TTG Asia
Asia/Singapore Friday, 14th August 2026
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Accor adds two Mantra hotels to Hamilton pipeline

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Accor will expand its presence in New Zealand with two new Mantra hotels in Hamilton, adding 92 rooms to one of the country’s fastest-growing regional centres.

Developed by Mistry Centre, the two new-build hotels are scheduled to open in 2027. Mantra Hamilton Pembroke Street will offer 52 rooms near Hamilton Lake, while Mantra Hamilton Karewa Place will comprise 40 rooms catering to business, leisure and extended-stay travellers.

From left: Accor’s Steven Lake and Camil Yazbeck, Mistry Centre’s Pienaar Piso and Sanjil Mistry, and Accor’s Adrian Williams

The projects build on Accor’s existing partnership with Mistry Centre, which is also developing the upcoming Pullman Hamilton. Together, the three hotels will broaden Accor’s accommodation offering in the city across the premium and midscale segments.

Mantra Hamilton Pembroke Street will feature a gym and grab-and-go dining outlet, while Mantra Hamilton Karewa Place will include a restaurant and gym, serving guests travelling for work and longer stays.

The signings follow the recent opening of Mantra Central Wellington, which joined Mantra on the Point Queenstown and Mantra Lake Tekapo in the brand’s New Zealand portfolio. Upon opening, both Hamilton properties will participate in the ALL Accor booking platform and loyalty programme.

Adrian Williams, COO of Accor in the Pacific, said: “Hamilton is a city with strong momentum, growing visitor demand and an increasingly diverse travel market. By introducing two new Mantra hotels alongside the future Pullman Hamilton, we are creating a stronger, more complete accommodation offering for the city, while deepening our valued partnership with Mistry Centre.”

The Singapore Edition launches rooftop sound healing series

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The Singapore Edition will introduce Sunset Sound Healing, a monthly wellness experience held on the rooftop from August to October 2026.

Taking place on the last Thursday of each month from 19.00 to 20.00 at The Roof, the sessions invite guests to relax on a floating water hammock or poolside sundeck chair while listening to live gong soundscapes led by practitioners from The Ark.

The Singapore Edition’s new Sunset Sound Healing series combines live gong soundscapes with rooftop relaxation overlooking the Singapore skyline

Guests can choose a poolside sundeck chair from S$80 (US$62) or a floating water hammock from S$95. Limited to five participants per session, the hammocks are supplied by Australian brand AcquaBoss.

Each session includes fruit-infused water, a fresh towel and a takeaway bag of gourmet sandwiches prepared by the hotel’s culinary team.

The series begins on August 27, 2026, and is open to both hotel guests and visitors.

On event days, guests can also book a 45-minute massage at The Spa at The Singapore Edition from S$150, or access the Thermal Suite, including the sauna, steam room, vitality pool and ice fountain, from S$60.

Advance reservations are required.

For more information, visit The Singapore Edition.

Farah Jaber joins Palladium Hotel Group as South-east Asia MD

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Farah Jaber has been appointed managing director, South-east Asia at Palladium Hotel Group, leading the company’s strategy, growth and operations across the region.

He brings more than 15 years of hospitality leadership experience to the role.

Jaber most recently held senior leadership positions with Minor Hotels across its Anantara and NH Collection brands. He has also held leadership roles with One&Only Resorts and Emaar Hospitality in Dubai, the Maldives and the Seychelles.

Sono Hotels & Resorts Asia welcomes SVP

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Jihong An has been appointed senior vice president of Sono Hotels & Resorts Asia.

He will lead the group’s growth and operations across Asia.

An brings more than 20 years of experience in hospitality development and asset management, having worked across South Korea, Japan, South-east Asia and China.

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai names resort manager

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Joris Quintelier has been appointed resort manager of Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai.

A Four Seasons veteran, he brings more than 15 years of luxury hospitality experience across Paris, Seychelles, Philadelphia, Doha and Hong Kong.

Most recently, Quintelier served as director of food and beverage at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, where he oversaw the hotel’s dining operations.

Travelport appoints chief revenue officer

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Kenneth Johansen has been named chief revenue officer at Travelport, where he will lead the company’s global commercial organisation.

He joins from Oracle, where he most recently served as senior vice president, technology, Europe North.

Johansen brings more than 20 years of technology sales leadership experience, having also served as CEO of Oracle Japan and country leader for Oracle in Germany and Denmark.

Indonesia plans visa for foreign content creators

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Indonesia is preparing a new visa category for foreign content creators as the government looks to separate commercial digital content production from journalistic work.

The proposed C5A content creator visa is intended for foreign visitors travelling to Indonesia to create digital content, including promotional work with businesses and brands. The existing C5 journalist visa would continue to apply to foreign journalists carrying out journalistic work in Indonesia.

Indonesia is proposing a dedicated visa for foreign content creators undertaking commercial digital content production

Happy Reza Dipayuda, head of sub-directorate for visa services at the Directorate General of Immigration, Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, explained that the two visa categories are designed for different types of activity.

“Journalists and content creators may both produce content, but they have different roles and responsibilities. Journalists work for media organisations and follow journalistic codes of conduct, while content creators may create content for commercial purposes,” Happy explained.

Under the current system, foreign journalists visiting Indonesia for reporting assignments use the C5 journalist visa. The C5 visa covers activities such as news reporting, documentary production, interviews and event coverage for recognised media organisations.

Applicants are generally required to provide press credentials and documents related to their assignments. They are also expected to follow professional journalistic standards while carrying out their work in Indonesia.

According to Happy, the growing number of international content creators has highlighted the need for a separate visa category. While many creators are not journalists, their content can still reach millions of people and influence public opinion. He added that the proposed C5A visa is intended to provide a clearer pathway for these activities.

The proposal is not yet in effect. Happy said it is still being reviewed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government agencies.

“After the review is completed, it will still need further approval before it can be implemented,” he said.

Until then, foreign visitors producing content will need to use the appropriate visa category, such as the C14 visa for certain production activities, while the C5 journalist visa will continue to apply to foreign media professionals conducting journalistic assignments.

IHG grows Kimpton portfolio with Phang Nga signing

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IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed Kimpton Phang Nga Natai Beach, a 150-key beachfront resort that will introduce the luxury lifestyle brand to Thailand’s Phang Nga province.

Developed in partnership with Natai Venture Co., the new-build resort is scheduled to open in 2028 on Natai Beach, about 20 minutes from Phuket International Airport.

Kimpton Phang Nga Natai Beach is scheduled to open in 2028 with 150 guestrooms, suites and villas

The resort will offer 150 guestrooms, suites and villas, together with multiple dining venues, a spa, swimming pools, fitness centre, kids’ club and function spaces.

The signing expands IHG’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio in Thailand and marks the company’s second hotel project in Phang Nga, following InterContinental Phang Nga Bay Resort. It also adds to the Kimpton pipeline in Thailand, which includes projects in Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Hua Hin, Khao Yai and Pattaya.

Natai Beach has attracted growing interest as an alternative to Phuket, with future infrastructure projects expected to improve access to the destination. The planned Andaman International Airport, targeted for completion in 2032, is expected to further enhance connectivity to the province.

Kimpton currently has two operating hotels in Thailand: Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok and Kimpton Kitalay Samui, the brand’s first resort in Asia.

Pathana Jitsaereetham, director, development, Thailand, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “As IHG’s second hotel signing in Phang Nga Province, Kimpton Phang-Nga Natai Beach marks an important milestone in our growth strategy and underscores our confidence in the destination’s long-term tourism potential.

“Supported by ongoing infrastructure investment and improving connectivity, Phang Nga is expected to attract increasing interest from both domestic and international travellers.”

Minor Hotels completes Opera Cloud roll-out across 106 properties

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Minor Hotels has completed the roll-out of Oracle Opera Cloud across 106 hotels, resorts and branded residences in 59 countries as part of its digital transformation programme.

The implementation also includes Oracle Opera Cloud Central, strengthening the group’s central reservation and distribution capabilities across its global portfolio.

Minor Hotels has deployed Oracle Opera Cloud across 106 hotels, resorts and branded residences in 59 countries

The cloud-based platform replaces legacy on-premises systems, providing a centralised technology platform designed to support future growth while reducing the need for property-level servers. The roll-out also creates a common operational data platform across brands including Anantara, Avani, NH Collection, NH Hotels, Tivoli and Oaks.

Minor Hotels said the system will support faster integration of new technologies through Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP), allowing the company to develop digital services such as paperless check-in and connect with third-party applications.

The deployment forms part of the group’s wider digital strategy, with the next phase extending Opera Cloud to hotels across Australia and New Zealand.

Ian Di Tullio, chief commercial officer, Minor Hotels, said: “At Minor Hotels, digital transformation is about far more than modernising systems. It is about building a connected commercial ecosystem that unifies our brands, our data and every guest interaction across the journey. Oracle Opera Cloud provides an important foundation for that vision, enabling us to accelerate innovation, strengthen personalisation, and create more seamless experiences for both our guests and our teams.”

Thiru Tholtan, vice president – solutions, hotel technology, Minor Hotels, added: “OHIP gives us the flexibility to innovate quickly, from developing our own paperless check-in solutions to integrating best-in-class third-party services. It creates a truly connected platform that evolves with our needs.”

Agoda, GSTC expand Sustainable Tourism Academy with Japanese, Korean language support

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Agoda and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) have added full Japanese and Korean language support to the Sustainable Tourism Academy, marking the platform’s first anniversary and extending its reach to hospitality professionals in two of Asia’s largest tourism markets.

The expansion comes as the Academy surpasses 3,000 registered users and continues its mission to help hospitality professionals build practical knowledge in sustainable tourism based on the GSTC Hotel Standard.

The Sustainable Tourism Academy now offers training in Japanese and Korean, expanding access to sustainability education for hospitality professionals in Japan and South Korea

Since its launch a year ago, the Sustainable Tourism Academy has become a resource for hospitality professionals seeking to strengthen sustainable practices across Asia. The addition of Japanese and Korean increases the number of supported languages to seven: English, Vietnamese, Malay, Thai, Indonesian, Japanese and Korean.

The Academy has collectively reached more than 3,500 hospitality professionals through digital and in-person training programmes. Participants include professionals from hotel groups such as Accor, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and Onyx Hospitality Group, as well as independent operators and hospitality students from institutions including the Asian Institute of Hospitality Management.

The Japanese-language Academy is intended to support tourism businesses ranging from major hotel groups to family-run operators, while the Korean version aims to help hospitality partners adopt more sustainable practices and strengthen long-term business resilience.

The most popular courses include GSTC Standards & Performance Indicators, GSTC Certification, and Developing a Sustainable Policy and Strategy, reflecting strong demand for both sustainability fundamentals and practical implementation.