Webjet launches blockchain platform for hotel bookings
Following two years of developing and testing the initiative between its own B2B companies, Webjet has expanded its blockchain initiative to external organisations to help them avoid invoicing disputes arising out of unreconciled data between accounts payable and accounts receivable in the hotel distribution chain.
Now deployed on its fourth generation blockchain infrastructure supporting Rezchain Smart Contracts, the solution has seen take-up from Thomas Cook (Europe), DidaTravel (China), Mitra Global (Indonesia) and Far East Hospitality.
According to Webjet, industry estimates assume that three to five per cent of bookings are disputed when one party attempts to invoice the other party and disputes can take months to resolve. In some instances, bookings are not invoiced at all, meaning one party shoulders the full out-of-pocket cost.
The company says Rezchain is the hotel distribution industry’s first functioning blockchain-enabled technology platform where companies share data “on chain” to address mismatched data in real time, eliminating disputes at invoice time.
“Rezchain requires no technical integration on the part of the participating company; a simple daily file is all that is necessary to begin matching data and solving booking issues,” said John Guscic, Webjet’s managing director.
“In a low margin, high transaction volume business, it is essential to find ways to be more efficient and eliminate administrative burdens that add no value. It was this fundamental principal has led to the development of Rezchain”.
Webjet is initially offering “blockchain as a service” to participating companies and expects larger organisations would start contributing computing power and running their own mining nodes over time.
And on the issues of privacy and security that come with open technology such as blockchain, Lynne Oldfield, Webjet’s director corporate development, said: “Rezchain’s architecture ensures any sensitive data stored ‘on chain’ is hashed and cannot be decoded, while still allowing companies access to the granular detail necessary to resolve mismatched booking data.”
Diethelm webinars to cover its 13 destinations in greater depth
Diethelm Travel Group has unveiled the lineup of its returning webinar series, which launched last year offering free educational sessions to client agents.
The tour operator will produce a webinar once a month focusing on each of the 13 countries it operates in, aimed at helping clients better understand and sell the destinations, as well as highlight local experiences and offerings such as concierge services, best-selling products and new programmes.
Hosted by Diethelm Travel’s product managers and managing directors, each instalment runs for 30 minutes and is also available online after the scheduled session.
This year, webinars have also been tweaked based on participant feedback, to delve beyond destination overviews and touch on trending topics. Sessions are available for both Central European Time and US Pacific Time, with the below schedule and focus areas:
2018
February 27 – Thailand (off-the-beaten-track experiences)
March 29 – Vietnam (new beach stay destinations)
April 26 – Cambodia (leading luxury accommodation and why the country deserves more time to be explored)
May 20 – Laos’ (nature and arts)
June 28 – Sri Lanka
July 26 – Malaysia (Sabah)
August 29 – Singapore (new local, immersive experiences)
September 27 – Myanmar (nature and scenic attractions including river cruises, trekking and cycling)
October 25 – Maldives (which resorts best fit each market segment)
November 29 – China (cultural destinations of Chengdu, Shuzhou and Hangzhou)
2019
February – Hong Kong (hiking and island experiences outside of the city)
March – Bhutan (what’s new and the practicalities of travelling)
April – Philippines (best ways to travel through the country’s famed islands)
“We received an overwhelming response to our first webinar series last year and are thrilled that clients found the sessions to be a strategic resource for their business. Now, based on participant feedback, we have designed our new series to be even more in-depth helping further drive our clients’ destination knowledge,” said Siprang Srinarintranon, group director of marketing.
Partnership opens door between sustainable businesses and travel agents
EarthCheck-accredited tourism businesses are expected to gain visibility with travel agencies, as the benchmarking and certification advisory group partners Green Travel Index (GTI), a B2B database for sustainable certified travel service providers.
In a statement, EarthCheck said that GTI’s hotel mapping and profiling will “open a virtual door to more than 4,300 travel agents”, who will be able to access EarthCheck Certified, EarthCheck Evaluate, EarthCheck Sustainable Destinations and EarthCheck Design Members.
EarthCheck’s founder and CEO, Stewart Moore, said: “The GTI partnership means all our members’ achievements, from destinations such as Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland, luxury resort The Alpina Gstaad in Switzerland to theme parks like Xcaret in Mexico, will be recognised by many of the world’s leading agencies.”
In turn, GTI president, Stephan Busch, said the platform will reach the milestone of integrating an online portfolio of clients in over 70 countries.
GTI also has a strategic partnership with GIATA, the market leader in non-bookable tourism content, including the world’s largest unique hotel database.
With tourism spend from responsible travel on the rise, the EarthCheck-GTI partnership is seen as timely.
“In this era of online transparency and accountability, tourism brands are increasingly aware of their social and sustainable responsibilities,” Moore said. “From corporate clients, to governments and environmentally aware guests, tourism brands are growing in sensitivity to best practice and the commercial impact of their sustainability commitments.”
New Hilton Kota Kinabalu GM adds to women leaders pool
Linda Pecoraro has been appointed general manager of Hilton Kota Kinabalu.
In her new role, she will support Jamie Mead, regional general manager for Malaysia to oversee the operation and lead the management team at the 302-room hotel.
An Australian of Italian descent, originally from Brisbane, Pecoraro brings with her more than 20 years’ experience in the industry with international hotel chains, much of this time served with Hilton across various locations.
Centara dangles all-inclusive Maldives packages for adults-only, families
Two Centara properties in the Maldives are offering all-inclusive packages with experiences such as whale shark spotting and underwater adventures in a semi-submarine.
At the adults-only Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa, the Gold All-Inclusive package entitles guests to up to three dives per villa, per week. Guests can enjoy daytime and night-time dives at dive sites including Giraavaru Cave, Kuda Haa, Shark Point, Lion’s Head, Kuda Faru and Kikki Reef.
The famous wreck of the Maldives Victory ship is also less than one hour away, and guests who want to get up close to the world’s biggest fish – the whale shark – can join dedicated snorkelling trips.
Other inclusions in the package are a semi-submarine tour, six meals per day, an open bar, a complimentary mini-bar that gets replenished daily, laundry, complimentary spa treatments and unlimited use of non-motorised water sports.
Every villa at the resort – which features 140 beachfront and overwater villas in the North Malé Atoll – is designed with couples in mind, including options with outdoor bathtubs and hammocks suspended over the lagoon.
Over at the more family-friendly Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives, the Ultimate All-Inclusive package includes three dives per person, per week; shore dives; boat trips; dive courses; semi-submersible trips; daily dining experiences, mini-bars replenished daily; and spa credits.
The house reef is just off the coast on the island in the South Ari Atoll, and guests can also visit the wreck of MV Kudi Maa, which attracts species including turtles, manta rays and whale sharks.
Also included are activities such as island excursions, water skiing, wake boarding, banana boating, parasailing and sunset fishing.
Suites and villas at the family-friendly resort range from 86m² to 159m² and can accommodate up to five guests.
Both resorts offer unlimited snorkelling opportunities as well as free airport transfers (conditions apply).
Hong Kong Ocean Park to host second night fiesta
The Drink’N Music Fest 2018 will hit Hong Kong’s Ocean Park for 10 nights from March 10 to April 2.
This year’s fiesta will feature “a hundred types of beers and other alcoholic drinks”, including include new craft beer flavours that have been developed locally, and drinks that will be offered exclusively at the festival. Also available are street food and flavours from around the world, including Shanghai pan-fried buns, Taiwanese treats and Hawaiian barbecue platters.
The highlight of Drink’N Music Fest 2018 will be the Hong Kong Pop Music Live. Each event night, two 45-minute concerts will be held, featuring over 20 local singers and bands including ToNick, Justin Lo, Robynn & Kendy, Dear Jane, Qiu Hong, Endy Chow, KOLOR, Candy Lo, Yellow!, RubberBand, Kimman Wong, Phil Lam, Mischa Ip, Yoyo Sham, Ellen Loo, Eman Lam, Chet Lam, Chochukmo, Shine, Alfred Hui, Jill Vidal, Chan Wing Him, Jude and Jason Chan.
Guests can purchase an electronic token with stored value of HK$50 (US$6.40), which can be reloaded with credits for purchase of in-park food and beverages.
For concert-goers, tickets at HK$180 and HK$280 are available, including access to the Park after 18.30, a reloadable e-token with a HK$30 stored value, a coupon booklet and a souvenir beer mug. In addition, they will have access to the Applause Pavilion with designated seats for the concert of their choice.
Perry Chung, executive director for commercial operations of Ocean Park, said: “Last year, we celebrated the Park’s 40th anniversary by launching a brand-new night fiesta, which was very popular among locals and guests from overseas. We are excited to stage an event of a larger scale this year.”
The festival starts at 18.30 on event nights.
Concert tickets are on sale on the Cityline website. Vsit www.oceanpark.com.hk for more details.
NCL hires new director of China operations
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) has appointed Ewen Cameron as director of operations in China.
Based at the NCLH China head office in Shanghai, Cameron will be responsible for the company’s core business units in the Chinese cruise market including operations, revenue management, sales and strategy, in addition to overseeing governance, controls and reporting structures.
He will also work closely with the China team including managing director of China, Alex Yucheng Xiang, and Asia-Pacific senior vice president and managing director, Steve Odell, as well as liaise with the company’s headquarters in Miami.
Cameron brings over 20 years of international travel industry experience to NCLH, having previously held key leadership positions in the cruise travel agency and wholesale sectors, including a nine-year tenure as director of finance EMEA/APAC for Silversea Cruises.
Paradise in limbo as state of emergency extends in Maldives
It was supposed to be the idyllic resort destination, welcoming an influx of visitors particularly during the Lunar New Year period, but tourists are cancelling their plans to the Maldives in droves as the latest political upheaval drags on in the Indian Ocean nation.
The tourism sector is now struggling with hundreds of cancellations with more expected to come as the 15-day state of emergency imposed by the government on February 5 is today extended for a further 15 days.
Visitor travel to the outlying resort islands on the Maldives was typically unaffected in the past as the occasional bouts of political unrest were largely confined to the capital. However, the crisis this time was exacerbated by travel warnings issued by China, the UK, Germany, the US, the UAE and Canada, among others, while insurance companies have also shown reluctance to provide travel insurance.
In a Twitter post, Yoosuf Riffath, CEO of Capital Travel & Tours and president of the Association of Travel Agents (ATS) said the Chinese New Year, which normally sees an influx of Chinese tourists into the country, saw a plunge of 65 per cent this year.
Riffath also reported that a Madrid charter operator, which was not named, had cancelled their summer charter flights, which would amount to a loss of around 750 arrivals per week for about six months according to estimates.
Resort managers and trade members, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of upsetting the authorities, reported mounting cancellations. “In one resort, the number of 10-20 daily inquiries has dropped to less than half,” said one source.
Trade sources said that the immediate loss to the industry would be US$20 million or more, as several luxury resorts continue to receive cancellations. “It’s not only the Chinese, but others too are cancelling trips,” another source said.
Gaisar Naseem, general manager at Villa Hotels and Resorts, which operates five resorts in the country, warned that the situation could destroy the tourism industry, a major revenue contributor to the Maldivian economy.
“The whole industry needs to do something about this. This is our livelihood. We’re not politicians. But the whole world knows what’s happening in the Maldives. We need to sort these things out if we expect tourists to come here,” Gaisar was quoted as saying in local media.
Industry officials said around 100 Maldivian companies attending the ITB Berlin next month would face difficult questions about the state of tourism in the country. Neighbouring Sri Lanka, meanwhile, is hoping to woo tourists who have cancelled plans to the Maldives.
India’s hospitality sector ‘ignored’ in national budget
The Union Budget 2018-2019 announced earlier this month has left the Indian trade largely unimpressed, as members cite unmet demands and question the lack of hospitality undertakings.
“The hospitality sector has once again been almost entirely ignored in the union budget. Developments in ancillary sectors like infrastructure and aviation are certainly positive but that alone isn’t adequate,” said Dilip Datwani, president, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI). “Promoting and encouraging investments in hospitality can place India on the map of tourism destinations of the world.”
Hospitality associations in the country were expecting that one of their long-standing demands for the hospitality sector to be accorded infrastructure status would be considered in this year’s budget.
The associations had also requested the government to levy a uniform 12 per cent GST rate, irrespective of the room tariffs, for all hotel categories.
“Undoubtedly infrastructure development and improving connectivity will help the tourism sector, however with no specifics spelled out, we are not sure how it could benefit the hospitality sector. We were hoping to hear from the finance minister about tax reforms that would have made Indian tourism competitive with neighbouring tourism countries,” said Rishi Puri, vice president, Lords Hotels & Resorts.
He agreed that the budget has “fallen short of expectations for the hospitality segment”, adding that promoting the ease of doing business remained a “dormant subject” this year.
Meanwhile, several initiatives announced by the government are expected to bring benefits to the broader tourism industry.
In his budget speech, Indian finance minister, Arun Jaitley proposed to develop 10 prominent tourist sites with focus on infrastructure and skills development, technology, attracting private investments, branding and marketing. In addition, tourist amenities at 100 monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India will be upgraded to enhance visitor experience.
The finance minister further shared that the regional connectivity scheme of UDAN initiated by the government last year would connect 56 unserved airports and 31 unserved helipads across the country. Operations have already started at 16 such airports.
Vishal Suri, managing director at SOTC Travel, said these would give a “much-needed boost to domestic tourism”.
It is not enough to keep up with the digital expectations of today’s tech-savvy consumers, Expedia says. Exceeding these expectations is a “travel industry imperative”.
To help travel service providers anticipate new needs, Expedia casts the spotlight on four key trends of 2018.
AI and machine learning: chatbots become ubiquitous
Expedia expects 2018 to be a year where AI, in the form of machine learning, becomes not just a futuristic technology, but an integrated and valuable everyday tool.
Growing “digital impatience” among consumers and expectations for instant responses to queries and purchasing requests has driven adoption of digital assistants. According to Expedia, 62 per cent of global consumers today are comfortable with an AI application responding to their query.
Chatbots are already enabling deeper and easier traveller communication, and are expanding to different mediums: chat, social channels, voice assistants and more. In addition, new tools and technologies in this space will allow hoteliers to connect with consumers in deeper and more meaningful ways.
Voice: Siri and Google go mainstream
Voice-enabled digital assistants are poised to not just change the travel industry, Expedia posits, but nearly every industry we touch in our lives. By 2021, there will be 7.5 billion digital assistants in the world.
Digital assistants today are giving us weather and traffic information, and entertainment content – but they are also enabling us to search hotels, check the status of flights, and more.
“As an industry, we need to be at the forefront of testing voice skills, and aligning with the growing traveler adoption of this technology, to ensure we’re equipped and at full performance when it becomes ubiquitous”, Arthur Chapin, senior vice president – global product and design, Expedia Group. said.
Citing Business Insider UK, Expedia shared that the number of virtual digital assistant users has increased over 40 per cent from 2016 to 2017 with an estimated of 158 per cent increase from 2017 to 2021.
Expedia also shared numbers from Seattle-based voice over IP carrier Speakeasy showing that nearly half of global smartphone users will use voice technology by 2020 and 47 per cent will use voice technology at least once a month.
Activities booking in an experience economy
With 72 per cent of consumers seeking experiences over things, Expedia said there is great opportunity to target consumers who will not just book a hotel room, but also experiences from dinner reservations, to tours and activities to entertainment.
One-stop shop for packages
Consumers expect a seamless, one-stop experience in nearly every area of their lives. A recent multi-generational study by Brand Expedia shows that 80 per cent of travellers find it useful to book all their trip components together, and for Gen Z, the number is massive 87 per cent.
The upside for hotels is that offering rooms in “package bookings”, alongside flights and cars, typically means higher average daily rate, longer booking windows and fewer cancellations. Plus, consumers can streamline their research and booking into one seamless purchase. Package demand on Expedia generated nearly 1.4 times longer booking window when compared to standalone hotel bookings.
For hoteliers, these longer stays and longer booking windows mean more opportunities for them to engage with and upsell consumers – both prior to check-in and on-property, Expedia says.