Jakarta-bound AirAsia targets Asean potential
Malaysia-based budget carrier AirAsia is setting up a strategic planning centre in Jakarta to position itself as the airline for the Asean region.
Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia, is expected to move to the new base.
The Jakarta base will also help it lobby the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations, whose secretariat is in the Indonesian capital.
"Shifting AirAsia’s emphasis to a regional strategy is, we believe, not just good business, but also a move that will keep us ahead of the inevitable competition that is heading our way," Fernandes said in a statement. ‘¨’¨
"While others focus largely on trying to gain market share in domestic markets, we seek to expand our footprint throughout the region.
"After all, no single domestic market in ASEAN, not even Indonesia, can match the potential of a regional ASEAN market of 600 million people and a combined East Asian market of two billion," Fernandes added.
Group headquarters will remain in Malaysia, officials confirmed. ‘¨’¨ ‘¨’¨The group now includes six airlines — AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia Thailand, AirAsia Indonesia, Philippines’ AirAsia, AirAsia Japan and AirAsia X — serving 80 destinations with more than 100 Airbus A320s.
AirAsia Indonesia is planning to list on the Jakarta Stock Exchange by the end of 2012, and Fernandes said the company was looking to form five more joint ventures with regional airlines over the next two years. Ԭլ
Ԭլ
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025