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Tips: Take a raincheck once peaceful lunch that has become a “noisy, boisterous affair with the constant clicking of cameras from tourists – many in ‘less than respectful’ attire.”
The advice is simple enough. Give it a miss and visit other equally attractive monasteries that are not overwhelmed with tourists.
Rough rail rideThe Yangon to Bagan night train in Myanmar is described as positively dangerous.
Going out of your comfort zone is one thing, but the ICS assessment says the night train from Yangon to Bagan takes ‘roughing it’ to new extremes calling it “quite dangerous”.
The company recommends visitors take a ride on Yangon’s circular train, or join the scenic train journey from Pyin Oo Lwin to Hsipaw that crosses the
incredible Goteik Viaduct.
Maya Bay rests in peaceIt lists Maya Bay in southern Thailand as a no-go spot, but that is due to conservation efforts that are successfully rehabilitating the bay’s coral and marine life.
The stunning bay, a locale for the
famous ‘The Beach’ movie, remains off-limits to visitors and will probably stay that way for the rest of the year.
The bay and its marine environment suffered serious damage inflicted by thousands of day-trippers resulting in a decision to close the beach indefinitely to allow the ecosystem to recover. The tough mission is working too as black-tipped reef sharks have been spotted there after a long absence.
MEKONGMekong forum better late than never.
PAGE 6.
YOUR STORIESEmirates flies latest B777 to Maldives.
TRADE TALK‘Golf Coast’ tees off with Golfasian.
PAGE 10. PAGE 11.
A tour firm takes duty-of-car seriously and names places travellers should avoid in Southeast Asia.
IT’S a rare occasion when a travel firm identifies places you shouldn’t visit, but ICS Travel Group has named some of the region’s spots to avoid in its latest report.
The company kicks off by saying that “due to over-crowding, danger or too much construction here’s a list of places you may want to avoid.”
Tacky side to SihanoukvilleSihanoukville, Cambodia’s major port and resort town on the Gulf of Thailand, is a top spot to avoid mainly due to construction, heavy traffic and roads riddled with potholes.
ICS describes a town that was once famous for its beaches but now “dominated by casinos and tacky commercial centres.”
On the upside, the town’s port is the jumping off point for trips to offshore islands such as Koh Rong, Koh Rong Sonaleum, Koh Russei and Koh Krobei where travellers can still find peace as well as unspoiled beaches.
The honest assessment comes at a time when AirAsia is planning direct air services from Bangkok to Sihanoukville and JC International this month starts flights from the Cambodian resort town to Macau and Bangkok.
A monastery meal to missMyanmar’s Mahagandayon Monastery located in Amarapura near Mandalay suffers from too much of a good thing – tourists, according to the ICS travel advisor.
“Hordes of them arrive for the
VOL 42, ISSUE 14, 29 April-5 May 2019 NEWS FOR SOUTHEAST’S ASIA TRAVEL PLANNERS Daily NEWS UPDATES at www.ttrweekly.com
Click for full report.
I chatted to a tour operator last week who had a couple of days of downtime between a busy schedule attending travel conferences.
Fresh from events in China he was repacking for the trip to Dubai to shake hands with the industry at the Arabian Travel Mart 28 April to 2 May. It’s a busy life dashing from one mart to the next while juggling the tasks of running a travel firm back home.
Do we ever consider if the constant globetrotting delivers positive outcomes for our companies?
A site that monitors travel and tourism events worldwide claims there are close to 1,000 major tourism conferences worldwide every year. That’s a conservative estimate as only the major events are identified.
In May alone there are 135 and if you check out Thailand it has around 16 major events lined up until the end of the year all with travel and tourism themes.
But that excludes seminars and smaller forums. When you check out the websites of the UNWTO, PATA and WTTC you might recognise that attending all these so-called “essential events” requires your human resources director to hire a couple of nomadic travel executives.
Looking at just major travel trade events and marts in Asia during May the calendar is already full with must-attend occasions that claim to deliver takeaways that will take our business ventures to the next level.
The Arabian Travel Mart is billed an essential travel mart for companies wishing to gain a foothold in the
TTR Weekly is a controlled circulation newspaper for the travel industry specialising in Thailand and the Mekong region. Published every Wednesday, alternatively in English, the publication is distributed free to travel agents. Available on subscription outside this qualifying category. Published by Ross Publishing Ltd.
Ross Publishing Ltd. 92/347 Moo 2, Lak Hok, Muang, Pathumtanee 12000 Tel: (66) 2004 8223, (sales: (66) 82 829 6455). Fax: (66) 2006 5100 Email: [email protected], [email protected] Website: www.ttrweekly.com
MARKETING: [email protected] Tel: +66 82 829 6455Director of sales and marketing: Danai Stephen RossPublishing director: Lars Magnusson
Managing editor: Don Ross: [email protected]
EDITORIAL: [email protected] Editor: Don Ross
PRODUCTION: [email protected] director: Danai Stephen RossGraphics: Suradej Chatsomsiri, Kamolapat Sriveriwan
EDITOR’S POSTDo we really need to attend travel
conferences?
Follow us on:
lucrative Middle East travel market. Then the Pacific Asia Travel Association pitches for our attention with its annual summit due to be hosted in Cebu, Philippines, 9 to 12 May. A couple of days after the summit closes in Cebu, ITB China in Shanghai China beckons, 15 to 17 May, for those who want to snare a share of the China outbound market.
You could slot in a visit to Thailand’s Dive Resort Travel Show in Bangkok, 16 to 19 May, and then visit Chiang Mai for the 10th World Tourism Conference, 25 to 27 May.
Asia’s luxury travel market leaders will meet 27 to 30 May for ILTM Asia Pacific in Singapore for those who still have a budget left to lure high spend travellers.
Finally, the spotlight in the Mekong Region will shine on Dali, China, that will host the Mekong Tourism Forum 28 to 29 May.
For sure I have missed some other must-attend travel events in May, but the truth is that even with 31 days in May travel company marketers need a night home once in while so the kids know they still have two parents.
Perhaps in the short spells between travel show appearances if we jotted down all the meaningful, must-attend events that call for our attention every month we would recognise travel event hosting is now a runaway train, out of control and costing us all valuable time and money with little evidence of a return on investment.
That’s because they make money for the organisers and for some media companies it might be the only way to survive. As long as we are willing to fork out USD300 to 500 in registration fees there will be no shortage of experts with new ideas to lighten our corporate wallets.
You see this creativity at every level as experts and gurus discover new ways to dive into our budgets. If an event fails it is quickly forgotten. A wave of the wand brings them back rebranded to harry us into parting with our hard-earned cash all over again.
Don Ross, editor
TTR WEEKLY | 29 APRIL - 5 MAY 2019 3
PRODUCTION: [email protected] director: Danai Stephen RossGraphics: Suradej Chatsomsiri, Kamolapat Sriveriwan
ITB China: JTB scores sport tourism status JTB Group confirmed as official Sports Travel Partner of ITB China 2019.
AS Sports tourism expands in China and across Asia, ITB China recruits JTB Group as its official Sports Travel Partner.
ITB China, takes place from 15 to 17 May in Shanghai.
With over 1,000 offices in 38 countries and over 27.000 employees, JTB is one of the biggest travel agencies in the world.
Sports tourism is a growing segment that appears high up on the ITB China Conference agenda, a Chinese travel think tank, running parallel to the show.
On the second day, 16 May the think tank will kick off with a keynote speech followed by a panel discussion led by JTB’s Japan inbound business division senior manager Kiyoshi Fujita.
The panel discussion will focus on the winter sports market that is paying particular attention to the growth of Chinese markets for inbound travel to Japan.
Based on interviews with Chinese business leaders, sports travel will also be
EVENTS
featured in this year’s ITB China Travel Trends Report, a yearly publication providing detailed analysis of Chinese market trends.
ITB China general manager David Axiotis said: “There is a huge potential of sports tourism in China. It is something
most of the people will participate in at some point in their lives. Numerous Chinese tour operators are investing in growing the number of sports tourism products offered to Chinese travellers.”
The JTB Group was founded in 1912
as the Japan Tourist Bureau with the objective of contributing to the Japanese economy by bringing foreign visitors to Japan.
Some 100 years later it serves as a leader of growth in Japan’s tourism industry and one of the main drivers of
Japan’s travel culture.Owned and managed by a subsidiary
of Messe Berlin, ITB China 2019 will take place from Wednesday to Friday, 15 to 17 May, at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre.
Thai tourism: A look back to go forwardBILLED the greatest story in global tourism history, respected historian and journalist, Imtiaz Muqbil, will lead a forum that charts Thailand’s path to tourism riches over the last 60 years.
Hosted at Bangkok’s Arnoma Grand Hotel, 14 June, the seminar marks the countdown to the 60th anniversary of both the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Airways International in late March 2020, a line drawn in the sand to mark the official start of Thai tourism as we know it today.
The forum will take place from 0930 to 1630 and will be conducted in English.
Forum organiser and chief presenter, Muqbil says that while Thailand is one of the greatest success stories in global tourism history, it is an “ageing industry
searching for ways to reinvent and reposition itself in an era of intense competition and mind-boggling change.”
Muqbil who has been reporting on Thai tourism since 1981, will share his archives of reports, studies and notes on Thai tourism, how it has grown and overcome many global, regional and
local crises.“Over the next many
months, dozens of seminars, forums and conferences will be held to assess the state of play. Many will be “official”, sponsored events with the usual congratulatory back-thumping. My forum will be more realistic, honest and balanced,” he claims.
As the forum is designed for serious connoisseurs and students of Thai tourism history, attendance is being capped at 25.
Contact: Imtiaz Muqbil, 02 2551480, 02 2537590. Email: [email protected] for further details and registration.
29 APRIL - 5 MAY 2019 | TTR WEEKLY4
Save the planet and travel sustainablyTravellers are more determined to make sustainable travel choices than a year ago according to Booking.com.
MORE travellers than ever believe they must act now and make sustainable travel choices to save the planet.
Following Earth Day celebrations, 22 April, the spotlight shines on how travellers are voicing demands that the travel industry to adopt sustainable values.
In its latest annual sustainable travel report, Booking.com revealed almost three quarters (72%) of travellers believe that people need to act now and make sustainable travel choices to save the planet for future generations.
While results were relatively consistent across ages, almost three-quarters (74%) of 46 to 55 year olds believe most strongly that this is needed, followed by Millennials at 71%.
The views expressed by travellers across the world are timely, considering the special report that the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued in 2018, which asserts that the world has just over a decade to restrict global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, beyond which the risk of floods, droughts and extreme heat will significantly worsen.
Eco-accommodationConsistent with overall intentions to make more sustainable travel choices, sustainable stays are growing in popularity, with almost three quarters (73%) of global travellers intending to stay at least once in an eco-friendly or green accommodation when looking at the year ahead.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Booking.com research has seen this figure trend up, from 62% in 2016 to 65% in 2017, and 68% in 2018.**
Additionally, 70% of global travellers say they would be more likely to book accommodation knowing it was eco-friendly, whether they were looking for a sustainable stay or not.
However, when it comes to recognising a sustainable place to stay, almost three quarters (72%) of global travellers say that they are not aware of the existence of eco-labels for vacation accommodations.
Well over a third (37%) believe an
TRENDS
international standard for identifying eco-friendly accommodation would help encourage them to travel more sustainably, and 62% would feel better about staying in accommodation if they knew it had an eco-label.
Sustainable StrugglesDespite the best intentions, it’s not all plain sailing for would-be green travellers. The report also exposes the common barriers travellers face when making sustainable travel choices:
Travel companies need to step up to the plate and play a more important role in the eyes of travellers:
71% of travellers think that travel companies should offer consumers more sustainable travel choices.
On the other hand, almost half (46%) of global travellers acknowledge that they find it harder to make sustainable choices while on vacation than in everyday life.
Almost a third (31%) of global travellers admit their vacation is a special time during which they do not want to think about sustainability.
Aspirations and ActionsResearch results also indicated that travellers would be more encouraged to travel sustainably if there were economic incentives offered, such as tax breaks when choosing eco-friendly options (46%).
This is closely followed by online booking sites offering a sustainable or eco-friendly filter option (45%).
When it comes to in-destination experiences, over half (52%) of global travellers say they now alter behaviours to be more sustainable while travelling, such as walking, riding a bike or hiking whenever possible.
Plus, 68% would like the money they spend on travel to go back into the local community.
Likewise, almost three quarters (72%) of global travellers are seeking authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture, while two in five (41%) request that travel companies offer tips on how to be more sustainable while travelling and 56% of respondents say that if there was an option to offset the carbon footprint on their vacation accommodation, they would do it.
“This is the fourth consecutive year that Booking.com has commissioned its sustainable travel report and it’s heartening to see the sustainable travel motivations and intentions amongst travellers, though it’s clear that complex challenges continue to exist when it comes to fully realise these,” said Booking.com SVP & head of accommodation Pepijn Rijvers.
** Although this year’s survey covers six additional markets, the figure is still up to 72% if we only consider the markets from last year’s survey.
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29 APRIL - 5 MAY 2019 | TTR WEEKLY6
Mekong forum details float to the surfaceWith just over three weeks to go to the MTF in Dali delegates are asking for clarity on the programme and registration.
YOU would be forgiven for thinking the organisers of the Mekong Tourism Forum are taking a rain check on the 23rd annual edition.
With just 26 days to go to the forum’s scheduled opening on the 28 May, host country China and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, the show’s owner, appear to be marking time on delivering meaningful information.
Last week, the forum’s website was switching between host servers and as of Monday the website was still returning error messages and entire sections remained empty. By Tuesday the site showed signs of life, but the information was still sketchy. See: https://mekongtourismforum.org/
What we do know is that despite organisational hiccups the MTF will be hosted, 28 to 29 May, in Dali in Yunnan province, China and speakers are expected to pitch their presentations to the theme “Tourism – a driver for cultural heritage preservation and poverty alleviation.”
But as of Tuesday, the Mekong Tourism Forum’s website identified just four speakers; Mei Zhang founder of Wild China, Brian Linden owner of Linden Centre Dali, ADB’s Mekong stalwart Steven Schipani and MTCO executive director Jens Thraenhart.
TTR Weekly posted questions to Thraenhart earlier this week asking if the MTF organisers might be running out of time?
Thraenhart in a candid telephone interview admitted there were organisational challenges that took longer to resolve than for past events.
“We had an early start in September organising the event and presenting a provisional programme to the host committee headed by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism,” Thraenhart explained.
“I was in Kunming last week and we had productive meetings. I feel confident that it will be an interesting event. Concept, speakers, and programming will be approved this week, yet due to the formation of the new Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the process took
MEKONG
providing primary details by filling out an online form.
The second step to gain confirmed registration status from the host committee will require delegates to deliver copies of five documents to the organisers. They are a paid flight booking itinerary, hotel booking confirmation, copy of the passport page, a tourist visa and a passport-size photo.
Based on the supply of these items, the host committee confirms event registration. There are no registration fees to pay.
However, delegates pay for their own hotel and flights or they can if they wish to ask the host committee to process the hotel bookings at the official hotel Dali International.
Once they are registered they will receive a link to the event’s App that provides all information with updates of the conference programme, airport transfers and details of the 29 May field trip.
As for the logic behind this complicated process, Thraenhart believes delegates who have obtained a visa, paid upfront for their hotel and airfare are very unlikely to no-show.
Following a full conference day (28 May), the focus will shift to Xizhou ancient town on the 29 May with delegates joining a field trip to see how tourism and culture are interlinked in a “living heritage town”.
The field trip will share similarities with the 2017 MTF in Luang Prabang when delegates visited attractions in the world heritage town with lunches and presentations at multiple venues.
longer... China gives great importance to MTF, but everything has to be approved at a very high level in Kunming and Beijing.”
The forum this year will adopt a smaller “boutique” format fully funded by China including the conference content on the 28 May and an all-day field trip to the historical village of Xizhou on the 29 May.
Now almost eight months later, the final programme, registration procedures, media accreditation and the speaker line up should roll out for presentation on the forum’s website this week.
Admitting the speaker line up looks thin on the ground the MTCO executive director affirmed that within days another 10 to 15 speakers and panelists would be listed some provided by host country China.
China is underwriting the cost of the entire MTF that includes conference content, lunches, official dinners, transfers a field trip and free registration for up to 250 delegates of which 50% will be from China.
However, the priority is to cut registration no-shows – delegates who register online because it is free and then fail to attend.
“People registered for free, but there was no guarantee they would attend the event,” said Thraenhart who conceded it was a topic that Chinese hosts wanted to tackle and resolve this year.
Thraenhart promises the website’s registration page for delegates will be up and running Wednesday with one small difference from past years. Registration will have two distinct steps.
For starters, delegates will need to register their “intent to attend” by Click for full report.
29 APRIL - 5 MAY 2019 | TTR WEEKLY8 DESTINATIONS
Traveloka joins forces with STB to boost visitsSTB and Traveloka in partnership to attract more Southeast Asian visitors to Singapore.
SINGAPORE Tourism Board and Traveloka, an online travel agency based in Southeast Asia signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, last week to promote Singapore in neighbouring countries.
“STB’s partnership with Traveloka forms part of our overall strategy to better engage our visitors from our key markets. As more travel research and transactions shift online, STB will forge new partnerships with major online travel agents to better meet the expectations of visitors. We are pleased to work with Traveloka, which is a
a third of total visitor arrivals in 2018, contributing over SGD4.17 billion in tourism receipts.
*The Tourism Information and Services Hub (TIH) is a B2B platform developed by STB, which allows businesses to both contribute to and access the most up-to-date information and travel services.
Traveloka is a leading OTA in Southeast Asia the full range of travel services including flights, hotels, activities and attractions and airport transfers. It focuses on Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines and claims to be the most popular travel booking app in the region.
Free VoA visa until OctoberAS expected the Thai government will extend the fee waiver for a visa-on-arrival until the end of 31 October.
That means citizens of 21 nations, who are eligible to apply for a visa-on-arrival, will not have to pay the THB2,000 fee.
Earlier, government sources said the waiver would be extended until July after it expired 30 April, but tourism leaders pressed for a six-month extension to see the travel industry through to the next peak holiday season.
A Bangkok Post report claimed the waiver would cost around THB2.95 billion in lost visa revenue based on last year’s visa applications trends.
But travel industry leaders also argued that during the six months earnings from Chinese tourists would top THB115 billion, a ballpark figure on tourist spending based on criteria that have never been properly explained by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. But what we do know it is a guess give or take a billion.
The VoA fee waiver was first introduced in November 2017 in response to a dramatic decline in tourist arrivals from China that knocked the wind out of the tourism sails during the second half of the year. China and India are the two major markets to benefit from the visa fee waiver. Last year, China supplied 10 million visits and India 1.5.
Traveloka will promote airline and hotels bookings to Singapore in five key Southeast Asian markets; Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
While still focusing on its core business of flight and hotel bookings particularly domestic travel in Indonesia it has recently started to promote lifestyle products, attraction tickets, activities, car rental, and restaurant vouchers.
Signed at the sidelines of the Tourism Industry Conference 2019 in Singapore, the deal covers information sharing, marketing campaigns and content generation.
This is the first strategic partnership between STB and Traveloka, and also the first time that STB is signing a pan-Southeast Asian partnership.
The cross sharing of knowledge between STB and Traveloka is expected to generate new insights that will enable STB and Traveloka to target Southeast Asian travellers with more relevant products and experiences, as well as to enhance their overall experience in Singapore.
leading travel platform in the region, to promote Singapore as the preferred destination for travellers in Southeast Asia,” said STB’s chief executive, Keith Tan, who represented STB at the MOC signing ceremony with Traveloka.
Head of global partnerships, Yady Guitana, represented Traveloka.
The signing of the MOC signals STB and Traveloka’s commitment to co-invest in marketing campaigns in the five Southeast Asian markets. Prior to this MOC, STB and Traveloka had collaborated on a campaign last February in Indonesia.
STB will provide content to Traveloka from STB’s Tourism Information and Services Hub*. Both parties will collaborate on making more Singapore activities and experiences available for online booking via Traveloka’s regional platforms.
Southeast Asia is an important source region for Singapore’s tourism sector, with Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam among the top 12 source markets in 2018. Tourists from these five major markets made up
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29 APRIL - 5 MAY 2019 | TTR WEEKLY10 TRAVEL DEALS
Golfasian tees off with Vietnam Golf Coast
Nang Golf Club, Laguna Golf Lang Co, Montgomerie Links, Vinpearl Golf Nam Hoi An and the soon-to-open Hoiana Shores.
Central Vietnam’s destination marketing organisation recognises Golfasian as its preferred partner.
GOLFASIAN, a leading golf tour company in Southeast Asia, is partnering with golf courses in central Vietnam to turn the coastal region into a top golf destination.
The Thailand and Vietnam-based golf tour operator reported it has signed a partnership with Vietnam Golf Coast: a destination marketing organisation that represents six of the central region’s signature golf courses, including Laguna Golf Lang Co.
Inaugurated in early 2019, the DMO represents Ba Na Hills Golf Club, BRG Da
It has teamed up with Golfasian that has a strong track record for arranging bucket-list vacations in Southeast Asia for groups and individual golfers.
The objective is to put central Vietnam on the map of internationally recognised golf destinations.
Danang, the major gateway port city on the central coast has seen a boost in direct international airline services from around Asia that will encourage golfers to visit the area’s famous resorts and golf courses.
Established in Bangkok in 1997, Golfasian has a membership base of around 160,000 golfers who buy the company’s golf tour packages and reports a high repeat business and referrals.
“It’s a real boost for us to have an operator as able as Golfasian on board,” said Laguna Golf Lang Co golf director, Adam Calver. “It has been the leader in golf tourism throughout Southeast Asia for the past two decades.”
With high-quality courses designed by some of the biggest names in golf architecture along with its beaches and hotels as well as central Vietnam fast gaining recognition for having Asia’s most complete golf destinations.
“Central Vietnam is certainly one of the best golf destinations in the region,” said Golfasian managing director Mark Siegel. “There’s everything from traditional links-style golf to tropical garden-style layouts. Together we can showcase all these great courses.”
ICS names new Cambodia managerICS Travel Group has hired Hay Narith (Rith) as its country manager for Cambodia, effective this month.
Rith has more than 20 years of experience in the travel industry in Cambodia.
He was previously general manager for Merry Travel Asia, and operations manager and sales/travel consultant for Asia Authentic Adventure and Trails of Indochina.
Commenting on his new appointment, Rith said his priorities are: “Providing excellent service to guests travelling throughout Cambodia, while at the same time creating authentic adventures that showcase the cultures and traditions of the country.”
ICS Travel CEO, Sandor Levai, said Rith’s expertise would strengthen the ongoing development of the company’s products and travel services throughout Cambodia.
Meanwhile, the company confirmed the appointment of Kanoungnit Thongpunparn as director of sales based in Bangkok.
Known by her nickname, Nicky, she has been working in the company’s head office in Bangkok for nine years and in the travel industry for over 18 years. She comes from a background in airline ticketing and reservations as well as leading private tour groups and assuming the role of a luxury travel designer.
TTR WEEKLY | 29 APRIL - 5 MAY 2019 11YOUR STORIES
Emirates assigns new B777s to MaldivesEmirates to deploy its latest Boeing 777-300ER to Malé from 1st June
EMIRATES will deploy its latest Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft fitted first class suites on its Dubai- Malé route from 1 June.
The Maldivian capital will become the first destination in South Asia to be served on a regular basis by the new aircraft.
Passengers travelling to and from the Maldives on Emirates flights EK658 and EK659, one of three daily non-stop services* connecting Malé, with Emirates’ hub in Dubai, will be able to experience the fully-enclosed first class private suites inspired by luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz.
“The Maldives has become an increasingly popular destination for Emirates, attracting premium travellers, honeymooners and families from around the world. Introducing the new Boeing 777 with the state-of-the-art First Class suites on this route reaffirms our
multi-million dollar upgrades and the latest version of the ice inflight entertainment system across all cabins. Designed with an emphasis on exceptional customer comfort and ultimate privacy, Emirates ‘Game-Changing’ Boeing 777 private suites feature floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and ultra-modern design features. Offering up to 40 square feet of personal space each, the spacious, fully-enclosed private suites are laid out in a 1-1-1 configuration, for a total of six suites.
The Business Class seats are inspired by the interior of a modern sports car, and feature an ergonomically designed headrest with a sleek look and feel. Business Class passengers can also customise their experience with
touchscreen controls for their seat and inflight entertainment system and adjust their personal lighting options. The cabin also includes privacy panels between seats, a shoe storage area, footrest, and a personal mini-bar.
The economy class cabin features seats with full leather
flexible headrests with side panels that can be adjusted vertically for optimum support.
Emirates currently operates its latest Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with first-class suites to Brussels, Geneva, Vienna, Tokyo (Haneda), London Stansted and Riyadh and has announced it will deploy the aircraft on flights to Kuwait from 1st June 2019.
Emirates is the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777 family of aircraft, flying over 160 of these modern and efficient wide-bodies to six continents from its Dubai hub.
For more information visit: www.emirates.com
*Emirates operates four daily services to Male 27 October to 28 March 2020.
longstanding commitment to Malé. It’s also a testament to our ongoing efforts to provide our travellers across the network with an unparalleled experience, demonstrating what Emirates truly means when it invites customers to Fly Better,” said Emirates senior vice president, West Asia & Indian Ocean, Ahmed Khoory.
Travellers to and from the Maldives can experience the new Emirates Boeing 777 product on flight EK658 departing Dubai daily at 0420 and arriving in Malé at 0930. The return flight EK659 leaves Malé at 1100, arriving in Dubai at 1400.
From First Class through to the Business and Economy Class cabins, the latest Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft features ergonomically designed seats,
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