Alila Anji has launched the Aerial Tapestry package to give guests an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of Anji, in China’s north-western Zhejiang province, from above.
Guests can take to the skies with a choice of two aircrafts: a Cirrus SR-20 airplane or a Robinson R44 helicopter.
Scenic tour of Anji from up high
The Cirrus SR-20 is a piston-engine, four- or- five-seater composite monoplane, and the experience offers a choice of two 15-minute routes, flying over Tianzi Lake and Zhangwu Town, or over Tianzi Lake and Xianshan Lake. Those who dare can even have a go at co-piloting the aircraft.
The R44 is a single-engine helicopter that can accommodate the pilot and three passengers, and offers an eight-minute tour following the same routes but at a lower altitude of 300m.
The two-night package is priced from RMB6,760++ (US$1,062++) for two, and valid from now until October 31, 2018. The price includes a two-night stay in a Hill View Villa or Lake View Villa, daily breakfast for two, flying experience for two in either aircraft, one dinner and one lunch box.
The tour is organised in collaboration with Tianzi Lake Airport, Anji’s only airport, located one hour north of Alila Anji.
Airbnb Plus homes verified based on criteria including cleanliness, comfort and design; Plus listing in Shanghai
For a startup that began in 2007 with just two air beds, Airbnb has gone a long way – and a lot more ambitious – as it marks its 10th year of founding with plans to go “Plus”.
Airbnb yesterday unveiled additions to its home-booking system, including new tiers targeted at luxury travellers, as guests and properties become increasingly varied in the past decade since its founding.
Airbnb Plus homes verified based on criteria including cleanliness, comfort and design; Plus listing in Shanghai pictured
Launching to guests this summer are four new property types – Vacation Home, Unique, B&B and Boutiques. The four will join the existing three categories of Entire Home, Private Room and Shared Space. Airbnb said the seven core property types will provide greater transparency and easier search by guests over the types of accommodation available.
Airbnb also rolled out the new Airbnb Plus tier. Airbnb Plus homes have been inspected and verified in person against a 100+ point checklist covering cleanliness, comfort and design. Hosts in this tier would benefit from top placement, in-home services such as design consultation and expert photography, and premium support.
Airbnb Plus is available for booking, beginning with 2,000 homes in 13 cities.
Another new tier is Beyond by Airbnb, which launches this spring. Beyond by Airbnb will offer custom designed trips, including “the world’s finest homes, custom experiences and world-class hospitality”.
To cater to different travel purposes and occasions, Airbnb has launched Airbnb for Family and Airbnb for Work. Four more categories rolling out later this year, namely, Collections for Social stays, Weddings, Honeymoons, Group getaways and Dinner parties.
Airbnb has also revamped its Superhost programme and will launch a new guest membership programme later this year.
The enhancements outlined in its new roadmap, Airbnb said in a statement, is expected to put it on a path to more than one billion annual guests by 2028. Over the last 10 years, guests have checked into an Airbnb more than 300 million times.
“Ten years ago we never dreamed of what Airbnb could become. In fact, people thought the idea that strangers would stay in each other’s homes was crazy. Today, millions of people every night do just that. But we want to go further by supporting and expanding our community so that in 10 years time, more than one billion people per year will experience the benefits of Airbnb,” said Airbnb co-founder, CEO and head of community, Brian Chesky.
The company specialised in coach trips to Malaysia (photo credit: Singapore Buses/CC)
Konsortium Express & Tours, an agency in Singapore specialising in bus trips to Malaysia, has abruptly closed down and ceased all its services.
In a notice on its website, Konsortium stated that a “financial crisis” led to the shutdown.
Konsortium’s license has been revoked, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
The company specialised in coach trips to Malaysia (photo credit: Singapore Buses/CC)
Customers with unfulfilled trips were advised in the notice from Konsortium to claim on travel insurance or apply for a refund with Singapore’s small claims tribunal.
NATAS’s Surface Transport Committee is rallying local transport operators to take over affected bookings if necessary, according to STB.
Meanwhile, a major agency in the country has stepped in to offer affected customers some help. In a statement, Chan Brothers Travel said it will extend a goodwill discount of 10 per cent off package tours, based on group departure for bookings made from now till March 4.
Chan Brothers also advised customers to “exercise vigilance”. Tell-tale signs of companies in financial trouble, the agency said, include requests for more deposit payment than the industry practice or dangling incentives for full payment upfront.
As well, STB urged consumers to take measures to protect themselves, such as paying by instalments and purchasing travel insurance that provides coverage for unforeseen events such as agent insolvency.
Former president and CEO of then Abacus International, Robert Bailey, will be back in the GDS business as chief strategy officer of Travelport, effective March 1.
Based in Langley, the UK, Bailey will report to Travelport’s president and CEO Gordon Wilson. His responsibilities will include the company’s five-year and annual business plans, new business development, strategic alliances and leading the evolution and implementation of further transformation in the business.
Bailey, no stranger to Asia-Pacific agents as chief of Abacus, was based in Singapore from 2008-2015. The Asia-Pacific GDS was majority owned by a consortium of Asian airlines, which sold their 65 per cent share of this business to Sabre in July 2015.
His other roles included executive positions in ITSMA, a technology and services marketing firm; SITA, an IT and telecommunications business serving the airline and airport sector and Galileo International, a forerunner of the current Travelport where he held a number of commercial management roles including managing director of Galileo Switzerland and director, sales and marketing organisations Europe.
He is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and has an MBA from Cranfield School of Management.
Wilson commented: “Robert is an excellent addition to our leadership team with his deep travel technology background and considerable experience in Asia which is the fastest growing travel economy in the world.”
Bailey said: “I am delighted to be joining Travelport to help build further its travel commerce platform and enhance its leadership position in travel merchandising, mobile travel commerce and commercial payments. Having operated in the same market sectors for many years I respect the formidable capabilities and talented people it possesses. I am excited by this opportunity to play a part in furthering how Travelport is using technology to make the experience of buying and managing travel better on a global scale.”
Travel planning has become more of a chore; some customers still prefer expertise and advice from agencies
While today’s travellers love browsing the web for ideas and inspiration, there is a swing back to “real expertise” when it comes to booking, according to a new report by UK tour company Kuoni.
In its Worldwide Trends Report 2018, Kuoni shared that 59 per cent of respondents prefer real advice from trusted experts when booking a holiday.
Travel planning has become more of a chore; some customers still prefer expertise and advice from agencies
The same research shows that 49 per cent strongly agree that travel planning has become more of a headache than an enjoyable part of the holiday; 79 per cent feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they get online before booking a holiday; 52 per cent say they are unsure of which online sites, reviews and data to trust when booking a holiday.
The company recorded a 38 per cent surge in appointments in 2017 over 2016, with the average length of consultation lasting two hours. A surprising 59 per cent do not have a destination in mind and are happy to be inspired.
Kuoni is seeing more customers make initial enquiries through webchat, which it introduced four years ago. Webchat is a “great ice-breaker” and “increasingly online chats go on to more detailed conversations about the trip face-to-face at an appointment or on the phone”, the report added. The company is also receiving more specialist phone calls as generic phone calls go down.
Kunoi highlights that when it comes to more complex, multi-centre travel, real expertise and advice is still central to converting browsing into booking.
This observation is given further weight with Kuoni pointing out the growing demand for “epic combinations”. “Kuoni customers are increasingly looking to combine two or more touring holidays into one epic holiday, allowing them to tick off as many of the world’s iconic sights as possible,” the agency noted in the report.
“For the Highlights of South Korea tour, some 70 per cent of 2018 bookings are in combination with the Highlights of China or Japan tours,” Kuoni stated. Another epic Asian trip trending among Kuoni customers is the 20 nights Ultimate Indochina itinerary, which combines Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
For a limited time, travel industry professionals can enjoy 50 per cent off Banyan Tree Phuket’s pool villas as the resort extends the offer to employees of travel agencies, hotels and airline companies only.
Eligible guests will enjoy 50 per cent off any class of pool villas in the three Phuket resorts (Banyan Tree Phuket, Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary and DoublePool Villas by Banyan Tree); 50 per cent off the standard green fees at Laguna Golf Phuket; 20 per cent off all purchases from restaurants and bars; 20 per cent off all spa treatments from the Banyan Tree Spa; complimentary gourmet buffet breakfast daily at The Watercourt restaurant; as well as complimentary resort and lagoon activities.
Lagoon Pool Villa at Banyan Tree Phuket
The offer is valid for a minimum stay of two nights during the months of May, June and September 2018, except May 1-6 and June 16-18, subject to availability. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions, and a maximum of two villas per trade member per booking is permitted.
Group reservations, meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions do not qualify.
For more information or to make a reservation, contact the reservation team at phuket@banyantree.com or call (66) 76-372-400.
As a new cryptocurrency touted to potentially revolutionise the travel industry readies for launch, ICS Travel Group has hopped on as an early integration partner of its payment platform.
First implemented last year by OTA Traveliko.com, TravelKoin is a decentralised payment gateway made specifically for airlines, hotels, car rental, cruise ships, rail, OTAs, booking engines and channel managers.
TravelKoin allows travel suppliers to transact with one another without bank charges
Through the new partnership, ICS Travel will be able to receive and make payments in tokenised currency – in near-realtime and without bank fees.
Apart from payment, TravelKoin will also have a rewards and loyalty application. Through the TravelKoin-powered membership platform, travel suppliers can compensate travellers for bookings, reviews and more in services or by converting to fiat currency.
TravelKoin was founded by CS Travel Group’s co-owner and CTO, Martin Struschka, and Bjorn Harvold of Traveliko.
Rosewood Phnom Penh
The first urban hotel in South-east Asia for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has opened in Cambodia’s capital. There are a total of 175 rooms and 37 suites, each furnished with large, window-facing tables – that double as dining or work spaces – opening out to vistas of the city skyline. The residential-style guestrooms start from the 50m2 Executive Room to the Norodom House at 225m2. Facilities include a 20m-long indoor lap pool, spa, gym, three restaurants and the highest bar in Phnom Penh – uniquely perched on a cantilevered terrace on level 37.
Wyndham Dreamland Resort Bali
The 177-key resort is the Wyndham Group’s second on the Indonesian Island. There are seven room categories ranging from the 36m2 Deluxe Room to the 72m2 suites with extended living areas and outdoor Jacuzzis in ground level units. There are also eight one- and two-bedroom villas, each featuring its own private swimming pool. For meetings and events, the resort has three boardrooms, as well as a larger function room for up to 300 people for a seminar or 250 for a banquet. Amenities include three F&B venues, two swimming pools and the Tirta Spa – a complex with six treatment rooms and a yoga deck.
Hotel Cozi Harbour View
The second outpost under the midscale Hotel Cozi brand opened earlier this month. Located in Kwun Tong, Hotel Cozi Harbour View offers 598 rooms and suites ranging from 18m2 to 37m2, all of which come equipped with complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, and a smartphone offering free international calls to selected countries. Additionally, the hotel provides a complimentary shuttle bus service to the nearby MTR station and Tsim Sha Tsui.
Radisson Jodhpur
The Radisson has made its debut in the Blue City of Rajasthan in India. The hotel comprises 96 rooms across six categories, some of which come with separate living rooms. Onsite amenities include a fitness centre, spa and four F&B venues. Radisson Jodhpur boasts over 2,787m2 of total indoor meeting space comprising three banquet halls, as well as a 1,300m2 outdoor party lawn.
Hilton Fuzhou
Occupying levels one, four and 39-55 of the Sandi Lianbang Building in the Jiangbin region is Hilton’s second outpost in Fuzhou. The hotel has 331 rooms and suites featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and stand-alone bathtubs. Facilities include an indoor infinity pool, a 24-hour fitness centre, two restaurants on the 39th floor and a lounge on the 40th. There are also 11 function rooms, including three ballrooms, featuring state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and access to a special vehicle lift.
Distance proves no barrier as the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) last night hosted media and influencers from both countries at a simultaneous virtual dinner party despite being 6,300km apart.
Photo credit: Twitter/@stb_sg
Held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore and Sydney, the event paired guests from both countries via an immersive technology setup for an intimate and fun dining experience, while they feasted on a menu designed by celebrity chefs Adam Liaw (Sydney) and Malcolm Lee (Singapore), and desserts by Anna Polyviou (Sydney) and Janice Wong (Singapore).
The dinner also marked the Australian launch of STB’s new global brand – Passion Made Possible.
Sophie Couturier has been appointed corporate director of sales & marketing by Shinta Mani Hotels, managed by Hospitality Management and Development Asia (HMD Asia).
Based in Siem Reap, Couturier will oversee all matters pertaining to sales and marketing for Shinta Mani Hotels, as well as new properties in the pipeline.
The French native boasts over a decade of experience in senior positions across Asia, particularly in boutique properties. Prior to joining Shinta Mani Hotels, she was group head of sales with Samadhi Retreats in Kuala Lumpur.
