THE Reverie Saigon is set to debut in Ho Chi Minh City come December 15, adding another luxury property to the city’s expanding hospitality sector.

Situated within a 39-storey, mixed-use development, the 286-key hotel will boast room interiors that feature furnishings and craftsmanship by Italian design houses such as Provasi, Colombo Stile, Visionnaire and Giorgetti. Facilities include an outdoor pool with views of the Saigon River and city skyline, a spa and fitness centre, a Chinese restaurant, and a fleet of Bentleys and Rolls-Royces.

“Vietnam has gained more exposure as an increasingly attractive tourism destination for international travellers over the past three years,” said The Reverie Saigon’s general manager, Herbet Laubichler-Pichler.

“Needless to say, we’re expecting a high percentage of guests from the immediate region of South-east Asia as inbound travel from neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Indonesia has noticeably increased year-on-year. There’s been a steady increase from China, Hong Kong and Japan, and we’ve also seen growth from US and European markets so we’ve got our eye on those markets as well.”

To encourage the trade to understand what the new hotel offers, he added: “We’re offering attractive industry rates to allow (consultants) to experience The Reverie Saigon firsthand. Competitive commissions and swift commission payments are also part of our ongoing strategy.”

Earlier this month, Hanoi welcomed the opening of the five-star Lotte Hotel Hanoi that is also the tallest hotel in Vietnam.

SINGAPOREAN travellers cannot resist the charms of Europe and less traditional destinations on the continent are gaining popularity for travel in 2015, according to a survey by Trafalgar. Egypt is also set to make a comeback when Insight Vacations restarts tours there in January.

In Trafalgar’s poll, the travel company asked Singaporeans where they intend to go next year. Greece, which saw a major resurgence in 2014, took top spot. It was followed by Switzerland, the UK, Turkey, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain, Croatia, and Hungary.

Nicholas Lim, president of Trafalgar Asia, commented: “With these insightful results where the usual European destinations and cities continue to appeal to Singaporeans, such as London and Paris, we are also seeing new interesting trends where, for example, Turkey has become one of Singaporeans’ destinations of choice.”

The survey also showed that 44 per cent of Singaporeans plan holidays three months in advance, with 34 per cent planning half a year ahead. Singaporeans also value cultural interactions as their ideal enriching experience while on holiday.

Holidays are growing longer as well, with 33 per cent taking 10 to 12 days to travel, an increase from last year, though 34 per cent take a week off at a time.

Singapore travellers are going farther abroad. Destinations such as the US and South America have gained favour with Singaporeans – 51 per cent of Singaporeans expressed desire in visiting Rio de Janeiro, while 40 per cent are keen on going to New York.

Another longhaul destination that is returning to the travel radar is Egypt. Insight Vacations cancelled all tours to Egypt in 2013 after the destination was rocked by violence and political instability, but will resume tours there in January next year.

Robin Yap, president of The Travel Corporation, which is the parent company of both Insight Vacations and Trafalgar, said: “Guest safety is our number one priority, and we will continue to maintain extensive consultation and constant dialogue with our teams on the ground.”

Four new itineraries will be launched from January 8 including the nine-day Wonders of Egypt, 12-day Splendours of Egypt, 11-day Jewels of the Nile, and 12-day Wonders of Egypt and Jordan Experience.

THE Ministry of Home Affairs is arranging to offer US tourists visas on arrival (VoA) and an official announcement is likely to be made during prime minister Narendra Modi’s US visit on September 26.

Sources inside the Ministry of Tourism also told TTG Asia e-Daily that the new facility, valid for 30 days, will be offered to US citizens who do not have a residence or occupation in India, whose sole objective of visiting is either leisure or visiting friends and relatives.

Prashant Narayan, COO and head, leisure travel, inbound business, Thomas Cook India, said: “Currently, the US contributes to around 12 per cent of inbound traffic to the country…this facility is certainly expected to add great impetus to US arrival figures, leading to an impressive uptick in inbound traffic.

“Such initiatives are vital towards building critical mass momentum and infusing much-needed demand into the under-leveraged inbound sector.”

Ranjan Kumar Mishra, managing director of Eastern Voyage Odisha, commented: “The US is the number one source market for inbound tourism to India and it should have been on the list of countries that are offered VoA earlier.”

India began introducing VoAs for five countries in 2010, and currently offers it to 11 nations.

THE UK is introducing new measures to promote tourism from China in the next 12 months, including new visa measures and a promotion campaign.

According to VisitBritain, the government announced that from 2015 to 2017, some 25,000 Chinese tourists who have booked tours to Britain will receive a refund for visa fees.

Industry players said tour operators applying for group visas through the Approved Destination Status, as well as six-month multiple-entry visas applicants, are eligible for visa rebates on the condition that specific destinations are incorporated into their itineraries, or tours to Britain commence within a stipulated time frame.

Under British legislation, each travel agency will receive government assistance not exceeding 150,000 pounds (US$245,771) per year, or the fees for some 1,800 visas.

More details will be released subsequently.

Shanghai Airline Tours’ outbound travel European centre manager, Gu Chao, commented that the refund might be initially implemented with the most reputable tour companies and agencies with larger tour groups. Industry players further noted refunds must be set at a minimum of 50 per cent to be attractive.

Meanwhile, following VisitBritain’s hospitality campaign launched early this year encouraging Chinese travellers to come, the NTO is also rolling out a large-scale marketing campaign in China this November.

VisitBritain’s strategy and communications director, Patricia Yates, said 196,000 Chinese travellers visited Britain in 2013, a 10 per cent increase from 2012.

Expenditure last year totalled 492 million pounds, up 64 per cent over 2012. Moreover, Chinese tourists to the UK spend four times more than the average foreign tourist.

VisitBritain aims to attract 650,000 Chinese tourists annually by 2020 and generate 1.1 billion pounds in tourism dollars.

Article by Jessie Liu. Translated by Ong Yanchun from the original TTG China e-Daily, September 17, 2014 article.

TRAVEL technology provider Illusions is making its move on Asia next month when it opens its first regional office in the “travel hub” of Bangkok.

Vice president Asia of Illusions and former PATA CEO, Greg Duffell, will be relocating to the Thai capital with the aim to get major DMCs on board with the company’s marketplace solution IWTX that he calls the “Amazon of the travel trade”, as well as deepen Asian products within its wide scope of inventory.

He told TTG Asia e-Daily: “Let’s face it, Thailand is the hub of travel in Asia, and a lot of major DMCs – Diethelm, Khiri, Destination Asia, Exotissimo – are based there, and we’re pitching to get this crowd.”

“Five years ago, Asia was struggling but now it’s the leading travel market in the world…Trade comes so naturally to Asians, look at the wet markets!”

Illusions has had four salespeople based in Thailand since three years ago.

Another aim of the shift is to get more content aggregated on Illusions’ IWTX solution to in turn fulfill its aim of offering all travel-related products under the sun, eventually including peer-to-peer vacation rentals as well.

Duffell pointed out there is “not so much” inventory on products from Cambodia and Vietnam.

Asked what was next for Illusions, he said: “We’ll go to B2C eventually, but there’s enough trade on the B2B platform to be happy.”

BRITISH Airways (BA) will resume direct daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to London from May 27, 2015, after suspending services to Kuala Lumpur in 2001 as global travel slowed after 9/11.

The service will be operated by a four-cabin Boeing 777-200ER, featuring 12 seats in first class, 48 in Club World business class, 32 in World Traveller Plus premium economy class, and a further 127 in World Traveller economy class.

Flights will arrive at and depart from London’s Heathrow Terminal 5.

BA034 will leave Kuala Lumpur at 23.05 and arrive in London at 05.25 the next morning. BA033 will depart Heathrow at 20.15, arriving into Kuala Lumpur at 16.00 the next day.

Jamie Cassidy, BA’s area general manager for Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, said in a press release: “It’s wonderful to be back in Malaysia. We are starting the new flights in response to strong customer demand for direct flights to Kuala Lumpur.”

Badlisham Ghazali, managing director of Malaysia Airports, added: “I greatly welcome the return of BA to Malaysia. This announcement underlines the strength and vibrancy of the air travel market between the UK and Malaysia, and I believe that this new route of BA will bring about positive impact of great proportions to both countries from the economics, political, social and cultural standpoints.”

SILVERSEA has made available for reservation new voyage options for 2016, covering 385 destinations on 177 voyages.

Among 19 new ports are Summerside, Prince Edward Island (Canada); Rockland, Maine (US); Le Marin, Martinique; Shimizu, Japan; Rijeka and Rab Island, Croatia; Bremerhaven, Germany; Ullapool, Scotland; and Kalmar, Sweden.

Some highlights include the 115-day Venetian World Cruise departing Fort Lauderdale on January 5 to 51 destinations in 31 countries; the 
66-day Circle South America voyage departing Fort Lauderdale on January 15; the 10-day South Africa trio of voyages departing Cape Town in February; the Mediterranean, Northern Europe & Baltic voyages from April to November; and the Alaska voyages from May to September.

Additionally, the line’s Silver Explorer, Silver Discoverer, and Silver Galapagos will collectively explore over 500 destinations on 95 expedition cruises, including 88 inaugural calls such as Gough Island, St Helena; Lizard Island, Australia; Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles; and Ko Phra Thong, Thailand.

Visit www.silversea.com for details on the 2016 voyage collection.

Direct flights from the Philippines to Myanmar will begin soon, following the former’s Civil Aviation Board recent granting of seat entitlements to AirAsia Zest and Cebu Pacific on the Manila-Yangon route.

In May, the two countries reached an air service agreement allowing airlines to fly between the two destinations.

Currently, Philippine nationals enjoy 14 days of visa-free travel in Myanmar, while Myanmar nationals are entitled to 30-day visa-free travel in the Philippines.

“Myanmar will be an alternative destination for Filipino tourists and Myanmar’s government extending visa-free privileges to Filipinos (last December) is a welcome support,” Joy Cañeba, AirAsia Zest CEO told TTG Asia e-Daily.

“To attract more inbound tourists, we hope that (our country’s) President will sign the ASEAN open skies agreement and open up the Philippines,” she added.

Cañeba said that the company has been receiving requests to fly to Yangon and other parts of Myanmar through social media platforms and also from numerous Filipino travel bloggers.

According to Marcus Allender, founder of Go-Myanmar.com, figures from 1H2014 show that Filipino visitors to Myanmar do not rank in the top 10 for Asian countries.

“I am sure that the recent allocation of a direct route from Manila to Yangon will help, but clearly the numbers show there is a lot of work to do to raise awareness in the Philippines of Myanmar as a tourism destination,” Allender said.

THE Maldives, after 40 years as a one-island, one-resort destination catering to the upscale market, is promoting mid-market offerings under a new tourism policy.

Adam Mohamed, director, Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation, revealed: “We are moving to a vertical tourism concept with high-rise accommodation facilities. We also need beds in the mid-market category.”

Deputy tourism minister, Hussain Lirar, told TTG e-Daily that a reason for adopting the vertical concept is that the current resorts do not have any capacity to expand, as by regulation, they can only use 30 per cent of the island for infrastructure development.

In July, the government launched Thumburi Integrated Resort Development on the uninhabited twin islands of Thumburi and Hulhiyandhoo in Laamu Atoll in northern Maldives, to build 200 rooms in 23 units under three different categories, including guesthouses, and a few four- to five-storey hotels.

The project is due for completion in 2015 and aims to offer cheaper accommodation.

The new, focused mid-market offerings vis-à-vis Thumbiri, aimed at Asians, especially the Chinese, and European travellers, is eagerly anticipated by the trade.

“There is a huge demand for mid-market offerings from the Chinese and European travellers. It would also help bring down prices in the upmarket range,” said Shafraz Fazley, managing director of Viluxor Holidays, which handles a sizeable segment of the Chinese market.

He said having several hotels on one island can also add new experiences, since Thumburi is on uninhabited islands where hotels would be allowed to sell alcohol, whereas currently many guesthouses and hotels are found in Male and other islands where liquor and pork are prohibited, along with bikinis or skimpy outfits.

According to Michelle Flake, co-founder of Koamas Luxury Escapes, honeymooners love to return to the Maldives with their families four or five years later, but if there are only luxury resorts this would not be affordable to them.

“For tourism to continue to grow in any destination there must be options for all clients worldwide, no matter what budget,” she opined.

Mohamed concurred that there are a lot of people who like to visit the Maldives but cannot afford it, adding that the domestic airport at Laamu Atoll will be upgraded to an international one to offer direct flights to Europe and the East.