Singapore-based startup Hmlet launches a second building

April 16, 2018

Singapore-based startup Hmlet is launching its second building, Hmlet @ Sarkies, in Singapore, the largest co-living space in South-east Asia and one that is dedicated entirely to co-living.

The project is a partnership with real estate investment firm ANB Investment, which is helmed by Indonesia’s Pangestu family.

Besides offering accommodation, Hmlet also offers communal activities

Launched in 2016, Hmlet targets young professionals by offering serviced rooms or apartments for rent on a month-by-month basis with a minimum commitment of three months.

The 2,787m² condominium is the second sole co-living building in Hmlet’s portfolio after Hmlet @ Joo Chiat, which is home to 80 members.

The property in Newton will boast facilities such as rooftop common areas, a work space, barbecue pits and a swimming pool. As with all Hmlet spaces, prospective members can expect to be paired with like-minded flatmates and enjoy monthly get togethers ranging from yoga classes, networking sessions, to book clubs and cocktail evenings.

Managing director and co-founder, Zenos Schmickrath, said: “With real estate becoming more expensive, and people increasingly feeling the bite of isolated living, we are seeing that co-living is becoming a necessity. We want to make the process of moving and finding a place to live as seamless as possible for all our members, whether they are relocating to a new country or moving from their family home.”

CEO and co-founder of the company, Yoan Kamalski, added that aside from expanding the company’s presence in Singapore, the Hmlet is also looking to expand their portfolio to markets such as Hong Kong and Indonesia.

“We currently have capacity for 300 members and are excited to be on track to double this by the end of the year,” he added.

Korea joins world agents associations alliance

By TTG Asia

April 16, 2018

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The World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA) has welcomed its newest member, the Korean Association of Travel Agents (KATA).

“The WTAAA is very proud to welcome KATA, whose membership will ensure that the WTAAA agenda and voice in east Asia is further strengthened,” said Otto de Vries, WTAAA’s chair.

Korea signs on with WTAAA; Seoul cityscape pictured

Said Mooseung Yang, chairman of KATA: “KATA is honoured to be an active member of the WTAAA and express our gratitude to the general assembly for the admission. It is the right time for KATA to raise its hand to work together with members of WTAAA. In close cooperation with the existing members, we will contribute to fostering a dialogue, adding to the voice of East Asia.”

The Brussels-based WTAAA is a non-profit and positions itself as “the global voice of the travel agency distribution channel”. Its Asian members include travel agent associations representing India, Hong Kong, ASEAN (via the Federation of ASEAN Travel Associations), Australia and New Zealand.

WTAAA’s board of directors meet twice a year to discuss issues that impact the global travel agency industry and to share common problem solving strategies.

The next WTAAA board meeting will take place on May 9 and 10 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

For more information on the WTAAA, email secretariat@wtaaa.org or visit
http://www.wtaaa.org/.

Few will say sayonara to Japan because of tax, say stakeholders

By Julian Ryall

April 16, 2018

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Japan’s inbound players do not believe the new tax imposed on travellers leaving the country will seriously affect visitor numbers.

The new tax of Y1,000 (US$9.40) on any traveller leaving the country, domestic or foreign, and irrespective of whether they are travelling for business or leisure, will come into effect on January 7, 2019, and the government has assured the industry that an annual windfall estimated at 43 billion yen will be exclusively used to promote the domestic travel industry.

“Will this stop people coming to Japan? I don’t think so because while people might not want to pay more to visit Japan, the figure is not such a large hurdle,” said Bjorn Courage, general manager of ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort Hotel in Okinawa.

“And if the money is going back into the tourism sector and will be used to promote Japan as a destination, and make improvements to tourism infrastructure, then I think there will be few complaints,” he added.

Chinatsu Kawabe, deputy head of international promotions for the Kunisaki Tourism Association in Oita Prefecture, agreed.

“It is not a large amount and while it might affect total numbers a little bit, I don’t think there will be any lasting damage to the industry or to our operations,” she told TTG Asia.

Avi Lugasi, managing director of Kyoto-based Windows to Japan travel agency, agreed that the figure of 1,000 yen was appropriate, and was glad that the government had not set the tax higher as that might have impacted tourist arrivals.

“People will not suddenly scratch Japan off their travel list because of this tax, but authorities must protect the tourism industry because it brings in a lot of money to the country and provides many jobs.

“I also agree on the investing of money back into the tourism sector, but I do hope that they do not simply spend it on more layers of bureaucracy that replicate the work that other organisations are already doing,” Lugasi opined.

Bennett Peter is GM of Hyatt House in KL

By TTG Asia

April 16, 2018

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Hyatt Hotels Corporation has appointed Bennett Peter as general manager of Hyatt House Kuala Lumpur Mont’Kiara.

Currently in pre-opening stage, the hotel is the first Hyatt House – the chain’s “modern essentials” brand – in South-east Asia and is set to open in 3Q2018.

Prior to this appointment, Peter was executive assistant manager of Hyatt Regency Kinabalu. He has over over two decades of experience in hotels and resorts across Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The property has also appointed Daniel Mahathir as director of sales.

The four-star upscale residentially-inspired extended-stay hotel is part of Arcoris Mont’Kiara, a development by UEM Sunrise Bhd that will feature 298 guestrooms, restaurants, 288m² of meeting space, a fitness centre and sky pool.

Explore Indonesia’s Komodo Island onboard Ayana Lako di’a

By TTG Asia

April 16, 2018

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Ayana Hotels’ specially-built Phinisi cruise ship, apparently the largest in the world, will set sail on September 1.

Excursions on Ayana Lako di’a (which means safe journey in Balinese) are two-, three- or five-nights in length, and will visit some of Komodo Island’s most famous landmarks such as Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Onboard the 54m-long Phinisi vessel – the world’s largest – are nine luxury cabins, which can hold a maximum of 18 passengers. Guests can expect five-star treatment, full dining options and spa treatments.

Water activities such as snorkelling, diving, and stand up paddle-boarding are available, alongside dry activities such as yoga and dolphin watching.

Night tour projects initiative reaps footfalls, revenue for Jaipur

By TTG Asia

April 13, 2018

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India’s Rajasthan, known for its historical monuments and rich folk culture, is embarking on night tour projects that will give its majestic attractions new life after dusk.

Kicking off in the state capital of Jaipur, projects will cover popular attractions including Amber Palace, Albert Hall, Hawa Mahal and Vidyadhar Ka Bagh.

Since the monuments started operating for night viewing, the night tourism segment has attracted footfalls of 12.2 lakh rupees (US$19,000) and revenues of 12.2 crore rupees, against the total capital expenditure of 4.3 crore rupees made on the installation of lighting fixtures, according to Hridesh Sharma, director of the government’s department of archaeology and museums.

In its endeavour to boost night tourism in the city, the department has revamped Vidyadhar Park, which began opening for night viewing in 2017. Nestled in the lap of a valley and offering a panoramic view of the city, the 350-year-old Vidyadhar Ka Bagh features a lush green garden and beautiful fountains that sparkle with yellow and blue lights at night.

Similar preparations are also being made at the other places in the vicinity including the famed Ghat ki Guni tunnel and Sisodiya Garden.

And while the 16^th century Amber Palace has been open to visitors at night since 2015, the department of archaeology and museum is now initiating the Amber by Night campaign to make the attraction even more enchanting beyond dusk.

Open from 19.00 till 22.00, Amber by Night offers a tour of Jaleb Chowk, Diwan-e-Aam, Mansingh Mahal and Sheesh Mahal. The attraction has been enhanced with lights, fixtures, additional security and a café. A combination of LED & non-LED light fittings has also been added to create mood lighting, themed after different festivals.

Besides an upgrade of basic facilities, major additions include CCTV cameras, electric vehicles and segways.

Furthermore, the department of archaeology and museum has started holding cultural programmes at Amber Fort and Albert Hall, where renowned artistes of Rajasthan and other Indian states will stage cultural performances like kathak (on full moon nights) and other folk dances.

Jaipur’s walled city bazaars and historical gates are also set to come alive at night, with a project underway to provide façade lighting for Chaura Rasta, Tripolia Bazar and Johri Bazar, as well as Sanganeri Gate, New Gate, Ajmeri Gate, Tripolia Gate, Chandpole Gate and Hawa Mahal.

Jennifer Fox to lead M&C Hotels Singapore

By TTG Asia

April 13, 2018

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Jennifer Fox

Former president of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Jennifer Fox, will helm Millennium & Copthorne (M&C) Hotels as group CEO from June 19. She is also a member of the Board of Directors.

Fox replaces Aloysius Lee, former CEO of M&C, based in London. Tan Kian Seng, who has served as interim group CEO since February 2017, will remain with the group as chief of staff and assume other executive responsibilities.

Jennifer Fox

Prior to joining Fairmont in 2011, Fox held senior positions at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) over a period of 10 years, including chief operating office for Europe, and senior vice president overseeing global brand marketing for the InterContinental brand.

She joined IHG from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where she was global brand manager for Sheraton after spending over 10 years in various operational roles with ITT Sheraton.

Kwek Leng Beng, chairman of M&C, said in a statement: “With her strong leadership and in-depth sales, marketing and branding background, she will play a critical role in repositioning our key hotels, uplifting brand awareness of the group, as well as improving the overall performance of our portfolio.”

Fox said: “I look forward to working with chairman Kwek and the board, together with my new Millennium & Copthorne Hotels colleagues around the world. The group’s distinctive portfolio of iconic properties gives it a strong edge in tackling the challenges in today’s global hospitality market. I see this as a significant opportunity at a time of great change in our industry.”

Japan, Taiwan close in on Singapore as top non-OIC destinations for Muslim travellers

By TTG Asia

April 13, 2018

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Muslim-tourists-Japan — Muslim tourists sightseeing in Shibuya's Hachiko Square

Japan and Taiwan have raced into the top five in a ranking of non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destinations in Asia for Muslim travellers, the latest MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2018 shows.

Malaysia and Singapore retain pole position in their respective categories on the index, while Indonesia has risen to second place in the OIC category, sharing the spot with the UAE.

Following behind Singapore in the non-OIC ranking are Thailand and the UK. Japan and Taiwan entered the top five for the first time since GMTI was released, in fourth and fifth place respectively.

“We are now starting to see the impact of investment and commitment by destinations across the world into the Muslim travel market which is reaping rewards including a real shift in the rankings. The concerted efforts of destinations such as Indonesia, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan using data and insights from the previous GMTI reports have to be commended as they are now closing the gap,” said Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of CrescentRating and HalalTrip.

All 130 destinations in GMTI2018 were scored based on criteria including access, communications (destination marketing), environment and services. New metrics were added to this year’s index, though these were not named in the joint statement from MasterCard and CrescentRating.

Muslim tourists sightseeing in Shibuya’s Hachiko Square

“This year we have revamped the criteria to better reflect the growth strategies implemented by destinations to welcome Muslim travellers resulting in positive movement across the index,” Bahardeen said.

According to a joint statement by MasterCard and CrescentRating, the Muslim travel market is on course to reach US$220 billion in 2020. It is expected to grow a further US$80 billion to hit US$300 billion by 2026.

In 2017, there were an estimated 131 million Muslim visitor arrivals globally – up from 121 million in 2016 – and this is forecasted to grow to 156 million visitors by 2020, representing 10 per cent of the travel segment.

‘Small is better’ mantra dead for luxe chains

By TTG Asia

April 13, 2018

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Starting with Six Senses and viewing its ownership, the private equity group Pegasus, money is never meant to sleep and there is clearly mounting pressure to value up the chain. This month marks the operator’s entry into Singapore, with twinned properties the 49-room Duxton and 120-key Maxwell set to address a new segment for the brand.

Looking further afield, in the pipeline is New York City, where a 137-room property will also feature 240 condominium residences.

Six Senses Duxton will feature 49 guestrooms, each unique

Branded real estate is a key element in the luxury hotel group’s pipeline.

Six Senses is not the only top-end brand to understand the importance of branded real estate to chains. Look no further than to global leaders like Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton whose upcoming projects have a significant number of mixed-use and hotel residence developments.

IHG’s recent transaction with Regent was strongly underwritten on the growth strategy of new hotel residential projects and using that as a means to achieve broader brand penetration.

Shifting over to post-Zecha Aman, owner Vladislav Doronin is looking to unlock the group’s value and clearly this also lies in urban branded real estate. A New York hotel with 83 rooms and 20 residences is a key part of the chain’s move from being resort-centric.

What is challenging though is the relegation of the old-school Amanjunkies and the challenge to reinvent the dynamics with a more commercially-oriented approach.

An interesting facet of branded real estate is the licence or royalty fees for hotel residences. In broad terms these average three to five per cent of residential sales at the top end of the luxury tiers for global brands, yet the niche for bespoke players often sees fees at five-10 per cent which, given the high pricing points of the real estate, can equate to enormous revenue.

Yet, looking at a group such as Six Senses, chain value equates long-term revenue stream and this means a greater reliance on scale. It’s doubtful companies can focus on lifestyle, bucket list 20-40 key properties in the middle of nowhere. Aman’s storybook transaction history is testament to that flawed approach.

I recall seeing Alila’s founder Mark Edleson speak on a operators panel about the painful realisation that yes, scale does matter and getting properties up over 100-keys is essential to a financial lifeline for management.

Dnata eats up Qantas’ catering businesses

By TTG Asia

April 13, 2018

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DXB_2016_Catering) — Qantas sells catering division to Emirates' dnata

Dubai-based Dnata is acquiring Qantas’ catering businesses in hopes of growing its presence and servicing more customers across Australia.

Qantas’ catering businesses include Q Catering – with centres in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth – and Snap Fresh, a meal production plant in Queensland that specialises in Australian-made frozen meals for airlines and customers in the healthcare and food retail industries.

Qantas sells catering division to Emirates’ Dnata

Commenting on the agreement, Robin Padgett, Dnata’s divisional senior vice president of catering, said: “This agreement reflects our confidence in Australia as a market and the ongoing growth potential into the future.”

With the acquisition, Padgett said Dnata plans to invest in more infrastructure, starting with a new catering facility in Sydney.

Dnata will supply catering for Qantas flights for an initial period of 10 years, and Qantas will continue to work with key suppliers in menu design and development.

Qantas domestic CEO, Andrew David, added: “The catering businesses will benefit significantly from Dnata’s global footprint, catering expertise and ability to drive investment and growth for what is a core focus of its operation.”

Dnata, part of Emirates Group, already operates 11 catering facilities in Australia, currently trading under the Dnata catering brand (recently rebranded from Alpha Flight Services). The company employs more than 4,000 people in Australia across its catering, cargo and ground handling businesses.

The agreement is subject to approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Singapore-based startup Hmlet launches a second building

Korea joins world agents associations alliance

Few will say sayonara to Japan because of tax, say stakeholders

Bennett Peter is GM of Hyatt House in KL

Explore Indonesia’s Komodo Island onboard Ayana Lako di’a

Night tour projects initiative reaps footfalls, revenue for Jaipur

Jennifer Fox to lead M&C Hotels Singapore

Japan, Taiwan close in on Singapore as top non-OIC destinations for Muslim travellers

‘Small is better’ mantra dead for luxe chains

Dnata eats up Qantas’ catering businesses

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