VOL 42, ISSUE 32, 23-29 September 2019 NEWS FOR SOUTHEAST’S ASIA TRAVEL PLANNERS Daily NEWS UPDATES at www.ttrweekly.com

MEKONG DESTINATION YOUR STORIES Cambodia Michelin rates Emirates members promotes new Chiang Mai food soar to 25 million. destinations. scene. PAGE 6. PAGE 8. PAGE 12. MAKING MIST WINNERS You think you have a great idea, it’s to participate in Web in with the travel industry through innovative and could turn travel Travel and ITB Asia trade show on the programme partners.” upside down then you should make a following week. An initiative of the Mekong Tourism pitch for a MIST prize. The principal attraction of MIST Coordinating Office and the six-member is the promise of access to finance. countries of the Greater Mekong Start-ups from the Mekong Region are Start-ups will receive introductions Subregion, MIST is supported by the doing just that driven by an innovative to prominent regional investors Australian Government (DFAT), the idea and the opportunity to shine and specialising in travel start-ups, as well as Asian Development Bank (ADB), the gain valuable access to investors. grant funders. Tourism Authority of (TAT), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and organised by UNWTO affiliate member Chameleon Strategies. On Day 1, Tuesday, 8 October the event is by invitation-only and hosted at the Pacific Asia Travel Association headquarters in downtown Bangkok. Throughout the day 10 MIST finalists (two start-ups each from Cambodia, , Myanmar, Thailand, and ) will network with tourism industry leaders and refine their pitches with advice from programme mentors. On Day 2, Wednesday, 9 October the 2019 MIST Showcase gets underway at Quaint Bangkok Brasserie. MIST finalists will pitch to Their day in the sun arrives with the They will also gain industry prospective investors and participants upcoming Mekong Innovative Start-ups connections. Start-ups will network as well as share their travel start-up in Tourism (MIST), due to be held 8 to 9 with executives from large tourism, success stories. The sessions are open October in Bangkok. transportation, and hospitality to investors, MIST finalists, travel The mentors, speakers, judges companies supporting MIST. and tourism executives, government and start-ups are lined up for the third Mekong Tourism Coordinating officials, academic institutions and the edition of the annual MIST. It marks Office executive director Jens media. the end of a process that commenced Thraenhart emphasise this is not a techy Final nominations closed 15 earlier in the year as a start-up that fitted event. September when the organisers started the criteria presented their projects for “We are encouraging innovation the process of shortlisting five start- nomination that closed at the weekend. in travel and tourism in the Greater ups from each of the five countries. Now the start-ups head for the finals Mekong Subregion, and this is not just They are in turn evaluated by judges where they will make a pitch to a panel about technology,” he explains. “Both to whittle the final shortlist down to of judges and two lucky entrepreneurs travel tech and non-tech start-ups, such just two start-ups from each of the five will be declared winners. as social enterprises are encouraged to countries — 10 start-ups for the final One winner from Cambodia, Laos, join the MIST initiative. pitch sessions at MIST 2019 in Bangkok Myanmar and Vietnam, (sponsored “MIST is about driving sustainable 8 to 9 October. by MBI*) and one from Thailand tourism supporting local small https://mist.asia/mist-forum-tourism- (sponsored by TAT) will be invited to businesses and helping them to connect startups-asia-conference-2019/ EDITOR’S POST if the smog worsened it could threaten the hosting of the F1 night race 20 to 22 September. Annual smog ASEAN is sandwiched between two smog disaster zones. in the south delivers smog in August drives tourists and September while Laos, Myanmar and Thailand cause a smog crisis in the northern regions of ASEAN from away February to May. Of the 10 nations that make up ASEAN there is clear, documented evidence that Indonesia, , Fires in the Amazon River region made headlines Thailand, Laos and Myanmar are guilty of allowing earlier this month spurring us to reflect on how we are corporations to torch national forests to make way for destroying our planet and accelerating climate change. commercial plantations. The burning of vital natural This week the annual forest burning in Indonesia has forest cover, whether in the Amazon or ASEAN, is a hardly gained a mention beyond the region, but it is disgrace. Greed poisons our planet for profit. just as significant, and the annual destruction of forests Earlier this year, North Thailand suffered its worst should shame ASEAN governments. smog crisis in decades based on the burning intensity Every year vast areas of forested land are deliberately and the four-month duration that triggered a long-term torched to extend plantation land. The culprits health crisis. are regional corporations based in Indonesia and Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai completed neighbouring countries. They appear to be immune to a study that showed the smog crisis remained a health prosecution. They prosper at our expense. hazard from late January to mid-May. There were solid Enjoying virtual impunity, they pay villagers to set fire blocks of red and purple when the AQI exceeded 200, to vast areas of forest. It’s the cheapest way to clear land and some occasions went off the scale entirely at around for their palm oil plantations. They view their balance 400. sheets recording massive profits without considering The message for tourism companies is clear. Beware the flipside; a public health disaster, tourism losses and the 2020 smog season could repeat with a marathon irreparable damage to the environment. performance to match or surpass the 2019 disaster. If More than 2,000 hotspots have been identified in so, North Thailand will suffer a tourism decline lasting Kalimantan province in the Indonesian portion of Borneo four months. Long-stay visitors who make North Island. The thick smoke or smog carries on the prevailing Thailand their home during the European winter will winds reaching as far north as Hat Yai in southern look elsewhere for places with cleaner air, or they will Thailand. cut short their stays, returning home in February rather Fires in Riau province in central-eastern Sumatra on than in March or April. North Thailand residents should the coast of the Malacca straits deliver toxic smog to not count on local authorities or even their governors to Malaysia and Singapore. Depending on the monsoon step in and end the burning. It requires Prime Ministers wind, the smog can drift north almost to Phuket bringing to intervene to establish top-level cooperation with with it a risky AQI yellow zone neighbours and introduce trans-border task forces to protect a shared forest environment. It repeats annually with varying degrees of risk to public health. In Singapore officials earlier this week said Don Ross, editor

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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.

Managing editor: Don Ross: [email protected]

EDITORIAL: [email protected] MARKETING: [email protected] Tel: +66 82 829 6455 PRODUCTION: [email protected] Editor: Don Ross Content editor: Danai Stephen Ross Creative director: Danai Stephen Ross Publishing director: Lars Magnusson Graphics: Suradej Chatsomsiri, Kamolapat Sriveriwan

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 TTR WEE KLY | 23-29 SEPTEMBER 2019 EVENTS 3 to host the UNWTO 2021 assembly Morocco wins bid to host UNWTO voted for Morocco ahead of bids from sustainability and for using tourism as General Assembly in 2021. and the for the a driver for job creation and economic biennial assembly. growth for all. MOROCCO has been officially chosen as The 2017 assembly was hosted in The 24th Session of the General the host of the 24th Session of the World Chengdu China. Assembly will be held in the city of Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) to be The three-member states presented Marrakesh in 2021, with the exact dates held in 2021. their bids during the three-day assembly to be confirmed later. Members attending the 23rd General in St Petersburg, highlighting their UNWTO General-Secretary Zurab Assembly in St Petersburg, last week, commitment to accessibility and Pololikashvili said: “I offer my warmest congratulations to Morocco. They are a long-standing ally of UNWTO, and at this General Assembly, they clearly demonstrated how the Kingdom had embraced tourism as a driver of positive change over the past few decades. Morocco also showed it has the infrastructure and the commitment necessary to host the most important high-level event for the global tourism sector.” For the first time at a UNWTO General Assembly, Member States used an anonymous electronic voting system, with one vote per member state. This switch away from paper ballots brings UNWTO in line with other United Nations agencies, further emphasising the organisation’s commitment to becoming an integral part of the wider UN system.

Hotelbeds expands in-house events

HOTELBEDS says it will expand its airlines, loyalty and successful markethub formula for its 2020 points redemption events in asia. schemes. Claiming there is strong demand They are held from customers, hotelbeds said its annually in the markethub events from 2020 would be americas, europe and held annually in the americas, europe asia-pacific. and asia-pacific. In 2020, hotelbeds The next markethub event in the asia will add hotelier pacific region will be hosted in bali this focused events based month. on the successful Additionally, hotelbeds will launch markethub format. hotelier-focused events in 2020, based on Hotelbeds will also the successful markethub format. increase a series of The decision to expand the smaller-scale events for markethub concept follows a high return partners in destinations on investment the group experienced by worldwide. commented: “our markethub events for PRODUCTION: [email protected] hosting in-house, large-scale events as All the events are three days and clients have proven incredibly popular. Creative director: Danai Stephen Ross opposed to attending traditional industry by invitation-only in order to bring At these events, we are able to spend Graphics: Suradej Chatsomsiri, tradeshows. together key decision-makers and top quality time with our clients and hotel Kamolapat Sriveriwan The group’s markethub events travel distribution players to make partners and discuss in detail all the are typically attended by up to 600 presentations and network. Hotelbeds, ways we can grow our mutual business participants from leading tour operators, managing director carlos muñoz, together. 4 TRENDS 23-29 SEPTEMBER 2019 | TTR WEEKLY TripAdvisor says it can traps fake reviews TripAdvisor gives us a peep into its data on tracking down fake reviews in the first-ever transparency report.

TRIPADVISOR published its first-ever Review Transparency Report, last week, revealing for the first time details about its review moderation processes, as well as statistical data on the volume of fake review attempts targeted at the platform in 2018. The report, which analysed a full year’s worth of data on reviews submitted by the global travel community, revealed the overall volume of reviews submitted to TripAdvisor in 2018.

travel community. Everyone was TripAdvisor’s efforts to catch paid analysed using advanced fraud reviewers. Paid reviewers are individuals detection technology, and 2.7 million or companies that try to sell “user” were subject to additional human reviews to businesses listed on the site. assessment by content moderators. Since 2015, • 4.7% of all review submissions TripAdvisor has stopped the activity were rejected or removed by either of more than 75 websites that were TripAdvisor’s advanced analysis caught trying to sell reviews, including technology or manually by the content one individual who was sentenced to moderation team. nine months in prison by the Criminal Court of Lecce in Italy last year. There are a number of reasons why “Consumer reviews have become It details how TripAdvisor combat TripAdvisor rejects or removes essential to millions of tourism activities fake reviews posted on its pages. It also reviews, ranging from guideline provides a detailed breakdown of the violations to instances of review proportion of reviews that were either fraud. blocked or removed. “Ensuring that TripAdvisor is a • Only a small fraction of all review trusted platform for our users and submissions (2.1%) were determined listed businesses is a top priority. We’ve to be fraudulent, and the vast majority continued to make advancements to of those (73%) were blocked before our industry-leading fraud detection they were ever posted. efforts in recent years, but it’s a daily • This equated to over 1 million fake battle, and we are far from complacent,” reviews that were prevented from said TripAdvisor senior director of Trust being displayed on TripAdvisor. & Safety Becky Foley. “While we are • Fewer than 1% of reviews were flagged winning the fight against fake reviews by users or businesses for potentially on TripAdvisor, we can only protect our violating TripAdvisor guidelines. corner of the Internet. As long as other TripAdvisor’s content moderation team around the world. It is progress, provided review platforms aren’t taking aggressive reviewed most of these community that, as recently recommended by the action, then fraudsters will continue reports within six hours of them being World Committee on Tourism Ethics, to exploit and extort small businesses submitted. these reviews are reliable and unbiased,” for cash. It is time other platforms like • 34,643 businesses were subject to a said Pascal Lamy, Chairman of the World Google and Facebook stepped up to the ranking penalty, which is a reduction Committee on Tourism Ethics at the BOOK NOW plate to join us in tackling this problem of a property’s position within the UNWTO (World Tourism Organisation). head-on.” popularity or traveller ranking. “It is, therefore, encouraging to see Ranking penalties are applied when a that platforms such as TripAdvisor are Key findings business is caught attempting to post committed to transparency on how they fake reviews. monitor, control and manage the reviews • 66 million reviews were submitted they receive in order to avoid abuses and to TripAdvisor in 2018 by the global The report also described frauds.” BOOK NOW 6 MEKONG 23-29 SEPTEMBER 2019 | TTR WEEKLY Cambodia looks for new attractions Cambodia pens fourth plan on explore river communities and homestay country’s capital is now a priority. tourism development focusing on options. There are signs of a slowdown in spreading tourism to new places. The strategic plan also identifies visits to Siem Reap, home of the Angkor Tonle Sap Lake area as having vast Wat. Trips declined 9.7%, although the IF you count tourist arrivals Cambodia relies heavily on the appeal of two tourists attractions – Angkor Archaeological Park and the Preah Vihear temple – to draw foreign tourists, but that situation is changing according to architects of the country’s latest tourism masterplan. Details of the upcoming Four- Strategic Plan for Tourism Development are patchy, but a core element focuses on building tourism in emerging destinations. According to a recent report in the Cambodia Daily, the government plans to add more attractions to supplement the appeal of world heritage destinations. It is preparing to roll out a much broader mix of attractions in the up-coming the Four-Strategic Plan for Tourism Development that will attempt to spread tourism to northern provinces bordering Laos and Thailand. potential to develop ecotourism. capital Phnom Penh enjoyed an increase Ecotourism destinations are high Other areas that will gain the Ministry of 27.9% attributed to a boost in business on the agenda including Kratie where of Tourism’s attention include Kulen travel and leisure travellers heading visitors can view endangered Irrawaddy Mountain and villages around Siem for Sihanoukville and nearby beach dolphins living in a short stretch of the Reap. destinations on the southern coast. Mekong River just outside of Kratie Spreading the benefits of tourism Tourist arrivals to coastal areas district. There are also opportunities to beyond Siem Reap and Phnom Penh the climbed 31.9% year-on-year during the same period and increased 9.4% in ecotourism areas. Sihanoukville’s boom is driven mainly by Chinese tourists Vietnam Film Festival in Vung Tau visiting its casinos. THE 21st Vietnam Film Festival, under the Department of Cinema under the Many of the priorities in the four- the theme ‘developing a national, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism year strategic plan are not new. The humanistic, creative and integrated and the Ba Ria – Vung Tau provincial country has for some time acknowledged cinema industry, will take place from 23 Department of Culture, Sports and it must diversify and introduce new to 27 November in Vung Tau city. Tourism. attractions and extend tourist length of The main activities of the festival will stay while building quality tourism. be the awards ceremony and a seminar The Ministry of Tourism has also on shooting movie scenes in Vietnam. promised a nation-wide crackdown For visitors, the highlight of the event on fake products mainly souvenirs and is the screening of films and an exhibition jewellery that impacts on Cambodia’s themed “Vietnamese seas and islands tourism reputation. through the cinematic perspective.” According to the Ministry of Tourism The organising board will present report, in the first seven months of this the Golden and Silver Lotus awards year, Cambodia welcomed 3.84 million to the most outstanding entries in foreign tourists, up 11.1% over the same Hosted by the southern province different categories including feature period last year. of Ba Ria – Vung Tau officials released film,s documentaries, scientific films Chinese tourist arrivals reached 1.5 details during a press conference at the and cartoons. Tourism officials said million during the period, up 37 per cent weekend. the festival was an opportunity for Ba year-on-year, Vietnamese tourists hit According to Nhan Dhan Online, the Ria – Vung Tau province to promote its nearly 480,000, up 4.6% year-on-year, official voice of the Communist Party of landscapes, people and tourism potential and Laos tourists at 220,000 slumped Vietnam the event is being organised by to domestic and international visitors. 1.9%.

8 DESTINATION 23-29 SEPTEMBER 2019 | TTR WEEKLY Chiang Mai finds its spot in Michelin Guide Chiang Mai culinary adventures its fondest tourists; Thai people, who Favourite dishes among 200 kinds of are about to make it to the Michelin have for generations recognised the Chiang Mai’s recipes that can be shared Guide with the launch of the Thailand city’s dining excellence. It is almost a at Khan Toke dinner include Sai Oua 2020 edition this November. second home for those who love to (Grilled Herb Sausage), Nam Prik Ong/ explore the variety of dining options from Nam Prik Num (Red/Green Chilli Dip), FOOD is part of the authentic travel simple, tasty street food to the Khan Toke Laab (spicy salad) Gaeng Hang Lay experience that makes Chiang Mai a top traditions of royal dining. (Burmese-style Sweet Curry), and Tam choice for visitors to northern Thailand. Equally, it has been recognised as a Khanun (Young Jackfruit Salad). With traditional and contemporary top tourist destination attracting world The northern style food is usually Thai lifestyles coexisting side-by-side, travellers for its cultural heritage, natural served with sticky rice and fresh vegetables. Fresh ingredients make a big difference to the traditional meal. Climate and the geography of Chiang Mai are part of the key factors that make Chiang Mai a major source of fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits. The province is also home to 27 royal project sites presenting Chiang Mai’s culinary identity and advantage on the ingredient freshness and value for money nutrition. Food and restaurants have always been a focus for Chiang Mai’s journey

the Thai northern province features a attractions and well-appointed tourist diversity of food and restaurants offering facilities including an international the contrasts of street food and fusion airport, transportation systems, and cuisine. 70,000 rooms in 3,000 hotels. This year, The arrival of the 2020 edition of Chiang Mai should welcome 12 million to success in tourism. The mushrooming the Michelin Guide Thailand also adds tourists generating THB120 billion in of restaurants and cafes in Chiang excitement to Chiang Mai’s gastronomic revenue to the local economy. Mai underscores its position as the landscape. A selection of the best dining The surge of low-cost airline services destination for food and lifestyle. experiences in Chiang Mai has been has made it easier for visitors to spend Data from the Department of added to the up-coming publication a weekend in Chiang Mai. Around nine Business Development showed that the following the launch edition that low-cost carriers operate regional flights northern tourism hub continues to attract focused on Bangkok and the subsequent to Chiang Mai, while four low-cost investment in the restaurant sector. additions of Phuket and Phang Nga. carriers operate domestic flights. For Chiang Mai ranked among Thailand’s The latest edition will appear online many domestic tourists, especially Thai top five cities with the highest numbers and in bookstores this November, Millenials, Chiang Mai is regarded as a of restaurant establishments following supported by the Tourism Authority of lifestyle destination where they spend Bangkok, Chonburi, Phuket, and Surat Thailand to raise tourist numbers. It will their vacation to enjoy an authentic Thani. showcase the diversity of Thailand’s food travel experience, getting to know the Meanwhile, figures collected by one culture and promote the country as a local way of life, being surrounded by of the most popular food applications in destination for world-class food tourism. nature, eating out and café hopping Thailand, Wongnai showed that there Chiang Mai’s culinary history goes activity. are more than 12,849 restaurants and back centuries, possibly to the very Lanna folk wisdom is an important eateries in Chiang Mai. founding of the 723-year-old city that attribute that influences Chiang Mai’s Also, the Northern Thai Arabica became the capital of the ancient lifestyle and foodways. One of the Coffee Association (NTACA) has Lanna kingdom with its royal kitchen favourite activities for visitors in Chiang estimated that there are more than 1,000 that shaped what we now recognise as Mai is to enjoy the traditional Khan Toke coffee shops in Chiang Mai, distinct northern dishes. But the food style dinner, which various types of local scene has been honed to perfection by foods are served on a pedestal tray. Full report click here.

10 TRADE TALK 23-29 SEPTEMBER 2019 | TTR WEEKLY Travel firm supports gender equality Superwomen of the workforce - FCM senior roles held by women launches Womenwise in Asia. according to a 2019 Grant Thornton Women in Business WOMENWISE, an initiative to ensure report. women are equally represented, valued In FCM Asia, the percentage and rewarded at FCM Travel Solutions of women in the workplace is launched in Singapore last week. 69%, with female leadership at A subsidiary of Flight Centre Travel 55%. Group, FCM Travel Solutions latest “We are constantly making initiative to ensure equal rights in the conscious efforts to drive workplace is led by Carole Cooper, this transformation in female Global Peopleworks Leader and Co- leadership parity. It is important Founder of Womenwise. to recognise the influence Women from all areas of the business and contribution of FCM’s in Singapore, Malaysia, and women who are passionately China travelled to Singapore to celebrate contributing to the workplace the launch. and ensure they have equal and Established in 2015 by a group fair opportunities in leadership of Flight Centre Travel Group senior development,” says FCM Travel female leaders, Womenwise showcases Solutions managing director opportunity, provides role models and positions for every 10 men in business Asia, Bertrand Saillet. “Women and men offers structured support to create and politics according to a 2018 Power of both need to be the catalysts to drive this gender balance across FCTG businesses, parity report by McKinsey. transformation towards an inclusive and S U C C E S S including leadership roles. Even though Asia-Pacific nations diverse workforce of the future.” Now a global movement, have made progress in the past FCM Travel Solutions is a global Womenwise chapters can be found decade, driven by a combination of corporate travel management company M E E T I N G P A C K A G E across FCTG’s businesses in Australia, economic development, market forces, with 6,000 employees. For eight The Americas, UAE, , with technological change, government consecutive years 2011-2018, FCM has Asia as its latest addition. measures and female activism, women been recognised as the World’s Leading Throughout the year, they offer are still heavily under-represented in Travel Management Company at the platforms for women to connect and APAC leadership positions with 28% of World Travel Awards. engage via various opportunities including regional Town Hall events, panel discussions and the annual Sabre partners SQ in NDC Womenwise conference, which aims to foster gender diversity and address issues associated with achieving equality in the programme workplace. SABRE Corporation is working with As part of the focus in engaging Singapore Airlines to expand its NDC FCTG’s women, 2019 will see the programme, KrisConnect. introduction of new processes such Effective this November, the venture as elimination of unconscious bias will provide select Sabre connected in recruitment, flexible working agents in Singapore with the ability to arrangements for working mothers, and access and book unique NDC content the launch of the Womenwise chapter from Singapore Airlines. in Asia. As the programme continues to The inaugural Womenwise roll out across the region, all Sabre Leadership Summit facilitated by connected agents will have the ability to FCTG’s in-house, world-class leadership KrisConnect travel content to the end- transform the way airline products are development specialists and senior customers. retailed, and optimize time-to-market leaders was also organised as a career As a member of Sabre’s Beyond to generate incremental revenue for development day for female middle NDC programme since 2018, Singapore the carrier,” said Sabre Travel Solutions managers looking to leap forward into Airlines’ new KrisConnect programme, vice president for airline sales South leadership roles and future-proof their which provides digital distribution Asia and Pacific, Rakesh Narayanan. career. capabilities to Sabre agencies will have “Together, with our long-term customer Women’s relatively low access to a broader array of fares and a Singapore Airlines, Sabre is committed representation in leadership positions has more tailored shopping experience via to making NDC become an everyday been a global issue. Worldwide, slightly the Sabre agency point-of-sale. reality for travellers, carriers, agencies, less than four women hold leadership “With our scalable platform, we can corporations and more,” he added. S U C C E S S M E E T I N G P A C K A G E 12 YOUR STORIES 23-29 SEPTEMBER 2019 | TTR WEEKLY Emirates reaches 25 million members Emirates Skywards celebrates a significant milestone with discounts and surprises.

EMIRATES Skywards, the award-winning loyalty programme for Emirates and flydubai, has touched a record high of 25 million members. In the last 18 months, the airline added a staggering 5 million new members. Emirates Skywards is celebrating this key milestone with exciting offers and surprises for its members. The promotional offers started on 12 September. This includes 25% discounts on upgrades and reward-tickets on selected flights to and from Dubai, a network- wide special Cash+Miles rate on Emirates and flydubai flights, and a 25% discount on buying and gifting miles.

members from 185 countries redeemed 1.2 billion Miles at Dubai Duty-Free, and 6,431 members redeemed 77 million Miles for 10,344 tickets to premier sports and cultural events globally. Hundreds of thousands more enjoyed upgrades, used Cash + Miles to book flights on Emirates and flydubai, and got reward tickets. Emirates Skywards has also launched three apps in three years that make earning and burning Miles within easy grasp of a mobile device. The Skywards section, integrated within the Emirates App, has one of the most comprehensive loyalty programme features of any airline app. There are also two specialised apps: Emirates Skywards Go that Competitions and prizes at Emirates covering 31 countries. features dining and leisure offers in 160 Terminal 3, starting 22 September, are all Emirates Skywards also partners with destinations, and Emirates Skywards set to wow travellers. more than 100 hotel brands and two Cabforce that is available in 890 cities During the last 18 months, Emirates online aggregators, providing access to globally to book private cars, taxis and Skywards has added five million 30 million properties and rooms globally. minibuses. members globally, which is a staggering In the last three years, the This year, Emirates Skywards has average of 277,777 every month, 9,259 programme has added 24 new partners already won three industry trophies: Best every day, and more than six members with the number of earn transactions Frequent Flyer Programme from Business every minute. The UK continues to increasing by +50% and redemptions Traveller Middle East, Excellence in lead the Top 5 table with 3.2 million rising by +150%. Management from Global Flight, and members, USA with 2.3 million, Australia Three new and expanded Middle East’s Leading Airline Rewards 1.9 million, India 1.8 million and UAE 1.7 partnerships in the last two months – Programme from World Travel Awards. million. with Marriott Bonvoy, Chase Ultimate Emirates Skywards’ celebratory offers The programme now has 157 Rewards and Bicester Village Shopping have been available since 12 September partners spanning the globe, including – highlight the exponential growth and on emirates.com. 15 airline partners that fly to a combined the broad appeal of the programme both Visit Emirates Skywards online at: 2,000 destinations, 12 financial cobrands globally and regionally. www.emirates.com/skywards or skywards. and seven points exchange partners Just in the last financial year 2018-19, flydubai.com