KOREAN Air (KE) is pushing to open or re-open routes to Hainan and Guilin in China.
"These two cities are booming tourism attractions, making us compelled to expand air services to China,'' says a KAL manager in Seoul.
KAL announced that it has asked for permission to resume its flight twice a week between Seoul and the southern Chinese island of Hainan, the largest tourist resort in southern China, starting December 21.
The Seoul-Hainan flight was suspended in 1998 when the number of Korean travellers to Hainan fell after the Asian crisis hit in December 1997.
The KAL manager adds that in order to bolster tourism the carrier will help improve hotel service and develop a package of golf and leisure programmes in Hainan.
The carrier has also asked for approval to open a new route to Guilin, a major tourist attraction in southeastern China, for once-a-week flight service beginning December 16.
Singapore demand up
NEARLY 20,000 travel packages were sold during the three-day Singapore Airlines (SQ) Millennium Fair last month, indicating that 2000 will be a strong year for outbound traffic from Singapore.
SQ area manager Singapore Sudheer Raghavan said Australia, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific destinations, North Asia, Europe and the United States as were the most popular regions at the fair. Demand for leisure travel out of Singapore will be buoyant in the coming year, with an expected increase of 12 to 15 per cent.
Accor in India, Philippines
ACCOR Asia Pacific considers India and the Philippines strategic high-yield destinations and plans to open new Novotel properties in both countries . Accor has three properties in India and a Novotel in Davao, but regional vice president Asia Marc Steinmeyer would like to see a Novotel in Manila and in either Mumbai or Delhi.
Name change in S'pore
ROYAL Plaza at Scotts is the new name of the Royal Crowne Plaza Singapore, now that owners Sajahtera Investments has decided to manage it independently now that its contract with Bass Hotels & Resorts has expired.
Patrick Fiat, manager for a year under Bass Hotels & Resorts, stays on.