Plunge in Singaporeans visiting M’sia prompts tourism tacticals

January 28, 2019

Woodlands checkpoint — Singaporeans at the Woodlands Checkpoint

After arrivals from Singapore took a tumble last year, Malaysia’s inbound players are stepping up on efforts to turn things around.

In the January to September 2018 period, arrivals from Singapore had dropped by 15.6 per cent year on year to 7.8 million. According to Edzuar Zar Ayob Azari, Tourism Malaysia’s Singapore office director, 97 per cent of Singapore arrivals to Malaysia were by land.

Singaporeans at the Woodlands Checkpoint

Tourism Malaysia is running a tactical campaign with EasyBook.com, a land and sea transportation online booking platform in South-east Asia. The tactical includes special getaway packages and a 15 per cent discount on all bus bookings from Singapore to Malaysia purchased from the EasyBook.com site. The promotion is valid for bookings received up to March 15 for travel up to end March, shared Edzuar Zar.

Edzuar Zar surmised that part of the reason behind the decline was congestion at both checkpoints (Causeway and the Second Link), which deterred overland travel from Singapore to Malaysia in favour of more hassle-free nearby destinations such as Bintan and Batam in Indonesia.

To ease congestion, Tourism Malaysia’s Singapore office has since late last year been informing the immigration department in advance of the Singapore school holiday season and when there are large groups travelling to Malaysia.

On the other hand, at Johor-based New Asia Holiday Tours & Travel, business from Singapore were up last year. Raaj Navaratnaa, general manager, shared: “It is good that Tourism Malaysia is taking measures to arrest the decline. I think it is temporary and the market will recover as Malaysia is a shorthaul destination. On our part, we have segmentised the market and come out with packages for soft adventure, gastronomy tours, sports and the student market. As a result, business from Singapore saw an increase last year.”

To boost overall arrivals into the country, Tourism Malaysia’s Singapore office plans to intensify its B2C marketing campaigns this year and to build closer ties with the local travel trade.

Tourism suppliers in the destination are also doubling down on promotions in Singapore.

For example, Anthony Wong, managing director, Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa, said the drop in Singapore arrivals to Langkawi is partly due to airlines offering attractive promotions to other destinations such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.

“Singaporeans are spoilt for choice. Next week, our hotel sales people are travelling to Singapore to make sales calls as an effort to boost sales.”

He further opined that agents and Tourism Malaysia should refresh their package offerings. “We cannot be selling the same old tours and attractions as we did a decade ago.”

Smart tourism moves up Macau’s 2019 agenda

By Prudence Lui

January 28, 2019

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MGTO_press_con_2019a — MGTO's Cheng Wai Tong, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Ricky Hoi

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) plans to hone in on smart tourism development and tourism quality this year, one of the four work goals outlined at its annual press conference last week.

Other goals include deepening Macau’s development as a Creative City of Gastronomy, attracting more international gourmet events to the city, and greater leverage of the Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road initiative for tourism development.

From left: MGTO’s Cheng Wai Tong, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Ricky Hoi

The Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan released previously had touched on fostering smart tourism, with related activities including the launch of the Macao Tourism Promotion Website, as well as using big data to analyse visitor behaviour as a foundation for researching future tourism promotion strategy.

Meanwhile, a partnership with Alibaba to implement real-time monitoring at scenic spots and congested locations to divert visitor traffic is in progress. The method is scheduled for testing during the upcoming Golden Week Holiday before a full roll-out.

MGTO is also highlighting the opening of the Macau Grand Prix Themed Museum and mega events as ways to achieve its smart and quality tourism goals.

The high-tech museum is in its final stage of remodelling, targeted for completion by year-end, which will see it expand six times in size.

MGTO’s deputy director Ricky Hoi shared that the museum will be an experience-driven attraction with elements like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and multimedia medium.

Mega celebrations could further help attract new segments and enhance tourism quality. Activities include celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Year of China in Portugal, where large scale promotions are already being rolled out.

For the first time, a mega cultural tourism event called Art Macao is scheduled to be held between May and October 2019.

Hoi explained: “Macau will become an art capital as we consolidate previously scattered art events organised by government departments. We will repackage them under the Art Macao brand to promote internationally. Another key highlight of the event will be artist visits, multimedia installations and involvement with all existing six IR operators.”

Isabella Hou, manager of Star Express, which specialises in the Japanese inbound market, seeks more concrete information regarding the 20th anniversary celebration and the opening date of the Grand Prix Museum in order for agents to better sell the destination.

“There isn’t anything brand new and most of our itineraries have (not been refreshed in a while),” she remarked.

Instead, Hou is pulling attention to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge. “The Japanese market has high expectations (of the bridge). So far, our concern is about the logistical issues such as the lack of seamless connections from Hong Kong International Airport and traffic jams on the Macau side. We don’t see any immediate solutions. Moreover, signage and direction is not clear along the way so guests may get lost if they do not have a tour guide accompanying them.”

Visitor arrivals to Macau went up by 9.8 per cent to over 35.8 million, while about one million traffic crossed the new bridge between October 24 and December 31, 2018.

RCL names new Singapore trade sales head

By TTG Asia

January 28, 2019

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Royal Caribbean Cruises’ (RCL) head of sales – Asia Pacific, Josh Wen, will be expanding his role to cover Singapore trade sales.

Wen, who has been with Royal Caribbean for 3.5 years, will now handle a total of 15 markets in the region for trade sales, including Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Wen takes over the Singapore role from Mona Foo, head of business development, who will now focus on corporate sales and operations in Asia.

He was previously in trade strategy and management with the fast-moving consumer goods industry.

Sentosa’s rejuvenation appeals to more travellers from Europe

By Pamela Chow

January 28, 2019

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Sentosa-infront-of-Merlion — Sentosa Island

Sentosa’s upcoming developments – part of the Singapore government’s plans to transform for the entire island – are expected to better position the city-state as a destination for longhaul travellers, possibly enticing them to extend their stays in the country.

The first of these developments are three mid-tier range hotels operated by Far East Hospitality (FEH). Opening in April this year are Village Hotel at Sentosa, offering 606 rooms including family rooms, and the 193-key adults-only The Outpost Hotel. In 3Q2019, The Barracks Hotel will open with 40 rooms in a conserved colonial building.

Addition of more mid-tier accommodation options on Sentosa Island could gain points with longhaul travellers

Guy Allison, director of procurement, Tour East Holdings, believes that these new offerings are likely to enhance the island’s appeal to Europeans and families, and possibly entice these segments to extend their stay in Singapore.

This comes from his observations of his European and UK clients, who are increasingly eschewing five-star luxury accommodation for three- to four-star boutique hotels.

Moreover, longhaul travellers tend to spend only two to three nights in Singapore between neighbouring destinations, echoed UK-based travel agency Kuoni’s product & purchasing executive, Nancy Verboom.

But with the timely entrance of FEH’s more affordable accommodation options, Sentosa is expected to gain points with the European market, whose spending power has fallen in recent times.

Allison remarked: “Sentosa’s becoming quite a family destination. It’s starting to attract people to stay in Singapore for not just one or two nights, but three or four – maybe even a week. With the new developments, it might even become a destination in itself.”

He also expressed assurance that while Singapore is costlier compared to its neighbours, the country is “becoming more value-for-money” and more affordable compared to five years ago.

What is needed now is more prominent and targeted marketing of unique offerings, suggested Verboom.

She elaborated: “Scuba diving and trekking are very popular (among my clients to South-east Asia). There’s also a lot of interest in eco-friendly stuff too – like cities that grow food naturally.

“If Singapore’s got anything unique or different that’s come up, the local DMCs should shout about it, because sometimes we don’t hear about these things until 18 months or two years later.”

AirAsia wants to set up Indonesia hub in Lombok

By TTG Asia

January 28, 2019

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AirAsia has confirmed its intention to develop a new hub in Lombok, Indonesia, as the quake-hit destination works to get back on it feet.

AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said: “AirAsia will accelerate post-earthquake recovery efforts to support the communities of West Nusa Tenggara and the people of Lombok. The past year has been a very sad and challenging time for the people of Lombok, including the local tourism industry which has suffered as a result of the recent earthquakes.

LCC’s Indonesian affiliate plans to base to A320 in Lombok and increase frequency to Malaysia and Australia

“In the next few months, we will be working with airports and government authorities to turn Lombok into our newest hub in Indonesia.”

AirAsia’s Indonesian affiliate expects it will base two Airbus A320 aircraft in Lombok, with plans to double existing frequency to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, as well as services to Perth, Yogyakarta and Bali.

AirAsia Indonesia CEO Dendy Kurniawan said: “AirAsia is ready to tell the world that Lombok is open for business.

“Lombok has so much potential. We know that when we combine our resources and work with the tourism industry on marketing and public relations initiatives, we’re able to expand the market and drive greater demand for destination Lombok.”

AirAsia commenced international services from Kuala Lumpur to Lombok in October 2012, and currently operates seven return flights per week between Lombok and Malaysia’s capital.

Sabre’s top consumer trends to watch in hospitality

By TTG Asia

January 28, 2019

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data-city — Adara derives travel patterns, trends and behaviour from more than 750 million monthly unique traveller profiles across more than 190 travel brands

Sabre has partnered with TrendWatching in a study that looks at the top consumer trends expected to shape the hospitality industry in 2019 and beyond.

“The hospitality industry is always reinventing itself, constantly adapting to the changing expectations of travellers,” said Clinton Anderson, president of Sabre Hospitality Solutions. “As a result, digital transformation has become a rising priority for hoteliers due to its ability to generate more targeted, personalised offers. Ultimately, shifts in how individuals interact with technology, brands and even space translate directly into new, untapped opportunities for hoteliers.”

Engaging consumers through new channels that see ‘magic point-of-sale’

Virtual companions
While time-pressed travellers may wish to avoid other people during their stay, others will welcome companionship – even in virtual form. Travellers deeply accustomed to digital assistants, chatbots and more will look to the next evolution of artificial intelligence. They will seek out virtual personalities that have the power to entertain, educate and befriend. The presence of virtual digital assistants has grown incrementally since 2011, and shows no sign of stopping.

Breaking bricks
Traditional brick and mortar retailers are expanding into hospitality – building immersive brand experiences for their customers – providing an entirely new breed of competition for traditional players, while delighting loyal fans.

Social media feeds have become saturated with picture-perfect travel snapshots of branded lifestyles, and as a result, consumers have ever-higher standards when shopping. Brands hold the capacity of reaching overstimulated customers by launching unique partnerships to cut through the noise, in unexpected locations.

Magic point-of-sale
Using their devices to summon a “magic point-of-sale”, travellers can engage with establishments, browse products, test and purchase in innovative new ways. Smart brands are using technology to gain rich data on consumer preferences and habits, and are leveraging innovative channels like these to reach them in the right place, at the right time.

Globally, the augmented reality (AR) market hit US$1.1 billion in 2018, and is expected to reach US$7.9 billion by 2023. The maturing of virtual reality and AR revolutionises how and where consumers shop and engage with brands.

New workforce
The proliferation of on-demand services and co-working environments are transforming expectations around work and travel. A growing cohort of professionals are making travel their main priority by becoming digital nomads. The explosion in gig economy and freelancing platforms indicate that consumers are embracing alternative lifestyles that don’t tie them down to a specific company, location, or even daily schedule.

Best Western Sapporo Odori Koen

By Rachel AJ Lee

January 28, 2019

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Location
The hotel stands just across the street from Odori Park. During winter, the park is the venue for the Sapporo Snow Festival, while it is a green lung in the warmer months of the year.

I liked that the hotel’s surroundings were peaceful and quiet, which ensured a good night’s sleep.

Sapporo station is a 20-minute walk away, half of which is underground. It is also possible to take the train around, as all of Sapporo’s three subway lines intersect at Odori Subway Station, a 10-minute walk away. Other points of interest within a 10- to 20-minute walking radius include the Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade, Sapporo TV Tower and Sapporo Clock Tower.

Rooms
I stayed in a non-smoking room with twin beds, and as with many Japanese city hotel rooms, rooms are compact.

The room and toilet were spotless, and there were ample power sockets and USB wall chargers – a must in this time and age. Water pressure from the shower was strong, and temperature was constant. The complimentary Wi-Fi was speedy and smooth, and while the beds were on the firmer side, they were comfortable enough for me. I could also adjust the temperature easily, as the room became too warm and stuffy in the middle of the night.

Also hidden in the cupboards were a mini fridge, kettle and hairdryer. There was also cable TV and a tablet, which were good to have, but not necessary for me.

F&B
A sole restaurant – which seats approximately 20 people on the first floor – serves a buffet breakfast every morning. I was impressed as there was a wide range of international dishes available in such a small space, and the food was good. There were Hokkaido specialities such as corn croquettes, Japanese stalwarts such as miso soup and soba, as well as scrambled eggs and pumpkin gnocchi. The restaurant also served different spreads on the two days I stayed there.

Facilities
There is a laundromat with coin-operated washing machines and dryers. There is also a lift, so don’t worry about having to haul luggage up several storeys. There is also a Family Mart just round the corner from the building.

Service
Check-in was a breeze, and front office staff were welcoming and pleasant. They are also keen to help guests should they have any queries, but English is still not widely understood. Breakfast staff were efficient and immediately refilled any breakfast dish that was nearly empty.

Verdict
A functional and value-for-money property that I would stay at again.

No. of rooms 60
Rates From 6,000 yen (US$54)
Contact details
Tel: (81) 11 2 081 311
Email: sapporoodori@bwhotels.jp

Marriott plans 2020 launch for first Aloft in Japan

By TTG Asia

January 28, 2019

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Marriott International signed an agreement with The Sankei Building Company to open the Aloft Tokyo Ginza in spring 2020.

The new-build will be 16-storey high, with 206 loft-like guestrooms including four suites. Rooms are also expected to boast tech features like keyless entry, enabling guests to use their smartphone or Apple watch as a room key.

Aloft Tokyo Ginza

1 of 2

Aloft Tokyo Ginza’s F&B options will include The Warehouse – a semi-open kitchen concept with buffet-style dining; the brand’s signature W XYZ bar; and Re:fuelby Aloft, which offers grab-and-go food options round the clock. There will also be a fitness centre on-site.

Located in Ginza, the upscale entertainment, shopping and dining district of Japan’s capital city, Aloft Tokyo Ginza will be less than a five-minute walk away from both Ginza Station and Higashi-Ginza Station.

Cluster GM appointed for X2’s Pattaya properties

By TTG Asia

January 28, 2019

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X2 Resorts – part of BHMA Hotels & Resorts portfolio – has appointed a new cluster general manager, Steve Lockhart, for X2 Pattaya Oceanphere and X2 Vibe Pattaya Seaphere.

He moves to Pattaya from X2 Kui Buri, where he was general manager.

The Belfast-born hotelier brings almost two decades of experience to the table. His career has taken him to destinations like Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, China, Laos and Malaysia.

Prior to joining BHMA Hotels & Resorts, Lockhart’s previous positions in Thailand have included management roles at Novotel Bangkok Siam Square, Vie Hotel Bangkok MGallery by Sofitel, and V Villas Hua Hin MGallery by Sofitel.

Intra-region holidays acquires greater shine for SE Asian travellers

By Yixin Ng

January 25, 2019

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_Ninh-Binh,-Vietnam — Ninh Binh, Vietnam

South-east Asia may once be perceived as a less sexy backyard for travel but perceptions are now changing, with agents pointing to signs of intra-region holidays becoming a growing trend as unique offerings and experiences become more readily available.

In Thailand, Express Holiday Center has begun to sell South-east Asian destinations like Vietnam, after observing a spike in interest in regional travel among Thai travellers, said tour sales officer Prasert Ittipanuvat.

Regional destinations like Ninh Binh, near Vietnam’s Halong Bay (pictured above) are growing in popularity

“Today, Thai travellers like to explore South-east Asia more than Europe. (Seasoned) Thai travellers have been to Europe and faraway places. They’re finding great heritage in the region, with a lot to see and discover,” he said. Combined with the ecotourism and soft adventure trend, this has enhanced the appeal of South-east Asian destinations such as Halong Bay.

“The outbound market is on an uptrend – we’re seeing about 10 per cent annual increase in outbound leisure business. There’s been a dramatic change in Thais’ desire and ability to travel.”

In the Philippines, Edmond Mayormita, president of Davao-based Travel Advantage, has seen demand for South-east Asian cities grow steadily over the years.

He said: “It’s more expensive to travel within the country than overseas. This year, we will have a second batch of tax increase, which will affect domestic flights, (coming) on top of Philippine Airlines’ fuel surcharge. It’s far cheaper to go to, say, Singapore than to Manila, or elsewhere domestically.”

This was also the experience of Katarina Indrawati, EMFA Tours & Travel in Indonesia, who saw a surge in outbound bookings for the region since the LCC revolution.

On the other hand, the Philippines’ Executive Resources may be seeing a slow increase in booking volumes for South-east Asia, but its focus is still on packages beyond the region, said manager Ayon Sanchez.

“Majority of our packages – about 75 per cent – are not in South-east Asia. (This is because) for South-east Asia packages, we see a lot of clients doing it on their own.”

The ease at which travellers can plan and book their own regional holidays is prompting agents like Sanchez to create more unique experiences in South-east Asia that clients are “not aware of” to fan their interest, Sanchez said.

“Today, our clients are moving away from cookie-cutter tours, towards something more authentic, whether in food or activities,” he noted.

Shorthaul travel still shines for agents in South-east Asia’s emerging economies like Myanmar. For example, Yangon-based Asian Tour in 2015 began pivoting from an inbound to an outbound-focused company.

“The desire to travel is definitely going up in Myanmar, but not the spending power. For now, we are selling mostly neighbouring countries like Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam,” explained managing director Kyaw Pyay Oo.

Plunge in Singaporeans visiting M’sia prompts tourism tacticals

Smart tourism moves up Macau’s 2019 agenda

RCL names new Singapore trade sales head

Sentosa’s rejuvenation appeals to more travellers from Europe

AirAsia wants to set up Indonesia hub in Lombok

Sabre’s top consumer trends to watch in hospitality

Best Western Sapporo Odori Koen

Marriott plans 2020 launch for first Aloft in Japan

Cluster GM appointed for X2’s Pattaya properties

Intra-region holidays acquires greater shine for SE Asian travellers

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