KUCHING: Asean countries need to strategise their way forward and implement measures to ensure that Southeast Asia would remain the world's most preferred tourist destination, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said here tonight.
He said tourist arrivals to Southeast Asia was projected to increase from 69.9 million in 2010 to 187 million in 2030.
"The increase in tourist arrivals will raise the global market share from 7.4 per cent in 2010 to 10.3 per cent in 2030. This reflects the dynamism of the attractiveness of Asean countries as a tourist region," he said in his speech to declare open the 33rd Asean Tourism Forum.
He said the theme, "Asean - Advancing Tourism Together", chosen for the forum was appropriate and timely as it reinforced the member states' commitment to work hand in hand to achieve the vision and goals of the Asean Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2011-2015.
"We are on track to deliver the outcomes of the key strategic thrusts, namely developing experiential and innovative regional tourism products, implementing creative marketing and investment strategies, improving the quality of human resources, services and facilities, and enhancing travel facilitation and Asean connectivity," he said.
Najib said Malaysia had collaborated with the relevant agencies in implementing the Asean Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) and conducted programmes nationwide to heighten public awareness on Asean's tourism objectives.
As a result, he said, Asean member states would reap the economic efficiencies from this free movement of skilled labour and professionals in tourism within the region.
"Additionally, the establishment of the Asean Promotional Chapter for Tourism (APCT) and creation of the Asean tagline, 'Southeast Asia, Feel the Warmth' have strengthened the joint tourism promotion activities among Asean member states," he said.
Najib said the APCT and the tagline had also raised the profile and value proposition of Southeast Asia as a tourist destination.
"To ensure long-term growth and sustainability of the tourism industry, the principles of responsible tourism need to be adhered to by all stakeholders, industry players and tourists," he added.
At the event, the pime minister also launched a coffee table book titled, "The Magical Gardens of Asean". Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR 3 Jan. - Malaysia Airlines (MAS) dan AirAsia masing-masing dijangka kehilangan tujuh dan lapan peratus penguasaan pasaran bagi laluan Kuala Lumpur-India kepada syarikat penerbangan baharu, Malindo Air bermula akhir Mac depan.
Menurut laporan oleh Pusat Penerbangan Asia Pasifik (CAPA) hari ini, keadaan itu dijangka berlaku apabila Malindo Air memulakan operasi sebanyak 23 penerbangan seminggu bagi laluan tersebut.
Sejumlah 23 penerbangan seminggu itu menyamai kapasiti 4,140 tempat duduk bagi laluan sehala Kuala Lumpur-India atau 15 peratus daripada keseluruhan tempat duduk yang disediakan oleh pelbagai syarikat penerbangan.
Lebih buruk lagi kepada MAS, Malindo Air telah mendapat kebenaran yang diperuntukan kepada syarikat Malaysia, untuk laluan ke Delhi dan Mumbai, sekali gus memecahkan monopoli MAS yang menyediakan laluan ke dua destinasi tersebut sejak awal 2012.
Laporan itu menyebut, sehingga akhir 2013, MAS menguasai 53 peratus pasaran dan dijangka merosot kepada 46 peratus, manakala penguasaan AirAsia menurun daripada 43 peratus kepada 35 peratus.
Kedua-dua syarikat penerbangan itu ketika ini menawarkan 66 penerbangan seminggu dan 56 penerbangan seminggu dari Kuala Lumpur-India meliputi enam destinasi di negara Asia Selatan tersebut.
Langkah terbaharu Malindo Air itu sedikit sebanyak menjejaskan perancangan perniagaan MAS dan AirAsia memandangkan sejak dua tahun lalu, kedua-dua syarikat itu meningkatkan kapasiti penerbangan ke India antara 45 peratus hingga 50 peratus.
Bagaimanapun, menurut laporan itu lagi, AirAsia dijangka tidak menerima kesan seburuk MAS memandangkan syarikat itu telah memperkenalkan AirAsia India yang menyediakan penerbangan domestik di seluruh India.
Hal itu dapat membantu kedudukan syarikat penerbangan tambang murah itu menerusi pakej yang lebih baik kepada pengguna yang menggunakan Kuala Lumpur-India dan seterusnya perkhidmatan domestic.
Fernandes is of the view that AirAsia's competition would lose the pace as his company going to have very low fares
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes today said that the Airline's target for 2014 would be lower cost, higher ancillary through more services and the Emirates project.
In his Twitter page, he said, “Excellent day at AirAisa. Excellent management meeting. Everyone geared up for 2014. Cost reduction. Back to the old days. Lower air fares.”
He further said, “Strategy for 2014. Lower costs. Higher Ancillary through more services and the Emirates project. Exciting. I love competition. Will provide some huge competition to full service airlines. Very exciting for passengers”.
Fernandes is of the view that AirAsia's competition would lose the pace as his company going to have very low fares. “I predict some won't last the pace”.
“The two CEOs are planning something big. Very excited. Our Emirates project,” he said, adding that growing the ancillary income would be one of the major. “Watch us in 2014. Cutting loads of cost.”
I had permission from Mr. Wilson Lee Flores who written about "12 success strategies of AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes" in Philippine Star (www.philstar.com) to share be shared in my blog.
From left: AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes: “In AirAsia we consider ourselves basically a dream factory … where people can pursue their passion.” Fernandes’ business partner, AirAsia Zest chairman Alfredo “Fred” Yao, Joy D. Caneba, chief operating officer of AirAsia Zest
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. —Aristotle I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things. —Antoine de Saint-Exupery
MALAYSIA — Congratulations to AirAsia Group boss Tony Fernandes of Malaysia and his business partner, the Philippines’ undisputed “Juice King” Alfredo “Fred” M. Yao. On Dec. 7, I was one of the guests on the inaugural flight Z2 511 of budget airline AirAsia Zest from Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 4 to Miri City in the Sarawak state of Malaysia, which took only two hours and 20 minutes.
Manila is the second international direct flight destination for Miri City, the first being direct flights to Singapore. AirAsia Zest chief operating officer Joy Caneba said this new flight route is not only significant for tourism and trade, the four flights every week will help make traveling so much easier for numerous overseas Filipino workers in east Malaysia and Brunei.
United Daily News publisher Sim Yong Liang said Miri City is an ideal, affordable, fun, relaxing and safe tourist destination due to its lush primary forests ideal for jungle trekking, like Niah national park, with its prehistoric human remains, and the UNESCO World Heritage site Mulu Caves, Lambir Hills waterfalls and wildlife, scuba diving, delicious food, colorful and diverse cultures and different ethnic groups.
How Asia’s biggest budget airline was built
Who is 49-year-old Tan Sri Anthony Francis “Tony” Fernandes, who has built the publicly listed AirAsia Group into Asia’s largest low-cost airline, with over 120 destinations servicing over 220 million passengers?
AirAsia has been named the “World’s Best Low Cost Airline” in the annual World Airline Survey by Skytrax for five consecutive years from 2009 to 2013. What are his success strategies? Here is our list based on interviews and some research, not in any order:
A good grasp of finance — Similar to Megaworld’s Andrew Tan, Fernandes is an accountant by training and good at numbers. Educated at the London School of Economics, from 1987 to 1989 he worked as the financial controller of British tycoon Richard Branson’s Virgin Records in London. He is from Malaysia’s ethnic Indian minority, with ancestral roots in India’s former Portuguese colony of Goa, which explains his Portuguese-sounding surname. Fernandes was formerly Southeast Asian regional vice president for Warner Music Group from 1992-2001. No need to become accountants, but we all need a good understanding of accounting and finance.
Determination — During a speech at the Sabah International Business Luncheon Talk 2012, Fernandes was quoted by the Borneo Post as saying nothing is impossible to achieve as long as there is determination. He turned around an unprofitable and small airline company with only two airplanes to one that now has a 160-strong fleet of aircraft in only 12 years!
Do not fear failure — “I don’t care about failing because I do not want to sit down in my older years and say, ‘How come I didn’t try?’ So we did and Malaysia is the country which allowed four Malaysians to go out and make their dreams come true,” Fernandes said.
Take care of key assets, your people — One of Fernandes’ strengths is his caring for and nurturing good employees. He sees people as the “key asset” of any business and hopes to help develop their full potential, passions and dreams. His business offices have no walls and he seeks ideas from his staff. On Dec. 12, Fernandes gave 263 Chopard watches totaling five million ringgit as gifts to 263 staff members who’ve been with the company 10 years. Chopard is a 153-year-old Swiss luxury watch brand. Also, after typhoon Yolanda destroyed Tacloban City, Fernandes reportedly sought out one of his employees whose home was wiped out and I heard the tycoon will help rebuild the house.
Branding — JG Summit Holdings founder John Gokongwei Jr. years ago told me that earning profits is not enough in business, that it is important to create a brand or brands. One believer in the power of brands is Tony Fernandes. He said it took him seven years to consciously and consistently build up the AirAsia brand name and logo as distinct and internationally known.
Marketing — Tony Fernandes invests in and excels in marketing. He said: “If you have a great product but no one knows about it, it’s history.” Fernandes reminds me of his former boss, Virgin Group’s colorful Richard Branson and America’s high-profile realty developer Donald Trump. Like Trump, Fernandes this year hosted the Asian version of the TV series The Apprentice Asia, with the winner being Filipino UP Diliman economics graduate Jonathan Allen S. Yabut, who is now also chief marketing officer of AirAsia Zest.
Support from the government — As in most societies, entrepreneurs cannot go against the government but need their support. Fernandes got his break in 2001 when then Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad heard of his dream to start an airline and advised him to just buy the heavily in-debt, government-linked AirAsia. Fernandes mortgaged his house and got personal savings to buy this firm with two old jets and US$11 million worth of debt. He bought the company for one ringgit (about 26 US cents). After he turned around AirAsia, in 2003 Fernandes lobbied Dr. Mahathir to raise the “Open Skies” idea with leaders of Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore, leading to these nations giving AirAsia and other budget airlines landing rights.
Use digital technology — Fernandes believes in using digital technology for his businesses. Much of his business comes from AirAsia.com. In fact, one unique thing about AirAsia flights is its inflight magazine Travel 3Sixty, which has this reminder: “Touch me, feel me and flip me over, but you can’t take me home. Read me online.” I think Fernandes isn’t scrimping on publishing costs, it is part of his clever marketing strategy to make passengers discover and enjoy his website.
Generosity — Fernandes is legendary for his personal and corporate generosity. He gives people big gifts, not only to generate loyalty to the business, but he is also generous in philanthropy, for example, his relief assistance to typhoon Yolanda victims here in the Philippines. His AirAsia Foundation also recently supported the social enterprise Rags2Riches led by Reese Fernandez-Ruiz of the Philippines. Rags2Riches is a genuine NGO helping underprivileged Filipino artisans transform their lives and turn scrap into high-fashion bags and other items.
Passion — Passion seems to be a common denominator among achievers in business, the arts, sports and other fields. Tony Fernandes hires people with passion. He is exceptionally passionate, not only about his firms, charities and employees, but also about sports. He owns a football team in England, an F1 car racing team and is a major supporter of Asia’s biggest mixed martial arts sport, the OneFC.
Bold vision — Tony Fernandes has a bold, global and long-range vision for his various companies. As a child, he dreamt of three things: running an airline, owning an English football club and owning a Formula One racing team.
Dynamic corporate culture — Fernandes said: “In AirAsia we consider ourselves basically a dream factory. We deliberately decided that we wanted a company where people can pursue their passion and we wanted to make use of all the talent that we have in-house. The culture that we have stems from the fact that we want openness and we want people to be creative and passionate about what they do. In order to do that, we’ve got to inspire them.”
