THE first Malaysia Ecotourism Summit and the 6th World Ecotourism Conference, expected to draw participation from 100 delegates to Mulu Marriott Resort and Spa in Sarawak, will be taking place from January 27 to 30, 2016.

Delegates will comprise mostly high-profile government decision-makers, academicians and representatives from NGOs and international organisations worldwide. Resource experts will also present case studies surrounding the theme: Tourism Clusters and Thematic Corridors for Sustainable Development.

Lee Choon Loong, president, Malaysian Ecotourism Association and convenor of the event, said: “The first Malaysia Ecotourism Summit will present and discuss the salient points from the new ten-year Malaysia National Ecotourism Plan (NEP) 2015-2025 and seek feedback from industry players before it is officially launched by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia.” The NEP replaces the previous plan adopted in 1996.

Lee added: “World Ecotourism Conference’s theme, Ecotourism in UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Uplifting Communities, Opportunities and Economies, is focused on communities and opportunities around natural World Heritage Sites, and the outcomes will generate positive impacts on the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.”

This event is co-organised by The Malaysian Ecotourism Association (MEA) and DISCOVERYMICE, an affiliate member of UNWTO, and supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Tourism Malaysia, Sarawak State Government, Sarawak Forestry Corporation and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Centre of Innovative Planning and Development.

Jason Rolan, general manager of Laos, Exo Travel

EXO Travel has made several new appointments to its management team in South-east Asia.

Jason Rolan joins as general manager of Laos after spending more than 10 years in Asia’s tourism industry. He is able to speak, read and write fluent Lao and most recently worked in Laos for Khiri Travel.

English national Matthew Blench is now director of Exo Adventure and was most recently DMC Treasure Travel Laos’ general manager. In his new role, he will be leading the future strategic direction and maintaining operational oversight of Exo Adventure.

Jean-Baptiste Richard, who is fluent in Thai, joins as assistant general manager of Thailand, and had previously worked for Exo Travel between 2005 and 2008 as product manager and north Thailand operations manager in Chiang Mai.

HILTON Worldwide is close to launching its 13th brand, which will also mark its entry into the budget/economy space.

Although we’re short of details right now, we understand from a source that the brand is intended to be an “entry level” to Hilton for millennials. The thinking behind it is that if the chain can hook them with it – and its loyalty programme HHonors – then they will also stay at its other 12 brands as their disposable income grows. Which is why no effort has been spared to come up with a prototype that “will be the best offering in its market space”.

The brand will be rolled out in the US first and not in Asia just yet. We figure Hilton’s APAC chief Martin Rinck won’t mind that, since there is plenty on his hands already, including the less familiar brands to Asia like Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton, not to mention the two brands Hilton launched last year, Canopy by Hilton and Curio Collection. Of these, Hampton is gaining a real traction, thanks to an agreement with Plateno Hotels to grow 400 Hampton hotels in China over the next 10 years.

Meanwhile, Singapore tycoon Ong Beng Seng is parting with real dollars to renovate Hilton Singapore, the crown jewel under his hotel properties. At the end of this month, the hotel will unveil refurbished rooms on the upper floors to meet changing guest needs. We managed to get a sneak preview – it looks more homely, more spacious, is brighter and, yes, modish. With the hotel’s location on Orchard Road, the old hotel is far from wilting away.

The lobby too has been transformed, as has F&B. A new restaurant Opus Bar & Grill on the lobby level serves a select range of prime cuts and sustainably sourced seafood in the evenings and a sold-out brunch on Sundays.

TRAVEL platform Zanadu.cn now offers a travel virtual reality (VR) app targeted at the affluent Chinese market. The company has also recently raised more than 80 million yuan (US$12.5 million) in financing from Tencent Holdings.

“The luxury travel industry in China is experiencing a major growth spurt. The affluent Chinese traveller is always looking for new outlets to explore a chosen destination before making a financial commitment,” said Dirk Eschenbacher, creative director and chief marketing officer, Zanadu.

“Zanadu saw this demand as the perfect opportunity to create a virtual reality bridge between travellers and luxe destinations, through a unique experiential journey.”

The app is available on iOS App store and Android Google Play Store.

FRHI Hotels & Resorts, in a joint venture with China’s Jiangsu Golden Land Group, has introduced the new Neqta Hotels brand aimed at the upper mid-scale segment in China.

The first property to fly the Neqta flag opened in Shanghai’s Xuhui district, close to the city’s World Expo site, with a second hotel expected to soon open in Nanjing.

Neqta-branded hotels will feature modern amenities, contemporary designs, meeting facilities and multi-functional public spaces, such as a breakfast and coffee shop venue turning into a cocktail bar and lounge in the evening.

“Expanding into the right markets will be a top priority and we believe there is a natural opportunity to develop Neqta Hotels within many of Golden Land’s predominantly mixed-use developments,” said Joseph Soh, managing director of the joint venture between FRHI and Golden Land.

“With an average room count of about 150 and room sizes in the 28m2 to 32m2 range, we also see the brand being a compelling business proposition for Chinese property developers looking to invest.”