Digital products to enhance our reach
Amit Mehta, Country Manager-South Asia, Malaysia Airlines, discusses special at-the-airport and on-board services offered for M!CE groups.
How are you fortifying your ties with trade partners? We have an excellent relationship with our trade partners. We have service agents across India, including tier I and II cities, and come up with tailor-made promotions and offers. Our products such as Horizontal Fare Family give them the advantage of offering a fully flexible product for their clients. We also invest in digital initiatives to expand our reach in these cities. One of our most recent initiatives is the self-service MH Group Bookings portal, which provides an optimised travel experience.
Do you offer special fares or services for group bookings?
From corporate incentive trips to large-scale destination events, we have MHbiz Events. Both organisers and delegates get exclusive benefits, such as flight discounts, complimentary tickets, and more. It also supports incentives and events with special fares, dedicated check-in counters, prearranged airport meet and greet service, and welcome on-board announcements. As a key partner to Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), we promote the country as Asia’s business events hub.
Are there any plans to add more routes and carriers?
We are reviewing the opportunities in the Indian market and will add new routes, increase frequencies, or upgrade aircraft wherever needed. We are anticipating pre-pandemic capacity for India by the end of this year. The tender exercise for the A380 is ongoing, and we are still targeting the A380 fleet to exit in 2022. We are expecting to take delivery of 25 new Boeing 737-8 aircraft from May 2023 through the beginning of 2026. We are currently operating 29 weekly flights from India from five major cities in India: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
How do macro-economic factors pose new challenges?
We are now facing a significant headwind with high fuel prices. The current Russian-Ukrainian crisis has posed challenges in managing operational costs. Fuel prices at current levels of US$ 110/ bbl to US$ 130/bbl account for approximately 40–45 per cent of the group's total operational costs, an increase of approximately 35–40 per cent from a year ago. The challenge is to work towards the right level of supply of seats versus the level of demand that is expected to exist in the market. Too much supply, and we are likely to see a price war.
How is technology shaping the future of air travel?
The pandemic made us realise the need to rethink ways of conducting airline business. We empowered our workforce to remain agile and be equipped with the necessary skillsets. We have moved a significant portion of our processes online and accelerated our digitalisation efforts to ensure our staff can operate remotely and flexibly as a business.
SELF-SERVICE MH GROUP BOOKINGS PORTAL OFFERS DIRECT BOOKING, PROMPT RESPONSES
Madhya Pradesh has it all if you want to take some time away from the hustle and bustle of city life and tour village houses, sample simple yet tasty meals, engage in tribal culture, and soak in the natural and unpolluted surroundings. The local communities are involved in tourism activities, including upclass lodging facilities, local food, folk music, rural sports, and art and crafts. The homestays in the villages are made of local materials, keeping rooms protected from the heat. Madhya
Pradesh Tourism (MPT) has introduced rural tourism to provide a safe and sustainable tourism experience. The state tourism board won two international awards for its rural tourism project at the World Travel Market (WTM) Responsible Tourism Awards 2021, held in London from 1-3 November 2021. Here are some villages where you may see the rich Indian culture:
LADHPURA KHAS
Situated 6 km from Orchha, Ladhpura Khas village in MP's Niwari district was nominated in the 'Best Tourism Village' category for the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Award in September 2021. The village has hills, forest, and a river in its vicinity. A visit to this village would let you learn about its history and architecture. Tourists can partake in various farming activities, take a tractor ride around the village, and meet the villagers. One can enjoy water sports activities such as river rafting and kayaking on the Betwa River. Tourists experience folk songs, folk
dances, and other cultural activities apart from having food cooked on a clay stove.
DHAMNA & BASATA
You can find unique handmade keepsakes in Dhamna and Basata villages. Dhamna is 25 km from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Khajuraho and 6 km from the Panna National
Park. Pandav waterfall is 13 km away, while Raneh waterfall is 18 km. Ken River is at a drivable distance of 6 km from Dhamna. You can also buy souvenirs made by the locals, such as terracotta, fridge magnets, car hangings, and garden stakes, among others. Basata is 31 km from Khajuraho and 11 km from the Panna National Park. Pandav and Raneh Waterfalls are 18 and 16 km, respectively. You will need to drive 11 km to go boating on the Ken River.
MADLA
The village is at the gate to the Panna National Park. Khajuraho is 25 km and the Ken River is within walking distance of 2 km. Pandav Waterfall is 7 km away, while Raneh Waterfall is 24 km away. You could also get exquisite mementos such as tote bags, lunch
bags, cushion covers, and so on.
KHOKHARA & THADIPATHAR
Here, you can learn about the tribal people's way of life while relaxing by the river. You can also experience soothing music of tambura or tanpura, dancing, caves,
waterfalls, and herbal lore. Sanjay Dubri National Park is 30 km from Khokhara, while Barchar Waterfall is only 1 km away. Thadipathar is 28 km from the national park. It is a confluence point for the Gopad and Mahan rivers, which are about 1.5 km apart, while Charakapani waterfall is 2 km away.