The post Air Canada increases capacity from Dublin appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline and flag carrier, has announced a significant increase in capacity on its popular routes from Dublin, providing more choice and flexibility for Irish customers travelling across the Atlantic.

Following the announcement that Dublin Airport’s passenger cap has been paused for this summer, the global airline has added additional flights to the must-see cities of Montreal and Vancouver, while also continuing to provide year-round service to Toronto.

Starting this summer, Air Canada will increase its popular Dublin to Vancouver route from three to five times per week during peak periods, while also extending its operating season, to give Irish customers the opportunity to take their trip to new heights.

As the only airline to fly between Dublin and British Columbia, these extra flights are designed to give customers easy access to one of the country’s finest regions, boasting unspoilt scenery, cultural landmarks, and a thriving arts scene.

Departing Dublin on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and returning from Vancouver on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, flights will be operated by the airline’s fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners from 2 May 2025.

Those looking to marvel in the magic of Montreal are also in luck, with Air Canada increasing flights on its highly popular Dublin route for summer 2025.

The summer seasonal service, set to take to the skies on 2 June, will increase from three to four times per week, allowing travellers to explore the elegance and history of the city in under eight hours. Flights will depart the Irish city each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and return each Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday.

Customers looking to top the CN Tower in world-famous Toronto can also enjoy daily flights from the Irish capital this summer, building on the four flights per week currently offered this winter. With flights operated by Air Canada’s state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliners, customers can cross the Atlantic with space and comfort, enjoying the only full-season wide-body service between Ireland and Toronto.

Irish customers looking to connect with Canada, can bag a bargain thanks to these extra flights, with return fares starting at €505 to Toronto, €558 to Montreal, and €665 to Vancouver, including taxes and charges*.

Bláithín O’Donnell, Air Canada Sales Manager, Ireland said: “It’s great to see such significant growth in this market, giving Irish customers more options to choose from when travelling to Canada, the US and beyond.

“The additional flights for 2025 highlight Air Canada’s impressive growth in the Irish market when compared to 2024 capacities, showing approximately 17% growth year on year.”

The increase in capacity also complements Air Canada’s existing flight connections to popular destinations outside of Canada. With seamless connections through hubs in Montreal and Toronto, customers can score savings to popular destinations such as Punta Cana, San Jose, Mexico City and Cancun, which are unserved from Ireland, or firm favourites in the US such as Orlando, Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Air Canada’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft features three cabins of service for customers to choose from, including Signature Class with lie-flat seats, Premium Economy and Economy Class. The airline’s complimentary and extensive in-flight entertainment programming features more than 1,400 hours of movies, 1,900 hours of television shows and more than 600 hours of music and podcasts and where available, live tv is available at every seat. The award-winning IFE also features collaborations with Apple TV+, Audible, Disney+, Hayu, and others, bringing hours of movies, tv episodes, specialty channels, music albums, other video and audio content and games in multiple languages from boarding to landing.

Air Canada’s international services

Air Canada’s international onboard services showcase some of Canada’s best culinary talent through Air Canada’s panel of celebrated chefs, comprising award-winning chefs David Hawksworth, Vikram Vij and Jérôme Ferrer. Complementing the culinary journey is a selection of top wines chosen by leading Canadian sommelier, Véronique Rivest.

Customers also have opportunities to collect and redeem points through Aeroplan Air Canada’s loyalty programme when travelling with Air Canada. Eligible customers also have access to priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounges, concierge, priority boarding and other exclusive benefits.

 

 

 

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The post YouTube UK’s travel ads leaderboard appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

These are the ranking of YouTube UK’s Travel Ads Leaderboard, which will be updated throughout the travel peak season.

Please see the ranking, current as of 18 February 2025, below.

1. Jet2.com – reached 34.1.M views
2. TUI UK – 10.5 M views
3. Discover Ireland – reached 9.4M
4. On the Beach Holidays reached 9.1M
5. easyJet –  reached 6.8M

Commenting on the leaderboard, Anna Sawbridge, Director of Travel at Google said:

“Every month, 46m adults in the UK tune in to watch their favourite content on YouTube, cementing the platform’s value for creators, brands and audiences in need of inspiration.

“So it’s no surprise to see some of the biggest travel players across the UK and Ireland capture consumer attention with the immense reach that YouTube and Google’s AI provides.

“With a combined 70 million views by the top 5 YouTube travel ads – whether they hint at winter sun, pay homage to heritage, suggest the luxury of an airport lounge, highlight price offers or just remind us why we love them –  these results clearly demonstrate that when consumers seek travel inspiration, they turn to YouTube.

“We know that consumers are still searching for holidays and travel beyond January, with February and March attracting almost the same number of Google searches as January signalling sustained  purchase intent. The travel industry must not miss the moment to land their brand in front of travellers in this important period!

“For travel advertisers keen to have their day in the sun – make sure you keep the lights on throughout Q1 by meeting their customers where they are, leveraging AI to drive their specific goals and using YouTube, the number one source for consumers for inspiration.

 

 

 

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The post SKAL appoints 10 members from India to Global Committees appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

 

Ten distinguished Skålleagues from India have been appointed to all nine global committees of Skål International! This incredible achievement marks a new era of Indian representation, leadership, and influence within the global Skål community.

Their selection reflects our nation’s dedication to excellence, collaboration, and global engagement, ensuring that India plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of Skål International.

Speaking on the happy occasion, President of SKAL International India, Sanjiv Mehra said “It is a proud moment for SKAL International India as our esteemed members take on key roles in the global committees of SKAL International. Their appointment is a testament to the leadership, dedication, and excellence that India brings to the global tourism and hospitality industry. We congratulate them and look forward to their valuable contributions in shaping the future of SKAL worldwide.”

Join us in congratulating our esteemed Skålleagues:

• Finance – Sk. B Gopinath (Skål International Chennai 205)
• Governance, Statutes & By-laws – Sk. Shekhar Divadkar (Skål International Goa 690)
• Media, PR, Branding & Marketing – Sk. J Earnest Immanuel (Skål International Hyderabad 606) | Sk. Mark Mendes, (SKAL international Goa 690)
• Membership Development & Florimond Volckaert Fund – Sk. Ranjini Nambiar (Skål International Bangalore 407)
• Sustainability – Sk. Upendra Kulkarni (Skål International Pune 452)
• Congress, International Meetings & Sponsorships – Sk. Manoj Mathew (Skål International Bangalore 407)
• Technology – Sk. Vipul Tanna (Skål International Mumbai South 732)
• Trade Shows, Global Partnerships & Advocacy – Sk. Greesh Bindra (Skål International Delhi 125)
• Training – Sk. Som Prakash Malik (Skål International Goa 690)

This milestone reinforces our commitment to strengthening Skål India’s global footprint and fostering impactful contributions to the travel and tourism industry.

 

 

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The post Vietnam Airlines launches direct Ho Chi Minh City – Beijing route appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

Vietnamese flag carrier Vietnam Airlines meets growing passenger demands to and from China with a new direct flight service from Ho Chi Minh City to Beijing, China from 30th March.

Flights will head to and take off from the Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), considered the largest in the world

The new route will operate five times a week every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, using Airbus A321 aircraft.

The airline is also set to expand the frequency of its Hanoi – Beijing route via Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) to seven flights per week.

More options

The launch of the new route and increased flight frequency to Beijing will provide passengers with more travel options, especially for those flying from southern Vietnam to the Chinese capital without the need for layovers.

Beyond facilitating tourism and trade, the new route will also support bilateral cooperation, further reinforcing Vietnam Airlines’ role in connecting Vietnam with key markets in China and across Asia.

With this new route, Vietnam Airlines will operate a total of six routes connecting Vietnam and China, including Hanoi – Beijing, Ho Chi Minh City – Beijing Daxing, Hanoi – Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City – Shanghai, Hanoi – Guangzhou, and Ho Chi Minh City – Guangzhou. 

The total number of weekly flights between the two countries will reach 40, catering to the growing travel demand.

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The post Queenstown Airport launches community fund to support local communities appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

Queenstown Airport just launched the Queenstown Airport Community Fund, a new initiative designed to provide financial support to local charities and community organisations.

Administered by the Wakatipu Community Foundation, the annual fund will distribute NZ$50,000 in grants, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, to eligible non-profit organisations operating in the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago districts.

The fund reflects Queenstown Airport’s ongoing commitment to supporting the local community and aligns with its broader sustainability objectives. 

Through this initiative, Queenstown Airport aims to create a meaningful and lasting impact by empowering grassroots organisations that contribute to the well-being of the region’s people and environment.

A smart way to give back

Queenstown Airport partnerships and marketing manager Vanessa Hartnell said of the initiative: “As a key gateway to our region, we recognise our responsibility to give back and support the communities that support us. The Queenstown Airport Community Fund is a way for us to invest in local organisations that are making a real difference, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive.”

This new fund will add to the $150,000 that the airport already contributes through its sponsorships and partnerships programme each year.

Wakatipu Community Foundation chief executive Jennifer Belmont added: “We are delighted to partner with Queenstown Airport to facilitate this new community initiative. Local charities and not-for-profits play such a key role in our communities, and this fund will provide some extra support to help them continue their work.”

Applications for the Queenstown Airport Community Fund will open on 3rd March, with organisations located in the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago districts encouraged to apply.

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The post Channel News Asia content now available on Singapore Airlines’ KrisWorld appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

Channel News Asia (CNA) announced that an extensive selection of its award-winning original documentaries and current affairs programmes is now available on Singapore Airlines (SIA)’ KrisWorld inflight entertainment system.

The library of engaging and trusted feature content is now housed in a new CNA-branded category on the system’s platform.

The CNA category joins other well-known categories like Apple TV+ and Max, making it part of the over 1,900 entertainment options available on board.

A better way to Understand Asia 

This collaboration between CNA and SIA means that travellers can now easily access CNA’s informative and insightful programming that helps global audiences to better Understand Asia.

The carefully curated CNA category on KrisWorld will be regularly refreshed to showcase a wide genre of programming, including investigative, historical as well as travel and lifestyle content. 

Among the programmes available are:

• Southeast Asia on a Plate: Takes gastronomic globetrotters on a voyage to understand how the region’s beloved dishes get to our table in modern times;
• Remarkable Living: A showcase of visionaries at the forefront of luxury, craftsmanship, gastronomy, and architecture, situated in spectacular spots around the world; and
• Black Thursday: A never-seen before account of a significant chapter of Singapore’s history – the unprecedented three-day shutdown of the Singapore Exchange in 1985.

This latest offering is part of CNA’s strategic efforts over the past year to grow its global reach.

The network’s other efforts include launching a new documentary-centric CNA feed in the United Kingdom and the United States as well as a new CNA website in Bahasa Indonesia.

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The post CapitaLand Investment launches paper on health and wellness real estate in Southeast Asia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

Singapore’s CapitaLand Investment (CLI) recently published a new research report detailing its views regarding growing opportunities for wellness real estate in Southeast Asia.

The report also touched upon current structural trends supporting the rapid growth of this sector.

Among the concepts featured in the report are the rise of ageing societies within the region, as well as its growing overall affluence.

It was also noted that real estate developers are incorporating wellness focused designs and construction practices, and including wellness related amenities and services in their properties.

That can be construed as proof of SEA’s appeal in terms of climate, culture and relatively lower service sector costs, making it a premier destination for medical tourism.

Also, markets like Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore offer a combination of advanced medical facilities, skilled healthcare professionals and competitive prices that appeal to international patients, with each country developing reputations for excellence in specific fields.

Opportunities for sectoral investment

At the same time, Investors are increasingly attracted to wellness real estate that incorporates living and healthcare elements. 

In 2023, the absolute investment volume of wellness real estate reached US$221 billion. 

Comparing average transaction volumes from 2019 to 2023 and 2014 to 2018, APAC real estate with living and healthcare components saw the largest increase at 32 percent, surpassing the Americas at 29.2 percent and EMEA at 23.2 percent, indicating significant growth potential in APAC.

Likewise, investment approaches for living and healthcare related real estate vary based on investor risk appetite, control preferences and holding periods. 

In SEA, the living sector is more institutionalised than the healthcare sector. 

Operators in SEA are expanding to meet the growing demand for healthcare and wellness services, often through strategic partnerships, infrastructure investments, and mergers and acquisitions.

These trends present attractive investment opportunities where real estate asset owners typically entrust the operation of their assets to established healthcare or wellness operators through master lease arrangements, ensuring professional and efficient management.

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The post Archipelago hosts 2025 Commercial Summit in Jakarta appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

Indonesian hospitality company Archipelago successfully held the Commercial Summit 2025 from 10th to 13th February at the Aston Kartika Grogol Hotel & Conference Center, Jakarta. 

Over 180 participants attended the event, the turnout made up of sales, marketing, and PR division leaders from 143 Archipelago hotels throughout Indonesia, from Sumatra to Papua. 

With the theme Purposeful Marketing: Driving Commercial Growth in a Digital World, Commercial Summit 2025 served to bring together hotel sales and marketing communication leaders with leading business partners to get the opportunity to share experiences, develop knowledge, and formulate strategies to increase commercial growth in the digital era.

A jam-packed schedule of events

The event featured a sectoral conference on its second day wherein various important topics in the world of digital marketing were discussed by experts from the field. 

On the final day, the summit culminated in an awards night that celebrated the outstanding achievements of Archipelago hotel teams in 2024. 

Awards were presented to hotels that demonstrated excellence in various categories. 

The event also honoured the winners of the prestigious Archipelago awards, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the tourism and hospitality industries.

Connecting with the media 

As part of this year’s Commercial Summit series of events, a Sales Blitz and Archipelago PR Workshop & Media Connect were also held. 

The Sales Blitz was attended by 125 participants from each hotel under the Archipelago umbrella, along with representatives from several government agencies. 

The Archipelago PR Workshop, on the other hand, brought in two speakers who discussed crisis management and trends in the media, as well as strategies for social media.

This activity was accompanied by Media Connect, a Speed Networking concept wherein all participants had the opportunity to talk with ten media outlets to establish relationships between hotel marketing communications teams and national media in order to create opportunities for collaboration.

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The post Japan reports a 40.6 percent surge in foreign arrivals in January appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

Japan reported a 40.6 percent increase in the number of foreign visitors for January of this year.

In the report released by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) on Wednesday, 19th February, this was marked as the sharpest rise in foreign arrivals in six months.

This surge was likewise driven by a greater number of travellers flying in from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

JNTO reported that the country also received more visitors from Australia and the United States, mostly for the winter sporting season.

Key demographics for January 2025

Approximately 980,300 Chinese nationals visited Japan, a surge of over 50 percent from the 416,088 seen in the same month last year.

It should be noted that flights between China and Japan increased as the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday fell in January.

South Korea came into second place with 967,100 visitors, up 12.8 percent.

Taiwan ranked third with 593,400, a 20.5 percent jump, and Hong Kong in fourth with 243,700, up by 30.8 percent from 2024.

Australian traveller numbers rose by 35.3 percent to 140,200, while those from the United States rose by 38.4 percent to 182,500.

The strong growth in January comes as the number of foreign visitors to Japan soared 47.1 percent to a record 36.87 million in 2024, boosted by a weak yen and the resumption of flights to Japan after the removal of COVID-19 restrictions.

Despite growing concern about overtourism, the Japanese government retained its target of drawing in 60 million foreign visitors annually by 2030.

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The post SIA Group reports 3.3% growth in Q3, Operating Profit is USD 629 million appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

The Group revenue reached a record USD 5,219 million in the three months ended 31 December 2024, up USD137 million (+2.7%) from the same period last year, spurred by robust demand for air travel in the third quarter of FY2024/25.

SIA GROUP FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE         

Third Quarter FY2024/25 – Profit and Loss

The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group’s financial performance for the third quarter of FY2024/25 is summarised as follows:

 

Group Financial Results	3rd Quarter FY2024/25 ($ million)	3rd Quarter FY2023/24 ($ million)	Better/ (Worse) (%)	9 Months FY2024/25 ($ million)	9 Months FY2023/24 ($ million)	Better/ (Worse) (%)
Total Revenue	5,219	5,082	2.7	14,716	14,244	3.3
Total Expenditure	4,590	4,473	(2.6)	13,292	12,082	(10.0)
Net Fuel Cost	1,312	1,454	9.8	4,042	3,737	(8.2)
Fuel Cost (before hedging)	1,302	1,540	15.5	4,099	4,068	(0.8)
Fuel Hedging (Gain)/Loss	11	(87)	n.m.	(57)	(331)	(82.8)
Non-fuel Expenditure	3,277	3,019	(8.6)	9,249	8,345	(10.8)
Operating Profit	629	609	3.3	1,425	2,163	(34.1)
Net Profit	1,626	659	146.7	2,368	2,100	12.8

Passenger flown revenue improved by $70 million (+1.7%), with SIA and Scoot carrying a quarterly record of 10.2 million passengers, up 7.2% from the third quarter of FY2023/24. Group passenger load factor fell by 1.0 percentage point to 87.2%, as the 7.2% growth in passenger traffic lagged the capacity expansion of 8.5%. Greater competition due to industry capacity injection continued to put pressure on yields, which dipped 4.5% to 10.7 cents per revenue passenger-kilometre.

Cargo flown revenue increased by $54 million (+9.7%), with loads up 14.6% year-on-year, bolstered by robust demand due to strong e-commerce activity, a step up in freighter charters, and a boost in perishables traffic. Cargo capacity rose 12.8% while the cargo load factor was 0.9 percentage points higher at 56.4%, with yields 4.5% lower.

Group expenditure grew $117 million (+2.6%) to $4,590 million, driven by higher non-fuel expenditure of $258 million (+8.6%), and partially offset by the decline in net fuel cost of $142 million (-9.8%). Effective cost management measures kept the rise in non-fuel expenditure below the growth in overall capacity (+10.1%), despite inflationary pressures. Net fuel cost was lower due to a 20.9% drop in fuel prices before hedging (-$359 million), partially offset by the higher volume uplifted (+$162 million), and the swing from a fuel hedging gain in the previous year to a loss (+$98 million).

Consequently, the Group recorded an operating profit of $629 million for the third quarter of FY2024/25, $20 million (+3.3%) higher than the same quarter in the previous year.

The Group’s net profit rose $967 million (+146.7%) to $1,626 million, predominantly due to the $1,098 million non-cash accounting gain resulting from the disposal of Vistara, following the airline’s merger with Air India in November 2024.

April to December 2024 – Profit and Loss

Group revenue reached a record $14,716 million for the nine months to 31 December 2024, up $472 million (+3.3%) compared to the same period in the previous year. This was led by the rise in passenger flown revenue of $189 million (+1.6%) and cargo flown revenue of $96 million (+5.9%). Heightened competition resulted in lower passenger yields (-6.4%) and cargo yields (-10.2%) year-on-year. Operating expenditure increased $1,210 million (+10.0%), in line with the overall capacity expansion of 10.5%. Net fuel cost was $305 million (+8.2%) higher mainly from an increase in volume uplifted (+$437 million) and lower fuel hedging gain (+$274 million), partially offset by an 8.1% fall in fuel prices (-$367 million). As a result, the operating profit fell $738 million (-34.1%) to $1,425 million. 

Despite the lower operating profit, the Group net profit was $268 million (+12.8%) higher on the back of the non-cash accounting gain following the merger of Vistara with Air India in November 2024.

 

 

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