ITB Asia news 2024 - Day 1

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I SPECIAL FEATURE I PARKS I Sunway Theme Parks set to deliver a special brand of magic at upcoming festive events © Mandai Wildlife Group © Mandai Wildlife Group Exhibiting at ITB Asia 2024, Sunway Theme Parks are getting ready to dazzle visitors with a series of festivities at the Sunway Lagoon and Sunway Lost World of Tambun parks. Chinese New Year will see red lanterns and floral displays and offer guests an opportunty to enjoy traditional performances, special food stalls, and spectacular fireworks. The Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities will provide a colourful celebration of Malay culture with traditional music and a bazaar featuring crafts and delicious treats. Deepavali will bestow a magical atmosphere on the parks with oil lamps, Indian dance performances, and authentic Indian cuisine. Last but not least, Sunway Theme Parks will host a spectacular Christmas celebration with beautiful decorations and seasonal treats STAND B 024 Keeper guiding guest to touch elephant at Backstage Pass Elephant Encounters Mandai wildlife reserve unveils new rainforest adventures and eco-stays at ITB Asia 2024 Mandai Wildlife Reserve, home to Singapore’s renowned wildlife parks, is set to welcome new natureinspired experiences. Opening in 2025, the Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree will offer eco-friendly stays, while Rainforest Wild, the fifth wildlife park, will transport visitors into the rainforests of Southeast Asia and Africa. Visitors can explore diverse ecosystems, from treetop canopies to cavernous depths, encountering animals like the Malayan tiger and François’ langur. The reserve will also feature green Artist Illustration of Rainforest Wild Asia spaces, dining options, and familyfriendly adventures. Visitors to ITB Asia can find out more on Mandai Wildlife Reserve's stand STAND H 025 Family Room at Mandai Rainforest Resort © Mandai Wildlife Group 12 ITB ASIA NEWS • WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBER 2024 itb-asia-news.com

I REGION I ASIA I © AXP Photography- Unsplash Asia-Pacific on the rise: Key trends and recovery insights for 2024 Both UN Tourism and PATA point to an acceleration in the recovery of tourism in Asia and the Pacific in 2024 As Asia and the Pacific lifted restrictions for international travellers at the end of 2022, tourism recovery became visible in 2023, supported by strong pent-up demand. According to UN Tourism, total arrivals to this part of the world were 35% below the pre-Covid performance of 2019. However, Asia and the Pacific earned 78% of its prepandemic receipts, a remarkable result when compared to its recovery in arrivals last year. Based on numbers released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association, in 2023 Asia welcomed close to 342.9 million international visitor arrivals (IVA) while the Pacific saw a total IVA reaching 23.7 million. In its forecast, PATA estimates that Asia will add another 100 million IVA this year, putting total international visitor arrivals at just 16% below its 2019 performance. PATA predicts a full recovery by 2025. Due to a softer-than-expected rebound in Chinese and Japanese outbound traffic, tourism growth in Asia remains slightly weaker than anticipated, according to PATA experts. China's economic slowdown is triggered by woes in the real estate sector, while pessimism in Japan about the economic situation and a weak yen are limiting outbound trips. BETWEEN JANUARY AND JULY 2024, TOTAL TOURIST ARRIVALS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC WERE JUST 18% BELOW THEIR 2019 PERFORMANCE. Meanwhile, the Pacific Rim is expected to welcome 28 million IVA in 2024, outperforming 2019 by 1%. The latest data communicated by UN Tourism points to a positive trend for arrivals to Asia. Between January and July 2024, total tourist arrivals in Asia and the Pacific were just 18% below their 2019 performance. The positive trend is accelerating as recovery reached 85% in June and 86% in July compared to 2019. According to UN Tourism, the best performing regions within Asia are South Asia (-8% compared to 2019) and Southeast Asia (-12%). UN Tourism points to an increase in air capacity within Asia but also between the continent and the rest of the world. Airlines have particularly added seats between Asia and Europe as well as Asia and the Middle-East. For the IATA winter season, new routes will link Brussels to Bangkok (Thai Airways International), Paris to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines) and Manila (Air France), Sydney to Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) while Qatar Airways is boosting frequencies to Bali and Tokyo. Another positive factor is the easing of visa formalities. China now offers free visas on arrival to many countries for a stay of up to 14 days. Countries such as Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam lifted their requirements or extended the validity of their visa towards travellers in selected markets. 342.9 MILLION IVA TO ASIA IN 2023 23.7 MILLION IVA TO THE PACIFIC IN 2023 UN Tourism statistics also point to the fact that some countries in the Asia-Pacific are enjoying a stronger recovery than their counterparts. Top performers are the Maldives with an increase of 19% in international tourist arrivals from January to July 2024, followed by Mongolia (up 13%) and French Polynesia (up 11%). Fiji, Japan and Sri Lanka recorded a growth in arrivals between 7% and 8%. Vietnam is the top performer in Southeast Asia with total arrivals growing by 2%. Thailand, the busiest tourism destination in Southeast Asia, expects to welcome 36 million international arrivals, just 9% below its 2019 performance (source: Pacific Asia Travel Association) ITB ASIA NEWS • WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBER 2024 13