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Volume 2, Issue 24, June 11, 2009 |
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The Pacific Asia Travel Association is joining forces with the International Medical Travel Association to promote and develop healthcare travel and tourism across Asia Pacific. The two associations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that seeks to collaborate in such areas as data and trends analysis for the healthcare travel sector as well as exploring opportunities for joint membership.
Medical tourists are increasingly viewed as an important market by the tourism industry, because their stays are longer, they often travel with family members and they tend to spend more during their visits.
Asia’s medical tourism industry is expected to be worth at least USD 4 billion by the year 2012. Over 1 million medical tourists per year are thought to visit Asia for medical treatment, from all over the world, including the United States and Europe as well as from within Asia.
Ruben Toral, IMTA president, said, "Asia is a well-developed medical tourism region with excellent hospitals and tourism infrastructure. Working with PATA helps us to bring the healthcare and travel industries together in a more cohesive manner."
In 2008 Deloitte Consulting estimated that 750,000 Americans sought healthcare overseas and projected that medical tourism originating in the United States could increase 10-fold by 2018.
Asian countries that actively promote medical tourism include India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea. 
Virgin Atlantic and Japan's All Nippon Airways have announced a new codesharing agreement. From August 2009, passengers will be able to book with Virgin Atlantic to travel on ANA-operated services between Tokyo (NRT) and London (LHR), giving them more flexibility and choice of schedules on this popular route. Passengers will also be able to book with ANA to travel on Virgin Atlantic's services between London and Tokyo. Frequent flyers will also be able to accrue and redeem mileage on the new codeshare flights.
The luxury 5-star Harbour Grand Hong Kong opened on Hong Kong Island on June 1. Located in North Point close to Causeway Bay, the 41-floor hotel has 828 guestrooms, including 86 luxurious suites and 202 executive Harbour Club rooms. All rooms enjoy views of different aspects of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, and a few rooms have a private patio with heated Jacuzzi. Guests staying on the Harbour Club Floors also have access to the exclusive Harbour Club Lounge, where they can enjoy daily complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktail and personalized butler service. With the opening of Harbour Grand, Harbour Plaza Hotels & Resorts now manages seven hotels in Hong Kong.
Singapore Airlines has commenced daily Airbus A330-300 services between Singapore (SIN) and Nagoya (NGO). The new daily services replace the airline’s five-times-weekly Boeing 777 operations on this route. Nagoya is the first Japanese city to receive Singapore Airlines’ A330-300 aircraft, which is configured in a two-class layout with 30 new business-class seats and 255 economy-class seats. The business-class cabin is laid out in a 2-2-2 configuration and features a new business-class seat, specially designed for regional and medium-haul routes, that converts to a lie-flat bed. All seats will feature the new KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines’ award-winning in-flight entertainment system, and in a world first, iPod and iPhone connectivity in every seat, including economy class.
Air New Zealand has reduced its Hong Kong (HKG) to London (LHR) service from daily to five times per week. The airline says that it has seen demand for its long-haul service decrease by 10 per cent as a result of the economic downturn. Air New Zealand Group General Manager International Airline Ed Sims said, "We are very focused on ensuring capacity closely meets demand and are utilizing the more fuel-efficient 777 fleet as much as possible to reduce long-haul fuel costs.”
Accor has announced plans to open three more hotels in Indonesia. The Mercure Bali Kuta Harvestland will open in Bali’s most popular tourist area Kuta, in late 2010, becoming the third Mercure in Bali, joining the Mercure Kuta Bali and the Mercure Sanur Resort Bali. On Java, the All Seasons Yogyakarta will open in 2011 and is located close to the Royal Javanese Palace. On the island of Borneo the Mercure Pontianak, scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2009 in West Kalimantan, will be the provincial capital’s first international hotel. Accor continues to be the largest international hotel management company in Indonesia. It currently operates 37 hotels with a further nine properties under development.
On June 15, Thai Airways International is launching five weekly direct flights between Bangkok (BKK) and Oslo (OSL), utilizing Airbus A340-500 aircraft. To celebrate the launch of the first direct flights from Southeast Asia to Norway, Thai is running a number of special promotions starting from THB 25,805 for economy class. Premium-economy fares start from THB 57,695 while Royal Silk Class fares start from THB 100,645. These fares are valid for tickets issued before July 31. Members of Thai’s Royal Orchid Plus can also earn bonus mileage; for example, those traveling Royal Silk Class will earn double mileage while members traveling in Premium Class will earn 1.5 times of the actual miles. Visit Thai Airways for more details.
Fairmont Beijing has a dazzling opening offer — buy one night and stay one night for free. The newest Fairmont property opens in July and is ideally placed close to Beijing’s business district, just five minutes’ walk from the China World Convention Centre, LG Twin Towers and the Silk Market. The 222-room property has a distinctive rose-gold glass façade and blends authentically local elements (such as meeting space inspired by Beijing’s hutongs) with chic and modern design. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide panoramic views of Beijing and 24-hour butler and valet services are available on every floor. Rates start from CNY1,288 and the opening offer runs from July 15 to Oct. 18.
Angelini, the acclaimed Italian restaurant at Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong is offering all guests bearing a first or last name that has the same definition as “angel” a complimentary lunch or dinner, from July 2 to Aug. 31. Anyone named Angel, Angela, Angelo, Angelini, Angelina or Angelino, accompanied by two or more diners, is eligible for this offer, which celebrates the restaurant’s fourth anniversary. Diners are required to make advance booking with a maximum of 12 guests per table including the “angel”. This promotion applies to à la carte or set menu but does not apply to beverages. For verification purposes, guests have to present a passport or Hong Kong identity card. For reservations, call 852 2733 8750.
Hilton is offering guests staying at any of its 46 Hilton Family Hotels in Asia Pacific a chance to double their vacation and stay longer for free. Hilton’s Two-For-One Holiday Sale is available for bookings made from before July 31 and is valid for stays any day of the week from Aug. 31. Stay two nights and pay for one night, stay six nights and pay for three nights. At weekends Hilton is offering extra value, with late breakfasts until 11 a.m., a late check-out up to 6 p.m. and children can stay and eat for free. For details of participating hotels visit Hilton Asia Pacific-2for1.
Time to kill in transit in Bangkok? Passengers making a stopover of 12 hours or less at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) can now leave the airport for short tours of the Thai capital and its major sights. The Association of Thai Travel Agents has been appointed the sole official organizer of the tours, which mostly last about four hours and include shopping, spa and golf tours as well as sightseeing. Stopover passengers will not be required to pay the THB 500 airport tax when they check in for their onward flights. Information on the tours will be available at the airport and on Thai Airways flights. Visit the TAT website for details.
