https://newyorkpata.org

Issue 101, August 15, 2023

New York

U.S. destinations cheered China’s decision to lift restrictions on group travel to the United States, the country’s top spending overseas market prior to the pandemic. Before COVID, as many as 3 million Chinese travelers visited the United States annually, contributing more than $33 billion to the U.S. economy.

Geoff Freeman, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, applauded the move but said that simply lifting the restriction on group travel would not be enough to bring Chinese visitors back. “A rapid increase in visitation from China is contingent on the State Department reducing visa wait times, which remain stubbornly high worldwide,” Freeman said. “China was a top three market for overseas visitation pre-pandemic, but steadily increasing visa wait times threaten our ability to recapture these highly valuable visitors.” Air capacity from China will have to make a comeback as well.

United announces it will resume daily flying between San Francisco and Beijing this November and will increase flying to Shanghai with daily flights from San Francisco, starting October 1, 2023.

Chinese visitors to the U.S. tend to see the most iconic cities first, with New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Washington often topping the list.

The devastation of historic city of Lahaina is immense and unprecedented. Emergency officials are scrambling to find space for the massive influx of tourists the island gets in the summertime while also dealing with dozens of deaths and the near total destruction of parts of the island. Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke encouraged visitors to leave the island as soon as possible “so we can prioritize our scarce resources for Maui residents who desperately need assistance.”

Cruise lines have announced changes to Hawaii cruise itineraries, dropping Maui as a scheduled port of call.



Hotels in West Maui have temporarily stopped accepting bookings of future reservations. At this time, many hotels are housing their employees and families until the fires in West Maui are fully contained and travel on the roadways is safe. These same hotels are preparing to house evacuees and first responders working on disaster recovery.

Vacation travel to West Maui is strongly discouraged for the near future. Visitors in West Maui have largely heeded the call to leave the island. About 46,000 people have flown out of Kahului Airport since Wednesday.

Kahului Airport on Maui remains open as thousands of tourists pack the terminals trying to get flights off the island. Several major airlines, including American, Southwest, United, and Alaska are offering to rebook travelers at no additional cost. Hawaiian Airlines is adding additional flights out of Maui and offering main cabin fares as low as $19. The Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu has been set up as a mass evacuation center for tourists who can’t get home as well as displaced Maui residents. Buses are helping with evacuations as well.

The Assistance Center at the Hawaii Convention Center will close at noon Sunday, August 13, and be relocated to the Keʻehi Lagoon Memorial at 2685 N. Nimitz Highway in Honolulu.

The Hawaiian Tourism Authority said: “Visitors who are on non-essential travel are being asked to leave Maui, and non-essential travel to Maui is strongly discouraged at this time.

Keep updated by visiting the link below:

https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/news/alerts/maui-and-hawai%CA%BBi-island-wildfire-update/



How to Help

Anyone wanting to make donations to help communities and families recover on Maui can do so through the Maui Strong Fund established by the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. The link can be accessed here.

Due to capacity limitations, please consider making financial rather than physical donations.



The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will take place in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia from August 25 to September 10, with the final game taking place in Manila’s Mall of Asia Arena. The 32 participating teams will play in 92 games played over 16 days.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup is an international basketball competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the sport’s global governing body. It takes place every four years and is considered the flagship event of FIBA.

Team USA will play the first of three World Cup group games in the Philippines against New Zealand on Aug. 26, followed by Greece (Aug. 28) and Jordan (Aug. 30)



https://www.nba.com/news/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-schedule



It has been a record-breaking summer in the luxury cruise industry with the delivery of three newbuilds; Silver Nova, Explora I, and Seabourn Pursuit; renovation/relaunch of an industry stalwart (Crystal Serenity); and inauguration of a new brand (Explora Journeys). 

Silver Nova, Silversea's new 728-passenger ship carrying 556 crew, is not only a continuation of a legacy in luxury voyages but also represents a bold way forward for the brand. Silversea executives took delivery of the ship July 20; its maiden voyage sets sail Aug. 14.

Silversea's small luxury ships are designed for those who delight in discovery and indulge in luxury. All their ships feature spacious, ocean-view suites with butler service, and most include private verandas, meaning you can sip your champagne from the comfort of your deck while watching the vistas beyond. Silver Nova is more than a new ship by Silversea, it is a Nova way of luxury travel.

More than 1,700 works of art adorn the walls and grace the public spaces of the all-new Silver Nova. The collection, says chief curator Mariangela Capuzzo, was “carefully curated to create a unique aesthetic and conceptual journey.”

https://www.silversea.com/ships/silver-nova.html

She's a lady...Explora 1 Captain!!

On 1 August 2023, EXPLORA I departed on her Maiden Journey, sailing from Copenhagen, Denmark on an epic 14-night journey.

ALL INCLUSIVE JOURNEYS

In-suite welcome bottle of champagne upon arrival

A bottle of wine and a bottle of spirit of the guests’ choice upon arrival

Authentic, cultured and intuitive service from our team of hospitality experts

Nine distinct culinary experiences, including in-suite dining

Unlimited beverages, fine wines and premium spirits, speciality coffees, teas and soft drinks available anytime, including in-suite mini-bar*

Access to the spa thermal area

Wellbeing and fitness programs on board and at the destinations

All on-board gratuities

Unlimited, high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the ship

Shuttle services from port to city centre (where required/available)

Explora I is the first of six planned vessels for the new luxury operator Explora Journeys.

https://explorajourneys.com/us/en/destinations-globe

Seabourn Pursuit is the second Seabourn ultra-luxury expedition ship. Built for diverse environments with modern hardware and technology. Seabourn Pursuit is scheduled to enter service August 12, 2023, and will sail five voyages in the Mediterranean before embarking on two voyages across the Atlantic and through the Caribbean.

Whenever and wherever the urge for a formal service of caviar strikes you while you're on board a Seabourn cruise, one call or word to a staff member is all it will take for your desires to be answered – along with your beverage of choice to accompany the caviar, of course.

The relaunch of Crystal Serenity in the summer of 2023 marks the return of the luxury Crystal brand. The ship was acquired by the A&K Travel Group in 2022 -- along with older and smaller fleetmate Crystal Symphony -- and underwent a refurbishment that has seen the number of suites reduced and enlarged to carry a maximum of 740 passengers, down from 980. The ship was first launched in 2003 for the former Crystal Cruises, which ceased trading in early 2022 following the bankruptcy of the Genting Group parent company. Crystal fans can expect all the trademarks of the previous line on an enhanced ship.

What's new on Crystal Serenity? The Suites!! Bigger and better than ever... completely refurbished. Well, if you like a casino, you're out of luck. The revamped ship has no casino. Just a new room called the lounge, but if you like pickle ball, you'll find 2 courts on the upper deck. A completely redesigned Umi Uma, Chef Nobu's only official restaurant at sea. A brand-new Italian restaurant D'Ovidio named after the owner and his family, said James S.



Air India is revamping various aspects, including technology and fleet, with a significant aircraft order from Airbus and Boeing. The airline reported losses, and Tata Sons invested to support its operations. The rebranding involves merging with Vistara, Air India Express, and Air Asia India. Vistara is a joint venture of Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA), wherein Tata Sons holds 51% stake in partnership and Singapore Airlines owns 49% stake. The company is registered as TATA SIA Airlines Limited.

Tata Group on August 10th unveiled a new logo, branding and plane livery for Air India as part of a multi-million-dollar transformation of the former state-run carrier. The airline's new logo includes a design with golden, red and purple colors, and will replace the old logo of a red swan with orange spokes.

The rebranding by Tata, which comes after years of under-investment under government control, will not completely do away with the iconic mascot of a cheerful Maharaja in a red turban and with an outsized moustache.



Home to French colonial buildings, delicious food, and pristine beaches, Danang has so much to offer. Da Nang is one of the biggest cities in Vietnam with about one million residents, yet it feels smaller and tamer than Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. While it is a big city with everything big cities have to offer, it comes with a friendly and laid-back beach town vibe that keeps the pace slow. The Han River divides the beach from the city center, offering a natural boundary that is bordered by bars, parks, and promenades. In fact, Da Nang's coastline stretches for around 18.5 miles (30 km) so it's the perfect spot for a relaxing getaway. Danang is also the perfect base, as you can visit a variety of destinations on a day trip. Da Nang is used as a springboard to access three worldwide famous heritage sites – the Hue Imperial Capital, My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An Town.

Son Tra Nature Reserve provides a habitat for more than 200 different animal species, including 29 rare and endangered animals. Marble Mountain rises up from the south of the city, a collection of limestone karsts rather than a single peak. If Son Tra is ruled by its wildlife, Marble Mountain is a place of pagodas and temples, a spiritual complex adorned with shrines many hundreds of years old. Golden Bridge, also known as the Giant Hand Bridge, is located on the top of Nui Chua Mountain, Ba Na Hills, Da Nang. It was also ranked top 10 bridges with the most unique architecture in the world. 

Da Nang is a dream destination for foodies, with scores of seafront eateries and street food stalls. Cheap and healthy food is everywhere. Street vendors serve bowls full of Central Vietnamese flavor on every corner, and Western food is widely accessible in An Thuong, the expat district on the beachside peninsula. Seafood is as fresh as should be expected for a beach town – try it with a bowl of mì quảng, a dish of rice noodles, pork, shrimp, quail eggs, peanuts and fresh herbs (a must-try delight), or bún chả cá, two famous local specialties. Beer drinkers should opt for a Larue or a Huda, the two local brands. 

Elizabeth Chin

Executive Director

Editor, Newsletter

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)

PATA New York

Email: newyorkpata@gmail.com

PATA New York Chapter, founded in 1962, is a not-for-profit membership-based association that is dedicated to facilitate meaningful partnerships to enhance the value, quality and sustainable growth of travel and tourism to and from countries in APAC, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) founded in 1951 is the recognized authority on Asia Pacific travel and tourism. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research, and innovative events to its member organizations, which including government, state and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organizations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world.