Thailand wants a drier, more sober Songkran

April 13, 2016

Songkran in Koh Samui, Thailand

THAI authorities are strongly urging locals and tourists alike to focus on culture and tradition rather than partake in drinking and massive water fights during this year’s Songkran Festival which kicks off today.

Songkran, or Thailand’s traditional New Year, is being celebrated from April 13-15 this year, and is usually a raucous affair where people splash each other with water.

But due to ongoing droughts, the worst the country has seen in decades, the government is calling for restraint on the injudicious use of water.

Yuthasak Supasorn, governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said: “TAT is following the government’s water-saving policy which encourages people to use water more conservatively when celebrating Songkran.”

“Songkran is the most important festival in the Thai calendar and is celebrated in different ways up and down the country. We want travellers to discover more about this unique Thai event and to get a taste of the huge range of distinct local festivals,” added Yuthasak, as he aims to focus this year’s celebrations on the more cultural aspects of Songkran.

Traditionally, this was the time when agricultural work would come to a halt for a few days so that Thais can pay respects to their ancestors and to senior family members by sprinkling their hands with scented water. It is also a time to visit temples and to bathe Buddhist statues in a symbolic gesture of purification.

Many celebratory events, such as Thai Beverage’s Water Festival 2016, will be featuring cultural activities as a result.

“I am very pleased to extend our support to Thai Beverage or any private organisations who’ve stepped forward to assist us in the preservation and promotion of Thai culture and, of course, the traditional way of celebrating Songkran,” commented Yuthasak.

The government also plans to restrict alcohol and behavior it considers improper this year.

“I would like to urge all Songkran revellers to use water sparingly while engaging in a Thai tradition that has been around for generations,” said Prayuth Chan-o-cha, prime minister of Thailand, during a national television broadcast, adding that improper attire and excessive alcohol consumption were “embarrassing, in particular for many foreigners.”

However, this has not stopped people from engaging in water gun fights and partying on the streets as the celebrations broke out in many parts of the country earlier this week.

Tourists are also still expected to flock to Thailand during this festive period with an expected 10 per cent increase in revenues from last year.

Youssef El Khomri, general manager, Mercure and ibis Erawan, says his properties are “running at high occupancy” and he is expecting a full house during the period.

Macau tourism targets new markets with Travelport partnership

By TTG Asia

April 13, 2016

THE Macau Government Tourism Office has entered into a marketing partnership with Travelport to raise awareness and to drive traffic from the Middle East and African regions to Macau.

Under the agreement, the office will leverage on Digital Media Solutions delivered via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform to target relevant travel agencies.

There will be an online competition, as part of a promotional campaign, to incentivise travel agents to generate interest in Macau as a destination.

Betty Fok, head of destination marketing department, Macau Government Tourism Office, says the partnership will be beneficial in acquiring business from the Middle East and Africa which are new focus regions for Macau tourism.

Malaysia’s hike in airline fees will not affect ticket prices

By S Puvaneswary

April 13, 2016

THE transport minister of Malaysia has put to rest fears of an increase in airline ticket prices due to a proposed increase in fee charges by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) on airlines, scheduled to be implemented this Friday, April 15.

Transport minister Liow Tiong Lai said during a press conference yesterday: “I do not think ticket fees are involved. What is affected is only the cost of administration, implementation and such. I think it is not true it will cause a heavy cost for airlines.”

Justifying the need for a fee hike, he said the DCA was upgrading itself into a Civil Aviation Authority, and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) will be conducting an audit on the DCA next month.

“To set up a Civil Aviation Authority, you have to show ICAO that you are self-sustainable and that the income from your fees are able to handle the transformation process. That is the reason we have to implement these adjustments,” said Liow in The Star newspaper.

Earlier, the DCA had proposed a revision of charges to meet its operating costs, and at the same time have a reasonable return on assets in order to upgrade and to serve the industry better.

At present, the department spends 250 million ringgit (US$64.2 million) a year with income standing at only 50 million ringgit, and receives funding from the transport ministry to meet operational costs.

The fee increase will cover everything from air traffic facilities to pilot licences, and is the first fee review by the DCA in 40 years.

Air navigation flight charges will rise from five sen per nautical mile to 50 sen for lightweight aircraft.

For bigger planes (the A320/A330 and B737/B777), the cost will rise from 10-25 sen per nautical mile to 1-2.50 ringgit, while the super jumbo A380 will see charges swelling to 3 ringgit from 30 sen. The minimum charges will be raised from 5 ringgit to 50 ringgit per nautical mile.

Meanwhile, Air Operator Certificate approval fees will rise from 400 ringgit to 80,000 ringgit for mid-sized aircraft with annual renewals costing 30,000 ringgit, rising from the current 400 ringgit.

France is safe for tourists, say tourism officials

By Rosa Ocampo

April 13, 2016

ARRIVALS to France were down 10 per cent in January and February this year due to the attacks in Brussels and Paris as well as macroeconomic difficulties in source countries.

As a result, the destination has launched an initiative called Grand Tour, an 18-month plan to enliven tourism. Apart from offering a 10 to 20 per cent discount on some components of the Grand Tour from January to July 2016 and the whole of 2017, it will also highlight 50 meeting points in France that range from culture and architecture to gastronomy and festivals.

Also available at France’s 150 embassies around the world are “passports” that come in 80 languages, which will help tourists in their travels around the country, said Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, the ambassador in charge of France’s cultural appeal.

He also added that they are working on a number of programmes, such as the opening of new cultural sites and museums in Paris and its surrounds.

d’Arvor said: “We have been hit strongly by terrorists and it has been very tough”, at the same time assuring tourists that “things are still running”.

Pierre Schapira, president of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, said they also want to get the message across that France is a safe destination.

“Security is ensured, safety measures are being taken, all necessary precautions are in place and things are looking normal and serene,” said Schapira.

Officials expect destination numbers to rebound this month or next.

Francois Navarro, CEO of Paris-Ile-de-France Regional Tourism Board, said that they have plans next year to market France in South-east Asia. He opined that it is a small market, but it has opportunities for growth from the emerging middle class.

France’s goal is to increase its arrivals to 100 million by 2020, up from 85 million last year.

EU considers ending visa-free travel for US, Canadian visitors

By TTG Asia

April 13, 2016

THE governing body of the European Union (EU) has put forward a proposal yesterday to suspend Schengen visa waivers for all citizens of the US and Canada.

According to a statement by the European Commission, the proposal was considered due to non-reciprocity of visa waivers between the US and the nations of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania.

The EU had 24 months ago issued a formal notice to the US State department asking for a reconsideration of their position with regards to the five member states, and that notice period has now expired.

Mario Bodini, chairman of the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA), said: “There should be reciprocity… and reciprocity is a principal widely ignored in visa circles. (Still), Europeans enjoy far more freedom to travel around the world than the world enjoys coming to Europe.”

Bodini states that while he understands the European Commission’s move, it is important that the European economy does not falter as US and Canadian visitors invariably travel less to Europe due to a lack of visa-free facilities. “Millions of jobs are dependent on it,” he adds.

He also expects leisure travel to fall by 30 per cent from the US and Canada source markets should the proposal go into effect.

Tom Jenkins, CEO of ETOA, commented: “The US and Canada are two of our most important and longstanding origin markets. At a time of difficulty for the tourism industry in Europe, this does not project the necessary welcome.”

New targets for Tassie following ambassador programme relaunch

By Rebecca Elliott

April 13, 2016

BUSINESS Events Tasmania (BET) has overhauled its ambassador programme, adding nine new experts to its arsenal in a bid to secure more national and international conferences for the state.

Speaking to TTGmice, CEO of BET, Stuart Nettlefold, said while the original programme launched in 2010 was an exercise in profile raising, the reinvigorated programme was a more formalised and strategic approach to winning new business.

“What we’ve done in the Tasmanian Ambassador Program is really target people we know have the networks, knowledge and expertise, and use that to bring in conferences in our key sectors such as Antarctic and Southern Ocean, food and agribusiness, information, communication and technology,” he said.

Among the new ambassadors are Paul Holper, director of Scientell; Neil Bose, principal, Australian Maritime College; and Sean Tracey, senior research fellow, Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies.

“They are very keen to work with us to use conferences to showcase what they do to the world, to attract global talent back to Tasmania and really drive those beyond tourism benefits,” Nettlefold said.

“The patron is (Australian) Premier Will Hodgman, which means we’ve got buy-in at the highest level of government.”

Nettlefold also said that while parallels could be drawn with programmes in other states, the key difference was in the ambassadors targeted to join the programme.

“Each state has different priorities in terms of their strengths economically, so we’ve been very targeted to those specific drivers.”

In 2015, 41,000 delegates visited Tasmania for business events, injecting A$132 million (US$99.8 million) into the state’s economy.

“The Tasmanian brand is hot at the moment and the destination appeal is high. That certainly helps what we do in terms of getting conference and incentive groups into the destination.”

Threatened treasures

By Xinyi Liang-Pholsena

April 13, 2016

Smart urban policy planning with an eye on preserving Yangon’s colonial-era and heritage buildings will determine the city’s future – and tourism appeal, writes Xinyi Liang-Pholsena

In a region that has lost much of its architectural heritage, Yangon stands out for its intact colonial core, due to years of neglect and stagnancy under the military junta and lack of foreign investors during its decades of isolation. The government’s decision to move the capital from Yangon to Nay Pyi Taw in 2005 further hastened the deterioration of the already-crumbling colonial-era administrative buildings.

Yet as the country makes unprecedented strides towards international trade and tourism since opening its doors in 2011, Yangon’s faded glamour – made up of a kaleidoscope of cultures, golden temple spires and a rich palette of building styles and types – is undeniably the biggest draw for Myanmar’s former capital, attest tour operators that TTG Asia spoke to.

“As Yangon – and all of Myanmar – modernises, these heritage buildings stand out more and more in the landscape,” said Anne Cruickshanks, Myanmar country manager of Easia Travel. “Our guests see these buildings, even if they are of no historical significance, as monuments and reminders of a bygone era. Almost every guest requests a tour of downtown, specifically so that they can see these buildings.”

Exo Travel Myanmar’s product manager, Thomas Barrows, said: “Shwedagon is one of the most revered locations in Buddhism, and is possibly the nation’s most famous landmark. I think Shwedagon takes care of itself, as long as it remains standing it will be an iconic tourist attraction.

“The same cannot be said of the colonial architecture downtown,” he added. “Many of the buildings are in need of renovation.”

With no formal rule in place to conserve the buildings however, there stands a danger of Yangon losing its venerable architectural heritage although organisations like Yangon Heritage Trust (YHT) and Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) have been “doing a good job in preserving heritage buildings”, pointed out Khiri Travel’s Myanmar country manager Edwin Briels, reflecting a sentiment widely shared among industry players.

YHT was set up in 2012 by a group of like-minded conservationists to lead efforts in maintaining and restoring heritage buildings in the city. The non-profit organisation, which launched walking tours of Yangon’s heritage sites for international visitors in September 2009, has been advocating a comprehensive zoning plan that encompasses not just the 189 buildings identified by the YCDC but also green spaces, private houses, skyline and the cityscape broadly, according to the trust’s spokesperson Shwe Yinn Mar Oo.

Mika Itävaara, managing director of HG Travel Myanmar is optimistic that preservation will play a more prominent role in Yangon’s future.

“Under the country’s new government led by Aung San Suu Kyi as well as YHT’s figurehead Thant Myint-U (the trust’s founder and chairman), the city’s architectural heritage is likely to be better leveraged,” he opined.

Easia’s Cruickshanks thinks more needs to be done. “In Yangon, as in Mandalay, huge swaths of downtown are occupied by heritage buildings and they are currently sitting empty. We would love to see them turned in to public spaces – libraries, galleries, museums, restaurants, etc – so that everyone can enjoy them. This would also, hopefully, generate enough income to cover the upkeep and any ongoing preservation work.”

Even before Myanmar’s transition to an open economy in 2011, a handful of historic buildings had already gone down the hospitality route, with the Strand Hotel and Belmond Governor’s Residence as notable examples.

More converts into luxury properties are expected in the pipeline. The former headquarters of Myanmar Railways, which was built in the 1880s, will be redeveloped as the Peninsula Yangon, while Kempinski Hotel is due to open in the former Police Commissioner’s Office by end-2016.

In light of recent developments, YHT’s Shwe Yinn Mar Oo cautions against seeing tourism as a quick anecdote to conservation. “We are of the opinion that heritage preservation and tourism development in downtown Yangon are directly proportional to each other. We believe the tourism plays a vital role in preserving the unique urban landscape of Yangon.

“However, too much gentrification, i.e. repurposing all of the heritage buildings into tourism-related amenities would bring more harm than good. Tourism should benefit the local residents instead of driving them out of downtown,” she commented.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, April 1, 2016 issue, on page 32 To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Making old new again

By S Puvaneswary

April 13, 2016

While Langkawi has long been the state’s crown jewel for tourism, Kedah state government now wants its other attractions to be recognised in their own right through its newest destination campaign, finds S Puvaneswary

The Kedah state government is reaching back into its millennium-long history for its latest Discover Kedah 2016 campaign, which spotlights archaeological tourism in Bujang Valley with the tagline of Where it all began.

Targeting five million arrivals and RM5.9 billion (US$1.4 billion) in revenue this year, the campaign is aimed at increasing international visitor footfall to Kedah by raising awareness of tourism offerings in the state as a whole apart from Langkawi, Tourism Kedah CEO, Zulkifli Mohamad, told TTG Asia.

He said: “Langkawi has a strong brand and an international airport. Through this campaign, we want people to associate Langkawi with Kedah. When they visit Langkawi, we also want them to extend their holiday to the mainland.”

Tourism Kedah currently has 20 trained guides to provide interpretation for tourists who visit Bujang Valley’s Sungai Batu Civilisation Complex, which date back to 535BC.

Mokhtar Saidin, director at the Centre for Global Archaeological Research at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), believes the archaeological sites will be well received by the international community, as the relics are even older than Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and Borobudur in Indonesia.

He added: “This is the only historical site in South-east Asia where you see four distinct functions – ritual sites, an ancient harbour, administrative building and iron smelting industry – in one locality.”

Kedah Sungai Batu Civilization Archeo-Adventure Society started offering guided tours of the historical sites early this year. Said Mazlan Mahmud, founder chairman of the society: “Interest stems mainly from students, historians and a niche segment of tourists who are interested in archaeological tourism.”

Welcoming Tourism Kedah’s heightened efforts to promote the mainland, Anthony Wong, group managing director, Asian Overland Services Tourism & Hospitality Group, commented: “As an inbound tour operator, (the campaign) will make it easier to promote the destination to our overseas partners. We have come up with new packages on mainland Kedah, including the Sungai Batu archeo-tourism packages.

“We will also work with state tourism authorities to host ground arrangements when there are familiarisation trips for overseas agents and media,” he added.

Long dubbed the crown jewel in Kedah’s tourism, Langkawi is not resting on its laurels either.

CEO of Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Khalid Ramli, said: “Our focus is to target more high net worth tourists and we are intensifying marketing efforts this year to highlight tourism products that Langkawi has to offer. We are leveraging the weakened ringgit to attract more domestic and international tourists.”

LADA will capitalise on AirAsia’s new four-times weekly flights between Guangzhou and Langkawi with B2B roadshows in Guangzhou and its neighbouring cities in 2Q2016 to attract more leisure and MICE business travellers. Guangzhou is the second international destination with direct access to Langkawi, after Singapore.

Meanwhile, LADA is also trying to attract more chartered flights to the island by linking arms with Malaysia Airports Holdings to roll out a new charter flight incentive programme.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, April 1, 2016 issue, on page 25. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Royal Caribbean takes delivery of Ovation of the Seas

By TTG Asia

April 12, 2016

ROYAL Caribbean Cruises last week received the latest ship in its Quantum-class fleet at the official handover ceremony in Bremerhaven, Germany.

Built at Werft Yard, the Ovation of the Seas spans 18 decks, encompasses 168,666 gross tons, carries 4,180 guests at double occupancy and features 2,091 staterooms.

Ovation features amenities including the North Star, an observation capsule that rises more than 300 feet in the air to provide panoramic views; skydiving and surfing experiences; the Two70 multi-purpose event and entertainment space; and SeaPlex, an activity area for basketball, roller-skating, bumper cars, and other activities.

Other facilities include a total of 18 F&B options onboard as well as staterooms offering virtual balconies – a large digital screen displaying real-time views from outside the ship.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International, said: “We have introduced yet another technologically advanced cruise ship and the very first that has been built for the China market – a market that we continue to demonstrate our commitment to expanding.”

Ovation of the Seas will now sail to Southampton, UK, where the ship will offer a series of short getaways before setting sail on the 52-night Global Odyssey itinerary culminating in her arrival at the homeport of Tianjin, China.

It will also arrive in Singapore in June for a three-night cruise on June 9 to Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) and a 12-night one-way cruise to Tianjin on June 12 with calls at Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Hong Kong (overnight), Xiamen and Seoul (Incheon).

It will return to Singapore from Hong Kong on a 7-night one-way cruise on Nov 23 with calls at Sanya, Hue/Danang (Chan May) and Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My).

SIA signs up for Amadeus’ full revenue management suite

By TTG Asia

April 12, 2016

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) is set to adopt the full suite of Amadeus Revenue Management solutions, including the Amadeus Altéa Network Revenue Management, an origin and destination (O&D) based system that integrates merchandising options such as dynamic pricing, fare families and ancillary sales.

According to Amadeus, the tool collects and packages data from customer purchasing behaviour, competitor pricing and contextual data, which then enables airline revenue analysts to improve precision in forecasting, helping them achieve higher optimisation in O&D management and to maximise revenues.

“A changing landscape requires a revolutionary approach. Traditional revenue management is no longer adequate to support the complex needs of network carriers, and this is where big data creates opportunities for more sophisticated practices,” said Julia Sattel, senior vice president, airline IT, Amadeus IT Group.

The solution also promises to provide faster, more accurate and intelligent recommendations on the best price and packaging of airline offers.

As well, SIA will be adopting the Amadeus Dynamic Pricing and Amadeus Altéa Group Manager solutions.