Vinpearl is offering 30 per cent off best available rates on all room categories for travel industry professionals booking a stay at Vinpearl Luxury Nha Trang and Vinpearl Luxury Da Nang.
Valid for stays up to December 20, 2018, bookings have to be made seven days in advance and by December 16. The deal includes breakfast and comes with the promotional code: TIDLUX.
Vinpearl Luxury Nha Trang
Trade professionals can make a maximum of two rooms per booking, and proof of employment within the travel industry is required on booking. The deal is subject to availability, along with other terms and conditions.
Located on Hon Tre Island, Vinpearl Luxury Nha Trang offers villas, including some with private pools, overwater spa salas and five restaurants and bars. Vinpearl Land Nha Trang amusement park and waterpark is just next door, connecting to the mainland by a cable car.
Vinpearl Luxury Da Nang offers a choice of rooms, suites and villas, some of which have private pools, plus Akoya Spa and five restaurants and bars. The property is situated by Non Nuoc Beach. Nearby, Vinpearl Golf Nam Hoi An is an 18-hole course, while Vinpearl Land Nam Hoi An is an amusement park of rides and aquapark slides with a cultural village, riverside shopping and a dining complex.
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has appointed Claudine Triolo to the role of regional director of sales and marketing for Thailand, Bhutan and Cambodia.
Triolo joins the group following an 11-year tenure with Bangkok-based Premier Resorts & Hotels, where she spent the past eight years as director of sales and marketing.
The American first began her hospitality and travel career with Asia Transpacific Journeys in Boulder, Colorado as a tour operation manager. She relocated to Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi in Chiang Mai in 2004 as director of guest communications before joining Premier Resorts & Hotels in 2012.
While the rebound of mainland Chinese traffic in 2H2017 uplifted the hotel business in Hong Kong, fluctuating and dynamic room rates remain a concern in the travel industry.
Last year, average room occupancy grew 2.3 per cent to 90.8 per cent and average room rates increased 3.4 per cent to HK$1,220 (US$155). And in April this year, average room occupancy hit 92.4 per cent with average room rates up by 13.3 per cent to HK$1,396.
The new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is likely to shore up Chinese traffic into the city
Some in the industry anticipate further growth in Chinese traffic following the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and Express Rail Link, heightening concerns of rate increases and fluctuations.
This is an especially salient matter for agents such as PC Tours and Travel’s general manager Cary Chiu, faced with the challenge of dynamic pricing with the rise of OTAs and direct booking.
“Hotels have scrapped traditional contracts for room allotment arrangements. Room rates can be double the contract rate after the cut-off period. Some hotels even ask us to tell clients to switch travel dates in order to suit the available room dates,” Chiu said.
“As a B2B operator, how can I sell rooms to overseas agents with a markup, when clients can book direct? We can’t do much and just pray for ourselves,” he lamented.
“So far, only local hotels still stick to contract rate with us to promote their brand overseas but in the long term, I don’t think this partnership will last long once they establish their name with overseas clients.”
Simple Travel Services’ director Vandana Sachdeva pointed out that fluctuating room blocks and rates, while not a new trend, pose an added challenge for markets such as India.
She said: “It becomes more challenging (for the Indian market) as the contracts signed for a period go for a toss and then the agents in India lose trust in DMCs as the quotes given don’t hold any value after a period of time.
“With greater connectivity, the mainland market is bound to overtake other markets. The hotels need to evaluate which market/business they would like to support in the long run. If short-term profit is the only objective then it will definitely have an impact on the hotels in the long run when the Chinese market dips during any economic downturn,” Sachdeva added.
While Chiu is sceptical that the new connectivity infrastructure would drive up hotel demand, since easy accessibility promotes same-day return, he still welcomes new hotel supply especially in the underserved four-star category.
Improving international relations and exposure gained from global events have spurred a burgeoning hospitality scene in Seoul and provinces beyond. In the capital city alone, 15 hotels with 4,451 rooms will be expected to open from this year to 2020.
Novotel Seoul Ambassador Dongdaemun, one of the newest properties in the city
In October last year, South Korea’s first “lifestyle hotel-plex” Seoul Dragon City opened with 1,700 rooms across four AccorHotels brands: Grand Mercure Ambassador Seoul Yongsan, Novotel Suites Ambassador Seoul Yongsan, Novotel Ambassador Seoul Yongsan, and ibis Styles Ambassador Seoul Yongsan.
Seoul was a prime location for the group to launch four hotel brands to target four segments of the travel market from luxury to economy, shared Hasmin Hwang, hotel manager, executive office, Grand Mercure Ambassador Seoul Yongsan.
The four-brand “hotel-plex” allows each hotel to tap on the facilities and services of the others, said Hwang. AccorHotels has since opened Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun in July.
This year, Marriott International has four new projects in Seoul and Busan. Hotels are also debuting in secondary locations, such as the Gangwon province where the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics were held earlier this year.
For Wyndham Hotel Group, there are seven hotels just opened or in the pipeline across the country. Besides two Ramada properties in Seoul, the group is setting up camp in other areas such as Cheonan, Cheongju and Incheon Airport, raising its total South Korea portfolio to 36.
“There is huge demand for South Korea, especially by tourists from Mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. We have seen a dramatic increase in Chinese tourists in our Seoul properties; for example, Ramada Seoul Dongdaemun has seen an average occupancy of 85 to 90 per cent,” said Michael Kim, director franchise operations, South Korea, Wyndham Hotel Asia Pacific.
He added: “Sokcho and the whole of Gangwon have received huge benefits from the Olympic Games. Ramada Sokcho saw 100 per cent occupancy during the Olympic Games, and now sees an average of more than 80 or 90 per cent. Tourism is booming in the Gangneung area too, so we have opened properties in line with this, such as in Chuncheon.”
As the hotel scene heats up, players are also stepping up to develop luxury offerings in South Korea. For example, Hyatt will bring boutique brand Andaz to Gangnam in 2019, and AccorHotels has announced plans to open the 326-room luxury property Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in 2020.
In April last year, Lotte Hotels and Resorts launched the six-star hotel Signiel Seoul, the country’s latest luxury landmark standing at 101 storeys atop the Lotte World Tower.
Morten Andersen, general manager, Signiel Seoul, said: “A lot of Russian and Middle-Eastern clientele come for shopping and medical treatments. South Korea is getting very popular (in these markets), and we are also seeing visitors from China and Japan. With the Michelin Guide now in its second year, a lot of gourmands are coming, especially wealthy Europeans.”
Andersen noted that his hotel’s guests are slightly more conservative in exploring South Korea, largely remaining in Seoul for three nights and at most venturing to Jeju or Busan.
When asked about standing apart from competition, president & general manager of Grand Ambassador Seoul associated with Pullman, Bruce Lee, shared that the hotel has developed a Namsan Trekking Package that “has been a steady seller for over five years”, as well as transformed all 25 guestrooms on the 16th floor into Internet of Things Smart Rooms. This allows guests to control functions from lighting to room temperature on their own smart phones.
Lee stated: “To attract more luxury guests, Korean hotels need to enhance personalised service and authentic Korean experiences. One of the best ways to approach guests (in a personal way) is with recognition, which can lead to casual talks (where) the hotel staff can learn what guests want.
“Also, authentic Korean experiences need to be developed. For instance, when Korean War veterans visited the hotel, our hotel’s concierge associates wore Korean traditional gatekeeper’s attire to welcome them. This kind of service can guests give extraordinary experiences to attract more to Korea.”
To complement the trade’s movements into the luxury market, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) released an updated version of its luxury travel guide, which now features an expanded list of products such as traditional craft experiences and Michelin-star restaurants.
Yoon Seung Hwan, director of KTO’s Singapore office, noted that the destination’s mass market image has posed a challenge in pursuing the luxury segment, but it can be surmounted by intensified marketing efforts and potential special interest tours involving North-South diplomacy.
Flight Centre Travel Group's Nooning: helping drive the narrative forward in a way that represents the interests of all parts of the travel value chain
With airline distribution in the travel industry set to undergo major technological change, some agencies say they are becoming more involved in helping shape the development of NDC solutions.
Sabre has enlisted Flight Centre and Carlson Wagonlit Travel as two of four industry partners in its Beyond NDC programme. These partners will participate in the NDC solution design process and leverage beta-testing capabilities.
Flight Centre Travel Group’s Nooning: helping drive the narrative forward in a way that represents the interests of all parts of the travel value chain
More partners in Asia-Pacific and beyond will soon be announced, revealed Kathy Morgan, vice president, NDC, Sabre, on the sidelines of the Sabre Technology Exchange yesterday.
Jason Nooning, global NDC coordinator, Flight Centre Travel Group, told TTG Asia: “It’s really great to be helping to drive the narrative from the perspective that’s in the best interest of all the constituents in the value chain. We’re ensuring that if there are any gaps in the functionality, we’ve got a broader voice with the largest TMCs in the world.”
Flight Centre has since rolled out a number of new products in collaboration with Sabre that provide new features such as trip appraisals and new retailing capabilities.
Sean Menke, president & CEO of Sabre, described: “We have really engaged – especially talking about NDC – both the travel agencies and the suppliers side of the equation. If we do not have that, then we’re not going to get prioritisation of problems we have to solve.
“You have to have that level of insight with your customer. I think there’s more work and collaboration that needs to be done, not only for the technology providers but also hoteliers and airlines.”
To push this further, Sabre has integrated its airline and agency teams into a single “Travel Solutions” umbrella in order to streamline its internal processes and the product awareness for partners in both circles.
“We didn’t have people within our hospitality organisation or airline solutions talking to people in the travel network organisation. (Now) we have to bring it to the forefront to our partners to understand the breadth and depth of the technologies we have,” explained Menke.
Head of operations for Australia-based Phil Hoffmann Travel, Genevieve Thompson, opined that there is definitely room for more innovation, especially in online booking tools, as “it’s very important” for agents to be involved in the technology value chain.
She explained: “Agents are the ones dealing with travellers day in, day out, so their thoughts and ideas are really important for GDSs like Sabre to be in touch with industry trends.”
For Brunei-based Century Travel Centre, the degree of engagement between technology providers and travel agents leaves much to be desired, as there is hardly any awareness of other options in the market, said general manager Foo CP.
“Attending more events like these would be good to help us see what solutions there are,” he said.
The people behind Bangkok Astoria Bangkok (from left): AvroKO's William Harris, Hilton's Martin Rinck, MCDQ's Visit Malaisirirat, Hilton's Alan Watts and AFSO's André Fu
The much-anticipated Waldorf Astoria Bangkok officially opened its doors yesterday, the latest in a growing swathe of luxury hotels that have launched or are launching soon in the Thai capital to tap the country’s robust inbound tourism sector.
The first Waldorf Astoria in South-east Asia and the fourth in Asia-Pacific – after Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu in China – the new hotel is the fruit of Hilton’s partnership with Magnolia Quality Development Corporation (MQDC), which is the property development arm of Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand conglomerate.
The people behind Bangkok Astoria Bangkok (from left): AvroKO’s William Harris, Hilton’s Martin Rinck, MQDC’s Visit Malaisirirat, Hilton’s Alan Watts and AFSO’s André Fu
MQDC’s CEO Visit Malaisirirat, speaking at the press conference yesterday, said the alliance marks “an important strategic move into ultra-luxury hospitality” for the Thai property developer, which recently announced another mixed-use development in Bangkok’s Bangna district.
“We have been looking for flagships in South-east Asia for some time,” commented Alan Watts, Asia-Pacific president of Hilton. “Bangkok is one of the most competitive markets in Asia, and Waldorf Astoria will redefine luxury not only for Bangkok but also South-east Asia.”
But Waldorf Astoria is not the only luxury hotel brand that has come knocking on Bangkok’s doors. Even within its prominent Ratchadamri location, Waldorf Astoria Bangkok already calls The St Regis Bangkok its immediate neighbours, while the recently opened Park Hyatt Bangkok and Rosewood Bangkok (opening 2019) – both of which stand less than a kilometre away – are a constant reminder of the level of competition crowding Bangkok’s luxury hotel market, not to mention upcoming hotels like Capella Bangkok (opening 4Q2018) and Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River (opening 2019).
Hilton is, however, maintaining “an extremely bullish outlook” on Thailand, including the luxury segment, vice president, operations, luxury Asia-Pacific Daniel Welk told TTG Asia. “Look at the number of arrivals coming into Bangkok, which hit 35 million last year and is expected to reach 38 to 39 million this year,” he said. “The city itself is dynamic and offers amazing products, and the infrastructure is improving.”
And if there’s anything that growing competition has brought, it’s greater clarity for Hilton’s hotel brands, Welk stated. “The swim lanes are more defined now,” he said. “(Waldorf Astoria Bangkok) is Hilton’s ninth hotel in Thailand, and we’re well positioned to absorbed any new competition the market will bring.”
After Bangkok, Hilton has another three additional Waldorf Astoria hotels in the pipeline for Asia – the Maldives (opening February 2019), Bali and Jarkarta (both opening 2020).
Asia overall is a region of strong growth for Hilton’s luxury brands, revealed Martin Rinck, global head, luxury & lifestyle group. There are some 35 Conrad properties worldwide, and 12 out of 18 currently under development are located in Asia.
Canopy, the new lifestyle brand launched in 2017, is now Hilton’s “fastest-growing brand” with 30 under development and Chengdu will be the first city in Asia to welcome the brand this year, Rinck added.
A new luxury brand, LXR, will debut this year-end as Hilton’s collection of independently established properties with their own identities.
Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
1 of 5
Swimming pool
Lower lobby
The hotel towers over neighbouring buildings in Bangkok's Ratchadamri
Deluxe Bedroom
Bull & Bear
Glitzy new kid on the block
Waldorf Astoria Bangkok has 171 rooms and suites housed between levels six and 15 in Magnolia Ratchadamri Boulevard, a 60-storey, mixed-use luxury complex whose free-form architecture was designed to resemble a sprouting magnolia flower. The complex sits on a prime strip of land on Ratchadamri Road next to Grand Hyatt Erawan, overlooking the Royal Bangkok Sports Club.
Renowned architect André Fu is responsible for the design of Waldorf Astoria Bangkok’s interiors, melding Art Deco design elements with Thai artisanal traditions, curvy lines and bespoke items in the 171 residential-style guestrooms and suites – which start at an expansive 50m2 – as well as the Front Room signature restaurant, the Peacock Alley lounge and The Brasserie restaurant on the Upper Lobby.
New York-based design and concept firm AvroKO is the creative force behind the trio of distinctive dining outlets perched at the hotel’s top three floors from levels 55 to 57, decking out the Bull & Bear steakhouse with the naga-and-garuda chandelier piece de resistance as a local narrative of the New York classic; giving The Loft bar a touch of an Upper East Side artist’s apartment with sketches and ideas as part of the décor; and the Champagne Bar at the hotel’s peak on level 57.
Beyond the topmost floors, the hotel also features another three restaurant concepts. Front Room, the signature restaurant helmed by chef Far Rungthiwa Chummongkhon, serves up new Nordic and Thai flavours on the ground floor; The Brasserie, located on the upper lobby on the 15th floor, offers traditional French brasserie fare all day; and Peacock Alley, modelled after the New York original, presents pastries and refreshments.
The hotel is also home to the 730m2 Magnolia Ballroom on level 10, which is expected to be a sought-after events venue for high-end weddings and functions with its eight-metre ceiling, a statement-sweeping staircase and capacity to accommodate 700 standing guests or 330 seated guests.
Other amenities at this luxury outpost include an outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pool, 24-hour fitness centre, spa and personal concierge service.
Room rates start from 13,000 baht (US$397), plus applicable government taxes and service charges.
Wintastar Shanghai is believed to be KOP's largest project to-date
SGX Catalist-listed property developer KOP has begun construction on Wintastar Shanghai, an integrated resort that will house the world’s largest indoor ski and snow park of its kind.
The “multi-billion renminbi”, 227,000m2 Wintastar Shanghai marks KOP and its luxury hospitality brand Montigo Resorts’ maiden entry into China. Montigo Resorts will operate four themed hotels with over 1,000 room keys, including an Ice Hotel.
Wintastar Shanghai is believed to be KOP’s largest project to-date
Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim, operator of Ski Dubai and Ski Egypt, will operate Wintastar Shanghai’s 90,000m2 Ski & Snow Park, which will offer hotel ski-in-ski-out access and après-ski.
Commenting on what she says is the developer’s largest project to date, Ong Chih Ching, executive chairman and executive director of KOPL, said: “The large-scale mixed-development will offer opportunities for KOPL to build new income streams, many of which are recurring in nature, for our sustainable growth going forward.
“The timing for Wintastar Shanghai could not be better, with Chinese consumers yearning for travel, leisure, novel experiences, and winter sports being the next big thing in China because of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022.”
Targeted to complete in 2022, Wintastar Shanghai is expected to attract an estimated 3.2 million visitors annually on a stabilised basis.
Cookie-cutter experiences no longer cut it in a world where personalisation rules. This philosophy applies even before someone hops on a plane.
While it is good news that travellers are expanding their travel repertoires, this also means that the online journeys travellers take before making their final purchases are winding and unpredictable. These travellers are moving between platforms and increasingly migrating to mobile to make bookings via the mobile web and apps, accounting for 60 percent of overall travel bookings .
These trends are both an opportunity and a challenge for travel suppliers and OTAs. Not keeping up with the latest mobile commerce strategies means losing access to the modern, tech-savvy traveller. With competition in the travel industry more intense than ever, travel marketers who fail to keep up face the risk of being left behind as competitors take off without them.
Feeling daunted by the journey ahead? Here are some ways in which travel businesses can rise to the task and meet the needs of today’s digital nomads:
Make turbulent customer experiences a thing of the past
Travellers are looking up options between PCs, mobile web pages and mobile applications before making a booking. A consistent user experience across platforms is now paramount.
Moreover, Asian travellers take the top spot when it comes to making travel bookings on mobile, accounting of up to 49 percent of monthly mobile share of bookings. Apps are no longer just a “nice-to-have” feature for travel suppliers and OTAs. They have become a critical channel and source for online booking conversions.
Beyond that, apps are leading in terms of conversions and amount of money spent compared to the mobile web, meaning that snoozing on mobile app optimisation can cause you to leave precious revenue on the table.
Leveraging Asia’s mobile-first mindset no longer just entails developing responsive mobile webpages but requires a more concerted effort into optimising mobile apps and adopting in-app personalisation technologies to ensure frictionless customer journeys.
Understand the journey that happens before take-off
In 2017, two in five travel bookings were made on the day of the activity itself, while travel-related searches on Google with the terms “tonight” and “today” also grew by more than 150 per cent in 2017 .
These numbers highlight how the growing trend of last-minute travel bookings cannot be ignored by travel vendors, as these types of bookings are emerging as another major source of travel revenue.
According to Criteo’s Summer Travel Report 2018, mobile is key in capturing last-minute bookings with up to 80 percent of last-minute bookings being made on mobile devices worldwide. More specifically, mobile apps account for 41 percent of last-minute bookings. This comes as no surprise as travellers are seeking quick and convenient ways to make bookings on-the-fly.
Make relevant and attractive offers that travellers can’t refuse
Considering the importance of mobile app optimisation and the strong demand for last-minute bookings, it has never been more important for travel suppliers and OTAs to keep their audience engaged as they scour for recommendations and offers.
Aggregating data across multiple channels will therefore allow travel providers to make sense of the winding online journeys taken by today’s tech-savvy travellers. Applying machine learning and cross-platform personalisation technologies will supercharge travel suppliers and OTAs’ abilities to deliver personalised offers that can nudge customers in the right direction even when they are faced with countless other options.
Investing in an omni-channel advertising strategy is essential so travel providers’ offerings don’t get lost in the noise. Ensure that your customer’s journey does not just end via a one-way ticket out of your website or app. Keep them coming back for more with the right personalisation strategy.
Effective immediately, Bangkok-based luxury travel specialist Smiling Albino will be the exclusive agent for Pa Sak Tong villas in Chiang Rai.
Pa Sak Tong, a secluded luxury estate, is made up of two luxury villas: Pa Sak Tong three-bedroom villa and Khum Sak Tong six-bedroom villa.
Khum Sak Tong six-bedroom villa
As the property’s exclusive agent, Smiling Albino will issue contracts and take reservations for the Chiang Rai villas. All existing contracts issued are still valid, although reservations and inquiries can be made through Smiling Albino.
Smiling Albino’s business development manager Stephanie Rowe said: “Smiling Albino has enjoyed a close relationship with Pa Sak Tong for over six years now. Our team has an intimate understanding of the property and Pa Sak Tong’s services. It makes sense for our team, with expertise in the niche luxury travel industry, to handle bookings for Pa Sak Tong, allowing them to focus on (providing guest experiences).”
Legacy Yen Tu, MGallery, Vietnam
Legacy Yen Tu, MGallery is perched 1,068m above sea level on the sacred Yen Tu mountain, located near Halong Bay in Vietnam’s north-east. The resort features 133 rooms, the Tho Quang restaurant, the Thien Tra Lobby Bar and a ballroom for up to 800 guests. Tue Tinh Am Wellness offers an open space for meditation, yoga and Truc Lam Zen practices.
W Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
W Kuala Lumpur has opened its doors steps away from the Petronas Twin Towers. The first W hotel in Malaysia features 150 guest rooms and suites, including two Wow suites and the Extreme Wow Suite, measuring over 520m2.
F&B concepts include Yen, which offers contemporary Cantonese cuisine and fresh seafood; all-day dining restaurant Flock, where chefs serve up Australian, farm-to-flock dishes out of an open kitchen; Woobar; and the Wet Deck pool bar. W Kuala Lumpur will also offer two privately-managed dining and entertainment venues including Saint Pierre, a 70-seat French eatery that has earned a Michelin star at its Singapore location, and Wicked, a VIP club.
In addition to over 1,500m2 of function space, the hotel also offers a spa, gymnasium and beauty house for manicures, pedicures and more.
Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort, Myanmar
Mandalay Hill Resort has been rebranded as a Mercure. Set at the foot of Mandalay Hills, the resort offers 208 rooms and suites across categories of Corner Deluxe, Junior Suite, Executive and President Suite, as well as the Spa Villas which give guests executive lounge access. F&B options at Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort include Yadanabon Café; Ming’s restaurant showcasing Thai, Burmese, and Chinese flavours; Kinsana Garden Theatre restaurant, where cultural performances are staged; Kipling’s Music & Cigar Lounge; and a pool bar. The resort also features meeting rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate up to 160 guests banquet style.
Hyatt Regency Shanghai Jiading, China
Hyatt Regency Shanghai Jiading features 304 guestrooms from floors 27 to 40, including 23 suites, four executive suites, and a presidential suite. The hotel offers four dining and lounging spaces – Xiang Yue Chinese restaurant, Market Cafe, The Lounge and Pastry Shop. For meetings and events, the hotel offers Regency Ballroom, which spans 1,100m2 and adjoins an outdoor terrace, as well as eight meeting rooms.
Amartya Jogjakarta Hotel, Indonesia
Amartya Jogjakarta Hotel offers 18 rooms in three categories, sized from 30-38m2. In addition to a lobby that functions as a co-working space, the hotel also features a multi-functional event space. The Sidji Kitchen&dine all-day-dining restaurant serves up Western and Indonesian dishes, offering semi buffet breakfast and afternoon tea. The hotel is set to open its rooftop cafe and panoramic deck in a few months’ time.
Legacy Yen Tu, MGallery, Vietnam
Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort, Myanmar
Amartya Jogjakarta Hotel, Indonesia
