INDIA based KW Conferences has won the bid for the 14th Asia Oceania ORL-HNS Congress 2019 which will coincide with the 71st Annual Conference of The Association of Otolaryngologists of India, taking place in Hyderabad from January 9 to 13.
The PCO has tied up with the Association of Otolaryngologists of India and the Asia Oceania Association of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Societies to organise the congress.
The bid for the event – regarded as the region’s foremost ENT scientific gathering – was first initiated in Taiwan, where the congress was last held from March 19 to 22, 2015.
Monimita Sarkar, managing director of KW Conferences, told TTGmice e-Weekly that the bid process was a “quiet and complex procedure because there were about four (other) agencies that the organisers had met”.
The organising committee eventually chose to go with KW Conferences based on the PCO’s track record, expertise and detailed sponsorship plans for the congress, revealed Sarkar.
Sarkar added: “The fact that we are the first officially accredited PCO in the country and our extensive experience of over 24 years played a major role in helping us to win the bid. We also proposed innovative marketing strategies to engage delegates.”
The five-day congress will be enriched with workshops, live surgeries, plenary and parallel technical sessions, industry exhibits and e-poster presentations. More than 5,000 delegates from Asia, Australia, North America and Europe are expected to participate.
KW Conferences is actively promoting the congress through its partners and local chapters of the association overseas.
Sarkar believes that the congress will benefit Hyderabad’s medical and MICE industries. The Indian city houses a number of speciality hospitals and the world-class Hyderabad International Convention Centre.
She elaborated: “(Scoring a major conference for Hyderabad) puts the city back on the map as a favoured MICE destination and provides an opportunity for healthcare professionals to be actively engaged with international participants and very senior doctors from across the country.”
What inspired you to establish Plaza Premium Lounge?
Following my career in investment banking, I started my own business and spent considerable time at airports, struggling to work effectively while on the go. Flying economy class without the airport lounge privileges that I had previously enjoyed, I found that such travel experience was somewhat incomplete.
Song Hoi-see
Driven by a heartfelt desire to do something for the majority, I wished that all travellers, regardless of airline and class of travel, could have access to airport lounges. I wanted to change the stereotype that airport lounges should be reserved for premium travellers only.
I identified an opportunity in this segment and seized an opportune moment to introduce the first Plaza Premium Lounge, the world’s first independent airport lounge concept, at Hong Kong International Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport in 1998.
Plaza Premium Lounge has since evolved into Plaza Premium Group and expanded into airport hospitality. What drives the group’s diversification strategy?
Five to six years after starting our airport lounge business, we realised more products could be added into the lounges and the demands (of travellers) kept increasing, so we spun out independent operations such as wellness salon, food, meet-and-greet services, and then we integrated all services into one to offer a seamless service.
In 2015, we introduced Aerotel, our airport transit hotel brand, and Allways, our airport meet-and-greet service brand, to our existing airport lounge and airport dining portfolio, consolidating the group’s evolving businesses into four core pillars to complement travellers’ overall airport experience.
Now we are flourishing worldwide, covering five continents with more than 130 outlets and 35 international airports. Why we expand from airport lounge to other business is not by chance, but by virtue of our understanding of what the passengers require and their needs in the airport. We try to fill up the inefficiency gaps in the airports by developing other services to provide a seamless service (for passengers). A lot of people doing similar business (in airport hospitality) wait for Tarzan to see them, but we go into the jungle to look for Tarzan (laughs).
For my independent lounge business I’m only seeing the tip of the iceberg because a lot of people don’t know that they can use a lounge when they travel economy class. I want to change the perception that the airport lounge is only a privilege available to certain people and we’re happy to change travel patterns and behaviour.
What’s game-changing about the first Aerotel in Singapore?
Most people don’t have high expectations of transit hotels because they think it’s a place where they sleep for just a few hours. But we have a different view. As travellers become more affluent and demanding, they want better quality of service. We do not want to just satisfy customers’ basic demands; we want to give them more than that.
Singapore is a major transit hub, and when passengers spend six, 10 or even 12 hours at the airport what do you expect them to do? We create recreational products to (complement) transit hours. They can spend a few hours sleeping, therefore we sell our hotel in six-hour blocks, unlike other transit hotels which are booked for 24 hours.
Aerotel Singapore is the first transit hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, poolside bar, jacuzzi, massage services, gym and library facilities, alongside 70 premium rooms. Another special characteristic at Aerotel is our pillow menu. Our quality is value for money – you get five-star hardware at three-star prices.
Why did you choose to launch Aerotel in Singapore over other hub airports?
Singapore is the best airport in the world, and when you want to showcase the best of what you can do in aviation, obviously you go to the best airport to showcase this. We’re very glad that Changi recognises our services. We were lucky that when Changi renewed the concessions we bidded and won the tenders.
The first Aerotel landed in Singapore Changi Airport in October 2015, with subsequent openings in Abu Dhabi International Airport and London Heathrow Airport scheduled for 2016/17.
How do you differentiate your lounges from that of airlines’?
A lot of people ask if we are competing with airlines. Our lounges started by taking care of people not taken care of by airlines, i.e. the remaining 85 per cent flying on coach. But does it mean that a few per cent of this 85 per cent do not require this service just because they do not want to play double or triple the price of an economy class ticket? However, a lot of airports ignore this 85 per cent.
Airlines do not want to operate lounges. For example, Singapore Airlines does not operate their lounges, they outsource it; likewise for Cathay Pacific. A lot of premium airlines do not want to touch the lounge (area) because it’s not their forte.
We have been here for the last 17 years, and in the last 10 years airlines started recognising us, so we have been managing airline lounges for Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, United Airlines, etc. We take care of the HR, F&B, cleaning, everything.
Except for the front desk where (airlines) have their own people, the rest is taken care of by us.
What’s your expansion plans for Premium Lounges?
The latest ones opened in Singapore, Phnom Penh and Salalah – which is the second one we’re opening in Oman after Muscat – with Siem Reap and Brisbane expected to open in the next few months. We will open in Taiwan Taoyuan and Rio de Janeiro by April before the Olympics.
Our plan by 2018 is to launch 200 outlets and we have allocated over US$100 million for our (overall) expansion, with US$56 million budgeted for Premium Lounges, up from US$40 million.
Who do you think will be interested in your meet-and-greet services Allways?
A lot (of people). For example, when corporations have an important guest arriving, we can meet them at the gate and bring them out to you. Or imagine an old mother coming to Hong Kong or Singapore while you are travelling overseas and you are worried if she can go through the airport on her own, contact us. Others like lovers can use our service as a surprise.
This service is available at Toronto Pearson International Airport and New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, as well as Singapore, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Muscat and London Heathrow.
This article was first published in TTG Asia, February 8, 2016 issue, on page 18. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.
THE Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) plans to open new promotional offices in seven new destinations before the end of fiscal 2016, namely in India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Russia, Spain and Italy.
JNTO currently has offices in 13 markets, including South Korea, China, Singapore, New York, London and Paris.
“We want to create JNTO offices in countries that do not have a presence at the moment but are also experiencing an increase in tourist numbers,” said Yoko Takano, of the general administration department at JNTO.
Japan welcomed a record 19.7 million visitors in 2015, an increase of more than 47 per cent on the previous year and significantly beyond the 13 million arrivals that tourism officials anticipated.
Arrivals from Malaysia were up 28 per cent to 50,300, according to the JNTO, while visitors from the Philippines climbed 50 per cent to 32,700 and Vietnamese tourists were up 29.7 per cent.
Indian arrivals were up a modest 10.8 per cent to 6,700, but the rapidly expanding middle-class in the country is expected to boost numbers.
Arrivals from Spain were up a remarkable 46.8 per cent and Italian tourists increased 23.7 per cent. Meanwhile, Russian arrivals shrank by 0.6 per cent to just 3,900 travellers.
The JNTO has no plans to increase its presence in China, South Korea or Hong Kong as numbers from those markets are already impressive.
Some 4.99 million mainland Chinese visited Japan in 2015, the largest single national group and more than double the previous year. South Koreans accounted for the second-largest number of visitors, with slightly over 4 million arrivals, up 54 per cent on 2014.
(Seated from left) Laith Pharaon, owner of Singapore Hospitality Holdings; Yuthachai Charanachitta, owner of Onyx Hospitality Group
It aims to open 46 properties in key city and resort destinations by 2024, bringing the total portfolio of Ozo and Shama branded properties to 70.
Ozo developments in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and the Maldives are set to receive the initial rounds of investments.
There are currently four OZO hotels in operation in Thailand, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka and an additional four under development in Vietnam, Malaysia and China.
The Shama portfolio consists of 10 serviced apartments in China, Hong Kong and Thailand, with an additional six properties under development in Malaysia and China.
BUSINESS for Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA) has grown more than twenty fold in Iran since it started trading in the market 15 years ago, with further growth expected for 2Q2016 following the recent lifting of international economic sanctions in the country.
Top outbound destinations for GTA in 2015 included Istanbul, Dubai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, while Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui, Penang and Langkawi topped as secondary destinations.
More bookings to Europe are expected this year, with London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Florence and main cities in Germany and Spain being the favourites for Iranians.
GTA also hosted a trade dinner last month for about 90 Iranian travel agencies.
“We are extremely encouraged by the number of travel agencies that have registered with us after the event and we will continue to help them enhance their produce offerings with our GTA content,” said Rami Mashini, vice president of sales, Middle East & Africa at GTA.
“More importantly, we also received positive feedback from our guests on what worked well for their customers, such as affordable five star hotels, promotion deals with free room upgrades or Stay 4 nights Pay 3, and catering to families with free hotel stay for children below 12 years old.”
INDONESIA’s Ministry of Tourism claims visitor arrivals reached 10.4 million in 2015, surpassing the nation’s target of 10 million.
A media statement from the Ministry of Tourism this week stated that Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya applauded the achievement, which he said was even higher than the preliminary data obtained last month.
The figure the ministry used was based on data issued by Statistics Indonesia, which broke down the figure into 9,729,350 tourists, 370,869 “border crossing foreign citizens” and 306,540 “other foreign visitors who stayed less than one year”.
Statistics Indonesia explained in a press statement: “The number of international arrivals has so far been calculated based on the immigration official reports, which have included foreign citizens who have entered using visas, visa-free, as well as electronic pass cards, and Indonesian citizens living overseas (visiting their home country).”
“To complete the information, this year’s report includes data of other foreign citizens’ traffic, comprising of border crossing foreign citizens and those who stayed in the country less than one year.”
Based on this, actual foreign arrivals fell short of last year’s targets, but is still 3.1 per cent higher than the same period in 2014 where there were 9,435,411 visitors recorded.
VANGUARD Hotels in the Philippines plans to get rid of the “terribly outdated” front desk system from its hotel lobbies.
Instead, a mix of self check-in terminals and handheld check-in systems for staff will allow guests to get to their rooms quicker with need for less manpower, according to Bruce Musick, Group CEO, Vanguard Hotels. Floating staff members will be on hand to provide help for less technology-inclined guests, he explained.
Vanguard is currently busy rolling out the Metro Blue and Vivid brands across South-east Asia, with a strong emphasis in the Philippines and Malaysia. All these new openings will operate without a front desk.
“It’s a practical, financial issue that benefits those operating at a lower price point,” said Musick. “Fewer touchpoints mean fewer staff so less labour costs.”
This will allow for divisional staff savings of up to 50 per cent, he added.
Vanguard used to have four people at its front desk during peak hours, but self check-in would allow that to be reduced by half, said Musick.
INTERNATIONAL tourism bodies are in agreement with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) stand that there should be no hard restrictions on travel to areas affected by the Zika virus.
On February 1, 2016, WHO declared the Zika situation a public health emergency of international concern, but stopped short of declaring any sort of travel ban.
However, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) both recommended adherence to travel and health advisories issued by local authorities, and to take appropriate precautions such as using insect repellent, avoiding places with standing water and covering up where possible.
“It is too early to comment on the impact of the Zika virus to the travel and tourism sector,” stated the WTTC in a release, adding that most airlines, cruise lines and tour operators from originating countries are being flexible, by offering alternative plans or refunds to pregnant women and their families who prefer not to travel to affected areas at this time.
The UNWTO concurs, stating: “As per the impact on the tourism sector, it is too early to make any effective assessment considering the evolving nature of the situation.”
The organisation does recommend certain precautionary measures, such as the disinfection of aircraft and airports per WHO guidelines, and providing travellers to areas where the Zika virus is active up-to-date information and relevant advice.
When you lose half your money, even though it’s just on paper, or when you don’t know what to do anymore or where to go just for a teeny-weeny yield for your hard-earned dollars, it is demoralising.
What a start to the new year we’re all having. It’s all bad news. Let’s see the flash points: Chinese economy, stock market rout, Saudi Arabia-Iran, Dear Leader, blasts in Turkey/Jakarta, oil prices, and add to these existing problems such as the migrant issue which polarises Europe and… I’ve had enough, haven’t you?
What’s clear is 2016 will be challenging, with George Soros even going as far to say it’s starting to look like 2008.
Travel and tourism CEOs I’ve been speaking to about it aren’t giving me the usual big spiel about the glass being half full, or that ‘crisis’ means threats and opportunities. This time, they admit there are just too many uncertainties.
At the time of writing this on January 19, it’s hard not to worry about the psychological impact of losses made in the stock market on consumers. When you lose half your money, even though it’s just on paper, or when you don’t know what to do anymore or where to go just for a teeny-weeny yield for your hard-earned dollars, it is demoralising. When you don’t feel so rich anymore or don’t feel secure about money, it affects your mood to spend, including on travel.
So what to do in bearish times? Here are a few suggestions I hope will inspire you.
One, take stock and clean up your act. You’re going to be fighting with your competitors for any customer who is still travelling, so if you haven’t learnt about the art of personalised service or equipped your company and your people with the technology and mindset to deliver what consumers want, there’s no better time than now to start.
Make it the year you think about value add. For example, what grunt work can you outsource so that your travel specialists can deliver the real value-added knowledge to persuade the well-informed customer that he still needs a retail travel agency?
Give your business development people a lot of love and encouragement, or if you don’t have them on your paycheck, please employ the best you can afford, even if it’s just one person for now. Finding new market sources and new revenue streams are critical in bearish times.
Go even further and relook your entire business model. Are you able to discern a new niche that will ensure your longevity in the business in the years to come?
Lastly, do not be afraid. Let’s all show Indonesia some solidarity and adopt KamiTidakTakut (We’reNotAfraid) as the mantra not just against terrorism but in times of uncertainties. I’ve been inspired and strengthened by that simple line – three spirited words that encapsulates energy, defiance and dare.
Now don’t we just need these very qualities this year?
CURRENT CEO of Worldhotels Kristin Intress will be handing over her title to hospitality industry expert Dirk Fuehrer, who will join the group on February 15.
Fuehrer, who was once a chief commercial officer and member of the executive board at Steigenberger Hotel Group, previously held various senior roles at Hilton, Carlson Rezidor and Starwood.
Meanwhile, Intress will relocate back to Wisconsin, US, to pursue new opportunities after helming Worldhotels for the past two years.
What a start to the new year we’re all having. It’s all bad news. Let’s see the flash points: Chinese economy, stock market rout, Saudi Arabia-Iran, Dear Leader, blasts in Turkey/Jakarta, oil prices, and add to these existing problems such as the migrant issue which polarises Europe and… I’ve had enough, haven’t you?
