Shah-I-Zinda memorial complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Outbound travellers from Singapore are coming to tour planners with higher budgets and interest in farther-flung destinations, revealed travel agencies at the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) Holidays 2018 fair last weekend.
Such travellers, which can range from young families to older couples, are more willing to spend more time and money on “in-depth” experiences in less-explored destinations, shared Wong Yew Hoong, director of EU Holidays.
Shah-I-Zinda memorial complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
“The average spending power of the customer has increased a lot compared to 10 years ago. Our premium packages are selling much better than our cost-saver packages,” he observed.
An emerging trend is chartered flights, which EU Holidays has rolled out to destinations like Bhutan and Uzbekistan. Hokkaido is another popular choice for year-end winter travel.
Repeat visitors, in particular, are scheduling more vacation time to enjoy mono-destination travel, said Wong. For instance, the agency has rolled out a 10-day train travel package through Switzerland.
Japan National Tourism Organization’s executive director, Singapore, Katsufumi Sato, noted that Singaporeans are becoming increasingly adventurous with their travels in Japan, choosing to explore regions outside of Tokyo and Osaka, such as Mie and Nagoya, due to increased accessibility through direct trains and flights.
Dynasty Travel has also rolled out new add-on tour packages to complement its popular 15-day charter cruises to Antarctica, allowing travellers to visit nearby destinations such as Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Such packages can run up to 29 days.
As a result, this trend is paralleled by a demand for higher-quality local experiences, noted Alicia Seah, Dynasty’s director of public relations & communications. For example, its latest tour to Australia’s Red Centre includes a sunset viewing and barbecue dinner at Uluru Rock, and a trip to Israel includes a Shabbat dinner with a Jewish family in their home.
Earthquakes have caused widespread damage to homes
Lombok was yesterday rocked by a series of earthquakes, the fourth major one in three weeks.
The first measured 6.3 on the Richter scale shortly before midday, followed nearly 12 hours later by one measuring 6.9 and several more aftershocks, according to the US Geological Survey.
Earthquakes have caused widespread damage to homes
Five people were killed by the quake late Sunday evening and scores injured.
Lombok has already seen two devastating quakes on July 29 and August 5, leaving over 500 dead and hundreds of thousands homeless.
The most recent earthquake also triggered landslides at Mount Rinjani, which has been closed since the July 29 earthquake.
Diethelm Travel Group has appointed industry expert David Carlaw as its UK sales representative.
The trade veteran has been in the travel industry for more than 30 years, and was most recently head of faraway product for Premier Holidays.
Carlaw’s product management and direct contracting experience in Asia-Pacific, in particular in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Hong Kong and China, is expected to provide hands-on support to Diethelm Travel Group in key markets, the DMC said in a statement.
“Between David’s extensive career, commercial knowledge and refined understanding of operational elements – not to mention his familiarity with Asia – I’m confident he’ll provide our clients with service and solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations,” said Victor Mogilev, Diethelm Travel’s group director of sales.
Chinese tourist taking a photo of the statue of Liberty in New York City
US president Donald Trump’s tit-for-tat trade war with China appears to have caused a significant slump in Chinese visitors to the US that could cost the American tourism sector dearly this year, according to ForwardKeys.
Weekly bookings from China to the US were up 2% from the last week of February (after the Chinese New Year holiday) to March 23 when the first tariffs took effect.
Chinese tourist taking a photo of the Statue of Liberty in New York City
Since then, ForwardKeys data shows the year-on-year figure to August is down by 8.4%, falling further as new rounds of tariffs have been announced.
ForwardKeys said the negative impact on the Chinese currency, which has fallen 7.5% against the US dollar since tariffs were introduced – meaning tourists’ money buys less – and warnings from Beijing about US travel security risks, have likely further influenced the trend.
ForwardKeys’ data reveals that for the rest of the year, Chinese outbound bookings to the US are 9.6% behind where they were at the same time last year, whereas Chinese outbound bookings worldwide are ahead by 5.5%.
This pattern of growth worldwide but slowdown to the US is consistent in every month except October. A general setback in October is due to this year’s Mid-Autumn festival falling at the end of September, which draws departures at the start of the busy National Day Golden Week holiday into September from October.
The biggest impact has been on bookings for group travel (six or more passengers) from China to the US, currently behind for the rest of 2018 by 34.4% compared to last year.
FIT bookings are behind 3.9%, with leisure travel being worse affected than travel for business or travel to visit friends and relatives, ForwardKeys pointed out.
By way of a benchmark, Chinese bookings for travel to Canada were up 4.8% to the end of July and are currently ahead 8.0% for August to December.
ForwardKeys CEO and co-founder, Olivier Jager, said: “Our findings strongly suggest that president Trump’s trade war has had a significant impact on Chinese tourism to the US. Looking at the year to date, we see a setback in Chinese tourism arrivals of just under 5%. If that continues to the end of the year, we estimate that the cost to the US economy will be north of half a billion US dollars in 2018.
“Chinese spending in this sector is significant – it amounts to the largest category of US services exports to China. It is unquestionable that the Chinese appetite for visiting the US is diminishing, and that is bound to worry the US travel industry.”
TAT's Yuthasak Supasorn at the launch of the reduction of plastic initiative
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched an initiative with stakeholders to cut down tourism-related waste by “up to 50 per cent” by 2020.
It will roll out publicity campaigns for responsible tourism along with public and private sector partners including the Expedia Group, Tourism Council of Thailand, Thai Hotels Association, the Chao Phraya River tourism-related businesses including ICONSIAM, Nonthaburi Municipality, Siam Piwat Retail and Development Company, and local communities in Bangkok.
TAT’s Yuthasak Supasorn at the launch of the reduction of plastic initiative
The collaboration and follow-up initiatives will encourage both tourists and businesses to address waste problems arising out of tourism in key travel destinations.
Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT governor, said: “This collaboration is set to serve as a catalyst within Thailand’s travel and tourism sectors. These activities will instil a sense of environmental consciousness as well as encourage tourists to travel responsibly.
“TAT will take a lead role in providing support and recommendations on how to reduce waste and single-use plastics. We will encourage consumption of reusable or sustainable items; such as, plant-based drinking straws instead of plastic straws. Cotton bags instead of plastic bags, water tumblers instead of plastic bottles, reusable food utensils instead of single-use plastic or foam items.”
The initiative will kick off in Bangkok before expanding into secondary tourist destinations around the country.
TAT will also continue to highlight its commitment to Thailand’s marine environment and ocean conservation, as well as the rescue of imperilled marine animals that are most at risk from plastic.
Marriott International, which previously suffered backlash in China for listing Chinese territories as countries, is now finding itself on the wrong side of a Taiwanese hotel owner for listing Taiwan as part of China.
In January, the Chinese government shut down Marriott’s local website for a week in reaction to the group listing Taiwan, along with Tibet, Macau and Hong Kong, as separate countries on its websites.
Taiwan hotel axes Marriott contract over China naming row; Taipei Marriott Hotel pictured
Marriott International may have thought it was taking the safe path by going on to list the hotel as ‘Taiwan, China’ on the simplified Chinese version of the booking site for members (typically used by mainland Chinese), and “Taiwan” on the traditional Chinese version (typically for Taiwanese).
But instead of keeping both sides happy, it has now incurred the wrath of RSL Corp, the owner of the Four Points by Sheraton Taipei, Zhonghe.
RSL Corp blasted its intentions to terminate its franchise agreement with the parent group in an advertisement on the front page of the local paper, Liberty Times.
Lily Cheng, a spokeswoman for the Zhonghe hotel, told Agence France Presse (AFP) that the hotel’s name would be changed and it would no longer take reservations from Marriott’s booking system.
Speaking to AFP, Cheng admitted this will have some impact on business, but maintained the the hotel’s main customers are corporates, and Taiwanese, and other booking websites.
RSL Corp’s move came just a week after Taiwanese netizens threatened to boycott another Marriott hotel – the Four Points by Sheraton Linkou in New Taipei City – for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, China” next to the Chinese flag on its Wi-Fi login page.
The Hong Kong government’s initiatives to develop the harbourfront have begun to bear fruit as new visitor attractions spring up in the area, promising to breathe new life into the the city’s tourism scene.
Against the backdrop of change, there has also been a growing focus on the protection and enhancement of both sides of Victoria Harbour – including Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, West Kowloon, Kwun Tong and Kai Tak – to make the waterfront area more vibrant and accessible for public enjoyment.
Victoria Dockside is a new waterfront landmark in Tsim Sha Tsui
Dotted along the Central waterfront are tourist attractions including Tamar Park, Star Ferry, Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Hong Kong Observation Wheel and Central Harbourfront Event Space.
Tiffany Yiu, general manager of Central Venue Management (CVM), which runs the Central Harbourfront Event Space, said events have made the Central
waterfront more vibrant, giving locals and tourists more reasons to visit the harbourfront.
“Our vision has always been to provide a diverse range of events to suit the different interests and preferences of the local population and visitors to Hong Kong,” Yiu said.
Since the outdoor venue was officially launched in May 2014, it has seen an average of 30 outdoor events annually. Events which had taken place in this space include cultural festivals, sports events, classical and popular music concerts, exhibitions, carnivals, fairs, markets as well as art and food events.
Apart from attracting visitors, events have also “significantly enhanced Hong Kong’s reputation internationally”, Yiu added, citing the examples of Art Central, Clockenflap and Formula E.
Over in Tsim Sha Tsui, former New World Hotel was recently redeveloped into a new landmark called Victoria Dockside. The same developer is also responsible for the revamp of adjacent tourist spots – Salisbury Garden and Avenue of Stars.
Last December, Salisbury Garden was reopened to feature an elliptical lawn that serves as a venue for visitors to relax or for celebrations and performances.
Meanwhile, the Avenue of Stars is scheduled to reopen by February 2019. New features include digital screens that show photos and related artist information, plus mobile carts and kiosks offering merchandise that promote local culture and creativity.
Said Shaun Campbell, Langham, Hong Kong’s managing director: “I can’t think of a major city in the world which has the advantage of opening up three large new downtown spaces to the local public and international tourists.
“They represent unique mini-destinations in their own right. This is already evident with some examples of current usage as these venues open to the public, such as the Formula E and Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival in Central.”
He added that West Kowloon will also provide a number of new world-class arts and culture venues – including Xiqu Centre (Chinese opera), M+ Museum (visual arts), Hong Kong Palace Museum and Lyric Theatre (for international dance and theatre).
“An additional opportunity for these new areas is to increase water transport around the inner harbour – both for tourists and for locals. Plans are already underway to expand the current ferry access points in these key locations, with the potential for an inner harbour water taxi service.”
However, a bus tour manager who declined to be named pointed out that these new promenade attractions hardly benefit their business as they are free access.
“We have stops in West Kowloon and Central but no plan to add or amend existing routes to fit in these new spaces. However, if guests ask us what’s interesting around the stops, we may mention to them.”
On the other hand, Uni Asia Tours’ managing director David Luk will “definitely add these waterfront spots to tour itineraries”, especially in view of the shortage of new visitor attractions in the destination.
He said: “The only concern is whether the tourism facilities are well-equipped. In the past, the Avenue of Stars was not tourist friendly at all as there was only one spot for restrooms and a café. Hopefully, we’d see more facilities like alfresco dining options, especially during autumn and winter times, to create a pleasant tourist atmosphere.
“Additionally, FITs will be a travel trend so it’s also vital to have easy access and clear signage.”
TTG Events has partnered the Marketing Institute of Singapore (MIS) to launch the first EMS Experiential Marketing Summit (EMS), taking place in conjunction with the annual Singapore Gifts Show (SGS).
This year, the events will happen concurrently on August 28 and 29 at Resorts World Sentosa Convention Centre.
Exhibitors at last year’s Singapore Gifts Show
SGS, with its decade-long track record of more than 70 per cent of its attendees holding marketing and PR responsibilities, has an audience profile that could benefit from EMS, TTG Events said in a statement.
With experiential marketing concepts increasingly sought after by stakeholders in the events space, TTG Events says the co-location of SGS and EMS aligns with its approach of encompassing relevant procurement, learning, and social engagement to deliver the total experience in today’s competitive market place.
Darren Ng, managing director of TTG Asia Media, commented: “Recognising that organisations today seek more direct engagements with their customers, the ability to delight and deliver a ‘wow’ experience is (in demand).
“EMS adds even more value by allowing our suppliers, intermediaries, and stakeholders to deepen relationships and achieve mutual benefits from our expanded offerings. It is timely that we have made this education segment come alive with MIS onboard to support our audience’s ongoing professional and personal development needs.”
Roger Wang, president of MIS, added: “Experiential marketing is not new, but not well understood, although it has gained considerable traction and innovation in marketing today. With rapid changes and fierce competition brought about by technology and the internet, companies have realised that now, more than ever, they need to differentiate themselves by cultivating stronger and meaningful brand engagement to build loyalty in order to sustain product or service sales. These companies are also looking for stakeholders within the events and gifting industries that can prove their ability to handle these demands.”
EMS sessions will delve into topics such as experiential marketing theory and psychology, case studies and current trends, event management and data analytics techniques, measuring marketing ROI, influencer marketing, automation and artificial intelligence.
Attendees will also have access to the co-located trade-only 13th SGS, where they can meet gifts and marketing solution providers from the region.
This way, event marketers and buyers can capitalise on their newfound knowledge concepts at the summit, jump straight into implementation, and explore practical ideas and tangible solutions offered by the exhibiting providers, according to TTG Events.
Pointing out the various ways in which the gifts and experiential marketing spheres overlap, TTG Events noted that in campaigns, products can serve as tangible conduits to reinforce the brand.
At events, while branded gifts continue to be seen as practical keepsakes, incorporating more interactive elements to engage the audience on a higher level could help create a more lasting impression.
Frankie Chia, president of the Singapore Gifts Association, weighed in on the new demands in the gifts and premiums marketplace: “Since 2015, the gifts and premiums industry has seen a noticeable shift in the demands of buyers, stepping away from run-off-the-mill products to placing more emphasis on design and innovation. The gifts industry has also been sent into creative overdrive as companies look for ways to satisfy the demand for products that are unique in materials, aesthetics, and function.”
Custom gifts and packaging, DIY crafts, artisan goods, local flair, social enterprises, technology showcases and sustainable projects are among the types of products attendees can expect from local and regional suppliers this year.
Ayana Hotels has appointed Thomas Demesmaker and Ricardo Ferreira as cruise director and operational manager respectively at the 205-room Ayana Komodo Resort, opening on Waecicu Beach in Flores island, Indonesia, come September.
Demesmake, who has more than 13 years of experience in the Maldives in operational and cruise director roles for liveaboard vessels, will be at the helm of Ayana Lako di’a, the resort’s 54m-long phinisi boat with nine bedrooms.
From left: Thomas Demesmaker and Ricardo Ferreira
Meanwhile, Ferreira will head the operations of all daily excursions and water activities including kayaking, SUP, fishing, diving and snorkelling, and the additional leisure boats for the Lako di’a fleet at AYANA Komodo Resort, Waecicu Beach.
The Portuguese has vast operational experiences from St Maarten to Mozambique, where he has led a dive center, marine biology centre, numerous boats, and extensive water activities on a private island in the Maldives.
Four travel agencies in Singapore are making strides in their digital transformation journeys, following the conclusion of an accelerator programme that developed and tailored technology solutions to their business.
The FinLab, a joint venture between United Overseas Bank and government-owned firm SGInnovate, took the agencies through a four-month Smart Business Transformation programme, comprising workshops, mentoring sessions and evaluations of suitable digital solutions.
Participants gather on the FinLab Showcase Day
The agencies are Siam Express, Pegasus Travel Management, EU Holidays and Royal Wings Travel. They are joined by seven local SMEs from various industries.
Having undergone the programme, each agency now has their pain points and priorities identified, and are better equipped to adopt the relevant digitised solutions and processes to take their business forward.
Felix Tan, managing director of The FinLab, said that the programme will empower the agencies with a holistic integration of technology into their businesses, instead of “piecemeal” adoption.
For example, Siam Express aims to improve its branding by working with digital search marketing agency Webnatics to revamp its website and engage with B2B and B2C customers, as well as create dynamic travel content with artificial intelligence editing platform Magisto.
Joseph Sze, project director of Siam Express, shared: “This pilot project is the first of its kind for travel agencies. Most of Singapore’s travel agencies are SMEs, so we need this kind of platform to help us pinpoint critical areas.”
EU Holidays hopes to “digitise everything” as well as improve its customer retention and loyalty programmes, a far cry from its “passive” and dated systems that were largely limited to its website, said Wong Yew Hoong, director of EU Holidays.
It will be pushing its latest click-to-call pilot, Novocall, at the NATAS Travel Fair this weekend. The solution had generated 160 leads in a month, a 17 per cent increase compared to traditional email enquiries.
With the programme, EU Holidays will also work with Israeli-based technology company Viewbix to embed booking widgets in its marketing videos.
Wong added: “We hope that us four agencies can set a good example and motivate other agencies to adopt technologies to help their business. A lot of travel agents have the perception that we are old and a thing of the past.
“We hope that by using new technologies, we can increase productivity and improve the image of the industry as a whole.”
The transformation programme is also in collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board and the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS).
It is one of several initiatives by STB to digitally enable travel agents, and is part of its Business Transformation Through-Train Programme for travel agents.
“We hope that the positive results of the travel agencies that participated in The FinLab’s acceleration programme will encourage more travel agencies to take the first steps towards transforming their businesses through the adoption of technology,” said Ong Ling Lee, director, travel agents and tourist guides, STB.
