Additional flights and additional seats

Vietjet has recently added nearly 750 flights, providing 154,800 additional seats to serve rising demand during the peak travel period around the region. This capacity boost primarily focuses on services departing from Vietnam’s largest city of Ho Chi Minh, catering to travellers going home for the holidays in the Northern and Central provinces such as Hanoi, Tuy Hoa (Phu Yen), Chu Lai (Quang Nam), Dong Hoi (Quang Binh), Quy Nhon (Binh Dinh), Da Nang, Hue, Vinh (Nghe An), Thanh Hoa, and Hai Phong. 

This increased flight capacity will also cater to the increasing travel demand to and from Vietnam’s top tourist destinations, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Phu Quoc, Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Da Lat. International travel is expected to peak during this time as travellers make use of their long holidays in Vietnam, China, South Korea, and Singapore. The surge in international travel during Chinese Lunar New Year period is notable, as travellers ride on their extended Lunar New Year holiday break in Vietnam, Malaysia, China, South Korea, and Singapore for spring travels.

Expanded International Flight Network

Vietjet has proactively expanded its international flight network in the last two months, they have added destinations like Shanghai, Vientiane, Siem Reap (Cambodia), Busan (South Korea), Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide (Australia). Singaporeans can now enjoy a journey to Vietnam and experience the culture and festivities in destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi before continuing the next leg of their journey to the multiple destinations offered by Vietjet. Furthermore, on the first day of the Lunar New Year (10 February 2024), Vietjet will also commence the direct service linking Ho Chi Minh City with Chengdu in China. These new destinations diversify options for Vietnamese, Singaporean, Malaysian and other international travellers. 

Remarkable Growth for Vietjet in 2023

 In 2023, Vietjet experienced remarkable growth, operating 133,000 flights and catering to 25.3 million passengers onboard (excluding Vietjet Thailand), reflecting a significant Year-on-Year (YoY) surge of 183%. Of these passengers, more than 7.6 million travelled on international flights. The airline also continued to expand its flight network, introducing 33 new international and domestic routes, bringing the total number of routes to 125, including 80 international and 45 domestic routes. 

* Information and pictures courtesy of Vietjet, Rothman & Roman (Singapore) and GO Communications (Malaysia) *

The post Vietjet expands fleet capacity for increasing travel demand during Chinese Lunar New Year Holidays appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

What are the exciting programmes and activities taking place at SYSNMH during Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2024? Let me share more information below:

Prosperity All Year LONG (Supported by local toy designer and artist Ziqi)

• Date: 16 January – 25 February 2024
• Time: 10am – 7pm daily (Last admission at 6:50pm)
• Admission: Free

One of the widely practised and cherished customs by the Chinese community worldwide associated with Chinese Lunar New Year is putting up bright and colourful festive decorations at home and at the workplace to usher in the Lunar New Year. At SYSNMH, they are honouring this cherished tradition by decorating its building and compound with auspicious decorations and plants, as well as its annual lawn installation. When you visit SYSNMH, you can’t miss the big, cute, adorable and colourful Mononoke Dinos! 

Titled “Prosperity All Year LONG”, this year’s lawn installation is a collaboration between SYSNMH and local toy designer and artist Ziqi. This features the designer’s popular character, Dino, reimagined and redesigned in a collaboration with Japanese artist Yasu (EBINEKOYA).

The Monooke Dinos are dressed in auspicious colours, red and orange! They are a modern interpretation of the mythical dragon, and as with dragons, they symbolise success, strength, nobility, abundance and good luck! Moreover, the presence of twin dragons represents a “doubling” of opportunities and good fortune in the year ahead.

Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration 2024 at Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall

Chinese Lunar New Year 2024 falls on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 February. Come on down to SYSNMH and enjoy Lunar New Year Celebration festivities! 

Auspicious Lion & Dragon Dance Performance

• Date: 10 February 2024
• Time: 10am – 11am
• Admission: Free

God of Fortune Visit

• Date: 10 February 2024
• Time: 10am – 12am
• Admission: Free

Lunar New Year Admission

• Date: 10  & 11 February 2024
• Time: 10am – 5pm (Last admission at 4:30pm)
• Admission: Free

Wan Qing Festival of Spring Open House

• Date: 17 & 18 February 2024
• Time: 10am – 7pm
• Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
• Admission: Free admission with some ticketed activities 

Workshops

Dragon’s Beard Candy Making Workshop 

• Date: 17 February 2024 
• Time: 10.30am – 11.30am
• Admission: $12 per pax

Parent-Child Mythical Creatures Bag Making Workshop (Supported by A2+rt Studio) 

• Date: 17 February 2024 
• Time: 1pm – 2.30pm 
• Admission: $24 per parent-child pair 

Dragon Lantern Making Workshop (Supported by traditional craftsman, Jimm Wong)

• Date: 18 February 2024 
• Time: 10am – 12.30pm 
• Admission: $18 per pax 

Children Lion Dance Workshop (Supported by Martial House)

• Date: 17 February 2024 
• Time: 3.30pm – 4.30pm, 4.30pm – 5.30pm 
• Admission: $12 per pax 

Children Festive Chinese Drums Workshop (Supported by Martial House)

• Date: 18 February 2024 
• Time: 3.30pm – 4.30pm, 4.30pm – 5.30pm 
• Admission: $12 per pax 

Purchase tickets for the above workshops via https://wanqingyuan.peatix.com 

Free Activities 

Storytelling Sessions: Tales of Lunar New Year Festival (Supported by Speak Good English Movement and Speak Mandarin Campaign) 

• Date: 17 February 2024 (Mandarin), 18 February 2024 (English) 
• Time: 11.30am – 12.30pm, 2pm – 3pm 
• Admission: Free 

Drop-in Craft Station: Lunar New Year Festival Inspired Crafts (Supported by River Valley High School) 

• Date: 17 & 18 February 2024 
• Time: 10.30am – 6.30pm 
• Admission: Free 

Drop-in Craft Station: Chinese Calligraphy Try-Out 

• Date: 17 & 18 February 2024 
• Time: 10.30am – 6.30pm 
• Admission: Free 

Drop-in Activity Station: CNY Mini Games 

• Date: 17 & 18 February 2024 
• Time: 10.30am – 6.30pm 
• Admission: Free 

Live on the Lawn: Hakka Qilin Dance by Yan Wong Cultural Troupe Singapore 

• Date: 18 February 2024 
• Time: 1.45pm – 2pm 
• Admission: Free 

Live on the Lawn: Lunar New Year Family Fun Contest 

• Date: 17 & 18 February 2024 
• Time: 2.30pm – 3.30pm 
• Admission: Free 

Live on the Lawn: SCO goes to Wan Qing Yuan (In collaboration with Singapore Chinese Orchestra) 

• Date: 17 February 2024 
• Time: 5.30pm – 6.30pm 
• Admission: Free 

Live on the Lawn: Chinese Wind & Percussion Music by Reverberance (Supported by Reverberance) 

• Date: 18 February 2024 
• Time: 5.30pm – 6.30pm 
• Admission: Free 

Festive Snacks, Mandarin Oranges & Tea Tasting 

• Date: 17 & 18 February 2024 
• Time: 10.30am – 6.30pm 
• Admission: Free, limited quantities available. 

Let’s Celebrate with Uncle Ting: Lunar New Year Activity Kit 

• Date: 17 & 18 February 2024 
• Time: 10am – 7pm 

Guided Tours & Trails

Touring Temples: In Search of Dragons and other Mythical Creatures 

• Date: 17 February 2024 
• Time: 10am – 1pm 
• Admission: $20 per pax

Balestier Heritage Food Trail 

• Date: 17 February 2024 
• Time: 10.30am – 11.30am 
• Admission: $12 per pax 

Permanent Galleries Guided Tour 

• Date: 17 & 18 February 2024 
• Time: 2.30pm – 3.30pm (Mandarin), 3pm – 4pm (English)
• Admission: Free; limited spaces available. 

Purchase tickets for the above workshops via https://wanqingyuan.peatix.com

Festive Giveaway 

Lunar New Year Hongbao Giveaway (Supported by National Heritage Board)

• Date: From 12 January 2024 onwards
• Time: 10am – 5pm (closed on Mondays)

If you are keen to get hold of the limited edition SYSNMH hongbao for free, simply visit the Memorial Hall, follow the SYSNMH Facebook or Instagram page, and verify at the visitor services counter from 12 January 2024 onwards. Limited to the first 50 visitors per day (1 pack per person) and available whilst stocks last! 

Visit https://go.gov.sg/MRHongbao2024 for more information about the MR Lunar New Year Hongbao campaign 2024. 

For more information and updates about Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2024, please visit SYSNMH’s website (https://www.sysnmh.org.sg/en) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/sysnmh) throughout the festival period.

Wishing all a Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 2024 in advance! May the Year of the Dragon 2024 be a year of great health, wealth and prosperity for you and your family! 

The post Celebrate Year of Dragon at Wan Qing Festival of Spring 2024! appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

I want to collect the NHB Museum Roundtable Hongbao, how should I go about doing it?

From 12th January to 9th February 2024, visitors can collect a set of exclusive red packets at any of the 43 participating museums, heritage institutions, and galleries. Each visitor is entitled to one set of high red packets from any of the venues, while stocks last.

The Char Yong (Dabu) Association Heritage Hall, a new member of the Museum Roundtable (MR) will also be participating in the campaign for the first time. Four other MR members will also be returning this year, the Republic of Singapore Air Force Museum, the Singapore Navy Museum, the Singapore Maritime Gallery, and the Singapore  Sports Museum. 

Limited Edition Collector’s Box Set

There is a popular limited edition Collector’s Box Set! It’s back again! It comes as a large gift box with its own custom-designed bag. Each box contains 2 complete sets of the 43 red packet designs presenting the participating MR members, as well as en exclusive design from the National Heritage Board, making a total of 88 (Huat ah!) pieces of hongbaos! The red packet designs in the box set also have a distinct orange background and feature dragons with subtle colour differences.

The Collector’s Box Sets are priced at $108 (nett) and will be available for purchase only at the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall. Interested collectors can

1.  pre-register to purchase at a specified time slot on 20th and 21st January 2024, which is encouraged, or
2. walk-in to purchase on a first-come, first-served basis on 27th January 2024. Pre-registration opens on 10th January 2024, 10.00am, at mrhongbao.eventbrite.com.

There will be 450 Collector’s Box Sets available for sale, with the majority reserved for pre-registered sales on 20th and 21st January 2024, and the remainder for walk-in purchases on 27th January 2024. Regardless of the mode of purchase, each member of the public is limited to the purchase of one box set per NRIC number, on a first-come, first-served basis.

I Love Museums’ Facebook Page Giveaways

There are two online giveaways that will be held on the “I Love Museums” Facebook Page (https://www.facebook/com/ILoveMuseums), offering members of the public an opportunity to win the Collector’s Box Set or a set of the red packets.

First giveaway (Between 12th and 22nd January 2024)

The first giveaway will be held between 12th and 22nd January 2024, and will require participants to visit participating venues and take a photograph of themselves with the red packets they collected at the museum. Participants are required to share these photographs in the comments section of the giveaway post and leave a comment on which exhibit/artefact they found interesting during their visit. A total of 10 winners will be selected at random the receive  the Collector’s Box Set.

Second giveaway (Between 30th January and 6th February 2024)

The second giveaway will held between 30th January and 6th February 2024, and requires participants to leave a comment on the “I Love Museums” Facebook Page on their favourite aspect of this year’s Museum Roundtable Hongbao Campaign. There will be 50 winners selected at random to receive a full set of all 43 Museum Roundtable red packets.

Check out the passion and support of hongbao collectors!

At the recent NHB media announcement for the Museum Roundtable Hongbao Campaign 2024, we met passionate hongbao collectors with their hongabo collections, their stories behind their  loyal support for NHB Museum Roundtable Hongbao.

Ms Yap Siew Luan, a red packet collector from Johor Bahru, Malaysia said: “I have been collecting red packets since 2003 and have participated in the Museum Roundtable Lunar New Year Hongbao Campaign since 2015. I first learned about the campaign through friends and have been very fortunate to have also developed long-lasting friendships with other collectors throughout the years. 2024 is also a special year as it is my Zodiac year. While it is a challenge to collect all the different red packets from the various participating museums, I typically aim to collect as many red packets as I can during my short visits to Singapore on weekends.” 

Who’s behind the cute Dragon design for Museum Roundtable Hongbao Campaign 2024?

You saw the cute and unique Dragon designs on the hongbaos for this MR Hongbao Campaign 2024. Who’s the artist/designer behind this? 

Meet Carlos Puentes, 36 year-old designer from Barranquilla, Colombia who has designed and illustrated for many national and international brands and clients, the designer for Museum Roundtable Hongbao Campaign 2024. He said: “Through working on this campaign, I have learnt much more about Singapore’s museum sector and am impressed with its diversity!” (His Instagram account is @cpuentesdesign).

Mr Goh Chour Thong, Director (International and Museum Relations), NHB, said: “NHB has truly enjoyed 10 years of partnering with Museum Roundtable members for the Hongbao Campaign, and working with them to adapt the design of the Chinese zodiac animal for the year to reflect each of their unique characteristics. We are very encouraged that the hongbaos as well as the limited collectors’ editions have continued to be popular with the public and sought after by collectors, and helped grow visitorship and appreciation of the offerings at each of the participating Museum Roundtable members. We certainly hope this year’s hongbaos featuring the cute and versatile dragons designed by Colombian artist Carlos Puentes will be no different!”

For more information on the Museum Roundtable Hongbao Campaign 2024, you can visit the following link: go.gov.sg/MRHongbao2024. 

The post Usher Year of the Dragon 2024 with Cute and Hot Hongbao Designs from Museum Roundtable! appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.