PREFERRED Hotels & Resorts hit a milestone in 2015 by generating more than US$1 billion in reservations revenue on behalf of its member hotels worldwide, a 15 per cent increase over the previous year.

The group introduced a new consumer-focused brand strategy on March 4, 2015, while also adding 91 new properties across 35 countries to its global portfolio throughout the year.

Other highlights in 2015 included a 14-country public relations tour, the launch of the Preferred Travel magazine, available in each of the brand’s 650 member hotels worldwide, and the introduction of social media campaign #ThePreferredLife, which inspires travellers to pursue and share authentic, memorable travel moments.

Preferred also marked first-time presence in Israel, Ecuador, and Anguilla with the additions of The Carlton Tel Aviv, Royal Palm Hotel Galapagos, and Zemi Beach House Resort & Spa respectively, as well as enhanced its footprint in markets such as Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Florida and Seoul.

ACCORHOTELS in partnership with developer Oxley Holdings is set to operate the 207-room So Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Hotel and 590-key So Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Residences when both establishments are complete in 2020.

The properties will be part of a large-scale mixed-use development that includes an office tower, retail mall and two luxury hotels with residences, and sited a short walk from the Petronas Towers and the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

So Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Hotel will feature four F&B outlets, an extensive pool with deck and terrace, the So Fit gym, So Spa, a signature club lounge, business centre, as well as several function and event spaces.

Meanwhile, the residential development will boast a lounge, extensive gym with studio and yoga room, an adult pool, separate kids pool, games room, kids playground, a function room and sky garden equipped with barbecue pits. Residents will also be offered a la carte housekeeping, room, laundry and concierge services provided by the hotel.

So Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Residences will be AccorHotel’s first lifestyle-branded residence in Asia while So Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Hotel adds to the region’s collection of boutique luxury offerings including Sofitel So Singapore and the recently opened So Sofitel Hua Hin in Thailand.

UNITED Airlines, one of America’s major airline and a founding member of Star Alliance has confirmed its maiden presence as Official International Carrier at the second Corporate Travel World (CTW) China, the leading corporate travel management conference for China.

Ramon Poblete, Global TMC Sales Manager – APAC of United Airlines shared, “The impressive list of corporate buyers from last year’s event was one of the key decision making points. We see potential in investing time with our existing customers and also getting to know new potential customers.”

Poblete continued, “United Airlines believes in the strategic importance of being a key industry player in China’s vastly diverse market which is rapidly becoming one of the pivotal markets in the global travel industry. CTW China delivers corporate buyers who represent both global and local companies with significant potential for United Airlines.”

The Asia Pacific and China regions are one of the key strategic focus points for United Airlines. Offering more non-stop flights between the United States of America and China than any other carrier, United Airlines is also the only carrier offering non-stop services between the United States of America and China’s tier 2 cities. It is also set to introduce new 787-9s to more routes in China and around the APAC region.

Poblete cited CTW China as a natural event choice for United Airlines as “our continuous expansion and growth in China is a testament of United Airlines’ commitment to this most important market. We are eager to share with the corporate buyers the many improvements we are making across the entire company such as installation of satellite-fed Wi-Fi internet on over 890 aircrafts, to the introduction of new Chinese meals and entertainment options.”

“Our Global Corporate Account Managers, National Account Managers for China and our Director and Managing Director will be attending CTW China 2016. We are thrilled to be able to spend time with corporate buyers and share with them our exciting improvements as well as discuss new and better ways of doing business together in China and around our region. 2016 is going to be an electrifying year for United Airlines,” said Poblete.

Corporate Travel World (CTW) China 2016 will be held from 6 – 8 April in Shanghai and is co-locating with IT&CM China, the leading international MICE event in China. For more event information, visit www.corporatetravelworld.com/china

Andrew Kam, managing director, Hong Kong Disneyland, says fiscal 2015 was a challenging year for the entire tourism sector.

IMPACTED by the challenging tourism landscape last year, Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) generated a net loss of HK$148 million (US$19 million) for the fiscal period ending early October 2015 with total revenue amounting to HK$5.1 billion.

HKDL had operated at a loss since its 2005 opening and only turned a profit in 2012.

“While fiscal 2015 was a challenging year in the entire tourism sector, we are committed to continuously contributing to the growth of the tourism industry in Hong Kong,” said HKDL managing director Andrew Kam.

“We are making significant investments in the guest experience at Hong Kong Disneyland, including new entertainment just launched as part of our 10th Anniversary celebration, the opening of the Iron Man Experience in 2016 and the construction of a new (750-room) resort hotel, Disney Explorers Lodge, which will welcome its first guests in 2017.”

Total attendance at the theme park dropped 9.3 per cent year-on-year to 6.8 million, with locals accounting for 39 per cent of total attendance, while mainland and international visitation made up 41 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. Lower visitation from mainland China and the region largely contributed to the lesser footfalls, according to HKDL in a statement.

With Shanghai Disney Resort set to open its doors to guests come June 16, visitations from mainland Chinese guests are expected to decline further.

Soekarno Hatta International Airport

INDONESIA wants China to be its top source market with a target of 2.1 million arrivals from there this year, comprising 1.7 million from mainland China, 275,000 from Taiwan and 125,000 from Hong Kong.

Traditionally, Singapore and Malaysia have been Indonesia’s biggest source of arrivals.

Speaking to the media in Jakarta this week, I Gde Pitana, deputy minister, International Tourism Marketing Development, said: “This is the first time we are targeting China arrivals to be higher than Singapore (with a target of 1.8 million) and Malaysia (at two million).”

In 2015, China contributed 1.4 million arrivals to Indonesia, while Singapore added 1.5 million and Malaysia 1.2 million.

Bali is the main destination of travellers from China with a growing number of chartered flights from secondary cities in China landing on the island.

Pitana said: “In February alone, a total of 200 chartered flights will land in Bali, with passengers expected to reach more than 50,000, the majority of which had arrived during the Chinese New Year week.”

Apart from the visa-free facilitation, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism is investing in branding, advertising and selling in China this year.

“Travellers from China seek information from the Internet. (Despite) a negative perception of Indonesia as an anti-China country on social media, we are going to invest on positive information on Baidu, which holds 80 per cent of the travel market share there,” added Pitana.

Other efforts to boost tourist footfall from China include increasing direct flights from secondary cities, introducing to them lesser-known destinations in Indonesia and boosting the number of Mandarin-speaking guides.

CATHAY Pacific and its subsidiary Dragonair has renewed its partnership with Travelport and is now available in rich format on the GDS.

Known as Rich Content and Branding, it allows the two carriers to market and retail their products better by being able to display fares, ancillaries and brand propositions to travel agencies in a visually appealing format akin to those available on web browsers.

“Cathay Pacific operates an extensive international network, while Dragonair concentrates on regional routes with unrivalled coverage of destinations in China. Both airlines see the benefit of communicating our value propositions in a clearer and more visual manner, helping to differentiate ourselves from our competitors within our market segments,” said Toby Smith, general manager sales and distribution, Cathay Pacific.

“Rich Content and Branding is a strategic tool that will help us achieve that objective. This solution also brings the distribution of our content towards the direction of IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiative.”

As part of the agreement, Cathay Pacific is also implementing Travelport Rapid Reprice – a solution that helps agents automate ticket re-pricing and re-issue processes.

Ramada Resort Lumut’s guestroom

WYNDHAM Hotel Group is set to open the 455 million ringgit (US$109 million) Ramada Resort Lumut in Malaysia in 2018, which comprises 170 guestrooms, 269 residential and serviced apartments, as well as seven forest villas complete with plunge pools.

Located on the west coast of Malaysia between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, the forest and sea-themed resort features a spa settled under a spring pool, a four-storey podium offering multi-functional meeting spaces, a banquet hall for up to 350 people and an infinity pool.

The resort will be accessible via the international airport in Ipoh and the West Coast Expressway, which is soon to be completed.

Barry Robinson, president and managing director of Wyndham Hotel Group South-east Asia and Pacific Rim, said the resort will cater to both business and leisure travellers looking for world-class accommodation and events facilities.

(From left) Jonathan Umali, director asset management, ARCH Capital Management, MontAzure; Pichet Nithivasin, shareholder, MontAzure; Proudputh Liptapanlop, executive director, Proud Real Estate; Richard Yue, CEO and CIO, ARCH Capital Management, MontAzure; H.E. Suwat Liptapanlop, former deputy prime minister of Thailand; Jan Smith, CEO Asia Middle East and Africa, IHG; Pasu Liptapanlop, executive director, Proud Real Estate; and Allan Watts, COO Asia Middle East and Africa, IHG.

THE InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is set to enter Phuket with the signing of a management contract with Proud Resort Phuket to develop the InterContinental Phuket Resort.

Scheduled to open in 2019, the luxury property will be sited on the island’s west coast on Kamala Beach, between Millionaire’s Mile and the Amanpuri headland. It is also part of a luxury community project, MontAzure, a 15 billion baht (US$414 million) mixed-use development.

“The number of rooms probably varies between 200 and the mid-200s with a combination of villas and hotel rooms,” said Pasu Liptapanlop, executive director of Proud Real Estate.

Facilities include four beach clubs, 13 private hillside estate villas, 75 beachfront condos, a spa, pool, fitness centre, Kid’s Club, meeting venues and a lifestyle mall, all surrounded by a protected 32-hectare nature reserve.

Alan Watts, CEO, Asia, Middle East and Africa, IHG, said: “We are very selective of where the luxury traveller is going to. Though there are other destinations in Thailand that we would be willing to bring the brand to, it depends on whether we think the hotel or resort in question is a good match to the InterContinental brand and is going to complement other InterContinental resorts in the portfolio.”

RECENT research released by C9 Hotelworks shows that more and more travellers to South-east Asia are choosing luxury tented accommodation, or glamping, as opposed to more traditional forms of lodging.

Data from C9’s Tented Accommodation Market 2016 report shows there are currently 29 properties consisting 533 tents in the region offering international standard products. Thailand and Indonesia are leaders with 12 and eight properties respectively offering glamping services in their own markets.

“If you trace back the roots of most of Asia’s resort and cultural destinations, backpackers were the earliest first movers into these locations. Today we have key travel disruptors such as low-cost airlines, flashpackers, millennials and a rising tide of tourists looking for authentic and local experiences that go beyond the four walls,” said Bill Barnett, managing director, C9 Hotelworks.

The report further states that most glamping properties are located in secluded areas, such as forest and beaches, and offer products with eco-friendly designs and activities relating to the destination. This high product differentiation has spurred a rebirth of tent accommodations and is why travellers are interested, it adds.

Price wise, the average tent in South-east Asia costs US$270 a night, while in Thailand, which holds almost 40 per cent of the region’s tent inventory, the average rack rate goes up to US$340 a night.

“We are seeing a broader range of traditional investors coming on-stream in newer destinations. Favorable development cost, short build times and ultimately, a drive led by customers who are looking for more authentic holidays are key motivating factors (for the trend),” explained Barnett.