48 far east: cities & beaches
as Southeast Asia, agrees that variety is the key benefi t of multi-centre travel. He says: “Many of our customers like to
combine a cultural adventure such as exploring the back-streets of the Hanoi old quarter or getting up early with the monks in Luang Prabang before relaxing on a beach. There are some characterful little islands just off Cambodia’s Sihanoukville region, and Vietnam’s Phu Quoc is another beautiful island.” Oscar Lopera, Far East Product Manager, Travel 2
cites improved air service as a key factor. “With so many airlines now servicing South East Asia, there are lots of twin-centre combinations available. Agents can combine a city and beach, for example Bangkok and Phuket or Kuala Lumpur and Penang as many of the airlines fl ying into South East Asia go via a city stopover anyway. Customers can also look at more unusual experiences such as Delhi and Hua Hin (arriving via Bangkok) with Jet Airways or Muscat and Pattaya (via Bangkok) with Oman Air for a more unique experience.” The scale of the Far East means that, regardless
of the season, there will always be somewhere attractive to visit, but the climate sees the region at its most appealing when temperatures drop in the UK. “I’d recommend selling these destinations now,” continues China Links’ Cooper. “They’re great for next winter, with availability and competitive prices remaining relatively good.” And there are some particularly eye-
catching deals coming from Malaysia, as the country looks to entice visitors put off by the troubles last year of Malaysia Airlines.
What’s new Accommodation: After a 12-month
refurbishment, the 568-room Avani Atrium Bangkok (formerly Atrium Bangkok) opened in the Thai capital in late 2014 (
avanihotels.com). The 141-room Kempinski Nay Pyi Taw (kempinski.
com) opened in Myanmar in November, and the same hotel group is also behind the remarkable new 306-room Sunrise Kempinski Hotel near
“Vietnam and Cambodia are home to some of the most peaceful beaches in Asia, and Laos has plenty of beautiful riverside towns offering great
options for rest and relaxation” LESLEY WRIGHT, GENERAL MANAGER COMMERCIAL UK, TRAVEL INDOCHINA
Beijing. Designed to resemble the sun at daybreak, the construction involved more than 9,300 workers. Also in China, the 349-room W Beijing- Chang’an (
whotels.com) opened in November. O-CE-N Bali has been rebranded as FuramaXclusive Ocean Beach, Seminyak Bali (
furamaxclusive.com/oceanbeach) and is the largest all-suite resort in the area and has direct beachfront access. Sailing Club Leisure Group, who manage Mia Resorts, will now take on Sanctuary Resort, Ho Tram (
sanctuary.com.vn), a
community combining luxury waterfront villas, a hotel, and an array of sports and
Opening page: Longtail boat in Thailand. This page (clockwise from top): a Hong Kong temple; Burmese statue; enjoying the beaches of Palawan, Philippines; Opposite page: The bright lights of Macau
recreational facilities in a coastal hamlet 135km east of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Airlines: Cathay Pacifi c (cathaypacifi c.
sellingtravel.co.uk
com) launched a four-times-weekly service from Manchester to Hong Kong in December. Singapore Airlines (
singaporeair.com) recently signed a three-year marketing deal with Tourism Australia which could be signifi cant for clients combining time in the Far East with a trip in Oz. Elsewhere, Thomson Airways (
thomson.co.uk) is reported to be considering expanding its long-haul services to offer direct Boeing 787 Dreamliner fl ights to Vietnam and Malaysia. Attractions: A new Skytrex Adventure park (
skytrex-adventure.com) opened in Langkawi in August 2014, giving the chance to ‘fl y, swing, glide and dangle’ through the Malaysian rainforest while 2015 will see the inauguration of a new Singapore National Gallery (
nationalgallery.sg). It will be one of the largest arts venues in the region. Tourist Offices: The Philippines Department of Tourism (
itsmorefuninthephilippines.com) has embarked on a new ‘It’s More Fun In The Philippines’ digital and social media campaign in the UK – and 2015 is being marketed as Visit The Philippines Year. Japan (
jnto.go.jp), meanwhile, has
announced it aims to draw 20 million tourists a year to the
country by 2020, when it will host the Olympics.
GEORGE TAPAN
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