Yeoh Soo Hin has been appointed as the pre-opening general manager of 8 Conlay Kempinski Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
He was previously the vice president of finance for Kempinski Asia.
Set to open in 2021 with 260 rooms and 300 suites, the hotel is part of 8 Conlay, an integrated development by lifestyle property developer KSK Land, located between the KLCC area and Golden Triangle. It is currently under construction and will have a four-storey lifestyle retail podium, as well as two towers of branded serviced residences called YOO8 serviced by Kempinski.
Myanmar's temple city Bagan awarded UNESCO World Heritage status
Myanmar’s ancient capital of Bagan and India’s fortified city of Jaipur are among the Asian landmarks that are now recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites, declared the 43rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Bagan’s inscription comes nearly a quarter of a century after the temples complex was first nominated for listing, Reuters reported.
Myanmar’s temple city Bagan awarded UNESCO World Heritage status
The decision recognises the heritage significance of the site – which includes more than 3,500 stupas, temples, monasteries and other structures built between the 11th and 13th centuries.
Bagan had first been nominated as a World Heritage Site in 1995, but this was later rejected as the military junta in power then was accused of ignoring experts’ advice on restoration efforts, according to the Reuters article.
Myanmar renewed efforts to list the site since a transition from military rule began in 2011.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites recommended the listing, noting that Myanmar had adopted a new heritage law and had formed plans to reduce the impact of hotels and tourism developments around the temple.
With its successful inscription, Jaipur – also known as the Pink City – is now the second Indian city to be featured on the prestigious list after old Ahmedabad.
Founded in the 18th century by Sawai Jai Singh II, the fortified commercial city Jaipur was built according to a grid plan and was painted uniformly in a distinctive terracotta hue.
Other Asian sites added to the UNESCO world heritage list include the Dutch colonial-era Ombilin coal mining heritage site of Sawahlunto in Indonesia, the Mozu-Furuichi group of ancient mounded tombs in Japan,the Plain of Jars in Laos, and the archeological ruins of Liangzhu city in China.
Sagada in the Philippines’ Mountain Province has started implementing new rules, including placing a cap on the number of tourists per site, to avert a possible repeat of the overcrowding crisis experienced during the most recent peak season (from October till April).
Tourists are now required to get complimentary ticket stubs at the entrance of Marlboro Hill, popular for sunrise viewings, in order for the cap of 500 visitors a day to be observed. Past the 500 mark, visitors will be asked to return another day or be diverted to other sites with equally spectacular sunrise views.
Tourists visiting the hanging coffins in Echo Valley
In addition, only select organised tours with registered guides are allowed at all sites. And at Echo Valley and Sumaging Cave, now being promoted as walking tour areas, vehicles are prohibited.
“We still want to establish a more organised tour,” explained Jovita Ganongan, chief tourism operations officer and officer in charge of the Cordillera Administrative Region, where Sagada belongs.
Ganongan told TTG Asia that the local government unit has already issued an order to set up the carrying capacity of every tourism site in Sagada, adding that the Department of Tourism (DoT) is assisting in the implementation.
She said that the caves for which Sagada is also known already have existing management plans limiting the ratio of tour guides: tourists to 1:10. Besides, only three tourists are allowed inside a cave at any one point.
She is pleased that the local government unit is “very responsive” to promote Sagada as an ecotourism destination, protecting the environment and preserving its cultural and heritage sites.
Already popular among European tourists and now gaining traction among tourists from Israel, India and South-east Asia, Sagada is known for its hanging coffins, caves, waterfalls, trails and bucolic scenery.
The destination attracted even more domestic tourists when its Kiltepan Peak was featured in the Filipino rom-com That Thing Called Tadhana, according to Gigi Jamiro, inbound operations manager, Blue Horizons Travel and Tours. Sunrise viewers had flocked to Kiltepan Peak, which remains closed following a fire that engulfed two buildings in November last year.
Jamiro added: “Better road conditions have led to greater ease and comfort in travel, while the increase in the number of public transport connections makes it easier to combine the two main destinations in the Mountain Province – Sagada and Banaue.”
Sagada is also combined with Banaue rice terraces in Ifugao, Baguio, and emerging tourism sites like Kalinga, Apayao and Benguet, which boasts Mount Pulag and new attractions like vegetable and flower gardens.
Travel consultants are supportive of the new tourism rules in Sagada.
Agreeing, Aboex Travel and Tours account executive Joseph Cortez said there’s a real need to start instilling discipline among tourists lest the destination suffers in future.
The advent of NDC may help airlines unlock a bigger customer base for their premium products – a segment that has fallen behind in a metasearch realm dominated by the lowest-fare-first approach, say industry names.
To secure mass demand, the majority of online travel aggregators and agencies are focused on pushing out the lowest air fares, offering little to no visibility for premium bundles.
NDC to open opportunities for premium fares
This discrepancy has done a “tragic” disservice to airlines and the sizeable segment of customers that actually would pay for premium seats and services, said Jeff Lobl, managing director of global distribution for Delta Air Lines, at the recent STX 2019 in Las Vegas.
He lamented: “We know there are customers who prefer premium products – we see overwhelming numbers on our direct channels – but 99 per cent of agencies are dominated by the practice of showing the lowest fare first.
“But customers don’t always want that. The lowest fare is no longer as attractive a product as before, and offers can now be personalised and exciting. But if these cannot be displayed properly and customers can’t see it, then they’re not buying.”
This is set to change with technology players such as Sabre churning out NDC-enabled application programme interfaces (APIs) that are becoming more adopted and user-friendly.
These APIs will allow indirect booking channels, such as travel agencies, to suggest and sell customised and complex flight bundles to consumers more easily and dynamically.
Sundar Narasimhan, senior vice president, Sabre Labs and product strategy, shared that there is currently a gap between the expectations of agencies and that of customers.
For example, while Sabre’s agency clientele holds expectations of dynamic retailing that are limited to the Digital Workspace and Sabre Red 360 solutions, customers have even higher expectations of “friction-free” smart shopping.
“We should be rethinking the way shopping ought to work, especially since it’s going to be more complicated with multiple itineraries, fares, ancillaries and other travel-related content coming up,” said Narasimhan.
“Our vision is to move towards offer management, leaning into intelligent advanced retailing. That’s our big target by 2025, and we’re already taking concrete steps now with the SynXis Intelligent Retailing tool.”
Travellers are moving beyond using their mobile devices for trip planning and inspiration, to now also making bookings on the go, according to Expedia.
Travellers in particular Asian countries are showing high willingness to make bookings on mobile, with India, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in the top five, a recent study conducted by Northstar Research Partners on behalf of Expedia found.
More and more travel bookings are being made on mobile devices today
In Thailand for example, of the 600 respondents surveyed, 67% said that they are extremely likely to book their flight tickets on a mobile device, 18% are somewhat likely and 15% least or not likely to do so.
When it comes to hotel bookings, 70% of the respondents indicated that they are likely to book their hotel using a mobile device, 18% are somewhat likely and 12% least or not likely to do so.
Moreover, Expedia said that approximately one in three global hotel room nights are booked via mobile. More than 50% of global traffic on Expedia Group sites are via mobile devices.
Expedia also cited new market research by AppsFlyer that showed that mobile users in Asia-Pacific will account for 50% of global app installs by 2020 – three times more than in any other region.
While growth is forecasted to gradually decrease as the market matures, Expedia expects it will be sustained by “substantial increment in media costs and mobile usage, as well as the overall number of paid campaigns, apps available, and mobile users”.
“The mobile booking findings from the study is an indication that our travellers are looking for speed, travel choices and mobile savings when they plan and book for travel. We continue to work on the areas that need improvement to knock down the barriers to travel,” said Lavinia Rajaram, APAC head of communications, Brand Expedia.
Centara Sandy Beach Resort Danang, the first property of the group in Vietnam
Thai hotel operator Centara Hotels & Resorts is planning a significant expansion of its portfolio in Vietnam, with the goal of opening at least 20 new hotels across the country in the next five years.
The hotel company already manages the Centara Sandy Beach Resort Danang, while its parent company and Thai conglomerate Central Group operates a range of retail brands across Vietnam, including GO! (formerly BigC Vietnam), LanChi Mart, B2S, Robins, SuperSports, Home Mart and Nguyen Kim.
Centara Sandy Beach Resort Danang, the first property of the group in Vietnam
Targeting a fast expansion of its hotel portfolio in Vietnam, Centara is eyeing destinations in the country’s main economic hubs such as Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Hanoi and Haiphong, and other high-growth areas like Danang, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh and Hoi An.
It also sees strong potential in the southern coastal areas of Vung Tau, Ho Tram and Mui Ne, due to new road infrastructure connecting the region with HCMC and the development of a major new airport in nearby Dong Nai province.
Centara says there are opportunities to expand all six of its brands in Vietnam, namely Centara Grand, Centara, Centara Residences & Suites, Centara Boutique Collection, Centra by Centara and its latest concept, Cosi, for freedom-loving and tech-savvy travellers.
Commenting on the potentials in the country, Thirayuth Chirathivat, CEO, Centara Hotels & Resorts, said: “Vietnam’s tourism industry enjoyed a great year in 2018 and we expect this to continue for many years to come. Boosted by booming intra-Asian travel, more relaxed visa policies and impressive improvements to transport infrastructure, the country is already well on track towards another record-breaking tourism year in 2019.”
International visitor arrivals to Vietnam reached a record total of 15.5 million in 2018, the majority of which came from Asia, a region where Centara feels it has strong recall. This upward surge is continuing in 2019; data from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) reveals that almost six million overseas travellers visited the country in the first four months of this year.
Positive tourism trends are driving demand for new hotels and resorts. Recent data from industry analysts STR shows that over 23,000 new hotel rooms are currently being constructed in Vietnam.
Centara’s focus on Vietnam will form an important part of its global strategic vision, which includes the overall goal of doubling its total hotel portfolio by 2022. At present, the company has 71 hotels and resorts either operating or in the pipeline worldwide, comprising over 13,000 rooms. It has hotels and resorts in South-east Asia (including Thailand, Laos and Vietnam), the Middle East, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
International traffic demand is showing signs of slowing growth amid slumping global trade and rising trade tensions, with US-China trade tensions weighing on the Asia-Pacific region in particular, according to IATA’s latest data.
IATA’s global passenger traffic results for May showing that demand (measured in RPKs) rose 4.5% compared to the same month in 2018. This was in line with the revised April traffic growth of 4.4% and above the recent trough of 3.1% year-on-year growth recorded in March.
International passenger demand stays solid but trend has slowed
However, it remains below the 20-year average growth rate of around 5.5%. Capacity (available seat kilometres or ASKs) climbed by a modest 2.7% and load factor rose 1.4 percentage points to 81.5%, surpassing last year’s record load factor of 80.1%.
“Passenger demand growth has slowed compared to the past two years. This is in line with slumping global trade, rising trade tensions and weakening business confidence. In this challenging environment, airlines are managing capacity carefully in order to optimise efficiency,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO.
Asia-Pacific airlines saw their traffic rise 4.0% in May compared to the year-ago period, an improvement over the 2.9% increase in April. Capacity increased 3.0%, and load factor edged up 0.8 percentage point to 78.6%.
This is the second consecutive monthly increase in demand, but IATA notes that this still represents a soft outcome in a region that in recent years regularly saw double-digit growth rates. US-China trade tensions continue to weigh upon growth in the region.
Overall, international traffic demand rose 4.3% in May over the year-ago period, which was down from 5.1% growth in April. All regions recorded growth, led by airlines in Latin America. Total capacity climbed 2.1%, with load factor jumping 1.7 percentage points to 80.4%.
European carriers’ May demand climbed 5.4% over May 2018, a deterioration from the 7.7% year-over-year growth recorded in April. Capacity rose 4.6% and load factor was up 0.7 percentage point to 84.2%, which was the highest among regions. Most of the region’s growth, however, occurred in the first half of 2018, with demand moving broadly sideways since then.
Middle East carriers’ May demand growth decelerated to 0.8% compared to a year ago, from 3.3% annual growth recorded in April. This partly reflects the impact of the structural changes that are underway in the industry in the region. May capacity plunged 6.1%, and load factor soared 5 percentage points to 73.0%.
North American airlines’ traffic rose 4.8% in May compared to May 2018, a slowdown from 5.6% annual growth in April. Capacity climbed 2.7% and load factor strengthened 1.7 percentage points to 83.6%. The comparatively strong US domestic economy, and US dollar is helping to offset any trade-related softening in international travel.
Latin American airlines experienced a strong 6.7% increase in traffic in May compared to the same month last year, which was well up from 5.1% growth in April. Passenger demand is currently holding up well, despite a challenging economic backdrop in a number of countries. Capacity climbed 4.0% and load factor jumped 2.1 percentage points to 84.0%, second highest among the regions.
African airlines posted a 2.1% traffic rise in May compared to the year-ago period, which was up from just 1.1% growth in April. Capacity climbed 0.1% and load factor increased 1.3 percentage points to 67.0%. Traffic between Africa and Europe continues to expand strongly, but economic growth in South Africa – a key regional economy and air transport market– contracted sharply in the first quarter and this is adversely impacting air passenger demand.
Meanwhile, domestic traffic increased 4.8% in May compared to May 2018, well above the 3% year-over-year rise recorded in April. Russia was the only market to see double-digit demand growth. Domestic capacity rose 3.8% and load factor climbed 0.8 percentage point to 83.4%.
Russia’s domestic traffic rose 10.6% year-over-year, which is up slightly from the 10.4% year-over-year growth recorded for April. Russia continues to benefit from favorable economic conditions and lower airfares.
Japan’s domestic traffic rose 6.6% in May, up from 4.1% growth in April and the strongest performance since summer 2017. Fare stimulation, combined with robust economic growth, contributed to the result.
“While aviation is the business of freedom, connecting people and trade and creating new opportunities for growth and development. But to be effective, the business of freedom relies on borders that are open to the movement of people and goods—and aircraft. In recent weeks, we have seen extensive airspace closures owing to political tensions. These closures have contributed to longer and less efficient routings, higher operating costs and increased carbon emissions. Without any compromise on safety, it is vital that governments work to minimise airspace closures so that the Business of Freedom can continue to deliver its benefits as efficiently as possible,” said de Juniac.
Accor has embarked on a five-year partnership with community partners in Singapore to create long-term employment opportunities for persons with special needs.
Named From the Heart, the partnership with Singapore’s Community Chest and the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) will see the hotel giant’s staff across Singapore raise funds and volunteer hours to provide hospitality training to people with special needs, with the goal to create long-term, meaningful employment opportunities within the group for graduates of the college.
Accor partners with APSN to create job opportunities for persons with special needs
“Beyond our commitment to supporting the students throughout their education, we will endeavour to provide inclusive employment opportunities within our network in Singapore,” Garth Simmons, COO, Accor Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and South Asia, said. “The project is aligned with our commitment to diversity and inclusion and our dedication to combating all forms of workplace discrimination.”
“We already have some APSN graduates employed within our hotels and we look forward to having even more in our teams,” he said.
The collaboration will last five years, which Accor hopes will help create a more significant impact in the community by allowing graduates time to work through the programme and find potential placements within the group’s network.
Christopher Tay, CEO of APSN said: “This joint partnership not only serves as a platform to empower persons with special needs for independence, but through the various initiatives, brings industry partners closer to the community by creating awareness and understanding. With more opportunities and increased interaction, the keen abilities and contributions of our beneficiaries will shine through as we work towards an inclusive society.”
APSN is a non-profit association focused on developing individuals with special needs and enabling them to lead dignified, fulfilling and independent lives. The Association prepares beneficiaries for employment and success via education and vocational training initiatives from their early years up into adulthood.
Community Chest, a non-profit organisation, which channels resources to the social service sector, will enable the collaboration from a fund-raising and engagement perspective.
“By creating such synergies, we can build an inclusive workforce that thrives on diverse abilities,” said Phillip Tan, chairman of Community Chest.
With Accor From The Heart, the group strives to ensure that persons with disabilities in Singapore continue to receive the education that they need. The name of the programme comes from the fact that Accor sees all of its employees as ‘Heartists’ – masters of the art of hospitality who serve from the heart, with curiosity and inventiveness.
From left: Hotel Okura's Toshihiro Ogita and AEON Corporation's Roman Trotsenko
Russia-headquartered AEON Corporation and Japanese hospitality chain Hotel Okura have signed an agreement to build a hotel on the south side of Sheremetyevo, Moscow’s largest airport.
The new property, which marks Hotel Okura’s entry into the Russian market, is set to open in 2022 on a seven-hectare site.
From left: Hotel Okura’s Toshihiro Ogita and AEON Corporation’s Roman Trotsenko
The seven-storey hotel will boast around 300 guestrooms, with sizes starting from 35m2. Facilities on-site will include all-day dining, banqueting and meeting rooms, and a spa with the traditional Japanese onsens.
The company will decide on the hotel brand and name at a later date.
Sheremetyevo International Airport is located approximately 25km to the north-west of Moscow.
With Thailand maturing past its image as an inexpensive destination, hospitality players are increasingly competing on service standards rather than price, although some continue to be encumbered by a talent shortage in the industry.
Thailand’s maturity as a destination has recently been accompanied by large-scale efforts to polish its image, including rebranding Pattaya from an entertainment town to a family-friendly destination, repositioning Hua Hin to a world-class beach resort, and anchoring Chiang Mai as a new gateway for FITs from China.
Thailand’s constantly expanding luxury travel operators continue to face manpower shortages (pictured: Moon Bar, Banyan Tree Bangkok)
Previously seen as an affordable destination, Thailand last year came in fourth in WTTC’s ranking of countries by tourism receipts.
Against this backdrop, travel service providers are finding that price competitiveness alone is not sufficient to vie for quality business. Instead, more are prioritising compelling branding, innovation and enhanced service standards in order to stand out in the destination’s ever-growing hotel supply.
Edouard Demptos, general manager of Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, observed that more guests are looking for elevated experiences rather than discounts.
“At the same time, they are seeking memories and experiences, health and wellness, as well as dining with a social responsibility aspect,” he continued.
In order to capture the higher-end segment, the hotel is paying special attention to guests’ individual preference through recent service enhancements.
“For instance, Hyatt created a new luxury travel advisor programme, Hyatt Privé, designed for invited clients only. These guests get access to personal connections, local recommendations and exclusive promotions at Hyatt’s luxury, lifestyle and resort hotels.”
Patrick Basset, COO for upper Southeast and Northeast Asia at Accor, said Thailand has built up a strong heritage in hospitality as well as convenient access via strong regional flight connections.
“(Over the years) Thailand has transformed to offer an extensive collection of high-end products and services as luxury travellers seek experiences that are authentic and tailored to their personal needs.”
“If we do this (offer authentic, tailored expereinces) successfully, then there is an immense feeling of discovery for guests. They are more likely to go home and pass on their stories,” Basset remarked.
Overall, the travel industry is becoming much more adept in boosting guest satisfaction, he observed.
On the east coast of Thailand, Pattaya is expected to benefit from the Eastern Economic Corridor and expanded U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport.
Similar to Bangkok, luxury supply is growing alongside a focus on elevated services.
Kasemsak Bhamornsatit, owner of Trikaya Cultural & Academic Travel Services, said what is important now is to raise professionalisation among service providers, especially when it comes to personalisation.
He further cautioned that price wars, common in the destination before its image was spruced up, will inhibit the destination’s success.
The boutique travel operator has set its eyes firmly on quality over quantity. In most cases, the company will check in with customers and tailor packages based on their interests and preferences. The company hires only certified and experienced guides and they must be able to assist clients and respond to enquiries round the clock.
Trikaya Cultural & Academic Travel Services also derives business entirely from overseas travellers, mostly from North America, Singapore, the Philippines and China, Kasemsak said.
As new standards emerge when it comes to service and marketing, manpower may be a growing concern in the destination.
Chooleng Goh, general manager of the Athenee Hotel Bangkok, said Thailand continues to be a top-of-mind choice for both leisure and business travellers.
New hotels may be opening in Bangkok every month, but growing supply has posed “no problem” to demand, Goh said. The major difficulty hotels are facing, according to Goh, is talent shortage.
“Like many other hotels, we find it hard to (hire and retain) talented people,” she said, adding that new properties tend to poach manpower from more established hotels.
Moreover, employing front-office staff such as chamber maids and cleaners is no easy task “because local people don’t want to work such jobs despite them paying more compared to other jobs”, according to Goh.
To retain talents within the group, relocation options are made available to staff who are willing to transfer to different Luxury Collection (a Marriott brand) properties. Moving within the group is better than losing talent altogether, Goh stressed.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported that 38 million foreigners travelled into Thailand in 2018, with the number expected to climb to 41 million this year.
The sector generated direct and indirect income of up to 19 per cent of the country’s GDP – representing the largest portion alongside export and agriculture.
