BOARDING PASS
Higher fuel costs and demand for travel into China have seen Asia-Pacific region average ticket prices increase 3 per cent, according to a new business travel survey by corporate agency Egencia. Improved occupancy and fewer new
hotel rooms has led to slightly higher accommodation costs, says the acengy report – about 5.7 per cent in Asia Pacific compared with 6 per cent in North America and 3.3 per cent in Europe. Hotel average daily rates in Asia-
Pacific destinations generally increased, especially in Jakarta (up 23.6 per cent), Seoul (up 15.4 per cent) and Hong Kong (up 12.4 per cent). For the top business markets (Singapore/Hong Kong), limited supply will continue to fuel increases.
All you need to know in the world of corporate travel
Travel demand nudges ticket prices More Asia-Pacific companies are opting
for economy travel or even using low- cost carriers, says the report. Fewer international trips are being scheduled, with the focus shifting to regional travel, says Egencia managing director Cecilia Routledge. But despite the slowdown, growth is
still outstripping that of the rest of the world, and air fares have been fluctuating because of the volatile conditions. “Greater emphasis is being placed on
conservative travel policies to optimise savings,” Routledge has told Travel Today. “Business people are travelling domestically, travelling at the back of the plane instead of the front, and travelling with LCCs.”
Upgraded terminal re-opens
Thirty years old, Singapore Changi Airport Terminal One has re-opened after four years of renovation. Together with T2, upgraded in 2006, and T3, which opened in 2008, the airport now offers seamless passenger processing, reports Business Traveller. About US$400 million was spent on the work, with 22,000sq.m. being added to T1 to increase its hand- ling capacity by 14 per cent to 24 million passengers a year. To speed up the immigration process,
the 18 counters are now centralised. The viewing deck area has been expanded, and free WiFi installed throughout the terminal. There are more than 110 shopping and
dining options, bringing the number of food and beverage outlets in the three terminals to 300. For passenger service, 90 staff mem-
bers in eye-catching uniforms roam the terminals with iPads to provide help and information.
Gadgets more influential
Gadgets and applications are increasingly defining business travel, according to US travel industry research company PhoCus Wright. It says more businesses are opting
for managed travel programs, mobile applications and technological tools. Companies are increasingly offering their employees iPads or tablets for business
use, or integrating employees’ own devices into the corporate network. “A combination of factors such as
increasingly tech-savvy travellers, new consumer-like applications and a shift to a bring-your-own-device culture are starting to make corporate travel look and feel a lot like leisure travel,” says senior researcher Susan Steinbrink.
Support for business travel
Research following EIBTM last year shows that 57 per cent of the trade show’s inter- national hosted buyers indicated they organise business travel. Because of this, the show, in Barcelona in November, will
24 ISSUE THREE 2012 |
WWW.EXECUTIVEPA.ASIA
extend its profile beyond the meetings and events industry to incorporate business travel with a specialist exhibitor pavilion and free education sessions by the Associ- ation for Corporate Travel Executives.
Jakarta/Munich link being dropped
Lufthansa is dropping its direct flight between Jakarta and Munich, which stops en route in Singapore. From October 14, passengers leaving Munich for Singapore will have to fly via Frankfurt, while passengers bound for Indonesia will have to go via Frankfurt and Singapore. Reasons for the cancellation include a lack of capacity at Munich plus competition.
Meanwhile, another report has
found a 5 per cent year-on-year growth in air ticket prices in China and the US. AirPlus International says the rise helped set off the 2 per cent drop in transaction growth in China during the second quarter this year. AirPlus managing director Patrick
Diemer says business travel is expected to pick up over the rest of this year.
AIR LINES
1 Air Asia X will introduce a quiet zone on its A330 fleet from February for passengers from 13 years old not travelling with younger children. 1 Sri Lankan Airlines has ramped up its services to Beijing and Shanghai to daily from three times a week. 1 First launched in Germany in March, Lufthansa’s fully flat business-class seats are being rolled out in phases on all its long-haul aircraft serving Asia. 1 China Southern Airlines has started using Australian cabin crew on its flights between Guangzhou and Sydney, and aims have an Australian cabin crew on Guangzhou and Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth services. 1 Emirates will launch non-stop daily services to Phuket from December 10, making the island the airline’s second destination in Thailand. 1 Japanese carrier ANA will increase its Narita-New York service to twice daily from October 28.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56