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🇨🇳 🛫 🇲🇽 Shenzhen to Mexico City DIRECT! Forbes Mexico recently announced the opening of a new, direct flight from Shenzhen, China to Mexico City, inaugurated by China Southern Airlines. This route, operated twice weekly in an Airbus 350, offers significant opportunities for Mexican hoteliers to attract high-net-worth travellers from Shenzhen; a city with over 20 million residents, many of whom are professionals in the tech industry and other high-income sectors. Being the nº1 travel wholesaler for the Chinese market, DidaTravel brings unparalleled expertise and reach to retail travel agents and tour operators in Asia Pacific and across markets globally. DidaTravel views Mexico as a key destination and we have seen a remarkable 219% growth in total transaction value (TTV) year-to-date. This underscores the immense potential for Mexican hoteliers to tap into the lucrative Chinese market! ℹ Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/dsCCruEV #traveltrends #insights #travel #b2btravel #travelindustry

As the needs and preferences of business travellers evolve, many airlines are upgrading their existing business class to enhance traveller experience and well-being. Explore the next-generation business class experiences set to debut in 2024 and beyond. https://okt.to/5swEnz #TravelIndustry #BusinessClass #BusinessTravel

I am delighted to be back in Singapore this week for the TFWA Asia Pacific Conference & Exhibition and I have no doubt that this week will bring many vital conversations about the future of this market. But in this week's blog, I am asking one key question: what is the role of Asia Pacific in the future of travel retail? There is no doubt that the industry has changed. Our shoppers have changed. So have our methods. But has our focus on Asia Pacific kept up? I would be interested to hear your thoughts. #travelretail #asiapacific #singapore

We’re delighted to announce that Musement is the new Tours & Activities partner for Ya Vas, the online travel agency of Volaris, one of Mexico’s largest airlines.    Ya Vas is the first business to seamlessly integrate with Musement’s #toursandactivities portfolio through an API connection via Juniper Travel Technology.     The partnership enables Ya Vas customers to instantly access a curated catalogue of thousands of experiences and book excursions, activities and attraction tickets in more than 50 destinations in five countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and the USA.    #Musement will also provide customer support and in-destination services, enabled through the business’ international call centre and local operation teams in the region.     “Ya Vas is a very exciting business, and we are delighted to support them in providing experiences for their customers. Once again, we are demonstrating that Musement is the B2B partner of choice for Tours & Activities” said Nishank Gopalkrishnan, Chief Business Officer of TUI Musement. “This collaboration exemplifies how Musement is evolving; we are a global business, with a diverse range of products and services, and a unique omnichannel distribution proposition only possible through combining advanced digital platforms and superb in-destination teams.”     A diverse range of experiences are on offer to Ya Vas customers, from Empire State Building and Las Vegas show tickets to Chichen Itza and El Arco excursions.     Read more here:  https://lnkd.in/eWxknkDy #toursandactivities

Sandeep Walia COO Middle East at Marriott International shared at the Arabian Travel Market 5 core trends in travel: 1. Slow travel 2. Sustainability 3. Solo travel 4. Rise of AI 5. Dupe destinations What’s interesting here is definitely the mindset of the traveler. When looking for slow and solo travel means an increase in the search of meaningful experiences. This is particularly true for luxury travelers, where investing their time well is of paramount importance. This poses a challenge for brands as they keep functioning as usual, without an intentional experience design. They still feel the experience happens by default, not understanding that the most impactful experiences need design. This was particularly backed up by Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President Market Development at Mastercard as she mentioned that a clear trend in spend preference is on experiences. Amnah mentioned that travellers are placing higher value to experiences than to the travel itself. She also mentioned that experiences are placing high rank in redemption for Mastercard loyalty program. Where before it was lounge, upgrades etc…. But now is all about experiences that money can’t buy (especially among HNWI)

🌟 Unlocking Business Class: Affordable Luxury in the Skies 🌟 Dreaming of upgrading your economy flight to business class? 💼 New research reveals that this luxury may be more attainable than you think! Holidu, a leading provider of holiday rentals across Europe, analyzed the price difference between economy and business class fares from over 30 of the world’s biggest airlines. The results? Some airlines offer surprisingly affordable upgrades. On average, business class fares are 250% more expensive than economy. However, some airlines boast markups as low as 88%. ✈️ 🌍 European Airlines Lead the Way Four of the top 10 airlines with the smallest price discrepancies are European, offering fantastic value for money. Austrian Airlines, headquartered in Vienna, stands out for its relatively small price difference of 194.82% on average. Plus, on select routes like Vienna to Larnaca, Cyprus, the difference narrows to just 69.66%, with added perks like extra luggage, lounge access, and more air miles. 🇪🇺 Best Value European Airlines Despite the overall trend of European airlines being relatively more expensive, some still offer great value. Lufthansa and Swiss Air rank among the top 10, with average price differences of 198.49% and 202.12%, respectively. Aer Lingus also makes the list, with a 204.15% average difference. Particularly on mid-haul flights, these airlines offer competitive rates, making business class more accessible. 🌟 Top Picks from Asia The top three airlines with the smallest price discrepancies are all based in Asia, with Japan’s All Nippon Airways leading the pack at just 82.22%. Japan Airlines and Asiana Airlines follow closely, offering excellent value for premium experiences. As always, it's essential to check the latest prices and conditions before booking your flight. But with these options, you may find that the luxury of business class is closer than you think! ✨ #Travel #BusinessClass #LuxuryTravel #Aviation #AirTravel #Europe #Asia

Last week, our client Mastercard launched the 2024 edition of their Travel Trends report. Check out 4x key takeaways below ⬇️   💰 Did you know that Australian travellers are spending the most on experiences and nightlife globally? Aussies tend to spend 1 in every 5 dollars on experiences and nightlife – compared to the global average of 1 in every 10 dollars.   🇯🇵 Are you planning to travel to Japan this year? You're not alone, with Japan being the most visited country of 2024! In March alone, Japan welcomed 3,081,600 visitors from abroad – its highest level ever.   🛳️ Were you debating whether to go on that cruise you’ve always dreamed about? Maybe now's the time to sea-ze the day! Cruises are making a strong comeback this year, with the count of global cruise passenger transactions in Q1 roughly 16% above 2019 levels.   ⚽ Flying to Germany to watch the UEFA Euro 2024? You’ll find yourself in the topmost trending global tourist destination of the summer (from June 2024 through August 2024).   All these insights and more are from the Travel Trends 2024: Breaking Boundaries report by #MastercardEconomicsInstitute Mastercard   Read more: https://lnkd.in/gkZwAj_t #TrulyCurious

The June 2024 issue of Global Travel Retail Magazine! The magazine covers the Jorge Chávez Airport in Lima's expansion, aiming to connect South America and integrate airport operations with urban infrastructure. It also discusses the growth strategies of Atienza Duty Free in Latin America and ARI's performance. Plus, there's an insight into the cruise industry growth and a look at Latin American aviation, emphasizing the region's global importance.

Even though duty-free revenue is expected to reach $81 billion throughout Asia-Pacific, it is projected that China alone will contribute 87% of this. With emerging new duty-free experiences within China, shifting priorities among Chinese travellers, and airports becoming formidable players, how will this impact the travel retail space in SEA? Brands have to use deep and rich data to outmanoeuvre competitors, keep a close watch on trends and topics, and identify opportunities early on - to remain fluid and relevant.