of Chongqing. Opening this summer close to the Jinyun Mountain Natural Reserve, 40…

Hotels

Accor on track to reach Chinese Mercure target

Mar 24, 2013 18

Accor is on track to reach its target of launching 60 Chinese Grand Mercure hotels by 2015. The European hotelier launched its Grand Mercure Mei Jue brand one year ago, promising to…

Hotels

Wyndham adds eight hotels in China

Mar 22, 2013 0

Wyndham Hotel Group has announced the addition of eight new Ramada properties in China. The new hotels, located in the cities of Linyi, Liuzhou, Changzhou, Changsha, Suzhou, Wuyishan…

Hotels

ibis adds six hotels in China

Mar 8, 2013 14

Accor has opened six new ibis hotels in China. The company's latest properties are in Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Lanzhou, Nantong, Chongqing and Suzhou, and take the total ibis portfolio in…

Hotels

Dusit plans year of expansion

Mar 7, 2013 8

Dusit International has announced that 2013 will be a year of expansion for the company, with seven properties scheduled to open in the in the coming months. Speaking at the ITB…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia touches down in Shanghai

Feb 20, 2013 0

AirAsia touched down in Shanghai for this first time today, marking the start of a new scheduled service from Kuala Lumpur. The low-cost carrier's long-haul unit, AirAsia X, will now…

Airlines and Aviation

Korean Air boosts North America

Feb 13, 2013 1

Korean Air has announced plans to increase its flights to North America this summer. From on the start of the northern summer season on 31 March 2013, Korean Air will add flights to several…

Hotels

Dusit forms alliance for China expansion

Jan 23, 2013 15

Dusit International has formed a new partnership designed to extend its reach into the Chinese hotel market. The Thai hotel management company has signed a new joint venture agreement…

OTAs & Tour Operators

Backyard Travel moves into China

Jan 10, 2013 16

Bangkok-based tour operator, Backyard Travel, has entered the Chinese market with five new tours to the country. The company's signature itinerary will be a 19-day 'Epic China' tour, which…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia X to fly to Shanghai

Nov 22, 2012 16

AirAsia X is expanding its network in China with the introduction of direct flights to Shanghai. From 19 February 2013, the low-cost carrier will commence six weekly flights from Kuala…

Airlines and Aviation

SkyTeam adds third China member

Mark Elliott Nov 21, 2012 19

Xiamen Airlines has become a full member of the SkyTeam alliance. The carrier, which is based in southeast China's Fujian province and owned by Guangzhou-based China Southern, becomes the…

Airlines and Aviation

Xiamen Airlines joins SkyTeam

Nov 21, 2012 0

Xiamen Airlines has become a full member of the SkyTeam alliance. The carrier, which is based in southeast China's Fujian province, becomes the alliance's 19th member and its sixth in Asia…

Hotels

Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, Ctrip.com ink agreement

Mark Elliott Oct 14, 2012 10

Jumeirah Group signed a global direct connectivity partnership agreement in Shanghai with Ctrip.com International Ltd. This is the first time a luxury hotel group from the Middle East has…

Hotels

Jumeirah boosts China presence with Ctrip

Oct 14, 2012 0

Jumeirah Group has entered into a new partnership with China's online travel giant, Ctrip. The new Global Direct Connectivity Partnership Agreement, which was signed in Shanghai late last…

Hotels

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels expands in China

Sep 27, 2012 16

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (M&C) yesterday signed a contract to manage its first resort hotel in China, in addition to existing contracts. The 151-room Millennium Hangzhou Resort…

Airlines and Aviation

Airbus, Sinopec to produce Chinese biofuel

Sep 24, 2012 15

Airbus has joined forces with China's state-run oil and gas company Sinopec to develop a new biofuel in China. A new fuel known as '1# bio-jetfuel' will be produced by Sinopec at a brand…

Hotels

Wyndham signs four hotels in China

Sep 18, 2012 15

Wyndham Hotel Group has continued expansion in China with the signing of management deals for four new upscale hotels in the country. The properties, which are currently under construction…

Hong Kong

Onyx plans major international expansion

Sep 4, 2012 10

Bangkok-based Onyx Hospitality Group is planning a major international expansion in the coming  months and years, with new hotels opening in the major emerging markets of South Asia, the…

Travel Tech

Travelport trials GDS airport transfer bookings

Aug 28, 2012 17

Travelport is trialling a new service which will allow travel agents to book private car transfers via the GDS. Targeting selected Galileo-connected travel agents in Asia, the new…

Associations

PATA Travel Marts heads to Chengdu

Mark Elliott Aug 1, 2012 6

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has revealed that the PATA Travel Mart 2013 will be held in Chengdu. The event will mark the fourth time the annual travel trade show has been…

Hotels

Luxury spa brand launches in Thailand

Jul 31, 2012 15

I Spa, which operates 15 luxury Thai spas in China, is expanding into Thailand with the opening of two new spas at five-star hotels in Bangkok and Phuket. The company currently operates…

Appointments

The latest appointments – Asia

Jul 26, 2012 16

CHRIS ADAMS has been named as the new General Manager of the Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas. A New Zealand national Adams arrives at the resort from the Anantara Golden Triangle,…

Serviced Apartments

Ascott expands in Chengdu

Mark Elliott Jul 19, 2012 0

Serviced residence operator Ascott has secured a contract to manage its third property in Chengdu. The new Ascott Raffles City Chengdu will open in 2013, forming part of the Raffles…

Airlines and Aviation

THAI Smile aims to fill gap in the market

Jul 11, 2012 19

Newly-launched airline THAI Smile is aiming to satisfy the growing regional demand for flights to and from Thailand, according to the carrier’s Managing Director, Captain Woranate Laprabang.…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia X touches down in Beijing

Jun 25, 2012 16

AirAsia X has launched its inaugural flight to Beijing. The low-cost carrier touched down in the Chinese capital on Saturday (23 June), following a flight from Kuala Lumpur. The airline…

Airlines and Aviation

BA to use Dreamliners for China expansion

Jun 12, 2012 17

British Airways is planning to add up to 10 new destinations in China, but will wait for the delivery of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners to launch the new services. Willie Walsh, CEO of the…

Airlines and Aviation

Asian aviation briefs

Jun 12, 2012 16

Batavia Air plans further China expansion  Indonesia's Batavia Air is planning extend its reach into China with the launch of flights between Bali and Hangzhou. Local news portal NusaBali…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia X to launch Beijing, cut Tianjin

May 16, 2012 17

AirAsia X is making alterations to its network in China with the introduction of direct flights to Beijing, but the cancellation of services to Tianjin. From 22 June 2012, the long-haul…

Airlines and Aviation

Jetstar forges Chinese GDS link

May 2, 2012 17

Jetstar has expanded its distribution network in China following the signing of a new agreement with local GDS, TravelSky. An estimated 7,000 Chinese travel agents from 300 cities will now…

Hotels

Marco Polo signs new Suzhou hotel

Apr 26, 2012 17

Marco Polo Hotels has taken over the management of a five-star hotel in Suzhou. The 314-room hotel, which has now been renamed Marco Polo Suzhou, is located in the historic centre of…

Hotels

Chinese hotel revenues soar

Mar 27, 2012 16

Chinese hotel revenue is soaring, with four key Chinese cities posting room revenue growth of more than 30% in 2011, according to consultancy firm Horwath HTL. During a presentation at the…

Hotels

Five more Sheratons to open in China by year-end

Mark Elliott Nov 1, 2011 17

Starwood Hotels & Resorts will open five more Sheraton hotels in China before the end of 2011. In the last two months of the year, new Sheratons will opens their doors in Zhejiang,…

Hotels

Maritim Hotels expands Asian presence

Mark Elliott Oct 23, 2011 19

Maritim Hotels has opened a new hotel in Yuhong, China, called Maritim Hotel Shenyang. Built to international five-star standards, the property features 631 bedrooms and suites. It boasts a…

Airlines and Aviation

Jetstar to launch flights to Guangzhou

Mark Elliott Oct 15, 2011 10

Jetstar has announced that it will commence flights between Singapore and Guangzhou from 22 December. The southern Chinese city will be served daily using a brand new Airbus A320 aircraft.…

UK

Brits flight search goes longer haul

Mark Elliott Sep 27, 2011

British internet users researched flights in more long-haul destinations during the first six months of this year compared to 2010,according to Cheapflights. The comparison site has seen…

Transport

Avis launches ‘off-site’ service in China

Mark Elliott Sep 16, 2011

Avis has introduced new off-site services at 95 network points across China. These service points are centred at key tourist hotspots and major business centres around the country.  The…

Airlines and Aviation

Jetstar adds Ningbo to Chinese network

Mark Elliott Sep 11, 2011

Jetstar has launched flights from Singapore to Ningbo, in eastern China's Zhejiang province. The low-cost carrier becomes the first and only airline to offer a direct connection between…

Hotels

Sheraton launches fitness programme in Asia

Sep 4, 2011

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts has announced the Asia Pacific launch of 'Sheraton Fitness Programmed by Core Performance', the brand's new health and fitness programme. Sheraton Hotels and…

China

Another close encounter for Chinese aviation officials

Mark Elliott Aug 19, 2011

A UFO sighting in southwestern China halted flights in and out of Chongqing airport last week. According to the Shanghai Daily, planes were diverted away from Jiangbei International Airport…

Hotels

Hilton expands eforea spa menu

Mark Elliott Aug 3, 2011

Hilton Hotels & Resorts is expanding its eforea: spa at Hilton menu with new treatments and products from skin care expert Peter Thomas Roth. The new treatments launch in September and…

Face‑to‑Face

Oakwood adds new property in Chengdu

Mark Elliott Jul 26, 2011

Oakwood has expanded its portfolio in China with the addition of a new serviced residence in Chengdu, Sichuan province. The 237-unit Oakwood Residence Funder Chengdu, located on the city's…

Face‑to‑Face

China “confident” in high-speed trains

Mark Elliott Jul 25, 2011

China's Ministry of Railways has apologised for the high-speed train crash which killed 36 people of Saturday, but said it has "confidence" in the country's bullet train technology. The…

Face‑to‑Face

High-speed train crash kills 33 in China

Mark Elliott Jul 24, 2011

Two high-speed trains crashed in eastern China's Zhejiang province on Saturday, killing at least 33 people and injuring 191 others. Xinhua reported that one of the bullet trains was…

Airlines and Aviation

Chelsea FC arrive in Malaysia

Mark Elliott Jul 18, 2011

The English football team, Chelsea FC arrived at KL International Airport (KLIA) today, on a chartered Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight from London Gatwick airport. MAS is the official…

Face‑to‑Face

Third breakdown for Beijing-Shanghai bullet train

Mark Elliott Jul 15, 2011

The new Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail services broke down for the third time in four days on Wednesday. In the latest incident a northbound train suffered a power failure and came to a…

Airlines and Aviation

Jetstar to launch Singapore-Beijing flights

Mark Elliott Jul 13, 2011

Jetstar has announced plans to extend its reach in China with the launch of flights to Beijing's Capital International Airport. The low-cost carrier will operate the route daily from 24…

Hotels

Shenzhen leads Chinese hotel boom

Jul 12, 2011

The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen is fastest growing market in mainland China, according to a report by Horwath HTL China and STR Global. In a study of hotel performance in 13 key…

Hotels

Banyan Tree chain set for expansion

Mark Elliott Jul 8, 2011

Banyan Tree has confirmed it will open four Angsana-branded properties this year. The hotel group is set to launch a new look to the Angsana brand with its flagship property Angsana Laguna…

Hotels

Marriott plans 24 new hotels in Asia Pacific

Jun 27, 2011

Marriott International's signature brand, Marriott Hotels & Resorts has announced a global pipeline of nearly 50 new hotels and resorts to open in the next four years, almost half of…

Australia

Asia Pacific gets four new World Heritage sites

Mark Elliott Jun 27, 2011

UNESCO has added four new Asia Pacific landmarks to its list of World Heritage sites. Following the 35th session of the World Heritage committee, held from 19-29 June 2011 at UNESCO…

Japan

Eight new UNESCO Heritage Sites are named

Mark Elliott Jun 26, 2011

UNESCO has added eight new locations to its list of World Heritage sites. The sites were named following the 35th session of the World Heritage committee, held from 19-29 June 2011 at UNESCO…

Hotels

Sheraton to open seven China hotels this summer

Jun 24, 2011

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced that its Sheraton brand will open seven more hotels in China before the end of September. News of these openings coincides with a…

Hotels

IHG to open three new academies in China

Mark Elliott May 31, 2011

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the signing of three new IHG Academies in China. The three facilities are being developed in partnership with the Tianjin Vocational…

Airlines and Aviation

China Airlines signs deal with mainland travel firm

Mark Elliott May 28, 2011

Taiwan's largest carrier, China Airlines (CAL) has signed a Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement with the Zhejiang Tourism Group, a major travel service provider in mainland China's…

Hotels

UAE-China training partnership confirmed

Mark Elliott May 26, 2011

The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, one of the world's leading hospitality management schools and part of Jumeirah Group, recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Beijing…

Serviced Apartments

Oakwood opens new Hong Kong property

Mark Elliott May 24, 2011

Oakwood has opened its latest serviced residence in greater China - the Oakwood Apartments Mid Levels East Hong Kong. Located on Kennedy Road, the new property is a five-minute walk from…

Human Resources

Emirates Academy signs Chinese tie-up

Mark Elliott May 24, 2011

The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, part of Jumeirah Group, has signed a new agreement with the Beijing Hospitality Institute. The agreement establishes an academic exchange…

Face‑to‑Face

World’s longest sea bridge to open in China

Mark Elliott May 10, 2011

The world's longest sea bridge - the Qingdao Bay Bridge in eastern China's Shandong province - is expected to open to traffic next month. The bridge's structure is complete and the roadway…

Hotels

Banyan Tree to showcase expansion

May 3, 2011

Banyan Tree Holdings Limited will use the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2011 to reveal a series of expansion and development plans. The luxury hotel company, which this week is on show in…

Face‑to‑Face

Carlson signs four new hotels in China

Mark Elliott Apr 20, 2011

Carlson today announced that it has signed four new hotel management agreements in China. The deals were announced by Hubert Joly, President & Chief Executive Officer of Carlson, at…

Face‑to‑Face

Jumeirah launches first China hotel

Mark Elliott Apr 4, 2011

Jumeirah Group has announced the soft opening of its first five-star luxury hotel in China at the Himalayas Centre in Shanghai. Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai features 401 contemporary…

Airlines and Aviation

Xiamen Airlines launches Zhengzhou-Singapore flights

Mark Elliott Mar 29, 2011

Xiamen Airlines has launched its inaugural flight connecting Zhengzhou, in China's Henan province, with Singapore. The move follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)…

China

Hyatt launches Chinese breakfast programme

Mark Elliott Mar 28, 2011

Hyatt hotels in greater China are now featuring a greater range of traditions breakfast dishes made from classic local recipes. Until now, Chinese-style dishes have been incorporated into…

Face‑to‑Face

Sheraton to launch 16 China hotels in 2011

Mark Elliott Mar 25, 2011

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced that its Sheraton brand will add 16 new hotels across China this year. The brand, which is currently undertaking a US$6 billion global…

Face‑to‑Face

Seven die in Chinese bus crash

Mark Elliott Mar 17, 2011

Seven people died have died and 11 others were injured when a bus crashed into a car on an expressway in eastern China's Fujian province yesterday morning, the China Daily reported police as…

Hotels

Banyan Tree announces 2011 expansion plans

Mar 7, 2011

Banyan Tree Holdings has announced its expansion plans for 2011, with the launch of five new properties under its Banyan Tree and Angsana brands. The new openings include the Banyan Tree…

Airlines and Aviation

China Airlines launches Wuhan flights

Mark Elliott Jan 27, 2011

China Airlines (CAL) yesterday inaugurated direct scheduled flights between Taipei's Taoyuan International Airport and Wuhan, Hubei province. The airline's CAL President,…

Hotels

Banyan Tree receives 18 accolades in 2011

Jan 25, 2011

Banyan Tree Group has started the year on a positive note, having picked up more than 18 awards and accolades since the start of 2011. These awards join the growing list of some 655 awards…

Face‑to‑Face

TDA Face-to-Face: Audrey Chung, Banyan Tree

Mark Elliott Jan 25, 2011

TDA Face-to-Face: Audrey Chung, Assistant Vice President, Global Marketing Network, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts1) How is Banyan Tree Hotels & Resort…

Attractions & Tours

New ski resort opens in China

Mark Elliott Jan 24, 2011

A new ski resort has opened in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang, Xinhua has reported. The Daming Mountain Alpine Ski Resort sits on a 1,200-metre-high mountain range 116km…

Global

Snow causes transport chaos in China

Mark Elliott Jan 21, 2011

Heavy snow across southern and eastern parts of China has disrupted traffic, closed airports and caused misery to thousands of travellers at the start of the peak Spring Festival…

Transport

Shanghai’s Maglev rail plan shelved

Mark Elliott Jan 20, 2011

The development of a Maglev rail link between Shanghai and Hangzhou is to be shelved, local media has reported. The China News Services cited Liu Ting, Deputy Director of the…

Face‑to‑Face

Louvre-Golden Tulip plots major China expansion

Mark Elliott Jan 13, 2011

Louvre Hotels & Golden Tulip has announced plans to increase its portfolio in China to 50 hotels within the next five years - a significant rise from its current portfolio of three…

Hotels

Jumeriah signs new resort in China

Jan 2, 2011

Jumeirah Group, the Dubai-based luxury hotel company and member of Dubai Holding, has signed a management agreement with Liuhe Group, a subsidiary of Hangzhou-based WEI Jun, to operate the…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia announces launch of services to Hyderabad

Mark Elliott Jul 5, 2010

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, July 1, 2010 /India PRwire/ -- After creating a buzz in most of the other markets in the country, AirAsia the World's Best Low Cost Airline…

Airlines and Aviation

EVA adds new Shanghai services

Mark Elliott Jun 15, 2010

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (14 June, 2010) - EVA Air has added six flights a week between Taipei and Shanghai, using airports near both cities' downtown centers. The new service from…

Hotels

Pan Pacific to open two new hotels in Ningbo

Jun 14, 2010

Singapore, 14 June, 2010: Pan Pacific Hotels Group has announced it will open new properties Pan Pacific Ningbo and Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Ningbo in Zhejiang, China. This follows the…

Airlines and Aviation

China Airlines launches new cross-Strait route

Mark Elliott Jun 14, 2010

June 14, 2010 - China Airlines today inaugurated new direct cross-strait scheduled service from Taipei Songshan Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, marking a historic milestone…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia launches Delhu flights with free seat promo

Mark Elliott Jun 7, 2010

New Delhi, Delhi, June 3, 2010 /India PRwire/ -- Riding high following the successful launch of operations across seven markets in India, AirAsia, the World's Best…

Features

AirAsia X launches Delhu flights with free seat promo

Mark Elliott Jun 7, 2010

New Delhi, Delhi, June 3, 2010 /India PRwire/ -- Riding high following the successful launch of operations across seven markets in India, AirAsia, the World's Best…

Hotels

Banyan Tree Private Collection adds four villa offerings

Mark Elliott Jun 1, 2010

Banyan Tree Private Collection, Asia's first asset-backed destination club offering perpetual and transferable membership, is pleased to announce the addition of two new spectacular "Own…

Features

Tiger launches more Greater China routes

Mark Elliott Jun 1, 2010

Tiger Airways announced plans to introduce even more destinations to Greater China, following the huge popularity of its existing routes.Rosalynn Tay, Managing Director of Tiger…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia lands in Bengaluru

Mark Elliott May 20, 2010

Sepang, May 20, 2010 - Continuing to spread its wings in the Indian market, AirAsia, the World's Best Low-Cost Airline, flew into the Silicon Valley of India…

Global

Banyan Tree set to bloom in MENA region

Mark Elliott May 9, 2010

Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts revealed its Middle East expansion plans at the recent Arabian Travel Market staged in Dubai. Following the recent opening of the Banyan Tree Al Wadi in Ras…

Global

Shama to launch first serviced apartments in Thailand

Mark Elliott Apr 27, 2010

Asia's premier luxury boutique serviced apartment provider, Shama and Aura announced the appointment of Shama as the operator for the first flagship project outside Greater China,…

Global

Grand opening for Shangri-La Ningbo

Mark Elliott Apr 22, 2010

HONG KONG, April 22 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The Shangri-La Hotel, Ningbo celebrates its grand opening on 22 April 2010, marking the completion of all facilities at the hotel. The…

Global

AirAsia appoints Mindshare media agency

Mark Elliott Apr 22, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, 22 APRIL 2010 - AirAsia has appointed global media network giant Mindshare to handle its media account in Malaysia starting July 1 in a bid to extend the reach and…

Global

Direct flights to link China with eastern Taiwan

Mark Elliott Apr 20, 2010

Three Taiwanese airlines will begin chartered flight services from eastern Taiwan's Hualien and Taitung cities to Chinese, Taiwan News reported the country's Tourism Bureau as saying.…

Global

Wyndham adds four hotels in China

Mark Elliott Apr 11, 2010

PARSIPPANY, N.J., April 9 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Following the recent addition of three luxury hotels in the key markets of Shanghai, Changsha and Hangzhou, Wyndham Hotel…

Global

IT&CM China 2010 opens in Shanghai

Mark Elliott Apr 8, 2010

7 April 2010, Shanghai - IT&CM (Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings) China 2010 opens today at the ShanghaiMart Expo. Over the next three days, delegates…

Global

AirAsia X introduces flatbed seats

Mark Elliott Apr 5, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 April 2010 - AirAsia X revealed another enhancement in its services today with the introduction of new comfortable 'flatbed Premium seats', giving the 'AirAsia…

Global

Sheraton Qiandao becomes Starwood’s 1,000th hotel

Mark Elliott Apr 1, 2010

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Mar 31, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) announced today that the company has reached an important…

Global

China opens National Water Museum

Mark Elliott Mar 24, 2010

The National Water Museum of China opened on Monday, the China Daily has reported. Located in Hangzhou, the 36,500m

Global

Tiger Airways eyes three new Indian routes

Mark Elliott Feb 23, 2010

Singapore, 23 February 2010: Tiger Airways today announced that it has received its second aircraft that it owns. The Airbus A320 is the second of two aircraft purchased through a…

Hotels

Banyan Tree unveils revamped XTC agents programme

Feb 12, 2010

Singapore, 15 February 2010 - Buoyed by the excellent response to the Xtraordinary Travel Consultants (XTC) programme for travel agents launched in selected key markets last year, Banyan…

Global

Banyan Tree unveils revamped XTC agents programme

Mark Elliott Feb 11, 2010

Singapore, 15 February 2010 - Buoyed by the excellent response to the Xtraordinary Travel Consultants (XTC) programme for travel agents launched in selected key markets last…

Global

Tiger’s growth continues in January

Mark Elliott Feb 10, 2010

Singapore, 10 February 2010: Tiger Airways Holdings today announced strong operating statistics for January 2010, continuing the momentum of growth from the quarter ending 31…

Global

Travel Offers Valentine’s Day Special

Mark Elliott Feb 5, 2010

Romance your Valentine at Banyan Tree Hangzhou Tired of the same old 'table for two' on Valentine's Day? Banyan Tree Hangzhou welcomes you and your loved one to a world of romance with two…

Airlines and Aviation

ANA Corporate Plan 2010

Mark Elliott Jan 29, 2010

TOKYO January 27, 2010 - ANA Group today announced its Corporate Plan for fiscal year 2010, which runs from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011. With the lethargic nature of…

Global

ANA to boost international operations

Mark Elliott Jan 28, 2010

TOKYO January 27, 2010 - ANA Group today announced its Corporate Plan for fiscal year 2010, which runs from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011. With the lethargic nature of…

Global

AirAsia to launch six new Indian routes

Mark Elliott Jan 26, 2010

Kuala Lumpur, 26 January 2010 : AirAsia, the World's Best Low-Cost Airline is all out to rock and paint the India skies red by extending its footprint with the launch of its direct…

Global

Shanghai to open two new high-speed rail lines

Mark Elliott Jan 5, 2010

Visitors to Shanghai for the 2010 World Expo will be able to take advantage of two new rail lines and a rail transport hub opening, the Shanghai Daily has reported. The inter-city…

Global

Face-to-Face: Jonathan L. Hasson, Director, Luxury Concierge China

Mark Elliott Dec 22, 2009

1) What are the main types of services sought by your highly individualistic clients?We at Luxury Concierge China set out in 2006 to provide the very best of what Shanghai…

Global

Shanghai to extend Metro to Songjiang

Mark Elliott Dec 16, 2009

Shanghai Metro's Line 9 will be extended to the ancient town of Songjiang, in the southwest of the city, according to a Shanghai Morning Post report. Construction will begin on 30…

Serviced Apartments

Ascott opens fifth Beijing property

Mark Elliott Dec 2, 2009

Singapore, 2 December 2009 - CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), is celebrating the opening of its fifth serviced residence in Beijing,…

Global

Shangri-La to open new Traders hotel in Malaysia

Mark Elliott Nov 25, 2009

HONG KONG, Nov. 25 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group, has signed an agreement with Themed Attractions and Resorts…

Global

JAL outlines major capacity cuts

Mark Elliott Nov 5, 2009

The JAL Group announced today, further changes to its overall route andflight frequency plan for the second half of FY2009, and plans for aportion of its domestic passenger…

Global

Amanresorts to open second property in China

Mark Elliott Nov 5, 2009

Early next year, Amanresorts will launch its 24th property, Amanfayun. Named for a Tang Dynasty village which once inhabited the site, Amanfayun will offer guests a unique…

Global

Air China expands route map

Mark Elliott Oct 28, 2009

BEIJING, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- In step with the speedy recovery of the Chinese aviation industry over the past six months, Air China has announced that it will be expanding…

Global

New PATA structure reflects drive for change

Mark Elliott Oct 27, 2009

PATA has introduced a new organisation structure designed to streamline the Association's wide range of services to its global membership base.The new Office of Strategy Management,…

Global

China leads SPG growth

Mark Elliott Oct 15, 2009

China has become the richest source of new, loyal travelers for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), according to an analysis on the enrollment and travel…

Global

HK National Day arrivals rise 15%

Mark Elliott Oct 11, 2009

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced today (9 October) that visitor arrivals from Mainland China during the eight-day National Day Golden Week holiday period this year (1-8 October)…

Global

China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines to Launch Lunar New Year Charter Flights to Mainland China

Mark Elliott Oct 1, 2009

To greet the 2009 Chinese Lunar New Year, China Airlines and its subsidiary Mandarin Airlines are launching Lunar New Year charter flights directly to mainland China. 27 round-trip…

Global

PATA takes lead in promoting sustainable tourism

Mark Elliott Oct 1, 2009

PATA has marked World Tourism Day 2009 by renewing its commitment to sustainable tourism and corporate social responsibility. The PATA Board of Directors has adopted unanimously a 'Charter…

Global

PATA EGM adopts new bylaws

Mark Elliott Sep 28, 2009

September 28th 2009: New Bylaws regarded as vital in the Association's roadmap for change in its structure and governance have been adopted by voting members of the Pacific Asia Travel…

Global

PATA honours CNTA Chairman Shao Qiwei

Mark Elliott Sep 27, 2009

CNTA Chairman Shao Qiwei receives a PATA Award of Distinction today (25 September) to mark his outstanding contribution to the development of China tourism in his role as the head of the…

Global

Indo and Malaysia in joint UNESCO effort

Mark Elliott Sep 25, 2009

In a unique, laudable effort, Indonesia and Malaysia have mounted a 'UNESCO 123' programme for tourism promotion, Anil Mathur reports. Victor Wee, Chairman of Tourism…

Global

TAT plans more overseas offices

Mark Elliott Sep 25, 2009

The Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to open three overseas offices in the coming months, Anil Mathur reports. Santi Chundintra, Director of the TAT's American Market…

Global

PATA’s pens Creative e-commerce deal

Mark Elliott Sep 23, 2009

PATA has signed a two-year agreement with Creative Advances Technology (CAT) that will offer new ecommerce opportunities for Association members worldwide.CAT are the developers of the…

Global

UNWTO advises on destination management

Mark Elliott Sep 23, 2009

Hangzhou, China, 22 September 2009 - Analysing the main challenges for tourism destinations in the face of the global economic downturn was the main objective of the 5th…

Global

Face-to-Face: Chris Hart, Senior Vice President, Operations - Asia Pacific, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific

Mark Elliott Sep 22, 2009

1) What expansion plans does the group have for the Four Seasons brand in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions? In Asia Pacific we hope to…

Global

Khiri Travel Group Launches Khiri DMC

Mark Elliott Sep 22, 2009

BANGKOK, 21 September 2009 -- The Khiri Travel Group will launch Khiri DMC at PATA Travel Mart in Hangzhou, China this week. Khiri DMC will function as a dedicated destination…

Global

Khiri Asia targets ‘hot’ Indian market

Mark Elliott Sep 9, 2009

BANGKOK, 9 September 2009 - The Khiri Travel Group today launched Khiri Asia which will promote Thailand and Indochina to the Asian travel trade, starting with India. Under…

Global

PATA Webinar looks at key China market

Mark Elliott Sep 9, 2009

PATA's upcoming webinar is to be broadcast live from PATA Travel Mart in Hangzhou, China (PRC) on September 25. The webinar looks in detail at tourism and spending trends in China with…

Global

India Tourism organises China roadshow

Mark Elliott Sep 7, 2009

An Incredible India roadshow will be organised by India Tourism office in China on 26 Sept ember, to coincide with the PATA Travel Mart in Hangzhou. Anil Mathur reports that the show…

Global

EVA Air to launch scheduled flights to China

Mark Elliott Aug 31, 2009

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (Aug. 24, 2009) -- EVA Air and UNI Air will both begin launching scheduled flights to China on Aug. 31, 2009. The two carriers will serve 12…

Global

Abu Dhabi F1 track complete

Mark Elliott Aug 28, 2009

Abu Dhabi-based real estate developer, Aldar Properties, has said that it has completed infrastructure-related work on Yas Island, where the inaugural Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix…

Global

Staff Appointments w/e 27 August 09

Mark Elliott Aug 27, 2009

CARLA DUNN has been named as the new Vice President of Global Sales for Wyndham Hotel Group. Ms Dunn has previously served in corporate and property level sales positions for multiple…

Global

Air China to begin Taiwan scheduled flights

Mark Elliott Aug 18, 2009

Air China will begin regular scheduled flights to Taiwan from 31 August, Xinhua reported the airline's President, Cai Jianjiang, as saying. The carrier will operate 27 weekly…

Global

500 book to see total eclipse

Mark Elliott Jul 15, 2009

More than 500 amateur astronomers from overseas have booked hotels in Haiyan county in east China's Zhejiang province, to see a total solar eclipse later this month. Xinhua reported Zhu…

Global

ANA reviews Osaka routes

Mark Elliott Jul 8, 2009

All Nippon Airways (ANA) is reviewing four routes from Osaka's Kansai airport due to a drop in demand. Bloomberg reported that the future of services to Kochi, Matsuyama, Kagoshima…

Global

China railway stations cleared for take-off

Mark Elliott Jul 1, 2009

Railways stations in major cities near Shanghai will soon become check-in points for air travellers, the Shanghai Daily has reported. Under the scheme, passengers flying from…

Global

Face-to-Face: Arthur Kiong, Managing Director Sales & Marketing, Banyan Tree Group

Mark Elliott Jun 23, 2009

1. Banyan Tree is seeing significant development in the Middle East, with four properties scheduled in the UAE and one in Oman. How well known, do you believe, is the…

Global

IHG launches 25th China academy

Mark Elliott May 20, 2009

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the launch of its 25th IHG Academy in Chengdu, China. The new IHG Academy is established in partnership with the Chengdu Vocational…

Global

Marriott continues to grow in China

Mark Elliott May 15, 2009

Marriott International is strengthening in China, with 17 new hotels in the next five years, bringing its portfolio to 52 properties and more than 22,000 rooms. All of the new…

Global

Rare primate found under car

Mark Elliott May 13, 2009

A rare loris has been found under a parked car in Shanghai. According to a Shanghai Daily report, the primate had been kept as a pet and escaped. The find comes just week after two…

Global

China gives tourism discounts to expats

Mark Elliott Apr 13, 2009

Expats living in Chinaare now able to get an English version of the Hangzhou discount tourism coupons. TheShanghai Daily reported that 10,000 Hangzhoucoupon books, worth CNY2…

Global

Plan to create Asia’s largest rail hub

Mark Elliott Apr 3, 2009

Authorities in China are discussing plans to construct the largest railway hub in Asia in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. According to a Shanghai Daily report, the Nanjing Planning…

Global

AirAsia seeks ‘X-factor’ in name game

Mark Elliott Mar 31, 2009

AirAsia X is inviting wordsmiths from across the globe to help them name their planes. According to a Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation report, the airline has launched a naming…

Global

JW Marriott celebrates with three new hotels

Mark Elliott Mar 13, 2009

Marriott International's luxury brand, JW Marriott, has celebrated its 25th anniversary by announcing three additions to its portfolio. The new properties are the 150-room JW…

Global

Luxury rail plan for China

Mark Elliott Mar 12, 2009

A senior Shanghai official has proposed building a luxury rail connection for the Yangtze Delta to cater for tourists at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. Reported by the Shanghai Daily,…

Global

Police called at tourism coupon giveaway

Mark Elliott Mar 3, 2009

A free tourism coupon giveaway in the Chinese city of Hangzhou became so popular that police had to be called, the Shanghai Daily reported. The coupons, which offer free entry to…

Global

Chinese cities offer travel vouchers

Mark Elliott Feb 19, 2009

China's eastern city of Nanjing will hand out CNY20 million (US$2.9 million) in travel vouchers to stimulate domestic consumption, a Reuters report said quoting state radio. At a…

Global

AirAsia X launches new China route

Mark Elliott Feb 16, 2009

Malaysia's long-haul, low cost carrier, AirAsia X, will launch a new route from Kuala Lumpur to Tianjin from 2 April, Bernama reported. The launch of services to Tianjin…

Global

PATA Business Forum attract big names

Mark Elliott Jan 22, 2009

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Business Forum, "Discovering Opportunities in Tough Times" has attracted several high ranking travel and tourism industry figures as guest…

Features

China to cut building heights for UNESCO bid

Mark Elliott Dec 15, 2008

The top floors of several high-rise buildings in the Chinese city of Hangzhou will be removed to help the city's bid for UNESCO world heritage status, the BBC has reported. The…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia X plans tenfold sales growth

Mark Elliott Nov 25, 2008

Malaysian long-haul low-cost carrier, AirAsia X, hopes to expand its sales tenfold to US$1 billion by the end of 2010, ChannelNews Asia has reported. The carrier's Chief…

Hotels

Wyndham continues China expansion

Oct 15, 2008

The Wyndham Hotel Group has announced that it continues to grow its Ramada brand in China with the addition of the 173-room Ramada Changzhou. The property, signed on a 20-year franchise…

Global

Macau to host PATA Travel Mart in 2010

Mark Elliott Sep 26, 2008

Ardent PATA supporter Macau has been as the host city for the 2010 PATA Travel Mart. It will take over from the Chinese city of Hangzhou which is hosting it next year.Macau had hosted the…

Indonesia

AirAsia X unfazed by aviation crisis

Mark Elliott Sep 8, 2008

Long-haul low cost carrier, AirAsia X, has said it will not fall foul of the current crises hitting the aviation industry, and has reported strong sales. ChannelNews Asia has…

China

Chinese museum to open

Sep 1, 2008

Liangzhu Culture Museum will open on 1 October, the Shanghai Daily has reported. The new attraction in Liangzhu Cultural Village, near Hangzhou, will house exhibits from the area's 5,000…

MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions)

PATA Mart 2008 sold out

Mark Elliott Aug 5, 2008

This year's PATA Travel Mart from 16-19 September has been sold out.The event taking place at Hyderabad International Convention Centre will have over 300 sellers and 374 registered…

Hotels

IHG expands training academies

Jul 21, 2008

InterContinental Hotels Group is tackling the war for talent in China head on. Two years after opening its first training institute - IHG Academy- in Shanghai, the company is to nearly…

Hotels

Marriott Ningbo opens

Jun 16, 2008

Marriott International has opened a 333-room Marriott hotel in Ningbo in China. The property is located in the heart of the central business district of Ningbo, within a mixed-used project.…

Hotels

Marriott signs 9 more in China

Jun 12, 2008

Marriott International is expanding its China portfolio with 18 new hotels from now through 2012. Nine of these new hotels were just confirmed on Tuesday. When all 18 hotels are opened, the…

Airlines and Aviation

Air Asia X launches KL-Perth

Mark Elliott May 16, 2008

After launching flights to Gold Coast and Hangzhou from Kuala Lumpur, Air Asia X plans to start a new direct service to Perth.AirAsia X will commence the service as early as November…

Airlines and Aviation

Long-haul cake

Mark Elliott Apr 30, 2008

Seen here are (from left) Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X and Sheng JiFang, Chairman of Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport with the crew of AirAsia X.

Hotels

Hyatt in Guangzhou

Apr 28, 2008

The Grand Hyatt Guangzhou is located in the city's new central business district - Pearl River New Town. The 375-room hotel is one of the first international hotels in Guangzhou to…

Airlines and Aviation

AirAsia X gives free seats

Mark Elliott Mar 17, 2008

AirAsia X -the long-haul arm of AirAsia - is offering 5,000 free seats to mark a sales milestone of 100,000 seats. Azran Osman-Rani of AirAsia X said the giveaway was "a…

Hotels

Marriott to add 140 hotels

Mar 10, 2008

Marriott International plans to add more than 140 hotels and resorts outside the U.S. and Canada over the next four years. This translates to more than 34,000 rooms in 43 countries. These…

Airlines and Aviation

Shenzhen Airlines adds two routes

Mark Elliott Feb 5, 2008

Shenzhen Airlines has opened two new routes: Xian-Xiangfan-Fuzhou and Changzhou-Fuzhou-Haikou.There are three flights a week on the Xi'an-Xiangfan-Fuzhou route on Monday,…

Features

Banyan Tree to open in Dunhuang, China

Mark Elliott Jan 18, 2008

Banyan Tree is to develop and operate a resort in Dunhuang county, in the northwestern Gansu province in China. Situated close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mogao…

China

Three Gorges airport ready for international flights

Nov 26, 2007

The Three Gorges (Sanxia) Airport has received regulatory approval from several agencies for regularly scheduled international flights, Xinhua reported. The airport has invested about 100…

Features

More protection for China’s historical sites

Mark Elliott Nov 14, 2007

China Daily said the list includes ruins of the ancient capitals of Xi'an and Luoyang, key sites along the Xinjiang section of the Silk Road, the Great Wall and the…

OTAs & Tour Operators

Singapore airport sees record weekly flights

Mark Elliott Nov 13, 2007

The services are operated by 83 airlines that connect Singapore to 189 cities in 60 countries, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). The CAAS said in a…

Hotels

Hyatt’s new Shanghai hotel

Jul 25, 2007

Hyatt on the Bund, part of the Grand Hyatt portfolio, will open at the northern end of the legendary Bund. To maximise its prime location on the western banks of the Huangpu River, the…

Hotels

Marriott’s Shanghai focus

May 23, 2007

The 330-room JW Marriott Hotel Hangzhou and the 330-room Courtyard by Marriott Hangzhou City Centre will become part of Marriott's portfolio under a management agreement with Hangzhou Wulin…

Tourism

Shanghai visitors up

May 8, 2007

SHANGHAI city has received a record 2.8 million visitors in the first three days of the national week-long Labour Day holidays, a 16% increase on last year. Hangzhou also hosted a visitor…