Hotel conglomerate Jin Jiang consolidates China units
>> Shanghai-based hotel and travel conglomerate Jin Jiang International has recently completed a major restructuring to consolidate its limited-service hotel businesses including Jinjiang Metropolo, Vienna Hotels and Plateno Group to build the Jin Jiang Hotel China Region. Simon Zhang, CEO of Shanghai Jin Jiang International Hotels, has been appointed chairman and CEO of Jiang Jiang Hotel China Region. The Jin Jiang International group has accelerated its international expansion through mergers and acquisitions since 2015, acquiring Louvre Group, Plateno Group, Vienna Hotels Group and Radisson Hotels.
Klook Home on local demand to kickstart business recovery
>> Klook has launched Klook Home to capture local demand with home-based activities, weekend things-to-do in the city and domestic travel experiences. Klook Home has been launched in 14 domestic markets in Asia-Pacific and Europe. It will be followed by offerings based on intra-regional travel corridors as global market conditions gradually improve and travel restrictions ease, the company said. Hong Kong-based Klook is understood to have laid off or furloughed 10%-20% of its headcount.
Future of Thai tourism is in Chinese hands, and phones
>> Chinese accounted for more than one in four of the tourists who visited Thailand last year and their importance has only been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has been working with Chinese digital platforms to boost the country's image as a tourist destination. TAT posted uplifting messages of support and solidarity on WeChat and other platforms. On Douyin/TikTok, TAT has continued to work with influencers to maintain an active online presence throughout the crisis.
Air China plans to operate 24 international routes in June
>> Air China is planning to operate 24 international routes between June 1 and July 1, the carrier said in a statement posted on its website. In March, the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) announced measures to limit the number of international flights coming in and out of China in order to curtail the rise of imported coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the country.
China Southern returns to 70% of pre coronavirus level
>> China Southern Airlines stated it currently operates more than 1000 daily flights, returning to approximately 70% of pre-coronavirus frequency.
China’s cultural heritage goes virtual in Australia
>> The China Cultural Center in Sydney launched its "Visiting China Online" project - a series of seven virtual exhibitions released one by one from mid-March, focused on introducing audiences to Chinese history, imagery and culture, as COVID-19 containment measures restrict Australians from visiting China in person.
