Latest Stories

Gordon bemoans non-compliance of Tourism Act

ITB Asia announces landmark partnership with JNTO

DOT eyes integration of terminal fee, plane ticket

Sabre expands hotel choices with Expedia Affiliate Network, giving agents more options for travelers

No more processing fee on travel tax exemption

Miss Universe pageant to boost PHL tourism – Sec.Teo

Monaco debuts inaugural presence at IT&CMA 2016 as destination exhibitor

Hong Kong Disneyland presents the Star Wars: Tomorrowland takeover

Inbound tourism expenditures doubled in 5 years – DOT

100 targeted buyers seen at Kaohsiung Roadshow organised by IT&CM Events

Event Calendar

WTM Connect Asia
18-20 May 2016, Penang Malaysia
Visit WTM Connect Asia

Korea World Travel Fair
09-12 June 2016, COEX Seoul, Korea
Visit KOTFA 2016

World Travel Fair
18-22 May 2016, Shanghai Exhibition Center
Visit World Travel Fair 2016

2016 Asia Pacific Ironman 70.3 Championship
07 August 2016, Cebu
Visit Asia Pacific Ironman 2016

Busan International Travel Fair
09-12 September 2016, BEXCO, Busan, Korea
Visit Busan International Travel Fair

Australia International Dive Expo (AIDE)
10-11 September 2016 Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park, Sydney
Visit Australia Dive Expo

IFTM – Int’l French Travel Market Top Resa
20-23 September 2016, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Paris
Visit IFTM Events

World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC)
20-23 September 2016, Belgrade, Serbia
Visit World Youth and Student Travel Conference

JATA Tourism Expo
22-25 September 2016, Tokyo Big Sight Exhibition Hall, Japan
Visit JATA Tourism Expo 2016

IT&CM Asia & CTW 2016
27 – 29 September 2016, Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWold Bangkok, Thailand
Visit IT&CM Asia & CTW 2016

ITB Asia
19-21 October 2016, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Visit ITB Asia

World Travel Market (WTM)
07-09 November 2016, London Excel, United Kingdom
Visit World Travel Market

IBTM World 2016
29 November – 01 December 2016, Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain
Visit IBTM World 2016

Travel Trade

IT&CMA and CTW 2016 opens in Bangkok

The 24th IT&CMA and 19th CTW, The World’s Only Doublebill Event in MICE and Corporate Travel opened today at the Bangkok Convention Center, marking the 13th year that both leading events have been co-locating. The synergy of bringing together industry delegates from 2 distinct yet complementing niches has been one of the show’s significant differentiators.… more

Sabre’s first Asia Pacific Travel Technology Exchange conference kicks off in Beijing

BEIJING, CHINA – 22 September, 2016 – Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, is hosting over 500 travel agents, airline and supplier representatives and members of the APAC travel industry in China this week, to discuss breakthrough technologies making waves at the intersection of travel and technology. Notably,… more

DOT eyes integration of terminal fee, plane ticket

The Department of Tourism (DOT) yesterday disclosed that major airlines have agreed in principle to the integration of the terminal fee into departing passengers’ airline ticket payments. DOT Secretary Wanda Teo said the consensus transpired during the third consultation meeting held at the DOT main office, attended by officials of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP)… more

Sabre expands hotel choices with Expedia Affiliate Network, giving agents more options for travelers

Travel consultants all over the world now have 63,000 more reasons to prefer the Sabre travel marketplace as their global distribution system (GDS) of choice, thanks to a participation agreement between Sabre Corporation and Expedia® Affiliate Network (EAN). Because of the new integration with EAN, Sabre is adding more than 63,000 new hotel properties to its travel marketplace. Travel agencies… more

Transportation

PAL sets to operate flights between Manila and Saipan

Philippine Airlines (PAL) formally announced yesterday to travel trade and media its 44th international destination – Saipan. Starting June 15, PAL will start its Manila-Saipan-Manila service to serve the needs of Filipino ‘kababayans’ who have long considered the flag carrier their ‘airline of choice’. “The service is much awaited by our countrymen working in the island… more

Air New Zealand announces direct flights Manila-Auckland in December

Air New Zealand will further expand its Pacific Rim network with the launch of direct flights between Manila and Auckland, New Zealand from December. The new year round service will operate three times a week using Boeing 767-300 aircraft with a flight time of around 10 and a half hours in each direction. Air New… more

Thai Airways mulls adding frequency in Manila

Thai Airways is looking at increasing its business in the Philippines to capture the growing outbound market, with the airline’s president saying to “at least maybe start off by increasing frequency” in Manila where it flies to Bangkok 10 times weekly. “It’s [the Philippines] one of the focus areas for sure because of the growth,”… more

NAIA’s new transit lounge features capsule rooms

NAIA management and the group behind Networld Hotel formally opened the airport’s first-ever transit lounge at the fourth level of Terminal 3. The Wings Transit Lounge is operated by the Jipang Group of Companies, which is the concessionaire of three restaurants in NAIA, namely Le Amoretto, Let’s Chow Rice and Noodle Haus, and Kaishu Express,… more

Destination

First Tourism Enterprise Zone (TEZ) to rise in San Vicente, Palawan

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) have taken the first steps in the implementation of the Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZ), with a groundbreaking ceremony for a TIEZA Field Office in San Vicente, Palawan, the site of the first flagship TEZ under the country’s National Tourism Development Plan… more

Marianas Visitors Authority opens office in Manila

In a move to further increase visitor arrivals to the Marianas Islands from key source markets, and to support the new PAL Express non-stop flights between Manila and Saipan, the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) has opened its representative office in the Philippines. The office will be operated by AVIAREPS which also represent MVA in Japan,… more

Indonesian travel mart aims to boost foreign arrivals to 10 million

The Indonesian travel show TIME has opened on October 13 hoping to help increase the number of foreign tourist arrivals this year to 10 million tourists. Returning to Jakarta for its 21st edition, TIME has registered 93 buyers from 15 countries and 66 sellers from Indonesia along with invited media. The travel trade show, which… more

Hong Kong Disneyland holds travel trade summit in 10th anniversary

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort marked its 10th anniversary this year by hosting the Disney Travel Trade Summit on September 9-10, bringing together nearly 300 travel trade partners and members of the press. Unveiled during the event was the resort’s upcoming 10th anniversary celebration program lineup, including the all-new theatrical performance Mickey and the Wondrous Book,… more

Our Latest Issue

MICE

Monaco debuts inaugural presence at IT&CMA 2016 as destination exhibitor

Monaco, well known for its luxury travel offerings, and previously a visitor to IT&CMA, has confirmed their presence as a destination exhibitor this year as part of a campaign to promote MICE and Incentive Travel to the country. Benoit Badufle, Managing Director of the Monaco Government Tourist & Convention Bureau Asia c/o Horus Development &

People

Insight Vacations introduces new president for Asia

Insight Vacations announced the appointment of Evon Ler as Insight Vacations’ president for Asia. Ler comes with a wealth of knowledge about the local regional markets and travel industry. She recently relocated back to Singapore from Hong Kong, where she was director of sales, South East Asia for Travelzoo. She has worked extensively across B2B

About

Travel Update Philippines

Established in 1996, Travel Update Philippines is the country's only travel trade newspaper, published twice each month for a total of 20 or more issues a year.