New links help to lift demand for twin centres

Singapore and bali

New links help to lift demand for twin centres

Connections encourage market

BRITISH Airways Holidays has reported a 76% increase in business to Bali for next year partly due to increased availability of seats between Singapore and Bali on codeshare partner Qantas.

Many operators are reporting a similar trend in demand for Singapore as the preferred stopover destination, due to convenient connections and a high standard of service.

This encourages twin-centre holidays that combine a popular mix of city and beach. Hayes and Jarvis product manager, Marylin Trust said: “Singapore and Bali has overtaken Hong Kong and Bali as the most popular Asia stopover combination.

“The flight timings are better and Singapore as a destination has a lot more to offer than it used to,” she said.

Passenger numbers to Singapore are up 45% on last year and next year’s bookings are showing a further 45% increase due to a growth in stopover traffic en route to Bali.

Hayes and Jarvis has three nights at the Concorde Singapore and seven nights at the Bali Rani for £775 until December 9.

Competitive prices and top-quality hotels are cited by Tradewinds marketing manager Mark Blewitt as the reason Singapore remains a major Asian gateway for the operator. “Our Trade Secrets programme is offering five nights in Singapore from £599 and even better, three nights in Singapore combined with Bali from £679,” Blewitt said.

Tradewinds other Singapore hotels include Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa resort on Sentosa Island’s man-made beachfront and the Ritz-Carlton Millenia.

Distant Dreams’ most popular Singapore Bali deal is the five-star combination of the Royal Plaza in Singapore and Bali Hyatt in Bali, leading in at £929 on a room-only basis in Singapore and bed and breakfast in Bali.

Singapore: hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton Millenia, left, are enjoying strong sales