China bans 105 apps including Tripadvisor
China has removed 105 apps from its app stores as part of a campaign to get rid of content related to pornography, prostitution, gambling and violence. Most of the banned apps are Chinese but US travel app TripAdvisor is also included on the list. According to the Cyberspace Administration of China, all apps violated one of three cyber-laws, although it did not provide details.
Cathay Pacific offers free Covid-19 insurance to all passengers
Cathay Pacific is offering free Covid-19 insurance to all passengers in an attempt to encourage travel as it seeks a way out of its current troubles. The new move sees the airline offer insurance with AXA General Insurance Hong Kong to provide the free Covid-19 coverage to all passengers until February 28, 2021.
China's domestic air market nearly recovered, the rest of world still depressed
The recovery of passenger demand continued to be disappointingly slow in October, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). China’s domestic market has nearly recovered, while most others remain deeply depressed. China’s domestic traffic was down just 1.4% in October compared to October a year ago. The domestic economy was close to normality and low fares and so-called "all you can fly" deals boosted demand.
Chinese tourists are discovering their own country in RVs
With most international borders closed, mainland Chinese tourists have been exploring their own country instead. A small but growing number have been taking the road less traveled, driving rented or their own recreational vehicles (RVs). Some 849 companies related to RV rental were established in China in the second quarter of 2020, up by 36% year-on-year.
China's COVID-free "Hawaii" chases local tourist dollar with a vengeance
Millions of domestic tourists are descending on China's southernmost island province of Hainan, presenting a surreal contrast with grim hospital scenes, shuttered restaurants and stifling home quarantine elsewhere in a virus-ravaged world. Hainan is also the travel destinations for the Lunar New Year coming up in February, says analytics firm ForwardKeys.
Cruises to South China Sea become first to resume amid pandemic
Cruise ship Nanhai Dream set sail for its journey to the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea with strict epidemic prevention measures in place after an 11-month suspension. Tickets were snapped up after the resumption notice was issued on November 27, and almost all cabin tickets for December are sold out.
Hilton, Jin Jiang extend deal to accelerate Hampton by Hilton's growth in China
Hilton and Jin Jiang International announced the extension of the Hampton by Hilton management license agreement, extending the contract until 2034 to create a network of more than 600 Hampton by Hilton hotels in China. The exclusive license agreement between Hilton and Plateno (now part of Jin Jiang Hotel China Region) was first signed in 2014 to tap into the potential of China's mid-scale hotel market.
Qunar CEO expects profitability by year end with fast recovery
Chinese travel metasearch platform Qunar, a subsidiary brand under the umbrella of Trip.com Group, said the company's recovery is faster than it had previously anticipated and it now expects to turn a profit by the end of the year. Mr. Gang Chen, CEO of Qunar, said Qunar recorded more domestic hotel bookings in September this year than it did in September 2019.
Tourism website Mafengwo releases new travel tips product
Chinese tourism website Mafengwo unveiled its new product, North Star Travel Tips, allowing its users to have online access to detailed and timely-updated travel tips for destinations from home and abroad. The travel tips are categorized based on destinations, with content provided by the website’s professional team and core users, and tourism bureaus and scenic areas.
Shangri-La hotels to let go 100 staff
About 100 employees are to be laid off from hotels of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, a union has said in a social media post. For the six months ended June, Shangri-La Asia Limited reported a loss of USD 255.4 million compared with a profit of USD 64.2 million the year before.
Hong Kong Airlines to cut 250 flight attendants in latest round of redundancies
Hong Kong Airlines will cut 250 flight attendants in the latest round of coronavirus-related redundancies to hit the carrier and the local aviation sector. In total, around 2,300 staff remain employed, down 34% from its peak. The airline's redundancies followed major job cuts at Cathay Pacific Airways, which received an HKD 39 billion bailout, and the closure of its rival Cathay Dragon.
JD, China Southern Airlines launch ship-to-home luggage service
JD Logistics, e-commerce platform JD.com's logistics arm, has joined hands with China Southern Airlines to launch a "Ship-to-Home" luggage express delivery service for Chinese travelers.
Indebted conglomerate HNA Group to sell US asset Ingram Micro
HNA Technology, a subsidiary of Chinese indebted conglomerate HNA Group, announced on December 9 that it plans to sell its 100% stake in California-based IT product distributor Ingram Micro to Imola Acquisition. HNA Technology acquired 100% shares of Ingram Micro in December 2016 for USD 5.98 billion, the majority of which was borrowed money from banks.
Hong Kong's plan to invest in Zhuhai airport could be more about cargo than passengers
Hong Kong's planned tie-up with mainland China's Zhuhai airport is likely to strengthen the financial hub's global competitiveness in the cargo business, although the benefits for passengers are less clear, industry experts and an Airport Authority member say.
China orders mass coronavirus testing in Chengdu
Southwestern Chinese city Chengdu is on high alert after two local COVID-19 cases reported on Monday. The local government sealed off the hospital where the first patient received treatment and arranged a large-scale nucleic acid test procedure for local residents. China reported a total of 12 new cases on Tuesday, including the two in Chengdu and 10 brought from outside the country, bringing China’s total to 86,646 with 4,634 deaths.
Singapore, China to restore normal air travel "at appropriate time"
Singapore and China expressed mutual willingness in restoring normal air travel "at an appropriate time" during discussions on Tuesday, Dec 8. Chinese and Singaporean counterparts both expressed willingness to discuss how to open borders further, including better utilizing the existing Singapore-China Fast Lane and increasing flight frequency between the two countries.
Travel agencies in China handle over 10 million domestic trips in Q2, down 79%
Domestic tours organized by travel agencies in China had drawn 7.79 million travelers in the second quarter this year, 83.23% less than the same period last year, while the total number of domestic tourists handled was 10.12 million, 78.59% lower year-on-year. These were based on the data provided by 30,201 travel agencies, or 76.13% of the nation's total 39,670 travel agencies, to the country's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
