Asian Trails views a bright 2024

Jan 26, 2024

We are already well into 2024 and I hope that all my readers have had a good start to the year. May I wish you all a successful and prosperous year.

Asian Trails is eagerly anticipating an exciting 2024 – all of our destinations are experiencing higher arrival numbers compared to 2023, and if I may say so, I believe Asia will witness the most positive tourism developments this year.

We are well geared to looking after our clients with personal care, meticulous detail and providing that extra touch which makes all the difference between a good trip and a great journey.

In this first CEO Story of 2024, I would like to share with you some of the key priorities we have set for ourselves this year:

People – Our staff are our top priority! We will be celebrating our 25th anniversary this year and we are proud that so many of our employees have been with us since our launch on 9/9/1999. Over half of our colleagues are due to celebrate 10 years or more with Asian Trails. Our philosophy has always been that if we take care of our staff, they will take care of our clients. Our customers can count on our staff’s hands-on, professional and flexible approach, enabling them to achieve their objectives.

Product development – Product development and selling products that cater to the specific requirements of individual source markets is a high priority for us. Additionally, we are shifting gears this year and will launch the largest number of excursions and tours that we have ever introduced in a single year. Our products do not just come off the shelves, they are individually tailored to market and client demand.

Sustainability – We have a distinct strategy for launching new sustainable products within our ESTEEM principles, as our readers have noticed over the years. Our objective is also to enhance the sustainability of our existing tours and excursions within the means available at each destination. Positive sustainability developments are in place at most of our destinations and we want to integrate these into our tours and excursions as much as possible. Read more about our approach to sustainable and responsible travel here.

Online bookings – Our online booking platform, eConnect, has made a name for itself in the industry and has efficiently processed a tremendous number of online bookings since its launch in November 2022. We are already connected to a multitude of hotels and will grow our connectivity partners with an even larger offering, including more inventory and highly competitive prices. We offer static and dynamic rates not only for hotels, but also for transfers, excursions and tours, with all services immediately confirmed. Our dedicated customer service teams ensure that customers receive full support as soon as they arrive at their destination. At Asian Trails you talk to people, not robots!

API connectivity – We offer OTAs, tour operators and other players in the industry direct connectivity to our system and connectivity also through aggregator platforms such as TravelgateX or Juniper. This enables users to access our own static and dynamic rates, plus third-party content. APIs are not limited to hotels; they are also available for transfers, tours and excursions, thereby offering our partners a one-stop solution for all products at all of our destinations. We will be adding new partners to our system throughout the year and working on several direct connectivity projects with key clients.

These are some of our key priorities for 2024 and we look forward to enhanced collaboration hand in hand with our clients and suppliers so we can collectively make 2024 a huge success.

Laurent Kuenzle
Chief Executive Officer, Asian Trails

INCLUSIONS

A full day tour with a professional English-speaking guide. Other languages are on request and may be subject to supplementary charges
Transportation by car / mini-van with professional driver.
All entrance and donation fees for visits as mentioned in the description.
All applicable taxes and service charges
Lunch at a local restaurant is included (food only)

EXCLUSIONS

Tours, inclusions of any kind and other services that are not outlined in the tour description
Personal expenses such as meals, drinks, tips and gratuities, shopping, portage fees and optional tours, unless otherwise stated
Hotel accommodation in the destination of commencement.
Compulsory Christmas, country-specific festival and/or New Year dinner at included hotels
Single supplement charges for single travelers, where applicable
Any airline tickets, visa fees, additional transportation cost from and to the general meeting point
Supplements for transfers for customers arriving or departing from any airport or resorts located outside the general pick-up and drop-off locations
Hotel expenses of a personal nature, should an overnight be included: this includes mini-bar consumption, laundry, room service, any telephone or other communication cost not mentioned in the program
Travel insurance coverage for customers (highly recommendable)

GOOD TO KNOW

This tour is operated on full private basis with English-speaking guide. Other languages are on request / subject to availability and supplementary charges may apply.
Transfers are only operated within the downtown Chiang Mai areas and restricted to main hotels only.
Regions outside the central business district such as Mae Rim, Hang Dong, Doi Saket, Mae Taeng and Chiang Mai International Airport are excluded and supplementary charges apply.
We regret that are unable to provide pick-up and drop-off transfer services from and to apartment complexes, local guest houses or private apartments. We advise you kindly to head on your own arrangement to the nearest hotel inside the downtown Chiang Mai area.
We will do all possible to comply with any dietary requirements during this excursion; it may not always be possible to confirm your wishes in advance based on the choice of local restaurant.
Due to the nature of this tour, we regret to inform you that this excursion is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Guests are advised that some walking is required during this excursion; we always ensure that we take the most comfortable ways from the entrance of the sight to the sight itself.
The road up and down Doi Angkhang is not suitable for large coaches; for group travel, note that the group needs to be split up into mini-vans. We always will make efforts to confirm the exact pick-up time upon reservation.
For any operational issues in which are not able to confirm the exact pick-up time in advance, we reserve the right to inform you the day before the departure of the tour.
Due to the absence of ATM machines and credit cards payment portals, we highly recommend to bring sufficient cash with you. Please ensure that you bring sunglasses, a hat /cap and sunblock with a high SPF factor when traveling with us on this tour – even when it is cloudy, the sunrays still have an immense power.
We reserve the right to make necessary changes to the excursion in case of unfavourable weather conditions or situations where we are forced to make alterations to guarantee the safety of our guests.
It is recommendable to bring a jacket / sweater with you as temperatures on Doi Angkhang are often much cooler than around Chiang Mai.
It is the responsibility of the customer to provide us with the correct hotel information, should pick-up and drop-off services be included in the package.
Any changes in accommodation outside 48 hours will be handled accordingly: changes within 48 hours may be on request.

Asian Trails views a bright 2024

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