Four cities in Japan dominate the top 10 favourite emerging international destinations among Thai people, according to a report of Skyscanner, the online travel search engine.
The data has been collected from flight searches by Thais in 2016. It found that Fukuoka is the top-searched destination, followed by Leh, a high-desert city in the Himalayas in India, the 2,000-year-old Cologne city in western Germany, Iceland's capital Reykjavik, Surabaya on Indonesia's Java island, Nagoya, Taipei, Sapporo, Osaka and Bahrain.
According to Skyscanner, searches to Fukuoka grew 93.3%, Nagoya at 50%, Sapporo at 41%, and Osaka at 33.4%. Taipei also enjoyed increased interest from Thais, especially with Taiwan granting visa-free privileges to Thai passport holders late last year. In addition, Reykjavik (65%) is also a destination to chase the famous northern lights in Iceland.
Super yacht system
An advanced booking system for super yachts has been launched in Thailand.
Called LuxBerths, the system has a database of 500 marinas accounting for 18,000 super yacht berths.
"The super yacht industry has been growing globally for many years and we believe that in terms of communications there is an opportunity for an upgrade in connectivity. LuxBerths platform provides a unique gateway for captains and owners to simply compare marinas seamlessly online," said LuxBerths CEO James Wickens.
Already signed up to the platform is the Aseanarean Bluewater Alliance, a group of 13 marinas in Asia including Raffles Marina, Ocean Marina Yacht Club and Phuket Boat Lagoon.
Visit www.LuxBerths.com.
Airlines update
Thai AirAsia will double its flight frequency to two daily flights between Bangkok and Mandalay in Myanmar in March.
According to the airline's director of commercial Santisuk Klongchaiya, its direct flights to Myanmar have grown in popularity as Thai people travel to the country to pay homage to Buddhist holy sites, especially in major cities such as Mandalay. The city is popular for the Shwenandaw Monastery, the holy Mahamuni Buddha Temple and Ubeng Bridge. Visitors also can travel to the land of 4,000 pagodas, Bagan.
From March 17, the new departure times from Don Mueang airport to Mandalay will be 11.10am and 15.40pm. The return trip will be 12.55pm and 5.30pm. The travel time is about two hours.
Visit www.airasia.com.
Vietjet plans to introduce a new international route connecting Hanoi and Singapore in April.
The airline will offer a daily flight to Singapore. Its first flight will depart from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on April 27 at 10am and the return flight from Singapore will be 2.55pm. The flying time is 2 hours 55 minutes.
Hanoi will be the second city to be connected directly with Singapore after Ho Chi Minh City. The airline also plans to connect Dalat and Danang with Singapore in the future.
Visit www.vietjetair.com.
Hotels update
Harmonize Hotel has been opened as the pioneer Halal hotel in Chiang Mai.
The five-storey hotel is located on a 4 rai plot of land on Highway 11. It features 77 rooms including two suites ranging from 27m² to 54m², a restaurant that serves Halal-certified food and non-alcoholic beverages. It also has a meeting room that can accommodate up to 80 participants.
The hotel is 10km east of Chiang Mai International Airport.
Visit www.harmonizehotel.com.
Dusit International has partnered with leading Thai companies to publish a book titled Thailand Tourism: The Early Days.
The 200-page book provides information and photos of history of the tourism industry in Thailand and the pioneers behind its early development during the past 60 years.
The book is written by Thailand-based journalist and lecturer Steve Van Beek and edited by Roy Howard of Thai Airways.
Other companies who support the book are Bangkok Bank, Boon Rawd Brewery, Central Group, Chiva-Som International Health Resort, Jim Thompson, Siam Piwat, Thai Airways and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
"We hope the book will not only help to preserve the stories of the early pioneers, but also inspire a new generation of hospitality workers to follow in their footsteps," said Dusit International CEO Chanin Donavanik.
The book is available at Asia Books and all Dusit hotels in Thailand and priced at 1,500 baht. In remembrance of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, all proceeds will be donated to the Royal Project Foundation.
Copies of the book will be distributed for free to schools, colleges and universities offering tourism, hotel management and culinary programmes. A free e-book, available in English and Thai, will also be available at www.thailandtourismtheearlydaysbook.com.
Email karnjanak@bangkokpost.co.th if you have any comments to share.
