VOL 44 • ISSUE 16 • 19-25 July 2021 NEWS FOR ASIA’S TRAVEL PLANNERS NEWS UPDATES at www.ttrweekly.com

Discovery Princess debuts early 2022

Sarawak updates Langkawi could Samui Plus full speed travel trade reopen in September ahead 19-25 July 2021 Sarawak updates travel trade STB hosts an inaugural will be a very fruitful in anticipation of a post- and Sabah have direct Sarawak Tourism Virtual event for those who are pandemic future. access to the 30 sellers’ Product Update for travel attending a Sarawak “Virtual updates company brochures, a agents. Tourism virtual product offer not only a solution list of tour images, and a update. For those of us to a problem but an brief description of their Sarawak Tourism Board who are familiar with opportunity for growth. company’s profile during kicked off its first virtual the event. Aside from B2B event with the launch that, the B2B platform of its inaugural Sarawak also includes features such Tourism Virtual Product as chat and video calls to Update (B2B) Thursday. allow buyers and sellers to Running from 14-15 exchange ideas and also July, the two-day virtual set up an appointment for update is a platform tourism-related plans in aiming to connect 30 the near future. sellers mainly from The virtual update is Sarawak’s travel and tour STB’s most recent effort services sector, with over Sarawak tourism, it is an Although buyers may in its ongoing mission 200 buyers from West opportunity to deepen our not be meeting sellers in to promote Sarawak Malaysia and Sabah. working relationships and person, virtual events offer as a must-visit CANFF Minister of Tourism, help to innovate Sarawak’s a host of other advantages. destination, especially in Arts and Culture Sarawak tourism products on the Through virtual events, preparation for when the Datuk Abdul Karim national landscape,” Abdul sellers and buyers will domestic tourism industry Rahman Hamzah, who Karim said. have the opportunity to reopens. Since the officiated the event launch Meanwhile, STB have more meaningful onset of the pandemic, virtually, said that the Chief Executive Officer conversations, the chance STB has initiated other virtual update was an Puan Sharzede Datu to broaden their reach campaigns to support opportunity for all tourism Haji Salleh Askor hoped into untapped markets, the local tourism sector, stakeholders to realign that participants would as well as being able to such as the Sia Sitok their efforts to recover take full advantage of follow up more effectively Sarawak campaign, from a decelerated the Sarawak Tourism on potential clients and Sarawak Tourism Online tourism industry in the Virtual Update and gain sellers,” she said. Ecosystem Fund and the midst of an ongoing a perfect market fit or Throughout the two- Visitors Incentive Package pandemic. even formularise a new day event, over 200 buyers (VIP) incentives. https:// “I am certain that this tourism product strategy from West Malaysia sarawaktourism.com.

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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]

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PRODUCTION: Creative director: Danai Stephen Ross Graphics: Suradej Chatsomsiri, Kamolapat Sriveriwan 19-25 July 2021 Discovery Princess debuts early 2022 Discovery Princess inaugural voyage sea which comes with exclusive makes it easy for guests to pre-plan to the Mexican Riviera and Cali- amenities, attentive service and and tailor their dining experiences, fornia is scheduled for spring 2022 a dedicated Suite Experience and pairs with the revolutionary from the Port of Los Angeles. Manager. Crowning the heights of OceanNowon-demand service to offer the ultimate in onboard dining flexibility and convenience. In addition to service on demand, Princess MedallionClass Vacations are also marked by touchless embarkation and disembarkation, frictionless commerce, and keyless stateroom entry. Additional contactless capabilities accessible using smartphones and tablets include way-finding, family and friends locator, and interactive fun. Discovery Princess is being built by Italian shipbuilder and can carry 3,660 guests. In fewer than 200 days, the newest ship – Discovery Princess – will debut at the Port of Los Angeles in spring 2022 for an inaugural season of Mexican Riviera and California Coast cruises. Discovery Princess is Princess Cruises’ third vessel designed from the ground up with Princess MedallionClass and the final Royal-class ship. Discovery Princess offers the innovative technology, spectacular style and Captain Gennaro Arma will design features of its sister ships officially bring the ship into service – , , from the shipyard in Monfalcone, , and Italy, joined at the launch by an . experienced team of executive Enjoy 270-degree sweeping the ship, each Sky Suite hosts up to officers, including Chief Engineer views from the largest balconies five guests, offering a 270-degree Vincenzo Alfi, Staff Captain at sea, unwind in ultimate comfort panorama. Complementing the Alessandro Genzo and Hotel at The Sanctuary and indulge in exquisitely appointed interior living General Manager Richard Harry. world-class dining options from spaces, a luxuriously furnished over When Captain Arma is on leave, Michelin-star chefs. Princess Live the 1,000-square-foot balcony – the Captain John Smith will take over Entertainment presents spectacular largest at sea – allows guests to the navigation and leadership new productions that can only be relax privately or host their own of Discovery Princess and serve seen in the state-of-the-art Princess celebrations or catered events. together with Chief Engineer Theater. Princess Cruises has also unveiled Tomislav Ljoka, Staff Captain The Sky Suites feature the Dine My Way, another flexible PetarLesic and Hotel General cruise line’s largest balconies at MedallionClass enhancement that Manager Jasper Wolthuis. 19-25 July 2021 19-25 July 2021 Langkawi could reopen in September Langkawi could be the pilot of a goal of vaccinating 80% of its including the tourism industry, by Malaysia “Covid-19 Free Destination population. Rules governing entry the end of this year. Programme, possibly reopening for for international tourists are under To ease the lockdown measure visitors by September. constant review due to the twists to a second phase, Covid-19 and turns of the Covid19 pandemic daily cases in Malaysia need to A mass vaccination project gets as new variants emerge, but it drop below 4,000 with 10% of underway in Langkawi that is part is understood the island could its population has to be fully of a plan that could see the island reopen to fully vaccinated tourists. vaccinated, and the intensive pilot the country’s “Covid-19 Free Unvaccinated travellers or those care unit (ICU) occupancy rates Destination Programme” that would jabbed with just one dose, would in hospitals need to return to a ultimately allow tourists to return to not be permitted to enter the moderate level. the island on safe holiday packages. island. Meanwhile, the country’s Prime Minister Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Mahiaddin Bin Haji Md Yasin has recently unveiled the latest MYR150 billion aid package named PakejPerlindungan Rakyat dan PemulihanEkonomi (Pemulih), which includes MYR10 billion direct fiscal injections by the government to tide Malaysians over the nationwide lockdown. The Pemulih package is targeted at assisting households and businesses affected by the pandemic in the form of cash aids, loan moratoriums, tax breaks, grants, wage subsidies and unemployment assistance. In supporting the acceleration In Malaysia, the authorised Besides, an additional MYR400 of the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out, vaccines are Pfizer/BioNTech, million would be allocated by the The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and CanSino, Janssen (Johnson & government to buy more vaccines Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) has Johnson), Oxford/AstraZeneca, and to ensure the country’s population outlined its National Recovery Plan Sinovac. is covered while extending (NRP). The ministry is also planning to inoculations to 6.4 million youths It starts with the government include Kuching, the capital city age 12 to 18. accelerating vaccinations for of Sarawak state, in the Covid-19 Around 30% of Malaysia’s residents of Langkawi. The Free Destination Programme and population have received at least programme has turned Langkawi incorporate Malaysia’s best islands one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine Craft Complex into a public for holidays such as Redang, (Total: 9,570,974), while 13.9%% vaccination centre (PPV) earlier this Perhentian, Pangkor and Tioman in have received two doses (Total: month as the vaccination drive rolls the second phase. 4,431,350). out. Meanwhile, Malaysia currently Malaysia recorded 10,710 new Authorities in Kedah state believe remains under the nationwide cases totalling 916,561 cases Langkawi island could be ready lockdown of the first phase of NRP, nationwide as of 18 July. Fatalities to reopen to the first groups of a four-phase COVID-19 exit plan reached 7,019. tourists, possibly in September. that will likely see a full reopening For more information: https:// To succeed, the island has set of economic and social activities, naturallylangkawi.my/ The Best Tropical Karst Island in the World Naturally Inspired: Langkawi 19-25 July 2021 Samui Plus full speed ahead

Three Thai islands, Samui, Pha-ngan three days (not confined to the country within 120 days, or by the and Tao, reopen today with the room) then they can explore Samui end of October. launch of TAT’s ‘Samui Plus’ pro- from day four to seven. After the “Phuket is already open as gramme.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand rolled out the Samui Plus programme on Thursday evening, opening the door for fully vaccinated international visitors to explore the three islands of Samui, Pha-ngan, and Tao. The welcome carpet rolls out for both vaccinated international travellers and domestic tourists with no quarantine requirements, but some of the rules are stricter than the pilot destination, and other destinations will follow in the scheduled order with carefully planned disease control and public health measures, travel procedures, and the right tourism marketing all being addressed.” While the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus are geared to international tourists, the minister the Phuket Sandbox that opened on first week, they have the option hinted that domestic tourists, in 1 July. to visit the other two islands on the long run, may have to comply Two Bangkok Airways flights day trips during the remaining with stricter rules and rapid- landed on Thursday bringing in seven days using authorised travel test requirements similar to the nine foreign and 60 local media services. Based on negative RT-PCR measures for international visitors. from Bangkok. There are no test results during their 14-night The next destinations due to direct international flights to stay, they are then free to travel reopen 1 September 2021 include Samui although Bangkok Airways elsewhere in Thailand. Krabi (Ko Phi Phi, Ko Ngai, and has requested permission from General information on the Railay Beach), Phang Nga (Khao Lak Singapore to reinstate direct Samui Plus programme and FAQs and Ko Yao), Chiang Mai (Mueang services as soon as possible. There can be found at https://www. District and Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, is even speculation that Singapore tatnews.org/2021/07/samui-plus- and Doi Tao Districts), Chon Buri Airlines may start its own direct faqs/ (Pattaya, Bang Lamung, and service to Samui as early as this At the official launch Minister Sattahip), and Buri Ram (Mueang October. of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat District and Chang Arena). The Samui Plus programme is for Ratchakitprakarn said: “The The scheduled date for the travel between July and December reopening of Samui, Pha-ngan, and reopening of Bangkok, Phetchaburi 2021 and gives travellers the option Tao to tourism is another significant (Cha-am) and Prachuap Khiri Khan to visit three islands located in Surat step toward achieving the Prime (Hua Hin) is 1 October 2021, with Thani province. Initially, travellers Minister’s recently announced the rest of Thailand due to reopen must stay in the hotel for the first policy of reopening the whole throughout the month of October. THE PLACE TO BE

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