Wednesday 2 March 2016

NTOs steal the exhibition limelight from airlines at NATAS Travel Fair 2016

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                  / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals



9 National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) are exhibiting at NATAS Travel Fair 2016 from 4 to 6 March 2016 at Singapore Expo Hall 7. First-time NTO exhibitors come from Kazakhstan, Shandong and the US. NTOs that will exhibit at the travel fair again are from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Brazil and India.



The Kazakhstan tourism contingent which exhibited at previous editions of ITE & MICE held in June every year in Hong Kong is at NATAS Travel Fair this time to generate public awareness of Kazakhstan's rich tourism resources and visa-free facility although Singapore lacks direct flights to Almaty.



According to the tourism board of Kazakhstan, Singaporeans can enjoy visa-free entry to Almaty and Astana, the traditional gateways to Kazakhstan since July 2015. The viable ways to enter Almaty and Astana are via Air Astana's commercial flights from Kuala Lumpur and Suvarnabhumi, which Aviation Services Pte Ltd the GSA of Air Astana is marketing under Air Astana's stopover packages in Singapore.



The Kazakhstan pavilion also mentioned that Air Astana is planning to launch direct flights from Almaty to Singapore in 2017 as an incentive for Singaporeans to visit the country without paying any visa for transit in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Return air fare including taxes should start from 800 US Dollars.



The Tourism Board of China is not exhibiting this time. Instead, a lone Shandong tourism booth has been set up in NATAS Travel Fair 2016 providing detailed travel and tourism information on Qingdao, Jinan and other tourist destinations in Shandong Province.


There are no Airlines Exhibitors for the second time in the history of NATAS Travel Fair according to NATAS Travel Fair's web-site www.natastravelfair.travel. However, Sayacinta - Airpost has spotted sales representatives of Garuda Indonesia and Malindo Air at the Indonesia and Nepal tourism booths.

The sponsor Singapore Airlines said it is not setting up its exhibition booth at NATAS Travel Fair 2016. Airbus A350 postcards and related paraphernalia are not distributed. Its Airbus A350 and aircraft seating models are not gracing the public.  



Rather, Singapore Airlines' 8 informational standees are scattered around the exhibition hall Hall 7. Visitors must locate them, pick up contest entry forms, answers three questions related to Singapore Airlines' new route network developments such as new flights to Canberra, Wellington, Dusseldorf and additional flights to Colombo, Incheon, China and submit entries to enter lucky draws to win free Singapore Airlines aircraft models.

Other exhibitors include travel agents, 8 food and beverage booths, travel wear and baggage sellers in this carnival-like travel fair.



Travel agent Jetabout Holidays is selling return flight packages to Fiji and special promotion Fiji Airways tickets to Fiji. Fiji Airways starts to fly to Nadi from Singapore on 6 April 2016.



ASA Holidays is marketing and selling direct charter flights of Bhutan Airlines, to be re-launched on 26 November 2016. According to ASA Holidays, Bhutan Airlines plans to launch direct flights to Singapore from Paro and via Yangon, subject to bilateral regulatory approval. 



ASA Holidays is also selling group tour packages to Sanya, Guiyang, Sihanoukville, Malaysia and has freed exhibition space to Malindo Air to market its destinations and air fares at the travel fair.



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