Malaysian trade upbeat about AirAsia X’s flights to Okinawa

From left: AirAsia X’s Fam Ee Lee and Benyamin Ismail; Okinawa Prefecture’s governor Denny Tamaki; AirAsia X’s Rafidah Aziz; Malaysia’s deputy minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Muhammad Bakhtiar bin Wan Chik; Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Norihiro Mejima, flanked by cabin crew, at the launch of Air Asia X’s new Kuala Lumpur-Okinawa service

AirAsia X’s launch of four-times-weekly services connecting Kuala Lumpur and Okinawa via Taipei is expected to boost demand for the destination, and outbound agents are planning to release more packages and promotions.

Vic-Aire Holiday managing director, Hazel Sian, shared: “We will develop more itineraries (around Okinawa) as we expect the destination to see higher demand with the new flights and cheaper airfares. Airfares play an important role in determining demand.”

Likewise, Jasmine Lee, operation executive at Golden Tourworld Travel, said that the company plans to step up promotions on Okinawa with the launch of the new flights. “In the past, demand to Okinawa has not been so good,” she said.

Guests travelling on AirAsia X’s new Kuala Lumpur-Okinawa route are not required to obtain a visa during their hour-long stopover in Taipei and may return to their seats after clearing a quick security check of their carry-on bags and inflight belongings.

AirAsia has also partnered Malaysia’s Berjaya Hotels & Resorts to promote travel to Okinawa, following the hotel group’s recent launch of Ansa Okinawa Resort, a 123-room property located in Uruma City.

-TTG Asia.