Travel agents throughout Asia are taking advantage of up to 30% and more off bookings as GTA celebrates three decades of powering global travel in Asia. One of the world’s biggest wholesalers for fully independent travel (FIT), GTA has launched a six month campaign across China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand to drive travel to three of Asia’s most popular destinations. Given the millions of travel bookings GTA makes every year, the initiative could help the popular destinations welcome more visitors in 2014 and beyond.

GTA’s ‘30 years in Asia’ campaign kicks off with more than 100 money-saving special offers in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bali. The company has called on its longstanding relationships with global and regional brands to offer a selection of three-, four- and five-star properties that demonstrate the rich variety of holiday experiences – from city breaks to beachside get-aways – that can be booked through its distribution channels. Some of the deals are exclusive to GTA and only available for a limited period. Additionally, all offers qualify for GTA’s G-Shop loyalty program which rewards travel agents with points that can be redeemed for products through the G-Shop website.

Says Martin Jones, GTA’s Senior Vice President for Global Sourcing and Commercial Management: “GTA has been helping hotels and destinations welcome fully independent travellers from practically every part of the planet for years. The power and experience of our people, our global presence in mature and emerging source markets, and the reliable performance of our technology mean both travel businesses and hotels trust us to help them profit. As demand for fully independent travel to and within Asia increases, agents in the region will surely welcome this new campaign. The ‘30 years in Asia’ campaign gives us the perfect opportunity to showcase some of the great new product which has opened in the markets over recent years.”

Leading Asia’s business-to-business (B2B) travel industry, GTA has served retail – but also wholesale – travel businesses for several decades. Its longstanding, privileged relationships with global and regional brands allow it to offer great deals that will attract travellers. Currently available for agents to book on its retail and wholesale booking sites:

-  Save up to 50% across a number of five star luxury hotels and resorts in Hong Kong Island, Singapore Marina and Bali Jimbaran Bay.
-  Savings of up to 50% on four-star properties including Hong Kong Kowloon, Singapore Clarke Quay and Ubud, Bali.
-  Up to 40% off Singapore Bugis, Hong Kong Tsuen Wan and Kuta, Bali.
-  Hong Kong, Singapore and Bali are already enjoying strong growth in arrivals through GTA. Room nights booked in Hong Kong were up 23% last year, up 50% in Singapore and by 39% in Bali. By offering even more choice at great prices, the campaign will bring even more success to properties in these destinations.

Says Daryl Lee, GTA’s Vice President of Sales for Asia: “Still going strong after our first Asian offices opened in Hong Kong and Japan in 1984, GTA has built unrivalled expertise about the Asian market, its travel trade and travellers. Thanks to teams of locally employed people, we know better than anyone the destinations that travellers most want to enjoy and thousands of travel agents rely on us to get them competitive hotel rates.

That’s the reason we’ve chosen Hong Kong, Singapore and Bali for the first wave of the campaign as these will be the most sought after destinations in Asia for Asian travellers in the coming months. We see enormous growth potential in this part of the world and are planning a lot more activities and promotions as part of our ’30 years in Asia’ campaign. Stay tuned for more destinations later in the year.”

Singapore’s most important Asian source markets last year were South Korea – which saw the most significant year on year growth and more than trebled the number of room nights sold in 2013 – and Indonesia (up 68%). The destination saw room nights’ from its third most popular source market, Hong Kong, increase by 76% last year; the culmination of an average annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31% over the last three years.

Singapore is also benefiting from the improved prosperity of neighbouring ‘Tiger Cub’ economies, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Each brought double digit growth in the number of room nights booked in Singapore in 2013.

Hong Kong continues to benefit from its North Asia hub status, drawing millions to experience the food, culture and shopping. Its most important Asian source markets last year were China – which also saw the most significant growth, rising nearly 60% year on year – as well as South Korea (up 48%) and Taiwan (up 35%). Domestic travel within Hong Kong was also up with room nights rising 40% last year.

Bali’s most important Asian source markets last year were domestic travellers from throughout Indonesia, as well as Hong Kong and Japan. Each of these brought double digit growth in the number of room nights booked. Bookings by Hong Kong travellers grew by an average of 44% a year (CAGR) over the last three years. Most significant growth in 2013, however, came from China: up nearly 80% year on year.