LHM Asia positions new office in Koh Samui

November 5, 2015

FOLLOWING the success of its Phuket office, Thailand’s leading hospitality management consultancy company, LHM Asia, has marked a new presence in Koh Samui.

The new office in Koh Samui will allow LHM Asia to better support its growing client base there.

“Within the last two years our Phuket branch has added another 15 hotels to its prestigious client list. Expanding our reach to Koh Samui is a natural progression and one that stands to benefit forward thinking businesses from island’s tourism industry,” said Christian Schlegal, managing partner for the Koh Samui branch.

Overheard: Pssst, two new Hyatt’s and one new Four Seasons in Tokyo?

By TTG Asia

November 5, 2015

AT THE recent Hotel Investment Conference Asia-Pacific, a moderator inadvertently mentioned in one of the breakout sessions that Hyatt Hotels & Resorts was going to have two new additions in Tokyo, to the dismay of Patrick Finn, the chain’s vice president real estate and development Asia-Pacific, who told us it’s not official yet.

The chain already operates four hotels in Tokyo, a Park Hyatt, a Hyatt Regency, a Grand Hyatt and an Andaz. Snagging one more, let alone two, indeed is no mean feat. No doubt it’s a lot due to its long, successful history in Japan, where it has 10 hotels in operation today.

Tokyo has been afflicted by a shortage of hotel rooms for some years, particularly at the higher end of the accommodation spectrum. The city is the dream of every development guy – visitor numbers are soaring, occupancies are high, 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games are a little over four years off. But land and labour costs keep Tokyo out of reach for most.

We also hear whispers that Four Seasons is scouting for possible locations in Tokyo.

The Four Seasons at Marunouchi opened in October 2002, but has a mere 57 rooms.

St. Regis to sweep into Shanghai in 2017

By TTG Asia

November 5, 2015

STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts Worldwide will take its luxury label, the St. Regis to Shanghai come 2017.

The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan will be part of a new mixed-use development on West Beijing Road, near the West Nanjing Road business area in Jingan.

It will offer about 480 keys from level 29 to 54, 41 suites, 47 residences as well as several three-bedroom apartments on the top levels. Guests will enjoy access to a spa, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, three restaurants and an alfresco bar.

For meeting planners, the hotel will have approximately 2,000m2 of event space.

Guests can also apply for the signature St. Regis Aficionado programme which gives them unprecedented access to some of Shanghai’s attractions.

Revitalised Explorer of the Seas calls at Singapore

By TTG Asia

November 5, 2015

ROYAL Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas made its maiden call at Singapore on Tuesday following its recent refurbishment which gave it new accommodation, entertainment and dining features.

The 15-deck ship which has a capacity for 3,840 guests, arrived in Singapore with some 3,200 international guests who were on an 11-night Middle East and Asia cruise starting from Dubai. It sailed on later that day to Perth on a 10-night Asia Repositioning Cruise with another 3,200 international guests, mostly from Australia.

New features from the revitalised earlier this year include the FlowRider surf simulator, virtual balcony staterooms, a 3D movie theatre, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant and Chops Grille steakhouse, which the fleet is renowned for.

Volcanic ash fallout on Bali tourism likely short-lived

By Paige Lee Pei Qi

November 5, 2015

AS ash spewed by Mt Rinjani on nearby Lombok forced the closure of Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport until at least Friday, outbound agents in the region are not fearful of any long-term impacts on inbound tourism to the popular Indonesian island.

Most agencies are continuing to operate their scheduled Bali tours as usual, implementing contingency plans to cope with unexpected changes should they arise.

Chan Brothers Travel Singapore’s marketing communications executive, Rebecca Chia told TTG Asia e-Daily that they had provided a 24-hour emergency support hotline for a group of 15 travellers from Singapore heading to Bali tomorrow.

She said: “We are closely monitoring the local situation to assess its continual development. We will ensure customers are well informed of the situation over in Bali and the prevailing travel advisories prior to reservation.”

At press time, Intrepid Travel Australia will operate trips scheduled for departure on November 7. “At the moment, our travellers haven’t been affected,” said James Thornton, Intrepid’s managing director. “But we have sent a letter out to all passengers who are due to start their trip this Saturday, just to let them know of their leader’s details and what to do in the event that their inbound flight is delayed.”

Said Alicia Seah, director of marketing communications at Dynasty Travel Singapore, which has 29-pax group departing next week for Bali: “If the situation does not improve and flights do not resume by next week, we will assist our customers if they wish to deviate their travel (plans) to other regional destinations (like) Malaysia, Vietnam or Cambodia.”

Likewise, Adam Kamal, general manager at Olympik Holidays Malaysia, has not received any cancellations for leisure tours in December. He said: “I don’t think there will be a lasting effect (from this eruption) unless there are further eruptions.”

Positive that the airport closure will be a temporary disruption, John Chan, business consultant of Kuala Lumpur-based Kris International Traveltours, has advised his corporate clients to go ahead with their year-end travel plans.

Looking ahead, Flight Centre’s head of leisure travel, Tom Walley, expects Bali to remain popular with the Australian market.

“Bali bookings remain steady despite air travel disruptions,” he said. “The ash cloud is certainly inconvenient to travellers, but the destination is a resilient favourite that is consistently the number one destination for Flight Centre customers.

“The biggest lesson when travelling to Bali is to ensure you have adequate travel insurance to cover you should something similar happen again,” he added.

Sharing similar sentiments, Dynasty Travel’s Seah added: “All passengers are recommended to purchase comprehensive travel insurance so that they can travel with ease of mind. Travel insurance will cover flight delays, lost baggage and wide range of protection benefits.”

Additional reporting by Rebecca Elliot and S Puvaneswary

Indonesia sees extended closure to affected airports

By Mimi Hudoyo

November 5, 2015

INDONESIA Ministry of Transportation has updated its Notice to Airmen this morning to extend the closure of Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali; Lombok International Airport; Selaparang Airport, Lombok; and Blimbingsari Airport, Banyuwangi up to Friday, November 12, 2015 at 07.45.

This is the third day the airports are closed due to the eruption of Mt Rinjani on Lombok Island. The volcanic ashes are blown to the west, disrupting flights within the area and forcing the regulator to close the affected airport.

Julius Adravida Barata, spokesman at the Ministry of Transportation, said that between November 3, at 19.30 when the airports started to be closed, up to 08.45 this morning, a total of 692 domestic and international flights were cancelled.

Among these, Lion Group (Lion Air and Wings Air) had cancelled 84 flights, Citilink 24 flights, and Garuda Indonesia 209 flights.

In the meantime, Bali Hotels Association (BHA) representing more than 130 hotels in Bali has come up with initiatives to support stranded passengers and those who cannot arrive on the island due to the closure.

Jean-Charles Le Coz, BHA vice-chairman, said: “For passengers that need to extend their stay, BAR should be proposed when requests are made directly to the hotel. For bookings that are made through a third party, contracted rates apply.”

“For passengers that cannot come to Bali or will arrive later than original dates booked, BHA members are recommended to accept, at no charge, to re-book their stay (based on availability and rates during new requested period) until end of March 2016,” he added.

Shangri-La welcomes Tane Picken as new hotel manager of Penang hotel

By TTG Asia

November 4, 2015

TANE Picken has been appointed hotel manager of the Golden Sands Resort, Penang by Shangri-La.

Armed with over 14 years of experience across Africa, the Middle East, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, Picken was most recently the resident manager at Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa, Singapore.

He will assist Elaine Yue, general manager of Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang, in the management of the 387-key resort’s daily operations and key strategies development.

Battling for tourism dollars

By Feizal Samath

November 4, 2015

In the post-war era, a new chapter of economic and tourism development is unfolding in Sri Lanka’s Jaffna.

When the 500-seater train from Colombo pulls into Jaffna railway station every afternoon, some 50 to 75 foreign backpackers usually get off.

“The morning train to Jaffna has a sizable number of Western tourists,” Vipula Wanigasekera, general manager and CEO of Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau told TTG Asia. “These FITs normally explore the city using a motorcycle hired in Jaffna.”

That is a sharp contrast to the Jaffna barely six years ago, where tourism in this war-torn region was almost non-existent. Located in Sri Lanka’s far north, Jaffna was once the epicentre of the country’s decades-long ethno-political conflict, enduring bombardments and heavy loss of life and property.

Now the historic Tamil city is waking up to a different picture. The heritage-rich city is receiving growing attention from intrepid travellers and foreign backpackers. Roads, malls and guesthouses have also sprung up since the civil war ended in 2009.

The city’s infrastructure and accommodation, though still not up to international standards, have improved from a few rooms a decade ago to some 500 rooms now.

Malraj B Kiriella, director general of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, said the government is working on an integrated plan to develop and improve accommodation and attractions in Jaffna. “When required, we have facilitated investments in new hotels and guesthouses in the city,” he said.

The authorities are currently planning to transform the city’s military-controlled airport to a civilian facility with flights from southern India, which is less than an hour away.

Calling for improvement in Jaffna’s accommodation standards, S Paramanathan, president, Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka, said: “There are accommodation facilities with 10 to 20 rooms, and while the rooms are decent, they are not as good as in Colombo. Foreigners are seeking hotels with facilities and services similar to what is available in the capital.”

Things look set to change when Jaffna’s first high-class property, the 55-room Jetwing Yarl from the Jetwing chain, opens in December this year. “(Jaffna) is becoming a popular destination but may need a little more promotion,” said Hiran Cooray, chairman of Jetwing Hotels Group. “Economic activity will soon take off and draw many travellers.”

To some extent that is already happening. Large DMCs like Aitken Spence Travels are urging foreign tour operators to include Jaffna in their Sri Lanka brochures, while foreign travel consultants have started visiting Jaffna and the north to familiarise themselves with the region’s facilities and sights.

“The industry wants to popularise Jaffna as it is a new destination and something different from the other often-visited locations,” said Nalin Jayasundera, managing director of Aitken Spence Travels, which handled 300-400 foreign visitors to Jaffna from March 2014 to April 2015.

Jaffna’s star attractions are its beautiful beaches, rich tapestry of food and culture, decades-old Hindu temples, Keerimalai natural water springs and Jaffna Fort built by the Portuguese.

The city is also well known for local wines prepared from large vineyards – a particular draw for French tourists. Telson Fernando, general manager at STP Holdings, which owns two boutique hotels in Jaffna under the Heritage brand, said: “French visitors are keen to see vineyards during the season.”

S Hariharan, managing director at the 30-room Subhas Hotel, the city’s oldest hotel, said that many tourists also visit the nearby Delft island to “look for the history of their ancestors”. The island has an abundance of Dutch-period artefacts and 1,000 wild ponies.

Even surrounding areas like Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar are considered new attractions in Sri Lanka, many of which are unexplored territories for both foreigners and locals alike.

However, some trade members caution against rushed development. Said A M Jaufer, president, Chamber of Tourism and Industry Sri Lanka: “There is a need to identify and develop the potential areas for tourism in Jaffna. However, the most important aspect is in educating the local community on how they can earn and improve livelihoods. It is important that steps are taken to ensure the community benefits from tourism before actively promoting the destination.”

This article was first published in TTG Asia, October 16, 2015 issue, on page 5 To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Hitting the sweet spots

By Caroline Boey

November 4, 2015

Blessed with year-round good weather, impressive scenery and diverse culture, the capital of Yunnan is attracting more international visitors to tee off on its meandering greens.

Dubbed Spring City, Kunming has all the right elements to be the golf capital of China – pleasant weather year-round, stunning vistas, interesting cuisine, unique culture and easy access to the courses.

Now the city’s appeal is further elevated with more international hotels and improved access, as Kunming became the 10th city in China to allow foreign visitors three-day visa-free stays since last year, said Nick Zhao, director, sales and marketing (operation), Spring City Golf & Lake Resort.

“Kunming has one of the largest collections of golf courses in Asia and there are several courses located within two hours’ drive of the city. It is the golf capital of China,” he said. “There is convenient access by land and air, and is the gateway between China and South-east Asia, plus there is pleasant weather all year round.”

Ho Hsiao Ho, founder of Golf Holiday, a wholesaler and retailer, said demand for golf holidays in Kunming has been rising 15 to 20 per cent annually since he started the golf holiday business 35 years ago, barring the 2008 global financial crisis and 2012 economic downturn.

Ho said: “Initially, all the golfers were from Taiwan. Today they come from all over the world. In Asia, Taiwan, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Australia are the main source markets.”

According to Ho, there are more than 10 golf courses within a 30-minute drive from Kunming; most golfers will stay two nights in Spring City Golf & Lake Resort and another two nights in Kunming.

“It may surprise you but Yunnan and Kunming are considered the most expensive in Asia for golf. It costs around RMB10,000 (US$1,574) for a five-day trip with four rounds of golf compared to RMB6,000 in Japan,” Ho said.

Lower prices are on the horizon for golfing in Kunming. Ho added: “Golf holiday prices are starting to fall this year and I believe they will continue to fall because of economic uncertainty. It is now 20 to 25 per cent cheaper.”

To attract more golf visitors, Ho said Kunming could do with more air seats, more competitive airfares with the entry of LCCs, plus stronger destination promotion.

Spring City Golf & Lake Resort’s Zhao agreed: “The promotion of Kunming as a tourist destination to a wide variety of travellers can be further strengthened using rich visuals and testimonials of people who have visited the place.”

Spring City Golf & Lake Resort, which has put Kunming and China on the world map as a coveted golfing destination, will also be doing more to attract visitors.

Zhao added: “We are planning to improve entertainment and recreation facilities in the resort, establish partnerships with local tour agencies, as well as provide sightseeing vehicle hiring services for non-golfers.”

Lu Hao Shuo, deputy general manager, inbound travel division, Kunming CITS, pointed out that golf trips are popular not only in Kunming, but all over Yunnan.

“There are good golf courses in tourist destinations such as Dali, Lijiang and Tengchong,” said Lu, citing examples such as Stoneforest International Country Club in Kunming and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club in Lijiang.

Lu added that Kunming CITS customises tour programmes for mixed groups of golfers and non-golfers.

“While the golfers are playing, we can arrange other activities for the non-golfers such as cycling, rock climbing, photography, botany, zoology or minority culture tours, depending on their interest.

“In general, the number of golf visitors is expanding, especially among the South Koreans and Japanese.”

However, Lu said that there were challenges like increased competition due to the slowdown of both the domestic and global economies. Moreover, the renminbi had been strong until its devaluation in August while costs have been escalating in China in recent years.

This article was first published in TTG Asia, October 16, 2015 issue, on page 27. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

[SPONSORED POST] 2015 Exhibitors Rave About Achievements at IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific

By TTG Asia

November 4, 2015

Exhibitors who attended IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific enthused about their positive experiences garnered at this year’s show.

A total of 297 leading destinations, CVBs and corporate brands from around the world including Berlin, Dubai, Jeju, India, Macau, Philippines, Switzerland participated in the 2015 edition, an increase of 14% from the 2014 edition.

Tourism Promotions Board Philippines was thrilled with their participation this year. “The organisers have been spot on with the buyer base and we were very happy with the number of buyers and meetings we had. This year had been exceptionally good for our Philippine sellers because they’ve been sought after by many of the buyers.”

First-time exhibitor Anja Loetscher, Director of Geneva Convention Bureau shared, “This is our first visit to IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific. The Asian region is an important market for us as we notice strong interest in Geneva from incentive buyers. Participating at IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific helps to expand awareness of our destination to more buyers.”

Yegi Kim, Coordinator of Gyeongju CVB who participated at IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific for the first time said, “As a brand-new convention bureau in Korea, attending IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific is an opportunity to introduce ourselves to buyers from around the world. This has been a well-organised event, with high quality buyers in attendance.”

Corporate exhibitors were also in high spirits, having experienced a successful event.

First-time corporate exhibitor Anake Boonjourn, Assistant Sales Manager of Novotel Phuket Resort said, “The PSA system and Buyers profile gave us an insight into the buyers we were going to meet, and it helped in facilitating productive discussions. As a new exhibitor, the exhibition showcase was also a great opportunity for brand exposure.

New exhibitor Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa also gave thumbs up to the exhibition showcase. Sales Manager, Erwan Chandra said, “We have the opportunity to showcase our product, generate more brand awareness, and build new networking and partnerships with the buyers. This was a great show!”

Radisson Blu Cebu that has returned year after year as they reaped results from their continuous participation. “The show helps us to market the Philippine destinations to buyers. We value the MICE potential business we receive each time we attend the show.”

The 2016 early bird promotion ends by 31 Dec 2015. Log on to the website www.itcma.com and find out how to participate at the event OR find out more from the organiser, itcma@ttasia.com